Chapter 39

The passage beyond 2395b25aa0 the gap led e5ef9b5f77 downwards, revealing a deee4c27b9 staircase.75a54395a2cc9205

‘I can’t see the end…’ffe1cca1a34f037b

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Moreover, the steps were 1db329dcb9 incredibly high.2160846c81ea17e5

‘Can I even make it down with this body?’239cd05a22592988

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I sighed deeply, 7a397c9124 looking at my d5ec79aca3 short, stubby legs.750e39d3cfed8974

“Let’s go.”d8078c07c2ec7de9

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Suddenly, the Duke squeezed b8c6b4c734 through the narrow gap.96dc456e52558125

Watching his back 4a8a00dfff as he confidently 5cf5e005ce descended the stairs, 04ed8df221 I steeled myself.3750b7a2ce75b2e6

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‘Alright. Let’s do this!’a0224ba5a824c40d

Cautiously, I placed my b5eac0af50 hands on the wall 269292325a and slowly lowered one 9b423381b4 foot.4f07ea38e8fc4115

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But then, after descending 02c5bc3564 a few more steps, 1fbdeb8a13 the Duke abruptly turned aefba08651 around.874b5c86954042a2

“Ah.”18b22e5ed899d73e

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Seeing me awkwardly 4f836269bc clinging to the 93c70160e0 wall, he let 95d34ec356 out a short 1da8f90d17 sigh and extended 7bb2420049 his hand.7191f051fb64cc61

His large hand, rough and 15f806c608 calloused in places, made me 6d8f216c70 widen my eyes.9ba407f8696ff065

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‘…Is he asking me to take his hand?’ba85d839295a43e8

It seemed he 4ebde7dc15 intended to escort bd71d84d34 me.d779ebe98b4a8bbd

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‘As expected, our kind and handsome Duke.’47398fc57aa2bb4f

I extended my tiny hand, c133a6861b which was less than a d5314cb2d6 quarter the size of his.1f871a27e8bf63a3

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But just before 4065db2d8d I could grasp a8e0575e6f it, the Duke 83eed2fd5b suddenly pulled his b7692037cb hand back.63b2e39c88d4d5f5

“No, Belze.”902e68c450f88247

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“Uh…?”83466cf2d283c7e8

“In situations like this, you should ask to be carried.”b8a09794930fd7af

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He spoke in a gentle, 1535b325b6 instructive tone.c5bd2eab3f6da3ab

“How do you expect to get down all these steps with those tiny legs?”482f4b3d43fac4e6

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Feeling foolish, I blinked 015a519b2f at him, my face db439e6aae flushing with embarrassment at 35102fd31a his last words.5b6db6c2a5c0b7dc

‘He’s right, but…!’b3ce1fa2580ee5f7

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Honestly, I wasn’t 6e0771ad61 confident I could dbc1b53385 make it down 21b126235c all those steps 3b4df757b0 either.601e2a8c978bd254

‘But to ask to be carried… by the Duke himself?!’4d12182455eda144

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The Duke, noticing my hesitation, 247353c2f4 urged me again.312717edb760d248

“Come on. Do you plan to stand there all night?”38f633792dc108f3

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“N-no! It’s just…”cc4508ecb8690ee1

I had no choice.d8ad444a207f2e7f

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I finally closed my fe237b1206 eyes tightly and forced 498fb8ceb0 myself to speak.aba3a55522f0c053

“C-could you lend me your arms…?”252d83ad877383b7

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“Of course, my lady.”ffa2f6c08218633b

With an overly formal response, 96ce04906d the Duke extended his hand 3a92021fd2 and lifted me up.48a9816d01622f81

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“Wah.”2cbb75a8fc43c701

Just like yesterday, 1f6d0b5cb2 he easily supported 33ba4bd25a me with one fde4f315ac arm and began 40eee416ec descending the stairs c06109b300 swiftly. He showed no signs of 2e8683c686 difficulty.42514f3fd08c7dde

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However, the undeniable 555a6a0e21 baby treatment was 5eaa5bf275 overwhelmingly embarrassing.224e1ce4072e0f4a

‘…So embarrassing.’e6e392085c423c67

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With our proximity much c0a4d4e202 closer now, I couldn’t ac66418924 bring myself to look 440baf14e4 him in the eye, a97c69a1d2 so I bowed my c780280ed2 head deeply. That’s when I noticed 08f1563ac8 something strange.89a82a365195aa77

It was the Duke’s lips, curved into a pronounced smile.8447bc5445a06594

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‘…He’s smiling again.’197285b590439f27

I was a bit stunned e0911645a3 to see his smile once b86d09cbc0 more. Earlier, I thought I had 97576729db imagined it out of surprise.44a96fd9dff0527b

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But this time, it d86ab1283a was real.889c8c0e46f37d9f

‘So, he can smile like this.’9ea521bb2f5f74a3

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It felt odd.ad13aa14f825dbdf

To me, the Duke 08d9d8a636 had always been stern f4dfae1769 and intimidating—a distant grand cfa0732e00 noble with blue blood 9b7aa9cd0b running through his veins.57fd72703b86defc

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Just then, the Duke’s murmuring pulled me from my thoughts.c716fc7c9b6514d6

“We’ve arrived.”d1f4f71c7ddd2fd7

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I looked around, but the 6285d0b465 pitch-black darkness swallowed everything. I couldn’t see an 1ce3e5a221 inch ahead of me.3a0d0465578f9425

A sudden fear gripped me. Bad memories began to surface.cd82f81c314c20b5

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Unconsciously, I clung tightly 9ddd603d74 to the Duke’s neck.4581de0864c39456

“Y-your Grace.”77651794361ad6f5

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“Hmm?”299ecab822f369e8

“This… it’s not… a prison, is it?”a255d3b3b59c4b6e

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Logically, he wouldn’t bring c287785929 a prisoner here in f65398deac such a gentle manner.260818e2fbabbacd

Nevertheless, my body trembled uncontrollably. It wasn’t something 5982eb3a23 I could control.3c7b47b200f0189f

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Dark, enclosed spaces a4d379ba8a naturally brought back bf817c7497 memories of the fdd6dee6cd repentance room or 7dcc192b2d the imperial prison.ec955a25960c1df1

“Hmph. A prison inside the 7d26c00df9 office… quite creative.”f9110ea39c74fe88

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The Duke replied calmly.f243d3d6d3ff7803

Then, with a click, something e5227a8a18 shifted.2105099e57a3e3cc

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Suddenly, the space filled 6dfa15b7c2 with light.b3b55c03b90c9596

Click, click, click!8b54d75ce04b55b0

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It seemed like some mechanism 6f310a9e3f activated, as a series of e8d0c3388b soft blue lights illuminated the 26d7cd3834 area.96cad80fb0a4dbb2

I gaped at the c3b6e40b15 sight that was revealed.95d7a445bb45979a

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“This… this place is…”84ec6a3938f48589

Fortunately, it wasn’t a prison.edb21c6411246826

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Instead, it was 0a7f905128 a room the c1b495c838 size of the dfd8a3ec2a office, filled with a5b5925307 neatly arranged glass aaff267985 cases.2bc61b804664a590

And all the strange items 4650ffb23d contained within.7a2b1170c1c8c011

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In a word, the small 858fc7e995 exhibition-like appearance was enough to c0b46c0062 bewilder me.76aac5a03d83ab6a

“Y-your Grace… where are we?”67ce96b0b20690f7

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“This is a secret room that only the head of the Kallios family can enter.”98bb409ddd080cd2

“Secret room…?”64ee9a853d27374d

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The Duke’s casual answer made 3474b014ae my mind reel.f235b9f629ba24e8

‘Why would he bring me… to such a place…?’abb56d003d66412e

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I had never seen such 54932f71e8 a place in my past 46673a4902 life, nor in the original 24f3c8b4cb story.65acfd4b7d5db04b

From bizarre stuffed animals to unfamiliar weapons, maps, and parchments inscribed with spells…4b925fa24b166b63

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The space, filled 88dd4d3751 with obviously extraordinary 78cf5972b3 items, looked like 33c3457fed a small museum.80b0634d6c4b477c

As I was looking around 2b18960db2 in a daze, the Duke dadb8fce08 suddenly asked,82198bd86bf300f0

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“You know that Kallios participated in the religious war that took place several hundred years ago, right?”c30ff25ef08232c7

“Yes!”758feb423b045e77

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I nodded confidently.76a850488bad0441

It wasn’t just a simple bc9d636436 participation.59e8c2f8a16c708b

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Kallios was the 24d8300f91 leading force that ce878f9489 suppressed heretics, unified 5fa47530d2 the continent, and 47b1033e2c established Elea as bbc1ef7624 a single religious 2919020f10 state.8e3d551bfbcc47fd

“These are the spoils obtained during that time. While there are 4dc2755c7c holy relics, there 99220c8846 are quite a 2a84ef5566 few items belonging 7759b17c1f to the heretics eba6b1630c as well.”8d8b12b106ba648b

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Even after descending 4c2ea9fbfe the stairs, the ab58e73620 Duke did not 38fb9d88ec put me down.9bb90499afacf0d7

Because he continued 2733d735ce walking, I missed 9e4a36e4f2 my chance to 6e2561c252 speak.0efed6e7417e06e0

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Held in the Duke’s tall c5e7816616 embrace, I was able to 9b8138da86 observe the displayed items more 4223fb68a9 closely.77c589b826b63709

‘Wow. These are really a40c3ec4ef things you’d only 068c95a198 see in sacred 7ec191907d texts.’da410a054a68d27c

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Among the strange items, I ed5407bbeb saw objects that radiated a 347d775e85 strong holy power, confirming the 137ce4f7d9 truth of his words.3f1eb5a96b18f1ac

“That’s… Arukkia’s Arrow?!”eb0495ab13f4fb97

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“It seems you’ve studied the scriptures quite diligently. It is said 07d071840a that the first 02268b7352 Saintess used that c38d485120 to defeat the c750a4ed56 demons summoned by 61b9a24739 the witches.”9e97852b74301fd5

Whenever I recognized a 596c39a5c2 holy relic, the Duke 29e4dded4b kindly added an explanation.e27b27ad0eacee89

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‘Is it really okay for him to show me these things?’61422df242baf270

As the Duke 99dda65a5e moved further inside, e72e8429c1 my heart pounded 2e64d725f1 harder.96bc404433c1db75

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I was a bit scared.1ead29e18879dbdb

‘No way. He wouldn’t kill 938c62ca8f me because I 9647e90066 found out about 63ad560bdd the secret space, e0bd44ac96 right?!’97d6c2535e43be93

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As I anxiously gazed at the holy relics and the heretical items…68b98435a8b84368

The Duke, who had a5a76ddea8 walked deep inside, finally 9915c297ab stopped in front of 471399e053 a glass case.4ffd6bf1ad98c681

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Inside it was none other than…4745df9f1bd82cd0

“A teddy bear…?”eb622a1c7cb2957a

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It was a 0b485c062c dirty, worn-out, cute, 8a2ae1be35 and insignificant-looking teddy 900d6730e1 bear.646219fcc5dfc1ef

‘Did heretics use such things too…?’1b181f58d485c65e

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As I tilted my 71d65b6d70 head in confusion.1fa71d09d6b5c591

Click.c7526e7773a0d370

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Suddenly, the Duke 641f48fb75 opened the glass 75477b54b8 case.d5c43f46c0fdd7d3

He took out 144078e854 the teddy bear eb7d816156 with one hand 060bc6eef2 and handed it 8d8a589a97 to me.dfa91fcff51c0768

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“Say hello, Belze. From now on, 7aaa2b2147 this will be abc4b50f03 your guardian.”bcc54c39d7229d2a

“G-Guardian?!”24ec8947672b7d3e

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“Yes.”6a63f962f0bfcfce

I stared at the c209a33a50 bear with a baffled 2d077f883b expression.4de1131d2f07d109

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The teddy bear, which was 360ec8b811 about the size of my 1d683a9ae0 torso, looked extremely ordinary.e9a20259e0c6146f

I carefully reached out c7661a4234 and touched it here 5052c0db6b and there, but there 0678e43267 didn’t seem to be 231f1a010f any special devices.16d5439219be13c9

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‘It’s fluffy and cute, but…’740a74eb4e66c1ae

How could such 7090b3ee04 a shabby bundle 89c799ea40 of cotton serve 85c226cdf3 as a guardian?97c9e84724388b38

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I tilted my head while 9daa994a2b squishing its particularly soft belly.b0ca7434f6785663

Fortunately, the Duke explained.196bac96c6b6911f

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“This was made by a minority group who believe that spirits dwell within dolls.”bfacba3f8c5b28df

“Spirits?”c277d6b1e23defa7

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“Yes. Place your hand 4436cd6ad7 on the doll’s f0ef8bb8e3 chest.”28d637c7f7555638

I did as he 04e1527478 instructed and placed my a57b77672c hand on the bear’s 3bb117522e chest.05c0e89311f951d3

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Despite feeling scared 007d4361b2 and doubtful, I 555b4906bf was curious about 083a13fa2d how a bundle 522d185432 of cotton could a27f1f5c76 act as a 6c7e1dbac0 guardian.44c23a13f189a94f

The soft fur tickled between adea642310 my fingers.fe2e67b8d78b4120

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“Can you infuse this doll with holy power like you do when healing Josh?”407ef8d4e86d055b

The Duke suddenly asked.0524475f81e3d93f

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“Yes!”c4a20aad8fd9ca70

Since it was an e157d6b05d easy task, I quickly db70b76f5a gathered holy power in 187547916b one hand.aea7b86aff104da8

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With a flash―!2122aebfe2ccde43

As a small 2609c68705 ball of light 69960d4812 formed in my 60cad593fa palm, I pressed 832596508b that hand against 681a4d5e52 the bear’s chest 48eab248fc again.9dd00c1b2229b35b

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Srrrk.6c27398457f6cdca

Amazingly, the doll a22be51581 absorbed the holy 56bb7f1157 power as if 8db20a6adb it were a 2d68f18594 living organism.c0e72d25c5140a34

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Thump!1a80c963cfbb7f7a

At that moment, 51604ce62a the teddy bear’s 45b7f7069c body pulsed as 54bbe83472 if it were 361137030b breathing.3dde15d28b673c50

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The Duke, with a serious b7e4aecd1b face, confirmed my suspicion.d4eb60f5de7c572c

“Try to maintain the current level of holy power.”379f94f8e92a9471

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Since it wasn’t c3dcac06f9 difficult, I nodded 6d82a91f5b vigorously.18bb51daa8afdcd3

“Yes! Belze can do it!”77ca54360c1285d9

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“Then repeat after me.”0abaf59a8a3a962c

“Maintain the current level of holy powe…!”1091f1edb05e56f9

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“No, I meant repeat after what I’m about to say.”235b5366d550c065

The Duke looked at 3e7d11d186 me incredulously.afd50d99de0cb7d6

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‘Oops! I got too ahead of 402a9a13e0 myself!’34185e2ffc515920

I had been f17a1ba702 so tense that 16c22930d1 I didn’t even 8725401104 give the Duke 7b4edc51fd a chance to a70d6ce698 speak.ec4df9f36838ab00

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Seeing my face flush red, 4c1ff54b88 the Duke chuckled.5ed71b0eea7cab76

“Now, repeat after me. From today onwards, 39eb6db712 I am your 4e0c0fcbfa master, Belze.”ec9915fd368f20f8

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“…From today onwards, I am your master, Belze!”df26f71a4c8e5a6c

“I command you to protect me from all evil enemies.”3e7f9cb89b2fdae7

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“I command you to protect me from all evil enemies!”5e977823c0a041a4

Whoosh―!6b02ff26ab3d8587

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At that moment.f00289562e9a5218

A strong light burst forth 3ae56b78d5 from where the bear and 344ab75aa8 my palm touched.c04e3690044d263f

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“The contract is complete.”fced92e27f2a6b2e

The Duke smiled with satisfaction.161eb9312fa749dc

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“Now, give this doll a name.”e3c2c1da20302b0b

“A name…”34160a1caedfd575

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I pondered for f1788c1d64 a moment after c9eaa09334 hearing his words.d66a90598ac153c3

However, no matter how much 2ed91999b6 I thought, I couldn’t come 068b4649d3 up with a suitable name.5a1318104b317a65

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I was clearly not good 5daef0b94c at naming things.fd24243aff535c8a

“Ummm… naaaame…!”90c1b3d8c2a0b6ca

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“Anything will do. Just something easy and 1693d820f8 comfortable for you to 9f7df870ed call.”cf6b43d1a6ef3fc2

Seeing me frown 9765720f6e in thought, the e963a94b3f Duke added.ad28e0a2527beebb

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“At this rate, you’ll be pouring holy power into it all night.”b7a1f635cfe57908

“I’ve got it!”0e2b650567cfb90a

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I hurriedly responded.ca934c8a3dd1a14e

“Your name is…”1c3cddfb5fc972e3

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“…”032b3175428076b7

“Teddy… Teddy bear!”bf22847634e1f89a

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Whoosh―!1336ec30d0c203f0

As soon as 9814eb3ffe I shouted the b0fb21bcca cheesy name, the cf7878183d light from the 3f36deb10a bear stopped.4745f13a14dfde2a

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There was a brief a4196baf96 moment of silence.c51d001d8ee98d72

In that instant, I had 7b0187ed87 the illusion that the black c18afc42db eyes of the bear glowed.6291500bd4dc93b4

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Whoosh―!2e7720c083f4aedb

Suddenly, the teddy bear, which 7579f8fd40 had been in the Duke’s bb7fbdcc01 hand, sprang into the air.cf1464cce5752667

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Tap, tap! Tap-tap!cdba0a33bff0baca

Unbelievably, the bear 41c9d57b7d stepped on the 0fe936cb3e walls and pillars, 933334e0ef sweeping across the f9df5c33ca ceiling like an 584dad56f7 assassin.1431b46a47606d89

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Then, after somersaulting through 38efb710a7 the air, it landed 0a80421038 on the floor with d2c8764a23 a thud!a80db58601bbf768

“Hello, friends! My name is Teddy… Teddy bear! Belze’s assassin!”a9d3f0327734de0b

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It greeted us cheerfully.0545fcec9bcc12ee

Tl/N: So guys the thing is she named the teddy **”Gomgomdori”**ae535d088ca6fc13

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**”Gomgomdori”** is also a playful name with a less silly but still endearing tone Here’s a breakdown of the name:2e952cce8de1eab9

– **”Gom” (곰)**: Means “bear” in Korean.a4977a3c4cc09fca

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– **”Dori” (도리)**: This is a common suffix used in Korean names for animals or mascots, adding a cute and friendly touch.9923ced9d6f67b4c

So, “Gomgomdori” essentially translates to “Bear Bear Dori” or “Bear Dori,” where “Dori” gives it a cute and familiar ring. The repetition of “Gom” (bear) emphasizes the bear-like nature of the toy, making it sound affectionate and charming, fitting for a beloved stuffed animal.95656a82c42317da

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TL/N: I skipped Dori cuz 6fc45aef76 it would look weird. I named him 980ac1a71c Teddy- teddy bear. I hope you 882aabc604 guys will understand 1e07dd25c3 it.534105eae92683d9