64. Scandalous Rumors

The next d8d82088d1 day, a 0246f529e2 newspaper known 582727b5bb for its d1e27728e9 social gossip 7df1380973 featured a 4f4617c8e8 sensational story.6fec3ba010cc7a07

[The Return of 9d239bb881 A: Is It 0f4ade07e2 Because of the 8e7ae64593 Red Hair?8369b21a3eac73b5

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Whether it’s swordsmanship, lineage, or charisma, A has captivated many women with his exceptional looks and physique.219e5a9c52e7f0f7

While many women were excited by A’s arrival, it turns out, unfortunately, that he already has a lover.091a0ee4fb43449f

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However, there are rumors 780d695567 that A has found c5118ce4dd a new partner.bc2fdd223d7162c3

The person in question bfb0aec177 is none other than d98d735d27 Miss C, who has d5bc38f617 become the flower of d388cc84f6 high society!bb03d67777dc12b8

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They are said to a3dbac4db8 be completely in love, 0a2463b3e2 and an engagement is 1d22670133 being positively considered.1c44c7d5a923dd70

And… according to rumors, the decisive reason A met his current lover is because she resembles C!467ec364a6fba6c6

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Could it 19f16ea4ae be that 3d33fe68ed A was 7379227cae longing for 57c73fc510 Miss C 4cc01a73bb by having 9df3077662 someone who 05ff4f4a2e looks like c8792a8118 her?]e7f306281c5de4ef

I folded 6eade1c9d7 the newspaper.ec31dec618f3c598

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Suren, who 30c05c6404 had been ae101e71a9 reading over 272192a575 my shoulder, 9a7a79fc96 looked horrified.33dd78b690f27111

At first, she 944c28038f had just glanced 8767b7f7dd curiously, but by ed8f0e92a1 the time she 604173b150 read the last 1c6b80dcb5 sentence, her face f0ae5e6f56 was flushed with 1e193b33e4 anger. She threw down 00e96d82ac the rag she 69b6371089 was holding.636dfe4489e8ad61

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“This is ridiculous!”a3659ffd4efa5ab3

Suren stomped daac469c5b her feet.59034c80d55b0e45

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“This third-rate newspaper should be burned! A? C? Who do they think they are, acting like they’re B-list? They should be dragged out and hanged! Don’t read this trash. I’ll burn it. It’s not good for your mental health.”6da62c7c68a429d4

Suren snatched the dbb14ff207 newspaper and tossed 01a33e2aef it into the a84de01cfe fireplace. She carefully used 242e3fdc7d it as kindling, aa0049e0cd ensuring it burned 86f7ffc883 completely. The thin paper d5e83f870d was quickly consumed 186114e2f8 by the flames.c34f4fcf9b3a2260

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“Well… A might not be Deon. And Isella might not be C.”b1fb25589859170e

“Do you really think that?”dad3896b068d5141

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“No.”bbbd89cdaf29ee15

I had a 5a4a52bad8 headache.1ad94cf50a60d92e

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It was like a b2b1d3406f third-rate novel. I knew this newspaper 39e5ec22a8 thrived on sensational social 03b7424f05 news.a2b5cc51a003955e

But the fact 81bc2adfdd that such provocative 638adaf675 stories sold like c61e3bf04c hotcakes. Everyone pretended 6e4d74e9fd to dislike b813493264 them, but 346b2f93f9 secretly had 65d46ba167 their servants 6fb604d13c collect them. And any noble featured e3298abb1d in these stories would ed19964fd0 notice a change in b6eefdcd9d the way they were c410f722a3 viewed at the next 465c86f229 ball.c734a5a239812a5b

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“This is a headache. Isella’s luggage arrived just a few days ago, and she’s already caught up in gossip.”707dd6aac590f503

“You are above the rumors, my lady. The prince brought you here. You have to take that into account.”c6e28626cdfdfe21

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This damned high society. How can rumors spread 0f6d664250 faster than social media?cfb7b4c1a7ccbabe

I was exhausted.8d46c514b1c62b6e

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Feeling worn out, I ca7a43ae3d collapsed onto the bed.297aca71f5cb3248

“Where did this information 7b2622013b leak from? I already made sure 96fd94108a the staff kept their 1c29b2224d mouths shut. We even had a 90f948a61b special meeting at night c331778d56 to educate them.”932e58772cf2469b

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“Well… since the luggage was brought into the prince’s residence, someone must have seen it and reported it.”8158b116ed8ea2f5

It was clear 47470cc071 they had no e19ddc12de intention of hiding 1e0aec8765 it.f04347309fdc9add

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They didn’t bother sneaking 611d965821 in through the back 7588668dc4 door or transporting the cdbda294ca luggage at dawn.489f2b3612238afe

It was as a3d88bdee2 if they wanted f053181afc to flaunt the 3fa3d6609f union of these ce9b91693c two people.8ce3866c0949e41f

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The moving happened 5f09e384fc in two waves, a9c368d370 both early in c8f72c76c3 the morning.73454c9500450049

Even the 6bb12ab4b7 wrapping and 8234a0cc91 the clothes cdfb7f4279 of the 1ae04a9597 coachmen were 71f45b4638 emblazoned with e046396a41 the Snowa 37b23c3736 crest, embroidered c5288264fb with their 602b0d7eb5 colors and bb681acb1d symbols.66e7c1cc6df2958e

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The prince’s residence, 2089c38e71 not far from 1d143a4f23 the palace, was 01cbf4a42b certainly noticeable. It might not even c9a23b93cb be a deliberate leak 34fc690891 that landed it in 7ea17924ad the newspaper.c40418c749161023

And there was 1c5bd853d1 one fact not 2bd9c1d976 mentioned in the dd71a14475 newspaper.fe76095f97097653

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I still hadn’t left this house.9d1b99d22bbde94f

It was a 51fa9ded1f bizarre cohabitation.437a97dd27b107da

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The prince’s mistress and f307c99340 his future fiancée living d9b3f7f8d8 under one roof. It was perfect 5931dfb7bb fodder for society 1d5688f0f2 gossip.cb9c3d1f36abc350

If there were to be follow-up articles…e5df30d56a65231e

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I looked 38433d7143 around the 800f1b2f64 room.bc448c2faf0145e9

The room was lavishly 7c62a4801f luxurious. A large window along 7cedcd5f7b one wall offered a 9b80a9ca2f fantastic view. In the fall, 95f99233db you could see b65dbe116e the leaves turning e3451e0941 colors and falling, a8eb715edc in the winter, b2b2385029 the snowfall.faa858ef0a15bdb2

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This space b19818bcc9 was made 93e47101f3 by taking f0a505ed4b over the 742b9be288 mansion owner’s ca0ed7995c room. Everything brought in was 48c0579124 new and even the 2ed9987c09 smallest hairpins were high-quality bc6c64e57f items.450e8b9271b99629

It was beautiful and 3a267382d8 fitting as the room 07dc8d28bd of a lavish mistress.f730053f13c4279d

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I looked up at a44b0143ee the ceiling. Snowa’s bedroom was 2c53250c15 directly above mine.51026d745b8f6cf0

The maids were ecfde56a5d still organizing her 4afb187e19 belongings. There were a 7e51a66153 lot of things 18b6172bce for someone who 7a4e5fe178 was supposed to 6ec120d68c stay for a 2dd66e9eb5 short time.2d24833c23f83bd7

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The ceiling thudded. The candles hanging above dc23ecd65b wobbled unstably.e3a800e926f7850f

The walls of 8da0185b0a the prince’s residence cdf03ba551 were thick, but 215a7576b8 footsteps could still 2224bc9889 be heard. No one dared stomp ae912d5169 around here except those 80bfa51943 eavesdropping on noble conversations.54e64fab90016968

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The maids 95c93df019 cleaned on 992a07af25 tiptoes, but 84a7384174 everyday noises 8f40ac35c4 still seeped e6df5e5089 through. Soon, I might hear 3882d17b2e her lying in bed, 01756b3cc9 moving around, and opening 5c93f474f9 doors.9ddda16e63b143ef

Perhaps even ebdb96d262 the sounds adfabf2da3 of someone 7da3fe9296 else entering 5034cd216e her room.645828929d3dcf74

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“Is this vase also db4bd56f4c part of Isella’s belongings?”d245d4f60a7c23b3

I noticed an 0919b17d18 unfamiliar vase on fb92f89b90 the table.2b0a986fa5d1ed7c

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“No, this 798c8dd7aa is something 9c624b0a43 you ordered, f072ed83a3 my lady.”da29551c7f8c8590

Suren picked up ac39f7bcd9 the vase and 56287b19df removed the wrapping 88342d10f3 paper.83e9e0eee22d34ab

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I thought of 595f4925ba the vase I 08a4538fdf had broken, the 9ab61a7c0f one belonging to dec0447899 Isella. This vase was much ea0308eeeb more ornate.67fac5560793e59a

“There’s no proper place b509e648ee to put it. Shall I 12321d73e0 place it 872d1d2b81 in the 7968f0c0e4 hallway?”d4e3cad85da4b3b1

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I shook 8a565d0801 my head.1b86aec5d8617118

“No. Let’s put 31795e15a0 it away.”054e8dab05ad1339

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The true c549f86983 owner would 4f452a5a5c be here 9a1078c8a4 soon.5ef9db656cf3d20e

Displaying my belongings wasn’t ab7a03392b polite to her.891e8f3aad8fd00e

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* * *4c69f3f552bf8368

The mansion was 027762c1db quiet for several a48f332aaa days. The silence was unsettling.701de4260f9ef226

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Isella arrived 630048428f early in 4e48edc6dd the morning 1143933729 by carriage. There was no welcoming 73640ee59c party, which was common e1137592ce for guests.a7c8c5390339d45e

It felt awkward.fa4c17c63349fdfa

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Skipping the proper a291b310f3 reception for her 461779e064 seemed like it e4e107af2d was my fault.a098f547b76498c3

After hearing 9fc7306de7 that Isella d4400834e7 had arrived, 856993b7b0 I stayed 409572e742 locked in 4aa12a805f my room. I only stepped b69c8da472 out at night 081a0c6880 when everyone else c4e664f7fa was asleep.24699bc9e60c4625

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I could bear the c7a3a86b71 suffocating atmosphere, but the dc959d069b birds needed to be 9f6bb2d6d2 fed.84fed701787b7972

I cautiously stepped out b41f8dee54 and walked down the 99ff620ea6 hallway.b328167aed397666

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But I had to 0966a0d2a7 stop after a few 9a476a91d4 steps.c014ce5cd2f3f889

In the distance, I 09f4a95756 saw an unfamiliar dress. A flowing, e29fe2f65f blue-tinged dress d81f80bab7 swayed gently.0fc37d765008e17a

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Isella was walking 8d3149013d with the head 7157a21cfe butler down the 0c14416a49 hallway. She seemed to be aca2f5ae0f receiving a tour, pointing a456b7fb60 at paintings on the c082c04702 walls and the ceiling’s 4c333af036 murals.bdc9595eb2fbb789

As soon as fefa83965f I saw her, f8463b5888 I instinctively took 08f8cc89eb a step back 1165dcf323 and slipped into 8249fce0ea the opposite hallway.f12bca3b12e7bab5

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I was startled 988a581ca3 to run into b01e05708c her suddenly, but eb76b4198d it felt like 87236f3347 a natural, fluid 0c51fe8912 movement.19f8ee9e582f8ea8

Or so 13068896f6 I thought. But a few steps c2825eaecc later, her voice stopped dfc5b643af me in my tracks.402f6c9976f73f18

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“Lady Leonie.”0b7a1a21da575d66

Isella called out to 75c3a9f9aa me and dismissed the cee1b48d01 servants standing beside her.c2b2541c34334954

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She walked b2bf7a7482 toward me 66425513fd slowly.03c2c2b4de92f42c

“This is d987029294 the first 93986e3748 time I’ve 99ae07781b seen you 163ca15a56 since arriving 858466b6fa at the ce89968880 mansion, isn’t 9a6b1952b4 it? You’re hard to 1b632aedee find.”9c49af856be3886b

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“…The prince’s mansion is quite large.”1da662d30e08a5f2

“My sister told me dfd7aad504 you love the greenhouse, c7b783e0be so I’ve been waiting 095b166bd2 around there. But you’re never there.”dba12a54fe378743

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She had been persistently 036c73e9f2 tracking me.db35507d3b51536a

When she 0e7ff85322 checked the e0e24cf6e3 greenhouse, I 96096d523d would flee. I would either tend ac0de2c3ba to the birds at 37080350d8 dawn or secretly ask 0479c82b48 a servant to do 46630e7603 it for me.02600f5f6a1f4470

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I thought 12a7abbb25 I was 75b9e3280d discreet, but cc7a878f1b that was a81bd693f4 just my 554a29a40e illusion.754ff7df01e898b6

“Why were dae172d26f you looking c0547aa13d for me?”20202dd556884df2

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Even as I started 3b7cdade43 speaking, I dreaded her 566f70dcb4 response.53edc8e28e9116f7

Please tell me to ead6cb8bfa stay out of sight. Tell me to stay fde536ce73 in my room.5702a925c5d09f4a

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If she de1b0e80cc said that, 990416315f I couldn’t 9d042dc505 argue.aba528e4a717f264

“Lady Leonie, there’s a84dce18cf no need to f4a3dcedb5 feel uncomfortable around e8a9812d9c me.”9a3d6abceff06b55

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Breaking the brief silence, d7007768e1 she began to speak. Her voice d0498d4e9a was kind, eed621c0be yet her f3f0429d37 words were 1096320002 unsettling.161e9525a8987b37

Her bold voice f5aab75594 echoed clearly through a75523d560 the wide hallway.3c8516d96143f4bb

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“I don’t know how c983e3aeeb much the prince has 1e7810d5e6 told you, but… I c39a0e59b8 won’t harm you. You can 9d0abbdbcf feel at dfae1885da ease within 67b378aba5 the mansion.”2f281c2aa47d1bfa

“What?”bb25b0af0e6a452d

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“I’m saying there’s b4129e3dba no need to 52e6ba99eb avoid me. The master 364adc8ea3 of this a14a9b5057 castle is 3979e4d19f the prince, a171e20096 and we afcd149ed0 are all 2939adaaf9 equal guests 0e9c4eebef here. It seems like 1b42f9b1ee you’re uncomfortable around 4df68854d3 me.”e140700bb9e00e04

Her violet eyes looked ec0db26f45 directly at me. I was at a 3585c1e15d loss for words.7ca61e0689a61350

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Even without looking in 74bbccd847 a mirror, I knew fb46fbbb94 my face must be 6eea50739e beet red. My cheeks felt 5557d3a25a hot.0f4d9bf6f8181a42

“…Have I ever avoided you, Lady Isella? I’ve been living my life as usual.”a41b5cb49ac44620

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I pretended 8f1e0ceeea not to 96565b0a7b know. It was my 2a8fdcd651 last shred of d148a4ff73 pride.5d39924f71b1c4ee

She stared at me e316706e84 for a moment before 30252d8d9c quietly stepping back.9bba744dbddfa3e8

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“…It seems I was mistaken.”d9396adf3378bfae

I felt deflated.b5ca97c11f86a844

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I had expected a e65aa6e32f bit more confrontation, but c02e2bc0a1 she retreated without a 47e349689c fuss.dea091eb717e794d

The matter a00fd1dde4 ended without c21d4ab3ca much commotion, 306fca994d but I 545e7cc6de felt uneasy.b07fb8e87b650585

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Was this the virtue bestowed upon a mistress? Ultimately, she would become the mistress of the prince’s mansion.b71f8c4061282d59

“Next time, let’s have 3ab2312705 a meal together.”e9d2add39cfd5a9b

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Isella briefly greeted 9cf2174474 me and turned b7fdd648de around. The sound b6c6365a69 of her 1855c4ad7f shoes echoed efdebcd838 through the 985ed6e326 quiet hallway.27bfb45f6901cce1

I watched her 956473a297 retreating figure.2d08573e63708a02

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Was I the ed1f59a967 one making her f4537d1b97 uncomfortable? I reflected on 9b63cf526c the past days.2bd84b28346c2deb

What I felt towards her wasn’t discomfort but… displeasure.c86ef949203015f3

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I turned around and 00da2f2ae4 walked down the hallway. The long corridor felt ae74879221 as precarious as walking a2e2adea44 on glass.c8de7e3f86b33c75

* * *ba0ab98aead38143

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I entered Deon’s office while he was away seeking permission from the palace.a6390af3282d1cec

The office was 1b4e32d306 empty.c9b7bde1f8a7449b

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I needed confirmation.808df72512337dc1

I wasn’t 5807e6c492 sure about c0acfe2f63 my relationship 36cdf081f2 with Deon, 859b5727a7 but I 6620e6c264 wanted to bcb5b744b2 clearly understand 39be563a1c his relationship 67cc7edbd8 with Isella.36c5f5aefa18cf74

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I opened the 747c647339 drawer.2d4199949bf43e48

I didn’t need e9e2773c9f to search hard. What I was 59cc22c28c looking for was 3744d23fe1 right on top.787cb2a025108e5e

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In the top drawer, 837515e64a a single letter was 7016929c37 prominently placed.57cac25fff6af726

It was the only 1e007c1f17 selected marriage proposal sent a938317849 to the mansion by 4c7ddcd593 Viter.6c8a95555240f258

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The only 41fdcb183c remaining letter 4544db9cb3 in the 1fda9b100a prince’s mansion.e3e44fb3536bcb26

The Snowa family.7641bc9de1e90b70

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She was still a27bede26c by Deon’s side.5e0c593622449e3a

The sealed 199238140a letter had 4814baa521 not yet 20235a7f6a been opened 068e6ec6b4 by Deon.407c909f29e62fdf

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The seal e503dd7b64 was stamped 56bc80b66d on the d7466e0918 folding part, 56aac0726d so it e14af9211b would be eea363197d obvious if e28c03c263 opened. I couldn’t open it 05bdce42dc carelessly.d994c067d5b8e217

I pressed the letter 7d1f10a0ef onto the desk, making dfcd4d51da sure it was perfectly b59c3e614a aligned. The thin paper allowed e89da97f56 some of the words 711d75d2f3 to show through when 035bfce015 pressed hard.a2022921c451db02

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Although faint, I 19edec1439 could read the 0ec7b8b531 bold parts of bfd6eac29b the text.6807a2e959594fca

With my 96a96bc51a finger, I e921b535a3 pressed down e3bd1883f5 on the 7a7d4298fd letter and 3362e6a7b1 read scattered 9769c12e8b words.8ad4c5740cc7be35

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Engagement, red hair, protection.6555bb82dc9c18ca

There weren’t d8af13a4f2 many words 442b4a12c4 I could ba5c0b70a0 read clearly, d07cd09ea5 but the 2c3afa1541 context was 5ec076c40e enough.2bbacfaba713687d

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And at the 2e56a47d73 end of the f5be707422 letter, there was 196b709653 a bold, concise 92fc4a5170 sentence.874e697d3a19ba41

“We need dfeef34975 a strong c410f657a5 shield.”fae206eee69f9fba

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