“So the Little Missy’s gone, eh?”
“Yeah.”
“Shame. Pretty that one was. And young. Even if she was a bit bitchy, can’t help but feel kinda sorry.”
“Hm. Ciggy?” Hugo held out his packet for Felix to sample.
“That’s a sissy brand,” Felix reached for one anyways, only to have the pack yanked away before he could pluck one out.
The two men shared a glare. Hugo sighed and shrugged, offering his pack once more. This time, Felix plucked a cigarette without a word and let the blond light it for him.
Of the four left at the summoning site, Felix made it out the least scathed. The wanker sure had it good, holed up in his sentinel fortress from start to finish. Of course, he was the only one that had enough energy to be wandering around on his own two feet.
The warehouse had been reduced to a pile of rubble, of which no one had even dared to touch. There had been tents set up after the scant reinforcements arrived, mostly B-ranked personnel and medical staff. If the higher-ups thought this was enough to deal with a prince, should the thing rouse from the debris then they would be in for a rude awakening.
Hugo was honestly too tired to care. The cigarette hung limply in his mouth, one of those silly yellow blankets was around his shoulder, the thing trying to give him warmth in a vain attempt. He was sitting on one of those uncomfortable folding chairs beneath a hastily set up tent that offered scant against the howling wind. His left arm hung in a sling because according to the medics he had sprained something but Hugo honestly couldn’t even say what the heck happened after the blast. His entire body was hurting something awful.
He just wanted a damned good rest but for some reason, Felix was busy prattling around him with way too much energy after what had happened.
Hugo wished the sentinel could find someone else to annoy but unfortunately, Marie-Josianne was dead and Jayden’s injuries were too extensive to be loitering around like the two of them. The commander and the saint were gone as well, apparently off to chase the demon lord that escaped. Hugo didn’t envy them.
“Ya think the demon bitch is still down there? How much you wanna bet that she is?”
Hugo raised a brow, his smile wry. He put out his cigarette beneath his heel and felt an immediate urge to have another one. “The only reward for winning such a bet, I fear, is death.”
Felix grimaced, fiddling with a vial of holy water between his fingers. “Suppose you’re right about that. Guess that means we’re just lambs awaiting slaughter huh?”
“…No need to be so pessimistic. We’ve survived long enough,” Hugo shrugged but he was without much confidence either. Because there was a keen itch festering beneath his skin as miasma slowly gathered and accumulated in the air. Something told Hugo that the prince hadn’t exactly died in the blast like they so hoped.
But as long as proper reinforcements came in, then they ought to still have a chance at making it out alive, right?
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Hugo’s gaze turned skyward, where he was met with azure blue. Felix’s eyes followed the exorcist’s, the two trying to spot the little glimmer of a shadow suspended above them.
“Ktlcx Vtlfivr eq atfgf klii mbwf vbkc ab tfiq er oemxlcu qifyfr?” Mfilz rwlgxfv klatbea wemt tewbg.
Ccv sfa, Leub ijeutfv ja tlr yifjx abcf, “P kbeivc’a yf mbecalcu mtlmxfcr rb rbbc. Ktja wjc tjr tlr tjcvr alfv, rb ibcu jr gflcobgmfwfcar vbc’a mbwf ogbw bearlvf.”
“Ktfs klii.” Mfilz cbvvfv, gfrbieaf. “Ktfs’ii mbwf.”
But Hugo, who wasn’t Merrivan, to begin with, had his own opinions and expectations about the way the NUM operated. He had a bad feeling that if reinforcements hadn’t yet come, they weren’t going to at all.
Still, he said, “Alright then, I’ll hold you to it.”
…
Han Li had a feeling that they’d make their journey much faster if one, Seoyun just allowed Graham to carry her, or two, the commander just shut up.
Since her near-death experience, the woman had grown exceptionally chatty, despite the pained dregs she was taking, or even Han Li’s chiding complaints.
And with the Saint of Eternity cleaving a road for the two of them, Seoyun really didn’t have to worry about the ruckus she was making or fear drawing in any stray demons. It wouldn’t matter, because Graham took care of everything.
Everything, that was, aside from walking.
Which was frustratingly difficult when Seoyun just wouldn’t shut up!
“Kwangmin, that brat, was something of a prodigy,” she sighed.
Over the past hour, Han Li learned much about one Jong Seoyun. He also learned a lot about the Jong Exorcist clan in general. He learned that they specialize in spirit possession, but Seoyun was particularly bad at it among her five siblings.
Apparently, her little brother Kwangmin was the best at it. Han Li didn’t know why, but Seoyun seemed especially fond of this Kwangmin, who was born almost exactly seven years after her.
“I…see,” Han Li replied awkwardly, not quite knowing what to say to her. “He, uh, must be a great exorcist, just like you.”
“Could have been,” Seoyun hummed, leaning heavily against him as she swayed a little in her steps. “He could have been. The kid’s dead though, lost his life before he could ever see a B-rank license.”
Han Li stiffened. “Oh, I— I’m sorry for your loss.”
“They’re all dead,” Seoyun admitted, before she began to ramble, “Of the six of us, there’s only me left after Kwangmin decided to lose his life a month ago. Of course, the one who survived ended up being me, the one who knows the least about the clan’s ancestral techniques. I’m a disgrace, truly.”
Han Li felt a knot in his throat. His ears strained, picking up the faint sounds of battle, of Graham smiting their enemies up ahead of the road. “I— That must be… tough. My condolences.” The words came out in a stiff jumble. It wasn’t as though Han Li didn’t understand or sympathize with the loss. But he had no idea how to explain the sharp feeling of sorrow that he felt towards her.
Han Li kept his eyes forward, watching the road and refusing to look at the weak, injured commander leaning against him. He could feel her shrug, “It’s… It’s alright. They all took the Vow. Just like you have, Han Li. Just like I have.”
They were all hunters.
These things happened.
Han Li nodded, letting silence settle between them.
The streets of Darmine were almost sterile, with only glimmers of miasmic residue left by the Saint of Eternity’s slaughter.
It took them a while, but it wasn’t long before the shambled warehouse was in view; the large edifice was replaced with a pile of rubble surrounded by black jeeps and black tents.
Graham waited for them in the middle of a cross-section, his eyes forward, his figure as unmoving as a statue. Only his clothes and his hair danced with the wind, contrasting the disconcerting stillness, where even his breathing was hard to discern.
“Grams?” Han Li’s curious gaze raked over the quiet saint, before turning his eyes forward. A frown slowly stretched his lips. It was oddly quiet. If he strained his eyes, he could hear the barest sound of people milling to and fro. The miasma in the air was at a standard level, while present, was not so thick that it would bring about alarm.
And yet, Han Li felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. His mouth turned dry as he gulped. A distinct feeling of something wrong, something awful began to brew in the air and he felt like he was going to be sick.
Oddly, he felt drawn.
When Han Li took a step forward, Graham put a hand on his arm, holding him back.
“What?”
“Something is not right. Do not be hasty.”
“…” Seoyun stirred as well, trying to push herself off of Han Li and steadying her balance. Fearlessly, she said, “I’ll go first.”
“Commander—” Han Li stuttered, “Erm, noona, wait. You’re still…” Seoyun was trying to push herself off of Han Li, while he was awkwardly wrestling with her in an attempt to hold her back. But despite her condition, it seemed that the commander had regained some of her strength, slipping out of Han Li’s grasp.
“What if they need me?” Her eyes were simultaneously haunted and dazzling, blinking at him with vigor. “I have to go.” And with her blind determination, she matched onward, ignoring any of her malaise.
“Commander! Noona!” Han Li jogged after her, only to be held back a second time by the Saint of Eternity. He snapped around and hissed, “What is it? Let go—”
“One thing,” Graham’s voice was cutting but he let go. With freedom once more, Han Li scooted a few steps away, out of reach but he stood there with furrowed brows, awaiting Graham’s words. “Stay alive.”
Han Li didn’t know what possessed him to retort, “Did you say that we’d at least die for a cause?”
The way Graham’s brows creased was endlessly amusing. It was a shame that Han Li wouldn’t get a chance to stare at the saint’s face all day. “Han Li.”
“Okay, okay, I got it! You don’t have to look at me like that,” and Han Li had no idea why he was smiling. “I’m not rushing in there to get myself killed. And plus, if I got into trouble, I could just call you. I mean, you said you’d do your utmost to protect me, didn’t you?” He reached up, touching the enchanted sliver that dangled off his ear.
“…”
“Or was that just one of your little white lies?”
“I did not—”
“Then it’s fine, isn’t it?” Han Li flashed a grin before turning around.
Graham watched his retreating form. A small sigh left his lips. Since when did he become so good at making empty promises? Han Ruyan was right after all. He had changed.
Author: Just posting this quickly because I have something to run to ; w ; and I still don’t even have makeup on my face RREEeeeeee.
Once again I’d like to thank those who donated to my ko-fi!!! <3 <3
“Felix made it out the least unscathed” I think you meanmost unscathed, or least scathed
TFTC
Thanks! I’ve fixed ittt. Weeps
I SAID I’M TOTALLY FINE UGHHH runs away
Thank you for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️
C-COME BACKKKK ;; 3 ;; WHERE R U GOINGGGGG
That’s great Grams, I’m rootin for your change ✨
LOL slow and steady–
Apparently the she Prince hasn’t sait her last word yet. It feels as if, out of the whole team only Graham and Han Li were to stay alive.
Thank you for the chapter!!!
!! Let’s have some hope! TT w TT but ah, being a hunter is a dangerous job it seems
Are you gonna unalive all of them? O.o
It’s okay, I’m not attached to anyone except Han Li and he’s the MC so shrugs
Hahaha Thanks for the chapter! <3
o w o who knowsss eee thanks for reading~
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Too bad Marie-Josiane’s dead, i’ll miss LMAO every time i see her name… Where on your brain did you think off this, dear author 😂😂😂
Then, on my way to read more, waiting for the fluff (there is fluff to come, en ??)
LOL! Composite french names like this isn’t too odd for where I come from xDD!!
Josiane is already reaaaally old fashioned in france, and most of the composite names with “Marie” are too. So the two of them together got me a big smile 😁
That just means there’s differents kinds od trends in the world, un ~ I’m gonna train my openmindness 😊🙏