The sound of two horses' hooves rang out clearly as they swiftly left White Deer Town, one following the other.
Richard rode in front, his expression serious, head bowed in thought.
He hadn't expected Edward to actually agree to deal with the demon problem in the village, much less take him along.
This should have been a good thing, but Richard couldn't shake his unease.
He glanced back, seeing Edward riding leisurely, holding the skill parchment in his hand, absorbed in reading it.
The current task seemed like nothing more than a pastime to Edward.
This laid-back attitude only deepened Richard's confusion.
According to past practice, whenever Edward dealt with demons, he would always bring gifts—fine wine and food—to offer to them.
Richard had always been discontent with this approach, feeling it was inappropriate and even humiliating.
However, today's situation was different.
The two of them hadn't prepared any offerings and were heading straight to handle the demon issue.
This only made Richard more worried.
According to reports, there were three demons in the village this time.
If they couldn't resolve the situation, the hundreds of farmers in the village might soon become the demons' next meal.
The thought made Richard frown even more, and his anxiety refused to leave him.
Edward closed the skill parchment.
A new skill was already displayed on his panel:
[Dragonfly Step (Unlearned)]
It was a light-footed technique.
He had already mastered the Demon Slayer Swordsmanship and Piercing Iron Palm—these were the only skills he currently possessed.
His brows furrowed slightly with frustration.
If he had known this earlier, he would have saved some of the demon's life force to further enhance his skills.
No matter how powerful a skill was, it was useless if he couldn't catch up to his enemies.
"Stop looking back and focus on the road," Edward said, glancing up at Richard's face.
With the rhythm of the horse's hooves, Edward abruptly changed the topic.
"If I remember correctly, isn't it about time for the demon hunters to come inspect White Deer Town?"
Richard's body tensed slightly, and a complicated expression flashed through his eyes.
He didn't turn back, but his expression grew more serious as he concentrated on leading the way.
"Sir, there's about a month left."
The entire White Deer Town government was corrupt to the core, and the most pressing issue now was to survive the impending inspection by the demon hunters.
They needed to present a facade of peace and order in White Deer Town.
Any slip-up, and at least half of the officials, including Edward, would likely lose their heads.
Richard held onto a hope he didn't dare express.
If there was one person in White Deer Town who truly wanted the demon hunters to arrive, it was him.
Deep down, Richard hoped that the empire would personally chop off Edward's head.
If not for Edward's falsified reports, the demon problem in White Deer Town would have been exposed long ago, and the demon hunters would have taken control, eradicating the demons in the area.
It was Edward's cover-up that had allowed the demon threat to escalate, putting the villagers in greater danger.
"Hopefully, this time, the empire will uncover the truth."
Richard prayed silently but dared not show any outward sign of his thoughts.
"One month, huh?"
Edward rubbed his temples gently, his mind racing.
According to his memory, he was merely a small patrol captain in White Deer Town, but the situation was far more complicated than he had expected.
Soon, the two horses stopped in front of a narrow ridge, and Edward's gaze fell on a dilapidated chapel in the distance.
The chapel was in ruins.
The statues were exposed, the altar had collapsed halfway, covered haphazardly with straw, and the area was overgrown with weeds, clearly abandoned.
The fact that the farmers no longer even prayed to their gods showed their deep resentment and despair.
"Sir, this way," Richard said, tying the horses to a post and indicating the direction.
The two quickly crossed the ridge and headed toward their destination.
In the distance, a group of ragged farmers stood scattered about.
Their faces were gaunt, and their eyes vacant.
When they saw Edward and Richard's attire, they silently squatted down again.
They neither called for help nor complained, clearly aware of the true source of their suffering.
Richard felt a pang of guilt under their gazes.
After all, he knew about these people's plight.
He sneaked a glance at Edward, but saw that his expression remained calm, as if everything was unrelated to him.
This transformation in Richard's guilt into anger made him even more resentful.
He stopped speaking, lowered his head, and adjusted his hat to cover most of his face.
"This is the house. The grandson of the weasel demon attacked here…
You'll understand once you see inside," Richard said in a low voice, his tone tinged with suppressed fury.
Demon clans often operated by bloodlines, each setting up its own territory, with different demands.
Some demons sought fresh meat, others desired beautiful women, and still others prized rare treasures.
The weasel demons here were the group most closely connected to Edward.
"Open the door," Edward nodded indifferently, signaling Richard to lead the way.
Richard pushed open the wooden door, and the scene inside immediately assaulted his senses.
The narrow room was filled with the stench of blood, and in the dim light, dismembered bodies were neatly stacked on the table.
The remains that didn't fit on the table were strung together with straw and hung from the ceiling, like some ghastly decoration.
Two weasel demons sat at the table, gnawing on a rotting leg, their expressions indifferent.
One of the weasel demons looked up when it noticed the two men at the door, while the other continued to eat, as if the bloody scene around them was just part of their daily routine.
When the weasel demon recognized Edward, it cast a contemptuous glance at him.
"You've got some nerve coming here today."
Edward walked into the room, scanning the blood-soaked surroundings with a calm gaze.
Compared to Richard, he seemed disturbingly composed, even cold.
Richard stood at the door. Though he had seen this scene before, facing it again still twisted his face in anger and frustration.
Instinctively, he gripped his sword hilt, his hand trembling as his longsword was already half-drawn.
Richard was highly talented, having mastered the demon hunter skills within just three years.
However, even if he fought with all his might, he could only barely defeat these two weasel demons.
Worse still, it would likely attract more demons.
This predicament left him unable to act rashly.
As Richard wrestled with his emotions, a strong hand suddenly pressed down on his sword, stopping him from drawing it further.
It was Edward's hand.
He quietly pushed Richard's sword back into its scabbard, signaling him to stay calm.
Richard stared at Edward's profile, trying to discern how this typically ruthless superior would handle such a horrific situation.
In his heart, Richard hoped that no matter how cold-blooded Edward was, witnessing humans being devoured like this would stir some reaction in him.
However, the scene that followed left Richard utterly disappointed.
Edward finally raised his head to look at the weasel demon, his eyes still devoid of emotion, as if none of this concerned him.
Instead, his lips slowly curled into a fawning smile.
He bent over in a show of deference, throwing away all dignity.
Richard's face filled with disillusionment.
He lowered his gaze, unwilling to listen any further to the insincere pleasantries exchanged between Edward and the weasel demons.
At that moment, any remaining hope Richard had for Edward was completely shattered.