"Gusion Paxley, eh?" Alucard smirked, scratching his chin. "Not bad. But I would've preferred myself."
Without his permission, Granger casted an invisibility spell on Alucard's sword. "Let's split up. You go look for our target here while I roam around the halls."
"You haven't even introduced yourself to our client yet."
Granger had already walked out of the room. He just couldn't take it. He couldn't bare seeing her again, and with him, the real Gusion Paxley. Maybe it's for the better, her being with him. And did she mention they were engaged?
For a second there, he thought he might have a chance with her. But perhaps she would remain to be his childhood crush, someone who belongs in the past. But how can he easily forget when their reunion was the only reason he still made it to this day?
Every battle he fought in, she was his motivation to win them. Every downfall he has had, she would always be the imaginary friend to enlighten him. She was his hope.
Granger looked behind him when he heard the clicking of heels approaching. The rhythm sounded as though they were in a hurry, as though they were running.
It was none other than Guinevere. Because she was running and kept looking back, she lost her balance. Had Granger not catch her in the perfect timing, she would've fell and strain her ankle which would be very painful.
Their eyes meet and it was like seeing stars up close for Granger. She was detailed to perfection. Freckles dotted across her nose and her lips had the same shade of a perfectly ripe apple but her lavender scent was very nostalgic. But her skin... it was as soft as a flower.
Granger had a strange urge of wanting to hug her so tight that she wouldn't be able to leave him anymore. But of course, he shook this off and let her go. "A-Apologies." Guinevere said, nodding her head. "Excuse me."
"Miss Guinevere Baroque?"
Guinevere turns around. "Yes?"
Granger summons a specific object from his back. It was her violet bow she threw away in the garden. This made Guinevere dropped her jaw. "I-It's my bow, from when I was five years old..." She looked up with a look mixed of confusion and surprise. "Could it be?"
"The Death Chanter wanted me to give you this." He cut her off.
"Oh." He catches her frown slyly. "The Death Chanter? He should be the one to give me this! He doesn't know how much I've missed him a-and I..."
Out of the blue, tears began cascading down her face. She misses me? Granger thought, shocked. Having no idea what to do, he remained standing in front of her, watching her burst all the tears as she clutches the bow against her chest.
"Please, tell me where he is. I want to see him again. It has been a long time since we last saw and it was the same night we also met each other. We weren't able to bond more despite that his leave was quick but he holds a special place in my heart."
Granger couldn't believe it. His subconsciousness was right after all, but his mind told him not to say a single word, and he trusts his mind more than his subconsciousness.
"He's in the Southern Mountains, I heard. Though you shouldn't go there. It's too dangerous."
"But is he safe?"
"He was alive and well when I saw him last week so he should be."
"I read the news about how he slaughtered a tribe of powerful demons. I doubt he's still well after that."
Granger didn't even break at least a single bead of sweat for that slaughter.
"This is farewell for now." As she makes her leave, his hand unconsciously reached for her and he pulls it back in an instant. He had no right to interfere anymore.
It was too late to come back to her life. She was already engaged. And perhaps she only missed him as a childhood friend. Nothing more, nothing less.
He needed to let her go.
Granger went back to Alucard in the party. Everyone seemed so calm and unconcerned that the Miss Violet had disappeared.
"Excuse me, have you seen Guinevere?" Gusion Paxley had asked him. At last, he get to meet him in person. He now understands why Guinevere fell in love with this guy. He was charming, a magnet for the ladies. It's shocking how he's her type.
Granger shook his head. Gusion walked away, heading to the hall Granger came from and where Guinevere had went. As Granger was about to walk over Alucard, who was occupied flirting with the married women, he was concerned for Guinevere.
He decided to follow Gusion without him knowing. Gusion went to Guinevere's room. While opening the door, Gusion immediately runs inside and screamed Guinevere's name.
The Death Chanter peaked at the door. Gusion was looking down the window, specifically looking for the redhead. The room was dark and Guinevere's bed was splattered with blood. In the blink of an eye, a spiky silhouette comes out of the dark corner and lunged at Gusion, holding him in a deathly choke.
After summoning his pistol, Granger doesn't thick twice about shooting it on the head. It yelped before dropping dead on the floor, creating a puddle of blood. Granger stepped inside and turned the lights on. He examined the blood on the bed and on the floor. Thankfully it matched.
After taking back his strength, Gusion jumped back to his feet and reflexively threw a dagger to Granger. Luckily he dodged it.
"Who are you?" Gusion asked.
"I'm a demon hunter."
"Demon hunter? Where's Guinevere?"
"I don't know." Granger shakes his head.
Alucard had managed to arrive in the right timing. "What happened here, gents?"
"Here's our target." Said Granger, pointing to the spiky porcupine mutant monster on the floor. It began to smell bad, as if the body is aging quicker than the natural decomposition process.
"My God." Alucard commented. "They're going to have a hard time cleaning off the blood on the bed sheets."
"The both of you are demon hunters?" Gusion asked. The two men nodded. "Then I'm willing to pay you a thousand grand if you find Guinevere and bring her back to me."
"Deal." Alucard quickly said.
Granger sighed and walked out of the room. Alucard followed as expected. "I know tips aren't really necessary for us Hunters but we may become rich faster if we turn into mercenaries, won't we?"
Granger chose not to respond to his irking sarcasm. He maybe funny to others but to Granger, if he wasn't his designated partner for this mission Alucard would just be another person who's better off dead.