Chapter 5
Chapter 5
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 5
Ilene (3)
What is a hero?
The Kingdom's 1st Knight Order Captain considered a hero to be authority, while the Royal Guard Captain called it responsibility.
Furthermore, the Grand Duchess of the North sarcastically remarked that a hero is a great pretext for sacrificing someone.
While everyone harbored a different meaning like this, Ilene thought of a hero as truly honor.
...Until she met the 4th Knight Order Captain.
"Captain Carmil. Just what are you trying to do?"
Ilene asked, but he did not answer. All she heard was to fight according to the signal.
Except for her, no one questioned the instructions.
Meanwhile, the bandits, who were dreaming unaware of the situation, were yawning and killing boring time.
"Yaaawn. Time passes so fucking slowly. Just until when do we have to be here?"
"Tell me about it. The boss says it's until the transaction is finished. Those demon bastards should just buy it all at once. Why bother buying little by little, geez."
With this, there was no room for doubt that they were trading with demons. Carmil immediately ordered the knights on the trees.
They opened the lids of the barrels they were carrying on their backs and sprayed them as far as possible toward the bandits' stronghold.
"Huh? What's that?"
"Is it raining? No, the color is..."
The bandit who spoke up to that point soon realized something was wrong. Along with a terrible stench, they were completely covered in goblin blood.
Not only the bandits, but Ilene also looked at this situation as if she couldn't understand.
"What the fuck!?"
"R-Raid! Everyone grab your weapons and come out!!"
Hearing the noise, the bandits inside the tents poured out in a crowd. Seeing that sight, Ilene also tried to draw her sword, but Carmil, who was next to her, stopped her.
"What are you doing? We should go out and fight quickly too!"
"Not yet."
That sound again. Ilene glared at him silently out of frustration. If someone saw this, they would think they are knights and we are bandits. Why does she, a knight, have to crouch here watching the mood of those dirty bandits?
I can't take it anymore. I'd rather fight alone—just as she was about to shake off his hand and stand up.
A rumbling sound was heard from not far away, and soon a horde of goblins was rushing toward the bandits.
"Damn, w-what is that again!"
"Five o'clock direction. Goblin bastards are invading. Everyone kill them!!"
Goblins are weak but specialized in survival senses. Especially since their sense of smell was several times superior to other races, they smelled the blood nearby and chased it all the way here.
"Probably the reason they set up their stronghold here is that there is a goblin den nearby. Since no one wants to get close to goblins, there would have been no place more suitable than here to hide."
Carmil taught her just in case. If she had the will to learn, he was willing to teach her any amount of things like this.
But instead of answering, she drew her sword. The sword, glittering gold like her hair, exuded its majesty.
"...Don't stop me now."
Leaving only those words, she ran out of the bushes. Originally, he planned to ambush when the bandits had almost dealt with the goblins, but Carmil gave an order to his subordinates all at once.
"Everyone. Don't let a single one leave alive."
Instead of answering, the knights took out their weapons all at once and revealed themselves from the bushes. Swords reflecting the sunlight slashed the bandits' necks in an instant.
"D-Damn it. What are you guys!?"
"It's a trap! Those bastards trapped us!"
"Boss. Where is the boss!? Go quickly and find the boss—Kuaaaak!!"
At the knights popping out suddenly, the bandits collapsed helplessly. The number of bandits was three times more, but from the moment they fell into chaos, numbers became meaningless. The bodies of the bandits whose formation collapsed were being cut down one by one by the knights.
"What are the archers doing. Shoot those bastards right now!"
"Damn. Then move back a bit. If you are mixed up like that, what do you expect me to—Kuk!?"
Arrows shot by knights hiding in the trees hit the forehead of the archer on the roof. Even the remaining archers fell into panic because of the goblins crawling up the roof.
"U-Uwaaak. Get lost. Please just get lost!"
"Damn it. Is the boss not here yet? Just who are these bastards suddenly invading and making a fuss!!"
"Everyone, be careful not to get entangled with goblins, and prioritize the Princess's escort."
"Yes!"
Amidst the rampant screams, a calm voice was heard clearly. The knights went to their respective positions and followed that voice in an instant.
In that chaotic battle, Ilene was also swinging her sword.
"Haa, haa..."
However, unlike her initial high spirits, she was frantic guarding against goblins and bandits on all sides.
She turned around in surprise at a scream heard from right behind, and while trying to attack a bandit she was fighting, she almost stabbed an ally's wrist.
Then, failing to notice the presence of a goblin at her feet, she even bumped into it and fell.
"Ahuk!?"
She got up quickly before being stepped on by others. But she still couldn't get a sense of where to look and fight.
If she looked forward, she was anxious about her back, and if she tried to fight a bandit, she worried a goblin might attack. It was completely different from the battle with knights she had at the social gathering.
Eventually, she slipped out of the chaotic battle and barely caught her breath. Then she made eye contact with a bandit hiding behind a tent.
"Uh?"
"D-Damn."
As soon as he saw Ilene, he swung his sword first. But she lightly deflected it and aimed her sword at his neck.
"Hiik!?"
"Surrender. Then I won't take your life."
At Ilene's momentum, the bandit dropped his sword and eventually knelt.
Finally caught one. As she was rejoicing inwardly, for some reason, the bandit's state was strange.
"Huk, heuk. I'm sorry. Mom. Celine..."
"W-What is it. What are you saying suddenly?"
Seeing the bandit suddenly bursting into tears, Ilene blinked. Because she never imagined an opponent would cry just because they lost a duel.
The bandit didn't miss the moment she was flustered and wailed even more.
"Heuheuk, actually I was working here forcibly under the threat of demons. They said if I didn't follow orders, they would kill my mother and younger sister Celine, so forcedly... Keuheup..."
"Wait a moment. Is that true?"
"Heuk, but what does that matter. After all, to a knight, someone like me is nothing more than a mere bandit."
"N-No. I don't go as far as thinking that..."
Ilene's sword tip shook without her realizing. Feeling as if she became a bad person for some reason, she started to hesitate.
"It is fine. Knight. However, I don't care what happens to me, but please protect at least my mother and younger sister."
"..."
"I beg of you like this."
He begged prostrating himself without caring about the sword at his neck. At that appearance, Ilene looked around. While everyone was in the middle of a battle, she pointed towards a side path where there were no people and sheathed her sword.
"...Go quickly."
"Yes? W-What do you mean..."
"You said you have to protect your mother and sister. Wash your hands of this even now and live diligently. Then surely the Goddess will forgive you too."
"A-Aaah! Knight. Thank you so much. Thank you really!"
The bandit bowed his head several times shedding tears of gratitude. At that appearance, she felt awkward but also a sense of unknown pride.
"Go quickly. Before other people notice."
"Yup. Knight. I will never forget this grace for the rest of my life. Thank you so much!"
The bandit ran away to the path she told him while repeatedly saying thanks. But before she could feel pleased, the running bandit froze as he was.
-Puuk.
"Keoheok!?"
A sword was thrust into the bandit's mouth, and the tip pierced through the back of his head and came out. As the corpse of the bandit, who was choking, fell backward, she made eye contact with Carmil.
"Y-You..."
"..."
He didn't say anything looking at Ilene. Soon he turned his back and was busy dealing with the remaining remnants.
Left alone, she stared blankly at the corpse of the bandit she tried to let escape.
The battle ended truly in an instant. What remained at the end was the familiar smell of blood and corpses turned into chunks of meat. And only the victors covered in blood.
A subordinate approached Carmil, who was stabbing corpses one by one.
[Subordinate Report]
"Captain. The bandit boss fled to the north. It seems there is a hideout over there too."
"As expected."
"Yes. And the two bandits over there are said to be the ones captured as prisoners by the Princess."
"Right, understood."
As Carmil, who received the report, tried to approach the prisoners, Ilene grabbed his wrist.
"Captain Carmil. They already surrendered. According to continental law, you must treat them as prisoners."
"...I understand what you mean."
Did he really understand? She watched his back anxiously as he approached the prisoners.
"Who is behind you guys?"
"I'll tell you when we get to the Kingdom. Until then, I won't utter a word, so know that."
"Or don't tell me, our high and mighty knight gentleman intends to threaten a prisoner?"
Knights follow chivalry and value honor more than anyone else. Therefore, no matter what happens, they do not break the law.
Knowing that fact, the bandits triumphantly demanded treatment as prisoners.
"..."
On the other hand, hearing those words, Carmil picked up an axe on the ground and looked down at the bandit.
"I will ask one more time. Tell me the information on the demons behind you guys."
"Kukuk. Retard. If you act heavy like that, do you think I'll get scared and answer—"
-Puwak Puwak Puwak!
The axe Carmil was holding mercilessly struck down on the bandit.
The bandit next to him stared blankly at his colleague's corpse, which was hacked to pieces in an instant.
"If you don't want to answer, you don't have to either."
"No! I-I will tell you everything. So please, just spare my life, Knight!"
The bandit stuck his forehead on the ground and begged. Carmil spared him only after he vomited out all information, gouged out his eyes, and castrated him right there.
Ilene was watching that scene, devastated.