Chapter 148: Chapter 1 Maxi’s eyes grew wide at the news of Hebaron’s injury. A monster’s curse. Just hearing about it was horrifying. “Th-Then... is there no way to treat him?” “Divine magic should be able to heal it.” Ruth frowned and tousled his messy hair. “There is no need for you to be so worried, my lady. The Remdragon Knights should have arrived at Eth Lene Castle by now. I’m sure the high priest will heal Sir Hebaron.” “W-What about the others? Are they well? Is Riftan-” “Sir Riftan is obviously so full of energy that I sometimes wonder if we should tie him to a tree. The others are also in one piece,” Ruth replied, cutting her off. Wanting to hear more, Maxi grew visibly impatient. “Y-You do not know how anxious I was... when I first heard that y-you were besieged in Louivell Castle. How were you and the others able to last all those months-” “I would love to share all the details, but I’m afraid we are short on time.” Ruth turned his gaze toward the barracks with a troubled expression. “The knights will be departing soon with the provisions, and I still have matters to discuss with them.” “W-Will Sir Elliot... also remain here?” “No. We have decided that only I and one of Wedon’s Royal Mages are to stay behind,” Ruth replied, rubbing his temples as if he suffered a headache. “If Sir Elliot were to find out about this, he would insist on escorting you back to Levan no matter the cost. Please stay clear of the knights as much as possible while they are here.” Maxi hunched her shoulders and nodded. “I-I understand. I shall stay inside the tent... u-until Wedon’s soldiers are gone.” Ruth’s gaze suddenly turned skeptical. “Are you sure you will be all right in such a humble place?” “Yes. A-After all, I am not... the woman staying there.” “But, my lady, you are...” Ruth clamped his mouth shut. He looked conflicted as his gaze swept over her ragged attire. “Then again, I doubt anyone would suspect you of being a duke’s daughter in your current guise.” Maxi briefly considered whether to take his words as an insult. Before she could retort, however, Ruth turned away from her. “Well, then. I will come again after I’ve seen the knights off. Try to remain inside the tent until then.” Following his warning with a grave look, Ruth strode away through the trees. Pursing her lips, Maxi made her way back to the tent. *** When the soldiers from Wedon left with their wagons loaded with provisions, Ruth immediately got to work treating the patients. A handsome mage named Vaylon assisted him. They quickly identified those with severe injuries requiring treatment with magic, then prescribed mandrago extract to those with minor wounds. The clerics also offered aid by healing with divine magic. To a certain extent, Maxi felt as though her tireless efforts of preparing medicine for the men several times a day, slathering pungent salve to their wounds, squeezing yellow pustules, and applying warm compresses had been in vain. Only half a day after Ruth had rolled up his sleeves and set to work, a third of the injured had fully recovered. Seeing her so demoralized, Ruth gave her a sardonic smile. “I am one of ten mages in the Western Continent praised as a talent. The fact that you would compare me to a fledgling mage who just began their studies last year is an insult! So stop torturing yourself with unnecessary comparisons and focus on what you can do, my lady. If you and the female clerics had not provided such attentive care, half of these men would be dead by now. They owe their lives to the women here.” His comforting words did not make Maxi feel any better. The bitterness of knowing that she would have been more helpful if she had been a better mage, even a lesser one than Ruth, hung over her. During her time at camp, she had buried a total of six men. It was a frequent occurrence for a man who looked fine the previous evening to be dead by the morning. They had died before Maxi could do anything for them, and guilt preyed on her mind. If she had healed them with magic, even if it meant overexerting herself, they could be alive right now. Guilt had weighed especially heavy on her heart as she watched a young soldier of eighteen being buried in a corner of a ravaged city. Medric had told her that the moment a healer had it in their head that it was their duty to save everyone around them, their lives would be plagued with despair. She had tried to keep this lesson in mind as she watched, but it was of little help. After mashing restorative herbs, mandrago roots, and honey in a large pot, Maxi cautiously asked, “Is there... a-a way to quickly increase one’s mana?” Ruth had somehow managed to capture a whole pot of purple lizards. His head snapped up from inspecting it. In an attempt to conceal her desperation, Maxi added nonchalantly, “W-Won’t I be more helpful... if I had more mana?” “You are already doing extremely well.” Maxi frowned at his insincere reply. “P-Please take me seriously. If my abilities improved... it would surely lessen your burden.” “My lady,” Ruth replied flatly as he poured the essence he had extracted from the lizard skin into a vial, “you are already showing fast progress. Do not be impatient. You must take the time to increase your mana gradually. Rushing the process would overtax your body.” “E-Even so... Isn’t there a special training method or a way... th-that is only taught to the mages of the Mage Tower?” Ruth scowled at her persistence. He was about to chide her when a female cleric came bursting out of the tent. It was Nora, a cleric she had gotten to know while carrying out their healing duties together. Nora hastily ran over to Maxi. “Sister Meg, I think Lloyd’s wound has reopened. Could you come take a look?” Maxi quickly put down the pot and rose to her feet. The heat inside the infirmary was stifling, and the air smelled faintly of blood and pus. Maxi scowled. The stench of illness refused to dissipate even when they cleaned the tent and washed the patients every day. After passing through the cots, she spotted the bulky soldier with blood dripping down his back. She crouched down to inspect the wound. The recovering lesion appeared to have reopened when the stitches had ripped from the man trying to move. Maxi gave him a reproving look. “I t-told you... that you mustn’t move yet.” “I was feeling much better. I thought it would be all right,” the man mumbled despondently. Picking up a clean scrap of linen, Maxi wiped the blood dripping from the gash. Ruth, who had followed Maxi into the tent, peered over her shoulder to examine the wound. He then gently pushed her aside and plopped himself down on the floor. “Hand me the tweezers. I think it would be better to remove the stitches and heal him with magic than to stitch him up again.” “But... you’ve already healed s-sixteen people with magic.” “No need to fret. I still have enough mana. Could you bring me some clean cloth? Oh, and a small pair of tweezers, please.” The female cleric brought him the items. After skillfully removing all the stitches, Ruth cast healing magic over the wound. The lesion disappeared without a trace. The soldier, who had been forced to lie on his side for weeks, clasped Ruth’s hand. “Thank you, master mage! I will never forget this kindness.” Ruth halfheartedly waved a hand as though he found the soldier’s gratitude bothersome and rose to his feet. Maxi followed him and cautiously studied his tired face. She knew how taxing mana use was on the body, and she was worried that Ruth might collapse. “Are you not o-overworking yourself?” “This much I can handle, and a day of rest should be enough to restore myself.” He scrubbed his sweaty face with water from a pail, and Maxi quickly handed him a towel. Ruth let out a long sigh as he dried himself. “How many immobilized patients do we have left?” ... “Twenty- N-no, there should be about eighteen of them.” “Then we should be able to depart tomorrow.” Maxi stared darkly into the tent. Though their wounds were mostly healed, the majority of the men would be weak from weeks spent restricted to their cots. She was worried that they might not be able to endure the arduous journey to Eth Lene Castle. “How far... i-is Eth Lene Castle from here?” “It would take a day to get there if one rides without rest. But for a party of this size, it would likely take several times longer.” Maxi swallowed dryly. Three days from now, she would be able to see Riftan. Her heart swelled uncontrollably. They had only been apart a few months, but she was as desperate as if they had not seen each other in years. “It is not something to be happy about,” Ruth said stiffly when he saw the blush spreading on her cheeks. “There is a high chance that kobold and red goblin bands are still lurking in the area. The monsters will undoubtedly try to steal our provisions and weapons. It will be a hard journey.” “B-But... we will have the Temple Knights with us... and I heard the kn-knights under Duke Aren are also known for their prowess in battle... Won’t they be able to keep us safe?” “Even the Temple Knights will find it difficult to protect every single person in a party of this size. There are bound to be casual-” Ruth cut off his grumbling when he saw Maxi’s face blanching. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. “I seem to have made you uneasy. My intention was to caution you to stay alert. Always be prepared to cast a barrier, and try to stay close to me at all times.” Overwrought, Maxi bobbed her head, and Ruth swiftly went off to another tent to treat the rest of the patients. Dispelling the fear that swirled in her heart, Maxi focused her attention on preparing emergency herbs. ... Before long, the time of their departure for Eth Lene Castle arrived. The female clerics rose at dawn to move the wounded onto the wagons and begin packing. When they were done loading the herbs and utensils onto the carts, they helped the soldiers pack away the tents. Dripping in sweat, Maxi had to load one heavy bag after another onto the carts. After three or four hours of such labor, the women were able to board their wagons. Ruth had wanted to join them, but the objections of the female clerics forced him to ride with their male counterparts. He clearly felt uncomfortable with the arrangement, and he cautioned Maxi incessantly right up until their departure. “My lady, you are currently a mere cleric. No knight here will risk his life to protect you. You mustn’t do anything reckless. If anything happens, you must come to me immediately.” After repeatedly giving him her word, she finally managed to get him to leave her side. She huddled next to Idsilla and fiddled with the hilt of the dagger hidden beneath her clothes. Although she doubted she would be able to wield it properly, knowing that she had a weapon made her feel better. Even so, as she watched the knights protectively surround the wagons through the window, she prayed that she would never have to use the dagger. It was a long procession through the ruined city. When the last of the support unit had left the city walls, the wagons began to pick up speed. Maxi strove to keep herself from tumbling inside the rickety vehicle. Evidently too tired to do the same, Idsilla asked with an apologetic look, “Forgive me, but do you mind if I lean on you? My back hurts too much...” “Not at all. F-Feel free.” With a look of gratitude, Idsilla snuggled next to her. The girl had grown markedly thinner in the past few days. It was not surprising considering they were only given leftovers at the end of each day’s hard labor. Maxi discreetly felt her own waist. Although she seemed to have gained some muscle on her arms and legs, her body was generally thinner. She fantasized about soft, buttery bread, goose stew, grilled lamb, and pie filled with sweet jam. When the war was over, she intended to prepare a feast back in Anatol with Riftan and do nothing but eat for a whole month. She was now confident that she could finish off a whole chicken. The wagon seemed to rattle even her skull, and Maxi endured the rocking with pleasant daydreams. Contrary to her fears, the journey was uneventful. After riding for half a day without rest, the party stopped at a dense forest to eat before immediately setting out again. It was only as their ears started to ring from all the rattling that the long march finally came to a stop. They were in an open field that would serve as their campsite for the night. After checking the condition of the wounded men with the other female clerics, Maxi ate her dinner and fell asleep on the grass. The next day, the party was once again back on the road before dawn. On the third day of traveling without rest, the wagons halted without warning. Maxi, who had been nodding off with her head against Idsilla’s, jerked awake from the violent tremor that shook the wagon. Wondering if they had already arrived, Maxi looked out the window and saw that they were on an empty plain with no trees in sight. Perplexed, Maxi stuck her head out the window and stifled a scream. Soldiers at the head of the party were fighting monsters with red skin. “Red goblin attack! Remain inside the wagon!” a knight cried out when he saw Maxi. Startled, Maxi pulled her head back. The female clerics looked terrified as they held onto each other. Idsilla clung to Maxi, and Maxi instinctively hugged her back as she nervously glanced about. Was it truly safe for them to remain inside? She was overwrought with anxiety when she heard the thunderous pounding of hooves, followed by a startling silence. Maxi contained the urge to look out the window. She did not know how long she remained huddled with the other women, but the wagon eventually began to move again as though nothing had happened. “Do you think it’s over?” “It... It appears so.” Before Maxi could stop her, Idsilla threw back the curtain covering the window and cried out to the knight riding next to them. “What’s happening? Is it over?” “It was over in a flash,” the soldier said proudly, puffing out his chest. “The Remdragon Knights were guarding the area, so we were able to subdue the monsters without major casualties. We have nothing to fear now that we have two reincarnations of Wigrew with us.”