Chapter 139. Cooperation

Joshua, who had experienced all kinds of hardships while coming from the capital to here, impulsively jumped out of the carriage.

In hindsight, it was an inevitable course of action.

Back in the capital, he had been treated as the most elite of nobility.

However, after leaving the capital for the 'Advancement Test', he was met with nothing but hardship.

'Tricked by bizarre deserters, kidnapped...'

He was burdened with heavy luggage, camping outdoors was a given, setting up tents and taking them down, and even battling hordes of demons...

Going through such arduous tasks gradually dulled Joshua's senses.

To add insult to injury, a bald head he had never seen before continually mocked him.

For Joshua, who had led a noble life, it was enough to drive him mad.

'Damn it, damn it!'

This was why he leapt out of the carriage.

He wanted to get back at the bald man who disdained him.

To report Yulian, who was trying to enter the Northern Front under a false identity.

To take even a small measure of revenge on Yulian, who had brought him to such a pitiful state.

But then...

"... Look at that face."

Inside the carriage, Joshua met the gaze of Yulian, as if Yulian was staring directly at him.

Slit-eye, impossible to read, resembling ripple-free water, Yulian silently and subtly communicated with him.

'Look at those eyes, promising some sort of revenge if I say anything!'

Joshua thought Yulian could overcome whatever he said to him.

He had to acknowledge Yulian's skill, at least.

Since he couldn't decisively snuff out Yulian's lifeline, he knew it would be unwise to spout nonsense and turn his back on him.

Unfortunately, he realized this a bit too late.

It was the physical pain over several days that had slowed Joshua's emotional reasoning.

"Ugh..."

Inwardly sighing, Joshua began to weigh his options.

What should he do?

What was the best judgment at this moment?

Reporting everything to the 'Wedge' knight and exposing Yulian's illegal entry would undoubtedly be a wrong choice.

It might be okay for now, but if they were to meet again in the capital...

Slice.

'I might lose my head.'

As Joshua touched his neck to see if it was still attached, the 'Wedge' knight, who seemed to have realized something, questioned him.

"Sir Joshua, are you perhaps a graduate of the Bayer Academy?"

"Uh... why do you ask?"

"Ah, then you're here to catch up with the knights' division after completing the Advancement Test."

Bayer Academy? Knights' division?

"Ah!"

Since he was affiliated with the academy, he understood what this 'Wedge' knight was saying.

It referred to the recent visit of aspiring academy knights nearing graduation for experience on the Northern Front.

"Uh, yes."

Joshua nodded, despite having nothing to do with aspiring knights.

Reflecting on the emotional mishap he'd committed earlier, he could do nothing but curse and nod, accepting the damned situation.

There was no other way to escape Yulian's gaze.

"Then follow me. I will personally guide you to the Northern Front."

The 'Wedge' knight at the checkpoint gestured for another soldier to bring his horse.

"From this point on, I will guide Sir Joshua. The remaining members should continue with the checkpoint."

"Yes, understood!"

"Please mount, Sir Joshua."

Perplexed, Joshua nodded and climbed onto the saddle right behind the 'Wedge' knight.

Although he had finally separated from Yulian as he had wanted so much.

"What is this annoying feeling...?"

***

"That foolish guy turned out to be useful."

Once the presence of the only 'Wedge' knight at the checkpoint began to fade, Felkhor, who had been inside the carriage, muttered.

Indeed, as he said, this was not the capital but the Northern Front, an outlying region.

There were very few who could recognize the face of 'Yulian' here. Taking the 'Wedge' knight, one of the few who could, with them was a great help to us.

"Are the other two accompanying Sir Joshua?"

When another soldier asked during the inspection, I, who had stepped out of the carriage, replied.

"No, we are seeing him for the first time today."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, ho ho."

Chuckling softly, I handed over the pass that had been issued by Roomz.

The soldier carefully examining it glanced at my face once.

Could he recognize me?

Though I felt the urge to pull my hood further down, it seemed like it would only raise more suspicion, so I stayed still, pretending nothing was amiss.

"Are you called Erikson... Fantanya?"

Hmm, it seems he wasn't.

"Yes, that's correct."

"Your manner of speaking is quite formal. You seem like you're a noble."

Well, it's a habit ingrained in me.

"And the other one is..."

"I'm his guide. Since I'm from this area, I thought I'd put my experience to use."

Thud, thud.

As Felkhor, a giant of a man, stepped out of the carriage, the soldiers looked tense.

Well, with his size and such a face. And on top of that, being bald, it's natural to feel intimidated.

"Uh... savage? No, knight, perhaps?"

"I used to be, but not anymore."

At Felkhor's words, the soldiers nodded.

Whether they nodded because he wasn't a knight or because he wasn't a savage, I couldn't tell.

After checking his pass, they let us pass.

"Thank you for your cooperation."

"But this is strange. Do you usually conduct inspections like this? The checkpoint at North Watch should suffice."

I had a natural question.

Why conduct inspections on this road? It was utterly baffling.

"Indeed. I don't understand it either, but it's due to an edict from the Northern Front Command."

"The command... As in, personally directed by Prince Kaldrach?"

The crux of power at the Northern Front.

It is, of course, the third prince, Kaldrach De Adratan, who manages the command.

"Was there an instance like this before...?"

No matter how hard I tried to recall past memories... there was none.

"It's strange..."

After all, Kaldrach, that fellow, came here to seize control of the military but would be trying to shed some responsibilities from the 'command' to return to the capital as quickly as possible.

Staying away from the capital for too long would only erode his influence that much more.

"I suppose...is that so...?"

"It's curious. Prince Kaldrach should be thinking about reducing the troops he commands, summoning only the 'Wedge', and returning to the capital..."

The soldier tilted his head slightly at my words.

"But you seem knowledgeable. Have you served on the Northern Front before?"

Did he listen to my monologue in detail? The soldier displayed curiosity.

I had spoken too much unnecessarily.

Just as I thought that.

"I served there once. I've shared all I know with him."

Felkhor interjected.

"Ah... someone who has experienced the harshness of the Northern Front."

Once again, the soldier looking at Felkhor's physique nodded as if he'd just now understood.

Somehow... it felt like he was glancing at Felkhor's head as he mentioned 'harshness', but oh well.

***

After finishing the inspection, the carriage safely arrived at its destination.

"Oh dear, who would've imagined you were a knight. Thanks to Lord Roomz, but also being escorted by a knight... I've experienced plenty of oddities in my time."

Somehow, if he'd been eavesdropping on the conversation with the soldier, knowing that I was a noble and Felkhor was a former knight, the merchant expressed gratitude and guided the carriage into the village.

Having alighted from the carriage, Felkhor and I also moved into Gerlin Village, a frontline village.

"Ugh... damn cold."

Feeling the cold biting through his skin, the reality of having arrived at the Northern Front began to sink in.

Felkhor, hunched over and cursing, trailed his eyes over the village's scenery.

"Damn landscape, nothing's changed at all."

Leaving Felkhor, who was muttering, behind, I took a step forward.

Indeed, the scenery here hadn't changed a bit, true to Felkhor's words.

The stark scene I had seen while playing 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉.

And simultaneously, the sense of déjà vu felt through Yulian's vague memories.

The two feelings intertwined, creating an unpleasant sensation, but there was no need to indulge in such emotions now.

"So why did you come to the Northern Front? Can't you tell me by now?"

While I was lost in thought, trying to organize my ideas, Felkhor spoke up.

A question about why I had come to the Northern Front.

It might have been fine to brush over it, but considering he had come all the way here, it seemed fair to tell him.

"I came to chase demons."

"Demons... you say?"

"Yes, a tri-horned demon."

Felkhor's face slightly stiffened at the mention of the tri-horned.

The tri-horned demon known as the 'One-Armed Demon'.

Though still a 'tri-horned', it was a high-risk entity that could soon become 'quadra-horned-rank.'

"Is it because of the Soul Stone...?"

"No."

"Then why chase the demon, coming all the way to such a barren place?"

Do you think I wanted to come?

If left unchecked, the Northern Front might collapse.

The event 'Catastrophe.' It signifies a threat to the Adratan Empire.

Frankly, even if the 'Adratan Empire' were to fall, I knew I wouldn't even blink an eye.

What mattered was ultimately my own safety.

"But if the Northern Front becomes dangerous, other countries would also be at risk."

The three major powers dividing the Rosenland continent.

The Empire, the Holy Kingdom, and the Federation constantly snarl at each other, but serve as fences protecting one another.

The Northern Front is one such example.

"Why am I going through this ordeal... oh well."

In the end, it all traces back to the absence of the 'Sword Saint'.

Knowing how the story would unfold in the future leaves me little choice but to stop it.

Oh, my situation...

But, of course, I couldn't possibly say all that.

Thus, I could only give this answer.

"For my 'safety.'"

A response that encapsulated everything.

***

"Hoo... it's cold."

Muttering to himself, Zahard felt the mist forming at the tips of his fingers.

In this tiny outlying village without boarding houses or taverns, Zahard, an outsider, had no place to rest.

Thus, having built a simple fire on the roadside, he could only rely on the small flames to warm himself.

As he did, he detected a presence approaching.

"May I share your fire?"

Familiar with the aura due to his recent discussions with the person, Zahard recognized the individual without needing to see.

"By all means."

As he replied, almost soliloquizing, two outsiders joined him at the fire.

"Coming all this way, do you still insist you're not here to capture me?"

"Hahaha..."

The laugh was deceptively natural.

With the appearance of Yulian, Zahard almost frowned.

Having informed him of the location of the 'One-Armed Demon', whatever reason he followed him here was puzzling.

"It's just my thoughts have changed. It seems you'll need to come to the capital with me and surrender."

Zahard looked up.

In truth, such words were typical of 'Yulian', so it didn't particularly anger him.

As the royal family's hound, he was a creature who used others as steps to his own advancement.

"Instead, I'll cooperate so we can capture the 'One-Armed Demon'."

But with those words, Zahard couldn't help but be startled.

Regardless of intentions, the cooperation of a person like 'Yulian' was certainly advantageous.

Still, why a cold-hearted person who never showed emotions to others said such words was a mystery.

"... Are you pitying me?"

The destiny to kill his demon-turned child with his own hands.

If it was out of sympathy for his pitiful situation, it would slightly irk him.

A seasoned fighter who had wielded his sword for countless years, he hadn't led a life so weak as to be pitied.

"If so, what will you do?"

However, with the obvious and straightforward demeanor of Yulian, such feelings melted away as if they were snow.

"I'll accept that sympathy. Didn't I tell you before? It's not the strong who survive, but the survivor who is strong."

"Then you have made the choice of the strong."

Zahard chuckled as he rose from his seat.

His body was weak from the cold, yet for some reason, he felt invigorated.

"Despite the sudden cooperative relationship, be sure to look after me."

As he stood up to shake hands, his fingertips brushed a surface, smooth and sleek.

"Your hands are softer than expected. If you'd wielded a sword for so long, it shouldn't be like this..."

"Hey, that's my head."

"Hmm?"

Feeling perplexed, Zahard hastily withdrew his hand, causing Felkhor to rub his head and narrow his eyes.

As if being bald wasn't bad enough.

And now being disrespected.

"... Damnably cold."

With a self-deprecating smile, Felkhor cursed aloud.

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