Chapter 40 : The Bell of Purity Rings
The sun had just begun to retreat behind the rolling hills when the bell tolled.
Not just any bell.
It was the Bell of Purity, a relic older than the town itself—mounted in a cathedral tower that hadn't chimed since the last Demon War, half a century ago. Its tone, crisp and impossibly clear, cut through the air like an accusation. The sound was light, almost delicate, but it struck something deep in the bones.
Elias dropped his fork. It landed in his soup with a tragic splash.
Across the table, Rhea blinked at him. She had a carrot impaled on her own fork and was dramatically pretending it was a nobleman about to be devoured by dragons. It was one of those evenings where peace had seemed... real. Almost.
Then came the chime. Then came the silence.
Then came the screaming.
The townspeople didn't take kindly to unexplained divine omens. A bell that was meant to detect dangerous magic or corrupted souls was not supposed to ring unless something really bad had happened. Like a demon awakening. Or a king falling. Or a child who used to rule the underworld reincarnating in your house and stealing your leftover pudding cups.
Elias groaned. "Why is it always us?"
Rhea didn't look confused. She looked... guilty.
"Um. Elias?"