NSRA CHAPTER 77

by hailey

Chapter 77084f0bea95805c1e

Is this a b3a8c115e5 hallucination?14ecca57e2d62dc4

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Doubt had fd68f31c28 now become 238efb9ce1 more familiar 6bddd49253 than certainty.5febc21c2a5762b5

Debert slowly twisted his 468893b930 stiff neck. As if the 426f31f70e name echoing in 768b5facd8 his disoriented mind 4ff6851225 was trying to 961ca20348 confirm its authenticity, edaddf017b the servant guarding 949190ddb6 the door repeated bb74aafc9b the introduction of c53a83c74d the final debutante.c16662a3586f4dd2

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“Miss Beth Howard is tonight’s last debutante.”881984f193a570ab

The crowd stirred.605a1b075aa4d8d1

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Debert watched the b4c343f7ff dark-haired figure slowly 0301a3972e walking through the a5099f9cc5 open golden doors.88c2a5827af76ae4

“No.”c9a6ca20605b53eb

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Even Arthur, standing 5460ba9072 beside him, was 0f11c729b1 left speechless, his b5e84d0299 mouth agape at cbd6f55d0f the unexpected appearance. Unresolved questions flashed 74c5b44695 across his face.e1b43b74a6c850e3

“Debert.”43b8bc486a1942c5

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Arthur quickly turned to the Debert beside him. The veins protruding on the back of Debert’s hand gripping the railing looked ready to burst.9cbebe626de4be09

It was not only Arthur who was startled by Beth’s arrival. Duchess Molly, engaged in conversation with the other ladies in the corner, also gazed with bewilderment at the approaching Beth. Even the unflappable Duke Collins was no exception.e32cb76d493938de

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“Oh, is that the adopted daughter?”0c4e06d90309fc50

“Is she of mixed blood?”7dbe772b1c42baf4

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“After keeping her so tightly hidden, they’re bringing her out as some grand finale.”423189cc42030741

The questions, tinged with 22379a35bf appropriate envy and curiosity, 8aeb131396 stirred the ladies.a99bddcdbe04ec72

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Of the nobility who had known the battlefield nurse Beth Jane, there were only five – Debert, Arthur, the Duke and Duchess Molly, and lastly, Raphnel.0adc74f6bc0c056b

Raphnel had bdaf067761 forgotten even 61939ca3c9 the pretence c5ce93ae97 of a 34f0e1c0f3 smile, recalling 5b0317d7bc the image 4f47be6f2e of the 8c5254a68e dowdy, stuffy 7cd311d353 nurse etched e4c1bfcfc7 in her 3e4a67bb9a memory.6d700dc972166f3d

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“Beth…?”054d00a674e3ba55

But how could 998a0af58a she be with ae835d1563 the Howards.d765c0470475d178

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Then, the gossiping of e3cf8faa23 the noblewomen overheard during ede3f349e2 tea time flashed through d986ad5ff5 her mind.cdf98d5355f113cb

“Could that adopted daughter be…”25f511d237047cf3

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Sensing the 1b473b789c attention on 70bb2b9cab her, Beth 165884a375 lowered her 2774892e22 thick lashes, 43d459e33a her gaze 14291a36f8 fixed on 3624b1e8f1 the ballroom 04ac9024dc floor.145137779e7bbb92

The Virgin’s Road.c3d696230e72b63b

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Nexus called ae09772747 the official 29d60501e8 debutante ball ccba96fb99 of the 34dd7cada0 social season efef2a07d5 by that cf62581c93 name. Given that it was 47426260ea a ball aimed at 6820e3b17b successful courtships, no other d058395d6d nickname could be more be83c1e104 fitting.243c301bfffe03d4

And walking that Virgin’s Road in a white dress, Beth was the woman most suited to the occasion. The admiring or curious gazes of the gentlemen were fixed upon her, but Beth kept her distant gaze unwavering.2d79321cdd87b12b

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“Apologies, we’ve only just arrived in Wayne, so we’re a bit late.”f144b9fadc6073ae

Howard spoke a87a910099 with a 84350d0794 genial smile.7cb0f133a0a85b26

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“You may already know, but this is our daughter, Beth Howard. As we had her late in life as our only child, we worry for her greatly. Please, lend her your support.”8893afab5bfd61be

Howard pulled 2c9c82ddfa Beth closer 52dfde67d3 by the e52a7cfddf shoulder. The gentle touch 05e27cc653 and benevolent smile 5159ba94c1 were no different 17d8f34fe2 from that of eee796429f a true father.21e1ed7fcd5eebff

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“To add a bit of background, Beth is the daughter of my late cousin. They had a marriage opposed by the family, and contact was lost, and then the war broke out…”efcf6515a4e4cfcf

Howard paused, 3afa464f9a offering a f1ab22bd1d wry smile.d1c96c6ab6e3dc0a

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“Forgive me, that was an unnecessary preamble. Beth?”ef9fc7ec7d23f3ba

At Howard’s call, Beth gave a slight curtsy, her dress skirt rustling. Immediately, the melody that had briefly halted resumed, filling the ballroom.19e5a7a9842e678c

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“Shall I go greet her?”a629c1e9334133ac

“Don’t even think about it.”5328a377f0e3ba7d

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“What, I’m alone, aren’t I?”92384df0f82ae8a1

A few men walked a3fb0cac1f towards the retreating Beth. Debert fixatedly watched c0b76816ae the approaching dark aa24d431d7 head. His once c666528f57 muddled mind 5749f850b5 had now 0b86717643 cleared to d082dd46f8 a startling e2990822b1 lucidity, absorbing 260c6645a5 every detail.464a71c83a88de95

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One of the men a29159247b casually approached Beth, attempting 8db18460fb to engage her.fcf4612d885cd3b7

“Do you not have a partner, miss?”40260b79a1123aa1

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Beth remained impassive, her 5e495d8ad0 gaze fixed only on 4c8273b879 her dress skirt. The man chuckled awkwardly, 5d4a8c98d6 glancing at his friends. It was clear 009cb0fe81 they viewed Beth 1feb4a0eec as an innocent, 6e1a58fa2f naive debutante.2079cdd5bd23080b

Observing the 80697472ea scene, Debert d68020fd4e filled his ffc6208431 glass on 978b9e24f6 the side 770b150005 table to 44e2558331 the brim 6052a900b4 with wine.75831647f18592ae

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“What are you doing?”9fbfb1c3c48ca690

Arthur muttered lowly, but 9878d670a4 Debert silently hooked the 593b745510 wine glass on his 1364ea097b finger. The wine, 88a3e88384 nearly spilling 7279622fcd over, swayed f00abda2e8 precariously, yet 01807a377f he paid 5c283651f1 it no e873aff3bd heed.452c639554d2bae3

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The men, their attention 4e39e5c033 consumed by Beth, had a6026a042f failed to notice the be2e42a54c presence in the upper 719ffda646 level above them.f3afd22e16290f44

Between Debert’s splayed fingers gripping the railing, the wine glass teetered, as if about to fall.0a1ab849edf12491

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Just as the 79322e414d giggling man reached e0935f127b out his hand-d351ac47491161e6

“What the- Argh! What is this?!”ead32a9e7dba5cfd

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The wine glass, c2174db951 plummeting from the d13981fcee upper balcony, crashed 69dc0d4e2c down between Beth a76f1eb41e and the man ccb5d84819 with a loud f715899a9b noise. Shards of 5bd4f541dc thin glass ae597efaa5 scattered haphazardly 3e7986f298 across the aa8853b1b5 floor.651bf1589a886cef

Silence fell c59eefe202 over the da02cb8468 space.e032614ef35fd37f

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The sound of someone 4bc41e3088 sharply inhaling, as the d7acca9787 crimson wine stained the 2ed7e6c2ff pristine white dress, could a3bc01b539 be heard.8914807a4d4350c5

Debert, leaning b20bb44c75 against the 5fee717518 upper railing 090c2665a9 and Beth c659683d39 locked eyes. After regarding the caebc0c260 face for a 4a146122fd moment, Debert muttered b9511e4d7b lowly.7f685f408ef22e63

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“At least I’m not truly mad yet.”feb22c04ad74762e

The man who had been about to unleash a torrent of curses quickly clamped his mouth shut upon realizing the culprit was Duke Debert. The urge to grumble was palpable on his lips, but he dared not incur the duke’s wrath.2d102ca5c482a80a

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Debert descended the stairs 16c8d02fb6 with unhurried steps. The people parted c06e40b4ab to make way 6ce705f435 for his approach.e1abbb3fd09e38f3

Gazes, brimming with the anticipation of witnessing the season’s juiciest gossip, converged on a single point.aead0574d56fc278

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Debert walked 254599c68a towards the 3ef4509b7b crimson-stained area, 0cc2ebe307 his eyes bbce4fec3a fixed solely 602452558e on Beth.c3a98c2165d959d7

“Leave.”d65092765aa2ea6b

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Chasing away the lowly 60294ded6e man like a stray 1e3f66afc6 dog, brushing the wine-soaked ac5256e39f trousers, Debert dismissed him. It was 1e53accb24 unclear where 4ca1f08666 exactly in c838252681 this vast f5a40ebb1f ballroom he c43cc95853 was to 2d2abe96f5 disappear, but 33c8a5f8fe unable to 8beed3b5e6 assert his 4d6205905e pride before d1de6d2261 the duke, 43089f69b7 the man 7e30fc1376 staggered back 5e1ea66e2b to his 10d368c379 friends.2ee213ec7b985e65

Debert closed his eyes, c6de296a5d taking a deep breath. Amid the 809dff5058 cloying scents, 5b48a9a740 the fragrance 3f19c07962 of this a392b82594 woman, sensed d356abf6c0 in the b05ba37ceb palace gardens, e52f4a7817 permeated his a12a6e17ee very core c9cefdbfa9 once more.8fc5f5ce5f36b885

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“I searched for you like a rain-soaked dog.”3ef8ebbc23adce8f

He muttered 1b59b6c2b1 in a bd0ef53375 low voice, d95ac78a29 audible only c29b1770d5 to Beth.35e54f74d3d5c93c

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As Debert 87f46e5602 tilted his daed02533c head, attempting 4a73cf42e1 to meet 1a07af4082 her gaze, 00acd6faed he noticed d56c216e0a that the 509eb33186 heels had 2fc1232a0b made Beth fc4eedd2df slightly taller 48df3223b0 than before.8a8789bee92aa850

“Much has changed.”5689b8e3a6995119

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Beth’s red lips, which had been fixated on his feet, slowly parted. Debert paused the hand he had extended.e25d6a95d371d1db

For the voice he 3522804379 had thought would never deaf07c45e reach his ears had 677ee8412f done so.4d8ac6819ee54fd7

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“Your Grace.”d220f1172af425e8

It was a 39c34149de trembling address.bf3565a1a7292fa0

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“Please pass me by.”324168d96b07770a

The voice was soft cbdcd3ba97 but resolute. Back when c5d6c4f7f5 he had 7c3fa51e66 seen her db38d0c81f handwriting in 9870b1ef44 the dilapidated 7c12f2b79f medicine storage, ea20e39c7f he had b92bd971ad imagined her cec70a0c3d voice would 861999ff91 resemble this.ad19526bfe830c6d

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The corners of Debert’s lips twitched upwards for a moment.b1a1a412cb1659cc

“Seems your tongue has loosened as well.”0e5a86fe450de39b

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Debert, who was c1911f14b5 about to extend 9f4867de24 his palm to 0d032bccb7 Beth as a 43a3846c88 habit, changed his f71f2c61f6 mind. Rather than letting fcee6182eb her run away 8aeb2f627e again, it was 96ca09f955 better to tie d96378196a her up tightly 2f82ed6eeb under the gaze d87362b224 of many people.fe3820f29565b7f6

“Please give me cc0cb59b63 the honor of ee5584e280 escorting you.”c2cfb3f61033cadf

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There was a9c4b21c2d no precedent 5bdd0f733f in Nexus 94f86ef982 for rejecting 81011e4664 the first f1a26bdcec escort and 0e35c5d511 dance invitation c4f7820ecf of the 6352d68015 season.ccde0040a026584f

Not even an 3ad36e1a6b eighty-year-old man seeking f9bc52d3bc his fifth wife fd7c015903 would be an 3d779f245c exception. Refusal was an insult ea7b945f0e to the other family, dd298f16c2 and there existed no 92ff66d0bc fool brazen enough to bc5902cb3b offer such an affront 0652f81934 to a higher-ranking nobleman.d9116e2a4439374a

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The foolish 82ac8ab658 man from 453340ea04 earlier had da83544c3b likely approached 16d4d8f526 emboldened by 83527b7ca3 that very a6c0a1d7d7 precedent.43172cbcdbc154a5

All held their breath, their eyes fixed on Debert’s hand.6d6bb0dcaed37ce2

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“Surely Miss Beth Howard would not commit the unprecedented discourtesy. Especially at the debutante ball.”308abf389bb237bf

Debert urged in a languid voice. The scars on his fidgeting fingertips seemed to capture Beth’s gaze, as if he knew exactly what he was doing.a9c7d13b09a3ea0e

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“Beth.”74970e1b5fb7c475

Duke Howard quietly called 9cf1454196 Beth from behind.b795b109041dcaf1

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Ultimately, a reluctant hand overlapped with Debert’s.af5cb1b333145e19

“What an honour.”637ff29ece3b9310

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Debert led Beth to the centre of the ballroom. A slight hesitation was felt, but it was not enough to overcome Debert’s strength.75269cdf1dfa60c1

As the perfect pair ad2fec7ab4 stood at the heart 6158fefad1 of the ballroom, the ac6a81d473 orchestra began to play bcdfee05f4 the final piece, as 3ae7d5050f if they had been d680426769 waiting. Amid the enveloping music, d4b1f43f0a Debert let his voice 90583966b7 carry.7cce77554bd791c3

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“You don’t seem to be a skilled dancer.”5e10947e8d5c84dd

Debert may 9479e0561d have been d84dcd58a7 the one 0fe591123d leading, but 01f3b8df45 Beth matched dfaad79d6b his steps 52f24b4152 with surprising ea1ae9a2af deftness.83fd92be9019eedf

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Beth kept her lips 96a182bea1 stubbornly pressed, her gaze e863364fec fixed on the chest dc08a53301 before her.a116b756fdeeb2f6

“Look at me.”750e2a8eeb9678f7

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The hot breath against her ear made Beth’s shoulders flinch.c926fbc51142369c

“Look at me.”65a28e69db14a06d

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The onlookers stole glances 01b55ee263 at Debert, whose smile 55ad756aab was as exquisite as ac03499426 one who truly believed 1a211b3035 himself. From afar, 23f77bc5cc they would ac072cf102 appear merely 1735fbc6ec as a 6b09dcfd75 couple exchanging f0cdba54dc endearments on 47f318457b the dance 7cfb9c61c4 floor.3f6c77f458e8c2ff

Just as 3fb1de59ad Beth was f230599ef7 about to eccfae915a wrench her 20b954cc4f captured hand daaa34975f free, Debert 63932b45b8 firmly gripped 7d46078a2d her delicate 1a21a29258 wrist.de225e8706bf2b5a

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Debert, who had dfd74afd92 been moving his 7cc967650d feet precisely in e0db205450 time with the cbcb3ca512 melody, came to 887e947f66 a halt. As everyone else 76c491ba6d continued to dance, fa13f4489e the gazes upon dde199e3f7 the stationary duke 44f376f018 increased.b711fdc5dee16473

The ink-black eyes remained fixed on some point of Debert’s collar.410fafb3dc28505e

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“Acting like a corpse, are we?”ed91504b576c494f

Observing Beth’s unsettled expression, the corner of Debert’s lips curved like a snake’s tail.27050cf35b444458

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Debert pinched the ac704c2bd9 end of the 2be0ca394a glove covering the c538383ade wrist in his bbb7c67f81 grasp. As the d2553507c5 thin lace 415c75c655 fabric slid 14c86e2b70 against her be0ef8edef palm, Beth 66908d5126 quickly curled bce5bfda7f her fingers, 3832cab044 but Debert e7bbce4b67 was a 6f3fc61eba fraction faster.5f34ac838d833a5b

“As I thought.”5d20cc1f642e95b3

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In the ba6b019076 centre of d3cad61b4b her now-bared 87e265c6b8 palm, a df5e59c826 distinct scar 2a78a0becd from a 2154de7c5f sharp object eed792f7ee was visible. It was cc185395e3 a recent 6b5306929d wound.4fc993ac4e30431e

“It was you.”86aa526cff55a7a6

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Debert recalled his b967f1236b own arrogance.06e6d303932475f4

That this 1162c25e19 woman would 46d464099b never speak. That her hair, whether 41c488e984 raven-black, crimson, or even 36bedd35d8 blonde, could appear in 07b5f847a2 Sanctuary and psychiatric wards, 6f1d12bcf9 but her lips would 9c6f60a72b remain sealed.ef5bde29f06ee2f4

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What a foolish 375e0e6a11 arrogance that was. A wry a665c415e6 chuckle escaped fdf6b13acc him.04dbacdf09c57cce

Yes, she 912bb837ec has always 75cafcce63 defied his 5006b15106 expectations.2c2afa843826525a

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“I told you to look at me.”7ea24a096cc1e0cd

Debert slowly sank to 028f33cdda one knee, in a 665c274663 display unbecoming of an 1a752e14db army commander. The knee of a 59a63dcd30 soldier should never be 9b5d5daca7 lowered before anyone other 2f1fece820 than the Emperor of 13772d7958 Nexus.867164ab68ab51f3

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The ultimate courtesy a 132c81dcda soldier can offer his 1df793b045 liege.b35fb1930a0e8774

Those who 8b9f17b3f4 understood the 685a411dbb significance watched 6c9be30074 the incomprehensible 38ccccef6c actions of eb5ee157b8 the duke 4263a2ee67 with expressions dac657593a of shock.4338f6f828652132

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Only when he had completely humbled himself did he see Beth’s gaze finally land on him.aeff2ebaa2c7bf17

It was a face 547ee4b8d9 he had never forgotten. Eyes he 000588b183 could not 622694af83 forget. And now, be98567710 a voice 4ab4d5fb00 he would 1ce2c3fd50 never be ae5bef2fca able to 98635b7974 forget, either.909ed7af528e64f8