Escape from the Dark Forest (1)
Even Marcus, who had been quietly watching from the side until then, couldn't hold back and burst into laughter. "Why do you think that?"
"Because there's no other way to explain how you managed to give us so much trouble. In a ragtag bandit group, the only one with real skill would have to be the leader, right?"
"You speak as if you're looking down on bandits. I'm nothing more than a small fry."
"Hmm. Then you must be quite skilled for a small fry. But what a shame—today marks the end of showing off that skill."
The woman named Sinclair said that and turned to Adelia. "Since they'll only be a burden if we take them along, why not execute everyone here except Marcus?"
What a vicious woman. Yet even as Adelia glared at me with contempt, she offered a welcome reply. "We'll take all the prisoners alive."
"Pardon? Wouldn't it be dangerous to drag them all along while we're trapped in the Dark Forest?"
"I want to interrogate this one about why an Elk Bandit was at Elchapo's mansion. More than that, his claim of being a mere small fry sounds suspicious. A thorough investigation is necessary."
"Your words are wise, but I'm concerned that protecting all of them might create gaps in our forces. The Dark Forest is a den of monsters even intermediate knights find challenging..."
I cut in. "Then how about this? Just let us go. We won't run off somewhere else—we'll protect our own lives."
"You expect us to believe that?" Sinclair retorted incredulously, but my brow suddenly furrowed. Sinister, eerie voices had abruptly echoed in my ears.
—Human... Blood...
—Feed us...
—Krrrk. The scent of humans...
—Oooong... Uuuung... So many...
"Hey, you two." Sensing the shift in my tone, Adelia and Sinclair both turned at once. I scanned our surroundings with wary eyes and spoke quietly. "If you don't want to die, draw your swords. Now."
"Aaaagh!" A scream rang out nearby just then. Everyone looked up in shock at the sound, and someone shouted urgently, "That was Philips! He said he was going to relieve himself!"
"Three of you, come with me!" Sinclair immediately led soldiers into the forest to investigate, but there was no need for the effort. Hideous monsters soon revealed themselves before us.
"Aaaah, wh-what is that?!"
"G-ghosts!" Eyeless, rotting, pallid humans had surrounded us in moments. Their numbers were considerable, and they varied widely in age, gender, and attire—children, elders, young men and women, adventurers, merchants, commoners, soldiers, nobles, and more.
Marcus spoke. "They're the lost dead. People devoured by this cursed forest."
"Don't tell me we'll end up like that if we die here?"
"Aye, that's right. Unable to pass on to the afterlife, we'll become monsters like them and wander this world forever."
Suddenly, I felt something cling tightly to my waist from both sides. Looking down, I saw Haida and Evynee hugging me with terrified faces. The shaky bridge effect, perhaps. The children who had always acted awkward around me were suddenly seeking closeness, and it was oddly welcome. I wanted to pat their heads and comfort them, but my hands were bound by ropes.
"Haida, Evynee. No matter what happens, don't leave my side. Your master will protect you."
"Yes..."
"Okay."
But for now, I was nothing more than a spectator. The dead staggered toward us with limbs bent at unnatural angles, easily over thirty in number. Faced with this mortal threat, the knight in command responded swiftly.
"Sprinkle holy water on your weapons!"
"Yes!" The soldiers pulled small glass vials from their pockets, uncapped them, and doused their weapons with a transparent liquid that radiated holy energy. The weapons absorbed the liquid without spilling a drop, soon emanating a sacred aura.
"Attack!" At the knight's signal, battle erupted. The soldiers charged the dead as one, unleashing their full prowess.
"Hah!"
"Yaaah!"
"Hup!" Those properly equipped and trained wielded devastating power. They swept through the dead like autumn leaves before a gale, pushing them back as if with a tank.
"Wow..." An involuntary gasp escaped me. The ease with which they handled the situation made my fear of the Dark Forest seem foolish. It was downright refreshing. Decapitate, then diagonally cleave the torso, finishing with a thrust to the heart—three precise motions, and the dead collapsed one after another. Their corpses vanished into the air without a trace.
"Well done, everyone!" The knight and her subordinates had effortlessly slaughtered dozens of the dead. It was impressive and magnificent. Even though we were their captives, I wanted to applaud them—they'd done our work for us and provided quite the show.
"Did you see my skill?" After the battle ended, the knight approached me first, shrugging her shoulders boastfully. "You felt nothing watching my brilliant and fierce swordsmanship? Didn't it occur to you that I'm a cut above you?"
She seemed to expect a reaction—did she want praise from me? I feigned ignorance and tilted my head. "Hmm. I was watching the others, so I didn't get a good look. That woman over there fought well, though." I gestured toward Sinclair with my eyes.
"You little...!" The knight's lips twitched in displeasure.
"Sinclair!"
"Yes, Lady Adelia." Sinclair, who had been conversing with the soldiers, hurried over. The knight crossed her arms with a prim expression. "This one was praising you endlessly, saying you fight well."
"Pardon?" When did I do that? This woman was twisting my words. Sinclair glanced at me, then offered Adelia an awkward smile. "How could I, a lowly subordinate, compare to you, Lady Adelia...? This man has no eye for talent. Your skill is far superior, after all."
She seemed to be choosing her words carefully to avoid offending the knight. Dealing with that one must be exhausting too. Suddenly, the voices of the dead echoed again.
—Give us blood...!
—Mother, save me...!
—I was wrong, darling. I'll kill you. I'll kill you...!
I was startled. How long had it been since the last ones appeared, and already more were coming? I looked around—the soldiers were resting on the ground, and there were no signs of the dead anywhere. Yet the voices persisted in my ears, their ravenous hunger unmistakable. I met Adelia's gaze.
"Be careful. They're coming again."
"Coming again?"
"More of the dead. Get ready."
"We just dealt with them. What are you talking about?"
"Exactly." The knight and Sinclair scanned the area warily. Seeing nothing but ashen trees, they turned back to me with narrowed eyes.
"Are you mocking us?"
"Bandits do enjoy toying with people, after all. How utterly distasteful."
But a minute later, someone sprang up and shouted, "Th-the dead! They're appearing again!"
"Damn it! It wasn't over yet?" The area erupted into commotion once more. The dead were slowly emerging from the hillside. I flashed the two women a triumphant smile.
"See? I told you."
The knight's and Sinclair's expressions shifted simultaneously. Their eyes held a mix of suspicion and faint surprise—how had I known when they hadn't sensed anything?
"You...!" Suddenly, the knight grabbed me by the collar and pulled her face close. "I knew they were coming too! Don't get cocky!"
Absurd. "When did I get cocky? Watch your words."
She didn't seem to hear me. "This is the last time you get to treat people with such contempt. Once we escape this place, I'll subject you to tortures beyond words and make you suffer. We'll see if you can still act so smug then."
After her threat, she released my collar with a shove and strode away. Marcus, who had been watching silently until now, clicked his tongue. "Looks like you'll be going before me. That girl's got quite the grudge against you."
"Maybe the paprika powder I threw in her face back in the city, or tossing her off that high wall, really got to her."
"Keh keh, it's not just that. You stole her heirloom and put a dog collar on a noble's neck—it's no wonder she holds a grudge. It's a miracle you're still alive after what you've done."
"Now that you mention it, yeah." A hollow laugh slipped out. A thought struck me, and after mulling it over, I spoke up. "Hey, Marcus."
"Yeah?"
"Even if we escape safely from here, we'll probably run into that knight again eventually, right?"
"I hope not, but the odds are high. They're under the king's direct orders to wipe out the southern bandit groups. They won't back down until every last one is eliminated."
"Then... if we're fated to clash no matter what..."
Now might be the chance. A rare opportunity to negotiate with the knight, someone we'd never meet under normal circumstances.