Chapter 40. Boring Daily Life

Clop clop clop.

The sound of hooves echoed across the vast land.

Feeling the air around my skin gradually getting hotter, I rode the horse. It had already been two weeks since we left Hilton territory.

“Miss Seraphina, I’ll say my farewells here.”

Austin, who had accompanied me on the long journey, said when we stopped at an inn in the evening.

“We’ve already entered Sahar territory. From here on, there shouldn’t be any problems reaching the city.”

“Thank you for coming all this way with me.”

“I was just following His Grace’s orders.”

Austin bowed politely t.

As a wind mage, he excelled in search magic, and from what I heard, his role was very important in the Grodes Mountains. He contributed by identifying the location and scale of undead in advance so that the knight order could devise effective strategies.

But to send such an important figure with me…

“I hope nothing happens to Duke Denhague.”

I spoke with a hint of worry.

Though the underlying thought was that he’d be fine since he’s a hero.

And it seemed Austin felt the same way. He spoke in a relaxed tone as if to say not to worry.

“He’s not someone who would die easily.”

“Haha. That’s true.”

“It really is. I’m saying this as an eyewitness who saw His Grace subjugate a dragon right before my eyes.”

“You saw that in person?”

I was inwardly excited.

Although it was just bones, a dragon is still undoubtedly the world’s strongest living being.

I couldn’t even imagine the sight of a tiny human fighting such a terrifying undead.

“It was incredible.”

Austin’s shoulders rose proudly even though he wasn’t the one who killed it.

“Even dragons alive in ancient times probably weren’t stronger than that.”

“Did the Bone Dragon also shoot attacks with their breath?”

“Yes. I thought my bones were going to melt.”

“That’s amazing.”

Sincere admiration flowed out.

Austin looked at me fondly before shaking his head slightly.

“Still, it’s better for humans if such beings don’t exist. The Bone Dragon was truly evil and enormous.”

“I suppose so.”

A feeling of gratitude towards the three heroes bloomed anew.

They might treat me roughly, but they did save the world after all. They made it as livable as it is now.

“I really must go now.”

Austin said, looking at the setting sun.

I could have said where are you going at this hour, stay the night and leave in the morning, but…

“Take care on your way.”

I sent him off neatly. Some might say I was being too cold, but for those who knew the situation in the North, this was a consideration.

I could naturally tell. Although he said there wouldn’t be problems because Claude was there, Austin was eager to hurry back, thinking of the knight order that would be working twice as hard without him.

Even if he stayed at the inn tonight, he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep properly.

After mounting his horse, Austin gave me a small bow.

“I look forward to meeting you again soon.”

“Have a safe trip.”

I smiled brightly and waved my hand.

Haa.

A moment later, after seeing him ride far enough away, a sigh escaped my lips.

Soon…

I couldn’t say anything since I didn’t know my own future either, but…

“Sylphid.”

Neigh.

The white horse with noble blood responded to my call. I stroked Sylphid’s shining mane as I complained.

“It’ll be tough wherever we go, but this is better than the Grodes Mountains, right?”

Snort. Snort.

As if understanding my words, Sylphid made small noises. The way he moved his head up and down seemed to say, isn’t that obvious?

“Look at the weather too. It’s hot here, but at least the wind doesn’t slap my cheeks.”

No matter how I looked at it, this place seemed a hundred times better.

I gently pulled Sylphid’s reins and left him at the stable. Then I stood on the roadside and took a deep breath.

Dry air filled my lungs.

The desert city of Sahar.

The place that should have been my first deployment originally.

And the place where Mihail, the third male lead candidate, was.

* * *

The ice cubes clinked as he swirled the transparent glass.

Mihail was sitting with one leg propped up on the windowsill, looking outside. It was a boring scenery. The same every day, and unchanging.

People moved busily between the streets lined with square buildings.

What are they buying and selling so much?

The sound of haggling shook the air noisily.

At first, he thought it was lively. So he thought it would be good to have a place to stay in the bustling area to smell the scent of people living, rather than being cooped up in the boring castle.

He didn’t regret that choice.

As evidenced by the fact that he was still out here like this.

But seeing the same scenery for 10 years was a tedious affair.

What are they buying and selling every time, and why do they keep chattering endlessly?

Still, I should keep protecting the desert so these people can live so vibrantly. It’s better than the hellish scenery covered in black waves long ago.

Mihail recalled the undead legion he had subjugated not long ago.

Their momentum had greatly diminished compared to those that had filled the desert pitch-black decades ago. Seeing them gradually weaken… will they completely disappear someday? Then could I leave this tiresome desert?

Heh.

Idle thoughts.

“The undead legion will probably be unending.”

A languid soliloquy drifted through the air.

Even though they were now just a ragtag group of no consequence, he still used the expression ‘legion’. It might have been an appropriate word when he first encountered the undead.

Although it may have looked like just a massive calamity to others, to Mihail’s eyes, they seemed to be under someone’s command.

Were they once people?

Perhaps it’s because the souls of knights who died in ancient wars remained like ticks.

But now they’re just evil monsters.

So die.

Mihail mercilessly exterminated them. But when he saw black energy creeping up again in the desert that had regained its original color, he realized.

That he wouldn’t be able to completely eradicate the undead during his lifetime. That he couldn’t repel all the souls, more numerous than stars, that had slept in this land for thousands of years.

“To think I have to repeat this tedious task until I die.”

With an expression of utter sorrow, he looked up at the sky.

“But if it’s God’s will, I’ll gladly follow.”

This was his destiny.

If God gave him abilities superior to others, it must have been to serve the world.

He had not the slightest intention of becoming a villain by going against that will.

By the way…

Surely the duties bestowed by God aren’t limited to just being a holy knight.

Clink clink.

A faint irritation rose on Mihail’s face as he slowly swirled the glass.

His teal eyes seemed to turn into cold shards of ice, like the finely colliding ice cubes. It was a gaze that didn’t suit the hot desert.

It’s been so long since I sent the letter, why isn’t she coming?

“I absolutely hate tardiness.”

Mihail pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, seemingly suppressing his anger.

It had been about a month since I last purified the undead, so it was about time for the desert to get noisy again. I wish she would arrive before then.

Actually, even if she doesn’t come at all, it won’t affect the subjugation.

But I can’t just sit still when that bastard Johann is doing things I don’t like.

The memory of the Emperor’s smiling face from long ago made his stomach feel hot.

If you said you’d send her, then do it, where are you taking her back from?

And of all people, to Claude?

No way.

With that, Mihail wrote a lengthy letter. He wrote with the dignity and courtesy befitting a holy knight, but the length grew in proportion to his anger.

Anyway, having expressed his will like that, the fox-like Johann couldn’t have misunderstood.

The purifier will come here.

Without fail.

Because he will make it happen until she comes.

And since she’s coming anyway.

“You must prove your usefulness.”

Because it’s a sin to live a worthless life with a duty bestowed by God.

By the way…

“What was her name again?”

He had overlooked something important when she might be arriving soon.

Mihail searched his memory. Perhaps because he was smart, it wasn’t difficult to recall her name.

Right.

It was Seraphina.

No surname since she’s a commoner.

The name is longer than I thought. How bothersome.

As he was thinking that, a knock sounded. There was only one person who would come here.

“Come in, Andrei.”

As soon as permission was given, the door opened immediately.

However, his boy Andrei was not alone. Someone was with him behind.

Mihail’s eyes gleamed as he caught a glimpse of light brown hair. If his intuition was correct…

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Andantino.”

The purifier had arrived.

Mihail came down from the windowsill with the smooth movement of a bird. Then, moving only his eyes, he carefully examined the woman standing before him from head to toe.

Orange-tinged brown eyes that trembled gently.

Yet a bold and upright gaze.

An atmosphere that felt trained.

A smooth smile drew across Mihail’s lips.

He was about to get annoyed at being made to wait for someone for so long…

But seeing her in person wasn’t bad.

Perhaps gentle ripples might stir in his boring daily life.

With that premonition, Mihail offered a welcoming greeting.

“I’ve been eagerly counting the days for your arrival, Miss Sera.”