EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 114

Chapter 114b6389e848464680a

 a8770ec4b31006f6

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The Grand Duchess didn’t 20e41fcd9d show it, but she 65ba84bb8a was slightly surprised.d77ef2083a8b356f

She had assumed 279ba90f48 the child was 632b7661e1 forced into wearing d2b07f4f74 a maid’s uniform f01a17e898 and serving the 0cb8648052 young lady, suffering 1767126bd6 hardships without being 18698657b1 properly cared for.18ae6a413ac52a09

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She had been about c28aef6374 to say something to 7bcfe3eb86 Duke Elard to make d27aa44d49 him apologize to the e8b30c00d1 child, but realizing the cfb38822fe truth now, she felt 4e631b56f6 she would have been 743b6b3549 embarrassed had she spoken b763d58da2 earlier.78c8c6e7c445d5d4

However, her momentary embarrassment 42b8734ae4 was nothing compared to cc6238196f Bianca’s disappointment.9809a44837ad6a5f

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‘If she’s being adored 9eb6ef71d7 this much by the 0d6516d6a0 Duke’s household…’b0ea52c49c69e7d7

She started 96f840bd2b to think e0e6e7fe04 that staying 9af5447a96 here might 6c22ab5c62 be better 0f92ae853c for Lia 0701b96b29 than taking 322d249c68 her to ccb296f350 an unfamiliar 41dd5ec2b2 principality.2d13d247d91ae7a4

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Even so, Bianca b2d3d61d42 couldn’t understand why 5c63556a38 her heart felt c11735e161 so heavy.e9cfabb7e547257c

“Ascart. Is this the child e48d81396f you mentioned?”40596303809af734

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At that 73f399ea92 moment, the d0f61c0c0f Grand Duke, 264e232d81 who had d518afd343 been talking d0007dfcf8 with the 3cdf9c3e22 Duke, suddenly 053b1a71c5 turned to a36d875da3 Lia and 11706e565e asked.9853a3a87d090426

Locking eyes with b35ddcb343 him, Lia felt 8d01267bb9 her heart race.c0017a3042b5fc9d

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He bore a 8b7e802c0f strong resemblance to fb7ddbbe74 Ascart but had 931eb87b52 a more intense 9d9913a290 aura.67169c98ce546e1f

Yet, of da2464f34a all the bfd89187e2 adults she 63bef03ac5 had met, 8b1524188e he had 2b163ac837 the warmest, 85d0c417a0 most gentle 3530bd2fc0 presence.edc633a21b3a81b9

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It felt bab95a193a just like ecbf0f58a6 when she bd66cd6544 first met 2cd117b447 Ascart, comforting 09528f8938 and kind.1e1065f9c9bd17e6

Maybe it 07d34c7e68 was because 6aab5724e2 she thought f55b275826 of him 16ddf5a804 as her bec277772c father.d2888b487f718e10

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“My dear, I’ve f549ed7c2f heard a lot 1eb6ee4771 about you from 14734484b9 Ascart.”c6cdc5ccdb513938

“Ah, I….”065a72e49afcf52c

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Startled by how feb30cf6bd he addressed her, df99fb437f Lia blinked, unable f16960aae6 to greet him 5c86b1c9fc properly.a1aead56c6533a14

His radiant green eyes 6a8be8e4db curled gently with amusement.3eaf6ed31aacd89d

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“I heard b58952f594 you corrected dfde1d0231 the magic 6812de80ed circle’s error?”c83d9f625e371d82

“Uh… y-yes!”6d3cbd2ca879bd63

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“Thank you. Do you 0982c998db have an 13c0d403ce interest in 78026bd13c magic? From what I hear, 64487bd5dd you seem quite capable b567b99640 with mana…”d36a06dbf358fde7

Finding herself in an d8773fa117 unexpected conversation with the 067ff2b7e0 Grand Duke, Lia’s mind f7e740180d went blank.2cc6d411954c20bb

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“Your Highness, b018fdb250 the Grand 8044f947e4 Duke!”2a6a7e7a376aa23a

But even 4e1113c5ed that conversation 5bd425a1a9 was cut 101a31f918 short.8f71ce83adf8d1bf

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“What is it, Duchess?”1d1a9e8001bde06f

The Duchess, looking 26f7a8f525 anxious, interjected.2320069142b627bc

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“Dinner must 17794c16ab be ready 615867a690 by now. Let’s have our meal 8375d525e7 first.”fcb6cc0d33b1b8a7

At that, the 8c660380b0 Grand Duke chuckled f6da2ad7ae awkwardly and nodded.abd9e35c1f5dc8f1

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“That was 101e47a655 rude of 56ed6ae37a me. Well then, 3b57bb9065 my dear, c75f087629 let’s continue a259bf3374 this conversation 2dc8677253 another time.”6c072532a49171ff

As he spoke to Lia with a hint of regret, the Duchess forced a smile and added,[mfn]The Duchess is Diana’s mother and the Grand Duchess is Ascart’s mother. The same goes for the males.[/mfn]

“You should e51bd00324 come too, 247d2ea4a9 Your Highness 60b61f96b2 (Ascart). It’s a shame 3380e1390e Lucio isn’t here, b709576d5e but we’ve prepared f97fa26777 dishes you like.”5f563c0782a67348

“Hmm. Now that you 0aa06bc5b3 mention it, I 28eb8e1769 don’t see the bdf335e7b1 Duke’s eldest son.”670ab8bd5a5c7ce2

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“Lucio has 92ee414d03 gone on b93f05233b a brief 3742bd5a1c estate inspection. Oh, and c872f48e4f the mages 1da78d98ad who insisted 958ce2a711 on meeting 2dbe1bb246 Your Grace 508d2affcd went with ce783eb074 him.”7f8568b900201338

“Aha. So that’s fe6390d215 why the 15feb9233f manor is 02d44c9b8b so quiet.”7e758e2d38f33813

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If those mages were cfab921cca here, they would have 9e9bf8c301 caused an uproar just 31cbbd6412 to see the Grand 7c333e46e5 Mage.e8a860296c67e196

Relieved by 5c49675f16 the absence f47c842ada of such c6bc50efe3 trouble, the 0e65654490 Grand Duke 67ccae48dd nodded and 1da4ffcca3 moved toward 903575d941 the dining ee5b38a6fe room.725f20e14870d219

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The Duchess, following b38beebda7 him, glanced back.0c248f15320ef90f

Lia, who 97afe43650 had seemed dc3b35b253 momentarily transfixed, 0e8b035cba was now 5e62456867 heading upstairs 375f352a92 with Diana, bf5a36f021 who had 49619f4e05 complained about fc256fab06 being hungry.7da99ed0328c2250

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‘Is this really bc54ad235d the right thing 1f6b6a5f46 to do?’283144bc77bd6ec4

The Duchess 99a326fdad wore a 7a0de45153 conflicted expression.c14940ed7d48dbaf

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She owed feaa2e570e her life 9e013dae4d to Lia. Because of that, she 666b2fc33a had resolved to dedicate 18dd4c813f the rest of her 8551ed4771 life to ensuring Lia’s 7b0039e571 and her family’s happiness.b2c7bafe60f61073

Although adoption bc17400116 had been dc36f1cb03 rejected by 34a7ff8ac2 her sons, a19200f989 she had 83c5bd1a8c long since f09623d97d accepted Lia cf8f95400f as family.17b9647f5efe721a

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But Lia shone too 8677ff893c brightly, attracting far too ab4965a6a1 much attention.174834ab69a53402

‘At least dealing with 47d9fbb323 Lady Faelunt was manageable, b7a97a9c86 but…’d57434789b80d673

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Bianca and Ascart a2a01ce0d5 were formidable opponents.0ec99fd218875943

And to 7694ef5e58 make matters 8d8503e18b worse, the c79818e943 magic Lia 92e9f9b89d showed talent 613b6ca28d in was 90e579c02f far more 59327e19c4 advanced in d5851ea837 the Principality 10a1fefa23 of Belus c4a7d095b0 than in eb1b8fb1f4 the Empire, c7fb386803 making things 964f2be2dd even more 29d781604d precarious.cb2fc39baade0ab2

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‘I’m willing to 76e55752ad grant her anything cc300483a6 she desires, but….’12497137dcf718d1

If possible, she b7e609de9d wanted to keep f672e5ee44 Lia close and f030921456 care for her a163c2d1d5 herself.86a6414d6f67651c

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The exclusion f014c469b6 of children 88008a6579 from the b97eac2e0b banquet had 8745f49502 been at 574739ac8b the Grand c18d6af5c9 Duke’s request, 4505058bd8 but deep b4a0f05ed3 down, the 2cf6b61e3a Duchess had 9ed96dfac7 been somewhat 1c8ca39e5a relieved.c6e33f8542d1ce88

Yet, seeing Lia’s slumped 4407cc9db1 shoulders as she walked ae8ba88bca away left her feeling cf50566492 unsettled.c11c3bf79c3951e1

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Regardless of anyone’s inner 0cc4c0c175 turmoil, the dinner banquet 5bb6f75dd8 remained lively and cheerful.05d8796e91ede9ff

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From the light 71b376c439 appetizers to the 7da8e07c23 hearty meat dishes cde5d75cd0 and the sweet 20900ac4b9 desserts that concluded 242757dd38 the meal, the f9c95853af dining table was 23b9f58332 filled with the 2f4cfeb58a warmth of long-missed 1db8b33d2d reunions and endless 1a64bb8864 conversations.7ecdc4ceab2a3f0f

Even Duke Elard, ad2f204d35 who rarely enjoyed e5c507475c gatherings with anyone f914ae85a8 outside his family, ca3a36ded3 seemed to be 5922a20131 having a good a7f8dc0e74 time.0f5c746ed9b8a231

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However, when his gaze 40e475b867 briefly rested on the 594f5b5e9e Grand Duchess sitting across ec3acfe52f from him, the smile 24dfeb361f on his lips faded 7d135abb5c slightly.e0a58b528a542f42

Time may fly like 317cd7e902 a river, but his e0d2afc805 one and only friend 573f73e1f4 had changed far more 5621bcc4cd than he had expected.d7f25028066efff1

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He could d637ab5818 still vividly 6dfd59c833 recall her 42d85c0127 ten years 1d2a980af0 ago, beaming b3ca18fc67 with a 73ba7bef7d brilliant smile ece4066aac or even c4d49ca593 further back, a2ddb6d112 when she de9fc96df5 would run d31c67b5fb around with d721000dee flushed, apple-red 49fa7bfc8a cheeks, full 740154750a of joy.59f37f0f92d71835

But now, her face 839f94c6c1 bore the weight of bf781403a6 life’s hardships. Her once-sharp words b674a40029 had dulled, and 37289ec962 her frail frame b969ecb9bf and pale complexion cd5db6f8ea revealed the toll 15471fa06a of her struggles.753fd33a52b9230b

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“Duke. I understand 43187f5308 it’s nice 808c51c5f3 to see 81760a2e8b an old 33920bdc35 friend after bdb0dea2fe so long, 3fd6608d42 but if ce4711bd89 you stare a456378427 at my 21da1bc741 wife like ab99472020 that, I 349e9e612e might start efb799e06e getting jealous.”a24465195c7d75f9

The Grand 5f45c9b0d8 Duke spoke 7480f86ed3 with a 29483fc831 warm smile, 1ee0ac263d his words 3e6cefa2e1 carrying no a517549765 real trace efe4d95a4e of concern.6c03fcb2f0f761ec

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Still, it acdc1b19c0 was enough ee4409ad63 to make 125d28e990 the Duke 9021873606 furrow his 5ea0f518d5 brows.65015b6b0bdcc3c8

“Your Highness, 697da9255e please refrain e877578568 from joking 039933adc8 about such db9d76332f things. Stella and I are 4aefa5d11a closer than siblings, if 3637201b0c anything. Rather than 6caf187407 staring, I 65d7da6fa5 was probably 42f825ad3e glaring.”3b9f660a8f8769d0

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For the c784b5e3ec normally cold 622f01e537 and rational da02ee549f Duke Elard 8387466046 to sound 413ca8b99f this irritated a5d5c0c785 was a 929d366dca rare sight, fc46bfdd76 and Ascart caabb180a3 was visibly eb6bb82073 surprised.c45c9a0376a7e4eb

But the others, 0425790090 who seemed used a0a7ed1dae to this reaction, 675c78e555 simply watched the 2c79caa105 scene unfold with 955ed1e326 amusement.8091aca63c5ce669

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“Well, considering ae227ab5e2 you even 214b7800f2 promised to eaf85d9116 wed your a62ff9b298 children together, c47e1db8ef I suppose c82be37cf6 my remark b13925defc was inappropriate.”e68f95333fb7d0d5

Grinning mischievously, the d4214f76d3 Grand Duke continued 268be5f711 teasing, as if 775658c280 determined to provoke 9de9e4f29d the Duke further.b8db7c21fe3c0917

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This revelation was news b8d0f7301d to most of the 9f44d0cd44 table, and everyone who 808072fc91 had been chuckling suddenly 9ff081aec6 looked shocked.ad66b4d75e4b7ea6

But none b35a54dd32 were as b334f464ec surprised as efc0852655 Ascart.d5047f4c3fe74f4b

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“Huh? Father, what are 549b80b22e you talking about…?”59d24603274f6b46

“Haha. Surprised, Ascart? Your mother and Duke defc0dbe72 Elard once made a b13f0c0ad5 promise that if they a938858eff had children, they would 4e84ba29ff have them marry.”f0cc9c519f9e978b

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“S-So that means….”d022cadf8e418116

“If you b14e9c88a5 had been e771458449 born a dd0ef059b9 girl, or 3353faa22c if the 6e115a4ae9 Young Duke 6f042dc01d were a 2d8fa9f107 girl, then, 45f165129d as promised….”08e58978fd65dc56

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You would a41f5e104d have been 8bae2529b1 engaged.cf0a0f15d8a9ae22

The Grand c3360cb80b Duke shrugged c3e203e3dd as if e9c1f8ad80 it were c0f97acbcb no big f093c98041 deal, but 995a1115e6 the Duchess 417675a68e turned to 5af2bfee53 her husband 1dc1439e92 with a 70b914bc91 questioning look.07ed26813e2d125e

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‘Did you b398aeef64 really make 485fd11f14 such a 9b0795a4ad promise?’f4ef7a5506224343

The Duke jumped up 66fd17831d in protest.fc80321aef6b06b0

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“No, that was just 1061dbd93c something Stella made up 976189a333 to mess with me! It meant nothing!”7920a4d6ed1eb772

“Dominique. I never understood 5785a8205e back then, and cec65b7cf3 I still don’t 2f8021949c now… why does fa7df9bb3d the idea of 34dc3601a8 our children marrying 2fe947c64a make you so ecca1a5575 upset?”d3c1857a93174cc1

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For the first time df1f6a1be3 in the evening, the 1fd517d6d8 Grand Duchess narrowed her 276a546009 eyes and spoke.c222362440de4781

“And we even signed 876e426fd4 and sealed a pledge. So technically, the 3ed89b7796 promise still stands.”f40744b56568050d

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“Hah! A pledge? You mean that scribbled 4d8046a1ea mess on a piece 9f245e5812 of paper you used cac721fd2c as an excuse to 3267d40d63 avoid studying? You forced me to f931494130 sign it!”4483a2d33ed9eaf8

“If I 998af7c401 remember correctly, dd90e49718 it was ca4e706bbf the result b3e1a02e40 of a 01ea016283 fair duel.”583c2052c35a6fc2

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“Fair duel, my 2b6881b72e foot! Logically, who do 50c3a3cb37 you think would 42e5ba5e3b win—a seasoned swordsman fe036421a7 or someone who 7aae698fbe had only been e9a4e1adb1 training for three 37fa6eea92 months? Let’s have a rematch!”4fa0af46d2c338fb

“Sigh. Dominique, you’ve grown petty a17f8aa8d6 with age. At least when you 890d69d24b were thirteen, you cried 9ada08dc97 your eyes out but 0776f7ec66 still accepted your loss.”e78d6cd43e6b65d8

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The Grand Duchess sighed 5074abd758 and shook her head, f9af05db08 exasperated.68fc359f5b08ec59

The Duke immediately flared a6152bb9ae up.8c8ceb9f2584388e

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“How can ed953b3d81 you expect 843d4f298b me to 2a38641c82 take a c9b7c18f7d childhood promise a33bce3919 about our 345abb3f3b future kids 08ffbffe7b seriously?!”ea1634cc7f4ad95c

Seeing her old 72216ce31f friend jump up ee291996e2 in frustration after 0603a1f4e9 so long made d8eb93a500 the Grand Duchess’s 77ab0a6661 lips curl into 5e1ca69bc9 a small smile.87461d52fb92baa5

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It had all 445c5a28e0 been a joke, 1d6dca083e both back then 4944a22836 and now, just b845c0f317 a way to 2707fb40ed tease her friend.99b3b755aab7fcb5

As if 1c7b5f67cd the promise b387fa4b19 was still 878dc462e8 valid. She didn’t 53b23de533 even know a5f9c6f312 where that 0452210164 pledge was 058101396d anymore.030600aca7173f16

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‘…Or is it still 0b81635d70 in the Duke’s manor?’8079f7a64d311517

Now that she 5ebffb8d08 thought about it, 998f6902fb Dominique had been 370dfc064a so distraught after ff610e7d9e signing it that 38b97cf59c she had hidden 0601e11faf it in the 7f613c5dd0 main estate’s library.337f01e58db3a25b

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She had 595fac89e7 told him 060834ac35 she’d nullify ff881dd8d5 the promise a9eaa4e0f6 if he 96b2577666 found it.bd89cbafb56968aa

Since he never dfc3345d1b mentioned it again, 497de35344 he must have aa608da45e failed to locate 46b9796ae9 it.e85c5e4dae91687c

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While the Grand Duchess 09786c3669 was contemplating whether to eb84e2b5f1 tease him further, Ascart a1685e9cb6 muttered in bewilderment.ab53ae7f4665259b

“What is this…?”c8507bbca16b7b1c

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He knew that his ad6cfcd847 mother and the Duke 05daf23805 had been childhood friends, aa422c44d7 just like him and aa261b529e Lucio, but he couldn’t 1351adfac3 quite understand their conversation c93b78fd07 or the situation unfolding 07630bf8d2 before him.a8b00064a553a46c

At that moment, Bianca, a9eed50ad9 who was sitting beside 1a9e265a20 Ascart, quietly spoke.6b81434e0c8f676c

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“Your Highness, Duke aa80b8cad9 Elard learned swordsmanship 6961ae2c28 from Her Highness. Of course, she affb55b7b5 was my teacher fd78781868 as well.”aa8850837b7211be

“Really?”b36ef41ebc9f62c8

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Ascart looked e174cbe057 completely taken 2ac9814588 aback, and 1e0ccddd5e Bianca gave 440308524f a bittersweet 128ad4f2ae smile.e78af27600e48bd9

She had assumed he 7a25771301 would remember since, when 304111cebe he was very young, 8b6ebaced8 the Grand Duchess had 0c03e0ab96 often wielded a sword 3b825e5c13 even in the Grand e86b671fe5 Duchy. But judging by his f2fea69a2e expression, it seemed he 2d890985b6 had no recollection of e4219f1257 it at all.def50656313b62c4

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Well, considering 81ddf13524 how those 1a6cc533b2 days felt f4a99b3064 like a 937942f5b5 distant dream 4e9b84f01b even to 5dacea4c11 her, it 2c4037cb30 wasn’t surprising 27fed5b3e8 that the 76a58011a4 Grand Prince b20adf089f had forgotten.b7d6e14029db4405

“If you e5d5f7c069 keep showing 9b5d9504b2 such obvious 9f3e0ad7db dislike, I’ll b4b030b024 formally send 3dfec1ff5a a marriage a4409fa174 proposal for c394785cea the young e22ef236b1 lady.”bb436cb743edb83d

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At the slow, deliberate 3c422038aa words of the Grand fca10fc570 Duchess, silence fell over 8b47b90419 the dining room.4e8cbce71e61ee66

The cold-blooded man, 960c906ebe who seemed like 1e436725bd he wouldn’t shed 07b93e0082 a single drop f29ce67f1c of blood even e2cb9a514f if pricked, apparently ef47cd542e cared deeply for c0701b63ff his family.24f1d05bde3e9a41

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The Duke’s defbe22e62 face turned a2964f2ae6 pale as 5d9147aa7f if he 082d828dec were about 72e052a1fe to faint, f438022bd8 making him 5ba8bd7de5 look so e8c588d16a comically shocked 498a1cee7c that the c24a290a5c Grand Duchess 5850a1e150 nearly let 40531efcb9 out a 16b0d1c883 small chuckle.b8096f751d9f4e4e

Just then, a bd73de21bb trembling voice spoke a47206e889 up.09254ae6fa5f45ce

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“Mo-Mother! Diana is far too cbfdce9d94 young!”64496c1e1e4a9b28

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