After about eight hours of horseback riding, they arrived at the next oasis village, only to find it completely deserted.
It was the smallest of all the villages they had visited so far. After completing their search, they gathered together.
"It's not here either."
"Where could it have gone?"
With the majority of their forces redirected to Deseer, one would expect this small group to be the target of an attack.
Understanding the intentions of monsters was always tricky, but something felt off.
However, they had no solid leads to act on. The six who had escorted the previous village's residents hadn't arrived yet but had sent word there were no issues.
"I wish something would happen at the next location. This is getting frustrating."
"It's irritating to keep coming up empty-handed."
Everyone shared the desire to quickly conclude this mission and return to the capital. The commander maintained his composure.
"Don't be hasty."
"Understood."
Traveling at night was off-limits, so they decided to spend the night in this village.
Among them, Luke Yeager was the lowest in rank and thus responsible for preparing the meal.
Surprisingly, cooking was a basic skill for a Palma Knight. They often joined expeditions without servants.
Luke had asked Helmut to help, only to receive a response that if he wanted to poison the commander, he was free to try.
"What are you even good for? What kind of noble are you?"
He muttered this to himself as he cooled off by the water's edge.
Helmut scanned the area carefully, ensuring they were alone before speaking up.
"Be cautious of the Palma commander."
Luke's reaction was one of disbelief.
"Why should I be wary of the commander?"
He paused before connecting the dots.
"So, the one the prince warned me about is the commander?"
"It's certain. There might be others, but he's definitely involved."
"Why would he bother ambushing me? He could take me down in a fair fight."
Luke's expression was one of utter confusion. His grasp of the situation was commendable.
"And why would someone of his stature target me? I'm nobody."
The fact that Luke didn't outright dismiss the possibility showed the seeds of doubt Helmut had planted were taking root.
Helmut stated firmly,
"Because you're the great-grandson of Darien Difert."
"The commander served my great-grandfather."
"Lutus Ciceros is linked to the disappearance of the Sword Saint."
Luke's eyes widened in shock.
"Are you sure? How do you know?"
"It's as certain as your lineage."
Helmut frowned slightly, debating whether to reveal his own connection to Darien. Would it cause unnecessary commotion?
Luke's eyes filled with suspicion.
"Are you conspiring with the prince?"
The likelihood of Helmut, a foreigner, having ties with the second prince was slim. Luke knew this.
Normally, Helmut would dismiss such doubts with indifference. But this time was different.
"The prince isn't sure himself. He wouldn't want it known he suspects the commander. That's why he didn't specify him. But I'm different."
"How so?"
"That's..."
Just as Helmut was about to explain, they sensed someone approaching. Helmut quickly silenced himself.
It was Jefferd, a knight closely associated with the commander.
"What are you doing here? This is no time for chit-chat."
Their conversation naturally came to an end.
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Despite the demanding schedule and the monotony of peaceful travel, they were set to meet with the replacement Palma knights the next day.
The incident occurred on the way to the last village.
From a distance, the final village appeared to be the largest they had visited since leaving Deseer. Yet, it was eerily quiet.
Commander Ciceros pulled out his compass. The erratic movement of the needle was unusual, indicating several creatures of moderate strength nearby.
Luke Yeager and another knight took the lead as scouts.
"We'll check out the village and return."
The commander stayed put.
'Within sight range.'
Helmut started to follow but then stopped, not wanting to appear overly attached and raise suspicion. He waited calmly.
However, soon an unexpected event occurred. From the village's direction, a loud explosion echoed. Boom!
The horses reared in panic as a cloud of dust rose from the village rooftops, casting dark shadows over them.
"Monsters!"
"To the village, everyone!"
The commander, who issued the command, was the first to gallop forward. His warhorse was calm and swift, charging ahead alone.
Helmut spurred White to follow, but the gap widened.
White, not native to the desert, had yet to fully adapt.
Then, an odd sensation struck.
'Below.'
Helmut pulled on the reins. White skidded to a halt in the sand.
Thump! A creature emerged from the sand, its red eyes flashing. A giant snake, not one that sucked in sand but nonetheless formidable.
The snake had sprung out to target him immediately after the commander passed, indicating it had been lying in wait.
Though not as powerful as the red scorpion, the snake radiated a considerable amount of magic.
"Deal with it, then head to the village!"
The knights drew their swords. For Helmut, this creature was no challenge. He needed to bypass it and follow the commander.
But then, a whispering sound came from somewhere on the snake's body, accompanied by a peculiar scent.
White staggered. The scent emitted by the creature was disorienting. The knights quickly covered their noses and mouths.
Helmut was immune to poison, but his horse was another matter. He couldn't just leave White behind; he had personally named the horse.
Reluctantly, he drew his sword, abandoning his plan to leap over the creature.
'I'll dispatch it and catch up.'
A sharp light flashed in Helmut's eyes.
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Luke Yeager had been feeling uneasy ever since encountering the mysterious Helmut. It was an unease he couldn't shake off, despite the implausible story he'd been told.
Yet, there was something oddly familiar about him. Helmut wasn't the type to spout nonsense.
But what he had said was too hard to believe at face value.
"Check if anyone's around here. I'll head this way."
"Alright."
The knight accompanying him moved first. Luke, with a short response, went in the opposite direction. The village, seemingly deserted by its inhabitants, was quiet.
His mind was cluttered. But his current mission demanded focus.
'Most likely, they've fled to Deseer.'
Still, like in the first village, there might be some who had stayed behind. Luke meticulously searched the village.
Around a corner, a sudden scream pierced the air.
"Aah!"
A faint trace of magic followed the scream. Luke drew his sword and ran.
Thud, thud! A man-sized giant lizard pounding on a closed wooden door was visible.
The lizard turned and hissed threateningly as Luke appeared. Ssss!
"It's just a low-grade monster."
Frowning, Luke swiftly struck with his sword.
Thump! The lizard's head was cleanly severed, and it collapsed. Sounds from inside hinted at someone's presence.
"Is anyone there? The monster's been dealt with."
The door slowly opened. A frightened young girl peeked out, perhaps eight years old.
Luke's expression softened, and he reached out his hand.
"I'm Luke Yeager of the Palma Knights. Why didn't you evacuate to Deseer?"
"My, my grandmother can't walk well."
Another presence inside. An old woman, leaning on a cane, hobbled out, clearly in poor health.
"Where are the parents?"
"Gone to, to work... haven't returned yet."
The child had been left with grandparents while the parents were away working.
"Is there anyone else?"
"Just us in this village."
The girl answered promptly. If it was just the two of them, escorting them to Deseer would be manageable.
"Alright, then gather only the essentials and..."
Suddenly, the ground vibrated. Boom! An explosion rocked the village, like an earthquake. The girl screamed.
"Aaaah!"
A more terrifying scream followed. Luke scowled.
Something was rushing from below, fast as a flying bird. Boom! An impact wave hit.
The house crumbled like a sandcastle. The old woman, standing inside, opened her mouth in shock.
She was buried under the collapsing structure in an instant. Crunch!
Luke pulled the girl back and dodged. A giant black leg smashed through the house, emerging from the ruins.
What had turned the house into rubble was a massive spider.
'Damn it.'
Luke clenched his teeth. He hadn't saved the grandmother. Would cutting down the falling building have been better?
No, getting crushed by the large creature would have been the real problem. Saving at least one was the right call.
The girl, having lost her grandmother right before her eyes, wailed.
"Waaaah!"
The giant spider, with its emotionless eight eyes, stared at the girl. A faint venomous aura wafted from the creature.
From afar, the sound of battle suggested another monster had appeared, but the knight who had come with him showed no signs of returning.
Luke assessed the situation.
'I need to put the girl down.'
A swordsman using Vis had strong immunity. He could withstand the venom, but the child couldn't.
He could handle it alone, but then the girl would be in danger.
'I'll have to move. To where the horses are!'
Luke sprinted away, the spider following closely behind. Crunch, crunch!
The spider's movement caused the ground to cave and buildings to collapse. The sight of the giant spider chasing him with its eight legs thudding was terrifying.
'I can't shake it off. It's too fast.'
Luke turned to face it. The girl, seeing the spider, screamed and covered her head. The venom killed the grass nearby. Hiss.
'Too dangerous for the child.'
He had no choice. Luke's sword glowed with Vis.
But then, a strong Vis from behind the spider sliced through.
Whoosh! A flash split the spider's head. Before it could react, two more strikes shattered its skull.
The monster's tough shell was like paper against the powerful Vis. Thud! The spider collapsed to the side.
A man leaped over the creature's body and approached.
"Luke Yeager, are you alright?"
"Commander."
Luke checked the girl's pulse as she fainted from shock. She seemed to have lost consciousness from fear.
"Other knights?"
"They'll be here soon. They're dealing with another creature. But look..."
The commander showed his compass, pointing in one direction amidst the chaos.
With monsters appearing and the compass pointing so precisely, it meant the strongest presence was nearby.
The red scorpion must be close. They had to pursue it before it escaped.
"Follow me. We don't have time."
"Understood!"
Without question, Luke left the child in one of the few intact houses and followed the commander.