Chapter 72: Enlightened Flame Manifest

  “And in my eyes, that person can only be Pailin.”

  This sentence echoed in Princess Pailin’s head for a long time. She didn’t know how much time had passed, but when she came to her senses, two warm drops of water were streaming down from the corners of her eyes.

  From small drops, they became small streams, then a large river, until finally a warm flood overflowed from her eyes.

  She reached up and gently touched the water.

  It feels warm.

  It feels soft.

  It feels gentle.

  It was as if what flowed from her eyes wasn’t tears at all, but the hidden pent-up emotions in her heart—the torment, the pain, and the sorrow—all pouring out through her beautiful pink eyes.

  She wiped away the tears uncontrollably, but no matter how much she wiped, they wouldn’t lessen. They continued to flow wildly, as if this flood would never stop. The negative emotions buried in her heart were far too immense to be released in such a short time.

  Her body trembled. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably as she brushed her face. At this moment, she wasn't the noble princess, wasn't the Heir of Fire, and wasn't the rightful to the title of Throne Holder.

  She was merely an ordinary person, who was overjoyed beyond measure.

  She lowered her head, her eyes reddening. She tried her best to hide her expression. The tears continued to flow, yet she couldn't suppress the smile. A genuine, innocent smile, like a child receiving praise from their mother.

  She wasn't delighted by Nitaan's many compliments. No, to say she wasn't delighted would be a lie. She was still happy hearing it. It's just that she had heard these words thousands of times from other people.

  What touched the deepest part of her heart was that warm, simple smile.

  That smile clearly answered the question that troubled her. It was a smile that showed what she desired most:

  Acceptance.

  She clearly felt that Nitaan accepted and admired her, not as a princess, but as a friend.

  A friend of equal standing.

  Princess Pailin trembled. She wiped the tears from her face, yet the wide smile on her face made her look comical.

  Nitaan's gaze was fixed on the woman in the sky, all his concentration on her. He didn't notice Princess Pailin's state at that moment, though he did see the trembling in her eyes. Kiita, however, saw the whole picture clearly.

  Even though Kiita stood beside Nitaan, he felt an overwhelming urge to comfort the woman who was crying like a small child.

  All the oppressive force vanished in an instant. Nitaan felt as if the giant mountain crushing him had dissolved. He collapsed heavily to the ground, his heavy breathing echoing. Kiita quickly supported him. Nitaan clung to Kiita with trembling hands, his eyes still fixed on the woman.

  "You can call me Enlightened Flame Manifest." she said softly. Her emotionless expression made it impossible for Nitaan to guess her thoughts.

  In a fleeting moment, Nitaan saw Enlightened Flame Manifest smile gently, but it vanished in an instant. With a wave of her hand, a gust of wind lifted Nitaan and Kiita from the ground. The wind swept away all the dirt and bloodstains on their body. It also reached Princess Pailin, washing away all her tears. Her reddened eyes returned to their normal state, though Pailin remained with her head bowed low.

  Enlightened Flame Manifest flicked her hand, tossing three objects to Nitaan. One of them was a small, clear bottle containing ten creamy white pills.

  "These are the Soul Restoration Pills. You and that dog each take two pills. In just a few breaths, you will return to your normal state," she said calmly.

  Nitaan looked down at the pills in his hand and thanked her. He was about to give one to Kiita but hesitated. He decides to put one in his own mouth first. Soon, Nitaan felt a surge of spiritual energy within his consciousness space. His breathing and expression began to calm down. After being confident that the pills were genuine, Nitaan then gave Kiita two pills.

  He was about to take another for himself, but he felt it might be a bit too wasteful. He looked at the small bottle with a wistful expression, then carefully placed the remaining seven pills into his Palace-Hold bag.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Enlightened Flame Manifest said nothing to Nitaan's greed. She simply shook her head slightly.

  "That black bottle is a Second word-level Engraved artifact. Compared to other Engraved artifacts of the same caliber, it's extremely valuable. Its own Words of Power can greatly enhance each other," she continued.

  Another item in Nitaan's hand was a small black bottle emitting an aura of malevolence. He recognized it as the bottle that Sila had crushed.

  "The damage isn't extensive, so I've repaired it. This bottle is the reason that Second word Engraver was able to use Body and Soul: Sewn Spell. Words of Power engraved within should be control-related word." she explained while pointing to the small black bottle.

  "It's your reward from the battle." Before Nitaan could thank her, she continued.

  "The last item is my personal medallion. When you channel your spiritual energy into it, I will sense your presence instantly. I will intervene once in a situation not exceeding the level of a Pathseeker." She pointed to the last fiery red medallion in Nitaan's hand.

  Nitaan's breath hitched. The value of this item was far greater than he had anticipated.

  This medallion is equal to a promise! A Promise from Enlightened!

  "This is a reward for protecting Pailin." She said. A slight smile appears on her face. Nitaan gazed at her intently. The pale moonlight behind her accentuated her beauty and nobility, making her seem like a goddess. However, what truly interested Nitaan was a lingering thought in his mind:

  When did I protect Pailin? Enlightened Flame Manifest is here, and Pailin still has plenty of treasures. Nitaan wondered. Even if he did protect Princess Pailin, the other Unit 3 members also help. His reward shouldn't be this immense.

  Enlightened Flame Manifest seemed to understand the bewilderment in Nitaan's eyes. She offered a faint smile yet spoke nothing.

  For her, what Nitaan had protected wasn't the safety of ‘Princess Pailin’, but the fragile heart ‘Pailin’, her beloved granddaughter, who huddled in the dark corner of her own mind.

  She had raised Pailin since she couldn't even speak. She understood the immense pent-up emotions within this little girl. Even though she has grown up, surrounded by many people, in her eyes, Pailin remained a small girl who couldn't fully love herself.

  A girl suffocated by her powerlessness, yet striving to improve.

  A girl who couldn't love herself properly, yet was able to give her love to the people.

  A girl who was truly gentle, yet more strict with herself than anything else.

  She saw the impact of Nitaan's words. She saw Nitaan open the door to that dark room, smile gently, and wait for her at the exit. There was no need to offer help or support. Simply pointing the way and giving her reassurance was more than enough.

  The reassurance call ‘Acceptance’. Acceptance that did not come from closeness, status, or concern. A genuine acceptance from someone who barely knows her and is far brighter than she ever will be.

  That's all it took for the strong Princess Pailin to step forward on her own. Nitaan had done something Enlightened Flame Manifest herself couldn't. This is a proper reward.

  A reward for protecting Princess Pailin's soul.

  Of course, Nitaan knew nothing of this. He simply assumed that this reward was insignificant to the strong Enlightened so she doesn’t mind giving it away.

  So rich! Nitaan beam.

  He suppressed his excitement, clasping his hands together in gratitude instead of a bow. He thought this was more appropriate. After all, Enlightened Flame Manifest seemed quite kind.

  "Thank you very much," Nitaan bowed.

  Enlightened Flame Manifest nodded slightly, a faint smile still on her lips. She turned to Pailin before sitting down beside her.

  "I will report to the royal family about that Engraver. If we're lucky, we might find the mastermind," Enlightened Flame Manifest said to Pailin. Her eyes were no longer red, and the tears on her face were gone, though her hair was still slightly disheveled.

  "Such a crybaby," Enlightened Flame Manifest smiled gently. One hand smoothed her disheveled hair. The other playfully pinched her rosy cheek.

  “Auntie!” Princess Pailin exclaimed, glancing to the side, hoping her friend hadn’t seen her embarrassing state.

  Of course, Nitaan saw nothing. Not because Enlightened Flame Manifest had done anything, but because he was still engrossed in examining the small black bottle and the fiery red medallion, his eyes practically turning into a money symbol.

  It was Kiita who saw everything. He wagged his tail at the sight of Princess Pailin looking at him. He sighed when he turned to look at Nitaan and saw that Nitaan was still completely oblivious to his surroundings.

  Enlightened Flame Manifest waved again, and the wind adjusted Princess Pailin’s clothes and hair, then replaced the missing shoe. Princess Pailin returned to her dignified royal status.

  “Thank you so much, Auntie." She bowed slightly.

  “The rest of you can handle the remaining three Devil beasts by yourselves. Once that’s done, this mission is complete. You should hurry back to the capital.” Enlightened Flame Manifest nodded slightly before her form vanished into the night, as if she had never appeared.

  “Well done,” her voice drifted on the wind. Princess Pailin couldn't help but smile upon hearing this.

  There were still lingering scents and traces, unlike Traveler, who had completely vanished. Nitaan thought.

  "Nitaan, go help Unit 3 first. I'll go help the villagers evacuate," Princess Pailin said, then toddled off into the darkness. Her small figure headed toward the many villagers who had retreated far away during the great battle.

  "Take this with you. It has to be used at close range to be effective. I didn't have a chance to use it or give it to Leader Mei. You should be more adept at using it." Princess Pailin tossed a small bag to him.

  "It's a mixture of Mer-Jellyfish bones and Giant Silver tree tears. Inside is an insulating layer to absorb impact. If inhaled in large quantities, anyone below the level of an Enlightened will be unable to move," Pailin explained.

  "Since you don't want to reveal your real strength, use that treasure as an excuse." Princess Pailin winked at him before running off to join the villagers.

  Nitaan glanced down at the small bag in his hand. With these treasures, she can easily subdue most Devil beasts. Unfortunately, since she is still a Newborn, she didn’t have much chance to use it or hand it to others.

  Money really does have power… Nitaan broke out in a sweat. He suddenly felt a little afraid of Princess Pailin. He didn't know how much treasure that small figure carried that could kill him at any moment.

  "Hey, Kiita, the work isn't finished yet. Let's go help the others," Nitaan said, then ran back towards the other half of the city. The sounds of fierce clashes still echoed in the distance.

  "Woof!" Kiita barked softly once. Nitaan tilted his head in confusion.

  "Crying? Why? Well, her aunt is so fierce, it's not surprising she's scared," Nitaan replied while running. He saw Napha throwing punches at a bird-like Devil beast in the distance. In the sky, a horde of spears appeared, attacking a wide-mouthed Devil beast and a fire wolf Devil beast.

  Half of the spear horde was sucked into the giant mouth. The other half was deflected with the spear tips reversed. Leader Mei continued fighting with her seasoned experience. The deflected spears were stopped by another horde aiming precisely at their targets.

  Three-Word Sacred Seal flashed in the sky, canceling the wide-mouthed Devil beast's devour. The few remaining spears pierced its body, but since most of the spears got slowed down by the earlier devoured, they couldn’t harm wide-mouthed Devil beast.

  "Huh? Because of me? I'm exhausted! What did I do?" Nitaan chatted casually with Kiita amidst the fierce battle.

  "Woof!"

  Mood Swing! Mood Swing!

  “You’re right, Pailin’s mood is so unpredictable. Being royalty must be exhausting." Nitaan shook his head, thinking of Princess Pailin’s inexplicably trembling eyes.

  “But it’s fun being with her. Her aunt is incredibly wealthy too. Those pills must cost a fortune." Nitaan laughed.

  Kiita scooped Nitaan onto his back, wagging his tail in agreement.

  Their two figures swiftly advanced towards another battlefield. In the sky, Enlightened Flame Manifest watched the scene from afar. She shook her head in amusement.

  “Those kids… do they think I can’t hear them?”