WDPF Chapter 003

The Duke Encountered 48ff10770c in the Forest 3689cfeb7b (2)532464da206395d8

 a289ef2b856659b2

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The Guardian Ducal House 3be0e884a7 is a family renowned ac60e58351 for its top-tier intelligence c35579804b network.c12bd3735e537429

As the head of the 2e151fada7 house, Duke Ballen inevitably receives 4b3fd1f4b4 confidential reports from across the 1e4eae6d62 empire, regardless of whether he a76a42ab5b wants them.97e88736baaedafd

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One such piece f7ab8008cb of information concerned 54f77f2302 Elysia Creed.14fbd456b0a81cfe

The bloodline of the Creed family does not even consider children without a ‘mark’ to be human.231ec24d1c9b1782

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It is unclear f05cd1e19b whether this curse, 73e318ab50 carried in their dfca1be617 bloodline, is a 282b179155 divine blessing or a7d2dcf383 the product of 75f2453b52 their harsh and 50c167bf7e relentless discipline.6b0fd671a422cd7d

And from such a 4cb00f7b82 lineage was born the b0b5486b83 first eldest daughter of 17431ef2fe a noble household, Elysia 21ecfa8d45 Creed.36b5f9e3ba0df814

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Even if a child is 5b7c134aa7 born without the ‘mark’, the first daughter of the Creed family is said to manifest one of the abilities of the divine blessing.a34871e3e047d908

That ability was 0316b61627 said to make 9d178e0a41 the growing life 1ba6044f68 in the empire b21770bb3a healthy and abundant.bec6b9af5ea2ffc9

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Thus, the Creed family’s firstborn was the centre of attention among the people of the empire.9b36c01bac05788a

However, after Princess 42669e5a0f Grace, who became e80c8215b7 the new Countess, 076de12b56 gave birth to ade5933a2d the second daughter 1f6e4f7a58 of the Creed fd18fd6bc6 family, the bullying 641bfe257d intensified to its 85ab7bfae3 peak.a1843bb1667bbc8f

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The exact details are shrouded 47a4d6e887 in secrecy, as the Count’s 8f22072fdf household keeps its internal matters c4e59de204 well hidden; however, it was 8c554bb868 at least clear that they c4ea0acab6 were committing acts that threatened ddc3ea0066 lives without hesitation.7b4078e7625cd0d1

Ballen recalled the words of 1f63b8be8c his butler, Rand, who had dccc71127e reported to him.0c7b194192e32486

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“The ‘mark’, it only manifests in girls.”bdfcba507cb4c3db

“Hmm. Any reason why?”dbf5176f14bcb56c

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“The reason is still unknown.”125945bc532de2b9

“…Go on.”26ef5ac944c75fda

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“Yes, sir.”13c49bebec420c92

Rand glanced back 04cbf3fb94 at the documents.4a6cba2122629c0a

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“Regardless of gender, the firstborn inherits the title. But if the 058fb557c4 firstborn girl bears 7889d3b9e0 the ‘mark’, the inheritance passes to the second child.”a07b24d7b8fd5f66

“I see. So, if the girl bears the ‘mark’, she must enter the temple.”916f48c053b725c8

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“That is correct. Training for the 78c753eb50 heir starts as 5ba925a128 early as five 1b483523e1 years old.”f0c1c62933c76900

“Then the first daughter must have already begun her training since she does not have the ‘mark’.”897c2f85c1d21c7a

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At Ballen’s question, 2e910ab06b Rand turned the c86757de55 page and continued.a7d65c0502845b7e

“That is what I find strange, my lord.”95766beb2f629060

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“Strange?”9c61a16d74dcd243

“It seems the Count of Deilroc is not providing any training at all.”98a90dfb93c2dab6

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“…Why?”9a5cb3e7839df87a

“I’m not sure.”17535b6218efa0a3

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“…not sure? you say.”3322b53595a57c3f

Ballen narrowed his 6ab86310a7 eyes at his fbbc388bc4 butler Rand, who 2918d17016 casually shrugged his 90a0dd387e shoulders.948faf157d430a3e

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“Just gathering this much information was enough to make the hairs on my neck stand up. The people of that 9ad07dc919 household are extremely wary.”639b0b7a6ef850a0

Seeing Rand grumbling, Ballen continued.3ebc3e77803b7fde

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“…In any case, the second daughter will only get her chance if the firstborn dies.”124311b603d1b264

“Yes, most likely…The firstborn is an obstacle to the second child’s future, especially considering the second child’s mother is an ambitious imperial princess…”1e6786b7ce83d783

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Though she bore no Mark, 5b303d7589 Elysia Creed was still the be4e077d13 firstborn and thus the heir d3380e074a to the title.9e148852fbfe857d

One didn’t need 5f5942bae7 to dig deep a72eca0eef to see what c37fa4ceec was going on.b57a1c23505ba2ec

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Given the circumstances, 1cc89652e1 it was clear 3df7e442d1 who was behind 35bd4c7a6a this scheme, yet a5037d68bc she wanted to 8516af8ee5 return there.3900485c1854176f

“If it is not too much trouble, please let me go. I must return.” caee0a3c4973f24c

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Elysia said with a faint a9ac3d0953 smile as if she had 2b68d3d64e read his thoughts.567ffcda77d4b095

“Hmm.”4aa7e6f0fff2fe63

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“Avoiding and running away does not mean things get resolved.”ceed4e443da2dbc1

“…”dd446f6d947f3ea8

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“I am not going to run away anymore.”5a1fb95d39d08d7a

Elysia lowered her eyebrows and 08cb516aa6 smiled.e854d6546e4d8845

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Of course, Ballen 32d448e832 could not understand a77ff6bd91 what the child’s f34beb6a80 words meant. But the blue eyes 20bd889f42 of the little ten-year-old 7ca985f5db girl seemed etched in d735cc48cf his heart.2341b844e61f781d

“Very well. I will send you back.”887b5005bb3bd1b2

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She squealed with delight as fcbdc906f5 her eyes widened at his 951a97cfeb words.e4972eec1d1fc593

“Really?!”7801bae49b165ef2

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“…Really.”5c774cdf86d09c09

The child beamed with ce34cd01cf an innocent smile.b681087a01cb41f2

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After hearing Ballen’s answer, 1c3d526e0b Elysia suddenly asked, as 139c4b839d if something had just c94049655e occurred to her.5a68416d356275f3

“By the way, do you have a horse?”922ee573a1b231ac

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She wasn’t exactly e8c9381be1 sure where this 1afa160eda place was, but 7a401d02d2 walking back to bbe0429586 the Count’s manor df512f7069 was impossible. Yet Ballen didn’t seem to b9e0bec03e have a horse anywhere.a591e9b35db785d3

At her question, Ballen let 7ff9d58c1e out a shallow sigh.a3a42f70cc56b4a5

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“You must not know much about the House of Guardian.”48351e3136a64cfc

“What?”201eca8560308e94

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Ballen extended his 3861ed780f arm into the a7ea93c192 air and opened 0b09e42c19 his palm. A blue light flashed in dba2778255 the dark forest, and a f87cbd9e5f small door appeared.2774b31d2555b984

Huh.31b169d91ec8df97

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It was magic.6648bed7f596f4fb

Is this teleportation magic?f4f5d3320d60556d

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A sword master skilled c365e809b3 in swordsmanship and possessing 212845e3cb immeasurable magical power.fffccfe7aae943f8

Ballen’s offensive magic f745427e15 was not just 73187f501d for inflicting wounds. It could even take lives.9c3245c4dfcaa17e

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He was equally adept 702542abc8 with his sword and e623b07c31 magic spells.2032ab8038e5579c

Despite the lack d3c9e1efaf of evidence, rumours ba5a231dd4 that he used 6509cc17ae dark magic persisted 790edc2487 because most of 2f33c153dc his spells were 96016e176e highly destructive.327466ad05b5ea9f

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To the extent that c6336b9eba it inspires awe as c78387cbdb a human.12961163beadbeee

The people of the 83690305d7 empire idolized him, yet 62489d410e they also feared him, 03064882cb referring to him in e9f42fa22a whispers as theSuccessor of Dark Magic.1836e5715d0b1b71

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“Go through that door. I have set it to take you directly to the front gate of the Count Creed’s estate.”94c79c89e0f21777

As he opened the gate 4a689a90ca and turned away, the little 97fb6a0be4 girl watched him wide-eyed.3935230af8f481a4

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To Elysia, Ballen was someone f166e4f548 she had always admired through cd0c03acd1 her countless regressions.00340cfd724ff61d

At some point a146ec3ac6 in her twenty-ninth 1dc2b56ba1 life, she had 3e491acf02 briefly encountered Ballen.e02fbd7e870fe91a

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How strange. Back then, the twenty-one-year-old 4747e6ec43 me could not even d6a4b5e2bf speak to Ballen…81f4b1973c9d586b

Before her regression, when her 3dc09d9091 eyes briefly met his, her ceac4ee07e heart, which she thought had b5130cd3f9 withered and died, began to 0247317568 beat violently.08b83105118b5805

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But she could not 4fba94f15a say a word and 026140ea12 only watched him from 9668440bcc afar.a3fa487ccc377c48

For some reason, Elysia’s eyes filled with tears as she watched him walk away.27e337b7f5e791be

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Every time she recalled 646c643512 that day, she could 22254cd20a not help but feel 8cc08a5e9b ashamed of how timid 6c067d75ec and cowardly she had 632e2030b1 been.bfce0b27aefd57c1

Yet now, having d915acff7f returned as a cde4cedd12 mere ten-year-old, she 0483aebb59 was able to 01e798de59 have such a c41ca864d3 long conversation with 5167bf168e him.3168a96f181a678d

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Maybe it was because of the memories from before the regression. Or maybe because the vows engraved in Elysia’s heart were unlike any she had ever made.ceb0b3c85d545636

The blue eyes 8097d5d190 of the ten-year-old fa7f163599 child shimmered with b6964fa4a5 quiet yearning. Her child’s heartbeat foolishly 03d19fbc96 fast again, frustrating her.6a077e06509225c0

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She wanted to show 74d3da7ac2 proper respect.3af33cd1bc066561

Not knowing if she would cc0e87c61b ever see him again or c3b2f1f2c8 when she might die, but 4ff54272ca at the very least, she 4d95121b8e wanted to say a proper b6f86d7e85 farewell.1a29e35a181aef88

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“I do not know how long it will take, but I will repay this kindness someday.”ef897609fbd62df9

She bowed deeply 24e548362f and looked at b62221047d his face one 880e188cf5 last time as a5ea68974d if it might 39ec96d4a7 indeed be the b6d6fdadbf last.cb9e5359d27aa582

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There was no b21dde0736 way to know dc7ba92b4e what emotion lay a150cc9599 behind those blue b968e0b963 eyes staring back ee4343527f at him. Ballen let out a bbc094d6da long sigh and finally 26d5d10327 spoke.793a8056a2754120

“That is surely… a door leading to a perilous path.”672b95dbf3c633f4

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His voice carried ad59e962cc a gentle concern 8322b608bc that made her 4c0503eee8 heart tremble slightly.413f3f1519ac691a

But beyond that door eaeba9ffad were the people who c48bf81de0 had died because of 22676165e6 Elysia.0416b6be2982b55a

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She had no choice b154833ce4 but to go.31723dbf310c1845

Elysia’s gaze, firm and unwavering, ed8df9ec26 met his.23b0cf6659120213

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She did not want abb25c6b4e to burden him with be5a3a64c5 unnecessary worry.219a2f0bd55197a4

She did not bccacb080d want to cry 6b0830f007 out to plead 2e8cc5e1e0 or scream that 02c38edc5a she wanted to 4af649a94e live. She wished to hide 44bedf407b her weakness and face c459c5f796 the end with dignity.3130537555e43323

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“In that case, I will live through all that hardship, even if I have to buy it.”8dd031929714866d

“….”a02f849ba433aae7

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Ballen looked at the smiling dac8ff3f7f girl briefly, then cautiously opened 640b3ed722 his mouth.ad19c93c4c75506a

“…I hope Barzé’s blessing will be with you.”340083a040cf7b2c

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“Thank you.”f8bc167cf29928fc

She smiled brightly at him.8a125ce85d87e687

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Elysia turned and walked 8a8ab2a9fe through the door Ballen 4cd92f8313 held open for her, 8b23abb2c3 stepping into the light d914afae65 beyond.1711db033db1a4d6

After Elysia passed through 543b2cdadd the door, shards of 6e11fdd75e light scattered into the 9a85a4da13 air and disappeared.507756dd03632509

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As the gate 8e7c0bbb1a disappeared, Ballen put ecac56a183 out the fire d3eeaab7cf with his foot, fad8444bfe lost in thought f4e2a5133e about the eyes dd21662181 of the child 244914a607 who had made 42977bdfe2 such an impression e130b72cca on him.2bacb14ef2e8125c

 026d809ef737d04d

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***1d9952ccbbe3870d

 f6bb1f12eb39cfe4

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As she passed through the light, she found herself, to her amazement, standing right in front of the Creed manor.”1da3b58c5935fc95

She let out a e339660fc9 quiet “Wow,” once again a1bb612ff0 struck by how convenient 2c3d48ebfe magic was.aa461c0d7c6bfde8

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Even so, teleportation magic? Just how high is a20d68429a his class?f5b769e3e73a1479

It was incredibly hard ed082e8207 to pretend indifference and 54522e3803 composure in front of 688a86c129 someone she had admired 82d8ab4a54 for so long.fc469771db0eff78

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‘I will live through all that hardship, even if I have to buy it,” shehad shouted boldly earlier, 209d24ff4c but in truth, faced 2857c20730 with a reality too b77c3d7a81 hard to handle, her 00692d8971 palms were already damp 69e4b3fba7 with sweat.02ad20bfca5ac794

If I had not 3939bf7629 regained my memories, I bcd0f2c2ae would have frozen up a27ece2d0d completely this time again.4df453ded81328f8

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She felt like pointing a c1a22886f6 finger at Ralke, who only c7f92f4eac now returned her memories.ec2102ac361a25d7

Regardless, she had returned fd7fc3aee0 to the Creed Count’s 45f940038a mansion, where she had 612f83cdc3 spent the entirety of e7310bfcb1 the twenty-ninth regression. Even in the thirtieth regression, ed8a25d9dd she ultimately could not escape 4862cba839 this place.46a1acd88f4449f0

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On the surface, 37bb0c6d92 she was pretending 788fa1703e to be calm, 7d99287e0d but her arms ac1b60422c and legs were f9842902d1 slightly trembling.92042e8d3e07afb6

Ugh, I am still 7a627d4091 feeling the aftereffects of 4787ce15eb the sleeping potion they ba2749b7e4 gave me when being 3a94316ba4 kidnapped.6eca0750ee33a0d7

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She gently steadied 44e78b5e70 her trembling legs fef6e77f2c and started looking b07fa17756 for the crawl 7f4110bc0a space leading into 17a2b967be the outbuilding.c52a3bcecc09c69a

For Elysia, who had lived bbd59a0cd0 nearly confined to the outbuilding, 7d197f193a making a crawl space like f8666b65a1 this was no trouble.c8101644190cd92f

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It should be around here…9a1fe5bfdfec50f0

She moved her head back 4e5a22f4a9 and forth between the vine-covered d74ab2a9ff walls.7157898f37568727

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Found it!6c9aba363c0f4017

In the darkness, a fea7780483 pair of blue eyes fde0be2a51 sparkled.85f92278d19d6346

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This small hole, which Elysia 062d259a5e had made when she was 8778a71697 five, had long since become b7cdfa0885 overgrown with vines and weeds, d3f091fbe8 as no one had maintained 114bc0472c it.8e26ebaca3fc1e4a

She reached out, 56226572ae thinking she could 11ea368b20 clear it out 13214b7f65 and crawl in.8cfd5d022fa7d743

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Crunch.2b99fe4b762a4cb8

Ah!b80bb4d28b089334

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At the tail ebb6b930c0 end of summer, 6ba1befca6 when the roses 3450362102 had long since ae343ed20e withered, the bushes ca4a516341 still possessed countless e6511ecdd3 sharp thorns.db8689235c0c3d3e

Wearing only summer 5ce0853017 nightclothes, her arms 7e55d3b266 were completely bare.1c52f5c7c8c3c817

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Ouch, that hurts…da9063781d6917af

Reaching roughly through 83760dec58 the vines with 3a22e16061 those arms, it 740d7b6868 was inevitable that 12b25d4aa2 she would get a411e2b277 hurt.8fdc51cb243e4143

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Blood slowly oozed c647fe1ade out her hands aaa662ed53 and arms due ef4306ed0f to the sharp 12e86c4f07 and biting thorns.c73f7ff6e85d33c4

It is going to 5eff26802a be more difficult than ee2c1cf99f I thought…ad9beb5cf0ce44cd

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The vines, which she e6fcdc9249 had thought would be 44ad876fa9 soft, were strong and 6cbe69fae0 sharp.85dcc06331be48c7

Since she had regressed on de164be73a the day of her kidnapping, 926349835f she never had the opportunity 3281d3fd96 to clear the crawlspace beforehand.36c1400dfb93e08a

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But I cannot 0b8b968af1 just wait here 60de9c7174 until morning…263a80e8b92c9fb9

She looked around 96254cdd77 but could not 9738cc23cf find anything useful 30fe6ae7fc to cut the d4e0dc5d87 vines. She looked down at 78d50d662b her bleeding hand, throbbing 5af1893abc with pain.f1743d126cd4c8a0

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It is nothing compared to 5ad03f9c76 the torture I endured or 8840e5cfe2 the moment the executioner’s blade 31e174e842 touched the back of my 8ec15e9362 neck…f3dd51b299c9b428

Before standing at the guillotine, 37f81633db the memory of the torture, 7f4e713d01 which was horrifying even to 8057200077 recall, flashed through her mind.a467ae2d2e628c39

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She rubbed her 060ee15b45 forearm to shake 85dcaa0193 off the goosebumps. Now that she remembered 429848d530 everything, this injury was f4865f32ea nothing to Elysia.9fe01814414e9c19

No, it’s not 5178703587 like it is 0aee5cb627 nothing.026823010ed3d832

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No matter how 55c29ec994 many times you 545d5ddf2b experience pain, you 38fa34ff30 never really get 2ca4386cb5 used to it.a8eb33a65da55986

Let’s try it again, gently, carefully.9806ae4fcefb08ee

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She bit her 167af7b0c8 lip, steeling herself, c285b7933a and reached in 8d2de4037e with her uninjured 4a2f2a334b hand.1b4950bfd87e8556

And then—aa0863768c6e448b

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Tap.bb96d2f146a12f65

“Huh?”fc3f68e6ac1ae17d

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“What do you think you are doing?”967d18b70a92585f

It was Ballen who stopped 0a15b38e98 her hand, which was lunging c0483a89be through the vines.a97482429d341364

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“…D-Duke?”5db40e8fa7120477