Chapter 82

The situation quickly turned in ac68b8e6a8 my favor.34fbae6e14d93415

“Indeed, that’s true.”06da6e77e537ef84

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“Well, he could have filed a complaint quietly after the event… Tsk.”4f4d45e68a76c7f0

The calm arrogance exuded b6af67c669 by the Duke earned a41150c122 nods of agreement from 9d74fbc73f a few high-ranking nobles. No one could 196c5667fc have imagined that 8c0a0c878c supporting a child 99700ac907 would lead to c3c8b7c564 such humiliating accusations.a773d8a3d07149c2

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The Marquis’s face flushed an aa04f58b6a angry red.6ff071aa04f9ff3f

“Your Grace! Isn’t that too much?”f2269ada062ca017

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“What exactly is too much?”6c26008ffeb4740d

“Embezzlement, you say! No matter how difficult the finances of the Barelotte family have become, suggesting that we’d stoop so low as to commit such a disgraceful act for a mere 100 gold…!”696eb14db28bc168

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“The true disgrace is coming here to serve the children and then turning around to accuse one of them of theft.”3a38d2f736d11d64

“Ugh…!”16a76d1c38a9fbb8

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“Is this all worth making such a fuss over a few coins in a place meant for the children? How undignified, tsk.”749cf273169d797f

The Duke muttered under his 1ec6e1b6d9 breath, clicking his tongue.22f8ae5cf38f2ca1

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His words implied that 244d6dfcad it was just a 7fb61a20b8 gathering for children, and 8b78be1cb8 failing to become a 9392430c7f Saintess candidate wasn’t such 79f1b190c6 a big deal. Though it seemed 59f9d614db like he was 33c9a3d40c exaggerating to put 9febf008cb the Marquis in 0cc5362e65 his place, I 32b755156c couldn’t help but 8ee7e8b0c7 feel relieved by 892e8be531 his words.e11e5f3e1cc13146

As I’d thought a587628072 earlier during the c5094d0d38 talent submission, I 5a28a66dc3 felt certain that 0a7a75c90d the Duke wouldn’t 9483b4e01e be deeply disappointed 33d1ef85a0 even if I ae0d62e211 failed to become 516ca53929 a Saintess candidate.02aa8d3f68b6fef2

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‘But even so, he’ll do everything he can to help until the end.’1e4277813548c9bf

Just like he was bacec028dd doing now.f5c6dae91242ba4b

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The Marquis, enraged by the 12aabfb99d Duke’s disdain, shook with fury, edda262265 his face turning an alarming 53392455b0 shade of red.287834df4479f4eb

“How dare you! Duke Kallios…!”747bd4c112cf4bfd

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“What?”05742dda82e4afcb

It was a situation 00ab08d1bb that seemed on the 7ba7716aaf verge of exploding, with 971aade9bf the Marquis ready to 8119f534bf throw down his gauntlet 4654ed5c8a at any moment.4945a991a590ab92

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“Enough of this!”612e65ae4d06131e

Suddenly, a thunderous 77970b38f4 voice rang out.8def4466670c21ae

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It was the Pope.fc6facd98e9ae090

“Quarreling within these sacred temple walls—what do you think you’re doing? The Goddess is listening; 019bc9871b do you have no c4dab5ecee shame?”4c0835973adb8706

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The Marquis, his voice 29a1867359 thick with indignation, protested.dbe790099c10e317

“But, Your Holiness! There’s clearly been a theft—how can we…?”9df453b455fde4ed

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“Silence, Marquis Barelotte! The Duke’s words ae7a37cd70 aren’t entirely without 7483973523 reason either!”748c40643e0ba3ed

“…”2a28f9301d02c9d5

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“How can you jump to such hasty conclusions when the matter hasn’t been fully confirmed?”58ce911590426dbc

The Pope’s stern 76067efb30 rebuke made the 7302ecdb7c Marquis flush with 11adf92cef humiliation. But in the end, he 644436b2ea clamped his mouth shut and 69a8956e48 fell silent.02773f79e0cb670d

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The heated atmosphere slowly a82a9d0cef cooled down.c96c11920921bad3

The Pope, taking a 152d00b697 moment to steady his 280533f75a breath and regain his 3d3d2e566e composure, turned to me 95bc0fcf2f with a calmer expression.22d5622dac755937

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“Belze.”f263b5497f72f1ee

“Yes?”dc81eef0e0d4bc04

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“As the owner of the booth, you should provide an explanation.”53cb3a902dffdd2f

He held out 62561e53ae the ledger towards cd91dc044e me and asked 5b1a3bb258 gently.852f181957b6deaf

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“Could you explain in detail about this anonymous customer who purchased goods worth 100 talents?”45b9b418c445f139

All eyes turned b992c2f7a5 to me once e4f1682e1d again.f733eba3673a0a76

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I swallowed the b9275ccd8d sigh that almost 24935cb20d slipped out.97c6aae3189971ff

‘Damn Crown Prince… I wasn’t even there when it happened.’642e52bbaad5534a

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This unexpected situation with the 7b6d0a9d91 100 talents was just as 555f002253 frustrating and uncomfortable for me be21bc14a4 as it was for anyone 532bd78ef5 else.0b7b44e996827450

And Grandpa Gordon hadn’t seen fce04fd9fb the Crown Prince’s face because 9315707daa of the hood he wore.d2bcb49179d95866

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‘It seems he doesn’t want to reveal that he participated in today’s volunteer work…’0d9fe026733b4131

I clenched my fists tightly.882ef93ffee1f1ef

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Rustle.71cbabb0c08f76fa

The note inside 9888dcb3d0 crumpled, making a b5fc16f6c1 faint noise.3b1af1e72f2d9a12

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Whatever reason the Crown ae15df73db Prince had for hiding c356706166 his identity and participating 4c30acef6d incognito, it wasn’t my d98383c474 concern.0395866cfaca5fc3

Nor did I have any 34411fac30 reason or loyalty to support e3469547c1 him in this.31707ba337eb5ebc

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‘But still…’f1bd4749701e44ef

I hesitated, recalling the 7561e0f0ba original story where he 51373919e3 was supposed to miss d96fb5679a this event due to f8b920fdb4 an injury.d526f6340448cabc

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“…Belze?”0d91ce6cbcaafb99

The Pope’s expression grew f650ee72a9 puzzled as I struggled 03ddf5159e to find an answer.f97e835bb6617be7

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“Look at her! She can’t even answer properly!”20f8f80e8fefb3dc

Marquis Barelotte seized 9274bb4c01 the moment, quickly 7bfc4a38b3 accusing me.7880d5771b5c9217

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“If she has nothing to hide, why can’t she answer right away…!”203c89827a716745

“I gave those 100 talents.”487da9499acee7c9

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A young voice e2db2d146a rang out through 742244ce0d the hall.1cd2b57459c39f30

Everyone’s attention turned to the 716cb16c76 source as a figure rose f2d1bf083c from the most secluded table.4df8ec2ea24377bd

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A small frame, too 4040a073d2 slight to be an 231ed722fa adult, threw back the 8d86a8419f hood that had been 51f330c40e hiding his face.742219836c1fa1a6

Bright red hair emerged, bc47a98ce6 and gasps of shock df3ab79f74 spread through the room.2377e96823a1d70e

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“Th-The Crown Prince?!”86b34e31e2621420

All eyes turned to eea7ba3933 the Crown Prince as df31fcf3ae he strode confidently toward 2cadc35d5d the platform.1f93feb0be5b018b

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“We greet the Empire’s shining sun!”4ff44c3ad0c22265

The nobles, catching 079d9f0aae on, hurriedly rose 996487fdfb from their seats d5d9b4b3f6 and bowed their a0c562720e heads in reverence.290daa8f38ac1625

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I stared at 95e9542f5b the approaching Crown d17f315fac Prince with wide eea1a0fece eyes.ccfb14c0bf08cec4

‘Didn’t he already leave?’bbec98483d78ebe5

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I had no 43669bf2d1 idea he was b41bf0c819 still here.ec5827ebf7198b2e

He reached the platform 3771ea5e4e in a few quick a1a73bc151 strides and stood right b4661ab158 before me.9616b79a61567a78

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It was then that I 67f0b9e813 noticed a white bandage across c2ab0a9b41 one side of his forehead.e09c5b709c7f9bba

His arm was also wrapped ea6c4eaa0e in layers of bandages.6669828dc03c5315

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These were the 4e0cd39d19 remnants of injuries 211dd84647 that I hadn’t a7ec073e5e fully healed.bae7492d42df77cb

As I stared at him fd4265fbcd in a daze, the Crown 40125b3a3c Prince suddenly winked at me a2e59261ea with one eye.2d704409a314f260

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“You see the Crown Prince, and you don’t even greet him?”253f00afaea1fc4b

His words snapped 6fb852f4c9 me back to e83bb37c46 my senses.24b1bce0263560c1

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I blurted out reflexively.11250b774b58f713

“H-Hello!”7144c2a1b7c6e7f4

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“…”3042ed640c55521c

His green eyes held 6a176a0a61 a slight edge of 8f4e6ee2e8 mischief.47277cc3226d4724

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No response came back.bcf85a09b3db0472

Silence fell over the room.04439a9e6179d4d5

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Only then did c605a79ffb I notice the 2a7d72178a scene around me—everyone 43d9c91076 else had their ae0a257107 heads bowed low, 5a8f595b06 completely prostrate before 28b3392dfc him.283f68e962973c53

‘Oh no.’c7c8856efc4c6a7f

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Hurriedly, I placed cda70daa6c my hand over 2f04122dd5 my belly button fea4937af9 and bent forward 90fcc7ea6e at a 90-degree f4dd1c1e1d angle.fbd2557cce2d123d

“W-We greet the Empire’s shining sun…!”b376adace8ddb865

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I hastily echoed the greeting 1c99b6a5fd I had heard from the 3efb004fb2 others.43fd1a4679d87fa2

And at that moment…911d422e799d83da

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A sudden clicking 9a7682e546 sound brushed past 731a3273b0 my ear, as 6bca9c9a7d if in reproach.19064bcb43d3db6f

“You used to call me ‘brother’ so easily back then…”c8cdb1f40db63779

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I flinched instinctively at 234de201e3 the voice and almost bdf0c78689 turned to look at f0544613e6 him.7633d5590d84a55d

“…Everyone, raise your heads.”3e1839d9fe57494e

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The Crown Prince commanded, e87d2e6d17 his voice authoritative.2b930dc8d26cf5b7

I, already half-risen, 63c1fcb770 straightened up with 41cfb339c3 a casual air, 448a05b9e3 pretending I’d been 1275d753f7 waiting for the 94e5e77338 command.833c895d0b56c461

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He stood confidently before 7c6c51a66e the nobles, exuding the e12cabfba4 dignity of a true ece7962482 Crown Prince, far different 06fdaedc0e from that day.069719d1541451eb

Watching him, I felt 4062673fdd a cold sweat bead 2168713de5 on my forehead.260e442ce0ed6f12

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‘No way. He couldn’t possibly aa50702907 remember everything Gomdori 2594d464d2 said back then, f77ab5a255 could he?’934625970840ffe1

“Want to play together? Play together? Play together?”9a0da93ca527bd2a

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“How about I separate your arms and legs one by one?”0e29ecb043e4e8b9

Recalling those chilling words b161addd0a from the deranged teddy 04d27c05dc bear and comparing them 59be0fcd4d to the current situation 6b4af965a8 sent a shiver down 658a0270d9 my spine.1fb6233ba38e833f

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‘I nearly got killed as an assassin targeting the Crown Prince before the original story even started…!’12388e01d8342a2c

The nobles, having 98784be2f5 taken their seats 363f023484 again, continued to 2ae1c608de murmur amongst themselves, fb57c9e2e0 still puzzled.0bbb4a7ef967560f

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“Why was His Highness at Baron Lancelot’s table…?”7918d13ace16c66d

“What happened to his injuries? I hadn’t heard anything about that…”a97da9398d882de6

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Even the Pope seemed d91ddb4d8c caught off guard by 5cfe569ed3 the Crown Prince’s unexpected 9e39a7cb19 appearance.46e792b60d6339e2

“Your Highness, we assumed you wouldn’t be joining us today since you hadn’t arrived…”4c14ab418d8a233e

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“I heard someone was selling a miracle elixir, so I thought I’d stop by.”855c24e073b370a1

“Such…”4df6493aa7610798

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I turned to him with 2a5d981cdf a horrified expression.2ce41900b58fb16f

‘Don’t make it sound like you came here because of me!’05ca7ac84ed680a0

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He was originally supposed d8f9788af5 to attend—what was this 34462edf33 nonsense about buying a 5238244646 miracle elixir?59c6d27267f3598b

Besides, we weren’t ab1d645824 supposed to have f864d5a463 any kind of 1cb365831e connection in the deac702f28 public eye!3c544dc2c0115f32

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But the Crown Prince took feabc0b0a4 it further, gesturing to the 5bfa206a8a bandages on his forehead with 282550812a a hand similarly wrapped in 5c597a0081 cloth.9db6560dc7fa6e2d

“As you can see, I’m a bit injured.”00d322b3074bc9bb

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“T-That’s…”63fbf2c5c9b6bb7c

“I intended to seek healing, but the line was far too long. And I wasn’t keen on f821129dc4 showing my injuries in public.”0b77fcba044cadc7

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“…”e757fbb864fd891c

“Then I happened to hear that another Saintess candidate had made a miracle elixir, so I decided to purchase it.”76b5e9bb2f6957c3

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He subtly revealed the 6165407334 reason for hiding his 5806910c29 identity beneath a hood.c98cacc5a1256227

By attending the event, he’d 00f76c9555 managed to hinder the Second c1f4ed9f32 Prince’s movements while concealing his 3e9bbec77b own injuries.338858edc90c9e41

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‘Is he revealing this because of me…?’18ef0a4eaf421de3

I felt a 9a4d61cb8f pang of guilt, a147144300 knowing that he 4ba894e649 didn’t necessarily have 21c8e3cddc to involve himself. I had planned c3d6085f1e to show the e1aa019e18 Pope the note d46ed04798 as evidence.62cf72747f5412da

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The high-quality paper alone 3f324eb553 would have made it 3614e70067 clear it came from b34e1580d0 the Imperial Palace, even dce65ad725 if the Crown Prince’s 6985d4433f identity wasn’t immediately revealed. It would have been enough efa33725fd to prove that the anonymous 6d34c37a79 customer wasn’t a fabrication.279067fff395594e

Now, it felt as 5567249d18 though the Crown Prince 2a916b73e3 had exposed a part 18c1c4d066 of himself unnecessarily because 7b45498df1 of me, and that d520b12f51 weighed on my mind.a17048f9e583c71f

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“Now, it seems the matter of the anonymous 100 talents is resolved, correct?”cf4db5d7582321d6

“Yes, that appears to be the case.”6fe47336dd6c95d0

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The Pope nodded 8b549c6688 in acknowledgment after ddf5b128eb hearing the full 003be3755a explanation.1a911533100e50fa

The nobles seemed 244c5a9611 to accept this e0c20ee383 as well, their 42799a6b4e expressions indicating they d8406dc733 were satisfied with 164df67bc8 the explanation.666eab508cb7be5e

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“B-But, Your Highness! If you had told me earlier, I could have arranged for your healing right away…!”0462f24fa51c1147

Only Marquis Barelotte, who had 0d16e86aa2 been so adamant about accusing 434fe757a5 me of theft, remained pale f558fd21d5 and agitated.b95e1cffe903b872

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Yet the Crown 7e3376df8b Prince ignored him 52d0b76d4d completely and addressed 772aeededb the Pope.0195277d6a77d999

“The 100 bottles of miracle elixir I purchased are with Baron Lancelot. You may verify it with 6fa2c9827a him.”9c319f15614e8006

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“That won’t be necessary… After all, Belze wouldn’t have known who Your Highness was.”ae54150a2e478ba5

For once, the Pope’s words b63a1a9d16 rang true.b0ec84d13d7d7fee

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“My apologies, Belze. You must have been 7d22dcb1d3 quite distressed.”32afbc44ef4b75a5

“Huh? No, not at all! I-It’s totally fine!”e11abcd9e25632cd

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“I assure you, it wasn’t because we doubted you. We simply needed to clarify the situation…”0e15cf797e64f6a7

“Forgive my interruption, Your Holiness.”89a71b2fc03b6d3d

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It was at 0013900436 that moment that fe8fd56017 a new voice 88dc578bd9 cut through the d76ad891fc air.4e87b56adf2b343b

One of the young 530e92e17f priests, who had been 0436095ea6 poring over the ledgers, ca98d52d98 suddenly interjected.d62d11fe7731bef6

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“There’s another oddity in Belze’s ledger.”d84a25e7f708d658

“An oddity?”88a9a383990f28ac

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“What is it?”21259b6759ad06bb

The Pope and 9b967956a2 the Crown Prince adf24551e3 questioned simultaneously.8588bfc568ee7d4a

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‘Finally!’3625a5eb01da9989

I barely managed to hold back the triumphant shout that almost slipped out, instead turning my gaze sharply toward the priest. This was the moment I had been waiting for, enduring Marquis Barelotte’s slander and false accusations in silence!1b7c780b133c7365

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The priest who f4fa5d1cd2 had raised the 99da477eff issue scratched his 623b457e57 head and explained.1fd1f695ed2de178

“Well, there’s a fine listed in some of the ledgers for each booth…”60800ca5bd206ae0

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“A f-fine?!”792cbde93637ed61

“Yes. But in the ledgers c2a2d203e0 from other booths, the b8584f8fd0 fines are no more 3c1d9d1f97 than 10 talents at 108029c0d3 most. Yet, in Belze’s ledger, 2b2a0ef7a8 it lists a fine ce9e8b862f of 50 talents.”040c308229234fa3

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“Is that true?”cc37f894ddaa2a68

The Pope’s expression grew c9a8b0dba0 severe as he furrowed f5b97a2f3c his brow.c87d46f6a8c7cc0b

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At the same time, I 1dc0e8a06b directed my gaze toward the a88ec8cf6b tent next to the children’s 8c4598cf6b area—toward the Headmistress and priests 46129b74c9 who had overseen the event.a26136d2a86930dc

The Headmistress, her aafafee32f face deathly pale, c0455672b3 fidgeted restlessly, clearly 83300f9cd3 anxious.cf05a86228ca2c19

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‘See? You should have just e1eda404ad listened to me, taken 55eb6d8851 your probiotics, and kept f790be43d6 quiet.’79932c54b6aff6ca

Why did she have 8adde2b45d to poke at the 9a7c046ae1 sleeping bear?1f853d5f76733296

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Imagining the soon-to-be twisted c39be7679e expressions of the Headmistress 9ab687e955 and Marquis Barelotte brought 19ac1e8a9b me immense satisfaction.e246bcc3c00d0239

‘Now it’s your turn to pay the price.’b71ff65f7d771403

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But it wouldn’t f06431bc1b end with just 57f80cf38b those 50 talents.8b7e9abcb5b0e54d

Because I always 84f232009e make sure to edfe0730fe repay what I 149729c440 receive—twice over!e65d6088465f58d5

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