A lone figure in black armor stood atop a gray steel wall on the opposite side of the vast chasm. Judging by the figure's countenance, he was a high-ranked officer.
Due to his armor's helmet, it was hard to determine what he was looking at. But it was not hard to guess that he was observing the battle happening a distance away.
Thud.
Suddenly, another figure in black armor appeared behind him. This newly arrived figure knelt on one knee before saying, "Commander, the magical beast has been slain."
"Is it Commander Gidan?" the first figure, who had been addressed as the Commander, asked. From his tone, he did not appear perturbed by the magical beast's death.
"No. It was slain by an unknown... being."
"Unknown being?" The Commander asked, his voice suggesting his mood had turned foul from the news.
"Yes," the second figure responded. "That being's stature is similar to a complete being. However, 'it' has dark hair and raw strength that only beastlike possessed."
The Commander looked at the second figure and hissed, "An Imon-spawn?"
"We... do not know yet, but it is highly likely."
The Commander fell silent. He turned back to look at the battlefield and said, "Have the rest of the beast aim at that being and figure out its identity."
"About that... t-the beast horde... they had been slain as well."
The Commander did not respond.
However, the second figure sensed the sudden drop in temperature around him and lowered his head.
"H-However, the other side puts great importance on that being's safety. Our scouts saw who they believed to be the Saint personally coming out to escort that being back to their side."
"The Saint stepped out of those gates?"
"Yes. Although a few fighters and Commander Gidan accompanied her."
"Interesting... And? What of the fighters from the other side? Have you all managed to reduce their number?"
The second figure did not respond immediately. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead as he braced himself and finally replied, "That being was the only one dispatched to deal with the horde."
BAM!
"Guah!" The second figure spat a mouthful of blood as a powerful force fell on him. He managed to stay kneeling. However, all of his bones protested from the force's weight.
"Though our nation had no qualms over losing a beast horde, or a magical beast, those were still precious subjects. Besides that, their strength is the real deal. However, from what you just said, a lone soldier slain all of them?"
"W-We could hardly believe it as well," the second figure struggled to get up. "B-But the fact that all of them are dead r-remains."
The Commander waved his hand, and the pressure on the second figure lifted immediately.
"Gather everyone."
Y-Yes, Commander."
The second figure left immediately. He dared not delay since the Commander ordered it.
Back to the periphery of the Eidum's territory, Cyneah insisted on checking Kyran's condition no matter how much he told her he was fine.
The Eidums, particularly Azikh, and Gidan, only observed the two silently as they looked at the beast carcasses everywhere.
Gidan then ordered the fighters to collect all the beast parts that could be useful to them. After asking Azikh to supervise the fighters, he escorted the Saint and Kyran back to the gates.
Gidan opened the gates without waiting for Cyneah to say anything. He, along with the rest of the Eidums who went after her, more or less had accepted that she and Kyran were old acquaintances.
Of course, he knew more than the others since Kyran said he made an agreement with the Abbot because he was looking for someone.
Gidan did not expect the person he sought for was the Saint. Or maybe he already had an inkling but ignored it. After all, they did not know his motives or if the Abbot truly sent him.
Kyran might possess a temporary identification with the Abbot's seal, but who knew if he threatened the latter to give him one? Most importantly, his identity was too suspicious because of his physical appearance.
Those doubts were washed away after seeing the Saint's expression. Besides that, Azikh and Gidan had seen how Kyran looked at her.
If he had ill intentions toward their Saint, would he show such a gentle expression when looking at her?
Speaking of their Saint, Gidan wondered how she knew Kyran was there and that he went out to confront the horde. Because, as far as he remembered, Kyran had already gone out to deal with the horde before they could even announce the situation to their people.
As Gidan pondered this, they had already returned to the HQ.
Cyneah led Kyran to the infirmary while Gidan remained to keep watch if the other side sent out another horde.
Obviously, they did not believe the other side stopped their attack after the beast horde was taken care of. For sure, the enemy commander had witnessed what Kyran did.
Gidan thought of two possible follow-up actions the enemy commander would do after witnessing that. Either they would mobilize a new wave of beast horde or stop all attacks to investigate who Kyran was.
Gidan's considered the first possibility because Kyran's appearance was too suspicious. Not to mention, he looked like an Imon-spawn. As for the second reason, they believed the enemy commander would think their side had already exhausted their 'hidden card.' And since that hidden card had just dealt with a beast horde and a magical beast, he would be too exhausted to continue. Thus, if they attacked again, they would stand a better chance. For his second reason, it was because their Saint had come out.
Would the enemy commander let go of the chance to capture the Saint?
While thinking about all that, Gidan saw a woman talking to Hilam and Soria.
'That woman is...'
He immediately recognized the woman as the other one who had arrived with the Saint earlier.
He then recalled his doubt on how the Saint knew Kyran had come.
"Hilam," Gidan called at once.
Although they more or less established that the Saint knew Kyran, they wanted to know if she said anything else regarding their relationship because they found it strange that their Saint would know someone who might be an Imon-spawn.
Hilam perked up and replied, "Yes, commander."
Before Hilam rushed to Gidan, the latter gestured for Soria and the young woman to come, "You two. Come here for a second."
The young woman looked at Gidan reluctantly but ultimately joined the other two.
"You," Gidan looked at them with a slight scowl. "You three are the new ones that arrived today."
It was not a question but a statement. Nevertheless, he said it, wanting confirmation from them.
"Yes," the three replied.
"You," Gidan looked at the young woman. "What's your name?"
"I am Yalen, Commander Gidan," she replied at once.
"Where are you stationed?" Gidan asked. He already knew she was a healer judging by her robes and the crest of the Abbot, a fillany leaf stitched on it.
"I was stationed to be one of the healers in Ward 7," Yalen replied.
"Ward 7," Gidan scowled. "That's the ward the Saint personally attends to. So your healing abilities are pretty good."
Yalen lowered her head in embarrassment, "I... It is good enough, I believe."
"Still." Instead of asking a follow-up question, Gidan turned at Hilam and Soria and said disapprovingly, "You two. Did you tell her the things that transpired in that room? Even if she was assigned to the Saint's ward, that does not mean you two had the right to gossip on delicate topics."
Hilam and Soria immediately understood he was talking about their audience with the 'Saint.' They shook their heads at once before lowering them in respect, "No, sir. We did not tell her anything."
"Then how do you explain the Saint rushing here?"
"Commander Gidan," Yalen interjected at once. "Hilam and Soria did not say anything to us. I... It's just that, after arriving, the Saint could not welcome me properly because of those fighters that needed some healing."
She started to explain. She paused to collect her thoughts before continuing, "But after we finished tending to the wounded, the Saint personally called for Oded and me and welcomed us. She then asked us how our journey was. So, we told her about it..."
Apparently, Yalen more or less told Cyneah all about what transpired during their journey.
She listened intently and even looked worried when they mentioned getting ambushed by the enemies. There was also their encounter with the pirates.
However, when they started talking about Kyran healing them, they found the Saint's silence slightly different. Initially, Yalen and Oded thought the Saint was deep in thought and curious about Kyran's healing approach. Not to mention, his potions and pills were effective. If they had those, then those critically injured Eidums could be healed
"Now that I think of it," Yalen said with a thoughtful expression. "Her demeanor changed when we started talking about sir Nar."
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