Volume 4 Chapter 55 Hard Play
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The Izumo had set sail from Tete, the royal capital of the Dwarf Kingdom of Kush. Riding the current down the Sanbeji River, it reached Manika Valley by evening.
Beyond this point, the temperature and humidity would rise. The incense smoke could not keep away mosquitoes and flies. At night, you couldn’t light a lamp to protect yourself from poisonous snakes. It was going to be an uncomfortable place.
Others must have thought the same thing. Two medium-sized dhows from the sea and a local river sailboat were anchored in a cove just before the valley.
It was the same everywhere. Wherever ships stopped, merchant boats gathered.
At first, the small boats kept away from the Izumo, maybe sensing something strange about it, and gathered around the other, more local-looking ships.
After we had been at anchor for a while, one of them came closer, probably having had no luck with the others. A thin Black couple with a child were on board, shouting and waving at us, trying to sell their goods. I didn’t understand any of it.
”They’re selling incense,” Darran Su—who had served as our pilot on the return journey as well—explained.
From the bridge, I watched as one of the off-duty Poles bought a bag of incense from the family.
During our stay, I got money from the Kingdom for my lectures at the Academy—enough that the crew could have fun in the Royal Capital. To stop bad feelings toward the captain proxy, I shared it among them. The coins were local money.
Pole had Rafaela with him, his childhood friend he had bought free, so he hadn’t gone to the brothel. Or rather, he couldn’t go. Maybe that meant he still had plenty of spending money left.
When the other merchant boats saw that, they swarmed the Izumo.
Even though they could only talk with hand signs, the crew bought quite a lot—probably thinking the local coins wouldn’t be much use elsewhere.
Then Roland, the head of the bridge crew, bought something from one of the boats. He also had… tastes that had nothing to do with brothels. Maybe he had money to spare too.
”What did he buy?” I asked Darran.
”Probably medicine,” he said.
I asked what the other boats were selling. Edible nuts, fruit, grains like millet, alcohol, oil, firewood, dried fish and meat, smoked goods, and so on. There were also souvenir crafts—wooden carvings and charms, though they weren’t Dwarven work.
Curious, I used my captain-proxy power to bring Darran down to the deck.
”What did you buy?” I asked Roland, who was happily opening a box to inspect its contents.
”A stimulant tonic. I’ll share some with you later,” he told me telepathically.
He explained it was powdered coffee beans mixed with various herbs. So the active ingredient was caffeine. More stimulant than tonic, really.
”Fredys .”
Roland called out to Fredys —the deck crew foreman—who was holding hands with the boy who helped out in the Maintenance Department.
These two foremen were competent—indispensable to the ship—but their tastes were… problematic. Roland was what you might call gay. Fredys was into boys. The boy holding Fredys’s hand was apparently involved with both of them. Though not a married family, the three shared a room.
They were looking into the box Roland had bought, talking with smiles. They had their own world over there, I guessed. I looked away, not wanting to think about it.
Before I knew it, Katarina was calling and waving toward the medicine boat that had sold to Roland. I decided not to watch that either. She was on night watch tonight—and starting tomorrow, with the mosquitoes, there would be no time for fun anyway.
I watched the back and forth between sellers and buyers for a while. One boat stood out, completely left alone.
”That one?”
”Probably an oil seller. Quite popular locally,” Darran said.
I felt a little bad that everyone else was selling while he wasn’t, so I had Darran call him over.
When I asked to see his goods, a tall Black man reached out and gave me a small jar. I knew what was inside the moment I held it.
Sesame oil.
”If it’s fresh, you can use it for skin conditions, burns, or cuts. Drink it, and it’ll help with constipation. You can also use it as cooking oil, and once it goes bad, it works as lamp oil,” Darran translated.
The seller was saying something else.
”It’s also said to make your skin smoother and prevent wrinkles,” Darran added.
I was about to get some coins to buy some, when Gida, the department head, appeared at my side, showing her own coins and shouting in Schweilitz that she’d take everything they had.
Well, even if she was older, she was still a woman. Sailing under the sun, you got tanned whether you liked it or not. Not wanting to push too hard, I moved to another seller, thinking I’d buy whatever was left.
The elderly couple had souvenirs.
Rough wooden carvings of warriors with shields and spears, meant as good luck charms. Also, naked male and female dolls with sticking-out chins on bases. These were more finely carved and well-polished. Both had very large private parts. I’d seen this design before.
The stainless steel dolls I got as a gift from the King. The difference was the body shape. The wooden ones were tall and thin. The steel ones were short and thick.
”Are these…?”
”You’ve noticed. They’re what you might call adult toys,” Darran confirmed.
That made sense.
Eventually dusk fell, and the small boats gradually disappeared.
In the end, I bought the warrior charm and the male and female dolls—the seller gave me a discount for buying them together. No hidden reasons.
Also two unglazed jars of sesame oil, about three hundred milliliters each. And a box of the stimulant tonic—I bought that because I’d been a coffee addict in my past life. This young body didn’t need that kind of boost.
Back on the bridge, I wrote in the logbook. When I went to the dining hall, the place was loud.
”Quite lively in here,” I said, taking my tray to the officers’ table.
I asked Tatyana, the only one still sitting there. She’d been in the bridge until just now, performing maintenance on the |fixed-wing drone| she hadn’t been able to access until the final day in Tete. Katarina had taken over the night watch.
”They’re all going to take the stimulant tonic and, well, do their best tonight,” she said, barely suppressing a laugh.
”Everyone’s young. Do they really need it?”
”That’s rich, coming from you, Captain Proxy,” she said.
Right. This body only looked sixteen.
”Besides, we’re going home now. I think some of it’s just excitement,” she added, narrowing her eyes with her own happiness.
I felt the same—but I was still struggling with the return route.
I hadn’t decided yet whether to go back the way we came or take the west coast of the Southern Continent. My basic Geography B knowledge told me that up to the equator, the currents and winds along the west coast would be good. Past that, not so much. The currents and winds changed direction.
The route we had come—we would face bad currents until we reached the Red Sea. Once inside, there was almost no current, and the wind should be from the west—no problem. Fredys had told me that even in the Inland Sea, the currents and wind were fine.
The problem was the Suez Canal. We had to get ready for another fight with the Barbadia Pirates. And even after entering the Inland Sea, we had sunk Barbarossa and Charle’s ships, so there could be more fights.
I didn’t want to think about it, but we also had to consider the Michea Empire showing up with their Red Flame Ball.
Who even knew what was happening with Palermo? The Michea Empire’s forces might have gotten back together. In a fight, we’d use a lot of coal and asphalt. We’d need water for steam, too. And we had no places to restock.
Maybe I should go north on the west coast. If needed, we could cross to America and ride the Gulf Stream. Then we could reach the Celt Kingdom without using the Craft Engine. But… it was too much of a risk.
”Captain Proxy, Fredys, why don’t you take a sip?”
I was lost in thought when one of the deck crew came over with a wooden tea canister. Was this…?
”Come on, come on,” he insisted, sprinkling a teaspoon of the stimulant tonic into my half-drunk ale.
Oh dear.
From Darran’s explanation, the main ingredient was caffeine. It probably wouldn’t have much effect in that area—but I didn’t want to be kept awake.
Well, what the hell.
The smell? Faint coffee, but more earthy.
It probably wasn’t the same as that biting-eel powder. I drank the whole thing.
”How is it?” Tatyana asked.
It wasn’t the kind of thing that worked right away.
”With the biting-eel, I felt a warmth in my back right away. This is different. Maybe wait thirty minutes and see.”
”I-I see. Then I’ll pass,” she said.
That was the normal reaction.
We talked for a bit. Then the partiers paired up and left the dining hall.
”I think I should—” Tatyana said, and excused herself.
Time for me to go too. I stood up—and my lower body had become stiff.
”Wh-what, it worked,” I muttered.
I walked a bit bent over back to my room. Pamela was there. Which was fine—but I had been late, and she already had the bed, lying on her side, mouth open, fast asleep.
”Tch. Drooling,” I said.
Seeing that, I was aroused.
I scooped her saliva with my finger and tasted it. Almost flavorless—but the act itself excited me further.
I turned Pamela on her side, facing me. She mumbled but didn’t wake. Even when I pinched her nose, she just opened her mouth.
I hurriedly exposed myself and pressed my rigid, fully swollen member against her open mouth.
”Ow!” I yelped.
”What have you gone and done, you fool?!” she snapped.
At my push, a startled Pamela bit down. My glans was scraped, and a thin trickle of blood seeped out.
The effects of the tonic went away right away. I got a little soft.
”This much will stop bleeding soon enough with pressure,” she said, taking my now softened, wounded glans between her fingers. “But even if it stops, tonight’s a no-go, isn’t it? I’ll take care of you later.”
In about five minutes, the bleeding stopped.
Now that I thought about it, sesame oil was supposed to be good for cuts too.
Remembering that, I pulled out the bottle I’d bought.
”They say this works on cuts too—worth a shot.”1
I pulled the wooden stopper, and the room filled with the scent of sesame oil.
”Not a bad smell, but a bit strong, love,” she said.
I let a single drop fall onto the glans.
No pain. No reaction whatsoever.
Pamela dipped her finger in the oil that was about to drip off the tip and licked it.
”Richer than olive oil, I’d say,” she remarked.
Well, it did have a strong smell and was very thick. Besides, Pamela didn’t seem to know what sesame oil was.
I poured some from the bottle into my hand—it was quite dark.
Was this roasted sesame? Pretty elaborate for a place like the Frontier.
Pamela grabbed my hand and ran her tongue over the remaining sesame oil.
That gesture was erotic.
’What, are we starting already?’ I asked.
’Aye, quiet now, love. Just savor the mood, at least,’ she replied.
After our telepathic exchange, Pamela stripped off her clothes, and I hurriedly got fully naked too.
We held each other. Pamela had a small body, so I couldn’t feel any breast curve, but the contact of our skin made my head buzz with excitement.
As we tangled our tongues, an idea struck me.
”Pamela-san, are you interested in a ddo?” I asked.
”A counterfeit c**k, is it? Might be good to have one tonight,” she said.
I see.
Having said that, I pulled away and showed her the male and female dolls I’d just bought today.
”Oh, a bit long, isn’t it?” she observed.
She reached for the female doll and took it, sniffing it and stroking it.
In that case, I opened the box I’d received from the King today.
”Which do you prefer?” I asked.
I took out the stainless steel doll to show her. This one was about two-thirds the length of the wooden doll, but a good twenty to thirty percent thicker.
”Oh, I prefer this one myself. A bit thick, but…” she said, taking the stainless steel doll.
I told her it was the one I’d gotten from the King.
”Oh, this is…” she murmured.
As she held the stainless steel doll and examined it from all angles, Pamela seemed to have spotted something.
”Look here,” she said.
I looked where she was pointing—not at the tip, but at the chin’s “Rhein”—there were black nodes there. There were also black nodes on the eyes, n**ples, crown, and the Rhein on the inside of the shoulder blades.
”There’s a black Rhein on the base—or rather, the handle, right?” I noted.
”Could it be…” she began.
”Yes—mana flows through it. Those guys, like Elf Mages, are born mages, after all,” I replied.
I see. Of course, mana would be used for that.
That was interesting. I took the male doll out of the box and tried channeling mana into it.
I discovered that the points of connection differed depending on which Rhein on the handle I used. The top Rhein connected to the black node on the doll’s crown, the next to the eyes and chin, then the n**ples and shoulder blades—and for the male doll, the tip of the p**is. They were grouped accordingly.
”Shall we play a little?” I asked, grabbing the male doll and smiling.
Pamela gave me a look that said, “Well, there’s nowt for it, is there?”
I slowly brought the doll’s head toward the tiny n**ple perched on her flat chest.
”Right from the start, huh?” she said, her smile faltering.
The moment the doll’s tip touched her, the mana I had been holding rushed through—and I heard a silent scream.
”Next, your armpit. Raise your arm,” I instructed.
”No—I can’t, pet! I can’t keep still!” she protested.
Fine then. I took a set of metal restraints from the box the King had given me. A metal collar with metal cuffs linked by chains. They were well-polished and wouldn’t leave scratches, but since they were metal, I still had to be careful.
”Did the King give you even that?” she asked.
”Yeah, after my lectures at the Engineering Academy, the King and I would often get into talks about this kind of thing,” I replied as I fastened the collar.
Pamela didn’t fight back, and when my skin touched hers, I could tell from her mind that she was very excited.
”I’ve heard that dwarf women are almost all lecherous and demand it multiple times a night,” I said.
”And so these things?” she asked.
”That’s what they say. The King apparently can go twice a day himself, but he’s got over twenty widows in his harem,” I explained, attaching the cuffs.
The chains from the collar to the cuffs were short, leaving her armpits exposed.
”They say he’d die young if he actually tried to satisfy them all properly,” I continued.
”The King can’t very well die young, can he? The women need to show some restraint too,” she replied.
”But they say it’s not that simple. That’s why all sorts of tools were developed,” I said.
The advancement of metal technology might very well have come from such circumstances.
”What other kinds are there?” she asked.
There were many restraints, and also many anal-related items.
”This one’s amazing, right?” I said, pulling out a stainless steel syringe-type enema device with a capacity of about a liter.
Inside the outer tube, a piston went through several discs that fit almost perfectly against the inner wall. It not only stopped backflow without rubber, but could also be sterilized by boiling after use. It was no lie to say it showed the best of dwarven metalwork.
Also, a metal anal ball that could change depth through mana control. A heavy rose whip with metal bits in it. Forceps and needles for piercings. When a woman married, it was normal to put piercings in the clitoris, and royalty and nobles who had many wives always had their own sets.
”I hear you’re the Grand Principality’s founding ancestor. I can’t take any more wives myself, so I’ll give you my spare,” she said.
I couldn’t very well refuse, so I gratefully accepted.
I had heard that since dwarves had strong bodies, play often got hardcore. The rose whip with metal bits was just the start. Surprisingly, they also did needle play.
Even in my previous life, needle play was quite niche—I’d barely even seen it in videos.
But what really impressed me was how the dwarves took care of aftercare for hardcore play. The box also had ointments and medicines to stop infection, and during my talks with the King, we often discussed sterilization with high-proof alcohol, boiling, and flame.
”I’ll stick with just this much, thank you,” she said, seeming to back down despite her tough demeanor.
”Kai certainly seemed sturdy, and if their s*x drive is that strong, I guess it makes sense,” I observed.
”Well, they also have high regenerative abilities. Even burns that would leave keloids on humans or Elf Mages heal cleanly given time. I can’t say I don’t understand,” she replied.
I see.
”Well then, shall we get started?” I said, holding up the stainless steel doll.
”Huh, now? Already?” she asked.
”What, you’re plenty wet, and you’re clearly in the mood,” I said.
With a resigned “Well, there’s nowt for it,” she parted her legs.
It seemed the doll was indeed a bit too thick for Pamela—it took time to work it in.
—
Summary:
The Izumo anchors at Manika Valley where merchant boats swarm the ship, and the captain proxy observes his crew’s purchases including a stimulant tonic. After distributing pay to prevent discontent, he buys sesame oil, fertility dolls, and the tonic himself, only to experience its unexpected effects later that night. When he attempts to act on his arousal with Pamela, she bites him, deflating both his body and the comedic tension.
The protagonist and Pamela explore dwarven erotic implements, discovering that mana flows through them via black nodes called “Rhein.” Pamela’s Kansai-ben dialect is mapped to Northern English working-class speech, while the protagonist maintains a neutral American voice. The scene concludes with the protagonist preparing to use the stainless steel doll on Pamela, who is both reluctant and aroused.
—
Trivia:
The protagonist’s past-life coffee addiction drives his purchase of the stimulant tonic, which he identifies as caffeine-based.
Darran Su served as pilot on both the outward and return journeys, providing local knowledge and translation.
Roland and Fredys share a room with a young boy from Maintenance, forming an unconventional living arrangement.
The wooden fertility dolls resemble stainless steel dolls previously gifted by the King, but differ in body type.
Gida buys all the sesame oil for its skincare benefits, shouting in Schweilitz language.
The protagonist is still undecided between returning via the Red Sea route or the Southern Continent’s west coast.
The biting-eel powder is referenced as a previous substance with immediate physical effects, contrasting with the slower-acting tonic.
Pamela’s bite draws blood and causes physical injury, not just comedic deflation.
The Red Flame Ball and Michea Empire remain potential threats on the return journey.
The Suez Canal and Barbadia Pirates are noted as significant hazards requiring preparation.
Pamela’s speech patterns include archaic markers like “のう,” “じゃ,” and “わ,” which are localized as Northern English working-class dialect.
The “Rhein” are magical conduits that allow mana to flow through the dolls and implements.
The protagonist is the founding ancestor of the Grand Principality.
Dwarves have high regenerative abilities and a culture of hardcore play with extensive aftercare.
The King has a harem of over twenty widows and uses various tools to manage his sexual obligations.
The Engineering Academy is where the protagonist studied and befriended The King.
Needle play and piercing are part of dwarven marital customs.
The stainless steel doll is about two-thirds the length of the wooden doll but twenty to thirty percent thicker.
Pamela’s resistance is performative, as her mind-reading reveals she is highly aroused.
The author’s note indicates this is a supplementary scene to add dwarf erotica that was previously absent.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Izumo – The iron-hulled primary vessel, named and personified as a character herself, who loyally carries the protagonist and his crew throughout their journey.
• Darran – A knowledgeable Dwarf pilot for the Izumo who served on the return journey, acting as a local informant and guide. He refuses handshakes with technology-holders due to Dwarven customs regarding telepathy. Well-versed in regional geography, fishing, currents, trade, and customs, he translates merchant speech and explains local goods. Before departing, the crew thanks him and gives him gifts.
• Pole – An orphaned Celt soldier and anxious Izumo sail-handler, this youthful, enthusiastic deck crew member rows the landing boat and guides Earnest and the protagonist. Proficient in Turku and local terrain, he is a loyal, gossipy aide seeking his first love’s freedom. He takes charge during tasks like the marlin hunt and initiates activities, having left behind a gambling past.
• Rafaela – Pole’s childhood friend and first love from Palermo, now a fish preparer, is a ruling-class intermediary who was captured by pirates and sold into slavery. Though currently expecting a child, she remains silent and staunchly rejects Pole’s attempts to purchase her freedom, viewing his persistent gambling habits as an insurmountable barrier to reconciliation.
• Roland – The Izumo’s Dwarf bridge squad leader is a competent, cautious, and indispensable navigator responsible for weather assessment and technical sailing advice. He once impressed passengers with a reverse docking maneuver. Identifiable by his practical nature, he is gay and lives with Fredys and a young boy. He uses telepathy, once explaining his purchase of a stimulant tonic through it.
• Ed – A lanky refugee youth in simple farmer’s garb, Larry’s close friend and fierce protector is now a Military Academy student making claims about the Poll Tax and mortality. Formerly an associate of Captain Bours, he witnessed the Mauer Village skirmish, fled to Strock Village, and joined the militia to train spear-walls and ambush mercenaries, remembered for his quiet resolve to survive.
• Fredys – Izumo’s pragmatic section chief and deck foreman reports to the acting captain. Carrying a clipboard, this experienced coastal sailor handles logistics, discipline, and captives with blunt, military crispness. Despite a past with slavery and social awkwardness, she’s an indispensable advisor. Related to the Ullmans via uncle Torge, she lives with Roland and a maintenance assistant.
• Katarina – A voluptuous, 30-year-old Izumo flight squad leader, Chief Researcher, and volatile telepathic Mage with mission authority. While maintaining formal decorum, she serves on night watch, handles drone operations under strict no-launch orders, and is a playful, sexually confident partner to the protagonist. Intense and complex, she pressures subordinates, wants to mercy-kill Larry, advocates for Gida’s promotion, and shows keen interest in a medicine boat’s stimulant tonic.
• Schweilitz – This kingdom, featuring towering academy spires and a full military arsenal of Royal Army troops, forces the protagonist to return. Ruled by a king involved in a hostage exchange, this political power holds a captive feared for execution. It also ordered the confirmation of Princess Rosa’s corpse, driving a scheme that the Queen has caught onto.
• Gida – The Izumo’s disciplined Maintenance Department Chief is a pragmatic, disheveled former finance bureaucrat who stepped down from captaincy to avoid leadership burdens. Outwardly insolent yet meticulously controlling, this older department head manages crew logistics, uses sesame oil for skincare, and once shouted in Schweilitz to buy it all. She clashes with Daran and initially resisted hiring Raphael.
• 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.
• Tatyana – A 31-year-old divorced mother and Magic Academy Assistant Professor, this former 101st Golems Battalion mage is the pragmatic Torpedo Department Head aboard the Izumo. She maintains military decorum, anchoring crew morale during storms, yet bluntly presses for solutions to get home. She is loyal to her Captain, intimately bonded with roommate Katarina, and serves as Larry’s superior.
• Captain – The middle-aged commanding officer of the Izumo is outwardly calm, experienced, and traditional, masking a ruthless, pragmatic leader who prioritizes vessel survival over subordinates and civilians. While rarely reprimanding his men, he will execute deserters. Bebel reports directly to him, holding orders to return to Kure should the protagonist fail to return from their mission.
• Barbarossa – A naval combatant engaged by the ship.
• Charle – A mercenary and faction captain from Great Qin, referenced in passing. Associated with a group of remnants, their flagship and crew were involved in the conflict, during which their ship was targeted.
• Palermo – A target location where a battle and reparations negotiation took place.
• Celt – In his twenties, this former tenant farmer and 303rd Unit militia leader is now a pragmatic, calculating Deputy Commander of the Town Guards—equivalent to a sergeant or officer—overseeing Strock Village’s fortifications. Dressed in simple work clothes, he quietly admires Teressa-san’s skill and serves as the village’s trusted gossip source, having earned his land with reward money. Once a sandal-maker and translator of Bours’s jargon, he maintains a careful working relationship with Larry while balancing political interests, embodying calm kindness beneath his disciplined exterior.
• Ho – Ho is the family name of Oliver, a 17-year-old deck crew member and comrade of the protagonist. As a member of the military unit that defended Garao Village, the young man was ultimately murdered during a night watch, slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Tim – Jarek Dvorak, 14, the village’s eldest son and recent graduate, has short dark hair, a lean build and thoughtful eyes. He arrived in Obernbach with his father, watches the Golem’s arrival with trepidation, and, as a sugar‑beet cultivator from a family that refines sugar, boasts of pleasures in the district. A carefree, slightly reckless friend of Larry’s.
• Ti – A component of the name of the Port Administrator.
• Pamela – A diminutive dwarf woman with a youthful, flat-chested appearance, this Engine Department leader speaks in an archaic, rural register. A drowsy mage skilled in telepathy and mana manipulation, she is a warm mentor and partner to the protagonist. She balances motherly support with blunt authority, though she will bite if propositioned while asleep, later offering to take care of him.
• Pam – An escort to the protagonist who is observant and loyal.
• 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.
• Rhein – A male military officer aboard a ship who navigates complex social hierarchies while managing his crew. Formerly a student of Hoffman purchased at a slave market, he now balances his position with his status as a master to several women.
• Elf Mage – Elf mage and shut-in engineer who stands watch in the engine department, managing the ship’s boilers. They are highly reclusive, irritable, and fiercely resistant to any orders coming from the Torpedo Department.
• Mage – Elf mage and shut-in engineer who stands watch in the engine department, managing the ship’s boilers. They are highly reclusive, irritable, and fiercely resistant to any orders coming from the Torpedo Department.
• Elf – A reclusive, middle-aged mage who lives as a shut-in aboard the ship, where he tends to the boilers. He uses his own conjured fireballs to generate heat for the vessel and maintains a keen interest in studying the properties of asphalt as a potential fuel source.
• 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.
• Kai – An ash-covered, 20-year-old Dwarf Mage and Bridge Leader accompanying Roland. Recognizable by her translucent white hands, sturdy body, and high regenerative resilience, she has a strong sex drive and unstable mana lower than Maria’s. A capable Izumo crew member and peerless combat mentor with a mysterious past, she loves teasing protagonist Rhein and fueling a romantic betting pool.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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