Chapter 17
"Ah… Ah…" Leo stuttered as he stared at the massacre unfolding before him. He was unable to form coherent words. His fingers wouldn't move, his body was paralyzed with fear, and he felt a wave of nausea rising inside him.
The cause of this nightmare was his cousin, Caron. Leo had always known Caron was a monster. And not only that, his damned cousin who had surpassed him long ago was terrifying beyond measure. But Leo had thought that real combat would be different. This was Caron's first real battle too, and at least in that regard, they had been in the same situation.
"So boring. Honestly, I expected more," Caron remarked.
Leo now realized how arrogant that hope had been. Not even a single scream had escaped their enemies. The bandits' throats had been cut before they could utter a sound, and their bodies collapsed to the ground.
He recalled the scene Caron had created moments before. The dark, fearsome sword with its eerie blue glow had slashed through enemies without any artifice. There had been neither fancy footwork nor elaborate swordplay, only overwhelming terror. The bandits had frozen like scarecrows in a training yard, and Caron had walked through them, harvesting their lives like a farmer reaping wheat.
Each time the dark blue sword flashed, another life ended. Could this even be called a battle? No, it was a one-sided massacre.
With trembling hands, Leo drew Sylphid from its scabbard. He knew Caron wouldn't attack him, but the fear was still there.
"Leo, I told you to close your eyes," Caron said.
"Y-You never said that…" Leo stuttered.
"Oh, did I not? My bad. I suppose it was too much for a minor to see," Caron replied with a chuckle, casually flicking the blood from his sword.
He then approached the one man he had deliberately spared. Out of the thirteen bandits, only one was left alive. Even their boisterous leader had been swiftly beheaded. There was no escape. The man's legs were frozen by indescribable fear.
"Now, it's time for us to have a cozy little chat, mister," said Caron.
The man trembled as he watched the boy approach him. The fact that his pants were wet with his own urine was the least of his worries. He had witnessed firsthand the carnage the boy had wrought. This boy was truly strong, far stronger than a mere deserter like himself. With no chance of escape, he only had one option.
"I… I'll answer any questions… Just please spare my life," he stuttered.
"Start with your name and where you're from," Caron said.
"My name is Urhan. I'm a commoner, so I don't have a surname. I served in the Third Infantry Division, Ninth Regiment, First Battalion of Keath Kingdom," he answered.
"As expected, you're from one of the southern kingdoms. I appreciate your cooperative attitude," Caron replied. He walked over and plunged his dark blue sword into the ground beside Urhan, then placed a hand lightly on his shoulder before saying, "Alright, Urhan. So, you and your comrades are deserters, right?"
"Y-Yes, we are," Urhan confirmed.
"How many of you are there, and is there anything I should take note of?" Caron inquired.
"There were 130 of us in total. Anything notable… Among us, we had one mage and their two bodyguards," Urhan explained.
"A mage… Wait, there are 130 deserters?" asked Caron.
"Y-Yes, that's right," Urhan confirmed.
"Quite impressive. Your leader must have done good deeds to have so many people around him," Caron mused.
The number far exceeded his expectations. The presence of a mage was particularly troubling. Mages were highly valuable and skilled professionals, essential in various fields, including magical engineering.
But such a mage was engaging in banditry in a mountain village, and was even wealthy enough to be accompanied by two bodyguard knights? That couldn't be explained without some kind of reason.
"Was there a specific reason for your desertion?" Caron asked.
"Our leader promised that we'd make enough to live comfortably for the rest of our lives," Urhan replied.
"Really? And who is this leader?" Caron asked.
"He was our operations officer in the battalion…" Urhan admitted reluctantly.
"An officer? I see. Soldiers have it tough no matter where they are. Still, choosing banditry over military life is something else. This is why soldiers need to be well taken care of," Caron remarked, then shook his head.
He had extracted all the information he could from Urhan. To uncover the true reason for their banditry, he'd need to capture someone of a higher rank. Nonetheless, this had been a decent warm-up.
Besides that, he took some satisfaction in having wielded Guillotine for the first time.
An object is just an object, Caron thought.
Caron's presence alone wasn't the reason the enemies had been paralyzed with fear. It was Guillotine, his sword, that planted the suggestion in their minds that they would have their heads cut off. Frankly, if it hadn't been the first ancestor's sword, it could easily be called a cursed sword. Only someone with exceptional mental fortitude could face it without losing their will to fight. It was a miracle that Leo hadn't wet himself on the spot.
"Do you know why I spared your life? Try to guess why," Caron said as he tapped Urhan's bald head lightly.
Urhan, kneeling, nodded frantically and said, "You need someone to guide you to our base, right? I-I can take you there myself."
"Exactly! Leo, remember that guy they called the youngest? There's a rope on his corpse, so go fetch it," Caron said.
"Okay," Leo said, then immediately went to find a rope on the corpse and handed it to Caron with trembling hands.
Caron took the rope and asked, "Why are you shaking so much?"
"I've never seen a dead body before… Not everyone's like you," Leo said.
"I took care of things this time, but when we go up there, you'll have to get your hands dirty too. You understand what I'm saying, right?" Caron asked.
"...Okay. But why did you ask for the rope?" Leo asked, confused.
"There's something I've always wanted to try. Your name's Urhan, right?" Caron asked.
"Y-Yes, sir," Urhan replied quickly.
"Tie us up with this rope," Caron instructed.
Urhan looked up at Caron in confusion and asked, "Why would you say that...?"
Caron responded by smacking the top of Urhan's head. "Didn't you ever read any spy novels when you were a kid? We're going to pretend to be captured hostages."
"If the other scouts don't show up, the higher-ups will think it's suspicious," Urhan protested.
"Then tell them the others died fighting the escort troops, and you captured two kids as hostages," Caron explained.
Would such a crude plan actually work?
No way, Urhan thought. The higher-ups weren't fools. They'd definitely sense something was off and be on guard. But in this situation, he had no other choice.
"Alright," Urhan agreed reluctantly, but obediently.
"I really wanted to try this. You made a good decision," Caron said, nodding with satisfaction.
Urhan swallowed hard and looked at the demon in front of him, who was smiling with a mischievous expression.
***
"Caron, do you really think this will work?" Leo asked.
"Well, what do you think?" Caron replied nonchalantly.
"I'm asking you because I don't think it will," Leo answered.
"You're older than me. Got any better ideas?" Caron asked.
"You only bring up age in these types of situations," Leo grumbled.
Urhan walked ahead as he led the way while keeping the two boys bound. His spine tingled with fear. Just having that demon behind him was terrifying enough. He recalled the blue light that had emanated from Caron earlier and pondered. Mana that shone with blue light, and the ability to overpower adults despite not being fully grown… What noble family could produce such a talent?
Urhan's brain, which had been sluggish just a moment before, worked quickly just then. It didn't take long for him to figure it out. Even a simple commoner like him, who had heard rumors during his military service, could piece it together.
Leston. The great... Ducal Family of Leston, he thought.
It had to be someone from the Leston family. The Belrus Barony was right next to the Leston Duchy. But he was curious as to why the mage who aided their banditry had assured them they didn't need to worry about the Leston family.
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden kick from behind, which sent him sprawling to the ground.
"Ugh!" he gasped.
It was the demon behind who had suddenly kicked him, causing him to fall. Urhan, trembling, got to his feet. Then, he looked at the boy and cautiously asked, "W-What is it, sir?"
Caron replied with a bored expression, "Just because. I felt like kicking your back. When will we get there?"
"About ten more minutes. But uh… Young Master?" Urhan began.
"What?" Caron replied.
"This is a place where the scouts patrol regularly. If they see things like this, it might… cause trouble," Urhan pointed out.
"Hmm, you have a point. Alright, I'll ease up for now," Caron said.
"...T-Thank you." Urhan couldn't afford to get mad at Caron.
He remembered the sight of his comrades being slaughtered. His leader and the others had died with mocking expressions still on their faces. Most of them had likely lost their lives without even realizing they were dead.
Urhan nodded as he tightened the large bundle on his back. This bundle contained the weapons of the young nobles. The plan was for him to carry them in and deceive the other bandits by claiming the bundle as his spoils of war.
"Then, I'll lead the way again," he said.
"Alright, let's move," Caron said.
Urhan resumed his position at the front and continued up the mountain path. They walked until they saw a reinforced wooden palisade and a gate strengthened by magic in the distance. As they approached, they encountered a guard on watch.
"Urhan? Who are those kids behind you?" the guard, who was wearing an eyepatch, asked.
"They're hostages. Young nobles who said they came to hunt bandits," Urhan replied.
"Kids these days think hunting bandits is child's play, huh? Weren't you with Recon Team Two? Where are your leaders and comrades?" the guard asked.
"A few of the kids' guards escaped. The others are chasing them down," Urhan explained.
"Always got a nose for money, don't you? What's that on your back?" the guard asked.
"They're my spoils. Mind your business," Urhan snapped.
The guard raised a hand dismissively with a smirk and said, "I was just curious, that's all. Alright, get in. Team Two's been doing well lately. The boss might give you guys a big reward soon."
The guard opened the gate, and Urhan led Leo and Caron inside. Caron stayed close behind Urhan, whispering, "Not bad on the improvisation. Well done."
"Thank you—" Urhan began.
"Are there other nobles here?" Caron interrupted.
Urhan looked around and nodded slowly, then said, "Yes, a few minor nobles have come here to make a name for themselves."
"Oh, really?" Caron asked, intrigued.
"Yes. Their ransoms have been quite profitable," Urhan confirmed.
"Your boss has quite the business acumen. Drugs, slavery, ransom… He's doing everything lucrative," Caron said.
His curiosity about the bandits' boss only grew. Operating such extensive criminal activities in the heart of the Empire seemed impossible without powerful backing.
Someone must be supporting them, Caron thought. He was certain that the leader of this place wasn't just a mere deserter.
No matter how weakened the empire had become, it wouldn't simply overlook such illegal activities within its territory. These kinds of operations usually had a powerful backer. Thus, Caron found himself more interested in this mysterious supporter. Who would dare to conduct such outrageous activities so close to the Leston Duchy? Whoever it was, they certainly had some nerve.
I can deal with this by capturing and interrogating one of their bosses. And I'm sure our great aunt has already taken note of the situation, Caron thought and nodded to himself as he imagined Sabina observing them from somewhere.
"...This actually worked out?" Leo exclaimed in surprise.
"Simple is often best," Caron replied.
"But it's hard to believe that bandits capable of raiding estates could be this stupid," Leo said.
While Caron and Leo were conversing, they reached an area that resembled a plaza in the expansive mountain fortress. Caron stopped in the center of the plaza, which caused Urhan to turn and look at him.
"Ahem." Urhan cleared his throat, then said in a swaggering voice, "As hostages, if you don't follow my orders, I'll beat you half to de—"
"Urhan," Caron interrupted.
"Yes!" Urhan responded immediately.
"When you quit being a bandit, don't go into acting. You're terrible at it. I think Gustav would be better at acting than you," Caron said.
"...Who is Gustav?" Urhan asked, puzzled.
"I don't know either, but I'm sure he'd be better than you. Now, let's see our weapons," Caron said.
With trembling hands, Urhan set down the bundle he had been carrying on his back and began to untie it. The terrifying sword he had seen earlier came out once again.
Caron immediately drew Guillotine from its scabbard, then tossed Sylphid to Leo. He said, "Leo, you were right."
As he caught Sylphid with a puzzled expression, Leo asked, "What was I right about?"
"You said it yourself, that no one who could raid an estate could be this foolish. You were right. They aren't fools after all," Caron said.
Whoosh.
A low hum began to resonate as dark mana started writhing in every direction. Caron recognized that sinister energy all too well. It was the same dark mana that had tormented him in his previous life. This originated from the demons, and its aura was dreadful and malevolent. It formed a massive magic circle, enveloping the entire fortress.
"No wonder Guillotine has been whining. Hey, Urhan, you bastard," Caron said.
"...Y-Yes?" Urhan stuttered.
"Why didn't you tell us properly? This isn't just a regular mage, it's a dark mage," said Caron.
"I… I didn't know. I'm uneducated, and I thought all mages were the same. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" Urhan apologized.
The horrifying sound of bones clashing against each other filled the air as undead began to rise from all around them. They were pathetic, yet terrifying creatures, unable to find peace even in death.
"Undead," Caron remarked as he observed the skeletal army surrounding them. His mouth curled up into a half-smirk as he continued, "There we go. Now this is what makes the first mission fun."
It was the moment when their mission, which had felt like a mere walk in the park, turned into something entirely different.
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