Reinforcements and New Allies

Lying on the blanket, Anto finally enjoyed a good night’s sleep after a long time. Every time he used the Holy Flame, he would feel exceptionally fatigued the next day; this was a common occurrence. As Eric had once explained, Anto hadn’t truly mastered the proper application of Holy Flame; he was merely blindly relying on instinct to wield this formidable power, inevitably leading him down a path of exhaustion at times. Though using Holy Flame after studying Holy Light was less taxing than before, he still lacked much strength the following day.

Perhaps Captain Vincent had discerned this, which was why he hadn’t allowed Anto to accompany the departing team. Anto awoke leisurely around noon, stretching as he pushed open his tent flap. As he stepped out, Knight Ilivy was already waiting outside.

“Lord Anto, are we heading to the forest now?”

“The sunlight is just right,” Anto replied, gazing at the sky. His short nap had sufficiently recharged his spirit. As he walked towards the sentry tower gate with Knight Ilivy, he noticed figures preparing to enter.

“Wow, so this is the border fortress! It truly looks brutal.”

“If it weren’t brutal, the rewards wouldn’t be so generous.” Compared to the warriors already stationed there, the arriving reinforcements were dressed in peculiar attire. Their outfits were not uniform, featuring armor crafted from various materials and an array of weapons. Yet, they all exuded an aura of considerable strength, their presence signaling to Anto that these individuals possessed extraordinary power.

Their banners, bearing the distinct emblem of the Council, served as definitive proof of their affiliation.

Adventurers from the Transmigrators’ Council, these beings known as Otherworlders, had once again arrived.

Among this group, Anto recognized two familiar faces: his senior apprentice, Tikka, and Mula.

“An adventurer party under the Council of Sages has arrived to reinforce the front lines,” the leader declared, stepping forward. “You’ve endured much hardship to hold out for so long.”

“…It is our duty,” the General replied, clasping the other man’s hand. “How many people have you brought?”

“Thirty,” the man answered matter-of-factly. “However, these thirty adventurers, handpicked by the Council, are far from ordinary.”

“We welcome your participation.” After the General spoke, the adventurers filed into the camp, one by one. Some noticed Anto, exclaiming in surprise:

“There’s a nun here! And such a beautiful one!”

“Wow, that’s why I love the frontier—nuns like her actually exist here!” A few adventurers, captivated by the nun’s beauty, naturally intended to approach her for a chat, but their path was blocked by a sword. It wasn’t Ilivy’s blade, but Tikka’s.

“That’s enough. We’re here to fight a war, not to engage in such behavior.”

“Tch, Tikka, why are you pretending to be so righteous?” As one of them retorted, Mula stepped forward as well.

“What’s wrong? Thinking of acting like ruffians and bullying people? Don’t forget, we have rules. If you violate them, you won’t take a single coin home.”

“Hmph.” Faced with these two veterans, the adventurers had no choice but to slink away. Once they were out of earshot, Anto turned to Tikka and Mula, a smile gracing his lips.

“You’ve come, just as I expected, Brother Tikka, Sister Mula.”

“Naturally,” Tikka affirmed, looking at Anto. “You need assistance, and we promised to provide it.”

“Exactly, exactly! But it’s best not to assume all Otherworlders are as good-natured as us,” Mula added. “For instance, many of those who came with us this time are here purely for money—they are veritable Earth Mercenaries. They believe their strength gives them license to act however they please, and they try to dominate with their martial prowess. They are utterly tiresome individuals. If any of them try to speak to little Anto, say nothing to them. Just come back and tell us, and we’ll handle it!” Anto nodded at Mula’s words, then responded.

“I truly thank you both.” Anto trusted them implicitly, not only because of Tikka’s connection to Eric but, more importantly, because he knew of Tikka’s integrity and Mula’s unspoken yet undeniable kindness. Both were exceptional among the Otherworlders, absolutely trustworthy individuals.

“With this, we can form a temporary adventure party to visit many places,” Tikka remarked, and Mula nodded in agreement.

“See? A swordsman, a knight, a priest, and an archer—a perfect lineup! If we had a mage, it would be even better.”

“Speaking of mages…” Tikka began, turning around. Just then, the clear notes of a lute rang out from behind him.

“If you are indeed in need of an experienced support mage.” A man in a green hooded cloak approached slowly. “Randall, the bard, at your service.”

“This is…” Anto started, but Randall leaned in and said, “A pleasure to meet you for the first time, Holy Maiden of the Border, Miss Antolia. I am Randall, a bard and a retainer of the Prince. The Prince often speaks of you; you’ve captivated his very soul.” The bard smiled as he continued, “Seeing you up close, it’s clear he’s right. You possess a peerless beauty capable of stealing hearts.”

“Don’t approach Anto,” Ilivy interjected, stepping forward. Randall immediately retreated two steps. “Don’t be so tense; there’s no need for caution, Tikka. We’re on the same side, aren’t we? Why haven’t you properly explained me to these two?”

“Because there’s no great need for explanation, Bard Randall. As he said, he is a retainer of the Prince, a man who occasionally gets drunk in taverns and sings off-key songs. Yet, he also has another side: he is the Council’s most influential steward in the Royal Capital of Draynes, an honorary executive officer of the Council.”

“Precisely, precisely! But don’t worry, don’t worry, I’m not part of the Holy Child Advent Party, and I have no intention of doing anything to the legendary Holy Child,” Randall said with a smile. “In Draynes, I can guarantee you won’t suffer harm from other factions, but that’s the extent of what I can do. This meeting, too, fulfills a long-held wish. So, are you willing to take me along?”

“Lord Anto…” Ilivy turned to look at Anto, who nodded. “Since Mr. Randall is willing to join, then he may. Brother Tikka, I plan to take everyone to the forest. Members of the Black Brotherhood are present there, and we can make contact with them.”

“Then let’s depart. Our combat capabilities are more than sufficient,” Tikka said with a smile. “Leave the escort to us.”