Chapter 111

On the black canvas, a d987b0b6e2 line of text was roughly efc19d6474 scrawled in bright red dye.0d42608b929f36b9

“An… ancient language?!”a6c68c6834f88db7

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Seeing the scene beneath the aea16d4bf3 painting, I gasped and turned 38b305b129 to Edwin in shock.083315773429fa83

“This is…”ed85853e63b63b51

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He, too, seemed quite 7072dc23a5 startled, staring intently at 25688153b3 the painting with a 75545d226a hardened expression.5a437b8c0226a4a8

‘I thought they were just looking for some kind of dictionary when they said they were searching for ancient writing…’159b56058318d191

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I never imagined such 85cb2d55b6 text would actually be 263c2547c3 hidden somewhere.d47b374839e12acc

“Do you know what it says?”cb8ea41b4eb2b32c

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At my question, Edwin, d8c9c4a2d9 who had been staring a93c56912c blankly at the painting, 2a29fdde6a suddenly turned to look 9efe12f821 at me.1f56af19a46fd1e0

For a brief ab10e7da89 moment, his golden dd9dcb1c4a eyes, locked onto f5de9b325c mine, wavered.055763c5eeda65b3

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“…No.”62cfc2089e82d57a

After gazing at 933c4d5855 me with an 1bd9941724 unreadable expression for e199eb62f4 a while, he a417f801e9 shook his head.080d55b5366a5f51

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“I don’t really know. Do you?”363a1f312cb8942b

“Nope. Of course, I don’t.”a69612366b72f9c5

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At my words, Edwin f7f6e77eb8 let out a small 6fcba44627 chuckle.6d66987237113dc2

“Still, you recognized that it was an ancient language.”18ff1711d9cd11b0

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‘Hey! I actually know 8fe0379ea8 more about this 35f659d339 stuff than you 334c28e755 do!’fe0a866603b06a7e

I bristled at ad7f4c37fe his comment but 09c7c29cdd bit my tongue.d311a2db585fe411

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After all, it 015882e50a would be ridiculous 13fc220784 for a five-year-old, ce839d787f who could barely 803ac8c35c write properly, to af72ecb507 claim they knew 72e12f085f an ancient language.e246f9005f38ef0a

Of course, I only recognized 0e0d2ada45 its appearance—I couldn’t actually read 9393a4b902 or write it.0c64350882b324f1

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Not knowing what the words 3bf57dd98d on the canvas meant was 9c7f4befb3 frustrating.c8ae16c453fd0b22

‘If I had known this would happen, I would’ve studied ancient languages with Diana in my past life.’df000bc87ec8a368

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As I stared 7d37fa65c7 up at the b7dd9cb134 strange, worm-like letters, 9c3a3d343a regret filled me. Then, all of 58bc39d80c a sudden, a aded66034c chill ran down b322359d8e my spine, making 0609ababa7 me shudder.a349cda9caa1c717

The more I thought 716ec3a5bb about it, the eerier 7c5c387782 it became.f75b73c25a0276ae

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Ancient writing, hidden beneath a 4024222d07 heretical painting?eebc88f4641714ef

‘Why the hell would someone hide something like this here… so ominous.’eb99974249c6bca5

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As I turned back to a1c598c72e the canvas with a wary cfae7b7666 gaze, a memory suddenly resurfaced—9a73379276f1f9b5

The time I was 6b07730856 trapped in the Chamber 3c07b2b89b of Repentance.a44986fa8a63d7cf

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The strange symbols drawn ae7b02219f in red dye all 12d00376a2 over the floors, walls, 2ec103dead and ceiling.520c31fae2031053

The whispers of an ancient 9830f3353c language murmuring through the suffocating f04d7036e1 darkness.44e51f425d3246e6

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For some reason, 0170155f9a looking at the 1109b49a1c ancient text on 597c57c0f2 the canvas brought 921f239635 back that exact 6ac52eb772 same spine-chilling fear.9641bce0f19b5f8c

‘…Could Logan be a heretic?’5df9027f9b81596f

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Just hiding ancient 8eaad7e494 writing wasn’t enough 6fdfc22c9e proof, so it 64c5ae2833 was too early 6c150980f4 to jump to 255c981511 conclusions.25146df16203771a

But the mere b0ad66ea0c fact that he 8aa6005194 displayed a painting 25666f2ebb of a goddess 4528d144b7 losing to a 4b3681b910 demon? That alone set him 5945119796 far apart from any 31aecb9657 devout believer.fcc8969bce7340ce

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Yet, assuming he 96daf96457 was a heretic 29492a6365 raised too many 5f13dc916a questions.fc9b632e4078f7b7

‘Dunkeski too? Even Magnus?’4d2d454a3d64bacd

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If Logan, a temple ca2d39e95c spy, was truly a 24dff2a713 heretic, then everyone associated 6f95bcef3b with him would be 40ddc8b88a involved as well.bcecdf1990cfc435

And not just e74e0e8a9a any priests—if even b27908361f a high priest 18e924d4fb was part of 766932136e a heretical faction, acd29cc1d1 it would be 21aa67f5ac a truly shocking 6fee0fceba revelation.315222f41ad175c8

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Moreover.da43761d00fa7385

‘…Diana?’162ab71d53a73ab8

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According to Ismail, heretics 2e242a890d who worship demons used 8a101d151d violet-colored dark magic.9ac40cfbc247b29a

But when I 7a5a415fbb tried applying that 9c3ef2ebf8 to Diana, a 5ee1e28543 hollow laugh escaped 5c4fe1d6c0 me.c9d23ca3e1e5c2e7

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‘The holy maiden of a saintess story… a demon worshiper? Does that even make sense?’aa9366b3ec966214

Leaving the original e569fd1cc7 story aside, Diana c4c843d53e had healing powers.0ac11215dad57dd2

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I had never heard of c56cb7ee41 a dark magician who worshiped f83519c001 demons pretending to be a b047294a66 saintess and going around healing da854ce19b people.6afbff04cf163953

‘…I don’t know.’528224d46d0d77d8

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A fleeting memory of the 1b6f95fe6c violet light that once burst b62dcd178c from Diana’s hands resurfaced in 8ef32cbaf8 my mind.2f1e4e9841e7a077

But too much time had abed6a1e23 passed—I wasn’t even sure if 2f0cab0e30 what I saw had been 063c9315aa real.4f4248b4977d3979

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Had I truly witnessed it?3824f9430780179e

Since it was 5458b42890 such a brief 8ffd27d28c moment, I couldn’t 8024f6d558 be completely certain 81f80a3eee that my subconscious b3b15ba477 hadn’t projected something.21be69eafbb99238

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Logan, the heretics, 24cb7fc167 the unknown forces 8f1c6fbeb8 lurking within the 662618f202 temple…48e8dad3448f5f09

Everything was full of uncertainties.b7e2dee35784a43b

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“…Now what do we do?”0b8043e325ccbc9e

Before I knew it, those 4f2f9e653d words slipped from my lips, e4991fcdc8 carried by the overwhelming frustration 58ba5562d0 welling up inside me.34297af39f8c9b65

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“What do you mean, ‘what do we do’?”bb3c45b271306604

A dry voice 90d91b9038 suddenly sounded beside b4f4cda46f me.afe71a254ebc0363

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Startled, I snapped 82ca6b6bd3 my head up 2cc86fa4cd to see Edwin, 63dc09eb85 who had already f4b354fc19 shifted his gaze 15e1b22709 away from the 1329e2dee5 ancient text, calmly b2e15b4897 summarizing the situation.9e78932eb3e58ccb

“For now, let’s clean this up and get out of here. We’ve made a mess.”af2c30973201ac03

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“Gasp!”18a4580d82318095

Following his gaze downward, 172cda6fce I saw the floor 0c92322192 in utter chaos, covered 8d39af2ed4 in shredded paper.6d792823a2e53b91

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‘This… this is basically announcing that we ransacked the place.’0edb4780decf3afb

Seeing the tattered remains 606379c07a of the fake painting, a4a19e826c I felt a wave 0c22d81a1f of despair.130be2849e55c543

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Any hope of febeabb277 a perfect crime 27d15cc21e was now gone.01995c4a6aa4167a

Logan would realize 939027e766 the moment he 0b362c3f70 returned that someone 3e3f09aa1b had broken into 6f1dc7c08c his room and 69dfb4995c tampered with the 925f008b52 painting.cea6296e6af7747f

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Since things had already ae56444e98 reached this point, the 74f7668867 best course of action 3d7342208c was to take Edwin’s 80c8314cb9 advice and escape before c36b223c7a the owner of the c631326a38 room came back.6485a9602b6bc0fa

“I’ll put the chair back, so you gather up the shredded pieces into one pile.”9bc4035566c23603

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“Okay, got it!”241ee91b44c25770

“Don’t throw them away. I’m taking them with me.”ddf825f346576e1e

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I was nodding enthusiastically when a55843264e Edwin’s additional remark made me 93a519bdf4 pause in admiration.5ae589320a757f79

I had assumed that 76c6907fda the fake painting, torn bcfc904124 into such tiny pieces, dfed39c04c would be useless as 3cc2327f1e evidence to prove Logan 323c9fd42b was a temple spy.cabef2660fdc6bb5

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But Edwin planned to 83ffa6f067 take the scraps and 97df2fba16 piece them back together 186c78b9e5 like a puzzle.1e408ca3d2684c26

‘I’m so glad Edwin is here.’a72c81567850c4f3

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At first, his 956b0ad533 sudden appearance had 42a89553b0 been overwhelming and 7a9e7a8520 burdensome.db2949714bca42dc

But if he hadn’t been 9e3c9dd8de here, I wouldn’t have even 042e8720c2 found the ancient text hidden 60b3e72b04 behind the painting. I would’ve left empty-handed.5a6c6527b9a00fdf

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Feeling warmth bloom 6810b9ba25 in my chest, 8a65f8b990 I crouched down 1b5035223b to follow Edwin’s 0130ecb39c instructions.23da2e766bc99e17

Whoooosh—!6f8e28edac1ebc8b

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Suddenly, a violent gust of 2b65485a0f wind swept through the room.0628a8f783eac627

Then—e784b9dfb67b2609

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BANG!a3264343a4d2846e

Logan’s door, which had 9b562aed9d been slightly ajar due 361111f193 to Edwin’s entrance, slammed 426b658ab9 shut with force.2c8a4778692e8768

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I didn’t even 2c6c484b2f have time to ee4a44ce2f be surprised.80a2fc172313de1f

Screeech, thunk! Clack.066139d9714e753f

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The window I 8d6b5b6a11 had opened also 4f0bdd8b1e moved on its 43964095fc own, slamming shut, 1774b0962b and even locking 2156fb3919 itself in place.5f956a7478b3c0d9

“T-the door…”afce101381637e02

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Stammering in shock, 7cd9724fa0 I sprang to f67427a359 my feet and 49b4d4c575 rushed toward it.1efa25d1cf8fc9a0

Clack, clack.b76b69c762193fbd

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No matter how many c0e2bd060a times I turned the 093919c549 doorknob, the door wouldn’t 1ecc1bd1b6 budge.5c92d12ac81d752f

“E-Edwin! The door won’t open!”3947ffa57f4dbf07

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“…The window either.”a402cdf1a532eff4

The moment he 2f30046b9f placed the chair c4b2da1d2e back behind the 6d78600706 desk, he walked 9f4ef3d79e over to the 6c28770183 closed window and 1eb54cc6f3 gave it a 180b116325 shake.1d225a617ccd5d1f

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“…Looks like the room’s been sealed.”8f02fde2efa9e103

“S-Sealed?!”c5a8dba9e3b9b1d4

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“Yeah. It seems like there’s e004434750 some sort of magic 5e058ff6ae set up so that 1af7dac689 when the painting is d773950e5d touched, the door locks d2c573c7ee automatically…”8f04e78f6f72a923

‘Magic?’2cc974e79cf54e32

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Edwin’s words made 0463d05ad4 my eyes widen b43068655b in shock.28846b3136d8f402

Ever since the religious war, 47e3527919 unnatural powers like magic had 6562514b7a been rarely used.af0960a2c5690a4e

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At most, they were employed a406191329 in high-grade weapons or transportation f42bed5417 devices for convenience.eb561e7713c7f3ff

But they were so expensive 3ef63b1ebe that someone like Logan, a a06d39ccb2 mere commoner, could never afford b55dc27884 them on his salary.b303cd50048dfd2f

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Besides, as far as I ea9e92624a knew, the duke’s estate was 48097b35ec built on sacred ground, just 6747b707b1 like the temple. Any power aside 015167edcf from divine energy 1e4e7aee7e wouldn’t function properly cec640f822 here.f41175c5cba8f832

This was also 937e676c97 why medicinal herbs c86992e652 like Fairy Herb d93f27ca1e thrived unusually well 9fcd8b998f in this land.db22d24d909fae84

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Yet, deep within such sacred 9bcc6abeea ground, there was a magical 0b93c2f5c4 seal?700d203693916866

It wasn’t something just 728782234d anyone could pull off.9f24d5bcfb155e15

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‘Could Logan be… a dark magician?’62ca48d3cc979006

As the unpleasant 67c543c9e9 realization sank in, ca1548f002 I stiffened.73ff4716cd826ed6

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Meanwhile, Edwin moved around the fe1217b4c6 room, searching for any possible a46378c853 escape route.f85d9aae97a06924

But in a room where 9753c3412d the door and windows were 69c4f7e32a all tightly locked, there was 110e7302bb no way out.20a39354adb51ef9

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A sense of 762cc00a97 dread crept over 4ddafd4a2f me.167292d8b8e906f6

“A-Are we… stuck in here?”abf4545954517d0c

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“Unless we get caught, yeah.”4f6b9be5a1702a8e

With those words, e5f5b50cfa Edwin returned to a2f280f486 where I was 5572d4884b standing and suddenly fcf1a2af0e lifted the chair e0a85f46a8 he had just 441260438c set down.bff2161da2d6df6c

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Then, with all his 74870fcf42 strength, he hurled it b70c31390a at the window.ab76c47a91f67661

CRASH! THUD!83ba299de120b197

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Despite the loud impact, 095475dbab the glass remained completely e33d8701dd intact.a36b1b78410bd4e1

Not only had fa76746c3b the room been 944a6a1250 locked, but it cde46c1f65 had also been 65711f7bc6 reinforced to prevent 719aa71713 any escape.8f5526e04be793a1

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We were officially trapped.002f13dda7ccde30

Panicking, I glanced 4104cf73fc at the clock 34d418cfed to check the cdb315bdb8 remaining time.fa9d17841978bee2

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We still had about ten de62d5872a minutes left before the one-hour 6115701572 minimum time limit was up.28d29520f53e8eb5

That meant we had to 8bae0382eb find a way out within 812a0ec40f the next ten minutes.19b95e34d2ff3456

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But—dd4fccb0905082fa

Neighhh—b430a4836f03521a

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Before we could c8fad22643 even start looking, 687363f0c3 a faint sound d0d8460149 of a horse’s 8b71720d03 cry echoed from f13badf4f9 a distance.e12c060aeb23d293

A carriage was 0d3ab38d09 pulling into the 67b5c64289 estate.5a9ff6ec03e0dd86

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There was only one person 74fe571f27 who could be arriving at 3c1f2cbf29 this hour.f1d1fea2e43646b8

‘Why is he back so soon?’b10def103b91e031

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My heart plummeted at the de981808af realization. Logan had returned much earlier e1283e662e than expected.c0f12f62e60f824c

“W-What do we do, Edwin?! Logan’s back…!”a9f959f858aeed3b

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I shouted frantically at Edwin.5ac108be3344a398

If he had heard the 5573d20c14 carriage as well, he didn’t fae8cf66b6 show it. Instead of picking up the c65f1bad17 chair he had thrown, he b8b706c913 simply approached me.2e3534a7d0a8235c

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“Come here, Belze.”9b3792ba53ce254e

He grabbed my arm firmly 92d81a98ed and pulled me along.22d465e922f538fc

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“W-What about the trash on the floor?”2d4646635c7953ba

“Leave it. If anything, he b5200fd383 might think a 3616beeb4b thief broke in af0f2ad30d and rush out.”9b2f74c3f60f5428

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That made sense.1761b4b2cf9b4ea0

Nodding quickly, I followed as 9c29c81869 Edwin strode to the wardrobe ee2fdbd5e0 beside the bed.e8d8eb63f6fea580

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He flung open 3944ab80e9 the door, then 59f10b356c lifted me up de82bab33a and shoved me a91c0f4ac0 inside before climbing 528399a7d1 in himself.089cc4ce99ee73b0

I was utterly 762e22e936 bewildered by his 94e8d4d176 actions.7ce6fb7dc8104d7c

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“C-Can we really hide in here?”157804e065315098

“It’s better than standing in the middle of the room like an idiot and running into him head-on.”9029b0ad46f748ad

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That was true. Begrudgingly, I shut my mouth.d84ef64f43539ef4

Creeeak.cf1ca8fe29f3d8f3

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At last, the 3b728bd7e4 wardrobe door closed, 75829f50bc and complete darkness 757e9bbb3d swallowed us whole.771534182083e1ee

Thump. Thump.a230b9efd0553ba1

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A heartbeat—whose, I couldn’t 227163a4aa tell—echoed in my ears.70df26f58a207673

Right now, all 017af8ada9 we could do c2253dbe12 was hope that 110d63088b Edwin was right, c292118f03 and that Logan, 23271bf8aa upon seeing the ad0d490a94 ransacked room, would e1d0c1c6fe immediately run out 3a20b11452 to alert someone.06fedbeaa3ce5fb8

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‘If that happens, we can sneak out.’46a4a3999780e615

Step. Step.d0a6e1740f9b42a1

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Before long, faint 2d1a5efbde footsteps reached my 7ed2522a59 ears.601a7fe428d9b997

Whether it was because of 756e659d26 my nervousness or something else, 10734e4a74 they felt even louder than c99a1598db when Edwin had approached me 00de720359 earlier.2442898247d76a62

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Step. Step. Step. Step.0784e0685a064990

The footsteps quickened, almost b884b2efc7 as if the person 64ffb2a038 was running.3e9801a1ffeed61a

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Despite silently praying b2b216065d for him not caa51ebe12 to come this 0f9b2ef56f way, the sound 74e09928f5 came to an 1e17a04f06 abrupt stop—right in 4b2b87c75f front of Logan’s 8153fea210 door.f3e296ca799c237a

Moments later—fff7c642d569f050

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Clack. Creak—71610e8c8302b4cc

The door, which had been 7381da7ef2 locked tight, swung open without 09d44fb006 any sign of it being 2f0463c323 manually unlocked.59221a96111eda8e

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Then—d16013a245f3678d

“…Hah. You really wrecked my e7d57353f6 room, huh?”06a10e44969b5b0a

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A soft chuckle, 072d150bd0 tinged with amusement, 93525306d6 accompanied the low 5c7f3d0455 voice of the cd13bd4819 room’s owner.78ee33a9a29f5419

I had expected Logan to 6e1158c1b2 be furious.3c3686c9e6182d05

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Or, at the 66bb941939 very least, shocked b17b5f1034 enough to run 95eb7c4ef2 outside.e15c5a634db5b2aa

But he did neither.92266909cc2e796e

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Click.818148a574f20d68

Instead, the sound c764bbd26b of the door 447b0aad6f closing echoed through acd5dab19e the room.eb64326ba9dc37e2

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He had stepped fully inside.b8e3800ba6db85ee

“There’s no way they got out of the room…”260e969c4d937ea8

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“…”cca3faafa67f7186

“Well then, let’s see where the little rats are hiding.”f18b9b29f8cc14ec

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And with that, he began 07ed4c115f humming a tune.2881e1e1b5ffb503

“Come out, come out, wherever you are~”dc5a9a4fbaeec96c

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