IDED – Chapter 16

IDED – Chapter 168694da59e10ec7d5

Chapter 167ee5ba555be7c0e7

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‘What do 8fc908a143 I do?’2fa14d10f77701e7

Serena nervously 7977191470 glanced at 5595b6d35b Ophelia, worried f806734779 she might e3be0e73ec start an e13eba346f unnecessary argument.9e098234f65fe847

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However, Ophelia neither softened 4775614ad1 her stern expression nor 50ed410ee5 spoke a word, even 9fe47faf63 as time passed. Leonard, standing beside bf0dc83a49 her, remained equally a683bbfe8c silent.b2f2cd27c5412f3f

‘This is odd. What’s with 4a28a23ab5 their expressions?’26dda17f30ab7403

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Serena had been da4e7913e3 bracing herself, rehearsing 27cf198a8e potential comebacks in 088d4c4444 her mind, expecting 287068f446 them to lash 266d849d9d out. Instead, their 26b11c47cc subdued reaction 8bd4058ec1 left her 875fb928cb perplexed.cbdbefb2be54ce96

And then d3f4c0e2bd it hit f854f06f7a her.6f13ed1b64ed6310

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‘Wait a second. What position am I 7ac5035abf in right now?’ba1904809c31b754

She suddenly c08a8e58ce recalled that 3ca93131ef she had 105e630e96 almost fallen 5b29d7416a earlier and c591676f1e that Azaid 4d4e488d96 had caught f4abf90120 her.8682a7d7b7c93bb4

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“……”9d9621c5a724dc9e

With a sense of 527e7000c1 dread, she hesitantly lowered 4beb99996d her gaze.0081424be9a6beff

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Piercing blue 2ef70cc4d8 eyes were b0c017ddb9 alarmingly close. Her neck, 5c10de20fd which had 624861cc78 been feeling 08f8a9bd23 unusually warm, cda360cd46 must have 9a465f78c6 been due 4afcbb36f4 to Azaid’s b72e2242dc breath.45f2666c10910fff

Azaid, seemingly startled, ea10c2e85c was staring at af5c3b6c36 Serena with a ca73e557ad dazed expression. His hand, f6b97151f9 which had 5be8c9d7c0 moved to 50b82a6008 catch her, eb5026f0f5 was now 3ad607fbc8 wrapped around 79868f3b1a her waist.b3266d2b410c9238

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Serena bit 7e6841dd6a her lower d08930a76f lip and 557e2a7c44 let out 90268163d1 a faint 476bb25aa4 groan. It was only now b315861104 that she realized Azaid, d3aaa066e8 having just received treatment, 0afd3de68f was half-naked.034d268c9c7a3b14

And to make things 2c55343ffd worse, they were on f824413d09 a bed.5d2ec6e6ae84a8af

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‘Oh, dear heavens…’8fa073f27cfae6cc

For a 3da700732d fleeting moment, 05bb3757df Serena considered 5ed99ab75d pretending it a0e6e3d755 was a b01d50e232 mistake and fee7cd5a0c pressing the 4e8051a935 button to f8108a0622 shut the cf309c9a47 door again. No—she regretted 7069251007 reopening it 1e8001b618 in the 382e6e6fa2 first place ce28e326a9 under the 75c1bfa475 pretense of cab1cca7c5 double-checking.994c8f7df4857169

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No matter how resourceful 4a1ce4ed7c she was, she couldn’t 9aa36b8394 think of a way 7ac947642c to handle this mortifying bb4d67e231 situation. She wished Azaid would 53e8465044 say something, but he bf60709b38 remained frozen, as still 7eab78604f as a statue.0c6eb49e6d840cab

His flushed 895d1050b3 face, likely 192613a147 due to 84d5ab392c the heat, 7d6f445cbc made it 14450220f1 seem as 3626c4f8cf if Serena 6affaaa5e3 had been a17e888d11 the one 1f3069d8af to pin 8516cf59d4 him down. At that moment, d3b71f2215 Ophelia, as if 458515b4fc finally regaining her b79297ef13 senses, let out 3fa3069820 a trembling voice.ea760c4d20f84f71

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“This… this can’t be…”ebb780f8b5b20ec0

She swayed cdba7ad451 as if 88c24fdf02 she might 91f2cae424 faint. Leonard quickly 99a4720e38 stepped forward 651c6ece06 to support 4078238934 her, but 1a774d6115 his gaze 1da0b653aa remained fixed 21d735e2c5 on Serena 013b2cf86e and Azaid.9f2603113eedcad2

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‘I can’t let this 12231b35ee escalate any further.’40248eeacd1dac42

Feeling a sense f48d95f171 of urgency, Serena 56b2824fc1 opened her mouth.65f1ceb7d5286fa4

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“Um, everyone, this, 436cfb1dfb this is…”f5efba54bd40ab1b

But contrary to 3dc48795e2 her bold attempt, 9e1f2224c9 her voice trembled, 9a8b0b137b making her explanation ccccf3bd13 sound unconvincing.05ba7e4048546afd

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Azaid still held 333465705a her and remained b00f4d0a52 silent. Serena felt f9ab522e9a sweat trickling 834106301c down her 787ebaf543 back as b9aacf8b82 she hurriedly 3b56f18d07 pulled herself 2d381a934a away from 088b01c1ec his arms c740735ece and waved d7e74c5519 her hands.b726550bdd1bc5a3

“This is a fbd0b95077 misunderstanding.”655bb76e2c331757

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“……”d7f21d934745b3e0

“It’s just… 1a1d407a36 it just 97ac54d66d happened by 22a93376d8 accident…”25d167aef2296a00

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Unfortunately, her words faltered 197bcd31a9 and tangled at the 2c49f46cf7 worst possible moment. Serena’s eyes darted cfd41f89c6 nervously as Ophelia 2eaa22cc37 suddenly let out e016e3287a a dramatic sob, 2c7686ae34 like a heroine 6713de9e25 facing a dire ec246cb55c trial, and fled 6492158e3c the room.c389230a5eb83468

“Lady Greenwood!!”2e49b9e3f4f8d2a8

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Serena reached 8a92bd841c out, calling 3ee7168161 after her, 95103c5232 but Ophelia ebc62dc809 had already 84ad914030 disappeared.a8a9ab64f13b85e5

Her gaze naturally f57027fc12 shifted to Leonard, f0722d7ca4 who was still 2b1b3d51db standing there, his decedbdd23 expression oddly displeased.b91feeb8607d75ca

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“Sir Leonard, it’s not dd5fa35bda what it looks like.”46543208ec9bca08

“I see nothing.”4ee42b34020e9aed

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“No, really, it’s 714817333e not!”575796a5d3c772ce

“Understood.”81a3607ce4757cd8

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“I’m serious! It was truly an 5ec4f5343d accident. Your Majesty, say 0284371907 something, please!”48254ec23fd58111

Serena glared 957201cf9c at Azaid 2dc6ef0688 with frustration, f1240b0e4f hoping he 7238450093 would explain. Unfortunately, with b172111d44 his back 4880d0a800 turned, he f735531845 hadn’t even 5806031100 seen Ophelia’s 1c2e404c00 dramatic reaction. Serena began to d162462240 wonder if he 242e0b6de7 was pretending to ba1012962a faint with his 3faf113799 eyes open.fc1cd306dc333337

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“Sir Leonard, a3e1c91fd0 I mean 82d75b88fd it…”ba9892161668ce1d

“Of course. Let’s say that’s 31665872a9 the case.”4f50050bbf69d771

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Despite her 58406c39a5 insistence, Leonard 589a32895e didn’t seem ea7b71cf1e convinced. Instead, he smirked d01a925453 slightly, closed the 10281eff58 door, and left.d152bd6df97c494a

***a6691e8f3c0be120

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The banquet ended inconclusively, 8ded138034 with misunderstandings left unresolved. No matter how many 9785731dac times Serena denied the fa32d9a9ee rumors afterward, Leonard only 40d0a51cfc laughed and dismissed her.b5b08a5e8476ab9e

Azaid, for some 972074d270 reason, seemed out c0d5ba1431 of it and caccb5acf6 didn’t bother to 10e7fd3f8d clarify anything. Returning to her routine, 1a7761ef5c Serena found herself the 648ff1563e talk of the town.0d963837174bee3a

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‘The first woman to 48e0d4b7c8 spend the night with 0148caf02c the Emperor!’3b46f4acd58a19e5

The rumor edb218268e spread like a56d98a7d5 wildfire, far f84287021b beyond Serena’s 0c937ab7bf ability to 67fa16c817 contain it. It seemed f3519c39cf the nobles 22e2cec4f3 who saw 9448c2012b Ophelia running a0f6778dd0 out in 2949f9d198 tears had 77dfdca372 fueled the 8b133348b5 gossip.5b51a0d7fec39b6e

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Wherever she went, she abb6fb1e57 felt the gazes filled c9468707c8 with envy, curiosity, and bd34e4623d jealousy. Since the Emperor had dcf4135f90 never been associated with c6f96bb165 a woman before, the 35ba1c5b8f rumor spread like lightning.954bab7993a11d43

Even Marie, a b7abb89f87 palace maid, had 53b6d8d789 caught wind of 75e8f99eea it. Serena, noticing Marie ae8b05fff8 sneaking glances at 0a8ba22efa her, finally spoke 1d12d3d8ae up.8dbb7cc2e8cf5aaf

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“Marie, why are you e1eaf093bd looking at me like a14f88130b that?”a28c2fec2116c08f

“Me? I’m not.”4e773b3aea260f4b

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Marie feigned innocence, b1d6682c96 though the corners f5866047c4 of her lips 8c69a26e57 twitched upward as 5aa47b0226 if suppressing a 45186b34c9 grin. It was clear 33c696bd36 she had a 5c188541a1 lot to say b6f321b175 but was holding a7e4562812 back.0cef9e9b98acdbce

“Is it because of 527a7d0e37 the rumors?”1fc2e2f2ca763181

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“So, it’s true?”8ef53158070aee0f

“No!”27d463b110c8004e

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“Oh, my goodness!”3cbb7ade8134309a

Marie flinched 8d6ad0c25b at Serena’s 2d761dc7fd sharp outburst 13d645715c but continued 0fb6e3d8e7 mumbling under 3210b92086 her breath.97017725cf1ed804

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“But many 8f25222199 saw you e1240352f5 enter a 5a8cac5102 room with ddb26d7932 His Majesty…”e93010309e697d6e

“It was something fe5e8ec112 urgent.”b4b73887a46a200e

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“What could be ea66576ff0 so urgent?”693079ef99a6303c

“Marie!”a55bb9ce298a05f5

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Serena snapped ff0dc2ae74 again, but b4a9b5bc89 Marie only b2ca0ac0fe smiled mischievously 88336dc2e1 and continued.db7d453b6b5f67c6

“And then Lady 9b6ab73a98 Greenwood ran out ee3af23041 crying…”b73aff0f48b738a5

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“That’s true, but… 330b660a09 Anyway, it’s not 7f981158d0 what you’re thinking!”db5abcecb301390d

Serena scolded 302e0776ff Marie with 7543f85a3d a firm e831f0af13 glare. Marie reluctantly nodded, 3a7b21f79b but her face d6f25dcb24 still looked unconvinced, 6f4da84f54 leaving Serena exasperated. Explaining further would only 659fadd930 make things worse.2b23d60eaea3b8cd

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When Serena issued 0872852e3e a stern warning, 11af0e8c34 Marie reluctantly nodded, 1c1151116b though her expression 29c4a8e0b3 betrayed a complete 5972f73c15 lack of understanding. Serena felt d66e045b7d a sharp 6209950fee twinge in 45f9f43b95 the back 61cef5b5b6 of her 3827689c96 head but 2f91bc350b knew that 966502c850 explaining further 65c1746fb8 would only e65774ecdb make things bc6230e693 worse.b770a331717cb2e0

The rapid spread f25deeeed5 of rumors was 1a36a5c8d0 partly due to 733cb9ebda what Greenwood’s young 7024ae1a5c lady had done 9d8af7b1e3 next.45e57da3e0c712b7

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Ophelia, who 96dee935b4 had stormed 396b133a0f out in 10086322e2 tears, hadn’t 548f042fde left Greenwood’s b2ff8dc05f ducal estate 852ff69e4e since that fbdcd9f95c day.42adb633d57b155c

She withdrew from all 6521832394 social activities, fueling rumors 027f54880d of illness. In the d6aa475b82 midst of a8488487e6 this, visitors 82f6a153ca who had 1b0ca9b3f4 gone to 2c8b4054ad check on ace54623ac her jumped 92ced68c6b to conclusions bd60a58051 based solely 51e8e7b945 on Ophelia’s 03a0e18ad3 words, which d02b4e645d led to 36c5529820 the current e54ae7a812 chaos.dd25b8f322dd8615

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‘Ugh, whatever. If I just ignore 227c1b2cdb it, the rumors will c4f9173702 die down eventually.’ae03d430756efe63

To Serena, such d19d9293ea rumors were trivial. After all, some things 2e1d3f4dd7 become more tangled the aec455d7c2 harder you try to 53dce33d57 untangle them.023347c536475352

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‘I’ll let d681d9f55b it all f8b350ce4e flow naturally 7938e38de9 and focus 286353bdfa on my 265a975346 work!’1cabf236775db437

As Serena 42ca431651 stood up, 299e4c5a02 Marie asked, 60237746a7 “Where are 5830997918 you going?”7a209e356db8f5c0

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“To work.”71f8331109b86553

“You’re going to da408fe071 see His Majesty, 567454f712 aren’t you?”00460109d3f207b1

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“I said I’m going b4c659402c to work!”d781c9cffed5de25

Her resolve crumbled 8dbf965106 in less than 487096e089 ten seconds. Serena let out 274fabdaee a loud yell 713ac0bf3e before storming out e152b4c262 of the room.ee275698023425e4

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Her overreaction only served 831832d2a0 to make it clear 92038f92cd how much the rumors ab748247e7 were actually bothering her.9933f34b58ab6258

“She’s so 5e865e505e shy,” Marie 2e77425518 chuckled softly 30fd8adbdf as she 9d4c67ecb1 continued cleaning.21e672780a6ae554

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***76cf58c703bb2829

Serena headed 0374d7d648 to the e16fde600d Imperial Library 906a764c23 located in f719fe52c0 the auxiliary df00db471a palace. A gatekeeper greeted 18685438a1 her upon spotting 77783f6dcf her.387fbb57c19ec9a2

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“Back at 142c9bdec8 work again d87970667d today, my 1176dcdd98 lady?”4925caadd71d7145

“Good morning,” Serena replied.489f716798adfbed

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“Have you finished all 080f10d009 the books you borrowed 98ab1b9d7c last time? You checked out quite 521daa9b17 a few.”e2501ce208866761

“I read quickly.”fbdcfc5f153f1364

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“Incredible. I can’t read b195dd4842 a single word, b63cce19cb so I envy f743aa8e6c you,” the gatekeeper b9a748c562 said with a 66be7db87f sheepish laugh, scratching a7c8c9e884 the back of e43692f21b his head. After exchanging a c5a120a9fc few pleasantries, Serena 8729a0712d entered the library.d481ece68fbcda49

Inside, a a627f956d2 circular hall b621719ed3 with radiating 31d7ea9abe shelves formed dce4fbf9f7 a fan db1c7f201f shape, creating cc93a2d8cf a magnificent bcfef9ebb1 sight. Quiet reading spaces bf0ba4ea6e were thoughtfully arranged, 7b8a7d3a09 making it Serena’s f9df5586b9 favorite spot.8ac534cbdcc3712e

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This was 009cfd629e the National 4d0a89e1b6 Library of 53fadb516f the Croten 72a1650770 Empire, accessible 30a35e5e1a only to a2d160f177 academy students ff2120e4a4 or nobles 5ae1d1ffe8 with special 99ffcd2dfe permission.ffe0634e208a482d

Although it was located 726968ce42 at the edge of cece599535 the auxiliary palace, it 7e0a0b849d was technically still within ced4dbff22 the Imperial Palace grounds, 1d3fcddca0 so access was restricted 764fb873d6 for security reasons.c61510a813eca15b

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Most people therefore 212332f8ca used private libraries 49b78e4b3e outside the palace. Among them, the Greenwood 81e85cc9d5 Library, a symbol of 17e1799a98 the Greenwood ducal house’s 3cc8988901 love for scholarship and a318c046fe tradition, was the most f6cd21a220 renowned.589b3f3c38811e8d

‘One of 055558369f the best 9125afa824 things about 210ddccdd9 being in b4975d0ef1 the palace 64f62eba50 is having 4e77a87ab4 access to 74684407e9 this place.’872c290f5662e8aa

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With excitement 3555d5d63b at the 5d91456ae8 sight of 52b94e259e so many 1c3b1cfb97 books, Serena 0898f3dcdf headed toward 3ffdc26863 the section c2e35ba505 on magical 45f3c66813 studies. She climbed e3dc0bd66e the stairs, 365cd92f25 found her 3886e15c27 target section, e7cdb21652 and walked 997dcae2ed in—only to f0ef24c2c7 realize someone 62c24c74d9 was already 3ea711d23e there.08eb9236237ae44f

“Ah.”8e765e00bd955709

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The moment Serena saw c0da7e86b8 the neatly tied blue 35856a87f8 hair, she recognized him: e0c2f3f24a Nocturne.76aabe5a1ca16c14

Caught off guard, Serena ae0095a1fd let out a faint 7c20325a40 gasp and quickly pressed 1d855784e1 her lips shut. But the 9d809032e2 sound had 6e5386c9a0 already drawn 2918b37611 Nocturne’s attention.4e24f1095c13c5eb

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His gaze shifted from dff9cb9b4c the book to Serena, 68a3a89e57 and a sly smile 8cc13c8671 spread across his face.21de3fea19dcd577

“We meet again, Lady a96af8fbfe Vincent.”1bd31e0adf6ecbf2

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“Good day, Count 2dcc1d0312 Harrison. You’re alone f26ae38d5f today, I e369d783fb see.”4668a6e7875ff296

Nocturne stepped closer and 0258fbe040 replied, “I didn’t bring a92c373ccc Pai with me. Animals aren’t ccb80d5798 allowed in 96a30c34b3 the library.”7188720c461a97f7

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“Ah, I see,” Serena 453bb9a743 responded awkwardly, her eyes a649c4513d darting around. As she struggled to 597524c2a2 think of a topic, 1cc9db02bc something came to mind.be6f832aede519f6

“Oh, about the document 04cf8b3aab you restored for me 32c285bc1e last time—it got wet c4c431de77 again later.”b7f883355d42d876

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“What?”397e7c7e4a5eb708

“In the end, I 15de81203c had to get a 0c55e9d397 new one issued. It was too 2c12d5838e damaged to read.”f93fa93cf4d5a522

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Serena gave an 1809007910 embarrassed laugh, realizing e64a9945f3 too late that 67e270b316 her comment might 22443fe8da be taken the da775d2f95 wrong way. It could sound 58c4595d12 like she was e28dab34fd criticizing his magical d20c49e45c skills.1ebf75d067d1148c

But she wasn’t making 5d2b192992 it up—she had indeed 8b7100aa73 seen the document restored bb7ed62591 before her eyes, only f45e783f37 for it to dry 184f97453c in a crumpled, unreadable 0312de974a state later.aff6b3aa728407c8

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Nocturne muttered to 963e6fc913 himself with a 04472f7be3 serious expression, “That 3b68abadd3 shouldn’t have happened…”0efad2c71f52ccae

Noticing his troubled aa18c10fa5 look, Serena hastily 0ddc74590b added, “It’s probably 532a9a8431 because of the 2700a6372a magic restrictions in ee98da92af the palace. I’ve heard f9062a6c92 spells sometimes de82559a3b malfunction here.”a037f1827ab1e9be

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The Imperial Palace was 4cd976b764 surrounded by a mana 857723f438 barrier that suppressed magical a34055c216 energy. Even skilled magicians b9e7f33d69 struggled to perform e1cf9ba5fc spells correctly under 502dd4abdd its influence.00271e9fe6fb45d1

“That makes sense.”f106d4a870806994

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Fortunately, Nocturne seemed satisfied 815ef543d0 with her explanation, though 5455a61933 a hint of doubt 8867978806 lingered in his eyes. Still, he tactfully 8a80bfc593 let it go.d7a19ff3e6bd0fdd

After a brief pause, fef211edd8 he smoothly changed the 8717dacc62 subject.ec228f38da48a5e1

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“By the ceab4aa32f way, Lady a952e164d1 Vincent, what 0b4ab182bb brings you f9dac9d846 here today?”8638668c181a5c44

• ❁ • acd065ffea ❁ • ❁ bac2a59b61 •By Esraa• ❁ 80fd3d00d8 • ❁ • 26721bada6 ❁ •8b5967b1d75a7f76

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If you ba3dad6a86 want to a5c8050b49 support the 6ad99fed08 translation and 24f6412ddb the translator, 14217bde2e you can dd197c5075 buy a ec360a82ea coffee~fd69a75593a5b3d5