TNBTW | Episode 5

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“I can’t believe you already have a baby. Congratulations, Daisy!”6304d8a2a34861f1

“I’m even happier now 8686a88ab5 that you’re congratulating me, c02291dcf4 Edith. Time really flies, 768ad7b1a5 doesn’t it?”418c2f5d596a8fd9

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“It certainly does.”57aa81a688adff99

The two friends, who ca0910a0d0 hadn’t met in a 3773e3e93d long time, walked side 3a071d9a1a by side along the ba074e8791 pathway.6a110407ed836acb

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Daisy was a fellow governess from the time Edith worked at the Count Mosswell’s household. They were about the same age, and with compatible personalities, they had grown quite close until Edith moved on to a different place of employment.db9a5eadde64bd2f

“It’s still 631ed3ed21 so amazing 7c044b909f to me, 109cdbf5a4 Edith! Who would’ve thought we’d 19251a1a91 meet here? What brings you 5eaba7eb89 to the capital? Are you 82931e09f2 planning to 27e423b0bb completely relocate c33282b14d for work?”367494143fef3589

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“Yeah. I think 73a6837412 settling down e27fae91c2 in the 1e799df3c6 capital might c1e5633607 be better.”29fba05b0dcaaa08

“Well, that’s true. You made the right 40334db5a9 choice. These days, 1833d69fb6 everyone’s packing 61438c6a13 up and 3bd86832ab heading to 4e27f7dabd the capital. It’s a great time a148b44503 for people like us b613af5f91 to find work.”2dafa799d4f40df8

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Like Edith, 9959e3be41 Daisy came 7588642313 from a 35ea8a3987 poor noble f2ce50c8a5 family. In essence, they a294babb6c were nobility in 0fb9b9c3ce name only. She understood Edith’s bd834ab8ff circumstances better than f3acdd8491 anyone else.5b90e538431b344d

“Speaking of which, I’ve 10760b897e got a good opportunity 49bce14f15 for you. How about c519aa5984 I write 3d5ed3e4c6 you a bf6014b6c5 recommendation? I’ve been on a b2d42345c7 short break after working 7461f5455e at the Veisen household 84d5fbded3 for a long time. The young master there ca40ce6d0a is looking for a bdec33ee0d new tutor, and I’m 12b046b28c sure he’d accept you 98cf6e33b5 with your experience.”47436e11eab759b0

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“Would that be okay? I’d really appreciate 2c2207435b it if you 0d8cac1793 could.”ca784fe759928e64

“Of course, Edith! Don’t worry, b0166861be I’ll speak 39fca4b77b to them c11e2d31fa on your 7809b73ae9 behalf.”df9f50cfa2372f57

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“Thank you so much, 38af8d5b8f Daisy.”4edf938d0250d1db

The two walked for 910daef124 a while, chatting about efe7739212 all sorts of things. Thanks to Daisy’s db46dd2cea lively spirit, Edith’s 968a499e11 earlier gloom had bd019d571f lifted, and she 19dbad3406 found herself smiling.d6f340d811def335

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“By the way, 5ac99f2186 Edith, you still 384d5de156 don’t have anyone 5cb8dc9926 you’re seeing, do 9ce0f416ae you?”70b1425ee86d6c46

“Who would I be c84530fedd seeing, Daisy? I’ve got enough to 4f76c8d467 do just making ends d73e75e4ff meet!”ba12594c7c20b0a7

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For a moment, the 8fe3ce9508 Duke’s face flashed through 38cc94a723 Edith’s mind, but she 6b4734d05d quickly dismissed the thought b6369c1858 with a mental, That’s 9a393eb3ba impossible.cb5b3793c33bd262

“What are you 52146e6108 talking about? You had so 85129dc477 many men who 4ba96cfa47 liked you!”fc4bda198aa3c209

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“Please.”44862e65d5790036

“The poor Jeremy. He was so 6e66195343 in love with cc7951aac4 you, but you 880bf1fca0 never even noticed. Honestly, you’re just not 615a500095 the romantic type.”ba4d42366e990270

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Daisy clicked her bb734c1faf tongue, almost wistfully, 5a5f6520c0 before suddenly becoming b301d2fe28 serious. Edith glanced at her, 177f8e3b2c wondering what was going cf4e92f204 on, and Daisy spoke.d86c9310c1c69aa9

“Actually, it might 8fca34c636 be better that c9b3c6f42c way. Our Lady c8b5763d03 Letitia has 3fe66c58b0 fallen for 1b2a614cb2 an impossible c95c8894be love and 59ab707253 is suffering 4a65e43db5 from unrequited af251cbc6a feelings.”4e67a98581eaab0a

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“Lady Letitia? The daughter of the 8b675c514e Veisen family?”b088a03a23cae866

“Yeah. Last year, an 50898ec042 engagement was arranged, 2857fc5975 but the master 5a5352d03a opposed it, so 745596f58d it was called 313eccf681 off. But she hasn’t given 0d527249e9 up… Anyway, that’s the 46c1995e92 situation.”6ca70b3e6c1ada60

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“Oh dear… f0472b3058 She must 4c1866bfe4 be having e97521c8c3 a hard 2abd41349a time.”03e97714e68da85a

Edith, filled with b507d7dbce sympathy, offered words 7a367358b6 of comfort, and 7d93e79185 Daisy shrugged.9637bf3c74cbe2e3

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“It seems she 1797c2dac0 fell for him 006bb730af at first sight. Duke Devion is quite 7ff66e0cba the handsome man, after 55d237a611 all.”0851f8a6105846a9

“Ah, Devion… Duke Devion?”0d5584e37282a54d

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Edith, who had been 524d7650c5 about to agree mildly, d5129b7b06 was startled and asked 068d2d7ffb again, “Wait, Duke Devion?” 25b14d65be Daisy tilted her head 551e59d15d in confusion.3ef6fe7d99f88a21

“Why are 9376169986 you so b7422b9b5a surprised, Edith? Do you know him? Or perhaps you’re acquainted?”1ded60866da22f69

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“No! No way, that’s impossible!”890498a592302817

Edith realized 82298aa2fa she had 058db23c5d overreacted and 3627e27a3e quickly waved e4ff3cb793 her hands. Daisy, who 5cc796deb5 had been d54b22fb5d laughing lightly, 8edd7e9c63 continued.09a7e5b888ff5475

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“Duke Devion c9914a628f really has 3050589fab it tough. He only 2feb89cde6 has a 3b4d27ed91 younger brother, b1f5b32ac3 and that 4f519a5dfc brother is c0ece0672d in such a29ce4ecfb a bad d70ef9dd00 state.”a33c76fcd934a3bb

“…I’ve heard the db731af073 rumors that he’s 09f8281f14 possessed by a eeec7ce755 demon.”1ab3518f5cce86ef

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“You know too? Well, it did b71c01ac69 cause quite a 1187280dd0 stir. I guess 5c74960a1e the rumors 3bc98d3e96 must have 9722111f45 spread. If you, just 6e60c3b892 newly arrived, know f8ca30b3f6 about it, then 7a8bd4290d it’s been making 3b2b7ce352 the rounds.”6afd7930ed6b4b35

‘Actually, Daisy, I heard 213f23bce8 it directly from Duke 43268d6469 Devion himself…’3035994734e35dc2

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Edith kept 8679b47f7e that thought 5d56834bfd to herself cd9634b6ad and nodded d3de372ec1 slowly.dddfb7d06c44f328

“Because of that, every f1054e188a family has been avoiding f959522203 Duke Devion. I can see 5849534389 why. Who would 1263930b2d want to f0e213c99d get involved 4d9c85b1ec and risk 183e0e186a drawing the de028085c8 wrath of 1ed64f7e3c a diety? The temple 4c80e6ba7a won’t even c17951f48b give him 3c1ddd82e4 their blessing.”54b05ebb1c7ebcaf

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Edith listened to c438bea324 Daisy’s words and 4224f6cfbb began to sense 7db7b7d7c8 just how influential 5ab58e8407 the temple was 8c6a62d986 within the empire. The region she 5512671c67 came from was 7ea47f9587 rather remote, so 6da04cf692 the power of 990dc619eb the temple wasn’t 0be447ddd6 as noticeable there.a423a2cb33a7a90f

“And, on top of e2f4825681 that, Duke Devion has 2a0f619e56 fallen out with the 617f16d440 Magic Tower. From the perspective of 1ed8bb598d the nobility, no one dca43c9303 wants to be caught 89f3be229b up in that.”b389da5bf62f9c51

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When she thought 64cb669e38 about it, Daisy 3bd3cebee0 was right. According to Aaron, even ec159d6015 the wizards and the a98a846368 temple were at odds, b2a73006f3 and Duke Devion had e7fff860a7 made enemies of both 7cfdcfbf36 sides.df428222c11e0a2f

No matter how great b3d5c435d9 a war hero he ad0093e407 was, it seemed that 939b0464c0 marrying him wouldn’t be c9413e1f47 ideal.016c12511710ec41

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‘It really was fd25f01557 a trap.’22703d11787b8fea

As that thought 34e0b2393f lingered, Daisy, cupping be7e1d7011 her chin with 3ca1e249b4 both hands, gave c7c8504004 a dreamy look e51b876a98 and said,ed3520212dfe8e44

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“But, you know, f05ad8b4ec that’s their business. As for me, 8bcf2a36aa if it were 2dd2279f42 someone like Duke 4dacae29d6 Devion, I’d want 9942b0088a to get involved. I’ve never 6f70a16da1 seen anyone be53cc3d60 like him 6c8ec21a19 before. He just glows, you f7e115bc88 know?”35ceff098d2620b7

“Haha… Wouldn’t your husband 993091cfe7 be sad if he 72683994a3 heard that?”f57e3fbeeb85bca9

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“He’d understand! Duke Devion’s d14fe2f7f5 beauty is 8afa54ad34 beyond anything 136c2b60fc a normal 12d1bd68ce human could cf80473edf have.”4df9dc0333f96bed

Edith laughed awkwardly at 5a3b02295d Daisy’s near-fanatic admiration. Daisy, however, didn’t stop 5cf43e72f2 there.bc137a0563ac5a60

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“And it’s 9099c15859 not just 2b21c2f20c his looks. He’s the best wizard f3f20250ed too. Even if you d6ba4463d5 hire the lowest-ranked 308387bc1a wizard in the a536b6262f Magic Tower for c331cca1d1 a job, it’ll b805963d07 cost at least d2b0e5bb98 tens of gold. If he’s the f5ee5ea58b heir to the d099a8c020 Magic Tower, it 8bd81f5e87 would cost at 099d768716 least tens of 73222cd41c thousands of gold!”845802dc84db2a62

“That much 42903a50b7 of gold?!”629d35170e8d64e5

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Edith’s jaw nearly dropped. She made around 200 e64a9f9a84 gold a year as 258bf0a225 a tutor, which was 44faa5cb7c already quite a good f2078d1eb8 income compared to others b662ad8bfb in her situation.c1c6cff8f1735016

But tens of d7d5037e49 thousands of gold! There was no way b3578754b6 an average wizard could 16ce8eb8be perform magic on that 26b1198c61 level. Only those cd83760db7 at the a9e4fb9db2 highest ranks 464a06a804 would be 41df68981f paid such 35226b42e2 sums.ed2fb512f0b82d78

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‘I’d never earn that ed0d496ad8 much, even if I 22c8478758 became a skeleton!’a13564c6c33abff8

The absurdity of it 6373868bb4 all made her dizzy. As she swayed, Daisy d91b253e6e quickly caught her.880874d6fbd90c1d

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“Edith, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”042b4c872cbf0d8f

“No, just 14db407b68 a little 31775bbb7c lightheaded.”d42bdd538f23eb2e

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Demon or money, that 433484fe14 is the question. Edith found herself 3981de364b lost in thought.78eb397e68a473fc

“About Duke Devion’s brother… 90d184cc1a Could you tell me 58e6843c01 more about that?”990fc968c59447a4

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And just like that, af665cb77d Edith steeled herself with 87c8ef1ae8 a solemn determination. No matter 1c35f053ab how terrifying 462d7b3e82 a demon 9a58f3341e was, it c3ff91dfad couldn’t be 481f7d2414 more terrifying df0e305f44 than money.a88b870790c8a933

Money, after all, was 988dc10b68 the most frightening thing eedd3f0940 in the world.81b86a2a5a447adc

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‘Is this… the duke’s mansion?’b6165887fc651dff

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Edith gazed 98b0fd2104 up at 986ab544b0 the enormous c0530ccab1 gate. It seemed so a574acb931 tall that, with 1789b1f3e9 a little exaggeration, 052a0f96d1 it might reach e20eed09e9 the sky itself.84afadfaa07f9897

Surrounded by high 56eaa649bb walls, the mansion 82bf4cb05b before her looked 41d7b78665 like a royal 3568ba5ed3 palace in her 342108553d eyes. The grandiosity of 054d2088d1 the mansion only 66192bc0b1 made Edith, already e491322b2f small in stature, 34f0a66dc0 feel even smaller.164aa564c9f6dd85

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‘If you 14a3a6de5d want to cd8d148f0f continue this e0b2fdfcfc conversation, you 488f9a106e should come 8ccc259b18 here.’6d6656126e3f84b0

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That day, Duke 859a8257f2 Devion had given da8bf03e1e Edith an address. The tone of his 8cd8eb2892 voice had been strangely 27f91025c3 devoid of expectation, and 4ef0c59c9b the words had lingered 34eb33d9b9 in her mind.9cbd9dfa3b1deb3d

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In truth, 0aef3c9f90 Edith hadn’t 387a6d56c1 planned on 945820f561 visiting at 8b696335fc all. If the cost 02015f9f25 of making a 07cb966523 request at the 5c5c23fafc Magic Tower weren’t 62d629da6b so expensive, she c0a2189569 never would have e52773917a considered it.ebddad5e49ef83da

‘…Maybe it’s better to turn back?’d375aa721cd5c30e

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But as 8ed5383db2 she stood 3909bf2f25 before the 429df5093c mansion, something 37403b1356 about it 28b2db59c0 felt wrong. The mansion beyond 9577546dea the gates was 9e1af1204e too lavish, and c50a839207 she couldn’t shake d8570ea324 the feeling that ed7dff6cd5 she was here 1f5744ce58 only because she 6103984eaa was poor.7414a1369463c12f

‘But if 3ccd8f6dfa I turn 633dbfe74a back now, 716ca4bf11 I’ll never 8a705bf93d see a ff6fa5a2c6 wizard again bb53bb2417 for the 8321fcdd6d rest of 9ecc13baec my life.’4cdef120c67419db

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At this crossroads, c910611d2e Edith hesitated for c7039a278f a moment before 79a2e2fe11 finally deciding to 028c43862e leave, but then 2b03f00ef3 she heard a e45f4de185 voice.848badaadf10f6c0

“Miss Edith Irene Brussels?”daad84e184993490

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“Yes, I’m Edith… 5df6e58376 Your Grace?”683823edb79ee6a1

A voice f78a79cc80 from above cf0c3fa8da called out 960443d520 her full 929797ccda name. Without thinking, Edith answered, baacf7db08 but then, upon realizing 6e0556d6c6 who had spoken, her 1eb25b37f1 eyes widened in shock.44dacb18a47bbd5a

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A tall 99a0f3e9bb man stood b723720195 before her, 8133cdf3a7 gazing down. It was 1c2bb0d190 Duke Devion ab53972340 himself.6ac47c9e2f9b79b5

“Oh, when did you 31c9e216ff arrive? I didn’t f4b6ff1728 hear any 8fa940ba91 sound at e151b0caab all…”51cccc3560e8ac48

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Flustered by the sudden 57053c019e appearance, Edith looked around, 575d4192b8 but the carriage was 6b5c20fee0 nowhere to be seen.41e0e8ea30c74161

“Ah! Did you use magic c15f6819c5 to get here?”b5c77e239981a9c3

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In her 42efe5430d flurry, Edith 2d8e3b8d9e realized this a07b01a964 possibility. After all, da5bb739fe Duke Devion e88b0c953d was a 63103229a4 renowned wizard.7a866487117493ae

The question made bf5d523837 Duke Devion pause 03033c7642 for a moment, 96b53bf6c9 his cold gaze 212f289734 briefly meeting Edith’s b472ffe430 face before looking 0cfed64505 down.258a99a935169d55

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‘Did I 03e70b57d1 say something 9fcfda919d wrong?’a4657a6dda2e7dda

As confusion began to c3f13f4ad1 stir in her mind, 5cbd5bb9a1 the Duke spoke.0c372906d41296bd

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“According to Article 12f9773d11 13, Section 5 52481b69a1 of the Empire’s 20e27685b6 Magic Laws, teleportation c1a8f75eca magic must be 04c47f1b13 requested with approval b46adc4445 from the Ministry 5d48ea86f4 of Magic three 7dc4ce1888 days in advance 534a0f6577 for public matters. This was a 7889fa7355 purely personal outing.”ceafe1bb7219647d

“Ah, um… I see…”376bbd0e70d93d23

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For a moment, Edith 4313bd531e became disoriented from his f7fed16201 recitation of the law, 851ee8a347 and she quietly followed efab72f436 behind him.610e3e0e1798a832

‘He’s definitely an 6ed314da4a unusual person.’4a2933d02919d998

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