Fifteen minutes later, Samael returned to where they had been.
For some reason, though, in the short time he had been gone and come back, the Ancient Serpent felt that the atmosphere beside the carriage had become strangely subtle.
The way the two women looked at him was also oddly unsettling.
After being stared at for a while, Samael felt his skin crawl and could not help asking,
"Uh, why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?"
"Nothing…"
"Everything's fine…"
The two women immediately withdrew their gazes and spoke at the same time. Their movements and tone had an indescribable harmony.
Weren't they still at each other's throats earlier? How did they suddenly get so in sync?
This unexpected change left Samael scratching his head, completely baffled.
Tch. Women. I don't get them…
After grumbling to himself, Samael quickly broke the silence and brought the conversation back on track.
"I'm afraid we'll have to change course."
"What happened?"
Once they were discussing serious matters, Morgan immediately composed herself, her expression turning solemn.
"For one thing, the roadbed is badly damaged, so the carriage won't be able to pass easily…"
At this point, Samael paused, his gaze falling on the wand in his employer's hand.
Morgan's expression stiffened, and she turned her head slightly away.
There was no question. This was her fault.
Yes, using a large-scale ritual spell to bombard magic insects really had gone too far.
Maybe next time… next time, she could try a different method…
"For another, there's a heavy black mist on the road, and we'll probably run into more magic insects ahead. To save time, taking a detour would be better."
Samael told the two of them what he had seen along the way.
"I checked. If we cross Red Earth Ridge, we'll have to travel an extra two hours, but we can get around this wasteland."
The witch, who had a natural fear of things like caterpillars, nodded without hesitation.
Even Mari, who usually made a habit of opposing Morgan, unusually agreed.
After finalizing the route, Samael immediately called the two of them over and hurried them along to avoid being attacked in the wild.
Fortunately, perhaps because of Morgan's earlier bombardment, the road was much cleaner than expected. Aside from a few scattered Magical Beasts and two small groups of revived corpses, they did not encounter much resistance.
As a result, although the ride was bumpy, the carriage soon circled around the wasteland and left that dangerous region behind.
However, changing course brought new problems.
According to their original plan, they should have reached a town before nightfall, where they could rest and recover.
But because they had avoided several key points, by the time the sky grew dark, there was neither village nor inn in sight. The three of them could only make do and spend the night in the wilderness.
Fortunately, Samael had always liked preparing for the worst, and their supplies were ample.
Besides, all three of them were far from ordinary people, so they had no fear of monster attacks.
Thus, after the Ancient Serpent briefly searched for a suitable campsite, he stopped the carriage, began setting up the tents, gathered firewood, and prepared dinner.
Beside the flickering campfire, smoke curled upward. Stewed mushrooms bubbled in the pot, and the aroma of meat mixed with flatbread spread through the air.
Mari, who had never understood the meaning of restraint, sneakily reached out, ready to be the first to have a taste.
Across from her, Morgan's expression sharpened. She abruptly stood from the dead log, her gaze cold and piercing.
Hiss!
At the same time, a blue-black ripple shot from the witch's hand, slicing through the shrubs dozens of meters away at an angle that almost grazed Mari's scalp.
"I was just sneaking a bite. It's not like I ate your rice. Was there any need to blast me with a spell?"
The white-haired big sister obediently sat back down and complained in irritation. Her purple eyes glimmered vividly in the darkness, and her pointed words carried a hidden trace of teasing.
However, Morgan paid no attention to the Incubus's mockery. Her gaze stayed fixed on the thicket that had been mostly cut away, and her voice was cold.
"Who's there? Come out!"
At some point, Samael beside her had also placed his fingers on the hilt of his sword. He drew the blade inch by inch, his vertical pupils narrowing.
"Three… two… one…"
"Don't… don't attack us! We mean no harm!"
A moment later, two elongated shadows raised their hands from behind the shrubs and shakily stepped into the firelight.
There really were people there?
I knew it. Humans aren't that petty.
So Morgan must have…
Mari came back to herself, looking thoughtful as she smiled at the witch standing above her.
…done it on purpose anyway!
Even with her terrible Magecraft, she knew that if Morgan only wanted to give a warning or cut through an obstacle, there were plenty of angles to choose from. There was no need to slice toward an innocent victim like her.
Tsk, tsk. Interesting…
The white-haired, considerate big sister rubbed her chin and looked with great interest at the Holy Sword wielder of the Planet and the Witch of Britannia standing side by side beside the fire, her eyes darting around.
At that moment, Samael and Morgan also made out the appearances of the two hidden figures by the firelight.
They were a young man and woman in their twenties, both dressed in worn-out clothes.
The man had short brown hair and a sturdy build. His knuckles were thick, marked by heavy labor, and his masculine features had a rugged cast to them. Unfortunately, the scar over his left brow added a hint of fierce hostility.
The woman was petite. Though she wore a coarse long dress, she still looked rather delicate and pretty.
"My lords, the Southern Realm is in chaos. Our village was struck by disaster. My wife and I were only passing through while fleeing. We truly mean no harm."
As Morgan approached, the brown-haired man instinctively shielded the young woman behind him. Gritting his teeth under a pressure that felt like facing a giant dragon, he steadied himself and defended them with a sincere face.
The witch frowned and snorted coldly. "Just passing through? Then why hide from us like thieves? We are not Magical Beasts."
The brown-haired young man paused, then gave a helpless, bitter smile. "These days, people are sometimes more dangerous than Magical Beasts…"
Morgan's lips moved, but in the end she fell silent.
"Grrr…"
A sudden rumble from an empty stomach broke the slightly tense atmosphere.
"My lord, I… I didn't mean to…"
Under everyone's eyes, the young woman hiding behind the brown-haired man turned pale with fright. She defended herself shakily, her small face full of fear and pallor, like a quail that would shrink back into its nest trembling at the slightest rustle.
"Sorry about that. When you're out on the road, you can't help being a little tense. We frightened you."
The Ancient Serpent smiled easily, drew back his aura a little, and casually sheathed his sword. His expression softened as he took the initiative to invite them.
"How about this? It's mealtime anyway. To apologize, why don't you sit down and eat with us, assuming you don't mind? I made plenty."
The young woman looked at her husband. The brown-haired man thought for a moment, touched his stomach, then clenched his teeth and nodded.
"Th-thank you…"
Once the young couple sat down, Samael readily handed two portions of food to the guests they had met by chance.
Fragrant flatbread! Meat. There was actually meat!
With real food in front of them that could fill their stomachs, the refugee couple hesitated only briefly before they began wolfing it down.
In no time, the meat was stripped clean from the bones, and even the crumbs on their clothes were greedily licked into their mouths.
Clearly, this refugee couple had truly been starving.
The brown-haired man even remembered to search the ground for a stone, crack open the gleaming bones, and share the marrow and fat inside with his wife to replenish the strength they would need for the road.
Seeing this, Morgan froze slightly, touched for some reason. She casually handed two freshly baked flatbreads to the young woman, who still seemed reluctant to stop.
"Take them…"
However, the young woman firmly shook her head, her eyes filled with gratitude.
"No. We've already received your kindness. We can't be greedy and make you go without a hot meal because of us."
The brown-haired man had the same attitude and firmly refused to accept.
With no other choice, Morgan had to give up.
There was no need to give away more roasted food, but a little soup to settle their stomachs should be fine.
Samael, who had taken a good impression of the two, found some edible plant stems and tubers, added a little dried meat, and filled a bowl to the brim for the starving couple.
After thanking him from the heart, the two no longer refused. They ate until they were full, an unprecedented sense of happiness lingering in their hearts as their tense bodies finally relaxed.
After the meal, the young couple diligently cleaned the utensils and tidied up the scraps to repay Samael and the others for their generosity.
Their grateful attitude even made the lazy Mari look at them a little more kindly.
"Disasters are breaking out all over Britannia. Where are you planning to go next?"
"The Holy City of Camelot. We heard it's the safest place. Besides, we've never seen the King before. We really want to see what he looks like."
The two exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with longing. As they relaxed, more genuine feeling showed through.
"That's a good idea. The road just won't be easy. I'll give you a map later. Try to follow the routes marked on it. You should be able to avoid some danger."
Samael smiled lightly in response, then paused briefly. His gaze swept across the backs of their necks, and his tone became meaningful.
"One friendly reminder, though. Before you set out, you'd better find a way to deal with the slave marks on your bodies first."
"…!!"
In an instant, the young man and woman beside the campfire went rigid, their faces filled with terror.
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