Clip-clop— Charrrr—

"You seemed to be in a bad mood earlier. Why are you suddenly laughing and making a fuss?"

I grinned and answered.

"What is there to fear when Ketel is with me?"

"...."

Shushruta looked at me with a 'what kind of nonsense is he spouting now' expression.

"Anyway, did you find out?"

"I did."

"And the result?"

"Hmm..."

Shushruta, who was sitting opposite me, seemed to be observing my expression for a moment, then confessed.

"After checking with the Thieves' Guild branch here... it's highly likely that the mercenary corps has really been disbanded."

"Hmm."

"It seems to be quite famous. To the point that the rumor has already spread throughout the Maia Kingdom. If it weren't true, it wouldn't have spread this much."

"Hmm... I'll see for now."

Shushruta looked at me.

"What are you going to do?"

I shrugged.

"What can I do? I have no choice but to go and see for myself."

"What if they've really disbanded and scattered?"

"I'll have to find them and kick their asses."

"I see."

Ketel had said that I was destined to wander. Come to think of it, I wondered if she had said that with this in mind.

Shushruta hugged her knees and asked.

"Have you decided where to go? You'll be able to arrive quickly if you set a destination in advance. There's no need to wander aimlessly. As you know, the Maia Kingdom is quite vast."

I nodded.

"I'm going to Schirnberg."

"Schirnberg? Isn't that a large city in the south?"

"You know it well."

Shushruta nodded her head.

"Certainly, if you go to a large city, you'll be able to gather information quickly."

"Well... that's part of it."

Shushruta tilted her head.

"Is there another reason?"

"There is."

"What?"

"It's where her grave is."

"Her? Who are you talking about?"

I playfully pushed the face of Shushruta, who was looking at me with wide eyes, with my palm. The girl, who swatted my hand away with a look of disgust.

I chuckled and answered.

"That's none of your business. You just need to know that Lady Ketel told me to go."

"...Ketel?"

I explained to the blinking Shushruta.

"While you were away, Lady Ketel gave me an oracle."

Shushruta narrowed her eyes.

"Nonsense. Why would Goddess Ketel give an oracle to you, who is not even a believer? What's so pretty about you? Stop talking nonsense."

"It's true. I am the true blind saint."

"Even though you don't know the doctrines of the night."

"That's not important."

Shushruta snorted.

"As if."

I shrugged and leaned against the wall.

"If you don't believe me, then don't."

Since the carriage was a converted freight wagon, there were no chairs, so we were sitting on the floor. Of course, there were no windows either. It wasn't for nothing that I had been on the roof of the carriage all this time. It's quite stuffy to be in a rattling carriage without windows. But it's not bad for organizing my thoughts.

I sat with one leg stretched out and was lost in thought.

In fact, there is no clearly drawn border between the Hilka Empire and the Maia Kingdom. There is only an ambiguous border area. There were attempts by the empire to build a wall, but it was not an easy task. Because the damage was enormous due to the interference of the magical beasts that would rush at humans.

Nevertheless, they pushed through and managed to build a wall with difficulty. But because of the magical beasts that would bang their bodies against the wall every day, maintenance was not easy, so they withdrew. In the end, the wall was left to collapse. Leaving only its traces.

In fact, due to the characteristics of the magical beasts here, they don't usually go down south that much, but they flocked there because there were humans on the wall. The ironic situation where the wall built to block the magical beasts actually attracted them.

In the end, the empire calculated the manpower and capital that would go in, and the damage that would be incurred if it were left alone... The attempt to create a border with a wall was never made again.

...or so I heard from my sister. How does my sister know all this? She doesn't seem to be from the Hilka Empire.

Anyway, the important thing is that the border area is not the territory of the magical beasts. I heard that magical beasts sometimes roam around, but it probably wasn't at a serious level. Seeing that I haven't seen any yet.

This border area is, in a word, a lawless zone. A land abandoned by both countries. That means, the border area without magical beasts is the territory of bandits.

I jumped up to the roof and then stood on the carriage, admiring the scenery unfolding before me. In the distance to the right, the rugged mountain range that continued from the Mist Cliff was descending like a curve, and in front, a rather desolate plain was spread out. The field, with sparsely grown trees and grass, seemed unsuitable for hiding.

Naturally, the figures of those who had spotted the carriage in the distance and were approaching were clearly visible. They seemed to be trying to approach secretly, moving between the trees and the bushes, but it was no use. They couldn't avoid my eyes, which had become even wider as my realm deepened. Also, I noticed a few guys hiding behind the trees on the side of the road ahead.

"Hmm."

[They're small-fry.]

As the Heavenly Demon said. What's so great about guys who just rob immigrants who are fleeing from Maia?

[Not even worth cutting down.]

If I had my way, I would have killed them all, but as the Heavenly Demon said, I have no time to waste on such small-fry.

Screech—

I drew the silver sword that Hans had gifted me and raised it high towards the sky. Then, I injected my internal energy.

Woooong—

The sword cried lowly and dyed its silver blade with a crimson aura.

I held the red-hot sword high like a torch so that anyone could see it, and then glared in all directions.

"...."

Clip-clop— Charrrr—

The carriage ran along the road as usual. The bandits who had been approaching stealthily did not suddenly attack the carriage, nor did the guys hiding behind the trees startle the horses. The only sounds were the sound of the horse's hooves and the sound of the carriage wheels rolling.

It was quiet.

I stood for a long time, holding the blazing silver sword high like a torch, feeling like the statue of the goddess Ketel guarding the carriage.

And so, we crossed the border peacefully.

Nothing... happened!

***

The rugged mountain range that continued from the Mist Cliff gradually lowered and finally reached a plain. After crossing the virtual line that continued from there and entering...

"...Finally."

Finally, I had returned to my hometown. I still have a long way to go, but anyway, I'm back. To the Maia Kingdom.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel any special emotion. Only familiarity welcomed me. It seems I can hear the cry of a lost magical beast in the wind.

In fact, from here on, the problem is the magical beasts rather than people, so I withdrew the aura from my sword and then quietly put it back in its scabbard. Because magical beasts don't care about aura. My arm was also a little sore.

By the time we crossed the border and entered the Maia Kingdom, the sun was setting. Since we had set off in the afternoon, it wasn't that strange.

Since the sun was setting and the horses were tired from crossing the border without rest, we decided to take a short break.

"Linda."

"Yeah?"

"Park the carriage somewhere suitable. Let's take a short break and then go."

"Okay. Devil, are we sleeping over?"

"Are you sleepy?"

Linda rubbed her eyes and looked up at me on the roof.

"A little sleepy."

"Then let's get some sleep and go."

I heard Shushruta's voice from below.

"Ashuban. Are we running at night too?"

I looked up at the sky and answered.

"We'll see. If the moon is bright."

"Understood. And Linda. Drive to the right. I hear the sound of water."

"Okay."

Linda drove the carriage off the road and to one side. As we went, I heard the sound of a babbling brook.

"There?"

"It's good. Park it."

"Okay."

Linda parked the carriage near the brook.

While Linda was unharnessing the snorting horses and getting their feed, I decided to prepare a meal.

"I'll help."

Since I had to keep Food-Wasting Shushruta from touching the food, I told her to go gather some branches.

I roughly washed the pot, filled it with clear stream water, then tore some beef jerky into it and came back.

When I came back, Shushruta had made a campfire by combining thick branches and thin branches well.

"Oh. Not bad."

Shushruta smiled with satisfaction.

"Hmph. Now we just need to light a fire. Wait a little."

Click, click.

Shushruta struck the flint. But the flame that would give us warmth was far away.

I watched Shushruta silently.

"...."

"I-it definitely worked well before."

"...."

"It's true! I succeeded on the second try."

"Who said anything?"

"Eek!"

Click. Click.

I looked at Shushruta, who was still struggling with the flint, with a pathetic expression, and then, with a bad feeling that we would be up all night like this, I crouched down next to her. Then I held out my hand to the campfire.

Fwoosh—

A blue flame rose from my fingertips and immediately lit the campfire.

"...Huh?"

Shushruta, who had been struggling with the flint, stared at me blankly.

"What was that just now? A blue flame bloomed from your hand?"

I grinned and said.

"This is the Snow Branch Blue Flame Art."

"...You've learned a strange black magic."

"I said it's a martial art."

Anyway, after lighting the campfire, I quickly made a simple dinner of boiled beef jerky and dried fruit. A little later, Linda, who had come back from taking care of the horses, also joined the meal.

Shushruta was in charge of cleaning up.

"Everyone get a good night's sleep. If you can't sleep, tell me. I'll put you to sleep."

When I said that, holding up a finger, the girls quickly found a spot around the campfire and lay down.

I also found a spot a little away from the campfire to sleep and lay down.

Crackle, crackle—

It was already a full-fledged night. The red sunset had disappeared, and the sparkling stars filled the night sky.

The Maia Kingdom has always had many magical beasts. I felt it after visiting the Blake Kingdom this time; it boasts an overwhelming number compared to other countries. In other places, seeing a magical beast is like plucking a star from the sky, but here, you can see them quite often. Of course, E and F ranks are the most common, and it gets harder to see them as you go up... but they would suddenly pop out and devastate a village.

My sudden dive from the cliff was in a similar context. I went to catch a D-rank magical beast, but how was I supposed to know that a B-rank would suddenly pop out?

A magical beast devastating a village. It would be unimaginable in the Blake Kingdom. But considering the case of the flute-playing magician, where humans take the place of magical beasts when there are none, perhaps magical beasts are...

—Kieeeek!!

Just as my thoughts were about to continue, a piercing scream suddenly echoed.

I jumped up and looked in the direction of the sound.

"Ashuban."

I said, without looking back.

"I'll go. You stay here and guard the carriage and the horses. As for Linda—"

"Kuh..."

Linda was sleeping soundly, regardless of the scream.

"...Let her get some sleep."

I didn't even wait for an answer and immediately used footwork towards the direction of the scream.

The Heavenly Demon asked in a slightly excited voice.

[Is it a magical beast?]

"Probably."

Even as I was running, the screams continued a couple more times. They were all very urgent-sounding screams.

When I arrived at the source of the screams, a man was pointing a sword at a fallen woman.

The woman spotted me and immediately shouted.

"Help me!"

I stared at the two of them blankly. At that, the man grabbed the woman from behind and threatened her neck with a knife.

"Drop your weapon! Or I'll stab her to death."

The woman, with tears streaming down her face, pleaded in a mournful voice.

"P-please save me! Please...!"

I sighed and picked up a stone. Then I injected starlight into it and flicked it backwards.

Thwack!

A tree was pierced, and the guy hiding behind it collapsed without even being able to scream.

"...!"

The eyes of the two people who had been putting on a play widened.

I gave them some advice.

"The acting was good, but it's too classic a method. Besides, you should have said something like, 'What are you looking at? Is this a show?', or 'Go on your way. If you don't want to die.' and then told me to drop my weapon when I approached. Why would you tell me to drop my weapon right away? You were too hasty."

At my words, the two people's eyes changed in an instant.

The woman shouted.

"Kill him!"

The man, holding the knife he had been threatening the woman with, rushed at me, and the woman, as if she had never been like that, pulled out a dagger with a venomous face.

At the same time, the guys who had been hiding behind me all rushed at me.

Four from behind. Two from the front.

Not even worth drawing my sword.

First, the back.

I summoned a Night Sky Spear in each hand and threw them at the two guys rushing from behind.

Thwack!

The guys collapsed with their hearts pierced.

"Aaargh!"

"Die!"

In the meantime, the other two guys approached me and swung their longswords down.

I immediately activated the Snow Branch Blue Flame Art and then wrapped my hands in cold energy. Then I caught the two blades that were falling, sparkling in the darkness.

Grab!

When I caught the blades with my bare hands, the guys' eyes widened.

As I sent cold energy through the swords...

Crack!

Frost bloomed on the blades.

When I gave it a little force, the swords broke very easily.

Clang!

I caught the sparkling blades in the air and stabbed them into the guys' eyes and necks.

"Keok!"

"Aaargh!"

Now all that was left were the two actors.

The two, seeing me finish off the guys, had already turned tail and were running.

Betrayal, faster than an arrow!

I was about to chase after the two... but I heard a thumping sound and gave up.

—Kwaaaang!

A large magical beast suddenly jumped out from between the bushes and attacked the two who were running away.

With a gruesome sound of bones and flesh being crushed, a real scream, not an act, echoed.

The Heavenly Demon, who was watching the scene, let out a low groan.

[What is this...]

"Master. Are you a little confused?"

I grinned and said.

"This is daily life in Maia."

(End of Chapter)