Louise Merdin, Heed the Calling (3)

“Commander, are we going straight to Merdin?”

Ena, a member of the Astray Junior group with a ponytail, was excited with the fact that she is given a chance to do a proper mission with Evan for the first time. No, in fact, everyone in the Junior group felt the same way and not just her. The Junior group had been educated one-sidedly by Evan and Shine, and there were times they carried out missions for the Senior group. Still, they had never gone on a mission with them. Besides, it was a mission to recapture a dungeon city taken away by the Demon tribe!

“You’re excited, Ena. But calm down for a bit.”

“Ah, yes! Hehehe.”

Ena just laughed frivolously, even with Evan’s warning. She was just happy to go on a mission with Evan! And Louise, who gave a disgusted look, spoke in a brusque manner.

“We’ll first go to the Beifeka Palace. Before recapturing Merdin, I have to meet His Majesty to prove that it’s a just procedure for me to reclaim it.”

“Argh, I see.”

Ena looked uncomfortable by Louise’s intervention. What was there to hide? Ena knew that Louise was her rival in love. And she felt inferior to Louise because she was taller and more mature than her, spoke with Evan 1 to 1 often, and was a direct student of Evan who carried out missions for him!

“Yup, that’s right. So, Louise’s existence is important. Throughout the entire mission.”

Evan, who didn’t understand Ena’s emotions, sided with Louise.

“Surely, this mission requires the manpower of Astray, but on the surface, it has to look like Louise had the crucial role. Merdin is a land which Louise will rule over from now on, so her strong impression will help.”

“Master.”

Although Evan already told her about it endless times on the day before their departure, Louise looked at Evan as if she was impressed again. An envious look that if Evan opened his arms wide apart, she might jump in. Yup, scary. Evan touched his hard abdomen and licked his lips. But Louise’s eyes became dimmer as she looked around at the atmosphere. Evan didn’t realize that his expression of tension could be regarded as a sex appeal for others. Feeling that he would definitely be in danger, he decided to change the topic a bit.

“To be precise, it’s the selected few led by Louise who should get the spotlight.”

“Yes, I understand. I explained my story to my members to some point. Fortunately, we have quite a good relationship with each other, so everyone understands the importance of this mission.”

In this expedition, there was a veteran group that came along with Astray. Louise, Must Save, Renail, Enoch, Lin, Lan, and Lucid. Every member took the spotlight in the previous scenario. In fact, more than half of them were members of Astray. Still, due to the previous scenario, those seven were perceived as a separate group from Astray. And that was what Evan aimed for in the first place. He wanted Louise to stand out always, but it was impossible with her abilities alone. And that was why he let her have members with whom she could take the full lead, and through their achievements, she would stand out the most!

“Yeah, so please, do your best till the end. As you know, conquering Merdin isn’t the end. What comes next is what matters.”

“Understood!”

This was planned when Evan was thinking of how to add more details to the scenario. The scenario’s true objective was to eliminate Sherden’s filth in the first place. It showed a strong connection to ‘Save’s Demon King Conquest’ and ‘Louise’s Merdin Conquest.’ So, the Four Heavenly Kings and the Demon tribe, along with others who challenged Evan for revenge after taking over Sherden, could be seen as fools.

“Then, Uhm, I’ll tend to my members.”

“Yeah. They will be uneasy if their leader leaves their side all the time.”

Although Evan told her this to make her leave, he felt empty. To hell with anxiety, Evan knew how strong the mentality of Louise’s members was! Louise bowed politely to Evan and headed to the carriage that was one step ahead from the Astray group after glaring at Ena, who was completely overwhelmed by her sense of victory. Since it was Louise and her party members that needed to be emphasized instead of Astray, Louise’s party was taking the lead here in every detail of the expedition.

“Ah, Unnie. Did you talk well with Master Evan?”

“Yup.”

Renail threw a mischievous question at Louise, who entered the carriage, and she nodded while blushing bashfully. She just became happier whenever people spoke of something that hinted at her relationship with Evan!

“He is very considerate of me. I’m happy.”

“I’m rather scared because of your happy face.”

“Feeling happy is a normal reaction since you are getting his attention.”

There was a person who agreed with Louise while nodding next to Renail, who felt a chill at Louise’s endlessly happy expression, and that person was Save.

“I’m really happy to hear that, too. Being able to move along with him and not just receiving his instruction.”

Save mumbled quietly while clenching his fist. He felt happy as he perceived the current mission to be a reward from Evan for understanding his intention well in the previous scenario.

“Well, I feel the same about it. I started to think that I can now brag a little after conquering the dungeon, but to be entrusted with this important task, hmm.”

Renail agreed partly to what Save said, but she let out a sigh. Bragging on being able to complete the dungeon. No, that was actually wrong. The reason why she came to Sherden in the first place wasn’t to brag to people after becoming a talented adventurer, but rather in improving her magic in actual combat, in expanding the limits in the magic that never existed so far, and in enjoying her youth while meeting a good person during the process.

Her magic bloomed through groundbreaking training methods that she never experienced before. She found the possibilities of expanding her magic the moment she recognized Evan’s holy spells through experiencing miracles with Save, so two out of three were already accomplished. The last objective, enjoying her youth like an innocent girl, seemed to be the simplest among all. Still, difficulties were showing up in fulfilling it.

‘The severe problem that suddenly appeared in Sherden was resolved, although we were dancing on the stage made by Master Evan, and we even conquered the dungeon, so I thought I’d be able to go on a date with Evan in a more leisurely manner.’

After completing the dungeon, she was excited over the thought, ‘Ah, at last, I can confidently go on a date with this man.’ Still, she was very disappointed with the instruction given by Louise. Moreover, having a battle with the Demon King after this? The Demon King!

‘Well, since it’s Master Evan’s plan, I will trust and follow him, but what if Save gets hurt in the process? The only good thing about his face is his smooth skin, and if his face gets hurt…!’

“Renail.”

As she was tormented, Save held her hand silently. It was a calming and sweet voice as if he saw through her mind. Renail’s heart skipped a beat by Save’s grown-up gesture, although he was just one of Evan’s fanatics.

“I know you are concerned. I also understand your worry about your abilities compared to the amount of his trust. I also agonize over such doubt sometimes. But still, don’t worry.”

“Mm, huh?”

Save was misunderstanding a bit, but she wasn’t that insensitive to say, “I was worried about you and not myself,” so she decided to say nothing.

“We are in one party. Although we are weak individually, we can fulfill whatever mission if we are together. I’m sure Master Evan knew about it, so he put us into a group.”

That statement excellently pointed out the hidden truth. Although it wasn’t sufficient to stop a girl’s heart from skipping a beat, Save held Renail’s hand once more until she was fully poised.

“And you are special to me. Even if you don’t have anyone by your side, I’ll do whatever it takes to protect you.”

“Umm, yes.”

Renail blushed at Save’s sincere and honest words, nodding. It was Save’s good and bad trait to be able to say such embarrassing things indifferently. Was it the result of being a fanatic?

‘Uuuuuu, I really like him. Every part of him, including his face!’

‘Is it part of Master Evan’s plan that I was able to hear such passionate confession from Save, thanks to participating in a dangerous mission? If so, I will follow him to the gates of hell!’

“Do that when you guys are alone together. I can’t concentrate on my prayer.”

Enoch looked at the rookie couple, who just established a lovey-dovey atmosphere, with dead eyes.

“Falling in love while there’s an important mission ahead, outrageous. Just break up already.”

Renail glared at Enoch, who just broke the romantic atmosphere.

“A lover who cares for another is needed since it’s an important mission. Don’t you even know about that, Mr. Enoch?”

“Shut up. I have the nameless god by my side. In fact, relying on another person is nonsense. Having groups of incomplete people is just incomplete anyways!”

Although he was a skilled and trustworthy member, he was an old man throwing a tantrum for now. Actually, he had been acting like this whenever the topic of romance came up. Surely, Enoch was alone. Neither romance nor marriage was prohibited as the priest of the nameless god, but he was alone. Even though he insisted that it was because of the mentioning in the nameless god’s doctrine that one had to be cautious of women, nobody in his party took that seriously.

“This old man, ha.”

“Ahahaha, Enoch Ajushi is weird.”

While Renail was hesitating about which magic she could punish Enoch with so that he would acknowledge his fault, an innocent girl’s voice was heard. It was from Lin, one of two girls acting as the members of Louise’s party although they were part of Astray’s Junior group.

“Weird?”

“Yup! It’s not like we want to depend on a person, but rather, we want to depend on and support that person because we love him.”

“Grrgh!?”

“Whoa, Lin just inflicted direct damage!”

“Lin has been speaking of complicated things lately.”

Enoch was utterly defeated, Renail awed at her, and Lan commented with a sullen look. Come to think of it, until a moment ago, Renail wasn’t able to differentiate between those two aside from their odd-eyes and hairstyles. Still, now she could see the huge differences in their facial expressions and attitudes. Lin’s expression looked as if she was looking at a distant place, thinking of someone and craving for that person. At the same time, empty worries and happy delusions came together. Yup, that’s the expression only a girl who has fallen in love can make.

“Ah, the young ones lately are really getting on my nerves. You know, during my time…”

And Enoch realized what Renail did. Renail glared at him as he tried to speak of something as he was lost for words.

“Be quiet, Enoch Ajushi. Our little Lin said something far better than us, the adults, so why are you trying to break her spirit!?”

“Ajushi! She just called me Ajushi again!”

The carriage became noisy all of a sudden. Such an atmosphere wasn’t expected from those who were about to meet the king of a country. So, while the carriage was still noisy, Lucid, who sat quietly without gathering anyone’s attention, closed his eyes and leaned against the window frame.

‘What should I do if the King of Beifeka doesn’t recognize me, either?’

It all happened the day before they reached the Kingdom of Beifeka.