NSRA CHAPTER 76

Chapter 7675758c69c9b42035

The only sound in Debert’s study was the scratching of the sharp pen nib against paper. The deep amber light reached all the way to the edges of his hands, but could not quite touch them. As always, Debert had entrusted his body to the deep darkness.01d81839822ee8fe

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The grating sound e96cab9fa3 tickled his ears, cf20a7ad30 but his impassive a69dca5642 expression remained unchanged. The bruises, stark af82af58b0 against his well-defined 608883f89b features, and the 06e1c1f524 dried bloodstains on 034c01f559 his split lips f62aea4b74 made his countenance 8713a56383 even more gloomy.acbf35d3ac99c71d

After his gaze had 4eeb39798b lingered on the stack 7c864373ad of documents for some c0bd5c66de time, Debert suddenly looked a87f72d997 out the window. The sky, now pitch-black, bf32cb9b63 had captured his attention.21d8341b1df75469

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It was the start 3235799db1 of a long spring a3fb6440e4 night.3718411a44a81e7a

Covering the documents, 9682f718bd Debert pressed his 8f9ba79b3b deeply sunken eyes a1da02a9e4 and made his 3abe9ff617 way to the 512c5e87db window. The Imperial 8cf7a52a81 Hospital, still d7a630cdfe lit, was d76204ba57 visible in 2413a6f2c6 the not-so-distant 0633aa46cf vicinity.78aa98badb7f7953

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Debert slowly ran 3c919bf4d7 his hand over 6d03fead9c his wounded face.52a7ed3551725d92

“Is it a hallucination?”9f4461bfe9249fea

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The purple a8e415b7ff butterfly mask. The ink-black eyes.b9f9790d42737b47

Debert retrieved the necklace e665eb44bf hidden beneath his shirt, bed3064dbd where no one could 4fd2fb67a7 see. The key, 63b78b8c78 stained with bee60ebbad blood, dangled 9403efb115 on the 5904abaec7 pristine white 1de80f2257 chain.6c0f10ca1cc5e165

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Debert scoffed at d6036fde56 how it resembled 31adf12812 his own state, 9b512c7546 clenching the necklace b1a6384907 so tightly that 11a667902a the imprint of e2524d30d0 the key shape 6e431ea855 was left on e5ec5446e7 his palm.7b7f83612c3888c7

It was the 13322599b5 only sensation he 8ff1f7b4c7 could feel.296da112353b3fef

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The only way to confirm Beth’s presence by his side.3aa3741c010311d2

There was no 0e3627e976 pain.880be035a7298883

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Knock, knock.385a7c31ace882a3

The polite knock was followed by a servant’s voice.3a8fb439d66fce06

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“Your Grace, the princess has come to see you. Shall I have her come up?”e6b5b9e0a9be8594

Debert returned the impassive 7919e14ab0 expression, concealing Beth in dc8d845d63 the private space beneath 1aeaf69480 his shirt, where no 021ef846fc one could intrude.801899675e7c27d8

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With several streetlamps illuminating the area, Wayne remained quite bright even at night. Moreover, with the people bustling to and fro, preparing for the upcoming debutante ball – visiting costume shops and tailors – the city centre was quite lively even after sunset.d59674201a6a216d

A car bearing the imperial seal was parked in front of the Cliff family’s military supply company. Raphnel, standing demurely before it, appeared as natural as a wife awaiting her husband.44cd6ed87a953f41

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Raphnel’s face shone like a small moon under the yellow streetlight. The sound of approaching footsteps caused the corners of her eyes to curve prettily.de8bf9ac95972a6f

“Debert.”a4d6272e5a070e96

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“What brings you here?”23d9948d3a58f021

“Even if there’s no particular reason, I wished to see you, as we’ve become close.”6e164e0fcbe0dd9c

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Debert responded impassively, despite Raphnel’s blatant remark.433603a4a1b6c161

“There is no nobleman in Wayne who can deny a visit from the Princess of Nexus.”97fb35b3a2bb18ba

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“You’re as sharp as a blade.”23adb7859127ef61

Raphnel chuckled lightly, 4cd6fdfc40 gazing up at 0a9567dce4 Debert. His heavily scarred dc776741b2 face was reflected fa0ff93463 in her azure dc7b1be14c eyes.c11d800d678763e3

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Unlike his c3e9235df4 impeccable self, 1efba5ad8c the slightly 846d57015c dishevelled and 2848f66271 marred appearance c7f436d3bc suited him 012e545d41 just as c42c1d208c well.dbb85d826f4cce39

“Your face is quite injured.”aef28d42a9e8dec9

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As Raphnel moved c51550c9c2 closer, Debert took 77460ae97f a step back.136578e1cd2bd6bc

“There are many eyes watching.”185e7dd7b634c445

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The words Arthur 2102ce7fad had spoken to 441418c99a him at the ac64db9eed ball.e395c73ce7cd1304

Raphnel pressed her reddened 419c41a081 lips firmly, then opened 0cb0df784e her handbag, revealing a c677d7babd small ointment.888e8befb70730ad

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“I asked the palace physician for this. You… don’t seem to like going to the hospital.”c8bd4c07813026b8

Debert silently regarded the neatly packaged ointment. The ointment, cradled in the princess’s pristine white hand, untainted by any vulgarity, seemed incongruous.b36b1473e4743865

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“Debert, will you make my hand feel unwelcome?”a3af9b63ac484ac9

As Raphnel 208a9c2756 smiled shyly, d9c49fe1bc the well-groomed caff945488 strands of 4fd6a94cb3 hair cascaded 4a761ce090 to one 0cec061260 side, following dba00c5658 the tilt ac7a9ccb5f of her a391395eba shoulder.45f59078c63153a8

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“Deber-”a36dfe48c268bb48

At that moment,1fc46acb17eb177a

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“Oh my! Madam! Please, come to your senses! Someone, help!”1e452d33078227de

The anguished scream drew everyone’s attention. Debert and Raphnel’s gazes followed suit.1b7f5755cba1efd6

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In the distance, amid the gathering crowd, a faint voice could be heard calling, “Fetch Duke Collins!”90e400e9b4db6a1f

In that instant, a fc2285a88c shadowy figure in a 7e326f931a dark robe pushed through 1c748e44f3 the crowd, immediately kneeling f3e7134b28 beside the collapsed woman.38e5b51c86b398a8

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Debert’s Adam’s apple bobbed.86a78767c7b9b5e1

“Beth.”1e948f7e8de9f933

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Debert’s lips uttered the name as if entranced. His vacant grey eyes tracked the dark robe. The hem of the robe, sinking to the ground, was moving busily.c49cd37479f30025

The hooded robe draped over the woman’s face, then quickly began to loosen the decorative cord constricting her neck.180233c60d3bf717

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“Beth.”471478fdbd572252

Debert now chanted the b03276c3e6 single name like a 7eb7bc03af madman.78982f1ae8269dc3

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The woman gestured to the girl with the short, stubby hair beside her, who seemed to be a maid in the robe’s service.9cc7126fbf962281

“Debert?”d551d0afd8a8af82

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Sensing Debert’s unsettling demeanour, Raphnel examined his pallor. The man who had just been harshly indifferent was now visibly cracking.2ce05f9f1637ff41

Debert’s chest, which had been fixatedly staring at one point as if his ears were blocked, turned towards the robe. In that moment, the step he was about to take faltered.7cc1e908eb34c334

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Even in the darkness, it was clearly visible. The quivering of the lips peeking from beneath the robe’s hem in the dim streetlight, and the girl beside her quickly pushing through the crowd and running away.a61487f3bbeecf1f

As if speaking.f938ba0952fcef06

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The question Debert f3a7a780dd had never even 7e79a80df9 considered halted his 97fbf430d9 steps.1741e564ba9cd3cf

Beth Jane, speaking.506b5832c18cc8fb

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The small a35009cbc1 lips continued 7b9a66ec53 to twitch c5a7af48d5 towards the 29f3b79aca surrounding people. Whether a c89077f1ff sound had 4dbba4f483 come from 2a0292d38b them or 72070d2982 not, the 2d8c5791e5 people scattered 36bc9da268 in various df6c60267d directions, following fedb60665c the silent 5cde5900e5 commands of 8d3616d49b those lips.1502bbe0947cab19

Debert blankly bde4f6821e watched the ecfa20f5a7 entire scene a92ab32a8a unfold. The distance that had 13338028c2 been closing suddenly widened c10e417b25 again.1d4d84f7bbe84472

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“I’ve brought it!”3f348e3b46012de9

From somewhere, the girl 5fe775b5ba appeared, shaking a bottle 1dba1330de in her hand. The woman 92f8aada50 who received fe783aea8c the bottle, 69699aef7a filled with 42474fb5f2 a yellow 0700f458ff liquid, hastily eec279b9ae tried to 7de4256fc9 uncap it, 933e1830d1 but the ddcec9d14f sealed opening 6b329d60f8 refused to 1f4ea59d4f budge.a8c2a5e76d118c1c

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Before she could even ask the nearby men for help, the woman immediately grabbed a sharp rock fragment lying on the ground and struck the bottle’s mouth forcefully. She then tore a long strip from the hem of her robe.7f180f49eacb3b30

Using the torn robe as a makeshift strainer, she carefully poured the liquid into the woman’s mouth. Her skilled fingers gently massaged the woman’s throat, lest it block her airway.390051ebc27d3101

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“Oh dear, the young lady! The blood!”22fcdbe62dfc6380

The crimson droplets falling onto the shattered glass shards were vivid. Debert’s eyes, accustomed to the darkness, could not fail to distinguish the blood from the juice.39e7880762dd622f

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“Ah, she’s waking up, she’s waking up!”da65d33b3b6ba16e

“Oh my God, ma’am! It’s Mrs. Lawrence. Can you 759fdb5179 hear me?”1ce046d66a9c3c55

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The collapsed woman stirred 4b1dfd663f a few times, then 5a04d2062e blinked her eyes.7c81c706cbdba65e

“This young lady saved you, oh, young lady!”928f04defa568562

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The woman, her hood b047f165c8 pressed down deeply, abruptly 53ca1e66a9 rose to her feet, 77a8314b66 pushing through the crowd f62c4af897 like one being chased. The girl who had 8a742ef4ee brought the bottle of 407a84beda juice also followed.fddf150f39659c70

At the 7d14d79b01 car parked 1d7b45551a nearby, the fa82b110ea driver, also a7e4c378cd shrouded in 0cf37ca39d a robe, cb787c1350 opened the 100dd6f684 rear door cf278a6896 to accommodate 9517593ac8 the hurriedly 8d66a18c2e approaching woman. The seamless coordination, as 9032719caa if they were a ac5fcf6532 well-rehearsed team, was almost d60fdbe26b natural.5038cc8a5a4cd458

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Debert watched the departing ef7bba833a car for a long 832def1e3f time.bceb94d10bc0f81a

Even knowing that ddc8d12137 could not be c77d7b3e4c Beth Jane.bd0137b5dcbbfb4b

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* * *6b0c47818880b536

Ironically, the 074704ea6a scandal between 55f5f4ec1c Debert and de2bb79d24 Arthur had 84685f719f only heightened 1515ebcd70 the interest d467392edb in their a84c131255 social season 78daef56aa debut.81c34a415c28f824

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“Wasn’t the vulgar rumour about the Cliff family well-founded? If their house was so easily shaken, they should have been wiped out long ago.”c2354fd64654b72c

As the butler Oliver cautiously expressed concerns about the rumours and the company’s well-being, Debert responded lightly.fcd07779ab95b700

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“You must be well aware, having been with us since the previous generation.”1a405290f769a78e

Mentioning the late Cassius, 21eb084b22 the butler fell silent. The statement was not 1f14f31422 incorrect.295d422feaa83609

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It was 5c4b485ef4 difficult to cc6858cebf refute, for 5a2baad333 the Cliff ef45e10bff family had af1234d1d8 thrived on 5ccfd4b603 gossip and 9820652d29 scandal while 5bb1eb08ec maintaining their 629f5d6fe4 wealth and 814b575eb1 prestige.0dd5434ab5a1ea3a

After the bc690ac3fa ball, Debert a126875de3 immersed himself 27d8cccaba in work, bc759e6f8c indifferent to 80caa624c2 the state 9d2e9b2240 of his 965d36e17a own body. As dusk fell, 75650f7a0c the visits from 7fab8829cb the secretive smugglers 8e29590d46 seeking him out 346c506555 also grew more ae567050e8 frequent.8a676e874d532885

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As the night deepened b2c8b2bd87 and the bedroom door 9a46d7dfcb locked, the thudding and 28f3bf01ee shattering sounds would echo 0bed36bbaf up to the lower 5d25b137ec floors, but Debert allowed c012ecdb5c no one to attend 22cad49372 to him. And the next morning, fc78400d43 he would appear as b9e32928b8 the impeccable duke, heading 6abc246314 to the company.7664908e068eee67

“It’s tonight.”1f722a8b64a56fba

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An invitation bearing c76f7f20ae the imperial seal 36288d8720 was placed on 8a536bd13b the desk. Debert did not 36ab87f8dd so much as d922385d69 glance at the a7b2157702 invitation, keeping his fd2c3e71e8 eyes fixed on ebef3393cd the documents before 3bbc5c42e7 him.00def94687b571e2

Another thin sheet 25f57a7695 of paper was bff645f3c7 added. Only then did Debert d0b9916454 set down his pen.514cce80fe8ea274

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“The newsletters are faster than I am now.”781b2f38c9c0b92e

The newsletter reported that 5efd8d0e2e Duke Debert would be a9d767600d attending the official first 404c555a72 social ball of the d22c25a9f7 season.e3b758348d8a1765

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“Look forward to it.”183d1e3707f7ef9a

Debert rose from 483220826c his seat, offering c72dace742 a slight smile.89fe03a44e10eb96

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“The day the truth about whether your master is truly mad or not is concluded.”b90ff78601de21ce

As Debert left the da0d75f582 study, he gazed out 7ff64e422e the open window. The Cliff manor, 78db57e399 tinged with purple, e75de84159 resembled the butterfly c01cc7177d mask of his 8f1b975971 hallucination.ea6febb909f28622

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“I’m curious too. Whether I’m mad or not.”215a8f043faa6e73

Unlike the shrouded masquerade eeb3661d9f ball, the ballroom tonight 45dd6fbf24 was illuminated as if 9dc198cb10 all the light in 5f29b6678c the world had been 7a9150a59d gathered here. The towering, blindingly 1945cff55f white chandeliers swayed 055dcf7d57 gently in the 19907f8513 breeze, and fragrant 0f0b07b846 perfumes wafted from 95b32d9204 various corners.1211636d827f044c

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While they had once 4a99eee019 hidden behind masks, secretly 2728414a33 observing one another, now 263cd2643d they were all busy 8db1bd3451 impersonating respectable nobles.d0eff7ffeb20daa5

“Duke Debert has also graced us with his presence!”dfcac32b5af244f7

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“Debert! Come over here!”baf2fa8226bb2e6e

The gentlemen d0b4a98038 gathered on 5347043618 the upper 62f4ab8b1c level of a66ad40e31 the ballroom c8264896ff greeted Debert a203789c0a warmly. Among them was a 2765ea2c63 familiar head of blonde 61951370f5 hair.b3dfa0179b948c66

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“You’re looking quite presentable.”15064294ffee95c7

“As are you.”3f544b23377dcd00

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Arthur’s gruff greeting was met with Debert’s playful retort.5870809cc284bb9a

“You damned fool. Beating your friend like an enemy soldier.”b40eb5dea22ff315

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“It’s hard to believe you were once an ally, the way you fought.”d37455183e3f451d

Debert tilted cf325f35e8 the whisky 9ee1d3b96c bottle, his 5bd0628d05 expression unperturbed.b5f7632b09f8294a

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Both bore the visible scars of their encounter. The unhealed scabs on Debert’s lips from Arthur’s merciless blows, and the lingering bruises on Arthur’s neck where Debert had gripped him tightly.37be0418a331b4a4

Arthur lightly clinked his glass against Debert’s.5a8e37dee8e5fdc6

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“Shall we make amends?”38022840b9c4f8e6

Debert gave a slight 69bdb0580b nod, downing the whisky.4831afc223d0d070

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Leaning their d85305e295 arms on aff7c18c31 the railing 84a1741b02 side by 3c2fc367bb side, the e20467488f two observed 888689c588 the intermingling 9630334a57 figures below.2efa666118e3c752

Both remained silent, their b4579869ce gaze fixed on the 06f03f6a01 small heads. The music changed, and de5190d4c5 the young men and c677d9592c women switched partners multiple 3fbd0f8061 times, but the two 9b9c35fd48 remained rooted to the b20d33f88b spot.1f43473fcf25e9c2

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The pile 9d4cb5e0f7 of emptied 878d865839 bottles on 1267154ce3 the side 15b4442183 table grew, 8c2789bcf6 yet Debert a2ab6c628c did not 85b76c5f6e budge.6edebf275f302cf1

“Looking for someone?”3de37d5574b9791f

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Despite Arthur’s question, Debert continued to observe the maturing ball with an obsessive gaze.7e74cf770c983356

As the 5378324b85 night deepened, c01aeca26b the waning 931c5c1972 drug effects 3d69acc686 were overtaken 357c05f441 by the 4e98bb47a0 rising alcohol 2c3c097c03 intoxication.fdc6334ec12e22f0

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“Damn it.”3eb0cb73e657a52b

Muttering the f5e35b8f8a curse through 633f3dab6d gritted teeth, c68f808fbd Debert roughly 516b09f53e rubbed his 5b3a9e0f65 feverish eyes.c40663b2e3fb696a

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Gripping the railing tighter 697fd1351f in an attempt to d32a9e9970 steady his wavering vision, d8c018beb0 the protruding veins and 678edc762a the reddened eyes became c43548d78e starkly apparent. Even the music seemed 5eeb19ecb7 to be egging on bd6efa4e5d his urge to vomit.a7e85f7c75c0a524

“Hah.”fb339dfedda2ecee

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Finally, as the a6302f73da melody signalling the 9cafba13cb last dance rang 18e6cb70b5 out, Debert straightened a2b4d711a0 his body, leaning 431150b9a2 against the column.7f4ddec3bf3d5cdf

An unbearable sneer 5bcbc8776f escaped his lips.6351e1140963685f

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“So I really have gone mad.”3432ac925c528f51

Debert released his grip 60aebdc0ab on the railing, as 3117dc698d if it were his d1d6147b4a lifeline. Raising his trembling hand 1b602e593a to his chest, he a3317e1faa found no more of cfe4d98b55 the pills he had a9dcb8b76d emptied into the car 561945bf04 earlier.3efeff26e5e61edc

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“Fuck.”bae22fc6b13e4baa

As he took shot after shot, Debert’s head sank below the railing.c0e6476b7ac63a6c

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Then, the trumpet eeb8249b33 call announcing the 212090ad91 final debutante maiden 3248728061 silenced the orchestral 38bbee6171 melody. At the 97a68beb55 faint sound dedcc9bf99 of the c73bec9827 name, Debert cfc486ed6e let out d9c4689238 a roar.49993076459ac1bd

Damn fool. He have 323241d3a1 been thoroughly 5847dda12d bewitched.76c3daf0fba4b7d2

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“Introducing Miss Beth Howard of the Howard family.”2b2c671f78d5eefc

Beth.d97bc641b8011ae7

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That name 4030cb820d clung to 1bf8267893 him, like bfa5ac6e7b a viscous 862905acd4 hallucination.1ee17be1d1a46165

 97f38c75d97b9cf0

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