Chapter 31: Escort (1)

It was a time of urgency. We even gave the horses stimulants to keep moving.

When the horses were exhausted, we abandoned them and ran on foot.

We moved through rough terrain to avoid others' gazes without a moment's rest, which left us quite fatigued.

Needless to say, the cold in the north was intense.

Still, thanks to our frantic running, we managed to reach the edge of the mountain range just after midnight.

Of course, we still had to move further to reach our destination, but Phiri suggested a rest.

Her intention was to ensure we had as much physical leeway as possible before the mission began.

We lit a magic stove that didn't produce flames in a cave at the foot of the mountain and took a break.

"Shouldn't you eat something?"

"I'm fine for now. I'll eat later."

Phiri looked at me with a slightly troubled expression. It was because of the meal. If I were someone else, she might have insisted I eat.

I have a bit of a cleanliness issue, which is why I act this way.

"I'll eat when I really need to."

I know that eating is important. We had been running, and I needed to replenish the calories I had burned.

But this was a well-considered decision.

We might have to stay here for up to four days. Considering the mental stress I would endure, it would be better not to eat.

Thanks to my enhanced iron constitution, a bit of hunger or sleep deprivation wouldn't be a significant blow.

My condition is always close to the worst, anyway. Whether it's -10 or -12, it's all the same, right?

Phiri looked at me for a moment and nodded. She might have wanted me to experience it firsthand.

"Alright. Are you feeling okay physically?"

"Yes."

Phiri seemed more relaxed than expected.

She looked like a model spy who never loses her composure.

Of course, her inner feelings would be different.

From the way she worried about the agents during the day, she seemed to be a person with more empathy than I thought.

"By the way, you seem quite different when you talk to me compared to earlier."

"I told you. I'm being nice to you."

True. Considering she's the deputy leader and we have the same superior, she was treating me too casually.

Maybe it's because of the first impression.

She seemed like a bumbling person to others, but since I came to the empire, she has been quite strict.

I thought I should be a bit more considerate. Habits can be scary.

"I'll be more careful from now on, Deputy Leader."

"Huh? Hey."

When I changed my tone, Phiri waved her hand.

"It's fine, bro. We're like siblings, you know. I just have to maintain the deputy leader's dignity. Be casual when it's just us. You can call me 'sister' if you want."

"That's a bit... I'll just call you Deputy Leader."

"Why? If we only consider age, you can call me 'sister.'"

Instead of answering, I slightly frowned, and Phiri chuckled.

Thanks to this trivial conversation, the tension seemed to ease a bit.

"By the way, you were quite sharp earlier."

"I'm not sure. The others had their reasons too."

"The important thing is that a new recruit thought the same as me. Even smart people only think simply at first."

It was a direct compliment, so I couldn't help but smile awkwardly.

"But, what if they're in the empire?"

I think there's a 90% chance they're demon worshippers, but you never know.

There might be someone from their side in the empire.

We also need to consider the order. The empire's plans might have been hijacked by the demon worshippers later.

When on a spy mission, it's better to assume nothing is certain. Phiri shrugged.

"What's the big deal about the empire? Don't you trust me, the deputy leader?"

"There might be someone at your level on the other side too."

"If it doesn't work out, we'll just run. We'll try to rescue them if we can."

Phiri spoke playfully, but then her expression hardened.

"Once we enter the mountain, focus all your senses on the wind."

"Yes."

"I'm serious. I really mean all your senses. I'll protect you. That's why I brought you."

"I had a feeling."

Finding someone in this vast mountain range while avoiding mysterious enemies was almost insane.

Rescue missions are harder than assassination or infiltration.

We weren't just going to the agreed location to pick someone up; we were entering the enemy's territory with no information.

We also had to consider our survival.

Phiri wouldn't have brought me just because I'm her deputy. She brought me because my ability is wind, which allows for searching in invisible places.

"Once we start the mission, I'll decide when to retreat. If the search fails and we need to retreat, I'll try to draw as much attention as possible. It might create an opening."

"Understood."

"Have we rested enough? Let's go."

We tidied up the magic stove and stood up. The heat disappeared instantly, and the cold northern wind rushed in.

Under normal circumstances, I would have blocked it, but we didn't have the mana to spare here.

As we stepped out, it started snowing. Not a heavy snowfall, just thin flakes.

It wasn't a good omen. If it stopped after a short while, it would freeze, leaving only our footprints.

I could scatter them with the wind, but it would still be a physical burden.

Phiri's expression wasn't good either. On the thin layer of snow, we silently took a step forward.

* * *

"11 o'clock and 1 o'clock, about 800 meters, heading our way."

"I expected it, but you're more comfortable than I thought."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You must be popular."

"Really?"

"I mean your ability. Try to stay in the empire as long as possible."

I nodded, not knowing what would happen to me once the main story starts.

Phiri's playful tone disappeared.

"We'll break through more quickly and directly."

At the same time, we increased our speed. It was something we could do at night.

No matter how deep in the mountains, we couldn't move around like this during the day.

After safely entering the Kahalin Mountains, the deeper we went, the stricter the security became.

Or rather, it was more like a search for something.

'That means one thing.'

As we had guessed, our ally hadn't been captured yet. The intensity of the search made that clear.

They probably realized our ally was a spy.

Not being caught initially means they left a trail.

Demon worshippers don't let outsiders in their territory go unnoticed.

But since they couldn't catch them even by following the trail, they must have realized it wasn't an ordinary person.

It became a major issue, so the search net was spread wide.

Of course, they might have already been captured, but the wide perimeter and search net suggest they're still looking for additional people.

I organized my thoughts and expressed a small concern.

"Will the footprints be okay?"

At first, I erased the footprints with the wind, but Phiri told me not to waste my strength.

She said I would need it later to find our ally.

I was still worried. They didn't have lights, but there might be someone with good night vision.

Of course, once we got this far, it would be impossible to erase the trail on the way back.

"Right. We'll break through as quickly as possible. If we get caught, we'll have to deal with it. We'll eliminate what we need to."

I nodded.

It was inevitable, given that this was a rescue mission. We had to be prepared to abandon what we couldn't save.

We could only hope they would turn a blind eye or miss us.

The only fortunate thing was that the moon was hidden by clouds, making the surroundings dark.

'I wish it would snow more heavily.'

If it were a heavy snowfall, the footprints would be erased quickly.

The ambiguous snowfall made things more uncertain and added to the physical fatigue.

Four days.

That was the deadline Phiri set for the rescue mission. If anything went wrong before then, we would have to escape on our own.

I hoped the snow wouldn't stop. Whether we rescued our ally or not, we would be exposed to the enemy until our escape.

We might have to let the merchant caravan pass and escape on our own.

In the midst of these rapid thoughts, I concluded that I needed to conserve my strength.

We successfully broke through the search net and moved forward. But the real challenge was just beginning.

The deeper we went, the tighter their net would become.

'At least they haven't caught us yet.'

There was no change in their movements. Any change would be a bad sign.

Either our ally or we had been caught.

If it were the latter, we might be able to create an opening for our ally, but the former would be the worst-case scenario.

Phiri frowned, looking cautious.

"Hmm."

"What's wrong?"

"They don't seem to be from the empire. Not Rialto or Hisal either."

I had no knowledge of the situation here, so I had to trust Phiri.

This was the moment when the possibility of them being demon worshippers, as I suspected, increased.

We moved and hid in a tunnel, erasing our trail before dawn.

Despite only moving, the distance we covered was limited due to the circumstances.

We stood guard and rested, replenishing our strength until sunset.

The night in the mountains came quickly, and we resumed our search within the enemy's search net.

Even as we tried to erase our trail, there were still dangerous enemies.

Two more days passed without any results.

* * *

It was a heavy snowfall from dawn.

The amount of snow was so much that the black sky turned gray.

The third day of the rescue mission.

If we counted the time since we arrived at the mountain, it was two and a half days. The restrictions made the search a difficult task.

"Are you okay? You look very tired."

"I can still hold on."

As the sun set, Phiri checked my condition.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't tired. I was already in the worst condition.

We had been moving around the cold mountains in a state of tension.

Moreover, I had moved from Haisen to the empire, from the empire to Kahalin, and from Kahalin to the Kibelun Mountains.

Even just sitting in a carriage would accumulate fatigue, so the accumulated fatigue was clearly felt.

"Just a little longer. Tonight is the last night."

I knew that. We had to join a nearby merchant caravan tomorrow.

But from Phiri's behavior over the past few days, it didn't seem like she would retreat easily.

She was becoming more anxious as time passed. I was a bit surprised, considering she was a deputy leader.

She seemed to have some past story.

'The branch leader also mentioned past events.'

She wouldn't leave me as I am and would probably resume the search alone.

Phiri slightly lifted the camouflage and looked outside. Her expression was serious as she looked at the falling snow.

The heavy snowfall since dawn had turned the world white.

"Should the agents move first?"

Phiri nodded, slightly surprised.

"Right. The heavy snowfall. It's a good environment for escape. Considering the agents' physical condition and supplies, they would move on such a day."

Agents would naturally wait for support if it were available.

The limit of their waiting depends on their physical leeway. They need to escape while they still have some strength left.

A heavy snowfall isn't a good environment for escape, but it's also harsh for the pursuers.

It's also easier to avoid being seen.

"Did you consider this when you set the mission deadline to four days?"

Phiri, who agreed, thought for a moment and then spoke heavily.

"Head to the agreed location 30 minutes from now."

"Excuse me?"

"Tuun Zaha will move today. Probably by nightfall... or maybe they already have."

Phiri looked confident.

"From now on, I'll draw attention. You head to the agreed location after that. You should be fine. After that, it's up to your judgment. I'll find my way back."

It was a thoughtful consideration for me, and I understood the other reason she told me not to erase the footprints.

If we were caught during the search, we would have to draw attention.

In any case, it wasn't a wrong decision.

If Tuun Zaha moves and Phiri starts drawing attention properly...

'It would be easier for her to move without me.'

Although I felt a bit disappointed after three days of hard work, I wasn't regretful.

Being a spy often involves wasting time. Many missions are fruitless.

"Understood."

As I nodded, the search team was detected at the edge of the wind. It was the moment Phiri stood up.

"Just a moment."

Phiri looked at me blankly.

"7 o'clock, 9 o'clock, 5 o'clock. They are heading northeast, about 1 km away."

"Damn it."

Phiri jumped up from her seat. It seemed something had happened on the Tuun Zaha side.