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"Albreich, we really need to talk about it. C'mon, I'm sorry if this must happen, but you must under..."

"Ifrit, if I talk about my previous life as a demon hunter in detail, both you and Eshdar will just go away and leave me. We're in this together, alright, so stop pushing me."

"I don't care about that, Al," said Eshdar. "We're both still too young to know any of your threat. We travelled far from Tragoria and we have believed ya. What you've done that time is not because of you tryin' to kill a demon. You just want to protect."

Albreich then turned his head from the road. "You two, if I talk about it, you won't know what happened next. Talking about a demon hunter's past is enough to make you two run away, because it's not the event that transpires, but the power in the words."

"Is that even possible?"

"Holy words are like the opposite of Hordo. Though surface races like me and Lilac would think they are indifferent, you two, as hellhounds, will have a severe headache and if I continue your head will explode. Now, let's talk about other topics and enjoy the sea. Why must we talk about something that you two won't be able to hear?"

Ifrit wanted to persuade more, but he knew he would lose, and if Albreich's words were true, then he would still lose. Why risking your life if it would just kill you? Taking a sip of the juice, he drowned the idea, which didn't bode well with Eshdar who drank three of them already out of frustration.

The sea, as Albreich said, was warm and lively, but with Albreich withholding his secret, it didn't look all that nice anymore. He claimed that it was a nice beach for people, who hated cold, and it was true, but it didn't feel nice with the trader trying to hold everything from him.

Both Lilac and Eshdar also felt the same, but then Lilac said, "Albreich, can you excuse us?"

She beckoned them to follow her, and they did just that. Ifrit felt that Lilac's black fur went thinner, and was worried if she's sick. But then, as they went into a restaurant and Lilac ordered a drink, she said, "Can you leave that matter behind you?"

This caused a gasp of surprise from both of them. "But...why? Don't you want to know?"

"Eshdar...some secrets are best left forgotten than remembered. Humans and Lycans have something that they bury deep inside their hearts. For humans, it's the thing that they dear most, and for us, is our animal form. In my region, the sight of a giant wolf would scare people away, not knowing that it was a Lycan. It is inevitable, though, and mastering the transformation is the only way to fight it."

She turned her head to Ifrit. "When you saw my werewolf form, what did you see?"

"I saw a kind of...well, what to say, a wolf-headed long-armed creature two times the size of humans?"

"That's the form I tried to master, as that form is the indication that I'm not ready to be a true Lycan. But, with you, I managed to make a permanent form between an animal and a human, and thus, I looked more like you hellhounds, and most of Adaline Lycans. Well, that's the thing why I don't want to show you this, and of course, only hellhounds find me attractive with that, uh..."

"Maybe because Ifrit had seen things like that? (No offence, man)."

"Maybe. But then, as I said, do you think that it's okay to let it go?"

"I'm okay, Lilac, but still..."

"One day, maybe you'll know who to trust and who not to trust, but I can assure you, Albreich is not dangerous. He has shown us that he's an honest man, and keeping his past a secret is to protect you two. Not all humans might want to see your real features, and if no one really want to, you two will have to cover your horns and tails every time."

Both of them then stared at each other for a while, before saying, "I guess you got a point there, Lily. We'll try not to peer too much into his problems."

"It's good to know, then. I will tend to Albreich. Just buy some foods if you're hungry."

Before both could ask, though, Lilac and stood and walked as swift as his paws could. This led them to be alone there, with no knowledge to order normally.

They stared at the menu together and didn't know where to start. There was a lot of food that couldn't fit their taste because most of them were fish products. What they couldn't bear was the many cold dishes served.

"(Well, what do you want, Eshdar?)" said Ifrit nervously. "(I never order before)."

"(I hunt my own foods...and I can't eat fish. The Lycan menu is not my taste, either. Goddamn...)"

"(No wonder. The Winsel family favors hunted food)."

The voice was not mistaken, and it caused both of them to jerk their visions to the voice source. It had just been three days, but Rhynsa was there with them, standing near their table and smiling wryly. The unnatural black eyes watched them silently, but Ifrit could see that he meant no harm despite of not being able to see his pupil.

"(What the hell are you doing here?! We don't need to start a fight here! Didn't Ifrit beat the sense out of you?)"

"(I didn't beat the sense out of him! Rhynsa...just sit down. You don't want those Lycans to see that you have a bigger back, right?)"

Rhynsa again made another smile, and he asked for the menu. Eshdar's hand was ready on his dagger, but Ifrit glared at him not to start anything. As the waiter came, Rhynsa ordered the three of them foods that could be enjoyable for the three of them, and it was something that Ifrit thought was very expensive.

"(My earnings can give me a way to have a good life)," said Rhynsa. "(Being an assassin can give some advantages)."

"(Killing for money is worse than killing for survival)," said Eshdar.

"(Tell me, Winsel. How long have you lived on the surface of the earth? If you're a hell-born hellhound, you won't talk about that like it matters to you. Hellhounds are hellish creatures, of course...though I feel strange on why our creation is so vague...)"

"(What do you want to do here?)"

"(I came to talk about something more important that trying to kill me. I have no intention to stalk you two anymore, seeing that assassinating you won't give me a good profit)."

"(Wait...'good profit'?)"

"(I have my own rules, Ifrit. I never kill unless paid. Though until you talk sense to me I still have a vendetta to your family, I was paid for the job, and not because I want to take my revenge of what you've done)."

"(How can you say that? You have that strong intention to finish me off)."

Rhynsa got silent for a minute before saying, "(I received a warning that death will tail me if I don't comply. I let go of the matter behind, but being a demon is full of wrath and anger, and all of them came to me again. I guess they fooled me into trying to kill you and your friends. But, I come here to give you a warning. The one paying me to kill you is not what you know. The rebels won't give me a coin to kill you since I am also their enemy. Being a former general makes you more and more acceptable to your hostile surroundings. Just heed my word, both of you. We are not fighting against something that's obvious)."

"(But...why can't we travel in peace? I mean, I still can't trust you enough, but...I don't want to be targeted like a fugitive)."

"(That's why I am not very sure. We're one of the lesser demons and our affair doesn't seem to get attention to the other circle, but the letter has a trace of xecarinite writing, and that could only be found in the fifth layer)."

"(So? Hounds can buy those in the market, right)?" said Eshdar.

"(It's so expensive if you take it to the first layer that even the royals have to give up a lot of their gold just to buy a small bottle)."

"(Well, sorry if I don't finish my education)," said Eshdar with a scoff. "(Xecarinite is not as bad as Goradin ink. They burn)."

"(Okay, stop talking about inks or do you two plan to get your head inked?)"

They both stared at Ifrit. "(That's the worst joke I've ever heard)."

"(Thanks for that, Eshdar...)"

"(Anyway...the food is here. Let's just eat)."

Despite of still having difficulties in making amends with the two young princes, Rhynsa felt that the two of them really had lost most of their nobility and had become two normal hellhounds with royal names, and that's the thing that he liked, as royalty was not their concern anymore. Rhynsa could quickly grasped on their lives when they joked one another and even talked to Rhynsa in a light tone, which melted his heart, and thus gave him a good laugh out from his otherwise closed mouth. As a half-demon bat, he never got the attention he needed, but ironically, the pure hellhounds in front of him were royals, and they accepted him, just like what Hynorsi Schelkz did to him when they were still cubs.

As they finished the food, Rhynsa saw that both Lilac and Albreich had stood up, possibly to find their two hellish companions who ate lunch with an enemy. Sensing that they wouldn't be as level-headed as the hellhounds, he stood up, put a bag of gold coins on the table, and said, "(Your friends are coming here, and they won't feel delighted with me around)."

"(Oh...but, will we meet again?)"

Rhynsa then smiled. "(Ternor is not a world. I have a feeling that we will cross path frequently. Well, Ifrit?)"

"(It's good to see you back, Rhynsa. Thanks for that shot, though)."

"(Which one?)"

"(You will know the one when your bullet went through their heads in a straight line. Always a good shooter, huh?)"

Rhynsa knew that was a compliment to an old demon bat hybrid like him. He never got that in his life in the surface world and now his old revenge target released everything about him, as if that attack never happened. Knowing that they would meet again, he made a smile and finally said, "(Always a good shooter)" before turning his head and left the two of them alone with the gold coins he gave them.