The touch of decay extended to Marsenor's neck.

"It's too deep." Vanis said. "I can't cut it." The Demon Seeker took a step back, not knowing what to do next.

"Can you burn it to death?" The boy asked.

"It's too close to the artery if it's going to burn." Vanis said, turning to the old man and asking. "Do you have any medicine?"

"There's nothing right for the symptoms."

Vanis looked at his wounded companion and thought to himself. "What about the healer?" His voice seemed to whisper.

"They should have medical equipment, but the closest-"

"Not that kind of therapist."

The old man was silent for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Vanis seemed to want to continue the question, but he swallowed it back and began to search the hut.

The boy followed the Demon Finder's line of sight. He saw a stack of animal skins in one corner, a rope hammock in the other, and a dozen or so small wooden wurms huddled together on a woodworking table by the wall. Nothing can help.

"Cattle." Vanis said.

At the mention of the dead livestock, the farmer's face suddenly turned pale. "What happened to the livestock?"

"Have they ever had moxworm?"

"Yes. We cauterize with caustic eclipse powder. ”

"If we cut off the source and then treat the rest with a tiny amount of powder, maybe it would work." Vanis said. "Where?"

The farmer looked out the window. He seemed hesitant, or perhaps recalling where he should look from.

Marsenno purred from the depths of his throat. He shook violently towards the edge of the table, clenching the dagger between his teeth.

Vanis pressed his shoulder. "Where's the powder?"

The farmer struggled to control Marsenno's kicking legs. "In the barn, but—"

Marseno wailed.

"I'll get it!" The boy said, turning and running out of the hut.

p

He ran quickly to the barn, the crisp mountain air brushing his face and his legs and ribcage starting to heat up. Twenty steps from the barn door, a shiver crept down his spine.

He slid to a halt.

The surrounding forest is dark and silent. He searched among the dense trees for the tiniest traces of magic, but saw nothing but shrubs. The wreckage of the pasture still smokes hot and ash. The tingling sensation spread to his entire back - there must be something around.

He needed to warn Vanis, but he knew he couldn't shout at this time.

Is he going back?

Another scream of pain came from the cabin. Marsenno needs him to muster up his courage.

He took a deep breath to calm down and continued to run towards the barn. With trembling hands, he clumsily pulled the latch open, opened the door, and slammed it from the inside.

There was an even more violent tremor down his spine.

He flipped backwards and knocked down the shelves where the digging tools were kept. Shovels and shovels scattered to the ground with a clatter.

That thing is in the barn.

The boy reached for the dagger, but found the scabbard empty. He gave the dagger to Marsenno. A silver glow scattered from behind a partition.

He tried to stand up, but his legs wouldn't listen. The flash grew brighter and brighter, and something stepped out of the partition and around the corner. He had never seen such a dazzling light. It even disturbs the surrounding air, forming light waves of different colors.

The shape was close.

There was a buzzing sound in his ears, like a swarm of enraged bees flying in his skull. The boy crawled backwards, one hand in front of his eyes, the other scrambling on the ground for weapons. He didn't find anything.

The whole world disappears behind a curtain of light and color.

A voice tried to interrupt the buzzing as the thing passed through the dazzling light. His mind struggled to make out the sound, and at last suddenly a word made everything clear......

"Daddy?"

As soon as the words fell, the whole world was restored to its original state.

It's a little girl.

She looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. The crown of light around her shone brightly again. The light tugged at the boy, forcing him to reach out and touch its glow.

"You, who are you?" She asked.

"I'm ...... I'm Silas. He stood up and held out a hand. I won't hurt you...... As long as you don't hurt me. ”

The girl folded her hands in front of her chest. "I'm never going to hurt anyone......" she said, her eyes down on tiptoe. No intentional injury. ”

The boy remembered the livestock on the pasture. He brushed those thoughts away and focused on the blonde child. She looked petite and helpless, even though it was her own home.

"I believe in you." He said. "It's certainly not too ...... Relaxed. ”

The light around her dimmed, and the force that tugged at him faded.

She looked up at the boy. "Have you seen my dad?"

"He's in the house. Saving my friend. ”

She carefully grabbed his hand. "Take me to Daddy."

He withdrew his hand. "You can't go in." He said.

"Something happened to Dad?"

"Nope. He...... Rescuing a demon seeker. ”

The little girl flinched at the words, and the inside of the barn was lit up again. She knew the danger she faced.

"Are you a demon seeker?" She asked in a trembling voice.

The question caused the boy to feel a pang of colic in his body.

"It's not." He said. "I'm just like you."

The girl smiled. The sincere smile warmed his heart, and the praise of the Demon Seeker had never brought such a feeling.

Another scream came from the direction of the cabin.

"Daddy?"

"It's my friend. I need to go back. He said. Can you keep hiding until we leave? Don't come out? ”

The girl nodded.

"Okay." He said. "Do you know where the eclipse powder is?"

She pointed to an earthen pot on a narrow shelf.

The boy grabbed the jar and rushed out of the barn. As he approached the hut, he heard another cry of pain. He sped his last few steps and slammed the door open.

"I found it." He held the earthen pot as if he had won a trophy.

There was silence in the room.

Vanis looked at Marsenor's lifeless body. Only the farmer turned to look at the door.

The old man's eyes flashed with fear and resentment. This look is no different from that of all desperate souls who want to hide their ills.

The old man slowly touched his halberd, his eyes scanning back and forth between the boy and Vanis, who remained motionless and silent.

The boy shook his head and quietly begged the old man to stop.

The farmer paused, glanced at the barn, and then at the boy.

He smiled comfortingly at the father.

The old man looked at him for a moment, then leaned his weapon back against the wall.

Vanis finally came to his senses. "Why have you been around for so long?" The Demon Seeker asked.

"It's not the kid's fault. Your friend is too badly injured. ”

Vanis took a step back and sat down on the straw mat.

"It's all this little bastard." He said with a cold smile. "He's that kind of thing, you know what. Pretend to be a normal person. ”

"Your friend doesn't think so." The farmer said. "Please respect the memories that belong to him."

Vanis's gaze left Marsenno's corpse. He looked intently at the carving tools and the carved wooden dolls scattered under the hammock.

"He's a young fool and too emotional." Vanis fell silent and seemed to be thinking of something else.

The farmer and the boy stood together in this awkward stiffness, not knowing what to do next.

"Looks like we're the only two of us left hunting beasts, right?" Vanis asked the old man.

"No need." The farmer said. "Take good care of your friends. I have a cart. Here you go. ”

"Take you...... It is not quite appropriate for a person to stay here. Vanis said. It's the equivalent of leaving me behind. ”

There was a subtle bitterness in the Demon Finder's voice that unsettled the boy. Grief turned into doubt. The grieving mentor has once again become an interrogator.

"I'm fine." The farmer said. "It's been that way since I put on the blue."

"Of course." Vanis said with a smile.

The Demon Seeker jumped up from the cot and rushed at the farmer, pushing him against the wall—the tip of the dagger was just inches from the farmer's throat.