I Thought I Didn’t Have Long To Live!

"Everyone, gather around!"

Bluff shouted loudly, seemingly unfazed by the situation where a monster appeared. When the non-combat personnel, including Lariette and Doha, gathered, he quickly unleashed his magic. A shield the size of only five or six people formed with a radiant glow. Unlike when he was confident, Augustine was startled and took cover behind the shield. As a priest, it was natural for him to seek protection in a safe place, but Lariette found it uncomfortable that he remained there.

"Gregory, Daniel!"

"Yes!"

The mercenaries, in turn, felled the monsters, responding to Garren's voice with moderation. As if it was nothing out of the ordinary, their movements were quite skilled. The monsters were strangely large, with mouths big enough to swallow a whole person, but unlike their repugnant appearance, they didn't seem to be strong enough. It appeared that way, but probably due to their lower body, they fell after being struck by the mercenaries' swords. Once they fell, they were instantly cut down and died. Bluff also aided in killing monsters by effectively using magic. He couldn't use powerful magic that could kill monsters in one strike, but he assisted the mercenaries sensibly, either tripping the monsters or restraining them with small-scale magic.

"This is how you can use it."

Lariette quickly forgot her fears and observed Bluff's magic with interest, admiring how he used magic in the right places. She was curious about how sturdy the shield was, but because the fighters were dealing with the monsters so well, there was no opportunity to find out. This was because the monsters couldn't approach the shield in the first place. Thanks to that, she could watch the battle quite calmly.

Tong, tong<.

Lariette lightly tapped the shield with her fist. Judging by its thickness and solidity, it seemed strong enough to withstand the monster's attack. When Augustine saw that from behind, he shouted:

"Are you crazy?!" Lariette continued her assessment when she heard his cries, letting them enter one ear and exit the other.

"Garren is also a skilled fighter."

He had claimed to be one of Fusian's top Class B mercenaries, and it seemed like no exaggeration. Not only did he cut down his prey, but he also observed the battle and gave appropriate orders to his subordinates. Of course, in Lariette's eyes, he appeared moderately decent, but not as cool as he seemed. It was because the people around her were exceptionally good. Asrahan, the imperial sword, or the Knights of the Night, a small elite cavalry. They were individuals with such outstanding skills that it was even rude to compare them to Garren. She rarely saw them fight, but their aura was different. That's why Lariette watched Garren's abilities with disinterest compared to Bluff's.

"This is the last one!"

Garren took a deep breath and severed the last monster's neck with a large sword. Blood splattered his face, but he didn't mind at all. The battle ended too quickly, as expected when caught off guard by the appearance of the monsters. After confirming that all the monsters were dead, Bluff let out a sigh of relief and dispelled the protective magic.

"Bluff, that was amazing!"

"Haha... what are you talking about?" Lariette approached and showered him with praise.

As fellow mages, the respect increased. Bluff scratched the back of his neck and smiled shyly, perhaps not expecting to be praised. And Doha looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Just with that amount of magic."

"Huh," Doha huffed, seeming immature, but he was annoyed to hear the compliments and see Lariette's smile.

"Priest, healing," Gregory, one of the mercenaries, approached Augustine and requested.

Blood was coming from his arm, which had been injured during the battle. It wasn't a very deep wound, but it needed to be healed in advance as it could interfere with future battles. Augustine grumbled, saying it was a waste to use his divine power for such injuries, but he quickly started healing after facing Garren's fierce gaze. He didn't forget to help, saying it was an honor.

---------------

The night in the open air arrived even faster. When the sun set, twilight quickly grew damp, and shortly after, the surroundings darkened to the point where it was difficult to see.

Judging that they could no longer walk, Garren ordered them to prepare to lie down on the mountainside. The mercenaries naturally set up tents, and the mage distributed the food. The dried food wasn't very good, but the market was a side dish.

It had been a while since Lariette ran out of energy, but she chewed on the jerky so forcefully that she licked the dust off. Doha, on the other hand, looked pitiful and didn't bother to refuse. When they finished eating, Lariette sat there without comprehension, lost in her thoughts. What started as an appreciation for traveling, as usual, turned into nostalgia and guilt over Asrahan.

"I hope you received the letter, what did you think after reading it...?"

She tried not to think about Asrahan as much as possible during the journey, but it was impossible. Whenever she ate something and saw something beautiful, he came to mind. She missed him, but she was afraid of the reprimand she would receive from him. She deeply regretted the misdiagnosis of the time limit, but she wouldn't have met Asrahan if it weren't for that.

Her feelings were complicated by a persistent mix of life and affection for Asrahan. She had sent him a letter explaining the situation and that she would visit him immediately after the journey, so if he paid attention, nothing would change. Even knowing that, Lariette didn't know how to free herself from her thoughts. And as usual, Doha interrupted them at the opportune moment.

"Rie, I'm going to bed now."

"Oh, yes, I should too."

Curiously, Doha spoke to her when she was thinking about Asrahan. It was good to break out of the melancholy, but it was surprising how he read the atmosphere like a spirit. Indeed, it was very easy for Doha. After having looked at Lariette's face countless times, he could now clearly discern what she was thinking just by observing her expression. And he couldn't bear to see her thinking about him.

"Darling, will we sleep holding hands tonight?" Doha asked, narrowing his eyes.

It was a full use of their imaginary identities. Lariette frowned and glared at him.

"You didn't listen to me when I told you to do it in moderation!"

She wondered if Doha had anything else to do besides playing with strange words.

"Sorry, but you're going to have to stay up late."

Just before Lariette threatened to make Doha stop playing with strange words, Garren's unexpected interruption prevented her from speaking. More precisely, it wasn't a suggestion but an obligation.

"Me?"

"Yes."

"And what if I can't?"

"No way, you have to," Doha asked repeatedly, incredulous.

It was so absurd that his mouth opened stupidly. Originally, the priest, a high-ranking man, had no reason to establish such an unscrupulous job, and he, a high-ranking official, had never done such an unpleasant job. Even if he stole on the street before entering the temple, it had been more than 10 years.

"Aren't there other people besides me? Young travelers and merchants!"

"No matter who I see, you look the best."

Garren's logical point made Lariette look around. As he said, all the non-combatants had been forced to comply with difficult schedules. Compared to them, Doha was fine, like a rested person. His face still shone, and there was no sign of fatigue in his steps. Besides, Garren had already identified Doha's immense strength and energy. In other words, there was no way out.

"Then follow me."

"...Miss, you can't cry, even if it surprises me."

"Yes, Doha, don't cry," Lariette replied with a laugh.

That was because Doha being carried by Garren looked like a cow being led to the slaughterhouse. She worried that Doha would collapse from exhaustion, but the concerns were brief. Because he was weak, but not in body, just by looking at his broad shoulders and strong muscles.

"If you're tired, you can heal tomorrow."

Lariette thought coldly and threw herself into the tent. Due to excessive exertion, her body felt as heavy as wet cotton. Fatigue rushed over her and struck her, leaving her powerless to confront it.

"May tomorrow be as good a day as today."

Lariette longed for one last time before losing consciousness, unaware of how insignificant it was.

--------------------

The next day, the journey was as peaceful as the previous day. Thanks to Doha's secret healing, her body felt as light as flying, and the wind was so refreshing that it felt like taking a stroll. She thought that, for some reason, the monsters they encountered yesterday were not visible. Apparently, there were fewer battles than they had thought, so they said they could reach Deauville tonight or tomorrow morning.

Lariette walked faster, eager for a plentiful meal. Until the early afternoon, the atmosphere was indescribable. It was fun to hear about Bluff's magic and the conversations among the mercenaries. However, as the sun was slowly setting, there was a small disturbance when they encountered a forked path ahead of them. Augustine had started throwing a tantrum.

"Even though going to the left is faster and more convenient, don't you believe me?"

"How many times do I have to say it? The left side can be dangerous because there's a steep mountain there. It's rumored that there are high-level monsters there."

"I came this way when I arrived in Fusian, and nothing happened! What a waste of muscle when a big guy gets scared!"

Finally, Garren stopped trying to convince Augustine and shook his head.

"That's why it's scary when an ignorant person is convinced."

Augustine saw it and continued, raising his chin high, thinking he had won.

"I am Augustine Chemusick, a recognized and high-ranking official of Deauville. There will be no danger, so trust me," he spoke with a voice inspired by his arrogance.

Doha slipped between the arrogant figure and looked at his divine power. It was far from enough to be a high priest.

"He must have a connection."

The temple was a rotten place, so it wasn't impossible. However, he promised that if he became a high-ranking priest and set foot before him, he would dismiss him.

"Alright, let's go left."

"Captain, really...?"

"The priest says to believe," Garren laughed and walked down the left path.

"If there's a dangerous situation, throw it away and run, that's it."

First of all, draft a contract for such a situation. The moment Doha took a step on the path, he felt that something would happen, but he didn't dare say it out loud. That's because his intuition was enough to solve the problem within his limits. He simply pulled Lariette closer to him. And about half an hour after they headed left, it happened.

Swoosh...<

Sinister winds blew around the enormous mountain, and alongside them, an intense gust of wind struck the newcomers.

"Ugh, argh..." the merchant, who saw something over the mountain, unknowingly fell to the ground and screamed.

In an instant, everyone's eyes were on him. And there, there were things in the sky that looked much fiercer than the monsters they saw yesterday. It was Wyvern, a sky predator.

"Oh my..." Garren clenched his teeth tightly and rushed to fight.

It was because it was a notorious Grade B monster, and dealing with them was not possible unless one was a skilled individual. Moreover, the biggest problem was the fact that they were a bunch of monsters. As evidence, three Wyverns were flying through the sky.

"It's a little small, so it's a growing baby."

"Kaeae, aeum!" the Wyverns rushed towards the group with loud cries.

The non-combatants hid under Bluff's shield like the day before. Bluff and the mercenaries continued to fight fiercely. Even if it was a baby Wyvern, it was difficult to deal with because it was much stronger than most monsters. Lariette watched the fight nervously. If she made a small mistake, she felt that she would be seriously injured. Dodging the attacks was so impressive that her body shrank.

"Kill it, kill it! Kill it quickly!" and Augustine, who asked them to believe in him, didn't help at all.

He simply hid between Lariette and the merchant and trembled to death. Garren cursed himself thirty minutes ago for making a foolish decision in an unnecessary fight, biting his lower lip. The situation was not looking good. The mercenaries were getting tired, and Bluff also slowed down. To make matters worse, Gregory, who injured his arm yesterday, made a mistake regarding whether the healing was not perfect.

"Ugh!" Gregory lost his sword and fell to the ground.

Then a Wyvern flew towards him, slashing its claws.

"Bluff!"

"It's still not possible!" Garren urgently ordered the use of magic, but Bluff responded, distorting his face.

He was using multiple spells at once, so he couldn't implement another spell at that moment.

"Priest, hurry and create a barrier!"

Lariette grabbed Augustine by the collar and shook him, remembering the shield that Doha had used earlier to save himself. Augustine had a higher rank than Doha, so he could create a better barrier.

But Augustine groaned, "What are you talking about?"

"It sounds like a protective barrier!"

"Do you think the divine barrier can be used by anyone?! Only a high priest or a high-ranking official!"

"What?" Lariette asked him, but she didn't get an answer.

It was because a Wyvern was just around the corner from Gregory. Everyone predicted his death, including himself, and he closed his eyes as if he had given up. And Lariette couldn't tolerate it, she approached without hesitation. Doha couldn't prevent a large explosion of mana from bursting out.

"Like this!"

Lariette couldn't use magic to create a protective shield. If she could, it would have been better for her to do it herself. In an instant, a huge tree trunk sprouted from the ground around Gregory and quickly enveloped him. Thanks to that, the Wyvern's claws dug into the sturdy stem, and the next spell was unleashed one after another. A sharp gust of wind immediately severed the Wyvern's throat. It was a much more sophisticated and powerful magic than before, perhaps thanks to Bluff's hard work.

"Uh, how...?"

"Magician?"

The group opened their mouths and stared at the woman they thought was nothing more than a merchant.

Bluff was ridiculously powerful, he must have been among the top in the capital, and he was the only one who didn't look at her, so he immediately turned, furrowed his brow, and looked beyond the sky. He felt a powerful energy in a distant place.

"It's not over yet!" Garren's voice calmed the attention given to Lariette. He continued with a determined look, "The big one is approaching!"

Doha smiled cruelly and shook his head.

"Yes, the big one is on its way."

However, the 'powerful energy' he felt was not just from the monster.

"Duke Candel has approached."

He was referring to a type larger than he wanted to admit.