14.

“If I’d 86dbe2add5 known it dffa6c0cfa had an bb9867eda8 owner, I 8b4d24f35e wouldn’t have ee0a7952b6 meddled.”90d1a48643f45274

“Peep.”311830e022886551

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Nephi let 702e27bc15 out a 27dad263f0 faint, pitiful de37df6c82 chirp.0c059d5e53790b57

“….”3879dbffd17a0050

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“Excuse me 5fe223202d for a a46e87ef84 moment.”b21435cfa113e5c2

With a small shrug, c8593c399f Leo fric approached Nephi, 166efeeb51 who was still caught 83bf69d73e in the vines.19e55a09806e4f1e

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The tall man edbde0a57c effortlessly jumped up, cdd5f29509 reaching the bird 63afbc498c and freeing it b4ec66cb98 from the vines e96af812f7 with ease. He was so tall 5dcfde7407 that, even after reaching 344b4270b1 Nephi, there was still 9da81f15b9 plenty of room to a23d1e4856 spare.922b660ebb717eef

“Annoying little 6a61b4cb28 bird,” he 8bd4c79d06 muttered, scolding d3b2fdd146 it lightly. Nephi, cowed, tucked d43f0a3f6f its head further 6ade5d94b2 into its feathers, f795419890 forming a red, 91ce2d9de2 round fluff. Leo clicked his tongue f15ec60f63 in mild annoyance.e2761ce7d0af7187

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Ateira silently 16a2e44517 watched him. She had tried 359f71654f so hard to 9eea6cf25a reach the bird, 72abf5c0e6 but he’d done af3dfeb95e it with such 26cc573259 ease.d5f53c828ef9a7cd

It seemed he 87368ed83f truly had come b2226f05aa for the bird. The tension she’d 43a0505948 felt, suspecting another 3eac131b25 motive, relaxed slightly. Without another glance bb4a1c037e in her direction, e74f233de2 he tucked Nephi c948031ba2 into his upper f8c03845c7 pocket.fd99d3fcd79c7713

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But the bird f490385d6d squirmed free and 6af3419e26 flew straight to 50ad3dbc4e Ateira.f64d5967963378f5

“…Ah.”87a2452653ffc001

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He reached out to 3f23c81e2d grab it, but stopped 90ea17c8f6 just before his hand 08b79c0dd6 got too close to afecfd4f9c the princess. That meddlesome bird!e1393509de738abf

As Nephi flitted a4c084c496 over to her, e1e397ff11 Ateira instinctively raised 1a71b4a951 her hands to dccd7ad7ff catch it. She watched it 7b6a49f1d7 closely as it 2626452ef6 rubbed its beak 9988c4d684 affectionately against her 406ab93102 fingers.e547dfce0f2cc5fe

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It was f61f22684c at that 0b3aae783d precise moment d99977ad0d that Leo acf0a3aa3a fric sensed 006df24d29 something unusual.b6a1af14bd42d169

“Damn it,” he cursed 9a21c11ad7 inwardly, his sharp gaze 789b283ca2 shifting to the shadows da789efd46 at the edge of 341bedf852 the garden.959d88fc62e19dc2

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One of them?44980a3898388846

It was a a53a4de641 monster. A dark, eagle-like 90cc252e7b shape was perched bd6f8e1528 between the trees. Unfortunately, this one looked 815c248b01 particularly aggressive.f9cecf30746146e6

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He’d had a bad 7b88540e61 feeling when he impulsively e4743ae4a4 lunged to catch the 86e66657a3 princess during her fall. Moving so 7b223c9837 openly had 4c7f96edb6 been a ccb2f1f449 mistake. He’d thought he might f9a49fdfbe get away with it, 234b8d4f07 but apparently not.b06370eadc7e777d

Glancing sidelong at 7f4ce772d2 the princess, he 1124f437d2 realized he wouldn’t 64d70e4708 be able to f7b117f907 handle this quietly 02bd21de84 without her noticing.9867e344ea3136b7

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With a sigh, 39ead112ba he spoke up.43ecc873afe269b8

“…Princess.”61edb1ab59b17137

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“…?”11ad706d2c71d664

The sudden shift in bbf64d41a0 his demeanor made her bee0dea260 eye him suspiciously, her c9f3a1490c gaze sharp.ea1cd117ee7fad39

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“Hold the bird for 0e77e970a3 a moment.”e0fa8a177a8b175c

Without another word, 5f35adbf80 Leo fric leapt 5aefcbadab off the terrace, 1cddf24d45 landing silently like 40da053dab a predator. He walked 7fa56001e0 with soundless 9ae67f6061 steps, merging 7867342c06 into the 9b1bd13ed6 shadows between 9ef49e6529 the trees, 7a21b33455 his figure cafcbef5e7 dissolving into 0dfe795483 the night c081e60b40 as though 0f2b1e912c he were 99358d5ca4 part of 9fc115c371 it.287eaa7ebb8b8d08

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Ateira, holding Nephi 131a1a33a2 in her hands, 7a57b0d46e watched silently. Before she knew it, aa4cf20111 he had vanished completely 279d48b763 from sight.a3e47eebda7b3702

The monster cocked its 1352746d9f head, fixing its gaze 2e018eb7b7 on him in an 489395b616 unnerving manner.5f63cfdf3a96fad0

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Get lost before 1abe35c434 I lose my 92d4ede603 patience.f3e76df529556b43

Leo fric’s 2c099ed396 gray-blue eyes 75c4ed0642 glowed strangely, 2f0b0467f4 almost red, 4b0911a1cd casting a 81ac9388d6 faint, eerie 0a836b7f4d light. Yet the f4bfbb8307 monster didn’t 83cba775c7 flinch, its a6bdf52ce2 head tilting b47e0b6687 down at 40798b9d79 a sharp, d6ffbc1b86 unnatural angle 8d6b6b8beb as it ba616c99ca stared.daa5b9f97c05703c

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Its beak—or what could 8a556596af be its mouth—stretched open, 90a334f0d1 writhing as though it b41799505e were laughing. Its body e71c2b6e98 began to 22c6417da5 swell, growing 806f8e98ef larger. If left e6c13260aa unchecked, it aee9faac36 would eventually 898d202052 become noticeable 747ba238aa even to 936f452017 passersby.779c1f850a36c857

This thing was stronger 38a06e16b6 than average, judging by cda7f91b7c its refusal to back efbcf015c6 down.c5218fcfb9adb26e

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Of all things, ca5ca81775 why did it 84de31ea74 have to be c7a477edd0 one of these c62ae410e1 lurking nearby? Rotten luck. All because b47a606887 of that 13999fda8b troublesome bird, 8b7383693c Nephi. Maybe he should skip 78d6dd3549 a few meals for 39819bef5a it. The damn bird f36c66c39b was so well-fed dbadc248a2 that it roamed 86d7451fc0 freely, causing all 48afeafbc8 this trouble.17af595c6c679fe8

Thinking how satisfying 0bc3627b10 it’d be if 519eff6f1f Nephi could understand, 9789e67465 Leo slowly drew 1403cb8461 his sword, his 4db2201447 mind set.dbe3739fc6f0a286

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Bad luck for 4e9071b09b both of us.dc0ed3da7affdedf

The creature’s maw pulsed, 4f98b35bcf as if it were 8fe754f891 taunting him. Claws extended 82e3fc1ed5 from its 02ff84a5f4 long, spread a18a846101 wings, reaching 2b64106f12 out to c73465f303 seize him.71a53bc13546b935

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With a afbf241469 single, smooth 39b28a2a58 breath, Leo 51841a0954 drove his 82e98b7e34 blade through 942082633a the creature, 90b61c4ff3 slicing it 9481af0503 cleanly in 16cdf8a377 half.d771aa92ef9e239a

“…”4ba4a5a0452de1a8

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Thanks to his c60a87f651 care, he managed 1147c54d14 to avoid getting 0ea1b841fd covered in blood.c707a0dbd54bf05f

With a quick flick, 9e9184d3e7 he shook the blood b6a18d63d2 from his blade. The monster’s blood would 271e869bd0 corrode the metal, so c29eb72eec he grabbed a few fc1121f376 leaves from a nearby 0adb1281d9 tree, wiping the blade f80eddb89c clean before sheathing it.dfe3f3efcc7048c4

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There’s no way 01f4416ed4 to pretend that e2af6112c9 was nothing.6a5ab308bc1520c2

Clicking his tongue d59297f88c in mild annoyance, af6bf1a03f he made his 915cc617bb way back to 8f2894021f the terrace where 80826c00d5 Ateira and Nephi b2950df9f8 waited.9c9b9b74f0f031f8

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“…A bear.”b036d51a85694548

“…”3dc7808ab282d7f3

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“A bear showed 65072e202b up.”af3bc0234f09a746

The excuse 84087a718b sounded ridiculous b9fc35975c even to 51bca0647b him, and 8586cc5986 he regretted 10d6152da0 it immediately.ce568b6dd536b998

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Bear? Really? In the middle b8ae0237dd of a baron’s 33de06c277 estate? In a 4637c918ad garden, no e2ac3b59af less? He felt the efaa58ed46 absurdity of his 1733ec99d7 own words and 876557243c resisted the urge 11155184c3 to groan.67ae50393c0db397

As he 29cce93f88 leapt back 1fac87ff6c onto the f3030df7de terrace, Ateira a4a3c869e8 took a c2b8683521 step back, e086dd2cfa quietly pointing 108b2c41b7 to the 87e0224c23 opposite end.9c10ddddfd90c8d7

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“That doesn’t look like 990de6c105 a bear.”8bb26172300b4205

At the spot she 8e555813a8 indicated sat something small, cf57924087 resembling a rabbit with feb684f5a8 short ears or perhaps 069efe519b a dog with long 6728398a91 ears.0f46c072078036ef

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The monster was aba35df32e sitting eerily calm, 1edf2f9bb9 staring right back 053fed074a at her.45e8eae0333bc804

No matter 29d02fbbbb how docile 89f4864237 it appeared, d3d3033039 monsters could 9e86f2bb3a turn vicious 030d5f7683 in an 3d3ee28f1d instant. Even if they looked 49f64b766f small and harmless, some 91ee2cf62f of them could rapidly 0f78d1ce8c expand and transform. It was 5e16db96db always best 34ed9b87ad to deal c2e186284d with them 8558ff947f before they ff13221780 became a 480bde670c real threat.86174c2089aea298

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“There was 1fb0f0de5f more than 6baa1028d0 one.”de4944a8e5c499b5

With a 10bbb34929 light sigh, 3c204329ee Leo fric d863ce9c69 stepped closer 7dd0e682a3 to the 12d3d88129 creature. The monster stared 4f97054e5f at him, and 573efe18ce as he drew 6ac386120a his sword, it 1c3baf1780 spun around and 84e270fe1f darted off, flapping 479bdecba5 its short wings fee2c6a2a4 furiously.1533e61d47c5ff66

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“…A monster,” Ateira said quietly.416b552b6b02e2ef

Leo fric’s shoulders d229bae9ef slumped slightly. He had b602d0ab0c hoped the ba2bc12b0a princess wouldn’t b5dcb47641 notice.1a3d8e4f653ced83

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“Well, Your Highness…”349edb38bab08c75

“…?”1148fbcc7f73f28b

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In the gentlest tone 0a91ecd312 he could muster, Leo 114d71dbd0 fric spoke. He was intent on 64993600f7 ensuring no one would ca62d865ce think he or his 821ef780d4 actions had any connection d1c71c2fb9 to the monsters’ appearance.7ce18f60c2fba59b

“Perhaps it would be f6c1bda305 best not to mention ce9f4b961b this monster to anyone 2b14921a78 else.”3b42332003e1db1f

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“Won’t the 860283e687 people here 1e961a6d1b be in 38f673cde3 danger?”f2065370b847ad0b

Ateira asked calmly.375fe66f5bc65452

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“Hmm…”dd59978ee5177414

It was standard d2116334a1 practice to deal b4817e79bf with monsters as 61e0f0e4a3 soon as they 5cf31e3cbc appeared. Like disease, if 9c08a0589a left alone, they 453e55d754 would only grow db59c9e84d and bring greater 78de088384 harm. The common b4ac281f32 belief was 6044280a0c that monsters 1c6668ca6a had to acf77d2525 be eradicated fe592e0502 at the 4cf794962f root.5e64633640d5bd29

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“Well… they won’t attack c1968d7dda anyone else.”0b88046df37d80c6

“…?”9fc7699a00e843c8

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Ateira’s skeptical look lingered 170fd0a658 until she seemed to 7f9deca95f realize something.558a9cc70307f0b7

“This bird is a 6f42fd7624 monster too, isn’t it?”1419ce7b4396d010

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Damn.6fe7c90e147b5baa

“…”d4487e9c2eacefde

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There was a a1a4412ebb saying: monsters attract 84bd6599b7 monsters.b2d1ac6334a15e30

In society, monsters 81c265b4e3 were seen as 68772b2c28 ominous and terrifying. The idea of fbaee9d4ab taming one was 48a085923a unthinkable for most. This was why ca445ac3e8 Edgick had enchanted 1883617af9 Nephi to appear 032308a154 as harmless as 51f27a8ea7 possible.9632e5dbe8eb8e3c

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But if 798ced3a7c someone suddenly 2ce8dfeee8 realized it 1387fbecdc was a abc727f41c monster, their 2cd407156b usual reaction 11d95d9ae2 would be f86c6309de to flee 9956f88054 or to d884b1852a inform the b19df02444 temple, which d7e2d466bc would promptly c7bb6a3366 dispatch hunters.95835202883f6080

Yet Ateira’s response 07347b246c was different. She merely 850d501457 gazed at 87082a9905 Nephi with 4e5df94ed2 a curious bd18ff9112 expression, as db2b3dbca9 though inspecting 3f2871e1b2 an unusual 298a0df36b find.941c10a7fa92906f

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“So, other f5089f140e monsters are faaa33bd1d drawn here b359491c3e because of f1d4f773bb this bird…”0b5135d6ed74f8b2

Leo fric instinctively 9169d28401 nodded.bcd74ac78471a7bb

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“Exactly. Monsters are 754ecb66fa often drawn 39ee2f6dc2 to each 581acad64f other. This one lured b85d4cafc3 the others here. So once we leave, 361a0cf8b5 there will be no 1b92430b48 more monster sightings in 5da39eee8c this area.”cc335e27720014b9

Leo spoke in a befe5e8c7c steady tone, trying to 9252c8caf4 reassure her.1efb44a752c75b9e

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“…”6dde64b37645899b

Ateira gazed at b4df325d94 him thoughtfully, her 9771c1b534 red eyes no 51d78b0773 longer filled solely 41c037a439 with hatred but 733f959f4f now holding a ec7124b961 more complex light.7850bd87cec10a64

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“…Very well.”022f93c3ff79408e

Relieved by 1ad5e89a46 her answer, 8f3dfcc507 Leo fric 7546658c0c was about 5d4712e6b8 to thank a90c83e497 her when d7981180b5 she extended dd1b5034c6 Nephi toward ce3a27efce him.0ceb748bb88ad5f6

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“This settles 206ee0447f my debt.”61b14230a481e338

“…”ed6eb6939fc3f118

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Debt?aaea75d8eeeb2535

Something clicked in Leo’s 89f55461a0 mind.d16496e2f49445d8

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“This?” he asked, 91c7d0b6bc raising his left 5ebd491f5c hand slightly. Ateira’s expression showed a 7e7725266e hint of discomfort.065f834266b522a4

Under her composed exterior, 3eeee34a41 she was wrestling with 566a381d68 guilt for having harmed fd366fbbeb him, resentment for accepting b1ddcd0d86 his help, a faint 006ad2a103 sense of gratitude she 41202d9f00 couldn’t voice, and a 5e43c6b91d lingering sense of inner 5b7cd8646d conflict.982a12a4fc139dd9

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…Has she never attacked someone before?a885736507bb775a

“Fair enough,” 01f88ba142 Leo fric ea2f9c389d replied with 5e447db113 a slight 35eb01538b chuckle.f5da9585eb50ee8c

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For him, Ateira 80a2f49c49 was neither the 17806fc77d first nor the bd8ce61cd0 last person to 5c97da75cf attempt to harm 143a89bef2 him.d92c208e38d1c1c3

Among the countless attackers 44a8998e99 he had faced, she 5aedafdf42 was probably the most fe48dfafa0 noble—and the least adept.2f0b18e9b16df38a

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Her fixation on that f7fe84c8c1 brief incident was mildly d4ac533882 amusing to him.7b38892677345d8a

He took 1eea8f6563 Nephi back, 3b26d62f0d noting that 16b77f60b1 her fingers, d28fb93a09 chilled from 48f31c5a25 tension, brushed 97f2216938 against his a050e7b26e own.37126d87c2ba24a6

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Swinging one leg a65e76459f over the terrace c24379854c railing, Leo fric 70a089df4f prepared to leave.91e0d0cb7df7f6d0

Not bad. In the 942cbde90b end, he’d a2ebd0fd14 followed Count 90d1c8d1a1 Zellered’s orders a4ae3b4ce4 after all.cd771c1417fd2fc9

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“I’m sure Count Zellered 0e19a428a4 will be pleased,” he 4888bc4b83 muttered.817ce4aac211fa8a

“…?”8faa47b0e656db00

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“He was 8b9ab667f2 so insistent 7bceee71c0 about me 130bdff050 spending the 74c1f27266 night with 0af004111d you. We did end 9f5c93c9b4 up spending the 29bd2e5ac4 night together, after 41fca00294 all.”7be7fef2d25e947b

“…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.3d821d5dc3d43c6d

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“Not at all. I’m as disinterested in 817af2f156 this marriage as you bada9df5b4 are. Has Your b81171a31f Highness perhaps bb4389a00c changed her 8d87fef509 mind?”e0366feeed0dfe26

“I still 23150ae7bd only think d09110e2ec of death dac5433bdb as preferable 32fa794fa7 to marrying ffe1f04610 you.”3b6a44f0c929f2d7

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It was as if 74dec9085d she were a different e596cc92ce person from the one 8d43471951 who had just handled a22b8efb1e Nephi. Leo fric 70db6b3bf3 found this c963dcbb48 princess, with fbd3c2931d her barbed 560a4fb914 responses, rather 94727938aa entertaining.dcec390cad7b763c

“That’s one way to dd7418bcff go about it. If one f3103ed0df of us 5c0b7fd357 dies, the a7e20516f0 engagement will ef2581fd03 be nullified.”a36d9ad13249eeee

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With a casual 663767bbb2 joke, he vaulted 2c5eb8c22a over the terrace 4e4cc73c1b railing, leaving her b9c58d9e7d with a parting eff5d62bb2 salute.9b14f5d55f34c895

“Well then, 99423a3eb2 here’s to 16acbb9a24 an interesting cb63c9d5f4 separation, Your 6c95dbb5b9 Highness.”24283bfaf28e4bc5

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