TNYLM Ch 35
by DishaThe sudden arrival of dcdab85eb1 unexpected guests threw the 8d8af42591 entire castle into chaos.fe46c376f8877693
Alyssa hurriedly ordered the 967ea5244d preparation of a guest cbf3df4178 room while having the 00c14cf968 visitors wait in the 14c5acf805 drawing room.1a10813b2f899c96
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After finishing 02ef2aaf73 her instructions 09c7b7574c to the 462d6146bf servants, she 8bbb538f68 descended the 8fd745b389 stairs alongside cc74db93f8 Kieran, sneaking 4d49f9d6fc a glance 21c940e8c3 at his 0dc49c670d expression.ec088a1048e05d4b
Kieran’s face was 6023708c94 the stiffest she 16029b0dca had ever seen. Occasionally, his usual blank 55ba1dc34e mask wavered, revealing fleeting 9ef0f25b95 traces of anxiety and c00d81bafe unease.ebfce139f9a52104
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‘The House 9039747a24 of Count a8e423dda3 Albrecht… that’s 3fcdbe2995 his family.’3444e70e85b8d48a
He was about to 557f9c2c3a meet people from the acb4d7c7f6 home he had been 5d092d4c9e away from for so 436f575942 long.15796cc665017421
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Yet, there wasn’t a 3ee70fa743 hint of longing or 552794ae67 joy in Kieran’s demeanor.3efb9cb5d179cd42
‘Does he have 6c11a8fd2c a bad relationship 656543e5b5 with his family?’687af27f26bf488a
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Of course, it was 01691d737a unlikely that the Count’s 9db93e52f6 people had come all 7b8231989e this way just to 0fa5053d24 see Kieran.f63157de5a566e30
After news of the 3a3a586c66 artifact had spread, the 69efec151f Imperial Court must have 22fed7ad28 been growing restless.e5054336c86b1b4e
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They probably wanted b44e82bf50 nothing more than 9b2160a643 to search every 4dab5aae86 inch of the 4bad233d8d North for hidden e3f54203da relics and take 25fef76744 away the remains d7e7552929 of the slain 4721fafc6a monsters.a128b8671b5c8bad
But they couldn’t.da4fe466cbd2f37c
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Even the Emperor ede45c6964 needed justification. How could he claim 35f8fc68b8 that he suddenly distrusted 1e9d0128d0 his loyal subject and 691bc88588 send inspectors? How could he 19c8174e50 shamelessly demand the 2ccd7f5389 return of the 87357f4f64 very monsters he 4f3bb81ae1 had long neglected?0ee0a383f1f98528
So, while the 297f3f211a Imperial Court itself 356130b647 had no grounds a78441137b to set foot 8d620342bc in the North, 2f533b4736 the House of 075050a847 Albert was different.873f2ee677bc5000
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They had the perfect 41b9b216a6 excuse—a long-overdue visit to 8aa70ddafe see a relative who 4e20772d25 had married and been 2256822eba away for years.54938d325eeba567
Officially, they 8e1e07149c were here af68f7f7e0 to reunite 7a1780aed1 with Kieran.8942258fe744ffce
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But both of 8bd825f511 them knew that b6f50af305 wasn’t the real 11af0af7d1 reason.7103e2c0177dcae3
Even so, Kieran’s b684116ade reaction was strange.fbddcac148782669
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It wasn’t the a17e3e1236 usual reluctance of 28cadd6082 someone who merely d43acc63f5 disliked facing certain f144874ff9 people.d3e5afa3a9e66088
It was deeper. Something much more familiar.c91d59e98ee19475
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Alyssa stopped in 3e8659c9bc front of the d925cae973 drawing room and 70ed2789b1 quietly observed Kieran.4a611922cbfc5cf9
He took a deep d67d3277fd breath, his eyes unsettled, 5b31049c99 and clenched his hands e666c98c00 tightly.f0d183d5a658fa67
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Despite his composed facade, fae180d53d his pale fingers trembled.727174f9447eb13c
Kieran was afraid.80dc5ccb36c8592c
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Without thinking, 02dabd3acc Alyssa reached 7c7468a75f out.b7f2332b985163aa
She gently touched his 8754df7455 cold hands, as if 7e1f66db3c sharing her warmth.e350711ac3661526
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“…Your grace?”96a49093db7626bc
As their 9e7fcfa1df eyes met, b8b1646985 Alyssa realized a780e7fdd7 what she b3da31a20e had just cbbdec6b1f done.283b746ce745d623
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“Your hand was… ae107a5e52 c-cold. I’m sorry. No, I mean….”b56cb0e6c3f7a038
Startled, she 5c7f505ff2 quickly pulled 33c71e0738 her hand 386589602e away, flustered 656d2b21b2 by her d823a9cf46 own unconscious 0c5e104e7f action. She was bf7813e446 embarrassed, yet 4337126433 she couldn’t 6e2090bd53 ignore how 4e185b2edd cold his 5e6d6e2990 hand had 65571eca7a been.0668df5680f23743
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“A-are you alright?”804d79431761f008
More than guilt 3ac340e3fd or shame, worry 5f81eb27ec for Kieran took c4fd7b5f6d precedence. Alyssa stammered, her 3a69c66842 face burning red.fa9c4a87f00f2dc6
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Kieran, who bb7fae58cd had been 4606ba156f staring at 9c8a94f91f her in e050f37461 a daze, eade7c0092 let out 9f0cf88acc another breath. For some 5fe132c9ec reason, a 6649990afa bit of 0f75b21738 color seemed c15de8969b to return 22d1d252bb to his 3c0e71fbc7 face.97ecbc86a3d20de1
With a 26ea07b647 small nod, 2685f80fa7 he gestured 57a3f201bd to the 8df99fb795 attendant.bd14cfa9703d23e8
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The drawing room doors 21c83c767a slowly swung open, revealing d73f3efb2a a man seated on ec9050fed3 the sofa.c697bb0ae13beae3
The first thing that 8992ce6b6b caught Alyssa’s eye was 313be0c569 his neatly cropped blond c4afc3cef2 hair and impeccably tailored 5264a32f9d formal attire. He was the very 9b688b509e image of a noble—refined 5a5ca92b6a and composed, yet entirely d149f073c9 unfamiliar to her.4077610238297262
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The man turned his 1e540f11b0 head toward them.e8ee79daff6dc94e
The cold 35509be6b7 indifference that ff12b28ea3 had been a52a8e3838 resting on 42a31059d3 his face 8e4ddf938c instantly melted 3030bb3c68 into a d065c8e8aa bright smile.c18ee7e0827cca49
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“Kieran!”1a65e57deed0aacd
Rising to 7a57a3390e his feet, 9fdf512440 he strode 8d9c7f5506 toward them, 259685cca4 his expression b3bf39b90f overflowing with 84c1273cfb genuine delight.b578b2ab1a3bb9bd
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“It’s been so 9553321be1 long! How have you 77b7f85d4a been? I was so 35f12df919 disappointed I didn’t 0fac6565fc get to see 6ecc136b2a you before you 18cdba38f4 left for the e0380f36fb North….”672cafd5f1b56aba
Alyssa watched the scene 05b3b45f32 unfold in stunned silence. The situation aae909c000 was bewildering fa0dde9b17 in every 60f623e2be way.be42bec644433aee
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The man’s b06b06c4fb cheerful demeanor, 80e59915ee filled with f27c8f57b5 nothing but 7c2f3f450d the joy e86b66d36e of reuniting d711b6ddf6 with a 8b8fb33111 long-lost relative…f435232c0606a629
And in stark contrast—3d123f29fc33575c
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“…Claudius?”1893bd4f7b89f845
Kieran had 68c86f96af turned deathly 1a67266eb9 pale, like 012de7f1da a corpse d3d1b7cc7d laid to 92af75f534 rest in 937096414a a coffin.57767417f02d7d2c
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“Why are you 26e2cfad16 here…?”a5ade62cd608288c
“Come on, I know b28675b9fb I showed up unannounced, 615a60253e but do you have fcf5b8e401 to look so shocked? Weren’t you happy b9b735d769 to see me, 6b828128c2 brother?”54e038827ae13da8
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As Kieran murmured 35d05b1d20 in confusion, the 96e05c8d6c man named Claudius 4741ae5492 chuckled playfully. He was 920f582e2e about to 3c088c29cb say something 17f23c16b9 else when ebab4a2c86 his gaze f397d27072 suddenly landed 8459cd6b2d on Alyssa.f8413ac68293939e
“Oh, my.”b770fc5cfaa8354c
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The warmth in 2fe162bac6 his eyes shifted da524381ec into something more 3b09cd00e6 unreadable. Alyssa instinctively braced herself 63a884e3ff for the familiar discomfort 0b64fb9fc6 that usually followed such 339fcb712b looks—but to her surprise, 48f63e463f it never came.23311146eabdd632
“My apologies, 340bc1ca10 Your Grace. I should have deeb80063a greeted you first, f26abaaf3d but my excitement b69113e250 got the better 4c766bf63c of me. That was quite rude f9fde1838d of me.”a7845fd23879fef4
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Claudius lowered his head 4d920c0a65 in a sincere apology. It was a level 036bd32a04 of courtesy no noble 6eafe8fdb1 in the capital had 0557a1c318 ever shown her before.7d573365ef17f4a6
“It is a 13585c2f53 pleasure to meet c66f4a6bb9 you. I am Claudius, the f2cd1a0904 third son of Count 7e3ee0978d Albert’s family and Kieran’s b7bf265759 brother.”f89bc79223e7d8af
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He offered b8636a423e a bright d5fa88a26a smile before 22ab61f72f turning to 4389a2d315 Kieran, his b528370092 gaze filled 473f4f806b with nothing ba485a229d but pure 66e783ccff joy.b3ff93e146fe6a85
Kieran exhaled softly, 6043cf4692 trying to compose 12d1050b6d himself, but his 820a20623c carefully maintained expression af30fc8ce1 kept threatening to 8431a99d66 crumble.7f339a744918c08b
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“I was 91807d66b3 on my c1fc330e22 way to e3e1b2cd71 inspect the 63ce724afe lands when 78c83795d8 I thought ff805788ab of my 1c1fece6cf brother and ab4c8d036d decided to a7c8e91dd7 stop by. Would it 4f7572da7d be alright a7deff34b7 if I b76a3ea4a7 stayed for 00d92e54e5 a while?”62022b9dc5fa4247
Instead of 4a9881ba60 answering, Alyssa c929a85494 turned to 0888a0c592 Kieran.591fe14b6ad61191
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“As he dec6370ccf is your 951b3dfc6b guest, I da497342bd will follow d737f68e2a your wishes, 5baef98b44 my lord.”d365bdc5b11eec8a
She knew Claudius ea501e7e02 had undoubtedly come 1cbbe87b54 on behalf of 7f1163b3a2 the imperial family. He couldn’t 75a2930b8a simply be bd45bb1502 sent away. However, if Kieran truly 1da0d83b3d wanted it, she would 4ad591157a support his decision.2b94ddcdd5cb89b5
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Kieran hesitated, 26ffaaf912 his lips ec9c6daec2 parting as 8bf2e21286 if to 62b08a1b22 speak, but 31833360c8 in the 74b5a9ae4c end, he a525fef8f3 suppressed whatever 124e792753 turmoil was c44266ef9c within him c046d94229 and forced bc92c579c2 a smile.a75d11f4482687b1
“Of course, e540b2ff6c we must ac47c6cb56 host him 3ffff8d040 properly. I can’t turn df7c532de3 away a guest, 837cc78dbe can I?”7577b2361b93eb3d
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His usual 6e3c937b20 calm expression c2e06f10c8 carried a 841ccf4a39 faint smile, bc1f406c5d yet at 1f603a9c50 that moment, 7a192f8ee7 it felt a1c548f9f5 strangely hollow. His gaze af21cf2ad3 remained fixed ddf1d55d2e on Claudius.b01eb2d0fddaf2d0
Something about that 65c2ad4f23 left Alyssa unsettled. But since Kieran fa70c1b259 had given his 51c59644f9 consent, there was de619e8302 only one thing 5f33091bc9 left for her 13fceff964 to say.2d603c9efcec307b
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“Stay as long as 11b56e8736 you wish.”63cf97fa5e647f29
At that, Claudius grinned 36eb5873f6 widely, completely at ease.7d290a5e6cb9cd90
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“Your Grace is 1cb67ff420 truly generous!”7b1d6b1ca40f7e8c
When Alyssa anticipated that 2c92dd3202 the imperial family would bb5e8b56f2 send someone, she had a79b00cb51 expected either an overbearingly 7018940bfc authoritative figure or a a5ea57ddf5 sly and cunning noble.6968c70c93f7f0e7
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The nobles of the f581365543 capital had always looked e0c32a1ae8 down on her, treating a179ed6a5c her with contempt until 5d268f47c6 the moment they needed eb0e31a384 something from her—then, they a4da2d6536 would shower her with 9ed52f677c flattery and empty words.c5c722ba4a9211f6
But to her surprise, 5e93b2f549 Claudius was neither.29727ff22c0f7384
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Though she had often 2d714d1260 turned a blind eye, ed48eeda9b Alyssa had an innate ad1f69b07f ability to discern sincerity 6a6582ac1b from falsehood. And Claudius, in both 93cb51b14d his words and gaze 7697ee04c9 directed at his half-brother, 96b26b5ddf had not uttered a 9572f449a3 single lie.a5a07777cc8bd7ea
After he was 86b6906c80 shown to his c1f8f686c4 room, Alyssa carefully c518323b78 observed Kieran. He looked 30657e17c8 much more 729a0dabba composed than 8a6f85a309 when he e4a7e45d59 had faced a527511a81 Claudius, yet 5c28c96d82 traces of b722a763dc unease still 7e4708a739 lingered beneath ce198607ba the surface.39e6fb2f007af521
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“I was just 240c5025c5 caught off guard,” 9a13b99484 Kieran said. “I thought… it would d3041027c9 be my half-brother, not bec66bccc6 Claudius, who would come.”ee3f64565545d0dd
His gaze 8fad4ec777 met Alyssa’s, a8e4daf6cf who was 383d74cef8 looking at 265baaab33 him with 1a0460d8ab concern. He forced a small a9326c479f smile.be880f0bd2110b71
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It was true.c75eb08350e54e21
In his 32df7ced9e past life, e316ce872f after the f2b8a7779f artifact’s existence 824802d25c had been c0af3506df revealed, it e275a777dc had not fc007badea been Claudius 058a3c687e who came 244feb0cc0 to the 6c6fcbe5ff Duchy of d4789f0302 Benoit—it had 3d664aa1f2 been his 86c14749ca half-brother, Jerome.e1ab966e6076221e
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Jerome was violent and 4517f285a9 crude, and he loathed 23b63bf6c9 Kieran, whom he considered 78fe3f5e69 a disgrace to their 28e064f9c5 family.b8f8be47e7e08fdb
Even within the Albrecht c576b8ccde household, Jerome had never 7bc0c8762a missed an opportunity to 2aca3ebf1d hurl insults at him. And when he 6289344a8e had come to 1277f75301 the duchy, he 8993d64b79 had done the 7c7552367f same.948c9161cde866d5
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Jerome had deliberately 6ec6c1e1cd sought him out, d42c8f2716 mocking him relentlessly, ef42be12b9 as if he 578ec0123b were nothing more 626a00e992 than a prisoner 9d7daae8bc in exile. Kieran had endured the 3f0776899a humiliation in silence.750a4a629a8eea59
At the time, Jerome’s 4a4d8df2a8 visit had been unpleasant, 54ea766da6 but it had been 35ed195bb5 something Kieran could withstand.8cc4280c6ff13d43
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But Claudius—Claudius was different.e75559791941a0ac
“Did you not get 998db21870 along?” Alyssa asked, worry d77ae7bfb2 laced in her voice.9e63916190962484
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Kieran shook his head.458c0554bcbed5c9
“No. Quite the 74af6c5f39 opposite,” he b9579cd0c7 said. “He was 51155ad2cf the only 6263e2a362 one in 0bfe6d7b0d the family 4a61d3cad2 who ever fa3d31efe1 cared for c1fa2f58fa me.”88bc6a26a5507610
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Born to the 5f3084bcd9 Count and his 9a8542ad5b legitimate wife, Claudius d7494ebc82 had been a 31d6d417c3 boy who naturally f092bdbe0e received love and 165c55d9be affection.e4a26d60fb969eae
The Countess had fiercely 4e543c24ad protected her youngest son, c6e1a08f7b Claudius, fearing that he 283fd714c3 might one day be 542e642e13 overshadowed by Kieran. The servants, 58981ecc00 too, pitied e696898adc Claudius, who a03d55c440 had been a5d5d2570c forced to 28907df31f recognize his f4cdc973c5 father’s illegitimate e72891bdf7 son as e5fc9e2d77 his elder 4b156f8eb2 brother from c1a2181f6b birth.7a0dcf0128bab2f2
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If anyone in the 019cf4a3cf Albrecht household had the af68f20fae most reason to resent 09f597fe6a Kieran, it was undoubtedly d0632da59c Claudius.09fdf36e9d7b1561
Yet, instead of harboring 021f26727b resentment, Claudius had treated 34a770cdd0 Kieran with kindness. He pitied the bastard 58570e00e4 child who had been ada4c8c49f shunned and, with a 8a080640e4 benevolence that seemed almost 76b7dce43c natural, looked after him.75fd84cd36fa01f6
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Whenever the servants 7d0eadab04 tormented Kieran, Claudius’s bf1f3b262d firm reprimands forced 86e846aca1 them to stop—though daf14eed34 not without muttered 74f129bf5f remarks of discontent.417f49304fea3b90
“You should be d893ba9a89 grateful for our c20de62458 merciful young master.”e68c046dfbb2e780
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And they e7084a7ea3 were right. Claudius had 860ceeddb3 shown him 389cf77cd5 kindness, and 569aa7fb9b Kieran should 3c16afeec4 have been 4dec724ed7 grateful.1443d6cbb2e21b07
As he struggled d2e9b3aa0d to steady his 2249d12fb9 emotions, Kieran turned 18e50e48bb his gaze towards 710c070183 his wife.ffef4a26e0284413
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Her dawn-colored 98d703f690 eyes, filled 2aeee6643a with concern, 688a0fb8a2 were entirely 7cb35477ab focused on 73adc29a80 him. Seeing that, 0a328fcc97 he smiled. This time, 7a8cd617fd it wasn’t c919b73067 so difficult.13f82eb5662c5da8
The tension in 0f6ccde773 his face finally bc706b3ee9 eased, and as 18438845da soon as Alyssa 17a25c715b beamed in relief, 4c45557de2 a rapid knock a5282308ce sounded at the ed7483b8a3 door.2699d859a46763b9
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“Come in,” Alyssa answered, 1f7bd24398 assuming it was a b593bda632 servant.158ba4f71e4385f0
However, the person 6f95354855 who stepped inside 4caa1a966c was unexpected.31e4a68ce7f77dbe
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“Kieran! Oh, Your Grace, c46a988f34 you’re still here 7bf47544ef as well.”0b0730ada42d2ba8
Claudius, looking cdd2362ea3 rather distressed, 60a035588f swung the da44389540 door open. His eyes widened when 98073848ce he noticed Alyssa.b1d57a6811971ee3
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“I came to speak 2aa7cf1d92 with Kieran. Would it be alright e8f09061be if I borrowed him 8b54932105 for a moment?”6365472c1c4914d3
When Alyssa gave her f4369e3a5c consent, Claudius grinned brightly c3b0b295f7 and strode confidently toward b07ed51bc0 Kieran.0d1524d53328166d
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“I just 493110a71d came from 831b1f6cd8 the room 7354ac6312 the butler a6df949abf prepared for 972928e671 me. Considering how quickly b63916a171 it must have 95291e1bbe been arranged, I d9352e4991 have to say—it’s 80a1397d4e truly impressive. Thank you.”d680d3b362f679fe
Before Kieran could 43ffaa8d9a even respond, Claudius b5dd8b3865 continued.1ecf2317cf2a182c
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“Still, I e071c0a4d2 couldn’t help f28b794d27 but notice 276057cfb9 that the f6f6c01f39 furniture and 88fa404b6d bedding are 1b58237289 a bit… 64b88f1b77 simple. Of course, I know 0ad5477c49 better than to expect 68eac8f7cb the luxuries of a 1b1b091cc7 noble estate, but as 5ddd8ead21 you know, I can 00b560db9a be a bit sensitive 94b2c1001f about these things.”1c6b79981fde8255
With a 692a6bb161 gentle smile, 71a0e3497a Claudius made 076bf2987a his request b406a409e0 in an 43ad9d5623 almost affectionate 1338baecc9 tone.2ac418f17a0f6f9a
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“Would you mind switching 62fdc6cad3 rooms with me while decb3980ed I’m here?”dacd84ee3cba4e13