“There is nothing quite as lacking in style as having a drink under the bright moonlight.”
August Varian, lying sprawled on a high rooftop, looked wistfully at the brightly shining moon as if she were savoring the thought.
As she had mentioned, there was no better night to enjoy a good drink, but she had to restrain herself since the nagging lion might get angry.
Instead, she tried to alleviate her melancholy by conversing with a little bird perched on her finger, chirping softly as she gazed quietly at the moon.
Chirp—?!
The small bird, which had been sitting quietly on her finger, tilted its head and suddenly turned with a shocked expression.
Seeing the bird’s behavior, August Varian glanced lethargically in the direction the bird had turned and spoke.
“Have you come?”
“Why did you call me?”
“When you meet people, at least try to soften your gaze. I’ve told you several times how much it changes your impression.”
“I remember you advising me to change our clan’s trait and telling you it was rude.”
“Haa…”
August Varian thought that if something like a first impression was bad and it made interacting with people uncomfortable, it wouldn’t hurt to change it a bit.
However, it seemed her sincere advice was not well received.
“Can you tell me why you called me?”
“I’m watching the target, but it seems like you, Kel Grigor, are busier.”
“It’s because I’m busy preparing for your potential errors.”
“It seems like you are convinced that I will make a mistake.”
“I have planned both a northern escape through the sea and a southern route over the mountains.”
“…”
It seemed he was genuinely expecting a mistake and had planned both routes accordingly.
Though it felt a bit humiliating, having a contingency plan or two wasn’t a bad thing. August Varian calmly communicated the purpose of her call.
“I called you because a variable has occurred.”
“A variable? Don’t tell me you’ve made a mistake already?”
Even in Kel Grigor’s calm and casual reaction, as if he had expected it, August Varian remained unperturbed and shared the information calmly.
“The target has emerged on their own. They are currently moving and thankfully heading towards a secluded area.”
“Hmm…”
As long as the target was alive, it could move freely.
However, the fact that the target was moving towards a secluded area on this late night was not something easily believed.
“Is there a possibility of a trap?”
“None.”
Her eyes were not on Kel Grigor, nor on the chirping bird on her finger. She was observing the target from afar, borrowing the sight of another entity.
August Varian had been on alert and searched the surroundings thoroughly, but to her eyes, there were no signs of danger.
“I see.”
August Varian was a person specialized in long-distance surveillance.
While her personality and actions were not very likable, her eyes and abilities were beyond doubt.
“We should plan the escape route through the southern mountains. Considering the direction the target is heading, it would be the most efficient.”
“Do as you wish.”
August Varian smiled as she stood up. Bathed in the bright moonlight, her form was indescribably beautiful.
Her elven beauty and unique atmosphere were different in themselves.
Her clan’s distinctive black skin resembled a black pearl, and her eyes and hair, which held the moonlight, added a mystical allure to her beauty.
Although her very presence seemed as if it would draw everyone’s gaze, she managed to remain unnoticeable by anyone.
Every time Kel Grigor saw her, he couldn’t help but think.
‘Unreal.’
She was like a being one might encounter while wandering in a dream.
Even knowing what awaited at the end of the dream, she was a dangerous presence that one might follow if led.
“I shall guide you. I’ll take care of anything troublesome on the way, so please handle the retrieval of the target, Kel Grigor.”
“Indeed.”
Kel Grigor agreed without any opposition to her smilingly assigned roles.
If he was the tenacious hunter who never let go of his target, she was a—
***
In front of the Aries Order where Eil resided, Christian sent a letter ahead, and upon arrival at the meeting place, he quietly gazed at the night sky.
Perhaps due to the unusual atmosphere, aira and Nemea too refrained from speaking to Christian.
Thanks to their consideration, Christian could organize his thoughts calmly.
‘I hope that the person staying with the Aries Order is Aunt.’
Saintess Rachel of the Latima Order. He first met her when he was very young.
Back then, he was even younger than he was now and was zealously training under his master.
At that time, the continent was in utter chaos, and many kingdoms and orders suffered greatly, so there was no way to remain unscathed.
Demi-humans and dragonkin—betrayers of humanity who served dragons carried out assassinations, including destroying potential cohesive centers like orders and forces.
They did not hesitate to assassinate high-ranking priests and the pope, and some orders were thoroughly destroyed, leaving not even a single blade of grass.
‘Aunt Rachel…’
The Latima Order was one of those that disappeared. Thinking of Rachel, Christian couldn’t help but be filled with complex emotions.
The sole remaining spokesperson for the Goddess Latima.
A Saintess who wandered alone in the eastern continent, serving Latima until the end.
However, upon their first encounter, her appearance was that of someone one wouldn’t expect from a Saintess.
Those who claimed the demise of the Latima Order was divine retribution.
The persecution and unjust discrimination drove her to become increasingly cold and isolated, watching her emotions fade was extraordinarily painful.
But…
‘If it’s now, wouldn’t Aunt Rachel also have smiled happily?’
Christian simply wanted to see her. To confirm.
A daily, happy smile free from anger, hatred towards enemies, and the desperate need to rebuild the order.
Therefore, Christian fervently hoped. That the guest staying with the Aries Order was the Saintess and not the pope, and that she would appear at this place.
***
Even though Nemea had suggested the abandoned building on the outskirts of the capital and guided them there, she couldn’t shake off an uneasy feeling.
This abandoned building, which she had recommended, was where an entire family, once plotting rebellion, had been massacred, and all related members were beheaded.
The mass slaughter that happened there was so severe that even now, after a fair amount of time had passed, the residents of the capital whispered of it as a cursed site.
“I just can’t figure out who the young master is meeting. Aira, do you happen to know?”
“I don’t really know either.”
Christian’s demeanor was also peculiar. After arriving at the place, he seemed distant, an air of impenetrability shrouding him.
Even Aira seemed curious, holding a questioning gaze toward Christian.
‘Why does he look so troubled?’
Seeing his complex expressions and the fleeting glimpses of sadness decorating his features enticed Aira’s curiosity.
However, she refrained from asking. She knew all too well that he wasn’t forthcoming and concluded that leaving him alone was best.
This was her judgment as someone who had been almost family with him for these recent months, as his “sister.”
“Let’s just wait for now. When the person Christian is waiting for arrives, we’ll find out.”
“I really wonder who he called to act like this. Maybe his first love, who got married?”
“…”
“… Just kidding.”
Aira’s slow head-turn toward Nemea, with her fiery red eyes, made Nemea flinch and avert her gaze meekly.
“Unni.”
“I was just kidding.”
“No. Not that…”
Nemea was just about to apologize nervously at Aira’s call, but Aira wasn’t looking at her.
Instead, she was pointing behind Nemea with an urgent finger.
“Move!”
“Huh? Kyaa!”
Aira pushed Nemea, and she too rolled to the side.
Just as they moved, a massive figure dropped from the sky onto the spot where they had been standing.
Kaboom—!
“Wha?!”
“Gah?!”
With a loud crash, the ground cracked, and debris violently pelted Aira and Nemea. Looking at the massive figure that had attacked them, aira was filled with questions.
“… A beastman?”
The beast’s eyes shone yellow, and the exposed teeth looked sharp. His mane-like, charcoal-thick hair billowed in the wind.
As the muscular man raised his arm, a large hand and claws extended from his fingers. The sharp claws slashed at Nemea at once.
Shukakak—!
“Unni!”
“Who, who is this bastard?!”
However, true to her future as someone remembered as a mercenary king, Nemea barely evaded the attack and swung her sword at the man.
Aira had also drawn her sword and was about to rush to help Nemea but halted momentarily and turned around abruptly.
“Christian?!”
But the same applied to Christian. A mysterious woman, of unknown origin, was obstructing Christian.
Seeing this, aira had an unusual thought briefly flash through her mind.
Could this be some kind of training exercise?