Remember the Name of Ruby Scarlet!

The crimson mana flickering at Ruby's fingertips faded away.

As the surging heat subsided, the street fell into a silence so absolute it was as if cold water had been dumped over everything.

Dozens of gazes locked onto a single point at once.

Shock. Disbelief. Confusion.

At the end of those stares stood the young woman once known as the Red Calamity — or the Mad Arsonist.

But what she had just displayed was not destruction.

It was a miracle of control: those notoriously savage flames, handled with the precision of silk thread, plucking a child from collapsing rubble.

The elves' eyes wavered. This was nothing like simple fear or contempt.

Is that really ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the witch?

Through those questioning looks, an awe they could no longer hide began to bloom.

To Ruby herself, though, those warm gazes — the first she had ever received in her life — seemed to sting worse than a bed of thorns.

"…Ha? What the hell."

Unable to bear the awkwardness, Ruby's brow furrowed hard.

"Why's everyone so quiet? Don't you people have anything better to do? Why are you staring at me like I'm some monkey in a zoo?"

Her tone was sharp. On any other day it would have dripped with killing intent — but not now. It was closer to the cute bluster of a child too embarrassed by praise to know what else to do with her face.

I let out a short laugh and walked over to her. Quite naturally, I reached up and set my hand atop her hair, which seemed almost to burn with its own red light.

Swoosh.

"…?!"

Ruby's shoulders jerked hard. On any ordinary day she would have incinerated my wrist before I ever made contact. Instead she simply stood there, eyes round, accepting my touch like a well-behaved cat.

I stroked her fine hair gently.

"Well done. As expected of you, Lady Ruby — a perfect response."

"…"

"…They're just startled, that's all."

Every time my hand moved, her crimson eyes trembled in tiny shivers.

"Ha…? You think I did it because I wanted to?"

…She answered curtly. And at the same time, a strange sight unfolded before my eyes.

From her entire body, an aura of yellow and bright pink erupted in great bursts.

Embarrassment. Fluster. Joy she couldn't hide.

It was a fireworks display of emotion.

For a moment she seemed to simply enjoy the touch in a daze — then, as if snapping back to herself, she whipped her head away.

"And… aren't you gonna take that hand off?"

Instead of batting my hand away, she jammed her hood down and muttered under her breath.

"Y-you think I did that because I wanted your praise? It was just noisy… yeah! The brat's crying was so damn loud I cleaned it up, that's all!"

"Yes, yes. Let's go with that. Though your ears have gone completely red."

"I said that's not it! Ugh, you're seriously pissing me off…"

Ruby grumbled as she tried to hide ears flushed as red as a ripe apple, but her fingers absently fretted at the crown of her head where my hand had been. Even the hood couldn't hide the way the corner of her mouth kept twitching.

"…Let's go already. I'm starving to death."

She tugged at my sleeve. The grip was rough — but the body heat that came with it was warmer than anything.

And right then—

"—Ah, oh my god! My baby!"

A middle-aged elven woman shoved through the crowd and came running, gasping for breath. Casting wary glances at Ruby, she hurriedly scooped the child still sitting on the ground into her arms.

"Sweetheart! Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Waaah! Mommy!"

Once she had confirmed her child was safe, the mother rose on trembling legs and looked at Ruby.

The people around her blanched and tried to stop her.

"Listen here — do you even know who that woman is…!"

"What does that matter?!"

The mother shouted as if her throat would tear.

"She saved my child! Witch or calamity — to me, she's the one who gave us our lives back!"

"…!"

At that raw cry, Ruby's body locked up like a statue.

The mother seized the dusty hem of Ruby's dress and bowed her head deeply.

"Thank you… thank you so much… I don't know how I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠can ever repay this kindness…"

Tears of pure sincerity.

In the entire life of Ruby Scarlet, she had never once received gratitude this pure — one hundred percent free of any impurity.

"Uh…"

Ruby's pupils shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck them. She was used to meeting malice and curses head-on — but before this kind of defenseless goodwill, she looked like a child who had no idea how to respond.

Her lips moved, but the words that came out were clumsy beyond measure.

"Hey… you. Do you even know who I am? The Witch of Flames. The half-breed half-elf you people all find so disgusting — you know that?"

"…Even if I do, you saved my child. I'm simply grateful."

At that unwavering answer, Ruby flinched and stumbled a step backward. Her face was so red it looked ready to burst. The situation simply would not compute for her.

Now.

Instinct flashed through my mind. The stage was set. All that remained was to make this current mine.

I smiled faintly and stepped up beside the flustered Ruby. Then, with a deliberately solemn expression, I looked out over the crowd.

"Look well."

My voice was not loud, but it carried a weight that dominated the gathering. My declaration rang out across the silent street.

"Exactly as you have all just witnessed."

I spoke clearly, driving each word in like a wedge.

"Ruby Scarlet is no longer the uncontrollable Calamity you once knew."

"…Hey. What the hell are you even—"

Ruby jabbed my side in a panic, but I paid her no mind and raised my voice higher.

I could not miss this timing. For the coming Celestial Spirit War — and simply to walk these streets in broad daylight without fear — she could not be remembered only as a villainess.

In that moment, a system message appeared at the edge of my vision.

Lucky break.

With good-aligned NPCs, the odds of my speech landing skyrocketed.

I gripped Ruby's shoulder firmly and stepped her forward one pace toward the crowd.

"You saw it just now, did you not? Her flames did not rise for destruction — they burned to protect a life."

I swept the assembly with eyes full of conviction.

"Her fire is now the sharpest, steadiest blade that will burn every enemy who threatens this city."

"Ha…!? You — what the hell are you even—"

The murmuring of the crowd quieted. People listened to my words as if entranced, beginning to look at the red-dressed Ruby with new eyes.

I delivered the finishing blow.

"I stake my word on this: Ruby Scarlet will become the most devoted servant this city has ever known — the greatest elf in history."

"…!"

The destructive power of those words was enormous.

The greatest elf.

The most glorious title, affixed to the half-breed who had been despised more than anyone.

Ruby's mouth fell open.

"You… you absolute—!"

She looked as though she could not process what she had just heard. But the reaction around us was electric.

"The greatest… elf? The Witch of Flames? A half-breed?"

"But… she's been quiet lately, hasn't she? Maybe she really did turn over a new leaf?"

"Well, if an elf with power like that devoted herself to our city…"

"Right, right. She saved our kid. Maybe the rumors were wrong."

"But something that vicious… those aren't just rumors. They're facts."

As everyone offered their own opinions, one elf stepped forward and firmly rejected the doubt.

"No! She's different now. Last time — I heard the Witch of Flames saved the daughter of a friend who lives next door to me…!"

"Then… could it be…?"

Suspicion turned to conviction. Fear turned to awe.

My shameless agitation, Ruby's overwhelming power, and the tears of a child's mother — three beats that had landed in perfect harmony.

Where fear had cleared away, a seed called expectation was planted.

I rode that momentum and brought up the coming festival.

"…Soon, the Celestial Spirit War begins! Never forget the name of Ruby Scarlet!"

At my cry, the elves erupted in cheers.

"Ooooooh—! The Celestial Spirit War!"

"Is she really going to reform and show us an honorable fight in the Celestial Spirit War?!"

"Right — if she's going as far as the Celestial Spirit War… she's worth trusting."

"Ruby Scarlet! We'll be watching!"

The Celestial Spirit War was not a place just anyone could enter. It was a hall of honor reserved for the absolute elite among the elves. The mere fact of her participation was enough for public opinion to begin accepting her as a reformed guardian.

I looked down at the dazed Ruby with a satisfied smile.

"Shall we go, then? Future greatest elf."

I gave the frozen Ruby a push between the shoulder blades. If we stayed any longer, she might come to her senses and start yelling, Don't be ridiculous! Who the hell would do that kind of thing?!

"…Hey."

As we pushed through the throng, Ruby kept her head bowed low, clutching the hem of my clothes and refusing to let go. The face half-visible under her hood was flushed redder than a ripe tomato. Her fingertips trembled faintly.

"Are you… insane?"

She muttered in a voice no louder than a mosquito.

"What am I supposed to do? Devotion? Greatest elf? Have you lost it? Are you on something?"

"Why? I meant every word."

"That doesn't even count as an answer! Why would I ever do that for those damn bugs…!"

Ruby huffed and puffed, but she couldn't finish the sentence.

Just moments ago — the mother's tears, and the way people's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠eyes had changed. These were nothing like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the murderous stares she had first received. Something closer to eyes that had found hope.

Had my speech touched something deep inside her?

"And you — are you actually some cult leader? Why would you say that kind of thing… to those pointy-eared bastards!"

"Haha. A true climax always spreads from the smallest of echoes."

"Ha…? What a load of crap. Just you wait. I'll burn it all later. Starting with you. I'll roast you well-done."

"Yes, yes. I'm honored."

"Ugh, you're so annoying! Stop smiling! It's disgusting!"

Ruby gave my shin a pointless kick, but it didn't hurt — it only tickled. If anything, I could feel her grip on my clothes tighten further.

Oh — affection up by a full twenty?

Well, being praised so thoroughly probably helped.

Not much left now. Fill another fifty… and she, too, would soon reach her Happy Ending.

And that wasn't all.

Above her head, rising through the red aura, a golden current of light. It was expectation toward herself — and a small light of trust directed at me.

The opening of the Celestial Spirit War drew ever closer.

And so, having finished that noisy little debut ceremony, we turned our steps toward the place where the real battlefield waited.