Chapter 229. Childhood Friend – Strange Person
On the day that the announcement was made that Algeo de Lognum, the second prince, would be elevated to the rank of duke, Lev left Nevis.
He was accompanied by his company of one hundred and ten swordsmen, led by Cesar. Cesar generously paid the overdue lodging fees to the innkeeper, and Lev did not stop him from doing so.
The innkeeper was grateful.
Thinking that these sword-wielding thugs would leave without paying a penny, the innkeeper extended his hand for a handshake with Cesar. Cesar smiled and promised to return.
“Cesar, have you registered the mercenary group?”
“Yes, and I’ve also secured some jobs.”
Cesar replied as he pulled out a few contracts. Most were simple tasks, such as delivering mail, but there was one contract to escort a small trading caravan, which earned Lev’s praise.
“It couldn’t have been easy for a newly formed mercenary group to secure a contract with a trading caravan. Good work.”
“Haha. I wouldn’t have been able to persuade them without these mail deliveries. We were lucky.”
Cesar laughed, tapping the mail-loaded wagon. Indeed, they were fortunate.
A week ago, there had been an Akine for Prince Aeton de Lognum.
Although the fact that he had become the heir had already been communicated across the country by the church, this was only verbally. Therefore, the Lognum royal family sent official documents all over the kingdom.
However, the places and people to whom these documents needed to be delivered and stored—government offices in each city, local lords (or governors) and military commanders, border posts, ports and fleets, and even small villages—numbered in the thousands.
It was impossible for the Lognum royal family to handle all this by themselves.
Thus, they passed the task onto the kingdom’s bureaucrats, who worked tirelessly with quill pens and fingers until they entrusted the delivery to the private sector.
Cesar managed to secure a part of this task. It was a job that would mark the first line of credit for the newly established ‘Cesar Mercenary Group,’ and Cesar went a step further by convincing a trading caravan.
No matter how cheap the cost, trading caravans do not contract with mercenary groups without credit. If the mercenaries turned into bandits, they would be defenseless.
However, Cesar sold the authority of the Lognum royal family.
“If we were to commit robbery while transporting royal documents, our entire families would be wiped out.”
There was no need for the trading caravan to worry about becoming wandering spirits to curse them; the Lognum royal family would not leave them alone. Unless they had six lives, what kind of boldness would make them do such a thing—he reasoned, securing the contract at a low price.
The mercenary group gained performance records, and the trading caravan saved money, creating a harmonious win-win situation.
‘He certainly does a good job.’
Lev smiled, praising Cesar’s resourcefulness and telling him to depart when ready.
As the accompanying trading caravan stopped here and there for business and the wagon carrying the mail gradually lightened, Lev redoubled his efforts to teach swordsmanship to his disciples.
The average swordsmanship skill of the company he formed was still lacking.
They were rough and tough young barbarians.
To others, they might seem impressive, but at least to Lev, they were not.
At best, they were only as skilled as well-trained soldiers. With this level of ability, they wouldn’t be able to make a significant impact on the battlefield.
Lev thought they needed to be at least at the level of junior knights. However, becoming a junior knight was not an easy feat. At the beginning of the engagement scenario, even Lena Einarr struggled to become a junior knight. Despite having some talent and being promising warriors from their respective tribes, it was not a level they could easily attain after just a few months of training.
Lev decided to further sift through his disciples. He selected the ten most exceptional ones and provided them with one-on-one guidance, while the rest were trained to master defensive and counterattacking swordsmanship.
“You must first survive before you can attack.”
Among the sword techniques Lev knew, Noel Dexter’s style, which concealed leisure within a single stroke, best suited this philosophy.
As they made their way towards the Holy Kingdom of Jerome, his company of swordsmen gradually took shape. On a scorching hot day in the southern region, the Cesar Mercenary Group, having parted ways with the trading caravan, arrived at the border area. Lev ordered Cesar to launch a raid.
Their target was…
“Ugh~ What a terrible ordeal. Do you know we’ve wasted a year of our youth on the road, Captain?”
“Shut your mouth.”
“Just sell it near the Kingdom of Belita. Why go all the way to the Holy Kingdom of Jerome… If you don’t pay us generously, I won’t let it slide.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll get at least three times more, so your pay… Hold on, what’s that?”
It was the Theovic Family’s weapons caravan.
About four hundred thugs were slowly approaching, pulling carts filled with various weapons.
While Cesar issued commands, Lev was the first to charge with a shout. He didn’t use his Aura Blade.
“Follow the captain!”
Ruben Bizan shouted boldly.
The impatient warriors spurred their horses forward, and Ban Bizan clicked her tongue and circled wide. She charged in after forming a siege and then exclaimed with amazement.
“Look at our captain. Swordmasters are truly… superhuman.”
[ Achievement: First Kill – Leo feels less guilt for killing. ]
[ Achievement: Thugs ‘302’ – Stronger against thugs. min(10) ]
[ Achievement: Beast Hunt – ‘1’, Mana faintly permeates your body. ]
[ Achievement: Expert – Leo’s body becomes tougher. ]
[ Achievement: Swordmaster ]
It was a massacre. Lev was literally slaughtering the thugs.
His unbreakable sword danced like it was possessed, and there was no hesitation in his movements. Not a single thug could withstand even one stroke, rendering their numbers useless.
The thugs lost their will to fight.
If this small, young man was like this, what about the burly swordsmen riding towards them? They fled in all directions, anticipating the worst.
“Chase them! Don’t let a single one escape!”
“No! Let them run!”
Cesar blocked the bloodthirsty Ruben. Although there was a clash of opinions between the outspoken warrior and the newly appointed captain, Lev beckoned Ruben over, settling the matter. Roughly over a hundred thugs managed to escape.
Ruben looked confused, but Lev nodded towards Cesar. Cesar nodded back, expressing gratitude and understanding, and then instructed the swordsmen.
“Gather the spoils. There are plenty of weapons, so find ones that suit you. Wear the armor. Are you ready? Some of you will escort these wagons to the Marquis of Guidan’s estate. The rest will return to Nevis!”
The Cesar Mercenary Group split into three factions.
One group took charge of the forty or so large wagons. These would be used to arm the barbarian warriors from various tribes after their training, so the wagons slowly retraced their path.
Another group, led by Cesar, consisted of the mercenaries.
Having successfully completed their first mission of delivering official documents and escorting the caravan, they quickly rode south. Their gleaming armor made them appear like a knightly order to the untrained eye.
The last group headed north.
These were the ten disciples selected by Lev.
They did not wear armor. They simply exchanged their worn swords and crossed the border with Lev in a minimalist swordsman’s attire.
As they passed through the gateway of the Holy Kingdom of Jerome, Lev felt a change.
It was the first time he had passed through this gateway intact.
The first time he crossed this border, he didn’t get through the gateway. He had been with a weapons caravan and encountered a crusader blocking the arms smuggling. The holy symbol had been marked above his head, and he had forcibly crossed the border riding a mare with short forelegs, named Woody.
The second time he crossed this border, he wasn’t in his right mind.
As an apostle of Barbatos, he killed every human he saw. He declared the land he passed through as Barbatos’s territory, rendering the border meaningless to him.
And this was the third time.
It would likely be the last.
His ten disciples guarded him firmly, and just as the weapons caravan arrived here in the summer, Lev could easily predict what would happen in the kingdom ahead. All that remained was time, waiting for the moment to ripen.
Lev bowed his head and made a vow.
‘Leah. I’m coming. I’ll be there soon.’
This would be the last time he met her as a friend. Next year, he would become a king, Lev de Bizan, and propose to her.
She would surely be delighted.
Finally, they would be happy.
Lev lifted his head. With a broad smile, he shed the weight of past wounds. Yet, he did not let his emotions overwhelm him. He planned to remain vigilant until the very end.
The summer sunlight reached its peak, reflecting off the lush green forest with freshness. A breeze from the distant sea brushed Lev’s cheek.
* * *
Leo Dexter had not yet arrived in Rutetia. Having retired with honors from the battlefield, he was likely on his way to the Holy Kingdom with Lena Einarr, so there was still plenty of time.
Lev decided to do what he hadn’t been able to. The day had come to remove the sharp thorn lodged in his heart.
He needed to save Enen.
He had never forgotten the girl from the Uena tribe, who had been horrifically killed by the roaming beast, Oantahu. Her tragic end was so terrible that it felt like the gods had torn her apart just to torment him, leaving a shadow over his heart. He was finally going to cleanse it.
Lev knew from old times that once a beast like that was caught, it wouldn’t appear again. It was something he should have done at least once by visiting the Uena tribe village and catching Oantahu, knowing that Enen would be brutally killed each time.
But it had always been a matter of distance and time.
The Holy Kingdom of Jerome was far from the starting points of each scenario… No, he wouldn’t use that as an excuse. They valued Lena more.
No, he had lied.
They had the strength and capacity to visit the Holy Kingdom of Jerome while protecting Lena in each scenario. Yet, they had failed to do so simply because
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the round limit displayed at the bottom of his vision in red made him fear wasting a whole round. Using distance, time, and efficiency as excuses had been a self-deception. It made his torment all the worse. This reasoning wouldn’t serve as an excuse.
Lev quietly climbed the mountain path.
When he started to sense the subtle scent of mushrooms, it meant he was nearly there.
The disciples looked puzzled, not understanding why their leader had chosen this forest as their destination. But when they entered the Uena tribe village,
“Ah, the captain must want to liberate the natives here.”
They misunderstood the situation, thinking it was about the oppression by the Holy Kingdom of Jerome. However, the Holy Kingdom did not discriminate against or mistreat the barbarians. They allowed them autonomy, with the natives living contentedly under the prohibition of slavery.
Disregarding the disciples’ expectations, Lev sought out the village chief, requesting, “We are travelers. We find this place scenic and wish to stay for a while. Please provide us with food.” He had plenty of money.
Once the conversation ended, Lev decided to stay outside the village to avoid unsettling the natives with armed outsiders. He directed his disciples to build a log cabin.
Lev himself did not build it. The disciples did. After designating the location for the house, he dressed lightly and, leaving his sword with his disciples, wandered leisurely towards the hillside that Euta often frequented.
A pinging sound was heard.
A boy practicing archery had pinned a target to a tree. Lev had many memories with this boy and felt nostalgic…
Lev’s eyes scanned the surroundings. There, in the bushes, was Euta’s younger sister, Enen, playing with insects.
She looked so carefree.
She must have entered the forest later.
“Who are you?”
Euta asked. Lev replied,
“I am a traveler.”
He introduced himself as a traveler, returning here after a long absence.
The cautious boy and the innocent girl.
Lev sat down and watched Enen rummaging through the bushes. “You have pretty good archery skills. Are you planning to go hunting?” he asked Euta, like an idle wanderer. Euta removed the target from the tree and took his sister back to the village.
They thought he was a strange person.
