"H- hello..." (Scarecrow)
I tried greeting one of the dozen animated sludge creatures that I've accidentally aligned myself with.

It responded with silence.
Let's have a look at this thing...

O- oh... seems like I at least made the right choice siding with these guys, their level is several times higher than that disaster-grade demon I defeated years ago.

Maybe it was a mistake coming down here... I feel like I just accidentally skipped to the end game of a video game.

What about these skeletons though?

Huh?
I focused on the plain looking reanimated skeleton monsters, but all that came to mind was the word "architect".
Wait- that's it?

It feels like someone forgot to fill in this guy's information.

What is that supposed to mean?

One of the sludge creatures suddenly began speaking in distorted groans...
"Armour man! Hide skeleton inside! Kill!" (Abomination of negligence)

Hide skeleton inside? 

Excuse you?

Does he think I'm harbouring a skeleton inside my armour?

Ah... wait... what am I even doing?
I came down here to find Julia who looks like a skeleton... I should be siding with the skeletons instead!
Darn, I completely lost my cool when I saw a classic otherworld trope.

"Have you come to save me?" (???)
The dainty voice that I heard screaming for help inside the carriage asked a question behind me.

I turned around, still holding on to a slither of hope that I'd be met with a beautiful princess.

Maybe even a cute animal-eared girl-

"Could you be... my knight in shining armour?!" (???)

"..." (Scarecrow)

Unfortunately, the only thing sitting inside the carriage was another identical sludge creature with just a handful of unique characteristics.
Chief among them were 2 small spherical protrusions from its chest and a big blue hat made out of some sort of thin material.

"Ah, I'm sorry. I got the wrong address." (Scarecrow)
I politely bowed and tried to casually walk away towards the scouting squad hiding nearby.

*CRASH!*
One of the abominations swiftly tried crushing me by slamming its entire body into me.

Thankfully I'm pretty swift on my feet, so I managed to dodge its attack right on time.

I landed next to one of the sword-wielding skeletons.

Well, this is the side I wanted to be on in the first place anyway.
Maybe this guy knows Julia?

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to have seen a skeleton about yay high?" (Scarecrow)
I gestured to indicate Julia's approximate height.

"...Ffffairly well-developed pelvis? If you know what I me-" (Scarecrow)

*Stab*
The skeleton casually stabbed me in my chest.

It easily penetrated my armour without any resistance as if it was just cutting through butter.

Luckily he only managed to hit my hay. I'm a scarecrow after all.

Suddenly distant shouting could be heard.
It sounded like the war cry of an army about to throw themselves into a suicidal battle.

All the skeletons and abominations around the carriage looked over to the group of idiots quickly running over to our location.

It's the knight's scouting party.

"Sir Crow!!!" (All simultaneously)

"How dare you mindless demons! Even after Sir Crow politely introduced himself and put himself in harm's way to save you!" (Random knight)

Well, I wouldn't go that far...

"Show them what you're made of!!!" (Ben)

"You! Take Sir Crow back to camp and treat his wounds!" (Ben)
Ben pointed at a knight dressed in a robe with armour underneath.

The robed knight tried to grab me, but I held out my hand, signalling for them to stop.

"Uhm, I'm fine, don't worry about me..." (Scarecrow)

"Sir! Please! This is no place to die for a man of your standing!" (Robe knight)

"I... uuuh, healed myself, no worries." (Scarecrow)

"!" (Robe knight)

The knight quickly inspected my wound.

"N- not even a drop of blood... intermediate healing magic... to think the rumours didn't even do you justice..." (Robe knight)

Ignoring the robed knight's commentary, I turned back towards the three-way battle that had begun behind me.

A single skeleton had his hands in the air, it looked like he was cheering.
Below his feet are all the knights that came to help me, already collapsed on the floor.

Most of their bodies had been sliced clean in two.

Th- they didn't even last a minute...

The only person left standing was Ben, who was breathing heavily.

"Not-... not yet..." (Ben)

Meanwhile, all the sludge monsters looked confused, seemingly not sure who to attack.

The sludge monster inside the carriage suddenly pointed at me with a slimy tendril protruding from its body.
"Defend that brave knight!" (Abomination of desire)

All the abominations began bellowing an unsettling screech.

The skeletons looked at each other for a moment and seemed to decide something among themselves.

Just as the abominations began preparing to leap into combat, the skeletons turned around and ran away.

"Ho ho ho, how unsightly. Bring him to me! I don't need the other one!" (Abomination of desire)

One of the sludge monsters used a tendril to wrap around my hand and lead me towards the carriage.

Meanwhile, Ben got assaulted by the remaining sludge monsters.

"Guh- Sir Crow!" (Ben)
Ben dashed towards the robed knight and grabbed him.

"Return!" (Robe knight)
The knight took out an expensive-looking scroll and suddenly shouted something out loud as Ben jumped towards me with his hand outstretched and the robed knight under his other arm.

Before he managed to touch me, one of the abominations jumped infront of me, blocking his way.

They swiftly all disappeared together with the abomination.

Teleportation!

I had already learned from Alcazar that teleportation was possible, but I had yet to learn or even see it.
He's firmly against the use of the spell due to it not being cost-effective apparently...

How exciting, I finally got to see real teleportation!

"My hero..." (Abomination of desire)

"W- well... I didn't really do anything." (Scarecrow)

"Nonsense! It's the sentiment that counts! Your brave actions touched me!!" (Abomination of desire)

"No- it's fine really-" (Scarecrow)

A slimy pitch-black tendril of goop gently extended to my hand.

The pile of sludge in front of me looked bashful somehow as it wrapped around my hand.

...Let go.