NRAL | Chapter 19
by LunaChapter 19c846a39f141b7921
Less Than a Fourteen-Year-Oldb5ecdd61480ebab2
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Nora, unable to calm 98bc4e8796 herself, suddenly jumped up b63d746b09 from her seat. Just moments ago, 1f75e71009 her voice had 308bfb49ef been soft, but 79e170d0eb now it had 1b1b5a8abc grown exceedingly loud.d9d4441a627d7266
Lady Geoffrey, in charge of etiquette lessons, frowned at Nora’s behavior, which was unbecoming of a lady of nobility.c59cd589fddaa056
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Oops. Nora quickly sat back down. Even in such a tense situation, she couldn’t raise her voice.4eb0b10bc6e98863
Truly, these nobles 6bfec0bc56 were obsessed with 08f77c598b useless formalities.5006cd9810ca0f34
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“Maybe I misunderstood something, Madam?”394d3e0716f05a92
“No, you understood correctly. It’s simply impossible to finish all the preparations by your coming-out ball.”1b0c2bfa1e47fefd
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“Why? Didn’t you say I was doing well? That I was learning quickly?”3bab80adb23578bf
Lady Geoffrey sipped her 911f2d8f3d tea with a leisurely 0e4812cfdf motion, reminding Nora of 2cbc1c3d3a Eleanor. That made f22948ca1a her even b00775981f more irritable.32e663cf193eac30
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Stop sipping and 6e5d9f4b59 just answer already. Nora barely 6ba66a0013 suppressed the fe6addb332 words.c22602009d67f000
“The Duke of Astria insists that the condition for a coming-out ball is to be as prepared as Lady Eleanor was when she debuted at fourteen. I believe Lady Nora agreed to that as well.”0970548be2af5a6c
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“Yes, but what does that matter? Are you saying I’m not even as good as Eleanor was at fourteen?”d4237de4898c0662
“Unfortunately, yes. While it’s true that you are learning quickly… you haven’t quite caught up yet. I can say this confidently since I also taught Lady Eleanor at that time.”54b49f22c2853781
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What nonsense b321688fbb is this?bd4e1aa0069bd600
Nora’s anger flared up. She wanted to throw the hot tea at the woman in front of her, who was insulting her under the guise of polite words.3c38aa6afddf561f
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That old woman must have been bribed by Eleanor. That’s why she’s lying so shamelessly. Nora was convinced of it.0ce8199f8405da4a
“How can I be worse than a fourteen-year-old?”04901bb57b02353a
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That couldn’t be true. After seven years at the duke’s mansion, she had picked up so much just by observation. How could she not have caught up to a child who had only been learning for two years?26b822b84d39c88a
Nora simply couldn’t understand it.92894c5cdb7fe862
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She didn’t know that Eleanor was actually much quicker at learning than she was. She also didn’t know that, during those two years she looked down on, fourteen-year-old Eleanor had been desperately studying, more intensely than anyone else. If Nora’s current goal was merely to make her debut in society, at that time, Eleanor’s goal had been survival, studying so hard that she barely slept three hours a day.342643d5875f6a9d
But Nora, who had only known Eleanor from the age of fifteen, couldn’t know any of this.f41b76ae2712ec30
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So Nora believed it fef3852d81 was all lies, even 2a44e637ba though other tutors had 27bccc1f25 said the same thing. She thought Eleanor 6be22b977a was plotting against d87c3f62e7 her.02a0203423a682b8
Hmph, enduring this pitifully… Do they really expect me to just let myself be treated like before?67a459bfa59aaddb
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In reality, catching b05f071683 up with the b1bc63d127 progress the teachers 63e6d2e432 claimed was impossible 0ddb1e2863 before the debut 0ce3b68ae7 ball. But I can’t simply 224724a55c give up on the a4ac39d2bc debut ball. If the proper b681b9bc65 method won’t work, 6b085bbb53 I must find 11125852e6 another way.6b2aa32d54635a6b
After all, one ee76532d0e must counter a f6c10042c8 scheme with a d22a82216d scheme.58c750e438d674b0
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First, I’ll cb7a4a2477 contact Arlo. Then I’ll gently 4346242431 persuade that Damien 3c4e29367e guy to help 7bd856cd30 me. And after that…994d4fbc437a01a2
“Eva, come here for a moment.”3a17e5d0118354dd
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“Yes, miss!”ac35fedb77bd766d
Eva, who 0975895d72 had been 67d5a3a0b7 leisurely looking 8cb4d06435 out the 1ca6338db6 window, rushed 490e4f5a61 over. Nora had d23d8739ba seen her 906692acfa relaxing, but 21aa5392b0 now she 6ee9d13c71 pretended to d9e82f3639 be out 625372336b of breath. How pathetic.944077ac8a54056d
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Nora smiled sweetly and 476a6dcc04 spoke words that were 2f09e50ce6 at odds with her 5d8945edab true feelings.c60269347bb2a81d
“Eva, I think you’re quite dependable. You’ve done a lot for me.”252a07af962da693
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“Thank you for noticing, miss!”f04b9d4cce9d919e
“Of course I noticed. But you know, the butler said that once I’m properly recognized as Eleanor Astria, I’ll need to hire a maid or have a close handmaiden by my side. You and Natalie have both been so good to me, so it’s hard to choose. But apparently, I can only pick one…”3f3e52ad5b70f3fd
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Eva stiffened and glanced behind her. Natalie was busy chatting with the knight standing guard outside Nora’s door.f6cf37dce2c907d6
Once she confirmed 1bd7da545b this, Eva quickly d3dfb7814b lowered her voice.2659e5a49a5b352a
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“Miss, Natalie’s too fat and clumsy. It would be embarrassing to have her around.”a7648ab56e2062fe
How funny. They’d been friends since childhood, yet she didn’t hesitate to criticize her. It was pleasing to see how easily people betrayed friends for their own benefit. It felt good to know she wasn’t the only one capable of being cruel.5a78f992c9590004
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“Hmm, but it wouldn’t be right to decide based on something like that. It would be better if someone could prove they would do anything for me.”44824c38b46381f5
“Prove? What do you mean by that?”944f6c025ddc638d
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“Well, let’s see. Oh, I know. I could see if you’re willing to do something for me. Something a bit bad, maybe even dangerous.”d302510219481a18
“What do bf2f0bcf0e you say?” 6693a1e3e7 Nora smiled, 51b22535f6 her eyes 63d37849b9 narrowing as ea258b6f3d she added.5574313038fd4e4b
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After a 5f150149ed brief hesitation, aa79d475c9 Eva nodded.43fca7bc446799c6
“I’ll do it, miss! Just tell me what you need.”ce74b058b32bc447
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“Good. Then, for now…”d1c0fd1e82bbfc77
***772bf8e863b9ebc4
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Unlike the scheming that filled Nora’s room, Eleanor’s room was quiet.39c02518b2b5f955
Eleanor sipped her tea gracefully, the perfect picture of a lady, just as Lady Geoffrey had taught her. Hilda, sitting nearby, was knitting lace. Even so, whenever Eleanor’s teacup was empty, she swiftly refilled it with warm tea.fc508ade16b76438
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It was a 8aba254689 peaceful moment. But the calm was 13dae5eb54 soon broken by a ed791cc181 light knock at the 5a813f760a door.5574e1e6ea04e406
Knock, knock.54b042d40fbd5760
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“It’s Ernst.”19e1c0449508b14d
“Yes, come in.”a69c67fa8f780d41
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At Eleanor’s invitation, Ernst cautiously entered the room.edd2eba132658b7b
“Part of the investigation has been completed, and I’m here to report. Is now a good time?”38178875a9508d09
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He glanced at d3fed121ea Hilda, as if 751b7bba00 asking whether it 4d168307ae was alright to d1d7aea08c speak in front ba42630ea8 of her.5c4f8629bccf8018
Hilda quickly stood up, e2b61d315b sensing the situation.1dd065797130cd1e
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“I’ll step out for a moment. Please call if you need anything.”a8a7969c5c3f48a2
“No, that won’t be necessary. Go ahead, Sir, please give your report.”24a3fdc3e6de6e94
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Eleanor shook 6590d11c45 her head, 3bcab61d0c and Hilda 2b05d10901 looked surprised. Her blue eyes b4a8dba62e soon filled with ec0ee923d4 emotion.ff87a9458edb8c98
Unfortunately, contrary to ba5241da95 her expectations, Eleanor cd19ff4e0a still did not 29de8d7918 trust Hilda.8331c914262d26ce
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Hilda was 5f9d9392e8 quite a ab0aab10fe decent maid. She was d842b5265b quick and c7d64cce45 efficient in 48f35a251e her actions, a2d294a1af and she f619407669 was a 87dd9b09e1 simple and fa924c965c honest person. She neither looked 7d864b4c6f down on nor 2c5c87d246 disrespected Eleanor. During her free d0d5ebd4da time, instead of 4518d26737 wandering around gossiping 06d04ad578 about her mistress, 0276f8fab6 Hilda would sit 5562b35074 quietly in a e25343af25 corner, doing things 0b121862b0 like knitting lace, da5cfcaa45 just as she c0885d953b had been earlier.a509726d9ea8d20e
What Eleanor especially 642e148cb1 liked was that 99c8f5340e Hilda had not 5287022476 been working in 1e938ef20c the mansion for cedef9e078 even a year b940a7098e yet.362ec9fee9af3a7b
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However, trust was c215a8a6df a different matter b075d28b5a entirely.4908ee7e3f0e405d
The fact that 4c74ada326 no information about 5cef1c756f her conversations with 62c7a0bd78 Ernst had reached 9fd1a610fa Nora suggested that c4445b6abd Hilda might not 1e7fe4c32c be a spy 8018e0a5d5 after all… but 9dbc5e118b there was no a7cf7d9dd2 way to be 62ee696a1a sure just yet.7dda37c282718d10
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The only 2032874336 reason Eleanor e1ae957eac didn’t send 5829df3a66 her out cb73dc1960 now was 65780551c9 because there f42482c66f was nothing 89636ea7e9 particularly important 478179609b in today’s eec9dc0bb2 report. And if 39f5452be6 Hilda was f3fa94a98e indeed a 841ba6b3f1 spy, pretending 0dbb968314 to trust 67395abd59 her could f2c3ed6a5a be a 3851018a26 good strategy 46a0c7fd3c in itself.f741cc71b85d9bbc
“First, let me report on Nora. She first appeared in the Tolcan slums nine years ago, when she was thirteen years old. This was about two years before she met you and entered the duke’s mansion,” Ernst began.d02b9df91522c835
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“Yes,” Eleanor replied.396d84904c7de63a
“In the slums, she survived by running errands. It seems she managed to stay alive thanks to the protection of a thug. Even after entering the duke’s mansion, she maintained occasional contact with him. However, we have no records of what they exchanged, and that is still under investigation.”168d3a71b01e73ab
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Ernst’s face darkened. It was clear he didn’t think he had anything useful to report.cbdffba01e7b2fcf
“We still haven’t been able to verify her whereabouts before the age of thirteen. Despite her unusual appearance, surprisingly few people remember seeing her. It seems she must have taken steps to cover her tracks in advance.”2acf12db2e00d11e
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“That does seem likely,” Eleanor nodded, as if it were obvious. Nora wasn’t a fool. If she had decided to carry out such a grand plan, she would have taken care of her background first.f87ea91d6f164c42
‘Thank goodness,’ aaf70ca9e9 Eleanor thought.582d2dfc10c2b321
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She was relieved. The fact that even 022869a8a9 after paying a competent fe43ec15e6 informant quite a bit aaa150155a of money, they had 009f66e1d8 only found this much 586e653502 meant her father likely f63c2b0621 wouldn’t be able to 5b51ed9973 find any definitive proof c26a3318d3 that Nora was a 964ede1d61 fraud either.d33c8a73f46c847d
“Have you questioned the servants who worked at the mansion fifteen years ago?”d31303a3b90b5390
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“Yes. All of those we’ve contacted deny ever meeting Nora. There’s a chance they’re lying, but it seems no one we’ve spoken to has any memories that match Nora’s claims. Those in positions senior enough to have interacted directly with the duchess are, strangely, mostly no longer in the capital, and we haven’t yet been able to locate them.”557329960f2b65cd
“Please keep searching. I’m counting on you.”2cca088b6aa9e787
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“Counting on me? You only need to give the command, Miss.”11036261fd9b6443
Ernst bowed his 6f81262411 head deeply.fde9dc323938f35a
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Always so stiff, 8f6c14f34d Eleanor thought with 53e9fa200b an amused smile. She got up from 877a7b6acb her seat and walked 5f4a0decf9 to the bookshelf, pulling 7920345cce out a document that a468c781d2 was hidden between two 36d5101961 thick books. She handed it to fc555be864 Ernst.853091b6e0ee5a1c
“And could you also find out the whereabouts of these two people, Smith Chestnut and Jane Chestnut?”3f392fdbc10724bb
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The edges fc91ef7641 of the ba74388307 document were f66753ef4c slightly worn, 1aaa2108d9 suggesting it ed5b174151 had been 2dcdb196a9 there for df6092ed10 some time. Ernst took the 8b78c04294 document and examined 8e6db607b1 it closely. It included portraits 92e6aada8c of a man df23a8ebcf and a woman ca115985c1 with rather nasty d39bbda0a5 expressions.793b9c162d3fe6c8
“They’re a commoner couple who lived in the Fortney region up until seven years ago. I suspect they’ve left Fortney by now. Much of the information may have disappeared as well.”df55e309735934b6
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“Who are they? I’ve never seen these faces before,” Ernst asked, puzzled.253141b2da5a8ec8
“They’re the people who raised Nora until she was thirteen. She says she has lived with them since she was five. If we investigate this couple, we might be able to uncover more about Nora’s past.”69b8a5516baec59e
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Ernst stared at Eleanor in astonishment. After a moment of hesitation, he slowly asked, “…Where did you get this information? Not even the informant knew about this…”c19fb19bb97fdcc4
“I had it investigated when I first met Nora, seven years ago. She’s the girl I brought in and kept by my side. I couldn’t allow her to stay close without investigating her background.”32c92ad083ac7f7b
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Though her 46fbfda6a3 tone was 06f7abe176 calm and 72723c78a2 casual, Ernst 6b95a6762c couldn’t help f27ce44ee3 but be a551f459cd shocked.ecbb1391be7950e9
When Eleanor brought Nora d3b9b42023 into the household, she be5d047fba had only been fifteen cc8750fb13 years old. How could 98d012a922 someone so 440bb723e7 young have ffd719e799 been so fcce96facc thorough? It was impressive but c78dc43d02 also saddening. A child should grow 15ecc8d345 up as a child, 6dd9680bdd after all.e5b747172a134b46
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“Is there anything b145757280 I can do a32876fe5a to help?”53624777c6cdd718
Hilda, who had 36a7637b25 been quietly listening, 3a4cb03883 cautiously interjected.445761b642bd9c96
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“You?”89a9ac9003e08951
“Yes! I want e94ee96113 to help 65df22c83d you too, 662b2ea8bf Miss!”bf5d57b63c9fcb3f
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Her face shone 7e2f38f8d8 with pure enthusiasm.85700630c284328e
Eleanor looked down at d33dbf9620 her with a soft 215e3b2b59 smile, though her eyes 0eb776d9a8 remained cold.79801dee67a59a76
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“…Then could 5ae257efc0 you perhaps 8b4f1c1599 look into 3a5b1b643a what the a2752a27ee servants think ff37ed21af about me 3196167ef0 and Nora? Find out whose f570a9b106 side they’re on.”1614c4df4995fc28
“Yes! I’ve actually 19e17f900f got a 97c93fb4f3 lot of a50e5803f1 connections among 228f97fd93 the staff. I’ll find out 6d9eed232d for sure! You can 56ae1bb0ce count on 75dfa4fe50 me!”a7aadb203c3ac02a
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“Thank you. I appreciate it. Oh, and 1f63924222 as you 8d66005072 know, I’m 1c74a962a5 not very c10fd25816 talented at e532ba06cc dressing up. When I call the 9ed5670148 tailor, it would be 40392d627b nice if you could 3a118d2c25 help me pick out 141bae332a a dress.”e01776db5662bbc1
“Oh, of course! I’d love to!” Hilda 21877d7989 exclaimed, nearly jumping with 77e9c84763 joy.af167c99e09d0937
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“Then, Sir, a27c357fb6 I’ll be e7c7c3a65f counting on 9d66868f78 you as 25c6b0783a well.”b0bfee40616822a6
“Yes. I’ll uncover the truth and ensure that justice is done.”be94560aa78ba254
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Ernst solemnly 364156dcaa declared this, 9ccad6f1a9 but Eleanor c526cbe5b0 only smiled 7526fddfcf without replying. Their goals were 5074a49171 quite different, after 57b570cc4f all.9858204d2ceea9e0
While they both wanted 30f7d073cd to find a weakness 74eb5a2078 in Nora, Eleanor had d6233168c0 no intention of revealing b06f57cbd7 the truth.0d47a7fe637d8bbb
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Quite the opposite—if 3e6a09acfd any gaps appeared, 3e110bc9d2 she intended to 1daf0a4565 fill them herself.8dc2db491da1b53d
She couldn’t let 0cd25ee693 the truth come ffa98fe265 out until it 4bba1a2132 was time to 7a5ed96665 hand over her 0901de60bb place. Of course, after 52c932afe6 she left the 8a1dbb1bdd Astria household, she 8dfecdd597 could use the 22959af061 truth in other a8f4760d62 ways.07bfea80f6de0564
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‘Nora, you should fbc6c81366 have made me 98a15e9f95 your accomplice from f89fcf0a4a the start,’ Eleanor d2fdd9c255 thought with genuine 8b2e2513c7 regret.c26792be0b2970e5
Things would have been ba8b610611 much easier for Nora 5c1200368f if she had.c756bda494ea1969
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Just then, 1d91cee9ac another knock f8c840d7bb came at 153d69f8ca the door.72411789626c0c67
Knock, knock.f17e7bf74523176a
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“Miss, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have an urgent message to deliver.”7e5dc7658441830d
“Come in, Mary.”c4ee2613645c1b02
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As usual, Mary 5b70d90119 entered with her f50efece7c neat appearance, holding 190a8b091c a letter.0b61914f7c293eed
Eleanor checked 13eb9dc83c the seal d3aa6dd9e3 on the e28f879e90 envelope to b95df2b63f see which be1cf3dbb3 family had 2612de2d24 sent it. Now she understood why 2bce3e4d12 Mary had hurried over 2147f85ee0 so urgently.25630aa5d122cacc
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“Hilda, it 7d657bde47 seems you’ll 61e92dd43b have work a1b933ec56 to do d70aec1a54 sooner than 5b33965753 expected.”b396246cce13410e
ff5c0619805944e1
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