Chapter 18

"So, do you just wander around, or are you actually trying to go somewhere?" Lennix asked as he, the black knight, and their new temporary ally, Derek Quill—known to them as Carver—made their way back to Clarissa, Mari, and Karin.

"No, not really. I just like to wander from wilderness to wilderness, town to town, city to city, valley to—"

Before Derek could continue, the black knight raised a hand. "Okay, okay, we got it. You don't have to list every single place you can travel to."

Derek chuckled. "Sorry, I don't talk to people much. You'll have to forgive my rambling." He glanced ahead, thinking to himself, *Is it sad that I can play the role of a wandering recluse so well?*

"Hey, there they are!" Lennix suddenly called, pointing ahead.

Derek followed his gaze and spotted three figures—two women and a little girl. *Hmm, one of them is the knife expert. The king failed to mention the other two, though,* he mused.

As soon as they got close, Clarissa spoke up in her usual flat, emotionless tone. "Who is this?" Her cold gaze settled on Derek.

*Wow, she looks... completely dead inside. Wonder what that's about,* Derek thought.

Lennix gestured toward him like he was presenting a prize-winning product. "This right here is Carver. He helped us take down a strong demon."

"Wow, you helped them? Then you must be really strong!" Mari chirped as she stepped forward, looking up at him with wide eyes. She raised a hand toward him. "I'm Mari."

Derek blinked at her enthusiasm but took her small hand in his own, shaking it. "Aren't you polite? Your parents must have raised you well."

The moment the words left his mouth, the air around them shifted. The awkward tension was immediate. Karin, standing slightly apart from the group, stifled a cough.

*Huh? Did I say something wrong?* Derek wondered, but Mari simply kept smiling.

"Yes! My mommy is great," she said happily, letting go of his hand.

*Ah,* Derek realized. *Her mother raised her alone, I'm guessing.* His gaze flicked briefly toward Karin. *And speaking of which, that woman over there must be her mother. They do resemble each other.*

"So, you two idiots went and brought another idiot along? Just like last time?" Clarissa deadpanned, shifting the mood so abruptly that Derek nearly got whiplash.

"Hey!" Lennix huffed, crossing his arms. "You can call us idiots all you want, but don't go insulting people who actually helped us!"

The black knight nodded. "Yes, especially since we don't even know if Carver's an idiot yet."

Derek stared at him. *You're not even going to fully deny it?*

But rather than feeling insulted, The Reluctant Deity was delighted.

*This group is going to be even more fun than I thought.*

"Well, since you two are finally done saving another village, can we move on already?" Kari huffed, crossing her free unchained arms in annoyance.

Lennix shot her a glare. "Keep up the sass, and you're going right back in your weapon."

Kari clicked her tongue and turned away, clearly irritated. She had only been let out because, given the demon situation, running off would have been a death sentence for her.

"We'd usually leave after I set up the wards," the black knight said, "but with what our new friend told us—and what we encountered—there's more we need to handle."

Clarissa tilted her head slightly. "What do you mean?"

Lennix glanced at her before jabbing a thumb in Derek's direction. "Apparently, demons have been coming through portals opening all over Aetheria. According to him."

"So you need to close the portal here to stop them from appearing in this village?" Clarissa asked.

"Pretty much," Lennix confirmed with a nod.

Clarissa's eyes flicked toward Lennix, then back to the black knight. "Do either of you—I mean, does Mr. Black Knight—even know how to do that?" Clarissa corrected herself mid-sentence, already knowing Lennix wouldn't have a clue.

Lennix gave her a flat look. "Did you really have to phrase it like that?"

Clarissa ignored him as Derek placed a hand on his chest. "He doesn't," he admitted, "but I do. That's why I'm going with them—to help shut it down."

Clarissa's gaze sharpened. "Why are you so eager to help?" Despite her usual monotone, the suspicion was clear.

Derek shrugged. "Because I'm a good person?"

"I've met a good person before," she said, her flat tone making her suspicion cut sharper. "You're nothing like him."

Derek suddenly felt… mildly threatened. Not physically—obviously—but enough to wonder if she saw through him.

Lennix slung an arm around her shoulder. "Relax, Clarissa. He's good—I can feel it."

She turned her head toward him. "If you wish to trust him, Master Lennix, then I won't object." Without another word, she smoothly ducked out from under his arm.

"Since you three are going after the portal, we'll remain in the village," she continued. "I suspect it will take time."

"Most likely," Derek admitted with a shrug. "We do have to find the portal before we can close it."

Clarissa gave a small nod, then gently took Mari's hand. "Then go. Come, Mari." She tugged the girl along before glancing back at Karin. "You too."

Karin flinched. "...Yes," she muttered, trailing after them.

"Good luck, Uncle Lennix! Uncle Knight! And you too, Mr. Carver!" Mari called, waving as they walked away toward the village.

Derek watched them walk off, giving a lazy wave in return. "You lot really are an interesting bunch."

Lennix exhaled. "Yeah, we get that a lot."

"Do we?" asked the black knight, scratching the top of his helmet.

Derek turned back to him and the black knight. "Well, shall we?"

They both nodded, and without another word, the three set off to patrol the village's outer perimeter.