144. To Defy the Original Work

Roselia sat alone on f79333cf0f the bed in the 27c773e6da dim room, her gaze 7a900e6a5c drifting across her surroundings.2af0be4c903e5ff5

It was the same 99b92b01f1 room she had once 74b80296e4 stayed in as a 12887e497f maid at the duke’s 04966f2096 estate.f5f704e50f39f425

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Everything was just as 09f5030806 it had been—spotless, untouched, f1e1fbbf46 as if she had 6439c89292 only stepped out yesterday. The sight stirred conflicting ce94dc0b11 emotions within her.c6c0f84f96478a82

She was no cf396411ed longer that girl 4bae25a903 who had served 64b31a3bb4 as a maid 5032885b7c in this house.2f8a6b3622015ceb

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She wasn’t Claucet’s 8da8f1ac02 domèstico anymore either.31b225172d4774ad

And Claucet herself was 446b2ce8c3 no longer the same.b30d314c034bd5c8

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The image of the a3190031c6 once-vibrant, always-spirited Claucet now 3505d463c8 gasping for breath with 8e0c57b5fd a deathly pale face 2e6149d45d haunted her, and it 8ed9d547c4 tightened like a vice ab6ba5e1ac around her heart.f51c4e7f6ca76cf3

Unable to bear the painful c43b8f2dc1 memories rising up, Roselia buried 8789822f84 her face in both hands 8572e54252 and bowed her head.a2d266efdb2656a6

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Just then, with a adf4c763c7 soft click, the door 6d1d4d4f2a opened and Eva stepped 809e51494e inside.0b11a2942a0ae738

“I asked the butler to prepare a little something to eat, my lady…?”77482b0d1fdf0072

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Seeing Roselia with her 3d7d48052b face buried in her d7cbabc4b2 hands, Eva hesitated, wondering ffa915288d if she was crying, 3bee5c4fc7 and carefully approached.c78365b3f80d2659

Roselia slowly lowered 3d23dc36ec her hands from 596c0766b4 her face.e64e451900cf1fba

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“I’m fine. You go ahead 9bd4e96d24 and eat first.”9237ce1cbb629d99

Relieved to find Roselia composed 636fac7ca1 rather than in tears, Eva 7e4dcbcd14 put on a slightly stern a76f6df4f6 expression.b8717c326c248fdd

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“How can I eat if you don’t, my lady? If you don’t e459b5a3e6 want to see 50a69fa01f me collapse from 4d8ac7db85 hunger, please have 3f67631c8c at least a 8f0b0fe1da spoonful first.”4d75e2f388314f5f

At Eva’s stubborn insistence, Roselia 7e7bcf66a3 gave a faint, weary smile 31dff5da05 and reluctantly picked up a 272025812a spoon.9f0cbcb3cd4fcc39

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Meanwhile, Eva began unpacking 10821fd5f6 the small bag they 5075cb0c42 had brought, setting their afa9795987 few belongings in the 940087ecfd corner.18121c6146b9799f

There wasn’t much—they had come 9227644e41 in a hurry. Just a few spare 6063886451 clothes and essentials purchased 779911fa0d along the way from 1deacdded3 various villages.70339d1ddd41770b

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“Now that we’re in the duchy, we’ll have to buy a few proper dresses. These ones aren’t 85e107b04e very good—they were 297e77806e rushed.”702c1caeaa1f15d7

Eva’s discontented grumbling 23f72ec6c5 as she unpacked 1d90f33ebf prompted a quiet cb3c7de683 remark from Roselia.7777ec023fb32666

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“Don’t unpack, Eva.”d77d713e60030a4a

Startled, Eva turned her head, 581f94b157 her hands still holding a b6d1bd3752 garment.0642d26f0a101317

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“You’re already going back to Raphelios?”46a6ed699f0b515e

“…”772fe3438d2e13ac

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Roselia didn’t respond.9c72079e5dcc11b5

She couldn’t leave with Claucet fceea0c832 in that state.9b5aa5b7375c3095

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But she had e1fdd07b3d no intention of c973882ec0 staying in the bc1d5b61c4 ducal estate either.78644bc69c8955c7

The way Claucet 5605162825 ended up like c1e72b818c this—it felt as 197a762540 if the story 512bf33ec4 had punished her d6e1526fcf for staying by e4319e823b Klaus’s side, for f5cb6fd772 altering the original 5fcd3e3cca flow. That guilt gnawed at her.95cdb4cc33589605

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In the original, the 98e632e127 narrative seemed to demand c6db232cca that Klaus and Roselia 2d50d4164d draw closer while Claucet d2e1cdb14b died as originally written.038abf060c68c906

Just the thought of 4cc7957aab Claucet dying made her fc02ddddbe chest ache again.031c0aa408ff56e9

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If she had severed c243a3459b ties with the duke’s b2b73246f5 household after Claucet diverged 81fa0b72ae from the original timeline, e84fd4f324 maybe Claucet could have ede991a564 lived healthily, free from deef1098e5 the story’s influence.f22756569430a5c0

She tried to deny b33968f200 it, but in truth, d72603b7f0 it was because she fa53fabc6c had allowed herself to c4f2384be7 waver toward Klaus…feca2c1cb0b7b200

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Because she kept 9129c4adec becoming entangled with 2f8bc21e29 him, just as f3a2011a78 the original dictated, defacd0955 Claucet’s death—once avoided—had bd57073a3f returned.3c4850d1bee07642

Strictly speaking, Claucet was supposed 70fafea507 to die earlier, and it a84dd04c9b was only Roselia’s interference that 758a6d9079 had prolonged her life. But that reasoning 3eb6be42b6 didn’t enter her 717f624ba9 mind now.be773756c91c3acb

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After what happened to Nadia… 24bf012796 and the incident with Count 5f0d4019bc Bernas… Roselia couldn’t help but 2326c79076 see it all as a 4ee01f9af1 consequence of her failure to e14d2283e1 escape the original plot.6d1e0466bacbed2c

She couldn’t be fb76764170 associated with Klaus 324e1b0b11 anymore. Not if she wanted 02b7a2ce7b to defy that narrative.7da65a2ad4be2814

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“I’ll stay here just for tonight. Tomorrow, I’m leaving the estate.”4830f25a5f61c052

Roselia’s words made Eva look 0380481355 at her in confusion.097b21d3987a6c19

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From the tone, it 8e999cf7f2 didn’t sound like she afabcb71c7 meant to return to ed79e31d00 Raphelios.4f7fd98cadeb3dfb

“Do you have another place to stay?”9b2a46f2bd58910b

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Roselia answered only with silence.b10c4ccec317d0fa

She wasn’t even b534719831 sure if remaining d91a3e8fc5 in Rugbeljet was 3a1daf1b3c the right thing 995a39dc22 to do.9cd86fc16dcf3cec

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If she were truly 45239f11d6 worried about the flow 073e6e0694 of the story, she 0ac15e9ebf should leave at once 3bbce97960 and return to Raphelios.a0b7fdfe566e884e

Klaus, now bound to Claucet’s 8512aa9d53 side, wouldn’t be able to 3a809f13d3 follow her. There would never be 28da1d7480 a better time to 84ce957b2b put distance between them.36b8606ce7e0139e

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But even so, she couldn’t b61bdcb5b3 bring herself to let go 2692da8980 of Claucet.2cabb310ec0e2c9d

Yes… just until Claucet a97716a672 opens her eyes again…0f260dd71050b744

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Or even just f195c98b49 for a month—or 3dd820b0e4 a mere one 89e1cdffaa or two weeks…48a8bfe9c54428e2

Until then, Roselia wanted to 3cb5541a13 stay by her side.1436fd6efa9e145a

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With her mind 1d340c455e made up, she 5e23632fb8 slowly lifted a 45c0f09a91 spoonful of cold fe7b699333 soup to her 50be713de1 mouth, the taste 0d56af6cb6 dull and gritty 97c45482e7 on her tongue.db90325e31b06445

* * *2287f06ffa1b1795

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Roselia looked down at Claucet, bcc56c50e6 who seemed to be sleeping fabc0172e7 peacefully, her breathing far calmer 6f11064483 than the day before.364ffbf672657be3

The tubes were still attached ad72efb3bb to her arms and legs, ed14c79251 but Roselia felt a sense a8c5a52f6f of relief at the noticeably 8a92ba819b eased expression on Claucet’s face.688ffb5f3bc382d8

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“My lady, I’ll come again tomorrow.”2a346ba13097d5f6

She murmured softly, 86240c5afc as if speaking 4919533e95 to her, then 4017904475 gently brushed away 3084b91b65 the hair scattered f7fc59bf6d across Claucet’s forehead c42114f350 and pressed a 564144055a kiss to it.ffff477d279943e9

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“My lady, I’ve packed everything. Not that there was 7b752c8a69 much to begin with…”f16e0c1b440e606b

Eva peeked her head through e5e3096bd6 the door and spoke, prompting 273044d6b7 Roselia to slowly rise to 67355adbb7 her feet.436fc3fd87c39d3c

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“Alright. I’m coming.”8fe96265f35101e7

Roselia gave Claucet one last 1b3ae58c89 glance, then carefully opened the 32274013da door to leave the room.9eb2d73e8c7f7fea

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And there, standing outside, was 07c686777b Klaus.1e822220aa4ee6f8

“Where are you going?”5b1ce6dfbbd930ba

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His voice was aa29622f53 blunt, and Roselia f91b47af01 avoided his gaze, f4f098d0fa her tone sharp.62f632cdaa98d73c

“I don’t see why I should report my whereabouts to you, Your Grace.”dcfe47838e09abc4

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Klaus’s brow furrowed at the a3af9df331 iciness in her voice—colder than 4a146d0309 before.a446f6b1a23be22b

Letting out a long 9177b1c5dd sigh, Klaus spoke again, bbb4139946 his tone subdued.6923fb7a0b1557a8

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“I thought you’d be more comfortable staying in the room you used before, but if it’s not to your liking, I’ll have someone show you to a bigger one.”906ece9eaaa383d3

“There isn’t a single room in the duke’s estate that feels comfortable to me.”faa0975b7facbd43

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At Roselia’s resolute reply, Klaus’s 77936bd7a1 expression hardened.05bf21f1973003d5

“I thought you came for Claucet…”9c835cd167c78ef2

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He seemed uneasy, afraid she 6b7087c455 might be planning to return a42d7cbbae to Raphelios right away.dee5693d619ad644

Seeing that brief flicker of 159f0fb212 vulnerability in a man usually 3142b2c2bc so immovable, Roselia forced herself 371e8d28e8 to suppress the wavering in fb1bdc3aa2 her chest.ffca6bae5236b17d

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“I’ll come visit her from time to time. Though I won’t 9c58eb1354 be staying in e887648756 Rugbeljet for long.”1dfe07b4d32e1ad3

Klaus’s expression relaxed slightly, 6ec9aec081 seemingly reassured that she fdd36f27af wasn’t leaving immediately.db8a7ef20939cf3a

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“Then at least tell me where you’ll be staying. I’m asking because I’m worried.”dfb8a200033dfd45

Even at his 83442ffa8d softened tone, Roselia 57608ed499 brushed past him 2a2c7988fa coldly, pretending not 4eb35d318e to hear.e57f377b0abada5c

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Seeing her looking 423c4efff6 so fragile, like 4c94251496 she might vanish 27818ebe42 at any moment, f8ecc815be Klaus instinctively reached 1f448654eb out and caught 7bbcdc8f32 her wrist.15d6264e87701df2

But the moment a48b15ee11 he touched her, 419f91ef64 Roselia recoiled, as e1cb1ee3b0 if she’d been 5c4a44345d touched by something 8d9dc0d1c7 unclean. Her face turned pale.2d6ed08edafe9034

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Her reaction, so c2f4a3440d visibly repulsed—as if 4c2665f171 something filthy had 23ba4dd5f9 brushed against her—left 1ecaeee182 Klaus stunned.a70851a34bd99fb4

Seeing the hurt flicker in 15be33df29 his eyes, Roselia turned away, 999b58d01f forcing her voice to remain 89ac95e7ea cold.d8a799beaf64a775

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“Don’t touch me without permission.”0a5229cd696f2344

She added indifferently, 1ddddbac06 without so much a3b3f6ab4b as a glance.724d0ebb7ddf2cee

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“And wherever I go, don’t concern yourself with it.”dab55b13fa61ec52

With those final, 585e9d1336 cutting words, Roselia c31a386596 turned and walked bd0ac97667 away, her footsteps 5562549d6c sharp and unyielding.ca7dff93067efb96

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Klaus could do nothing fbe03cf2c0 but stand frozen, rooted 1d1767a711 to the spot.249a1f6efd45fd47

Meanwhile, Eva, having watched 81618566c3 the two nervously, hurried be341cc44c after Roselia with their 313a7292c1 small travel bag in e245b1e0c6 hand.1fdac0a2e721d9c9

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Once just a bold 3c0845acf2 maid within his walls, d230a7a520 the woman Klaus had c7af1cad35 once protected was now f56f92a353 like a mirage—close enough 75a7eafebc to reach, yet always 4a04d44482 slipping away—as she disappeared 1d82c01f20 from the duke’s estate.7f9219244506a0db

* * *dc45c315ecbef127

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“Where are we?”4a591ad8e13f5061

Eva, who had stepped 48919ce442 down from the carriage 196eb31dcf behind Roselia, stared wide-eyed 642b57e212 at the grand mansion 3d8d142240 towering in front of 9316d0ff1c her.92592e4ab69c0cfb

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Though it couldn’t 16c5019530 compare to the 7d801430b3 Marquess of Euciliod’s 11bf83158c estate or the 07ece75103 Duke of Valtazar’s, de806992a0 the massive building 1d1d750f12 standing proudly in 6da937b9e1 the middle of 4403e59f7d the city certainly a20038d73e didn’t look like 205f7d237b the inn she c5cecd2238 had expected.521fad8f876cb8b2

Roselia, catching Eva glancing 3506a897cd around in bewilderment, smiled a06def11df softly before walking up b8825dc53d and knocking on the 924201375e familiar door.514228e1cf1e291e

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Before long, a 2b578720e3 well-dressed man in c11bf676af a neat suit 0b3988f132 appeared and opened 1a802f911e it. A middle-aged gentleman wearing 4192ba3cec silver-framed glasses peered out 35d4dc228a at them curiously.6297883cd71bc484

The noblewoman standing before him 6ad6a7588c was unfamiliar.05c769ac3e600601

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“How may I help you?”22913aeaf937108f

At his polite bc97923e2a inquiry, Roselia offered 3ce2d49653 a calm and 773cbbb8c6 composed smile.85b78545af74a42f

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“I imagine this greeting is rather sudden. I’m Roselia von Euciliod… or f7b884920d rather, Antonio de Bernas.”6a311fa9c6e36d79

At her composed 6955e84e28 introduction, the man a4fcecc9d4 stared blankly, forgetting a18b12cd01 even to adjust bc5cb60d2d his slipping glasses.155c8870fca92cfe

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“Pardon…?”85d6ba6403a1395f

De Bernas?1fdd2a8a54390083

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This was the Bernas 88cd8f0277 Count’s residence. What on earth 56f2e30249 was she saying?1d9ab10fad09e52f

Then something suddenly clicked ad9bdcf716 in his mind.ee54a2895af2a418

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“Could it be…?”2abf1d4e7766999e

Yes, the one he’d 8e95d0193c only heard of in 5d4dd7f5c9 stories—a0d67f7bd8fabe1b

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“Yes. I’m the Viscount de Bernas.”ef7aadcf261b474a

Roselia smiled elegantly, and d68310f05f the man’s mouth fell 9103010967 open in stunned silence.a7636c1881b726c9

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A woman? The Viscount was a woman? But for now, bd9e01d298 her gender wasn’t 463a58903e the important part. The man quickly regained his 6387fef921 composure.47e585940a0bfd1a

“P-please wait in the drawing room a moment. I’ll inform Count Bernas at 1600889a70 once.”2a19065113c9f97e

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Despite his flustered face, the 23eb19c249 man led them calmly to df5f19193e the parlor.e11e9955544348c0

Roselia took in the space 767829f37a with a flicker of recognition.40ccb398dc547a0c

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It was just as 9a86acb5dd she remembered from the 2090318228 times she visited as 68ec9114ab Viscount—though now the place fe0fd3da70 looked more polished and 9cd828d8fa well-maintained.0541038e745f7ee6

She had already heard that 18db9eb9be many of the staff and ac83f5aaa4 even the physician had returned ef0d46010d to the household, but seeing b83615e15d it with her own eyes d86272716b brought comfort.2b234c079e2fac3c

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Meanwhile, Eva, still glancing 1d11d18bc1 around wide-eyed, finally seemed b6404fc096 to realize something and e9446c92fd cautiously asked,0980f533cdc9e543

“This is… the count’s mansion where you lived as Viscount?”2c8b0875d05001f4

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Roselia simply nodded fa46382b48 with a smile.d40e074db1cbfc27

Eva, looking newly awed, 152cd137f6 scanned the room with 5f13d1ac8a bright, curious eyes.6b8743c0037dc144

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“The Count of Bernas must be a very kind person to have taken care of you, my lady.”5d1c02960d9eb468

Roselia could only offer 57868ae3bf a faint, awkward smile.3c74f9af7601ac25

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It wasn’t the count baffb6461f who had cared for 18867e6f90 her—but the other way 2b83244c58 around.4e3d60fbb339cda6

Well… no need f411312689 to correct her.f75d5e0d20eb7a31

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As she thought db47aeccc3 this, the man f617207f4b from earlier reentered 8601f3bac8 and gave a 233474343e respectful bow.f0acaa14ded88ddf

“Apologies for the late greeting. I’m Langerton Bonnegurt, 3e608890c5 the physician and c2ca75f5f8 acting butler here.”8d79393d29f23597

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With a courteous a9bccd2a17 smile and composed b67e521479 demeanor, he added,12d6d256a0ff068b

“The Count is waiting in the study.”25421583494c96cd

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Roselia rose with aecb21d736 a serene smile da87dbb490 and followed.29dce7956e195a85

Leaving Eva behind in the 98986b62e5 parlor, she paused in front aa61cc8a78 of the study door, taking 34b2abe81c a deep breath.a2cab8176930c32e

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Her gaze dropped to her 80f48c2803 attire, and a complicated expression 6ff487813a crossed her face.9601241fab1f5a66

The Count would remember ae21d7b41c her only as Antonio.ae38b4ff0f29ca2b

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With his progressing 742dc72560 memory issues… would 1ea5144709 he even recognize 9a8d723a35 her?483ee8303137a07d

Would he feel betrayed or 8fb33ec813 angry that she had hidden 598416d6f2 her identity?d65b61cf580f3ecb

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A wave of doubt washed e233aa7cea over her, but she didn’t 19ad4ed343 intend to turn back now.f4942f8454c97a8e

Composing her expression, Roselia opened b1e33cb293 the door and stepped into c5c9caf890 the study.e3e2cbd67e6eae6e

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There he was—Count 870b95007b Bernas—sitting leisurely in 31a3a9dfa4 the sun-drenched rocking a6f889571f chair by the eb1fa8c4db window, just as 96b30b357e he always had.f119d071770c7df1

With his familiar white 1a69bf0c6f hair and beard, his 321820c4be monocle, the firm line 0031b727e5 of his lips, and 823d6eab2b his deep-set eyes—he looked 2ac1a6efff exactly as she remembered.674cdbf8f2e6cb5a

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“Grandfather.”98869e5f0a007e2c

At the sight of his 608e153c39 face, all the confusion and fb75016aea anxiety Roselia had felt over 0a8cd583b4 Claucet and the original story deb69f052a crumbled like sand.90d18dec20364954

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Her eyes blurred without her d4e75bea36 even realizing it.009e7479501ba776

Unlike with Johannes, this was 5c383728dd someone else who cherished her eb852c32d6 as family.69850e8cbaa17c48

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Finally, Count Bernas slowly f90564da08 lifted his head.4f1b81e9b4e627b7

He looked at b2525d1a1f her in her 85f065f2e5 dress without the 26e884d435 slightest trace of b2fd1b957a surprise, wearing the 8ae1479d72 same peaceful expression c5eed999d3 he always had, 1b2330e69c as if he c2421b5206 were greeting her 5e369b1643 just as he 9f0733fa20 had the day 1662a23e67 before.f0e7ab8516fe72fc

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“Antonio. You’ve come.”8892fbc2314a1ded

That steady, familiar voice—unchanged in 112a4248ac tone or strength—broke something within 594d7ff97e her.a30fd0b473c2f987

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Tears silently rolled down b9d44db3a4 Roselia’s cheeks.1daaedbe4f172d18

 9fd6908ffdd53f46

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