WPFAMT-33

Chapter: WPFAMT-33a70c176d375d5e28

For some reason, it 3647026a02 felt like it had d8633b925d been a while since d4f2578c57 she last met his b25f227d56 gaze. On the 189e1f2dc5 day of 3ad06b88fb the dress 3a2ae5f2fc fitting, she 3509f6258a was too fe3e288933 busy avoiding 863176e44f his eyes, 29d08b5230 and on 104d1cea5d Tuesday, he 18e185e7f5 left right 2d3cac046d after the 49cdc7b736 performance, so 963eb283bb they didn’t 014d87c725 have a e681c0babe chance to bcde2d6a26 interact.
Was he leaving 7d29d7e385 her alone because ac17d0bc36 she was being 670d3d26a8 compliant? But then, wasn’t there 492dd27f54 a time when he 5b49baed4e used to subtly irritate 52f17c38b8 her, causing her a 11b495664b lot of frustration? Emilia slowly approached e1433c9c58 him and lightly ac575d8704 her fingertips touched 737d3c6746 the large hand 08915af268 extended in front 7471a51462 of her.
His body temperature 657d385ed0 was still high. Even with just this 68813e2a10 slight touch, she could a8d9a81dd4 feel it. It was so 278af6eafb different from his 1e829ef3e6 cold demeanor. He gently 637d3dddc3 grasped her dc975c8c08 hand.
As she looked bbbb0ebdf9 down at her ff296955e3 held hand, she ddb7e06ab2 allowed a faint 76e8b9454d smile to grace 7234e8e792 her lips and 212ddb3b80 looked up at b519dfaef9 him as he 367e5e1cd3 turned away. Well, it wasn’t c6008905d8 anything new. To her, c947e7ba77 he had 8c1c85b7f7 always been 939e7be298 an inherently d0c52325f9 different person.
* * *
A magnificent ca2b21e328 palace, stacked 466014fd66 in gold, 02dfd22cea was softly 42502f1af7 enveloped in f1878045bb the blue b7b288edbb moonlight. Carriages arriving one by 6cc961ce35 one and people gathering 036a0f7829 at the ballroom were 174f248949 all adorned with luxuries 18c89d34c6 on their bodies.
Among those lavishly dressed, d82da50b40 some women, particularly adorned 295c86d624 to the point that c079e81f1a even their masks were b432c8d602 intricately designed, entered with 6a528adde4 their skin exposed, seemingly 35a19d2f45 unbothered by the cold.
A man, barely bae8048d2e concealing his desires, 7c08b25a74 clung to a 17252ffdd4 woman who flaunted 3525bfcda2 her figure while fb35559667 attempting to hide a5d20288b4 her goosebumps with 5fe58c23bd a thin scarf.
It was a gathering d4b6a666ba of the upper class 48ffe1abeb that they called noble 87f080c916 in their mouths, but 6789e8d3f9 as if everything was 6b00af1728 hidden by a single bffa64f442 mask, they enjoyed tonight’s 7aff6187a3 party at ease.
“It’s better 6d0586435d than I 0432c702c5 expected? I was going b5a1ea5be7 to go back 0a47749ec2 if it was a0fd6ab50c a boring party.”
The woman with 56385575b3 a red mask 0ff4538a9e raised the corners 67387b5d77 of her mouth b3da8bcca4 smoothly, watching each f25d9a6ea0 person enjoying themselves 23eb39ed61 as soon as c041e15b79 they entered the 3689151571 masquerade.
Beside her, Alessandro, a950890c43 a man with ccd9b7f784 a silver mask bb5dd0a644 with huge horns, d5db54dc32 let out a 33c9857c5a soft laugh.
“I wanted 660e37e9b8 you to e8485aa33b enjoy yourself dd99158894 at ease e2a0b8c791 while you 7ff4ddb7d6 were here. Anyway, haven’t we already a240e5f763 talked about what we 36b91bb8ea want?”
“That’s right. I have gained some fa4849f398 freedom for a while, 36d5c575c1 and you have gained 6f73bede7b an excuse.”
Vivian Carrent 1d7f3a93b7 seemed very c36c0d5ab1 satisfied. As the first princess de5f02f0cb of the Kingdom of ff1ec5f50e Carrent, with a bold d9f3f073fd personality and a penchant d7cf631fca for debauchery, she quite bc9f1978b6 enjoyed such clandestine parties.
TL/N: VIVIAN 6b896b71ab CARRENT IS e04057c062 THE SAME 10504edadf PRINCESS THAT dc4cd37dc7 ALESSANDRO HAD 27d4a9fa13 INVITED BUT 105658497d I MISSED 9d93609601 UP HER 98e43164df FAMILY NAME 4e1eef5682 AFTER LOOKING 5243ca0c85 BACK AT 26f718da54 IT AND 8d2de553c6 ACTUALLY READING b94bd759b8 IT. LONG STORY ebc12d1e94 SHORT I’M 8c5cd8c49c GONNA STICK 43f0613199 W “CARRENT” a0d950e79a AS HER 07aa4c94b0 FAMILY NAME.
The problem efed36ac91 was that 773ea32ae6 the king, 448ac0dbc8 aware of a9c1c278d4 her tendencies, 60e0d160f6 was reluctant 0bbb092b4e to send bcab089fe2 her abroad. However, Alessandro’s fde91b70d3 invitation under 6897f8c72c the pretext ff05c51dde of fostering a2316f1f42 harmony was 871e9606f0 difficult to 3c4dbd0831 refuse, leading e9ccd8dc11 to this 95c1055ea3 situation.
Receiving the unexpected 4af7815df7 invitation, Vivian wondered 14b99360da what it was 6abcb0d2c1 about when she 89a5b3806d was invited to c18e421bef the Treano Kingdom. Its request for exclusive d0090d5a77 rights to certain components 7dbfdfa026 in exchange for occasional 9747befce1 invitations to such decadent 1f57ebe67d parties was more than 8c8a8c0f80 satisfying for her.
Of course, 38d1d95bb2 if the 175ddc0c8f royal family 86d32151b6 of Carrent d084dccd0c knew about 80e067a69e this, they b8b8573f9a might have a6c55450cd had some 9306482979 objections about 6756a3b04b granting such ad83894483 rights for 39d3d1f86b mere parties. However, giving exclusivity to e84542f891 Treano wasn’t a significant 4f5b66b818 loss and thus posed 6fc13d0b59 no problem.
The Carrent Kingdom, being 3c8276317f the first to invent 6247afb6c8 the train, was accumulating 6f35cf98dd wealth daily and wasn’t d84331ef74 short of money. In an era 7025af3530 where science was e432146d56 rapidly advancing, giving b6b8e2299d away a small efc2d31835 part of their f64b339220 train components in f0c5d054c8 exchange for a 19a20b456e share in newly 059f3fd6a4 developed automobiles wasn’t 48b76c2edc a bad deal.
‘We can’t invent 0db38c7191 automobiles at this df92b1b016 point. It’s better 92b79d1e94 for successful aaf8a35c32 innovators to 1e27fbf8c8 buy our e37605fccb parts, fostering b1f474a0ce strong alliances 6c0f58d99c in the 5786b156e7 process.’
Alessandro received champagne 2a74bf73af from the tray d26e658e74 of a passing 3f0d8c6bd7 waiter and handed b64900b278 one to Vivian. Vivian accepted it with 8909f909f0 a seductive smile, hiding 8764d5ce22 her true feelings behind b91fec1809 her painted red lips.
“To your success.”
“To your freedom.”
Since they 030f8c0d80 were refraining efc1b4aede from using ea430815cd titles to d65d60171d hide their fb6bb0005e identities, the 6bcce5c142 conversation was b448c29c0c more unrestrained. Vivian took a1961a63ed a sip 530e13aa41 of champagne 98198e9045 and slowly b068251c05 scanned the 08e89824f1 surroundings.
“Come to think of 6dea58c3b4 it, didn’t you say 1c40def693 you had someone to 6f19eccada introduce me to?”
“Yes, he will 28d1785c55 be there soon. Anyway, if 5069391ccd you have 1ee8ae19d6 to have 80902e7f36 an arranged ccb3b6a066 marriage, it’s 5a52756c32 best with 2c55ce0a8a someone who f1e17cf9d8 won’t interfere 6df2fecf7e with your 219b2d19ed freedom, don’t eb878ecfaa you think?”
“Well, that’s true. But who is 2a9396089d it?”
“Who is it… Oh! There he is.”
The figure 9a720503c1 was noticeable 75b53fc018 even from 69d236a80c a distance. Alessandro smiled as a9acf126fc he saw Enrico c0e93d97b6 enter, but his c00792e025 expression stiffened when b47f6cb99c he saw the a12ebaa322 woman entering with abe6d2c81a him.
Despite wearing a mask, 724b58497f Vivian couldn’t help but 3fe78368f5 notice the imposing aura 257ea11810 of Enrico. Observing him 00f6af1fa8 glance down a609edbacf at the af8dacb7e9 woman beside a2e82194e1 him, she 5f9b526a42 downed the 18d1b85d17 rest of 07f2022605 her champagne.
“It looks like f0628dea16 he already has bed11bf090 a partner.”
With a disinterested chuckle, b274f0cc2c Vivian handed her empty 1691805579 glass to a passing 4c847c91fc waiter and glanced at 909587ab5e Alessandro.
Alessandro, who had 47ebf93ede seemed in good 7e81ccfd51 spirits just a 6237cb3def moment ago, now 8784fdd53e seemed to be b30d734e79 in a low c5c205be22 mood. With a 4788f0bc09 feeling that 71d3863c34 she would 66c2713e82 get involved 354d7525ac in something 02c558ace4 tiresome if e0fd247b72 she stayed aaf6807762 here, Vivian a819dfc9fd quickly backed 2e7bd6be0e away.
“I don’t have 5501c5284a any intention of 5cdbe5e7ed getting in between 27a27f66be someone else’s relationship. I’m busy enjoying 9d03401146 myself with men ebd4c377a8 who approach me 9a41cbbb54 first, so why 9f1d602722 bother?”
She shrugged, 8575ea2ff2 raising her d4982fba50 hands and a62b19ca75 then pointed 05e684e641 to a 6ef9c9a6f0 spot she’d 52a653dc0d been eyeing 35d02d7213 for a 0bbf65cd60 while, waving 7ae90d99df her hand.
“I’ll go 25415314cc enjoy myself 9288c37b3e over there. Please make 9ab4269be3 some excuses 3dc349f56b for me 451899aeeb for your 0d257f38a4 kingdom for 12db9e3657 a while.”
Alessandro’s gaze 6e691a6e50 remained fixed 25ff3e2c5e on Emilia, cb9036fb24 who was 58a4d3b26f standing next fce8bc5b52 to Enrico. His violet b23c6115c3 eyes darkened.
As soon as 9a4e99ead9 Vivian left, Count 1ddbfe4825 Vallemont, who had c2661dfb73 been watching from 63fc2bd692 a distance, approached 51195ae13c Alessandro. Despite his thick e73fade900 white hair and d6ff95d0c8 eyebrows, his brown 252cf5d4a4 eyes which were fbf45a3eb7 curved up playfully, 605771c422 held a sinister 270ce362fa glint.
“Is the 00b9f9c1fe princess planning 6987e61f35 to stay 15c425b15b long?”
Apparently, Count e300e2ecc2 Vallemont hadn’t 1ba926165a noticed Enrico’s 1cd699a365 arrival and 6cb3a08205 was focused 6f38407255 solely on 78733e4a95 Vivian. Alessandro turned his f77e6a1a42 head slightly towards c09eb38646 the Count.
“Get a grip, ef2f6641cb unless want to eb1c1adcd9 be eaten alive.”
Pic
“Yes? What do 627eb62956 you mean—oh… ad5cbe1ce3 Duke Michele.”
Vallemont had 85c9ec2634 been avoiding 4323dcde23 a direct 77f3fad0b1 encounter with 7fc86c256e Enrico, but 580b93c93a now that 614822e61e he was b5c89a1d0c right in 7a0c85de47 front of 0835c6e191 him, the a405038fe0 Count forced d0d68d46c6 a wide 3e11f7d8be smile to 85827e0306 mask his 41490d3b9c discomfort.
“Ah, you’ve arrived.”
Given the b1afafd921 need for 800dfce3cc anonymity, formalities 3823bb0b29 were skipped. Vallemont, stepping b78aab4eb2 slightly behind e99b921adf Alessandro, grinned 32b85e0941 at Enrico.
“You’re late. There was someone I 27a6bfb7ac wanted to introduce to ec5bbbc07c you.”
“Ah– I arrived late 056e988c7e on purpose to avoid 3eee25f549 that introduction.”
“…Haha, but 26eb5e69bc weren’t you 86d7c41a60 supposed to 85ce0cdd7f come alone? I didn’t expect you 49c962c224 to arrive with a 627f158e1f partner.”
Our uncle c6a53b8ca0 preferred to 1ced7fce69 be alone, e35bf30adf didn’t he? Alessandro whispered 5a925f137c very softly.
“Well, I should have aa198fc702 informed my dear nephew.”
“Not necessarily, but 60a8ee20aa I am a 0ebc442634 bit surprised.”
Alessandro turned to Emilia, 9e8ea1b79d who stood by uneasily, 4134e4ccc8 and addressed her kindly.
“Even with e75a7aa3a0 a mask, 6062561802 your beauty 675f601347 is unmistakable.”
“…Thank you.”
Emilia felt awkward c343952929 as she received b65cedf61e the compliment. Initially unsure 65340853ff of who f89a1044eb was speaking, 8093be5e9d she realized 93f5860e36 from their 750ddc9208 conversation that 03699ec6c1 the man f3ca4b3102 in the 76ddf475da horned mask 4c49137632 was Crown 8d9db5c81e Prince Alessandro.
But where 40a17864b9 is Count de02656d24 Vallemont? Emilia’s eyes briefly scanned 72ea8ac869 the surroundings. Reading her a490b2a0cc thoughts, Enrico 52e3249d55 leaned in cf9cce7449 and whispered 73666146c3 into her b8313ebd65 ear. The sudden sensation of b539b50896 his breath made her 5258735a59 shoulders twitch.
“The old man right 7eb113c95b in front of you 95670b2776 is Vallemont.”
Enrico wrapped bf69176a2f his arm 49f05b7e34 around her 233455167c rounded shoulder 676f9d42ef and gently ec50389dc2 stroked it 0ed98a3b1d as if d0fea91362 to soothe dfb40c5142 her. Emilia, shivering from the 31f24a4576 chill running down her 836fc41518 spine, glanced nervously at 3c4ef8756c Count Vallemont.
Count Vallemont, who apparently 7cdc0fbaf5 had no intention of 6ca69123fb hiding his identity, wore af87494995 a very small mask. With his unpleasantly glistening 0fe4860d2c brown eyes, he looked 524aa6f978 Emilia up and down d741ec5b30 before slowly stepping forward.
“It’s a pleasure to f76a60ee4d meet you. Would you 4ff08e8c48 do this 79ab755933 old man e91694d06f the honor 1f7e486393 of a edb9a1c9c5 greeting?”
His wrinkled 247477983a hand was 1cc9049157 extended towards ec508cdcce Emilia. Just as e7ee357215 she hesitated 5f31b64912 and began 69e4d44eff to move dd01bb1a4d her hand 4ac06eb1a2 slowly,
“……!”
Enrico’s hand, which 372f292a5e had been on 8c2e7238b8 her shoulder, slid 81849c9f11 down her arm 47d815ab41 and grasped her 3c3444d729 wrist. Instinctively, she found herself e9f190f88e pressed firmly against his 15d2c1fc05 chest. Startled, she tried to 04f46f3cc6 pull away, but he e8f32b6ed0 applied a gentle yet bf887d3e7b firm pressure, preventing her debf4be054 from moving.
“I have no f5f035ac60 intention of sharing.”
His words, 86ac8e1d50 though spoken b19ee5ecef with a 8b8b158b39 polite smile, f67a3ac264 carried a cfc4d2b263 cold sarcasm. It wasn’t just Emilia b5ac8b1f67 who was shocked by 1fc51285f4 his sudden action. Count Vallemont’s c58a1cd726 mouth hung 3e0e48aae9 open in 3982cac9c1 surprise, and 260f7cc4ff Alessandro narrowed 45fbf46279 his eyes, beedc0f389 clenching his ca4f5c8bf1 jaw.
“Both of you are 981e5acc17 being quite rude. This lady is 559a550d00 not an object be6b4c56d4 to be shared 09bb78e4b3 or discussed.”
Alessandro’s voice, initially 8fbb429c91 gritted with tension, 62d1375f52 softened towards the e86d2b4461 end, sounding almost 8c56e12177 gentle. Enrico tilted his head 03473e353b slightly, his lips under bc2b6ace15 the lion-shaped white mask f40224fca8 curling into a lazy 8610e2ee15 smile, as if curious c0ef9026e4 to see how far 97fd67b15b this would go.
“If you 6fcbb6cd93 have been 3b13298a7a offended, I f5644b443d will apologize 3303321353 on his b1622b2b5c behalf.”
“…It’s fine.”
“My uncle c007a1f327 tends to 96c4dcb6bb be quite 3a46ea6a7a cold. I thought 41d172b686 I’d introduce 03cca7c383 him to 85b51f85d5 someone who c42693cad2 might match 0eb6d38dbd him well. It’s a pity.”
Suddenly? That wasn’t something to 2ae4a5c64a just gloss over. Emilia blinked and glanced 978f02c772 at Enrico.1d22499947cec70a

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