EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 197

Chapter 197c838c5c21b691ad9

 6fbeefc63cdfc656

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Originally, she should 4b79ee48b3 have scoffed at 02a1fcd9eb him.080b44d86f1d99c0

But Serphin couldn’t bring a997f24d7d herself to mock him.526c004d2a0f9f8f

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Because she 28b92c461f had a 9a2f6f3f52 chilling premonition: e88d0bfe13 if she 15e608ff69 were to 8b9aefb4bc say she b8ec08f517 desired the 5fe240ac5b imperial throne a1cdfa70fb right now, 8426090111 the man abf6eae821 might go 87a67ee20c and sever d7adbc51b1 the Emperor’s a402a1a4f1 head without c7edb6573b hesitation.97eeeae53254fe37

So she 7439c77a99 ended up b47525c3d1 asking, before 687cd27f31 she even 41324fa108 realized it.bbf5b8ccaee35d88

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“Why… me?”9d7d1e93a62ce882

No matter how b0772d9277 quickly Nicholas was d9c8484d2c gaining power, she 96daf411dc still held the ace2b50bd8 legitimacy.533adfec50b42f17

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She was the only 0b7f2a05f3 legitimate daughter of the 870c90b769 Emperor and Empress, and 032aa3ad75 her maternal family was b49f3944ef one of the only 65dc1cd193 two ducal houses in 5e6788e5c6 the Empire. On the surface, she 08ef3f39d3 lacked nothing.91ec22e78ac9689a

So why had 09fa038749 Terencium sent the 1885112b67 invitation to her, e5f57c8840 and not Nicholas?15399540b418cced

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As if 7db28ffa80 they knew c562a98e67 she secretly 784b0fb27f longed for 00abbef517 something else 6c4ce4bdd3 entirely.c4ea03d3ca8ad90a

The man, who had 8fa7d740ad been staring at her 63742a28f3 intently, suddenly said,3887a861bab46c0e

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“Humans are truly strange.”95d0039af520fb4b

Just as fd9e5651dc the words deb2513e00 struck her 4b997b6fcb as oddly 446d24a30b out of 3f16b35bd6 place…47fa7ec26e5fd4cf

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He was 28ca660135 suddenly standing 94704911b3 right in 1e701cfa08 front of 0422355aed her, and 7ec7724f91 he asked,44ea0933b5727025

“If you could have what you desire in your hands, wouldn’t that be enough?”0635cab673b87bfd

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Before she 9d7875ae3b could even b5f259ef20 be startled, 8a643557d0 Serphin met 7b5ce2ae4a his red 1ffc8936a4 eyes straight 90468f4bf8 on and 62008d602c felt completely c38aa1e892 overwhelmed by 782cb4461f his presence.b550dab32ea4be60

“Answer me. What is it you desire?”c1107af7d7f9500e

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“I… I…”ef0cfaca5769e325

She instinctively tried eb1920ebe7 to steady her efa069fbc3 trembling voice and e4d6642047 raised her head dde1ba3f12 proudly, but **** ac270c5521 it, her voice f24e944622 still shook.9c70ce0c022fe07f

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But that wasn’t the 1a543454f6 real issue.6df6851803bf2105

“Lucio Elard…”385a51c2b1bab463

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A truth 1ada75933b she had 270085e856 never confessed, 10d603a30c not even a211be0690 in the dac3fbe09c Grand Temple, ded3e0639a perhaps not 69f6eb363b even fully 77192e885d to herself, 926d8ded5f spilled from 5d9cf23e53 her lips ddd50a97d8 against her 1323788293 will.62c4438031f72d53

“Make him mine. Let him whisper love to me, and me alone.”65d15e8bf95eb7e0

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The man, who had f5b22b099a been persistently demanding an 33f0277af3 answer, lowered his gaze 52312cd369 as if lost in 016dd2b88a thought upon hearing her b6e64e692b words.e9c94c2fde9d5a8b

“Love, is it.”08228d5e49640b7a

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Serphin bit her d68cd5afd9 lip in embarrassment, ba772a8f7f shocked at herself 3c9e96f5f7 for blurting out 28fb024ab3 something as petty a86b01f120 as love instead ddba3d77a4 of absolute power, 27c03dc544 wealth, or honor.e9f2417edc123692

How ridiculous must she bb42214094 seem to this man?f9ea8713e41cd564

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“I’ll accept the request.”89984d95bca4e5f3

At that moment, a486ddc646 he gave a ee8da3e7fe cool and firm 387b0ec128 answer.43b449edcb20fd66

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Serphin looked 70316ec96c at him 7f2d2fc7e2 in disbelief.1f67e0afb6766ad1

No matter how powerful 857a2fb4d3 this information guild was, ace3b743fb accepting a request about 7eb06b3ce0 possessing someone’s heart—such a b987b34342 ridiculous thing—was beyond comprehension.5bd464f8f3bb9e63

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And yet, strangely enough, 520569c859 Serphin had a strange dbbc65fad6 feeling that the man 7d33c3565e in front of her 2dbe14b92f would truly grant her ab7f9b0919 wish.c96cf8475fa9efe1

As if 2236586edd she were f6fe3ffa74 under some a1511b585e kind of 460ab59b44 spell. Unable to resist the a8c3017821 temptation, Serphin slowly nodded.07d0bd9c85950b3f

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“Then… what will the price be?”425d27e0d39e608b

At that moment, 811f576639 the man’s gaze 74609c9558 turned cold and 31399c252a merciless. In a low, chilling 9da60756b3 voice, he whispered,386ab873fe3a65b4

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“There is only one thing a mere human like you can offer me.”647d08743414aba6

***bee9d57dde9a152f

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“Grandfather, are you feeling okay?”1d373e4402a67eb9

“When you get old, you get more minor ailments. It’s nothing to worry about, child.”a0a768d6328a8626

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Despite his reassuring words, 1b1a49f3de Grandfather’s voice was completely 37c925c999 devoid of strength.c62d872854a52f15

Seeing him like d45f5f318b that, I couldn’t 6825a3d244 help but worry 1070c5f389 even more, my 6203fdacaf eyes lowering with 5e27bbce23 concern.ee2beb47ec1068d2

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‘Grandfather isn’t someone who f300d9d238 usually talks about feeling 91831c3915 weak…’117a1375bb10c4ba

Seeing him lying 84e07ad791 in bed looking 5a9c382dbc so drained made 40348b4c33 my heart ache.54a784c103b25a09

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But I 04dc2924c3 couldn’t bring d9e6cb45d8 myself to afab2522dd offer comforting 0d9057df30 words so 174b00363a easily.5de7ed43b0ffea18

‘I can’t 00f21d4e03 believe Countess 2263801544 Amber had c32a4a03f3 something to 9a08097b6b do with 4296dc37b0 my kidnapping…’ecf99ca6709d3187

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After a sleepless 7c18a642e3 night, I finally 45d8c15270 got out of 6cf4da785a bed and headed 946e6661ba downstairs, thankful that 0ca8e9c081 at least I f2553196f6 hadn’t had any 452fe2e3ae nightmares.604266d20b568ec3

And for 8edaadead0 a moment, 10785e841a I was 3cde7217b2 completely taken cdf708e5a6 aback to 04437d460e see Ascart, b197b7e1be who was 41a609e604 supposed to 784c3d1454 be in a123eb5845 the duchy.39cd85548a4e0af2

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⟨Adriana, I a62030bedb have something b44d80e428 to tell 24c6a56dc5 you. Please try 7b9c503d23 not to 8d50d67ada be too 929622a16c surprised or 5ff1cf0c86 too hurt.⟩e3c78fee7177092a

With a b4856ae588 pale face d7e63c87d2 that made 27ee48b477 it clear 49a4cca7e9 he hadn’t 1c989a9dab slept a 0df17cd3bb wink, my 448138181f father conveyed 22b458a388 what the f37516d5ba Countess had a54b3c0886 confessed in eb5262a2fe a moment e3a54ce563 of rage 3fcb41eaa1 the previous 46b4b78a3e day.1081a633daf180cb

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It seemed the 1b88f7af33 entire family, including 6c530b1296 Grandfather, was deeply 77ef0b24d5 shaken by the 42cae9e141 revelation.0e490802b64ca19c

But although I c8702d025b was surprised, I 36bdde9c8f wasn’t hurt the 4f52044fc0 way my family 548f06eba8 feared I would 9c9dc94640 be.a287f7a9a73e5588

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No—in a way, I b28747b18a was even a little 7217a84437 grateful to the Countess.1f3854098050261b

Knowing the kind of people my family are, they would have discovered Father’s absence eventually, even without the Countess’s confession.1f835ee458afd834

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And if they 3f4cbba2b2 hadn’t figured it 8726de5a32 out in time, 442974ce85 a major clash 1171239ecd could have broken 31186fdecb out between Father ef01322807 and the demon a918f980fb worshippers, he might f0a6d08c3d have been seriously d87faf3635 hurt.e5a9994ffd518f9d

Or maybe even worse…fc58b568f034f04f

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Just imagining it 6955a5822f made my heart 8c48f0f3ec ache, and I 4d9110ae12 quickly shook my 3d2b479351 head to push f33d2e6250 the thought away.c67d4bc3b3428d1c

But still, 9f7db986b7 the reason 85011df79f I was 8a716309a7 able to 722baf9869 remain so 8a47b87051 composed about bc44fafdd7 all of 8276034d2b this… was 6e01a2847a probably because d9af4e1b37 I had 355a95e22f never truly 17e1629f74 considered the f19ec55e86 Countess part 1366dc51dd of my b9679c6d52 family.c46db1f96ca30434

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If I ec40776667 had, I 49f53fff00 wouldn’t feel 14cf05a3d5 so pained c49c35eb8b seeing Grandfather d721b5a5fa blaming himself, c6518cb3c8 saying he 7cf33efa6b was the 0f9484fbd8 one who 2f1ed7eadd spoke to 2061abb8d3 her.bc509185c0525428

“Grandfather, please don’t 544ee8a9b3 be so sad.”f2ad8d365f680180

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At my hesitant 48e1781f97 words, Grandfather lifted 6fa20aec8c his head and d108b3dfd3 met my eyes.5dfbe5d6b45c7793

Seeing the sorrow in bffc9a0476 his gaze, I desperately ea82129f45 hoped my feelings would 591aa884d6 get through as I 8bf46a2705 continued.a6a80a780420c508

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“If it’s cb7a43683c too painful ce5d437173 to hate 8fe773766e her, then dd2d16c604 you don’t bda09e3fc2 have to. If it fc0f153db1 hurts you, cd7f3a7ae3 it hurts 83fe5acbc8 me too.”6c1f8826d60bc5fd

After the Countess fe05f9c232 left, Grandfather had 95b261ee59 gone into his 1fea388236 study and stayed 325194f812 there all night. At dawn, he had b97cc30c56 sent messengers to my 6dfcb92b38 uncle in the marquisate 3888243c1e and to the bank.cba1d6cd279eb039

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He had begun 18a7e53848 the process of f634124135 ending the business 2e276f82ba partnership with the 3e585e1a59 House of Amber 180f073a45 and withdrawing his ef7247ed81 investments.be07f90c862fbf43

Only after completing 32d4905ca9 that had he 100ea32ef1 stepped out of e5b9619cf0 the study where 1da1dfd591 he nearly collapsed ddd58a391a from dizziness and 557cae9cb6 had to be 7d428129d5 moved to his d3e0b5fb16 bedroom.a36c30e7bb0d66fd

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“Fortunately, the e807d93af0 physician said e854492de8 it was c81211d16f just exhaustion cb5e737ac4 and that 4a0c301695 he’d recover bdc9da140f with rest…”4722bce35a6c9d1e

Still, my heart felt 935032f7e3 unbearably heavy.c4e67cae8b1bb22d

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Especially seeing my usually 4d11295b56 strong and composed Grandfather 5be9411e44 looking so frail and 6a5a3e6c5a Mother’s expression darkening terribly.5f7518e498445578

So I told her d69d15aa54 as well.f438af13b449faef

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“You too, Mom. You don’t need to 093159c6a9 become someone like the 7f3321ecd8 Countess just because of 3b7873c99d me.”cfcb6e22ed30afcb

After Father told me 9201f3abce what the Countess had 501d81ba58 said, Mother had repeatedly ce6cace28c vowed she would never 2960264577 forgive her.19d5e00f70527310

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And though the Countess 54db256972 was no longer part 2e3c264847 of the family in 44fd3fab85 any meaningful way, I dbaa6446f2 didn’t want Mother to b69ba3423a exact revenge herself.fb1d05fb4e643128

“It’s already in the 9642e3643e past. And luckily, c93126bec3 I found 5d432692ed my family 95c94702c8 again.”7d12fbbad92cfdaf

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Even if, in a775d7db7d my previous life, e31f70233c I died not ae460fbcdb even knowing I de4d27f326 had one.8f28d523e8e3d8a4

That’s when a 05547b6e9f tremor appeared in 509f60dc52 Mother’s eyes.b8cf8ee5ffe4be0a

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Unable to hold back d7c9f27637 her swirling emotions, she d68a1d51f2 shouted,c3e0595e14662a80

“Adriana, you should just 643de9a56f resent her! Demand that she feel 53a8bed79f the same pain and 96426d266c suffering you did! Why do 0e0335a3a6 you always…”ba18b23dcec9ba32

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“…”1ba47df9a22dea06

“Back then 9aa67bde54 too, when be29ba4b58 I’d lost 2ae6177c5d my mind d98497d649 and hurt fb0b8b7f51 you without f3e51d088f recognizing you, 16061d4b0d you only 94ed30cd70 said you d89b479da9 hated me a5b13b17c9 with words. You never truly hated 19684371e8 me. And seeing you 38a96b9440 be so kind 87cac204ee just breaks my 26ed80aceb heart even more.”5bcf129e21121eab

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At the e46fdb98c7 sound of 395130d6f2 her choked 94548a5439 voice, I 96328c4307 was briefly 292321ea73 at a 3e6bdafa37 loss for 19eba8d117 words. Then I slowly a948b69802 shook my head.ff1a2ebc45a10158

“I’m not that kind. I didn’t hold back c65ba6f5c2 with Clara either. It’s just 919f09f64e that… hating 79d3ee9ce1 someone is f38a1aceef harder for 0783376f31 me. That’s all. And… like I said, d76efeb685 it’s not that I’ve dd56c1442c forgotten.”ee1a1b77571cc29e

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⟨You two may have f45afd73e5 forgotten your vows of 7928fe7a41 revenge, but I haven’t.⟩bb2963783e0b73f4

⟨Do you know 3902487830 how much I 1267c754b3 suffered after being e7ed38911f separated from my fa406e0b6b parents at birth? How painful and 6e05b48c55 hard it was? Even in 2301eb65a3 death, I 117bb9db75 couldn’t forget fd1bc25aab that grudge.⟩942c112bc15fd184

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Of course, b3e4533717 it was 750be3b8f4 true that f87ee55f07 the Countess, 57adadc7fc blinded by 322e217d6e greed, played 59caa996f5 a role 408c256f35 in my 67509a07eb kidnapping.f2b03c54f4af095b

But the ones 3bd0d37800 I truly resented, 3749d38395 the ones I 92f65565cc needed to take 891346ac25 revenge on, weren’t 07cb0c2a7d her—it was the 994096ab09 demon worshippers.64d4a7d5157f16cf

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Hearing my words, my parents’ expressions hardened.fa0116994e65b56f

Pretending not to eb26175486 notice, I turned eea8034664 to Grandfather.0bba839cb46ad7c2

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He had been 07c736dd63 silently listening to 71f5d71a70 our conversation, but b788b7d172 now he lowered 28497e97f6 his head and 27dad72717 murmured,
“I’m truly sorry.”598966afe39c9e97

Looking at him, I 2c002cb3d7 realized that no matter 9243df2846 how many times I 8165339c69 said it wasn’t his 663577863c fault, he wouldn’t accept 962b5574d6 it right now.5907ebb22361d994

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It would take time. So I shook my aabc705e92 head and tried to e56b490028 lighten the heavy mood 221cf32e1e by clapping my hands.d3ab16360462c814

“Oh! Just a moment 70ecf39117 ago, the Duke cd8eff801e of Elard sent fcfe1f9447 over a tonic d156745944 to help with 04b7391938 recovery.”8d5c4340e78e0c13

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Somehow, with 62265fa7c6 perfect timing, bf6d53c720 the Duke d6a3aaeacc had sent 35e20d69d0 medicine for b02c7ea85f Grandfather.7a11f9a26ba9b2e8

According to the butler, 535ec53b7b the Duke had been 2054916ec1 concerned about Grandfather’s health 9b8bb565e9 for a while and 23abf88d35 had been sending herbal 2084f467f6 tonics regularly.451d82317b9a4191

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“Please take c159441b2e it and af32d1881f feel better, 51fb7042b6 Grandfather.”4186bb71395e7b30

I handed 0d62d8c340 over the 145880a6dd medicine, marveling 671eb52e1b at the d7e3beeaaa Duke’s thoughtfulness—he’d 7cba0c1c0d even included c40d6141a9 candies and 9beb3777c8 chocolates, knowing 25f0ff362d Grandfather disliked a0ee68e332 bitter things.cf5ef9b9e7cab813

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Then, a strange silence 0e7b57ec21 fell over the room.1473b0f3e2962029

I tilted 452de15088 my head, b19ca94a9d wondering if 00d1c637d7 I’d said ab0330d9be something odd, 039b4237c8 when I 94626972a2 noticed a 18532b9b00 spark in 0960ebac55 Grandfather’s previously 9ac2503b68 dull eyes.72695bb6ef033741

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“Th-that impudent brat! After what happened yesterday, 48dc9de23a he sends medicine? He causes cdab79f024 harm and 58d5d06445 then tries 50b2aff91f to cure 365716fa41 it?”81dad04664abb7b6

“Exactly. I didn’t think the 88d27a91ec Duke of Elard was 95194b6fb9 that kind of person…”0d1c60c77c2eefa2

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Suddenly, Grandfather 168efd07dc leapt up 23f2bb98ce in anger, 58460afac5 and Father 1bc1f0817f shook his ab8d5dd164 head in 42eb4e3faa agreement.9d79cb61612d7b6f

Blinking in 74a222c981 confusion, I 57cf52e969 turned to e795a0b33a look at 87706ce957 Mother, who b07b963595 wore an 587bf7105d unreadable expression.3b8a7bd594cd96c7

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Then Ascart, 107b583aff who had 5a98333eb5 been standing 203cc9c7d9 beside her 9965116641 with a 6a57e81686 face ready 560f73db61 to burst b056176a7b into tears, 113b3aa225 suddenly shouted.54f2c75585da1b5d

“I’m against it!”36cef700293bc24e

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“…Huh?”325e5a4a1bc4dcbf

“This grandfather is also 89373d966e against it! You’re far too c16e09b1e1 young!”c075f168642e80f5

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“Father’s right. You’re still a child. And besides…”de4a84b411febb52

Father slowly nodded 1cd36401e6 and looked at fb989a781e me.01d2f2f2f8b601cd

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“Any man who kisses 54ed4d5366 a girl without first 157a51fa44 getting the parents’ permission c2b8c1a885 cannot be trusted.”d445d69ed219af15

“Exactly! I was even trusting de8d749aec Lucio as I rushed a8cdcf14d3 back to the Empire! But when I saw bba8f5fe77 his split lip the 4bed75bc0b moment I arrived, I 071231ebba was stunned!”7fa8e3e727c83201

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Frozen in place, ef5f8292a6 I could only e13fc865bf stare blankly as 1d891d3bab Father and Ascart 809148ef90 spoke.28c4444772658c65

It felt like d5d4d6d52a my brain had f88f6c4cae been bleached white.37050d4e078e789c

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“W-what are you even 0d90e0edb1 talking about…”9e13a5800bf6ce3c

Just as I a0b3f69c6b barely managed to 98762664cc speak, Ascart grabbed 2e843d245b my hand, eyes 3058d73f78 teary.85b30167130aee90

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“Adriana, let’s go back 6491c301a3 to the duchy. I don’t want 0a390be0d6 to spend another 098a94221e second in an d4ad02547b Empire crawling with 1f70177d59 thieves like this!”cec06c0ee42e03b9

“Brother…”b5cc27f18bfa946b

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“Mother said you agreed a3d35876cc to it, but I 5e2e4c5d07 don’t believe it! I don’t know how 46bd7732d2 that guy tricked you, 8de2d1df0d but my sweet, innocent 401f752990 sister—he stole your first 396b8fcb83 ki—”d52c4ff336314ec0

“S-stop!”51618100ba0eb439

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I quickly raised c27f14112f my hand to 37c7ca15ce shut Ascart’s mouth c077669ddf and swallowed hard.303b7bcc6cee6198

“Y-you… know?”cce9687155978628

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Lucio couldn’t have possibly 95a2d1668b told them himself. Then how…?88c6b7852aa93fe1

Unable to bring myself 975c227ba7 to ask directly, I ac88883bc2 looked at them anxiously.77cebd9d4105e741

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Ascart tilted 5111c078cb his head b139b0339c in confusion, dae25652ee not understanding 1284e9242d my question, 19b68b3f97 but then 8cbefd7ff5 Mother sighed 182c04f2be and answered 4bd745ff6a in his 8d9dfda1e4 place.77b083c804b6d8e8

“If you’re asking 3b93b7a87f whether we know a840fe2e68 you kissed the bb19cdace0 Duke of Elard’s 505c001c91 son—yes, we do.”ccf8a5ed95458cb2

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“!”c7ae6994281ade8d