Following the clerics’ lead, Maxi helped the soldiers who could not move on their own take off their gear. She then collected water in a pail to clean their wounds.
Watching the men groaning in pain made her feel guilty. If she had more mana, she could have easily healed such minor wounds in the blink of an eye. However, she knew it would only cause more trouble if she were to overwork herself and collapse as she had in the past. Pushing the thought from her mind, she applied special salve on their wounds and dressed the area with bandages of torn linen.
Some of the lacerations were serious enough that Maxi had to stitch them closed as Ruth had taught her. Though there were some soldiers who were horror-stricken at the prospect of having their flesh sewn with needle and thread, most allowed it without complaint. After applying a decoction to numb the area, Maxi carefully stitched the long gashes.
She had just finished a suture and was dressing the wound when she heard a soldier cry out a short distance away.
“There are more injured here! I need help moving them!”
Maxi put down her roll of linen and hurried toward the source of the voice. She froze when she spotted a troll crushed beneath a rock.
The soldier impatiently called to her as she stood paralyzed. “Why are you just standing there? Quick, help carry that one!”
Two soldiers lay unconscious next to the troll. Left with no other choice, Maxi reluctantly approached them. She swung the arm of one of the injured over her shoulders and shakily lifted him. The soldier who had called for her carried the second man on his back.
They started to make their way back to the tent when suddenly, a thud boomed behind them. An ominous chill ran down Maxi’s spine. A dark shadow loomed over them, and she turned to see blazing red eyes glaring down at her.
Her legs shook uncontrollably. Although the urgent instinct to flee flashed through her mind, her body seemed to have turned to stone. The nearly severed head still dangling from the troll’s neck began to seethe and reattach itself. The monster bobbed its head to check that it was fully healed. Then, without warning, it began to charge. The unconscious soldier slipped from Maxi’s grasp as she fell to the ground, completely petrified.
At that instant, a large hook flew through the air and landed right in the troll’s throat. The seven-kevette giant lurched as it was rapidly dragged away like a fish on a hook. The monster thrashed its arms and roared with fury, but the knight standing atop a nearby rock did not budge. He gave the chain a powerful yank, and the monster shot into the air along with a massive cloud of dust.
Maxi could not believe her own eyes. With another swift motion, the knight flung the monster, which was three times his size, onto the ground before swinging his sword over itshead. The troll’s enormous skull almost split clean in half like a pumpkin. It was such an unrealistic scene that Maxi could not even react.
“Don’t you know how to check for a dead troll?”
The stupefied soldier came to his senses as the knight’s cold voice lashed out like a whip.
“M-My apologies, sir,” mumbled the soldier, hanging his head.
The knight clicked his tongue and jerked his chin toward the tents. “Take him over there.”
The soldier, still carrying the unconscious man on his back, promptly obeyed. Although Maxi wanted to follow him, she had no strength left in her legs. She could only stare up at the knight, her face ashen. The man appeared so impassive that it was difficult to believe he had inflicted such brutal blows to the monster just moments ago.
Like a cat, the knight gracefully leaped down from the troll and wiped the blood from his sword. His dark blond hair glistened like gold in the sunlight.
Maxi stifled a groan. The knight who had saved her was none other than the commander of the Temple Knights, Kuahel Leon.
“Is something wrong? Are you hurt?”
When the knight turned to look at her, Maxi quickly looked down.
“N-N-No, I am…all right,” she stammered, keeping her voice as low as possible.
She tugged the unconscious soldier’s arm back over her shoulder and shakily rose to her feet. With the weight of the injured soldier pulling her down, her already weak legs shooklike a newborn foal trying to stand for the first time. After silently watching her for a moment, Sir Kuahel strode over and lifted the injured soldier off her.
“Let me take him,” he said coolly.
Not knowing what to do, Maxi kept her gaze fixed on Sir Kuahel’s boots. Even with the hood draped over her head, she had a feeling he would recognize her immediately. What excuse could she give him if he did?
When she remained rooted to the spot, his cold voice pressed her. “What are you waiting for? Lead the way.”
Hastily, Maxi started walking toward the tents, her gaze cemented to the ground. Sir Kuahel walked beside her, carrying the injured soldier with ease. She felt his eyes boring into her head but did not dare look up to meet them. Had he already realized her true identity? Maxi gulped and prayed for a miracle as they walked in silence.
They finally reached the tent for the injured, and the knight placed the soldier on an unoccupied blanket. He turned to leave without a word. The tension in Maxi’s shoulders only relaxed when his figure became distant.
It was foolish to think he would remember her after only seeing her once. Grateful for her indistinctive features, Maxi ran to the baggage wagons.
An overwrought Idsilla rushed over as soon as she spotted her. “I heard a troll regained consciousness and went on a rampage. Are you all right?” she asked.
