The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 155

The Hound...

Lloyd stood fully armed by the window, gazing out over the entirety of the estate from the highest point of the mansion. The Stuart family's lands were in the south, and they had no holdings within Old Dunling. Thus, Selina resided in a townhouse in the inner city, originally a temporary residence for the Duke of Stuart when he visited the Queen. Due to the long wait for the inheritance ceremony and other reasons, Selina had stayed here for an extended period.

Lloyd always believed that an ancient castle estate in the wilderness was the perfect setting for a horror story. In such a locale, the interior and exterior were relatively isolated, much like a sealed room, though a rather large one. But now, the story was about to unfold in the inner city, where running inward would lead one to the Guard's quarters, and outward to Cork Street. If they ran fast enough, Lloyd could even take the superfluous investor to visit her invested company. In the fortress-like Institute of Mechanics, not only would a mysterious hound be swiftly neutralized, but even demons would be instantly incinerated by the firepower.

Picking up the nearby Winchester, Lloyd began loading it one cartridge at a time, the metallic clicks resonating in the air. He kept a solitary round made entirely of blessed silver close to his body—his ultimate weapon. As he armed himself, Lloyd pondered his weapon inventory.

The nailed sword had been destroyed in a battle with a demon. Given the current situation, Lloyd had no time to fetch a new one from Cork Street. In truth, the weapon itself was not crucial; it was the blessed silver that mattered. The unique feature of the nailed sword was merely its blessed silver coating. As this mystical metal, capable of suppressing demons, dwindled, Lloyd grew increasingly concerned. Though Merlin was attempting to analyze its composition to create a replica, Lloyd held little hope.

The Church of the Gospel's items always felt peculiar to him, as if they were irreplicable. They had grasped some core technology, and until that was understood, all others' efforts were but crude imitations.

Having prepared his weapons, Lloyd picked up a knight's sword. In the era of modern rifles, such cold weapons had become symbols of identity rather than tools of combat. Yet, against demons, these ancient weapons never went out of style.

"So, can you be quiet now, Lloyd?" A voice suddenly spoke from the other side of the dim room, revealing another presence. Selina, dressed in her nightgown, lay on the bed, addressing the noisy Lloyd.

"I'm protecting you," he replied.

"But I also need to sleep," she retorted.

The girl looked exhausted, her usually cold expression softening as sleep approached. She was just an ordinary person, unlike Lloyd. As a demon hunter, his willpower allowed him to engage in intense combat day and night. Knowing there were enemies about, Lloyd felt no fatigue, only a surge of excitement. It was a reflex—people salivate at the smell of delicious food; demon hunters become exhilarated at the scent of demons.

After a brief discussion, Lloyd decided to stay and confront the mysterious hound. To ensure no mishaps, he took up temporary residence here.

"Alright, alright. Just don't sleep too soundly," he said, putting away his weapons and standing up.

At that moment, Arve was patrolling the mansion with a hunting rifle, while Lloyd stayed close to protect Selina. The eerie curse carried a maddening illusion; no one knew if the hound would truly appear, nor in what manner it might come. Waiting was the best course of action.

Lloyd melded into the room's darkness, silent as the grave. If not for the extreme quiet allowing the faint sound of another's breath to be discerned, Selina might have thought she was alone.