For a moment, the murmurs around them erupted into chaos.

  "What?"

  "That can’t be true."

  "Did he just say… he killed them all?"

  Kyle stared at the Exorcist in shock, his mouth hanging open, unable to form a response.

  Vanessa’s expression held not only shock, but deep confusion.

  Among them, only Shinya’s hostility grew even stronger.

  He shifted half a step to the side, instinctively preparing for battle.

  Had he not been holding Nicole, he might have already transformed.

  Just then, a young voice rang out, desperately refuting the claim.

  "That’s not true! Rivern is not the killer!!"

  Eddie rushed forward, placing himself between the Exorcist and Shinya.

  "Rivern Rybirths is an Exorcist. Isn’t it completely normal for an Exorcist to have been at the scene?" Eddie argued, defending him.

  "Fifteen years ago, the tragedy happened because the Exorcists arrived too late—they couldn’t stop it in time. My uncle and his entire family were among the victims.That’s why, after joining Dawn Prayers and becoming a priest, I personally went through the official records regarding that massacre.I know what really happened—Dawn Prayers failed in its rescue efforts, and that failure led to complete annihilation.If you want to ask who’s responsible, then the blame falls on all of Dawn Prayers."

  Vanessa felt a surge of emotion at Eddie’s words.

  The young man had spoken aloud the very thoughts she had been holding inside.

  Eddie’s voice trembled slightly.

  "So… so please, Rivern, stop calling yourself a murderer. Saying things like that… it’s too painful.Yes, you bear responsibility. But so do all of us in Dawn Prayers."He paused, clenching his fists tightly."I was only six years old that year.I was supposed to stay at my uncle’s house for a month. But I caught a cold that wouldn’t go away, so I had to cancel the trip. And because of that… I survived.I never once felt lucky.I resented the demons.I resented Dawn Prayers—its incompetence, its failure to act."

  He took a deep breath.

  "That same year, Dawn Prayers began installing dark energy alarms and magical barriers in every town.And ten years later… I became a member of the very organization I once despised."

  Eddie looked directly at Shinya, his voice sincere.

  "I became a priest to help more people—to make sure tragedies like that never happen again.Dawn Prayers has worked toward that same goal all these years.And as a result, nothing like the Acorn Town massacre has happened since.You saw it for yourself today—the alarm system, the magical barrier. They worked.If you want to hold someone responsible for that tragedy, then come at me. Come at all of us in Dawn Prayers. But don’t single out Rivern."

  Shinya’s anger flared even hotter as he saw Eddie spreading his arms, standing between them to shield Rivern.

  "You think I’m targeting him?Fine. Then let me ask something unrelated to the past."

  His sharp gaze locked onto Rivern.

  "Back in the forest outside Acorn Town, I saw you standing very close to that demon.He wasn’t trying to kill you. He was talking to you. So tell me—what exactly were you two discussing?"

  The moment the question was thrown at Rivern, he became the center of attention.

  Even Kyle was curious about the answer.

  He had been there—right behind Shinya in his bear form.

  Though he hadn’t caught the conversation clearly, he had definitely heard voices.

  Now, everyone was waiting for Rivern’s response.

  Rivern’s gaze swept across the many pairs of eyes fixed on him—

  Some were filled with doubt, others with concern, some with simple curiosity—

  But most carried trust and expectation.

  He had never imagined that his words would be so misinterpreted by Eddie,

  Nor that it would lead to this.

  He had already resigned himself to becoming a condemned sinner, the target of everyone's scorn, and yet—there were still those who stood up to defend him.

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  He had spoken the truth, and yet—no one believed him.

  [Do you really think you told the truth?]

  A mocking voice echoed from the depths of his mind.

  [You sly little demon!]

  [You only vaguely admitted to being the culprit, never once mentioning that you've already become a demon. You carefully avoided the details of the past, letting others step in to defend you instead. Ha! What a brilliant move—turning retreat into an advance, weaving a perfect little tragedy. I’m so touched, I could cry.]

  Because the truth was—

  He hadn’t told everything.

  He couldn’t.

  The words refused to leave his lips.

  He could not—

  Would not—

  Look into those trusting, expectant eyes and say—

  "I was once an Enslaved Fiend of the demons. Now—I am a demon."

  He wanted to let out a helpless, bitter laugh.

  He wanted to bury his head in his hands and weep.

  A part of him felt gratitude for the trust these strangers placed in him—

  And yet, another part of him mocked their naivety.

  [Oh, kind and innocent Eddie… If you ever had the chance to check the internal personnel records of Dawn Prayers, you would have known.]

  [I joined Dawn Prayers after the Acorn Town tragedy. How could I have possibly taken part in the rescue operation?]

  [Heh… but then again, with your current rank, you don’t have access to those records—let alone the personnel files of the Exorcists.]

  [So, of course, you wouldn’t know who I really am.]

  [Who am I? Rivern Rybirths?]

  [No. That name was nothing more than a passing whim of former High Priest Nafal—a false identity he gave me on a whim.]

  [I am a demon wearing human skin. A prisoner bound in chains of holy light.]

  [So tell me—what lies am I incapable of uttering?]

  [If this is truly a grand performance—]

  [Then let me play my role to the very end.]

  At last, under the weight of everyone’s anticipation, Rivern spoke.

  "That demon didn’t kill me because he wanted to force me to reveal the whereabouts of other Exorcists."

  His gaze remained calm as he looked at Shinya.

  "I fought back with everything I had and was wounded in the process. I didn’t know where the other Exorcists were, and even if I did, I would never have told him. Shortly after, you all arrived."

  But his answer didn’t satisfy Shinya.

  "And why should I believe you?"

  The skepticism in his voice infuriated Eddie, who immediately snapped back.

  "Haven’t you had enough?! If Rivern hadn’t arrived tonight, do you have any idea how much worse this battle could have been? Doesn’t his actions tonight alone make him worthy of your trust?"

  "That’s right!"

  "Exactly!"

  Voices rose from the crowd, supporting Eddie’s argument.

  Some even turned the accusations back onto Shinya.

  "Now that I think about it, weren’t you the one who lured the ghouls here?"

  "Yeah! I saw it with my own eyes—those ghouls were chasing him when he came down from the second floor."

  "So isn’t everything that happened today your fault?"

  Shinya’s expression darkened.

  The ghouls had been chasing him. He had no way to refute it and could only endure their accusations in silence.

  "By the way, who is this guy?"

  "Is he with the mercenary group?"

  "No, he’s a werewolf—I saw him transform."

  "…A werewolf?!"

  "What is a Bloodwolf doing in our territory?"

  "That barbaric race only brings disaster—nothing but bad luck!"

  The murmurs grew louder, the weight of public opinion beginning to turn against Shinya.

  Until—

  A loud, commanding voice suddenly cut through the noise, silencing the crowd.

  "Yes, the ghouls were drawn here because of him—but he fought until the very last moment to protect everyone else."

  Austin stepped forward, joined by his mercenary companions, positioning themselves at the front of the crowd.

  He spoke up for Shinya, his voice clear and unwavering.

  "While he was out there fighting, getting injured, even facing death—what were you so-called 'warriors' doing? You cowered behind the barrier, trembling in fear. And now, you dare to stand here and accuse him? You cowards—do you feel no shame holding swords in your hands?"

  Among the crowd, those whom Austin had called out reacted differently—

  Some lowered their heads in embarrassment, while others simply averted their eyes, unwilling to acknowledge the rebuke.

  Shinya hadn’t expected anyone to speak up for him.

  A warmth spread through his heart.

  Austin gave Shinya a firm, approving look. Shinya nodded slightly in return, a silent gesture of gratitude.

  Kyle immediately stepped into the middle, raising his hands to calm the crowd.

  "Alright, alright, everyone, let’s cool down. This matter is settled—let’s move on. No one died tonight, and that alone is a blessing. The Bloodwolves has always been fierce warriors, valuing strength above all else. But in history, they have never been our enemies. Let’s not let small misunderstandings create unnecessary conflict. Peace is the priority—don’t you all agree? It’s late. Go home and get some rest."

  Some people began to disperse, though many lingered, unwilling to leave just yet—their curiosity still unsatisfied.

  Instead, the crowd shifted its attention to Rivern, gathering around him.

  "We believe in you!"

  "We trust Dawn Prayers!"

  "Exorcist!"

  "Hero!"

  "Seagull Town thanks you!"

  The cheers and praises from the crowd grated harshly against Shinya’s ears.

  No one believed his instincts.

  He understood, of course—

  If Rivern hadn’t shown up in time to cleanse his poison, he wouldn’t have been able to get Nicole to Seagull Town.

  If Rivern hadn’t arrived, the inn—perhaps the entire town—could have suffered devastating losses.

  Rivern was, without a doubt, the “hero” of the day.

  That fact was undeniable.

  And yet—Shinya couldn’t stand it.

  A simmering rage and resentment burned inside him, its cause impossible to untangle.

  Logically, he had no evidence to prove that Rivern was connected to the demons.

  A Dawn Prayers Exorcist, after all, was the last person who could possibly be in league with them.

  Even Eddie’s reasoning made some sense.

  That year, after Shinya and Irene got separated, he had returned to Acorn Town alone.

  There had been priests at the scene.

  They were handling the aftermath.

  If Rivern had been among them, it wouldn’t have been impossible.

  If Rivern had blamed himself for failing to save the town and called himself the culprit, that, too, wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

  [But… why do I always catch a scent from Rivern that feels both familiar and disgusting?]

  Shinya kept his eyes locked on Rivern, watching until his figure was completely swallowed by the crowd.

  [Rivern Rybirths… you had better be telling the truth. Because if you’re not—I will make sure you pay dearly for it.]

  With that silent vow burning in his heart, Shinya finally turned and headed toward Seagull Town’s church.

  But just as he took his first step—

  A sudden surge of energy sent a ripple through the air, setting both Vanessa and Rivern on high alert.

  Before either of them could react, a violent eruption of darkness burst forth from Nicole’s body—

  like flames consuming the air—

  engulfing Shinya within it.

  The commotion immediately sent the surrounding crowd into chaos.

  "What the hell is that?!"