Chapter 131: Chapter 131: System's Temptation

"Oh, great Von Elio," purred the redhead, her voice dripping like honey, "it's an honor to be in your presence. You've saved our city." Her emerald eyes sparkled with admiration, or perhaps...

Elio, visibly uncomfortable but struggling to maintain his composure, stuttered a response. "I... uh... thank you. But it was everyone's effort." His cheeks flushed a deep red, betraying his nervousness.

Ember, sensing Elio's discomfort, straightened up, its scales shimmering with a more intense tone. The salamander's protective instincts were clearly kicking in.

The second woman, a brunette with legs that seemed to go on forever, stepped so close she was almost brushing against Elio. Her scent, sweet and intoxicating, filled the air around them.

"You're so modest. A true hero," she cooed, her eyes never leaving Elio's face.

Zara, watching from her bench, felt her blood boiling. Flare, perceiving her agitation, emitted a small hiss, the salamander's body temperature rising slightly in response to Zara's emotions.

'Who do these... these harpies think they are?' Zara thought, her hands clenching into fists.

Elio, now sweating nervously, tried to concentrate on the core transfer, but it was evident that the attention was overwhelming him. He had never in his life dealt with anything like this.

His hands trembled slightly as he manipulated the cores, nearly dropping them several times. Ember moved restlessly, as if wanting to interpose herself between Elio and the newcomers.

The third girl, a blonde with eyes as blue as the summer sky, "accidentally" dropped her floating book. "Oh, how clumsy of me," she said with a giggle, bending slowly to push it up again, giving Elio a generous view. Her movements were graceful, almost rehearsed in their seeming spontaneity.

Elio, ever the 'gentleman', quickly bent down to ensure the cores didn't fall out of the book, only to find himself face to face with her, their faces mere centimeters apart.

He could see every detail of her perfect face, smell the sweet scent of her breath. For a moment, he seemed frozen, caught between politeness and panic.

Zara clenched her fists so hard her knuckles made a sound, every fiber of her being screaming at her to intervene, to push these... women away from Elio.

But with what right? Elio wasn't hers... The thought sent a pang of pain through her heart. Flare, sensing Zara's distress, curled closer around her neck, offering silent comfort.

There was a look in his eyes, confusion and something else, something that made Zara's heart skip a beat. But then, Brok appeared and dragged him away, talking animatedly about something.

Brok's rabbit, a sturdy brown creature, looked as imposing as its owner. It hopped alongside them, occasionally nudging Ember as if trying to engage the salamander in conversation.

Zara felt a pang of disappointment and frustration.

Flare, as if wanting to console her, rubbed its head against Zara's cheek. The salamander's warmth was comforting, but it couldn't completely dispel the knot of emotions in Zara's chest. "Kriz, seriously, I'm not in the mood for your jokes."

"Who's joking?" Kriz adopted an exaggeratedly serious expression. His rabbit, surprisingly, managed to imitate his expression, its little nose twitching solemnly. "This is a matter of utmost importance. The image of our supreme leader is at stake. When all the people are gone, you can mark him all you want..."

"Kriz!" exclaimed Zara, her face now completely red. Flare, perhaps reflecting its owner's embarrassment, hid under the collar of Zara's shirt. The salamander's tail curled around Zara's neck, a comforting presence.

Despite her irritation, Zara couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "You're impossible."

"I know, it's part of my charm," Kriz grinned. His rabbit seemed to puff out its chest with pride. Then, his expression softened a bit. "Seriously, Zara. If you feel something for Elio, you should tell him. Before one of those...

let me guess what you called them in your mind? Harpies? Gets ahead of you..."

Zara sighed, all the fight leaving her body. Flare, sensing the change in her mood, poked its head out and gave her a gentle nudge with its snout. "It's not that simple, Kriz. Elio has a whole city to lead now, all his attention is there... How can I compete with that?"

"Compete?" Kriz arched an eyebrow. His rabbit, surprisingly, managed to imitate the gesture again. "Zara, it's not about competing. It's about being there for him. And believe me, nobody wants that more than you. Well, except maybe Ember, but she can't talk, so you have an advantage...

Oh, and Lucien, be more careful with Lucien..."

Before Zara could respond, they saw that Elio had freed himself from Brok and was heading towards them. Ember trailed behind him, her eyes darting between Zara and Flare with what seemed like curiosity.

Kriz gave Zara a final wink before quickly moving away, his rabbit making a gesture with its tail before disappearing. The yellow bunny seemed to hop into thin air, vanishing as quickly as its owner.