"Junior Sister Liana, if you're willing to trust me, let me try." Ethan's voice was steady as he met the anxious girl's eyes.
Liana looked back uncertain, clutching a handful of spirit herbs and icy flowers. "How can you help? Do you have powerful water- or cold-attribute treasures?" she asked, voice tinged with hope but also doubt.
Ethan shook his head.
"Not those, but I can absorb part of Ashira's flame myself."
"Absorb? Are you insane?" Liana shook her head fiercely.
"Ashira's beast fire is violent even for her! If you try to draw that beast flame into your body, won't you just explode? I don't want to implicate anyone innocent just to save my spirit pet."
Ethan only smiled—a winning, confident arc. "Don't worry. I have my ways. This flame can't and won't harm me at all."
Liana gazed at him skeptically, but Ethan's assurance was hard to refute.
