"The woman's one of my bookstore employees, so of course I know her," Gwen said, raising an eyebrow as she glanced at Caitlin.
Caitlin looked a bit embarrassed, holding Edward's bloody coat, letting out a soft sigh.
Edward nodded, surprised, but didn't bother with their conversation.
Turning to Roy, he noticed the boy's dust-covered face and dirty clothes.
Edward casually patted his shoulder, "What happened to you? How'd you get so filthy?"
"I went to deliver papers to the mines today.
Got a bit messy," Roy replied in a small, embarrassed voice.
Edward chuckled, tousling Roy's hair. "Once the water's hot, you can bathe with me.
It'd be a waste to use it all myself."
He called over his shoulder, "Is the water ready, Caitlin? Roy and I can share it—it'll save some."
Roy's face lit up, barely containing his excitement. "Really? I can?"
…
Caitlin filled the bathtub with hot water, hung a worn towel on the door handle, and then turned to look at Roy with a gentle reminder to behave.
Roy nodded as he watched her leave, then turned his gaze to Edward.
Edward had already stripped off his bloody coat, revealing a strong, muscled upper body.
Roy's eyes widened. "Whoa… Edward, you're really built!"
Roy held up his own skinny arm, comparing it to Edward's with a mixture of wonder and determination.
Edward chuckled and ruffled Roy's hair. "One day, you will be too."
Roy's eyes gleamed. "Really? I want to be like you and fight demons someday."
Edward's expression turned serious, "Of course. But let's focus on getting clean first."
Edward sank into the hot water, closing his eyes as the warmth melted away his exhaustion. "Roy, grab that thing from my pants pocket, will you?"
Nodding, Roy went over to Edward's clothes, carefully rummaging through the pockets until his fingers brushed against something smooth and hard.
Slowly, he pulled out a transparent purple crystal that glowed with a faint light.
He stared at it, transfixed. "What's that?"
Edward looked curious. "Demon core, huh? Tell me more."
Roy climbed into the tub, adjusting to the hot water's heat, wincing a little.
"My parents used to trade in these. They're valuable for making potions or can be crushed and added to weapons and armor."
Edward raised an eyebrow thoughtfully. "And what's that do?"
Roy's cheeks flushed from the steam, "Depends on the core's properties.
An attack-based core can make a blade sharper, while a defensive one makes armor stronger."
"So, you saw a lot of these when you were younger?"
Roy shook his head, looking a bit disappointed.
"Not really. A few times a month was lucky.
None were this big, though—just tiny fragments, really.
I've never seen one this size! This one must be from a First Transformation demon."
Edward's interest piqued as he studied the boy. "First Transformation?"
"Yeah. Demons have a ranking system similar to humans, from First to Ninth Transformations.
Demons past the Sixth Transformation don't form cores anymore.
Only demons under Sixth Transformation have them."
Edward raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know all that?"
Roy looked up with a little smile, "Read it in a book once. It had a lot of stuff about demons."
"And where did you live before?"
Edward asked, genuinely curious.
Literacy was rare among kids, most of whom worked from a young age.
Roy hesitated, staring at the water as though weighing something.
After a pause, he spoke quietly. "We lived in the capital."
Edward was taken aback but didn't press further, nodding.
"No wonder you know so much about demons."
Roy's face grew somber as he spoke softly, "My parents used to do business there, but then… things happened, and we left together."
Edward remembered what Caitlin had told him about their past, but learning they came from the capital added weight to their story.
Caitlin and Roy's backgrounds seemed more intricate than he'd thought.
…
After pulling on a slightly snug shirt, Edward chuckled, realizing it must've been Caitlin's or an old spare.
He stepped out to find Gwen still sitting at the table, unfazed by the passing time.
"Why are you still here? Isn't Russell worried about you?" he asked with a frown.
Gwen shrugged, her expression indifferent.
"Please. Knowing him, he's probably spending the night with someone else."
The four of them gathered around the small table for a simple meal—coarse bread and a bowl of vegetable broth.
Caitlin ladled out a bowl for Roy, reminding him to eat before it cooled.
Edward smiled inwardly, surprised to find himself sharing a meal with these two women.
…
Taking the crystal-like demon core from his pocket, Edward placed it on the table.
The instant it caught the light, Caitlin's expression changed.
She rarely looked so serious, her gaze fixed on the core.
Gwen looked on with mild curiosity, recognizing it with a hint of surprise.
"Russell has a few of these too, though he gave most away to his superiors. They're rare."
Edward wasn't shocked; Russell's position allowed him contact with high-ranking officials.
He turned to Caitlin, his gaze sharp and probing.
Feeling cornered, Caitlin bit her lip before finally speaking.
"If you trust me, give me the demon core and your sword."
Edward didn't hesitate, handing them over.
"Alright. I trust you."