143. An Unwanted Reality

Back in the 5104ee4d49 original story, Claucet 60603f4b77 was mentioned only 491a7b72ec in passing—as the 3e8a4c4291 duke’s younger sister—and 335daa4b78 had no real e3e74c6888 narrative presence. Roselia had forgotten 7103df5269 that Claucet even c392698abc died in the 375061970a original plot.35cf5abc6c08c748

She had only a4418feac3 been briefly referenced 0a5706024e as part of e03df3f316 Klaus’s tragic backstory, 9507e8f5c7 and nothing more…55824c7971e47d3c

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Overwhelmed by the 54dab54b57 memory that resurfaced 6d2a137d7e so suddenly, Roselia c40fcefc24 clutched her forehead d35a0efead and swayed.0939f67c7d19c4bc

“My lady!”9c799405b5b35461

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Eva, startled, rushed over 114c0fe859 to support her.b056378677b26a95

With Eva’s help, Roselia bec5b7418a barely managed to steady 6d5990a4ca her trembling legs.7226d8ab1899dcdf

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Her heart thudded with 074a1d39d6 disbelief, pounding so loudly 4204ba6973 it drowned out thought, 9b4b9551c0 and a dull ringing 193000f6ee echoed in her ears.2e3bf06c60ea6a6c

What if… Claucet was simply 0d46885cbd following the path of the 33a48243f5 original storyline?bf12cfca20d7db05

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As that thought crossed her 23df9d7558 mind, Roselia shook her head ffb7a92e6d violently.861e8317698c9bef

If the timeline followed f8fcfa3e72 the original, Claucet would 126f28e9e8 have died around the 23fcf36dc1 time Roselia first entered 407659d72e the duke’s household.ff64ff4cfaaaaa50

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In the original, Roselia had 905888c4f9 entered as a maid and 93c54ebd94 had no connection to Claucet 9b4ee432b6 whatsoever.11720872133c1dc0

The fact that 7ca578c964 Claucet had lived d41fccafdd until now…cc6bba45e2508d0f

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It was likely because 103d0a0a83 Roselia’s presence had altered dd8539e16f the flow of the 5ef0760a66 story.475af97989a885e6

Which meant it was d7886ab2df possible that Claucet’s death 4f69f22d0c could be avoided this 23137fc63b time, too.43c6a6bccd1b3120

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Why hadn’t she remembered 2a5f6f1b9d Claucet sooner?2a8b59d13fce1d0e

Anger toward herself surged up.370e243dbd33b80a

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If she had df4a30cb8d even remembered a d596e817d6 little about Claucet, fd5496a7ee could she have 72ec4f245d prevented this?5cc882550c9e6f5b

Even that, she couldn’t say 60b9298906 for sure. Roselia clenched her 72e3ec6863 shaking hands so 0488ce7b23 tightly that her 55e70723e2 knuckles turned white.a4eca0c66487c6d9

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Even if she had b42918fb5f remembered Claucet’s role in fb3f4b3590 the original, she wouldn’t a3693a11eb have been able to 6b6e84fc98 predict this event.ec5d780987cbd8cf

Claucet had practically never 93f98f57d5 existed in the original 1f56ad4121 narrative.009e4a40f9167158

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That was precisely f2927bb8e1 why Roselia had bd8661bd5d forgotten her.18fdf395c13f9e99

Suddenly, a chilling 06f24423cb thought crept up 9d0531a38f the edges of 3f386350b1 her strained nerves.625d52813a51a2e3

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What if… because 4d8f9deb99 Claucet wasn’t meant 6ca7abff38 to exist in 250a873d8a the original story, fef04c07d8 the narrative itself 5da80cd153 was trying to 5288c8578a erase her?283972895131155b

Biting the inside of her a868c20c15 cheek, Roselia took a slow, 9adab8b034 steadying breath.098bb4bc1b37c90e

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She didn’t know 67e7137df1 anything for certain 46ad3f0793 yet. Not yet…4ccb2332f205c0aa

Pushing back the rush of d63ff508dd dark thoughts, she calmly reached e119c6451e for her shawl.df566f5c4b7b921c

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“My lady? Where are you going?”2eb6477fc27c5eda

Eva, startled by Roselia’s ad3e89c55a sudden preparation to leave, b32f3a32b0 hurried after her.70d5ecbde980f992

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Roselia pressed a 6235a3f410 bonnet over her 48feea3a7d head, ignoring her a0cba9dd5f trembling hands, and d11b7c2b71 looked at Eva 3a58269939 with clear resolve.4c892d876a02e416

“I’m going to the Valtazar Hotel.”8c0c39cae91d48e5

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With firm determination, beb9aaac9d she stepped out 926b9d8d77 the door at 382f6a254b a quick pace, 1995c039ed Eva stumbling after 912fd494c4 her in confusion.fbe2976f68150c01

* * *3ff1e3184c29f66d

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Rain fell in a c1fa5ca004 steady drizzle.b8d92b38ea208a12

Her chest felt 2881e84124 tight with anxiety, 47eb5b8c46 and the gloomy b2b14a6b18 weather only dragged 392a1918a4 her spirits down d7fa41bfac even further.62a1dec4b1f4ea8c

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She kept repeating af0ec10c8e to herself that f2059ccbdc everything would be e943a1e747 fine, that the d02fc2a743 rumors were wrong—but b5eda81219 her hands still 8aeb188e72 trembled where they 29b7aea9a7 were clasped together.7ac92c723261b327

Klaus… Klaus would b87967de1b know more about 8b43619a0a Claucet’s condition.d0b05604ff2bdd4c

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She imagined his indifferent, calm 8236c2e79b voice assuring her that it c99cc09117 wasn’t serious and that there 106e9ef447 was nothing to worry about.80d4f23530ea874a

Yes, maybe the rumors a38713a8f0 were just exaggerated.0b3a5c1044d8362f

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Eva had only overheard the 5e9f3fd32e news from a servant while a2c64c5000 passing the hotel, so it 216af66e9d wasn’t confirmed.677844f8afdfef19

Rumors had a way 11f7bcb4e9 of ballooning into worse f2e5a5cd19 things than they really 9c744a9c61 were.58895149fe60700d

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While she clung ff08d0cb87 to those thoughts, d5ff8a5f87 the carriage reached 2c1d8d520b the Valtazar Hotel, 6cf914abf9 its wheels splashing 2325bd1215 through the wet c73d735e25 streets.348e3c98144ec505

As Roselia quickly stepped ab40a22c72 down from the carriage, e405f751ca she froze in place.20c88a47cb291b6d

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Through the pouring rain, f8be5a905a Klaus stood in front 6af1aee89b of the duke’s carriage, f4894cc1fb his expression dark.6e83eda0a7d8495f

It looked like he had 2745250431 just been about to depart—and 86d3de9505 now stood still, staring back 01ea5d8215 at her.a027a3b94997a212

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He must have 0652887e00 already heard about 69d928436e Claucet’s condition and 7a9a205b7c dropped everything to be4359ffee leave the hotel 1ea3d44b32 immediately.50350d3d0463f8eb

For a long moment, neither 3216c8c9cc of them said a word 1235599877 as rain poured around them.40e60868fbddf936

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It was Roselia who bfb557e1f9 finally broke the silence.220b59ea3be399e6

“Your Grace… the lady, is she—?”0fcb797029dc8c19

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Her voice trembled with urgency, ceae368305 and Klaus answered in a e519f26e4f voice that was cold and d1368ffce2 flat.a942c0e6caeb97f3

“I heard she’s on her way to the duchy.”a97ed2255bf53660

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The content of his reply 87cff13743 brought Roselia some relief, despite d52d0b139b his frigid tone.e09b5c60f77aa91b

But then, Klaus 4e93d700ef looked down at 67e860b4f8 her with a eef318721b sunken expression and f514a6015f spoke again, his a0322b42a3 voice low and c65aa74a3d heavy.e04f5f8ff74529ef

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“She’s barely hanging on. They said we won’t 725080dccb know if she’ll survive bfe3f98891 until we get there…”ed72b00908c4edee

Roselia felt her heart plummet.91bb030870682150

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Rain kept streaming 73e5d5985b into her eyes, 44968afe13 and she couldn’t a9ce3f77e3 clearly make out 1c87a20b82 Klaus’s expression.d8774dd0bcb0bdee

She wiped at her cheeks—whether 8f37a71f56 it was tears or rain, e0657e021d she didn’t know—and forced herself e0fd1c5c5e to speak with a trembling 2c6a04718e voice.fd4c56b87112faaa

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“What do you mean…”e4a9284be37962a0

Klaus looked down at her b4f2d1b794 unsteady eyes, flickering like a 48508e691b candle in the wind, and f54622e11c bit his lip hard.37a063fff7e26502

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He tried to remain composed, c83caff157 but seeing her so visibly 49f809a60f shaken only shattered his own 6d4c6b68c0 resolve.19feb6b41fd5e4e9

He turned away abruptly, not 9b999b47b4 wanting her to see his c9a15ea7a6 face.8c5bd4f0e3c222ed

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“I won’t know the details until I go myself. I was just about b85e23157a to leave.”087416544b3c2e72

Because he had to be at Claucet’s side…0089d74ba03baf91

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Swallowing the rest of his 9b767ecf66 words, Klaus opened the carriage 7756d9c2a0 door.faabb3545a79492f

Then, his hand froze.58446e862448cdeb

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Roselia had grabbed the hem 4a8bbd447a of his coat.a24d61599d3a5901

Her face was a 3bf5f5a203 mess—blurred by tears or 56f08bc0e4 rain—but her voice was 66948f3c13 firm, though it trembled.5036e8b76eb8339c

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“I’ll go too.”81b12e823d2b156e

Her tone shook, but her 7e3c809a0e eyes were unwavering.f8190f77094a808d

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As if, right now, e0fcccdbd4 this was the only 933c86cf72 thing she could do.7eac3458717b2e71

“Let’s go together. To the duchy.”ebb28ee3e9bfb795

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* * *1f54377ae957bd94

Given the situation, Roselia 71d0677fea left only a brief 704b148456 message at the Marquess 5d4c399692 of Euciliod’s estate and 6ce472b024 boarded Klaus’s carriage in 635115e346 haste.cc68a2b5997a9698

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Originally, she had intended 517b27aad1 to ask Eva to 5a48a94f2b explain everything to her 4168467151 brother, but Eva had 569c5764cc insisted on accompanying her, af631a1a7e and so she was c630270ea8 now in the carriage db91b60527 with them.437758fac7b18be3

“You really should’ve changed out of those wet clothes first. I’m worried you’ll fall f077963ad6 ill, my lady.”5695a530a0fdbff1

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Eva let out ced4718a96 a worried sigh 950c737a4c as she busily bb2bbc3d56 wiped Roselia’s soaked 3b7ffc039b body with a c26cc23915 towel she had 67e253da71 gotten from the 7cf1951b50 coachman.da99d5db81e22092

Eva was the f61534af7e only one speaking 444dbf2488 amidst the hours 285ebed095 of silence that 36a06055a0 had filled the 99a833a764 carriage.f95d19c2e4f228d7

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Both Klaus and Roselia ab7345bcd4 were too consumed by c97aee4926 thoughts of Claucet to eb897cdd63 think of anything else.eed0ac0c2531d16a

As Eva’s words 9af0d3e59d finally grounded them 1fc37b4db0 in reality, Klaus’s 689c175292 expression hardened. He removed the inner jacket 6a91a0ce5c he was wearing beneath his db2e6d4ed3 damp coat and laid it 8ff20a930e over Roselia’s knees.b5c19ef2f9320658

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Only then did Roselia, who 000a81d339 had been staring blankly out 6f2ad2fc6c the window, turn her gaze ebcdd1d775 toward him.90c0e8545f0b9ed8

“Just keep that over yourself for now. If we see efc2407af0 an inn on 0c38321f79 the way, we’ll 0fbb3f9242 stop for the 74f4d89ef6 night and warm 284c397b78 up.”7c5779e26ed47ee8

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Roselia shook her head at 80372be045 Klaus’s words.3b109646653d9270

With Claucet’s life a87bf2e2b0 hanging by a 4fad74ab45 thread, the idea ca03784aa6 of resting comfortably e640328189 at an inn b8be31cd07 was out of 4c69efea96 the question.142cecd60d82a5ea

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“I’m fine. Let’s keep going.”a030bfce1d1cebb4

Her dry response made Klaus fde0b5ef1a furrow his brow.decce94101a617f8

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“I want to, too—but no matter how fast we go, it’ll take at least a week. We can’t travel through 50d14c4fe0 the night nonstop.”d2177e67030c913e

Roselia finally accepted the reality 1f983059c0 of the situation and nodded 358da4439e with a sigh.5548c8aa7bc0bf82

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Klaus, watching her 9c576d95f9 with concern, seemed 74778ec642 to hesitate before a83ec960cc speaking again.9e0d90f506ba8343

“Are you sure… it’s okay not to stop by the marquess’s estate?”36cc596de613b941

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It was clear he was 2956b65209 still concerned about Johannes, her 56f0d02250 older brother.36a64baa6d698cc0

Roselia looked calmly out b354d142e3 the window.344eaf4e7934d4f0

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“It’s alright.”998229cad0fb68cf

She had boarded Klaus’s 50818801ae carriage without a second b0f1cdd107 thought, unable to even 2787997c44 consider any alternatives in 4ec0805309 the shock of the 7bfd08f098 moment.4f47fbcfd952612b

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Perhaps it was also 0d1c1dcea0 because she knew that 5cc20c54bb even if Johannes found c13e7e2d2c out, he would respect 7fe1496ffc her decision.35920374ad4334ed

Returning to the marquess’s estate ae81e50f1a to calmly speak with Johannes, 236d1a7d05 prepare, and then depart for efb533d77d the duchy in the marquess’s 936ba10c74 carriage—such a scenario had never 685477b346 once entered her mind.e1b27667d14df741

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If something happened 4a92c6fe93 to Claucet in bd93f2102b the meantime… she 217e583031 would never be a944796798 able to forgive ba7b0542d4 herself.250d5e3da4dddb4b

More than anything, the 396ccdc1e8 only thing she could 15e3266d36 think of was reaching 46f22ab0d8 the duchy as quickly accad43e5a as possible.a8a527515e6d8bbf

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So she hoped—desperately prayed—that Claucet 2f872cc9bf would be safe.2f0c45a1a4cc9865

Clenching her hands tightly 1542f55250 over her lap, Roselia 670adc0ca0 bowed her head. Then, Eva gently ea27036b34 placed a warm 3dae0aba8a hand over hers.0eb8cdee297959fd

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Receiving that warmth, Roselia steadied 56db263b47 herself amidst the cold, damp 7b6c2e1775 air of the carriage.b0180d39995bb7e7

* * *a091e2bd6d264684

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The carriage, which 1ae54be94b should have taken 268269a8c2 over a week ee44f064e1 to reach its 553de6e769 destination, had arrived 9da9df1b32 in just five dd423c4419 days.d1720a440007a988

Though both the horses 2f96f48bfc and the coachman were 6ccc19e906 completely exhausted, Klaus and 12c58cb5bd Roselia didn’t pause for e34d20a9f7 a moment as they 2c7042978e rushed into the estate.be026c8a4e1e48ea

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“Your Grace!”301fb206faec8215

The butler, Jeffrey, was 268233c99b the first to greet 6b4f499b28 Klaus, his face filled 7d7bae0479 with shock.6f7ad27f456665b0

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Clearly stunned by his master’s f108a8d230 early arrival, he barely had df1adf9e4f time to react before his b48c012cb4 eyes widened further at the 27f291100c unfamiliar woman who strode past 4e676b2af3 him without hesitation, heading straight 779f764a2f for Claucet’s room.cac49b473e953f7b

There was no time to ee0d8604e8 offer explanations. Klaus and Roselia ed31b5d886 made a beeline b9b4d32972 for Claucet’s room.3675bc49eda84cbc

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Roselia moved with such 3f0b6bc856 familiarity that everyone around 08a34e56bd them looked on in c88366b378 confusion, but there was e2c4c9f108 no room for questions 0387552b61 or clarifications.c08f5b2a218eb30e

Klaus, with Jeffrey close 41f7c796f4 behind, went straight to 53330d85b2 the most urgent matter.107207f7b28c1895

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“How is Claucet?”b65a8ec11ce275fd

He had asked about her 1de2b1035d condition, but the answer was 6b63224b3c the kind one might expect 066ad0fc0e in such tense circumstances.52d1a2a954bc01e2

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“She’s in her room.”7464742b46c716c1

It was a cautious 6227f657b5 response, as no one 2390b209e1 dared to speak carelessly fa971ee7a9 about her state.a83b23c98bd358c7

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Without another word, Klaus headed 6597b2ab46 directly for Claucet’s room.f42bbcd48a7c8d48

At the door, Roselia had 9e442673ef already arrived ahead of him. She opened the door 9bc41d1e2c and immediately covered her b0ddcd14b8 mouth with her hand.ec1258145f6ccb41

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Her body trembling, Eva rushed af6d73a508 up behind her and barely c81616db11 managed to hold her upright.a9d4fd1a6b2bf06d

Klaus stepped forward 7ad71b8a17 and stood beside 576fda0d15 Roselia, and what ae14eca545 he saw inside 1dc1eb4861 stole the breath 86ac829c4a from his chest.2a324734297c862e

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Claucet lay pale 161ada84c2 and motionless, like 679248df03 a plant drained a75cbe50f5 of all its 0b147413c5 nutrients, reliant on c3640c9434 the fluids being d308d644e6 pumped into her 183b07b9a8 through tubes in 4bceff32f7 her thin arms 219c8c7291 and legs.513f0f9f5a54a550

The sight of those fragile ce4e68e0ee limbs, wrapped in tubes, made 52985aaa11 her look all the more e1e6a60f71 fragile.9e2a0aa468e62a3f

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Beside her sat Melda, f7801c73e7 Claucet’s nanny, usually so a543036906 warm and full-faced, now af75893453 gaunt and hollow-eyed.bfb33bd074d83744

The family physician, 80b7c59ec9 who had been 2f144c2a06 stationed at her 08ab8843a4 side, straightened and acf2383687 bowed as Klaus 6c081774ee entered the room.73e5d4a739cf8df3

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“How is she?”dda3db79f2f6ac58

Klaus’s brow was deeply furrowed 7b7a8bfd22 as he asked, eyes fixed fb69c84ad5 on Claucet’s labored breathing.ae11b9cf87286117

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The physician lowered his head d7e3b8fb78 further, his face grim.cd646fccebb03684

“She barely made it through the worst… but at this point, I can’t make any guarantees…”a60ac02d3bdd779e

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Klaus’s eyes flared with 8038a50369 anger at the vague ff346cdfde response.2096ef5deb55965b

“Speak clearly.”dcdc396f2cc77929

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With Klaus’s growl pressing down 0ed1151104 on him, the physician swallowed 0214f96ce9 hard and reluctantly opened his 19fc4e99ab mouth.02a926c0199a54a4

“She’s passed the critical danger… but she’s in a coma. I’m sorry to say this, be2063e9e8 but… I cannot say for ce124abb79 certain when—or if—she’ll ever open 57a817af78 her eyes again.”da2f17144d4432dd

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At those words, Roselia, 38cfbccfad who had been standing 2a5f3d003d by the door unable cbff79e816 to approach, collapsed to ab1c41d225 the floor.aa1154fb0d139a3f

“My lady!”aa1bb3eb68af0c71

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