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“Well then, I leave the rest to you, Darmu,” Donda Ruu said before exiting the ritual hall, taking all the women but Ai Fa along with him.
Though the clan heads would all be sleeping in a huddle, it would be a bit much to make the women all join in, too. And so, they were assigned a vacant house to stay in.
There was also some concern about sending the women there all on their own, so Donda Ruu ended up accompanying them.
“Wouldn’t it be better to have you two come along with us as well...?” Mia Lea Ruu had insisted, worried about us until the very end, but we ultimately decided to stay here in the ritual hall.
It was true that a house where the door could be bolted seemed safer, but on the other hand, Diga and Doddo Suun could ignore what their clan head said and try something. With that in mind, it seemed a lot safer to stay here in the ritual hall, where the clan heads under the Suun would be watching.
Plus, all the fierce warriors aside from Donda Ruu would be staying here.
There were thirteen men here like Dan Rutim and Rau Lea, and a large number of neutral hunters of the forest’s edge around us. Even if the Suun clan was plotting something, it seemed physically impossible for them to break through this wall of muscle, no matter how shameless they may be.
On top of any questions of safety, there was also another reason for us to stay here: interacting with the other clans.
The clan heads who declared they were in agreement and those who were interested split off into a group, wanting to hear what we had to say.
The Sauti clan head Dari Sauti and elder Moga Sauti acted as their representatives.
“The Sauti live at the far south of the forest’s edge. Ours is a long bloodline that leads five clans so, well, you can think of us as the next biggest clan after the Suun and Ruu.” Dari Sauti’s square face had a definite rustic simplicity to it, and he wore a smile as he offered that introduction. “Therefore, we can’t go lightly giving the Suun or Ruu our backing. If we were to place ourselves under either side, the power balance between those two clans would shift significantly... In terms of position though, our settlement is closer to the Ruu, so the Suun clan is incredibly cautious about us.”
“I see...”
“We have no intention of causing the forest’s edge to fall into chaos. And so, we’ve been careful not to get involved with either the Suun or the Ruu... Plus, to be honest, we’re a little disappointed by how they quarrel with one another despite the fact that we are all people of the forest’s edge. My honest feelings are that I’d prefer they just shut up already and hunt giba.”
The clans under the Ruu were seated a bit further away and had started drinking and making merry. I could hear Dan Rutim giving a real hearty laugh.
“But even putting all that aside, we can’t simply ignore this matter of the Fa clan’s actions. And so, we’d like to hear what you have to say, Ai Fa and Asuta of the Fa clan.”
Gathered around Dari Sauti were the clan heads under him, as well as those of the small clans like the Fou and Ratsu.
Removing the Fa, the Ruu and the seven clans under them, and the Suun plus their eight subordinate clans, that left 21 smaller clans, and it looked like around 80% of them were gathered here. I’m sure not all of them would agree with us, but still, they must have wanted to hear the details.
“We heard that the Ruu and the clans under them had already learned this bloodletting technique from the Fa, but is it something that anyone can learn? And... if we do learn it, will all of our giba meat taste like what we ate today?”
“Yes. Of course, it’s not always successful, but it’s not all that tricky to do. The Ruu and Rutim only needed a few days to master it, and it’s not like I’ve even prepared all that many giba myself, to be honest... By the way, what did you think of the food’s taste?”
“It was delicious. Honestly, I was so surprised that I thought my heart was about to stop on me,” Dari Sauti stated, scratching his head with his thick fingers. “Anyway, even ignoring anything about selling it in the post town and the like, I’d like to learn that technique. However, the Sauti settlement is at the southern tip, so it’s far from all the other clans. The Maam and Min are the closest of the clans under the Ruu, but that distance still isn’t small enough to be traveled lightly. Would it still be possible for us to learn the technique, even so?”
“It would. I actually already discussed that matter with the eldest son of the Rutim, Gazraan Rutim. Even if your homes are too far, you could still exchange your men, right?”
“Exchange our men...?”
“That’s right. For example, let’s say the Rutim and Sauti each offer up two of their men. Your two men could learn the technique in a Rutim house, while the Rutim men who come your way could spread it as well. That way the number of men both clans have on hand wouldn’t change and you could carry out your hunts like normal, while still being able to acquire the technique.”
Dari Sauti’s eyes opened wide, while the other clan heads started muttering among themselves.
“That... is a truly novel idea... Even if it’s just for a few days, you’re saying we would have utterly unrelated men stay in one another’s homes?”
“Yes. It’s the type of idea that could never be pulled off if the two clans didn’t trust each other... But Gazraan Rutim says that now is the perfect time to rebuild such trust among the people of the forest’s edge. His thinking is that the houses are too far apart, and so the bonds among unrelated clans have been growing far too weak.”
“By Gazraan Rutim, you mean the Rutim clan head’s son who will act as his heir, correct...?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Interesting. That clan head is like a ball of flame, but his son is able to weave arguments like that? I really would like to meet him face to face and talk with him.”
Somehow, I got the feeling that Dari Sauti had a really similar air to Gazraan Rutim about him. That wasn’t just down to their large frames and honest appearances. No, they both also had personalities you wouldn’t expect from anyone so young, valuing composure and logic... Those were Gazraan Rutim’s strongest points, and this youth felt similar in that way.
If you added in Jiza Ruu, it would definitely make for one heck of a group. Surely Diga Suun would never be able to make a move with all of them around.
Of course, their principles and opinions were all completely different. Still, I thought it was better for such things to vary.
Jiza Ruu valued the order of the forest’s edge, Gazraan Rutim was a revolutionary, while Dari Sauti seemed to be conservative yet flexible in his thinking... I felt like there was meaning to having such great men’s opinions collide in order to carve out the best possible path forwards.
Or maybe I just think that way because I’m an outsider...?
I most definitely wasn’t prepared to take up a leadership role, personally. I just couldn’t help but feel it was best that I act merely as a springboard that they can use to find the best possible path.
However, I was a member of the Fa clan. My mistakes were the Fa clan’s failings, which meant they fell on Ai Fa, too. Thanks to that, I needed to firm up my resolve to walk side by side with them. I needed to hold my head up high, and firmly insist on what I thought was the right way to go.
And anyway...
If it were Ai Fa, could she stand shoulder to shoulder with them? I couldn’t help but think so as I saw her facing the Zaza and Dom clan heads straight on and asserting her opinion.
Rather than just clinging to what Gazraan Rutim had said, Ai Fa had used her own words when facing them. She had taken in Jiza Ruu’s comments, and then brought to life her own thoughts and feelings. I couldn’t imagine either Jiza Ruu or Gazraan Rutim managing that.
Right, and as for those clan heads under the Suun... I thought as my gaze stealthily drifted.
The clan heads in question were drinking fruit wine on the opposite side of the room from Dan Rutim’s group.
Mia Lea Ruu had said they were even more hardheaded than Donda Ruu, and somehow, their assertions seemed to overlap with what Jiza Ruu said. They were thoroughly conservative, with how they talked about valuing laws, customs, and order. Ai Fa and I must have seemed quite disagreeable from their point of view.
However, they definitely weren’t our enemies. In fact, I felt that they represented one of the truly proper ways for a person of the forest’s edge to be. And so, I figured we needed to satisfy them before change could truly be brought about.
So, the only disturbing element here really is the Suun clan, huh?
As I was thinking that, a new voice called out, “Clan head of the Fa.” It was the Fou clan head. “Up until now, the Fou clan has cut ties with the Fa. That was because as our clan head, I had decided that it would be dangerous to be involved with you when you had bad blood with the Suun.”
Ai Fa silently faced that way.
The Fou clan head had placed his right fist on the floor and was deeply bowing his head.
“I recognize here and now that that decision was mistaken... And so, I would like for our clan to form bonds with you once again.”
“I don’t believe that you made the wrong decision, clan head of the Fou... If you carelessly drew close to my clan, you may have had to deal with the reckless behavior of the Suun clan’s foolish sons,” Ai Fa stated, awkwardly placing her hand on the Fou clan head’s shoulder. “And so, I believe your decision protected your family. That’s nothing to feel shameful about.”
“But... You even took pity on us and gave us pelts, and yet—”
“That must be some kind of mistake,” Ai Fa interjected with a pout. “I believe the women of your house have already heard this, but I didn’t give anyone pelts... But still, since you said you agree with my words, we can certainly teach you bloodletting and dissection techniques. Asuta, you said you will need a great deal of giba meat in the near future, didn’t you?”
“Yeah. I’ve got to make a massive amount of jerky before the end of the blue month, and even before that, I’ll need more meat than before to make the dishes to sell to the inn. And we can’t keep relying on just the Ruu forever, right?”
The Fou clan head looked back and between us with a sincerity in his eyes.
I gave a nod, figuring all the while that this man must be the husband or father of that Saris Ran Fou woman who once visited the Fa house.
“It will still be some time before the meat itself can be sold in the post town, but currently, I’ve been concerned about having enough to use in my cooking. So if the Fou clan will also be preparing meat, then the Fa would be happy to buy it off of you.”
That was a proposal from the Ruu clan, too. They said if all the wealth was concentrated around them, that could earn the animosity of the various small clans, so they asked that we properly share the load.
The Fou clan head remained totally silent and bowed his head again.
It had been Dari Sauti’s turn to listen, and he now gave a big yawn.
“Now then, there’s still more to discuss, but it has gotten rather late. They seem to be done drinking and reveling over there, so I suppose it’ll soon be time to get to sleep.”
I glanced over and saw that at some point Dan Rutim’s group had moved to the center of the hall, and now he was waving a hand and calling out, “Hey! How long do you plan on chattering away? Come on over here, Asuta and Ai Fa!”
“Got it... Well then, we can discuss the details further tomorrow.”
“Right. We’ll have a lot to discuss on the way back. There are too many Suun-affiliated eyes keeping watch here.”
With that, the other clan heads dispersed to whatever open spaces they could find.
Then, Ai Fa and I headed over towards Dan Rutim’s group.
“Yeah, right over here! Sleep right next to me!” Dan Rutim called out, slapping the rug laid out across the floor.
It was the dead center of the ritual hall, and would leave us surrounded by the Ruu-affiliated clan heads.
“R-Right there? It feels like I’d have trouble relaxing, trying to sleep there.”
“Why’s that? If you sleep here, those Suun clan fools won’t be able to lay a hand on you, no matter what they’re plotting! If they try to climb over us, then I’ll bite off chunks of their legs!” Dan Rutim loudly declared with a hearty laugh, then he flopped down on the floor.
Darmu Ruu and Rau Lea and everyone also started to lay down, one after another.
It really was hard to imagine a firmer defensive wall than this. The ritual hall may have been vast, but with 70 people lying down in it, there was pretty much nowhere left to step. I simply couldn’t imagine it being possible to step over this carpet of flesh and make it all the way to us.
“Umm... Well then, should we go to sleep?”
“Yes,” Ai Fa replied, sitting down.
During last year’s clan head meeting, did Ai Fa also sleep all packed in and surrounded by men like this? The thought alone caused me to feel more than a little uneasy.
Well, I doubt anyone but the Suun clan would try anything, but still, that just sounds way too reckless.
And so, I tried to distance myself from Ai Fa as much as possible in the narrow bit of space allotted to me. However, my consideration there didn’t quite pan out. After all, as I laid there face up, Ai Fa sidled right up next to me.
“You fool. Stay close to me.”
Ai Fa was right up against me, and her fingers were grabbing hold of my chest.
“U-Um, Ai Fa...”
“Quiet, you. I’m tired. We can talk tomorrow,” she stated, pressing her forehead up against my right shoulder. “I really am exhausted. I feel like I talked enough for a whole year. And my head hurts a bit...”
“Right... Well, you really did give it your all tonight.”
I was a bit worried that Darmu Ruu’s eyes may be glaring this way, but I went ahead and gently patted Ai Fa on the head.
“Goodnight, Ai Fa. Take it easy and rest up.”
“Right...”
With that, Ai Fa seemed to drift off to sleep even more smoothly than usual, and before long she started peacefully snoring away.
Jiza Ruu questioned if the Fa clan’s head should be deciding the future of the forest’s edge when we lack any related clans, but I don’t think size has anything to do with it, I thought to myself as I looked down at her defenseless, childlike sleeping face. Plus, Ai Fa isn’t the only one shouldering that burden. It’s the people of the forest’s edge who will decide the future of their settlement. I’m certain she’s just trying to carry out her duty as one representative out of the many clan heads...
While the Suun were the leading clan, they had strayed from the norm of the forest’s edge. If something could just be done about them, the future of the forest’s edge was sure to open wide.
I can sort of see the direction it’ll take, too. The key point will be getting the Dom and Zaza and them to abandon the Suun clan... That shouldn’t be all that hard, using my cunning and the Ruu’s strength.
The clan head meeting had ended in an unbelievable dodging of the matter, but the logic was sound, so I just had to be satisfied with that.
Plus, we had managed to form bonds with the Sauti and Fou.
Now that it had come to this, the foremost problem was the matter of Mida Suun’s fixation on my cooking. But we had taken countermeasures even in regards to that issue. Starting tomorrow morning, we would set to work on a method we had devised to call on Mida Suun to personally visit the Ruu settlement.
In other words, we’d be saying, “If you want to eat delicious meat, then learn the technique yourself,” as well as, “If you don’t like that, then just give up on eating any.”
The plan was for us to raise this proposal to Zuuro Suun in front of the clan heads that fell under him.
Mida Suun was obsessed with my cooking. If he came to the post town on his own as a result, he may well cause some sort of incident. The idea was to take that threat from Yamiru Suun and turn it on its head, using it for our countermeasure instead.
It didn’t especially matter if it was Mida Suun coming personally, or members of the branch families. The key point was just getting the Suun clan to learn the bloodletting and dissection techniques.
And if the folks from the Zaza and Dom and them found it unthinkable to send the Suun to the Ruu settlement all on their own, and decided to accompany them as a result, then wouldn’t that be ideal?
When we brought the matter up after the dinner, Donda Ruu sat and silently thought for a while, then just said, “Do as you please.”
In all likelihood, I accurately got what I was thinking across. Which is to say, the idea that we shouldn’t be crossing blades with the Zaza and Dom. And that my plan was to have the Ruu deepen their connection with them in order to weaken the Suun.
In actuality, there was no reason at all for them to be enemies. It was just that the Ruu didn’t get along with the Suun, while they held trust in the leading clan. That was the one difference that caused them to clash.
It’s really amusing to think that our opening here came from Mida Suun’s appetite.
But in a way, that also represented the final hope for the Suun clan.
Mida Suun was like the living embodiment of the desire to eat delicious food, so if he took the initiative and started striving to hunt giba, maybe it would clear away the stagnant, gloomy air hanging about the Suun settlement at least a little.
The men hunt giba, and the women cook. In order to make a delicious meal, the whole family should work together in order to grab hold of greater prosperity... If they can reclaim the joy brought about by that, then maybe light could shine again in those eyes like rotten fish.
I mean, as long as what I’m imagining isn’t completely off base, they’re victims too. But anyway, if we can strip the main Suun house bare, then maybe we can tear the right to lead from them without shedding any blood, too.
It may take some time, but considering I was talking about reviving the Suun clan from decades of corruption and degeneration, of course it would require a fair bit of effort.
Well... All that’ll have to wait till tomorrow...
I looked once more through the darkness at Ai Fa’s adorable sleeping face, and then closed my eyes.
◇
Just how much time had passed since then?
I was assailed by some unknown sensation and sluggishly dragged back to reality.
What is that...?
I had no idea what was going on.
But, something felt off.
There was an alarm flashing in my head.
I was only half conscious, but I could tell that something was clearly wrong.
What... was that smell? It was strangely sweet... And why was it causing an odd prickling sensation in my nose?
I slowly, sluggishly opened my heavy eyelids. However, the world around me was pitch black.
The animal fat candles must have all burnt out.
My head felt heavy, and so did my body.
It was like just one portion of my brain was awake, like I was watching a dream.
Was this that sleep paralysis thing I’d heard of?
No...
If that was the case, then how would you explain this smell? It was somehow unpleasant...
My nose, throat, and lungs all felt like they were strongly protesting the scent creeping into my body.
Was this the source of that alarm and the feeling that something was wrong?
The crazy thought of, They couldn’t be trying to kill us all with poison gas or something, right...? suddenly sprung to mind.
Instantly, I was gripped by an overwhelming sense of unease and tried to move my body in a panic.
However, my body was unable to keep up with my thoughts.
My feelings were racing out of control, but my body couldn’t move any quicker than an extra-sluggish turtle.
I could feel a bit of weight on my chest.
It was Ai Fa. Or more specifically, her fingers. I lifted my right hand up, though my senses were so dulled that it felt like it belonged to someone else, and I placed my palm atop them.
I could slowly feel the warmth of Ai Fa’s body flowing my way.
She had completely fallen asleep, but she was still clinging to my chest.
I tried to call out, “Ai Fa.” However, my throat was so constricted that I couldn’t make the sound come out right.
Now that I noticed it, my throat felt completely parched. And for some reason, my eyes stung.
It was like someone had gone and dried out the inside of my body.
Could this be... smoke...?
Had the flame from a candle ignited this wooden structure? No, if that was the case, I should have also felt the heat of the blaze from somewhere.
And besides, someone else should have noticed the abnormality before me. I mean, I was currently surrounded by the most elite hunters of the forest’s edge.
Isn’t anyone else awake...?
There wasn’t even a single window in the ritual hall, so my whole world was an endless expanse of inky blackness. No matter how much I strained my eyes, I couldn’t see a thing.
It was then that I realized that it was nightmarishly silent.
I couldn’t even hear Dan Rutim snoring.
All I could grasp with my senses were that strange sweet smell and the warmth from Ai Fa’s fingers.
At any rate... Staying here is a bad idea...
I pulled out the towel I had tucked into my clothing near my chest, then used it to cover my nose and mouth. That alone was enough to help me breathe a bit easier.
I also got the feeling that the sweet smell had weakened a bit when I sat up. I still couldn’t identify it, but maybe it was heavier than air, like propane.
Alright...
I reached in the darkness for Ai Fa’s arms, then wrapped my left arm around her back. With that I tried to lift her up... but then they arrived.
“What the heck? That brat’s awake, isn’t he?”
It was a young male voice dripping with malice. It was deep but sluggish, and sounded real unpleasant.
In other words, it was Diga Suun.
“Why’s he the only one awake, eh? Do melemele leaves not have much of an effect on foreigners, Tei Suun?”
“I’m not sure... I know nothing about that, either,” another voice emotionlessly responded to Diga Suun.
At the same time, an orange light started shining from behind. I slowly, steadily turned to face it.
Diga, Tei, and even Doddo Suun were all gathered there.
Diga Suun was holding a lit candle, while the other two were empty handed. That didn’t mean there were no blades dangling from their hips, though.
And all three of them had cloth wrapped around their mouths.
“Well, whatever. There shouldn’t be any issue at all with such a weak little brat being awake. We should hurry up and carry them out, though, right?” Diga Suun said with a vile chuckle, and the other two drew close.
It was impossible to resist them. I could never have beaten them in terms of raw strength to begin with, and on top of that, my whole body still felt like it was made of lead.
“Sss-... Stop...” I forced out with all my strength. However, all that produced was a voice so pathetic it sounded like it had come from a sickly old person.
Doddo Suun grabbed me while Tei Suun lifted up Ai Fa, and Ai Fa’s fingers powerlessly separated from my chest.
What was going on? What in the world was happening?
It was like some unbelievably awful nightmare, and didn’t feel real in the least.
“There’s no point trying to resist, you know. Everyone but you is having a nice, deep sleep,” Diga Suun said with a vulgar laugh, then kicked the head of a man I wasn’t familiar with lying at his feet. Despite that, the man was like a corpse, not budging in the least in response.
“You see, we bought this herb called melemele or something from a Sym sorcerer and burned it. Still, this is so much fun that I wish I had found out about it sooner.”
An herb... So did it cause sleepiness like myrrh?
They had used something like that to throw these fierce hunters of the forest’s edge into a deep sleep?
“Apparently, as long as you keep smelling it, you won’t wake up even if your belly’s being slit wide open. And I mean, it took five whole white coins just to buy this much... Still, that’s a cheap price to pay to settle this long-held grudge.”
Diga Suun’s sluggish eyes drifted from me to Ai Fa. I reflexively lifted my fist, but Doddo Suun easily restrained me.
“Let’s stop with the pointless chattering and get out of here, already. If we keep hanging around, we may end up unable to move, too.”
With that, we were half dragged out of the ritual hall. As they went they kicked countless men out of their way, but sure enough, not one of them showed any signs of stirring.
This was the worst case scenario. As bad as things could get.
Seriously... Just how vile were these bastards?
It just didn’t seem real in the least.
“Do you seriously... think you’ll be able to get away with this?” I managed to squeeze out in a slightly more normal voice, as my breathing became a lot easier the second we were outside. However, it still didn’t feel like I was even close to managing a yell. “To do something like this, in a place where all the clan heads are gathered... Are you trying to make enemies of every last clan at the forest’s edge...?”
“Shut it. A foreigner like you shouldn’t go talking all high and mighty.” I was being held by Doddo Suun and carried along, but now Diga Suun’s grinning face was thrust right in front of me. “Plus, why should the Suun clan have to face any blame? We’re in a position to be given blessings, instead.”
“Blessings...?”
“Yeah, that’s right. After all, the eldest son and daughter of the main house are having their weddings firmed up at the same time. What could be more auspicious?”
A chill ran up my spine. A dark, intense feeling I had never felt before squirmed in my stomach.
“Ai Fa of the Fa clan will be married to Diga Suun, while Asuta of the Fa clan will become Yamiru Suun’s husband. You two are just waiting to fall to ruin, but now you get to join the Suun clan. You should be smiling instead of sobbing, you brat.”
“As if... Do you really think we would ever agree to something like that?”
Diga Suun pulled back as if from shock. But then, he broke out in a repulsive smile.
“E-Even if you make a face like that, there’s nothing left you can do! If you refuse, then we’ll throw the both of you down into the bottom of the valley! If we do that, the other clan heads will all think you abandoned the forest’s edge and ran off to some town, or something!”
“Stop yelling, Diga. The Ruu clan head was sleeping in a vacant house instead of the ritual hall,” Doddo Suun chimed in, his breath reeking of booze. Hearing that, Diga Suun’s large frame twitched and shrunk again.
“D-Don’t scare me like that, Doddo. Hey, you led the Ruu group to the southernmost house, didn’t you, Tei Suun?”
“Yes, just as you requested.”
“In that case, there’s nothing to worry about. Even if I go shouting as loud as I can, they won’t be able to hear it from that far away... And so you better give up already. The only choices left to you are becoming Yamiru’s husband or getting eaten by the mundt.”
Then, Diga Suun turned Tei Suun’s way. Tei Suun, who was holding the completely unconscious Ai Fa.
“Carry Ai Fa back to my house. She still shouldn’t wake up for a while, but go ahead and bind her arms and legs tight anyway. I’ll be on over soon after talking to Yamiru.”
“Right,” Tei Suun replied, then turned to leave.
“Stop,” I called out to his back. “If you do anything to Ai Fa... I’ll make sure you all pay.”
Diga Suun shrunk back again. The thin smile remained, but his face was clearly growing pale.
Tei Suun remained perfectly expressionless, though.
“You can’t even stand on your own two feet, so what exactly are you planning on doing to make us pay?” Doddo Suun questioned, and a sharp pain ran along my scalp. Doddo Suun was still holding me, but he had grabbed my hair with all his might. “I’m begging you, don’t go saying you’ll actually marry Yamiru, you damn foreigner. I’ve got no intention of welcoming you as one of us. I just want to chop off both your legs so you can’t run away and then throw you into a nest of mundt.”
“...Go ahead and try if you think you can manage it.”
I glared into Doddo Suun’s eyes, like those of a starving stray dog, from up close and personal.
He trembled at first, but then he seemed to get ashamed at his own cowardice and bared his yellow teeth.
“Oh, I’ll do it alright. I’m looking forward to seeing how long that look in your eyes will last... Let’s go, Diga. And you hurry up and get moving too, Tei Suun.”
“Right.”
With that, Ai Fa disappeared into the darkness.
I gritted my teeth so firmly it felt like they would crack while taking continuous big breaths. As the fresh oxygen entered my system, I could feel the strength returning to my limbs. I had actually recovered more than halfway while being held in Doddo Suun’s arms.
However, it wasn’t time yet. I still wasn’t strong enough to shake free of them and get away.
I just had to wait for a bit more of my strength to return, then run as fast as I could as soon as I saw an opening.
I couldn’t let them do anything to Ai Fa, no matter what.
They said Donda Ruu was in the southernmost vacant house, right?
They really were pathetic to have let that information slip so lightly.
I had become the treacherous Suun clan’s prisoner, and I could feel the flames of rage burning hot in my belly.
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