Chapter 187

Chapter 187

***

If they had at least lit a campfire he wouldn't know, but strangers appeared before lighting it so the visibility distance wasn't far.

However it didn't matter. Because sometimes hearing or smell informs the certain reality more than seeing with eyes. Other people wouldn't know but Rickart was like that.

Looking at things like breathing and footsteps, minute movements, and standing postures Rickart could feel everything even up to what was beyond that.

Whether the opponent was nervous, excited, calm, how skilled they were, and whether they were prepared too.

For the immediate moment the opponent was in a calm state. A calmness full of wariness. If things go wrong a sharp sword would abruptly pop out from amidst that calmness right.

Was it a delusion? Even the sound of the opponent's heart beating seemed to be heard.

"We are people of the Benzinen village. Why are you looking for Sally?"

However unexpectedly the opponent revealed their origin. Thinking they would fight right away that didn't seem to be the case.

It wasn't exactly disappointing, but the word Benzinen caught Rickart's ear. Didn't he say Dunkel and Sally were from the Benzinen Brotherhood? That was the name of the village.

It wasn't up to tight tension but a vibe exactly like walking a tightrope. Of course Rickart had no interest in things like walking a tightrope.

"First of all tell the two bastards approaching from behind to come out."

Rickart said without even looking back. Thereupon the opponent didn't show it outwardly but seemed a bit surprised.

He looked back once at the four or five people waiting behind him, then turned his head again and gestured with his eyes to the two people approaching behind Rickart and Roy.

Thereupon they turned around and came out. They were two women, and it was an ordinary attire. Though covering their noses and mouths with hoods was the same. It wasn't exactly an assassin's outfit or anything like that. Merely they weren't wearing shoes but were barefoot, and perhaps it seemed like it was to kill the footstep sounds.

"Will you tell the reason now?"

The opponent asked again. Since the opponent yielded first Rickart spoke without hiding.

"An unknown old woman visited. She asked to avenge Sally. And she died. We came to grant that request."

"Why?"

"Well, because they're people I knew in the past. Whether Sally or Dunkel. Beringen Adventurer's Guild, I was affiliated there."

"......"

Thereupon the one facing Rickart looked back at his party again. Seemingly exchanging a simple sign language or something with each other, he looked back at Rickart and said.

"What does knowing them in the past have to do with getting revenge?"

"Let's say it's lukewarm old affection. Speaking honestly, if I don't feel like it after finding out the story I won't take revenge. Since it wasn't that I agreed before the old woman died anyway."

"......Lukewarm old affection, is it."

Wearing the hood covering his nose and mouth he seemed to fall into sentimentality for a moment. Because the words 'lukewarm old affection' caused a slight ripple in his inner self.

He soon emerged from the sentimentality, and staring at Rickart said.

"There are two paths. One is a rugged path, and one is a dangerous path. Which one will you choose?"

"The dangerous path."

Rickart answered immediately without even deliberating.

"In Esk it is good to be humble, stranger. Because no one can be trusted other than the clan. You don't have a clan here right."

"He's right here."

Rickart grabbed Roy's head and pulled him to his chest. Roy opened his eyes round and made a bewildered expression.

"Hmm, yeah. If so go right at the Crossroads. Until the sunlight shatters. Benzinen village is there. If you come that far I will teach you. Where Dunkel is."

Leaving those words the stranger turned around and walked with his party. Even without walking long their appearances quickly disappeared in the hem of the progressively darkening night.

Even after they disappeared Rickart could chase their presence for a while. Thinking whether to follow them, he just sat in his seat.

"Light the fire."

"Yes."

Roy also set down his axe and took out his flint. While gathering tinder and lighting the fire Rickart went around picking up twigs. Presently piercing the night the flame bloomed up.

"Weren't you scared?"

Rickart asked sitting with his cloak drawn tightly and Roy sticking close right next to him. His gaze was heading toward the flame.

"Since my father passed away there isn't much I'm scared of. I'm scared of that by chance I might act like a coward."

"Is that so."

Rickart didn't purposefully comfort him. Because comfort was only given to those who need it. Roy didn't seem to need comfort.

"I'll stand the first watch so you get some shut-eye first."

"Yes."

Roy grabbed his cloak and leaned against the rock and fell asleep. Listening to the lullaby of the stars. When he completely fell asleep he subconsciously leaned on Rickart.

The next morning, Roy opened his eyes. The campfire had already cooled blackly, and the sun was already in a state of having risen above the ground. Huh? I didn't stand watch.

Since Rickart stood the first watch he had to wake him up in the middle, but opening his eyes it was morning so he was flustered. But looking at Rickart he too was in a sleeping state. Then did both sleep?

However they weren't that careless. Because if it was at Rickart's level even if he fell fast asleep he could quickly open his eyes to a heterogeneous sense of incongruity.

Still he couldn't help being flustered.

So that Rickart could sleep as long as possible, Roy packed the luggage while he was sleeping. At the rustling sound Rickart opened his eyes.

Even if one's realm was high sleeping outside definitely made the body stiff. However sometimes, only by escaping a comfortable bed did it truly feel like he was alive.

Rickart stretched out grandly and cracked his neck front and back, and to both sides. Though it quickly became fine he couldn't completely shake off a slight mental fatigue.

The two took out bowls poured water and mixed grain powder and drank. That was an alternative for breakfast. Foods containing other nutrients like fruits or vegetables were comfortable getting locally on a journey.

Actually the two people were people completely used to sleeping and living outside. Roy had walked rugged paths toward the Eastern Frontier since he was very young, and Rickart hadn't done adventurer work for a day or two. Leaving aside his past life memories, that was.

After finishing the meal the man and boy got up from their seats without words. They weren't exactly people who had trivial conversations. Joking around sometimes was all, and that too was mainly Rickart doing it.

Anyway the two set off on the road again. The mountain wearing perennial snow seen far away didn't get closer no matter how much they walked. However the small stream originating from there finally reached up to the place where Rickart and Roy were and flowed trickling.

The water was clear to the point of being transparent and the water depth came up to about the calves, and minnows swimming could all be seen.

The flowers blooming in full everywhere in the wide open field made one feel out of touch with the world for a moment. The wind, the small stream, the flowers and the field. However it wasn't just entirely beautiful, and everything harbored secrets.

Before noon the two people reached the Crossroads.

"You said the right is the dangerous path right?"

"Yes."

Rickart turned to the right path without hesitation. The steps of the two people were as leisurely as the sun moving slowly. A sense of crisis or tension was absolutely never felt.

"You also know right?"

Rickart asked.

"Yes?"

"They're watching. From afar. If it was close I would have known the distance, but since I can't know it's quite a far distance."

"Are they those people from yesterday?"

"Well, that can't be known."

"But how do you do that?"

"What?"

"Knowing that they are watching."

"It's a feeing, feeling. Or a subtle sense of incongruity or something. For example if the movements of wild animals like rabbits or foxes change heterogeneously it means there are people. I know by such things."

"It's difficult."

"If it's easy it's easy, if it's difficult it's difficult. Just like sword fighting."

Rickart turned his head to the direction the gaze was felt. Only the wide field swept by the wind was seen, and people weren't seen.

But not long after, he felt the ones watching getting gradually closer. First was the back side. It was cutting off the retreat path with a method tolerable people all use.

And next was a place a little away from the left of the road. On the outside a field seems flat, but here and there were terrains slightly sunken or rising up.

In such places if one didn't go close there were many cases where one didn't know even if it was right next to them. It was truly good for ambushing, but large-scale troops couldn't ambush.

Rickart felt the presences tightening from all directions. Now the distance was gauged, and the number was also grasped. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...... In all it was about ten or so.

However Rickart's footsteps didn't become faster or slower. Merely, he suddenly stopped and frowned his brows looking up at the sun. He was looking to see if the sunlight shattered or not. Basically no signs of shattering were seen. Was it a metaphorical expression?

"What is the matter?"

Roy who hadn't noticed the presences asked.

"An attack is imminent."

"From where?"

"From all directions."

Roy not doubting Rickart's words one bit tried to take down his bag first. However Rickart stopped him.

"Keep wearing the bag. Because if arrows fly from behind your back it can block them. Taking down the bag you can do it after they approach sufficiently."

Rickart withdrew the gaze watching the sun, and bowing his head said. The wind blew. The grass and flowers of the field rustled. As butterflies fluttered around flying, Rickart ended up smiling snicker.

It was right then.

PILING!

PAK!

An arrow flew from the right. As Rickart swung his arm quickly whoosh from bottom to top, before he knew it a sword was in his hand. The arrow split precisely in half flew in different directions. The butterfly fluttering and flying around was also cut in two and fell like a flower petal.

Simultaneously from a close distance someone jumped up his body abruptly and threw something with both hands. Rickart hurriedly twisted his upper body. The red cloak fluttered roughly.

Only then did enemies reveal their appearances from all over, and pounced holding daggers or short swords and the like. But they had no choice but to stop seeing Rickart who twisted his upper body then righted himself again.

Because it was due to the five daggers held in Rickart's hand. Rickart exactly like unfolding cards holding the blades of the five daggers unfolded them and showed them. A smile was contained on his mouth.

Cutting an arrow flying over in two with a sword was hard to believe, but witnessing such a magic-like thing the enemies' eyes widened completely.

This time Rickart threw the five daggers grasped in one hand quickly at once thud. Thereupon each dagger stretching out rip at an unbelievable speed, cleanly embedded themselves exactly in the middle of the foreheads of five people.

PABABABAK!

Those hit by the daggers had their heads snapped back and collapsed with a thud.

"Hahaha......"

Whether embarrassed, or ridiculous, Rickart burst into laughter leisurely. Those who survived had their bodies stiffened and couldn't move. What was that just now?

Roy who was holding his axe with both hands merely kept looking around not knowing what exactly happened. Because something went crackle then in an instant five people collapsed.

Rickart said.

"It doesn't seem to be that dangerous? If it was to test the waters five died so the loss must be quite a lot too. Now, what will you do now? Will you continue to test me, or shall I test you?"

Rickart said while twirling the hilt of his sword round and round inside his hand.

Instead of answering the enemies turned around and fled. It wasn't wildly and frantically fleeing, but there seemed to be a destination somewhere. It seemed like there was an assembly point or something.

Rickart didn't chase those fleeing and merely watched quietly. The corpses fallen on the grass were five bodies.

As Rickart approached a corpse and took off the hood, it was a just ordinary looking person. Being excessively ordinary it was rather strangely so. The other four were all similar too.

Rickart thought quietly then said.

"Next time I should catch about one alive."

He rummaged through the corpses' bosoms but there wasn't a single penny of money. He thought about at least taking the daggers, but it wasn't that good either. Selling it to the smithy he would earn pocket money but he just didn't take them.

Rickart raised his head again and looked up at the sun. And then said to Roy.

"It's lunch time."