Death is a common thing in this world.

It's a world where tragedy is more prevalent than comedy.

Nevertheless, I didn't expect the first death to be so in vain.

If a horde of magical beasts had come, I could have at least caught and killed them.

But what am I supposed to do if he just dies on his own like this?

There was nothing I could do.

The Heavenly Demon muttered in a low voice.

[Death comes without warning.]

Still, since we had to cover as much distance as possible during the day, the procession moved west as scheduled.

And Arthur and I took the woman and left the procession to make a simple grave.

The woman watched silently until her father was completely buried in the ground.

It seemed she no longer had the energy to cry.

"Huu—"

I wiped the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve and spoke to the woman.

"Are you okay?"

The woman barely answered with a hoarse voice.

"...Yes."

"Did he have a chronic illness?"

"He coughed... often. Today, his cough was a little worse than usual. I didn't expect him to go so suddenly..."

Arthur broke a thick branch from somewhere and made a simple cross in front of the grave.

"Forgive me. We don't have much time, so this is all we can do..."

The woman shook her head at Arthur's words.

"No. Thank you for being so considerate."

She bowed her head to Arthur and me.

Although her expression was blank, she looked even more pitiful.

"...."

We remained silent for a while in front of the humble grave.

We expressed our condolences for the deceased with silence.

Arthur, who was holding the reins with one hand, held out his hand to the woman.

"Get on."

The woman looked up at Arthur with a dazed face.

"I'll take you."

"...Yes."

Arthur put the woman in front of him and then looked at me.

"Leader."

I answered, looking at the humble grave.

"You go back first."

Arthur nodded and then moved away with a clip-clop sound.

I watched him return to the procession with the woman who had lost her father... and then I took out a silver flask from my bosom.

I knelt on one knee and poured the liquor on the grave, saying.

"Go in peace."

For some reason, my mouth felt bitter, so I also took a sip.

And so I shared a drink with the dead.

This is the first request I'm participating in as the general manager.

My promise to send everyone to Milgard safely was broken in vain.

[It wasn't something you could do anything about.]

"...That's true, but."

I couldn't help but feel a bitter taste on the tip of my tongue.

I took another sip of the liquor.

***

The sun set and night came.

The carriages were parked side by side on the side of the road, and we gathered around the campfire in small groups to have dinner.

At my campfire, Schmitt, Linda, Arthur, and Camus, who had been away for a while, were the regular members. Of course, the spirits were also included.

—Is that delicious?

—Let me have a bite!

As I was eating the soup, which was flavored with beef jerky and various spices, surrounded by the spirits, Camus returned to his seat.

Camus, who had checked the soup, grumbled.

"No, I was only gone for a moment and you've already eaten half of it. Is this okay?"

I answered solemnly.

"It's not that you've eaten half, but that you've only eaten half. Think positively. Member Camus."

"Good grief..."

Camus grumbled and served himself a portion of the soup in a bowl.

I watched him and asked.

"What did they say?"

Camus answered, eating the soup.

"The man's name is Austin. I asked the people in the merchant group, and they said he's not a member of the Saluki Merchant Group."

"Then?"

"One of the carriage drivers suddenly said he had to leave due to personal matters, so he was a driver who was hired at the last minute the day before. The people in the merchant group didn't seem to know much about what he did either."

"Hmm."

"The daughter is Lady Ophelia. It seems they were planning to move to the capital with their daughter this time."

"Do they have family there?"

"I don't know that much."

I stopped listening to the story and turned my head to look for the campfire where she would be.

She wasn't far away.

Ophelia was picking at her soup with a dejected face, her head slightly bowed.

She was so pale that she looked like a pale doll.

The red campfire flickered silently on her expressionless face.

The people who were using the same campfire seemed to be offering some words of comfort, but she didn't seem to hear them at all.

Whatever.

I looked at Linda, who was eating her share of the soup as if it were the most delicious thing in the world.

Her soup was already a purplish color.

"Is it delicious?"

"Yeah. Devil, do you want a bite?"

"No thanks. You eat a lot."

"Okay! The devil is so kind."

"...."

"Nom, nom."

I stared blankly at Linda, who was eating the soup deliciously, and then asked.

"Linda."

"Huh?"

"The dead man. Did it look like he was poisoned?"

Linda shook her head vigorously.

"He just died because he was sick."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

If Linda says so, then it must be so.

In short, he was just very unlucky.

It wasn't a conspiracy or anything.

"Aigoo..."

A sigh escaped me automatically.

How will Ophelia, who is left alone, live?

Of course, I can support her financially, but that's not the end of it.

How nice it would be if all problems could be solved with just money.

Even if she settles safely in the capital, how will she make a living after that?

I can't keep supporting her.

It's not a story related to having a lot of money.

Because life is something you have to live on your own anyway.

I can give her a little help, but now she has to navigate this rough world on her own.

She was a young girl who looked to be just twenty years old.

So much so that the word 'woman' felt a little awkward.

I know well the feeling of being thrown into the world alone, so it was a situation that caught my eye in many ways.

At that moment, Arthur finished his utensils and stood up from his seat.

Camus, who was eating soup, looked at Arthur.

"Where are you going?"

Arthur said with a still blunt face.

"I'll go and see Lady Ophelia for a moment."

And then he strode towards the campfire where she was.

Camus, who was watching him, muttered with a dumbfounded face.

"Did that blunt guy have such a considerate side?"

Schmitt nodded in silent agreement.

Linda was too busy eating her share of the soup.

Does Arthur also feel a sense of responsibility? Or is it just out of pity?

I looked at Arthur, who was sitting next to the hesitant Ophelia with a still blunt face and staring at the campfire, and then I let out a small sigh.

***

The night deepened completely.

After everyone had finished their meal, they were preparing to go to bed early for the next day.

Arthur came back.

I asked Arthur.

"How is Lady Ophelia?"

"She seemed to be in trouble."

"What is it?"

"She said she doesn't know anyone in Milgard."

"Then why was she going to Milgard?"

"Her deceased father was going to start some business, but he didn't tell her the details and only he knew."

"Hmm."

At that moment, I heard the sound of rustling footsteps, and Arthur looked in that direction and said in a low voice.

"Lady Ophelia."

Following Arthur's gaze, I saw Ophelia standing alone in a place where the light didn't reach.

She looked quite anxious.

"Uh, I'm sorry to interrupt."

I looked at her and said in the gentlest voice possible.

"Lady Ophelia. What is it?"

Ophelia flinched when she met my eyes and took a step further into the darkness.

"Ah."

And then she belatedly bowed her head and apologized.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"...It's okay. It would be better to talk to Arthur."

It's unfair.

'No, I just looked at her...'

I heard the Heavenly Demon's low laughter in my mind.

'You're laughing?'

[You pathetic fool.]

I grumbled to myself and prepared to sleep by spreading a blanket near the campfire.

"Angmaya..."

Linda was already sleeping on my lap, drooling.

Chiiik—

My pants are melting.

I pointed at Linda with a nod and said.

"Schmitt. Take care of this poison."

—Yes, sir!

Schmitt, the poison disposal unit, gave a brisk salute and then skillfully rolled Linda up in a blanket and placed her near the campfire.

Linda whimpered for a moment, as if she were uncomfortable, and then she fell asleep quietly.

I gave Schmitt a thumbs up.

"Excellent, Member Schmitt."

—Just leave it to me!

Member Schmitt, who had successfully completed his mission, once again gave a brisk salute.

Schmitt, who seemed to be very impressed that I had taken on the role of leader for the first time, had taken an interest in playing soldier.

In the meantime, I heard the two people talking behind me.

"Mr. Arthur. I'm really sorry to say this..."

"It's okay, just speak comfortably."

"I don't know how to drive a carriage."

"...A carriage, you say?"

"Yes. My father drove the carriage, but I haven't learned yet."

"...."

Arthur was also at a loss for words, and a moment of silence fell.

Just as Ophelia was about to apologize again, looking restless, I said in a plain tone while spreading a blanket on the floor.

"Arthur."

"Yes, leader."

"You teach Lady Ophelia how to drive a carriage for a while."

"...Me?"

"Yes."

"Until when?"

"Until Lady Ophelia can drive the carriage by herself."

Before Arthur could say anything more, I gave a stern warning in a leader-like tone.

"This is an order, Mr. Arthur."

"...."

Arthur looked at me blankly and then reluctantly answered.

"Alright."

Ophelia was at a loss for what to do.

"Uh, uh... I'm sorry. It's all because of me... No, I mean, thank you."

Ophelia bowed her head several times and then returned to her seat.

Arthur was silent for a moment and then said to me.

"Leader. Was there a need for that?"

I know what he means. It's a pitiful situation, but isn't it being too nosy?

I threw a branch into the campfire and answered.

"She's a woman who just lost her father. I don't have a father, so I don't know well, but she probably feels like she's lost the world."

"...."

"Did you see her standing alone in the darkness? She looked very anxious. Like a person left alone in the world."

"...."

"What she needs most right now is probably stability. Being with someone. It's not that difficult, is it?"

"That's true, but."

"Stay with Lady Ophelia for a while until she finds stability."

"...."

"Answer."

"...Alright."

The night deepened.

***

A quiet night.

Since the moon wasn't out, it was as if it were submerged in the black night, except for the small campfires flickering here and there.

In that black darkness, a figure holding a staff muttered an unknown spell and then sprinkled something.

And then a thick darkness spewed out from in front of him like a fog and covered the front.

It was a darkness darker than a moonless night.

The black magician who had cast the spell sent a signal to the back.

And then the army of humans and magical beasts that had been holding their breath in the back approached.

—Grrr...

The strange thing was that the magical beasts, which should have been going crazy as if they had lost their minds, were quiet.

As if they were following a human's command.

It was an absurd sight.

And among those magical beasts, there were some quite large individuals.

Most of them were D-rank magical beasts, and there were also dangerous-looking C-rank magical beasts mixed in, but there were also two individuals whose level was clearly different from them.

—Grrr!

—Keek!

They were B-rank magical beasts.

The army of mixed humans and magical beasts was not small.

At a rough estimate, there were dozens.

Not only that, but a similar force was also slowly approaching from the opposite side.

In other words, they were slowly closing in from both sides of the camp.

An army of a size that could attack a city was quietly approaching those who were camping.

This place was not a dense forest, but a plain with low hills rising and falling.

Naturally, no matter how dark it was, the guards on duty could not have missed the sight.

But the camp was quiet.

Because they were approaching with a curtain of darkness.

The curtain of darkness cast by the black magician was like a huge wall between them, preventing them from noticing their approach.

It seemed that not only the sight but also the sound was being absorbed into the black darkness.

Their surprise attack, which was carried out with extreme caution, was undoubtedly a success.

Those who were advancing with the magical beasts smiled grimly in the darkness.

In their bulging pockets, there was a black potion each.

An outstanding black magician, dozens of ferocious magical beasts, and even beast-like humans who could transform into magical beasts at a moment's notice.

They were confident of winning even in a frontal battle in broad daylight.

And yet, a surprise attack in the middle of the night, leading such an army.

They had no chance of winning.

Even if there were two owners of a platinum tag.

Look at them.

Even at this moment, aren't they spending the night peacefully without any sense of crisis?

Crisis comes without any warning.

The black magician, who was standing at the front and casting the curtain of darkness, stopped walking.

The dark army that was following him also stopped.

The distance to the campfire-lit camp was about 30 meters.

It was a distance where the light didn't reach.

If they went any further, there was a possibility of being discovered.

Because the curtain of darkness blocks sight and sound, but it doesn't block them completely.

The closer they get, the higher the probability of being discovered.

Moreover, the ones over there are the owners of a platinum tag.

It's not enough to be careful and careful again.

In that case, it's better to attack with all their might from here.

These ferocious magical beasts will tear them to shreds in just 3 seconds.

The black magician smiled deeply and raised his hand.

"The blue sky is already dead."

The magical beasts let out low growls and stomped their feet.

The demon-men smiled ferociously and tensed their muscles.

"The Dark Heaven will come."

The moment the black magician's hand went down.

Swish!

A sparkling starlight cut through the curtain of darkness vertically, and an eerie, bloody eye bloomed from between them.

"...!"

The red-eyed devil said with a fierce smile.

"Why are you so late?"

Crisis comes without warning.

"I was waiting."

That was no exception for them.

(End of Chapter)