As soon as the girls finished signing the contract, Asher crossed his arms and asked, "Can you two understand me now?" The two girls exchanged surprised glances, clearly taken aback by their sudden comprehension of his words. Nervously, they nodded their heads.
Asher nodded, a satisfied look on his face.
Grace, sensing the girls' apprehension, spoke to them in a gentle tone, "Don't worry, Emiko, Yui. Asher is your Master now. You'll be fine as long as you follow his rules and do what he asks."
The girls nodded softly, acknowledging her words, feeling reassured. Even if they knew Grace was demonized, they couldn't help but feel safe and warm in her presence.
Grace then gestured towards the door, "Now, go and eat the food I've bought for you in the kitchen hall. It's right ahead. I'm sure you two must be famished."
Emiko and Yui's eyes filled with tears as they deeply bowed, gratefully saying, "T-Thank you, Aunty Grace."
They then hurried off to the hall to find their meal. They felt as if it had been a long time since they had eaten a proper meal.
Watching them leave, Asher turned to Grace and asked, "So you're okay with them calling you 'Aunty'? I thought you'd prefer being called 'Senior Grace.'"
Grace shrugged, a faint smile on her face, "I've gotten used to people calling me 'Aunty.' It's a more approachable title than 'Senior Grace,' don't you think?"
"Fair enough. Now give me the laptop. I just have to look up one thing, and then I will be returning back to my world," Asher said, making Grace wonder what was so urgent for him to search for something on the internet.
However, she didn't ask anything about it and nodded, "I will go and grab it for you. But meanwhile, why don't you take a look around this warehouse and see if everything is to your liking. I am open to any suggestions," Grace suggested with a smile as she walked out of the cellar.
Asher agreed to Grace's suggestion and began exploring the warehouse, taking in the size and layout of the hideout.
It was apparent that Grace's family had once operated a thriving business.
The warehouse featured living quarters for employees, a training room for Hunters, a storage room stocked with both old, mundane, and magical supplies, an infirmary with dusty medical equipment, and even a library for relaxation and reading. The place felt more like a grand old mansion than a simple warehouse.
This revelation prompted Asher to wonder just how affluent the Eleanor family had been to possess such an opulent warehouse.
Grace had mentioned that she kept the warehouse due to its sentimental value since it was the first one her parents had built. It also didn't have much resale value due to how this town didn't fare well after the warehouse shutdown.
After his brief tour, Asher entered the meeting room, where Grace was waiting for him with the laptop. Dust motes danced in the slivers of moonlight that seeped through the partially closed blinds, casting an eerie glow on the old wooden table.
Grace looked up and informed him, "I haven't set up the Wi-Fi yet, but I have an internet card that will give you 24 hours of access."
She then glanced around the room, her eyes lingering on the layers of dust and the signs of age that adorned the warehouse, "This place is very dusty and old. I'll start making preparations to fix up the warehouse and check on the girls."
Asher nodded, "Hmm, I'll let you know when I am done."
Grace walked out of the room while Asher, with anticipation in his eyes, opened the laptop, and the dim glow of the screen illuminated his face.
Asher curved his lips as he first decided to look up how Derek's daughter, Rachel, was doing.
As he browsed through various articles, he found several that featured Rachel.
In them, she sorrowfully announced the tragic loss of her entire squad during an ill-fated quest against demons.
With a heavy heart, she admitted her guilt at being the sole survivor and expressed her profound regret for letting her comrades down. But she also vowed that she wouldn't let their sacrifices be in vain, promising to exact vengeance on the one responsible for their deaths.
Reading these articles, Asher couldn't help but laugh, recognizing the veiled threat directed at him. He scoffed at the public's reaction to Rachel's words, noting how they were moved by her "heroic spirit" and felt sympathy for her plight. They admired her apparent humility and considered her a paragon of virtue, partly due to her lineage as the daughter of the strongest hunter.
Asher mumbled in a mocking tone, "Like father, like daughter, huh? Both so skilled at fooling the masses." He continued, his voice dripping with disdain, "If you were truly virtuous, why wouldn't you reveal the truth about what happened?"
He shook his head as he knew, in the end, she cared more about her pride and social standing than the lives of some nobody hunters.
Asher's eyes were filled with contempt as he stared at the articles, reflecting on the twisted nature of people and the facades they wore to deceive others.
Still, he wanted to thank her for hiding the truth from her father as well despite being a daddy's girl. His eyes glinted coldly as he thought about the future.
He then felt he had read enough about Rachel and decided to look up the person he resented with every inch of his soul.
His eyes shook with restlessness as his thoughts were consumed with looking up information on Aira.
Asher's fingers flew across the keyboard as he delved into the depths of the internet, searching for any information on Aira. He was determined to discover her current whereabouts and what she was doing with her life.
To his frustration, the most recent and legit articles about Aira dated back almost a year. Those articles detailed her shocking resignation as a Hunter, leaving the Evangeline Family at a loss.
Aira's sudden decision had taken the world by storm, as losing an S-rank Hunter so early in their career was a tremendous blow to the planet's defenses. S-rank Hunters were regarded as pillars of strength and protection, especially someone as powerful as her and losing one meant significantly weakening that support system.
Still, they seemed hopeful that she would return if the world needed her again.
Further articles revealed that Aira had gone off the radar, her whereabouts unknown.
Asher's confusion and bafflement grew with each new piece of information he encountered. It just didn't make sense.
The internet was rife with theories and rumors speculating on the reasons behind her retirement.
Some claimed she had lost face after her boyfriend was revealed to be a corrupted one and thus felt like she had to step down to save some face for her family, considering how the Evangeline Family was among the top 3 strongest families in the world.
Some suggested she had achieved enough fame and fortune by helping to defeat the demon king and her corrupted ex. As an S-rank Hunter, retirement seemed like a wise choice for her.
Asher didn't buy any of these theories, especially the first one, since he knew what kind of people her parents were. They would never let her resign, even if the world crumbles.
His anger surged with each passing moment as he mumbled under his breath, "What are you up to, Aira? What are you hiding from?"
He clenched his fists and, with fierce determination, vowed in a low voice, "I will find you, Aira. No matter which corner of the world you run to and hide in, I will find you and make you face what you did. Nobody can hide from their past…not even you."
The dim light from the laptop screen reflected in Asher's eyes, revealing his burning determination before closing it down.
…
Asher was about to leave when Grace stopped him, asking, "So, will you be coming back soon?" Grace was hoping to die before he returns.
She felt he didn't have enough resources to keep her alive for long, and based on his last name, 'Enren,' she assumed he came from a small, unknown demon family. She would have known if he was coming from powerful origins, based on his name.
Asher responded with a shrug, "I don't know, but stay sharp and ready. I'll summon you whenever I need you. Oh, and train those two girls for future quests."
Grace chuckled and said confidently, "Leave it to me. By the way, any chance of a life crystal allowance for me to enjoy my youth from time to time? I know I might seem a bit greedy, but youth can tempt even a saint," Grace asked to test her theory about whether he was really wealthy or not.
Asher smirked, "I'll think about it. Right now, I'm not exactly swimming in riches."
Grace let out a disappointed sigh, but her eyes relaxed upon hearing his words.
As Asher prepared to leave, he noticed Yui and Emiko peeking from the corridor, trying to hide. He shook his head inwardly, amused by their efforts.
Yui blinked her eyes and tugged at Emiko's finger, whispering, "Do you think we'll really be alright?"
Emiko squinted and whispered, "I don't know, but for some reason, I believe in Aunty Grace. She was kind enough to save our lives even if she didn't have to. And she said nothing bad would happen to us as long as we follow the rules, so I guess we'll be fine. Things seem better than back home, at least. I would never want to return there, and I know you feel the same too."
Yui took a deep breath as she lowered her head, knowing she was right. However, her eyes had an inner light, deciding to remain hopeful.
Suddenly, both girls' brows raised in surprise as they heard and witnessed the doll suddenly fall lifelessly on the table. They wondered if the demon had left and felt relieved.
But they were even more surprised to see Grace slowly aging before their eyes, her hair turning white and her body thinning. They had never seen such a beautiful woman turning old so quickly. Was the demon that evil to do this to her?
Concerned, Yui stepped forward and softly asked with her hands squeezing together, "Aunty Grace, are you alright?"
Grace turned to face them and softly chuckled, "Oh, this? It's normal, dear. I'm actually 90 years old. The demon's power temporarily allowed me to be young."
The girls were taken aback, not expecting Grace to be so old.
Still, even after she turned old, they felt she looked more like she was in her early sixties and still looked quite graceful and healthy despite her age.
Little did they know, Grace had a silent agreement with Asher to maintain her physical age around 75, so she could move around easily. In return, Asher wouldn't have to use too many life crystals on her.
—
Elsewhere,
It was evening when in the largest mansion of the Stan Family, a man in his early forties with a slim build, average height, and good looks emerged from a steamy bathroom, filled with naked women who lounged in the water, giggling and gossiping amongst themselves.
His loosened robe hung off his shoulders as he casually walked through the opulent room with a quirky smile. The scent of expensive perfume lingered in the air, mixing with the intoxicating aroma of his latest indulgence.
His piercing gray eyes held an intensity that could unsettle even the most seasoned of Hunters, a testament to the cunning and ruthlessness that had earned him his position.
With a flourish, Lenny donned a luxurious robe, the silk fabric gliding over his skin as he tied the sash around his waist.
His skin, although flawless and unblemished, was pallid, a contrast to the richly-colored silk robe that adorned his body. The robe, embroidered with intricate patterns and embellished with gold thread, was a symbol of his wealth and status, a visual reminder of the opulence in which he lived.
He poured himself a glass of aged whiskey from a crystal decanter, the amber liquid shimmering in the dimly lit room. His body moved in rhythm to the sound of the music playing in the room, trying to imitate some dance moves with the glass in his hands.
As he raised the glass to his lips, savoring the first sip of the smooth, smoky liquor, a knock on the door interrupted his hedonistic reverie.
"What the fuck is it?" Lenny asked, his voice tinged with annoyance at the disturbance.
The door opened, revealing Lenny's butler with a grave expression etched on his face. "Sir, I regret to inform you that Sir Samuel is dead," he announced, his voice laden with concern.
Lenny's eyes widened in shock as he gulped down the whiskey in his glass. The fiery liquid burned his throat, "What?!" he roared and asked with a quivering gaze, "Nothing got out, right?" Lenny knew Samuel was handling a sensitive deal, and he was greatly concerned about it.
The butler nodded confidently and said, "We took care of it at the right time, and we can put out the reason behind Sir Samuel's death in any way you want. But there are 2 girls missing. They must have escaped somehow."
Lenny clicked his tongue with a frustrated look and said, "Those two won't last out there on their own. They also know nothing. As for Samuel's death, I will handle it."
Lenny's expression relaxed, but then he focused on the next important matter, "But tell me, who was dumb and foolish enough to kill Samuel?" Lenny felt that only someone powerful could kill Samuel. But how could someone that powerful be this stupid to kill him with no provocation?
As far as he knew Samuel didn't have any enemies that were that daring and ignorant.
Samuel was his most trusted aide and like his right-hand man. Losing him meant a great deal to Lenny, who still couldn't believe who would be so stupid and foolish to kill him. It was so hard to have someone so capable and loyal like Samuel by his side.
The butler hesitated for a moment before replying, "We don't know the exact identity of the killer yet, Sir. But we do know it was the doing of some cult."
Lenny mumbled with a seething look, "Make sure you find out which worthless cult did this. But whoever is running this cult and every member in that cult has just signed their death warrant. Nobody crosses me and gets away with it," Lenny curved his lips as he crushed the glass in his hand.
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