Hunter’s Blade

C40 – Hunter’s Daughter

There came a knock from outside, leaving Shire wondering who might be seeking entry to Hunter Palace at this hour. The weather outside was gloomy, and the temperature had been steadily dropping, making it an unlikely time for visitors. It was still the waning days of the Frost Moon, and the Silent Moon was fast approaching.

Gradiu manipulated the malevolent particles in the atmosphere, causing them to descend and engulf the intruders, effectively erasing them from sight.

Walking through the disheveled side corridor of the Holy Church, Shire approached the autumn guests gathered outside the entrance and inquired, “May I inquire who is calling?”

“I am Inese from Rain Bay,” a woman’s voice replied, “I have come in search of Master Frederick.”

“He met his demise during an operation,” Shire said with a tinge of sorrow. It was Waren who had taken his life.

“Oh,” the woman responded, clearly taken aback.

“I have assumed leadership of the Holy Church,” Shire declared. “Please share your purpose for being here.”

“I’ve come to collect my father’s belongings. And who might you be?” she inquired.

“I am Shire Grani,” Shire contemplated which title to employ, “a disciple of Etienne, the successor to Hunter Palace, the bearer of the silver key, and a Devil Hunter.”

“You are Etienne’s disciple? Please open the door for me.”

“Why?” Shire felt strange.

“Because he is my father.”

Shire was taken aback. To his surprise, Etienne had a child, a fact he had never shared with Shire before. This revelation left Shire wondering about Etienne’s parenting skills, as he had never witnessed any communication or financial support towards this child. Over the past year, the seasoned hunter had accompanied Shire in the Roman countryside, seemingly detached from family matters.

He cautiously created an opening from the inside and readied himself with a knife, anticipating a potential surprise attack. Peering through the crack in the door, he spotted a woman in her twenties. Her dark reddish-brown hair framed her strikingly large, greyish-green eyes, and her sharp eyebrows accentuated her features. She possessed full lips and fair skin, dressed in leather armor and a short grey cloak, with a sword and crossbow on her back. Her stature and poise suggested the demeanor of a skilled warrior. It was increasingly likely that she was, indeed, Etienne’s daughter.

“Inese of Rain Bay,” Shire called her by name and welcomed her inside.

“Has this place recently suffered a robbery?” Inese surveyed the surroundings and commented, “I’d heard that Gray Tree Hall Holy Church was a grand and opulent location, adorned with statues, gold and silver ornaments, hanging paintings, and drapes. However, the reality seems less than promising.”

“It used to be splendid,” Shire lamented, “and that’s precisely why it’s become a target for thieves. When we were out on a journey, the burglars seized the opportunity to break in.”

“I must have picked an inopportune moment, then.” Inese gently ran her hand across the damaged door table. “But with my father gone, I shouldn’t have expected things to go smoothly.”

“How did you come to know about Mr. Etienne’s passing?”

“He left a talisman for my mother. If we were ever in danger, we were to break the talisman, and he would return. If the talisman shattered on its own without our intervention, that would signify his demise.”

“Your mother is?”

Inese furrowed her brow and said, “He was a woman undeserving of Etienne. Tell me, how did he meet his end?”

The response came with solemnity, “He gave up his life to vanquish the devil.”

Inese nodded thoughtfully, remarking, “That does make sense. It’s been many years since he last visited us. If he’s truly fighting against the devil, I can find it in my heart to forgive him.”

Shire, her gaze moving up and down, sized Inese up and inquired, “Are you a Devil Hunter too? Your stature is impressive, and that leather armor contours beautifully. Do you also pursue the same calling?”

Gradiu, with a tone of admonishment, chimed in, “You should assess her skills, the tools she carries, and her attentiveness, not just her appearance. Look at the equipment she bears, not just her physique!”

Regret tinged Shire’s voice as he admitted, “I apologize for my earlier judgment.”

Inese observed Shire’s change of expression and nonchalantly explained, “I’m not a Devil Hunter. Did you notice my sword and crossbow? I aspire to become a skilled warrior and protect my family. I’ll never seek help from Etienne in my life.”

Shire reached into his backpack and pulled out a magical rope, stating, “This is the only thing that remains of Master Etienne’s belongings.”

“Yes.”

Then he asked, “Are you not going to accept it?” Shire handed it over.

Inese was a little surprised.

“What? You want to give it to me?”

“Didn’t you come to get the relic?”

Inese hesitated before admitting, “Yes, I am. But didn’t this treasure come into your possession? I thought you intended to keep it for yourself.”

Shire responded with a selfless gesture, “If I claimed it for myself, Miss Inese would leave empty-handed.”

Inese’s lips curled into a sly smile as she teased, “Oh, you, unexpectedly showing your good side. Are you giving me this precious item out of sincerity, or is there an ulterior motive?”

Gradiu couldn’t resist interjecting, “She doubts your sincerity!” He then added with a hint of jest, “But don’t worry, I can vouch for you. You may be a bit greedy and lustful, but generally, you’re a decent person with no ill intentions.”

Ignoring the devil’s commentary, Shire handed over the magic rope.

Inese accepted the magic rope and settled into a chair in the side hall. She crossed one leg over the other, her feet adorned with sturdy black yak leather boots affixed with thick nails.

“Is there anything to eat here?” Inese asked.

“I’m still looking. I just came back.”

Inese smiled, “How can such a young person manage this place?”

“I will try my best.” Shire told the truth.

The side hall lay in disarray, prompting Shire to take action. He diligently uprighted the chairs that had been knocked over and gathered the fragments of shattered objects. A bucket came in handy for collecting the splintered wood and glass shards, and he also took the time to close the open cabinet. With unwavering determination, he toiled both inside and out. The result was a side hall that appeared somewhat presentable, but it bore visible signs of missing valuable furniture and decorations. In the midst of it all, a central corridor led to a charming small garden, with the painted glass overhead casting a dreamlike reflection.

Inese propped her chin on her hands, watching Shire engrossed in his task.

“Do you intend to spend the night here?” Shire inquired, noting that Inese had not made any move to leave.

“Not just for the night,” Inese clarified. “I wish to stay for a while. After my mother’s passing and the shattering of the talisman, I realized she had spent her entire life waiting for the wrong man. I don’t want to follow the same path. Following her funeral, I see no reason to remain in that small village. I seek a place to hone my skills. Perhaps joining the Hunter Organization, where there might be someone capable of teaching me the enigmatic Hunter Spell, is a viable option.”

“I can teach you,” Shire affirmed. The rhythm, intonation, and potency of the spell flowed from him. Etienne had imparted this knowledge to him, and he, in turn, could pass it on to others. The secrets of the spells were best conveyed through a hunter’s guidance, ensuring precision and clarity.

“Moreover, being a hunter is the only legal way to wield a crossbow,” Inese remarked, her crossbow appearing larger and more substantial than Shire’s.

“It’s worth noting that we are also not exactly adhering to legalities when it comes to crossbows,” Shire quickly added. “The guards tend to look the other way because we hunt demons.”

“Sounds acceptable,” Inese responded with a smile. “I won’t claim to be a saint, but if your church can accommodate someone like Etienne, then I believe it can accommodate me as well.”

“Together, we’ll restore this place,” Shire pledged.

“There’s no ‘we,’ only ‘you,'” Inese objected, shaking her head. “I won’t engage in mundane tasks like cleaning up rubbish. Can’t you hire some servants?”

Shire recalled the substantial debt they owed Count Reney. Until they secured a stable income, he couldn’t afford to increase their expenses.

“The situation is difficult now. We don’t have money.” Shire shrugged.

“You can do it.” Inese seemed to be uninterested.

Gradiu shouted, “She fails to recognize your leadership. Approach her with determination, command her, compel her to obey your authority, let her witness your strength, view you as a resolute male leader, bold and assertive, and employ your charisma!”

Shire replied, “I have no interest in intimidating women,” as he strolled through the garden. Upon returning to the main hall, he wanted to avoid inconveniencing others and did not wish for them to submit to him either. The main hall, over ten times larger than the side hall, presented a much greater challenge in terms of cleaning. Shire decided to rearrange the benches and tidy up the mess.

Many curtains on the windows had already been torn down, so Shire opted to remove the remaining ones. These curtains were crafted from silk imported from the east, a far more luxurious material than linen and wool. It showcased the Holy Church’s extravagance during their prosperous days. Currently, two-thirds of the curtains were either damaged or stolen, prompting Shire to consider selling them.

They had labored tirelessly to strip away generations of people’s possessions. Gazing at the now-empty hall, Shire felt a profound sense of melancholy. He resolved to adorn this place in a grander manner than before, such that anyone entering the Holy Church would be astounded. The profession of Devil Hunter would no longer face skepticism and scorn but instead become an aspiration for everyone.

Gradiu dealt a blow to Shire’s confidence by proclaiming, “As long as you continue hunting demons, your fate is destined to be tragic. You will meet death and treachery.”

Shire sighed, “If that’s the case, we should have perished generations ago, yet we endured.”

Shire bore a heavy heart, knowing that survival meant coexisting with the devil and violating the hunter’s code.

Inese entered the hall unnoticed, observing Shire as he maneuvered those long, weighty chairs.

“You must be very busy.”

“The primary concern isn’t the busyness,” Inese remarked, her worry evident in her voice. Shire lifted his head and gestured towards the ceiling of the hall.

A massive hole loomed in the ceiling, impossible to miss. It had taken flight, flapping its wings, and was witnessed by half the city. Shire couldn’t fathom where to begin repairing the extensive damage that had compromised the entire building’s structure. With the onset of rain and snow, the hall would soon become a chaotic mess.

“The Holy Church is truly imposing,” Inese observed, scanning her surroundings.

“I recall a wealthy benefactor who once generously funded its expansion, greatly enlarging the original Holy Church,” Shire reminisced.

“Right in the heart of the city? Shouldn’t it be situated in a more remote location, away from imprisoning demons?” Inese queried.

“Etienne mentioned that our history predates the city itself. These houses and city walls once encompassed the old church,” Shire explained.

“Ah, I see… So you intend to undertake this work painstakingly by your own hands?” She inquired.

“Yes,” Shire affirmed, “gradually, because this is our headquarters. If future Hunter Guild members discover that this place has been stripped bare and despoiled, how disheartened would they be?”

The hall had been stripped of all its candlesticks, and darkness was steadily encroaching.

“You are starting to plan for the future now.”

“As long as I still have the key to the Holy Church, I can’t stay out of it.”

“But you are so young…” Inese was suspicious.

“What’s the harm in being youthful? I have numerous aspirations I’m eager to pursue. I aspire to become a formidable hunter, to revive the former glory of this place, and to banish all the malevolent entities,” Shire confidently declared. “I can achieve it, and I will.”

“Oh, making grand declarations,” Inese chuckled. “But I must admit, that armor you’re wearing looks rather sinister.”

“I fashioned the armor from the demon I vanquished,” Shire calmly explained, as if it were the most natural thing. “Utilizing demons to combat other demons is an integral aspect of a hunter’s life.”

“You’re just bragging. Truth be told, it’s all thanks to me,” Gradiu claimed credit.

Shire hoisted a wobbly bench with effort, his arm muscles aching and sore. Initially, he contemplated giving up, but he suddenly realized the chair had become more manageable.

Inese lent her assistance from the opposite side.

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to assist me with these trifles?” Shire inquired as he and Inese relocated the bench to its designated spot.

Whether it was due to the obscurity of the night sky or Inese’s genuine smile remained a mystery.

“I’ve had a change of heart. I suppose I can lend you a hand, at least a little. First and foremost, you must recognize that… I am quite capricious,” Inese admitted.

“Understood,” Shire replied with a smile.

“In that case, Lord Grani, please do instruct me more in the future,” Inese addressed Shire.