Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

He is waiting.

Let them speak first.

The adult world is destined to be less pure than that of children; it is always filled with complex interests and schemes.

Similarly, when Momiji sent her Master away, it certainly wasn't just for a few pleasantries.

As expected, after hesitating for a moment, the demon girl Momiji looked at Samael seriously and asked in a deep voice.

Do you think all ghosts are evil?

"I have seen the noblest evil spirits and the most despicable humans."

Samael glanced at the red leaves quietly and replied with a faint smile.

That increasingly unfocused gaze seemed to pierce through endless time and space, seeing the spirits of the dead who crawled out of hell three times from the storm to fight for the living; seeing the dictators in history who, for their own selfish gain, launched wars and slaughtered countless lives.

Good and evil cannot be measured by race or lineage.

Right and wrong should be defined by behavior and law.

The same goes for the other side.

The demon woman Momiji is said to be a female demon that Taira no Koremochi defeated at Mount Togakushi during the Heian period.

Some say she was the leader of a bandit group that rebelled against the imperial court, while others say she was someone who taught villagers to read and write and who cured the sick.

It is performed widely in various regions in the form of Noh, Joruri, and Kabuki programs called "Momijigari".

Before she was transformed into a ghost, she had a peaceful and happy life.

Her childhood name was "Wu Yu," but she changed it to "Hongye" when she went to Kyoto. She was born with exceptional talent and beauty, attracting many people. Because of her superb musical skills, she gained the approval of Minamoto no Tsunemoto's wife.

She soon gained Tsunemoto's favor, but was sentenced to death on suspicion of plotting to curse the Imperial Palace. However, she was already pregnant with Tsunemoto's child at the time, so she was exiled to Shinano.

Momiji, who was welcomed by the villagers of Minase-no-sato (later known as Oninari-no-sato), eventually became the "Demon Woman" who commanded the surrounding mountain bandits and was feared by the people.

The warlord Taira no Koremochi, who was ordered to lead the campaign, encountered Momiji in the mountains but found himself in a fierce battle. In the end, Koremochi prayed to the gods and Buddhas and was given a demon-slaying sword. Disguised as a wandering monk, he challenged Momiji alone and finally defeated his opponent.

On this land of Japan, demons were once human. Due to various obsessions, attachments, and delusions, they transformed into different kinds of monsters.

But often, the human heart can be a thousand times more terrifying than ghosts and monsters.

Upon hearing this, the demon girl Momiji breathed a sigh of relief, and a rare, bright smile bloomed on her face.

"You are a very special person."

Samael smiled, neither confirming nor denying such an assessment.

"I ask you to grant me one request..." The demon girl Hongye paused for a moment, looked up and met Samael's gaze, her scarlet eyes clear and resolute, "If I ultimately cannot control myself, please grant me death."

Samael wanted to offer some advice, but the demon girl Kureha seemed to see through his intentions and gently shook her head.

"Time is running out. I feel something within me awakening..."

As she spoke, the woman looked away from the sky outside the window and turned to look directly at Samael across from her, her face showing a hint of apology and helplessness.

“I know this presumptuous request will put you in a difficult position, but I don’t want that child to get hurt because of me.”

Then, Hongye paused, glanced at the small figure upstairs, and gently reminded him with a wry smile.

"If possible, it's best not to let the child see it; it will make her sad."

"By the way, don't tell her that you were the one who did it. If she hates you because of it, I'm afraid I won't be able to rest easy..."

The woman was rambling on and on, not like a ghost woman known for her terror, but more like a mother who was about to pass away.

Samael didn't answer the request directly. He turned to look at the sun outside the window, which was almost swallowed by the twilight, and chuckled softly at the person opposite him.

"Don't worry, it will be over soon."

If this problem is resolved as soon as possible, we won't have to face this dilemma.

Hongye's heart stirred, and she immediately understood the unspoken meaning behind the words. She clasped her hands in front of her chest and solemnly bowed.

"Then, I wish you a triumphant return."

"What are you two talking about behind my back? You seem so happy."

At this moment, Hua Lin, who had just returned with a full load of goods, saw two adults behaving strangely under the pavilion and couldn't help but feel curious.

"Wait, could it be..." Hua Lin's strange gaze swept back and forth between the two of them, her expression gradually turning into one of heartache and indignation, "Kurenai, you wouldn't be trying to take you from me too, would you?"

Hearing the girl's cries of pain, the two adults coughed repeatedly, finding themselves at a loss for words.

What was originally a somewhat heavy topic was unexpectedly lightened by Hana Rin's few words.

It has to be said that this girl is a natural cheerful person, always able to bring a happy atmosphere.

To avoid the conversation veering off course into strange directions, the ghost girl Momiji picked up her six-stringed zither, placed it on the table, and spoke softly.

"I have nothing to offer you but this humble tea and this simple room, so I will play a tune to express my gratitude."

"I can listen to Hongye play music again, how wonderful!"

Upon hearing this, Hua Lin immediately forgot her complaints and eagerly found the best spot to sit down, resting her chin on her hands and listening attentively.

Unable to refuse such hospitality, Samael smiled and agreed, sitting down to wait.

Her slender, pale fingers plucked the strings, her movements gradually increasing in speed, and the sound rising in pitch.

After the soothing intro, the powerful rhythm is like the thrilling sound of war drums, and the stirring and high-pitched long notes are like horns resounding across the fields, creating a sense of tension as if dark clouds are pressing down on the city and it is about to be destroyed.

However, in the instant darkness pressed down, all six strings vibrated simultaneously, like gold shattering and jade cracking, a sound that shook the heavens and earth.

The notes, concentrated to their fullest, transformed into a subdued thunderbolt, tearing through the deep darkness of the night and bringing dazzling light, announcing the arrival of dawn.

Hongye was originally a master of the six-stringed zither and the qin. The qin was also the opportunity that led her to enter the palace and become a lady-in-waiting.

For Hongye, this timbre is a blend of memories of the elegant life in the capital and the shame of being exiled from the capital as a criminal.

But this new song has a righteous theme, without any regrets about the past, only an indomitable fighting spirit.

Perhaps, this song, born from her own feelings, is her hope for this man.

The night is long, but dawn will eventually break.

And he was undoubtedly the guide who led the way forward with the torch.

Chapter 66 Will the boss drop materials this week?

As the music ended, dusk deepened.

Samael savored the lingering melody for a moment before reluctantly opening his eyes, getting up, and helping Hana Rin carry the demon girl Momiji back to the house.

As soon as I entered, Chitose Masuru walked towards me, his gaze revealing a hint of seriousness and a subtle complexity.

"The child has woken up and wants to see you."

With that, the saint took Samael's place and, together with Hana Rin, helped Momiji walk toward another bedroom.

After being left alone, the ancient snake paused for a moment at the door before getting up and going inside.

The former exorcist girl leaned against the headboard, flipping through a children's book with yellowed and tattered pages that seemed to be quite old.

Samael glanced at the cover; the title was "The Little Prince," a famous children's short story written by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1942.

The content echoes the title, with the protagonist being the Little Prince from another planet. Narrated by a pilot, the book recounts the Little Prince's adventures on his journey from his own planet to Earth. Through the Little Prince's childlike eyes, the author exposes the emptiness, blindness, folly, and rigid dogmatism of adults, using simple and innocent language to depict humanity's loneliness, rootlessness, and drifting fate.

It's a unique novel that will evoke different feelings in readers of different ages.

"You came?!"

Noticing Samael enter the room, Eri quickly dropped her book, her pale face beaming with intense surprise.

But that surprise lasted only a moment before it was suppressed.

The exorcist girl reverted to her usual air of maturity and pointed to the chair in front of the bed: "Sit here."

Feeling the vibrant life force flowing through that frail body, Samael smiled contentedly and sat down beside him: "It seems you've recovered quite well."

“Thank you…” Eriyo pursed her lips, raised her hand to touch her beating heart, and looked solemnly at the man in front of her, her gaze clear and dignified. “…Shinjuku…and the gun tower…”

"It's nothing, just something I did."

Samael waved his hand casually, his dark eyes blinking with a smile.

"Besides, didn't you help me before?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Eri looked at the adult in front of her with a wistful expression. After a moment of speechless silence, her little face flushed with embarrassment and annoyance.

"You're so strong, why don't you say so!"

"You didn't ask."

Samael spread his hands, looking quite innocent, but there seemed to be a smile deep in his eyes.

That guy must have been secretly laughing while I was struggling to deal with that Prajna!

Eri became increasingly angry as she thought about it, and with a stern face, she stood her outstretched hand straight in front of Samael.

"what?"

The ancient snake blinked, looking somewhat bewildered.

"Give me back my allowance!"

Eri glared, gritted her teeth, and snorted angrily.

That little bit of pocket money was something she had painstakingly saved up, and it all ended up being used as travel expenses by this wicked adult.

"It's all gone, I spent it all long ago."

Samael spread his hands, looking rather helpless.

"Try turning it up if you don't believe me!"

Seeing Eri's suspicious expression, Kosuke quickly pulled out the lining of his pocket to prove his innocence, his face showing a very innocent expression.

Her allowance, her allowance...

Eriyo's gaze was somewhat empty and dejected, as if she had suffered a great blow.

"Oh dear, it's not that serious."

Samael waved his hand, quickly smiling to reassure her, then grabbed Eri's right hand and opened his palm.

"How about this, I'll trade you this."

As a cool sensation came through her, Eriyo snapped out of her daze and looked down at her right hand, which she had chosen.

It was a uniquely shaped silver coin with a six-pointed star on the obverse and a protective triangle on the reverse. The style of the decoration and lines was reminiscent of ancient Rome, and it seemed to be quite old. However, it had neither the emperor's portrait nor the proper year markings, making it more like a modern artifact that had been artificially aged.

Judging from its weight, this tiny piece definitely weighs no more than 30 grams.

Even after calculating the discount, it seems like I'm still losing money.

They even cheat children out of their money...

Eri looked at the adult in front of her with disdain.

"You don't want it? Then give it back to me."

"Think beautifully!"

Seeing that the other party was about to back out, Eriyo immediately gripped the unique silver coin tightly with a wary expression and quickly stuffed it into her pocket.

Although the goods were insufficient to cover the debts, it was better than nothing.

Having something is better than not having one.

"Great, you're full of energy! It looks like you'll be able to get out of bed soon, which puts my mind at ease."

Samael smiled mischievously, looked up at the twilight outside the window, and prepared to get up and take his leave.

Sensing Samael's intention to leave, Eri bit her lip. After a moment of hesitation, she finally mustered the courage to look up and voice the inner turmoil she had been carrying.

"Regarding the enemy Berserker, I'm sorry, I didn't handle it well..."

"This is not your fault. Living alone for so long must have been very hard."

A gentle voice echoed in her ears, and a hand landed on her head, interrupting Eri's words. The hand gently caressed her, sending waves of warmth through her.

The exorcist girl involuntarily closed her eyes, her tightly furrowed brows relaxing, clearly enjoying this intimate contact.