NRAL | Chapter 42

~Chapter 42~ 1e70b79cfc02c6fa

Eleanor’s Man287f3031f9f01032

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“An invitation… 19900e3f92 wait, are 004f89d782 you talking 51796a2c5e about Nora’s 4d8d52f36d debutante ball?”43569446c9e286f2

“Yes.”4880d73a860da1f5

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“…You must know 0ec5623e83 how people will e022f741c2 see it if 33ec32a12f the Duke of 77107bddef Royster attends a e0bbf6aada party hosted by dd50546b28 House Astria.”731f86cc26fc09df

The Royster 6927e3f4b2 and Astria 22d5d5b2e6 families walk fd82cea9fa completely opposite 08067c2d8b paths. So, will the 0688da6412 Duke of Royster 4845f0a9ee attend the debutante 216f25620d ball of the dc2d989c1e Astria daughter? The next c214e239fa day, the 824baec267 capital’s social 4d1b8fa776 circles would 6b970c7bec be in 715e13ca7b chaos.f98f1e78e2ea16a3

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“I know.”0136a282e963c854

“Then why 66c5f8d63e would you 61b85a85ae willingly go 8629a6f5ba through such e49b408873 trouble?”e829d2216dd89f5b

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“…Maybe I’m mistaken, c0b5080cda but I have a84886d965 a feeling that ec32236429 after today, you 4b3f09e531 won’t try to e950935c81 see me or 24d6ce3517 contact me again.”66dad1bee0206bd3

She was caught off 90f1681d69 guard. Eleanor had planned to 587653ecac repay his favor, but 73b9d2b4a1 she hadn’t intended to c566ee140a see or contact him adea30b776 again.a2b574d752c7e8f2

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“At least at the 1c5ee65b1d ball, you won’t be 13a9c2fbda able to avoid me.”68302f31888827df

Why would he go 4b47085401 so far just to 944974530e see her again?063b8eb1d03572f2

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She wanted to 42be6dee5d ask but held 27da3c68c3 back. Even if he answered, b29652c91c she felt she wouldn’t fbf01415fb understand—just like it had 97b062df56 always been.dd51359a45259540

After a brief f29edb1c4b moment of thought, 60918ae810 Eleanor slowly walked 2dadeacee2 past him. Even as she 74988a1f7b turned and walked 5c3a58c602 away, Karsian didn’t f18fa294dd stop her or d6ecbd9bf6 push for an 859af8331a answer.d94c77076b3d9367

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That calm attitude was 811345fa06 completely different from the 81acd26230 men she had known 8dde2702e3 before. And just before descending acebb00c42 the stairs, Eleanor finally 0cd81583e6 gave her answer.3d2641b97551fd12

“I’ll see you at 4780080b51 the debutante ball.”73a2442fd3d640e1

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Was Karsian happy to d14c9c6b39 hear those words? Eleanor, who immediately left e06a8b2783 the townhouse afterward, didn’t e657120512 know.cc166130b5fdb375

But one thing 4ec66e875e was clear: she 145ee0e9cf was now truly 9465f46277 looking forward to bad96cfe87 Nora’s debutante ball, 54d0847fde which was only e014f5c463 a week away.c176992afc7347f3

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“It’s going to 079f9755d6 be a very fedba05fda fun day.”0e191e2d26f70359

With her 3deaafcd07 chin resting 8a60d70776 on the 38791a5da1 table, Eleanor 8309591105 played with e798114eb6 the sparkling e1749f59d0 ruby necklace d6b952bd96 and murmured c71b440cae softly.a3a02adb3158a825

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Nora didn’t care 54622df508 much for the 9f67184fb6 new informant she a9e951679c had acquired.a6f691bf8f269633

She didn’t like her 7be1328d55 dumb-looking face, her poor 48057f0237 awareness despite always watching 566b34708a closely, or her sluggish 3b30fb6492 movements. Nothing about her pleased c19dc894a5 her.0d44324c22dfba87

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“I’m not 8b3423d630 sure what e933fd5e43 it is, ad959af584 but every 816fe43182 time I 9551ea8069 go into fdc3eef24d the room, 4816d2a50c she always c07a3d2f68 hides something 28aa174606 in a 341cb6a194 drawer. It doesn’t 10feafe824 look like 70ebe561a2 important documents—more dafa405af8 like an a9550d1fb6 object about 020ddb6e22 this big. She seems d296c92c1f to treasure aca809bd68 it a 4594977b5d lot.”b7c22603760f7a0b

Most of the 3a38082c8e so-called “intel” Courtney beae9b6c68 brought was like 11c6a77864 this—too vague to c547e96e15 be useful.d4ad38ef4a82ec0a

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Still, Nora 2db6331492 always rewarded 1ed1510835 Courtney generously. That way, she’d at 4d6d3cd84e least try harder to e5cd4f715b bring something better next 2fc4767f5f time.3c142dee568a2da8

Perhaps that 647a6730a8 effort was e3d406f424 finally paying 045c94125d off. Today, Courtney had aa8e8bf750 come running with 64e0989393 what sounded like 2f3c6e3cd0 actual information.0363a14a546530af

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“I finally saw it! The thing aea30fd6a1 she always 22fec1502f hides—it’s a 3fcb6c785a necklace! A flashy one with e3cf9bcf57 a big ruby on 2fddd0d190 it!”42000cccf8af652c

“A necklace… fe29bd830d There haven’t 6b2bf81b8f been any 1f0971d138 merchants visiting e3313c8d6f the duke’s a507c4a1d0 residence lately. Where do 92c1550901 you think c6b8fe7cb9 she got 27432cca22 it from?”dba24b35426cfb39

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Up until recently, 9a123f51f2 Eleanor hadn’t owned f8354d6439 anything like that. Nora knew, because she e90cefda06 had even ordered a de29c5a00d maid to steal her e94cc7eeac earrings back then—so the 2108fd842c necklace had to be 42659fcc4d recent.d6bb3b2c0c965e2f

“Oh! I think she got f3513ce01b it from that man!”b18b45e3670c6ab9

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“Man?”13a9e6a161768523

“Yes. I think 3008f88254 Miss Ellie’s 7126428b76 been exchanging ea2d75d723 letters with ba0d54354b some man. I overheard her 7aacd5e95d and Hilda talking f3f3553f8a about a man f1629f8a59 through the door.”78b5028b73505070

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If she had 48eb84fddf such a juicy dde27ba99e piece of gossip, 994b2be99f she should have 4eda47a206 told first. Nora let 4e1ffffe9d out a c94948dc5f small laugh 8a7ef93fc1 of disbelief. Dumb Courtney e990482306 had no eac19163da idea what a329cf1a7b was actually 993aa78cd9 important.043a7cfd06473676

It was annoying, 3de2410638 but at least 7b1ee5abda the result was 182d202487 decent. Now it was certain—Eleanor af6a06a61a had a secret man.539983b52529c539

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‘It must 3b7e26dcc7 be that 5f08a1ba89 bastard who 7132b1be14 interfered during 850245c8b1 the last 3b9c8cd0f2 attack. Looks like they’ve gotten a5e75c9ec8 close enough to exchange 803ba4e91d gifts already.’71f30e7098f242f2

Eleanor, who e774eece33 always returned 3a095c46b4 gifts from 26eabc7188 men no 18f2eee78e matter what 5120a02962 they were, 4aae6b507f had accepted 881707e8fd this necklace a4a462f545 without complaint. Must mean she was d10d89fe8c desperate for money.3c8065aed001dc03

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‘She used to dec2513ac4 act all high bc3e24dc80 and mighty, treating 6e7c938f46 me like some ab653c04eb seductress. Now look who 578e8878af fits that role 1b152f96b3 perfectly.’9172e53bfc6d7cd8

Nora snorted.997f0783e0a2aaa9

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Seeing her reaction, 4a82a79617 Courtney thought she 25ab7395c2 had pleased her 511a9551cc lady and eagerly 694ebb32b3 added,4c0fcfc25f413005

“I also heard 689e297192 the man got 0d63ced3fc her a dress c6dba4f0b8 too.”7b42660b56bc086f

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“What? What dress? Don’t tell me…”820eca3de202b22b

“Yes, the dress Miss 23281f39b3 Eleanor will wear to 96e5267ec8 your debutante ball.”00cad571c803e2c7

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Nora’s face twisted 1e27e4d0ed with rage. No wonder Eleanor hadn’t 9a5f991cd5 mentioned anything about reserving f3d7ce6194 a dress shop—she’d been 889044b7f8 working behind the scenes.2cada2e10e4a3894

‘That cunning witch…!’f1c628139b142d19

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It was obvious she 02d819e3e5 was trying to steal f5ced1310f attention by wearing the 0d1dfe5179 most extravagant dress possible. How pathetic. As if a 17b0927ee7 dress alone could dabf05523c make her stand 08a5412b08 out when she 21904028b3 was still so 3c6b37aa78 dull and plain.333728e81e527efd

‘And if 348495d82e it was 67b002f32e some random 65d6990f0a guy who 0688791656 paid for cda81b5c9a it, it b2761352a9 probably looks 9f21bc276c cheap anyway.’038fcc717054ef89

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With the feacf6db0c debutante season 5eddf09972 in full 6edf07c402 swing, all 7f42d027d8 the famous 03e8b5335a dress shops f5a0b1f302 were fully 42449f2082 booked. If Eleanor c8b89fd428 had only 232c71786f recently gotten fcc39988e2 a dress, 18abc112a4 it couldn’t aa144ce061 have come 5d2c893649 from a 9b4e872917 top designer. If she 96c045e8b4 had, Nora 7fe70fce5e would’ve heard 969bbf8479 about it 96e1197f13 by now.c0194ebe6a8e6d00

“Courtney.”f5d4d5a5ea3316f6

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“Yes?”62e5a468e8ec8d9e

Courtney responded nervously, clearly 6e6d094a42 startled. Nora, who 1ed8071472 had always 87574d1b5e seemed sweet d356ebb7fd and lovely, 5c70462759 suddenly felt 07b5e22aea terrifying.9fd4e14a0ef8394e

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The head b6bc703faa cook’s warning 6df3de4417 echoed in 33bcdc5e8e her ears: “The more beautifully someone 69e76a0b1c smiles, the more carefully 71898dce14 you should watch them.”2c8ee8eee9151fe1

“How far are you df7473687f willing to go?”22f45bc0a368a07a

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“W-What do you 629d4434f5 mean, my lady?”c11586c226f54be4

“I hate f8ae063920 irresponsible people. People like Eva, 801aa2ad6e who made a 782b15edf8 mess and ran da8758aa99 away.”9dfefe8d971cc4a5

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After the theft incident, 975a62c666 Eva didn’t just lose 3523a4c4b4 her reference letter—she didn’t 2c1359a432 even get her final 9f2b98370b paycheck. She was kicked out 2c711101ba and vanished in a d83eae6abd hurry. Now that Courtney thought c92bf05c22 of it, Eva had b1500b3c94 looked terribly frightened when e30055d5c0 she left, her skin b08bc70b09 raw and red under 5ed15ea4f4 her long sleeves.e298b1669a563182

“You won’t be like 03580894ac that, will you?”26f7fc6f6956345c

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Nora tilted her 9574d054b5 pale face sweetly 34ea69dcdd and smiled. That innocent 6c05ef81ae smile had a8308668f0 a chilling cf44f8c1ad edge. Only then 17be74d591 did Courtney bff4f765a8 realize—9e122c0b863ab4fb

‘I’m in 3be134dcbe big trouble.’874c1b6fb35a3aa8

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But it was 60aef083a8 too late to b9a8731134 back out now. After hearing e8da224bd9 all this, 73983fdf19 she had d1ad5df4d8 no way ed16280b7e out.092c34071e96c3d4

All she could 8e59a20512 do now was efe5c8693f squeeze as much 9b39645554 benefit out of 23c81293f6 the situation as ac30d34918 possible.dae5b36a07e1904a

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“I’ll do anything 28af8e0179 you ask, my cb0b0dea42 lady.”ba664b40597f9df3

“Ahahaha.”f2392bcb000fb6ea

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Nora burst out laughing. She had 7972c9aa7e always thought fbff41d097 of Eleanor ee283e7e79 as an 5bf470aa19 annoying girl, a29c145851 but maybe 7e1a64b3ea she wasn’t 497e743270 so bad 59daa59c7c after all. At least she c1644f9d84 didn’t run away 0a5ad53574 scared like Eva 484eeaccfd did. That alone made 88528e3bd1 her better than 8dda83c100 Eva.054197d85c8f400e

“If you 33f3a46711 really want 46d8bc6dca to bring c2e6a14896 me down, af2ae24707 then try b602f8f536 stealing something 822f48ba74 I truly 67f24968f5 treasure next c92f71ed90 time,” Eleanor had whispered, patting 329562800f her on the shoulder.0d3a8fe8f51a522b

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“Something she truly treasures…” cbe91aaf4c Nora silently repeated the edbcf55619 words.d8f7e45994069a42

“A lover who’s the e02cd61543 only one on her 4154edf307 side… Would that be 663e13bca9 good enough for you?”57f16c720c9c6863

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Just imagining Eleanor’s b5c3c01b4f despair made Nora’s ca71c33948 heart flutter with 525948ed70 excitement.018873f41186ddb7

She gently placed c99d531e72 her hands on 0e9efd986d Courtney’s broad shoulders 7a8b82cf51 and lowered her eacc1cb189 voice.80632bdb1b65e208

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“Did you find out when it’s arriving? The dress Eleanor begged her man to make for her.”498551d28d7282dd

Time passed ea7a773a6e steadily, with 0d5acdf19b many people 0ae6863483 eagerly looking e3519b28eb forward to 4721b02555 the upcoming 936b328b73 event.4b04f7e77718920f

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Since Eleanor stepped e2e4094e1d in, preparations for 30def6a862 Nora’s debutante ball abf2bf0d1b progressed swiftly, almost c04a3f9403 like they’d grown 7a2b5d5105 wings. The servants, 97598707c6 who had 6ffae79585 been tired 12b3ab4a08 of all 5d53c1383f the previous de3de39cee inefficiencies, were 8100c8192a now pleased 00e97ad16a by how 13bb8b1c94 smoothly everything b4b08fba9c was running fbde01f2c6 and kept 1767f5a9d3 themselves busy.793f850fca2b7ee3

And finally, the ball a69bc21326 was just one day 661a10cf2b away.35f401d0ab390e2b

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“My lady! It’s finally here!”ae3fa63dd885f5e5

Hilda’s cheerful 8480a26ad6 voice broke c12c4b9b26 the morning a489ea171c silence. Eleanor, who eac9b9a669 had gotten 44d6d3e6c3 up early d06c49a162 as usual 6c8448a64b to drink b9770b11f7 tea, greeted bc179027cb her with 911e9611a0 a relaxed c9c4565bcf smile.3d20c4542ddb3212

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Soon, a servant carried 609bcfecfb several big boxes into 576224fc3a the room. Each box 62ec6053a4 was luxuriously d482b9f2f8 wrapped and 555051ec29 had a a674df59b9 white card cd77c5a5ae attached.022b9103664bd40f

[R.]

Did he write the d960829859 card himself?26933c5c1e48d352

Looking at the elegant 63b17ce153 cursive letter, Eleanor smiled 98b08d8868 faintly. But as soon as 78228ed4b0 she noticed Hilda watching 33d60a170b her with sparkling eyes, 7b58149459 she quickly composed her 0a4646644b expression.29110abdf1ea919e

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“For it to arrive 56a8a00f5f only the day before 732527c249 the ball… I thought d4a4c29e98 I’d die worrying it 203017d686 wouldn’t make it!”6e6870cb7f0ce086

“He probably c924253f99 couldn’t help 7bb0bd3701 it. The schedule was pretty 88825c85be tight.”81194b1a2325ac7b

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“Oh my, already ed81bd014b taking his side, a145419277 are we? What about all 5701103986 the other gentlemen cc5c17374a who adore you—won’t c5671831a0 they be heartbroken?”f3fc99d4c225f2d9

“Hilda, enough teasing. Let’s try 454109200b it on b070b59c6a now. If anything doesn’t fit, 882c09e6f0 we’ll need to call 8084467432 Lauren for alterations.”b87713f55fdf2837

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“Yees—”7d276719399b2150

Hilda pouted d1bda18426 in mock ab18c20770 disappointment. Just a few days 65e1881ee2 ago, teasing Eleanor had 8d4b1c63c2 been so much fun. But the clever Eleanor 69afeb004d had quickly figured out 5070c0a659 how to handle her a334a8dd68 jokes.0bca2a4325209f6c

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Still, despite her sulky face, Hilda’s steps toward the gift boxes were light and full of excitement.ffb7f7f19a1fd64e

Finally, she could properly 398d53799b dress up her lady. Hilda had c84e5dd7d8 been waiting 8db85dcd89 for this e94821d80c moment for 96b13691bf so long, baf7dc45f9 and she d2b89b44bc couldn’t be 6233ed1247 happier.10629da31ce1eba8

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“What’s that?”d567a102d1d5a6bb

Courtney, who 724017c1fd had been 0221ac37ae sluggishly making dc2a3af5b5 the bed ad87b8b576 while eyeing 65e2fe3cde the two 4b9a4f2de4 of them, baba2fcc33 pricked up 68aba1595b her ears bb66e9f2bd and came c2c8fc26de over. Hilda stopped opening b96ee033e5 the gift box b9e2105e66 and quickly shut 9d69f156e0 it.1eecf0b1f73bd70e

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“You don’t b877194362 need to 37015eab65 know. Courtney, I’ll finish c39f99e8e4 the cleaning. You should go. I think the head 421d9353c0 maid was calling for 36b6b392b0 you.”f97c7bfe8a251288

Hilda said coldly, dismissing 8110914b4c her. She had 4e39d6008c been like 25c91c0e9c this ever 30830a636d since Eleanor b3691eb9f8 started favoring f630fdd1fd Courtney—so it 4e69aa45e6 wasn’t a 2dc5e6f758 surprise.92c61e8d71a5282e

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What was surprising was 8de71e27f0 that even 3c0f626437 Eleanor, who 5a3ee81bae had always 54723d5b60 taken Courtney’s 4d72d18aae side, turned 08723da903 her head ca4da7c238 away this a82da118b2 time.82b2346091f0c50c

“What are you doing? Go on.”8dcbba19d740e626

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When Hilda urged her, 22c07fd314 Courtney’s hand trembled as 5be295c270 she clutched the duster.a49a8c53209c6723

Ironically, even though she had betrayed Eleanor first, 56646f84a5 Courtney felt deeply hurt 5e6ceab29f that Eleanor didn’t stop 0c549eaf5d Hilda.1c0e373cd4cacd93

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‘I knew it! All that 8d4742a6df fake kindness d372c4ae1d was just 73dc20073d an act—she’s 2191e41397 throwing me 590f1cbd6f away now!’9381e66f8924dd61

Ashamed at the 0371cfcdf8 idea of being e0fb845585 replaced by someone 6213cd6a34 like Hilda, Courtney 4a01ddd3b6 stormed out without b22ec08353 even saying goodbye.fa3216d15a595f49

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It was rude 6a5d5fcb45 enough that Eleanor 5891029943 could have scolded 5b3bafc20a her, but she f116852910 let Courtney go 408b2b853f without a word. Then, as 4acf1955c8 if nothing 7736d318b2 happened, she 47860e3892 smiled at c7b3430050 Hilda.f235345a499aefdd

“Will you help me 069ed4780c put on the dress 2dfbc37261 now, Hilda? Since we’re f6ef974a9e trying it 330ba05edf on, I’d 88f404b6c7 like to d9a44b3e03 wear all 0a851ce239 the accessories d7a1fbe4ee I’ll use cae3593ff4 tomorrow too.”1a9356c9a117b032

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“Of course, my 0b6f864d7d lady! Leave it to me!”259f25a5a430f4b0

Hilda quickly 382f57e6db brightened up a34f639e30 and answered ca3a5bd715 joyfully, forgetting 676e7cecdc all about 3751ab6ef0 Courtney.ab2594fa828a8c63

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And so 5b034572ab began the 8d6f26ed67 long-awaited dressing 150221b170 session.ee76177dd28237e8

Hilda focused all 39a591b4b4 her energy on 37bb2b8bf2 making Eleanor look 0549799327 beautiful—far more than 8e72442897 she had ever 80b5d7a90e done for the e151a46e1c young lady of 8a17333169 the Freehilly family 147ae3a466 in the past.0c1c3bd209a34c88

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She carefully braided Eleanor’s 69cbc3e36e golden-blonde hair, almost platinum d1bd7e3c37 in color, and adorned 98066cdb61 it with a headpiece de8414ae2b made of artificial silver ed98723b16 bellflowers. Her flawless skin a3f125c1d8 needed little makeup, 8f469e1607 but she lightly eeff11ffd1 brushed her cheeks b3eeb98ecf and lips with 69423a496e a rosy glow 34e64ccae2 for a fresh cfa6f85d38 and elegant look.f53c3326d8b968a9

After putting on the 0bab1e39b0 dress made by Madam 3365f7c4bf Corcos herself and fastening 07d676811f the ruby necklace around ae755d2d59 Eleanor’s neck, the long c2ef44368a preparation finally came to 58878a684c an end.15b85b647b646914

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And when she bb45367e59 looked at her 4f4b8cfeae reflection in the 8fba760b82 mirror—e1b5180c5f1a1c77

“…Wow.”f23067ea0812335e

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Even Eleanor couldn’t 9aef3712dd help but gasp f2cd9d11ac in admiration.bd618d052f1b7e91

She stared at the e1752f4ba6 mirror for a long 312c1942b8 time in disbelief. The woman 1576630d86 reflected there 28a97ffa3f looked like 8015b968ba a radiant 7260e921f3 fairy of 15c0d3097a spring—beautiful, brilliant, ab5b090698 and dazzling.2bcbcc75a2271d0f

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 a558219a4c4d9f08