Chapter 20: Using Advancement as a Retreat
Blinking, Komer wore a knowing smile that left everyone puzzled—was he truly terrified by this trouble he shouldn’t have been involved in, or was there something wrong with his mind?
“Eve, when Grace first invited me to join the mercenary group, she didn’t say much. She only mentioned the group’s past honors; she didn’t deceive me in any way. I think joining the Night Angel Mercenaries was my own choice. To this day, I still don’t see anything wrong with it,” Komer replied in a very casual tone. “I am a member of the mercenary group, and I am duty-bound to fulfill all obligations within it. Of course, as a member, I should be informed of everything that needs to be known.”
Surprise mixed with deep emotion made Eve, Grace, and the other three members of the mercenary group exclaim in astonishment. But seeing the confident glow in Komer’s eyes, almost everyone instinctively felt that he was like a sturdy tree that could provide shelter from the elements.
“Rethor, you need to think carefully. There’s no need for you to get involved in this danger that has nothing to do with you. Our enemies are powerful. From Pinostes to here, we originally had twenty-two companions, but they’ve all fallen victim to the enemy’s cruel attacks. The enemy won’t spare any of us. If you get involved, you’re likely to meet the same fate as us.” Though deep down she hoped for this man, as a conscientious priestess, Eve had to warn him.
“I know what I’m doing, Eve. You don’t need to persuade me. Among us here, maybe my experiences are a bit more complicated. It’s true that when I joined the mercenary group, some people thought I was a bit simple-minded.” As he spoke, Komer glanced casually at the flustered beauty, making Grace, whose cheeks were already red, even more at a loss.
“Rethor, I’m sorry… back then I…” Grace stepped forward, her face red, trying to explain, but Komer interrupted her with a smile: “It’s okay. Really, it’s nothing. I know Grace must be fascinated by my charming and handsome appearance, so she wanted to spend more time with me this way. I can understand that.”
“You! Lethar, how shameless you are! Who has bewitched you? Ugh! You’re just an ordinary person—who would take a fancy to you?” Grace, like a puppy with its tail stepped on, jumped up instantly, her face turning red. She no longer showed any trace of guilt from before and shouted angrily at high pitch.
Laughter filled the room, dispelling the earlier tension and gloom. Even Lomei couldn’t help but smile at Komer’s shameless words, her mood improving significantly. The Great Sage was truly humorous, always able to lighten the atmosphere no matter what.
When only Komer, Lomei, and Eve were left in the room, Eve’s expression returned to calm. “Lethar, what do you think we should do now? That thief stole our mercenary group’s license—approved by the Mercenary Guild and essential for us to make a living. Without it, we won’t be able to take on any missions. You’ve also lost something; I don’t know what it is, but is it important?”
“It’s not particularly valuable, but it’s very useful to me. I must get it back. But right now, Prague is at its busiest, so it will take some effort to find that elf thief.” Komer smiled faintly. He didn’t say exactly what had been stolen, as not many people would understand the usefulness of that item.
“Well, magicians from all over the continent have gathered here. That’s why we chose to hide out here. To be honest, before meeting you, I was already struggling. Grace is a straightforward girl who doesn’t keep secrets. As for Bayezid and Briarnos, Javier is always wandering around. I really can’t bear this responsibility anymore.” The young priestess showed an indescribably relieved expression. “Since you’ve agreed to join our mercenary group, I can rest assured and hand over the responsibilities to you.”
“Eve, don’t think that way. The decisions for the mercenary group still need to come from you. But I can offer you help. The Round Table Conference will end in a few days, and the Magic Competition won’t last long either. If our enemies have indeed tracked us to Prague, we’ll have to consider our next move. Where did you originally plan to go? The South is a vast region—do you have a specific target?” Komer shook his head. He didn’t want to take on such a responsibility; he had his own matters to attend to, though he really wanted to integrate with this mercenary group.
“Reiser, don’t really think that our mercenary group can dominate the south with our current strength. The world of mercenaries is built on power and determination; without real skills, one cannot gain a foothold in it. Our current capabilities are not enough to take on larger missions, and we’re unwilling to take on small tasks like delivering goods or searching for people, as that brings no benefit to our group’s reputation or our own training. Moreover, our top priority right now is to survive—only by keeping our lives safe can we think about anything else; we don’t have the energy to focus on other things for now.”
The young priestess displayed great leadership at this moment. Despite the immense pressure of being pursued by enemies, she remained calm and composed.
“Briarnos and Bayezid’s targets are too obvious; it’s hard to avoid being detected by those who are determined to find them. In that case, it’s better for us to stay in Prague openly. After the magic festival in Prague ends, some mages and martial experts will surely head south. We can take the opportunity to follow them, which at least will make them cautious. Even if they do try to attack, they’ll have to consider various external factors. If they really do try to harm us, we might get some help.” Komer shared his opinion. “In the meantime, we should hurry up and find that elf thief. I wonder if Eve has any better ways to track him?”
“We do have some ideas. Javier used to be a famous thief in Binostes, so he should know something about this kind of work. Besides, he has a special ability—he has an extremely keen sense of smell. Anyone he’s remembered through his olfactory memory can be detected within fifty meters. If that elf thief still appears in busy places to commit crimes, as you said, then as long as Javier hangs around those areas, he’ll be able to spot him right away. But even if Javier finds the thief, he might not be able to catch him. It seems the thief knows wind magic and is quite skilled at invisibility. Unless Grace stays with Javier all the time.” The young priestess gradually handed over decision-making power to Komer, even consulting him on arrangements for her own mercenaries.
“Well, it should work. But since we can’t avoid what’s coming, why not go all out? This magic festival is a rare opportunity. Does Eve really plan to stay at the Sofala Inn until the festival ends? Observing magic competitions is extremely beneficial for a magic practitioner—it’s not something one gets to see often. Doesn’t Eve want to take a look?” Komer invited with a smile, “Rather than staying hidden in the inn in fear, let’s show up openly and see if anyone reacts. I guess the enemy must be from the Northern Alliance, maybe with even more complex backgrounds. But Bohemia is a special place—its unique neutral status makes every country or faction cautious. The magic knights of the Bohemian Kingdom are world-famous. Although the combination of magic and martial arts remains debatable, the palace knights there all possess high levels of magic skill. During the festival, they’ll patrol the streets. I doubt anyone would dare challenge these knights from the magical kingdom of Bohemia.”
“Reiser, are you saying we should all show up together?” she asked thoughtfully. The young priestess was somewhat tempted by Komer’s strategy of advancing by retreating.
“Hmm, if they really attack in Prague, I think that would be a challenge to the Bohemian monarchy. Neither the kingdom’s knight order nor its court mages would sit idly by. The bigger this becomes, the better—it’s the only way to turn danger into opportunity. If the enemy doesn’t show up, it means they don’t have enough power or influence in the southern regions, allowing us to determine our next steps,” Komer said, nodding thoughtfully.
“Hmm, Reiser, you make good sense. Then let’s wait until the Round Table Conference and the magic competitions start. To be honest, I really want to see the healing magic performances. I’m afraid you know my skills are still limited—things like your Holy Flame Purification are beyond my reach at the moment. If I could observe the experts competing, it would be incredibly beneficial for me,” the young priestess said tactfully, expressing her admiration for Komer’s light-based healing magic. “Briarnos was injured by an enemy mage using a Flame Dragon Needle. He wasn’t prepared, and by the time he realized it, the situation had worsened. But my white magic can’t heal injuries that originate from within his body.”