True to first impressions, Eugène was truly one of a kind.
The next day, as the pursuit team set out again to hunt the mother beast, Eugène’s presence transformed the group’s previously serious and heavy atmosphere in an instant.
“You wouldn’t believe it, but I thought my neck was done for! Those damned beasts came rushing from all sides, and then this massive adult one pounced from above…”
Eugène chattered away, mostly recounting his own heroic tales laced with silly jokes.
Naturally, the straitlaced Valery glared at him disapprovingly, but…
The naive Alois was the first to take the bait.
“That’s… incredible! When I first saw a beast, I was too scared to do anything…”
As a pure-blooded noble acknowledged by Valery, Alois’s engagement with Eugène’s banter left Valery no choice but to hold his tongue.
As Eugène and Alois chatted away, even the good-natured Loen and Felix got swept up in the conversation.
“How’d you lose that eye?”
“They say it’s rare for a mercenary to be a mana user. Seems you’re more capable than you look, considering other mercenaries can’t hold a candle to you.”
Before long, the group became lively and boisterous.
When the curious Blena joined in, the chatter reached its peak.
Valery clicked his tongue repeatedly at the incongruously cheerful atmosphere.
“No sense of urgency. None. Do they all want to die?”
“Isn’t it fine? Being too tense isn’t good either.”
Sercia laughed it off heartily, and Mikael, walking beside her, shared her sentiment.
He seemed relieved, having been concerned about how suppressed the non-supreme-rank members had been, and viewed Eugène’s influence positively.
Rita shared his perspective.
Blena and Seth were so weighed down by the atmosphere, whispering only to each other.
This is a relief.
In that sense, Eugène’s addition was a solid choice.
Seth’s reaction is a bit unexpected, though.
But it’s not bad, so no need to worry.
In her past life, she assumed Seth would naturally dislike a mercenary like Eugène, but contrary to expectations, he wasn’t hostile.
While he kept his distance outwardly, he didn’t show overt emotions or pick fights.
Is it because Eugène’s different from other mercenaries?
He’s less a thug and more a flirt.
Rita shot a disapproving glance at Eugène, who was subtly winking at Blena.
Or maybe Seth’s holding back his patience because of the supreme-ranks here.
Either way, the lack of unnecessary friction was a good thing.
“There’s another new type of beast?”
“Yes. A goat-like beast was spotted recently. It hasn’t been officially announced to the soldiers yet, so please watch your words.”
Eugène gathered information about the beasts from Loen, Felix, Blena, and Alois.
Since details about mother beasts were already shared with the soldiers, he wasn’t surprised by specifics about the deceased Mamon or Baal.
“So, how many mother beasts do we need to kill to win this war?”
Eugène’s incredulous question prompted Floria to give him a sidelong glance.
“You seem to have some sense of responsibility for this war.”
Disliking Eugène from the start, Floria scoffed.
Despite her sharp tone, Eugène grinned slyly.
“Responsibility? More like vengeance. We came for the money at first, but after watching comrades who fought alongside us get devoured, our hearts changed.”
Unsure if he was joking or sincere, Floria turned her head sharply.
Eugène, seemingly pleased by her reaction, lingered by her side, chattering.
“Imagine those things chewing on your family and friends someday. Doesn’t that make anger boil deep in your chest?”
As Valery muttered “that lunatic” and Eilin’s expression soured, a rustling sound came from the bushes in the distance.
“Shh.”
Bailey, the guard knight leading the way, raised a hand to signal.
Everyone froze.
They were in Gadel Forest, north of the Bieli Holy Land, close to the main camp.
Rumors of lizard-like beasts being spotted in this area had brought them here.
Central command, analyzing beast territories, speculated that the southern area touching the main camp was the insect beasts’ domain, while the northern Gadel Forest and beyond was the lizards’ territory.
If I could use memories from my past life to pinpoint their habitats…
Unlike her past life, where beasts divided territories and launched coordinated attacks, in this life, humans had preemptively formed an army and marched north, disrupting many things.
Killing Mamon before it could reproduce was a divine stroke, and with Baal, the insect mother, dead, its forces were visibly weakening.
“The insect beasts’ power has waned, so things have been safe so far. But from here on, it’ll be different. This is likely the lizard territory, so everyone stay alert.”
Rita pointed her staff at a tree base, where a long, white shed skin tangled around a blackened, rotting trunk.
Blena, initially puzzled, paled as she realized what it was.
“No way… shedding…?”
Though snake-like Lucifel beasts also shed as they grow, Rita held her tongue since they hadn’t been discovered yet.
“Hm. How do lizards fight? Do they bite?”
Eugène, leaning casually, pondered.
Moments later, the bushes shook violently.
What emerged, absurdly, was an insect-type hatchling.
With crude horns on its head, it looked menacing but was only knee-high to an adult.
The group’s excitement deflated at its underwhelming appearance.
“What? An insect type? I thought it’d be a lizard…”
“It looks injured. Must’ve escaped here from down south. There was a theory that different beast types can cooperate…”
“Seems like it’s alone for now.”
Eugène’s influence had made Blena, Loen, and Felix chattier.
As they conversed, the insect hatchling, resembling its mother Baal, crept closer with its small mouth open, fixated on prey despite its injuries.
“What should we do?”
“No need for all of us to step in.”
It seemed so insignificant that the supreme-ranks exchanged glances, silently asking who would handle it.
“Hm… seems like a good opportunity.”
Valery naturally looked at Eugène, followed by the rest of the group, including Rita, who nodded.
Eugène looked exasperated.
“What? Why’s everyone staring at me?”
Blena, Seth, and Alois, having faced such situations before, quietly stepped back.
Felix, now friendly with Eugène, chuckled and explained.
“You’re new, so we need to see your skills. Plus, knowing how you fight will make it easier to coordinate later.”
“What a hassle.”
Eugène sighed dramatically, feigning distress.
“A first-class mercenary like me? What’s there to be curious about…”
“If your skills don’t match ours, we’ll send you back.”
Fed up, Valery snapped, and Eugène finally relented.
“Fine, fine. I’ll do as the elder says.”
“E-Elder?”
Ignoring Valery’s outrage, Eugène drew a pair of swords from his waist, slightly shorter than arm’s length.
Holding the dual blades, he lowered his stance and charged forward in an instant.
“Didn’t think I’d be tested as a commander.”
Even as the starving hatchling raised its horns and charged with its mouth open, Eugène casually closed the distance and swung his swords.
The forceful attack tore through the hatchling’s thin hide, drawing blood and exciting it further.
As Eugène’s bare arms became scratched and bloodied, Valery’s eyes narrowed.
“Does he have multiple lives? Charging in without protecting himself?”
“But isn’t his precision in targeting vitals impressive?”
Sercia laughed heartily, noting his movements reminded her of an assassin who once attacked her years ago.
While Bailey and others sweated at her jest, Rita observed Eugène’s fighting style with keen interest for the first time.
Then, her eyes narrowed.
What’s that?
It’s like mana is leaking from his body with every move…
Indeed, faint golden mana rose like smoke from Eugène’s skin, dissipating quickly.
To Rita, it looked like overflowing mana being absorbed into nature, and she tilted her head.
Eugène called himself a first-class mercenary, but to Rita, that wasn’t true.
That much mana in his body, yet he’s not using it directly?
With that level of mana, he could wield sword aura without issue.
Rita eyed his leather eyepatch suspiciously.
If Eugène was hiding his true strength, the eye beneath that patch might not be purple but golden.
A single golden eye would be unusual, but not theoretically impossible.
Mana far exceeding first-class but not quite at supreme-rank…
While Rita had already drawn her conclusion, the others seemed uncertain.
Meanwhile, Eugène killed the hatchling, giving it a final kick to confirm its death before turning with a bright expression.
“How’s that? Good enough to stick around?”
“Looks like it.”
Eilin nodded, glancing at Valery, who only let out a disgruntled cough.
Sercia, taking charge, praised Eugène’s impressive display.
“I’m honored by your approval.”
Eugène grinned cheekily, and Sercia chatted with him comfortably, their laughter blooming.
Bailey, the guard knight, grimaced, as if offended that a nobody dared act so familiar with the Princess.
This won’t be boring for a while.
Rita smiled faintly.
***
The first day of chasing Satan, the lizard mother beast, ended with encounters with only a few hatchlings.
Having just dealt with Baal’s hatchlings, they now faced Satan’s, but most were weak, barely able to shed properly.
Rita’s group deduced the lizard beasts’ habitat was deeper in.
As night fell, they camped near a nearby valley, planning to advance further after.
“Eating only dried food is wearing out my teeth.”
“We’re lucky to have even that in this cold north.”
Gathered around a campfire, the group’s meal consisted of jerky, dried fruit, and a bit of cheese.
Thanks to Eugène’s arrival, Blena and Loen, now fast friends, chatted animatedly.
Eugène, chewing jerky, slyly joined their trivial talk.
Then, he glanced at the Children of the Forest, eating only dried fruit.
“Doesn’t eating just fruit leave you lacking?”
“We’re fine.”
Eilin responded gently, but for the Children of the Forest, vegetarianism was tradition and belief.
Loen pointed out the rudeness, and Eugène, catching Floria’s displeased look, apologized with a smile.
Thanks to Eugène’s oblivious enthusiasm, the meal passed noisily and somewhat chaotically.
Is the setting uncomfortable?
That night, though not on watch, Rita tossed and turned, waking early.
It was the dim pre-dawn, with dawn a couple of hours away.
The watch was Bailey and Floria, right?
Her eyes quickly sharpened, and Rita rose carefully to avoid waking the others.
Intending to greet the watch, she looked around but noticed someone missing.
“Floria…?”