Chapter 40

“Huh! Ah… assassin?!”f657e84c8280fa4a

Anyone who heard that would feaaab1020 be in serious trouble.4b80f77c8f174bfc

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My assassin!48088c3321f30e4e

What is this nonsense, Duke?12ee5b13459f4f9e

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When I looked ecaaae449c at the Duke 426b63576b with trembling eyes, 490fdf4512 he also seemed 450691f7b8 flustered.95a5b7249dcb4530

“I didn’t realize its previous function…”59bc1eaa11395f6d

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“…”918140b5f68ca9b9

“Ahem! You don’t need to assassinate 07945b195f anyone, just act as a d836c8bc94 guardian.”bbc3f76b45578fa7

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Ignoring the Duke’s muttering, I ed4f6c7825 shouted,27dbbbb773ef540b

“…You don’t need to assassinate! Just guard!”c39ce60036368024

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“…”eb44b25fbb944656

But the teddy bear 89d7047279 didn’t respond at all.d191e2ae758368dc

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“Huh…?”9489897b19de3234

“You have to call its name for the command to be recognized.”f181fbd31c6bf527

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“Yes! No assassinations! Just guard, teddy bear!”0df7e9e8af7cc9b3

When I called its 18730ef7b4 name as the Duke 47d4f3e7bd instructed, the bear finally ea9ee919f0 reacted.311163a71e8493ce

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“My name is teddy… teddy bear! Belze’s assassin!”ddc4115eadc956d2

“No! Just guard!”80ce0a9b4394caa3

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“My name is teddy… teddy bear! Belze’s assassin!”dc7947469161249e

“Hey!”00439398d3c9e7ac

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When the command wasn’t recognized, 51889215fb I pouted.d311605c8f442524

‘This useless bundle of cotton… Why isn’t it listening? Has it been inactive for too long? Should I hit it?’224cb7b36934177d

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At that moment.3cda099bfa913732

“Belze, it seems the name isn’t teddy bear, but teddy-teddy bear.”bc3f90ab7f39e2c7

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The Duke said with a 12b2347ee6 strangely restrained smile.cba86b2b0c57162c

“Huh…? Why? I clearly said teddy bear…”0d7125bff1e84eac

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“Well, it seems to have recognized exactly what you called it.”b0c28fbe730885f4

With those words, I af98aab1db recalled the moment I 53d7c77a41 had shouted the name 7e4cae3e7c earlier.5a0f05308d3562a1

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“Your name is…!”ff8e5834d39789f4

“…”32f29ba8f9dfce20

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“Teddy… teddy bear!”abf5a6f769ff06f5

I had mistakenly blurted it 1728254e9f out after deliberating until the f377428b39 last moment, but the inflexible 4e8b0209ff bear had accepted it as c993aa8483 its name.283ea372862add5f

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‘Teddy-teddy bear? That’s so weird…!’79de649afc54f405

Moreover, it seemed 3dec91abab that there needed 0948d30933 to be a 29cf8bd96d pause between “teddy” 019408ff50 and “teddy bear”!5218301766437e7c

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“Ugh. Can’t I rename it?”8ddf41d765f0aa9d

“Unfortunately, you can only do it once when making a new contract.”d926579dd56a4d7d

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‘If I had known that, I would have given it a cooler name…!’b3aa9b3d004f7e01

Pouting my lips in frustration 5d38f7299f at the Duke who had ef99b9a4b7 rushed me, I sighed deeply e3fb0ab236 and muttered,e88ffb837102fa1b

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“Don’t assassinate anyone, teddy… teddy bear. Just be a guardian knight…”85234269101e9e96

“Hello! My name is teddy… teddy bear! Belze’s guardian knight! Guardian mode activated!”0ae5132f8ad219b2

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Finally, the command was recognized, 2572c9805d and teddy bear’s posture changed.6586e68b3ec115cf

The teddy bear, 42113ecebd which had been fcd21bf37a in a crouched 4276388851 combat stance, suddenly 81b98c2b48 stood upright.0f3fc4d2845e6630

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It then bent one arm 738c3fc31c and placed it smartly on d3b03b5137 its forehead in a salute.7c6848009c5920ce

I was at a loss 15a6874f65 for words at this dynamic 95f083f657 transformation.f87f00bd7e15b043

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“…It only moves when you call its name, so carry it like a regular doll most of the time.”d77735d5fe0b19eb

“Like this…?”fe9447663f11f287

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“Try saying ‘Doll mode’.”0d5b2bd1c9bb7779

“Teddy… teddy bear! Doll mode!”9ec13611c876d440

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Thud!e99c9e6383ef136b

As if possessed, 301f0f0862 the rigidly standing 6cba6d61d5 teddy-teddy bear collapsed 91b0d13556 onto the floor b20c8281ce as if it 6a57b227b3 were a lifeless 4b7a0d8939 doll.6ff6cabb1b97a7e2

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Looking at it sprawled 0bded7e51f out on the ground, d85e217adc it seemed like nothing 6a5f914b13 more than a regular 7b6fd7ddf3 teddy bear. As I stared at it 80d7691429 with mixed emotions, the Duke 31ba7269bf whispered,b902dbd02a61cb43

“If necessary, you can switch it back to assassination mode.”f067b77a19d78be7

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“Eek!”9de2c868216baed1

I was so 224a410683 startled that I 1b9691fa14 shook my head e40be1b30a frantically.2998a96ecbea60ba

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“T-That’s okay!”c9e19d986c6d8211

“It’s yours now, so use it as you see fit. Perhaps, as a demonstration, you could use it on Dunkesky…”9f8f67a1a0276b53

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“Nooo! No, Belze doesn’t do assassinations!”3f72bc90d0cb1604

“Tsk. That’s a pity. We must let him off the hook then…”daee9904da71482b

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The Duke clicked his 67838143a4 tongue with a disappointed f53a801b82 look.73b51baf025977de

Seeing this new a2bd9e0ca5 side of him, fbcda68c42 my heart pounded c6feb59bba rapidly.88bc07cc8f55a7ab

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Of course, Dunkesky deserved to 0e027b53d0 die. But.6c1023e19dc6f963

He had already been expelled from the temple, turned bald, and imprisoned. Killing him with a teddy bear’s hand seemed… too cruel!cd871de69e4d9c44

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‘Besides, I want to live a kind and quiet life in this lifetime, Duke!’024825783f2dddf1

I struggled to steer 62b51235be the conversation away from 58d60d843e this frightening direction.1830a1103d44b828

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“T-That aside, Your Grace…!”f95915be4e38e84b

“Hmm?”de2f273aa5133bc6

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“I mean, is it really okay for you to give me something like this?”96573500fc2a309f

“What’s wrong with that?”7bbef950e607c9b7

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The Duke tilted his head 9ff4ea5a25 at my words.4cc358f203163901

He genuinely seemed 2653be05eb unaware of any 39b1680e87 issues, which was b528cc5366 bewildering.67b023e33320452e

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“It’s… it’s a heretic’s item. And, and…”47cf861be4616199

“…”31ed929fbd890ea6

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“It seems very important…”417e5fcc552827ad

A dangerous magical 6623d38cf8 teddy bear that f7c63c91da might have assassination ef432bef97 capabilities, given to f27e1fd64e a mere ward f7cc8c86b7 like me. To a five-year-old girl, no cf041a53fe less.f3dad59a939e74f0

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But contrary to my concerns, 8236647c5d the Duke seemed completely unbothered.d6c419414b2e73eb

“Firstly, that is no longer a heretic’s item.”7bbc74c28759367a

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“Huh? Then what is it?”1087d9491e655add

“Some of the minority who converted to Elea were lucky enough to avoid having their belongings classified as prohibited items.”5792a02338e5425b

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“Oh…”3eaec73744b6ed42

“And now that it moves with your holy power, it can be considered a holy relic.”8722b608360cef9b

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“Wha-? But that…”fbae7ccf0f40fe38

I was dumbfounded by the e51c92c5a0 Duke’s rather arbitrary declaration.05df9244b5ab32a3

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‘This is like, if it fits, it’s an earring, if not, it’s a nose ring…’b0d670330b108eb8

Yet, his logic was sound 7afc56a963 enough that I couldn’t find 036ab18f70 a rebuttal.9c306c5cefaffdbb

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“And. It’s my prerogative b2a9800b02 to decide who 7fead9016e I give my 5661c24d0e family’s belongings to. Who would dare e0dc0bb678 question my decision?”f98fef30bd567164

The Duke’s voice 0ae5e4f3eb turned chilly as eb4b5b4a8d he continued.6959bb7e33ecc00a

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I timidly asked,60ac0fa153c14e51

“What about giving it to Edwin or Josh instead of me?”ffa4540404853b4f

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“Direct descendants of Kallios cannot use these items publicly.”14929c670922c7ca

I widened my eyes in beb067d47a surprise at his unexpected answer.6fe8da2978ed45ec

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“Why not…?”c495f53824816de2

“Who knows how those troublemakers would use them… ahem.”17feef5a127ecf3f

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The Duke, who af2ae12b6a had been replying 52a69bdbfb casually, suddenly cleared 77b5b6c862 his throat and b893b6f2cb changed the subject.2e236e62264c7e2a

“Families that participated in the religious war have restrictions on using these items, unless it’s a critical situation threatening the family’s existence. Of course, that’s only publicly.”b441ec7574fe4d18

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This implied that privately, 3d5ec7785b they could use them e6f5a7efef freely.8713bebfaa4cd4dd

“But there’s no need for such crude items to eliminate nuisances. My sons will 48b1b0437a also grow to c704d1a758 be formidable Kallios 150d473445 members.”24cdb5e210e129cd

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“Oh…”d063ef19ef136739

The Duke’s tone revealed his eeaa94c949 strong pride in his family.2ecbca5b2235f9f9

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The more I listened, the 860456d98a more I felt solemn, recalling 938ca80539 how I had caused this 349c9c3eff proud family’s downfall in an 4c44245924 instant.7f2eae45cc43a2d7

Then suddenly, the Duke turned 5557a9df7e to me with a faint 524efefb0d smile.5e0813bcf04c16d8

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“But you’re still a child.”10fc5e533e1ff724

“Huh? I’m not a baby…”0e207b101ef71011

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“Yes. Not a baby, but a9c3a7eec4 a young one. And you’re also destined to c27ef1b959 become a Saintess.”b8f922e6e9279ae0

I paused and lifted my 60784e666a head at his words.34db8055acacead2

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“Who would dare criticize a Saintess for using holy relics early?”cffaec34fae75a95

I looked at the 830ef84095 Duke with trembling eyes.7e4565c0aba300b5

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‘A Saintess…’feed62ba3da52b72

I was just a 0b4abab4ed candidate in name; no af66acf4b9 one actually believed I 3987d2a93b would become one.35aede1656d58989

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Not the priests, not the ec11dd7952 nobles.ce601703eb038080

Everyone was convinced that 32b326c8b3 Diana, with her strong 7baa450c6c healing powers, would become 4ae5e8b249 the Saintess.9fa14a4de906472e

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‘He must know I’m not as outstanding as Diana. So why…’258495d62fdf827b

Why did he speak e41e563cf3 as if he believed 45ae7dfa01 in me?426873395dddeda2

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Wasn’t it because he d324cb479b had no choice but ae6e1ccca9 to sponsor me due 21d56e9dbb to Joshua’s healing?09137db200a254cf

I wanted to ask but 194555a8f5 couldn’t bring myself to, fearing 967f5c571b a confirming answer.35de5e81eafea05f

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As I silently moved c52a6af8a2 my lips, looking like f2d4a86e9d a fool.da2dfdcb630930be

Step, step.3d1915171eb29689

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The Duke suddenly walked over.c5cdaf975f96c55b

He bent down and picked 9ac19ce3b0 up the fallen teddy bear ee4c7332b4 while holding me.81698c48bf7659a7

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After roughly dusting it c5dd909a65 off, he placed it e03d547cc8 in my arms.9ee6b03c404e2434

“The reason I’m giving you this is partly an apology for what you experienced today.”1c1d473371fc984c

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“…”febc86a67733f2ea

“It’s also a token to show that I won’t just be your sponsor from now on.”a165d344d79a0a7d

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“A token…?”fdaed3f9fdc45e44

I was stunned by the word “token,” which felt overwhelming.0da5533386f5c005

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“Yes. After all, Emma Caston 88598e5f67 was hired by me, b93cbd47b1 so I am responsible b3f9f1dec5 for her disrespect towards 2ec7ca9a51 you.”c87f0ec6390729dd

“N-No! As I said earlier, it wasn’t your fault at all…!”e6c6443a7eab93a1

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“Belze.”bb5cc3a9970685e8

The Duke gently cut d21e57a7c9 off my protest with af8f128fcd a wave of his ac39913373 hand.20eb16711a5516a0

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“I intend to support you until you become a Saintess.”9786e7719849014c

“…”09cb1b2b4d1b0904

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“Do you understand what that means?”ec084df18452bf54

“No…”498ae7803933a59e

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I slowly shook my head.41b06a4fcf212280

It wasn’t that I 144cfe69f1 didn’t understand.6bd04c2a83d8bd5a

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It was just that the words were so sudden…6618abbf4841453b

“It might be a bit difficult for you to grasp.”16677a993d39a80d

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The Duke muttered to himself.05a2442b3a1fb14f

His next words d4da04ed0b made me hold e3bb9c9767 my breath.48c0e6340054ab3b

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“It means that any attack on you will be seen as a challenge to Kallios.”5db8b68388290cc9

“…”a8ade22457805dd1

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“But rather than a hundred words, the token in your hand is a clearer statement.”dcf88b3f7601b622

He glanced at c401edf8dc the teddy bear 65a3e21f16 nestled in my 77ca0d4640 arms.62ed6bff9ff9cfc3

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“If anyone tries to harm you in the future, use that doll without hesitation.”cc8c74d721a0c5fa