A Grave Reunion
"It seems the organization Markel belongs to has nested in the southwest of the Empire, in the Mist Valley."
"Mist Valley..."
"Is it a place you know?"
"Yes, well..."
It was a familiar name.
It was the escape route Lunia's resistance army had chosen after losing the final all-out war against the Archduke of Demonic Magic.
At the end of that valley, we had enjoyed a single night's reprieve, then stood against the Archduke of Demonic Magic and died a glorious death.
In other words, it was the place where I died. You could call it my grave.
"Markel is scheduled to hold a meeting with black mages from other regions in the Mist Valley. They seem to be plotting something. If we launch a surprise raid on that site, Benheim will kill two birds with one stone."
"A golden opportunity."
"Indeed. We must not let it slip away."
The black mage Markel was the one who had conspired with the Archduke of Demonic Magic in my past life to assassinate Stern. He would be a far more valuable target than Elder Veron, who couldn't spit out any information due to his geas.
"What do you plan to do, Patriarch?"
"I intend to dispatch the Rune Sentinels to hunt them down."
The Rune Sentinels... huh.
I had heard about them a few times from Lunia in my past life.
—The Rune Sentinels. It's a magic unit comprised of only the absolute elite of the Benheim family. Well, from my childhood perspective, they were just a bunch of weirdos.
Only the most exceptionally talented mages among the cadet branches could prove their skills and join. It was the ultimate goal and object of envy for everyone who came to Benheim.
With Benheim's absolute elite taking action, there was no need to worry much about the success of the operation.
However...
"Patriarch, would it be possible for me to join them?"
Stern chuckled, as if he had anticipated my request.
"I see. Raygan, why do you wish to participate in this operation?"
"Well... that bastard Markel targeted Lunia, after all. As her fiancé, isn't it only right that I bring them to justice?"
"I commend your resolve. But this operation is neither a festival like the Hunt nor a picnic like the one you had with Lunia this morning. They are cornered rats. And cornered rats will bite the cat. It will be dangerous."
"I'll be a fearsome beast rather than a cat."
Stern chuckled at my reply.
"I suppose I agree with you on that. But if Lunia finds out you're participating in a dangerous operation, won't she be furious?"
"Mmm..."
That was certainly true.
With Lunia's personality, she would definitely fly into a rage.
"Well, if she doesn't find out..."
"Are you planning to lie to your fiancée already? And in front of her father, no less?"
"Lunia went outside the family estate on her own accord this time too, didn't she? Let's just call it a case of 'like husband, like wife.'"
When I replied nonchalantly, Stern shook his head.
It seemed he still wasn't entirely thrilled about me becoming his son-in-law.
But a moment later, Stern smiled warmly and spoke.
"Do not worry. Arno and Lunia will also be accompanying us on this operation."
"Are you serious? Didn't you say it was a dangerous operation?"
"It is dangerous. However, the black mages' plans have already surfaced. After being attacked even at the Hunt, I have no intention of keeping my son and daughter in a safe haven. They are the heirs who will lead Benheim in the future, so they must gain real combat experience against black mages while we still have the luxury of time."
Stern paused to choose his words before adding:
"However, Lunia and Arno will move with the safe main force under the escort of my direct mages. But you are different, Raygan. You possess a talent that the Rune Sentinels require. So, if you are willing..."
"That's exactly what I want."
The corners of Stern's eyes crinkled in satisfaction.
"I knew you would say that. I've already told the Rune Sentinels to keep a spot open for you."
The headquarters of the Rune Sentinels was located not in the main house or the annex, but entirely in the basement of the towering magic tower belonging to the Benheim estate.
Creeeak.
The heavy door opened, revealing the headquarters. The interior was rather rugged for the headquarters of elite mages.
But the people inside were anything but ordinary.
Dozens of mages were looking my way, and every single one of them was at least of the 5th-tier.
Recalling the prestige 5th-tier mages held back when I was a wandering mercenary, this place, where dozens of such forces were gathered, was practically a den of monsters.
"......"
However, the looks they gave me were far from friendly.
In fact, they were sharp. It was glaringly obvious that they did not welcome me.
Well, in their eyes, I was just a commoner brat who had snatched Lunia away. An uninvited guest who had barged into the Rune Sentinels under Stern's protection.
Well, not that I care.
It was a similar treatment when Lunia brought me to the resistance in my past life. Having a wandering mercenary of obscure origin as a leader of the resistance naturally caused immense backlash.
Compared to back then, their current reaction was practically welcoming.
As I stood waiting to be guided, someone approached me. It was a middle-aged man with striking, faded golden hair.
"So, are you the kid who was supposed to show up today?"
"...Valen."
"What? Did Sheryl already tell you my name? How boring."
I knew the name of this gruff middle-aged man scratching the back of his head in annoyance very well.
Valen Wyrd von Benheim.
In my memory, Valen was an elderly mage whose hair had turned completely white with age, but even now, having returned to the past, his features and facial structure were exactly the same.
The strategist of the resistance.
Lunia's resistance was a gathering of people from all walks of life, but its leadership was largely occupied by survivors of the Benheim Count's family.
Valen von Benheim was the most capable among them. His mastery at the peak of the 6th-tier was impressive, but his ability to read the overall flow of the battlefield was truly exceptional.
It was largely thanks to Valen that the resistance didn't suffer a devastating defeat while facing the massive army of the Archduke of Demonic Magic.
In the end, he was also the old man who bought us time to escape.
After the imperial family fell, during the final battle against the Archduke of Demonic Magic.
Even as the resistance was being annihilated, the reason Lunia and I were able to safely escape the front lines was because Valen, Brock, and the royal guard sacrificed their lives to buy us time.
Therefore, aside from minor flaws like his foul mouth and his absolute devotion to alcohol, he was a very important connection to me.
Reunited with him, a bitter smile crept onto my face without my realizing it.
"...What's with that smile? You look like an old man."
Valen frowned and extended his hand for a handshake. His palm was covered in scars. It was proof that his past life had been anything but smooth.
Mages might not care, but to a mercenary, rough hands were a welcome sight. Lunia's hands in my past life had been the same.
"Anyway, let's introduce ourselves properly. My name is Valen. Currently, I'm the Captain of the 1st Division of the Rune Sentinels. This is the squad you'll be belonging to, so keep that in mind."
"I'm Raygan."
"I know. Rumors are already rampant throughout the family that you're the thief who snatched Lady Lunia."
Valen gripped my hand tightly and squinted one eye with interest.
"So, the Patriarch said you have a 'knack' for this."
"A knack?"
"Yeah. He said you have an uncanny nose for the scent of black magic. He said it was all thanks to you that Markel Benheim and Elder Veron's identities were exposed in an instant. Am I mistaken?"
It seemed the 'knack' Valen was referring to was the talent Stern had mentioned earlier that the Rune Sentinels needed.
Well, it was true that I was good at sniffing out black magic.
"Yes. I have pretty good instincts."
"Ha, you've got some guts. Not very mage-like of you."
Valen pulled his lips into a smirk, seemingly pleased, and clapped a hand onto my shoulder.
"Let me introduce you properly. These bastards here are your seniors. You'd better not bother trying to get friendly with them. Not many of them are sane."
They certainly looked the part.
Their gazes toward me were hostile.
"They might look like a ragtag bunch to you, but this is still a unit comprised of only the absolute elite of Benheim. Keep in mind that a brat like you even setting foot here is a massive privilege."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Above all,"
Valen pointed a finger right in my face and added:
"Just because you're Lady Lunia's fiancé doesn't mean we're going to go easy on you. As long as you're here, you're a mage before you're Benheim's son-in-law. So if you fail to prove your worth in this operation, I will use every means at my disposal to kick you out of the Rune Sentinels. Got it?"
Valen's fiery temper seemed just as active in the past as it was in my memories.
But this man was ultimately a loyalist among loyalists who sacrificed his life to protect Lunia until the very end. I had no reason to distance myself from him.
"I'll be in your care, Captain."
"...Hmph."
At my sly response, Valen merely snorted.
When they first heard the order from Stern, the Rune Sentinels had protested fiercely.
"You want to bring a mere 3rd-tier brat into the Rune Sentinels? That's absurd."
The Rune Sentinels were Benheim's absolute elite. The minimum requirement to join was the 5th-tier. Furthermore, Raygan was an outsider mage who had only recently received the Benheim name.
Of course, there were outsiders without the Benheim name in the Rune Sentinels. However, they were veterans who had been recognized for their outstanding talent, entered Benheim, and proved their worth over decades.
It was not a place for a brat who had barely reached the 3rd-tier to covet.
But despite Valen's protests, Stern's resolve was firm.
"Valen, let me tell you this clearly. You will grow to like Raygan."
"Just because he has a good nose for black magic doesn't solve everything. What kind of operation are we supposed to run with a kid who's only at the 3rd-tier? Besides, he's your son-in-law, Patriarch. What if he ends up dead? Lady Lunia will wring my neck."
That vehement opposition was a story from just a day ago.
"...Hmm."
However, now that he was facing Raygan in person, Valen had no choice but to revise yesterday's assessment.
"You... you've only been learning magic for four months?"
"Yes."
"Really?"
"That's right."
"Look me straight in the eye and tell me. Has it really only been four months?"
"I've been looking you straight in the eye this whole time."
Valen frowned as he watched the magic Raygan cast.
Kenaz. Isaz. Hagalaz.
These were the rune characters considered the most basic even within Benheim's unique magic formulas.
But what mattered right now was not the grade of the runes.
"You bastard, where did you learn multi-casting?"
The crucial point was that Raygan had unleashed these runes all at once.
It was rare for even a 3rd-tier mage to perform multi-casting, but this guy, despite having just reached the 3rd-tier, had manifested three spells simultaneously. And all of this had happened a mere four months after he first entered the world of magic.
Even if the Patriarch had showered him with precious elixirs, multi-casting was a matter of innate talent and intuition.
Valen had never seen this level of talent in his entire life.
Indeed, Valen felt he finally understood why Stern had taken Raygan in as his son-in-law.
"I don't know. It just worked when I tried."
Above all, what Valen liked was Raygan's temperament.
He had heard the boy was a former mercenary, and perhaps because of that, he was incredibly down-to-earth.
There was no trace of useless aristocratic etiquette or the typical arrogance of a mage—only an extremely practical mindset.
As a traditional mage, he was a failure.
However, as a magic user, he was magnificent.
In other words, he was the perfect fit for the Rune Sentinels.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"You."
Valen pointed a finger at Raygan.
"I'll forge you into a fine blade."
A competitive urge flared within him.
He wanted to see just how far this brat with such miraculous talent, whom the Patriarch had picked up, could grow.