With that thought, Sylvia raised a hand and drew her greatsword from the flames.
With practiced ease, she activated a slot. A card ejected, revealing a port ready to accept a Fullbottle.
Sylvia took out the Stellaron card and inserted the Heliobus Fullbottle.
A more docile power surged into her body.
The red flames shifted into the blue-green hue of a Heliobus, and Sylvia could feel the ordinary fire transforming, taking on the properties of Heliobus flame.
Of course, after being processed through the Herrscher Core, the energy pulsing from it was no longer difficult to control.
Sylvia even lifted her hand and gave a light wave; flames leapt up, conjuring a large patch of icy mist in the air.
She swung the greatsword again, and this time it transformed into flickering arcs of electricity.
Then the arcs of electricity began to shift into a dazzling radiance, and Sylvia directly assumed the form of Acheron.
This prompted Acheron to reach out and pinch, only to discover it was merely an illusion crafted from light, simulating appearance and using energy properties to mimic tactile sensation.
The slightest pressure revealed the hollow core beneath the facade.
"Quite an interesting ability," Acheron mused. "It even simulates temperature and solidity. Can Heliobi really do that?"
Acheron's knowledge of Heliobi was limited to knowing they existed; she'd had little direct contact with them, to the point she hadn't even recognized this one at first.
Plus, the Heliobus had grown listless the moment it entered her, so Acheron wasn't clear on its full capabilities.
"Mmm, the essence of a Heliobus's power is to manipulate the properties of energy," Sylvia explained. "Using this greatsword, I can control this ability fairly well, but such fine manipulation is still a bit taxing."
As she spoke, she gave the greatsword an idle swing. Acheron then saw the previously perfect illusion develop strange distortions and flaws.
"As soon as I start moving, I can't quite maintain it all. My brain just can't keep up," Sylvia admitted.
She dispelled the illusion, letting the flames revert to a fiery orange-red and releasing a wave of intense heat.
"Handling a single energy type like this is just easier to manage."
Though her words sounded like a complaint, her tone couldn't hide her excitement.
It wasn't that the ability was lacking; it was her own limits.
A Heliobus could freely manipulate energy, altering its form. Such a versatile power was far more useful and convenient than simple flames.
If this were the true authority of the original Herrscher of Flames, that would be one thing, but what she possessed was just a flame ability that mimicked the special effects.
It definitely couldn't compare to the flexibility of a Heliobus.
When she'd used the Stellaron for power before, Sylvia had managed to barely create a Fragmentum zone, but who in their right mind would actually rely on that?
Just carrying a Stellaron was conspicuous enough. If anyone found out she could actively use its power, it would be a disaster.
Besides, the Stellaron's energy was inherently untamable. Practically speaking, it was nowhere near as comfortable or easy to use as the Heliobus's power.
And also...
"Speaking of which... this Heliobus wouldn't happen to be some famously powerful one, would it? Why does it feel like this energy is endless, even stronger than the Stellaron's output?"
When she'd absorbed it with the Fullbottle, she'd been shocked by the massive scale of the flames. Now, after experiencing it firsthand, Sylvia realized this Heliobus's output actually surpassed the Stellaron's.
Acheron had been telling the truth.
"My mistake for doubting you. I'll reflect on that," Sylvia said, chastising herself.
But upon hearing this, Acheron suddenly reached out and pinched Sylvia's cheek. Staring into Sylvia's bewildered eyes, she said,
"You can afford to trust me a little more."
"Mmph..."
Acheron's fingers mercilessly stretched the captured cheek, pulling Sylvia's mouth out of shape and making coherent speech impossible. She could only nod in response.
Sylvia felt a bit helpless.
Who had Acheron been learning from? She wasn't like this before.
Since when did she get so handsy?
After a moment, seeing not only no sign of Acheron letting go, but her starting to knead her cheek even more enthusiastically, Sylvia finally couldn't take it anymore and swatted her hand away.
"Pushing your luck, are you? Getting addicted to pinching me now?"
Instead of backing off, Acheron simply said, "Your face is very clean. It looks like a peach."
"Don't compare me to food. Sounds like you're just waiting for a chance to take a bite out of me."
Sylvia shot Acheron a glare that lacked any real menace, only earning a slight smile in return.
"Shall we look around? It'll let you test your new ability," Acheron suggested, looking at the empty surroundings while actively grabbing Sylvia's left hand.
Holding her greatsword in one hand, Sylvia turned her head and stared intently at Acheron's profile.
She kept staring until Acheron turned to meet her gaze and asked why she was looking so intensely.
Only then did Sylvia voice her confusion.
"I just feel like you're especially fond of physical contact today, Acheron. Getting close earlier, then the pinching, now holding hands..."
She counted them off one by one, including Acheron's immediate offer to come back and bring her something earlier.
While they were certainly close, and Acheron's fondness for her was clearly high, the Acheron from a few days ago hadn't been this... clingy.
Sylvia wasn't sure how else to describe it, but she definitely felt Acheron was being clingy today. It wasn't a bad thing, just... noticeable.
"Lately, my memory hasn't been degrading. In fact, I seem to be gradually remembering bits of my past. So, I'm... relearning my emotions. These emotional fluctuations... feel somewhat unfamiliar to me now."
Acheron lowered her gaze as she explained her situation.
Her past was mostly an unreachable blank, while her present was almost entirely tied to Sylvia.
Acheron didn't resist these resurgent feelings in her heart; she was simply following their lead, carefully savoring these long-lost emotions.
And Sylvia, without a doubt, had become the person towards whom Acheron directed these emotions.
Sylvia understood. She could roughly imagine the specifics. But understanding was one thing; having never experienced anything like it herself, she found it hard to truly empathize.
So, for now, she chose not to say more.
She simply silently gripped Acheron's hand in return.
"Let's go, let's look around."
--+--
Sylvia wasn't in a hurry to return. After testing the Heliobus's power on this planet, the two found a spot among the ruins.
They worked together to prepare some food. Since it was also the middle of the night on the Xianzhou, Sylvia and Acheron found a makeshift camp within the ruins and settled down to sleep, leaning against each other.
Acheron hadn't originally planned to sleep.
But watching Sylvia's delicate, cute face in slumber, for some reason, she felt the urge to rest her head closer.
Her cheek pressed against Sylvia's hair. Inhaling the faint, pleasant scent from Sylvia, Acheron, without realizing it, relaxed and drifted off to sleep.
And this time, once again, she was spared from any nightmares.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
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