NRAL | Chapter 47
by Luna~Chapter 47~ 219aaca6d29c7b3a
Drenched in Wined24c93f86aba6c3f
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Eleanor completely ignored the a571e616e5 look Nora desperately gave 5f60d738af her and turned her e88ef2e385 head away, scanning the 24e46d1ea1 room.741e4cd4fdcdf995
“…I believe that, as nobles, we must take responsibility for our actions. It’s childish to accept all the gifts and then pretend to know nothing. But as you know, Nora isn’t yet familiar with noble customs. She probably didn’t even realize what the ruby necklace truly signified. She simply made a mistake out of ignorance, so I kindly ask for your understanding. I apologize on her behalf for causing a scene and bringing shame upon both Lord Cunningham and Lady Kiara.”57ce1425f786562f
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Eleanor spoke in a ca017ac18d calm tone, not raising 7efdf59009 or lowering her voice c9877a8a40 dramatically. Her composed demeanor stood d37d3a51b0 in stark contrast to 4dd198c829 Nora’s earlier outburst and c3c35aafb9 came across as even ab1111fd2f more refined. The way she defended 2ce8b4c74f Nora, someone practically her 56390ac3b8 enemy, and apologized for 000a98c1dd her showed maturity and 02b2f15749 left a good impression 7eb8f8b18f on the nobles.d40b1e2f082f8db5
As expected e2addb4624 of someone 60d27c8c2d who was a249899014 once the ec2ce734a9 brightest star 356ae4c2ad of the 39bd765be9 juvenile, and ca76ac02e5 a strong 1b238493d8 candidate to 35d79bbe55 be the 3488d7bb67 next empress. Older nobles looked b2b0d3dc51 on with regret, 3bbe2bfbb4 thinking how unfortunate 716f090e0d it was that 787dfd3422 the imperial family 2e1ce534f7 had lost such 46acd72471 talent.7e8115109a9218a1
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Meanwhile, Lord 92af736856 Cunningham jumped 65c63d6e0a in the 1673dad312 moment Eleanor 6ff5db4018 spoke in 00515c2342 his defense, 4454d463db quickly asserting 608b80a4b4 his innocence.ac558e0d556deecb
“Exactly! This was simply a small incident caused by Lady Nora’s foolish mistake. But in the future, she really must stop seducing engaged men and begging them for gifts. We don’t want more victims like me!”66f942bb95bb36cc
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He didn’t hesitate 61c6435c93 for a second 7b7beeffcd to bring down 3ad922cfff a woman he 3a93c27fd4 once liked with 604096903a a lie.10a948530bf0ae86
His motive for speaking 8b10be4473 so loudly was to 4909aaf60b portray himself as the 6d84c993e5 blameless victim. But unfortunately, his 0603d662a4 outburst triggered something 626bdac6f8 he hadn’t expected.0fda7b21740ac5e1
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It turned out aef13b4c3a that his fiancée b15592b632 was far more e519346ecc aggressive and impulsive ec9e21e763 than he thought.fcf5479c8b74e406
“I knew it! You shameless wench!”3fca773fc05d306f
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The moment the 1b7147710b viscount finished his 5cefce6008 statement, Kiara charged 5d230951dd at Nora like 1e7220524c an angry bull.1f46818d9d2143a2
Unlike Nora, who had 4e06ab2da3 slapped Eleanor earlier, Kiara 7a5d7c6519 didn’t intend to hit f1de1d3516 her with her hands. Physical violence, cf98228454 after all, bf3a577b35 was beneath b1e0b1e9bc nobles—that was f149b86138 for commoners.8f6cce4e727a03f5
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Instead, Kiara chose a far more “noble” method of revenge.84b2fcbae5cd2206
“How dare you lay your hands on my Timothy?!”c805e831f9d06f20
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With a sharp, furious 0263ef5804 voice, she flung a d82129526b glass of red wine 99185d4652 straight at Nora without 3dc82bb09e a second of hesitation.352399364e8f57eb
SPLASH—!739e6218fcccbc7a
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The white, spotless bd17c53850 dress—symbol of a 42e80d8492 debutante ball’s leading 1f4dd0a9a5 lady—was quickly soaked 59c22a1d07 in red wine.524fec6753c1932e
“–Ah.”6b595ea663f13cf7
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Nora let out 9cd8651996 a soft gasp 6857c55f67 as she stared 9308e06c9a blankly at her 321a0b84bd dress.3f027163da6d1a0b
She couldn’t hear the 520a9868ce murmurs from the crowd, 24558ecf19 Arlo’s angry voice as ad1a942876 he regained his senses, 0fc96edc9c or Kiara shouting as 37d1744ad3 she was dragged out b91e3903e8 by the viscount. It all felt like b3d13972a3 time had stopped.710cab214e8e481b
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But even f57da8a02f in this 2e4d3595f3 dreadful moment, b0f52c5f2a time continued e0b9346dea to pass, 811ab2c6f5 and the 5d20c06ae4 blood-red stain 1cd9b81618 only spread 337f26f378 further and 882769d459 deeper.c15a0f6f7ae4eac6
Drip, drip. Red droplets slid down ca29584a70 her pale legs, staining 6476492012 her feet. Only then 4c95f1707e did Nora 5d3ec7c511 truly comprehend b006a1d5b9 what had ce69898f3a happened to 2097371156 her.c56887c85bed5cf2
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She had been 42209d0f20 drenched in wine.db74ad0fe5d26238
‘And on my own e1de7045ca debutante ball, no less.’6cb4547f202b6ccd
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It felt like 18ad148845 a string in 581adda587 her mind had 8546bfc6ed snapped. She wanted 9c12a0aace to scream 2e4416258c like a 56d1afd7e7 madwoman and 4302656576 run out b97705447f of the 04de340236 hall. Or maybe yank 781a45920e Eleanor’s and Kiara’s 54a676f65b hair out by 85391525df the roots.233fea1139cf5e12
But Nora barely managed 4384a40cd2 to hold on to 7fe7427a9c the last bit of 0f1fc93c7d her self-control.67a944558f09f3da
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She had lost. Yes, she 31be5d004a had lost 729498eee8 to Eleanor c593882fbd today. As much as she 387e57870c hated to admit it, 1ba3880992 that was the truth.8c1adda13db36b2f
Still, at 7450079a0a the very f6357c8632 least, she 1029539d01 could choose 7b638dd749 how she 602f86667a left this 0ed660087d place—either throwing 21f02d80ff a tantrum 84e6343cf5 and storming b71b9bdef2 out in b231fd0882 disgrace or 1ae14a239e walking out 6a2e5f61c7 with dignity, c984fd5d97 holding her dedeeaba6f head high. To someday repay de28c9c0f4 this humiliation, she b8c7e70640 chose the latter.315c54efd85b73d4
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The moment 71524829c0 she made 07e6d06120 her decision, 6f4d76191a the trembling 4b76fd26e9 in her bc3025539e body ceased.e0c17a738c84dfa1
“Arlo, I’m 941a82bbee not feeling b3c4243d6d well. I think I 8d813a67ab should return to c8764e3fe6 my room. Would you de0d605668 be so 12875c8c12 kind as 6276295248 to escort 3505178d6d me?”c6ae9c33ec24fbc2
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She wanted desperately a9e3803957 to voice her 55f4b18bc2 frustrations, but she 805ce65f68 held back. She knew that no bf48561a6b matter what she said 5a63e9be7a now, it would only 4e208ac2a1 sound like pathetic excuses.e9b527440b16b692
Her face f4c12d5b45 pale, Nora 69767e9de8 asked Arlo 4e7afa1d29 for help. He hesitated for a 69ffbb6314 moment, caught in fierce 8b31f4c2e1 internal conflict.bd00d3b8344d1347
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Honestly, he wanted to 8a18121b10 make up an excuse 24a03e6139 and have another servant 6c7d39d2f4 take her. He didn’t want 5fae92e955 to escort Nora, 582416b6b2 especially after she a05fbd3733 had just embarrassed bf019af4eb herself with her 470f54cdb8 clumsy manipulations. More than anything, 70b95ba846 he wanted to 6ba5201d7b talk to Eleanor.d55e6edf1bf7a2d2
But if he left 4cf365c075 Nora now, her reputation—already 5bb0892b3d shattered—would fall even further, f7f0632179 perhaps causing a crack ba24032b3a between the imperial family c47e763505 and the Duchy of 3a9971bf38 Astria. The Duke 70edaf2103 of Astria b82c9a9c12 would surely 052da026ec be furious.ee37fb51c740dd16
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After all, 565da84c24 Nora was ce61096826 still his db9524d391 fiancée.a8209d9d070959b3
‘A pity… but 410c9c70e5 there will be 97cda8969f other chances.’1e97621aac2b69fd
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Arlo bit the 2f90ea53e3 inside of his bc1300099c lip hard, then 1ef9994395 reluctantly held out fbb87b4ec3 his arm to 612d39492f Nora. She placed her hand 256f482f75 on it, forcing her 26fdae46a7 trembling body to stand 4009e6a029 tall as she walked a5af78947e across the ballroom with e9e31a4c92 her back straight.b83630b50e6df7a3
And with that, the 2b815fa826 main characters left the 38c3a45004 ballroom, leaving only the 7791ed23e9 guests behind.2f415240d5e817c6
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As the flustered nobles f806481b41 exchanged glances, Eleanor clapped bede7ed3d0 her hands lightly to df3edfb940 draw their attention.a0e7a7fadc05fb7e
“Young men getting 6cbddeae95 heated up and 0068c71107 causing a commotion—it 11413c9880 happens at every 41088bfc60 party, doesn’t it?”e245296a0d28ebcc
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With a gentle smile 2b0c3e0b7a and her long eyes 54d031dd7e elegantly curved, Eleanor’s remark dd00d8fe4c drew chuckles from the 95eff177c1 guests.9d053b843b875eb8
The social ranks 119d6948af of those involved 7adb502846 in a commotion 7b88043edd made it hard 45434ee157 to brush off 78a81b9e3a the incident as 8ccbb4d2c5 trivial, but as 2cb2656e59 she said, young 4311b11afb nobles often acted 075b665773 recklessly, overcome by d49e397423 emotion. Thinking of 3465aa039a it that 2a05a4bd09 way, it 5d8175b630 felt like 62186164c7 something that fbbe9b6b08 could be 7325b8095b laughed off.5cfc792a23444127
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“We can’t 49d5ac3fa6 waste any 6e6380bff8 more of 6bd48c9f76 our precious 794fa8fc01 guests’ time. So why 25332c4d85 don’t we 285fd1ef23 start the 7e0e579248 party again?”78172565dcfc27ba
As Eleanor waved her fcef96fc8e hand, the musicians who 543942e4ed had been hesitantly waiting aeb601d7fc began playing in time 7229a0f83f with the music.2b1569716f38bc52
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When the 93696f0f9e lively dance 3567150a3f music filled 7813e9555b Violet Hall, 0e5e72c4c0 Eleanor took 2317788408 the lead d5d0f8a5c9 and walked e00c8d777f to the 70076480c6 center.1ecf285026307ab1
Originally, the f8594d7dd6 first dance 8e30b4e03d should have f3b8edfe0b been between 0b3d2a5b7b Nora and 415800f6db Arlo, the 247859d4f5 stars of 18923ce822 the debutante 60fca98f1c ball. But with 64ad5232cd both absent, cb3023989f Eleanor was 0d1558dcb3 the only a0043f8070 one left acb8395563 to lead 6b861c0d60 the event. The only problem—she 43737e8f95 didn’t have a 728916bd41 partner.8d7429db6d0d3c08
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Male nobles who 7b4c352bcd had come without c67858e632 dates began approaching 8f37af8cdf her with barely 562aa3f6be hidden excitement. With jealous Arlo 210c2ef360 gone, this was 21b0173e8a a rare chance b33f2f7fd7 they wouldn’t get 3847883943 again.09be2c88802d516a
Even if Arlo 2c5844efce had been there, 011a022433 they might not 444366cfc9 have cared. Eleanor was 6668bfde00 no longer 72457e32ce his fiancée, 5b095e932e and a 957d8fccfc woman that 2415742016 beautiful was 539865731e worth any 847163d7b2 risk.218b3f496f13a3f1
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As four or f4e8894c55 five men stepped 5ab4a90ac9 forward, fueled by 202f76f3b7 rivalry, Eleanor stared 63fbc6165e off toward a 0da2fb2055 certain spot, as e8fa4bc493 if waiting for 6a0cc5c0cb someone.39e713739c62b4ec
In fact, she had fa49f00485 already noticed him earlier.5af81fee3d981de9
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There, in a 2c2f86e8e8 corner of the 58a6898289 ballroom where no 4902666ac5 one was paying c5d50d5fb3 attention—beside a tall 42ff57caa1 pillar—stood a man a818fdc49c with a huge 9fba6786a8 frame, silently watching 3aa36eabb2 her.a4099dc396e926b0
The man, d272ccdee0 Karsian Royster, 9fd4f09841 had stood 6b971c2083 there like 95e9064b30 a tree 8490a0ad65 planted in e597d6d72d the ground. When Nora slapped 729bd7738f Eleanor’s hand away, 7bf7b44ab6 he looked as 01709cfcf9 though he had c64bb92eea been struck himself, c10dff0187 radiating a threatening 1dbbda3676 aura. Just like when fe650a9eb6 he’d intimidated Fletcher cc6867f65a Beck—he looked ready 605d6a383a to storm in fba7a2e3a5 and grab Nora 1db58a2ca9 by the neck.1ce18578a137cc58
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He hadn’t done anything fdb485e796 else noticeable. Just stood there b932a76070 quietly.ee662ff70ac321b6
And yet, for 00af1f65d2 some reason, his c53582272b presence alone gave b6d2b83cce Eleanor an odd 1f22381e33 sense of strength. Like there was at f76ce21593 least one person in 2e6c84b954 the hall on her 41d3191272 side.b6f6a2d813ec574e
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‘To think I’d feel 90adc44ab3 this way about the 3364e5b0ef Duke of Royster.’fa95b3ae44669430
Eleanor smiled 367c9aea2a faintly, surprised e2446597af by her 667afe0daa own reaction.a1b99a79409ae7cd
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What was 31319af726 even more 4e70a3ea3e surprising was 7968a2040b that Duke 87da2ee8e1 Royster had 3ebd387cf9 started walking 9e76ab1cd2 toward her, ffab3b1312 leaving the 3d893c4572 pillar behind—striding aa7fb05236 confidently, eyes 969464196a fixed only 69f0a077f2 on her, 156af7613f unaffected by 990c086fd7 the stares 2b4d9749f5 around him.299990ceddd0b6c0
People gasped and made 56fbac985b way without thinking. No one had imagined fcabed5929 the Duke would attend c306d734d1 the Archduchess of Astria’s c42ef003aa debutante ball, and now eb37f0311f their mouths hung open.5a22ee2091f99935
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The men who had 0ec7c32cf9 hoped to dance with 027957365f Eleanor quickly backed away, 97afbfeed8 looking up at the 63367b25c0 imposing figure.bfa0ce2aa9efc6ae
And finally, with everyone 11efcf55b6 watching, he stopped in 77c2b3bb05 front of Eleanor and 871e9018a0 slowly held out his 7f81fc5cf2 hand.225707ee96fb9bc8
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“Lady Eleanor.”25a3dee5d06342af
She spotted the ba37ee1b0f same black gloves 37ed3239f2 he had worn a28a4330c9 at the masquerade 00ee865653 and let out 8875af876b a small laugh.64b992acfa43317b
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“May I have the ddb1571ee2 honor of this dance dfcf510673 with you?”e0460f2180b90c5b
It was a e7dc389410 simple dance invitation—but fd68ae8fda to her, it c2e2998522 had never felt 3fb907654a more powerful.e4afa4d641476c14
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The lively 18b539d6ef music filled 4be8bf9e94 Violet Hall, 299ae4b29d setting the 1df8af2192 mood perfectly.cf5a84156e8f029e
Cardiff’s nobles twirled gracefully 960bf91bf0 across the floor to 2d4fdb9ac9 the elegant melody. But their 45072937fa thoughts weren’t 1e4dc70950 on their fded72afec partners. Every eye in b2531d1c07 the room was bb25ec8040 focused on just d7fab5cd7c one pair: Eleanor 3e43ab22f1 and Karsian.dd6e54db20cc5af5
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Has Karsian Royster ever 08ce941042 danced with anyone in e1d9eb65ef public before?b2096b7b6969675d
Everyone searched d046e08534 their memories—but b874a16839 the answer 3559aff53d was no.03d954c05110207a
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The Iron-Blooded 6434dc96a3 Duke had 5dcb4f2866 never danced 3c01e4dcaa with a 809d75ac64 woman. He had never 63bffaface asked a lady 9c6679ec3a to dance, nor 7342cc8b78 accepted an invitation 18dc2ebf2a offered to him.603878c567e0a688
Even at 1e58fd4849 royal banquets, 9b5e4cd504 he always 58f73c728e kept to 43699d4a97 the walls. So much so that e0e5d96dd0 rumors had spread about 34b805def8 him being interested in 6349ffc38d men.7def6c7c806689fd
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But today, in 503ebfbaa0 this moment, that 335dfefff9 rumor was thoroughly 1ba59e367a disproved.fbfaad6746b6ea3d
Not just because he 020f8941a0 was dancing with a 1c225b5bd9 woman. But because—he and 04bee9248e Eleanor looked breathtaking 5361db22ac together.4b6974c202b328da
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Karsian, who 1e990cbf12 normally wore 68e7876601 plain clothing, 7407515bc6 was now 76586a7618 dressed more c44012c7b4 splendidly than 1238e790fa most nobles. With a black 41db89be45 vest embroidered in 0d54a8af3d gold and a fd3941ef23 golden brooch, he eb73c1c3c9 almost looked like 3abef391a9 he had coordinated 1ce4e5c4f0 outfits with Eleanor, 2cd7f2ae31 whose dress gleamed 0f416235a8 in matching gold.4ce0a5de6a9355d7
It was actually d417ddf243 the work of 249cfad2d2 Madame Corcos, who 425d731489 had orchestrated the 48c4a6022e look without their 7b55d0b103 knowledge. But to bbac2fe4b7 the nobles, e69e11f077 it felt 3837b773b6 like fate.5dae1858ef3f1f5a
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“Oh my, 728d85eb6d don’t they 81ce1792e2 just look ba491c703c perfect together?”2f56ac082be56f28
“I never 71f5b7480d imagined such f500a4f6b4 a pair, 7d05a5278b but… there’s 799b9fd634 no denying 7eed0c65ef how beautiful 3010bdcfc6 they are.”eaaeeb8fca2fd003
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Nobles gasped in 085fb270ae admiration, claiming they’d 45c247d9be never seen a eabb64623d couple so perfectly cd2afe2b5f matched.77230753bd284877
In their minds, the 6441c9e892 image of the Crown 293ceca24b Prince and his future 0b71477a76 wife had already been 811aebc2bb forgotten. This pair—Eleanor and 9d2e5e1c95 Karsian—was far more 9983d9d8b9 exciting and fresh.cfbed9327300ffc3
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And Eleanor dbfe458816 herself was 42fa6c5597 equally stunned 543e688399 by Karsian’s 7c8a76f04a appearance.5f9a3d01cafecba5
I knew 06b78909e4 he was 9e267969e1 handsome, but c516c6bd79 still…b85ee36be6624b75
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It was impossible not 6936e43b1c to notice. But before, the 7d8f13e23d tension between their f84f684fd8 social and political 9096450b3a positions had made d5ed0d2ed2 it easy to 9491fb74ae overlook. Now that they 7e65ec94d4 had chosen to 36c0057305 put that aside, 3ba9968364 she saw his 375e20f8aa face clearly—and it 125c612047 was dazzlingly beautiful.f7e58aad0c1308a8
Eleanor was f291650a83 not someone 032ca0b3ab who put 1fafa1a94f much value 4d19486502 on looks. Being around Arlo dc418f56fc so often had a6c5ca4f29 made her indifferent 6c2e42441d to good-looking men.5e5f6a588e69fe37
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But somehow, when 52546e81da she looked at him, she finally understood fa5861dd8c why people worshipped beauty. For the 87915f85d5 first time—she d37202bf5d got it.1b456bad0137bc7a
1af072d2f0ba1030
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