Chapter 26

Chapter 26 - Valda (2)

"Are you not worried? I heard that bandits are swarming around the city in great numbers."

Though the threat from Gord had been repelled, the issue of the bandit packs remained. The city leadership had expected them to scatter in fear of subjugation once the trial by combat ended.

However, the result was the opposite. Scoundrels joining from all directions continued to be added until their numbers surpassed three digits. Ultimately, the city also began organizing a subjugation force, recruiting mercenaries and laborers while stockpiling military supplies.

"We are heading in the opposite direction of where they have occupied, so we shall be fine. Regardless, the bandits will be cleared out sooner or later. Just look at the number of knights still in the city."

There were still many invited knights staying in Bonyard. Even excluding those who departed after the trial by combat, their numbers were considerable. Therefore, people did not worry greatly over the bandits. The true source of concern lay elsewhere.

"It's truly a grave matter. The entire continent will become noisy due to the chaos in Roman. It is people like us who travel outside who suffer. I know not why the high and mighty people fight so much."

Even now, nobles from various places were hitting and kicking one another over interests and honor, leaving commoners caught in the middle. What if even Roman were to be engulfed in war? Deserters, mercenaries turned bandits, robber knights, and illegal slave traders would swarm even more severely.

To a powerful knight like Eugene, it might be an opportunity for success, but for small merchants like Caliver, the future looked bleak.

"Rest at ease for today, at least. I shall protect you."

"Hahaha! I thank you for the sentiment, but it's safe here. The City Guard is but a stone's throw away; what manner of rascals would dare to commit robbery?"

Once Caliver departed, Homi removed Eugene's armor. She wiped away leaves and sand blown by the wind, applied oil to several parts, and covered them with a thin cloth. During outdoor activities, maintenance of weapons and armor must be performed frequently.

"I truly loathe the third watch."

"How can you make the latrine pit so close! Do you intend to show a disgraceful sight to the knight?"

"You've worked hard, Kelly. Drink plenty."

Mercenaries grumbling over night duty, laborers lighting campfires and digging temporary latrines, Caliver wiping the sweat from the pack horses and letting them drink from the stream... It's a peaceful sight that brings a smile to one's face just by looking.

After finishing his meal, Eugene lay down in a suitable spot. The night air was chilly as it was autumn, but the Warg skin maintained his warmth.

"Hum, hum~."

The humming of Homi, who had returned from washing in the stream, drew near. She, who was even more fastidious than Eugene about cleanliness, never missed an opportunity to wash.

"Thank you for the maintenance."

When he slightly lifted the skin, Homi slipped inside. The warmth increased, and a coziness that the Warg skin alone could not provide was added.

"It's certainly much better than any ordinary cloak. Is it not?"

Within his embrace, Homi nodded. For her tall stature, her frame was slender, allowing the two of them to be covered by a single skin. The only regret was that both were tall, and their feet protruded from beneath the skin. As the wind seeped between Homi's damp toes, they wriggled and retreated.

They would seek sleep thus, but if an intruder approached, Eugene would realize it sooner than the mercenaries on watch. For the senses of the two warriors were as sharp as blades.

* * *

Before dawn the following day.

Shake, shake.

At the touch of Homi's hand shaking his shoulder to wake him, Eugene's eyes snapped open.

First, he checked the sky. It was still dark, but the dawn air, heavy with dew, signaled that it was just before sunrise.

'An ambush?'

Unless there was a special occurrence, she would not wake him at such an hour. A moment later, Eugene's senses detected a group approaching with bated breath.

"What is the matter, sir?"

The mercenary on watch was also flustered as the knight, who had been sleeping well, suddenly jumped up and gripped his sword. For he had discovered nothing.

Eugene, who was hurrying to don his armor with Homi's assistance, pointed in one direction.

"To our eyes, nothing is visible..."

Even as the two mercenaries on watch rubbed their eyes and looked, there was only darkness and thickets.

"Everyone, wake up!"

Regardless, Eugene shouted boisterously.

"Wh-What is it?!"

The mercenaries who had been snoring while they slept rose as if bouncing up.

"It's still night; what is the matter?"

"What do you mean, damn it! He woke us because it's an ambush, you fools! Pick up your weapons at once!"

Grimacing with eyes that wouldn't open, the senior mercenaries picked up their weapons and shields. By then, the mercenaries on watch also finally confirmed the intruders.

"Enemies!"

They had approached craftily by crawling through the thickets while concealing their weapons with cloaks and clothing.

Realizing they had been discovered, the enemies also cast off their concealment and approached with bloodthirsty intent. Torches were lit here and there, revealing faces glinting with greed and murderous intent.

'More than twenty? In terms of combatants alone, they are more than double our number.'

Eugene quickly assessed the enemy strength. Being numerically inferior, the servants and mercenaries were quite tense. However, there was no sign of despair.

Gulp.

Their gazes gathered upon Eugene.

"Caravan leader Caliver, hide with the laborers."

"Yes! Sir Knight!"

Because the strongest knight in the region was together with them.

As the heavily armed knight sat atop his horse beside them, the mercenaries felt more reassured than in any battle they had experienced thus far.

"I cannot understand. To commit plunder right beside the city... do they have two or three lives to spare?"

"Are they not fellows who live only for today? Or perhaps they struck a part that would not be easily expected."

The mercenary captain replied while donning his helmet. There was even a mercenary who used shock therapy by slapping his cheeks to wake himself quickly.

As the distance between the two sides became sufficiently close, the conversation of the raiders was heard, and they too seemed flustered.

"Dammit! There's a knight?"

"The ones who can fight are not even half of us! Just charge in!"

Along with a gruff voice, a bolt flew but was easily blocked by a mercenary's shield.

Whizz!

"Argh!"

Conversely, a bolt fired from this side struck down one of the charging fellows. It was the one who had just fired a crossbow.

Homi, hiding behind the mercenaries, quickly reloaded and fired a second bolt.

Whizz!

"Gah!"

Another crossbowman fell. Homi was prioritizing the removal of those who held ranged weapons.

"Group up!"

At the uncommon power, the enemies formed a shield formation even as they slowed their speed. But even so, they could not be safe from Homi's heavy crossbow.

Thud!

"Argh!"

A man whose back of the hand was pierced by a bolt that had penetrated his shield screamed. An arrow fired by a mercenary in an attempt to assist was blocked by a shield due to weak tension.

Thus, the vanguards of both sides clashed, and the battle commenced.

"You bastards! Consider yourselves all dead!"

"I shall strip you and kill you until not a single copper remains!"

"That wench firing the crossbow! I'll make you regret being born!"

The bandits, who had seen blood even before the battle, shouted with rage.

"That is my line."

With those words, Eugene charged into the center of them.

Hooooooong!

And the slaughter began.

Every time he swung his flail with a tremendous sound of cutting air, the bandits' heads burst open. If any dared to draw close, the longsword would flash, severing arms and slitting throats.

"Wh-What on earth is that weapon?"

A bandit covered in the brain fragments of his comrade screamed. Living as a plunderer, he had seen intestines and blood many times, but he had never seen the contents of a skull.

Yet, every time that knight swung his peculiar polearm, horrific pink fragments splattered in all directions. Blocking with a shield was of no use.

Bang!

Because the iron mace attached to the chain would pass over the shield like a serpent and crush the back of the defender's head.

As the corpses of comrades, crushed and severed in an instant, were strewn everywhere, the bandits' morale plummeted.

"What are you doing? It's time to earn extra pay!"

"The Victorious Knight is with us!"

Conversely, the mercenaries' morale reached the heavens. They boldly charged at an enemy still more numerous than themselves.

'The victory is ours.'

Eugene sheathed his longsword in his left hand and picked up his shield. Since the enemy formation was destroyed, there was no need to use two weapons. They were spread out in a way that made it easy to crush their skulls one by one with the flail. Moreover, there might still be enemies left with ranged weapons.

Tweet-!

Just as expected. Homi's warning whistle reached Eugene's ears as he was about to strike a bandit clashing swords with a mercenary.

Slightly later, he detected the sound of cutting air and murderous intent. Reflexively, he raised his shield toward that direction.

Clang!

The bolt that struck the wide iron shield fell powerlessly.

"Dammit!"

In that direction was a bandit with a frustrated face, holding a crossbow.

Thud!

The fellow immediately collapsed, eyeball fluid leaking from a bolt that had pierced his left eye. Homi was scanning the enemies with fierce eyes to pick out the marksmen who threatened her lord.

Bang!

The shield of the bandit who clashed with the flail was shattered into pieces.

"My haaaaand!"

The bandit wailed at his fingers, which were broken and dancing in all directions like a swastika.

Crack!

The scream was cut short as his temple was crushed by the flail swinging from the side.

With the situation thus, the enemies could not concentrate on fighting the mercenaries before them. For they knew not when the mace of death would descend from the heavens.

Hooooooong!

"Heek!"

As the roar passed over their heads, their shields and gazes were instinctively raised.

Crunch!

A hellish situation where they felt relief seeing their comrade, and not themselves, turn into a corpse and fall right after!

Needless to say, the mercenaries would not just watch the spectacle.

"Are these bastards mad? Where are you looking in the middle of a fight!"

"I suppose you'll only come to your senses once your bellies are pierced!"

The mercenaries relentlessly thrust their spears and swords into the temptingly empty flanks and abdomens.

"Die! Just die! Wahahaha!"

There was even a mercenary who was sword-fighting while laughing. Stabbing the back and flank of an enemy distracted by something else was a thing mercenaries loved as much as gambling.

"Argh!"

There were some enemies who seemed to fight well, but they collapsed clutching their thighs at Homi's bolts fired unexpectedly. Eugene circled the outside, cutting off the escape route as if herding prey. There was no way to flee from the polearm of a knight on horseback. The bandits could not even flee and met with total annihilation.

"I-I surrender!"

"Please, spare my life!"

Two bandits, drenched in the blood of their comrades, threw down their weapons and prostrated themselves. They trembled while holding their hands together as if in prayer.

"I shall never let you die easily! You dogs! I'll skin you alive from the start!"

the mercenary who had been a hunter glared. Because he had been ambushed before dawn after his second watch, he had missed his sleep entirely.

Cling, cling.

The sight of him sharpening the dagger in his hand with a whetstone was bone-chillingly fearsome.

'Why do mercenaries who were former hunters always try to skin people?'

Eugene was curious, but he did not ask.

The mercenaries, who had been threatening as if they would tear them apart, did not actually draw blood unlike their words. Because the person to decide their fate was someone else.

"What a commotion from early dawn. Is anyone injured?"

"It's but a few scratches. They'll heal with some spit."

"It's an honor that will remain in my family to have fought alongside you, Sir Knight! Truly, your valor is heaven-sent!"

The mercenaries wiped away their violent attitudes from a moment ago and replied politely.

"Are there more fellows like you in this vicinity?"

When Eugene pointed to one of the bandits and asked, the mercenaries immediately held their swords to his neck.

"None! There is only us!"

An immediate answer came at the sharp murderous intent.

"Why did you try to commit plunder right before the city? I heard that bandit packs are rampant elsewhere."

"Th-That is..."

The bandit looked around. Naturally, these were not mercenaries who would wait for such a thing.

"Do you wish to die? Why don't you speak quickly?!"

Thud! Thud!

"Ugh!"

As the mercenaries knocked the bandit down and stomped on him all at once, a loud cloud of dust rose.

Snort.

Might took a step back, sheltering his master from the dust. He was a smart fellow, befitting a Barcia warhorse.

Eugene watched the bandit being grandly trampled and cut it off at a suitable moment.

"He'll die at this rate. That is enough."

"Yes!"

The mercenaries stopped immediately and pulled the bandit to his feet. The hunter mercenary with the sharp dagger grabbed the bandit's wrist.

"Sir Knight! Pray, permit me to interrogate this fellow. If I skin his fingers one by one, it won't threaten his life, and he'll talk quite smoothly."

"Oh!"

Eugene's eyes sparkled in a way unbecoming of an honorable knight. At that sight, the bandits were horrified.

"W-Wait a moment! I'll tell you everything! Please! Spare me!"

The bandit, having realized the importance of every part of his body themselves, began to speak passionately.

"I heard Bonyard was in chaos, so I thought it was the perfect time to plunder. As I did, similar fellows kept joining. As our numbers grew, we were delighted, saying we'd hit a big village and make a proper fortune..."

He spoke with momentum, but as the content was what it was, the mercenaries' glares became ominous. Naturally, his voice had to shrink.

"Continue."

But the bandit's circumstances were none of Eugene's concern.

"B-But the leader said that if our size became too large, we'd be caught and swept away by the subjugation force. He said we should rather leave now and plunder elsewhere."

"Where is this leader fellow?"

The bandit pointed to a spot with a trembling finger. Everyone's gaze stopped at a corpse. The fact that nothing remained above the nose made it clearly Eugene's work.

"It was... our leader fellow."

The scene of the leader's head exploding came to the bandit's mind. At the very least, it would be a stroke of luck among misfortunes that he went without pain.

"Why did you ambush us?"

"I, that is..."

In a situation where they had attacked to plunder and were shattered, was he afraid to tell the reason for the ambush to the parties involved? Even after being trampled so much, he hesitated again.

Clatter.

Eugene did not urge him with words but thrust the flail toward the fellow's face. Seeing the bits of flesh stuck to the blood-stained iron mace, the bandit pissed his pants.