Without needing orders, the knights and adventurers dismounted from the carriages. Their hands were already near their weapons. Corre and the adventurers followed soon after.
For precaution, the carriages were also quickly repositioned to make a defensive circle where inside civilians including the coachmen, I, and Zayn stayed. Outside it, the knights and adventurers came out ready to battle for any danger.
The town was silent—too silent. No footsteps. No voices. Not even the sound of wind between buildings. Zayn and I remained in the rear carriage with the coachmen, keeping close to Doctor Angelo.
"You two stay with Doctor Angelo," Corre ordered. Unfortunately for the old man, the old man looked pale. Whatever strength his healing arts possessed, it was doubtful whether he could even continue.
Responding, I nodded immediately. Corre glanced at me, as if expecting resistance, but I had none to give. To him, we were only ordinary humans.
'Why am I still thinking about that boy?' he thought to himself before turning away. 'They are not here to fight.'
The knights had also separated into three groups, with three people under one captain. They wore iron armors, and armed with shields and weapons such as spears, swords, and bows and arrows.
Most of them had huge muscular bodies. Apparently, they have three knights that are cut different from the others.
The tallest of three was named Faller. He was the captain of the whole thing. He was very tall and had brown hair, a chiseled face, and a serious stone-cold smile. He was the oldest of the three.
The second was Hamon. He seems to be the next-in-command.
He was not as tall as Faller but he was by far the largest. He was holding his big axe with one hand as if it was nothing. He always had a warm smile despite the tension.
The last one was a teenager with blonde hair and blue eyes. His youth was very obvious but he had a sturdy, muscular body who seemed to be even better trained than the others. The only problem was that he had a nonchalant expression that made him looked bored and lazy all the time. Out of everyone, including the knights, he was the one who stood out the most.
The tension thickened.
No one spoke beyond brief grunts. Armor clinked softly. Every movement was cautious. The town felt… hollow. Not a single resident greeted us. No footsteps. No voices.
"I knew it. This town looked strange from outside from the very start," Ellie muttered.
"When we attack, let's focus more on dealing damage," Corre replied dryly as he unsheathed his sword.
Faller gestured sharply. "Search the area. Stay alert."
From inside the carriage, I watched Doctor Angelo's brow crease—not with fear, but with careful thought. He glanced at me and Zayn, his expression gentle.
"Relax," he said softly. "You two just didn't know. The strong adults are going to take care of the trouble outside."
"Really?" Zayn said, looking truly terrified. It reminded me of the time he was being chased by human knights in the Demon King's citadel. However, I find it hard to decide whether he was truly scared or not.
The warm eyes of Doctor Angelo turned toward me. "You too, young man, come over here."
I frowned.
"…"
"Doctor, what are you talking about?" I asked, unable to hide the faint smile tugging at my lips. "I'm not scared at all. I've traveled alone since I was a child, and while demons are… well, they're scary, but they don't scare me."
"It's not about whether they scare you," he said calmly. "It's dangerous."
"I'm fine."
The old man leaned back slightly, studying my face with careful attention.
'He's…dead serious,' he realized. 'I almost forgot these two have grown up fending for themselves in an era of war…'
He shook his head subtly, a mix of admiration and concern flickering across his features. Then, deciding it was for the best, he moved and pulled me inside the wagon.
Sigh.
'What is this old man thinking? Is this what annoyance is?'
Before anyone could respond, a scream echoed from the direction of the castle. Then another scream. But then if one heard more, it seemed more like laughter. Continuous laughter!
For just a moment, something moved near the towers. I was certain of it. Discreetly, the scouts of the knights rushed toward the town square. I went to the window of the wagon and followed their movements with my eyes, already knowing what they would find. I could feel it.
'They're going to die,' I thought, shaking my head internally.
Doctor Angelo tried to step down from the carriage, panic flashing across his face. He probably could feel something, but not as sure as I can. Also, a large figure blocked him instantly.
"Please remain here," said the large knight—Hamon— with a smile. His voice firm but kind. "And focus on recovering."
The old man hesitated, then nodded reluctantly, looking toward the square with concern.
Hamon then glanced at Zayn and me. "That applies to you two as well. No going out yet."
We smiled politely at the fat knight.
To them, we were just boys traveling together.
Meanwhile, the young knight lingered nearby sitting casually on a log.
"Good timing," Hamon said. "Go take a look."
The young knight sighed and stood. "Feels like I'm digging my own grave."
This was the teenager knight. He was Gary.
His armor was shiny and almost had no dents. While having a seemingly well-trained physique, his posture was always loose. While seemingly being the youngest, he looked the most relaxed. His expression hardly changes and it was like he was in a vacation. During the monster attacks and the bandit attack, he was sleeping inside the carriages the whole time.
Zayn whispered to Hamon, "Is he strong?"
"Very," Hamon answered without hesitation. "Strongest we've got. He's a genius."
"Gary," Faller added, "join the scouts."
Gary shrugged and walked, as if he was being pushed around against his will.