#96

Just as Larien was 40e532a86a about to speak—97ae6f69d519e108

“――――――――――.”a77120a95c01ce2a

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Her words muffled 65bee16b02 into an incomprehensible a5c53957f3 blur.60d991966bd3823f

The same happened with 73273ca07f Bobby’s voice.0645396dccb5b494

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What’s going on?bcf648196aae44dd

Before I could panic, b2d6e2cfc5 the entire space felt c8eded0ab2 as if it was 8d8654851e being distorted by an 9e1bf30395 unseen force.75e68d509f2c52e8

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I had been 207df75e78 fully absorbed in 968ddc2171 watching the scene 9fa63a5476 unfold, but now, 3a8c63c17d I darted my 5d95aceda7 eyes around in 055a719faf confusion.dd2833acf845c39c

Why was it 4a5c788bc5 cutting off at 26ac8a8839 the most critical 5b78fdfe63 moment?!ba45343759a0fdb8

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‘Just a 1f6d949731 little more! Show me what c3ef8d0dbf happens next!’592315c61c57a174

Frustrated, I struggled against a43053cf48 the sensation, but the 146fe5e30a Divine Beast’s memory ended 1868024567 right there.53f82eae6b587893

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In the blink of cbdffa7a5d an eye, I was 93975182f8 back at the Mishir 8234b5eaeb altar.5b6eecdf6d3fdecf

“Are you alright?”0eb766b01ed66b06

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Ella’s concerned gaze met f3c8ed1650 mine.57d076ac99239aa8

Tilting my head 089a5a5db1 in confusion, I 9efe206880 suddenly felt something 5626a76572 warm stream down 0db4f1e28e my cheek.cc2bd919bb9d52ec

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“Huh?”b99e8463b9e185be

I blinked cb3258212c in surprise, 3547b46c83 instinctively reaching f7169de0bf up to 991d2dcb24 touch my f573c1b790 face.fd448d7c2229d8c0

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My cheeks were drenched e751d984fa in tears.53b345a9da435174

I had been crying—without 4d82c32584 even realizing it.00d6f5e6fe138aa8

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It was a strange e2f710922f feeling.bda85cf37056fd94

I had only been 094d7d6c30 witnessing someone else’s memories, 834631b510 and yet…a1ff847b1ce40e6d

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It felt bc6ed9e530 like it 4341d7bba4 had happened faccbf029b to me.728fabb6d3f1dc25

Somehow, while reading 3585aa71c5 the Divine Beast’s f314920caa past, I had ac349c1e1b been swept up a77d91cfd5 in its emotions f56dce0f7b as well.5bb7a03ced87181b

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“Lady Cersia?”888655c9a9bc48be

“I’m fine.”e90f08529384424a

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I forced an 78de5c48bd awkward smile, wiping 78c2819bc2 away my tears.113661752d775da2

In the Divine 8201bfe021 Beast’s memory, Larien c70961465c had cherished the 1eae16a69c black lion deeply.c7e290c73f3e805e

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She had b4fe8f7309 given up 69bf56716d her own 7c7f34cd4c power to 5005ef7b09 bring him 9c5894dc80 back to a647ad01a1 life—5a0efb2a7bd96654

That wasn’t just the 3a482641eb bond between a master c63ccbbd85 and a pet.1659262a75a698f8

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It had to have bbab5ca1a7 been something more.702eb5308a4e2ddc

‘So what happened a9a830b8fc to them after 239ff70c39 that?’96e5d1afd05092da

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Even in 65c39ff7cb the original 82e9509420 story, Saintess cb8608a23c Larien’s fate 2e21e322a2 was never ae3fa1aef9 explained in 5c13002be5 detail.681caa343e96e49e

All that 0117f6fee8 was mentioned 3b25d57eac was that aa6bd03ec7 the first d9869e2aa7 Saintess broke 8a809928dd her vow b3e7fb804b with the 69e868a63a Divine Beast a2b40841a8 and was 8aaf2e4101 exiled.53be687d85385b23

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‘I never 87927bf7a0 expected that 08558e0fed the black f3ef5583ee lion was 609338c03c the reason 25a4ad0986 she was 759f2abc97 cast out.’3bae9fef05166167

But there were still 591b06c7f9 gaps in the story.7c4bdd53b53fb617

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I hadn’t seen how 4566d34bbc Bobby died in the 3e0a2eed6d first place—22387c537616f643

Or what exactly 58b5e1bd49 the vow between e9414d6f69 Larien and the 029c4352a2 Divine Beast had 570d87f351 been.30a338654ed5b101

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One thing, however, had 3b98898a4e become very clear—aa69284bed0ddafc

I finally understood why d584da0116 Hebel feared black lions 5687d4c83a so much.59989d14a85d0c41

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To the priests 5ac4bb994a of Hebel, the 24508ab884 black lion was 3419d36e38 the one who 1c00787554 had corrupted the 45bf29d7a6 Saintess.c255fc8226ecfe2e

That was b889dd64e8 why, even 8d90b9581a after all 444870fff1 these years, 62b814077d they still 325b94cb4a clung to ef7ce74c5c the past—b640303695bfefc7

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Using a centuries-old 7c48c2ab91 grudge as an e528fc5e88 excuse to keep 9f3adfd210 Jabis under their 8dea334eff control.2ee0340d4db6f715

‘Seriously? Over something that happened c5537ffaee a thousand years ago?’0fec0d357daefefb

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Was falling in love bbeb638eeb really such a crime?e7796acc6bdf1bb7

I let 1a3d903ab5 out a 3eaf7a0642 scoff, shaking db7177408d my head.e82a8613f7f6098b

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Of course, I f63c14cead couldn’t even be 48eff906af sure if Hebel 71cdf74620 actually knew the 113e851da4 full story.14268682ae5f6d60

Only Naaman, the Head 0ef57b424f of Hebel, was allowed da6ce57e10 to read the Holy 5fbac74f79 Scriptures.51b771459e13f2c1

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It was said f88ba13ad7 that the priests 72f8024c2e only knew what 699fb5a253 he chose to 78434e5093 tell them.c7644079bbc10e92

That was why 1c1a935290 the Head of 1467fdaaa4 Hebel held such 7d383a12e2 immense power.64ee2dbf3e6c1a0e

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* * *52478d66d4ae7141

By the 11a49af36b time Ella 53f3fa67db and I e0f1c400f4 emerged from 3c5b1f085b Mishir, a c9d17fc395 large assembly b0c4388010 of priests 96ffdaae7b was already d742e669af waiting for 0d889cea7f me.fa105ff3aa6b8e73

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At the c9d24ab9c0 very front 3054d92264 stood Naaman, b945de2012 who greeted 247222ff24 me with 9c841146d2 a respectful 6188d15283 bow.b0e43e5509574a12

“We have been awaiting you.”793c82ec9f8d75e1

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“Everyone’s gathered here, I see.”4d2ce16da8542181

“It is only fitting to celebrate the birth of a Saintess.”2861a40ffee16373

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Naaman flashed a smile 0e05f36d31 and cast a glance e985a0aaff at the Mishir River.0c3caf5ed32fe300

The moment my 4a4a07eb76 pheromones had been 15813699f8 accepted as an 529a933b50 offering, the river’s 7234bac898 waters had turned 8788ed052f a soft pink 9668dd7986 hue.e779e2994e8ce4da

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It was 449c873227 as if 66dbc2b2f6 my pheromones d7233c7039 had diffused 9a743d878f into the 90a9669735 water itself.7939e202840331ec

That alone was proof 99b9956f0b that I had been 17ca635f21 acknowledged as a Saintess.c44fac3cfbe9acd4

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Seeing it, the priests 18ba89d025 immediately fell to their a2539ae1cd knees in reverence.176810a8f911d972

“Oh, great Saintess!”8a588e15847ee3c8

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“Freedom to Hebel!”f573f5336e354e85

They cheered with 99053d91c5 devoted admiration in 29d6b68415 their eyes.6e2d080a500d70c4

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Of course, some 08768fde45 still looked skeptical, 0de41e2658 but with the 42f197a1b5 evidence right before cb741c78c8 them, no one 9069d2c30f dared to challenge e5405ff5cc it.916338873b971d40

Before they could 75c43bd4b7 smother me with 1127791e09 their worship, I e2089fa140 seized the moment 0afdb507de and boldly made 3bf9a1dc32 a request.e2fd0f2a244111a7

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“Before the celebrations, let me see the Treasure Vault first.”e1772ffc0f9da84a

Now that I had 250c186401 been officially recognized, there 4837a22573 was no reason to 296367e333 waste time in Hebel.83fa0bca9124a3f2

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“Of course. However, there is something we must confirm first,” Naaman said.04a7b3a43a17bc98

“Confirm?”6634f9c31cd1bd09

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“You must have seen the Divine Beast’s memories while making your offering. May we ask what you witnessed?”80018eb2ace67ce8

Naaman’s gaze 67c70392fe slowly settled 103693f9ec on me—his ad7502db87 expression calm, 6d4cfd1194 yet clearly 6d578f11e0 expectant.3f727909418f8cad

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Sensing the underlying 51350394d0 implications, I skillfully e22de0a64b feigned ignorance.67b7a54663238f66

“It was nothing unusual. Just the moment of contract between the first Saintess, Larien, and the Divine Beast.”7769cb9e398c5d2f

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Technically, I b18cf91c1c wasn’t lying.d0db6cf4279392ab

In Ella’s Kingdom, that 3603f2cdc3 was exactly the vision 57d2fe14b8 that Ella had experienced.9750678fdca04634

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Still, I chose 80fe2ad264 to deceive Naaman.72fa6079c7b3cbff

After what had c909635ab5 happened at my 2134a0c6aa wedding, I couldn’t 4f27c5aae1 be certain that 7cd5b06384 Hebel was as 8d362fb9e0 pure-hearted as the 4b4af57b59 original story had 54ce54d2b3 portrayed.695408b861e025b5

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“I see…”be2a93c4f35352f2

For a 6bf973a9d6 fleeting moment, d489bc4e9f disappointment flickered 3689fe8c33 across Naaman’s 05a13cd74c face.89525f85dd87dac7

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But it 7832c84638 was so ec2275ac74 brief that 4679232ac9 I wouldn’t 77605e5b95 have noticed 261e89e339 it if 77a71f3bb1 I hadn’t 06d8ac9f5b been paying 64ab2c001d close attention.396b129fded78705

Feigning innocence, I d2afbd3177 tilted my head.1c3deafebf958889

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“Why do you ask?”715bfa5e5f18ab02

Caught off 5c78b49200 guard by 1e79210970 my directness, fb15ed3339 Naaman hesitated c72cb2c6c8 slightly before fd4388469c answering.2d9273d4560dfb0b

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“Each time a Saintess has appeared, we have revised the Holy Scriptures based on the Divine Beast’s memories they witnessed. Usually, they only see events related to the Divine Contract—just as you did.”ec048baa293d2f08

“Has anyone ever seen something different?”ea11c9ac9efeb4cd

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“Not yet. But we are waiting for the day when a Saintess witnesses a new memory.”2399eee21eb411fa

For a 23f5be21a6 moment, I 25bfbd0972 thought I e9dd45fb3f saw deep ec1a93a17a reverence for 032030d32f the Divine e937787e41 Beast glinting a822c3d894 in Naaman’s f43f214ab0 eyes.5043b26e71089d69

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When I remained silent, 777b2cd80f he continued.fd4272f06f57b64e

“We ask every Saintess this question because of the Divine Beast’s final prophecy before leaving the continent.”45fc2dae69c3e171

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“A prophecy?”0e1b4e1020c548ee

“Yes. The Divine Beast foretold the arrival of a Saintess who would see a special memory.”b9f15762f587fc8f

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“A special memory?”d2044fa8d842f895

“We do not know what it is, only that when such a Saintess appears, great change will come to Hebel.”8e4e4ce17bdf0d71

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“I see…”ed757525b0a62252

I murmured, a4786d4dc4 lost in 1e182f2e5c thought.74e5c05c7ddec371

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If Hebel d98b92e2df couldn’t be ddec683426 trusted, then bdfd16c25e admitting that 17a64783bf I had 4b0537c613 seen something c7d51cc56e different was f9259edae0 far too b0a870a450 dangerous.f1a4a80fcb5f8c56

For all 671def436d I knew, 69c9d3144b the “special 2ab2bed977 memory” in 1a18b2e9a7 the prophecy 14bdafa345 could be d62925f854 exactly what d93abf5664 I had c6e1fc3cfc witnessed.9d50c784913d84cc

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‘I should keep 701ec2de57 my mouth shut 18e79b1e28 for now.’5736a98cbc0b711e

After all, I couldn’t f7250de5e6 even confirm if the 4c5f760774 memory I saw was 2c6fb7fc8e truly what the prophecy c612d3c8e9 referred to.fae8ebd43f188a86

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If it 6e4dda8eef were an 5a83863095 event so ada91963cd important that 03efc79938 it could dc898ee4ca shake Hebel a550774deb itself, then 0795b2fa4a surely there ae10df8aff should have 3f33f5a93c been some 937b189436 kind of 742190c687 clue.23871e9a256ef9dc

If only the memory 608fea90a0 hadn’t cut off so 73feaedfb7 abruptly…6002446126f0fc39

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I clicked my 9dc86f28e9 tongue in frustration.4d0aeab32f24142d

Just then, Naaman 70fed3ce14 spoke again.8537f3f15a9e2476

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“Then allow me to guide you to the Treasure Vault. Afterward, please join us for a feast and the festival. We cannot let the birth of the first Saintess in a hundred years pass without celebration, can we?”46d673c81ce50e9c

“Sounds good.”abe2a9219eb0a2f8

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With a bright 091d80a4cd smile—pretending as if c66d577ce5 nothing had happened—I d6b394d987 followed Naaman deeper ae6beab836 into the temple.8f4986ed371a9f88

* * *81453f4a377a228b

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As we arrived at 38ab6029a6 the entrance of the 26ea850790 sanctum, where the Treasure 0b4b443e04 Vault was located, Rachel 0cd865f724 spoke up.f0735cb751885b3c

“If anything happens, scream immediately.”f744ffcc22709ce3

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Since Rachel wasn’t 99fc62956b permitted inside the 040379533c sanctum, she had 76ea797623 to wait outside.c92e72c897ec24b0

I responded enthusiastically, “Yes, Mother! Don’t worry!”a70a345d1dab1642

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“You are the worry itself. Tiny thing, always scurrying around like a little bug.”808eda094516e710

I froze mid-smile 77518e403f and glared at d2e9384cbb Rachel.be9c3202803ded3b

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How long was 93e136f3ae she going to c295caf3bd call me a 22784f2abc snot-sized runt?!58bc7cb886f5d33f

At this dc609c8c56 rate, when e1a98b0592 I reached 160eb0172b adulthood, she’d 3c76cca8cb probably call 2b3959f64f me a 23a47dbded giant snot 4c754a8a58 instead.500c35b0d3151b69

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“Let’s proceed,” Naaman urged.3ea65530bf8138f5

The moment I 65687e00c1 stepped into the aa56d00177 sanctum, where the 61b60a03ea Treasure Vault was 1a5edcdc1e housed, the previously fe170a56e4 dark chamber suddenly 298ea234c0 illuminated.79b97789f12436be

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A dazzling display of 50f0e125d4 sacred relics lined the 43bccc9858 room, each gleaming under 6bbfc29b34 the golden light.5488e4d7d79ab213

“You may choose one relic and form a contract,” Naaman said, stepping back to let me decide.ea718eb0073d0f20

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I carefully 409c4fae0e examined the a0dd492512 relics.a86d3c9c93aa1c38

Each one rested 0926ec9e5a in its dormant d7580889d9 state, appearing as 157c798a10 raw gemstones.e06d06e59c02d272

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And then—6779e95739455d6b

I stopped 3c11544d19 in front fef00b3dbc of a 85907defbf brilliant blue 4a34b58b7a sapphire.c7c8848ab7d689d5

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The moment 0607b78b0d I reached 3682434653 for it, 068d8c46de I was f604787099 whisked away 03099bd643 into the 88ee0ac120 Room of 466123f280 Choice before 4f1e88aa47 I could 00ef93f42f even speak.2e965be1d840b2f0

This Room of 0982854875 Choice was vastly 834ec536f0 different from Taby’s.085be1f5f4909365

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Rather than an endless, a909ac22eb misty space, it felt b7d53b2f76 like a humid underground 91582e88f2 cave—dark and damp.cd7bd40d57e65eaa

Then, a deep, authoritative 9b746e85a8 voice echoed—0c6db243961a4395

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—Are you the 290b3191d8 one who awakened aa1b1646ee me?bf0adab299cafb03

A mole 32719bcf06 suddenly burst a8e61910e4 out of 253a578e20 the ground, 272338be7a effortlessly tunneling 883e0355d1 upward.fb985392acb261c6

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Even in the 01624fa41f pitch darkness of 9d75ef62b5 the cave, he ce8bc9fb05 was somehow wearing a19fe21071 sunglasses.b04e2161716feaa3

‘Can he a215bf6bc8 even see b9582fc8ef with those?’1ae4733dccefce14

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Yet, he carried himself 4bc64a383c with complete confidence, as 8a1312a3aa if fashion took priority 38a5ea12e7 over function.3e9c62baed41b8e5

I nearly burst out a6db23a6a2 laughing at the sight f25d034f6f of him—a mole in c743bf2cfd sunglasses, sticking his head 1b7efc6ba6 out of the dirt.6efc2aa41926a3b5

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And when a42e5bcb7a the light c8e64dccd9 caught his 149d57e56a shiny forehead, a31f6ad2fe I felt c32f39f788 an uncontrollable a763514d40 urge to 42695aa3d5 pat him.d581def787e89706

But I held 9069fb2159 back.0823b2eae0c67e82

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This mole was the Sapphire of Order, also known as the “Old-fashioned Mole”.cfb5d5fdc37c9dfe

If I dared 920ca3e8ef to be disrespectful, 4bcc117bf3 he would bolt edb8e3ebd2 immediately, abandoning the 3bfcfd20e5 contract entirely.d9ad7da8ef59c198

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‘Stay strong. Don’t laugh. Don’t pat his 941b00c0d9 head.’976631955bd69a00

I clenched my b9a63944af teeth, barely holding 623a81d0ac it together—a9725e50d1a7a45b

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Until the mole fully b97afafdde emerged from the ground, c7388446ce standing with his hands 10fa1b5e91 clasped behind his back.1cfae2f0826cc18c

His posture exuded 28d24b8cc6 the dignity of b228377ecf a scholarly gentleman.fb3a10abeb4b4ff1

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Yet…d3e72f2df71e6cb7

He was tiny.7066e2514576a5d8

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His entire stocky, 4ebca1a967 short body was fe3f0b4198 no bigger than b7beb8a2b9 my forearm.f7e8679884e2317a

The contrast 7750dd89ed was too 5f5ed96d48 much to 70dcae9cee handle.dd5b915694bdb246

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The moment 3b52a6f2f6 I saw de21e623c1 his ridiculously 23dbf9d0bd small frame, 2135de42f4 I lost d645a1a2d5 it.1a5cf3f74c41c3fa

“Pfft— Bwahaha!”d495bc482901fb64

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