He stands in the mid of the camp with a spear in his hands, relive slowly spreads through his body. It has been a long time since he felt weak. Mana that was so familiar to manipulated feels like as stranger because of lack of a mana core.
The victory over this groups opens multiple possibilities. Looking around their camp he sees so much that can be useful.
However, the captives are the priority right now. At the village he made a character that was quiet and would rather listen to others instead of giving his own opinion.
This time he wants to others to think he's mage hermit that is coming back to the society. That the war that spread on the border affected his past lifestyle and now he is looking for something new.
Germain easy up his serious expression, relaxing his body he walks towards where he saw that captives were held, a wooden caravan closed from the outside.
He saw a simple makeshift lock on the door.
With a shift swing from the spear in his hand the piece of wood blocking the door is broken. He can feel nerves building up inside the caravan. He pushes open the door.
Inside there're 2 women with shaky expression looking at him. One of them is young gall. The other a more mature woman.
He says "Hi!" The awkward tension in the air is unbelievable, but they are valuable source of information.
Since the fight was by no means silent the must know a thing or two. "Why don't you two come out, I have a few things to ask…" He said with an awkward expression.
"I—I'm." The mature woman tries to talk but it's interrupted by the younger woman by her side.
"Sure! However, I might have something to ask back as well, may I?" The gall with an uncertain expression in her face answered.
As the 2 women were walking out the expression of the younger gall slightly harden as she saw the situation, by her side the older woman is even more fearful of the stranger.
The camp has bodies spread throughout that isn't much to their shock since they've heard shouts and scream from the combat. However, the socking scar left by the spell used to kill the mage is something else.
"It a bit of a mess that I've made but I hope you won't mind." Seeing their reaction, he just admits guilty toward the mess. He leads them toward a bonfire in the centre of the camp.
He invites them to sit on cut logs that were used as chairs around the bonfire. Germain to another look at them since the lighting around the fire is better, he speaks.
"Call me Glen. I was a hermit mage that lived by the border."
Understanding that's their line to introduce themselves the younger woman said.
"I'm Sophia, the woman by my side is Neda."
The fire lighting up the surroundings, he saw that Sophia is using a slight worn out dress but he's pretty sure she from a noble house. The detail on the dress seems expensive, even worn out the dress is a high end product.
The older lady by the name Neda is also using a worn out dress but it's clearly in a way worse state. -Glen- saw that it has some marks and stains that could only be made in some unthinkable circumstances.
This also helped him formulate some information in his mind. Sophia was targeted by the group as she could be worth ransom.
Her guards were those that made the damage on the group, leaving few untouched by their weapons.
Since the bandits took so much damage, they've left no guard alive. Anything that can fight back when they were in such awful situation is problematic.
'Neda should be the maid attending Sophia. Neda was used as example to threat Sophia, the marks on the dress might be only superficial damage.' As the thoughts flash through his mind, -Glen- smile and nodded back with a question.
"Do you know how those guys were? I need some stuff so I beat them since they don't seem to be the kind that people miss."
Once again, the smile in Sophia's face froze, what kind of person would say that…
'Maybe I'm being bias, since he's a hermit and don't know how much of big deal they were…'
"They were the Grey Hounds a group of villains lead by Rozalla the scarlet mage. Did you kill Rozalla?" She peeks back by the results of spear missile spell as if she had noticed something but decided to confirm by asking instead.
-Glen- is pretty sure that the mage wasn't commanding them, but he decided to look over such thing.
"Sophia, right? They had a mage, but he wasn't that impressive I killed him with a spell."
He put on a slight proud expression, since he looks young, he'll try to act younger, without wait for a response he looks at Neda and speaks. "How exactly did you guys get here? They weren't kind to you."
Sophia tried to maintain a straight expression, but she is shocked by his strength to take out the scarlet mage. He might be talented enough to be a genius.
"We were traveling as merchants with guards, but we were intercepted by those brutes. After a fierce battle, we were the only ones left alive."
-Glen- immediately sees problems with her story, inside the caravan there was no merchandise. It looked more like big and luxurious carriage with a blank exterior. However, he decided to ignore that, since it's clear that she doesn't want to talk about her identity.
Regardless of what is happening. He knows that he might get something out of helping her.
"Were those horses yours to?" He asked while pointing at the horses tied by the caravan.
"Yes." Sophia confirmed.
"I hope you understand that I ain't no saint. Taking that fight was a risk for me… things that they took from you might not go back to your hands." -Glen- said with a serious face.
Sophia finally could relax since he's being open about materialist gains maybe she could hire him with promises. Her situation is precarious, she needs a bodyguard.
With a confident smile on her face Sophia says "We don't mind, whatever you take from here is yours. If you have no plans, I would love to ask if you could escort us to the city of Demian where I could offer a more sincere reward for your work."
Showing his interest, he says "I have no idea where that is. I'm really hoping those guys had a map cause I've been lost for days, if we are lucky, you might be able to point out where that is."
"We got one in the caravan! It's a detailed map from the east and south territory of the kingdom of Leah." Trying to win his favour Sophia said, "On the map we got notes about the war front and some dangerous areas that we should avoid."
"At least some directions, I'm glad to hear that." Relieved Glen said, "I know this is kind sudden, but would you guys help me clean those bodies?"
Sophia then explained "We can but we haven't eaten well since yesterday. Our bodies are weak and since we are hungry, we are even weaker."
Looking at them, Glen says "I can imagine that you haven't eaten well. By any chance, any of you can cook?"
"I do know a thing or two about cooking but Neda is a great cook." Sophia said as she tries pump up the older lady "She has work as cook for years. You should be happy that you're a lucky enough to experience Neda's cooking."
With a more inviting smile -Glen- says "I do love to hear that, let's look what those guys left behind like food, water, jewellery. If I see something that interests me, I'll take it, but since there's only so much I can carry, anything else you can also take for yourself."
'I still don't know if I can trust them.' -Glen- thought to himself and concluded 'Let me see if they try to do anything sneak, since they could poison the food or something…'
...
...
The camp isn't a mess of dead bodies anymore. They've been throwed a certain distance from the camp. It took some time and the night is passing by… soon they need to go to sleep.
-Glen- is sitting by the fire waiting for Neda to finish the dinner. Although she is uncomfortable with his presence, she is doing a great job.
In his hand a cup, he found two barrels of beer in their supplies. Recent days has been really stressful, the warm from the fire and the heat from the drink helps him relax…
However, he has been questioning his choices and his own identity…
Germain was a man born in privileged family; his ancestor was 4th Soul Ascended a mage expert in the cosmos. Germain was a genius with great background that ascended to become one of the greatest of his time.
But the image of a man reflected on his cup is a low born and incompetent mage. He got no family or friends. He got the memories of Germain but that is where it ends. That who he's right now -Glen-…
In the Stargazer family he had servants that would use magic to make everything that he needs. Although he learned some of the more advanced spells in the area, he never learned basic spell that cover basic needs.
He was thirst for most of the journey because he can only filter water. He can't condense water from the atmosphere using basic spells… Sure, if he had more mana, he'd be able to do it more efficiently than anyone else with an advanced spell.
That's not even talking about how awful his sleeping spots were or taste of the food he made.
That's who he is right now… -Glen-… A scrub trying his hardest to survive…
Turning his head, he sees Sophia approaching. Shaking off his insecurities from his head he put a fake smile on his face.
"I saw that look in your eyes, there's no need for a fake smile." Sophia said as she sat around the fire "The war was sudden and unexpected. Leah's frontier suffered heavily from that."
He kept the smile and asked "Does it even matter? I'm just a no one that is looking for a place to settle down."
'If I had to choose though it would not be in Leah, I don't want to be in a warring kingdom.'
"If that's all you want after escorting us, I can arrange that, regardless you're too strong for a no one." Sophia said with a slight knowing smile on her face "I do know quite a few patrons that would be urging to get you working for them."
-Glen- adamant in his response "I almost never interacted with people and I've never work for someone. I don't really know what to expect but I want to learn more about magic."
Sophia got close and whispered "Hey, I don't really mind who you are but since you are a young and talented mage you had to be trained by someone…"
Cutting her of he said "I know I got it, you might think I'm from some organization or whatever."
Looking straight in her eyes he said "But it doesn't matter. I also know that there's no way you're just a merchant or whatever you claim to be."
Finishing of he concluded "The horses are high good materials; I saw that caravan and it does seem to be really expensive even though it looks humble on the outside. And that map that you had, the amount of detail is incomparable to anything I've seem for a normal map."
Internally -Glen- thought 'Although there are lies mixed in between I saw that there's a glaring difference in the map that she presented and the map that was found in the bandits belongings, hers had more details and notes.'
As if to save them from this conversations Neda come over and says "Dinner is ready…"
As if he forgot what they were talking about -Glen- said "Finally, I have been starving." With a big smile on his face he complemented "The smell has been killing me. Neda, you really are a great cook."
"Sir Glen, I do hope you like." Neda said, as she passes over a piece of skewered meat over to him.
'I saw how she cook everything; she used plants and fruits that I've seen before. At least, if there are no problems, I do know things to be add in my diet.'
"Thanks Neda." He said as he looks back to Sophia and passes over the skewered meat to her and says "Please, Ladies first."
Sophia saw the lack of trust in those eyes then she proceeds to take the skewered meat and took a bite out of it.
"Happy?" She asked.
He nodded back and went to Neda get another portion for himself.
Even Neda understood the lack of trust from this man, quietly she just gives him another portion.
Since both women were looking at him. He takes a bite out of the meat and says "It's really good. How did you season it?"
"The secret is in grinded moon flower petals. Although their stem is slightly poisonous, their petals are great for seasoning. One grinded petal and sprinkled on meat coated in acidic juice."
As if enlightened -Glen- said "So you use it like salt?" although he though 'Before I didn't have a reason to start talking without making her nervous. But maybe I can have her teach me the names of the fruits and ingredients that she used.'
Slightly taken back by his answered Neda says "Not really, you still need salt. The petal only enhanced the flavour."
-Glen- not letting this chance goes away keeps asking and point things out showing that he would like to learn more about how she cooks.
Meanwhile, not interrupt their conversation, Sophia had her dinner, while thoughts go through her mind.
'Who is this man… I don't have option besides trust him. I don't think me and Neda can go back by ourselves.'
The image of Rozalla talking goes through her mind. 'How did they know I was here? My status isn't high and my family has pretty niche influences.'
'I can only hope he will takes us to the state city of Demien.' She said while looking a -Glen-.
The winds of the night blows through the camp, the silhouette of those 3 by the fire is the only life present in the camp.