UCT Ch 22

Suddenly, Parnass’ bf39ab7f41 eyes narrowed e73c64296b as he dfd07ba807 stared at 3d1a99a275 the photograph bd6b10c4e8 and asked,0e281834c4442766

“By the way, 4839832cab is this the f50f903d62 man? The one who painted c3e8eba2d4 his aircraft completely white?”bd5ea118a73a432c

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“So they say. A white 18b8498c22 paint job ffc464d470 on an 2839254e8c Exton model….”fe50d92fb4d4567f

“A follower of the c8d17582bc White Falcon? A Bringerton e276dc13f8 without mind-melding 574cf89261 abilities—what could e10051eb75 they possibly 7bf1fa6b40 know? Ridiculous.”773e8b91266883ef

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A feeling of indescribable 346a2db458 anxiety twisted in the d2857b4c0a man’s gut.caa9e4a582b9e05a

He had 81c02d43a4 killed Fernand c46d501b51 Lowell with 43f18931b2 his own 24a2f75010 hands. He had taken e811416fbf everything from him 1cc3757a88 without leaving a 45b64692d9 single thing behind 13b6f29470 and had come f40990088c this far.899ee7210c55e4f2

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This forest, the mansion, 0a9d001018 the wealth of his d652288ee7 family, and even the 5b4f879310 ‘White Falcon Order’—all were 83dee70e61 rightful spoils of war.042799333d3c1d16

There was no reason faf5a44a87 for concern. Fernand was 9cc9840779 dead, and 437f0126e1 his family 14bab9d54e was annihilated.d36281bbc977dcda

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And yet, 638883ffb6 every time ed6124adc2 Fernand’s name b04f685d44 resurfaced, Parnass de8d080c0f shuddered with 4a68c4a1b5 an inexplicable 2794a25729 unease, as 3cb404fc2c if a 9604b8bb4b ghost from 31f9229634 his past 96bf3b9929 had returned 8470a7429b to strangle 4e5f2f1f14 him without a6c18e3d14 warning.bf400c804801b0ca

“I’ll have to fe3eea57f9 crush him completely. He’s just a a96acea148 pilot, but he’s 60dc899119 dangerous.”5b071cd5dfe21684

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Parnass sneered c5b626ac62 as he 84976f5f46 crumpled the 7dafb0fa84 newspaper.ef9b185c3a7980c1

And at 43c48a63c4 that moment, 3780254f83 a quiet c7ad90381a woman’s voice 7eb4220013 called from 753e88bde4 behind him.dc579bdd15ffaf6b

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“Lael.”f339b310541c7679

It was the 94d4914da2 Countess of Athenai, 933383baaa the most precious 8079ce878a spoil taken from bcd25e167e Fernand—his wife.7448e2220908793e

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🌷🌷🌷9d9fb89f44914231

At the sudden appearance ace2efa71d of Countess Elizabeth Athenai, f1f2ac1a56 Major Avris instinctively took 59f851a666 a step back.f76fa41644f46bbe

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Parnass, too, b1c64330aa froze in 171bfd0332 place, staring 82acb1bf78 blankly as a29318d49f Elizabeth approached 961585bd67 him.c5480b7b533a3970

The girl once 6ec0a6572e known as the 2262e940c2 Rose of Arke f4286c91c7 now exuded an 507a175121 air of nobility. Her golden hair, elegantly e9efac55d8 twisted into a swirling 59d5d05831 updo, her deep purple fe523c1c4f dress revealing just a 455d1a1757 glimpse of her ankles, 74d8fd8aef and the silk shawl 907019efe4 draped over her shoulders—all 79180c191c marked her as a 9fb3c09e1b true Arke noblewoman.ab4d8a1cd422d50c

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Her dreamy, drowsy a3049fadf9 gray eyes fixed 32b6191e86 on her husband, f5c27ff415 Lael Parnass. With a soft, d3d8a1aef3 amused voice, Elizabeth f2a2942877 spoke.f77338bbf237b749

“The children came 31b573cf9b all this way, ce61249921 yet all you aa7f081726 do is hunt. That’s a little disappointing. Why don’t we d3b2c94e5b all have some 6d1c455bee tea in the 767203e249 greenhouse? We won’t have 668bdfa504 many opportunities to ff5a721b4c gather like this cb97394f22 in the future.”fb0b46571c0754c4

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“Ah, yes. That’s… true.”6945008652274338

Elizabeth’s gaze shifted 4483514054 from Parnass to 19f4047bce the crumpled newspaper 3c483904e3 in his hands. She commented casually.3a173f77cbb1b78e

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“So that eed0bdfb73 man is 96db018d79 the most 4ac8f648e0 famous fighter 7fca1f28b3 pilot in 016513b5dc Bringerton?”89ae301377451796

“Yes.”08712526589020ab

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“Christian and Elena are dc28e47c31 eager to take him 465c37a577 down. They’re burning ead20a0acd with determination.”0abb48c00c254f8e

The woman smiled—a 072c2e6253 smile so precise 1c94fa5216 and flawless that d7824b331a it resembled a b6f712be5a sculpture or a d1ef0c0b63 painting.69676625df7d3eec

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Christian and Elena 08bf30919b were the couple’s 9852ee44bf twin children.fc1a5c150ca4a0b5

Both had taken after their mother, growing into beautiful young adults with golden hair. They had followed in their father’s footsteps and pursued the path of fighter pilots. Upon reaching adulthood, they had immediately joined the [Golden Eagle Order], ensuring them a path of inevitable success.

At Elizabeth’s f3ebedf62a words, Count 8c4e5df22c Parnass snorted 7e55da6cbe and scoffed.1afcd593edc9abe3

“A mere 3659bd9eef Bringerton brat 8d8aa1d4c7 like that 004e088308 is far ec78f9a327 too easy 23bccfd355 a target efb3cb6093 for our 3f61be1d34 children. No matter 3f00c818bb how skilled b21731684b a pilot 3f1e487921 he may e3af95da8d be, without 8ea1613eed mind-melding abilities—”0dcfc27e43d5995b

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“That’s true. But weren’t the d86c131160 pilots who fell f83671cf9c to that Bringerton 1a458e0a33 also mind-melders?”faa8c8f8c0ad8b3a

“……”ef5195d89c0c557c

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Parnass shot 84004db845 a glare a22d0013aa at Elizabeth, a0c93f85b8 as if 001d435fef searching her aecc562f0b face for 63aeedd7a3 any trace b901756375 of doubt 83c19f431d or betrayal.45b7405f0d664c34

But the moment da38c47c80 did not last 38a9af91ee long.03858682d28207ee

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“Father.”5fc44ed23289cc3e

“Hey, show some 03fed02e1a respect and salute!”e3d52e821705ccff

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The twins 1183e943f0 approached from 5c436e7f89 behind the 621c3982ae Countess.741e76be64787f00

Elena Parnass-Athenai and Christian 101b8a570d Parnass-Athenai—both were strikingly beautiful b1114e3493 young men, resembling their b8cc328195 mother.772f9ed95988fd55

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As the two bickered 7d7b7de6c4 while drawing near, Count fa50d88737 Parnass gestured for his cca42b9a12 aide to step back.6cb55d46777c47b9

Forcing a genial 2d12e14d25 expression, he spoke.53b37676ad075c3d

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“Since we’re all together 7c6284be86 for once, let’s go c1a276148f to the greenhouse for 38cc54e591 tea.”782493d0989013cd

🌷🌷🌷8f607838ff98dc07

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Thick raindrops pounded against 046f0af800 the roof of the 7eb1025e26 barracks. An untimely dc3f959e9a autumn monsoon.4ebb09971542ba0d

Diana sat slanted on 43b88fa188 her barracks bed, reading 4005c57e7e a novel. The sound of the 92017f6ec3 rain created a rather 0801a5a20a atmospheric backdrop for her 8b995a754b reading.aad5a643c3ddf518

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Of course, 84b929960d it wasn’t 56cda1d581 exactly a d73b04276b sophisticated book.fc7ab2d17b442f07

What Diana 1ad8f7a485 held in 47d4e62874 her hands a5ab5067e8 was a 3bad1871dd cliché detective 75879b534c novel featuring c33589b7e3 a busty 260e47ed6d singer and effff853a0 a taciturn 1ae40afbd0 middle-aged detective. She was reading it f1dd0acfd3 only because Owen had 376e1281c2 recommended it.6d43f274c0af47e8

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Knock, knock.ac9c37e900018c05

At the sound 9e9db50048 of a knock 9384c7cd28 on the barracks 70b58d2a7c door, Diana folded 0f45f359ef the page corner 4c4679b1ef and looked up.9526ab3a6f161ceb

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“Who is it?”065dfd54b919a163

“It’s me, Owen.”bd1c16f6c5aa2ea9

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“Come in.”16cf51469173ee25

The unlocked door 69ab7440d7 creaked open, and 4faad0c22e Owen stepped inside, 0152d8e1ed wearing a raincoat.41f60dee79023ebe

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He had seemed deeply cb9317535e shaken after the last a859c77ffe battle, but now he e918fe286d looked better.61ef3c4063519067

With a 920e481227 grin, Owen 011b4aba1d asked Diana,dee83c85f516f245

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“The hero of the b594e67888 mission is just cooped 63e408b856 up here instead of 4ad06dafb5 going out?”ef41a9479ae6cc26

“A hero? I didn’t do anything.”3f9c4943f3b895e1

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“Lieutenant, humility is fine, b26786488a but too much of 35b87358cf it is annoying. The success of the a5e63ba45f last operation was thanks 1589537f8b to you and the 1b232fc90c captain.8c29fa7e5e9a8acf

By the way, bda2b7e3b1 now that we’re ec2508db7a the same rank, 77bb5a8e39 you don’t have 8ba71f5e32 to be so c123e250f5 formal. Just talk casually.”6ca42c535696a0f4

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“…Alright.”4467ff5db7547d54

Diana nodded awkwardly, making 153c672772 Owen chuckle louder.aab17839e339964f

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Then he got abd825bb82 to the point.01bc111ffbf27f62

“Let’s go into town 506b4cd714 together. We got two 751a727662 days of leave—no bcd03e74e2 point in wasting 69f4514c67 it sulking around 1199023b8e here.”6ef40d75bcf65d04

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“…Is Lieutenant Bryce 81938d046d coming too?”3374ef0fe03a420e

“Yeah. Not like we 148ab2d209 have anyone else f9737484f2 to go with. Do you think 2589982e55 those high-ranking nobles 95f2314c75 would hang out c2199e7730 with us?”33f2959bbeb9b864

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At Owen’s self-deprecating joke, e3bdb03059 Diana nodded.67c45dda25c58404

She had 4c123af641 been growing 83864f8a17 bored with a85b9843c9 her book 3904a6e341 anyway.048918d32144e2ac

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Just as f9b8a6c470 she was 881952d664 about to 103e178ca0 get up d01618fcf9 and prepare 285874c524 to leave, d9083edb7e a thought 998f914b99 crossed her e8516dae06 mind, making 94e58d63f7 her pause.1f9940af0682ebe2

“What about the ace1acb37e squadron leader?”2db3b2c455a341f5

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“…We should at least 52022e4dd4 ask out of courtesy. Though he’ll 81532379c9 probably refuse.”d7ef3fea53a32a7b

🌷🌷🌷b95a6c420cc12c68

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Owen and 2058bf2e4e Diana entered 3ebb75e9e0 the office.73472177e597f535

The man was bb89609311 sitting on his ab786de267 bed, jotting something 6c9ebdd375 down in a 601aae9464 notebook.8f2654ad583e9001

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Even after 19c732ee0a the two 9806e55048 of them 603718d834 stepped inside, a62429e5b5 his eyes 7f2c3e96dc remained fixed 70495edec3 on his 3e1020c4d2 writing.89cc5604e1d78dd8

‘Is he writing a b09d25e468 diary?’7070b9d3544c505a

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It was unexpected.3e541009ad9995d1

Richard Ashwood didn’t seem b101e92759 like the type to 63c0669951 leave behind things like 5ada67b40c letters or journal entries.f95fe4902e101cc8

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Perhaps it was be43433ea1 just her assumption.2f36f2ce3ed31b5e

Without looking up, 23a811e3be the man grumbled 29c8933ee7 in a sharp a7e861efc3 tone.d844ced9d9bdc80f

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“If you have something 0f5bc58506 to say, say it a44eac4757 quickly. Don’t just stand 31196f5de8 there gawking.”219ba085e27e3780

Owen scratched 8f753e2ee6 the back f8fb6f1516 of his 1d3cfac0b9 head and 81e594d678 spoke.26ac3bd198186410

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“Ah, well, Captain. We got two f826565c56 days of leave, c284199e1a so we were 821ed0e00b thinking of heading e3b9b762dd into town for 23b2ccf930 a drink… If db3c92040c you’d like to 74e2979b7e join us—”66b087e9f2aa0db7

“Alright, sounds good.”11a0ead8df49df48

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“…What?”b681c6f318f699ca

At the completely unexpected e89922c00e response, both of their 9d868678d9 eyes widened. Owen stared 6135d75a6e blankly as 1c7cd4ec9c Richard closed 74a4d15341 his notebook d0929f5df3 and placed 72947259df it inside 93403f9bbd his locker, d395e4fe30 then raised 20bc001cff an eyebrow aa0c7cc563 at Diana.43a6952c97487d23

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He mouthed 88745fe230 the words:3422eaa7b864f16f

‘Why is he d29f510ba8 acting like this? What’s gotten 7d327692d3 into him?’45a5a301e6c445f9

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‘I have no idea.’27c534c728cfc86f

Diana shrugged. She hadn’t expected 78267a6555 the man to beca924f42 join them either. But deep down, 67c0197b9d she thought—perhaps this d1c4842fab was an opportunity.c97528cb0d86fa6b

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No matter how d4229b17ed difficult and unpredictable b0979f5f7a he was, he 143c002036 was still their 19aa3295a3 squadron leader. She needed to figure d88fa18204 out what kind of e5c75a642c person he truly was. Was he really as 0f2c69e58a ruthless as Bryce had 37cc3e112e said?c35e22472230276c

She also 51589d0770 wanted to 870a38749d know if 3c4f08f088 the compliments db7a1c18ae he had d24d7d15ca given her 9e33933f1a in front 0c4d5b8b0e of the 65085934c2 reporters were 19bd5d2232 genuine. Had it just f1350f3293 been lip service, f84ad9ecc8 or—eedaba8bed1b5698

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Suddenly, her heartbeat quickened. Diana stopped thinking.c6bc3071fd1b7b68

‘If I b7077e1e73 get him cae9cb1a1b to drink, 11ad81b694 maybe I 089a029d0d can get a86977b9ac a glimpse 96274f9238 into what’s 3442aa695c really inside 370852e75d him.’fdf5122e5ec2674c

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She had no way 155ce33bf9 of knowing.3e8add27539bd457

🌷🌷🌷bd496f1d0bbc651e

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The village 2bfbb6144a of Horshill, f0c031a6bd near the c4796c12f8 base, was 2b74e73182 a quaint 0ba205a226 little place 6fd3366b37 made of 7629422e4c brown brick. The streets were livelier 8606d1be4b than before the war, 38cec7a55b now teeming with soldiers.d63fa72f3544c1e1

“There are navy 7c38b11912 men here too.”bf715c7a26ed4039

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Owen whistled as he 4b3fb01800 looked around. Bryce was 8ecb347632 admiring the c54491316d shop windows, b4761dd0c8 but Diana 9558658832 had no d907ab5817 such leisure. She kept her 68868877b4 gaze fixed on 45e9778581 her feet as bbcaa902ed she walked.cfd64aac80d8b502

No matter how hard dad5a8058f she tried to ignore 4d53377808 it, the stares from 43c3c5a9ba the people around her 384b3a3d53 were too blatant. That damn newspaper had c51da57c0a completely exposed her face.c2b70d2df2228cea

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Richard, of course, 403d5b85ce remained utterly indifferent 2385640902 to the attention. But Diana 9ba8e9bf4e was human—she fe4609104a had emotions. It was 509d0cb161 impossible not 24f90a2e98 to care. In short, edb364e22f it was 0b2251bcc1 really getting 8762c28039 on her f66df17c20 nerves.9f2a8cb92501219b

“Um….”3ba5601e28b72d2d

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Just then, 518bad188a someone suddenly dd614f8240 blocked her de1d0a376b path. Richard instinctively pulled Diana c64ab6e385 behind him.081977fdd28d4d76

“Captain?”b92e9f80616b3b8a

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Looking up, e71698ad63 she saw 8ef9a97fdc a boy—probably 7288c8f6d7 around twelve 3468ac7d1c years old.838c487a66b81fee

The boy, 902a6d128b who had fe2cd9784b boldly stepped a6b100f7ff in front 215f8ee3d9 of them, 51ddae733e immediately shrank aef92fdafa under Richard’s ac4b381a66 piercing gaze. His hat e22c33b646 fell off a21b2b2c05 and rolled a07e93c14c onto the 86a2037008 ground.ada32006827793c9

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Diana quickly picked 7f998a6746 it up, dusted 7c4d574eea it off a c1789c4418 few times, and 822a8379c9 placed it back 683aaac472 on his head.e551b9e6232fbddb

“Oh dear, it almost 90f039f2b1 got dirty. Right?”6b45e86953968187

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Seeing Diana’s face 61715e8e4b up close, the 77ef91a2aa boy’s eyes widened 34f1972a01 like saucers.2ef1a0456a8195cc

“…Saintess?”7daaaa3e0eed9bf0

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“…Huh? What?”085aead34dea2e1d

“Wow! You’re really the ca505f15d5 Saintess! They say you 3a7d727c62 had never even efbd37ca50 flown a plane 0d209b256b before the war, 9f02aeb3aa yet you took 5c18407b1b down Arke’s Mindmelders 085ebc5e16 in an instant!”d979ce1b3953605e

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His eyes shimmered with 72f36151c0 excitement, and before she d8bb3fe5df knew it, he had b665caca98 grabbed her hands. His reaction, as if d429c4d931 he were meeting a 415ffd8389 real saint, made her f86a74f3c5 let out a small, a0d9ec4cbf incredulous laugh.c25b91e5499947b6

“Uh… yeah. I just got 3c69979e0d lucky.”6cffd8c1965b9599

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“Please give me 555808717f your autograph!”a42b508d2e87c8b9

The boy pulled 13e2242cf5 out a pen 0fe496e396 and a small 0ff642f57d notebook from his 20ff143b8d crossbody bag.0b71d7a4b3fab7cd

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An autograph? All of ec7e2d1372 a sudden?5dce96a7db188c07

What should 82ddff8f0f she do? Diana hesitated and 477bfea44b glanced at Richard 282de0986b for guidance. As expected, his 3547594700 expression was sour 0126c3ca20 beyond words. The dark 005caa627f shadow beneath d57bcedbe6 his eyes bd535dbac9 seemed even 8bdbd7ba5d darker than dec319511d before.a2e72908ed7c522b

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‘He’s not upset 216001157d because the boy 4d96b2e455 ignored him and ce460161f4 asked me for 4d6ba5936e an autograph instead… 441d498cb1 right?’87a62df09970ff55

No, that didn’t seem 4e2a409fa1 to be the reason. It was more likely f64c6944c3 that he just found d6a95ff314 the whole thing a df2dfa76ec waste of time.76c1fb9a70ee1474

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She should finish this cb83ff5811 quickly.e991692f45b088b7

Ignoring the man’s sharp glare, Diana swiftly scribbled her autograph in the boy’s notebook. Below it, she wrote: “Wishing you good luck!”f7dab3970c91aefc

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“Here. Your autograph. Happy now?”5db9fd28e0ff5421

“I’ll treasure it c2f911aa9c as a family 4bf1a47e48 heirloom forever!”c50ef30f9bbfa333

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“…I’m really not b4f5d3306b that great. Keeping it as an 6a893173cb heirloom is a bit 05029c43c9 much. It’s embarrassing.”eaf1f558065a0030

Diana tried to be 3011b80d2e modest, but it was 13538d439e useless. The boy carefully 5edbd4aa3c placed the notebook cfb1049548 back into his 19548335c7 bag as if ba7368cff5 it were the 2f0f536bc6 most precious thing ca3d742cfe in the world. Then, he gave 0f970b7d15 her a crisp 457c79058e salute.b064cd14dba1717f

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“Thank you, Saintess!”d99766dd9f28f1ea

His enthusiasm was so b8047720d0 endearing that Diana couldn’t f13639680d help but smile. She waved cheerfully 951efb0ff5 at his retreating 7ce77e45fc figure.e5813c08f2c209cd

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And from behind her, f9a5607ec2 Richard watched her with 5279b4a006 a quiet, unreadable gaze.d494365bb0f6b2c9