It was past midnight.
The old train station was drowned in silence. Only the cold wind and the occasional screech of metal from the distant tracks disturbed the stillness of the night. Outside a small dhaba built inside the station, Leo, Ray, and Chris had just finished their meal at an old wooden table.
Empty plates and half-filled steel glasses rested beneath the dim yellow lantern hanging above them. Its weak light cast tired shadows across their faces. Ray leaned back in his chair with a long sigh while Leo silently stared toward the deserted platform.
Chris, however, remained completely calm.
After a few moments, he quietly stood up from his seat. The wooden chair scraped against the floor with a low creak. Reaching into the pocket , he pulled out a few coins and gently placed them on the table.
The old owner of the dhaba watched them silently.
Chris glanced once toward the dark corridor of the station before walking away without another word. Leo and Ray followed behind him as the three slowly headed toward the station's exit gate.
"Hurry up," Chris said in a low voice. "If we get any later, we won't find a place to stay."
Hearing that, their footsteps quickened.
But the moment they stepped outside the station, all three of them stopped.
The entire capital of Greyrock was alive.
The streets were crowded with people even at this hour of the night. Lanterns glowed outside countless small shops while vendors shouted from every corner. The smell of roasted meat and hot spices drifted through the freezing air.
Ray looked at Chris in surprise.
"You said the town would be empty by now."
Chris slowly scanned the lively streets.
"I didn't expect Morveth's capital to be this crowded at midnight."
The three of them continued walking through the busy streets before eventually reaching the outer area of the town. After some time, they stopped in front of an old resting house.
The building looked old. Cracks covered the walls, and the faded wooden sign above the entrance swung slowly with the cold wind. A weak lantern hanging near the door barely illuminated the entrance.
"We're staying here?" Leo asked doubtfully.
Chris nodded calmly.
"This place is far from the center of town… and perfect for hiding."
Leo and Ray silently agreed before following him inside.
The interior looked even older than the outside. Every step on the wooden floor produced creaking noises. Dust lingered in the cold air, and several old picture frames hung crookedly on the walls. In one corner stood a dead fireplace that had clearly not been used for years.
Suddenly, an old man slowly emerged from the corridor ahead of them. He could barely stand upright and relied heavily on a wooden stick as he walked.
The moment he saw them, he quickly called out for someone.
A few seconds later, an old woman stepped out from another room. She wore a worn apron, and exhaustion could clearly be seen on her face.
"Are you here for a room?" she asked politely.
Chris nodded.
"For how many days?" she asked again.
"To be honest, we don't know yet," Chris replied calmly. "We'll pay everything when we leave."
The old woman wiped her hands against her apron and seemed to think for a moment—
But suddenly, the old man behind her spoke angrily.
"No! You'll pay first. Too many people stayed here and left without paying."
The moment he finished speaking, he began coughing violently. His wife immediately rushed to support him.
"Please calm down," she said softly.
Then she looked toward Chris and smiled faintly.
"I don't think these boys are bad people. Besides…" her eyes moved toward Chris's cloak, "…he's wearing a Division Captain's cloak."
Before the old man could argue further, Chris stepped forward.
"It's fine," he said calmly. "We'll pay now."
He pulled six gold coins from his pocket and handed them to the old woman.
"I'll pay for the food later."
The old woman gave the coins to her husband before speaking again.
"Please wait here for a moment."
She guided her husband into a nearby room and returned shortly afterward.
"Follow me."
The three followed her toward the end of the hall where an old wooden staircase led upstairs. Every step groaned loudly beneath their weight. Once upstairs, the old woman stopped before a room on the right side. She pulled out an old key and unlocked the door.
"This will be your room."
The room was larger than average, though old and partially damaged. The paint on the walls had peeled away, and cracks spread through the corners. A large double bed rested on one side while a smaller single bed stood opposite to it.
Near the wall was a large old window stained by years of rain and dust. Through the glass, the distant yellow lights of Greyrock could still be seen glowing beneath the night sky.
"We'll take it," Chris said.
The old woman handed him the key with an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry about my husband's behavior. Many people have betrayed us before… so we don't trust strangers easily anymore."
Chris gave a small nod.
"It's understandable."
The old woman quietly left the room.
As soon as the door closed, Chris turned toward Leo and Ray.
"Get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, I'll explain what we need to do."
The moment all three lay down on their beds, exhaustion consumed them completely. It almost looked as if they had melted into the bed
And then…
Morning arrived.
Golden sunlight streamed through the window into the room while the distant sounds of Greyrock slowly echoed outside.
Leo and Ray had already woken up and were sitting on their beds, staring toward Chris.
"So… what now?" Ray asked while rubbing his sleepy eyes.
Chris stood near the window, quietly looking outside.
"First, we need to meet the Captain of the 9th Division," he said calmly. "But we'll only tell them about the cult… not the demons."
Leo frowned slightly.
"Why?"
"Because if news about demons reaches the normal citizens," Chris replied seriously, "panic will spread through Greyrock like wildfire."
The room fell silent.
"After that," Chris continued, "our next goal is to find the cult's base. If they came here for the Blessed Child… then there's no way they're staying in a normal person. They definitely have a hidden base somewhere in this city."
Leo and Ray were now fully awake.
"And lastly…" Chris's voice became heavier, "…we need to protect Felix Ward's mother and his unborn sibling."
The two exchanged uneasy glances.
Suddenly, Chris fell silent for a moment.
The words of the cultist from the previous night echoed in his mind.
"No…" he muttered quietly to himself. "Those cultists could attack these two as well…"
"What?" Ray asked immediately. "Did you say something?"
Chris looked toward them.
"You two are staying with me at all times. Wherever we go… we go together."
Both Leo and Ray silently agreed.
Then—
Knock… Knock…
A soft knocking came from the wooden door.
"Come in," Chris called out.
The door slowly opened, and the same old woman stepped inside carrying a wooden tray filled with warm food. A gentle smile rested on her face.
"I brought breakfast for you three."
Chris gave her a small smile.
"Thank you."
She placed the tray on the small wooden table near the beds.
"Eat well," she said kindly.
This time, Leo and Ray also thanked her politely, making the smile on her face grow even brighter.
After she left, Leo and Ray washed their faces before the three sat together and began eating.
Then suddenly, Chris looked toward Leo.
"Leo… stop carrying your katana openly everywhere."
Leo glanced toward the katana beside him.
"And what if a fight starts?"
Chris thought for a few seconds.
"I have an idea."
He calmly pointed upward.
"Throw your katana into the air."
Leo froze mid-bite.
"If I throw it upward," he said seriously, "it's just going to fall on our heads."
Ray nearly burst into laughter.
Chris simply smiled.
"Just try it."
Without asking more questions, Leo tossed the katana upward.
The weapon spun through the air before beginning to fall—
But suddenly, Chris raised one hand.
A glowing magic circle appeared above his palm, and in the next second, the katana was pulled directly into it and vanished completely.
The room instantly fell silent.
Leo and Ray stared at him in complete shock.
"What was THAT?!" Leo shouted.
"How did you do that?" Ray asked in disbelief.
Chris laughed softly and raised his hand, showing them the ring on his finger.
"This."
A golden ring with a red ruby embedded into it rested on his finger.
"It's a storage ring," Chris explained. "It lets me carry extra items."
Leo stared at the ring in amazement.
"But…" Chris added casually, "…these things are extremely expensive."
"How expensive?" Leo immediately asked.
Chris answered casually—
"Fifty gold coins… and one platinum coin."
Leo nearly spat out all his food.
"THAT EXPENSIVE?!"
Chris and Ray both looked at him.
Ray sighed tiredly.
"Don't tell me you don't even know basic currency."
Leo awkwardly shook his head.
Ray began explaining.
"First comes silver coins. Fifty silver coins equal one gold coin… and one hundred gold coins equal one platinum coin."
Hearing that, Leo's face completely froze.
"One platinum coin…" he muttered slowly, "…this ring is insanely expensive…"
Chris chuckled before standing up from his chair.
"Alright, enough talking."
He picked up his cloak and walked toward the door.
"Let's go do what we came here for."
The three of them stood up, opened the wooden door, and stepped outside.
The door slowly closed behind them.