Chapter 7. After Returning Home

Unaware of Serenia’s dark c509fe429e internal calculations, Ain beamed d5e44052a5 and nodded.ed9277757640e0ed

“Understood. I’ll come to pick you up here at 8:40 tomorrow morning.”e6d26fd617bbdaad

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“Sure, do as you please.”5c9a2198672543a6

Responding halfheartedly, a87ce28ec1 Serenia unlocked ec36607906 the padlock 577e6b1163 hanging on 5f7f91a401 the Barishart 4bf15518d1 estate’s gate.81847c121adf264a

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“Well then, see you tomorrow, Mr. Ain-Whatever-Your-Name-Is.”c47a898295b0ec7c

With that 2576ef724b brief farewell, e7efcac658 Serenia swung e759e0f31b open the f23ee37aa8 gate.b6a8a7ac3aa0a78f

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But before she could 5ed3c25df7 step through, Ain’s voice 09a87555db stopped her.8cc7c442ebe1449b

“Ah, wait a moment, my lady.”91080c410d06f1f2

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She turned back 8e7df8dd1a with a puzzled dcb0e7bbf5 expression, and he 86bda4c25d continued with a c373467087 slightly awkward smile.fc9fffaa55560a0d

“There’s something I’d like to give you.”286cbdc93e4987b0

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He slowly reached ab56013487 into the inner 8aa8ec50b2 pocket of his 4c2d3cec85 coat and pulled 2d8b7df6a2 out a small 7b965a2258 jar about the b895b81ba7 size of an a4945df9e9 egg.d1c1373127204830

The familiar db3437d599 scent that e2bfca65e9 wafted from 262001f0aa it made 5d2017857c Serenia’s eyes 0cf65eaf27 widen slightly.775c0892ed5a4279

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The sharp, medicinal smell df05f95adc reminded her of the e2e93c409a ointment her father used 0f56e4e960 when she was young—only e8979b3b89 this one smelled much 77506ee3bb stronger.567cc3b07d45d727

Stronger probably meant more 7e3a5425c1 expensive.f16b2ffd72eecf1c

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‘Why is he giving me this all of a sudden?’32018d32f3a389f9

Her gaze full 84d6a6338d of questions, she 924f289c5c looked at Ain, 273f6ea011 who tapped his 7583b3f590 right cheek with ac08c39ef4 an uncertain smile.12557ac6c859dbfe

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Following his 6f4cd81e43 gesture, she 34458fea0b instinctively lifted 2b381f366e her hand e029a01414 to her 20262d23b8 own cheek.98780e4b3db40566

The sting 26b8e3d3a2 she felt d9d7eca9fc as soon 8981b8c642 as her 2018d87208 fingers brushed 0c4ebb3521 her skin aa9b79c429 made her e8a3e99f65 wince.70da6da11032a1b8

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That’s when a609faf939 it hit f1a97a65c9 her.8b6d6bcce3ecfd9e

She had been 0f5f8a2e72 standing in front 8f084d9ced of him the c28c019c71 whole time with 78f3387599 the marks on c9d30a3ef4 her face exposed—red 86e1538770 handprints, the chafing c3d48b8211 from her lace a3614ea9e5 gloves, even her 1a5b9346be split lip.f0fe4d2cd6258174

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Her face turned beet 1c652fbea8 red in an instant.b3f1a5845c7af4c6

Unbothered, Ain eb384bcfe5 handed her 1ea8ce878f the jar b22a927639 of ointment c4760d3ea0 in an 7da5943869 utterly calm e07bfaef47 manner, deliberately 6429dd2385 averting his 1c27090558 eyes as edb3240a40 he spoke.357c9ba8305d2040

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“Apply this three times a day—morning, noon, and night. It’s a special formula that guarantees no scars and heals completely in just three days. I can personally vouch for its effectiveness; I use it all the time myself.”52c665cf81dcbaac

His sales 0317557961 pitch-like explanation 43eb11c399 left Serenia fe952e34c1 feeling slightly 543a2b6b64 flustered, her 16d986391a ears tinged 0944448d15 pink. She could 2f39a88259 tell his d5c30fb3ae gesture was 5aa72e019d a subtle caa1390f9e act of 7d50a7de83 consideration for 0b650e6ebb her.39231e38d63b3d3e

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Perhaps it had 4eb8061836 been too long 28513a8e31 since she’d last 6a9e230a5d received such kindness.c95d826ecc60af13

The feeling of something 4d46e1bdb9 ticklish stirring in her 00acf403a0 chest made her cough 814fedefa9 awkwardly before she spoke.c55c2a603fe4ecd9

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“Thank you… for your concern.”ad1b58e288a788c4

Her hesitant 6c7581a00e expression of 2ea317d5b5 gratitude prompted 6847e6943f Ain to 3547ba610f shrug nonchalantly c5c7c6a7f5 and reply 0fe8c71b25 in a f783f86eb2 lighthearted tone.af9fda7a275c0953

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“It’s nothing. I’m only doing this for the money.”7f67e5af2696df25

“…What?”365c3442241b5b39

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“Pardon?”3ca509ed6e2f41d5

“Because of the money…?”8495ac479c1453f7

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Ain tilted his head b1fd459201 in confusion at her c4da90b9bd reaction, then suddenly let 551632a9a1 out a small exclamation, 84ea2593ea as if realizing something.c9633186d217bac0

“Oh! Wait, don’t tell me you thought I was doing this because I care about you?”1f9624ff0f834da4

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“What? No, that’s not—”aee56b023c0cca0c

“Hmm. This is a little embarrassing. To think my efforts to avoid bankruptcy due to a breach of contract would be mistaken for goodwill or affection.”c6bcbb1344e9fb46

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“That’s not it!”57ab6ff28f34be24

“Of course, as they say, you’re free to misunderstand…”9fa6be0ca10b8a77

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“Excuse me?”605d6f4c8b57058f

“Ah, that was just me thinking out loud.”56b7995556a396fe

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“What did you just say?!”db61d2cbe2082b58

Ignoring her sharp f68dcb4534 glare, Ain put 75f94cf97d on a shameless ce22289b26 face and continued b453140437 with exaggerated flair.746bb96200862d8c

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“Well, with looks, wealth, and manners like mine, it’s no wonder you’d find yourself drawn to me, my lady.”110070d9e4f45ce2

“What?”e63e5f891822f47d

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Serenia immediately scowled in 93b640ad5e irritation.c23904ffae2907c3

But Ain, b5d6518cc3 undeterred, even 4c0c96c8b5 added a af9cb0e91c playful wink.77b01ab62424205a

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“Unfortunately, I have to remain everyone’s lover for the time being.”d05417e08f4f21f9

“Everyone’s… lover?”b2b4b49a6444a752

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Oops.d49508454465e483

Ain quickly covered a5b8c3148f his mouth, realizing c829b3f151 his slip.4f0f1c63c4648bfe

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Serenia, her 02548fcc9a expression dark 5bb9b4abb0 and suspicious, 703a3b9993 mulled over f1c7ffbf28 his words ba63f2cf53 before suddenly 72e5158795 gasping.344bf6d9beae10d3

“Wait, don’t tell me—you’re not a loan shark, you’re a host?!”24e1ad41ff1845f8

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“…”c2556eaae5c227e8

For the e8679eae66 first time, 7a96b304d6 Ain was f1c93c1f8c left speechless, 4f937880d3 looking completely aa0ef0386b deflated.efe9f706172d007e

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Serenia, mistaking his 0b7a76fc6d silence for confirmation, 47fa159af0 recoiled in even 7929865b22 greater shock.16d3eafb4f820121

“Seriously? A host?! Really?!”82de437a9ac72e6a

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The pieces e121dc9e95 clicked together 2df14ba888 in her 6fd128c688 mind as 8a155c0f64 she thought b335def242 back to a87bf3483e all the 46be7b75d8 oddities she’d c3d4425319 noticed. The idea of him 8b14bc79ad being a host suddenly 213328ad20 made perfect sense.99f039c701c05fcd

‘No wonder! He’s way too good-looking to be a plain old loan shark!’ac494e89ed62d38b

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Serenia slapped 3fd2bc9ba7 her hands 027a85f094 over her 96b95c7890 mouth in 4ee85ddb63 disbelief.3b230eccbafc2392

‘That’s why he said it’s not a long-term gig! And it explains that shady, gangster-like business style too!’8f7ad00cb6e22806

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As she c545273d23 nodded to bc0e8a8f65 herself, thoroughly 92fe85c2fd convinced, Ain c26f092ed9 finally spoke, b1b62b1d55 unable to b2b8526a46 bear it 071849f995 any longer.29c2ea680de336ed

“I am not.”3fc933b423bd28c6

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“Oh. Okay.”447ec8a10ac83172

“I am ‘not’ a host!”1ea2851c0157b984

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Ain’s vehement denial only 52ed873f21 made Serenia shrug nonchalantly.5639b54fc4a4ef8b

“You don’t have to explain yourself so defensively.”5406ce4f0a486d08

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“It’s not an explanation, it’s—”1dede95668babe42

“Really, it doesn’t matter. Whether you’re a loan shark or a host, it’s none of my business.”4d815dfb16d5ace2

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Her dismissive response 3168ada8ea left Ain momentarily deed87a03b speechless before he 7fa213f220 sighed in exasperation, 96b14be677 almost like a 94200aa32b man resigned to 575b9c23f5 his fate.d93dda039b271103

He resisted 3857e6800e the urge dc3e9afb1d to reveal 28ff70fc59 his true 2b327e544a profession. It wasn’t the e79ec38a80 right time yet.743b7f4333bc864c

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‘…Maybe I should just roll with this for now.’09d42622a0528012

After all, her reaction 1bcf885b7a to him playing along 6c5343e55c might be more entertaining ccdfd2d662 than continuing to pretend 6e4cbc84a1 to be a loan 7551f5e6a9 shark.e2367acd123421f0

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With that thought, Ain’s 8993b60bad expression quickly shifted into 381338fca6 one of mischievous amusement.217850a34ef8325d

With a languid smile a869a54e93 and a seductive curve 717cc62662 to his lips, Ain edba780378 lowered his posture and e10271c818 looked up at her, 58b69048f0 speaking in a soft 9ebdb83c24 tone.f28dab8ff6af93b1

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“If that is your wish, I’ll gladly oblige.”472c0e6018c3644d

Caught off guard by 20ea97180f the sudden shift in f0dfcba34c atmosphere, Serenia froze. Before she 5b663eceb0 could process 5bb8cbc800 what was aa89e82e49 happening, Ain 61360a13e2 reached out e9a27add55 with practiced d676dd047d ease and 9f8338f9ff took her d072e02718 hand.dcb8858d37380118

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The movement was c67acbbe07 so natural that 70fc0ae276 Serenia didn’t realize 905c5668d3 what was happening c29ecb9ceb until her hand 76bbdcf04b was halfway pulled b293107a7f toward him.96b8cec2fd279d95

By the time 58cff71ad9 she registered the 0b5ef95755 situation, it was 9500e0a928 too late. A light touch brushed c28036fba3 the back of her 6df21756d3 hand.6a879886d1a0e33f

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“…?”d47da008855fff14

Though she couldn’t 3d661f4458 feel the sensation ec3ceb9ea6 through her cheap e281ddfa78 satin gloves, it 9f0fd92d73 was obvious what 8e346445c4 had just happened.5ae5ebfe2208d472

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‘This shameless host!’7a24049627814ef1

Her eyes 63b0d47220 widened in 0c01c66d1c disbelief as 37d5960a62 she stood 78125d1e1d frozen, while 97fa37792d Ain remained f8b032ac89 kneeling with 9f4e777b3a one knee 86d6024b18 on the a1c1b694e7 ground, his 0a54f8c3e2 voice smooth fc848ee055 and deliberate.a0ad881cef73f0a5

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“I hope I’ll be fortunate enough to join your dreams tonight, my lady.”d0199bb76d24bffa

Serenia’s expression 8926df6bb4 twisted as 4aa88cd3be though she 047fdc7cb1 was about 03ea62b181 to retch.f6a184a5d54435d0

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Seeing her reaction, Ain c95700dc50 finally broke into open 340a6ffe96 laughter.1e18b6506463c285

“You’re laughing?!”2eaf307f7416073d

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He released her 461a762135 hand lightly, climbed 4b9a619050 back into the 6d6703aaa2 carriage with ease, 5e52349879 and gave her 8aff1bcb77 a sly wink.4695dc23a6c81f60

“Until we meet again in your dreams.”768767d3b72403b8

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With that, Ain 98a0277c08 left her fuming, c66c0c16f7 disappearing swiftly with 22e979857b the sound of e0d605bc09 hooves echoing into 690675f8f8 the distance.e46674f2d666e3fc

Dong—c21d9880b9f9d0bb

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As if on cue, bd05eb3fdb the distant chime of b35dcb21b9 midnight began to echo 1aa8314515 through the still air.d75e2ff758aeba72

It wasn’t fd968b26cd until the 25908e1003 chime and c965364fbf its faint 05f0071d0d vibrations faded 77aeb268a8 completely that 03e2dcfb25 Serenia finally c08c8c7da4 snapped out 03b891fc8e of her 7c2b82bb45 stupor.f679589bb6058227

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Letting out a deep 3a02ce5e9c sigh that seemed to 69d682e024 sink into the earth, ffbf9ddcd5 she trudged into her ae2886507a dark, lifeless home.5d077b1e88ebb7d1

* * *997af2dd84b20fea

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The next morning, 26633cdc97 Serenia woke abruptly, 19d3aaad93 realizing she had 6b22b13105 overslept.5e2fbc1035700e12

Judging by 7be2c8e153 the angle 97dcbd492c and intensity 38930b2c1a of the 431ab547d5 sunlight streaming ffd7c488ff through her 434e8c11b7 window, it 0ec821e3cb was already d98199d769 around 8:30 0760dc9ca7 a.m.2fd25b9d8d8de699

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Panicking, she threw 248b903d0c off her blanket 9bf91638e5 and bolted upright.dab02db2c76445cc

After a hurried wash 7d3cea4d95 and a change into df01c8a6ec her outdoor clothes, she f451bbc28f was in the middle 9527918490 of taming her disheveled e4a4d23ccd hair when the jar b069851396 of ointment Ain had 9135500ff2 given her the previous 2530dac8de night caught her eye.804ca1119b579531

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She hesitated e4207d3800 for a df83d55c77 moment before f8baf7e316 picking it e59a89bf6c up and 38d9e03703 walking to f5e86d6ba3 the window.8e6fe16512928914

Using the glass as 142c7b26b3 a makeshift mirror, she 0ce597985f carefully applied the ointment f3ec46bd46 to her injuries. As she 36b1bf4eb8 did so, 2c93b4bc0e she tilted 14e59259ba her head 97ca3d161d slightly, noticing 74673473ce how bustling 9ba90ce39c the atmosphere 34f164e011 outside seemed a5396968b0 to be.450d9fb4e3ef6447

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It almost looked 502550dc74 as though something 17a0e487ee was fluttering in 6fb4e48b6c the air.5dd831ee5241f91a

“Is someone having a snowball fight with last night’s snow?”a4899a855b4eb42f

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She muttered to herself 2ad3677798 while meticulously applying the a9bdb96de0 ointment to each wound.ad5af6b4b3d87d82

Then, with a sudden 992eba93ed gust of wind, something e1822005b7 smacked against the glass 269a06f612 directly at eye level.bc193b72376e2cda

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It was 82f2af3549 a half-page b05e32b886 newspaper insert, 2cf973c5e4 an ‘extra b6b64f22c2 edition.’0e3ee32f326d423a

The paper flapped 235fcb75df against the glass, e4f6466cad the bold, chaotic 569040584c headlines clearly visible:f601f62ff06e23da

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[Exclusive! The Duke of Admancanon’s Secret Romance?!]
[A Love Transcending Generations of Hostility—A Legendary Couple is Born!]
[The Countess-to-Be, Serenia Barishart! Who Is She?]

“What… What is this?!”1a467a2cb6810c2a

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Serenia screamed as d393a3bd78 she flung the 2df38865a1 window open.bc1d5af6b44f7579

The sudden c93652e237 movement sent 9d70726650 the newspaper a5401f13fe soaring into 7495037078 the air, 835d91ed4d fluttering far 5d0c67c459 out of de1011a22f reach.b6444175a003648b

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Her hand, stretched out 0488ba58ff to grab the paper, bb960e0cfe closed around nothing but 728f2a4ca9 empty space.2bfadf73dc0fd374

Whoosh—f4c8e11c52d4e100

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A burst of 4e615fd5df cold winter air e4adbaa4e1 rushed into the 0e1cdc2cd4 room, and in 8ec48a65f3 that instant, Serenia 74361a2505 understood why the e07d74db57 outside had seemed 45d472e04d so chaotic.f57b908ead2c6db4

“There! Over there, she’s out!”818925b1b0023470

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“Where? Where?!”0835133ef66cd248

“Second-floor window!”027375a7827a482a

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“Get the lens! The zoom lens!”aa9cc0a9e4e23713

After the special 62080dc0fa edition had spread 1b68afe881 across the capital 3ecd8cda32 that morning, journalists 3bb5213524 had swarmed the 493c43b6c7 Barishart estate like 5e827742e8 ants, desperately seeking a3538fb0e0 a scoop.4c4ae975724028cd

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Paralyzed with 77a100913b shock, Serenia 3210aa8307 stood motionless 798fc8548e like a 996bcccd50 statue.273397c76680f2a2

Click—!09552cf931315985

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The sound 5459ecadfa of shutters a1f754d3e1 and camera 8f35bd817e flashes erupted 5c23fc74f5 like a 99644afa54 thunderstorm from 8ba71fa135 every direction.fc9a4fda37d2c782

Hundreds of photos were aa89deff34 snapped in mere seconds d6319c0e24 before Serenia finally regained 788b4eacbe her senses.c603ce2918d02a8f

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She slammed the 83a8f8fa9b window shut, bolted 7c9167e416 the latch, and 73d37a6d92 drew the curtains 1295989901 tightly closed.e87a6d7a4b735988

But the fbb029bcc5 determined reporters 95d95e5ccd outside didn’t 3d621f6f60 relent.cea330db5ab2ee41

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“Lady Barishart! Just one interview, please!”4ab8392957bb12b7

“Can you share your thoughts on this morning’s news?”e6221c186d984ab7

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“Show us your face again!”3faed39571844284

“We demand the public’s right to know!”42eb00a574d0e712

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The noise seeped d23d5873a3 through the glass, 518da23db7 filling the room 969e290e05 with an incessant 5acd98e816 hum.b1c7dd20cf9a3152

As if 394c82060e the chaos 3d537335ee wasn’t enough, 69eae612a9 the distant dfd38ef1b7 sound of 01c05defd1 horses neighing 327fed0e6a began to 072a25a601 grow louder.52afc4fb403ea508

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8:40 a.m.684f5d53538a3e26

The time Ain had d8a9764455 promised to return.d0eebb6313465ea8

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Serenia murmured to herself b2eb648239 in despair.895f83f64aa1c956

“I’m doomed.”a0ce42cd2b006dd6

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 9fa911816fff4b41