A dull longsword and a heartbroken villager

“The more dangerous the moment, the safer it is, poet,” Bray said, shrugging.

“Go home!” Marlene shouted.

“Okay.” Sass gave up struggling.

---

The buildings in Inlai are all made of marble, giving them a sense of solidity and weight.

Marin skipped and hopped ahead, leading the way.

Then, it didn't take long to arrive at the home that Marlene had mentioned.

This house, built of wood, stands out starkly in this marble city.

“Marlene, your parents are really something else,” Sass laughed.

In this cluster of stone buildings, the log cabins have a unique charm.

"Parents?" Marlene tilted her head, puzzled.

Just as Sass was about to say something, a voice rang out.

An incredibly excited voice.

“Marlene!!! My Marlene!!! You’re finally back.” A woman who looked fairly young came out of the house.

Upon seeing the adorable Marlin, he pounced on her without hesitation.

Judging from their ages, they are indeed the parents of a 10-year-old child.

The woman hugged Marlene tightly and burst into tears.

"Where have you been all this time?" the woman said sadly, then noticed Bray and Sass behind her.

"I've been looking for you for a full six months." Her voice was broken and she sounded very sad.

"Mom?" Marlene asked.

"Yes, Marlene, I'm your mother." The woman looked at Marlene in a panic.

Seeing that Marlene looked confused, the woman suddenly became flustered.

"What happened? Marlene, what's wrong? I'm your mother." The woman hugged Marlene tightly.

"Hmm... Marlene doesn't know." Marlene looked troubled.

“As for Marlene, she has amnesia.” At this moment, Sass walked up to the woman and said.

However, Bray did nothing and said nothing; he simply followed behind Sass.

"Amnesia? What happened?!" The woman looked at Sass anxiously, wanting to know something.

"Well, this Marlene was found by Mr. Bray in Clinton."

"Then, after Marlene pleaded, he agreed to bring her back to Inlai."

Based on the information revealed in his previous conversation with Bray, Sass explained to the woman.

"I guess Marlene had already lost her memory by then."

"But I still remember where this house is."

After hearing what Sass said, the woman hugged Marlene even tighter, as if afraid of losing her, and refused to let go.

“Marlene…you’ve worked so hard these past six months…”

"Hmm..." Marlene replied vaguely.

To be honest, Marin didn't know how she should behave right now.

"Is this person my own mother?"

"It just feels so strange."

Marlene, who has forgotten her parents, has even completely forgotten the feeling of maternal love.

Is Marin going to cry or laugh?

Marlene, her face showing a hint of confusion, turned to Bray, seeking his help.

Bray noticed Marlene's subtle glance and found it somewhat amusing.

“Laugh,” Bray said, as if he knew what Marlene was thinking.

"Mom!" Marlene called out happily.

The woman who was called out to was clearly taken aback for a moment, then hugged Marlene again without saying a word.

After a long while, the woman stood up, took Marlene's small hand, and bowed to thank Bray and Sass.

"Thank you both. Otherwise, I might never have seen my daughter in my entire life."

Tears streamed from the woman's eyes.

"Let's go inside. It doesn't feel right to stand outside."

The woman wiped away her tears and said with a smile.

"Well then, we won't stand on ceremony."

"You're welcome. I don't know how to repay you."

The woman pushed open the door and gestured for Bray and Sass to come in.

“Bray…and Sass, they’re both really nice!” Marlene exclaimed excitedly.

"Really? Then Mommy will have to treat them well." The woman patted Marlene's little head.

The house was a bit dark, but the woman quickly lit the magic lamp.

"My family isn't very well-off, so please don't mind if the food isn't very good later," the woman said with a light laugh, seemingly a little embarrassed.

“No, it would be too much trouble for you to treat us to dinner, Madam,” Sass waved his hand.

"No, no, no, please stay for dinner." The woman's attitude was so firm that Sass couldn't refuse.

"Mr. Bray, what should we do?"

"Then let's eat it," Bray said indifferently.

“Then I’ll have to trouble you, Madam,” Sass said, adjusting his hat with great gentlemanly grace.

"Please make yourselves at home. I'll go make lunch now." The woman seemed very happy. After putting on an apron, she went to the stove and started working.

While the woman was busy at the stove, Marlene was jumping around the house.

This room gave Marlene a feeling that was both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Things seem to be going surprisingly well," Sass remarked.

"Marlene, are you happy?" Sass asked Marlene with a smile, her face beaming with joy.

"Hmm... a little." Marlene couldn't quite describe how she felt right now.

But perhaps this woman is his mother.

Thinking of this, Marlene felt somewhat pleased, after all, she had been searching for so long, wasn't this the place she was looking for?

While Sass and Marlene were talking, the woman had already brought out lunch.

Just as the woman had said, the meal wasn't particularly lavish.

But neither Sass nor Bray said anything.

"By the way, I wonder what Madam and Marlene's father did? We were being hunted by the Empire when we were with Marlene," Sass asked before dinner.

"Oh, is that so?" The woman looked surprised, as if she knew nothing about it.

"Even you, Madam, don't know? It seems your husband has done something," Sass said with a sigh.

"My husband... he's been gone for a long time." The woman touched her face and sighed.

"He might have done something wrong, who knows? I really feel sorry for Marlene." After saying that, he cast a complicated look at Marlene.

"Gentlemen, please have your meal. Marlene, come over here too."

“Okay~” Marlene obediently sat down at the dining table.

"Bray~ Bray~ Let's eat." Marlene said cutely.

Just as Sass was about to eat, Bray reached out and stopped him from putting the food into his mouth.

Bray stared at the woman with his lifeless eyes.

"What's wrong, sir? Is the food too..." The woman looked guilty.

"So, who are you really?" Bray's voice was calm, but the question was like a thunderclap.

“I am Marin’s mother…” the woman said, looking puzzled.

"Clang—" The next moment, Bray drew his longsword and slashed straight at the woman.

The woman paused for a moment, seemingly not quite understanding what was happening.

"Mr. Bray!! What are you doing?!" Sass exclaimed in shock when he saw Bray's actions.

Why would he kill someone at the drop of a hat?! Did Mr. Bray lose his temper after being provoked by the hero and his companions?!

But Bray showed no intention of sheathing his sword, which grazed the woman's neck.

But not a drop of blood was spilled.

The woman had a deep wound on her neck that revealed flesh and blood, yet not a single drop of blood seeped out.

"Who are you... no, what are you?" Bray's voice was terrifyingly cold.

After witnessing the bizarre scene, Sass seemed to realize that something was amiss.

“Marlene, come here. That thing isn’t your mother,” Bray said in a deep voice.

Marlene, who was sitting at the table, immediately ran to Bray's side without any hesitation.

"Hmm..." Marlene, who was initially very happy, is now filled with doubts and has no idea what happened.

“Bray…”

Upon hearing Marlene's voice, Bray instinctively patted Marlene's hair to reassure her.

"Hmm... something went wrong?" The woman suddenly looked up.

He looked as if he wasn't the one who was injured.

The woman stood up and looked at Bray expressionlessly.

"I'm very curious how you found out," the woman said, tilting her head 90 degrees.

Faced with this horrifying scene, Bray remained completely unmoved.

“There are far too many problems,” Bray said.

First of all, this wooden house is too new; it looks like it was just recently built.

Bray simply couldn't believe that Marlene's house was a newly built one.

Moreover, the woman said that her family was very poor, yet she was able to use a magic lamp, whereas most people were used to using oil lamps.

After all, although the magic lamp doesn't cost much, the lamp itself is a bit pricey, and poor people wouldn't spend that kind of money.

“No… with these things, there’s no way you’d want to kill me.” The woman tilted her head to the other side, staring at Bray with wide eyes.

This frightening appearance is completely different from the kind mother she was before.

“What is that…” Marlene hugged Bray’s leg tightly.

"She gives me a feeling of closeness, but she's also terrifying." Marlene's face was pale.

After hearing Marin's words, Bray paused for a moment, as if he had thought of something.

However, he quickly focused his attention on the unknown object in front of him.

“Yes, mainly because you have an aura that I find very repulsive, an aura that no human should have.” Bray narrowed his eyes, involuntarily touching his eyepatch.

That damned aura of "divine source" didn't feel as clear as my own ball of light; it gave off a chaotic and fragmented feeling.

If the "divine source" within you is a ball the size of five palms, then the feeling of the other person is like dust.

I didn't even feel the "concept"; it was extremely faint.