Chapter 13
After Eden left, Bezel finally began to look around the house in earnest.
“Looks like she’s made quite a bit of money killing demons.”
Judging by the fact that she didn’t list a family name on the report, she was definitely a commoner, but for a commoner, the house was quite nice. She lived alone, but the house had multiple rooms, and it was even located in the capital.
Bezel stepped into the master bedroom and threw open the wardrobe. The clothes she’d worn today and yesterday were all black, and the other clothes filling the wardrobe were no different.
Terrible taste, but it wasn’t his concern. He shut the wardrobe doors and opened a drawer this time. Inside was a silver revolver, probably something she used on commissions. He’d thought the sword standing next to the wardrobe was her main weapon, but it seemed she handled both sword and gun.
If someone handles multiple weapons, it’s usually one of two things. Either they’re truly skilled at both, or they’re a fraud who can’t wield either properly.
Judging by her scrawny frame, she looked closer to the latter… Still, that answer would come naturally, given enough time spent together.
After that, he explored the house, checking the nightstand beside the bed, the bathroom, and so on, but nothing particularly noteworthy turned up . He’d heard that humans like to leave traces of themselves here and there and keep records, but Eden was different. No diary, no notebook, not even a single photograph.
The place was filled only with what was strictly necessary to live. Rather than a home, it looked more like a place meant only for sleep.
“Doesn’t seem like she’s attached to this house.”
Then it was clear what he needed to do to devour Eden. He’d have to root his presence in this house and blend naturally into her daily life. People who live alone have a hard time letting their guard down at first, but once they allow someone close, they open their hearts easily.
After looking around the house, there was nothing more to do. He sat on the sofa, stared blankly at the wall, and felt his hunger stir. He had taken some of the woman’s life force last night, but it hadn’t been nearly enough. The food in this house wouldn’t even serve as a snack, let alone a meal…
‘If only there were some kind of living creature around.’
At that moment, as if answering Bezel’s thoughts, an animal’s cry came from near the window.
“Peep.”
He stood up, opened the window, and looked down. Perched on the jutting ledge designed for flowerpots was a parrot. The bird must’ve seen Bezel coming, but it didn’t fly away. With a ring around its ankle and a broken chain attached, it seemed to be a pet bird from a neighbor’s house that was used to human hands.
“Peep- peep-“
The parrot chirped affectionately, as if expecting something. It mimicked human language, saying “Hello!” in greeting, and then boldly demanding, “Feed me!”
“Coco! Where did you go? Coco!”
Just then, from the next house over, came the voice of its owner calling out. Hearing that desperate tone made his already empty stomach even hungrier. This little bird would be nothing but cheap meat that wouldn’t even register, but if it had an owner, that was different. What could be more delicious than stealing what belongs to someone else and eating it?
“Are you hungry?”
Bezel grinned and extended his hand as if offering something. The parrot, which had been pecking at his hand with its beak, suddenly spread its wings and flapped.
“Peep! No…!”
It tried to take flight in terror, but it was too late. Bezel reached out and snatched the parrot’s body.
“Perfect. I’m hungry too.”
Thud—the window closed.
After an eerie silence, the window opened again. Bezel no longer held the parrot, only the chain that had been wrapped around its leg.
“Well, it wasn’t very tasty.”
He lazily licked his blood-stained lips, then tossed the chain out the window.
Clink. With a final pitiful sound, the chain disappeared into the distance and quickly vanished from sight.
***
“Good. This should be enough.”
Eden looked proudly at the shopping bag bearing the department store logo. Underwear and outerwear, socks and shoes. She had bought everything needed for the next outing without missing a single thing.
She’d only bought one of each, but this much was enough. As long as he had enough to step outside, she could tell him to pick and buy whatever else he wanted later.
Having completed the first purpose of today’s outing, Eden raised her head to look at the temple in the distance.
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