229. Childhood Friend – Strange Person

On the day the announcement was made that Alzeor de Lognum, the second prince, would ascend to the rank of Duke, Reb left Nevis.

His sword squad of over a hundred men accompanied him, led by Cesar. Cesar generously paid off the overdue lodging fees to the innkeeper, and Reb didn’t try to stop him.

The innkeeper expressed his gratitude.

Did he really think these sword-wielding ruffians would leave without paying a single coin? The innkeeper shook hands with Cesar. Cesar smiled and promised he would return.

“Cesar. Have you registered the mercenary group?”

“Yes, I’ve secured some work as well.”

Cesar replied as he pulled out a few contracts. It was mainly simple tasks involving transporting mail, but there was an additional contract for escorting a small merchant group, which made Reb praise him.

“It can’t have been easy for a newly formed mercenary group to land a contract with a merchant group; you’ve done well.”

“Haha. If it weren’t for these parcels, I wouldn’t have been able to persuade them. We were lucky.”

Cesar chuckled as he patted the parcels loaded onto the cart. Just as he said, luck was indeed on their side.

A week ago, the news of Aton de Lognum’s crowning as the successor had spread.

While the fact had already been communicated across the nation through church dispatches, it was only verbal information and the Lognum royal family had sent official documents throughout the land.

However, there were thousands of recipients and storage locations for these documents – each city’s government offices, local lords (or Grand Officers), stationed military officials, border posts, harbors, fleets, and numerous small villages.

It would have been absurd for the Lognum royal family to manage this directly.

Thus, the royal family passed the responsibility onto the kingdom’s officials, who worked tirelessly with feather pens until their fingers broke and eventually entrusted the delivery to civilian carriers.

Cesar managed to snag a portion of those tasks. It was a way to establish the credit of the newly formed “Cesar Mercenary Group,” and Cesar went a step further by securing a merchant contract.

A merchant group, no matter how cheap, wouldn’t contract with a mercenary group with no credit. After all, if they turned into a band of thieves, they’d be defenseless.

However, Cesar argued,

“If we’re caught robbing while transporting royal correspondences, our entire lineage will be exterminated.”

He capitalized on the majesty of the Lognum royal family.

There’s no need for you to curse us as restless spirits; the Lognum royal family wouldn’t let us off easily. Unless you have six lives, who would dare to do such a thing? – he argued and secured the contract for a low price.

The mercenary group was building their reputation while the merchants saved money; it was a win-win situation.

“Sure does work well.”

Reb smiled widely. He generously praised Cesar’s cleverness and told him to set off once they were ready.

As the accompanying merchant group made some stops to trade and the cart loaded with parcels gradually became lighter, Reb intensified his training sessions for his apprentices in swordsmanship.

The average swordsmanship skill of his newly formed squad was still quite poor.

Burly young barbarians.

To outsiders, it might have seemed impressive, like “wow, that’s something,” but to Reb, it was far from it.

At best, they were at the level of well-trained soldiers? Such skill wouldn’t stand out on the battlefield.

Reb thought at least they should be squires, but what sort of name is that for a child?

In the early stages of the engagement scenario, Lena Ainar might become a squire. Just a few months of training doesn’t easily grant someone a spot, even if they had talent and were warriors promised great futures from each tribe.

Reb decided to narrow down the apprentices further. He selected the top ten outstanding candidates for one-on-one training and focused the others on mastering defense and counterattacks in swordsmanship.

“Survive first, then kill.”

It’s vital to stay alive to make an attack. Among the swordsmanship techniques Reb knew, Noel Dexter’s style of hiding one’s movements best fit this concept.

On the road to the Jerome Holy Kingdom, his sword squad was gradually filling out. One particularly hot day in the southern sun, the Cesar Mercenary Group, having parted ways with the merchant group, arrived at the border region, and Reb commanded Cesar to raid.

The target was…

“Oh dear~ What a hellish struggle this is. Do you know we’ve wasted a whole year of our youth on this road, Captain?”

“Shut your mouth.”

“Is it really necessary to go to the Jerome Holy Kingdom when we could just sell near the Belita Kingdom? If you don’t provide adequate remuneration, I won’t be sitting still.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll get at least triple what you’re owed, so the pay… Wait, what are those?”

It was the Theobik Family’s weapon merchant group.

About four hundred thugs slowly approached, pulling carts filled with various weapons.

Before Cesar could issue commands, Reb rushed in first. He didn’t use the Oblivion Blade.

“Follow the Captain!”

Ruben Bijan shouted heartily.

The hot-headed warriors urged their horses forward, while Vann Bijan clicked her tongue and made a large circle around them. After encircling the thugs, she gasped in awe.

“Look at our Captain. The Swordmaster is truly… superhuman.”

[ Achievement: First Kill – Leo feels less guilty about his crime of murder. ]

[ Achievement: Thug ‘302’ – Becomes stronger when against thugs. min(10) ]

[ Achievement: Monster Hunt – ‘1’, a faint trace of mana lingers on their body. ]

[ Achievement: Expert – Leo’s physique strengthens. ]

[ Achievement: Swordmaster ]

Mass slaughter. Reb was literally annihilating the thugs.

His unbreakable sword swung like it had a mind of its own, and there was no hesitation in his hands. Not a single thug could withstand even one strike, rendering their numbers useless.

The thugs lost their will to fight.

If this small, youthful man could do such a thing, the burly warriors around them would surely panic and flee.

“Chase them! Leave not one alive!”

“No! Let them run away!”

Cesar blocked the overly excited Ruben while the disagreement erupted between the outspoken warrior and the suddenly appointed captain, but Reb waved at Ruben to come over, defusing the situation. Roughly a hundred thugs fled.

Ruben wore a puzzled expression, but Reb nodded at Cesar. Cesar acknowledged with a nod, taking action filled with gratitude and understanding as he commanded the soldiers.

“Collect the spoils. There are plenty of weapons, so switch to whatever fits your hands, and put on some armor. Everyone good? Then some will transport these carts to Marquis Gaidan’s territory. The rest will head back to Nevis!”

The Cesar Mercenary Group split into three teams.

One group was responsible for driving the forty-plus large carts. These would be used to equip the barbarian warriors from each village after their training.

Another was the mercenary group led by Cesar.

Having successfully completed their first mission, delivering official documents and escorting the merchant, they quickly directed their horses south. Armed to the teeth, they must have appeared like a knight order to anyone unfamiliar.

The last group headed north.

Ten apprentices handpicked by Reb.

They weren’t wearing heavy armor. Having swapped their worn-out swords, they crossed the border in simple swordsman attire alongside Reb.

As they passed through the gateway to the Jerome Holy Kingdom, Reb felt that many things had changed.

This was the first time he’d passed through this gate unscathed.

The first time he crossed this border, he hadn’t made it through. He was traveling with weapon merchants and encountered holy knights there to prevent arms trafficking, resulting in a divine mark branded on his forehead. He had had to forcefully breach the border on his short-legged mare, Woody.

The second time he crossed this border, he was out of his mind.

As an Apostle of Barbatos, he killed every human in sight. He stained the passing land red, declaring it the territory of Barbatos, rendering the border meaningless to him.

And now, this was the third time.

It might just be the last.

His ten apprentices solidly stood guard around him, and just as the merchant group would arrive in summer, Reb easily predicted what would unfold in the Orun Kingdom ahead. All that remained was time. He only had to wait for the right moment.

Reb bowed his head and made a vow.

“Leah. I’m coming. Soon.”

This might be the last time I meet you as a friend. Next year, I will be a king, become Reb de Bijan, and propose to you.

You will surely be delighted.

Finally, we shall be happy.

Reb raised his head. With a deep smile, he let go of the scars he had carried. Yet he didn’t let his emotions drown him. He intended to stay vigilant until the very end.

The summer sun reached its peak, reflecting vividly off the forest’s greenery. The breeze blowing in from the distant sea tickled Reb’s cheeks.

*

Leo Dexter had not yet arrived in Lutetia. Having retired from the battlefield due to his achievements, he was likely en route to the Holy Kingdom with Lena Ainar now, meaning he had plenty of time left.

Reb decided to do what he hadn’t managed before. The day to pull the thorn lodged in his heart had come.

He had to save Enen.

He couldn’t forget the girl from the Uena Tribe who had been horrifically slaughtered by the roaming monster known as Oantahu. He had never forgotten.

The horrifying fate of that small girl so tormented him that it felt like God had torn him apart just to torment him, leaving a part of his heart shrouded in darkness. Now, he was finally going to wash that away.

He had known for ages that once captured, monsters would never reappear. For a long time now.

It would have sufficed if he had just stopped by the Uena village once to capture Oantahu, but every time he had stood by, he had known Enen would be brutally murdered, yet he hadn’t found the time to intervene.

It was all about distance and time.

The Jerome Holy Kingdom was far removed from the starting points of each scenario… Alright, I won’t deceive myself with excuses. We valued Lena more.

No, I lied.

We certainly had the power and capacity to protect Lena while also stopping by the Jerome Holy Kingdom. Yet the reason we hadn’t done so was merely because of that red limitation stamped on the lower part of our field of vision. The fear of losing an entire run had made us use distance and time, efficiency as an excuse. That alone had brought about more pain. But that excuse wasn’t going to help anymore.

Reb silently ascended the mountain path.

Once a faint mushroom scent began to waft, it signified they were almost there.

The apprentices wore expressions of confusion, unsure why their leader had chosen such a forest as their destination, but when they entered the Uena village…

“Oh, I see the captain also wants to liberate the natives here.”

They misunderstood the reality of the Jerome Holy Kingdom. The Jerome Holy Kingdom did not discriminate against or torment the barbarians. They let them live freely, granting autonomy. The natives of this land, where slavery was banned, were quite content.

Disappointing his apprentices’ expectations, Reb sought out the village chief and said, “We are travelers. We’ve found the scenery of this place beautiful and wish to stay for a while; we only ask for food.” They had plenty of money.

After much back and forth, the conversation wrapped up. The presence of an armed outsider staying in the village made the natives uneasy, so Reb set up a log cabin outside the village.

Reb didn’t build it; the apprentices did. After selecting the location for building, he lightened his clothing. He entrusted his sword to his apprentices and strolled leisurely towards the foothills where Euta often wandered.

Ping-! A sound echoed.

A boy wanting to hunt was practicing archery by hanging a target on a tree. Reb was happy to see him, recalling many memories with him…

Reb’s eyes scanned the surroundings. He spotted Enen, Euta’s younger sister, wriggling in the bushes, catching insects.

She looked so bright.

She probably wandered into the woods.

“Who are you?”

Euta asked. Reb replied, “I’m a traveler.”

He introduced himself as a traveler. It had truly been a long time since he’d returned here.

A cautious boy and an oblivious girl.

Reb sat down, watching Enen rummaging through the bushes. “You’ve got some decent archery skills there? Planning on doing some hunting?” he asked, trying to engage Euta, who looked like a bumbling fool. Euta pulled down the target from the tree and took his little sister back to the village, leaving Reb behind.

Thinking he was a strange person.