#97

I doubled over, laughing 2c4282da69 so hard my back d3afad0466 nearly bent in half.97112380407b9fb4

The mole’s expression turned fierce in an instant.b521526c2fd8a433

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“Are you laughing?”68d2eaf30d7c151a

He bared his 7d3235bd6c tiny teeth and cd274284cc growled, but I fe92acc7e2 barely managed to 04a955fbc4 swallow my laughter 562d56624d and straighten up.225be928f342ddec

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“Pff—! Ahem! I-I’m sorry! It’s just… I have a weakness for cute things.”07d9f9a0ace35212

That did not improve 625badb56c his mood.c0512a07935ce02c

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“Cute?”6ab9be9678fdcdcf

The mole fa7b22c1eb tilted his 85b81e946e head to 3112818394 the side 432d7dd743 as if 581178eaa3 I had 1fa8cbb7d3 just spoken 0f9532215d absolute nonsense.308004d55c06b3e6

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He was clearly 460fd1b9c4 trying to be a57f7c9f05 intimidating, but honestly…c55fc16a1f7edd73

He just 2a2044be7a looked like 4437e97228 one of ab1be79af3 those moles 323ddfc120 in a e5073c9910 whack-a-mole game.d412837455a4ab4d

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‘If I a4a1d47aaf had a a759d6aded hammer, I 121662158f might have 7cac52a4dc used it 48b06bcd79 just out 46172c2b14 of habit.’a19d9cd8d2a48d7f

Thank goodness I 7d0db3a849 didn’t have one.00ea1494e866eaad

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Keeping my 459b531a08 hands politely fc819af184 clasped, I 7d87633998 greeted him 4f5e08c835 formally.318685246a0ef978

“Hello, sir.”b4deaf865f7cfd09

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—I am not ‘hello’ at all!36d54a2bcbf3dda3

The mole pouted, d23edf8b5b his lips sticking 494446c39c out in irritation.78073f1ba5b3930a

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Clearly, laughing at his cf5e35df59 face right at our da352df7d0 first meeting had soured 3d62194481 his mood.4f45ad04a9bce103

Right.d12c205a8994e301

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In the 9661819234 original story, fa69ccac1c Ella had 05858e82b4 also gotten 1b46caa815 scolded for fea62b5a17 calling his 487874953d name without 53bcef0c9a proper formalities.91344004eeee8f24

And I had not a7f223c9dc only done that—I had 4fb9355995 laughed.3fcf6cc945842677

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If I wasn’t 01f6bd9a3d careful, this mole ffb3fb171b was going to 3faa73803f scurry away and 889e0fb539 refuse to contract 4183d6e0ca with me.c109cb06936f8037

Time to salvage decbc9e3e2 my image.8bc0e5fbd2a45b78

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I switched df6642c12d strategies, my f11f8240db tone soft 30858a2d0f and affectionate—like 1b74f117a3 a sweet c26ebfd917 granddaughter talking b4da6cdfc1 to a 9965822944 beloved elder.02bae079ee76f8b2

“I sincerely apologize! It’s just that your appearance is so adorable, I couldn’t help but smile! You know how people naturally smile when they see something cute and lovable?”b7b66315dc4ae730

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—Hmph! Hrrm! Young people these days b94c6df30f will say anything! Cute? Lovable?!e7d3c061f7f66f1b

“Oh dear, I forgot ‘charming’! Please add that to the list!”4afd7e745b22a3de

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—W-what a cheeky one! Tsk!0c351c80888aadcf

He stomped ae0a4c0f44 his tiny 4b68934963 feet, jumping 8f67508128 in frustration.4706ea2b09906dfe

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But I 6e4ffd6489 noticed something 502bdd8cc4 important—52d59b86cf79f6b5

His scowl was fading, 06c1e50db2 and I even caught 7771e7ac09 his cheeks twitching as ab46143fab if fighting a smile.bd7cf94bbb729aff

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‘Oh? It’s working!’2a3573d0fbb000a1

I had taken a 44e6943a85 gamble, but thankfully, it a578006c94 had paid off.10eaaafd498cdd31

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This mole b24c344117 was Jonathan, 7ccdb166e0 the Guardian e2402cc1ec of the 59b35630e4 Sapphire of dfc786bb58 Order.c83f23ccb2aa863e

He had a reputation 6a578c304c for being a stubborn, c5cc4e942a grumpy old relic.fe9e091887cfe558

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But in a50b86b02a the original 94e4775fea story, I 5fd5b335c7 remembered something 69de867434 else—c271cfc29fd71e9e

He was weak to 6802cc1974 flattery.15ff1eb2a36db981

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Ella had been 83a3dcdc77 straightforward and lacked d9242994d6 any cutesy charm, 8d4baa2b4a but even her 6f34ea8766 small display of bd69bda5b9 respect had melted e9fdf587ed him.4211047942532b3f

Compared to that?302bbfaa53c36613

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I was a former 4779085e6d office worker who had 93e5956b76 mastered the art of 0613f0252e social survival.d2ef1e31d061e91f

Sweet-talking a grumpy mole?6cf6980fcd0cc874

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Easy.c2ef4ce81e0e765a

Sure enough, 50c052ac02 Jonathan let a5cca21307 out a 37c0b74085 distinctive laugh—31ff66ad4b4e97e8

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—Hohoho!1eb0137ccfddd530

His grandfatherly 49eb95af3b chuckle instantly 39907e6e94 put me b62df688f4 at ease.c35d28950c273695

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Seizing the moment, 94869aad91 I gently steered f7f615b50c the conversation back 5e64323778 on track.1412f4871a657671

“Ah, could it be… that you are the great Guardian of the Sapphire of Order, Jonathan?”a2974d005ad9cf01

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At my b3039435c6 over-the-top flattery, 0d04841a0b I noticed 1e99a2d52c Taby—who had f47fc9138f been quietly 427e9cceba hovering nearby—freeze 2091d39860 solid.0a06753f49ae0a15

They looked f3f9bb122b at me ff0b700f84 like I ece4505dee had just 5651f916fe committed an ef601cd501 unforgivable sin.cd160541f9a2424b

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I ignored them.6c0829644740f440

Right now, Jonathan 19ad04758c was all that fd6f899b59 mattered.a0b1ac63e7d16734

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Hearing my ddbe9c6426 words, Jonathan 0a9fa2ca24 stood tall, 5edcc67337 his voice ebe402b3ac booming with 6d4fd10ce1 pride.b4a1035b45ef08ba

—Ah-ha! Indeed, indeed! I am d6b0481308 none other 872a1fbced than Jonathan, 67ac0ee607 the noble e9d7a32357 Guardian of 56dfde4ab0 the Sapphire 1e86d4ce30 of Order!14808f18cc9d4b17

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His posture was elegant, 85111d0f46 his tiny hands clasped a375369ece behind his back in e32f90c665 a dignified stance.1d34136df70c3896

…But honestly?f795dd83321413ab

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Seeing his 0412bbe139 short, chubby 3834537aea frame, sunglasses 3d16db241e perched proudly 6f678985a4 on his beacadd90c little snout, 4ef401f691 was too f54c38d6b1 much.c7c594569909cf31

I had b728011a27 to focus a887e4396b so hard 4dea5804c0 to keep e6461e3e3a my gaze 620118195d from drifting 11b429064e to his 5ad9a0931e round belly.2611eb0c0aa5c808

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Clearing my throat, I 5189293afd finally introduced myself.741c3abe7cdbe141

“I am Cersia Jabis. I have come in desperate need of your aid—will you help me?”a4d2f59d2d46d293

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Everything had been going baf0afe717 so smoothly.6809445fcb967a33

But the moment 55c267db50 I mentioned Jabis, 9cef4075be Jonathan’s entire demeanor ccf1017dd3 changed.e72106e20b8db2aa

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—What? Jabis? You are 6a60f2cfa2 from Jabis?2342f045ab7e90bc

His eyes 1962ff8bc0 widened behind b7683a33e8 his sunglasses, df0aa03667 his face 98dd666069 turning red 92fd3ce270 with rage.65f6eb3948712d05

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In an instant, d2eb3b374e he stamped his 2c74b4c995 feet, his voice e4f2105831 rising in anger.6a2b7b79c15e1318

—Begone! Do you think dacfa6da09 I would contract 52ba629b52 with a filthy 8edd0bbc8a black lion?!1ef11c619d2a4818

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“I’m not a black lion, though!”52e946a0d7aef6b7

—Oh? Really?3d105f53fcb772c0

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Jonathan’s rage deflated 2837804c33 in an instant, 0b9fa82b0e his expression shifting e5e8983847 to curiosity.93c2a5bf3ac7019a

He even tilted cc3cedfb13 his head, looking 53d1435876 me over as 4548064bee if double-checking.4b87e45e2760aac4

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I clenched my c8738a4c0a fists tightly.aefe4dc2d0da03be

Had I been Ayla, fd37b290e3 I probably would have 4a10052ed4 shoved my fist into cc25303b47 my mouth to stop 849c5967ac myself from laughing.6808ea099af258bd

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Seriously—why did everyone b1ab924ed7 start having a 475c05850f seizure the moment 5e1836b12a Jabis was mentioned?06012b0344dba801

What the hell b286a9be1e did Jabis even 2aea5e3f97 do?!59dc65e0fb99f421

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Sure, they were strong, dbea538880 but this was ridiculous!1b85b92d6594e9aa

…Though, I ba262550c2 supposed this 35215e8f3b was a 10e47003af different kind 7c6b47c014 of hatred.2108562265e4b1e5

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From a 850e5dd602 Guardian’s perspective, 38226bd510 black lions b1133050c8 were the 57dc572bce ones who ffcd459ea1 stole Saintess eef15a4c85 Larien away.5f93d9b630f9d94a

Even Taby ed028b7718 had groaned 5447356c22 when they 1f6227ab2d first learned 4f6f96fb0f I was 0b4377b072 living in 8b4db06d49 the black 4c79e14dcb lion’s household—so b7ec9b482f Jonathan’s reaction 037f4f5087 was hardly 7b1ce24da0 surprising.750be679ca45e519

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At that d807f6857c moment, Jonathan dcd7dc5851 stepped closer, 85117d2e8b his tiny fdba2b9e56 snout twitching c9107dcbc0 as he 268fa0e45d sniffed at 4d7a586c34 me.9d671ba4cbb0d035

—Now that I 6005e60166 think about it… 87a27891fd you don’t have 558b8b4d84 that stench.021c67cbb4fc7b9e

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“Oh, that’s because I’m a white weasel beastman.”f7e0290cae4e35a1

—Huh. Tsk, tsk. How did you e2adc1f531 end up in e2d0810a2f that den of 194c6f7fc3 beasts?b0053fd37af8e2e8

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Jonathan clicked his tongue 14d1e72806 with an almost pitying a696500a05 look.8d9345427a9a86c5

Sensing an opportunity, I ce8a8d7656 sighed dramatically and answered e1a9be0710 with all the weariness c0cb76a266 of a poor, struggling 2e238e6fae soul.5594373005657aa0

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“Sigh… I did it to survive.”e17dc05b578a199d

—Tsk! How unfortunate.826026240a3de285

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The moment I played 29a9e822d0 the victim, I saw e414376a6e Jonathan’s hostility melt away b063ef1062 completely.7485bc9692da7c2b

A few seconds later, 579e1e5347 he spoke boisterously.3d78d5825ae454c0

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—Very well! I cannot ignore a 816931a12a pitiful young one who 63958e357c has sought me out. I shall d662b5bc8f help you!4c516c10eda7f494

“So you’ll contract with me?”11a8e7ab452ceff5

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—That I shall! Hohoho!21986daa3ad3eb1c

“I’m so touched, Elder!”5560ab17af9fc44a

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I clung ac685e6971 to him b76dbe5dea with exaggerated f2ccb8a37c gratitude, and ff5f880466 his shoulders b396323e59 puffed up 34d1ad70c1 proudly.a8aea11943b0ec60

—Ahem!012ddcc5c1a302ea

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Even though I 13f437a498 was laying it 9e3d7cea10 on thick, his 8b79150bec round cheeks twitched 7ae549d650 with barely concealed fbc907d142 delight.1772d71f4b61580c

I had 072959f30c long since 610fdd8820 figured out aa484d1f60 the trick ff6ea54412 to handling 3c698c4b40 Guardians.4c01b8a29239fabe

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Each of them had b21a9447ae a specific way they 6dce0c011f liked to be approached.28b26debd7772f5c

And Jonathan?67b09bad5fb3d733

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He was the 01ccdf8291 most difficult one d57075959a of all.a14aa2fdc82deaac

His temper 23b7a028cc was unpredictable, be841c6fb8 and he 97fc3896ea would scrap 9a0cda0a01 the contract dcd816ec36 entirely if 812b41adba something irritated b3ab94d8a4 him.d9d26d5e9d60b0b0

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But thankfully, I 02b22697b6 already knew his 8646f58eb5 weakness.2b2fbcec49c9d466

He was 989310cbad easily won c90e6c8efd over by 533d753e20 a polite, 2d33631796 respectful young 5019a239e4 person.49e02153bac12d32

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‘That’s my specialty.’171fcd215ef46ff4

Sure, I had been 8f011963a5 stuck in a den 280cc96358 of black lions for 843fec7fa7 a while, but back 1104d5ccbe in my past life?3a2ffd9ab2ed445d

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I was 018a630558 extremely popular 925b27777c with the a6804ead37 elderly.bd523404c18e2952

Having been raised by 531ebc3a68 my grandmother, I naturally 1cac9504bd learned how to charm cc59692458 old folks.3e1f4fcfc93f6e55

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Honestly, calling Jonathan an “old geezer” hadn’t been meant in a bad way.2bd5e06c3aa18072

I genuinely f91817a3b2 liked elders.bf176f44182db058

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I liked b6c0d33fa1 their calm, 8a933ac910 steady presence.1f59864e715d45f6

I liked the warmth bee1b1a99f in their gaze when 94bb7e43d8 they looked toward the db1357147b younger generation.03436a94d57e0d01

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Yes, sometimes they were 5b657d118a stubborn or strict, but 5e3598f1ba deep down, they cared.74a16bbe29ce1244

And the thing I daf3d9c101 missed the most—5c2f1c6e7b901e75

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That comforting scent of 8e498fa60c my grandmother.e1422ad0fd898920

Most people said old 7930f94e67 people smelled bad, but c73d50de7e to me, it had b4f3ab57b7 been a soothing and 28c6310384 familiar scent.9532296a6b57d2c6

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When I dd56b0349c curled up 819d2a2e23 in my 77d5d61bf8 grandmother’s arms, 65d628ba08 it was a1128db14a like the fce5a87dd4 whole world 200fbac2d9 became peaceful.d3d0dd24d395d76e

Jonathan reminded 22c30ddd3c me of 745d7ce30f her—f991057336fbe583

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Even though they had 65d0c664b6 absolutely nothing in common bc2d305c05 aside from being short.c85493fd7bcc9a11

Taby, meanwhile, had been 1fb8e29daf watching in shock.6bf31aaf403726ed

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Then, as if suddenly 4dab83b779 realizing how differently I 331f86c491 treated Jonathan, they narrowed ad8942dff8 their eyes in outrage.aadfe8c90bfbf65f

—Why don’t you f543cbef3f ever treat me 2d62828d8b like that?8917cc1fe14624f0

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‘Then try being cba0b1d351 an elder.’0fb98141c57e9d64

I only respected 83c8964990 old folks.25d6aba014bf4f3f

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—That’s unfair! He’s not 5f3996a63e even that 200ccd6ca6 much older 5f35f34dbb than me!03b45c1db0c481d7

I smirked, stretching my 646773f03d arms leisurely.1624822c16d87906

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‘Sucks to be you.’4c5c92cdd90f861e

Taby fumed, 077fc81a4b circling around 201f97f6e3 me in b0979b0b2a frustration.2f4aa6d3418694d3

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—You said I 8665e0c04a had to contract 9ef5762f6a with Jonathan, and 33526ca0e5 now you’re treating 482cc1d64b him better than 0ba95dd670 me?!684ffdbb52c11b11

‘Because you ab4152b3e2 always shake ffd88c7b70 me around 2c6aab8f5d like a 0a59217e7d toy.’5073e956c2268eb6

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—But you 5bf259d590 always teased dfcb18fcd2 me first—!d5c996e4979b4a93

‘And I will continue 8607a57d48 to do so.’eacc4d56ea36b5d1

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—YOU—!98d6903ca4dfb7ca

‘Heheh.’6cb957c07def5ff8

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As I playfully bickered 9c7cd2a44c with Taby, Jonathan finished e892675930 the contract ceremony.f6e2693366b95b8a

—Then let us begin!936d28c1625fb72c

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The dark dc1e3d8185 space was 33268890b3 suddenly bathed ec5c284447 in brilliant de8bb781a8 light.c4891816dc2b9a46

And in 93ebbf3a1c that unexpected 84638153da brightness, I 862744e107 caught something ca1e1aa21d through Jonathan’s 60a35aa69e sunglasses—2d8094256a5ccb93

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His tiny, 35933c13dc beady little 40289df666 eyes.b8e0bc887b42752d

So small.9d67167ad39a3105

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‘…ADORABLE.’aa695977d013445f

Jonathan must ae78f5fefe have noticed 0a052da320 my stare 0446b0c501 because he 9903a599e4 quickly turned ce4744b6ec away.5ea58efce2b4edec

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—Ahem! D-don’t stare 2d6bcd8ea1 so much! I know 9a2b2a3c8f my eyes 3ba68f9da4 are small!eed2eb6bd7ee6898

…Oh.63305dd336a9ac6b

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Ohhh.ff4da12ab61e6b70

So that’s why he 407233e67c always wore sunglasses underground.6e8706dfcf5dbdee

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I almost felt bad db141ec550 for laughing earlier.544a5add2e07e2c2

Now I f8b1f72464 realized—he wasn’t a17e6ab3b2 just a 8274e11836 short mole.2047c99d0f718a34

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He was 078a31d045 a short 84b5baa9c5 mole with 08c04cf2a1 tiny, tragic 884fc1b3d3 little eyes.725d543b92177038

‘Too. Damn. Cute.’3747681dbac6e236

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I clenched my e03e1bfc66 fists tightly, forcing ca09893824 myself to remain 0d840cbdc0 composed.2439fdd2780d42f4

His small stature made e17d01c7ed everything he did look 9b9f339397 adorable.5d369497b2dfa5de

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But of course—9a4264450e0c2c63

Just because he was 79757c697b cute didn’t mean I e921e4520c would go easy on c3042463c3 him.b54b5e59ec21e391

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Life is war.1e65f2e66f681e16

And if I had 4f20754c72 to outmaneuver someone to aa63e492f6 survive, then so be b2af42529c it.8d91bdd2a7e8eb65

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Jonathan was e9a26c2f4c no exception.8b152d12b14d34d0

Fufufu.4d659ca2d4ce501c

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With another 02508a186f valuable asset a05f5f9060 added to da611f03dc my ranks, ed2e205d19 I smirked db56904d49 inwardly, but 07ba339445 outwardly?fa4f445d71e3a650

I gazed at 1cdfd2b124 Jonathan with wide, 6d2194d493 innocent eyes.3bc338aba362165c

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Today marked 701a9dc8f4 the birth 49559e458d of another 86cc666db3 excellent worker 734b271682 under my bc3c51a8ae command.763e34dcf32990fc