"Dead last!"

"Orphan trash!"

"Garbage!"

"Just die already!"

"You make me ashamed to know you!"

In an orphanage, a frail boy was cornered against the wall by a mob of children hurling insults.

His clothes hung in tatters, his face smeared with grime—like a street beggar.

"Ganging up on one kid? Have some shame!"

A girl’s voice cut through the crowd. She shoved the bullies aside.

"Go! Run!"

"The Queen’s here!"

"Don’t mess with her!"

The children scattered like frightened ghosts.

"You okay, Shu?"

The girl crouched down, pulling a handkerchief from her pocket to wipe his tears.

"I’m fine..."

"Try being strong like a boy. Someday you’ll need to protect me."

"Violence doesn’t solve anything," he whispered, wiping his eyes.

"Your kindness will get you hurt. But don’t worry—I’ll always be with you."

She smiled sweetly.

Ten years later, the boy stood at a high school gate, face-to-face with the girl who’d shielded him in the orphanage.

"Shu. We meet again. Will you be my boyfriend this time?"

*Huff—*

Albel jolted awake. A nostalgic dream lingered, its details already fading.

*Who was that girl? Isharis?*

"Ugh, my head hurts just thinking about it." He rubbed his temples. *Better drop it.*

He tried to stand—but something heavy pinned him down. Peeking beneath himself, he saw a girl with fiery red hair sprawled across his stomach, fast asleep.

"What the hell?!"

Albel’s eyes widened. Memories flooded back: the whale shattering the skyship’s barrier, the wind tearing him away...

*Who is she? Someone attacked me from behind earlier—but missed.*

*Must’ve gotten blown away together.*

Studying her face, he admitted she rivaled Alicia in beauty—especially while sleeping.

*What cliché nonsense is this? And where even am I?*

He rolled his eyes, sitting up. Wilderness stretched in every direction—no signs of civilization.

"Hey. Wake up."

No free pillow service for a would-be attacker. He patted her cheek.

"Food time?"

She blinked awake, squinting against the light. Rubbing her eyes, she sat back on his legs in a duck-like squat.

"Food my ass. Get off me."

He tried yanking his legs free—but her weight held him down.

"Who are you?! Where is this?! What do I do?!"

Her frantic triple-question barrage made Albel dizzy.

"Get off now, or I’ll do things you won’t like."

Another futile leg tug. Desperate threats it was.

"Eep!"

She finally noticed her position. With a shriek, she scrambled up, cheeks flushed crimson.

"My legs are numb."

Albel wobbled upright, bracing against a tree. *How long was she sitting there?*

"You! From the ship!"

As he brushed dirt off his clothes, she pointed and screamed.

"Don’t point and yell. Rude."

He shot her a glare. *So jumpy.*

"Rhyming won’t save you! I missed last time—but now I’ll cut you down!"

Her hand flew to her waist—then froze. Her weapon was gone.

"Looking for that?"

Albel nodded toward a tree behind her. A crimson longsword was embedded in its trunk.

"Damn it! Don’t move—I’m getting it!"

She jumped, fingers grasping air. Suddenly remembering something, she spun around. "No cheap shots!"

"Lucky it didn’t impale you. And *you* ambushed *me* earlier."

Watching her clumsy tree-climbing attempt, Albel sighed. *Her logic’s broken.*

"Grr..."

Ignoring him, she struggled upward with zero climbing skills.

"Let me help."

He plucked the sword from the bark effortlessly.

"You jerk! I almost had it!"

Perched on a branch, she stomped her foot.

"I help you and you yell? You’re just like Alicia."

Albel’s deadpan face screamed despair. *This girl’s mindset could cure Alicia’s madness.*

"Still... fine blade. Ten stars."

He examined the sword’s stats, impressed.

***Blaze Delight***

*Lucia’s Exclusive Weapon | ★★★★★★★★★★*

*Grants immunity to all fire damage. +50,000 ATK. Attacks inflict burning: 5,000 HP/sec.*

*Innate Skill [Inferno Calamity]: Unleashes fire damage equal to ATK within 500 yards. No targeting.*

"Give Blaze Delight back!"

Seeing him admire her sword, she panicked. Leaping down, she slipped—

Albel dropped the sword and caught her mid-fall.

"Don’t do anything reckless!"

"Put me down, you creep!"

She writhed wildly. He set her on the ground.

She lunged for the sword. Albel casually stuck out a foot.

*Thud!*

Face-first into the dirt again.

"Owwww—"

She pushed herself up, groaning—just as Albel reclaimed the sword.

"Give it back!"

She pointed accusingly, eyes watery.

"Just borrowing it. Don’t be stingy."

He was genuinely curious about its mechanics.

"You stole it! And you’re mean!"

Weaponless and outmatched, she swallowed her pride. *At least it’s my exclusive gear—he can’t activate its perks...*

Her smug thought died as flames erupted along the blade in Albel’s hand.

"Handy for campfires."

"No way!"

Her jaw dropped. *Who IS this guy?!*

"There’s also an AoE skill. Let’s test—"

"NO!"

She tackled him before he could raise the sword.

"What’s wrong?"

He tilted his head at her panic.

"It’ll hit people!"

Without Blaze Delight’s fire immunity, [Inferno Calamity] would incinerate her too.

"Ohhhh~ I see!"

Albel grinned wickedly, lifting the sword anyway.

"STOP!"

She jumped, grabbing his shirt. Tears welled up. "Give it back!"

"Tell you what—I’m heading back to the skyship. This wasteland’s endless. Be my servant till we get there, and I’ll return it."

He twirled the sword.

"You... I... Fine! I agree!"

She clenched her fists, glaring. *I’m Lucia Strals—leader of the Crimson Flame Sky Pirates! I rob others, not the other way around!*

*Today... I’ve been robbed blind.*