“Actually the last, crucial thing we need is a demonhunter. We already sent a letter to Master Kravstor today, the governing demonhunter for the western region of Trusyonium but it will be two days or more before we got a response so there might be a delay.”

Vaneri sighed after saying that. Zecruix realized that his master had planned to kick him out much earlier than he had expected. Also, he realized that he was the current demonhunter now.

Zecruix coughed and everyone in the room had their attention on him.

“On what basis do you think that a demonhunter is needed here?”

“Well, remember the ‘strangeness’ that we told you back then? We had checked it with this.”

After Vaneri gestured to Hervan, he took out a small, oblong object from his right pocket. Zecruix recognized what it was.

It was an item called Gelta Stone used to detect a Rakhe presence by their unnatural magick. It was the only way a non-demonhunter could detect demons.

Upon using it, the object originally colourless- would turn fully black if it were to be exposed in a close vicinity to unnatural magick. In order for it be usable again, they would have to take a week for it to be colourless again.

The Gelta Stone in Hervan’s hand were pure black.

Another thing that came in Zecruix’s mind was how they got hold of such item. It was fairly expensive and only few villages have them but in a town, usually the mayor would have one while in cities, there is handful of the stones.

Even though they have that, it would still be unclear as unnatural magick have many causes but still at least he had an opening to properly introduce himself.

Zecruix got up and pulled his right sleeve. The Demonhunter Crest on his right arm shone for everyone see.

Vaneri and Hervan gasped while Varius furrowed his eyebrows. Roschev slightly tilted his head to the right with a blank expression.

“Are you master Kravstor??! I heard he was older… way older!”

“Yes, I remembered he came around my village ten years ago, he was a middle aged looking man.”

Vaneri blurted out her surprise and Roschev nonchalantly mentioned his memory of the old demonhunter.

“Well, I’m not master Kravstor, I’m actually his apprentice. Master Kravstor had officially retired two days ago, so I had succeeded him and technically as of now, I’m the governing demonhunter in the western region.”

“… I was wandering why you were concealing that fact until now.”

Varius voice out his question while glaring at Zecruix. Zecruix was slightly perplexed inside as he hadn’t done anything to earn this boy enmity. Nevertheless-

“I had doubt. Imagined if someone appeared out of nowhere and asked you for help in something shady and also it didn’t help that you guys were acting ambiguous while doing so. So before I commit, I have to ascertain whether this was a genuine case that is needed of me. I got my answer right now. Also, I was attacked not far from here.”

Zecruix explained his intention and the recent incident. Everyone became roused by the last sentence.

“What do you mean?”

“Two armed person with daggers assault me on the way here. Thankfully, I defended myself and successfully wound one of them by stabbing him on the right shoulder and they both retreated.”

“So you assumed it was us who sent them?”

Vaneri asked him straightforwardly.

“I thought of that.”

“… It can’t be help that you thought of that way but I assured you, we have no reason or even thugs to send against you. In fact, I think you were the only one that was attacked on your way here.”

“Robberies or assault like that are almost non-existent here. It could be outsider.”

“You’re targeted.”

Roschev and Varius nodded simultaneously while giving their thought.

Zecruix paused and thought for a while. It was better to trust them in terms of the job rather uselessly doubting them.

“Well, since I said all that I had in mind, I think it’s better to get straight to the business.”

--

“Our plan was to be conceived after Master Kravstor arrived but since you’re here, we would like to hear what do you have in mind?”

Everyone was gathering closer in a semi-circle. Vaneri forward such question to Zecruix.

“First, this morning, I was invited inside the manor because I told them of the unnatural magick lingering about and so, while touring inside, I found out that the owner room had the strongest presence.”

Vaneri and Hervan knitted their eyebrows and had serious expression listening to Zecruix. The other two kept quiet, listening intently.

“There is a locational ritual in Exorcising artus called Area Cleansing which can dispel the unnatural magick and weaken the demon if there is one, so my plan is that in this ritual, it is needed to draw sigils on the ground on each of the four directions with the house as the centre.”

“What’s the catch?”

Vaneri’s face changed into a slight grin, asked.

“One sigil required time, roughly around six hours for it to be stabilized, so I needed someone to guard them because during the period when they are stabilizing, a creature that can interact with magick can disrupt the stabilizing flow just by passing by through it.”

Zecruix answered while looking at everyone.

Although it made Zecruix uneasy because it felt like he was breaking the trust between him and Volkara for doing this under her nose but she might have fallen under the Rakhe’s influence. A Rakhe’s power is vary, so it is difficult to say whether she was under its influence or not but it’s better to be safe and do what any demonhunter would have done.

“I suppose it’s that simple?”

“Yes, although after the cleansing, the action we would take depends on the outcome.”

Everyone nodded to show their understanding after Zecruix finished explaining.

“Any question?”

“…”

A few seconds of silence had passed and everyone shakes their head from left to right as a response to Zecruix.

“I’ll tell the one who had been absence about this plan, so I believe every detail is concluded for now. Well, this meeting is over, we’ll all meet at Turil Foodhouse tomorrow early in the morning, Aye?”

“Yup.”

“Sure.”

Everyone got up and left.

“Oh, just a precaution…”

Vaneri stopped the other three who were about to leave.