Chapter 7: I Want to Leave This Place! You Can't Leave Me Behind!
Watching Kagura and Simon hug tightly, a smile appeared on Erza's face.
Then Erza looked at the villagers behind Simon, a strange look in her eyes.
Following their gazes, she finally looked at Ren.
Erza's eyes shifted slightly. She hurried to Ren's side and tightly held his hand.
Not far away, Simon released Kagura, held her small hand, and walked up to Ren.
Without saying a word, he bowed deeply to Ren.
"Thank you, Ren!"
Before, Simon had felt fear and awe toward Ren's figure, like a grim reaper. But after learning Ren had saved Kagura, all Simon felt toward Ren was gratitude.
Ren smiled and said to Simon, "Make sure you protect your sister from now on."
Then Ren glanced at the villagers in the distance, who looked afraid and wary. He curled his lip slightly and turned around, walking toward home.
As she watched Ren's departing back, Erza turned her head and glanced at the villagers, disappointment flickering in her eyes.
She quickly followed Ren, gripping his hand as she left with him.
Only after Ren's back could no longer be seen did the scene grow noisy again.
Because the black magic cult had appeared, the village's children were taken away, and some villagers who fought back were brutally killed.
The villagers returned home to collapsed ruins and bodies lying on the ground with no movement at all, and a wave of sorrow spread through the village.
Back at home, Ren told Erza to sit down and rest for a while.
He went to the backyard water basin and took a bath, scrubbing the sticky blood off his body.
As the water flowed over him, bright red blood ran with it, streaming across the ground.
He washed for a long time before finally cleaning off the dried blood.
After changing into clean clothes, Ren went to Erza and said with a serious, heavy expression, "Erza, I'm leaving the village."
Hearing Ren's words, Erza was startled. She quickly sat up, looking straight into Ren's eyes.
Ren's gaze was firm. Seeing that determination, Erza knew she couldn't stop him.
She smiled, reached out to grab Ren's hand, and said with a grin, "Then I'll leave with you!"
Her parents were gone, and there was nothing in this village she needed to stay for.
Even though she felt reluctant to leave the village where she'd grown up, if she had to choose between this village and Ren,
Erza would choose Ren without hesitation.
Seeing Erza's resolute expression, a gentle smile appeared on Ren's face as well.
"Then pack up. We'll leave tomorrow."
The reason Ren hadn't taken Erza far away earlier, to avoid the black magic cult's raids,
was because he couldn't let go of the village either.
After inheriting the previous owner's memories, Ren knew the villagers had taken care of him.
Once he had power, Ren decided to protect them once.
Now the Night of Child Hunting was over, and every member of the black magic cult had been killed by Ren.
The village was safe now.
Ren could finally leave without worry.
Erza nodded hard and, with Ren accompanying her, went home to pack her things.
There wasn't much luggage, really.
Aside from a few worn-out pieces of clothing, there was nothing else.
After folding her clothes, Erza turned back and looked at the house where she'd grown up, her eyes filled with reluctance.
But when she glanced at Ren not far away, Erza's gaze became firm. She decisively shouldered her bundle and walked toward him.
At Ren's side, Erza lifted her face and smiled. "Let's go."
Back at home, because there was only one bed, Ren let Erza sleep on it while he laid a layer of fur on the floor.
After hunting for so long, Ren had kept plenty of furs at home.
With his hands behind his head, Ren lay on the ground, staring at the broken roof as moonlight streamed through the holes into the room.
"Ren, are you asleep?"
Erza's voice reached Ren's ears.
"No."
Ren lay flat on the floor, eyes fixed on the roof as he answered.
"I don't know what happened yesterday, but I hope you can promise me something."
Hearing Ren's reply, Erza seemed to feel more at ease, her soft voice drifting to him.
"In the future, you can't leave me behind. I'll work hard to become stronger too. I'll always stay with you. No matter what's ahead, even if it's hell, I'll face it with you. So you can't abandon me, okay?"
Erza's voice was gentle, yet filled with unwavering resolve.
"Yeah."
No grand speech—Ren's voice was quiet, but it made Erza feel safe.
Before long, the room fell silent again, with the sound of insects outside in their ears.
Carried by nature's song, the two of them soon drifted into sleep.
The night passed without a sound.
Sunlight shone through a hole in the roof, a beam landing right on Ren's face.
Ren opened his sleepy eyes and instinctively raised a hand to block the glaring light.
"You're awake!"
Ren's movement quickly alerted Erza outside.
Erza looked like a little home cook now, wearing an apron, holding a spatula, standing happily in the doorway.
Ren yawned and propped himself up with his right hand, sitting up from the floor.
"What are you doing?"
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, Ren looked at Erza dressed like that and asked in confusion.
"You were so tired yesterday. When you woke up today, you'd definitely be hungry, so I wanted to make you something to eat."
Erza stuck out her tongue, her cheeks a little flushed as she spoke.
Just then, a burnt smell drifted into the room.
Erza suddenly yelped, "Oh no, my food is burning!"