The next day.
Noel looked at the magic circle, which was roughly eighty percent complete, with great satisfaction.
While it helped that the expedition members had rolled up their sleeves to assist, the credit for the smooth progress went largely to Mona Bellose.
‘Her deep understanding of magic circles makes her work so fast. I really do want to scout her…’
Because she had chiseled the most intricate section quickly and precisely, Noel had been able to move the schedule up significantly.
The moment Noel called the dismissal, Mona set down her chisel and hammer and bolted from the work site.
Ugh, my back…
She had known from the start this would be brutal.
‘Why is it that only my bad feelings are ever right on the mark?’
It was already their third day in the western border region.
Without catching so much as a glimpse of the Land of Chaos, she had spent all day carving a stone slate until the sun began to set.
‘Still, at least the schedule moved up…’
Taking comfort in that thought as she patted her sore shoulder, Mona suddenly felt a wave of hunger.
Having focused and expended mana for such an extended period, a fierce emptiness gnawed at her stomach.
As she clutched her rumbling belly, someone came dashing toward her from the distance, bright crimson hair fluttering in the wind.
‘…Was his name Lewis?’
The moment she recalled the man’s name, he called out to her.
Noel’s gentle voice came from behind them.
A debt? She had never lent him any money.
Seeing Mona’s puzzled look, Lewis chimed in quickly.
Noel’s eyes curved softly as he offered Mona a pleasant smile.
Having settled tomorrow’s plans in an instant, Noel departed, leaving Lewis to smack his lips in regret.
“…”
‘…I never said I’d go with you yet.’
Even so, since they would be traveling together throughout the Land of Chaos, keeping an unnecessary distance seemed pointless.
‘It’s better than remaining an outcast in the expedition…’
Swept up in his pace before she knew it, Mona followed the chattering Lewis, gazing around the estate bathed in the glow of the setting sun.
Having arrived late on the first night and moved straight to the castle annex yesterday the moment work on the magic circle ended, this was her first time properly looking around outside the castle walls.
In front of the main gate lay an open lot too modest to truly be called a square, with a statue of a New Faith martyr standing at its center.
All sorts of shops and stalls dotted the surroundings, and Lewis entered the largest of them—a two-story wooden building—where he grabbed a seat by the window and offered her a menu.
With a wink, Lewis placed an order for the stew alongside several other dishes, then leaned closer to whisper conspiratorially.
Mona scratched the back of her neck.
Lewis marveled repeatedly, his reddish-brown eyes gleaming as though he had struck gold.
His eyes sparkling, Lewis leaned in even closer.
Before he could finish his pitch, Lewis let out a pained groan.
Hugo had appeared like the Grim Reaper and yanked him back by the collar.
‘I’m pretty sure I’ve seen this exact scene before.’
Mona glanced back and forth between Hugo and Natasha, who had suddenly materialized inside the tavern, before offering a polite bow in greeting.
Natasha cast a disdainful look at Lewis before giving Mona a silent nod in return.
Hugo growled in a low voice, his grip firm on Lewis’s collar, prompting Lewis to protest indignantly.
At Hugo’s question, Mona waved her hands frantically.
The moment Hugo released his collar, Lewis scowled and brushed down his crumpled uniform.
As Hugo abruptly took a seat beside him, Lewis muttered under his breath.
Hugo did not so much as blink at the childish remark.
Dishes soon began arriving at the table one after another. After dipping her head in thanks, Mona took a spoonful of the chicken stew Lewis had recommended.
The stew possessed a sharp, spicy, and salty kick.
‘It’s actually good, though.’
Tearing off a piece of bread, Mona began dipping it into the stew.
Clack, clatter.
With the usually sociable Lewis silenced, the table where the four of them sat remained quiet save for the clink of silverware.
Hungry and exhausted, Mona steadily worked her way through the appetizing food before pausing.
Directly across from her, Hugo’s expression as he ate was excessively stern.
‘This is pretty spicy, though.’
Yet he did not so much as touch a piece of bread or take a sip of water, adhering strictly to disciplined, textbook dining etiquette.
Combined with his ascetic appearance, watching him eat felt more like observing an austere monk undergoing spiritual discipline.
‘They’re in the same Black Knights, yet they’re so completely different.’
As Mona stared blankly at Lewis making a dramatic fuss, Hugo set his utensils down and gave his head an exasperated shake.
Listening to their bickering, Mona nearly let out an unintentional chuckle.
Seen like this, Hugo seemed remarkably human.
As she finished clearing her plate, Natasha, who had remained quiet until now, spoke to her.
Giving a brief reply, Natasha cast a lingering gaze through the window.
“…”
At the end of her gaze, an alley cat was leisurely grooming its fur.
‘She really does love cats.’
While the Commander of the Black Knights was more terrifying than anyone, his subordinates were unexpectedly approachable.
Feeling far more relaxed, Mona sipped her water.
***
No sooner had the meal ended than Lewis was hauled away by Hugo as though under arrest.
Mona watched the retreating backs of the pair quickly fade before she turned her attention to examining the stalls sparsely set up around the square.
Her goal was to find a suitable snack for the slime, like peanuts.
‘Perhaps because this is the border region, they’re selling mosses and herbs I never saw in the central provinces.’
Meanwhile, Natasha, who had been tasked with escorting Mona, matched her pace as she browsed and bought a few items, before speaking up with a solemn face.
Before Natasha could finish her warning, a loud commotion broke out near the center of the square.
Crash!
The assorted vegetables laid out on a street stall were violently hurled to the ground.
Mona and Natasha turned their heads toward the disturbance at the same time.
In a corner of the square, before a small stall beneath a weathered tarp, three hulking mercenaries were swaggering about aggressively.
Clad in dingy armor stained with grime, they had thoroughly sinister faces.
The largest mercenary among them seized the stallkeeper by the collar.
Held by his collar, the old man’s frame trembled uncontrollably.
Behind him, a young girl of about twelve stood frozen and pale with terror.
“Stand down.”
Watching the one-sided brutality, Natasha stepped toward the mercenaries with a freezing countenance.
Mona followed close behind her, her hand tightly gripping the small spray bottle in her pocket.
