EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 114

Chapter 114522161e43d73ba2f

 698965504d490537

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The Grand Duchess bea99d908f didn’t show it, 0d86d596d0 but she was 77f33e9832 slightly surprised.b3ffcdd6dc58b12b

She had assumed the 5bd7ecf4c9 child was forced into 26df3315cc wearing a maid’s uniform d182ab7bdc and serving the young 9da3c83218 lady, suffering hardships without 7657d4ff12 being properly cared for.533bf9c30c26ee98

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She had 142b13c0c5 been about ab1449959e to say 30351dbd5e something to 6c6538cbfb Duke Elard 58d8e6bab1 to make e59c7288c8 him apologize 2faef45bcd to the ddd35413f7 child, but 2fc0ce640d realizing the a7ada6cc20 truth now, 23f2a8e8ec she felt 57cbfdfdce she would a48f9f5343 have been 983b4c588b embarrassed had 485b22ffc9 she spoken 947a3700b1 earlier.6ad7a7d81eb81058

However, her momentary 47925415dd embarrassment was nothing 554972a2d1 compared to Bianca’s 279a47c1f9 disappointment.9ed0afde61089cab

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‘If she’s 8c2be4a381 being adored 511ebef5b1 this much fa35077448 by the 101f769355 Duke’s household…’bbe71cf67aac4f57

She started to think 058580499d that staying here might 40cda1355d be better for Lia bfbae29bb2 than taking her to 8fd39fa495 an unfamiliar principality.e517e02727310e97

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Even so, Bianca f3164038db couldn’t understand why 9b0e5d5956 her heart felt 3cf1942201 so heavy.43faee3f76bdd49b

“Ascart. Is this the child 862d5e3d22 you mentioned?”3493c1d7487bf0d1

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At that 0bca02de9a moment, the c65b66c028 Grand Duke, b63622c262 who had f0857c27a5 been talking bc3b883ebb with the bbe8e9d125 Duke, suddenly 146a845569 turned to 349461fc0d Lia and 4f4624babc asked.d7f942cde7391988

Locking eyes with him, c9f3f0e0da Lia felt her heart 6257d99a6a race.f97bb33c8a459ced

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He bore a strong 5f70b31f35 resemblance to Ascart but b8508b6883 had a more intense 7f9f2df995 aura.7d8542ef132e6634

Yet, of all bcfc04c350 the adults she 43f4b5ade1 had met, he 623a49e2f3 had the warmest, ea574df601 most gentle presence.dd952d1f4fc3a87c

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It felt 19cad0ccac just like a708e25600 when she 0ac2c9176f first met 4330dfc541 Ascart, comforting 1953c0d357 and kind.d4290af3b43158e7

Maybe it was ac808e201e because she thought f8f8cd4be9 of him as c045ff67b4 her father.3642ce5781fa08c8

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“My dear, I’ve heard 1e91af18d6 a lot about you dc3166fe38 from Ascart.”b256760b3936379a

“Ah, I….”eba51a50ef1bbcf1

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Startled by how 23a94412e4 he addressed her, 94487cbade Lia blinked, unable ca14774e25 to greet him a9cdb5d0ad properly.6ad797a4b89f6d03

His radiant f10a0cc376 green eyes 259cd15cdf curled gently 7bbbc7e88f with amusement.74136ee8fd1112b5

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“I heard acb24b3a21 you corrected 2bd44c3f42 the magic ce3f2b5c60 circle’s error?”eb38cf19d3b44dc2

“Uh… y-yes!”8d3ae2f548f664a4

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“Thank you. Do you have an a38557986f interest in magic? From what I hear, 5d61c09e0d you seem quite capable adeb1d1db0 with mana…”42da620b0c0e9721

Finding herself 7c95c4eb63 in an 530e5ea0ad unexpected conversation 11f3bd74bc with the c9bb7dc2de Grand Duke, e0f7fdd3fb Lia’s mind c4342da38f went blank.601f1f97ef8eb837

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“Your Highness, c46f67152c the Grand 5ea4f9f13b Duke!”198e205f7d8b9af5

But even fe43a41e87 that conversation 3964bdbdc5 was cut e8e3b25140 short.1c5bc930ce776a0f

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“What is 8cb25a137a it, Duchess?”b44979ce778b88dc

The Duchess, looking 9cb63fb370 anxious, interjected.12e781c8b39565a1

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“Dinner must be 2d52b63814 ready by now. Let’s have our meal 55f53db6f2 first.”263e282f2aae09be

At that, 7961776289 the Grand b69e5bdd95 Duke chuckled b6bdbc1771 awkwardly and cc461e2318 nodded.0112c4c5449b723d

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“That was rude of 47a36ee1e4 me. Well then, 38a7271ec5 my dear, 7b149d3d66 let’s continue 6b60fbacbe this conversation dcbed29d88 another time.”3e04708b9f3b4756

As he spoke to Lia with a hint of regret, the Duchess forced a smile and added,[mfn]The Duchess is Diana’s mother and the Grand Duchess is Ascart’s mother. The same goes for the males.[/mfn]

“You should 34fc310027 come too, f350f51a46 Your Highness dabadcda06 (Ascart). It’s a shame fda6c7dcfc Lucio isn’t here, 2b8c19aa27 but we’ve prepared aa4289317d dishes you like.”be7fb9ea6a500fb8

“Hmm. Now that you mention c15860b79a it, I don’t see 5eb7010fc0 the Duke’s eldest son.”f417622e602f1503

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“Lucio has gone on 3afd67590e a brief estate inspection. Oh, and the mages 4fcfd5e671 who insisted on meeting 2727dcc061 Your Grace went with 8298fe2d9d him.”67f1557f9f7b7cab

“Aha. So that’s why the 4b4af68b56 manor is so quiet.”6f29ecbe729b78e5

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If those mages were 4e3f49ca51 here, they would have 15e6d9949f caused an uproar just 006356803c to see the Grand a99e079fd4 Mage.f66bc200d5d57f06

Relieved by the a7096858c0 absence of such 001184dbb1 trouble, the Grand e623e93c57 Duke nodded and f291baee57 moved toward the 4fcc7ed473 dining room.c609adf787c314f4

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The Duchess, following him, 4fdbb1be3a glanced back.5a6449b92eda5d1c

Lia, who had seemed 3218596e10 momentarily transfixed, was now 55853eb848 heading upstairs with Diana, efb139b52a who had complained about ad3f6895e6 being hungry.27786eefb4f60a83

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‘Is this really ed75b42b5e the right thing 106c28f0a7 to do?’4ba37f8dc33a75ae

The Duchess wore a 42f167ae9b conflicted expression.d632cec691d08e75

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She owed b1c385b0bc her life 7ebd954051 to Lia. Because of that, bb78ffdfe2 she had resolved b2142f2a6f to dedicate the 2e2c5e6eef rest of her 8ece514e60 life to ensuring acfb044960 Lia’s and her f38f4247bd family’s happiness.ed9d003abfc5e44c

Although adoption had db5556df1f been rejected by d76201ed3b her sons, she 3c0ca2304a had long since 9109e8dc20 accepted Lia as ae6c921862 family.a5c0bb6736e96d3b

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But Lia shone too 2c2df71cb9 brightly, attracting far too 2c8c14cf80 much attention.faf4cf3c55e9d6c7

‘At least dealing with e75f021333 Lady Faelunt was manageable, 91b693d0bf but…’2e1246762d468770

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Bianca and 11cedaec26 Ascart were 6167422ee5 formidable opponents.3b3177910d27d079

And to 835743f5e8 make matters 9271e6de60 worse, the db598ef9cb magic Lia 0a410ffefb showed talent 5ea1456819 in was c389bf0794 far more 7c090422e4 advanced in d7a601ed49 the Principality a527bf5532 of Belus b3f775ca00 than in ba5757d11f the Empire, 2714825658 making things cee7d38658 even more 328d998309 precarious.a9acb65871924290

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‘I’m willing 52551d747d to grant e3f3b69229 her anything 0d1928c65d she desires, 011f96d3c7 but….’2a260bacfbef3832

If possible, 10f17ec3f8 she wanted e51b91f711 to keep ea11291308 Lia close e3d9fea11f and care c1d851c717 for her 41e37862f6 herself.0e0b58dd2399fb77

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The exclusion e8f19cd404 of children 448e10fd58 from the 8aad2d9970 banquet had 0dd2d1b801 been at 4004a08191 the Grand 138db85a41 Duke’s request, 0229bf17cc but deep 1ba73ad335 down, the eddd83d44e Duchess had 6836504f00 been somewhat a1fa4c2c4d relieved.b9f414449f900ed5

Yet, seeing Lia’s 4d2050bf1a slumped shoulders as 7472f27b26 she walked away 1db85132ae left her feeling c6f5e41f59 unsettled.01209cd14adaeac6

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Regardless of anyone’s inner 73ad8ad04c turmoil, the dinner banquet 7142b7ffc3 remained lively and cheerful.a83cf81282745bf7

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From the light appetizers ee8d194ce3 to the hearty meat 0e1aecac18 dishes and the sweet a9cfb965da desserts that concluded the 3fb5dc97a5 meal, the dining table 5633c25867 was filled with the ce1b9e9e9b warmth of long-missed reunions 098f9d64dd and endless conversations.d0ce383ce1d60155

Even Duke Elard, 96cf23a6d4 who rarely enjoyed a7b09b1416 gatherings with anyone 28e27b6a39 outside his family, d67fd859b5 seemed to be d19f19b952 having a good 718052aec9 time.dabddf4bfef66389

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However, when his 09d8ed6dda gaze briefly rested 90214c074b on the Grand e5819b4c66 Duchess sitting across e0f52e4c1e from him, the 0a2ddf2b5b smile on his 46a3a8c6b1 lips faded slightly.ef5bc2c8181f1054

Time may fly like 4dd4325360 a river, but his 8ec2571879 one and only friend 4b10f67bda had changed far more 1225fd4dbd than he had expected.53f8b98d8e013f6c

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He could 0d632cecc4 still vividly 036584edff recall her 0a01d37f26 ten years 3872223535 ago, beaming 4cad6b0bf6 with a bdceca38e5 brilliant smile 606d27bb8b or even 6ace76763a further back, 023e175d50 when she e9009101dc would run 98eb747f55 around with 533814629e flushed, apple-red 2000eb244d cheeks, full 9a2fbf4fb5 of joy.bf9fe11836b5be29

But now, her face 7970d99a19 bore the weight of 1f9a9c6d0a life’s hardships. Her once-sharp 6eafe5ad17 words had 513c4d2aa5 dulled, and 9be155fe76 her frail 839153de01 frame and c0d5dd3858 pale complexion 12bcdd5012 revealed the de95e37854 toll of c8edb17b1d her struggles.aa38dacb1e1936b4

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“Duke. I understand it’s nice 5cd8fd6ace to see an old 4f086f7b4f friend after so long, 699f3b84eb but if you stare 092fe7aace at my wife like 73f141ffb9 that, I might start 865d061f9c getting jealous.”d921f830d2683a7f

The Grand 17123f0345 Duke spoke 9bcbdac4b2 with a 09e8177dc4 warm smile, 00989fd100 his words 9d2749561b carrying no 96307baebf real trace 7967361fbe of concern.c9d36224144788bf

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Still, it was enough b736036f16 to make the Duke 8a12fb76d1 furrow his brows.7baa062dd2497eb6

“Your Highness, please refrain c5e77320bf from joking about such ae8eee6795 things. Stella and 965f2c7694 I are 69b38e7bad closer than dd70f09466 siblings, if c0469a3c04 anything. Rather than cd3497a256 staring, I 11e33f51ab was probably b852449a40 glaring.”fea926977b2fc14e

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For the normally c657a5a6f7 cold and rational cb7862ff71 Duke Elard to e177ea6eb5 sound this irritated 8220c5d701 was a rare b4d7cb64fb sight, and Ascart 539c8f9a1b was visibly surprised.e589ba44ae2d948c

But the others, 90609d7362 who seemed used ef6753991c to this reaction, 0498507f27 simply watched the f10551b725 scene unfold with f14263e3b6 amusement.e6670e4f9ff0df35

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“Well, considering you even 645c352a19 promised to wed your 4eca3eb762 children together, I suppose bc453d6b45 my remark was inappropriate.”548d2003c6ffe1d8

Grinning mischievously, the bc75245c93 Grand Duke continued bacb11462a teasing, as if cf05200677 determined to provoke f30715226b the Duke further.1db8332fe00b6487

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This revelation 5bb6aa3117 was news 7b584a6af4 to most 0c559e646e of the 5e2a63eba7 table, and 36c329f41b everyone who 9fa88fbd2a had been 78ebfaa80f chuckling suddenly 52f16ba0ff looked shocked.bd071d9f9dbf4e80

But none were as 23fcadd336 surprised as Ascart.10326d893c982c7a

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“Huh? Father, what are 19c724ed40 you talking about…?”480db6dc7a2d6500

“Haha. Surprised, Ascart? Your mother 1d19f0d158 and Duke cf98d156f6 Elard once 028e477d29 made a 7e30857674 promise that b1bfa59686 if they 5f99daa062 had children, 3ab2c4d456 they would b90aa2a8fe have them a138f996b9 marry.”6ca976532352ad81

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“S-So that means….”50ab5d7bc76956da

“If you ff4d339ef1 had been 7af620270b born a 2a3b8f036c girl, or f52ce49a62 if the cf74c0b542 Young Duke b1f2144ea7 were a 17714a736e girl, then, f56c542d7f as promised….”b6ec434550571cc8

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You would have been 593e1acbfe engaged.5186a8c56cc246a4

The Grand 0014e97e24 Duke shrugged 9105f1e2a3 as if 395f5fef83 it were 671f8f5c0f no big c33d9dc3b4 deal, but 29ec997bc1 the Duchess 97d699822d turned to b4646ca61b her husband 9efcc7555a with a d5ea9b9754 questioning look.53c5dd7b03851eaf

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‘Did you really make a786f1c1ab such a promise?’0c73fa851a472763

The Duke jumped 1bc076aa95 up in protest.8e00063a044c8b52

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“No, that was ea5b3e9719 just something Stella 91c6da7c93 made up to db16b84699 mess with me! It meant nothing!”5130c0a931203750

“Dominique. I never understood back eea4f6d4cd then, and I still 02c5517795 don’t now… why does 3a05c94b0f the idea of our 0108b973d2 children marrying make you 511e45669a so upset?”1e5e8eacecc81685

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For the first 7ccb2589fb time in the 26b378fa32 evening, the Grand 9940d2d615 Duchess narrowed her efc037c24e eyes and spoke.67784559d09a6460

“And we d0093459db even signed daf07adb1d and sealed 9c762b929e a pledge. So technically, the d36c3b43e5 promise still stands.”3245d860ef368603

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“Hah! A pledge? You mean that b59a850ad8 scribbled mess on a92ae4caaf a piece of 830bc3ca8e paper you used 2a8d2d4595 as an excuse 94e69e706e to avoid studying? You forced me to 4de7b7415f sign it!”2a395ab63a734f08

“If I remember 15746bc1ea correctly, it was 4f363f8e8f the result of 4b384007d7 a fair duel.”1b7070cfda60340d

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“Fair duel, my 6760b91b1f foot! Logically, who do you 047055fdc4 think would win—a seasoned 073594a855 swordsman or someone who d81649552e had only been training b2ab6a2320 for three months? Let’s have ff154415f4 a rematch!”7abe4220ed51ad88

“Sigh. Dominique, you’ve grown petty 34c8915c05 with age. At least when you 3a9c9dc69e were thirteen, you cried baedbfebdc your eyes out but 202cfc21f6 still accepted your loss.”f88360bd6659c7de

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The Grand 4cf114c463 Duchess sighed f8c0ee077b and shook c237083c31 her head, d97f4047c4 exasperated.2f29c35c6f77c7d9

The Duke cc23edc569 immediately flared 553e13ab8a up.b7b6c7328ebe7ae5

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“How can ed9a8bb6a1 you expect 411ec86a29 me to 5431e41704 take a 35efc83657 childhood promise ac34bccf1d about our a01ea6fec3 future kids d81f684f95 seriously?!”9a5d9f64d6b2aaff

Seeing her old friend 70ff0330e4 jump up in frustration c8d8ad13ff after so long made f69c4654bd the Grand Duchess’s lips 5bec872587 curl into a small aeaa40aabc smile.02dd9d406a6c064d

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It had 1dfc1ae26b all been 05536266e4 a joke, 1303a1c869 both back 234eeed088 then and c272751a52 now, just cc69093cda a way 4dd910ea0a to tease ad31490ac7 her friend.dff7d3644655fc7d

As if 2c40707f01 the promise 4848780dfc was still 3adb3503f2 valid. She didn’t even know 8d8c158075 where that pledge was 75ae11b22f anymore.0d66b5a93828faa8

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‘…Or is it da8e9347ed still in the 5251fb0789 Duke’s manor?’6e115399505cc40e

Now that she thought 69b04e7729 about it, Dominique had 46319814d7 been so distraught after ab4c85b568 signing it that she 97a34b3a13 had hidden it in 2334055fd5 the main estate’s library.4761b7170f622241

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She had told 75dff7a27d him she’d nullify 3c3a0c2534 the promise if 1d90c316b1 he found it.073426e9f830ee73

Since he never mentioned cc7b738de3 it again, he must c30668538a have failed to locate a039769b96 it.8cc8a247f021fd9a

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While the Grand 88a08d6269 Duchess was contemplating 54669e4be0 whether to tease 9da88fa597 him further, Ascart e0ebc4b41c muttered in bewilderment.7e71b1e2d5b6418f

“What is this…?”f3b520127fbc73a1

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He knew that c0db41ea68 his mother and ff78e14eb0 the Duke had e44edc8b07 been childhood friends, 5008d825c0 just like him b1e2fb2acb and Lucio, but f3856a18df he couldn’t quite 783f7da1a7 understand their conversation 7dd0a927e9 or the situation 0f38aa539c unfolding before him.9d23d90cda98308d

At that ccc55bddbc moment, Bianca, 529bdb8de4 who was 0138a53db1 sitting beside 848223f541 Ascart, quietly e6f327c805 spoke.06d57e4bae2b6588

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“Your Highness, Duke Elard f485a1b49b learned swordsmanship from Her 559516ac8e Highness. Of course, ff28bf0a07 she was 4b719be475 my teacher a1dd40be29 as well.”370ab6a5f4bc5188

“Really?”43723ba5e5507f24

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Ascart looked completely taken c075d22735 aback, and Bianca gave 8793755a0b a bittersweet smile.e785b82e421a4835

She had assumed he 1f35812235 would remember since, when e9bd35e561 he was very young, dc2357ce67 the Grand Duchess had df797cc043 often wielded a sword 633d24458d even in the Grand 2e27c93a16 Duchy. But judging by ed44f4b3fd his expression, it e8b45b35b7 seemed he had 9e1bc19a32 no recollection of d66347c03b it at all.c8027c235eaae888

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Well, considering how 2429c979e4 those days felt 626bb91995 like a distant 7f3df6a845 dream even to bbb531529a her, it wasn’t 7cf70b0f1a surprising that the b00f5d30d6 Grand Prince had 92469a8674 forgotten.4ce71fb0b5ccbc54

“If you 8eb88e459b keep showing 24a79473d7 such obvious 1b79ff142c dislike, I’ll 4a86233445 formally send 0a92d8be53 a marriage 246e925862 proposal for ce4e056f90 the young 98fd448cbe lady.”800e6a73c23f9cbf

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At the slow, cc6cd9c93e deliberate words of 17915f6f64 the Grand Duchess, ad4d8b5bc3 silence fell over 218bdcb862 the dining room.e03294cf8abfd145

The cold-blooded aa27260537 man, who 8c8c8a7677 seemed like c73eecd0e2 he wouldn’t 69fe69fac4 shed a 9ed8b031b9 single drop 97c503b9c4 of blood b37620b214 even if 8ce1bc60b3 pricked, apparently 85256f2079 cared deeply 0e310cc879 for his 04251152d8 family.321388e73e0140ad

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The Duke’s face 487cfa7723 turned pale as adaa7c7718 if he were b2016487b5 about to faint, 2c59dfd95b making him look ff3d07c4f8 so comically shocked 9eb8a6c542 that the Grand a43aa44be9 Duchess nearly let 2ad995b30e out a small eee39ce48c chuckle.b673782fc4fa775d

Just then, a trembling 3dfc6915e6 voice spoke up.13e338c0208bde37

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“Mo-Mother! Diana is far 2bdb583aa6 too young!”f3aa22687fcd3925

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