Outside, while the sun was still rising, she felt a pang of panic, afraid that she had slept for another day. However, this idea was quickly dispelled when she saw that the tray from the previous night was still on the table and was now empty. She doesn't remember eating it, she-

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life." She whispered to herself. "You can do this. Hardwin will be there. You will find the chosen one, and you will save the world. No one else can do it, so you have to do it. You won't fail again. ”

Why won't this time be any different? If she didn't fail, there was no reason for her to become a magic swordsman at all.

On the chair lay some clothes, simple enough tunics, although it had the mark of the Twilight family carved into its heart. There were also breeches and cloaks.

She quickly dressed, pausing and glancing towards the closet. No, while these riding clothes were much better than what she had worn in her life, she wore better clothes more times than she could count in her lifetime. They weren't even tailor-made for her.

She pulled her cloak over her shoulders. "No more wasting time. Everyone is waiting for you. Looking forward to you. If you fail, it doesn't matter what you wear. Don't waste any more time. Eat a simple meal, find the chosen one and save the world. It's the only reason you exist. So let's go. Hah"

------

When she saw another familiar face at the table.

King Ofleen, the great warrior of the land, at least that's what she heard. A warlord wielding a huge greatsword that usually takes three people to carry, and when wielded, it makes a crackling lightning sound.

But now he was an old man, with a short gray beard, a hunched back, and a receding hairline. She barely recognized it. Hadwin and Ameline sat on either side, and the three were looking at the map.

"Now that those damn horses are gone, we can retake the Red Fire Fortress. From there we will be able to hold the valley. But they're back, and we need you to go back and destroy them," the king said, tapping the map. "I just hope you're right about that skull."

Horse? What kind of horses are they?

Those cursed lava horses. As the time for the appearance of the Hell God drew closer, it became easier and easier for those cultists to summon his divine beasts. For the average person, fire horses made of lava are a particularly deadly threat.

Joan shuddered as she remembered the battle they had been called to. A demon girl summons them with a strange obsidian bone.

She and Hardwin must fight their way through the stampede to eventually destroy the skull. Many cultists have escaped, but the threat has been resolved. Ironically, it was this battle, which in the lives of many of them, became the catalyst for Hadwin to develop the Swan Falls technique.

"That seems to be the source." Hadwin said with a sigh. "I don't like them popping up, though. I just killed the reflection trolls and they showed up a day later. It's so convenient! In addition to this, there is the remains of a castle near the entrance to the valley, which looks like it has been half destroyed, and if the demon built this castle only to destroy it, then something else could happen here. ”

"You're too worried about time," Emmeline said, shaking her head. "We know that the demons have been preparing for the attack for a long time. This is clearly their original intention. Our focus now is on holding the valley. As long as we trap them here, they won't be able to move the biggest monsters into our land. Our primary concern should be the summoner. If the skull isn't the source, then—"

"Obsidian bones are the source." Joan couldn't help but say. All three turned to her, seemingly shocked.

"Feels better, am I okay?" Emmeline asked. "I'm not sure if you'll be able to make it here. I heard you had a great time. ”

Zach Joan felt his cheeks burn and nodded quickly. "Yes. I just need to clear my head, I do a better job with a sword in my hand than I do in bed, I-"

"It's okay," Emmeline said, holding up her hand to stop her. "Be careful, you're still recovering. Hadwin, I don't know you told her about the skull. ”

"I didn't," Hadwin whispered, squinting at her. "I beg your pardon, I need to say a word to Joan," he said, then left the map and walked towards the hall exit, grabbing her arm as he passed.

As he pulled her out of the room and closed the door, Joan barely suppressed a hiss of pain and struggled to stay upright. When they were alone together, he glared at her condescendingly.

"What's wrong with that?" She asked.

"How did you know about Obsidian Bone?" He asked.

"You know," said Joan, barely suppressing a tired sigh. "It's like I know everything else. I've done it many times, so I know. Found the Wizard? ”

“WHO？” Hadwin asked.

"The witch who summoned them with a skeleton." She rolled her eyes and said. "She'll be—" The words went to her throat, and she looked up at him in horror.

"What?" He asked. "Joan, don't look at me like that. You look like you've seen a demon. ”

"Horses are made of lava, right?" She asked.

"Yes, they are. I want to know - "

"But they came a few weeks after the Reflection Trolls were destroyed," she said again, anxiety rising.

"No, a few days, but-"

"Nope. Not here, not at this time," she said quickly, reaching out and grabbing his arm. "They always show up after a few weeks. Always. No failures. That was a few years ago," she said, barely able to suppress the panic now. "It's not just a coincidence, Hadwin. Whoever summoned them is waiting for you to summon them by killing the Reflection Trolls. We need another chosen one. ”

Hadwin closed his eyes for a moment, then sighed. "I see. However, there are no demon girls. There were a lot of summoners, and most of them are dead now. By the way, what would have happened if things had gone according to the trajectory of the time? ”

Joan closed her eyes and struggled to remember. First the trolls, then the bat observation valley, then the horses. A few weeks later, they were summoned to the land of the dwarves.

"Dwarves," she whispered. "We have been asked to help them stop this strange tunnel worm monster. It's rough. We found their entire nests buried in the ground. It took us months to clean them up. Targren was there, though. We usually don't get his help. ”

Hadwin stared at her for a long time, as if struggling to digest the question. Finally, he spoke. "Devouring King?"

"The Devouring King. A giant worm the size of a castle that can easily chew stones and kill thousands? Hardwin asked.

"Tie it. But I guess we mostly call it a 'damn bastard worm,'" Joan said with a sigh. "I don't think we've ever called it the King of Devouring. Especially when we found the nest," she said, though his comment eventually ringed in her head as she stared at him. "Wait, do you know about this?"

"I killed it a few years ago. What do you mean by nest? Do you still have those things? Hardwin asked.

"There are hundreds," Joan said. "It's going to be something we'll have to deal with."

"I have to do this," Hardwin said quickly.

"Hadwin—"

"We'll discuss it when we get it, what's his name?"

"Hardworking Serge." Joan said with a sigh. "But you need my help—"

Hadwin finally let go of her arms, then turned and walked back down the hall. Joan sighed and followed him, her heart even more nervous at the thought that they would fight again later.

But more importantly, skulls always appear after trolls, but Batwatch Valley and Devouring Kings have appeared before. Does this mean that the two are not connected, but the skull is tied to them?

Some things happen in order, what if the skull doesn't actually have any connection to the troll at all, but what if it's happening now? Hardwin said there were multiple summoners, but in her experience, there was only one. Could it be that the use of the skull in her life was only hasty because of the failure of the Bat Watch Valley? Or is there really someone all the time? Wait for the reflection troll to be destroyed before going to work? hum

In the presence of kings and queens. They may already think she's a little crazy.

Her thoughts were interrupted by someone shaking her shoulder, and she was startled.

"Someone asked you a question," Hardwin said.

"I was? Sorry, I got lost in thought. What did you say? She asked, blushing.

"Actually, I," Oufrion said. She glanced at the table, where the king and queen were seated. The map had been cleared, and plates were already in front of them, piled high with sausages, eggs, and rolls.

Emmeline looked as if she was struggling not to laugh. However, Oufrion just looked at her. Now that I think about it, he hasn't said a word since she came. He had been looking at her just now.

"I'm sorry," she said again. "I'm just thinking."

"I must say," said the king, chuckling.

"I've heard quite a few stories about you, Joan. I never thought you would be a good thinker. This is obviously what you get from your mother. ”

"Hey!" Hardwin turned his head and glared at Ulfrain. However, Emmeline suddenly burst out laughing and covered her mouth with her hand.

"I don't know," Joan said with a shrug. "But I think it's possible. I certainly didn't get it from Hardwin," she said, while also gently teasing her friend. She was rewarded with a vicious gaze.

"So tell me. It seems that you are familiar with obsidian bones, and I wonder how you got this information? Oufrion asked.

Joan paused, and unfortunately, the queen seemed to be interested in the answer as well. She cursed herself in her heart for making such a stupid mistake.

"It's really hard to explain," she whispered.

"Please continue," he said, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I dream sometimes, too."

"Dreams?" Oufrion asked.

"Dreams. Sometimes they're about what's going to happen, but—"

"Like a vision?" Emmeline asked.

"Yes!" Joan saw that there was an escape route ahead and hurriedly said. Vision, of course. That's the perfect explanation for everything she has. "Sometimes I see what could happen or will happen."

"In fact, I had an incident with one of the chosen ones the other night. A young man in the academy. She said, then glanced back at the two of them again.

Ameline looked shocked, but relieved. On the other hand, Oufrion just stared at her with a look she couldn't recognize. She shuddered slightly. The eyes snooped into all her secrets, trying to reveal her truth.

"Hardwin never mentioned that you were also a prophet," Emmeline said, glancing at the chosen one. "Why are you hiding something like this?"

"I don't know," Hardwin said, shaking his head. "I must say that it was a surprise to me as well. But then again, Joan seems to be full of surprises. ”

Her heart was beating wildly.

I know Serge is one of the chosen ones and we have to go to him. and - "

"Serge? WHO？ Ameline asked, narrowing her eyes at her. What do you mean, catch him? ”

"Yes. I have a dream, or vision, of the shield electorate. A guy I knew at the Academy. Hardwin and I'll go—"

"No," said Emmeline firmly.

"What?" Joan asked. "He needs me—"

"If the chosen ones are there, Hardwin can go and summon them. You need to stay here to recover. Your injuries are not fully healed. ”

Joan took a slow breath and closed her eyes. She felt the anger building up, and she knew she had to control it. She is no longer a hero, and yelling at the queen will only get her in trouble. She had to control herself. "I'm fine. I've been sleeping for days, but we need to pick another one soon. ”

"You're not very good," Emmeline said briefly. "If you force yourself now, then you're going to break down eventually."

"It's just a few days of travel," Joan said again, trying to keep her voice calm.

"Please, I need to go with him. I promise I'll be careful. I promise not to expose myself to any unnecessary risks. ”

"Hadwin, you can't take this," Emmeline said, glancing at him. "She's your daughter, isn't she?"

Hardwin pinched the bridge of his nose, then shrugged. "She's taken good care of herself so far and I think she can take care of herself. We're going to go to T to see if this Searle is chosen. He said with a sigh. This is the best and only advantage we have at the moment. ”

"But she's just a child," Emmeline said firmly.

Joan struggled to restrain her anger, but her emotions exploded slightly. She slammed the table with her palm much harder than she had expected, and to her surprise, the queen was startled. "Yes, I'm young. But I'm not a child. I have ceased to be a child for many years.

I can fight like any adult, no, better. I'm a passable mage. I could survive alone in the wilderness for months at a time. If I need to, I'll probably fight the demons. Yes, I was hurt by a reflection troll. But no one else did it better than Hardwin. Not even the most powerful mages and warriors in the entire empire could do it. More importantly, I was the one who spotted its weakness and helped Hardwin defeat it. She said, barely resisting the urge to slap her palm on the table again.

"I'm not a child anymore, Your Highness.

Joan shook her head slightly. How that fight would have played out if she hadn't been there. If he uses ordinary fire-based techniques to deal with monsters, he will hardly hurt it. And, definitely stronger than when she killed as a hero. Can Hardwin win? She shuddered at the thought that he might actually die there. "You need me, Hadwin."

"Maybe we should let her go with him," Oufrion said. Emeline objected at first, but he raised a hand.

"After all, she was right. Even if she is young, she is certainly not a child. If we treat her like this, we may lose our advantage in the war against the demons. ”

After all, she was worried that the queen was her greatest danger, could it be that the king would play this role in this life? Honestly, she's not sure which is worse. It was a threat she knew, or a threat she could never have guessed.

"Good," Emmeline said with a sigh. "Since it is clear to you that this is the right decision, and at a time when a young woman is still vulnerable, to send a breath - it is wise to ride through the wilderness, I will be soft-hearted. Joan, remember. Take care of yourself and be careful! ”

She nodded softly, a bright smile on her face. "Of course, Your Highness. Thank you. I promise, I won't take any unnecessary risks. ”

------

The rain was pouring down, and Joan kept her spirits going, her body aching, the cold, and every step of the horse gave her legs a slight jolt, reminding her how sore they were. How long have they been on the road now, a week?

It started raining the night before, so avoid getting wet. Part of her wondered if it was a sign that the gods wanted her to be miserable and cold.

"Are you okay?" Hadwin asked.

"Can't we go faster?" She asked. "We're wasting our time."

"Horses don't run on wet roads."

She knew he was right. She couldn't remember the last time she felt so painful, though. She once rode horses for weeks at a time, and due to the urgency of the situation, she was forced to change the horses in each village so that they could rest. She was desperate to do so now.

She closed her eyes and gently cast a spell to relieve the pain in her legs. When the intense feeling of nausea spread throughout her body, she clung to the reins to avoid falling, and she regretted it almost immediately.

"Are you okay?" Hadwin asked, slowing down so she could keep up. "Do you need a break?"

"I'm fine," she said, even though she knew it was a lie. Due to the weather, the trip was already longer than they needed. She didn't dare to delay them any longer.

"Are you sure?" Hardwin asked again.

"I'm fine. We're almost there. This rain can't go on forever, right? Earth said with a slight smile, then glanced up at the clouds overhead. The thick clouds made her suspect that this might be the case. She swore she had saddle sores on her saddle sores.

"I shouldn't have brought you." Hadwin shook his head and said.

"I'm fine!" Joan said again, this time with no desperation in her voice. "You need me, remember? What if there's still a monster? I am your best source of information. ”

"It is said."

"A good father would believe in their daughter," she said, looking at her angrily, almost enough to make some of the pain go away.

"A good daughter obeys her father," he said after a while.

"I have a lot of things. Good daughters are certainly not among them. She said immediately. What exactly made you come up with this lie? ”

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Hardwin said. "What should I tell her? Are you either the reincarnation of some past, present, or future hero? Or maybe a spy from the Devillands? Maybe it's just crazy? If I wanted her to heal you, the possibility of you becoming my daughter seemed more believable, and that's what came to mind at the time. Personally, I wish I had more time to talk to you before I have to explain everything, but you decided to try to join a fight where you have no place to stand. ”

There was a feeling of heaviness in the chest. She wondered how things would have turned out if she hadn't been hurt. In the next life she will become an archer.

"Hadwin, thank you. I know you don't quite believe me yet. But you will, I know you will. You'll see—" The words choked in her throat as she tugged the reins. She looked around blankly, her heart pounding. She could feel it again. That strange feeling of being watched. Some unseen threat was watching her and preparing to attack.

"Joan? What is it? Hadwin asked, quickly stepping back to her side.

"Don't you feel it?" Joan asked, looking around frantically. However, in the heavy rain, she could not see anything.

"What does it feel?" He asked, moving his hand to the hilt of his sword.

"Something is watching us. I could feel it, all the way to my core. She whispered, and reached for her sword, but when she realized she no longer had one, she kicked herself in the heart.

Then, as suddenly as it was at the beginning, the feeling disappeared. She breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at Hadwin. "It's gone. You have to feel that? ”

"I don't feel anything," Hadwin said, and then pulled the reins of his mount. "You're just tired, Joan. Come along. Let's go to the next town and take a break. ”

"I'm not tired," Joan said, angry. "I'm not imagining it, either. There's something there, I know it's there! ”

"Of course," he said, with obvious suspicion in his tone. "Come along."

She didn't jump because of the shadow. There must be something she hasn't noticed yet. She wasn't crazy or panicked. She hoped.