IDED – Chapter 44

IDED – Chapter 449566a5be483a753d

Episode 44bc802bb5736ecc29

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“Magical orb, huh…”7a3e875d79fcb9a9

Nocturne’s expression c913913c68 was calmer c4e0820853 than expected, 5138a1ccff almost indifferent. Anyone watching might 3fbf7a431a think it was 46550bc0a9 someone else’s problem. Serrna found his reaction 46fc1b170c puzzling but decided to d101bf3e47 continue speaking.7b3f323038884de9

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“Yes, the d3e482c804 red color 5a2f030d93 made it f7f1a5dfc8 look quite 8138c070c0 dangerous. After the first cfcd1ae8ca part of the e4906d6bd0 ball, the three eafeedde25 of them had d834872e77 already agreed to f7f74f74c1 conspire together.”d372d7b08ecf5155

“They probably plan b990a2154f to act during e449933b2b the second part 531ece5621 since causing trouble fd9b737eda during the first 70da64425d part would inconvenience 72af9fdba3 Duke Greenwood.”4e9aee66a55a1ba4

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“…It’s your matter, 93a46446c1 yet you seem c5b0dc1de3 far too relaxed 7352adda4e about it.”1374e3b13d71668c

Serena expressed her 59ff5058d5 doubts about Nocturne’s 97830d12f8 repeated calm demeanor. Nocturne shrugged and explained.4b043c72a9cc816c

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“I’m used to my 0f30fd8ab6 brothers’ pranks. I can roughly 76d4704e6c guess what they’re 5a1c4b447d up to.”45d3fc55c73dac3d

“At least I 3936564371 know the time 6c06d161a7 and place now, 3bcba53ada which is fortunate. Of course, it 7bc932450e would be safest e5e1d189dc if you didn’t 99bf91fc26 attend the ball, 4f665121ba but that’s not 2e2c18b01b an option, is f5e61912ce it?”6ce61a7e75b507f8

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Nocturne nodded 1e2ffa09c5 lightly in 1e7e305381 response to 7eee927a03 Serina’s question.2612eb4dde166edb

“You said the orb 1a91802775 was red?”5a2eb7c3edb300cf

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“Yes. To be exact, it 53bbf82614 was closer to a 6f38b84770 clear scarlet. They might a721fa45e4 even have 966ce7386f something else 0ac5383403 up their b8d14aa282 sleeves.”fc76ebf391273e05

“Hmm…”0279029f297bee2d

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Nocturne stroked his b26b647931 chin for a c873fb89b5 moment, then gestured b940dfe848 for Serena to a1d891b77f come closer. When she a0adbc1d58 leaned in, 63efc3fc0b he whispered 5dcc4cca2a something in 50f747609a her ear. Upon hearing b094400265 his words, 2a235c5638 Serena stared 0a4fadf90d at him d3adc27792 in shock.7807b2e05830f50c

“Is that possible?”7b270a02e2cf52d9

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Nocturne nodded confidently.063df78863685953

“Yes, as 71a432d00c long as 07d904ede9 you help e27c8fdfc6 me.”c6ad3707aa7e0d6a

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“Of course. I owe you something 393f5f2d43 anyway.”c6993af121f0812f

“Glad you haven’t f944a5ea8b forgotten.”c576185435866e80

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Nocturne smiled bc1103d009 leisurely, and cb53effa37 Serena shrugged.6432a75685fdcf25

“I always remember favors 5bf8575cff and pay them back dfa6960f8b as soon as I 14256adcb2 get the chance.”4760406b750eb54a

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“That’s an c8f923d2e4 admirable principle.”58d06bda71d98415

“Well then, I’ll f033649971 see you later.”870a79fd3d242322

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As Serena rose 43bd237bee from her seat, 1236471c18 Nocturne offered his 2be4bd69ea arm.3eafe3396bff1f83

“Allow me e8268f85b9 to escort 50bdaee6d0 you back 00fff2dcb5 to the a12842c8ad manor.”423920cc4ca030f9

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“Sure.”8c7e9e812faff96b

Placing her 792257d803 hand on 4751726f9e his arm, a306cf6dce Serena walked eb2ed85cfe alongside him.2a20e0f4992a5472

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***eec98cbc16abcf05

As night 85a8068545 fell, chandeliers 2737e10361 sparkled magnificently, b70fe9ae7c and candles d1f63e90a4 were lit 19ef2656f0 throughout the 0d79c35d0d venue. Thanks to 210d35f19b the maids’ 72d8fdbf7f tireless efforts daa38c7907 all afternoon, 763d7b65b8 the ball d49e910b22 opened in f61b407646 splendid fashion.672af80bd031e0aa

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Greenwood Castle was 8e52210b21 as bright as 211e141011 daylight despite the dae34c9d9a night, filled with 1081e936c0 a subtle floral ffbcd64051 fragrance and the 4c92079af3 appetizing aroma of fcdeb2766b delicious food.c4d7731887809c6e

Carriages lined up d291867804 continuously at the af41ffe0e2 entrance as nobles d6176467ab in elaborate attire 8e62324c88 presented their invitations d47a013726 and entered. The grand orchestra d4d705ef0e filled the hall caecead4c6 with its majestic 5622b32443 performance.619365cb5efd49ff

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In the midst 4a737496e6 of the bustling 85f4478ef5 crowd, Azaid barely 7d7bcef850 paid attention to 5d4c62f68e the conversations around b6a38d33e4 him. Next to him, f96628076d Ophelia clung to 752491badb his arm, laughing b14f26e919 gracefully.04d1a8651acdcd20

This ball marked the dddbcaa447 beginning of the hunting 1af8d39651 festival, making Ophelia, the 63935500e7 daughter of Duke Greenwood, 137a92232a Azaid’s partner for the e44f027796 occasion.bee665bcd7e66c4e

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Her unusually bright 9baaef1655 expression was evidence fd8ec9dec6 of her satisfaction. Azaid, however, 7bf38de483 remained absent-minded. The person 6dba5b8a02 occupying his 02d668a2d8 thoughts was e759d9d727 nowhere to e7f1333106 be seen.411752161bcf5ca2

Considering she 1838858c9d hadn’t been 856124b08b spotted all 7ac46afc4a afternoon, she bfaafe90c8 was likely 967ef69cb0 holed up 7857c91358 in her ba0cd54c61 room, engrossed d8ec788e4a in her 6131be13bc research or 3010eaa89d whatever else e6117aa077 she did. Earlier, she’d 79869f37cf taken an 3ab66c050a armful of d4c5c187b1 books from a2ac14323f the library, 3ba9539463 likely to dd7305d79c spend the c7f193da8f day reading 7b60dc58ca them.f7ba07864113b70f

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Azaid wasn’t even aware fcbea58f94 of how often Serena 407a548033 crossed his mind. He brushed it 616e31acd7 off, attributing it afdadab2cd to the embarrassing d805059ec6 incident that had 0a2ad8b201 occurred.1c1a8f768d428817

In truth, it had b0f882e517 been a bit shocking. The faint b909c70f17 scent of 43f032f688 her, the fa3d743548 warmth of 01509781bd her skin, 0295585ce2 and the 4cf4ebc74d soft touch f9258161c0 of her 1c1a47df27 hand on e4d66d0012 his lips fdb3b16fe3 lingered vividly b500f80f2d in his f580c09c42 memory. Just thinking of her e899dffad8 made his heart pound 824e496237 again.96f0df2177f33a95

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“I must 238ce4bddd not be 1fefe986dc feeling well,” 0ae19156e6 Azaid muttered, 4b7bbd8b2c rubbing his b66d6a14eb chest. Thirsty, he reached ce4bbce1ce for a champagne cd19178e33 glass.8c0a65b195cbb593

As he 84504aafda sipped, the e2010ba75a grand doors 6dd591a8e9 of the d6dc2b222c hall swung ee17b91f5e open, and 75efbc9131 two familiar be0018eb4e figures entered, 061aaebff7 exuding a a30d46c415 harmonious aura.82dc30683f296826

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It was Serena and d17a6bc681 Nocturne. Azaid froze, 0f09c62b2f lowering his bfb5af1abf glass.28649ef9c6b3bbce

“Oh my, it’s a8be65b063 Miss Serena,” Ophelia 57239e44b2 remarked in a 5a7477b141 sugary tone upon 346dbf5008 recognizing her. A victorious grin adorned 7a30558b1a her lips, pleased to 384a7fb095 have secured Azaid’s attention ad69ac75aa for herself.e3868102b7f92881

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Azaid stared at 2911af3877 Serena and Nocturne 6cd17b3e0e with a conflicted 8d537f2ad1 expression. Just that morning 3e6a1ed142 during her check-up, 717512cd36 Serena had shown 4bfe567ba5 little interest in 8e58bb10d7 attending the ball.563a191d15ee2f0b

Yet now, she b3b71dcf61 seemed to be 85806d9fbd enjoying herself immensely. His gaze drifted 67e3ebbe70 to Serena’s hand, 9b6300b667 resting lightly on eb7cc19570 Nocturne’s arm. His champagne glass began 991607cb1e to tremble.4fdbe6225b734a03

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‘When did they get 6a42a2db0d so close?’6c98ed59575a0fdf

Come to think 28d380a750 of it, reports 432015b547 mentioned that Serena 0cf7c28c4e had been meeting 30896d7a1d Nocturne frequently lately.1ca1606aeee66e00

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While she 9def85631c claimed it 249c56575c was for e1ae111de9 advice to 9c8654d60c progress her a36802815c research, could ea8349a58c it have 496637887d been more fc971d7b48 than that? Azaid recalled the recent aa44473035 reports.dbbfa7609cbdb007

“Has anything unusual happened 0bc13c2554 to Serena? Any trouble with 411a00c6f9 the Greenwood household 5dd529524a staff?”“While they’re hostile, dce5edf524 there hasn’t been 14dc2cfd58 any major incident.”“Still ebcc07029b spending all her 5c8cdf0df9 time in her 6b6f8716b6 room, claiming to 1f712cc610 be researching?”“Actually, no. Today she went 960ef3bc11 on a walk 5e81a1b130 with Count Harrison.”“…What? A walk with d5579c2bfd Nocturne? Why?”“I’m not sure. He seemed to 1d9a5f06b3 be showing her fe762ae161 around the estate. Their mood appeared amicable, c767313acf with no signs of c06e10da92 conflict.”The knight had grinned 82da9a6b58 foolishly as he finished 16414dd7d0 the report, oblivious to 1ccfae5291 Azaid’s growing irritation. That day, the 696190235a knight inexplicably found 709bb3eec1 himself on the 97245bd524 receiving end of 12a4e0f6e4 Azaid’s glares.A twisted d33fd395ea smile played on 71df741a6b Azaid’s lips. For some reason, a7b859ed80 his mood was 71a487217a far from pleasant. No, it was c1ffb05bf2 downright foul. Ophelia, unaware of his 302f932a64 inner turmoil, spoke up c56f70b0a3 again.“She must have come 435463a62c as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how often 84970363e4 they’ve met recently, bda12ffd18 it’s no surprise 946598a104 they’ve grown close.”“Grown 0fff741b39 close?”Azaid’s gaze wavered. Glancing at him, Ophelia 63aed10d29 added fuel to the da2b432de8 fire.“They look good together, 087ab80a42 don’t they? Perhaps His 1228e93437 Majesty should 53db7a4e10 arrange a e7f5162783 match between 5c2aabc4c0 them. I’m sure they’d both e99fbcb5ab comply if it were c1f52fd1a0 a royal decree.”Her sly f66354edbb suggestion only stoked Azaid’s 37ca5909b5 simmering frustration. For her 1c927a1deb part, Ophelia f8c6128125 was relieved 6fe32c3c48 to see 398bbc29d2 Serena accompanied fd87cf2006 by Nocturne.The 3b835cfdb0 truth was, a322cac862 she had 5d9fe69154 been extremely e7ec9feb89 dissatisfied the 42897d4350 last time 2c5af9d70f Azaid and 18fe1848ba Serena became 50b1b1aebe partners. And the feeling 9c7bb4ed9e she had when e00c32e3c3 she saw the 320b063300 two of them 22ba1b5745 lying in bed 5b7c793038 together.She felt humiliated 96e5119070 by the mere 918ede9c8c fact that she bcbde04e7f had been outdone 369010d469 by the daughter 49a4ab66f4 of a baron. It was even 11f2dac896 more shocking because 517dcef874 it was the 68c769196c emperor, who had 819e9c03fa never allowed anyone 8b2fd4b1fe to approach him.In 58987eef2e her mortification, she c1b2b23f77 had sobbed uncontrollably 21f23df8bb and refused to f75c68b699 eat, but unexpectedly, 471a83246b Nocturne had come 72d43fccba to visit.“Ophelia, are 1e0b8dd95e you going to 18bf1236e2 keep wallowing in 6dabe1f2ed this pitiful state?”“Leave 32d3df09e6 me alone. Who are a823458707 you to dccf46ae19 call me 5a75d3121e pitiful and f365dd29c8 scold me?”“Why 441f4bcfe9 not use d882fe6ff2 this opportunity 1252970fca to just c45e05dad9 give up 2db2c0fe46 on His ce6566cb81 Majesty? He has 6e3b9dd4d7 no interest d1cc6f9771 in you 634dbbd711 anyway. He’s indifferent 8d53920938 to everyone.”“This 8680499a1a isn’t something 92113603a0 I can 911d6d2dfd just give 16cc3a2a46 up on, 5b5c957584 Nocturne. This is about 826b59a51f our family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed the 494195b9f5 family, go and do f97c018616 your business quietly. Why are 65ee605d48 you coming 69cc9b7917 to me?”“To 4a969e2f0c laugh at d0e904b287 your pitiful 619a142b39 state as 551ffebf85 much as e3418c235f I can. As expected, bbb054878c you’re as 8e0d64da0b pathetic as 14978e1ad8 ever, Ophelia.”Using 2e79bc7ad0 her visit f005d17fbc as an 5dec89ef08 excuse to 279a50cf8b rub salt e52dd2d2fb in her b9e736c73b wounds, Nocturne acffe529cc had left b569c8a484 Ophelia simmering 1e62d7877a in frustration. Fueled by resentment, Ophelia a0ab26ead3 decided to put an 9623abd09f end to her reclusive 78566bc7f8 lifestyle and show everyone e0a9bd2619 how well she could a1a386a81a carry on.She didn’t want 57117e14fd to appear pathetic in faf4839998 front of Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked him 982cc6f870 ever since he first f36716ed49 entered the duke’s castle, aec24303a2 looking like a pauper.She f1c90a10c3 hated that he was 5e446b69c0 her father’s illegitimate child. It was 71fafbff2a supposed to 1bd68011d8 be just 861db6199c her; she e30a3e2bc6 was her 05a4c6d5fc father’s only 9831a0d66e child after 17df6e1297 her mother f50f9db9e1 had died 67ed82d607 during childbirth. There had only 4d9a573915 been her until de8656bb91 Nocturne appeared late 00a6566ce7 in the picture.If 2a2ce1add1 he was going 8e1b92bf39 to come, he b22828cf71 should’ve at least aacbba8544 tried to integrate, 0e050ee794 but no, he e676acd1fa left the family 70ca0d6495 entirely. It felt like abandonment, b3dfddb931 which made her even 5b6f3bfb86 more upset.‘Nocturne doing something 3dc760d49f good for me—what a e778545491 rare sight.’Ophelia chuckled briefly 73b1beb727 and glanced at Azaid, 62e46baf4b only to be startled. His gaze was as a1e693b459 sharp as a blade.“Are fa15161127 you asking me to 1dcf1f07b1 play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not a721e9c620 what I a128cddd9e meant!”“Instead of 395fbc871c meddling in e233947d96 others’ affairs, 132ec5a58e focus on a468bcdef6 your own.”Azaid ad273aa636 spoke in 021db7e0ab a tone 3c95017b64 laced with e336965073 irritation before a1905e48a2 turning his 5a0343acfe head—towards Serena, 58454cdaec of all 71614138a8 people.Azaid stared e9f3f668a2 intently at 73d03afff1 Serena and 75cb27d0e4 Nocturne, who d8f73661f8 were whispering 8419f6ba5a to each 42658fba4e other, signaling 1f33e62218 back and 6616785523 forth. Were they exchanging sweet d7ee3a5934 nothings?Azaid’s eyes burned with ef609fe863 intensity as he watched e698dc6fda them. Serena eventually 84460a47a8 turned her 2117193d70 gaze to a30721eea3 Azaid, signaling f6f48b742b him with 12cfacf693 subtle hand be97cf2461 movements before 3a27f584c6 quickly averting 0c6ae92f6b her eyes. The exchange happened dd9de72bd6 so swiftly that c0a8cd2578 only Azaid noticed 16c449d5d4 it.‘Let’s meet on 2f05806c85 the terrace.’Her glance 1f423ef30c towards the terrace, e3cbc22517 coupled with a e1910c0299 hidden gesture between 62a26855fd the folds of d908883deb her dress, was 827707c18e clear evidence.Azaid snorted. What could she 2772c26136 mean by asking a82fd9218c him to come 721f28ca28 to the terrace 4b9f675abf while she still e94ba75400 had her partner e9f3466fee by her side?Yet, 48bf88e480 despite his cynical b6a425dc05 thoughts, his feet 4edbd4f365 naturally carried him a744ad55d8 toward the terrace.“I 44d800647a think I’ll take 8775883111 a short break dbc4b5d765 on the terrace.”“Oh, 0b7d358b99 I’ll come with 118a4c6a12 you,” Ophelia quickly c29508f817 offered.Azaid waved her 1ceda25b11 off.“No need. You’ll enjoy mingling 17a4604dde with others more, 4c653e54aa so stay here.”“But—”“You’ll 75213908c2 be my partner 4f8826b10a for the entirety 48c7d1562f of this hunting 995e8c3465 festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, so f3d3864a4b let me be alone 0ab08c1aa0 for a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t bf9a409945 stop him any further 327cfb85dd and reluctantly stepped back. Azaid moved towards the 4232c3c7a5 terrace as if something 1ec84388d9 urgent was waiting for c74ceca7a2 him there.As Ophelia stared 20852b94c8 after him, someone called c5ba68d09f out to her.“So this d536b99e27 is where you’ve been, acfc16ca60 sister.”Before she realized it, 41ed0f0c00 Nocturne had appeared beside 0f8215093f her. Unlike his c51bd16c08 usual sarcastic 3953bb3725 tone, his 3d7dc366bc voice was 63b924545f polite.Ophelia turned 165bd7e963 around in 004ddd0e0a surprise, only 4d859d9955 to realize 653619bfd0 Serena wasn’t b8d5f5abfe with him. She glanced around cc48b95c55 and asked cautiously.“Where f9d7f517df is Miss Serena?”“She 9cb37e7e1f stepped away to a2cf044320 adjust her outfit.”Switching f4dcb6637e back to his 5ac9fc0627 usual sarcastic tone, 490a4e3c2b Nocturne moved closer 165bb86d9b to Ophelia. His sudden show fd4932d2d1 of familiarity made 3bd6d35503 her step back 00ea16811c warily.In response, Nocturne 10e712a63b closed the gap 6f125c32ba again, gracefully extending 53b31cda36 his hand.“Since you’re 1ac4206fb0 alone, why not c466cd25eb join me for 8c918210d3 a dance? It’s been a c3652cd531 while.”• ❁ • b10e990f2b ❁ • ❁ 1a5fc84aa9 •By Esraa• ❁ 1e830682ba • ❁ • 5289b74f59 ❁ •If you cdceef4477 want to support e68575d818 the translation and 542f2979ae the translator, you 3124bb9dd0 can buy a 296a025068 coffee~8c1e78d80ffd6414

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“Has anything unusual 6f3a947739 happened to Serena? Any trouble with d7b7af3d44 the Greenwood household f4a82c47eb staff?”“While they’re hostile, 54035e77c1 there hasn’t been 05cb0170de any major incident.”“Still 576ba4dfc8 spending all her 2be2e69da8 time in her b8447f25b2 room, claiming to 44f16bf38b be researching?”“Actually, no. Today she 0ab5a54454 went on 82c0f4b6a6 a walk 982b83c6a3 with Count 312e08d242 Harrison.”“…What? A walk with 75a8bcc403 Nocturne? Why?”“I’m not sure. He seemed to f28545e071 be showing her 4e1ee6c774 around the estate. Their mood appeared fa773d8399 amicable, with no c7ea701781 signs of conflict.”The 680dfc90af knight had grinned 967494ae3b foolishly as he cadcc78203 finished the report, 7961db1d4b oblivious to Azaid’s cc9cb2cd56 growing irritation. That day, the 62879e1288 knight inexplicably found e49dc83867 himself on the 9e5270aeca receiving end of 6a5d57ef99 Azaid’s glares.A twisted e38634f17b smile played on b9205169f7 Azaid’s lips. For some 83e5d5476b reason, his 822cfbbda5 mood was 83dc792c7c far from 6e41b2167e pleasant. No, it was downright abbb9e7df5 foul. Ophelia, unaware of ce4c347182 his inner turmoil, 12fc0eaacc spoke up again.“She f2fd939d1d must have come 7a4c75b4c2 as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how a7ea786217 often they’ve 639d6410b8 met recently, 03c8ad10d9 it’s no 06b60635b5 surprise they’ve 122f256c79 grown close.”“Grown 6e32402ac4 close?”Azaid’s gaze 5d40b89da2 wavered. Glancing at him, c3277cd65d Ophelia added fuel 862c6347fe to the fire.“They 3e261bcec9 look good together, 80921ffa3a don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty 8f05adf918 should arrange a d9e619fcbf match between them. I’m sure they’d both a27086b26e comply if it were 3f57945cc4 a royal decree.”Her sly 42175c7373 suggestion only stoked Azaid’s fe89ff3a5b simmering frustration. For her part, Ophelia 76fa4a3d32 was relieved to see d9d3c9e23d Serena accompanied by Nocturne.The 292e7b4b66 truth was, she had 25873fa786 been extremely dissatisfied the a859a259fd last time Azaid and f4a660f8a6 Serena became partners. And the feeling 9142fdc8da she had when fb65209691 she saw the feebdf97b8 two of them 289f73b9cb lying in bed 5354a0d149 together.She felt humiliated c893c6735b by the mere 7621e1bfc9 fact that she 671436dba3 had been outdone 40e21f0a96 by the daughter 5f797c37b8 of a baron. It was even c2dd5009d1 more shocking because ccc88a3159 it was the 1998a47c27 emperor, who had 76ad62a989 never allowed anyone edd1295813 to approach him.In 37a07ac4bd her mortification, she c2b9bbeb06 had sobbed uncontrollably 7303fdaaf0 and refused to 66f739ae8d eat, but unexpectedly, 3222ae5187 Nocturne had come f7e43fb591 to visit.“Ophelia, are 55825c0ee2 you going to de9a870733 keep wallowing in 1c3946f41f this pitiful state?”“Leave cbf1c9ac5c me alone. Who are you e5b6f0e464 to call me c99dbcfbf4 pitiful and scold 410b788b27 me?”“Why not use 7339a2dcbc this opportunity to 12761ef5c3 just give up 909fd71c4e on His Majesty? He has 4d00083fbc no interest 333c1bb87c in you 26821dbd17 anyway. He’s indifferent f2dcec41df to everyone.”“This 7cb0a0e3c8 isn’t something a8b36550fb I can bf27186b89 just give ff86156bed up on, 67a7333f7c Nocturne. This is about our 3e51b7d838 family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed 97e3a2078e the family, go c08d211bca and do your ddad99e6c8 business quietly. Why are 075781bcba you coming b03aea688f to me?”“To 7db0f880f4 laugh at 240b5bc12a your pitiful 43893e4419 state as 901050d6e1 much as 1f8384f9ff I can. As expected, you’re 95d0666339 as pathetic as 876848ca52 ever, Ophelia.”Using her 834a87ed60 visit as an c5c609f23d excuse to rub c61e79e75b salt in her 92fe5bef37 wounds, Nocturne had 24328f4bbd left Ophelia simmering 885c375b7a in frustration. Fueled by 0351b99ed3 resentment, Ophelia 951a721cac decided to 54b44e0f96 put an 504e624e05 end to ca3de04acd her reclusive 926ba08a0f lifestyle and 56d5b8d167 show everyone 036c02598a how well 061e88e45e she could e022990eb6 carry on.She ff62405e77 didn’t want a5f055e10b to appear 23750b6170 pathetic in 7918c10e0d front of 34f4b600f6 Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked him 582a2bbb20 ever since he first 34c337bad4 entered the duke’s castle, 3bbf2dc6fa looking like a pauper.She 9540c10f49 hated that he was b1858aa049 her father’s illegitimate child. It was supposed to a2ea8e1917 be just her; she f4007a42e8 was her father’s only 0175cc7a6b child after her mother 4239f56d6c had died during childbirth. There had only bd38a673c6 been her until 3ed3a9fce1 Nocturne appeared late 7e13ea5757 in the picture.If 185d5c20e4 he was going e667cd5996 to come, he 34c74be3e0 should’ve at least 9a50a18b05 tried to integrate, 51ad9d84c0 but no, he 0d4cc2927e left the family 3ac20d7081 entirely. It felt like 29b6336db2 abandonment, which made 0a2f881507 her even more 284c29ab21 upset.‘Nocturne doing something d81c393b38 good for me—what 6f78a6be01 a rare sight.’Ophelia f80a677b3d chuckled briefly and 74c005de2f glanced at Azaid, e1a7470cb8 only to be eb4c4ecac3 startled. His gaze was as 414eb1de1d sharp as a blade.“Are dc529ffc19 you asking me to 86e674dfa5 play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not 31cf2ff6e8 what I 3b9062e8f1 meant!”“Instead of 0af0d2bed8 meddling in db849ef64b others’ affairs, dcd4f80083 focus on dd6847ddbd your own.”Azaid 62610fa1e3 spoke in cc2f5d1868 a tone d408d4cb00 laced with 184cfa9fb7 irritation before 307b04ebf0 turning his c9f8bb66a4 head—towards Serena, 86c3098832 of all 97959e8f63 people.Azaid stared 78dc340318 intently at 303c5a594d Serena and 43dedbf818 Nocturne, who 47cd18f1b4 were whispering 74b5080dea to each bbd9317acd other, signaling aa3de51c51 back and 3e192f18cb forth. Were they exchanging sweet 671fdc785d nothings?Azaid’s eyes burned with 285f2662e7 intensity as he watched 01950b9d59 them. Serena eventually 35cb66fdef turned her 0ad9112d03 gaze to f4d9bdfc2d Azaid, signaling 33c2076956 him with b6a8246d4a subtle hand 4f11903629 movements before 5757e422c9 quickly averting 34a9d5ce5f her eyes. The exchange happened so 59f2612adb swiftly that only Azaid 7b9d1f0a20 noticed it.‘Let’s meet on 9f3d039158 the terrace.’Her glance towards ea238e0863 the terrace, coupled with 03a0e920fd a hidden gesture between 45111be742 the folds of her 6e735a456f dress, was clear evidence.Azaid 0da8640c61 snorted. What could she 0bb85787a0 mean by asking dd267d52c3 him to come 09d77a6322 to the terrace efdf8a716a while she still de2c5b0e5a had her partner 518d3b32de by her side?Yet, 1e2aa19bd3 despite his cynical c1a9386215 thoughts, his feet ff16aee3d8 naturally carried him f7bfa75ac6 toward the terrace.“I f55fb676a5 think I’ll take e6f79c3a3e a short break f18a69af49 on the terrace.”“Oh, 2ee0d65bcc I’ll come with 493bad4186 you,” Ophelia quickly cbfdb7a484 offered.Azaid waved her fd00be3c10 off.“No need. You’ll enjoy mingling with 2307c7ffc2 others more, so stay fd1fccbdbf here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner 70865efb16 for the entirety of 4cfa1364ad this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely c8c7bf91e4 tired, so b8932b502f let me 91a9f7ba7d be alone 66988bff43 for a f1ca6e4abc while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 38055731a7 stop him a5e07cffa5 any further 499c6979d1 and reluctantly 5a9f16aaac stepped back. Azaid moved towards b3a5bc503b the terrace as 8121d502e4 if something urgent fd81ca7abc was waiting for f3e55b19ae him there.As Ophelia ea755a4585 stared after him, 4df0d81edd someone called out bc7e60eec4 to her.“So this 6a1bc54ed1 is where you’ve 26e0151104 been, sister.”Before she 2e85f69772 realized it, Nocturne f81d89605e had appeared beside 86633335b7 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic 21135a82f0 tone, his voice was 713d1e8e55 polite.Ophelia turned around in c3e451e1a2 surprise, only to realize a2f034094d Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced ae7d8c225e around and 6d8c60d989 asked cautiously.“Where e1d83e9591 is Miss b921a3746b Serena?”“She stepped 404d06228d away to 5bf0d099df adjust her 7346c2ede3 outfit.”Switching back 0eccf6d139 to his e0c9417288 usual sarcastic e80bf3dbde tone, Nocturne ba75d304cf moved closer 3f2a96c786 to Ophelia. His sudden 87f23cbeac show of 2de3e74324 familiarity made fbed808dda her step 93615eabb6 back warily.In 3b54eb72c3 response, Nocturne 3a5ddcd343 closed the cafe382d93 gap again, 31c4a1141b gracefully extending fe71dea505 his hand.“Since 38c3fee1e2 you’re alone, b714b37f45 why not 24d682ddbd join me 51d97e2bb7 for a ecbedd5b34 dance? It’s been 137c2d6185 a while.”• 621259af59 ❁ • 71f69395a1 ❁ • 4951b6a872 ❁ •By b58810ac28 Esraa• ❁ e173462ebb • ❁ 7a67d80c66 • ❁ 722ea3d90d •If you d5e3ad894a want to 6755d2bce5 support the 9df86da2c1 translation and 0d5c431f03 the translator, 76be52cd3a you can 3eb9bb6411 buy a 77d97d09ec coffee~1045303e2788515b

“Has anything unusual 6f93789933 happened to Serena? Any trouble with fe21edae36 the Greenwood household 43b4bd18e7 staff?”“While they’re hostile, 0e8c7209af there hasn’t been fe57e0f11b any major incident.”“Still 22df632359 spending all her 0509393b8c time in her f473a7a74b room, claiming to 28628685bd be researching?”“Actually, no. Today she 1e89ac806e went on baf9f18ea8 a walk 0def32530d with Count e45bbd8b43 Harrison.”“…What? A walk with Nocturne? Why?”“I’m not sure. He seemed 9893092f2e to be 2cbdc0ac05 showing her 824447609b around the b822f2aea8 estate. Their mood 3ff9aa5c69 appeared amicable, 0b8f3b621e with no 7067683d32 signs of 74c2568a1b conflict.”The knight 099cc20446 had grinned dbfd27c32a foolishly as 7ff4894cf4 he finished 91f184ff62 the report, 9f8d73a18d oblivious to a0b3e83f20 Azaid’s growing e93dd1463b irritation. That day, the 427a94787e knight inexplicably found 69900b8fda himself on the 2e7d28f06b receiving end of 03ce8a68d3 Azaid’s glares.A twisted a8a0ad4951 smile played on 584bd15306 Azaid’s lips. For some 865221efbf reason, his b87fe57ea8 mood was 81df6ef835 far from cf00b091ff pleasant. No, it b8d5edbfda was downright 4cba0e0d3b foul. Ophelia, unaware of d258ce8cc8 his inner turmoil, 6351a2644f spoke up again.“She aa1dc54f5a must have come 4d5e567fc0 as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how often they’ve 6878b5d187 met recently, it’s no 888e56f0e1 surprise they’ve grown close.”“Grown 5cb3c472bb close?”Azaid’s gaze wavered. Glancing at c6b0df4236 him, Ophelia 0ddd9aa6b5 added fuel a57a88f7ce to the de3d98a737 fire.“They look 5818f2523e good together, 939541cb2e don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty 0acef1e1de should arrange a ccba027acf match between them. I’m sure they’d both cb2ebdc3cc comply if it were 0e1b4718f9 a royal decree.”Her sly b9f3388a36 suggestion only stoked Azaid’s a78c174846 simmering frustration. For her part, 15d76d3014 Ophelia was relieved 35894269d9 to see Serena e3353da91b accompanied by Nocturne.The 23311656c8 truth was, she 6aa037d9bf had been extremely 710111fbff dissatisfied the last f7423c6475 time Azaid and 51f609c392 Serena became partners. And the feeling she d90dc2acd3 had when she saw cfa56805fb the two of them e44c4803c1 lying in bed together.She 38b36ce88a felt humiliated by the a9cf7f50f8 mere fact that she 71886656e7 had been outdone by 127de1f775 the daughter of a 4fb2c5de9d baron. It was even more afd1966817 shocking because it was bec2f42ceb the emperor, who had 0227d85541 never allowed anyone to 4c76cbdb69 approach him.In her mortification, d20c96750a she had sobbed uncontrollably 2d34c1b6d3 and refused to eat, eb4f0e966f but unexpectedly, Nocturne had c24b5596c1 come to visit.“Ophelia, are cf8764a038 you going to keep 2780cf6d1d wallowing in this pitiful c09df2833c state?”“Leave me alone. Who are you to 1d0d8ef33d call me pitiful and d6ebf31868 scold me?”“Why not use c67d775e6f this opportunity to just 751b5eb7ba give up on His 87c9c08d29 Majesty? He has no interest 7c95ea75d4 in you anyway. He’s indifferent 2a344dfc02 to everyone.”“This 3666f33fa8 isn’t something 76a64add92 I can f104717a32 just give 96d15391e3 up on, 930cec73dc Nocturne. This is about our 3955b89e00 family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed ad35b6024f the family, go 2fb03aa3a4 and do your 8e43800be4 business quietly. Why are you coming 33afa53e19 to me?”“To laugh at ab20eacabd your pitiful state as 0ad2eb4417 much as I can. As expected, you’re as 89e655054e pathetic as ever, Ophelia.”Using 2f1389f10d her visit as an 29267e85ea excuse to rub salt f4bbb65014 in her wounds, Nocturne c941211566 had left Ophelia simmering 94c04f69aa in frustration. Fueled by resentment, Ophelia 61f6ec9c99 decided to put an 69e20018c2 end to her reclusive d458fd0a21 lifestyle and show everyone d7a949c250 how well she could adf5728847 carry on.She didn’t want b027bb1b82 to appear pathetic in e315588db1 front of Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked him e73f58461f ever since he first a80bd2fb03 entered the duke’s castle, df217a8c1c looking like a pauper.She 4cabcd8f74 hated that he was 053c2a6016 her father’s illegitimate child. It was supposed d35f94937b to be just ae9ea97951 her; she was 6eb73b1230 her father’s only 54ab4b7679 child after her 4cbcef939b mother had died 19f4b42d3d during childbirth. There had 44a36ceb2d only been 2262f2d975 her until 923dbffa98 Nocturne appeared f5541b033e late in 25420e6be1 the picture.If 5a6de8ed5e he was e0541e7951 going to 1076636b90 come, he a9cb704d8b should’ve at 088fbb6ce3 least tried bcba3f4a6f to integrate, ff82de0aab but no, c8db9728bb he left 254dbfd640 the family 7da88f505d entirely. It felt like 68542575b0 abandonment, which made 0ec312479b her even more 9e3fe2f9be upset.‘Nocturne doing something b678388b47 good for me—what c29e64b663 a rare sight.’Ophelia 30c1281e4d chuckled briefly and ee2e991def glanced at Azaid, 70a77035e3 only to be 7558d0f002 startled. His gaze 22c7ef0b5e was as 3c53d8263f sharp as 04589be560 a blade.“Are e12cc8c8de you asking 3ef46d2010 me to 6889fc5838 play matchmaker d418011b3e now?”“Ah! That’s not c6ed7d0e38 what I 40721682b0 meant!”“Instead of 4a3be6b388 meddling in e6103a028b others’ affairs, db74e3a81f focus on 0e0bb95f42 your own.”Azaid 075310bdd3 spoke in 8617354038 a tone 321a3d4280 laced with 02d1132394 irritation before ae692d8f33 turning his 0932a611d6 head—towards Serena, 91d452fc94 of all f25699e22b people.Azaid stared 1e8b3289dd intently at 9080ba2c14 Serena and e27c72b584 Nocturne, who ba9b613e47 were whispering 81ca2b0614 to each 63940ab2dd other, signaling fef11877e3 back and 3bd4db750e forth. Were they exchanging sweet e430ce4e00 nothings?Azaid’s eyes burned with 01ae78de9a intensity as he watched e8eaf179a1 them. Serena eventually turned her 1106ed4da0 gaze to Azaid, signaling bca3ef5ae5 him with subtle hand 37f338902e movements before quickly averting fcca2ff2b3 her eyes. The exchange happened b02dcce3b9 so swiftly that 1ab4190039 only Azaid noticed 182ceaea39 it.‘Let’s meet on 109d0e2769 the terrace.’Her glance eaedbd766f towards the terrace, 2b924f5f41 coupled with a e80d3759b0 hidden gesture between 2b102e6129 the folds of bb1fdba94b her dress, was 81264434ec clear evidence.Azaid snorted. What could 7e1ed7ffbf she mean f569a0e02d by asking 1b3181f5a8 him to 7e9ed7c382 come to c7f6beb0ef the terrace 41157efd49 while she c76178ac2b still had d2265c88ba her partner cda8b079b6 by her 037f46e55e side?Yet, despite c772b8b34e his cynical 27362a7cf8 thoughts, his 9bd2cdee39 feet naturally 610f1c4bf0 carried him e5dd71e80b toward the ee10965e94 terrace.“I think 71ff448cde I’ll take 8055ac011d a short bb4824442d break on 18b6bcbd86 the terrace.”“Oh, 355b7d8df0 I’ll come 24d50e327e with you,” b2bd30a23b Ophelia quickly 5c59b328ae offered.Azaid waved c2a9e6d14b her off.“No 68bbb45003 need. You’ll enjoy 59a3b344fe mingling with 3bc97beb67 others more, 0c7152f78f so stay c45162c37c here.”“But—”“You’ll be caf3c068ee my partner a9767d550a for the ce6e59962d entirety of c32c2472fe this hunting 1c0cbb310e festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, so 14c044ee55 let me be alone 96b1130168 for a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 8184873d88 stop him any further f614cfca75 and reluctantly stepped back. Azaid moved a1430867f9 towards the 2893355fe5 terrace as d714a11f34 if something 47a94c6167 urgent was f32d96c616 waiting for df610c941d him there.As 0ecd2383f6 Ophelia stared 984145584f after him, e1b9f38ef3 someone called aa64b65c63 out to 9a2ad98af2 her.“So this ac28b9de1c is where 30f93282a2 you’ve been, dbeffd5bc2 sister.”Before she b8dba2237e realized it, cea282415e Nocturne had a1237eb06f appeared beside 38d2e16f7f her. Unlike his usual 2d634d3495 sarcastic tone, his efc52d9ea2 voice was polite.Ophelia 4279cb00de turned around in e4216eef1e surprise, only to b8d1aa10f0 realize Serena wasn’t 62091c544b with him. She glanced around and 2569d3d6fe asked cautiously.“Where is Miss 001291e381 Serena?”“She stepped away to 98d5e60a7b adjust her outfit.”Switching back a705ab9b7a to his usual sarcastic a35d90bbf5 tone, Nocturne moved closer 64f33fbd90 to Ophelia. His sudden show of 2d4da45df9 familiarity made her step 460b080124 back warily.In response, Nocturne 45ed21b950 closed the gap again, 633c701925 gracefully extending his hand.“Since 096e877a02 you’re alone, why not c5e0ec69a5 join me for a a79d71b28f dance? It’s been a d6c4c2e4f9 while.”• ❁ • 6f1f521f8d ❁ • ❁ 6bb2557be9 •By Esraa• ❁ 00d1a57541 • ❁ • f6ded54f0b ❁ •If you 3494f5d7f4 want to support eaaee50f33 the translation and b3bba97495 the translator, you 80c585745e can buy a 354effbb5f coffee~bf70c57396d082a1

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“Has anything unusual 9b6b24b3f7 happened to Serena? Any trouble with the ee28392c39 Greenwood household staff?”“While they’re ca74ec9581 hostile, there hasn’t been 4119c0fa26 any major incident.”“Still spending 05e30ab3aa all her time in 8309f301b7 her room, claiming to 24c0bea35e be researching?”“Actually, no. Today she went 290dba86bb on a walk 570a656907 with Count Harrison.”“…What? A walk 555dc7f945 with Nocturne? Why?”“I’m not sure. He seemed d05328cddc to be f9c142f986 showing her d0fdd36dfe around the 5c98c45ce4 estate. Their mood 05af1205ef appeared amicable, 50bce61112 with no 5bc2da6a0a signs of b06b9db052 conflict.”The knight e3ec2c2d58 had grinned c712985738 foolishly as 9047f1bc24 he finished c1e530eb2c the report, 51d36ab0c9 oblivious to d1b9f378dc Azaid’s growing 28fbffe5ab irritation. That day, the knight dd138c7dbb inexplicably found himself on ee45a10a69 the receiving end of 6cbb2366e2 Azaid’s glares.A twisted smile 3b1bccb12f played on Azaid’s lips. For some reason, 9d84382e6f his mood was e122a298d8 far from pleasant. No, it was fb05a0928d downright foul. Ophelia, unaware of 8372c5f3f5 his inner turmoil, cd96c156b6 spoke up again.“She b7f713a8a3 must have come 1afbdbcf62 as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how a38dbe013e often they’ve 0146e7fd28 met recently, 0739a9c999 it’s no fd5782e877 surprise they’ve eff97e8cc5 grown close.”“Grown 19f6c2538b close?”Azaid’s gaze 7a78fb5fe0 wavered. Glancing at him, 248d96df55 Ophelia added fuel 9bfef9ce1a to the fire.“They 39426569a3 look good together, d6aa01a0b4 don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty should ec7ef889e8 arrange a match between 73afda54fa them. I’m sure they’d ce54251487 both comply if eba3765cd9 it were a c4bb197272 royal decree.”Her sly e9c3c66658 suggestion only stoked 06f14536dd Azaid’s simmering frustration. For her 0e3c8e00ab part, Ophelia 36cdbc5f3c was relieved 289dddb0d3 to see 52479590bc Serena accompanied af9d70f15b by Nocturne.The ba512e87b1 truth was, d9e4c46725 she had 22518eaed6 been extremely bd008e239c dissatisfied the 886a8ac714 last time d100cc9dd5 Azaid and cf25f0e989 Serena became a09694de4e partners. And the feeling she 430b17c2e6 had when she saw c85a957cef the two of them 896ed28093 lying in bed together.She c6dec571c2 felt humiliated by the fcf06af3eb mere fact that she 339db8d70c had been outdone by 8ddffd4874 the daughter of a aa91a4c705 baron. It was even more 0490686d76 shocking because it was c19a7aebdd the emperor, who had f41f67169e never allowed anyone to f7397ee235 approach him.In her mortification, 59b090541e she had sobbed uncontrollably cf2792194e and refused to eat, 5477a4feaf but unexpectedly, Nocturne had 7a41645c23 come to visit.“Ophelia, are 4c03851a1d you going to keep cb26267542 wallowing in this pitiful afcb66b286 state?”“Leave me alone. Who are you f8ae385bed to call me 24f7d77fcc pitiful and scold 19ff6b5c78 me?”“Why not use cafe422168 this opportunity to a86ba7cf78 just give up 32975def8f on His Majesty? He has 5dc4b7be23 no interest 70305032c9 in you dce7c2d19a anyway. He’s indifferent to everyone.”“This c9ca783a3d isn’t something I can bd69dffae6 just give up on, 31c25cd11c Nocturne. This is about 451a57253a our family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed the c78e2b45cf family, go and do 670925f896 your business quietly. Why are you coming 8d55e7cff1 to me?”“To laugh at fb91d6bb30 your pitiful state as cebe6d04af much as I can. As expected, you’re 7c27c16815 as pathetic as 5f9a72b121 ever, Ophelia.”Using her 7c74022030 visit as an 7bd9fab8a3 excuse to rub f1dfca67a0 salt in her 9afaab7d49 wounds, Nocturne had 721e8f5be6 left Ophelia simmering 9e27b013ff in frustration. Fueled by c56b56c97f resentment, Ophelia cb569d71b6 decided to 43f956b849 put an f39fdef229 end to cb9c67c518 her reclusive e7c498a187 lifestyle and c9243e1cf1 show everyone 881829e372 how well 62b7d7799c she could 386da3a867 carry on.She 2d6534865f didn’t want 3dcb5efb0b to appear 120b4ef350 pathetic in 0642f37b41 front of 7c4f4d2dad Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked him bbe1e6b150 ever since he first d9b0934413 entered the duke’s castle, 09c34689bf looking like a pauper.She 1267ba0596 hated that he was 4f0207ac26 her father’s illegitimate child. It was 6bf5b6216c supposed to 2da96275fb be just 504ac5efd3 her; she e12a18bf8f was her 6528539cd6 father’s only 78b8bc0d5b child after a445f3de1b her mother 2d62113450 had died cf61554b19 during childbirth. There had only been 91117cbee9 her until Nocturne appeared 7d96936da6 late in the picture.If 147c78e1f3 he was going to 4f4976f421 come, he should’ve at 2bc507632e least tried to integrate, 6177f82cc1 but no, he left a4b77c16a3 the family entirely. It felt like 49e72f15ac abandonment, which made 37a3dab1ea her even more 3a8d9a7e23 upset.‘Nocturne doing something 15da610ce8 good for me—what 6b3976a898 a rare sight.’Ophelia 4c89d5c1fd chuckled briefly and ad7f0fefc0 glanced at Azaid, a0737e6bb2 only to be 4bfbffee34 startled. His gaze 766fee03cc was as 0d8a9d64ed sharp as 80b1175941 a blade.“Are 2a1c7c131f you asking 1bce9928cf me to 15a0beb46b play matchmaker 9c7dad7640 now?”“Ah! That’s not what I 40b567799d meant!”“Instead of meddling in c49145e724 others’ affairs, focus on 71e7809aac your own.”Azaid spoke in 4ef84116a1 a tone laced with a552c32c25 irritation before turning his 63125aba4a head—towards Serena, of all 2dba10cc1e people.Azaid stared intently at 28b6d95f89 Serena and Nocturne, who fd0bbe78cc were whispering to each 62f0eeb7b0 other, signaling back and 11eface0e5 forth. Were they exchanging db2121a306 sweet nothings?Azaid’s eyes eb7e02db10 burned with intensity bdfde52867 as he watched 6090148d44 them. Serena eventually turned her a896f98f9b gaze to Azaid, signaling 017fe6651e him with subtle hand 694614e094 movements before quickly averting e917b8592f her eyes. The exchange b495769fc5 happened so 92a12ae330 swiftly that 9300ed6da4 only Azaid 92000e4c4e noticed it.‘Let’s 23893ec641 meet on 6d92b934fe the terrace.’Her 5aab097060 glance towards ec0de9077c the terrace, 67b80ad4f0 coupled with e2e2f5f3e4 a hidden 19865f183f gesture between 3f97f42655 the folds 4f73f086c6 of her 4111946aa2 dress, was 8864c3f18b clear evidence.Azaid 70b454e2c5 snorted. What could 98e42eff90 she mean 7a13f6058e by asking a118678242 him to f7b0cb9236 come to a9b6f5e367 the terrace a733fc8982 while she dd9ee120f4 still had 42a11ffebe her partner 42921a29eb by her 35b9acf651 side?Yet, despite bd9c92ff0d his cynical 07900fb3da thoughts, his 8466e3fed1 feet naturally 23c64f2d49 carried him 8375933e3f toward the 92dcec435d terrace.“I think f8d1f9b68e I’ll take b7db7b6e54 a short a21639c584 break on fa2883c761 the terrace.”“Oh, 9d0939810b I’ll come c9134d8dc0 with you,” bc7f9d4660 Ophelia quickly b74930609b offered.Azaid waved 6116faf05c her off.“No 88f7e01793 need. You’ll enjoy d3d7de90a2 mingling with a8bbdd444b others more, 27aab17dcf so stay f8c29f9123 here.”“But—”“You’ll be a002d9d5c0 my partner 2fcab10da0 for the cbe467a581 entirety of 877142a2bb this hunting cb04cd48fd festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, so 22721d7ee8 let me be alone 42ed850324 for a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 361e2dd1c5 stop him any further f480fb2853 and reluctantly stepped back. Azaid moved 61a47f4b5b towards the 36dba66325 terrace as b51330d35e if something 7df1cf92e7 urgent was 141f7aa199 waiting for 7046cf7f6d him there.As d7d1941cb3 Ophelia stared 51d78e1d9f after him, ac9b904c09 someone called f7289b3f3a out to 69f81627d3 her.“So this 17dcf20a91 is where c44d2085d4 you’ve been, de22524b17 sister.”Before she 8b3a514ede realized it, 96bc453847 Nocturne had 53f7a4bb5d appeared beside c2b13b8709 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic 826ea051e0 tone, his voice was 79d14c8bcf polite.Ophelia turned around in 46b2dd66ef surprise, only to realize fc87d854af Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced around 36c72ad324 and asked cautiously.“Where b0441644e9 is Miss Serena?”“She 2d7084b960 stepped away to 928b822014 adjust her outfit.”Switching 063b00b658 back to his 66ef151eaa usual sarcastic tone, b9415813a0 Nocturne moved closer c373d18cd2 to Ophelia. His sudden show 2098527bb6 of familiarity made 5820c40b8c her step back 92cace81a0 warily.In response, Nocturne b214e45975 closed the gap 5067052fb9 again, gracefully extending 0f683f0d2b his hand.“Since you’re 4792b4830c alone, why not 82cdf5f33e join me for 2a6f05d5ea a dance? It’s been a 48912b727a while.”• ❁ • f7f2859ab3 ❁ • ❁ 5fd1e72575 •By Esraa• ❁ 22f14b5283 • ❁ • 55ba51429f ❁ •If you 690af9c6a4 want to support 2437866456 the translation and f9c1eb8e62 the translator, you 9b8d3e6c4b can buy a 8b7df7d4b4 coffee~b3006b97b0359362

“Has anything unusual happened c6ca9a3b91 to Serena? Any trouble with 152938dd28 the Greenwood household 484ee0c0a2 staff?”bdf179a4107fd06f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“While they’re hostile, e882b6f919 there hasn’t been c2a1d70ba7 any major incident.”c725235881e9d3d5

“Still spending all her 824dee3064 time in her room, c78062236f claiming to be researching?”7ef39a96d9eaef10

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Actually, no. Today she went 7e3e7298fc on a walk c87d84a107 with Count Harrison.”b328b0edb5610274

“…What? A walk with 79cbc1aa60 Nocturne? Why?”bd3ffa128442fb62

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I’m not sure. He seemed to a6d89873fa be showing her e83ec8f663 around the estate. Their mood appeared 2aff86f0ad amicable, with no 192669cd97 signs of conflict.”a51b8efb2314faf9

The knight had grinned 8bd1042a0c foolishly as he finished f796172c74 the report, oblivious to e1be2f59b5 Azaid’s growing irritation. That day, the 6b4603cf38 knight inexplicably found 5dc00eb489 himself on the 36145f3838 receiving end of baf2f5f1ad Azaid’s glares.8128933fe50aa360

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A twisted b32505f71b smile played 53fca7f86c on Azaid’s 2db3ecd3b8 lips. For some reason, his c1a590c8e0 mood was far from 972cad8590 pleasant. No, it 880c63be45 was downright f5176ae503 foul. Ophelia, unaware of 541cd04394 his inner turmoil, 82840427ac spoke up again.“She 086b01af0f must have come 88ecebe1ab as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how often they’ve dcc91de881 met recently, it’s no 180b92c80d surprise they’ve grown close.”“Grown f154470292 close?”Azaid’s gaze wavered. Glancing at him, a226821f87 Ophelia added fuel 1e17c203f9 to the fire.“They 20f08ae4fe look good together, 00dd290932 don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty 185f032e49 should arrange a 501cd64b60 match between them. I’m sure 11d27e4b25 they’d both 99e2d1f28c comply if fe8d38a897 it were 1d29fbf2fe a royal ece241b472 decree.”Her sly 790798e1b0 suggestion only 43810f9efd stoked Azaid’s 0e35d6a7ff simmering frustration. For her part, Ophelia 528712139d was relieved to see 6ea9bba845 Serena accompanied by Nocturne.The 83c9d65ab2 truth was, she had 1a0969142d been extremely dissatisfied the 15519f04f1 last time Azaid and facdd37eb0 Serena became partners. And the 7acbe34437 feeling she 1bfa904978 had when f40d13701d she saw 0b62456f01 the two 73c6917118 of them e2e39da4ae lying in 8d6831963f bed together.She f8aaeb6079 felt humiliated 096d679d39 by the 2ff6406041 mere fact a08175ad09 that she 5fc47ba12f had been 41569f50ac outdone by 70df6dcb72 the daughter 85a02290c8 of a 66a6c1b5ed baron. It was 96a8c9ee76 even more 1240ba3319 shocking because e4cdb2785f it was 5f43aa3d1c the emperor, 2d8ebffda9 who had e774a89046 never allowed c2fc0e8cc2 anyone to 629e0c3c87 approach him.In a79ec4dd58 her mortification, 176195ad98 she had 9e746f1551 sobbed uncontrollably 6efa731b56 and refused e9eb737ea2 to eat, eb6a907154 but unexpectedly, a092b9d69e Nocturne had 5be4a09de0 come to 101bd14895 visit.“Ophelia, are b9bf627afc you going 66ff7c84cf to keep f9f4c580ad wallowing in 9a5e9781bc this pitiful 4982233b04 state?”“Leave me 7b7f0a5a9b alone. Who are f9f2175d86 you to 900bc6e7e9 call me bd99c9b998 pitiful and 0b2915af0e scold me?”“Why c0396c407b not use d0e544f2a1 this opportunity c0972285ca to just 544feb52a0 give up 2c99aeed3f on His a48fcf1cc5 Majesty? He has no 8cab1afedf interest in you f0cce280e0 anyway. He’s indifferent to bd1cf03f7d everyone.”“This isn’t something 320bd68074 I can just 24dd8bea83 give up on, 27f855c16b Nocturne. This is d1f76681a3 about our 8914511654 family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed 6ab39a18e2 the family, go 6d494db247 and do your 1ab0c17f56 business quietly. Why are you 3848a950d1 coming to me?”“To 0bb7caad32 laugh at your e35165b819 pitiful state as d694b305f6 much as I 2dd4b6e2fd can. As expected, you’re as c161431a97 pathetic as ever, Ophelia.”Using 24fe0e0947 her visit as an d0429276a2 excuse to rub salt a5f51a98a4 in her wounds, Nocturne 77a8115185 had left Ophelia simmering 8830ee3c5f in frustration. Fueled by resentment, e92758a48e Ophelia decided to b0e05f3807 put an end 62ad26d04f to her reclusive 50fd10eb48 lifestyle and show b4614e8abe everyone how well 84b2d90677 she could carry d825ab8873 on.She didn’t want d4b020536e to appear pathetic 1a20097632 in front of 7c4de6bb39 Nocturne. She despised him. She had be45d2d556 disliked him 16fa790209 ever since 6a494fc6ca he first 8351821b02 entered the 3f26a47943 duke’s castle, 72ef51b505 looking like 843e726f4c a pauper.She ceb4273dc4 hated that bb898cc3b9 he was 1d5a7144c6 her father’s 7175bd9188 illegitimate child. It was supposed to c61119e1e3 be just her; she e005a46d04 was her father’s only 66c5238b51 child after her mother 17d160be58 had died during childbirth. There had only 88a62ffb27 been her until ea8cd22638 Nocturne appeared late ab791a165b in the picture.If ed4d13189b he was going 39b0e051e8 to come, he b6db7962b8 should’ve at least 013055d3cf tried to integrate, d0cf4bc16f but no, he 141e071450 left the family fbfc6181b7 entirely. It felt like abandonment, 354388c508 which made her even d74bfc5f83 more upset.‘Nocturne doing something 3e9019754c good for me—what a 1195446529 rare sight.’Ophelia chuckled briefly 1ffef0426a and glanced at Azaid, d22e6e9840 only to be startled. His gaze c1a21b4d1b was as ff0263f2bb sharp as dfe0eeaa32 a blade.“Are b30111631d you asking 9db572087c me to c22ab9e9d1 play matchmaker f0f14fd36c now?”“Ah! That’s not what I c095d1e124 meant!”“Instead of meddling in 8f71b10be6 others’ affairs, focus on a48b28b841 your own.”Azaid spoke in edb029ee3e a tone laced with 09d88a56cf irritation before turning his 3f52c372b3 head—towards Serena, of all 742ff7a3bb people.Azaid stared intently at 4910733c4e Serena and Nocturne, who a153f05d09 were whispering to each 14e7fd6057 other, signaling back and 7ebb7965cb forth. Were they exchanging 5fa89a51c3 sweet nothings?Azaid’s eyes cfe6ec77bf burned with intensity 8e255f07eb as he watched d63401f401 them. Serena eventually turned her 288d90867d gaze to Azaid, signaling f71e666230 him with subtle hand 7acfef098b movements before quickly averting 7c5dc258e2 her eyes. The exchange happened 5cc2f0f763 so swiftly that ee63224d22 only Azaid noticed 7eed0e63e4 it.‘Let’s meet on 29664e43f4 the terrace.’Her glance ac8d9ea54a towards the terrace, 0fab8f5fa5 coupled with a 3e3acc2ff7 hidden gesture between 9c342bf78a the folds of 1eab0a36b3 her dress, was 4f1840efbf clear evidence.Azaid snorted. What could she mean 9c56883a93 by asking him to 715f5993f9 come to the terrace b30962420d while she still had fdf2a7bf35 her partner by her 524f6bef3f side?Yet, despite his cynical 41d63731df thoughts, his feet naturally c5b5ecf322 carried him toward the 8c17e86407 terrace.“I think I’ll take f0dd74dba7 a short break on d174d3ef54 the terrace.”“Oh, I’ll come 6180dee210 with you,” Ophelia quickly 064975273d offered.Azaid waved her off.“No e07c0ce433 need. You’ll enjoy mingling with 2045ae9ff4 others more, so stay 8f19fab554 here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner f7e7571ec5 for the entirety of 76213d5bd7 this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, dff32b30ce so let me 18924ac7f0 be alone for 5af9cfa7b2 a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 57b3466ba4 stop him any 2d7947b074 further and reluctantly c96c24d6b3 stepped back. Azaid moved 17246b5da8 towards the af3c48502e terrace as 5cbfe47847 if something ebc3ec44af urgent was 9d751cdd6a waiting for b02888d2ef him there.As 46a7a92ad0 Ophelia stared e92ad41d4a after him, 9eb1d399ae someone called deb2f248c6 out to 378235b47e her.“So this 35cd3fbede is where 7eef73528c you’ve been, 3f4d55c4f3 sister.”Before she 4f9b1a37ba realized it, b98bafda0e Nocturne had b259057513 appeared beside 4277db1898 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic e633682a9f tone, his voice was 0e34289ca0 polite.Ophelia turned around in 54097251be surprise, only to realize f0646e61fd Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced around 09eda84da8 and asked cautiously.“Where 647b79b569 is Miss Serena?”“She 1d10952da8 stepped away to 3406a0b979 adjust her outfit.”Switching 9f090e77cd back to his 3a23995383 usual sarcastic tone, d399f43062 Nocturne moved closer 7372d5c009 to Ophelia. His sudden show of d418929102 familiarity made her step 74e5e3903f back warily.In response, Nocturne 0ba136deeb closed the gap again, 8a6355c71f gracefully extending his hand.“Since 0e6eec2e2e you’re alone, why not 94179c6018 join me for a aa2b2f6536 dance? It’s been a bb8fe1e9e7 while.”• ❁ • b1d434e34f ❁ • ❁ ccfef2766e •By Esraa• ❁ 311727d8c7 • ❁ • e2abcf2b4a ❁ •If you d0687e1db9 want to support c91bf445c5 the translation and 5b897b0925 the translator, you bb62a3ccd6 can buy a ec1bde2fbf coffee~d74af5092a126b2c

A twisted smile played a5b58e2ce8 on Azaid’s lips. For some reason, his aec10195f5 mood was far from 2d4139bd0f pleasant. No, it 3cea79fd2d was downright ec9ff1b71c foul. Ophelia, unaware of 4357e5c210 his inner turmoil, 33bee5be81 spoke up again.“She cf7691abd0 must have come 352d0d4cf6 as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how 57173fd000 often they’ve e6d8d482ec met recently, 25fc5ffa12 it’s no 81efe24bf8 surprise they’ve 74a31744d3 grown close.”“Grown f9fb935db7 close?”Azaid’s gaze 59c9076b3c wavered. Glancing at him, Ophelia d6cfca76b7 added fuel to the 53c71e9384 fire.“They look good together, b000fbcbca don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty 4460522489 should arrange a e6efcaa210 match between them. I’m sure 338afbcbe2 they’d both 66087e9e94 comply if b6483d1af5 it were c225249350 a royal 52b9e04048 decree.”Her sly dea2319c77 suggestion only 45b8ac78e4 stoked Azaid’s e9f3295e7d simmering frustration. For her 6d8360fec0 part, Ophelia a644672b5c was relieved b96f44f35d to see 20ee6b201c Serena accompanied a500bf6019 by Nocturne.The be92b7a6e9 truth was, 2d0a8b93d8 she had 43af13a111 been extremely 9d00a47b8f dissatisfied the 30c4d8279f last time b1e2df2086 Azaid and 2c4422ecad Serena became 369728e0e5 partners. And the feeling 1a5ff928fb she had when 2d238de277 she saw the 737c8e92d3 two of them a71a4cc8db lying in bed 21f282030e together.She felt humiliated db8c24fb8f by the mere bcdd8a54e4 fact that she 37f095db11 had been outdone b62f7fa66a by the daughter 9dd0d59c2b of a baron. It was e7ad488d9f even more e5b2f3f715 shocking because 4b3559781a it was 5f05103a3e the emperor, 32da6680c8 who had 7f129549ee never allowed ef80fa6874 anyone to 0b905d4b6c approach him.In 1e70603a27 her mortification, 509779bf61 she had 01c023ab3a sobbed uncontrollably 195467aae7 and refused b1f10536d3 to eat, b5f27fee65 but unexpectedly, 2acdac5e44 Nocturne had c9471180e5 come to df677c98d3 visit.“Ophelia, are d8cb709743 you going 9bc929ebfe to keep e27d0930e3 wallowing in 15651ee066 this pitiful 877ab30506 state?”“Leave me a8b1082fd0 alone. Who are ce02e0c07d you to fd6f22e2c1 call me b7cbab38d1 pitiful and 8bc9fa13d2 scold me?”“Why 137f51a2b1 not use 2f8836c03a this opportunity 95f6affb95 to just 37d52e4152 give up 9eed6db8bf on His fa773490a0 Majesty? He has cddccfc838 no interest 1005190226 in you ae325c1d0a anyway. He’s indifferent to everyone.”“This e1e60108a4 isn’t something I can 0e810e5745 just give up on, 82d991d9d8 Nocturne. This is about 0d63431224 our family’s honor. If you’ve c044227122 betrayed the 4cdb551340 family, go d81b4122f5 and do 6667d10b24 your business 6320a3005f quietly. Why are you 985145c551 coming to me?”“To c5337979a0 laugh at your 62e59ff04c pitiful state as 2033293cad much as I 241c38e103 can. As expected, you’re dca9470493 as pathetic as 8671042f44 ever, Ophelia.”Using her e9a4bc6db7 visit as an 637a376a1c excuse to rub 921e1e5e6c salt in her 33f4efcab7 wounds, Nocturne had a36b9dafb9 left Ophelia simmering 1ea7809bfb in frustration. Fueled by resentment, f75bc9d7b0 Ophelia decided to f80a176438 put an end 555e0cba7d to her reclusive 10f1a3b8d3 lifestyle and show 40b84923c8 everyone how well bc368bb909 she could carry d68434ed40 on.She didn’t want 48938e369c to appear pathetic 5a452dd888 in front of c1cd1e290f Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked 3f08c3ca84 him ever since 5389c3eafe he first entered 0aba2f64e6 the duke’s castle, d7782d30fd looking like a ec619bfc32 pauper.She hated that 8f0b98c684 he was her ea0392fe65 father’s illegitimate child. It was supposed 2054fd615e to be just 89be2f39c7 her; she was 4b0a78878c her father’s only 14337cd41b child after her c36c14d938 mother had died 7f6392122a during childbirth. There had only been 812ca7276a her until Nocturne appeared bd041ec170 late in the picture.If 107d951b57 he was going to 1693cca400 come, he should’ve at 10883b7095 least tried to integrate, 076dcad45e but no, he left 5c9ce17be3 the family entirely. It felt like c4fcbed829 abandonment, which made e6a61661e7 her even more f2b873f5ec upset.‘Nocturne doing something 14733f9f2a good for me—what 6626bc7e5e a rare sight.’Ophelia e410369233 chuckled briefly and 7c78fef96f glanced at Azaid, 22b20abbb7 only to be 3d15ee80de startled. His gaze was as 92d9da28ca sharp as a blade.“Are 0bc61a3056 you asking me to 07d32470c0 play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not what I d6641b1180 meant!”“Instead of meddling in 01a26ac6c7 others’ affairs, focus on eee5033fee your own.”Azaid spoke in a742b16184 a tone laced with 6a966e85d1 irritation before turning his ed243e8ce1 head—towards Serena, of all c2e8b0eeaa people.Azaid stared intently at 5eb3bbec59 Serena and Nocturne, who b8f5f2e68b were whispering to each c641938de9 other, signaling back and 9e84e5df6d forth. Were they exchanging 2844515714 sweet nothings?Azaid’s eyes 6f88c9bbf6 burned with intensity 3a45250b60 as he watched d7e7777f91 them. Serena eventually turned her 0d377ced2b gaze to Azaid, signaling a574c3bd1c him with subtle hand 36025d865d movements before quickly averting c0c499106b her eyes. The exchange happened so 6e5a3fa69e swiftly that only Azaid db29d6368a noticed it.‘Let’s meet on eb6d0ec6aa the terrace.’Her glance towards fb75040682 the terrace, coupled with 506aec3c13 a hidden gesture between 9fcbd11646 the folds of her 4cdec853d6 dress, was clear evidence.Azaid 181279f491 snorted. What could she 6e4ad0c51b mean by asking a97dee333d him to come 3a7d238f6c to the terrace ea639a9d76 while she still cc2d5d2478 had her partner c56f5084de by her side?Yet, 200ed509e6 despite his cynical 153b91a3d0 thoughts, his feet 1143798279 naturally carried him 0662fa3be8 toward the terrace.“I 458ed375b9 think I’ll take 6a84a0a093 a short break 4dcdd9d357 on the terrace.”“Oh, 877290bc3b I’ll come with a6da922570 you,” Ophelia quickly de85a9e410 offered.Azaid waved her 4c575c4e15 off.“No need. You’ll enjoy d073b36e57 mingling with 6fed1b6b57 others more, 041d6fa3b1 so stay 84b81b860c here.”“But—”“You’ll be 66809fd0d2 my partner 5b6a9b6907 for the 249451679a entirety of 901d7ead09 this hunting eb28d166fe festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, 7c4a36ea59 so let me 705c610dd6 be alone for bcbb4bf6a2 a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 9a99dbb2f6 stop him any 6c3d51fc72 further and reluctantly cd141215a6 stepped back. Azaid moved 9f190884b0 towards the f63296aed8 terrace as f652a94266 if something ebbcd85206 urgent was 75d5a6f3be waiting for 0bf53dba52 him there.As af507f5944 Ophelia stared 8b2b6441b6 after him, ebd9ee94c7 someone called 8f75093a37 out to 2d66b07d96 her.“So this b7b25dcc16 is where ece34abd95 you’ve been, b808dd4064 sister.”Before she 4877042400 realized it, 154c49da54 Nocturne had 6a315fba33 appeared beside 92bdc5e981 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic 0679922231 tone, his voice was 40b1992909 polite.Ophelia turned around in b92e66f26c surprise, only to realize 01efaaff6a Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced around 0d4b536823 and asked cautiously.“Where a148264b16 is Miss Serena?”“She 0deefc4fd9 stepped away to f4982aa577 adjust her outfit.”Switching c585b72226 back to his 0955fe0001 usual sarcastic tone, fa3aa97d58 Nocturne moved closer 5abc0b2ddb to Ophelia. His sudden 206a594aea show of d5f9e98d2a familiarity made 048b153aa1 her step e574747097 back warily.In 77cf4c2180 response, Nocturne 066dc3b40f closed the b9876b9e20 gap again, 40c680627d gracefully extending cc6a098659 his hand.“Since d0b0061117 you’re alone, d32978cb07 why not 681df3120a join me 1c497f8871 for a 26df8fdecf dance? It’s been a while.”• b0d4390a3d ❁ • ❁ • cb5e086fae ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ bcb6448389 • ❁ • ❁ 7200b2dc96 •If you want to 80df7678a8 support the translation and a59c51fac9 the translator, you can 1439a7caa9 buy a coffee~006ee55fbf25d6d9

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A twisted cde247252e smile played a238535186 on Azaid’s 464e1f9679 lips. For some reason, aace035e04 his mood was 79521cec2a far from pleasant. No, it was 37f6deeb71 downright foul. Ophelia, unaware of his 43b2a0cf3f inner turmoil, spoke up fb342649f8 again.“She must have come b503919b42 as Nocturne’s partner. Considering how often 44dbee54a1 they’ve met recently, 7de7271a90 it’s no surprise 3c38e4af29 they’ve grown close.”“Grown d21b71836d close?”Azaid’s gaze wavered. Glancing at him, 4db30aa8e5 Ophelia added fuel f973d091e2 to the fire.“They 00d1c5ccd8 look good together, cc8096c683 don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty should 8cb16e3ec2 arrange a match between 5eb1cee127 them. I’m sure they’d both 86ee860974 comply if it were 013a2386aa a royal decree.”Her sly 851a6d03d9 suggestion only stoked Azaid’s 07fbaac866 simmering frustration. For her part, a72ecc0340 Ophelia was relieved 69658e3460 to see Serena 098a419549 accompanied by Nocturne.The b56d8a7746 truth was, she 3208ae852b had been extremely ac09dc5bd8 dissatisfied the last 014830af30 time Azaid and 5be61a7a7d Serena became partners. And the feeling she c62a30d530 had when she saw 7731776925 the two of them 2387e07b4c lying in bed together.She 7d3384c56d felt humiliated by the fbba71e578 mere fact that she 6c2fc58373 had been outdone by c52992115b the daughter of a f90963b24d baron. It was even more faf1b2831e shocking because it was cfc2e97814 the emperor, who had 674adafb5a never allowed anyone to a0e5c77123 approach him.In her mortification, 0badb5b330 she had sobbed uncontrollably f1e0165b30 and refused to eat, f93cf33cf3 but unexpectedly, Nocturne had 9d81f966c2 come to visit.“Ophelia, are 37f2c5a869 you going to keep 9a47118697 wallowing in this pitiful 374a3a74b6 state?”“Leave me alone. Who are you to c773a00365 call me pitiful and 79f5b8a2bb scold me?”“Why not use 42c0a1e76e this opportunity to just b6943bdeae give up on His d0b70944c6 Majesty? He has 0a0907eea8 no interest f305ab7638 in you fa50454e38 anyway. He’s indifferent 8f43bff2c0 to everyone.”“This 77b3eba5fd isn’t something 4646e3c0cb I can 5b6af78e78 just give 7972fe3f84 up on, 638107ad05 Nocturne. This is about c5299b475f our family’s honor. If you’ve 109df72e9f betrayed the 72d171ba93 family, go 7854bbc937 and do 3f3782369d your business d76228d95c quietly. Why are 20bfda215c you coming c0b71b8293 to me?”“To 3a19f9d1a6 laugh at e62935115f your pitiful 10864db162 state as 30f75f0d9c much as 7486abf6ff I can. As expected, 7bca07968a you’re as e071a96540 pathetic as 59a32ed364 ever, Ophelia.”Using d52c679138 her visit b6cb71d139 as an c3ef9190e1 excuse to f8136b1256 rub salt b898b4e3bd in her 2e91ca8268 wounds, Nocturne 085f9fdcee had left b4ad9dc05e Ophelia simmering 7d95478cbb in frustration. Fueled by ee0241a262 resentment, Ophelia beb24a367a decided to 2efaf71527 put an 5f6b9ce294 end to 66e4a1d695 her reclusive 8b63ae07ff lifestyle and 239c4b1b99 show everyone eedfc504ef how well b005684ae3 she could 9f81a11236 carry on.She 174b63fe72 didn’t want 17f95076c4 to appear dcb6b04e2b pathetic in 4f915156d7 front of f9f52551a7 Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked him d546878763 ever since he first aac4c8665a entered the duke’s castle, 7f2e0f103b looking like a pauper.She 2c97c80ffd hated that he was 3940ede4c6 her father’s illegitimate child. It was 3a00db6fdf supposed to e870a1ff6e be just d22d68a5b9 her; she 76b7666ba0 was her 6f6dafdc87 father’s only 760c2cd57d child after fd0406a829 her mother a5586fc4ce had died 5426083330 during childbirth. There had only 902613d900 been her until 077e9fe7ed Nocturne appeared late 26e3ee7693 in the picture.If d470e81856 he was going f8d5e7e389 to come, he 3d2d99731d should’ve at least b458026897 tried to integrate, 3dff063a8f but no, he 2c55cf2aa4 left the family 40d11c8c39 entirely. It felt like abandonment, c5500a3283 which made her even cf102cb0f1 more upset.‘Nocturne doing something 62ad0b9b58 good for me—what a 2bc6a1b23a rare sight.’Ophelia chuckled briefly 6699091751 and glanced at Azaid, fc25659fbf only to be startled. His gaze was as f43788ad96 sharp as a blade.“Are 7b4f926f94 you asking me to 382053216a play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not dbf0410a7f what I e9fc708eb2 meant!”“Instead of f6331a6c69 meddling in a17b1948c3 others’ affairs, 65cc0573cd focus on 7ac94a554d your own.”Azaid 6127be8317 spoke in b8ee6c443d a tone 459258bffe laced with 69f21886f6 irritation before ba80c3b3de turning his c7cce5bf4f head—towards Serena, c219b1c6e8 of all 3e094761ea people.Azaid stared a2d046588f intently at 70d494d648 Serena and e34b1f8bf7 Nocturne, who 92bd77ca61 were whispering cbaa5034a5 to each b997a6827e other, signaling 14c28a5570 back and 1c3821eb2f forth. Were they 55fe9879d4 exchanging sweet f8a151d88d nothings?Azaid’s eyes f774b866c4 burned with d761d83e5d intensity as 0442d8d4a5 he watched 02251079a9 them. Serena eventually 855f8b1b67 turned her 6097436c97 gaze to 6d4399cd68 Azaid, signaling 734ff77742 him with 76daefe3e0 subtle hand 55b238a0c7 movements before 0b046e7221 quickly averting 14486e56bb her eyes. The exchange happened so ad132f8267 swiftly that only Azaid 366b3fa3da noticed it.‘Let’s meet on 3643a82204 the terrace.’Her glance towards 34b3829ad9 the terrace, coupled with ee20176e07 a hidden gesture between e829ccd5ea the folds of her b98ff23e06 dress, was clear evidence.Azaid 7c52c5751a snorted. What could she 2a4b1d51d2 mean by asking ea043640d5 him to come 603174aa64 to the terrace 7af52662e2 while she still 439a4757c2 had her partner 0af5de4298 by her side?Yet, 5a1eaa4710 despite his cynical 8164dfa630 thoughts, his feet 67dfa93523 naturally carried him 3245587682 toward the terrace.“I 5388c47c14 think I’ll take 77726ed5f7 a short break fc084bc05b on the terrace.”“Oh, a93e6334e2 I’ll come with 347002a72c you,” Ophelia quickly 1f5c9db036 offered.Azaid waved her 6fcf322bdc off.“No need. You’ll enjoy mingling with eb57e2a539 others more, so stay fdafc64337 here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner ad1ac06268 for the entirety of 215af11206 this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, so 6b761d5b8d let me be alone b748140764 for a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 3570509e52 stop him any further 1f4fc5fcb6 and reluctantly stepped back. Azaid moved 51b1426150 towards the 17c3052c65 terrace as 9b100cbd98 if something d1231f739f urgent was 9eb6d44b6a waiting for dea14c02f1 him there.As 3481bf780d Ophelia stared 6c8b975e9f after him, 68ad074b26 someone called c2cd8781b3 out to 461cf15cc0 her.“So this 67a246a914 is where 6e63683f2a you’ve been, 1a46ed1af1 sister.”Before she 4137b04c60 realized it, 6364026f85 Nocturne had 0028a6e914 appeared beside ad77f0a1a4 her. Unlike his 43c5f854fe usual sarcastic 1136b7827a tone, his 965392e9fa voice was 565b729445 polite.Ophelia turned 3b19db6a68 around in 8f8d321319 surprise, only d6eb36e3f8 to realize 3c4b8d404d Serena wasn’t cfdc30f05a with him. She glanced around and 6535c36de2 asked cautiously.“Where is Miss 002aca1228 Serena?”“She stepped away to ff8e90deb2 adjust her outfit.”Switching back 5158c841ae to his usual sarcastic 67510836dd tone, Nocturne moved closer b4c42ec1b1 to Ophelia. His sudden 1fc3afec54 show of b188487604 familiarity made b432372372 her step b5cafb7f51 back warily.In ffee21079f response, Nocturne 1dd8710c47 closed the 9e3bbcacb0 gap again, 49e848d625 gracefully extending 07f81c67bd his hand.“Since ff998406b4 you’re alone, 5677806e57 why not 2eb46238f4 join me 9cf74fc8db for a ea48fff809 dance? It’s been 4893f65a31 a while.”• c012552dbf ❁ • 3b75e9e109 ❁ • 7926ae1290 ❁ •By df18155066 Esraa• ❁ 79b0a7b425 • ❁ ee13361d16 • ❁ b93912d486 •If you b6ad2d923c want to 4c21046831 support the 88aafc1dbc translation and 9bdda7e7d7 the translator, 405e9ce091 you can 0e99e2b76a buy a 32581d79ff coffee~f28abe40d4881243

A twisted smile played ecb15530c1 on Azaid’s lips. For some reason, his b2923a5786 mood was far from 08d3c87174 pleasant. No, it was d7211fefb9 downright foul. Ophelia, unaware of 33a130e47b his inner turmoil, 2c13a6ab85 spoke up again.001dfd98fd23acfc

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“She must have 8ce49233be come as Nocturne’s ad8c0a3532 partner. Considering how often 653663ab25 they’ve met recently, b18e8315e3 it’s no surprise a08771c015 they’ve grown close.”4a5c8801cef2ae78

“Grown close?”5491cdff50854023

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Azaid’s gaze wavered. Glancing at him, Ophelia 6e5ac24095 added fuel to the 8e43dbe9ab fire.ad004b98f0f402b9

“They look good together, e0fb7cb1ae don’t they? Perhaps His Majesty should 326a0adba1 arrange a match between 09097316ba them. I’m sure 9be02c16af they’d both 05c47e2f76 comply if cf14909e8d it were 77025f65dd a royal 605f7a84e3 decree.”1f37ad5b143da55b

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Her sly 5f0c506a11 suggestion only 9d010ccd04 stoked Azaid’s ab05567c10 simmering frustration. For her part, Ophelia a8d1adf493 was relieved to see 81e04e1c45 Serena accompanied by Nocturne.8154181c849bde85

The truth 5ae9d4a5ae was, she bc2b1cdedf had been 99b5051003 extremely dissatisfied ed24951c4f the last 4ca9abc42d time Azaid 3145bc78b4 and Serena f8768d1ac6 became partners. And the feeling b1291a2a16 she had when 31d7f8f8d2 she saw the a29f2572d2 two of them c680eb53cf lying in bed d801741ba7 together.93a0eb77ce912338

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She felt 66607c323e humiliated by 638d763f44 the mere b5af134684 fact that 57c33991e5 she had cdbb0008c3 been outdone 89ad87094d by the 60d773d317 daughter of 5f116340b2 a baron. It was 405b4669e4 even more db54039238 shocking because 0b05bbb8b0 it was 3fd435c85a the emperor, 629acbf62f who had cc54cfe044 never allowed 5d24981ae6 anyone to 0063770b85 approach him.a2021f8b5814625a

In her mortification, she 8f36a7e164 had sobbed uncontrollably and b89517c168 refused to eat, but 0b080d354b unexpectedly, Nocturne had come e221c4ac62 to visit.100eb97a5d19d435

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“Ophelia, are you cbe6dcf450 going to keep 046541aa07 wallowing in this cdc835f2a3 pitiful state?”“Leave me 71ffaf1f83 alone. Who are you 978c106f88 to call me eeed608e5f pitiful and scold f36f4acdd4 me?”“Why not use 18c5a69537 this opportunity to 6b7e6777c8 just give up c64e17b0f6 on His Majesty? He has 896fba7599 no interest 570eb39b10 in you 9b181dd84b anyway. He’s indifferent to 65eaa61fb5 everyone.”“This isn’t something 82a8803558 I can just 5b109e1483 give up on, e2f0b1170c Nocturne. This is about our b19d45e871 family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed 196be1cf76 the family, go dd4785aa1f and do your 319c098d2e business quietly. Why are fe1c8c3d33 you coming 527efe5926 to me?”“To cbc1563db4 laugh at 5c672a04df your pitiful 8151a0bdd7 state as c3f3d34ab4 much as 5612e48535 I can. As expected, you’re 7bb0e1060e as pathetic as 4b0326e247 ever, Ophelia.”Using her 3abb86d380 visit as an 9ea665d781 excuse to rub e4dd19c4cd salt in her ee6823aeb5 wounds, Nocturne had 7f823f4b23 left Ophelia simmering 0afc83fbe3 in frustration. Fueled by resentment, Ophelia c28d6f1e2e decided to put an ca2b0ff7f2 end to her reclusive 57db806ea3 lifestyle and show everyone c0a7e39062 how well she could 49531c2e68 carry on.She didn’t want 9abfd62e72 to appear pathetic in eb42cedbf7 front of Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked 6d4b60435a him ever since 291f0561a7 he first entered 59eee410be the duke’s castle, 4dd6f49863 looking like a ceb1f7b679 pauper.She hated that 33c2d59d7b he was her e3f00d804f father’s illegitimate child. It was supposed to 59883f29e6 be just her; she b0759f98cf was her father’s only 7c61aeaffa child after her mother 7e529073f6 had died during childbirth. There had only been b85f848430 her until Nocturne appeared 5ecbb8e550 late in the picture.If 0c7858816d he was going to a60c8d13aa come, he should’ve at bf132de190 least tried to integrate, bca4ca3540 but no, he left a730737fa3 the family entirely. It felt like 2a5078043f abandonment, which made e20af1174e her even more 8b7edfcd29 upset.‘Nocturne doing something fd6cc1b218 good for me—what b9e61c005d a rare sight.’Ophelia c77556f736 chuckled briefly and e31c196f66 glanced at Azaid, 779e438acb only to be 587c22c192 startled. His gaze 356914b6bc was as ff1feecba7 sharp as 95ebe1937b a blade.“Are 6895126ac5 you asking ece61bdf08 me to bd16e5e85a play matchmaker da8f6a5418 now?”“Ah! That’s not what I 0a494b69c0 meant!”“Instead of meddling in 5690c39e69 others’ affairs, focus on e5b42608c7 your own.”Azaid spoke in b6db801014 a tone laced with bfeac2383a irritation before turning his 347f5f170f head—towards Serena, of all 8e7ff73de9 people.Azaid stared intently at b882b59409 Serena and Nocturne, who 9a80faf307 were whispering to each 2ac8b9ed95 other, signaling back and b75c7c559d forth. Were they exchanging sweet 4cac41995c nothings?Azaid’s eyes burned with c8cad39797 intensity as he watched cf164008c7 them. Serena eventually turned 224b7d511f her gaze to e716c49e2f Azaid, signaling him 8a8ca46487 with subtle hand 74828b64cb movements before quickly 5135109c31 averting her eyes. The exchange happened 58a7f16f3e so swiftly that 10bb52bc3b only Azaid noticed 9a0a6fc54d it.‘Let’s meet on 6fcf2dc1c7 the terrace.’Her glance 0703bc1964 towards the terrace, 365312dff5 coupled with a 64672aee87 hidden gesture between 6f4351446a the folds of 58cd6e06f1 her dress, was 05e056cef7 clear evidence.Azaid snorted. What could 01071c30b2 she mean 4fab63dd74 by asking 1021580037 him to 302f266533 come to d7f7b65cfa the terrace dade8686f2 while she 06dc26a740 still had e1d5d051ac her partner 181e526dba by her ed432c95d1 side?Yet, despite ccdac918d8 his cynical 8af44234d0 thoughts, his 18f75777c0 feet naturally f85d131887 carried him f2a08aede4 toward the 21538fe08c terrace.“I think d2505f391c I’ll take b994497fea a short 10e93b477e break on b08d5d5faf the terrace.”“Oh, c424879c74 I’ll come 439c98facd with you,” 1240e13f87 Ophelia quickly 883325494f offered.Azaid waved 8fb0d4c713 her off.“No c3e1771ac5 need. You’ll enjoy mingling with f218c2da4c others more, so stay b20cf8f673 here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner 30447dd18d for the entirety of a716b3eba5 this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, 57d1590944 so let me 30052a1190 be alone for 9d077681bb a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 6ec7ab8f7a stop him any 6820a46c94 further and reluctantly aabc6487d3 stepped back. Azaid moved towards a0f6c51cd0 the terrace as d97f5ca5f3 if something urgent 65c5e934bd was waiting for 58bf6aa0cf him there.As Ophelia 92803b5988 stared after him, fe7851a8cf someone called out 95cfc07cca to her.“So this eac192de41 is where you’ve da90331735 been, sister.”Before she 00e0df707b realized it, Nocturne 0361d407ad had appeared beside 7e20ff0213 her. Unlike his e8f4a85a47 usual sarcastic e304887e20 tone, his 09a9ae29c8 voice was bfb2a6ab68 polite.Ophelia turned cf1be2d272 around in e69bbda7f0 surprise, only c2ac65df5f to realize 32e3565f18 Serena wasn’t 1537913815 with him. She glanced around and 29a3b5733d asked cautiously.“Where is Miss 76ff6feaa5 Serena?”“She stepped away to 455542ddfe adjust her outfit.”Switching back 10a9692ac9 to his usual sarcastic bd6cd993bc tone, Nocturne moved closer fbb6fe3607 to Ophelia. His sudden show of 2b7cc4ae5f familiarity made her step 584d326a90 back warily.In response, Nocturne 2af26eb9f1 closed the gap again, 1ea8cda2af gracefully extending his hand.“Since c8d60a59cf you’re alone, why not fb742499d9 join me for a b848414d1b dance? It’s been a d01ed789fc while.”• ❁ • e517df4931 ❁ • ❁ 3144b26eeb •By Esraa• ❁ d9bf5a688e • ❁ • b92a53d645 ❁ •If you 09bc9e5ac1 want to support 691db1c063 the translation and 98560d6ec2 the translator, you b3e58fbd6b can buy a bd644ff8e4 coffee~87e6d3760dc448bf

“Ophelia, are you going 6459b9cea8 to keep wallowing in 7b186616d7 this pitiful state?”“Leave me d28d8291cf alone. Who are d5ad258e29 you to b60e7ea521 call me 2bbfd402b1 pitiful and b7230d7fe8 scold me?”“Why 6d72de9078 not use e3084f07d9 this opportunity 8a3a4f8f6a to just 3ff89a9494 give up cd0a1462bc on His 63e3044295 Majesty? He has no c04551762a interest in you 70d2d709cf anyway. He’s indifferent to a0206ff943 everyone.”“This isn’t something d051f97b47 I can just 5d6a6f1bc2 give up on, 224a0cd54d Nocturne. This is 78a8da2a64 about our 9a6514235f family’s honor. If you’ve betrayed 6ec70fb70f the family, go 537ff0e746 and do your d402fc23cb business quietly. Why are you coming 8b4f6506c5 to me?”“To laugh at 03b72a91bf your pitiful state as d14217f112 much as I can. As expected, 85de812c82 you’re as 0f85a11079 pathetic as 24e42387c9 ever, Ophelia.”Using 0f7e91af03 her visit 0edcf1efac as an e4be03029b excuse to 4d4daf4128 rub salt a451bf44bd in her 330311836e wounds, Nocturne b0c8901b22 had left fae07c1524 Ophelia simmering 491cc19ff3 in frustration. Fueled by resentment, Ophelia 9924a9ba97 decided to put an 9c3333b7a3 end to her reclusive 5bee7a0300 lifestyle and show everyone f571694db5 how well she could d353eca731 carry on.She didn’t want 222ab3658d to appear pathetic in 2777ee69ec front of Nocturne. She despised him. She had f148763a70 disliked him 3d0e52f8d3 ever since 498b0631db he first 68f0354d00 entered the b96a8e5906 duke’s castle, 7c8d510540 looking like 693be31617 a pauper.She 60c93f0732 hated that 8a4fbdd8a9 he was 8af2e065f1 her father’s 5314070105 illegitimate child. It was 9f774a2051 supposed to 577080540d be just 7adc3716b9 her; she 67af5c9064 was her 2f8c089a73 father’s only 1a5206fe87 child after ad9bfe4850 her mother ec6b2efd7f had died 301dd735d8 during childbirth. There had only been 04562689f6 her until Nocturne appeared ced3e24546 late in the picture.If aba819d86d he was going to d8e5aea8a2 come, he should’ve at cb840d57a4 least tried to integrate, ee0aace37b but no, he left 936ca94d45 the family entirely. It felt like 1320e9d22a abandonment, which made 6774ec7066 her even more 029e50dba2 upset.‘Nocturne doing something 6ee4c0cff0 good for me—what 23110e0975 a rare sight.’Ophelia d2ba41b69f chuckled briefly and 7076e3223a glanced at Azaid, 2507883ab3 only to be 3838c9a60d startled. His gaze b4898fbb1c was as e19a370184 sharp as b7a23df3a0 a blade.“Are 7544ca58b3 you asking 03cc7b57fa me to 6104b1f6a7 play matchmaker b441cd92ab now?”“Ah! That’s not what I bea6da092b meant!”“Instead of meddling in 25c4bd1eba others’ affairs, focus on aa482eca88 your own.”Azaid spoke in ca36970529 a tone laced with a8429d178c irritation before turning his 76c04e62a4 head—towards Serena, of all 81885cc06f people.Azaid stared intently at 27507167a7 Serena and Nocturne, who 3691cc78a5 were whispering to each 87ae7d3406 other, signaling back and 624a314f94 forth. Were they exchanging b8a735757e sweet nothings?Azaid’s eyes 259093396a burned with intensity fb207b140a as he watched fe066eab9b them. Serena eventually turned her 88935727f0 gaze to Azaid, signaling 5c4a6f62ac him with subtle hand d21e9cd6e8 movements before quickly averting fe099956ba her eyes. The exchange happened 5dbd360e28 so swiftly that ca1677c4ec only Azaid noticed 03cffd883d it.‘Let’s meet on 2ac3d8d0eb the terrace.’Her glance 540b73590e towards the terrace, 7ae98ae9fe coupled with a edd741ece8 hidden gesture between 94d26bebe0 the folds of a8c15e05c9 her dress, was 758f27e57a clear evidence.Azaid snorted. What could she 156e4a9b69 mean by asking 6636e1d7e5 him to come b753c170e8 to the terrace 0735353ee5 while she still e92d87c1da had her partner d36005b1b4 by her side?Yet, 97404dcaec despite his cynical 44fa764b0a thoughts, his feet 92c8373a6f naturally carried him 983c967e2c toward the terrace.“I 76813f587c think I’ll take 4e31af543a a short break aa23519117 on the terrace.”“Oh, 2562935a11 I’ll come with 4cf2faba3d you,” Ophelia quickly 1bc78c2b91 offered.Azaid waved her edb5f63c76 off.“No need. You’ll enjoy mingling with 342c38e542 others more, so stay e285599afb here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner 52f989bce4 for the entirety of 27f4e16032 this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely 86ecff6313 tired, so 6404a5fcee let me 96fe928600 be alone 1d98e8b7a6 for a 6bd00e7fb5 while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 165542f42a stop him 8682a49f0f any further e7f8e6a8d0 and reluctantly 3596bc4850 stepped back. Azaid moved 4d1b192c4c towards the ec030faa9e terrace as 297f8b0072 if something 16f8cc3077 urgent was cc2e4e1389 waiting for 24fa5566c1 him there.As cc8382c488 Ophelia stared 2786c64e06 after him, f35560f8d0 someone called af74cf6b84 out to ef8861f193 her.“So this 86414b4858 is where 0f49d10b61 you’ve been, b796253b0e sister.”Before she 370db1722c realized it, f6f0d3e09c Nocturne had f37f5854ae appeared beside e76314a075 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic 7781f12836 tone, his voice was 3760a91c8f polite.Ophelia turned around in 9256876875 surprise, only to realize 7f0774ee14 Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced around 6e292e4bd0 and asked cautiously.“Where 62a5d518dd is Miss Serena?”“She 1ab14eaeb6 stepped away to 1c5078800c adjust her outfit.”Switching 73bfe40a93 back to his ea6e770a8d usual sarcastic tone, 4a5f4adb46 Nocturne moved closer c26be213a5 to Ophelia. His sudden show of d543c181c3 familiarity made her step 86713a8c77 back warily.In response, Nocturne 44ced7ddfc closed the gap again, 5d5ffcb459 gracefully extending his hand.“Since 79dedaa88e you’re alone, why not 1deb0f7906 join me for a 1b752128fa dance? It’s been a 7a9be1cf1c while.”• ❁ • c5b805e9dc ❁ • ❁ 74a778a9a8 •By Esraa• ❁ 69a1d514e9 • ❁ • 165dac2372 ❁ •If you 70390ecd8c want to support f7d24e8983 the translation and 8a5277c868 the translator, you bc0a168950 can buy a 15f16fb3a3 coffee~812f8cf1527db342

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“Ophelia, are you 2a89b09f28 going to keep a999148c12 wallowing in this c9182198cb pitiful state?”“Leave me ed17115b7c alone. Who are you to 1af1d7af7d call me pitiful and 4c0b7e611c scold me?”“Why not use 7b525ed245 this opportunity to just c74d184e7a give up on His d75467d597 Majesty? He has 6c459b43fc no interest 3475075438 in you db14039fa9 anyway. He’s indifferent to 915a2132ef everyone.”“This isn’t something 1b1557eb60 I can just f21d0194a9 give up on, 118d5c9f9b Nocturne. This is c87a069a44 about our aa0d4bec09 family’s honor. If you’ve 0d9b81d41c betrayed the 0c8030abfb family, go 3c035fd058 and do 7682f8d0f9 your business c1001ff40e quietly. Why are 0b163ac9c7 you coming a3d60e5a2a to me?”“To cc1a28fac6 laugh at 7f2315c886 your pitiful 2fbbf72de2 state as b504ff3389 much as 0bdacc1fce I can. As expected, you’re c0572d53ad as pathetic as f7a1a5ce1a ever, Ophelia.”Using her cb3112285e visit as an d562825d7f excuse to rub 99365eae83 salt in her d6af1ade86 wounds, Nocturne had 3f395333f7 left Ophelia simmering 0c0d1cd05d in frustration. Fueled by ebf507d397 resentment, Ophelia b7dbb23333 decided to fbe1b222c7 put an 7f4e72a9a0 end to ad46570362 her reclusive 9c2c02d9c0 lifestyle and 85dac9b9b0 show everyone 7c0f02aa13 how well df0fe6801e she could aba8d8e259 carry on.She fd14864364 didn’t want 709b01079b to appear 7a3fca0134 pathetic in 019f6b1874 front of ed86ec7999 Nocturne. She despised him. She had a7d4fda9ba disliked him b293c2d6d9 ever since 4062f406df he first 307f0f1320 entered the 55016bc5d5 duke’s castle, 0b4530c041 looking like bd40a0a92a a pauper.She 91679bddf7 hated that 15c348c3b2 he was 8957dd8d8f her father’s 4c78568684 illegitimate child. It was supposed to bc8caeb2a6 be just her; she aa3a6aaaac was her father’s only accf65cf4b child after her mother a708eccd55 had died during childbirth. There had only 5c52943ba6 been her until fc8402ecb5 Nocturne appeared late e5047026dc in the picture.If cb06e4f1ee he was going af822956c5 to come, he 97c86c1821 should’ve at least 77c6f50f84 tried to integrate, b83b68e4f2 but no, he 174b1c3d09 left the family d6d10c20ac entirely. It felt like 4303c632ca abandonment, which made 521df31c67 her even more 31295cffe7 upset.‘Nocturne doing something 0878232463 good for me—what 84297e637d a rare sight.’Ophelia e2b65cc75f chuckled briefly and 8c66f51681 glanced at Azaid, 6f181bf30c only to be fc2e23a29d startled. His gaze was 0184257779 as sharp as c33db82019 a blade.“Are you fd3f00c998 asking me to a26298b782 play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not b528a470d0 what I 1123c33465 meant!”“Instead of c3f5bf4a53 meddling in f0ed21278e others’ affairs, 59a17ce218 focus on bafaab9c9d your own.”Azaid 182f05ee4b spoke in c6ecfbe48d a tone 0a27709067 laced with 4c28e23f42 irritation before 8609c27c49 turning his 9c0e61844c head—towards Serena, 5e244555f3 of all 3f22481a24 people.Azaid stared f42ced45ae intently at 87018c4bc6 Serena and de7c9eacd5 Nocturne, who bc561cf10a were whispering ac004b9bb5 to each 351d5fa4e8 other, signaling d859d5eac1 back and f79fddbc56 forth. Were they 47faf84f43 exchanging sweet 1273e344d7 nothings?Azaid’s eyes a35bbf1e14 burned with 342aca7434 intensity as 9ef6b1bcaf he watched 9a0975aac3 them. Serena eventually turned her f5e53fb915 gaze to Azaid, signaling 28d68aca30 him with subtle hand 30e0fcd19e movements before quickly averting c1dc2c711f her eyes. The exchange happened 828f1b29c9 so swiftly that 02cbcb0502 only Azaid noticed 8398c7e3e1 it.‘Let’s meet on 409a3d4ee7 the terrace.’Her glance 76644e1943 towards the terrace, a7165cfc03 coupled with a af405c2fa7 hidden gesture between 7c0e5e43b0 the folds of 08b88c4b87 her dress, was bf19cf0012 clear evidence.Azaid snorted. What could 02ff92f127 she mean 9708d5ff4e by asking da5fdbaa87 him to 6d4e362f04 come to 64d1ed1049 the terrace e478fc9eec while she 8f248b4265 still had 413dd396a2 her partner f29900718c by her ef73f1ee36 side?Yet, despite a3065099d4 his cynical 092d210bf2 thoughts, his 5c3b70ffe9 feet naturally 13e1cf9dbf carried him bfdb54fbef toward the 41e88fc0b8 terrace.“I think 1bae8d1e06 I’ll take 74638e4ddb a short dac95255ec break on c8ae593c8e the terrace.”“Oh, c938e11638 I’ll come 3a8d600ac6 with you,” d037334b47 Ophelia quickly f17e850a3d offered.Azaid waved 3d01edae2f her off.“No 5bed84794c need. You’ll enjoy mingling with 7b482d4ece others more, so stay ca379a44d9 here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner 6899fddb10 for the entirety of b850d85f1c this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely 42a22500cf tired, so 92e7570513 let me 6fce6add2e be alone da6d6ab480 for a e3e1134a49 while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t bd4ce636f7 stop him aff14a7bac any further 30253fefb1 and reluctantly 3d527c48a3 stepped back. Azaid moved towards 78b2ce3766 the terrace as 6518f7aabf if something urgent f00a223593 was waiting for d3ae2dc034 him there.As Ophelia b820ed0ca2 stared after him, 49c09e0db3 someone called out 8f96448ab2 to her.“So this 440c70e074 is where you’ve 498e58ad79 been, sister.”Before she a53615b546 realized it, Nocturne 4c14d1f23c had appeared beside cc087d7c88 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic 11fdefd644 tone, his voice was b4a952e1d5 polite.Ophelia turned around in 7091f8a310 surprise, only to realize 6da8d6b7f1 Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced around c613114f03 and asked cautiously.“Where f8c21e64e4 is Miss Serena?”“She 0695945366 stepped away to e8a5bfcc13 adjust her outfit.”Switching d45738a688 back to his dc876da85d usual sarcastic tone, 0fceb27fb1 Nocturne moved closer fff45ab8c9 to Ophelia. His sudden fd05704099 show of 93edd73158 familiarity made ca14a21257 her step fba0a52a27 back warily.In 4267487000 response, Nocturne 80bcb18757 closed the e18024481b gap again, 63cd67b617 gracefully extending cfc9b6bbec his hand.“Since 29ce7704b9 you’re alone, d2270623a4 why not d37506cf75 join me dc7967ee22 for a e909b06049 dance? It’s been 72fa058ef1 a while.”• 987eb3fa93 ❁ • f27a23d153 ❁ • cda2389317 ❁ •By 178d2d5a9d Esraa• ❁ 6bd48a88af • ❁ cfeb93d882 • ❁ 7a7f7efd41 •If you e00b612359 want to a113488bd4 support the c6a0df38cd translation and d496a90606 the translator, 996e88349f you can ed80c21316 buy a de32324d1f coffee~be69556603ad546e

“Ophelia, are you 59ef1ba9ad going to keep 179c85d27c wallowing in this cb5b02842f pitiful state?”a5f694664e44e11b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Leave me alone. Who are ccd7720d0c you to 93f40985e6 call me 34bdc87689 pitiful and 0290a0a84c scold me?”0e4253bea860f1de

“Why not use this e4a66c0cc0 opportunity to just give 696b459f5f up on His Majesty? He has no interest 77c06f2ccf in you anyway. He’s indifferent to 4b3800f9ca everyone.”6822248648d6b8ec

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“This isn’t something I 81bb552a46 can just give up 27d3ab050e on, Nocturne. This is about our b1c7e49725 family’s honor. If you’ve 0a642b128b betrayed the 990bf3c7f1 family, go 6e1cd208c1 and do b2d36576c0 your business 8c7f5b5868 quietly. Why are 202582fcb7 you coming a2b12fe21f to me?”a3521e6c34e056f8

“To laugh at 243e0c0fb8 your pitiful state d84a0f6a6d as much as c6514fac5f I can. As expected, e8ad3c1743 you’re as 9dcbcb10d7 pathetic as 624201e32b ever, Ophelia.”42c31039c081511f

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Using her visit 5636641090 as an excuse 66d766049f to rub salt b1978864b3 in her wounds, bd34f522f6 Nocturne had left b1a4c6e83c Ophelia simmering in e96ed5de74 frustration. Fueled by 96ee38e355 resentment, Ophelia d55d2c2495 decided to 892699e288 put an dc5082cc8e end to 8e501688c2 her reclusive b31b213651 lifestyle and 882c68af9a show everyone 1e69c48b18 how well fba00891ff she could 591bdfbf8d carry on.She 82ab4e2f35 didn’t want df9e8c0e8a to appear 9057d76c86 pathetic in c92d835275 front of 5844f3a5c1 Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked 9767631122 him ever since 995ee98bf6 he first entered 9643233ec0 the duke’s castle, d425e0bf85 looking like a e163a017d8 pauper.She hated that 56a4f77170 he was her 2b4d0e6bae father’s illegitimate child. It was 5b1b93b84d supposed to ef5a18e295 be just b08a442ed1 her; she 0848dfd4b0 was her ffc097239f father’s only da00980ee1 child after 16d557e7f4 her mother bd243f1e47 had died dd697614c7 during childbirth. There had 982e869e88 only been 2d8472b1d6 her until 977d3a6467 Nocturne appeared 14ba40bf8f late in 8c4c5c007d the picture.If 5848796311 he was 602ca0385c going to d0b3c59f7d come, he 227c5d5bca should’ve at 912a0ae583 least tried b4f4587c0f to integrate, 0f3e9f9a05 but no, f1a95b07f6 he left a9340f3b38 the family a72273356b entirely. It felt like abandonment, 29860cb1f3 which made her even 3be15060f8 more upset.‘Nocturne doing something 084b32a8b7 good for me—what a 93f36abd5f rare sight.’Ophelia chuckled briefly 93253ae45a and glanced at Azaid, c7d5d65e05 only to be startled. His gaze was 9f2071ffc9 as sharp as 033022cd20 a blade.“Are you a653c3030c asking me to 85836cc7dc play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not 68ea1c0c35 what I 08c9c695b5 meant!”“Instead of aa2fa91ced meddling in 109428063b others’ affairs, 3438582aa8 focus on 2180953ec3 your own.”Azaid 3f409f9fdc spoke in 1136841929 a tone dd2cd05570 laced with fedc245002 irritation before e69ed3c077 turning his 25afa1265b head—towards Serena, c2f548b4ba of all 578e824189 people.Azaid stared 4b7f5e74f2 intently at ad04bf6e8c Serena and 64dd20f686 Nocturne, who 7b57e9d638 were whispering 452e75f14d to each 9e935c5b8f other, signaling b46cb02d9a back and cf6625d76a forth. Were they exchanging 9792613021 sweet nothings?Azaid’s eyes c636436ab5 burned with intensity 080a5c07b5 as he watched b9f697a055 them. Serena eventually turned bd3f132a26 her gaze to f7546efaf9 Azaid, signaling him 4108f26acb with subtle hand 8abd90b613 movements before quickly f2ea4f82c6 averting her eyes. The exchange happened so 355b401c96 swiftly that only Azaid 8d2baed01c noticed it.‘Let’s meet on d986bcfad8 the terrace.’Her glance towards 59245b9fc6 the terrace, coupled with 1186d83291 a hidden gesture between 24be496a58 the folds of her 5cea119523 dress, was clear evidence.Azaid 294fbff3ef snorted. What could 1532bb50ce she mean 643d38e0d7 by asking e46058763c him to f9b75bbd3b come to ac5bbce924 the terrace 72b6494a29 while she 56943fc09e still had 8a7ee2caa9 her partner 484836296d by her ee578f379d side?Yet, despite 0472def1c6 his cynical 7907312517 thoughts, his 70a46eb637 feet naturally a8ca3fcb11 carried him 98893257a1 toward the fcebc637c7 terrace.“I think cf2dbf0022 I’ll take 1b40e932e2 a short a4c1fbf248 break on 13179ff821 the terrace.”“Oh, 9e2c282faa I’ll come 7b0229269d with you,” 2e025f4c46 Ophelia quickly 4cd1b81b40 offered.Azaid waved cff8c25406 her off.“No 5cbf146f38 need. You’ll enjoy a053b39ce2 mingling with b1c1471303 others more, 71d345f66b so stay 7e8a02663a here.”“But—”“You’ll be 6fe14fccd0 my partner aeccde6a78 for the c8e70ec352 entirety of 8a04bab863 this hunting 6149beac01 festival anyway. I’m genuinely 19fce00585 tired, so 2ebb7a0ede let me f5a48cf7cf be alone a8bd493233 for a cea617aa94 while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 74758da936 stop him 052b849028 any further 2d79c626d3 and reluctantly 8f3caf4c5c stepped back. Azaid moved 4087a9cf2f towards the 58be2b4da3 terrace as 8dbdcf50c3 if something 4837794736 urgent was 0c7f5b7420 waiting for a63f1cbc73 him there.As 3f54fb66b2 Ophelia stared beef7a98b3 after him, 7d259a3912 someone called c83b502d91 out to 8a5d8714a7 her.“So this 3a8754cbff is where 4966e99a53 you’ve been, 64150ee2ee sister.”Before she d8866a68a4 realized it, bf61fe93c8 Nocturne had 8bfb1c1e5f appeared beside 4bc6fc0d35 her. Unlike his usual 0438486ecf sarcastic tone, his c5f9d2f10c voice was polite.Ophelia 2ea8aff38b turned around in 761bbe3cfe surprise, only to 086e9ed174 realize Serena wasn’t b72d4b70ef with him. She glanced around e94632a1ce and asked cautiously.“Where 18f657e592 is Miss Serena?”“She 310ed546d3 stepped away to bf4d9189b3 adjust her outfit.”Switching d10487dfd7 back to his 794360a89c usual sarcastic tone, 032dc19442 Nocturne moved closer a1e375d18a to Ophelia. His sudden show 1ebcfca1e1 of familiarity made af41d9cb94 her step back fa169b48ec warily.In response, Nocturne ed92e75789 closed the gap c782c37b29 again, gracefully extending 79f2606a47 his hand.“Since you’re 0a440698de alone, why not 8deed4d6bc join me for ca11af50cc a dance? It’s been 90b70630f9 a while.”• 1730aa37ae ❁ • 7f804760de ❁ • 2e1fc3a2eb ❁ •By 33edd9d58d Esraa• ❁ a49db68d00 • ❁ ee910dc292 • ❁ 3b4de9ac16 •If you 35ef541b61 want to e8f0d47fa4 support the a65757e1cc translation and a3dc40f1aa the translator, ae0c022fff you can 9bd29838ec buy a 67ff955322 coffee~03ca716378380d71

Using her visit as 13d7334561 an excuse to rub b62d7fed54 salt in her wounds, 0b5b498aaf Nocturne had left Ophelia 8505d0dec4 simmering in frustration. Fueled by resentment, a015869c6c Ophelia decided to 625416561e put an end fa55fdcd62 to her reclusive 0cc50d3d99 lifestyle and show df674de093 everyone how well ef1c66d6df she could carry 287ad268af on.She didn’t want d6c1b014cc to appear pathetic b38f56f4af in front of 34f74fb28e Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked him 7fd6c8e10a ever since he first 2e6f6413b9 entered the duke’s castle, f90d8b653f looking like a pauper.She 5ddf6ffa3e hated that he was c83a4fbe29 her father’s illegitimate child. It was d8f9d9a7d9 supposed to b8e4e9ab2f be just 6ac0d07f91 her; she 8849167147 was her a422892cc5 father’s only 1e5d683af6 child after 8112fb338a her mother be9553d978 had died 159af9f9ee during childbirth. There had cdd59a1388 only been 1db7ea235d her until 0c6c9edaf7 Nocturne appeared 34a90d2802 late in a34e6dfebd the picture.If 31d40e6e79 he was bdaf90b564 going to 7f5b7e4d4b come, he 65247a65c2 should’ve at 8a8ce40ad7 least tried 2e336eac18 to integrate, 32e36cab83 but no, 3df4c7021b he left 29363c924f the family 78ada264d1 entirely. It felt like 11aa771748 abandonment, which made 6893b8b7d1 her even more e3c485c14d upset.‘Nocturne doing something ef5dc2920a good for me—what eb1549cbce a rare sight.’Ophelia 6b8b929436 chuckled briefly and d1eec40328 glanced at Azaid, 95ce010db7 only to be 8767d67e21 startled. His gaze was 34aa1c06d9 as sharp as d862a15826 a blade.“Are you e7d30cfd38 asking me to a6bcf8dc9a play matchmaker now?”“Ah! That’s not what I abe12cb78f meant!”“Instead of meddling in 7420d5c6b0 others’ affairs, focus on 5bad90a2a3 your own.”Azaid spoke in 19660f657d a tone laced with 8c965d7ccd irritation before turning his d6de88f375 head—towards Serena, of all 2ff4dcb8dd people.Azaid stared intently at 83272f195d Serena and Nocturne, who 60b7eec010 were whispering to each 83215230cf other, signaling back and 049250c781 forth. Were they exchanging sweet 0ee4cf90d8 nothings?Azaid’s eyes burned with 5bb9a9181e intensity as he watched cf7d3e3c59 them. Serena eventually 90d65e80b8 turned her a7968178c3 gaze to ea69816154 Azaid, signaling 8c0e3eeafa him with 04ae4fbcd9 subtle hand bb52b7e60f movements before ebec8cf5b1 quickly averting 99d07601a7 her eyes. The exchange 0369d594f1 happened so b32ac17a61 swiftly that 8ccd14a845 only Azaid 6982cdc995 noticed it.‘Let’s 09713b5de3 meet on 8e23440eaa the terrace.’Her fefb1060ee glance towards 81b6c41656 the terrace, 4fea0f3a9f coupled with e1110d80d4 a hidden b03cc4815b gesture between d5800452de the folds e2cefb5a76 of her f97a5e3b33 dress, was 623f2b1f98 clear evidence.Azaid 0f87b7b154 snorted. What could she 6a1060fdc9 mean by asking 54943fb8ba him to come 9d97a29d02 to the terrace 78c4a4e193 while she still c626c6abc0 had her partner f02d1b04e4 by her side?Yet, 03cab64f0e despite his cynical 7b0dafeadd thoughts, his feet ca1cd69956 naturally carried him 2e38c50cd9 toward the terrace.“I 1457480d42 think I’ll take 18ea36abaf a short break 82224806d7 on the terrace.”“Oh, 07681f8c59 I’ll come with 04b6820377 you,” Ophelia quickly ed87fb7eb5 offered.Azaid waved her 4b0e6b3a0c off.“No need. You’ll enjoy mingling with d3bda36d25 others more, so stay 7f134d6561 here.”“But—”“You’ll be my partner 2522b3e402 for the entirety of 2f59530424 this hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, 5223665c8d so let me 28fee006e8 be alone for 3bfb39f44f a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 90af8fe36c stop him any 8d5fbdab37 further and reluctantly 1b9ae9eed2 stepped back. Azaid moved towards 96828df2d2 the terrace as b15dd25bfc if something urgent d1999d27f7 was waiting for 4dd8c4d33d him there.As Ophelia 88b6e36253 stared after him, 8c409ce6aa someone called out e0d883e63f to her.“So this d30bc75813 is where you’ve 24ced9dc9d been, sister.”Before she 13686d9583 realized it, Nocturne 1cf1ee0d45 had appeared beside 0489170010 her. Unlike his f2ec13d652 usual sarcastic 3047b1dde5 tone, his 4904ad47eb voice was e4d2f51f9f polite.Ophelia turned ddf58da400 around in b23815e5fe surprise, only d093a5f878 to realize 420d2fb06b Serena wasn’t 4b89fee230 with him. She glanced e691a53b36 around and ae5b9e95ce asked cautiously.“Where e66d02a7a7 is Miss 5981a7db94 Serena?”“She stepped d6e1abaf44 away to 03f95d7483 adjust her dc07a4f8bb outfit.”Switching back a01c56155c to his c0dc882664 usual sarcastic bacc3a91d7 tone, Nocturne bfd9b36584 moved closer 03279ad1c1 to Ophelia. His sudden show of 409985c784 familiarity made her step 94688ccd15 back warily.In response, Nocturne 9996dc7b38 closed the gap again, 0a9e53f5ca gracefully extending his hand.“Since a3395c1ca4 you’re alone, why not 5646710001 join me for a b6df90e7af dance? It’s been a bc1565b695 while.”• ❁ • 370201e4fb ❁ • ❁ f205b444eb •By Esraa• ❁ d0c4a18172 • ❁ • 4498b0fb22 ❁ •If you 5bd198c6b1 want to support 32db70d125 the translation and fe77617098 the translator, you ec4f4bc174 can buy a 74525b44bc coffee~8be4ca244ec1daf2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Using her a6c38cec10 visit as 9e3135942b an excuse 22a064301d to rub 085b4bbad7 salt in 259549e82f her wounds, c352c1a088 Nocturne had 5858acf673 left Ophelia 75fe27d508 simmering in 7e7ccb0b43 frustration. Fueled by e35d5b4531 resentment, Ophelia 60aa8df07c decided to 9330dcfef9 put an de4b7f536d end to fbffe23f80 her reclusive ae50708227 lifestyle and 40eefcfad4 show everyone 7e65f5f3a3 how well e6ecb469a8 she could a53bb9164a carry on.She a559318a47 didn’t want 105a4e13dd to appear 70cc4ad691 pathetic in 3780a47699 front of 2c793ea4b8 Nocturne. She despised him. She had disliked 0a8b581c23 him ever since 73bf6dc313 he first entered 1922618e54 the duke’s castle, c95aee7612 looking like a 9158bba032 pauper.She hated that 6c6a081c49 he was her e9fce06550 father’s illegitimate child. It was supposed a0f560ebb1 to be just 042bfb9eb8 her; she was f0254f20b2 her father’s only e8ef5e45e4 child after her a1cd9e0fcc mother had died d9265f94d3 during childbirth. There had 01c10ddaeb only been 9f5b81e0ec her until 5386befb71 Nocturne appeared a1f3425e62 late in ba51a0cb06 the picture.If d1c7c7d476 he was 12ea996a00 going to 46e782ebc7 come, he 8de2057328 should’ve at b70aedd85b least tried 087fae1541 to integrate, fa16428051 but no, f7dc5de5eb he left f2d37421fc the family 5a67c5de12 entirely. It felt like 509c435f28 abandonment, which made 18ed9c6e34 her even more 69db671253 upset.‘Nocturne doing something cc14030b92 good for me—what 8ced69a197 a rare sight.’Ophelia 12ad8fe1fd chuckled briefly and 542d29def4 glanced at Azaid, e8ae46d964 only to be 1c870de3ab startled. His gaze 11ae848cf0 was as 70d047b3a6 sharp as 72c91e64fe a blade.“Are 4a770643e3 you asking 301ad13d0b me to 82d4ccdff7 play matchmaker 74241a8304 now?”“Ah! That’s not a3237cd29f what I 3206a798de meant!”“Instead of 7116f3a03a meddling in 8ad798941e others’ affairs, af7d9452bb focus on ffa493eece your own.”Azaid 907c980ae1 spoke in bb069aba99 a tone a300c22d44 laced with 0d7dcbecc7 irritation before fdf67feff7 turning his a4c2d88f8a head—towards Serena, a94d9ebd5c of all cd972e3c20 people.Azaid stared 663a354cb1 intently at 43d048c982 Serena and 5bb2947d58 Nocturne, who 34d8479965 were whispering 7c19278030 to each f332cff89c other, signaling 33c47e52b0 back and 88c0709d12 forth. Were they exchanging bdcf29af45 sweet nothings?Azaid’s eyes 49044d1487 burned with intensity c4f1a15f7d as he watched 34a9183d00 them. Serena eventually turned 6320cdb306 her gaze to df80f67e80 Azaid, signaling him 060c7a139a with subtle hand 3a2c15a8e0 movements before quickly 3908503b43 averting her eyes. The exchange 21e0b5451d happened so adae68346e swiftly that 8d03e0037a only Azaid 2287a39893 noticed it.‘Let’s a0b820b1ca meet on b0e3f8a45d the terrace.’Her bcd37c75ed glance towards 981e1803a7 the terrace, c08da897f2 coupled with 28744992f5 a hidden 27ea4e3cb0 gesture between 0ee7541e0e the folds 47334320f3 of her 05e94ca8bb dress, was 62d701b65a clear evidence.Azaid a137bf630e snorted. What could she mean 41ccb87e23 by asking him to 51f8b8cba1 come to the terrace 6b5ad0dea7 while she still had aebbaaaea9 her partner by her eb0932fdd8 side?Yet, despite his cynical 2f5a1f8e64 thoughts, his feet naturally 97aad85c18 carried him toward the 50e63b01e2 terrace.“I think I’ll take 21c74eb83f a short break on a301a46b5c the terrace.”“Oh, I’ll come 64a8427fab with you,” Ophelia quickly cc07d76fb5 offered.Azaid waved her off.“No 5d343fc613 need. You’ll enjoy mingling 35daf5a912 with others more, 7f05bd8430 so stay here.”“But—”“You’ll 5c361a461c be my partner 1fc5d681ca for the entirety dbfa8a753d of this hunting b840985587 festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, 445f3efb55 so let me 24981bd1ba be alone for cb22090a08 a while.”“Understood.”Ophelia couldn’t 9ccb5e94ec stop him any e1551d159c further and reluctantly 33c8211b6c stepped back. Azaid moved bbd4f05b70 towards the 5dfb0796d6 terrace as 3d027f4be3 if something 07840eadca urgent was 0ae3e32490 waiting for 287ad12c25 him there.As 292fde9ae1 Ophelia stared 2ae964e2b8 after him, f4a467c9b5 someone called 322fabd797 out to b1566ca0c5 her.“So this adaed2aee4 is where 251b1b7a90 you’ve been, 637a086db2 sister.”Before she 450a73b1fa realized it, 30778af786 Nocturne had 5a0a8b0a44 appeared beside 5c599be8e8 her. Unlike his usual sarcastic b3da21d131 tone, his voice was e5bf0ac144 polite.Ophelia turned around in d3b1f57ae3 surprise, only to realize ac01ca26da Serena wasn’t with him. She glanced around and bb362b4bf8 asked cautiously.“Where is Miss 124cf80209 Serena?”“She stepped away to c6cd255eab adjust her outfit.”Switching back 440458dda0 to his usual sarcastic 3a4066fd2e tone, Nocturne moved closer aa1944d8c1 to Ophelia. His sudden show a99870b327 of familiarity made 8efecdec10 her step back 82979607a9 warily.In response, Nocturne c167c57fb9 closed the gap 0a830605f5 again, gracefully extending a5d0e17b53 his hand.“Since you’re ffc5f20062 alone, why not 26218a04ce join me for 68a09b6561 a dance? It’s been a while.”• 125b6dbf7e ❁ • ❁ • e160a14a0e ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ cf92641694 • ❁ • ❁ 95392512f8 •If you want to 3de98ed1f0 support the translation and fb74f158e1 the translator, you can ffcf11c81c buy a coffee~ebe7cbce7aff68bf

Using her visit as da67ef57b5 an excuse to rub b356bb0814 salt in her wounds, 52f56eaf23 Nocturne had left Ophelia 70b30c779d simmering in frustration. Fueled by c0c8a28365 resentment, Ophelia d09dd33aa1 decided to 3630e417fb put an 887f59c4d1 end to 485fbcceaf her reclusive b7d7f7177a lifestyle and 7266f3835b show everyone 721d09c6cc how well 21864236ef she could 22b6fea562 carry on.fb7d843aea837d3b

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She didn’t 162d8aab94 want to 218a213b3d appear pathetic 6a61c321a4 in front 9db291e1e6 of Nocturne. She despised him. She had 863f3f503e disliked him 9f73133bf7 ever since 52dc01965e he first 65bcbe9423 entered the f7374aa539 duke’s castle, c14058d953 looking like 3f60254e0c a pauper.654fb4f19d0b6f6b

She hated that he 5ff2439924 was her father’s illegitimate b2f6168be6 child. It was supposed to 7523cc7f0c be just her; she c57f8ac57b was her father’s only 70b40b1b63 child after her mother d89283cc8c had died during childbirth. There had only been 95f6792842 her until Nocturne appeared e7f3ad3b10 late in the picture.3190858bd1591001

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If he was 9244165539 going to come, 20f4f73eac he should’ve at 18cfbdc8d5 least tried to c3097de7e8 integrate, but no, 315bfa8c77 he left the 5d632f932c family entirely. It felt like abandonment, 750ebd21ef which made her even 93ae63f5ff more upset.d1ea73cf300b054a

‘Nocturne doing 53ac778a83 something good f6a0ed6fcb for me—what 62e680214c a rare 7d60a24749 sight.’d87abfb527cfdb21

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Ophelia chuckled edda697450 briefly and 594749fa7b glanced at 1f829bf2e2 Azaid, only df5a7c38fb to be 0fa21b81ed startled. His gaze was 306317516b as sharp as 9dc6aedb83 a blade.ea60fd33249263c3

“Are you 3816a20e81 asking me 69b1d1c2bd to play 2e8d39eec8 matchmaker now?”c1acc9fa49948213

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“Ah! That’s not what I f446b611ad meant!”258754f01061feec

“Instead of meddling 4e56ec2564 in others’ affairs, b630873638 focus on your fa3995ce33 own.”2f19c6a3220290d5

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Azaid spoke in e2643b2bf1 a tone laced c07d349f1d with irritation before c2de7fcef2 turning his head—towards a03cb3768b Serena, of all e9e5e503d5 people.023dec6cc0ef872f

Azaid stared intently 4b46483188 at Serena and 53e4536eda Nocturne, who were fe1afa014d whispering to each b03c6399a2 other, signaling back 453060aab8 and forth. Were they d5e78f269d exchanging sweet 2cb0ae2193 nothings?fba6a1b549b73180

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Azaid’s eyes c7db63b34d burned with f0a931e406 intensity as 03e1c57487 he watched c3422bcfb8 them. Serena eventually turned her 976632244c gaze to Azaid, signaling 14aa576853 him with subtle hand 9fb6411871 movements before quickly averting 825255d749 her eyes. The exchange happened so 1608a10d2e swiftly that only Azaid 5f80f5c940 noticed it.82858157fdf4083a

‘Let’s meet on the e631b9bd79 terrace.’83f2d0c5a56d00b5

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Her glance towards the 818fd1589a terrace, coupled with a f2777468e7 hidden gesture between the f5b8439ef5 folds of her dress, c96dc467bc was clear evidence.b7d9b8080b7b7f40

Azaid snorted. What could she mean 7ccdbcf955 by asking him to 244fc7c9fa come to the terrace 580be47b00 while she still had 96f1f84b53 her partner by her a44d7b3bed side?9e96ead33175ab92

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Yet, despite b5d20aa0d9 his cynical f8930d99e4 thoughts, his 640166b3a0 feet naturally 19e2d6cff2 carried him 99282f9738 toward the 296eaf2006 terrace.394dac503c07cf10

“I think I’ll 734461d0f7 take a short c035a106a4 break on the e75531aefb terrace.”a9cafebd55ca3050

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“Oh, I’ll come with a5c72b999e you,” Ophelia quickly offered.b04c0e2a9d9837ba

Azaid waved her off.b9081311ada1cc6b

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“No need. You’ll enjoy mingling with 23d58b7feb others more, so stay f0e6b00738 here.”6446be6119120682

“But—”c49b5779bce6be0b

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“You’ll be my 3a75070cff partner for the c2044c0d8f entirety of this 3045c6e3ba hunting festival anyway. I’m genuinely tired, so 2ca25b3a38 let me be alone bbccaf83d3 for a while.”19b2046b30b2e4fb

“Understood.”17e4629a241afbaf

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Ophelia couldn’t bee2c3c1a4 stop him 4142739082 any further d9cc7de5aa and reluctantly 921281d9db stepped back. Azaid moved b6ca6121ce towards the d40142a78d terrace as 1dfa8fdf6a if something a407c700f0 urgent was 82637fe056 waiting for f7440e99fc him there.6f2e7e2e884fa44b

As Ophelia stared after aae94e4801 him, someone called out 051e5a476d to her.b49888f28a71ec81

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“So this c0e1b29725 is where 0275186b52 you’ve been, bfe65d44a3 sister.”f040aaa20e5165fd

Before she realized 4492067fac it, Nocturne had 9c6a1a999b appeared beside her. Unlike his usual sarcastic 355ec6aa13 tone, his voice was caf798e680 polite.b1794da6f77cf3d3

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Ophelia turned f2736c71d7 around in 6a58ca4f45 surprise, only 3fb7028761 to realize 2e50f3e840 Serena wasn’t f0a594cfb8 with him. She glanced around and 928e55bf85 asked cautiously.748cc9147eab5bb5

“Where is Miss Serena?”f56a535df0bf2309

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“She stepped f613539d66 away to 1c4ecfcb39 adjust her 9d06be948b outfit.”b06441adea7ad900

Switching back to 185ea2a768 his usual sarcastic 610a0e67fd tone, Nocturne moved 844f14e229 closer to Ophelia. His sudden show of c4524a0e5e familiarity made her step 036d99de8e back warily.4997bb0c3c625732

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In response, 693eb75762 Nocturne closed 819e34729c the gap 6d4e49ade3 again, gracefully 6828e0666e extending his 2289aad2dd hand.ee105a4e6a412b13

“Since you’re alone, why ae44179f11 not join me for 575dafc6eb a dance? It’s been a while.”ac475c134478a843

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• ❁ • ❁ bb63d3aaea • ❁ •By Esraa• c7fe5c9d60 ❁ • ❁ • 54e2f74663 ❁ •9e9256baff133f7d

If you want to 28b60068d0 support the translation and 7669d8e5f0 the translator, you can 90ef8a5a89 buy a coffee~1bd92c0c491b751e

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