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Chapter 55: Mage Anna, setting out for the ruins again.

Early the next morning.

Reiner arrived at the city gate with the armored beast-eared girls.

He saw a large group of half-armored militia from afar.

They stood in neat ranks at the gate.

Junice was in the formation, chatting with another woman dressed like an adventurer.

She caught Reiner in the corner of her eye and immediately waved to him with enthusiasm.

“You got here really early; the company still isn’t fully assembled.”

Reiner nodded, believing himself a man with a strong sense of time.

Back in high-school finals, to keep from oversleeping, he always arrived outside the exam room 30 minutes early and napped there.

Even if he overslept, a teacher would wake him.

“I count almost 100 people already; we are still not all here?”

“Dimas said he asked the lord for another 50,” Junice said softly, hugging her staff.

At that moment the female mage who had been speaking with Junice asked, “Is this reliable? A necromancer is a lord-tier monster and very hard to handle.”

Reiner glanced at her and kept silent.

The mage had a pair of foxy eyes that could hook a man’s soul.

Her thick black hair was a bit messy and looked barely groomed.

Her face was thin, her lips were purplish, and although the temperature was close to freezing, she still wore a rather revealing fur outfit.

At first glance she looked like a witch living deep in the mountains.

Also, they were huge.

Just then Nora’s inner voice drifted over.

(So Master really cares about size there… too bad I’m only this big…)

Reiner quickly looked away.

He swore he had only glanced out of instinct a moment ago.

He absolutely did not harbor any dirty thoughts.

Junice said, “Right, I forgot to introduce everyone.”

She pointed at the witch and said cheerfully, “This is Anna Lynn, one of the four mages living near Melod; she is very good with wind magic.”

Reiner nodded.

He had to get along with her.

Maybe he could buy a wind grimoire from her.

Junice turned to introduce Reiner: “This is Mr. Reiner; he is also one of the only four mages in the city, and he excels at fire magic. At the same time he is the Goblin King slayer; the Goblin Tyrant of Dawn Forest was felled by his blade.”

???

Goblin Kingslayer?

What a thoroughly cringey title.

Although people who achieve something big love to plaster strange labels on themselves, hearing it from someone else was still a bit embarrassing.

Anna offered her hand and said softly, “Just call me Anna; I have heard of your deeds, and after chatting with Junice I really looked forward to meeting you.”

Reiner answered like an NPC, “Mm-hmm, same here.”

He did not mean to be rude; he was simply socially anxious and not talkative at all.

As a result he became the conversation killer.

Anna ran back to chat with Junice again.

At that moment Nora gently caught Reiner’s hand and said, “Master, my gauntlets are freezing; can you warm them up for me?”

“Of course.”

Reiner conjured a ball of flame, squatted by the road, and warmed Nora while waiting for the group to form up.

Soon Junice and Anna joined them.

Anna squatted, breathed on her hands, and said, “Damn weather, it keeps getting colder.”

Reiner thought, How could she not be cold dressed like that?

Her chest was covered by only two bits of fur; one gust of wind and they would be gone.

After waiting a while, the line suddenly began to move.

Reiner hurried the beast-eared girls into position.

Dimas even rode to the rear to take a look at Reiner.

Neither spoke; they merely exchanged a nod in a strange tacit understanding.

After a short march the party finally reached the southern entrance of the ruins.

At the head, Dimas shouted, “Everyone! Place your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you.”

The column stretched out, and everyone followed Dimas’s instructions, zombie-like, hands resting on the shoulders ahead.

“Where will such a long line be transported to? What if someone’s unlucky and materializes inside a wall?”

Junice shook her head. “The magitech stone will automatically set us down somewhere suitable; we will probably appear on an empty street.”

Reiner understood.

Auto layout, huh.

When Dimas finished his countdown, the entire column was teleported into darkness.

Reiner and Junice almost simultaneously cast Fireball to light the way.

Seeing this, the militia pulled out torches, lit them from the flames, and passed the fire onward one by one.

In less than 10 seconds, the surroundings lit up.

Junice had been spot-on; they really had appeared on a wide street.

A few skeletons stood in the alley beside them.

Dimas ordered, “Everyone, stay with the column and clear the nearby skeletons; do not stray too far.”

“Yes, sir!”

With a series of firm replies, the outer militia broke off and began to sweep the skeleton soldiers around them.

Junice said earnestly, “They’re just charging in? Aren’t they afraid of traps? I need to talk to Dimas.”

Reiner pulled her back and pointed at the dispersed squads.

“Look, each squad is about five men; one agile soldier scouts for traps while the other four clear monsters. Dimas isn’t stupid; he learned his lesson.”

Even so.

Reiner still disapproved of their scouting method.

They were literally poking the ground with sticks.

One slip and something would be missed.

Nora suddenly pointed at one soldier and said, “His leg’s about to be snapped… there’s a bear trap under him and he hasn’t noticed.”

Reiner shot her a look.

Nora understood and flicked a throwing knife.

“Clang!”

The trap hidden in the mud sprang shut.

The soldier looked back in fright and then thanked Reiner.

Nora went forward and retrieved her knife.

They would have to make do like this.

People with Nora’s keen senses were rare; they could not cover everyone.

After a moment Reiner heard someone scream in the distance.

Most likely another trap had been triggered.

Junice left the line and said, “Reiner, I’m going to help; stay safe.”

“You too.”

Just then Anna sidled over.

She chuckled awkwardly and asked, “Is Junice your woman? She’s very pretty.”

“We’re just ordinary friends.”

“Really?” Anna smiled meaningfully, then returned to her spot without another word.

The column moved forward again.

Junice returned to Reiner’s side and said, “The scouts found something strange ahead; we need to go take a look…”

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