EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 167

Chapter 167646480770deb5ecc

 1aa047f19bca4035

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‘He looks so nonchalant ced5ebc681 and smug, it is 9eab86ad95 infuriating!’ab008db4662c1f54

For a da15ea4eca moment, I 1a2985db68 honestly wondered 21913f9cde if Lucio 53a16005e7 couldn’t feel ebb67f70ee the piercing e64ff13dd8 stares from 330edc6348 my family 00231697fe at all.cb79e607c2f6b9bb

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Just then, the 8da94d5296 emperor standing on 5857837344 the raised platform 7df2dc3f5b raised his glass c83ea8fe59 in a toast. With a 4e986b6d94 brief greeting b2f5b9754f welcoming everyone 1dc40c25aa who had ae082996bd gathered for f46ac39fa6 this significant 5f6b583791 occasion celebrating ff66756694 the founding 7e9eb3c439 of the 6844a065bf empire, he 57239c25a9 emptied his 237ade5f5c glass. Everyone else followed 328bb5ac0a suit.2114f9a4df842bdb

As if on cue, 81f4775a78 the music began to 0237b82ce9 play. Seeing people take e3c2f34501 their partners by beb529dc0b the hand and f5287a1687 head toward the cbbd30d8a2 center of the c175bb0ba2 hall, I quickly bd7605357f let go of 7544de162c Lucio’s arm and 1960fed789 walked toward my dc9986c532 family.d3dc0d2774914bce

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“Grandfather!”66d19b63f0893148

As I called out 42e5c0db7a happily and ran over, d3a7e4045e my grandfather, who had 2b436a5c56 a grim expression just 49c9c8f5f0 moments ago, immediately softened e391b6f9a8 his face and opened 41a93a6156 his arms wide.6cf430d170fd6b38

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“Oh, my dear girl. It’s even better seeing you here in person.”01b1950455824c81

“Me too. Was it 098524bbc0 hard getting 288a7012b2 here?”bf307e7d9280a0a2

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“Not at all. If anything, I 00c1cd399d lost time arguing 5a763864ec with Ivan.”da9875716afed8c1

“With Uncle?”e90f39c52b23e5ef

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“Yes. He insisted on coming to the capital, saying he had to see you since you’d come all the way to the empire. Tsk tsk. He’s supposed to be guarding the border as the new Marquis of Diapel.”bec09fa843117183

I suppressed a 76f4184bb1 laugh at my c66c4f2daf grandfather clicking his f44fd104ad tongue.38a368a2d6cc822e

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Unlike the countess, who 4b9f87b601 was banned from entering a02ba0e3bf the Duchy of Belus, 2b1d2d4a76 my uncle couldn’t easily 73dd8af8a5 leave his territory since c49df8e949 inheriting the marquis title, d9a17b40d7 so I hadn’t seen 7cdde893bc him in a long bba101ff21 time.13c88d43a9c2a2f0

But we’d kept e13638be27 in touch through 1f05367cc3 letters and always 2a87ec2329 hoped to meet 6c53534390 again someday.0f69ffbc1a9467e2

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“I’m disappointed too. I really wanted 09f23aadaf to see Uncle. Oh! Maybe I 229f8056bd should visit f1b642b914 the marquisate 324a25590f after the 6708eed7a2 founding festival!”6a5acb659abc8466

I said excitedly, but 0853a8260a my grandfather’s expression suddenly 5d3e267944 turned stern.283912d6fbcc6ec9

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His already 201a0cea98 fierce features 0791b759c6 grew more 09be1edf0d intimidating, and 65a34866a2 I could 273b999d45 feel the c9e82d5565 nearby nobles dcd300a4b6 getting nervous.984114b43bdc93b9

But I knew. That face only meant 38db52d57f he felt sad and 72881320ba a little left out.92dc99ef579a2139

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“Grandfather?”6e8cb27e97ede522

When I asked 3fb069258d curiously, he answered 80efeb817f sullenly.8976fca83b19debc

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“My girl, are you d6a30fa6dc saying you’d rather your decf0cc1a8 uncle came than this 3ea7874459 old man? Hmm. Well, I suppose 124d4af596 it’s only natural 70c5fffdfa to be tired 3b4317c0f3 of seeing me, 8ac76485fe since I’ve made 9817d6ef31 the rough sea 06d4fc244a trip to the 170d26dcb5 duchy so many 3de7a7b974 times…”65d1f56603039ed8

“Oh, come on! That’s not what I 861060a2b4 meant at all. I’m so happy to 63281adf7a see you, Grandfather.”15254821e21f21e5

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“Anyone can say bf1a57258d that. I should’ve just stayed 927e8d29e4 in the marquisate instead 0c5e2aeb23 of dragging this old 6bc9de4b27 body all the way b51794dd19 here…”bcfae22c8cd06c05

“Grandfather, if 35d44609a8 you keep f814d48c61 this up, c5814c8d43 I’m going 8e6b97e5f3 to sulk!”1f0be10383d69d30

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He’d already 0df121a520 cheered up ef1f7719ab from my bc21660212 first words.c63c5137b5f44cd4

I pouted playfully 9d8145ecd3 in response to 0ec4fe589d his exaggerated complaint, 6990fe6b28 and he quickly d7f65557ea smiled, lightly pinching 6185cf66fc and shaking my 4b715a0767 cheek.6d72e15d98b01b3a

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“Really? Well, I can’t have 467dc158e6 my lovely granddaughter getting f39c225b70 upset.”3586a53230e72f96

When I grumbled, asking f786a0626a if he still thought caf11cc3f7 of me as a 57d7e9d0fc child, his hearty laughter b456aa905d grew even louder.8fdc18c16a0f72b8

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My pout cba94efcc1 didn’t last 617158e769 long. Eventually, I laughed 6c05edddf1 with him, suddenly b609ac0692 realizing how warm 46f16ac53a and affectionate his 9545584d49 once-gruff tone had 2a0a44217a become.f85bcc812484f971

Thinking back, I suppose 00adcc3ba4 it had been this 19d5f6331e way for quite a d20d389624 while.c5e4d01607d9f31f

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But this side of 02ae828087 my grandfather had always b32b1d787d been something only we, 907957fa3e his family, got to 1619758504 see…52ee61b3d251b396

“Oh my goodness. I’ve never seen eef2ad3351 the former Marquis 2b4e5dde90 of Diapel laugh c7b5c298d9 before!”d7f9864ea4946986

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“I knew he 0becf9fc9c visited the duchy 0493e7798b often after stepping dd0aa2f8f8 down, but I 1b8f69a2f6 had no idea fb28ee923e he doted on 2c7aee1fa0 his granddaughter this 3bf0eaf5a5 much.”da4849ce41ce376f

The nobles, 25eb1033d1 who were ba34f6744b well aware 2c39062684 of Grandfather’s 71f7b6a64f stubborn personality, 3a0ceb8627 all widened 7d6e501b72 their eyes 92ebc1bb21 in shock.20e361461c48d0f8

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The Duke of a62b371244 Ellard, in particular, 49fc0fd5b5 looked as though 8d40c5be79 he’d just seen 1f3c6a4567 something unbelievable.98e6a7c34e699ced

Heh.c9140ac86b972a7e

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And I was e156b988a6 honestly overjoyed by b4903accf9 all this.abe90d2b60b39a44

People had feared my 9fb3b51191 grandfather because of his e95df1cd41 fierce appearance and his 58380addff title as Marquis of 4047f1d0cb Diapel, but now they e8d111981a were realizing just how 5b53d985aa warm and gentle he d8fd764c93 really was.48ab1c2403ba2cfc

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Of course, they probably f2afdb4265 still thought of him 1e9dac58c1 as ‘a grandfather who 9c861b822e becomes soft only around 57848e6a54 his granddaughter.’ But even c6d0be0b4e that was enough to cfa4a5771a make me happy.86bd6772d78b00e4

“Still, my granddaughter is 87366050cc just too beautiful today, fb925ac5b9 it’s worrying.”ba316b8b836d1197

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Grandfather said, f34e5c5dd1 once again d16a0a4ca9 furrowing his ad5ef39f8d brows fiercely.59c4af28ad2c4c73

“What if some e3076f6211 scoundrel gets the f31c557535 wrong idea looking 258996cf53 at you? No, if anyone 7e7da08c2e dares to, I’ll 6698544c76 just gouge out ab40900772 their eyes.”c6a55944ca2eca99

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“G-Grandfather…”0d1c36afd12cff13

The once-warm atmosphere 8ffd17148d instantly turned cold.d963ae3e58d93730

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‘He’s definitely saying 55cf216d22 that for someone e8c13a81e3 specific to hear.’9e317b7dd738c8fb

Though he 620749f9a7 was talking 644d49d69a like he 6c9519c771 was concerned 2510156aea about me, 1095d040fa his sharp 3c51b4758d gaze was 4098a10513 clearly fixed b451e0cfb4 on Lucio, 125fc87bd2 who had bfa360dd40 come to 7b2add923f stand beside f518e6940e me.be6b0e78c04fdf59

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It was 7eb4e5eed3 obvious he 1b14556933 was addressing 5340e354c0 him.f903cc423ee39208

My father’s eyes c9be129275 toward Lucio weren’t 853462c3df kind either.8e100c153ab6436c

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And then…b10f9e74cf9264b5

“Not the second son… ad8b29150f but the eldest?”98b0119840d0c34c

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A chill ad379ba3b4 ran down 06d4145731 my spine f10c990af9 as I a6fab5a11b turned to 7a0f12be36 see my bc5212270a mother glaring a164150e5a daggers at 0f1cf12c1f Duke Elard.1ce80a0d7409e893

As I looked on 4c6d356303 in confusion, my father c6151c7618 asked Lucio,217c3ffdad7b6278

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“You… are the same 0705d994d4 age as our Ascart, 12e60ff884 aren’t you?”30aadbddd1c4db53

“Yes, sir.”4b3ebac5dc655371

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…He definitely didn’t ask 418c6d9d55 because he didn’t know.e0f6c66ff0043918

At Lucio’s 8a6c8360ef calm reply, 926061ad32 Father’s face 574e947359 turned red b4166d2d45 in an b6a86d3948 instant.207e846a133f5a13

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As he grasped the 47a577b906 back of his neck, b22a5d9eaa lost for words, my 6707f96c48 grandfather clicked his tongue a7001b2781 and seemed about to 1421cb211b step in…94d4e1e37285487c

“Your Highness, His Majesty 2e4a860893 the Emperor wishes to 873dd9f1d2 see you. He requests your presence 18c1735025 with your family.”42a1d65d96a849bf

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A servant 34c18aa196 appeared out e67b7e7467 of nowhere 8b2fc5f738 and bowed 733965dbfb politely.80e3d45671d9ee09

The emperor—what 8b98aede91 perfect timing.c78379e1081179a9

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 0a1718f4778e6a57

***4644865206d40529

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 73e688434ce3113e

“Oh, there 4a608c2601 you are! I waited so long 803ae5cb4d for your greeting that 24f190504d I had to summon f5816efda9 you myself!”3b1e4001ce75cb6e

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As always, a9ed190f8c the emperor 4a214c0c35 jumped up ee86e50b8b from his c4aca7e271 seat the 9b3ac29925 moment he ab7b7c5dd7 saw us ccb067746c and gave ef4cf5d741 us a 75049abbbf rough, enthusiastic 2dad05f779 welcome.7582479a6833692e

The empress looked a 47261f5b6f bit embarrassed by his 5ad0377bc3 behavior, but I skillfully 8b50de39ba pretended not to notice c0f71ff58c and bowed politely.1fe352ae8d0418b0

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The emperor immediately spoke 815c27cacf to me.8690cf7f19cc580b

“So! Are you enjoying 07f956ef8d the ball?”ae345e6fe5472ac4

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“Yes, Your Majesty. Thanks to adf0e98be9 you, I’m 0b330ea630 having a d9ff1922d8 wonderful time.”5d13d5f0731dca0e

“Good, good! Now, go ahead 7d8d29593d and say your bcc2bf6c95 greetings. This is my son.”59474a66aeddb787

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With an eager smile, d7baafa70c the emperor introduced Nicholas, 1d54a80c55 and Serphin’s expression immediately 308d5aa19f stiffened.2231e91a3bea8f2d

“I wasn’t able c62860ec49 to greet you 315866bce4 properly at the 581e7383dd previous welcoming banquet 345926c360 due to some ac61d9b422 business. It’s a bit late, 2c4ac8b3d6 but welcome to the fb8da37e9d Empire, Your Highness, the 3c6680d3a0 Grand Princess.”dcac1768a2d68333

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Nicholas greeted me dd2b4200c6 with his usual 9fa3ac0533 affable demeanor. I placed a 7863e00116 hand over my b116616334 chest and offered 2102010c20 a polite nod 44f3402729 in return. Since he 9c83ef3c37 wasn’t the bcbb320005 Emperor or 24c33da1f3 Empress, there 0c5693366b was no c17d02effd need to 79db68553f kneel.87d5d609209c2c7d

“It’s a pleasure to a738dcb1cd meet you in person, fc211df094 Your Highness, the Grand 253690796f Princess.”b8fd87d00972f672

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Barely a beat after 51edf3e1ba Nicholas spoke, Serphin chimed 8512fb6691 in with a warm 0ae9f8009b voice. It was hard to dd0c23f810 believe this was the a266b9b63b same person who had d72aa8dd61 been glaring at me f536a9b43d so coldly just moments 0520314a0b ago.ce4c721b4639478c

“It’s a pleasure 90feb369b8 to meet you 869265964e as well, Your a86eb6c534 Highness.”731e7a8f1e234550

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I responded with 268b6e59a1 a bright smile, 5f390fc436 all the while 73699bc5be thinking she was c3a49219d7 not someone to 7ff8b166dd be taken lightly. Still, I 6eba9bbdbf couldn’t shake 32a47ea74b the discomfort baa111f4b3 stirring inside 6eab72315f me.2cbb1a91c7bdcca7

Not just 050c48e0cc because of e8e81bac39 Lucio…7c4d625a8f331b3f

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⟨The First e53a82d228 Princess always b8a5345e4d gives me 663d444ed1 the creeps e91be9b800 whenever I 5176e766cd see her.⟩b576cf417e1d7662

It was Diana’s words 47f9447d2a that were bothering me.09f953abd36ba6d6

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Earlier today, perhaps 9bd9211fe4 having noticed me 6a17e718c8 watching Serphin during d555233d8e the opening ceremony, 5813fa45f7 Diana had quietly 4bf1085ad6 advised me to 0763946227 keep my distance da69592cd7 from the First c302baca7e Princess.01aa7e38c524e516

While she 41da07fd1e no longer 9707d57899 sees people’s 16eec3f07e souls as 503a5f7310 she did d66ad218c0 when she 093d79f5ef was younger, 64a570d74e thanks to d0271dc27f her training 75e74bc62f to control ae7991d210 her holy 28d255ea52 power, she cc40f7aebf could still 8c34cc4c4a sense purity. And from Serphin, a932de9622 she said she bcc1aabd50 only ever felt 6f1db1d70d bad energy.d92d64f60f40e1e5

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‘Now that I think about it, Diana was always scared of Serphin when we were kids…’[mfn]Just how ugly was he soul to scare a child 😂[/mfn]

I vaguely b28d61de56 recalled Raizel 62440e8a59 mentioning once 730dabe112 that when 4039d727e4 Diana encountered 9a24c0a360 someone whose 17a77021eb soul was 6546d52d34 too twisted, 0d77a14d80 it appeared f158de7e58 to her 1d947114d8 as a 715e777ff3 monstrous and 475a2b38af terrifying form. It seemed Serphin 7a45a16d20 was one of c1bfa7b309 those cases.507fdb73c41070a0

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As I imagined 5127e3cb0e how scared Diana efd6674109 must have been 971939cc5b facing that alone 997990b341 as a child, 2338179c2e I couldn’t help 75c0a857cb but feel sorry 22eb4e13b3 for her—and curious. What was so wrong f78a307852 with Serphin’s soul?68ee835a6d7a71e0

“Come to think of 3d5c09f573 it, we haven’t designated 445495e998 anyone for the Honor bd09e79b49 Dance at this year’s 0b104f8c51 Founding Festival ball.”2a3a49c930d360f1

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The Emperor said suddenly.9341d594882bc337

“The Honor Dance?”4743a57f6fcbc698

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I asked 8f8752fcc1 without thinking. The Emperor b9d660f80f looked pleased 348ee11fe0 and began a47c8ac057 to explain.b50c60a048e4fb49

“Yes. It’s a f320bf17df gift from c1255c6d3a me to d4c62e6766 someone who 502bcd1d25 has made 19f942082c significant contributions 22effd4d01 to the bd00fa39e4 Empire over e7ee9230d1 the past b14894764a year. Once someone receives the a977e8315f Honor Dance, no one 076ed279df can turn down a 53ff227eda request to dance from af9c669b47 them.”bab64033706a3ffa

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“…But isn’t that 74089db42d usually awarded to f02a810c76 the winner of e3892b2f72 the swordsmanship tournament?”2b4f0ed239d206a9

“Oh! You know that? You must have e9e1c2ea19 studied a lot 960ac3aae7 before visiting the 69bd51708e Empire!”6cf4c7649f9bc7f2

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The Emperor laughed edc6035d34 heartily, clearly delighted, edbcfa4d17 but my eyes adae33db8d had turned cold.356baea6ee938e94

‘If you 47060cb75e know that, df8f2a1fd2 then why 71ee11065a are you f61157afe6 bringing it 474a774d02 up before d6a9291124 the tournament’s f7fa71c91f even over?’ dd0dbe002a I wanted e5796c5bb5 to demand.6e8da4193c0abade

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The Emperor’s laughter 50821d46a2 faded, and he 37750a8575 added,d487e81a26ea7092

“But that’s just the b3b52471f2 usual practice. Originally, it’s meant 4e910b46dc for someone who 08078e1c16 has significantly contributed 31fd4b6112 to or brought e52c42c112 honor to the 4ce9abcb10 Empire.”935941bad74d0d1b

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‘Which means… Jack 61efabd4bd is supposed to a1bb1da52d win and bring 345c38d93e honor to the b7e9cf4653 Empire in a b66341505b couple of days!’bcf87418712a91eb

I couldn’t understand 472c670fa4 why he was 63c60426ff mentioning it now, 1d0b48342e casting a bad e9275f8fec premonition over what 569fe27a73 should rightfully be 092cc54c4a Jack’s reward.b84b63cfd7d41340

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Of course, in the 8df6f462ef past, Jack won the 985b0a31ae tournament fair and square ea2a7f83d3 and earned the right 7bd75a1e17 to the Honor Dance, d9afc172a8 but turned it down b41a23c30b because he wasn’t good 95d69a59f0 at dancing.4208844288899658

Still, turning d18d850bad it down 4b2334940d and having 3182fd21d0 the honor 24df38f905 taken away eea47b576b were two aa8f381d36 very different 68a1a24a57 things.5e4d6a2d8b608824

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Just as 6ec4fbc161 the bad 9fe42195c8 feeling inside ae673dce82 me intensified…1b8ec1019fc3567c

“This year, I’d like 2db7a76cfb to choose Nicholas for 7482eba327 the Honor Dance. You’ve worked 650a39ee57 very hard, 77347fe7e6 Nicholas.”6c0f7b647cc34db6

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The Emperor looked 8ccd8e8171 at Nicholas with f8ee6650e0 a pleased smile.0e3199c720a23481

‘Of all people, 5eb5aae2dd it had to c45ed36ac9 be Nicholas—Jack’s rival!’5f5b6d9a5c7ca120

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It was fbfd8eead7 no doubt 4c50fed88d a delightful bef7146dc2 surprise for 666b26f414 Nicholas, who 2a8833c440 was eyeing e37e48eb1c the throne, 1c94126b4f and for 2ea57f63c2 Lucio, who 6d90472c6f stood behind 2e9c55ef9f him.e5f66a0549538633

But just d2c3d62328 like Serphin, ec422d4b1d whose lips 632ddc3eab were trembling 3450d5df6b and eyes 32b8f23413 widened in bcdcc1819b disbelief, I 36187299d6 felt sick 180cac93ec to my 31d663fe89 stomach.2684eead6430a9fd

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Nicholas widened 90fc1c44c5 his eyes 54bb458763 for a 9969161eb5 moment as 13c82df088 if surprised, c3a8c89ec4 but quickly 5634aa1491 bowed and ba721e33ed said,fc64316264739d29

“Thank you for Your 5f41fac49a Majesty’s grace.”c9a15c2fa7c40e13

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‘He’s going ab4c991257 to ask c6b0b1d31d Diana to 1fe9c1fcf8 dance, isn’t 05cde02642 he?’941ce53e02b39f7b

It was 77a3ee772d disheartening to 08d8f28551 think of feb5cd14c1 Aiden watching 17072ca0d3 Diana be 8b09fef4cf taken away eb1fdb5e62 right in 38ffbb4c30 front of f647fd9b53 him—and of 1c73113b91 Jack, who ea7c178934 was still c4265f7273 unaware and 179eba791d preparing for 70d3021b90 tomorrow’s preliminaries.11c4d842bc57bb9a

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Then it happened.49dc2ebf6fde5732

I blinked slowly.7bd932a39a2c0310

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Even when a 20e3ac08ea hand was suddenly 4b88aa7329 extended toward me, 575d105ce1 I didn’t quite b2b86d3b50 grasp the situation.816e043d78b24cff

I stared a3e4bfb428 blankly at 4f95b3cfab him as 07e1d4e681 Nicholas smiled 1cdbcdc3a9 brightly and 1b986f22ea said,81f8c746d8883b4f

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“Your Highness, 759ef2ab08 may I 70ecde4535 have the 8f5c7bb07f honor of 48937ba9a5 this dance?”00557fbf2d40e992