I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

And so Raph's first step of boarding a Carriage to the east had been fulfilled, under the disguise as 'Kael'. He didn't have to wait long either, since there were some carriages already loaded and prepared for transport.

After getting his pass, he waited in a guest room until he was called upon, and was now in one of said carriages.

They had just left the Village and were now on their way to their destination.

He was seated at the back of an open carriage, with five other Mercenaries. Luckily for him, he was already acquainted with them, though because of that, they had kept him at arm's length the whole time. After all, who would want to befriend a stranger who walks into their territory and beats them hands down?

Not like he cares, but their actions seemed childish and immature to an extent.

'It's not my fault they stood in my way'. He thought, glancing at the people gathered. 'That wench probably did this purposely'.

With a sigh, he looked away, taking a look at the entrance to the carriage.

They were currently on the last line of five carriages heading to a rendezvous. The four other carriages were lined in front and were filled with the goods and the Merchants that were involved in the business.

'....It's been a while since I've seen this much….sand'.

He thought about observing his environment closely. The path to the east is known for its arid sights, stony mountains and Sandy terrains. It was like a desert, only a bit cooler.

Tall pines and conifers stood beside the road, but beyond that, there was just sand and tall mountains.

'At least we won't be facing bandits anytime soon'

"Um….Kael was It?"

A female voice echoed in his ears as he turned towards the source of the voice.

A woman by the name of Azby, the level 70 Assassin, was staring at him with a wary expression.

"You're really from the west?" She asked, intrigue laced in her tone.

Raph remained silent for a moment, observing the other's reaction, then nodded in confirmation.

"...Is that why you hide your face?" She asked, while Raph flinched, intrigued by her curiosity.

Well, they couldn't see his expressions nor his face, thanks to the enchantment on the Cloak, and this may have made them wary of him. A man who hides his face has a lot of secrets, they say.

"Well, no. I would rather not reveal it if I have to" Raph replied. 'Of course, I can change my face Whenever, but why do I have to go through all that?'. He thought as he looked away from their direction.

'I have better things to think about anyways'.

He had been scanning the environment since they left the Village, and though they had not crossed borders yet, he couldn't help but feel something was amiss.

'Shouldn't the path be littered with dead bodies by now?' He thought.

"Are you searching for something, Kiddo?".

This time, it was the burly, dark-toned, bald man that spoke up. He was Colyn, a level 70 Tanker.

Most commoners that were based away from the Western Central were usually born without last names, so this was rather common in these parts.

Raph glanced at him and then at the road. "We've been traveling for over two hours now. Though we 're still in the Western Region, I find it hard to understand why there are no bodies". He said, his tone laced with curiosity.

The blonde swordsman in blue armor, Rodrick, scoffed. "Guess you must be one of those sheltered runaways". He said with a disappointed tone in his voice. "You know nothing of the world as it is".

"...and that is why I mentioned it. I need you to explain it, or is it too hard for you as Well?" Raph asked, sarcasm playing in his tone.

Rodrick clicked his tongue as he looked away.

"It doesn't change the fact that you know nothing, boy". He said with a bitter tone.

The rest of his party stared at him, sighing in unison at his reaction while he shrugged them off.

"Sorry about him. Your…..show off in the Tavern struck him the most". Azby said with a wry smile while Raph glanced at him.

"I can imagine," he said with a chuckle.

Rodrick glared at him while Azby stood up, and walked towards the entrance to the back of the Carriage.

She glanced at it for a moment, and then at Raph, who was staring at her while she did so.

"The war isn't as they make it seem in the West….well, obviously it isn't". She said,

'Of course, this war or 'conflict' as I like to pu]t it doesn't end until four years from now when the Demonic War begins'. Raph thought while he stared at her. "So? How does that have to do with the people?"

"Well, let's just say both countries clean up their messes as quickly as possible…..or at least one of them" She glanced at the road, her thoughts lining in order. "They send out their troops to cross enemy borders to perform special corps operations. Cities and Towns that existed closest to the border between the East and West have been targeted.

They charge in at night or broad daylight, but as long as they catch them off guard, then they slaughter everyone".

Raph raised a brow. "I am aware of how war works," he said.

"Well, maybe but those bodies. They are taken by the superiors, swept into the Region, and used for whatever purposes". Azby continued. "And so far, we have only seen one of their purposes".

Raph didn't need her to complete her statement. After all, he had once lived this life and heard of the Undead Army.

The rare Necromancy profession is sought, and a whole bunch of them are gathered to attain full control over an Undead Army. A legion that fights for eternity.

'....I see, so this is how the King raised an Undead Army during the Demonic War. No one ever questioned it because they served a greater purpose at the time'.

Having a greedy king is one thing, but a corrupt and manipulative one was just worse. 'it doesn't stop there though. Dead bodies became nearly a necessity in the war, and it became an option for commoners to donate one for the 'greater good'.....or at least that's what they called It'.

Raph may have spent most of his life in ignorance, but he was aware of the affairs that occurred around him. After all, these were things he saw, and experienced himself.

"Do you suspect it is the doing of the East?"

His question picked up their attention as they all stared at him in unison, mixed emotions palpable on their faces.

Perhaps they were surprised at his question, and perhaps they were not.

Rodrick, for instance, chuckled in surprise.

"You really do know nothing". He said, holding his abdomen while he laughed.

'Well….I know a lot more than you would think.

Raph turned away as silence returned to the Carriage, as Everyone was left to their thoughts.

For most, the war was merely daily news, but for most, it was reality. Not something they read from a newspaper but what they saw with their own eyes.

"The Merchant Union…whose side are you on?" Raph asked, his tone low and laced with curiosity.

The five Mercenaries glanced at him, and for a moment, a scowl formed on their expressions before they turned away.

There was a tense silence that hung in the air until Azby broke it with a response.

"The side that doesn't consume".

'Consume?' Raph thought, while a smirk formed on his lips. 'That's exactly how you would describe the Kingdom's current state. The Kingdom is being consumed'.

"Sure".

After that, they returned to their thoughts, leaving a threading silence in the air, and resolved hearts.

****

Hours passed by, and the rays of the sun had begun to fade, a crescent light taking its former Amber counter.

The five carriages had come to a stop after entering the woods, and the six mercenaries had exited from the Carriage.

"Aaaaargh" Colyn groaned as he stretched his aching, bulging muscles. "How long till we reach Nenevre?"

Azby took out a map as she watched the Merchants offload their carriages. "About three days. Would have been faster if we were going by ourselves".

Criz, the level 70 Mage yawned while he adjusted his glasses as he said. "Yes, but we have a job. Should we take turns guarding the area?" He asked.

"I don't understand why we would have to guard. No merchant has reported an ambush for close to a month now" Rodrick clicked his tongue in annoyance as he stumped his feet on the dirt of the forest.

While they were busy conversing, Raph was having a look at the place. It had been a while since he felt this much freedom and for a moment, he thought he could bask in it a little.

The trees were mostly pines and conifers, and the soil, though hard, still had traces of sand. He could see mountains at the far edge of the forest, and perhaps he could hear the sound of running water.

It felt heavenly. The chirping of insects and the luminance from the moon, which seemed to grant him strength, all felt surreal.

Perhaps it was thanks to his sensations that he was able to hear the sounds of the leaves rustling, and on looking up, the dark shadow that disappeared.