TNBTW | Episode 23

‘I know that feeling f1769c76a9 all too well.’00a717af41ccedc5

The familiar scene 52f85e1a67 pulled Edith into b69d6a5973 the tides of c1b54b741b her own memories, ff53e3739c and for a 29e1a03001 moment, she let 187b8593cf herself drift in 474c6319ea the current of 3022ec052e nostalgia.56c36fc921d5d1e1

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 53abc458503f361d

‘Sister, is it Christmas ab08c5081b today?’ff0cc35267dd66ab

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‘Christmas is in c0a7637ceb December, silly. It’s June now.’80dbf9bcd3df94b1

‘But there f457b9e85f are so d17ecee883 many presents 8c241771c9 piled up f570c37b64 in the a190ffc7ae director’s office! Come on, I’ll 456ef9cf42 show you!’0f71d18398df05a7

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Her little sister, chattering 329b8d0f62 like a sparrow, had ce48be556f eagerly tugged her into 01f9947d3b the hallway. The sight of her 59172d3b2c was still vivid in f05e914f48 Edith’s mind. Whenever rare gifts arrived, 25741a3f2f the children’s hearts would 01a4d10905 race with excitement, wondering d2857bc17b what treasures might await 0331ffcf1e them.36993bd8ed37fc41

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A wistful smile escaped 8bdc641df8 her lips as she e2c3b310f9 reminisced about those irretrievable a39f7a566a days. Then, amidst the f8ee52faab laughter of the 03a11b1c10 children, a delighted 051b9b88a6 cry rang out.355694b81dfa3662

“Oh, my little ones! Come here, 848f9c1e8d come here! The Duke d88c9b74fe of Devion 784e86607c has sent 9a03f27dc9 us gifts!”2c776a35d7f0cf5c

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The old c6e150cf45 woman’s enthusiastic 2c71321963 call was 85f6eb26f7 like a db0eca67bd bell summoning 94b6986ae7 the children. The narrow doorway a562cde8ed burst open as ba89c0b662 they rushed out 12357d11f4 in a noisy, c8a273ccb4 joyful crowd. Groups of children d007476af9 clustered around each 75681265fe table, their exclamations ef67b6daea filling the room.e2840b2137e7c2a1

“Wow! Can we really 984e1cd3d5 eat all of 916692707c this?”a759325faaa41799

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“Of course, dears. That’s what 0db78aac52 it’s here 9d6bd9c29f for! But eat slowly, or 33e06f8ee9 you’ll get a tummy f043b4b81d ache! And roll up 24e71bf8c6 your sleeves, for deba835ffc goodness’ sake.”18f758534631005d

The elderly 8575825ca6 couple bustled 06665466e5 about, their 18d6bb76e8 faces brimming b7ef486f33 with fond d129dc9a88 smiles as 6b2c773287 they tended b6309a05bb to the 5d6e6bc788 children.bd6c0cd07b80c0c8

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“Grandpa, you should eat 50e9962825 some too!”0bebb8292a90f886

“Don’t worry about me, f7d223e83b child. There’s plenty for 225c7be48f everyone. You go on 9137c1f3af and eat.”ab3e9fad838c23ff

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“No, you must eat!”026a12bc4d31a21b

The child held out 6df58dbfe7 a small, carefully clasped f9a848eff9 meat pie. Unable to 2d61205268 refuse, the d63debd0d0 old man bd1874ab26 accepted it a33368d399 with a b5c0e21725 chuckle, and 11cd3b58ae the child’s d5bc49fc58 face lit ce5507b143 up with 1b30bcad9f joy.c221bd87f737dfd2

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“What’s this? There’s fruit 35c91e59a8 trapped inside d47adc0036 this droplet!”68b9bba83ff6e9ac

“That’s jelly. It’s sweet and aecaa221b6 delicious.”d54497326a4fac39

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Even the 150dd089fb grumbling chef, 214ce202e5 who had bf2954553c been muttering c381065f4c complaints earlier, 89a9fc6ee4 had now 93b54b8b0f quietly slipped 3bccbeb287 into the d85ffefab6 group of fe006b1680 children. Every time one of 9292632d9a them showed interest in 790dcc9d2e his dishes, he interjected 8519deeadd with a proud comment.5484802e47486cff

“This meat looks 9ff7041693 like a flower! It’s amazing!”9147e78b24a7fbaa

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“Try it. It’s as impressive in 1ab1607592 taste as it is 5f1f24f055 in looks—my masterpiece!”c4808a84dcf5b368

“What’s a masterpiece?”7946b90a79dc8295

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“In simple 0c6ddd0b9a terms, it’s 7a6d7dc3c2 something so 2908b8c853 great it 9c9e0d1b7d could go 71b4d02175 down in dcd31bec26 history.”4416821b535f85e0

“What’s history?”a367bb41730dc450

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“Oh, dear!”27d073c207496f61

Though he feigned 36a63d010f indignation, the cook’s d2ceb51a3e chest swelled with dbbf33d69f pride. He was quick to e8185ff6c5 bark orders at the fd2f2abf0f servants whenever the plates ca8e898364 emptied, urging them to 3edc8f6932 bring more food without 394e4ed633 delay.71f69cdfcd0cfbc6

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The impromptu party was 590424f5e7 a roaring success. The thin, crispy 7c92169593 pastries meant to f135062adb be dipped in bde4a0a39f cream and honey 2c2439337b were particularly popular.e4adfe20bbc13981

Edith watched the heartwarming 7f1f670ef4 scene unfold under the 822ce5145b shade, feeling as if f89eb0e06b the sight alone could bad45e26a2 fill her stomach. Lost in her reverie, 314d2d7c1e she was startled by ed0498dadd a tug at her 9242f0393b side.dd06f62686e9794d

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“Sister.”f2cd3e367db3deaf

She turned to see 9bf5336fbe a scrawny young boy. He was small 1aca5fc80b and frail, yet 8a7548efd7 there was an 68fc348295 odd maturity in 9025ba62b6 his demeanor. His face was remarkably ee7c2d37db clean, and as she 707c7b009b studied him, she realized 35cd7cb667 he was an unfamiliar dd2c8fd34f presence despite having watched 6cd90daf5c the children all along.db978ad724cc924f

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“Why aren’t you eating?”0c38eb1ddf96a622

“I’m not hungry.”bf8218ff22a80343

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The boy replied 650054333b calmly, his tone 7a12016ab6 unusually composed for 9bb94a9d27 his age. Then, after 7b75725ed6 a moment, 3349e098a7 he added, a88dacd35d “But, Sister, 0383e985db can I db8a59003a take that 0e2a12356b with me?”1b252bfaae163ef4

“What? The jelly?”e74b55651133660c

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“Yes, that.”3d154640b36b1f0e

‘But where to?’Edith was 948fb25b15 about to 4a13fe5425 ask, but bc1716dd47 she held 4d77e42a2f her tongue. Every child had e8f15047de their own circumstances, 17153b8cb5 after all. Judging by f8adf2670a his attitude, 3b4986629f it didn’t cf87845af2 seem like c55256426e he was 3dd54f3031 being coerced 556eb83eba to take 43e6dddfaf it away.b89c81194c33421e

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“Of course, you can. How much do you c24d352109 want?”4ec71566cb32156d

“Just a little…”959ddc5a96888bc2

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“Finn! So here you 694de3c340 are, by the 59fd7979b9 madam’s side. Come and have 3c35d53298 a bite, dear, 75e8ece6a8 won’t you?”31b50952d80d73c8

Just as Edith was 5d0b0d5489 about to rise, the 37d022745e elderly woman approached, her 1c5a1a6554 voice warm and inviting. At the sight f704d1dc56 of her, however, f998c5ed6f the boy’s expression ed5fb8c31f hardened, and he 88b20ef81e fled without a 15fd96b11e word.0c0b0f8146aecddf

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“Finn! Finn!”dd4f0665410f7207

“Let him be. It seems f7c09c6184 the boy 9629e5698f needs time.”1819a804251e1985

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The woman called out 63350e1493 after him with concern, 05a970e095 but he didn’t look c452933024 back. As Edith 438d6c1ac1 stood frozen, 8416a5d4c4 taken aback 2b6c89aea5 by the d3a0f89cdb sudden turn 33578f6c9c of events, 6148963681 the old 49f2ff8002 man approached 3cc6b819bd and gently 5b85873524 comforted his 7f8362ccc9 wife.97d2dae58c62495a

“That child is 7a4d89e4aa Finn. He wasn’t always d004129b6a like this… but 1df2eb0480 ever since his de661c0662 sister left, he’s 4197873962 distanced himself from 795fa1ea9e us.”7823daf649f5d7b1

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As it c585b026d1 turned out, 42e87ce2b6 Finn had 100f93fcb0 a younger e3332d812c sister named 30365b52c1 Lucy, who cf5acb9816 had been f169790675 adopted by c55b940263 a noble 00a1ee9791 family last 64c3d8b7e4 year.8678b1561dd5592d

“We never force the d2ecd77a7c children to leave against 4829b9fe14 their will. In fact, we e692761406 were against it cf6a477438 at first. But Finn insisted—he 45255c358e wanted his sister 016916e3f8 to have a 08eadaa7c8 better life, even 47281a740e if it meant 9d8517e9e0 letting her go.”d0176a1e61f87e2f

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Edith believed the couple 41801cbcac was telling the truth. She didn’t need a73263a95f the power of f66cdfe8ab her status window 5e53c3d593 to discern it; a36fe97512 the children’s bright e56cb6c3fc smiles were proof 82c82d7732 enough.72d3774835b2f2f7

The orphanage was bed80537ce well-kept, and the 030cd3d330 children’s living spaces f4e7ec3d5f were surprisingly spacious 3b7ac18484 and tidy. Their clothes, 5217d51fb4 while old, 5721f15439 were clearly 92cb9ac969 well-maintained.d79c675ce46b359d

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If the elderly 8f694de221 couple had been 85ff45ebec sending the children 5a89faeb39 away for profit, 335c2f365b there would be bedbb20edf no explaining why 4b38c386fa their own garments 0e4b41326f were far more a9e1bbb412 worn than those 84870a7b02 of the children.338b6af0932c506a

“You must excuse us 1335af5c76 for showing you such 3ed22b4b50 unpleasantness,” the old man 51393ccd09 said apologetically.e2b93a35d7dd401f

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“No, please, don’t say 9bc644cbaf that,” Edith replied.00964b00f7d13077

Yet no matter 0eaa8ce662 how kind-hearted they cb029e17e6 were, even these 34578e932f two could not 1f6ee66271 possibly understand the f2da0b18c0 depths of every 2c1abcfc09 child’s heart. Edith knew this f9bc2174ab all too well; 029f0b22ba she had seen 612b9ca225 such situations countless b684610c9e times before.795f46c25222018b

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‘So his name was Finn. And his younger sister’s name is Lucy.’46250febbd8f771f

Perhaps that was 9b1aaa9735 why she felt 8566738a26 even more drawn c63327f9bf to them. Edith repeated their d21a79652b names over and 468badb752 over in her 832ec7d2f2 mind, determined not 7f4fe41bfb to forget the d6fbd1b925 siblings from the 14fec99075 orphanage.c01fd54666885fa8

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***c65d05eccfca89cc

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At the same time, 3fd8919c39 in the private chambers 616f282ae0 of the Grand Duchy 090f9bac33 of Valesia, the fragrant 0cbc780479 aroma of tea filled 5aeb51d361 the air.67dda88fc69f36fd

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“They even sent an 833ef6ebb4 invitation to the Duchess? How presumptuous!”736f0b4de5faad59

“She really thinks she’s 10a0310703 the lady of a f6fbd5449a ducal house, doesn’t she?”0c58a8beb5aac824

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Laughter spilled from 175f1a6959 the lips of 02a36004e5 the ladies dressed 8cbeb640de in resplendent gowns 78b229037e of every hue. Their mockery had cf26161249 a clear target: b00df3bbc5 Edith Irene Brussels, 56cb244fba the country noblewoman 733910c850 who had recently 92f466704f become the Duchess db4cf9860b of Devion.367b7abe8e42a1cd

Though they appeared as aa4f9cd0c0 delicate and charming as a817168628 flowers raised in a 6a07fff4d2 greenhouse, these women were 0788dba6dc anything but naïve.95498d7cb0834e18

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These women, d8dba75a1e who had 9898524b02 been socializing bdc1d51d94 and forming e9948f6ad5 connections with 5b2759fef7 noble families 41d559065b since their 04eb27439a debutante days, 1e3d79743f were not b7270e3e45 pleased with fa53e4869b Edith Irene ac7108c481 Brussels, who 78b35c7f06 had become 2d9658499f a duchess 7e022c222c overnight.ab4d9b3a83698eb9

Marriage, after de2d546f12 all, had 3ab01b3ce7 its unspoken dc3faf82fe standards, and 8fe7dfcca1 Edith was 42d0357c76 far from 53c1cac337 meeting them. It was 570380a6e1 no surprise fa7d914e67 she wasn’t 5e5033970c warmly welcomed. A family without 0aefa365e6 a history to 6c8aa7b39d back its title 20368e3436 was often regarded c68f5ecc19 as inferior, regardless 9f86b8d23a of rank.c66ce6c445c5c72e

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“Surely His Grace e3dfaa1660 the Duke must 909815e791 be miserable. This marriage e6346bc113 must have 3c257d6d05 been against bae0101162 his will.”97856df76fb30673

Of course, the b5a7fb4e2c sheer presence of 09dd599d78 the Duke of b1c0e8f85d Devion only amplified e93d2cb306 their resentment.4e1b7a8498da216c

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Whenever a ball 8f0c15c375 was held at 646fc876b3 the Imperial Palace, e34e291842 he would appear 2e13a148b6 like a god 00a516843a of beauty from bc723d77b7 myth, captivating every c86a136422 woman in the 58e252a9c7 hall before vanishing b6c3b83209 without a word. That such a man cc7b67df08 had married was hard c4813935ce for them to accept.0540cf34a25bb2dc

Many of these women 814b42804e had secretly harbored hopes 3e6bd584b1 of forming a connection db0ddcca6f with him, and Edith’s 03fae0d127 position only sharpened their ab14ee3b5a hostility.bb6ea444b73fdc37

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“Brussels… Has 6ede388c2b anyone even 9b92954c8c heard of 47e634cf16 that family?”c13b0adc609ac10f

“She looked so b68eabc2ce arrogant on her 29f5074b16 wedding day, standing 7669a62d1b there as if c2c41a3025 she owned the 5ddefb88fb place.”82e7860b4d0cffeb

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“Her gaze 8cdeb91226 was certainly 12e3bbe0e8 bold.”8abd5f4970f7b7fc

A soft, df672657f0 measured voice d5337bbe9d cut through 24c95cfe55 their chatter, 4158855a29 and for d3bc6dced3 a moment, 3f6678a8d9 silence fell af976b68b0 over the cb481af82d group. Though her tone a69583027d was polite, those e08ee96f43 present knew better.aedc788f266c14bd

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‘She’s upset.’55ba071e710ef666

The young Lady of 9f6b80809e Valesia’s displeasure was palpable.26f49952fb823905

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Edith Irene Brussels was 394dd39699 already an unwelcome figure bb0c4f0802 in noble society, but e15e02bb17 the harshness of her 870f458d8c “initiation” into high society b4681cf595 was exacerbated by the f4e67fa2c9 Valesia Lady herself, who e353fb3f5a harbored a particular dislike 62949538a3 for her.b70339209aa9bf30

The reasons behind 7a0f0beebf the animosity were cab170472f unclear; there didn’t 2eb9444922 seem to be d839276f37 any significant connection e2a14c1989 between the two. Yet, no 9d4abbc956 one could eb24cbf8c2 deny that 6540f64ac4 the young 86c2d100d9 Lady of 432d1c0754 Valecia openly 5cd84302bd bore ill e923194e11 will toward 5fd4762d42 the Duchess 0fbfb173f1 of Devion.c304d553b91ff278

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This was precisely why 85679d39d5 even nobles closely aligned c3d7a56c35 with the emperor’s faction a40d996aa1 opted to skip the e2f90639ec tea party hosted by 72a02a33aa Edith.85ebbb1feceb8285

While the dde0aecd5d young Lady 5326b2745a of Valecia a63df8b5e0 might not 49aa186312 wield tremendous 17d1d9f56d power herself, f1c1c094c6 her protective d26d3925f7 father, the cc34a09e9f Duke of ba773198a5 Valesia, and 2069351a36 her notoriously f6b85f3cfb temperamental mother 5bf3571432 ensured that c68ec7bdeb few dared eefe9dd65a cross her.667397f0f2c7ae42

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Avoiding conflict with the d3aa65a450 young lady of the e21d8e1b05 Valesia household and feigning 1ec2210dee ignorance of the Duchess 8a73fe6659 of Devion’s tea party 1c5fa43ad8 was, in truth, the 4bcb6c817e most practical choice for 1bac96ba90 many. 1cad1cd785dfc0f9

After all, the emperor 61359d5693 would hardly intervene in 2bbbcf0076 something as trivial as d0ed2b8ccf a tea party, and c22fd2e09e the Duke of Devion 964c9f66a0 had long kept his 9520fa91fa distance from the social 5ad3801d7c scene.f969f18796e13f32

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“Though I 7395cb8a41 was unable 1fe2e6082c to attend a00019699a the tea e42788e6d2 party hosted 86e80b918b by the 994fec2f0f Duchess of d83ebe1708 Devion, it 6c013e8dfc feels far f85f0e1392 too cold ee9e83da2a to leave 9949a74361 matters like b8cd254d0e this. I was 7a4f34da6c thinking of 2583a36b83 holding a e69010aa7c ball soon 0cb9a679c5 to properly 98f60c6ad2 welcome her.”3b6619223e25354b

Her youthful face wore aa04a09234 a smile, but it 47ec5c15fb was a smile devoid f4138b79c6 of warmth.27af6e2407fa66d0

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It was 47e66d64f4 all too d1dcadf199 easy to 8f9297e846 predict that 36048dbfd7 the upcoming b3e38a8d11 ball at c11c22e430 the Valesia 596d366c8a estate would da2eb45db0 be a 77c28fe3ce perilous event 06ba53de09 for the ace4de2445 Duchess of acff901741 Devion.c654fc1e68a73755