The Bandit's Offer to Save the World
The dragons couldn't possibly stop him.
“You don’t have to worry about that. The dragons in the mountain range are nothing but kids anyway, and everyone’s already in their sleep cycle.”
“Tch. It looks like you’ve already heard pretty much everything.”
“Then why not hear the rest of it?”
“Tell me. It’s better than being in the dark, right?”
Sybel nodded and spoke.
“We stopped the demons’ invasion across the continent, just like the rumors said. Unlike before, there was zero damage. And the clan lord made this decision because of it. He’s crossing into the Demon Realm to show the demons what happens when they try to step into the middle world again.”
“So everyone made it over?”
“Yeah. Only I remained, the one who refused.”
“You chose this. As a bodyguard.”
“No, I volunteered for it. I couldn’t just abandon the few kids we had.”
Sybel took a long swig of alcohol, his face bitter.
Jin Chen drank as well and said, “A thousand years have passed. You really believe they’ll come back?”
“Of course. They’re strong. Especially the lord’s power was the strongest among all the lords.”
“Then why create Cologne?”
“Because both the lord and I missed something. Namely, the ones who opened the path between the realms.”
Sybel’s eyes cooled as he stared.
“When I first realized no trace of who had done such a thing could be found, I thought we couldn’t just protect the kids. I didn’t know what they might do next.”
“So you created Cologne? To find them?”
“That’s right. And after waiting a long time, we finally caught a thread. Just before I met you, suspicious people. That’s why I couldn’t let you slip away.”
“Hmph. You must have had a rough time.”
Jin Chen tore into his meat with satisfaction and continued.
“You’re going to have it rough from now on too.”
“Can’t you help me?”
At the serious plea from Sybel, Jin Chen quietly looked at him.
Then, slowly bringing the bottle to his lips, he said, “No. Too troublesome.”
Jin Chen had already expected him to refuse.
But he still needed to persuade him somehow.
Sybel threw out a proposal with a serious expression.
“I’ll give you every jewel in my lair.”
“You said before only a few dragons would accept that.”
“They’re all things the other races demanded we hand over. The quantity is considerable, so I’ll give you all of it.”
“No, it’s fine. I can just go myself and take what I want.”
When the treasure didn’t work, Sybel quickly offered another.
“I’ll support everything needed for the village. Since bandits need people, I can send some decent ones too.”
“Our people are already stretched thin.”
At the unexpected words, Sybel looked surprised.
“You weren’t alone? There are others too?”
“Ah! Didn’t I mention that?”
That’s what I call mentioning!
“Were they strong like you?”
“No, they’re all weak.”
“Hmm, then my proposal is good….”
“By my standards.”
At those words, Sybel’s eyes lit up.
A being with power unlike a human’s.
The words clearly meant he wasn’t weak at all.
“Then how exactly can I help?”
“You’re a bandit, right? Hundreds of years passed. What did you do with your subordinates all that time? Just train them or what?”
“I’m the wisest lord among the dragons. Would I really have done nothing but waste time?”
“Then get along well with your subordinates. I like banditry.”
“They’re already moving. Watching suspicious people across the continent and around the Dragon Mountain Range villages.”
“You’re doing well.”
Jin Chen’s praise made Sybel swallow his groan.
“I don’t want big help. I just need you to protect the Dragon Mountain Range so I can move with peace of mind.”
“Just the Dragon Mountain Range?”
“That’s right. To me, the kids’ safety comes first.”
At that, Jin Chen curled one corner of his mouth.
“You said there was something in the lair earlier?”
“Jewels, you mean?”
“Yeah. Let’s see how much there is first and decide.”
Jin Chen smiled brightly.
Sybel looked baffled.
Was this the same guy who had looked embarrassed and asked what he was doing earlier?
“But that’s the only treasure? I heard there are all kinds of weapons besides gold and silver.”
“Hmm, no.”
“You’re not unwilling to give it, are you?”
“There’s really none. When our clan crossed into the Demon Realm, we handed everything over to equip the guardians.”
“Tch, so besides the jewels, there’s nothing to give?”
“Y-yes.”
“I’m getting the short end of the stick here.”
When Jin Chen frowned, Sybel said urgently.
“The quantity of jewels is substantial. You won’t regret it.”
“Hmm, fine. Then give me the jewels and also hand over something else.”
“What do you want?”
“Tooth and claw.”
“What?”
Sybel looked baffled again.
But Jin Chen continued casually as if it didn’t matter.
“If I tell people I fought a dragon, they won’t believe me. So hand over your tooth and claw as proof.”
“Y-you crazy!”
“Why would I do it myself? I’ll pull them out painlessly.”
“Ugh, is that really all?”
“And one more thing.”
“What else are you asking for!”
Jin Chen brought the bottle to his lips.
“Information.”
“You want information about them? I can give you that anytime….”
“Don’t try to cheat me. Our contract only goes as far as the Dragon Mountain Range.”
“Hmm, then what kind of information do you want?”
“Information on anyone trying to pass through the Dragon Mountain Range.”
The moment Jin Chen saw the mischievous smile on his lips, Sybel realized what he wanted.
“For banditry, then.”
“Why are you so obsessed with being a bandit? You could have had new dreams in this new world.”
It was pure curiosity, ignoring the strength.
It felt like there must be a real reason.
After drinking, Jin Chen quietly stared at the campfire.
Then, after a long silence, he slowly opened his mouth.
“I made a promise with someone. To become a bandit.”
**side story 1.**
**Fwoosh.**
Scarlet flames swallowed everything like a hungry demon.
‘Capture them all!’
‘Where are you running?! You bitch!’
‘Anyone resisting, just kill them!’
Bandits shouted savage curses as they rushed toward the people.
A woman trembling while clutching a child in her arms.
A middle-aged man being dragged by his hair.
A child sitting on the ground and crying.
Everyone was dragged away by the bandits’ hands.
‘Stay hidden here. Don’t make a sound. Our son will be fine, won’t he?’
A mother smiling brightly through tears.
‘You’ll live long. Live long, longer than your unworthy parents, and once in your life, live like a real human. Let’s meet again when your hair turns white.’
A father with a stern expression, as if reading from a book.
The parents’ figures quickly grew distant.
After a moment, the scarlet flames swallowed everything.
Parents looking at themselves with sad eyes.
A village that had been happy for a little while.
“No!”
He screamed and rose.
“Huff… huff!”
Gasping for air, he quickly scanned his surroundings.
A small cave with a campfire burning in front.
Sizzle.
Before it sat a man in his thirties wearing animal skin clothes.
When the man shivered, the one grilling meat on a stick beside the fire spoke.
“You awake?”
What should he do? Pretend to be asleep again?
“I’m awake. Eat this, you idiot.”
Seeing the skewer the man held out, a loud sound echoed from his belly.
Gurgle.
Instinctively, his hand shot out and snatched the skewer.
Then he brought it to his mouth and started eating greedily.
While poking the fire, the man said, “I won’t steal it. Eat slowly.”
Even then, the child stuffed meat into his mouth.
“Rumors say the country folk are hiring bandits to clean up the villagers….”
The child paused for a moment then resumed eating.
Faster, almost shoving it down.
“You were hiding well. Well, if I hadn’t noticed you were down, you’d be food for wild animals.”
He slid his body back.
Eyes fixed on the man.
“Don’t be tense. I’m running too.”
The child looked at him strangely.
“You can’t tell just by looking? I’m a bandit?”
The man clicked his tongue shortly and continued.
“Tch, do you know why the country folks hired bandits? The guards are here to handle us. Ah, their kids. When we try to set up a spot, how the hell do they know and raid?”
While saying that, he tore into the meat roughly.
“I used to be a bandit too, but I grew up in a village before that.”
The child stopped chewing the meat he had been forcing down with effort.
The man continued, not knowing.
“The boss wanted to rape my sister so he killed her and ran. Then I wandered like a beggar until I realized I was doing banditry.”
The man pulled one skewer from near the fire and checked it.
“Wow, it’s perfectly grilled. Here, eat this too. You’re still growing. Eat plenty.”
The child snatched the skewer with eyes full of caution.
Then, unlike before, he slowly chewed it properly.
The man chuckled.
“Kid, you don’t even say thank you.”
He tossed firewood into the fire and spoke.
“Do you have a place?”
“….”
“If not, come with me?”
The child stopped eating and glared at the man with wary eyes.
“Don’t misunderstand. I was thinking of my dead brother. When I was your age, he died of plague and never got to eat a proper warm meal.”
The man poked the fire with a bitter expression.
Sparks danced upward like living things and vanished into the air.
“Well, even if we go together, I can’t feed you a feast. I’m a thief and a bandit, so that’s all I can do.”
“….”
“But isn’t banditry worth it? Besides those who committed crimes and ran, most are villagers. We understand each other well.”
The child still said nothing.
“By the way, it’s not easy to meet a decent bandit like me. I’ll wake up a fainted guy, feed him, and take him along. Where do you find bandits like this?”
The man leaned back against an axe handle placed to the side.
“Think it over and tell me tomorrow. One extra mouth won’t make a big difference.”
After those words, the man closed his eyes.
The child quietly watched him, then looked at the skewer in his hand.
The meat was roasted to a perfect brown.
It must have been carefully grilled.
The child put one piece in his mouth.
Because he had eaten it too fast, he hadn’t noticed how delicious it was.
Meat he had never eaten with his parents.
He bit his lip hard.
He struggled to hold back the sob that threatened to burst out, but the tears flowing from his eyes couldn’t be stopped.
“Sniff… hic…”
Tears ran down his cheeks.
The sob that finally escaped his tightly shut mouth.
The child hung his head and cried for a long time.
Even the man’s closed eyes held a deep bitterness.