Liberation of The Slaves

Chapter 87 – Two Lonely Souls In A Fragile Embrace

Another month passed quietly.

Two months had passed since I first began living under Selena’s roof.

My training had steadily advanced—my star-shaped magic, the foundation of my basic offensive spells, was finally complete. I could now create three razor-sharp, rotating stars while simultaneously maintaining my aura—a skill I once thought impossible.

But—

*Cough!* *Cough!*

Selena staggered forward, clutching her chest, a handkerchief pressed hastily to her lips.

A vivid splash of red stained the cloth.

Blood.

More than before.

“Master!”

The sight sent a cold chill down my spine for a moment, then sent me rushing forward.

The small, teasing coughs she had brushed off last month had grown harsher, heavier—and now the blood she expelled could easily fill half a glass.

I rushed to her side, pressing a glass of water into her trembling hands.

“Here, drink.”

She took it with a small smile—far too calm—and sipped carefully, her hand barely steady.

“Are you okay?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I said yes, right?” she said, managing a wry smile that barely masked the tightness in her voice. “Well… it feels like the curse is getting a little more aggressive.”

A little?

It was eating her alive.

I gritted my teeth. “Let me check you.”

She chuckled weakly. “You just want to see my naked body, don't you?”

“This isn’t the time to joke!” I snapped, my voice sharper than intended.

Her shoulders shook with a tiny laugh. “Alright, alright.”

She turned away, undressing just enough for me to see her back. No hesitation, no shame—just the quiet trust that had built between us over these past two months.

I sat down behind her, placing my hand gently against her bare skin. Her body felt frighteningly warm—too warm.

I closed my eyes and channeled light mana into her, feeling it spread like a river through her being.

<“Aza, please.”>

【Got it, Master.】

With the curse’s location already mapped out from before, Aza swiftly ran the analysis.

Meanwhile, Selena calmly redressed in front of me, as if we weren't discussing something that could steal her life away.

I opened my mouth, wanting to speak — but instead, I clenched my jaw.

<“Aza... how bad is it?”> I forced myself to ask.

The curse’s strength has doubled compared to two months ago,】

Aza replied, her voice unusually grim.

【At this rate… she has about one year and five months left.】

I bit my lips.

Originally, we'd thought we had three years.

Now… it was nearly halved.

I lowered my hand slowly, feeling cold despite the morning sun above.

I couldn’t lie to her.

Not about this.

Selena turned around toward me.

Her golden eyes met mine with quiet acceptance—as if she already knew.

I swallowed hard and said the words anyway.

"You have about… seventeen months left.”

There was a brief silence.

A heavy, deafening silence that seemed to still even the wind around us.

But Selena simply smiled—small, soft, almost fond.

“I see,” she said gently. “Seventeen months, huh? Guess we’re moving faster than expected.”

She didn’t cry. She didn’t panic.

As if… she'd already made peace with the ticking clock inside her chest.

“Master, I—” I started, feeling the words catch painfully in my throat.

But she raised a hand, stopping me.

“I know what you’re going to say.”

She pulled her silver hair behind her shoulder with casual grace and gave me a playful wink—a weak imitation of her usual mischief, but no less precious.

“I had hoped you could make five stars magic first,” she said, her voice was light but trembling at the edges. “That was the plan.”

She turned fully toward me then, the sunlight catching in her hair, outlining her in a soft, halo-like glow.

“But it’s okay.”

Her golden eyes burned with determination.

“It’s a little earlier than I wanted... but it can’t be helped.”

Her lips curled into a small, fierce smile.

“Let’s begin your heavenfire training—starting today.”

I stared at her for a moment — at the woman who was smiling in the face of her own death.

And then, swallowing back every emotion that threatened to spill over, I nodded.

“Yes, Master!”

No hesitation.

No fear.

Because if she could still smile in the face of that nightmare—

Then I would smile too.

And I would fight.

For her.

For our future.

No matter what.

“To combine two elements, it’s actually simple,” Selena said, her voice calm, steady. “But simple doesn’t mean easy.”

Seated cross-legged on the grass before her, I listened intently, not daring to miss a single word.

She lifted her left hand first, palm facing upward. Soft, pure light mana gathered there—serene, glowing gently like a small star.

“This is one element.”

Then, she raised her right hand. Fiery red mana crackled violently over her palm, wild and untamed, its heat palpable even from where I sat.

“And this is the second.”

Her golden eyes met mine, holding my gaze as she slowly brought her hands closer together.

“Now… merge them.”

The two forces — calm light and raging fire — touched.

For a brief second, they struggled, clashing, twisting around each other like wild serpents.

Then—

*Fwhoom*

The energies fused, becoming one.

The once-calm light burned fiercely, brighter and wilder than before — transforming into a searing flame tinged with dazzling white.

Heavenfire.

I watched in silent awe.

It looked so effortless in her hands — so natural, as if she were simply breathing.

But deep down, I knew.

Nothing was ever truly easy.

Everything I had learned these past two months had looked simple when she demonstrated it—until I tried it myself. Mastery demanded failure, frustration, and relentless persistence.

And combining two opposing elements… this was on another level entirely.

Selena lowered her hands, letting the blazing heavenfire fade into the air.

A teasing grin tugged at her lips as she tilted her head slightly.

“Think you can do it?”

There was a glint of mockery in her eyes — not unkind, but challenging.

Normally, I would have thrown back a cocky joke, something about being a genius.

But right now… I couldn’t.

Not when her life hung on the line.

Instead, I gave a bitter smile, rubbing the back of my neck.

“It looks like my bedtime’s getting cut shorter starting tonight.”

She chuckled under her breath, the sound soft and almost fond.

“Don’t overexert yourself. That’s what I'd normally say...” she said, her voice turning gentler, more vulnerable. “But… I'm relying on you, Freed.”

Her smile — weary yet full of hope — mirrored the one I gave her.

It hurt. In a good way.

“Leave it to me, Master!” I declared, clenching my fists with determination.

“Still… you should know one thing.”

She looked at me—really looked at me—with those golden eyes that seemed to see right through every wall I tried to build.

“Even if you fail... it’s okay. It’s not your fault. So don’t blame yourself.”

I hesitated, my chest tightening.

Don’t blame myself, huh?

Easier said than done.

In my old life, blaming myself was a reflex — automatic, cruel, constant.

Even now… that habit hadn't disappeared.

Still, I forced a grin, trying to brush away the shadow that crept into my heart.

“You’re worrying about things that haven’t happened yet,” I said, attempting to reassure her.

She huffed and shrugged her shoulders, as if shaking off her worries.

“You’re a worrisome brat after all.”

The faintest smile curved her lips again.

Without wasting more time, I closed my eyes and extended both hands in front of me.

Light mana bloomed in my left hand—bright, steady.

Fire mana crackled in my right—wild, scorching.

Controlling them individually felt manageable.

But when I tried to bring them together—

*BOOM!*

A modest explosion erupted between my palms, the shockwave strong enough to kick up dust around me.

I staggered back, coughing, but thanks to my aura shield, I escaped with only a few stinging bruises.

I flexed my hands, wincing slightly at the minor burns on my fingertips.

“Well,” I muttered dryly, brushing soot from my sleeves and glancing at her, “looks like these explosions will be your new lullaby.”

Selena, who had been watching from a few meters away with arms folded, laughed lightly—a soft, teasing sound that carried across the clearing.

“Maybe I should start wearing earplugs,” she said sarcastically, shaking her head.

I ignored her comment, blowing gently on my scorched hands before setting my stance again.

No more hesitation.

No more fear.

Only forward.

And so, I kept training under the vast open sky—failing, stumbling, exploding—yet refusing to stop.

Because her life… depended on it.

*Boom!*

“Ugh…”

I staggered slightly from the small explosion, wincing at the sharp sting that spread across my palms.

The night had long since fallen. The cool breeze carried the scent of damp earth, and the stars overhead blinked like silent witnesses to my endless struggle.

Yet I stayed outside the house, stubbornly continuing my training alone.

Again and again, I gathered light mana in one hand, fire mana in the other.

And every time they touched—

*Boom*

The two elements rebelled, detonating instead of merging.

Gritting my teeth, I brushed ash off my sleeves and shook out my sore fingers.

<“Hey, Aza.”>

I called out internally, frustration leaking into my voice.

<“Since you can control my mana, can't you just help me create the heavenfire element?”>

【That’s not possible, Master.】

Aza’s reply came quickly, her tone calm as always.

【While I can combine your elements into something that looks like heavenfire, you won’t actually obtain it unless you succeed on your own.】

<“Why?”> I asked, wiping sweat from my brow.

【Your status is just a visualization—a reflection of your body, mind, and soul.】

【If I create heavenfire for you, it won’t truly be yours. It won't register on your status screen because you haven’t mastered it independently.】

<“I see…”>

I exhaled, watching my breath mist faintly in the cool night air.

Still, an idea gnawed at me.

<“Then... could you create heavenfire and use it to lift Selena’s curse?”>

For a moment, Aza was silent.

Then she answered.

【It’s impossible, Master.】

【Even if I force the two elements together, it would only be an unstable imitation. I'd still have to manage two separate streams of mana—light and fire—simultaneously. It would result in a half-baked heavenfire, weak and impure.】

【It wouldn’t be enough to cleanse her curse.】

Her voice softened slightly.

【It’s better for you to master it properly. Only a true heavenfire can save her.】

I clenched my fists, feeling a fresh wave of determination flare in my chest.

<“I see…”>

I muttered.

<“It can’t be helped, then.”>

The stars spun lazily overhead as I closed my eyes for a moment, steadying myself.

<“Do you have any advice for me, then?”>

【What Selena taught you is already excellent,】

Aza said.

【But if you want an additional hint, there’s one thing you can try.】

I straightened, listening intently.

【While manipulating the mana, don't just focus on the energies themselves. Imagine the characteristics of the two elements—separately, vividly.】

【When you bring them together, don’t just push the mana together. Let your visualizations blend too.】

<“...”>

I blinked at the night sky.

<“...That’s still too vague.”>

【That’s because it’s not something that can be explained perfectly with words.】

【What you've practiced until now is controlling multiple things at once—keeping them separate but balanced.】

【This time, you must unite your separate imaginations into a single, new thing.】

Aza’s voice was steady, but I could sense a small hint of sympathy beneath her matter-of-fact tone.

This was something I had to feel.

Not just think.

<“I see.”>

I said slowly, rolling the advice around in my mind.

<“I think I get what you’re saying. But... I still don’t know how to do it.”>

【You’ll figure it out, Master.】

Her encouragement was simple—but somehow, it warmed my chest a little.

【It’s something that can only be found through trial and error. Through struggle. Through stubbornness. Through heart.】

I opened my eyes again.

The stars above seemed a little brighter.

The wind a little sharper.

The weight on my shoulders — a little heavier, but somehow more bearable.

<“Yeah... It seems that's my only option.”>

I inhaled deeply.

Gathered my mana once more.

And plunged back into the endless, stubborn dance of failure and hope.

After a few more hours of relentless training, exhaustion finally caught up to me.

Dragging my weary body back into the house, I found Selena already asleep, her breathing slow and even.

Quietly, I approached the bed and sat down beside her, careful not to disturb her rest.

The soft moonlight filtered through the window, casting a gentle glow over her sleeping figure. Her silver hair spilled over the pillow like a river of stardust, a few strands brushing across her peaceful face.

Without thinking, I reached out—brushing the stray locks aside with trembling fingers, revealing her beauty more clearly.

She looked so fragile like this.

So heartbreakingly alive.

As if she might shatter with a single touch.

My hand moved almost instinctively, gently patting her hair, stroking it with a tenderness I hadn’t realized I could still feel.

Two months.

It had only been two months since we crossed paths—

And somehow… It felt like she had always been there.

It felt like I had known her forever, woven into the fabric of my life.

Somewhere along the way, the thought of living without her had become... unbearable.

The memories of my past clawed their way back into my mind.

the day I failed to save my parents, both in this life and the one before.

The day I witnessed the broken bodies of my sisters.

The days I said goodbye to the few friends who had truly mattered.

Ten people.

Only ten—

But to someone like me, who had so few to love, it was everything.

Each loss had carved a piece out of me.

Each farewell had left me emptier.

If Selena died too—

If I lost her, too—

What would be left of me?

I closed my eyes tightly, trying to push the thought away.

Selena wasn’t just another person I cared for.

She was the one who had pulled me back from the abyss.

The one who breathed hope back into my tired soul.

The one who reminded me how to dream again.

The one who showed me a future worth chasing.

I wouldn't—I couldn't—let this hope crumble into dust.

Not this time.

Even if most of my dreams had shattered before…

Even if the world had taught me again and again that hope was dangerous…

This time, I wanted to protect it with everything I had.

I wanted to live.

Not alone.

But with her.

I lay down beside her, careful and quiet, continuing to stroke her hair. My touch feather-light, as if afraid she might vanish if I pressed too hard.

<“...Do you believe I can save her?”>

I asked the question inwardly, not even sure if I wanted to hear the answer.

For a long moment, there was only the whisper of wind against the windows.

And then, Aza answered.

【...I won't give you false hope, Master.】

【But if you push yourself beyond your limits...】

【I believe you can achieve it.】

Her words weren’t sugar-coated.

She wasn’t promising me a miracle.

She was telling me the truth.

That it might be impossible.

That I would have to risk everything, and even then... I might still fail.

<“Beyond my limits, huh...”>

I whispered back, feeling the weight of those words settle on my chest.

My mind drifted.

I had gambled on a five-percent chance before—to save my parents.

And I had failed.

But this time...

This time, I wasn’t starting with mere seconds.

I had more than a year.

I had time.

I had to believe it would be enough.

I would tear myself apart if I had to.

I would bleed, break, burn myself down to nothing—if it meant giving her even a sliver of a chance to live.

I would save her.

I let my hand rest against her head, feeling the steady rhythm of her breathing, letting it calm the storm inside me.

Minutes blurred into hours.

And then, slowly, my own eyes drifted shut.

Tomorrow...

Starting tomorrow, I would limit myself to three, maybe four hours of sleep a day.

It wouldn’t be easy.

But I had survived harsher days.

As a slave.

As a broken soul wandering through a world that never seemed to care.

If I had endured then—I could endure again.

For her.

For the only future I still believed in.

Unknowingly, as the darkness swallowed my consciousness, my arms moved on their own—pulling Selena closer into an embrace.

As if my soul itself was terrified—terrified that if I let her go even for a moment, she would vanish, just like everything else I'd ever tried to hold onto.

As if holding her could anchor the both of us against the cruel tide of fate.

She stirred softly in her sleep, but did not resist.

I would not let her vanish from my life.

I would not let despair win again.

Even if the road ahead shattered me—

Even if it demanded everything I had—

I would fight.

Not just to save her—

But to protect the bond we had finally, painfully found.

And then, without fully waking, her arms tightened around me in return, clutching my shirt with trembling fingers, like a drowning girl clinging to the last scrap of driftwood in a storm.

Her body trembled faintly against mine, her slender fingers gripped the fabric of my shirt tightly—

Clinging to me as if she, too, was afraid I would disappear.

A silent confession that somewhere, deep inside her dreams—

She was just as scared of being left alone again.

She nestled against my chest, seeking warmth, seeking comfort.

Her breath was slow, vulnerable, and utterly trusting.

There, in that fragile embrace—

Broken by time, stitched together by loss—

Neither speaking, neither daring to hope too loudly—

Two scarred souls whispering the same silent, desperate vow deep within their hearts:

<“Please don’t disappear.”>

<“Please don’t let go.”>

<“Not anymore.”>

<“Not again.”>

In the quiet cradle of a moonlit night—

A wordless promise, stitched together by trembling hands and broken hearts—

As dreams and fears tangled around us both, we clung to each other with everything we had left—

Afraid to believe in tomorrow.

And yet unable to give up the hope that maybe, just maybe—

We wouldn’t have to face the world alone anymore.

Beneath the fading stars of a sleeping forest,

a broken boy and a lonely girl clung to each other—

Two fractured souls daring, at last…

To dream of a future where they wouldn’t be alone.