“I -I have a kid,” Yannick stammered.

As soon as he said that, I stared at his face with a bewildered look. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Was he actually trying to change my mind about it? Did he really think that I could forget about the horrific incident when he tried to force himself on a girl while also choking her father to death right in front of her?

"You have a kid?" I asked skeptically, eyeing him up and down. It seemed like a convenient excuse, but I wasn't about to let my guard down just because of that.

However, my doubts were not assuaged by his response. Even if what he was saying was true, there were certain lines that, if crossed, would make me unwilling to spare someone's life, regardless of their abilities.

Powerful individuals with questionable morals could be a liability in any situation. They might use their abilities to advance their own interests, even at the expense of others. Worse still, they might become a dangerous enemy if they ever turned against me.

I mean, I may have been good, but I wasn't that good. Did he really expect me to be so forgiving? Did I look like Batman or something?

Fwish… A sharp blade of water flew through the air, decapitating the man in one swift stroke.

I had brought him to this isolated location to ensure that no one would witness what was about to happen, and I had called upon Carpy to assist me with the task at hand.

A fish-like creature descended from the night sky, carrying with it a bubble of water that contained the demon and humanoid parts of other creatures.

As I looked down at the lifeless body of the exorcist, I couldn't help but let out a sigh of frustration. This unfortunate turn of events ruined my plans for a peaceful and enjoyable evening and goodbyes.

"So, how did it go in the nearby town? Did you manage to find out anything about what's happening in the world?" I asked Carpy, eager to hear what he had discovered.

Before the exorcist had arrived, I had sent Carpy to the town to gather information and eavesdrop on any rumors that were circulating. Being a demon, Carpy couldn't exactly blend in with the townsfolk, but he had Myron with him to assist with gathering intel. The kid could enter the town and no one would bat an eye.

"Yes, Master Kon. It appears that Shuten Doji has amassed his forces and is preparing for a battle in the mountains where his fortress is located," Carpy explained, his voice laced with concern. "The exorcists have also mobilized their troops and are planning to engage Shuten Doji and his followers in combat."

I listened intently as Carpy relayed this information, my mind already racing with the implications of what he had said. A battle between Shuten Doji and the exorcists was not something to be taken lightly, and I knew that I needed to prepare myself for the worst-case scenario.

Yeah, now I had no choice but to leave. The only thing I could hope for was that the war wouldn’t be as one-sided as I remembered.

I grabbed the head of the chicken demon, and Carpy used his water blades to cut apart the exorcist’s body into chunks.

I made my way back to the party, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment wash over me. It was clear that our vacation was over and that we were once again being thrust into the dangerous and unpredictable world of demon hunting.

As I entered the room, the murmur of conversation immediately ceased, and all eyes turned to me. More specifically, they were fixed on the gruesome sight of the chicken demon's head that I held in my hand.

I could feel the weight of their gazes upon me, their silent questions and concerns hanging heavily in the air.

“The exorcist is gone, and the trouble the village was facing with the demons is over,” I sighed and looked into everyone’s eyes. Though they weren’t showing it too much, I knew they must be scared by now.

After all, the guy who helped one of the people with farm work was an exorcist. None of the people looked me in the eyes anymore, too afraid to even meet my gaze, which made me feel like there was a lump in my throat.

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I took out a small pouch of silver coins and laid it on one of the tables. “He also thanked everyone for the hospitality and paid for the great service you have done to him.”

Afterward, I approached Matilda, who was in the grip of agony, clutching her broken arm as tears streamed down her face. She was the only one who hadn't acknowledged my presence, too preoccupied with her own suffering.

After ensuring that her father was safe, I approached Matilda and swiftly set her broken bone with a gentle tug. Using my Perfect Me ability, I fashioned a makeshift cast out of a wooden chair leg in a matter of seconds.

Rose suddenly came up next to me and asked. “Is there any way I can help?”

“Hold her arm steady while I adjust the cast,” I instructed Rose, who nodded in response. After ensuring that the cast was properly secured, I reassured Matilda, “This should suffice, and within a month or two, you'll be on the road to a full recovery.”

“Thank you,” Rose expressed, locking eyes with me. Unlike the others, she wore a smile and added, “I sensed that something was off about you from the moment we met. But you're not a bad person.”

In a fleeting moment, my mind raced as I envisioned a life of normalcy with Rose - a woman who accepted me for who I was, my abilities and my identity, with no ulterior motives or intentions of exploiting me.

Physically speaking, Rose couldn't hold a candle to some of the women in my life. Whether it was Delia, my mischievous cousin who flaunted her curves in revealing outfits, or Ellen, the sultry succubus who oozed with temptation.

However, in my eyes, they all paled in comparison to the simple village girl with calloused hands from toiling in the fields.

Perhaps I had changed enough? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I stayed here and entrusted everything to Agon and the others.

But as soon as the illusion took hold, it quickly dissipated into nothingness when I considered the perils of the future. Despite the hesitation gnawing at my heart, I knew what the rational choice was. So, I forced a smile and walked away.

Ever since coming to this world, for the first time, I felt like I had just lost someone important to me. But this was just a dream I had been indulging myself in for too long.

“If anyone inquires, inform them that Kon from the Dark Sword Clan vanquished the demon.” I reassured her. Then, turning to Rose, I added, “You know, it would have been nice to go on one more sightseeing together, but it appears as though the world has gone to hell while I was away.”

She raised a questioning brow as if her face was saying: ‘Why’re you trying to act all cool now?’

My lips twitched, and I tried to hold in the smile that slowly made its way onto my face. This girl was something else. There wasn’t even a tint of fear on her face.

“C’mon now, let me have my cool moment,” I opened the door and stopped a step outside of it before turning around. “By the way, give my regards to Matilda and tell her I wish her the best.”

Having said that, I walked away without turning back. A part of me yearned to stay and continue living a normal life, but lady reality had little patience for anyone.

“Carpy!” I called out to my familiar, and he swooped down from the sky, effortlessly balancing on a bubble of water and cradling the sleeping Myron on a futon with his tail.

"We need to take the boy to an exorcist school before joining the front lines of the war," I declared.

“What do we tell him about his mother?” Asked Carpy.

“I’m sure the Headmaster is better equipped to handle something like this. He has had multiple kids like that to handle,” I reasoned.

The old man has had to handle many kids who had awakened their Ord a bit too early.

Early special ability manifestation could be prevented by avoiding stressful situations, but stressors were all around us. Even something as small as a hungry child watching a chocolate commercial could trigger a special ability that revolved around sugar consumption, depending on their age.

…

Carpy and I traveled for days, taking turns carrying the child, until we finally arrived at the flat grassland where the exorcist academy lay.

It felt like ages since I had last been here. As soon as I opened the door, the wrinkled, white-haired face of Professor Chain greeted me with a frown.

"Brat, you've already graduated. What are you doing here?" he grumbled. He was always annoyed with someone or something.

As an Expert Exorcist, I was no longer a student at the academy, but I explained that I had brought a child who had awakened their Ord too early and needed the Headmaster's attention.

"You've been living under a rock, kid," he said, his gaze sharpened. "We're in a war between demons and exorcists, fighting for humanity's survival."

I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief when he mentioned that the countries had put their differences aside to cooperate. Though I knew there would be problems in the future, I had at least played a part in changing things enough for humanity to band together.

Suppressing the urge to fall to my knees and laugh like a madman, I asked Professor Chain to call Gem and Bets.

"As an Expert Exorcist, I now have the authority to command up to three exorcists of lower rank," I explained.

But then, Professor Chain hesitated and looked at me with reluctance. "Oh, you haven't heard?"

“Heard what?” My heart sank.

What had happened?