Rose and Sai began walking behind Zamirah, drifting a short distance away from the caravan. Ahead, they spotted a lone warrior standing guard. He raised his hand in greeting. Zamirah returned the gesture, and they approached him together.

  The warrior turned to Zamirah, his voice carrying an accent much like hers.

  “Who are our guests?”

  “These are the adventurers who will be accompanying us on this journey,” Zamirah replied.

  The warrior stepped forward. From behind his helmet, Rose could see only his striking golden eyes. He extended his hand toward her.

  “My name is Kaveh Zardun. A pleasure to meet you.”

  He then offered his hand to Sai, greeting him in the same manner before continuing:

  “We will be responsible for guarding the caravan and intercepting any threats that draw near.”

  Sai nodded.

  “May I ask something?”

  Kaveh inclined his head.

  “Go ahead.”

  “Why weren’t you accompanied by an adventurer team from the Eastern Continent?”

  Kaveh considered the question for a moment before answering.

  “We did have an arrangement—only as far as the Port of Althamira. From there, we sailed to Lord Casper’s lands. We had no need for them beyond that point; his territory is relatively safe. Our plan was to hire another team for the return journey.”

  He paused briefly.

  “But then the magical incident occurred. Our departure was delayed, and the number of available adventurers dwindled.”

  Rose frowned slightly.

  “Then why not return and hire adventurers from the Eastern Continent?”

  Kaveh shook his head.

  “Master Karandash has many competitors. Leaving a caravan idle in a city for several days—especially with only four guards—is dangerous. And he had no intention of lingering any longer than necessary. We were already delayed far more than expected because of the incident.”

  His gaze shifted back toward the road.

  “But now that you’re here, we’ll depart as soon as Master Karandash arrives. For now, you may rest. Once he joins us, we won’t stop until we reach the Port of Rethaz.”

  Sai nodded.

  “Understood. When do you expect him to finish his business?”

  “Perhaps another hour,” Kaveh replied. “Use the time to rest—and to meet the caravan workers. You’ll be traveling with them for months.”

  “We will,” Sai said. “Come on, Rose.”

  “Alright,” she replied, and the two headed back toward the caravan.

  Zamirah watched them go, then turned to Kaveh.

  “What do you think?”

  Kaveh remained silent for a long moment, his golden eyes following Rose.

  “Appearances are deceiving,” he said at last. “That girl is very strong despite her innocent look. She’s not ordinary.”

  He paused, then added, “The boy as well.”

  Zamirah frowned slightly. “What do you mean?”

  “From the moment they arrived until now,” Kaveh said, “they’ve been continuously cycling mana through their bodies—without stopping.”

  Zamirah’s eyes narrowed. “Do you think they don’t trust us?”

  Kaveh shook his head.

  “No. Their mana isn’t moving like someone on guard. It flows naturally—like breathing.”

  He allowed himself a faint nod.

  “I think they’re good. And I think they’ll be a great help to us.”

  Rose and Sai headed back toward the caravan. As they walked, Rose glanced toward the desert warriors and said, “They look strong.”

  “They are,” Sai replied. “Warriors of the desert clans are renowned for their strength.”

  He looked at Rose and immediately noticed the excitement written all over her face.

  “Don’t tell me you want to fight them.”

  “Of course I do,” Rose answered without hesitation. “I’ve never fought anyone like them before. Their armor, their weapons—everything about them is unique. I’ve never seen anything like it. I want to see how they fight.”

  She grinned, unable to hide her enthusiasm.

  “I’m really excited, Sai. I can’t stop thinking about the adventure in the Eastern Continent. And on top of that, we’ll be traveling with a caravan. I can’t even imagine what we’ll see—cities unlike any we’ve known, strange lands, ancient landmarks… maybe even monsters.”

  Sai reached out and rested a hand on her head.

  “I know,” he said gently. “Just don’t rush in recklessly. And remember—we’re going there for work.”

  “Of course,” Rose replied quickly. Then her expression softened.

  “But Sai… what do you think happened to Father and Uncle Rick? Do you think they’ve returned from the forest?”

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  Sai slowed slightly, taking a moment to think before answering.

  “Maybe. It could take them a month or more, depending on their condition after that battle. Unlike us, they can’t move quickly. We took nearly a week to return even while traveling fast—and we were lucky not to encounter any powerful monsters.”

  He continued, voice calm and reassuring.

  “The expedition will need time to recover. After that, they’ll withdraw from the forest gradually.”

  Rose’s voice wavered.

  “Do you really think they’re safe?”

  “Yes,” Sai said firmly. “And that massive explosion… I’m certain it was Uncle Rick. It was a signal—the end of the battle. That means they succeeded.”

  “I hope so,” Rose whispered.

  “And don’t forget,” Sai added, “your mentor Sir Rainer is with them. So are Keith, Red, and even Mary. Who could possibly stand against all of them?”

  Rose smiled, some of the worry leaving her eyes.

  “You’re right. I can’t think of anyone who could.”

  “Exactly.”

  By then, they had reached the caravan. Sai stepped forward, introducing himself and Rose to the caravan workers. The workers eyed them with curiosity—but also with visible relief at the arrival of adventurers.

  Far away, beneath another sky, steel clashed and blood soaked the forest floor…

  “Raise the shields! Hold the formation!” one of the officers shouted.

  Arrows and spells flew overhead as the soldiers formed a solid wall of steel, bracing themselves against the demons charging toward them. The creatures hurled themselves at the ranks, but the soldiers held their ground—thrusting with spears, maintaining perfect formation, unmoving, unyielding, like a wall of stone.

  Demonic bodies piled up at the front until the tide finally began to falter.

  “Front line—advance!” the officer roared.

  The first rank moved forward as one, a perfectly synchronized motion, leaving no gaps between them. Even as the demons continued to fight with savage ferocity, the soldiers of Lord Casper did not hesitate. They pressed on relentlessly.

  Despite their numbers, the demons were forced back—crushed by the steady advance, the unbroken formation, and the constant rain of arrows and magic. They were unable to break the line.

  Then—

  Two figures descended into the midst of the demons.

  The creatures recoiled in shock, as if the two soldiers had appeared from nowhere. Unlike the infantry, these warriors were clad head to toe in silver armor, blue cloaks flowing behind them—each bearing the sigil of a silver, winged dragon. Long swords gleamed in their hands.

  Before the demons could even react, the two knights moved.

  Their speed was beyond what any ordinary human eye could follow.

  Demons were cut down in an instant—slaughtered before they could raise a claw or utter a scream. Though the knights stood surrounded, the battle was utterly one-sided.

  It took only a few demons breaking ranks for panic to spread.

  The retreat began.

  One demon tried desperately to restore order, roaring commands to force the others back into the fight—but all it saw was a long blade flash through the air.

  Its head fell.

  That was the last thing the demon ever saw.

  The two knights advanced back toward the soldiers’ lines as spears were raised in victory. The officer stepped forward, striking his fist against the emblem of Lord Casper on his chest.

  “The demons are retreating toward the forest!”

  One of the knights lifted his helmet.

  “Well done, Captain Graf,” he said calmly. “No need to pursue them. I doubt this is the end of it. Since their lair was destroyed, they’ve been attacking us relentlessly. Stay on alert.”

  “Yes, sir,” Captain Graf replied.

  The knights moved toward the formation. The soldiers parted in perfect unison, allowing them through, then closed ranks again just as smoothly. The camp gates were opened, and the knights entered as if this had become routine.

  A horn sounded from atop the wall, signaling the end of the assault.

  For the past three weeks, the demons had attacked the expedition repeatedly—without success. Each time, the soldiers of Lord Casper withdrew in perfect order alongside the adventurers. Every assault was repelled with ease.

  Wherever the expedition halted, fortifications were constructed swiftly and efficiently.

  The knights made their way to the command tent.

  Inside, Keith stood with several adventurer team leaders, Sir Rainer, and a number of Lord Casper’s officers, all gathered around a map. Rick sat off to the side on a chair, staring at a stone in his hand, seemingly lost in another world, unaware of his surroundings.

  Sir Rainer looked up as the knights entered.

  “Did you see any of the black-armored bastards, Isaac?” he asked.

  “No,” the knight replied. “I didn’t see any of them, Sir Rainer.”

  Rainer turned to Keith.

  “Good. If we keep this pace, we’ll be out of the forest within two weeks.”

  “How was the attack?” Keith asked.

  “Weaker than before,” Isaac answered. “And it didn’t last long.”

  “Good,” Keith said. He then turned to the adventurers.

  “I want continuous patrols close to the camp. Mages are to maintain constant detection spells. I don’t want any surprises.”

  “Yes, sir,” the adventurers replied.

  “Anything to add, Sir Rainer?” Keith asked.

  “No,” Rainer said.

  “Then that concludes today’s briefing. Thank you.”

  The adventurers and soldiers began to file out. As Isaac and Chris turned to leave, Sir Rainer stopped them.

  “You two—stay.”

  They halted immediately, standing at attention, awaiting his orders.

  “I have a mission for you,” Sir Rainer said.

  Both knights stood at attention at once, ready to receive their orders.

  “You will escort Rick to the main expedition camp of Thalorien.”

  A flicker of displeasure crossed both knights’ faces—but before Rainer could say anything further, Rick spoke up.

  “Don’t look so grim,” he said lightly. “It’ll be a quick and enjoyable trip. What’s the problem? This isn’t the first time you’ve escorted me, Isaac and Chris.”

  The two knights exchanged a look. Their expressions alone made it clear they were far from thrilled.

  “Sir Rainer,” Isaac asked carefully, “may we know the reason for this mission? And what exactly is expected of us at the Thalorien camp?”

  “Information exchange,” Rainer replied simply.

  Chris frowned. “But as far as I know, they already received a full report on what happened at the demons’ stronghold.”

  Rick cut in before Rainer could respond.

  “We received an… interesting report,” he said. “It seems our little Rose fought one of those demons wearing the strange black armor. More than that—she forced it to retreat. In the process, she even shattered part of its armor.”

  Both knights stiffened.

  “That demon armor fragments is now at the Thalorien camp,” Rick continued. “And I want to see it myself—to confirm something.”

  Isaac muttered under his breath, “That girl really knows how to invite trouble.”

  Rainer and Keith both smiled faintly.

  Keith looked at the knights. “It seems you know my daughter well.”

  Chris chuckled. “Isaac here was the one who trained her in close-quarters combat.”

  Isaac snorted. “That girl caused trouble every single day in the castle training yard.”

  Then he hesitated and asked, “Sir Keith… if Rose is still there, will we be bringing her back with us?”

  Rick shook his head. “Rose isn’t at the camp. According to Lord Altharion’s report, she and Sai separated from the expedition.”

  Both knights’ expressions instantly shifted to concern.

  “Did something happen to Rose and Sai?” Isaac asked sharply.

  “Yes,” Rick replied. “Something serious enough that even someone as strong as Lord Altharion chose to let them leave the camp.”

  He waved a hand dismissively. “But don’t worry—I expect they’ve already reached the edge of the forest. Still, I want to know what forced their departure. Altharion’s message was vague.”

  Rick’s gaze hardened slightly. “Mary believes something compelled him to act that way—but he didn’t put it in writing. The reason is easy to guess… but I want confirmation.”

  He straightened. “Our primary task is to examine the demon armor fragments. And Mary will be accompanying us.”

  Rainer turned to Isaac and Chris.

  “Lord Casper’s orders are clear,” he said firmly. “Rick’s safety is your highest priority.”

  “Yes, sir,” both knights replied in unison.

  “You may dismiss yourselves,” Rainer continued. “Prepare immediately. You depart in one hour.”

  Both knights struck their fists against the sigil of House Castiel on their chests and exited the tent together.

  Once they were gone, Rainer turned back to the map, speaking to Rick and Keith.

  “You should reach the Thalorien camp in a day and a half. We’ll continue north, establish another camp, and wait for your return.”

  Rick nodded, slipping the stone he had been holding into his storage ring.

  “Good,” he said. “I’ll go prepare.”

  As he left the tent, Keith called after him, “Take care of yourself, Rick.”

  Rick lifted a hand in farewell without turning back.

  Keith then looked at Rainer. “I expected you’d be the one escorting Rick.”

  Rainer smiled faintly. “Isaac and Chris are strong knights. And Lady Mary will be with them. Besides… I haven’t fully recovered from my injury yet.”

  Keith shook his head slowly. “I still refuse to believe a demon nearly killed someone like you, Sir Rainer.”

  Rainer’s smile sharpened.

  “Nearly killed me,” he repeated. “But my spear turned it into scattered pieces across the cave.”He turned his gaze back to the map.

  “That was only the beginning.”