Two adventurers passed through the iron gate and knocked on the grand front door.

A middle-aged woman with curly, light red hair opened the door, her face lighting up with a gentle smile. Beyond her lay a dining room, complete with a linden wood table, while a roaring fire blazed in the fireplace, sending waves of warmth throughout the room.

Barrett explained their purpose: "We've been sent by Count Charles, travelers from afar, hoping to stay with you for the night…"

True to the villagers' descriptions, the manor's hostess was friendly and generous. Without asking too many questions, she agreed to their request for shelter. Welcoming the two "travelers" inside, she introduced herself, "I am Martha Wright, the lady of the manor. And this is my daughter, Alice."

Following her tender gaze, a little girl with similarly light red hair skipped towards them. About eight or nine years old, she wore a white silk dress and her delicate features were adorable.

Alice tugged at her mother's skirt and tilted her head to look at the adventurers, asking curiously, "Mommy, who are they?"

Martha gently ruffled Alice's hair and spoke softly, "They are travelers from a faraway place, dear. It's snowing heavily outside, and they'll be staying with us for the night. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, yes! It's so cold, maybe the uncles can stay for a few more days," Alice said with a twinkle in her big eyes, looking at EeDeChi and Barrett.

Due to EeDeChi's completely masked attire and masculine style of dressing, everyone in the village mistook her for a traveler similar to Barrett, which certainly saved the effort of maintaining a disguise.

EeDeChi and Barrett shook off the snow and mud from their boots as they entered. They thanked Martha, also introducing themselves with false names and identities.

The manor wasn't very large; immediately behind the door was the dining room with its carved wooden chairs and the lively fireplace. An eye-catching feature was a wooden rack by the wall with a clay flowerpot on it. However, being winter, the flowers had withered, leaving only dry branches and dead leaves.

"Martha, who has come? Are they friends?"

A deep, resonant male voice echoed from the staircase at the back of the dining room, followed by a man with a straight posture descending the spiral staircase. He was dressed in formal attire, his demeanor calm, with streaks of white among his light brown hair—undoubtedly the master of the house, James Wright.

Mr. Wright greeted them with a warm smile, readily agreeing to their request to stay and shaking hands amicably with Barrett. In gratitude, Barrett presented him with two pieces of winter wolf fur.

Wright glanced out at the dark night, snowflakes occasionally striking the window panes. He asked Barrett and EeDeChi, "You two haven't had dinner yet, right? Let's eat together later. I just got two fresh ingredients. They're really delicious."

"Any vegetables?" EeDeChi asked eagerly. She purposely lowered her voice, almost giving away her feminine tone.

"Vegetables... yes," Mr. Wright chuckled, "but we don't eat many of those."

Alice circled around Barrett, her innocent eyes curiously scanning the "winter huntsman" gear that adorned his back and waist. Mr. Wright spoke softly to Martha, suggesting they host a dinner for a friend.

Mr. Wright cracked a joke, causing Martha to cover her mouth and laugh before she headed into the kitchen. Alice waved her little hands and was lifted by her father; they walked up the spiral staircase to the study, their laughter echoing along the way.

Barrett watched this scene, and couldn't help but feel a twinge of sentiment in his heart. What a warm and happy family of three. As an adventurer, living a life without a permanent home and constantly drifting from place to place, he couldn't help but envy the warmth of a family like theirs.

...

Dinner was about to begin. In the dining room, the family of three, along with the two "travelers," sat around a linden wood table covered with an embroidered tablecloth.

Barrett leaned back in his chair, while EeDeChi eagerly anticipated the vegetable soup. Oddly, the table was set with empty porcelain plates and silverware, and neatly folded white napkins, but no food was in sight.

Martha sat as still as the others, occasionally soothing Alice, who fidgeted uneasily by her side.

The five sat facing the empty dining table for nearly five minutes, and Barrett could hardly contain his impatience. He ventured, "Excuse me for asking, but why hasn't the food been served yet?"

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Mr. Wright smiled gently, "Please be patient, our guest. We have two fresh ingredients and have invited a friend to come taste them with us. Once our friend arrives, we will start the dinner."

Alice fidgeted in her chair, her little feet in leather shoes not quite reaching the floor. She wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and pleaded, "Mommy, Alice wants a story before dinner."

"Alright," Martha pinched her little cheek, "Let me tell you a story about the night hag."

Martha began softly:

"Long, long ago, in a harmonious family, a couple had a beautiful daughter. As the girl grew up, she fell in love with a young man from the village. They cherished each other, their affection deep and true.

"However, the girl's father despised the young man because he thought him poor and incapable, always clinging to his precious daughter.

"So, the father forced the young man to go to the town outside the village to do business. He declared that unless the young man earned enough money, he would never marry his beloved daughter.

"The young man had no choice but to leave the girl. Before departing, he promised her that he would make a fortune and asked her to wait for his return. So, he set off.

"On the small road leading to the town, in a forest, the young man encountered a stranger who had fallen to the ground. The stranger asked for help, and the young man agreed.

"But it turned out that the stranger was the girl's father in disguise. The father had long detested the young man, deeply worried that this penniless lad would take away his daughter.

"He secretly drew a sharp knife, and as the young man was about to help him up, he stabbed him to death. Then he decapitated the young man and buried the body and the head under the soft soil of an apple tree.

"After doing all this, the girl's father walked away satisfied, believing that no one would bother his daughter again. However, his deeds were witnessed by a kind-hearted night hag living in the forest.

"The kind-hearted night hag felt pity for the young man and the girl's love. It quietly slipped into the girl's bedroom and told her everything it had seen."

"As night fell, the girl slipped out of the house and walked to the apple tree in the forest. She brushed aside the leaves on the ground and began to dig, quickly uncovering her murdered lover. Oh, how bitterly she wept! She prayed to god, wishing to die soon herself.

"She longed to bring the body back, but she dared not. Instead, she cradled his closed, pale eyes, kissed his cold lips, and brushed the dirt from his hair.

"'I will keep it!' the girl declared. She reburied the body with soil and leaves, then took his head and a branch of jasmine from the woods where the young man was killed back to her home.

"Once home, she found the largest pot she could. She placed the deceased's head inside, covered it with soil, and planted the jasmine branch in it.

"Ah, how many tears of grief she shed! She always stood crying in front of that pot, her tears falling on the jasmine branch as she grew thinner day by day.

"Her despair and pain were immense, but she dared not tell anyone, for the murderer of her lover was her own father.

"The pure and kind night hag appeared before her again, also deeply pitying the girl's plight. The girl could only pour out her heartache to the night hag.

"She asked the night hag what she should do; she wanted to avenge her lover and break with her father, but she couldn't bear to destroy her warm family.

"The night hag said it had a perfect solution that would allow her to avenge herself and keep her family happy, but it would come at a small cost. It asked if she was willing.

"The girl eagerly agreed, saying, 'I am willing.' So, the night hag killed the girl, ate her, and took on her appearance. Posing as the girl, the night hag approached her parents and poisoned them, killing them both.

"Watching the girl's parents die, the night hag suddenly remembered its promise to ensure the family continued to live happily. It went to the wilderness, to a swamp, and called upon two night hag companions.

"One night hag took on the father's appearance, and another the mother's, while the kind night hag maintained the daughter's appearance. Thus, they lived on, forever a happy family of three."

Martha licked her dry lips, having just finished the story.

EeDeChi and Barrett exchanged glances, both feeling a chill run down their spines. Was this really a story for children? It was a bit too thrilling!

Alice's laughter rang out like a clear bell, her face beaming with delight. "That story was so fun, I really liked it!" She clung to Martha's arm, looking up at her mother, "Mommy, can you tell another story?"

Mr. Wright looked at Alice tenderly and said, "Martha, don't spoil her too much."

"Never mind your father." Martha indulgently ruffled Alice's light red hair. "Then I'll tell another story.

"Once upon a time, it was snowing heavily, and it was very cold. Two travelers, coming from a far-off land, were cold and hungry, desperately seeking a warm place to rest. So, they knocked on the door of a family's home, hoping to stay for the night.

"This family was very kind; the lady of the house agreed, and the man of the house invited them to join them for dinner. Soon, it was time for dinner, and the two travelers sat at the table, but the meal was not served yet.

"The two travelers were puzzled. The host explained that it was because they had received two pieces of exquisite meat and were waiting for a friend to join them."

"The travelers waited patiently, even though their stomachs were growling, and they sat quietly until finally,

"'Thump, thump, thump,' 'thump, thump, thump,' the sound of knocking came. The lady of the house went to open the door, and their awaited friend had finally arrived. The friend walked in, looked at the empty table, and asked the host, 'Where are those two pieces of exquisite meat you mentioned?'

"The host pointed at the two travelers and told his friend, 'Two pieces of meat are right in front of you.'"

Martha picked up a glass of water and took a sip to moisten her throat. With the story concluded, Alice laughed joyfully, "That story was also really fun, mommy, mommy, what happened to the two travelers after that?"

Martha gently tapped Alice's pink nose and smiled tenderly, "After that, the two travelers were eaten."

"Thump, thump, thump," "thump, thump, thump."

In the dining room, the sound of knocking came from outside.

Martha stood up to open the door, and a man, his clothes and shoes covered with frost and snow, walked in; he seemed to have traveled a long distance through the snow.

The man took off his hat, patted the snowflakes on it, and hung it on the coat rack, then asked with a warm smile,

"Mr. Wright, where are those two fresh ingredients you mentioned?"

Mr. Wright stood up, pointed at EeDeChi and Barrett, and said to the man with a smile, "Right in front of you."