The party was in the middle of crossing a mountain path. Once they crossed one more mountain, the Tervian capital of Bayanka would soon come into view.
But Kasim had no intention of going to Bayanka. Their destination was clearly the Krosen Empire, so following the road that bypassed Bayanka and heading northwest was the best method.
Of course, they could have stopped by Bayanka to purchase supplies or rest, but Kasim simply didn't want to. Because of the treatment he had received in Dontrel, he didn't harbor very good feelings toward Tervia. Moreover, meeting Wilkerson, the Sword Master, was something he had to be wary of for now.
A few days ago, lacking strength, he had let the black mage go, but if he ran into him in the capital, he had no idea how things would turn out. After all, no one can know what lies in another's heart.
For that reason, the party was silently crossing a rather low ridge. Kasim, who had been walking with Daemon in high spirits, turned his head.
"It truly feels like a dream."
"What do you mean?"
"That I have become a member of a party with the purpose of dragon hunting. Honestly, it still hasn't felt real."
Daemon grinned.
"Is there anyone in this world who was born catching dragons? Everything is experience. Once you hunt them, you'll get the hang of it too."
"Will that really be the case?"
Looking at Kasim tilting his head, Daemon thought that he had chosen his comrade well. Although they were nothing but burdens now, the dragon invasion was roughly five years away anyway. By then, these fellows would have become considerable experts. Given their rate of growth so far, it was enough.
Moreover, the enemies he would face were not only dragons. There were Guardians under the dragons' command, mid-sized monsters, and innumerable orc infantry—enemies were many and more. It would probably be difficult for these people to join in the dragon hunt itself, but they would surely be sufficient for dealing with such small fry.
Furthermore, if he raised the mercenaries to the level of Paladins, they should be able to handle the liches under Berkis well enough. After all, inside Increcia were great magic armors enough to outfit a single knight order and still have leftovers. And only the highest grade at that.
*'Gedenhyde will be difficult, but the remaining liches...'*
While walking lost in such thoughts, Kasim spoke to him.
"But the Death Knights were said to have been the strongest knights in Truvenia in the past, weren't they?"
"They were. They were members of the band of heroes who fell for the dragons' scheme in the final battle and were massacred at Northwood. I captured the wandering spirits who couldn't leave this world due to their grievances and turned them into Death Knights. So they couldn't help but be strong, no?"
"Truly amazing. The Dullahan was incredibly strong as well, yet to think there are as many as four Death Knights far stronger than it......."
Watching Kasim shake his head back and forth, Daemon smiled faintly.
"From now on, you'll have to get very close to them. Those fellows will likely serve as instructors to train you......"
"Ugh! What do you mean by that?"
Kasim, eyes wide, soon realized Daemon's intention.
"Then you mean for us to accumulate training by using them as sparring partners."
"Exactly. Though they are Death Knights, they are skilled knights who have accumulated tremendous training. Strength only grows by fighting experts. If you repeatedly spar with them, your skills will undoubtedly improve day by day."
"Hya. This is nerve-wracking. To think I'd make sparring partners of those who were absolute rulers of a continent......."
Looking at Kasim's excited face, Daemon shook his head back and forth.
"Not yet. For now, the one you will use as a sparring partner is Winslot."
"Winslot? Do you mean the Dullahan?"
"That's right. Honestly speaking, in terms of swordsmanship, you still can't match him. Needless to say of the other mercenaries....... So whenever we pass through sparsely populated areas, I'll summon him from time to time. Thus, fight him to your heart's content. Understood?"
"Understood."
Kasim nodded without hesitation and soon fell into deep thought. Somehow, the Dullahan's name sounded familiar. A moment later, he turned to Daemon with a face of utter shock.
"C-could it be that Winslot....... Was he not the mercenary captain of the Crow Mercenary Company that threw the entire continent into uproar over ten years ago? The unprecedented murderer said to have beheaded as many as five hundred. Th-that's right. Given that he wields an axe and possesses strength so mighty it's hard to believe he's a Dullahan......."
This time, it was Daemon's turn to be bewildered.
"Winslot had such a past?"
"Y-you didn't know?"
"Well? Winslot was originally in the possession of a Necromancer who lived in Sebayne. I obtained him in the process of kicking that fellow out and taking over the cave. I had expected his past wouldn't be ordinary given his deep grudge, but to think he possessed such a military record......"
"Ten years ago, when I had just set foot in the mercenary world, the world was in quite an uproar because of Winslot. That was when he was captured and beheaded."
Kasim continued speaking in an excited tone. What interested him now was Winslot's tremendous past martial prowess.
A possessor of fearsome skill who had fought over ten Paladins and cut off their heads despite being unable to wield mana. Though his notoriety overshadowed it somewhat, Winslot had truly been a remarkable mercenary in terms of skill alone. That was why Kasim was so delighted. Though he had become a Dullahan and lost his reason, Winslot still retained his swordsmanship from that time intact.
If he repeatedly sparred with such a Winslot, it was obvious that his skills would improve by leaps and bounds.
"This is something to look forward to. To think that famous Winslot would become my sparring partner......."
"He will serve as a sparring partner for all the mercenaries, not just you, for the time being. He is not one to go easy on you, so steel your resolve."
"Need there be any question?"
While they were chatting amiably, a loud voice suddenly called out from behind.
"Quiet for a moment."
It was Yuliana's voice. Daemon and Kasim turned around with bewildered expressions. First, they saw Mitchell listening intently with a grave expression, while Yuliana stared at him piercingly. Mitchell turned his head with a troubled look.
"I can't hear it now, but I definitely heard it moments ago. It was unmistakably a baby's cry....... And one extremely exhausted at that."
There was no reason for a baby's cry to be heard on a sparsely traveled mountain path, so the mercenaries' eyes widened in an instant. Kasim quickly stepped up to Mitchell.
"There's no way a baby would be here? Are you certain?"
"I am. I heard it clearly moments ago."
Paladins' hearing differed from that of ordinary people. Thanks to the mana they possessed, Paladins had exceptionally keen hearing. If Mitchell had heard it, it had to be taken as an undeniable fact.
"But for some reason, I can't hear it now."
"Stay still for a moment."
Finally, Daemon stepped forward. If he used magic, he could catch sounds that even Mitchell had missed. Daemon rearranged his mana to draw in the surrounding sounds, and his complexion hardened stiffly.
"Mitchell was right. I can hear the breathing of two people very faintly below that cliff over there. One of them is a baby."
The moment Daemon finished speaking, all the mercenaries dashed toward the cliff. Because it was a mountain path, the road was quite rough and unlike a main highway, so it seemed some unfortunate soul had passed through here and missed their step.
Since saving people was the priority, the mercenaries all looked down below the cliff at once. Mitchell, with his sharp eyes, was the first to find the source of the groaning.
"Over there."
The source of the groaning was caught on a tree growing midway down the cliff. It wasn't a very high cliff, but the slope was considerable. Moreover, the bottom was covered in stones, so if one fell bare-bodied, it would be nearly impossible to survive. Though they couldn't make it out properly from afar, it looked precarious, as if it would fall at any moment.
"I'll go down."
Without hesitation, Kasim shed the armor he was wearing. After lightening his body, Kasim tightly tied the rope the mercenaries handed him around his waist. The mercenaries moved with great orderliness. Once he confirmed that stakes had been driven into the ground and the rope secured, Kasim began carefully crawling down the cliff. Watching this, one could tell he possessed a disposition that couldn't simply overlook those fallen into misfortune. From behind, Daemon clicked his tongue.
"That fellow seems to have no idea that I'm a mage. Something that could be solved simply by using magic......."
Though it meant inviting hardship due to hasty thinking, Daemon didn't find Kasim's kind-heartedness disagreeable, so he began rearranging his mana just in case.
Due to the considerable distance, it took Kasim quite some time to reach the tree. As expected, those caught in the tree were a young woman and a baby. The woman was covered head to toe in blood and had lost consciousness. Fearing she might let go, she held the baby tightly in her arms—a sight from which maternal love overflowed visibly.
"Fortunately, she's not dead."
After checking her pulse briefly, Kasim secured his position first and then untied the rope from his waist. He intended to tie the woman and baby first, then pull them up above the cliff. Just then, a low voice came from right behind him.
"You can't tie them like that. If you tie the waist when the ribs are broken, the broken bones could pierce the lungs and cause instant death."
Startled, Kasim turned his head to find Daemon floating in midair, clicking his tongue.
"What good is saving magic for later? I beg you, please treat me like a mage."
Kasim couldn't help but let out a bitter smile. He had been so frantic that it hadn't occurred to him.
"I'm sorry. It was just so urgent......."
"Since you don't intend to kill the woman, untie the rope again. Hmm. It would be best if you carried her first. Her ribs are broken, so be careful."
"Understood."
Kasim carefully lifted the woman into his arms. In that very state, Kasim's body began to float up gently. Realizing it was the black mage's magic, Kasim didn't panic but leisurely enjoyed the levitation. They were able to arrive atop the cliff before long.
As soon as Kasim carefully laid the woman on the ground, the mercenaries rushed over and clamored to treat her. But Kasim was not one to repeat the same mistake. He cautiously approached Daemon.
"I'm sorry, but could you please cast a healing spell?"
"You should have done so from the start."
Daemon, expression easing, soon cast Healing. Healing, which maximized the body's natural regenerative ability to restore it to its original state, showed greater effects the higher the Circle. Since Daemon was already of the 9th Circle, as long as the target wasn't a dead corpse, he could return any condition to its original state.
The woman had suffered considerable serious injuries. Perhaps having traveled excessively while in a state of malnutrition, her body's resistance had severely deteriorated. On top of that, the impact from falling off the cliff had broken three of her ribs and even fractured her leg bones. Naturally, the bruises from colliding with the cliff were innumerable.
Compared to that, the baby was in relatively good condition. It was enough to highlight the maternal love of the woman who had strived to keep the baby from harm. However, her condition quickly returned to normal thanks to Daemon's Healing. As the mana was rearranged, the broken bones connected and the wounds healed without a trace. Moments later, Daemon finished the treatment and raised his head.
"It's done. But this woman is currently in a severe state of malnutrition. So it would be good to prepare some food."
At those words, Kasim immediately gave an order.
"We will rest here for a moment. Gerald and Heinrich. You two boil some soup."
"Understood."
And so, the party took an unexpected rest. Needless to say, while waiting for the woman to wake, all the mercenaries except Gerald and Heinrich went into mana training.
What was surprising was Yuliana's attitude. Perhaps more compassionate than one might think, Yuliana stuck close by her side and nursed her.