Aequifervor

Choosing this flower was very difficult because it carried a balance within me, just like its meaning, and I thought it would be appropriate to give this flower to him as my first impression. At noon, I descended into the sand caves at the foot of Mount Tiara to find this flower. In the darkest and coldest part of this cave, there was a flower that grew in the sand with flames. It had a healing property for the Ankars; they would drink its tea, and its meaning represented the warm relationship between balance and fire. I wanted to establish a strong relationship with Merlin, one that could thrive even in difficult conditions, just like this flower, so it seemed like a sympathetic idea. I took the flower and placed it nicely in a snow globe. When it was time for our night meeting training, I set off towards the moon fox. Running like a fox, breathing the air, feeling the wind, what I would learn tonight was how to hunt... to hunt like a fox.

As I got closer, I began to hear Merlin's thoughts in my head: "Where is he? Did he ditch me? How stupid am I to have trusted him?" He was already starting to get angry with himself.

H: Hey, stop crying so much, I’m here.

M: Hahaha, tick-tock, you’re late; the prey doesn’t wait for you while hunting.

H: My prey usually doesn’t live long enough to wait for me.

M: Of course, that’s the point of hunting. Let’s get started.

H: Wait, first I want to offer you a peace pipe.

M: About what exactly?

H: In terms of establishing a solid foundation.

M: What is it? Show me.

I raised my hand and turned my palm towards the sky, holding the flower in my hand. He was staring at the flower as if mesmerized.

M: Aequifervor, but how did you get this?

H: Magicians don’t reveal their secrets.

M: Hahaha, the cocky student is trying to act like a teacher.

H: Can we talk less and hunt more?

M: Let’s see how good of a hunter you are.

He pointed to a herd of Leporavisium grazing in front of us. Outsiders might find them very cute, but some had horns while others were a type of rabbit with wings, and they could seriously injure you with their horns; the winged ones could fly up and claw your eyes out, blinding you.

H: So you must be joking.

M: No, if you're a good hunter, show me without scaring me, and let's feast.

H: Have you lost your mind, Merlin?! I could get hurt, you know, and you'll have to answer to my brother for that.

M: What’s wrong? You seem scared. You're supposed to be a demon fox, and yet you *laughs*.

H: Ahh! You're really getting on my nerves!

M: Focus and show me *becomes serious*.

*Harley's Devil Fox Form*

I took my position and hid among the bushes. Merlin was lying in ambush on a rock a bit further back, watching me carefully. I wanted to surprise and impress him. The fact that he was trying to provoke me excited me. I extended my claws from my paws and dug them into the ground, allowing me to sense and feel every movement of my feet. Then, I used the sharpness of my eyes to try to select the one with the most hunting potential among the Leporavisium. I chose the one that was sitting alone in the corner, grazing.

First, I used mind and sensory control to deafeningly silence the others. Then, I entered its mind and began to control it, making it think only about grazing. After that, I transformed my body into a normal fox form and passed through the ones I had silenced without being seen, reaching right next to my prey. I sank my teeth into its throat and didn’t let go until it stopped breathing.

After doing this, I realized that one wouldn’t be enough to satisfy us, so I hunted down the entire herd. Merlin, who got up from where he was and came over to me, was watching me with astonished and curious eyes, covered in blood.

M: Wow, this is really impressive. First, you deafened them, then you entered its mind. To be honest, I didn’t think you could work this professionally.

H: You're right; I'm a rookie after all. How good can I be, right? *grins*

M: Hahaha, no, I didn’t mean it that way, but it was a nice dinner for us.

H: Then, bon appétit *smiles*.

We had both dived into the meal. Anyone looking from the outside would describe it as a brutality, but in the end, the only difference between us and the lion hunting the gazelle you see in documentaries was that we were legendary creatures. Just as we were eating with great appetite, a voice rose from behind me.

Diego: Wow, wow, wow, Harley, you finally managed to hunt as yourself, or wait, maybe you’re a dragon.

Merlin: Diego, go hunt somewhere else. What is it, didn’t the beating you took suffice? Do you want to be tortured?

Harley: I don’t think so, darling, I think he’s doing it out of jealousy.

I had used that word just to make him jealous, and I could hear Merlin in his thoughts saying, "What do you mean, darling? We’ll talk about this later," but I felt like stirring things up a bit.

Diego: Me? Why would I be jealous of you? Hahaha, don’t make me laugh, who would be jealous of a liar like you?

Merlin: I warned you that you need to be careful with your words; you’re too bold, but the one in front of you is me. Diego, get away from here; I won’t warn you again.

Diego: By keeping a girl like her by your side, you’re tarnishing your own name, Merlin. You’re someone respected around here; I can’t believe you’d do this.

Merlin: I thought you were honest and a good person, but you’re perverted and disgusting. How much do those who keep you around approve of this?

Harley: You tried to touch me against my will, you filthy scoundrel! *shouts*

Diego: Remember that night well, Harley; it was you who came and lay under me.

After this remark, Merlin couldn’t hold back and turned to punch him, pinning him under his paw.

Merlin: Now who’s under whom, Diego?! *says angrily*

Diego: Get that damn paw off me, Merlin, or are you going against the rules?

Merlin: This is your first and last warning, Diego. If you don’t want me to skin you, you’ll be a well-behaved little wolf pup, and from now on, you’ll watch what you say to whom.

He leaned in and said a few more words, but I couldn’t hear them clearly. Whatever he said, Diego’s eyes widened like saucers, and tears came to his eyes. Merlin pulled away from him, and Diego quickly got up and distanced himself from us. Merlin turned to me and said,

Merlin: What was that line?

Harley: It’s not important; I just wanted him to be jealous after what he did.

Merlin: So you used me to make him jealous?

Harley: It seems like you enjoyed it, didn’t you? *asks curiously*

Here is the translation of the text to English:

"He came and pulled me towards him by my waist; he looked at me so beautifully under the moonlight that it was impossible not to fall in love.

Merlin: Didn't you want him to leave?

Harley: Is this a trick question?

He smiled and approached me first, then pulled back.

Merlin: Of course, this is a trick question. In a game where you hunt the same prey, never trust any fox, even if it's me, or you'll go hungry.

I turned around; my unfinished meal was gone.

Harley: Hey, but that's being a spoilsport; my attention was distracted.

Merlin: That's the purpose of your training anyway. *smirks and walks away*

Harley: You arrogant *shouts*.

What kind of night was this? It was so interesting to experience so many emotions at once. While he was getting lost in that forest, I was heading home; the sun was about to rise, and I could barely stand from exhaustion. I quietly entered the house and saw my brother was still asleep. I calmly went to my room and collapsed onto my bed with that fatigue. On one hand, I was trying to sleep from exhaustion, and on the other hand, I was reliving the excitement of the butterflies awakened inside me by this stranger who had entered my life. Those hair... Those eyes... That smile..."