Chapter 364: First Encounter with the "Sword Saint"
Just as Roy had once cut through the Qin army like an unstoppable force in the Moonlit World, the thousand-strong band of Vollachian Empire soldiers stood no chance against the "Sword Saint."
These imperial soldiers had come to plunder civilians and merchants, and none among them were true elites. Not a single one of the empire's legendary "Nine Divine Generals" was present. Against Reid Astrea, they were utterly defenseless and swiftly crushed.
Reid didn't even need to employ any advanced sword techniques or his unique Divine Protection. With just a single longsword, he charged into the enemy ranks, leaving hundreds of corpses in his wake within moments. The imperial soldiers were utterly shattered in spirit.
"Retreat! Retreat now!!"
The commanding officer, realizing they had bitten off more than they could chew, made the decisive call. He immediately abandoned the dead and fled with the survivors on their land dragons. After all, none of the fallen bore any insignia of the Vollachian Empire—even if Lugunica wanted to hold the empire accountable, they had no proof.
The officer was also quite frustrated. In reality, this thousand-strong raiding party didn't just plunder indiscriminately. Whenever the Lugunica side dispatched large caravans, they would first investigate whether the caravan was bait, whether the Royal Knights were following in force, or if any powerful individuals were accompanying it. Only after confirming it was safe would they proceed with the raid.
This time, the Lugunica side hadn't sent any strong individuals to escort the caravan, yet the Empire had the misfortune of running into a civilian Sword Saint, resulting in a crushing defeat.
"Oh!!!!"
"Thank goodness, we survived!!"
"Wuuuuuu————"
"..."
Seeing the 'bandits' flee, the besieged members of the caravan erupted in cheers, some even breaking down in tears from the overwhelming emotions.
"This world is truly dangerous."
From their reactions, Roy could tell such incidents were commonplace here. Simply venturing outside meant facing all sorts of risks—bandits and magical beasts were everywhere. It was an extremely perilous world for ordinary people, and merchants were essentially risking their lives to earn a living.
"At first, I wasn't used to it either. I nearly died several times. It wasn't until I learned magic that I dared to travel so boldly."
Flugel sighed.
Shaula, who was usually boisterous, had also fallen silent. Roy had learned from their earlier conversations that she had once nearly been killed. If Flugel hadn't happened to pass by and saved her, she would have died long ago. It was that very act of heroism that made her develop feelings for her teacher.
Satella remained quiet as well. Having lived in the slums at the lowest rung of society, she had seen far too many people starve, freeze to death, or be beaten to death by thugs and nobles. She knew all too well the cruelty of this world.
The 'Sword Saint' who had rescued the caravan was surrounded by cheers like a hero. Judging by the excited emotions of the crowd, Roy guessed the caravan members now felt reassured, believing their journey would be much safer with such a powerful figure among them.
"Let's eat. We'll need to continue our journey soon."
Roy turned his gaze away from Reid and spoke.
Unconsciously, he had become the leader of this small group of four. Neither Flugel nor Shaula objected—in fact, they found it perfectly natural. As for Satella's opinion, it could be entirely disregarded.
The food Roy had bought earlier consisted mainly of preserved and pre-cooked items. Though not as good as freshly prepared meals, for a long journey like this, such fare was more than satisfying.
At his core, Roy wasn't particularly particular about living conditions. Flugel and Shaula, having traveled extensively, were no strangers to hardship. Satella, meanwhile, considered preserved meats an absolute delicacy. Thus, the four of them ate with relish.
Of course, Roy only took a few bites before stopping. His body didn't require food for sustenance—eating was merely a habit.
After the commotion, the entire caravan paused to eat and rest briefly before resuming their journey. Since the encounter with the Empire's soldiers disguised as bandits, the road ahead had been smooth, with no further dangers in sight.
When they reached the border between Lugunica and the Vollachian Empire, Roy and his group parted ways with the main caravan. They were heading toward the uninhabited zone where four nations converged, while the merchant convoy was bound for the city-state of Kararagi.
The convoy members didn't comment on Roy's departure, but upon realizing the 'Sword Saint' would also be leaving, they voiced their reluctance to let him go. Without the Sword Saint's protection, their caravan would lose its security—a selfish but understandable concern.
However, Reid Astrea's mind was made up, leaving the convoy no choice but to bid him farewell with regret.
...
A luxurious dragon-drawn carriage raced across the deserted plains, followed closely by a more worn-out one. Gone was the thunderous momentum of dozens of carriages charging together, and the surroundings fell into quietude.
Roy pulled aside the carriage curtain to glance at the sky. Evening had arrived, the setting sun slowly descending in the west, casting a pale orange glow over the emerald grasslands.
Satella and Shaula pressed against the window, marveling at the sunset's beauty, occasionally letting out girlish exclamations of awe.
"We're approaching the forest ahead. We'll stop at its edge and camp here for the night," Roy said, his sharp eyes spotting the distant treeline along the horizon. "...Also, I think it's time we meet the 'Sword Saint' who's been tailing us."
Flugel, handling the reins, nodded solemnly at Roy's words. With his extensive travel experience, he knew well the dangers lurking in forests at night—better to rest at the outskirts than venture deeper. At the same time, he remained wary of the Sword Saint following them.
That Sword Saint wasn't someone to be taken lightly. Though Flugel didn't know exactly how strong Reid Astrea was, he had a premonition that he might not be a match for him.
Yet when he glanced back and saw Roy's calm, ever-smiling face inside the carriage, his tension eased. With this guy around, even if the Sword Saint harbored ill intentions, there was nothing to fear.
'Wait—why am I trusting him so quickly? Did this bastard use some kind of trust-inducing blessing on me?!'
The realization startled Flugel, making him increasingly wary of the white-haired man in the carriage.
After another half-hour of travel, the surroundings transitioned into dense woods. The carriages came to a halt, and Roy stepped out, clad in his ornate cardinal robes. He turned to face the approaching carriage, one hand resting behind his back.
"...Reid van Astrea," he called out to the speeding dragon-drawn vehicle. "Is there a reason you've been following us?"
The worn-out carriage screeched to a stop ten meters away, its driver none other than the red-haired Sword Saint.