I am in luck. Only one day after defending the village, I encounter someone with a direct connection to Zamora’s military. They didn’t mention what unit they’re part of, but it must be a pretty good one. Fighters of their level are not common in any country. They could be a special unit with ties to someone powerful, possibly even the king. Someone like that coming to this small village is outside of my expectations. I should find out what their circumstances are and adjust my plan as necessary.

After the duel, we discussed my options for employment. Of course, I have little interest in things like earning money and status. Becoming rich is one way to get more power, but I don’t have the time for it. A direct line to the military or nobility is all I want. There are few things currency can buy which I can’t obtain on my own. For the sake of appearance and avoiding suspicion, I will pretend to care about money. It would make things harder if it’s obvious that I have a hidden agenda. I can’t just say I want to assassinate nobles in a neighboring country either. For the moment, it is best if I act like a mercenary would. Do the dirty work and accept money in exchange. Let’s see what this Asher fellow has in mind.

“I don’t have the authority to assign you to the King’s army. I could refer you to the commanders in charge and they would decide if they want to hire or not. However, I do have permission to add new members to my own team. We only have about 80 members but all of them are capable and trustworthy. As the captain, I can guarantee that you will be treated well. You may also receive additional benefits that the main army doesn’t get depending on your performance. What do you think?” Asher asks.

As I thought, they must be part of a special unit of some kind. He’s acting like he’ll gladly let me join, but I doubt he’s that careless. He wants to check if I’m trustworthy and if I can be of use to him. No matter how promising a new recruit is, they must first rule out the possibility that he’s a spy. It’s common sense.

“It sounds like a good offer. I never intended to become a regular foot soldier. My skills are more suited to small-scale missions such as scouting and tactical strikes. Working alone is fine.”

Asher makes an approving nod and says “Then we’re going to get along well. It just so happens that my team is fond of that type of work. I’m guessing you don’t have much experience since you’re young?”

“You are right but it would be nice of you to hold off judgement until later. May I know what kind of circumstances brought you here? I doubt it’s customary.”

“There is no problem with telling you that. It’s quite simple really. On the king’s orders, we are assembling in the nearby town of Batna with the eventual goal of joining the main army near the northern border.”

“Wait… When you said troubling times are ahead, you don’t mean something like a war with Amisos, do you?”

“The situation is complicated. It’s safe to say that we are not intending to confiscate their lands. Rather, some of the southern lords of Amisos are expecting us. I cannot say much more than that. You will hear the details soon if you decide to join us. I can’t make too many promises at the moment. Ultimately, our course of action will depend on King Hamal.”

This is important news. Quite a few things must have happened in the last few months… The southern provinces are desperate if they’re requesting help from Zamora. Ordinarily, the nobles hate outside interference. The fact that they’re willing to tolerate a foreign army in their lands is highly unusual even if that army comes from an allied kingdom. Could it be… a rebellion inside Amisos? Actually, I shouldn’t be jumping to conclusions. There’s no guarantee that anything Asher told me is true, though it doesn’t seem like he’s lying. My goal will remain the same until I confirm his story.

“So, what is our first move? Are we travelling immediately to Batna?”

Asher nods strongly. “Right you are. We can’t afford to delay much longer. Do you need time to make preparations before we set off?”

“Ah, yes there is something I need to do first. To avoid further delay, you can go ahead first and I will join you at Batna as quickly as possible. It won’t take me long.”

Asher ponders for a moment.

“Hmm, are you returning to the forest? Do you live there?”

“No, I set up camp there to look for minerals and precious stones at the base of the mountain. It’s an area of interest of mine.”

“I see. We will meet at Batna as you suggested then. Hope to see you there!”

“Thank you, I look forward to working with you.” I make a polite bow for the captain and leave. On the way out, they ask if I need a horse. I decline since the forest is too thick for horses. My speed is high enough without one.

It looks like I managed to fool them despite my shoddy mana control. My mana circuits are very different from a normal person’s body. Anyone who can sense mana would quickly notice that something is wrong just by being near me. To avoid this, I must constantly emit a small, thick mana field around me. It’s basically wasting mana to create the illusion of a normal aura. Doing this in the middle of battle with a skilled mage is challenging. I have to focus on the opponent’s actions and my spellcasting while also diverting mana to create that artificial aura. It’s like trying to sing while running at full speed. My control was slipping even though it wasn’t a very difficult fight. I’m still below the level I had at the academy despite almost a month of practice. The other mage probably noticed something. No one asked me anything unusual though, so I guess it wasn’t suspicious enough to question.

Running through the forest is getting easier. My physique must have improved a lot thanks to training every day. With the aid of magic, my top speed is roughly on par with Selene and that’s saying a lot. Stamina is still lacking but if I can maintain top speed for at least 5 minutes, I’ll have good chances of surviving any melee fight or ambush like the one at Lapithos. The only question is if this condition can be maintained. Both muscles and mana circuits get weaker if they aren’t trained. It shouldn’t be a problem if fighting keeps me busy. Something tells me there will be plenty of opportunities for growth, if I can survive that is.

Before leaving for Batna, I need to thank Nashira properly and say goodbye. Her help has been indispensable. My debt to her is nearly as big as the one to my father. She doesn’t seem to want anything in return, but I will make sure to repay her at the earliest opportunity. I don’t like being indebted to anyone.

“If possible, I would like to travel with you. I will start preparing immediately. Please wait for me.”

“… Seriously?”

After explaining the circumstances, the response she gives is stupefying. She starts poking through the tools, materials and books in the laboratory, picking out specific things and packing them up. She looks serious about leaving. I’m not as convinced.

“Is this really alright with you? My mission will bring me into Amisos and I don’t know how long it will take. If you travel with me, it could be many years before we have a chance to return.”

“However long it may take, I will not complain. This facility and everything inside will still be here when I return.” She talks while packing her things carefully.

Still incredulous, I inquire further. “What about your research? Wasn’t there something fairly urgent that you needed to find, something so important that you had to abandon everything else? You’ve been working continuously for decades and now you want to suddenly stop? It doesn’t make much sense to me.”

Her hands stop moving. Aura is leaking out again, a sign of distress. Did I make her hesitant? If so, then why is she so adamant about leaving?

“Indeed, my research is not over. Progress has been at a standstill for some time. You were correct when you said that my options are too limited if I stay isolated in this mountain. At this rate, all of my work will be meaningless. Something must change.”

While facing the ground, her every word is spoken with such sadness and anguish that I’m utterly stunned. Did I completely misread her? Was she quietly suffering all this time and I was too focused on my problems to notice? As a fellow mage, I should’ve known better. I’m an idiot.

“I… I’m sorry. I did not realize… Instead of repaying your kindness, I did nothing but impose on you and waste your time.”

“Ah, please do not misunderstand. I am not blaming you in any way. It is my own stubbornness and indiscretion that led me here. I am very glad we met. You helped me realize something important. Please let me follow you.”

Her tranquil demeanor returns, almost like she awoke from a trance. It takes a few moments for her words to register because of the sudden change in atmosphere. She continues packing, wrapping her possessions in enchanted cloth which hardens to hold everything together. For a while, I just stand in place and watch. Neither of us says a word.

Finally, the jumble of thoughts in my head clears up and I make a choice.

“Understood. I will make it work out. If the man called Asher has complaints about who I bring with me, I will simply find someone else who is more accommodating.”

Nashira smiles sweetly and says “Thank you. I will do my best to avoid bothering you.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you.”

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

As I thought, it wasn’t a fluke that Nashira was able to live among humans 300 years ago. She remembers quite a few tricks. I watched her horns shrink and disappear like retractable claws. Her pupils became round like a normal human’s eyes. These changes did not require any spell or catalyst. Her demon body comes with a limited morphing ability. She’s also the one who taught me to create a fake aura while learning to control mana circuits. Not even mages will be able to guess her true nature based on appearance alone. Blending in with human society won’t be an issue. I suspect she may garner attention for a different reason though…

Transportation is a slightly more difficult matter. ‘Divine Step’ is limited in its scope. Mana consumption increases with both distance and the amount of material that is transported. Adding extra weight also increases the danger of using this spell. The reasons are complicated but suffice to say that teleportation is intrinsically dangerous. You could end up teleporting only pieces of yourself among many other things that could go wrong. Even with all her experience and knowledge, Nashira cannot overcome this fundamental aspect of ‘Divine Step’. It would be fine if we only needed the clothes on our backs, but the things Nashira wants to bring are somewhat bulky, especially the books and research notes. We both agree that it’s better to travel normally.

Luckily there is a solution. We start by visiting the village I saved because it is located much closer to us than Batna. I volunteer to carry Nashira’s belongings until then. It would be disgraceful to let a young lady like her carry them; not because she is physically weak, but for the sake of blending in. I think she is a lot stronger than her appearance suggests, but we don’t need to give other people those kinds of suspicions. In fact, she could pretend to be a noble lady with me as her servant and no one would think anything of it. I snicker to myself while imagining such an ironic scene, causing Nashira to glance sideways at me. I don’t say anything of course.

After arriving at the village, it’s just a simple matter of asking the locals for a horse. They have just acquired a good number of new horses that were left behind by the barbarians. The villagers gladly comply. Nashira sits on the saddle in front. I attach her belongings on the horse’s back and we are on our way. This feels like that time I travelled with Selene from her hometown to Lapithos. Hopefully there won’t be any ambushes this time.