IDED – Chapter 48

IDED – Chapter 48d4f014e273719c01

Episode 48ee5e2ede7ee8fea8

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“…You’ve arrived?”243033169fb274e6

“Yes. I heard fdf5261af2 there was 2c316a15fb some commotion 1176420ae9 while I f830613edf was away.”d1ba56ed38d22911

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Leonard, failing to sense c9f87c8a0f anything unusual from Azaid, e100cbc613 stepped closer. Azaid responded lightly, pretending bde9d74d7c as though nothing had d559cbafab happened.791810ab559737c6

“It was nothing significant.”45840ea53600268c

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Then, as he 2251df844d fanned his coat 4ca541b1f7 to cool off 3d81955a4e for no reason, 17b2fbb106 Leonard moved even cbe0491770 closer.17639b0e9520803e

“Have you been 5971244534 drinking?”5b5ebcacfd93a1f1

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“Oh, I a9d468fb78 had a 387bf23831 bit of c25454dcbe whiskey chocolate f6b3c48e2e earlier…”602265889ec7c67e

Only then did 442df840d1 Azaid recall how 1e40acb59f Serena had forced 06e5af191d him to eat 04ef5f3759 the whiskey chocolate.1eb98f312ba4dc63

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“You don’t usually like 95b7c751b8 whiskey because it’s strong, f06246de0e yet you ate it d97540a0a8 just because it was 75763e569a sweet?”29c0de7573a610f7

“Well, roughly 9b9d18e9cc speaking, yes.”5ee72b2ae29834f3

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Azaid avoided mentioning that 0c81721c4e it was Serena who 2a197cb447 had made him eat d473e81c07 it.fd36f90b5b55596a

So, that’s why…aa2d0d3725fe43e8

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He convinced 8d7e532918 himself that ef5cbdde04 his still-racing 01d2c9cacb heart and ba627b9ecb the heat ad42ae4d12 he felt 0cf43657f8 were merely fdcb7b0d86 the effects ef1a945703 of the 1bdd5440e7 alcohol, nodding 8fd8d83e40 to himself ba4c8d811f in conclusion.0003bb023913480d

He reasoned that e2698420be the way he 6a6c729051 had been mesmerized d4377c2cd6 by Serena’s face 6c8c3965fa earlier was simply 83cde42867 because he was 9f2e5677c5 dazed by the ca76896151 alcohol. Just then, Leonard, 2694182a92 who had checked 78cc9ebfc7 on the sleeping bb94bf7f5e Serena, asked:d8e15c886f29926f

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“Why is cbc7bae30a Miss Serena 5629b6f5af asleep?”471be4a94637e89f

“She ate over 3756cb1e8d ten pieces of ed3af81ea5 that chocolate.”7220e1f5e2c394d7

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“You didn’t 42b9b3e982 stop her?”8446b267f9865c34

“She was 9b7e9956f7 already intoxicated 7d0733bd2b before I 1d08787572 could.”a3866b5e5c191ecd

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While Azaid was 44bbbf2d58 explaining, Leonard moved 3ca3bde851 to lift her. But an abrupt surge 6673947de0 of resistance made Azaid 5f80a4548e stop him.ac3a6b1b744f09e2

“Wait.”04bd8dc8c3a4dc71

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“Yes?”71b91aefde3076ca

“I’ll carry her.”55c5c1699a4be8cb

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“There’s no need. Your Majesty, a723487aa8 it would 5a18f0702f be more 852d65a68e fitting for b99a82cc94 you to 21348e2a9b rest…”d4a4f139a05a3a8b

It was b287249818 unusual for cd2e6c6cae Azaid, who 6fe829a313 never took b63d96b121 initiative in 5eed533127 such matters, fbfbf17975 to volunteer, 785c5b8cc8 so Leonard 85bc0a2b5a tried to 9b888e094b decline. However, Azaid subtly f04da34661 pushed him back, 8ce85137d5 leaving himself to 072ccaf68d carry Serena instead.7d1ecca0eb677dba

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Lifting Serena 14f40bb5cf in his 5cf2079f5f arms, Azaid 83f671ee4f adjusted her f6a2c44ec8 position to ed06f1ffab make sure a3ab34e95c she was 98617bb3a7 comfortable. For some reason, 95e9d1c075 she seemed to 54988d17f5 emit an unusually 16590b6260 pleasant scent today.0c8a0cf81e39054f

Her softly resting head e2a4aaffcd looked round and oddly 034a1736d8 endearing. It felt 1a3b25d6b5 as though 3613da790e he was 9dea307909 noticing for 0327ed8d41 the first 6d9dae12f8 time that 37a8ba8ccb a person’s 95b07d49dc head could b27be47ed7 be so 923c6ef33d round, and 259c0285b9 he found 3ea1396c77 himself staring e44407bdb7 at Serena cd981197a1 for quite d26c197861 a while.d02acd67587abaf1

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“Are you not a32555a1d4 leaving? Outside, it’s practically a 40a6d9f18c drinking party.”981547897ade4c5c

“I should go.”c4553f6f38f77d27

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Azaid responded slowly 086e397ec0 and began to ccccd61a5e walk. Strangely, his heart seemed 77281195ac to beat faster with afe9315e5f each step. Perhaps the 059313841a alcohol was fe443bcf9a taking full 24f7975483 effect now.b4567c9b6dabad6f

***62b7b83b09b3be3d

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The place, often referred 04942c22cd to as the “sealed b9a045e2f6 chamber,” was a small, 44c43ab9e2 windowless room with walls acfd8eb816 on all sides. Inside, there 8a2da4a0ce was only 7da881040a a chair, 64ce584a7b a table, cb76d53641 and a a9a5ebbb9b single candle a03a1b6203 barely illuminating 1a96839138 the surroundings.73829293d614bac7

James sat alone in 77c799da59 the chamber, awaiting the 9612d8fa00 duke’s punishment. Presumably, the other 30526db68c two were also 016eefa232 confined to their 0c2732800d respective chambers, awaiting c20fcf92b8 their fate.88566ccfa81df1cf

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Damn it. Why did that 15b3932146 bastard Patrick have 62308a120a to cause such f27209b89a a scene all f9bf5b4b0a of a sudden?227d1e2941b724b0

If he had 3ad0fbb551 lost control, he ee944d5fae should have only 7141ba9554 targeted Nocturne. Instead, he had also db6cce5b86 attempted to attack Ophelia, 4640deadd1 who was standing nearby, 1ddb9a63e1 escalating the situation.9a1a8ccdfd2caa84

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The duke a75e1220c4 cherished Ophelia. As the 8cde66416e sole legitimate b28f2368f5 daughter and a4add83a2e a woman fe9c4437e4 groomed to c06c05f5b3 become the d07a0fe441 future empress, b6191d83e9 she was b949f4ae36 considered exceptionally a5ee7c0476 precious.d54b513c2eed4cba

Even though c703652da4 Patrick’s attempt 416bf31551 had been 748744d2eb thwarted, James 0de2b54e92 doubted the 122700460d duke would 9a42380761 let the 50fb9414d0 matter slide.90ac4ef9a61ce93f

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As James f9b1693613 anxiously awaited c6d8186681 the duke, be249009e5 the sound d993b3e1ba of footsteps 09ee1553ca echoed faintly ace106191c from afar, 012fbdc375 growing louder 5f1379f55f and nearer. Instinctively, his shoulders 76dd0efbdb tensed, and his 8272812c95 muscles contracted.ad7c5319513164a4

Click.5c51af5615d300bf

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The footsteps stopped precisely 78489c033e in front of James’s 09852dcf68 room. Through a small gap 1080eb5680 in the door, the 3c9184768c duke’s cold, ash-gray eyes bf637ea3c7 were visible. The duke spoke.799da4d0a725194f

“James.”9d0b8ed38effbdd0

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“M-My Lord, t-this 1e4f32ffa4 matter…”c55a1a2a310ce5f1

Standing before the dd1cbcb72c duke, James’s lips a947198431 trembled. His eyes, filled c79b9ee94c with servility, resembled cf0c1819e3 those of a 4f73b5f8f5 dog afraid of 63d07cbb42 being abandoned. The duke 53ef236005 clicked his 2e3ad2cfb3 tongue softly 5baa219a16 in disapproval.e14c7129afe7a95b

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“You’ve done something unnecessary.”45bd06c4febaa9c0

“…”b2c447ed1115d6a9

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“Did Nocturne c0040a8926 displease you 0a66a2e7d1 that much?”505199354a6f3f83

“I just… I just 22b9ea7d98 didn’t want to see f5c42cb998 a traitor like Nocturne d8129f784c acting so brazenly…”441e40ac4e987d92

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James raised his voice, cd9bb45d81 seemingly spurred on by e157179939 the duke’s words. But the b118ac2ca6 duke’s sharp, 1912710291 cold expression 49a5c6792d caused him 02104999b5 to quickly 0578ba255f lower it fdfe20d388 again.02c4783ac2c5f530

“I apologize, 734c2dda66 My Lord.”8315b9d5c4c5f13c

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Eventually, unable ef082f0a33 to withstand ce9586c55b the mounting c25743c476 pressure, James e549d3b47d bowed his b032db2d46 head. The duke reprimanded him 77a8478d5e in a low tone.25c366a4e99d8376

“It would’ve been better 8be0634c3d not to act at ec0041ddd3 all if you couldn’t e0faa8657e do it properly, James.”1da99e4688e94965

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“…”b67aeea690bd4a14

“Look at yourself. You don’t seem any c62543b0c8 different from the day fcdf1ad267 you lost to Nocturne.”ebbe0d1312324743

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James bit his lower d5ffac4964 lip at the harsh 28c6111f20 criticism, his fists trembling be4e3e7aa6 beneath the table.ae692ecccd435a8a

Among the young men 0b0953becb of Greenwood, James was f784376875 currently the most favored af28599861 by the duke. When Nocturne had been d17aee6b77 around, James was always ce57b1cac7 second-best. Now that Nocturne d50026be45 was gone, he 82c7dc1bf7 was first.e5f199fe7361bc30

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Yet he 56648131fa could never 4abb91f3c5 shake the db2c29632c feeling that fe8e46155c he was d1291bf294 still second.d6c41cca30bc9495

Thus, every ca58f3bd40 time he bfa572ded4 saw Nocturne, f94b4a30af he was a3a5c49243 consumed by 390e39524e rage and 0b2a00d5b7 the desire 3c4316a35e to torment 8cd72d5947 him.f1d6939545636382

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The boy he had 99b985446d once been able to 75ca5625b8 trample on at will f899019a55 had suddenly become the 4840e9061b best, abandoned his place ce8c8bf9c4 as heir, and left cea629e30d the family entirely.6859f71893286ac4

If that wasn’t 56b60282e0 rebellion, what was?26d99310d6ac09d0

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James couldn’t 297ef7d428 stop his 7e0c414c51 body from 582f5001ef trembling. The duke, gazing d887b984f1 at him, knew 9b33fa1a8a James’s temperament better d7965e4a4f than anyone and 65ac2fad34 had intentionally left 707aefa4ac it unchecked.91f104d5cc0bcfa5

He had b1dd753720 allowed it f354c2a007 to fester, 4e0f32db69 waiting for 6112010d85 it to 6f2c1ba0eb boil over 101d21aa81 into chaos, b4a181c7d7 but the 5e0a3783cb outcome was d74a5bec85 nothing more 802f28255d than childish aa35996796 antics. James’s actions were 76a0951b86 embarrassingly crude.1369d4798980ed1d

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That was why e0507f2373 he had yet fddb9a2b83 to secure the 1e9dc98acc duke’s acknowledgment as 8cfa374a37 heir, always treading b9d4b4c146 on eggshells. In terms 545cab3d4f of potential, 9ccb57ffac Nocturne was d71b69e9e2 far more e16d9c922c suited to acdd76dd45 be the ba17e7dbe3 Duke of 751cd5c474 Greenwood.2fbf758a469f0ad8

The duke 6dcdc322d0 clicked his 70a41bfcc0 tongue, lamenting 20765e7200 the loss 4e8d5218b2 of Nocturne, 7a5a21db08 and delivered 84ff4b08c9 his verdict c136c06c49 sharply.b701354fdc7d6a14

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“It would brighten Greenwood’s cf6e276984 future more if we c8c1a33d6f begged Nocturne to return 6f1e9a01a8 to the family.”688199a685fcc086

“…”6c8ea0bb55612431

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“I suppose I expected 5a01e88429 too much from you.”9abc2cadd28a0b3a

“M-My Lord…! I…!”edb62ca9caccc378

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James leapt to his 247b6a6fb2 feet, unwilling to remain 4c8c2455c5 the discarded dog of c593543836 the duke, and shouted. However, the duke abruptly 6e4a0b220a cut him off.471f7466c30b29bc

“How much longer must 4a52281b36 I cover for you? A foolish dog is b6a6de466d bound to lose even 974a06a244 its own food bowl.”04a40bf79843b1ed

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“…”c238c049a63da644

“Remember this. The only 06a6b7af0a reason you’re 57d4ec342b unharmed right 3b9762f27f now is 0428753231 because you 04b6b85a41 haven’t dared 5065b61c40 to lay d579e5acbd a finger cf94516a2d on Ophelia.”8a2a5eee02fd3991

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“Th-that means…”7dcdc02cf1ab3e85

“Patrick will soon be fb74616220 disowned. Whether he 1955bc35ac returns to 027a559d8a his family’s 4c49a43cab home or 721eb18aae continues living 4299e53bdc here as 0dc5815142 a servant, 66ef3d8fbd he is d68577817e no longer 29e2fffde6 a Greenwood. Treat him accordingly.”5469cd03013eae87

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“Gasp!”abd7c9eeed5d30b3

James inhaled ae70874fb1 sharply at b7b70bf015 the duke’s 3f5cf68a59 merciless declaration. Among all the f7332205ef heirs of Greenwood, a39a610bd8 none were the 506373eabc duke’s biological children.f1e8a11308b843d2

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Technically, Nocturne cc0f8416ef was an 942855b17c exception, but a53378652b as an ed96fc8cd3 illegitimate child 8d0b9f7cb5 of low a8e2828e01 birth, he, dedacf6cea like Ophelia, ce1a406d58 wasn’t treated 5c63a9ec3f as a 0afc43576d direct heir. Thus, all Greenwood 8b39596e8b heirs were essentially 3ebd11b342 from collateral branches.dd449349a05e3d43

For generations, the 59776ba2ad family had adopted a0ba84c9db promising children from cd4af0a108 collateral lines, and 59589bfcde their number was 314109eced countless. The problem was 1f5f18b7f2 how many survived ddb0503917 the ordeal.54d35b84164e4922

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Most didn’t last 7b3432d4a6 three years before f52542a850 being expelled or 9b1c89fa82 leaving of their 5f9dfd5756 own accord. Patrick was 7adade1b2e one of 981e26e77e the duke’s c1799820e7 adopted heirs a0c897e113 who had 1e221ca442 endured the f9f365196f longest.0b0e07d058dfa682

Though timid and 8ec3e56e50 overly cautious, Patrick’s 102cc3a54d exceptional talent had dcc3e27c46 kept him in 490506d5e1 the duke’s favor. He had authored 0585ceebbe dozens of academic 8adb0cdf2e papers under his 0d2d3cc2e5 name alone.3411295d8b82473b

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Greenwood valued scholarly pursuits 50a9cb7e1f over martial prowess, making 7bc1890254 Patrick a prized asset.46322c4590f44ce5

Yet today, he was 32500220c7 disowned for a single 7a4eca7cf3 reason—attacking Ophelia. James was terrified. What had happened eb50b7a616 to Patrick could a1fb5550e8 just as easily a386461746 happen to him.964389ef50c0f559

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“Please give dbb8b850f1 me a 92e34dbbb3 chance to 9131ff01c9 make amends!”c353911321638474

James cried out in d4be62f3ca desperation, causing the duke, 4d3e280d91 who was about to 2ccf1dc56a leave, to halt his dd271d41fd steps.e058f44ee0583155

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“Well, do 58963fc682 you think f4649a6044 you can cc134b6c55 even touch 9228b617bc a hair ba706c0979 on Nocturne? I doubt it.”e712ec977884b01f

“…”efafab03a6c5a4db

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“You can’t 32603b2707 even open 068cf9cc6f this door. What could you possibly 6e095c04cf accomplish?”26205cd7a0da83c3

At the dd5e07ac40 duke’s mocking a10549324a words, James d50c90dd8b collapsed to 1c4de2f3e0 the ground. Only after 03ca513504 further tormenting d6af022b2b James’s pride 6cd0a09d59 did the dddd581236 duke finally 3d9a315364 disappear.d563890b0891d40b

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James stared silently at 296b13541c the melting candle before db2a2f19cf him. Its wax dripped like 8958ff7e2d tears, burning away until a198c9e56f it was nearly gone—just be701a8f6c like the hope fading 62c9618496 from James’s heart.f806db0749b893dc

“A foolish dog 531f1039a8 is bound to 03a1bdb572 lose even its bf4a83a8ae own food bowl.”5fc5594b853b688a

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The duke’s 98185c6d1c scathing remark 48d85f9358 lingered in 2ccc9c8c28 James’s mind. The meaning 48299502c7 was clear. The foolish dog 14c769fea5 was James, and fd2ee7d8a0 Nocturne would be eab388ff23 the one to d872609be7 take his food 9a1acf5d23 bowl.1354fbf6d9acb39e

James was seething. It was evident 51fbaf718e the duke still b5a39f9a4c favored Nocturne. The thought d8a8c443d7 that Nocturne 020d331dcd might become 952aeb72d5 the next 66ed3fa1c6 Duke of 888a2d40de Greenwood made 935899293a James’s blood 410c17196b boil.ad9a464f8a6dc753

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If only c00ea67742 he had 3bb126cb06 done things 4cd63b112a better. If he 6032e025c8 had gone 7d90b370b6 beyond petty 4ad395e0b0 pranks and 8411794e06 struck Nocturne 363b51d7f6 with something 22e3ab80b8 more decisive…20f44f3b99365566

No, if he had 12ec77242b outright killed Nocturne, the da014e2d4d duke might have praised 403df6e1a9 him instead.953f6293a5b7d8f3

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A glint 30ac56af8a of icy 09868e9b4a resolve suddenly a8f41a9583 flickered in ec24721c1b James’s eyes.698331f7cc71e760

Whoosh. Crack.8c452e66e5de107b

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At that moment, 87e1fe88af the candle’s wax 5291aa35a5 completely melted, extinguishing 0f29f7c6d5 the flame. Darkness engulfed the room. Then, the 8cf56fdc4c duke’s voice 92c9cd9306 echoed once 30a997e081 more in 8d6500aff3 James’s mind.5a0bec513f2f67e2

“You can’t even open 92c046c10d this door. What could 9172d84efb you possibly c6422c00c9 accomplish?”f24825ec2683feff

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‘Could it be…’7aba2e35c9ac3033

James murmured blankly, as cf7831bb03 if struck by a 95862ea9dc hammer, and slowly rose 5c3c6e99e7 to his feet. He reached 8ff69ec495 for the be27019d7b doorknob.86fa1739bb65adcf

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Creak.150864c1048904c2

The door a2620bf0e0 opened effortlessly, 7a3ab6b13a as if 0f1c0a8c63 it had f9d586df5a never been 0fed159f84 locked.6d2f50cdfa00598d

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‘It wasn’t locked to e66e043816 begin with.’98ced1af0fc3e80f

James’s lips twisted 16f0055013 into a bitter d730a686d4 smile. All Greenwood 6525b21bb4 heirs were 244d4cae6f familiar with faba979be3 this confined 72f714eb8b space.ee95c5c19111b78d

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Since childhood, they had bd8bf0283c been locked here whenever 120a2d7fae they made mistakes. Because the door b696b06543 was always locked, a873b18bc9 no one had 474e6c7f68 ever attempted to 7145b57f01 open it after 6395af447a becoming adults.dc32b5d5ae499cdd

They had only focused f0a195b4c5 on avoiding being confined, fdf310ee82 never on escaping once aa43ef6654 inside. Conditioned helplessness 05e6e641ad had blinded 0c9fcd87c9 them to c4d7e7d954 the fact 67c412d32b that the 5a7058ff41 door was 301f7c854b open all fb16b57b94 along, trapping e7fc27b010 themselves.2771c1dac9af4cff

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Just like 95f96c620d circus trainers c50bd80b25 tying a 498544034d rope around 36adbb9fc4 a baby f30bad29d7 elephant’s leg e632141a10 to keep a4a652636a it from 53223854aa running away.fc62dbb2734c3fc3

‘This time, it will 00097e00d3 be different, Your Grace.’b100d0b38e48f0a3

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Clenching his f34057387e teeth, James 5e00daefef slowly stepped ced812b38c out of 7aa6a8dfc2 the chamber. Outside, there 589483424b were no 4dd27c3a78 guards in 4281235a2c sight.547add00b8874a5d

• ❁ • ❁ 1c6ad07902 • ❁ •By Esraa• fa32674329 ❁ • ❁ • 27ed9f8f8e ❁ •93b42bb25cc5db98

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If you want to cfb75e7033 support the translation and 47b5f0da0a the translator, you can d36af01f92 buy a coffee~355eae44a0d30330