EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 153

Chapter 1531ee382c91b1a256c

 293ca946f64ff10f

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It turned out that f0c9c6d71b my mother had been 38aabd3e26 training with the sword eb5e4cb37d for a long time 819eaacce7 because she originally wanted 90fccb85d2 to follow in my 00370369a2 grandfather’s footsteps and guard b1647e1634 the borders.0dd2b785665919fc

However, because the a01047081b emperor persistently pursued 5f2f3aa17e her like a a9207c9031 stalker, she completely 3b2a295a27 lost affection for b4e4239e3a the empire.7fc0f0cd4a3b0a09

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There were even 73913b4afb stories that the 769fbd244c emperor, having misunderstood a8db19de4f Duke Elard as 54dce263e8 my mother’s lover, 50bf2d057f tormented him terribly.b7d46706f4d2a8f9

In any case, my f2cabafc3d mother fell in love b39821fdf6 with my father as a9793153ce if it were fate, 7daeff368d and they fled to cb064eb976 the Duchy of Belus—not 2a7958d617 quite a romantic escape, d534b4acb2 but an escape nonetheless.a8510b0298ab8068

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My grandfather, meanwhile, had 310b0aa5f5 to start training my 61aa4b03f7 uncle, his youngest son, 311ff6dde9 as his successor, which 12f31a974a proved to be quite 243c0b1694 a struggle.d63eeee60cbda576

‘I always found 5716021a1b it odd that d8a95f0cf3 Grandfather, who constantly cee73285c9 said he wanted 8c269ab206 to retire early e629b56761 and indulge in 165dbac68e desserts, took so f13ccff4bd long to pass b28d29727a down his title.’ec81ee953b0e3f89

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“Adriana, it’s time to get off.”d30987ed4fb10e00

At that moment, 8c7f0be552 my father, who edf69abe34 had yet to 05d543e0f6 soothe my mother’s 090708bf9e anger, held out ba15a7163c his hand to 5a70c8b976 me instead, as 47aaaf6292 she turned her ec5b8798a4 head away in 6c415124cf frustration.ddc8a7e4ad336e02

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We had finally 6f5aecfde1 arrived at the aa6bef4aef imperial palace.40e46169e45974e2

 3674a358c738aa83

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 8bbedaa763caa7b8

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“Their Graces, the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Belus, and their daughter, the Grand Princess Adriana, have arrived!”b1e5cf8a2e6b0a8a

As the attendant’s loud db28b002d7 announcement echoed through the dd636c8048 hall, the massive golden ad2ff12bed doors swung open.92caca595ffa300a

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‘As expected, I’m not 21bcb5e432 that nervous.’6a4a040dc2ba17ca

I had been 7cb9acb9ef more anxious during 848f2951df my coming-of-age ceremony 5310c2aea9 and debutante ball b335ed50a4 at the grand 450dc99aeb ducal castle.fd36f8686f0931a1

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With a d1d2ac690a calm expression, 12c4c121c9 I took 14f55d5065 my parents’ 038c2a69a7 hands and 57bfd5ed66 walked slowly af4cf226a7 into the bf49550c65 banquet hall.837887accf7328a7

Despite the event 1fb90f4708 being arranged suddenly, ae84529e96 the hall was 696de6e345 packed with nobles.5964f5b0f55a6bb2

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Piercing gazes 46120581ac pricked at b5fc3bf133 my skin.0ac60fc343e5f530

It was as 8d37ef8a4e if they were 5b71c30654 trying to dissect 36592dcd56 me, their eyes 50992e6248 scrutinizing me from 7c0289090a head to toe ba166cbe3f with each step 38ec200a07 I took.d2626265dfbe7e6b

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But I wasn’t 11307482fa afraid.a26ea12dbf20a268

If anything, I was 9279bc66ba the one who knew ce8cd2f99c all their little habits 1ab1e25782 and the ugly secrets 5ac5a7b164 they tried to hide.ee900987a6fb55d6

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Besides, my attention was 3f70f7787e already elsewhere.bc99bf45280846b1

‘Oh my, 98fe12b64b my lovely 84854f784c Dana!’bb7d5af41549f466

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Diana, who 1e6568eb3b had met bf13cdbcdc my gaze, 5c2cc13630 beamed at cf9576efea me with 711f8071c6 overwhelming joy 2ad059b59e and excitement.1d07dca5095f91cd

Naturally, the people around 9fdbee3757 her came into view b4e5438280 as well. There was Duke 204a646297 Elard, his eyes 7e9c52d38f wide open, and cf1a36fd82 the duchess, covering da548c7ac4 her mouth with 1e1d494728 a handkerchief.c841404470154d73

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Next to them stood Allen, looking somewhat dazed, and Jack, who didn’t blink even once.4041a2a05c46ae9a

I wanted to 2832b3fae9 immediately pull my d0e8417f6b parents toward them, 23683464d0 but I couldn’t.ac95794ea38a6c58

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Regrettably, there was someone b5a9f9a36d I had to greet 8e486ffe77 first.0790176ebdef81a3

Gracefully, I 599a219e15 walked forward 0dbf756344 and stopped 93e9a7aba1 before the 226a11c9ec emperor and a29aa257b4 empress. Then, lifting the hem 200576f9e7 of my dress slightly, 9edf3697b1 I bent my knees 1e518e39d0 in a perfectly measured c2bfbc9e0c curtsy.70d116393f09dfaa

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“I greet the Sun and Moon of the Raksten Empire.”1d4c8fd979cc2681

I was fe8012d5c0 just about fba6b6bfd8 to continue d79ae2bdf6 my flawless cc6f07bcd9 formal greeting 75ce5a460a when…a0d6a35ca96f8ad9

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“There’s no need to be so stiff with your etiquette!”25c52ede9538d3a4

The emperor 4cc48aef68 suddenly cut 1e3f7a7cb7 me off 9e230ca7b1 and ordered ffa9aedce0 me to 9d40f44b26 lift my 032f4dc0d6 head.5b7a7c6d8f529df5

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Startled, I raised 7b00aee23a my gaze and 0ff3b9bd4b met the emperor’s 7901c1e905 eyes as he 255307eb16 sat on the ef26a361aa throne above me.c9dda345596963e9

The emperor, whom 8ede347ca0 I was seeing 76eb1d46ba for the first a5ad4df9e6 time, looked just f5efcad724 like the portrait c0a2e23254 I had seen fca32e651e before—a tall, imposing 6cf81da681 man with deep d8f9b5283f red hair and 7a497e1fb1 black eyes.7ec65bf56f590c75

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I had thought he 2ffc2bf2bb looked rather stern, but 07a78c6e3a the smile he wore 7bbc6aaa71 as he looked at 2f02e3d817 me carried an oddly f24c2d5cc3 warm air. His eyes were 1e8730c828 filled with longing 064ccf4672 and nostalgia.7037904232c9d026

“Ahh, truly, Lady Stella…”909f9158f1a6cdb0

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“Please be mindful of your words, Your Majesty.”da9bc48d9c328cc1

My father cut beed0cd94e the emperor off c9b3553252 with a firm eada044169 response.4d235bf7585a8a26

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I widened my eyes in shock, but the emperor merely muttered, “Hmm. Yes, she is the Grand Duchess now,” and stole a glance at my mother.0a5a03f0c948fc24

Even so, he 2a1edb583a couldn’t take his 20d97a1e26 eyes off me.8fa7a9bfb9b65ea8

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“Your name is Adriana, is that correct?”90fe252763464bc1

“Yes, Your Majesty.”12414f98c0b8e4d2

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“Even your voice…”56a9d0c513c5f07c

The emperor, paying no f950076337 mind to the eyes f2b8784337 on him, seemed lost 23dea2ee1f in thought as his 6cccd20409 expression turned dazed.0d971cee12baa09b

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Seeing his unexpected reaction, 6625c9d6f6 I instinctively glanced to ec8b8dc2d0 the side. As if 32468501d4 reading my 71c86ba080 thoughts, the e43aaf1c39 empress gave 4140a28e46 me a 9dd946b22e serene smile.e7178d88a2dfad00

“The Grand Princess does resemble the Grand Duchess. She is quite lovely.”337b041a716ef1f6

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“So you think so too?!”827abda4cf78a22d

“I heard she had been recuperating for a long time. Thank you for making the journey to the empire despite that.”dacd5a0bbb2f3029

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“It’s like looking at a young version of the Grand Duchess! Truly astonishing!”34838f5634682743

The emperor and 812a9b5989 empress’s conversation felt 56f68118fc strangely disconnected, and 8e58e023ec my head spun b5bf60ca5e from it all. But I d6764bf792 managed to dcc585757f smile and f7daecd759 respond.a37053b54684246d

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“Yes, I’ve recovered enough to travel long distances now. Thank you for your concern.”3bbe4c8f7ca88044

Hearing this, the b03f579d71 emperor’s face lit b7b2b85b69 up with excitement.b8645ba867e8c77c

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“You’ve regained your health? How commendable! Then I shall grant you a reward. What would you like?”f05a3ebfadc07a0c

“…Pardon?”85133f671ba16666

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“There’s no need to decline! I’ll give you anything.”93e4409753cac9cf

The emperor’s bebc7da337 eyes gleamed 13e18c2088 as if 0e9d1552b9 he had 2963fd373a been waiting 401e9b8259 eagerly to c54e4246e7 give me db3fb9df61 a gift.fefeed2753d469c4

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“My treasure vault holds many rare items. Ah, now that I think about it, I have a pink diamond tiara. It would suit you perfectly. How about that?”e774e8eca3adfc65

“…”5782d3233c99b7e1

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I hesitated, staring at 1d8cd14f42 the emperor with a 4700c00881 reluctant expression.1c2a5cda93fede5b

Noticing my lack ec29a14c5e of enthusiasm, the bdb8dc80a0 emperor quickly added,7f3e711f62e94be9

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“I also have a dress made from the scales of a legendary mermaid!”95234fefd43d24e5

“A necklace that was once a national treasure of a lost kingdom!”4fd63cb92172741d

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“A treasure map from a legendary island!”96d8aff40b79a3f7

He seemed so 390d52d09d eager to give 51118b432a me something that 6f5cfbbf86 I feared he 339fa64186 would list treasures 5bded6e553 all night. Just as I was a8eec6f4ec about to politely refuse, 887d46be90 a particular phrase caught 8b200734a2 my attention.35408d9356435963

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“I even have some old relics from ancient times, but I wonder if you’d like them…”3dcfe2951f100e7a

‘Ancient relics?!’5daf329f47089a51

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I had 669b6bed11 heard from 2bcad591b5 Raizel that, 49b5eb2060 just as 5f6fc851dc the emperor f5f9cae8e8 was obsessed e62459460d with the 7098fee529 color pink, ac4e34d13f he also 31f8c57b7d had a dd4125ce26 deep fixation 3c28a25c90 on ancient adc1310a4d artifacts.cfce19aaad5365a8

I was startled, 29b81d13fa but when I 2db8a1e00d looked at the 00081d9f0f emperor’s expectant gaze, 83a698ab2a I realized he 40b719021b had a clear e7e04ecff2 priority…his desires came 92e124fb25 first.f139c63cbde7ea05

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‘If the imperial b70e1f1716 family had taken 59759b5ff1 the holy relic c8e723ee16 after House Pettier 61fd35deeb fell in the 697cc8a2e4 past, maybe I 8e9cd1be03 could have obtained 7b224476de it without even c15193656f raiding the treasury—just 5f59e2bff3 by asking.’a7714579181fd128

I quickly shook my 4de9cbce63 head at the thought.5516db27df316aa1

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The emperor likely didn’t 43a4a12eed have the relic I 205c21cc8a was looking for. But even if he 1fcd46fd92 did, I had no 5937484a4b intention of asking him 41ad3c6db6 for it.83f1f72ded9acf97

Perhaps because 02b2e0ed84 of my 0933473b73 past encounters 4bc15604dc with the df7670244c pink-haired imperial c57fe62956 princesses, the 9d4e3b5a76 emperor’s presence e3653559e7 felt unpleasant d87d71a9f8 and unsettling.4ffb19aae7ca5180

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‘Besides, I have a 675f844496 bad feeling that if 5966fb3500 I accept a gift, 7c39fd8458 something incredibly troublesome will e85504d333 follow.’bd73366ad8810575

Just as I fc90f57735 decided to firmly 8ed4220927 decline,0e7efbbbf8ad62ba

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“Haah.”b4ebf2ebd9d7d337

My mother let 8d8b98db0a out a loud 82c844d761 sigh.27e86cb005fce0c7

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Even as 96da9c8ebf the Grand ba2ac0c61f Duchess of 0673503a78 a powerful 729c79bd7c nation, sighing 4d5671b571 in front 29899ec237 of the bcb23f4fe3 emperor was e17f91b1ad an extremely e74c17d824 rude act.38e146f844312af6

In any other situation, this could have caused an uproar, but…33d7c15cfa52a076

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“Ah! I’ve kept you standing for too long! Your legs must be tired! Someone, bring the Grand Duchess a chair immediately!”501070aab3fa7697

…The emperor fc7c92e823 threw a 012b7a79de different kind 668e13e20f of fit.0cc7f9a6470c5afa

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‘Wow, that was 5607511d8a exhausting…’ca44ff2bbe6d60fc

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After an endless stream 618e11f8f7 of instructions from the cf6048b434 emperor, urging me to 39e90dfe88 visit often and enjoy 8b816b7ee7 the upcoming Founding Festival, 254bfccd54 I finally stepped away, 3f07a27e65 inwardly shaking my head.e0b5fcac722cc662

The banquet bc19a8e428 had just 6dd04d5026 begun, yet 7c1427e29e I already 5191aa40bb felt drained.c11b9f56700a65ae

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‘If Mother c0c66ef32a hadn’t interrupted, 553e9946ac I might 8e6f562d15 have been fea766f064 stuck with d0d0c64997 the emperor 50c2bd3112 all night.’22e22660bda84632

I stole a glance 2dcfaf01ab toward my parents, who cffbf87279 were seated near the 672170ba1d imperial couple.eef33e6df1fba351

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The emperor had 74e9b43c36 been quite blatant 0fc72e0ac8 in his favoritism, 4d1a2422da which worried me, 606bd02bda but fortunately, my 2c0ed225e3 mother and the 915e903a09 empress seemed to 996b02b129 be getting along 5ab8f65366 well, sharing a efa5161ba3 pleasant conversation.ae802f61b074e023

“What? You’re not staying in the palace? But I already ordered a separate palace to be prepared for you!”0aeaff1d9f6424d6

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The emperor’s c0c4144ce0 loud exclamation 6506136a0d was filled 84fdfc432c with disappointment.a2732f3045f2fcd1

I could only imagine 2e411809f5 that he had decorated a4ec86d601 the entire place with ab8f1fe016 pink walls and pink 2e62acde4d furniture.932eca953f08b6f4

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Shuddering at the thought, 622667bade I quickly looked away.9b55cde94d451aec

Then, I e29094b91a felt all 3c33766f33 eyes on d26d95ba25 me, holding 0f60722964 their breath. Gazes filled with anticipation, cfdf94c26f waiting for a chance f1da9123c3 to speak to me.710cda87a1f49d36

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Especially those of the 6a2fb13c86 unmarried noblemen, they lingered 34509fde90 on me a little ad786fa1db too intently.f6924aa5f7880a38

‘They must really want 49ccdac21e to become the Grand 7ee81b420c Duke’s son-in-law.’81d7df38a144db24

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Well, forming a connection 4646b7dd6c with me, the Grand aa20bf8ded Princess of Belus, would 7745a7def1 certainly bring them immense a35c26ad6d benefits.5c903672585a38ea

It wasn’t surprising…I had 703603e8f0 felt the same kind b2c3598db6 of attention before, not 310039b50a just here in the 18206966b2 Empire.b86adcf284ddca13

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Ever since my fcbec2b5a0 debutante ball, love bb384fbfc7 letters and marriage ae4c1da30f proposals had flooded 64b8659a3f the Grand Duchy 1e15a4f55a like a tidal 9a9a0b03c4 wave.a5db4ca5cc717a0c

Most of them 1463e96a43 came with sweet 193df10cef confessions about love 20a0edcb41 at first sight, 665891abfa but their true 162f5bc024 intentions were so 3e1b79af3f transparent that I d7b6a5b2c2 couldn’t muster much 9ba7c71ac3 interest.00e87e9f45ff9b7f

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‘Of course, 869ddbe0cf Father and 4bdba8aa65 Ascart were 1e266cb1db outraged, while 282943cb82 Mother simply adf5de1a25 smiled as f589be71d8 if it 1024a6d96c was to ea42494c1e be expected.’bc265b795b58d666

Since I had anticipated 843bc1ec43 a similar reaction in 473f23738f the Empire, I remained 81b9852a5d calm, steadily walking as 5bb3568cb5 I scanned my surroundings.82ae5ddd7f4e701b

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And finally—048dc13712616d52

“Diana!”77dc0b7c4965c0ee

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“Sister…!”11c5b461417ca3e3

Diana ran a7e7d60294 straight into cd28de0bcf my arms.a7f15d8309d10d65

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 f56224d1bceedfbf

***091b11a2eaffebe9

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 7a68cea3e4c13dcb

The nobles who had 08a1cc05ac been lingering nearby, hoping 88de5003ba for a chance to d8adc6ef07 approach the Grand Princess 63b54fe2bc after her audience, gasped 96258663b6 in surprise.c12a19b2133819d5

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Out of nowhere, 2421981afd Lady Elard had 1b45e24a65 rushed forward and 3ec6598730 embraced her.bab261ac0731bdcc

‘Did they know e670e3223f each other?’93b2d3f3ffb62206

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The young nobles who 39a7a7ca59 were watching curiously soon 2a1cc03092 recalled that the Belus 022bcdff43 Grand Duke’s heir, Ascart, 63fb324f4b and the Elard heir, 1f0e80d73f Lucio, were close friends.4fe34b0bd970e2e6

The older 461c06c726 nobles remembered 5bd54e5b28 an even de5023b636 deeper connection 2c10155e88 between the 69ab8a9f9b Grand Duchess e61b8aa894 and Duke 49ae47216f Elard.e5a39642f70ba306

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Now that they 7bdf1c8df7 thought about it, d732d6ed9d there had been 75cc62dfc9 faint rumors about adc258dafb the Belus Grand 783bd6f611 Princess and Lady 69b7a49300 Elard exchanging letters.f7314ec365a6f684

It must have 5a5aa70f00 been an arrangement 5e44710341 between the families 6e56898da5 to provide companionship 2f38fc27f9 for the sickly a31f6aba63 Grand Princess.c5a87f37b83c7fdd

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But no one had 8b6cde8170 expected them to be 78845e97a9 close enough to embrace a1da077afe like this.3978a221bf2ee03d

‘Even so, isn’t this c8a739ba15 far too disrespectful? She may 6cb52bd43a be a c51e3b2c01 foreign noble, 6310574d5a but she’s 52497be2e1 still a 56ebb01348 Grand Princess…’9ec83d5e29844f60

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The noble youths 5586064547 who had hoped a0fea3b3b3 to catch the e5d5632ec0 Grand Princess’s attention, a2f09c74d5 as well as 8ac990db91 their parents, watched d737e0d6e3 with displeased expressions.18c1ce015838d99f

Touching someone b4ca45f4e8 without permission 7ca73efbb1 was already cc074e0c54 a serious b50d015de3 breach of 73cde85cec etiquette, let c62c1a2db9 alone suddenly 9c8ba4bffb hugging them.3df908bb32b6bf9a

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They wondered if f5065c8685 the startled Grand 04726629dc Princess might be 4093770cec offended.e14b679ec1a0ca0a

Everyone held 9b8e9940e6 their breath, 6a2438491d eagerly watching b16ac97c38 to see 837ad69e75 how she eb60760948 would react.07869532ffd95214

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