Both the abnormal state of mana and the hallucinations he sees with his eyes open.
-Excellence.
A servant approached Herdin, who was deep in thought, and handed him a towel.
Herdin wiped away the magic monster liquid that stained his body.
Meanwhile, the servants began to collect the monster's corpse.
Although hunting magic monsters carries great risk, as the corpses can be sold, the arrogant magic monster hunters ventured into their territory for money.
And sometimes, like today, they brought the monster to the town.
—That magical monster, the truth is that we had it almost cornered.
That it ended like this is because we hurt him first.
Herdin looked with contempt at the causes of this incident who, after having been begging to be saved until a moment ago, once he got rid of the monster, were demanding their share.
But there was no need for him to intervene.
The commander of the Corps would take care of it, who had already had enough of the magical monster hunters from the north.
Herdin returned the towel to the servant and then stared at the corpse of the monster that the servants were collecting.
After killing, he feels bad.
Whether enemy or monster.
He had been taking countless lives for over ten years, so he thought he was used to it by now.
Why then did I feel that discomfort now?
Herdin, pondering the reason, suddenly remembered Blair.
The woman in his arms was warm.
The skin in contact was soft, and the heart under her chest beat small but vigorous, like its owner.
Being alive was such a wonderful thing.
That truth that he knew so well struck him as if it were new.
Perhaps that was why the death he had caused with his own hands seemed so unpleasant to him now.
I wanted to go back soon.
To the mansion where that woman with that wonderful life was waiting for him.
As Herdin turned toward the horse he had tied, he saw Ruth approaching.
And behind him, some not very pleasant faces.
They were the Imperial Knights.
In their midst was the deputy commander of the Imperial Knight Corps, who had brought them.
—Oh, dear!
While he was passing by the temple to look for the priests...
Have you already gotten rid of that big guy?
As expected from the Delmarck Knight Corps, the natural enemy of magical monsters!
With an exaggeratedly surprised expression, he praised the Delmarck Corps.
Or at least that's what it seemed to the naked eye.
Herdin looked at him with his usual eyes.
He knew that the Imperial Knights had purposely arrived late to the scene.
Because it was always the same.
If it weren't for civilian lives being at stake, he would have ignored what the Imperial Knights did.
—Certainly, if I had killed them a little later, we would almost miss it.
I almost saw the imperial shield that you carry sticking out of that worm's backside.
At Herdin's clearly sarcastic words, the atmosphere suddenly became icy.
The deputy commander, who had frowned for a moment, quickly composed his expression and replied with a frank laugh.
—Haha, our Corps is not that incompetent.
We're the Imperial Knight Corps, huh?
—Ah, well I know that you are competent.
Because they always arrive with the priests at an unbeatable time.
—…
—Hurry to move the wounded to the town.
Now that's something you guys are good at, right?
He treated them like servants who cleaned up the mess afterwards.
The deputy commander, no longer able to hide his displeased expression, turned around and gave orders to the imperial knights.
—All in all, what a waste of taxes.
Herdin, watching his knights being healed, extended his hand to Ruth.
—Our wounded?
Ruth, who immediately understood the meaning of that hand, cut a cigar and placed it in his palm.
And as he turned it on, he responded:
—Five in total, but they are minor injuries, nothing that should worry you.
—What's the agenda today?
—Nothing special, but do you remember that the knight Caligo and his group arrived today?
Caligo was one of the knights who had shared the battlefield with Herdin, a loyal and skilled subordinate.
He was originally stationed in the main territory of Delmarck by order of Herdin, but now he was going down to the capital.
-I know.
The truth is that I had just remembered it, but it didn't need to be said.
Herdin nodded indifferently and inhaled the smoke from his cigar when he felt the presence of someone behind him.
—Excuse me...
Herdin and Ruth turned at the same time.
—Ah, it was you, Excellency!
We saw each other at the temple recently, maybe you remember me?
A silver-haired woman showed joy upon seeing Herdin.
As he exhaled the smoke and looked at the woman with an indifferent face, Blair's voice that he had once heard arose in Herdin's mind.
A voice and look so calm as if he were talking about something foreign.
Remembering it, Herdin's gaze fell into cold silence.
I didn't remember his name, but I did remember his face.
It was a face he couldn't forget, whether he wanted to remember it or not.
—I remember her.
Lady Priestess.
Although he didn't remember her, from her clothing one could guess that she was a priestess.
But Miela was happy and smiled radiantly just because he had said so.
She was a woman who showed all her emotions on her face.
—I'm glad to see you like this again.
Don't you have any injuries?
-No.
At his immediate laconic response, Miela felt embarrassed, but she managed to find something to say.
—And the wound I healed him then?
Can I ask how you are?
—It's perfectly fine.
Because his healing magic was unbeatable.
Unlike the flattery, there was deep boredom in Herdin's eyes as he smoked the cigar.
He implied that there was no problem and that he should continue on his way, but Miela, as if she didn't understand it, blushed.
—What a relief.
Since it was an internal wound and I was very nervous then, I was worried that I hadn't healed it properly...
—…
—Ah.
And how is the duchess?
It seemed to me that she was also very scared then.
When that familiar title left Miela's lips, Herdin's expression, which until then had been one of boredom, changed.
Herdin took the cigar from his mouth.
—Since I was so stunned then, I couldn't attend to the duchess, and I am left with the worry of…
—Madam Priestess.
-Yeah?
—I appreciate your concern, but I don't think this is the time for such relaxed greetings.
Herdin pointed with his eyes to the place where those injured in this incident were gathered.
A look of confusion appeared on Miela's face.
—Ah… I'm sorry.
It's just that with the joy of seeing him again...
Miela hesitated for a moment, without leaving immediately, then bowed her head and added:
"Then we'll see each other again."
Still looking at Herdin, he turned around and walked away.
…To be continued