Chapter 2
Chapter 2
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 2
Chapter Title: Proof of Trust
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Of course, the Duke's Lady didn't trust just anyone. She had good reason to trust Enri.
It happened about two years after she'd picked him up, when her exceptionally talented self had earned the envy of her uncle, leading to a trap set by his scheme.
"What in the world—these bandits...!"
"Protect the Lady!"
The reliable subordinates she'd personally gathered were being swept away by knights disguised as bandits. Eve bit her lip hard at the sight and glared at Enri, who was riding in the same carriage as her.
Even in this situation, he yawned widely and casually picked at the lint on his clothes. His utter nonchalance made her momentarily suspect he might be in league with the bandits.
"What are you doing, mutt! Go die too! Die to buy me time to escape!"
"Eek... No thanks. Dying hurts."
"W-What? N-No?"
A slave insolently refusing his master's order—an earth-shattering situation. As Eve stared at Enri in disbelief, her eyes flashing, he just shrugged nonchalantly and met her gaze without a care.
"Give me a proper order."
"You..."
Seeing the look in his eyes, Eve calmed her boiling rage and gave him the proper command he wanted.
"Fine. Mutt. Go kill every last one of those bandits. Don't leave a single one alive. And make sure I don't get hurt in the process. Got it?"
"Yessir—That'll be easy."
In truth, it was the same command, just rephrased. Ordering a ten-year-old kid to take on bandits that even proper knights couldn't handle? Even Eve, who gave the order, wasn't really expecting anything from Enri.
She'd only explained it clearly enough for the disobedient mutt to understand.
And sure enough, as he stepped out of the carriage, dragging a longsword from the ground, there wasn't the slightest hint of expectation in his gait.
At least, not until the blade sliced through a bandit's neck.
"Huh...?"
Eve's bewildered voice echoed inside the carriage. She wasn't the only one stunned. The bandits facing the boy, the knights fighting them—everyone froze in disbelief at the impossible sight.
In the halted time, the only one moving was the little slave boy who'd caused it all.
Enri swung his sword like magic, like sorcery. Each time his young, small body leaped and slashed, bandits' heads flew into the sky as if by lie.
The bandits snapped out of their daze at the magical display and tried to group up for a counterattack, but against Enri's swordsmanship, whether one or ten made no difference. One could even question if it qualified as swordsmanship.
A moment later.
"All done as ordered, Lady."
Having wiped out the bandits, Enri dragged his longsword—smeared with blood, flesh, and grime—back to the carriage. His face was as calm as if he'd done something utterly trivial.
Watching him, Eve realized the slave she'd picked up wasn't just durable. She also figured out how to handle him.
It was the moment she decided to make him her trusted retainer.
The Claudia Duchy was one of the kingdom's five great duchies, located in the southwest. Blessed with good weather and ample sunlight, it boasted fertile golden wheat fields—a truly livable land.
And land worth living on meant plenty of scum eyeing it.
"Charge, warriors! Groschar lies ahead!"
"Woo-! Woo-! Woo-! Woo-!"
Horseback barbarians bellowed as they charged. Famous from birth for living as one with their mounts, these nomadic riders handled horses like extra limbs.
Even as these foes—unbeatable by ordinary soldiers or even mounted knights—bore down, Enri showed no fear.
"Ready to fire."
The Claudia house soldiers took positions and aimed at the enemy. Watching the barbarians close in for a moment, Enri lightly dropped his hand and commanded.
"Fire."
Bang—!
Flints sparked, igniting gunpowder. The explosive pressure launched bullets forward, dozens of shots thundering toward the barbarians.
Some barbarians flinched from hits, but most shrugged off mere skin grazes. Their horses fared the same—unless struck in vital spots like eyes, it was just scratches.
Classic fantasy world. Guns that toppled knights on Earth could barely wound bare-skinned barbarians here?
But slowing them even a little was enough.
"Ignore them and keep shooting."
Enri said that and charged ahead. Kicking off the ground, his speed briefly outpaced the oncoming barbarians. The moment they met, he drew his sword.
The mounted barbarians swung axes and glaives dismissively at him, but Enri saw it all in slow motion.
Accustomed to such fights, the barbarians swung to leave no escape.
'What a hassle...'
Confirming no dodge possible, Enri thrust his blade at the incoming glaive. His near-acrobatic force distribution effortlessly deflected the heavier weapon. The deflected glaive clashed with a following axe, creating an opening.
Enri slipped through, slashing twice. Blood sprayed as two charging barbarians tumbled down.
Like a chess grandmaster spotting unseen moves to carve a path.
"What the—!"
"Gorgal!"
As trailing barbarians gawked in shock, Enri repeated the process indifferently. Slash, swing, deflect, fell. Like a flawless machine.
When time passed, only Enri and the Claudia soldiers remained standing.
The soldiers bayoneted writhing barbarians in vitals, shooting any survivors. These foes who'd bounced bullets when hale had no such luxury dying.
The one who'd achieved it all casually wiped blood clots from his blade like it was nothing.
"Report! Sir Enri, all cleared!"
"Good. Round up the horses too. Barbarian mounts are famous for speed."
As soldiers dragged the horses in groups of three or four, Enri stared blankly into the distance. Toward the land the barbarians had come from.
"Sir Enri?"
"—Be right back. Head back first."
"Pardon? What do you... Sir Enri!?"
Suddenly spouting nonsense, Enri snatched a barbarian horse from the soldiers and galloped off. The beast bucked wildly to throw him, but his insane athleticism kept balance amid the frenzy.
Giving up, the horse blindly charged toward its homeland—the barbarians' territory.
'What's beyond here, I wonder.'
Enri had no real reason for galloping off. Pure impulse. Curiosity for unknown lands. The Claudia lands on the kingdom's border meant he could've gone anytime, but the urge hadn't struck until now.
After riding far, Enri spotted distant tents and barbarians.
'Forward base?'
No reports of barbarians this close to the border. Must be a recent setup with intent. Enri spurred faster.
They'd spotted him too, scrambling frantically. True to form, they grabbed weapons first. Enri gripped the reins tight.
'Turning back now, they'll chase anyway...'
Some were already fetching grazing horses. No doubt they'd pursue.
He hated being chased. Might as well clean it up while here. Thinking that, Enri drew his sword mid-leap from the horse. He'd reached the base.
"Crazy bastard—!"
"What's that guy?!"
"Green hair! The duke's demon!"
Ignoring their mutters, Enri swung. Blood painted the sky where barbarians stood in his path.
"What?"
"So, like—"
Having repelled the border barbarians and even razed their forward base, Enri reported to the Duke's Lady with a slightly tired expression.
"I picked up a Barbarian Princess. Can I keep her?"
"Enri..."
But.
His casual report—like finding a pet—left Eve sighing endlessly.