The Shepherd Alone on the Hill is a Genius Wizard

After saying this, Keorn rummaged through the pouch at his waist and took out an object.

Thanks to the Mimicker holy relic's sense, Turan had already penetrated that it was a magical device.

This was probably the reward Meisa had prepared to draw him in.

However, the object's identity revealed shortly after exceeded his expectations.

"It's a large-capacity pouch. A holy relic."

"A holy relic...? You mean the holy relic I'm thinking of?"

"That's right. Though it's considered among the lowest grade of holy relics. Are there many similar items?"

What Keorn held out was a cloth pouch barely larger than a palm.

As Turan received it, Keorn held out a leather water skin from the pouch as if suggesting he try it.

"I heard it can hold objects about a thousand times its size. The weight disappears until taken out."

True to his words, the leather water skin much larger than the pouch easily went inside the cloth pouch.

The wrinkled pouch didn't even bulge slightly, and when he put his hand in again, he could grab the water skin.

"I can't believe they entrusted such a precious item to you, sir. No, I don't mean I don't trust you..."

"It would have been troublesome if I was attacked and it was stolen. Don't worry. I came this far with Miss Meisa. I only walked alone once the city was in sight."

Indeed, they wouldn't be careless enough to simply send a holy relic with a single knight.

Turan turned the pouch over in his hands several times.

'A large-capacity pouch.'

How annoying had it been to travel alone with just a backpack at his side?

When packing food it became heavy and bulky so he couldn't carry much, and even when he earned a lot of money it was inconvenient to carry.

All those problems would be solved with this small pouch, something that couldn't be bought anywhere for any price.

However...

'What could she have to concede to the main house that makes her prefer giving away something like this rather than requesting support?'

No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't imagine what a great house's heir would need to sacrifice.

After pondering, Turan casually asked.

"Would my participation be enough for successful elimination?"

"The young lady believes so."

Hearing the answer, Turan fiddled with the large-capacity pouch before tying its string around his waist.

"Alright. I don't want Miss Meisa to get hurt either."

If Turan turned away here, one of his few friends would have to make either a worse choice or a dangerous one.

Besides, he still hadn't repaid her for the acceleration magic.

Debts should be repaid.

==

After notifying Daruk that he would be away from the city for a few days to a week, Turan flew west with Keorn on Bize.

He held Bize's leg with one hand and Keorn's hand with the other.

The old knight burst into laughter at the sight of a black eagle flying through the sky carrying two people.

"Haha... a black eagle! Where did you get such a means of flight?"

At Keorn's words, Bize twisted her body with a disgruntled chirp.

She seemed displeased at being treated as a means of flight.

"She says don't call her a means of flight."

"Oh my, I apologize. Bize... um, is it male or female?"

"Female."

"Miss Bize."

Satisfied with the polite apology, she normalized her flight with one content chirp.

They soon made contact with Meisa, who was waiting for Keorn on a hill.

"Can I take your coming this far as meaning you'll help, Turan?"

"Yes. More importantly... you're injured."

"It's not too severe."

Meeting again, Meisa had bandages wrapped around several places including her neck and shoulders.

"Don't tell me all the healers died?"

"That's not it, but there are many in more urgent need than me. With limited magic power for recovery, it should go to those who need it most first."

They were focusing on treating those near death rather than Meisa who was less injured.

While nodding, Turan took a deep breath inconspicuously.

A quite strong blood scent, the smell of water and soap as if she had just washed, and a faint body scent...

'Definitely not a trap.'

Meisa didn't give off the tension or excitement characteristic of a creature facing a hostile target.

While other emotions could often be ambiguous to detect by smell, fear and tension, anger and excitement were rarely missed when properly paying attention.

"Keorn explained everything, right?"

"Yes, he did."

"Then let's move right away. If possible, I want to attack before they recover their full strength."

"Shouldn't you recover from your injuries first, Miss Meisa?"

"It's fine. I barely feel it even when injured anyway."

Though it didn't seem like a positive sign to not feel pain when injured, it was awkward to say anything when she said so herself.

Shortly after, the three people and one black eagle arrived at Arabion's camp set up far away.

"Ugh..."

"Bring more water here!"

"Damn, these bandages are so itchy."

The place, full of injured wizards, was surprisingly not just tents roughly set up, but well-constructed buildings.

The knights must have quickly built them using stone and wood.

Brightly glowing magical orbs were embedded everywhere, seemingly to guard against anyone trying to infiltrate using concealment magic.

It was a paranoid measure befitting a house hostile to Zahar.

As the three landed in front of the camp, Arabion nobles including Kadram whom they had seen last time approached.

Naturally, their gazes toward Turan were not particularly friendly.

"It's that person from last time, Meisa."

"Yes. As I said, he's my friend and an ally of House Berk. That should be enough to trust him with our backs. You know his magical power."

"His power may be sufficient, but the problem is his background. Isn't it suspicious that he's a fallen noble who doesn't even know his own bloodline ability? What if he's a Zahar bug in disguise?"

At this surprisingly sharp point, Turan raised his hand.

Everyone's attention focused on him.

"If you wish, I'll show you my bloodline ability."

"Hm?"

While the Arabion nobles merely showed an "is that so" expression, Meisa, who had known he didn't know his bloodline ability, was visibly surprised, and Keorn even showed a shocked expression.

He was the only one among them who knew Turan had Zahar bloodline.

Turan lightly snapped his fingers in front of them to create a spark, then spread it out lengthwise before him.

After a while the spark disappeared, but a long line of magical power remained there.

Though others besides him couldn't see it.

When he threw a long stick he had gotten from nearby, flames burst forth and burned it.

It was a perfect magic trap characteristic of the barrier mage bloodline, obvious to anyone.