Chapter 32

When they passed through the south gate, they found themselves in a hilly wetland that Al frequented almost daily for activities like hunting large-mouthed lizards. The trees, about 2 meters tall, were bursting with fresh green leaves due to the rainy season. The Holden River to the left was still swollen from the heavy rain that had continued for several days. Climbing to a slightly higher spot to look ahead, he could see the rear of the caravan he had just seen off.

"Oh, good. They haven't gone too far."

Al muttered and glanced sideways. Reda was on her knees, breathing heavily. Although they hadn't run that far, it seemed to be taking a toll on her.

"Are you okay, Lady Reda? Do you want me to cast a spell to make your breathing easier?"

At Al's question, Reda nodded, though with a puzzled look.

'Physical Enhancement' - Physical Strength Enhancement, Contact Application

The moment Al touched her shoulder, Reda looked at him in surprise.

"Was that... the Physical Enhancement spell? Can you use such a spell?"

Al smiled and nodded.

"Not just strength, but a little bit of overall stamina. It's not too strong, so I don't think it will feel strange. How about it? Do you feel a bit better?"

Reda seemed to be in shock, her face stiff as she nodded slightly.

"Try your best. We'll catch up soon..."

With that, Al started running again. Reda took a deep breath, and Al felt a bit relieved, thinking her breathing had become easier.

"Yes."

She answered honestly and started running behind Al. Her movements were lighter and more agile than before. The two of them ran and caught up to the last of the merchants' carriages in the caravan. The adventurers guarding the caravan seemed to know Reda and greeted the two of them with a wave. Reda returned the greeting with a happy expression. Al also waved back.

After passing the merchants' carriages, they reached the main group, which included the Internal Affairs Bureau and Eric's carriage, surrounded by the guards. Two men were leading the guards, both on horseback.

"The one at the front is Captain Jonas. He's a knight, but he gets angry if you call him 'Sir,' so be careful."

The man Reda pointed out was at the front of the formation, riding a horse. He was about 180 cm tall, with a well-built, sun-tanned body. He wore black-dyed leather armor and a helmet, and his face was hidden by the helmet's visor.

Being a knight means he is a hereditary noble. While some, like Al's father, are lords of small villages, others serve higher nobles for a salary, and he might be one of them. As a knight, he should be called 'Sir Jonas,' but the fact that he gets angry suggests there's something more to it.

"Sir Jonas, this is Reda, under Eric. We've been checking the group following us."

When Reda and Al approached him, they called out. Sir Jonas raised his visor without slowing his horse, and for a moment, he looked at Al and Reda, who were walking briskly to keep up with his horse.

"The young man at the back is the new face Eric mentioned. Hmm... That's good. It seems the young lady is taking her job seriously. Impressive, impressive."

Though his tone was teasing, Reda didn't react. This might explain her expression when she heard his name. She continued, reporting that there were no particular abnormalities.

"Very well. Inform Eric that I'm aware."

Al and Reda bowed and were about to step back when a flock of over a hundred water birds on the opposite bank of the Holden River suddenly started making a commotion and took off with a loud flapping of wings.

"What's happening?"

Sir Jonas looked around. The horses pulling the carriages were startled by the noise and neighing, and the drivers were frantically trying to stop them. Not only the guards but also the caravan members were looking around, and Al did the same. The rain had made visibility poor.

'Perception Enhancement' - Visual Enhancement, Telepathy

Al focused on the small, moving objects and identified them one by one. Sparrows, fleeing water birds... nothing that seemed threatening. Water birds are skittish and might have reacted to something minor. He repeated the check. Finally, he found it.

- Sheep-Hunting Great Eagle

With a wingspan exceeding 5 meters, this magical beast is known for snatching sheep with its powerful talons. Its distinctive appearance, with white feathers on its head and wingtips and brown feathers elsewhere, is so strong that it is sometimes used in noble crests. It was flying from the southeast, across the river, and gradually approaching.

"Great Eagle in the southeast sky. Distance: 1 kilometer."

Al shouted. A few people looked in that direction. The Great Eagle was getting closer, and its form was now visible to the naked eye.

"Mac and Noel, intercept. The rest, control the horses."

Captain Jonas gave orders to his subordinates. Horses are skittish animals. If the Great Eagle were to descend, they might panic, causing more danger than direct harm. Most of the guards rushed to the carriages.

The Great Eagle was now about 500 meters away. Its brown and white feather pattern was clearly visible. It was heading straight for them, seemingly targeting something in the caravan. With a wingspan of about 7 meters, it was a significantly larger individual than average. Al grabbed Reda's hand, who was standing there, and guided her to the shadow of the carriage where Eric was likely to be, hiding himself as well.

By then, the Great Eagle was about 100 meters away. It let out a loud cry, "Kakeh!" The horses started to panic, but the guards managed to control them. However, from the back of the caravan, the sound of a large horse neighing and something colliding could be heard. The Great Eagle had changed its direction.

"Now, fire!"

Seizing the moment, Sir Jonas shouted. Two guards, who had their bows ready, released their arrows.

'Magical Arrow'

Al also fired a magical arrow in sync. Shining arrows also flew from Eric and Fitz, who had somehow emerged from the carriage.

"Kakeh!"

The Great Eagle, pierced by real and magical arrows, let out a cry that sounded like a scream. It tried to change its course and escape into the sky. Blood splattered the ground, reaching even where Al was. The Great Eagle lost balance while ascending, started spinning, and then lost speed, hovering in the air for a moment. It then completely lost its strength, glided through the air, and fell into the Holden River.

"Yay!" "Oh!" "Wow!"

Cheers of praise rose from the back of the caravan. Some might have lamented the loss of valuable materials, but the Holden River was a dangerous place, teeming with large-mouthed lizards and lizardmen, making it impossible to retrieve the carcass. Al watched the carcass float away down the river and sighed in relief.

Thank you for reading.

I plan to post twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays at 10 AM. I appreciate your support.

I apologize for the strange name of the Sheep-Hunting Great Eagle. I couldn't think of a better name. The Snake-Hunting Eagle actually exists, so I thought this fictional magical beast could be plausible. In terms of threat level, it is large in size but fragile in body, not as formidable as griffins or wyverns.

Thank you for pointing out the typos. I always appreciate your help.

I'm also grateful for likes, ratings, and comments. I would appreciate your continued support.

On March 30, 2023, I received feedback regarding the contact support spell. Despite previous descriptions stating that it cannot be used without the recipient's consent and that sudden physical enhancement can be difficult to handle, I used it on Reda. I have added a description of asking for permission and focusing on stamina enhancement. I will be more careful in the future. Some may think Reda accepted it too easily, but she is still naive...