《Transient Fire Works》Chapter 19: a small recap
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Before Jin actually arrived at Meracle’s house after the shameless event at her parent’s house, the three girls, Gisela, Rosa, and Mirana came over unexpectedly. Things became awkward because none of the three was expecting each other to arrive at Meracle’s house. Strangely enough, each had their own reasons as well to meet Meracle.
When they were at the door, not one of them wanted to push the doorbell. Why? Because there were three people at the door. How would Meracle react when she finds that the three at the door? She don’t usually get visitors so it was completely odd. Even the girls only visited Meracle a few times every month.
This was resolved when Meracle’s aunt and elder sister came. The two ignored Gisela, Rosa and Mirana and barged into the house. One was screaming madly in joy while the other was scowling.
You can already guess who was screaming with joy. It was Ophelia who was so overjoyed when their parent approved of the ‘boyfriend’ and wanted to tell Meracle the good news. The aunt? She was always scowling so it was normal for the two sisters. In this grand atmosphere, the three girls let themselves in by taking the opportunity to congratulate Meracle’s sister for the good news. This made things a lot easier for them.
The six came together and had a joyous hour within Meracle’s house into the living room. At first, the aunt and the elder sister was surprised when they heard about Jin. They were worried about a man in a woman’s house in general and leaving the two alone. It was almost a scandal because of how Meracle described Jin and how he acted when he played around. But then things became racy when she described the group date which really sparked the chick flicks.
“Waaaaaaaaaaa! He must really like you Meracle! I’ve yet to see my own boyfriend doing that so coolly!” Ophelia exclaimed. The aunt raised an eyebrow of interest when she heard this. ‘… *humph* At least he is earnest.’ She inwardly snorts. Meracle continued but left out the part where Jin said that he will die in three years or the part where he said that he would leave. She didn’t want to ruin the mood. “Well, that’s about it. He came naked, show that he was dedicated, and … a cool cumber to the core.”
‘I really hoped that this Jin guy likes Meracle. Unlike the other cheating hoe, he shows more dedication to his woman.’ The aunt thought in approval. Even Ophelia thought Meracle found a good man.
Just then, Rosa pulled Meracle to the side to speak with her in private. “Uh… Meracle? Can I ask you for a favor?” Rosa was trembling when she pulled her over. Seeing this, Meracle gave a warm smile and nod.
“I’ll need to borrow Jin some time later…” Rosa whispers.
“What?” The warm smile was gone. Meracle’s heart felt a twinge when she heard these words. Now her face twisted into an evil glare for an unknown reason to her.
“…. My dad preset a marriage for me a while ago. I need someone to… you know… get that marriage off?” Rosa innocently said.
“… Of all people, you picked a Jin? You know he is broke, jobless and will be homeless if I kick him out right?” Meracle spoke sternly.
“What is wrong with Jin? Sure he is broke. Sure he is jobless. Sure he will be homeless if you kick him out. But didn’t he show the qualification of a good boyfriend? I am running out of time Meracle. I need someone and all the people I’ve asked were either not good enough or too scared. You know my dad as well right?” Rosa explains.
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Meracle’s heart dropped. ‘… Somehow this doesn’t feel right…’
Rosa shamelessly begged. “I’m begging you Meracle! Lend me him in two days! I promise he will come back in one piece. Maybe… As long as he doesn’t get mutilated by my father, everything will be fine.”
‘… Why should I care so much? Argh… But who will cook for me when he’s gone!? T^T…. As far as cooking goes, he’d only taught me how to make curry! I can’t eat that for an entire day! …. But Rosa is also my friend…’ Meracle was contemplating about a lot of things in her head. It was strange for her to think about Jin so highly despite only meeting him a while ago. But she couldn’t bear for her friend to marry someone she didn’t like. But then she is also treating Jin like he was some rag doll to be passed around! “Alright fine. But you have to ask Jin for his approval.” Meracle grumbles
“KYAAAA!! I knew you are my best friend!” Rosa jumped for joy and hugged Meracle.
The other two, who were eavesdropping to this scoffed. “*pfft* How shameless can she be?” Gisela said with a glare.
“I know right? I was about to introduce Jin to my family” Mirana joked.
Gisela’s head turned ninety three degrees instantly when she heard this with popping eyes.
“It’s a joke Gisela. I was only going to apologize to him because I slapped the daylight of him in the morning” Mirana giggled. “By the way, didn’t you kick him in the morning? Is that why you were here?”
“Y-yeah. That’s the reason” Gisela played along. Gisela actually had some other motives and it was not to apologize to Jin. It was more or less related to her sadistic fetish when she bullied him in middle school. But how could she say that!?
The four quickly came back to the living room and it was time for dinner. But the people who were in the living room didn’t want to cook. Gisela, Rosa, Mirana, and Meracle had their own reason for not cooking. The aunt and the elder sister sighed. Seeing the hopelessness, the aunt had to cook. Seeing the stock full of food in the fridge, the aunt practically went berserk in cooking. Within a few minutes, food came out smelling good as ever. Everyone except Ophelia and Meracle screamed in delight. They knew the dangers of the aunt’s cooking. No matter what, they didn’t want to eat but they still shoved the foods down their throats. This time, everyone except Rosa and the aunt screamed in pain. It was too spicy. ‘*che* p*ssies. Can’t even handle ten ghost peppers in your food’ the aunt snorted when she heard the girls screaming. Every girls screamed except Rosa. Rosa was just eating the peppers as if it was nothing. Moreover, she was scarfing down the plates like water!
“Mmmm Can I have more?” Rosa licked her lips like an innocent child. This instantly made the aunt give her approval as a friend! In a strange way, the two were alike a lot. “We must’ve been sisters in the past!” The two said in unison. It was such a scary scene because they kept making spicy food and chowing down on them. They even took out booze to drink along with the spicy food.
“O-o-oh god. No… Just... uh uh...” Gisela, Mirana, Meracle, and Ophelia just backed away from the table of fiery dragons and laughed. They laughed because of the hilarious sigh before them. How can there be two people so alike? The six soon moved up to Meracle’s room to continue the festive atmosphere.
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The door opened down stairs just then. Meracle bolted towards the door almost crying in joyful tears when she heard Jin’s return. She saw how exhausted he was and was about to let him sleep. But then she remembered what happened in the morning and that made her angry.
During this time, Ophelia just got a phone call from her boyfriend. He was scared of her boyfriend and crying because Ophelia’s boyfriend was chased away by her parents saying that he was an imposter. Ophelia then tried to find the reasons why things happened they did and soon found out that a man pretended to be her boyfriend just to take a shower in their house and even ate their food! She then explains to the mother and father and they were shocked. They even felt bad for doing something like that.
The aunt then consoled Ophelia for a good while before telling her to go see Meracle’s new potential boyfriend. “Alright. I’ll do it” Ophelia said and went down. But the moment the two got down, everything made sense to them. It was Jin who was so shameless to walk into someone’s house to take a shower and ate their foods and even pretended to be her boyfriend!
“I-I-I I’ll get my revenge on him!!!!!!!!!!” She cursed in a low voice beside her aunt. The aunt, hearing this started to cook up a plan to get back at Jin. But who knew that it would end in a bet? Not only that, he acted a like ruffian, but a strangely calm and clear minded ruffian. He clearly gave the two some face because they were Meracle’s relatives. But she also felt that Jin was just purely acting and it was so convincing that she could not see through him.
“Why is it that I can’t stop thinking about what he’d said!?” the aunt murmured. She’d remember what he’d said about even the homeless and nameless having an identity. In a strange way, it brought forth a cold air like a king but the presence of an insignificant being. “I’d like it if this feeling was just a feeling. But that man… He was clearly something else. This isn’t good. I need to find out more about him!” She resolutely decided. But, she forgotten to ask for his full name. Plus, there was no man on this planet who had blue hair and yellow eyes like him. She’d even heard that it was his natural hair color and that was confirmed when she got close to him. So it was futile to find more about him.
‘If he really does exists… Then he is no different than a shadow! There are too many people named Jin but no one with blue hair or yellow eyes. Even with my connections, not a person knows a man named Jin.’ She was puzzled and thought that he hid his identity. No one in this world could hide their identity so well and even if they did, there were traces. When she remembered that Ophelia said the name Belphegor, she then got people to look him up. But there was no information on Belphegor either! “The hell? Who is this man?” Her eyes widen. Only then did she realize that Ophelia made a bet with the wrong person and if she had made a bet, she would lose indefinitely. “This is bad… Ophelia… You already lost before the war could even begin… Wait! What if Meracle was in danger as well? But… We just insulted her and her potential boyfriend… ah….. why did we….. I have a bad feeling about this…” Aria, the aunt could not even imagine the type of person Jin/Belphegor was but the hand from the shadow could be felt around her neck. It was too late. The devil already had them in his hands and he wouldn’t let go until his vengeance is over.
When Jin left, Meracle was truly scared that he would disappear. It was because Jin made a serious face when he turned away after he said those sweet words. There was clearly something wrong. Like a different person was before her. She was even too scared to get near him when he left. His back looks so far away and fragile even if he was only three feet away from her.
Even the other three saw the same image. This was not the same Jin they’d known that was small, scared, and weak. There was something big and repulsive behind Jin’s back. But there were no words to describe it. It was just there. Just big, dark, and arms of darkness stretching across as far as the eyes could see.
They did not know was that Jin was the type of person who’d take the initiative before evil could even get a chance to enact its plans. They never saw Belphegor. They never saw what would happen when the sloth would awaken. Jin/Belphegor, once he opens his eyes to evil, he would swiftly and silently deal with things leaving no ways for evil to do its deeds. That was only when he open his eyes. To him, that was still considered neutral. There was only one time when he was mad as Belphegor. You already know what’d happened so there is no need for me to tell you guys. But that story is also incomplete in its own ways. That story is also for another time.
The three girls brought Meracle back in and told her to wait for Jin and that things would be fine. That he would not disappear. Believing in their words, she nodded and once more, the four fell asleep in the same bed.
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When dawn came and only then did they see Jin carrying ten silver suitcases. He came back silently in the morning and collapsed on the bed in the living room. ‘He’s back. Like he said he would be… haaaaaaaaaa…. Why am I crying?’ Meracle wiped the tears away and came down to check up on Jin. “Are you awake Jin?” she softly said.
“Only if you kiss me up my princess” He playfully said.
Seeing that he still have strength to joke around, she finally calmed down and shook her head. ‘Looks like I was worried for nothing…’ she thought. The suitcases did catch her attention. But since it was his business, she didn’t touch them. She went back up to take a shower and freshen herself up for the day to come.
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If you were wondering what happened to Farrah, he dropped her off at Mammon’s place. Yes he went back to Mammon’s place because he couldn’t keep Farrah around him. Even Mammon was shocked to see that he brought a girl to her place and shamelessly asked her to take care of Farrah. But since it was a favor for him, she took the girl. He also asked Mammon not to make her work as a prostitute or do any forms of sexual acts since she was an ex-slave. “Take good care of her. She will undoubtedly be a great asset to you Mammon. I can promise you this much at least.” Belphegor whispers to Mammon.
Farrah was shocked to know that Belphegor and Mammon knew each other. This was a scandal that no one would expect to happen. But if this does get out, how much will this change the underworld? It will undoubtedly shift the power to Mammon and Belphegor’s side.
“Listen. From here on out, you are mine because Belphegor left you in my care. I do not want to hear any complaining! You will work for me as long as you are here! Understand!?” Her voice resounded.
“Mmmm! Understood!” Farrah replied. “Can I call you sister Mammon?” She was strangely obedient like a puppy. Mostly because Farrah admired Mammon. She was the only underground Boss that was female and still so young. In her eyes, Mammon was her idol.
‘Eh? What the hell? Where did Belphegor get such an obedient bimbo?’ Mammon was taken aback when she saw how obedient Farrah was. “What are you to Belphegor?” She asked in a low voice.
“Eh? Me? Uhhhhh I’m his slave?” She nervously replied.
*Boom!* “WRONG! You are his toy! Something that can be tossed aside at any time! That is how it works in this business! If he wishes for you to jump off a cliff at a snap of a finger, then you jump! If he wishes you to die for him, you die for him! There are no statuses above toy in this business! I am here to teach you the difference between boss and subordinate!” Mammon banged the table to show her superiority.
“I-I-I’m his toy? *giggle*” there was a red blush on Farrah’s face which made Mammon confused.
‘What the hell? She is happy about being his toy? What did you do to her Belphegor?’ Mammon’s mouth dropped when she saw the crazy masochist.
“Eh heh… Sorry. I just don’t mind being his toy. Unlike other masters, he was the kindest out of many masters whom I met. He didn’t fake kindness either. The air he gave off was… genuine and warm even though there were times when he was cold. Even if he breaks me, I wouldn’t mind it!” She said gleefully.
Mammon didn’t know what to say. Never has she seen such loyalty to a boss like this before. But loyalty was not enough. Mammon then tested her ability to be adept to many situations. She even tested Farrah’s academic and political skills. But with each test, she passed them all with flying colors and perfectly no less. The only thing she did not pass was physical tests. Most notably, jumping. Her jugs weighed her down so much that she could barely jump. But not like it would matter. All Mammon needed to do was to train her to jump high.
“Farrah. Tell me the truth. How old are you?” Mammon asked in a clear voice.
“I’m fourteen.” She answers honestly.
‘… oh fourteen… that’s not bad’ she inwardly thought. But when she reviewed the number, the number was like a slap across her face! “F-f-f-fourteen? Are you sure? You look eighteen girl!”
“Mmm I’m sure. I’m still growing. Here is my identity card as well from where I worked before Belphegor took me away” Farrah said and presented her card. “He also gave me the name Farrah. It’s far better than what my old boss named me.”
Mammon couldn’t believe it. She was only fourteen and was already so capable. It made her jealous of Belphegor of getting his hands on such a rare person. ‘*Pfft* Belphegor. Really. How did you get your hands on such a treasure? Don’t tell me that you just destroyed an entire slave training center for this one girl… Even I can’t take down a slave training center. Firstly, they are too powerful. Secondly, they have many supporters. But most of all, it is practically impossible. Ha ha!!’ Mammon laughed at the thought.
But she no longer laughed when she saw the news.
“In coming news! A slave center was reported and there, many people’s family members were found! The fire departments and the polices are doing their best to reunite them with their families as best as they could. Some of these slaves were ex-actresses and actors as well! Some are just unknown. The one who reported the center had a voice changer and cannot be identified. But whoever you are, we have to thank you. We give our gratitude to our hero! If it wasn’t for you, some of us would never see our family members ever again! Some of the slaves here were trained for twelve long years! Again! Thank you!” The news woman reported. The news reporter woman broke into tears when she saw a familiar face and ran to the familiar face. The reporter hugged the familiar person crying tears of joy like many others were as well. It was also because the slaves also remembered and got back their mental state.
“Girl…. How long were you enslaved?” Mammon quickly asks.
“…Nine years. My family sold me when I was only five. Debt collectors forced my parents to sell me for all the debts to be paid off. So I was caught by them and from then on, I was put to slave training. Even now, I can’t even remember my old name anymore. But I don’t want to either.” Farrah sadly answered.
“… Go into my room and stay there until I call you out” Mammon said softly.
“… Okay… Are you alright sister Mammon?” Farrah asks.
“GO!” Mammon shouted.
Farrah didn’t even wait for another second. She ran into Mammon’s room to wait for her.
‘… I see Belphegor. So it was you… Ha ha… Ah ha ha ha ha! Never would I think I’d see the day when a devil turns nice. This is just too funny… You were always interesting… At first, I thought you were just cold. Now I find out that you are bipolar. Next I find out that you are nice. What’s next? Gay? Ah ha ha ha ha!’ Mammon was cracking up inside while crying as well. She was crying when she heard how long people were enslaved. The tears really bursted when she heard how long Farrah was enslaved. Almost a full ten years and only Belphegor was kind enough to her. Thankfully, no one is around her. All her servants left so this was one of those rare moments where even Mammon would cry. ‘*sigh* You went and became an unknown hero… What is your goal Belphegor? No matter what the goal is, I’ll support you. I’ll take good care of this Farrah girl. I only hope you don’t overdo things and destroy the entire underworld… But if you do... I would like it if you took me away with you from this dark world...’
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