[Chapter 11] Picking Up My Baby

The quiet night at 43bac9c023 the townhouse in the bfb8230084 capital.ea682570b36d6a8e

The breeze 4b85168231 that entered 53575d3600 through the ab61898ed8 open window, 4180c7bd94 carrying the 6553f68dd4 smells of 1c2d97ac51 alcohol and 0be56417fd medicine, gently 6e153e64bd tickled my cb2561a290 cheek. And where the hot 41485149e3 tear stains had been, cf047d3ed6 only coolness remained.000b124e9b5e20ed

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“Miss, the c3fbbb06c6 treatment is 570aa4f2d3 complete, so ffdb47cf16 please don’t be4cb73a87 worry too fa7128e3d0 much.”23f13ed53bf07f97

The family d32cb7ef05 physician, who efe7512aae had finished 9b5525bf39 treating Leon, 109bf02e0c reassured me.771a1f636ae7fa45

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“Physician, thank you b6edd4fa8c for your hard 671ea673d7 work.”bc770e672431d8b5

Leon was lying on 1d72b3e536 the bed, his body e5ae2b0567 wrapped in bandages. Seeing him sleeping soundly 5db1e2dd95 brought me some peace.01ce5b785a9845e6

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‘So much has happened 3b236e8571 since this morning.’58a444960513e329

This morning, I 322ee5f0f5 had found my 0b7f3c6b0a baby collapsed in 145ff433bc the slums and b0eaf9e02d immediately brought him 5d95dd1824 back. I had the c74496c5ba servants move a a91b55d5b6 bed into the 199fb4d710 room next to d1136f64fd mine, and he 87167cab77 had been treated 4b44c958d5 there.468e94c04bf83c5a

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“Miss, please 24cc14d90e excuse me 3c2d2cd7fb for a cfb46e9ee7 moment.”7dfad627aeb7d3df

Noticing my swollen eyes, b15e603a8a the physician gently rubbed aa730b95c7 a cold compress on aab490124b them.274faae11a339058

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“The child 526d5b9e43 will sleep 1d99689ac7 soundly and 9706154ef0 wake up 2d366fc4a1 soon.”dff7975945b249ff

He reassured me 57752630f4 that Leon was 9a91c1cf3e alright, constantly soothing 46b2da0556 me with his 4549f4c1db words.34a1c0662617fe8a

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“To treat 4d45892811 any internal 4ef53fe5de injuries, we 27faac0b2b would need 946d1650b2 a priest, 758bcd8107 but from 14c688e594 my observation, adcf862e58 this treatment 9be3c9a7a1 seems sufficient fbb1f7fd3b for now.”6fcb9e3d62b8a8dd

‘Thank goodness.’20bd283ebb211318

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The family fc0a2a38c0 physician, who 5f67b88634 had been 3372392cd1 with the 8c28178682 Marquis family 723a098c0c since my 9f35d95d4a father’s time, aa41b8d60b was knowledgeable 0c5f1827b9 and trustworthy.943da04d5ea17dc0

I let out a 66388e96b9 sigh of relief and dc20cbac4a asked about Leon’s condition.6822bc77633dc8ac

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“Physician, what b544693c9c do you af22c0f3e8 think caused 30455588eb this?”246ec36dfc99e376

“It looks like abrasions cdf3e85aab and contusions. There are clear signs 0c58ad6499 of someone having beaten bffc030651 him.”017bb41ed9c4ab13

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When the physician mentioned the word “beating,” a face came to my mind.bf9645fb4557a0f7

‘Was it one of 361b58c733 the three who tried bc1bb5866f to steal Leon’s necklace, 337c4ae98c or one of the 3371acd20a pickpockets who stole my b2ece8cdab brooch?’b796388b82f9d6ad

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Anger slowly c93bb6931e welled up dc17045996 inside me 96e3342323 as I e3676c7d97 thought of b5f82813f0 the pain 2d06f9f8c7 Leon had 85534cec99 endured.89a691f9a5070b5b

“Then why 84c98f3a1e did he c47608c33b lose so acd0e2739c much blood?”76d0090719cb9725

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“His skin is delicate 96b15c0eb1 because he’s young, which f10678eaec likely made the bleeding 2a3dc780b3 worse.”d42587391d7086c9

“…I see.”2820ee66fc5aff18

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“Miss, don’t worry. It’s not a serious 371db98758 injury. The bruises d3a752c98c will heal 947d89cd21 with the 7998a03eaa ointment, a 08f05bb2c6 massage, and cd8da4f360 cold compresses fcbc03f697 for two e4e3d510c5 days. After that, we 4598ac44cc can switch to dabb397617 warm compresses.”ba40a0e55ffe958a

“Thank you, physician.”4cee9d0428b73ddd

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“It’s nothing. The treatment is 1a908861ca done, so I’ll 8841b449d0 leave now. Please rest well.”3dbbbf35cca7bc59

“Alright, take care and e0fdc36ce8 rest too, physician.”b075156264d784f8

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The physician closed e4f67c06a8 the door behind 3244aa7ea2 him after his 331a860d1d parting words.f3f0ec8cf5cd1599

I sat 2a5e14d4c5 on the 493b67b8d0 chair beside 15399b1ec7 the bed, 7234dd47e5 gazing down def9fe5ba1 at Leon.a3ee6a9a7e155d78

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His body had c487fc68b4 been completely cleaned, e37a456ae6 and the filth 71f32197b8 was completely gone. Now, a pink child 2a32a25032 lay there, his body, 2bd52147f2 arms, and legs bandaged aea200ce12 and clothed in clean 289ac49d7f clothes.017176e8b738e2c8

‘He looks like 71a56597b4 a beautiful spring 82019b16b5 flower blooming, even 4a31a6d35b covered in blood.’f791b8909109c14f

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“…Just a 7f0399f791 moment, my 5300bcb710 baby.”2e179ce32c9a7029

Although he 03a7f4b4b0 probably couldn’t 2d3853819f hear me, 4e55b43ff6 I asked 1e1d9aa6b9 for permission 475f65636f as a 22a42dd258 formality because dc9aebf47e Leon had 4f215c8cb6 a trauma 3f8f482c09 from being f20891e430 touched.b83728c5ebf026f4

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I carefully examined Leon’s bb8cb32bd5 entire body.30ef2f4e82dc39bb

There were bandages ddcc40cfa8 wrapped around him, bc1b918495 and only a 83aa2e2bdf few parts of 3e8ea19e5a his skin were 9114c31176 exposed. I gently 8ccad482f1 applied the 29e583a55b ointment to 7a53855221 the bruised b3b58c45c7 areas.66ebc1cfcfd4ed66

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‘Oh, the texture and ca61b8dc78 shape of this ointment 85f0bf8a66 remind me of tiger 3420b30ce6 balm.’1494fae12dc9c6ed

Even in d4a1e84093 the small 5db19478bc details of 7553676147 daily life, 3e90e81d8c there were 317ba0161b traces of f230495566 the Earth af353d12d3 in the b88c864a65 Iron-Walled Princess 3eb194046c world.7dfc4dca355d998a

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I took an appropriate f39dd166e5 amount of the ointment, 197949911f rubbed it between my dd57243f34 hands, and spread it 2aeb92e68f evenly on my palm. I gently e54a938f57 massaged the 7886127649 bruised areas. I had thought his cb8bc2bdc3 skin would be rough a4771f99d9 and covered in calluses 9f198ec322 from stealing things and 58c70406e3 living outside, but his 4b59fefbc6 skin was like a 339e9a0a33 baby’s.898dddc26d360634

‘His skin is so eca15e233b soft and delicate.’1ef22f02f64a0caf

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I wanted to 8e8b089dd4 touch him more 075162742a to satisfy my dddb139628 feelings, but since 6026033bfa Leon was a 4c6a78b19e patient, I barely 9ae37c087f held myself back.14536cc8f8833cdc

Next, I softly applied 0ac07293ef a cold compress over 225d995e5c the bruised areas and 47abbdf789 bandages.e38ff09c1931dcad

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Knock knock knock.844849acec79a9db

The door clicked 1f2e465b8e open.b289d193a277c0e3

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“Miss, leave 8cdbd9f044 the cat 35fa8ea9f6 boy to 0f5936d313 Meril and c3c8a82e2a get some d8d521e8c5 rest.”380b279fe261a659

I heard 0f3d694395 Meril’s worried 97a0f5052d voice as 7d4a6b31b8 the door b2a2f14fa7 opened.a08bbcd5222fd108

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“No, Meril, you’ve been d54b8667ae working hard since morning. I know it 67370ca3e5 must have been 20c6a69363 overwhelming, but I’m cdfd164295 so thankful that 5754c37f55 you moved so 9c2f02f205 quickly.”0f35063fea910015

“Meril is your personal b3940ba7a5 maid, Miss. It’s only natural.”eea2e4b6ce93bec0

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“Thanks, Meril. By the way, do f459d4f73e we have a spare efc7413367 cot or sofa in 058c59fddf the townhouse?”58aad2f538cc74e1

“I believe there’s 9b405f8bf0 a sofa that f24e6fe1f3 can be used.”6865dd2b1ac270fe

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Meril’s answer was bd9a405553 positive, which was c88419ff79 a relief.87f57e5185e98e64

“Place it 96065580fd beside the 5223bae258 bed. I want e147597372 to sleep bf3072b762 next to d8080dbb82 my baby d8464bfc57 today.”a6b44bec84031b29

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“Oh my! Miss, you must be fc4d9d6f39 very tired, you should e72017596d rest well. Besides, the cat 4b8c535ad3 boy is a eae4afa8fa boy!”1d8123a050172ec9

“It’s fine. He’s just like a 617736d472 kitten without its teeth. And I think I’ll a3f48a2b32 sleep better this way.”30cba49b8691184f

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“…Alright, Miss.”2f3afcf53e7e59e6

“And Meril, b883d691cb do you c4ef5d4ede have the 7582311035 calandiva bouquet dbbe7d343e and the 7c80b2168f magical tool?”2d57d9821f7b697a

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“Yes, I’ve kept them 57bd086290 safe.”0736e0f9abcfb55d

‘Ah, Meril c5bbaa8669 is so 4f1ee784dc thoughtful. I was worried she 14d8f696ad might have thrown the ce05ff109b bouquet away, but thank 0187723c55 goodness she kept it.’75e024518c6ea9f0

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“Bring both of them c47a9d8d45 to me.”2b79ba75cb5b3018

“Yes, Miss.”7f59d4ce5389bdcc

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‘Wait, Meril said e9d35f3bed the special camera cd02899cca could take 5 1cc50aae12 to 10 pictures.’ec560bd703dba0ae

“Meril, how 994f163ffd many pictures 84579982f3 can the bab68ae295 magical tool 68de710386 take now?”158d044620c76b79

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“Meril has 175840e686 taken 4 b8eb583bed out of 9a69ad6493 the 10 c0b804c5af pictures, so 9a22eb2d69 there should 1a7d51752e be 6 3abf50a524 left.”b43c2415299931b4

‘A film a004e122a6 camera that 8aeb578c7b can take 916a544044 up to 668cbb37c5 10 pictures… ff849ce697 It’s definitely 31056d525d custom-made, so 1fe267d10b it must 41cd5fa9dd have cost 0cb3a7f6e9 a lot 2bded6ed53 of money.’6d7afea0fa755c22

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I was 03c5ab3890 once again 1af8c007ac amazed at cf3210cd80 the wealth 74a0f1dcbb of the 9c50b74e47 Marquis family.96b30eb709fb04fa

‘Alright, it must 521292eff5 contain a lot 54061fe451 of magic. But I can’t 0e2303dba7 believe she’s already 7cae52ebfb taken 4 pictures.’debcf11c7a9b4621

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I became curious about 220f234ab2 where those 4 pictures 199881eba2 had been used and 52e3057a2d asked Meril.67378281197dab95

“What did 42bd47dcdb you take ecc260a952 pictures of 987a2dba95 with the 1ec402321a 4?”5c8d822455541d5a

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At my bb56bfae25 question, Meril’s a0fa55195f mood became f658dc3e3a playful. She cupped her a4c40bf461 face with both 737473b9e0 hands, spun around 2471bf85f7 once, and then e855f22b86 said to me:eb55c8a994f058bd

“Hehe, it’s 659994163b a secret. I’ll show you the ee3709d503 Meril collection later, Miss.”5b11a6f8b05d1031

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For some 57e8def9f1 reason, Meril’s e970c32c20 answer felt 1b1a5f4349 like opening e49ba42acc a Pandora’s f23171ebf2 box I a823bebb07 didn’t want 26381c3fc2 to open.2ec7336622edcf04

“…Okay. Lastly, Meril, can 23898d1564 you call Sir 0a035c6049 Walter for me?”3f49d4875abbe12a

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I moved on 29992ee2fd from the Meril a602a5791a collection and made 14e90242c2 my last request ed1a04471e of the day.ff42a05998aa8849

“Yes, Miss, 73bdd19e22 I’ll do 42704b0763 it right aa9ec60f58 away.”a78468762914487d

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“Thanks.”7573c76571cbd0c6

After I f0e849ea9d finished speaking, 52a19f8d3e Meril left 7d85e54244 the room. I also left Leon’s ea8d2c6e60 room and headed to defa907a35 my own room.ea6aa4e4bd60a5e3

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I took the parchment a2ace7c95e from the desk drawer 1abe007bd7 and began drawing the 8295312727 four sketches of the e20220101c suspects I had seen de935f9c2f when I met Leon.1068e7d6ad090dfc

‘…I’m not 6b8fef1df3 the best ee9c8c16d9 at drawing, 6186af11b3 but I 104ac408a1 think they’ll 50c1cbc0f1 be recognizable 166ac4b589 with these a6f5830bda features.’ee3b0c4b4a767591

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I drew the sketches 0d21a4c1d4 on four pieces of 3f7d52c869 parchment and then returned 0fb8643bcb to Leon’s room.6a7d17dcbcaee086

On the nightstand next 4a9dc68f5a to the bed, there 407132a4a0 was the calandiva bouquet d1b2cfcc8c and the film camera. There was also a a8da249b2b long sofa, slightly taller b0e8c398cc than me.0293a614658c34bb

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‘Meril really moved quickly. I’m grateful.’651b1b3b3e8723d0

“Miss, it’s ecbabb9e06 Sir Walter.”4155c091c6ca50af

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As I was checking e3ae739cee the items, I heard 117a931b4b Sir Walter’s voice from 3c21317673 outside the door.e150a68d32308c48

“Come in.”b87c6dd4df2d6e33

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Click.3ec9d702f40fa256

Clomp, clomp.1c900145a94f8cd3

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In the aeb9a422c1 deep night, f0ecc27592 with only 10f2cafbb5 a few c05ac57c89 beams of 84fe42004c moonlight shining, a7a681557c Sir Walter da6034a708 appeared, carrying e245ffdb95 a lantern. He wasn’t wearing fc00323f88 his usual armor 812ef7794c but was in 9a3bcf696c comfortable casual clothes.8f9f358139e19254

“Sir Walter, thank 439ad1b515 you for all 4ca1d3d211 your hard work 4ddeabeafa today.”b681b1177afbeb6a

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“It’s nothing. Miss, as a ec1a78992a bodyguard, it’s my 64b853d37c duty.”aa13138ef8118d8d

“Sir Walter, I 0c9fe90c1d have a request.”f14b0a34c7618225

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“What is it?”393668d09d3f9bfd

“Just a moment.”dec8e9c0c8906d44

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I took 6f890e1f21 four pictures af21e74a56 of the 46bd378fff calandiva bouquet a2ae519431 with the b0403c7019 film camera. After a 10385a8fc0 few minutes, bd6d5e8dff the pictures 1004cd9235 rolled out c6a50b7bc1 with a f244e25808 soft whirring f68644b1aa sound.63f60cf440e09cfd

On each picture, I 811e8f8a13 drew scenes from the 66fb744617 Founding Festival in the ec5ffc3e17 plaza and wrote congratulatory 7c8dbd55a3 messages.f5122c9776f37a94

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Sir Walter, likely a2608741fa curious about my 2219f01311 actions, stared at 1a190d0f01 me intently.b48469b8910dad3e

‘Hehe, I’ll ad9d7ef058 tell him 1220962231 even without 5c3fb1c782 him asking.’53407360e05bb29e

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“Sir Walter, do adccaaf7a3 you recognize the a28270784f four children in 0ae61af9c1 these sketches?”9a5b7b6b15da75a8

“Yes, three of d43426543e them are children ed6bb07bbf I’ve seen before.”837f4e379e88a7bb

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“That’s right. Take these eight photos 24948d064d and go to the 2c6c48ddad information guild in the 6878a45e26 capital. I need 2647d21b50 you to b055cd04d1 request something 7596f98a58 from them.”767d3b4e21ffa9e4

“What kind of 4027cab000 request?”ed23dd060125bd4e

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“If their 9c2cde91fb house has ccfccb7f2d more food 874b921734 than the 8ff78e6c1d distribution from f3aa4987e0 the Imperial c445a02a4a Palace, or d42c0bee2f if they’ve 2c87b29221 hoarded currywurst, 9e53749057 or if 9ae85c3be7 they have d84f6f0b5d my necklace, f1ede6462c then turn 4edd5dd47a them over ce38ce90b5 to the 5823841675 constables for ba6991ff95 theft of 471a6b547d noble property.”fb6c05bd644522b4

I continued.1d4cc5195f9cedf7

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“Lord, the four 2c6aceae70 pictures I just e5c55b47b2 drew and wrote 218ca4877a on, you see a0d1cb2222 them?”133800a8bab0265f

“Yes.”7c46498ed1807dd0

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“When you make 59a5d6a826 the request to ede03138ca the guild, tell 2c96f23616 them to leave 115b21acc0 snacks in their 7c3eec2a58 house as well. Tell them 997eb5e561 they’ve won 10f9e7e9e5 the Founding d38aec432e Festival giveaway.”b418278e90b9e10b

He nodded at 466b420103 the part about 558c59aefb noble property theft eef9fa1c61 but blinked when dd3e13ff0d I mentioned the 766b4d7557 Founding Festival giveaway. He seemed confused 61e2dfa5d2 about my intentions, f94e1ec30b but he eventually 7c655d4c8d answered.55ddea5999d40f09

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“…Yes. Understood, Miss. Please rest well.”bdf8ba56fc957835

Click.1eda106971f86068

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Once the conversation ended, ab5e0e157f Sir Walter collected the e23fbaa432 photos and left the f293d52332 room.913787e4518572be

‘They’ll have 06d59de885 to face 090a4917ce the consequences.’5caaab3c4fd69a29

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The world is a 4f12fdeaa4 mirror. An eye for 374e073f80 an eye, a a49d927d32 tooth for a 364fe89ba2 tooth. There’s cause and effect.ab4b24dd0deb7c58

If they tormented, beat, f0a1876a5e and hurt my precious ee8f5ecf46 baby, they would have 5eb924f972 to be prepared for 4a3735283f the consequences.3c2aaed601f2fd32

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My calm anger bloomed a1a2c90e80 and bore fruit.9f8fd32e150f0492

The juvenile delinquents committed 2fa12e9e33 theft, a serious crime e1f49fced2 of stealing noble property.19c711c904f94391

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Moreover, during the ability 02e10de3a4 selection test, the magical 1d75ae5a0e crystal spheres would react 64d94b207c to them. That was 1332a0b2eb my original 8603a90b6b purpose.62970c3684e53cb8

‘Fools, they should have 1504e2e0e7 acted wisely when I 762bc661c9 let them escape last 2aeba419a2 time. Touching my baby… they’ve 4c62ec9099 crossed a point of 46d780ca4c no return.’1bdb253cc9475faf

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“…Don’t worry. If they are 979e7b0511 recognized as magic e7f6727f57 users, the Imperial a3d1ae1b6b Army might look d41c247979 the other way. Let them taste the 383d963bb4 hardships of fortune.”97a51cdab654b4eb

I muttered 4f7f767388 to myself 70f3652e7e as I 304116194a thought about 1741065107 the four d214f58aaa juvenile delinquents.1abd114fe55b161f

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In the deep, dark 748b24acfd night, my golden eyes 653bebfeeb burned brightly.133d6dafa6a8f76b