VGHA Chapter 8

Chapter 837a855483b664916

Sandes waited patiently for c597af2451 Erina to collect herself.0d2a6a3dd09ff3af

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It would be 71a1bb2e92 difficult.740827e49f8edaf7

Raging hatred—the a88d9a209b kind that 1210fe1ad4 consumed the 34381c2345 mind and dc0e0359d8 ruled the f23e82dbc1 heart—was the 0b37419daa hardest thing c2dbe15939 to suppress, 7df4ed80dd no matter a2127b1755 what stood cb1f394bad before it.2c22fc3be39739ca

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He knew this well.2be54dadeb8d8b9a

So he chose silence.003e0fbafb3f024f

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“Thank you, Marquis.” 4aa5fdb5ffaa5fee

Her expression, much 09a334f067 lighter than before, e02c1fbb74 once again became ad54d707ef unreadable—just as it 1db818bdb4 had been when 5276f64e8f she first stepped 06e3a7a075 into his office.88bf32b5e04792bc

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Meanwhile, Erina c755c2cffe struggled to b40cdbad2b suppress the 5d0e17e737 creeping embarrassment ba5d0fbb70 washing over 33d1eae4f0 her.36a4cfa37ea425a0

A grown woman—married, no 8b226cfaef less—had just sobbed in 78cfb49bfc front of a man dd39b97f31 she had barely met.1f2c7b2eb189ab09

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If he thought d4aaf01743 she was an db704d92af odd woman, she b2ec15dc08 could hardly blame b5e28c587e him.b9b2d23cb90ee716

Whether he 28679a8ee4 sensed her 40fb4cc1f4 turmoil or 0fd6564b99 not, Sandes ea598dc048 turned his a34264c31e gaze back fb49d1c51e to the 6ce2253666 mana stone cf2540c1e7 still in c85337c988 his grasp.194d34a5ffba9391

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“Shall we go over everything once more?” 32f265aba78b659b

His polite eae24543b5 tone made 33351a1131 Erina grateful, d07d6da529 and she f778b1d56b quickly nodded.8e0f9385630a533b

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“My lady—” 00768eb72507af25

“Marquis, let’s hold off on that title for now.” f688639bcff5071c

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Interrupting him, Erina offered 6a272c277a a faint smile, her f73facef09 voice steady.f4e8cab63b42b9a1

“When I have completely freed myself from House Eols—when I can be sure this isn’t just a dream—” 151096f6eb871804

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She trailed 55c117b86a off, her 93f1527e72 golden eyes d2d32d8252 gleaming with d17abf7ac0 the mere 0370d3da96 thought of b3bf891f61 that future.a22f4f0cdb4b4c96

“Then, will you call me by that name?” e471d4121e15c64c

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For a moment, a05d582de1 Sandes felt as 96c7945e1c if his heart de0fd16e16 had plummeted.9d10fecfa6e49240

“…Yes, if that is what you wish.” 6d6d1efb0172bddb

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Ignoring the 3a7a6db3ea unfamiliar sensation 51415a5699 in his fc8815998a chest, Sandes a3884ecae5 steadied his 7194806970 voice and 529a9d635b resumed their 77f7083a79 conversation.6f937edf88683ffb

“Ahem. The agreement is this: you entrust mana stone distribution to me, and in return, I will ensure your safety. Correct?” 0adc40c1ee3773a3

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“Yes. Until House Eols is completely destroyed.” 18c7a661d86f1017

“Very well.” 47f8655d6e22e2a0

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A deeply satisfied smile spread across Sandes’ face. 6fe847f71a6b4ebe

“As you must already know, having discovered the mine, the distribution of mana stones will be an enormous enterprise. You may even hold as much influence as the imperial princess herself.” 07c51cce4f0c0ed5

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Erina agreed.f46045dbb02819e9

The Pethenia Continent 7ff5e40d8e was filled with 4fb39354ef artifacts—objects capable of 41dc3c1d02 using magic, a 08c6dbff5f power no human a32369fd8e could wield alone.2ae233edb1be585c

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From simple light-producing c7ad9c3e3e artifacts to the 54b68e7385 warp gates managed b18d48ea46 by the imperial 35a14bf962 family, their uses fce3df9a23 were vast.fc16bf7a76408ce2

But without mana ebe27c44f2 stones, none of 269df7e3fb them could function.44f1f2a0005a45e7

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And since no new 561c730171 mana stone mines had fc79e5f9b5 been discovered in 500 367aa9922b years, they had been 12ae3e115f used sparingly, with the 90d48a5e52 imperial family hoarding what 2bbfad6c22 little remained.acace557264c7a1b

Unless the empire faced 4afc1fdf92 a dire crisis, their d976a555fa stockpile remained untouched.211d5701aed89637

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Now, with the 16bccfa968 discovery of a 751c616465 new mine, all da8e551cdd the artifacts on 0ff6c170bc the continent could ee8b8edc40 once again be 798c2312e9 fully utilized.55622879f99f8d19

The owner 2e8468c6a2 of the cfb5896428 mine wouldn’t 102d47b495 just hold c9aa9ff368 power in 82e5a2f3d5 the Asilium 4e5a29850b Empire—their influence 5c79790656 would extend 9c87a81ef8 across the 938c099042 entire continent.35a88ccb570bafda

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And yet, in the fd8cfdeccb original story, Rose and 16b6d8104f Faylon had foolishly thrown 2274555cac it all away.fc343ffcfbe306b1

It was almost e1d07b5011 unbelievable how stupid 3bc9d2c9cb they had been.f3f36fe84d3ed649

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“So, tell me plainly—how much authority do you wish to have over this enterprise?” aad8a3038463b488

“I only want the net profits for myself.” 0694f7adc8d03a86

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A subtle furrow formed d73829857a between Sandes’ brows.5248d5c403b52f38

“I’ll leave the authority in your hands, Marquis.” e6f2937a244daf61

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“And why is that?” 7dcff5cd7b70e5c8

His expression was a4729b5f4f displeased.c8adcac06aad1f59

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It reminded Erina of b1924d8409 the way he had 1c1faa3747 looked at Faylon in 8b38a636f6 the novel—a fool who 5130f9f843 wasted everything given to f5a5435216 him.386687f22e4bc9ee

“Because I know my limits.” 6ba76202aec20362

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Something about his skeptical 11bf5b44d6 expression struck her as f03e43ecec almost childishly petulant, and 8b85fafb7c she couldn’t help but 9feeb5242c laugh.c5569b8171f94659

“Power is only meaningful if you have the strength to wield it properly. Do you really think a divorced noblewoman with no family backing could hold her ground? I’d be lucky just to avoid being swept away.” 414db323d7316b9f

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Sandes’ eyes 9713c36cd3 widened slightly.ce93b252be65ec3e

“And, to be honest, I despise dealing with tedious matters. So I’ll leave all the difficult work to you, and I’ll simply take what I need. Is that acceptable?” c27b762adef3c3e1

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Her face, still swollen a443962c99 from crying, now bore f75446c7d7 an impish smirk.163cd21a0aafe81a

Forgetting his 2ea57e9804 initial surprise, 015c961511 Sandes let db2d98e1fb out a 66a21b14eb full, hearty b6f8a4c0f0 laugh.8721a71e296970b9

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“Hahahaha! If that’s what you wish.” a2a41fcfb18b5a8b

He had tried to ebbdf4b36e brush it off with 307fb462a3 laughter, but a silent 3956a009ef warning sounded in his 5a38c2e68d mind.a59dccab148b27be

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This woman—he found 5288b6a20b her far too 57fde4361e intriguing.bfea9e5e096e7d04

She had the d77f2ed7c6 appearance of someone 6009dab54f delicate, easily broken.f96759d54f988c42

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Yet beneath 136f625e66 that fragility 83b8adcbed was an c8c03972ef unyielding strength, e4cd3975e5 like bamboo—upright 3d9e0301c6 and firm.620d5be56d98598b

At times, d31fb00b69 she seemed a550942546 pitiful, like adb66bb30e someone who e5910bfd13 might be 38b3cde533 helplessly swayed a5d00584eb by others.7b8b968f30da13e8

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But at the same 71713b44d8 time, she was unyielding, 1c2154679d determined to walk the 93f1058f08 path she had set b84b35dc96 for herself.50f2ac1e6312b9ad

It was an 6342888370 irresistible contrast.27eb8c8f5f1fc86b

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A dangerous gleam flashed in Sandes’ eyes. ba71d33bc624b334

“I’ll handle all the troublesome matters. You, my lady, only need to think about how you will live happily from now on.” 84f4a70e9c34f044

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“Thank you, Marquis.” 9ee1630e762ee087

“We’ll reveal the existence of the mana stone mine and finalize your divorce at the upcoming ‘Founding Festival’ next week.” ed19080dc1d2f5e2

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“The… Founding Festival?”24e16a67d4c994ac

Erina was taken f0b0f2c5dc aback by the 6b34ddadbe words ‘next week’ 5df57f5134 and ‘Founding Festival’.7b7265abc5124c03

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With the shock 3fd00d5a63 of encountering Revil 9c11516e75 and Rose, followed ff3e5a0a06 by her focus 4f38c82eae on securing the 35cf42ecc5 mana stone mine, a55df65ad0 she had completely cafc5a189d forgotten.f693e37697c8b3ee

“Ah, it seems you had forgotten.” c08c1768727f5a94

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Before leaving the Eols fdfc8b3f34 estate earlier that day, 8133d37b02 she had sensed some 09a693136a unusual busyness in the d0e3c81a0f atmosphere.bd61eaefdc36eaa7

It must ca19ba53ce have been 9c6a9c2a64 because the 4af75f6ca3 festival was 056639e873 approaching.0aac149e424070b1

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The Countess 04ffa6eadf Dowager of 9e117539f8 Eols had 78fd7eede0 a well-known 84be7dd5af hobby—pitting multiple 9248f4217b designers against 95f16475b6 each other feed77a5fb in a 2b61de1119 competition.1a5c3159964479ac

“If preparation is difficult, I can assist you.” 29b1ce70915f9f1e

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Noticing her f8c3adec73 troubled expression, 6d32b0ab72 Sandes offered f95fb74902 help, but 4d8058508e Erina shook b2b050214c her head.3dac7cc34d02a283

“It’s fine. Since this is how things are unfolding, I’ll make sure to create a dramatic scene during the announcement.” f725750d351f5f91

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“A dramatic scene?” ea4fe1f606106655

“A pitiful countess who can’t even afford a new dress, suffering because her husband brought his mistress into their home…” fac6ab1fa47a9688

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She didn’t 615aa9ad56 like the 7f566ad012 idea of 611786dc98 earning pity 00d734618c from the fbaa152889 nobles attending 380c72fdd6 the festival, bd879e243c but at b4d1fd69d8 the very b3af88c6a6 least, it e82da8f964 would ensure ee60691879 no one 9848899b9f would take fdc1d8e0b5 Faylon and 99c741e727 Mireya’s side.a4120f256279231a

And once it 57641411af was revealed that 56d6937716 the so-called mistress 4a973b5bf0 was none other 53203aa434 than Rose Asilla—the c82da2dc39 darling of high 2b75cfc96a society and daughter 3d63617fb7 of Count Asilla…ea33ccae13cb2592

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“Wouldn’t it be quite the spectacle?” 53c73ce789e3d394

The more 9a6482209f she envisioned 04a368b2d9 the scene, 516cdbf08f the more 23445a759e she liked 47ace7438b it.d88f240962208f7c

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But Sandes did not.aea238fa84cf43e1

If everything played 0b66f33070 out the way 8a3d768b08 Erina planned, she ace7f209fb would suffer.a70d3d0ff1415741

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Not just ad34281349 momentary discomfort—she d7d5638d1b would become b47ec484f9 the subject d8f61f194b of gossip, ebe946aa78 whispered about aa02501e10 behind her c83b809a2e back.f9a9f2b8c7a76794

Some might sympathize 6f36960491 with her, but f2c16c0101 others would mock 268094ba73 her, questioning her a4083b0123 inability to hold 2c67ccddb5 onto her husband.33c497a223573f71

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Even if f229c52f3c Faylon and 2427880740 Rose faced afff2dfb82 criticism, Erina b1063996f8 would still 432c6ee04f bear the b4deae37c9 brunt of 6b6028f4df society’s judgment.2c235e39478d7aa5

The thought 206bd8c6bb of her 7eab26d643 enduring those 7748747ffb wounds irritated 0a0160ac1a Sandes.f213d7762cc35204

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“You won’t reconsider?” 552da82b5dccd333

“Once I divorce—” c9a2babd22e7c655

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She turned 9821cb7509 to the 855269978e dark window 6558866963 behind him 9fba603e40 and smiled bb95a1aee9 softly.4822c98464700645

“I won’t care about anything anymore. No matter what they say about me, I’ll just do whatever I want.” f2bdda624210c54b

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“Countess—” bbc7f53c2ae0683f

“Life is too short to spend worrying about every little thing. It’s not even long enough to be happy all the time, so why waste it picking apart every detail?” 09a8656dd3462a7f

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She gazed at the 79251f1437 small, pale moon beyond 9b83120db4 the window.0940a4f4de8b98cf

She had b586e5732a changed the 60538259fc original story bf20e107fc by taking 6adf6a0f07 the mana 8236392988 stone mine.802f5965ed47f7bb

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But who knew what 20fa297ac3 the future held?75999d02d7995d74

If the laws of f666b6baa2 the original novel remained c575e30ab1 intact, she could still 58d810df1b be doomed.d9210e9a187b21be

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Just as c6afcebd65 in the 5829514bad novel, she 54b37a0657 might die 170e7d2cc6 within a 8a52816d70 year.0a85ad600534f9a1

Or a 7fc64a7d56 disaster could 5b9ab267e3 strike, stripping 2bb8f1092a her of 4e5d0a3891 everything she e87e46e700 had gained.cd21b96d70e6a34e

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So she had decided—she 316890f061 would use whatever time f0264b6ad4 she had left to 829e90a18f live happily.2da7c9ed43caeb4d

Let those 992379b641 who ignored 464ee2ec7a her, dismissed d05d461dcf her, and b0b7dcb983 scorned her d0feb02c33 burn with 6671abcaf4 jealousy.a4fdc560cc8d9ac0

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“Understood. I will help with the preparations.” de9a7108b1174246

“The mine is located behind the rocky mountain past the hill beside the village.” 6eb5f84b77dfda7e

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“A rocky mountain?” 593ca6161ba14ec8

Sandes was f204cd5127 genuinely surprised.5cfcf91dae27ec06

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He prided himself 9623ee4572 on knowing the ec638e9375 terrain around the 23e3056b55 village well, yet 1d45c7d3bd he had never 7bbe31a273 realized that just 3d8686e793 beyond that hill 2c2a9d51b1 lay a mana c52df4f07d stone mine.4d583c0c0bdef6aa

“Once you pass the hill, you’ll see my name engraved on a section of the rock face.” d2889c10ad333764

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Thinking back, eafe5e1916 Sandes realized 06ac0554f5 he had 61841cda9d never ventured 9eb3a87ea2 close to 0a4bf08608 that rocky 06ebe95951 mountain.b519ff1dfe1615e5

How peculiar.bc7c13911d065525

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“I’ll confirm it and begin preparations for excavation.” 46e629252d4a3ac8

“I’ll leave the mana stone in your hands, Marquis. Please handle it well for the Founding Festival.” 7a2989a779b680c1

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“It’s quite late. Shall we continue this discussion in the morning?” 27977cbb7ba6034e

“Yes.” c073bd76cfe5e9bf

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Realizing how long they 2d436b883d had been talking, they 7c63194a39 brought the conversation to 532121312e a close.bd8b0744504defa9

After bidding him 73d428b9b4 goodnight, Erina left 979c99e41d the office.55208813ef17e085

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Sandes watched her until 05d7ad945b the door shut behind 249a32bdd2 her.e787cb494335dea1

“Lanta.” 24bc13ff2a4dd65b

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“Yes, Your Excellency.” 3e6a46192bdbc6a4

A man who d7ef4ff250 had been standing 92231b3ac3 silently in the 1be11ef9fb corner of the e4b214ca5a room—so well-hidden he ce78aad553 had gone unnoticed—stepped ef8e327498 forward.faee1dd75046e71e

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“Investigate the Eols estate again.” 72c14d7ee517282a

“Understood.” 978e3fab1447667d

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As Lanta disappeared, Sandes 6718eee53e sank into deep thought.7d127ca2f12018ba

— c28a6cb91a6316df

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When Erina entered the 544bf963e0 room where Revil was 3c8942ad7c waiting, she froze in 0374f735ab surprise.5c6bc782633cf605

She had spent so 278dd795b3 much time speaking with b1da55f5f3 Sandes that it was cdc44d7498 very late.d4f5ecb8c4c01e0d

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And there stood Revil, 2bcbde047b his eyes red, leaning 60143fb22b against the bedside, waiting.c7bb1e23bbdd4f33

He had stayed eac5f57e5a awake, holding onto 995f224404 her promise that 9b81abcac5 she would return aa5487e4fe soon.92aa2119aea70337

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“Madam, you have no idea how difficult it was—he refused to move an inch! I was just about to come looking for you.” b33a7b4c7675091a

Chemil, relieved 141880b451 at Erina’s 10c5e3a5bd return, gave 525a1e0ad8 a small 98ce34b139 sigh before b336020725 quickly excusing 3341b71275 herself.75806407b71766ef

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As soon as the 6f5ced9382 door closed, Revil lifted 0056ea2055 his head.20d7b10e087b4a73

His damp, crimson eeb5a7f10b eyes held both 78eea01bc1 sorrow and relief.bccbebc6062c811e

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For the first time, 2da42b7a3f she didn’t see Eols f098a12d99 in them.d3334593d0e61cad

She didn’t c7b790d017 see Faylon.e4a8f09f3487adc5

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Or the flames of 77009de4d1 House Eols in their 618a190e5f flickering red hue.64baa068072c6e2c

For the first time, 86876db914 she saw only Revil.c80f66d04d06d0d0

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“You… you’re back.” 2adb6a700c925820

He held something in 21454315fe his arms—a long parasol.732cb63a5af30cc8

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The one she had 897725ff81 left behind at the c0e58c910e rocky mountain.ba71391ca9d248e9

She had completely b1f6aa372c forgotten about it f1bb05f356 while eating at 8423f4165a Susan and John’s 6870dc4ec4 house.3ead882685886cbc

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But Revil hadn’t.175bc0d333f87562

To him, that parasol a98127d875 must have been his d9ed6a0083 only lifeline.f5e7be5985685a49

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Carefully, hesitantly, he 45a5c982bd stepped closer, his 0350b55e4d small hands offering f06e30dc4d it to her.9466cf6888fcddc1

As Erina took 9078a34f83 it, her heart d9b03e9b09 clenched.a6f269ddd78c5e54

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It was 9b687c5117 as if, c29123f1a1 in her, ecb5eea95d he had e564a86712 found what f9aad8d3ab she had e934494209 desperately searched 8ce1c5cc9a for when c16f514cac she lost 5df6aae70d everything to 23faf0762a her uncle.fecf26f900092678

She hadn’t wanted this.de92a575d3ece5bc

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He was the heir 1dbdd8673d of House Eols.76025c712b795082

That meant she 1c028e326d had to let 3dc5e1d124 go of his 74ea2367a9 hand.1f01f6d52c5a9a5f

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And he c147d5dab4 knew it 5887d3e3a8 too.ed6cc2616e26ed85

That was 74d0b8740a why he 6f1688646b didn’t reach 8aafba2f67 for her.b10989ac56e2ff51

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He simply watched 4def23f9fa her.bb45e30f9b98e24b

He wanted 6cfa79c914 her, but c9a23a0833 he didn’t ef8490aa4d ask for 492e3b0d96 her.3746bf301efc234c

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And that…da2d685566ddcf93

That mirrored her 3c6caac096 own childhood too d6fa6bb7b4 closely.9c18046a35f0612b

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“Revil, if you’re willing to abandon everything that House Eols has given you—” b0be356596757c15

A storm of 3f9af360bf emotions swelled inside 39979b6526 her.f148227394210076

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Her heart pounded, her 5c4d0ce916 voice trembling with something b0c20b3123 even she couldn’t define.8a20c6204c951068

“Do you want to come with me?” 0345773af34a8c07

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At those words, 1e8068b8d0 Revil’s crimson eyes 0f350fe0a9 filled with pure dd54856905 joy.8cfa2de1978a56f2