Chapter 235

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍instant our blades met—

“I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pierced it.”

I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could be certain.

This ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍time, I had broken through the Death Knight’s shield.

-CRRRAAAACK!

It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was not merely a feeling—my sword swept straight through the shield and the Death Knight’s body.

-SPLIT!

With a crisp sound like a log being cleaved, the Death Knight was cut in half.

From the left side of its neck to the opposite side of its abdomen—cleanly, on a diagonal.

But—

-Tzzzzt!

An eerie mystery writhed, and the split flesh tried to stitch itself back together on its own.

Seeing that, Magician Agpiel shouted in alarm.

“You must not stop there!”

“I know, Magician Agpiel!”

I did not need to be told.

If I left it alone, it would revive.

Even now, it was spewing that eerie mystery in thick waves.

-GRIT!

I tightened my grip on the sword again and swung repeatedly.

-WHOOSH!

-SPLIT!

-RIP!

-SPLIT!

With every flash of sword-light, new gashes were carved into the Death Knight’s body.

Yet that stubborn Death Knight, dragging its tattered body, tried to lunge at me no matter what.

-Khhhk. You impudent mortal….

A Death Knight that writhed, its crimson glare burning!

“That truly is a cursed existence!”

“How can such a horrifying thing exist?!”

The knights who watched from the side cried out in terror.

No matter that it was undead—none of them had ever seen something regenerate without end like that. If they had been the ones fighting it directly, what grotesque carnage would have unfolded? Even imagining it made them shudder.

But I—

“Hah! All bark and no bite. Do not waver. It ends here!”

—only snorted.

After that first exchange, I realized that its defense and vile mystery were not as overwhelming as I had feared.

Once the protective mystery had been cut, it could be cut again at any time.

-SLICE!

-CHOP! CHOP!

Each time the sword-light flashed beneath the light, the Death Knight’s body was carved away.

The Death Knight flailed, desperate to reach me, but even limitless recovery had its limits.

If both legs, both arms—no, if the entire body—was hacked into pieces like chunks of meat, then even an immortal being with endless regeneration could do nothing.

“Ugh…?”

Magician Agpiel frowned at the grotesque sight, but the knights were different. A knight who smashed mystery with sheer force—how could that not appeal to men who worshiped strength?

And at last—

-THUD!

When the Death Knight finally collapsed, no longer able to hold itself up, I kicked it away so nothing could cling to it and shouted.

“Magician Agpiel! If we sear it with fire—or burn it to ashes—will that not do it?”

It could regenerate, but if we destroyed the source, what could it do? It would be annihilated in the end.

Fire also held a purifying mystery that drove away evil, so it might be possible. Sure enough, Magician Agpiel nodded.

“Y-yes. We can simply set it ablaze.”

“Then you heard him. Burn it at once. Reduce it to nothing!”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

“As expected of pious Your Grace. We will deal with it at once.”

With that, the knights gathered the Death Knight’s shattered remains and set to burning them with all their might.

The moment the Death Knight fell, the undead had already vanished somewhere into the forest. At last, everything truly seemed to be over.

“Hm?”

There was only one thing.

“Why… are you looking at me like that?”

Magician Agpiel—staring at me with the eyes one might use on a barbarian.

Good grief.

After I went to all the trouble of purging it, why was he looking at me like that?

“Has he run low on energy from using too much magic?”

It was hard to understand him sometimes.

---

“Truly… you are astonishing, Your Grace.”

After we somehow finished the subjugation, the second Lord Gertman spoke to me with a deeply reverent expression.

Every word, every gesture—he looked almost devout, and for some reason it made me uncomfortable.

“Moderation. Excessive courtesy is worse than none at all. There is no need to go that far.”

“No. I witnessed such a miracle with my own eyes—how could I not, Your Grace?”

To be honest, he had not believed the rumors much until now. There were too many exaggerations in the tales surrounding the Margrave of Bellua.

That he purified contaminated water with a miracle, that he won at tug-of-war against an ogre, that he brought down a Great Warrior of an evil god, that he cut down four knights in a row with a single stroke, and so on.

Rumors stuffed full of exaggeration, no matter who heard them. But today, the second Lord Gertman understood.

“The rumors are not exaggerations.”

No—if anything, the rumors and renown fell short of the truth.

After all, how could one understand without seeing it? What the Margrave of Bellua displayed felt, in many ways, beyond what words could carry.

Because of that, the second Lord Gertman found himself thinking differently from his father, the Duke of Bourgogne. Did he truly need to make an enemy of such a being?

To oppose a man who possessed such divine authority would not be easy—and if things went poorly, it might be nothing but enormous losses.

“We must… we must join hands. Perfectly. If we can make him firmly our ally, would that not be best?”

That was why the second Lord Gertman’s conduct was more courteous and reverent than ever.

And I—

“Tch…. This is uncomfortable.”

—found it cumbersome.

“He might end up misunderstanding this again.”

A son sent to restrain me instead becoming moved by the so-called enemy and speaking favorably?

“He will think I pulled some trick.”

The Duke of Bourgogne was a crafty old fox. He would readily believe it.

Was not his specialty sowing discord and cracking people apart from within?

He would surely think I had played some scheme that muddled the second Lord Gertman’s judgment.

And if that happened—

“The Duke of Bourgogne will want to drive you out even more aggressively, will he not? Ha-ha-ha. You have acquired a zealous believer.”

“…Ugh. Do not tease me, Magician Agpiel. And it is not as though it has nothing to do with you.”

“Now, now. Nothing to do with me? This is your affair, is it not? Was it mine? Oh…? Is it? Well, if trouble arises, I can simply skip away to someplace else.”

“Magician Agpiel!”

“My apologies. You are simply enjoyable to tease. Ha-ha-ha.”

At my low voice, Magician Agpiel chuckled and apologized—then abruptly stopped smiling and continued in a firm tone.

“Still, it is not entirely bad.”

“Not entirely bad?”

“Yes. Whatever the case, you have created someone within the Duke of Bourgogne’s house who is on your side.”

“Hmm… that is true, but….”

The question was whether the second Lord Gertman would help me even if it meant disobeying the Duke of Bourgogne, the head of his house.

“That depends on what sort of carrot you dangle. Nobles are ultimately a bundle of greed, are they not?”

“If I use him well, he could become a fairly useful source of information.”

“Indeed. The capital is entirely in the Duke of Bourgogne’s grasp now, is it not? We will effectively be under constant surveillance. Think of it as planting a card inside the Duke of Bourgogne’s camp so we can respond in kind.”

“Ugh…. Then I should become closer with him, yes?”

I asked while looking at the second Lord Gertman, who still watched me with that burdensome gaze.

Magician Agpiel smiled and nodded.

“Of course.”

“Fine… understood.”

“Ah! And be sure to bring him along.”

“Pardon? Bring whom…?”

“Our adorable goat beastman, Bishop Marco. There is no one as sociable as him. You will match wonderfully. Hoh-ho-ho.”

Magician Agpiel said it and laughed again.

He looked as though he were enjoying the current situation.

While my head felt as though it might burst from the complications! But what could I do?

This was the duty of a leader.

“Summon Bishop Marco. Tell him I have something to discuss with the second Lord Gertman.”

With a sigh, I spoke to the messenger. I had a feeling I would have to work diligently on building goodwill for a while.

Damn it.

---

“Waaaaah—!”

“Long live the Margrave of Bellua!”

“Performer of Miracles, please take my hand!”

The moment we arrived at the royal castle, an enormous welcoming crowd greeted me.

Countless citizens of the city showered flowers on us and held a parade for my party.

The center of this gathering should have been the Duke of Bourgogne—victorious in battle—and the new king. What in the world was this?

I looked left and right in bewilderment, and the second Lord Gertman spoke bluntly with an expression full of pride.

“I sent people ahead and explained everything in detail, Your Grace! In particular, after hearing Bishop Marco’s account, he said we absolutely had to do it this way. So I contacted the diocese at once, and they prepared this.”

“Meehehheh! Lordniiiim, how is it! This is the influence of me, Bishop Marco. Meee! I will make sure our lordniiiim’s meritorious service is fully acknowledged. Mehhehheh.”

And somehow, he already had his arm slung around the second Lord Gertman, laughing loudly in perfect rhythm with him. Watching that, I could only gape in horror.

“My head….”

There had to be a limit to ruining someone else’s celebration. Had this not made me the protagonist of the entire affair?

“Meee? Why are you looking at me like that, lordniiiim?”

When I glared at him, Bishop Marco shrank back, reading the air with a guilty twitch.

But what could I do?

It had already happened.

“Hoo…. No. It is nothing. Just, from now on, before you stir up anything, tell me first. Do you understand?”

“Meee! I understand, lordniiiim.”

I truly felt like boiling him into goat stew, and yet somehow I had grown attached to him—what an infuriating situation.

Still, since it was a parade for me, I had no choice but to devote myself fully to smiling and waving at the citizens.

Each time I did, people fainted, claiming they had received grace, and… honestly….

I had no idea how the rumors had spread to this extent.

“Heh. The Duke of Bourgogne is going to be furious.”

“That is why I am losing my mind, Magician Agpiel.”

“Now, now. Smile. People are watching.”

At Magician Agpiel’s words, I forced a smile back onto my face and waved again.

Magician Agpiel smirked and spoke in a low voice.

“Just in case, summon people to the capital quickly. Especially knights who can serve as your escort. It may be best to gather the elf knights from the central region front and prepare for the worst.”

“Surely he will not go that far?”

“With things like this, how can we know?”

“…You are right.”

I sighed.

It felt as though everything was increasingly moving in a direction I did not want.

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