The hunter’s hut Imila had spoken of was a narrow wooden building, with the chimney made from fieldstones being the only stone structure present. By the looks of it, the hut hadn’t been used for quite some time, as the roof clearly needed a new thatching. The windows were dull, and the front door did not look very trustworthy.

“It isn’t a palace, but it’ll do”, the innkeeper remarked and walked into the hut, leaving Lodwin and Veduca alone in front of it.

Let’s move on, he signed to her, knowing that she could see as good in the dark as he now could, if not better.

“I don’t think she’ll let us”, the sorceress replied, uncertain. “We should follow her, or she’ll come back to force us in.”

Then let us leave when she sleeps, he insisted, annoyed.

“And what if she wakes up while we leave?”

Then use your magic to make her sleep deeper. This can’t be so difficult.

“Let me think about it”, she replied with an uneasy smile, which told Lodwin that she still felt enough apprehension to ignore is suggestions.

What about your old man?, he asked her. He could take care of her.

“Nothing easier than that”, said Azazel, uncomfortably close.

Lodwin reacted immediately and swung his fist at the demon. But Azazel was faster and avoided the blow with an elegant sidestep. Lodwin let out a tense breath and straightened his back.

This time, the goatdemon was in his human form, which Lodwin hated more than the goat one. After all, he resembled Rosomil almost too much. Sometimes Lodwin even suspected him of doing it deliberately, but at the same time, he looked obviously too different to justify this line of thought.

“I’ve already put her to sleep”, Azazel continued with a shit-eating grin. “All you two lovelies have to do is leave her in there for the moment.”

“But what if some bandits are attacking her?”, asked Veduca, alarmed. “We’re a long way from any settlement and the streets aren’t exactly lively, father. Besides, I highly doubt that she’ll go back home or stay put. She made up her heart and will follow it to the end. Poor Imila has nothing to lose after all.”

“My lovely daughter, once more your heart’s too soft”, he remarked and shook his head.

Why not put a sword through her heart and end it?, asked Lodwin within the demon’s head with a stern gaze.

“What a cruel thing to suggest, Lodwin”, he replied, amused. “You almost sound as bad as your enemy.”

“What have you suggested to my father?”, asked Veduca alarmed and clutched her necklaces.

“Dearie, you don’t need to concern yourself with this villain’s lack of morals”, he replied. “After all, this isn’t what we’re going to do about that poor woman.”

And I do wonder wherein lies the difference between your approach and mine beyond the wielder of the blade, told Lodwin the demon via their telepathic link. I could give her a much faster and pleasant end than any bandit would intend.

“You should rather ask yourself whether or not something will hurt my precious daughter”, he replied with a sneer. “If you cause her any undue distress, I shall hurt you in turn.”

This isn’t how our contract works, goat, he replied angry. You can’t hurt me without breaking it, which will also cause you harm.

“I don’t like the ring of your voice within my thick skull. Besides, what about Veduca? Do you want to make her sad?”

“Lodwin! What are you two talking about?”, she asked alarmed and looked at him wide-eyed. “Making me sad? Hurting me? What’s going on?”

I don't intend to hurt you, signed Lodwin towards her. Never.

“Then put your heart where your words are!”, remarked Azazel, unusually insistent. “I know that you’re honest with my dearie, but you’re a bit too eager to swing your sword against people as of late.”

“I, too, would welcome it if you became less aggressive against ordinary people”, said Veduca, and held her hand a few inches above his arm.

Lodwin let a moment pass, then he lifted his arm against her hand. Visibly relieved, she smiled at him while patting him. Despite the situation, he couldn’t help it and smiled.

“Well, well, well. It seems once more you’re more willing to listen to my dearie than me, your master”, said Azazel chuckling but a moment later he became serious once more. “I’m sorry, but I need to talk privately with my precious Veduca.”

I’m looking after the innkeeper, replied Lodwin to Azazel and moved towards the hut.

—

Veduca felt apprehensive. While Lodwin had been genuine, she couldn’t shake the bad feeling she had since the bandits. Judging by her father's words, he too was less than enthused about the whole ordeal.

“Let’s walk for a bit”, suggested Azazel, and moved towards the edge of the forest.

Veduca followed him tense and didn’t start talking, although she had plenty of questions. Azazel seemed tense and strangely absentminded as well.

“He deteriorates faster than I anticipated”, he said suddenly, once they had reached the edge of the forest.

“I… know”, she replied reluctant. “He almost killed the innkeeper had I not intervened.”

“Do you still have the coin?”

“Yes, father.”

“Good.”

“Father?”

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“Yes, dearie?”

“I… I do not wish to kill him. Please, take the coin and do it yourself, should things turn south.”

“You know I can’t”, Azazel replied and patted her head. “Please, don’t cry, dearie.”

“B-but why?”, Veduca replied, unable to keep from tearing up. “Why does all of this have to happen so fast? Please! Don’t make me do it!”

“I guess it’s his singleminded nature”, he considered while looking at the ground. “He has most of the time just the Divine Lord on his mind. If he were to focus on something else, no matter what, he wouldn’t deteriorate so fast. As for your plea… I wish I could do it myself without having to burden you in any way. But you know, if a fallen angel breaks his or her contract with a mortal by killing them, we lose more of our divine nature and become more like one of those lesser demons. I’ve already lost seven of my nine hallows. Should I break his contract, I would become even less.”

“I know, father”, she replied and wiped away her tears, despite some still collecting in her eyes. “I still remember the burning flame you once were while I was still a child. It wasn’t easy to see you lose more and more of yourself and your splendour.”

“I’m just a selfish monster, aren’t I?”, he suddenly asked with a melancholic expression. “I just want to keep the hope of one day returning to His glory. That’s why I want this contract to play out as it should. Should Lodwin be successful in his task, all of us shall be one step closer to redemption. The coin I gave you is just the last resort should things go bad really fast. It’s a means of protection for you and not just the thing meant to kill him.”

“I know, father. It’s just… I don’t want to kill him, no matter what happens, for deep down he’s a good person. I know it.”

“Being a good person doesn’t exempt one from misery. And, again, if I could take over this task, should it become necessary, I would. I know how kind and soft you are, and please excuse the harsh tone I addressed you earlier with. You should never fully change, dearie.”

“I’m not angry at you, father. Kindness is a rare good these days, and I don’t intend to stop spreading it.”

“That’s my precious Veduca”, said Azazel with a board smile and ruffled her hair.

Veduca couldn’t help but laugh like the happy child she felt like that moment. Still, she also noticed that this conversation wasn’t an exactly the reason he had asked for a private moment. Unwilling to force it, she didn’t ask him. Yet before the silence could grow too tense, Azazel cleared his throat.

“I’ve scouted ahead and found out two peculiar things”, began her father, while looking up at the dark sky. “First, I found out that the Divine Lord has moved to Eldebourg and is currently busy with the preparation to give Lodwin a proper, very hostile welcome.”

“What? How does he know about us going to Eldebourg?”, asked Veduca alarmed, at the same time she felt like her heart was sinking into the ground.

“I don’t know”, he answered, tense. “But I guess it’s either a coincidence or it has something to do with his demon. The second thing, I managed to find out, is also quite interesting. It appears someone of the Divine Lord’s entourage has found one of the last true and honest clergyman still within the country and adopted him as some sort of pet.”

“A pet?”

“I don’t know how else to describe it. After all, the knight has brought the poor priest not only food but clothing as well. Judging by the fact he wasn’t entirely willing to tell me about his connection to the Divine Lord, I don’t know what to make of him. He didn’t look like he was under a spell.”

“Perhaps the knight used a much more subtle form of manipulation. Perhaps they didn’t even use magic and just blackmailed the priest. Of what denomination is he?”

“Judging by his humble clothes and his humble character, he ought to belong to the Franciscans.”

“Some henchman of the Divine Lord has donated food and clothes to a member of a christian order?”, asked Veduca, confused. “This doesn’t make sense! Why should such a being care about a monk?”

“That’s a good question”, her father replied. “A question I want you and Lodwin to find the answer to. Perhaps we managed to find a potential ally within the ranks of the Divine Lord.”

“And where is the monk located?”, she asked, with a bad feeling about the whole ordeal.

“Right in the middle between Eldebourg and Gabáuan. That’s why I want you two to take a detour.”

“But you just told me that the Divine Lord is in Eldebourg! Once Lodwin finds it out, there’s nothing that will stop him from going there.”

“That’s why I want you to—”, Azazel began but choked on the last word.

With a start, he turned around and used a domination spell. A second later, Lodwin was forced out of the shrubbery towards them.

“Lod!”, shouted Veduca and stepped between them. “Father! Cease this spell, please!”

“Just for you, dearie”, he growled, while turning into his monstrous goatdemon form and staring down Lodwin. “And remember that I’ll just refrain from any punishment for Lodwin because it would make you sad.”

“Thank you, father”, she replied relieved and turned to Lodwin, who looked like he was about to explode of rage.

“Shut up!”, snarled Azazel and went to him. “I can be a cruel master if you insist on it! The only thing keeping any punishment from you is her plea. So you better be grateful you have my dear Veduca to speak for you, you unthankful swine!”

“Lodwin, please, hear him out”, she told him.

For a moment, he seemed even angrier, but upon focusing his eyes on her face, he softened.

“You know, I want our contract to play out on the terms we settled on, Lodwin!”, said Azazel much calmer. “That is to say, I want you to be successful. Can you be successful? Do you feel like you could take on the Divine Lord without cutting him from his power supply? Can you kill his demon without knowing anything about it?”

I can try, he signed so Veduca could understand all of their conversation.

“You’re a fool.”

Maybe, but I’ll go to Eldebourg and face him. I know the way he thinks. I know how he fights. I know what he plans. How he prepares.

“He killed you and your companions without warning, or are you telling me you knew he was going to make all you ritual sacrifices?”

No.

“Then don’t think you know him.”

“Lod won’t listen to you”, chimed Veduca in. “He’ll go to Eldebourg no matter what, right, Lod?”

Yes.

Her father let out a disgruntled snarl while showing his long, sharp teeth. Despite the apparent distaste in his eyes, there was also a soft understanding there.

“Fine”, Azazel finally said with a sigh. “Go to Eldebourg and fight him. But only under the condition, that, should you find yourself even slightly outmatched, you’ll retreat with Veduca and flee. I’ll use some of my power to make sure you're able to get away. Honestly, I thought you were smarter than that.”

Lodwin made a face, which told Veduca, he was telling her father something he didn’t want her to hear. It was difficult even for her to gauge Azazel’s expression in his goat-form. The red eyes, more than belonged on any face, stared at everything at once. Suddenly, he grinned, showing his sharp teeth as if he was about to bite Lodwin’s head off.

“You’re right”, he replied, to whatever Lodwin had told him.

Veduca wanted to ask what was going on. Something was off, but she couldn’t tell what. But the moment she wanted to ask her father about it, she closed her mouth and bit her lips.

“Something the matter, dearie?”, asked Azazel, her in a kind tone.

“It’s nothing”, she answered with what she hopped to be a convincing smile. “We should go back to Imila. It’s late, and Lodwin needs any amount of sleep he can get.”

“True. I’ll contact you two once more when I’ve gathered new information. Have a good night, dearie, and don’t forget to sleep too. You might not need it, but a good night’s sleep always eases the mind.”

After patting her once more on the head, Azazel vanished in a puff of smoke. Only a few golden embers remaining from the flame, which was flickering atop his head in this shape. And even those eventually faded. Feeling lost and somewhat guilty, Veduca didn’t dare to look at Lodwin. After a few moments, she suddenly felt his rough hand on her shoulder. Surprised and confused, she looked up, almost expecting a scowl or frown, but he just looked tired.

Let us go into the hut, he signed to her. The goat’s spell on the innkeeper must wear off.

“You're right”, she replied with a forced smile, which immediately broke. “I’m so sorry about this.”

Why?

“I lied to you.”

You didn’t.

“B-but—”, stammered Veduca, but Lodwin placed his index finger gently in her lips.

The goat just told you about him being in Eldebourg. There’s no need to feel sorry. Let’s forget about this and move on.

“Y-yes!”, she replied, and let herself be guided towards the hut.

Yet, while they walked, she couldn’t shake off her guilt. While he mentioned nothing about the earlier part of the conversation with her father, she was unable to shake the feeling that he had eavesdropped. But she didn’t dare to mention or even hint at it.

With a heavy heart, Veduca entered the hut after Lodwin and immediately started to look after Imila, who was still soundly asleep. In the meantime, Lodwin prepared a fire and some food.