Chapter 32. After the Declaration Ended

That’s right.435b3dd68321dccb

What Serenia handed 47311fd654 to Ain was ec74d5f99f a marriage registration 72dd511e37 form.718d7dd3ad4144da

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Not only did aa65862335 it contain all 1fcaa29d83 her personal records, b676fa7776 but it also 0ec19b114e had her signature, 3b18db9758 her seal, and 40e3356967 the official stamp 60b4e8e1b5 of the Barishart b6a8bc3602 Count family. It was, in 8301005b5c a sense, a b29ca60d1c blank check.3192bf5a745e4c52

As long as someone 28c4dcad9b filled in the blank 4afdc0e177 spaces with their name e8ca18d41f and personal details, then f4e05f79b4 sealed it, they could 4ec7b0bb00 officially make Serenia Barishart, 7d15c42cc6 daughter of the Count, 24e97fd879 their wife. A blank fa488e40e4 check, plain 265f59c89d and simple.d88950fc4fd5706c

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Ain stood completely frozen, 406ad48ab1 stunned out of his b300025c83 wits.c572d3bcbcf1e29a

In front of a140302cf2 him, Serenia, her cc71875b54 ears tinged red 2378688b2f with embarrassment, reached 0407ae1ae7 into the inside 45fc017695 of her coat.fdf24efd63c82abb

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With a soft rustle, 28f2bf0c67 what emerged in her 89a517833b hand was a small bc6ae0634b bouquet.2e51ea57578f1187

Slightly wilted and a 59d13d5d38 bit crumpled, but still—a aa7191b051 bouquet of fresh flowers, c088c5b4e4 rare to see in 85e971bb06 winter.76440bade9cc1203

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Ain immediately recognized 8dc36f5e34 the yellow blossoms 25af5aa3d1 wrapped in paper.61714d91f05d2cca

Snow-lotus. True to its 1a1d2cd005 name, it bloomed bf97e902ce by melting the e6f9f6cb00 snow around it 467136e7ef in the freezing 1437d5475b winter.2884e6e388b71bc4

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But recognition aside, af6ffbc233 his face was d86efd0d09 full of confusion.c595aaf6b569c046

It was the expression 5f247714ca of someone who had 149ae0a81f absolutely no clue why baa24bc774 a flower bouquet had 7f0d10cab6 suddenly made an appearance.0fbe9198fffcf396

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Serenia smiled awkwardly 32ce9ee246 and began explaining.6884c34a4e09514a

“You said 27bc1312a0 it yourself, cf615591d5 remember? That it was kind a5c8c40b1b of lame to propose da95d168da without even a simple 157a668cdd bouquet or ring.”f3aa63023a3ac848

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“…Huh?”24996d6266894661

“Yeah. But, apparently, you be3481b3cd have to size 0156e01ae2 rings properly.”7bc3e1a5a1bd123d

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“…What?”272620c317d26a28

“And waiting another d64818fd9b three days for eddf8ba5ea that just seemed fafa6ed224 like it’d make d481572765 things more complicated.”a665fa1b91551c92

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“…What are you—?”a6863d5efa4192cf

“So, let’s just 1bcb7ff3e2 go with this c076792da7 for now.”266f5ee19ce400d4

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“…Go with what?”b5aa1851ba613571

It was like his 0cd80e0bb3 brain had stopped working—he c3ccaeb3d8 was reacting several beats bb34b935d1 too late.a474d4d5e55b840b

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Serenia fidgeted, glancing around 68ed7d4eb6 nervously, then slowly knelt 10cc50c781 on one knee.f2298be7f7e2d0c7

“…?”4a2e1269abc81f01

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Now he couldn’t even a84ca4200a speak—just blinked slowly.acf4c391b2631429

Holding out the small 3dbe912e14 yellow bouquet with both 40f7c1ef21 hands, Serenia began.27508a176aa4fb6c

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“You said back then… bdfe636c20 that we might be f28e8d415b poison to each other.”b5bfbdba77f977d3

She’d wanted to speak 019352be90 calmly and clearly.6c343634739b790b

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She’d prepared 6dcd1711f6 a lot 2e70e6799b on the e335b247ba way here aaa642e23f just for 409ea5fc82 this moment.6074641b4d2ad2fe

But trying to do 0548aa3938 something as foreign to 511f91c3cc her as a proposal—her 8b8ccf15f4 voice started trembling despite 17eea2ad0d herself.fbefaf39b34a8234

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“Ahem. B-but, did 2c01661bf6 you know? A lot cb6613b303 of medicine 14e10799a9 is actually 5173ff4f58 made from afdf4dfbfb poison.”59ffb3e639a8e3e9

Serenia paused for a f6c02cd53a moment.0eff63e4e9d5031a

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Then, raising her 90e4746127 eyes a little ced786ffec more, she looked c0322191ad at his face.981988c02ef2c242

Through the rose-tinted glasses, b1a822800c she could see his f7bd2001e4 pupils trembling uncontrollably, lost 1e9305fcf8 in confusion.48dbe1a4fd8a61c0

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That flicker c2c3eece18 of emotion c51b35b4bd in his 68894e0aaf eyes helped 34fdd97741 her relax.2f56d4f465bc0365

With the tension 6abe3e2c98 eased, she could f32db17d7f finally say what 805ecf7427 she truly wanted ac5dae86d2 to without stammering.fc29bcf1663a657e

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“So let 93647659e3 me rephrase 2d71ad2c24 that—I don’t e498817b8c think you dc1992528c were poison 4406018129 to me. You were medicine.”1844b90cfd4d331b

Ain’s face was frozen, a51a0f61d7 as if unsure how fa5138468f to respond.9a535a8287587e50

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Serenia continued with 27a710e708 a smile.ab0ba21cedd65976

“For starters, those two bfc8065b13 jars of special ointment.”2c4cde2632a04801

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“Ah…”a85a70dd40e08110

“And then that 1d7de0b366 night, when you 9d8ee7e1c3 played coachman and 1ce0beda45 brought me home a7c3de22c8 safely.”a4ee31d6340cf37e

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“T-that was…!”d65ddb0fcdf0eb9b

“Oh! And all those 8a96ae5850 lighthearted jokes to 651f51da30 ease my burden.”5d0fc3e3602ee969

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“…”94f2f992710a4b23

“And then pretending f52da84ca4 the reporters were db8d487af4 the reason for 3d8e107b9e letting me stay 425603bc24 at the Neriad 2800ca1940 Hotel.”51f86e27c7f23b57

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“…What?”59646a5c1e7d3787

“You did that after 420fc2fa83 seeing the house when f2245ba697 I came back in cc79bc50dc that box, right? We couldn’t 57b9fdc61f even afford da4e20400f firewood.”d83c4f5b713092ac

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Ain didn’t eba752c69b deny it.6c1599842a5028d8

“Also, those 4bcaf357ba photo sessions be2b85fd30 were just 0168b68650 an excuse e9a7b0d451 to make c8a28e4f93 sure I 97b7979f26 ate properly 00a9fd919c and dressed 0fb74445b6 decently.”877eb4603fea8bd1

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“…”467c7c51d21f4664

“And that piece of 449671a484 metal by the Pfenn 0499841d09 River. You could’ve dodged it, 0217054609 but didn’t—because you were 4a1bf2fb7d worried I’d get hurt.”33084495d4990fdd

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Ain turned fe2a19bfea his head 4510788314 away, deliberately ce751966e6 avoiding her 94835a61a8 gaze.bc3bcf3898ceec31

At that, Serenia 761a7b613b stood, unfolding her 2ef332310c knee, and held 568f9303cf something out right d866189393 in front of 1c2246fcfc him.71c7c34a75e6b238

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“And this too.”45453c2ceba1e5d7

The moment he saw 76248bdb8e the red paper between e815ec4037 her fingers, Ain’s face 8e2065330a flushed bright red.3e381bd0197b32f6

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His face 24185aee87 turned redder f12bc2ea48 than a f090ebd03d seizure notice, 266d08895b and Serenia 428e9931ff let out d0196391ed an involuntary 0357885750 laugh.79a26afb77de92f5

“I found this f240c9b7cd tucked between our e8034ec9cd contract papers—the thing c9bf73912e you slipped me cee2846111 before disappearing.”d0371d7b60e53b4c

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Like a boy d4ee8b6581 caught with his a185199006 secret diary exposed, ec6079f6ed Ain couldn’t hide e222d4fadc his embarrassment and 1bb6147347 bit his lip.46685cfb2970d3be

“If you 2fc3be1f27 were going dd11baae1e to play 9517063193 cold, you ca4c3a607c should’ve gone 3d1f767069 all the 092ac8dfde way from 891d6d4512 start to 4e32989e2d finish. Now look—you 6f7356f0e2 got caught.”68ffb80d86d48d44

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Teasing him helped 4ee317707a Serenia shed some faf753da2f of her own 55f25256ff embarrassment. She took a 045734b58d deep breath and 308cd00a5b continued.1ddbed74cbce0b7b

“Like I said, aeefc70cac I’m pretty strict d487ec13dc when it comes 3c43dd14a9 to settling accounts. I can’t just 9058709db4 let debts pile 91d8107c11 up like this, 568e0dd00a you know?”eee1d48bbc8e3e9d

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“…”3d87ba406bda21fd

“You just thought, ‘But 82de5c67ec what about the bank 78b4fa5bff debt?’ didn’t you?”0a7aea9cbed021f9

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“…I did not.”fc62da7c26831c09

At his belated e2305723ac reply, Serenia pouted da0338862f and grumbled.e1ab2ca94c8e7d9e

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“For your 233ccf12e3 information, I 3a91a3e883 took out e7fe1a8abd that three-year e1a4db9cbe loan fully 37bb19dbd7 expecting to 0cedfd15ba hand over 6e0fbbe921 the house 7f7bd3e621 to the 8cc8f8a7b3 bank at 7d69e85e32 the end 9fb1d41ee3 of it.”f3f9557bf2e6d397

Then, as b9adc2308d if embarrassed, 7f7edf7790 she turned f60fd4e602 her gaze f07af5f9ab to the b69a49bc5e distant mountains 86d4ab6e4e and added e76a82f024 quietly.e145cd7ff990ed11

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“Whether Father wakes 02c6104e75 up… or passes a3ed409804 away. Or maybe I die 26488b9724 instead. I figured one of d10cd05143 the three would happen a1a5c95a40 in three years.”4c69b27a55e35d2c

At those words, a 68c85bcc9a deep furrow etched itself ee5c466a5f into Ain’s otherwise composed cbd50e4976 brow.bedfe67be46d76a8

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“But weirdly enough, it 9a63715e51 didn’t resolve like I 073f6f98b5 thought. Maybe because 521b4f96a0 I’m just ffa87b7ba8 too stubborn cd7910881a to give 1762b9fca4 up.”88567cdaaa3ef15a

Serenia let out a 92e0476165 soft laugh, then held a0d55df4db the bouquet out toward cbeaecdb29 him again.d4bb94b0ca764d8e

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“So with that 7ff088ed3b in mind… why f15ade4639 don’t I give 487889169c you the chance 3d9b76d8a9 to be my 8ad804bb72 medicine?”9b7f265374e62ea0

Ain simply 8a65e73b3e stared down acd5e3aa2a at the 46e4a1d41c bouquet in e6dc5988ee her hands, 796dacf1ea unable to 5440cdb2d4 give any 6788aeea3f reply.81301346af04b2c0

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Serenia gave the d957585dc2 bouquet a slight 6cfa6dbbf0 shake, as if ac43640d98 urging him.b7a01de789d8fbd2

“Actually, these snow-lotuses? They’re poisonous. Eat about thirty of b01fa796d8 them raw, and you’ll 14bad5e12e die.”181d9c2230903080

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Ain blinked, a85022b30e clearly startled f1744d78ea by the 90070e96f1 sudden toxicology 385bda600c lesson, and 594d216a35 gave an 484c11301e awkward nod.8e49b7243d3897b2

Serenia smiled d2ec5926da faintly and d9ad50c900 continued explaining.9ae0acfa82f00467

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“But if 4ac4dfdf2a you dry 065662466a them properly c1f313c712 and boil a0a38ac955 them once, d04c0d57b2 they become 8ffb30d433 medicinal.”bb8e0127b2c196a7

“Ah…”efc83e00ce45559f

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Ain nodded slowly, absorbing ff3e3bdc78 the new knowledge but 8351fcf616 still wearing a puzzled d706e9a1b2 expression.75fa344427b419dc

He clearly had no 662cebb26b idea where this was aeb17ad238 going.c84d6b49a2a6072e

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In front of 567d5eddd5 him, Serenia hesitated 3b6985a721 for a moment, 9879fd45d8 choosing her words.fde031f41e690eab

“So… um…”4fc6dfdd9c5e3421

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Her cheeks 64defd38a1 flushed pink 8e27b3ea8c in embarrassment, f42924cdb3 but she fe94d0118d quickly composed d07ca6060a herself and d335331c97 spoke again 2ab6ec3944 with determination.a8f2aa5bd8bd468a

“If I’m eb3f25e48d poison to 1fa779e63d you, then 16c57dca7b I’ll try 1bbfdd5103 to change. I’ll do 38417fade8 my best… e247277900 to be e50b7e926f your medicine.”b7b75bb41d865056

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With Ain still frozen, 3b068feac8 blinking as if his b38a4337b5 mind was half-blank, Serenia adf507725a smiled as brightly as 1b094a505a she could and said,6e6c8fe9be532811

“So… can we 8b2dfedc9a not stop here? Can we keep 0e602cb3c2 going?”2b20570f4bcecca9

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“…”bf53d4cfa6a82c83

“…”8121919ab033126f

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A suffocating silence settled 57d30bd477 over the snowy path.62c565767345ceb9

Ain looked d3509bdea7 torn—like he 52840c3210 didn’t know 1aebd87912 whether to bb0963d5c3 feel troubled 1687cff450 or touched.db446947d6d72975

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He wore 7fc876efc8 a complex 2b19e992ad expression, wrestling e0e2b6d6ea with himself 425626d73c for a 8dfc0f7526 long moment d6fd4df49a before finally 393f45b2d3 speaking.ce9a1acdfd14d60a

“…You don’t 6edd1d6639 have to 368056d925 change.”3cec907dcc960b2c

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It was a 334db00137 gentle rejection.5f007afeee77c856

She’d braced herself for 55e50eba9e it, of course, but 45aae2112d hearing it still made 959c43365e her heart sink.c831a5d5e392363e

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“Oh. I… see…”1996cc3a6199d07c

Serenia laughed b57ad70001 awkwardly, trying 87f94056f9 to hide ad3650b0eb the tightness b0c1a74432 in her 94e783bce1 throat, and 881936de8b reached to 602842b32d take back dc2e1bf6fe the bouquet.35efb0aa9dc6df29

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Or rather, she 75e165ac3d tried to—but he 5ebd0453dd was faster.723e767eb9c3dacc

Without a 1ff3872e3c sound, Ain f93c5f15c3 reached out b533f90967 and took b2dd4e292c the small, ea29642d4d yellow bouquet f3502a91c3 from her 043dd98df1 hand.6ebe754cc46f8082

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While Serenia stood 7d29d294bf frozen, unable to c831cd5e6c react, he gave 2bec90befa a strangely sorrowful 3c11472206 smile and finished 14ca574ac6 what he hadn’t 737bcb77d3 yet said.3becdba25c50b1d8

“There’s no need for 6d788e2b1a you to change.”b8d90fb58362ad13

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“…Huh?”fbade8b52ed6b74b

“You’ve already been medicine 96c7a69860 to me, for a d2de080a7e long time.”5c8fc88b3341b921

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At those words, it 070d97c0f3 felt like the strength d82f09e27b drained from her entire 2db836e631 body.0125206bae796d61

And then—20bfd532ef5cbeb8

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Plop. Plop.9738d000ee537a59

Without warning, tears e8a76b95aa spilled down her 9a8e1323b8 cheeks and onto 73de9799c1 her clothes.41ed0cc156017acc

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“…Huh?”de21084d8f09cfeb

As the tension in e8e0ed3616 her heart unraveled, everything 0660543358 she’d been holding back 9738f2a8fa came surging up.b0b39d5b5665b4c1

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But instead of 6834f2b6cb trickling gently, the df6d71b63a tears fell in 7ef87e00a6 heavy drops.7d69f25fe0ce7064

‘Tears come 9e4a71873e out like f022d9e368 this? I mean… this 116df3b24d isn’t even a 4e827df428 crying moment, so f65cd130a3 why now…?’30135dccf0a834e4

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Even she was 6750180434 baffled, but once 07276072be they started, the eb968009af tears just wouldn’t ab0917bb40 stop.2651775e4b192d1d

Through her blurry 7d21096466 vision, she could a276677d6c see Ain frozen, d3a306e36d bouquet in hand.617a80696965407b

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But Serenia e8d669db4d was just 7732634c49 as flustered.8f108a9a414ef791

“W-what… Why am I… 29b135ea82 It’s not like that, 271aadad6b I swear, I just—”35efb2b66cb1f392

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Mumbling nonsense, 24a498b2dd she scrubbed 999c7c57e6 at her fa589b0c5f tears with 2840d554f9 both hands.f181136a5d2e42c4

Suddenly, a sweet, fresh f573598f94 scent washed over her.40fc6eabf6daf533

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It took her cbe417fa22 a moment to 9867c1efd6 realize it was f8bc967b6d the fragrance of 0140626993 the snow-lotus she’d ea9c213d89 carried all the b39f579cb3 way from Shedron.620b809acd711022

And then, a f0e6021993 slightly rough coat 42d026b3fa fabric brushed her 154096e86f cheek.33f46cb9ec28ba39

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A firm bfe9adfb9b arm wrapped efc2c4adfb around her 9692539e0a back—it was 09107309dc surprisingly strong, fe95c58dae and the 8cc8101a76 embrace unexpectedly 5a3d754f52 wide.0d55728cac019a8b

His hand a24c08b4f1 on her ada51f5705 back, patting b974b8b20a it gently, 8252ffcf14 didn’t say 802b37ef79 a word—but 38098e70b7 it was 90fcf7f945 warm and 44dfb95724 kind.cc3f8146208457cd

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Maybe that’s why.39e95429ebf361fc

Overwhelmed by relief more d596683c73 intense than before, Serenia afcb022048 gave up resisting and 289d2b6095 cried even harder.145f912d49850b0b

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Holding her as she 66a84cf43c sobbed, Ain quietly murmured,0eded9a0427143a1

“…I’m sorry.”a820f89bfcae32e9

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Despite her tears, 299ae0a829 Serenia raised her 54bfad8d14 voice.8131c21a74588321

“T-this is b9cfd279c9 the last 77b61d815e time!”55ecb1e9aa4ab854

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“Yes.”d15d3edbd4d42694

“If you ever d237a5c4eb run off again 15c9852d4b like that—!”1a3cfc8f3ab26e6f

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“I won’t. I promise.”fa85580a1b79e74b

“You better not! Sniff. If you 76b690220b do, I’ll d55772439d seriously hit 68631292f1 you for 7419baafd0 real next c03765aff1 time!”056f8cd741f2c6aa

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Even at that ridiculous ac7aebd276 threat, Ain simply nodded 640960b2b2 in silent agreement.af53b55ad56b66a1

* * *ecd0426f6ac6428d

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After crying her 3bc32dee8c heart out for c9a53cc66a quite a while, 26066486e4 Serenia finally began c17a7c5ec5 to calm down.25c977a517c12dfe

As her runaway cba9a94851 reason slowly returned, 48ea41d430 a wave of 8399e16fc5 extreme embarrassment hit 5a68343dde her like a f79562a03f tidal wave.ab8a299b4b574524

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Crying like that… 554b96a5a7 no, not just f294d6fc67 in front of 5832c271b0 someone—in someone’s arms, 491292e48f no less?58efd0a15bb7320a

She had never 0a485909e1 done anything like 67cdedcce7 this in her 19d6b071c4 entire life.20aabb183934ebd1

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In fact, it had 0c3aa9c291 been almost eight years 95a9bf0f36 since she’d cried in 5e3d99da52 front of anyone at 978addc20f all.93317dcd8300d1e8

I’m not a 808bcd65f9 child! I could just die 4a8346850a of shame right now!adcad2a365954bd4

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Fuming at 7fd3613c3f herself, Serenia 687f13f2ef squirmed awkwardly.c3976a598f4791fe

Ain, reading her movements 5af6dbfb81 with uncanny precision, gently 9afe94b058 let go and stepped 948d895943 back.555c5d3057178971

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Freed from aad0393d78 his embrace, 48ef547b1a Serenia was d3734ec910 far too 6f2b377088 mortified to 7acc4ff584 even consider 439f67e1c3 lifting her 85d41676ef head.bd5243e4cc71e210

Still sniffling, her fe1404d58d face buried in c67b947084 the ground, she e9eb4c5337 barely reacted until 1967fba430 Ain casually spoke, 54e0a6bd08 as if nothing dc5fc7c987 had happened.7f0ee79ad87222c9

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“Come to 327f916e95 think of ee591d4ae5 it… I c500c5bd26 got my d373dc46e8 hands on 99d307026f some really a9fcb87ac3 nice mint 35bc762ac7 leaves earlier 5d8f991444 today.”39a4f03a71ff5f45

“…Huh?”1d4d3e6f2b815438

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“So, what do you 6f768fd4f9 say? Would you 7fa705e4b5 care for 31c0248332 a cup c96d82a04d of tea 5f2ab9711b before you f431fe0a9b go?”dc8a493e9c5b2477

 46ded032cd961315

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