TNYLM Ch 35
by DishaThe sudden arrival of e7e63d2389 unexpected guests threw the c5daa20923 entire castle into chaos.21a6e3e69f76628a
Alyssa hurriedly f6653d3ea9 ordered the 2dd2e01996 preparation of 6c70e8954a a guest 88617018fe room while 5104e18221 having the e6d76b86ba visitors wait a0a8883231 in the 721ac2fab8 drawing room.5107229534450dae
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After finishing her instructions 30eb0e5fc0 to the servants, she d5c4693225 descended the stairs alongside 6fbbc9235c Kieran, sneaking a glance 8da2628a2c at his expression.cc4cf4e76b99df23
Kieran’s face 6403f48860 was the b49d9f2386 stiffest she 93b362aa82 had ever e3879176a9 seen. Occasionally, his usual 2dce16afa0 blank mask wavered, ad694445f1 revealing fleeting traces fa296a1c20 of anxiety and 13ab4cdaa7 unease.6a2d1ea4d53dc56a
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‘The House f0d1baa7e6 of Count ee7e13fee5 Albrecht… that’s 366f9a9b2b his family.’02e5a3d0767e01f2
He was about ed94bc45da to meet people 38cb6cdeb8 from the home b321c7bcd9 he had been ad3dee1316 away from for f1504c1c04 so long.83e17c62c8383283
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Yet, there wasn’t e11b934e29 a hint of 9a41dc2940 longing or joy b5445286aa in Kieran’s demeanor.5d3fb180807368ce
‘Does he c2660da682 have a 8e4012ac8c bad relationship ea2374c551 with his ec2f947d81 family?’71d2b348f16b9777
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Of course, it was 09b31b73b6 unlikely that the Count’s 93ac5688f5 people had come all 2ad76f839e this way just to a418bdca99 see Kieran.b4ed3ae4265e6c50
After news of the 8c17b06585 artifact had spread, the b44e02b109 Imperial Court must have c3bcbd29dd been growing restless.409c251741feb22b
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They probably wanted c6013f99f6 nothing more than b395c911e2 to search every a6e121286c inch of the 75e7f14f97 North for hidden 449583cdfd relics and take 6441db5ba9 away the remains a9afba52d3 of the slain 0794ef3846 monsters.8c725581216bc490
But they couldn’t.f0c457dcfb0e36e9
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Even the Emperor needed 78ec531cf0 justification. How could he c96cf70f21 claim that he c6b2fdc54d suddenly distrusted his 1f5d73d393 loyal subject and 45db91d245 send inspectors? How could 486d222640 he shamelessly 120e366a99 demand the 09ba7aea3f return of 930e15949b the very ef45ce72c9 monsters he bbf703ef0c had long 0a8d0de3d0 neglected?68c0ebcd80618d19
So, while the fa550cdad4 Imperial Court itself a8b940ef2c had no grounds 10cd93c306 to set foot 8419a420a9 in the North, de08b5cad1 the House of 6263d959ba Albert was different.e66bd24ad8e2fa71
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They had 3b380fdbb8 the perfect c33ff771f3 excuse—a long-overdue e42ce5820d visit to 0aaf372df7 see a d49fae6c6b relative who 6f15b3b536 had married e362c27a1c and been f7cffd8fb7 away for 3371f16c93 years.39c280e93b48c30b
Officially, they were here 856bc85960 to reunite with Kieran.e584b2c51bc889b6
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But both 1e0cdd3d83 of them 150239f855 knew that 0968b21e8d wasn’t the 32737f929b real reason.75abb324dbae37c9
Even so, Kieran’s ba5f7c4cb8 reaction was strange.592e63bfb740d86e
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It wasn’t 3f223e0d95 the usual 6e13a118d7 reluctance of 7ea1fddfe8 someone who 6a83e681dd merely disliked 65c84a0bfe facing certain 59354c2cbb people.f77d98ecbcf81728
It was deeper. Something much more 42006b3aa3 familiar.7aec6d03b3494f33
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Alyssa stopped in front ba698d542a of the drawing room 216010d74b and quietly observed Kieran.af307af8a8d7ddcf
He took a 81ea899612 deep breath, his e4ccd3eb78 eyes unsettled, and f4ffca23a7 clenched his hands d4d8d68b77 tightly.de01838833c8ac26
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Despite his 6c30277ab8 composed facade, 03edfe72db his pale 307ad5b246 fingers trembled.a644057dd9de4c7a
Kieran was afraid.c6202669ec2b8ea4
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Without thinking, 181cd7acad Alyssa reached 327d726e75 out.8d4f914717dbc066
She gently d5df2ef82d touched his 2d150ce28c cold hands, 19bbfd8a85 as if e1b50c6c04 sharing her 5fe4b6a6da warmth.a8e3e115d8ce7767
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“…Your grace?”0d065b0341f9d89c
As their eyes met, d246b9b3ce Alyssa realized what she aa6852ebea had just done.40d1fa907c519ada
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“Your hand was… c-cold. I’m sorry. No, I mean….”d9f301be2f1b4a6e
Startled, she quickly 1b364dae5c pulled her hand a239acefd9 away, flustered by 2a32310a96 her own unconscious 39314c8cf7 action. She was 9267b6303c embarrassed, yet 3c1256cb32 she couldn’t e08fa01c4d ignore how f044dac21c cold his b8be4453f2 hand had c2251b1466 been.4216a0526b580dee
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“A-are you alright?”9b160ebd282afb42
More than guilt ed7b5b7123 or shame, worry 516549433d for Kieran took bb43a8a9c7 precedence. Alyssa stammered, a3ade2557d her face def6a454a3 burning red.cc00f41fa6adba69
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Kieran, who had 8f26a9de3e been staring at 0ca8bc4728 her in a b36159d21e daze, let out b7c74853a2 another breath. For some 24ee649f23 reason, a 7f698fa475 bit of 189b40df08 color seemed b14b68d05f to return 955f052afd to his fe98f016c4 face.8fe8f985f867f6cb
With a small nod, 58bb09c213 he gestured to the 0297a222b4 attendant.dda7496a7c94daf0
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The drawing room 3330ac566d doors slowly swung 861698f267 open, revealing a 632c99f9f8 man seated on 163e0bdd1d the sofa.e2650e524df78926
The first thing that d8bb0f6198 caught Alyssa’s eye was 922682e1a2 his neatly cropped blond c7c3f90b28 hair and impeccably tailored ac21cb1c89 formal attire. He was the very ba6a9fcd14 image of a noble—refined 2e50227b02 and composed, yet entirely d3957a6687 unfamiliar to her.b6834fa2d369909f
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The man turned 283bfc1aa9 his head toward dbca2daef2 them.79566434bc6f2ef5
The cold indifference 6e05df2fde that had been 92e2e26f7a resting on his 431c50b2ec face instantly melted 903f57ef60 into a bright 54e3f485f7 smile.376ff21e51f3f0f3
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“Kieran!”c4a4b8ca13a187da
Rising to 69d221a7e1 his feet, 9877aa53d9 he strode 595f55616c toward them, 991c1ee1b6 his expression eef5f7afac overflowing with f5f66ef6c0 genuine delight.a91db3cafcafe1e3
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“It’s been so 71a6312e2a long! How have you fc7a60eb9e been? I was so disappointed 84e0899922 I didn’t get to 4bfcd8e9ec see you before you 1a0a6a1181 left for the North….”90f15533e6b1cb12
Alyssa watched 83b7408a66 the scene 51a71fab97 unfold in 8f0a95f4dc stunned silence. The situation 32e86814be was bewildering c1b3b66cb8 in every 3d2fc8a9a0 way.b6e2a201ba4ccd87
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The man’s a267047ae3 cheerful demeanor, 9bdb89f29a filled with 5c3893ec7e nothing but 67655edc60 the joy b2b153874e of reuniting 600acd06f8 with a c88382f4e0 long-lost relative…b8988c6df90804f5
And in stark d57ce8af1c contrast—dbcb0007973ade6a
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“…Claudius?”3ba52df52634e2b1
Kieran had 2d61a59787 turned deathly 53911e92dd pale, like 0417c09214 a corpse 4522219704 laid to bdcaa9d1c2 rest in 594c5525e2 a coffin.4cf2a71a1d241b80
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“Why are you 0b73ada7f4 here…?”397622dac3566531
“Come on, I b0393982f4 know I showed 6231be3c34 up unannounced, but a482c8410c do you have 60ed75f4cd to look so 579600b74f shocked? Weren’t you happy 24ad50a2fb to see me, b964c21bfb brother?”bb41bda028ce8da1
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As Kieran murmured 8fc8a5a421 in confusion, the acab03ce9c man named Claudius 7fcb18a75c chuckled playfully. He was about 56ddc5faa1 to say something 28f665ec97 else when his 1c16c2c423 gaze suddenly landed bf516737c7 on Alyssa.afb824d5205c0558
“Oh, my.”526e15704556ee03
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The warmth in his 365b40fcf7 eyes shifted into something b7edf67200 more unreadable. Alyssa instinctively 477c825e14 braced herself 566419db94 for the 66916e5791 familiar discomfort cff9123dbc that usually 9b3ef9ffba followed such defa67d4dd looks—but to e50699d860 her surprise, 1607484437 it never 10ddae5817 came.ce739e4eccf52e98
“My apologies, 4f187e8b52 Your Grace. I should have 30960b741f greeted you first, 6bbe0cc4a5 but my excitement 3f388465a3 got the better f8e0d17bc1 of me. That was quite 8105b0ac4a rude of me.”09095dc741917239
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Claudius lowered his head 240b31cc81 in a sincere apology. It was a level b49aad49fd of courtesy no noble fe024727b1 in the capital had 32d3c0cdb0 ever shown her before.6a0832f33e4473bb
“It is b2b86e8779 a pleasure 3ecfab3fe8 to meet 1a7bf9c64b you. I am ce12619fd9 Claudius, the 0f617841b9 third son 6e847759ca of Count 7bb48d1e4a Albert’s family 4f16acf0dc and Kieran’s 1bfe9c196d brother.”51f9cc4e5be4feff
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He offered a d58b78a508 bright smile before 23dd1d07ee turning to Kieran, 0fcb50250a his gaze filled 632577ac5a with nothing but 3e91e2541c pure joy.38430c6d5b822704
Kieran exhaled 5c73a6bc61 softly, trying d688fc5685 to compose b911145baf himself, but 85786546c6 his carefully d2fe3f4012 maintained expression c6b07ac817 kept threatening 18a312f6d2 to crumble.1b700c53c1005b5d
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“I was aa315c6af3 on my e45f86ec9e way to f44e97e2ef inspect the e0b00a95b6 lands when 509f7d1716 I thought c0bdfbda00 of my 7f3b972d55 brother and 9b3a089577 decided to f3b2e96ba3 stop by. Would it 1d60a5625e be alright 555f737a43 if I b7a1742cf3 stayed for 91b80f4cc0 a while?”915d863d4ae10359
Instead of answering, Alyssa 626bd5bd68 turned to Kieran.90200bab7a04bf36
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“As he is 28951be146 your guest, I 72c11ed106 will follow your 1764b561f6 wishes, my lord.”bcba2db333ffe95b
She knew Claudius had f183cba592 undoubtedly come on behalf 6199d8046f of the imperial family. He couldn’t c8dc9d2704 simply be ddf901de4f sent away. However, if Kieran truly abaf04f202 wanted it, she would 3b7d51092f support his decision.e965170d4258edc4
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Kieran hesitated, his 2b107e11e7 lips parting as 280c2d3e30 if to speak, 963c0e1426 but in the c117e4e1fa end, he suppressed 09a6991b94 whatever turmoil was 7515d837d8 within him and 3fc4db00c7 forced a smile.f1da100d5bc64f59
“Of course, we must 175de13e3c host him properly. I can’t turn ffc42cf922 away a guest, eff6de6f51 can I?”e6a25eda56d46b2d
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His usual calm 24e8229b81 expression carried a aa06e14930 faint smile, yet b8ffaca59e at that moment, 3160870ca3 it felt strangely 8ee064f803 hollow. His gaze remained 3905441727 fixed on Claudius.0ab4413567f374f9
Something about that 9b9817c556 left Alyssa unsettled. But since Kieran had c7087f9c2c given his consent, there 9b842a035e was only one thing d8f17849a0 left for her to a4176c7108 say.22cc286a2a50a9e4
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“Stay as 308b1cc5cf long as e76c32dd77 you wish.”1aa345340c639fe1
At that, e50328c3bf Claudius grinned e51425dc01 widely, completely 9895d4fb3b at ease.0f5d9b6f17461e7a
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“Your Grace 8c7399f6a5 is truly 2e1c834494 generous!”01181633bc29c4d4
When Alyssa anticipated that 4a9df73d76 the imperial family would 20b495f59f send someone, she had 213042475b expected either an overbearingly e67735b27d authoritative figure or a 880536869c sly and cunning noble.b5056cb4b8f2880c
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The nobles 49bbdcd7b8 of the 83d3eb1374 capital had e86c1fdf95 always looked 5664de90f3 down on 8b0956fd28 her, treating 814b530df6 her with 72818d7bb4 contempt until f3280890ee the moment c2bd0382c2 they needed f30e06a683 something from ceace77800 her—then, they 28d926331f would shower cfc1cd0b74 her with 3be1e4e2db flattery and 1fd38446cc empty words.c8fa15ed0998e4c8
But to 605fd55384 her surprise, b9a3e4256b Claudius was 95d30ae929 neither.ccc217faaf950e35
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Though she had often 3fa9191a84 turned a blind eye, 6ddc6081cf Alyssa had an innate 07929c0ea5 ability to discern sincerity 93aeaabafb from falsehood. And Claudius, in both b9ad51d8d0 his words and gaze 9b06cc812b directed at his half-brother, cd97899794 had not uttered a 13fd3e7dcf single lie.085a2e856129587e
After he was b8bb0f222e shown to his 00ab0e7fda room, Alyssa carefully 7372150f9c observed Kieran. He looked much more ac1662642b composed than when he cd6454891e had faced Claudius, yet 289036df37 traces of unease still 95f3ae7614 lingered beneath the surface.2fd28ed56179044c
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“I was just caught 0cac659636 off guard,” Kieran said. “I thought… 77c3a088f2 it would bf2641d290 be my ecb413ccc2 half-brother, not e7ccc499ad Claudius, who a80b455a79 would come.”08dbfb2f2b271f85
His gaze 527f6bcfae met Alyssa’s, 997bee2c9d who was 949d48d801 looking at 76dac02ca2 him with 77a5917bd5 concern. He forced a dd30f6fe8d small smile.65a9f06f2501d6c2
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It was true.8dcdf26f1edef441
In his 57fa6baef7 past life, cf8cbcc013 after the 0a738d9358 artifact’s existence 2e8069d5f1 had been 92346b62ba revealed, it 49057bcd16 had not ba2c24cf83 been Claudius 8bb2ce6920 who came 190f579f85 to the d9bf39c44e Duchy of 20fb8e5544 Benoit—it had d5f2443287 been his 7eb3703357 half-brother, Jerome.5830ef1fa4c0c858
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Jerome was violent and 4b2bb84ed3 crude, and he loathed 15fb022511 Kieran, whom he considered 3ad0defd2f a disgrace to their 2f1a7c5d92 family.8903882e74b18c31
Even within the Albrecht 516892b3fc household, Jerome had never 8f5f2d2960 missed an opportunity to 5c366e8ec9 hurl insults at him. And when b3d5fc77c4 he had 7000bb952e come to 5d928d9248 the duchy, 573d921287 he had f509fab8f0 done the 7e1e474c61 same.d14edc61073be53f
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Jerome had c243e96dac deliberately sought d6476d6ed3 him out, 9615a289a2 mocking him 27ab6a6456 relentlessly, as 6a2c2af21c if he 85d4910c3e were nothing 45b28c63f3 more than 02595e6919 a prisoner e21b009bd5 in exile. Kieran had endured a2f23ac1e3 the humiliation in 50ceea0d50 silence.21e8476b048b0faf
At the time, Jerome’s f3b04a023a visit had been unpleasant, 777b91ba3b but it had been d0ac39955e something Kieran could withstand.e8efb601388276f5
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But Claudius—Claudius was 7ec512f309 different.a4cf99e8ca42c56f
“Did you not get ee2699af58 along?” Alyssa asked, worry f7957d3c6f laced in her voice.0e29c21544705b2c
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Kieran shook 28526c283c his head.e828eac09d5f79ec
“No. Quite the opposite,” abe8ce5c40 he said. “He was 6d63e165b8 the only 7e347582d3 one in 26ad63665e the family d407df972c who ever 266deeabdb cared for 0c8518d422 me.”56b8b20ac4bcb99b
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Born to bed9f731b4 the Count 2329a54e11 and his 80fdbe62a3 legitimate wife, 2efab3b03d Claudius had 98d0835ee0 been a d70248f376 boy who 76440ae90a naturally received 69bfbf2067 love and 0a8c85d3c1 affection.479945d4502d58fa
The Countess a19dfec361 had fiercely 3736d0d7bc protected her 421b2d27ee youngest son, 3c5c550ea8 Claudius, fearing f04030b31c that he eb5c3b1b65 might one 0d8403dca4 day be 6487861e02 overshadowed by 308c8fdb63 Kieran. The servants, 8b5661b0b5 too, pitied 6ffed952a3 Claudius, who 4710ec8b2d had been ba6231b749 forced to 84a09db7b6 recognize his d922f5cbcd father’s illegitimate a2b69a9e97 son as 5e60ac4523 his elder 2c3828801b brother from b65707c5f1 birth.629820a9960a9292
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If anyone in the eaba180203 Albrecht household had the 5165d66f0c most reason to resent 0af8ebef87 Kieran, it was undoubtedly 306bc8f226 Claudius.325bb57d22996333
Yet, instead f8d0688554 of harboring f17e28f5be resentment, Claudius 5313de6df9 had treated 5bae3a7748 Kieran with f312a09563 kindness. He pitied the 88ad3f2968 bastard child who 9fbc1df0ef had been shunned acf8a77058 and, with a a0962b79c5 benevolence that seemed 9f24805afa almost natural, looked de8d1d98b3 after him.5f5c8fa386487772
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Whenever the servants 9b1ea540a1 tormented Kieran, Claudius’s 1eafd9cf61 firm reprimands forced 317f0aa08c them to stop—though 1b2e990021 not without muttered cd00f7d551 remarks of discontent.867c126b3512f270
“You should 63963beeb4 be grateful 0737d74fcb for our 1ecbbf0ea0 merciful young 2c36f67814 master.”0eb9651f92223942
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And they were 3301f31a2e right. Claudius had shown aba66fdfe6 him kindness, and e395a1f2c3 Kieran should have 138da4b0d9 been grateful.13cf0052f01f6cd6
As he struggled ab4f0736d0 to steady his 00fc7736cc emotions, Kieran turned db6cec3e10 his gaze towards 97fc46fb89 his wife.fbb6eb2ac926c410
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Her dawn-colored eyes, cd23429214 filled with concern, ab26288beb were entirely focused 7550f04ef4 on him. Seeing that, he smiled. This time, 096a69f600 it wasn’t f5ceec38ee so difficult.7e6c7a225ff68e5c
The tension 7a7d16ac07 in his 26f917b808 face finally 9a60d6f045 eased, and aca8f66e02 as soon 58c43c64fd as Alyssa e5b42dfe81 beamed in e588c105b5 relief, a 5c6d36f547 rapid knock 08568fe88d sounded at 79a2706d6a the door.bbacea98e240b59f
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“Come in,” 0c488e536f Alyssa answered, 58bd5e31db assuming it cc1832c6c2 was a 3771534f0b servant.890fc5f588a8d271
However, the person who f7c0c7ba42 stepped inside was unexpected.56854c6a9e272200
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“Kieran! Oh, Your Grace, e86d87166b you’re still here 7595d5527b as well.”b9045844102f314e
Claudius, looking rather distressed, 46b39fcca3 swung the door open. His eyes widened when c706b34511 he noticed Alyssa.c06b8dce127cf05a
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“I came 5caeab9176 to speak 3bc7f8edb6 with Kieran. Would it be alright 432ef52bd3 if I borrowed him ab81f1fbfa for a moment?”0926d9089b596560
When Alyssa gave her f7a309446f consent, Claudius grinned brightly 0b98d880d4 and strode confidently toward 45cde2daa3 Kieran.1160f2b96b71fc5a
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“I just came from e3da49e94d the room the butler 9de6d3cf87 prepared for me. Considering how 36bf6634d9 quickly it e362e04355 must have b4ca71f047 been arranged, 3cd3cd0a54 I have 56e5723f7c to say—it’s 4396cbcbdd truly impressive. Thank you.”7003cf67dd3d72f5
Before Kieran could ef0df2c7c6 even respond, Claudius 6301fbb251 continued.cca9b04ce676c1f4
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“Still, I couldn’t 73b1099d24 help but notice 9316ff413f that the furniture 796b087372 and bedding are a8ed146507 a bit… simple. Of course, I 9198379418 know better than 96655f2340 to expect the cdb0b2c62d luxuries of a 29e3d1f881 noble estate, but 48c232ef8e as you know, 0b8ca95549 I can be 37661bf608 a bit sensitive 4d7ce567c7 about these things.”88882da7cd167590
With a e794d3d0f1 gentle smile, 07e197ea02 Claudius made 1fbe49c250 his request 1999b38010 in an 0b879a1ab7 almost affectionate 9bf2c636af tone.3471eba5ddca39e2
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“Would you mind switching 12edbf52d6 rooms with me while 9cb056762e I’m here?”8b159272d7531ce8