**Chapter 149: Hearthstone**
"I declare that this duel is won by Tina!"
Legion Commander Gracie announced with calm authority from mid-air, then gracefully returned to her seat.
The duel left Gracie in an awkward position, balancing between family interests and the growing influence of Tina. On one hand, supporting Tina meant the Windsor family had just lost five million psionic coins from Kerton's gamble. On the other, not supporting Tina risked undermining the family's future interests.
Gracie sighed inwardly. She realized, too late, that she should have stepped in during the early conflict between Kimberly and Tina to prevent it from escalating. But perhaps, she thought, this costly lesson would help Kerton and the younger generation understand the value of discipline. With a firm resolve, she flew toward Kimberly, deciding it was time for change within the family.
Meanwhile, thunderous cheers erupted throughout the Grand Arena.
"Tina! Tina! Tina!"
The crowd's chants filled the arena like a tidal wave. For most of the audience, who simply came for entertainment, Tina's victory was a delight. A commoner's daughter achieving the impossible time and again, defeating even her instructor—she had become a symbol of hope and determination. It wouldn't be long before Oran City's taverns were filled with bards singing of her valor.
Exhausted, Tina dismounted her unicorn with a heavy sigh. Though she ignored the crowd's cheers, her tired gaze gave away her fatigue. Anna, her unicorn, seemed relatively unharmed, but Tina bore numerous cuts and scrapes. Every breath brought a sting as the open wounds met the air.
Su Yu quickly approached, his eyes filled with concern as he began wiping the blood from her armor and her wounds.
As he looked at Tina's battered form, Su Yu felt a twinge of guilt. Tina's loyalty and feelings toward him were genuine; he could feel her sincerity. Yet he had driven her into one difficult battle after another, pushing her to exhaustion for his own goals. And he knew this pattern would likely continue.
Determined to make amends, Su Yu asked, "Tina, now that the duel is over, is there anything you'd like to do?"
He reached into his pocket, transferred 1.2 million psionic coins to his black magic crystal card, and handed it to her.
Tina took the crystal card, glancing at the amount with a faint smile. She tucked it away with little reaction to the money itself and replied, "Thank you! After this duel, I just want a day of rest. No alarms, no responsibilities. I want to sleep until I'm fully rested, then maybe go down to Green Valley Street to buy food, look at some clothes, visit the circus… By the way, Nemesis, would you be willing to come with me?"
"Of course," Su Yu replied warmly, "wherever you want to go, I'll be right by your side."
A delighted smile spread across Tina's face. "Then it's settled! Let's seal the promise." She extended her pinky.
Su Yu hooked his little finger with hers, sealing their pact with a grin.
They made their way out of the arena together, leaving the roaring crowd behind. Outside, Vina Blackkin sat waiting by the lounge door, cheeks flushed with excitement. His gamble on Tina's victory had netted him a staggering 15 million psionic coins—a fortune by goblin standards. His admiration for Su Yu deepened; he knew he'd hitched his star to a powerful leader.
Yet, despite his excitement, Vina had enough sense not to intrude. He waited patiently on a nearby bench, sensing the importance of giving Su Yu and Tina their space.
Inside the lounge, Tina shed her heavy armor and slipped into a comfortable light-brown trench coat. Her self-healing abilities had already closed most of her wounds, leaving only faint marks. Although she still looked pale, her skin had regained its softness and glow.
As she brushed her hair, Tina reached into her pocket and handed a small stone to Su Yu. "Here, Nemesis, this is for you."
"What is it?" Su Yu asked, inspecting the stone.
The smooth white pebble felt warm, carrying the lingering heat from Tina's pocket. Other than that, it seemed ordinary.
"My dad gave it to me," Tina explained with a soft smile. "It's a piece from our hearthstone. He told me to carry it so that, whenever I missed home, I'd have a part of it with me."
"Oh? Then why are you giving it to me?" Su Yu asked, puzzled.
"Because," Tina replied with a playful wink, "I won't need it anymore as long as I have you."
A game notification appeared:
**Ding! [The Holy Maiden of Oran City (10/100)] has been completed. Reward: 5000 experience points, [Hearthstone (Gold)] x1.**
**[Hearthstone (Gold)]**
*Usage:* Set a location underfoot as your "home."
*Effect:* Activating the Hearthstone will teleport you to "home."
*Cooldown:* 2 hours. Maximum range: 1000 kilometers.
*Special Note:* The Hearthstone is imbued with a trace of Tina's blood, giving it a unique golden glow.
"[Hearthstone]? This is a rare find!" Su Yu's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Properly used, the Hearthstone would function like a portable teleportation device. Its range was sufficient to travel from Middle East Sea City to the Imperial Capital in an instant. And, unlike typical teleports, this item didn't have usage limits and wouldn't wear down over time.
He couldn't help but marvel, "This is perfect for my needs! As expected for a reward from the tenth step of the main storyline."
Turning to Tina, he smiled, "Thank you for this, Tina. It means a lot to me. Tina?" He paused, noticing her closed eyes.
While he'd been engrossed in studying the Hearthstone, Tina had drifted into a deep sleep on the lounge's leather sofa. The tension from the duel had taken its toll.
"She must be exhausted," Su Yu thought, gently draping a magic robe over her. With a soft touch, he adjusted the robe to keep her warm.
Then, planning to retrieve the 15 million winnings from Vina, he carefully stepped out of the lounge. But just as he closed the door, a new game prompt flashed:
**Ding! [The Holy Maiden of Oran City (11/100)] has been updated.**
*Quest Objective:* Stay by Tina's side until she wakes up.
*Note:* Tina may wake up at any time.
Su Yu sighed, glancing back at the lounge. "Looks like I'm staying."
He returned to the sofa, settling beside Tina, who was still deep in sleep. This was the first time he'd seen her so at peace. She wore a gentle smile, her cheeks rosy, looking almost angelic as she dreamed.
"Must be a sweet dream," Su Yu mused, a soft smile forming on his face.
Content to wait, he opened the game's official forum, browsing recent posts to pass the time while Tina rested.
(End of Chapter)