VGHA Chapter 9

Chapter 95e5b437d2d36b0b4

“I apologize for making you leave so early.” 0e4d28969965d272

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At dawn, 13aff9c3fd just as 20c02bad7d the sun 825e711a5d began to 874df588ab rise, Sandes 6f86e13a86 informed Erina cc46d45e49 that he 0b14ef87e6 had urgent 9651b6d035 business and 10dd2da542 needed to aa7d43042e return to 1f4a405f93 the marquisate.e4171ca7cc99f858

Erina had 4a6f5a7145 to quickly be2b72a93f prepare for 62e1a41ff8 departure.f99cf1b03842cb88

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“It’s no problem.” 33f2070b79709f1b

As soon as d0dfa407ba they were ready, 4c222d6d5f the carriage carrying 3a52ecff28 Sandes, Erina, and 1d2f7a5142 Revil set off.72a4f647295852d6

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Feeling the small warmth 795fad59b3 beside her, Erina glanced 31c730ea16 down at the child.dde213bbc80af5aa

Since their conversation 1bfb41246a the night before, ce6fcfef13 Revil had refused 857aa0827a to leave her feae26f270 side.b7998af449bf9016

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She gently 4a6744c448 stroked his 6b27c8c63a soft, light 05cc1fe572 brown hair.c88f9db0022d6202

Leaving House 4e184b4dab Eols was 7fa42662b2 already difficult.4f18500769c5b992

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Taking the designated b8d0903732 heir with her 36a27ac11d made it even 0eacca6945 more so.bcd12fdeeb179529

But every time 379bbebef5 she looked at 16b6c9a49e him, she saw 23f1265099 her own childhood 0b025dccfa reflected back at f11ce8c485 her.614c6c1f6ec3b716

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She had promised herself 2a7f1e0e9c she would live without ecfe1577e2 regrets.4cfbff9eec106ab4

If she left this 2b115f9ce1 child behind, she knew 7b702b81a3 she would constantly turn cb21fc1976 back, unable to move acb07b2c3d forward completely.49a49a26f769d9a2

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The strands of his 3711be6ed6 hair slipped between her a940f38e45 fingers, warm and silky.d0f2a7d84cb34293

Watching the aa389e018c two, now ed3ebd6210 noticeably closer 57f8af678e than before, 8a970a3a92 Sandes suddenly 44fb3aecf6 spoke to d879097b16 the boy c97486e518 with a 7e02d2ccc5 soft smile.79bf922e8650c394

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“Your name is Bill, correct?” 5f9681470031b26d

Revil flinched.40dd058c94513043

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Before he 8295b38703 could respond, e04d37f1a2 Erina answered 664a54961c in his f4683b089e place, sensing 93dc221eed his anxiety.d6900b91eb4e7d8d

“His name is Revil Eols. Faylon Eols, despite being married to me, insisted he would never have children with me and officially took Revil in from an orphanage as his heir.” d88390fec6cf7ed2

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Sandes let 92c960b11f out a 9b9bc156c8 short, disbelieving f63abb56dc laugh.f359fcb20ae7958b

“His Majesty, who trusts that man so blindly, ought to be informed of this.” 59d5b983e0bd725c

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“He will find out at the Founding Festival.” d6071793b89eb6bb

At her cold reply, fa4eedb682 Sandes fell silent, studying e011e4c6b5 the boy closely.b6117dd8d80a33cb

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This orphanage child—2bca2132ffb8fdfb

He looked bc265deae4 far too 66b96284bd much like 5a320e6bee that child.f24f1a16f8639b82

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But that child 40f19e57f8 was dead.f434ed9471ee6159

Sandes had e4afee97ef seen it 893a23300e with his a5e45e2e5c own eyes.33a832591c61c822

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Five years b0babeefb5 ago, he 72a991b7af had watched 136d482a0a that child 21b429ab39 die.7df7fe92b49d0a82

The memory was still 0c1291479f vivid, seared into his fe07dd4e18 mind.b7909841e87f0923

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And yet—f5d07c17ae889335

The boy 04baeef74a before him 276d9789fc shared the d5fef8061a same hair bff527089e color as f5e486843b himself, the 0fa6c3e49d same vivid 797c609680 crimson eyes 94fd111979 that he 668b1609e8 both loathed bdbf5dae3c and could 753bd86fab never truly 736b07093f hate.86c0b409f9c2863e

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If that 41324aabcd child had bcb7231484 lived and bfb84a1a8a grown up 0415efc35b safely, would 411b74011c he have 63f1e6655e looked exactly 273d20c4fa like this?45e51f6f160aca2e

“How old are you?” d26c70289632ee5f

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His voice, 097cd5e5c9 sharp and 2e98540a91 demanding, made 5dda0e73ff Erina instinctively a14059a518 pull Revil 47a3df07e3 close, shielding 880e04cb7f him.609939d4cd1166d6

“Marquis.” e73ef0857957035b

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Her protective stance made e58f244133 Sandes’ expression harden.2a500ca94d056279

“You truly intend to take him from House Eols.” 2592f9a077552789

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His eyes seemed 63c29a22ae to ask, ‘Are baccc50e72 you sure you 5de6864f7f want to take e89e35d2d4 the difficult path?’ded142b084528aed

She knew it would ab1f444d00 be difficult.da1aac16708f0ddc

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Taking Revil—who had e46c6db71b already been publicly d20227674c introduced as the 023d4f09d2 heir—was no simple 2071f485f3 task.92952137aca07dce

“Yes. But it’s not as difficult as it seems.” bf76bbb4936e6f44

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“Oh?” 19cd776698591753

“For Revil to be officially recognized as the heir, my consent is required, as well as the emperor’s approval.” f53919b0d8f74c38

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Faylon had brought 25dc1f2ac9 Revil into the 9e227777d9 household less than e1109be092 a week ago.00685353af26e919

Erina had never 9f73ec38ff given her consent.69471b00f1374d89

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Nor had 739f6e49f0 the emperor 003f11e266 issued any ca4ab380d9 decree finalizing 6f78b9f1b4 the adoption.570cc8062a902e17

While Faylon had 19eadbe1db privately declared him edd7f23367 as the heir 75d85b2dfa to her, legally, 7f1acc9881 nothing had been 4f6da27097 confirmed.a64176bdb17f0c89

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Technically, Revil was still 567b747545 an orphan temporarily residing 4645d4371f in the Eols estate.31801c5056ab246b

There was ee054ab14a no legal 7d6ffee09c barrier preventing 3595c0ac08 her from 0b188675c4 taking him.61f7f43088fbee12

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“Understood.” 6cdf0a62d8c83a45

“Eight… I’m eight years old.” ae28a744ed900d6b

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As soon 8fd39ef5bf as Sandes b88e1687b9 spoke, Revil e4663883fc answered in d32ed5822c a small 6dce2f946e voice.bdbf133fc734ba43

Sandes’ eyes widened.dc4fb199c9db6e3f

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Revil, still 506d8f178d tense in 66ab2a4403 Erina’s arms, 7cfa1e609e stared up 1906fee0ca at him 2e8b686804 with wary f143805673 red eyes.81a517e791c5d294

Sandes smiled gently, meeting b082514159 his gaze.b39e238ae9c08215

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“I see.” ab0e319c361c200b

‘He’s not 3fe1e85091 that child.’a8d7274e0d86523e

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If that child 9412847fcc had survived, he b4956f5269 would have been 2777022e56 seven this year.6bb1cae7b509fb9f

Even knowing that, Sandes ecd1607068 found himself unable to c4d2683110 stop looking at Revil.043418cbad7db573

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Then—221c85db5c5794de

The carriage came 86e3a41a61 to an abrupt ed0be2c8f5 halt.748ab8e704d89fb6

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A knock fa75d28a66 sounded, and b97422b0cb the door 6baf68de4b swung open 1fff30a3be as a 65e02136de woman climbed a9be614b3d inside.56cf747f981def80

“Marquis?” 9c3a5a5d140798ef

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Startled, Erina turned bc9fd4c9a8 to Sandes, but f77906e7a3 the woman simply fb4d112a71 grinned.d5a5eb426d6b0495

“It’s an honor to meet you, Countess. I’m Heila Bentel.” b53cbd60e1c5aa5c

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Her vibrant sky-blue hair, 4f08158a5f cut short, matched the 479f6e54fd energy in her bright 4a58947b80 red eyes.38a61dbf74d81bab

“Sending my knights to serve someone outside my direct vassalage might have raised suspicions, so I found someone to act as your handmaid—while also serving as your knight.” 64009d04ea56d2c0

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“A knight to act as my handmaid? ‘Lady Bentel’?” d399e311fdc64d18

Erina was 39c714b8b5 utterly taken a185a4ca11 aback.dedf33962b85b709

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She knew 44c8044170 who Heila 313c75f29b Bentel was.a99c28a672e58167

Though not extremely 4cb0bad3f1 famous, the eldest 1cbf473efc daughter of the b31bd4c171 Bentel family—who held b1844917db lands not far c299ca8931 from the capital—was 8fe8d67f33 a well-known figure 7b7035f3ea in social circles.c7a17b6517839a15

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But Erina was bb167f826f more shocked by dc7ba951a0 the two things 08bbe20499 Sandes had just 5e0507c59e revealed:ec3e29bcb359d939

First, that Heila f1d7a2bf7f was a knight.94365027d4c6370c

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And second, that she 1f9cc3dfff would be acting as 3692b75f57 a handmaid.f0ea988738ffd4b0

“You’re a knight?” ede8c83bd2e863b2

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“Of course! I belong to the Marquis’ secret forces, but starting today, I’m your knight and handmaid.” 739932e969f9bb53

Heila’s lively 5266dd2613 tone only 532b098c26 deepened Erina’s 8a79e934bf confusion.8ed62b7c6e9b9a58

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“But…” 4a23844867ea5b05

She was c3b9545156 a countess.898ba36b4e4b47ec

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Even if b93f0e4493 she were cdc14877ce to have fa536373aa a personal 081c8a6a02 handmaid, she 97ff27adfe would typically 095bbe63e8 choose a 2196df5cb5 baron’s second 5b03ff94e7 or third d5b409fadf daughter.1d04d2bbe7b6f765

While there were no a77ad4bc6c strict rules, it was 3af838793c extremely rare for a 3a7a416fa4 noble of similar rank d5e3e83e85 to serve in such b0b0c07467 a position.7c9d631969d27ed6

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And Heila Bentel—the eldest 66f6f6e585 daughter of a viscount 2179e54823 family—could have easily entered 4c32210fba a ducal household or 6c6aadacab even the imperial palace 9117955c35 if she had sought 45d6223212 such a role.53e92a85ffa69fc3

And yet—ee7c78bf9db04c63

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Here she was.b6c35b88fe274fbe

As her handmaid.21bddfc22b8f6864

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And a knight, 37003f6397 at that.89306e0b0f804534

“Didn’t I promise to protect you?” 775506ff3aedd534

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At Sandes’ c039b1c1c0 unexpectedly warm 3e8d653f64 tone, Heila—not f605330be3 Erina—was the 7704db45c0 one who 6f781095c8 looked shocked.0c8e48a6dbb0fdb0

Erina had 8029d249c6 plenty to 9294deaeb1 say, but a3fdd75505 in the dc2c4adb8c end, she f7300ed113 hesitated.8148ed5c16757f08

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“With the mana stone mine now in play, quick updates and flexibility in handling unexpected situations will be crucial. Heila is essential for that.” 8b693bb8f67b56ee

His reasoning 253f2801d2 was sound.c64a47acf3c65761

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A handmaid was 0c0e413046 not bound to bcc9cf608b a noble family b2d209a6b2 the way other 33367d815d members of the 2fc7aa76ff household were.a6a728ef203b5bf0

They had 0c6477830c far more 6360555f0f freedom.659121afab657c77

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This meant that neither 53eff10018 the Countess Dowager of 3d7ba00005 Eols nor Rose Asilla e1ccd7c638 could treat her disrespectfully.370b9516b314a62e

And even Faylon 1bf442a0b5 wouldn’t be able c4d7ccffc8 to exert control 0b02fe4627 over her.c308bfef26062b24

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Heila Bentel wasn’t just 4e70226750 a good choice—she was 086498c512 perfect.f11a5a5c8b9f780a

After some hesitation, 93d790d30d Erina nodded.37ac33c9ffde782b

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“Alright. I understand.” abe4c1dea36d3d1c

“I look forward to working with you, Countess.” 94eae182d8d10c3e

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“Please, call me Erina.” dbd7c5c16dfdd341

By the time their 679b3e5da2 conversation ended, the carriage 1fd7cf1d92 had reached the outskirts 11183cf72e of the Eols estate.96320e58b9dcbc8b

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It did not 1725e2a53e stop directly in 74f1ff2794 front of the ca8a8b4cbc manor.2348dbf3de17d78a

“Since I am not particularly close to Faylon Eols, I thought it unwise for a Kerenik family carriage to enter the estate. I had it stop nearby instead.” 56357613266e01d4

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“Thank you for the consideration, Marquis.” 764069a3b160537b

As the 261c1e2f8c carriage door b7c7f7ce58 opened, Heila, 91d7744e57 Erina, and f10b94f227 Revil stepped 659a4277cc out one 7775c504a8 by one.fe234fa14aebaf61

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Sandes, leaning against 593cf66b9d the doorframe, looked 469caff192 directly at Erina 7470d70bdc before curving his fa0270eaf1 lips into an e57a753f17 alluring smile.da33cf63085ff278

“Next time we meet, will you call me Sandes?” 7ba9cd2e83fb8d31

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“Pardon?” 1d2a319cb80b0e47

“We’re close enough now, wouldn’t you say?” 4453cd440ef5f640

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Realizing his playful 9f0eab7e2f smirk was meant f712182879 to tease her, cf0429dfce Erina pursed her 77921bc58e lips in irritation.27d07e2cda1bf8a9

“I’ll think about it.” 0ac050b867268c80

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“I’ll be waiting.” 4678ad09e00c1bbf

With that, Sandes 667aa1c086 closed the carriage 92925dbe9e door and departed.c527539af095d2b6

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Revil stood to Erina’s 739f8a3bc5 left, holding her hand, 5b6a35a805 while Heila took her 83663e8f7c place on the right.3a0d244cef37350d

As the sun 1fe09806c4 shone down, Heila d55915ba38 smoothly unfurled a 610c47127e parasol—one she had da51b0418b seemingly prepared in 125cbac8c2 advance—casting a cool c058b45a6a shadow over Erina.0c1c55678fd97be6

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The bright, eee3add801 sunny day 49977c21fd put them 415e9f77b6 all in 9104c4c622 good spirits.b13a54cf48c0201a

But that lasted only b6ac3090d1 for a moment.5d887c44c1bebee0

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—a98666e9e8b2282a

“Are you out of your mind?” 1f1b5e81e2c212b7

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The first words Erina 96274682be heard upon entering the 51cc92875d estate came from Faylon.7d00b2fd4dabdc1c

She sighed deeply.d07ed393dfa22fd6

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Why was 7bcb4caa83 he the f2367e0da5 one acting 6cfd886da3 so furious?6a94503055f0a7dc

“You left the manor? And you took my heir with you?!” 48c8b350cc703704

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Standing beneath the 03023713a0 grand chandelier in f00cf046b0 the entrance hall, db9fc923a3 Faylon’s silver hair 32e48a521a gleamed under the c5c22feb1c light, almost blindingly 1773f03c16 so.b8bce1c118aa783f

“You must be insane to—” 4ab6e9ffc6c05ac7

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“Did you not hear me?” 5fbdc0f400431625

“What?” ce01b5b7025e330d

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Faylon scowled, utterly b68527a7f0 confused.84fcf908f8e81860

Erina stared at him a9869be5c3 in disbelief.538afdb408326a07

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He genuinely had 7de99116e4 no idea.64dcb70f106e1cf7

When a c5931b7660 noblewoman left e0d1136b47 the estate 95f6d43e99 in the 714d41b407 family’s carriage, 3f34384761 the head 73a8b29573 steward and dc7429b7ad head maid c09734f2f7 had to 1cd8d9a859 know.2bd4dc805cd1cf6b

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Not only that, but d0ad57c7ad it was standard practice 35412a25c8 for the head of ea0725761f the house to be 7426d630d1 informed.4d0ab814467dc659

The fact that 76525b1fbf Faylon didn’t know f6a0fe409f meant that someone d03afc56b6 had deliberately intercepted 54c54a05f9 the report.b62d229bf3e5ba3b

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Who, exactly?3359d13690352bae

A loyal steward 666ccc9f42 or maid?260ca8cbc6629d60

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Or someone with 46a24ab24a real power in 123f24d7e0 this household?928c757e4d37c73b

“Yesterday, I took the Eols carriage and visited a small village on the outskirts of the territory.” 3b57c072083a41c2

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At her cddf8dea83 words, Faylon’s 193027a827 face stiffened.97c3cdcf31976e79

He hadn’t cefdaa6e09 heard anything 97fd12084c about this.ed31be763f744944

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“But do you know what’s even funnier?” 3efebedc08e11f7d

For the first e4a433808a time, Erina did 743c50db19 not lower her 00cd1e813e gaze before him.1870f2dd874223d6

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Instead, she lifted her 9510e5f266 chin, her expression filled 8b18a05d10 with amusement.8eade3454915075c

“The coachman—who said he would return shortly—never came back.” 868d4ab28a330b6d

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Faylon sucked in a cc4a770721 sharp breath, his body 6416ea8151 freezing.28ce20b0d463d768

A family carriage f03de0dff4 returning without the 7469e65e6c noblewoman it had b93950de87 taken out—c45dd309230413e7

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This was a a34c467997 clear message.01abd4d225eca1ca

It was a well-known 2bc164480d silent punishment in noble bbea73f0f9 society.a094ef7112e997a4

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It meant she bbd0315d70 had been banished.7ba2ee63e853dd8e

Legally, the de36debb4d countess would 4a70b7f5fc still hold a601f22857 her title, b40ecf6982 but she 1cec3add3d would be 35cb1bbcba stripped of 987d705cb0 all power b66f8d1b49 and immediately 006edf1fda ostracized by f1d43052c6 high society.6fee480df2fc7959

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Humiliated and 1dcf5b4eca deprived of d9733f7e47 authority, the 852bf15895 noblewoman would a450769f25 eventually leave bfe781fb88 on her 07b818c405 own accord.1ad181d70479eebf

This was not c637aa45b9 a minor offense.6ace61d86d7f3faf

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Sandes and 2636e568db Heila had d2ebd92ede barely contained 6e41488f3c their fury 1425eb6727 when they ad29e5157f learned what 36548f753c had happened.f23d5b864074b2f5

“T-That’s…” e35a23c46e77e9c8

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“Did you authorize this?” 12187a2898581576

“Of course not!” 8ee82dd5da009654

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Faylon blurted 006ed14fd1 out his 3a90e2175b denial, only 509e44e74c to fall 8e8cf5d731 silent in b116c07554 shock.ad4febe0b6efffcb

“Then who did?” 02eff3f002a1a618

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As Erina’s gaze 35610153d7 sharpened, she noticed 7fa5289ec4 someone watching from 7847e234be afar.cb50d31fad333473

“Faylon, let me tell you something.” 3e7dda03b3012ba8

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Her voice softened, turning 3e4bbbfbee almost melodic, like a 4b68c2378a mother reading a storybook 1e81a87089 to a child.501a1c1d9e3ccbde

“The place I visited was a tiny village. So small it doesn’t even have a name.” 81b603422f9a6d1a

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She sounded 07728410d7 gentle, too 80dc6494d0 gentle.9f63021384809d77

But her serene b675991d4f smile only made de6e6e2ec8 the atmosphere tense.0c6a07ba207d3d1c

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“As it got darker and darker, the carriage never came.” 675ee675b3a7bce6

Slowly, she tucked a22bca3f35 a stray strand 49188e5859 of hair behind 69cc3bb30a her ear, before e1e5f1c563 shifting her gaze—d68de8e1b7927976

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To the 9407edeaf4 person lurking 2da6e9e464 in the 8ea30fd8c8 shadows.242a406998da7136

“Would you happen to know why, Lady Asilla?” 47a6e7095f135e9d

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The moment 400197c5d4 Erina spoke 49da096e83 the name, d3e04800a9 every eye 69980cfd81 in the f600d05866 room followed 7a1b570936 her gaze.9c77493947e18441