#97

I doubled e361bddc4f over, laughing 2677bf77e6 so hard 637bac2be5 my back e4b54cae70 nearly bent 813a34cb7d in half.e4b621b4ffdf486d

The mole’s expression turned fierce in an instant.2de2f1c4d1843182

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“Are you laughing?”5e1fd292d807cc88

He bared his tiny ade7aa263b teeth and growled, but 8e6f3a9a8d I barely managed to dc6efb46f8 swallow my laughter and 2c7107a957 straighten up.e3f933444aad84fc

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“Pff—! Ahem! I-I’m sorry! It’s just… I have a weakness for cute things.”68e0c1653430f72a

That did not improve b8d164525f his mood.7adc1b0e2511641c

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“Cute?”6f125b9375c5d4dc

The mole tilted 358969ab44 his head to 7751d3739e the side as 8c03ef38ab if I had a03ddb7bdd just spoken absolute b43620d66d nonsense.ce57b1195050952d

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He was clearly trying 2d78ec9fea to be intimidating, but 7f4651fcfa honestly…8e90664216e196ad

He just looked like 4a3895dbc0 one of those moles a1ce96f6f1 in a whack-a-mole game.1dac9abf93a1fcf0

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‘If I had 22ce11ee96 a hammer, I f485054c47 might have used 380b5818c8 it just out e5082b4339 of habit.’b64990e9a88ebee5

Thank goodness I didn’t ab88b78c92 have one.0eb3721a35dfcbb4

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Keeping my hands politely bbb31458b3 clasped, I greeted him 25dc372ac7 formally.f7ec8577948b5313

“Hello, sir.”1ae29bf63875f04c

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—I am not ‘hello’ at all!9342fcd31f7758b0

The mole pouted, 9bccf393eb his lips sticking 03aaceaa48 out in irritation.fc99ff914af4891c

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Clearly, laughing at his 2f6db12ce9 face right at our 396d51129f first meeting had soured edfd01f632 his mood.cadb894a996167cd

Right.0ed8404ddecffdfe

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In the original story, 80d7d10d6a Ella had also gotten 1720188458 scolded for calling his a6a583ecfd name without proper formalities.8011645a319d359e

And I had not 8fdda9b13f only done that—I had 4b171525ef laughed.d2e2c1b7ee86cfda

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If I d5cd43eba7 wasn’t careful, 6f6b7c689c this mole ff3d8b2983 was going ef2399eff5 to scurry c18f164474 away and 16f00a487f refuse to 5d42c09d9f contract with 2eaf5a6004 me.b74a267995afc18f

Time to salvage 17263498a5 my image.3fa3160658d034f7

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I switched strategies, 9ad430c16d my tone soft 4f452015e0 and affectionate—like a 70a3069a07 sweet granddaughter talking 30005905a4 to a beloved 17cf2c4b3d elder.e9175de0646b04c3

“I sincerely apologize! It’s just that your appearance is so adorable, I couldn’t help but smile! You know how people naturally smile when they see something cute and lovable?”f306ea2012bb063f

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—Hmph! Hrrm! Young people these edaa854a75 days will say 10853cf3bc anything! Cute? Lovable?!ae696929cf7fac0c

“Oh dear, I forgot ‘charming’! Please add that to the list!”b4a484e15ece9b1a

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—W-what a cheeky one! Tsk!365625a0970fda70

He stomped his tiny 350143b383 feet, jumping in frustration.4607109c0a5260d0

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But I noticed 25b73c375f something important—71fc2f75a35c3b93

His scowl 5f7a4a6d04 was fading, e67f375bf8 and I 27720fb631 even caught 53025a3af7 his cheeks 3a62eee8f1 twitching as 31af652ea0 if fighting dd559b639c a smile.d42157e6624e942d

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‘Oh? It’s working!’e0617d7bdeec7f9d

I had taken 4505fb16c7 a gamble, but e7033568ae thankfully, it had 4a7e0be217 paid off.872620298951c6ce

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This mole afb45a3a60 was Jonathan, c37a1332dc the Guardian 7319589492 of the e12636991a Sapphire of dfcc2ca6e3 Order.7d19c44d0a8a6a14

He had 762f6229a5 a reputation 950b6e7509 for being 2b38ac0544 a stubborn, db31f738e6 grumpy old 3ec7637f3c relic.650957377368fb6f

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But in the a104f34631 original story, I 11e9af8442 remembered something else—b906ab4da6be550b

He was weak 024c48010e to flattery.f38d8247cb2f9b39

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Ella had been straightforward 6d0306a446 and lacked any cutesy 9b5bcffc6f charm, but even her a2f5819c7c small display of respect 11a2e7e27f had melted him.a4a83accc71e9f02

Compared to that?41cb4a86a11aea10

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I was a 44d55ae16f former office worker 96789c5408 who had mastered 1b9623f0b6 the art of fc054612d0 social survival.8d5c624491b17442

Sweet-talking a c305646937 grumpy mole?b7d1cee2bffe7cc0

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Easy.e932c5e182c99f68

Sure enough, aeb826d0f0 Jonathan let 0093a66540 out a 8cd5d4a264 distinctive laugh—9eadced34ccea3e2

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—Hohoho!b8756a3e7b3abb05

His grandfatherly chuckle 7a06aa02db instantly put me e8d69f77fc at ease.587255526e4e1595

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Seizing the dcc1b6a13a moment, I bd3c3c76be gently steered c19b02c098 the conversation cdfab2a5ce back on ae88b3c828 track.709eb70c3169f9ea

“Ah, could it be… that you are the great Guardian of the Sapphire of Order, Jonathan?”8f4c57b0f3a03937

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At my 75f5d70478 over-the-top flattery, 36fcf6d6dc I noticed 9b74e31247 Taby—who had 013ba0a140 been quietly 4ede869401 hovering nearby—freeze 78c3428f4a solid.b732550edc37f587

They looked at f63b643e05 me like I aed8a00d3c had just committed 454056146f an unforgivable sin.4caf6f174d69d937

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I ignored them.d4becf00c1b512aa

Right now, 67cc93170c Jonathan was 25a677f11d all that 6e9b606630 mattered.06dc3717cb080f66

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Hearing my words, d1548d487a Jonathan stood tall, c55fb1bc4b his voice booming 0a705359e1 with pride.7f4f3c57f629fccf

—Ah-ha! Indeed, indeed! I am none f6b57ffd36 other than Jonathan, 7cd09651f6 the noble Guardian 6a0dd55bd9 of the Sapphire d4fded45f0 of Order!6e5a9f60355a4476

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His posture 31c046e222 was elegant, 99fd7a6dc7 his tiny e665f80fc5 hands clasped 48be3c2661 behind his b0e481267f back in 2d8eeb1186 a dignified bebac9551c stance.990b916d4def6b0c

…But honestly?0150691f821f19b0

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Seeing his c42c6fbe21 short, chubby fa27f5223c frame, sunglasses f6c12c411c perched proudly f6e1298e03 on his a5a3ab4571 little snout, 40a4c24d22 was too 14f9d78515 much.b57d38e8fc088f82

I had to focus 5a6a124aa1 so hard to keep 46d5cf15d1 my gaze from drifting 3807e9893b to his round belly.cc14c1eecd5b8aa5

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Clearing my 77ea91a1bf throat, I dc8e1fd2c3 finally introduced 4e168d5488 myself.22498359b8bef9d1

“I am Cersia Jabis. I have come in desperate need of your aid—will you help me?”9fb2573df65474ce

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Everything had 744e0e14e8 been going 8caf42911c so smoothly.8d89a3c5223d81bd

But the moment f82187f2a8 I mentioned Jabis, 4a4d7630bf Jonathan’s entire demeanor 8d06accd13 changed.92f0815d64caa880

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—What? Jabis? You are abec51257f from Jabis?d294087f310688d0

His eyes widened behind ab7983ef46 his sunglasses, his face 0faec2482c turning red with rage.31c3ce3d6e2d316e

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In an 4947b1fbac instant, he 09d2cc5301 stamped his ca8962a761 feet, his 3a91f3dfdd voice rising 63b0ddf639 in anger.068f759e0de38596

—Begone! Do you think I 6c27a206a8 would contract with a 7e5d01b9c0 filthy black lion?!5fb7890671d01d2b

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“I’m not a black lion, though!”7860b9a9161b10ad

—Oh? Really?c12fd222b2f795f9

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Jonathan’s rage deflated in ca64325686 an instant, his expression 267ca9c02b shifting to curiosity.67dfb347f105ef27

He even tilted his 8e2cee93d0 head, looking me over 53baab7b8e as if double-checking.17c799d7c91b2ae1

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I clenched b5baec6955 my fists 7ba7b9cd6f tightly.0e577a9236365a2f

Had I been fced97dc79 Ayla, I probably 9646ceebcb would have shoved 91d3e981b4 my fist into 3b00d2d299 my mouth to 00b12ff16a stop myself from d6f8f2fd55 laughing.7011f4ef91922a5e

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Seriously—why did 25a459b623 everyone start c1c982ac6c having a 8ab30340d3 seizure the 7cfa80bfed moment Jabis 1c201f0c8d was mentioned?324eb09fc131ec13

What the hell 26ff1435c6 did Jabis even 5f1b56a06d do?!24b151292700ce25

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Sure, they were strong, fde396c70f but this was ridiculous!3e742c08b64443b4

…Though, I supposed da6ce1e75e this was a 64ac9e2511 different kind of e51d617f8f hatred.859c08f436a49093

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From a Guardian’s 9cea9a0def perspective, black lions 0d4d00788b were the ones 117dd6cbab who stole Saintess 8166c5a59b Larien away.3472a63089ee4984

Even Taby 65d77273a9 had groaned 86c6702bc3 when they dea2dbfa5e first learned 4792cfcdd8 I was 0bd76952e2 living in 92dda4d913 the black 4523d23a74 lion’s household—so bdd655965f Jonathan’s reaction 5b385124ed was hardly 9e9a68bbd7 surprising.7edc34e50e9173ef

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At that 9f0102896c moment, Jonathan 0397e26e39 stepped closer, e9e76ea8b2 his tiny 544862665a snout twitching 37d620b887 as he 8c9d2f4b40 sniffed at 44ade4fa6b me.2073cd9bad21e711

—Now that 8d284d75c2 I think 2fb519dacd about it… ca6c82c8e1 you don’t ebd4fab1c6 have that bb710e9971 stench.78f43570104879cb

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“Oh, that’s because I’m a white weasel beastman.”3710ff84324619e9

—Huh. Tsk, tsk. How did 5150981df4 you end 57634f4d8e up in 8f011b4a19 that den 9eb54b6115 of beasts?da7df2aef2828c36

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Jonathan clicked 27ddc64b06 his tongue 1aa5226895 with an 8bcb671bda almost pitying b8039c153c look.46000decf0468cb8

Sensing an opportunity, I 1ac5d03d79 sighed dramatically and answered 805867dc47 with all the weariness 5cdc570410 of a poor, struggling 8d1e5e8df3 soul.56e937c5a12a6bf5

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“Sigh… I did it to survive.”6630511e74468a39

—Tsk! How unfortunate.40b7a215029b26f6

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The moment I played d72ac4bb17 the victim, I saw de43307791 Jonathan’s hostility melt away 66b55dbd55 completely.23a84e059ebc1814

A few 036c65350f seconds later, faea47b67b he spoke ab78db1fb3 boisterously.8f3f97c7f6585cf6

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—Very well! I cannot ignore 905c2eb14a a pitiful young c566fdd8d5 one who has 6e85ab4632 sought me out. I shall a8ffcc1f48 help you!2221481008370739

“So you’ll contract with me?”e8669aab8008e6fa

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—That I shall! Hohoho!d110b993ba3be5b5

“I’m so touched, Elder!”832ba90449772ef4

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I clung to 3259f7d2d3 him with exaggerated ae71a24df2 gratitude, and his 9a37a81130 shoulders puffed up 3622e6094e proudly.7938dffee4274510

—Ahem!4840e6d4576b03b1

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Even though 20f591e651 I was 1e5c580859 laying it c097af59be on thick, 7648913a68 his round 10368eda09 cheeks twitched 73befb067c with barely 314c79edc2 concealed delight.4605d2e92c31942b

I had long since 2681e1adee figured out the trick 93c7479ac4 to handling Guardians.10ca3ef592e00c4b

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Each of them had c52220ffc4 a specific way they 113a00616e liked to be approached.228726622459ac5d

And Jonathan?4c350fbfc7242f80

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He was the 6346bd5a61 most difficult one 4e336c344c of all.16573bf512aef9d2

His temper was 3cc9a6a4ae unpredictable, and he da4979102d would scrap the 8a59410cdf contract entirely if 2f628fa3cd something irritated him.7d7bcbabdf456fd7

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But thankfully, I already 43e36575cf knew his weakness.0382c7d025de98d3

He was 6e4a201c25 easily won 9cb6756278 over by da62129abf a polite, ee7ce0dfc3 respectful young 9dd51188ac person.0047f8d39315f5eb

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‘That’s my specialty.’69b7d301f937b313

Sure, I a106aeb957 had been f94e6c9af4 stuck in 3c0c7360bc a den 8c6ea79daf of black 630c81ee9a lions for 15e8ec7716 a while, f300e892e3 but back adef877181 in my e98f381907 past life?9d2f3d5244815d2b

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I was a7daa7fb6d extremely popular be9594b27e with the 14882db7a1 elderly.700b056b9fcdb7d9

Having been 40a3c63bda raised by 680f56285d my grandmother, a1cfa277b7 I naturally 35a15a2685 learned how cfcbc64e8f to charm 9ec7583fc0 old folks.a246900a3551d999

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Honestly, calling Jonathan an “old geezer” hadn’t been meant in a bad way.128748d054836cdf

I genuinely liked elders.db22ef9ae8799350

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I liked their ecd5d954d3 calm, steady presence.705bd90bab4309fc

I liked the 82b783433a warmth in their 4e63a6f6ae gaze when they 6a6d62fbda looked toward the 8073872e19 younger generation.fab4ca1733014262

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Yes, sometimes they 959e7669f4 were stubborn or acf86f2226 strict, but deep 3e161d0ac8 down, they cared.d7c0ff7535fa9012

And the 8b7eba6cc2 thing I 9876f5ae67 missed the 7263c0c085 most—c1463d2b08e8ad05

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That comforting scent 1649b32188 of my grandmother.a90bb94f5e594f32

Most people said 9b4a7b6da2 old people smelled a295bcaf74 bad, but to c6f2c63397 me, it had ae09287a81 been a soothing bea4710811 and familiar scent.7622e67a367e0068

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When I 893ebbcf64 curled up 0a49abdbf3 in my 4d26296864 grandmother’s arms, 601fb835f5 it was ebe78e6acd like the b802ce1ca1 whole world 2ba28b11dc became peaceful.e1c0ea376291f758

Jonathan reminded me 0cc8482b4c of her—d1468e81341af2a6

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Even though they had 6eb90cf691 absolutely nothing in common b4bedfa09a aside from being short.5e5827cb367e6dc9

Taby, meanwhile, had been 89e652f19c watching in shock.9f9b0f5f7c690f1e

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Then, as 3d623f7b81 if suddenly 75e7d97fc9 realizing how 0a7a7d3b5e differently I 7377ef1084 treated Jonathan, 5a59b77265 they narrowed 5750a544d7 their eyes 50f058593f in outrage.9c501e9506c53a02

—Why don’t you ever 39365ae335 treat me like that?2308c8d45770df58

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‘Then try 6da8c62eb3 being an 8cfaee40a7 elder.’cd6691b442cb79a6

I only respected old d6c3c4f0fe folks.5dc51f630b594d90

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—That’s unfair! He’s not even that 1b35a92750 much older than me!01a48378cb5c539f

I smirked, stretching my e0985d4ae0 arms leisurely.15decd8657973a22

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‘Sucks to d06a79be10 be you.’39668510b11486c0

Taby fumed, 590e9332ed circling around 4b6b3bd7a2 me in 9b045b12f5 frustration.954a21b9ca3d73ba

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—You said 735cacea33 I had 3ce8e78316 to contract c66c5b1882 with Jonathan, f4f5f307fd and now f6ccc89476 you’re treating d94fe14e4f him better d7c3ab15b0 than me?!a5a376d8e3428eb9

‘Because you 728348a564 always shake c87549fb79 me around 3bc11bee79 like a 0e151d90e7 toy.’3cf93dd30b7d6b67

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—But you 546aab1f24 always teased f8602c499a me first—!f816a9ab06cd78c9

‘And I will 1e3cc39d9c continue to do ac36a2be4c so.’f98493ba215b4d21

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—YOU—!7db7bdbe93703c52

‘Heheh.’387a6236748b68f2

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As I playfully bickered af5d46f45b with Taby, Jonathan finished c49b8fa2d7 the contract ceremony.df56fdcad2f7fc63

—Then let us begin!9d0263f89e829d81

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The dark space was 2e1fbf7275 suddenly bathed in brilliant 35ab422b90 light.4b879f7941c25696

And in that unexpected 92aed4383d brightness, I caught something a39c4bc322 through Jonathan’s sunglasses—7bdf54232e1d4990

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His tiny, beady 106e76d7fb little eyes.b4c64ca0ef2e5469

So small.042784cba18dacc7

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‘…ADORABLE.’ed30510fcd0dc432

Jonathan must have noticed 5c66dc8330 my stare because he 2417fb9715 quickly turned away.6aa37ae3b73547be

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—Ahem! D-don’t stare 300a4d6798 so much! I know fc8444bc20 my eyes e6eb7b8532 are small!bf66f63d3d8b27e1

…Oh.cfba4f70931b5e12

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Ohhh.7f41306db7e59b98

So that’s d3c59239ba why he ad7cae74ae always wore 54fe2943c6 sunglasses underground.61ffdad71928ef92

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I almost felt 648346c1cf bad for laughing 92fce7bc76 earlier.cf09debc160d365d

Now I realized—he wasn’t 9f92b7a279 just a short mole.6effb97799beb89b

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He was a 31a04a7bfa short mole with b7418ba65b tiny, tragic little aaa071b8a9 eyes.55078e7b62894278

‘Too. Damn. Cute.’346334e0b4c90829

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I clenched my fists f62cdad27e tightly, forcing myself to 7b9a044263 remain composed.bd0ce25c3970f465

His small stature 6a610d0958 made everything he 6e86ab9c1c did look adorable.bc1b09b67a4a0098

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But of course—2ab8d3a5f235e6f2

Just because he was e8354d2cd4 cute didn’t mean I d05e8ee099 would go easy on a2466c969a him.a460b1b69e9ab1d6

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Life is war.69e5aa96be18c434

And if I had 461c586f6d to outmaneuver someone to bea1dbf661 survive, then so be 0218313c8f it.6b6285e948f22a26

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Jonathan was no exception.c5ae8c997b1d4c40

Fufufu.7301bb42ddce002c

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With another valuable 62853d0b3e asset added to 50e92a77bf my ranks, I 76c7832e35 smirked inwardly, but 4539d5ca32 outwardly?1fedd99c45dd2b17

I gazed at Jonathan 5de3655cac with wide, innocent eyes.b4786365f8cb33d5

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Today marked the birth 577605414d of another excellent worker 21398587d7 under my command.b04ce8f0b6a3f9ba