The refugees left, and the city quickly began fortifying itself.
The gates of the castle walls were tightly secured, and cannons and arrows were readied.
Several large warships sent from the capital entered the sea.
Support troops that were not expected had arrived.
Troops from various locations, including our garrison, were heading to Harfen.
A meeting was held where the leaders of each Knight Order gathered to discuss the defense of Harfen.
The building that was used as the city hall became a temporary operations headquarters.
As I waited in the conference room of the city hall, the leaders of each Knight Order gradually gathered.
The appearances of Python and the other leaders who entered the conference room were dreadful.
Each bore serious wounds on their bodies.
“I’m sorry. If we hadn’t lost…”
“It’s fine.”
As Python began to speak in a very somber voice, Leon comforted him.
Even before the meeting started, the atmosphere had significantly darkened.
Although there had been a retreat, it was remarkable that they had returned without any casualties.
Python, who was recognized even within the Roran Empire, was almost as famous as the heads of the Knight Orders.
At one point, he had even been mentioned as a candidate for the head of a Knight Order.
His skills were undeniable.
I wasn’t the only one shocked by the fact that he couldn’t stop the Undead executive.
“We will begin the meeting now. First, Python, please talk about that executive.”
As Leon commenced the meeting, he requested information on the Undead executive.
“That guy wasn’t like the Undead, like a skeleton or ghoul.”
“But the report clearly stated it was a skeleton riding a flying ghost horse…”
“That was his subordinate commander.”
Python described the specific Undead legion executive, Knight Karim.
“He’s large, wearing armor that glimmers black, and he should be categorized as a magic swordsman.”
“If he’s a magic swordsman, then that’s our specialty, isn’t it?”
“Think about the magic swordsman of the Latnia Empire that we faced. It’s not a good match!”
Python’s voice rose slightly.
“One of the commanders accompanying him was exceptionally skilled.”
Python explained that he fought not in a one-on-one duel but in a two-on-one situation, with one commander involved.
“He had three sub-commanders under him. I don’t want to say we lost due to being outnumbered…”
Our side had three leaders of the Knight Orders, while the enemy had four, including the executive, which could not have been easy.
Still, there wasn’t only bad news.
Although they had retreated, they reported that they had taken down one enemy commander in the process.
“If we encounter him next time, we should have a numerical advantage.”
Python looked at me and the other leaders of the Knight Orders as he spoke.
“I hope that when he appears, all the commanders can gather.”
“I will consider it.”
After that, the meeting discussed the deployment of the Knight Orders within the city.
Harfen had large gates located to the east and south.
Considering the direction of the Undead’s advance, it was more likely they would come from the south than the east.
Splitting troops between the south and east was a military matter.
The Knight Orders couldn’t be split exactly in half, so some discussion was necessary.
“We will take charge of the south.”
“It might be too much given that you’re not fully recovered yet. How about not overdoing it?”
“Can’t we just bring Perrya along?”
“It’s not good to treat our members like objects.”
Alex displayed significant displeasure at Python’s statement.
I had heard there was a healer attached to Alex’s Knight Order.
“Hmph! I didn’t treat them like objects. She’s an excellent healer, which is rare in a Knight Order.”
It was clear that Python was trying his best not to offend Alex.
Alex had rejected the position of head after leading the Knight Order for a long time.
If he had wanted, he would have already been the head of the Knight Order.
“After the meeting, I will stop by our accommodation. I will request her healing.”
As soon as Alex gave his permission, Python’s expression brightened.
“But if you talk needlessly, I will cut out your tongue!”
“I understand.”
After the meeting concluded, I hurriedly left the city hall building.
Although the accommodation assigned to me wasn’t far, I had another appointment scheduled.
Recalling the explanation slowly, I arrived at a mansion.
The outer gate wasn’t locked, allowing me to enter easily.
As I knocked on the mansion door, I heard someone hurrying from the inside.
Click.
The door opened to reveal a blonde woman in a maid’s outfit.
“Who are you?”
“I was sent here by Lord Alex.”
“Oh, I heard a guest was coming. Please, come in.”
It seemed she was already informed of my arrival, and the atmosphere was welcoming.
I followed her inside and was guided to the living room.
“By the way, why didn’t you come with him?”
“He told me to go ahead and wait.”
Alex had informed me of his accommodation’s location right after the meeting concluded.
He hadn’t said much beyond asking me to wait ahead.
Knock. Knock.
As soon as I sat on the living room sofa, I heard a knock at the door.
The maid quickly moved to open it, and someone from outside stepped inside.
The person entering the mansion was none other than Python and his injured companions.
As more than ten people came in at once, the mansion instantly became lively.
“Everyone, please be quiet. Those with minor injuries over there, and those with serious injuries, please come this way first.”
The woman sitting across from me examined the injured and emitted a white light from her hands to heal their wounds.
Compared to how she looked before, her expression began to slightly distort as the number of injured exceeded ten.
In an effort to hide her pained expression, she bravely smiled and treated all the wounded.
“It’s finished, so please go back for today.”
The members of the Knight Order silently bowed their heads in gratitude before leaving.
Python, who came with them, seemed to have much to say but never opened his mouth.
“Um, are you here to receive treatment too?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then, I’m sorry, but I’ll just lie down for a moment. Sorry…”
She seemed quite exhausted and laid back on the sofa, closing her eyes.
A while later, she didn’t stir until Alex returned after opening the mansion door.
As soon as Alex returned, he slowly examined her condition.
“You really are tired.”
Alex gathered mana in his hand and placed it on the woman’s head.
“Oh, you’re back.”
The woman, regaining her senses, tried to rise, but Alex naturally pushed her back down.
“Stay lying down.”
“Yes…”
The woman rested her head on Alex’s lap and closed her eyes.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
“The reason I called you was because of this child, Perrya.”
Alex gazed intently at Perrya, who was resting on his lap.
“I have raised her as if she were my own daughter, and she has a talent for healing magic.”
“I saw that earlier.”
“However, there’s a problem. While she heals others’ wounds well, she can’t heal her own.”
Alex’s request to me was to heal Perrya.
“But I don’t know how to use healing magic.”
“I’m not asking you to use healing magic; I can manage that myself to some extent.”
“Then what?”
“I want to increase her mana capacity.”
Increasing mana capacity isn’t particularly difficult.
Alex must surely know how to do that.
I wondered why he was asking me for this favor.
“As you can see, I’m a demon. I can handle swordsmanship, but I’ve never taught magic to a human.”
“What about healing magic?”
“They say she learned it from a book by herself.”
Perrya, despite not having a proper mana core, learned mana on her own.
Of course, not having a mana core doesn’t prevent one from using magic.
It doesn’t matter for me and Isabel since we’re not human, but Perrya is different.
A human body is unlike that of a demon.
If not done correctly, she could fail to handle the mana and damage herself.
“Wouldn’t it have been better to teach her how to create at least a mana core?”
“I thought it would naturally form if left alone.”
It seems that Isabel’s case was unique, and most others formed naturally.
Perrya probably used mana stored in her heart.
To correct that, a mana core needs to be created, which requires mental techniques.
“Understood. I will teach you for now.”
“Thank you.”
“But isn’t there anyone who can use healing magic here?”
“If it’s just to heal minor wounds, then yes, there are some, but the effects on severe injuries vary greatly depending on the user’s ability.”
As I listened to Alex’s words, it seemed that healing magic wasn’t particularly favored.
Demonkind probably didn’t study it deeply since they possess excellent physical abilities.
Humans take a long time to learn magic, making it difficult to find someone trained in it.
Later, Alex mentioned that he would send Perrya to our accommodation when he had time.
“Well then, I will return for today.”
“Thank you for your help.”
Leaving Alex’s mansion, I headed toward the accommodation that had been assigned to me.
The accommodation was a neat three-story building, with the first floor being used as a shop.
Our assigned spaces were on the second and third floors.
Each member was given one room on the second floor, while the rooms on the third floor were for the leaders.
Since the structures of the second and third floors were the same, there wasn’t particularly a larger space for us.
I joined Jema, who was waiting at the entrance of the accommodation, and we went up to the third floor.
“The room is quite spacious.”
“Indeed.”
It was more of a house slightly larger than a studio apartment than a room.
Originally, it was a house temporarily rented from the former residents of this city.
Thinking of the house’s owners, who would return later, I had to keep it as neat as possible.
I first told Jema about Alex’s request.
I needed to teach her the mental techniques, but I wasn’t using any techniques myself.
“Well, creating one is not difficult, but it takes a long time. Catherine has just begun to create one.”
“What? She still can’t create it?”
“Though she’s a fast learner.”
The Academy didn’t have separate classes specifically for humans.
They simply continued to work hard in the beginner class to create mana cores.
“Ah, that person already knows a bit of magic.”
“Then it wouldn’t take long.”
The next day, Perrya came to visit our accommodation.
Riki and the other members already knew her.
“Please, come up.”
“Then, excuse me.”
