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Mercedes, Constance enter the scene
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Constance
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Am I in bed dreaming, or is that you, Mercedes? How serendipitous it is to see you again!
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Mercedes
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Yes, and here we are! You were so small when I saw you last. How you've grown.
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Constance
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I cannot express how worried I was to hear that you had left House Bartels.
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Constance
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I was turned away any time I asked about you, and of course Emile would never tell me anything.
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Mercedes
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I'm sorry. There was so much going on in House Bartels back then...
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Mercedes
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But enough about all that. How are you, Constance? I hear you've had hardships of your own.
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Constance
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Indeed. House Nuvelle is no more, and I went alone to the school of sorcery.
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Mercedes
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Oh! You went to the Royal School of Sorcery?
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Mercedes
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Just before I began at the Officers Academy, I was studying there as well.
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Constance
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You were?! It must have been after my graduation in 1177...
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Mercedes
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That was the year I enrolled. We probably just missed each other.
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Constance
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No! You mean to say that if I had stayed a trifle longer, we could have been reunited sooner?
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Mercedes
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It seems so. Haha! Ah, dear Constance. When we were little, I thought of you as my little sister.
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Mercedes
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But now that you've grown up, I think our roles might be reversed! I'll be looking up to you now, and maybe even asking for your help sometimes.
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Constance
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You'd ask for my help? I never thought I'd see the day!
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Mercedes
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And yet you are seeing it. You know, I had another friend at the school. Her name is Annie.
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Mercedes
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Why don't we all have some tea together? I'm sure you two would really hit it off.
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Constance
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You must mean Annette. Yes, I would welcome the chance to have a long chat with her.
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Mercedes
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And yet you are seeing it. You know, I had another friend at the school. Her name is Annie.
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Mercedes
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Why don't we all have some tea together? I'm sure you two would really hit it off.
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Constance
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You must mean Annette. Yes, I would welcome the chance to have a long chat with her.
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Mercedes
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Haha! Oh, I have an idea! How about we have a cup of tea together and chat about old times?
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Constance
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I accept, naturally!
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Constance
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I'll prepare the tea straightaway.
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Constance leaves the scene
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Mercedes
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Oh, no need to rush! The tea isn't going anywhere.
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Constance
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Don't be ridiculous! Time is always of the essence. Why put off for later what I... I could...
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Mercedes
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Constance? I wonder what's the matter.
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Mercedes leaves the scene
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Constance enters the scene
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Mercedes enters the scene
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Mercedes
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Did something happen?
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Constance
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Mercedes...sharing your precious time with me is perhaps more than I deserve.
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Mercedes
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What do you mean?
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Constance
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Why sit with me when you could share your teatime with someone else?
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Constance
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I shall instead stand and serve the tea. Though if my presence still proves to be a burden...
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Mercedes
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Goodness, of course it isn't! Are you feeling all right?
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Constance
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My feelings are immaterial. Pardon me while I fetch the tea leaves at once.
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Constance leaves the scene
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Mercedes
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Until a moment ago, everything seemed all right. Why did she change so suddenly?
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Mercedes
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I'll have to ask her what's going on.