Chapter 155
Chapter 155
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Advancing One Step at a Time, Calmly. (13)
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That evening, the meeting convened as usual.
"Report the status of each knight order."
Mikel, seated at the center, spoke in a subdued voice.
"The Imperial Palace Knight Order reports no casualties. That's all."
"The Seymour Knight Order has about ten injured, but none unable to walk."
Mikel's face grew pale as he listened to the reports.
It wasn't because of injuries in the other knight orders or harm to his own body. He was deeply anxious for another reason.
"The Ovest Knight Order reports no issues."
With my words, the reports concluded.
"Here are the numbers of Kinus ears collected today."
The adjutant standing beside Mikel placed a sheet of paper on the table. The knight captains' faces showed a variety of expressions upon checking it.
"......"
Their gazes flicked toward me briefly before turning away.
Half concealed their bruised pride, while the other half openly showed admiration.
I didn't even bother checking the paper. I had assumed the Ovest Knight Order would come out on top anyway.
"For our first battle on such short notice, everyone held up well."
Mikel picked up the paper and handed it back to his adjutant as he spoke.
"I'm relieved there were no major injuries. I express my gratitude for each knight order's hard work and dedication."
He slowly scanned the room, then lowered his voice.
"Now, to the main topic. You all saw the state of this supply base on your way here."
At Mikel's words, everyone's faces darkened.
Just like when they had first arrived at the supply base, after passing the spot where the Kinus had rolled boulders.
"There was no one there."
"All the supplies had been plundered."
As a few responded in heavy tones, Mikel swallowed a sigh.
"The Kinus coming down this far in the first place meant the supply base had been attacked."
His steady, experienced voice continued calmly.
"The Nord Knight Order patrols the supply bases on a regular schedule, restocking supplies and clearing nearby monsters."
Yet Mikel's pale blue eyes trembled as if cracked.
"This is the first time something like this has happened to a supply base. Bad weather has cut off contact with Nord Territory as well."
He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again. The tremor in his eyes was gone.
"It may be difficult for Nord Territory to send reinforcements."
"That means......"
Joshua quickly grasped Mikel's implication and trailed off. Mikel nodded firmly.
"Exactly. We must retake the supply base ourselves and head to Nord Territory."
Thud.
The atmosphere inside the tent darkened instantly, like storm clouds gathering. Worry etched the faces of the captains and heirs.
'They probably thought of this as a hunting competition in terms of difficulty, but it's tougher than expected.'
Still, none of them were the type to back down. They had marched here prepared for hardships like this.
"I believe it's sufficiently feasible."
"I didn't expect it to go smoothly anyway."
Color returned to Mikel's face.
"......Thank you. Then we'll proceed assuming the worst-case scenario."
With unanimous agreement, the meeting gained momentum.
"The Kinus that ambushed us today are a highly prolific species. The ones we saw probably aren't all of them."
"Usually, they send their elite fighters into battle. The females and young guard the nest."
Everyone perked up as I added my quiet input.
"They're extremely tenacious. Having lost their leader, they'll regroup and attack again."
Others chimed in after some thought.
"Then striking their nest first sounds like a good plan."
"The plundered supplies should be there too."
"But how do we find the nest?"
Mikel eyed the map spread on the table.
"Young Lord Abel. Any guesses on where they might be?"
Having already reviewed the Ovest Territory's tactical maps and past battle records, this wasn't a difficult question for me.
"They usually form colonies in places like these."
I pointed to several spots on the map with my finger.
"Below where mountains meet. Caves form there, blocking blizzards and good for hiding."
"Young Lord Abel, you have an exceptional eye for terrain. You spotted the ambush today right away too."
"It was plain as day."
A few frowned slightly at my confident reply, thinking I was boasting, but whatever.
"Very well. We'll prioritize searching the areas Young Lord Abel mentioned."
Mikel looked eager to set out immediately but rationally held back his impatience.
"Tomorrow morning, we'll spread out our formation and sweep the mountains as we advance."
It was already dark, making searches impossible, and the exhausted knights needed rest to move tomorrow.
"It was a grueling day. Return to your knight orders and prepare."
With that, those leaving Mikel's tent dispersed.
"Whew."
I sighed on the way back to my tent.
'Managing my expressions was exhausting.'
My stomach had been churning painfully for a while, and even bundled up, the cold was miserable.
"Young Master."
Conrad was waiting in front of the tent.
"How are you feeling? Your face suddenly paled."
"Don't worry about it. The others?"
"They're feeling refreshed after loosening up for the first time in a while."
"Good. What I asked for?"
Conrad nodded toward the inside of the tent.
"It's safely inside. Handled so it doesn't make noise."
His lips twitched briefly, his face itching to ask about my intentions, but
"Then I'll take my leave."
Wisely, he asked nothing.
After sending Conrad off, I entered the tent. In the center sat a large chest I hadn't seen before.
"Good."
A sinister smile crossed my lips as I placed my hand on the chest.
❖ ❖ ❖
The minion Kinus opened its eyes.
"Ugh?!"
A pitch-black night sky stretched above, with only swirling snow falling on it.
The Kinus jolted up and realized it was alone.
"What happened?"
It only remembered getting hit hard on the head during the battle and blacking out. They must have thought it was dead and left it.
The area was too clean and the location different for that, but the Kinus was too distracted by other things to think deeply.
"Damn humans!"
They were truly strong. Even hiding and rolling boulders hadn't been enough; they lost.
Especially the leader dying......
"Leader!"
The Kinus's eyes widened.
It had to inform the nest immediately. That way, the others could prepare.
The Kinus looked to the sky, found a star, estimated the nest's direction from it, and ran.
"Huff, huff, huff."
By the time the target star had passed far overhead, it spotted a familiar cliff.
Its lungs burned like they would burst, but there was no time to rest. The Kinus crawled down the narrow crevice in the cliff as usual.
"Come out, everyone!"
It shouted loudly to announce its arrival.
"Who's there?"
"Is that the leader?"
The Kinus living in the cave rushed out. Their faces hardened upon seeing who it was.
"Why are you alone?"
"Where's the leader?"
The minion Kinus merely bowed its head silently.
"The unit was wiped out?!"
"No way!"
Guessing the answer, the Kinus erupted in chaos.
They had to seek revenge, they were too strong, maybe raid somewhere else—opinions flew.
"Quiet down!"
A particularly large female Kinus with dark fur on her chest stepped forward.
She was Big Mother, the leader's wife, who would take charge in his absence.
"Be silent!"
Big Mother calmed the agitated Kinus. Her shrewd, gleaming eyes turned to the minion.
"How did you return alone?"
The moment she asked, the minion Kinus's face drained of color.
Thud!
Something heavy landed on the ground. The Kinus reflexively looked outside and froze.
"Whew, this guy made it easy to get here."
A human with hair blacker than the night sky beyond, and pitch-black eyes burning eerily.
And—
"Prurrrng!"
A horse—no, a monster Scrnell—with fur rippling like black seawater stood there.
"You're all gathered here? Cozier than I thought."
Shockingly, the human was mounted on the Scrnell, which was said never to submit to any creature.
"H-how did you find this place?!"
Terror and shock filled the minion Kinus's eyes. It pointed at the human and yelled.
"That's one of the humans!"
In that instant, Big Mother realized.
This human had deliberately released the minion and stealthily followed it—to retaliate against their raid on the humans' nest.
"Foolish human!"
Big Mother's lips twisted into a sneer.
Admirable to come alone, but ultimately futile. Soon, it would end up like the humans 'stored' deep in the cave.
"Kill it!"
At Big Mother's roar, the other Kinus snapped to attention.
Clatter, clatter.
They hurriedly grabbed their weapons as ordered.
"Die!"
"Revenge!"
They charged the human, radiating killing intent.
"Up you go."
Foolishly, the human jumped down from the Scrnell.
It could have escaped on it and saved its life.
The Kinus were all confident.
Not as elite as the expedition force, but the ones left here were veterans who had survived long.
They could easily take down one puny human.
"Graaak!"
—Or so they thought, until the first charging Kinus was bisected.
Splat.
The two halves of the Kinus's body hit the ground.
Yet, instead of blood, an ominous black smoke billowed up.
"Oh ho."
The black human's drawn black sword gleamed faintly in the moonlight.
"Always slicing big ones, but cutting something small feels......"
A cold smile formed on the human's lips.
"......refreshingly different."
The Kinus hesitated briefly but couldn't retreat.
"We outnumber it!"
"Attack all at once!"
The tactic they used on larger monsters.
One by one clinging to arms and legs to immobilize, then crushing heart and head.
Slash!
—No, they tried to.
The charging Kinus realized the human moved too fast to catch.
Thud!
They also learned that the moment they approached, the blindingly swift sword would cleave them.
Far too late.