“No wait! Just wait...” Mashburn shouted urgently to stop his colleagues, then froze on the spot. Without ever crossing his vision, Eugene’s shortsword was now resting on his left shoulder.

“Just now, he wanted to kill me, so I killed him. What choices will the rest of you make?”

“Keuk!”

It appeared as if Eugene would cut off Mashburn’s head at a moment’s notice. The Red Scorpion mercenaries were at a loss as they looked alternatingly at the silver blade and Eugene. No, rather, they were shocked by the dagger sticking out of the rookie’s forehead.

Some of the mercenaries were skilled at throwing daggers, but no one was as fast or as accurate as Eugene. No one even saw how and when the knight threw the dagger.

“P-please forgive us! We will let all the merchants pass. Y-you can pass, esteemed sir.”

“How could I simply trust your words?”

“S-sorry?” Mashburn asked while trembling. He could feel a coldness around his neck.

“Give me all your weapons. Shouldn’t you pay a price for trying to attack a knight?”

‘I never meant to do that!’ But contrary to his inner thoughts, Mashburn quickly gestured towards his comrades, “H-hey! Everyone, put down your weapons! Sir Eugene is saying that he will show mercy! H-hurry it up!”

When the mercenaries hesitated, Partec and the rest of the group stepped up with their shortswords and shields.

‘Dammit…’

They formed into a perfect formation facing...