Why Is This Yours? (9)
The garrison commander believed it.
A fight comes down to weight class and numbers. That's all.
If you were strong, you beat the weak. If you were big, you were generally strong. And the more troops you had, the better. Therefore, as things stood, the garrison commander's forces vastly outmatched Jin's. It was a conclusion of the purest mathematics.
That bastard can't be all of them, surely.
Common sense said Jin couldn't have faced the Wild Dog Alliance and the Holy Kingdom alone. Somewhere, there had to be more followers of the witch. But stomping the witch's bodyguard knight would go a long way toward breaking their momentum.
I'll take that bastard's head as a trophy.
Down Fork was in his grasp. The garrison commander was certain of it.
A whoosh cut through the air.
"...Huh?"
That was what he thought, at least — until one of his soldiers went flying.
People were flying. Not as a figure of speech, not as an exaggeration — they really were. Not the way a winged insect flies, but the way a cricket does: bounding, bouncing, tumbling through empty air.
The untimely appearance of flying humans originated from a single man. An Easterner in a black robe was picking people up and throwing them.
It was a truly bizarre spectacle. From the man doing the throwing, there was no sense of overwhelming presence, no impression of monstrous strength. He simply moved.
"Hyaaaah!"
A soldier would roar and charge. A light sidestep — and he was gone from the line of attack. Then a tap: a trip of the foot, a tug of the wrist, and the soldier went tumbling through the air. Sometimes he slipped quietly into a charging opponent's guard, seized an arm or the nape of the neck, and sent them over his shoulder. Each time, an armored body rose smoothly into the air — and then fell. The rising was gentle. The landing was not.
THUD! Every time a soldier hit the ground on his back, a dull impact rolled through the marketplace, heavy enough to make the neglected cobblestones rattle.
The garrison commander and his remaining soldiers froze. It was as if they were watching some strange magic. The men who had charged in, as if bewitched, were led into falls and throws by Jin, and in an instant they were out of the fight.
"Hmm."
Jin dusted off his palms and scanned whoever was left.
"Nobody else coming? It was convenient, just waiting for you to come to me."
His movements flowed like water, soft as the wind. The principle of power contained within them was something the garrison commander couldn't even begin to fathom. All that filled his mind was an uneasy certainty that something had gone very, very wrong.
"If you won't come first..."
Jin slowly turned toward the garrison commander. A slightly lowered stance. Beneath the shadow falling across his face, black eyes flashed like a beast's. And in the next instant, Jin was standing right in front of the garrison commander's nose — as if a ghost had vanished and reappeared.
CRACK!
The garrison commander had no idea what had happened. All he knew was that some impact had traveled up from his jaw, his head had snapped back, the sky had filled his vision — and then that sky had gone blurry.
Not bad for a warm-up. Decent enough opponents.
Once the garrison commander was down, the rest lost their will to fight. They dropped their weapons and surrendered.
"Th-the commander...! In a single hit...!"
"Spare us!"
"J-just our lives...!"
They grovelled on the ground, begging. A moment ago they'd been so eager to take my head, and now they flipped sides this fast.
The garrison also handled this city's public order, which meant they carried wooden shackles.
"Cuff yourselves."
I don't have a hobby of indiscriminately chopping the heads off people who've already surrendered. I'll leave them alive for now and let Rosamond handle the rest. ...Honestly, they were weak enough that I could deal with them whenever, even if I let them live.
"Yes, sir!"
"Thank you!"
The soldiers knelt and cuffed each other's wrists. They were doing it with smiles on their faces. Must have been happy to be alive.
Meanwhile, I checked the condition of my body.
...Seems like it's working, at least.
The opponents had been so weak it barely even counted as a fight. I hadn't even moved that hard. But it wasn't like there was no effect. Before, even a little movement would make my heart throb — like the pain was about to hit any second. Now, it was calm.
Could be different against a stronger opponent, though.
I'd confirmed the medicine was working. That was enough for now.
It can be improved. I can get out of this terminal constitution. I had seen the possibility.
I should get this honey to Knox quickly.
For some reason, I felt lighter. I'd finish looking around the market, and as for these garrison types... I'd report to Rosamond and she'd handle it. First, let's find that honey again.
I dusted off my hands and was about to walk off when—
"Hm?"
The townspeople were looking at me. They'd surrounded me, as if they'd been watching the fight. When our eyes met they hesitated for a beat, then clenched their fists and cheered.
"W-woooow...!"
"Uwoooooh—!"
"That was incredible, sir!"
Why am I 'sir'?
"S-so it was true... that you faced the Wild Dog Alliance and the Holy Kingdom alone."
The man who'd doubted me earlier. His eyes fixed on the fallen garrison commander, he muttered on.
"We have no idea how such a thing is even possible... but if this is the level of your skill even barehanded..."
He kept muttering like he was having some kind of epiphany. It was a little creepy. Then he looked at me and bowed his head.
"I apologize for doubting you. Lady Rosamond's new bodyguard knight."
"......"
What a weirdo.
"Doubt me or don't — that's your business. Why are you apologizing?"
"With someone like you, I felt certain Lady Rosamond would be safe."
"That's a lot of pressure you're putting on me."
"Pressure? Not at all."
The others sidled up too, offering awkward smiles and a stream of words.
"Wow, you were way stronger than you looked, my lord!"
"I was shocked...! How did you even—!"
"That was so cool!"
A few of them had business not with me, but with the garrison. Garbage came flying at the faces of the soldiers kneeling in their shackles.
"You shameless bastards!"
"Serves you right!"
"Always acting so high and mighty, throwing your weight around!"
"Pay back what you put on tab at our shop last time! Pay it back!"
These guys had thoroughly worn out their welcome. Must have been real pieces of work even on a normal day. Well. That tracked. These garrison types didn't look like they'd trained a day in their lives. That potbellied commander alone was proof enough.
"I couldn't stand the sight of those guys anyway — thanks for putting them in their place!"
I hadn't done this to receive thanks. Those bright, sparkling eyes looking up at me were starting to get a little overwhelming. I waved them off. I had other business.
"That's enough. Where's the honey?"
"Ah! This way, please."
"I'll show you!"
They crowded in, competing to be the one to guide me. I felt like the Pied Piper. Exhausting and noisy. I needed to buy this honey and get out of here.
The honey stall. This merchant seemed pretty satisfied that the garrison had gotten beaten up, too — judging by the kindly smile as he said:
"It's on the house."
"I'll take the thought."
I accepted a jar of honey and set gold coins matching the price on the stall.
"I figure things go wrong when nothing's paid for."
"Oh my... and such a kind heart, too."
"Truly, a model of what a hero should be...!"
What a racket.
I slipped through the crowd of chattering townspeople at a brisk walk.
"You cleaned up the garrison...?"
"It just kind of happened."
Rosamond let out a disbelieving laugh at my report.
"I haven't even asked you to do that yet, and you just go and handle it... Impressive."
I hadn't particularly set out to. They'd come looking for me. Which was convenient.
"I don't know the garrison's full size, so I haven't cleaned them all up. But I took down the one they call the commander, so mopping up the rest should be quick."
"Yeah. Got it. I'll handle the rest from here, so you don't need to worry about the garrison for a while."
Good work.
With those last words, Rosamond sent me out of her office. She seemed extremely busy. Through the closing door, I heard a little laugh and her murmur:
"He really is reliable."
"......"
I scratched my head, then headed back to Knox first.
"Oh my, darling? You brought it already?"
I'd confirmed the medicine worked. I'd handed over the honey, too. Now all that was left was to wait patiently — until Rosamond decided on the next task.
A heavy silence hung over the tent of the Wild Dog Alliance. Everyone at the meeting sat with their mouths shut, the table between them. Caiman, seated at the head, did not look pleased. Brow furrowed in dissatisfaction, he swept his gaze over the two factions split along either side of the table, glaring at each other — the officers of the Wild Dog Alliance, and the Holy Kingdom's executives, an elder among them. They were staring each other down like they were about to snarl.
It was a sight that made you sigh. They'd been thoroughly played by Jin, hadn't they?
"What is the meaning of this?! Explain yourself! Why — why in the world did you lose Down Fork to a single man?!"
One of the elders jabbed a finger, veins standing out on his neck.
"We lacked for nothing! The schedule was perfect! We prepared everything for you! Even the Saintess herself! So why did it turn out like this?! I demand an explanation!"
That fingertip was pointed at Caiman. The wrinkled hand was covered in gold rings. Caiman's eyelid twitched at the sight.
"...Old man. This is your last warning. Point that finger at me like that one more time, and I'll take your head right here."
"You brute! Do you even know who I am...! If you try that, the Holy Kingdom will not stand idle!"
"Good if they don't. Then I can publish the forbidden texts with an even easier mind."
"...You despicable bastard!"
"Thanks for the compliment."
The elder sat back down, trembling, but with no other choice. Caiman first laid out the situation.
"I know you suspicious types suspect us. But I swear, my boys didn't do a thing. They're not that stupid. Think about it — what would we gain by betraying you at that timing? Down Fork was going to be ours just by sitting still."
"And how do you guarantee that?"
Cassian, commander of the Holy Knights, asked in a sharp tone. Alliance leader Caiman snorted a laugh.
"Don't play at being clever, you sorry bastard. Let me ask you the other way around. Got any guarantee that you didn't betray us?"
"The sacred Holy Knights who serve God would never commit such a thing as betrayal."
"Watching you plunder and exploit in God's name, I figure you're more than capable."
"...!"
"Don't glare at me too hard. I might take your head too."
Cassian frowned at the humiliation, but he couldn't hold the Wild Dog Alliance leader's gaze for long. Looking into those crocodile eyes, a creeping terror rose — the feeling of being about to be eaten.
"I'll say it again. This wasn't us. But as stupid as you lot are, I don't think you'd pull something like this either. In times like this, think simple. Who gained the most from this?"
The ones who had driven out the Holy Kingdom and the Wild Dog Alliance and seized real power over Down Fork.
"Rosamond. And the man stuck to her side — Jin. Those two did this. Which is to say, we still share a common enemy."
There was no flaw in Caiman's logic. The Holy Kingdom accepted his view. But unease still lingered in their hearts. Was the Wild Dog Alliance truly innocent? That suspicion. And if things stayed like this, they wouldn't have to hand Down Fork over to the Wild Dog Alliance, would they? That calculation. Better to leave it under Rosamond and Jin's management. Dealing with those two would be far easier than dealing with the Wild Dog Alliance. But they had no justification, so no one voiced that true thought.
"We retake Down Fork. So it can come under our Wild Dog Alliance."
That was the conclusion of the meeting.
"...By the way. You there, sitting in a daze this whole time. Saintess."
"...?"
"You were completely useless. What's that about?"
"......"
"I heard Jin was a dog that followed you well..."
Hanna lowered her head. A shadow fell across her face, and her expression could no longer be seen. Caiman clicked his tongue.
He still remembered Jin's expression from yesterday, with Hanna right in front of him. It wasn't the look of a man looking at a woman. Use a sappy word and you'd call it love; say it straight and you'd call it lust. Jin's expression was neither. It was the face of someone who didn't even regard her as an equal human being.
"Something..."
Hanna forced the words out.
"Something's wrong. Jin... Jin wouldn't treat me like that."
"Sure he wouldn't."
"Jin... he liked me. He liked me so much..."
Watching her trail off, Caiman let out a sigh.
"She's useless."
Taking Down Fork together with the Holy Kingdom like this wouldn't be easy. The Holy Kingdom types hadn't been that useful to begin with.
...Think.
Caiman arrived at the most efficient, most effective solution.
If you can't beat the enemy, become the enemy's ally.
Rosamond and Jin's relationship was just a simple contract anyway. In that case—
Just offer better terms and make a contract. So he has no reason to choose that fallen noble lady.
A greasy smile spread across Caiman's face.