It should also be noted that, while mention of it may have been missed in earlier narration, Hellboy also carries a golden-handled sword in a scabbard on a baldric, which he has to unsling from his back to do his test sitting.

Meanwhile, Pickman's question is entirely transparent, as Hellboy has only been ignoring the dead flesh smell, not failing to notice it. He closes his eyes and grits his teeth, obviously fighting to maintain his temper.

"I have to admit, Richard, they're not really my favorite kind of people," he says, his tone studiously even, his choice of pronoun chosen to keep this as calm and theoretical a discussion as possible. Wouldn't want to start a fight in the store, after all, even if his real opinion on ghouls was that they were worse than cannibals. "However, this city being what it is, I could make allowances, depending on how they get their food. Killing people is bad. Grave robbing is bad. Arrangements where I don't have to be called in to deal with it... Well, a ghoul with that kind of arrangement, I might not have a problem with."

The shopkeeper, by this point, is starting to look distinctly nervous.