Chapter 12

Chapter 12 : Bandit Raid

Malton skillfully woke the sleeping mercenaries.

“Th-The sentries disappeared without a word...? I cannot believe it! Skipping out on night watch and leaving without permission!”

“........”

“B-But both my cheeks are stinging badly. Do you perhaps know why...? It feels exactly as if someone hit me....”

“I have no idea.”

“I do not know.”

Malton and I hid our flushed palms behind our backs.

When the mercenary glanced over at us suspiciously, Malton cleared his throat and spoke.

“...This is no time for idle chatter. You should wake every last one of your sleeping companions. We will go and search for the mercenaries who left the campsite.”

“A-All right...! I will take responsibility and wake everyone!”

The mercenary also realized this was no joke. He swallowed dryly and rushed out of the tent.

After confirming that he was moving around and waking his sleeping comrades, Malton headed toward the forest, and I immediately followed after him.

When we reached the edge of the forest, Malton turned the robe he was wearing inside out, disguising himself so the black inner lining faced outward.

In an instant, Malton had changed into a form optimized for covert movement.

As he adjusted the cover on the lantern, he said,

“...If we keep the lantern too bright, our position may be exposed, so I will reduce the light as much as possible. We do not know what dangers may be present, so stay close behind me and follow carefully.”

“Understood.”

Malton stepped deeper into the forest, then moved without hesitation along the traces left by the mercenaries.

Even in the darkness, his movements were astonishingly natural and practiced.

“...What business could they have in such a dense forest? And deliberately at a time when everyone else was asleep, no less.”

“We will know soon enough. Though I doubt it will be for a good reason.”

“Have you often tracked people like this before?”

“...Of course not.”

“........”

A lie.

I subtly probed Malton as I diligently kept moving.

Walking through the forest with only the bare minimum of light was not easy, but at times like this, the skills I had learned in my previous life came in handy.

First, I slowly closed and opened my eyes to let them adapt to the darkness.

Since rod cells, which were sensitive to light and shadow, were mostly located around the edges of the retina, I looked at things with my peripheral vision rather than staring straight ahead.

And instead of relying only on sight, I used all five senses, including the feeling of leaves brushing against my forearms and the sound of the wind....

“Wait...!”

Suddenly, a dissonant sound reached my ears, and I grabbed Malton, who had been walking ahead.

The voices of men were faintly mixed into the sound of the wind.

It was not a Dryad or a Forest Spirit, but clearly the presence of people.

As we quietly kept watch ahead, the glow of flickering torches in a clearing came into view, along with the silhouettes of three people.

‘Wait... Those are not the mercenaries who disappeared...?’

However, their silhouettes were strangely unfamiliar.

They were wearing dark-colored light armor that I had never seen on the mercenaries we had spent the last three days with.

The number did not match the missing mercenaries either, and the mercenary captain was nowhere to be seen.

Malton murmured in a low voice.

“...Bandits. No matter how many times you remove them, they appear again as stubbornly as rust on weapons and gear.”

“Indeed... I never expected we would run into them in a place like this.”

“Hmm... Can you tell at a glance that they are bandits as well?”

“Yes. Their equipment is all over the place. Their upper bodies are covered in worn-out padded armor, but their legs are fitted with greaves that do not even match their size... and some of them are carrying swords that do not suit their build. They probably looted them from Adventurers and are using them as they are....”

In the midst of that, they had dyed all their equipment black to make it more suitable for ambushes.

Also, wrapping cloth around their daggers to reduce reflected light was exactly the sort of thing assassins would do.

If it had been me, I would have prepared more thoroughly by wrapping cloth around every part that might make noise, such as buckles or the joints of the greaves, or by applying Slime Gel as a substitute adhesive.

After hearing me, Malton widened his eyes.

“For a young man to possess such keen insight is truly astonishing...! Are you perhaps...?”

“Let me make this clear. I am not a bandit. I have never robbed innocent citizens either. It is only that I was often tormented by them in my hometown, so I understand the way they think.”

Of course, my patron god was the filthy and despicable God of petty thieves.

When selecting a Rune, I had been told it would choose the one that suited the player best, but why had it chosen this kind of Rune for me...?

“I see. In any case, we must first subdue those men and find out what is happening. I will take the two on the left, so I would like you to handle the man on the right. Can you do that? There is no need to show restraint.”

“Leave it to me.”

Together with Malton, I quietly drew my weapon and began to move.

Thanks to the levels I had gained from hunting monsters over the past three days, I had also built up a certain degree of confidence in fighting against people.

I approached the suspicious man from behind, careful not to let the moonlight reflect off my blade.

‘If I do not finish him in one strike, I will be the one who dies...!’

So I would kill him in one breath.

SLASH―!

Hidden in the shadows, I swung my cutlass with all my strength.

It was a slashing attack that took advantage of the cutlass’s nature, which was better suited for cutting than thrusting.

Avoiding the area protected by his gambeson, I severed his neck in a single blow. Blood sprayed out, and his body collapsed forward.

｢You have defeated a bandit! A clean strike!｣

Unlike the cheerful message in the Log Window, my heart was not at ease.

‘This uneasy feeling does not disappear easily.’

Perhaps it would take a little more time for my modern sensibilities to fade and for me to grow completely used to killing.

Contrary to my cold resolve, I still felt a stabbing sense of guilt. As I shook it off and looked to the side, a rare spectacle was unfolding there.

A spell that made a person’s head disappear!

The head of a bandit who had succeeded at dieting grew thin, and brain matter spilled out.

“Oh dear... I failed to control my strength. I have not hit people very often, you see....”

｢Malton struck a bandit by accurately targeting his vital point!｣

｢It was a clean, precise blow impossible for anyone but a seasoned expert!｣

When his companion was killed by Malton’s mace, the man who was left alone instantly screamed and drew his sword, but―

“Shh... Do not raise your voice too much.”

CRUNCH!

When Malton swung his mace again, the bandit’s right arm bent at a grotesque angle with a horrifying sound.

“Oh my... I merely meant to give him a bruise....”

“........”

I stared at Malton as he shamelessly spouted lies and clicked my tongue inwardly.

To live in this world, it seemed this level of acting had to be installed as a passive skill.

Malton and I immediately subdued the screaming bandit and began interrogating him.

“...Speak. Who are you, and why are you here? What is your relationship with a mercenary captain named Rihman?”

“Wh-What is this... Guh!! Do you think I-I will talk...? If you do not let me go right now, my companions will soon come swarming in and...!”

“Whose orders are you moving under? What is your purpose?”

“........”

The bandit closed his mouth.

I could feel his firm resolve never to reveal the secret.

“Doran, I am sorry, but there is something I need to ask you to....”

“Understood.”

I shoved a tree branch into the bandit’s mouth and gagged him.

As if surprised that I understood his intent without being told, like a comrade who had worked with him for many years, Malton stared at me for a moment. Then he immediately did what he had to do.

CRUNCH―!!

“Mmmmmmph?!!!”

The mace smashed the bandit’s knee.

Once, twice—each time the blunt weapon came down, the dreadful sound of bones shattering rang out.

A pool of blood formed on the grass, and the bandit’s eyes rolled back as he let out a scream. The louder he tried to scream, the deeper I pushed the branch into his mouth to block it.

“Grrrrrrrk...! Guhuuuuk!!”

“...This seems to be enough. Do you feel ready to speak now?”

“I-I will talk!! A-Aghhh...! Nghh... I-I will talk!!”

“I think it is still a little lacking... Let us smash his shins too.”

“Please let me talk!!! Sob....”

“That is what he says.”

“So he does.”

Malton lowered his mace with satisfaction.

What the bandit confessed was simple.

“So that mercenary captain... Rihman, that bastard, is in league with your bandit gang, and after luring the trading company party here, you planned to kill everyone and strip them clean. Is that right?”

“You guided the other mercenaries into fighting Monsters to wear them down, then fed them drugged liquor and planned to launch a night raid... That is exactly the sort of idea bandits would come up with.”

I had been suspicious from the moment he offered liquor without asking for anything in return, but now that my doubts had become reality, my heart felt heavy.

The reason he lost interest after asking my level and hearing my answer was probably because he had judged that I would not interfere with the plan.

There was no need to feel wronged. 

This was the kind of world Velheim was.

A den of Con Artists where honest people suffered losses, full of bastards desperate to prey on the weak.

“No, was this request not taken through the Adventurer Guild? Everyone’s identities should have been verified, so why would they do this...?”

“I suspect they were committing small crimes around this area and intended to pull off one big job before they were caught, then leave. ...As a fellow escort, I can only apologize for dragging you into this.”

“No, there is no need for you to apologize, Sir Malton. Those bastards are the ones at fault.”

“Thank you. ...But how did they gather the Monsters?”

“I-I do not know...! I-I am only a Lowest-Ranking Soldier, so I merely did as I was told!”

The bandit protested desperately despite his pain.

“...It seems you have some idea, then.”

“........”

I did not deny it and nodded.

There was indeed such a consumable item in Velheim.

Though its use had been banned because it was too dangerous and had ample potential to be abused for crimes.

“...For now, let us return to the campsite. According to this man, the bandit gang should be preparing to raid the trading company party around now.”

“That would be best. And as for this bandit....”

“N-No... Please...!”

Those were the bandit’s last words.

***

Malton and I quickly retraced the path we had taken and made our way out of the forest.

However, before we had even left the forest completely, I sensed that a battle had begun.

“Right side! Hold the right side!! Damn it! Anyone with a shield, step up and block those arrows!!”

“Fuck!! They are going to break through at this rate! Everyone, keep formation!!”

“If you have any magic scrolls, use every last one of them now!! Do not regret saving them in the afterlife while boiling bone broth with them!”

Angry shouts and the sound of weapons clashing rang out.

At the same time, the Log Window refreshed with a notification sound.

DING―!

｢Emergency Quest Triggered!!｣

｢The trading company party is being attacked by a bandit gang!｣

｢Because you had briefly left the campsite, you were able to avoid disaster, but at this rate, the bandits will soon discover you!｣

｢Choose whether to join forces with the mercenary group escorting the trading company and repel the bandits, or quietly withdraw.｣

｢In Velheim, ethics and morality are sometimes expensive luxuries! Even if you tuck your tail and run, there will not be many who can blame you.｣

Malton groaned softly and muttered.

“...It seems we are a little late. They must have crossed paths with us while coming through the mountain path.”

“Still, it is fortunate that we woke the others before we left. If we had not, by now....”

“They would all have been assassinated under cover of night....”

Malton and I did not rush out recklessly. Instead, we hid behind a tree and assessed the state of the battle.

If the situation was too unfavorable, it was not a matter of standing and fighting. 

We would have to consider fleeing from this place immediately.

“The number of bandits is slightly higher than the number of mercenaries... It looks like the mercenary side is at a disadvantage because they were ambushed. They were also badly exhausted from fighting the swarming Monsters over the past three days....”

“They are barely holding on by using the wagons as barricades. It seems the mercenary we woke is playing an active role. If we join in now, we may be of at least some help, but... what would you like to do?”

“What? We should obviously help them.”

This was not meddling.

If the other side had been ordinary civilians, I would have fled immediately, but the trading company was mixed in among them.

And no matter how small the trading company was, putting merchants in my debt was extremely convenient.

Not only could I receive various benefits, but if I received even a letter of introduction, it could become an opportunity to establish connections with other trading companies.

Of course, all of that would mean nothing if I died, but right now, I had the strongest backing possible, did I not?

‘With Malton’s skills, a bandit gang of that level should be nothing.’

Malton’s true worth was revealed far more clearly when dealing with people than when hunting Monsters.

I shouted confidently.

“Let us go at once, Sir Malton. Hurry and show those ruffians the taste of your mace!”

“Hmm... To prioritize the safety of others even in a situation where your own life is in danger... You are a far more righteous person than I thought.”

“What? Why are you suddenly saying something so out of the blue...?”

“I am sorry, but I think it will be impossible for me.”

“No, why so suddenly, at a time like this... Ah.”

The moment I instinctively turned my head, I realized that Malton was different from usual.

His trembling fingertips, his blond hair that had lost its shine, his complexion so pale that he could have been mistaken for an Undead.

I knew these symptoms very well.

‘The signs of the Curse....’

A terrible Curse that would not disappear even if one carved away the flesh, burned the bones, and scattered the ashes.

The first symptoms of the endless nightmare that had eaten away at him, my NPC and my friend.

Sure enough, Malton soon began breathing roughly and vomiting blood.

“I-I am sorry... Cough! For this to happen at a moment like... Guh....”

I looked down at Malton as he clawed at the ground with his fingertips and stained the ground at his feet with blood.

How many times had I seen a moment like this?

Each time I repeated a Cycle, I wandered in search of a solution to Malton’s Curse.

But by the time I barely found a clue, the symptoms had already progressed beyond any hope of intervention.

Each time, I had no choice but to send him off while feeling the helplessness of a player.

But this time was different.

I gripped the Orb humming and vibrating in my pocket and asked,

“If... If I could erase that curse. If I could resolve the pain entangled around you... would you help me?”

“...That joke goes too far. Cough... I-I did not simply sit idle and allow the Curse to spread through my entire body. Even the Paladins and priests of renowned religious orders could not lift this Curse. By what means could you possibly undo it?”

“........”

“Yes... If you lift the curse entangled around me, then from now on, I will aid you in every way, both materially and morally.”

“...Do you mean that?”

“Meaning it or not, to keep joking in a situation like this...!”

Before Malton could say anything more, I took the Orb of Curses from my pocket.

Malton also immediately recognized what I had taken out, and his eyes widened.

“H-How do you have that...?!”

“...I looted a Lich’s Treasure Hold. Malton, this Orb is the source of the Curse placed on you, is it not?”

“W-Well, there are not many objects capable of placing a Curse this powerful... N-No, more importantly, did you just say you looted a Lich’s Treasure Hold...? Fucking how?!”

“I will explain that story slowly over drinks later... So how about it? If I have this, can you fight?”

“W-Well, if only this Curse is lifted, then I could quickly drive away bandits of that level, but... there is still one thing you do not know.”

Malton continued, wearing a pained expression as though he were spitting out a bitter gallstone.

“That is an Orb of Curses made by the Cult of Andira. Because it is such a powerful artifact, a Curse activated by it will never disappear. There is a way to destroy the Orb itself, but if you use such an extreme method, you will take the Curse upon yourself in my place.”

Malton slowly shook his head.

He raised his hand, dirtied with blood and mud, and pushed the Orb away.

Even though this was his only chance to be freed from the Curse that had bound him.

In his green eyes, which had not lost their clarity even amid terrible pain, I could feel a strong will that refused to live cowardly even if he had to roll through a sea of suffering.

Yes.

That was right.

The Elf Warrior Malieverton I knew was this kind of man.

Because this world was full of villains and schemers, Malton’s uprightness, the way he always held fast to his convictions, shone all the brighter, like a pearl in the mud.

However.

I would not have brought it up if I had intended to give up like this.

“What if. What if... I have a way to use the Curse in reverse?”

“What do you mean...?”

“Watch closely.”

I slowly rose with my back to him and spoke the activation phrase.

“One who walks in death, rises and walks again.”

In Malton’s eyes, widening in shock, a Skeleton Warrior slowly revealed itself.