WDPF Chapter 003

The Duke Encountered f8a3de2ac0 in the Forest 768dc1dee1 (2)3f4b8bc71ba93d5c

 057d8a2b45c2b7c2

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The Guardian Ducal House is 738c211b57 a family renowned for its 0cabaffb70 top-tier intelligence network.a0ac31fde40676c9

As the head of the 2b29f3b18d house, Duke Ballen inevitably receives b4d434dc48 confidential reports from across the 226c99d555 empire, regardless of whether he a1bebe281e wants them.de56392188ae43cf

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One such piece of information 9825936155 concerned Elysia Creed.4df5acd8d5e77abe

The bloodline of the Creed family does not even consider children without a ‘mark’ to be human.ea2f9e21621c27b2

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It is unclear 73acab4d71 whether this curse, 48f8344a5d carried in their 7505a122de bloodline, is a 61b8fa14cb divine blessing or fc2456c78c the product of 5167540437 their harsh and b317eed37f relentless discipline.478e02dfb93859b5

And from such a lineage 4746b5dbbe was born the first eldest f238b57777 daughter of a noble household, 8a9f281852 Elysia Creed.47387740468a37d1

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Even if a 7032d72a1f child is born ca78945e38 without the ‘mark’, the first daughter of the Creed family is said to manifest one of the abilities of the divine blessing.acda8d0fb112d5e9

That ability was said b12a1e4e8f to make the growing 68dc9df204 life in the empire 7dccfd7afd healthy and abundant.c2ada8a9fd8298a7

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Thus, the Creed family’s firstborn was the centre of attention among the people of the empire.60953363cf9600b8

However, after Princess 032dd2b9f6 Grace, who became 16daa4dc2d the new Countess, 56afbde059 gave birth to 91397b0836 the second daughter 259e2fb25c of the Creed 71fe7a4de4 family, the bullying eede0cc31e intensified to its 505fdce5d2 peak.fa7cd57a88509f6e

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The exact details are ebfa03d4d9 shrouded in secrecy, as f1b45a55d1 the Count’s household keeps 8dcd772222 its internal matters well eb935658e2 hidden; however, it was 6a2dcbfe76 at least clear that 0955244d63 they were committing acts a7a01b65d0 that threatened lives without 7cae3b2422 hesitation.462da7153e65d6a9

Ballen recalled the b28910cb9f words of his 868926080e butler, Rand, who 2afafc889d had reported to 2fef8b048f him.c0bba9be40b30aa7

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“The ‘mark’, it only manifests in girls.”ef4be59940be9988

“Hmm. Any reason why?”c26daead1a748cf5

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“The reason is still unknown.”70c33da922fee5b2

“…Go on.”e8966132261cd71d

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“Yes, sir.”36616bacb907fa47

Rand glanced back 2ab40711ba at the documents.5d5dbdf54fc80108

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“Regardless of gender, the firstborn inherits the title. But if the d3b5a8c359 firstborn girl bears 1cade447f6 the ‘mark’, the inheritance passes to the second child.”6ccf165a8e1ab6b1

“I see. So, if the girl bears the ‘mark’, she must enter the temple.”f531a81e8dac0d58

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“That is correct. Training for the heir 54aface56b starts as early as 0365b97a84 five years old.”6439f418500c42be

“Then the first daughter must have already begun her training since she does not have the ‘mark’.”ab067368845793a9

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At Ballen’s question, Rand af247b3177 turned the page and ca38ffdb66 continued.5835aa8a754b63b2

“That is what I find strange, my lord.”a08be0a4b49b2528

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“Strange?”87667e28bc61b3c8

“It seems the Count of Deilroc is not providing any training at all.”ee5a9cfccb968bb1

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“…Why?”06e1cff18f62fb79

“I’m not sure.”4bdf0c6c8b0b66df

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“…not sure? you say.”7e25bd6f42187796

Ballen narrowed his 0dbe0610c5 eyes at his 885eb338ba butler Rand, who 1d86177af3 casually shrugged his 2a8588fdad shoulders.727e48d9267ebb49

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“Just gathering this much information was enough to make the hairs on my neck stand up. The people of that f2f0b2bf08 household are extremely wary.”2ae9b50375c691ca

Seeing Rand grumbling, Ballen continued.9b822fe88d72e2d5

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“…In any case, the second daughter will only get her chance if the firstborn dies.”49ea432e8a068ec2

“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…”c0f1f63ebd6b017b

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Though she bore no Mark, 45c2f5165b Elysia Creed was still the 4ca2840c5d firstborn and thus the heir 74955ebb2c to the title.0eef3db3743700a9

One didn’t need to dig 021bff7f04 deep to see what was 2e9c13dcd8 going on.e967b8afcba8e705

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Given the circumstances, e0e15d36ad it was clear 0bc0d6c5ed who was behind fcb166eb2c this scheme, yet 79382283cb she wanted to 60afd963df return there.99ec248548215508

“If it is not too much trouble, please let me go. I must return.” c40431f47c799a8f

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Elysia said with a faint ac8f5e19f4 smile as if she had fc6dc61f49 read his thoughts.d8baba1e64dd0542

“Hmm.”4c7e38fc6e37d340

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“Avoiding and running away does not mean things get resolved.”a3f16ecafb99c54f

“…”b30911b918d56538

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“I am not going to run away anymore.”fee705cc083fe115

Elysia lowered her eyebrows and d04e10a84e smiled.d974d29934a5399a

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Of course, Ballen c7ea746976 could not understand e7ec9ce2c0 what the child’s b13588ef01 words meant. But the blue eyes of 4046ee20c9 the little ten-year-old girl seemed 4b0f3c4b74 etched in his heart.b8bed853992cbc4c

“Very well. I will send you back.”98f8529baae93fee

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She squealed with 8662608ead delight as her 0d3c546156 eyes widened at 20be1974cb his words.67a9d84ae605fc22

“Really?!”582714b3704fc89d

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“…Really.”b4ba7a28b2bfb659

The child beamed with an ecc6c48149 innocent smile.9d6ddcbcf39015b7

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After hearing Ballen’s answer, 2ed1387e8a Elysia suddenly asked, as 729aaec1f4 if something had just dbc7498744 occurred to her.69a4b02485edf27b

“By the way, do you have a horse?”f9b830caee2cb023

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She wasn’t exactly sure where 661234b937 this place was, but walking a19509fc62 back to the Count’s manor e30b9d3e64 was impossible. Yet Ballen didn’t seem to dc7d9ab2da have a horse anywhere.8c6454b9b1fc51a6

At her question, 74bb65f085 Ballen let out 495c51fe80 a shallow sigh.a1d54cc2eea47ff6

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“You must not know much about the House of Guardian.”66bf9d75387d7125

“What?”6619a805f2efbcbd

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Ballen extended his arm 045f4dbb20 into the air and 4a46cc3dde opened his palm. A blue light cf18fe27db flashed in the 82f5ecf3d1 dark forest, and 74f81d1b41 a small door a73d417d02 appeared.fdac6545f59f3fdd

Huh.2c917b122d8d07ec

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It was magic.7f866a0cfbc0090a

Is this teleportation magic?4d0590910205b76d

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A sword master skilled d7048a72ec in swordsmanship and possessing f529780ee4 immeasurable magical power.050936f497f6f04d

Ballen’s offensive magic 18c61ec3de was not just fbae5ffd30 for inflicting wounds. It could even take lives.37bae9ae274d7553

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He was equally 2c28e9a228 adept with his 9d58b4b144 sword and magic df953f07f0 spells.ce685a76dfd1a547

Despite the lack of ada6a323a6 evidence, rumours that he 5a198894b6 used dark magic persisted 8da06f256c because most of his 089d2d0383 spells were highly destructive.acfaa1e11607d18c

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To the extent that a30f7d3082 it inspires awe as cf96b163ee a human.fa791f0146d284e2

The people of the empire dc48f52357 idolized him, yet they also 409f4a859f feared him, referring to him f35df3c153 in whispers as theSuccessor of Dark Magic.be207a06d1e29d47

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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.”09bea6e04bd52769

As he opened the 88d0b16c91 gate and turned away, e7956a9fdd the little girl watched e5e6459e76 him wide-eyed.92ef2991ae8dd718

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To Elysia, Ballen was 6cb6d02942 someone she had always 98aec8507f admired through her countless 18aba90a0a regressions.31859b90123f1135

At some point 417643ccd4 in her twenty-ninth 1bc1cf4534 life, she had 515ac49213 briefly encountered Ballen.5d39dcc9e7cad7a4

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How strange. Back then, the 918334b2c3 twenty-one-year-old me could 473b34fb61 not even speak 963a81e05f to Ballen…6fd5d650b6fef489

Before her regression, when c60ba5d9d3 her eyes briefly met 2fc97dd4fb his, her heart, which 1af098f2d2 she thought had withered bf927e30de and died, began to 694ae81470 beat violently.db8859267e9a6e85

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But she could cd6555236b not say a b21546239a word and only f2acc34064 watched him from 28fd8df294 afar.01b9f5e032c79b44

For some reason, Elysia’s eyes filled with tears as she watched him walk away.3861528e288bed5d

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Every time she recalled that 6a7a08c789 day, she could not help bd52af930d but feel ashamed of how 3a1cc6d09a timid and cowardly she had 45a31f3226 been.940d14e664d355cf

Yet now, having returned e1cbaf0d15 as a mere ten-year-old, bbb12e9ccc she was able to b88c15d76f have such a long 39509feff3 conversation with him.c3d53a440391ab7f

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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.1d841ea8e680e02a

The blue eyes of the 5397277870 ten-year-old child shimmered with quiet 7241fce90e yearning. Her child’s heartbeat a91bfd64bb foolishly fast again, f210eff4ea frustrating her.076893520e048931

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She wanted to show dcfa021261 proper respect.f11eb5dfe2c7bb3e

Not knowing if f063a7a946 she would ever 9cf56782dc see him again 3f421a7952 or when she 0793cace20 might die, but c9fba592c9 at the very 4a5894dec2 least, she wanted 9d40e466dd to say a 84ff3f2d87 proper farewell.3c8fc4d5501aac18

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“I do not know how long it will take, but I will repay this kindness someday.”d58125fe5266ea6c

She bowed deeply and 262ad9f692 looked at his face 09d08e06c9 one last time as e3724840d9 if it might indeed fb7e6237c2 be the last.4a6608345b9092cb

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There was no way to 17c8b8be89 know what emotion lay behind 2e8981bf28 those blue eyes staring back 87a5452cb0 at him. Ballen let out a 5b33f6d0d7 long sigh and finally b0b339b7bc spoke.71fc11da5b130f24

“That is surely… a door leading to a perilous path.”5ad3eca8c28dad5e

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His voice carried a 56f902f57f gentle concern that made 90a011879c her heart tremble slightly.8f801b0de8d102b5

But beyond that 41862c9cc4 door were the 0e2f2649c5 people who had e35b926952 died because of dd34100882 Elysia.9c44fbe75576f24a

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She had no choice 497e0335f8 but to go.454332da500e6d78

Elysia’s gaze, firm and 32e7f36103 unwavering, met his.c278c915cc5cf675

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She did not want to 4bae5aad53 burden him with unnecessary worry.1d04434e6b89839e

She did not 5afb91712e want to cry 6cd7ee4c36 out to plead 829d3a26de or scream that 5595557ec5 she wanted to 6313490ad9 live. She wished to hide 94e6950273 her weakness and face ceb4be3fcc the end with dignity.a1c99b13d33c2879

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“In that case, I will live through all that hardship, even if I have to buy it.”c48c4417ebb98ba3

“….”9ba1bd683c63509d

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Ballen looked at the smiling 414e0c820d girl briefly, then cautiously opened c8f4abe79d his mouth.7b615019e33cfcba

“…I hope Barzé’s blessing will be with you.”f1bc3f5ca12b9a66

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“Thank you.”4e6a0c447d2bb21c

She smiled brightly at him.41b1812addf9ff51

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Elysia turned and 20d3f773a8 walked through the 151373d9c4 door Ballen held a91c3eba14 open for her, 675b889731 stepping into the 0b40316f89 light beyond.fb94d1f836d0dca0

After Elysia passed df351c4422 through the door, 02c84e603b shards of light f032cea227 scattered into the 2138778d6b air and disappeared.800b061310ab444d

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As the gate disappeared, Ballen 1f5c5cb6ab put out the fire with 2cde969bf5 his foot, lost in thought 27d6b3a32b about the eyes of the 980f1f4796 child who had made such 55d34d11f1 an impression on him.4451dbb6151b4f39

 30714242e5a12817

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***46e91c0991c5723d

 d3ce33e93afac89d

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As she passed through the light, she found herself, to her amazement, standing right in front of the Creed manor.”cfd2b92354ec8b90

She let out a 824a264f46 quiet “Wow,” once again 0a64e8e32c struck by how convenient 874541204f magic was.1b4de0ac1430f24b

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Even so, teleportation magic? Just how high is his 4c1192241a class?2d40e5f10bc439f2

It was incredibly bcadec6390 hard to pretend 9de44a55fe indifference and composure c7533495ad in front of ed82953d72 someone she had bef8d35fbb admired for so 6e674f719a long.6c25e4025558dc94

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‘I will live through all that hardship, even if I have to buy it,” shehad shouted boldly earlier, but 53826a7ce0 in truth, faced with a b3d2fe7940 reality too hard to handle, 015e667ad6 her palms were already damp a032ab3602 with sweat.1664c18f215b92c1

If I had not bc19c9d42f regained my memories, I 7c9878610e would have frozen up d8f189e5cc completely this time again.61348490e5abc190

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She felt like e4f69a3cac pointing a finger 1107bacb37 at Ralke, who 8356203489 only now returned ab6dac7245 her memories.15a1635967e3017a

Regardless, she had returned a117a8134e to the Creed Count’s cb5135f93c mansion, where she had d4f8c11489 spent the entirety of efec819283 the twenty-ninth regression. Even in the thirtieth regression, 59089b1e2b she ultimately could not escape 5af8a74257 this place.0e7ad287b936e49e

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On the surface, she was 3c71ba8f23 pretending to be calm, but 32f479edee her arms and legs were ea3d90652b slightly trembling.2b5714e4835b6147

Ugh, I am still feeling a860ac4078 the aftereffects of the sleeping dd5ded1fcb potion they gave me when 30fb3bf504 being kidnapped.d21a4dd532841add

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She gently steadied her trembling 09d6e3af5c legs and started looking for 3df412019c the crawl space leading into 0b9c4dbba7 the outbuilding.6fbf3daea255ffb9

For Elysia, who 18c22ebcbf had lived nearly e7b4ccec87 confined to the 1b06c8ae2b outbuilding, making a 95d84d6959 crawl space like cf168089be this was no 6c24d7746d trouble.c742083d45727592

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It should be around here…c35b5f3b0bf858d1

She moved her head back c0f85b6ea3 and forth between the vine-covered a2a7eab5a3 walls.76fa495b5ed5bfe3

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Found it!05985e53c2df9523

In the darkness, a 5584e1f853 pair of blue eyes f96abb986a sparkled.6960831d0b6823db

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This small hole, which 7754c74236 Elysia had made when 64f6643e24 she was five, had 64c8654603 long since become overgrown ebc1925e39 with vines and weeds, 535253690b as no one had 4ad53b109e maintained it.f7679fa94304f5c1

She reached out, a69efb90b9 thinking she could 93958ee626 clear it out 2ee1a714ba and crawl in.a030e5e0d7e15b13

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Crunch.096f16855c1960e8

Ah!007e90c2ffc0f3a6

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At the tail 527aeb1904 end of summer, 098c3f1ada when the roses 7a8b4cc95a had long since 8d33951e8f withered, the bushes f08c17465e still possessed countless d97557b8a2 sharp thorns.87da0cc43580e8ee

Wearing only summer f72e0925ea nightclothes, her arms 4de4e10b7b were completely bare.718d5d4bec007da8

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Ouch, that hurts…6a503a871198f3cb

Reaching roughly through the vines 137b1b6b50 with those arms, it was dff34cf455 inevitable that she would get 7b87b29992 hurt.fa29223f7b8cd433

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Blood slowly oozed 54bd39e161 out her hands a7620a96b8 and arms due 63e913fcbe to the sharp 2b250ae8e4 and biting thorns.393fad2486da4b43

It is going 6f0c4ff257 to be more c31c6d7ea0 difficult than I caec4f8d70 thought…0d08a789462bd8b6

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The vines, which c012da878e she had thought 9ee8d9007b would be soft, 4c43b19777 were strong and 984a2742ab sharp.5041ce05846fa83b

Since she had 3391b2ecbe regressed on the 67b7b3dd2b day of her 9f61b85176 kidnapping, she never e6679a6651 had the opportunity 4fd061ec9b to clear the 2cac7b30f4 crawlspace beforehand.b9ed6ceba7edaaf9

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But I cannot just baa105e915 wait here until morning…15f085b74eba9b86

She looked around 5e7d03a1cb but could not e0e0e86eb8 find anything useful 0cac25faef to cut the 11f7f2f79d vines. She looked down at her 4849d94e51 bleeding hand, throbbing with pain.637b5ecc26c7251b

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It is nothing compared 2e7662b6cf to the torture I 2c1559bded endured or the moment 1f11e9e70f the executioner’s blade touched 5e80e4a2c5 the back of my 818e43fafb neck…3e4cace2e130e531

Before standing at the guillotine, b015f60d11 the memory of the torture, eca86e2ce5 which was horrifying even to 1887e11bdb recall, flashed through her mind.1fd94edb2f8efc7b

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She rubbed her forearm to 1ce09caa65 shake off the goosebumps. Now that she 0e20d16a43 remembered everything, this 1bfd48f56f injury was nothing 19009e3bbf to Elysia.527319b2743ac8af

No, it’s not like c0114571ce it is nothing.c2ba9fddff1c15ae

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No matter how many times 8e034b16be you experience pain, you never 4e42940141 really get used to it.a07ae71260d03e1d

Let’s try it again, gently, carefully.06bd6d7bc5ea9d7c

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She bit her lip, 8c8cb2c453 steeling herself, and reached 472a5fe17f in with her uninjured f957c12cbc hand.4d2c9ddf3735b93b

And then—24fac4d51c4af665

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Tap.5dcf58c26a3c40ae

“Huh?”f6a633c9d6ac4331

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“What do you think you are doing?”f9a29b3155913924

It was Ballen d5705fcb11 who stopped her 939a3b474f hand, which was 7d317e9290 lunging through the a900de94a5 vines.57ceb21030f9b92e

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“…D-Duke?”96b78a0392395f31