Upon hearing the word demons, Jin unconsciously looked at Alex and Crow’s face. From the look of their faces it seems like they too were thinking the same thing as Jin.

“So these demons… what do they do exactly?” Asked Jin, wanting to know if it was something their advanced tech could handle.

The hooded girl clenched her fist before the man could speak.

“They-... the-” The hooded man began stuttering. His eyes darted around and his body began shivering. He shook his head. “I-..I’m sorry… I ca-..can’t tell you right now.. I’m sorry… my wife they-... I lost my wife.”

[ It looks like he’s experiencing some PTSD ] Said Crow.

[ Looks like it... ] Replied Jin. It was clear that these people were more scared of the demons than they were with the elves. Clearly, they were bad news.

“That’s alright. You don’t have to force it out. ” Said Crow, wanting to shift the focus. “So, about these demons. How do you avoid them?”

The man was still huffing, still somewhat recovering from the PTSD. And in place, the hooded girl answered.

“We hide in our home. The demons hate the light…. No-.. rather, they can only survive during the night because the light of day would destroy them.”

[ So kind of like those videos games? ] Commented Alex.

[ Or maybe something even worse? ] Added Crow.

Clearly, the two were letting their imaginations run wild however, it was the same for Jin as well.

The hooded man, having recovered somewhat. Took a deep breath before adding, “Yes, that is the case. That’s why we need to head home. You should too.”

‘Ting!’

Like a bulb lighting in Jin’s head. He somehow thought of a perfect excuse.

“I don’t have a home...” Said Jin dejectedly, trying to gain their sympathy and taking advantage of the fact that they owed him their lives. “Could you let me stay in yours? At least, just for the night.”

Hearing the steel humanoid’s plea, the two flinched. Then looked at one another with a worried look.

“Sir Jin.. I’m… very sorry but-”

“But father-...he saved us.” Said the hooded girl, cutting the hooded man, her father. The man closed his lips before looking over at the steel humanoid then looking back to his daughter.

‘He’s clearly hesitant. But what for?’ Jin thought. If it was inviting a man who just saved your and your daughter’s asses, logic dictated that he’d at least let him stay for the night. At least, to Jin it didn’t seem like an unreasonable request.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“But-..” Said the man, still looking back and forth between his now frowning daughter and Jin.

[ Maaan… this guy is selfish! You should’ve let him get roasted Captain. ] Said Alex in irritation before adding on. [ We saved him, right? How hard is it to- ]

[Shut up Alex. The captain knows what he’s doing… I hope.] Said Crow with uncertainty in his voice.

Jin ignored the two and quietly stared at the man. He could always just cloak like Alex and Crow then follow the two, but Jin wanted to see if he could just be invited in rather than snoop around. That way he can continue to ask questions and know more about this world called ‘Aurelia’.

The man still seemed hesitant, it took a bit of time before he finally uttered something.

“Sir Jin, really.. I can’t thank you enough for protecting me and my daughter. But, I just can’t take you with us.”

His daughter flinched. Then she took her hood off, revealing short messy brown hair and hazel eyes. Jin felt that her appearance gave off the impression of a hard working farm girl who wasn’t afraid of dirt and mud.

Her brows were furrowed and creases were formed between her brows. It was clear that she was quite irritated.

“I can’t believe you!” The girl said, yelling at her father. “Are you really gonna leave sir Jin like this? After what he’s done for us?? Seriously???”

The man, her father, opened and closed his mouth a few times. His words couldn’t come out. He didn’t know what to say.

At this point Jin was already weighing on his mind whether he’d just let them go and stalk them or continue this charade. The former was sounding more plausible as of now.

“Sir Jin…” The man spoke softly. He lowered his hood, and just like the girl. He had brown hair with hazel eyes. However, he had sunken cheeks and tired eyes. He looked like a hobo who hadn’t eaten in days.

Even Jin, Alex and Crow were taken aback by how he looked as the three never expected to see a malnourished man underneath that hood.

But despite his appearance, he looked directly at Jin’s visors with a firm conviction.

“ It’s not that I’m ungrateful of what you’ve done.. It’s just that-.. I can’t endanger everyone else just for my own selfishness.”

‘Everyone else?’

It was at that moment that Jin was starting to realize why this man was being so difficult. He’d originally thought that the ‘home’ that the girl was referring to was a house with only the two of them.

It seems that there was more to it than just a simple home.

“I see.” Replied Jin, thinking of having one last attempt at it. “I can promise you I won’t be any sort of danger, and that I can even protect you, your daughter and everyone else. At least, during for the night that I’ll stay-”

Hearing the word ‘protect’ the man’s eyes quivered.

“-but I won’t force you.” Continued Jin before adding on, “If you feel like I’ll be a danger then I’ll simply leave you alone. And this will be the last time we’ll see each other.”

The man looked at his daughter who squeezed his hand tighter. Her gaze seemed to be pleading her father, hoping he’ll accept.

Jin crossed his arms. He was hoping the man was going to accept, since it’ll save him the hassle of cloaking.

The man still seemed to hesitate, but this time it looked like he was properly weighing the other option as well. He’d seen first hand that Jin had blocked the fireball spells of the elves with ease, and he took down the three just as easily.

Having the protection of the steel humanoid was quite the tempting offer. But the same could be true to Jin and his daughter. If he carelessly let this strange creature inside his home, who knows what the consequences would be. If elves were easy to this thing, how much more a helpless human like Jin?

The problem was the fact that he was completely unaware that underneath the N34 nanosuit, Jin was fully human.

“So what’ll it be?” Said Jin.

The man clenched his fist, seemingly having made his decision.

“Then… let’s go.”