My Demons

Amidst the clutter, Ellen appeared to be meditating, contemplating the spells she had recently cast.

As I prepared to sit down next to her, I noticed a group of people approaching and instinctively straightened my back.

“Grania.”

“Phoenix.”

I greeted Grania with a slight smile, and she wearily clasped my outstretched hand. Standing behind her was a plump woman in her early twenties—Arnal, the archer.

Grania looked me over with a mildly surprised expression. “I thought you were pretty badly hurt, but you seem fine?”

“Ah, just a scratch,” I replied, tapping lightly on the bandage covering my shoulder.

In truth, the wound from the Poison’s thorn had been quite severe. However, my robust body and the enchanted blood aided in its rapid healing. Thanks to Oleg’s special ointment and bandages, the pain was bearable as long as I refrained from vigorous movement.

Speaking of which, during the earlier battle…

“Where’s Anton? Wasn’t he with you too?”

“He’s receiving treatment and resting.”

Ah, right.

I recalled seeing Anton fighting against the rogue assailants during the battle, appearing to be injured.

Having shared a brief drink with Grania’s gang, I had gained a rough understanding of Anton’s character—a seasoned veteran who had been with Grania since she started her mercenary work in her hometown. He surprisingly possessed a gentle personality for a mercenary.

“Was his injury serious?”

“Quite. He was deeply stabbed in the arm.” Grania’s expression darkened as she finished speaking, and Arnal, tying up her short hair at the back, added with a sulky voice, “His condition is really bad. If he’s unlucky, he might be left crippled.”

Finding no comforting words to say, I remained silent. Arnal snorted sarcastically from behind.

“That’s it?”

“…Huh?”

“If you had any tact, you’d at least pretend to be sorry, right?”

What’s gotten into her? Why is she suddenly upset?

Before I could respond, a sharp voice cut in from behind.

“Pretend to be sorry?”

I turned my head to find Ellen, who had finished her meditation, standing beside me with her arms crossed.

“Why should Phoenix take the blame for being attacked by mere thugs due to his lack of skill?”

That’s right, well said. Go girl, you aren’t someone to be pushed around.

Arnal’s face twisted at Ellen’s words, and she mockingly asked, “Why? Do you want me to explain?”

“Arnal, stop.”

Ignoring Grania’s sigh mixed with reproach, Arnal shot glances at Ellen and me.

“We came here to meet Phoenix. And we didn’t run away when those thugs attacked because we knew that Phoenix had a halfwit comrade with a filthy attitude hiding on the second floor. How about now? Do you feel a little sorry?”

“Hah, how dare you call someone a halfwit.”

“You’re just a little girl who can only whine, that’s what you are.”

“Arnal, stop!”

Grania raised her voice a bit late, but it almost seemed deliberate, as if she was trying to convey something through Arnal’s words.

Well then, I don’t need to stop Ellen’s actions either.

“In flamma_”

Ellen, smirking, conjured a flame on her palm along with a short incantation.

Grania and Arnal’s faces instantly turned to shock. The nearby guards began to whisper to each other, equally surprised.

“How dare a lowly mercenary bitch call me a halfwit?”

As the flame grew larger, elongating like an arrow, so did Ellen’s cold smile intensify.

Grania and Arnal stood awkwardly, unable to hide their surprise.

They were caught between glancing at me, holding a falchion in a threatening posture, and the flaming arrow flickering with heat.

“… Uh, Miss Ellen, please calm down for a moment.”

“Calm down? That bitch insulted not only me but also my Master and the entire Palace of La-Palais. And you’re telling me to calm down?”

I sighed softly, observing Grania and Arnal stepping back with nervous expressions.

It was time for me to step forward.

“That’s enough, Ellen. I’m sure she didn’t mean what she said. It’s understandable since a comrade was seriously hurt.” 

Arnal said, meeting my eyes and releasing her quiver, “Yeah, you’re right. I misspoke.”

“I’ll let it go this time. But there won’t be a second time, so you better watch your mouth.”

The flame arrow lost its form, scattered in the wind, and Ellen crossed her arms, closing her mouth.

…Is it just me, or does it seem like her shoulders are raised to the sky? Must be my imagination.

With the situation settled, a question arose in my mind, and I turned to Grania.

“So, did you come here looking for me?”

“Yes. We have a message to deliver.”

“A message?”

Grania hesitated for a moment, then looked around. Ellen’s spell had drawn the attention of passersby and guards, so Grania led us to the back of the inn.

Once we reached the spot where we had fought Poison and his subordinates just moments ago, Grania spoke again.

“You heard that we got hired by the lord, right?”

“Yes. You’ve been staying in the barracks lately, right? Are they treating you well there?”

Grania smirked in response to my casual question.

“Well, army food is the same everywhere. But it’s better than what we get here.”

“That makes sense. If it were all gruel, the soldiers would run away in no time.”

Ellen narrowed her eyes slightly, seemingly unimpressed with our light conversation to ease the tension.

“Enough with the banter. Why did you mention the lord all of a sudden?”

“Because the reason we came here is related to a message from the lord.”

“A message from the lord?”

Before Grania could continue, a coarse voice interrupted.

“I’ll explain that.”

Oh, not again.

The one who emerged with the voice was none other than the captain of the guards.

With two escort soldiers, the captain of the guards appeared, exuding a bulldog-like impression with his round brown beard and chubby cheeks.

“It would be more efficient for me, the lord’s messenger, rather than a mere mercenary, to deliver the message directly.”

Ignoring the twisted expression on Grania’s face, the captain of the guards, hand on his hip, continued sternly.

“I cannot stand idly by while the lord is insulted, even if it’s in a back alley.”

The captain of the guards wore a checkered banner embroidered over his chainmail and a thick cloak. A long sword hung from his broad shoulders and waist, exactly as I had seen in the game.

Is his physique in reality as sturdy as it appears in the game?

He’s the captain of the guards, so he must hold considerable status. Perhaps even a noble? I’m not entirely sure, but as the lord’s messenger, he must wield considerable power.

Lost in thought for a moment, I closed my mouth, and the captain of the guards raised his eyebrows, posing a question.

“Are you Phoenix?”

“…Yes, I am.”

“I see. Prepare to receive the message of Lord Osred of Everfree, the Count of Seiben, ruler of the Narrow Sea, and master of South Harbor and Salt Castle.”

“A message?”

I turned back to Grania with a slightly trembling expression, and she quickly added.

“More precisely, it’s a request. The lord has a special request for you.”

“What kind of request?”

The captain of the guard responded, “The city’s situation is urgent, so it’s a request that can’t be refused. Consider it an order and execute it diligently.”

Grania added, “You just have to deliver a message outside the fortress. It’ll be a dangerous task, but it’s for the sake of saving the city. We need your help.”

This time, the captain of the guards continued.

“The lord has entrusted me with the blueprint of the ancient sewer system, which has been passed down through generations. If the rumors about you are true, you should be capable of handling this task.”

Once again, Grania spoke up.

“You must use the secret passage marked on the blueprint to escape from the enemy’s siege and deliver the lord’s message to the reinforcements stationed nearby.”

Why can’t one person just talk? They’re making things confusing by taking turns.

“Wait, please wait a moment.”

I restrained the captain of the guard, who was about to speak again, and turned to Grania.

“Why is all this happening all of a sudden? Why did the lord make such a request to me?”

“That’s because…”

“The lord saw your monster skin and made a judgment. If you can hunt down such a monster alone, he believes you are the right person for this task.”

Monster skin? Monster?

Ah, they must be referring to the crocodile skin I had when I came out of the sewer.

Now that I think about it, the man who bought the skin introduced himself as the steward. It seems the information reached the lord.

“The lord has hundreds of soldiers, so why does he specifically need me…”

In response to my question, the captain of the guard looked troubled.

“We have to watch over the sea beyond the horizon, the plains beyond the walls, and inside the city, all at the same time.”

“The situation is such that we may need to mobilize mercenaries for fortress defense. The enemy’s attacks are becoming more frequent, so a conscription order may be issued soon.”

Conscription order?

South Harbor is a bustling port city where trade and commerce thrive. While the lord’s power is significant, he can’t simply impose restrictions on the merchants arriving from outside.

Issuing a conscription order targeting outsiders is quite burdensome. If a conscription order, including a draft, is issued…

“It would be a total disaster.”

“I agree.”

I nodded silently in agreement with Ellen’s murmur and inquired further.

“So, you want Ellen and me to handle this task alone because you lack manpower?”

“Of course not. You can go with the mercenaries here.”

“…Grania?” I looked puzzled, and Grania, with a wry smile, nodded.

“Originally, Arnal, Anton, and I were supposed to go together, but it seems that Anton is facing some difficulties.”

“…Why just you guys? What about the others?”

“Gillius and Parel have temporarily joined the bodyguard. Sister Olga is at the church due to the bishop’s summons. We can’t meet her now.”

“I understand Sister Olga’s situation, but the bodyguards? Was it easy for them to join?”

In response to my question, the captain of the guards lowered his head and replied.

“Not at all. It was the lord’s decision. By assigning you a dangerous mission, he is also demonstrating his intention to elevate your status.”

The captain of the guard spoke somewhat shamelessly, but his discomfort was evident on his face, suggesting he wasn’t very skilled at lying.

Noticing this, I quickly glanced at Grania, who seemed rather upset.

“Hmm.”

I have a feeling I know what’s going on.

Parel is a skilled mercenary wielding a spear, and he’s Grania’s younger brother. Although he’s capable, he’s not outstanding enough to be chosen as a bodyguard, even if he’s a wandering mercenary.

Having Parel join the bodyguard was probably a precautionary measure to prevent Grania from betraying them. It was a way to ensure she wouldn’t abandon the mission and run away.

As for Gillius… was he also included because it would be too obvious if only Parel was chosen?

Or did Gillius volunteer to stay because he didn’t want to face me?

Regardless, the situation involving two men being held hostage meant that we couldn’t simply escape if necessary.

With that in mind, I nodded with a serious expression.

“Yes, I understand. So, to sum it up, we are to team up with the mercenaries, find the secret passage in the sewer, exit the city, and deliver the lord’s message to the reinforcements. Is that correct?”

“Exactly.”

Recalling my memories of playing Dark World, delivering a message to the reinforcements through a secret passage was one of the main scenarios in Chapter 2.

This means there was a similar quest in the game.

However, the order seems a bit off.

In the game, after finding a series of clues in the sewer and delivering them to the guard, you receive the mission to deliver the lord’s message.

Cutting out the beginning of the scenario like this and proceeding… is the order mixed up?

Did the battle on the shore or hunting the crocodile affect this?

Or is it because it has already been two weeks since we arrived in South Harbor?

…Hmm, it’s challenging to make an accurate judgment in the current situation. The discrepancy between reality and the game was still a difficult issue.

After a moment of contemplation, I sighed and bowed my head.