Brena fussed around Rita for a while before pausing and turning away, muttering primly,
“Well… I was a bit hurt when you suddenly left the Mage Tower that day. But since your actions revealed something important, I’ll assume it was for a greater purpose. Congratulations on becoming a great mage, Rita.”
Rita gave a faint smile.
“Thank you, Brena.I’m grateful you came here.”
“With the world in such a state, isn’t it only natural?”
Brena replied, launching into a vivid rant about the horrors of the beasts.
She spoke excitedly, assuming everyone shared her resolve, but Rita knew better.
Even among the nearby mages, some looked terrified or resentful.
Not everyone volunteered like Brena.
The elders probably coerced them, citing the Mage Tower’s reputation, Rita thought.
‘In her past life, over half the young mages had grumbled about being forced into deadly battles. But now, the topic had shifted to Rita’s presence.’
“Golden eyes for real?”
“I thought it was just talk, but my goodness…”
“She was always exceptional. Everyone called her a genius, so it’s not that surprising.”
“Someone like her becoming supreme-rank? The world’s so unfair.”
As the crowd whispered, Seth, with his red hair, pushed through using his large frame and strode forward.
Seeing Rita’s face, he froze, his trembling eyes and clenched lips betraying his thoughts.
The only rival he acknowledged, the one he hated most, has soared to the top.
With his personality, that must feel humiliating, Rita mused, chuckling as Seth turned and stormed off.
Honest guy.
Brena, witnessing this, clicked her tongue.
“Leave him be.You know how competitive Seth is. He’s got a bit of an inferiority complex toward you, so he’s just lashing out, unable to accept it.”
Rita gave a bitter smile.
“Don’t get me started. He’s been like that since he heard about me. But he’s not that twisted. He’ll sulk for a bit, then accept it.”
Perhaps because she’d grown close to Seth, Brena’s words were unusually kind.
Rita was slightly surprised but pleased.
From now on, they were all comrades, so better relations were welcome.
If Brena was right, and based on the Seth from her past life, he’d bounce back soon.
Rita chose to trust him.
“By the way, Rita,” Brena said, suddenly grinning and leaning in.
“Now that you’re supreme-rank, you must have connections everywhere, huh?”
Her sparkling eyes and barely concealed smirk left Rita dumbfounded.
Unlike the elders’ subtle probing, Brena was blatantly obvious, almost laughably so.
“Brena, your face looks downright scheming,” Rita said.
“If I stick with you, I’m set, right?” Brena asked with a sly grin.
Rita let out an incredulous laugh.
“If you’ve got the skills for it, sure. Are you trying to pull strings with me?”
“Come on, what are friends for? Pull some for me. I’ll spill all the Mage Tower gossip from while you were gone.”
Rita’s eyes wavered briefly.
News from the Mage Tower during her absence was tempting.
“Hmm, I’ll think about it…” she began, but Brena’s gaze shifted elsewhere.
Following it, Rita’s face frowned.
Mikael Tristy.
Mikael greeted the crowd with a warm, radiant smile, eliciting dreamy sighs and gasps from all, regardless of gender.
Brena, even more excited, gushed,
“How can someone be that beautiful? The first time I saw him, I was like, ‘Wow!’ and when he smiled, my heart sank. It’s true!”
Muttering reverently, she turned to Rita with flushed cheeks and gleaming eyes, her expression suspicious.
“Rita, since you’re supreme-rank, you’ll be working with the Saint, right?”
“Probably. Some higher-tier beasts require supreme-ranks to team up.”
“Then you’ll need attendants, won’t you?”
“…Are you hoping for something?”
“A little?”
Brena admitted.
“You’d willingly be my aide?”
“Why not? You’re supreme-rank, I’m second-class. It’s natural, right?”
“Doesn’t it hurt your pride?”
“Maybe for Seth, but not me,” Brena said with a carefree laugh.
Rita stepped back, wary of Brena’s advancing grin.
“I’ve got nothing to say,” she said, fleeing to her tent.
***
As night deepened, new figures arrived at the Yare Plains camp—mercenaries urgently hired from across the kingdom.
“Been a while since I was in the north. Came for red wolf hunting season once,” one said.
“Are there beast corpses left? I wanna see.”
“They’re supposed to be disgusting.”
“They eat people? Man, what freaky things are running around.”
“You’re here too? With your skills? Don’t cry when you get eaten.”
“Look at this! Every riffraff’s here. Times are tough, huh? Now betting your life on bounties? Heh.”
“Damn bastards, mouths as filthy as ever.”
Their unrestrained voices, loud and free, filled the camp with rowdy chatter and brawls, even late at night.
Exhausted from Brena’s pestering, Rita, resting in her tent, opened her eyes irritably.
“What’s with all the noise?”
Frowning, she flung open the tent flap, revealing the chaotic camp.
Burly men roamed haphazardly around campfires, their booming voices waking others, who emerged with sour expressions.
Friction was inevitable.
“You mage bastard!”
A harsh curse rang out from below, drawing eyes.
A rough-looking middle-aged mercenary, perhaps in his forties, grabbed a mage by the collar, shaking him despite being a head shorter.
The mage, with red hair tied back, glared coldly—Seth.
“Everyone’s exhausted from setting up camp all morning. It’s nearly midnight, time for guard shifts, and you’ve woken everyone. Don’t you feel any shame? Or is shame beyond your kind?”
Seth snapped, his face twisted.
Rita pressed her forehead.
I forgot—Seth hates mercenaries.
In her past life, she’d heard it was due to their crude, violent nature, tied to bad childhood memories.
He despised their behavior, making his clashes with them unsurprising.
With his temper, he probably started it.
Sighing, Rita approached.
She wasn’t taking sides, but comrades fighting was unacceptable—she had to mediate.
Using her supreme-rank status might irk Seth, but it was better than Valery Gainer, strict with military law, intervening.
“Stop it,” she said, pushing through the crowd.
Both fell silent.
Recognizing her, the onlookers backed off, exchanging glances.
“Golden eyes.”
“The new supreme-rank mage.”
“She’s here to back her own, huh?”
“Wait, we have to follow that kid now?”
“No way. The Princess is in charge, right?”
“She’s muscle-brained, though. Is that okay?”
“The Princess is royalty, at least. That girl’s a commoner like us.”
“Watch your mouth, idiot. Those types are monsters. Cross her, and you’ll vanish quietly.”
“She’s just an inexperienced mage. In close combat…”
A man shrugging dismissively paled as Rita’s golden eyes locked onto him.
Her calm, chilling gaze, almost glowing, made him step back instinctively.
Sighing at his pathetic reaction, Rita turned to Seth and the mercenary.
Seth’s defiant glare and the mercenary’s fear were expected.
“It’s late, and eyes are watching. For the sake of those resting, stop now.”
Choosing mediation over blame, Rita was relieved when Seth turned away first, his sour expression showing his displeasure.
The mercenary shut his mouth, as did the other rowdy mercenaries, cowed by Rita’s presence.
The camp’s peace was restored.
Satisfied, Rita was about to leave when the teleportation circle glowed golden again.
“More mercenaries?”
she wondered, eyes widening.
“The trackers too?”
White cloaks with crossed arrows marked the tracker unit, known for hunting rogue mages and illegal chimeras.
Rarely seen, they drew Rita’s attention as she memorized their faces.
Then, she spotted a familiar figure—pale blond hair, tall, with a gentle demeanor.
Her eyes widened as she recalled, “Brena’s fiancé.”
In her past life, he’d taken his own life after Brena’s death.
Pacing curiously, she thought, If Brena doesn’t die this time, he won’t either.
Will they meet soon?
How did they meet, anyway?
Seth was a tracker before—maybe he knows.
Should I ask?
Her curiosity halted abruptly.
Why am I even thinking about this?
Frowning, she dismissed it.
They’ll meet if fate allows.
Unaware that their first meeting happened in this very unit, or that Brena would now follow her, Rita had unwittingly disrupted their encounter, oblivious and carefree.