Disarray

Guards surged forward, seizing Noah. Rocher rose swiftly, placing herself between Count Rayne and Noah.

"Leave," she said softly.

Noah, feeling a surge of anger, attempted to lunge towards Rayne but was held back by the guards, and Rocher blocked his view. He felt insulted, for the first time in his life experiencing such displeasure.

"Throw him out!" Rayne bellowed, "And don't come back without money!"

"I protected this city!" Noah shouted back.

"Don't overestimate your importance," the young man at Rayne's side chided. "My father has forgiven your impertinence this time, but there may not be a next."

Someday you'll regret this, Noah thought bitterly, his anger smoldering within.

Rocher pressed against Noah's chest, pushing him towards the door, making it difficult for him to direct his anger towards her indifferent face. Reluctantly, he returned to the corridor. She closed the door with her foot.

"You should leave," Rocher dismissed the guards.

"Is this fair?" Noah spat, frustration boiling within him. "I inherit a debt that isn't mine, and now my deserved bounty is gone."

"What's the point?" Rocher gazed into Noah's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"If you've inherited the Hunters' Temple, undoubtedly you must accept all that comes with it—the glory and the stains. All things in this world carry a sacred history as well as unspeakable pasts. Do you not think that everything in this world is without blemish?"

"You're right," Noah conceded.

"As for the bounty, you must understand, substantial as it is, repaying the loan must take precedence. Consider, a loan of 200 gold coins at a five percent rate amounts to 10 gold a month, and for 100 gold, 5 gold monthly. Though you've received nothing now, in the long run, it saves expenses."

"We only borrowed fifty gold coins."

"Master Frederick likely couldn't have foreseen this moment."

Frederick couldn't have known? He was aware the debt was mounting, and that's why he was desperate, gathering all eight hunters—even including me, the greenhorn, to ensure the slaying of Gladius, to bring as many assets as possible. The Blade Demon, a demon lord, could be traded for many favors if killed or captured. Only, Oliver's betrayal, siding with the demon, led to a total collapse.

This recollection tangled Noah's thoughts.

Rocher untied a pouch from her waist, spilling a handful of gold coins into her palm and offering them to Noah.

"This is?" Noah was surprised.

"Please accept this. On my part, you eliminated the winged demon, allowing me to fulfill Lord Rayne's mission and avenge my fallen soldiers. It is a token of my gratitude; on your part, this sum can be used to refurbish the Hunters' Temple and fulfill your duties."

"I can't accept it," Noah shook his head.

"The money has been offered; refusing would only shame me," Rocher insisted.

"I'll repay you," Noah accepted the gold.

"There's no need for repayment," Rocher declined, "If you would grace Grim Keep with a visit, I would be most honored."

"Certainly," Noah felt a surge of happiness.

"Seeing the worry smoothed from your brow satisfies me," Rocher said with kindness, though her expression remained stoic. She bowed elegantly to Noah and departed.

Smoothed away? Noah sighed, still feeling lost.

Leaning against the wall, he pondered ways to make money. Without funds, every step was a struggle, let alone hunting demons or simply surviving.

"Witnessing this scene, I'm tempted to compose a couplet to commemorate your quandary," Gladius commented offhandedly.

"How dare you? You said the Earl was frightened, but he was utterly unfazed," Noah retorted internally.

"That's because you went off-script, changing my words—my talent for deceiving mortals is unmatched," Gladius protested.

"What? I conveyed your meaning, no matter the wording," Noah argued with the demon.

"Given another chance, he would waver."

"But there is no second chance. We're done here. We have to return to the Hunters' Temple now," Noah sighed.

"Don't rush," Gladius muttered, "I think I know why he felt so confident."

"Why didn't you say earlier?"

"I needed time to confirm," Gladius explained, "In my current state, it's not easy to investigate externally; I rely on your sight and intuition. I sense something alluring and repulsive within this castle, a mysterious source of power."

"Like what?"

"Perhaps a gem brimming with endless energy or an ancient artifact long buried. Who knows? But it seems to be incompatible with our kind."

"Something uniquely threatening to demons," Noah pondered.

"It's likely that 'thing' gives the noble the gall to oppress you because even without you, he has a way to counter demons... You need to see what it is."

This piqued Noah's interest.

"Where is it?"

"Follow my directions. Go forward, down the staircase, take the corridor on your left to the end, switch staircases..."

Noah navigated the corridors, guided by Gladius, wandering the castle in which he occasionally felt lost. The castle was vast; within minutes, he was disoriented.

The stone corridors looked similar, each section distinctly purposed. In meditation and penance chambers, shrines stood; in the servants' dining room, plain-clothed chatterers; in the tutor's classroom, children studied; there were even dedicated hunting gear storerooms and woodworking rooms for leisure. There were several parlors of varying size, likely for nobles to receive guests of different ranks.

But what intrigued him most was the heart of the castle—a fleeting glimpse of a grand hall, with ceilings so high the ground level seemed at the third floor, chandeliers floating majestically with candles numbering more than thirty-six each, and a long stone table capable of seating a hundred, though chairs were absent as if the Earl never used this hall.

All this Noah left behind, heading towards the most secluded part of the castle on Gladius's guidance—a side tower, desolate and silent as if uninhabited. He tread lightly up the spiral staircase, his steps naturally fading on the stone.

Reaching the top, he was weary; the door to the topmost room was locked. He pressed his ear against the door, listening for any movement within. Soon, he was certain it was empty, eerily silent.

"Are you sure it's in there?"

"Yes, yes, that thing I despise and crave is inside..." Gladius's voice was greedy, "Steal it, bring it to me."

"I won't steal for you."

"What? We're as close as limbs, and yet you refuse even this trivial plea. How disappointing."

At that moment, footsteps echoed from below; someone was ascending towards the tower top.

Someone's coming... Panic struck Noah. He stood at the room, clearly an intruder without a valid reason. How could he explain his presence to whoever approached? He couldn't just say he sensed a hidden treasure and had to see it at any cost.

"Hide inside, hide! There's enough space, you can slip in and out soundlessly," Gladius tempted.

"How do I get in? The door is locked."

"I've seen Oliver's memory, I know how his teleportation spell works, do you want to learn it?" Gladius whispered.

A new spell! Noah vividly remembered Oliver's teleportation ability—moving like a shadow, slipping into invisibility, gliding across the ground, overcoming all obstacles, reappearing hundreds of meters away in the blink of an eye. The power of this spell excited Noah.

"Teach me," said Noah.

"What? You're terrible. I see your thoughts—you plan to 'trick Gladius into teaching the teleportation spell, then not go in because I dislike stealing.' Look at you, so sly."

"If you can read my thoughts, it can't be a trick."

"No, it's still a clear fraud. But I'll still teach you the teleportation spell. Why? Because I'm sincerely fond of you."

"I could refuse."

"But you always listen to me. 'The Flowing Shadows,'" Gladius recited the mystical hunter spell to Noah.

Noah's heart raced with nerves, "The Flowing Shadows," the secret of the teleportation spell. He had seen how Oliver moved, casting shadows that swirled on the ground, bypassing barriers, reappearing far away. The potency of the spell thrilled Noah.

"Exciting, isn't it! Use the spell and sneak inside," Gladius encouraged, "But be careful—"

Noah focused on the sealed wooden door and whispered, "The Flowing Shadows."

Instantly, his form sank into the ground, turning into a shadow—flowing like water, swiftly down the stairs. Before he could grasp what was happening, his vision swirled in disorienting changes, his mind a whirlpool.

He wasn't ascending but descending.

Break out—leave this form—Noah struggled with the thought, the same way he extinguished the Aphen flames.

Agony split his head as the twisting sights snapped back into balanced light and color. Though dizzy, he saw an old man in a black cloak eyeing Noah carefully.

"Didn't break anything, did you?" he asked kindly.

"No, no... I am quite alright..." Noah stuttered.

"Good you're not broken. Head up, child," the old man pointed towards the top room, smiling oddly, "Since you wanted to enter my tower, go in and have your fill before leaving."

A chill ran through Noah; Gladius went silent.