"Is this right?"

"Didn't you agree to it yesterday too?"

"That's true, but. The Knight Boss seems to absolutely hate it."

"... Well, that's."

'No. I'm fine. I knew she was going to join the party anyway. I knew this was destiny.'

"Looking forward to working with you! Uahaha!"

'Even though my ears won't be safe from now on...'

Jokes aside, my dislike is just a concept; I'm personally fine with it, so please don't misunderstand too much.

You might ask, 'Didn't you chant like a monk until now about not wanting to get involved with her?' But I really don't hate the Berserker herself.

It's just like the feeling of an introvert making an extroverted friend? Or the heart of a dog lover who unexpectedly adopted a beagle? It's close to that sort of feeling.

You know that subtle feeling where it's a bit exhausting but you don't hate it. Those without friends might not know, though.

Anyway, for those reasons, I don't hate the Berserker.

No, honestly, I'm only going "Gah" because I'm the one directly dealing with it; since it's a personality type that frequently appears in shonen manga, I'm actually somewhat used to it, you know?

Since her title is too long, I have enough affection to give her the nickname 'Berserker' like DeB did. Really.

And so, leaving the loudly laughing Berserker be, I quietly leaned back in my chair.

I wondered why the Weapon Master was nowhere to be seen, but figured she would take care of herself.

Rather, my main interest was where the next region would be. With a new party member joining, I hoped the next destination would be a bit lighter.

We took plenty of breaks while traveling, and rested sufficiently after resolving incidents, but... I still wanted to have an easy time.

We spent two more days in the city. It was to observe the progress, but as a result, there were no additional invasions.

Considering the number of demons consumed in the battle, it was a somewhat understandable outcome. Although, as long as we didn't know the exact underlying strength of a Great Demon, we couldn't just blindly feel relieved.

"I think it would be better to depart now."

But even so, we couldn't stay here forever. In that regard, the Archmage's statement was truly welcome news to me.

"Already?"

"Hmm. That's a shame. I wanted to have a proper fight with the Demon Knight!"

Not only did the spare seals arrive by bullet delivery this morning, but over the past two days, the Berserker had been requesting duels at every opportunity, claiming she was bored.

Right after the battle ended, she hadn't even breathed a word about dueling, so I had felt relieved. As expected, she never failed to deliver.

"Don't you ever get tired?"

Separately, DeB, having realized over the past two days that the Berserker was surprisingly easy to deal with, piped up from the side. The Berserker's eyes widened briefly before she immediately burst into a hearty laugh.

"There is nothing that can make the Berserker tired!"

'No, please, get tired. I'm exhausted.'

"Please do not cause too much trouble for the Demon Knight."

"Hm? Did I cause trouble for him?"

"You are being unreasonable, aren't you?"

"The Berserker? Being unreasonable??"

Still, it was quite a relief that the Inquisitor and DeB were both stopping the Berserker.

Perhaps because the Berserker was such an unrestrained person, it was somewhat bewildering to suddenly see the Inquisitor look like a master of social life.

"It seems everyone has gotten quite close."

Surprisingly, the Archmage didn't seem stressed about controlling the Berserker.

Then again, the problem was that she couldn't be reasoned with when it came to fighting; it wasn't a case where normal conversation was impossible. Considering that, the Archmage was bound to be comfortable. After all, I was drawing all the Berserker's aggro...

Rather, if you included the increasingly severe rush of questions like "Is your body okay?" and "Are there truly no issues with the seals?", it just felt like I was suffering the most. Seriously, both sides had no mercy.

"Now, now, but it would be best not to delay too much. Won't you listen to what I have to say?"

"Did a rescue request perhaps come from another city? Seeing you speak so urgently makes me wonder if there's a problem..."

"Ah, it is nothing like that. It is just that I found a request whose route matches the destination I was planning to propose."

The Archmage set aside the talk about the request for a moment and brought up the topic of the destination first.

"First of all, I was about to propose Hudelen as our next destination."

"You mean Hudelen."

"Yes. It is a city that one must almost certainly pass through to cross over to the east."

She took out a map and pointed to where we were. Then, she moved her finger east on the map. A nearly vertical mountain range was located there.

"The locations where one can cross the Karil Mountains are limited. Of course, for our party, the ruggedness of the Karil Mountains wouldn't be a problem at all, but there is no need to deliberately choose a difficult path."

Next, the Archmage slid her finger slightly south. A city located around the middle of the mountain range: Hudelen was covered by her finger.

"Therefore, Hudelen. Being situated at the point where the mountain range becomes the thinnest, it is a place originally renowned as a city connecting the east and the west."

It was a selection with too reasonable a justification to complain that she had decided it on her own and was semi-forcing us into it.

Never mind anything else, I'd rather just turn back than cross a rugged mountain to get to the east.

"I understand why the destination is Hudelen. But regarding this request..."

"It is an escort mission."

"Ah."

There was even an escort quest heading exactly that way? This was definitely something you wouldn't want to miss. Even if it felt a bit unsettling, the current situation seemed to be wrapped up, and if we could earn some money on the side, what reason was there to refuse?

"It seems the Gridana trading company is planning to move to another city. The worry of additional attacks has mostly been alleviated, but it is a different story from the trading company's perspective."

Saying that since the trading company requested it first, it wouldn't matter whether we refused or accepted, she handed over the right to choose.

It was called transferring the initiative, but in reality, it was a question directed at the Inquisitor.

Because the Berserker and I didn't care about anything as long as there were demons or a fight, and DeB didn't seem to have any intention of interfering with the destination or the method of travel.

"I do wonder if it's alright to leave already, but..."

However, the Inquisitor seemed uncomfortable about something. To be fair, even though the battle had ended, there was still room for an additional invasion. With the walls and city reconstruction not fully completed, there was no knowing when a Great Demon might pull some tricks again.

It was in a completely different context from leaving the eradication of corruption to those left behind.

"Hmm."

The Archmage seemed to understand those feelings, as her expression stiffened slightly.

"Inquisitor, truth be told, the reason I wish to leave now is not because of the request. With the assistance of the Magic Tower and the Temple, we are not in a position to be desperate for money. I merely suggested it for the sake of diverse experiences."

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"The reason I wish to leave now is out of anxiety."

Saying so, she looked at me. Was it because of the word 'anxiety'? I thought of the broken seal. Was it because of that and the Great Demon?

"Is it because the Great Demon appeared?"

"But didn't the Boss win in the end?"

"A Great Demon appeared??"

At everyone's respective reactions, the Archmage shook her head slightly.

"It is true that I took the Great Demon into consideration, but it is slightly different. What I focused on the most is 'how did it know' to come here."

"Wouldn't that... just be a prediction?"

"It's certainly possible. Looking at our route, our intentions are fairly obvious. However, the dates aligning so perfectly is strange."

Saying so, the Archmage mentioned various cities. They were cities with almost the same longitude as Pa Enoch.

"They could expect us to head east. But isn't it a bit odd that they accurately predicted exactly which of these many cities we would go to? Especially since we do not even inform the Temple or the Magic Tower of our destination before moving."

"Certainly..."

When it came to information, DeB, who was just as sharp as the Archmage, nodded his head.

"But we only didn't explicitly point out the destination; you have to factor in that we gathered related rumors. The Magic Tower, the Temple, the Adventurer's Guild. Lastly... you must keep in mind that they might have informants in the Information Guild."

"You are correct. But the important thing right now is the fact that the demons knew we had come here."

"... Are you worried about an additional offensive?"

"What I'm worried about is not something like a mere additional offensive. It is something far beyond that."

The Archmage did not elaborate further. Thus, I had to figure out on my own what could reduce an additional offensive to a 'mere' thing... and after eliminating what the Archmage would be afraid of one by one through the process of elimination, the answer came quickly.

Due to meta elements, I was certain the final boss wouldn't step forward yet, but from the perspective of the Archmage who lacked such certainty, Satan was also an object of concern.

"I, well. I do not quite understand your words, Archmage. What does the informants relaying our information have to do with us needing to leave the city?"

"... It means this could be a kind of trap. If they prepared this offensive knowing we would come here, would they really not have prepared for the possibility of failure?"

"Then shouldn't we stay here even more? If they launch an additional attack targeting me..."

"That will not do."

Even so, the reason she hadn't voiced it out loud was likely exactly because of this.

Satan coming here meant there was a high chance this city would be destroyed, and there was no way the Inquisitor would retreat knowing that.

"Inquisitor, didn't you collapse this time as well after overusing your divine power? If the enemies target that weakness and invade by dividing their forces into multiple waves, it will be dangerous."

"S-Still, it was better than last time. I didn't stay passed out for a whole day this time. I woke up after sleeping less than the period I slept at Montata."

"I know. But will you be able to say the same if Great Demons invade consecutively?"

"That is..."

"The more time we give the enemies, the more dangerous it becomes. How do we know the demons on the Northern Front aren't heading south?"

The Archmage stroked her staff and gently coaxed the despondent Inquisitor.

"On the other hand, if the hero leaves early, they won't make a move either. Since their objective is gone, there is no reason for them to force a move."

However, if things went like this... it begged the question of why we didn't leave two days ago. Was it because of stamina recovery? Then again, if we encountered an ambush while leaving the city in that state, it would have been a nightmare.

"Uh, um. The Berserker doesn't really know what you're talking about..."

Meanwhile, the Berserker had been completely sunk and was sprawled out on the desk. She looked identical to how I lay down when I gave up on math back when I was a student.

Well, it wasn't that I couldn't understand the Berserker's position. Since she hadn't been with us for long, she wouldn't know much about our situation. I did have a feeling she would have still had a headache over it even if she had joined earlier, though.

"Since the objective for coming to this city has been achieved in the first place, leaving is the right choice. Besides, aren't we in a situation where we must also find a way to defeat the Great Demon of Sloth? We managed to fend it off this time due to a series of coincidences, but we still do not know how to inflict damage on that Great Demon."

The Archmage did not give up and gently persuaded the Inquisitor. Even those excuses were likely just the tip of the iceberg, but the one who ultimately gave in was the Inquisitor.

"If that is the situation... I cannot very well oppose it. I understand. I will... follow your judgment, Archmage. How about the rest of you?"

"The Berserker hates complicated things. If we're going, we go, and if we're not, we don't."

"I don't mind."

"Then we will depart tomorrow morning. Everyone, keep that in mind."

If the Inquisitor were just a bit more experienced, she would have pointed out the possibilities that the Archmage deliberately skipped over without mentioning... but it seemed that was difficult for now.

It wasn't like I could tell her about it, either. In truth, even if I was in a position to tell her, I would have covered it up anyway.

"Demon Knight, you will come with me. You have to go to the guild, do you not?"

And so, I stood up at the Archmage's call.

It was because, unlike the Archmage and the Inquisitor who were registered together as a party, I was individually registered with the guild and had to form a separate contract.

Having to drop by the guild every time like this was a bit annoying, but registering my name in the party would break character, so I just endured it. Because it was a separate request, the pay was calculated separately, so it wasn't a total loss, and being able to excuse myself in moments like this was quite nice.

"Wait!"

Just then, someone came looking for us. We had just pulled back the door of our lodging, so everyone could notice the visitor's presence.

"I came because I had something to say. Do you have some time...?"

It was Kankan, looking somewhat empty on one side with an arm missing.

"What is it."

"First, I'll apologize for visiting so late at night. Um, I didn't mean to eavesdrop! I saw you talking about the request with the trading company earlier... well, thinking you might leave tomorrow, I figured I should say my goodbyes before then."

He scratched his mane-like hair vigorously with an awkward expression.

"Thank you, everyone. Especially you... I'm really grateful to you. Thanks to you, I was able to stop my friend."

He finally bowed his head. He didn't seem used to saying thank you—he looked to be about my age, so I somewhat understood how he felt. Getting older made saying the simple words 'thank you' so difficult. Once you overcome that, it gets really easy, though—and through his bowed head, I could see his ears were red.

"Well... I didn't even do anything."

"No, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to stop him. This arm alone is proof of that, isn't it? Proof that I couldn't beat him. On the other hand, you... magnificently slit his throat."

'Wait, Kankan's friend would be the Martial King. So Kankan and DeB killed the Martial King by themselves? The Berserker didn't help?'

'No one told me this!'

"It was only possible because you drew his attention, really."

"Uahaha, anyway, the young hunter sure is quite shy. You can be proud of yourself, young hunter! That guy gave up on being a warrior, but he still wasn't weak. And you managed to pierce through his senses and succeed in your attack!"

"The Berserker is right. To successfully pull off a second sneak attack against someone you've already stabbed once is by no means an easy feat."

I felt betrayed. 'You, you... You said the Berserker did everything. What is this! There's a time and place to act modest, how could you downplay something like this!'

"Anyway, thank you. Not just to him, but to all of you."

Whether it was the Inquisitor acting humble, saying she only did what she had to do despite blessing the entire castle wall, or DeB, who I didn't expect much from in terms of combat power but managed to take down the guy I anticipated to be a mid-boss or actual boss.

I was so proud of our dumplings for executing their roles so well. Although it brought a few tears to my eyes when I thought about their ages. Sob sob.

"This is a token of gratitude."

In the meantime, Kankan held out something resembling a bone-fragment bracelet.

Strictly speaking, it wasn't a job he requested, and it was simply the execution of a traitor that occurred during a war... but it seemed he wanted to repay his emotional debt.

"It's nothing much, but in my hometown, we have a custom of giving things like this to our benefactors. So this is a kind of..."

"It's a token. A token acknowledging that you are recognized by a Norda warrior. As long as the Berserker is with you, Norda warriors won't be hostile towards you anyway, but with this, any remaining chance of hostility is completely gone!"

"The Berserker is right."

The Berserker chuckled and nudged DeB to take it. Of course, since Kankan had brought enough for all of us, it wasn't just DeB who received one.

It was just that DeB received the most.

"Wh-Why are there so many?"

"Many guys survived the Martial King thanks to you. Those guys have been eager to repay their debt to you, but you were nowhere to be seen... so I decided to pass them on instead."

"S-Still, this is too much."

"Take them."

Just as I had received a bundle of gifts in Tatara, DeB also received a bundle of gifts.

As he accepted them, he kept softly redirecting the credit, saying things like, 'Is it really okay for me to accept these?' and 'The others suffered more,' making it clear he was truly unaccustomed to such situations.

However, no one stopped him, feeling that he naturally deserved to receive them given the level of contribution he had made.

"Here, Demon Knight. You take one too."

"I do not need it."

"I especially want you to take it... I don't want Norda warriors carelessly antagonizing you and getting themselves killed."

"..."

Well, it wasn't like I could avoid it either.

I wasn't sure if I should be relieved it was just one bracelet instead of a whole bundle, or if even this was unwelcome. It wasn't like I was collecting medals or anything.

It would have been more convenient if they just handed me an honorary title, but since they gave it as an item, my dead stock was just piling up.

"Then, may there be splendid struggles in the futures of you magnificent warriors."

Still, I accepted it. I had already received so much; what was one more added to the pile?

"Ugh, it's so hooot."

We had exchanged something akin to a farewell greeting with Kankan, and there was nothing left to do in the city.

On the other hand, there were many reasons to go. And so, we left the city without any lingering regrets alongside our escort mission.

"Haha, the heat around here is a bit murderous."

However, even if it was an escort mission, there wasn't much need to protect the cargo. That was possible because the desert was fundamentally a land devoid of demons and beasts.

There were of course folks who committed banditry in the desert as well, but since we didn't encounter them often, I set that aside.

The biggest enemy here was still nature. For example, the sunlight and heat pounding against the skin, and the occasional sandstorm.

"Would you like to drink some water at least?"

"Ah, thank you."

Well, I didn't suffer from the heat much, so it was bearable for me. The problem was DeB, who suffered terribly from the heat.

It would be a bit better if the Archmage made some ice for him, but that was a privilege he had already enjoyed ten minutes ago.

Since she had to conserve her mana in case of an emergency, it was hard to ask her again. As mentioned before, making ice in the desert was a task that consumed quite a lot of mana.

"Ugh."

Because of that, DeB had to endure the situation slumped over on his camel with only the occasionally provided water. If I had it my way, I would have liked to take some of the heat off his hands, but that wasn't possible.

"So weak."

"You're only enduring it thanks to the armor carrying you..."

"N-No, I am not!"

'Hm, ah. Speaking of being carried by armor, don't I still have one item left that the Sea Dragon gave me?'

'If that orb perhaps had the power of water too... But the kid is currently super crumbly right now, so I don't know if it'll work or not. Above all, even if it worked, giving him this too would probably break character. And giving it to him now when the desert region is basically over is also a bit funny.'

'I'm sorry, DeB. Endure it with sheer grit and spite. This is the path you chose.'

"Haha... still, we only have to travel for two more days to reach the Karil Mountains, so the heat will subside a bit. Hold on just a little longer."

"Yeeeess."

Fortunately, the number of days we would spend in the desert was fewer than when we traveled from Canaves to Pa Enoch. DeB also wore a slightly brighter expression upon hearing that fact.

"Yaaawn. How boring. The desert is too desolate a place."

Meanwhile, the Berserker was slumped over for a different reason. She also suffered from the heat to a similar degree as DeB, but what truly tormented her seemed to be boredom more than anything else.

"There is nothing to hunt."

'If something to hunt appeared, the Berserker might be delighted, but the trading company people would scream.'

I looked at the people who couldn't bring themselves to play along and were just laughing awkwardly. In any case, they were suffering a lot.

"Are there any fun things in Hudelen?"

"I haven't heard anything. Do you know of anything?"

"Not much here either..."

DeB weakly shook his head and pointed at the trading company people. It seemed he intended for us to ask them, since those folks would be well-versed in the news.

However, no significant information came from them either. Then again, they were probably heading that way precisely because nothing much was going on in the first place.

Of course, those guys weren't hunters, so what reason would they have to go to a city with incidents and accidents? There was only a high chance of losing their goods like this time.

"Hm?"

Just then, the Berserker lifted her head with a glance. As her slumped body straightened its back, she reached a field of vision as high as the Archmage's.

Her amber eyes began to carefully observe the front.

"... It smells like a fight."

Did I stare intensely at the front along with her? When I spotted a dust cloud toward the horizon, the Berserker abruptly blurted out those words. Her face, which had been steeped in boredom, gradually filled with vitality.

"Wait, you..."

"A band of mounted bandits ahead! They are coming this way!"

Just as the Berserker's body perked up, a person holding a far-seeing telescope shouted. The Archmage, who had been trying to stop the Berserker, quickly withdrew her outstretched hand.

The Mage's eyes carried a sentiment of 'How did she know that?' I agreed as well. It didn't seem like her eyesight was just good; her intuition was truly on the level of a beast.

"Uahaha! A struggle!"

"... I leave it to you."

Separately, we never just bypassed any quest, anyway.

The camels carrying the Berserker and me broke away from the party and began to sprint forward.