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Chapter 328

The spirit of flame, Sur, sat in the palm of a woman who gazed down at him with a faint smile. Sur glared at her bravely.

-Peep!

‘Put me down immediately!’

Of course, his words weren’t understood.

“A red chick, huh. This is really fascinating. Ah—want to try this?”

The woman pulled a small loaf of bread from the bag at her waist and offered it.

Sur whipped his head away.

‘How dare she try to lure me with food. Insolent!’

But his resolve faltered the moment she produced a jar of jam that radiated a sweet scent.

-Peep

“This one’s good, huh? Our succubi make this jam. Spirits love it.”

She tore the bread, spread the jam, and held it out.

Sur hesitated a long while, then finally snatched it up.

The divine taste sent shivers through his tiny body.

-Peep… peeep…

So delicious it shook his very resolve.

Sur devoured it all like a vacuum cleaner sucking up dust until his belly was round and tight.

“Alright then. Goodbye for now, cute little spirit. See you again.”

With those words, the woman vanished instantly.

Sur sat up slowly.

‘Time to nap?’

But then he remembered—

‘The Heat-Bloom Flower!’

That was why he had come to this forest in the first place.

He flapped his wings furiously.

‘I must find the flower! I must earn praise! I’ll make Serqet and Grivy envy me!’

Yet he was still a child.

Experience with such things was far from him.

Wandering aimlessly in the forest yielded nothing, and as time passed, his confidence wavered.

Finally, he perched on a great rock at the top of a cliff bathed in moonlight, sighed, and rested.

Step… step…

Down below, a large, white-skinned hobgoblin trudged along with a woman slung over his shoulder.

It was the woman with bat wings—the same one who had given him the delicious snack. She seemed unconscious now.

Sur hesitated briefly, then flitted after them, following their trail.

The hobgoblins entered a huge cavern.

A foul stench hung in the air.

Inside, in a large chamber, Sur saw dozens of goblins, the unconscious woman, and—behind them all—growing in a crack under a shaft of moonlight, the Heat-Bloom Flower.

Sur’s eyes burned with desire.

‘I’ll drive out these goblins, rescue the woman, and bring back the flower! I’ll be praised for sure!’

With brave determination, the red chick stepped forward boldly before the goblins.

-Peep!!

All eyes turned to him.

The bound woman, pale and trembling, widened her eyes in disbelief.

“You… you’re?!”

The nearest goblin snickered, reaching out a grubby hand to grab him.

But at that instant—

Whoosh…

The air around Sur shimmered, sparks bursting from the void.

-Screee!!

BOOM!!

An explosion of searing heat consumed the goblin, leaving nothing but ash.

The others raised weapons in alarm.

The woman, bound hand and foot, trembled as the oppressive heat rolled over her.

“What… what did I just witness…?”

* * *

Sur was like a fierce predator.

Any goblin within range was reduced to cinders.

The ones who had attacked with malice now scattered in terror.

Some tried to flee by trampling over the bound woman.

That, Sur could not allow.

Flames burst forth, protecting the bat-winged woman.

One by one, the goblins were incinerated or driven off until none remained.

Then Sur strutted toward the flower with pride.

But—

-Peep?

The Heat-Bloom Flower had been crushed, trampled by fleeing goblins.

Sur slumped, letting out sorrowful chirps.

‘I finally found it… only to lose it like this…’

The woman approached softly.

“Thank you, spirit… you saved me…”

But Sur’s gaze lingered on the ruined flower.

“Wait… is that why you’re sad? Because of the flower?”

After a pause, she rummaged in her bag and pulled out a blossom.

“If you need one… will this do?”

She held out—astonishingly—the Heat-Bloom Flower.

“My name is Marian Desibilt, a succubus. And you? …Ah, right, you can’t talk. Haha. Anyway, thank you. Would you like to come with me?”

Sur shook his head.

He wasn’t a free spirit—he belonged to Leon.

“Hm. Too bad. Still, goodbye, little hero. Until we meet again.”

* * *

Sur clutched the flower in his beak and triumphantly returned to the Cascadia estate.

The sun had risen by the time he arrived.

“Sur! Where were you all night?”

Grivy ran up to him.

Sur puffed out his chest and proudly displayed the flower.

“What’s that?”

Grivy asked, confused.

Ignoring him, Sur marched straight into Melissa’s chamber, where Leon was.

“Sur? What are you carrying?”

“Oh my, the Heat-Bloom Flower!”

Lispa Eldé exclaimed.

Leon blinked in surprise.

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“How did you…?”

-Peep!

Sur declared proudly.

Leon chuckled.

“You went to find it? Because we needed it?”

-Peep!!

“Thanks.”

He stroked Sur’s head and back.

The little spirit chirped happily.

“You’re amazing, Sur!”

Grivy added, clapping.

Sur stood tall, basking in the praise, then cast a smug glance at Serqet, who was sprawled lazily nearby.

‘See that, little one? I can do it too.’

But Serqet showed no interest.

“Will this do?”

Leon asked.

“It’s top quality,”

Lispa said.

“Rarely found naturally. All the better for us.”

She floated the flower into the air, strummed her lyre, and drew its light into a sphere.

It sank into Melissa’s body, easing her troubled sleep.

“This should be enough. She’ll wake without issue.”

Leon sighed in relief.

“So… where did you find this?”

-Peep! Peep!

Sur recounted his adventure in spirited chirps.

Leon couldn’t understand, but this time there was a translator—

“Hmm… Sur says someone helped him,”

Grivy said.

“Who helped him?”

Sur described the bat-winged woman.

Grivy repeated it faithfully.

“A succubus?”

“Sounds like it. But why would a succubus be here?”

Leon frowned.

“Succubi aren’t that strong, people say they’re minions of evil, but honestly they’re one of the least harmful races. They feed on dream byproducts, not flesh, and lack offensive power.”

“Their main strengths are illusions and information gathering.”

“Oh, and one more thing,”

Lispa added with a sly smile.

“What’s that?”

“Succubi only have female forms. They’re very beautiful. Great figures too.”

“That’s… interesting.”

Thud!

Luna elbowed Leon sharply in the ribs.

“…Anyway, I’ll have to thank her if we ever meet again.”

But by now, the succubus Sur met was long gone.

* * *

CLANG! CLANG!

In the Cascadia estate’s training yard, two Aura Blades clashed relentlessly—Melissa’s and mine.

Since waking from her sleep, Melissa had instinctively begun wielding aura like breathing itself.

She was now a Sword Master.

Her strikes were heavier, smoother, and faster.

“You enjoyed this all alone, didn’t you?! Must’ve been fun, huh?!”

BANG! BANG!

She lashed out, complaining that I had toyed with her as an Expert all this time despite wielding this much power.

I smirked.

“You’re mistaken about something.”

CLANG!

My blade shattered her aura defense and sent her flying.

“Ghh—koff!”

“I’m watching from higher up. The air is different here. Too bad you’re stuck breathing the stale, low air of an ant.”

“You… damn jellyfish-tentacled bastard! You haven’t changed at all even after I became a Master!!”

Of course—because I raised the difficulty of the duel.

Fuming, she collapsed on the ground in defeat.

At that moment, a maid approached cautiously.

“Master.”

“What is it?”

“A letter from the Academy.”

“A letter?”

Melissa tore it open deftly.

“…What’s it say?”

“You’ve been selected for the International Exchange Tournament.”

“The exchange… tournament?”

“You know, where academies pit students against each other. The Empire’s Academy has been underperforming lately, but this year’s new students are strong.”

“You’re a duke. Are you even allowed to compete?”

“You’re the one who sent me to the Academy.”

“…Fair point.”

Indeed, Melissa had been making waves at the Academy—already a Sword Master at her age, far beyond the Expert level her peers could hope for.

Even now, she conjured and dismissed her Aura Blade repeatedly, glowing like a neon sign.

I whispered to Luna,

“She’s like an invasive species. Should she really be allowed to compete?”

“Not really our problem,”

Luna shrugged.

“True enough.”

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