Silas looked at the two bewildered girls and found himself in a predicament as well.
His home was very small; there was no way it could accommodate five people. Moreover, he didn't want to involve Ada in his problems; harboring Demonesses was a serious crime, after all.
But Bayne City was now quite prosperous, and there were hardly any places where people could hide.
There were too many people around during the day, making it inconvenient to move. And at night, there were the Church's Night Watchers, making movement even more dangerous.
For a moment, Silas had no idea how to shelter these two Demonesses.
Dong!
At that moment, the bells of the city center cathedral rang out again, signaling that half the afternoon had passed and also heralding the start of afternoon tea.
Hearing the bells, a thought suddenly struck Silas: "Wait, I seem to have a magic workshop."
This "I" was Silas Sotos.
Silas Sotos had been an enthusiast of the mystical arts since his teens. In Earth terms, he was a youth suffering from a severe case of chuunibyou syndrome.
He had ostensibly been cured after reaching adulthood, but his contact with the Death Cult had reignited his passion like a wildfire. Silas had become completely obsessed, as if possessed.
He had always dreamed of performing mystical spells, so he had long ago prepared a hidden "magic workshop" for himself.
It was a reservoir beneath an abandoned factory on the city outskirts. After the factory was abandoned, the entire reservoir had emptied out, becoming a hidden room four meters high and approximately forty square meters in area.
For over half a year, Silas Sotos had tinkered with it bit by bit. Inside, there was a bed he had made himself, a table for experiments, candles, and stored kerosene and cheese. It had virtually become his second home.
He had even visited it just before the incident.
After Silas's transmigration, Silas Sotos's memories were somewhat chaotic and fragmented; many things couldn't be recalled without careful thought.
At this realization, Silas turned and said, "Are you two still able to walk?"
The two girls immediately nodded. "No problem!"
Silas quickly packed the items into the suitcase. "It's working hours now, so there are few people on the streets. This is the best time for you to move. Come with me now. I'll take you to a different place. It's not too far from here."
"Okay!" The two girls were overjoyed and nodded vigorously.
After everything was packed, Silas cautiously peeked outside, ensuring no one else was around. Then, he let the two girls out, and the three of them ran from the dilapidated back gate of the school towards the wilderness.
The factory was located on the northwest side of the city, at the foot of a small hill, about two kilometers in a straight line from here, and relatively close to where Silas had originally been dumped.
Beyond the school lay a stretch of desolate, uninhabited farmland. Numerous withered, yellow weeds and a few solitary scarecrows stood starkly against the white snow.
Without the protection of the city's tall buildings, biting cold winds blew relentlessly, chilling them to the bone.
Fortunately, Silas was nearly immune to the cold, and the two Demonesses, now bundled in their thick cotton coats, could also withstand it.
Taking advantage of the deserted surroundings, the three of them hurried along the narrow paths between the fields towards the factory.
The journey was quiet. Fifteen minutes later, the three of them, jogging, arrived at the abandoned factory.
The entire factory was now a mess of shifting sand and rolling stones.
It hadn't been a large factory to begin with, and a mudslide had buried more than half of it.
The owner at the time had used all his money to compensate the families of the deceased, went completely bankrupt, and ended up in prison.
Afterward, because the cleanup and reconstruction costs were astronomical, the factory failed to sell at auction three times and had been left abandoned here for five years.
Following Sotos's memories, Silas didn't enter the buried factory directly but instead followed an untrodden path through the fields to the back of the factory, to an area completely overgrown with wild grass.
Pushing through the tall grass, they came to a ditch covered by a large stone.
At the far end of the deep ditch was an unlocked door.
This door was incredibly well-hidden, completely obscured by the stone. In front of it was a three-meter-long, dark, enclosed space.
If one weren't crouching in the two-meter-deep ditch and looking straight ahead, it would be impossible to know that there was a door at the end of this dark opening.
"My heavens, this is truly hidden. How did you ever find it?" Bernice asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Silas chuckled. "It was accidental. It had just rained that day. I slipped and fell from above, tumbling into the ditch. When I looked up, the sunlight happened to catch this door."
"Let's go. It's safe here." As Silas walked in, he also felt along the wall. Here, he had previously set up a simple alarm device – a thin thread.
If the thread was broken, it meant someone had been there. If it was intact, it meant it was safe.
The thread was currently intact, indicating the place was still secure.
The iron door wasn't locked but was tightly bound with chains.
Opening the iron door, they were met with pitch darkness.
"Careful, there are steps ahead, with a walkway on either side," Silas said, lighting a candle to illuminate the path.
The place resembled a small swimming pool. Upon entering, there was an iron railing encircling the perimeter, wide enough for walking.
Water level lines were carved into the sturdy stone walls.
Directly ahead were steps leading down, about thirty of them.
After carefully descending the steps, Silas lit the kerosene lamp on the table. The bright flame, shining through the glass, illuminated the entire reservoir.
The two sisters looked around by the light. In the left corner of the room was a simple wooden plank bed, covered with a worn-out blanket, a quilt, and a pillow.
To the left of the steps was a rectangular table laden with numerous books.
On the other side was another table, upon which were chalk, various strange materials, crystal goblets, scrying orbs, and many other mystical paraphernalia.
An unerased magic circle was still visible on the floor. In the right corner were several barrels of kerosene, several barrels of water, dried cheese, bread, dried fish, and cured meat.
Another corner housed a simple stove, complete with pots, pans, and utensils.
Silas said, "Although it's very rudimentary, this place can at least ensure you can live a normal life."
Hearing this, Helles said excitedly, "Thank you, Lord Apostle!"
For them, this environment was practically paradise.
A warm house to ward off the cold, a place to live, and food to eat – these were the greatest dreams they had cherished for so long.
Silas didn't intend to stay here too long. He said, "There's kerosene here to boil water. If you need water, you can get some snow from outside. If you encounter anyone, try not to speak to them proactively, and don't panic. If they show hostility, capture them. I'll come back in a couple of days."
The two Demonesses nodded obediently. "Thank you for your concern. May our Lord bless you."
"May our Lord bless you!" Bernice said piously.
Silas smiled, thinking to himself, "Don't worry, I'll bless myself."