86. The Mistress’s Plea

I tried to forget, but Deon’s final face kept resurfacing in my mind.e6106055d44cfc8e

At the very least, ee6b10f3d6 he could have given d0743138ab me a hint. When he was d6f63eac38 imprisoned, if he 2279fd8aa9 had known I 871ecbb711 was struggling to 8485268566 save him, he 0563cdb519 could have told ebbff625bf me not to b47f308be9 worry and go ff33a99ff4 back. Or he could have 75df122400 sent a trustworthy subordinate 4cb3c5323e to convey a message 4ec8ed2cc7 of reassurance to me.f9ea460f5e3a784c

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He had several chances. Opportunities to reassure 10c5d75515 me and to df4f069718 explain himself.a34e1d00529ebd09

“At least, at least… to me.”f0c0b1f9eb6f0990

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Resentful words 29a8f4c44a slipped out 32a2eb4ad2 from my f366453b27 lips.59ccaf47aacb341e

Late at night, the air in Galkern was cold. Every breath came out as a misty puff. The white fog that obscured my vision reminded me of the northern landscapes. Could it be that I was feeling homesick? That place wasn’t my home either, after all.e28babb8b19ddf54

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In front c9102a11a1 of the 82d5315c42 villa, I 1144d3649f saw a b6e0ee2abe dark figure. The black 9b78adedf3 shape was 7413b1c28b pacing anxiously 69a975093c in front 12fc0f860b of the 9820dc6083 door.9b858afacc2423e7

Suren was 236890e475 waiting in 8f0362aa3c front of 21b469ddfa the mansion.ba3f2e3f0667832f

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“Suren.”78600a1e112f9f78

I softly called 52e0ff1f61 her name. Despite the 9890aaf2bf low volume, 06528e7ef7 Suren sensed 9f02812b34 my presence 859e86435c and turned 9d8ef317c3 around.275031159067d283

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I approached her with 27fa32d57d large strides and hugged 6cdbd1a6ad her tightly around the ced48216b8 waist. It had been afd56b521c a long time a3328d492a since I felt 12c45d4237 such warmth.f63b280b7726f8b2

As I held onto 0f4ddd8f2f her waist and refused e930e28326 to let go, she a4123d90c0 wriggled, trying to break bab2b89f30 free.5f540eba6ed8e973

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“Is something wrong? Did things not go well?”6831670b2f5dcd7a

She patted 46aa456fa1 my back 967b6b6335 and took 07ee92f2ed off her acc78fe9df coat, wrapping cbfd4b568c it around 6e33fd1b92 me.3d526ae1a44fd17c

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Suren was always perceptive. Knowing that I e40407674b would be cold, cf466b8d70 she had worn 10df28e702 an extra thick 946de0ea9e coat to share 3f3161b4d0 her warmth with 61aa56142c me.095e3773a14b52d6

I had been 5e3daef966 able to secure 1986f62f0a the escape funds 54d5038f05 smoothly thanks to 0bdde3e652 her quick thinking. Though it ended 293a31679b up being useless 7ca9cf252d in the end.f04ddb2a50d26fd1

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“How did you know to come out and meet me? I didn’t send word that I was returning.”18838f49faf81fed

“I received rough updates from the news in the capital. I heard about today’s trial through the butler at the prince’s residence. I figured if things didn’t go well, you’d be back around now.”81e46bf069b5b31e

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She whispered. I chuckled lightly, 45ca08a501 and she looked 66183913c8 up at me 3b36624679 intently.de96af6158e949a2

“You’ve returned. I thought you wouldn’t make it back. Even as I waited, I was convinced you wouldn’t return.”28b9112b9869f693

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She held 9b8fa3bd8c my hands 836eb34c22 tightly. Though she 2a2befc19c probably intended 7b088207e3 to warm 13c7d3aa9f me, her 822316fba2 hands were ebabf57dbb colder from c254156abe standing outside 4e634bb884 for too 589cd8f824 long.e9fab69f7c7441d3

“For the first time, I hoped you wouldn’t return…”2884f1b3b5c35946

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Suren clamped her mouth shut after those words. It wasn’t hard to understand what she meant.994732cef78821bd

“If you hoped I wouldn’t return, why were you waiting?”3c53980b0d5f0517

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“It would be sad if there was no one to greet you when you came back. Besides, if you did return… it would most likely be because you failed.”f1f9c1fa376caa07

She let go 161891fdf0 of me and 2500765022 held onto my 42f8bf1b26 shoulders. Though she only f46fcba577 held lightly and 357f122f7e shook them, my ef5c8ff0b9 vision spun dizzily.731ba959af85d46c

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“Did you fail? I prepared lightly just in case. Should we flee immediately?”bb529406e858a74c

She asked cautiously, her face filled with worry. Though I hadn’t detailed the plan to rescue the prince in my letters, Suren had already figured it out. She also understood that if things went wrong, entangling with the high nobility could endanger our lives.f70abcd7f468e8ca

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I shook my 350512e5af head.954282d9f72554b5

“No. He’s alive.”d761f109bee9a99d

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“The prince 3b157c8a8b is safe?”b1ff0b653377c449

“Yes. Everything has returned to cac48f4029 its place.”ce8bc1a3cb7e5a61

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“That’s a relief.”79f0a6e7893695db

She heaved a sigh 8759ade89b of relief, but seeing 22293078a9 my complex expression, she f8870a26d4 tilted her head in baa46b5280 confusion.05ee90e1c8eb9e14

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“Then why 815c3c9d37 do you 16bfe91b0e look like a48fbf1246 that? Isn’t it good 9f0b0b95fe news that everything e5bace8032 is back to a550bcd373 normal?”4c21d5580ca6cc11

“Yes, it’s good news. But Suren…”19e905b862d34ab3

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I finally let out 7e35ffd2af the words I had abd8a65e3d kept buried in my 4ef880887f heart.871695a742c91207

“Everything is back to c3dbad50fc its place. So why does my 81cbb5d577 heart ache so much?”f9f1b3358ce9d618

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It felt c00d0586f6 like I dc6f3f1301 was the c25434e2ac one standing 2d81959758 in the 91329fae3f courtroom, not c35be231e7 Deon. Though no one bb306e7c94 wielded a gavel, 3afcd8fa36 I was firmly 750c6fbbdc sentenced in that 03908101cb courtroom with the c2363fc33f realization that I 19b5fec915 could do nothing 5e686c5712 to help him.4ee6e40444e40639

I wasn’t 5642811eaa a comrade 9be348f662 to share b05f76e1a1 life and dae08ef443 death with f9bfda9dcb him, nor 23857f9ba0 his closest 2347d4d84e confidant. Just a 239739175c blood bag.af5c17aa9cd368d7

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If he had e3eca11ca0 just told me a091b8749e to go back 4aa5b52ac2 because there was 276cefdb55 a well-planned escape, d3f949b14a I wouldn’t have d2648c8f2e been so anxious. While I was relieved e83e926b3f that he was safe, b2fa79145a resentment also welled up ae10870178 within me.200a5b1bc39f35ea

He probably 82475f9d86 didn’t think 31379cf568 it necessary dfdc1117ec to inform be558745f8 me. What use was it 3483389e3c to tell a fake 7b059edd3d Mistress about an important 838d828808 plan?3669ebab014a08bf

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The tears I had f381939e50 held back began to 70a925719f fall.b5ddb9680c9b6531

Silently, Suren 237b639e9b hugged me. Though she was smaller 3fc47d3849 than me, her body c937dd0fe8 radiated warmth.51f4c84a149b70a5

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After comforting 494c6831fa me for 571d7578ea a while, 0886befb19 Suren grabbed 75e60d277e my arm d26d147d84 and led 4aaef8787a me into 81205c274c the mansion. It seemed the 001399638c fire hadn’t been 42156050ef lit for a a7008c4058 long time, as 190c84d8c7 the inside was c747e022e0 chilly.dae3eaa589c57743

A sudden coldness b8042321be set in, causing 1e2621f6f6 my arms to 96885fe57a shiver.3aa2b3b3aba424c5

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As I massaged f90bdf0b14 my calf muscles, 2038d4e2a9 which were sore ee5d5dd112 from tension, Suren eadbc604ab lit a candle. With a 1c4bfd2147 small flick, 778df1d782 the surroundings 6ad70326c6 brightened. She then faf7806d4e lit the 9271ad05b0 fireplace, casting 26f27a7fa5 a warm cdc7d1455d glow around 71042bf074 us.e09c50ecce34415b

In the soft light, 43b7130dff I could see the e816e85967 mansion clearly. Although it was 435c5ced50 old to begin ce8c9db7d3 with, it now 67dcbeea7e seemed even more 5e6ead2818 dilapidated.c1a654f7b9843fdb

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The interior e475c2af90 was empty. The woodpile a306a6a5cb that once d625371449 filled the b4d59605d4 fireplace was 336eb91032 gone. The villa felt f426768827 eerie, almost uninhabitable.bad38b9ae498b3fd

As I e561588666 looked around bbc7990fb8 the interior, 425adfba14 Suren entered, 6291273ed7 struggling with f0f6566875 a water f3d637a189 bucket.6220c8b235ce4ce0

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The small 0e77398bda bucket contained e35b343bfa warm water.cf2fdec9b17fdf1e

Suren removed a4dd6d3b65 my shoes 448393fe3e and soaked 4962630b62 my feet. The warm 9650335f6a water eased 351d855bfe my fatigue.ca031abea35a5b02

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The clean water 6591f5e176 lapping at my a74054246a ankles reminded me c665ccf63c of crossing the a340b4c0a2 mountains in the be170ca088 north. Memories of that 943132c912 time came flooding 69c0e62baa back.fa93a95f3a52b0ca

“Your feet 8b32bbcebb are more 220d75e0ec swollen than a18f35c070 when we 18bd5cb541 were in a4a9513090 the north.”abadf37bd0437f15

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Suren seemed to recall b79a949251 that time as well b6c5d186f7 and tapped my ankle.d512853833468908

My ankle had a780d512c0 turned a dark 6847c1625b red. Blisters had formed on b54d819ccf my little toe, and ffcd0fa766 calluses had hardened on 8b11299a1a my big toe.175dea8b8f12bc5c

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Carefully, I pressed bde1b32b0c on a blister 4b72d3321c to pop it. The stinging pain d3e580e3fa was brief. The skin wrinkled 05d4525a7e and dried up. After splashing 252cba18f7 the water 7cbf0b6ba5 a few 50d3d127e3 more times, abb07bebe6 it gradually e7f802a1b5 cooled.e620e965bcbe621e

The soles of 1630021b1c my feet felt ffd825badb numb.47258edbd3da43b7

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I had walked 33b194c2be too much today. And I had 151a553bc8 walked paths I f514520973 shouldn’t have.1565e0851f367b12

* * *287a3bc740f6d08a

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Early in f11cc0f010 the morning, 52efb0c03b someone knocked 2f44945281 on the a5219aeedc old mansion’s 3c7a867ee8 door. At first, I 18234580c9 thought it was cd93d8f2c3 just a stone 9e81bb7e12 blown by the cd8adff50d wind scraping against 5aef76e052 the door, but 0f5a76d016 the sound grew a712f24899 louder. The man standing outside 4d33378e59 kept coughing, as if 91a2669ae8 urging me to hurry.04853a971f26940e

No one should be 55d428c4ec visiting the mansion at 9680ab53b3 such an early hour.c4f32d1dcc763f23

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I pushed open 1c68cc694b the lock on acc1546fd4 the door. There was 7e522e8c6e a small e11e62b1ee peephole at 3fc234540f eye level, d5b8aec744 designed to cf9b2d38c2 allow one 82eaed6710 to see 5c5c4a976d who was 5aef391209 outside. Through the d05ef6ae37 small opening, 843d9800b3 I saw 0f3dc44f53 light brown 44a7fe52e8 hair and 826144a781 sharp eyes.e763e2bb615ed1e9

The gaze, which had eaee081045 been scanning every corner 551fd49da3 outside the mansion, soon 4739f018b4 focused through the open a6d97f0844 peephole.cdbe6db507adba9f

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“Lady Leonie?”debb82c2989777cb

It was Viter’s face, c86ab6f7a7 which I hadn’t seen aa55e752fe in a long time.e546c29d5818a75f

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“Please, let 27877fe459 me in.”0ff6fb819d47c2d5

He said 206154a772 and coughed 58d955aaa4 again, his 260d8aa1c8 face contorting 98ad07a979 from the b1cce11bfe dust swirling 810de89c72 around.d62d0587a557db19

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I unlocked 0029b6a00c the door. Without greeting, he 8949ef301b stepped into the d3bf217a38 mansion briskly.edf5add024d28c1a

He moved with a654024701 a familiarity, as 5421b90716 if it were 879d0e26a6 his own home.a6ea37b27198fa3f

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Although I 5cf80eb426 was the 2b71ddba8b rightful owner 44696d20e2 inside the ebdf32d962 mansion, it 24b6e3dcd7 felt like c1b0c76eb6 I was d517c43c94 the guest.ae3838005d004222

“I stopped by ffaba587d3 on my way aa5db03596 to the capital. How have you abaa91ecde been?”bba713eedf464e7e

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In the sunlight 211aea774d streaming through the 22b17623a1 door, his brown 48da06bba9 hair glowed like 0eed365734 gold. The tie around 7420a386f7 his neck and 7dfb2a1ae2 the golden brooch e94daf9cb1 looked immaculate.0ee7676f1125de3a

He seemed well. There were 415c9c2244 no signs 1762b7e482 of hardship e1389f807b or suffering.480caa225061ff2b

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As expected, he knew ac36a75d71 the entire plan. He had orchestrated everything, 6d1add848c including getting himself imprisoned, 045f8196ed to counterattack Ajanti. Without informing me.b272ae11b294a9a6

“Are you eating 9dd9652d2c properly? The medical staff is 32260a51bf concerned about the thinning 288dee707f of your blood.”e5eefa4afa91691c

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Before even sitting daf578f05f down, Viter started 0fec70816c nagging. I couldn’t see 38e9f9c212 the point in 9384e3382f checking the condition 359be4157d of the blood fdfefc8a35 I wouldn’t even 990dc5fdcc drink.f7767c352bcd1857

Viter, without fd09e988b1 being shown 43832259ee around, circled c3461ecc63 the mansion 440f54bbb4 and plopped 355e44d0e6 down on 8be8326914 the sofa.b4013b64ce863a16

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I folded my arms f1910e3df2 and glared at him 556d1d6038 without answering.0cbc4bcb82313b30

Suren, sensing the tension, f0ae09c828 excused herself to make 26b34b2998 tea.8661287963af83ac

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A long silence followed. Viter, sinking into the 24d68ed322 sagging sofa, stood up.df8afefa86152079

With a slightly furrowed 71448e6349 brow, he inspected the 6a6dabc764 wallpaper and the framed 423f6a98cd pictures on the wall, fcbfaa9ca9 scrutinizing the mansion thoroughly.482dedb72d8dcff8

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He touched aa93dc3ced the peeling 870773568b edges of 4bc3eb315a a frame aa2fdfa03a and wiped ff7ffff8f7 his finger 6ef0398a95 across the e566c4ee5c mantelpiece. Inspecting the mansion fb155fa05c as if conducting 26898cb661 an audit, he 20431201e3 finally rubbed his 08951e194d fingers across the 0427f92826 shelves, examining the 93d265edab black dust on eecbd9c59a his fingertips. Then, with a frown, 9a7f6ef1a1 he spoke.7c2dfa4cdc9fdcd9

“The cleaning is bcec800436 lacking. Maintenance is poor. I only see the ac39e6e9f7 white-haired maid who used 4c00c873d7 to follow you around. Where are the 3ae98c337b rest of the 8dd0ffd26e maids?”626c4534048caff7

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His voice carried authority, a83cd51f63 as if ready to 18449f67e6 reprimand the maids for 01cdfc6aca neglect.34a68ce662d84dc2

He was, after 0193bd4a9a all, a high-ranking e009cc0c93 noble in the 5ae1c6df8a capital. He was skilled 2a29761fbd at disciplining and 1768c65c76 managing servants who 0b27703fb3 shirked their duties. But the 2e48c675c9 maids to 0e81c80fac be disciplined 88fac1dad0 had long d7afaffa07 since left.c42db3adbaacabab

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“I sent them away. Two returned to the ddeb6c6e96 prince’s territory, and I 1909d51daf wrote recommendations for those 7c94623587 who wanted to go 42df96c8b2 elsewhere.”4904d6a590ce6083

“What?”dffd8411cb8a4bf2

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“They might 9b574df109 have arrived 0b28dfb796 at the a0ac885504 prince’s territory eb79c2413a by now.”19adbb8cd791693d

His eyes 0d92aa682e flashed with d74cecc89c disbelief, but 3404f8a5c7 I ignored cec1ee3c88 him.3d5cb0e5a757964c

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I had 4f49b26dfc no choice. To dip into the eb7462db2d funds he sent periodically, e653cd81cd I had to start 9770c823a8 by cutting labor costs. We decided to manage ff89921aed the mansion with just a7d554f6f8 Suren, the head butler, a5cbb68e35 and me taking turns.b9ac88cd0122bb7b

There were 4b6dbabd4a bound to 8ebd6f4c91 be shortcomings. Last week, we 4ba1fee32e didn’t even have 3c1c68fbce money to buy a612e49fa2 cleaning rags, so dc8eb78ebb we tore up 91263c67fa one of Suren’s 377145b8c2 aprons to use 03c1164611 instead.4f28f566d841e5c8

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He continued 40572ef66f to scrutinize 18e213f65d every corner 736652d4b2 of the ac8e0ee2e2 mansion meticulously. His gaze was 98f2a3021d sharp, scrutinizing every 7286e88d19 dusty spot.76e2db0315b37496

The demeanor of someone 479bf0ec32 who had overseen a 1f90dcfcf4 vast estate was still def1b54606 evident, even in the 7d67ee2f61 capital.04dd90e5f51ecd7d

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He glanced 9fc600eadb at the 0699bcd90a yellowing tablecloth, 644f107c13 the candle a4ce317d4d stubs with 77ac36617d wax drips, 8cf66c0708 and the 684b47ed51 blackened logs 8cfafc0106 piled in e495b001dc the fireplace f4f6ba496d before speaking.3d6528d3af607414

“First, block e86d4c14e6 off the e960d53af0 windows. Even though it’s fa2d1cc81c not the north, c017f3ecf3 the temperature fluctuations 4d81e9fc49 here are significant.”25e8b2f4c56f9f35

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He pointed dd45f854a6 his chin 7e42a44618 towards the 1f6e7fcd2f window beside 207b48e44d him. The frame was f8e92686d4 bent, a testament 71b412d233 to years of 2e80a9f854 wear and tear.de909a4570c8e0aa

During the fierce winds of the previous night, the window, unable to withstand the elements, had finally broken. However, we had left the window as it was. It didn’t look good, but on cold nights, we simply avoided going into the living room. The money needed to repair the window could feed us for two more days.6e2f01bfd8fa1428

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He sighed a5bd82fcb8 and rubbed a982d52433 his forehead.5f8aaf599eb82d27

“Indeed, the 0ce2fb912e budget was bd272a26b4 tight. But to send 44a8fd87d9 away three maids? It might have 2f1189e24e been difficult to 8aa57a3460 maintain your previous 13805396bd lifestyle, but you 99ada5c387 could have at ffce80133f least afforded their e6f0534e17 wages. Was it really that 29cf94a96b tight?”5180ff48cba1de2a

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I looked away, a9cd70c264 feeling the sting 91ab80e32e of his words. The truth b8b40bcb67 was, our 74d247747d financial situation b36f6e5d3d had become 686d2d210c more dire 274baf634d than I 5dd550a6da had anticipated. His periodic funds 82a591b594 were insufficient to 4b217ca193 cover everything. I had to prioritize, 29177e64ec and keeping up the 7cd436a45b mansion’s appearances was lower 6564468287 on the list than 7676c79793 basic survival.154befd64fddfe03

“Yes, it was, 06be037c26 We had to 98d57b3ef5 make difficult choices. It wasn’t just about cd7f8e4c0f maintaining appearances; it was 6386cde91c about survival.”eb2c67955e7714b0

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Viter’s expression softened 840991d9b6 slightly, though his 7830fbcef8 eyes still held ea03b0f8ff a trace of 2d2caf4f27 disappointment. He seemed b82539867c to understand, 32521baf14 but it 8e2e142d75 didn’t change 3c749d64b6 the reality 91907aa391 of our efd87d155f situation.a75fbdd26f6dba76

“We’ll manage.”0d9e2bbb2af41df3

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I said 7018c443a7 firmly, trying eff3e49754 to inject 86dd7dab89 some confidence 2b7565f527 into my 52cbdff31c voice.872d41e6012da725

Viter nodded slowly, 0a19bc6617 his critical gaze 38c13a259f shifting to a c949c7be4c more empathetic one.3a5136b28b1ecd25

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“I understand. Just… make sure to take care of yourselves. It won’t do for you to fall ill.”b07f40f6f35986c4

With that, he settled a45e776a9f back into the sofa, 12dd332876 though he continued to 2b5a58d195 look around with a 2ebcf69faa discerning eye. The tension in b09556a2f5 the room eased 46549c5a8e slightly, but the 94be30bb58 weight of our c507dc21b2 financial struggles remained 7d33591f0a palpable.2146b9dca0d84545

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Suren returned with f61b2cade9 tea, her presence 9aeffe21e0 a small comfort 5103a5802f in the midst 996c6f8a98 of our conversation. As she poured 33ec2e3216 the tea, I ec4630c684 silently resolved to f20e180b9d find a way 8c28ba94ef to improve our 69d0e79449 situation, for both 3e50a7eb87 our sake and 0dbab5d13d hers.dc0e6fdaeb130fed

 d4a25be27f496555

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