Flillian, I want to live.

Fulilian reached out and touched Philen's head.

"If the old doesn't go, the new won't come. Let's go find new partners..."

Fulilian smiled slightly and spoke slowly.

"Hey! Don't treat your travel companions like consumables that need to be replaced when they break down!"

From the bushes nearby, a black-haired girl, wet from head to toe, emerged with an indignant look on her face.

"...So you weren't digested by the dragon?"

Fulilian looked at Gutel with some regret, as if he had just entered some strange play.

"It was spit out..."

Recalling his experience in the dragon's mouth, Guter couldn't help feeling a little nauseous. Not to mention the corrosive ambergris, just the bad breath from not brushing his teeth since he was a child was something Guter would never forget.

However, it seemed that the dragon had a keen sense of magic. After realizing that it had eaten a dangerous big demon, the Red Mirror Dragon decisively chose to spit out Gutel.

"Well, come to think of it, if we launch the attack from within the dragon's body, maybe we can..."

Fulilian said with a sudden inspiration.

"No! Go get eaten by a dragon yourself!"

However, Guter said he had no intention of experiencing the same bad experience in the dragon's mouth again.

"That's right..."

Fulilian curled her lips helplessly.

It’s time to find a reliable forward.

At this moment, the same thought came to the minds of the three people.

Whether facing the killers hired by Aura or the dragon they encountered today, it was difficult for the three magicians alone to cope with it.

"Hey, you guys, what are you doing here?"

At this moment, as if there was a movement in the woods over here, a somewhat reproachful voice came from the road leading to the nearby town.

Along with the sound of dismounting and armor rubbing against each other, a knight wearing standard plate armor and a red cloak strode into the woods with arrogant strides. He slapped the branches blocking the road with his hands and rushed to the three people with great momentum.

"The canyon ahead is the Red Mirror Dragon's territory. From here on, it's a restricted area. Who allowed you to trespass in without permission?!"

Although the knight in front of him tried hard to act serious and mature, his voice, which had just begun to change, still revealed his true age. That slightly childish voice was that of a boy of sixteen or seventeen years old.

"Ah..."

It seemed that Fulilian was not very good at dealing with such situations. Facing the accusations made by the young knight, she shrank her head into her neck in a somewhat cowardly manner, with a helpless and embarrassed expression on her face.

"Um, Sir Knight, we are adventurers passing through here and don't quite understand the local rules..."

Faced with this situation, Philen finally stood up and stood in front of Fulilian, who was like a child who had done something wrong, and explained to the young knight while rubbing his hands like a parent who was called to the school by the teacher.

Under normal circumstances, Guter would not get involved in such troublesome matters, and would often pretend to be an ignorant child and watch from the sidelines.

However, this time, Gutel heard something wrong in the young knight's voice.

Although the other party deliberately changed his voice to make himself appear more mature, Guter still heard a hint of familiarity in the voice.

Then, she poked her head out from behind Philen and caught a glimpse of the huge long-handled battle axe carried on the young knight's back.

"Hugh Tark...you are Hugh Tark, right?"

Gutel clapped his hands, then jumped out, pointed at the young knight carrying a battle axe, and called out his name.

"Eh?"

When he saw Guter, Huettark was stunned for a moment, then he reached out and took off the helmet that was covering his face, revealing his short black and red hair and a face full of surprise.

"Big sister, why are you..."

Hugh Turk said to Gutel a little excitedly.

Then, as if realizing something, he slapped his head, pointed at Philen in front of him and said:

"I see. You are the disciple that Big Sister Gutel mentioned, Philen. Yes, you have purple hair and purple eyes. You must be Big Sister Philen, right?!"

"Miss?"

The vein on Philen's forehead suddenly popped out.

Chapter 62: Boys are very handsome when they are quiet

"I am Master Aize's disciple, Sister Philen!"

On the path leading to the town, Xiutalk held the reins in his hand and introduced himself to Philen beside him as he walked.

Although Hugh Tark tried his best to show his enthusiasm, Philen pouted, turned his head away with disgust, pretending not to hear what Hugh Tark said and ignored him.

"Hey, if we calculate by age, Philen should be younger than you, Hugh Tark~"

Seeing that Hugh Tark looked unsure of the situation, Gutel, who was sitting on his horse, smiled and reminded the young knight who regarded himself as his younger brother.

"Ah, sorry, sister Philen~"

Hugh Turk carelessly scratched his tomato-red hair with his hand.

"..."

Philen's expression suddenly grew darker.

"Although he is Aize's disciple, this kind of personality..."

Fulilian, who was walking behind with a suitcase, held her chin with her hand and looked at Xutalk who kept triggering the Fren mine zone with a somewhat puzzled look.

I always feel like this child seems to have grown crooked for some reason.

"Hmm? You got something against me? Stinky old woman!"

Hearing Fulilian's voice, Xutark turned his head sharply and threatened Fulilian with a ferocious look on his face.

"A stinky old woman..."

A subtle smile appeared on Fulilian's face.

"Ahhh, Hugh Tark, after all, Fulilian was your master's partner back then. You should show some respect..."

Seeing that Hugh Tark kept stepping on the terrifying minefield, Guter on his horse hurriedly stopped him and explained to him in panic.

"Eh? Wasn't it you, Big Sister, who told me all the ugly stories about that heartless and ungrateful old woman, Fulilian, calling her a dead old woman?"

However, Hugh Turk now defended himself to Guter with an innocent look on his face.

"Is it really you who did this?"

Frillian looked at Gutel, who was immediately embarrassed. She had been a little concerned from the beginning. It would have been fine if Hugh Tark was only enthusiastic towards Gutel, but after knowing that she was Frillian, he obviously treated her differently.

Fulilian was very sure that she had no grudges against Xu Tark, and they had never even met each other. So Xu Tark's inexplicable resentment obviously came from someone else.

"Ah, well, I was just joking. You have to listen to my explanation, Fulilian. There's actually a huge misunderstanding here..."

Gutel wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his hand. Although he and Frelian didn't get along well, there was obviously more murderous intent in Frelian's eyes when she looked at him.

"Speaking of which, how did Lord Guterl know Lord Shuttalk?"

At this critical moment, Fieren, who was sulking, spoke up to help Guter and brought the topic back from the brink of breaking up the relationship between the team.

"Ah, remember that after I entrusted you to Haita, I disappeared for a few years?"

Gutel quickly followed up what Philen had said and told a few people about the past.

"That's true. Lord Gutel said that an annoying old elf woman would come to guide me. She disappeared for several years. It was not until Lord Haita passed away that you contacted me in the Holy City."

Philen nodded and repeated Gutel's original words without any embellishment.

"..."

Feeling the murderous intent behind him intensify, Gutel was silent for a moment.

"Anyway, at that time, I was commissioned by Haita to go to Brad, the hometown of the warrior Aize, to help him find something."

In the end, Guter decided to bite the bullet and continue the conversation.

"At that time, I had just been adopted by Master Aize... So many years have passed in a flash."

When mentioning this matter, the usually ruffian Hugh Turk showed a rare melancholy expression, looked up at the blue sky and sighed.

"Is there something on your mind, Master Xiutalk?"

The observant Philen turned his head and keenly noticed that there seemed to be something hidden under Xutark's expression at this moment.

"Ah, no, I just feel a little sentimental now and then, Master Philen..."

Xutark turned his head and evaded Philen's question with a silly smile.

"Just call me Philen, Master Xutalk."

Philen looked at the embarrassed and innocent Hugh Tark and sighed helplessly.

"Well, Philen," Xiutark nodded. "You may not believe this, but back then, I was actually quite self-deprecating. I had no confidence in anything, and my master—Lord Aize—was a very strict person."

Philen looked at Hugh Tark in front of him. When talking about the past, this previously annoying big boy had a melancholy look on his face. Somehow, Philen's heart suddenly felt a little throbbing.

What? This guy is still quite handsome when he is not making noise.

"At that time, I was miserable every day. Although I was grateful to Master Aize for taking me in when I was helpless, I felt that I was unworthy of a great warrior like him. I would definitely be a failure as a disciple. Sometimes, I even wanted to run away."

As Hugh Tark spoke, he unconsciously clenched his fists.

"However, at the moment when I was most desperate, the big sister, Lady Gutel, suddenly came to my side."

Xutark turned his head and looked at Gutel sitting on the horse, his face full of admiration.

Twenty-one years after the death of the brave Xin Meier, seven years ago.

“Is this your family’s grave?”

Behind the cabin in the forest, Guter watched Aize kneeling and praying with his hands clasped in front of a simple tombstone made of sand and stones.

The strongest warrior of mankind who had once worked with Xinmeier to chop her to the point where she could not take care of herself, has now become thinner under the erosion of time.

"That was a long time ago. My village was attacked by demons."

Aize didn't look back, but closed his eyes and continued to pray for his dead family.

"I'm very sorry……"

Guter lowered his head and spoke slowly.

"Since you are a demon, don't act like a human, Gutel."

After finishing his prayer, Aize stood up and pulled the cloak behind him.

"People return to nothingness after death, and aren't you just pretending to pray?"

Guter grinned and said with a playful smile.

"Because some frivolous guy once told me that it would be very convenient if heaven existed."

Aize turned around and looked at Gutel behind him, stroking his long beard.

“So he sent me here~”

Guter smiled and stretched out his arms.

It was then that Guter happened to catch a glimpse of the red-haired boy who was secretly peeking out of the window of the cabin.

Chapter 63: Human nature is evil

When he found that he had been noticed by Guter, the red-haired boy in the window retracted his head in panic.

"That kid's name is Xiu Tark. He's a complete coward. When his hometown was attacked by demons, he escaped alone."

Aize introduced his adopted disciple to Gutel in a somewhat sarcastic manner.

"Just like me."

However, he then turned his body slightly, glanced at the simple cemetery behind him and added.

"It seems he can become an excellent warrior."

Gutel looked at Aize and said.