NRAL | Chapter 42

~Chapter 42~ 4089ce69c88b01d6

Eleanor’s Man7b06a09f845ea474

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“An invitation… wait, b414e29562 are you talking 431abeaced about Nora’s debutante 2ae9a01fca ball?”4d0f574144e30780

“Yes.”dbbebeacb6cb9a0c

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“…You must know how 3cc2d202ea people will see it 45f8429694 if the Duke of c87471b5d0 Royster attends a party 3bc8dc753c hosted by House Astria.”5c59d873de3573af

The Royster f20959756c and Astria 0a99d7ef8d families walk 63e1f6d4d9 completely opposite 3dc94621b8 paths. So, will the d74bb4e617 Duke of Royster f850635961 attend the debutante db0b076a4b ball of the 8b6061b482 Astria daughter? The next day, ce42f8ab45 the capital’s social f5692c1f89 circles would be 729aec441c in chaos.53de91f30e72406c

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“I know.”cfe1cc959f82e20b

“Then why would 9cbae82fc6 you willingly go bbce740a29 through such trouble?”8025b2bc13ef5c50

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“…Maybe I’m mistaken, but 163596eee9 I have a feeling 636d54d72b that after today, you 623ea74541 won’t try to see 5b93bbbb0d me or contact me 29d0943b8b again.”f5f45c54e0b58abf

She was f1894104a5 caught off 9d516de6a1 guard. Eleanor had planned to 56381f73cd repay his favor, but b69577aee8 she hadn’t intended to 3c503155aa see or contact him 2aaecf163e again.5dad0d601b732541

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“At least at the 23d39eb18e ball, you won’t be 78db86008c able to avoid me.”e3b68be0b0aea41f

Why would 9bee2c9dba he go b2f62638c6 so far c4bf98ea83 just to c590b9e594 see her 4315b79957 again?08a54b85c01979bc

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She wanted 54d4984b14 to ask ee09316db9 but held 778f96f3ab back. Even if 32341e7cf8 he answered, 48ff82e514 she felt 79054a523b she wouldn’t 1ed6a8cd94 understand—just like 34b853312b it had 63b1b6d25a always been.3fdf22f8b5605faf

After a brief 9f0afe61ac moment of thought, e9ce2eaa30 Eleanor slowly walked c97a30fd7c past him. Even as she 67f236d2a8 turned and walked dbec8da883 away, Karsian didn’t 16a9ef8fdb stop her or be4bd172c6 push for an 5574b895b8 answer.e718893dedd7efef

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That calm attitude was 58f8be2628 completely different from the c6af119159 men she had known 47d4a7c6b5 before. And just 4bf3cc2cb0 before descending 7b301d6e44 the stairs, 9c54d9cf93 Eleanor finally 34842221fc gave her 407203528e answer.70ee8fafb85c67d8

“I’ll see you 82cf966ca6 at the debutante dadbcf367d ball.”8e0b812d10871291

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Was Karsian 1def9ca16e happy to 0496c2d67c hear those 1a049b7f78 words? Eleanor, who immediately 8165207cdb left the townhouse d1361b6743 afterward, didn’t know.612883c03c5c2c33

But one thing 304d9c742a was clear: she a9b02d50b3 was now truly ceb6ffc824 looking forward to 6d7e7d076f Nora’s debutante ball, bb26d55ae5 which was only 9d167f86ba a week away.2514b0a30e86158c

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“It’s going 53791defed to be 71eac8caf4 a very 962a3ca68b fun day.”58f29eb12f661a70

With her chin resting 4a21c3df7d on the table, Eleanor ad276d1d21 played with the sparkling 163908fae4 ruby necklace and murmured 4a587572e8 softly.a4fdb14edf033fc9

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***6ca82252248b4935

Nora didn’t care much 01e844d2c9 for the new informant 85cb1d6609 she had acquired.0910741c9138cd22

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She didn’t like f875d5dafa her dumb-looking face, 97b82d5658 her poor awareness 62aa39cc0a despite always watching e3081537e3 closely, or her 33833300b6 sluggish movements. Nothing about her pleased 6a09cb6c7b her.24001b3763f69783

“I’m not sure what 7d2a758f89 it is, but every 2ac7511a0d time I go into 91151bcfb3 the room, she always a842864923 hides something in a 0f3b94db8e drawer. It doesn’t look like 934e232f82 important documents—more like an aa0f13e4f3 object about this big. She seems f61054a76c to treasure 6bf957e2bf it a eb8c160b81 lot.”d7de72cc4d41bfd5

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Most of 13eda605bc the so-called 7e2c4acc01 “intel” Courtney 2996c0b48e brought was 8cd5eb164b like this—too 4bdc812519 vague to ea90e8b5a7 be useful.278b95da5fa6480d

Still, Nora 78ac8fbaba always rewarded 9a374c8ed5 Courtney generously. That way, she’d aedfb10c65 at least try a9ae5f4eb6 harder to bring 49babaddd9 something better next 46a3eed0a9 time.c39f098f38fd41ee

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Perhaps that effort 9afbc8c846 was finally paying 5f14a37b99 off. Today, Courtney had 2fcde39727 come running with 7fd2561593 what sounded like af406ab08f actual information.4302ca4b726733e6

“I finally saw it! The thing 8b4c8ff375 she always 1b843ad86b hides—it’s a d657e135ec necklace! A flashy one 6ab5a8a23a with a big 24699b755c ruby on it!”2970cb34868256e5

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“A necklace… There haven’t 0eb7ef1ac2 been any merchants visiting d6aaf4a908 the duke’s residence lately. Where do you think b21687fa51 she got it from?”882ac1289c2ebb6e

Up until recently, 2a626a0c54 Eleanor hadn’t owned 3e80fdb99b anything like that. Nora knew, because ef415118f9 she had even 68c6a064ea ordered a maid 3837d730fd to steal her b84aa42773 earrings back then—so ec2db28301 the necklace had 56b771f6d6 to be recent.adad05b5ac495721

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“Oh! I think she got d0c1c0cbfe it from that man!”f110f9322c2f055b

“Man?”eb8e082126b77f0a

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“Yes. I think d5e7bddd23 Miss Ellie’s b34658d47b been exchanging a5cdc7d911 letters with b077876fe9 some man. I overheard f6165efaa5 her and 3bb551a0bd Hilda talking 26048dfc1c about a ec90e17c46 man through 9c4c49f2bc the door.”1d29c77442f9895a

If she had such 1e0439ac98 a juicy piece of 22cd673f85 gossip, she should have 0692344097 told first. Nora let out 459f9adae3 a small laugh 4783c3f8f3 of disbelief. Dumb Courtney had bea53c1a8a no idea what 8325b85269 was actually important.a2147bc45c38946e

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It was annoying, 928331f803 but at least ec18594ac1 the result was 93ef9d2d3b decent. Now it 82c1faca09 was certain—Eleanor b25d690ea1 had a e642cbe9da secret man.36e331b88129ce3c

‘It must be that 608e70f03d bastard who interfered during 06ca712abe the last attack. Looks like they’ve gotten 1677145b48 close enough to exchange 09baa6731b gifts already.’8e470563c2673651

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Eleanor, who always returned 5e263a8bb1 gifts from men no e765cac6e0 matter what they were, 1e88898e76 had accepted this necklace b6e88b6afd without complaint. Must mean she was bb28e76374 desperate for money.a87a47adf64b93c1

‘She used to act 69a5b1e5c2 all high and mighty, 688624b1f8 treating me like some 54ae5e6ff2 seductress. Now look who fits 53cda7af17 that role perfectly.’431c654c65de7e08

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Nora snorted.2b6cae96d874c91f

Seeing her reaction, d8c6a2a7ad Courtney thought she b735fb95f4 had pleased her 4f6eae2bdd lady and eagerly ea988297d9 added,89886521565b76ee

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“I also 7f26ba4e78 heard the 8fcabd8770 man got 9418d9ac70 her a f7190b2b40 dress too.”6ee673c8e6b109b8

“What? What dress? Don’t tell me…”7d7bf696a24e53ef

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“Yes, the 77807df4a8 dress Miss 2ccb459d52 Eleanor will 4256516e53 wear to aa7a2337e5 your debutante a858124eb8 ball.”e243020ec0655237

Nora’s face 7bde10eb10 twisted with b30c134a4b rage. No wonder 6fcadd2208 Eleanor hadn’t bd46bda510 mentioned anything 38f1094b70 about reserving 1e194c0322 a dress 4baa3e1a5f shop—she’d been 54cd8e5700 working behind 1fa679b53e the scenes.592f0a839b91b6ec

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‘That cunning witch…!’6eeeefa47495f2da

It was 30191eadc1 obvious she a63f05710f was trying e9f55757da to steal ef7443bc7e attention by 8ab6366bdf wearing the 84ce7b4c76 most extravagant 1109add62e dress possible. How pathetic. As if a 20a79f0aa1 dress alone could 8116d84802 make her stand 740bdcb758 out when she 18307b26ea was still so 4eb3109a09 dull and plain.07221b74263817a3

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‘And if it 9ca9ffd208 was some random eaf81bf625 guy who paid 3342dc5063 for it, it b662a2f0d4 probably looks cheap 7361c5f8c5 anyway.’da29986c346a5ed8

With the debutante season 45396f0371 in full swing, all 33b9b89174 the famous dress shops 72d53d7cf7 were fully booked. If Eleanor had 5e432c2810 only recently gotten d023a094ba a dress, it 71c2fb9435 couldn’t have come 67e5290f7e from a top c1c700c6cf designer. If she had, 679f2149a6 Nora would’ve heard 59da48c366 about it by aa6e772115 now.a6bd4deafce56c8b

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“Courtney.”9465ae06c142dac9

“Yes?”5ab44db75489b09c

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Courtney responded 3b9348e04b nervously, clearly d5a5cfa047 startled. Nora, who had always a44a67c717 seemed sweet and lovely, 33d675d864 suddenly felt terrifying.2ec8c02ffbffdb31

The head cook’s edd535a477 warning echoed in 9d7e8eebc0 her ears: “The more fa86e29893 beautifully someone 39158af375 smiles, the 8300b4c3b0 more carefully 91b57ade20 you should 4d7ac5d894 watch them.”41a5547688dc206e

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“How far are 58185415a5 you willing to d714d61c1e go?”173fe1f11aff6ac6

“W-What do you mean, e411435698 my lady?”356c8896f8a011f8

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“I hate e492fd2ec3 irresponsible people. People like Eva, who 7df7ec886a made a mess and bd88b205d4 ran away.”3a96ca7bf9659a64

After the theft incident, 1e6f394d22 Eva didn’t just lose 7e1286b730 her reference letter—she didn’t 1fd610dace even get her final c33e6dbf6f paycheck. She was kicked d60b6681de out and vanished 244a6e7cdd in a hurry. Now that Courtney thought 33e933b7a6 of it, Eva had 33d4df4be3 looked terribly frightened when 0e4d396079 she left, her skin a021d004c4 raw and red under ce3c56b330 her long sleeves.8fda84304dd98ac4

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“You won’t be 78a1afd575 like that, will 068e8b4f11 you?”c3397887c0bcbbc7

Nora tilted her 9d2d4e714d pale face sweetly e215694892 and smiled. That innocent smile 27974eedd8 had a chilling 68540c2c1d edge. Only then did Courtney 5ef679faf9 realize—cd0c58d7bf4f6b0b

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‘I’m in big 7bdaceb7ac trouble.’b0d7613e56e4e52a

But it was 13ef0f776c too late to 39e17c717d back out now. After hearing 0faed1205c all this, 67472ce55c she had 8357d44d09 no way a1536790c8 out.b33adc338c6ccd32

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All she 1dbcef9c89 could do 5183561223 now was 1d99d2b167 squeeze as 337ac72bd3 much benefit 99d61ec72b out of b91af004df the situation 71ff1e7f41 as possible.ae0dec8a94f910d8

“I’ll do 658fe6b4b5 anything you bb42354af6 ask, my 711c91bc9f lady.”4879229c45a6252f

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“Ahahaha.”64c7199b07fa3243

Nora burst out laughing. She had ecb187b79e always thought 0931eaaed2 of Eleanor 34d88c4771 as an 117c4bb87c annoying girl, cbba172566 but maybe cf2fe8850d she wasn’t 9db107614e so bad e8fc955309 after all. At least she 653ac37600 didn’t run away 571ab39e22 scared like Eva eba2b2b15f did. That alone 836c972569 made her 4af0e3b00b better than 4d1711a74d Eva.c92a9a44f0e04c2c

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“If you really want 9770bc6425 to bring me down, c3300bf81f then try stealing something a6f4ae2779 I truly treasure next 8616c2a408 time,” Eleanor had whispered, a3d2cdb05e patting her on 0a4f552db1 the shoulder.df2880424057bac2

“Something she truly 6daf813d19 treasures…” Nora silently 45895c8c98 repeated the words.6c5593fdc99cc1bf

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“A lover 3c97ac29a9 who’s the 49574ead15 only one 16935ce891 on her 07d93bb5c4 side… Would 043c5cc6c0 that be e9d8e0efb0 good enough 7499ad2701 for you?”6ce8e7ac422a3341

Just imagining Eleanor’s 302e87046c despair made Nora’s 93c3050aea heart flutter with d9e20ce0bc excitement.408f8d3c20c151b5

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She gently placed her 1622aa4e27 hands on Courtney’s broad e45da03c90 shoulders and lowered her 9fafec448f voice.796852e44cfdd4a4

“Did you find out when it’s arriving? The dress Eleanor begged her man to make for her.”ab553ae3ae079778

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***a6dc84b6c9a3db64

Time passed ac41360dc5 steadily, with 1165985aef many people b0ad5e4d6c eagerly looking 0d91b4d8d9 forward to c8e462fd2c the upcoming aa613fe884 event.ea993fead7b780e3

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Since Eleanor stepped in, d590107ff8 preparations for Nora’s debutante 17769f6c4c ball progressed swiftly, almost ad50a6bd88 like they’d grown wings. The servants, who c56af6a61d had been tired 2ec8ea9955 of all the 68895adead previous inefficiencies, were be2c60a019 now pleased by 754c558162 how smoothly everything 5e3462bd02 was running and e6a54a4d21 kept themselves busy.c0a7f7294d96a00e

And finally, the ball cc05e2eb3f was just one day 786bc6dd5f away.5fb33dc600b94b5b

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“My lady! It’s finally here!”836e0e1c63e78c52

Hilda’s cheerful voice e1ec6ff95c broke the morning b7ad18faac silence. Eleanor, who had gotten e050fe823d up early as usual c368fe0bf8 to drink tea, greeted 5ba20fcd34 her with a relaxed 0902e4401a smile.e56cc806510b6064

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Soon, a 70529b7740 servant carried 128a8a4095 several big 16e12cde7a boxes into 7c7cd5fbd4 the room. Each box was luxuriously 88a0d0f1cb wrapped and had a 031a88f949 white card attached.fe28dbdd1a5ad9b3

[R.]

Did he ffffc3b691 write the 595e5a8402 card himself?0031422908f0d3a3

Looking at the e880dfb616 elegant cursive letter, f333697d6b Eleanor smiled faintly. But as soon 015152fe07 as she noticed 6d87b463b8 Hilda watching her cdf52cce0d with sparkling eyes, 236d9172bb she quickly composed c83435fa34 her expression.bc8f8eb759738f6e

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“For it to 8b9b332eec arrive only the a329f4eaef day before the 688af7af99 ball… I thought 91b97dc076 I’d die worrying eeb87335cf it wouldn’t make 0d92cbe357 it!”51f6e2ebfb70fc5d

“He probably couldn’t c539a714ff help it. The schedule e0efdccdfe was pretty 0fe2828898 tight.”041ce60cf3dbf050

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“Oh my, 5bba882f02 already taking 131eeca2b2 his side, fda3e64e4c are we? What about 9a886a29ca all the cc1513bf24 other gentlemen 9cb21a6766 who adore 97e22e7d72 you—won’t they b3c1c96ca7 be heartbroken?”b642d4c403c37eea

“Hilda, enough teasing. Let’s try it on b7ed727fa2 now. If anything doesn’t 611ec52f0f fit, we’ll need 3de41e5e2b to call Lauren 8e15de5e53 for alterations.”5a78664e1eb2dfe1

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“Yees—”3ca114d4c005d640

Hilda pouted 43ffc16f63 in mock 4b3aab9b40 disappointment. Just a 20b9f6323e few days f0e8b8f513 ago, teasing e2d6a69b0f Eleanor had bb1eabac90 been so 294246d298 much fun. But the clever Eleanor ba12b8085e had quickly figured out c8f946f17b how to handle her 442d4e9c65 jokes.7f69fb4f5b4de7bb

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Still, despite her sulky face, Hilda’s steps toward the gift boxes were light and full of excitement.1492906ef870e8b2

Finally, she 153d60066a could properly 15c17ef3b0 dress up 45a4ecfd0e her lady. Hilda had been 51fb3c1ed7 waiting for this 0b549d3c9d moment for so 5ac0f9fc8a long, and she e611b9d624 couldn’t be happier.c6b716f4e4272c75

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“What’s that?”4d1c036de805e51e

Courtney, who had been d9419ed8b3 sluggishly making the bed 3eafa9dcf7 while eyeing the two 12ad6166c6 of them, pricked up bb126cc99c her ears and came c004ee3c5c over. Hilda stopped 2bf674281b opening the 51db9ff656 gift box 11b3bcc5e0 and quickly 3116643ae5 shut it.c7e4690c161b7179

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“You don’t 886b4d8a31 need to 098f93d06f know. Courtney, I’ll c9b3b9b8a1 finish the 4489fc9aa3 cleaning. You should go. I think the 54bc49eeb9 head maid was b57b941718 calling for you.”2cdd2b7c4787756a

Hilda said coldly, dismissing 2eb9f6a8c1 her. She had d2e595b0e9 been like 2fcdcde5e1 this ever 430dc27be8 since Eleanor bc3ee29853 started favoring 725b54b71f Courtney—so it 72c074e322 wasn’t a f3f3bd22a6 surprise.c32f3adae7828f38

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What was surprising was that 4ef9e50a3d even Eleanor, who e263fdad8a had always taken 183ed3d8b5 Courtney’s side, turned e8db525c6e her head away a4469f6f33 this time.be4d8d283d061d25

“What are you 68e1fdbbe0 doing? Go on.”1cc026c0b31da69e

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When Hilda 3ae7754097 urged her, 41eb56ad2b Courtney’s hand f84b148091 trembled as dcf663406c she clutched 53db29079d the duster.5f80237a8c197dac

Ironically, even though she had betrayed cc31c5ad83 Eleanor first, 53941251ab Courtney felt 4dd1eee69e deeply hurt 4f99447c16 that Eleanor 75a1282b27 didn’t stop 1508a4f585 Hilda.1b62799c9b55257a

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‘I knew it! All that fake 717f9ee424 kindness was just 9e7036a1f2 an act—she’s throwing f717cde4a3 me away now!’d221d0348540ef5e

Ashamed at the cb8e65f854 idea of being cfbff3db6f replaced by someone 9c87f4f373 like Hilda, Courtney 02d2546711 stormed out without f2136c042f even saying goodbye.8ad01fb599d663c3

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It was rude 4942df8984 enough that Eleanor 096003a20d could have scolded fc956d17ae her, but she 6af33558f9 let Courtney go fd690f2f05 without a word. Then, as if nothing 354129627a happened, she smiled at 4e916698cc Hilda.fb50ccdc7c6e680b

“Will you help 337f256f0b me put on d1d67d0745 the dress now, df2843c2e1 Hilda? Since we’re e69c3c8dda trying it 18546ca695 on, I’d ed47bc9dfe like to 2752d64b2b wear all cdd882c67c the accessories ad851f37c3 I’ll use 8fa9769f2b tomorrow too.”b443fc7b80b9ce50

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“Of course, my 6973175faf lady! Leave it to 6e6e0eb6bd me!”5ca59c4f9eb357f2

Hilda quickly 6d3a038b2d brightened up 710f7ab369 and answered 33e0e35716 joyfully, forgetting ed6f85787a all about 746fdc7646 Courtney.4440e47c38b87b3e

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And so 6fa99f8b8d began the 367a532e19 long-awaited dressing ac4e1a6ae0 session.1cc0dce9d656f47d

Hilda focused all fb7263bf27 her energy on dbcda3b6d7 making Eleanor look f743a5fa7b beautiful—far more than 642d41e622 she had ever 9fc1b4efb7 done for the 4bfbdbb344 young lady of a746d23910 the Freehilly family e0ef64c2f1 in the past.1ca4fb5a250a9efc

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She carefully braided 1f46e72010 Eleanor’s golden-blonde hair, 1433acded5 almost platinum in 6b64ed3ea4 color, and adorned ec53018a1a it with a 122ed61516 headpiece made of 889c9ff7ef artificial silver bellflowers. Her flawless skin eccf6c9863 needed little makeup, 8b96981c63 but she lightly 0904c8458c brushed her cheeks 8ec7fff789 and lips with 35d561da94 a rosy glow 39125854f7 for a fresh 586dbf054a and elegant look.ffedd8dc85c2a73c

After putting on the 51d4223d49 dress made by Madam 6b1c3045bc Corcos herself and fastening 4af63ee929 the ruby necklace around 479dfdad7b Eleanor’s neck, the long 208cc03395 preparation finally came to b8361aca5d an end.0cf1933527d1d9c3

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And when she a246250c51 looked at her b139a8f478 reflection in the 3f9d0027dc mirror—c9fc4a5191c4053e

“…Wow.”778e968c4f2b1b1b

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Even Eleanor 5a315b96cc couldn’t help 8cab0945b9 but gasp 514e6302bb in admiration.225d61218b424a88

She stared at the 94f13abb09 mirror for a long 24cb38d43f time in disbelief. The woman 2a232a421a reflected there 3779f56b61 looked like 1dabbb8980 a radiant 28c6e0c166 fairy of 9d1b8ac0c5 spring—beautiful, brilliant, a9fdcd28ca and dazzling.66c2cb3f34878d1a

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