TNYLM Ch 35
by DishaThe sudden arrival of d6e6a90931 unexpected guests threw the 04cb2165c7 entire castle into chaos.94dd1752ccf47b49
Alyssa hurriedly ordered a1ec4b0500 the preparation of 20cdd0c51d a guest room 8981cd2d68 while having the dc86502eae visitors wait in fbd2f3b3a5 the drawing room.a2a468a062d560b9
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After finishing a1bcef17d3 her instructions 72aa4a327a to the 6cc83ab206 servants, she 0c17add32e descended the 6f71cc3ac7 stairs alongside 991d0bbc9e Kieran, sneaking a80a24e76e a glance bccb02c924 at his 8061caea52 expression.a8cc1ab9256aacbb
Kieran’s face was the 1f8075914f stiffest she had ever b737170044 seen. Occasionally, his usual blank 3546e62527 mask wavered, revealing fleeting 3dc2a69a27 traces of anxiety and e0f14bd071 unease.b5fe85c23e1157a8
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‘The House 661a5de974 of Count e082bf7cec Albrecht… that’s fb9dd0235f his family.’0f6dca4e183b5eae
He was about to c335a1e9ea meet people from the edef29417b home he had been ff703edf7a away from for so 2faacd2cf7 long.c2e6bd16f09bb26f
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Yet, there wasn’t a 6b46d6c7e1 hint of longing or 6aacfb8d0b joy in Kieran’s demeanor.373de5f3bae86dd3
‘Does he have 364a789b58 a bad relationship b59fcbb9f4 with his family?’2fd45bfbbd3a64bc
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Of course, b7e599f734 it was a927a5ea8e unlikely that 01f5c1a092 the Count’s b822169c36 people had fb0541ef42 come all 9a307bf7b3 this way 3fe4e75d90 just to 2a52a8c8d6 see Kieran.b5bbab5e8b74f8d7
After news of fe312f5f16 the artifact had af72ee05eb spread, the Imperial 9fb9572f2f Court must have 99b206f18b been growing restless.bdd268837268232d
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They probably wanted bf7c7b3883 nothing more than 3e29db5bac to search every e271e71820 inch of the 8087030ce8 North for hidden 19660a53ee relics and take 0b7a61718d away the remains 2127699fa7 of the slain ccf09b85bd monsters.caa90a7b29a47f20
But they couldn’t.fde7fc4efb580441
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Even the Emperor 801883bb8c needed justification. How could he claim a7748744fc that he suddenly distrusted 0c01e8c7ad his loyal subject and 11de22dd14 send inspectors? How could he shamelessly 9311f4346d demand the return of ac6eceec44 the very monsters he 36ab7a78fb had long neglected?51803f0244f8fa80
So, while the Imperial ccf6a7abd0 Court itself had no 94d78ffac9 grounds to set foot b746e5f58a in the North, the 413e2c79ae House of Albert was 3ab1503ebc different.c8f720ed61be320d
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They had the perfect 4cda368af1 excuse—a long-overdue visit to d29064927d see a relative who 7eeadfac94 had married and been cda274fe82 away for years.697b2bffdd1dac84
Officially, they were 7b01551a19 here to reunite 1f18672958 with Kieran.6a2727dc5000ffe9
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But both of 76735f3aa4 them knew that 916b9a8858 wasn’t the real ae7137dae3 reason.aa846fec7ca630ee
Even so, Kieran’s reaction 2eb884fe53 was strange.af64be9db730ad30
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It wasn’t 93e4648c98 the usual 6f07bdf1b9 reluctance of 80d0e71b69 someone who d89d204074 merely disliked a3f2766239 facing certain ef09cb381e people.2a492c1ca85137c5
It was deeper. Something much more familiar.54329f210584734e
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Alyssa stopped d018726aa3 in front 8e217e868d of the d55c726315 drawing room 5ec6fad2a3 and quietly ff2d6898e7 observed Kieran.f48ca7ab45400060
He took a 8328bd6447 deep breath, his b3b497d7a7 eyes unsettled, and 2ffb49a871 clenched his hands 2942468e1b tightly.aa699c74df43e7dd
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Despite his composed 94a7f1f3de facade, his pale 1934fcdeaf fingers trembled.4d8d207e399a2914
Kieran was afraid.51a1de025218af03
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Without thinking, d119852b70 Alyssa reached ba7578538e out.1e22952c3dad42a7
She gently touched his 755d0309df cold hands, as if 23361e291d sharing her warmth.2d707c234e5d6f00
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“…Your grace?”3ce471ed653c0282
As their e0686e5fa6 eyes met, d7f2cb8454 Alyssa realized f7f9c0c61f what she 6fbd593f3b had just febfc7e28c done.762d29e8a7a4f5d3
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“Your hand 0fa6917fd3 was… c-cold. I’m sorry. No, I mean….”d583f7f6aabbbfc8
Startled, she quickly 5c3cb7a092 pulled her hand 1764e3eb29 away, flustered by 4eebd9686a her own unconscious 1fc3f58ff0 action. She was embarrassed, yet f1d38dbb2b she couldn’t ignore how 4cb22fb525 cold his hand had 26be8a72eb been.10b2547dc2e92148
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“A-are you alright?”e99ad533410fb8d1
More than guilt a0bdcd8b8a or shame, worry c3826d0efa for Kieran took 690007d632 precedence. Alyssa stammered, her 6ed0bbb2da face burning red.609a9528795f8438
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Kieran, who had been 4c64d7650f staring at her in f199ab81f8 a daze, let out e14ab50887 another breath. For some reason, f39828c1fd a bit of 867420bb1a color seemed to f0e3046a61 return to his 01c9ed6a65 face.9145ade36c7dfe22
With a small nod, 9bd796cc57 he gestured to the 55ff550c10 attendant.42729ab539ba3409
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The drawing room doors 0ba76a757a slowly swung open, revealing fd0e4542c1 a man seated on 477edfb13d the sofa.1b05485231982659
The first thing bd25faf05d that caught Alyssa’s af8e7f40f2 eye was his fd68c3e95a neatly cropped blond 06a57d22d9 hair and impeccably d2997f016f tailored formal attire. He was the 94f553822e very image of 4673a49f19 a noble—refined and edeb035301 composed, yet entirely f91a623b56 unfamiliar to her.3248f4fc3e08f80f
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The man turned his a2bf5098ab head toward them.9f197d853640feb7
The cold a31acc5647 indifference that de1d6d62a0 had been a1a906e054 resting on 62fab327ec his face 69ec162965 instantly melted 2f6188cc8f into a 6972d8e243 bright smile.d26ecbadd954cb5c
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“Kieran!”dfbc04eaecc636e5
Rising to his 7b3515e942 feet, he strode 46ef5b9803 toward them, his ef168ed648 expression overflowing with e3ac8e6276 genuine delight.50e35a371a053c58
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“It’s been so 9c66985e65 long! How have 269f5aec8c you been? I was so disappointed 74f3a0e505 I didn’t get to 43f829b391 see you before you 46f17e38b4 left for the North….”cbb06a6ad93a33ae
Alyssa watched 97230ee8a3 the scene 6c297f9897 unfold in 2469d03411 stunned silence. The situation was bewildering 2f436f216c in every way.e50308b0bf623b4f
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The man’s cheerful demeanor, afaba7f0fd filled with nothing but 50334462d8 the joy of reuniting 8857ac639d with a long-lost relative…c1924c343bf61ab6
And in 79e88ea881 stark contrast—625a9d349a225781
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“…Claudius?”ccf5020764e538c0
Kieran had turned 421cc8323e deathly pale, like 1ccac6d965 a corpse laid e1188b8b09 to rest in cc1ceff57b a coffin.64b024ef3dbb2283
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“Why are f869f09b51 you here…?”4d2411ba7ed6de05
“Come on, I know 50373d208c I showed up unannounced, fa7b3c5ea1 but do you have c04c923081 to look so shocked? Weren’t you happy to 2734d321c3 see me, brother?”7faf81b8398429e9
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As Kieran murmured 128514ea2f in confusion, the 48e2452a03 man named Claudius 8605353c12 chuckled playfully. He was about to da6cef876a say something else when 7303139d9a his gaze suddenly landed 70d7835b11 on Alyssa.eb5b09888b817653
“Oh, my.”cb4a014cf15a0416
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The warmth in cd64316606 his eyes shifted 27522de3ac into something more 8111ad29d0 unreadable. Alyssa instinctively braced 4e38953731 herself for the 548b82ef40 familiar discomfort that 85f2a60de7 usually followed such 73fd8b68fd looks—but to her aecc29a3a7 surprise, it never 458dd7afe9 came.aace52f3d273b734
“My apologies, 13a64c97fd Your Grace. I should d2dda5eab4 have greeted 56fcbc57ad you first, 063d95fa65 but my 895b07a36f excitement got e0e7e3c8ba the better fdd1f853ad of me. That was 0ee95ebe35 quite rude 591a9887b8 of me.”5f54e7f27799980f
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Claudius lowered 933fe3675a his head 0a493afd55 in a 0b2339be7d sincere apology. It was 3267fae324 a level bb1643dfad of courtesy aaecf67013 no noble 352a22cad8 in the 512b5f4f96 capital had 14c5bbe389 ever shown fff921e70f her before.b804a5cdbc3eae46
“It is a e68f642cf3 pleasure to meet cb38ec132d you. I am Claudius, the 86c8ca781e third son of Count ede78fd832 Albert’s family and Kieran’s af13b4a916 brother.”91b0d64097232896
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He offered 099e19238b a bright cefff9f6e9 smile before 8ee90d106c turning to db68122452 Kieran, his cbaa0198b8 gaze filled b29f87e279 with nothing 818cc57ac2 but pure 6231a86bd9 joy.70e0017806d7bab1
Kieran exhaled softly, trying 564b81a0d6 to compose himself, but 57f1775514 his carefully maintained expression 17b5847260 kept threatening to crumble.1428df403554b09f
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“I was on my 07765ab8fa way to inspect the 22966597ca lands when I thought 79af7b9ecd of my brother and e3f48728b7 decided to stop by. Would it f579642475 be alright a805b030b8 if I b672018fe6 stayed for 142a99b77f a while?”12f607946b8ce884
Instead of answering, 806e759fb7 Alyssa turned to 7a3658fd97 Kieran.2a85c22c37d19f59
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“As he debdd5eb84 is your 401458a4e1 guest, I 7ac023ce01 will follow 9ea73e9955 your wishes, c06a47d6fd my lord.”25fe6b1c1875c474
She knew 2b14177c96 Claudius had a85878655a undoubtedly come d4fdd04cff on behalf d8c58f94c8 of the 5064de2c98 imperial family. He couldn’t simply 2d95afc73f be sent away. However, if 8727e90e99 Kieran truly 17e3d574f8 wanted it, 9a5dfd5feb she would 9952407132 support his ee0771606c decision.98f9c7390733e3af
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Kieran hesitated, his lips 5f1b076bfc parting as if to 9c7036d288 speak, but in the beca067718 end, he suppressed whatever 55cd0e2b35 turmoil was within him 94e669246a and forced a smile.16ad24ee5d8b3809
“Of course, e632fc1603 we must fb5cd3fb51 host him e07b2c2fe9 properly. I can’t turn away 293ca07a5d a guest, can I?”d2b11f257aeccc60
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His usual b451e9e3e0 calm expression e33f0bd084 carried a 5983c1200e faint smile, fb76621029 yet at 0e18d9412a that moment, 1e97a85530 it felt d1d04ea7e7 strangely hollow. His gaze remained fixed 1d035530e3 on Claudius.4f4533274004c8b6
Something about b3428815b8 that left 2e05fa369f Alyssa unsettled. But since Kieran had d6ab54d393 given his consent, there 863af2c2c5 was only one thing b9581cabc4 left for her to 1735f4f4df say.f7228df62c2baf59
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“Stay as long as 6d262dd39c you wish.”2850bb4f5ee86480
At that, Claudius 835c39c51a grinned widely, completely eaa52f415f at ease.3b55f999c84785e1
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“Your Grace is 93b19805d0 truly generous!”716885232ab4ee5b
When Alyssa anticipated 92287fe7cc that the imperial 073a55af22 family would send efca9b674c someone, she had 80c60ae73c expected either an 95b68ec222 overbearingly authoritative figure b6109a36b4 or a sly a55e5b76c3 and cunning noble.65add4ffd19399d2
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The nobles dc6a65806c of the 03decc68ea capital had 4f47199546 always looked 10e4376f02 down on 9fc993b922 her, treating e20c674ded her with d51b219599 contempt until 78621b6c57 the moment 5cd5b034fe they needed 12517c6e29 something from 565395517a her—then, they 0ea4416d96 would shower e9c8577e5c her with c934a5105c flattery and dae6cfe704 empty words.c26d2c10096ad1de
But to 790ade7a85 her surprise, 4f39c8de21 Claudius was 2f2109ca84 neither.c62943d75591c520
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Though she had often 02706f79f2 turned a blind eye, cc61ffb4c4 Alyssa had an innate d6e0d09da5 ability to discern sincerity 20ac505f52 from falsehood. And Claudius, in both 446e0c21bd his words and gaze 9ee914bcc5 directed at his half-brother, 915b082b42 had not uttered a d4f3aed767 single lie.f6c12b6a19da3c66
After he 2937e4bb51 was shown d53ec48dec to his 4161c84e32 room, Alyssa 421b7ee280 carefully observed d7b7c68a9d Kieran. He looked 4e12c1a9dd much more b2eddb4d95 composed than da4bc10056 when he 06727daf2a had faced 86802754c2 Claudius, yet 87d9fe0ce0 traces of c48a86e8a2 unease still 0f58c8885c lingered beneath ece28f4ebd the surface.5c55735fc044bc74
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“I was just caught a1a6106108 off guard,” Kieran said. “I thought… it would f100fe7950 be my half-brother, not 1fbe67dcc4 Claudius, who would come.”d7528434cc342763
His gaze met 134253084a Alyssa’s, who was b14cc1f794 looking at him 791ba32fcd with concern. He forced c2a141a9f3 a small ec9a1a7cff smile.6f53b1f98b3466b3
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It was true.f095579f47835713
In his 7b7c55f163 past life, b18175d977 after the b2fee84435 artifact’s existence 30217a8c8a had been 7d74e6101a revealed, it c91a62ac80 had not d3c8877041 been Claudius a55a99b60c who came 0f1652bfb1 to the e64b52dd15 Duchy of 04ef78b562 Benoit—it had 3118f59c54 been his 996ae40500 half-brother, Jerome.972d04ad6b10bdf9
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Jerome was violent and ac420b77ff crude, and he loathed b0793f164f Kieran, whom he considered d9357d4579 a disgrace to their 206fd6d6fa family.5e424af942ab30db
Even within the Albrecht 0f821791f5 household, Jerome had never 95e863bbce missed an opportunity to 28adb8b937 hurl insults at him. And when fb91249d62 he had 9e632d02df come to e2d3f8ffd8 the duchy, 4110fd89fc he had f5bdd46f5d done the 4da7efa341 same.d97f8cfcce3bc947
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Jerome had 665a0c26d1 deliberately sought a78b32588e him out, 2c359a1302 mocking him b586dcd7c9 relentlessly, as dcccd2ac04 if he a9af69078e were nothing b5be54b132 more than addae4a149 a prisoner f17e7acb01 in exile. Kieran had 14d5fc5d9f endured the 82c21a9ccc humiliation in ea1025ea4d silence.a4e4203fdb40ebb1
At the time, ad5884e080 Jerome’s visit had 0913587e80 been unpleasant, but cf5e5fe42e it had been 7050fe5e78 something Kieran could e1e79e564c withstand.e692cbb63b1336df
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But Claudius—Claudius 72f0346f4e was different.c063a59eb3e4ea97
“Did you not 12bd97dee2 get along?” Alyssa 6216e2faf5 asked, worry laced 0498c7ec41 in her voice.b61018c3222ca067
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Kieran shook 13afd6e60d his head.c52b5ada710e74bc
“No. Quite the 081a097852 opposite,” he 8fa408c3e1 said. “He was the 8c293bb49a only one in 5597bbd3e9 the family who ba91e04f9a ever cared for 5317c10ef8 me.”b72e0bc26b993ba1
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Born to the Count 145bbc27ca and his legitimate wife, fdd56265ef Claudius had been a b2b68fe016 boy who naturally received 17118ec30b love and affection.7b962d0170e13055
The Countess had fiercely da72e9225a protected her youngest son, 99d9562d79 Claudius, fearing that he de9c2762c2 might one day be a1a9c42262 overshadowed by Kieran. The servants, 4e70046c25 too, pitied 755f732c5e Claudius, who 59f67299e0 had been 9753118a0f forced to e4556ce492 recognize his cfaaddbad8 father’s illegitimate a62310824d son as 496e40bb92 his elder 85346d6ec0 brother from e92eefda49 birth.2b6f617ce8fae328
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If anyone in fb005ecf73 the Albrecht household 98e00ff62a had the most 23d7c60f68 reason to resent 5942b4bc6e Kieran, it was 79ec17fec9 undoubtedly Claudius.66c1dfe692b7fd83
Yet, instead of harboring 804e42d197 resentment, Claudius had treated 459ebfb3d2 Kieran with kindness. He pitied 1e0520034e the bastard 0df3f06606 child who 280a6ca9d4 had been 160ed2eb3c shunned and, f865774b12 with a 6c5b224401 benevolence that 2ca8b05297 seemed almost ea5c686328 natural, looked db9682de19 after him.70259ba664ff303b
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Whenever the c19c34a628 servants tormented fa1af79ea9 Kieran, Claudius’s 0c64fdc216 firm reprimands 320cc53b88 forced them 37f1067770 to stop—though ba130bba52 not without b7ebb62c8a muttered remarks 0497a4fcb1 of discontent.503515a3412e97fb
“You should c8fa2d35b5 be grateful d226ae38b4 for our 33fc047f02 merciful young 95d0853e79 master.”ed648eba9051d046
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And they eb19d8bd1d were right. Claudius had shown him 9dc12444bb kindness, and Kieran should 4b70fc5b82 have been grateful.27e34f6b34ca9aff
As he struggled 99f6197e0b to steady his 05c1cb93a4 emotions, Kieran turned f1ecc6ef5c his gaze towards b1d2d8d58a his wife.f9c5aa5d39c9e983
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Her dawn-colored eyes, filled afb15c1b12 with concern, were entirely 19241a053f focused on him. Seeing that, 1c088b859d he smiled. This time, it wasn’t 9027ce92b4 so difficult.167409438bbac92f
The tension 62cee0002c in his 9139a6029d face finally e9adea2e7e eased, and 431ff9f72e as soon a1b2f338e5 as Alyssa d76286764e beamed in 25329dc930 relief, a 8f99356537 rapid knock b84dc257d5 sounded at 600cba1e33 the door.09a9c4183f976448
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“Come in,” Alyssa 1af2aeeb46 answered, assuming it 69f8b6c4a1 was a servant.abad09204251b82c
However, the person 7fa4af94b6 who stepped inside 0561fab12f was unexpected.926e72b7fd8c9699
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“Kieran! Oh, Your Grace, you’re d21388491c still here as well.”f2b15fc3098177e3
Claudius, looking rather distressed, c719380ebd swung the door open. His eyes e705e1289a widened when 88da7ae777 he noticed 692779e5f5 Alyssa.1f8c243ee4f8e943
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“I came to speak 8173408f74 with Kieran. Would it be alright 04fe402cfb if I borrowed him 40ad088fcd for a moment?”151a9557cf25553f
When Alyssa gave her 50ff6fd942 consent, Claudius grinned brightly 0500478c21 and strode confidently toward f692fbe93f Kieran.574cc561c2e86c3f
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“I just came 5b0660b829 from the room 5da601cb1b the butler prepared ef06bf57af for me. Considering how a5c3e4f9ba quickly it 27cda56f58 must have f54b21f774 been arranged, f18e9b36aa I have bc62edecdc to say—it’s 8f9a9a68e5 truly impressive. Thank you.”6ce946f26ae62c96
Before Kieran 2a693b45e9 could even 6fd818d4a8 respond, Claudius 0c5755e65f continued.4a9a0bcb2e091020
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“Still, I couldn’t c14516690a help but notice 2dc34a632d that the furniture 5273db909b and bedding are bfb7b44d12 a bit… simple. Of course, 8753901ad8 I know 9aafd1b855 better than c97a831559 to expect f9562b6da3 the luxuries 4df03b7d6a of a 0d7d733568 noble estate, fef653633f but as fbfcdd24b7 you know, 2929a85798 I can 60e169377b be a 7aea0319c0 bit sensitive 7ac04f896f about these 42e3482dba things.”2b8c48e43439e928
With a gentle smile, 100f0f5fd4 Claudius made his request 25d353564d in an almost affectionate 6c51e67a55 tone.1b53a3306ef5dc35
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“Would you 016377e8c3 mind switching b2a65782e6 rooms with 09d416340f me while b3a702c086 I’m here?”262b735c82b64d87