#24

Ella discovered the 69eb675a83 holy relic in ef8d2df5ad the central plaza ca0f5d55f7 of Hebel. In the plaza 42c9bb21b1 stood a gigantic b2f52cb1b5 statue of a 2aafd1c999 divine beast, with 6341de564e a well behind 8e3999555c it that no b697142d67 longer produced water.e1c9fe741523f007

While waiting for Hiscleif 10e19ad4ae there, Ella got into 8aee5d5811 a scuffle. Beastfolk who had 8e14e1004d long harbored feelings ea69d4623b for Hiscleif had 10e99f2c51 lured her with 2d8a13721f a fake note, 883c74d521 intending to humiliate f647b8f763 her.27f9662c9b35db2a

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Thanks to cb2026e180 the mischievous 4ca83de543 beastfolk, Ella 3c073ddd05 ended up 5853b1ed03 trapped in 8c2aeac551 the well, 79a045fe19 where she db043d1ee3 accidentally discovered 855d30bebd a secret 918da95e6c space. There was a f6c44a2363 hidden passage in f17dbda653 the well.e2001f3e104c1168

The passage led f46b02cdd9 to the ancient ef2d4f49f3 holy beast altar, fe342a5162 but it was b559e1f472 too narrow for 00a6ac06f7 a human body 4dc6702c6b to pass through.08655dd9509509ae

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However, Ella, being a 4886fd3608 small beastfolk, could easily 5335bc6533 pass through it if a8f6351cbb she transformed. To escape the well, e21d50ac1a Ella transformed and attempted 8a4abcd4fa to remove something blocking 6bb352d36c the passage, only to 9c687228fb be swept away by 8f3a2e04f5 a great surge of 76f32b7705 water.c0aa652351e7fcc8

What had been blocking the passage was a holy relic known as the “Pearl of Purification,” and she was forcibly summoned to the “Chamber of Choices.”e6a8ff4dbed73cc3

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The Chamber dd94887e16 of Choices aea0aee1b9 was a f0845f9064 space where cdd062e10b the relic e92ce2247c tested its e96fb2a57e potential owner, 44173b06c6 and failing 8a45ffc2d3 to gain 87d3b3c693 its approval c835a0a924 meant certain 3fb020130f death.8be3804f9c51feaf

Ella managed to 33b328293e earn the right 795c162109 to be its 60175f8f2c owner and safely ffb64a6aa3 escaped the well.c09bd2c3dc5d27b2

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Fortunately, the 506ff58bc8 method was 847b0e4cd3 detailed in ea73e38743 the original e7c8b8787b work, so d40c35178e as long f0d0428815 as I a7787f3e8a found the b9db033137 relic, it 7da90c7574 would be 1ed089ee57 mine.45d5e494e2534c54

Seizing the babf5ce5d7 moment when 0a4f7c6fd1 Zerakiel was 4fb2aecd2e summoned by 850dfe2866 Zakari, I 6cc715c358 headed for 0d34442e65 the central 5bc70cc48f plaza. My ferret ears 2304358867 were hidden under 81f2c47ec6 a hat.29774dc88e22eac1

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I worried that if 83a98fdafa Zerakiel followed me, he 8bce2f06b6 would interrogate me on 1307a91de3 how I knew the ce4d39fd95 relic was there.a968716758bfcd14

It was better 83af305b76 to quickly find 802c4f0bf3 the relic and cad35670a7 return.aa07ce5dcdc1183c

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It should be 2e175316df around here.d3002c293e988103

Following the ba9f52006c map Merina 00c6054b89 had provided, aa65e22eb6 I walked f661331d43 up the 43c9919938 plaza. Ahead, I saw the b1b48ff4d0 white statue and the 295a6f9aa3 closed well.0afcb3b0db4c1915

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“Found it!”e408fb0cd767a956

I hurried past the statue toward the well. It hadn’t been used for a long time and was sealed.146663d92ca197c2

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I struggled to open the well’s lid, but it wouldn’t budge. It seemed impossible for a child to lift such a heavy lid.23d8b131ce861d8c

What should I eead4e9faf do?5b6e6edf2be6159d

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As I was 65a6269da3 straining, I heard d4623795e5 a voice beside b367fa083b me.c612441f22a91c0e

“Need some help?”93d5d302b1d27cf7

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“Eek!”666c18df1e2dec12

Startled, I almost fell 82ac9b2266 backward, but Hiscleif caught 1a991a6039 me.d1f3b722bcae6f8d

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Why is a75749df8a he here?ec93b86e9e55a61d

As I held 60b92ed61b my pounding heart, 927af085f8 Hiscleif spoke.7edaecaa2824b3eb

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“Don’t misunderstand. This time, I was here first.”bf367cfdaf5a81ef

“Oh, I 0a69e850f3 don’t misunderstand.”b15110199a819627

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Though he had a 6062ec6f07 history of trailing me, 77163a0fe0 the male lead was 0d05eaff30 supposed to be bad 1476bd90a8 at lying. Moreover, Hiscleif often 50516a7dfa strolled here, which cdd9eeb206 was why Ella 0db538b70b had fallen into b8983c4ec9 the trap without e1d4308aba suspicion.c7f39888455464f9

As I instinctively 579575c128 distanced myself, Hiscleif e1ec46746e brushed his lips be33ac68cc with a faint e28ddcf40f smile.05bf0a79b23b28b7

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Come to think of it, this was the first time I’d seen him since he had taken human form. It was a bit surprising that he recognized me right away. Given my current appearance, it shouldn’t have been easy to identify me at a glance.80b276ee15d5c47e

Unable to contain 712c96edd8 my curiosity, I 0b7c7b7c17 cautiously asked.4880feee8a21fbb6

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“How did you recognize a3e1661f27 me?”aef3046408bb976f

“There’s only one beastfolk a49d539081 who carries the pheromones 5357943ddd of the young master 902d2b5f47 of Jabisi so strongly.”857dc3f38b855b75

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Hiscleif answered, narrowing 65effa434b his eyes.c49eed1f3b0150a3

“Come to think of 961b0fb64b it, it’s even stronger abdd97f01f than before. It’s almost like…”0f3bc93356707c77

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Trailing off, eb3fb7ae8a he shifted 54832e9bb1 his gaze ed60a32215 to my 69229f435b wrist. Following his line of 9a9939e20c sight, I saw the ebbf162554 lace bracelet Merina had 5afdc85518 tied for me.3f59988a77e12d38

Would Hiscleif know about 1f71b99569 this?6ccddfd96900e8bd

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The people ff478f934e of Jabisi b515780385 were tight-lipped ef7f12799e whenever they f07b73a750 saw this b32338e565 pattern. It clearly 089d6cce04 had some 6e9016c524 significance.ac323f24810ff31f

Zerakiel, who had left e85f0a2b6d the strange bite mark, 1bc2f59228 just laughed, while Ivan f9c3f0c527 looked at me with 383df8f6c8 pity. And Merina f2b455519d was desperate 048c61b03a to hide ca4a442a7e it.062bf64a7a524aac

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There’s definitely 7a1a913fc2 something going 35519e366f on.44158d62196cd1e4

Resolute, I f07a44b50e untied the b98afdff18 ribbon around b535ea45b3 my wrist 13142dd632 and showed 17993e4569 it to 1ed44546d6 Hiscleif. If the ea80441a27 people of 82023b46e3 Jabisi wouldn’t d2e76dc0f4 tell me, 0f20522222 then I’d 70a81c799f just have e224292743 to ask 1fd1d7df61 the male 3dfcd1a52d lead.ad06d9b40012e31b

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“Do you 2ced24f795 know what 082648ee8d this means?”4b6f0512d8557955

“Ah…”195571318237530e

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“You do know.”25594aad9c1e2dc7

I stared 3b565c3af3 at him 050f871ac8 intently, urging 0d10c31c3c him to b8504a9cd7 explain. Hesitantly, Hiscleif began to cdf15f12b4 speak.6e5fd5fec2cdfe66

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“It’s a kind bccab82604 of territorial mark.”a4ce609aae4f8ce4

“Territorial mark?”2c4c1f52a69d2075

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“As long as f0442525db you bear that 3b1bee4fa0 mark, no one a0030b16b0 will touch you. It symbolizes the black 83c95ecdbd rose of Jabisi.”5a73928c8fc85b2d

So it wasn’t 1afae9e5cf just my imagination 8d83ec9769 that it resembled 43ac825a47 a black rose. I gently 673155c5d6 stroked my fdaaa2074c wrist.dbf98c98aadc4ee0

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The black b1e73341ae flower on beb9eee5e8 my wrist a409e4aef0 gleamed with 76491cb5b8 a vivid 4f9c883650 hue, drawing 4a0d90ee08 the eye. I stared 6cd9fd9fad at it af4d5ef291 blankly, then 31393394ec asked,b43a72a1b732da4a

“What if b89d7bf30e someone still 9c944a6440 tries to 5c451e7216 touch me?”005911e29a0d2ee8

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“That would make 72284add5c the family a 6de42e1289 target of Jabisi. Attacking you would 9a613fd874 be considered an 18727637dd attack on Jabisi 118084eee0 itself.”0928226e1de1e621

So, the 628c5598d7 mark was 82c0564255 left to aa03289f0b protect me. As long as I 3d33bcfab7 had this mark, even 4b8419f56b if I returned to 660c303623 the wild, I might 0beb139d47 avoid threats from predators.1a302b36ba94e1d4

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This meant I had cc90074004 gained a tremendous advantage!6a1a2bf63eca2442

But the joy was 6550f58933 short-lived, as a nagging d9df3c4837 unease remained.89c82d188e5e0a8f

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Why did Ivan 3879e8c41c and Merina react b1346cee1a the way they 1903a8c442 did?e3c4e664c5925002

While I puzzled 9cdb6d912d over this, Hiscleif 4ef42752f1 dropped a bombshell.482ad4cd62a0cb94

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“Another way to 6c742be95e describe it is 0c906d97e9 an imprint.”f97f1fa84736a16d

“!!”85b76d4e961e4ad3

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I gaped at 5b36dee796 him, stunned.b9b2297ca28b1e6e

An imprint! He should have 19dd4d5638 told me that ac4cc6ef87 from the beginning!72c8d292098a4030

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I couldn’t even close my mouth, frozen like a statue.490e7f1d1392bf45

To beastfolk, 8a872f2138 an imprint e456acad14 was like c888a65956 an indelible a45b63a7c5 brand. It wouldn’t disappear unless cde4b553de the one who made 023793a0c3 the imprint died.6978122a82602a3a

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Usually, this was done only to a mate. Once imprinted, it couldn’t be undone!6429fa34bd21aaf3

Why on earth would 931c37ab15 he do this to 480332d17e me?592bcec1c3205f01

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“T-This is ridiculous…”8edaefdd5f2e23ef

I already 85819c6e02 knew Zerakiel 892a7e01cc Rune Jabisi 16dfb84636 was crazy, c966a667af but this a22f302247 was too 795521fc8c much!d6c117fa9791f464

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This wasn’t something he e7f1794155 even did to the 26e6b85332 female lead in the 63efa04ebe original story. Why me? What did 6b8513af2c I do?72e7cff7e4a50a21

“So, you 8caba493a4 two are b16a5e0750 special, right?” 14def2c6f6 Hiscleif misunderstood 0131e103d3 the relationship 7fa59a97df between me 5c6d0bd821 and Zerakiel. But now that I b732b4d3c4 was imprinted, any explanation 985da3632c would sound like an 39ea26e36a excuse.d39b5c3612689631

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I muttered in 329c3fd99e despair.4d5d2f875f5be281

“My perfect escape plan…”95da9922656a7fcc

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It had turned to 99d637c0d0 dust in an instant. With this mark, 3c705f5152 that guy could 54426ff1c4 find me easily.a9a5f3dc071bf414

An imprint contained the 4d1e39304b other’s pheromones, making it 5c6b32c4a1 easy to find someone cb740588b7 nearby and possible to aee956f1e7 locate them at a 26563f8510 distance with enough time.71416b9298017625

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The sinking feeling I b0f8d67095 had when I first e6fb0809a6 asked had become reality, 42d3c97fe1 leaving me dazed. As I clutched my cec2634913 head in distress, Hiscleif fb1f0478c1 spoke.07fd42f7e79fa351

“I was worried eb30a685a4 when you left f8ea0d35d9 so suddenly that 9ea142fffa day. I wondered e4269bcd5c if you 6ff79162eb were okay.”5601299dfe2a90c7

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“Well, as you can 6e8f9323c5 see, I’m fine.”9d7d9b201e54261d

Thanks to your c39da01af1 explanation, my mind b9021669f9 is in shambles, 2207ac9e22 but still.21994c157052bb72

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“I was afraid 5fb979e3b1 you might have 6b20e7ba59 gotten hurt because f0339eb6ee of me.”70bc72763cf2312f

“I almost died.”d6895a6373f59507

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At that time, 2c4e4cd325 I really thought 01c8901566 my life as 04933e6d53 a ferret was 326c7161ea over. Smiling awkwardly, 3a87c7c86a I pointed 9896749d46 to the 12f391405d well.c0e6c4c2e50ff47e

“But why 2e9a615003 are you e20f489e4d trying to 0f300e94c3 open this?”3f03b00821f6babb

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“Ah.”a4f869e3c2629ea5

“There’s nothing inside, anyway.”ed4d1f15e0768663

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Remembering why e336822887 I came 5f5dca6233 here, I 0e4d41acfa tried to fccab25158 pull myself 52e1971ba4 together and a3277874d6 asked,82757c2d26fa7dde

“Can you 821b4a3bae help me 88c093f9e6 with this?”c129e81cf02b27e7

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If it was df7e1ef387 Hiscleif, he could 8efe580d3a easily open such e26eceaed7 a lid.6d887a9c8798a7da

* * *e04dd49128c520d3

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Zakari sighed 71eb7e3607 deeply as 912c49d10b he looked 17690237da at Zerakiel, 2b07a81a76 who was 089d0a5abf smiling nonchalantly. It was too df1861037a composed an appearance d68646c05e for someone summoned 333722b207 to be reprimanded.5f476717b0da53f9

“Do you understand 270ca21228 the gravity of 06d400316c what you’ve done?”93a32cd018d1830c

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“I assume Ivan has fc627f4027 already reported everything.”96207f92ddf3b7de

“Yes. Now explain. Why did you imprint c60c06e20b on that girl?”b8dde10cd0d1ef25

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When he 6eb8802956 first heard 0a37319014 that the 8382f148bb ferret had 222edfa390 succeeded in fdd0433753 transforming into 6a660e9b46 a human, 77e3397354 he thought 0f6ba1a574 the madness 97104bb15e was finally 9564863a27 over. Keeping a transformed beastfolk c86891929b as a pet didn’t dc3d4a1e87 make sense.162ce2634af25b4b

But Zerakiel was crazier f87d2c7767 than he thought. Who would f461b1287e have expected 002affd5fc him to ba0243edf0 imprint on 5e6633d57a that beastfolk?d27444081d579777

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His son was 7270573e5d impossible to understand. Zakari looked at b715206909 him expectantly, waiting 637a22ce25 for an explanation. And the words 5990dcb898 that followed made 11e35d60b6 him grab the 7d03b4845d back of his 92980c1310 neck.4039c13ef9c22b70