ZERO ONE: ONE HOPE!

With Lumi flitting nimbly by his shoulder like a giant silver firefly, Hariel continued his journey with newfound spirit.

The presence of the tiny, luminous guide truly changed everything.

The atmosphere of the Onivira Forest, which had felt dim and menacing before, now seemed a bit friendlier under the soft blue light radiating from Lumi's body, illuminating the path and calming his heart.

"So... you really live inside this pendant all the time?" Hariel asked after they had walked in silence for a while, his amazement not yet fully faded. He glanced at the pendant on his chest, then at Lumi's form.

"I already told you so, didn't I, Mr. Sky Conqueror?" Lumi replied, her tone flat, though there was a hint of amusement in her new title for Hariel.

"But... isn't it cramped or boring? Just imagining it makes me short of breath," Hariel said, still curious.

Lumi rolled her eyes again, a gesture that seemed destined to become her favorite. "Of course not, you silly boy. 'Inside' here is... well, let's just say it's far more vast and interesting than you could possibly imagine."

"What's it like inside?" Hariel's eyes widened. "Does it have a garden? Or a super-soft bed with a Yeti-fur blanket?"

Lumi gave him the mysterious smile that was starting to become familiar. "That's a Pendant Company Secret™."

Hariel pouted slightly, his curiosity left hanging.

"Anyway," Lumi said, cleverly changing the subject. "What's your plan once we get to Sizzleburg?"

"EAT, of course!" Hariel answered without hesitation, his stomach immediately letting out a loud growl as if in agreement. "That is the most, most, MOOOST important thing!"

"But that's not all," he continued. "I also want to gather as much information as I can."

"Information about what, specifically?" Lumi asked, slowing down so she could look at Hariel's face.

"About everything, Lumi! Everything!" Hariel exclaimed, his eyes shining once again with the light of adventure. "About ZERO ONE, about my Grandpa's whereabouts, about how big and weird this world really is... basically, everything!"

Lumi was quiet for a moment, looking at Hariel with an unreadable expression.

"You really have... a very big and a very noisy dream, don't you," she murmured softly.

"Of course! It has to be big!" Hariel replied proudly. "Because I'm going to be the Sky Conqueror!"

Lumi chuckled softly. "Good luck with all that, Hariel, the starving Sky Conqueror."

They continued their journey in a comfortable silence. Lumi's presence felt like an anchor in the midst of uncertainty. The little creature might look fragile, but an aura of ancient power and knowledge radiated from her.

"Lumi," Hariel called after a while, his voice now softer and a little hesitant.

"About my Grandpa... do... do you happen to know anything more specific about him?"

Lumi turned, the expression on her tiny face growing more serious. The light from her body seemed to dim slightly.

"Your grandfather... you mean, Jayel Achilla, right?" she asked softly.

Hariel's heart beat a little faster. "Yes! That's him! You knew him?"

Lumi was silent again for a long time. Her blue eyes gazed into the distance, as if trying to grasp fragments of memory from a time long past.

"I... I only know the name," Lumi finally answered, her voice almost a whisper. "A long time ago... a very, very long time ago. The name feels familiar, like an echo from a forgotten dream."

"But... the details are blurry, like a watercolor painting left out in the rain. I can't remember it clearly. I'm sorry, Hariel."

A pang of disappointment pinched Hariel's heart. The hope that had swelled up now felt a bit deflated.

He looked down for a moment, staring at the tips of his worn-out boots.

But then, he lifted his face again. A wide, forced grin was plastered on his lips.

"Hahaha! Forget it, it's okay, Lumi! No need to think about it!" his laugh was a little too loud, typical of him when he was trying to hide something. "Maybe that old geezer disappeared on purpose! Who knows, maybe he's relaxing on some remote island, hitting on pretty girls while sipping coconut juice! That flirtatious old geezer!"

Lumi looked at him with a small, knowing smile, understanding it was Hariel's way of cheering himself up.

What a boy, she thought to herself, but there was warmth in the thought.

I'll find out for myself later! Definitely! Hariel's resolve reignited in his chest.

They resumed their journey. The air began to feel warmer and less humid. After walking for quite some time, the forest canopy above them started to thin. Brighter sunlight finally managed to break through the gaps in the leaves.

The scent of damp earth now mixed with the fragrance of dry leaves and faintly...

Hariel sniffed the air... the smell of cooking smoke?

"We're almost there," Lumi said suddenly, her voice cheerful. "Look, up ahead!"

Hariel followed the direction Lumi pointed. In the distance, between the last gap in the trees, he could see a small, open valley, bathed in sunlight.

From there, he could see thin plumes of smoke rising lazily from several house chimneys into the blue sky. The gentle burble of a river was even faintly audible on the wind.

"Is... is that Sizzleburg?" Hariel asked, his eyes wide with hope.

"Precisely. That is Sizzleburg—the village of chefs!" Lumi answered in a teasing tone. "You must be hungry, right?! Get ready to pamper your tongue and fill that rumbling orchestra in your stomach!"

A grin as wide as a rainbow instantly bloomed on Hariel's face. The fatigue in his legs was momentarily forgotten by the vision of steaming hot dishes.

"Come on, Lumi! Let's pick up the pace!"

Without waiting for a reply, Hariel broke into a light run down the slope towards Sizzleburg, with Lumi flying swiftly beside him, her laughter like chiming silver bells carried on the wind.

The moment Hariel stepped past the simple gate of Sizzleburg—with Lumi now choosing to temporarily hide back inside the pendant—his sense of smell was mercilessly assaulted.

It wasn't a warm welcome from the residents or curious stares that he felt first. It was a wave of culinary aromas. An aroma so rich, so diverse, and so powerful that it made his stomach scream louder than Gorzuga's roar.

The fragrant perfume of exotic spices. The savory scent of grilled meat. The sweetness of sautéed onions. The aroma of a rich, thick broth.

And who knows what other delicacies he couldn't even define.

The very air in the village seemed to be made of the most intoxicating steam of delicious food.

This wasn't a village...

This was paradise.