[Congratulations! You have cleared the sudden quest ‘Unexpected Crisis’!]

[The flow of the story falls into place.]

[Reputation increased by 3.]

‘After all this mess, and the reward is 3 reputation points? That sucks, that sucks.’

Cadel turned his head, cursing inwardly at the insufferable system.

Van’s attack slaughtered the bloodsuckers from Ashvka’s fallen arm, and the magicians took advantage of his weakness to finish the seal in one fell swoop. The surprise of the demon’s appearance had been neatly cut off.

With the seal taken care of, all that remained was to return to the capital city Rania, and await further orders.

On the way back to the castle. Cadel enjoyed his brief reunion with Lumen.

“Did you have a hard time tracking us down?”

“Not really. I was worried you wouldn’t be there when I got there.”

“If you had just waited at the castle, we would have been back in no time.”

“I would have gotten uncomfortable attention. Besides, it was more urgent to get back to whoever was waiting for me.”

Lumen looked down at Cadel with a coy smile, his playful gaze familiar, but Cadel reflexively averted his gaze, feeling tickled for some reason.

“It was a good choice because you showed up just when I needed you.”

Lumen shrugged lightly as Cadel spoke. Then, as if waiting, Van and Lydon’s voices interjected from behind.

“He’s so sneaky, he may have purposely waited for a crisis to appear, Commander. Don’t be fooled.”

“That’s right, Cadel. Did I tell you? If you had waited just a little longer, I would have saved you. Stealing someone else’s performance. You are sly, Lumen.”

“You’ve both gotten better at talking nonsense while I’ve been gone. I wish you had improved your skills instead.”

At Lumen’s sarcasm, Van and Lydon became combative. They were busy exchanging harsh words, both joking and sincere, and Cadel chose not to stand in the middle, but to casually walk away from the group.

They were his proud subordinates, but at times like this, he felt a little ashamed to be on their side. If they were going to fight, they’d rather do it in secret, away from the other Knight Order.

‘By the way……. Why didn’t it pop up?’

Cadel rolled his eyes, checking to see if anything was blocking his view. But he couldn’t see anything. There must be something wrong with this.

Lumen was back, but there was no system window that said he had joined.

‘Is there anything else I should be doing?’

If it was the appointment ceremony, Cadel had spoken to the Emperor ahead of time to get it out of the way and told him that Lumen would be joining the Scarlet Scales Knight Order when he returned from his family. Normally, the system window should have popped up right after Lumen joined.

‘It can’t be an error.’

In fact, even without the system nailing it down, Lumen was his man. He had no doubt about that, but he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable.

‘Let’s return to the Imperial castle and check again. Maybe I’ll have to ask the Emperor for personal permission this time, or something.’

Recruiting members was Cadel’s personal authority, but you never know. It never hurt to be thorough.

Cadel moved a little farther away from his noisy subordinates, waiting for their bickering to end.

* * *

Not only did the movement magic spell consume a large amount of mana, but it also did not have the range to move three battalions of knights at once. Therefore, they had to go on a journey of about 10 days, passing through a total of 3 cities.

This was supposed to be the case.

But as soon as they reached the first city, a message from the Emperor arrived.

[Each battalion captain and the Scarlet Scales Knight Order shall return quickly with the prepared movement magic.]

The ten magicians who had traveled to that city ahead of time were solely for their movement magic. Ordinarily, Cadel would have been pleased with the Emperor’s consideration, but the timing was not favorable.

Soon after arriving at the castle, his ominous premonition became a reality.

“Sir Garuel is missing……?”

Cadel asked back as if he found it hard to believe, but Guard Captain Insel just nodded with an indifferent expression.

“A High Demon was said to have emerged from the broken seal. Fortunately, they succeeded in defeating it, but he went missing in the process.”

The Twilight Knight Order’s appointed seal was in the mountains of Area 4. In a relatively open terrain like Alithis, this might not be a problem, but in the mountains, there was plenty of opportunity for disappearances.

But Cadel was not so much worried about Garuel’s safety. He was a man who found it easier to live than to die. Rather.

‘By any chance, this is his act of coming after clearing his identity…….’

Cadel wondered if this was the result of such a confident assertion. It was just scary.

‘No, I guess not. He must mean he’s just going to hand over his position to Sir Modeleine, sort out his title somehow, and join…… with a clean slate?’

Could it be that he is thinking of escaping from the Twilight Knight Order by faking his own disappearance?

Cadel stroked his cheek, feeling vaguely uneasy, while Sorin, beside him, pondered something with a serious expression, then turned to Insel.

“We’ll need backup. Even if there are no monsters in Area 4, isn’t it a place where dangerous beasts often appear?”

“That’s right. It would be difficult to handle the search and return together with a body exhausted from battle. Since you said they would stay on the Kiva Plateau and search for Sir Garuel Monzasi, we should send reinforcements.”

“My battalion is on its way.”

“No. It is His Majesty the Emperor’s order to send the Scarlet Scales Knight Order.”

The sudden call brought Cadel out of his thoughts and he looked up. Insel was staring at him with a hard gaze that felt nothing personal.

“……You were handpicked by His Majesty himself.”

“Since you are an elite few, it will be easy to use movement magic. There is no time. Let’s move as soon as tomorrow dawns. Assist the Twilight Knight Order in their search and descent.”

Even a cow wouldn’t work this hard without a break. Cadel couldn’t believe they were going to go right back to work without a day’s rest, and they were already exhausted from dealing with a High Demon.

Cadel tried to hide the look on his face that was about to turn sour.

‘I expected the Emperor would make us roll like dogs, but I never thought he would suck us dry from the beginning like this.’

But Cadel couldn’t show his displeasure. It was his promise, not anyone else’s, to prove his loyalty to the best of his ability.

‘Well, forget it. Since it’s Garuel’s business, it would be better for me to step forward myself. Let’s think positively.’

If Garuel was really missing, Cadel had to find him, even if it meant dying of exhaustion, and even if it was an absurd self-written play, it was the same.

From behind Cadel, who was about to accept the second mission, which seemed like a punishment to the Scarlet Scales Knight Order, the voice of Dreyfe, who had been quiet the whole time, came out.

“We’ve been dealing with a High Demon, too, and we’re not in the best shape. If we go on missions one after another, we’ll probably have an accident.”

Dreyfe looked at Cadel with a grim expression.

“The Commander of the Scarlet Scales Knight Order has used a lot of mana on this mission, and so have his subordinates. With only one night’s rest, they’ll be out of shape and could cause trouble again.”

Worried or just plain mean. Despite Dreyfe’s vague claims, Insel was adamant.

“It is His Majesty’s order. There is no withdrawal. Cadel. Are you also unhappy with this decision?”

“……There is none.”

“I’ll send a healer before you leave, so treat any wounds you have.”

Dreyfe clicked his tongue in frustration at the obedient Cadel and turned his head away. It was a rather disgruntled demeanor, but Sorin naturally caught Insel’s attention.

“If support is needed elsewhere, we will move. It will take about 10 days for the members to return, so I apply as an individual.”

“For now, stand by. The Commander of the Guardian Knight Order will return shortly, and you will act in concert with him. And Martin. You will go to the magic tower. Watch the progress of the magic circle analysis.”

Insel, having given each person a task, left the room as soon as he finished his business. Martin went straight to the tower, and Sorin left as well, promising to write a letter to his members. All that remained were Dreyfe and Cadel, who stood by with grim faces.

As he turned to follow everyone out of the room, Cadel couldn’t ignore the look on Dreyfe’s face.

“What’s wrong with you? Do you really not like the idea of me moving my worn-out body to escort someone else’s knight order? Are you worried?”

“What, what the hell, all of a sudden!”

“Don’t worry, it’s going to be tough, but neither my subordinates nor I are going to collapse.”

In a laid-back tone that suggested Cadel knew what he was thinking, Dreyfe chided him loudly. But Cadel was unaffected.

“You don’t have to roll like a dog because you’re a mercenary. If you think it’s unfair and uncomfortable, say so.”

“Do you think I’m the type of person who can’t say things like that?”

“Not really, but…….”

“Yes, it’s a useless worry, and I’m going to rest up for tomorrow, so please get some rest too.”

Cadel brushed past Dreyfe and turned to leave the room, then looked back at Dreyfe as if something had occurred to him.

“Ah. And if you keep talking to me like that, I’ll just take it easy.”

“What……!”

“If you are dissatisfied, make it formal first.”

As Cadel walked out the door, waving his hand, an exasperated laugh was heard from behind.

‘Whatever. Kids are kids.’

At first, Dreyfe was a cocky guy who was just annoying. When Cadel saw him often, it seemed like Dreyfe was attached to him, or that it was Cadel’s natural instinct to be weak towards his younger siblings.

“Okay, let’s go deliver this tragic piece of information.”

He had to warn his poor, resting subordinates of the labor to come.