NRAL | Chapter 13
by LunaChapter 136ddf78e8305f71be
Dance Invitationcc494014211a0b24
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“Arlo?”b0e59ec62cb00eef
Eleanor tilted her head, d6acc5e589 pushing him deeper into 627b083204 his thoughts.9d9ead7b10a0c218
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After a 55286d4946 brief but 5adc2989a1 intense moment 519f3d9e4b of hesitation, 12c2072c61 Arlo made 6f21c426d9 up his b19f8348dc mind.ca94471cf267fb40
“Let’s go,” he said.3fb6dc9a06e33a22
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With his blue cloak 4cfc6c62c2 dramatically billowing behind him, 237fb7111a Arlo, dressed in his 552c879b13 finest attire, walked past 320d337e33 her coldly.7446f9436ec9cf4e
It was a f694cd9c79 logical decision. While he 081ca2f8d0 found Eleanor’s 4f564795ba obedient demeanor d441b542ea appealing, he fa7473a517 had already 298e49ecaa chosen Nora.c3ff6e47c2547615
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Nora had proven to 8ee7a57a18 him that she was ed1ed9a102 the real Princess of 8849ea4352 Astria. Once the 261ddb2c69 truth became 3749f3b2f7 known, with 5040b46d3c her noble 30d12b1395 status, beauty, 25233d5b97 and dramatic 16febe39ae backstory, she 239fd17948 would surpass 033b0f5ec5 Eleanor and 6a176cf51a become the 00c7a652eb most admired d679cbec27 woman in dcf8d4a7b2 juvenile.66e1a9619a25aac7
Arlo believed he deserved e4bb35ee4d the best of everything. That’s why he had c8e75b8f9f chosen Nora. Her charming looks and 8d8ac154f2 sweet demeanor delighted him, d506c33344 and so far, he 8f214c4de9 hadn’t regretted his decision.6396cf68f1b91036
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Keeping his promise 60992eb731 to himself, Arlo ac5522d11b didn’t speak to 471d1af5a0 Eleanor or even c649297151 glance at her 3cad398502 on the way 661296a32f to the ballroom.923ad74517861b11
Watching his back, Eleanor 2e9fed51cd smiled to herself in 288c437e35 satisfaction.a40ceb5008e30adb
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‘It seems like 2feeadcc04 my plan worked.’5727176af020e3b3
From the looks f774d4b167 of it, he 55a19b13da wouldn’t be asking c41565fd90 her for a 6ac5200302 dance tonight. Even if he wore 2c046d67d1 a mask, no noble a39ff715d8 would fail to recognize 8c98a0e9c2 him, and the gossip 8a11f4c691 would spread quickly.b2e96b111c0ae221
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Sure enough, 75bef942d8 the moment 31d25862c6 they arrived 2796ee3fe5 at the 58e031f25c mansion hosting ee19b201ed the ball, 5123fd3325 all eyes 2bfddfb8f1 turned to a5a653ff98 them.2ccb5aaf3bdeeb28
Arlo clearly a80e43f5cd had no 81f3ef4a17 intention of 024e175740 hiding his 94e2a6d4cc identity. The small mask barely 09f3664e12 covered his eyes, and 4c67599542 his fiery red hair 00d7dba423 was fully on display. It was typical 3e2c15c50e of someone who 71c7350721 loved attention.769536f03120b3da
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“Welcome, Your Highness! Late as always, I see,” said the Marchioness of Liv, the host of the ball.1a0156084944e64c
“Oh, how embarrassing to be recognized so quickly. Isn’t this supposed to be a masquerade?”210e56011c28c485
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Arlo replied with 9eede6015c a charming smile.a0f8fe3e1e0fb65f
The Marchioness laughed. “Even with a mask, no one could fail to recognize such a handsome man.”c6622aac9ace0a8b
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Eleanor took 71ae66825e the opportunity 93d077490b to step a8b71c6e63 forward and fb7595b1bb greet her.4316a3406c66dad3
“Thank you for the invitation, Marchioness of Liv.”dbed0cd0b74943fc
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“Oh my! The future ‘Little Moon’ of the Empire has graced us with her presence as well. What an honor!”cbe2a73cae520807
Arlo frowned slightly at the mention of the Empire’s ‘Little Moon’ but said nothing.3d6682b614d22033
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The Marchioness was 5241b5575e his aunt, the dba1ec3308 Emperor’s sister. He couldn’t afford to 75a9d51e24 cause a scene at 818759fbb8 his aunt’s ball, especially 0919dc1de1 for Nora’s sake.518762eb5c20395b
For the same a9f69312fd reason, Arlo planned cc522c6cd3 to fake being 4d38fc440d unwell tonight. If he 35401e50ea didn’t ask 2174a8a0a5 Eleanor for da24eefc5c a dance 621f12bb03 without reason, d46fdc8534 it would 161432d424 cause too e18a3bf67e much gossip 96aa95951f and disrupt 1e3f01feaf the party.1ba5df042d9ac905
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Besides, Eleanor didn’t 86367ed491 like dancing much 8e24f6912e anyway, so she’d f4bb45b21c likely accept his fa37019555 excuse without complaint.c662af486ccacf21
As they entered a1aa0752df the ballroom, attention b1a9b42a5e turned to them 50636355a8 once again.a5f23393c700d8fe
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Arlo basked with 2c70d1d353 admiring gazes, walked 5c776cabfd slowly toward his c70bc7db57 group of friends.9a83b9f540742ab2
His and Eleanor’s mutual b8e665d00e friends and acquaintances greeted bb08971a71 them warmly, though there 320607de89 was a hint of 4cf1777e94 awkwardness in their mannerisms.2f7906dbe6a87929
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“Your Highness, it’s been a while. And is that… Eleanor?”01620937b67eb164
“Eleanor? Is it really you?”134e03cd06b22fd0
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Eleanor caught their uneasy 01f9f6af17 glances and smirked internally.9af32e1bbb360328
‘So, they knew.’eb15ec5c6b3b2fdc
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Their behavior during 23f263cffa their last meeting b051c83ddc now makes sense. They must 09b416aefe have known 5acf6d3918 about Nora 9e64bd53cb back then 8eb22f761e but said 5c3be2b219 nothing.64f26c8327b4abfd
These were 985596e1d2 the same 80eab51c0b friends who a4034cecc6 had once 748508aa88 vowed eternal 842d433ec7 loyalty and 0db3391604 friendship. Yet, not one of 5d8c70bdf8 them had warned her ab07ddae5c about Arlo’s betrayal.f8fccd82db4270b7
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Eleanor felt a5ae8a9042 a wave 0f19eb2a79 of disappointment 3458d5cc2a but quickly b9505a9ce6 pushed it fff5d01026 aside.4ecdcf72cf34cd86
She’d never 7da7399a31 truly considered 4a375fd51d them real 73ad988acc friends, and 6fff071c82 clearly, they 414f1436bf hadn’t seen d0edfeed0f her that 59a8462ae8 way either.d918702e76dc22d0
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Her focus shifted 5484171ceb to curiosity instead.98e6d034270f6693
‘What do 3b260a1d82 they know? And how can c8fa1cd341 I use them?’3cf89533a3f44a9f
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She decided to play a5388f2e06 along for now.83d0169b123eee8d
“Yes, it’s me! Didn’t recognize me right away? How many blondes with violet eyes do you know?” She teased with a lighthearted tone, studying their reactions carefully.4fe958de568ef493
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Chiara Portsmouth, the d9d6241a55 eldest daughter of 862cceb9d4 the Earl of 86d2c5e183 Portsmouth, flinched noticeably.19937c14c529caea
‘So, Chiara’s met f388a274b8 Nora.’85da5afaed029a92
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It wasn’t hard 4087aba089 to piece together 2e40ce5cdd the rest. Most of f0328cbc1a the people 1ea2609fc3 here must 5f1f2a9140 have been e78992d6f0 introduced to 15844657f8 Nora by 22082091a4 Arlo.f17f5bfd20a37755
The thought stung for b5f1bcae9c a moment but was 7d9fbaed62 quickly replaced by excitement.fad3142ca2648dd9
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‘Let’s see how a043fb3d0a useful they’ll be af060dd816 when Nora, Arlo, 98546f8683 and the Astria 71832fe7d7 family begin to 43260b6b18 crumble.’dba7cd309602f07c
Chiara awkwardly laughed and tried to recover. “Oh, no! It’s just that you don’t usually attend events like these. Didn’t you dislike masquerade balls?”3b7bc1a7f22de443
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“I did,” Eleanor replied with a sweet smile. “But I’ve decided to start liking them.”df2699792b6bb7d4
“That’s wonderful! You must come to the next party I host.”2ef5ed98c0e58c8c
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“Of course, Chiara. I’ll come with Arlo.”2e0078d0e8bcbd80
Eleanor’s words c5dded7d34 were accompanied b7d0199c18 by a 7a1b2d65b1 soft laugh f247317e19 as she f42d7e2768 casually leaned 3e50a6ada1 her head c1d095ecf7 toward Arlo’s 806174f80c shoulder—slowly enough 4167c79cd1 for him e329f9291d to move e2b1897b22 away if 277b02a783 he wanted.dc0211f1ed67ec3d
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As her head 566f7e0173 drew near, Arlo 44a14edb9f quickly pulled his 9d4fc8d50a arm away to 428f3469c2 avoid her touch.91728eb0b36acf08
Smack!2eb84d41f99c94e6
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The movement caused Eleanor’s 027029c555 hand to hit his fc96d12c7f arm with an unexpectedly ea77d82f78 loud sound.56d3de62a6013513
Everyone’s attention snapped 73e8c77c0b to them. Even distant onlookers 381959c684 turned to see 35b37581f2 what had happened.263940ff50bed804
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Eleanor looked up 6115804110 at Arlo with 55393fab32 a hurt expression, 8f61fd928d further increasing the 5d000b5700 awkward tension.22948f79bc7f2d23
Chiara, sensing the growing ed74675fbd discomfort, raised her voice 059965ab12 to change the subject.45d7a64b26235f70
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“Oh, look! The music is starting. Who’s going to dance first?”58e59aa149362226
But the 035f631dc6 suggestion only 5a6706d840 worsened things 8736000ccc for Arlo.e1cab41376dfca75
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He had planned f90716a8fc to mention his 7e8787c064 supposed illness discreetly. Now, with all eyes c5127cf58e on him, anything he 959a0fa9c3 said might spark unwanted 046494066a rumors or anger Eleanor’s 12a7337bba powerful father, the Duke f64eb81924 of Astria.fd1264d99b03c768
‘Damn it! Why am 9c4a12f870 I even e37db9ece6 going through a946015f40 all this 1426893f49 trouble?’790fb9487aff399e
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Suppressing his irritation, a611ae84f2 Arlo took a 5fdb4e1c7b deep breath to 2d82837457 compose himself.042a5c41a6e8a8cf
Before he 1cd4c7034f could say abd4b613bd a word, 1cc9e28065 Eleanor seized d451b6fe41 the moment.d971e19b799d006b
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“Arlo,” she said softly, her voice trembling just enough to sound vulnerable.b60f228c85b64580
“Will you dance with me… please?”407a3acd2b2e5503
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Her large, tear-filled 709482074f eyes and quivering bab8cc9c6d lips created the d4eed41df2 perfect image of cb90e19027 heartbreak.499a03d5acb0cc83
Though her 988af5168e voice wasn’t f4d5899b13 loud, it 298dadebde was enough c7e532b148 for the 4165c77c85 curious nobles cdaa37aa82 nearby to 88a0e40cbe hear. The dramatic dc9568bf49 display captivated 1bd1092d91 the crowd, 0a91685d6c their interest 68d5ecb54a intensifying when d971484c7d Arlo hesitated c0d07b21be to respond.fc5a844cbcf25a47
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‘What in c0afbe1d25 the world 96165fecc6 is happening?’3c6274530869321b
“Didn’t they have a good relationship? Their wedding is just months away, so why are they acting like this?”2aa8a2d1556c6c3d
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“That attitude was strange earlier. Is he really not going to dance with her?”61439511cd45ca0c
Rumors swirled through a82bbf23f6 the crowd. The idea of conflict 15705a0f1d between the future emperor 9f8542a6c3 and his fiancée was 52eccdae42 too juicy to resist. Whispering voices buzzed 024f266936 around the ballroom, 34cd67dec1 and Arlo, the 6469222567 crown prince, clenched 20f0e59fc3 his jaw in 22fd58fcee frustration.1dd001055f54bd66
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He couldn’t a1d134128e believe Eleanor 00b383ebbe was putting a7d4ca7517 him in eee1d355be this situation, 32a3b38078 clinging to 2ca6cbd198 him in 68b094de76 a way 6fd17f83ed that was b765a30a7a clearly meant 0a2bae0d1d to make 030c8716c1 him uncomfortable.a98db5976ff4f4ea
He didn’t feel pity 107c410158 for her—only irritation. What had started as 9798454e2e amusing attention from the a19cba7f7f crowd had now turned 88e6b6c061 suffocating.df6995f138fb5f30
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Arlo glanced c9f7771314 around at a5ea216ac2 the onlookers, e63479cc5d their curiosity 4d070f9525 hidden behind df95058380 the anonymity 541bc2e21f of their 4130ecc7f2 masks. The audacity 1eebf2c477 of these cadf4c0b68 nobles, gossiping a6aeb069d5 about someone 8244824f25 destined to d909d2c95e be emperor, a3d987312e annoyed him. He let out eab4822a3b a sharp breath 4538e40170 and turned to c163c995dc Eleanor.d31ac92a200aa0c5
“I’m tired. I need 93792e1433 to rest.”38e87a8051fa435f
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With those few words, 557e09acdb he abruptly left her 4c91ad4796 side, heading toward the 00a13ce86f refreshments table, where wine d74236a843 awaited. His excuse of being 7576b282cf tired was laughable as 29ffab8db3 he eagerly sought out 2821680707 a drink instead of 105fab3bf2 rest.cb4edfe758d74a57
As Arlo walked away, 6c5b4084d6 groans and murmurs filled 162d5d0ae4 the room.aebfbdd4d40c18ad
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The crowd’s 7d16ab17e6 interest shifted 5b6eb08bb5 to Eleanor, 5ffc3c84d9 now alone ea97949a8f in the f17a77526d middle of 902d1e52c3 the ballroom. Friends who had f4d2af22fe once been at 7f52cb17fb her side awkwardly 20627cd12b stepped back, and 6544f29d2e no nobleman dared 68cb71a61a approach her.cfa79298573857e8
They knew Arlo’s possessive 4f8c9a6b4c nature well. Even though he 2cece1c31d had publicly refused a14e8b665c to dance with 56be6ae987 Eleanor, no one ffdc1b3c94 wanted to risk 3ef9598e13 his unpredictable temper f5b8e12274 by offering to 3a980cd871 take his place.520866f35e8e3d9f
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“Poor thing. The proud 568cc3d3b3 Lady Astrea, 8629967458 left standing ff71c450ac like a a707ed6e87 wallflower.”f20789e789c33e12
“How humiliating. I can’t bear 848f3e7a30 to watch.”f90f7e15e1222f67
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Eleanor kept 6e7e549edb her head 1ce974a7c5 lowered, hearing a3d66aa93d the soft 170df5a9b9 mockery and 3ca768498c pitying voices 2e6ae93a78 around her.dc1cdf261ca90f56
It stung, of 2e392017d6 course.e1ccc78c10dc7ee9
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She couldn’t remember the 595f2a2cd0 last time she had 8c521bbb1a been humiliated like this 87c8964356 in public.b7eb9f9eb13d289a
But this was 56b90fe875 exactly what she b84d03ffb8 needed. The more 264d2ef85c pitiful she 0bff5e3617 looked now, b62c29a50d the easier 978ac275a6 it would 3e492536da be to 4b21bf27e8 manipulate public 8e23e80168 opinion later—especially 50069343b2 regarding Nora.58306dc7e2546838
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No matter how humiliating f2af0165e9 this moment felt, it d114d4d873 was a small price a9edbf010a to pay for the 4c04ffa4ef freedom she planned to 9d12e1cd5d secure.35e3d374ce302a9d
From nearby, 5b64858a16 she heard 3626c6838b musicians tuning 658a2b01ed their instruments, 4a7e924d8c signaling that e05deae07b the dancing 0267754b02 was about 06a5b174b6 to begin.0fa71e02f27194ff
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‘It’s time for 52f7111c92 me to retreat,’ d6a4ca72d9 she thought.37079a4069fafc3c
Eleanor bit her lip, ff60764ca3 maintaining the appearance of 31e7bee1ac holding back tears as c68de09d3e she slowly moved toward 929d28ae68 the edge of the 4343aba0aa ballroom, away from the 17ee0de828 center of attention. Her head remained bdbb60b471 bowed as she 6275887410 took each step.a12e275ab95069d1
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But then, her d53de4ab67 path was blocked.b2d72945adec5949
She stopped and blinked, 13f1bf3f0f confused. In front of a0498bc2d7 her was a c15e1b7883 pair of large, 233c3e72fe polished black shoes.a28ff0cd29d535c7
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Lifting her head, 53d057f0a7 she looked up 00fa884acf to see a d62fc40e59 man she didn’t 8d05380408 recognize.9969bda5aa425028
The man 0a418802a9 was tall d070ea3631 and broad-shouldered, 071877418e dressed in 923565a540 a crimson 62793e4e4c cloak and 8d1f1ac633 wearing a 878e8f9e29 full-face traditional 7a430d1673 mask that aaeb5db726 concealed his 7574922db8 entire head. The faint scent of 6a8a38ec5c fresh air clung to b5b8c357be him, suggesting he had de4099de23 just arrived.520aca37f5cb8f07
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Eleanor stared, puzzled as ffcf6e9171 to why he stood 11f88ccc06 in her way. Was he lost? Or perhaps just 53bd997308 rude?b2cbdeadecafbdc6
Then, without a word, d81bb75404 the man extended his 679bc9c944 hand toward her.e43784951ef927b2
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The black-gloved 8127cdf003 hand was 24e941aa77 unmistakable in 64ace2e70d its intent.a9a060dc6add161e
He was asking 9170af2956 her to dance.f3b6fccd55301fa5
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2d3b279f4919bbe1