Chapter 56: The Crimson Jewel’s Memories

The moment was fleeting, gone in an instant.

Through the Crimson Jewel, memories of countless strangers surged into Hay’s mind, a veritable flood of consciousness. These were, it seemed, the lingering thoughts of all who had ever wielded the gem.

There were recollections from a distant past: a person discovering the abandoned Crimson Jewel and venerating it as a sacred relic; another who strutted about, convinced they were the living avatar of the Sun God Solashan by its mere possession; and even the curious memory of a cat that swallowed it, only to transform into a spirit.

Amidst these myriad recollections, the most recent was the memory of a formidable elf, one who had once saved the world. There, too, lay Lorelai’s heart, concealing its profound sorrow and grief as she bid farewell.

‘Goodbye.’

‘Farewell.’

‘I won’t give up on you.’

As those lingering thoughts faded, Hellheim materialized before him.

This was the Crimson Jewel’s inaugural memory, its very genesis.

From within the desolate ruins, Hellheim reached down and picked up ‘me.’

His expression, as always, was utterly carefree. Stroking ‘me,’ Hellheim spoke.

‘Alright, I’ll find the great fire that will replace you.’

Only after the searing flame had passed did the tempest of memories swirling in his mind finally subside.

Hay let out a small cough, then slowly lifted his head.

Beyond the tendrils of rising smoke, he spotted Lorelai in her wheelchair. A small, unruly tuft of red hair atop her head swayed gently in the breeze.

[“Hay Styles!”]

Nix’s voice, distant yet urgent, called out Hay’s name.

Hay, his legs trembling from exhaustion, pushed himself upright.

The once-raging inferno had quieted, yet pockets of fire continued to scorch the surrounding landscape.

Raon was nowhere to be seen.

“Nix, put out the fire.”

Hay’s voice, rough and strained, addressed Nix.

Nix swiftly moved, devouring the lingering Crimson Jewel flames that still clung to and consumed the trees.

In Hay’s hand, the Crimson Jewel rested.

Presumably, Raon’s summoning had been dispelled the moment the Crimson Jewel was wrested away.

体内Gazing silently at the jewel, Hay then approached Lorelai, his expression grim.

The earthen shield, which had stood firm to protect Lorelai, now disintegrated into dust, scattering across the ground.

The lake water, having surged over the land, now lay pooled and muddy, splashing with every step he took.

“Lorelai.”

At Hay’s call, Lorelai stirred, turning her head as if awakening from a trance.

Just as Hay bore scorch marks and burns, Lorelai, though distant during Nix and Raon’s fierce clash, also showed signs of the recent attack, her skin singed and reddened in places.

“Are you alright?”

His gaze met her vivid blue eyes.

He had worried she might have been startled by Raon’s fiery assault, but his concern proved unfounded. Instead, Lorelai was practically vibrating with excitement.

“That was absolutely incredible!”

Lorelai exclaimed, her voice ringing with delight.

Her reaction was as guileless as a child who had witnessed something truly captivating. Hay, for some reason, felt his tension dissipate.

“What was so ‘incredible’ about it? We were nearly roasted alive, both of us.”

Hay grumbled, a hint of annoyance in his tone.

“But still! I never imagined Mr. Styles would come to reclaim the Crimson Jewel himself!”

“Hardly,”

He glanced down at Lorelai’s hand.

Her hand, clenching the armrest of her wheelchair, pulsed with a faint red glow from within.

Perhaps due to the Crimson Jewel’s removal, the flames were now dying, much like a spent lightbulb. The Crimson Jewel currently held in Hay’s hand exhibited the same fading luminescence.

“What exactly happened there?”

Hay gestured towards Lorelai’s hand with a tilt of his chin. She glanced down at her own hand for a moment, then beamed.

“Oh, it’s nothing major. I merely borrowed the Crimson Jewel’s power a little too intensely, causing my mana pathways to scorch slightly.”

Lorelai dismissed it with an air of utter nonchalance.

Hay’s pale eyebrows subtly furrowed in concern.

He recalled that excessive use of the Crimson Jewel was said to consume both body and soul.

‘Was that what ‘burning the mana pathways’ implied?’

Clutching the Crimson Jewel in his hand, Hay’s gaze swept across the ravaged surroundings.

Nix, its tail swishing, was actively extinguishing the lingering flames.

The spring water’s effect hadn’t yet faded, leaving Nix’s body still glowing. Above the utterly devastated forest, plumes of black and white smoke mingled.

“What a complete disaster.”

“Indeed,”

“What’s to be done? Will you ask Stan to restore it?”

“There’s no need for restoration.”

“Excuse me? Is this perhaps Mr. Demonic’s private property?”

“Oh, heavens, no. Aside from my sister Saila’s estate, all of this belongs to the kingdom.”

Hay let out a weary sigh.

If that were the case, remaining here after causing such a commotion would be perilous.

“For now, let’s leave. Everyone must have seen the fire, so we should vacate the area.”

“You don’t have to. No one would have seen anything.”

“Didn’t see it?”

‘Could that be true?’

Hay blinked, staring at Lorelai. In response, she simply smiled, then pointed a finger towards the sky.

“Do you see that? If you look closely, it should be visible.”

Hay’s gaze followed hers, searching the sky.

He couldn’t discern what she expected him to see. Squinting, he stared intently, and a faint, ethereal violet film seemed to shimmer into view.

“What is that?”

“That’s my friend’s creation. It’s a defensive magic circle they cast, just in case, when Mr. Styles returned. It has a blocking spell to prevent anyone outside from seeing in, and I believe an illusion spell is also active.”

Hay blinked, his eyes wide with astonishment.

The lakeside was so expansive, yet a magic circle had been cast over it? He hadn’t detected a thing.

Hay remembered the glimpse of a black robe he’d caught through the reception room door earlier that morning at Lorelai’s house.

Lorelai’s friend, the one who exuded such an unsettling coldness.

Hay raised the Crimson Jewel, displaying it.

Among the visions the Crimson Jewel had shown, the image of its previous owner, before Lorelai, resurfaced in his mind.

Whoever it was, they had been an elf.

“Is the friend who gave you this Crimson Jewel perhaps an elven mage?”

“No? They’re human.”

Lorelai’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.

“By the way, congratulations. You’ve acquired ten gold and the Crimson Jewel!”

Lorelai clapped her hands, a bright laugh escaping her lips. Hay, however, did not smile. A peculiar unease settled over him.

“Can I truly keep this?”

“I told you I’d give it to you if you granted my request, didn’t I? Of course you can.”

“It’s not stolen, is it?”

It was then.

The very air around them began to subtly shift.

The spirits, which had scattered in a panic, were now beginning to return. Hay looked around, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

The ethereal wall of the magic circle, which had encompassed the entire lakeside, was now steadily contracting towards their position. Hay frowned, his hand tightening around his staff.

“The magic circle is being dispelled.”

“I know.”

Hay’s voice was sharp, his reply curt as he scanned their surroundings. The one who had cast this elaborate magic circle remained unseen.

Upon reflection, a wave of irritation washed over him. Had this individual been observing his entire struggle with Lorelai?

He found himself curious about the identity of such a shadowy, reclusive individual.

“Aren’t you going to introduce your friend?”

“They’re a rather shy person.”

Lorelai merely shrugged.

Nix, having finally extinguished every last flame, returned and coiled its long body protectively around Hay and Lorelai. It bared its teeth, letting out a low growl directed towards a specific point.

“Ah, here they come.”

Lorelai pointed in the direction Nix was facing.

From within the depths of the forest, a man clad in black emerged, walking with an unhurried grace.

The magic circle, in turn, followed his every step.

Hay’s brows furrowed, and he gripped his staff tighter. Nix, too, hunkered down, poised to spring forward at any moment.

“There’s no need to be so wary. They may look intimidating, but they’re truly a good person.”

Lorelai offered a sweet smile.

“That’s just your opinion.”

Hay retorted, his guard still firmly in place.

Indeed, the man harbored no ill intentions, stopping a short distance away. The Black Mage dipped his head in a courteous bow towards Hay.

The mana barrier now constricted to the very edge of the lakeside. It was then that Hay’s eyes widened in utter disbelief at the sight before him.

Beyond the magic circle, the scorched and devastated forest was inexplicably returning to its original state, as if the destruction had never occurred.

“Restoration magic?”

“It’s harder than I thought to truly get Mr. Styles riled up.”

Lorelai remarked, a hint of genuine disappointment in her voice.

Her words struck Hay with a peculiar sense of bewilderment. He had suspected it, but it seemed her actual intention was to provoke him.

“I was pretty riled up, actually.”

“But not enough.”

“If I’d gotten any more riled, I would have died.”

It was half-joke, half-truth.

“Well, I suppose it’s foolish to mess with an S-rank mercenary.”

Lorelai chuckled, then maneuvered her wheelchair closer to her ‘friend.’ The barrier was now right beside them.

Hay flinched, instinctively trying to avoid the wall. Yet, it passed swiftly through him. To his astonishment, just like the forest, his clothes were also restored to their original condition.

“This is my friend.”

Lorelai, now beside the man in black, introduced him.

The wall passed through Lorelai’s body, then finally dissolved beneath the man’s feet.

The violet magic circle vanished at last. Hay silently regarded the mage.

Beneath his hood, a dark mist subtly swirled.

“Their name is…”

“Dylan.”

As Lorelai began the introduction, the man interjected, his head tilting slightly towards her.

“If you’re finished, I’ll be leaving.”

“Oh? Already?”

“My business here is concluded.”

With that, the man opened a portal in the air.

It was a portal swirling with violet mana. Hay took a step forward.

“Wait! I have a question about the Crimson Jewel.”

Hay asked. The man turned to him, then shrugged.

“Whatever you’re curious about, you should ask your master. In this world, that old man is the only one who knows more about the Crimson Jewel than anyone else.”

Hay’s expression hardened.

The man stepped through the portal without hesitation and vanished. Lorelai watched the fading portal with a wistful sigh.

“They said they had a lot to do, so they must be truly busy. I’ll apologize on their behalf. My friend is…”

Lorelai paused, noticing Hay’s expression.

After a moment, she smiled brightly again and spoke.

“Do you feel a little closer to fire now? Shall we try summoning Kasa?”

****

Hay, dragging his weary body, returned to the inn.

Renki was asleep, face down on the bed.

Hay casually pulled a blanket over him, then retrieved a Flame Message Scroll and sat down at the table.

Taking Renki’s quill, he quickly penned a message to Hellheim.

[Hellheim. I’ve acquired something called the Crimson Jewel. I’m thinking of selling it, and a mage named Dylan said you’d know best about it. Do you know anything about this? If so, please tell me in detail.]

After burning the scroll to send it, he wearily ran a hand over his tired face.

He didn’t hold much expectation for a reply, knowing one might not come.

He pulled the Crimson Jewel from his pocket, gazed idly at the flickering flame within it, then tossed it into the duffel bag in the closet.

Too lazy to even change his clothes, he collapsed onto the bed.

He tossed and turned for a long time, unable to sleep. Just as he was finally drifting off, a flame erupted before his eyes. It wasn’t just once.

[Why do you have that? You’re going to sell it? Are you insane? Are you out of your mind? Do you even know what that is, to sell it?!]

[Damn it! I’m going through hell because of that right now! Who is that bastard?!]

[Shit! I’m suffering because of that right now! Who the hell is that son of a b*tch?!]

‘It seems he doesn’t know that mage.’

‘Then how did that bastard know about Hellheim?’

The next Flame Message arrived much later.

This one was longer than the previous three.

The first sentence began:

[Son, the Crimson Jewel is the seed of Sol, the great fire that will become the next king.]

‘Who is this old man calling ‘son’?’