Even years later, when Li Yue had grown accustomed to blood and slaughter, she still couldn't forget the scene of visiting the farmhouse and stables with Roland that day. Perhaps it was because she was still relatively innocent then, leaving a deep impression. She felt that way, though she simply didn't understand how she later became so... so... numb.
Perhaps Clo was right; there simply hadn't been a choice back then. And she could never go back.
“Stay alert, don’t daze off.” Roland casually swatted Li Yue’s back, the strike instantly making her hair stand on end.
Li Yue felt a momentary trance, as if some “person” had glanced at her. That gaze felt like it had pierced through a thick pool of blood, seeing right through her soul with regret, confusion, and a hint of resentment, hatred, and indignation.
She struggled to steady her trembling wrists, forcing herself to face the bloody stable filled with the stench of gore and death. Dried bloodstains, baked by the sun, covered the ground, and twisted, wriggling maggots swarmed over severed limbs and rotting flesh.
She felt waves of nausea, yet also a strange sense of familiarity. It was like seeing cockroaches in a kitchen—disgusting and depressing.
The overall environment of the stable was somewhat bright, perhaps because the afternoon sun had shifted, illuminating the once-dim space. Even so, many dark corners remained, and certain key locations required careful inspection.
Li Yue didn't want to bend down to track the monster’s path through the blood, and Roland didn't force her. He simply observed her attitude and, seeing her resistance, began to carefully analyze the surrounding traces himself.
“It headed toward the manor. Fortunately, the police evacuated the crowd in advance. The manor is quite isolated, and the servants have been temporarily settled elsewhere.” Roland climbed onto the carriage and took the reins, signaling Li Yue to enter the cabin.
Li Yue had several theories. She wondered if Roland was trying to confuse any observers, creating the impression of many people or just himself, or if he was simply posing as a driver to lower the enemy's guard.
In reality, it was none of those. Roland was simply used to escort work; he let the employer sit in the cabin while he served as the driver.
Li Yue gave Roland the impression of an employer—possessing a noble temperament, quiet and weak, someone who occasionally needed his protection.
It was a tiring job, whether as a guard or a demon hunter. But what did that matter? Roland’s dream was for all the weak to never be forced to become strong, to be free to pursue the happiness they desired without worrying about their safety or lives.
Normally, at this time near autumn, a manor located in the south of the continent with ample moisture and sunlight should have been filled with the scent of grapes. There was a scent now, but it was mostly the stench of grapes that had naturally fallen and rotted or been trampled, mixed with a very faint scent of blood.
Li Yue stepped out of the carriage on her own. If she had actually let Roland open the door for her, she might have had a momentary illusion that they were here for a tour rather than to hunt a demon. It was a strange feeling.
It was like an author writing in the early hours of the morning, wondering if it was time for dinner. It was a peculiar illusion, and knowing it was false actually brought a touch of disappointment.
The faint scent of blood stimulated Li Yue’s nerves, preventing her from drifting off again and being forced back to reality by another slap from Roland.
The smell was somewhat familiar, as if she had smelled it somewhere before... in the morgue of the Silver Cross Household Security Company... yes. But it felt like there was a similar sensation in even older memories, and far more intense.
White roses appeared in her memory, along with a grand but dilapidated room, like the atrium of a castle. A blurry mass of flesh appeared in her mind, and a black haired girl...
Why do I remember waking up in a carriage? The memories from before I woke up are becoming blurrier and blurrier. Perhaps the ones from before I crossed over will one day be completely forgotten. If this continues, I won’t remember my past self at all and will be lost in this new world.
Maybe I should find something to record them. In a few days, when I go to buy stationery, I’ll buy a blank notebook to use as a diary.
Snap!
With a soft sound, Roland curled his finger and flicked Li Yue’s forehead while she was daydreaming, causing her to let out an involuntary whimper of surprise.
Li Yue winced, her expression holding a hint of grievance and a look that said “I won’t do it again.”
Li Yue’s expressions were sometimes very rich; one could read her true inner emotions just by looking at her face. It made Roland somewhat surprised that someone’s expressions could actually talk, while he was always called stone faced.
Sometimes, Li Yue would stare into the distance with a cold expression, as if she had become a different person.
The wind blew from the north, bringing the slight sweetness of berries and the foul stench of rotting flesh.
Roland and Li Yue strode down the main road leading directly to the manor’s front entrance, following the faint, thin bloodstains on the ground, remaining alert at all times.
It was late summer, and the leaves of the Paulownia trees around the manor buildings were still lush green. The occasional screech of cicadas reached their ears.
Roland kept one hand on his sword hilt, gazing at the manor building standing not far away. When people were busy there, it had appeared solemn and inviolable, but now that it was empty, the natural vitality could not hide the deathly silence of the massive structure.
A massive object assembled from silent things loses its soul without people, becoming a complete dead thing. Now, bloody footprints stretched all the way into the manor and even onto the door handle. Knowing there was a blood demon inside, the place looked no different from a creepy house in an R rated movie to Li Yue.
She cautiously glanced at Roland, who had already assumed a combat stance. It felt as though the moment the blood demon appeared at a window, Roland would instantly flash before it and pierce its heart.
That’s right, this isn’t a horror movie where the protagonist is chased by ghosts, screaming. Captain Roland can solo a blood demon, and my IQ is currently functional. I shouldn't forget to deliver the finishing blow and just run around blindly.
When they pushed open the front door, the scent of blood finally seemed to break free from its shackles, rushing toward them without restraint, accompanied by waves of rotting stench.
It was the height of August, and the blistering heat was agonizing. Yet inside the manor, an icy chill wrapped around the place as if it were the dead of winter.
Li Yue shivered. She looked around frantically. In her dull black and white world, a streak of red blood light flashed by, as if a paintbrush had suddenly added color to the world.
She heard a pleasant melody, like a tranquil nocturne flowing along with the moonlight. A blue light rippled around the red glow, like the sunset reflecting on the blue Danube.
Clang! The sound of a heavy metallic impact rang out. The red and blue lights flashed briefly, and Li Yue saw clearly: the blue light was Roland. The longsword in his hand rippled with music, rising and falling with the melody.
A wisp of blue spread out, dispersing into the surrounding space. The sound of the nocturne gradually became clear, echoing continuously within the room. A skinless blood demon sharpened its razor sharp claws. Its blood flowed out, covering its body in a layer of hard, lightweight armor.
Li Yue swallowed hard, holding her mithril longsword before her chest in a defensive stance.
The blue ripples around Roland grew deeper, undulating into the distance. Faint blue musical notes swirled around him, and a four-line staff gradually unfurled around his trench coat.
The blood demon was enraged, letting out a sharp roar. Blood surged from the room behind it, spreading across the floor. One by one, red blood puppets rose from the ground, stepping toward Li Yue.
The blood puppets weren't large, only slightly taller than an adult man. They dragged their heavy feet, advancing toward Li Yue step by step. Roland glanced in her direction, casually exerting force to block the blood demon’s heavy claws.
Though it wasn't easy, Li Yue mimicked Roland’s stance. While she lacked the empowerment of the “melody,” she could still perform a simple enchantment on her mithril sword. It was a bit strenuous, but the result was good. Three blood puppets took turns delivering heavy strikes, but they caused no real damage, only leaving her arms slightly numb from the shock.
Simple slashes were enough to shatter the blood puppets, but they could continuously regenerate. The rate at which the blood pool was consumed was extremely slow. Furthermore, the blood puppets facing Li Yue were somewhat sluggish, while those around Roland were much more agile—perhaps because the latter was more distracted.
Roland performed some simple dodges, his eyes occasionally scanning the surroundings. Their battlefield moved from the central reception hall to the study, the tea room, and the bedroom, with the destruction gradually increasing.
Li Yue felt increasingly exhausted and an increasingly obvious hunger in her stomach. Despite having replenished their strength before setting out, she now felt waves of hunger torturing her soul, making her hands tremble slightly.
Roland sighed, seemingly a bit disappointed. The musical waves rippling around him were drawn back. The chaotic sheet music in the air gradually became clear, the notes returning to their proper places on the four-line staff, playing a powerful tone that thundered through lost souls.
A crisp, booming musical note brought the performance to a halt. It was Roland’s strike that instantly pierced the blood demon’s heart, accompanied by the sound of the heart bursting, blood spraying out, and the body hitting the floor.
Silence fell.
“Let’s go. Someone will come to clean up.” Roland sighed, looking at Li Yue with a slight smile. “You did well. You didn’t forget what I taught you, and you weren't afraid when facing the blood demon.”
Much better than I was back then. It’s a pity... no, not a pity. It’s excellent. I only hope she can hold onto her original intention of justice.
Roland shook his head. He suddenly wanted to pat Li Yue’s head but hesitated and decided against it. He couldn't exactly call himself her elder, even though he was significantly older than her.
He rubbed his eyes, which had slight dark circles. For a moment, he thought he saw a spirited girl standing not far away, smiling. Roland smiled, adjusted his trench coat, brushed the dust off his fallen hat, and placed it back on his head.
“Keep the candle. You’ll use it one day.”
“Okay.”
“The crisis is resolved. Let’s go back.”
Roland drove the carriage, taking Li Yue back to that familiar street. Li Yue didn't go straight back; she walked into a roadside restaurant to feast.
Soon after, the blood demon’s corpse was delivered to Yorick. He had changed back into his usual attire and was performing an autopsy. The analysis showed the cause of death was the same as before: a pierced heart.
“Do you remember what that fur merchant said?” Roland lit a cigarette, the faint smoke drifting upward. “After that man turned into a blood demon, he ate no fewer than ten people, plus a large amount of animal flesh.”
“Are you saying this isn't the culprit? That the real one might have already reached the Magician stage? With skin and simple reasoning?”
“I can’t be sure, but at least it’s not this one. Or perhaps, someone is pulling the strings.”
“It looks like the days of overtime are about to increase.” Yorick sighed.
“Strengthen information gathering. I’ll go contact a few nearby branches of the Demon Hunter Team.” Roland stubbed out his cigarette and tossed it into the trash.
In the small roadside restaurant, Li Yue felt her stomach bloating significantly, yet that sense of hunger lingered in her heart, refusing to dissipate.
She licked the tomato sauce from the corner of her mouth. The scenes from the manor uncontrollably filled her mind, especially the blood demon with its flesh exposed.
Li Yue stood up, paid the bill, and looked toward the horizon at the streak of sunset. The setting sun dyed the clouds blood red. Her eyes turned pitch black, and golden vertical pupils slowly replaced her pupils as they gradually turned blood red.
She felt a series of sharp pains in her head. She crouched down, covering her mouth and coughing several times. When she opened her palm, there were several streaks of fresh blood. She felt a wave of dizziness.
“Miss Nolan, what’s wrong?” Just before her consciousness vanished, Li Yue saw a chestnut haired girl. The bloodiness in her eyes quickly receded, along with her consciousness.
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