Chapter 20
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Separate Ways
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“Damn it—.”
Kerret of the 1st Battalion spat a rough curse and gripped the reins. Her horse kicked violently at the ground, spraying a long plume of snow.
At the head of the column, Adrianna rode on relentlessly.
To see the ever-composed Adrianna moving with such urgency—it drove home the gravity of the situation.
The other members of the 1st Battalion also held their reins without a word. The only sound in the desolate, snow-covered mountains was the incessant pounding of hooves.
How long had they been riding like this—?
Adrianna brought her horse to a sliding halt. To stop so cleanly from such a high speed—it was truly a magnificent steed.
'Have we arrived?'
Kerret drew the spear slung beside her horse. The other soldiers drew their weapons in silence. The tension was palpable.
Just then—.
"Damian, would you stop eating?"
"It tastes awful."
"Then why do you keep eating it?"
"Because I'm hungry."
A quiet conversation drifted from somewhere nearby.
The peaceful dialogue brought the 1st Battalion to an abrupt stop.
'They waited!'
Kerret cheered silently. Yes, it was better to have missed the fight entirely—.
However, the scene beyond Adrianna was not what she had expected.
A group of people sat around a fire, chatting quietly. A man who looked like a soldier was continuously grilling meat, and everyone was sitting beside him.
The atmosphere was so peaceful it made their drawn weapons feel out of place, and they all froze.
"Ah, you're finally here."
At that moment, the captain of the Special Task Force stood and waved. His attire was as immaculate as ever.
"Are you unharmed?"
"As you can see."
"Where is the demon?"
In response to Adrianna's question, the captain pointed to one side. Adrianna drew her sword and headed for the cave.
"We already got them—. She never listens to the end."
The captain spoke urgently, but Adrianna had already entered the cave.
Kerret followed Adrianna into the cave.
The cave was a wreck. Bits of flesh and blood clung to the walls, and the foul, gamey stench unique to monsters filled the air.
'So the ground pups weren't a lie.'
Kerret suddenly noticed a strange mark on one of the carcasses.
'Fire? Is it magic—.'
A ground pup wouldn't just spontaneously combust, so it had to be a sign of magic. She'd always thought mages were just boastful windbags, but this was unexpected.
The cave was filled with the carcasses of ground pups. At a rough count, there were at least ten.
At the far end of the cave lay a massive corpse.
Though it was nothing more than a charred mass of flesh, Kerret could tell it was the corpse of at least an intermediate-level demon.
'Burned to death. Using magic on a demon—?'
Magic was the filth of the Demon Race. How could filth harm its own master?
"He caught a demon with magic."
At someone's murmur, everyone nodded. They weren't foolish enough to deny the evidence before their eyes.
"Does that even make sense?"
"The proof is right in front of us."
"I see a lot of sword marks. These are from Sir Gilberton's blade."
"The sword marks are all shallow. The direct cause was clearly the mage."
The cave quickly filled with chatter. The topic, of course, was magic.
No one denied that a mage had finished off the demon.
"The remaining troops will collect the ground pup carcasses."
At Adrianna's command, everyone nodded.
Kerret followed Adrianna out of the cave.
They were still sitting around the fire, talking amongst themselves.
'Incredible—.'
Kerret approached Gilberton to investigate the details of what had happened.
"Hey, Gilberton. That was quite a show. Sixteen ground pups, two mages, and an intermediate-level demon on top of that—. You get stronger every time I see you?"
At Kerret's words, Gilberton gave a bitter smile.
"I wasn't the one who caught them. The captain did."
She had suspected as much, but hearing it directly was another matter.
"The captain of the Special Task Force?"
"Yes. All I did was buy some time."
"But he's a mage, isn't he?"
"A very capable mage, it seems."
"Well, I'll be damned—. A mage really caught a demon?"
"Yes."
Kerret suddenly recalled a story she had heard in passing.
A rumor she had dismissed as a lie. But seeing the current situation, she had to ask.
"Then is the rumor that the Special Task Force captain defeated Hermun also true?""Yes, he won in a single blow."
"Holy shit, really?"
Gilberton's nod sent her thoughts into a whirl.
"Well, that bastard was a pervert who ran around without a coat just to show off—."
Not all mages could be weak, I guess—. Kerret nodded.
"He must be strong."
"Yes, he is."
At Gilberton's earnest reply, Kerret narrowed her eyes. For the prideful Gilberton to speak like that—. Just what had he seen?
'On par with Gilberton, or even stronger.'
Kerret continued writing. Contrary to her rough speech, her handwriting was elegant. After finishing a rough draft of her report, Kerret scratched her head vigorously.
"A five-man Special Task Force caught one intermediate-level demon, sixteen ground pups, and two mages. And get this, the demon was caught by a mage from the Empire—. Shit, who's going to believe this?"
Kerret held out the report to Gilberton and offered some advice.
"It would be better to attribute the achievement to yourself. There are plenty of bastards who'd jump at the chance to tear down a mage."
"That won't be necessary. Can you imagine the ridicule—."
At Gilberton's firm reply, Kerret let out a smirk.
"Right, a capable mage will distinguish himself soon enough. No matter how they try to interfere now... you can't hide the sun with your hand. In fact, this could be used to your advantage later."
"You sound just like my captain."
"Comparing me to a man? How rude to a lady."
"You're a lady?"
"Gilberton, you've gotten quite cheeky with your words."
Gilberton's lips twitched. Kerret found the sight so annoying she considered punching him but held back.
Gilberton subtly turned his head.
There stood the captain of the Special Task Force, talking with Adrianna.
If Adrianna's inner thoughts were unreadable behind her expressionless face, the man's seemed hidden behind a relaxed smile.
'They actually look good together.'
Kerret added her personal opinion at the bottom of the report.
****
"Are you alright?"
Galahad nodded at Adrianna's indifferent question.
"I'm well enough."
"You could have waited for reinforcements."
"They were my first customers of the day. How could I?"
Adrianna's brows furrowed ever so slightly. On closer inspection, she seemed to be pondering his words.
"…Ah, you're using 'first customer' as a metaphor for your first mission. An excellent metaphor."
Adrianna replied earnestly.
'I see I shouldn't joke with this woman.'
Galahad muttered to himself.
"Then how did you discover the cave?"
"The mana concentration was unusually dense. I followed it, and—."
Ta-da. Galahad pointed to the cave behind him.
"How did you know the mana concentration was dense?"
It was a question more akin to seeking advice than an interrogation.
"Because I'm a mage. Any mage would know."
"Ah, because you're a mage—."
"You seem disappointed."
"Recently, traces of demons related to mages have been discovered all over the North. I thought if we could detect it, we might be able to respond more effectively."
"But you should be able to."
"Ah, I am not a mage."
Was he joking? Looking at Adrianna's serious face, it didn't seem so.
"Don't you possess the property of burning mana? The sensation should differ depending on the concentration."
"The sensation, you say?"
"When you burn mana, there's a certain intensity to it, isn't there? Try to sense it that way."
Adrianna's brows furrowed slightly. She appeared to be thinking.
Galahad had only thrown the idea out there theoretically.
The ability to burn mana was as natural to Adrianna as breathing. So, it was no different from telling a breathing person to check the concentration of the air.
There was no way she could apply it immediately.
He was simply pointing out a possible application.
"Ah, this is it. Hmm—."
Just then, Adrianna waved her hand.
"I think I understand. I never thought of such an application. You are remarkable."
Adrianna offered her sincere praise, but Galahad couldn't simply smile back.
'…She did it in one try?'
He had said it merely to give her a small clue. But for her to master it instantly—.
'That's Adrianna for you.'
Galahad marveled quietly.
"This will be incredibly useful. Thank you."
Adrianna bowed her head deeply in gratitude. It was a gesture filled with sincerity.
'...This could be a big deal.'
She might not be able to detect mana as well as Galahad, but with her learning aptitude, her skill would surely improve rapidly.
If she could detect mana concentration, she would undoubtedly be able to thwart the schemes of most mages.
"You can repay me later."
"What would you like?"
"It was a joke."
Adrianna's eyebrows twitched slightly. *Right, no jokes.* Galahad reminded himself once again.
"Will you be returning immediately?"
"Returning?"
"Aren't you coming with me to the 1st Battalion?"
Adrianna asked, her voice filled with conviction.
'Ah, she thought I would follow her.'
It was a plausible assumption. Perhaps Adrianna had expected it ever since he left headquarters.
After all, it was true that Galahad had followed Adrianna because of her mana-burning property.
Adrianna was the hero of the North. Staying by her side would make it much easier and safer to earn merits. Even on the front lines, considering Adrianna's martial prowess, it would likely be safer.
Sticking with her was the natural and rational choice.
However—.
'The problem is that the Grand Duke won't acknowledge any merits I earn by Adrianna's side.'
Besides, the North was teeming with pests. And then there were those bastards from Dawn—.
If he left them alone, the Demon War could break out again.
The most important thing was to prevent the world's destruction.
Adrianna and the Grand Duke were merely means to that end.
Of course, there was still the matter of studying her unique property, but—.
'I can just drop by from time to time for that.'
Having finished his calculations, Galahad looked at the frozen Adrianna and nodded.
"You thought I would follow you. I'm sorry, but I have other business to attend to."
"Ah—."
Adrianna let out a gasp like a final cry. It was a tiny voice, almost inaudible. Her cheeks flushed slightly.
"No need to be embarrassed. I would have thought the same in your place."
"...That's not it. I said that because it would be dangerous if something like this happened again. Your life is valuable."
"Don't you worry. I may not look it, but I can fight quite well. You saw for yourself."
Galahad gestured vaguely toward the cave. Adrianna shook her head, and her usual calm expression quickly returned.
"I'm going to be busy for a while."
"Yes, I understand. The deployment of troops is at the discretion of each unit's captain."
Adrianna nodded gracefully. She then took something out from her coat. It was a small egg with a rough surface.
"It is the egg of a Cursing Hawk. If you break it, I can come to you no matter where you are. If you find yourself in danger, break it, and I will come."
"What a menacing name. So if I break the egg, you can come anywhere?"
"Yes. The mother hawk will hunt whoever broke her egg until she dies."
"Fascinating. How does it work?"
"...You must only break it when absolutely necessary. It is the only one."
"Come on, I wouldn't break it just because I'm curious about the principle behind it."
Galahad smiled, subtly hiding the finger that had been pressing on the egg.
"I must be going now. I have left the border region unattended for too long—."
"Ah, but we have to hold hands before you go."
"...You don't seem to be in good condition."
"I'm fine. I've been waiting to hold your hand. It would be a shame if you just left."
Adrianna's eyebrows rose slightly.
His insides were a mess from overdosing on demon blood.
There was a kind of residue left inside from the demon blood. Burning it away would certainly aid his recovery.
Besides, he was curious. What would it feel like to have the demon blood residue burn away? How would it work—. He was dying to know.
"Understood."
After a moment's hesitation, Adrianna clasped his hand.
Even though it was the third time, an unfamiliar pain surged through him.
It burned and tore and burned again. Still, being the third time, he didn't scream unsightly.
The residue inside him began to burn. The moment that mana shattered, Galahad felt a strange sensation.
'The higher the concentration, the faster it burns.'
That meant the stronger the demon he faced, the greater Adrianna's power would become.
What an overpowered ability. He had to have it.
Just then, Adrianna pulled her hand away. Galahad had lost his balance and fallen.
Adrianna, who had reached out to catch him, stepped back.
Galahad looked up at Adrianna and raised the corners of his mouth.
"See? I'm in better shape than last time, right? I fell, but I didn't pass out."
Adrianna let out a small breath.
"Did you just... smile?"
Instead of answering, Adrianna lowered her head slightly and stepped back.
"Then, I wish you well."
With that, Adrianna led the 1st Battalion away and disappeared.
They seemed to be moving faster than last time.
"Are you alright?"
"I'm better than I look."
"Should I help you up?"
"No need, I can get up on my own."
Galahad clicked his tongue and pushed himself up.
'Clean.'
Galahad muttered, clenching and unclenching his fist.
This time, holding hands with Adrianna had actually improved his condition.
Of course, all his mana had been burned away just the same, but since the side effects of the demon blood were gone, it was a net positive.
'So if I overdose on demon blood, I just need to go to Adrianna. Does that mean I can drink a lot of it?'
All sorts of questions arose. Adrianna was always thrilling.
Just then, Gilberton coughed lightly. He looked like he had something to say.
"What is it?"
"Why didn't you go with the 1st Battalion? Now that you've shown your abilities, you could have easily earned merits with them."
Gilberton asked in a peculiar tone.
He was right. Following her would have been a relatively easy way to earn merits and establish his position.
However, Galahad's goal was not Adrianna.
His goal was to prevent the terrible ending. The Grand Duke and Adrianna were just means to that end.
And besides, against demons, he could never be as efficient as Adrianna. Sticking by her side would be inefficient.
There was no need to go to someone else's battlefield.
Galahad had his own battlefield.
"The right path is usually the hard and painful one."
Galahad tapped the parchment in his hand.
It was the information he had received from Palho. The parchment contained a substantial amount of intelligence, including information on the impure factions that had entered the North.
If he caught them one by one, he would be able to expose Dawn.
This parchment was Galahad's battlefield.
'Is this what you call support from the in-laws?'
Galahad joked quietly to himself as he brushed the snow off his clothes.
"So, what are you going to do?"
Gilberton asked, glancing behind him. For some reason, Gwen's face was set with determination, Damian was patting his belly, and Tom was packing up their things—.
He seemed to be asking about the future direction of the Special Task Force.
"The North has been rather noisy lately, hasn't it?"
"...Yes. For the past few years, strange folk have been flocking to the North. I don't know what they expect to find to eat in this barren land."
Galahad subtly averted his gaze at Gilberton's irritated reply.
"We are going to catch them."
A sentence written on one side of the parchment caught his eye.
[Establishing a branch of the Black Magic Society in the 5th Battalion, but facing difficulties due to opposition from local forces. However, it is not expected to take long.]
He recalled the whisper from the 5th Battalion's captain back at headquarters: 'I have an interest in magic, so please be sure to visit.'
There was definitely something going on there.
'The 5th Battalion is located between the other battalions—. It's a good place to set up a base.'
It was important to have a place to return to.
"We're heading to the 5th Battalion. Everyone, get ready."
Galahad said, putting a cigarette in his mouth.
"Ready to go!"
Tom replied energetically.
Tom was a sharp one.