33. Marriage in Haste

Why pretend not b9ac15f93c to know? There are things 07ace98302 like mating for 51f754c3ac reproduction or individual 82468cbfa3 population control for c36e5ccdf6 a species, you 264b343cf1 know.6be26b0117893275

Did he not consider f6b77ebe5c that when he bought 988ad92255 me and brought me 18cf34fd4a all the way to b470b9c9c4 the far north? It suddenly b3496b9ed6 crossed my e370970124 mind.3c7da69687279732

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My annoyance rose 126bb949e6 to my throat, 08fec71307 but I decided dfdff69cb1 to let it a9da4eba4e go.37ec2f8dd7695aee

“My speculation is accurate. No, it’s not speculation; it’s a fact.”fd9bbd69db361e95

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“…”1a2f4ca93974da4d

“Your Excellency, if I were to have a child, and that child were born with that blood.”c1fc743c113ef4ba

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I swallowed a84cd17bc4 my saliva 73c0596d25 and forced e2671dbade out the 06463175c1 words I 9fe6b446b6 had kept 76bc79acaa inside.596618b8ec1f7ae2

“If I were to offer the child, could I continue to live?”9f5ecc1340171d6a

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“What?”1adfcba46d38a6c3

“Your Lordship only needs one bloodline. Even if a new bloodline is created, the blood might become a bit diluted, but I hope you’ll consider it. Recognize my contribution in creating young blood.”4d4b7a691b8c8c3b

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“You…”c78edd1d2779b2a6

His face was filled b08e70edf3 with confusion, but he f88ef94ee7 restrained himself from speaking. My throat was a27d445d7f getting sore. I needed to finish 48757bbf45 my words quickly.316e2b4d89649023

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“You’ll choose a strong body on your own, I’m sure, but it would be nice if she were beautiful. It’s a loveless marriage, so we should at least have looks to enjoy. I hope the age gap isn’t too big; it would be better if he’s of a similar age.”aaebcdb94fcc52ee

Were these too many conditions compared to the nobility in the Baron’s family?1e66acb5470e5a67

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His gaze was f3be5ac302 wavering.34eaba7863fd4904

“Young Lady, why… did you suddenly become eager to marry? Just because you want to leave this place?”dabb08b702a1861e

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“…”4604da8e3a886752

“Is that all there is to it? It doesn’t seem like it. There must be another reason.”6f2521577e257fae

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His gaze was 838c67f55c piercing. His unexpectedly 7cf0cb2afc flustered tone 1bee23c80a was unfamiliar.cddb0c7f498ba03c

I couldn’t honestly say that the fact of the next-generation blood within Elizabeth’s womb was the reason.5036e37bc1768f90

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I racked 4e77d1469a my brain e3f9ae8298 and carefully 31bbf57ba4 chose words b52f0bf1c6 that he 9186bd2183 might accept.a9d013eb4f77d7e9

“The poverty is overwhelming. I want to escape from even the mixed-blooded Barony family.”732867c74201ea44

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“Is it really all of a sudden like this?”7bae8dded49e7a2f

“It’s not sudden. It’s always been this way.”604813dce33bb6bf

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He sighed deeply.abc249330009d95e

“Marriage shouldn’t be decided on a whim like this. And entrusting the introductions to me, who am I to introduce someone like that?”e45e30d97eda67dc

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“It’s okay. No matter which family I marry into, it will be better than our household.”60191b599322a99c

Our property, 2033d6b4ce family honor, 31fee8c250 and history 60e1e5d0f0 were all a1154f6619 short and be0326b76e pitiful.40c5759af7627a6a

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I remembered hearing that one of our ancestors had entered as a concubine into a noble family as a way to repay a debt they had incurred. They had emptied their entire fortune to buy their way into the noble family, which had become the current Baron’s family over time. Truth tends to distort over the years, and I couldn’t be sure if it was true or not, but regardless, the status of the Baron’s family was illustrious to the point that no one could refute it. In a negative way.348e3ec4817d1ad2

“Was the reason you wanted to marry me all this time because of that?”3c0b7397a2703423

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I didn’t say a word.d6d6b21781c1eae9

He must fafd2aebfc have thought 53e950c437 my silence 2e068cca54 was an cd4de184a1 answer because c7689c053d he continued.696d0072f8ccc61b

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“Regardless of the reason, it’s not going to happen.”7f4cd62252e83814

“Why not? I’m a fragile human. I’ll die someday. There’s no set order, but I have a feeling I’ll go before Your Lordship.”df16136d9d7c0cdd

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“…”2cfeafd2447ea7ab

“What will you do if I die like this, and the next blood isn’t replenished in time? It would be better for Your Excellency to plan for the future, wouldn’t it?”82f79a7f09a7cce9

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“You were supposed to live a long time.”4505115e50a422f4

For some reason, 6337577c4f his voice sounded 324a2ea01a a bit choked.f1612d48402310f2

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I weakly smiled.eccdde691302b69a

“Haha. That’s just something I said. What are the chances that a fragile lady like me will live longer than the Duke?”bfa6f198719ac87e

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My throat 2eedf0c158 felt dry. When I 3d88294bdd cleared my 8fece329c2 throat, the 728f4c2d3a Duke offered cfdfacac0b me water.95150909ebc6328b

My hand holding f98422e8f7 the cup trembled.ddedf4d9e01574b6

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“What will you do if I die and no new blood is born? Wouldn’t it be better to consider a replacement or plan for the future now?”68c63fb5d247e397

“There’s no need for that. You’ll be healthy.”c23a4a5304eaa112

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He replied f81967036a firmly to 0a45b03371 my words.b5e6bfdf4ed08b56

Ah, of course, I’ll be healthy. As long as you don’t kill me, I won’t die.9f98f2052cd1f521

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“Yes, don’t worry. I, I will never die.”926dcf285b6cc0c5

It’s just a promise from a mere four months old.fffdfc98a06dbca2

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He slowly reached out his hand. I took a step back, but he didn’t retract his hand.1d83602763ab3b1d

With a 0f8cd9186b tender touch, 068b7a0aab he wiped ae8defdcc0 my tears bec2e4262e away.b0fc7ffc09149cac

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“Leonie, why are you crying?”b2e9381139a964c5

My cheeks were wet 9c648ad8cb without me noticing. I wiped 0acda730ca my eyes. I seemed to 5b5f3ee6de be shedding tears 2888955fa6 unconsciously.25a4a3e378e4c8c1

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It’s absurd.39af77e6326c0d3e

Tears welled d2e2cc48f3 up again. Slowly, little 2b778dcea7 by little. I was ea03e744a0 crumbling helplessly.0152977d9758f076

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* * *6ca464f00961dc41

I sat 488c0124ea at the b8f202047e table for 21495195ae the first f146519afc time in 4e65389319 a while f919e5458b and enjoyed f1c7d3f657 the breeze. It was the first 5bd389d3f8 tea I had drunk 9744f8ecb1 since falling ill.194ac4ea4ef59086

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Elizabeth sat across from 90da343b25 me.59bb6adbbd21e8b5

“Are you feeling better?”b7fefc7e71e86d2a

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“Yes, I’ve improved a lot. Thanks to you. I appreciate your concern.”d8e855ace9cf5a59

“It’s really fortunate, Lady Leonie. It seems like you’ve been overwhelmed with fatigue from above. You’ve been making an effort to appear composed for the sake of both the Duke and me, right? It must have been tough, so don’t overexert yourself and rest well.”3b00c42f73c3c654

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Is it because Elizabeth has also adapted to the Duke’s lifestyle?6e87770987921dd7

Her complexion had noticeably 312df6a966 improved since our first 3b6013cf37 meeting in the mansion. She even seemed 813e1ac185 more robust than da69f941ab when I first f0ad2c31ee saw her.291705b5bc428b42

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“Have you had a check-up, my lady? Is the child alright? You should take better care of yourself than I do.”10bcb30f6948390d

“The doctor said I’m fine. The child is healthy and safe too. They said I managed to endure the difficult journey well.”7b2fed51f0a5c33b

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Safe and sound.3bb7c3120aaa2441

And growing robustly, all a3d8eded99 while feeding on my f4da60f229 blood.a7cb6cb21437d5cc

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I couldn’t decide whether I should show a favorable reaction to the news about the child or dislike it, so I just picked up the fork hesitantly and then set it back down.1c63e441a6ccb0f4

She quietly watched fcfe48c170 me for a f034105812 moment and then 248835f6e8 handed the fork 2dd0399ecb back to me.0335c92d95d11614

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“My lady, you need to become healthier than I am. Not only the Duke and the maids but even the head chef is worried that you’ve been eating less than before. In fact… your complexion seems worse than when you were detained above.”2fb3e908378aaa87

Elizabeth carefully 0063feaf97 delivered the 8372b65904 news about 81715efb14 my deteriorating 7094404f09 health.b412f6b69b91b6b1

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She raised 8549782a7e her hand 067ac85098 to the e14388e939 window next 2a6c60802e to the 526668ba36 terrace. The cold 65c10ff0c8 chill of f299d334c6 the frosted 84bbc42589 glass rose 76b548365b through her 1f553e8ecd palm.4ce3c2423afa49ee

As she said, the cafaab482d reflection on the window df4cd52c24 made my face appear c30d8869ec significantly paler, perhaps even 35caf34208 more so than when a929db3a63 I first woke up 24ac1a533b here.459d98a1d3a10eb3

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“It might be better not to open the windows.”a19c422451795c52

Elizabeth said cautiously.08abd5cfe7318993

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“Even though it looks like the weather has cleared up, they say the wind is strong. And the Duke…”5dfb02562b1571ba

“Yes, don’t worry. I just saw it.”6abed3e542fa7a3e

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I lowered the hand 4585fb70bd that had been on 0bbc5f2b8c the window and gave f0a3c23b79 her a reasSureng smile.9d08114ed3ae200f

On snowy days, taking 592693d3e5 a walk had become f23b53505b an unspoken taboo. Since it 3f75dc44b4 rarely stopped d076c42e62 snowing in 73d9587183 the northern e807b5ff40 region, I cf5c96923d was trapped 61f69fe1b9 within the 47cf65426f castle, just b76f1ac364 like when 2c25bf59b1 I was 20f230fbd6 confined.397730529618ae98

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I had also 3cf0d1ba16 stopped the daily 21cf481d28 ventilation that Suren 02d1f2681a used to insist 60e62429c7 on.5c010c71f195b30d

It seemed like there 80b93b8346 was a strong misconception d03e7e2b8b that my illness was 59458c2c07 due to the cold 21a2da0843 weather, even though my 299d1556b3 pregnancy was the cause.478381cec677a795

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Even at a glance, bb924cccff my face reflected in 54382d5479 the window appeared extremely 70dd600f7a pale. My cheeks were sunken, 95ebc8a6ca making me look as 89d15dd53a if I had been 1213586edd suffering from a long-standing 0437ba4634 illness.e91195e1e9f6bda5

It was quite reasonable 0f72bb0ab7 to think that way, 2a4a6b02b7 considering there were two 0b2dc0dafb people who were taking 32998429ed from me: Deon and 7cd8dd0119 the baby inside her 1e9828f0cb womb, soon to be 4182096670 born.3b6024c66b49050c

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The Duke taking my 4e83dbc104 blood and the baby 40c4ada1fe taking my sanity. Being tormented by a29587a243 both of them, a0419c5d56 my body had fdc5666eb6 been deteriorating.f5831d53e4eb4635

The doctor had mentioned a65a16e813 that I had just b2265f843c passed the 20-week mark.23c8c7f7b61a664b

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After 20 weeks, would 15298ee0f4 my eyes open?07d3cc644d75bf3c

The baby, with pure dd49afeafb hands that had never 904e535ef0 touched anything before, easily 1f4776263c gripped my throat.a90ad2bc56d2310e

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I was too exhausted 0914062b39 to even stand on 16857eca6f my two feet. I had 4aed38603b to choose e1da805b7a my words 60461aea5a carefully so d355bc309b as not 105c19bc83 to worry d48243ef15 her. I muttered to myself bac16c8543 as if talking to eb3923ac70 myself.d105f5096f14d8d9

“Your child is strong. Perhaps it’s because it’s a boy…”c1aa084ec48d8dfd

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My words startled Elizabeth, fae31c3a83 and she looked up.75a954a15b5a9ef4

“Oh, how do you know it’s a boy? I haven’t even found out because I haven’t had a gender prediction at the temple.”817f78a75859f591

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How would I know? I just knew because the heroine’s niece was a boy.449cb43765f4f8fa

“Just… I heard it by chance before. There’s a saying that you can determine the gender from the womb…”bdbbbf2c8d0d658f

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“I see. Actually… I also secretly hoped it would be a boy. I wanted to send him as a knight for the Duke, but the northern region is just too cold, and I couldn’t bear to send my daughter there.”a7ba407a8320bd6c

She laughed heartily.31482d5343bf7ca1

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“Lady Leonie, it’s amazing that you work in the north. You must be resilient to the cold. You may appear delicate on the outside, but you seem strong. I fell in love with you at first sight when you were holding a sword back then. If I have a daughter, I want to raise her like you.”cfe4ad7da0c8370b

She shyly 0ddc5dc6d2 expressed her 972b397c91 wishes with 51470014f1 a small 16f847a411 smile.173bce317ff03a22

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But really, it was a fate that wouldn’t happen, whether it’s a boy or a girl.7c76dd25ca8b56b5

Whether it’s a boy or a girl, that child would be just like me, and eventually, they would live a different life.21a22890d19935b6

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Unlike Leonie, 5ac9f10b7a that child 5f48498ab0 would have 0b5d9a7db6 a righteous 6a3aae3fa9 family.c328ff782c810cc8

Elizabeth didn’t notice at all that I wasn’t here by choice, confined against my will.c72010db23328dd2

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I had no intention of informing her that I couldn’t escape from here, either.20915feb95a56b5c

“Lady. Arin? Are you… planning to dedicate that child to the Duke?”91d843d93a254a9c

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“To the Duke?”c57e0f64da247413

She nodded in response 8b0345779a to my question.663cf93b7b895114

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“I don’t know what it means to dedicate, but if it’s a vow of loyalty, then of course. It’s something that must be done.”d743bc80f2a13898

“But what if the child refuses? A predetermined destiny… What if the lady’s child has talent as a scholar, and that child ends up on the battlefield, risking their life? If they have to live as an unmarried person for their entire life?”9be858f42eba65a3

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Elizabeth, who had been e59e8dca19 deep in thought, responded.074c90e8abb9ed45

“There’s no other choice.”af3a45024cae10e0

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“No other choice?”cece0518e602bd3b

“If they have to give up their life, then naturally, they will. It’s like when we couldn’t prevent the previous Empress, Duke’s mother, from being dethroned. There were quite a few who gave up their territory or chose to end their lives due to misfortune.”08161841353744e1

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Her eyes, which fc52a13d34 had always been fd4b4ffce8 melancholic, shone brightly.a14dd6d0a066221c

“We survived that time to protect the Duke, the son of the former Empress. We’ll do anything for his sake.”8b78559b379c8d60

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“Do all members of the family share the same sentiment?”62a18137bd188432

“Well, maybe not.”f5954d8b2dc237b3

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No, Elizabeth, it won’t be like that. Your sister loves her young niece dearly, enough to raise her with pride in the Duke’s family. She’ll be as dedicated to her niece as she once was to the sword she pulled from the family’s storage and wielded on behalf of the Duke.9e29df683ea3b5c1

It was bitter.ea6387f0e2926574

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Leonie didn’t have any relatives to embrace her or someone brave enough to confront the Duke alongside her with a sword.0fa4cb1cc0b944a4

“Don’t you have an appetite? Shall I bring more pastries?”2056495240fbfff5

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Elizabeth asked ba67ef361c as she 46af24486d watched me 6593ab099a poking at 199742b0b4 my food fd653d19d0 in mid-air.e9ba508a18111dd4

“I’ve had enough. How about some tea instead of cookies?”9398b9a86cc5547d

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She nodded.e1b40d39916b0352

“I’ll have coffee.”4b4f6e0244a57758

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“Then I’ll have lemon tea. Here, will you prepare the tea for us?”3de24290a38e7e14

Elizabeth gestured 227f62f2a5 to the 1bdfda2c96 maid who 4b12e9c6bf had been 2fcc1440eb waiting outside bdf988ffd5 the door.f4dad7d31002bcb9

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Soon, a tray with 2f0f2aad77 a freshly brewed teapot 0fcb0b2a95 and beautiful teacups arrived.bbf4274e2e64ab84

“I’ll prepare the tea for you.”261adcb37fc901b7

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I raised my 67c354f26f head at the bf43a4305d familiar voice.5b5977f7e1630bdf

Through the tall tray, I saw a familiar face. It wasn’t a kitchen maid; it was Suren.93e093112b674a6a

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Suren pulled the 34c1ee96cc tray towards the 2c54d96cf5 tea table. She lifted the 40a7c6013d teapot lid and 4344199251 then placed it 324e80e2f4 back down.0230ef3e43550c42

Her movements were surprisingly c94aabbd08 brisk and efficient.a8f41b20765b760d

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There was really 40c82575bb no need for 0f725172ee her to do 4db4c2108c this.8c5ca3d6798c90e5

I furrowed my 4beec34648 brow and looked e699827d49 at the teacup eb57abf568 that was rattling.54d027709321a69f

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The water in 5987abd81a the pot was 7a9cabae8b boiling vigorously.44664273134ae7c5

Right before 0bdebd312c it spilled 218f96f122 over, she c3b2f14755 turned off f5ea7f296d the stove. Then, she poured the acd65f8025 water into the cups.4f798d033ec0c505

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The first cup of tea is usually discarded, but she didn’t tilt the teacup to do so.bd7603d256e44d95

As I watched 23e6f3ac95 her, a sentence ca9c1ad918 flashed in my 4a28eaf5c5 mind, a conversation 3f94ec744e I had with daeace976c Suren in the bc7825b367 room, just before a1abe57b21 I fell ill.2f9dbbd41071f5c1

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‘It can be used as a sedative, but it can be fatal to pregnant women. There’s a risk of miscarriage.’1556f6578fda599b

I turned to Suren.94b254dd70bca035

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She was opening c3b977a606 a container and caff3a3db0 putting white powder 37f199f884 into the teacup.8a00531ad963072a

One spoonful.37b52646ff1a3ca1

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Two spoonfuls.14e3f267713d16e7

Three spoonfuls.5e74f45213168458

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Suren put several spoons 369225cff7 into the sugar container.55429aeaac53420e

It was a ad3b7a7133 greater amount than d15e889860 Elizabeth usually consumed.737b5ef4be79fd4c

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