episode_0065

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The sky was dark.

Even within the barrier made of darkness, the sky is visible.

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The curtain was built quite high, but it did not block the sky. So when you look up, you can see the stars that decorate the night sky.

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I stared at the twinkling stars, and when I looked down, I still saw the stars.

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A star-shaped ornament is visible in Chloe’s hair.

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Is it because of that accessory?

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No, that won’t be the case.

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Rather… because she shines.

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Chloe Deminus, she resembles a star.

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Star child.

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Descendants of the warriors blessed by the stars.

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There was also a heroine who knew my true identity.

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Now she looks at me with eyes that are a little darker and brighter than her hair color. Me, shrouded in darkness and gloomy magic… .

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Chloe’s straight, untainted gaze pierced through me. It seemed as if she was staring at my true self, hidden in the darkness and behind my armor and helmet.

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It wasn’t a smiling face, an angry face, or a sad face.

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It was just a serious, determined, and determined look on his face.

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I was ashamed to face that sight, that face that revealed her honest and pure emotions.

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untruth.

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Compared to her, I am… a falsely consistent person.

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Because I’m not a heroine like you, a heroine-like woman… a woman that everyone likes.

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Because the only path I take is death and revenge… .

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“Beatrice… .”

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It would be understandable if you made a disgusted expression on your face, as if you were looking at a bad villain, but why on earth are you looking at me with that kind of expression?

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“……”

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He raised both hands and grabbed the helmet without saying a word.

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Swish-

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As I lifted my helmet, I felt my long hair swaying. My hair brushing my cheek made me feel very ticklish.

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No, actually, it was the situation that made me ticklish more than the sensation on my skin. It was a ticklish mixture of embarrassment, shame, anxiety, and fear.

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I didn’t have the heart to deny it.

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Intuition.

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I had that feeling. It would be no use denying it. I’d already, already… been caught.

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Because I showed her the power of the royal family twice without her knowing… three times if you include just now…

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My eyes, and the eyes of the royal family that emit a turquoise light… have already been seen.

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So it’s useless.

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The real me is revealed, hidden behind a plausible noble lady named ‘Beatrice de Dahlia’, hidden inside a helmet.

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It is I who face the shame of being naked.

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Princess Trixie Green.

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This is the moment when the descendant of the warrior faces the heroine.

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*

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“As expected… It was Beatrice.”

“That’s right.”

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I answered Chloe, who was still looking at me with a blank expression.

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“I am the unknown- the royal family the sect was looking for.”

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There is no hesitation.

Now, at this moment, when your face is revealed.

Every action, every gesture, every word is lethal.

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“The moment I met those eyes, I felt it… I had a feeling that maybe… .”

“Are you surprised?”

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Her answer will determine where our conversation ends.

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“Yeah, a little bit… .”

“So how are you feeling now?”

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Maybe I should kill the heroine, my friend.

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“…I don’t know.”

“……”

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Many lives have already been lost.

The blood on these hands never dried.

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Revenge… I have to stop Theo’s screams that I hear every night… .

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That is the atonement I can make, the punishment I bring upon myself.

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“Do I look scary to you too?”

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So killing one more person won’t make a difference.

Because it’s something I was going to do anyway and something I had to do.

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therefore….

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Ssuk-

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The summoned spear of flame blazed.

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It moves little by little according to my gestures.

So that it can be shot at Chloe at any time… .

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“Can you answer…?”

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So killing you is nothing.

I can kill anyone to keep their mouths shut!

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“Sad.”

“!?”

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It was an unexpected answer.

I couldn’t help but open my eyes wide at Chloe’s answer. It was such a bewildering answer.

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“…Beatrice, it’s so sad that you have to hide your identity and be hated by everyone.”

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I just sat there blankly listening to her.

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“Why are you a royal? Why do you have to live with such a sad face and mask?”

“……”

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Chloe spoke sobbing, as if she were about to burst into tears at any moment.

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I remembered the night we sparred on the rooftop of the first-class dorm. The night I shot her and made her cry… .

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“There must be some reason. Right!?”

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As I watched him speak, holding the hand opposite the one holding the sword tightly to the center of his chest, other memories came to mind.

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-Do you have a story? Then tell me slowly later.

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I remember the first time I was caught by the royal family and got fooled around at a sandwich shop.

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Even at that time, Chloe didn’t ask any more questions because she was worried that I would get embarrassed. She might have been curious, but she just let it go.

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Because Chloe has a kind heart, because she is considerate, because she is a warm and kind person… .

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Unlike me.

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shit.

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Why this memory of all things-!

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“You don’t know.”

“Be, Beatrice… .”

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The more she approached me warmly, the more she extended her delicate hand with her lovely face-

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I act cold.

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Because I didn’t want my weakness to be revealed.

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“Now that you know my true identity, I can’t just leave you alone.”

“I, I-! I won’t tell anyone about you.”

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Tears welled up in Chloe’s eyes.

She barely suppressed her agitated emotions and answered bluntly.

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“I have no choice but to confront you, Chloe.”

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widely-!

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I snapped my fingers.

Five fire lances surrounded Chloe. The blazing flames illuminated Chloe’s tears that were soon flowing down her cheeks.

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“Fight back. Otherwise, you will get hurt a lot. Descendant of the warrior… .”

“Oh, ugh…! Beatrice-”

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Chloe dropped the sword she was holding on the floor.

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Clang-

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“!”

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To be exact, he didn’t drop it, he just let go of the sword.

The sound of the iron chunk hitting the floor rang loudly in my ears.

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I can’t believe it.

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“What, what are you doing?”

“Beatrice, I don’t want to fight with you… .”

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Again-

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Chloe took each step forward.

He walked forward, wiping away the tears streaming down his cheeks with his free hands after letting go of his sword.

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“Pick up the sword… and fight-!!!”

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I screamed in surprise.

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But unlike the nervous screaming… .

I ended up putting away the spears I had pointed at Chloe, fearing that she would touch the blazing flames as she approached me.

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“Otherwise I will-”

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I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut, trying to hide my embarrassment and shouting.

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Warak-

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I could feel Chloe’s body temperature in my arms.

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Her slender body was as light as a refreshing breeze, but it was unstoppable.

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Her heart was heavy like a surge of waves, so she couldn’t stop it.

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I can’t shake it off.

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Chloe’s determination as she stepped towards me through the spear of flame aimed at me… .

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Because I felt sincerity.

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“I don’t want to fight, I don’t want to fight-!!”

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He hugs me and wraps his arms around my shoulders, squeezing the hand that’s holding me tighter.

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“Why, why do we have to fight… .”

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Chloe’s hand pinching my shoulder didn’t hurt.

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“Tell me, Beatrice. About you… Why does it have to be this way… Sob-”

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But because of Chloe burying her face in my arms and sobbing, and because of the sight of Chloe soon sobbing loudly-

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As I watched Chloe mumble something, her tongue twisted and her pronunciation slurred…

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My heart ached.

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*

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Chloe cried loudly on my chest for a long time.

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Her tears did not seep into me because of the cold armor.

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But the voice that pierced through the armor, clashing with the sound of my heartbeat, seeped into me, stimulating my insides with sobs.

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All I can do is-

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All I could do was raise my hand and stroke her head.

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It was a shame that I couldn’t give him a warm touch because of the gloves and armor I was wearing.

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I can only hope that my warmth will be transmitted to her through the cold metal and gloves… .

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I thought of Younghee.

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It overlapped with the memory of stroking Younghee’s head when she was held in his arms before the ice rink.

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however.

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It was a strange thing.

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The excitement I felt back then was gone.

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The thrill of my heart pounding and my nerves tensing up was no longer felt.

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A woman’s scent transmitted through her hair – body odor is stimulating. It should be stimulating. At least that’s how I remember it.

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however….

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But why is it nothing now?

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All I feel now is sadness and bitterness.

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It may sound like trash to say this, but Chloe is definitely dozens of times prettier and more beautiful than Younghee. No matter how pretty Younghee was, she was just like a typical college student.

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Chloe, the novel’s heroine, is such a dazzling beauty that it’s a shame to compare her to Yeong-hee.

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So, wouldn’t it be normal for Chloe, who was defenselessly held in my arms, to feel more thrilled and excited at this moment?

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It’s really strange… .

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Sniff-

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“My father always said… .”

“…?”

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Although the sobbing was still audible, Chloe had calmed down enough that she was finally able to speak humanly.

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“Don’t run into the royal family. You shouldn’t run into them.”

“…Why?”

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He speaks with his face buried in my chest, unable to look me in the eye.

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“This is a big deal… .”

“What’s the big deal?”

“Mo, I don’t know. He said he’d tell me when he grew up.”

“……”

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What could it have been?

I felt uneasy, but I pretended not to notice.

There was a corner that was bothering me, but I ignored it.

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“But one day, the royal family disappeared, and there was no need to meet them, and there was no need to know them… .”

“…I see.”

“He said that and then he became incredibly sad.”

“You were sad?”

“Yeah. For a long time.”

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Suddenly a brilliant idea occurred to me.

It was a feeling that crossed my mind.

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“I, I think I know a little bit. Why did my father say that?”

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Only then did Chloe raise her head and look up at me.

Her moist, tear-filled eyes looked so lovely.

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… .

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That was it.

Like seeing a cute puppy. Oh, so cute. That’s it.

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Why is it so pretty…?

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“Beatrice, when I look at you… when I just look into your turquoise eyes… I get so sad.”

“……”

“I can’t control this feeling, this sadness… .”

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That’s quite a meaningful statement.

But I feel nothing.

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I just thought that if I played along, I could use her feelings to help end the situation.

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“Chloe-”

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The moment I was about to speak to her after much thought.

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Tsk-tsk!

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I heard the sound of the barrier splitting apart.

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A scream was heard from beyond the slowly cracking barrier.

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“Chloe!!!”

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It was a thick, booming voice.

The voice of a man, of a sword.

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I held back what I was going to say to Chloe and put my mask back on.

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A mask called Unknown.

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He put on the Green Emperor’s helmet and prepared to meet him.

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… .

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More than the moment Chloe was held in my arms, more than the moment when the beautiful heroine looked into my eyes while sobbing, this moment, right now-

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thud-

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You who are approaching us without hesitation.

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You, who broke through the barrier blocking my path and came to me anyway.

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knife….

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Only at this moment when I welcome you-

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Knock knock-

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My heart is racing.

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