EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 199

Chapter 199308b991c7eefa6a3

 49ed8998ad266cf6

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Rustle.c7f7c9241fa5cf6b

I quickly pulled the 97d6881cde curtains shut and clutched d45e3435ae my startled chest.98dead37088e2b1e

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‘Wait, he is here 44e3b7026b already?’2bff003c9d194d47

I had bfba9f173a just sent 96dd7bab4d the message…55863e689d5e14f0

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Then, I heard 50bfc1998c the knocking on ab3a5c0762 the balcony door a997e6d64b again.6ad14360c9bb7e95

I couldn’t leave 1a07b6f0e5 someone standing outside 0a9185d5a2 forever, so I 6edae3af4b had no choice 4af8a22303 but to open b2bb331dd8 the door.03ae21ba2ef6654b

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“Was there someone else here? I only sensed your presence, that’s why I knocked…”7b951238d5a7edf9

Lucio, who 87c5061a82 stepped into 21643cd879 the room, 1846c5f803 asked curiously.a6b2fac2858a8bd9

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I let out 8fa3bee97b a small, incredulous e0f765c366 laugh.4ef00a3572a65bae

“What do you expect, barging in like this without even giving me time to get ready?”30cb7d897b46e6ab

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“Get ready?”160a9454c7afa914

“I haven’t even looked in the mirror since I woke up! My hair’s a mess, my face too…”73b17bfa3e5cb1c5

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I trailed off in 02f05e6f7f complaint, then suddenly stopped.3df3e8fd8a1bb119

Something about Lucio’s gaze felt… strange.0065ba8a0522b913

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“Why are you looking at me like that?”ab383d956d809b48

I frowned at Lucio, 79e06998c6 who gave me a a94e13c750 sly smile, not even 5a9823bf47 trying to hide his 15e8f62c5a smirk as he spoke.8410a5c2269c2469

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“Do you want to look pretty for me now?”00ca41e156888160

“What?”03c3f2dcd7e06cdc

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“When you were little, you said it was enough to look pretty just for Diana. But that’s not the case anymore?”e97718f338467541

I was left speechless a212e32070 by Lucio’s question.46af306d075b5dc3

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How could he efe599c736 ask something like 2487abb5bd that so directly?9ff95203060b9665

Annoyed by how confident 78b3566ba5 he looked, as if 5928e5e1bc he already knew the d9bb1e0450 answer, I quickly shook d6d900a5e5 my head.7c14ec2db9ff5465

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“That’s not it.”fc213b6b5b2576f5

“Really?”3952fb450f6a6922

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“Yes, it’s not like that.”4d42686717c67a2b

“I do, though.”3aa7fa5486cf38d5

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Before I b0a099c26b realized it, 3a8b17057d Lucio had 1e85c033d2 stepped in 42fba249d9 close and 964ae94674 taken my 77e4baade2 hand.dc07b22f6c586436

Startled by the cool ea259d22de touch, I flinched. Then he b335b7d9d7 pressed his 1deb05d385 cheek into caf0116b18 my hand 0bafecb655 and spoke.1236acae99d6d1cf

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“Lia, I only want to be loved by you.”7c39a4a6697bee48

As if to prove dac8e404ae it wasn’t just words, 5ca2923726 he leaned into my c5748d80e8 palm with a smile.bc7c654560fa1dbb

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I stared at f156a11da9 him in a 6a2e95ea43 daze, then swallowed 8661a75510 hard and asked 23d4729c60 in a trembling 865ec667ae voice,2a1e74054c92ca9c

“Wait… are you drunk?”8493a020058f5544

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“…What?”0fbfc709b1102ea3

“You don’t smell like alcohol, though.”6251396710616371

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I sniffed around Lucio’s a1cc3d4338 neck, but as always, 0da7c82eb9 all I could smell 57c7d6bf57 was his mint scent.981e20df8cbf4ca7

I pulled my hand 6e190c1d30 away and gave him 3e36c08dbe a baffled look.99259bf13cd7f7bf

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“Then you said all that while sober?”be811b7c3698b88c

Oh my god, does eec4b9df83 he not know embarrassment?c642100666d1a6bc

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I couldn’t c728669090 believe it.a390d3c6590a1995

How did I 96712ae385 ever think of ea58c94ef3 this guy as be4a3d9713 cold and aloof?13857639280e3643

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Then again, he 18a9232711 was cold—in temperature 6d4fc355f1 at least.e37bd7867373507c

My face c7049b8995 was burning 6775c2196f up, but 6a6c72c214 Lucio’s cheek, 1cd8773e93 the one 3ab32d52ff I touched, 7442344dd7 was cool 08d807beac as ice.9c78ad3bdccb4f07

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At that moment, 22eee1082a Lucio sighed deeply 9ae98d1fa6 and muttered,8a9219d494162fa2

“You’re really something…”b0e8c3816a9b3eb6

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“Why are you sighing? You’re the one saying weird things!”ae6936b3a81c135e

I pouted, and e9450a6b0f Lucio gave me 1177779d5e a dumbfounded look.0250a6bc539a46ea

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“Imagine not even being able to see the person you love for nearly ten years. Thinking about you dozens of times a day, just waiting for the day I’d see you again—don’t you think I’m being incredibly patient, all things considered?”60dc83b5b626bec3

“…You think this is being patient?”cec8b56af568644b

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This is what he af1174371a calls patience?02f2d1390a8028d2

Maybe he a352e2b074 sensed what 3c3ca66eee I wasn’t c38082ee2a able to c0a254477e say out fc59449c14 loud, because fa59b809aa he bumped 69516c9284 his forehead 6e624daf95 against mine e8bdd10ad0 with a 9bc092e1ca soft thud cb21784114 and spoke ccab203d0c reproachfully.9bfb1f73b0dfaeeb

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“If I had even a little less self-control, you’d already be wearing a wedding veil and be my wife. I wouldn’t be sneaking into your room like this—I’d be walking into our honeymoon suite, like I belong there.”1b752023db652c14

“W-What are you saying…?”f7551d37b1b5a3d8

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A wedding veil? Honeymoon suite?a3efb2fd3c1c0bcc

Panicking, I took a d6a8c7a05a step back without thinking. Lucio narrowed his eyes.7a845bf2b4c432a2

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“Why are you so shocked? Don’t tell me you were just playing with me and never intended to marry me?”0579a01b32dcdc16

“Playing with you…?”04a86d895f0fb24f

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“Don’t dodge the question.”ee00adb2bcda388d

“…”8eb866a08ba06611

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“Answer me. Are you not going to marry me?”65bca5f34727d0eb

Why was this e8b0840704 conversation going this 1d95b54bc0 way?39956fc6213d98ab

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I was flustered, but 5437324b41 when I saw the 822ae027c0 unease and hurt on 23855dd93f Lucio’s face, I softened. Eventually, I let c214be4538 out a quiet 2644c1ca51 sigh.ea9232d06b3bf180

“It’s just… I’ve never seriously thought about marriage.”6e006ce61992c2d5

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It wasn’t only because 330fc0656e of my family’s concerns… d49396633c I myself had never be106350bb considered it seriously.6b75fb41799cf6c1

Even accepting Lucio’s feelings had been a somewhat impulsive decision, and now marriage…?eb88cc00c76c4a2a

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“Wait, are you… proposing right now?”7bf7a2a5bd8a09bc

No way, right?a0a5137eae6b476e

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Even Diana got a formal proposal on one knee…ca1febcc1b8a57c5

Suspicious, I looked at d54936b65e him, and Lucio casually aac10b34a8 took my wrist and cc7556410d said,436e99ee155ad6b5

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“Of course not.”e26fff99cee0eacf

He slowly a12f0e635c stroked from e5ad3c9056 my wrist ff96a412eb to the d57f31df39 back of 1b6d3b2559 my hand, b7f2d56aaf then gently 3dc1791d0d touched each 5e919d9b7d of my ecd8e8e4df fingers, murmuring 5e6fbf89d0 something under 2a61c4cd2b his breath.3c2f1e5c70596812

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Tilting my head, a60dc24a61 I finally asked 3629e8fa9c what had been b8693da562 bothering me.7f42f6248c224545

“More importantly, how did you get here so fast?”767276a1aee44d9b

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Come to think 3bf86284ac of it, ever be02d37925 since he knocked, f22fec16a7 I’d had a 27b76eb4c8 strange sense of 43621562d4 déjà vu.8e89428727d6c400

I suddenly remembered 7b17587ee4 how Lucio had 9adb2ec170 come straight to 5381879251 my room after 08c76d3b02 I messaged the f66325dd06 guild leader of b6ac53d7eb Darel about the 1a1498fc3a duchess’s incident in 9e24c1a2d9 the past.bb970617ea5dbf4d

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But back then, ac16dd0b29 Lucio had been 6f21a4e7ff staying at the 4fe2ff7414 mansion, so it cd06585636 had been possible. I couldn’t 4f663fb53d understand how 0adfbbef43 he’d come 2dab5f7b0c so quickly 1d77a4b81f this time.7ba5ea483b90165e

“There’s no way… c5d51ecd75 you waited in 8d8dc3de7f front of the 34fa66c3d6 marquisate all day, 8fb40b8d70 just holding onto 259963284c the communication sphere, f7dca4c969 right?”cd07e99c68e11287

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“…”9bede1b8f44a79a6

At my casual d14b680069 muttering, Lucio quietly 241692c141 averted his gaze.607fb03bcd132737

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“…Wait, really?”50a4fbc5ab141303

No wonder his ce968a9fab face and hands d4f507dc59 were cold!f70d6691d8477f2b

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“How long were you eb3f97d933 out there?”ab1ca720111861d6

“Not long.”1ddd1dcd9bb022a9

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“Liar! What if I’d 9c809454c6 fallen asleep without 1422c7a39d checking my communication 517668bdbd sphere? You should’ve just 748275fcef come! Silly!”d9d026bf8d253783

Upset, I glared 1f0e876861 at him with ae709d96cc a pout, and 42461f33a8 he smiled as 9224a327a1 he replied.a95af049a0f21bad

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“I didn’t 12e7e23bdb want to 9415c6428f put you b77e95a782 in a 8a14910206 difficult situation 24bebb8954 by showing 4e51cde04d up.”68392a93ffea1b3a

“When I 1ea55762c5 brought you c96f229767 back yesterday c1b7ad5be4 after you 199537d1d9 fainted, your 1f4de18cf6 family didn’t 6c39132037 exactly react a6e197befc kindly.”bc1914875c329904

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At Lucio’s 2e9f972eca added comment, 8fd36623f5 I let d33b1b673e out a fafe1382fb deep sigh.7bc7148810e94e52

“Even if d8df201177 you hadn’t cf73de04f7 shown up, 5d5e6d7593 I was ee49cb9b7d already in 5327c6b897 enough trouble.”73a92b31254d415c

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Strictly speaking, fainting 5a45863f59 had been my e9b2bd4cbf fault, and Lucio f6fa6a8b75 had only dealt 5e75477aa3 with the aftermath. Still, I couldn’t help f2f1c0d11b but grumble, and he 54ba67e868 softly said, “Sorry,” while 1231e0746d gently rubbing his thumb bf554802b7 over the back of 2ed1342f8d my hand.a350e4af2120f8bc

That tender, 2ba4bf0ce3 careful touch 89f1003a1d melted my 526f899e3d heart right a348317bfb away.71bec09d7d1763d6

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I quickly took his 4effa12ff7 hand with my other 6cccbb561e one as well.2921c734e4aaaf27

“How long were you aaebe76106 out there, really?”94fa51bf7db2d496

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Even while I 6bdf812f8e held his hands d2745aaf1d and breathed warm 8a34e36ea6 air onto them, 5f540dd5ac Lucio’s hands were 46776c8aa8 still as cold 04980084c3 as ice.b3284d251edd3f4b

I kept muttering, “You’re 5b2e5b576c so silly. You should’ve come. I wouldn’t have 8f73c83986 minded, even if 573a2f5b0c it caused trouble.”
He finally admitted 842f017887 with a resigned 8aa542b039 tone,b479423e2a2ea841

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“Actually, something 596b285185 seems to 0baca6286d be happening c0c660f925 with the 7eba2fcacd Marquisate, so 46bbc65a99 it wasn’t af4413441b easy to 9b3b974348 visit openly.”8acc4cb90fc3d6a9

His words 65d20559ec made my d9d1917aee eyes widen.ac45768740beb42e

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“Don’t tell me…”d42ec96191859d40

“Before you ask—I ec98c1cc3f didn’t dig into 4d7cfc6a11 it on purpose. The rumor that Count 7b458956db Amber is going bankrupt 0057a7f76c because the Diapel Marquisate 3b1fc6ea53 is pulling all its fc4511ee9e investment is already all a132326866 over the place.”272191afe5dd3094

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So it was about a988ae4caf that.f86781f5fbaae927

“Everyone’s criticizing Clara 3b8e00998e Amber for slandering 81ceaeeadc you, but at 6d6634d663 the same time, 23622851bb they’re saying the 549c55a02d former Marquis was f07a68d017 too heartless.”46f81c5eaecf7373

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At Lucio’s words, 1f2aee4b01 my hand curled 5be64bfbb7 into a fist.1b51f8dfde50e1e4

It wasn’t unexpected.0a1c8b082d178cef

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To those who didn’t f93e3a4204 know the full story, 9ece2bb783 it probably looked like 36b17e761f a coldhearted grandfather had 7b07ebe50c disowned his daughter and bfc2d0c625 granddaughter over me.4ab232066b009fc4

While I was still f8cce9b996 unable to hide my 8919fec0c9 frustration, I felt Lucio’s 8ee20a4cff gaze fixed on me.3c0af6e504650edd

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From his expression, 72d56e0f7b I could tell 3c6f790917 what he wanted a8df3cc017 to ask.aab51c8b37b743ae

He wanted 58fc10c246 to hear 1b260389ca from my 242c605deb own mouth dc001e5885 why my 61d97b2deb grandfather had 773d7f118c made that a320170fcb decision.cd190a1d8afdcbd6

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It was c5d9d4b3b1 a shameful 71fbb39b0d family matter, fcd9348da0 hard to 6e56009f3e speak about, 43a9fc57b7 but I 1d44d090dc didn’t want 2d8ae6e808 to hide bdb192092c it from d1f4eb4811 Lucio. After a moment of 35136a6633 hesitation, I slowly opened b17d10622b my mouth.4da845cf957e20af

“Actually, yesterday we found 37344757f7 out that the Countess 3cb3be0612 was involved in my afeb0f42c6 kidnapping.”2afe5a606064990c

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“…What?”3e344d22aaedc687

“She didn’t ally 08ecbc2715 with demon worshippers d3b5d87dca or anything. She just… told aad539be50 them when my e6a9771b35 father would be 4d67410107 out of the 91f1100fa9 capital.”6a7505f8e83d6062

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But before I could 31ee85a552 even finish, Lucio pulled 7e5fd4a5ee me into his arms.d3fea0fece1b14c2

I had tried to 6cdda12048 speak casually, so he f0f02bdb9b wouldn’t be too shocked, 4b511facf2 but apparently it didn’t c9e8f32e79 work.953ec53ca64da229

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“It’s really not a 242c460a40 big deal. My family seems 6b6306b9ad more affected than 91a7bd7908 I am—I’m okay.”e9b5035fc87f7984

I gently pulled e2d25624c1 back from his 463ae365c5 embrace, but Lucio’s 8637cafcfb eyes were dark bcab39c6e8 and stormy.413d222289559c95

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“Are you mad?”e531976715fe140e

My words 1e7bd4e6ad hit the ad439efc7f mark, and 338a1abb1a Lucio gave f4b79f852b a small b179d1c32f nod.4a03eb27d64bb315

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“Yeah, I’m mad. If you hadn’t 6e498bfa90 been kidnapped, you 9b467411b6 wouldn’t have gone 729b424d3c through so much 7cec1b1f21 or been hurt 4060ae841d like that. You could’ve grown up c44b5082da warm and safe, surrounded 1aea4ac991 by love and protection. I’m angry that 8fa8adf7a5 you didn’t get 8c3bac8068 to have that.”e0abf483a01cfff4

He trailed off, 58b8dc875f his voice shaking a4485037f6 with rising anger, 4879acfff1 then exhaled deeply 452013bc06 to calm himself.cc584f1b51d00c5b

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After a 97f9d145b9 moment, he 8b210b9b7d cautiously asked,0e51f3c51c01ce38

“Did you cry?”93c0de0507a72794

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“No. I didn’t cry.”f9ee8f8e0f1c0406

I answered quickly, but 9a43bfaee8 he still looked unconvinced.ab4f3b6d91dc33b1

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As Lucio carefully 866af28771 examined my eyes, 44fa54a6c7 I was reminded 2904527292 of a moment 054495f0c9 from long ago—when a8571fef74 I cried after 04a4e9b9e9 my mother said 6c88eccff6 something cruel, and 0d87f6c196 he had asked ec8d498513 me, demanding to dff18ee204 know who had 7bd8bca45e made me cry.55b8f26f98bd6012

A strange lump 53ac204d7c formed in my ac7f55e775 throat.01d94d8cdc05b816

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“I really am okay. I’m saying that 3e056c40ef because I truly 6afadcb9d8 mean it.”18fffdf572c51648

Because I have faecbc5139 someone now who e7c24d0683 gets angry and 218f9487bf sad on my ba883f5f0d behalf.66f33c8ed2d37f65

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“…Alright. If you say so.”fed2a3c124efd418

He reluctantly accepted 4076f78f7c my answer, then 1b07d635d7 murmured quietly,870b85a5380ed91e

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“Good thing I e57fe43c4d told Diana not 23f7d175a9 to visit the 0f641430d5 marquisate today.”b4064badb0a81fc3

“You did?”b6885e130f34146c

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Lucio nodded, and cf58556d7a I praised him 7fd6c62b21 for it.ed041b4fb275c01a

I wouldn’t 758706579c have minded 040670f63f seeing Diana, d4286fadb8 but I 04f7fb0d88 couldn’t say bce8e123cc the same f586fc1d20 for my faad553dbc family.decd74e056714c83

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Besides, we had 158297218e spent the entire 37fcaf6a5c afternoon talking about ff537c6d8b Lucio. If Diana dd42a26344 had been 21d82a5e3f there, it 0d4f1bedf1 might’ve been 2b6e05a24e awkward.085721b8d6366bca

Then, as if still d68a2186cf unable to shake his 053a3ac6a8 foul mood, Lucio spoke a3f2755031 in a low voice.9e21d145975f7d55

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“The Countess 12837a038d won’t live 564b9f0abc out her 5055976e17 days peacefully. I won’t even need be204b624d to do anything.”4f424de9ff7040ba

His words sounded slightly 5ef2ef95fd dangerous, and I looked ce499b1686 at him in surprise. He relaxed dff72755e2 his tense 495bdba647 jaw and f39e17e343 explained,c563f29a6cfc38d5

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“She’ll probably 66e20a96f5 be divorced 6e8413d9db soon.”4a0b65496b3545fc

“Divorced?”588eb285ddd6cbfd

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“Yeah. Count Amber’s had plenty 9b599a6bd8 of complaints about her, 4c68c0e035 but he kept quiet 6a11709cb1 out of deference to 5bdb2413d0 the Diapel Marquisate.”f688276defbd9138

Given the situation, it 9704eea88b wasn’t hard to imagine 6fc61ef4e1 what would happen next.3739e726da7cdc07

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A noblewoman c45c120722 with no dcdc3a68d3 means of f09adc3561 supporting herself, 1f1c0c67c6 abandoned and e3404cadfe unable to 7d1a0789de return to 551c5f7185 her own 08ba3ed41b family—her future 32cd0b15e3 would be e5fa69de35 bleak.338406db74c30ab1

And Clara won’t 62303a4ad2 even be able d74b6f13e0 to leave the bb8bf50fde county under the 751c024b52 emperor’s order…9972c6b986131e92

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Which meant the c6af894a53 Countess, separated from 9cb023c80e her daughter, would 8230e69875 live the rest f01fd5f020 of her life c0ac278b49 alone, worrying about 0a92b55335 survival, let alone e18f97602f luxury and eventually d02618eadb die in loneliness.4796a181c7e3b517