章節 25: White Flame
In the smoldering ruins of the village, where ash and sorrow lingered in the air, a lone girl sat on the charred ground. Her red robe was dirtied and torn, her delicate hands hugging her knees as she stared vacantly at the destruction around her.
"What am I doing?" she murmured, her voice barely audible over the crackling remnants of burnt wood.
The girl was Stella, known as White Flame, member of the Flare's Hand and bearer of the rare ability to nullify magic. Her snowy white hair and crimson eyes shimmered faintly in the glow of the dying embers around her. For the first time in years, her hood was down, exposing her youthful, almost ghostly features.
"What am I even doing?" she repeated, the question directed at no one.
She had been left alive—not spared, not forgiven—simply ignored. Hanachiru Uta had not deemed her important enough to kill. She could have fled, yet her legs felt as heavy as lead, her will to move drained.
Stella's life had been anything but kind. Born to enslaved parents who worked as chimney sweeps for the temple, she had been treated as little more than a burden. Her stark white hair and piercing red eyes made her an oddity even among her downtrodden peers. But her rare ability to nullify magic had caught the attention of the temple elders. At age 15, she was inducted into the Flare's Hand, the temple's elite enforcers, tasked with silencing threats to their divine order.
At first, Stella believed she had escaped her life of squalor and abuse. But the reality of her position soon set in: she was no more than a tool, her hands stained with the blood of countless victims deemed enemies of the temple. Her assignments often involved torture and execution, tasks that left her sickened and hollow. Her tears fell nightly, but they changed nothing.
"Is this all there is?" she whispered to the void, her voice cracking.
A shadow fell over her.
"What's so bad?" a cheerful voice cut through the gloom.
Stella froze. Slowly, she looked up, her wide red eyes meeting the smiling face of Uta, who stood before her, hands in his pockets, as though he had wandered there by accident.
"You're… back. What about the others?"
"Oh, them?" Uta tilted his head, his smile not fading. "They're dust now. Just like your green friend."
Stella felt a shiver run down her spine.
"So, it's just me now," she murmured, her voice devoid of hope.
"Looks like it," Uta replied casually, rocking on his heels.
"Then… go ahead," she said, closing her eyes and bowing her head. "I won't resist. Do whatever you want."
"Huh?" Uta blinked, genuinely puzzled.
"I've killed so many… hurt so many people. It's only fair. I… deserve this."
Uta scratched his head. "Yeah, I don't think so. I'm kinda hungry. I'll deal with this later."
He turned and began walking away, leaving Stella sitting there, utterly confused.
"W-wait!" she called out, scrambling to her feet. "You're not going to kill me?"
Uta glanced over his shoulder, his face the picture of innocence. "Why would I?"
"I… I'm your enemy," she stammered. "I burned villages, killed people—"
"Nah, you didn't," Uta interrupted, his tone light. "Not this time, anyway. You didn't kill anyone here, right?"
"But…"
"You don't smell like death," Uta continued, as though that explained everything. "If you didn't kill the villagers, then you're not my problem. So… yeah, you're good."
Stella's lips quivered. "But… I've killed before. So many…"
"Don't care," Uta said bluntly, shrugging. "If it wasn't today, then it's not my business."
"Not… your business?"
"Yup. Unless you messed with my stew," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Did you kill my beef stew?"
"Beef… stew?"
"Yeah, the stew," Uta huffed, crossing his arms. "I was supposed to have beef stew tonight, but thanks to all this chaos, that's not happening. It's a real tragedy."
Stella blinked, utterly dumbfounded. This boy, who had dismantled the Flare's Hand, who had wiped out her comrades with effortless ease, wasn't angry about the villagers' deaths. He was upset about… dinner?
"I can… make beef stew," she mumbled, the words escaping her lips before she realized what she was saying.
Uta's eyes lit up like fireworks. "For real?!"
"Y-yes," Stella stammered, stepping back as Uta suddenly appeared inches from her face, his excitement radiating off him like a furnace.
"You have the ingredients?"
"I… I do. My bag has some supplies. If you give me time…"
"Deal!" Uta exclaimed, grabbing her hands and jumping with joy like a child promised candy. "Make the stew! I'll wait! I'm so excited!"
An hour later, the ruins of the village were filled with the savory aroma of bubbling stew. Stella stirred the pot, her nerves steadying as Uta hummed cheerfully beside her, his nose practically dipping into the steam.
"Finally!" Uta cried as she ladled a portion into a bowl and handed it to him. He took a bite, his eyes closing in bliss. "This… this is amazing! You're a lifesaver, Stella!"
Stella, watching his delighted expression, felt a strange warmth bloom in her chest. For the first time in years, she felt… useful, not as a weapon, but as a person.
"Thank you," she whispered, the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips as Uta devoured the stew with gusto.
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