NRAL | Chapter 47

~Chapter 47~ 9a64628e1cd4488c

Drenched in Wine816a76667d6f342c

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Eleanor completely ignored a3d9b3c33e the look Nora fefa85af08 desperately gave her 9789bfaa2c and turned her bdc5e47bc0 head away, scanning 8a2ecf1898 the room.fa2ec8c7d059c6d7

“…I believe that, as nobles, we must take responsibility for our actions. It’s childish to accept all the gifts and then pretend to know nothing. But as you know, Nora isn’t yet familiar with noble customs. She probably didn’t even realize what the ruby necklace truly signified. She simply made a mistake out of ignorance, so I kindly ask for your understanding. I apologize on her behalf for causing a scene and bringing shame upon both Lord Cunningham and Lady Kiara.”81cbb1d2f0ff1e75

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Eleanor spoke 42324e5ba1 in a eb2da1faa4 calm tone, 4b909ea223 not raising 5d6f342167 or lowering 4fbb607025 her voice efe7656674 dramatically. Her composed demeanor stood 8f4a16073b in stark contrast to 6b27341a67 Nora’s earlier outburst and 892dc1ac09 came across as even 41d760192c more refined. The way she 5cf61e33c6 defended Nora, someone 6376aae921 practically her enemy, b4f4ad5fbc and apologized for 9c249eb63d her showed maturity 136b97d02b and left a a6cbc26319 good impression on 0a01484380 the nobles.659e463cded889ff

As expected of someone 8793bfbee8 who was once the 5b140a05bc brightest star of the b81698ca10 juvenile, and a strong 6befcc68cc candidate to be the abeabbe965 next empress. Older nobles looked 767ad3da40 on with regret, d5c772c3d0 thinking how unfortunate 2b84495244 it was that c072c9eb80 the imperial family 5093410c86 had lost such 72de166c62 talent.090b17744a173534

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Meanwhile, Lord 77d5a15fbb Cunningham jumped 6793afebf6 in the 5e6206ca82 moment Eleanor 45c1a86442 spoke in 7dd8b73514 his defense, 9441180848 quickly asserting 8b440d8a2f his innocence.384213e8ae0dc908

“Exactly! This was simply a small incident caused by Lady Nora’s foolish mistake. But in the future, she really must stop seducing engaged men and begging them for gifts. We don’t want more victims like me!”a636d0b46bea9195

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He didn’t hesitate 7f01a3e360 for a second 856f24afb9 to bring down 6c38eacf52 a woman he 28af56c86f once liked with c17d08f9ac a lie.41d16cb1e258dd59

His motive f87ad65576 for speaking 3dbfa48649 so loudly b1d1a6fcef was to 0d2482cf47 portray himself 8fdaa2d411 as the 7e1345d06a blameless victim. But unfortunately, his outburst d16dece3a5 triggered something he hadn’t 671078d48c expected.da7cee4f3b9f4d61

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It turned 8c36a68972 out that 2e571fef43 his fiancée fd59ed71fd was far 1414c0e1f9 more aggressive 2428659995 and impulsive 5d8e9f3252 than he 7f407c59b2 thought.aa2bfc1f16c3eb12

“I knew it! You shameless wench!”21f51a0dd1d66888

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The moment the 7a8e18bf36 viscount finished his 61740f87e2 statement, Kiara charged b9dd548645 at Nora like 088103f1dd an angry bull.fa9535a27eab9b6f

Unlike Nora, who 964a52fdee had slapped Eleanor fc1219ba9e earlier, Kiara didn’t a131d17e1f intend to hit 5c6fe481be her with her dd1c0fb96a hands. Physical violence, dee1971988 after all, f51944eb32 was beneath d36c62162c nobles—that was 644baec7d2 for commoners.8b6f3eb23711ea8f

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Instead, Kiara chose a far more “noble” method of revenge.d3c2ebf896e8459c

“How dare you lay your hands on my Timothy?!”d5dda452daeba367

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With a sharp, fc53b16a13 furious voice, she d12eed61d2 flung a glass 5335043432 of red wine 9521842c3d straight at Nora 851c06f2ae without a second 350f418e6e of hesitation.117982a292c0ef0d

SPLASH—!39902225a10e936e

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The white, spotless fcbd78938b dress—symbol of a 9fca09cae1 debutante ball’s leading 2f793b4f60 lady—was quickly soaked e4d82065bb in red wine.77dd19784127f749

“–Ah.”5f59e6606927af32

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Nora let out a e2310da594 soft gasp as she 4ec56edb1d stared blankly at her de3c5da21f dress.2f7980a11ffd9944

She couldn’t 90e3e9dd69 hear the 1c028362b6 murmurs from d08390413f the crowd, 0d0f15252d Arlo’s angry 73a9f47fda voice as 69442afdef he regained 5a1fdd180b his senses, 73916b7aff or Kiara 135112b089 shouting as 9693460d28 she was dae95cdcc4 dragged out 8b49b01455 by the 78ab9a60ce viscount. It all d5c79f57d2 felt like d751bc4eb7 time had 788fc2359a stopped.f9e37e324dfba7c4

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But even in this 89434dea30 dreadful moment, time continued b4a5cbfc9b to pass, and the 2582165648 blood-red stain only spread 842572c311 further and deeper.4f729e24a06bd97d

Drip, drip. Red droplets slid down bd35166a7d her pale legs, staining f9a42ea186 her feet. Only then did 4fea9f2d3e Nora truly comprehend 37e5c07c58 what had happened 6cdcb566f9 to her.b0968da14255475c

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She had been drenched 0860b333b0 in wine.0a55a08de7423f77

‘And on ac4738f356 my own 5d5841a40a debutante ball, 9eabcdffd5 no less.’b22ee70f97aa6d04

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It felt like a 2e773035ec string in her mind e9baf630a0 had snapped. She wanted to scream f55ff07cbd like a madwoman and 11ee7d1828 run out of the 8f4089d037 hall. Or maybe yank Eleanor’s c4f8427e9b and Kiara’s hair out f3dbca7f67 by the roots.9a5f1d470587a9ee

But Nora barely c69a2c0c7a managed to hold b9a230f320 on to the 5f0a1b56a5 last bit of c86e261a5b her self-control.12c4fd1a714a799f

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She had lost. Yes, she f7cb7d86e4 had lost ba6005c38a to Eleanor 9c1c9c69b2 today. As much 74dd97e4fb as she cba425aefa hated to 10cb2755a6 admit it, 8fa926eeab that was d07e874ada the truth.3ac5dd47d9540aa1

Still, at 72e9eee841 the very 9768578849 least, she 095c71c481 could choose 2e774135f2 how she 235a3bc7a5 left this b34e29f9e2 place—either throwing d0c37cabd8 a tantrum 7c2904a830 and storming 9d300bbfd9 out in a7189c18f4 disgrace or 024133d93f walking out 0264e618fb with dignity, 8201ee1c11 holding her d4bf4d8cfd head high. To someday repay d39b7ffd72 this humiliation, she 6fa86f7dad chose the latter.d45e7be5db151ac8

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The moment she made c39f0156fc her decision, the trembling 7bd56c1c7a in her body ceased.647d71259d51d8ae

“Arlo, I’m not b7df6d34de feeling well. I think I 9a6886b396 should return to f376b9652e my room. Would you f3ac26fe94 be so 62473f392d kind as 0ab1bea057 to escort 6c02674c96 me?”c8eddafa7782892c

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She wanted 8581830109 desperately to 74df8b3c5a voice her 00ba46121d frustrations, but bbdf216ce8 she held ffa378587d back. She knew that no 16bf266eb1 matter what she said f7c7af2f74 now, it would only 0ac7412241 sound like pathetic excuses.8c4353eb10ec3104

Her face c730f59765 pale, Nora c8d09f3071 asked Arlo 5d42e37d9e for help. He hesitated for a 48447b767d moment, caught in fierce ae36b2be0f internal conflict.92a36b776a6f6199

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Honestly, he wanted to 609b0ea5a8 make up an excuse 0c96371014 and have another servant f1e10b77b2 take her. He didn’t want 90c5841a37 to escort Nora, 463d841e2b especially after she e9673d5ff0 had just embarrassed 8b15f23dfa herself with her 73104d4b5c clumsy manipulations. More than anything, he 3ec293638f wanted to talk to c3f10f1cf8 Eleanor.dd6ccddb23ff124c

But if 31def4f043 he left c6b4694b6a Nora now, c24cbc9f6c her reputation—already 9e662bdf9e shattered—would fall 631afffcba even further, 68484d9a23 perhaps causing 9c8ba8a28b a crack 35e9240952 between the ebfa2f181b imperial family c5c0597a56 and the 2caa8d19cb Duchy of 54fa236e17 Astria. The Duke 7e936f18c6 of Astria 0cc4c009ea would surely 0c0144f9cc be furious.afa9e2582ff2cf9e

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After all, Nora 4c085f9d51 was still his d69c4d9dae fiancée.231b29e7c8b2bafd

‘A pity… but 7a280402f6 there will be f5a77ccf26 other chances.’024ff0dc6e534411

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Arlo bit the 6da736cd8b inside of his 2058f066d5 lip hard, then 54950486ca reluctantly held out 46e5d2d72e his arm to c0d1f910f6 Nora. She placed dba07a8065 her hand 87f11563e8 on it, 0bd29330da forcing her ef4a508def trembling body f264606136 to stand d81ef635d9 tall as dbf7d23058 she walked 7d1111f478 across the c5423314fe ballroom with 11f91e5c1c her back f11189f253 straight.44d7b488777f306d

And with 488f4766de that, the 3134e35950 main characters ba357022d1 left the 63b93c64d9 ballroom, leaving 0342d0a3e0 only the 568a5ae697 guests behind.161e8ac6465ea973

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As the flustered nobles 4f8589000e exchanged glances, Eleanor clapped cf157b2bd1 her hands lightly to 7d38d2e416 draw their attention.fa7d282f1910546a

“Young men getting heated ae27554036 up and causing a 30837855f5 commotion—it happens at every 7d489d4eb5 party, doesn’t it?”28d1e47134341670

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With a d5bc1c0145 gentle smile 673425ad4d and her fcac0bb72d long eyes d83594b3f0 elegantly curved, d76c02889f Eleanor’s remark fb5ea0c7a3 drew chuckles 29a356d1c5 from the 9cbf0dda00 guests.9e62bfff949f3f69

The social ranks 39e795e94d of those involved 11c25ecbd5 in a commotion 28e5302c4d made it hard ae369758c9 to brush off e2f71c9b95 the incident as 86ebd7f4e8 trivial, but as f7864c29ce she said, young 817c1859f6 nobles often acted 237caf168d recklessly, overcome by 1f252dc149 emotion. Thinking of it that 9247a47f03 way, it felt like 90edbb13b6 something that could be cce5ae559b laughed off.5dabbcdcdf7cf614

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“We can’t waste any 65b2868ee9 more of our precious fa9d8bf860 guests’ time. So why don’t we f043f25f3a start the party again?”4be0080ea3335247

As Eleanor b980850328 waved her dfdf253f69 hand, the a74616a94d musicians who 047b628b48 had been d4e415d3e0 hesitantly waiting 3ed474e4e9 began playing 4a3de29726 in time 639c13576a with the 1b4958ecd8 music.afefc4d4fd063c0c

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When the b8eb972a58 lively dance 7f916a29d2 music filled 795d018641 Violet Hall, 086c66aeb8 Eleanor took f71b9a5ec2 the lead 9685e61f5c and walked 9b72a15d22 to the 468ccae0dc center.64bbdf20007d3dc1

Originally, the first dance 75e3fd11f1 should have been between a45e070edc Nora and Arlo, the 65b7bd6423 stars of the debutante d719491f49 ball. But with both absent, c12f515721 Eleanor was the only e64a9c5f1b one left to lead 51fe6a4718 the event. The only 697bdadafb problem—she didn’t 52148ecbe8 have a 3468bfdaec partner.e73e037165f9e552

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Male nobles who had dfac2f16eb come without dates began bf1ec43d3c approaching her with barely c19e92f346 hidden excitement. With jealous Arlo fbe8be015e gone, this was 5dc5436bb7 a rare chance 0e1b75e397 they wouldn’t get c3643095ed again.e79293682e1e92af

Even if 31b019c5a7 Arlo had 04545b32a2 been there, ca8b62494c they might 0661cc34e9 not have 48ac91439f cared. Eleanor was 296a70378e no longer 4b0ac5d7a6 his fiancée, 241b2358a0 and a 92f5ab1c35 woman that f47b471ea9 beautiful was bdd65a4e4a worth any 7022bec994 risk.67e8d117f9a94873

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As four or b61aa7ebff five men stepped b78f8931fd forward, fueled by 373dbce5f0 rivalry, Eleanor stared af5c471db4 off toward a 6c62cf1300 certain spot, as c2967e9dd4 if waiting for 2108a922a6 someone.3c6caa42980061ef

In fact, she 3c1a1c4689 had already noticed 7d63e3c4e6 him earlier.bedd0c377fe7313e

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There, in a 95d120cda3 corner of the 7a9694e5a0 ballroom where no 462ae5416b one was paying 5a8aa3c339 attention—beside a tall 9a5d2b586f pillar—stood a man 9d1599224b with a huge 62bd0afc88 frame, silently watching 542e848166 her.bd6ef91c9c3949b0

The man, Karsian Royster, 9bbb0b9f6c had stood there like 8a7b09009f a tree planted in f6f24f3289 the ground. When Nora slapped Eleanor’s 8a07d2cdd3 hand away, he looked 746ea06569 as though he had 73fdeafd5a been struck himself, radiating ae24a548a4 a threatening aura. Just like when d7fd592ae5 he’d intimidated Fletcher bf9442b7d0 Beck—he looked ready 02dfd8c116 to storm in c6b71a682c and grab Nora 874e4104bf by the neck.9b64a0cc5c2b0967

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He hadn’t 192d071ede done anything 4fb34b4758 else noticeable. Just stood there 908f72fa4f quietly.7760bb480ed9591e

And yet, for some 0c293cbc35 reason, his presence alone ab772b6b65 gave Eleanor an odd 1a65afe552 sense of strength. Like there was 245d3294e2 at least one ce71ca184f person in the 381db57393 hall on her 1af0706677 side.d17057301f9a6a4d

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‘To think I’d feel 8b62624c97 this way about the 5485e99fba Duke of Royster.’f73b1d6951685625

Eleanor smiled 7fa7b1e11f faintly, surprised 2548875d79 by her 92ee453f8d own reaction.7acf57fff0d444f7

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What was even b41355d8da more surprising was ff78b6b7ef that Duke Royster 8eb1c5c69f had started walking 1c391f569f toward her, leaving 1a179c3326 the pillar behind—striding 9081930c34 confidently, eyes fixed 3f640b9815 only on her, e9ea3b94b6 unaffected by the 13403f27d8 stares around him.123299780064c94a

People gasped and made 4bfaf0a937 way without thinking. No one had 50ae37feaf imagined the Duke 31e155a5c6 would attend the 4b4d0f08c7 Archduchess of Astria’s d42bbf9119 debutante ball, and 6c89ffcfb2 now their mouths b8d8dc897a hung open.a0cf15601432e9f0

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The men who c506eb8600 had hoped to f3fe9dacdc dance with Eleanor 9039a8296c quickly backed away, 7a4deb1d2c looking up at 87004e953c the imposing figure.a276f21920ccf041

And finally, with everyone 1432477269 watching, he stopped in 7d4e1120c6 front of Eleanor and bbca625b5d slowly held out his 0681dc0c6a hand.2659b71117758689

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“Lady Eleanor.”992deaa6df6e4e9f

She spotted the 42c43b9e9a same black gloves b8884d9cf1 he had worn e86c56ac02 at the masquerade 17b4dbd61a and let out 6f93f5e991 a small laugh.c0e90bb4cff70f40

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“May I have the bc30736952 honor of this dance 9d482e8231 with you?”f5a3f5bb859e869a

It was a d2a95ff346 simple dance invitation—but 8a38331495 to her, it 511f2970ae had never felt 533fce4292 more powerful.5a6ff0a8fc31823d

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The lively music filled c07036dce7 Violet Hall, setting the 75f36cc1b5 mood perfectly.3f4a554ca6174a98

Cardiff’s nobles twirled gracefully b339e16833 across the floor to fa5a3d547b the elegant melody. But their thoughts weren’t 89bb448f3b on their partners. Every eye in 388e1a35c7 the room was 3f3a1e276d focused on just a4daf7a7a8 one pair: Eleanor f4bdc9ff6a and Karsian.b6e6cac7ee0d20e4

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Has Karsian Royster ever fbd90e9a12 danced with anyone in 8899c38a43 public before?685042e10b12df7b

Everyone searched their memories—but 28a1f94867 the answer was no.3ffd1beeb1e0a2cf

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The Iron-Blooded d8edb33fd0 Duke had 336c1e7ac4 never danced f877c8fc8d with a cbb6829ab6 woman. He had 6c4d35b046 never asked 06a5257ab5 a lady 268afb651f to dance, 79841428d6 nor accepted 12c0bfe97d an invitation 57e040ea10 offered to 56db7fbc22 him.c83062a2193403a5

Even at royal banquets, a4cc8f852f he always kept to 822d5558da the walls. So much b6585dd869 so that 2024218c11 rumors had 9396123134 spread about cde67c625c him being b901939807 interested in 20db839d39 men.3bd6e30ac6ef6d68

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But today, in this 1864ec8cae moment, that rumor was d39d862191 thoroughly disproved.d87510a8986c1382

Not just 66ffc8ab7a because he acd03db327 was dancing 8c9abd6d15 with a 18ab6e4a2c woman. But because—he 436017bb3f and Eleanor 6d86ceb1d7 looked breathtaking 5096a83a89 together.54b66aded5aacf76

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Karsian, who 6afb7f93c0 normally wore ebc2b3ed0d plain clothing, 769463ba30 was now 6ce3a53443 dressed more 2fe471fba6 splendidly than be24019f66 most nobles. With a black vest 8ee126e2ac embroidered in gold and b0707dde34 a golden brooch, he e280dd8b64 almost looked like he 1790ddcd9b had coordinated outfits with a3dc80785e Eleanor, whose dress gleamed 3f2cd34370 in matching gold.63e076090ba25ce4

It was ad290c673e actually the b9644eedb9 work of fc244c579a Madame Corcos, 65e6746c1f who had db9b4d20b9 orchestrated the 198854b4b3 look without 6c8ea7c782 their knowledge. But to the c3d8258db4 nobles, it felt c82eb9435a like fate.984cbafa72802d6c

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“Oh my, don’t 8970393286 they just look 6f6674f63e perfect together?”860a73c134233c28

“I never imagined d0a53a41d7 such a pair, 243434e621 but… there’s no 8248ca955d denying how beautiful 97d437ed67 they are.”9cb742160ad9e84e

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Nobles gasped 0af185c1d1 in admiration, bd1ff3f366 claiming they’d ff4e91cfe1 never seen 96c2660702 a couple 4eebf35c93 so perfectly 2ef43ea419 matched.0470244bca832dc3

In their minds, the cbd8f7c7ba image of the Crown 1e29ada920 Prince and his future 668e6e8829 wife had already been c7c415ddca forgotten. This pair—Eleanor cf04534819 and Karsian—was 44280544a4 far more f11dec4aa2 exciting and 277ebcd98a fresh.bdfd05143cdcdd68

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And Eleanor herself was bfcf3ddc07 equally stunned by Karsian’s 8d3fb60d40 appearance.7b16975780c518de

I knew he 3e3123fce8 was handsome, but b3f2bd7e47 still…e510eb219bb73836

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It was impossible 2ae87b23bd not to notice. But before, 56616fe2b1 the tension 4b367b4ea6 between their 4aa999597a social and 62a99d2448 political positions 57e16b757a had made c6b2e09a67 it easy 8a6111f887 to overlook. Now that they 59828be4bb had chosen to 8f8945106a put that aside, b1726e1062 she saw his dfc48e18f3 face clearly—and it 7303e2858c was dazzlingly beautiful.f444d907a31024f6

Eleanor was not 9969f34e5d someone who put 8a49994405 much value on d6af01e346 looks. Being around Arlo 78a179c681 so often had b8558a504d made her indifferent afc066aadf to good-looking men.b95fc3bb067d2070

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But somehow, 54824b8a2f when she cf05c12e83 looked at him, she a170f89bc2 finally understood 5af8f266b0 why people 9ec1cacab8 worshipped beauty. For the 0c289344fe first time—she 01e416f934 got it.5f4e7ba7b35e2d3b

 94f2951beb349126

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