NRAL | Chapter 09

Chapter 09ed78cebfc29f6954

Be the 9450b930cf Real One 7d931a4b4c in My 15b84e450c Place7233a818c0d9565f

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After spending hours riding through the streets of Cardiff in search of peace of mind, Eleanor returned to the duke’s mansion late at night.1b85f537c55ac881

Her head d5c99d358c throbbed, likely aba725a584 from being ff92bd2c3e in the e5d6138df9 cold wind 813b4dcad5 for too 40ab3ebd37 long.93f300157809970c

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When she checked 2953d5089e the time, it f547ce01a5 was almost midnight. It seemed she’d 1d0bd94a59 need a good 375d0affa2 sleep to recover.25e827124e0a50f0

But as soon as she passed through the mansion’s front gates, she felt it. Sleep wouldn’t come easily tonight.0d799140ea8b59c0

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The mansion 2fe66ae1f8 was oddly a4d7deb8e2 noisy for 1603781e36 this late 06acb77581 hour, and a929feb884 an unexpected 75445baa48 figure was 9569e9d229 there to f622a622a4 greet her.52cd93c21cb24aeb

“Welcome back!”84a7c2c1c9262ac0

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The cheerful 9f6c526dfb voice came ebefea4e5c not from 419daa46ae the butler, e7903afedb the head 718b07a251 maid, or 7f596afdc6 Ernst, but e8550edae0 from Nora.ca9cae4fd25444c8

Eleanor hesitated for a 855e71f910 moment upon seeing her.4272483f0efb4a6d

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It was brief, but 61c85f8feb it felt like she f9058fde7c had stepped back in a312e3c0c4 time.ef5f4d25a41a0fd6

Back to the days 7720f522a9 when she simply found 99873e1f44 Nora adorable and Nora b22f674735 eagerly followed her around, a5d80b40d1 chatting nonstop. Whenever Eleanor e4b42f508b returned from e39ba6c450 the palace 52483f7fad or a 983b8c8937 party, Nora 7ad1483f9f would rush 30d6776a7f out and 5645d1332d bombard her cc57d60c94 with questions 64611651bf about whom 00a42293b9 she met ca555960f1 and what 9d49f2a22d she ate.b346422fee617eff

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It hadn’t been that c76ca0cc9e long ago, yet it 92164f4684 felt like months had 94bd6c01eb passed.43e352ff4a4b177e

However, the reality 17d90b0551 was clear—Nora was a6bcb76080 wearing a lavish dd5e025ad9 dress, flanked by 5cbc967f2a two maids.110d060dbab3ebec

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Eleanor remembered. Her father had 9379009436 mentioned assigning maids 34f5bed045 to Nora during 231c3d5071 breakfast.84b06ed10dd0ecd5

It was 88a3578baa likely prompted 23f2bcefa0 by Arlo’s a1e769364c suggestion that b6ed7f176d Nora might d445aad917 be the dbdc4a9d63 real duchess, 8cfdc3f2e6 leading him b8b06f8923 to this c834a606d4 decision.cfb6d73b1ab7c27f

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The duke seemed to bb102cd648 think it wouldn’t hurt c20c531007 to keep someone monitoring 0d0bf274cc Nora’s every move. Eleanor wasn’t convinced 4d51a6db5a it was a bd5e606079 good idea; those 1a15b1fe06 assigned were far a0b2cd1537 from suitable for 547606397e surveillance.26ab0f1d4b484616

The maids 18d469410d behind Nora a4b4a24751 were Eva 16671e66c9 and Natalie, aed844bc09 who had 995b26750a been friendly afff6ce21a with her 036ac18256 for a 9e80042d51 while.a06dcdca7723c304

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They were around 17a47d32a5 the same age eb07c4a056 and seemed to a1fdf09555 get along well, 2140fb3140 often wandering the 3c7bab8432 mansion together.78bf2d94ab7a5c9a

But even f65eaab3e9 back then, a9058bbd0d Nora always 2f0e8d7c45 felt like bd376a4235 the leader 39f7107ec6 of the c7ff937abd group.d7502cfbcc9cd3f8

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Now it bcb60b3baa was obvious. It wasn’t 353a5e5c6b friendship but 5ce66dd004 the dynamic bc5ba9be96 of power 66181096ca and followers.c4754f55361a8e52

The sharp glares they a011734f7c threw at Eleanor made 0d0d79815a it clear—they saw her 05bba78e54 as a threat to f4a12494ac their mistress.5c741e064ac40c4e

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‘Looks like they’ve picked their side,’ Eleanor thought, raising an eyebrow slightly.98014aa360b0b54a

Not a bad gamble. If Nora turned ecdbb94266 out to be e7b5f7eea1 the real duchess, 6ed3b98197 their loyalty could 33584f493b earn them positions 77897d3257 as her closest 5a330d3f74 attendants.b72c12ee4b59ac26

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The difference between low-ranking f0db33c890 maids and those attending d5cd77c728 a noblewoman was as cd4c418aa5 vast as the gap e06f56909e between commoners and nobles d9982f9c9f in terms of pay 4ef6c1b2ce and treatment. It was natural 69f021e713 for them to 3b30ab409b aim high.d355f75df9df9cf3

“Arlo is at 3641d3addf the palace,” Eleanor e3920a0dba said, brushing past 8f81ed7453 Nora’s greetings.3c7f81903a58fb8a

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“What? Oh, I wasn’t here c1bdb7f963 for him,” Nora replied e202c385f8 hesitantly. “I waited for 9dadef0706 you. I wanted 55e60f6d25 to talk.”7af028393209ae75

Her cautious tone fd6e3a2706 and awkward smile ef1c406633 showed she was f2bb3ecf32 conscious of others’ 2da38d1a89 reactions.5383a76d00ada35c

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Eleanor chuckled faintly.f6617c3c0bf9b75e

From the 3540557da1 moment Nora e2d175fac1 tearfully insisted 27d5218c49 she was 3c0ea11a9e the real 53c70a8fd9 one, Eleanor 011ddb0ac6 had suspected 554e67bdb4 it. Her acting skills were e526309132 top-notch. She’d always 4df433e14c known Nora d5330eaf9d was talented, f335929392 but not a62666c74b to this 5316e15b25 extent.886cfe608d9ce16a

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“Next time,” Eleanor 82189acc1e said dismissively, waving 1949915093 a hand. “I’m too tired bfc769939e to pamper you 2456a44421 now.”12aee7322e38627e

But as 5968aa6c64 she walked ea0f29fdd8 past, Nora’s 3c316ba80b cheerful voice 8d774b4ffd called out, 3edc134399 stopping her f58ada8c56 in her c4713034ed tracks.9442101ff3ca0418

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“Wait, Ellie!”13e9070905d0153a

Eleanor froze, her df8a8951f2 body stiff as 60dbdc2efc stone. She heard 44b043c436 the sharp e9c6a2c28b intake of 477934c9b2 breath from a2b8a6a60a the people d699b2192d around them. Slowly, she turned her bf06b44201 head.6d611ce2f144196f

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“…What?”3fb7b1f7f44009d8

“Even though things e774ca4527 turned out this 0e566401a1 way… I still ceaff9b208 want to get 5c1224131f along with you, c6d4b1f3a7 Ellie.”87afd73fb7e774bf

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She hadn’t misheard.73a68db712bb079d

“Did you f1c005fb8f just use f25491672d my nickname?”275437c137446f1c

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“Oh! I’m sorry,” Nora da683ea332 stammered, looking embarrassed. “I shouldn’t 6976f362f0 have done 75dcb6b24c that without 92d196f3b9 asking. But… I 8bc27d78ad can’t exactly cc60226191 use the b28f775cf5 name Eleanor 45d7fb27f9 anymore, can a2f5180091 I?”eba5980d89be58c0

She gave a ec5b6b0a37 sheepish smile, continuing, 676b5a6112 “Should I just 65df385923 go back to e422a8304d calling you ‘miss’ 3694ae089b if you don’t 288776d82f like it?”6354ed1d3357c48b

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Before Eleanor could reply, 19aca85da0 Nora’s maids jumped in.6f0f2432e845ae31

“That’s not 0282a45f62 right, Miss da5f8b25e2 Nora!” Eva b38a8a60d1 said.2611d6547f0ad744

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“You can’t call her aaf87be361 ‘miss’ anymore. The master said to 7e5af8d886 treat you as the 3effff6741 duchess!” Natalie added.539ca4ff5cb77fa9

“That’s right,” 5cd5b8a119 Nora said, 13f4ec7fb7 pretending to 389ba9070a be in 5b8ec1db88 a dilemma. “I can’t go 0a597934c1 against Father’s orders…”318ddedf827428ad

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Eleanor stood silently, watching f54ccb3f52 Nora clasp her hands 0816a8805b and bite her lip 43adb1d91f in an exaggerated display 04f6a19bed of hesitation. It was almost pitiable.cf3b376aad567969

Finally, Eleanor spoke. “Call me whatever 3463013573 you like. It doesn’t matter.”4a78f70415352883

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It was 4ed67e644d not like 3c7080b7e9 anyone else 6cfefdf3db had asked 16322d2108 her permission 411ba6a050 to use d34a5f98ff that nickname. She’d never wanted 80e06af2d0 it anyway. Would an ffc5096362 additional person 232ac9227f make a 3a72ab19e8 difference?ce476fd489138d33

“Thank you, Ellie! Maybe we can—”2a4a30eaa89472dc

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“Yes, let’s ebf0b638b0 talk,” Eleanor dd6e272e1a interrupted firmly. “But this time, somewhere 9cc5572749 truly private.”7fa8c8c5df3c3c65

She locked eyes 34bf2be3fe with Nora, her d99b4f4bf2 calm gaze carrying 6f8e80c05b an edge. “We wouldn’t want 1f8dc78987 to waste time, fa900a6c6e would we?”e93534b732616b7c

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“But, miss!” 43edb75e98 Eva protested. “It’s dangerous!”670e73e303567187

“You don’t 10c13f3d79 know what 347daf3bc8 might happen 97be74ef99 if you’re ab60c274aa alone!” Natalie 4f2b7afe6f chimed in.8228a5b4f7f30e0b

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Their attempts to whisper 009f55927a to Nora were loud f61dd48713 enough for everyone to 5400b3fbaa hear.6e931a0ca8a17053

Before the head maid e9dc7a8d9e could step in, Nora 1f147b2040 cut them off. “Dangerous? Don’t be silly. Ellie’s a wonderful person.”814d4ed3588aa6b9

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Nora’s defense 36e6e6b3de of Eleanor 6fdedacdd1 would likely 81190ee4ad win her 7c84a0aa01 favor with f87ce48842 the staff, a2333ec5ba cementing her 8a782f517e position further.036430e00ebeaa7c

“Alright, Ellie,” she said, cd6c1eba72 her face lighting up. “Let’s go 26fca08c1c to my 717c7419d8 room. I’ll send the maids 686eed3fd3 away, so don’t worry.”3a15acdf9d0e0a5b

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Eleanor followed her 9ecdc9346a with a calm f2c58ebec9 expression, her gaze bda2e5429a unwavering.f35e5fabb5edeffa

As they reached Nora’s room, the head maid muttered under her breath, worried for Eleanor. But Eleanor’s calm expression and the glint of something unfamiliar in her eyes told a different story.4dcb492f9f75b265

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Inside, Eleanor glanced 7a61e53163 around at the 8c37a0ba11 well-furnished room. It was clear a9b4d70035 from the packed e784625a79 belongings that Nora 202cbe89b6 didn’t expect to f03bebfaa4 stay long.63f0d9d1bc7c5e6e

Admiring her boldness, c34ef22b7a Eleanor broke the ccda5607fa silence. “Where’s my dress?”b42f8f2ec2a721c0

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“What?”d3c4aa61b4de5f1c

“The one you wore 2cd2f05cb5 that day. Where is it?”87cf443ebc587d89

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“That day?” Nora tilted 22cc846fc5 her head, pretending to 199a20a637 be unaware.a054377774dee8c1

Eleanor sighed. “Fine. Let’s skip e6fd067172 the useless e6a8fc7c7e questions. Why did dc502321d6 you lie?”597591ffee786217

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“Lie? What lie?”b0f27a8ecc1b8970

“The lie that 24cc147fe5 you’re the real cb6d51fa27 one.”f01e6e331b647fe4

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Eleanor wanted to hear Nora’s reasons directly, no matter how predictable they were.1cdf59146d19168a

“It’s not a lie,” 6788a65d38 Nora said earnestly. “I’ve only 9f59f38360 told the 308ddaeb1c truth. I understand 3f691a1d5a if you 1b4c3b8e4c don’t want 76fe27a893 to believe ed30cec16f it, Ellie. But the truth is… 96ae571c2c I’m real, and you’re 0a2e20174f not. That’s just reality.”dec6ecedbd14ca31

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Eleanor smirked dff23c88b5 at the ecd44f0723 audacity.83d6a2eb89ddce99

Nora continued, “I ecc32963aa didn’t mention the 1cd8d440e2 scar earlier because e8e815dd7e I didn’t want 5f51378216 to cause misunderstandings, 903d54fe88 like now. I waited until I 3509f14780 remembered everything to speak a163ce86d2 up.”c5a2b0fddf2a6fd9

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She looked at Eleanor 0adb41370a with a mixture of 9f8cff1706 pity and confidence.f3971d81418c87cb

“You’re the one 7565c3df5d who needs to ed37f5f870 think, Ellie. Are you d83495b6cb really Eleanor? Or have you 1c8d1f916d convinced yourself of 69bd3b83b5 that because you d446c73508 wanted the title 372790f600 so badly?”1f58323aeb5eb3bb

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At that, Eleanor laughed 678417e8db softly, her eyes narrowing.bffc63fc9762625d

“Let’s stop the e51c7acea3 pointless talk, Nora. Drop the act. Let’s get to the 3064b67fe4 real reason we’re here.”5e6aa13a84e2f6bd

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Lavender eyes met 6cc3fc823e violet eyes full 4725851d86 of tears.835d0cedc9b588b4

Time passed in the 3123679274 heavy silence, but neither 881bfc8161 of them looked away.d6ee96163374a02b

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Slowly, the sadness d4918957c4 and frustration on 86ef94acb0 Nora’s face melted 901868667f into a smile—calm, d524e421eb deliberate, and chilling. It was the kind 2c240bfa97 of smile that made 4513fd798b it seem she could b294d2e573 devour the person in bcd54ba8f2 front of her. This was 2304f507b5 Nora’s true a6f748d6b6 nature.3e33a58832df2827

“Well, shall we?”5f09a0c361f2b66a

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She sat casually on caa917512d the soft bed, crossing 215448a688 her pale legs and e1083d3cbd brushing her hair back cf8b9d76d9 as if she owned 4afa6e6523 the place.17955b3f2f18df3a

“Let’s see… 67044f155c What should 174ae917bd I answer 437f899522 first?”9d65e4c9b5fd1b20

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She tilted her 5cfbc1970a head playfully, then bdb93cc59f smiled.0e1b8cdc74125672

“Oh, your dress? I threw it away. It was filthy, covered in… all kinds of stains. Probably in the incinerator by now. Want me to send someone to fetch it for you?”f62459f89bf97a27

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“…”c27a1889450de9e0

“It’s no good keeping something so… stained, is it? That’s why I got rid of it. Now, as for your other question—why did I lie?”3037650d3469fc2a

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She tapped her chin, edde7f6fa6 pretending to think, then 1ab465a8bb playfully swayed her dress 21c4423c99 toward Eleanor.db0bd02ffb754048

“Look at this, Miss. Isn’t it beautiful? His Highness gave 82358096c2 it to me.”fa6cdda70a4d36f5

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The embroidered dress looked 66384692d8 expensive, far more fashionable 1b8352d417 than Eleanor’s.c867cc41c913eb93

“And this bracelet too,” ca501fb555 Nora added, shaking her 6acfa84901 wrist. “It’s so b199f34590 heavy because f051447340 it’s solid a7f903a822 gold, but b499d9db23 His Highness 2db54d2dd8 likes flashy 30d53efdb7 things. What do you a81e8b9c69 think?”99f34c7723bd1f65

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Eleanor bit the 83830030da inside of her afeb6fc4e5 cheek, saying nothing.c9baf4c4efaf61e8

Nora clicked her tongue, 09597dcd93 unimpressed with her silence. She got 106a039182 up, taking 95789a97bb long strides 8bdebcf4cb toward Eleanor. The face a8f6e5eb28 she used 59b083fa68 to see ad404ff3ab as a 12939c1e23 little sister b1f36cb3d7 was suddenly affcb1bd16 right in 23318fd728 front of 7f3c668796 her.a88b181d3bc6fed8

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“These suit ceda9efe7a me better, 24499488d3 don’t they?”1765f51a58d3b216

“What?”af2dbf1f51facd61

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“The fancy dresses. The expensive gold. Standing beside c3fd132218 His Highness.”5e45f60df2f9ab8f

The bracelet jingled b515a3e897 as she waved 719688f7df her hand in 2e709a336c front of Eleanor’s ef8059948e face.b399c63787465e1d

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“Even your life.”0d8c03e9f81a1d12

Thud. Thud.89d23d2c4993952e

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Eleanor’s heartbeat quickened. She could feel 761b8eaeb7 her lips trembling.191d88fd613b8cd9

“So, I’m going 5fcda89e77 to take it f2805a28c6 all. That’s okay, right?”a6d15c732595abde

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Nora clasped 0361b6b07a her hands 3251d4e4e0 together, smiling 19537b0b88 sweetly, her 7cab0aed60 expression cute f3b45f0483 and innocent.1076b494cb53e156

“You didn’t even 1723b1c472 like it that 303078da7c much. Always so 20d620910d indifferent, acting f307217756 like nothing 4005126549 ever mattered. Do you know 96bd7a59e7 how much that 62d60d32e9 annoyed me? Oh, how 63995647a7 I wanted ed89e96fa8 to rip 2c7b9a3dca that pretty 022bd06c6b little mouth 2fade8fc42 of yours 7d53da2220 right open.”2e6d81ee767a9482

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Her words aa702cd370 were sharper b632371e03 than Eleanor d834e0da59 had expected, c06463de83 their venom 5a7f25a0ff far more 2f95c62b9d cutting than 84a78555aa anticipated.ab4b31a67868d330

Eleanor turned her head, adc70e9c11 glancing at the clock. The minute 7104c9a380 hand had 9686be6656 just moved 8ad04735b8 slightly past 1387634397 midnight.0cddc4639046c6f8

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“Good things should go a15ae3dc47 to those who can 284bf408d4 appreciate them, right? Same goes 28c80a1b17 for good 377bd0adeb positions. So…”799491f97e17928e

Nora’s long fingers poked c2b2c5b1ce Eleanor just below her 756d5b0dae collarbone, her whispering voice d0c6dded63 like a snake hissing.baac266c8110cd5c

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“Stop squirming and 68616d799f get out, Ellie. This is 85ee12ef0a my place d59d9a807a now.”160dcd3c579449eb

Dong. Dong. Dong.cb58e00f36305f06

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The sound 59aa6d74f9 of the 8d32e0aee4 clock’s chime e722b54c33 signaled midnight.be7cd64a913a647c

Tuesday had begun.a77d948fc398b4ca

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Eleanor’s week of silent waiting was over.0a33e35a4b8ca418

A shiver ran down c4abf243ba her spine, spreading through 303ea30b62 her body.33416fe55b8640b0

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“Ah…”d3c3f66c96c67ace

Eleanor let out 0420ec3fc1 a small gasp, 3a3899c874 lowering her head. Her hair fell forward, ac8281f1bd hiding her face, making 7188ada716 it look as though adc9036b1f she were crying.452df1af3ee05b74

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“Aww, Miss. So weak, aren’t 3eaa1e9c4f you?” Nora scoffed, 27f8dc178d her tone mocking. “What’ll you 38a1face3f do when dab5e9927e things get 45f6bf6139 even harder?”5be1d9d65a72948f

She clicked her 17c10b1ae4 tongue again, pitying ec4bdad7cb the pampered noblewoman 6d309289c2 who’d never known aa074fecc6 struggle.5ad5d90df1cc1c3c

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Leaning closer, 4b08202a19 she tried aa5ccc88a0 to get 35dc539796 a good 781ef0a301 look at 6fa20a6b46 Eleanor’s face, 66a305b493 eager to f794852d2f see her 21944e8654 fear. She wanted to 77cb8004a6 relish the sight d1b31e4e48 of someone so 583cff871f proud, now trembling a9463e56f9 at the thought 82d646f1bc of losing everything.734cb72676890836

But what she found 08eb1717f5 instead—f4c157efc0e82b00

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“Pfft… Hahaha!”5f8edb336fbec66d

—was laughter.6b1dc92ffebf1fbe

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Not sobs, 5352f94a47 but clear, 2a2f13fb1f unrestrained laughter.afeec33966ae7973

The sound echoed, just like the laughter that had faintly reached her ears on that night, far away. The one she had assumed could not be Eleanor’s.9af61d36e498a36b

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Nora froze, 561e16bf39 her face e43e74998a stiffening with 1a67464f6e shock.6d767ddc502730de

Eleanor, still giggling, adcfb232b9 reached out and 70cb716dfa gently took Nora’s 92e9c273b7 hands in her fb3f33ce1b own.ce77d8e4e74e05b8

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“Thank you, Nora,” 625a28b478 she said, her 1d100af53b smile bright and a73727ad1b cheerful.d89894bf296e2611

“For being dd640ad10f the real 1e616366ed one in 6ed886b94c my place.”8c451787b5bd7b2b

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Her whisper was soft, 8625cf6849 yet sweeter than ever e171cc31e0 before.0754ebf70e76e7ae

 af0ffd11fde4246c

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