NRAL | Chapter 41

~Chapter 41~477a179fba4abfb2

The Rotten Lifeline4d6b4dd3426e964b

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It was c45c3bc1de a warm 49c76d22b3 afternoon.878350c188e87dd0

“Courtney, come over and try some cookies.”0bbd4215798eeeb2

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Eleanor, who was 5696cfd779 enjoying tea time 795c1878a5 in the garden, d67d9c9837 kindly suggested.e5fe12224cad3a79

At that, a maid 4c28353290 who had been lingering eb223064f9 out of sight peeked 4636b70722 her head out. Courtney, the gray-haired maid, 1ec549fdf6 hurried over, panting as 80214177a4 if she had been 5884d80526 working hard.575d2e851d1cdac8

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Eleanor smiled at her c951c760d1 and handed her a e4640aa357 cookie filled with butter.e3512ff44a7fa953

“Thank you, Miss.”0100baaa5cf4e1b0

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Courtney naturally reached 4eac4c7de7 out to take 80147e6c25 the cookie.95824b880c60dbd2

Thanks to 746d9f9f37 Hilda’s words 70671508f6 about the 9763fa8101 shortage of 75b4af71b1 maids, Courtney 66f58aca4f had quickly ac28cda1aa seized the d27cf89d2c opportunity and e3498c49da had been 133fe4843b working by fb8a07ec2e Eleanor’s side 38e0a915b1 for about 9f3fed0d1c a week 02c94dbf77 now. On the first day, 7a3a6bdf45 Eleanor had seemed distant, 7738c46452 as if a cold d8e31b28a8 breeze were blowing around c6fd8ac036 her. But as the days 57bcebce8d went by, she gradually 3d61361029 began to open up f835c380b0 to Courtney.67257b78b9302bfb

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Their conversations 8be4bb4be6 became longer, f452e4ac38 and Courtney 9809b5dcf6 found that 58116e263c Eleanor, surprisingly, 6c1fee2b95 seemed to 20ff0e5d7f be someone e3d565c7ee who craved c70ca3f92c affection.1db9c8e09a2bf803

‘Actually, she’s more in 44cada7276 need of affection than e67a75ab46 I thought,’ Courtney thought 5215e514bf to herself.461065fdeb052892

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Courtney had only c34584b66d treated her a 6b3e0f75e8 bit kindly to fbcf67dc5f keep things smooth, 420a20c6a6 yet Eleanor reacted 45c674ff42 emotionally even to e1c4a06b1d small gestures. She was 4adbf44b61 quick to ff01085f25 trust and d167b795ab open her 526f2fe739 heart.18ccb77cf8116b13

At first, it felt fc87728277 good. Eleanor, who maintained a 59d5f65589 neutral expression with the 43303fb740 other servants, smiled at d98b96b253 her, which gave Courtney 9fec321235 a strange sense of ef942cbabc superiority.c3025ee2eabe15aa

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Of course, it wasn’t 94103d3e20 the same as how eee73cbf7f Hilda was treated, but 6423b27518 considering the time they’d 76964f9c53 spent together, it seemed a8d17fea8d like Eleanor might actually 739ad04780 like her more.520d1154154fd294

“Thank you so much for looking after me, Courtney. Even though you know I’m a fake… I’ve never met a kind girl like you.”b1697e6e3229274c

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Eleanor even 3c3ede6939 said this.53b9925121f13f6f

Hearing such words, d1749fb29c where Eleanor lowered 5f362b541f herself and lifted 71cc9e6b90 Courtney up, day 18abd0b9bd after day, made 1d3bb141f1 Courtney’s pride swell.373d67dbb2de09cc

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After hearing it 44bec44186 so often, maybe 4670d0e228 it even brainwashed 0780b9a050 her a bit. Before she 5e4b3ba833 knew it, b3ebe491c5 Courtney really 73025b23bb began to 4823a957cc think like f3662a98e8 Eleanor said.65dec0f3ad40d692

‘Actually, Miss should 53d3ffe5dd be grateful to 8f50456ffe me. Who else 3f2040c6ce would want 3bc50a63e0 to serve 770a003ba4 a fake 846d43175d lady like fa15390a47 her? Someone whose background is 5ee8b5fec8 unknown and could be 938e626ade kicked out at any 404ea53f4c moment?’d6759af17b5262b1

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Ever since the theft 96242f0786 incident, it was Eleanor 7164da6068 who had gained a 09c15afe40 stronger position in the 2824e7ebc9 Duke’s house, but Courtney 3d2f64c02a thought of herself as 83bdee33ba someone who had to 92f1cf6530 personally take care of acb3130443 a troublesome burden.d89a119d175eea36

As she kept thinking b5c16b6412 this way, discontent began 55b5d3c0b0 to build.26efee2e82446784

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‘Being friendly with her, ae33f5d60f I thought I’d get eaf6b86e75 something more out of 84e0adddc8 it, but all I 693fd93c3a got were some crumbs 1f72a6ee83 of cookies?’00f479b090132626

Courtney had heard from 999505d37b the other maids that f879bf9adf Natalie had received jewelry 7c68a0935f from Lady Nora. Eleanor only 955e3d6da6 said thank 6102bdb9c8 you, but 9580dd551d there was 1d033d8cc9 no real c0b973d0e9 reward.23aa1031318b2272

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She was the kind f55ec42fa7 of person who could 3f31b0bb96 only take but never 18308735cd give. That was 9cf17d2aa4 exactly how cd3a2dd5ea Eleanor was. The way Hilda, 25e5b72ec1 who was like 52d447907d a close servant 3b162dc599 to her, was 1439e14879 dressed made it 170f54af0a clear.c3c53bef43b853db

‘I’m such 14503e883e a fool. I didn’t 8140b6ea27 even realize ada536590f I was 8662e55155 grabbing a 12c00cf13b rotten lifeline!’613c6f5bc77e9ad5

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Not long ago, she f3d83640d6 had been happy to 9468cc70ad be serving such a a91d98566f good lady, but now a2fad46320 Courtney regretted it deeply.50ce0301f4fa73b1

And around the 74d7d3d24b time she had 9079ef0ff4 repeated those regrets 90ae034e93 a dozen or 1005332332 so times, a ffc29c449e new lifeline appeared 049956837b before her.109d36c2b3934ab5

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“Courtney, are you busy right now?”a52493b84fc0d444

Natalie—the one 15c6dad31f who’d become d2aa25651b the official cae449b8da princess and 65e809c4b5 grown so d3092455c1 arrogant she eb6a66b4bb wouldn’t even 76526a57b6 speak to 199cbcbdd2 most of cee2155ccf the staff—had b6864cb8fc come to 9d2d768c24 her and 2c2247dbde started a 11b1108030 conversation.baffee0636dfd31e

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“Nattie! No, I’m not busy at all!”042efba3823d32f7

Instinctively, Courtney 686801e80b realized this 7961904ee1 was an f727975cf8 opportunity, and af1190f757 she quickly 311d6df7c5 answered, even d1687abc90 calling Natalie e0d29a5b4d by her d8b939c2a2 nickname. Although she noticed fce033025e Natalie’s face looked 1f6f785d6b darker lately, Courtney’s 457bb0dc32 vanity only focused 3dd4b795b5 on the glittering 601817e5d8 jewelry, not Natalie’s ceec8b7bda gloomy eyes.6d4bf7559944cb04

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“Good. Then, would you like to talk for a moment? Oh, where are Hilda and the head maid right now?”e0432c27d811bc1c

Courtney swallowed her breath 533e3f2e57 eagerly.9c42f9aa63ef8f5e

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The head maid, Maria, a75301b008 and Hilda were both 4f54322eee considered to be Eleanor’s a5a971a490 people. Courtney knew 73a8e23718 that mentioning e6018a41dc them wasn’t 921c533f1e because she c1c50e2e21 was genuinely aff0cc3af6 concerned about 0b9af3d8ed where they 36e833c75e were.126b81105d5971f2

This was something cf92f7dac5 she had been aa698f3127 waiting for, so ddc67b7e21 she made a 9dff63998c quick decision.f4ee78d5d1c93f66

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“Head Maid’s 696f856689 busy, and 1339d2874f Hilda went f336d2263b for a 67cec4bbab walk with 49c93da103 the young 3a35c08e62 lady. Lucky timing, Right?”9c2704a42b218626

“Yeah, perfect timing.”8639f36590282482

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Natalie smiled faintly, d1f766530a looking tired, and ea7d2b37fa led Courtney to 1d255c0328 a secluded spot 17ac045247 where no one 2a7fc3c726 would pass by.be746a62b8df5968

“How can someone’s thoughts be so easy to read?”c779dff6798bd51f

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Hilda tilted her 63b36017dd head, genuinely puzzled, 45ecf3623a as she looked 0ce5861aeb at the tightly 5da3e83b03 closed door. She was referring to 6aa7319e11 how Courtney had just 38c5a1bf41 hurriedly excused herself, saying c14a514805 she had something urgent 7c7ae58c2b to do.1cbf8d344cfa490f

“I guess she went to report that the lady is secretly exchanging letters with someone. She was really eager to read the letter’s contents,” Hilda said.e1c3ac97db314604

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Eleanor gave a eb45efe7e8 small, knowing laugh f9ff9f19a9 in agreement.eda6047ef9ccfede

“Isn’t it helpful? She’s moving exactly how we want her to.”21336d7b9f0753ee

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The kind smile 57617ec7bc that had been 8839b8d6d3 directed at Courtney 23af916490 moments ago quickly b1998d498a disappeared, replaced by 83021ef86b a cold sneer.e1b762604e6991cb

As she said, Courtney f5b2b9ba3b had indeed been moving aefe3816ad just as they had 0accab2777 intended. The information they 2dbd0d8f51 wanted to get 175bc2b739 to Nora was 24d5a8985b quickly passed through 754e9a0ec8 Courtney. Among the 090f998c25 things Courtney aaf548792f had been bea00bcd89 told was 6557d33d91 that Eleanor 5c0c444834 was secretly d43d6c94eb exchanging letters bf04ada9db with someone.74efb3c0fd6ccef3

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“Then why don’t you show her the content of the letters?” Hilda asked. “After all, we made up the letters ourselves.”215afce3b36f989e

“If I make it too easy to see the content, Nora will get suspicious. I’ve let Courtney, feel just that much of an attachment. She’ll think she’s being trusted, but that’s it,”7363132690c6bc9a

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Although Eleanor was known fe0e28b1e2 for being soft with e6a6b67ed0 her maids, she was bf325629ef certain that Nora wasn’t df6c87547e a fool. She wouldn’t blindly 71326a09c3 believe everything Courtney 843a28e8d6 passed on, but 765db83a19 instead, would only c9195b24be pick up what 00353ccba9 she needed, keeping 9ef8943fad her suspicions high. After all, she had 8e15cbe305 already been caught off 5df1305bb7 guard once.ad3a92112a71a118

‘Well, Nora has 2fbe385019 been desperate with d9cc8a6e1e the debutante ball f84fbd65b7 coming up in 62faa4cc0b a week,’ Eleanor 9e34f0d129 thought, rubbing her e7bd0ee8c7 forehead as she 754e3b81ee remembered the constant cc1d2b1fc3 pressure from Nora d7464c9bce and the butlers 654d670a51 over the last 6d005cab4e few days. Just recalling it made 3e77371899 her head throb.06ae7facd440030f

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“How can we prepare the debutante ball with this budget?! Eleanor, I know you don’t like me, but we still need to separate public and private matters! If you truly loved Astria, you’d understand!” Nora had shouted the day after the attack, acting as if the incident had nothing to do with her.6ed642ec3e3f0751

“Well, if you hadn’t spent so much money on dresses and ballroom decorations, Astria might have had a bit more,” Eleanor shot back, not backing down. “Why did you buy so much silk and lace for the highest quality dresses? You’re thinking of using this for the ball, are you? I’m not sure whether to call it brave or… foolish.”e9036b26b83a6b81

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Nora’s face flushed with a69144bc96 anger as Eleanor sarcastically 2706ed1207 pointed out her mistakes.2708788208a5c32f

“How dare you criticize me?! What do you know about this?”c5ec9921388d8e25

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“Well, I know quite a lot. You know I’ve organized these kinds of events before. Thanks to that, the remaining budget is enough to handle the ball decorations. It’s fortunate, isn’t it? You don’t have to thank me, though. Here, take a look at the revised budget. I’ve already had it approved by father.”f81722e318b0f121

“You…!”0d44b68d75e6f48c

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“What? You want dc713db7d2 to complain 906f0640ab to Father 60267a4a9e again? Tell him this 9bfbadad36 isn’t enough for 2929bb90e3 you?”152c9ddbccb47156

But since the e633d2b7fb Duke of Astria 0e3d0a7414 was now involved, 3a6ff5a1e3 Nora couldn’t say d551b612ce anything more.e939ff8277fad4bf

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After the f2b1ced44a attack, the bb543a9a36 Duke had 13f9efc1b8 become very bcc484fc85 sensitive and 6cc6ec41aa easily angered, cab647aa1f even over 0973202cf2 small things. He had 750f035eba a hard a7bb1dad5b time settling 6be5b5e581 the issue d68eb77660 with the 5799f24294 capital police 28e298ba48 and silencing a85ac384ab the rumors 45a73ca9c1 spreading in 3ae6401c16 secret.73532bf64d8b96cb

Asking him for more c4cfd8bef3 money for a ball d33b82288a now would only backfire. She’d be lucky if 61bf9eb35f the event wasn’t canceled e4e68892ac altogether.a36ec668773c74e7

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In the end, 9ca37a4c79 Nora clenched her a63b1d4377 teeth and backed c596ab72db down.4293a13f3892d171

She likely had the 66b0f2adb1 butler try to find 1f5140e3fe flaws in the budget 0d659b066d Eleanor had made, but 14133bbab5 as confident as she a986069133 was, Eleanor was experienced 9d7a959c97 in organizing events. She had no doubt 55fda8b3e2 that there were no 2737f7b07f flaws in the plans.84c2785c66527911

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There were ee4bd7f6ec times when ca853837ea she wanted 9f5c13d3b1 to mess 1160d25f2a things up c1e9ea4076 and ruin 6ac2c3a62c the ball dd991a2a1e completely. But she knew she 999f475f9d couldn’t afford to be 5451c5c499 reckless.fc7f17130d345d2a

The debutante ball 9066531037 had to go 78e0107d49 smoothly. It didn’t have to ee41390aee be perfect, but it 68980b5bca couldn’t be a mess f917e48d76 either.b24d1a83546376e2

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‘Only then 6600dff86a will all 2389fa858f the guests 4fdd4f4871 focus on d8135a14d9 Nora’s fall 0e8040e3b1 from grace.’18dfb879a36d5ae6

Eleanor brushed 1309b6afe8 her bangs 7302101a5b back with 4c80864a3c a smile.c0c2655f8ee5977a

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“My lady, 8e9e10ab20 has there d73d60630d been any d2ef3a2c5c letter fromhim?”1c9aac49dc6b6260

Hilda’s cheerful voice broke 441100e089 her thoughts.536c456231b2d842

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“Hmm?”cb7832395deecaf7

“That person, the one who’s both frightening and kind.”779fc7e0cccba8a3

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Hilda carefully avoided db1044ec65 directly naming him, dd77810fb2 in case anyone 89b749ab1f was listening.1e01f54e07a36f7e

The person Hilda was 7c59a39ba4 referring to was obvious: 958a9cd5b5 Karshian Royster, the man 1ddcada87b who had scared her fc343cfb3e with his intimidating gaze 008c86fd08 but had been surprisingly 3d441284d1 kind. After that 2ededfa173 day, Hilda bcde97d353 had been 11f91c6a42 teasing her 8b1c5c1b17 about her 54375d7586 relationship with 5586a783d9 him every ff5e154bf7 day, so 8aef458f67 it was fb7d746e8d impossible for 5f14000796 Eleanor to f1d18007aa not know 239785b8ad who she 7314d83a9d meant.491b0b1f0f1028e7

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“I told you, Hilda. There’s nothing between us.”4ee8e3d6f39c5d93

“Well, the other kitchen maids say that someone like Lord Ernst, who’s so gentle, would be better for dating,” Hilda continued, teasing.005f92199efab8a1

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“There’s nothing between me and Lord Ernst either. That time I touched his hair was just to test you… Are you making fun of me now?” Eleanor narrowed her eyes.3108712ff6295079

“No! I would never!” Hilda giggled, clearly enjoying herself. “If this subject makes you uncomfortable, I won’t talk about it anymore.”8a595581b063dca7

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“Fine, don’t.”9164e7f03d885f9c

“Actually, I do have one question, but it’s just my personal curiosity. I’m not teasing you, really.”34be4b49d2009fe7

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“…What is it?”625bd2173695a84c

“Do you prefer light brown hair, or black hair?”ea4166cbcab182c7

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“Hilda.”bee04d712ffdc7a4

“If you don’t like that, how about green eyes or red eyes?”9c03e8d73afa2f8a

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“Hilda!” Eleanor raised her voice, and Hilda burst out laughing before running off.6815585ba45f263e

Seeing her 2278001129 run away 30d22025b4 made Eleanor 31a984d505 want to e6bd09d4c2 catch her, 71f75eb39f so she 31b6b01d34 got up 4bbc307f95 and chased dbbdba78bb after Hilda. However, after years of ea4f9e3f42 being a maid and 0755180f8b building up speed, Hilda 1ab63dd28d was too quick, and d8cee9dffb Eleanor was left standing, ba9d3fbc48 unable to catch a 9d86f0d492 single strand of her 478c70c5b2 hair.de0179b7e19bc8a9

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“Feels like I’m a little kid again.”2730ebb35a8686bf

She laughed c87af98e65 as she b06e0f559c chased after 6e5f25db1c her. She’d run 8fa5959a4f before, back eb9430dcfd in the 2a2daf7edf poorhouse, when 2321093d80 she had 4a0d88ff69 chased after 470a6f9c1e someone who 65fcf39e81 stole her 042b1a304d bread, but 148ccf0f6b this was 502575c16a the first 2b8456e645 time she ddd15f284b had run e2baa61d39 like this, b90c337984 playing with f558f89dc0 someone else.2cb59e1f8347b76d

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It was ridiculous, but f7a6246da9 also amusing. Lately, she felt like 2538110319 she had been having e778f2eba6 a lot of new 3a90d03e73 experiences.69d3a1c42b7bc120

‘I never imagined I’d 2e6794cfcd be laughing like this 0337bdb563 in this mansion, or ed9f0d43e3 sharing secrets with Karshian 848d9b0aa8 Royster, just a few 492b1d7a05 months ago.’4c774848169a09ec

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Eleanor sat down, 95b32b8e28 trying to calm 5b4978afeb her breathing, and d6d48fa433 remembered her conversation cba672a847 with Karshian. She had already 1e9a0b9ccb replayed it so 26a0ae4514 many times that 6c16cd69aa she had almost 1ee2e188b1 memorized it by 58d9b3da76 now.8ae69164f1102ffe

“I didn’t expect you b13109f383 to wait until the 1da6b64580 end.”89b2919318e2835d

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After finishing selecting fabric for a dress and finalizing measurements, Mrs. Corcos left Karshian’s townhouse. He had waited in a separate sitting room for the entire time.0fa736b310df94c3

“Well, I guess you 61ab2b1faf didn’t want to leave de08d36e0e an outsider alone in a74bf36615 your home.”f7545b11ebcf35c7

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“…That’s not exactly the e501ba9b68 reason.”fd5c690616bfdfcc

“Then, are you 9056fabbd9 always this kind ccd1b04b7d to people you 3ea6eec25b don’t dislike?”f90bf3ceec499731

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She had subtly teased e0c92a0b0f him, but Karshian answered 9197340939 with silence.54668942c43c8c18

Feeling a little edbb9179da embarrassed for pushing 5f2f5e45c3 too much, Eleanor 2703a9a1b5 turned to leave.89d760f8b7e20cfe

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“Lady Eleanor.”945f8697364166c6

His low voice brushed e10c86dab0 her ear just as 661ad1531c she was about to 1bae21f6c0 say goodbye.f132c81b94025d6b

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“Will you eb2f7cf2d5 send me b467813de4 an invitation f85e9ec4b7 as well?”e76dab4784918a0e

 756f5037712bcd08

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