Volume 3 Chapter 9 The Eve
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The mobilization order arrived yesterday.
We were to depart today, November 2nd—a chaotic, breathless schedule.
Fortunately, I had already finalized the baggage and personnel selections by yesterday evening.
From Professor Elga Dean’s laboratory, Assistant Professor Tatyana Grimm—once a member of the old Golems Battalion—would be accompanying us. Better yet, she had managed to secure the two humanoid-type Golems I had requested.
There were, however, two significant problems.
The first was Assistant Professor Eida.
Everything that needed to be handled in October had been taken care of thanks to my attendants, Katarina and Tura.
But the work scheduled for November?
Naturally, none of it had been touched.
”You’ll be back by the middle of the month, won’t you?” Eida asked sharply.
”That’s hard to say,” I replied. “It depends on the situation.”
”Then what are we supposed to do about the university presentations, the graduation examinations, and the entrance examination preparations?”
Even if she asked me that, there was only one answer.
”Talk to the Dean and do your best.”
”Understood,” Eida said coldly. “If any decisions are required, I will send letters to the front. You are to provide an immediate response.”
I promised I would do my best.
”I don’t trust those words. In the first place, you are the head of the Magic Laboratory…”
And so I found myself being lectured at the busiest possible time.
The second problem was the genius who resembled a dwarf.
Rosa.
”Why wasn’t I chosen?” Rosa demanded, clinging to my clothes.
She possessed an extraordinary talent for operating fixed-wing drones1.
She flew them better than I did.
Her acrobatic maneuvers and ability to float a returning drone into her palm were nothing short of miraculous.
Unfortunately, she knew exactly how talented she was.
”That’s precisely why I can’t take a student like you.”
”If you’re going to say that, then what about you, Associate Professor? You’re only fourteen.”
”The others received permission from the Dean. You didn’t.”
”Then if I get the Dean’s permission, it’s fine, right?”
It was simply the stubbornness of a child.
I ignored her and focused on moving the luggage outside.
The carriage waiting at the entrance was a two-horse freight wagon—the sort normally used for hauling timber.
It had two axles and a long rectangular cabin.
There was no passenger suspension whatsoever.
Needless to say, it did not inspire confidence.
My mood worsened further when I saw the guards assigned to us.
Corporal Heinz Schumacher and his men from the 307th Battalion.
The very same soldiers who had once “escorted” me from Baron Ahrens’s territory to Strock Village.
”Larry-dono. It’s been a while.”
”Don’t worry about it,” the Commander laughed.
”Do you know this old man?” Katarina asked curiously.
The wagon itself was new and sturdy enough, but the interior was cramped, measuring less than two meters in either width or height.
”Commander, do we have any weapons?” I asked.
”We weren’t told anything about that.”
”What are you planning to do with that?” Tura asked as I loaded magic thread, glue, and paper.
”All right, time’s up. We’re moving out,” the Commander announced.
”Yeah. Let’s go.”
As we departed, Rosa came sprinting toward us.
”Vice-Commander Anna, hurry!”
”No, that’s impossible. It’s already heavy enough for four horses, and we only have two.”
A moment later, Katarina scooped Rosa into her arms.
”Don’t bring her along!”
Rosa simply grinned.
”I got permission from the Dean.”
* * *
”Associate Professor, what are you doing?” Rosa asked.
”Making a coil.”
”Will that make the ride smoother?”
”As if.”
”Couldn’t you have gotten a better carriage?”
”Rosa, if you’re regretting this, you can still get off.”
”No, I—”
She never finished.
Instead, she rushed toward the partition and vomited.
”How much longer do we have to ride this thing?” Kenze asked weakly.
”Until we reach the projected battlefield. Two nights on the road. We arrive on the third day.”
”I shouldn’t have come. I can’t let the child sleep comfortably like this.”
”Child? Are you pregnant?” Tatyana asked, eyes widening.
”No. The child is inside this jar.”
”That child belongs to Kenze,” I explained. “She’s an Amazoness.”
”So it’s true. You don’t give birth but lay eggs and raise them.”
”Very soon, it will emerge from the jar. Once it does, it will be no different from your own child.”
”I see,” Tatyana murmured. “In our terms, that’s like carrying a child in the womb.”
”Correct.”
Later, I learned that Assistant Professor Tatyana had two sons, ages four and two.
Following her divorce, she had left them in the care of her parents.
She also happened to be from the territorial capital of Viscount Bizan and lived not far from Nico’s family.
I listened to her story while winding magic thread2 inside the carriage.
We passed through the Royal Capital checkpoint and stopped for our first break roughly an hour later.
Rosa, who had spent most of the trip sprawled across the floor like a damp rag, was the first to leap outside.
The area was crowded with supply wagons supporting the army’s logistics.
The main force had already moved much farther ahead.
”Larry-dono, headquarters has requested the roster of Academy personnel participating in this expedition.”
The bearded Guard Commander handed me a sheet of parchment.
”I don’t have any Magic Ink.”
”Please speak with the vice-captain. He should have some.”
Official military documents required Magic Ink to prevent forgery.
”Headquarters also requested that beginning tomorrow morning, the two personnel capable of operating fixed-wing drones ride in a separate carriage.”
That seemed early.
The expected battlefield was still another day’s journey away.
A fixed-wing drone could remain airborne for forty minutes at most.
Allowing for a safety margin, they needed to be rotated every thirty.
With only two operators, maintaining continuous observation would already be difficult.
Still, everything depended on whether I could finish the radio-equipped drone before morning.
There was no time to waste.
I handed the roster to Katarina and resumed work.
Turning the carriage into a coilgun would have to wait.
* * *
”Associate Professor, what exactly are you doing?” Tura asked.
”Oh? Tura, you don’t get motion sickness?”
”My family operates a mining company. I’m used to riding ore wagons.”
That explained it.
Heavy ore wagons were built for durability rather than comfort.
They weren’t all that different from this torture device.
”I see. Come to think of it, Rosa said her family is involved in fishing. Does she get seasick too?”
According to Rosa, ships and carriages rocked in completely different ways.
”If you want, you can get off here and walk back to the Royal Capital.”
”I refuse.”
Her rejection was immediate.
She then joined Tura in watching my work.
”Associate Professor, here.”
Katarina handed me the completed roster.
After reviewing it and signing it, I returned to my work.
Everyone except Pamela and Kenze had gathered around to watch.
”What exactly are you making?” Tura asked again.
”The signals produced by the Golems’ nerve clusters are Mana vibrations. This wafer converts them into Monomer Mana signals.”
Everyone except Assistant Professor Tatyana nodded.
”Then I apply magical voltage, converting everything into positive signals before amplifying them.”
The students still followed.
”Next, Graphite generates the carrier frequency.”
Rosa and Tura’s eyes sparkled.
Katarina, meanwhile, looked ready to fall asleep.
I explained the transmitter, antenna, filters, and demodulation circuits.
Only Rosa appeared to understand everything.
Still, explaining it aloud helped organize my thoughts.
The work progressed smoothly.
By the time the circuitry was complete, I still needed to balance the drone itself.
That would have to wait until we stopped moving.
For the remainder of the trip, I devoted myself to converting the carriage into a coilgun.
* * *
That night, because our carriage had to be repositioned to the front of the column, we did not reach camp until well after midnight.
Without even stopping for a meal, I headed straight for headquarters.
Several officers were still awake.
”Royal Magic Academy Associate Professor Larry Fee Getys reporting.”
To my surprise, everyone present was relatively young.
Not a single old man sat at the table.
One face, however, was familiar.
Second Lieutenant Sarah Müller.
Former commander of the First Company of the Golems Battalion.
The piercings made her impossible to forget.
She was the officer who had once sent me to the duel trial by carriage.
”Welcome, Fifth Sage candidate.”
An amiable-looking man stood and motioned toward the last open seat.
He introduced the others.
At the head of the table sat Lieutenant Colonel Onhalt von Lothringen, commander of the army.
The eldest son of a Duke.
A distinguished veteran of the Haritz Rebellion.
Beside him sat Major Thomas Gotch, commander of the cavalry.
Built like a professional wrestler, he reminded me of Alberto-san from Strock Village.
The head mage was Sarah.
The man introducing everyone was Captain Robert von Sigmund.
”My father is always in your care.”
So he was Helbert Ougen-Sigmund’s son.
Now that he mentioned it, the resemblance was obvious.
Though unlike his father, his hair seemed perfectly healthy.
”That’s the roster? I’ll take it.”
I handed over the document and sat down.
”We want you to oversee surveillance of the Danube River,” Lieutenant Colonel Onhalt said.
Enemy troops were reportedly advancing downriver by ship.
If they reached the Royal Capital, it would be disastrous.
If they landed behind our lines during battle, it would be even worse.
For now, however, they appeared to be moving at roughly the same pace as the land forces.
My responsibility would be operating the fixed-wing drones.
Amber cores had already been prepared.
If the enemy fleet made any suspicious movements, I was to report directly through an assigned messenger.
That was simple enough.
I stood to leave.
Then I was stopped.
”According to our scouts, we are likely to engage the enemy the day after tomorrow. They appear eager for an early decisive battle.”
”Could we parry them first?” I asked.
Major Thomas slammed his hand onto the table.
”If we do that, the bandit vanguard will ravage towns and villages. Even if we counterattack later, they’re mercenaries. They’ll scatter into the mountains and become bandits. The people will suffer for years.”
His argument was sound.
Unfortunately, so was mine.
They had fifteen thousand soldiers.
We had six thousand.
Worse, these were not inexperienced militias.
They were hardened veterans from the Western Front.
If we lost, the Royal Capital itself could be plundered.
”What? Do you have a complaint?” Major Thomas growled.
”No, not at all.”
I lowered my head immediately.
There was no point arguing.
But if things continued like this, I would need to prepare an escape plan.
I refused to lose my people.
* * *
The following day, Katarina and Assistant Professor Tatyana handled river surveillance while I focused on completing the coilgun.
Meanwhile, Rosa and Tura tested the newly completed radio-equipped drones.
That night, November 3rd, we camped just beyond the territorial capital of Baron Wilson’s domain.
”The army’s cooking hearths are standardized, you know.”
I offered advice as Katarina struggled to stack stones for boiling water.
”You really do know a lot.”
”I served in the militia.”
Soon everyone gathered around the fire.
”Even though you’re the same age as me, you’ve really experienced a lot,” Rosa observed.
”Actually, I turned fifteen today.”
For some reason, everyone except Rosa laughed.
Pamela and Kenze laughed the hardest.
I found it rather irritating.
”Well, whether you’re fifteen or twenty, you’re married and have children. Socially speaking, you’re already an old man,” Katarina teased.
”Shut up. One year ago I was a pure, innocent virgin.”
”What’s a virgin?” Rosa asked.
The moment I explained, everyone except Rosa and Tura burst into hysterical laughter.
Naturally, I laughed too.
Afterward, Rosa relentlessly questioned Katarina about the meaning.
Watching them reminded me of a year ago.
The ruined village near the Rhodes River.
The militia drills.
The nonsense conversations around the campfire.
Back then, everyone had spent the night complaining about wanting to sleep with women.
I wondered how they were all doing now.
Tonight felt strangely similar.
I wore the Combat Sandals Bours-san had taught me to make4.
My old leather armor had been replaced with official Mage’s Robes.
Inside an inner pocket rested a lock of Marie’s hair.
My good-luck charm.
”I can’t shake the feeling that defeat is likely this time.”
I spoke so quietly that no one heard.
Even so—
If the worst happened, I would make sure every one of these children gathered around this fire made it home.
Not a single one missing.
Pamela.
Kenze.
Even the little ones still growing inside their jars.
Tomorrow, it seemed, would be the final battle.
—
Summary:
The protagonist, Earnest, departs for the battlefield amidst a chaotic and hastily arranged schedule. He is accompanied by a group of researchers, students, and a military escort, all crammed into a barely functional, vibration-prone carriage. Tensions rise as an uninvited, genius student named Rosa joins the group, and Earnest struggles to maintain order while preparing his makeshift drone equipment. The group is left to wonder if they will survive the journey to the front lines.
The expedition group makes a tactical stop, prompting Larry to advance his work on drone radio integration and coilgun development despite the logistical chaos. Tensions rise at the headquarters meeting as the command team debates defensive strategy against an impending mercenary force. Larry, realizing the precariousness of his position, begins covert planning for his group’s survival while maintaining his cover as a technical expert.
The protagonist readies their gear, specifically combat sandals and a mage’s robe, while carrying a personal token from Marie. A sense of impending dread permeates their preparations for the upcoming final battle. The protagonist resolves to protect their companions, including children and mysterious jar-bound entities, above all else.
—
Trivia:
Earnest has the mental age of an adult over forty despite his young appearance.
Rosa has a natural talent for piloting fixed-wing drones and is a ‘boku-girl’.
Kenze is an Amazoness who claims to lay eggs rather than give birth to children.
The military escort provided to Earnest consists of soldiers he previously observed to be cowardly.
The carriage being used is a cargo vehicle with no suspension, posing a risk to sensitive drone equipment.
Tatyana’s divorce and status as a mother inform her grim perspective on the mission.
Magic Ink is a regulated resource used specifically to prevent official document forgery.
Fixed-wing drones have a flight time limit of approximately 40 minutes per charge.
The army’s cooking hearths follow strict size regulations standard to military camp setups.
Larry’s birthday serves as a milestone that contrasts his actual age with his perceived societal status.
The protagonist has switched from traditional leather armor to mage robes.
There are entities referred to as “the little ones in the jars” who require protection.
The protagonist explicitly mentions Bours-san as their teacher for the footwear.
The next update is confirmed for a specific date: May 10th.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Tatyana – A 31-year-old human female and Assistant Professor at the Royal Magic Academy. She is a divorced mother of two who hails from the territorial capital of Viscount Bizan. A soldier serving in the military who seems to hold respect for the older veteran grannies. An assistant professor from the Golem Laboratory. She has a playful demeanor and prior experience in the Golems Battalion. An assistant professor from the second-floor laboratory who is a former member of the Golems Battalion. An assistant professor mentioned as one of the protagonist’s associates. An assistant who synchronizes with Golems during the combat. An assistant professor who accompanies the students and remains composed during the crisis.
• Dean – A professor whose office serves as a central hub for academic administration.
• Elga – An imposing, stern, and direct Magic Academy professor who serves as Dean and department head of the Simple-type faculty. A former battalion deputy commander, she runs a laboratory with authority over research students, golems, and the protagonist’s staffing, while maintaining personal attendants. As a prominent academic managing administrative affairs, she frequently finds herself at odds with Lizabel.
• Eida – A 28-year-old Assistant Professor from Ulm Village with short dark brown hair and a mother of two, she wears civilian clothes off-duty. At the Academy, she manages lab finances, supports Larry, handles academic scheduling, and oversees research. Serving under the Associate Professor, she uses a tough-love approach, frequently scolding the protagonist while managing administrative duties.
• Katarina – A 29-year-old human Chief Researcher at the Royal Magic Academy and lead student in its lab. Diligent and nearing her thirties, she is an acquaintance of Larry who serves as Earnest’s attendant, manages the protagonist’s needs, handles rosters, and assists in operations. Escorted to safety during a skirmish, she faces expulsion after being used by Pauman. She is fascinated by drone piloting.
• Tura – Nineteen but physically resembling a five-year-old, this dramatic, highly emotional Elf Mage from a mining family is a Royal Magic Academy research student. Passionate about Earnest’s flying devices, she serves as his field assistant and attendant alongside Katarina, operating fixed-wing drones. Escorted to safety with Katrina, she is deeply impacted by others’ sacrifices for her protection.
• Rosa – A cynical 14-year-old Sabaski academy student who resembles a Dwarf. This headset-wearing, “boku-girl” drone pilot and motor tech genius caught the Magic Armored Division’s eye. A fisherman’s daughter struggling under a “hag” with the harsh realities of war, she utilized a fixed-wing drone in combat, earning her a personal audience with the King, yet remains a subordinate coping with wartime.
• Schumacher – The Schumacher family name, carried by Corporal Heinz. The lineage is integrated into the Army Central District 307th Battalion.
• Corporal – A combat engineer with shattered legs and ribs who admires Captain Bours.
• Heinz – A broad, square, and robust Corporal in the Army’s Central Division 307th Battalion with shaggy hair and a dense beard. Serving as a diligent escort and guard for Earnest, he is highly attentive to his superior’s needs. He also works in the security unit, where he assists the protagonist by building a lean-to shelter.
• Larry – A 14-year-old Japanese reincarnated protagonist and cynical, debt-ridden Royal Magic Academy associate professor from Strock Village. This abrasive, genius dueling champion designs coilguns, drones, and mana machinery. Recovering from an ambush, he was imprisoned but granted immunity. Now leading a caravan to a new land, he is married to Marie (Getys family), expecting ennoblement, and resembles infant Griselda.
• Commander – A man leading the mercenary press-gang at the south gate.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
• Anna – A thin, nervous-looking First Class Private and Vice-Commander of the 307th Battalion. She serves as Larry’s attendant and a certified Medic, carrying a double-edged sword at her hip. As a coachman for the military escort unit, she handles travel logistics. Despite a stern, serious demeanor and discomfort with travel, she maintains a strict sense of duty while serving and transporting the group.
• Kenze – An exceptionally powerful, muscular Tashkurgan Amazoness, Denis is a short-haired, niqab-wearing slave guard with a Slave Crest branded on her forehead. A blunt, foul-mouthed former intelligence operative and deputy general, she serves as a stoic companion to the protagonist and her acquaintance Larry, whom she protects on an expedition to raise her offspring. She practices the Dragon God faith, speaks Turkic, uses a dagger and bow, and has a masochistic attraction to pain. She shares a bed with Pamela, deeply dislikes Southern Continent Amazonesses, and currently nurses her newborn, Zaboo, while keeping her other children in urns.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Bizan – The Bizan family name, held by the Viscount. He is the lord of the territory and owner of the castle built within the Danube River.
• Nico – Petite and silver-haired, Teressa is a mana-less Strock Village resident, Harritz’s granddaughter, and cousin to the Marquis’s captive. A practical yet anxious former Bizan Magic School worker, she was abducted by the Marquis but rescued by Larry. Now her romantic partner and sole anchor through trauma, Larry is the father of her expected child. She relies closely on her confidante, Marie.
• Pamela – An arrogant, petite Elven Mage of unknown age who hides her ears and slave crest beneath white Gothic Lolita fashion. Formerly Henrietta’s slave, she now acts as the protagonist’s primary wife, intimate partner, and loyal companion alongside Kenze and Larry. A sharp-tongued Arsenal Bureau resident and academy student, she serves as the caravan’s interpreter, logistician, and basic healer.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Larry Fee Getys – Larry Fee Getys is a Strock Village youth and military researcher dealing with mobilization and personal dilemmas. Born to a Bizan noble family of rugged warriors—including Hardy, Denis, and Teressa—he was raised by aunts Alisa and Monica. Court officials used his academy-recognized lineage to clear him of guilt. He inherits a rugged warrior appearance, holds forest lands, and leads his village.
• Getys – Larry Fee Getys is a Strock Village youth and military researcher dealing with mobilization and personal dilemmas. Born to the Bizan noble family Getys of rugged warriors—including father Hardy, brother Denis, and sister Teressa—he was raised by aunts Alisa and Monica. Court officials used his academy-recognized lineage to clear him of guilt. He inherits a rugged warrior appearance, holds forest lands, and leads his village.
• Fee – Larry Fee Getys, of the court-recognized Fee lineage, heads the Getys household governing Strock Village alongside Hans and Iffens. Embodying traditional authority, his family—including Teressa, served by the maid Nico—manages regional finances. Connected to Adolf and local underworld power structures, the Getys family name, indicating Larry’s lineage, is also part of the protagonist’s full name.
• Sarah – A heavily pierced, sharp-tongued Elf Mage and Second Lieutenant who serves as a Magic Corps commander. Identifiable by her multiple facial piercings, pointed ears, and long dark hair, she coordinates Golems and engineers. Currently traveling aboard a transport vessel to a sea meeting, she secures caravans with a bow and longsword in winter gear. A former subordinate of Major Sonya facing disciplinary action for losing her unit, she holds deep contempt for army leadership while remaining a sharp, observant group representative.
• Sara – A woman with numerous gold piercings in her ears, eyebrows, and nose, often wearing thick, aggressive makeup. She serves as the Second Lieutenant and Commander of the First Company.
• Sage – An elderly instructor and mentor who acts as a schemer behind the scenes. He is responsible for recommending Larry for various academic and safety-related positions.
• von – The noble particle ‘von’ indicates high social standing and ancestral roots connected to territorial estates within the Sabaski lineage. It marks the noble bloodline and full names of Annerose von Bülow, Walter von Riedel, and Marc von Harritz, establishing their shared aristocratic identity and familial relationship within the Kingdom.
• Thomas – A hulking, red-faced Bizan Military Academy Major and cavalry commander, Thomas Bauer has a muscle-bound, wrestler build, large features, and unrefined, passionate traits, despite suffering scalp burns and bone fractures from a failed experimental device. Now securing the caravan in thick winter gear with a bow and longsword, he displays map-reading skills but faces severe reprimands for his poor discipline and emotional outbursts.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Alberto – A 17-year-old, expressionless Strock Village resident over 2m tall and 100kg with a hulking, red-ogre-like physique and monstrous strength. Formerly a delinquent, this renowned combatant is a temporary Elders’ Council member. Engaged to Mary Eisner, he has warm regard for Larry but doubts his future as Village Head. He is also known to Hans and is an acquaintance of Earnest.
• Sigmund – A Major in the Royal Army General Staff with full authority over Vod Fortress. He is short, plump, balding, and has a baby face.
• Robert – Captain and Intelligence officer fluent in Pannonian and Rus, son of Helbert Ougen-Sigmund, who acts as an amiable intermediary and valet for the caravan leader. Wearing a short winter dress and wool tights, he faces heavy scrutiny over his department’s failures.
• Sig – A student and friend of Marie characterized by a casual and uninhibited personality, often seen yawning during academic discussions. Has short brown hair from the Holstein territory. She is blunt, realistic about the nature of war, and failed the entrance exam at the Sabaski Magic School.
• Helbert Ougen-Sigmund – Helbert Ougen-Sigmund is a short, older Royal Army General Staff Lieutenant Colonel. With a physically imposing build and manipulative strategic mind, the former Vod Fortress manager directs a Schuberitz Intelligence Bureau lab. Well-loved by subordinates, he currently watches over the recovering protagonist.
• Helbert – Lieutenant Colonel Helbert Ougen-Sigmund is a short, older Royal Army intelligence officer with a stout, imposing build. Serving as a supervisor, coachman, and logistics coordinator for the protagonist, this jovial yet manipulative strategist acts as a primary information node and tribunal moderator. Well-loved by subordinates, the former laboratory head is also Robert’s stern, procedural father.
• Wilson – A baron who held territory where a prior military tribunal occurred.
• Bours – Tall, scarred, 46-year-old human yeoman Sullen Bours wears a faded Royal Army uniform. A retired Western Front captain, Royal Military Academy alumnus under Duke Gerhard, and Vod Fortress mentor, he manages orchards, sits on the Elders’ Council, and heads the 303rd Militia. Married to Sheeta-san with a conscripted son, he saved Larry and Rudy, and taught the protagonist to make combat sandals.
• Marie – Larry’s blunt, sharp-tongued partner from Strock Village is a Magic Academy student, lab employee, and postpartum facility manager currently on maternity leave. A hometown peer of the protagonist and Darina, she is Ange’s mother and keeps hair in her pocket as a talisman. Despite being Larry’s partner, she is also the protagonist’s wife, sharing a close, affectionate bond with him from a past love.
• Mar – A battle‑hardened veteran, clad in worn armor, uses door panels as shields and captures enemy crossbows; Larry’s comrade who teases him about his sister‑in‑law’s pampering, known as Martin to his companion Edmond.
• Earnest – Reincarnated into a broken world with the mind of a 40-year-old, this cynical associate professor and militia soldier navigates military transport and political intrigue. An expert in magic tech and drones, he constantly evaluates battlefield risks while adjusting to distorted morals. Despite his youthful outward appearance as a young man, his mature identity shapes his complex relationships.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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