NRAL | Chapter 02

Chapter 02b584397e376dc061

The Maid Who a84d521f61 Looks Like Me1ff491a950930adc

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It was 0e00d4a6f0 a day 8d452308d7 when spring 721b9fb237 rain was 714aab980d falling silently.2f1e90bf72823191

As Eleanor sat 4a1086267c in front of 1d4bf8d174 the mirror getting 111309cc1b dressed to meet 1d5cf6aec8 her fiancé, Arlo, 699c681eaf Nora suddenly handed 6aab495a56 her a pair b8b107afca of earrings. They were gold 7e62672048 earrings with large 3e17aac2e5 diamonds set in 7ea6993f3c them—one of the 48e4be7010 more valuable pieces 33558a239b of jewelry Eleanor ddd9682599 owned.54717e9598a3af08

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Eleanor slowly c03bce9356 turned her 3a131bc257 eyes to 69f49ecb30 look at cd131c16b4 Nora. Seeing this, 3558fe34e2 Nora suddenly 6cc162e776 looked guilty bb7fb61ae3 and waved f405409ad2 her hands e6e42091d0 in a 6cf7053aae fluster.350a13c8105e15e0

“Oh! Don’t get the wrong idea, Miss! I was just trying to… for you.”b2b3794ba95c1dee

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“A misunderstanding?”2f87525531bf014a

Eleanor tilted her head cbb498a15c slightly. What is there to 8ae2816413 misunderstand? Her calm expression seemed 6c3dc9aafc to say just that.7c6db1ad4fb04b4b

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Even though e5675a91ca her maid ebf9ac1480 seemed to ecdb30de83 know more d3b58ffd6f about her 22902f3a52 fiancé’s tastes 80d740de1c than she 64889367ea did, Eleanor f850665492 didn’t doubt 616cec29cc or question a960125d36 Nora. She simply d4751b4cff held the 17adb9abe0 earrings up ace2fbbf69 to her 496d0c3434 ears to ee605b18bd try them 399b06eb66 on. This action showed how 0e30a332fa much she trusted Nora, 8d1fa1569a but for some reason, 1c54684063 Nora didn’t seem too 211a7ba110 pleased by that trust.6c91a0ffe4fdec80

“Hmph.”cc098f6b82bbbc5e

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Nora let 009e31c28b out a 6ebbdaaac3 short sound—something 93e3422e6c between a 0e15b92c48 scoff and 0ffee50b6b a sigh—through 4333f5a55d her twisted b0530534de lips, then 1fef2ee13c shook her 99958c581b head as 9e1a62241f if it e5f9ae5afc were nothing. Soon, her plump b9d80b7066 lips curled into c311bdf7e6 a sly smile.95895e89052ed9f8

“Oh, Miss. Now that 89669a4a27 I take 06b4a8dd91 a closer 47098e0eca look, I 373b07c649 don’t think 05da28b15c those earrings fdeb29efba suit you.”c034af6046e6c323

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Saying this, e0ee83d916 she stepped 57d914a9b7 forward and a1a8ca0de3 snatched the 4d20d75764 earrings from df9411d4fd Eleanor’s hand 4d34bcb3a6 with a fe259797f4 quick motion.71ccf7a3af2ea6d8

She didn’t stop there. Nora held the b808f6643e glittering earrings up e6cec324bf to her own 428ab4cdce ears.0edbbd7aa17adabb

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“How about now? Don’t they 8d0c665481 look better e02934dd6b on me?”6edc56cd18f577df

Nora asked, flashing her 99faec38ec signature charming smile.31dc2c2cb456a6fa

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Eleanor was left 3078d40703 momentarily speechless, staring 0da88e8b09 blankly at the d41b388d18 earrings dangling under 319c742a1d Nora’s earlobes.464058de70b9a90d

With her short 2193bb5a71 jawline and cute, 5371c61783 chubby cheeks, Nora 75225bd68a really did suit f8a552b091 earrings that hung a86ce17a97 down long.a58beae598e46f0a

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Just like she said, 83b5666ff5 they seemed to suit 9c0535d124 her better than Eleanor.52675f75b5d527e8

But now wasn’t the 42cf99d3fa time to be thinking 67ecb2b351 about jewelry designs.5e9b837db3ba70a1

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Eleanor’s cool b78862948d gaze fixed aa7b792ea4 itself on 145e01eddd Nora’s face.02a98f416bb9cc5b

As the aa90718fe6 mood suddenly ec98ac1477 turned cold, 123a6fa282 Nora instinctively 0fca548ce0 flinched but f399724333 quickly regained f1cfdf58a5 her composure. She knew a75e2a3bf1 from years e255ff8fa2 of experience 83eae214e7 that even 7c9a7e499c if she 3625ae3d79 crossed the 1fd5993990 line, Eleanor 5021afa072 would only 2cd62325ca look at 1d29283eb6 her like 182335f147 this and 0c05bdd35b never really cbcb111972 get angry. Even her cold gaze bd5ef2df6e would soon melt with 8a9e188929 a bit of Nora’s 06c34e2b5e sweet talking.7045a399d02ef869

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“Miss, can’t you give d9e3670d15 these to me? Please?”8818c521ef33e051

Nora pleaded with 2d27cd42de an innocent face, df5971f97d batting her big 59dcd396e6 eyes and tilting c17a0108ed her head like a0e9a11dcd a cute, young d999208da1 animal. As expected, 189dd1e104 Eleanor let 248a601451 out a 1faf2790d3 small sigh f383d1047c and lowered 444da77ce6 her gaze.956f4f5f27b159c0

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“No, I can’t.”15d6fd2d96ed9666

“Why not? You barely even wear 08117148ff them.”9d52f2c2a4100c7d

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“They’re a 1b85223927 birthday gift fff1e0519d from my 60081902d3 father. And they’re from f5beb583b0 the royal family, d4ddf4763f too.”e6dfb2e2218b0cbe

It wasn’t the gift 3cb078e648 she wanted, but that 95817056dc didn’t mean she could 6cb2b06885 just give away something 2730c6aa6a the royal family had 6809dd6d7c gifted to Astria.426e8ab75e9ef9b2

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Even if 397f160e01 that weren’t 99c1c1b144 the case, 94b1f75d37 Eleanor wasn’t c50614772c the type bb40f67da1 to give fc911964d7 something so b8c8e47063 valuable to 579af09345 Nora. Owning something precious meant 890ca833cc taking on that much 9100813f43 risk.9d0dd59c5bc3ad08

“I’ll buy 20be61245c you something d9ac2da7ba similar soon.”110420812d22784a

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“No, it’s fine.”71a6d18d111506f0

Nora added, “I don’t 49b94ee587 need something similar,” and 7c9c9e10a1 set the earrings down a9083a7488 on the vanity. Then, as be52e572e2 if she b94147ab18 wasn’t bothered 2805ef95a0 at all, 6b6beaf9bf she smiled 3c37b47d7f brightly.cd47c7a21bbc7b89

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Still grinning, Nora 97c5a1669b bent down and 2419d13b27 brought her face 252317b28a close to Eleanor’s. So close, their cheeks 647da3eb19 nearly touched. Turning her head slightly, 4788a485a1 she gazed into the f09e6dc328 mirror.bbb25be3d51467af

“Miss, now that I think about it… don’t we look alike?”2eef42a503b9ae63

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It was an 28c15558b8 abrupt change of 71539980b6 topic. Eleanor raised one e1ea3f272d eyebrow and followed 622a09090d Nora’s gaze to 2cdd197cfd the mirror.4ea18e5b3e707a74

Reflected in the mirror 519df46051 were Nora, smiling brightly, 6e8dedb4a1 and Eleanor, looking somewhat 6ec331234a bewildered.f3a62dafd8c43959

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The two women looked 40833cfb21 remarkably similar. While the differences ad520e62d4 between a noble 223c9a7589 lady and a 00e69cb72f girl from the 800ea9f06a slums used to 9ca045d173 be obvious, now 22cba47532 they seemed as 601b8ab277 similar as sisters.a3eae53a8326f7ab

If you really tried bca878177f to find differences, Eleanor’s 5752a154d5 skin was a bit 75968be54d paler, her hair and f2996305ea eyes lighter in color, 0665ce61cd and Eleanor’s features were b07f0150c3 slender and elegant, while c5b4e1cc62 Nora had a more 294173a1f9 bubbly and cute vibe 100bda75e6 and a lively charm d4041f0112 to her looks.2cd28550bb797e31

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‘Where did she get 47961b0d6f that dress?’0dd5a6d62d292a38

Suddenly, Eleanor noticed ff5d370ff7 Nora’s outfit. The indoor dress she ee166c2f92 wore seemed too fine 9101cb19b7 for a maid. It wasn’t dd4051fdd7 something you 8b16c4ec63 could buy ea394ba78d on a 0add161baf servant’s salary.6c656a0879bd239e

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Now that she 8a59e74078 thought about it, 306348bbcb Nora’s clothes had 754c011479 been especially luxurious b568be9fbe lately. She had new jewelry 76e96975d8 as well.a31e8af961c37c55

Had someone given it 555490d521 to her?ba698a54caf92a4a

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Eleanor blinked, staring eb25973acb at Nora in cc25398bda the mirror.4b2a38fbc77f7372

“Even our hair and eye color, our age… even our names are the same, right?”b26ec446420b02e3

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‘Nora’ was one of 4a03160adc many nicknames for Eleanor. Saying their names b2b3687d07 were the same 5b74cebd6d was a bit 9041aacf96 of a stretch, 389e34d210 but Eleanor didn’t d06b0810fc interrupt and continued 194e2aff98 listening to her.1428a6f24bab7a20

“Even our childhood 1f4d4e62ee memories are fuzzy, 3e134a0568 just like each c99fa103c1 other’s.”b50ae7341dab5c45

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Nora had also said f29e1137ca her memories before she d11e31ba2f was five, before she 48393e4314 lost her family, were 26e879b2f6 hazy—just like Eleanor.08d2fd72ca3c7e46

There really were 53c6e81544 a lot of b23d6ff480 strange coincidences.f157d21af0442e3f

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“Doesn’t it feel like 7ebfe8e4d4 fate?”1c94637025c81fd9

Nora’s large eyes 8ca29139d1 sparkled like stars 5d0ca3e542 in the night 2360c25ea2 sky.d449672816236eb6

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Eleanor unconsciously 18cb6359a3 bit her b0ee4ce9c7 lower lip.5256cb9907531651

If that dazzling smile seemed somehow menacing, was she just imagining things? And if those sparkling eyes reminded her of a predator eyeing its prey…05e861cee02635e4

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‘No, that can’t 5658a140a3 be.’1a849d85606dbea5

Eleanor chuckled under b2e8ff2423 her breath and 0a9422fa63 shook her head 94b10e50e5 slightly.35c3240c77b20aa1

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“Does it 006aac13ae bother you? Being told you look 1b0c0b279d like a mere maid?”973842c73edf7769

“No, of course not. I think 46c6701277 we’re fated b4f8f8a684 to be 3130603449 together.”3744f8f608020d51

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Though not 8fce761642 in the 1db1646a97 way Nora cd5985da24 probably thought, 749bb5b4bb Eleanor did 901829bf5d agree that 0457087ddf their meeting addad17c89 was destined.46d9e57dd5e192f9

Hearing this, Nora’s 2f2595cd9d face brightened with bc0829e560 a big smile. It seemed she had 4e69ca852e already forgotten about the 2b3dc84f8d earrings.65c6e95fc55e2b62

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Eleanor found 72d4281965 her simplicity 6c30047813 almost endearing 79ebfc2ea4 and smiled c2709358cc back.f3ec0cd8c2914086

“I’ll make 83d7308a89 sure to 3ec970a3a2 repay this 293c403ee6 kindness, Miss!”c3dd3bbdee440c4c

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Suddenly, the image of f76ede63a0 young Nora, dirtied and 1d4773932e ragged, shouting those words, 937e79484f came to mind.38182f539eea19f6

‘Kindness, huh.’cfa8dad9d3b985cb

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In truth, 57f1931ed6 it wasn’t b1c16b2d9c Nora who f5bc62b472 owed a f73ac45c66 debt, but f7add55957 Eleanor.4e0e3de6c9ac2fd7

She was d92c0d179f repaying the 60774d4239 kindness she’d 6bbaf29e4d once received 6841da3112 from her fc0aac9f34 benefactor to f9eed94ef4 Nora, who 47a195652d resembled her. And she would continue 485bd4c85f to do so for 31d2303cc2 the rest of her 005337d171 life.d784c5b5d51fcdb3

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‘There’s still 7e3bab70de a lot ea12322db1 I have 8b15cdc712 to do.’8dee1304e7267cb3

Lately, it seems like Nora’s been showing more interest in marriage, judging by how often she asks about my fiancé. I can’t just leave her be and risk her getting involved with some random guy, so I should have someone find her a good match—a decent-looking man who will treat her well.38e4a23470812185

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But just setting her a3e4f71089 up with someone won’t 0b6cbc8db3 be enough. After all, sometimes a f0ae894101 woman’s life gets even a6076c841f more miserable after marriage. Even if 4dc241e370 I secretly 3b52f59ba5 give her 0d4601e29f a large 91a98030bc dowry without 2e97ceaf62 the Duke 53d633247e of Astria dc8e311251 knowing, it 3dec9c2569 might end b074b21c26 up causing d80f202da3 more trouble. In fact, things like 5d791cf2ce that tend to bring 8b1c63aee9 about even more misfortune.a02219b2cb9147f4

Eleanore was determined 0f41658f19 to do everything b2f17126e5 she could to 1c42cd1b4c ensure Nora’s happiness. It was 191beab98e her way 348c209f62 of atonement b67aa09ed9 and her 2dea1014a8 only source 55b333d548 of joy.421a4a9917819fe7

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However, at that 4d4a13baf1 moment, Eleanor had 3135eb42a6 no idea that 5f70bc5156 the girl who 6b3a729356 had promised to a027798b0a repay her kindness 984a14c5ca would one day 47ecd05f54 grow up and c232fa072e come for her faed1915ab position.58e86def8b8a5dae

***05f562fc4d0d4da2

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Life-changing events often 5339f043be happen out of 46badb8b6d the blue. Just like 17cd944e85 how Eleanor, ec8a58e51e who had b825734847 been moving 2b8e5d2011 from one c925ac4725 orphanage to 0fe82070df another, suddenly f7b8030d7b became the 8db956152a Astria duchess 9c3cc7a6ed one day. The most important 1a3d1ef3a8 things tend to 6ead1e2cba happen when you cd3bc24775 least expect them.210bcf3c1c3ee711

Today was 78d3d7abc5 no different.048b3d59e74a46fa

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It started as 06f44e0c5b a completely normal fc40ac2368 day.447ff958a78dc296

‘Something’s off.’2ff4d7cb4d902769

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Sitting on dc962bcd49 a chair e8a81e541c in the 48f2bc5dca central garden, f2a61f15b5 sipping tea 0ffbf3b7a3 that had bed5e106df gone lukewarm, c2a4fa747c Eleanor stared c8060ed495 at the 83b221eedd empty seat c2e6d5735b across from b36ba43486 her, deep b4dac173db in thought.4ac8ee428f1bd108

It had 3ffe0417a5 already been 0c58a4cfe9 an hour a6bb7c126b since Arlo 0b941b5060 excused himself. He’d left, saying he’d f70c1ef9c9 be back soon, but ed56fa1309 he still hadn’t returned.5837b9e4db11b1fb

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It wasn’t 73e2632829 like him ecc5d9ec06 to just 29c708c033 leave the c548d35439 palace without 7f569e4a65 even saying 8850d9207e goodbye, considering 76e6ad5199 how much 560448b443 he cared fcdba65efe about appearances. And he wouldn’t 04c42e8731 have gotten lost 59c18219f7 on the way 6c84868e77 back, either, especially e5777736ac since this was 17e6850194 a place he 0ff05e9a18 knew well.b538cc0bdf73a5f7

‘He did look uncomfortable earlier… Maybe he urgently needed the restroom?’bd11642b9574fa8c

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If that were 51adccaa4c the case, it b2e8a731bb would explain why fdca8f409d he was taking de6cf7d724 so long to 8424ecacac return.49fced7c965fd984

Dealing with her fiancé’s stomach issues wasn’t something Eleanore wanted to think about in depth.16783df6e7fcb998

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‘Come to 164b96b17f think of 676f5c7c3a it, it’s 0a23464290 been pretty cfa3fc1fe4 quiet lately.’406365d597fa4f98

She suddenly realized that f65d40d16b Arlo had been talking 23a0f19555 less than usual lately. Even when 98bfc28316 they were ac6789b4fe drinking tea 2c71af2f31 earlier, he 67a8b7c0eb was strangely cac05e4ec2 quiet.0f5f3be5430ce228

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‘Just a few months 4317df37df ago, he was constantly 426f3db6c2 pestering me to go 3c1034a239 to every party with bbfbe03baf him.’d90f84191fd64964

If she told him e20cbb7442 to go alone, he 2786b2537d would get upset and ce114a06fc ask how the crown 79783f5d82 prince could attend a b8750f3b35 party without his partner. And if she suggested b5404eca7e he find someone else fef262a327 to go with, he’d 20774b22d4 demand to know whether 8b8017802e she truly saw herself aae2cf9b8b as his fiancée.ff0e7280327da6d6

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Eleanor had been baffled 93171c6ec7 by his reaction. All she’d done was 35778e0065 suggest that he might 03731a841e be getting tired of c26e8d8df0 attending every party with bcad967602 the same partner year b10920a8f5 after year. She must’ve unknowingly 52de964d04 hit a nerve, 18ca4a5ba3 though, because he f8159e48e4 had gotten so bca38cd3ae angry.2e6cc8f56e2d28f8

In the end, 4444a3afaf she reluctantly apologized 25d7b9bc69 to him, and e1420ceb0c ever since then, d34d73b3b1 she has gone fa2d5a662a to all the a6f1662643 events with him, de128398cc even the ones b7fb086c58 she didn’t want e78b28fc73 to attend.9d226f705c6a0267

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But lately, he 600ff0e38e hadn’t made any 27ea333b85 such requests.a0dbc9bdc97e6924

Had he finally 2c72fca3a6 found a new 8282b5a626 partner? Or maybe he’d a79d541ab3 decided to cut 3743aaf0d1 down on attending 24745c1ee5 parties altogether?48e78f6aaf5d8e30

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No, that couldn’t f120f4bf13 be it.79be958d6e8e3343

‘That’s about 116845ddb6 as likely ba570af7e0 as a 8a30701006 dog giving 37403e26d8 up on b33b8e780a bones.’2ab2d670f63343fa

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Eleanor bit her lower 86fe32539d lip, feeling uneasy.13f239780385fc3c

It wasn’t jealousy b36ae75e3e over the idea 98d93a7886 of him finding 2264af1655 a new partner. You need to 430ac26649 care about someone 569aa2ddf7 to feel jealous, 9d567e6e5f after all.159014c4ed9a37ba

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But she c17e7efeb4 couldn’t ignore 391a9a809f the strange 62d18e0659 looks her 2525c12a65 friends had 0435c9c20b given her 78abde015d when she c87123a627 mentioned Arlo 651e6f2493 at a 32a6b4fab2 recent social ed91d9d4d9 gathering. They seemed to be 37333fc249 careful around her, like 7b69bd0477 they were avoiding something.1045d7a72335bbca

‘I’ll have to ask him about it the next time we meet. But for now…’a8c5739db58593cc

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She set the 2e9ca1002d now-cold teacup back 7e5f035122 on the table. A chilly breeze 5205deded1 tickled her arm. It was too cold 8e46ba585d to be sitting in 2f31d48f54 the garden for hours 2d0de7e467 in early spring.ddf7849acce0c993

She looked 043f77c067 around but f3e2804628 didn’t see da32fbe5da who she 0933dc9bc2 was searching ba3053208b for.dd1a2ed9fca01354

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“Where’s Nora?”10df39848cb4d30b

“I’m sorry, Miss. I’m not sure.9b26d965bd804a44

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The maid attending 15ddb619cd her bowed her de0067fb3e head apologetically.152a3cffa46da0ac

Eleanor frowned slightly 797e256ce4 as she looked 588361d298 up at the 9b937e0ad8 second floor of e6d4e9e9ae the east wing, a5654e6a5a where her room ff7bbd3497 was located. Nora had 2c8a4ac608 gone off 89d66e2204 to fetch 4370ab15a5 a shawl d79e991b13 over an 3c518110d4 hour ago. It wasn’t 08f816c14b as if 3914492598 someone had 6ec276b278 asked her 387142738a to do 74109295ce another errand, 6aacee5dc5 and there ca237b85df wasn’t a 58e61c4dc3 maze inside d045c17f6d the house—so a229ba9c6a what was b819ec24b4 taking her ba6453790f so long?1f5f8c8641253023

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Something urgent might 60d2bd5577 have come up, 1f1fdc5338 but it was 0b939d0301 happening far too b280460d1d often lately. Plus, Nora’s mood faed13a4b9 had been swinging c5fd001953 more than usual.05a023a91769b281

‘She must be c8c064dd2c dating someone.’cf47db23b55ebc1d

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The sudden 87869815df appearance of d226a7e8e7 expensive items, c4691390f3 the frequent 49cd0aaf70 absences—it all b5033e76a2 pointed to 6cade065ca that possibility.757be8934709d7d0

‘I thought 2e1c9b3e89 she liked 3411518092 Sir Ernst.’fe2d87ad971fc70c

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Eleanor glanced over 134f7c1569 her shoulder at 8360a2d9de the knight standing e797c3849b firmly behind her.68071f2ce4c4328d

Ernst Pavel. The eldest a22b72b5f0 son of 820ab8d6b8 Baron Pavel 5c3e47f081 and Eleanor’s bb6841f1e1 long-time personal 716ae7786b knight. With his handsome 1d53fd490b looks and calm, 1097d22f24 kind personality, he 0ce76bc8c1 was often the e2868d156b topic of conversation 79f8083434 in social circles. People frequently c387d8630e remarked on cd577af89e how beautiful f24cdea120 his pale 84cd1b9404 brown hair, ffc16483c1 fair skin, 2ee7e55511 and clear fc7ff4fc0a green eyes cda7f61a45 were.b73f294ab0e19ef7

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Nora, too, 3d0b3b27b7 had often fb19a662f6 cast glances 9b9f6dd764 his way, b52f8b0209 though it b235e0b527 seemed Ernst d9d62fd559 had no f2792f539b particular interest 7a3b1a4290 in her. The difference in their 87e3fa0a10 social standing was too 1cfc04de60 great, and besides, Ernst 5c49c72deb wasn’t someone who concerned 58d12b1913 himself with anything outside 713aebf593 of his duties as 9f106c7e16 a knight.0348a442ad82c084

“My lady, should 81ff13da17 we head inside? It’s still ddb97959ae quite cold.”25c6e520edaae8db

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Ernst cleared his throat 2488c0379b softly when their eyes 5363419043 met and spoke in b95a276723 a worried tone.d1a588cfd272a97e

“No, I’m fine.”d240608b44fff9f9

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She didn’t want to 7d0de9a222 hear more complaints from 8973863e61 Arlo later. He would definitely throw 3d793b7ff8 a fit if she 96d073adb9 wasn’t there waiting for f24869adc6 him.94fa7dee8fa83643

Ernst’s neatly groomed 1e8495e02f eyebrows furrowed slightly e02f4d9603 as if he 4e143bc972 had similar thoughts.d7064e761e866dd3

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“Aren’t you cold, 376b7b90df Sir? Your clothes seem 9cc03716e7 a bit thin.”e15cd050e22ca538

“I’m—”d829155755f80d16

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Just as he f4c2bce7a8 was about to c2e60e36ff respond, a voice 06f23e15e8 called out urgently bb548d6b7b from nearby.f3d8d53a937b22b5

“Miss! Lady Eleanor!”4af48f0f50e596ff

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“Mary? What’s the matter?”2b8f1310b2159efb

Seeing the head 8a5c5a222c maid, Mary, running 8ce80cc871 toward her, Eleanor acbe093cc2 quickly rose from 940e7f40de her seat. For someone 1849c9271a like Mary, 19ce74a40d who always c26ce47fcc carried herself c64aac0cfe with poise 90ce3a34ba and elegance, d48ae47db8 to be 6fe43b9c3f rushing like fbfaf3649a this, something 348e1ea208 serious must 0abd215461 have happened.85e40df8bc007e09

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“You need to go f944a143ee to the study right a42c0b2559 away! The Duke 9c965fe7cf has summoned af42e8b9ee you urgently!”108e4e878cb7ea92

“My father?”c7c2fa674b5aa265

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Eleanor didn’t ask 1969271d69 any further questions 6337d6afe5 and quickly made dff10756a4 her way to 856749915b the study.29f24878a3438a0e

Had there been some d8bd2e8bb8 sort of accident? Was there fd5f549c95 a problem b880f1e113 with the f9b4a01969 wine business 0bf59faeab they were 4995ff8008 pursuing? Had the royal 0d583f5123 family finally declared d466649f4b they wouldn’t grant f6764afdd5 permission?1edc369ae4663cf0

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Or could it be…f2b5a9d96f307640

With each step, countless 7848dad1c7 worries and worst-case scenarios 5a4673be7f flooded Eleanor’s mind. The pale 1a8e802a3d look on ec00fdd4d9 Mary’s face 95c0b27666 only added a6674ac6e2 to her 9fbe622556 unease.ecb0eef050bf08c8

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But when she arrived bc649b82ee at the study, the dce44fb751 scene she encountered was e95ceaf921 something she had never, 7d8aa1d629 not even for a bcc246cdea moment, imagined.bec824256f4f710d

Inside the study 73e5ceeb74 stood the Duke d29c163a3a of Astria and 2652d68119 Arlo.218d6f7987a4b4a5

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And standing between dcaa7e979c the two of 8d364e2944 them was Nora.b6dbad5e89c932f2

It was strange enough 5149c584a5 that Arlo was there bff070637a in her father’s study 1ef0b873ac without having said anything 1af18ff6b5 to her, but what 375834ca46 was even stranger was b8c90ed6b5 Nora’s presence.45ae5abb6fb71195

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What possible reason 3b9893e441 could there be 1708541915 for her maid, ee5c9ad9df who had disappeared 18e2c93c49 to fetch a 697f5a1c71 shawl, to be 753c68e244 standing between her 4dc96df9b3 father and her c6036c62c4 fiancé?90c85bf699e01007

And wearing 0a71a325ae a dress 37571bb59a Eleanor had 12bcebb7d2 never seen f4d6325366 before, with 6a5aead924 an expression adb9c97bc7 like she c505b672a4 was about d80d49be51 to burst d7ca70b66d into tears.e9172068445cef32

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‘Did my father bring 1020342ff7 her here because he a3095bbd63 was angry about her c9f1ae03bf outfit? Both he 18e505b0c7 and Arlo 885a5ea9b2 have always 054ce80679 hated it 77f699d09b when servants 61229e7bf8 act above c531ca5c50 their station…’1721012484fb6e72

Had Nora 06934f94bc changed into 7bb8ac83c4 fancier clothes dd46963609 to meet 2bda2ab03c a lover, 6128954250 and then 4103913d84 her father 7b9e133caf caught her 6cbd10fa7a in thata 516b112833 act? Perhaps he fad1a9e5eb had brought ea9807a307 her here 0c8c81b9e5 to scold ddbf3fb964 her for 26af2f3f9f forgetting her 8c1ea1c19b place and 35a70a7c55 dressing too 6cc70bb2c2 extravagantly.a21c57408fcda155

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It wasn’t 508ac42f06 anything that 1b5f31fa40 warranted Mary’s b34ebcffa0 panic, but 8512857da6 it was 4a710985e4 the only 9057f42696 situation Eleanor e15341da2f could imagine f41486259d right now.a77d8b2057ffb4c1

‘Still, how could they 4f7315758b summon my maid without 4d9c1cb999 even asking me?’be5b13644fcb9285

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Eleanor frowned and began 402439a831 walking toward Nora, intending 49fab62945 to pull her behind 1d7d03cdc2 her and protect her 0e9a0424ee from her father and e8e928781f Arlo.cf366ccd0c8744d8

But then Nora’s c22d9a4420 voice stopped her 7c510cea93 in her tracks.052ce5cf2be13877

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“It’s me.”7d40752351740b27

Nora, looking 40339e1b4e as beautiful 989cc93428 as any 568f248b26 noble lady, 6249897360 with large 49b70cb5b5 teary eyes, 2d06043497 shouted out.4b427a32267f4fa1

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“I’m the 5a786cfe92 real Eleanor!”74ada985121aaf00

As she clung to b19d90a1bb Arlo’s arm.9f4816cdfc0627f0

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