259 Chapter 20 An alarmingly pale Calto sat on his horse as though frozen in place. After flicking worried glances at his rigid form and purple lips, Maxi rose closer to Sidina, who was the only one who seemed unaffected. “A-Are you… not cold, Sidina?” “Phooey, this is nothing,” Sidina said, cracking a wide smile. “I’ve never told you, but I’m actually from the north. Where I’m from, it’s not Paxias until boiling water freezes over in a blink.” Maxi’s face fell. They would likely have to camp out at the Plateau for more than a month in even harsher conditions. She wondered whether she would be able to handle it. Resigned sighs broke out all around as though the others had similar fears. In front of her, Anton looked up at the sky, his face drawn. “This year’s winter is especially cold. I fear it will snow soon.” “Why don’t we start distributing the firestones?” “Not yet,” Calto said adamantly. “We must conserve as many of them as possible to last us through our time in the Plateau.” Though he was clearly in need of one, Calto Serbel was not one to break a rule he had set himself. Holding in a sigh, Maxi braved through the gale as the party made its way across a desolate field. They kept on in silence, the only sounds coming from the rattling wagons, clomping hooves, and howling wind. Their seemingly endless procession finally came to a stop when the dark outline of the Rhea Forest came into view. At the head of the group, Kuahel Leon steered his mount around and announced, “We will have to make camp here for today. We must set up a temporary stable and the tents before nightfall, so I ask that everyone do their bit.” The Temple Knights promptly dismounted and began unloading equipment. The mages also clambered off their horses, some going to collect firewood and others splitting off to light campfires. Armin helped with the stable while Anette and Maxi clumsily assisted the knights with the tents. Though they were new to the task, they picked it up fairly quickly thanks to the countless hours spent crafting items in their workshops at the Mage Tower. Maxi was connecting the poles of the barracks with chafed hands when Ulyseon spotted her. He rushed over, abandoning his task of tending to the horses. “Please, my lady! Leave such things to me.” She waved him off. “Ulyseon, I want you to go over there and help the knights.” “But I am here to attend—” “Don’t you think I would be safer if you cooperated with the Temple Knights? They seem to be short on hands. Why don’t you go see?” Maxi pointed toward the forest, where some of the knights were scouting the perimeter to check for lurking monsters and setting up traps. Ulyseon reluctantly turned to look over at the men before begrudgingly going to help them. With the young knight out of her hair, Maxi began working in earnest. She and Anette drove wooden poles into the ground, then stretched a tar-coated cloth over them. They finished by draping the barracks with leather and securing the covering with pegs to prevent the wind from tearing it away. When all the tents had been erected, the knights distributed straw mats. “Here. This should help you keep warm.” Maxi spread the mat on the floor of the tent and placed a blanket over it. While she made her bed, the others watered the horses at a brook and prepared their meal. Thanks to the efficiency of operations, the expeditionary party finished setting up camp before nightfall. Exhausted, Maxi slumped in front of the fire. Swaddled in a blanket, she accepted a bowl of hot stew from the knights. Though her stomach gurgled, her weariness made it difficult to work up an appetite, and she found herself dozing off while sipping at her bowl. Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed her nape. Maxi jerked awake to find Kuahel Leon’s emotionless face looking down at her. “Return to your tent if you wish to sleep.” Maxi blinked vacantly. When she realized he had saved her from falling face-first into the flames, her cheeks flushed in mortification. “Th-Thank you.” Kuahel let go of her robe when he spotted Ulyseon returning with more firewood. He tilted his head toward the wagons. “There are braziers in one of the wagons. Go and get them.’ “I do not take orders from—” Ulyseon stopped when he saw Maxi’s exhausted face. Looking annoyed, he tossed the firewood aside and did as he was told. When he returned with several iron braziers, the mages filled them with lumps of burning coal. Maxi, who had stayed huddled by the campfire for warmth despite the violent wind, breathed a sigh of relief. Though the tents offered protection from the elements, camping in the wilderness was no easy feat. Having a brazier at least made it bearable. When Ulyseon placed one in the middle of the barracks, Maxi moved her mat as close to its circle of warmth as possible and buried herself beneath three layers of blankets. Anette and Sidina lay huddled on either side, providing additional warmth. Miriam settled in the spot across from them. Pulling her blanket over her head, Maxi tried to fall asleep. The next day, they set out at dawn. Light snow began to fall by noon over the increasingly rugged path. Rem snorted irritably as Maxi carefully led her around jagged rocks and conifers, stroking the mare reassuringly as they went. Traveling without rest, it only took half a day to reach the other side of the mountain. By then, the mages were breathing heavily like overworked draft horses. Kuahel Leon noted their condition and ordered the knights to stop. Relieved sighs burst out from all around. “I hope we’re not camping out two nights in a row,” Armin grumbled as he clambered off his horse. Ulyseon was helping Maxi dismount. He shook his head and looked over at the mage. “There is a small village not far from here. We should be able to reach it before nightfall.” Maxi said a silent prayer. Enduring the cold was difficult enough without having to set up camp after a day on horseback. She tried to muster the dregs of her energy by imagining a blazing fireplace and a warm bed. As soon as they finished a simple meal of hard wheat bread and cold bacon, they mounted their horses once more. Though the terrain was smoother, the increasingly brutal gusts quickly exhausted the mages again. Maxi bent low in her saddle to shield herself from the wind and walked Rem close to the horse in front. They galloped through the blustering weather for what seemed like an eternity before they reached a small village at the base of the foothills. It was a settlement of twenty or so cottages clustered together, far too small to accommodate a party of fifty. Finding a place to stay would not be easy. After inquiring for about fifteen minutes, Kuahel Leon returned to the group and announced, “The parish here is not big enough to house all of us. They say they will only be able to host twenty people at most. Vinther, Cedric — you and your men will rest there for the night. The mages and I will lodge at the inn.” “Does the inn have enough rooms?” “The unexpectedly cold weather seems to have kept visitors away. The innkeeper told me they can take thirty people.” “I see. Then, we shall see you in the morning, Commander.” The knights split into two groups, one headed to the church and the other to the inn. The mages followed Kuahel to a dilapidated establishment on the village outskirts. The inn’s stable hands were out front, craning their necks in anticipation of their guests. They scurried to relieve the mages of their horses as soon as they spotted them. “That’ll be fifty shekels per steed.” Kuahel produced a leather pouch from his robe and handed over a few silver coins. As the boys grinned at the silver and cheerfully led the horses into the stables, the mages hurried into the main building to escape the wind. The innkeeper was a woman of impressive proportions. She rubbed her plump hands together as they filed in. “Welcome, welcome! I’m afraid it’ll be a while before your rooms are ready. Why not have something to eat while you wait?” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺 “Very well,” said Calto, still pasty-faced from the journey. “Please prepare us a meal.” When the elder bobbed his head, a dark-skinned boy scurried forward and led them to a table near the fireplace. Once the mages were seated, the innkeeper returned with a basket of freshly baked bread and a sizzling pot of stew. She portioned out everyone’s share, which they began hungrily devouring. Maxi was no exception. Almost dipping her nose into the bowl, she gulped at the steaming liquid. The heat warming her stomach was the most gratifying sensation she had experienced in a while. Ulyseon watched her wolf down her meal with a look of pity. “Have some of mine as well, my lady.” He spread a thick layer of butter on his portion of bread and handed it to her. Readily accepting his offer, she took a huge bite. A few tables over, a traveler was darting curious glances at them. It was not until the middle of their meal that he spoke up. “Where are you people headed in this freezing weather?” Kuahel Leon had just stepped into the inn after making sure the horses were safely in the stable. He curtly replied, “To Balbourne.” The traveler studied his attire and nodded. “You must be pilgrims. We are also on our way to the basilica. Word is, there is to be a grand banquet with many nobles attending.”