After Acheron had held Sylvia while she slept, she quietly took her leave.
Sylvia had originally planned to head back to Penacony herself, but she'd just finished changing clothes.
A wisp of blue flame suddenly whooshed into the room, lunging straight at Sylvia.
As if a tiny little Heliobus could ever escape Sylvia's notice.
The Heliobus's power manifested as red flame, coating her palm.
She reached out, and in one smooth motion, caught the misguided Heliobus in her hand.
It struggled, helpless.
"Well, well, look what we have here?"
The Luofu was vast, and the number of Heliobi that had escaped from the cauldron wasn't exactly countless.
Realistically, the odds of actually running into one were pretty low.
Maybe it was the intensely potent aura of a Great Heliobus emanating from Sylvia's flames.
The Heliobus in her grip went so still its flames nearly guttered out, too terrified to even struggle.
An idea struck Sylvia.
Using her flames, she fashioned a cage in mid-air and locked the Heliobus inside.
Then she pulled out her phone, snapped a picture, and sent it to Huohuo.
[Sylvia: [Image]]
[Sylvia: Huohuo, Huohuo, you there? I ran into a Heliobus.]
[Huohuo: ?!]
[Huohuo: Big Sis, are you okay?]
[Huohuo: I, I'll come find you right now!]
You could tell Huohuo was really worried; she probably never expected Sylvia to encounter something like this. She immediately offered to come.
[Sylvia: I'm fine. One little Heliobus can't do anything to me.]
[Sylvia: You're probably still working, right? I'll come to you instead. Where are you?]
[Huohuo: Huh? B-but, where I am right now, outsiders aren't allowed in or out for the time being.]
[Sylvia: Well, could you ask?]
[Huohuo: O-okay, I'll go ask then.]
After Huohuo said that, it was quiet for a good while.
[Huohuo: Oh good, Lady Hanya said it's okay. Please come to Fyxestroll Garden, Big Sis. I'm here now.]
[Sylvia: I'm on my way.]
Sylvia put her phone away.
Picking up the flame-wrought cage, she headed for Fyxestroll Garden with the Heliobus in tow.
She hadn't expected them to set up the Ten-Lords Commission's temporary field office in Fyxestroll Garden so early.
Come to think of it, Sylvia had never actually been to Fyxestroll Garden before.
She'd meant to check it out earlier, but it had slipped her mind.
She only just remembered now.
Fyxestroll Garden wasn't far.
Getting there by skiff was quick.
But the atmosphere there was perpetually dim, like an overcast day.
Whether it was always like this, or if it became this way after the Ten-Lords Commission requisitioned it, she didn't know.
Sylvia had just walked out of the dock, carrying the cage, when she spotted a small, adorable foxian girl with green hair.
"Huohuo, long time no see."
Sylvia lifted the cage in a little wave.
Startled by the sudden greeting, Huohuo's droopy ears perked up the moment she realized it was Sylvia.
She trotted over and burrowed right into Sylvia's arms:
"Big Sis, long time no see!"
Steadying Huohuo with one hand, Sylvia reached out with the other and gently rubbed the tips of her ears.
Huohuo's cheeks flushed slightly, but her gaze had already locked onto the cage in Sylvia's hand.
"Is that the Heliobus? Big Sis is so amazing, catching a Heliobus bare-handed. Unlike me, I have to use the Ten-Lords Commission's tools to capture them."
The fact that Sylvia could restrain a Heliobus with just a cage of flames seemed utterly absurd to Huohuo.
The Ten-Lords Commission needed tools to catch Heliobi, no exceptions.
After all, Heliobi had no physical form.
But Sylvia caught one like it was child's play.
The picture earlier showed her grabbing it with her bare hands too.
No normal person could ever pull off something so outrageous.
Just as Huohuo was marvelling at this, Tail suddenly piped up:
"Bare-handed my tail! I don't need to look to know she's using the power of a Great Heliobus to suppress that one. Can you be more professional? Who's the judge here, you or me?"
Tail was its usual grumbling self.
Always had something to say.
But despite her timid tone, Huohuo habitually retorted.
"Well, that is still bare-handed… Big Sis is the one controlling the great Heliobus's power, after all."
"Hah—?!"
Ignoring Tail's muttering, Huohuo reached out and took Sylvia's hand.
She tugged Sylvia along towards Fyxestroll Garden, tilting her head back to reveal a pitiful little smile:
"Big Sis, c-come with me… We need to re-seal the Heliobus."
Seeing her expression, Sylvia deftly produced a small pastry and popped it into Huohuo's mouth.
"Mmph—"
Though a bit puzzled, the delicious aroma spread across her tongue. Huohuo puffed out her cheeks, a contented smile blooming on her face.
"Thank you, Sis. It's really good."
"No problem. Huohuo's just so cute, I couldn't help but want to give you a little treat."
Sylvia was in a great mood. This little foxian girl, timidly holding her hand and strolling through the garden with her, was truly adorable.
Huohuo was the type that inspired affection, easily stirring one's protective instincts.
Even if, as a judge, this little foxian was actually quite capable.
"Mmm… c-cute, hehe…"
The sudden, direct compliment from Sylvia turned Huohuo's face bright red.
Embarrassed, she clutched Sylvia's hand tighter and looked down at the ground.
But she couldn't quite suppress her happy giggles, a few slipping out.
Tail behind them seemed to want to do something to scare Huohuo.
But Sylvia waved her hand.
A surge of power belonging to Phantylia welled up, dispelling Tail's mischief.
"Waaah! Damn woman! If you've got the guts, undo this seal and I'll fight you for three hundred rounds!"
"Eep—?! Mr. Tail? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
Startled, Huohuo instinctively clung tighter to Sylvia's arm.
She twisted her head to look at Tail, confused by his sudden outburst.
But, Sylvia was the one who had devoured an entire Great Heliobus!
Others might not know, but Tail, being a fragment of a Great Heliobus, would only end up completely suppressed if he fought her.
"Umm, Big Sis already has two great Heliobi inside her. You can't beat her, Mr. Tail…"
"Hmph!"
Tail huffed angrily, but didn't argue.
Huohuo hadn't known much about Sylvia before, only that she was a capable and kind big sister.
But back when she first encountered Sylvia and reported back to the Ten-Lords Commission, she got more detailed information about her from Hanya.
That was when Huohuo learned that hidden within Sylvia lurked something more terrifying than any great Heliobus—a Lord Ravager.
Phantylia was undoubtedly a super-Heliobus, far more powerful than an ordinary great one.
And Sylvia had not only a great Heliobus but also Phantylia inside her.
Even as proud as Tail was, he knew Sylvia's current strength was beyond his ability to contend with.
Seeing Tail quiet down, Huohuo looked back at Sylvia:
"Big Sis, Mr. Tail didn't mean any harm."
"Huohuo's such a good girl, but Tail was just about to play a trick on you, you know."
Sylvia used her other hand to ruffle Huohuo's hair again.
"Huh? Is that so?"
And Huohuo, head being patted, just wore a slightly dazed, silly smile.
--+--
T/N: 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.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.