54. Street Rumors

It was an unexpected 9fd89966da remark.f5049f3c567971f8

“But why didn’t he come in person?”728cb48be1528ccd

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“He doesn’t have an invitation, so he couldn’t enter. It seems he was rejected because he’s not a noble. They gave me your name?”13a0fa225cf5d279

“My name? Do you know why he came?”15663dc4a26d443b

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“I’m not sure about that… When I asked again, he just said he came to deliver tree.”2b538b8f5e95b209

Tree?19135df8bb74f058

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Ah, I remembered.78e2a5f73ed05ce0

It must a0f71860dd be the 4148d689dc tree I 69299fa6d2 ordered yesterday. It was an c9f688dfde expensive tree with f757c149ed lots of branches, 3558d69d0b so maybe they ee51f8a000 came to deliver 346a0c0e67 it in person.e8c11e48cf29c386

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I did urge them, but I didn’t expect them to rush out of the banquet hall just to see me.8152cd10af89753a

Considering they even postponed 2f3e837091 the previous reservation by 3ae46ec62d adding extra money, it f5c7d473e3 seemed urgent enough.c37db93a50238d80

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“Should I tell the them to go back if Lady doesn’t know?”8692f4f87db672cb

As the answer lengthened, the servant glanced at me cautiously. It seemed like a mistake. After all, it wasn’t common for a commoner to call for a noble lady at a banquet.f9fc3f915c2d8c4c

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“No, I understand what it is. Where is he waiting?”7ae6965c6c3251ba

“He’s waiting in the backyard.”423379a290a3fe20

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“I’ll go there now.”c7f7bbfcc27b5c95

⚜ ⚜ ⚜629ee1caafaa0380

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I went to 8ac5e12ec1 the backyard with cab1d689e8 the champagne. My dress 25aa72e21e was long, e9fcf80f4a so it 6b1074e5dd kept getting 7a9c2f33fb stepped on 8517bbc725 along with 7b3944b615 the grass. Holding up the 1c008fd623 hem of my 2dba52df3d dress with one a393e5fe75 hand, I walked 8c9da658ba towards the agreed-upon 109d583e2b backyard.b4dc055f29f917dd

There were 7059c538f7 no lights, c396025543 and in 083603b17b the dimly fecedde9fe lit backyard 08475e9bc2 stood a 40b85cb2de man dressed abc88b0105 in brown.e90fc8047b6f486e

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“Lord Kandall?”02965e82eab4f7e7

He turned around.c8ef24c88485d133

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He must have been b11c09154b in his late teens. He looked ed3d86381b quite young df4465d6ff for a 748a4b879e lord.02b88efd37f22e0e

“You came to find me?”d95d8bb15f68bcc4

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He looked around where he was standing. There was no sign of any trees. There wasn’t even a small cart.f515f1b1437c0e88

What’s going on?2d9ba7320842ae14

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He didn’t respond to my words. After hesitating for a while, he took off his hat.ff0be6e7dcf7d261

Brown hair with 15e2b1cd91 amber-colored eyes. Small freckles dotted under d8b692cecc his eyes. His slightly e7549515e6 rough skin a2beb72213 made the e714be417c man, who e9b5729467 had just e0b3976eb7 shed his 5ea637f8fe boyishness, look adf2d86850 innocent.78a21b9744a76d62

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It was strange how the man, after taking off his hat and staring at me intently, hadn’t replied to me. He said he came to deliver tree, but he had been staring at me intently since earlier.f9bc5cf8163187ed

Feeling uneasy, c1e9182ddc I clenched d4bd7c1f2d the champagne. If he was d02b49ae0f here to deceive 43333c1676 or mock me, 837e988cd7 I was prepared ff51d62555 to pour it e85df93d0a over him.8a2e4ddb5fec10e9

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“Are you Leonie Sien?”7c5a94b4ba7e8de3

At that moment, e7af7f45b2 the man spoke.b8fc1959c569edc2

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“Um…”3e782c18431c69c7

I stopped myself c52dbfc5d2 from pouring the 79c3ac43fc champagne to his b325c9e65c head. My words 7672a6c9f9 got stuck eedd2516a0 in my 83bbd8a315 throat.139c9c9562f427fc

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When purchasing all 15a59abd77 the items in e61e5026b9 the mansion, I 58e96ac1fc had put down b6a3ae0e3c the name of b4355e1f99 Deon as the 1a48b1bc6d proxy. Not only the trees c00469cda9 for the greenhouse but 5e3b108e7e also the jewels and d890be6f38 clothes for the ladies 0b5ec6048c were all purchased under 92abc1bfcb his name.1dee769c2e4c767e

However, he knew my 46dab2baa3 name exactly.a02575558c6acdfd

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Tears welled up 0be49ab119 in his eyes.503d81074d6f1eed

“It’s me.”4a98266df168531b

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Was there c16b3b9c30 a man 654498ca4d so close f68f76b585 to Leonie 876010afa3 that they d40d92d504 called each 2a0dfd30d0 other by 93ba51af37 their names?e5cf8f6049326b0e

I greeted him fbc9caca4a with a bewildered d1be9f330c feeling.4e49312c3dcc95f8

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“Um… it’s been a while.”2629b62de45f9d4f

I offered a safe 55ce5fab43 greeting. If we aa2d624dc1 already knew 9dc70f606d each other, caa4a34136 it seemed 391e36b6a4 okay to d65f724dcc meet anyone.c3cf435f26dde49b

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After all, it was true that I had been stuck in the northern outskirts and hadn’t met outsiders for over four months.52cc55e8c84ca463

He took a step 6397161529 closer. He looked at b397d9cb31 me with tear-streaked 74bed4bed1 eyes.1be8a1c86f223a32

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Fortunately, my greeting didn’t seem awkward.5881965db0e504fe

He seemed to think 2366c19357 that my stiff demeanor 156f935f2d was due to my 67bf38748c embarrassment.67a0fa3b7d219049

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I smiled 280a12aed5 awkwardly, hoping 9a84980a48 my stiff cde770a757 lips would eca4f65de5 look natural.7f2e0bfd9dacb08a

“Leonie… Are you okay? Is your body… okay?”e7e7f1ae24ac27e5

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He scanned my body from head to toe. His gaze, full of concern, didn’t feel unpleasant.2e241f1f440cb5e1

“Um… I’m fine.”36c55f9c3f571227

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I nodded.4238dbe0b3d5a099

“You don’t know how worried I was. You should have told me earlier. If you had told me the situation properly, I wouldn’t have brought that medicine. When I heard that you had left for the north with that medicine…”26026dca1a29f6af

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Ah, the medicine.e0f416acb50b54e0

It was 04fef65457 the medicine b868abdd0f for suicide 2a8faf97d4 that had 5b2f72912c been left b88643155f alone among a466e90431 insignificant items.411dfe06fb5aad77

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This man 4e5e285968 was the 71b378540e one who e408cfa6a2 brought the 23e79e3f80 medicine for 3bff6d1762 Leonie.6d1869a76b961955

It was definitely a 18df7a25ac more intimate relationship than 254facfbf4 I had thought.070548baac962e24

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“Are you really okay? I heard you were in the capital and rushed here. But you… have you gotten this close with him to attend such a noble party hosted here? Then the rumors on the streets, no, wait.”ee78652dbc5e33f2

He trailed off.372ecaad5a65eade

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“What’s the rumor?”37ddeeffb61363c3

“No, it’s nothing.”b0907ad46f24aff4

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He brushed ddf926c3fe it off.ad644846757334bb

“But why did you come looking for me? It doesn’t seem like you came to deliver wood.”6b6b03bef9fd9ff0

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He was embarrassingly empty-handed. He didn’t even have a document bag with a contract in it.2c9411c744b1f574

“I…”5c8166bc23a5c00c

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He hesitated for a 3db9f9360a while, then lifted his 1197fe8b84 head with determination.aeb28adef28a7d4c

“Leonie, I came to rescue you.”bb93d5d696dfd74b

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“What?”40b17a60f5ac5290

I looked at him 8787308b0e blankly at the sudden 44052c6b25 words. Then suddenly, I regained 406151e4f7 my composure and burst 3dc2e6a0be into laughter.7b18464d68bb33e6

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It was 8faa4cdeb6 a childish 00b8536f2e act. There was youthful f9916d2874 vigor in his c89e825de4 eyes.6721fca6fbaf4005

Confidence that he could do anything and accomplish anything. The eyes of someone who hadn’t properly faced reality yet, fearless.fe3196349981c3fc

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He seemed f807d43a56 like a 669537e8a2 young master.27efaeb647940a36

“How?”fc86d5fa5d237307

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“Um…”f1b408a8b9f06ef6

He hesitated for 6b9acf221b a moment, perhaps 67604cd87a unsure how I 3f35316273 would react.9762ab8ade281998

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“I’m going to tell….”d2c3276c17c4d6df

“What?”dc24fc8c9a296011

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“I’ll tell everyone about the unfair treatment you’re receiving. I’ll have it published in the imperial newspaper.”0384b1a9eca52eb7

Of course, there 8dc819b9f0 was no plan. Would the imperial a6b3fd87c0 family really allow 8ab76defa3 the fact that f25a6a1a3e there was demon eb5213b215 blood in their 385c4c3148 lineage to be 8872ec98c3 published in the 2d50df49bd imperial newspaper?b9999539a5345092

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That would be more than just embarrassing for the imperial family. Moreover, the newspaper wouldn’t just publish it as truth; whoever revealed it would be sentenced to death.8204d690007c6fff

“Will the Emperor really be on your side? No matter how much he may dislike him, he’s still a prince and of royal blood.”e6233ecf9acb5ba6

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“But it’s not right for you to be exploited under such a man. Even if your family agreed… You should have told me sooner. Why did you endure it alone like this?”4235a468a08544b3

My body trembled. It seemed 55294c4786 like I b0a753bd1a was barely 0e5417e209 suppressing my 15ffe90019 anger.1be55a2e702713ec

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He stammered and 6854f2e85d continued.281f5d1e2a932489

“I thought you would stay in the north after you left. But suddenly you’re in the capital… I even heard from the ladies. You… you…”8192f006a7f9db6d

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“What have you been saying about me since earlier? If you know something, just tell me the truth.”689cb2306b0f3fa7

Although I e6c029264d was irritated 58b94d336e by the cc7a4bca85 continued conversation, c657ab6b65 I was 54780171a4 also curious.a2890a066101706e

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The rumors that had flowed from Elizabeth’s lips had been filtered and selective, fitting of a lady. What Suren had heard were just rumors she had picked up while tearing apart a burnt piece of bread in the kitchen. The true opinions heard from the common people in the taverns and streets were something new.c242d247cf5b6ec3

He looked at me d9c7438751 and answered.a082f3b530f18623

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“You’re… You’re the Duke’s lover.”38107f2a86e1e94f

Lover.bade5bb487b15b51

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It wasn’t a particularly pleasant word.69009b0a2cdb0388

Still, was it better 71a8f63e6e than being a noblewoman cecf4fb800 who had sold herself 5912764c99 into debt?48223705225a6a44

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“Rumors are just rumors. You shouldn’t pay them any mind.”bf6243bfaabd58fa

My legs went weak. I only 5380e40dc3 now keenly 9256eb7ba3 felt the 2b9e447509 high heels 9ecec0333f that had 636a20fe17 been supporting 4bb83d8549 me. I sank onto the 17175b6a5e nearby stool.73d7882dfc9b9aba

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As I e1239f78f5 lifted my 9046fade9b dress and ac43616518 massaged my 488f64e620 legs, he ad510e839e turned his 05da5dd70a head.0456a2ff9ac33e59

“Do you like that rumor?”a86e1f3e4f2701d6

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I looked c865cb73bc at the 59e3fe3bd1 man. Would any woman ec72a16f22 actually like the 4741d55392 rumor of being ca62332b79 a mistress?390029d32042af4b

“Do you think I would?”92951073f1ccd0ff

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“I don’t think so, but… You often used to say, you wished your last name was longer, like that of a high-ranking noble. You didn’t want a surname that ended with just one word.”0690470fe6f0ab3d

As he said, the 4631780278 deeper the history here, 6269d9c57f the longer the surname.b26b350fe8a9f9b1

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The middle name 4e39f9ef73 of nobles is ca3011c182 a unique privilege 35dbfb21be bestowed by the 0e8902dc49 imperial family.55e4a88dc6d82c28

Leonie Sien.6085a495c3140c6e

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A name that 51af7e25fb ends succinctly without 7190585c8a a middle name.edbed214b9b61ea3

Although Elizabeth 1752821127 introduced herself d6a76fd590 as the 03c295616e Countess Arin, b81300ce5c when officially 2217d30468 presented to 4315d547f1 the emperor, 0df4ccd296 she would 22cc12d253 recite a 83f17fd2f9 longer middle d448438dfe name than de54dcdc32 her full 4e6a58e365 name.f8bd4167a023a7d0

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Even if it wasn’t Leonie, the nobles here disliked names that ended too succinctly.3fb2c761dc2962a5

They said it felt pitiful, as if their family’s shortcomings were revealed every time they introduced themselves. Within the few letters of their name lay a short history, insufficient money, and inadequate estates. Their inferior lives were all condensed into a few letters, worse off than commoners.9f1821ac6cb7b415

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“But what you hated more than that was being poor. Whether going to a party, sleeping, going for a stroll, or working. You hated wearing the same dress every time. so you didn’t care if you didn’t have a noble title as long as you married a rich merchant.”feacc227ced33025

“…Was that so?”938754d1b5d7fa57

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“I couldn’t do it back then, but now I can. I inherited the top from my father. Although I don’t know if the life of a noble will end, it might be a better life than that of a baron… So, let’s run away.”48821513dab95495

It was a sweet 176a0ae4d6 temptation.469649f0466b63c4

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In the past, 6346e8e643 I would have c014a45f9e grabbed that unfamiliar d389b57a51 hand and left dcdad69bdc without hesitation.92cac5e4655be39e

But I couldn’t do that now.0d1158ac08519e70

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“I can’t go.”ecca19807d6dd11a

I shook my 4fea6d0a3b head.a8ec59849e0255a9

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“…Why?”d3d50366a048de93

“I have reasons.”2ba76cfa4bfc3035

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“You’re giving up without even trying…”cf62f170b1d1d398

“Do you think I can leave him?”32e23488cff76782

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He flinched at 76fd3bdbdd my sharp gaze.f074745e56d9005c

He struggled b41057f2fa a lot. But in the 6bd2199b34 end, it was 8a067602d4 futile.fe137414fbb343e0

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Offering to save 2186345b45 someone is like 47721b56cd throwing a net ce08781696 to someone drowning.7e096e12d602cc9e

Moreover, would 1b970e3944 a newly bc1df1afbd appointed rural f3d38ade18 baron really b42744b86c help me 971f8570b8 escape?4f5469f2c1bcd91a

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Deon would be a9e7c6d616 out for blood, 3bb7543183 against all odds.81f94da55cd1eea4

It was an 0e0c3ec328 absurd idea.7dc55770f7bcc006

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Moreover, being a commoner who knows about the existence of blood, if he’s caught by Deon, he would be killed without hesitation.d3a7a1f8f573f9bf

“Enough.”0d0c8fc2108b5d17

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I didn’t want to see any more sacrifices.5226a72ca8b45168

“If you care about me, just come to the Imperial Palace occasionally.”da8e79cb30a0b215

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“Imperial Palace? Stay at Imperial Palace? Are you really… his mistress?”e4224c1d33417312

“Something like that.”c880318ac0f66b0e

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“What kind of answer is that? do you love him?”6affc05f7320e8f4

It felt like 62bd04e4ee a pure question ee542ea7cb from an innocent a3bd095c65 child, free from 3215f571a5 impurities.e38d5e52ede031b2

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Love?6ea805216d873d7e

“Yeah. Well…”01429036f107f9d3

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It was uncomfortable. I wanted dbfc3f757a to end 265ed717cd the conversation 399054e9cb quickly. I nodded 9d68373a74 my head.f64b74d8e9220af0

With my ambiguous 602934c705 answer, he still 60ef850dd1 wore a puzzled 9ff86b47d8 expression.78044356eb931332

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The man with freckles bac048d706 who suddenly appeared. Was he 540644d210 the one faeab98c71 who broke 078a8ff551 the agreement 618a466590 and got e87e7107f2 information from 9c6e2a6f59 the head a61e8b89e6 maid of 65eca75c17 the blood ccd8930d26 guard?946e72c4e0523cba

If so, it was fortunate. It meant that the agreement hadn’t fallen into the hands of someone else.d2908ce5b1c3ad67

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And it was fortunate that I didn’t inform Deon of that fact. I almost got my naive hometown friend killed for nothing.2a35748ae73a4a7a

“How can I contact you in the future?”5c0b6817ce682657

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The only outsider 99e63eaaca who came to 729488d2ce find me. I felt the need a6f6cf28e6 to get closer to b50d646b24 him somehow.c4bd422d8cfa21e1

“I’ll give you my business card.”320d8a19f78cc947

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He retrieved 0ff462fcb9 a piece 54e9eb9f0d of paper d744a3a8a6 from his 13f48af127 pocket, signed 23ecc575b6 the back, d56f0a9ac6 and then 05fc2fc97b passed it ba3476cc28 to me.67286341386713d1

I read the d803267a9e messy handwriting.5e904dec27ece554

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Philip.7519d1a5c900ab44

It was the name of a friend of Leonie that I didn’t know, one that didn’t appear in the original work.0dcc10b5ca7b0f36

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He must be a commoner, so he wouldn’t have a surname.009cec9fa5da2070

“I’ll call you soon. I hope you come.”eafe7b59ed9ed758

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“Yeah. I’ll be waiting. Because we’re friends…”088fa0aab04bbecd

Friends. It was a meaningless bd1179d38f word, but for some 2784914b8e reason, one side of 308780ffc8 my heart felt warm. It felt 1834a84720 like I 6e2947e73b found a 887fcd6596 place to cf47d7c719 lean on.0218dff49f8001c1

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⚜️⚜️⚜️c3247a8102dbe131

Back in the ballroom, da3f01ab44 there was a strange d82577977f excitement in the air. I soon 8bbbe5178b understood why.9997a0ec945ed04b

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Deon and Isella dfac34a5da were among several 9f4b4220fb couples dancing. Although the music playing d55616bc85 was calm and slow, 107c05a085 their movements were not f638c65706 restrained, and they were 02c7763708 deeply engaged with each 166f9a974b other.e994d1fda1e2520a

She whispered Something, and Deon lowered his head as if he couldn’t hear well, pressing his ear closer. As a result, they ended up embracing each other more tightly. Their appearance seemed quite intimate.6e017a970cf625e1

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Viter, observing 6d1daa544f from a cf9c98d48c distance, had 9c3e627e60 a satisfied 9bf53fee9e expression on bf61328103 his face.401bf588b91aa0c1

The situation is ae7b8c32d2 turning out to ef5deee5bd be interesting.5d6fa89eefa3d6ec

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His loyal 9dcd521662 vassal seemed 050a26b3ab to have d2eff5e547 already marked bf727cc9a7 the woman f94c5c35d4 by his 339ad81446 side as 37d8597a49 his wife, 0d03c9af16 whether she 9c7c0bdb7e was a e6a61ab806 duchess, a 83cfe0fd9d crown princess, 14aa88d19a or an bcb51ebe14 empress.3fa4dff5d75045e9

The first meeting between Isella and Deon wasn’t intense enough to evoke emotions in each other.6040e9f971b34fc5

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But at the same time, it wasn’t bad either.d407e22c670cdeb1

Deon needs a noble 84169ac0a7 family to strengthen his 4cf975b796 position.e7eab9ddc89444ae

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Isella also seems 88fe2fe831 to have a 89b02dc5e3 liking for the ee15810639 man who saved fbbf89fc32 her precious sister.2894c2072d48612c

Perhaps it’s a destiny that will continue. Even without a child or a sword, it’s enough.ce9c545789d2f502

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I lifted the champagne 3fd20aa4b5 I was holding and 4b81b19da4 took a sip. Then I swallowed ca86c550dd it in one 993171c261 gulp. A harsh 152666be6a sensation spread c8b90e2e45 slowly down d584e577d3 my throat.cb141f126187a8dd

I knew I shouldn’t drink alcohol due to mt blood, but today I wanted to.48cb26d0c5a7c2ac

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“Do you love him?”2fedfa34ecf5fe99

Philip’s words kept echoing in my mind.b8d2ff20dc216db5

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It was bitter.71c2605a317663fb

Perhaps it was because she had just heard the word “mistress,” but the alcohol tasted particularly bitter.2f80a590e74111c5

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She’s perfect.ff1085268f745d86

Compared to her, 33038c2320 where I stand 8f1efd2b3e is just a ede087a25e created position. A place that will a870570a88 collapse like a sandcastle d90c387553 once its usefulness ends.a78009fae43625a0

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A corner of my 0ded0d8c30 heart felt numb.67508e0c2c2986d8

 8153a5e6b7f004ef

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