The Demon’s Menu

Chapter 97: Taboo

Dennise’s soul had been controlled by the offspring of “Rondo”.

Her body had been eyed by something unknown.

How in demand was she?

Almost instinctively, Jason twitched his nostrils.

Unfortunately…

There was absolutely no scent of food.

Then, Jason scrutinized Dennise with a discerning gaze.

And Dennise?

Completely oblivious, she laughed excitedly, dancing and prancing in circles as if… she was a runaway Siberian Husky.

What could be special about such a Husky girl?

Jason couldn’t help but question himself.

Could I be wrong?

A doubtful Jason took the initiative to speak.

“Do you have any special experiences?”

Jason asked.

“Special experiences?”

“Being hit by a carriage when I was young, falling into a water pit, being bitten by a dog, does that count?”

“Several times!”

Dennise answered thoughtfully after some consideration.

“Aside from that.”

“I mean any contact with the Mystical Side.”

Jason frowned, feeling the need to ask in simpler, more understandable terms.

“Yes!”

“You-”

Dennise raised her hand and pointed at Jason.

“Aside from me.”

“And aside from the monster I just purified and the presence in the coffin.”

“Have you experienced anything recently that struck you as unusual?”

Jason had to narrow down his question again.

“Emmm…”

“During the circus, that malt candy, it was very sweet.”

“Sweeter than any candy I’ve ever had!”

After giving it serious thought, Dennise presented what she believed to be the most noteworthy event.

Candy?

Jason narrowed his eyes, then continued asking, “Did the girl’s family come to mourn you?”

“No!”

“Even that little girl can’t be found anymore.”

“And, my mother said that the little girl probably sneaked in without a ticket!”

Dennise shook her head.

Then, suddenly, she became furious.

“Damn it!”

“How did she get in there? The ticket sellers are very sharp!”

“I had to work for three weeks just to save up for the circus ticket.”

Listening to Dennise’s indignant description, Jason started piecing together information in his mind:

The circus that even Dennise couldn’t sneak into, yet a little girl easily slipped in.

Then, an accident happened.

The little girl was saved, but the protecting Dennise “died”.

Logically, the girl’s family should have come to mourn Dennise.

But they did not appear, and even the little girl had vanished without a trace.

Beforehand, Dennise had eaten the candy given to her by the little girl…

A seemingly normal occurrence now seemed laced with a hint of the bizarre to Jason.

Was it the effect of the candy?

If it was the candy’s doing, then who was that little girl?

Furthermore, if this assumption held true…

The little girl was after Dennise too!

Realizing this, Jason didn’t hesitate and firmly told Dennise, “Tell your parents to leave Karl Town immediately, and you go with them to a larger city.”

If the world had monsters and bizarre events,

then naturally, big cities were no exception.

But,

big cities should have entities like “Guardians”.

Just like Sir Lorde of the old nobility.

Thinking of the old sir, Jason took a deep breath, suppressing the discomfort in his heart.

Then, he noticed Dennise standing in front of him, hesitant, showing no intention of speaking to her parents.

“I thought I was going to die, so I just told them…”

“I am your apprentice.”

“The Night Watcher’s apprentice.”

“I will go with you to a far, faraway place.”

Dennise, her head lowered, didn’t dare to look at Jason, her hands in front of her and her forefingers constantly touching each other, her voice growing ever quieter.

However, the next moment, the undead girl lifted her head, raising her voice.

“You don’t want my parents to know I lied and thus learn the truth, do you?”

“You will help me, won’t you?”

The undead girl looked at Jason with hopeful eyes.

Jason nodded and then said indifferently as the undead girl showed a joyful expression:

“Mhm.”

“I will tell your parents that it was the original plan, but now the plan has changed.”

“I need to go to that place alone.”

“You and your parents will head to a larger city.”

…

Outside the Emerald Inn.

The Dennise family said goodbye to Jason.

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for Dennise.”

“You’re traveling at night, and the autumn wind is too cold; I hope this can add a bit of warmth to you.”

As Dennise’s father spoke, he took out a fur rug and handed it to Jason.

Jason accepted the fur rug, which was soft, warm, and carried a faint scent of fresh tanning.

“Thank you.”

Jason politely expressed his gratitude.

“It’s nothing.”

“Just a lion’s skin rug.”

“Compared to the kindness you’ve shown, it’s nothing.”

Dennise’s father showed a hearty smile.

Lion skin?

Jason was taken aback.

Then, he nodded slightly.

He boarded the carriage and spread the lion’s skin rug on the seat before telling Peters to set off.

Undoubtedly, there must be many unknowns lurking within Jadenron.

So…

He needed to leave quickly.

Because Jason wasn’t sure that if he got involved, he would be able to reach the ‘Hans’ port before the 26th.

As for the Dennise family?

Touching the lion’s skin rug, Jason felt there was no need to worry too much.

The father was more reliable than he appeared to be.

So was Dennise’s brother.

Recalling the young men’s reactions to the strange noise coming from the coffin, Jason couldn’t help but praise them; most people would have probably collapsed at the sight.

And thinking of Dennise’s mother, she too was very composed.

One could say that the whole family, except for Dennise, was quite dependable.

And Dennise like that?

Probably adopted, he supposed.

With that speculation, Jason turned up the kerosene lamp inside the carriage, placed the book given by the old Earl on the small table, and began to read carefully.

Regardless of whether Dennise was adopted or not, it was yet another reminder to Jason: If you’re not strong enough, you can’t even control your own fate.

Therefore, Jason chose to first read in detail the sections on ‘Monster Knowledge’.

After all, to advance as a Night Watcher, he just needed to become more familiar with the characteristics of four more monsters.

And among those records were two such kinds.

‘Harken’ and ‘Kierken’.

But just as Jason had turned to the page describing the ‘Harken’, an inexplicable sound suddenly rang out beside his ear.

The moment the sound appeared, all the muscles in Jason’s body tensed up.

He instinctively gripped the hilt of his knife.

But it was of no use at all.

For the harm conveyed by an unseen sound was also unseen.

Buzz!

Amid the ringing in his ears, Jason’s vision began to blur.

Blood continuously flowed from his nostrils, the corners of his eyes, and his ears.

Jason’s sturdy body began to convulse.

He felt as if his brain were boiling.

Yet the sound still echoed.

And at the edge of death, Jason realized he understood the meaning of the sentence—

‘Do you want some candy?’