Read I Became the Strongest With The Failure Frame【Abnormal State Skill】As I Devastated Everything

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　Celas Ashlein.

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　Deep into the night...

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　Seras Ashlein sat down on the edge of his bunk and said a prayer.

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(Princess, good luck to you. ......)

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　Clutching it was the necklace handed to him by Princess Cattleya on the day of their parting.

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　Toka, who was already lying down, called out to Seras' back.

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''Are you still worried?''

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'Yes. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried.

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　Seras smiles bitterly.

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''But the princess has a group of holy knights with her. I'm sure they will be able to protect the princess.

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You trust me.

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'The princess has her path - I have my own path to follow. Now we just have to trust in each other's path.

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...... You've already said goodbye, haven't you?

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'Yes. If we hadn't said goodbye to each other at that time, ...... we might not have been as peaceful as we have been.

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　Seras stood up quickly and headed for the door.

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'Excuse me, I need to use the bathroom.'

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You don't have to say no to everything.

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Yeah, that's right.

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　Leaving a bitter smile, Seras left the room.

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　Seras stopped a short distance down the hallway and gently, gently put his hand on his chest.

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''---------uh.''

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(Princess, sir. ......)

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　An intense, tightening sensation was swirling in my chest.

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　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier.

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　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with us.

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　I've said my goodbyes.

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　I've told Toka that.

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　But the Bacchus soldier - and those five dragons - were on their way.

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　There was never going to be time to say goodbye for a long time.

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(That day: ......)

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　The last words he exchanged with Cattleya, who was trying to evade him: "Isn't it enough if the days we have spent and the memories we have of them are invaluable?

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'Isn't it enough if the days we've spent and the memories we have of them are irreplaceable?　Now, have a good day.

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　Even though she was the one who remained on the side of death.

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　With such an imposing smile, she said that to Seras.

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　But as for Seras--

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(I didn't get to say goodbye, as I would have liked: ......)

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............

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　Cattleya personally led Nea's army into the war.

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　When I heard it from Erica's mouth, I was terribly upset inside.

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　To the extent that I was asked to raise my troops, it was within the scope of my expectations.

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　But I didn't expect it to be a battle to take back my country. ......

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　I didn't expect it to turn out like that.

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　I'm sure it's not without a chance of winning.

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　I don't think Selous is wrong in his assessment of Cattleya.

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　I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say it's a good idea, but it's not.

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(He also has the courage to take a gamble when he knows it's the only way. And the Princess is ...... a man who is willing to gamble with his own body if he finds it necessary.

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　Will Cattleya be able to survive this battle?

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　Getting Nair back from the hands of Bacchus: .......

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　Yes - this battle is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Nair.

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(On the contrary, if he misses this opportunity, he may get such an opportunity next time: ......)

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　This was the only place to be, Cattleya thought.

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　Cattleya and I have grown up together like real sisters.

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　Maybe that's why .......

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　I felt her thoughts and determination were palpable.

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(But I can't make a feast of it. So please ...... please, be safe and ......ck)

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　I am now a knight ...... who has dedicated his sword to Toka Mimori.

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　I have been entrusted with the role of deputy head of the Lord of the Flies' warband.

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　I will do my duty.

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(So ......)

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　We have to avoid having Toka get the wrong idea.

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　He has amazingly good instincts.

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(So--)

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　From now on, I must be more careful to hide it from him.

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　I'm not going to let him care for me.

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　I swore a vow - I will give myself to him.

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　I must use it to help him achieve his goal.

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　And this embarrassment.

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　And this frustration.

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　This feeling.

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　I have to keep it all in my heart.

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(......) I let my emotions get the better of me, and I even made a mistake once.

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　But that was the only time.

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(Yes, you can tell me how I feel ...... when Lord Toka's journey is over. Until then, I'm still his loyal knight ...... as his sword--)

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　You kill yourself.

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　That's what it means to serve.

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　Don't become an impurity to his purpose.

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　Yes, at least until he gets his revenge on the goddess--

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............

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(Goddess ......)

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　Was the story of Nea's independence approached by the Goddess' side?

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(Suppose the goddess had tricked the princess ...... and as a result, if something had happened to her--)

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　Surely he would never be able to forgive his goddess for the rest of his life.

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　Once again, Seras prayed deeply.

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'............'

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　When the Tokas have achieved their goal, if they are lucky enough to be safe from each other: ......

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When the time comes--

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　Let's go see the princess.

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　I'm going to see the princess.

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　He swore this to himself, and then, even more forcefully, Selous gripped the necklace.

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'Seras.'

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(What ......?)

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　My heart jumped.

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　Before I knew it, I was a little farther behind.

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...... toka, sir?

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　Toka was standing there.

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"How can I help you?

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I'm curious to see how you're doing.

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............

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　Seras calmed his mind.

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　In his head, he assembled the words.

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'My condition, sir?　I certainly got a little upset when I heard Nair's story. But ......

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　Slowly, I put away the necklace I was holding to my chest.

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It's all right now.

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　Trying his best to be calm, Seras said.

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'Regardless of the outcome of this battle, I'm sure the princess will have Nea back in her hands one day. Besides, didn't I tell you ......?　I am your knight now - this body has already died once. There is no more looking back to the past. Now ...... this power of mine is for you alone.

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"Just for me, or is it ---- really?

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　A lie, he could see through it.

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　Seras noticed it.

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　--Dok, ngh--

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I'm also ...... sorry. I'm sure you'll find that the story of the Nea Holy Land, where I once lived, is ...... a bit of a drag on my emotions into the past. But don't worry, ...... I'm not--

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Come on.

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"Yeah, um, ...... toka, sir. ......?

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　I could tell by the distance between my footsteps that Toka was getting closer.

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　I could tell he was frustrated.

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　His words didn't lie.

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　Toka was seriously irritated.

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　It was also the first time he had ever directed his emotions towards Seras.

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　--The beating of his heart, quickened.

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　Toka paused right behind him.

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'So--'

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　Seras closed his eyes.

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'............ck.'

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What are you crying about, man?

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......,--what?

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　Now, Seras realized.

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　If you look at the floor with your blurred vision, you'll see many drops of water .......

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　Since when?

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　I don't know when I became so...

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　Tears were shed, weren't they?

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　The voice should not have quivered .......

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　The trembling should have been turned off.

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　Then.

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　snappingly

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　Toka's hand was placed on Seras' head.

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'---- ah.'

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"Sorry, ......, but it's not your monopoly to spot a lie.

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"Toka, sir. ......?

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Hey, Seras.

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Yes, yes--

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　I responded with a shaky voice and a sly smile.

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"I knew you were going to be weird.

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What?

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'I've never experienced being irritated by people in the same way I was earlier, not even with my aunt.

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(Aunt, sir, ......?)

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'I've never felt like this before in my life, to be honest .......

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　Frustrated, though, I'd say.

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　The irritation was no longer in Toka's voice, completely gone.

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　Instead, there was a tenderness in his voice.

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　And some confusion.

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　There was a sense of surprise at his own emotions, too.

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'So, Selous,'

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'Yes, yes ......'

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Come on, you can be selfish.

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"--, ...... huh?

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And you've forgotten all about me doing everything I say for once: ......

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'Oh, um, Mr. ...... Toka?　Now, what a surprise: ......

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You ...... really want to go help, don't you?　Princess, I'm ...... to help you, but you don't say you want to go help. No, you can't say ......, can you?

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----

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　No.

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　This is no good.

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"Y-yeah, yeah, ...... I'm not...

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At dinner, though, Erica and others were there, so I didn't have to point it out to them. ...... It's obvious.

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Yeah...

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You just have to look at your past to see how important the "princess" is to Seras. You say that I look different when I talk about my uncles: ......

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　Toka said, trying to make himself look more like himself.

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"When you talk about 'Princess' ...... you know what you look like?"

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Is my face ......?

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I'm not sure if the "princess" who made you look like that will even survive in such conditions on the battlefield, but it's hard not to be distracted by it.

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No, it's not: ......

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I'm grateful that you are aware of the fact that you are my "sword" and that you suppress your emotions in order to serve me, but it's not the same thing as suppressing your emotions for someone you care about. But it's not ...... the same as suppressing your emotions for the people you really care about.

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　With a crumpled face, Seras somehow tries to spin the words.

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　Somehow, he tries to recover.

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I've already ...... finished properly saying goodbye to the princess..." -- Torka-dono, I've already ...... said goodbye to the princess... ...

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No.

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What?

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'If you're really done with a satisfying breakup, you need to look better. Ma...... means that Selous' performance is not quite there yet.

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　I clench my teeth.

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　I stifle a sob, trying to at least - at least - stop the tears.

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　I'm filled with questions, and I can't stop.

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　What should I do?

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　Why is he doing this?

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　How could he do this to himself?

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　You see, I think you're there.

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I'm sure I know how hard it is not to get a satisfying goodbye.

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　A satisfying goodbye.

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　Seras gasped with a huff.

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　--Ah, I see.

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　That's... it was... it was...

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　The people who were "important" to him.　

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　He hasn't been able to say goodbye to those people.

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It's a good idea to be able to have a look at your own personal computer to see if it's a good idea for you to have a look at it. But it's ...... not too late to say goodbye to the princess in a satisfactory way.

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"But .......

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''After dinner, Erica told me all this stuff. I heard that the Confederate army that Princess Cattleya was incorporated into hadn't yet entered a full-scale battle.

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The first time I heard that they were moving evenly in the beginning,...... the great demon emperor's army that is now invading the south is still at a distance where it will take longer for the main forces to clash with each other compared to the other armies of the east and west. Besides, ...... I heard that there are a lot of mercenaries participating in this battle. Then we can use our hands to sneak into the Confederate army under the cover of mercenaries.

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"Torka-dono ...... really, to ......?　Truly, the battlefield against the armies of the Great Demon Emperor is ......, - no, but ...... here, deep in the Demon Army Belt... ...

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''We entered the Demon Army Belt and broke through the demons here to get here, you know?　Then go to .......

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　Toka was behind him now.

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　And yet, that evil smile of his was vividly visible in Seras' mind.

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''You'd be crazy if you couldn't even leave.

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I'm ...... and I'm ............... .........

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I'll tell you what, Selous. You are: ......

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　Toka put a hand on Seras' shoulder, on his shoulder.

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'I'm good at spotting lies, but I'm not very good at ...... lying.

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I am ......

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You can't fool yourself into thinking that you can't kill yourself.

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　'Hmph,' sniffed Toka.

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'As soon as you think you can hide it from me, you've lost.

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--------

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　A feeling as if something that had been held on to was removed - a feeling that ran through Selous' body.

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　...... There seems to be no point in hiding it anymore.

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　It is unlikely that you will be able to hide anything in front of him now.

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　He will probably answer anything to his heart's content.

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'You want to help the princess. And at the very least, I want to give her a proper goodbye. That's what you want ......, isn't it?

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　Sheds of tears came down with sobs.

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　I desperately wiped the tears with the palms of my hands.

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　But the amount of tears I wiped on the ground only increased.

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　I wiped them away again and again.

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　The tears poured out endlessly, along with the emotions I was feeling were fluctuating wildly.

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A large number of people are going to have to go to ...... for the ....... ----

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　The hand placed on his shoulder was a little stronger than it should have been.

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'That's fine,'

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　Toka removes his hand from Seras' shoulder.

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'Let's go.'

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　He walked past Seras.

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　And as he stepped in front of Seras - he said over his back.

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'It's a war(-)struggle(-)quasi(-)defence(-)of(-)war...'

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　Smiling as best he could while continuing to shed tears that he no longer remembered how to stop, Seras answered his back.

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''Yes--Yes, Toka-dono (my Lord), ......''

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It's... to...

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　Toka turned his head around.

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　But he didn't turn back to Seras, his dark eyes, deep in the cave, turned to the wall beside him.

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'It would be a story if the situation meshed well, but ......

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　His jet-black eyes, devoid of warmth, looked somewhere far away, not here, in the dark.

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''I'm not going to be able to meet with this (or any other) machine, and I'm not going to be able to have any (or any other) time.

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