In a daze, the girl seemed to see memories from long ago.
Those were experiences from before she became a Flame Haze.
After being taken in, she'd always lived in a floating castle—the Palace of Heaven's Road, "Tendōkyū."
Aside from the girl herself, three others lived in Tendōkyū:
The woman who cared for her.
The woman who taught her.
And finally, the Crimson God who would become her contracted partner, a being known by every Denizen in the Crimson Realm—Alastor, the Flame of Heaven.
The so-called "Flame-haired Burning-eyed Hunter" was not a title belonging to a single person. Rather, it was a name inherited by any Flame Haze who contracted with Alastor.
Before this girl, Alastor had already chosen another contractor, a mighty Flame Haze hailed as "the strongest in Europe" centuries ago. Unfortunately, in a critical battle that decided the very fate of the world, she sacrificed her life to achieve victory.
Ever since then, Alastor had been seeking a new contractor to fulfill his mission in this world.
Most Flame Hazes entered contracts with Crimson Lords purely out of vengeance after losing loved ones to Denizens, including Alastor's previous contractor.
Yet in that decisive battle, Alastor finally realized something.
Vengeance alone…is not enough.
Thus, he began to seek a Flame Haze not driven solely by revenge, but rather one born solely for the sake of a mission.
The one he chose was this girl—a child orphaned since birth, homeless, rejected by the world itself. She was someone whose very existence felt meaningless, solitary to the extreme.
Tendōkyū's caretaker had picked her up, raised her, and provided rigorous training to mold her into a perfect Flame Haze, preparing her to inherit the title "Flame-haired Burning-eyed Hunter."
Thus, she had no name—only a future title she might inherit.
Yet the girl never complained about this fate.
If anything, for someone who originally had no reason to exist, the training at Tendōkyū gave her purpose, making her life meaningful. Rather than resentment, she felt sincere gratitude.
She was genuinely proud of her identity and mission.
When she finally began her journey, the caretaker spoke to her:
"From now on, you'll face everything alone, de arimasu."
That person, who was like a mother or older sister to the girl, spoke those words without any inflection, bearing a slightly strange verbal tic.
"You're now a Flame Haze who doesn't need to depend on others. You no longer require anyone's help, de arimasu."
That's right.
From then on, she had to face everything on her own.
And indeed, she no longer needed anyone's help.
As a Flame Haze, she would fight endlessly to maintain the balance of the world.
All pain and failure along the way were justified; they were necessary proofs of overcoming her past immaturity, milestones of growth.
The girl knew very well that, although she had successfully contracted with Alastor and become a Flame Haze, she was not yet worthy of the title "Flame-haired Burning-eyed Hunter." Even unleashing her power still required the blade she held.
Her efforts were insufficient. Her strength was insufficient. Her trials, insufficient.
Still utterly insufficient… She remained too weak, too immature.
The girl, who always pushed herself relentlessly forward, today encountered a very strange person. That person gently stroked her head, acknowledged her efforts, and told her…
"I clearly see the effort you've made to reach this point… Truly, you've done splendidly."
"You really worked so very hard… Good job."
Such soft words, so delicate they seemed to scatter at a mere breeze through fingertips, yet they stirred her heart deeply, refusing to calm down even long afterward.
When the girl finally snapped out of it, that person had already vanished, as if everything had merely been a dream.
Unfortunately, it was no dream. The blackened crater still radiated scorching heat, and the agitation in her heart lingered persistently.
So irritating…
So annoying…
So infuriating…
"Hmm… that was truly dangerous. Who knew that Crimson Lord possessed such a peculiar ability? That mysterious individual really saved your life."
Alastor suddenly spoke.
The flame-haired girl frowned as Nitocris's figure flashed into her mind.
"I never asked to be saved by her… What a disgusting feeling…"
The girl didn't understand what this lingering agitation in her heart meant. Experiencing this emotion for the first time left her uneasy and irritated.
Coupled with the sneak attack by that Crimson Denizen, her current mood was truly terrible.
This attitude toward someone who saved your life is quite inappropriate… Although Alastor thought this privately, his current feelings were equally complex.
From just one glance, he immediately understood—that person was undoubtedly a "god."
Of course, there were powerful Crimson Lords revered by humans, worshipped as gods, even enshrined in myths, like the Four Gods of Earth…
But this person was fundamentally different.
From that being, Alastor felt a clear ripple of divine Authority.
Each of the Three Gods of Guze possessed a corresponding Authority:
Alastor was the god of Judgment and Retribution.
Shaher was the god of Awakening and Guidance.
The Snake of the Festival was the god of Creation and Determination.
The three Crimson Gods held divine "Authorities," manifestations of certain fundamental laws within the Crimson Realm, setting them completely apart from other Crimson Lords. No matter how powerful other Lords became, without their corresponding "Authority," they would forever remain merely "Lords," never ascending to true godhood.
Yet today, Alastor encountered another being who wielded an unmistakable divine "Authority."
Moreover, he sensed that a small portion of that being's Authority overlapped with his own—she, too, possessed a power similar to the domain of "Judgment."
It could be said that Nitocris's sudden appearance had instantly shaken both the flame-haired girl and Alastor to the core, making them question their own existence.
Nitocris: Teasing them and then vanishing is truly exhilarating.
"Alastor, did you know that person?" the flame-haired girl asked abruptly.
"…Hmm, no. I've never encountered her before, nor have I ever even heard of such a being."
The girl's eyes widened with surprise at Alastor's admission. After all, as the ancient God of Retribution, Alastor was among the oldest existences in the Crimson Realm; his knowledge vast beyond imagination. If even he didn't recognize someone, chances were nobody else in the world would.
"But…she seemed to recognize me."
"This point puzzles me as well… Hmm… I truly can't make sense of it."
Upon hearing that, the girl's brow furrowed even more tightly.
Once again recalling the gentle, tender smile that had appeared on the mysterious figure's face, the fluttering agitation within her chest intensified further, igniting her irritation like flames encountering dry grass.
"So annoying…"
Right now, she desperately wanted to find the person responsible for causing this irritating turmoil, punch that frustratingly gentle face once, and then demand an explanation for the baffling things she'd said.
"Someone like her won't remain hidden for long. When the time is right, we'll surely meet her again," Alastor reassured, attempting to soothe the girl's vexation.
"Mm… I understand."
Just like his young Flame Haze partner, Alastor himself was equally disturbed by this unknown "god."
He needed to uncover her intentions.
He needed to discern exactly why she had approached his contracted partner.
To find these answers, another encounter would be inevitable.
Even knowing clearly that the flame-haired girl's growing fixation on this mysterious being could eventually pose a problem, Alastor wasn't certain how to address it.
And while the one responsible for causing such chaos within the hearts of a Flame Haze and a Crimson God was busy with—
...
"Ahh, Kami-sama! The parfait at this café is incredibly delicious!"
The evening sun poured into the café, golden and thick like melted honey.
Hirai Yukari curled up comfortably on the soft leather sofa beside the window, resting her chin happily on both hands, her delighted smile blossoming like a flower.
"It was definitely the right decision to come to this café recommended by Ogata-san… I've always wanted to come, but it's been impossible since it's in another city. It's all thanks to you, Kami-sama! Your ability to teleport instantly is way too convenient… Kami-sama, don't you want to try some? It's really delicious!"
"There's no need. Since I'm sharing your body right now, I can also taste everything whenever you enjoy your food."
Nitocris's voice resonated from the pendant around Yukari's neck.
"Oh… is that so?"
"Precisely. So just enjoy it yourself. Besides, I don't particularly crave human food… And if I wanted, I could just make it myself."
"Eh?! Kami-sama, you can make desserts?!"
Yukari's eyes widened in amazement.
At that moment, Nitocris's voice grew noticeably proud.
"Remember this, my contractor—on Earth, there is nothing impossible for a Pharaoh! Whether it's creating sweets, building castles, or even ruling and managing an entire nation, all of it is child's play to me. The only real question is whether I feel like doing it… Speaking of which, as my contractor, being so easily impressed by a mere dessert is completely unbecoming of you. If you're satisfied this easily, it'll only embarrass me. Clearly, the time has come for you to witness what the best dessert in the world actually tastes like! As punishment, don't even dream of leaving until I'm fully satisfied—prepare yourself properly!"
"A dessert personally made by Kami-sama… Just how delicious would it be?"
Yukari was already drooling in anticipation. "Hehehe… Thank you, Kami-sama!"
"Hmph! You can praise me even more if you wish. After all, it's only natural to offer praise to a god, so it's not like it will make me particularly happy. Hmph!"
Although Nitocris had promised Yukari a dessert that would surpass anything else in the world, Yukari didn't commit the unforgivable act of wasting food. Instead, she diligently finished every last bit of her parfait.
Once done, she decided to buy several more sweets to bring back to her mother and her close friends.
A little later, Yukari exited the café alone, walking slowly along streets dyed amber by the setting sun. Streetlights flickered on one by one, like tiny candies quietly lit within wrappers. She lowered her head, carefully stepping on the dappled tree shadows beneath her feet, her footsteps as gentle as if afraid of disturbing the faint vanilla scent lingering in the air.
She wasn't in a hurry to return home. After all, even though she and Nitocris had defeated the Crimson Denizen in this city, they still needed to restore the Torches scattered throughout. Thankfully, this city's Crimson Denizen hadn't had an appetite as big as Friagne's; the number of Torches scattered here could be counted on just two hands, meaning it wouldn't take long to restore each one individually.
At that moment, Yukari's thoughts drifted involuntarily back to that flame-haired girl. Remembering how gently Nitocris had treated her, a sudden sense of unease stirred inside Yukari, as if someone had secretly pinched her heart, sourness tinged with irritation she couldn't fully explain.
"Kami-sama… That girl we met today… that Flame Haze… Who was she?"
Really now, Kami-sama belongs to me. Why did you have to act so kindly toward that girl?
You've never treated me that gently before…
"Hmm… I believe I've told you about the three Crimson Gods? Among them, the only one to ever contract with a Flame Haze is the God of Retribution, the Flame of Heaven, Alastor. That girl is the Flame-haired Burning-eyed Hunter contracted with him."
Nitocris wasn't surprised Yukari asked. After all, the gentle attitude she'd displayed toward that girl earlier was indeed a bit conspicuous.
Honestly, if she'd had melon bread with her at the time, she would have gladly fed it to the girl right there. It was something she'd secretly dreamed of doing for ages, though only now had she finally encountered a living Shana—even if at this point in time, that girl probably wasn't named Shana yet.
"Eh?! She's the one contracted with the Flame of Heaven?" Yukari covered her mouth in surprise. "She's just a little girl… Then, does that mean they're actually good people?"
"Let's say their objectives partly overlap with ours. They wish to maintain the balance of the world, while our focus is on protecting this world and all who live within it. Hmm, let's consider this… If we ever decided to banish all Crimson Denizens back to the Crimson Realm and then utterly destroy the Crimson Realm itself, it's possible Alastor would become our enemy."
"I see…"
"Though it probably won't come to that. This world has already been weakened considerably due to the constant damage inflicted by Denizens. Destroying an entire neighboring world might have unpredictable consequences here—definitely not something we'd want to see."
Well, since she's contracted to a Crimson God, she probably won't be able to compete with me for Kami-sama's affection, right?
Realizing this, Yukari's earlier tight frown relaxed, gently smoothed away by the evening breeze.
Letting out a quiet sigh, she blew away the faint, sour jealousy still lingering in her heart. Without even noticing, the corners of her mouth lifted softly, blooming secretly like a cherry blossom beneath the twilight.
---
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