Ian did not hurry, continuing forward at an unhurried pace. There was still a fair distance to go, and the priests and mercenaries were clearly heading straight for the campsite. They would likely have spotted the lights here as well.
"What's that now..."
"Is it the Ember Priesthood?"
Before long, the legionnaires at the rear began murmuring one by one. However, the commotion didn't spread far.
"Focus on your own tasks."
"Eyes forward, you idiots."
The centurions kept pressing them on, casting glances at Ian as they did.
Of course, footsteps were running after Ian. Miguel and the vice legion commander, Mev, who had donned her armor before he knew it.
"As you’ve probably guessed, it looks like the temple sent reinforcements," Miguel said, approaching Ian's side.
He grinned, revealing yellow teeth, and added, "Good timing. Damn it all… the numbers were getting hard to manage. This should take some pressure off.""It's not just the priesthood coming. The mercenary band is with them," said Ian.
"You mean the Dragon Slayer's Warriors? Been a while since I’ve seen those greasy mugs. Heh…." Miguel’s face brightened even more. Perhaps because he’d once been a mercenary himself, he seemed to be on familiar terms with Trude and the others.
Mev fell into step beside him. Even while catching her breath, she looked back at Ian and Miguel with strangely worried eyes.
"Don't worry. She's probably not there," Ian said before she could speak.
Miguel, seemingly having caught on to her concern, smiled knowingly and said, "That's right. You know our High Priestess. She may not look it, but her stubbornness and temper are no joke. She would never have let Lucy out, so put your mind at ease."
"You think so?" Mev asked, her gaze softening a little.
Miguel nodded. "Lucy didn’t sneak out for no reason last time, and look how that turned out. This time, she’d never allow it."
"Even if she followed, I’d send her back," Ian said flatly.
Two archdemons or not, he’d already decided not to involve Lucia any further. For everyone’s peace of mind, it was better that way.
"If that’s the case…" Mev finally nodded in relief.
"I’ll go meet them myself. You oversee the campsite. Let everyone know I have something to say soon, and send Nila to me," said Ian.
"Yes, understood, Commander," Mev answered crisply and turned on her heel, signaling to the centurions who had been watching from afar as she moved off.
"I’ll handle assigning the priesthood’s duties properly. So you won’t need to worry about that, Brother—ah, Commander." Miguel added tactfully.
Ian simply nodded, eyes fixed on the steadily approaching group.
Behind the lead brazier wagon came a covered wagon, followed by several supply carts. Priests marched alongside them in orderly lines, leading multiple horses by the reins rather than riding them.
Swapping them out once the draft horses tire, I suppose…
Ian nodded to himself. It was an efficient way to make full use of blessings. If the horses could even be fed on the move, rest times could be cut to the bare minimum.
Just looking at the mercenaries trudging along like walking corpses across the snowfield made it clear how grueling that pace was.
Clip-clop—
As the noise of reorganizing echoed behind him, the priestly procession finally drew near. Unlike the priests, who continued forward without stopping, the mercenaries halted at a measured distance.
"By Karha…"
"He’s really alive!"
Gasps of astonishment, large and small, reached Ian's ears. They must have heard he’d survived, but seeing it in person was another matter entirely.
"Agent of the Saint."
Soon, the brazier wagon at the front came to a stop. The priests lined up and bowed respectfully, and then the door of the carriage behind them opened. A figure stepped out, a white hooded cloak pulled low.
As the figure moved to the priests’ side and turned around, Miguel sucked in a sharp breath. Ian blinked as well.
"So you came yourself…" Ian murmured at last, one corner of his mouth lifting.
The one approaching him was none other than the High Priestess herself, Cherwyn. Her red eyes curved gently as they met his.
"The stigmata resonated, so I hastened my steps. It seems following the Goddess’s guidance was worthwhile, Agent of the Saint. I wanted to see you before you reached Calbrook."
"I'm glad to see you, too. Seems you came instead of Lucy," Ian said without erasing the smile from his lips.
Cherwyn, stopping in front of him, shrugged. "I can afford to leave my post now. And it’s been a while since I last saw the world beyond the temple."
Ian’s smile deepened. He could practically picture what had happened back at the temple—Cherwyn had likely shut down Lucia’s insistence by volunteering personally.
"Did His Grace request assistance?"
"No. News came from elsewhere. The Archduke didn't even send a messenger. He’s probably assuming we’re supporting you, Agent of the Saint."
Cherwyn shook her head, then let her eyes glint meaningfully as she lowered her voice.
"The Vice High Priestess insisted we dispatch a priesthood. Saying an archdemon might have invaded."
"I figured. So she came to the same conclusion." Ian nodded calmly.
It was exactly the judgment Lucia would make. Smiling faintly, Cherwyn glanced over her shoulder as she continued, "Yes. And thanks to them, I realized you’d reached the same conclusion as well."
Ian followed her gaze to the mercenaries standing awkwardly at a distance. His gaze stopped at a man standing at the lead, with a face as rugged as Miguel's—Trude.
At Ian’s slight nod, Trude hesitantly stepped forward.
"We ran into them around when we passed Bellium. When they said they were headed your way, we decided to travel together."
"Thank you for doing so. If it had been just them, they might not have arrived in time."
"Don't mention it," Cherwyn answered easily and took a small step back, clearly giving them space to talk.
Ian turned his attention to Trude and said, "You must’ve been living a life full of sin while I was gone."
"N-No! Not at all!" Trude blurted out, eyes wide.
Ian scoffed. "Then why are you so scared?"
"It’s just… I’d heard the stories, but seeing you standing here alive and well like this, it’s hard to believe. Feels like I’m witnessing a miracle."
Rambling, Trude edged cautiously closer to Cherwyn.
"And, well… I also heard you’d become a demigod now," Trude added with his eyes lowered.
Ian let out another snort. "Either way, you’ve done well coming all this way. The real hardship starts now, though. You ready for that?"
"O-Of course. We’ve been living comfortably thanks to you, Captain," Trude said with a clearly forced smile before hastily changing the subject. "Ah, right, we brought the items you asked for. Most of the skilled craftsmen have moved closer to the temple, so there wasn’t much of value."
"Good. Keep managing your men and merge with the legion. Report to the vice legion commander. She’ll take care of the rest."
"The vice legion commander?" Trude glanced at Cherwyn, then asked cautiously, "You mean… the Agent of Vengeance? The Red Knight of the frontier?"
"Yeah."
At Ian’s nod, Trude burst out in awe. "By Karha— To think I’d actually meet her one day…!"
He looks happier about meeting her than he did about seeing me.
Ian chuckled quietly to himself. Then again, this was the same man who’d been the first to spread Mev’s reputation back in the frontier. Perhaps he’d been holding her in deep respect all along.
"Move it. Stop getting in the way."
"Y-Yes! My apologies, Saintess." Trude, answering in surprise, bowed his head to Cherwyn and turned around.
"You heard him! Move it, you idiots!" he snapped at the mercenaries behind him.
Cherwyn, who had been observing the legion dismantling the camp, said, "That’s quite a force. Reassuring, isn’t it?"
"The scale is considerable. Reassuring."
"You took the words right out of my mouth," Ian replied
Though spoken like a joke, he meant it. Given more time, it might be a different story—but for now, she was undoubtedly stronger than Lucia. If he had to compare, it was like the difference between a mage and an archmage.
"Of course, that doesn’t mean we can afford to let our guard down."
Cherwyn tilted her head and looked back at him.
Meeting her red eyes, Ian turned his gaze behind him as he added, "For now, would you mind mounting a horse? I think it would be best if you greeted the legion yourself."
He’d heard hooves approaching from behind. Nila was galloping through the gaps in the camp.
Ian jerked his chin toward the beast. "Let's talk again after that. There are parts to discuss, and someone to introduce."
"All right. Let’s do that," Cherwyn blinked in mild confusion but answered readily.
Miguel hurried off almost at once. "I’ll bring a horse. Please wait just a moment."
As Cherwyn nodded, Nila slid to a stop behind Ian, twisting its body as it did.
Snort...
It let out a long snort while eyeing Cherwyn and the priests. Ian gave its mane a brief pat, then hopped lightly into the saddle.
"Stop!"
"Quiet! The Great Warrior has mounted!"
Shouts rang out, and the bustling camp fell silent. The mercenaries hauling supply wagons froze mid-step as Miguel, holding the reins, guided Cherwyn closer.
"The Saintess of the Brazier has joined us, leading the priesthood."
Only after Cherwyn mounted did Ian finally speak.
Under the countless gazes fixed on her, she inclined her head. "It is an honor to fight alongside you."
The barbarian warriors erupted as one, raising their fists and roaring. The clamor quickly subsided when Ian lifted his clenched right hand slightly.
As silence returned to the snow-covered field, Ian said, "Last night, I saw a vision of the battlefield. And learned the fact that the archdemon we have to face is not one."
Not only the legionnaires, but the mercenaries standing at a distance, Cherwyn, the priests, and even Miguel stared at him with widened eyes.
Sweeping his gaze over them, Ian continued, "A battle more dangerous than any we’ve faced awaits us. Those who are afraid may leave now. You will not be stopped, nor will you be punished."
Not you.
Pausing briefly, Ian fixed the twitching mercenaries with a hard stare. Realizing the meaning behind his gaze, Trude let out a low groan and squeezed his eyes shut.
"Otherwise, hurry. The archdemons have already sensed my presence. We don’t have much time left."
"Yes, Great Warrior!"
"We will follow!"
The legionnaires shouted and immediately returned to their work.
No one questioned the truth of his vision—after all, they believed him to be a demigod.
Meanwhile, the mercenaries and the defense troops turned pale, exchanging uneasy glances.
"More than one archdemon! This is exciting!"
"This will be a battle remembered by history!"
"Let’s become legends with the Great Warrior! Move it, everyone!"
The barbarians’ voices rose again, loud and eager. It was more than enough to make Ian swallow a dry laugh. Whenever they fought alongside him, it was as if fear itself stopped working.
Then again, they probably believed that dying beside Ian meant joining Karha’s legion. Or perhaps they thought they’d become part of Ian’s legion, waiting for him in the heavens.
"Crazy...." Trude, sighing as if the ground were sinking, gestured to the mercenaries and moved his steps.
Miguel, still gripping the reins, sighed just as heavily.
"Damn it… more than one archdemon?"
Receiving his gaze, Ian shrugged. "That’s how it is."
"So that’s what you wanted to discuss with me," added Cherwyn from the saddle.
Ian tipped his chin forward. "Let’s move somewhere else and talk."
"Let's do so. Miguel? Please take care of the priests." Cherwyn, answering readily, held out her hand.
Miguel took the reins from her and nodded. "Please speak freely. Oh, Lu Entre…."
As he turned away with a sigh, Nila started toward the camp. Around the central brazier, legionnaires were carrying supplies to the wagons scattered across the grounds. Ian nodded briefly to Mev among them and kept moving.
Clip-clop—
While Mukapa skillfully stacked firewood, the wagon behind the brazier drew closer. Nasser and Alex were securing the horses.
"G-Glory to the Radiant Light...."
That was when Phaden, standing beside the wagon, dropped to one knee and spoke. His expression was plainly shaken.
He couldn’t help it. He’d just heard there was more than one Archdemon—and he knew exactly who the Saintess of the Brazier was.
Ian pulled on the reins and stopped alongside the carriage.
"Please rise," Cherwyn said as she came to a stop behind him, still sending Ian a faintly puzzled look.
Ian merely tilted his head to the side and hopped down from the saddle."Is she inside?"
"She is still asleep," Phaden answered in a hushed voice, head bowed. The flustered look in his eyes made it clear why.
Swallowing a chuckle, Ian said, "Seems I have to wake her up, may I ask for your understanding?"
"Yes. Of course." Phaden stepped aside without protest, then approached Cherwyn and respectfully took her reins while still keeping his head lowered.
Gesturing for her to follow, Ian walked up to the carriage door. He knocked once, and the window slid open slightly, revealing Asme’s eyes.
"Wake her. A distinguished guest has arrived."
"Yes," Asme answered in a whisper and closed the window.
"What is…." Cherwyn murmured softly, standing with her back to Nila. She clearly had no idea whom he intended to introduce.
Ian hadn’t explained—partly out of laziness, and partly because there was much else to say.
Clack—
The carriage door cracked open a moment later. Ian pulled it wide. The scent of wine spilled out, along with Seras, sitting in disarray. Asme was combing her hair.
"I’m ashamed to be seen like this," Seras said in a hushed, hoarse voice without meeting Ian’s eyes. It was clear she drank until late with Thesaya.
Must’ve had a lot on her mind
"Think nothing of it."
"Could you give me a moment? I’ll come out to receive the guest properly."
"That won’t be necessary. The guest is already here."
At Ian’s words, Seras looked up sharply, surprise flashing across her face—as if she hadn’t expected such discourtesy.
Ian snorted indifferently and stepped aside, revealing Cherwyn, who had been hidden behind him.
Seras stared at her blankly for a heartbeat, then her eyes widened as if they might tear. "Au... Aunt?"