– Lucius
The name of the village where the Saint and I visited to prevent a large fire in the slums and the sudden increase of Demon King worshipers is Cornell.
I succeeded in blocking things before I could even make a move, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling of discomfort as a suspected Dark Mage fled without much time to spare.
Still.
Now that I’ve determined the fleeing path of the Dark Mage, it shouldn’t be a significant issue.
If you’re asking, “Could they do the same thing elsewhere while we weren’t paying attention?”
To be honest, I can’t give a definite answer, but I doubt that they could.
The place that the Dark Mage escaped to is Ellen.
That’s where the Iron Blooded Grand Duke resides.
It was a stronghold that held firm until the very end during the previous massive invasion of the Demon King’s army…
I’d like to think positively as much as possible.
Cornell itself is larger compared to other nearby villages.
Thanks to that, there was a relatively sizable church, but that’s only in relative terms.
In the end, we wouldn’t be able to expect significant support.
And, as expected.
I passed on my words to the bishop here, but he just bowed with a face full of guilt.
He explained that if they sent support, the church in this town would completely stop functioning, so it was impossible to go.
Instead, he offered to send some priests from the church in the capital with support funds and relay information.
Of course, I didn’t convey my message in hopes of receiving support, and I was grateful that they were willing to help, so I nodded in appreciation.
Besides, with the Saint accompanying me, perhaps heaven is helping us?
I didn’t expect much because it was quite a distance, but I was fortunate to secure a carriage that would take us directly to Ellen.
The carriage would depart in five hours.
For some reason, I had a gut feeling that it would be a long journey, so while I stepped away to prepare plenty of rations,
They appeared.
…
…That man, was it Nameless?
He is someone I encountered during my visit to the Demon Realm, a place called ‘Where the Heavens Touch’ for purification.
I remember him because the place was peculiar, but also due to his high caliber, which was absurd compared to his visible age, and his unusually pure mana.
His unusual clothing made him even more memorable.
Generally, swordsmen wear at least the minimum amount of protection to shield themselves.
I did as well.
But that man, Nameless, was wearing no protective gear whatsoever and instead wore uniquely designed clothes made of thin fabric as if to make himself lighter.
…Is that traditional attire from another country?
It could be.
When I glanced closely at the woman standing next to him, it seemed like she was wearing a smaller version of the same design.
The only slight difference was that her sleeves were excessively wide and fluttered, and she was half undressed.
…He definitely seems like someone from another country.
For whatever reason.
It’s not just the fact that the woman is wearing little clothing; the woman next to him doesn’t have common facial features either.
She might have come from some distant land I’m unfamiliar with.
Are they a couple?
Or maybe family?
Honestly, they seem more like family, but the gaze Nameless gives the woman feels a bit deeper, a kind of affection beyond that.
If that’s the case, they must be lovers.
To be honest, it doesn’t really matter to me if those two are lovers or family.
Shaking off distractions, I looked at Nameless, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu.
Somehow, whenever I see that man, someone I know comes to mind.
Before I returned to this place through powers unknown to me.
There was a ‘Hero Party’ established for the purpose of sealing the Demon King.
Despite its name, the Hero Party consisted of only three members.
Myself, Elia, and lastly…
A man who was exceptionally skilled in magic, surpassing even the best talents in the Mage Tower, and became a rightful member of the Hero Party.
However, I couldn’t clearly see his face because he had been burned all over, which was unfortunate, but I will never forget the spells he cast, which were extraordinary from the first to the last.
“…Damn it.”
Thinking of him gives me a headache.
Why does that despicable man keep coming to mind whenever I see this guy?
Yet Nameless and the former travel companion are different individuals.
The companion I traveled with in the past used magic, while he seems to be a swordsman from the looks of the muscles on his body and the sword hanging at his waist.
There’s no way they could be the same person.
And after talking, it turns out he had no family or lovers.
Doesn’t he have a woman who looks like a lover next to him?
…Yeah, the woman.
The problem is with that woman.
Honestly, I brushed it off at first.
While Elia was talking to someone, I didn’t think it was something I needed to worry about.
It might be rude to say this, but…
The woman’s stature next to the man is so small that I couldn’t feel intimidated even if I wanted to.
But it didn’t take long for me to change my mind.
I have the ability to indirectly sense the strength of others.
I used this when I was tracking traces of magic, inscribing mana onto my retina.
For this reason, I have a habit of assessing the caliber of new characters I encounter.
So I naturally used this ability on them as well.
The man had decent skills, just as I remembered, but the woman who clung to him like a lover…
I couldn’t feel anything from her.
At first, I thought perhaps I couldn’t sense her mana because it was too small, so I tried to brush it off.
But upon meeting her gaze, I had no choice but to change my mind.
In an instant.
In that fleeting moment, I witnessed it.
It was a deep sea of mana, an unfathomable abyss.
The magnitude of her power was so vast that it would not even allow someone like me to catch a glimpse of her caliber.
I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.
How could I not have known about someone like her in my past life?
If I had a chance to face her, could I at least make Elia escape?
Embarrassingly… I would probably find it impossible.
I tightened my grip on the holy sword.
Then what should I do in this situation…
The answer was simple.
Act as much as possible without incurring the wrath of that monster.
And if at all possible, I would like to draw her to our side and receive help for the great war that would unfold in three years.
…If I’m being greedy, I’d also like to receive some training from her to increase my personal power.
Nodding to myself, I solidified my decision.
…
– Cheon Ha-rang
Lying my head on Nameless’s knee for just a moment,
I became uncomfortable as I felt the increasingly obvious stares from the Saint’s party.
“…”
Isn’t it a bit too conspicuous for me to be the elder and have them look at me like that?
Well, they don’t know my age, I guess…
I felt petulant and pouted, then I propped myself up, touching the inside of Nameless’s thigh.
“…Master?”
“Ugh, I need to change my position.”
For some reason, with Nameless looking wide-eyed and stiff,
I turned my attention to the Saint’s party, who continued to watch me even as I got up.
Elia had an expression that was a mix of dissatisfaction? Jealousy? …It was hard to pinpoint what that expression was.
Hmm, I still can’t grasp the feelings of others besides Nameless.
Most of the time, I only concentrate on reading Nameless’s expression, so I can’t interpret the expressions of other people at all.
But it’s not like I was looking at Nameless’s face because I particularly liked it; this guy’s expression has become so stable that if you don’t focus, he looks emotionless.
…Feels like I’m making excuses.
Anyway, Elia kept looking back and forth between me and Nameless with an expression I couldn’t quite understand, while that Lucius guy has been glaring at me with narrowed eyes since earlier.
What is that guy so displeased with to look at me like that?
It’s a bit intimidating…
After tilting my head back and forth, a thought suddenly struck me.
Certainly.
It might be slightly rude to lie down when it’s not just me and Nameless.
It’s definitely not because I’m feeling self-conscious or anything!
What need do I have to worry about the looks of these weaklings?
Nodding to myself, I scooted over and snugly pressed against Nameless.
…This feels a bit uncomfortable.
“Nameless, wrap your arm around my shoulder.”
“…Yes.”
Due to an unavoidable height difference, I had ended up leaning more on his arm than on my shoulder, but when Nameless wrapped his arm around my shoulder, I felt a strange stability.
Ah, now this is comfortable.
A smile of satisfaction crept across my face.
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