Chapter 34
(Kyle Calendar
Year 504: Age 11)
Alteration:
The Phantom First Battle ②
Translator : PolterGlast
"Alright, it
seems everyone's here. Night will fall soon. We'll waste time here and attack
the town before dawn.
Even if there are
guards in the town, there will only be about 30 of them. Once we kill them,
it's open season."
"Yeah! Makes my
blood boil!"
"Once we raid the
town, gold and women will be ours for the taking!"
"We'll be living
the good life for a while!"
The bandits voiced
their desires one after another.
Among them was a group
who watched them with bitterness.
"What do we do?
We couldn't take down the underboss in the end, and we've come this far."
"Those guys have
guards watching in shifts at night. There's no opening."
"Did the guy who
ran to inform them make it safely?"
Yes, the former
farmers were desperately trying to protect the barony in their own way. They
had tried to assassinate the underboss and escape with their squad to report
the situation, but they couldn't.
All they could do in
the end was to pretend they had been attacked by a beast and have one of their
fastest comrades run to inform them in the middle of the night.
"If it comes to
this... we have no choice but to apologize with our lives."
Cornered, they had
made a desperate decision.
***
The town of Est before
dawn.
Almost everyone was in
a deep sleep, and the town was enveloped in a quiet, deep darkness.
A very small light
appeared a little away from the main gate.
Responding to it, a
light also appeared above the castle gate.
"Alright! It
looks like the guys who infiltrated during the day did a good job!"
"The castle gate
will open soon. Once it does, go inside and wreak havoc! Kill anyone who wakes
up!"
They crept up to the
castle gate.
Soon after, the castle
gate began to open with a low sound.
"Go!"
The bandits started
sprinting towards the gate.
Their blood was
boiling with excitement for the hunt that was about to begin for them.
"Now is the time
to repay the kindness of Lord Turnip Baron!"
"We're not
beasts!"
"We'll apologize
with our lives!"
At that moment, the
former farmers who were at the very back charged at their comrades (the
bandits) while shouting.
"Tch! Those
scumbags, we brought them along as meat shields for when things got rough, but
they're idiots.
Slaughter them along
with the rest!"
Following the leader's
instructions, some of the bandits turned back and attacked the traitorous
farmers.
The traitors were
about 30 who had moved first, and about 20 who followed belatedly.
Against amateurs
(farmers), the bandit group could easily handle them, even with half their
numbers.
That was the moment.
In the still dim
pre-dawn light, a sudden flash of light fell directly above the bandit group.
"You unruly
rabble! The price for attacking the town of Est is your lives!"
"Don't hit the
farmers!"
Along with the two
voices, arrows rained down from two locations: the castle gate and the bushes
on the side.
Those who were
sprinting towards the castle gate in particular were showered with arrows from
close range and fell one after another.
As the bandits
panicked and scattered in the sudden rain of arrows, a gentle light, which was
completely different from before, intermittently illuminated the surroundings.
"Cavalry,
charge!"
At the same time, the
same order rang out from two locations: the castle gate and the side.
"Break through
the enemy's formation, penetrate the center, then deploy to the rear and surround
them! Don't let them escape!"
A disciplined group of
cavalry charged into the flank of the bandits, trampling through their center.
The bandits were first
knocked aside by the cavalry's charge and then trampled by the hooves of the
following horses.
Those who faltered
became prey to the spears and swords from horseback, and those who fled in
confusion were surrounded by the cavalry that had deployed to the rear after
the breakthrough, and were helplessly cut down.
"Hmm, a splendid
charge, and then immediately deploying to the rear. As expected of my best
disciple."
Commander Weiss fought
on horseback himself, watching with admiration.
The cavalry led by
Darek, despite being few in number, were remarkably disciplined and scattered
the bandits.
Responding to this,
the mercenary corps' cavalry moved flexibly, driving the bandits into a dead
end.
It was as if it were a
pre-arranged exercise.
"Why is he
here!?"
"Shouldn't he be
at the border?"
"Shouldn't there
be no soldiers in the town either?"
Some of those watching
the battle unfold from a short distance away were bewildered.
"At this rate, we
won't be able to fulfill that person's deep scheme!"
"It can't be
helped. Let's retreat, just the few of us."
"We can get the
better of them next time."
"Someday, we'll
definitely trip them up!"
While cursing, they
disappeared somewhere.
"Lord Darek, your
timing and brilliant tactics were superb."
"Commander, your
response to our strategy was also masterful, as expected."
Before anyone knew it,
the two were fighting side by side on horseback.
Recently, Darek had
even reached the rank of [Sword Saint], and the mercenary corps commander was
at an even higher rank of [Sword Demon]. There was no one who could stand
against these two.
Since the bandits were
also serious criminals, there was a high possibility that they would not be
forgiven even if they surrendered.
Therefore, they
resisted desperately, but their swordsmanship was ultimately amateurish.
Reckless strikes were
easily parried or deflected, and they received fatal counterattacks without a
moment's delay.
The two of them
continued to pile up the corpses of the bandits one after another.
"R-run!"
"Run
where?!"
"How should I
know?! Anywhere but where those guys are!"
The bandits desperately
fled from the two swordsmen's attacks, scattering in disarray.
The cavalry
surrounding them relentlessly pursued and cut them down.
Those who fled towards
the town were also struck down by the rain of arrows. Other than surrendering
and prostrating themselves, there was no way for them to save their lives.
***
I watched the two of
them in action from above the castle gate, along with the mages who had gone
out with me.
This time, I had done
nothing.
During the day, it was
Raymond-san who had seen through the bandits who had infiltrated disguised as
laborers.
It was Commander Weiss
who had drawn out their plans and prepared a perfect ambush.
It was my brother
Darek who had deceived the enemy and secretly laid the ambush.
My brother had
captured a suspicious villager on the outskirts of town the day before, heard
the details of the situation from him, and prepared the ambush to coincide with
the attack.
In this way, the
bandits were almost completely annihilated.
Except for the former
farmers who had betrayed them and started the fighting.
"Without regard
for your own safety, you returned to the right path. I thank you."
They prostrated
themselves while weeping at Darek's words of comfort.
These were the 50 who
had first raised the banner of revolt against the bandits.
Behind them were about
30 others who were also former farmers but had betrayed the bandits later and
looked rather ashamed.
"We were
struggling to eat in our harsh lives and strayed from the path.
However, we have not
forgotten the kindness of Lord Turnip Baron and the others. We had no idea it
would come to this..."
"You will be
given a chance to atone for the crimes you have committed. The day you can
return to your hometown and your families will come before long."
"We will never
forget your repeated kindness and favors!"
They sobbed again and
broke down in tears.
But Darek's words did
not become reality.
If they were handed
over to Viscount Hiyorimi, they would likely be executed immediately to silence
them or as scapegoats.
It was decided that
they had all died, and later they were forced into hard labor in the mines for
a certain period.
Although it was forced
labor, they were paid properly, and especially the 50 who had responded first
were given a certain degree of freedom of movement.
And their families,
who had been persecuted in their village as part of the bandits' group, were
secretly guided by Darek's arrangements and taken to the town of Est, where
they were sheltered.
Later, they would be
reunited as a family in the town of Est.
As citizens of their
new home, the Estol territory.
Years later, on the
battlefield, there were many soldiers who protected Darek from danger at the
cost of their own lives.
They stood bravely
against the overwhelming enemy offensive, fighting fiercely without faltering
even when seriously wounded.
Replacing their fallen
comrades, they stood in the line of fire one after another, fighting like
vengeful spirits until their strength gave out.
"I can't go on...
the rest... I leave it to you."
"Have I finally
repaid your kindness...?"
"Thank
you..."
They all scattered
with smiles on their faces.
These were the future
images of the former farmer bandits whom Darek had sheltered and saved.
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