Personally, Malecia thought the criminals would have stayed at the inn if they came to this village. The desert night was not easy to endure, no matter how well-trained a warrior might be.

"Captain, by the way, is it possible that the saintess is staying in this town since it is near the Holy Land, Zaraham?" A subordinate asked with a nervous tone. 

Malecia shook his head at the subordinate, "No, the saintess will probably take a few more days to get here. Thinking logically, the saintess will be moving with a large group of paladins as escorts, which will inevitably slow her speed. You don't have to worry about the saintess as long as she isn’t moving with a small group. If the saintess notices us now, the ritual and everything else would be ruined."

"Even so, don't we still have the captain?" The subordinate believed that if it was Malecia, even the saintess could be defeated.

That belief made Malecia smile bitterly. "Don't look down on the saintess. Saintess Hillis is the most powerful user of holy magic. Even the famous battle priest Fernando must take a...