The Bard and the Black Mage

"Everyone, go take a look! The mercenary group Lord Dorn hired from the royal capital has arrived outside the city!"

"Are they finally going to deal with that evil dragon? Oh, great God of War Monliod above, protect your devout followers and bless those mercenaries so they can successfully rescue the kind-hearted princess."

"I heard the leader of that Dawn Mercenary Group is incredible—a Demon Sword Master who cultivates both martial arts and magic. He'll definitely get rid of that evil dragon."

"Oh, that's hard to say. These past few days, Lord Dorn's Knight Order went to the dragon's lair and got burned to death by that dragon."

"..."

Dorn Duchy was a small nation with a population of only several hundred thousand. It belonged to the Osian Kingdom and lay on the kingdom's northwestern coastal frontier.

This was a magical continent blessed by the gods.

There were seven powerful kingdoms: Scarlet Kingdom Kirran, Frostwolf Kingdom Fama, Black Rose Atria, Insect Witch Tribe Rockhammer, Warring Nation Osian, Gondor Alchemist Alliance, and City of Magic Sedris.

Among the seven kingdoms, the Osian Kingdom was the most powerful.

The Seven Kingdoms each had their own guardian deity, while everyone also believed in the same supreme god—the Titan God Baal.

That day, outside Blackstone City in Dorn Duchy.

A well-equipped mercenary group rode at an unhurried pace toward the city marked as a black stone pile on their parchment map.

Blackstone City stood by the azure sea. It had abundant sunshine and gentle ocean breezes, and it was famous for producing the finest grapes and wine in the Osian Kingdom.

The mercenaries, carrying torch-emblazoned banners, chatted as they traveled along the official road paved with gravel.

"Everyone, Blackstone City is just ahead."

"Hahaha, they say Blackstone City has the best girls and wine