Edson and Holruf stood shoulder to shoulder in the shadows.
Before them lay a flagstone alley, with the Calamity Lady's temple at its far end.
Normally, sewage and mud covered the place.
Even with the temple's few priests cleaning it every day, keeping it clean was almost impossible.
But now?
Not only was it spotless, it was filled with people kneeling in devotion.
Every one of them looked utterly devout, kneeling on both knees, palms pressed together, murmuring prayers.
They seemed to have forgotten the fear and disgust they felt whenever they passed this place.
"People always look out for themselves."
A trace of mockery surfaced in Holruf's eyes.
As a Demon Hunter, he had experienced this countless times. Different people, the same behavior. If the Demon Hunters' convictions had not been strong enough, they would have crumbled long ago.
Still, he did have a few complaints.
Demon Hunters were not saints.
In a sense, they were merely a band of pitiful souls.
If they had not lost something precious, who would willingly become a Demon Hunter?
Many Demon Hunter parents had even considered sending their children to live with ordinary families.
Unfortunately, none of them had gone through with it in the end.
They could not bear to let them go.
Blood was thicker than water, after all.
Besides, even in an ordinary family, their children could encounter danger.
Aberrations and monsters were not picky eaters.
An encounter with them never ended well.
Better to keep their children close and teach them enough skills to protect themselves.
Then, once they reached adulthood, they could decide.
Of course, almost every Demon Hunter's child became a Demon Hunter upon reaching adulthood.
Growing up surrounded by that life, the young always followed in their parents' footsteps.
Undeniably, some rebellious youngsters simply thought