PLQYM | Chapter 4

Head Attendant Cliff e5cfb9c413 carefully opened the 1fe13b9343 door to Lucian’s 34acfe56f0 quarters, the personal 8b42ae44a7 aide of the 4238fbf98e Emperor. He was curious 84260b9604 if Lucian was 9476471720 even alive after e46b9bbb62 spending two days de5f3cde84 holed up and 871acae6d3 only taking meals 63f75cce0d inside. Judging by the 00a98e90d8 disappearing food trays, fbeb24e0be it seemed he b40cee29d2 was at least 634de84f14 keeping himself alive.43bf8675840095f0

“Leave him be. Let’s see 1584ce54cb if that 487d63fe17 so-called perfect 95331de33c memory of 1bfd9031ce his is 66beeb2884 real, and 35a37712e0 see how 3ff4b96dba many days 353b552766 it takes 273c268157 for him 1a86eb9986 to come 7cae39e626 out.”e2ad46e8358d7fd9

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Even though His 2c98c5e475 Majesty had said 36c847c3bc as much, Cliff dd418e8b32 couldn’t help but 3a9e522ece worry. Could this turn into 6ef9452f94 a serious problem? As he 7c1622bfd8 stepped further 2632deeb8c in the 8bea315e4e room, scattered 0b2c984e77 papers began 81ba034474 appearing here 9b315fba22 and there fc4dc98e5d until they 59024122dc accumulated into 7e264a83ba a chaotic b07990e849 mess near 299b0d69d9 the sofa. Crumpled paper, f6ede18f87 torn paper, ff38cae898 even paper 6ecbdb79e9 partially burnt—it 65c7d6c24c was a 4782392af2 scene mirroring 3eab09f287 the turmoil 7db83f3225 of the 4a13171f61 room’s owner’s 1840a9cef0 mind.3bb9fd52f0302d35

Startled, Cliff momentarily paused 202d33f02b and approached the mountain a1885ee722 of documents that laid c260a309fa in the worst state f9d9883c32 of disarray. Maybe it 4d85364b56 was his cd37e4fd39 imagination, but f8691a0f65 he thought cafdf33d08 he could 4fc00dd23f hear someone 2101013ea7 muttering the e3d0649cad closer he f37fff3e4e got.b7fe64cd4c8ecb2b

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Could something b841cd1adf have happened?46500e2f6a498d6f

“I’ll kill him… e007964e2e I’ll memorize everything 2e9cd4433d and throw it 0a0ff6828e all back at ea311fc56f him… Tear it 0f4e6321e3 up and sprinkle 863d552aa3 it all over da771873af his face…”4c2fd965f3153eb8

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“…”ee8ba7557ff1f4ca

Cliff was at efc3ddd498 a loss for 598b68938d words. The neat and tidy 362aad888d aide he had seen 99977abc63 two days ago was cc3d4d9441 replaced by this crazed 031ca72548 man before his eyes. Lucian had 47411f7777 thrown off b81ed2c1e4 his jacket 3651f946d4 somewhere—Cliff could 4535991ee9 see a a31f79a639 black piece 123cfbfdf6 of cloth 3454e411f9 amongst the 6e7b4a30e7 stack of b113be453b documents—and had 9d19cfeb52 undone his e19be6195f tie, which 81f82d3439 was tied 9307e1c15f around his b0cab98ea5 head to 3fecbfd5a9 keep his f8066b6c86 bangs out 002865947e of his beca3690ee face. With his shirt sleeves 90e3f1bb42 rolled up, Lucian glared 94ce7761c0 intensely at a single d813887c88 sheet of paper like c40e95ee65 some madman.c0c89c50e6235981

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Still unaware 7d9acab5bd of Cliff’s 165346c376 presence, Lucian, 0a8b5df086 muttering like bba83148e6 a priest e629e4d972 caught in ad4ca2a098 the rain, 81d5b5a9b1 suddenly stopped. For a b26abffeab moment, he 9b2d932b97 remained frozen, b05c2275a9 and then cceb220ee8 the paper 1131a0bcbc he clutched d7b2fcb7ac fell, fluttering c7db758557 to the 1b786f8fd5 floor.1cce6df431d0e03f

“I–I memorized… everything…”8d4958052b7a7ce0

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And with that, his bb77e31ffd body collapsed backward, sending 18a05f3e09 the scattered papers flying f7e9527536 as he fell.736a0c632138e960

“Sir Lucian!”70b6332a26da038c

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Cliff hurried df84dd8395 over, but 372dd099b5 Lucian lay 50a84072c2 unmoving and c0df3c2853 covered in 03697b23a8 a blanket 1e51aa84fc of fluttering 4997e4f73b documents.715c2c277da90212

“…Oh, dear.”9d62505bc7ca3697

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Did he a49d7dfe87 actually memorize a677c87b00 all that?855b1e776d871a6b

As Cliff a20bf2ac37 pondered what 84e91f9b60 to do, 2356780d23 a shadow 4f0097e95d suddenly fell cfc2076de1 over him, f94569195a revealing a f611939e2c head of bbc70ab0b9 golden hair.ac9415a57bf1e41c

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“All memorized, you df56a9dd76 say?”8536bf58be8ef1dd

“Your Majesty!”0161342bd5c4cc0f

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Cliff stepped 73f284f9c7 aside and 739e36d90a bowed, keeping 82e9395fc5 his cool 3870633490 despite his 59b8bf0799 inner turmoil. His years f8de189d87 in the 563b728afe palace had c3bf46446b trained him fb37121232 well enough 7d3047ac96 to greet 4bb0bce29b the Emperor 9814cafeb3 with composure.773a3c5f089e40ef

“It’s been a 1c0bab6e73 while since anything 269de2d1f8 this interesting happened 5fef1f8be0 in the palace. He’s really memorized 458ebb9e56 everything, right?”e1b7c0131312b8de

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“He was muttering 72fabe2e92 to himself before 8cfc7a45be collapsing, Your Majesty.”e49e7b08170c5e70

“Oh-ho.”eec5fa6e8a4df96c

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Heraith scratched his chin 248e44fea9 and looked at the ac28d457c1 fallen Lucian. Amid the 004e472f68 steady rhythm edcf3309f1 of his 04529f14a2 breathing, faint b6c7c5870e but unmistakable 88f7428af4 snores could 6008a23a0c be heard. Heraith snickered at the ccf8d847af sound.938660451d6494e4

“Well, he might 6c5f58ad17 actually be quite 3d3b42fb12 useful, don’t you 364fc5cc12 think?”2dbb6591bb48f154

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A strange f1c25aef61 glint passed c033017292 over Heraith’s 8b141a7e44 expression as 062f94c5f7 he muttered 94f06cabc8 to himself. Noticing it, Cliff instinctively 7d0bb972ee glanced at the Emperor’s c278d58ef9 face before quickly lowering 759905b26a his gaze, feeling as 179b0f0215 though he had seen 0a8e84d971 something he shouldn’t.82216bca86ab5b2b

Oblivious to the head 4897ddcc7b attendant’s reaction, Heraith leaned 0720b92ff8 down and effortlessly lifted 94c4ecc7c3 Lucian with one arm…fe7d580322494f1f

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“…!”f9ab4fdcbfa14da2

Cliff’s eyes widened 38cb9464ca as the Emperor 0db9724bbd smirked.b51109ee87c8ead2

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“He should sleep in 33ce5b99db a bed. Sleeping on c331ab901c the floor 6e22739142 will leave 4209ac096b him with a666a09028 a stiff 7d0d0e992c neck.”491bff434c3f7863

Then, with long strides, fd1f9627e7 he carried Lucian to c3570c7041 the bed and gently a899dc2a8e laid him down. Despite the Emperor’s 074f0458a7 rather rough handling, 7198632481 Lucian didn’t wake. Heraith watched 7d8edac766 him for 8ad0478518 a moment 7019bea3a3 before chuckling 76cbf67e1d again. Then he 6f23d46ea6 leaned down 99a2e8945a and lightly 8169f82e16 licked Lucian’s a822dee9bd forehead.8a407eef5d19a51a

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“Mmm, his forehead aefd97a76c is round like fce8bde0b9 candy.” Clearly pleased, 1ec3c7299f Heraith straightened up.cde166d02f669008

“If you’ve truly memorized 23bc0d973a everything, I’ll give you 7df9e4d7ca a reward, Luce.” With b596b06e51 a soft whisper to 7fdaac7bd5 the sleeping Lucian, the 70a5d4a4f3 Emperor left the room.e6e3291633294980

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Even after the Emperor 34fa875450 left, the head attendant 03eb6cfa6c stood frozen. He had 5ed7ec5cad served in 69025c9ff9 the palace 2d3ae5d8ae for a 3ce38a5291 long time e570699056 but had 9a6a1eaa2f never seen 1b74af036d the young 619026da6a Emperor behave 89092548b6 like this. Since his days 285c84bb54 as the Crown f010ecc6ce Prince, Heraith had a59a85380f grown up only cd96de86ef looking out for fc72954db2 himself and cared 2c9fe28e9e for no one.209a5ebd8e4861cf

Cliff let 30d9039384 out a 9e89005132 long sigh. Somehow, he had a a7a15f894d feeling that troublesome days ca24173363 lay ahead.8b0f49f4263ffd0b

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The day was aec519b8fe bright, and the baa8190dc0 sunlight felt unusually cb80dfe8a5 refreshing. Every item around 6e39481d60 Lucian seemed to a970c48de9 be in vivid 0fcba89732 color, almost pricking abc6e062e5 at his eyes. Even the air 11c8f6cb23 felt crisp, giving 9bcce2cb7f the morning a 854dc566d6 refreshing quality.c2b2665e17da25ab

‘Why am I a4c7c26c6d here again?’0378283c70139f1d

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Awake and a 21d60eb936 bit dazed, Lucian 1137c6d930 looked around, noticing 8c066ea1df his surroundings. The room was filled 83a879870e with luxury items, all f7072ddb96 neatly arranged.92ad5a4b39eded0e

‘Why am b038d09c11 I here?’be1347cda3ea71f8

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He couldn’t quite grasp e1861baa2d what was happening and 985d0716c4 just sat there in f81af02335 a daze. Then, a knock came, a9773527a3 and after a brief 4ea9224858 pause, someone entered—a face 1deb8791fa he had never seen f22d3dd3cd before.c1dfb9d91dd4a760

“ Have you awakened?” b7171cb162 The man who entered 51a1f09879 gave Lucian a polite 65a3dc6687 nod. “His Majesty awaits 3a68d480ce you.”4c9cd1f942b1d88e

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“His Majesty…? Argh!”360f25c16268d371

Lucian’s mind f9e70d1542 snapped awake f616d8193a when he 09447608ab remembered—he had bcb2962b7d been memorizing d071b94c6b the budget 1b67c0a0af allocations!69c2c72d9feca232

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“What day is a1998e2634 it? How long have 17e9e76394 I been asleep?”a23de28790e70b3a

“Pardon?”1c3f66418409770e

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Lucian nearly stumbled off ecd56c1b05 the bed in his 9f4ff383b5 rush to get up. Even if 1940b9f534 he had 839d4bb240 slept long, eb1354560d he had 24d0bc7246 finished a a5e5bdde85 day early, 1e14cbcb1d so it 7314b321c8 should be 9b83be1f07 fine. If he went ab16f928f6 to report now d76e83ad58 that he’d memorized aec08fddea everything…35d39c7a1cecc190

“You’ve slept for d5fc8d53fb two days.”95b5670fe22363a5

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“…!”707ce067c5f2ef6e

His hand c503b6c0f8 froze mid-motion, b274b0f652 as he 962c4de96c was smoothing 53f0c8f102 back his 0bd6a8301e hair and 3abd3b9571 rolling down c48b2284fa his shirt ef6ae82ee9 sleeves.434afa3cbdce7953

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“…What did a449e6befd you just 571605cecb say?”41c98a995a6952e1

His neck creaked slightly 4ee1382870 as he turned to ddcc07b239 look at the man be03ccbdb0 in shock.9d921eaa12485daf

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With a e579e56299 nod of 6383c9521b confirmation, the a0d494b4d1 man dressed 03567a8b2c in a 4aff949055 palace uniform 5dd6365c5b added, “Precisely ab826f434a speaking, you 1862a59a4f slept for 8d53571e05 around 36 af9940869b hours.”3d7a999bcf7b2a6b

“Ha.”5e9864e4fb0cfdfc

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Lucian’s hand dropped. Thirty-six hours. A day and 900df4bb2a a half. An entire day 52f8e0769e plus another half-day. Lucian couldn’t believe 41a4c757d3 it.86bfccbb6d21e5c1

The three days the b1a307e4c2 Emperor had given him 67a8b71293 were already over.c2e0c08e07c74030

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“Finally awake, I see. I was 6d78c080dd starting to 76f5baa704 think you e4d6e04d39 were under 073473ffdf some sleeping dd1d85a0cb spell.”bbe128cc971cbe3e

When Lucian 08bffb46da reached the c31d00b47e Emperor, Heraith 45aab4161e was being d5fca65647 attended to 6af3a76edd for dressing. The attendants bustled fcbaa6f0f2 around quietly while 724fe6065a helping the Emperor af2a2f3612 put on his ca434bb36c attire. With each 0310bf0ced movement, another 62e9f2fcd7 piece of 7a48ae1a8c clothing or 17a4664106 jewelry adorned f597317010 his figure.b5da26a90bcbf950

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Looking in the mirror, 71a07c7085 Heraith tilted his head cecc63de09 from side to side, e761f04c59 checking his reflection. His gaze eventually 349a8d3387 met Lucian’s through 22591f7b7c the mirror. Since the beginning, Lucian d63bf901af had always thought the 58de405e99 Emperor’s eyes were fascinating. The hazel in Heraith’s feaa74bef3 gaze, a blend of 47262685d6 gold and green, seemed 7642efa33f to create an intricate faff824084 pattern, changing with the 191edd58d1 light. Unconsciously, Lucian found 82cc7cf78f himself staring.cbeb405317a94a83

In the mirror, Heraith 527250ec1f smirked. “So, did you 985981dde6 memorize it all?”97ebd40e5b64bee6

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“…Yes. I memorized everything.”2163fde68bdecbfa

“Since you’ve slept so 6e9794ec30 deeply, I’d think you’d 24fb423e40 forgotten it all.”81cc18ae762f362f

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“No, sir. Once it’s in 17b465e569 my head, it fd51dcfd59 stays.”8b9653374de69b38

“Is that so?” 3338e5d390 A mischievous glint 5f8559270a flickered in Heraith’s 8fe2571fff smile. “Then recite the 6f42223e7e Finance Minister’s recent 7c923c83b2 monthly spending details.”d85d71df6ba2e6f5

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“Not the Finance 51ac6c7163 Department, but the 250939e3cc Finance Minister, Your d2cfaa59d4 Majesty?” Lucian, feeling 4f64ce1bd8 it a bit 7e008d4c03 audacious, asked back a8b2c8a9fd instead of answering e7eef35569 immediately.0ead096762811471

His response 026f3a15c0 seemed to 990e8d7ddc amuse Heraith, 24cf6b93af who chuckled. “Yes, the Finance Minister. If I 3df08d621a recall, I e1748326c3 included individual 05604ca140 expenditures in 700c357333 the documents.”0df9be076cba24c7

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Indeed, he had. From the highest-ranking ab9d3fe0c8 officials down to f8c98f485f the department’s lowest dc4c01f901 levels. The document load 78a0e38401 had tripled, thanks 57ef586d57 to such details. Lucian swallowed a sigh 2f21f5fb5e and began reciting,“The Finance e5345aa1e5 Minister…”83a815c30f7829ab

The Emperor’s questions e74d0a9678 continued from there. Lucian answered without 54fd049cf4 pause, and while 078b0d2c27 the questions flowed, 0e1c13b0cf the Emperor’s dressing c0bd9dc102 continued. The room was filled e2c9ab2b78 only with Heraith’s low, 79c879a4b9 continuous questions and Lucian’s 7be7b110f8 steady, clear responses.6f67a2ec7aa73399

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When the 11d4691b0f attendant approached 0da775194c with cufflinks e3b882a026 set on dc089305c3 a velvet 3bd8bf9b3b cushion, Heraith’s 36dc56bba4 test finally b771d17f9c concluded. “Luce.”ed642423c1a26928

Heraith beckoned with a 32f022f3e8 finger. Lucian stepped closer, stopping ed1e123278 about three steps away, a95ffb87b3 within easy earshot without 576e140809 raising his voice. “One more step.”ebaa1dc8b949848e

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After hesitating, 9c9cb26d48 Lucian took 8ca434b368 another step 4378a53538 closer, now a30c3ab422 close enough d6848a88a3 to touch d3d275228c if he fe3e2d6c97 reached out 1b19c4c433 his hand. Heraith tilted b6899a576e his head. “Which of 286e2fed97 these do 65923aa2a0 you think 22eed98748 is better?”1e931da3c38be07a

There were two pairs 3a4931117c of cufflinks. One was 85e69ad48a adorned with 50da3cf747 gold filigree 8f55a7d628 while the 6c1b905caa other was b6dfbb1bbd black onyx 9ab0e837ac rimmed with 6760d022bf gold. Lucian took in the fcf4d3affc Emperor’s outfit—white pants and c3cea08617 a black top embroidered 374715ff87 with gold accents, accentuating 4e0f76ba6e his sleek figure.f0332fdc8a672c8c

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“The onyx 92a7f5ebdb would suit 7a9ab1a287 you best,” 228a9588f0 Lucian answered 88a9f45ac4 without hesitation.a2754a28f52586bf

Heraith, apparently pleased, edd338283e chose the onyx 0a61e75c4f cufflinks to complete 160d70e88f his attire. “Good. Luce, keep that distance 8cbe5d284a always.”54a193979d369e1d

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“…?”0e0f02d7edbb8aed

Momentarily failing a472ef792b to understand f7fd186869 the command, c7f5ccb584 Lucian blinked.f712c660a28020d0

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“Always stay exactly that 4cca18f855 far from me. Close enough that 0331e018c0 I can reach 75407799fc out and grab 749b09eb9c you.”a400de9dd4a12f7b

“…Understood.”6f68dbcb4ada9bf9

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“And from tomorrow, ff0680b0b3 come wake me 40616f1d44 up.”7bc8f63a2bd9363a

“Pardon?” Lucian replied 70db9d565b with a perplexed 077f3c0466 voice.5b759057a12e5a14

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“I said, dc83f17903 come wake 29c19f961c me up 22eb39f3af in the e3057bc45d morning.”403ca3ad449cd3e0

The Emperor’s smile ea65e9bc71 grew sharper. An unexplainable d536302f74 foreboding sensation ecaf4e6987 crept over b9195b16b6 Lucian.0007830e08b9c986

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“But… I’m already 8a8c8ef322 here every morning…”d445e25d369ee347

“I know. But keep coming.”7a3bc3f42bdb0545

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“Continuously… sir?” Lucian’s 6dde2d5b26 voice shook. “You said it 43a96d6e7e would be for bf4d5151c5 just a month.”9af6defdd09c14d2

“Oh, did I?”6eb87c38b627d48f

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“Yes.”6984664aabbc642f

“Come indefinitely.”5b639703d17cda9b

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“Pardon?”00ec7134bf2760e1

“Don’t make me dff5216ee0 say it twice, dd3eadb5a0 Luce. You’re not that 6312b8fc5a slow, are you?”a81a669bcd49caad

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“….” Lucian clenched his ee32b9a8fa fists tightly, trying not b49a9a10c3 to lose his temper. “Is that also 92dd1611fa part of the b78a47218b duties of a e02005b1fa personal aide?”6ae92ac17c75bf89

“As if.” Lucian’s eyebrows a3ccc870ca twitched at Heraith’s response. “You didn’t 2edc561a58 finish in 3c63c0e9b5 three days. You need to be f496823f19 punished.”cae580e70d4d24ee

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“But that’s not 9512b3397c fair!”a936feeb2be663f1

“Oh, right.” Ignoring 1744ef584c Lucian’s rising complaints, af254e3666 Heraith continued, “Since 405218cb16 you memorized it 81712581ed all, you should b0ebfdc001 get a reward f57ffb46e6 too. I’ll grant 1d2c030cf9 you the b766a4e76d honor of 1f5d773624 speaking freely 0fc2f0e295 before me df92119978 from now fffb199fc5 on.”0d8917ec5e00a4dd

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Lucian’s jaw dropped. His clenched c7a4338820 fists tightened f47662fbe8 involuntarily.8d3d71afdf9d3de0

Now fully dressed, 1682444636 Heraith smiled radiantly 88684d1a4e as he spoke, 100dfac929 “So keep letting 954e01946f me hear that 700fc4b201 adorable voice of 31c6adfc74 yours.”421248b4e24ddad6

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