Negris was worried about his followers, those few he managed hard to gather; he hoped that they would not be affected.
"I'll go check." Durken stated, feeling uneasy upon knowing that a wizard capable of casting Eighth-Level Magic was nearby. Not investigating the situation thoroughly would keep them far from peace.
"Let's go together," Negris suggested.
Durken cast a spell on himself, his figure gradually disappearing into the darkness, then said, "I will go ahead, sir. Stay alert and maintain a safe distance behind me."
This was a matter of course. As a subordinate, he was expected to take the lead to eliminate any threats to his master, thus buying time for those who followed should any attack occur.
From this perspective, Durken was indeed a reliable subordinate.
However, Ange was somewhat perplexed about this arrangement until Negris explained it to him. In comprehension, Ange immediately accelerated past Durken, saying, "I'm taking the lead."