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Chapter 50

Ian shrugged in response, "I\'m aware. Don\'t worry. We\'ll move as swiftly as possible."

According to their plan, by the time the Empire received news of Lucy\'s whereabouts, they would have already set foot in the North.

"Phew. Wonder if something happened in the half day we\'ve been away. I was quite nervous." Miguel returned, driving a hidden carriage from among the bushes, a purchase he had made personally from the outer city.

It served as another deliberate clue that Ian and Miguel were working together. As Philip and Miguel began transferring luggage onto the carriage,

"Sir Mercenary," a maid approached Ian. She was one of the survivors they had rescued during the night of madness.

"This is all I can offer as a token of my gratitude," she said, presenting a thick robe and cloak. She continued, "I\'ve heard it\'s cold in the North. I hope this helps."

"...Thank you," Ian replied awkwardly, not having expected such a gesture of gratitude.

Not only had she prepared something for Ian, but for Miguel and Lucy as well. Lucy immediately donned the robe. The highlight was the food - an ample supply of cheese and jerky, especially the jerky, which was a luxury item generously seasoned with spices. To Ian, it seemed enough to last them meal after meal.

"Please take good care of Lady Lucy," the maid bowed respectfully before leaving.

It is indeed a place where people live, after all, thought Ian.

As Ian smirked, preparations were completed. Miguel turned the carriage in the opposite direction and leaped down.

"...Well, it\'s time to part ways," Mev finally uttered, her gaze lingering on Ian, Miguel, and Lucy with a touch of fondness.

"Well, we\'ll likely see each other again someday," Ian said bluntly. He continued, "After all, I have to collect my reward."

"So, until then, don\'t die," Ian added.

"...Right. I\'ll be alive and wait for you, Ian." Mev nodded as if making a promise.

Ian\'s gaze fleetingly shifted to Philip, "If Sir Riurel acts as if she\'s eager to die, block her with your body if you have to. That\'s also part of your duty as a squire."

"Yes, my lord," said Philip.

"And if it comes to it, abandon the kingdom. I know you have no attachment to it. The same goes for you too, sir," said Ian.

As Philip coughed awkwardly as if he had been caught out, revealing his true feelings, Ian turned back to Mev.

"Living as a wandering knight might not be such a bad experience," said Ian.

"...A wandering knight." Mev\'s expression darkened.

After a moment, she asked, "If you were a wandering knight, where would you go?"

"Wherever my feet take me. ...Eventually, I might end up in the Empire. Roaming the Empire, I might run into familiar faces again." Ian shrugged at Mev\'s gaze.

"That\'s just an if. If Agel Lan prospers, that is just as good," said Ian.

Though it is unlikely, thought Ian.

With those words, Ian briskly climbed onto the carriage\'s cargo space.

Miguel, standing behind, bowed respectfully, "It has been an honor to serve you, my lord."

"The honor was mine, Miguel. You\'ve been an excellent squire and guide," said Mev.

"Don\'t forget what I\'ve taught you, Miguel," Philip added.

Miguel smiled meaningfully, "Don\'t worry. I know well how excellently you\'ve served our lord. I\'ll do my best too."

"Yes, thanks to you, it was enjoyable..." Philip abruptly turned his head mid-sentence.

Miguel snickered lightly, "To be born a man and to cry."

"It\'s just some dust in my eyes..!" said Philip.

"Of course, it is," said Miguel.

Miguel patted Philip\'s shoulder and looked down at Lucy, "Say your farewells, lady. This might very well be the last time."

"It won\'t be the last,” Lucy spoke calmly.

"I\'ve looked into it too. After finishing my studies at the temple, I can return to the world. I\'ll come back then. So, see you again, sister." Lucy looked up at Mev and then embraced her.

"I\'ll see you again, definitely," said Lucy.

Mev\'s eyes fluttered slightly. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around Lucia’s shoulders and replied, "Surely we will.”

Lucia stepped back and climbed into the luggage compartment. As Miguel climbed into the driver\'s seat, Ian, who was sitting against the compartment, nodded his head.

"We\'ll see each other again someday," said Ian.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

The carriage carrying the two mercenaries and the cross-dressing girl disappeared into the darkness beyond.

"...They\'ve really gone," Philip spoke to Mev, who was standing beside him.

"Yes. Now it\'s just us left." Mev climbed onto the carriage as if to shake off her reluctance.

Following her, Philip suddenly added, "So about what Lord Ian told me."

"Yes?" Mev asked.

"If the situation arises, I will follow. Not the kingdom, but I intend to share my fate with you, my lord," said Philip.

Mev briefly opened her eyes wide, then soon smiled faintly, "Don\'t worry, Philip. I, too, have no intention of sacrificing my life for the kingdom anymore."

The carriage headed back toward Agel Lan.

Looking in the direction Ian and his group had disappeared, Mev murmured. "Aren\'t there unpaid dues left behind? And families we must meet again."

Throughout the journey back to the mansion, Mev\'s gaze remained fixed in that direction, never dreaming that somewhere in the city, there was some being looking in the same direction.

***

Squeak!

A swift hand caught a rat crawling on the roof. With a crunch, the body was engulfed in one bite by the vampire fairy, Thesaya. Crouched at the edge of the eaves like a cat, she sucked the blood from the rat in her mouth, gazing beyond the city. Her silvery hair fluttered faintly, and her pointed nose twitched. The owner of the sweet scent she had been tracking was finally leaving Agel Lan.

"...Heh." Thesaya\'s eyes curved.

Memories of the past flashed through her mind. Having spent some time recovering her strength by consuming wild animals and monsters, she began to wander in search of Ian\'s scent.

She couldn\'t forget his fragrance; it was sweeter and more enticing than anything she had smelled since becoming a vampire. Why he smelled that way, was something she couldn\'t know. However, she couldn\'t escape the desire to feed on his blood.

After weeks of painstaking effort, she found his scent. Following it led her to Agel Lan, where she encountered an unexpected feast. On the night of the red moon, delicious monsters began to appear. Their blood carried a faint scent similar to Ian\'s. With her current abilities, she could only manage to feed on a few. But that was enough. She became faster, more agile, and stronger. The thirst that once debilitated her senses was now barely noticeable.

"...If I keep following them, I feel like I might be able to continue feeding on such creatures." Spitting out the rat, Thesaya pondered.

She was still far from being able to drain Ian\'s blood. However, she felt that merely following him secretly would yield benefits.

“And eventually one day...?" Thesaya smiled, revealing her blood-stained teeth.

By the time she could kill Ian, she would have grown incomparably stronger. Perhaps she would even be able to kill all those cursed beings of Lu Sard. Thesaya giggled silently, as her head suddenly turned.

"...Oh." In an instant, her gaze softened.

It was because she saw children standing in a row before her. Holding candles in their hands, they froze upon spotting Thesaya. The legs of the children who made eye contact with her trembled. Some had wet their pants. Rumors about her had already spread quietly around the outer city. Thesaya\'s red eyes gently flickered.

"You guys are very lucky," she murmured, her voice almost a hum.

The children\'s eyes began to relax one by one. Thesaya, having leaped forward, landed before them. Her red tongue licked her protruding fangs.

"Fortunately, I\'m not hungry yet. So, go home. When you wake up, you\'ll have forgotten all about tonight," said Thesaya.

The children numbly nodded.

"Don\'t wander at night from now on. It\'s a dangerous world. Understand?" she continued.

"Yes...."

"Yess...."

Their voices were dreamlike.

Thesaya, with a slight smile, said, "Now scatter, my little snacks."

The children dispersed in all directions.

"...Maybe I should have kept one," Thesaya mused, looking back before she finally kicked off the ground.

Her silver hair fluttered as she disappeared into the night sky beyond the city. The next day, rumors abounded in Agel Lan of a silver hawk sighting, which the king took as a good omen.

***

"Where are you headed?" asked the border guard. He was looking back and forth between the identity badge and Miguel\'s face.

"To Lu Sard. I have a cousin there," said Miguel.

"And the two sitting behind you?" the border guard asked again.

"One\'s my son. The other\'s a close friend, hired as a guard," Miguel replied.

“I see you are going a long journey, without your wife,” said the border guard.

It was a sharp question, but Miguel frowned even deeper.

"Aren\'t you aware of what happened in Agel Lan?" said Miguel.

"I\'m aware of that," the border guard replied.

"I lost my wife that day. Without even the time to mourn, we’ve heard that His Majesty is preparing for war." Miguel looked at the guard, his eyes pressed down with sorrow and anger.

"So I\'ve decided to go back to my hometown. I\'ve been living by the sword and off the land all my life, and I\'ve finally settled down. If I die, who will raise my child?” said Miguel.

From Miguel’s tone tinged with resentment, the soldier scratched his chin. After a moment\'s silence, he muttered, looking at the name Agel Lan engraved on the identity badge.

"Was that night in Agel Lan so terrible?" the border guard asked.

"It was like hell itself," Miguel replied.

"So the rumors are true... They say that on that night, Sir Mev Riurel, the sword of Agel Lan, and a master swordsman mercenary killed the corrupted duke. Is that also true?" the border guard asked again.

Miguel slightly smiled and nodded, "It\'s true. His Majesty himself vouched for it."

"All this trouble and still, war... His Majesty really seems intent on killing us all,” The soldier muttered, handing back the identity badge.

"We can\'t make an orphan of your child. Go on. And be careful. I\'ve heard that Bel Ronde is not safe either," said the soldier.

"Thank you for your concern." Miguel took his identity badge back.

The soldiers blocking the way stepped aside. As Ian and Lucy, who had caught the eye of the border guard, nodded, the border gate grew distant. It also meant they had left Agel Lan behind.

After a while of silence, Miguel suddenly laughed, "See? I told you I could fool them."

"Well, it wasn\'t bad." Ian casually nodded.

It was Miguel\'s idea to pass through the gate, to create confusion in case the kingdom\'s army was tracking them. Though anyone with a bit of sense might guess they wouldn\'t really head to Lu Sard, it was still a strategy not without its merits.

"I\'ve heard rumors, but it seems Bel Ronde is in chaos too," said Miguel.

"With many wanderers passing through, it\'s bound to be unsettled with so many outsiders," Ian spoke nonchalantly.

Bel Ronde was less familiar to him than Agel Lan. In the game, it served merely as a connection between Lu Sad and the North. Being adjacent to several countries, it was frequented by mercenary wanderers and traders, leading to a lack of border management.

It was known for internal conflicts among its people but wasn\'t facing barbarian threats like Agel Lan, so its military wasn’t particularly strong. It was the perfect place for mercenaries, traders, and power-hungry lords to stir trouble.

The king of Agel Lan was confident in the victory of the war, likely due to certain factors. Ironically, as far as Ian knew, it was the mercenaries and merchants who had turned the tide of the war. In the face of a common enemy, those who had been at odds came together as one. This time wouldn\'t be much different.

"No matter who we encounter, what\'s there to worry about? We have a master swordsman escorting us," said Miguel.

Ian snorted at the joke that followed, "Don\'t try to sneak your way into it. The only one I need to protect is Lucy. You and I are in a position to fight for our lives if it comes down to it."

"So, I\'ll just provide rear support with this guy here. That is why I am taking care of all the menial tasks, right?" Miguel casually lifted the crossbow he had placed beside him.

Ian let out a chuckle, "It\'s ridiculous. A man from the north, and he\'s no good with a sword."

"That\'s a stereotype. Not all northerners are big, muscular brutes carrying axes as big as their heads. Sure, there are some bear-like men, but there are many more like me, who specialize in survival and strategy, akin to a fox." Miguel tapped his temple lightly.

"It\'s much better for staying alive. But I’m pretty good with a bow, don’t you think?" Miguel asked.

"Well, yes," Ian replied.

The only problem was the long reload time after each shot. Miguel could probably kill a lower demon or a petty thief with one shot each. It was better than being useless and getting in the way.

"Your idea of northerners is closer to the pirates of the southwest," Miguel added.

"Isn\'t that a stereotype too?" Ian asked.

"Ah, is it...?" Miguel mumbled and smiled, then quickly shifted his gaze.

"Lady, no, Lucy. Are you uncomfortable?" Miguel awkwardly switched to informal speech.

Since Lucy became Lucifer, not Lucia, they decided not to use honorifics to avoid any possible slip of the tongue.

"I\'m fine." Lucy, leaning on the opposite side of Iain, answered calmly.

Even just traveling could be hard on her young body, but she never complained. Her already few words had become even fewer.

"It would be less boring if there were some scenery to enjoy. But damn, there\'s nothing to see." Miguel clicked his tongue.

Even after entering Bel Ronde, the landscape had mostly stayed the same. Cloudy skies, dreary fields, gently rolling hills stretching beyond sight, and the randomly grown trees and bushes along the ridges.

Ian\'s gaze shifted to the front of the carriage shortly after. With a twitch of his eyebrow, he said, "Lucy, lie down. Miguel, watch the front."

Miguel, hastily doing as told, pulled his hood down and asked, "What? What is it?"

"I don\'t know yet. Something\'s coming, a lot of it," said Ian.

"...What does that mean?" Miguel blinked in confusion. He couldn\'t see anything, which was to be expected.

Ian had heard the faint sound of numerous footsteps from afar. After obtaining the Tail Charm of the Hound, his hearing and smell had become especially sensitive.

Miguel, spotting something sticking out over the hill, eventually turned back to Ian, "You heard that sound?"

"Yes, "Ian replied.

"How on earth..." said Miguel.

"Listen." Ian stared intently over the hill at the group revealing themselves. He immediately recognized the flag that rose first over the hill. A black background divided by a cross, and a yellow circle in the center. It was the imperial flag.