Even the Demon King is worrying about another world today.

That said, it's surprising that three women appeared at the same time.

They say three women make a drama, and it's a good thing he wasn't there, otherwise the scene would have been beyond his control.

"Oh, Master, your smile is so lewd."

Kuro climbed onto the rock to get a closer look at Mikayi's smiling face.

"Laughing at the clouds in the sky, is that alright, Master? Have you suffered some kind of shock?"

Mikayi's expression froze, and he touched his cheek.

I was actually laughing...

strangeness.

After coughing awkwardly a few times, Mikayi said, "Hurry up and practice. We'll be participating in the raid in three days. I won't be able to protect you then, Kuro."

"Hmph, who needs the protection of a stupid master? I'll just unleash a Black Lightning Blast and send that guy flying into the sky!"

“Okay, okay…” Mikayi said helplessly.

063 Let's go! The Demon King will vanquish the monsters!

As dawn broke, a large crowd had already gathered at the northernmost gate of the City of Everwinter.

There were about eight hundred people. They were all wrapped in long black robes and wore hoods, making them completely indistinguishable in gender. Their basic professions could only be determined by the long swords or staffs hanging at their waists.

"Speaking of which, are these the adventurers who accepted the commission?" Mikayi glanced around the crowd.

Too weak...

Those people emanated a negligible amount of magic. Some didn't even possess any magic; they simply came carrying a lawnmower.

"Are those people just there to get money, so they have to bite the bullet and become civilians?" Mikayi rubbed the cat-eared girl next to him with his elbow.

Kuro gripped the short staff in his hand, somewhat absentmindedly.

"It's not so bad to just take the money and leave, is it? Ten silver coins for free, how wonderful." Mikayi's demonic thoughts surfaced, and he lowered his voice to avoid being overheard by the imperial soldiers beside him.

"Impossible, Master. This is an imperial commission, signed and sealed. If you defect, the search magic can easily find you and execute you on the spot. The punishments of the Lyon Empire are no joke..."

Kuro took a deep breath and placed his cane on his back.

"Master, we're about to go to our deaths. Before we go, have you said anything you wanted to say before you die?" Kuro said with a worried expression and despair in his eyes.

Mikayi's face, however, was relaxed: "You've been very obedient today, you've been calling me master the whole time."

"There's nothing I can do. Today is the last day we live, so I'll just have to satisfy my perverted master's cravings a little more."

Kuro bowed to Mikayi and said, "Thank you, Master, for your meticulous care these past few days. You made sure I had hot meals and a warm blanket, and even taught me black magic before I died. I have no regrets now."

“…” Mikayi opened his mouth, his face full of black lines.

There's no need to be so serious!

Mikayi patted Kuro on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Don't worry, Kuro, I'm here. You'll be fine. I still have many..."

"I haven't taught you any dark magic yet. Once the mission is complete, we'll take the gold coins to a warm city, and I'll teach you slowly there."

"...Although I know I'm going to die, you didn't need to set such a bold flag, did you, Master?"

“F, flag…” This word awakened a long-forgotten memory in Mikayi. “Do you know how to write flag, Kuro?”

Kuro thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"Do you know what language this is?"

After all, this word sounds like the English word for 'Earth'... Why would a reference to that planet appear here?

Kuro shook his head again.

"I've wanted to ask this before: where did you learn all those technical terms you use?"

“If it’s something my master wanted to know before he passed away, it’s not impossible for me to tell him.”

"...I already told you, I won't die, and neither will you. At least trust your master!"

Kuro looked up, his black cat ears twitching three times: "To be honest, I've forgotten where I learned these words, but I heard children in the slums saying them a long time ago. If we trace it back, it might be related to the 'church'."

The church...

Mikael already knew that there were several churches on this continent. Some churches were affiliated with the state, while others were independent.

Those that have become independent, and even have their own territories, are almost as large as countries.

The only thing that's certain now is that there are people in the church on this continent who, like myself, come from Earth. It's just that we don't know how long ago that person came to this other world, or if they're long gone.

"Gather! Get on the bus!"

The soldier at the very front shouted something, and the sparse crowd gradually gathered together.

To prevent himself from getting separated from Kuro, Mikayi took Kuro's hand and shielded Kuro's small body in front of him.

"Do you remember what I told you last night?"

"Yes, I will remember Master's last words." Kuro nodded obediently, though he was blunt. "Master was a wind mage and a traveler from a foreign land."

"Just remember that."

The name 'Migayi' already exists as a pseudonym for 'Wind Mage' in the continent of Lolan. If he were to use dark magic in front of humans, he would inevitably be exposed.

In order to avoid arousing suspicion from humans, it is best to firmly establish the identity of 'Wind Mage' for now.

There were ten carriages parked there. Following the crowd, Mikayi and his companion were led into a spacious carriage.

The carriage was packed with people, so crowded that their chests were pressed against their backs. There were no seats; this makeshift carriage was more like a cargo wagon.

Mikayi sat on the board, holding Kuro on her lap. The journey was very bumpy, and although the carriage was relatively sealed, cold air still seeped in through the gaps.

The journey was relatively safe.

After a bumpy and stumbling journey, and after who knows how many hours, the carriage finally came to a stop.

"We've reached the foot of the mountain now, and we'll camp here tonight. We'll hike the rest of the way tomorrow."

Outside the carriage, a soldier shouted at the top of his lungs. The howling wind drowned out most of his voice.

A hushed discussion could be heard from inside the carriage.

"Hiking up there? Even a strong adult would have trouble getting from here to the top of the mountain, right?"

"I heard that most of the people who participated in the previous two campaigns died on the way."

"How terrifying... After all, this is a battle against a 'Calamity-level' monster."

"If we run away now... is it too late?"

"Don't even think about it. You might get killed before you even take a step."

Sitting at the very back, Mikayi was forced to listen to the panicked discussions of the people, with Kuro sitting on his lap, his eyes filled with unease.

"Scared?" Mikayi pinched Kuro's cheek.

Kuro didn't reply, but instead buried his head in Mikayi's chest.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Mikayi smiled and ruffled Kuro's hair.

One by one, the people in the carriage jumped off, with Mikayi, who was sitting at the very back, being the last to get off.

The majestic snow-capped mountain stood before him, and Mikayi squinted as he looked up at the summit.

All you could see was a blanket of white. Thick fog hung over the mountaintops. Snow seemed to be constantly sliding off the steep slopes.

That being said, sending a demon king to fight monsters sounds like a comedy.

064 Snow Mountain

A heavy snow was falling in the pitch-black night, making it unsuitable for traveling. The group decided to set up camp on the spot.

Soldiers from the Lyon Empire led the crowd into a cave.

A campfire burned in the cave, providing some warmth. The firewood, likely transported from the town, was damp, making a crackling sound as it burned.

Mikayi led Kuro to a spot that was furthest inside.

As darkness fell, the noisy discussions inside the cave gradually turned into snores.

Kuro was fast asleep, his head resting on Mikayi's lap. To keep his little apprentice from getting cold, Mikayi took off his black robe and draped it over Kuro.

A group of people were asleep in the cave. Although the past seven days had given Mikayi the habit of sleeping at night, he was wide awake in this environment.

Besides the chaotic breathing and uneven snoring, there were also faint sounds...

The squeaking sound of metal rubbing against a silk scarf.

Mikayi raised his head and looked toward the source of the sound.

Sitting cross-legged in the very center of the crowd was a red-haired boy, who was engrossed in wiping his sword.

Sensing the gaze from the corner, the boy also looked up in the direction of that gaze.

The two simply glanced at each other, then remained silent.

Withdrawing his gaze, Mikayi focused on the long staff in his hand.

This wooden staff is extremely simple; it looks like a wooden stick with a crystal ball on it.

This wind-attribute crystal ball cost him a lot of silver coins; it was a staff that Mikayi had prepared himself.

This hunt will inevitably involve spellcasting, and casting magic without any medium would arouse suspicion from humans. After all, humans are the kind of beings who, if something conflicts with their understanding, will subconsciously categorize it as something alien.

That said, Mikayi had also had several experiences fighting monsters, living in caves, sleeping in trees, and even burying himself in the sand to sleep.

Back then, he was a 'Wind Warrior' with countless companions around him.

Among that group of heroes was a 'Fire Hero' with red hair and a long sword.

Although both ended in betrayal and being betrayed.

After wiping his sword, the red-haired boy lay down on his side, glancing one last time at Mikayi in the corner before falling asleep. Only after confirming that Mikayi's eyes were still open did the red-haired boy feel at ease enough to drift off to sleep.

Hey... this guy isn't using me as a lookout, is he?

Fearing an attack from monsters if they fell asleep, the boy made sure at least one person was awake in the cave. When he discovered another person still awake in a corner, he stopped keeping watch.

Since Mikayi wasn't planning on sleeping anyway, she shifted her legs, which had become numb from Kuro's weight. Mikayi stared blankly at the crackling campfire.