The Fallen Hero (Part 1)

"Boom—boom—boom—"

After the bells of Ouston Church finally stopped after ringing seventy-two times, Yalila poured the leftovers from Pervi and Lanta's meals into the fireplace. The weak flames instantly burned brighter.

"Yalila—Yalila—" a voice rose from the flames. "What happened outside? The bells of Ouston Church have been ringing all morning. Did all the priests and nuns in the church die?"

"I... don't know..." Yalila gently stirred the fire, trying to make it burn more fiercely. "Right! Is Teacher Oyana awake? I forgot to make her breakfast!"

"Oyana... She left for Salat Church before dawn. She said she had something very important to do." The flames gradually revealed his true form. Within the orange-yellow glow, a bodiless image flickered among the logs, while a witch's magic circle lay beneath the ashes.

"Teacher Oyana went to the church? Did she say when she would be back?" Yalila asked.

"No..." the phantom in the flames replied. "But Oyana did tell me to remind Yalila, once she got up, to clean the shop and living room, clear out the ashes in the fireplace, wash the two guests' clothes and armor, and finish everything before lunch. There's too much ash in the fireplace. If this keeps up, Lufa might go out. If I come back and see that you haven't finished your work, don't blame me for being rude."

"Hey! Lufa, you made that up, didn't you? Did Teacher Oyana ever say anything about cleaning the fireplace?!" Yalila asked.

"Well... cleaning the fireplace is part of your job too..." The phantom in the fire kept flickering. "If there's too much ash, I'll go out... and then this entire magic circle will collapse, you know~"

"No!" Yalila flatly refused. "Teacher Oyana has always dealt with the ashes in your furnace herself. I'm not helping you clean it! If I accidentally let you escape, I'd be in huge trouble... so just stay obediently in those ashes..."

"Boohoo—"

The flames in the fireplace continued to dance. Time passed quickly for someone at work. Dusting the shop and tidying the trash in the living room, Yalila's morning was full and satisfying.

"Finally... cleaned the living room..." Yalila collapsed onto the sofa. "Lufa, pour me a glass of hot milk. I'm about to collapse from exhaustion... Those two foreigners may be generous spenders, but they make trash even faster! The entire floor is covered in bone chips from their knives, and there were even maggots growing on the leather clothes they took off... Ah, that's disgusting..."

"Is it really appropriate to talk badly about people like that...? They're guests, after all, and they may very well become Oyana's partners in the future..." A steaming cup of milk flew from the fireplace into Yalila's hands.

"What's there to be afraid of? Both of them and Teacher Oyana are out of the shop. As long as you don't tattle on me, no one will know..."

"Yalila—Yalila—"

Yalila said, "That voice..."

"It's coming from the shop..." Through a scrying spell, Lufa saw Tiadam standing inside the witch's shop. "Your boyfriend came looking for you..."

Yalila said, "That bandit? I don't want to see him—drive him away."

"Tiadam is your boyfriend, at least... He also used to work with Oyana. Is it appropriate to just throw him out?" Lufa flickered in the flames.

"Are you kidding?" Yalila said disdainfully. "Tiadam used to be stationed on the trade route between Canfor and Alderbu. He was basically the local boss. I only kept on good terms with him because I had no choice, since I could get plenty of good things from him... But now the south side of the city is crawling with undead monsters. I'd wager he's a commander without troops now, coming to seek shelter with me. Seeing him would mean taking him in. I'm not stupid enough to do that—let alone cook for one more person."

Lufa said, "Uh... he did give you plenty of jewelry before... Whenever you took his things, it was 'darling' this and 'darling' that. It made my teeth ache just watching you. You even went to see him every few days... Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

"Why bring up the past?" Yalila said. "Besides, the Dragonblood Ring he gave me last time got my finger cut off by Lanta. I still remember that grudge!"

"Uh... shouldn't you be taking revenge on Lanta? Why blame Tiadam for it?" Lufa asked.

Yalila said, "If he hadn't given it to me, nothing would've happened!"

Lufa said, "Uh... that makes perfect sense... I hope you can think that far ahead when you're taking his things too."

Yalila said, "Shut up—who are you to meddle in my business?!"

Lufa said, "XXXXX"

"Yalila—Yalila—" Tiadam called out from the shop again. "Yalila, are you there?! Answer me!"

"Lufa, hurry up and drive this guy away!" Yalila ordered. "Otherwise, I'll douse you—you know I always mean what I say!"

"Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm—you're in charge... When the tiger's away, the monkey becomes king..." Lufa in the fireplace began to stir his magic. "In the name of the Fourteen Witches, I, lower demon Lufa Lansa, use the power of the hearthfire to disturb the world in this place. More cruel than war, more terrifying than death, more dreadful than the unknown... The magic within this place, heed my command—Attack!"

"Yalila—Yalila—" The oblivious Tiadam stood in the cramped shop, calling for the woman he believed to be his beloved. "Yalila isn't here? But... the shop's door is clearly open..."

Boom! A deafening crash sounded behind Tiadam as dozens of fists formed from flames appeared at his back.

"Th-this is magic?" Tiadam said.

"Make your move—hurry up—I don't want anything more to do with this bandit—" Yalila urged.

"Fine, fine, fine—" Lufa echoed. "Stop nagging... stop nagging... You're the boss. We'll do whatever you say..."

The flaming fists created by Lufa swiftly attacked, one after another flying toward Tiadam's body. Fortunately, as a bandit, Tiadam had trained his body well. Not a single fist managed to hit him.

"Oyana!" Tiadam roared after dodging the fists. "Oyana, we used to be business partners! Is this any way to greet someone?!"

"This guy still hasn't left, Lufa?" Hearing Tiadam's voice, Yalila glanced toward the magic cube array leading to the shop. "Then seal off the magic array leading into the living room first. Don't let him escape in here."

"Fine, fine, fine... You're the boss..." Lufa replied absentmindedly.

"Wait... I'm not done!" Yalila's sweet expression began to twist. "Lufa, use that—"

"That... Uh... he's only an ex-boyfriend. Do we really need to use that?"

"What do you know? Tiadam may be a bandit, but he still has the bloodline of a hero. Ordinary magic might not be enough to handle him," Yalila said.

"Uh... R-really...?" Lufa said.

"Stop talking and hurry up! Otherwise, I'll put you out right now!"

"Fine, fine, fine... You're the boss..." Lufa muttered. "What a terrifying woman..."

"What did you say?!"

"N-nothing..."

The lower flame demon Lufa had been summoned from hell by the witch Oyana using the power of the Fourteen Witches, with the bodiless hearthfire within the fireplace serving as his vessel. In daily life, Lufa's main duties were maintaining the living room within this separate space and linking it to the shop in the Mortal Realm. And the thing Yalila had mentioned was an enemy-targeting curse Oyana had placed upon Lufa.

Because the magical scrolls and ancient books in the shop were too fragile, Oyana had placed a spatial division curse upon Lufa, who maintained the space. This allowed Lufa to retaliate without restraint when enemies invaded the shop, without damaging those precious ancient books and magical scrolls.

"In the name of the Fourteen Witches, by the power the witch Oyana has bestowed upon me, I divide this space here and now, severing the two from one another until one side falls in battle!" Lufa loudly chanted the spell, while Oyana, who was at Salat Church, sensed a trace of unease.

Crash! The wineglass in Oyana's hand shattered on the floor.

"Lady Oyana, what is wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" asked a guest who had come to the memorial. "Is there anything we can do for you?"

"Ah... I'm fine. My hand simply slipped..." Coming back to herself, Oyana politely declined their kindness. "Please excuse me for a moment... I have something personal to handle..." With that, Oyana hurriedly left the church banquet.

Dozens of tables were draped in exquisite tablecloths and laden with cakes, bacon, steaks, and other fine foods. Beneath the statue of the Holy Son, Bishop Labrador was proclaiming the might and grace of the High God to numerous members of high society. Only those who had received invitations knew that this grand and luxurious feast was a memorial for the innocent clergy and citizens who had perished.

"Lady Oyana—" Brother Abelato slowly emerged from the shadows of a stone pillar, then pulled the hurried woman into an embrace. "Leaving like this... isn't it a little... hasty? At the very least, you should bid the bishop farewell before you go..."

"Mr. Abelato—"

When Oyana saw that Abelato was the one stopping her, her expression immediately changed. Taking advantage of the moment, she pressed Brother Abelato against the church wall. "You haven't come to see me in so long... I was starting to think you had abandoned me..."

"Ah... quite a few people have been coming and going from your shop lately... I was beginning to think you had abandoned me instead..." Abelato pushed Oyana away with one hand, yet his right hand continued to hold her left. Their movements were as graceful as a dance.

"Those insignificant people are merely business partners... Only you—Brother Abelato, only you are my true companion..." Oyana rose onto her toes, her broad dress fluttering like a butterfly.

"Oh, look at that—what perfect dancing..." The banquet guests who had followed them clapped in praise. "Mr. Abelato and Lady Oyana's dance is simply flawless. At a memorial, what could better express our grief for the departed than dancing?"

An elegant, sacred melody began to play. Within the church, beneath the statue of the Holy Son, everyone danced a waltz to mourn those who had died.