The holy knights and the cleric entered the modest house, their boots echoing softly on the wooden floor.
Claude led them with an air of solemnity, guiding them through the humble interior until they stood before the door to his parents' room.
Stopping at the door, Claude knocked lightly, "Mother, Father, the holy knights and cleric from the Promised Land are here."
A scuffle of hurried footsteps echoed from inside, followed by the door swinging open with force. Dalia stood there, her expression a blend of desperation and relief.
"Bless the Goddess for sending you here!" she exclaimed, clasping her trembling hands together as though in prayer.
Her eyes glistened as she stepped aside, ushering them into the room. "Please, you must help my husband."
Inside, Enzo sat hunched on the edge of the bed. His once vibrant grey eyes had dulled, and his golden hair, now thinning and patchy, framed a face gaunt with stress and exhaustion.
His fingers toyed absentmindedly with strands of his hair, pulling at them—a nervous habit that had clearly taken its toll.
As soon as his gaze landed on the group, a flicker of hope sparked in his eyes.
He straightened, his movements quick and frantic, as if the mere sight of them had reignited his energy.
"You're finally here!" he blurted, his voice wavering between anger and relief.
"What took you so long? Don't you know chaos hounds are surrounding this house?"
His outburst startled everyone. He gripped his hair with both hands, tugging at it so vigorously that a few strands fell loose, drifting to the floor.
Nadia, standing at the front of the group, raised her hands in a placating gesture as she stepped forward.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Enzo," she said gently. "We were delayed while searching for a cacodemon in the forest."
Enzo's face twisted with frustration. "Huh?! Didn't that dumbass Kai and Julo tell you there are chaos hounds here? Three of them! They've been circling this house for weeks!"
His hands moved to his head again, scratching furiously, as if the gesture might somehow alleviate his stress.
The holy knights exchanged glances, their heads shaking subtly, a silent message to Nadia.
She frowned but said nothing. There was no trace of darkness nearby.
Darkness, they knew, only revealed itself when a daemon or cacodemon actively used magic or skills.
If they remained still and hidden, the holy knights and clerics would sense nothing. Only when the enemy stood before them could they feel its aura and assess its strength.
Unbeknownst to them, Claude had suppressed his power entirely, and the chaos hounds lay waiting, concealed in the shadows where even the light of the Promised Land couldn't reach.
"I see… I'm sorry, Mr. Enzo," Nadia said gently, her tone steady yet soothing.
"Can you describe the chaos hounds for us?"
Enzo's eyes widened, his face paling as the memory resurfaced.
"They… they came from the shadows," he stammered, his voice trembling.
"As big as this house! Their growls…" He shivered, clutching his arms tightly around himself.
"I can still hear it—clear as day."
He swallowed hard, his voice rising with fear. "Their fangs were long, and their red eyes... It was like they wanted to devour me whole!"
Enzo hugged himself tighter, shaking as though the monsters were still in the room.
Zero leaned closer to Nadia, lowering his voice to a whisper. "That man is losing it, Nadia. Trauma's made him delusional."
His eyes flicked briefly toward Enzo before continuing. "Chaos hounds can't hide in the shadows or grow that big. They're just low-level cacodemons."
He straightened slightly and shook his head, his tone more certain. "We can't trust anything he says. He's not in his right mind."
The group's quiet discussion didn't go unnoticed. Enzo's eyes darted between them, his face twisting with irritation before his patience snapped.
"WHAT ARE YOU WHISPERING ABOUT?!" he roared, his voice cracking with hysteria.
"DON'T YOU BELIEVE ME?"
"Husband, please, calm down," Dalia pleaded, stepping closer to him, her hands trembling as she tried to soothe him.
"Shut up!" Enzo spat, his voice dripping with venom.
"You useless bitch! You've done nothing to help me!" His anger surged, spilling over like a dam breaking.
"Why won't anyone believe me? I see them! The chaos hounds are everywhere, waiting in the shadows to tear me apart!"
His hands shot to his mouth, gnawing on his nails with such ferocity that blood began to bead at his fingertips.
Dalia's face crumpled, silent tears streaking down her cheeks as she whispered, "Enzo…"
Claude clenched his fists at his sides, his teeth grinding. He forced himself to stay composed, but the disgust was evident in his eyes.
If it weren't for the benefits his father received from his work—and the pensions—he might've acted on the dark thoughts swirling in his mind.
Steeling himself, he turned to Nadia. "Sister," he said softly, his voice heavy with sadness, "as you can see, my father is unwell." He looked down, his expression pained.
"None of what he's saying is true. My mother and I have never seen any cacodemons in this house."
His voice cracked slightly as he added, "Please… can you heal his mind? He's suffered enough."
His pleading gaze locked onto hers, and Nadia, unable to refuse the desperation in his eyes, nodded.
She knelt beside Enzo, her voice calm and reassuring. "Mr. Enzo, please lie down. I'll soothe your soul."
At first, Enzo recoiled, shaking his head violently. "There's nothing wrong with my mind!" he barked, his paranoia surging again.
But Dalia knelt beside him, wrapping her arms around her husband.
Her tears soaked into his shoulder as she begged, "Please, husband… just let the cleric help you."
Enzo's resistance faltered. He sighed heavily, his body trembling as he finally lay back on the bed, his eyes fluttering shut.
Nadia stepped closer, extending her hands over his head as she began to chant.
"Goddess of Light, protector of the realm, grant your child freedom from his pain. Soothe his troubled mind and bring him peace."
Golden light radiated from her hands, bathing Enzo's pale face in a soft glow.
His breathing slowed, his body relaxing for the first time in days. Just as the healing completed, his hand shot out, gripping Nadia's wrist with surprising strength.
His lips moved, whispering something so faint only Nadia could hear. Her eyes widened in horror, the golden glow around her hands faltering for a split second.
Then, just as quickly, Enzo released her, his hand falling limp as he drifted into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Claude's eyes narrowed, watching Nadia closely. What the hell did that bastard whisper to her? he wondered, his mind racing.
Her face betrayed nothing as she composed herself, the brief flicker of shock vanishing.
Nadia turned to Dalia and Claude with a gentle smile. "He's fine now," she said softly. "He just needs to rest for a while."
Dalia clasped her hands together, her relief evident. "Thank you, sister. I owe you so much."
"You don't owe me a thing," Nadia replied, her voice polite but firm.
"But don't forget to make a donation to the Everbright Church when you're able."
With that, she turned to Claude, giving him a brief but meaningful glance before leaving the room with her companions.
Claude stood there for a long moment, his thoughts a storm of suspicion and frustration.
He tried to replay the scene in his mind, hoping to uncover the meaning behind the whisper.
But eventually, he pushed it aside, his priorities shifting to the chaos hounds he planned to release near the forest outskirts.
***
Within a week, the holy knights and cleric from the Promised Land managed to eliminate the chaos hounds that had been terrorizing the town.
Their success, however, owed much to Claude, who had hunted another chaos hounds himself and captured all three alive so he could release them on the forest outskirts.
The knights merely delivered the final blow, basking in the glory of the victory.
Afterward, the holy knights departed for the Promised Land, leaving only rumors in their wake.
Among them was the shocking news of Claris's sudden disappearance. She had reportedly fled due to scandal and mounting debt.
The cardinal of the Everbright Church in Euthymia accepted the report without question, especially after one of Claris's closest friends corroborated the story.
But not everyone left the small town.
Nadia stayed behind, much to Claude's frustration.
He couldn't shake the nagging thought that her lingering presence was tied to his father's mysterious whisper.
'Why would she take that crazy man seriously?'
Claude thought irritably as he sat in the living room, a thick tome on magic spells resting in his lap.
His eyes scanned the pages, though his thoughts often wandered.
His father, Enzo, was no longer able to serve as a holy knight due to his trauma. The Church had offered him a position as an administrator—hardly the prestigious role Enzo had once dreamed of.
'Not ideal, but it's fine. The holy knights and clerics here aren't much of a threat anyway,' Claude mused, flipping a page.
'They're weak, careless. I could outmatch them all if I wanted to.'
He leaned back, closing his eyes briefly as thoughts of his future crept into his mind.
Staying in this town forever wasn't an option—not if he wanted to become a dark mage.
But leaving Dalia behind was an entirely different matter.
If only Mother could come with me… it would be a fun journey, he thought wistfully, a small sigh escaping his lips.
Then came the darker thoughts, the ones he tried to push away but couldn't ignore. Would Dalia still love him if she knew the truth?
If she discovered he was a daemon, would she be horrified? Would she abandon him?
'I won't let that happen,' he resolved, clenching his fists tightly.
Suddenly, Dalia's warm voice called out from the dining room, breaking his train of thought.
"Dinner's ready! Come here, Claude. I made your favorite!"
Her cheerful tone melted his tension. A small smile crept onto his face as he closed the book and placed it gently on the table.
"I'm coming!" he called back, his voice lighter now.
Claude strode to the dining room, the scent of his favorite dish filling the air.
As he sat at the table, he found himself smiling even more, his heart full as he looked at the woman who meant everything to him.
This moment—eating a meal cooked with love by the person he cherished most in the world—was enough to make him forget, if only briefly, the darkness brewing within him.
Dalia was his light. And for now, that was all he needed.