11
Chapter 11 The Request
Yurik entered the baronial castle located in the center of the city, accompanied by two knights. The castle's security was not particularly strict, though it was far from lax.
By the time they reached the heart of the castle, where the baron was likely to be found, the sun had nearly fully set. The three of them, now inside the manor where few servants still moved about, walked along a winding corridor. Soldiers in light gear patrolled at regular intervals.
In this manner, they arrived before an ornate arched door, where two armed knights stood guard. Being fellow members of the Iron Cross Knights, the guards exchanged only glances in silence.
"My lord, Sir Louis has arrived."
— Come in.
The knight carefully opened the door. The three followed through the open doorway.
The baron's study, lit by a single mana orb, was more modest than Yurik had expected. So Baron Rebek is not a particularly extravagant man, he thought, looking the man over.
The middle-aged man, who appeared to be around the same age as his father, carried a sharp impression. As befitting a noble who held his own domain, authority emanated from him naturally.
Yurik came to a stop in the middle of the room alongside the knights.
"I have brought the mage."
Yurik sensed it was his turn to introduce himself.
"My name is Yurik, Your Excellency."
Baron Rebek stared at Yurik intently, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
"A far younger man than I expected…… I have heard rumors of you. A mage, they say. Is that truly so?"
"It is."
"What is the extent of your abilities? Be frank with me."
"I believe I am capable enough to protect myself."
That was a way of saying he could pull his weight as a mage.
With swordsmanship one might have doubts, but with magic, even the young could be highly proficient.
…Even if his abilities fell short of expectations, Baron Rebek currently needed every additional mage he could get.
"What I am about to tell you — keep it to yourself as much as possible."
"Understood."
It seemed the matter would take some time to explain, for Baron Rebek opened a drawer, put a cigarette to his lips, and lit it.
"Not long ago, there were numerous attacks on the road leading south."
"Attacks…, you say?"
"Indiscriminate attacks. No distinction was made between merchant caravans and commoners. There were no survivors. At first I thought it was bandits — after all, many mercenaries have been heading toward the southern front lately, and the moment a mercenary has a change of heart, they become a bandit just like that."
Yurik listened attentively to the baron's words.
"However, the enemy was not bandits. The money and cargo were left untouched. No matter how exclusively a bandit gang trades in people, they would never leave valuables behind. And so we concluded it was the work of a demonic beast and quietly dispatched a punitive force."
The baron drew a long drag from his cigarette and exhaled a pale cloud of smoke.
"But the punitive force was struck down as well. The enemy was no ordinary demonic beast…. It was a Demonic Beast."
A Demonic Beast!
Yurik's sharp mind raced.
"…It must be one that migrated up from the front. Is it a bird-type Demonic Beast?"
"That's right. Being a mage, you grasp it at once."
A Demonic Beast was a creature on an entirely different level from a mere monster. Not only were they extraordinarily powerful, but their intelligence was exceptionally high as well, and it was known that some could even wield magic, however faintly.
One of the reasons the Demon Tribe could push humanity back with such small numbers was precisely this — their ability to command these ferocious Demonic Beasts.
"Then I suppose you also understand why I took the trouble of summoning you specifically and explaining this in such detail."
A bird-type Demonic Beast was extremely difficult to deal with through anything other than magic. And if the creature also used magic itself, the difficulty would rise even further.
"If you join the punitive force, that would make four mages in total. I believe that should be more than sufficient to handle a Demonic Beast…. Can you give me your answer now? Or do you need more time to think?"
Yurik deliberated briefly, but decided this was not something worth dragging out for long.
"Then I will join as well."
He thought it would be good to have this kind of experience.
And besides, his brother's shop was in this city — there was no harm in making a favorable impression on the baron.
"Decisive. I like that. The pay will not disappoint."
"Thank you."
The remaining details were to be discussed outside, and Yurik and the two knights exited the baron's study.
The two men led Yurik to a room the baron's retainers used as an office. They placed a contract before him and pushed it forward.
"If you wish, we can provide an advance payment."
"That's all right. I'll receive it all at once when the request is complete. Would it be possible to receive payment on the spot once the Demonic Beast has been dealt with? I plan to head south immediately after the request is finished…."
"That can be arranged. Then we'll proceed accordingly."
With an additional clause added, Yurik wrote his name on two copies of the contract.
"Departure is three days from now, at dawn. The assembly point is the South Gate."
"What is the scale of the operation?"
"Two mercenary companies and six knights. Including yourself, there will be four mages."
"Understood."
The knights personally escorted Yurik to the outer gates of the baronial castle.
"We will be joining the punitive force as well. Until then, Yurik."
They exchanged brief farewells and parted ways.
The night had grown fully dark by then. Yurik made his way slowly back to Luke's shop.
Dawn on the day of assembly.
Yurik emerged from the room in the shop, fully prepared to depart. Luke, his older brother, who had risen together with him from the moment his younger sibling stirred and began preparing, watched him in silence with a distant, wistful gaze.
"So you're really leaving."
"…Yeah, I'm going now, brother."
The brothers embraced. A warm comfort passed between their bodies.
"Take good care of yourself, truly. I'll be praying for you always."
"I'll be careful. I don't know when I'll be back."
"Don't worry about things here. Go and see everything you want to see."
"All right. Then… I'm really going now. ……Brother, you don't have to come out. Stay inside. I'll be fine."
"Still, I should at least see you off."
"No. Then I'll feel even more unsettled. I'll leave on my own. It's better that way."
The brother nodded as if to say he understood.
"Yurik, take care. You absolutely…, absolutely have to take care of yourself!"
The younger one waved to the older, and the older to the younger.
Farewell, my beloved brother, my home.
Until the day I return — please stay well.
Mage Yurik wrapped his muffler more snugly around his neck and jaw and walked along the quiet dawn road. The deserted streets offered him a strange and dreamlike sensation. Deep in thought as he walked, he soon found himself near the South Gate.
In contrast to the quiet dawn streets, a considerable number of people had gathered in clusters at the South Gate. Those who appeared to be mercenaries, those who appeared to be knights, those who appeared to be mages, and even laborers who would handle the rough miscellaneous work throughout the expedition.
"…Are you their youngest?"
"Never seen your face before."
The mercenaries, the moment they laid eyes on Yurik, mistook him for the youngest member of the opposing mercenary company. He walked past them without a word and headed to where the knights were gathered.
"I'm not late, am I?"
"You arrived right on time."
A line was drawn through Yurik's name on the roster.
Shortly after, once even the last of the slow mercenaries had arrived, the commander leading the punitive force stepped forward. The middle-aged man identified himself as Thomas Deron, the Vice-Captain of the Iron Cross Knights.
"You have all already been briefed by your respective commanders. Given that the enemy is a Demonic Beast, do not forget that a single moment of carelessness will cost not only your own life, but those around you as well. We are estimating the expedition at up to ten days. However, I expect it will not take that long."
Commander Thomas paused briefly and swept his gaze across the punitive force.
"If none of you forget what you are each supposed to do, we will not find it difficult to exterminate the Demonic Beast. Then — best of luck to you all. …Let us be off. Everyone, board the carriages!"
Five carriages had been prepared for passenger transport, each capable of carrying up to eight. As there were ten mercenaries in total, there was ample room.
Before boarding the carriages, the mages gathered briefly together in one spot. Of the three mages besides Yurik — one was affiliated with a mercenary company, another was a wandering mage, and the third, an elderly mage of considerable age, was the court mage who served directly at Baron Rebek's side.
The court mage affiliated with the baronial castle introduced himself as Dunmer.
"Are you Yurik?"
"I am."
"How old are you?"
"Seventeen this year."
"Seventeen…."
The look in Dunmer's eyes as he stared fixedly at Yurik from head to toe was somehow far from ordinary.
Yet without saying anything further beyond that, he assigned the mages to their respective carriages.
Yurik was assigned to the carriage carrying the mercenary company and climbed aboard. The mercenary company consisted of four men and one woman.
"Well, well, look who graced this humble carriage — a mage!"
"Let's get along well during the expedition."
"This bastard here smells something awful, so bear with it."
Yurik laughed warmly and exchanged handshakes with each of them in turn. When it came to social skills, he was not one to fall behind.
On a long and distant journey, nothing was more important than one's relationships with the people around them.
The female mercenary, having taken in Yurik's striking looks, grinned so wide her buck teeth showed.
"Finally, something worth looking at. All I've had are these busted-up faces."
"Like you ever look at your own face?"
"Oh, shut up. What's wrong with my face? It's a damn fine face, I'll have you know."
"Hey, you lot. The mage just got in. What do you think he makes of you."
"That we're idiots, probably."
Everyone chuckled quietly.
Shortly after, to the sound of a whistle, the carriage passed through the South Gate.
Dawn light crept slowly up from the horizon, scattering a pale glow across the plains. At that magnificent sight, Yurik's chest swelled with anticipation.
The convoy of carriages, setting out to hunt a Demonic Beast,
cut through the dawn and sent dust swirling into the air as it headed south.