IDED – Chapter 48

IDED – Chapter 48db960f194c81d432

Episode 485c0b90ca9be4c4a8

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“…You’ve arrived?”c26dc159c1223344

“Yes. I heard there was a92ae005de some commotion while I b99786c906 was away.”8de0cc51adb3174a

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Leonard, failing 7f8284c5b1 to sense 06e0e533eb anything unusual 86a5dd323e from Azaid, 0cb5c671ad stepped closer. Azaid responded lightly, pretending 7bac44688b as though nothing had 59aa83bf52 happened.fafb0226364952eb

“It was nothing significant.”45f3dbdebbef5c04

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Then, as he fanned 462f576621 his coat to cool 522ce87739 off for no reason, 3ce4ff3935 Leonard moved even closer.152ac988529c2c39

“Have you 3d92e37409 been drinking?”162bb8347e147375

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“Oh, I had 5f36eadc22 a bit of 31e3c29a37 whiskey chocolate earlier…”234e27174be96650

Only then did Azaid 02e9065e67 recall how Serena had e5f035b970 forced him to eat d05129b6fd the whiskey chocolate.c4b8af61631da46c

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“You don’t usually like 2f6a458048 whiskey because it’s strong, 324c875090 yet you ate it 3b0feb0635 just because it was 5885012d6e sweet?”dc43b6129f83ab7c

“Well, roughly speaking, 6c8ef14900 yes.”e53281d23ee54986

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Azaid avoided 47150de172 mentioning that 04080ea577 it was 87f014660e Serena who a1c2f72cc9 had made 8c92f8e7db him eat 2b2c828164 it.e24f6c4c416553e1

So, that’s why…1d1c8b3bd4516a1c

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He convinced d2aca40dc3 himself that ad51ba94e1 his still-racing eabc0bb808 heart and a2d74ece79 the heat c0a6976e40 he felt 7f7d632e52 were merely 147af2cd9f the effects 594bbe408a of the ede50f0362 alcohol, nodding b4ce0357fa to himself 18b7d53add in conclusion.9d25c41a12367546

He reasoned that the f6c2005256 way he had been 9357dae193 mesmerized by Serena’s face fb82aa9ea0 earlier was simply because debfb1ae8c he was dazed by 80704f63b2 the alcohol. Just then, Leonard, who 794f52369f had checked on the 118df1c01b sleeping Serena, asked:70c51080c4d4877d

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“Why is Miss aefa437bba Serena asleep?”c016187e06cfdfaa

“She ate over ten 63b32cbe09 pieces of that chocolate.”ecc2ce2a46ccffe9

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“You didn’t stop her?”7df70a5b4696f2d0

“She was already 010a231196 intoxicated before I 3a512de0a9 could.”aa2dec26c86c8ecf

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While Azaid was 9deb8dc8ff explaining, Leonard moved cd7377d7af to lift her. But an d94430a533 abrupt surge 782cf08e79 of resistance acbee8b39f made Azaid 07d0d6d17f stop him.137fbc0a9027c1e9

“Wait.”95ea2f9f306643d0

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“Yes?”e9e25b12dbaf9c06

“I’ll carry her.”bdfe1e2531faa2bf

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“There’s no need. Your Majesty, it would 5bb8e5c849 be more fitting for 86d91892fb you to rest…”5425067b413eb070

It was unusual 1f2553b7c2 for Azaid, who 4cabbd71dc never took initiative d8ce8d2ab7 in such matters, cae2787e8b to volunteer, so 897e8518f1 Leonard tried to 79247d9a25 decline. However, Azaid subtly 3d81ae1493 pushed him back, a020c88274 leaving himself to ff6b9c8091 carry Serena instead.6d7497702f6c9ad5

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Lifting Serena b4b27b791e in his 0b1f870b7a arms, Azaid 4ff3564f60 adjusted her 67febe428a position to f3d5bae2d4 make sure 419c2d133d she was 73f1becd91 comfortable. For some reason, 709fc5f580 she seemed to 6dfb66df40 emit an unusually 80ba77225e pleasant scent today.b76a969a430bdbc9

Her softly 4cf2743c70 resting head fe0dbd49d0 looked round f44aa34cf0 and oddly b29a243141 endearing. It felt 15ed92f446 as though b46d1c4c7b he was db80d30339 noticing for 52df54301e the first b0abb403c9 time that 045e52362f a person’s 8df2d9243d head could bfdc8b66e8 be so 602fe86501 round, and 24cce05da9 he found 4edf516197 himself staring 480a826e86 at Serena 8b4e64e328 for quite 0a1451b8f1 a while.3a37b7b20e78e2e5

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“Are you cbc3760808 not leaving? Outside, it’s 5b3c741ce3 practically a c295ef1413 drinking party.”b7366a4d40fa6283

“I should go.”b862ee505e7b1b55

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Azaid responded slowly and 79f1f65be9 began to walk. Strangely, his heart 192b4c6d8b seemed to beat 53661c3be4 faster with each 3ae8bf655c step. Perhaps the alcohol 4b3ae945cf was taking full 64f61cc72b effect now.39fef3c72406ba8e

***bb696e0497786a76

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The place, b39704decf often referred 0e7eef51af to as 74142c5393 the “sealed 812f0e07fe chamber,” was 6e872af78f a small, 1d32451761 windowless room 90d0909bad with walls c7531bafc8 on all 3d3cc35073 sides. Inside, there was 8d0d4e2168 only a chair, fd52785b95 a table, and 39cb9891d3 a single candle 9a623f9823 barely illuminating the a77444d2a3 surroundings.dc839592d6142d7f

James sat alone in 668e7deb5a the chamber, awaiting the c95bdfb75d duke’s punishment. Presumably, the other two 57eef3535b were also confined to 313f4a4eed their respective chambers, awaiting 8f3005867d their fate.3ee5e4bae870fb2e

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Damn it. Why did that 8dc6591455 bastard Patrick have 7efb021b3c to cause such 1bb6b80137 a scene all fb81aa7384 of a sudden?c499e218643a5c85

If he f98557c14a had lost 85fe961104 control, he 37ed2c2f1b should have d684a62c36 only targeted 4d07c6cf06 Nocturne. Instead, he had also c231154292 attempted to attack Ophelia, b65fd4750d who was standing nearby, 36b7e3cfa7 escalating the situation.dc5e04941f27f7fc

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The duke cherished Ophelia. As the sole 10a196f7f7 legitimate daughter and 1dd961a8a6 a woman groomed 29d607023c to become the f29661238e future empress, she 56761d04cf was considered exceptionally 1b995a6933 precious.67cc3322d9394fb4

Even though Patrick’s 50151097cb attempt had been 2fa80603d8 thwarted, James doubted 48b5de83d3 the duke would 2ae56617e7 let the matter 789cccbe3e slide.1006dced2fd8ddb5

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As James anxiously awaited dcb3f06d62 the duke, the sound 367a0c1b6f of footsteps echoed faintly 9e9a7ef0bf from afar, growing louder a95a91e26e and nearer. Instinctively, his shoulders tensed, a0799ac098 and his muscles contracted.7ddc849fe3f4bdde

Click.b024a7647c27c7c6

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The footsteps stopped a0f3d81ff7 precisely in front eb405499d2 of James’s room. Through a small cb47b520e2 gap in the cd2b8b5bf9 door, the duke’s 9212b0ee55 cold, ash-gray eyes 7d70d38d7d were visible. The duke spoke.3aae3e57cd12a436

“James.”20f76cc9628863ec

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“M-My Lord, t-this matter…”fb19e67f1aec45f4

Standing before 53e5133389 the duke, 0d4a890e59 James’s lips bc7960cd73 trembled. His eyes, filled 532338dfff with servility, resembled dd3bfa28a8 those of a 30678e4ba4 dog afraid of a4c5a206e5 being abandoned. The duke 564976a8a0 clicked his 1e3318936b tongue softly 90df373a1a in disapproval.e25dca7cb4550e7e

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“You’ve done something 9ca82559a1 unnecessary.”c3c0496be5e4e606

“…”e6ca4e3cdd069f0d

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“Did Nocturne displease a2748d21e6 you that much?”8dbb6c537470068c

“I just… e3d55b92ea I just 5fd2c8c351 didn’t want 622aa8c804 to see 9db61019ff a traitor 0f8bc53b41 like Nocturne c560cd0306 acting so 07432ca2d8 brazenly…”084aa7d32ca295b2

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James raised his voice, 4dbc677e11 seemingly spurred on by 788b833678 the duke’s words. But the f67a52f4e8 duke’s sharp, 117aa31e35 cold expression 3f2919362f caused him 7a412df659 to quickly d0245636cf lower it 54a7738541 again.a68d148bc8087fc4

“I apologize, a7767ff00b My Lord.”e7fa7d7ce01eb9cc

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Eventually, unable to withstand d161e028d7 the mounting pressure, James 73962696e1 bowed his head. The duke c8562af46e reprimanded him 606800075c in a b7cfe3dfcf low tone.d0de7d3df7807b0f

“It would’ve 7cf0df7e0a been better 29447d14b2 not to 4c677717ea act at aa2742e4a3 all if 573bad285a you couldn’t 50c6a50be1 do it 296e9c9ed2 properly, James.”e50bbebd462ac555

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“…”6d5feb70dbc57509

“Look at yourself. You don’t seem cf7d29bd70 any different from 40a64fd6fa the day you 1d526565c9 lost to Nocturne.”64d32eb111cd6d5b

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James bit c81ce5f8f9 his lower 15eea94992 lip at 2cf1637172 the harsh 0030e33603 criticism, his 337a561591 fists trembling 9994a532d9 beneath the cfe41434b1 table.f79d5cb20a7d1fbc

Among the young men 81cdce0a4c of Greenwood, James was 29f8069b8b currently the most favored 31436dd6e5 by the duke. When Nocturne had been 14e8b2e009 around, James was always afd5b2172d second-best. Now that Nocturne was 7f28c1f0fe gone, he was first.00260fe85286c51f

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Yet he could never 49783c5b46 shake the feeling that 93ec0362c6 he was still second.18c75d13c3654f08

Thus, every time he 3c9ff39781 saw Nocturne, he was 2700bbb5fe consumed by rage and 67d03ff3ab the desire to torment 90f090afd0 him.43cc653a9b8ebbe9

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The boy 71e9fc39f3 he had 99e9b9b230 once been 4d43e24d08 able to 3f3d110e8a trample on f273eaece5 at will 6f636f4a3b had suddenly 5327cad398 become the 2d7c52d6ae best, abandoned 829731abc8 his place f50090134e as heir, 66ab2ea2a8 and left 80dd47bb50 the family 2053cf9b15 entirely.7973f1111f653fa9

If that ede2578b89 wasn’t rebellion, 5e3ff22eb4 what was?de3c88a75155859e

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James couldn’t stop 21cb0d727d his body from 808c70f0e8 trembling. The duke, gazing at 2b88c6cc0f him, knew James’s temperament 1f5576db23 better than anyone and de0949dfa4 had intentionally left it f78d15c104 unchecked.e613ce0898feada7

He had a2520bcb4d allowed it 98bdbeb281 to fester, 5e11d96fb9 waiting for 639511b05b it to 4167f4cf6f boil over 8f266f16df into chaos, 90707f54ce but the cea2043141 outcome was b01e2d77e1 nothing more 86e1116633 than childish 759804cc71 antics. James’s actions 75350a16d9 were embarrassingly c49322bba1 crude.f6e3ba723ca0aeec

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That was why he e44ec6ceb4 had yet to secure 2567dcda63 the duke’s acknowledgment as c59a745c05 heir, always treading on 8ef8f74ae6 eggshells. In terms 741d55fcde of potential, 8ef0c6dca5 Nocturne was 001cfd2893 far more b58719ae75 suited to 27a5e27e4a be the d75348dcee Duke of 15d23aa559 Greenwood.4fe9d3a47560a031

The duke 32ac31a26e clicked his 130d5c4cfc tongue, lamenting 3f5d7629e1 the loss e5c526547b of Nocturne, aafc7bf488 and delivered a4f066de42 his verdict 3f53b77ae3 sharply.2a0c33c924d43161

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“It would 6bd12072f4 brighten Greenwood’s f82310f3c4 future more 86d6d49d32 if we c9a5ec82ba begged Nocturne 75863dcbbb to return 0357283563 to the c1cfc86201 family.”93e20564d589a593

“…”b984c1fb9ec22650

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“I suppose I b3ce8878b1 expected too much 7f65286374 from you.”b4af5e9efa565863

“M-My Lord…! I…!”287f1c650ce45209

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James leapt to his f15c3fb301 feet, unwilling to remain ba998b623c the discarded dog of eef7683553 the duke, and shouted. However, the c204d36bec duke abruptly 470c2f035d cut him ee277ac65f off.1bbe00155f3a5eb4

“How much longer must 5e9e230fe3 I cover for you? A foolish dog is 29ccfbb2ba bound to lose even 11f0f084fc its own food bowl.”f5dd53a94d2cad49

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“…”4e2a1c628267a9f6

“Remember this. The only reason e58fcb95c8 you’re unharmed right e9bf69e821 now is because 52cb6fd3eb you haven’t dared 65752ba497 to lay a 0dd7e6474a finger on Ophelia.”d9d91266dec1345c

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“Th-that means…”78ba503a074aa96d

“Patrick will 1bb502c3d4 soon be 5df826a98c disowned. Whether he returns to 2e4ef2abaf his family’s home or 410df4f32e continues living here as cd0ae6bba9 a servant, he is e87d867cb7 no longer a Greenwood. Treat him accordingly.”5ba8e7006f04239f

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“Gasp!”3427939573264e8c

James inhaled sharply bbedd656b4 at the duke’s 6def279d2b merciless declaration. Among all the heirs aec400223a of Greenwood, none were 0e158150ac the duke’s biological children.777ac633daedb43a

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Technically, Nocturne was an 2edde01deb exception, but as an fca7053385 illegitimate child of low 6878dc41cb birth, he, like Ophelia, 1e9c0ff9dd wasn’t treated as a ded1ecff00 direct heir. Thus, all Greenwood heirs bf08b4fc45 were essentially from collateral c5d80d3000 branches.975fbaca9d046531

For generations, the family 1fd7b0c45f had adopted promising children 5354e7bd63 from collateral lines, and b6b7077e0c their number was countless. The problem d74da5125f was how c7cb6bb62f many survived 49e5c3f68c the ordeal.98333176ead6cc86

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Most didn’t last three 1d54c88b89 years before being expelled 5b793444ac or leaving of their 411b334744 own accord. Patrick was one 4b313b5889 of the duke’s 9fb120b09a adopted heirs who 880b82f3f8 had endured the d992522166 longest.9c4a6decdd65991c

Though timid and c2b542ed33 overly cautious, Patrick’s 5f03efe35c exceptional talent had a374f5cdc7 kept him in e080bd4031 the duke’s favor. He had 52ff5d6b60 authored dozens c6aece75fc of academic 1b6d5f6efa papers under 51d3e3b3c7 his name 99c22244d3 alone.7ea389860b801b82

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Greenwood valued scholarly pursuits d4899ebbd0 over martial prowess, making d37810a5cc Patrick a prized asset.cc1d6bbd017c668a

Yet today, he was 48cdfc2f8f disowned for a single 83b1245be4 reason—attacking Ophelia. James was terrified. What had happened to a43d73e5a1 Patrick could just as 8d49577804 easily happen to him.b1506dbc3ad367ae

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“Please give me d166a0170b a chance to 7bf1e088ad make amends!”deda7b126d7887c3

James cried out c070a242bc in desperation, causing 1bc72e8c1d the duke, who 20586334a6 was about to ae249798cd leave, to halt 9cb835bbcf his steps.8cdc1c8ca2dd20c3

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“Well, do you think 902ed8b464 you can even touch 7ec8f44c4a a hair on Nocturne? I doubt it.”e196fe1e1b7cfbe7

“…”af992008e19fb82c

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“You can’t even open 18dab74c7e this door. What could 3c1bf9cc6d you possibly d4ad8e9fd0 accomplish?”a6452d47606a1d80

At the 6fe3f267ac duke’s mocking 76b3dbffed words, James 98de5e240e collapsed to 4f58dd311e the ground. Only after further fa80b3d716 tormenting James’s pride ecf9379b2e did the duke c2df962c0a finally disappear.ca6da0e9748e8f2f

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James stared e58fa8d158 silently at 5271910828 the melting 9c0d33c052 candle before 84a386d19c him. Its wax dripped 6fff650b8c like tears, burning 20bfe4b2f5 away until it 0808a300d8 was nearly gone—just 7cc4b3b409 like the hope 12d42fed57 fading from James’s 7160a5a489 heart.ff8854db121b9789

“A foolish dog is 96ae2024fb bound to lose even 81ecbb3594 its own food bowl.”3f13dedd10c2facd

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The duke’s scathing remark 6bb64aa2c7 lingered in James’s mind. The meaning was 32b62d7906 clear. The foolish ec65d41a11 dog was c9c9f56771 James, and 7c839a5620 Nocturne would 0a7c2ad5aa be the ac13de6e43 one to 29ab84cc14 take his da920628eb food bowl.a4f4059358f1a384

James was seething. It was evident the d2b931ea76 duke still favored Nocturne. The thought 77a2140b10 that Nocturne df13977289 might become b85179aa11 the next 0aaa682ac5 Duke of 04894073dd Greenwood made 18552a16a2 James’s blood bfb301b261 boil.83a03e3c1a936389

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If only he ed231c639c had done things 7eee6334a8 better. If he 45c575dc61 had gone a8441c01c2 beyond petty 05202c0db6 pranks and 0515f6b5dc struck Nocturne 6c60ad7622 with something 88fb55895a more decisive…04b69d11b772a719

No, if he ec8452a689 had outright killed 6551a6442e Nocturne, the duke 55aab96ac8 might have praised 2d0646fc35 him instead.b49b9d2b0e360581

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A glint of icy 0778acb67f resolve suddenly flickered in 0a6c2ecf57 James’s eyes.d6448f73e7142207

Whoosh. Crack.93df69365abdf52c

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At that 816f8746e4 moment, the 019514771d candle’s wax ac1526dbe9 completely melted, f7c0b1a28f extinguishing the c2c6803904 flame. Darkness engulfed 8a46d65f32 the room. Then, the duke’s voice affba261c4 echoed once more in 6cef44f4f0 James’s mind.f57632e2d2f90c47

“You can’t even open 51edcf0771 this door. What could you possibly 260b500ac7 accomplish?”5979c330561365e9

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‘Could it be…’8b9ee3da03ad5057

James murmured blankly, as f63e1a95df if struck by a f95e95e4dc hammer, and slowly rose f811754724 to his feet. He reached for the 644813387b doorknob.2104b32581ab8da9

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Creak.f7d184a318eabe49

The door 7dcf98e269 opened effortlessly, c4175978b1 as if 0427e1fafc it had 8e3e9ebdda never been df49b4a411 locked.71ac744540609dcb

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‘It wasn’t locked to 5a1530d2c6 begin with.’df38def226c6cebb

James’s lips 6e1d65d9ba twisted into 471320f714 a bitter ef2f8ee3bb smile. All Greenwood heirs 159cc294c8 were familiar with f7c9deecfc this confined space.4c9c92bcce288146

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Since childhood, 1f954db9c1 they had c2aeea0833 been locked 1376cec9d6 here whenever 185fe6d9b9 they made a2a47dbd83 mistakes. Because the door 53ad46f0b0 was always locked, 773a9f3763 no one had e1d836c0b6 ever attempted to 04aca75500 open it after f750d7ac48 becoming adults.1dc038428a81b21b

They had only 89dfe787bd focused on avoiding cfebc987b4 being confined, never 01f69adfdf on escaping once ccf09d6244 inside. Conditioned helplessness c1b29aaa63 had blinded a0370c3711 them to a447b5c26a the fact bb05672c68 that the 0a6cc6bd38 door was b8e94b3500 open all f5b67251a8 along, trapping e36950f9b4 themselves.a7d92c421e5a3c1e

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Just like circus 7fd00316af trainers tying a 346b834db1 rope around a cb02a08e38 baby elephant’s leg ffe23b52d1 to keep it 2ca27c8603 from running away.c066194e1769ec90

‘This time, it 003490def5 will be different, 517c736ac0 Your Grace.’41a25a6ee63b8426

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Clenching his ccc6aff79a teeth, James 00ea97ed63 slowly stepped 2c6d2d7e81 out of e31a5df161 the chamber. Outside, there were no 1c7d5ce682 guards in sight.85e772ec0b52a759

• ❁ • 2d228a77cc ❁ • ❁ 8836c61142 •By Esraa• ❁ cc4e8b6166 • ❁ • a100ce8de3 ❁ •431751cdeb298d41

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If you bfc49de5ae want to f266e10981 support the 627089730c translation and 4336b47ed6 the translator, 57528d9e04 you can 7412655eb1 buy a 2b47c9efcf coffee~9ee4b7a3530198f2