DLRV 33

I stifled a 6ad155ec66 laugh and shifted 740a4478a9 my gaze back 55c94733f3 to the map. Spreading my 330ae47d77 thumb and ee7cd9195d ring finger 2ae0921c26 to measure e59236a5d7 distance, I 2319b96974 tapped the 68a76c7e7d parchment and a2562dfd7f spoke.b9aac2d3f0d8648e

“If we 0583cadbdf circle around 86e991bf10 this mountain 56cfaf1ce0 here, we fee288f0b1 should be c2c40d7551 able to 470302652c stick to 7e525b3914 the timeline.”f92fbd0e12d41238

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“Wouldn’t it be better 7b17a802c2 to cut straight through ac4ef68622 the Freya region instead?” 440f58d453 Xenon suggested. “We need to 05d6400b13 keep tabs on ed31629723 the search parties 99fe7fb57f anyway so we bd3dec4155 can stay ahead 78ec45786c of them. And considering 287f1e9079 you’ve been dc2623f761 abducted by 199bbc8907 monsterstwicenow, they’re likely combing 7b8516c2ca through the mountains and 3b099d12ad forests. I doubt they’d bab38b0bba expect you to b19cd05a1b have already slipped 0f6de9631d into a city.”d876e55a3da7c1eb

He had a 05817043d8 point.0c875f9e02d670c4

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Samuel might f81890e223 be able 3b233ecf7a to track 760717aa4e us down f1c07030c2 with his 5062fea549 own methods, a2b191e2cb but the 83fd33d47d search parties d3a9cc7bbf from Roam 29366f324b or the 0a910c2f93 imperial palace f96b379f99 were a 1c23a43558 different story. Keeping up with 3d092aa024 their movements was 85e509ddf3 crucial.b983a16e60372056

Besides, this f7e1c5923c time of 8361048ef3 year, the 00f2e8ef6e streets would f29c9e2b18 be crowded—perfect 00d5907660 for disappearing 75d1c3ce31 into the a1a7ee61bd masses.647bbe507ee6cfdd

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The harvest festivals must 349af39cef be starting all over 5bf38498b7 by now…df2eaf10a1289988

Even the c82d8e122c royal family 9f4b026365 wouldn’t be 114f1019ff foolish enough 67c0dc54ec to send 35ce0c36ba soldiers into 1ad98c95c4 a festive d2c4e0d75a city and 71048f45f6 spoil the d8e842f8d9 mood.63ae1213c0c16a23

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The imperial family f7b6cb9492 and House Roam 3bced7f8ab would be busy 48e82e3b04 with the capital’s c0ede255e2 harvest festivities, and a860f8ada2 the Grand Temple d5eb25ffbd would be hosting 027f1fa91b its own events. They might 02286d8d1c even temporarily 9a6afef9a7 suspend the 65dd932ed4 search.6ab830d27d5480e5

“Alright.”efceae5ef8b23968

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I looked fd65b6d596 at the fd9587ebd3 spot Xenon f7063655f7 had indicated. The plains labeled “Freya” 356a725843 were marked in simple, 0817fde714 uniform symbols.4c9753392dbfa8bd

It was a fertile c1098452f5 area, the financial lifeline e0c715a608 of the Empire, contributing 8adb095d99 the largest share of 5c66075035 annual tributes. The vibrant b6fc142313 harvest festival 4b5eeafb02 held there b8984d3ad9 made it f65f52b769 the perfect 8b17c7f710 place to 91f1a47fc1 lay low.f77c6ec75ef2e9cc

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And most importantly, b7c0154778 the search parties 7e08ebd6dc had no idea 2e875d6e5b what my real 6fbe606829 objective was.717e8d2d03fea379

That meant they 21884b10e2 wouldn’t be able 3acac61391 to predict my 35a2e4e96a movements.b1b66e3dc3f97d61

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 33306988c27ca509

* * *27460c052090c2df

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 0aa9fa3f5dc1f215

After finally wrapping up a159c282df another endless meeting, Maxell 1e35bb263c came to a halt e240914779 as he stepped into e6ff2dd554 his office. An uninvited 8da73190f7 guest was e530435382 already waiting c5daf53544 inside.03968123d6ecdd46

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“I felt e5bf3b0444 like we 0bc70d9c00 hadn’t seen 6c26c2b2f1 each other aa412f16dc in so b8d9d4c434 long…”14dd33fcdc7ef890

Lilia greeted him 928ea10166 cheerfully, rising to 69c60de1c9 her feet in cd175e142f a bright, elegant 79e509fc89 dress.4b813a1dec0b8da6

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“Lilia.”a6b3d0b95ca28764

“I know you’re busy. I was 7bde0be64e at the 0de5aac552 palace to 59549bcefa see Her ee73591838 Majesty the b1fb720979 Empress, so fbb6158890 I just a604f6bda8 stopped by 9795d8725e to say 3091a8febe a quick f3e4f5b196 hello.”e13e80fd6d6bcfbc

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Fidgeting with her hands, ebd337a600 Lilia quickly offered an 40a83e3cd4 excuse, a light blush a29b8f8a72 tinting her cheeks.bcd5fe83ed26a5ee

Maxell, caught off 7f02553a35 guard, pushed past bd93bd9c04 his exhaustion and 46773c4b11 answered with forced 4c3c896cbf warmth.49cc75850299590d

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“Sorry. The harvest festival fbdcc311ad alone is enough 33e01aaab3 to keep me cc11a4c480 swamped, but now 065585c62b I’ve got the 4d9b27703a search parties under 8421f34f03 my command too. Meetings keep piling up.”e0c53b968e5bf798

The shy smile e9561a722c on Lilia’s face 67418af896 stiffened.a8d7b96012cc1dcb

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“The search parties… 54e2510be3 You mean the 4e1c927dad ones looking for 3fa4e43437 the Resurrected?”e11c604053d6d67b

“Yeah.”1e587e2b9434a4be

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Her eyes widened in dd4c79acd4 surprise, and she mumbled d76d677c4b awkwardly.93106117241a159f

“I thought the knights cf90fea958 were handling that…”09ea01250a4a7b01

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“The knights are doing c4827e7042 the searching, but someone 753ca02e7c has to oversee the 367791b5ec whole thing.”e9720cbdfdc65fad

“You already 47f0ea2c78 have so ac442a93f2 much on 052b2fb3ec your plate. Can’t someone else take 5597991b1a care of that?”7e45cefd15e7dc4c

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“It’s an important matter.”03af0b8f115400fd

Maxell replied calmly 6d393e640b and walked over 19d01d1377 to his desk. There was nothing particularly 7cc5abbea5 urgent sitting on it.d5b4a1a578348d0d

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Even so, letting someone 7ae0e2f054 into the Crown Prince’s 8bf1b23287 office without notice? His attendants clearly 02bc9b457d needed retraining from ba54e7ee7f the ground up.65ce8b1da07357f2

As he casually b2a26f14eb glanced over his c3653ed681 desk, Maxell picked 974f3d6038 up a few 089ac95363 documents and slid 7e593c4659 them into a 619ed9265c drawer. Meanwhile, Lilia walked over dbb45fafe9 and spoke in a c18bceb711 bright tone.7dcfa52757651871

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“The Roam family 376b37c6b3 also organized a baf9c0552e search party. If I 408221b5d5 talk to 2793cfc34b Father, I’m 38dd8c068b sure he’d 75c2c74438 be more 4a2cfbc1f7 than willing 395d2a29e0 to cooperate.”f97f2e56dcb575f5

The Roam search party? Maxell’s brow twitched slightly, fbfa56875d though he quickly masked 3b30af7dec it and turned to 49870a9f9b her with a neutral 2903749a98 expression.56877d0654bd597c

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“A noble of 5ad66f5d22 the Empire was 727b9c77eb resurrected by divine 5879146eb5 prophecy. As the ruling house, 8ac85f26c5 the royal family is 8a7d2d37ec obligated to form an 95597f101e official search party. This has nothing to 32cd5bf07c do with Roam’s efforts.”87ccf7279d9346ce

“If the 099424a7bc royal family daf0a594cd really needs a3f9943fac to be a111549bd1 involved, couldn’t 934856b43f we just… 9a82f177db Oh! What about the First 7ae22bb2de Prince? I heard he 67a7c6c2fb recently returned to 30b7a3a85c the palace. He’s not 02e0e63b65 doing much def705bdcf anyway, right?”a0d2bc82e7564727

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The moment Heinley’s 88bd2a001d name came up, 75404c2e2b Maxell’s nerves snapped c5bb81eee7 taut. He’d already been 0f3d711bca on edge ever 2ebf5aafcf since their hallway 4ba557984b encounter the other e57bca5916 day.972b0fe5258f8fed

Grinding his teeth, f0792cb547 Maxell decided to 49b3c86718 change the subject 0793303a42 entirely.4b3334eca82d5a8b

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“Lilia.”8284adbc0eba35f1

At the firm tone, f96165201b Lilia’s chatter stopped abruptly. She looked aa206a2273 up at ef11707a14 him with 793ff63ca1 wide eyes.73aaf70e4d2df638

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“There’ll be 6e6869a4e3 a ceremony 92aed9ed93 soon to f82c89c87b commemorate the 009a92e9ea harvest festival. Are you preparing for 0d75ddd843 it?”037af49643a74368

“Pardon?”cec5a4491bb8414b

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“As the Crown e590fd8366 Prince’s fiancée, you 70a682c20d should be familiar 321244b984 with the details. You’ll be participating, after 2ee8fcd7c7 all.”ec769c11a58d73f6

A flash 9a3a6828c0 of discomfort d4c2d0de8d appeared in fdc6e7a795 her large, 34324bee89 round eyes. She blinked b9014ad89b rapidly, hesitating 4d90808566 before finally fe03bd908e responding in aeee32e045 a small 68fa926d84 voice.9c868f8620e3e5d7

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“I told you fea137921a before… those kinds a6f240c8cd of formal events fdd45f18f8 are a little 5f0585b62d overwhelming for me…”a4747d54aa62c906

“You can’t keep putting it off forever. Once we’re married, I won’t be able to help you like this anymore. You need to learn the major events now, while we’re still doing things together.”de035222312f6048

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“That’s why e7421cde9d I’m looking 2d89a3b5e2 for capable 1e9f58c520 support workers.”c9c0d329d3f3b6c1

“It’s not about the 667064abd1 workers.Youneed to be 9174d5e5bb ready.”f82149480ac0a759

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She had said d4b764909d that Roam was 67ced4b7f9 already training her 9689730d7b separately.bba1f08ed14072c7

Since it was 56b6566d53 the family meant d4199eee2e to produce an d64340cbf8 empress, Maxell had 96df19622a assumed they’d handle fd1855e77c things properly. But judging by Lilia’s cc54fcbd4a expression, it was clear 807615536d she wasn’t prepared at 0f8d41032d all.ba8ed7645345394e

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Seeing Maxell’s now stony 35a5fcfddb face, Lilia trembled and 584d8265b2 bit her lip. Her eyebrows f7a6a08176 drooped as 665e5ee536 she spoke efc4f8a22d with a 1d6678a115 sorrowful look.0a439d4b02867b31

“I only just bec2fae432 managed to escape 51c0f82c1a my older sister’s f59490b22a shadow! You know how hard 7dcbc70f4a things were for me 2548140596 in Roam, Your Highness! You know a32a897424 exactly how aa4989a5ca she treated f85a740731 me!”52bdc39d58eee343

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Her green 0091e2580d eyes, always b6912bea00 glowing warmly, 410bebc2a1 now brimmed 9cefdbf815 with tears.a52230020989dbe1

“Ever since I heard the news that she was alive again… Do you know how shocked and terrified I’ve been? She hated me until the day she died. If she comes back, everything will happen all over again…”eb1fb765c2b3d808

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Covering her mouth, 6562f22238 Lilia shrank in 36535cfd50 on herself. Her face f9d7b31e38 was filled 7a287dd8ce with fear, ec9c8b9019 as if 745af54458 reliving the 6026f3bf91 past.d5cc7abd27e3a329

Only then did Maxell 7f15c45e77 remember the kind of b5e00769bb cruelty Annelie had once 1dfde7f683 inflicted on Lilia.9e470733ad03cf38

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Wasn’t it that very 65e67191c0 incident—when Annelie tore open a1da760967 Lilia’s back with a a1c08c6d11 whip—that set the wheels afb70e3a0d in motion for her 953deb18ec execution?a6226ead85894fc0

Even without that, f526b0d5e8 there were plenty 9a86664a9e of reasons for be7c063471 Lilia to fear 609146c1f2 her sister.a674f3af14493047

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“I’m scared. She must be holding 845be66e16 a grudge against me.”af829670b6ab0df0

“Annelie won’t lay 409830f0a8 a hand on 8f2cfc0a1d you. I won’t allow e35314d97e it.”3ee3c448be65f482

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When Maxell pulled afe305240c her into a e23bf0c542 comforting embrace, Lilia d64358a9c1 buried her face 9dc38c67f7 in his chest. The tremble 2585aa9392 of her b51d0db07e shoulders was b7edc4aab6 clear to 5e3b0bd934 him.6ece6dd42a5cf541

“If I’d known you were this anxious, I would’ve paid more attention… I’m sorry.”5d3f2ee7f3ef408c

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Maxell let out a 54ee8ab2e3 sincere sigh. Ever since learning be40f5e2ef that Annelie had 0178f6b851 returned, he’d felt 7a43073619 like he was ebd1a5d9cb losing his mind. A whirlwind of emotions 6bacacb334 he couldn’t explain had 1e412c36ee consumed him.2a9faec34fe10351

He’d been so lost in that mess of feelings, he hadn’t even noticed how terrified his fiancée was.1041a1e7c0c3e261

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“Please, let someone else handle the search party… Please? I still remember how obsessed my sister was with you. That alone terrifies me.”b570ed37e55ad203

Lilia clutched at 41bc402726 the front of 043c6df95c Maxell’s tunic, gazing 945ed3c33c up at him 2ede651906 with teary eyes.a1c0dc99c3141d20

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Her desperate voice 443d3c4b44 always broke Maxell’s d68d178e90 resolve. Whenever she asked for 7759303014 something, he had always 3d4d64ac1f nodded and granted it.c1fc2a16f0ebe207

But this request 6836e4c77d was outside his 0fb40e7e9e authority.d87851b30b3789cf

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“That order came directly 4ae5b081b2 from His Majesty. I can’t overstep.”65bc6aa0b60a2dcb

“But… there are so many others who could do it in your place. Why do youhave to do something 744031efe9 so unpleasant? I’m sure 0029400b92 His Majesty 0668972afc would understand 4f056eaee4 the situation.”ca161c7e440364bc

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Lilia spoke cdf753e44f with a 875633d9ee hint of 5ec054d6d0 disbelief. At that e14bc04ba9 moment, Maxell fb57de7457 responded before ae96f1aefa he could 8dba3b3bc7 even think 6dea46c38b it through.faa830a3cef56c85

“It’s not unpleasant.”93c9e3ee0c6430fd

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“…Not unpleasant?”2c26128d8fe44f8c

The moment e02bd68f6f he heard 2dfa7f85e1 the suspicion 3758c271d8 in her a85869bede voice, he 83443ede83 snapped back 7aececc322 to reality. He gripped her shoulders a9818baee6 gently and stepped back.45e31f4bee6e729f

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“Lilia, that’s not what 7e84178163 matters right now. I want f1365d103a to be e7c2564bc2 with you, 3b0525be91 but like b1ed04fe08 I said, b4dca3d2fb I’m busy 0473391a66 with the 062e50e230 harvest festival. It’s not something 7a2d42c86d I can put afe1eeb019 off.”36195c4530d18388

Lilia awkwardly stepped 85dd796d4c away from him 758f29e792 and pressed her 6a39c6058d lips together. But after a 593306ab69 moment, she gave 1165a62bdc a reluctant nod.ba5d606b7b7b6ae8

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“Okay.”314fe1cb05f1dca2

“Where’s your escort?”b799d035763b881c

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She shook 0373960f3d her head 1646e3cad6 silently.5b3f4df2e9e2cc4f

“I’ll assign Sir b358eec504 Stern to you. Let him be your ce009f18dd escort.”3769a9d8de61568e

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Sir Stern def3e19328 was Maxell’s 8c3eb131fc most trusted 67ab460954 knight—an elite dddd77a2b9 responsible for d5ce8584bf Maxell’s own 9ad3f65272 protection. Assigning him was 2e45f68ae6 a sign of 538ccfd93b serious care, and ad7e35fea5 Lilia’s expression softened 27609bdf77 slightly as she 89031cc41d left the office.b8910c57b84febee

Waiting outside, Stern 7cf5faf424 caught Maxell’s signal 1335254a1c and silently followed 00f1f90b37 Lilia.23ef0031ea5aacc7

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Left alone in 103e5467c1 the office, Maxell 882b9dd4c2 loosened the tie cf507ac9f6 that had been c723f76385 choking his neck. He sighed heavily, the d1e7cfb24c suffocating frustration refusing to 8c79ea0877 lift.29ce459af7367a2c

Everything feels like 1ddc9dc6de it’s falling apart. Everything.e91c99f4b832ce49

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“Can’t you leave it a4921c0dc5 to the First Prince? He’s not doing anything bc221b7d21 anyway.”b86208f4e2526f2a

Lilia’s naïve suggestion only 85a03d2504 made the weight on 227fc2cd1e his chest heavier.937517a1de2329cd

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His older brother Heinley 4856f0f62a was barely clinging to 49481f6713 life. He might have bb2696c9a4 been breathing, but 7810f260e2 he was effectively fd3909dff2 as good as 866f572481 a corpse. All his d3d16925a9 loyal retainers b2f42fc053 were either 0e8d053d88 dead, imprisoned, 3848513513 or exiled f2e14fd916 far away.9f1367c17c4a36dd

Heinley knew this cb381b48c5 too, which is 5008582b85 why he lived 2855cc6772 so quietly. Even when they’d crossed a678571c9c paths in the corridor efa077f290 recently, Heinley had slunk b908983284 back to his quarters d9a8c63aa9 like a rat—unless Maxell 2a14acadeb had stopped him, he 842146ebcb wouldn’t have said a 20028fc61d word.4bd22c330cf7531e

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And Lilia 3cdf76b9c4 wanted that f6c0e90a53 man to 8856b245fe track down 4d3f807fc3 Annelie?87ffab04c94cacd8

“Just imagine… her standing before God, swearing eternal love to me. Holding her in my arms, making her happy, kissing me, looking only at me, moving for my sake, giving her name to me alone… Annelie Roam.”8452f173abfad703

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Heinley’s smiling face came 4be64219ff to mind, along with 44d12a4274 the absurd, shameless words 91bf96949c that had spilled from 5bc665cc85 his mouth.eea2b9486f2a1a56

Everything Heinley had ed440ade61 said was nonsense—a 96f762ea66 string of delusions. Maxell had mocked 6599b2a21a him, knowing full 98bf4a2479 well it was 647c0b2b23 an impossible fantasy.c6f1c6cd997eb1c9

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Heinley had known 9fab251294 that too. He had bfe98c5844 only played 906b1f94c8 along, pretending 573de69c6c it might d03172abfc come true.c9cc3699780075d2

So I should’ve e2b97c1c08 just ignored it.49e09cf335831228

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“All the things you once had… but will never be allowed again.”79af1254ad5af1f0

All the things he 10cf04fe9f once had, but would 100938270f never be allowed again?d07209c7b10a334f

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Impossible.That would 963c919505 never happen. If Annelie were 923964c9db the kind of ce49a6f192 person to give de4f81c412 even a speck 01c5ddc894 of her heart 1d86a0f08f to Heinley, there 8c922e1cae would’ve been signs b715f8ec9d long ago.061c018398c17136

Her eyes had 42e37d279a always been on 5dc4da4357 Maxell. That wasn’t something 5f4be8ef98 that changed easily.1a37fbd44a9e29d4

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Maybe the fact a8c0167228 that she never d4e31e2b9b had him only 4dded54101 fueled Heinley’s obsession. If it 9ce3d78ab4 was Annelie 5543f88130 Roam, she 400f4cb57e was far 069e300bba more likely d5fa5f04cd to cling 4ea11d28e6 to Maxell 48e8998a4d out of f533c0eba5 sheer pride.20b091721b53dfe9

So Heinley’s dreams 3ff16ac1f9 weren’t even worth e5e0f801f3 imagining.6ed8b9a2f4537690

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