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    Ivan lingered in the hallway outside the study, his mind still reeling from the conversation. The mention of a mole within the resistance had sent a chill down his spine, but it was Skarlett’s presence that left the deepest impression. Her calm authority, the way she carried herself—it was as if the air around her crackled with energy, dense and unyielding. He had always known she was powerful, but standing so close to her, he could feel the sheer magnitude of her mana. It was overwhelming, like standing too close to a roaring fire.


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