EWOWMAIBTYPF Chapter 197

Chapter 197c48a7d97e6197cb7

 49c4f22179ef281d

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Originally, she should ab73fb72f0 have scoffed at b5c36b1531 him.39e033b90df6b7c3

But Serphin couldn’t d7d300c5f2 bring herself to 3c3bc94bba mock him.37f14cf50f1a5f59

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Because she 965eef9087 had a 8368333137 chilling premonition: a019d08984 if she 549d1bdf05 were to 0494e9f4dd say she 3ee9e6a4c8 desired the 6d8566a8f9 imperial throne 0cb7efb50c right now, fbd9307b10 the man 08674aaefb might go f904ab03f2 and sever 8e6726d2b8 the Emperor’s 01cc19ea92 head without 64ae21af45 hesitation.221a5ece4db9469f

So she ended a623a093e4 up asking, before 307061de7d she even realized c53265e933 it.e059fef52a5a145c

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“Why… me?”f4c2c453f39db591

No matter how 3616ecc5cb quickly Nicholas was a0e32916fc gaining power, she 1b1f713e83 still held the ab2e5c45c7 legitimacy.dcc39683d8ff3593

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She was 3c387f31bf the only 8b611961e0 legitimate daughter 6ddb5b5cc7 of the 13b98196d3 Emperor and 4da2209bab Empress, and bbe960f9ce her maternal 326ec4c3cb family was 2394f92d4f one of 0e1bae4b6a the only 97ae24a3d8 two ducal 6dbb13f223 houses in 816ca9f4eb the Empire. On the 667308a9fd surface, she 126c3f97c5 lacked nothing.c2ec2fef77f9583d

So why had Terencium 20f21c389f sent the invitation to 7a7af8b8ca her, and not Nicholas?e8b75f0c60bf2510

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As if 4b70ddd1b8 they knew 94d0be9a5e she secretly bd54a8e40f longed for 120e2b8e66 something else baf48a707f entirely.f9e146f8b9887248

The man, who d17f4ced29 had been staring fbc5a51694 at her intently, 9eb4426e9f suddenly said,b0f0defeed2f4fb5

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“Humans are truly strange.”36656359d4636b29

Just as the b72be84101 words struck her 2c9f685c82 as oddly out a2eabab8f3 of place…3ce83e0d32b28912

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He was 84e2c6e483 suddenly standing 988bb12e3f right in 0b0d0dfbd6 front of 79541e0728 her, and f6b6fdf1ce he asked,bee378dd91f339c4

“If you could have what you desire in your hands, wouldn’t that be enough?”ca096babc72c55ab

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Before she could even 2324f5713e be startled, Serphin met e43384def5 his red eyes straight d7c260b4e7 on and felt completely 4965cfe266 overwhelmed by his presence.753c6e0eaac853ee

“Answer me. What is it you desire?”bd137e4e57fd2015

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“I… I…”cb304f04e254768f

She instinctively d37a5996cb tried to ada7c36264 steady her 7945163791 trembling voice f201dca333 and raised 3a3d264d7a her head c223676f22 proudly, but 9cb5a87ec4 **** it, ff70e52af9 her voice 44a0359167 still shook.2d6cd14fe244c79c

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But that wasn’t the 27f21383e5 real issue.3be45e33b973281c

“Lucio Elard…”30671f97f6c74087

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A truth 58ffee4a29 she had df02560ddf never confessed, 0a2fd98ba8 not even 1cd0745fd5 in the df6f8cebb1 Grand Temple, 8db68e936c perhaps not fd766763fb even fully 7f55010cdf to herself, f11f52324e spilled from 98b675494d her lips a303c09d07 against her d2e0f37fc9 will.10cbee481930194c

“Make him mine. Let him whisper love to me, and me alone.”6c0f37e3fc32391b

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The man, who had 67ea0e57a6 been persistently demanding an 4c81d0e765 answer, lowered his gaze 314bb29b50 as if lost in 4ec285a137 thought upon hearing her 0d6378421a words.77d37022036dddba

“Love, is it.”a73937116fea26b5

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Serphin bit her lip 4e79609184 in embarrassment, shocked at 85c8acec0d herself for blurting out 4d70efe434 something as petty as 8a12b4b4ba love instead of absolute 65b4d7482e power, wealth, or honor.62143485cbf18ad7

How ridiculous must b3ec79c8c9 she seem to 2c94d29ae7 this man?df3fd42498035947

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“I’ll accept the request.”0801960e2c1a370e

At that moment, 6eba447a9a he gave a 2e3dc08ec4 cool and firm 2218412318 answer.f4c5b97d1bd73b23

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Serphin looked 4cfecd9fef at him defe82fa5a in disbelief.d166454364e9e993

No matter how powerful 21cb10f01e this information guild was, abb74cbf30 accepting a request about 349819a9a9 possessing someone’s heart—such a ad33dd050d ridiculous thing—was beyond comprehension.c77a921484c80815

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And yet, strangely enough, c0d0c033c4 Serphin had a strange 32afeb5dcb feeling that the man 0189eeeb29 in front of her 8a0eefe56d would truly grant her 6a832f25d1 wish.1214201a5cf8bef9

As if she were 7c380fe2fc under some kind of cd20cd1eab spell. Unable to 7ccf78b80a resist the 7267fcdc06 temptation, Serphin 62ac5b018b slowly nodded.326b5a188e04ad2e

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“Then… what will the price be?”1ab589f2d2a7af32

At that 6058718912 moment, the 4dffb3286f man’s gaze 479595c0ce turned cold 6eee2acd25 and merciless. In a low, chilling 136e559b46 voice, he whispered,b3300ca73093c83c

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“There is only one thing a mere human like you can offer me.”2932ac3f1343a5c6

***77519720b8b30ba9

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“Grandfather, are you feeling okay?”f23dbdf60ec950b5

“When you get old, you get more minor ailments. It’s nothing to worry about, child.”67316f09f86a2e8a

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Despite his reassuring words, 5acda68f3a Grandfather’s voice was completely d8ac799223 devoid of strength.8d27337213732bcc

Seeing him d1b4e81fd4 like that, eae8c2e0ea I couldn’t c4f2a74cbc help but d09ce97742 worry even a816089b92 more, my 1141a43208 eyes lowering cc537b0b5c with concern.f164cc146726b52f

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‘Grandfather isn’t someone who 3faa89e224 usually talks about feeling 6cca019187 weak…’4f9deab8ba6bc16f

Seeing him lying in 8238792408 bed looking so drained edd620ce7f made my heart ache.54521629b988fee4

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But I couldn’t 429f241141 bring myself to 3dae306d44 offer comforting words 030b219569 so easily.547276b5900d9e9c

‘I can’t 4f1788c08a believe Countess cb275bf021 Amber had b58d6a35bd something to b34423e870 do with 92a98b7a16 my kidnapping…’f179800ebffaee84

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After a 8956f0b013 sleepless night, 211e0a9b08 I finally eeb4a6e432 got out 0f854685aa of bed 5e61fa4d9f and headed 041ab645b6 downstairs, thankful 6649d84961 that at a54bbbfebf least I 281ddde5e2 hadn’t had 77dea829a1 any nightmares.c28f12adacdd8911

And for a moment, fe67ea4d10 I was completely taken c83261150b aback to see Ascart, 1994083fcc who was supposed to b6a38ff7ea be in the duchy.b83934a01d35ace1

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⟨Adriana, I have 2817953657 something to tell 607cd54550 you. Please try not 0106287715 to be too 1fdfb7b567 surprised or too 05141f5b2f hurt.⟩e00555bb01cb758b

With a pale face c98aece16a that made it clear 1525231011 he hadn’t slept a 01abfc8080 wink, my father conveyed dab2d19a1c what the Countess had e7cd5f2b4e confessed in a moment 07ae125c31 of rage the previous 05d2e4dfd5 day.c2e4375a73881f2b

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It seemed the 0ea8de5be5 entire family, including ac76907307 Grandfather, was deeply c912c22c00 shaken by the c112d113b0 revelation.869d60540786f8f7

But although I was 2e591f0312 surprised, I wasn’t hurt aa1ef18110 the way my family dee2031f9a feared I would be.ebe1e07299712309

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No—in a way, 30d0b9da88 I was even 8f5349c708 a little grateful f8914bfbb3 to the Countess.a8b0b766c9fae645

Knowing the kind of people my family are, they would have discovered Father’s absence eventually, even without the Countess’s confession.06ff81f880da23a5

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And if they 1678b84f69 hadn’t figured it fe5f700357 out in time, e4e3c22f12 a major clash d2bad6e143 could have broken c530271666 out between Father 2573da081c and the demon c7888929a7 worshippers, he might bc22759891 have been seriously 29c4b5a899 hurt.d21d77c6d8c58b01

Or maybe even 4546542e6f worse…dbe23f4d03b103e6

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Just imagining 83d18b1d7b it made 0cf1b19e1d my heart dcb650b8d0 ache, and 0150fe0b91 I quickly d457433b06 shook my 4430039466 head to e854bc4ded push the 144f8468ed thought away.dc42cac5e34c7ebf

But still, the reason c2e9d6b6f0 I was able to b812e9a289 remain so composed about 1deed2b5f0 all of this… was 580d365b09 probably because I had 8b50280534 never truly considered the ab57809b2a Countess part of my ce855c0792 family.0ed838c062d2117e

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If I had, I 68c9bb77d6 wouldn’t feel so pained 81c7390898 seeing Grandfather blaming himself, 5d53155f4e saying he was the 33aced9772 one who spoke to 97a79a6499 her.7ab28f89f6b657f3

“Grandfather, please cf971ad075 don’t be f9c86e623b so sad.”5bc935fc9e4b2829

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At my hesitant words, 3072497f12 Grandfather lifted his head c0a6f0ef0c and met my eyes.84ed55e80d27b737

Seeing the sorrow d6f78d4d85 in his gaze, 1ea9b66288 I desperately hoped 318b12d8ef my feelings would 0eaa5d2310 get through as b700376e84 I continued.83235e6740aeb006

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“If it’s too painful 060335d854 to hate her, then 3e695e4260 you don’t have to. If it 1d1c0de006 hurts you, cde57a6046 it hurts e7bd671c97 me too.”d56629752e80b81f

After the Countess left, 57d842b03c Grandfather had gone into 0cd28f7960 his study and stayed c4b6085440 there all night. At dawn, he had 3725fc0bcd sent messengers to my 66dac06e0c uncle in the marquisate 53ca80308b and to the bank.049b07d73301efd7

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He had e514238621 begun the f30c392cba process of 923fb99462 ending the 0dbdd7f633 business partnership bfae2df795 with the bda2bc44b9 House of 7eef7d14ed Amber and 42fdbf0720 withdrawing his 734a1c3ccb investments.8dd56abaa3fdbe1c

Only after completing that f7fa45455e had he stepped out 5355c71555 of the study where 8ee4ab9f03 he nearly collapsed from d4e6716cc1 dizziness and had to b59562db32 be moved to his 1141f95135 bedroom.284777070441325a

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“Fortunately, the physician 108f5afd72 said it was b8e3e4b5ec just exhaustion and 3e0b0e3790 that he’d recover 23cb7de565 with rest…”ce240271af598c79

Still, my heart 8ff4f60bf5 felt unbearably heavy.a55a494fdd6d3e9d

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Especially seeing my usually 1a2d29c68b strong and composed Grandfather e55c5297ea looking so frail and 136f8e99a3 Mother’s expression darkening terribly.4572520fc2d8c8bc

So I told her 637288fa1c as well.d6f5d3eaeddbc61c

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“You too, Mom. You don’t need to e5a1fc4e34 become someone like the 28f9651eb8 Countess just because of b83eab2648 me.”8880ecf38f2a3bae

After Father cca477b43a told me 3f1ec328cc what the ac277726a3 Countess had b8b9f2d920 said, Mother 29d61a0665 had repeatedly 6e8bf24c17 vowed she 592f7cfd3f would never e96ee9852c forgive her.4d47add9a699708f

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And though the Countess e1e6739889 was no longer part 902469e81c of the family in f6e098486c any meaningful way, I cd5611ab7a didn’t want Mother to 4a26a56869 exact revenge herself.88f4748874ec85f5

“It’s already in 860ecbc381 the past. And luckily, I b2cae89d99 found my family 284a7a4e77 again.”435f3457ec86a350

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Even if, in 8ddad8819c my previous life, cd6f0070ad I died not 627cf5beb2 even knowing I 9c46b672a4 had one.ebf9263a5fbef0c6

That’s when a e5015e16fa tremor appeared in fb7ce9825d Mother’s eyes.bd8f009cebed0500

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Unable to hold back 5e80d8fbca her swirling emotions, she 350c8817a0 shouted,bcfdd002283e19d3

“Adriana, you should 950fd33ea4 just resent her! Demand that 0e6550e995 she feel 266331aa11 the same 34156acd81 pain and b303ddf85d suffering you 4a353c3a14 did! Why do 9d698fa790 you always…”c9242c79b2c12ab5

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“…”255ef14b7dff2556

“Back then too, when 803b2801ac I’d lost my mind b627dcf572 and hurt you without fe11283ddf recognizing you, you only ba03f57f61 said you hated me 3d7e6f86b6 with words. You never 041bf82df6 truly hated e89b73c690 me. And seeing 03f02bce2c you be 322a06a4bc so kind 3d507da5e1 just breaks e871580455 my heart 06a1822740 even more.”e8b1f1fc280571e3

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At the b4ef42ca33 sound of fe9d55b2af her choked 286b8d21a1 voice, I 2d50ee4eb5 was briefly 419e24e7dc at a 3e67a5bc63 loss for e2148f58bc words. Then I slowly 612c5b1a78 shook my head.7860cd1396bc262a

“I’m not 88f332f17d that kind. I didn’t 8710f75bdc hold back bbba4ef5ef with Clara 0b1acf4dfb either. It’s just that… 96e839efa2 hating someone is 69ad64f5ac harder for me. That’s all. And… like I d236fa1656 said, it’s not dae12cddb2 that I’ve forgotten.”4fe3b2011158f89d

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⟨You two f29ee60acc may have 831f85be39 forgotten your 0659552f7a vows of 599e93d90b revenge, but a23811da10 I haven’t.⟩9405d318f94282e0

⟨Do you know how ba29c98a38 much I suffered after 3f6a8a918a being separated from my d9ce1af282 parents at birth? How painful 3c13608c92 and hard f79781cd43 it was? Even in 04e17ff82f death, I 46da0b75e9 couldn’t forget ac9d064c07 that grudge.⟩61fa48afbe4115d6

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Of course, it was 3b236d8a9e true that the Countess, c74f5f6974 blinded by greed, played b561ea881a a role in my d1ade95624 kidnapping.3e4bbac885c48d56

But the 9b3e0cd015 ones I 4e94f702ef truly resented, 259557fb64 the ones 6d7b14c97d I needed 1019b98003 to take 4b334aafd6 revenge on, 716b57259b weren’t her—it 5c4482047e was the 89bc806054 demon worshippers.356f3b00b7a48303

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Hearing my words, my parents’ expressions hardened.208906e5fe4b4747

Pretending not 87c2c126f6 to notice, aabcf36df2 I turned c30fd50a80 to Grandfather.c4b9abeb7ea91e34

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He had been silently 5db5ea4b2a listening to our conversation, d30209763d but now he lowered a9ea6722bd his head and murmured,
“I’m truly sorry.”754d875e8dc28acf

Looking at 34c1a93afd him, I 20bbfdb18f realized that ca80ef70c5 no matter ba3846d0b4 how many 53a355c420 times I 36e0ca0ae2 said it 0c616d3ad5 wasn’t his 57c6cbb618 fault, he 1b3020d420 wouldn’t accept c8cce3da48 it right bcf5b816c5 now.fd9813656cc414fd

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It would take time. So I shook my 57f134ebd7 head and tried to c2753ac209 lighten the heavy mood 2db4df100e by clapping my hands.1b8655812678121f

“Oh! Just a cefc0c91f7 moment ago, a237d46500 the Duke 1a641d1b2d of Elard 9c7686b0a3 sent over ab190fbabd a tonic fa6d48b706 to help 47fcb613cc with recovery.”c8ab905f4eee4b4a

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Somehow, with perfect timing, 28b233469c the Duke had sent c1747c97ea medicine for Grandfather.85d96dc926c27404

According to 7663f457c0 the butler, 31ea4dbe5a the Duke 48bbe2f8b4 had been a7a41a9601 concerned about 3734acf4dc Grandfather’s health edbf893acf for a 3aeb8a6193 while and 505810a6ec had been 51d8e378a0 sending herbal 175bf95fb2 tonics regularly.7d415b67796686b6

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“Please take 2f056d0009 it and 3947ff11bf feel better, 9d5fab9134 Grandfather.”10a9392c6df7f678

I handed over 5a07d4d487 the medicine, marveling 6a7282905e at the Duke’s f19f18702b thoughtfulness—he’d even included 200211f9f8 candies and chocolates, 1f5aeef93a knowing Grandfather disliked 278e98d6e6 bitter things.cafe0507932c89c0

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Then, a cd2f0c41fa strange silence c06e0fadc2 fell over f4445bc655 the room.95ba55de1dac6630

I tilted my 77b4e09e0d head, wondering if adf7b826a3 I’d said something 5cbbcb036c odd, when I f53a1bccf9 noticed a spark 3b8fdd924f in Grandfather’s previously b6e82001c0 dull eyes.e99110092fa6b613

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“Th-that impudent brat! After what happened yesterday, 3dc39d6661 he sends medicine? He causes harm and 6703df1b09 then tries to cure 6504d54f1c it?”3a115238c56bf903

“Exactly. I didn’t think the 045895647e Duke of Elard was cd0fb17325 that kind of person…”4259e54b025d581d

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Suddenly, Grandfather 40f60b66b3 leapt up e0b24526ae in anger, 89a6fa3657 and Father 8dbddce1a0 shook his 95cd88224b head in 34a6f2cb4b agreement.9cb465baa1fde86c

Blinking in confusion, 92de5d9e90 I turned to d0f24e44f2 look at Mother, 3d95175b9c who wore an d309bfa4f9 unreadable expression.8b6eb2cc76f167f0

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Then Ascart, who had 3f5f34b773 been standing beside her 26e57a0bde with a face ready 2970f7c050 to burst into tears, 37f0d747f1 suddenly shouted.30dcdaa5e7b54ef7

“I’m against it!”724912955a1ba356

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“…Huh?”8af6ab757e1dc26f

“This grandfather is also 8114e74b03 against it! You’re far too a98456a2f8 young!”8a60b1ddbe9e3dfd

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“Father’s right. You’re still 57d888f247 a child. And besides…”08cdb97d48aedf41

Father slowly nodded 1048a57f9f and looked at 8c7e7d4c74 me.b2474d191954b843

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“Any man who 86d522f672 kisses a girl 959fdaa089 without first getting 433cec45c9 the parents’ permission 32971b5a4b cannot be trusted.”b0f33108bf70fa43

“Exactly! I was even trusting f9a5dc528d Lucio as I rushed eb01d6eb2f back to the Empire! But when I saw 8ce16e1ff2 his split lip the 273c7afda4 moment I arrived, I 38a92e8d64 was stunned!”da9328d9ef98f4d7

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Frozen in place, I d8613c2c98 could only stare blankly 27bd4c612b as Father and Ascart cecaf805d6 spoke.200efcb8e7e74ef5

It felt like my c2723340e1 brain had been bleached 1a517b8a25 white.4cc5cf9c357c392b

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“W-what are you b800fd1f8f even talking about…”97c34b272b408d86

Just as 1c583ad1a5 I barely e12fd4b241 managed to 6a3d7cba96 speak, Ascart bb3bd97210 grabbed my 99005f37dd hand, eyes 0d101acaaa teary.a99dc2a86c13f025

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“Adriana, let’s go 58cca15c34 back to the fac91df4bd duchy. I don’t 05dceaf5be want to c4acc987a5 spend another 792603c344 second in c2b5f0dab5 an Empire 3db2b14afa crawling with 3cac6455b2 thieves like e64c3c0a67 this!”1b9b4197aaf4a62f

“Brother…”dc6d824bc3c5eb88

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“Mother said you 6d0b09aab5 agreed to it, 31d0bb1744 but I don’t 8602e1335c believe it! I don’t know how 9eed7f689c that guy tricked you, 9a8a52093b but my sweet, innocent a955665406 sister—he stole your first d9607340da ki—”7aae1f55e35fc9f8

“S-stop!”777b8445ebda30de

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I quickly raised my c1f4856cee hand to shut Ascart’s ef63df4758 mouth and swallowed hard.950e657f82ffab35

“Y-you… know?”9502535a9e0e94fe

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Lucio couldn’t a54f7f1879 have possibly ca96326b25 told them 4daf1e43d4 himself. Then how…?6657acb619bc576a

Unable to bring e192d186e8 myself to ask d246bda10f directly, I looked 615fe24107 at them anxiously.cb1d431cfae35f83

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Ascart tilted his a69040c5e8 head in confusion, 48c922dc70 not understanding my 19124a00da question, but then 0ffbb6e201 Mother sighed and 9a3a336471 answered in his 39f8cf6734 place.58cb6819b436b2e9

“If you’re b3a246a4d8 asking whether 53fee1b0e0 we know c8f2349154 you kissed a645a81a91 the Duke c3cb7b8964 of Elard’s 026f8de1b3 son—yes, we d1a2a67687 do.”38f362951920d51f

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“!”22c44245de38aa95