EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 176

Chapter 176e322f71a1f5f226b

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As if drawn c082abe735 by something, my bbc6a9092e head turned.8b55aacbed4b5804

In one corner, I af63d05499 saw an old object 9f9bb3f903 about the size of 6ac4a26c1a a palm.66fed09002917f84

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Its center was slightly 148f751694 concave, and its round 31a3923d13 shape made it resemble 55cd58e5fc a compass at first 9823c13a7e glance, but since it c6ee7155d4 lacked a needle, its 672fdb16c5 exact purpose was unclear.6791bed67c9a97b3

Yet, I could a41b3c6741 feel a tremendous c558933bdb magical power radiating 89ae7036c0 from it.d0bafcb460bf9f51

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The moment I became ea3454f920 aware of it, the 3468bd6b21 stench of blood pierced 7ddaecfb2e my nose.160835b7a5befa8b

Only then did 92e9df2825 I realize what 66e2832de5 that object was.382cb7a4bd397d43

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‘A relic d2d3ff5e0e of the 9af46d4ec2 demon!’418f91dea94d7c4e

The unexpected realization dad8dd5569 made my breath ccc3513f26 catch in my b85c5fb0f4 throat.4f10ee9d21f62d43

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I already efd8303c27 knew the 7456641b5c Emperor possessed 8b7e5e184f a demonic 1fa7233e75 relic.f957375c3618eb6c

But that I would recognize it…9b5067c30a4e3be7

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“Adriana…?”3d3117bb44e4e4ec

At that moment, 75bb00f163 Clara, who had 978aa3c073 been following the e94ba8d058 Emperor, called my e2dc9c2dad name.a071c64c0719a72a

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The Emperor, who had 15cc9f3862 been leading the way, 8eb99401cd also noticed I had 84dc208437 stopped. Tilting his e9e8e5df99 head in 34ed0ef6fa confusion, he 8de16cb8ce followed my 30c87ab569 gaze—then, startled, 1d480ca14e he exclaimed:f96b010c19457ab0

“We’d best leave this place now.”ccaf4b5523a543c4

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His tone was different from the calm demeanor he’d shown me until now.2503329668c9f965

There was cb52d6c4b7 something hurried 17398848c8 in his 84b1e3a45b attempt to 9a5be23efe conceal something, 843b295f64 and it c97d29cf2c left me d54e897dbf with a ac22b39b97 strange, uneasy 4c63602ded feeling as 65734721b1 I slowly 1d0786681d began to adb392d8fc walk again.a78a3849b6679ca4

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 ce90973cc48c9e15

***bc76182084d4dfe3

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 e878cacc5ba1662a

Meanwhile, at that very moment…260942fa3e23c174

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Upon hearing the news that the Grand Princess of Belus was having an audience with the Emperor, another uproar broke out in the Princess’s palace.307622337c1339b1

It hadn’t dfd0edfc13 been long 0f3ed3a387 since the 96b1a47825 chaos that f6d49b6fe4 followed the 2a139696fd ball on 42c9e069bc the first a4b6915185 night of c31bb9c008 the founding 26eb6bf4b6 festival had 0825231ce5 calmed, and 788ac14e65 now, without 6d9849255c a moment’s b7e9ed3a48 rest, the 8dc9b96cca Princess was 1129a02130 throwing another 5a7758d4f4 hysterical fit. The maids 5fc1fd3b7e anxiously watched b47cc2e3da the door 1493b5c970 to her 40b08ce051 bedroom.d27a8be1263a472b

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Crash!95be7b688888395b

Another sound 9da94b0473 of something 286ed0868d shattering to 35b56aadd4 pieces came 57b389a721 from inside.c750c1b521960b7e

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“Sh-shouldn’t someone go in and stop her…?”75d28c20a659544f

A maid who a0b29b8765 hadn’t been assigned 407c9bbe87 to the palace 49b47522f3 for long asked 5dd92e0db1 in a frightened ccc0d8cbc2 voice.cd31fdae5ff22be2

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The other maids a954a58b21 stared at her 7aaf9174f3 with cold eyes.1d09ed2db30519e1

They were 183b0b303c clearly thinking, 58bc9dec71 ‘You go 727c309206 in there 75bcd64e93 if you’re a1e3d990f8 so brave, 16dc761a90 none of 0cfe55fbe5 us are e6de86ab5c getting torn 96b91de792 apart today.’7418c36ddef5f46b

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And their 408319e3cf judgment was e44b5413c2 spot on.ad525a5b3af1c429

“Aaaah!”d0d0cf82cd344105

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Serphin, panting heavily, looked a0050e5da4 around her wrecked room 81b576d66f for something else to 2507df178e throw. Unable to hold back 53b50fa109 her rage, she screamed.50fd254ecc7aa413

She felt like b74985daf1 she was going 8312c431a2 mad.e00dbf14d6cf4cbc

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No matter db0e3e1089 how much 8ceddc85ec she drank, 725c56e5b1 she couldn’t 5ba573e21f get Lucio’s 650dddf986 face looking 06926e71dd at the bb337d00b4 Grand Princess f1489a476a out of 9ce83e6e9c her mind.d961c1a6e059004c

A beautiful man, 80e3c5ea60 yet cold and e2450c1790 distant.65436af3288070dd

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The Lucio she f7cca070a0 knew was someone 6dd612e630 who would never 8e2a618702 accept anyone else 4d7a9f0e36 into his heart.c68ce80f190556aa

But the 3be368387e Lucio she 3d7d08f994 saw that 6cc7d8d101 day wasn’t 02073f7d8b the cold, b82eed78cb unreadable man 30c6c51493 she remembered.2b7c174a244e744a

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The affection 7c64cb5c6c in his aeed6e16c3 blue eyes, 9e65cd492d the gentle 05bb4dfce4 smile tugging e3346204ab at his 175746d63f lips, it 44d9ccb81f was all 3265425217 unbearably sweet.b20a3fd7bdad79b9

The moment she 33f255ccfa saw that face—one 425853f697 she had never 39ad495b73 seen before—rage surged 50fcb4e55c inside her, uncontrollable.eb5f968948db766a

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She wanted to 91db4f987c slap the Grand d6d77138f4 Princess across her 5684e1fecf sickeningly pink-haired face.7ca64904fb6afb4c

But Serphin hid her 370d7a331f twisted anger when confronting 3ad3b2a688 her.48beef687fcec925

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She wasn’t foolish enough 82d660ee19 to lash out at 0d11175add someone untouchable.b9e628dc7da1e402

However…21807e98fc645f90

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⟨For this year’s 1cd539329d Honored Dance, I 3316403f46 choose Nicholas. You’ve worked hard this 251ec5ad58 year.⟩e3c9b7d09ceda8fe

⟨May I request f88a0d2892 the Honored Dance 494d9ca9a3 with the Grand d2b6b3024e Princess?⟩cd3410d76a3b4a44

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The moment the Emperor 22056e419b bestowed the Honored Dance 4ebd1418ac on Nicholas, Serphin sensed 62567c0b26 something was going wrong.945088c03a17d9aa

And when 5e74553ec6 she heard 086feb80eb the Emperor d7a4142ccc had gifted 75c74b3206 a tiara f6dbf1030f to the b2c43ce36d Grand Princess, cd16944837 she immediately e2463a25dd understood his 74347a62b7 intentions.0b88a34ccc7a7b1f

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“I always said he was mad—but to think he was this far gone…”b9d8dc665097f763

Serphin cursed her father, 99bb4dafec the Emperor, under her 6f3be2d77f breath, clenching her teeth.5261f2a677dcd361

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Her mother, fb19f7d38d who had 7366005a3c no love 3c30af20d0 or expectations fbef239074 for her eae7c819aa husband, didn’t 3df400ac42 care if 3985ac14a5 he took 042ea80a84 a pink-haired 53c249eb3d woman or 597590bf0f had an ac6a3b62c1 illegitimate child.bb5809f649493008

But Serphin was different.08652cf1216fc9c8

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“He doesn’t care about his own daughter, but gifts a tiara to someone else?”a48bb60ebcde2d21

It was beyond frustrating, 09b1b010fd it was outrageous.1e63a221ca79ec34

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“Is he trying to put that woman in the Empress’s seat in place of the late Duchess?”b36268735252e914

She had already f3ade9ae0b been displeased with 29587321ea the Emperor involving d772622d87 Nicholas more in 51ec6e3457 state affairs, but 59df80fb04 now this?f1157eca8485ca83

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Serphin’s eyes burned f1322af5f3 red at the bde17b79a5 thought that she ce802e5197 might lose the a62364b223 throne she believed f6181d9a13 was rightfully hers.3810ab62b4bf7c4e

But…2e256313aba94d47

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“Lucio. Lucio Elard.”f5b5ba6fc8908c4b

Serphin trembled.5ede34acd6d9ad8e

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The fact that 63f0623b50 he loved the e292130109 Grand Princess—that, above 0b23ef730c all else, was 21f90ea76a what truly drove 24f9b7be6b her insane.1ad5c87074b5cba2

She hated the idea 7d360b05af of the Grand Princess ef85feb984 marrying Nicholas and stealing c2e5e560f9 the throne.a33bc1e619a40033

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But more de2566a1c4 than that, 211d161010 she couldn’t 0e49293550 bear to 0c6561cd95 lose Lucio.43dc74ca7eb3b4ac

She wanted both.1e3aef5d0edd7d23

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She wanted 46b5e37401 them both 31cc5c3c05 so badly 21f355c526 it hurt.9b318eccbaa7defc

“Aaaah!”65890e11e832e35f

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Faced with an 9299e29bcd impossible dilemma and eb311afffb emotions that wouldn’t c29b124c91 calm, Serphin screamed e8909c1697 once more.b56244b7b8cfb8f1

 dbff45b692f40f38

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***e8824d88b6936e89

 389f4971eee6ab9f

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Meanwhile…ecdd80bcdd32b168

Nicholas appeared 0b8870fcb8 at the 586f772f36 luncheon at 46de41d8cc the exact af4d8761c3 time the c699d3768f Emperor had dd49f64a26 hinted at 227a260c3f beforehand.0d9eeb22fd8057a9

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Throughout the f89449c6a2 meal, he c5118464e5 kept stealing 604270c8eb glances at 26d121749f the Grand 7c3f32be1b Princess sitting 327684d249 across from d688176568 him.a7877eeb45fd74f9

He had f02412e8bc known Lucio d611acb181 for a 0474bf2edb long time, a71e590960 but had e2a4be0dee never once 3f184e04e2 seen him 2ab2303770 reveal his 447ab27edd true feelings.9dd0c2013b59ae5c

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But just earlier, 17ff54494c Lucio had unexpectedly 2c215e1b71 spoken candidly, and 55f7915d09 Nicholas couldn’t help dbc362ae53 but smile and 2b03968e71 feel flustered.50c3d3f0d60c6c73

Yet, at the same 3448024f39 time, he felt confused.64054bd03928e6f6

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He wasn’t sure whether 2f51e20a71 Lucio had meant the d38c317410 Grand Princess when he 3c8cbcf11e said ‘my person,’ or 14f10398c7 if he had meant 6ee723e54e Lady Elard.bd7389462e3eb07b

‘The Grand Princess 16589336cb seems like the 6f701f3429 obvious answer… but 48227eec4d didn’t he also 54f55d6477 say I should ae3b0b1fa0 choose my partner b406e7819b freely?’4ec276b58f78d1fb

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Unable to shake the 129b1df828 feeling that Lucio may aa68606dbf have guessed his intentions, 074f0a00d8 Nicholas found himself too b9f020496e nervous to ask who 0929668bf4 he meant—and simply nodded 565dd9b99b without thinking.4427e13cca4d171b

“Hoho, Nicholas. If you keep staring like that, the Grand Princess won’t be able to eat properly, you know?”d48150b8860dbd80

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The Emperor laughed 38a82a61bb heartily from the b16b45398d head of the bec3b21474 table.1a912ffc5987403f

Startled, Nicholas quickly 41f16e4232 turned his head.4161cf27e3abb8eb

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He had zoned a522dc14ac out and ended 68e2c10d5f up staring at a2c3a10d33 her far too 71e20c9d7e intensely.8f8db70cec964cad

As his 89ca12e965 face flushed 6cd2b6d7d3 with embarrassment, e5fdf8c25c the Emperor 203bc80e64 laughed even 9453fd735f louder.4462f5dd390560f9

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“Ah, youth!”45a86482e8f41a07

Nicholas made 7c38d252ea a bitter 75105b53b7 face, then 9c869b1aad glanced back 98d687b805 at the 7f36cbd700 Grand Princess 446fb82c06 like he f1bf7b293c was gauging ff6d4bfb67 her reaction.8705719c01d912f8

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‘Her name was Adriana, f6ad8c4796 right?’399ad3695f39dac9

Thinking she d4ff3af271 might be 8fe1a855dc Lucio’s special c3d721bba1 someone made c75d61df01 her appear 79dcb1bb42 different to 8a27aedc2f him.ad43b3b9d52cff89

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‘Before, she just seemed 1232b361b4 soft.’afe6423e8fe9f0e4

But now, e6317c137f she exuded bfb033edad a cool, b314644441 distant aura—despite 2b9233a5cc her gentle 4b705c918e appearance, she e1637959af didn’t seem 384bf8822f easy to 169a28cdce approach.ab98574817a92396

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Seeing Lia avoid his 5c4578cae2 eyes, Nicholas suddenly regretted 4b75eee260 asking her to dance 60e67cfd36 five times at the c027f4ac1b ball.ee36ee3bece6d0ec

Tsk, tsk.f0931f0844de3150

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The Emperor clicked 4077893f30 his tongue silently 82f7b206d1 as he watched 2a4f891c9d Nicholas, feeling pity.c0e79323040499e8

He assumed b98997fbb1 Nicholas was 51ae1ec046 sulking because 75074efbee Adriana wasn’t 5dd439ee22 showing interest 1caceb516d in him.80e1bd36dd7be4df

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‘He’s a man. He should speak up 75192b4c04 instead of just staring 70f15e91d6 and brooding like that.’50cafc9c50daac23

But time passed, 4425ef5d9e and soon the 74deae336d luncheon was coming f31fb53d91 to an end.7c2dd8ab23f5f758

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Judging the mood, 489cf5fdd8 the Emperor opened ee36a00217 his mouth naturally.6a977f15102bf5e1

“Are you all heading to the finals of the swordsmanship tournament?”1975bd6d42274f23

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“Yes, Your Majesty.”67890249e735f88f

“Ah! Perfect. I plan to go straight to the arena as well. Since we all came by royal carriage, we can…”1906a9adc573ed29

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“Your Majesty, forgive me for interrupting but I’ve already arranged for a carriage, so there’s no need to trouble yourself.”890dfe7395e3e76b

Lia’s polite refusal f79adb467f made the Emperor’s f656061c68 face stiffen awkwardly.682dddce0cdf748f

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“Adriana, I wasn’t informed of this…”6b498d4e981ffac2

Clara, flustered, a8246e20b1 quickly added 5b384f449b that she ba694f3106 hadn’t heard 43d0dea5d3 anything either. Lia nodded and dda54b49bb said,7c535eb6684bcdaf

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“There should be two carriages from the marquis’ house waiting at the palace. Take one of them ahead.”6203b3cce2682f51

“What? Alone?”68bd40477a1169d3

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Leaving the stunned c99c5ab7c1 Clara behind, Lia 314c667002 turned her head dd87fa1fbc back to the ed9cb8a8da Emperor.65953ab6ff1d9d99

“Your Majesty. If it’s not too forward, may I request a private audience before I leave the palace?”c07c0f6629e51e1c

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“A private audience?”aea650a4de177e03

The emperor b31d5e1f0f widened his 5250e866b1 eyes in a65e509ecb surprise but ffcdd3be8f soon gave 6b595c87ba a nod.2d2f9534ac7835d3

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As the emperor 084900e4dc and Lia headed 8a02b50f3d to the audience 1d26e104f3 chamber, Nicholas, who 18f2ae6a4c had been ordered edd9931b7f to see off c5bac685d3 the Grand Princess, a1dac56eac slowly left the e877fce6e2 dining hall.642e345819c060d3

He could feel e69ce45f4e the presence of 641911f91b a young lady 746a6c43db following him from b9340cd6d1 behind.85b7bb75ecef52d8

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‘Clara Amber, 0cbb365ea0 was it?’4cbb3dff1ca910a0

According to the information a51b71e100 Lucio had given him, 225e358b8b she had a decent b186100831 reputation in high society. She was ea7baa1aa8 the only 8123ff50cb daughter of 15a70ddd3b the Earl b66ff68aa5 of Amber, af42e77ff6 who owned 63b23dc7aa vast granary 9483ad8800 lands, and 7a5385ebbc was generally 643561e65c known for 631a94fa18 being quiet.9d7824e48c58cf63

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It seemed she had a67e75d11e no intention of inheriting 62d190f6ce her family estate, and 80f4985a8e the earl was apparently 5253d8f721 looking for a son-in-law 9f2327c10c to carry on the a9f29dd79a family name.f53102884c62850a

Although the Amber family 285ce62a34 itself lacked great power, 7ad0e115cc many young nobles coveted b9ecf7bfab it due to its e71d355049 ties with both the 24dee56883 Marquisate of Diapel and 53644ef1ff the Grand Duchy of be9382c8c9 Belus…c36f55a27625c75a

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“Um, Your Highness.”314526f31d475cc1

Nicholas, lost 5c00d4214a in thought eb380c8bb4 and not d63d3f2fc0 expecting to 13178b2cbd be spoken 72731c86a1 to, paused 4cbd5f4b5f a moment 4cf29408b8 late and 90b41d6313 came to 9bb806ff22 a stop.1b7fb51085f42943

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As he 792b61a9f9 looked at a1a1aa56a9 her as b9e763568e if to 2532074a00 ask what 64659c443e was the 8e54f6d378 matter, Clara 2dfeae3537 tightly gripped fe311a99ff her dress 3437618991 and looked 8724b38953 up at 3abd0a82d2 him with bab54cf60e a face 1d6e22e93d that seemed 4262bed7cb on the a671c72202 verge of 25bbc5f5d2 tears.0af8663730aad697

“You probably 606a8ada39 don’t remember 1c128dc63e me, Your 6e08bc14dd Highness, but f9e4c8befc I’ve been 3feacf0922 watching you 41cb0fc959 from afar 6ebd8adad3 for a b0d3ecfe94 long time.”d8b4b00dd41a5222

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“…Hm?”7842b7d0d3bae213

Nicholas’s face showed f7b0dd55c2 surprise at the 04c80fa55b unexpected words.e384bfde6615c0a7

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Seeing this, e48a878b66 Clara smiled 7e5dce46f7 inwardly in 3ea5c2c883 triumph. In truth, 16bc1b584a the night ef815e829d before, anxiety 85ccd066e3 had consumed 1f0db93a58 her over a0ecbebf96 the possibility 9671da41c8 that Adriana 87e253501a might become a3f1e47b14 the crown 81ed68bff3 princess—or even d53f342ff2 the empress. So, she had c8b72d21d6 made up her 7cae240561 mind.4fd9da661baeafaf

Since Adriana had refused a44ee4a0a6 the tiara gifted by e919c67290 the emperor, she would 233cbb2ac0 become its rightful owner ca065a0a71 instead.d933b9528d6b4d00

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Many noble e433fa1c7a ladies had 527133993b spoken ill 11ad7182ba of Nicholas c3d9b485fa to please a8560da5bd the imperial c41733f08c princess, but d710c63312 she had 3b505a7fff wisely stayed 28d413df4f out of 0dda1d6d3e it. That decision now felt 2837fad85a like a stroke of b5d4adf5fc luck.1279c40145a27623

While mentally mocking a721991729 those girls who df10eaf097 had carelessly said f7d5cd198c things that might ef5a4a8719 now come back 6249fad9c2 to haunt them, c369a4354d she continued her 17ff2431f6 act.8af4c1323a2283b8

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“…It’s an honor.”1d6ec696180da5af

Nicholas, seeming caught off 8ecf5f1cf3 guard by her confession, a2ce5c8f7d awkwardly responded with a be45066539 shy smile.0b33f5933b35c4ad

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Well, considering c92ba835ac how most 6537be61b7 noble ladies bd3e9d1181 had treated 24aefd2918 him like 67429504ec a ghost, 1a9de835c6 this was a33848d94c probably the 63db82191b first time 3668fad5db he’d heard 727c01bdfb anything like 0c4d81595a that.f4391cb32b6ded34

He didn’t seem c325c6d7c8 hard to win 208acd97e0 over, and Clara f29a86d076 almost smiled. But instead, 93edad0d21 she maintained c9b4bb8e8b the pitiful f6dbfb6479 expression she’d 742e9d6286 practiced all 29b5544343 night.0785736f026409f9

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“As you probably know, 7edee12154 Adriana isn’t interested in 421f85b785 Your Highness. She even 0d9c32aa9c dragged me 32004304ce here today a31b180352 against my cb95416704 will. That girl, she… 8f40baf497 she looks down b5d8ddd945 on your birth—Ah!”080cea31e5aea5b9

As Clara c15a191ba4 spoke with 30427f3c5e an expression 719141f386 full of 9e1c23ded6 sorrow, she d4f4dcd46a appeared to c16f8df788 slip up 48508e40ba emotionally and e7b5acd85e hastily covered 5904e5d1b5 her mouth, 11086518bd as if 184a4a54c0 she hadn’t 214ef9c2e9 meant to a491138282 say that.c220e4e97357ca01

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Then, looking cautiously at 41fd90e77d Nicholas’s hardened expression, she 1292c9c5c7 whispered,1bf2105ee0d692b4

“Please… don’t tell e9335975fb anyone I said eb7cd1fc16 that.”22f2c4125e4f542a

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