As Aster left the village behind, he carved every smiling face into his memory—every look of relief, every breath exhaled in ease at his departure.
This bitter lesson life had given him became something eternal, etched into his mind like an unerasable mark carved into stone.
At that moment, he made a silent vow to himself.
'Never. No matter what happens… I will never forgive them.'
With that promise, he cast one final glance at the village where he had lived—now reduced almost entirely to ashes. Then, carrying the weight of resentment, despair, and pain in his heart, he turned away and began his journey toward the nearest city—Northstat.
As Aster walked, unease lingered in his chest.
Northstat lay a full day's journey from his village, reachable only by passing through a dense forest.
Knowing how long and dangerous the road was, Aster understood he had to reach the city before sunset if at all possible. What the demon had done in the village meant only one thing—the Baskerville demon could come for his soul at any time.
But that wasn't the only thing frightening him.
Traveling through the forest, though the shortest route, was extremely dangerous. Northstat was infamous among adventurers for its high-rank dungeons, many of which lay scattered through nearby woodland.
Understanding this only deepened his anxiety.
Yet despite all the danger, there was one thing that gave him hope—demons could not move freely under sunlight.
Because of that, Aster hurried as much as he could.
He kept walking without rest, even as hunger gnawed at him.
None of the stones thrown at him in the village had caused serious injuries, but the unpleasant ache in every muscle of his body made each step more difficult than the last.
A long time passed since Aster set out.
And yet, there was still no sign of the city.
The sun's light could no longer penetrate the thick canopy of trees, and darkness crept in around him. His unease intensified, stirring his heart into restless turmoil.
That was when he realized—
He wouldn't reach the city today.
Even so, he refused to give up. Whether it was midnight or dawn, he intended to keep going. He stayed close to the road, careful not to stray, knowing that losing the path would mean death.
As he walked, his gaze drifting between the trees, a thought surfaced.
'Is there… a house nearby?'
The answer followed immediately.
Finding even a single human in this forest would be a miracle, let alone a house. This land lay close to neutral territories, filled with deep woods and nearby dungeons frequented by adventurers.
No sane person would choose to live here.
'Strange… If no one wants to live here, then why did my parents move to that village?'
Why indeed?
Aster pondered the question but found no answer.
'I should ask Mom about it…'
The instant the thought crossed his mind, his body froze.
He reached for the pendant hanging around his neck—the one his mother had given him—and grimaced.
"I still… can't get used to this," he muttered in a choked, low voice.
Everything felt like a terrible nightmare.
If he pinched himself right now, he desperately wished he would wake up in his room, with his mother opening the door to wake him as she always had.
He stopped, lifting his hand toward his face—
Then hesitated.
"...I have to keep walking."
This was the bitter truth.
One could wake up from a nightmare.
But there was no escaping harsh reality—only accepting it.
The moon and stars began to appear in the sky. Their pale light filtered through the leaves, faintly illuminating the forest.
Bathed in moonlight, the forest took on an eerie appearance—as though a demon could emerge from anywhere at any moment.
As Aster continued onward, the sense of unease never left his heart—not for a single second.
Then—
A rustling sound came from the bushes.
'What was that?!'
Aster drew his sword and fixed his gaze on the bushes.
The sound drew closer.
The tip of his sword trembled, sweat forming in his palms. Feeling his own fear, Aster swallowed and tightened his grip.
'A wild animal?! Or… a demon?!'
Thoughts rushed through his mind, refusing to let him calm down.
'No matter what it is, I have to strike first.'
Steeling himself amid the chaos in his head, he prepared to attack.
The sound came dangerously close—close enough that whatever it was could appear at any moment.
Aster swung.
Then stopped at the last second.
What emerged was neither a wild beast nor a demon.
'A… puppy?!'
Standing before him was a small dog, its body smeared with blood, dirt, and leaves.
From its appearance, it looked abandoned—like it had barely survived wandering the forest on its own.
It was fundamentally different from the demon dogs that had attacked the village.
Lowering his sword, Aster let out a quiet breath.
'It's in no better shape than I am…'
For a moment, it felt as though two stray creatures were staring at each other.
Aster felt a pang of pity.
"Hey… come here, little guy."
Taking a piece of bread from his bag, he offered it to the puppy.
"Looks like today was bad for both of us. Here."
Holding the bread out, Aster waited. The puppy hesitated, then slowly approached.
'What is a puppy doing in the middle of the forest… at night?'
Unknowingly, his thoughts drifted to demons.
But the puppy's appearance didn't raise suspicion—until he heard it.
Barking.
Aster recognized that sound instantly.
'Demon dogs.'
He lifted his head and turned toward the noise.
In that instant of distraction, the puppy bit his hand.
Pain shot through his palm.
Reflexively, without thinking, Aster struck with his sword.
A wild, unintentional slash grazed the puppy's eye.
Howling in pain, the puppy recoiled and fled.
Aster moved immediately.
Sword in hand, bag slung over his shoulder, he scanned his surroundings.
'I need to get out of here fast. If the demon dogs are here, the demon is too.'
'Running along the road won't help. I need the forest—I can hide there.'
He turned and ran.
The sudden danger, combined with the unfamiliar environment, disoriented him. As he sprinted between trees, his thoughts scattered.
'Is this the right way?! Should I turn?! What's ahead?!'
Every step mattered now.
One mistake could cost him his life.
'Don't think! Just run!'
The road vanished behind him.
The forest grew denser, swallowing even the moonlight. Darkness enveloped everything.
Yet Aster's innate ability allowed him to move even in the dark. Though he couldn't see, he could feel his surroundings and navigate by instinct.
The forest was deathly quiet—
Until the howls of a pack of demon dogs shattered the silence.
Hearing them behind him, Aster quickened his pace.
They were close.
Then suddenly—
Silence.
A terrifying silence, as if the earth itself had swallowed them.
In truth, the dogs had quieted to surround him.
Sensing danger, Aster kept moving.
His escape didn't last long.
Soon his breathing grew ragged. His legs felt like they would give out at any moment.
'If I don't rest soon… I'm done for.'
He slipped behind a tree, dropping his bag, which felt heavier with every second.
Sitting on the ground, he clenched his teeth and forced himself to stay silent.
Not long after—
The demon dogs arrived.
They sniffed the ground, searching for the faint traces he'd left behind.
'Now. I need to run.'
He tried to stand—
But froze.
Cold sweat poured down his body. His eyes widened as he swallowed hard.
Among the dogs, he sensed it.
A demon dressed like a nobleman.
Bloodlust radiated from it—so intense it made clear how badly it wanted to kill.
As Aster stood frozen, one of the dogs sensed him.
He wasn't the only one.
"I know you're listening. There's no point in running. You'll fall into my hands… just like your mother."
Aster sank back to the ground.
He could still run.
But something forced him to stay.
The Baskerville demon scanned the area, then continued.
"Do you know what happened after you ran and abandoned your mother? She screamed endlessly, calling your name, begging for your help. But you never came."
"Did you really think a weak, useless, heartless son like you could save anyone?"
Aster felt hatred rise within him.
But not toward the demon.
Toward himself.
"Your mother suffered in my hands, and you didn't even try to help her. You just watched as she died in agony. You weren't even worthy of hearing her final voice."
The memory of the river ignited a storm inside him.
'If I hadn't existed… she might still be alive!'
That thought spun endlessly at the center of his mind.
"A son so trusted by his mother… running away and leaving her behind. How much pain do you think that caused her heart? No—how completely it must have shattered it."
The demon paused, his sharp gaze sweeping the area.
Then he spoke again.
"And now… you don't even have the courage to face your mother's killer."
"Coward."
At that moment, one of the demon dogs located Aster's hiding place.
Seeing this, the Baskerville demon began walking toward him.