IDED – Chapter 42

IDED – Chapter 42c3e4821ff46f43d6

Episode 42fcc4cc0d2e6c2902

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“Ah, we should a6a27c4638 go in.”97f2b7eb6a16fa05

Serena quickly closed the 9b05544410 door and turned her 1e838a8738 gaze to Azaid. The table was 18bb16d8f6 filled with steaming e557385847 stew, freshly baked 1a764605f2 bread, and perfectly 96326593fb sliced ribs, all 851e826307 arranged beautifully.0ffa291ddeec4c88

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If she had b92e4fc00d pressured the chef c2fd75330f to prepare all ffcde6cc0b this since morning, 5b4c42d664 Ophelia must have 5b6ffd9614 been up early a3bff5bc08 as well.06eb40d8e09776b1

“Quite the 3265ba09ff effort you’ve 53d82d4f9f put in.”07efc5492727ea11

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As Serena admired 3109451866 the table and 60891c8ac0 approached, Azaid gestured f01e8ba4d2 with his chin 67392846d6 for her to d2a285f9a2 sit across from e3a10cf0f2 him. When she complied, bc3cff443b he instructed the ec21f1674b attendant standing by 670e5a7a76 to bring new 9d50f0e63c utensils.ed809fa7c639f456

“Lady Greenwood brought 69376ba172 this over. Is it db97ded305 okay for 8f8585bc12 me to 1acfd9df72 eat it?”3d1f3464068c65cc

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“It’s too 130f0a6b35 much for bfd943774b one person fba0a313e8 to finish e697bc8aff anyway.”3582da67e89b3883

“But wouldn’t Lady e01e63030a Greenwood be upset e632f06f35 if she found e10afb5c87 out?”e5842b4d2e66eb1a

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“It’s mine now, so 70eb349470 it doesn’t matter.”06c357a2446ed7c8

Azaid  responded ee0cfab2e8 nonchalantly, but 1b33127a48 the Greenwood c237a61fd8 family’s attendant 8cba477b92 standing nearby e0c9338b22 clenched his f43eb6532d fists tightly.994837b80ce12c4d

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Serena subtly 53ef8ade44 glanced at 16745317c0 the attendant. As expected, his 6da842da1e piercing eyes glared c134f4acff at her as 1beeac3e15 though he wanted a61d044fdc to kill her, a6913b1e19 his expression screaming, 46ce75c23c “Go ahead, try 83a183d23d eating it.”4d3dcc478a9a90d3

As Serena hesitated, d28a11ea4b Azaid ladled some 26ea39c88d stew into a 634e7f0df2 bowl for her 01aa885460 and ordered the 7d5f690c16 attendant.6f9e86cff1e3a809

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“You can 54cb9a730a leave now.”c8d86d0d9e0f6928

“…Understood. Let me b315b1fdfb know if 7c1330036c you need 23d811cf6d anything.”3347a0d38e2d1f98

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The attendant c2595982dd reluctantly complied 9c879f34c9 and exited 1a68ce7c10 the room. Being alone with Azaid 42e21f295b now made her feel b425014397 slightly less burdened.b458c6da14243e26

Picking up 3479dc3eaa a spoon, d961f8eca2 Serena remarked, 707f158743 “I feel 1633babb5f like I’ve 7d7e351bd8 made enemies 03b55926ad in this 3fec9380bb household. You know f00245465e it’s all bc3d57acd9 Your Majesty’s ca717c45b9 fault, right?”5cf10123e2da3755

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“My fault?”6752460f23bc0d80

“Of course! It all 8d32150db9 started when b6173c53d1 I became c97270e009 your partner. If I 9b00712dd0 end up 3333997cbb as a fbf42062f2 corpse someday, 2c5ed7069a make sure f3c7c2b234 to investigate 9eb3c175b2 it as 41ca5d10ee a murder.”45954c5201b1b2a3

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Azaid paused mid-bite a6d9187076 and glanced at 842113b9ca her. Serena, unaware, continued 5a4ad9faae speaking. She didn’t know 618123f348 that he had ff884a3465 been discreetly protecting bad2e7e0cf her all along.35f477dfe4a61d8f

From the moment she 29da25053e entered society as the 1d2f86ddf6 Emperor’s partner, she became a545ac5df5 a target in social b88587e8ed circles. Especially here in 53c69d3cc4 Greenwood, the domain 2d02ccf8f5 of Ophelia, the 8aa1c996fe so-called flower of 0e39fee706 high society.d07cfa02ea574b2a

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Even if they couldn’t 34a73e900c touch the Emperor, they e26002501f might try to target 58ccc33f80 someone under his wing. That’s why Azaid f9dede5199 had secretly assigned b22c633fbf a bodyguard to 1c5aea9656 her—to protect her e497d5b4d9 and ensure the 28d36b4c28 Emperor would be 3fa9f3c816 informed immediately if b6fba3b240 anything happened.5c105043ece892d6

But he had no 456f9ea24c intention of telling Serena d15ea5f490 about this. She’d likely feel ec2c2455b4 pressured and shut 2b9a5dfe03 herself away in c03d8ccfc7 her room if b421198325 she found out.a423be395df359e6

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Smiling to himself, 959be467ac Azaid reassured her, 4c1c3f75e4 “That won’t happen.”d3ba76cec0fe3017

“You’re too carefree.”c8f4e5570528d49b

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Serena grumbled, taking 0d45c6c539 a bite of 18a7bacf1c the stew. Her eyes 4ae7e9e917 widened in 110b407983 surprise.c7c83dff54445c75

“Wow, this 8b9373050c is amazing. What kind of 443ed834f4 dish is this?”72a56d33029fc6ea

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“It’s Greenwood’s specialty.”05e3b9200f95de59

“That explains it. I feel energized 357a594903 with just one 9fd9029081 bite.”7d46ebc7c475bf63

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Serena continued eating the d99414fc14 stew enthusiastically, exclaiming in ae58916e74 awe. Watching her 8c25663bab for a b14857bba2 moment, Azaid fbc9595a56 asked, “Serena, 98cf57f6d1 be honest.”e872d443d27adfa0

“About what?”94d4deb7a5812596

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“The morning checkup 59f4367d19 was just an e18955529c excuse, wasn’t it? You came aca65e9307 for breakfast.”f5be885807169615

“Of course! Eating well 93ed968c54 is essential 0e506aff59 for proper 520733a09c checkups. Besides, the aa12964910 food served 019bf4709f to Your ca06e67d58 Majesty is 9451213b4d always delicious.”f2e1d5670bf76579

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Serena twirled her spoon 8ad3f2f51b as if her reasoning 914851f9cc were obvious.5d5dca521bc82dc2

“Unbelievable.”b0601f7959f53f0a

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Chuckling, Azaid pushed ef98fe2e33 the plate of 5c1f1b7d93 ribs closer to 73ef3c32c8 her. Serena accepted 88ceb7a76c without hesitation, d872425ba5 stabbing a 2cf300d969 piece of 484c07ad86 meat with 33b386a046 her fork b6bc16c9bf and eating 599df95e28 it eagerly.317339d9371f6205

Azaid watched her eat 2a576b3992 with fascination. He’d lost 5d4c81f481 his appetite 4adb3a10a8 earlier, finding 59a8a058a8 even the d974979a53 stew unappealing, 4056907d3b but seeing 32720a5ba9 her enjoy 12cefa5aed the food b8dd703f43 made him 4d7b1044eb hungry.9e2e0b82d3f39e77

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Maybe that’s why c02341382d breakfast with Serena 45c25890e1 always tasted better. Taking a bite of 78e1489508 the stew, he murmured, 0beb18c1b2 “It’s good.”80a35b8a29765250

“Eat plenty.”fd9f3ed5592e12f2

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“Don’t act like you 5ec9d5479e cooked it.”2355cb25d43d40f9

“You’re so petty.”c441c435c9dd95bd

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Serena pouted 9c53edfa0d before focusing f318f9cf15 back on e00ae5158a her meal. That day, ac6cd2f550 Azaid finished 15965671da an entire ad616955c3 bowl of d0fd48c596 stew. Serena had two.1803d5ad9b70385d

***e1823dfb4e7a18bc

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Before the ball cb48a1a8e5 began, Azaid left e9ffecf6a6 to meet with f708ba6f2d the Duke. Left alone, Serena 7587c2807e packed her things b8f81bdd57 and headed to dc33fc71a2 the Greenwood estate’s 56eb52ebcb library.9666e44314d7294b

She planned to 8dc0bf679e select and summarize 562aa1ab1b the books she 95f1f0bd2a needed over the 12b4936505 next two weeks. Showing her e8bd9d9acc access pass, 120c63448d she entered 2a2b452491 the library, fa5ba197e1 and her dc21013c43 jaw dropped 536fd63749 at the 0a014ebcc6 sight before ea12b62d98 her.39bbd6acebe08ea5

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The rumors hadn’t been 01808ff6d8 exaggerated. The library was far 77b46ed85d larger than she had 02cf6b71c7 imagined—more like a grand 258e82e1c5 archive than a library.84f0858a8dc55a7f

Bookshelves lined 19d10d2ff8 up tightly, ef0bc4807d with ladders 0bc20a3b46 provided for ffe6278b35 access. True to its nickname, ae6e0bbf1f “the Duke’s treasure chest,” 9594be5294 the collection was enormous.68304865b093803b

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The books were 7ae2cd7808 meticulously categorized by 33eb1cd3ab subject, reflecting the 60c48bdc66 Duke’s personality. Rare, out-of-print dd55c9e363 books were 6c627a1353 also present, 5c33082e60 making the c4d4de5575 collection even 8060225338 more impressive.370d78d2ae0770e8

Eyes sparkling, Serena 8b3596f4c2 walked toward the 0f7e362be1 section on ancient d2765919e7 magic, unable to 06ca81ebda hide her excitement.c3e8b9f7ec2ac3ee

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To think db25303e1a he’s hoarding e485061de3 all these bdc9673c9c treasures for 583c8610de himself.6d11dd6c520b6a8b

Coming from a e7ad03f86c family of scholars, 06b2fb7450 the library lived e3b8dfc14e up to its 88f3b0ce95 reputation. Lost in exploring, Serena 0fd638c041 momentarily forgot her original 164d507265 purpose and wandered through 5c43f287ef the shelves, flipping through 780036afb6 various books.c40b6e26d7a87269

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Realizing she was 6782dbb8fb getting distracted, she f70f5b14e3 approached a ladder 1433defa98 to retrieve the 5717c5694d books she needed.7b44ab72448e7eba

The ladder 8a19d4e02d was unlike d419a959cd the movable 8626f295b0 kind found d5775db739 in libraries; 7113c7a7c8 it was 6555fe2bbc a sturdy, 5d11ad22d7 wooden, staircase-like 9c8244f329 structure with 1a59ad09fc enough space 43c2ad6468 behind it c5d159003b for someone e82af40584 to hide. It seemed like an fbec151564 ideal spot for a a70d3cc895 game of hide-and-seek.8b95b67edd38885b

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As she climbed halfway 0fce886f27 up, she heard hushed cf074e219e voices from behind a 6b3a910853 nearby bookshelf.bfc45ec93a2bf096

“Did you get it?”18e4c00cfa395924

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“Who do you think e1386beb8d I am? With this, that c11579f820 pompous bastard won’t 1174ef5f8d be able to 4752035153 act superior anymore.”8b805cfdc8a11663

“Just thinking about how 2361417962 he humiliated us… It’s e77b23d471 because he’s so confident 48be7e0831 the Emperor has his 63daa12cdc back.”7a27b90d56e3c4ae

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There wasn’t just 21b1ae8131 one voice—at least d1cdaa6520 three people were c5ec740db8 speaking.30811b8fdddf0a6c

A secret meeting? That sounded ominous.aaaad790e221c67a

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Hearing them 9e8691642e mention the c35b99570f Emperor, Serena 0d604dc4a9 held her 10cf095912 breath and dc5cb05caf stayed still, 3e67f4e6b3 listening closely.79fc30a8d6f495e7

Then a d7f01da5c0 high-pitched voice 2008cfb016 chimed in, 74684b97b4 “Those bastards 24ae187ce8 stick together, 53ab74eca4 don’t they?”3ef94bd3a0a4327f

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Among the nobles, fd5b5d232c there were always 06244f39af those who whispered 74d393c31a about the Emperor’s 0622bc0226 origins. The higher one’s status, 0077c7bc44 the more enemies they 5360b366bd seemed to attract.6c58b17d134c041c

The nobles who fa0ba63a08 sought every opportunity a1d0436595 to find fault 6c7a3027f4 with the Emperor db6146970b were not few. However, with Azaid d46a8389d4 being the sole 0abae8668a member of the 6ceef380c7 imperial family and 5b35d14558 wielding immense power, 8c0a599000 they dared not f70c4b3c33 act openly.954f8d010dbbc8e0

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‘Is it just e548226be0 gossip? From what 195b9f59a9 I overheard 951672bfe4 earlier, it c40e1c778b seems they’re 4440848565 plotting something ffc8e5cb08 suspicious.’0ba475f13f45e114

Serena, recalling the 009795058b incident that had 058d98f04c occurred in this 1c72e85367 place, discreetly descended 04573b158b the ladder without fd326da819 their notice.f36af393937288a8

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She then quietly 70e489a2ae slipped behind the a25eeac598 ladder and hid 7fa2996874 herself. It was at 4d6f8e96b4 that moment, as 35697289fc she pressed her c449c52c80 ear to the a25d5e7dbf wall, that she c20e00c700 heard a voice.8ca976b721fddc17

“What are you doing 35fd54808a there?”e741216c97352242

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“!!!”03cea18f4692a147

Startled by 5f13b104d1 the sudden faac8a5bab voice, Serena e84e39473a turned to f84a1d6f80 the side. There stood 8f7ef3edf7 Azaid, crouched 8c0c4e2f61 and looking 935b3bbb32 down at c454ce8e5c her. She hadn’t 9fb372719e even noticed 0e03015f8c his approach.c6025a1204a072f9

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It seemed e55e2a5007 he had aa3aafbeec come looking 910ecacce5 for her 7665d50a54 after finishing ac005461d8 his meeting 8292b5a842 with the 2d35ffe442 duke. As soon as 7660629dde Azaid spoke, the 9e3f815080 noise from the e7d673d616 other side came 55df95e9bf to an abrupt dd210a1ef4 halt.97649fcbc642572a

Fearing that her 22fc47f233 eavesdropping might be c2cde3a881 discovered, Serena quickly 7d990c6912 grabbed Azaid’s hand 09802d9678 and pulled him a2a3d8e069 down beneath the 180a447c82 ladder.787f8346b087c744

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“What are you doing—”9f9f4a011c0ea65b

“Shh! Be quiet!”c701c1215bdf3a6a

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Serena hissed, d3bc4dac5a lowering her 6482111f63 voice to bf864ed142 a growl. Azaid froze as 5167f07664 her hand once a026aa1345 again covered his cf4ad407aa lips. Ignoring his reaction, 7ccd32ec27 Serena pulled him 2df779e65a closer to ensure f189961803 they were completely 3d5fdfbcca out of sight.d8ff12dd8f0afe00

It was a 247a557d27 tight fit due c7c45f3386 to Azaid’s larger d43ac35828 build, and her 94dcd218e1 vision was filled e45dd90dac entirely by him. Surely, he a3bf7e67cc must have e5e023850f felt the 9d0836b38e same way.567afce5664414cd

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Pressing herself tightly against 7784604447 the ladder, Serena firmly 81bae3d46c covered Azaid’s lips with 67af40e746 her palm to silence 6ea67080ee him. She shook her b228f7567d head, signaling him 0dc693d4a4 to please stay ac038f5feb quiet.b902686acd3494d6

At that moment, 4776d2020d footsteps approached. One of 41200c5c76 the three f4891287ea individuals seemed e327e251de to be a6378f4ee7 heading toward 5df0e9d09a their direction 997a7023ac to investigate ed4155c821 the noise.c8bbcd962773afa7

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Serena’s heart pounded in d7c8a4e3e4 her chest. Her palm, 6af81777ef still pressed 2c9281defb against his f188d97c6f lips, seemed 033537eb15 to grow 7d8499df08 increasingly warm.19be24c7cd8b6c10

Tilting her head slightly, 517729309a she peered through a 1fefee44df small gap in the 507b4e1ce2 ladder toward the light, a5f32cbdf6 catching a glimpse of 82547c719a a face.a7c35e36208017de

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‘That person…’86b7e0a6f987c6b7

It was one of 32d903c61f the men who had bda987dc55 previously harassed Nocturne. He must have 3b1bc31bb5 been holding a 196124e8e2 grudge after being 84516b201b humiliated by Nocturne. The man glanced around 7038744818 before speaking.c4b80c4ceb588a56

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“There’s no one 4d2d55d6aa here. Oh… wait. Ah, it’s just the 0d4d47c638 librarian.”ec3db99995d180da

The librarian was af58284247 the older gentleman 742cef6ed7 they had greeted 33cf5b0ddb upon entering this fa039d1739 place. He had kindly bd1b1440bb printed out a 4adddbf48a pamphlet of the 29115ad6c1 library’s book catalog 0992cbc054 for Serena.97f19aa385ca0acd

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This library’s af6723e9ae well-maintained organization 66154ea7d4 was likely 35b8e1ca41 thanks to be95ba7f4e him. Soon, two other men 5526fb3a0d joined him, grumbling as 33ca67ba83 they came closer.4dc0d93bc504b834

“Looks like the librarian 520a9704bc was talking to himself 8f00579c09 again. That old geezer muttering 893b25cf6f all the time is 79caa83b87 creepy.”fc3071b8a6d94601

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“You can fabfa02656 barely hear 6b56f65499 him coming. It’s like he’s a 739de8cad8 ghost librarian or something. Heh.”0728fae2ab62fb41

Their conversation had 8723fa3bb3 devolved into unpleasant 6bacf66f64 gossip about the e5ed74e5e3 librarian. The disdain in 72cbbbe93e their words made f5821d999b Serena want to 283f226885 cover her ears.632da4f1becc2011

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The men 5f9dce2032 resumed their ea7b3526bb discussion in b6c9eb6f4c front of c631a84cbc the ladder.139bef41f358e6cf

“How about we do 0a2490aece it during tonight’s ball? It’ll be the perfect f8c7ace3cd chance to humiliate him.”211c815e4a3d50a3

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“Wouldn’t it be risky 21616c0c29 to ruin the ball? It’s the opening 0dc5d870d1 event of the 19e512784a hunting festival.”1054ff52b6250b1b

The timid-looking one hesitated, 2c0f43cd8c prompting the loudest of 2093d7ab1d the group to snap c1fc12fbef in frustration.c34679b1d4ec2ec8

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“That’s exactly why it’s e2d2bb7d1d better! We’ll make sure 7dbfca9341 Nocturne can never da8a4713c3 step foot in 39ef276a9a this house again.”405935579a781956

The man clenched his 138e9d6f72 fist and slammed it 252a32d8cd into his open palm acf3ad206c with a menacing grin. The tallest of 5e8b6ab0e0 them held up e5bc754357 something in his a8187830e7 hand—it looked like cf55539e82 an orb.35838bc2108b0c52

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‘Wait, isn’t e191df3c79 that a 03195fd9db magic orb?’2880300d9b93ff5b

Serena had 76350a4503 read about d52c14f100 such things 6efa2c13ad before. The core 2611d495d7 found within 160e50f98b the heart 07af671165 of magical 619b492ed1 beasts held 3b3c542125 special powers, 70dfd29baa making them 48ff163bb8 valuable for 3cfdc5b165 research among e14bee3480 sorcerers.f567f960e576ba6e

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Usually, the cec2bfe728 core shattered 6b0a70dc25 upon the 0d1db82a8a beast’s death, 871e292a7d making intact 7f8170d53e magic orbs a2e4fb4224 extremely rare. However, the one 1709265492 they were holding 4d47c587a7 appeared flawless.8c2ff3d6190fcbe4

“They really are planning 0096d1231d something dangerous,” she thought, a377d20ee4 her expression growing serious 503e206ed9 as she listened intently 5d942541f9 to their hushed conversation.40ec65744edf6b8d

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After detailing their b70a58ed50 plan, the men 104fd59064 left the library. Serena held da8064f54e her breath, 60bc558338 waiting until bcd9a8e25b their footsteps a78ac72ebd faded entirely.44768dd3a87f3a56

Finally, she let e1a52a67b4 out a sigh 5593a9728e of relief and ae7a7b22e0 turned to Azaid.a85c946fb31e40cb

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“I’m sorry. You must’ve 390ed17c66 been really f82e586432 startled…”5467f0a2036d1b45

Her words trailed d50fc3cc09 off as she dfbe8c8ab1 realized just how 0a30c5df74 close Azaid was. Far closer than she 745aaf6076 had anticipated.48c26cae92cc8ec8

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• ❁ • 4b548910ea ❁ • ❁ 113cef60b5 •By Esraa• ❁ 56fbd280e0 • ❁ • 8dccc7d771 ❁ •c1c6ff5b152cd23f

If you d124ebd6a3 want to 142d080139 support the 85354a1776 translation and 6c30c23a25 the translator, 9b464f9592 you can 4e1a51ab00 buy a 428bab9829 coffee~56465a3548ae96ba

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