On the second day, a torrential downpour fell from the sky, and large clouds covered the entire forest. In front of the wooden cabin, Aeris knelt on the ground, raindrops mercilessly pelting her face and body, and a fierce wind kept slapping her cheeks. Valroth stood not far from her, a flickering flame on him acting like a shield, keeping the rain away. "Do you enjoy rainy days that much?" Valroth asked while he was looking at Aeris, who had closed her eyes and tilted her head up to welcome the rain.
Aeris turned, opened her eyes, and nodded excitedly.
"I hate rainy days." Valroth took a few steps closer, glancing toward the horizon where Aeris had just been looking.
"I hate rainy days, too," Aeris replied with a fading smile, though her sense of disappointment was hard to hide.
Valroth brushed her wet hair and smiled. "You're allowed to like and dislike things; you don't need to change for me. But I'm happy you tried." Aeris looked at him in surprise, then shook her head. "I'm starting to hate rainy days."
Valroth didn't pursue the subject further. His eyes fixed on the growing life in Aeris's gaze as he murmured softly, "Which one should I break first, your body or your spirit?" He moved behind her, pressing his foot lightly against her back, noticing she didn't resist as her upper body slumped under his leg, and sank into the dirty mud.
"Tell me, what do you fear and hate the most?" Valroth asked, withdrawing his foot before shoving Aeris sideways into the mud.
"Birds." Lying in the mud, Aeris replied without getting up.
"If I asked you to spend a night with birds, would you do it?" Valroth raised his foot again, pressing half of her face into the mud. Fear appeared on Aeris's face. After a moment, she asked, "Is that an order?" Mud filled her mouth as she spoke, and her entire body began to tremble as if she could already envision the terror of being close to birds.
"No," Valroth replied, the answer made Aeris sigh in relief. "But I would be happy if you did it for me."
Aeris's heart clenched, her pupils constricting, her fists clenched tightly, but she couldn't respond. The terror was too much for her.
"It's fine, we'll take it slow," Valroth said, lifting his foot from her face. "Follow me."
Covered in mud, Aeris trailed behind Valroth, and the two soon returned to the cliff's edge. The rain fell harder, and the river surged forward, roaring with the force of the storm before plunging over the cliff. Aeris's vision blurred with rain as she tried to follow Valroth with an injured left leg, she slipped on the slick ground and crashed onto the stone floor. Struggling to her feet, she obediently returned to his side.
"Jump down. That's an order." As Valroth's words fell, a dark figure shot past him, leaping over the cliff without hesitation. She was too fast, even Valroth did not expect that. Wings sliced through the air as flames burst forth. Valroth couldn't help but marvel at his new pet. In the past, his other two pets had taken months to follow his orders without question, but Aeris… a day or two? Perhaps, this time, his plan might truly succeed. Yet, he felt an odd pang of pity for the girl. Sorry, you had to meet me. he thought.
By evening, the rain subsided, and droplets trickled from the cabin's roof. Cozy by the fire, Aeris munched on berries, wrapped in a blanket that Valroth had somehow found for her. Her contented look made Valroth smile. They both seemed untouched by what happened in the day. Suddenly, Valroth thought of something and stood up. Aeris followed suit, holding her berries tightly.
"I'll be back soon. You stay here."
Aeris watched as Valroth's wings beat once, his tall, sturdy figure disappearing outside. She glanced the floor around her feet, then carefully sat back down, and continued eating her berries. When she reached for more berries, she thought of Valroth and decided to save the rest for him.
As the night deepened, Aeris woke twice, but Valroth still did not return. She listened to the rain that had started to fall again outside, her heart pounding faster. The fire Valroth had left her still burned, even without wood. Her eyes began to water, her vision blurring with tears. Exhausted from crying, she put her head on her knees and fell asleep without her notice.
A surge of warmth woke her. Valroth, covered in flames, stepped inside, and Aeris felt herself relax after a deep breath. She stood up as if to run toward him. Her legs, numb from being curled up all night, didn't cooperate, but she was determined to get close. Yet, remembering his words, she hesitated and drew her leg back. He had said, "Stay here." Clearly, Valroth hadn't expected her to stay in place all night, but he was pleased with her obedience. Valroth sat beside her while dragging her down with him. Aeris pushed the berry basket over to him. Shaking his head, Valroth helped her straighten her stiff legs, massaging them, then reached into his coat to pull out a small, fluffy bundle.
"This is your reward. Give it a name." Valroth placed the little bundle in Aeris's lap—a small, white fox that, upon being nestled in her arms. It stopped trembling when it was held by Aeris and gazed at her with light brown eyes.
"A name? I don't know how to give names," Aeris said, looking at Valroth in confusion. The fox snuggled into her arms, and she couldn't help but smile—her first genuine smile in these days. Stroking the fox's fur, Aeris couldn't take her eyes off it.
"Name it and be a good owner," Valroth instructed, brushing a hand through her black hair, his expression as gentle as hers toward the fox. "That's an order." She leaned into his warm hand, happily nuzzling it.
For the next few days, Valroth didn't act as he had on their first day after signing the contract. Most of the time, he simply lay on his bed, propped on one elbow and watched Aeris play with her fox, or he leaned against the doorframe as Aeris and her fox picked berries. By the second day, the little fox had a name—Ember. Ember followed Aeris everywhere but retreated when Valroth approached, its animal instinct could somehow sense the danger in him.
"From today on, I'll train you to be a warrior, an executioner, and a soldier who only obeys me." On the fifth day, Valroth handed Aeris her spear. She took it from him, glancing at Ember in her arms, did not sure what to do.
Ember seemed to sense something ominous. She clung to Aeris' sleeve and refused to touch the ground. Aeris glanced at Valroth's indifferent face, gently pulled Ember away and placed her on the ground.
"A warrior follows orders without question," Valroth said, his hands clasped behind his back as he stood tall in front of her. "It seems you've managed to do that much." Aeris nodded and was pleased as if Valroth had acknowledged her.
"Now, attack me with your spear," Valroth continued, pointing to the weapon in her hand. "Do not stop until you can touch me with its tip. This is the spear of Virtutes, which belonged to one of the mightiest warriors. You must prove yourself worthy of it." Aeris' grip on the spear slackened, and she instinctively stepped back while shaking her head. Ember anxiously pawed at her leg as if trying to comfort her.
"Will you listen to my orders or the voices in your head?" Valroth knew Aeris was reluctant to turn her weapon against him. But this was a crucial test, a trial of whether she would submit to his will without hesitation. His words caused her to freeze momentarily, then she hesitantly lifted the spear.
A day of grueling training showed Aeris that her worries had been misplaced. She couldn't even come close to touching Valroth with the spear. Whenever she approached within five meters of him, it was as if an invisible force stopped her from advancing further. Her only chance was to attack when Valroth lowered his guard, which happened only when he grew bored and struck at her himself.
"Not enough strength," Valroth declared, effortlessly catching her spear with one hand. He stepped forward while blocking her movement, and with a light push on her left shoulder, she toppled backward and crashed hard into the ground. "Too slow." He followed with a swift kick to her side, knocking the wind out of her. "Get up. A warrior must stand, even while under attack." Valroth began kicking her repeatedly, each strikes more punishing than the last. Aeris clenched her fists and struggled to rise, but every time she did, Valroth sent her crashing back down violently.
A white blur shot toward him, only to be repelled by a burst of fire. Ember whimpered and was flung somewhere into the darkness. Finally, Aeris caught a brief moment to breathe. She forced herself up, but her body trembling from the pain. Valroth stood before her, glowing in the night, his body radiating intense heat. As he approached, she could feel her skin burning, not just from the heat but from something deeper—a searing pain in her mind as if something was being awakened inside her. Still, Aeris' face remained blank, emotionless, as she let the flames draw near.
"Good girl," Valroth knelt beside her, wiping dirt and blood from her face with a gentle hand. "We'll continue tomorrow. Now, go find Ember. I'll get you something to eat."