54. Grass

Sorry for not getting to this until the afternoon. I thought I would be able to get this morning, but then I had unexpected meetings run from 7am to 12pm. Fun times in the corporate world.

And uh, again, sorry for the delay in this one. I translated the wrong chapter and Granblue Fantasy Relink came out so lol yeah I lost track of time. Whoops.

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TN: Toasty
ED: Toasty

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The summer sunlight is getting stronger.
Today, Yan and I are pulling weeds near the front entrance. Well-shaped dogwoods grow in key areas, and there is plenty of grass, making it spacious and offering a good view. However, if you look closely, you can see weeds growing between the grass.
From early summer to early fall, when weeding is most likely to be carried out, the cutting height is kept at 25 centimeters or less to prevent their growth. This is possible during the hot season when there are few visitors.
Yan muttered an idea he had come up with while wiping the sweat dripping off him with the towel around his neck.

「Aniki, I was wondering, if you squeeze the grasses tight, won’t weeds stop growing?」

「That would make it look bad. The current density is the limit.」

「I see.」

As Yan says, increasing the density of grass will eliminate the gaps where weeds can grow. In fact, it’s not impossible if you want to do it. However, if you do that, the grass will become too dense and you won’t get the refreshing view that only a lawn can provide. It’s great because the grass sways to the touch when the wind blows through.
Landscaping is about scenery, or appearance. The reason why weed control in flower beds is to give priority to herbs, as this will bring out the centerpiece of the flowers.
When I explained the reason for not increasing the density of the grass, Yan looked around and nodded in agreement.

「Then, let’s do our best!」

「Mmm.」

Perhaps inspired by the need to protect and preserve this landscape, Yan smiled as powerfully as the summer sun under his straw hat. I nodded in return, trying to do my best not to lose to the motivated Yan.
There’s no shade around the lawn, so Yan and I both wear straw hats and put towels around our necks as we work. We make it a point to call out to each other when we’ve reached a certain area so we don’t forget to take a short break to replenish our fluids.
My father went to check with my master, Heinz-san the butler, about the shape of holly trees. Currently, he has chosen a round shape to match the image of spring. Once the off-season begins, you can let the holly trees grow, and reshape it.
The Ernst family is unusual among aristocrats, as they entrust the landscaping design to the Baumgertner family. However, this does not mean that we do not listen to their intentions at all. If possible, it would be better to make the Ernst family happier. The best way to do that is to ask a master who knows the preferences of the Ernst family.
While I was weeding, I noticed a bit of noise around the front entrance. Several servants came out the front door.
When Yan and I turned our heads to see what was going on, the gate opened and a carriage came in. Did we have any plans for guests? It’s unusual for my father to work at the front of the house on days when he has guests. He must have consulted with his master and made a schedule to avoid days when he would have guests.

Is it an unexpected visitor?

Both horses and carriages are white, without excessive decoration. However, there are decorations in the shape of spirits on the door and on the four corners of the roof are engraved  gold leaf emblems. The main attributes are fire, water, wind, and earth. In terms of rarity of attributes, the order is light, darkness, and thunder, and the ratio of aptitude for the latter four attributes is similar or similar.
Therefore, it is commonly said among the people that the carriages of the royal family are attended by spirits of the main attributes. I was reminded of the time when I was given special training by my master as a servant. Does that mean it belongs to the royal family?
Just as I was thinking about it, the carriage stopped far in front of the front entrance. The driver lowers the scaffolding and opens the carriage door.

「You’re working hard, Isaac.」

The boy who first got off the carriage had golden hair that was strangely dazzling as it reflected the summer sun. Holding back from calling him by his given name, I closed my mouth in one straight line.

「My apologies, Your Highness.」

「Oh, you’re the prince!? I’m so sorry for my rudeness.」

Following my example of bowing, Yan hurriedly bowed his head.
Before Leo cleared his throat in amusement, an unknown voice called out.

「Which one is it, Your Highness?」

「Come on, don’t get ahead of His Highness.」

A voice that sounded brave and a voice that put a stop to it. However, it didn’t seem like he heard any restraining language, as the sound of hasty footsteps approached.
Although I hadn’t received permission from Prince Leo, I looked up as I felt him approaching.
At that moment, I heard the sound of a wind, and a line appeared in my field of vision. I moved from the place where the shadow was falling and took a position to shield Yang with my back.
The sword, still in its scabbard, was swung down to where I had been just a moment ago, and it stopped perfectly on the tip of the grass on the lawn. The grass swayed as if to avoid the sword’s wind pressure.
The guy who swung the sword down looked at me and raised the corner of his mouth.

「Is it you?」

「Remias, cut it out!」

Suddenly, a thick, hard-bound book hit the boy in front of me in the back of the head. A muffled scream erupted from the person it hit.
Since the book fell on the grass, it was caught by the grass without getting dirty. Calm footsteps lead up to the book, pick it up and pat it to make sure it’s not damaged.

「Bell, what are you going to do! What if you dent my head!」

「There’s no way your hard head is going to get dented that often. In fact, I’m more worried about my book.」

The boy’s fiery red hair was long and bounced outward, making him look like a lion. The other boy had cool eyes, his straight blue hair was cut neatly, and his nape was neat.
Their contrasting appearances were also contrasting on the inside.
I watched the interaction between the two in astonishment. I don’t know how to react to the discomfort I feel from the two of them.

「If it’s such an important book, don’t throw it.」

The boy with blue hair’s eyebrows raised in anger.

「Maybe it’s because you didn’t stop when I said that.」

The boy with red hair calmly replies.
It creates the illusion that two people whose contents have been swapped are arguing with each other. So much so that the impression they gave on their appearance and personality, which was conveyed through the way they spoke, were completely opposite.
It looks like the red and blue Sentai members have been swapped. [T/N: For those of you not super familiar with the Sentai genre, think Power Rangers.]

「Blue Red and Red Blue.」

I remembered the exact expression from my memories of my previous life and muttered.

「Aniki, what is it?」

Yan tilted his head at my incomprehensible murmur. I don’t know how to explain it, so I force a smile.

「I just remembered something…So, when are you going to stop them?」

When I fought back the glare from his hair and glanced over, Leo was looking at the two of them, smiling.

「Sorry, it’s the usual thing they do.」

Leo apologized and stopped them. Apparently it was a familiar sight to Leo.

「Jeremias, Bernhard, how long are you two going to do this?」

At Leo’s calm words, the two stopped their argument.

「Roy-sama, what on earth is this…?」

At that moment, Ojou came quickly through the front door, unable to comprehend the situation and looking perplexed. I don’t understand either, so please explain. Leo was the only one smiling calmly in this place.

「Miss Lydia, I’m sorry for making such a sudden announcement. My vassal was rude to a servant in your house. I would like to apologize to him.」

Did Leo leave these two alone in order to create an excuse to invoke me, a servant?
Realizing that I had gotten caught up in Leo’s plan, I felt worn out. It took a short while for her to reply in approval, so perhaps Ojou was feeling the same way.
Ojou led Leo and the others to the guest room, and I asked the maid to take care of my straw hat and towel, and after cleaning myself briefly, I headed to the guest room. I asked Yan to go and explain the situation to my father.
When I entered the guest room, I saw Leo, who had already had some tea and seemed relaxed, sitting on a sofa for one person, two boys on a sofa for two or three people, and Ojou sitting alone on the same sofa across from them. The only vacant seat is next to Ojou.
Leo looked at Chairwoman, who was waiting with Matteus-onii-chan in the corner of the room, and then shifted his gaze to Ojou.

「Emilia is fine.」

「I see.」

Ojou seemed to have sensed Leo’s question as she looked at him and replied. Satisfied with Ojou’s response, Leo turned towards me this time.

「That means you don’t have to worry about it.」

「…I don’t really understand this sort of thing, but I understand.」

For the time being, it seems like there’s no need to behave like in public here. The maid who prepared the tea has withdrawn, so the people in this room are Ojou, Leo, the two boys Leo brought with him, Chairwoman, and Matteus-onii-chan. Other than those two, it’s only people who know me.
There was no point in standing there, so I sat down next to Ojou. A cup of tea was already prepared for that empty seat, so it must have been a good fit. When I sat down on the sofa, I felt that Ojou stirred slightly, perhaps because of the vibrations.

「So, why was I suddenly attacked?」

「Just to make sure!」

I wanted an explanation, so I asked Leo, and the owner of the surprise attack gave me a simple answer. Immediately after the boy with his loud voice answered, he started stuffing his mouth with the tea and sweets that were served to him.

「He’s Jeremias. He’s one of my direct subjects. He got interested in the story about how we played knights the other day.」

「I heard that you’re strong enough to fight with His Highness!」

「Huh? No, I lose every time.」

He told me about the story of playing knights during Leo’s inspection of the downtime area. Moreover, he has never been able to beat Leo, who is seriously learning swordsmanship. Leo himself knows this so why would he spread false information?
When I looked at Leo in confusion, he gave me an unapologetic smile.

「I just said that I thought it would be easier for Isaac to have no advantage.」

「Besides, he just dodged my attack.」

The blue hair said while swallowing the tea sweets in his mouth, and the red hair next to him added an explanation.

「Remias heard His Highness’s story and became interested in you, so he asked him to do something about it. I’m sorry.」

It seems as if Leo made a misleading statement that I was stronger in martial arts instead of swordsmanship, and the straight-haired blue-haired man known as Remias wanted to see my ability, and now apparently I’m here.
This is Leo’s fiancée’s house, so it’s not a place for a man to come alone. Well, even among men, Nico is an exception. However, that didn’t stop him from thinking of the drastic idea of having Leo come with him.

「Even Bell wants to ask this guy something difficult.」

「That is……」

「You guys, get your act together. Don’t ignore Ojou and talk to her.」

「Zack.」

I don’t know why, but I understand that these two have some kind of interest in me. I don’t like the fact that Leo was used for fun and how he used Ojou as bait.

「You guys followed the prince who came to see Ojou, right? In that case, you should at least say hello.」

「You’re not angry at me, are you?」

Leo widens his eyes with curiosity.

「You’ve already apologized and Ojou is scolding you.」

「I’m not disrespecting Roy-sama by scolding him! I just… I was just asking for a little more time.」

I came later, but I was just wiping my sweat and hadn’t even changed clothes, so I wasn’t that far behind. Leo was calmly waiting for me in that short time, so I’m sure he must have apologized to Ojou.
What Ojou, who seemed to be trying to object, said, confirmed that.

「You’re right. I’m sorry, Lydia-sama!」

「I’m really sorry for bothering you.」

The blue haired boy graciously apologizes, and the red hair boy bows deeply and politely. After receiving their respective apologies, Ojou replied with a wry smile.

「Jeremias-sama and Bernhard-sama, please raise your heads. It is enough for me to just apologize for pointing your sword at him. He is just a gardener.」

I felt a rare hint of thunder on my skin. When I looked at Ojou next to me, she was wearing the presence of the spirit of thunder and had an intense smile on her face. Ojou must be angry.
Come to think of it, Ojou wasn’t good at violence. She was also very angry when the Chairwoman pointed a stiletto at me when we first met.
She is implicitly telling the blue haired boy that she should apologize to me before he apologizes to her.
The blue haired boy was stunned for a moment by the unexpected presence of Ojou, but he nodded slightly and turned his head towards me.

「Lydia-sama is right. I am Jeremias von Staden. It was cowardly to attack me by surprise. I’m sorry!」

「No, that’s enough. I’m Isaac Baumgertner, and I’m the apprentice gardener at this house.」

「Next time, I will challenge you fairly.」

「「Ha?」」

Ojou and I, who hadn’t expected what would happen next, froze up, unable to comprehend what the blue haired boy had said. On the other hand, the blue-haired boy has a lively and nice smile on his face.

「I want to deal with someone who seems strong.」

He talks excitedly like the main character of a shounen manga. Although he looks smart on the outside, there is a huge gap between his words and actions. And I want you to say that to a strong opponent. I’m just an ordinary citizen.

「Isaac, you should give up. This guy can’t be stopped once he’s like this. Oh, I’m Bernhard von Reckebusch.」

The red-haired guy let out a tired sigh and expressed sympathy towards me. Come to think of it, this guy probably followed Leo because he had something to do with me.

「Bern…umm.」

「If you don’t feel comfortable calling, just call me Bell.」 [T/N: This isn’t a perfect fit, but literally he asks to be called “Beru”, rather than “Berun”, so it’s closer to Bell rather than Bern.]

Perhaps he was used to someone like me, so Bell immediately told me the abbreviation.

「Bell also said there was something he wanted to ask me…」

「I’m fine with being called Remias.」

「Remias said so, but…」

「Bernhard-san, what kind of business do you have for Zack?」

「That’s……」

Ojou, who hadn’t seen the entire incident, looked at the red-haired bell with surprise. Bell looked down uncomfortably, catching our gaze. He closed his mouth, which was about to open, and murmured timidly.

「I heard from His Highness that you use magic without chanting. I’ve never seen a commoner use magic without chanting, so I wanted to know how you do it…If possible, could you please truly show me?」

「That’s fine. But only if you can wait until I’m done with work.」

「Really!?」

Before I could finish my sentence, Bell suddenly looked up with an eager look on his face.

「I hear that commoners don’t use magic on a daily basis because they have a small amount of magical power. However, you actively use magic, and you also use attributes other than your natural alignment, right? I would love to hear about it. Since I am also of the same water attribute, I also want to try comparing the differences in the amount of magical power.」

「Time out, time out!」

I was astonished to the point where I flinched back at the force of him leaning forward and talking on and on. I just nodded because it was better than the blue-haired Remias, but I wouldn’t have expected such an enthusiastic response.
When I stopped him, Bell seemed to come back to his senses and sat back down on the sofa, holding his book in shame. His red hair, which had spread out when he was giving his impassioned speech, now looked heartless and a little deflated.

「I… I’m sorry.」

「I heard that Bernhard-san is very studious, but when it comes to magic, he talks so much…」

Ojou muttered as if she was taken aback. It seems that Ojou has never seen a Bell like this before.

「By the way, did you know about the two of them?」

From the way they interacted, I thought it wasn’t their first meeting. To my question, Ojou agrees.

「I met them at the tea parties that Roy-sama was accompanying me to. However, up until now we’ve only been greeting each other, so this is the first time we’ve had a leisurely conversation.」

「Ah, I’m sorry. I gave the all clear, but…」

If it’s just showing magic, it’s easy to agree, but since it was only an hour or two until work ended in the evening, Ojou would be entertaining them during that time. If they aren’t that close with her, I’ll be putting a burden on Ojou.
I was about to decline and correct myself, but Ojou shook her head to stop me.

「I enjoy talking with Roy-sama, and I wanted to hear from Bernhard-sama, who has a wealth of book knowledge, so I don’t mind.」

Looking at Ojou’s expression, I knew that she really thought so. The reason why she hasn’t mentioned the blue-haired Remias is probably because it’s simply difficult to talk to him. Remias had already eaten half of the tea and sweets on the table by himself, and no matter how she looked at it, he seemed to be living by the three principles of eating, playing, and sleeping. I don’t think his hobbies match that of Ojou, who takes her lessons seriously.

「Hmm, I’m not good at staying still. Can I run around the perimeter of the mansion until he’s done?」

「That is no good. You’re also acting as His Highness’s bodyguard, so remember to stay still.」

Bell immediately rejected Remias’s request. It seems that Bell is used to dealing with Remias. Remias, who was scolded by him, tightened his grip on her mouth as if to endure it.
He knew that Remias would be fine as long as Bell was there, so I asked Ojou.

「Um, then, can I have you bring Bell to the pond later?」

「Understood.」

When my work was finished, I asked her to guide him to a pond where it would be easier to use magic, and she agreed. It’s easy to use magic even though I don’t have a lot of magic if it’s near the pond in the corridor leading to the annex. The water lilies in the pond are at their peak, so it’s perfect.

「Thank you, Ojou.」

「You should get back to work.」

「Mhm, I’m off.」

「T… take care.」

Ojou saw the right time and urged me to get back to work, and I sat up. For some reason, tOjou seemed to flinch for a moment, but I don’t know what that was.

「Until then, leave Miss Lydia’s partner to me.」 [T/N: Honestly this one was kind of rough, but I got the feeling Roy was trying to basically come along with Zack.]

「No, you came to see Ojou.」

Leo, who had been watching with a smile on his face, said something off the mark. Leo, the first prince of this country, and the daughter of a duke are engaged to each other. Prince Roy should be the star of the show, and it will probably be after that that he introduces the two of them to me.
In response to my point, Leo said that’s right with a sparkling smile. I didn’t think I’d end up getting blinded when I left, so I left the room, closed the door, and covered my eyelids with both hands until I calmed down. I feel like he’s getting more and more dazzling every year.
I was caught off guard because I usually see him with brown hair on his head. I don’t like Leo’s blonde hair because it’s the most dazzling.
However, if it’s Leo, his subordinates will also be much more colorful and stand out. Both Remias and Bell had blue and red hair, which were close to the primary colors. If they just wanted to meet me, I thought for a moment that they could do it during a tour of the downtown area instead of through Ojou, but I realized that it would be impossible with those two’s looks. Besides, those two’s personalities would make them stand out in the downtown area. No, Leo is already out of place, or rather, he stands out.
In the downtown area, Leo is treated like an idol who occasionally comes around. The older girls and aunties are kind to Leo, who has a nice and friendly face, and perhaps because of his youthful personality, even the older men like him. Leo is liked even more because there is a cool board game like Go in Japan in this country, and it’s rare to find a child who can play. Because even if I’m invited to play I’ll escape, so they’re impressed we get along.
It’s fun talking to Leo like that, so Ojou must be smart after all. If all three of us were to talk to Bell, who seems to be an avid reader, I’m sure he’d tell us something smart that I couldn’t understand. It must be very difficult for Remias to be mixed in with that.
Although I had just met the two of them, I had a strong impression about them and it was easy to imagine them. I went back to work, feeling somewhat funny about that.

Just as the sky begins to turn orange with the setting sun, I finish work and head to the west pond. I politely promised my father to be back in time to meet the wagon that I would like to share with him.
When I arrived at the pond, I could already see the shadows of four people in the pavilion between the breezeways, and my steps changed to a sprint.

「Sorry, did I make you wait!?」

「No, we just arrived.」

Leo, who is sitting comfortably, replies. I’m sure he’s not lying, but when Leo says that, I don’t get the feeling of what he’s saying. He’s the most calm and elegant person. I wonder if this guy ever gets anxious about things.
Even though she was sitting, Ojou stood up and welcomed me to the entrance of the gazebo.

「Zack…w-welcome back.」

「…? I’m back.」

For some reason, Ojou’s cheeks were red, perhaps because they were being illuminated by the setting sun. I replied even though I was wondering about that moment.
Then, I heard a chuckle. When I turned towards the sound, I saw Leo, his blonde hair shining even more dazzling in the setting sun, looking amused as he covered his mouth with his fist.

「No, I’m sorry. Miss Lydia is too adorable.」

「Roy-sama!?」

「Huh? Why are you saying something obvious??」

「Zack!!」

Ojou turned to Leo in a panic, and this time she even scolded me for tilting my head. It’s strange for Leo to find it funny just because Ojou is doing what she always does, but why is she even scolding me?

「So, what kind of magic will you show me?」

Just when I thought Ojou was about to start preaching with her reddened face, Bell intervened, his eyes sparkling with interest. Missing her timing to get angry, Ojou remains silent.
I remember the purpose of coming here and turn towards Bell.

「Even if you expect me to do this, I can only do boring things because I don’t have much magical power.」

「Rather, I want to see that!」

Bell immediately answered, and I found it funny and couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

「You’re a strange guy, wanting to see the magic of a shabby commoner.」

Unable to hide the amusement in my voice, I placed my hands over the pond where the water lilies were lying. Water droplets on a water lily leaf or water on the surface of a pond are suspended in the air and turned into fine particles of mist.
I just let it float in the air and adjust it so that the setting sun reflects well. It really is just this little amount of magic. The amount of water used is also small.
Even so, a small rainbow appears reflecting the setting sun.

「As for what I can do, it’s just making the rainbow last a little longer…」

When I turned to Bell next to me, his eyes were even brighter, and he was tightening his grip on the book he was holding. On the contrary, I had always thought that I would be disappointed if my expectations were not met, but the unexpected reaction freaked me out and left me at a loss for words.
Bell mumbled something, and when I tilted my head to the side, he said it louder this time.

「It’s amazing, you really can use it without chanting! Also, since it has less magical power, the control accuracy is high. Being able to maintain the rainbow means that you can maintain the particle state for a long time.」

With Bell’s explanation, it sounds like I’m doing something really amazing. Bell also said that he has a water attribute, and he probably has a lot of magical power, so he should be able to do the same thing or even more. Anything I can do, anyone with the same water attribute can do. That’s all I’ve done.

「Such an ordinary thing isn’t really ama—」

「That’s not true!」

「That’s right!」

When I tried to deny it, Bell and Ojou strongly argued against me. Why is even Ojou so angry?

「We nobles can use our own magical power as sustenance to use magic without chanting, but how on earth does Isaac prepare the necessary sustenance for activation?」

「I asked the spirits to help me with that……」

「Are you asking the spirits to assist you in activating it!? How!?」

「No, um, I showed you some magic, so I have to go home soon…」

I feel like Bell’s barrage of questions will never end if this continues, so I decline. How can I escape from this?

「Please tell me in detail!」

「Rather than that, you should compete with me.」

Even Remias, who was apparently bored, started to make his point. Even though he’s at an age where he’s playful and able to express his needs clearly, it would be a problem for me if they doubled up on me. Leo was alone, watching our interaction with a smile, but he must be the same age as these two. I realized once again that Leo is strange.

「Bernhard, Jeremias.」

Leo called their names, and the two reflexively fell silent. Although they are both very assertive, they seem to think of Leo as their boss even though they are the same age.

After confirming that the two were silent, Leo turned to Ojou.

「Miss Lydia, I came today because I have something to tell you.」

「Y-yes…what is it?」

「I’m going to be a little busy from now on. So I think my visits will be less frequent once the off-season ends.」

「That’s right, isn’t it?」

Ojou, who was suddenly turned away from the conversation, was confused but agreed with him and tried to gauge Leo’s intentions.

「That’s why, you two. I’m busy, so could you please deliver the gift in my place?」

「「Eh?」」

Leo turned to the two and made this request with a smile. Not understanding his intentions, both Ojou and I were speechless, and Remias and Bell tilted their heads as if to ask something.

「If you accept, you can come to the Ernst house regularly after the off-season.」

Upon hearing Leo’s comment, Ojou and I widened our eyes in understanding, and it was precisely because we understood his intentions that Ojou and I wanted to rub our heads as if we had a headache. [T/N: Literally “hold our heads”, but it’s hard to convey what that means. Look up “hands on head frustrated” in stock photos to get an idea, I think.]
In other words, in order to prevent rumors of a rift arising due to Leo becoming busy with political affairs or something and seeing his fiancée less frequently, he asked the two of them to become agents.
Since the off-season is coming, there is no reason for the two of them to come to the Ernst household. So, I just thought this was a one-off thing. Ojou probably thought the same thing and went out with him today. However, Leo gave them an excuse to visit the Ernst family on their own.

「I’ll do it!」

「Certainly!」

Leo’s smile deepened when he heard Remias and Bell’s replies. It was the moment when it became clear that the future would be noisy in the fall.
I let out a long sigh, feeling tired.

「…Leo, you’re not only kind to your sister, but also to your friends.」

They’re Leo’s friend, so I guess he’s not that bad. I can understand their desire to be a supporter of his, and I can also understand how happy Leo is to have found someone who is the same age as him. I was also happy to be friends with Nico. However, I’m worried that Ojou is getting involved.
Thinking so, I looked over at Ojou, and mysteriously found her staring ahead. When I followed that line of sight, I found Leo who had stiffened up as if he had been stabbed in the back.

「Leo?」

「…Ah, yes.」

When I called out to him, Leo seemed to come to his senses, nodded once, and looked straight at us.

「That’s right. You two are also good friends of mine.」

The shine was even brighter than the reflection on the water’s surface, and Leo looked really happy with a big smile on his face.
In response to that smile, Ojou let out a wry smile as if she had no choice. I too decided that I had no choice.
And I was horrified that my eyesight, one of the things I use for work, would be destroyed.

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More characters, huh? I get the feeling these two definitely would be routes in the otome game the world is based off of lol. Also the scene where Ojou welcomes Zack back and Leo teases her made me chuckle. Pretty sure he already knows about the chemistry between the two and has read them both cover to cover.

Anyways, next week should have Chapter 55 since I already translated it by mistake instead of this one assuming no weird sidetracks. See you guys next time!

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