"This reeks of a demon's work."
Raye muttered those words quietly.
The mont he did, the atmosphere around the table changed.
Lycus, Sofia, and Jerusha all stopped moving. Their hands paused mid-reach toward their foods, their thoughts imdiately aligning with Raye's conclusion.
None of them argued.
None of them laughed it off.
They all felt it too upon hearing the story about the adow.
'Looks like this won't be a normal stop by.'
The sa thought passed through everyone's mind almost simultaneously.
The silence stretched for a brief mont, heavy but not uncomfortable. It was the kind of silence that ca when people reached the sa conclusion without needing further explanation.
"So, what's our plan?"
Lycus broke the quiet first, his voice low but steady.
Raye shifted his gaze toward him. He did not hesitate.
He opened his mouth almost imdiately.
"We're one of the [Heroes Parties], and one of our duty is to save humanity from demons, of course we'll investigate more in this situation."
He spoke calmly, as if stating sothing obvious.
His expression was relaxed, almost casual, but there was no doubt behind his words.
"And if a demon is really behind all of this, we'll deal with it imdiately."
Raye added that without raising his voice.
There was no bravado. Just certainty.
Jerusha felt a quiet warmth bloom in her chest at his words. Sofia straightened slightly, her earlier grogginess fading. Lycus let out a small breath and smiled.
They liked his answer.
They liked that he did not hesitate.
They liked that he did not try to avoid responsibility.
"Anyway, let's all eat for now. After that, let's et Justo to acquire more information about this situation."
Raye continued, shifting the mood back into motion.
There was no reason to let good food go cold, especially when they had a long day ahead.
The others nodded.
And with that, the four of them resud eating their breakfast.
This ti, however, their conversation was lighter. They talked about small things, unrelated topics, anything that helped keep the tension from settling too deeply. The food disappeared gradually from the table as they ate, each of them already preparing themselves ntally for what might co next.
*****
After breakfast, the group returned to their respective rooms.
Five days of camping, sleeping on the ground, and enduring the cold night air had taken its toll. A proper bath was long overdue.
Raye entered his room and closed the door behind him.
-Oh, you're here.
-ep! papa!
Inside, he saw Zephyrus and Pyro were already awake.
They were sitting near a large tray placed on the table, piled with cooked at. The two spirits were clearly enjoying themselves, completely focused on eating.
'Looks like the receptionist did as I requested earlier.'
Raye thought to himself, smiling. He told himself to give the receptionist a tip later.
Anyway—
"Good morning, you two."
Rate greeted Zephyrus and Pyro casually.
"I'm going to take a bath, just enjoy your breakfast."
He said.
Zephyrus nodded, his cheeks slightly puffed from chewing.
-Gosh itsh! ep...!
Pyro responded energetically, even though his mouth was clearly too full.
"Don't choke on food now, Pyro."
Raye said with a small laugh as he headed toward the bathroom.
-Kid, don't talk when your mouth is full, that's dangerous.
-ep, I can just burn the food inside my body if I choke!
Their voices followed him as he closed the door behind him.
...
...
...
Raye stayed in the bath longer than he initially planned.
After days without proper washing, he scrubbed thoroughly, letting the warm water wash away the gri, sweat, and lingering discomfort of travel. He rinsed repeatedly, refusing to leave until he felt clean again.
Once done, he changed into a casual but neat outfit he had prepared beforehand.
And when he finally stepped out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel—
"Hm?"
He saw Zephyrus and Pyro were now lying on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling like zombies.
Neither of them was eating anymore, the tray was all cleaned empty on the bed.
They left no crumbs.
Neither of them was sleeping.
They were simply... there.
"You two good?"
Raye asked.
-Yeah, we're just bored.
-ep...
Zephyrus replied, with Pyro softly agreeing.
-After sleeping for a long ti, we recovered our energy. But now, we have too much. We want to move, but there's nothing to do.
-ep... that's right...
Zephyrus and Pyro added.
Raye smiled faintly after hearing them.
He understood that feeling all too well, he's the sa at the mont.
After proper rest and food, his own body felt light, energetic, restless.
And so—
"Well then, I'll give you two sothing to do."
Raye declared that with a casual wave of his hand.
The reaction was imdiate.
Zephyrus sat up straight, ears perking. Pyro copied him, eyes bright with interest.
Raye shrugged his shoulders casually, and with his lips parting—
"I want you guys to investigate the adow of roses and the area around it."
He muttered that.
"Sothing wrong is going on there, and we think it's a work of a demon."
He explained afterwards, and the room grew serious after those words.
-...
Zephyrus frowned slightly. Pyro stopped fidgeting and beca silent as well.
But after a while—
-We'll do it.
-ep...!
The two of them accepted without hesitation.
Raye nodded, fully expecting that answer.
"As the two of you do that, we'll investigate here as well, starting with asking the residents of this village."
"We're going to Justo now, in fact."
He said to the two.
-Then, we'll go now too.
-ep...! yeah!
Zephyrus ans Pyro stood up, ready to leave.
"Wait."
But Raye stopped them before they could even depart.
-???
They turned back, curious and waiting for what Raye was going to say next.
And then, with a soft look on his eyes—
"Be careful out there."
Raye told them that. His voice was quiet, sincere.
-...
Zephyrus smiled. Pyro did too.
SWOOSH—!
Then the two spirits flew out through the window.
Raye finished drying his hair, then left his room and regrouped with the others not long.
*****
Raye, Jerusha, Lycus, and Sofia headed back toward the two-story building where they first arrived yesterday.
The familiar beef skewer plaque hung at the entrance greeted them.
Tok- Tok- Tok-
Raye wasted no ti and imdiately knocked on the door.
And it opened shortly after.
"Huh?"
Cole stood there again. The sa kid from yesterday.
"Oh, hello... Why are you guys here so early?"
The kid asked curiously.
"Is Sir Justo here?"
Sofia asked.
"Yeps, he's in his office upstairs."
Cole answered imdiately.
"Can you guide us there? We have sothing to ask him."
Raye said.
"I an, sure... What is it about you want to ask him anyways?"
Cole tilted his head as he opened the door for the group.
"I might be able to answer it, you know."
He followed with that, a confident smirk on his face.
Raye glanced at the others.
They nodded.
They figured that Cole is a resident of this village as well, so there's a chance he knows sothing.
So without beating around the bush...
"We just want to ask about the adow of roses, or to be more specific— about the weird situation happening there."
Raye muttered that.
"...!"
Cole's eyes widened just slightly after hearing his words.
'He knows sothing.'
Raye caught it instantly.
"Have you heard or know anything about it?"
So he pressed gently with that question.
His smile remained. But his eyes sharpened.
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