The journey was not smooth. Bandits, mountain bandits, and wandering knights in the area came swarming after them.
Three days had passed since they began traveling while dealing with bandit groups like moths to a flame.
They were half a day away from their destination.
“Bandits!”
This might be the last attack by a bandit group.
“There are around forty of them! They are coming from the northeast!”
Dominic, the merchant carrying a telescope, shouted.
At his words, the merchants each took out their weapons.
They were at an absolute disadvantage in both numbers and fighting skill, yet not one of them showed any sign of trembling.
Everyone took up a superficial battle formation while covertly glancing somewhere. Gazes filled equally with anticipation, admiration, and reverence focused on one spot.
And atop the wagon where those gazes converged.
TWANG!
An arrow flew from the wagon with the sound of a bowstring being drawn and released.
As though blessed by a wind spirit, the arrow flew far and with great force.
THWACK!
It pierced the neck of a bandit charging on horseback.
The man who appeared to be the bandit leader took the arrow deeply in his neck, fell from his horse, and died instantly.
“!!”
The rest of the bandits, who had been running on foot behind their leader, hesitated.
They paused briefly. But after seeing the virtually nonexistent escort, they let out courageous shouts and charged.
Toward those bandits.
WHISTLE― THWACK!
Powerful arrows struck one after another.
As though the first shot that had sniped the bandit leader had not been a coincidence.
The arrows precisely targeted the bandits’ necks and faces.
“Argh!”
The arrows initially flew one at a time, but later, two or three flew together in multishots.
In an instant, half the bandit group lay on the ground, screaming.
“U-Uaaah!”
Only then, perhaps feeling fear, they all turned their backs and began scrambling away.
WHISTLE, THWACK! THWACK!
The arrows continued to fly.
They accurately targeted the fleeing bandits’ necks, backs, and the backs of their heads.
Thus, the bandits, who had numbered nearly forty, were annihilated in less than five minutes.
HURRAAAH!
“You are truly incredible!”
“Your swordsmanship is excellent, but you are also an extraordinary marksman.”
“Your skill with a bow was like that of an elf.”
When the battle ended, the merchants who had watched it each praised the man atop the wagon.
They had already seen it several times, yet every time they did, admiration and reverence surged within them like a fountain.
The man known as Roan Shalut by his elven name lowered the bow in his hand and savored the lingering feeling of the battle.
‘Like an elf’s skill with a bow…….’
Solacius had spent his adolescence in the Fairy Forest. For that reason, he had learned many things from elves, including archery.
Tae Gwang-hwi on Earth had not been unfamiliar with a bow either. He had experienced all kinds of battles during the ten-year Great War. But he had never possessed such inspired skill with a bow as he did now.
Sigh.
Sola suddenly let out a breath. Even though his archery had improved, he was not happy. All he could think about was a way to return home.
Whoosh.
Perhaps because he had used mana while shooting the bow, the heat came rushing over him belatedly.
‘I should use mana as little as possible. It affects me even when I use a bow.’
Even though he had used it instead of his Sun ability, there was still a side effect.
Sola furrowed his brow at the heat rising from his body. Reading his expression, the merchants immediately presented him with cool water as though they had been waiting.
“You have worked hard, Sir. This attack will practically be the last one.”
“That is right. The cavalry of Oski patrols from that hill onward.”
The merchants offered water to Sola, fanned him, and praised his efforts. Sola naturally accepted their goodwill.
On the way here, Solacius had exterminated five bands of bandits under the name Roan Shalut.
Two of those five groups had been notorious bandits in the area.
Though he himself did not realize it, his exploits had temporarily stabilized security in the eastern part of the margravate.
The name Roan Shalut, the blond, golden-eyed wandering knight, began to spread without anyone quite realizing it.
***
Just before nightfall, Sola and the merchants arrived at Oski, the major city of the margravate. They had finally reached their destination.
After arriving in Oski, Sola looked at the merchants who had traveled with him. He felt strangely proud. Since he had been summoned here, not a single merchant had died. Rather than decreasing, the caravan’s wagons had increased even more with loot.
‘In the game, only a few merchants survived, and we barely made it here.’
A record overwhelmingly better than the tutorial playthrough in the game.
‘At this point, should I not expect a bonus reward? A hidden piece, for example.’
For the first time since being summoned into this other world, his heart raced.
DING― DING― DING―.
The bells announcing evening rang loudly. Once the sun had completely set, the city’s main gate would be shut tight.
Sola and the merchants hurried toward the city entrance. Even if they were right in front of a city, they refused to spend another night outdoors.
Judging by the line in front of the main gate, it seemed they could make it inside by a narrow margin.
At the gate, Oski’s knights and soldiers, who were on gate duty, were confirming identities.
“Next!”
“You! Where was this identity plaque issued?”
“Next!”
“Search that bastard’s cargo thoroughly!”
While some people entered safely, others did not.
“Ha ha…… Sir, it is not much, but please accept this…….”
“……? This bastard?! What are you doing? Arrest him at once!”
“Sir! I-I was wrong!”
“He used a bribe during wartime. He could be an Imperial spy!”
“I am not! I am not an Imperial spy! I was merely smuggling…… Aaaagh!!”
Some tried to enter by bribery, but the knight serving as gate captain was so strict that it did not work.
The soldiers behind the knight looked regretful, but the knight commanding them maintained a stern expression.
‘The knight serving as gate captain is an extremely rigid man.’
Watching this, Sola furrowed his brow. Put favorably, the man was a just and incorruptible knight, but that was not good news for Sola, who needed to enter the city immediately.
“You do not need to worry, Sir.”
“Our Kalt Merchant Company will vouch for you.”
The merchants, accurately reading Sola’s thoughts for once, each made a fuss about vouching for him.
‘The affinity-building worked properly.’
Seeing the merchants, Sola felt relieved inwardly.
He had also entered the city with difficulty through this method in Luhan’s Royal Consort.
In the city, he had received various forms of assistance from the Kalt Merchant Company, including an identity plaque.
“Next.”
At last, it was Solacius and the Kalt Merchant Company’s turn.
“Ha ha ha…… Sir Befem, it has been a long time. I am Dominic of the Kalt Merchant Company.”
Dominic, the merchants’ representative, greeted the knight on gate duty with a bowing posture.
“Dominic! It has been a long time. What happened to your mercenaries?”
Fortunately, the knight named Befem recognized the merchant Dominic and the Kalt Merchant Company.
“When a large bandit group attacked, they fled.”
“What a shame. Still, Her Majesty the Queen and the gods must have watched over you. To arrive safely without mercenaries in times like these.”
The knight clicked his tongue at the mercenaries’ incompetence while looking over Dominic and the Kalt Merchant Company.
“That is right. We intend to make a donation to the temple once we enter the city.”
The atmosphere was proceeding favorably.
“It is worth celebrating that you have made it here after such hardship, but there can be no exceptions.”
“Of course.”
Dominic smiled and nodded at the knight’s words.
Knight Befem gestured to the soldiers. The soldiers began inspecting the merchants and the goods in the wagons.
Still, because they knew each other, the soldiers’ hands were not rough during the inspection.
Then it was Sola’s turn.
“Remove your hood and show your face. Submit your identity plaque as well.”
At the soldier’s request, Sola removed his hood and revealed his face.
“……?”
“!!”
Blond hair, golden eyes, an aura naturally flowing from his body, and a face that exuded nobility without effort.
“Who is he?”
Not only the soldiers, but Knight Befem, who commanded them, also studied Sola closely.
“This is a wandering knight. He is our benefactor who helped us. Our Kalt Merchant Company will vouch for his identity!”
Dominic hurriedly spoke.
“He does not yet have an identity plaque. He came from another country…….”
The merchants added further explanation.
“A wandering knight? If he is from another country, did he come from the Empire? With blond hair and golden eyes, he may be an exiled imperial royal.”
Though Dominic and the merchants hurried to explain, the knight and soldiers ignored their words.
SHING, CLACK.
Knight Befem drew his sword. The soldiers also aimed the spears they held at the blond, golden-eyed wandering knight.
“Wandering knight! State your name and origin.”
Befem asked Sola firmly.
“Roan Shalut. A wandering knight from the Empire.”
Sola spoke to the knight in the Common Tongue, heavy with traces of High Imperial.
His face as he spoke was merely indifferent.
“……!”
At that, Befem, the gate captain who had pointed his sword at him, widened his eyes.
“I will ask once more. Your name is…… Roan Shalut?”
“That is correct.”
Sola nodded.
“…….”
Befem watched Sola with an expression that suggested something displeased him. Then he returned his drawn sword to its sheath.
“Pass.”
And without warning, he ordered them through.
***
Lucifurne, Queen of Luhan and Grand Witch of the Snowfield.
Several days ago, she had experienced regression.
Beginning with the day she regressed, she thought, resolved herself, and acted.
Thus, the first thing she did was seek atonement.
Queen Lucifurne, having regressed, decided to begin with atonement.
The start of that atonement was the wandering knight who should now be in southeastern Luhan.
The person she regretted most, felt most sorry toward, and needed most to atone to was that man alone.
The Palace of Pure White in Wintella, the royal capital of the Kingdom of Luhan.
The audience chamber.
The crystal throne in the audience chamber where Queen Lucifurne sat glowed.
Because the curse-bearing Queen of the Snowfield sat in the audience chamber, it was colder than ever.
“The wandering knight you mentioned has just arrived in Oski.”
From about eight meters away, Haimar, Commander of the Royal Knights, knelt and delivered his report. Beneath his armor, he wore fur garments.
As the commander of knights and a martial artist who could handle mana, he had thoroughly prepared himself before entering the audience chamber. Yet even with mana wrapped layer upon layer around his skin, the cold radiated by the Grand Witch of the Snowfield was bitter.
The commander’s voice, infused with mana as he delivered his report, carried an unconcealable tremor. It was because of the cold.
“You have done well, Sir Haimar.”
Queen Lucifurne nodded at the commander’s report.
Lucy thought of a man. An exiled imperial royal and wandering knight.
Before her regression, she had misunderstood and hated him more than anyone else.
‘He should be in the southeast by now.’
Her past self had been wary of him. She had watched and investigated him like a stalker. Therefore, much of the information remained in her memory.
“It is not merely a namesake, is it?”
Still, she asked Haimar to confirm, just in case.
“His appearance also matches what you described: a handsome wandering knight with blond hair and golden eyes. He spoke the Common Tongue with a strong Imperial accent. According to the reports, his abilities also seem exceptional. The merchants claimed that he exterminated five bandit groups by himself, though that must surely be an exaggerated rumor.”
“It is certainly him.”
At the firm answer from Commander Haimar, Lucy let out a sigh of relief.
The breath released with her sigh immediately turned to frost and scattered.
‘He was a very handsome man with blond hair and golden eyes. His ability was exceptional as well. His having exterminated five bandit groups alone is not an exaggeration, either.’
A faint blush spread across Lucy’s face as she thought of Sola.
At the thought of seeing him again, her heart fluttered.
“Continue to watch him secretly and provide him assistance.”
Feeling her heart race, Lucy instructed Haimar once more.
“Your Majesty, that wandering knight, Roan Shalut, has admitted with his own mouth that he is an exiled imperial royal.”
Haimar expressed concern at the Queen’s order.
“I understand surveillance and caution, but I do not understand the order to help him.”
Anger was mixed with the commander’s concern.
“The imperial family and the evil Empress Octana are Luhan’s enemies. Exiled imperial royals cannot be trusted either. You know what the imperial royals who came as envoys in the past did to Your Majesty and the previous Queen.”
At the same time, his eyes settled on Queen Lucifurne.
Separate from his anger toward the imperial family, they were filled with sorrow and loyalty toward his liege, who bore the Curse of the Snowfield.
“I know.”
“Then why do you hold favorable feelings toward the exiled imperial royal named Roan Shalut? He could be a spy. He could be an assassin carrying the evil Empress’s curse like poison. He should be banished! No, if you give the order, I will kill him at once!”
Haimar’s shout, filled with both loyalty and anger, echoed through the audience chamber.
The lonely wind of the bitter cold danced between them.
“Commander, I understand your concern very well.”
Lucy understood the commander’s actions.
‘I was the same. More than anyone else.’
Looking at Haimar brought her past self to mind once more.
“But he is different. He is a royal who hates Octana more than anyone in the world. He is also the greatest of knights. Above all, he…… will never betray me.”
Then the man who had protected her until the final moment came to mind.
“How can you be so certain……?”
Commander Haimar, who had not regressed, was merely frustrated and confused.
“Haimar, my loyal knight, the guardian knight who has protected the royal family since my mother’s reign, trust me.”
But Lucy did not explain openly. Though only the two of them were in the audience chamber, she still feared that someone might hear.
“……Understood.”
In the end, Haimar let out a sigh at Lucy’s words and chose to follow the Queen’s order.
“Until when will this mission continue?”
“Until he comes to the Royal Palace.”
Her heart wanted to bring him here openly—even if she had to kidnap him—so that she could see him even a day sooner.
But though she knew Sola, Sola did not know her. Though she knew his sincerity, rash actions would only deepen his misunderstanding and wariness.
That was what she herself had done before her regression.
“……Understood.”
At the deadline the Queen gave, the commander let out a long breath like a sigh.
“And there is one more person we must find.”
The Queen’s order did not end there.
“For your information, this time will be difficult. Issue a request not only to the Royal Knights, but also to trustworthy guilds.”
To be honest, she felt they would fail to find this person again. After all, they had never found her before Lucy’s regression.
At the Queen’s grave instruction, Haimar raised his head and looked at her.
“However, this must be done secretly as well.”
The Queen’s request came from ahead of him.
Though they were eight meters apart, her voice sounded as though she were right beside him.
There was excitement in her voice. At the same time, it carried a lingering sadness.
‘Even while solving the trials I gave him, Sola kept searching for his younger sister. Instead of helping him, I only interfered.’
Her voice, colored by excitement and longing, was also half-filled with regret and self-loathing.
“She is a girl with blond hair and golden eyes. Her age is estimated to be around eighteen.”
But this time would be different. She would help him sincerely.
She wanted to finally find his younger sister and see his bright smile.