Acting
On the rest of the journey, Auriel didn't stop in a town or village, just continued to ride his horse. He didn't want to rest in any places that didn't have minimum defensive measurements to deal with sudden attacks of any kind of fiend.
It was nothing but just a single Devolved Parasite, enough for Auriel to get his guards up and not act carelessly again. His previous self confidence that rose after becoming Master decreased significantly returning to its old, cautious, almost paranoid self.
Arrogance was a poison that caused many protagonists Auriel narrated to fall and die a dog's death, he didn't want to taste the same fate as them. Fortunately, he encountered a relatively weak fiend even Elise could kill. What would happen if something like Apex Monstrosity appeared instead of a weakling?