Led by three young, strong, and enthusiastic villagers, the operation to search for and destroy evil items—ah, not confiscate property—went smoothly.

Blessed with the divine "Eye of Goodness," Aelina used her "Demon-Seeking" blue light to easily locate the secret chamber where the "despicable, shameless, evil" Elder stored his evil items. Strangely, they looked like ordinary valuables: a few small bags of garnets, gold coins, and a silver necklace.

Aelina carefully discerned that most contained ultimate evil magic. She declared they needed purification by a kind, devout woman like herself. Everyone believed her without doubt—the wall-disintegrating blue light and Fro’s gleaming sword were honest proof.

After the operation ended, Aelina personally distributed food from the cellar. The mustachioed Elder—now the beardless one—had nearly sent them all to the devil. Times were hard; bellies pressed against backs. Amid the stench of burning fat and distant screams, they feasted joyfully. Once the Elder’s fat burned away, they took their share of food and land, heading home happily.

Rumor said the execution wasn’t smooth. Villagers preferred stoning or tying sturdy nooses. The chubby Elder broke free from charred ropes, stamping out half the fire. Startled, fearing a botched ritual would doom them all, they raised pitchforks as one. They impaled him on a wooden post. One fork—once buried in a Demon Hunter’s chest—pressed against his chest. The Elder watched, eyes wide, as his belly burned fiercely. His voice faded; he died.

By evening, Aelina’s fully loaded six-wheeled carriage set off. It rolled toward a sunset like a rotten persimmon. Passing a blackened, half-burned woodshed, Bella jumped out. Tears in her eyes, she waved at Fro. "Brother Fro, goodbye, goodbye!"

"Goodbye. Grow up healthy and strong."

The Elf’s mood was complex. Beside him, Aelina looked up from studying steel secrets. "Today was the fullest she’s ever eaten. An orphan, a lowborn—she’ll end up struggling in filthy sewage. You know this."

"Will you take her as your assistant?" Fro asked, turning with delight.

Aelina kept her eyes on the steel sheet. "No. But I found her a guardian."

"A guardian? Him?"

"You’re clever for once." Aelina commanded, "Bring her up. She’ll sign a contract."

Fro leaped down, running to Bella. The silly bee on his chest jiggled happily. He scooped up the small girl.

"Brother Fro?" Bella’s large eyes gazed from her thin face.

"Aelina found you a guardian," he said. "I knew she had a good heart."

As Bella was lifted into the carriage, Aelina paused her experiment. Bella stared down, fidgeting with her skirt hem.

"I summoned a strong guardian with magic," Aelina said slowly. "He’ll raise, protect, and educate you until death." She produced a paper covered in fake, blood-red runes—just for show. "First, sign this contract."

Bella suddenly felt fear. Her familiar home faded behind her. A silver-haired lady, too beautiful to be human, offered a cursed contract. War and famine rumors flashed in her mind: devils traded food for souls, especially children’s.

And Lady Aelina... Bella stole a glance. Her eyes sparkled like stars. Her flawless face had no dust, no wrinkles, not even a large pore. She’s not human! Bella thought. A devil?

Bella shuffled back a step.

Aelina saw through her thoughts. She set the contract down and returned to the steel sheet.

"Bella." Fro stroked her head. "Aelina is good."

The warm touch calmed her. Bella pressed her thumbprint onto the contract. Aelina folded it neatly into a square iron box.

The carriage bumped along dirt roads for an hour, stopping at a cave swallowed by weeds.

Aelina used the Molecular Reconstructor to open the stone door. Inside the dark cave, a tall, masked man—bound tightly with ropes—lifted his head. Flames flared in his eyes. Seeing Bella clinging to Fro, the flames died.

"Sign this." Aelina thrust the contract before him, the thumbprint stark. "Protect, raise, and educate Bella for life. Break it, and devils take your soul."

The masked man’s gaze drifted past the bloody words to Bella. Her features mirrored his lost lover’s. He nodded without hesitation. Fro cut the ropes, removed the gag. The Elder’s son—weak and prone—pressed his thumbprint with all his strength. Aelina waved her "Magic Wand." Silver mist swirled as she chanted fake spells. The contract burned before three pairs of eyes. "The pact is sealed."

The masked man felt an unbreakable bond with Bella. He staggered up, approaching her timidly. "Little one, little one," he whispered, stroking her head. Bella looked up with clear eyes, seeing the man who’d guard her for life.

Fro unloaded two food sacks and twenty gold coins. Aelina "magically" produced a backpack.

Hand in hand, the masked man and Bella stood at the cave mouth, waving at the carriage heading into the sunset.

Fro waved until a hill blocked the view. He turned into the cabin. Aelina was still experimenting.

"Aelina, I—" Fro began, but she raised a hand.

"Thirty minutes. Ponder how I ‘judged’ the Elder, helped Bella, and took everything. Think hard. With your monkey-like brain, you won’t progress in cultivation otherwise."

Aelina often used "cultivation" to make Fro do odd things. Like wearing a robe with a silly bee all day—even in battle. She’d explain seriously, mouth full of sketches: the half-circle smile matched a crescent moon; the aligned eyes echoed yin-yang; the tilt angle plus complex formulas gathered magic... Fro’s head ached just listening.

In short: wear it daily, do a hundred push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. It’d strengthen his body via the "magic array."

Fro doubted at first. But after days, he felt stronger—and believed.

This time was no different. Fro frowned, chin on hands, thinking hard on the carriage seat. Soon, he slumped against the side, asleep.

Thirty minutes later, Aelina sat chewing a sausage. Fro dreamed of Xina, grinning foolishly.

Aelina bit the sausage, then swung the Molecular Reconstructor at his head. Fro yelped, tumbling off the carriage.

"Ow! Xina, don’t hit me! I’m not cheating!"

He staggered up, seeing Aelina staring silently from the carriage. The short-legged horses halted. One gray pony eyed the Elf with pity.

"I overestimated your monkey brain."

Fro opened his mouth to protest, but Aelina cut in. "Though any sane person knows what happened, I’ll say it: this is how it is..."