Chapter 43
“So where exactly do we need to go?”
“If you go about five blocks from here, you’ll find the place where the summoning circle was drawn. It used to be an orchard, so you can just follow the signs.”
“A summoning circle…”
“Yes. Apparently the demon worshippers bought that orchard and used it as the site of their rituals. It seems they opened the gate there.”
Finishing his explanation, the servant hesitated with an awkward expression.
“Um… would it be alright if I wait here?”
“What kind of obvious question is that? Even if you followed us, I was going to leave you behind.”
Eden replied offhandedly and gestured toward the carriage, indicating he should stay inside. The servant’s expression brightened considerably, and he bowed in gratitude.
“I wish you good fortune, Miss Hunter. May the god Bara be with you.”
“Yeah, sure.”
Eden answered just as indifferently this time too. Even if she believed in the god’s abilities, she didn’t think for a moment that he watched over her, there was no blessing more meaningless than this.
“Bezel, you wait here too. I can’t have you getting hurt by following along for no reason.”
Though she’d said it with consideration, Bezel shook his head without even a hint of hesitation.
“I can’t do that… I came to work, so I should at least follow you there.”
“The demon we’re dealing with today is on a completely different level from the last one. Plus, back then, there was at least holy water sprinkled around the forest. This time there’s no protective barrier like that.”
“I’m capable of protecting myself, so please don’t worry too much.”
What could he possibly do with that delicate body? Eden looked Bezel up and down as he spoke with such confidence.
Huh. But his body was in better shape than she expected. Though hidden by his shirt, his chest muscles pulled the fabric taut, and his thick, defined forearms showed clearly. His face looked so delicate that she’d forgotten, but it seemed he’d been exercising consistently.
‘Was he a combat slave instead of a priest or High Priest? Why is his body so solid?’
No, that can’t be right. Looking at how his skin was smooth without a single scar, that absolutely couldn’t be it.
Eden’s gaze toward Bezel turned strange.
‘No way.’
Then… a bedroom slave?
If she assumed that, it made perfect sense that he had a clean appearance and a great body. To serve those above him, managing his physique and stamina would be essential.
‘I’m going crazy. What am I even thinking right now? Does it make sense to use someone with divine power as just that kind of slave?’
Unless they didn’t know about his ability and he only awakened it facing death, but…
Aah. This must be the problem with going without for too long. With a handsome, well-built person in front of her, her thoughts kept flowing in lewd directions.
Eden slapped her own cheek to snap herself out of it. Johan had seen this behavior throughout their relationship and was unfazed, but Bezel and the servant were not. Both looked at her with startled eyes.
“Miss Hunter?!”
“Eden…? Is that also a pre-work ritual?”
“Does this look like a ritual?”
Eden rubbed her flushed, burning cheek, and pulled out her gun with her other hand, holding it out.
“Here, take it.”
Bezel looked at Eden with round eyes, then lowered his gaze. On her white palm lay a cold, silver revolver.
“Are you sure it’s okay to give this to me?”
“Yes. Because it’ll be dangerous.”
Eden opened the cylinder to show him the bullets inside.
“They’re consecrated bullets. If a demon charges at you, aim and shoot.”
She closed the cylinder again, then gripped the gun handle with both hands and extended her arms straight out. It was a perfect shooting stance that belonged in a textbook.
“Bang. Just shoot like this. Don’t worry about wasting bullets, just fire away. Got it?”
“Consecrated bullets must be quite expensive…”
“Is money the problem? Your life is at stake here.”
No matter how much Eden went on about money, it still wasn’t more important than human life. If he were a complete stranger it might be different, but Bezel was someone who had slept and eaten with her for several days.
When you live in the same house, you call them family, and when you eat together, you are part of the household. She didn’t know how long this cohabitation would last, but until Bezel regained his memories, he was Eden’s family and household member. And Eden absolutely had no intention of ever losing family again.
“Of course, I’ll do my best to make sure you never even need to shoot, so don’t worry too much. I have to protect my person, don’t I?”
“My person…”
The one who muttered in a barely audible voice wasn’t Bezel, but Johan. He looked at the two with a complicated expression, then clenched his jaw hard and dropped his gaze to the ground.
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