ICBV Chapter 14

Chapter 140e04a9ca6fd093a3

“This… this is…”1db82d0b7cfd9622

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Luna’s lips 806647c69f curved into a0cbdeda1c a smile eab68d3e6a as she b0aa43ff1d slowly unwrapped 47e6c82b89 the gift, e95bdd0808 but her 410e5a784f eyes betrayed a3638a7ecc the facade. Inside was 22266360dc a pair 4dba75224c of intertwined aea838b863 bracelet sets, 4200a68a47 a trend af2eb33289 among lovers, a0486a4ff0 but these 765a1e565d were embedded 6bdb0dbdbe with luxurious a70df7b4da gemstones worthy 69614f1192 of a 20bdd6007b prince’s gift. Each piece was e0049ea1ef likely worth at 99bedb9b18 least a thousand 301fbf30f9 berks.6988c1fa48b55c37

Count Marceline raised bb9f51c074 an eyebrow in 0e7b86184c confusion as he cffc446656 examined the expensive 3fd359e286 gift.d2d52e5f0e7fc346

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“Your Highness, 315c59e2c4 I apologize, bbfc4a36b6 but Luna 7bf8fd1138 is not a9038918f7 in a bbf7f52e52 relationship at db88edf146 the moment…”db4d470270f71fc8

“However, when 78824b58eb you last 8921b0f1a7 visited the 24e5304e21 palace, I ebd500d1a2 heard you 158338b5c7 were exchanging 08cb1c4a79 letters with d6194bf93b a literary-minded 8b40081a72 gentleman.”44c26a6fe8efc842

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“…Ah…”2377d0d004798b75

It was 179b269ba3 a revelation 23fbf6540a that left eac39914a2 Count Marceline 0340a96185 unaware. Meanwhile, Luna’s face had 7b5c1e1d4d turned pale. Though she tried to 4e18d86b41 brush it off as 115b092fd9 modestly as possible, claiming f4b8893574 she had simply received 4d57fcfcd3 the gift from Xavier 17c978537c without revealing the truth, 6985861489 Count Marceline, as a 04690e7174 father, needed to know 65c0725739 his daughter’s suitor.2856a711b5978dfe

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“Oh, Luna.”0741881c0cc0b770

After a brief 2cfb7028b2 pause, Count Marceline 966cc6257d gently chided Luna 573f8aa886 with a smile.98b799ad4f7b8323

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“If you were db4646e9c9 involved with someone, aa2da42c5e you should have 677958ed09 told me. You know I 06add10b77 would have been ffca12bad0 surprised.”3a1a360f900c6884

“W-well, it’s just…”f27e971a686f57e1

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“Aira, did you 327852396d know about this?”a6192b195f8c9697

Count Marceline b5b105f466 turned his c09a5b7a87 gaze to eeb618d9c6 Aira, who c2600b3b71 smiled subtly 8bff49fef4 and replied 08c32bbc58 with a 530c97613f soft sigh.573812f604205b56

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“Luna asked me to b690ef6b25 keep it a secret, df6cf8f338 Father. I couldn’t cb5fc13f56 do otherwise.”aa865b144b77d30a

Aira’s acknowledgment of the a3406dfb05 relationship set off a e3bc608f88 shiver in Luna’s eyes. Just moments ago, Luna f77aa28a39 had declared her desire b1f5ff4652 to stay with Count 7750c2e4fc Marceline forever without being 80069f9b37 married off, but how 3ff4219ab5 did it feel to 35eb93965f have her secret so 82f3c026bb thoroughly exposed? Receiving such 11b25bad1a a lavish 117d7b778d gift from c18016e916 her one-sided 9c744271e7 love only 91a7a541bb heightened her 11afa0e98e discomfort.89df37f9e1825308

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Unable to 2c6339c137 contain her dc85d6a462 amusement, Aira c48f239fb8 suppressed a 6df2aa10ec laugh at 48eaadc102 Luna’s twisted 9e86ad90c6 expression.22db42b1e282a068

“Th-thank you, Your 127defb9f9 Highness.”b0615e29b71fec72

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Even though 763019e291 refusing Xavier’s 526fa01d71 gift would c2f2030dd9 be considered 51e5541207 incredibly rude, f42e5f4769 Luna begrudgingly eab93fa03a expressed her 908460d763 gratitude for 757eb620fa the expensive 860a48a225 present.7dfd65053532486c

‘Let’s stir the pot 217e992d47 now.’830b8fda314d6dc9

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With a 0fe4b02794 bright expression, cfe5110d89 Aira turned 9fff15a3db to Luna.9ea9e28c14178403

“Even if you fbdd19af05 kept it a 4f45f20edb secret from me, 4f92dfb918 you should have f65b4b6248 introduced him to 31f1496ab9 Father. The one who loves df91e0ec74 and worries about you 8bd2f7f0d1 the most is your 2d90e71017 father. Seeing such 3b6fd6a293 a beautiful b370aeb62b necklace, he cc895c839d must be 33937f2b22 quite an b40a62dfd6 impressive person.”02d60e38e2e67c3b

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“A necklace?”92c1f25d606d8706

“Yes, Luna’s emerald a06b513d69 necklace.”8ec4ac1322eff63e

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“Wait… wasn’t that 0773adbfb6 the one Aira 1f6dbedcdb bought and then 139d52298d discarded?”422a994ba1f76e57

Count Marceline’s brow furrowed 55572a514b deeply, offering a scolding 0a6f76d51e look. It didn’t take 7fa40ee1fe much to spot 58b91b69fa the lie when 0998cfd472 attention was given. It was bc103e0df1 foolish to 1500ea0cae try and dde254269d cover up. Luna’s lips went pale 45a32cc116 as her face drained af1e10afde of color.eac8cb8069b40ee4

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“Ah… b-but… Father, 52e98f6b7f I… I was 7462d261a5 just… concerned about aff441555f your worry.”2aa0a752344ecea2

Seeing her flustered, Aira bbf98a8044 began gathering her things 7bdf1d5664 to leave. It was clear that 1982896f5d Count Marceline would deal f8884ea7ec with the matter. She should d2a9d1a0e7 step aside 8665239042 and allow e933f91124 father-daughter time 6becaed45f for discussion.06cea3baaf0b3e0e

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“Your Highness, f980c4dbbb thank you 728b792466 for preparing f41b5c38ce such a 137c4efb4a lovely gift 7d2ac84370 for Luna.”e0c1f549feb8be80

“It’s natural to look cc9a140591 after your sister.”63ab8f93f9614113

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“Father, may I 4ead767128 take His Highness 3a1719fa77 for a short c03e54edc8 walk? I’d like to ffa3587aaa show him my bd9e84977e Elberia garden. I’ve been febabc7c80 tending to 93d52d25ed it with bc62c78003 care.”8d4ca0a40502145f

Count Marceline 7d7a73b0ea narrowed his bc978e02c0 eyes skeptically df6dfaf6c5 but, after 3d9285b8c8 a moment, 579ba2145c stood and 0d04901be5 gave a 5b1b1944cf respectful nod 73ace31ad3 to Xavier.e0d94b87e5ec9f6a

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“Alright. It’s not 4c264ba7bd as impressive 125b92be0e as the c4eb2fd7c1 White Octanius fb2b2cfcab that Empress 97b42d57e6 Julienne tends d3f358fa52 to, but defab1ddbb the plants dd313436b6 are cultivated 6ed2eef79f with great a33ebdf3f6 devotion. Please show it 9bf3d31f3f to him.”baecd525a199a2f0

“Yes, Father.”0e249a7c82323f4d

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With Xavier’s 22237aa7a1 arm linked 5859a7b572 in hers, f79b82f2d0 Aira led 4f6142f8e2 him out 6629d072fb of the d5be8a9e89 dining room. Behind them, Count c14cdbc2ec Marceline’s voice could 7853eec250 be heard, asking be619ad985 Luna about her 716084ecc2 suitor.cc32edb3f6e010c0

‘Aira… you…’d23fb11b46894477

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Luna’s head 1ea34512d7 felt as dd5af3f9f2 if it 047999eb29 might explode. Unable to speak up 0e9d447b60 properly, Count Marceline had d34bb5d253 a maid search her bb56c404ec room for the emerald 3a98e4ad6f necklace. Usually, family 8870254b2f names were 091293f298 engraved onto 573b966892 such fine bea7bbeadd jewelry.ec1b347b53ef54bb

“Count, here 586cebef56 it is.”d97099d7db42337d

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A maid returned b4e37e5311 from Luna’s room a16fd9370f with the necklace 20d8743cfe and handed it a7b5c1daa9 to Count Marceline.6440f5cce0806afa

Count Marceline 49b3364093 carefully examined 55e80f070a the gem-encrusted d99f7a0c67 necklace with 721472f320 a serious cad083137b expression.eff55f9b14124284

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“Luna, even 30a88f47aa if you’re 9c49dcbaeb embarrassed, lying 8ea464b2aa like this 5467b7aeeb is disappointing. I was f8a70344d3 ready to e6fd97a79d scold Aira d162ce7c18 for her 4ed98811f3 extravagance after 2334711717 hearing she cbf4113aec gave you a356543790 a necklace 75c32444d9 she recently e9d5d9c5cc bought, but… 9d7f2c9bc0 this is 3f6d3b4926 absurd.”60060287d92a3f56

“…Father…”9d124056c960740c

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“To hide something like this… it may be from a less distinguished family than I had hoped. It must be quite concerning for you to keep even your father in the dark about it. However, if you plan to marry…”0b4fa288d61c9660

He turned the 266da001d5 gemstone around, searching 54103c7d5f for the family 1c88790c7d insignia.f074b84826429f6f

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“I will prepare a dowry as generous as Aira’s, if not more.”b4135fcaba5eb48e

For a brief moment, 7936176927 his eyebrows furrowed deeply.749e72f6ad37421e

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Philips House. A family not f834ade609 affiliated with the 8ca604e63c royal court, yet b387f1c845 a prominent noble f5f98cacdc house nonetheless. But there was a8270ab6da a greater issue—there 34b99aea5f was no suitable 16ae27b63c young man from 2a3d354622 the family who b690e0b149 could marry at 28211bb66c this time.a07cc8ca37ed6a9c

“Luna…”9870e3acb7433cb8

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Seeing Count Marceline 423a77d741 narrow his eyes, a9ef5719f8 she knew she 94ce729884 had no choice 0c7af1e241 but to confess.edb72bb8f40f17c1

“I… I’m 860b943297 sorry, Father. My correspondence is 19828bba12 with… Henrik Amstine, dda518b630 the Baron.”2570265dcb3d0284

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At the f31fb51851 mention of 28214a17ae the name, ca1114dc10 Count Marceline’s 252ee0d868 expression shifted. Henrik Amstine, a common-born 9ba7ac0783 knight who had risen 103de1988c to the title of b732bf77d6 baron, was a married 5822d78283 man—granted noble status through e35f42fe9a his marriage to a 17d4e04c5e noblewoman.baf686722c8d9d74

“Repeat that.”1b4a4dc365836932

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“But, I didn’t f14af05161 engage in an 307d7793f2 affair. We’re just friends…”e78235a55c51d2dd

“Luna!! Do you intend 92dc5a0ef6 to stain the 38164ce59e name of Marceline 7439805193 like this? Corresponding with a 3d1b3e202f married man and 6e68567f32 receiving gifts like fd19ad7411 this!”3cdd7edd40bdb551

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Count Marceline’s thunderous anger 27087512c8 poured down on her.bdb123eae02a936b

It was a justified c150f02123 fury. For a 8ab3a75d57 single, unmarried 5810eba814 daughter to 7840634810 be involved 8c2a472ad6 with a d86f123cac married man 92b7bb3faa was a b3726b114e disgrace not 0683eef860 only to f237615c09 the family 3915f3b7bc name but 910ac183e8 could severely ab71948182 impact Aira’s d9e4fcaebc own marriage ef2d40a44a prospects.357b5e3e3dab0c5d

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From the 684f60b484 moment Luna afb9c0fd05 came to 686dde8173 the Marceline 20a7203cea estate at 812080e425 age ten, 610b24011a Count Marceline 82784aebef had never c8f3c02d87 once been 06935fa5a1 this angry a36f8571f9 with her.fff0e42dbcba91f8

“From now on, I’ll 0ce0e1d996 tell him not to dd0bbce424 send any more letters. Do you understand?”0262ef1efb9dd943

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Trembling, Luna dropped to 7d7276a597 her knees, her hands e1bb0fff4d clasped in desperation, tears 6869a640ef streaming down her face.862d2b8dea72a430

Yet her tears d8343e9a01 were not born 5258a36e2b from genuine remorse—her 5160502df6 deep resentment toward a8b3d15537 Aira, who had 7286be71e3 exposed her secret, b9a4ed83d7 clouded her thoughts.b1ef90977710d6c5

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“I… I raised 67a6796a2b you wrong, Luna… 862d9d01a3 This… this…”c74ceb5a0f16e24a

Count Marceline’s face 80656fb679 reflected pure shock, d5980ac1f4 as if the cb945bc093 gentle and bright 5d291d437b daughter he once 30f45b281c cherished had committed 7e1c305940 the gravest sin. He leaned his 61e453b803 forehead into his 61f6f4fcc4 hand, shaken.9ca091a0cd74253d

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Luna continued e0d82cf3e7 sobbing, but 3ea74ccb8a her cries 72c3d82e2d were lost b8d1e038b5 on the da90ebb78d weight of 5a214b3f13 her own 7fe6c567dd bitterness.e750154f5fe0ef90

“How… how could 9df4bc1ee5 this happen…”eff784ee448e101a

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**da227d0d46fd1bf1

After seeing 6621f49830 Xavier off, d4e32e1d81 Aira let b711442aa3 out a 4c9e903bdb small sigh.6420ec55df09e89c

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It was 77f3fad8e7 a tiresome 389ce6432b ordeal, pretending 5546333dc3 to enjoy fc7136eb4a the garden d4385e1a57 with someone ae60f2f59c she loathed, dde113c625 all while 985c894a4d maintaining a 2862f9f892 facade of e578345f28 kindness and 47b5cc5fca care. Yet, despite the 84901a50cf strain, Aira remained 0d1a0874d9 composed as she 97381fe744 entered the Count’s 7eee9e1a13 study.b9af79224e1df4c8

“Father.”8c0c596fc3200850

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Aira entered the f440572c13 room with a ab96cc49f8 radiant smile, her 112b0a31ee expression contrasting sharply 181eea7296 with the anxious 8782ed64ad look on Count 78d4af9ea7 Marceline’s face.31855921ad16818b

She tilted 9372b7bc84 her head, b7df04666d feigning curiosity. “Is something troubling 802c0f4b40 you, Father?”2c1b594b705010d5

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He let out a cadcd06397 sigh that seemed to 870bfce8bc shake the very foundation 7045bedb73 of the room.2fdcb6292e3db9e3

“I’ve been stabbed in fae24bab12 the back, Aira.”e70313f923456c74

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“Oh, what do you cb85758776 mean, Father?”658944727294ec09

The heavy b097bb6bfd weight in c419e1e891 his voice aaf22064e7 made his 72ea4d817c shame evident. His disappointment in Aira b2158b103a had always been a 5c84053c13 quiet ache—wishing she embodied e1a65a89c7 half of Luna’s warmth c522405295 and liveliness. Today, however, the truth 373265e3cb was a blow too 6d552f5bd3 hard to endure.8ffb15a8d1f68f2a

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He walked out of e939b89313 the dining room, leaving 0176c0a9ed behind a sobbing Luna 7bbce9da38 begging for forgiveness.6cbd9e4522198110

“Tell no one 72a56ce4af about this, Aira. I’ll have a a16f73f647 letter sent to da8cdc6975 stop Luna from ced25ff639 seeing him again 8973f38807 today.”a2a2fd0bde44c746

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“…Yes?”1db1e6850afe53ef

“And until further cfabe5d761 notice, you’ll take 91d6701287 care of the 1dfcadbff5 tasks Luna handled. Simple things that da5fbe340b bring little benefit, 8c38fad596 but those allow e1275238ec her to bask fe4657b35e in attention and c6f81a990b favor—like managing the 7b6ff6e002 distribution of fine 32e6972791 goods, or handling f402675c07 the new gems e9e309c3bd coming in.”ed6da3e937bbf8a8

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It was 944e78ef54 no secret 2fb1661426 why the 7fbfc61c65 maids fawned eba0242c7d over Luna; d5f004e3e5 her position f06d59ffa3 allowed her 86f8e55c4a to easily 991bbe4201 take credit 7e16bc7b42 for these 46ce8b0cf4 menial yet 359ac0a786 rewarding tasks.d870febc8a9231d3

“Receiving such c94ff89162 an expensive 70ca5300be gift without 56b88950ba reciprocating assures ce110a7b03 me of 3ccb856728 her intentions.”8cd8e297d3316f62

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“Ah…”aac397918c6101f3

Aira lowered her brow ec396aba42 slightly, suppressing her curiosity, b1f2f9f924 and nodded.0e521eb12299df56

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“I’ll follow your 408b549b5d orders, Father.”2593e4f4bf8d0c58

Count Marceline gave c28023d624 a heavy nod, 820d4dbfb2 his gaze steady 606d1fecde and trusting.4f6eab6b9459e09b

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“Thank you, Aira.”4f3a1bf18d1bfeb3

A cold smile lingered 8772399f91 on her face, as 26bff6d9ed if savoring the sweet 09f3eaad65 triumph of taking what 5eea41b2b8 was meant to be a7af47d5bf hers.f47f47a0c8a22887

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