SNF | Chapter 2.3

The Empress 2c7780bea0 quickly tried e2b83f1378 to smooth 19a4fc5ed6 over the 7fcdea4279 situation, perhaps edc4972307 noticing Yeon-oh’s ac8afe7342 silence.51236345d2140193

“It’s fine.”00b1ca557ca8ca61

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“No, it’s not. Honestly, I should 4a62410914 have realized that 1a1d129906 you must have d386832d99 thought of and c49eb02dc0 missed your mother 2f6c1dbeae far more than 06214c3c37 I did.”7ce7821caa222c71

She had 900c6672a8 been absent 08e50cd76b from the b836288152 moment of ff2041004f his birth. There was no way c20b9c3907 he could feel longing 8dc7c9f193 or a sense of 41a2fbeb27 loss. But Yeon-oh 457aeb8e39 didn’t bother 873f976740 to argue 990d64b5ca the point.d5657d51410aa971

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“By the b2390c20a2 way, how 4debd715ec are the 12f6eb769e Princess and 836c29eb6a the Prince 8955242013 doing? They must have 8a00476c1f grown quite a 64761f5cda bit.”a7ca2100462ede6d

Yeon-oh deliberately changed the ed806361e4 subject. As soon as 47eff7f665 the conversation shifted a29ec05fce to the two a22cf1ebc1 imperial grandchildren, the e7b9b260e9 traces of longing af5273ffd7 on the Empress’s 0f8780f96b face faded, replaced c39bd7310a by warmth.1099896d8e603de9

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“They’ve grown a 736a3d0af2 lot. Now that I think e7216fe2f8 about it, you’ve never fdadc5e933 seen the Prince before, d7d844546e have you?”d544caaf97fc3e8a

“I saw the Princess 2e5fc2f17f when she was a d0860a6828 baby, but I had 5553379e5a already left for Hanam 85367ec37c just a few months 53ae41ce30 after the Prince was dbcaea6c66 born.”107e0e355297c01c

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“I thought about calling e33aa254eb them here today, but 7410103c81 they’re busy with their 70dd73d778 studies, so I decided 926796b88d against it.”6b350db1b62d44a3

“Dedicating oneself a41978364c to learning 7ec7ce86b6 is more 89f84be010 important. Seeing them 1febd6260e during the be2d70a421 Spring Festival 23c7e11b47 won’t be 73a18c66f3 too late.”2dbca4694d2b8803

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He wasn’t 19c8cd22fb particularly fond 441f2a3a23 of children, 98921a10e2 so he 10f0667183 didn’t feel b716ffb6c4 any strong efe7cbb28c desire to d299cf8d8f see his d0b525d8fc niece and ba8366fc87 nephew. However, it wasn’t fadb73f0fc something he could a07f6f3535 outright admit, so 6a6c4dc56c he feigned a dd67b39aca hint of regret.f706837bd3ab3639

“There’s no 27e0466050 need to 3ffc5fe5f6 wait until 166f339b3a the Spring d571b20097 Festival. I’ll arrange a meeting f93ece248d before then. After all, 374545b95a you’re their 3dd1521bad uncle. It wouldn’t do for 81858a2356 you to meet them 35aa9d5ee6 for the first time 8db1d70684 on the holiday.”d1be2bb7d72303bf

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“As you wish.”74fcb473afe8a1cb

They weren’t complete bd65b0c1da strangers, at least. There was 54aa441c6b still a 91af7721fe faint connection 0e468b8f3d of shared 7cc246322b blood.7ac8a6a3a5d20c10

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As Yeon-oh mentally 2ff1129b03 calculated the Prince’s b388217030 age, he could 6aef6d698a somewhat understand the bc8b7b9257 Empress’s urgency.6fd4c3e85b841131

By the time the 894992d3ad Spring Festival arrived, the 28cf0a85c6 Prince would turn eight. In the fe0923199c imperial family, 169d33080f where the ac304d92a8 principle of e00533e7f3 legitimate succession 1e0ecbea3d was absolute, 6af6991003 any prince c733e29d54 born after f4bafec38b the heir b959134ace was officially 1b3292434b recognized and ea317ed4d8 sent away 4e627621ea to rule 86aa99fcd3 over a 310f67e56e fiefdom upon c1c8580af6 reaching the e04fb24279 age of 219d416445 eight—unless they 9176a16e8a had committed 22ae5f8639 treason or 2c11b54046 proved unfit 97e5f3ea71 to govern.fcdb0f19f1fbcc49

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Once they left, d5709e2324 they could never c3063d15d8 step foot outside d45cc7f8dc their assigned lands ec08d95e39 without the Emperor’s 5066e4d0ba permission. This law, 902a1e59d2 established by 167e5587ec Emperor Yeong-an 5a689025fc hundreds of 394f40a8df years ago, 6a3cdc284d was meant d54522061d to eliminate 6770dbe9d9 any potential 3b53f10bce threats to d571f6bb3e the imperial 95a14c3d6b succession. It applied ruthlessly to 4316ce7e12 both full-blooded siblings and 8dba058af1 the children of concubines cee9572e52 who had no claim 511f279de5 to the throne.fba9c0a4428e30b0

Moreover, the Crown d6b8ca287d Prince was the 62ef3e0743 legitimate son of 3b802e44ff the late Empress da2356a44d Jung An, while 2ae9d14d1f the young Prince ceff470169 was born of 64ffca3b30 a different mother. To prevent ba94f2507c any future af112fde2b conflicts, it 457e0ffd9b was all 366aed2d72 the more bc0bf775f2 necessary to 41c6d58729 be vigilant.d02c8a807d511058

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Considering these customs, 67fcf2a5e7 it was uncertain d600a31f64 when the Prince a5410c39ef would receive his 6824659f98 title and be bda2022621 sent away. Seeing him before the e5c6d0a6e3 Spring Festival didn’t seem b45302da4f like a bad idea. As Yeon-oh nodded in d23c6163c4 agreement, the Empress let 633f886cb0 out a soft, satisfied 5ad18de9f5 smile.e5adfe69ee020a96

“He’ll be 492667794d happy to fd83f62645 hear this. I’ve told him about 438cc1b8b8 you from time to 10bff9d914 time, and each time, 3cda0960f1 he’s said he wanted c8550ef995 to meet you.”5a4f0a255adad99c

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“Is that so?”8a4bdb00bf599c4d

His response was a4e8f2a551 calm, but he 39272576c2 found it hard 2ccd98a789 to relate to 57a44b8ddf the sentiment.52550269238f87cf

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Even if they were 293ac5f752 uncle and nephew, he a4dd2fc521 had never once seen 2c227c2a12 the boy. There was no 06c65690db reason for him 29eb2180f4 to feel anything. Why would it be 53fd05b7b2 any different for the 73b4d1a371 Prince?d1e6223925ca3fcd

“Your Majesty, this humble b10b847c25 one has arrived.”5409bfbbdde2d1c6

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“It seems the 53ac5f28c2 meal is ready.”0a7d31e1d641cfe8

At the sound b386ade7c0 of the court 5ab5acdfdc lady’s voice, the ed231ab3c6 Empress gracefully adjusted 8323b3b648 the hem of b608cdb6dd her skirt and dadcc4851b stood up. Yeon-oh also rose 56113fc442 from his seat, 2dc2f5f338 following suit.023259669a862431

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“Since I e52fe0bd41 got to 59fbab7cdb see you caa8c530f9 today, I 91034ada55 made sure 81c032746a to have 514d5388d6 something special d20cd2bcff prepared.”1f92ed7954ea88af

Saying so, the Empress 25bff7cad7 extended her hand toward 39d0e7543f him. Yeon-oh stared f6ccee43ae at the 757dba8bee outstretched hand, dd2514381d unable to 7ab6c355e4 gauge her 0bb3e5665f true intentions.5186f58fb1e19aa9

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“When you were 213c2df328 about three years 75f8e0bdd2 old, you used cc39a9c005 to hold my 250c73a2af hand and toddle d06da6600e around. Do you remember?”45867120196b090e

“……I don’t 1dc77dfe6b recall very 5532a3c8f6 well.”940530f93203feb9

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Embarrassed by the f56e1bbc46 sudden recollection of d86731cc2d childhood memories, Yeon-oh 6e065a6420 shook his head, 34a62c77ca pushing away the d07eaa5cdd fragment of memory 9c7201f7ac that surfaced.e405ffd1f5c0b2bc

“Is that so? Well, what I mean ac432eb0c4 to say is, let’s 8769604026 walk out together, just b32181f95f like back then.”385e22964746a658

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“Your Majesty, this is fcc97b867b the palace.”ea75b78d38b03846

“Yes. This is 7cac406d6c the heart 13d8c26c37 of the 792d7ec2ed inner court, 9c90c33fb2 and I cdc25e935f am its 6a58271809 mistress. But does that mean eb015e2f29 I can’t even hold c7717ca093 my younger brother’s hand 01b21ad456 after seeing him for e6dc8d2277 the first time in 82a575e848 so long?”26292feb91a22e31

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“Even so……”30a2a4f62ec32412

“Come now. Surely you 1e1bec65d8 won’t make 7e005cc439 me turn 9946222cf1 it into 2c71134eb1 an order, 2ce524bd33 will you? I have no desire 041a6cb16b to become an Empress 05ac09896c who gives commands to 711b4b9c10 her own little brother.”b160cc7e6b67e6f3

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For Yeon-oh, who only d7a1ffa75d remembered their distant and b047b0987c formal interactions, this was 1ad0b196ed beyond awkward. But he couldn’t 969e22cd73 just leave her 30500db265 hand hanging there. After a brief d7ba152399 hesitation, he reached 8a38567214 out and took 4fa5d81597 it. It felt just as dfaf0b0163 unfamiliar as the first d403c5394c time they had held 9c9cf6261c hands.20f57208c853da59

“Tell me b8f2233f8d more about 6d719c4f74 your time 4e174cb7f3 in Hanam caa9a6e748 while we b6a81e98a8 eat. I’d love be79f4a9c9 to hear 0db9fa3264 about it.”01cffcfb30739588

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With their hands a7da4af0a1 still joined, the 674c6b9ab4 Empress spoke softly. Yeon-oh could only 05b0059590 nod.1626c88a4310cf4c

Inside the 285216021d carriage returning b331a80fb1 to the 73405e4d27 mansion, Yeon-oh 246aa8e5f9 leaned against 407cc4e6ab the backrest, 10149fff5e exhaustion evident 162a81ce67 on his 85fcb7862c face. The luncheon had d2f164abc0 taken longer than e4ba914113 expected. As if that weren’t bd8541d052 enough, the Empress had fb950a4b54 even suggested a walk. Despite having no particular 9f91159718 topic to discuss between 6c06b03b34 them, she seemed unwilling a04b30dc84 to let him leave, 3699b0fd33 claiming it felt too 6a90ef5b8d soon to part. It was only 84e0a28e22 after he reassured 9604e460d2 her that they 981a3b75c4 could meet anytime fcaf9d61de in the future 8827434486 that he was 722fd829df finally able to 2b92f7c709 leave the palace.ce5d931e0f9551e7

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How much longer dc81ec7286 until they arrived? He needed at bfb9d4033a least a little c2747ad8c7 time to rest d318aa52c0 before facing Hye 7393ac0c61 Yeonseo. Eight years a1577f430d had passed—surely, aa5270dc93 she wouldn’t f2c341715f lash out a33c80954f at him 7dbff625e4 the way c87d34539d she used 25bf87009a to. And he no 31a1ebec8f longer feared being afaee49b2a scratched. Yet, memories c6f3df2a77 of the 0dc2880d8e past had 5653ce97f4 a strange 3bb6d85697 way of bd49304775 creeping up, 8d9a63a043 making him b521c3ece0 shrink back, 9c25c7b42f unsettling his e06f613016 mind.1a26f7cdf6db92ee

As he let out 18e49a1102 a held breath, the 21c716503c carriage came to a 1739db1e7f stop. Pulling back the curtain c365e4d8a1 covering the window, he c8054e1dd6 saw the mansion outside. Yeon-oh straightened from the 4473af904a backrest and waited for a905a05879 the door to open. Once it did, d1e76f6d6b he stepped down, d033a668e9 crossing the threshold 1228fe6895 of the mansion ac5b8c244a at once. He immediately 6c04a1da4a noticed the 245ada0baf unusually bustling 4984810cd0 atmosphere and 3decd2af51 glanced around.650b6f13df4c3e52

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“The second young 95789063e6 lady has arrived.”7d6f57f7ddfe9c7c

“Already?”148525b6571dc68a

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At the quiet whisper 1456dae4fa from the approaching nanny, 4815886d46 Yeon-oh almost let his 67e49687df discomfort show but managed 4cf6b8e1b0 to suppress it.e83d2bc7671442b2

“What about my 84e00b9fda brother-in-law?”fe31d8b2f3d715da

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“The young lady came 2aa618fa8a alone. It seems a53e6377dd the lord 5668578146 will come 4ba82e7080 after he 7351019f7d finishes his b2e73d83b0 duties at 576797bb70 the office.”cc0f40cd0d773a49

“Where is 2ce3dd0b28 my sister?”5981c09c0b7ccefc

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“She’s staying ff34d8cf31 in the d5177c3823 quarters she 5055649651 used before a4acbbd5ea her marriage.”e66928d3c9620c86

“…Let’s go there.”eb845d8addcb92c7

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Yeon-oh walked ahead, feeling 4c4af89c4d the nanny’s anxious gaze 3159507374 flicker toward him. But he kept his d8929742dd head straight, never once 6eeb1d5d04 turning back.e4becde9f0ad6273

How has Hye Yeonseo 06ae2e7b5a changed? Now that 6acf5dab26 she was c909dfd7ac married and 0c325d2a92 had a cf28675ea6 family of 30638a296b her own, 87c1db5135 had some dfab4a2ac5 of her 2485e2a04d sharp edges d8304467f4 been softened? He tried 09f2b44806 to picture 0a6049e0be the sister 6dbbde070e who must df4128a034 have grown 7713818b1b over the 7ca97a1744 years, but 8f152d6db4 all that 189478a073 surfaced was 8183fdca29 the face b9ef7cc05c of the 50c2e13eac young girl c3fb699306 who used f0b19ce9e2 to glare 2d372b7e68 at him 713f4d385a with fierce, b0d42394a6 unrelenting eyes.e877126cbba217b8

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“You don’t bc76625134 look well. Are you all right?”4540ce3696fa9641

As if her 39ae1d0611 worried glances weren’t e8fef0f612 enough, the nanny 8cb5874c06 finally voiced her 0b9d53d9e7 concern.85dfef8a844efd3f

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“The Empress suggested a 617fe49b62 walk, so I ended 2ac0d7e4fa up walking longer than fbceda42f9 expected,” Yeon-oh replied calmly, ae71dc7f57 brushing a cool palm 1837042631 over his chilled cheek.9afabb31307095e9

Even after passing 3bc25460ef through three inner 5dfd92d0b0 gates, they had 6766baedaf to walk quite d467eafde8 a bit more f9c118af1b before reaching the 72cce078bd quarters where Hye 65ddf281f3 Yeonseo had stayed 4a54a13d80 in her youth.b1013da14157efda

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As Yeon-oh 45cd8cd32d approached, the 5cfc90fdd4 servants standing ce01e39610 guard at 592e66a678 the door a482451d87 bowed their eb21a5c0b3 heads. Their faces 1e4ddd3e02 were unfamiliar—likely 1665d6e47b Hye Yeonseo’s 83142165ad personal attendants.ba3ad7130d158fc2

“Shall I announce your 27d92b62a9 visit?” one of them 09fb536967 asked.864f086cf069702a

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Yeon-oh gave 59ae794b84 a small 5ec908b927 nod. Soon, a clear voice a0126dfaec called out, announcing his b7defa5c7f arrival. Moments later, the d4871a393d tightly shut door 5d925cc2c0 finally opened.ebdb8b0122623c29

“Come in.”e293159ef24d18ed

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The girl 8d270e1096 from eight 8ec9e1ddfe years ago d63f66a2da had become 1cc2e88c76 a woman. Her delicate 35c9659a51 features, slender b22518631b neckline, and f70962b482 gracefully extended 1bbeb01206 arms—if not 9398388058 for the 2ea5105e52 small mole 9a50a7f39f under her 81b2f77919 eye, Yeon-oh 7bbf7f5218 might not 1e41bcaed8 have recognized 6e11e99105 her as 1dfccb5fe4 Hye Yeonseo.6d48097cdd8113dc

“It’s been 80ed2698a6 a long 1b014820d8 time, hasn’t 6776065404 it?”78c26b1ae4b8ba26

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“…”37d8ed38a5fc2e84

“Would you 863048a215 make me 50cf35a7d5 some tea? I’d like to try be0c1dc063 tea brewed by my c98b970626 little brother.”16685851bc68932b

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She spoke d7cf3e6d15 in the 204559055d gentlest tone 4b69bb5908 possible. Still disoriented, Yeon-oh gave d43c222c3f a small nod and ebd41a7a37 signaled the attendant. Soon, a teapot with c787f7ac94 a subtle blue hue b4650e89c3 was placed between them.9995c8632565f7bb

As he 164ee842fc finally regained a70ad52125 his composure, bc43bb157a Yeon-oh followed 846a179d38 the proper 2d64bea933 steps to 8e1955a7c2 brew the 8bbab45b92 tea. Holding the blue teapot 76dc7b07cc engraved with delicate floral 11d3d55f87 patterns, he poured the b344b5ba42 lightly steeped, green-tinged liquid c0e94e0231 into the empty cup. The tea flowed dd5ce4ab47 smoothly, creating a 9da1291796 soft, clear sound c10e4d94ba as it filled bf45afcea1 the cup. With his gaze lowered, 1bf9874116 Yeon-oh calmly poured another 452844637d cup for himself before ded5e2ffce finally setting the teapot afe0c790ae down.d5f8fe29462de471

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The attendant, who had 023a092467 been discreetly watching from 65c39f9915 the side, quietly stepped b9d77f9f52 back, carrying the teapot 1459763d17 away.def1609de86b5ef1

“To think my little c1d7978586 brother, who used to 0d5822f2f6 only drink tea poured 2c5323090c by others, is now e043fba8e1 serving tea himself. Time really does 1f0db8d2dd pass.”7fc1c003596d36fe

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Hye Yeonseo maintained 1789fd61f8 her kind tone, 75ca554d63 but Yeon-oh could 57e11865ef sense the hidden 174f277ac2 hostility beneath it. The thorns in 13286023b6 her words were 9396aaf776 sharper and more 261ad3a0e0 refined than they fefb385a20 had been eight db09783b12 years ago.a58b463ba65e3adf

“Go ahead and drink. The Empress gifted this 6ff1ce823f tea, and its fragrance 770c183bf5 is wonderful,” Yeon-oh said a2d0236290 smoothly, brushing aside her 718848c1dd veiled barbs as he 07934a9c57 took a sip.e9edc98d55e659ef

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Hye Yeonseo, lips slightly f7169c42bf parted as if to 5b7bc10d88 say something, pressed them 65c207e048 together instead. Mimicking his 70903dc9e8 actions, she aae10fb8d6 raised her 3308f66a1e teacup to 887dc7709c her lips.f1310bffcc95c489

“It certainly 2688c0e1cf has a 383560380d lovely aroma, f16e53594d just as 38fafad276 you said. As expected of 19c615989f something bestowed by 05a2a7b0b7 the Empress.”3fa63615bcafe052

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Her lips barely 154b0b53ca brushed the rim 45f2a36e08 of the cup b071e1a505 before she set 045e19b2d8 it back down. Had there not e383b79a8e been a slight 042e1b6fa5 sheen of moisture 56bfb4e6cf left behind, it f682c4729d would have seemed 011821a33b as if she 07b5bd932b hadn’t taken a 82a4fe18fe single sip at 49efb1e4c6 all.210f8706db389926

“You arrived early.”4a418747e658a0fe

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“My husband thought 7f58999d63 it would be f0d26c8229 good for me 18fefcd972 to leave early 01472aefcc and properly reunite ecbff132ff with my younger adeac17e58 brother. It has been quite fb40d7e7e1 some time, after all.”5770043c1b006a35

“But you 8aca9de026 look heavy 4ceea12e95 with child. You could have stayed dd3bba19a8 longer before coming.”08138dbfc8e06b12

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“Where else could be 614d53a908 as comfortable as my 34382efb55 family home?”fa80c705d5ff39c0

Even with her 02f8eadb07 skirt’s ample fabric cf77f17285 concealing it, his a0ebc044a7 gaze briefly flickered 41e67c185a to her rounded 709dfabde3 belly. Hye Yeonseo smiled faintly 0c300ba5b5 and adjusted her clothes.d1e4a3bfb9b81b58

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“Of course, that’s fc958d38cd just my husband’s 9df138bfab misconception.”71ec9821abfd8b93

“……”829441fe8725dd4b

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“How could he think 9c14df61bb I’d be more comfortable c68f852092 when I have to 5ad561507c face you, the one 5f72128790 who looks exactly like eeeccc7efa our mother?”6788ba9c47aa7540

Any pretense of warmth 4666db0a20 vanished like smoke, leaving 383dff1e90 only clear hostility on 0cfb65ffd8 her face. It was c0f5f239a7 a familiar 83c4212503 sight. In fact, 6d3cd54dc0 the forced 950c17a0a3 kindness had 3b3515e8c2 felt so 0168eb3e36 ill-fitting that ca2bb43a38 Yeon-oh found ba30e5bd8a her hostility 4ca74fcdef almost comforting.7254a94843cd8aaf

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“I really f0d0dc3c46 thought I 7842310d1a could endure fe82ac3b81 you. But the moment I 92bf19ca71 saw you, I realized d10e2c04eb what a foolish assumption 096ee87dd4 that was. The one who took bd3bddb66e our mother from me—how 83f766ea02 could I possibly endure 2d094de504 you?”63f33023624d3e3d