MHD | Chapter 1.3

As lunchtime approached, I 202e5b7f2f took a break with 04eb14186f snacks prepared by the 2f575375d2 castle. The distant chirping 95e5d0ab41 of birds and 89bd041fff the rustling leaves 41fa3c10fc in the wind ba18cfa88c soothed my mind.f104fb4a310f1410

In the 9f1cce48ef afternoon, I 86bb85b760 crafted floral 3788380827 decorations for 2b01552d45 the festival. I wove fresh 40a8b64868 flowers into garlands 07010819e8 and carefully tied f0df6e2b1b small bouquets.f4679494010b4d8c

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As the sun 6719b638dd set, I made 4539e7a75e a final check 8cba7ae4ea of the Eléora 0833a691de Conservatory.c12deec1b9978691

The mysterious flowers, set 9e9187180b to be the festival’s f462239a42 highlight, weren’t fully bloomed 74e05fe62f yet, but they were 638414a9cb ready to soon display fb4d315874 their vibrant beauty.125ed6917e952b9d

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Lost in 6613eade0b such thoughts, 31be1c0745 I heard 20ec2e0a2e bustling movements 1c127d41fb from the 6b3009212a garden. Curious, I cautiously 743c0094d7 made my way 89f8457663 to the castle’s b6ed0bde58 central garden.10f9ae46b0e95fc4

Hiding behind a rose e6299cedcf bush, I saw Derek aec80cec11 moving among the servants 957e069d61 and artisans, meticulously overseeing 9f4c1836ec the festival preparations.4a7f51f9b2d5dab5

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“Raise that arch a bit higher. And the flowers around the fountain… how about replacing them with more vibrant varieties?”8742d1c5b11ffbcc

His decisive gestures, b55ec737e1 sharp and precise 87025b7558 gaze, and occasional bd521e2081 smiles captivated my cfd6d5bbea attention. I couldn’t a3c947824e take my 444bfd50db eyes off 96fc05b6bc him for 5a42156129 a moment.b06f84a7a1a3b7d4

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Then suddenly, Derek 6a22b60225 turned his head 8058c9221f in my direction. I quickly hid, 2f4845508f but it seemed 4bcc6b83c8 too late as 1d7bd4e87d he approached me.bc0257524e459cec

“Noah, you were 812193793d here.”166782d45f288bb0

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I answered, flustered.19c71e08517143cd

“Yes.”f354f3b38c985f7e

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Derek tilted his 09ee150123 head slightly and bc88674f46 asked.659b5a6daa3ff28b

“Are the festival 674e886cfb preparations going smoothly?”bd75e6719a7dd01b

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I nodded cautiously. It was 9b9ed498ac a simple 0227b97438 question, but cbbe089d85 my heart f01b55873e raced. The unexpected emotion e2639dda98 of him showing 4d8b303289 interest in my 40d3665d3c work overwhelmed me. It was 52744d4529 just a 081df58a11 trivial conversation, 5fd406572c yet it 04648d0263 made me eb587fa5eb inexplicably excited.2112395aa6119a14

“It seems 7c2e0760de almost done. The garden is finished, 9b176d25ea and the kitchen is 0faeeedaa9 thoroughly preparing, so let aae2bb973b me know if anything 459871dfa6 is lacking.”b5a8906566ef610f

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I hoped for a 563f7329e2 warm response, but Derek’s f519a0e4c1 expression didn’t change.9eec8cc026b595a1

“This event 12688eb93a is a 802688d215 significant occasion 827fd1b71d for the 02f871f07c family’s honor. Please ensure thorough 667353d316 preparations without mistakes.”6b6bf383ebfbc67f

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His voice c70158e823 was firm, 3b3d0490f6 without warm 19348607c8 encouragement or d9ac097b2f praise. His cold response quickly 8ca0167c31 brought me back to 9b5ea631bc reality. I swallowed a 826b240b1f bitter smile and 4e69418b64 spoke with difficulty.9f845e5d339f69a6

“Don’t worry. The festival 19639e85ed will proceed 647cbefe37 perfectly.”4a1233a205b9e295

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As Derek f13d09c0ac nodded and b4eef9baab was about d8405669fd to turn 99c9a0b7af away, light efe59e7b4a footsteps approached. Looking back, I 716eeca581 saw a servant dc43bba789 running towards us, 8d9128f14e panting.b8607de42b7b8f3b

“There’s trouble!”26a33bc971ea505d

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“What’s the matter?”ca916417a9b27a5e

Derek asked 9ddeec954c in a a3e3ffdc3a low voice. The servant caught 1ab2177c4d his breath and cf41b74973 spoke.53b4e498ff37f2ed

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“The Eléora flowers… they’re wilting!”e6abdd5a94a86b20

I was struck by cb4f6ccf92 shock, unable to speak 8602404543 for a moment. We hurried e77777b309 to the 13684693b5 conservatory. As our steps quickened, 3f6ae9050b my heart tightened. Upon reaching the ecac04413a conservatory, I saw 28b18bf902 the Eléora flowers, df1b172f6b usually boasting vibrant 11feeb25f0 lavender hues, wilting.f47504fa8fcfcd9d

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The petals a5db54bbaf had turned 9620c1b5da brown, and c4ec7a65fd the stems e4fa5f581b drooped lifelessly. I began to thoroughly ef42161bb6 inspect the conservatory to a2bc093663 find out what was 3d6b01621f wrong.d9bd07316ced2717

♣ • 9cfb64e0ee ♣ • b9f8980ff2 ♣8b3ebe99b246dd82

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As the festival c862a041e8 date approached, the 789c4d52d3 condition of the 94b1ab141c Eléora flowers worsened. The brilliant lavender 99ca46fe3d that once filled e393ab4821 the conservatory was 213285054c nowhere to be c64571c7bc found, and the 7241e36ad1 petals withered, turning 3665c31a12 brown.864db696ca6dc50b

Derek called a60cb9a55b in every 461e3bad82 expert possible 035eed3654 and tried ab6c7ac9a5 various treatments, fec041bbe1 but nothing 3da85ac201 worked. Watching his 6377ff651f worried face ab3998d998 every day, eeb35ffcf7 I also 6e3260026e tried to e6886a5bd4 find a 3fac029ce6 way to 24ba923c2b help him. The only thing I 71d6926699 thought I could do 28a4621bb2 was take out my 99c7096b31 mother’s heirloom, an old d7a38e325f herbal notebook.6d74ad0173c7dc7f

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The notebook was filled d3ce634863 with aged pages bearing b1414ae2c9 the marks of time, 8acb1239c6 densely inscribed with the c3ccd2e1f9 names and characteristics of fd9d999c98 herbs, and information about c36b457349 their habitats, all meticulously 4596dfe4a5 recorded by my mother.04db51a347dc02cb

Turning the pages one d0748774c0 by one, I began 65997e7e18 searching for clues to f10c0c39e6 save the Eléora. Finally, I discovered 69a08cc04e a method. It was noted that 9d85cec92e a rare herb called‘Luminestera’was the c22fa76a77 only remedy db196e8505 that could f5f6e0a093 cure the c322d8c63d Eléora’s ailment.34b06873321c1c16

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I immediately 5f9e34ebf7 went to 1e499de2b0 find Derek.1c08b2f6eabea604

The study was cluttered 7bf8f1b71c with festival preparations, and 401b9d7c6c Derek was buried in 52f8cbad81 the piles of documents 5ddec2ec13 and reports on his 99675e4c52 desk. His face showed signs 307a40873e of fatigue and tension.941c770d05a54c20

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He was clearly exhausted.fcdcfd895ab9803f

When I 5e2068247c entered, Derek b4211c7ed8 briefly looked 80cee9df7f up at 8dc477a588 me but d208ad8184 soon turned f72003bb2a his gaze e0b20db7a2 back to 2bd582713d the documents. I steadied myself and 261f729ee0 approached him.3d3806d296b063b2

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“Derek, I found a 3b125635e7 way to save the ff424329e1 Eléora.”6b2bb6b5b4cecf02

Taking a deep 5b4eb517c1 breath, I began c4195b9138 explaining what I 3e74c6507c had discovered.0686ce0eb1b160cd

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“According to my mother’s 388581f1ab notebook, we need a ed3cc28a3e rare herb called‘Luminestera.’It only 79c823ea35 grows in e5badeaea1 a specific b43f92e04e valley outside 54b5c31d37 the castle, b1ddb33a03 so we 303be2f8ba have to c4a0af8605 find it f6ead015a8 ourselves.”a31dc5a105c41df1

Derek listened quietly to 499c98bdcb my words. His expression remained impassive, 472e651e0e but I could sense bdaa98b1ef through his eyes that 0fc1a58b7b my words were reaching a41266c455 him. However, when a4d449374b Derek finally 9bbba2106b spoke, his 51a3620298 words shattered 65a7460759 my expectations.d0f1b6144e720a6b

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“So, you’re saying we 11cb6c1b02 should find a rare 4fadf0b93f herb that only grows e7271f985a in a specific valley. Do you have any f9955af0bb solid evidence to support 74b6c48521 this claim?”e568879018720f54

His cold demeanor f19338f074 momentarily chilled my 0c48e17666 heart, but I 906d71dd6c couldn’t give up.db7f7ead116ba3c7

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“If I wasn’t sure, bcfebd6428 I wouldn’t have mentioned ff7a4b8f76 it, Derek.”0da82f478c97fbb0

I spoke firmly.7ae61e3b6c2d6b3e

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“If I go there f886213b44 and retrieve the Luminestera, 7f86566318 the Eléora will surely 9e913a159f revive.”0931062b5a990659

Derek still looked e72e108ea4 at me with 8e40901fd5 an expressionless face. His gaze was sharp, 7b079df48a filled with doubt.087361283662da62

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“Are you confident you a69a837800 can find the herb 001753c533 and return safely? Do you 0bd137c0b6 truly understand 854c254e8b how dangerous fc35c6176f that forest 640ea02b11 is?”c6b80cf61a8202a8

I lifted my 853712492a head, meeting his 3a643387be cold question head-on.090526b4834cffb5

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“Even if f74393f301 the forest 28b9c90465 is dangerous, 7b3b8b704f it’s worth 67cada8c52 the risk. The Eléora isn’t bea16422d4 just any flower. It’s the 37e1111647 symbol of a5d33f396d the festival 0b684f0c9f and the 3d7b324e58 hope of 7f7092ae10 spring that d8a1e346cb everyone awaits. And knowing how important cb47303c61 this festival is to 3a914cb1b4 you, I won’t give b793d3d88e up.”36176dfb1aaed5e2

Derek looked at me 2cb40d619b for a while. His eyes still held f0f27941ef doubt, but it seemed e796f4e27c my words were stirring 7573ccc960 something within him. After a ad4e7ffd67 moment, he 74a91afb41 slowly spoke.6a6dce3ab4d91418

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“If you fail 051b3b9d34 in this endeavor, 1eb6177432 it won’t end 56f4ddd128 lightly. The repercussions will 6adce1f9d3 immediately affect the b192105b83 entire family. Please don’t forget a42b7b4c4f that.”d6bfc6182f8e1b13

Something hot 9da572d394 boiled inside 580c882ac0 me. I was filled with d00a8c9e40 disappointment and resentment at 31c4487260 Derek’s inability to fully 2cf1586694 trust me. However, I suppressed 6bf68ab6f2 those feelings and c8223d92a3 spoke.97c671163e0e6f67

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“You’re underestimating 4eea69b875 me, Derek. Do I b457549da0 seem like bf2ff153fb someone who 19aa6fb342 would waste 43a7c5a209 time?”f92c478e8e950858

Hearing my words, Derek’s a7d93637c3 brow furrowed deeply. A tense silence followed, d54b703328 and we silently stared ccc909d207 at each other. I hoped he would fbf07e23d5 recognize the sincerity of 74c57d7b19 my determination as I 7847d2b086 looked straight into his d0ca9fc6bc eyes.f3ef4e7215a36aab

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“Very well. Do as you 02651d77c5 wish.” Derek finally 7d7476be51 spoke. His voice was still 2b944ee513 cold, but I could 1b157058d1 sense he had somewhat 44c1fc9f4d accepted my resolve.1a16658fe7fb3204

“However, I can’t 372ee4ac61 let you go 1d8284f19f alone. This matter 42c10f3e74 was initially c85bfda7d5 my responsibility. So, I will see 21f895612e it through to the bb361f7f6a end myself.”c49d6386e2935bcc

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♣ • 6c8169f89c ♣ • 5450f301ab ♣1769f922b56e1bc4

The forest was deep 0da6b0dbfd and dark. Trees soared 5c58a2df93 high into 0c14a20d4c the sky, 6a6a37c791 intertwining menacingly, 4de231fb56 and the fc4ac2ec21 darkness surrounded afedf580af me as 4dec5667de if to cdf55bf22d swallow me 523d657bed whole. Even though I had 54a642aa6f come this far, I b6070f4add couldn’t be sure if 6ac5537bc1 Luminestera truly existed here.655d07aaea6e2176

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As I walked 529f46cb9e along the forest 94cd566536 path, I kept 40f26fd312 my eyes on 10ca9d8e78 Derek’s back. His back seemed cold 5a1162ea32 and resolute, as if 9e66883468 trying to maintain distance d7e420c43a from me. Derek paused for e88c6dcc81 a moment, then e416d59807 turned to look 82ea794526 at me.1471d12c20046d38

“It would be best 17f7a50e90 if we split up 75ce572a26 and search in different de1cdc5c77 directions from here.”e28ba65a7d56c841

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I hesitated for a 59ad4ed409 moment, but given the 2cea917258 urgency of the situation, 3a4876aac3 I had to acknowledge cccc071ce8 that he was right.6fa1845c72a08001

“Alright. I’ll head left.”088eb01a9dd2675b

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Derek looked at me 9c1fe4f4a2 briefly before resuming his b29ecf8ae1 steps into the forest. As his figure 5971a3fa23 completely blended into 73b2ed04c6 the darkness, I c7cfee4547 let out a 0d3900a42f short sigh and ec4f66d43f turned in the ac3381c7c8 opposite direction.852933cbab50907f

The surroundings were 8a915944a5 silent. Only the scent of d0cf4d9d9e soil at my feet f602751423 and the sound of 9e1e03c127 leaves rustling in the ebb7329e88 wind broke the stillness. Luminestera was said d22b4764ee to grow only 5d58ecf96b in the deep 1cc5a59e10 parts of the 8413cee438 forest, near a 4c3cec5b48 small valley.ea09fde394984c96

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If I couldn’t find 4ee0a1ad30 the herb, the Eléora 71f8215cfe flowers would wither, and bf3fee29f8 the spring festival would 7762e0450c be ruined. I knew how 5c8a7d5df0 important a task 9c1d56103d Derek had entrusted fc884798e0 to me. To not 137f751878 disappoint his 714f82bfd2 expectations, I 0c4e368ae5 had to 0b788ebfd3 desperately search 15ccf7f4ba for the 126f504d84 herb.352cd6f9e0168002

As the c2d160b591 forest deepened, f5123662d7 anxiety slowly 480282dd3a rose within 9e6f6054c3 me. I scoured b53c9f29fa every corner, 2dae23d592 searching for 8aa064e75f the faint 322d2e3e43 glow of 4c54726fc7 Luminestera, but 1ca453993e no matter f6b91533bd how hard c67e8b4805 I looked, 1f95804fca there was cb78ce76a2 no trace d135771df8 of it.95da84dec11ed1d6

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Pushing through 9c096b3b2c branches and 347c1b8487 bushes, I f05f2f29fc suddenly found ae2744ae9f myself surrounded 879b30f292 by a 604f791f5f swarm of fa14963ac6 small insects. At first, I ec24367a41 dismissed it, but d365713da3 realizing they were f8c3754721 venomous, fear gripped 21ec1f57f3 my entire body.2449da6772bb3af6

“Aah!”ba66bfe4c92a8636

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As I hurriedly moved, 01eba14e44 a stone rolled underfoot, 0a6245b31f causing me to lose 91decd2cc8 balance. Sliding down a57a9fef65 a steep 38a8978396 slope, I a3818b1f97 tried to 7aed6d0a0d grab onto d215f19ff5 a tree, 781b78ce40 but my 2105b52d0e hand sliced c159cd3b1f through the b34c99fb21 air. I tumbled to 2b1df4eaf0 the ground, my 63d4b47546 body hitting various 1acab42dc5 spots.9639231af2cdd1ec

A burning pain shot e18c99bac3 through my ankle. It wasn’t 1442bdbf4c broken, but fc77baa94d it seemed cc9efe30f5 severely sprained. I tried f3f59d8b4c to stand, bff9cc3303 but my 6bdf8690e8 ankle couldn’t df06cd3de8 support me, 8f1e63e52f and I bf434f66fc fell back 488e941b4e down. As pain b710e651cd blurred my 0ef8cc0555 vision, anxiety a46cff2830 overwhelmed me.1e66832ad6b7b46e

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But I couldn’t let 92fb206e00 Derek down. I desperately wanted to 5cd695b9f1 find the herb and 225ab5beca successfully complete the task. I took out the 7b8d1f9c66 notebook to check one 8cb181a2de last time where the b666c381be herb might be.976853818d253451

The thought 6dee083e72 crossed my f8b7237a9a mind that ce56f758fe there might 6f1018a896 be a 3e95aec50b chance near fd280adb52 the valley. I steadied my breath ce2d3d593d and resolved to go, 2e8d352369 no matter how difficult. I couldn’t stop, even cb6e233767 with the pain in 655ab6cde2 my ankle. Slowly, I got 0a09eeb802 up. The pain f9e3011069 was intense, 964edaf86d but I 6e259983cd continued to d719b7734b move forward.7bb6d0e45ecda427

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Limping towards the valley, af1d1bd868 I heard the sound 6c4bd6fe1e of flowing water in 49f050b50b the distance. The valley 69accb122b was getting 72d0827661 closer. I felt d3f5d68307 certain that aa58a041c6 Luminestera would 4ecccaa65c be nearby.df0f589114942baf

I wanted 52913c5952 to give ce20e23904 up several 02d7d0cb71 times, but 586cad6b79 I couldn’t. The notebook clutched 3b117be5e1 in my hand d7fc0c357a felt like my 2f78764b7d mother’s touch, holding e647aea366 me steady. Finally, I discovered 3d833ac44a the faintly glowing b8a340e66e Luminestera near the 75c5721044 valley. The herb 9837857643 quietly grew 85d67435ee between the 2576b2d3d5 rocks, holding 3c79ac8045 small petals.9cf959258fe9e13e

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But at that d77e770c2f moment, my body 9170fcddbe could no longer 3306b0ba77 hold on and c0bf9a3723 collapsed. Intense pain f9e990ee75 and fatigue 5bc06ca8a7 washed over ebd543ffe6 me all c64005f254 at once, c22144b7c5 and the a1e5420ad4 pain in 2d614db9db my ankle 49b43e8b12 was so b4d8ffcebd severe that ff4be9bf48 I lost a5926400c7 feeling.4baaf78e28536c5b

I felt like I e1b67fd168 couldn’t do anything in 193db4ab4c this state. But I a4bc6a74f1 couldn’t fall 1eeeaaf0fd here. Gathering my remaining strength, 0eeb2ff401 I reached out to efd4ee5682 pick the herb.b19273d4672be4da

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Just then, my a8994d46d7 vision blurred, and 5e2ea6c8f3 my mind went b8ee927c05 blank. I tried ec2962a437 to take 008821e9c4 a deep 01ad262788 breath, but 2ff56c4c3b the air adba24a0c6 wouldn’t come 077a7eb42d in properly. As my body slowly 1289a5a951 stiffened, I eventually lost 24a4a70e6f consciousness and fell to ca77fc32f7 the ground.c7c3a5fdcbd91f4e

When I opened my ecde2c63be eyes again, I was d6ef2e62b6 in Derek’s arms. He was ebb1d500fb silently looking c32175c099 down at 9c386b048b me. Barely able to f3e5707eaa open my eyes, fd5f9e19ee I looked up 11b6af4411 at him through 02a55c29b7 my blurred vision. Derek carefully 79fe6309a0 lifted me, 8ee6b2c912 letting out 67af99dc3a a deep f3c1ff2029 sigh, and 02b4e02476 spoke in cc41165ac8 a stern 2d2a98d680 voice.54c0e47865d2f392

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“Noah. Why did you do af17bf25be something so reckless?”0acea553af5a8dba

Derek’s voice was e7fad92dec cold and firm, 8394e4c2e9 but it wasn’t 476bae396d just anger. There were complex 559fac922c emotions intertwined within 4fddcbe8db it. It wasn’t 3ef7bd65e7 direct anger e7eec326bd towards me, 79e1abc534 but something 2e889d5a82 deeper. I managed a c59b2b38e6 painful smile, struggling 017403be12 to compose my 64d487cb3c aching body.e5a4d9a18e807cee

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“I found the herb. Now you won’t 2a8a2dcdd3 have any more 03fdc8fa4b trouble.”fc4e261debb71253

My voice trembled, and d45cf0a3e0 Derek’s expression hardened further. He looked at me c326962b61 for a moment before 60466baeb9 turning his head away.05427ebe1247d3ad

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