Inside the castle, within the Hawk Company's encampment, over five hundred people were celebrating the aftermath of the successful raid on the enemy camp.
Without their vital supplies, the enemy wouldn't be able to sustain their siege. They might even be forced to retreat, fearing a counterattack from the castle.
It was a tremendous victory.
And within the Hawk Company itself, something significant had shifted.
Just as Griffith and Casca had anticipated, Nidhogg, who had fought bravely and killed many enemies, became the star of the feast.
Mercenaries raised their cups, praising his courage.
As for the other hero of the hour, he was conspicuously absent. Many seemed to consciously ignore his existence.
Nidhogg, however, hadn't forgotten Guts.
He noticed Pippin looking around, clearly searching for someone. He tapped the giant man on the shoulder and pointed towards the city wall, a knowing look on his face.
"Looking for Guts? I saw him heading that way. He's a bit withdrawn, but his heart's in the right place. If you use a little... persuasion, I think he'll 'accept' the reality of attending the feast."
Pippin nodded. He gestured to Judeau and Rickert, and together they headed for the city wall.
After a while, they returned. Guts was slung over Pippin's shoulder in an undignified pose. Judeau and Rickert followed, laughing.
At the sight, the Hawk Company mercenaries erupted in laughter.
Guts was definitely not happy about being carried like that. He shouted and struggled.
Pippin didn't put him down until they reached the heart of the feast. He thrust a cup of wine into Guts's face, practically forcing him to drink.
Judeau and Rickert helped him down, and then everyone raised their cups to Nidhogg and Guts.
Cups and jugs were raised high.
Nidhogg drank deeply. It was refreshing.
Guts hesitated. But surrounded by such warmth, even he was moved. He tilted his head back and drained the cup. Cheers and laughter erupted.
And in that moment, something shifted. Seeing Guts flustered and embarrassed, the Hawks' deep-seated alienation towards him began to melt away.
From that night on, Guts was integrated into the Hawk Company. He was accepted. No one questioned Griffith's decision to recruit him anymore.
Casca took a sip of wine and glanced at Griffith. He was watching Nidhogg and Guts, a faint smile on his lips. He'd been right all along.
Griffith had foreseen this. He'd controlled the flow of events, and everything was playing out exactly as he'd planned.
He really was a "special one." A "unique man." A "born leader."
Casca couldn't help but look at Nidhogg and Guts again. She had to admit, they'd performed admirably as the vanguard. They'd exceeded expectations.
She still harbored some resentment towards Guts, but it was far less than before.
As for Nidhogg, she felt no real aversion. She even remembered Judeau's teasing words from earlier.
Maybe she shouldn't have resisted their presence so blindly. If Griffith trusted them, maybe she should try to trust them too. They were her comrades, after all.
But she still didn't like Guts's attitude. And she didn't like the excessive attention Griffith paid him.
She wanted to change her feelings, but she couldn't force herself to warm up to Guts.
Her gaze drifted to Nidhogg. She raised her cup in a small, private toast and took a delicate sip.
The next morning, the camp was filled with hungover mercenaries groaning and clutching their heads.
No one paid them any mind. It was a common sight in barracks.
Nidhogg was practicing with his sword when Casca, clad in light armor, approached him. Her tone was as cool as ever.
"I hear you've been challenging people around camp. You even beat Pippin and Judeau... Sounds interesting. Let's spar."
Nidhogg was surprised.
But he certainly wasn't going to refuse. He'd been hoping for this chance.
So, when the sparring match between Nidhogg and Casca began, a crowd of Hawks quickly gathered.
Griffith was at the castle, discussing battle plans with the lord.
But even if he'd been in camp, he probably wouldn't have interfered. Such matters were beneath his notice.
Besides Griffith, Pippin, Judeau, Corkus, Rickert, and others were all watching intently. Even Guts appeared silently at the edge of the crowd, observing the fight.
Corkus seized the opportunity to stir the pot. "Hey, Nidhogg! Be careful! Our Casca is tough! She's a woman, and she's a centurion! That should tell you something!"
Casca glared at him. "Who's 'your Casca'?!"
Despite her protests, the Hawks laughed and deliberately kept chanting "Our Casca!" Some even mixed in a few shouts of "Big sister!"
Casca was a strikingly beautiful woman with dark skin. Everyone knew she had eyes for only Griffith, but that didn't stop many from secretly admiring her.
Fwoosh!
Ignoring the crowd's antics, Casca quickly drew her longsword and settled into a ready stance, her eyes sharp and focused.
Nidhogg was ready too. Sword and shield in hand, he traced a small circle with his left foot and stepped forward confidently.
"Here I come!" Casca warned him, as was the custom among knights, and then she moved. Fast.
Her longsword thrust forward. Nidhogg raised his shield to block, but Casca was already shifting. She sidestepped gracefully, avoiding a direct clash with his shield, and her blade darted towards his sword hand.
Casca had watched Nidhogg fight Judeau.
Judeau had started with throwing knives, all of which Nidhogg had blocked. Then he'd drawn his twin blades, trying to find an opening for a hidden knife. But Nidhogg's shield had deflected his strikes, and the strange force behind it had thrown Judeau off balance. Nidhogg had seized the moment and won.
Casca had learned from that. She knew she couldn't overpower him. Her advantage was her agility. She would use her speed and footwork to outmaneuver his sword and shield.
Nidhogg saw the thrust coming and retreated a step.
Casca pressed the attack. Her longsword darted and weaved like a bee's stinger, targeting his wrists, his arms, his torso.
Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!
Her sword was lightning, cutting through the air with practiced precision. She controlled the rhythm, turning the fight into a deadly dance.
Whenever Nidhogg retreated, Casca advanced, keeping the pressure on. He couldn't find an opening to use his shield effectively. His sword hand was constantly forced to parry.
It was a very effective strategy. It completely disrupted Nidhogg's preferred counter-attacking style.
Most of the watching Hawks nodded approvingly. They thought Casca had a real chance. It was no wonder she was a centurion.
Only Guts, arms crossed, allowed himself a small smile.
He sparred with Nidhogg almost every day. He knew Nidhogg's true strength better than anyone. If Casca thought she could beat him with this, she was mistaken.
And then, the fight changed.
Clang!
Nidhogg, still under pressure, made a sudden decision. He let go of his shield. It clattered to the ground.
Casca's eyes widened in surprise, but her sword kept coming, aiming for his sword hand.
But without the weight of the shield, Nidhogg was faster. He deflected her strike with his blade.
"What?!" Casca's mouth fell open.
Nidhogg didn't give her time to recover. He turned defense into attack. He stepped forward.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Blades clashed in a rapid exchange. Sparks flew.
He's this agile too?
Casca was stunned. She realized she had underestimated him.
His shield wasn't his only weapon. It gave him a solid defense, but without it, he was faster, more mobile. It was another weapon in his arsenal.
Clang!
One final exchange. Nidhogg's longsword hooked under Casca's blade, lifting it, and then swept around to rest against her neck.
The match was over.
Casca stood frozen, her eyes wide.
She looked at him, from head to toe, as if seeing him for the first time. Then, slowly, she smiled.
"I lost."
The watching Hawks, stunned by the sudden shift and the abrupt ending, swallowed hard.
Judeau was the first to react. He smiled softly and started clapping.
The others followed. Clapping turned into cheers and whistles.
「Short-term Quest」 Encounter Key Members of the Hawk Company (Completed) / Defeat Casca (Completed)
「Reward」 LV 24 → LV 27
「Mid-term Quest」 Golden Seed & Sacred Tear Flask (Completed)
「Reward」 Flask of Crimson Tears / Flask of Cerulean Tears / Flask of Wondrous Physick / Golden Seed
Nidhogg withdrew his sword, accepting the cheers. Then his gaze shifted. To an empty space.
But it wasn't empty to him.
A woman in a hooded robe sat astride a strange, horned horse. She tilted her head and spoke, her voice soft.
"You can finally see me. Hear my voice."