The Broken Halo

For a while, nobody moved after Merath left.

Sonya stared in the direction Merath had disappeared, and Akaza did the same.

The forest was quiet, but the silence was not peaceful to them.

At least, for now.

To Sonya and Akaza, every rustle of leaves sounded like Merath returning. Every movement of the wind sounded like a hidden blade. Every shadow between the trees looked like it could suddenly stretch, twist, and become something that wanted to kill them.

Sunless and Merath had truly put Akaza and Sonya on edge.

Only Simon closed his eyes.

Through Shadow Sense and his affinity for the wind, he knew that Merath had truly gone. She was far away from him.

His body was finally beginning to relax after the constant tension.

Or maybe it was beginning to give up.

UnholyRegeneration continued working. Devour continued absorbing demonic energy, and the Miser’s Ring continued reducing Simon’s demonic energy consumption by half.

However, Simon could feel it.

He was far from safe, far from healed, and far from ready to do anything.

Sonya slowly turned and looked at him.

”Are you sure we should have let her go?”

Simon did not open his eyes.

”It’s better than one of us dying. She’s strong.”

Sonya frowned.

Akaza also looked at Simon.

Simon slowly exhaled, but the action caused pain to spread through his chest and throat.

”All that matters is that we survived.”

The forest became quiet once again.

The river continued flowing in the distance. The wind moved through the leaves, and somewhere far away, a demonic beast released a low cry that sounded more tired than threatening.

Akaza suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood to the side and wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

”Survived is a strong word. I feel like I died three times today and came back because death got tired of me.”

Sonya glanced at him.

”You talk too much for somebody who was slapped unconscious by a girl.”

Akaza’s expression froze.

He slowly turned his head and looked at Sonya.

”Can we not talk about that?”

Sonya’s lips curled up slightly.

”Why? Are you ashamed?”

Akaza snorted.

”That was a Demon King. There’s no shame in getting slapped by a Demon King.”

Simon slowly opened his eyes and looked at Akaza with a weak but indifferent gaze.

”Sonya did not go unconscious.”

Akaza looked at him with slightly wide eyes. He did not expect Simon to join Sonya in ridiculing him.

When he looked at Sonya, he saw her stretching out her tongue while giving him a mocking look.

”I said we should not talk about it.”

Simon closed his eyes again.

”Then stop talking.”

Akaza’s lips twitched beneath his tired expression, but he said nothing else.

Sonya looked at Simon, and the faint amusement in her expression disappeared.

His condition seemed worse than before, though that was not actually the case.

The dark golden cracks on his body had become dimmer, but they had not disappeared. Some of them still pulsed faintly beneath his skin like dying embers trapped under flesh.

Blood had dried around his lips, chin, neck, and clothes, and his breathing was so shallow that if not for her sharp ears, Sonya might have thought he had died.

His white hair was stained with blood and dirt.

And his body, which had once felt like an old monster wearing the skin of a young demon, now looked like something that had been dragged out of a grave.

”Little kitty.”

Simon did not respond immediately.

Sonya crouched beside him.

”Can you move?”

Simon opened his eyes slightly.

”No.”

Akaza frowned.

”Can you stand?”

”No.”

”Can you fight?”

Simon looked at him with an expression that said- ”Really?”

Akaza raised both hands.

”I’m asking because you’re a monster who does not know when and how to give up. A normal demon would have died with the injuries you have.”

Simon was silent for a few seconds, then he spoke.

”If I use my mental energy carelessly again, I might faint. If I circulate my demonic energy too forcefully, my pathways would worsen.”

He paused.

”Right now, I’m almost useless.”

Sonya and Akaza became silent.

Hearing Simon say those words made the situation feel heavier.

Many demons and humans would never want to admit that they were useless even though that was the truth.

If they were in Simon’s shoes, they might not want to admit it because they were either ashamed or afraid that Sonya and Akaza would take advantage of them or would abandon them.

Simon had this thought too which was why he lied.

He could still unleash a few basic mental techniques without fainting, but that would be him tethering on the verge of no return.

Because of his previous life and his mother in this life, he trusted no one.

So, this was a sort of test in a way.

If Akaza and Sonya decided to betray him or take advantage of him, they would learn the hard way that a wounded tiger was still a tiger.

Akaza looked around.

”Then we need to leave this clearing.”

Sonya nodded.

”Merath might come back.”

Akaza looked at the trees.

”And if she doesn’t, something else might. We don’t know where we are.”

Simon closed his eyes.

”One hour.”

Sonya raised a brow.

”What?”

”Let me rest for one hour.”

Akaza frowned.

”Here?”

Simon slowly opened his eyes, and his gaze moved toward the river.

”Yes. One hour. I need to stabilize my body. If you move me recklessly right now, my condition will worsen.”

Sonya looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself.

Simon continued.

”After one hour, follow the river.”

Akaza looked at the river in the distance.

”Why?”

”Water leads somewhere. Villages, roads, towns, cities, beasts, travelers... something.”

Simon’s voice was rough and weak, but his words were still calm.

”We need shelter. Information. Food. A place to hide.”

Akaza slowly nodded.

”I guess following the river is better than walking blindly.”

Sonya looked at Simon for a few seconds, then she sighed.

”Fine. One hour.”