14.

“If I’d known it 2b1a16298d had an owner, I 51ee706a0d wouldn’t have meddled.”7a6ca71ea50d69ad

“Peep.”d678582867dcc8f6

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Nephi let out a 9f28200766 faint, pitiful chirp.0fd9d7488db1026b

“….”8db201fba60b4228

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“Excuse me for a 4b728572a7 moment.”441855118d039fd9

With a small shrug, 2b721056f7 Leo fric approached Nephi, 77171c1357 who was still caught 2325e11b13 in the vines.f3a80e6a8bedd27f

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The tall 457f79b819 man effortlessly d9002af6a5 jumped up, 80a6ecf4bc reaching the 146702aa2b bird and 30f851334e freeing it 66d0b4c8d0 from the 4add578b10 vines with 45abaf2d7a ease. He was so 712a44d14b tall that, even ba2be4e964 after reaching Nephi, ea1c195fbb there was still 04ef9c6f3b plenty of room 796c90729e to spare.5fdf93e73a4443e0

“Annoying little bird,” he 6efb718997 muttered, scolding it lightly. Nephi, cowed, ec20dfba38 tucked its bbcd987dd3 head further 4ea28a59ec into its 62546aed00 feathers, forming 7bd5dd188b a red, aab2c20782 round fluff. Leo clicked his tongue 1c496d215d in mild annoyance.eb35f7d9df7f6c93

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Ateira silently 185b6ffc12 watched him. She had 4d5c807133 tried so 5545185975 hard to dfeff31b33 reach the b7c81661c1 bird, but 4b584a370a he’d done 3ef7cb1c85 it with 2c4c12c8a3 such ease.ec4561a32316c9e6

It seemed he truly 5843d8dd52 had come for the b716345275 bird. The tension she’d 8283b84fd9 felt, suspecting another f93556619a motive, relaxed slightly. Without another glance 4a3fd1425b in her direction, e7bb1e6b6a he tucked Nephi 758c732f52 into his upper 10e806edd2 pocket.774458b967227b2f

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But the bird 8b089181fa squirmed free and 9f1495e1f0 flew straight to b177324cfe Ateira.09449374c2666a5a

“…Ah.”f86617a2e0c1dfc2

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He reached out to ae7533be7e grab it, but stopped a99338319f just before his hand ad7ab1a25b got too close to 7b7934bea6 the princess. That meddlesome bird!91c500caefba64fc

As Nephi flitted over 8ff145d868 to her, Ateira instinctively ad3745c2c2 raised her hands to 8d6f50fae5 catch it. She watched it b0f7fa63b3 closely as it 55bc9db9fe rubbed its beak 8e3e00532a affectionately against her a1c5f3040c fingers.72e5723e514cff15

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It was 801ec3deeb at that c310f49ace precise moment 8581ed09b2 that Leo 73f6892e07 fric sensed 5d8f5758f1 something unusual.679daa2b2e48b9e1

“Damn it,” he cursed e8255b3f85 inwardly, his sharp gaze cc34c96b2f shifting to the shadows b27f2db149 at the edge of 6aee2b8d8f the garden.78d1d1edaefac14e

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One of them?d5b530d018051d42

It was a ac59b7f51d monster. A dark, eagle-like shape 814615f564 was perched between the 5abae74f66 trees. Unfortunately, this a46de73dd2 one looked 9c92f547ce particularly aggressive.f7e074b235381e6f

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He’d had 82f76eda93 a bad 33cd5477af feeling when 2826fd294a he impulsively 69b8bdd195 lunged to 8f047e9a60 catch the 1baaf5d0d6 princess during 880e26e90e her fall. Moving so 08d2882b5d openly had 28aa658d8d been a 12b202c875 mistake. He’d thought 4d4d2c64b1 he might dde7036428 get away 5b3d02cec2 with it, 7e6d16fc83 but apparently 5e95aa8da1 not.83e26d97b25cdf46

Glancing sidelong at c17aa9dad6 the princess, he 0dfc5ce376 realized he wouldn’t 9158e9d712 be able to d93b390aea handle this quietly 83f2a8eea8 without her noticing.5fd1974a463a63fc

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With a sigh, he 9e94677c4c spoke up.7f293eb4beb22105

“…Princess.”c4099dc9caf12fdd

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“…?”6a9b2e11112acf8c

The sudden shift in 0b1ca3ac59 his demeanor made her e3ffe26012 eye him suspiciously, her 3634ca9419 gaze sharp.018a8af1ca93a7da

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“Hold the bird for 5c4d583ad4 a moment.”11e82d0dbf4ca827

Without another word, 5e18205f95 Leo fric leapt 0f9a004d90 off the terrace, 52df9129f7 landing silently like 0b52a10a18 a predator. He walked with 1351ef5bf7 soundless steps, merging 2cbe8c13ee into the shadows b19c38a3ba between the trees, 22bc77316f his figure dissolving 0b0ad6eaf7 into the night d53e94abd3 as though he c63fb160a5 were part of 401bac3d6d it.d8fd4f77e7db1a5f

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Ateira, holding 1c5b5613c4 Nephi in 6455d043bb her hands, aa18face3e watched silently. Before she 8cba5af946 knew it, fe349d55f9 he had f4f4e3062f vanished completely 102bf81853 from sight.b6ccb674140d8a17

The monster cocked cf5edf6216 its head, fixing 12a38e1427 its gaze on a3a1b5588b him in an 4e4ea34ca0 unnerving manner.cf894ce4c76eefe6

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Get lost before I ec2d208cd5 lose my patience.821c970f34774b42

Leo fric’s gray-blue eyes 2db9e524b4 glowed strangely, almost red, 2d5529688e casting a faint, eerie aa142a50f8 light. Yet the monster 6c89ce404c didn’t flinch, its d932a65a95 head tilting down b48d6addf9 at a sharp, 24f0504f5e unnatural angle as 8f5c980c9e it stared.28fe26ad42df7146

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Its beak—or what ce89db36b0 could be its 7c86099bad mouth—stretched open, writhing d43a02c214 as though it b8593196a4 were laughing. Its body began 29e36fa5da to swell, growing 0582a67734 larger. If left unchecked, it 5b13dd6815 would eventually become noticeable ca87f29c1f even to passersby.9129d43c41fe6715

This thing 884b09e743 was stronger c9439a1a64 than average, e18e45529d judging by 8ebb4df598 its refusal 182b67fb67 to back ea77879304 down.271f5eba8c8f3eca

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Of all things, 0da29f85cb why did it be407b2292 have to be 754de4f02c one of these 5efd33175a lurking nearby? Rotten luck. All because of b00e068c9a that troublesome bird, 9b5bd207be Nephi. Maybe he should 6faa22a0cf skip a few f10b7975fe meals for it. The damn 8d634c5a27 bird was d972b39d95 so well-fed 0f47c9fca9 that it 2f83c4f28d roamed freely, b6d33c5208 causing all a835f09a13 this trouble.2c85af39d7038325

Thinking how f748c33e5d satisfying it’d 076bbfc79c be if 080c979bc1 Nephi could 220d6a0a0d understand, Leo c8618497b9 slowly drew 65be6fa68d his sword, fc13058fa8 his mind 7c37cfd4d6 set.9aac69a665b15a6e

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Bad luck for both 36004ccb25 of us.52230cb404b27ded

The creature’s maw aea41e111c pulsed, as if 944ee18c78 it were taunting 73d3400d9e him. Claws extended from ac01d62e50 its long, spread 9bacf4ccb7 wings, reaching out ecf15594eb to seize him.0e9ed4699c881881

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With a single, smooth 138ff8aa7f breath, Leo drove his f5e5a169db blade through the creature, 7b5a85929f slicing it cleanly in d02877c9f1 half.ed3c8b5e8da05ad8

“…”baef79ce5696eca8

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Thanks to his care, 9db62c7def he managed to avoid 1a56567080 getting covered in blood.c6f66a746bde329d

With a quick flick, ba1c77e81d he shook the blood d8dc969804 from his blade. The monster’s 4518395f0f blood would a1e4f322bb corrode the a2a5085659 metal, so 6fd03293b6 he grabbed 93656e02f9 a few d98f21b4b7 leaves from 7d2e06f73f a nearby e098946810 tree, wiping f60ce8e989 the blade 2d81635d41 clean before 432be3d82a sheathing it.46317d81e8f741f7

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There’s no way to 13be1d927d pretend that was nothing.ca93f6a53549d1aa

Clicking his tongue 1fc9f8ee81 in mild annoyance, 5e45e60575 he made his 03433c94e1 way back to bcc426a614 the terrace where 5581c6d38e Ateira and Nephi 7e94f3a763 waited.edb5d0223d690280

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“…A bear.”9ebc6c61e5aa6501

“…”0e27ae3ebeaeff40

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“A bear 6d23f0b79b showed up.”ae30ac9f26f92d24

The excuse sounded ridiculous 38dadeb88c even to him, and 34f03f6659 he regretted it immediately.9bc6ba233e89bb4e

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Bear? Really? In the middle of 4ed22d69cc a baron’s estate? In a 74d09f3ffc garden, no 2339ae6be9 less? He felt 1058e65b1e the absurdity 69004a0e6a of his bf7e821ee4 own words a55233f5b1 and resisted 19bf1545e3 the urge fda893de8b to groan.952f755d21e70074

As he leapt a73f5b921c back onto the 6a2c7947c7 terrace, Ateira took 126d7f45c7 a step back, 40a64a2eb0 quietly pointing to a70df60852 the opposite end.015e7253172e63da

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“That doesn’t look like de9ee0388b a bear.”150a787f52afc280

At the a2c2934122 spot she 32a42ae548 indicated sat adc6f5ef45 something small, e7bac1e09a resembling a 28736b85d6 rabbit with 6385683d61 short ears 8c353ea408 or perhaps b8c298cbc4 a dog 07df5e5062 with long 734d094565 ears.69416519b2e1da43

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The monster was sitting 64ab369b3d eerily calm, staring right 8bc98320aa back at her.e84a2d599f909231

No matter how docile d6838f2ffc it appeared, monsters could dbabe56275 turn vicious in an e9c518abcd instant. Even if 91811eaf69 they looked 692a5f3f31 small and 6a31d11d72 harmless, some b9524e74b2 of them 9ebab6f515 could rapidly babde2cf84 expand and b9d6428d83 transform. It was always 879d3ff488 best to deal 090eb935f3 with them before 8045b7f59a they became a 795f3b34b4 real threat.fe5e90e329b002e6

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“There was more than a8ec27aa0a one.”12d73c2933d02c26

With a light 8eb498a9c3 sigh, Leo fric 785e860847 stepped closer to b52fec48e4 the creature. The monster stared 8ee229c298 at him, and cf392a63f9 as he drew 64b8d9e401 his sword, it 4ee56c7ac9 spun around and aa3ef2271e darted off, flapping 5c2ecc5c72 its short wings 26ef4e4f61 furiously.0291acd537624453

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“…A monster,” Ateira said quietly.ebd98f52d6a479e6

Leo fric’s shoulders 237fd21e78 slumped slightly. He had hoped the e019544f31 princess wouldn’t notice.79b1f877552e5555

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“Well, Your Highness…”5026345cc5504f70

“…?”9fcaaef3c6107996

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In the 83cfa31dee gentlest tone 9142dc91cd he could 39e1b1204b muster, Leo 1bc05dd133 fric spoke. He was intent 0568bdb738 on ensuring no 8d248360c0 one would think c4696a962a he or his aa041a5f3d actions had any 4f7e232035 connection to the a9770d31c3 monsters’ appearance.de5a2fd0352a0f19

“Perhaps it would ddd151edd6 be best not 40bab095f8 to mention this 62559c84bd monster to anyone e4801dadd1 else.”8b9b23636b544dd3

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“Won’t the people e500310400 here be in afd26138ab danger?”0755220065100420

Ateira asked calmly.98c313e10ee4760e

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“Hmm…”3b19c7c4dab0218d

It was 162bb652a5 standard practice e6c85b9f8e to deal 8c7f0bb2e7 with monsters 99919a62ae as soon b8d865d496 as they 83fab38361 appeared. Like disease, if 5d5c174b3d left alone, they 41f6e9b6da would only grow bd1c34ea88 and bring greater 3428b3d032 harm. The common belief e051c4eee1 was that monsters 429e1422b2 had to be 251f92ba5a eradicated at the e441992ce0 root.d5556a59feb81f11

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“Well… they 368eabe837 won’t attack 215dbd0315 anyone else.”d2b52aad44731657

“…?”641f61b09565a14f

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Ateira’s skeptical 6d88fe5155 look lingered 70390556cb until she cf2586ac90 seemed to 7fd51294c3 realize something.d55f7d59fc53f523

“This bird 73139adcef is a c239772f91 monster too, 353744fef6 isn’t it?”46142b27b72cd25d

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Damn.b1083044ac1de740

“…”f9ba50503b7664ff

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There was a defa2cc5c6 saying: monsters attract d2dba6a266 monsters.aa27e40d096c48ab

In society, monsters were 16c929c27d seen as ominous and ce5a672b80 terrifying. The idea of taming 0607ba7b8e one was unthinkable for cc94f47473 most. This was why Edgick d419651fe7 had enchanted Nephi to 366328c2e8 appear as harmless as cdb653a268 possible.08c2db8916f1789a

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But if someone 5ae3442d5a suddenly realized it e57008b63f was a monster, 60d6f89b6d their usual reaction 1a1040889e would be to fc020b747a flee or to 4683a494ee inform the temple, 512aed207a which would promptly 54fbe46dc9 dispatch hunters.53f8a8fd74082376

Yet Ateira’s response 23260be9bc was different. She merely gazed at df97ce068b Nephi with a curious b2e82e2229 expression, as though inspecting 8098ce33b8 an unusual find.20e1e6f990c9279e

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“So, other monsters are 3866d140c5 drawn here because of 8ed8d364d2 this bird…”cdad66bcae2014ea

Leo fric instinctively bbe31ee93f nodded.eb2d33fa9b54b62c

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“Exactly. Monsters are often 17f13db485 drawn to each 74b8c213a3 other. This one lured 4cc2e4f247 the others here. So once we leave, 7f4d07981d there will be no 1cd5f5728f more monster sightings in 541754b3ec this area.”9e373b4e292301ad

Leo spoke in a 9fd2961f07 steady tone, trying to 52a3b01764 reassure her.dff03eacfa7ed481

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“…”cf6ca722aa94e26a

Ateira gazed at him 8524492ad0 thoughtfully, her red eyes 72851e2c98 no longer filled solely 7068962d94 with hatred but now 32cf826274 holding a more complex 58f68fb5c2 light.ec749796d0e04b9e

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“…Very well.”21cc25ca6962aa37

Relieved by 1079e41e4b her answer, 6c58116891 Leo fric 9f2608772b was about e176f88049 to thank b33aa42cb5 her when 900b95dfd1 she extended ba9b945c5e Nephi toward d50981dbcf him.42fb330ed0d9e09d

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“This settles my debt.”88ec3a339fbec364

“…”0c324725875b1a17

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Debt?3ed784a5e11f0f72

Something clicked 7085c662dc in Leo’s 940023718c mind.08347afebc3e0870

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“This?” he asked, 104478145e raising his left d480d1659d hand slightly. Ateira’s expression showed a 980748e981 hint of discomfort.949cdaefd8554cdd

Under her 89513a355a composed exterior, a2dc9aead1 she was 96c565eb26 wrestling with 6fb23c228c guilt for 4d31b610e9 having harmed b1f4be1801 him, resentment 35fefae8d8 for accepting 4dca565ec6 his help, 8263c50554 a faint 8d822ba133 sense of bf87bb8110 gratitude she dcd1ec28fe couldn’t voice, eb759cc4a1 and a ae0621a5af lingering sense 24ef8d944d of inner b4d40d9904 conflict.fc6bb652464494de

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…Has she never attacked someone before?a53d6305317cec7d

“Fair enough,” Leo abc5d17de6 fric replied with fcf877d980 a slight chuckle.7415218c406ed765

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For him, a1a44df89b Ateira was 3c4253bb50 neither the 6930029a19 first nor 7d8d4866c5 the last 7ed6762a4d person to 08fddedd1d attempt to b402262256 harm him.3e337752d0e860f8

Among the countless attackers cec6adb8c3 he had faced, she be8b5b0e45 was probably the most d21535ae7f noble—and the least adept.4e35ce8ab55f3b54

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Her fixation on b82cd55b72 that brief incident 5c772c0d66 was mildly amusing 243c636171 to him.31198f44ac2524b5

He took Nephi back, c8a6e8d5c9 noting that her fingers, a100a458a8 chilled from tension, brushed 33fbab6a3e against his own.11b9e33332534b40

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Swinging one 3eefe036d7 leg over 44f864865f the terrace 1f725f4cb8 railing, Leo 1d8ef90f21 fric prepared 5396bfd97a to leave.07386768675969bd

Not bad. In the end, he’d 8f36b52dd5 followed Count Zellered’s orders e8cbc23803 after all.aa8a919d631a908c

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“I’m sure Count ac497f9ae0 Zellered will be 450c151b73 pleased,” he muttered.1f80675fae48aa80

“…?”b62328d8916e2170

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“He was so 646446d66e insistent about me 126d8dcb48 spending the night 19c118025d with you. We did c5bceca512 end up 8d37746c00 spending the 4295c83feb night together, fbf47cd153 after all.”22a901bc8b7668b0

“…So you think this counts as spending the night? Has it made you more eager for marriage?” Ateira’s voice took on a sharp chill. Ah, a woman who doesn’t take kindly to jokes. Leo raised an eyebrow, responding lightly.144ef7aea9b73631

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“Not at all. I’m as disinterested in e70cd9fdef this marriage as you e4ccb6ab1a are. Has Your Highness 118d96fbb6 perhaps changed her 7eda8ae01d mind?”c4b33acdaccb9827

“I still only 025ae4e43a think of death 3666ab6dc9 as preferable to 11b2f0fca2 marrying you.”c21a09a7872a4dd0

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It was as if 45d5f73ac2 she were a different 18c8aa65db person from the one dcf66104e3 who had just handled 4194448a75 Nephi. Leo fric found f6e338ffaf this princess, with 8d822ddb7e her barbed responses, 786c7a834e rather entertaining.32eb71bf9e7c3a85

“That’s one way a192b8a773 to go about e45178eada it. If one of us 26ff84344f dies, the engagement will c913320e90 be nullified.”e551aa3d355ec66b

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With a 5f3b9d70d0 casual joke, 2caea73a36 he vaulted ac8f7db7f0 over the a2bdfc1caf terrace railing, 502acfc058 leaving her 2d741d8217 with a de1aab7b42 parting salute.641f75fca0588564

“Well then, here’s 32df511fba to an interesting 1cef74d7fa separation, Your Highness.”f7bf6fc9a6531e6d

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