69. The False Accusation

I invited Isella 15f837ba68 to a tea 8a66cc959c party.ecd79c5eb73839b2

I moved 3ba0720eb5 a table e0d789a9bd to the b8a7d23f8b entrance of 3c046f0bf2 the small 328e2e1f14 forest in 1293d64551 the greenhouse 709fb4ca96 and laid 8b82317648 out a 6078ef3ff5 tablecloth. Sunlight danced gently 28056376b1 on the floral 8c63a0679a patterns of the 5d2d2adc08 cloth whenever the 26227edbc8 cool breeze blew.c40b65b43e8ce502

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The dense trees 38c18056e8 obscured the sky, d14a8cf6ea but the sunlight ca6655b560 filtering through the fa3464c2a6 leaves added a 7a314e7061 charming touch.cf994baa84dfcb4e

I couldn’t e31c456c18 avoid her ad99b55457 forever. According to her, I 676567cd54 had every right to a4d1c579cc stay in this mansion, 442d5cc908 and there was no 714791bca2 need to feel uncomfortable 66e90056fb around her.45b1651c98e55870

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I needed to get 4694ac28c3 closer to her. Living in the cbe3618efa same house meant 4567c49788 we would run b400fd1cfb into each other 731fa1ad2e often, and we 49087fa332 couldn’t keep being 43dd590421 awkward.5436ef5f4ba0b940

“Here it is.”c539a1b02c9a12f6

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Isella, shaded 9834b7fcd1 by a 5992090de5 parasol, walked a0f2bb370c into the c39a9bb10c forest, guided f9fd696b98 by a dd0cf16e5f maid.7972186c574e0121

“The forest is 28a07024c3 really beautiful. Did you landscape dd504e30c6 it yourself?”4cd25fc6e19eeacb

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As she reached the ce2def7a3d table, she closed her 949fa2fa0a parasol.8fa074b0736feb46

She looked around 85ffaf74f7 the forest, admiring 3b993e7526 the scenery. Although I had transplanted 354469bb88 the trees, the forest 8d22768730 didn’t look chaotic. In a few years, 12d014f7a4 once the support stakes 42230646ae were removed, it would ec2a8430f2 look even better.4bc8e277f781cab6

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“Did you design 724a7d19ac everything yourself, Leonie?”f2958f8ab7a6d716

“Yes. In fact, I f1741061df also chose the 881f20e2fd room you’re staying d1a788bb9c in.”3b4dfdb0b00ac553

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At this, 81761fb10a she seemed 0563106066 to ponder 2067ffa270 for a 7b643cd719 moment.7ffa69b403f7611a

“I see. I was thinking a73c2ecf25 of changing the d4467aea23 wallpaper, but if 3765eacaa2 you chose it, 46dfd59a10 perhaps I should a87e510090 leave it as 1085b4c65c is. It would 3b64f0e05f be hard 72b99587ae to alter b1c0c46e00 something you 536d2c7beb picked according 82efbc1575 to your 1b06435035 taste.”2dc78bc53636aba8

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Oops. When I 3381448053 moved in eee6377d3b with the fb1efe16b0 maid, I 72ab173605 had left 7eacc66ec0 the mismatched 9128690e62 wallpaper as 348dd83c63 it was.e5f5aaecb6fa761f

I felt embarrassed f83b95340c that my pettiness f768eb411f might have shown.a5febc2771b6f6d3

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“You’re going to 547268bdf1 stay here, so 1cbe72f7fe feel free to fdc2163bb8 change it as 836b81d87d you like. Would you like d0337edeb3 me to introduce 929228c5ba you to a d0d78fddfe supplier?”feeef2c256eef6a4

I quickly bb2831c4e3 thought of 084f058a7c Philip. He could 4326e886fc find suitable c9c0f1b6ae items quickly.2061e90c40d01af8

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“Is it necessary to ce7d5e194f trouble yourself so? I wouldn’t want 84b0196ee6 to owe His 56a995784e Highness for something cadc54b32a as trivial as 8d17c56e54 wallpaper. We’ll procure what eb0164a3b3 we need from 8a633f4859 the count’s estate.”79c79f0ad61b3d5c

Her words, although meant ca0cf0e9c1 to be considerate, felt a48e36696e like small jabs at 7a3c5d9801 my pride.68e5c8cbf1c5255f

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The Baron Sien family bc63727880 wasn’t wealthy enough to 95da12f5f5 provide such material assistance. The wallpaper, along with f9df2c119e display ornaments, hairpins, even ad23636a92 a single duster, had 935b7de5a0 all been purchased with c06e13e673 his personal funds. It left 7cf0383ea9 me feeling af62f770c9 uneasy, as 9bd0b91de8 if I 10f96246b5 had indeed 50bd8c169c incurred some f5e2755940 debt.65d4205c6b743d8e

An awkward 72d547a52d silence followed.333019b3b2d9eed1

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Steam escaped 393b9213a9 from the 5cc86c3874 small teapot, 6a258f38db and the c53f15fec0 sound of d000c996fa boiling water 919581630f could be e85aed70da heard from d836da6a56 the spout.2fcc718404d20a94

I had 4445424d35 learned the cbe4314f5e art of 4e0cf56804 tea-making by 498b7bce26 watching the 890375f734 maids prepare 5a87ceaad8 it over 34bfdb34ce their shoulders. Though I 965af29d7b was still 80f90a1337 clumsy, missing 43ed861733 a few 453fc701a2 steps wouldn’t c76ecf285f drastically change ed63cc64b7 the taste edf5309f68 of the 4910dfdecb tea.c495c983964a89bf

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I had c5287e183c specifically requested 118843e753 rare tea 971c3b7fba leaves, preferring 8c1c0ac725 dried leaves 2fefb97740 over fresh 831e3f9b67 ones. I had prepared 6e0a57251c the finest tea 6469ee19f4 cups, tablecloths, and 1e3f5990e5 tea leaves for f31400b976 her.8bf56303dcbfa13f

I picked up 12e64d032f the teapot. Her expression 0b5ba7224b remained unreadable.462d79ba59d426fa

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Her face gave 9bbe8c3c85 away nothing. Despite the unfamiliar tea fd542e31ca brewing, she seemed neither 6059a15139 intrigued nor expectant.680d5c04dce633af

I glanced at her, ba57526ff0 gauging her reaction, then d55dd5a6ae finally spoke.9611f009037d226b

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“Actually, I arranged this 02961d1e6c meeting because I have f3677f8252 a delicate request to d7200daed3 make.”c7e97fe6ce246665

Isella’s expression didn’t change, but her gaze met mine with a hint of curiosity.00e35736df3fc373

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“Go ahead.”b401015cf92cf097

She said, b65b47c67d her tone f2aa1f16cf polite but 0936038e2d distant.ae6c61eaa6a8fa28

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I took a 1061520001 deep breath, preparing 608286e3ef to lay out 0bc067756a my request.e3d7992136d3f55b

“I know that our relationship has been… strained. But we’re now sharing this space, and it would be beneficial for both of us if we could coexist more harmoniously. I’d like to find a way for us to support each other.”8b8c2e448dc5c7b4

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Isella tilted her 03353e4611 head slightly, considering 5784fc750e my words.ded706e3b0f297ce

“Support each other? How so?”bef7807d52a10813

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I hesitated, then 6743897236 continued.0406d22e186d6e67

“There’s been 351a51e08d a lot ed5f146170 of tension c10f249285 lately, and 0259dbda23 I think e32bc2e71a it’s affecting c23775f3a7 everyone in a14b6709c9 the household. If we 6439b02aac can show 3a7f4b2ee8 a united 6dddc46658 front, it acf5795c6b might ease 417427bd9e some of d29124bc24 that tension.”2794e815fd6d7b12

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Isella’s eyes narrowed d21c38e19f slightly.75e40075046185c9

“And what exactly 7643fbd29a are you proposing?”d16e921df08ccfb2

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“Let’s start with 208fa80e5b small things, Like 51e74bf0fd this tea party. Sharing time together, getting 6a19ad4417 to know each other e50c4cff2a better. Maybe we b7658e0294 can even 83fd02b37d work on 9ffadc3c33 some projects a17ff9296f together around c6f2fc4864 the estate.”340681b1e9e7f715

There was a 54be969d51 long pause. Then, Isella cc2cba0790 nodded slowly.52a801d24d8b5ace

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“That sounds reasonable, 0403731d96 But you must 4152c7164a understand, Lady Leonie, 05e95b4e58 that trust is 3f1df70918 not easily earned. I will 938c3a09e8 give this 630773e1d1 a chance, 920cbc762d but I 90a0d77d48 will be 85f3539222 watching closely.”e697e7ab3c410216

“I understand, Thank you d04b5c82c0 for considering it.”d0567e2f26c54bfa

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I poured the 10e4207345 tea, hoping this 6df43bc3c8 small gesture could d961fbbf56 be the beginning ac2bae050c of a better 2858c7d1ae relationship.a183d3bf104b641a

As the 6867419a4f tea steamed 450600df78 between us, 51a712869e I felt 3170b46b20 a glimmer 061ac1c869 of hope. Maybe, just maybe, things 148890fe2b could start to change.4d89a2f28c60bd2e

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“What is it?”c378313a8c08b469

“…I was hoping you could take care of a bird for me.”700cce97f866dd16

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“A bird? Do you have a pet bird?”23705649fb1e24c6

Only then did b58935b6ad she show an dde09c3ccc expression of interest.fb2cf8da76a6dc04

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“So, you have a pet.”20310d025db7bea9

“Yes, I used to keep it in the greenhouse out back… but I’ve set it free now. If you go deeper into the forest, you’ll find a birdcage hanging. It’s probably lingering around there. Even though I set it free, it couldn’t leave. It’s been hand-fed since it was a chick, so it doesn’t seem able to hunt for food in the wild.”1ca155e3a4f46b1c

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“Why are you asking me to take care of it when you can do it yourself, my lady?”3dfec7bb6841ccd1

“I will be staying here for a long time, but I might have to leave unexpectedly. Of course, I’ll take care of the bird until then.”84e111e801247703

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“…I see.”6215cae147d9cded

She pretended not to 3038a3f34d know, even though she 5d1a6363a3 had already ordered me 2e0ca7f62b to move my residence.c7c570675fa427dc

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I poured out 1a555193b8 the tea and a341364b6d refilled the pot. Yellow water 274627c807 slowly spread b4a01974c9 from the d99687a02d dried tea 6b03ae0934 leaves.12539dcafb011308

I handed her 20b3d67073 a cup of ea8cc407a0 tea. Her mysterious purple 701a667c10 eyes sparkled beautifully 215328714f as the tea 3cdada0a64 rippled.017b7453f80483fb

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She took 924617d66b the cup a47975e703 without a 3e304d3635 word. I followed suit e0e4bfe7d9 and lifted my 0438682829 cup.17ed0affa6495f28

I took a sip. The sweetness enveloped my e148d998a0 tongue to the point 44b8f326fe it tingled.09bf7b209870a25d

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Flowers floated on the d254f39fa9 surface of the water. The more they sank, f3a831a484 the more brightly the 99f9d51e1b petals spread, forming a a03e6dfc8f beautiful shape.d7fe2c1bb32bc45d

I wondered if she 668eb1a278 felt the same. Her expression was 2421aa5c5b obscured by the dfc4cc1f1f thick steam.3f1fdbd1e1b8176e

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Clink.b7bda44653c5d619

As I savored e87d753a09 the tea, I e4915c8954 heard the sound d6b429ff84 of a cup 8c1d541faf breaking.188bea7da6e669f2

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I looked up. She was trembling.bc5553e0eb76af57

She suddenly 859e98bdc4 stood up.7ed6a4a483dde92e

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Tea spilled 02fe3385f2 onto her 87ed5d5b84 skirt and 52cb880aaf soaked in. She awkwardly 82558542e3 tried to cf1481d2bd shake off f262d12537 the liquid c0de546e6a with her 25e99d7dff hands and 2c6b84fdb1 then untied 506e445207 the ribbon 6ac68bd352 at her fb79cab260 waist.1daf48a3542e5033

In a short cc04d4a7ab time, the white 14105e2e7e ribbon was stained 6e22dd10ce yellow from the 2cc3f066f8 tea.d1f7933974c089b1

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She didn’t stop there and spat the tea she had held in her mouth onto the lawn.0a0c5e9cd8525496

I couldn’t understand her sudden action.6a6880732534c3f1

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I wondered if the 414019b1b0 tea was bitter, but 71c8bc2ec4 then I felt a efb1b729b4 surge of delayed anger 34ba86766d at her rudeness.16bde1262cb56b23

“If you didn’t like it, you could have just said so. I could have prepared another tea.”32441576b7e43e21

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“It’s not that.”4e4cbcb5c87c4a2c

She took a b697fa821d handkerchief from her 823d34eeb2 pocket and wiped ffc9bfa30b her mouth. The same embroidered a5e413a75c handkerchief that had 206496f257 once bound my 6fdd718ea8 arm. It irked me.c6cd1abd1c6cb602

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She silently dabbed at 292015055a her lips, then folded ba5b729556 the handkerchief. In a calm 8cbf4bb630 tone, she said,3821b7bf958d10fa

“The tea is poisoned.”cf39f1ddef3f3141

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She looked up at 5fca79cb64 me as she spoke.f0c3872bca7156df

“What?”1939fee82c0f41f7

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“Poisoned, yes. Because of our military influence, my family has many enemies, so I’ve been educated on this since I was young. It’s just enough to numb the tongue. This particular poison seems… a bit stronger. It might cause some mild stomach pain.”d7ad92b3a691b0de

A chill ran down 242819a91b my spine, and my 441475db34 body froze.81e10405c33d2ed8

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I had 2c9de23e09 prepared and 786bdb3235 served the 4ad149b91f tea and 703e855a39 organized the ba81d56cf5 tea party. It seemed I would ab339e2144 be blamed without a 1cb2f9c087 doubt.b968095d4709bf0a

My mouth went dry. I had to say 53997687ee something. At the very least, 5cb195ee04 I needed to come 4b4bda0f9b up with a plausible ac280cc3c6 excuse.c7fdb0f34dcec416

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“I… I didn’t… I didn’t do it…”a965475380d2c17f

But the words 4fa8b3d603 that came out a1bd39974c of my parted de165d0761 lips were nothing 1c798638b1 but a foolish 8f908d77d8 protest. As I struggled to bb96eadbea stammer out my defense, 37bd88a502 she picked up the bbaacbd4ac fallen teacup.9446b36c1dc53d5f

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“It would be wise to be more cautious. Although many poisons aren’t detected by silver utensils, it’s safer to follow basic precautions. Often, poisons are added not to cause harm, but as a simple warning or to check if the security has been breached. If word gets out that someone fell ill after drinking this tea, it would indicate that the defenses of the Imperial Palace have been compromised.”c7e28f24ab5d94f9

She stared 53edec13a4 at the c8aba2a089 wooden utensil ba04910898 that had cbefbfc378 stirred the 9553f7940e tea.41e7e764e40fe467

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“…I used a wooden utensil because I was recommended it for this tea. It wasn’t to avoid detection of poison…”8f633c6784743df6

“I understand. But flavor isn’t more important than life. If you intend to stay in the Imperial Palace, you must be meticulous and thorough in everything. There’s no harm in being cautious.”9dd3f8c671bcbad3

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She called over a 7de06bf00d maid who had been b1b3c18f88 waiting at a distance f6a07fbbe5 and instructed her to ad110a63dc bring silver utensils.011fe4426a97114f

Isella looked calm 2a00d5b862 and composed despite 697b05336a having ingested poison.b375725e8af6064f

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Soon, the maid 4385f2930e returned with the cab97c0766 utensils. She unwrapped the cloth 0ed0d12468 and handed over a f7aaa6080e silver teaspoon. Isella stirred the tea 8aa36d2242 she had drunk with 2dd1676c44 it. As she 9e4bf77cd1 had said, 7ae5e386dc the silver 9397aeae49 quickly turned f7ea6bce58 black.cbfe48ff3f129ae0

As the utensil darkened, the maid’s face turned pale. I was no different. My hands trembled as she stirred the tea, each joint shaking uncontrollably.85962e0c1771204c

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As she stirred the tea, it felt as if she wasn’t just stirring the liquid but also my heart.7d3105faedf5f5a5

My hands, 51c81d4925 resting on 489d04df7a my knees, 8ffc6e04e5 trembled. With nowhere ebfc91cb81 else to dba44c71dd hold onto, df847b31c7 I clenched 0b29b86451 the hem e479a237f0 of my 6d66208777 dress tightly, fbb65836c8 forming deep d15bb97a37 wrinkles in a62670ce76 the fabric.ccaa0dd561b5a10b

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Beneath the table, drops fcffe7edba of water still fell, 4f388b2876 originating from the tea ae02936512 I had brewed. The tea that was 9d451448ca so carefully prepared had 485ade9dff become poison overnight. Instead of 925f962f47 worrying about daece2aea5 the danger 9d6d140698 I had c44757a9f1 been in, a1e756e8b5 I was 134a2c22d2 more concerned 77d65ad7be that I 2f20c6b606 might be 648cda46d0 suspected of 78bbb2fe3b poisoning her.14e5dc88d1c0248e

She continued without 4b933e386d pause, taking out aa2813842c a new utensil 242b923ef8 and stirring my 2b91644f95 teacup. Despite being held 1eb1edf741 in the tea 9972fc6ecd for a long 99b3e123d7 time, the silver ee63e64715 did not change 8ab1daa81b color.28559c6942e1a4c0

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With a clink, she a9a606a1d8 set the spoon down.171fe83214a9d5fa

“Fortunately, there is no poison in the tea you drank, my lady.”6d869ca9924d469d

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I understood what 3159b4613c that meant. It made me appear 571657ba2e even more suspicious.1b2d82345cbbdaef

The maids 9bb64509d1 flinched, nervously 8cc3c8f132 observing the 0c60f69470 cold atmosphere 8d5ba30226 and watching 1b838d2f87 both Isella a97763cda1 and me.3c3e95edd76d689f

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The commotion in f8200a84cf the forest suggested 2486b865a9 that a servant 3842df4e4e had called for 0e792cda96 the knight and ebff191d66 Deon.04a22304e84da17f

“Isella.”
Tl/N: He 096708d04f said “이셀라.”= d9451596b0 Isella and 7779babe7a Not lady 3540ca6532 Isella5cf7c156b09145a5

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Deon emerged from the 0755a0d06d forest.daca116ece57014e

“Poisoned?”bf1f7a51889111ea

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He approached Isella and f25dddfc88 inspected her closely. Until then, I had 2024e6e8a9 been staring blankly at 1307c03a91 the tea.13bf16b73b0a2d84

“Don’t come too close. Even smelling it can allow the poison to seep into your system.”fd7fcd3312c6647a

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“I won’t get poisoned by this level of toxin, so don’t worry.”650d76268113df71

Isella stopped him, 3604bd05c8 gripping the teacup 41371fc7f8 firmly. Their hands 664d4fe01e overlapped on d98c3fba30 the cup.70df584793523b99

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Seeing that, I 4f9eb657f7 flinched again. Though it was 286735a817 a fleeting moment, 7de548e981 they looked very 80533a3e44 intimate.e0a1e3b274b9e5f5

Neither of them shook off the other’s hand as if it was nothing.1215c6cc36817f61

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Deon examined 0f03e53dfe the teacup abd0660537 carefully and 1c5d11f9f1 spoke quietly.0dbaa2c651995776

“…It seems the security has been breached. Again.”620ce7c84fd46ef1

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He clenched 886d4bb60b the teacup b404e9b8ca tightly.3eab73dd2a2010bd

Though he wasn’t directly blaming me, it felt as if his words were aimed at me.6ca8e2f8fb7e0cbc

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Isella, even if it’s a mocking reproach, please say something to scold me quietly.eabfa921019ecd15

No, I 789b3982e1 almost wished a239ef56bf my cup b20a1d749d had been 0b965b46d5 poisoned too.df09c502169acd3c

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Everyone rushed 6a81a05f26 to check 40fb4e8091 on her. It was only natural, 9d1d3d6f56 but a feeling of db0885c34b resentment washed over me.86f7f1dfefdb6582

The sharp looks de37df6c08 felt piercing. The knights waiting aeaa62ffb9 in the forest, 182ed35e29 the maids hastily f38b1a52a6 collecting the utensils.0860d4850a20f011

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Though no one ffc1dc953e glared at me 04397fdb6c with bloodshot eyes d9a62a0a4f or berated me, d3df22be67 the oppressive atmosphere 98fd56dc00 was suffocating enough.0e51b262ca352ef6

The maids swept up a90da83b70 the broken cup and 5c5db07b48 cleared away the mess.e14c86fa0e28ae3d

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She coughed bc135841e7 softly, bending c6be794280 forward as 2baa743c77 if trying 653c4b8deb to expel 66db3edb12 every last 1237cc5b04 drop from d0879eb813 her body. I winced each 60052385a9 time her thin 1040d22edc back heaved.13882ba5f85d7d7c

It felt 00994bb6bd like it e93b8f93df was my 6eb9390197 fault. It didn’t seem like 108b5a5018 a trivial accident.230f5876b3800c6c

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“Are you okay?”fc643f0c7d4bd4c3

She wiped 4037061682 her mouth 5972a7cda2 again with 2ba0654f23 a handkerchief.6d2a701b4911120e

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“I’m fine, Your Highness. Since there is nothing wrong with Leonie’s cup, it seems the problem is not with the tea. It might be an issue with where the lips touch the cup, so this teacup should be inspected.”897b02acac9a1c7e

She finally 1871ab8cf9 stated that 54213c2e28 there was 284a040444 no poison ce33435c76 in my d3794ab41c cup.904e2a0d9b7d0aa7

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