RE: ZERON I will return for you, even if it takes a million

Chapter 9 : The eternal flame

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​We headed to the plaza, where musicians were performing and people were celebrating. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat and laughter. With the money I'd earned from selling monster loot,

I was able to buy gifts for Lavender—necklaces and various foods that even I was tasting for the first time. Many of these delicacies no longer existed in my original timeline, as the town had long since been destroyed and impoverished.

​It was heartwarming to watch the children playing in the streets and enjoying the plaza. While I watched them, I noticed Lavender standing still with her eyes closed, soaking in the breeze as if she were savoring every second of her newfound peace.

It made sense; she had been imprisoned beneath a mansion as a slave for ten years. Seeing her like this confirmed my belief that she was a good soul who deserved freedom and a happy life.

​A few minutes later, we bought ice cream from a street vendor. Lavender was absolutely delighted, her tails wagging energetically like a child experiencing a treat for the first time.

​"Wait, is this your first time eating this?" I asked.

​"Hm... I remember my parents bringing me here to the plaza when I was very young, but since we became slaves, I haven't tasted it again."

​I told her that even for me, ice cream was a rare luxury. In my time, it was expensive and far out of reach for poor people like myself. I promised her right then that I would buy her ice cream whenever she wanted—all she had to do was ask.

​As we ate, I asked if she had any other relatives or acquaintances in the area. She explained that her parents weren't originally from Hayem; they had moved here just before she was born, which was why they were the only Musangs in town.

​Lavender then recalled that she did have friends—three fellow slaves from the mansion.

​"The four of us were together in the cellar for almost ten years. I'm just sad because I might never see them again."

​Curiosity got the better of me, and I asked about their work and the extent of her former master's wealth.

​"I don't know exactly how rich the Candal family is, but there are three people we considered 'Masters' in the mansion," she explained.

​She told me her masters employed many slaves, some of whom were trained assassins paid to eliminate people. Apparently, the eldest Candal son ran the largest crime syndicate in Hayem and the surrounding towns. She didn't know all the details, but she had overheard the guards talking while she was under their watch.

​"They didn't know about my curse, so they didn't use me for their illegal jobs. Our only task was to hunt and collect items from caves and forests."

​Feeling a wave of pity, I asked if she wanted to be reunited with her friends. Without hesitation, she said she would love to be with them again if given the chance.

​Ora suddenly interjected, her voice sharp in my mind. "I don't like where this is going. It sounds like you want to adopt every slave in that mansion just for this girl. Aren, have you forgotten why you're here?"

​I countered that if I could buy Lavender, maybe I could buy the other three as well so she wouldn't be lonely. I had no idea how much it would cost, but if it would make Lavender happy, I was willing to save up the gold.

​Ora was furious. She reminded me that we were on a critical mission, not running an orphanage. She told me I had no responsibility toward these strangers and that I shouldn't waste time on things that didn't help our cause.

​Hearing our argument, Lavender spoke up, pleading with me not to worry about her. "You've already done so much for me. I don't want to be a burden. You are my Master; I should be the one helping you, not causing you problems."

​I sighed and admitted to Lavender that while my mission was serious, I didn't want to live with regrets. I wanted her to be as happy as possible.

​"You're obsessed with that girl," Ora grumbled. "I still don't agree. If you're dead set on doing this, at least finish your mission first before playing hero."

​Lavender held my arm, telling me she understood Ora's point. She said she could wait until the mission was over if I was truly determined to help her friends. I had to agree; monster populations in the forest were thinning, and I'd have to climb the mountains to find more valuable loot, which would delay us even further.

​We spent the rest of the day distracting ourselves with theater performances, good food, and shopping for supplies. Finally, we rested on a rooftop overlooking the town to watch the sunset, the sky turning a bruised purple over the distant hills.

​As we sat there, Lavender took my hand and thanked me again for the chance to be free. She stared at me intensely, as if memorizing my face.

​"Wait, why are you staring like that? And you don't need to thank me every hour, haha. We're both orphans with no family; we should look out for each other."

​She took my hand, placed it against her face, and closed her eyes. It was an intimate gesture that drew stares from people around us, making me feel incredibly bashful.

​"It's getting dark," I said, clearing my throat. "We should find a place to stay."

​We found an inn near the carriage station. "This is perfect," I said. "We can get in line early tomorrow morning."

​I asked the caretaker for a room for two for one night. He looked at Lavender, then back at me with a smirk.

​"Oh... I have the perfect room for you two."

I paid the f*e, took the key, and we headed upstairs. When we walked in, we found a simple room with one window and a single, solitary bed. It was tiny.

​"There's only one bed. I think he misunderstood..."

​Ora immediately started teasing me, suggesting I had planned this all along to be close to Lavender.

​"What are you talking about?!" I asked, flustered.

​I looked at Lavender, who was blushing furiously and stepping backward, unable to look me in the eye. "Master Aren..." she whispered shyly.

​"Wait, I have no bad intentions! I didn't realize he'd give us a room with only one bed!"

​I frantically pulled my sleeping mat and blanket out of my Magic Bag, telling her I'd sleep on the floor so she could be comfortable. Ora popped out of her crystal again, insisting that if I was going to do anything, I should at least rent her her own room so she didn't have to watch.

​"Where am I supposed to sleep while you two... you know? Get me my own room!"

​"I told you, it's not like that! We shared a house yesterday, so I thought sharing a room was fine!"

​Ora lectured me, saying I didn't need to explain myself because human desire was natural. She even added that since Lavender was technically my property, it wasn't considered "wrong." I was mortified, especially with Lavender standing right there, and I told Ora to shut up. I insisted my intentions were pure—I just wanted to help Lavender.

​I looked at Lavender, who was clearly uncomfortable. I promised her that we were just sleeping and nothing else. "Don't listen to Ora. I won't do anything bad. I promise."

​Ora laughed. "Hahaha, your reaction is priceless. It's so obvious you have zero experience with women."

​I grabbed the crystal. "Quiet, or I'm putting you in the Magic Bag!"

​Ora took offense. "How dare you! You should not handle a respected Prime Spirit this way!"

​But in the middle of our bickering, Ora's expression suddenly went cold. "I feel an aura... a presence from other Spirit Items."

​"A presence? Where?"

​A split second later, Lavender tackled me to the floor. "Master Aren!!"

​BOOM!

​The wall of our room exploded. The force was so immense that the entire room was leveled. Debris rained down and my vision went black; for a moment, it felt like my body was melting. I lost consciousness until a voice calling my name pulled me back.

​"Aren! Hey, Aren!! Wake up!!"

​I forced my eyes open to find Ora hovering over me. My body was screaming in pain, and I realized I was covered in blood.

​"Thank goodness you're awake, Aren."

​The inn's roof and walls were gone, completely obliterated by the blast. I struggled to sit up, my mind racing. I looked for Lavender and asked Ora what happened.

​"We were attacked. The culprits possess Spirit Items as well."

​I was stunned. I noticed a strange, violet fire consuming the ruins of the room. "Did they do this? Where is Lavender? Is she safe?"

​"That's the problem," Ora replied. "That violet fire you see? It didn't come from the attackers. It came from Lavender."

​I was speechless. Ora explained that Lavender had shielded me from the blast; otherwise, no human could have survived that kind of impact. After the explosion, the assassins saw I was still alive and tried to finish the job, but Lavender moved to protect me.

​"So Lavender saved me? But this fire... don't tell me?"

​"Yes," Ora said solemnly. "That fire is the power of her Celestial Item. It is the weapon of the Spirit of the Eternal Flame."

​Ora looked worried. This wasn't just any fire. She warned me that it didn't just burn objects—it fed on the energy of living beings. It would grow and grow, and it couldn't be extinguished by water or any normal means. "If that fire swallows you, it will drain your life force until you're a husk."

​I tried to stand, but my legs buckled. My shins felt like they were fractured. I was badly hurt, but I couldn't just stay there.

​"Don't move too much," Ora warned. "You were out for fifteen minutes. It's too late to use Time Heal to reverse these injuries."

​"If Lavender saved me, where is she? Don't tell me the assassins caught her!"

​Ora sighed. "That's another problem. I think she chased after them when they retreated. The 'Infernal Flame' is a hungry fire. If that girl can't control the Celestial Item's power, the weapon might end up controlling her."

​Ora reminded me that just like with my Time Sword, a wielder bonds with their weapon and feels its needs. "I think I know why she calls it a curse. When she uses it, the weapon gets hungry and forces her to attack."

​I forced myself up and started limping toward the exit. I knew it was dangerous, but I knew Lavender didn't want to hurt anyone. I had to help her. I had made a promise.

​Outside the inn, the town was in chaos. People were screaming, trying to put out the violet flames spreading through their homes. I didn't know where to look, so I just ran. Eventually, I saw a massive blaze in the distance and headed toward it.

​When I arrived, I found the Candal Mansion engulfed in violet flames. A crowd had gathered outside, watching in horror as the heat warped the air.

​"Is Lavender inside...?"

​I scaled the perimeter fence and rushed in. Outside the mansion, guards lay scattered on the ground, being consumed by the fire. I sprinted into the building. The interior was a nightmare: scorched body parts, shattered furniture, and roaring, hungry flames.

​"What happened here?"

​Suddenly, a burning figure crashed through the ceiling from the second floor, writhing in agony. Then, someone began to descend the grand staircase.

​I froze. A creature made of pure violet fire, shaped like a cat-humanoid, was stepping down. Every footprint she left scorched the floor. She was dragging a wounded old man who was begging for his life—the same old man who had attacked me in the forest.

​"Let me go! What do you want? Money? I'll give you anything, just don't kill me!"

​A cold dread settled in my stomach.

​"Lavender... is that you?"