Just as the girl had seen, the chicken coop held several piles of bones—utterly clean, not a trace of flesh or dust remaining.

Beside it, the cattle shed held a complete cow skeleton.

Its hollow eye sockets stared straight at Sophia!

A chill shot up from Sophia’s soles to her brain. Her delicate frame trembled slightly.

“W-What… what is this?!”

“Sister Sophia, what’s wrong? Ah!”

Yugo jumped back the moment he saw the animal skeletons.

But his startled cry snapped Sophia out of her freeze. She took a sharp breath and yanked Yugo away from the coop and shed.

“Sister Sophia… why are bones just lying there? Don’t people clean up after slaughtering a cow?”

Too innocent to sense the eerie tension, Yugo simply assumed the family had forgotten.

Sophia exhaled heavily. The icy dread on her back eased a little.

“An… what *is* going on?!” Her voice turned frosty.

An paused. “I told you—my senses are blocked here. What you see is all I see…”

“Tch! You’re still chasing that summons?!”

“…Yes.”

“…”

“Don’t worry. Even with my senses blocked, I *will* protect you. I don’t know what ‘that entity’ is—but my power is no weaker than its.”

“Tch.”

Sophia pressed her lips tight. *This foolish dragon’s useless right now.*

“Sister Sophia?” Yugo tugged her black robe, eyes clouded with worry.

He’d noticed her strained expression, the beads of sweat at her temples.

Sophia met his gaze and breathed out. “It’s nothing. I was just… nothing.”

She wouldn’t admit she’d been startled. No point.

“Should we tell them to clear the bones? Leaving them might cause disease…”

Yugo glanced toward the shed, concern plain in his eyes.

*Such a kind child…*

*Pity kindness won’t save us now.*

But—

“…The villagers?”

A flicker crossed Sophia’s eyes. She turned to the farmhouse.

If the livestock became skeletons…

*Where are the people?*

She tightened her grip on her wand and stepped forward.

Creak—

Surprisingly, the door wasn’t locked. Sophia pushed it open easily.

Sunlight streamed through the window, keeping the small room clear. One glance revealed everything.

Her eyes locked on the bed.

Two pale human skeletons lay there.

Yugo saw it too. A choked gasp escaped him—

—but Sophia clamped a hand over his mouth, eyes urging calm.

Still covering his mouth, she stared at the bones, her brow slowly furrowing.

*What is happening?*

Questions swirled in her mind.

Strangely, seeing human remains eased her fear.

True terror wasn’t monsters or death—it was the unknown.

Not knowing what monsters do… what lies beyond death… what The Unnameable might claw from the dark…

But An had promised protection. Death no longer threatened her.

And these bones… confirmed her fears.

“S-Sister Sophia… what do we do?” Yugo’s voice shook, overwhelmed.

Sophia lowered her gaze, then seized his hand. “Stay close.”

“Ah—okay!”

Her aqua-blue eyes swept the silent village. Time felt frozen. No sound.

To confirm her next suspicion, she needed more proof.

They returned to the middle-aged man’s house.

This time, Sophia strode straight to their resting room and shoved the door open.

Unlocked again.

Yugo hesitated, shaken. But seeing Sophia step in, he gritted his teeth and followed.

*Sister Sophia’s a girl. If she isn’t scared… I won’t be either!*

The room had two sections: the outer for meals, the inner a bedroom.

Sophia glanced back at Yugo, then entered the inner chamber.

Her eyes instantly fixed on the bed.

“…As expected. More bones.”

She narrowed her eyes.

Creak—

Then—a doorframe groaned behind her.