Chapter 175 ·The Emperor's True Might

Could ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍a coincidence be any more coincidental than this? Mage Agphiel lamented inwardly.

It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍seemed good fortune favored not only the young noble, but that Emperor as well.

To ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍think they would crash in before he could even drag back the nobles who had gone forward.

“H-how?”

“What ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍do you mean how! Go quickly and soothe those bastards. Look, they're already startled and trying to flee, Count Shatin!”

Mage ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Agphiel shouted in a fury.

Indeed, far away in the main force, banners symbolizing various noble houses were swaying precariously in complete confusion.

If those pathetic nobles took fright and scattered, friendly forces who had been fighting well would collapse abruptly.

“Count Shatin! You must never let them run away. If they scatter, the center will collapse as it is. You must firmly tether the nobles to the main army!”

“Do not worry, Great Sage. I shall go immediately, calm them down, and return.”

With that, Count Shatin swiftly mounted his horse and headed toward the main force at the front alongside his escort knights.

Whether his appearance could stabilize the nobles remained uncertain, but under these circumstances, he had to believe. Mage Agphiel gritted his teeth and slammed his staff down onto the ground.

*Huuuung.*

Along with the trembling earth, a mystery surged forth. Centering on Mage Agphiel, a bluish wave spread out, enveloping the nearby mercenaries.

[Tree of Protection]

It was a defensive spell utilizing the mysteries of the forest, Mage Agphiel's exclusive specialty. It would block any standard attack at least once. Nodding at the properly deployed magic, Mage Agphiel shouted:

“Pikemen!”

“Yes! Sir Mage.”

“We hold this ground! Let not a single bastard pass through.”

“Understood! Ha!”

The reassuring presence of a great mage fighting alongside them. The pikemen responded with thunderous roars.

However, Mage Agphiel's expression wasn't very good.

The main force led by the Emperor at the front was fierce like an enraged beast, and the Emperor's detachment infiltrating the rear was excessively lethal. The moment anything slipped up, the front line would collapse in an instant.

‘So please, do not be late, young noble…….’

* * *

At the same time.

“Not yet?”

“It seems we will encounter those bastards soon. Do not worry, Lord Count!”

Shatien had temporarily lost track of the Imperial Army's movements.

‘They are far faster than expected.’

They said nomadic warriors of the Eastern Steppes had joined, and indeed their movement speed was extraordinary beyond belief.

He thought following straight along would bring an encounter soon, yet the Imperial Army's maneuvering was so much faster than anticipated that a gap of more than a day's march had opened up.

Thanks to that, Shatien pressed his scouts relentlessly and gritted his teeth as he pursued the Imperial Army.

A truly tremendous forced march.

Since weapons couldn't be discarded, they were running after dumping all their food supplies, and if anything went slightly awry, a massive catastrophe could occur.

However, he couldn't afford to get scared and play it safe.

‘If attacked from both front and rear, they will collapse easily.’

Since the Emperor had also decided to split his forces and attack from both directions just like them, being late was dangerous.

Of course, he had given earnest instructions to Miles in preparation, but trusting the organizational cohesion of Count Shatin's army blindly was difficult.

In battle, once one pillar begins to crumble, it quickly spirals out of control.

Fortunately, God answered Shatien with a smile.

“We found their rear! They are not far ahead.”

“Oh!”

They had finally caught the tail of the Imperial Army.

* * *

People said the Imperial Army was terrifying and strong, and today Miles realized why they were called the continent's finest army.

― Kill them!

― Push them back!

The tenacity of advancing without pause behind long, dense pike squares. The seasoned shield techniques, and the fierce counterattacks probing relentlessly for gaps in the pike formation.

It was truly astonishing.

While his own men maintained discipline and morale through massive pay and endless drilling, what on earth drove those soldiers?

Seeing the Imperial infantry stepping over their comrades' corpses to advance no matter how many were killed made one shrink back instinctively.

Furthermore, that wasn't all.

― Kyehehehe!

― ■■■■■■!!!!

Nomadic warriors continuously unleashing arrows while shouting bizarre words that were difficult to even comprehend.

Astonishingly, they were rapidly releasing arrows from horseback.

*Fwoooosh!*

*Thwack, thwack, thwack.*

*Thump. Thwip, thwip!*

*Aaaargh.*

Who knew what they were crafted from, but how such destructive power came from those small composite short bows was baffling. Every time they wheeled around and fired volleys, friendly soldiers in the pike square dropped in heaps.

However, fleeing out of fear was out of the question.

“Snort! Those bastards are nothing special. After all, aren't they just shooting arrows from afar and running away because they're terrified of us!”

“Ahahaha!”

Miles shouted, steadying his wavering troops.

Simultaneously:

“Tighten the square further! Hey, rear ranks of the pikes! Swing your pikes left and right vigorously! Knock down the incoming arrows!”

He moved proactively, devising countermeasures of his own. And fortunately, that countermeasure hit the mark precisely.

*Thwack, thwip.*

*Clatter, clang, clank.*

The arrows fired by the steppe tribal warriors were caught by the swaying forest of pikes, losing momentum and dropping to the ground in droves.

“?!?!?!?”

At that, the Imperial soldiers showed quite a bewildered look. Until now, the reason they could charge that wall-like pike square was that the tribal warriors opened breaches with their bows.

Yet to think that no longer worked.

― U-uh, wait?

― *Crunch. Crack!*

The Imperial soldiers who charged vigorously were turned into skewered meat in an instant. Having rushed in with full momentum, they couldn't stop abruptly.

― Don't push! Stop pushing!

― A-aaaargh! You bastards! You're killing your own men!

Even divine shield techniques were useless against tightly maintained ranks of pikes.

At least an opening was needed to display shield techniques or do anything. The shields held by the Imperial troops were ruthlessly pierced before the pikes thrust forward with heavy weight.

Watching that spectacle from the rear, the Emperor was utterly dumbfounded.

“Who did you say those bastards are?”

“T-they are mercenaries from the Sauerland Mercenary Bureau. You know, that… bastard named Shatien from last time…”

“Ah, that greenhorn!”

He had dismissed them as a mercenary band employed by that brat granted a count's title by the Church, but weren't they far more formidable than expected? The Holy Roman Emperor furrowed his brow.

“Assaulting that position is foolish. Rather than their right wing, instead……. Hmm.”

Scanning the battlefield, the Holy Roman Emperor's eyes suddenly flashed. Flags had abruptly begun fluttering in the central main force of Count Shatin's army.

Banners symbolizing each noble house.

“That's it! Yes, right there!”

Foolish and cowardly nobles.

Whenever their lives were slightly endangered, they always withdrew their troops, surrendered, or fled.

Recalling the past behavior of nobles, the Holy Roman Emperor drew his sword. It was to lead his elite troops immediately to strike their central main body.

And as if validating the Holy Roman Emperor's judgment:

“Your Imperial Majesty! The flanking detachment we dispatched has reportedly arrived!”

Sharpened and honed, another blade appeared on the battlefield right on cue.

“Ahahaha!”

Letting out a booming laugh, the Holy Roman Emperor shouted roughly:

“Follow me! Tonight, we dine in Count Shatin's court! Hyah!”

“Follow His Imperial Majesty! Charge!”

“Charge!”

* * *

― Waaaah!

― *Crunch!*

― *Crack!*

― Charge! For His Imperial Majesty!

― Hold them back! Block the tyrant's dogs!

The battlefield was pure bedlam.

A chaotic mess where all sorts of curses, rage, and murderous intent toward the enemy congregated.

Whether Count Shatin's forces or the Holy Roman Imperial Army, both sides were straining desperately to crush each other somehow.

The center of the main force was especially so. As luck would have it, the foolish noble commanders had done something completely out of character: coming right up to the front line to comfort the soldiers.

At first, morale soared as high-ranking nobles at the commander level offered encouragement, but...

― U-uh? Enemies have appeared to our rear!

― Aaaah! The Emperor himself is leading the army from the front! What should we do?

Finding themselves in an unmanageable situation with attacks from both front and rear, those nobles panicked and grew terrified. Consequently, this directly cast an adverse effect on the soldiers.

Maintaining discipline and morale on the front line required the steadfast resolve of the command. To display such weakness right in front of the soldiers left the frontline knights utterly appalled. Unbelievable sabotage had been committed by their own friendly nobles.

“Do not waver!”

“Hold your ground! The rear ambush was blocked by the Great Sage Agphiel!”

“Sirs, hold your positions quickly as well! Just what on earth are you doing? The lowborn are watching! Encourage the soldiers and have them march out to fight! Instead of running away, uphold your honor!”

The fortunate part was that Count Shatin rushed forward immediately to steady the faltering nobles. Thanks to that, the nobles held their ground, and the soldiers' morale was restored.

However, the situation remained grim.

“Insolent rebels dare to challenge us without fear!”

Because the Emperor standing at the very forefront growled as he led his elite cavalry.

― U-uh! Block the Emperor!

― We must stop him! St... *Gah!*

― *Crunch, crunch!*

The charge of the Empire's elite cavalry led by the enraged Emperor was nearly impossible to stop.

Every time the Emperor charged leading his knights, the frontline ranks collapsed in heaps.

“Knights! What are our knights doing! Charge out immediately and halt that charge!”

Startled, Count Shatin shouted and pressed the knights, but the knights had no clever solution either.

*Rumble, rumble, rumble.*

Somehow, the knights grouped together and threw themselves toward the charging Emperor, but...

*Huuuung.*

*Boom, boom!*

The power of the ancient relic held by the Emperor exceeded expectations.

*Crash!*

*Bang, bang!*

Despite a physical collision, the force bounced back, and the ones collapsing were friendly knights instead.

“?!?!?”

It was truly an unbelievable sight, but sadly it was reality, not a dream. Making full use of the ancient empire's relic bestowed upon him, the Emperor was literally slaughtering the knights of Count Shatin's army.

― A-aaaargh!

― We can't stop him!

A miserable defeat for friendly knights.

No, a slaughter.

Thanks to that, the morale of the soldiers forming squares behind them began plummeting drastically.

As if a single reorganized charge from the Emperor leading his knights would shatter them completely.

And just as the Emperor finished reorganizing for a secondary charge:

*Bwoooo-!*

“?”

*Bwooo.*

Miraculously, a group of riders appeared on the distant ridge behind him, backlit by the sun.

Shatien.

“All troops, prepare to charge!”

*Clank!*

It was the Sauerland Mobile Unit led by Shatien.

“Chaaarge! It is time to defeat the tyrant Emperor!”

“Kiiiyahooo!”

“For honor! Death calls us! Let us present an honorable death before God!”

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