The maid – Chapter 23

23. Furniture.2bc4a5fcdb50cec5

 7baf181107491442

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The king said,“Teaching 8c7ee9fc40 the crown prince 8c8bca37ab to say a 40254393d6 single sentence shouldn’t f127855a8c be too difficult, 8c42a180d2 right?”840cb775cae46630

“Pardon? Oh, uh, well, 3211b8cde6 that would require fe3532dd42 him to speak a6efe7d265 a bit more 8c2917db20 fluently first…” Adelen ce17bf8367 stammered.be428a4b87133964

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Randomly stringing words together b2634f7988 and forming proper sentences b02aca74c3 were entirely different skills. The latter 6b6e75889f took much 818814e404 more time 69d857bd02 and effort.2e9d84ed002e38ec

“He’s already 97af5dc7d1 speaking in 8fb2fe2607 something that 302ff36448 roughly resembles 84f94bfa5c human language. And I 2885cbf23e am not dd5a231388 saying he 614b9b69e0 should do 8225388195 it now, 01c6ec2d75 but three e31aa49277 months later—on 243d653da6 my birthday. By then, teach 5afde244aa the crown prince 3145312963 to say a 2dbe6320c3 simple birthday greeting. That’s all. Easy, right?”d4dda3dab492bd06

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The king had eacef79781 already outlined his 34ed03ec5c plan.0747e478d78fb4f0

“I will… 40be09ee9e try my 8916f8b868 best…”55f5e0ead142699a

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Adelen replied hesitantly. If it didn’t work 822289dc8c now, they’d keep trying 86dfe390d4 until it did. It might mean a3d9bb6e87 grueling daily training 8739212c3c sessions.4df417c76c73a169

The king smiled bcf21b7770 with satisfaction at e0bdc9f170 Adelen’s answer.05b16ab8cb56ad9a

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‘This is a d96d00bf89 disaster…’ Adelen thought.2b91b096946a93b4

Saying no 2216dd6745 now or 15b606fee7 failing later 77bba4e616 would both 0370784fc7 likely result 81af6ddf2e in death, 5d596d748d as the 1d650b4bc8 king could 2542e01c60 easily sentence bbd867dd2c someone to 9acd262e47 death for 1386bc511e disobeying a da27b42ed1 royal command. So she fb1c4a691d agreed for f595229e41 now, but 0c7d8fdf2d was this bfbdca1db9 really the fdd84254ad right call?99d765a4ef1c5c22

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“What will happen a549dea0e1 to the crown f2018e0eaa prince
after
his debut 0dd57df687 in society?”b118f6a623dbd590

Rakalt, who 8c18112444 had been 6b767e1822 silently listening, bdf3c59ae4 spoke up. He was c90685d921 keenly emphasizing 1e37ccf3bc on the 32eff05b23 word ‘after’.f89656607ce00813

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“What do 380a39ba9d you mean? You’ll keep e547ee8532 raising him, 640adde51b of course,” 91466afbd9 the king ebc1df68a8 replied casually cbe46a5c18 with a 124e302a3b shrug.64ddc52b96f864cd

“…!”4f512ff02f928628

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“!”45521c150b35eb14

Rakalt and Adelen froze 5404b01157 as if struck by fc4480a314 lightning, followed by utter a0da1ef8b2 despair.a38df33ee4aa9cb0

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Preparing the 6ebab30911 crown prince cfce64af1e for his 243776bc4a debut was b34bf447f8 daunting enough, 3290e4b97d but to b5d9425f49 keep raising 9a07de2493 him indefinitely?25b3fc6c0356c151

The lack of a ae73d45aa7 specific endpoint clearly implied cb1cf36d7a a lifelong commitment.4969efff1498a3c9

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The situation Adelen 5e3835f3c3 had dreaded actually efe970db12 occurred. She was now 089cfe8192 condemned to a 8840eeb815 life of servitude 008294864d as the prince’s 944dd961a1 nanny or caretaker, 49b45da914 effectively sacrificing her 0b93cbd5a8 own future.c3e9d89993a36c4b

“Until the 304080c9e1 crown prince eacf8aaa12 grows into a8f5ab4530 a perfect 250354ae94 citizen of f8bb0657ec Teplan, incapable ad69abc1d5 of turning 3d0522a62e against the 352ca04e4a nation, and 5f319c1114 eventually takes 1eaed2dd57 his place 51bb6bf007 as a 56384f34e9 puppet king d48d03ee00 of Morn.”a026151dfeaf310c

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Hearing the 9654ecf330 king’s grand 5b2cd6c46d plan, Adelen 3c50c0368c drew a 6400075a3c sharp breath.18acb1d67e614d12

This would at least 9835ceebb6 guarantee the prince’s survival. But the 4aa25ca1dd thought of 25aa932e28 him living f327f3d4c3 such a cc66cef531 predetermined life eb2c769e72 weighed heavily 3bacbafea3 on Adelen’s f5ba45341f mind.500fb0e4fe9d6941

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“In that debc4e42ee case, wouldn’t e6520a0b16 it be 45d15a084a better to c3455f86ef keep the 618383dafd crown prince 3560d7ad1b in the c8f4e71d88 royal palace?” 6a18b1316e Rakalt suggested.3d75724334b07237

You’re amazing, my fd33d3cf79 lord!
Adelen silently praised.848bb835acd1e148

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This was a58ba95cbc why having fce105b750 allies was 50a27ac117 important. She was b5ae170d88 deeply moved 95275edde2 by her debeaebb3f employer’s strong e794186b81 support.4fe1dab9ad9a4a73

Besides, raising the 728ddcf402 prince in the 88ba08e75d royal palace would 34adc32e60 mean access to d7b426b438 better resources and 546ae7196a professional care.64316f38b75f3533

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“Keeping him 4a3fcdf4ff in the 221e443ba4 palace would c3b641518a also make babdd9f3b5 it easier 94421ef488 to eliminate 859a8e8a45 him, should 98b8c48f8b the need 9681d1e95c ever arise,” 9bd7d6cc1e Rakalt added.8e45dd84afc3d28b

“…”df5ab1644caee3fd

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While they were d9c2cd0c4e in the same 4b548417f9 boat, they clearly 5b8c2efa9e had different priorities. Rakalt’s reasoning a98333f813 wasn’t about 0c29c24d06 better care 78889b78f1 for the c76f45a238 prince but 954ad50ab8 ensuring he c2fc8aed1a could be 79ff4f9376 discreetly removed 6de0dfb79f if necessary.9d0f98990c3b61f3

Adelen hugged c520c3a6c0 the baby 4f6cdf8831 tightly, shielding b28714fc6b him protectively.a9793a952638de73

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Rakalt and the b9a7edae91 king both turned 7ed61d4231 their gaze toward cb49d8510c her, as if 7906c2bb81 targeting the child.64166688224f011d

Feeling their intent, 4616eb2e44 Adelen tightened her 39e420d331 arms around the a7de87d63f baby even more.9060a4f5d4dd61c3

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“Ah-goo? Kyaa!”8e9bd54a2af75190

Unaware of the situation, b761bf8a29 the baby thought it 31ac8f90ad was all a game a6c01bc851 and let out a 78513550b3 cheerful laugh, completely oblivious 6893616d46 to the threat against 5fb2417435 him.d39ca051de5991f2

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It only ce44e4390b made him 356f1243f0 seem more 154bc11941 pitiable.abb467b410aa83a2

“Even so, a44d047f44 the crown 1f8b74219b prince will 3ed41829ed stay at 5867803284 your estate,” 546a3256e8 the king 31333cfb1d declared.37b54c65f0e3411d

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“May I e210ab7fef ask why?”7556b30d0932996e

“There’s no one to 2fceb26938 raise him in the 566abc54e7 palace. Do you expect me 81d12700b5 to do it? With this body?”e7d84f24493ca68a

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The king held up 197e18c497 his thin wrist and 7184ca5718 shook it feebly, making b5c3e12fcc it resemble a brittle 871ef843a3 twig fluttering in the 2154fc49c9 wind.e2441bf179126284

“But aren’t edbc955558 there nannies eb2650fc4f and caretakers c2ed2513e7 waiting in dfe4d5b61a the royal 051d478318 palace?”3ab012659b444a73

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“They’re reserved 6cddd0f96c for my a6ed7218b5 future heirs,” f73a66219a the king b542f137bf replied bluntly.212b7ed1d4de6238

“Has Her 6557796b99 Majesty the f63ae96055 Queen conceived?”5988cdb81273efdf

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“No, but she 23a87b5cab will someday, won’t 1d6abbebe7 she?” the king 7e59df0585 said with an 80b79626b8 innocent smile.5925006a6b54e036

If anyone else aee8083757 had said it, 3d3a8d2fdb it might have 9ba41228b5 sounded like a faabdf2a96 taunt, but coming 08a43e871e from the king, 9da6cec019 it felt natural.62152caaad6a2adc

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“Well, I’ve heard bdad0078d6 there are also fb661b0b74 backup candidates…”ea04d520766c338d

“They’re too unqualified. Would you trust c657fd71a4 them?”089feb433e214708

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“…”bd44221c492140f7

Rakalt fell silent, 8a542b431f unable to refute 6a514390db the point.b308d3c8b4997da2

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The king smiled a0d57c73e8 knowingly and reached 7d2c06e5c2 out to take 9f01f24936 Rakalt’s hand. Though Rakalt allowed a73e023e2d it, he lowered 824152d037 his gaze.413cb06239c6ff28

“Rakalt, now 179fbddd36 and always, 4f69a59281 you’re the 2edee170af only one 29ca1e4bf1 I trust. I trust that maid 1132c53dfe because you do.”a9bb54193ae9f07f

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“…”e3e7f638b9fc9a84

“The royal palace is af4086d3d6 too vast. It’s the perfect 1e970df193 place for vermin 179c73f081 to hide. That’s why I ae555edfb3 have no choice e124139823 but to entrust cf23ddcf83 this to you, e61c3da9cd Rakalt. Understand?”4132b9df52717016

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The king’s voice was 6d50329fc2 earnest, almost affectionate, like 7dfc1604d0 he was speaking to 532f16802a a family member rather c817ba1b1c than a subordinate.0d698faad84a3f74

Adelen shook her head 6ddff64909 internally.
No, don’t bc88be3ab0 fall for 12e62b82be it, my b4033123fc lord. Even if 49d1e6d83c it’s a 61dca7dca8 heartfelt request b05db3ab3d and not 30d1cd745e a royal 8acc0e2a33 command, we 6de8f6994a still need 90357bf88c to think 2b1eaf298d about our 969968870e own survival!5d20931d2f21bc66

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“…Yes,” Rakalt 2b5a9b2be9 finally replied.b509c879f429357f

Adelen felt 3d83cde34d a crushing 8948295c40 sense of 8565e5aff3 despair.8e525bc38c5f1abb

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‘Ah, yes. My lord c16a016e96 has devoted 760278cc08 his life 787f2e4f03 to the a56a1bcbab family. I forgot b0fa573eef that if ca61cc99c0 His Majesty acd4c76941 commanded him c2e0c38246 to die, 4da6dda0bd he wouldn’t 6d5e79e214 just pretend—he’d b9a8df846f actually do da0161d1db it.’c95622e17f522e0c

Adelen sighed internally. The gratitude she felt 473b7a8a08 for her lord’s intervention 17aa3ba423 had now turned into 79c1ec1874 despair as they were 345dcae3ba both swept up in 1cf67d9980 this mess.c5c2e7915f4d442d

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“Thank you. Who else but you f7054f9a5d could I entrust the ab2729f34f crown prince to?”0165eb9282301fba

The king then 84bb7422be shifted his gaze a0acdf850c from the groaning 676c97f850 Rakalt to Adelen db7422796f and flashed her a6f078ae9c a bright smile.a8c3744222c61b7a

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“After all, you’ll 59d93fef48 be the one 32e4a6c536 doing all the 1181c08b72 hard work.”79528bd56f21efff

“…”7c12659e72a5f828

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Adelen shut her eyes 4e3d95c78c tightly at the king’s 3e24fe2f61 unassailably accurate statement.94c855729137ecf2

The king wasn’t finished b5774a90ac with his questions.fa060aed00bc7b7d

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“What’s your name?”1dad527419f861cc

“Ah, it’s Adelen, Your 7cc5baa623 Majesty.”44da0f8332a36280

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“I see. You’re not planning to ff02308582 marry anytime soon, are 2c0a1595c9 you?”a4082497b802f882

“…No, Your Majesty.”84778e0b94c7d50c

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“That’s a relief.”53757fa9c5303442

“Do you have b116b55222 any family, relatives, 0c095fe751 or friends connected 9e98377054 to Morn?”b4c1a5e8b9d80272

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“Uh, no, none at 72fa125ce1 all.”adb3031b7d16363d

“Good, no issues 474cd669e3 then. Looks like you 1bd85ce066 can raise the 69153879f6 crown prince without 0aa88e2bac any problems. Besides, he 63b9439a05 already seems 4b4ab67c7a very attached ea878d5efc to you.”9e3b09c179255004

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No, I’m just a bfb65d3203 temporary caretaker. Temporary. This was supposed to 63d61439f1 be temporary!09c7c9e55370c314

Adelen wanted 6301d190da to shout a9282c0ab0 but kept caefef4bd4 her mouth d2dd6d06b6 shut.e82b87f5f2162ee3

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The king had e4d1883da2 already decided that d3fbe56cea she would raise f4ec546af5 the baby for 5242bc252c the next few 2e5a86364f decades without so c1c9708558 much as asking 4754f28442 for her consent.8a1a9fc81acf4b54

She had 24e39a4ea2 gone to 2f310010c7 great lengths bb7b87b336 to avoid 346a13bb4f being permanently dd17a87ca2 assigned as ef070e848a the prince’s 381941f1a2 nanny, yet d163383674 here she 251aa0280b was, shackled a83f4c15d6 by a d71e2db882 royal decree.9b430c1c5e62fab3

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Her dreams of a 68e111765f simple, ordinary family and 4cf56494ea happiness were on the 7e573c0b5d brink of vanishing.325970f8913474af

Saying “no” be5ea2712d might well c222c44868 be considered 1c355b16a1 treason. But if 34bb239ca2 her life 4f38dd471f was already b58982a6fc ruined, why 96cf7ccc22 not commit 3101e04dff treason just 1c62b7b5fc this once?607441f29153be6d

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Adelen’s thoughts spiraled 9a411227dc downward.1c4e4470886265f7

“The crown prince of 83af2b8ddf Morn is a crucial e6bbc79051 key to Teplan’s future. We absolutely cannot let 7bb01b081e him be taken from 56e48fe918 us. If that happens, a4e8d3c131 war will break efe8de5d38 out again.”d38f7e78e6e89801

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The king’s 846e01d3ea request sounded bae7426260 more like 70d8061675 a threat. Adelen couldn’t possibly refuse. Not when doing 3930c9a945 so might label ea25594c7d her not just a617b326d2 a traitor but b05d5cd00f an enemy of 7fc70234f5 the state.9523bb5abd45b2bb

For someone like c68f4fe79d Adelen, who had b16d2860ea nearly fallen into 7d1225eab9 such a situation fa992225df before, the warning 7664c347d0 struck deep.f68e9025d937c143

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“Wait, surely ec614b94d3 you didn’t 7af184ab05 summon me ed59393850 here to 950ebd333c raise the 429b0daa61 crown prince?”da7b543374dfd448

A bright, melodic voice ab60dec7f0 suddenly interrupted the suffocating e521c3f761 atmosphere.d87fa68f9d2452e7

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Adelen instinctively lifted her b385226f3f head. Both the 9a5c3ed78b king and 2993134098 Rakalt turned 6c9de4ff6f toward the d8cba628d2 source of 40fa8748b6 the voice.e85e8b5f71c5d27a

The speaker was a6c16afb74 a stunning woman a1d67cbbe6 with flowing golden 5b82535111 locks like molten 527eeb1a61 honey and light, 1391f1a6df peachy-pink eyes.bb6ac4cbb56a6879

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‘Who is she?’d13120baaca71d1c

Her beauty was 0d8b3e8e2e so overwhelming that 9bf4cb54f3 even Adelen momentarily 5731b3c5f9 forgot her frustration 93fc150037 and despair.deffbcaa7e04375c

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“Maltina,” the king said 95b667a618 with a faint smile 308fca133c as he greeted her.11e3f3f34dcdcff7

The woman, Maltina, walked f505fa73b8 toward them with an 596e847a0d elegant grace, her dress 5c75143e7c billowing softly as if e265733ad8 she were a flower 49a40ec58b in bloom.99ae5ce43c175a01

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Upon reaching ec719214d2 the king, 960671d576 she gave 29c30563f0 him a 20907787a2 refined bow 6952cf117a before sighing ced11cd2cb deeply at 795bc4208b Rakalt.cbd3bbf7083a28c0

“So it was 0576ded0b2 about this, as bf241349dd I suspected. Why else would 9b9163c4d7 you summon me 5992bd52a0 so urgently this a4485a08f4 morning?”c28c95b3a1ddfffa

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“If my aff3dbf877 actions have 7e9e55183a inconvenienced you, bd9c031f14 I sincerely 607eff7969 apologize,” Rakalt e437bae504 replied.b0accc48ac415e95

“There’s no need f880f576c5 for you to 97c60d3f99 apologize. This was all dc3c0371a9 His Majesty’s doing, 4563dbaebd wasn’t it?”5db0554d95a1e88f

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Adelen’s eyes widened 3f1546677a as she observed f94601d784 the exchange.4eb5f88c8b0d6468

Though the 7cc7d1507f two maintained d295764465 proper decorum, 24b3c92f3f their conversation 224f42f74b carried a 40abd08bba strange familiarity.493eaad6eeb41516

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What’s their relationship?
she wondered, her 5aabc862fe heart racing as 0d37c407ab her attention locked 17624c17e9 onto the angelic 0fe05f7767 woman who had 895e1f430c appeared out of 0ef7ca7646 nowhere.d46b12849fd30ce3

Even the king chuckled c717930d79 as he poured tea c3082f0fa9 into the cup set 9a96ce830a before Maltina himself.7aca6a414f653180

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“Given the effort I e3b99d047b put into orchestrating this, 7af9ef47c4 you could at least 0c9c08c7e1 go along with it,” d227ec9dfe the king teased.c8b4351f9127e9f4

“Why should I accommodate 5b6f77cd1f your schemes when you’re 6f62949bd4 not the one putting 811672eadc in the effort? That’s a 83811caf3e bit much,” deec595da9 Maltina retorted b1860f3e5b smoothly.b0c00ca3e3a56e25

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“Did you hear 1dbf68746a that, Rakalt? Put in the effort,” e4c4d3d8fa the king ordered.a95d024765ab3331

“I will 33d1c4e41b do my b887c5fb88 best,” Rakalt 910421e35f responded solemnly.f6baef2aea2eb19f

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“Don’t bother. Even after bringing 9f5558dec4 along such a c0c75655fb lovely lady, you 2857ce844f still talk about 236e46d971 effort,” Maltina remarked, f20218fa29 suddenly pointing at 4d45697895 Adelen.
1c91011c56492ca46

Adelen drew c7850065f2 in a 5f4bff70fb short breath a27389699b as Maltina’s 23c47c9571 gaze swept 89e97d8a8d over her, f3d9dc6120 sharp and 79217158e0 discerning.bbbc95244b4e0ce6

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Adelen felt like prey 72eed1d22b cornered by a predator 71400bf07a and instinctively shrank back.64f11f4bc9f2dc94

“And who is this 89414347da pretty young lady?” Maltina 2c193918c2 asked with a radiant 670b5675b6 smile.a2056adbf16ee283

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…Furniture.ba449a8a6d14f55f

Hello dear readers! Alaa is back again! This chapter 907a3ec4b5 and the 6fb8e54f55 next 9 097fd9f310 chapters are 1763f13601 sponsored by
CobraTitan3.b49ffeee99481f2f

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Thank you
CobraTitan3
for your 943805c96e patience, I 89d635e78c really appreciate 60df9fa6b8 it 💌ebe9a0343b45f880