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His posture, with his chin propped up on his hand, looked quite disheveled and lacked the dignity expected of a noble. However, no one was there to comment on it.

Ian was alone in the carriage. It seemed Mael and Mari preferred to drive from the front rather than sitting with him.

Aside from the occasional sounds of their playful bickering, the atmosphere was quite peaceful.

“This is nice. Very nice.”

Even though he saw these landscapes every day after returning to this time, they still felt strangely unfamiliar. His previous life had been so intense.

The Twelve Lords, who were said to be the divine agents, had been defeated by foreign invaders, though the details were unclear. Their presence had faded over time.

People had called out for their lords, but only despair had returned.

Even the so-called heroes, who were supposed to be blessed with divine protection, had frequently been reported to be killed by the apostles of the foreign invaders, which seemed a natural progression.

Honestly, every time such rumors spread, the minions of the foreign invaders stirred up chaos across the world.

There were madmen driven to despair by the dire situation. Priests worshipping the foreign invaders, humanity’s enemies, and sorcerers delving into dark knowledge had appeared.

Thieves, taking advantage of the chaotic times, had swarmed everywhere. It truly was the end of an era.

Everywhere, crows fed on corpses, and it was common to see fierce monsters growling as you climbed the mountains.

Yes, that was the world.

It wasn’t as beautiful and full of life as this.

Ian squinted.

The forests were burning. The land was rotting. The sky was a deep violet. The scenes of that time flickered before his eyes and began to overlap with the present reality.

“!”

Startled, he tried to straighten his slouched body, but his body wouldn’t move. He couldn’t even twitch a finger.

That wasn’t all. He felt a throbbing headache, dizziness, and nausea.

Was he experiencing motion sickness? He tried to call out to stop the carriage, but no sound came out.

He was even short of breath. Breathing was difficult. He squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them again, everything seemed normal.

“……”

The carriage was smoothly ascending the hill, and the view outside was endlessly beautiful.

The forest was lush, the land was fertile, and the sky was high and blue.

Aside from the sweat he had broken into, he felt fine. He was in good health.

“It was just a dream.”

A deep sense of relief washed over him. But that feeling was fleeting. Ian couldn’t hide his troubled feelings.

Since he had returned to the past, it was easy to infer that this was a glimpse of the future.

His premonition was troubling. He felt something bad was about to happen.

Creeeak.

A small window on the wall connected to the driver’s seat was opened. Ian looked in that direction and saw the Red Spear knight’s helmet.

“Master.”

It was Mael’s voice.

“There’s a village nearby. Would you like to take a short break?”

“A village.”

“Yes. It’s called Dioble Village. It’s quite sizable. We’ll arrive once we cross the hill. I stopped by here on the way to the villa, and there’s a restaurant known for its excellent potato gratin. It’s a clean place, and it should suit your tastes.”

Ian chuckled. Gratin, yes. It was a dish he enjoyed during his wandering days.

Just as he was about to suggest stopping there, Ian detected a strange magical ripple and heard an eerie, chilling sound.

Kiiiiiiiii!

The unpleasant resonance was enough to jolt him out of his daze.

Ian recognized what it meant. He could not be unaware of it in this era.

It was a warning that a group of foreign invaders was tearing through dimensions and coming through.

“Mael!”

Ian shouted urgently.

“Stop the carriage immediately!”

“We’re doing it!”

The carriage shook violently as the excited horses reared.

But, as expected from a noble’s carriage, the horses were not ordinary, and the carriage quickly slowed down.

As soon as the carriage came to a complete stop, Ian threw open the door and jumped out. The sound had come from not far away.

“Where is it?”

He turned his head sharply, scanning the surroundings but seeing nothing.

Suddenly, he remembered hearing that several nearby villages had been trampled by monsters pouring out of the outer gate around this time.

“Could this be the origin of it?”

With urgency, he sprinted up the remaining hill. From the top, he saw the village below and the outer gate that was currently open.

A rift had torn open in the air like paper being ripped, with light spilling out in a mirage-like fashion.

The color of the light was yellow and orange. The danger of the outer gate could conveniently be categorized into five grades.

Yellow, orange, red, purple, and black. So, what was in front of him was…

“Grade 4.”

This was not good. If it had been Grade 5, there wouldn’t have been a need to be so alarmed. With two Red Spear knights, they would have been able to handle it.

But for Grade 4, three people might not be enough.

They might be able to handle it. What kind of monsters would emerge was crucial.

However, the number of monsters was the variable.

It was unknown how many would come out. If it was a manageable number, they could handle it, but if there were many, some might get through.

If they headed towards the village, many people would likely die.

Ian turned back to Mael and Mari, who were still by the carriage.

They were geniuses. They had overwhelming talent and skills to match. They had performed their duties well so far.

So, Dior must have sent them to the villa without appointing a senior knight specifically.

“……”

His deliberation did not take long. Ian returned to the carriage and rummaged through his belongings.

A bow and arrows. These were items provided by the local hunter. They were not the best, but they were decent enough.

“There’s a Grade 4 outer gate below the hill.”

“We should go back then.”

“And we need to call for support?”

“There’s no messenger, so we’ll have to wait. For now, it seems safer to return to the villa.”

“No.”

Ian responded firmly.

“If we don’t eliminate the monsters that burst out from the outer gate early on, it will become troublesome. You know how they can multiply quickly. Didn’t they teach you that in the Order?”

“I was taught. I understand that initial response is crucial. But it’s dangerous for just the two of us.”

“What do you mean? Mari is with us as well. There are three of us.”

“No, just two. I was referring to Mari and myself.”

“…So you didn’t consider me at full strength?”

Mael nodded as if there were no more room for debate.

“That’s a reasonable point. You have no armor. No sword either. What do you plan to fight with? That bow and arrows? To be honest, monsters are different from beasts. You might inflict some wounds, but you won’t be able to finish them.”

There was a method. Targeting vital spots like the forehead.

However, hitting vital spots on monsters, which are more agile and stronger than beasts, was nearly impossible without the skill of an experienced hunter.

Even then, maintaining calmness while shooting arrows was crucial. Facing monsters and keeping such composure required a considerable amount of courage.

Mael acknowledged Ian’s swordsmanship skills from their recent sparring but didn’t consider it applicable in real combat situations.

Acting on mere vanity would be too dangerous.

“Do you think I don’t know that? Don’t worry. I have my own methods. And if we ignore the outer gate now… things won’t end well.”

Ian turned and started climbing the hill again.

Mael and Mari hurriedly followed. However, they couldn’t just grab and pull him because of his status as a Berger family knight, making it difficult to take such actions.

Anxious, they reached the top of the hill and saw the outer gate below, which was open.

Although their expressions were hidden by helmets, their tense demeanor was evident.

“As I mentioned earlier, it’s a Grade 5 or 4 gate. About a hundred well-trained soldiers could handle it easily. Even fifty would be enough. But do you think such soldiers are stationed in a village with just a simple wooden fence?”

“…….”

“There likely aren’t any. The village is somewhat large for its size, with decent defenses and a self-defense force indicated by the bell. But do you think there are any capable soldiers among them?”

“Probably not.”

“Exactly? If we leave it like this, the village will become monster food. Are you just going to watch? Red Spear Knights? Isn’t the Berger family’s Order sworn to protect the eastern region?”

“…You are right. However, we are currently on a mission. The mission takes precedence over duty. Thus, our current priority is your safety.”

“My safety?”

Ian chuckled. The realization that he was being guarded by the future heroes of the eastern region was striking.

“Quite reassuring.”

No sooner had he spoken than a strange magical ripple occurred again, indicating the outer gate was fully opened.

The sensation that swept over him was genuinely unpleasant.

Moments later, the roar of beasts could be heard, and monsters began to pour out in five successive waves.

‘Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine…’

A total of thirty-five. Fortunately, the number wasn’t overwhelming. It was relatively small.

The average number of monsters pouring out from a single outer gate is in the hundreds. Ian’s brief relief was replaced by a focused examination of their appearance.

They had wolf-like faces, with their bodies covered in fur. Their build was larger than that of a child but smaller than an adult. They walked on four legs but were capable of bipedal movement. Ian immediately identified them.

‘Hyoulang.’

The name combines the characters for “deceive” and “wolf.”

These creatures were first discovered in the Karam Empire and were known for their strong biting power. Their claws were also sharp, and being scratched by them could result in severe injuries. Armor was essential when dealing with them.

Ian spoke again.

“If you’re truly concerned about my safety, then you need to fight alongside me. I’m sorry about this.”

“This is problematic.”

“I imagine it is. But isn’t it a bit of good fortune?”

“…What do you mean?”

“Hyoulang. If it were another kind of monster, we’d be in real trouble.”

Mael grudgingly nodded.

“Hyoulang is… well, compared to other monsters, they are of a lower level. I believe Mari and I can handle them. However, the numbers are a bit concerning.”

“Even with magic?”

“Mari and I are still at Level 2.”

They were expected to be Level 3 by now. Then again, it was likely they were still in their growth phase. Even being at Level 2 was impressive. And in this situation, it was sufficient.

Ian watched as the Hyoulang struggled to rise.

Instinctively, they seemed to sense where their prey was and were fixated on the village across from them. The urgent ringing of the bell hanging from the wooden fence likely drew their attention even more.

‘Twenty-four.’

That’s how many arrows were in his quiver. He didn’t need to count; it was a number he kept track of during his hunting trips with the hunter.

He drew an arrow. The tip was finely sharpened, promising to pierce through anything.

He placed it on the bowstring, raised the bow above his head, and drew it back. The string was naturally pulled tight.

Mael watched this from the side. Ian smiled.

“Trust me.”

——–