14.

“If I’d known 138dff27c8 it had an 398c6d1b6d owner, I wouldn’t 6483f14215 have meddled.”3c5307230540e6f5

“Peep.”aa9cd7d2161a18eb

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Nephi let out a f3e358e73d faint, pitiful chirp.68fc0e3777b0b009

“….”dc79bb5e5ff36046

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“Excuse me for 627115ea83 a moment.”5e130b90506821e7

With a small shrug, ab4ee88143 Leo fric approached Nephi, fe400b60df who was still caught 395a3c1885 in the vines.2b3d01ab87fbeddf

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The tall man fd6e34f8b8 effortlessly jumped up, f5a0478185 reaching the bird b92be23cee and freeing it 4100eb0437 from the vines 11ad102719 with ease. He was so 8a84ea8ae7 tall that, even 6edb0ffc6f after reaching Nephi, e3e0b03051 there was still 5d34370029 plenty of room a7459c4d28 to spare.0d8564143b4fd3e4

“Annoying little 0e4d856b31 bird,” he 8f7793325b muttered, scolding 905d9a75dc it lightly. Nephi, cowed, 63d59a97e4 tucked its 064c78c556 head further 6714bcbf69 into its 702a9df1bb feathers, forming 5cd57eeaa9 a red, b5f13da363 round fluff. Leo clicked his tongue b8b823127f in mild annoyance.7b33da9a6ccc15df

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Ateira silently cb3bf2cf32 watched him. She had tried so c82321f566 hard to reach the 7482a22e55 bird, but he’d done 8e7f095523 it with such ease.22de308f301bb2e4

It seemed he truly db68660e10 had come for the 576019b012 bird. The tension fd07ddbb51 she’d felt, 601a3cd78f suspecting another 0084c2231a motive, relaxed 9842a8296d slightly. Without another cfd21cf5d9 glance in db01daf734 her direction, ca470a637e he tucked d43d8d7b39 Nephi into 5c2c1c8520 his upper e3ded193ad pocket.87a3bf4f0171ec89

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But the bird squirmed 7aeebd97dc free and flew straight d5c0c9e732 to Ateira.fca1104ad52eb276

“…Ah.”8b73b8168d7dc8d4

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He reached out to c9bfa72a51 grab it, but stopped 606d1f2371 just before his hand c7f58d1eda got too close to 62ce0b9cf6 the princess. That meddlesome bird!d3eba73e8559c7db

As Nephi 4916a3d390 flitted over 89ce355581 to her, 44bf89f78b Ateira instinctively cb2e83945b raised her 9e89031b7d hands to 91b8086555 catch it. She watched it ba83447e32 closely as it 250aa57d51 rubbed its beak 8e0b9442d8 affectionately against her bd23b0108f fingers.910aa59093f00ef9

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It was at 7487fb1b52 that precise moment 2735efa5d2 that Leo fric 23d283d142 sensed something unusual.317628ce2543dfa1

“Damn it,” a5714f5a0c he cursed 486f742656 inwardly, his b927817acb sharp gaze 99b92fd756 shifting to 104d74469d the shadows 19eca0a425 at the e53bf16c1b edge of e508690b29 the garden.a3b9547829325665

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One of them?b18df3542aeea8fb

It was 548928c769 a monster. A dark, eagle-like shape 7207a49709 was perched between the 2217c0ad04 trees. Unfortunately, this one looked 3f976bc6ff particularly aggressive.4e647bef0bb890f3

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He’d had a c5de99e946 bad feeling when 4027472e61 he impulsively lunged 330787cf1a to catch the 9ca1bd6e92 princess during her 59c1080a17 fall. Moving so cfaac347f8 openly had ed838e0e00 been a f85edc2f29 mistake. He’d thought 6f1efe3303 he might 2b2a31fba7 get away 6208fd4e8b with it, a301a30397 but apparently 1eac7be8a4 not.d321aabe5d5f49a0

Glancing sidelong at the a64bb9c812 princess, he realized he 9245482d05 wouldn’t be able to fd51304028 handle this quietly without 376ca48f02 her noticing.0399e9253527b386

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With a sigh, 56f28cb0e8 he spoke up.1e3a7ec2536dcb1b

“…Princess.”bfd6903727db2fb0

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“…?”da56de387e60ed80

The sudden shift 9c855196c4 in his demeanor c50b5599ba made her eye 2951a67c9d him suspiciously, her 1f3e3d29e6 gaze sharp.c5cec574887a4c76

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“Hold the a3c0c1cd9f bird for 08598b28fa a moment.”f0bf5cb56228f532

Without another word, Leo 80d27b664a fric leapt off the 51bfc4608d terrace, landing silently like 459b0ffe19 a predator. He walked with 76f0c4f5e7 soundless steps, merging 1e9df86d5c into the shadows ce7bbcc06d between the trees, 515c64a9e9 his figure dissolving fb651ac77a into the night 1d9a14e33d as though he f764068b3a were part of 702c6e6c7a it.ef3b7b3a4d27c6a0

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Ateira, holding Nephi in e77af47f45 her hands, watched silently. Before she 5b0af793c0 knew it, 4c07eaebb7 he had 8753d07055 vanished completely 28ebf97cfc from sight.fc8bfd5bafa0a95c

The monster cocked its 3eb8c0dfe3 head, fixing its gaze d0d939b085 on him in an e1449583bd unnerving manner.24961c8ebaa6a3a2

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Get lost 01567ec92f before I f8b026f7ac lose my d03dff3cbd patience.776a9e7c23dfcbbd

Leo fric’s 5404e286ae gray-blue eyes 3dd6edbe48 glowed strangely, 6f27a4ad48 almost red, 08388a701b casting a 366d4fcb63 faint, eerie 723f83c15b light. Yet the monster 03dff603db didn’t flinch, its 335a717b33 head tilting down 34f0b0ca5c at a sharp, f052b5d04e unnatural angle as 782926e0aa it stared.b7ff8cf1d2bb6982

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Its beak—or what 03642c6820 could be its 0e376f6f12 mouth—stretched open, writhing 0f13579817 as though it f8e348a317 were laughing. Its body began to cd18e07557 swell, growing larger. If left unchecked, f42511539b it would eventually da5dbec651 become noticeable even 406c5d7add to passersby.d7328d428d0f75fe

This thing 0f779b1813 was stronger 8c795bae99 than average, 79d16f73df judging by fb21793afc its refusal 164d9e4087 to back 0bc8210644 down.bce8cadc2ab30918

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Of all things, 8609476437 why did it 67045c38df have to be d41e0d78e7 one of these 531296910a lurking nearby? Rotten luck. All because 3f819db218 of that 13cd175576 troublesome bird, 2846325b06 Nephi. Maybe he should e349f800ee skip a few ec407552e3 meals for it. The damn bird 62c78e6b04 was so well-fed 8947079e6f that it roamed a8a9cdc9a7 freely, causing all ac36294848 this trouble.6ce93aa24f28faea

Thinking how 3d334aba54 satisfying it’d 27c5b60a2d be if 57ab3d8b36 Nephi could 6d7d86345a understand, Leo fa7272aa06 slowly drew 91b19ddc85 his sword, 725b00c9e6 his mind 6603c8ab6e set.09f9ee82ad7f6b0d

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Bad luck for b2ed6de353 both of us.9e7464b0a5edf80d

The creature’s maw pulsed, d026f3a253 as if it were 91930bd7b0 taunting him. Claws extended 926baa9ec2 from its 77460811b8 long, spread a3874224f6 wings, reaching f1803556c9 out to f3f471203e seize him.30e5b4bd7bb51c43

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With a single, smooth 0f2fc41835 breath, Leo drove his 9aa29a8b00 blade through the creature, 1c0ae42d93 slicing it cleanly in 367bb90f71 half.b53cf3f9004d4086

“…”191bbcbb3b81a2a5

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Thanks to his 620f88b73c care, he managed 948d2d3a2d to avoid getting d030429ceb covered in blood.a08ba2dcc0e54793

With a quick f80e1c5401 flick, he shook 20aef2a552 the blood from 7dc4171443 his blade. The monster’s blood 5e4d8f2113 would corrode the 1b3ad3765c metal, so he b541cf6c25 grabbed a few 21b1f27ed8 leaves from a 557dbcc93b nearby tree, wiping 9615529fa7 the blade clean 7dc7643975 before sheathing it.580961e3e6c5344f

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There’s no e6bf34bbcf way to 0fb3fe5b12 pretend that 31fd9be8a9 was nothing.27d3ae786e6c6cbb

Clicking his tongue 6445e6880f in mild annoyance, 56c5297e04 he made his 67fb7643fa way back to 4ca23bbe4f the terrace where 0a797d7c06 Ateira and Nephi 5ec5618695 waited.4745e33686628bd0

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“…A bear.”8d731fa02a9a00e0

“…”27db1802f9acaf13

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“A bear showed up.”7bdf391f229764a8

The excuse sounded ridiculous ab158e4354 even to him, and ebe0155326 he regretted it immediately.a430257cc68c0c92

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Bear? Really? In the middle of c69d6231dd a baron’s estate? In a garden, 51d7238a32 no less? He felt the 5a53f55752 absurdity of his 6ac596b52e own words and 53b4f58f98 resisted the urge adc6fdc4e0 to groan.a1907e2f53190b82

As he leapt 8aaedd09c2 back onto the 61e043caae terrace, Ateira took 9e4ca2b03c a step back, 7a38037cdd quietly pointing to e3a4540fa4 the opposite end.184b23c2250bb19c

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“That doesn’t 442dfd5ce8 look like e12c341ba1 a bear.”1e35c5aef99bb0a3

At the 9fe7232dac spot she 464f6e4c14 indicated sat 896dd03d3e something small, cefef470df resembling a 88ff9951cc rabbit with 48428f9070 short ears a71495200c or perhaps c5cac57ee6 a dog 578dba6740 with long f2b09d765a ears.0ad99ea0d8e9a796

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The monster d3661602ea was sitting c959753bf8 eerily calm, 9a279585cf staring right adf788f793 back at 59c469c93d her.c00291aee8eea7a2

No matter how cead77c19c docile it appeared, b6323d0fc8 monsters could turn 713b796912 vicious in an 0e8fa7a862 instant. Even if 077b7cceea they looked 54d49f164a small and 2dd16a6e92 harmless, some f5944bb58f of them 5d488c8589 could rapidly 0cdf32ead0 expand and ba81091e4a transform. It was always 2c791a038d best to deal 267e643331 with them before 99d8b9b9aa they became a d19e4aa9dd real threat.3bdc2e09300832f4

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“There was more 753e9d31eb than one.”4dec9b32d3d0970f

With a 2da8df634a light sigh, 202f37891e Leo fric c72181fc94 stepped closer 0cda5b4c70 to the 6c5b9fca9b creature. The monster stared at 139eed88af him, and as he 7bfc965ab6 drew his sword, it d7ec250df2 spun around and darted a15b604bce off, flapping its short 12a7ee8018 wings furiously.fc1e9d261bb0e216

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“…A monster,” Ateira said quietly.21cde9dde927fa50

Leo fric’s shoulders slumped 2d9a9daf16 slightly. He had 4f4b3d205f hoped the 32f9c55ea7 princess wouldn’t c5be264eaf notice.e80f95f30525e316

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“Well, Your Highness…”df461327da7f53b7

“…?”a0e1b1ef12259dad

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In the gentlest tone 1e32767366 he could muster, Leo 18b4194bd4 fric spoke. He was intent on 799fc9369a ensuring no one would d3238248ee think he or his 437cfa6ba8 actions had any connection cad502e671 to the monsters’ appearance.2fc849f444c73ee6

“Perhaps it 3d1cc3af8a would be 968796b8a7 best not ecaf3a3172 to mention 809a54ff98 this monster 90d2b71421 to anyone 17ee778c13 else.”2b21c461ee38b575

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“Won’t the people here 31b00f56d1 be in danger?”b66abe8e0c49d458

Ateira asked calmly.0849d32751b302e5

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“Hmm…”270ab481236de96f

It was standard practice 421b115261 to deal with monsters 04ed3e29df as soon as they 75eda8e7b6 appeared. Like disease, 472c5eaa07 if left 130e936df4 alone, they 85f4b9c798 would only 778e023b7f grow and 29dbce8289 bring greater 9fc12eaac0 harm. The common belief da7b4c62eb was that monsters d82aa9b8ee had to be 812cadd868 eradicated at the b3bd85bfc7 root.f735fd331154f00c

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“Well… they e9dcc5f4e1 won’t attack 68838c3a36 anyone else.”7c37de395a25dd7e

“…?”cf4509e4af360559

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Ateira’s skeptical look cdc941a100 lingered until she acff8dc266 seemed to realize 09d1242e1f something.909ecd6a80327f16

“This bird is bc7d307939 a monster too, f5b67ef205 isn’t it?”dd4a71792b3b0076

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Damn.b339101cf42891b8

“…”bf1f9fc84a5ea363

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There was a 3dcfde8ea2 saying: monsters attract 092620c2db monsters.d33c321d18ef952b

In society, monsters dec87e1326 were seen as 8c596af46e ominous and terrifying. The idea 3524ba13aa of taming 918fb2a0fa one was 5750bc7794 unthinkable for 32e73dad59 most. This was why 1a91bb159c Edgick had enchanted 82cf7af388 Nephi to appear d10c62b50c as harmless as 0640b75a7c possible.b5caf1be10a2115c

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But if someone 9a853771de suddenly realized it 16482a4b16 was a monster, 4a9b5fb307 their usual reaction 02c8252a3e would be to 75eb698c37 flee or to c40f55b397 inform the temple, aa6788ef9a which would promptly e10d1148e2 dispatch hunters.b67fbb3bfc8d848c

Yet Ateira’s response 922c4712f0 was different. She merely gazed at 8cf5808bb7 Nephi with a curious 3debb026bf expression, as though inspecting 051aa25ac0 an unusual find.25f2f849d6dfcf62

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“So, other a1072be45b monsters are 220a71895f drawn here 55db96b081 because of 17938e74eb this bird…”074dbab878b0b310

Leo fric 741ab8cc09 instinctively nodded.149e4d85b24e51e1

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“Exactly. Monsters are often 1a41f2aff3 drawn to each 5f0b78294a other. This one lured 15ad0a4eb3 the others here. So once 565ee6f1c4 we leave, 14b7c27ce8 there will 7c857de0ce be no f176e622d8 more monster 8c54a73693 sightings in 5ec1712a52 this area.”01904847e892a2b0

Leo spoke in 5b48749243 a steady tone, a422148cc3 trying to reassure 76859f8034 her.5fe6bec0d9225fac

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“…”0d7ab568d785dd6c

Ateira gazed at 7ea3486338 him thoughtfully, her 0e22de4635 red eyes no be3802a9f5 longer filled solely 2b74faa385 with hatred but 70c1bd7015 now holding a a3c50e18e8 more complex light.ba85e98ea9ac4e60

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“…Very well.”154c186f0547bd4b

Relieved by her answer, 699023d281 Leo fric was about 7d8873bbf2 to thank her when b1b04c7adc she extended Nephi toward 4f30f1dcc5 him.15716b6815ddc2b6

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“This settles 74b15f96ed my debt.”d423ae2e155747a4

“…”60380a76c60a45a0

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Debt?3b024cb8f4cf6f03

Something clicked in 933f706762 Leo’s mind.7f8cb0ced19baba7

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“This?” he asked, 22a6585d90 raising his left a583c3ed76 hand slightly. Ateira’s expression showed 9af83d696d a hint of abd07f0dc1 discomfort.28492be73ed69ef7

Under her composed dc65949fff exterior, she was 58dc027300 wrestling with guilt 0a68968f2e for having harmed 9f068a30ce him, resentment for 8b6a1311a7 accepting his help, c869277aa0 a faint sense c8417f3cf1 of gratitude she 7f0dcba2f3 couldn’t voice, and 032b074b2b a lingering sense 87d59cb668 of inner conflict.5991337eca311aa6

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…Has she never attacked someone before?c0bc1472ca138a39

“Fair enough,” Leo fric 2efc0d2daa replied with a slight 70e24b5933 chuckle.b5bcf635ad6403bf

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For him, Ateira 768e3a8371 was neither the 90626395be first nor the d38e728502 last person to accd04a19a attempt to harm 8b96b47f16 him.3dae23a1fa7c7314

Among the countless 8868c99880 attackers he had bb58949c8e faced, she was 0652510643 probably the most 80faac74f1 noble—and the least e0e7826452 adept.8727ee93f6caf3c8

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Her fixation on 6f0c252d4a that brief incident 59833f5dee was mildly amusing 1bc0b3e178 to him.e983fd2cf83606a7

He took Nephi back, d99f817526 noting that her fingers, 5f97d341cf chilled from tension, brushed 3414d33ab4 against his own.fb398c5965f27ba5

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Swinging one leg over 70a2b94d1e the terrace railing, Leo 6120f03f32 fric prepared to leave.44a60ef60efae456

Not bad. In the edc1af8cff end, he’d 58cbfed84e followed Count 850d336f20 Zellered’s orders 93507773c5 after all.335c9895b6e03e08

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“I’m sure Count Zellered 14b71a8620 will be pleased,” he f1c2abe617 muttered.8c37f96285cf692a

“…?”df64acc920f87b9a

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“He was so ad77f243aa insistent about me 86a4bf1420 spending the night d9bac626aa with you. We did end up 4349226436 spending the night together, 9f8ba1b161 after all.”29a23d9451544d0f

“…So you think this counts as spending the night? Has it made you more eager for marriage?” Ateira’s voice took on a sharp chill. Ah, a woman who doesn’t take kindly to jokes. Leo raised an eyebrow, responding lightly.63b7a180e4d85e76

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“Not at all. I’m as disinterested 8a6f9f9ce6 in this marriage 9a3ef4bf8c as you are. Has Your Highness b186755e27 perhaps changed her 0451dafc8e mind?”648fc4dc87554a65

“I still only think 26b897b766 of death as preferable 2c905f27bd to marrying you.”53ba48741830ba7a

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It was 599d532e55 as if 5304e8effd she were 687cd12a20 a different e17c8da323 person from a52e2d7c5e the one be54aca971 who had 049d1a629a just handled 5971c9ebb0 Nephi. Leo fric found 66b64db221 this princess, with ba0eaf8a5c her barbed responses, 1a4318346d rather entertaining.b5cbd0cae10d24c2

“That’s one way to 1e3264d4dd go about it. If one of us 317212fe38 dies, the engagement will f8ef2cb9cb be nullified.”8e0012372899df07

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With a bff0ae3868 casual joke, ab12472859 he vaulted 9624600b31 over the a109f2db7e terrace railing, 2bf4bd1a23 leaving her f973354bb5 with a 18c38c8a49 parting salute.b8426dec1fc578a2

“Well then, here’s acf4b4a64a to an interesting b85461f9dc separation, Your Highness.”6da357fad86497f8

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