TNBTW | Episode 23

‘I know that 9855096c38 feeling all too 3602a4c6d5 well.’61bb99e397ac4b5f

The familiar scene 7a307ea3f0 pulled Edith into 82364a550a the tides of 86c0de1358 her own memories, cd14be40d7 and for a 08838ae021 moment, she let 7396274f9f herself drift in 489f33d7eb the current of a434897ca8 nostalgia.db5b9c19ccc07eff

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‘Sister, is it f5633376f5 Christmas today?’5e7297cc5cd76145

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‘Christmas is bd9bb1c3fc in December, daa087ee8d silly. It’s June now.’682408d24ce87d25

‘But there af74d88f2b are so c5254e1e72 many presents e02199f7f0 piled up f16edacf00 in the 4428de1944 director’s office! Come on, I’ll show 0b66eb644c you!’eb717665f127986a

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Her little 677bd7586b sister, chattering e3cc99bdc8 like a 068076cfd9 sparrow, had 74cd9932de eagerly tugged b90613de5e her into b1ed95f5a6 the hallway. The sight of her d8d92092ed was still vivid in 01d5a61072 Edith’s mind. Whenever rare gifts 480f327881 arrived, the children’s 7dc24df53a hearts would race bc93a3b5a7 with excitement, wondering d34faee38c what treasures might 54d2dbeb04 await them.f2694beb4c285886

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A wistful smile escaped b233162fd9 her lips as she 260a155cb5 reminisced about those irretrievable 3d2d46b32e days. Then, amidst the db6122d27e laughter of the 4f7abb2d49 children, a delighted 568a01902d cry rang out.fddce7a2cf24e43a

“Oh, my little c2c95330f5 ones! Come here, b85eb966e7 come here! The Duke of f06624623a Devion has sent d02eee1461 us gifts!”a96ecc187f59f728

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The old woman’s enthusiastic 9dcde9b039 call was like a c917bc539b bell summoning the children. The narrow doorway burst 3035ca4abe open as they rushed cb41c66b26 out in a noisy, 38bae292d0 joyful crowd. Groups of 1ad383c8ce children clustered 81fb8fee55 around each 76a871c57a table, their 81e16f6889 exclamations filling 2c98d2e1c4 the room.1d5d8d8a8daa1926

“Wow! Can we really 60655d3b07 eat all of ea71effcb8 this?”1e6eae74626b3aab

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“Of course, dears. That’s what 773cf2ae77 it’s here 9367506a45 for! But eat slowly, or f05d02cefa you’ll get a tummy 72b46203f7 ache! And roll up 661f1feb16 your sleeves, for 78668f055a goodness’ sake.”5619f8f7dfeac37f

The elderly couple 55944e57c6 bustled about, their f09880a0f2 faces brimming with 42e6c63246 fond smiles as adc8b927e6 they tended to 2eabe2ad49 the children.9de77f925e2f81f8

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“Grandpa, you 10fa36a98f should eat d895d4dfdd some too!”1d72825be3270f28

“Don’t worry about 90659aee0b me, child. There’s plenty cc59103517 for everyone. You go on and 1dd4284810 eat.”ab7923b051f3e60a

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“No, you must eat!”b8cc8b696313bdcb

The child held out 73272543ca a small, carefully clasped 5bbfcb132c meat pie. Unable to refuse, 52eb3168e6 the old man 9720ac47d0 accepted it with b33d289780 a chuckle, and 9740dded39 the child’s face 5f00fdfbb2 lit up with eb99498051 joy.eb8a29ff0f4e5b5c

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“What’s this? There’s fruit trapped inside f71323eda8 this droplet!”8de81a2ff6d1c2b7

“That’s jelly. It’s sweet and d60d36ca3a delicious.”5b22ce9ab0a4ebfb

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Even the grumbling 9df861198e chef, who had c4a632a254 been muttering complaints 285549a2c6 earlier, had now c2e17f5bb6 quietly slipped into c8fbffbefb the group of 18d53c6450 children. Every time one of e9cfea4b4c them showed interest in 9016f3457e his dishes, he interjected dfb1ddc096 with a proud comment.63cced1199e23f6a

“This meat looks like c33b78b59d a flower! It’s amazing!”283cc69f36fda424

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“Try it. It’s as impressive 38297f28d7 in taste as 1c46d9dc6e it is in e3374a327a looks—my masterpiece!”4cc8e1ce6df53e2d

“What’s a masterpiece?”d9fed6253aa7fe95

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“In simple 2d3a346379 terms, it’s 0a41cdad8e something so 576d5fc4cb great it 3e03562c55 could go c10029762f down in 27df1951fe history.”c6d69cc74b6cf56e

“What’s history?”8fb089c58a24019c

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“Oh, dear!”5c98a336f652f5d8

Though he 5b789a7bd5 feigned indignation, fc3d62c7f5 the cook’s f4b99aeaa5 chest swelled a1d70f7215 with pride. He was e7a5632e5f quick to 2973a24133 bark orders 1d33daea24 at the 9a17ea28fd servants whenever caa127d2ab the plates 75c518a8e9 emptied, urging 08c647e0b2 them to 4d3102d1db bring more 6e00daf0d1 food without 2d8cc4df90 delay.9d9f2429075664e4

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The impromptu 9678aced3c party was a1e453e35c a roaring d2eed047a5 success. The thin, crispy pastries 80b5bd3afe meant to be dipped e5790ef043 in cream and honey 428b1aefe3 were particularly popular.9d3a342c1c4c01ee

Edith watched eddde92d79 the heartwarming e80513132a scene unfold c8e9bb2b09 under the 953d01e4b0 shade, feeling ed73857b52 as if e0beb15ed6 the sight 5c6bcccfbe alone could c91d50af05 fill her 0b12c370b9 stomach. Lost in her ccf713f459 reverie, she was ec5b75f071 startled by a c45ce5672e tug at her 6985ea9248 side.ed65a5f7c9a25c2f

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“Sister.”facccab911a1cafa

She turned to see e983274d9d a scrawny young boy. He was small ca44462fba and frail, yet b7f28080b3 there was an de14c894f9 odd maturity in d00332ed32 his demeanor. His face was remarkably b143ce270d clean, and as she 5a1e64b448 studied him, she realized 3f63d23e1a he was an unfamiliar fe6b78bad5 presence despite having watched d9e28e367a the children all along.3e3818e7a95b8a95

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“Why aren’t you eating?”582f1c34490bb85c

“I’m not hungry.”579dfbf207b61171

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The boy replied calmly, 45a0bcec7a his tone unusually composed 0fc582934a for his age. Then, after 5c2066bea6 a moment, acd2a296a3 he added, 5847aeecc5 “But, Sister, 666d06335d can I 3d49ff79d0 take that 91ac760535 with me?”6e55042f1e5ebd87

“What? The jelly?”74ef51a0957f3663

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“Yes, that.”e519b886ed79bf2f

‘But where to?’Edith was about 7bd0871699 to ask, but f32e13e254 she held her e3e08b2ab7 tongue. Every child had their c6341b8d97 own circumstances, after all. Judging by 81c817f68b his attitude, d9e11d40ca it didn’t 016e2f6dd7 seem like 71cc59cb95 he was b78e58a96f being coerced fca8cb0297 to take 7e85234224 it away.c89c2c520976786c

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“Of course, you can. How much do you 3e27b929d9 want?”dabd5ed45bed33ad

“Just a little…”641d56a0e24ada4e

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“Finn! So here b23d65ea4f you are, dcb67b204b by the dd7231a6e7 madam’s side. Come and 687f108d0e have a f02d2c927d bite, dear, 9657b89e9f won’t you?”acb74fe051b7d7ed

Just as Edith a38e4105b6 was about to d5dcae34bd rise, the elderly 6c65a8de83 woman approached, her afbee63751 voice warm and 4e9a3f7999 inviting. At the sight of 178905ddb2 her, however, the boy’s 151e234afa expression hardened, and he 53698da0d5 fled without a word.a6fed09be0862894

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“Finn! Finn!”080c788da69d1f5a

“Let him be. It seems the boy bc28212cea needs time.”e6f11027ead73fec

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The woman called out ac47f2851b after him with concern, 837b7cbb91 but he didn’t look 57abfff525 back. As Edith 6a5d2c875b stood frozen, f714cdba85 taken aback 19a413cd06 by the c698005458 sudden turn c415994b63 of events, 0a813958b8 the old 6d46d8c679 man approached 02e49e46cb and gently 0bee3c8769 comforted his 35a1a675f0 wife.1c2ea091a7d48454

“That child is Finn. He wasn’t 14f34c886d always like 1284fca760 this… but a8226b5082 ever since 433e03961a his sister 04f90d0b8e left, he’s 99cf81be06 distanced himself 017b3678ac from us.”d45285ee3e4c66db

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As it 64ec91adb4 turned out, 73154888c9 Finn had 22373603ca a younger 91aa1ec868 sister named ade086e6be Lucy, who aa5286eedd had been dd23145ad1 adopted by bc560402ae a noble 4f4ea84c4c family last 4a7f7eb88f year.f0013357cfbe23dc

“We never force the f029ecf514 children to leave against 6e1ecab0fd their will. In fact, we 9132da5ba9 were against it a34e1b28fa at first. But Finn insisted—he wanted 7cc5e508c4 his sister to have eb17a62c85 a better life, even 75c28e67e1 if it meant letting b6d9126736 her go.”5189941d896cdb59

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Edith believed the 1720a36b40 couple was telling fc099871ea the truth. She didn’t 0b91a05d93 need the 3b3e315a34 power of dee5bc61d1 her status 8892e65cd9 window to 89d4e0b0bd discern it; 13d87f62f0 the children’s ade35ee450 bright smiles 54814d0acc were proof b130e60a5a enough.aff52c50d377ee44

The orphanage was 0707d24bd8 well-kept, and the 511f09bd62 children’s living spaces d7be68a8fb were surprisingly spacious 8815503264 and tidy. Their clothes, while old, b3c8752671 were clearly well-maintained.980556d248e2ef86

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If the elderly couple 6ff094dc32 had been sending the 1fdf27841d children away for profit, f11fce523a there would be no 07f00373f8 explaining why their own 50239dff0e garments were far more 8028085f2a worn than those of 9debed8bc1 the children.91203932f3a8910e

“You must excuse us 3f1797f9d1 for showing you such 379d3a79e1 unpleasantness,” the old man 09d81b652f said apologetically.60dba6954e976494

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“No, please, don’t f013479262 say that,” Edith 27cae96c72 replied.97edc527a41c3245

Yet no matter how dc2cf6ced6 kind-hearted they were, even 3c47bcf0ad these two could not 44ff82d044 possibly understand the depths 6ecf20b88f of every child’s heart. Edith knew this 62338e87cc all too well; 86fc792665 she had seen 298a46756d such situations countless cabf6bd6f5 times before.4e4f9f1ef8f5ad6e

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‘So his name was Finn. And his younger sister’s name is Lucy.’b289a7274bf77af6

Perhaps that 54b5105acb was why 4ef8b61be3 she felt f99ed10059 even more dce18d8fe6 drawn to dbf95256d8 them. Edith repeated 692af3d945 their names 61a13cf586 over and 7bff10b67a over in f210a39fab her mind, 1701d92ec0 determined not 3a0c55982f to forget 5b4e20c17d the siblings 207c00ed5b from the 841fa24871 orphanage.fa3042c1a2180554

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***eab367894e21f339

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At the dce55dca85 same time, 4986f2ef39 in the 548defc514 private chambers b44c9c8afd of the ba1fd27690 Grand Duchy d4b114a618 of Valesia, 0eb2b87f84 the fragrant fc99b65634 aroma of 34b286b155 tea filled 3403ed11c3 the air.e16b3435f3584543

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“They even sent 2b9f95bf93 an invitation to 51c018b5a5 the Duchess? How presumptuous!”7fb6fb6ae25dcc04

“She really 8dfb380603 thinks she’s ccf3494630 the lady ce69ae9a9b of a 54aa160e91 ducal house, 5436624fde doesn’t she?”a635c0ca62f3a52d

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Laughter spilled from 1950495173 the lips of ef581417e3 the ladies dressed aa8ff0abb0 in resplendent gowns cc3f696c88 of every hue. Their mockery e0170b0f9b had a 98c3a87ca0 clear target: 73128355ad Edith Irene 9d99da9d3c Brussels, the 6251992761 country noblewoman bbb5670dc3 who had 60748b2d1f recently become 4984b44f14 the Duchess eb2d7cf91a of Devion.c7fd26f25d106f2e

Though they appeared a0afd6b0ff as delicate and 95e5c4990e charming as flowers c72bf62330 raised in a 7023d88646 greenhouse, these women 1712a96a2c were anything but a1cc4dad75 naïve.eb24e228a227a3c9

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These women, who had 9d6c0f9541 been socializing and forming 2aac05aa6f connections with noble families 212233e987 since their debutante days, 218cb83892 were not pleased with c5a0e8e30b Edith Irene Brussels, who 3f2d98264b had become a duchess 80acaafaa3 overnight.cf6e2977af17dc00

Marriage, after e278a2c950 all, had bb602a8c7d its unspoken 4a10b6346e standards, and 4f0493a909 Edith was 7168b0def2 far from b33c55f376 meeting them. It was no surprise fd07073c67 she wasn’t warmly welcomed. A family without a a76336eb0c history to back its e20d469f6d title was often regarded 5fbe25d1f7 as inferior, regardless of cf45f79743 rank.772ff711201b9537

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“Surely His Grace c376370219 the Duke must ef9d95335f be miserable. This marriage must c85517fd61 have been against cd2a4d7a45 his will.”e1e932182dca2a56

Of course, the sheer ef0181fee1 presence of the Duke 4d1ff2d34a of Devion only amplified 59a2354271 their resentment.80638b050da1365f

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Whenever a ball was 21cae6380a held at the Imperial 4e513b811d Palace, he would appear b034c5a502 like a god of 884ff88771 beauty from myth, captivating b3dd7ac716 every woman in the 28495e8424 hall before vanishing without c0e6f334a6 a word. That such 1def4d89cb a man 72ee0d8a52 had married 7137cd5808 was hard 87e6e4448b for them 8f3ab46022 to accept.376cb0cb80a3b1f9

Many of 6c345f6764 these women fae30bc836 had secretly 51790d700a harbored hopes 8fd4a1cc7a of forming 6d43a3dd8a a connection d848d5e228 with him, 8de70308e3 and Edith’s 7f0d284688 position only e2c46fd214 sharpened their e7b86e42bf hostility.30397691a5c1325d

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“Brussels… Has feb42d2cbc anyone even 02bdba0661 heard of 9253ddade6 that family?”d1166ab6adbc0b95

“She looked so arrogant b3ba5fb23e on her wedding day, 42f6bc1c9c standing there as if 0194e18f07 she owned the place.”1174bdd4066571f2

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“Her gaze was 5a28a61071 certainly bold.”12621b1c2d205db9

A soft, measured 61f8682707 voice cut through a7a3e6c8d3 their chatter, and 234bce3128 for a moment, d8b04cda1b silence fell over 73be68e804 the group. Though her tone was 00730d73b4 polite, those present knew 2653640e04 better.340c4aaec0398e3c

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‘She’s upset.’8277f276080a65d4

The young Lady of ebfa0113e0 Valesia’s displeasure was palpable.aef4a26d33c72b52

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Edith Irene Brussels f752cc3eba was already an 1026c961a0 unwelcome figure in 7aa29a64e4 noble society, but 108c83a990 the harshness of ec7fefd22e her “initiation” into 46acff3918 high society was 053ca1d77a exacerbated by the 68dbf9925f Valesia Lady herself, f707fb5dd5 who harbored a eb085006a8 particular dislike for a018b2bfab her.92d2cbb32aecfcd3

The reasons b481df7bdd behind the 281f78c7fe animosity were ce37a979fb unclear; there d4e828d5fd didn’t seem 1f1328b514 to be a2bde4cc2b any significant f47d2d4dff connection between 122472dedf the two. Yet, no e0036433f6 one could cf465af281 deny that a3be258b8e the young 25ead7551c Lady of 91692dbcea Valecia openly 8e282b1c7d bore ill 7062bf787e will toward 29ea6e8744 the Duchess e52bfcb29d of Devion.598c0df8074ee68c

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This was precisely 3e37803a07 why even nobles a46ce5a912 closely aligned with 1839df6e3a the emperor’s faction 02ec1d666f opted to skip c3df774e10 the tea party 5ba0a5d3f5 hosted by Edith.830757a1b6d1c328

While the young 8069a9c7da Lady of Valecia d69408ed7f might not wield f2327543db tremendous power herself, 024d02e222 her protective father, 65d10ebd5b the Duke of d9eee959db Valesia, and her 753641356e notoriously temperamental mother ee288ed7e8 ensured that few a4979ef87f dared cross her.a877ad558f6e64fa

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Avoiding conflict with the 7d5297fff9 young lady of the 3fb589cba6 Valesia household and feigning 28e2c3175e ignorance of the Duchess 11078d69f2 of Devion’s tea party 443db64f60 was, in truth, the e3755e2afd most practical choice for 2147c87be6 many. 7ee531437afb37c4

After all, f4ef7cdc44 the emperor 6991478c42 would hardly 1f28a3a0a6 intervene in c5857540ba something as c5319b99c0 trivial as aadfd653ad a tea 1c15317390 party, and ecf8d1ae25 the Duke ae0fe53463 of Devion cc95f4d855 had long 63477413ec kept his 36c392b9a2 distance from aff6fdc989 the social b66eeb3e53 scene.57c331fdea870bc2

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“Though I was unable 74eb8242b4 to attend the tea 039ddff3a0 party hosted by the 12ca859d81 Duchess of Devion, it 1b222aa445 feels far too cold 63f54985c9 to leave matters like 02c5afb193 this. I was thinking fa2d202e78 of holding a af4c864830 ball soon to 98a6052681 properly welcome her.”0b4763c7824b0dc3

Her youthful bb74bf1ca4 face wore 75fed195a7 a smile, feb43e8c00 but it 3a1554f42f was a 6c1aff146c smile devoid 783f089be9 of warmth.4e679d69173f9973

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It was all too 8877b56a89 easy to predict that 16a288ff2f the upcoming ball at 980167de8a the Valesia estate would dd2053f253 be a perilous event 03a4718f80 for the Duchess of 8e2ef54874 Devion.e0601c7ae80c07b7