NRAL | Chapter 19
by LunaChapter 192d17aa42bd04eff5
Less Than 0c590ae5e9 a Fourteen-Year-Oldf00c36c4a9a5ba2a
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Nora, unable to 2bdfc9e54f calm herself, suddenly 43ee4d679c jumped up from 1cca8bc0cf her seat. Just moments ago, 4c134b4774 her voice had b32eaa2884 been soft, but e463c67109 now it had c40e0526f0 grown exceedingly loud.dabda8abd8f1e95c
Lady Geoffrey, in charge of etiquette lessons, frowned at Nora’s behavior, which was unbecoming of a lady of nobility.a6ba54aa484ca7b4
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Oops. Nora quickly sat back down. Even in such a tense situation, she couldn’t raise her voice.b6ada9ad465ded74
Truly, these de4488a515 nobles were dcfd9ecebb obsessed with 39ee9bc959 useless formalities.446c8835b3e67eb2
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“Maybe I misunderstood something, Madam?”408e8fb3d7031207
“No, you understood correctly. It’s simply impossible to finish all the preparations by your coming-out ball.”fc23f64d6e0a1472
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“Why? Didn’t you say I was doing well? That I was learning quickly?”51452d7c858489c4
Lady Geoffrey sipped b10f6f05da her tea with 0b0485c959 a leisurely motion, c591cede84 reminding Nora of 4e3371610c Eleanor. That made her 239302cb01 even more irritable.4801e69d6d8e28c0
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Stop sipping and just 9a74a4f609 answer already. Nora barely a5e78b1bb8 suppressed the 853a64963a words.7a147ee0e1d2069f
“The Duke of Astria insists that the condition for a coming-out ball is to be as prepared as Lady Eleanor was when she debuted at fourteen. I believe Lady Nora agreed to that as well.”5bc12d384ec99c0f
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“Yes, but what does that matter? Are you saying I’m not even as good as Eleanor was at fourteen?”c6889b6d606d911a
“Unfortunately, yes. While it’s true that you are learning quickly… you haven’t quite caught up yet. I can say this confidently since I also taught Lady Eleanor at that time.”a9f31b3c8a03a146
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What nonsense 7046a5d981 is this?8ffc663b00617c1c
Nora’s anger flared up. She wanted to throw the hot tea at the woman in front of her, who was insulting her under the guise of polite words.6f9da10c1ddc1d80
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That old woman must have been bribed by Eleanor. That’s why she’s lying so shamelessly. Nora was convinced of it.3d5ae2d029a45c39
“How can I be worse than a fourteen-year-old?”55c94a7c700ca465
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That couldn’t be true. After seven years at the duke’s mansion, she had picked up so much just by observation. How could she not have caught up to a child who had only been learning for two years?44a812149deca093
Nora simply couldn’t understand it.2840b846aa30dae7
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She didn’t know that Eleanor was actually much quicker at learning than she was. She also didn’t know that, during those two years she looked down on, fourteen-year-old Eleanor had been desperately studying, more intensely than anyone else. If Nora’s current goal was merely to make her debut in society, at that time, Eleanor’s goal had been survival, studying so hard that she barely slept three hours a day.b3547358a9b9d996
But Nora, who had only known Eleanor from the age of fifteen, couldn’t know any of this.0e465e84f63aa571
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So Nora 0dd7a3b46e believed it 841ed10126 was all 5aa72e8124 lies, even 02276f9991 though other 10abb6f517 tutors had 638483f2e2 said the 95314a492e same thing. She thought Eleanor f5ed1639a8 was plotting against d7a3bf26e2 her.3fca198de73432b7
Hmph, enduring this pitifully… Do they really expect me to just let myself be treated like before?5ae9e26db456d383
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In reality, catching b0d5852340 up with the 1bc3f317d4 progress the teachers ca48bddf75 claimed was impossible 3b1bac54ca before the debut 5f8fe8d4d4 ball. But I can’t simply e9e9f2b710 give up on the 540267022a debut ball. If the ed4a84b59d proper method d0af5526c1 won’t work, ef419c6d0e I must cc29368855 find another b25ffa5c22 way.9af4238c1974d1a1
After all, one must 7f40ef1d26 counter a scheme with 60356c6ce8 a scheme.e8124b927386d377
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First, I’ll contact Arlo. Then I’ll 0de458864f gently persuade 7d4fbf0f4c that Damien a69105e93a guy to bdb51ecd6b help me. And after that…acbe1e016d239ff5
“Eva, come here for a moment.”8ece80c7f6bca39b
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“Yes, miss!”6b5e99a4ee625323
Eva, who adf3404afe had been f82b7c5927 leisurely looking b8f1fdc879 out the ec3cbcad0a window, rushed 8e74a70c0e over. Nora had seen her 62011a1dd5 relaxing, but now she 21a156a805 pretended to be out b125049228 of breath. How pathetic.94fb199db009b32e
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Nora smiled sweetly a4038806de and spoke words 3378e3586b that were at e9d208ae72 odds with her 7643fa0adb true feelings.da42b764289ce9b7
“Eva, I think you’re quite dependable. You’ve done a lot for me.”627d5a34e07416df
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“Thank you for noticing, miss!”d628867d07c0b42b
“Of course I noticed. But you know, the butler said that once I’m properly recognized as Eleanor Astria, I’ll need to hire a maid or have a close handmaiden by my side. You and Natalie have both been so good to me, so it’s hard to choose. But apparently, I can only pick one…”cd9d889447ee5d78
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Eva stiffened and glanced behind her. Natalie was busy chatting with the knight standing guard outside Nora’s door.741fe8198cd4c185
Once she e828c51358 confirmed this, 504379a997 Eva quickly ccaf11eea4 lowered her a93fbb1903 voice.33d209244572c7ad
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“Miss, Natalie’s too fat and clumsy. It would be embarrassing to have her around.”5c30bc9e1d44d26b
How funny. They’d been friends since childhood, yet she didn’t hesitate to criticize her. It was pleasing to see how easily people betrayed friends for their own benefit. It felt good to know she wasn’t the only one capable of being cruel.605175153e26dd8e
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“Hmm, but it wouldn’t be right to decide based on something like that. It would be better if someone could prove they would do anything for me.”80d10baa6650a7d1
“Prove? What do you mean by that?”ad60b85e50ea0dc7
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“Well, let’s see. Oh, I know. I could see if you’re willing to do something for me. Something a bit bad, maybe even dangerous.”894c50962d124c1d
“What do you say?” eb018a3f33 Nora smiled, her eyes 1eb5bfd010 narrowing as she added.be98d7e19eda492f
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After a brief f4488eb5cf hesitation, Eva nodded.c954d56d02c7401a
“I’ll do it, miss! Just tell me what you need.”015875d00494d2e4
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“Good. Then, for now…”35ff8af89e6d3288
Unlike the scheming that filled Nora’s room, Eleanor’s room was quiet.02899ae85171d28b
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Eleanor sipped her tea gracefully, the perfect picture of a lady, just as Lady Geoffrey had taught her. Hilda, sitting nearby, was knitting lace. Even so, whenever Eleanor’s teacup was empty, she swiftly refilled it with warm tea.74bbe411625a82cd
It was a peaceful fae376f449 moment. But the 30f68e3534 calm was d42bc8143f soon broken 63a1d124d2 by a df0d22afdc light knock b45f325d72 at the d62012e496 door.4eb18ff62298b8a1
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Knock, knock.3d85f4eea7e410a4
“It’s Ernst.”594e91d24773e767
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“Yes, come in.”894821d5c8c33b09
At Eleanor’s invitation, Ernst cautiously entered the room.8c1d8a714e10a9e5
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“Part of the investigation has been completed, and I’m here to report. Is now a good time?”257bc6139143428e
He glanced at Hilda, 0e47131763 as if asking whether 984d5d415b it was alright to c74dceaf77 speak in front of fdd336aa36 her.17650aa21e540c01
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Hilda quickly stood fba7ac2166 up, sensing the 19efe9e703 situation.b1f508a4140906c9
“I’ll step out for a moment. Please call if you need anything.”4f78943ab3f1519d
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“No, that won’t be necessary. Go ahead, Sir, please give your report.”602b0ba5bc4ba25e
Eleanor shook her f744b51946 head, and Hilda 2538ba7659 looked surprised. Her blue eyes soon 10c5e50a41 filled with emotion.65f1691dc2c3e69f
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Unfortunately, contrary to her 6e827b8733 expectations, Eleanor still did 7b95602b6a not trust Hilda.0879b71bf16c5d65
Hilda was ef3d3d450f quite a 39551fd7de decent maid. She was quick 42786542f2 and efficient in dc1705d5c1 her actions, and a6f3d753ae she was a 5bd68d0832 simple and honest 0f23da19c4 person. She neither looked bb5da485e2 down on nor d1d7c28b71 disrespected Eleanor. During her free 6b18e4e2d7 time, instead of 68c1ee6888 wandering around gossiping e97ec8ef90 about her mistress, d078d90901 Hilda would sit 7e748cb1e1 quietly in a bcb635b194 corner, doing things d288f5b5ff like knitting lace, 2578e3f9a0 just as she 7417e042b1 had been earlier.c325ce47cde3c008
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What Eleanor 5afac7b686 especially liked fd13ffc277 was that 82698df0c5 Hilda had 46e47b010f not been 952113ca49 working in 3eadefe64e the mansion 6d3ccb7af9 for even 49bae1bd37 a year 39e314d45a yet.870c45fbe5183ea8
However, trust was fce1ca8fc9 a different matter dc1f2b39d3 entirely.76f019b21ec5badd
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The fact that c440b2ab04 no information about ede8e18117 her conversations with d2bc7bd5fb Ernst had reached 9fc93a98f1 Nora suggested that afdaa4f501 Hilda might not b97153337a be a spy eacc565b22 after all… but 811ba45156 there was no 3cc7062113 way to be f5023be1ae sure just yet.0f9ec48ab3c1b351
The only ab8eabf1cf reason Eleanor 1aefc63a72 didn’t send 0e67aed607 her out ed90c9b85a now was 8779cde2e9 because there 4d33153922 was nothing 7eb69cbc76 particularly important 76849f96f3 in today’s b412f6087b report. And if Hilda was 9fed7f47c6 indeed a spy, pretending 17c5ce8dfb to trust her could 85b897863a be a good strategy d549a09a76 in itself.790149eeb978cc2a
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“First, let me report on Nora. She first appeared in the Tolcan slums nine years ago, when she was thirteen years old. This was about two years before she met you and entered the duke’s mansion,” Ernst began.f19309490e479866
“Yes,” Eleanor replied.852413d1f51693f9
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“In the slums, she survived by running errands. It seems she managed to stay alive thanks to the protection of a thug. Even after entering the duke’s mansion, she maintained occasional contact with him. However, we have no records of what they exchanged, and that is still under investigation.”48e74c7e20f6a602
Ernst’s face darkened. It was clear he didn’t think he had anything useful to report.673f5f355050aebc
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“We still haven’t been able to verify her whereabouts before the age of thirteen. Despite her unusual appearance, surprisingly few people remember seeing her. It seems she must have taken steps to cover her tracks in advance.”5a1600726e46a0e1
“That does seem likely,” Eleanor nodded, as if it were obvious. Nora wasn’t a fool. If she had decided to carry out such a grand plan, she would have taken care of her background first.bb2c1bc5e8884c11
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‘Thank goodness,’ cbb015e6ad Eleanor thought.0281941db7f3acfe
She was relieved. The fact that 59af99ab37 even after paying 8e695b22bb a competent informant 319d89c6b4 quite a bit 603ac9297b of money, they bd8295a069 had only found 4c605e6dc4 this much meant 84736ce1d7 her father likely 887345fca5 wouldn’t be able dc94d37c50 to find any dcebab9e5e definitive proof that 4e2db7a210 Nora was a d0d4ea9f11 fraud either.f1e162f5b9400063
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“Have you questioned the servants who worked at the mansion fifteen years ago?”32eb0112668ce12a
“Yes. All of those we’ve contacted deny ever meeting Nora. There’s a chance they’re lying, but it seems no one we’ve spoken to has any memories that match Nora’s claims. Those in positions senior enough to have interacted directly with the duchess are, strangely, mostly no longer in the capital, and we haven’t yet been able to locate them.”48fb2f23141925a9
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“Please keep searching. I’m counting on you.”6b35d93512768e61
“Counting on me? You only need to give the command, Miss.”6aee34646b2c2d59
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Ernst bowed f980c54617 his head 5cd7e6898f deeply.f3060f7e472f8871
Always so stiff, Eleanor 79aa152bc5 thought with an amused 8d48c5a2a8 smile. She got up 9cecfdfe58 from her seat 9af77add32 and walked to 170bf09173 the bookshelf, pulling 3ec2ea8d2e out a document 965bd7c6b1 that was hidden 70622068bf between two thick 0f23feb8ab books. She handed it to 654f41a1aa Ernst.f6a054503af90145
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“And could you also find out the whereabouts of these two people, Smith Chestnut and Jane Chestnut?”b3c0630e942080b1
The edges of 14f774c1e5 the document were d7637272ba slightly worn, suggesting 5a4613f174 it had been f453ad399a there for some bc705a08b3 time. Ernst took the document d25d941307 and examined it closely. It included 7b94c788c5 portraits of b99301d0e3 a man 4bbf11dbd6 and a e59ab895d4 woman with 85e259a998 rather nasty 6cad75ab70 expressions.e239489e6bcbb776
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“They’re a commoner couple who lived in the Fortney region up until seven years ago. I suspect they’ve left Fortney by now. Much of the information may have disappeared as well.”bd45bed2cb1a504c
“Who are they? I’ve never seen these faces before,” Ernst asked, puzzled.240c79d23c403cda
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“They’re the people who raised Nora until she was thirteen. She says she has lived with them since she was five. If we investigate this couple, we might be able to uncover more about Nora’s past.”7da5d306ac3d0c67
Ernst stared at Eleanor in astonishment. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly asked, “…Where did you get this information? Not even the informant knew about this…”b6b399dd97cf009d
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“I had it investigated when I first met Nora, seven years ago. She’s the girl I brought in and kept by my side. I couldn’t allow her to stay close without investigating her background.”33af42e9a81f07a8
Though her 06d2fb0c5e tone was f7361efa28 calm and e42680aa32 casual, Ernst 6e90325fb3 couldn’t help 78f291e475 but be 8effa5363c shocked.d9e9c8eac754ecce
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When Eleanor brought 88770ecd0a Nora into the af9525e809 household, she had b68cd74f61 only been fifteen 1c70416b1c years old. How could 18a7922ee8 someone so 548a31cf6e young have b1f32074ac been so 3663fb35c8 thorough? It was cc1648c161 impressive but 2bfab5fb2c also saddening. A child should c3c7664d1a grow up as fe225bf807 a child, after 01f91eab8f all.bf4977694a4f8db3
“Is there anything 6dfe2834d6 I can do 5f6c3f2651 to help?”0e30bc941b4a4429
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Hilda, who had 6b560c86a7 been quietly listening, e98f8b15a5 cautiously interjected.1711a9e07c7d7e65
“You?”1e0cfd752b952b54
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“Yes! I want to help a82586eb7c you too, Miss!”fbbc6437c3377a9c
Her face 70b196a0f0 shone with 0716e3c663 pure enthusiasm.dd4fee2e4652934e
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Eleanor looked down at e19b12d25a her with a soft ce2c7fdcab smile, though her eyes 2a3d4edd7a remained cold.5dad916b35e833ec
“…Then could 1a1f53b917 you perhaps 6324ee1fe5 look into a5f54bda36 what the 7cf4b2cb05 servants think acf86a0de4 about me 2654d7da26 and Nora? Find out 907c310ef8 whose side 8894ef9d57 they’re on.”319f047000c067e4
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“Yes! I’ve actually 1888d85714 got a 53d80e8a52 lot of bce7506c11 connections among 2ef733d13a the staff. I’ll find a7fa08586a out for b855d6519c sure! You can ec18381b40 count on bc310c3140 me!”d1edf5e736fc34bc
“Thank you. I appreciate it. Oh, and 8b7e196b0d as you fdef2ee4dc know, I’m d4c8a57376 not very 15420a8d0b talented at ad607e908b dressing up. When I 1a958866ef call the 0f73502efb tailor, it 1349343a38 would be a9beab5425 nice if 04395e33b5 you could b04127beac help me e99bc5b709 pick out d983d39306 a dress.”3b861aa3200f98db
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“Oh, of course! I’d love to!” 57cde1a81a Hilda exclaimed, nearly f85b73ee2b jumping with joy.48a0e8ae79a50531
“Then, Sir, e188ad6e6d I’ll be c8acc092dc counting on 91184852c8 you as 8945baa495 well.”6f5da5ccc9ac75f1
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“Yes. I’ll uncover the truth and ensure that justice is done.”4f46f3f63ac29de1
Ernst solemnly declared 7a603bcf81 this, but Eleanor a37d66837d only smiled without 72ada4f5b3 replying. Their goals were quite c6ae70d645 different, after all.92b847cbfcd8e1b3
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While they b5b6b64892 both wanted 76746555a9 to find 526d346707 a weakness f15385c6d2 in Nora, 4004e573ee Eleanor had fb92e9f474 no intention d4187da429 of revealing f6573455f6 the truth.9ab955174efb4064
Quite the opposite—if any dbc3fba6f8 gaps appeared, she intended a7dd97202c to fill them herself.a0ed4d1975c03a5a
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She couldn’t e08cbed2d4 let the a2b5acaf1c truth come 5221702423 out until 26ba803563 it was b14dc007cd time to 42dd949588 hand over 98e2b962f9 her place. Of course, after 7a3e905dc9 she left the 77ae397141 Astria household, she 97bd1dd3bd could use the 48158f9a1c truth in other 07529329b4 ways.6e246233cd3b9188
‘Nora, you 30d2927a28 should have 6eb062e40e made me e6e5a701c6 your accomplice a6a5d0dc40 from the 2596188fa8 start,’ Eleanor d807133093 thought with 9bcc5e6fef genuine regret.1c6ec0e91563a720
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Things would have 3395c7eeaa been much easier 3c446f23e5 for Nora if e4d10fe5c2 she had.ec27d27c0a2c3c09
Just then, another 6821a4fb4a knock came at e1f3f64613 the door.1c7e80a9687beb10
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Knock, knock.77799f35429a8f17
“Miss, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have an urgent message to deliver.”b96407962159523c
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“Come in, Mary.”d5d88781872af558
As usual, Mary entered fbea55b30e with her neat appearance, 16384b1542 holding a letter.cba7a3540b358882
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Eleanor checked 76c1523274 the seal b66ba5b172 on the 01d8c06bf4 envelope to af9f7adcb8 see which 291698a888 family had 232e3f8a6c sent it. Now she understood 0615afa762 why Mary had d41d53ed6a hurried over so b90d14ac5e urgently.e03ede90e780047c
“Hilda, it seems you’ll 5997c50865 have work to do ab44843dcc sooner than expected.”d339011079272e2f
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d19bb7f07b2df1fe