Chapter 24

Chapter 24

"What do we do?"

Someone spoke. It was already dark. Especially since it was a forest, it was darker.

But suddenly, Rickart walked alone towards the cabin where moonlight landed with heavy steps.

"R-Ricky."

Bolka called, but he didn't care.

Rickart opened the cabin door without much caution. Inside was a mess, but it seemed nothing was taken particularly. It meant they came purely to kill people.

He picked up a lantern rolling on the floor, lit it, and looked around the inside of the cabin once. Except for being a mess, there were no corpses and it seemed bearable to stay for a night.

Rickart came out again and looked at the corpses scattered here and there near the cabin. Equipment was all stripped and limbs were bent or spread carelessly. All were twelve bodies.

Putting the lantern close to the corpse to examine in detail, he estimated the cause of death and time of death, even if not accurate.

The corpses weren't killed by being stabbed in vital points or cut at once, but were hacked. It meant there was quite a fight.

Flies were flying around the corpse, but only eggs were visible and no maggots yet. There were no traces of birds or beasts eating eyes or lips, so it seemed only a day or two passed.

Estimating roughly before and after the incident occurred, it seemed the incident happened here first before Rickart himself was attacked. A day or two ago.

Perhaps in the process of killing adventurers here, obtaining information that support comes from the Academy, they hid and ambushed? Since the way coming is obvious.

Rickart concluded tentatively like that for now, and consequently thought enemies would also be very tired.

But students only looked at Rickart's actions with anxious eyes, not daring to approach. Rickart looked back at them and said.

"Looking at the state, it seems the situation ended a few days ago, so no need to be so scared. We can probably stay here for a day."

Is that so? But even if that's right, how can he be that calm?

However, students also started to recognize and accept reality gradually. It's true we are screwed, but we can't stay like this continuously, can we?

"Lay Molti on the bed and let's recover the bodies roughly. And then decide night watch and...... have to do a meeting or something. Go into the cabin and check each equipment."

Rickart gave instructions calmly. Students followed those instructions without much word.

Gathered corpses in one place neatly, and covered them with cloth. To dig the ground and bury them, current stamina could be called life force so couldn't do it.

Rickart organized outside the cabin roughly and entered inside. Only one lantern placed on the table was brightening the dark inside of the cabin.

Since the cabin was a hideout used by the guild, it was wide enough to be plenty even if 9 people entered.

Rickart took a seat among students, drew his sword relying on weak light and examined the blade carefully if there was any damage.

And wiped it once properly with a cloth, took out camellia oil from the bag and wiped it again oiling it.

While wiping the blade briskly, suddenly felt a gaze so raised head, everyone was staring only at him.

"Why? What?"

"......No, just wondering if there is anything more to say separately."

Bolka said.

"Get some sleep even for a moment. Don't know what situation will occur tomorrow again. Should rest when can rest."

"By the way, is it okay to be here?"

"Saw bodies outside? Maggots aren't boiling yet. Seeing eyes or lips intact, only a day or two passed. Are the ones who killed those people different from the guys who attacked us? I don't think so. Then those guys will also be quite tired and hard. No spare energy to move separately. Moreover, since we killed the guy looking like the leader, there would be no one to give instructions until a new commander comes. So staying here for a day is okay. Of course, don't know what situation will occur so let's stand night watch properly."

Rickart spoke fluently like flowing water, and students listened with slightly bewildered expressions. How does he know all that? Situation judgment was at a nonsensical level.

Bolka blinked his eyes and said.

"......Ricky, did you have experience like this before?"

"Let's say I did."

"What does that mean?"

Rickart sighed inwardly and changed the topic.

"Did everyone check equipment? Maintain when can. Blood scabs might stick and not draw properly from scabbard. Do it meticulously in advance."

Then everyone started taking out their weapons and examining them in a crowd. Seeing that appearance, Rickart thought kids are still kids.

On one hand, it was commendable that they fought back in their own way without running away immediately when attacked, and seeing their minds didn't go out severely, he also thought they didn't become high rank for nothing.

"By the way, what do we do now?"

Bolka asked while examining a sword not his originally.

Rickart presented an opinion after thinking for a moment.

"Two things. One is returning to the Academy immediately within tomorrow. The other is stopping by the village for now. Do like that and figure out the current situation somehow, decide whether to fight enemies or not, then deciding whether to continue the request would be better."

Plans are bound to go awry every time, but still plan was always needed. Because having a plan can decide the direction of action.

If the plan was ruined by entering actual combat, there was a need to make a new plan at that time.

Rickart's opinion was sound argument, and eventually had to choose one of two. Return, or go forward.

Bolka looked back at students and asked for opinions.

"Let's go back, hand."

Then except Molti, three out of eight raised hands. Two female students and one male student.

"Let's go to village, hand."

This time Ice and his two friends raised hands. It was 3 to 3. Rickart and Bolka didn't raise hands.

"Ricky, you?"

Once again everyone's gaze gathered on Rickart. Rickart was an existence receiving almost absolute trust in a situation like now.

Originally soldiers knew best. Whether our commander is a person worth following or not. Now students were hoping Rickart would lead.

"Chasing deserters is not something to finish in a short time. So request deadline isn't short so there will be leeway. And, our personnel is nine now. In my view, it's never a small number. Except Molti no particular wounded person either. If not receiving unexpected attack like today, if we catch opportunity first and attack, can defeat enemies sufficiently. Molti will also be able to move somehow if recuperating only about two days, and from third day can fight. So, to summarize, don't be scared is this. You guys fought well today."

Listening to Rickart's words, felt like cloudy eyes becoming bright. Students were scared in advance out of mind not knowing what is what, but looking one by one carefully, the thought occurred aren't we okay now.

"Way back will be more dangerous. Enemies also easy to focus on that side. Won't fight with sword in village, so let's go to village as soon as day brightens tomorrow. If encounter there rather fortunate. Can figure out who opponent is. If that happens let's definitely take revenge. Whenever it becomes."

"Revenge?"

"There are dead friends."

"Ah......"

"I know we aren't that close. So it will be hard to entrust life to each other and fight. Won't wish up to that. Only, if one of us dies by enemy's hand, let's promise to take revenge definitely."

At the word revenge, students were swept by a strange mood. Revenge had some desperateness felt from the word itself.

It wasn't positive, but not negative either. Revenge had magic force binding mutual trust forcibly. And gave strange stability.

And revenge was noble's right and duty. Nobles had to achieve revenge definitely when family was insulted or suffered unfair damage by whatever means taking how many years.

That was the way they obtained and maintained vested rights, and also one of reasons why feudal society was hard to harmonize. Because there was almost no noble family not entangled with other families by grudge.

Moreover, revenge was a device maintaining mutual solidarity for criminal groups as well as nobles.

Meaning, Rickart proposed such a thing thinking work would proceed somehow only if these nine people united right now.

If going own way as strangers like now, isn't there no meaning going together?

"I'll do first."

Rickart brought one wooden bowl rolling on the floor. And drew palm with dagger quickly, then squeezed blood there. Amount of blood wasn't that much.

Even without speaking, students in the cabin knew all what meaning Rickart's action was. somewhat pagan and barbaric method, but there is folk belief descending from long ago.

Rickart handed dagger to Bolka. Then Bolka also drew palm confidently and squeezed blood water into the bowl. Didn't he draw a bit too much?

Anyway, using the same dagger, squeezed blood into the bowl one by one. Coming to Ice's turn, he held dagger and bowl in hand and stayed still for a moment.

Then soon drew palm without any word. Like that as eight people gathered blood in one bowl, amount was quite much.

Rickart dipped blood water with finger and stamped on forehead and heart, and drew a line on neck directly.

"Eh? Wasn't it drinking?"

Bolka said.

"Why drink this fishy thing? Don't do like this in North?"

"Ricky were you from North? Didn't you say came from South?"

"In our neighborhood do drawing cross on face."

Whether way of swearing is different by region, Rickart and Bolka, other students wondered a little about each other. Anyway, following Rickart's way, everyone stamped blood on forehead and heart, and drew a line on neck.

"From now until request ends, if even one person among people here faces unfair death, or sacrificed unfairly, or life ends by enemy's weapon, we each swear to kill that enemy definitely. One breaking oath will receive God's punishment, and fall to hell after death."

In a way childish method, but if seeing blood actually in front of eyes and proceeding ceremony in own way, bound to feel serious and solemn mood. Especially place was dark so mood was more like that.

As Rickart swore as representative, students felt solidarity only then. Even if that wasn't that hard, was red like blood.

Night deepened, and students couldn't sleep properly last night but still better than staying up all night with open eyes.

Becoming morning Molti also recovered senses, and level able to walk somehow if supported.

"What happened to you guys?"

Seeing everyone wrapping bandage on one hand, Molti asked bewildered.

"Swore. Oath of revenge. Even though can't protect each other, let's do revenge definitely. And for dead kids have to revenge from now. Whoever opponent is."

At Rickart's words Molti looked back at students. No big change from usual, but indescribable somewhat serious atmosphere was felt. Should say felt some resolution.

"Then I can't be missing either."

Already collapsed due to excessive bleeding, Molti also drew palm and joined oath.

Like that nine people finishing oath all, reinforcements from Beringen Academy departed towards Griffinswald. Didn't run away. Whether becoming porridge or rice determined to fight to the end.

Early morning, walking at very front was Rickart, and students naturally followed him facing youngest.

Violets on chest, red cloak wrapped around body, Longsword carried on shoulder. That boy was exactly leader leading students.

Looked like leader of wild dogs.