Chapter 23: Chapter 23 — A Flame of Happiness
"Come on, Lia," I said, my heart swelling at the sight of the little girl’s radiant smile. Honestly, seeing her like this—bright-eyed and beaming—was infinitely better than watching her cower in fear. She deserved every scrap of joy this world could offer.
She walked toward us, proudly showing off her beautiful new dress, the pastel-pink fabric swaying gently with each small step.
Samira and I each took one of her tiny hands in ours, forming a chain of warmth as we strolled through the bustling streets. We wandered past a couple of food stalls, the air thick with the scent of roasting meat and sweet pastries, while all around us the townsfolk busied themselves with the final preparations for the hunting festival that would begin tomorrow. Banners of crimson and gold fluttered from the rooftops, and the hum of excitement was palpable.
We made our way toward the forest without letting go of her for a single second. Feeling her small hand gripping mine with such trust sent a wave of nostalgia crashing over me; it reminded me of the days when my own parents would take me to amusement parks in my old world—my father’s calloused hand wrapped protectively around mine, my mother’s laughter ringing out as she pointed at the colorful rides.
A lump formed in my throat, but I swallowed it down. This wasn’t a day for sadness. It was a day for new beginnings.
Finally, I guided Lia and Samira toward our new cabin, nestled in the clearing where the trees parted just enough to let the afternoon sun spill through. As we approached, I spotted the boys still training hard in the yard, their massive frames glistening with sweat under the golden light.
From the porch, Chimera watched me with an expression loaded with obvious, undisguised desire, her heterochromatic eyes trailing over me like a predator sizing up its prey. I decided not to pay her any attention for the moment. My focus was entirely on how Lia would react upon seeing Dorko and Domack.
As expected, at first the little girl stiffened at the sight of the two enormous orcs. Her small body tensed, and her hand squeezed mine tighter—a completely normal reaction for a child her age faced with such towering, muscle-bound figures.
I crouched down to her eye level, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, and explained in a soft, reassuring voice:
"Those two big guys over there are good warriors. They’re my summons, which means they follow my orders and would never, ever hurt you. Besides," I added with a playful wink, "if they ever tried, Samira and I would kick their butts all the way back to the capital."
Upon hearing that, her fears melted away like morning frost. She smiled sweetly and threw her little arms around my neck in a tender embrace that nearly cracked my ribs—and my composure.
I stroked her head gently, running my fingers through her now-clean hair. For some reason, lately I kept catching myself saying the exact same things my father used to tell me to calm me down when I was a child. Things like "It’s okay, champ" and "I’ve got you."
It was as if, unconsciously, I was channeling his paternal instincts, absorbing the way he raised me and pouring it back out into this new life. And honestly, that felt like something truly wonderful—a quiet tribute to the man who had held me together when our world fell apart.
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I approached the area where the boys were training. Both of them were drenched in sweat, but they were grinning at each other like lifelong friends. Though they had only known each other for a very short time, there was no doubt they had already grown incredibly close.
"Welcome back, Master!" they both said in unison, halting their practice to bow their heads with respect.
"How have you two been?" I asked.
"Excellent, Master!" Dorko replied with overflowing energy, hoisting his heavy club onto his shoulder. "Domack has been teaching me many combat forms to perform better in battle!"
Domack nodded, his stoic, ashen features carrying a quiet pride.
"That is correct, Master. This young one still has a long road ahead of him as a warrior, but he has already grasped my combat style quite well."
"I’m really glad to hear that," I said, smiling. "By the way, I want to introduce you to someone. You can come out now, Lia."
The little girl, who had been shyly hiding behind my legs, slowly peeked her head out.
"She’s my daughter, Lia," I announced with unmistakable pride, placing a protective hand on her back.
Dorko’s eyes flew wide open, utterly dumbfounded, while Domack simply observed her in silence with his characteristic calm maturity. It didn’t take long before Dorko blurted out without thinking:
"Whoa! So you and Miss Samira already had a child... By great Tusk! I thought human babies took years to grow up."
Smack!
Domack delivered a perfectly aimed palm strike to the back of Dorko’s head with the precision of a seasoned drill sergeant.
"She is adopted, you idiot. Furthermore, such things are not to be spoken lightly in front of a young girl," he reprimanded him sternly.
"S-sorry..." Dorko muttered, rubbing the afflicted area with a pout.
Watching their dynamic, I realized Dorko’s personality was strikingly similar to that of a seventeen-year-old teenager—eager, impulsive, and occasionally putting his foot in his mouth. Though, to be fair, I couldn’t judge him too harshly; I’d acted like a chuunibyou-fueled adolescent myself on more than one occasion.
Domack bowed his head toward me once more and forced Dorko to mirror the gesture by shoving his head down with a firm hand.
"Forgive him, Master. This young one still has much to learn about the subtleties of human relationships."
"Don’t worry, Domack. It’s obvious Dorko didn’t mean any harm. You may raise your heads." I turned to Lia, gesturing toward the two hulking warriors. "Alright, Lia, these are Dorko and Domack."
"H-hi..." Lia greeted them, her voice a tiny thread of sound laced with endearing shyness.
"You two can keep practicing," I instructed the orcs.
Dorko and Domack immediately stepped back and resumed their training. They squared off, and what followed was something straight out of a martial epic.
Domack lunged first, his iron club carving a brutal horizontal arc through the air. Dorko ducked beneath it with surprising agility for his size, pivoting on his heel and countering with a rising strike that Domack deflected with the flat of his own weapon. The clash of iron against iron rang out like a blacksmith’s hammer.
Domack pressed forward with a relentless sequence—three heavy, rhythmic blows that Dorko met head-on, his feet digging furrows into the dirt as he absorbed the force. Then, with a grunt of effort, Dorko sidestepped and swept low with his club, forcing Domack to leap backward.
They circled each other, sweat flying, muscles coiling, every movement a brutal yet oddly graceful dance between master and apprentice.
Lia watched the entire display with her mouth slightly agape. Her expression rapidly shifted from timid apprehension to pure, wide-eyed euphoria and fascination as she witnessed the raw display of strength and skill.
"Lia, I also want to introduce you to someone very special," I announced, drawing her attention away from the sparring giants.
She turned to me, curiosity sparkling in her big eyes. I brought my hands together in front of my chest, closed my fists gently, and murmured the name of my little elemental summon:
"Runi!"
Then, I looked at the girl with a conspiratorial smile.
"Hold out your hands, Lia."
The moment I opened my palms, the tiny living flame materialized with a joyful flicker and immediately leapt into the girl’s waiting hands, bobbing cheerfully.
"Hello! I’m Runi! And what’s your name?" the tender fire spirit asked, its warm glow dancing across Lia’s fingers without burning them in the slightest.
"Lia..." she answered, a wide, genuine smile spreading across her face—the kind that crinkles the corners of the eyes and makes the whole world seem a little brighter.
"Lia, do you want to be friends with Runi?" the spirit asked, floating happily above her fingertips like a tiny, animated candle flame.
Lia’s face lit up entirely, her small, sweet smile stretching so wide it must have made her cheeks ache. She nodded eagerly, cupping the little flame as if it were the most precious treasure she had ever held.
In that instant, I realized something simple but profound: sometimes, all it takes to ignite happiness is a single spark.
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