A mission

"Since when did you panic like this?" The voice spoke again, forcing Keira to turn to the fireplace in disbelief as to why the fireplace could speak.

"Wait, are you talking?" She pointed to the fire, stunned. Then suddenly the fire lit up brighter as if answering that she had guessed correctly.

"Long time no see.." that voice said in a familiar sarcastic tone.

Keira frowned as she recognized the voice

"You.. psycho?" She tilted her head "What are you doing here? Then .. Wait, how did you get in here? So why a fire? Who are you exactly?" She was yelling constantly since she couldn't figure out how it was possible.

"You're really demanding.." he replied in a bored tone "Next time you light a fire, be more careful"

What he said confused Keira and further frightened her 'What the heck why he told me to be careful? or is he scheming to burn me if I wasn't careful?' her face turned pale as the thought ran to her mind "D..don't think that after I accepted the deal, you can do anything to me"

"Did you forget the contract we made, hmm?" The psycho asked in a sly tone, raising her to feel frustrated.

Of course, she never forgot the contract. But she didn't expect that he would follow her here.

"What if I forget?" Keira replied irritably. Even though she was scared, she couldn't show that she was at a disadvantage.

"Oh.. but from your expression, I don't think you forgot it"

Keira turned away with an annoyed expression. She ignored the voice and put the pot on the stove. Though she's afraid, finding something to do might help her ease her fears "What do you want?"

"Of course, I'm here to give an order as you agreed to obey me"

"Ha.." Keira laughed in her throat "Tell me, what would a psychopath like you order me to do"

"I want you to find something"

"Do you think that I look like a capable person to search things in this land huh?" Keira frowned "Can't you order something that is more likely for me to achieve?" She glanced at the fireplace in disbelief at what she had just heard.

"you are the best candidate Keira" he answered firmly.

That gave Keira a headache. She was just an ordinary human who knew very little about this world so how would she have the knowledge to find things for him?

"*Sigh* can you explain it more clearly" Keira asked as she took a step back and sat down on the bench 'I doubt if I was right about making a deal with him'

"I want you to find a thorn flower"

"What do you mean, thorn flower?"

"It is a flower that grows in the wasteland and because of its beautiful appearance, it is therefore favored and hunted" he explained.

"So you send me out to hunt it because it's beautiful?" Keira gazed puzzled at the fireplace 'He wants a flower?!'

"I don't need to tell you the reason why I'm looking for it. You just have to find it as I said"

"Why should I go out and find it? I don't even know where it is"

"You have agreed on a contract with me. And if you break your promise, I will kill you without hesitation"

That answer froze Keira. She never thought that she would fall into a contract that put her life on a thread like this.

"C'mon. you're tying my hands to this again aren't you?" Her voice was sarcastic "I don't even know how to find it"

"Use your cleverness and arrogance, Keira.. If you want to save your life, you must find it" The voice replied.

"It's easy to say but what the heck is a thorn flower? I don't even know how does it look like" she shouted furiously towards the fireplace.

Only silence in response made her annoyingly roll her eyes at having to go on this silly mission without any necessary information.

This was the price she had to pay for using the Golden soul Pearl, right?

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