Volume 3 Chapter 39 Retaliation
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
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The ceremonial grounds had become a slaughterhouse.
It would be a lie to say I had not grown complacent when I invited the Proton Order here. I had wiped out two hundred of their heavy cavalry, taken the city of Trabius, which had served as their staging ground, and settled the postwar terms through Rus and Schweilitz mediation. I had assumed they would not dare strike again.
That assumption was my undoing, because they still hated me enough to try.
As I watched over the Lord of Yoghess, Pamela drained the mana from the three surviving assassins and crushed their consciousness so they could not kill themselves.
The spectators had frozen in place, unable to understand the bloodshed unfolding before them, but once the men calling themselves the “Proton Order” had been subdued, murmurs began to spread through the crowd at the sight of me holding the Lord of Yoghess in my arms.
The old man’s body went limp against me. His eyes remained half-open, but the light had already gone out of them.
(What would have happened if I hadn’t met him when I first came to this land?)
The thought flickered through my mind, but there was no time to sink into grief.
”Our Lord of Yoghess has fallen to a wicked blade while shielding our Grand Duke from these assassins!” Thomas shouted, his voice carrying across the grounds with a new, hard authority.
I laid the Lord of Yoghess down and stood beside Thomas.
”What the General has reported is the truth,” I said, keeping my voice cold and steady. “Al Gildas, the Lord of Yoghess, gave his life to protect me.”
The crowd, which Thomas had forced into silence, broke into whispers again. The members of the Sami tribe looked especially shaken.
”His final words to me were: ‘Take care of this country,’” I continued. “As tragic as this is, I believe the only way to honor his legacy is to carry this ceremony through to the end.”
The appointments of the ministers and generals, the pillars of this nation, still remained.
”However, my wedding, scheduled for this afternoon, will wait until I have avenged him,” I declared, raising my voice until it became a roar. “I will never forgive them.”
No sooner had I spoken than we moved into the appointment ceremony for the twelve ministers, forcing the government into place before fear could spread any further. For the post of Minister of Revenue, which had originally been meant for the late Lord of Yoghess, I appointed his eldest son, Rolandas, who had been serving as the House Steward.
Finally, I declared the founding of the Fee Grand Principality, and the ceremony came to an end.
I left the funeral arrangements to the grieving Rolandas and Duke Igor, then headed off to interrogate the assassins. The Fourth Sage and the rest of the Schweilitz delegation followed me, likely hoping to push their way into whatever plans I made next. It was a tiresome necessity, but a necessity all the same.
The interrogation revealed that the man who appeared to be a Bishop, along with his monks, had been sent by a monastery of the Universal Church in the Empire of Charle under the direct orders of the Charle Emperor. There was no proof that the Pope himself had ordered it. They had traveled from Charle, crossed the sea to Byzantium, sailed through the Turkish Sea, and gone up the Dnieper River into territory controlled by the Proton Order. After meeting the Order’s Bishop in Twanste, their largest city, they had entered our country disguised as celebratory envoys.
The Proton Order was undeniably guilty, so they were a target for retaliation. Even so, the true masterminds were the Empire of Charle and the Pope of the Universal Church.
Like the other monks, these men had been put through harsh anti-Schweilitz indoctrination until they believed that I, the architect of the Schweilitz-puppet “Fee Grand Principality,” had to be assassinated even at the cost of their own lives.
”A small, elite force using the Rus trade routes is our only option,” I said to Thomas while we were relieving ourselves on the way to the Round Table room to draft our strategy.
”Aye, that’s the only way, innit?” Thomas said, scratching his jaw. “With the Type 98 Golems and the fixed-wing drones, it should be a cakewalk. But the aftermath is the problem. I’ve got an idea.”
”Can you convince the ‘Middle-aged men’—the Fourth Sage and Lieutenant Colonel Helbert?” I asked.
”Nah, they’ll hate it,” Thomas replied with a shrug. “So instead…”
”Look, Thomas,” I said, eyeing him. “If Major Sonya gets anywhere near us, she’ll mind-read us into oblivion in a heartbeat.”
The meatheaded General made a disappointed face. “Guess we keep it as Plan B for when we can’t retreat, then.”
During the meeting in the Round Table room, Thomas proposed destroying as many of the Order’s cities as possible, but the Fourth Sage shut him down at once. As expected, the council decided on a surgical strike: we would invade Twanste with the sole objective of kidnapping the Bishop.
Minister Kirsi was dispatched to Trabius to handle the immediate diplomatic fallout. Sending her so quickly was clearly a move by the Schweilitz faction.
”Hey, Larry~ Can you actually keep Thomas under control?” Major Sonya reached out with her telepathy, her fingers grazing my hand.
”Gee, I don’t know~ But if you joined us, Major Sonya, maybe we could pull it off?” I teased back.
”Gross. You’ve got the soul of a middle-aged man, stop acting like that,” she shot back. “Push Helbert too far, and you’ll be in deep trouble. Keep that in mind.”
”Duke Igor,” I said, turning to him, “I’ll leave the letter for Frontier Count Pugachev to you before we depart.”
The next morning, we left Cain. At the end of the farewell line, my sister-in-law stood with Reinhardt in her arms.
”This is honestly a massive headache,” I muttered as we loaded the carriages.
To move as fast as possible, we placed Lord Velysk, the ruler of the border town, in our lead carriage so he could serve as a human passport.
”Don’t be so stiff,” I told the disgruntled lord. “I’ll cover any damages or demands you have later.”
”You better actually be willing to take my people as refugees if The Boltechino1 attacks,” he retorted.
”I know, I know,” I said dismissively.
At a junction where we veered slightly north, we finally released the disgruntled Duke Velysk.
”Sorry for the trouble,” I said.
”This debt is going to be expensive,” he grumbled.
Shortly after passing the junction, we bypassed the fourth-largest city in the Order’s territory, and by the following morning, we reached a point five hundred meters outside Twanste.
I launched the wireless fixed-wing drone, but there was no sign of the Bishop. After switching my consciousness to the Golems, I covered the five hundred meters in a blur, leapt onto the city walls, and vaulted over them with ease. I tore the roofs off the churches and monasteries, yet found nothing. When I captured a few fleeing monks and brought them back for interrogation, they revealed that the Bishop had fled to the city we had passed the day before.
To make matters worse, heavy cavalry and infantry columns were pouring out of the city gates. I handed the Golem controls to Iri and returned to the fixed-wing drone.
”Two hundred heavy cavalry, three hundred infantry. About the same as the Mustopae engagement,” I reported.
”I see someone fleeing from the gate on the far side of the walls, escorted by soldiers,” Thomas noted.
”Did they anticipate an occupation?”
”Probably,” Thomas said. “That means if we crush half of them, the rest will likely break and run.”
”They’re going to come back and hit us later anyway, so let’s thin their numbers now.”
”They’re terrified, so let’s make sure they’re too scared to even think about resisting,” Thomas commanded, his voice cold and procedural. “Break them.”
”Iri, you heard the man,” I said, turning to her. “They’re alone, and there’s no ambush. Go ahead and break them.”
I left the enemy to Iri and turned my attention to the inside of the town. Some people were desperate to escape, while others had given up completely. The ones who surrendered were serfs, laborers who worked the manor2, and a few local merchants, and none of them seemed to have the will to resist.
”Hee-hee-hee! What is this? It’s so light, like I’m flyin’!” Iri squealed, her voice rising in wild delight.
I glanced over at her Golems. They were skipping toward the enemy soldiers, and once they waded into the ranks, they began to dance.
”Hee-hee-hee, this is amazin’!”
The machines spun and stepped, crushing the helpless soldiers beneath their feet.
”Iri, that’s enough. Stop now,” I ordered.
”But they’ve all run away, and there ain’t nobody else movin’!”
”The poor things. It’s the fault of the men who didn’t make them properly into women.”
Iri had been piloting her Type 98, which handled far better than the Type 20, and her joy at its movement had turned into a merciless slaughter of the enemy soldiers, even as the old hags tried to restrain her. Even Thomas and his men looked unsettled.
People always said children who knew no better could be cruel, and as I watched Iri laugh among the dead, I wondered if young girls were no different.
With the enemy gone, our unit entered the walled town. There was no resistance, and there was no sign that the food stores or wells had been poisoned. After confirming that, Thomas ordered the men to secure the monastery’s assets.
”General Thomas,” I asked, “do you intend to hole up here?”
Ignoring Sergei, our stern overseer, I took Iri, the old hags, and a few archers out to bury the dead. By the time I had used all my remaining mana to make the Golems dig a huge hole and finished burying the enemy soldiers Iri had killed, the sky had gone pitch-black. Fires burned in the town square, where the soldiers were eating bread and soup.
”Not Larry, but Your Grace, the Grand Duke,” Sergei said, his tone stiff. “Does the General plan on occupyin’ this place?”
I sat among the soldiers and ate while the Instructor pressed me for an answer.
”Well, we can’t leave here without chargin’ up the Amber for the Golems, can we?”
”That may be so, but…”
If we tried to return from here, we would have to pass through the fourth-ranked town in the Knights’ territory. If the Golems were not working and heavy cavalry attacked us, we would have no chance of surviving. It would take two days for the hags and Iri to recharge the two giant Amber cores.
”Kenze and I are leavin’ tomorrow mornin’ to deliver a letter to Frontier Count Pugachev. What will you do, Instructor?” I whispered, keeping my voice low.
”What is the meanin’ of this?” he demanded.
I held a finger to his lips and guided him down onto the log beside me.
”Thomas is a muscle-head. Once he makes up his mind, he rarely changes it.”
Sergei looked at me, and understanding flickered in his eyes.
”We’ve secured the largest town of the Proton Order, but neither Thomas nor I intend to stop here. After all, they sent assassins to kill our nation’s heavyweights.”
The Instructor looked troubled. “However, the situation with The Boltechino is more pressin’. Moscow, which they annihilated, is closer to Cain than this place is.”
”We must meet with Frontier Count Pugachev, who likely has the most information, and hear what he has to say about why the Empire of Rus was trampled so easily. I do not know how much I can get out of him, but it is necessary to protect our country.”
My voice had risen a little too much.
”That may be true, but if Thomas’s unit stays here and gets crushed by sheer numbers, wouldn’t that jeopardize the survival of our country?”
”That could happen, I suppose. But Thomas isn’t an idiot; he’ll figure somethin’ out.”
Sergei still looked dissatisfied, but once he realized I would not try to rein Thomas in, he sighed and let his shoulders slump.
”More importantly, are you sure you should be here, Instructor?”
”What do you mean?”
”Thomas will state whether he’s stayin’ or returnin’ in two days, once the Amber is charged. Wouldn’t it be better if you weren’t here by then? And if I weren’t here, either?”
The Instructor groaned. His mission was to guard me and stop us from going off the deep end. I pointed out that if he left to guard me, he would not be able to stop Thomas if Thomas went rogue. Given his position, Sergei could not refuse that logic, since Schweilitz’s national interest depended on gathering information about The Boltechino, not babysitting Thomas’s recklessness.
”We’re leavin’ early tomorrow, so I’m gettin’ some sleep.”
I stood up with my dish.
”Hey, what about that girl?” Sergei asked, pointing toward a figure in white robes whose veiled face was hidden as she crossed past the campfire toward Thomas’s tent. “That outfit… those are burial clothes for someone prepared to die.”
”Well, yes, I suppose they are.”
”That’s Thomas’s tent. Is that the kind of thing he’s into?”
”Unforgivable,” the Instructor muttered, his tone darkening. “For a man like a bear to take a defenseless young girl… and to have her wear death robes on top of that? His tastes are disgustin’.”
”There, there. Everyone here is one of Thomas’s subordinates. No matter how strong you are, Instructor, you won’t win against them. Besides, let’s not cross a dangerous bridge just for that man’s judgment.”
”I suppose you’re right. There’s no need to stay here for someone like him.”
The next day at dawn, I left Towenste behind.
”Is there a route where we won’t be spotted by the Proton Order?”
”Of course,” I replied. “I’ve already asked Viscount Velysk.”
About a month later, we arrived at Tsaritsyn, the castle of Frontier Count Pugachev. We had spent the journey tracing the path of The Boltechino and mapping the land from the air. At the entrance, I showed Duke Igor’s letter. After two hours of waiting, we were led through a maze-like castle into a long, narrow hall. At the far end, on a dais, sat a figure in a gorgeous chair.
”This way,” a soldier signaled.
We approached until we stood five meters away.
”Glad you could make it. So, you have a letter from Igor?” the chubby man said, his voice grand and airy.
I knelt and held out the letter. A man in black took it from me and handed it to the Count.
”It is indeed my son’s wax seal,” the Count noted, opening it and reading. “I see. So, Ellie is with child.”
A warrior beside him offered congratulations, while a civil official watched us with suspicion.
”Has a formal marriage been concluded between Lady Ellie and the Grand Duke?”
”How about it, Grand Duke?” the Count asked, his gaze sharpening.
Kenze and Sergei shifted into combat stances as the guards drew their blades.
”I have been granted the authority to wage war, but not the authority for diplomacy,” the Count continued. “In other words, I cannot speak with the Grand Duke without the Emperor’s permission. You understand, don’t you?”
”No, no,” I replied, trying to remain calm. “I merely requested an audience with his father as a friend of Lord Sergei.”
”Do you think such an excuse will work?”
”Isn’t it recognized in Rus that during wartime, officers above the rank of lieutenant can negotiate with military and civil officials of other countries?”
”Hoh. But The Boltechino have already left for the east, haven’t they?”
I looked at Kenze and Sergei, who were braced for a fight against twenty armed men.
”It can’t be helped,” I said, looking back at the Count. “Frontier Count, would you be willing to let these two go?”
”Hoh. You’re quite upright for a Grand Duke.”
”I came prepared to forfeit my rank to my son.”
”I see,” the Count said, his face unreadable. “But I cannot grant that request.”
—
Summary:
The protagonist faces the fallout of an assassination attempt at the ceremony, where the Lord of Yoghess is killed. After establishing the new political order and declaring the founding of the Fee Grand Principality, the protagonist plans a retaliatory strike on the Proton Order in Twanste. As the forces move out and engage the Order, the Bishop escapes, leaving the protagonist to decide how to handle the regrouping enemy forces.
The Grand Duke, Thomas, and their unit successfully secure a town in the Proton Order’s territory, despite the brutal methods used by Iri and her Golems. After burying the enemy dead, the Grand Duke orchestrates a quiet departure with Sergei and Kenze to seek vital intelligence from Frontier Count Pugachev. Upon arrival at Tsaritsyn, their diplomatic maneuver hits a wall when the Frontier Count refuses to negotiate due to the lack of an Imperial mandate, leaving the group in a precarious standoff.
—
Trivia:
The Bishop fled to the fourth-largest town which the group had bypassed previously.
The protagonist uses Type 98 Golems which are ten times more agile than Type 20s.
Major Sonya possesses mind-reading capabilities via physical contact.
The protagonist uses the border Lord Velysk as a human passport to cross territory quickly.
The Type 98 Golem significantly outperforms the Type 20 Golem in combat maneuverability.
Recharging the giant Amber cores for the Golems requires two full days of collective effort.
The Frontier Count Pugachev maintains strict adherence to diplomatic protocol, specifically regarding the Emperor’s authority.
The Grand Duke is actively attempting to mitigate the damage caused by Thomas’s stubborn and reckless command style.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Schweilitz – The nation to which the protagonist is being coerced to return, a kingdom possessing an advanced magic academy and military arsenal. The protagonist fears the execution of a specific person or entity currently trapped there in an unfavorable situation.
• Rus – A neighboring power deeply involved in regional politics and mediation, best known for annexing the Kingdom of Larland.
• Yoghess – A frontier town of about one thousand residents, named after its ruling lineage. Its current lord, who shares the family name with his third son Darius, is a local ruler in the region. He maintains a strained relationship and is currently on bad terms with both Cresare and Mustobe.
• Pamela – A petite, arrogant Elf mage and logistics head at the field hospital, she wears white Gothic Lolita fashion to hide her slave crest. As Larry’s possessive wife, she acts as pragmatic healer, leader, and protective mother. An amber-charging specialist who can suppress consciousness and strip mana, she recently returned from Cain and consults on the Red Flame Ball. She accompanies Thomas, provides logistical support, and navigates ties to Earnest as one of his former women, inherited from his fourth wife. An ally who sleeps near the protagonist after intimacy, she disappears during the Major’s visit before joining him at the lodging.
• Yoghes – An aged figure who acts as a martyr by taking a fatal blow intended for the protagonist.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• Thomas – Thomas Bauer is a hulking, middle-aged former General of the Fee Grand Principality with a wrestler build, red face, and scalp burns. A pragmatic, blunt leader with tactical aggression and a stubborn nature, he orchestrated the revival of the Larland Kingdom as the Queen’s Commander and was a reliable, impulsive confidant to the protagonist, Fee, and Earnest. Now performing administrative desk work in Twanste, he shows signs of fatigue. He is married to Maria, daughter of a former Bishop, and displays emotional vulnerability and attachment to her despite recently engaging in a deadly encounter with her father. With Maria now taken into custody by the Magic Armored Division, he seeks advice regarding future duties and military administration while remaining a contact of the protagonist, currently located at the hospital.
• Al Gildas – The Lord of Yoghes who provides strategic and defensive advice.
• 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.
• Sami – The first Grand Duke of Fee, once positioned to marry into the royal house, now leads a tribe defined by their profound, lingering emotional devotion to the late Lord of Yoghess. Though originally a singular political figure, he and his people are now united by this shared grief and loyalty, forging a distinct identity rooted in their collective memory of their fallen leader.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Rolandas – The high steward of Yoghess and eldest son of Al Gildas, now Minister of Revenue in the Fee Grand Principality, is an articulate, cautious elderly bureaucrat who manages regional trade, industry, and frontier diplomacy. Driven by political ambition, he seeks to secure his family’s legacy by marrying off his daughter, Thiele von Yoghess. Though visibly exhausted after the ordeal, he previously guided the protagonist and mobilized town guards to rescue Thiele following her abduction.
• Roland – Heir to the Canaria throne and Queen Cecile’s younger brother, this dwarf serves as a ship captain. They possess clean, golden-blonde hair identical to the Queen’s, alongside an innocent, beautiful face easily mistaken for a girl, yet they dress in a boy’s formal wear.
• Principal – The mother of Line and the administrative head of the institution. She exercises authoritative control over research assignments and seeks to trade Larry for Ilse Klein due to interpersonal conflicts in her laboratories. The mother of Sabrina and Rhein who intervenes during Rhein’s violent corridor assault to break up the confrontation.
• Fee – Larry Fee Getys, a fifteen-year-old reincarnated youth and titular Duke, heads the Getys household governing Strock Village alongside Hans and Iffens. This pragmatic, telepathic protagonist navigates feudal intrigue and founds a new nation. Supported by family, including Teressa and maid Nico, his high status earns prime whale meat. Connected to Adolf and underworld structures, his lineage name aligns with the protagonist.
• Fourth Sage – A wise, enigmatic, and manipulative elderly figure from Schweilitz known as the Fourth Sage. Serving as a highly perceptive political and magical advisor, they orchestrate the protagonist’s life and residential arrangements. They actively seek advice from Larry while simultaneously insisting on Larry’s crucial participation in the upcoming New Continent mission.
• Fourth – An enigmatic and cunning figure also known as the Fourth Sage. This mysterious entity actively seeks advice from Larry while simultaneously insisting on Larry’s crucial participation in the upcoming New Continent mission.
• Igor – A composed, multilingual Duke of the Bryachislavichi line, son of the Frontier Count, and father of Sergei, this former imperial hostage rules Polotsk as a high-ranking diplomat and Minister of Justice. Calmly manipulative, he oversees political intrigues and funeral arrangements. Wary of Schweilitz, he serves as the protagonist’s mentor, orchestrating their future alongside his trusted butler.
• 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.
• Helbert – Lt. Col. Helbert Ougen-Sigmund is a short, stout, middle-aged Chief of Staff and Royal Army Intelligence official. Often with the Major, he advises the protagonist and orchestrates military strategy alongside Marshal Yan. A pragmatic Schweilitz strategist and jovial tribunal moderator, he manipulates Larland’s politics for stability, acts as Robert’s stern father, and protects the protagonist.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• Sonya – Former Schuberitz Kingdom Major Sonya is a petite, muscular, sharp-eared elf serving as Division Commander of the Magic Armored Division. Youthful yet an elite pilot and serious, sadistic strategist, she uses telepathic mana to monitor communications, toy with Larry as his combat handler, and take custody of Maria. Nonchalant yet protective, she leverages high combat prowess to manage dangerous individuals.
• Kirsi – Formerly the Town Guards Commander of Cain, the newly appointed Minister of State is recognized for her sharp, intimidating demeanor and commanding presence. She transitioned from overseeing the town’s defense to holding a key position in governance, maintaining the same disciplined and formidable approach that defined her leadership within the guards.
• Larry – A dark-haired, 16-year-old Grand Duke, Mage, and field agent, he secretly rules the Fee Grand Principality and leads a golem party. Pragmatic yet confused, he is entangled in regional geopolitical, military, and religious conflicts. Despite craving a simple life, he navigates political and sexual affairs, balancing power struggles, military reform, and the demands of his four wives and children.
• Frontier – A local noble who governs a territory in the Empire of Rus, possessing sharp diplomatic instincts and a cautious approach to the magical weaponry of his enemies.
• Pugachev – The aging, short, and chubby Frontier Count of Rus manages the fortress city of Tsaritsyn with a pragmatic, unrefined demeanor. Often seen in an oversized crown, this powerful, deceitful figure oversees a massive military force, fathered Igor, and is Ellie’s grandfather. Fiercely prioritizing imperial protection, he remains loyal to the Emperor and is not currently seeking independence.
• Reinhardt – The protagonist’s eldest son and heir is a golden-haired, blue-eyed infant who has since left his parent’s hometown. Currently cared for by his aunt (the protagonist’s sister-in-law), the baby is designated by Helbert as the future Grand Duke. As the central focus of inheritance, he carries major political expectations and is destined to assume all of his father’s responsibilities.
• Cain – A remote town serves as the home base for a Grand Duke—the protagonist concerned for his son and world politics—and his loyal Minister of State, a revered former town guard commander. Once a stronghold for Marque’s supporters, this settlement is now centered around the Duke’s estate, acting as a crucial hub for the enemy, geopolitical mapping operations, and intense political negotiations.
• Velysk – A Border Count and Lord of a border town whose territory serves as a transit point.
• Boltechino – A group or entity that has departed from Rus.
• Iri – A capable thirteen-year-old Yoghess girl with high Mana potential, this former captive-turned-golem operator serves as Larry’s associate and a reluctant mapping expedition member. Previously encountered by Earnest, she works as a fisherman and steward’s daughter. Beneath her innocent, soft-featured exterior lies a detached cruelty, piloting Type 20 and 98 Golems with manic ecstasy against enemies.
• Sergei – The second son of Duke Igor and Finance Minister of the provisional Kingdom Office, this aged, disciplined martial arts master serves as a principled instructor, bodyguard, and advisor. Outwardly blunt yet protective, he is often stressed by his charges’ recklessness. Known to Chulpan from a past encounter, he now accompanies the group to manage Thomas’s wife, balancing his noble identity with their safety.
• Amber – An object or entity that receives mana infusion from Pamela, serving as a vital source of Mana to power the Golems.
• Kenze – A blunt, muscular, dark-skinned Amazonian warrior and former Tashkurgan agent travels as a Frontier Count’s subordinate and the Grand Duke’s protector. Wearing a niqab and slave crest, this fierce guardian speaks casually with the protagonist and travels with Earnest’s group to manage Thomas’s wife. Oblivious to social shifts after sleeping, she fiercely protects allies like Teressa and Larry.
• Ellie – The youngest daughter of Duke Igor of Bryachislavichi and granddaughter of the Frontier Count, she is a refined, composed, and assertive noblewoman. Currently with child by the protagonist, she holds significant influence over political favors. A highly attentive figure, she maintains a clear romantic attachment to the protagonist and possesses high social status confirmed by royal gifts.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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