In a strange twist of fate, Leo was back home, and so were the other two he had met in the dark alley. He did not know their names, but they were in his living room, watching the music show he liked.
Although he missed the opening ceremony where his favorite singer performed, Leo enjoyed the rest of the show. He told himself he would watch the opening later on social media.
Since Leo did not live alone, his family was surprised to see those two strangers. His mother kept glancing at the woman called Yvonne, who had told her she needed to keep an eye on Leo.
That sounded ambiguous, and Leo's mother did not know what to think. She hoped her son had finally found a girlfriend. Someone as beautiful as Yvonne was more than welcome in their family.
As for the man, his name was Zeke, and no one knew why he was here. Leo's family sent him puzzled looks, which made him fume inside.
Your son became a dullahan! If he loses control over his identity, he will kill you! Stop looking at me this way! Lady Yvonne, why are we even here?! Why did we not take him to the office?
He threw curt glances at Yvonne, his superior, but she ignored him. Zeke grew more frustrated by the second.
Two hours later…
"Music is truly humanity's salvation!" Leo exclaimed.
Music had saved him so many times. He could listen to any genre at any moment and enjoy it.
Even now, his favorite show helped him forget what had happened in the dark alley. He might have turned into a dullahan, but he did not feel different from when he was human.
He still felt hungry, and normal food satisfied him. He also yawned and felt mentally tired, so sleep would not be a problem.
When some singers wore sexy outfits, his little spear twitched a few times, so as far as his humanity went, everything seemed fine.
"Excuse me, but could you leave us alone?" Yvonne asked.
Leo's parents nodded. They stood up and glanced at Zeke, who glared back at them. They left the living room to the three.
"Hey. If you scare my mom and dad like that again, I'll punch your annoying face," Leo said. "They're normal people and more confused than I am. And it's their house. Show them some respect or leave. I can show you where the door is if you don't remember."
His words made Zeke jump from the chair.
"You're no longer human!" Zeke yelled. "You don't have the same privileges! Your stupidity caused you to die and become a dullahan! If anyone disrespected your parents, it's you! You didn't treasure your life and walked into that alley like an idiot!"
Leo snorted. "If heroes were more competent, there wouldn't be so many dangers lurking around. Maybe this city would be safe. But no, you only show up when everything is done. Where were you when I needed you?!"
"I'm not a hero!" Zeke barked.
"Then who the hell are you?!" Leo barked back.
Yvonne spoke in a calm, formal tone. "We are hunters. Our priority is hunting down villains and anyone else who abuses their power and endangers humanity."
Heroes protected humans, while hunters caught or killed threats. This organization was unknown to most people, because their methods were often cruel and came from older eras.
"It is true that we have been less capable lately," Yvonne said. "The number of dullahans has risen significantly, and we rarely catch them in the act. In the last few months, we have expanded our manpower and worked with heroes to cover more areas, but it is not enough. We do not have the means to find them before they strike."
Leo and Zeke both calmed down, giving each other a curt look before looking away.
In the end, Leo did not know what these hunters would do with him. He wanted to live as before, but he knew that was impossible. He had no choice but to wait for their judgment.
Wait… I can obviously influence them. There's a reason they didn't kill me, and it's Yvonne. She must want to try something else, because all their methods fell short.
"I know a bit about dullahans," Leo said, looking at Yvonne. "When they become dullahans, their heads last from three to seven days. Stronger dullahans can keep them longer. Then they lose their heads and need a new one, or they'll die in three days."
Zeke scoffed. "We know that already. You think we've been hunting them for a week?"
Leo clicked his tongue.
Yvonne said, "This knowledge came to you upon your transformation. You will likely learn more when you grow stronger."
Zeke felt a chill go down his spine and had a bad premonition.
Yvonne continued, "I will watch you for a week and see if you lose your head."
"Lady Yvonne! I knew you would say that!" Zeke gasped. "Wait, you mean you will watch him yourself?"
Yvonne nodded. "Yes. Leo, you are going to live with me from now on."