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Ember, sensing Elio\'s discomfort, straightened up, its scales shimmering with a more intense tone. The salamander\'s protective instincts were clearly kicking in.

The second woman, a brunette with legs that seemed to go on forever, stepped so close she was almost brushing against Elio. Her scent, sweet and intoxicating, filled the air around them.

"You\'re so modest. A true hero," she cooed, her eyes never leaving Elio\'s face.

Zara, watching from her bench, felt her blood boiling. Flare, perceiving her agitation, emitted a small hiss, the salamander\'s body temperature rising slightly in response to Zara\'s emotions.

\'Who do these... these harpies think they are?\' Zara thought, her hands clenching into fists.

Elio, now sweating nervously, tried to concentrate on the core transfer, but it was evident that the attention was overwhelming him. He had never in his life dealt with anything like this.

His hands trembled slightly as he manipulated the cores, nearly dropping them several times. Ember moved restlessly, as if wanting to interpose herself between Elio and the newcomers.

The third girl, a blonde with eyes as blue as the summer sky, "accidentally" dropped her floating book. "Oh, how clumsy of me," she said with a giggle, bending slowly to push it up again, giving Elio a generous view. Her movements were graceful, almost rehearsed in their seeming spontaneity.

Elio, ever the \'gentleman\', quickly bent down to ensure the cores didn\'t fall out of the book, only to find himself face to face with her, their faces mere centimeters apart.

He could see every detail of her perfect face, smell the sweet scent of her breath. For a moment, he seemed frozen, caught between politeness and panic.

Zara clenched her fists so hard her knuckles made a sound, every fiber of her being screaming at her to intervene, to push these... women away from Elio.

But with what right? Elio wasn\'t hers... The thought sent a pang of pain through her heart. Flare, sensing Zara\'s distress, curled closer around her neck, offering silent comfort.

The fourth and final woman, an exotic beauty with amber eyes that seemed to glow in the fading light, took Elio\'s hand between hers after receiving her cores. Her touch lingered, her fingers tracing small circles on his palm.

"Von Elio," she murmured, her voice laden with promises, "if you ever need... anything at all, don\'t hesitate to seek us out." Her gaze was intense, filled with unspoken suggestions.

Elio, now as red as a tomato, could only nod awkwardly.

He seemed to have lost the ability to form coherent sentences. Ember, clearly annoyed, let out a small cloud of smoke, as if trying to create a curtain between Elio and the amber-eyed temptress.

The four women sauntered away with sinuous movements, casting seductive glances over their shoulders. Their laughter, light and tinkling, floated back to where Elio stood, still seemingly in shock.

Zara jumped to her feet, unable to contain her frustration any longer.

Her heart was pounding, jealousy and anger coursing through her veins. She had never felt this way before, and the intensity of her emotions scared her a little.

She was about to go after Elio when Kriz appeared out of nowhere, blocking her path. His own invocation, a rabbit of a striking yellow color, was happily jumping from one shoulder to the other, its ears twitching with each leap.

"Woah, woah, Zara," said Kriz, raising his hands in a placating gesture. His eyes twinkled with mischief, but there was a hint of genuine concern in them too. "Where are you going with that \'I want to kill someone\' face? Although, well, now that we all have invocations, I guess that would be easier, wouldn\'t it?"

"Out of my way, Kriz," Zara growled, trying to sidestep him. Flare hissed in Kriz\'s direction, as if supporting her owner. The salamander\'s scales flashed a warning red.

"Hey, easy there, champ," Kriz smiled, moving to block her again. His rabbit mimicked his movement, placing itself in front of Flare with an expression that almost seemed mocking. "What\'s the matter? Did you see Elio talking to other girls and now you want to mark your territory?"

Zara stopped short, her cheeks reddening even more. "What? No, I... That\'s none of your business!" She tried to sound indignant, but there was a note of uncertainty in her voice.

"Oh, but it is," Kriz winked. His rabbit imitated the gesture, which somehow made it look even more ridiculous. "As the official friend of both of you, it is my sacred duty to make sure you don\'t make fools of yourselves, city leaders and all that. Fool job is mine and mine alone..."

Meanwhile, Elio had finished with the distribution and was looking around, clearly confused and overwhelmed by what had just happened. Ember, still in a defensive position, was casting suspicious glances in the direction the four girls had gone.

Elio\'s eyes met Zara\'s, and for a moment, it seemed like he was going to approach her.

There was a look in his eyes, confusion and something else, something that made Zara\'s heart skip a beat. But then, Brok appeared and dragged him away, talking animatedly about something.

Brok\'s rabbit, a sturdy brown creature, looked as imposing as its owner. It hopped alongside them, occasionally nudging Ember as if trying to engage the salamander in conversation.

Zara felt a pang of disappointment and frustration.

Flare, as if wanting to console her, rubbed its head against Zara\'s cheek. The salamander\'s warmth was comforting, but it couldn\'t completely dispel the knot of emotions in Zara\'s chest. "Kriz, seriously, I\'m not in the mood for your jokes."

"Who\'s joking?" Kriz adopted an exaggeratedly serious expression. His rabbit, surprisingly, managed to imitate his expression, its little nose twitching solemnly. "This is a matter of utmost importance. The image of our supreme leader is at stake. When all the people are gone, you can mark him all you want..."

"Kriz!" exclaimed Zara, her face now completely red. Flare, perhaps reflecting its owner\'s embarrassment, hid under the collar of Zara\'s shirt. The salamander\'s tail curled around Zara\'s neck, a comforting presence.

Despite her irritation, Zara couldn\'t help but let out a small laugh. "You\'re impossible."

"I know, it\'s part of my charm," Kriz grinned. His rabbit seemed to puff out its chest with pride. Then, his expression softened a bit. "Seriously, Zara. If you feel something for Elio, you should tell him. Before one of those...

let me guess what you called them in your mind? Harpies? Gets ahead of you..."

Zara sighed, all the fight leaving her body. Flare, sensing the change in her mood, poked its head out and gave her a gentle nudge with its snout. "It\'s not that simple, Kriz. Elio has a whole city to lead now, all his attention is there... How can I compete with that?"

"Compete?" Kriz arched an eyebrow. His rabbit, surprisingly, managed to imitate the gesture again. "Zara, it\'s not about competing. It\'s about being there for him. And believe me, nobody wants that more than you. Well, except maybe Ember, but she can\'t talk, so you have an advantage...

Oh, and Lucien, be more careful with Lucien..."

Before Zara could respond, they saw that Elio had freed himself from Brok and was heading towards them. Ember trailed behind him, her eyes darting between Zara and Flare with what seemed like curiosity.

Kriz gave Zara a final wink before quickly moving away, his rabbit making a gesture with its tail before disappearing. The yellow bunny seemed to hop into thin air, vanishing as quickly as its owner.