Lucien almost couldn't hear anything except his loud beating heartbeat. What was he supposed to do?
Defeat the demon? Impossible. Allow the protagonist to show off his protagonist's halo? No. Aiden is still a kid. It would be shameless of him to let the protagonist suffer when, in fact, Lucien himself is older.
He's been here before. He's already seen this world before. He was the protagonist's number one fan. He was supposed to know how to handle such a powerful demon. But he can't. He's got chicken feet.
The protagonist defeated this demon only when he was seventeen years old, not now when he was still ten years old. Beside him, Aiden curled up in his arms and snuggled into his chest. Lucien can feel the little boy trembling.
I'm scared too. Lucien wanted to say.
"Mom, please don't leave me here."
"No, son, this is for your own good."
"Don't cling to your mother child, come, let's get inside. Wipe those tears away. Boys like you don't cry. You're supposed to be strong. Stay here and we will teach you how to be strong and independent."
"I don't want to learn how to be strong." Lucien wanted to say. "I just want to be safe."
He was a child back then…. Now he's an adult. But he still has these fear tendencies that restrict his chest and muddle his brain. Lucien pulled the little kid closer and turned frigid. Fighting is not a choice they can manage to choose right now.
The protagonist had not yet grown. He needs training. The only thing they can do is hide. The moonlight above shone brightly through the gaps of thick leaves and big trunks. The two horned demon is scouring the area. His ugly big nose rose up in the air and inhaled.
Lucien certainly saw some movements behind the demon. A silhoutte is trying to sneak up on it. Lucien did not move even a millimeter. The child in his arms did not move either. But Lucien's heart is beating faster.
What's this? A demon attempting to kill another demon?
When the silence steps into the moonlight, Lucien stiffens. A demon slayer! The small smile that broke in his tight face was evident in the darkness. It was a sight little Aiden witnessed for the first time.
He smiled? Why? Aiden can hear the loud thump of Lucien's heart. Aiden knows Lucien is nervous, but why do his eyes shine so brightly in the darkness?
A few meters away, the sharp sound of a blade cutting flesh rang out in the forest, followed by an ear piercing growl. What comes next is the sound of blades scraping against claws and frustrated growls.
A demon slayer is here?
It makes sense since a two horned demon appeared in this quiet village. But this scene is not in the 'Slaying the Demons'. Lucien peek below and notice the intense fight between the demon slayer and the two horned demon.
In this dim environment, Lucien can't see the expense of how badly the demon slayer is injured. The vigorous attack the two horned demon sends to him is straight forward and fierce, not leaving the demon slayer the chance to defend himself.
Lucien grab Aiden and tucked him in his arms again.
"Let's use this chance to escape." He murmured.
Without looking back, Lucien raced into the forest. The previous tiredness disappeared, replaced with a flux of adrenaline that rushed through his body. The cold wind sharply cut his skin.
The branches and twigs looked almost the same, making him confused about which direction he was going to. They obstruct his path the more he runs deeper into the forest.
But Lucien believes this is the right path. The protagonist is here in his arms. Surely, he will also share his protagonist's halo, right? A few more steps and Lucien found himself rolling in the dirt.
Aiden was almost flung sideways, but he held his arms and pulled him closer. Now both of them are rolling down the hill with a thick dump of dried leaves and mud.
Lucien bumped his head against a small rock. He groans. After patting Aiden's body beside him and ensuring he was okay, he got up and looked around. The smile he wore earlier is back on his lips again.
The hill. He remembered it. In the first episode of 'Slaying the Demons', the protagonist is running in this dark forest. He kept looking behind his back to see if there was something coming after him. He wasn't paying attention at the front, which resulted in him tripping and rolling in the dirt.
The scenery in front of Lucien was the same as what he saw in the first episode. It was an expansive field of rice grains. A typical hundred acres farm. On the center of this farm, there are houses built in feable wood and huts, but in the center, a white cablestone two-story high church stands still.
The large cross made both of them gape in surprise. St. Louis Church. It must be because of Lucien's drive to escape he does not notice the sun has already peeked over the horizon.
The long night was over. A bright orange streak is brushing past the blue sky. The cross shone brightly, reflecting the morning sun. The sound of birds singing and the morning rustle of people make it seem as if the experiences of last night were just a nightmare.
When Lucien is reassured that they are finally safe, he immediately collapses on the ground, breathing heavily. Damn. Exhaustion is coming after him. He can't move his muscles due to extreme numbness.
What do you expect from a shut in otaku? He hadn't run in years since graduating from college, and now he was forced to run all night.
"Lucien?" The sweet, innocent voice of a young boy floated in his ears. Lucien blinked back against the heavy eyelids and stared at the protagonist's young, cute face.
There's not a trace of fear nor anxiousness in Aiden's eyes, only concern and innocence. Lucien can't help but pinch the little kid's cheeks.
How adorable.