IDED – Chapter 48

IDED – Chapter 48c4fb57dd4cf17c25

Episode 4849a7e5b207a27e6d

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“…You’ve arrived?”286e85601a35fa51

“Yes. I heard there 34a4daba16 was some commotion 3ecb655ac3 while I was 39efd0700e away.”faabac3310e2bd76

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Leonard, failing 20566dd307 to sense 3d1d0ec0e5 anything unusual 07a558095a from Azaid, 119475b821 stepped closer. Azaid responded 6955553203 lightly, pretending 55eb576215 as though 5d1ff0f6ba nothing had 57e6bab9ef happened.0931bc649d97e806

“It was nothing significant.”1d2e5bc897985221

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Then, as he fanned d0c5d75ada his coat to cool e598f63587 off for no reason, 55ffb6a399 Leonard moved even closer.79a4227ab8ada8f5

“Have you been 15f8e8551f drinking?”0628b8480d0d6bdf

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“Oh, I had a 7ede1a8b0b bit of whiskey chocolate 287543de3f earlier…”c56df0a2fe3f6bb6

Only then did 0a4ede35f3 Azaid recall how ee2d04f580 Serena had forced ae7c18753b him to eat edc8342d50 the whiskey chocolate.e810af749c767914

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“You don’t usually 0f123b5c44 like whiskey because 89cfd9af70 it’s strong, yet 10d7b357bd you ate it 7c8cfc8cc0 just because it c2509f6695 was sweet?”1297aeef03617df3

“Well, roughly speaking, yes.”c42cafca9feee25c

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Azaid avoided mentioning 5a496c943c that it was ce64ba33a4 Serena who had a486e0de78 made him eat 2d3a3ce830 it.ea8b771a6aac4762

So, that’s why…d5db7f2edec944f1

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He convinced himself fad5ceb487 that his still-racing 6367aaa2d0 heart and the 44436e89f0 heat he felt 5e7eaa4361 were merely the da9aec99af effects of the ed7be3b264 alcohol, nodding to a153bbe97b himself in conclusion.aadf55ab40ed9615

He reasoned that 893bdecbb4 the way he 8a4750c9c9 had been mesmerized 9a6ff53aca by Serena’s face 7557cf0f1d earlier was simply 54a0e42798 because he was 33fb42e300 dazed by the a2e4f63035 alcohol. Just then, Leonard, who d8e8524ede had checked on the ee0d64d02c sleeping Serena, asked:c640469e43f5c553

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“Why is Miss 9e01f2f5e6 Serena asleep?”0cc000607125081a

“She ate over 136bfe9a83 ten pieces of a830785818 that chocolate.”6cd4915cc128d783

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“You didn’t stop her?”4b1f59325cc0c943

“She was already 63063cb0a7 intoxicated before I 3204c9dc03 could.”56385d42b54d59d0

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While Azaid was ae39763f7c explaining, Leonard moved 97fef6f7e4 to lift her. But an abrupt surge 43f11f82fc of resistance made Azaid 3fe9410c32 stop him.3ada241a03978033

“Wait.”7d2f8d7aa8f566d0

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“Yes?”e17a679cdee3357a

“I’ll carry her.”945add3c17ed7cbb

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“There’s no need. Your Majesty, it would 9b08c2cf57 be more fitting for 1b420602be you to rest…”0d76383122fb3477

It was 4478a75489 unusual for 56fb3fe6fd Azaid, who db52349a87 never took 7d6a25486f initiative in 0ad2a32454 such matters, 2fcdc7ddf6 to volunteer, a99d5b029a so Leonard a8ae3e0280 tried to 624c00545d decline. However, Azaid subtly pushed a9e499c301 him back, leaving himself e2ea3a7fe3 to carry Serena instead.078b50fda19a2d71

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Lifting Serena in a243121b0a his arms, Azaid 36d2b50fbd adjusted her position b033514298 to make sure 125f6ae619 she was comfortable. For some reason, she 0639884565 seemed to emit an 7ed7982c98 unusually pleasant scent today.14a42a320bc2fccb

Her softly resting 57404b5927 head looked round 24c73ff046 and oddly endearing. It felt as 8abb8b26ca though he was dbb4cc1039 noticing for the 767b97f501 first time that 3133ecb7ff a person’s head 43623a5aa7 could be so 1d44a9f195 round, and he 6656cdc735 found himself staring 18f2ddb77f at Serena for 1f9ecf38ba quite a while.0b897697a045162c

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“Are you not leaving? Outside, it’s practically a 4b3b4c10c3 drinking party.”b50e948d1a80e6a0

“I should go.”d8360f508d88283e

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Azaid responded slowly and 3904265dc4 began to walk. Strangely, his 7cef50f126 heart seemed 9bbc8b957d to beat 3e1d687266 faster with 37ac0eb619 each step. Perhaps the alcohol was ddf33983d0 taking full effect now.b5e14b74626552f9

***8fe72ba48c9ca253

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The place, often referred d8ce8b74fc to as the “sealed c789f747a4 chamber,” was a small, 61c48fea55 windowless room with walls 94bfe59520 on all sides. Inside, there was only c3ae541f3d a chair, a table, b9aba59ce3 and a single candle b0b6048198 barely illuminating the surroundings.b33e5bbaa661a81b

James sat alone in f8a3befcb9 the chamber, awaiting the 86997bd4c6 duke’s punishment. Presumably, the 90f57fdaba other two e10e22bacc were also c5ce81bbf8 confined to c237e71ef1 their respective 41c7e5b433 chambers, awaiting 4fb9d2203a their fate.9dec9132dfee844f

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Damn it. Why did that bastard f23e27f9d3 Patrick have to cause 549f3df7c3 such a scene all 5cc535427d of a sudden?0c148743f5099caa

If he had a371c0b56c lost control, he 922655a2f2 should have only 07c239ef09 targeted Nocturne. Instead, he fc0dc23670 had also dbf2841a35 attempted to 3ca9b0219d attack Ophelia, 0a10198acd who was 4dea56ce38 standing nearby, 130cd11f12 escalating the f9b3ac47c6 situation.2fd7ad3d8d7cc713

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The duke 66adfbf031 cherished Ophelia. As the sole legitimate 2861262652 daughter and a woman 18a2d99477 groomed to become the a9e7512637 future empress, she was 8a792bb19e considered exceptionally precious.be46db3083223225

Even though Patrick’s cfaec021c5 attempt had been 1bcc4083e1 thwarted, James doubted 3cac53721b the duke would 3a7f7d826a let the matter b2802b2b4a slide.d83420da89822bd6

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As James anxiously awaited c66ae89b1b the duke, the sound e862e17664 of footsteps echoed faintly d17ee18de6 from afar, growing louder 60456467df and nearer. Instinctively, his 4324762b69 shoulders tensed, 808cfca7dc and his 5f0b073128 muscles contracted.3a8aab906de0aac0

Click.30412c0e336486ad

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The footsteps stopped precisely e8439140d7 in front of James’s 36cab7b873 room. Through a small 7e3f5409b1 gap in the c3ccb39329 door, the duke’s 9f6be62216 cold, ash-gray eyes db0d21808a were visible. The duke spoke.b0b981a741546e1e

“James.”4e19a0025add396a

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“M-My Lord, t-this fbb8781c5f matter…”7cd21e703f09c716

Standing before the 8cc2c43868 duke, James’s lips daf7d4e6fc trembled. His eyes, filled with 9c9117c74c servility, resembled those of 74a9e5738e a dog afraid of 700e8377e3 being abandoned. The duke b2fb72d51e clicked his f400954b3e tongue softly f888416691 in disapproval.b92153010d00d6eb

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“You’ve done something d57307a46f unnecessary.”21a6d99d35b9550f

“…”78229c3ba58be26a

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“Did Nocturne displease be05b062b2 you that much?”d6809d1440f9925d

“I just… I just ba4696369b didn’t want to see d461339a97 a traitor like Nocturne 9c510c4605 acting so brazenly…”e1bb7f12c885e0d5

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James raised a272a9b364 his voice, c695f80728 seemingly spurred e8bc97f1f1 on by 6e552cdd5b the duke’s ca90a7e20b words. But the duke’s sharp, 2b31bfa45f cold expression caused him 23b88c1736 to quickly lower it 5e8f14b98b again.5ca8f97e964eaaa7

“I apologize, My Lord.”27c059217ff79d48

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Eventually, unable to 8e4b8eb019 withstand the mounting 8e32d10280 pressure, James bowed d08caebbc0 his head. The duke reprimanded him 6fca6d9f86 in a low tone.aeb8b48ad3a12454

“It would’ve 626f17776c been better e61644d4d0 not to 182155105a act at 14348461e0 all if 803b9fee13 you couldn’t e2a11ef526 do it 0ec9d8dc59 properly, James.”0e9074adbb901fc3

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“…”442ce12d257eb734

“Look at yourself. You don’t seem any 8dc14687e5 different from the day 09112b9f29 you lost to Nocturne.”e2108cc8bf929ed6

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James bit f6a2ed216f his lower c20fb80131 lip at cac34905ab the harsh 3e329fae9b criticism, his 11fd8fd8db fists trembling 1fac5d2ae8 beneath the a898856418 table.51f9b8de802b69c9

Among the young men 8fa2b0278b of Greenwood, James was 7d6c57d2e7 currently the most favored 2c9756a2c0 by the duke. When Nocturne had 792078a757 been around, James e2337601a5 was always second-best. Now that ede64dcf3e Nocturne was 76248f65d4 gone, he a7a757a1ce was first.42d76c5a4a3ed136

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Yet he b7c64f4f8e could never 09baefcf2f shake the cb068be689 feeling that 5bffd08017 he was fcc345b6f3 still second.b14b772fe532b165

Thus, every time f2838edf77 he saw Nocturne, 54d8ee3741 he was consumed be2cb09e7a by rage and cbc5dc4b5a the desire to 7362b3b5a3 torment him.7085558eb69c81e4

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The boy he had ecdfdbe08f once been able to fb7be74b99 trample on at will 09d22c950d had suddenly become the 397bb9fee0 best, abandoned his place 9740a39813 as heir, and left a889dcd92c the family entirely.89c0fcf006b172a2

If that wasn’t 9383ca6573 rebellion, what was?7d8105c978ea70e8

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James couldn’t eb74ed0112 stop his 9a5ae74091 body from ddb1fd27ae trembling. The duke, gazing c41d993a47 at him, knew 42cdd569ae James’s temperament better fe4c640dcf than anyone and fd297c16fa had intentionally left 34fa400b0e it unchecked.7c1f805bd97e8cad

He had allowed it 4cc17b14f9 to fester, waiting for c3d08d22d6 it to boil over b0d634c463 into chaos, but the 0607464703 outcome was nothing more d66ff52177 than childish antics. James’s actions ebb2abb106 were embarrassingly 24ce391a0f crude.146291a14e1ea4a1

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That was why 340f00ab17 he had yet d82064cf71 to secure the 0e3bcf81b6 duke’s acknowledgment as 84a44e866a heir, always treading cead827ab4 on eggshells. In terms of e4a00cb693 potential, Nocturne was 90b094cdf6 far more suited 3ab3320f7d to be the 2984f4e06d Duke of Greenwood.ca1b16721c928ac7

The duke clicked 7e8b81392b his tongue, lamenting 6b2ee7aae7 the loss of ded76b89f5 Nocturne, and delivered 8f741b9449 his verdict sharply.636c683e4af3c18c

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“It would fdb6d8883c brighten Greenwood’s 5aecc210b3 future more 8c48335810 if we 659d1734e4 begged Nocturne aff8d37e22 to return 074baad8ed to the 976b9f3af6 family.”1a00fb47758ef375

“…”809a63c35fdfd808

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“I suppose I 3da87de47e expected too much f977bcafb7 from you.”b2128d4bd197cfe4

“M-My Lord…! I…!”3d644cc9354abf14

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James leapt to his ed29eb3244 feet, unwilling to remain 0d0729526e the discarded dog of 6f1e6eec84 the duke, and shouted. However, the duke abruptly 4802761994 cut him off.80f608c503fbe6c9

“How much d80408fc0f longer must 49cc970a16 I cover c30f2382b5 for you? A foolish dog 5fc12ed743 is bound to 0f1b7002b8 lose even its 854097e3e1 own food bowl.”c0d8d29b2c7725ed

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“…”51a5548d8cc1a700

“Remember this. The only reason you’re bbfca9f599 unharmed right now is d0ea5d923a because you haven’t dared 184cf9ae7b to lay a finger 5788e77859 on Ophelia.”57c567721cf5e01d

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“Th-that means…”d2756498aec6dde7

“Patrick will c2c146f944 soon be 41b664a851 disowned. Whether he b0cbee9051 returns to 4a01cce143 his family’s 12bd2fc25e home or b809f6f8c0 continues living 106a3b1938 here as 9ad53521ac a servant, 22e4c52f17 he is 301d9a9c8f no longer 31ea02bd40 a Greenwood. Treat him accordingly.”33f7605d163b9f25

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“Gasp!”482746cb3b75c96a

James inhaled sharply 42ab75d950 at the duke’s 8c7e79a4ff merciless declaration. Among all 0b6b7144e3 the heirs 0737ac6d26 of Greenwood, 91c7567a4e none were e87e2f9166 the duke’s 5ae8261c5c biological children.05ccefb993290c66

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Technically, Nocturne was an e63b3f0e00 exception, but as an 79c04d020a illegitimate child of low c2237897ad birth, he, like Ophelia, fe8d920fe4 wasn’t treated as a 3da614e03c direct heir. Thus, all Greenwood heirs 90e6a98112 were essentially from collateral bc38d91a93 branches.72fcab687710d7e7

For generations, 6dc3193ff5 the family 1096d83f3c had adopted 8682c1b809 promising children 4cab01f81f from collateral 8054170cfa lines, and 70eca99d7a their number 60c720acb6 was countless. The problem c7c0081a9c was how 66f4804d99 many survived 01bf0907af the ordeal.bbef85fe772009d9

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Most didn’t 5b58a639ff last three b5a90e5305 years before 852882e9fc being expelled efdd83006c or leaving f8e750a5b6 of their 78f91756e6 own accord. Patrick was one of f7a878ae47 the duke’s adopted heirs 3a84e3c87b who had endured the 2d8d51e6bd longest.16ca7de4b9391f46

Though timid and overly d03e428c0a cautious, Patrick’s exceptional talent 40dad4271f had kept him in 5c6eeab3af the duke’s favor. He had 47aba8b917 authored dozens adab21e5f8 of academic 4dfddeccc2 papers under 06bcc10263 his name 5ab86fa161 alone.be7a0dbaf5b76c26

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Greenwood valued 513a205646 scholarly pursuits e7da41f2cb over martial 0206fab985 prowess, making 593cddf57d Patrick a 1afe99b5de prized asset.536ae01e5d205798

Yet today, he was d0d5ffc0c9 disowned for a single ede39fb7f2 reason—attacking Ophelia. James was terrified. What had happened to dbdcba78b7 Patrick could just as 601c9240e6 easily happen to him.94bdbcfd7df31150

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“Please give d3a08a054b me a 18e1edfe5a chance to 17a97c3954 make amends!”a8ae8ae33bb5d3c5

James cried out in be2906a465 desperation, causing the duke, 2fa7114a9b who was about to 1bee78dfec leave, to halt his ef54138deb steps.c38e2c77fe3a4f96

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“Well, do you think d78caff390 you can even touch 261220f9e8 a hair on Nocturne? I doubt it.”e6aac688b12a3d3a

“…”494ee8d81e87375a

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“You can’t bda0376aee even open 61211c6bb9 this door. What could 8f23980d16 you possibly f9a3edf298 accomplish?”e692a7991de9acf0

At the 668960934c duke’s mocking cfbe6337e8 words, James f3d7099205 collapsed to 155726dd57 the ground. Only after further ed5b33209d tormenting James’s pride 5d2a30ed5e did the duke 5d6a050ded finally disappear.4394ff09eb084c69

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James stared silently 7ea8fbe731 at the melting 15afa9ee1f candle before him. Its wax dripped e1692deaca like tears, burning 2513ff92bf away until it 2adeb7ce87 was nearly gone—just 9e944b46a4 like the hope bdfd1db5e9 fading from James’s 7fead468b2 heart.de427dec23a30d23

“A foolish dog is 07ca9dfa7e bound to lose even 82617345df its own food bowl.”b1aee4eaa358dc8c

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The duke’s 33838e23d3 scathing remark 2c58dcba3f lingered in 54a134b844 James’s mind. The meaning af6581414c was clear. The foolish dog was 9ab17f2d6b James, and Nocturne would 6748acec17 be the one to 9e69d3496a take his food bowl.374afc42583341b7

James was seething. It was ef2f69481f evident the 86fce4e536 duke still b2b89452e7 favored Nocturne. The thought 93a1820f50 that Nocturne 34b00c90bb might become 922bf4f51a the next dc23696b10 Duke of 6e8490c7b7 Greenwood made b88e189d24 James’s blood 5f95397bd7 boil.3690f1b2f34ce743

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If only he a1bc04403a had done things 2f2ed14efe better. If he 340cf87204 had gone 84c21ef0fb beyond petty e5dc921dc4 pranks and 3aabf88309 struck Nocturne 3746e5f6a1 with something 42d27bfebf more decisive…cdecc756231d2fcc

No, if he had 3ee922d932 outright killed Nocturne, the a85f028353 duke might have praised 8b64e87ad7 him instead.0b2102f274f8481a

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A glint of icy a3d40867e6 resolve suddenly flickered in 41e2117377 James’s eyes.43bc91a72e470556

Whoosh. Crack.cf63f8038c0c4403

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At that moment, the 5917d896bb candle’s wax completely melted, 8e7a6c2211 extinguishing the flame. Darkness engulfed the 233939aac0 room. Then, the fbfd860d6d duke’s voice dfa42ebdfb echoed once d7b3ebe528 more in 0398703911 James’s mind.098cba3cc846b836

“You can’t even open 99d17eaf8b this door. What could you possibly 608db8eac3 accomplish?”3b368e377a07fdb0

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‘Could it be…’a710f94514d90a17

James murmured blankly, bcc314094f as if struck 006e69ce41 by a hammer, 26a23b6fc7 and slowly rose e756e0c17e to his feet. He reached 2c1e10cff6 for the 3ac47eda81 doorknob.e8082cd0f5f03c93

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Creak.3686875bd16c4c05

The door opened effortlessly, 84b3088460 as if it had 9b10b58fcb never been locked.7bb96fa9d31da3ab

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‘It wasn’t ff9555abe5 locked to 0362a6660d begin with.’d73d60bb380ccfde

James’s lips twisted into de77390e08 a bitter smile. All Greenwood a9b9e6fa12 heirs were 01677fcbed familiar with acca0ff57f this confined 8a38bf509c space.15e251a8dc93a07e

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Since childhood, they 921df7ccc2 had been locked a912843db1 here whenever they 844091ee29 made mistakes. Because the door was 8b5556f892 always locked, no one f7b8dbb0cc had ever attempted to 2942d5a908 open it after becoming 249e15df3e adults.ddde84d053b32176

They had only focused 66ac6dafb3 on avoiding being confined, 0257426ea8 never on escaping once e978d1894a inside. Conditioned helplessness a0a82971d8 had blinded 67a18558e2 them to 91c57c2eae the fact bf66bb8e49 that the 9ef3d091ba door was e8171ca0ce open all 995ff8a792 along, trapping 0b1ecc3661 themselves.873641bf121776b6

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Just like circus trainers 94f2144e3b tying a rope around 7c9c35019a a baby elephant’s leg 6d6ea13949 to keep it from 30479a10c2 running away.8bee95cde88fd613

‘This time, it will 101891c098 be different, Your Grace.’206b957c205ded7e

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Clenching his teeth, James 6ff6d476b9 slowly stepped out of ca03626431 the chamber. Outside, there were d408c92edf no guards in 2abcc3ede3 sight.2f19d33a3b64ab57

• ❁ 321e69a3bb • ❁ 43235f168f • ❁ c00cec0741 •By Esraa• 712b08042e ❁ • e8c30075b3 ❁ • 25397ad518 ❁ •07ff335ecee36314

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If you b65ae6a043 want to fc2d163085 support the fed5473c4c translation and 755bcaf9de the translator, a033ee5e97 you can 240e15dbde buy a 06b9598e65 coffee~ba5e02c7078de28b