Leaving

Xiao Xiao suddenly thought of Maple Ghost.

If it had been Maple Ghost, perhaps none of what happened afterward would have happened.

"I can't see him anymore."

"Why force it?"

"It would create unnecessary karma."

Its white eyes, like Ragehound's, were guileless, calm, and indifferent.

Sure enough, people came in all kinds, and so did demons.

It wasn't that one way was better than another. It was simply each demon's own choice.

"Well, it's getting late. I should be on my way."

Xiao Xiao watched Ragehound hop down from the table and walk toward the door with its head held high.

Yet its overly quiet demeanor somehow made it seem a little forlorn.

He smiled politely at the woman. "Goodbye, ma'am."

"Huh?"

The woman looked confused, then grew anxious. "Um, Little Red, my illness..."

"Mr. Xiao?!"

"Little Red is leaving."

Xiao Xiao glanced at Ragehound, which had already reached the doorway, then looked at the anxious, uneasy woman. "Now that it's no longer affecting you, your health should gradually recover."

"But your body has been weakened quite a bit lately, so be sure to get plenty of nutrition from now on."

"Mm, yes, of course."

The woman was almost crying with joy.

How could she not be happy? The strange illness that had plagued her for so long was finally going to be cured.

Only then did she register what Xiao Xiao had said first. "Little Red... is leaving?"

She felt relieved, yet also a little wistful.

With her memories of the past faded and blurred, and now knowing that Little Red was a demon, she couldn't bring herself to ask it to stay.

Her illness had made her unable to help feeling a little repulsed by Little Red.

She knew that wasn't