Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Flawless Strikes
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“Take slow breaths. You’re safe here.”
Luis finally calmed down after gulping air as if her lungs might burst. Guchi glanced at Bank beside her.
“I’m counting on you.”
“Protecting a lady’s safety is my duty, after all.”
Bank spoke with a sly grin. Whether to reassure her or not, his expressions and gestures were exaggerated.
Unfortunately, Luis was too distraught to notice, her eyes unfocused as she stared at the ground. Guchi gently patted her shoulder before standing up.
“Mister.”
Luis’s voice was parched.
“I’ll go too.”
“I understand, but rest for now. It won’t be too late to meet after you’ve recovered.”
Luis’s lips trembled as she bowed her head deeply. Guchi could see her hands clasped together, trembling faintly.
Luis, whom he’d met on the road, had rambled incoherently about the events at the shop. In summary, a murder had occurred there. Lander had handled it.
When mentioning Lander, Luis’s voice had been filled with fear. He assumed it was because she’d witnessed the killing in the chaos, even though Lander had saved her life.
“Should I assign someone to watch her?”
Bank asked.
“Seems sorted out, so no need.”
“True, you’d handle any big issues anyway.”
Guchi ran toward the shop. He opened the lit door and stepped inside.
Blood pooled thickly on the floor. Four corpses lay in the corner of the shop. Had Lander arranged them?
He approached and examined the bodies. They were the thugs he’d encountered in the alley earlier that day. Three of the four had holes pierced right between their brows.
The other had a hole through his temple. Guchi squinted, checking for other wounds. There were none. A single hole in each head had claimed all four lives.
“What in the world…”
Subduing four thugs wasn’t hard. Given time, he could manage it himself.
But in a frantic situation where he had to move fast, piercing only the brows—or temples—to kill? He’d shake his head at that.
They were street toughs who knew how to handle knives. They wouldn’t have stood still like wooden dummies; they’d have fought desperately for their lives.
Even if bound, leaving such clean cuts would be nearly impossible. Guchi looked around. Blood pooled like puddles on the floor, with few splatters.
He’d dispatched them swiftly and precisely, without giving them a chance to react. Guchi’s grip tightened on his scabbard. It wasn’t competitive spirit.
He used his sword only to protect himself, with no interest in besting others with it. The tension was purely a basic self-defense instinct.
Even just the traces left by the corpses made him tense, as if abandoned alone in uncharted wilderness.
Perhaps that’s why he overreacted to the approaching presence. He spun around, drawing his sword.
Lander’s face reflected at the tip of the straight blade. Lander glanced at the blade, then gently pushed it aside with his hand.
“Looks like Ms. Louise found her way here safely.”
“…We met midway.”
Guchi slowly sheathed his sword. The men who’d followed Lander entered the shop. They were the ones from the alley with Well.
They ignored Guchi entirely, focusing on clearing the bodies. They wrapped them in cloths, carried them out, then started wiping the pooled blood.
Sprinkling some unknown powder and scrubbing vigorously, the bloodstains vanished quickly. They even oiled the floor before leaving. It took less than ten minutes.
“Nice work. This should ease Ms. Louise’s worries.”
Lander said, inspecting the floor. No trace of triumphant glee or regret over the killing.
This time, he admitted his instincts had been wrong. The man before him wasn’t a fool.
“I checked the wounds on the bodies. Was it really you?”
“Yes. Don’t worry about the cleanup. I wrapped things up neatly with Mr. Well.”
“Weren’t they sent by Well?”
“He said it was a solo act. Seems there was internal conflict.”
“Are you sure? Could be Well just cutting off loose ends.”
“Doesn’t matter either way. I’m leaving soon anyway. As long as the compensation and follow-up are handled properly, no issue.”
Lander righted an overturned chair.
“How’s Ms. Louise? She seemed pretty shaken.”
“She’s resting and fine now.”
“No injuries? She looked okay outwardly.”
“Fortunately, no major issues. Thanks to you.”
Guchi watched Lander survey the shop. His clumsy demeanor, palms without calluses. He replayed the day’s events. When he’d drawn his dagger to Lander’s throat, Lander hadn’t even reacted.
Setting aside surviving a battlefield, all signs pointed to one fact. Lander was an incredibly lucky man.
But Lander’s sword had pierced moving targets’ brows precisely. No luck could achieve that. It was eerie skill.
“Do you remember this afternoon? When I held a blade to your throat.”
“I do.”
“I thought then, a clumsy guy who can’t even react to that.”
Lander smiled faintly at the words, then drew his sword from its scabbard and swished it through the air. Guchi instantly understood what he meant.
“A sword with no intent to kill doesn’t need dodging?”
“Something like that.”
“You never know. I might’ve had other ideas.”
“There are no ‘what ifs.’ At least not in my sight.”
“I’d call it overconfidence, but… since you’ve shown me, I’ll hold my tongue.”
Lander’s presence was the same this afternoon or now. No sharpness, no standout edge.
Unlike the renowned mercenaries, knights, or explorers he’d met, who exuded keen auras. That’s why the man seemed impressive yet subtly dangerous.
“Like giving advice with second-rate skills. One step further, and I’d have laughed.”
“I’m only decent with a sword; the rest, I fall short of you. I couldn’t protect, encourage, and take responsibility for someone to the end. In that sense, Ms. Louise has a great person by her side.”
“Seems your talent for embarrassing people outshines your swordplay.”
Guchi let out a small breath, shedding the lingering tension from his body.
“Lander. After finishing talks with the young lady tomorrow, you plan to leave right away?”
“No reason to linger now that seeing Bellio is off the table. I’ll check for caravans heading elsewhere and leave on their schedule.”
“Travel funds?”
“I’ll cover it by guarding caravans. No more comfy carriage rides.”
“Makes me feel bad. If I’d left you alone today, Well would’ve paid up himself.”
“I’m seeing Mr. Well tomorrow anyway. Since I prevented things from blowing up, claiming recompense should be fine.”
“You’re thorough.”
The shop door opened. Well’s brothers, who’d carried out the bodies, entered. They approached Lander and handed over a pouch.
“From the boss.”
The man nodded curtly and left the shop. Lander opened the pouch. Guchi peered inside too.
“Handles business cleanly.”
It was filled with money. A hefty sum. Likely hush money to keep today’s events from the noble lady.
“This’ll keep me off the streets for a while.”
“How long could this last?”
“You’re an odd one. From how you talk, you seem to have no sense for money. Even if you lived off battlefield pay, you’d have some grasp.”
“I never paid much attention to money. Most needs were met by supplies. After returning from the war…”
Lander trailed off, ending with, “My perspective’s narrow.”
A man in his mid-thirties with fearsome swordsmanship but little grasp of the world. The more Guchi saw, the stranger he seemed.
“Must’ve been on the battlefield a long time. That explains it.”
“Long enough that barracks views feel more vivid than my hometown.”
Hurried footsteps approached. The shop door burst open. Louise entered, still pale, panting. Bank followed behind, grinning sheepishly.
“Not your average lady. I tried convincing her waiting was best, but failed.”
Bank said. Louise caught her breath and looked at Lander.
The friendly chatter from the shop that afternoon was gone. She stood rigid, not closing the distance.
Lander spoke first.
“Sorry for the trouble, because of me.”
Lander pulled out money from the pouch. About half of what Well had given.
“Not sure if this compensates, but better than nothing.”
Lander set the money on the table and pulled up his hood. As if signaling an unwelcome guest’s departure.
Guchi glanced at Louise. A bitter parting, but better to part now. Just a guest met today, after all.
Louise grabbed Lander as he passed by. Her tense, stiff face gradually softened.
“Thank you for saving me. I should’ve said that first, but didn’t.”
Lander slowly turned.
“And stay here tonight. Everywhere else will be locked by now.”
“Won’t it be inconvenient with me here?”
“I’m not some fool who can’t judge situations. I was shocked and scared, sure, but I won’t chase away my rescuer.”
Louise gave a faint smile. Guchi felt relieved seeing it. Lingering fear remained faintly, but she’d shake it off soon.
“Um…”
Louise glanced around the shop, swallowing her words. Guessing what she sought, Guchi spoke.
“Cleanup’s done. No need to worry.”
“I see.”
Louise rubbed the back of her neck with both hands and walked to the table. She picked up the money and returned to Lander.
“This is fine. I’m not in a position to take it.”
“Keep it. I’ve only recently realized, but nothing’s as useful as money.”
“I probably know that better than you, Lander. Still, I can’t take it. My father said money taken without cause always brings trouble.”
“It’s compensation, not payment.”
Guchi, listening to their exchange, chimed in.
“If you’re that set against it, I’ll take it. I don’t mind.”
“Mister, stay out of it.”
“Seeing your silver tongue back, no need to worry. Lander, that girl’s stubborn— just pocket it. If you insist on giving, boost the shop’s sales instead.”
Lander, who’d been silent, took back the money.
“If you change your mind, let me know. I’ll give it anytime.”
“No plans to.”
It was the first bright smile from Louise since entering the shop. Lander said he’d check outside briefly and left.
Bank quietly followed. Seemed he’d taken a personal interest in Lander.
“Feels like a nightmare. Like what I saw never happened.”
Louise said, eyeing the floor. Though cleaned, faint bloodstains lingered. Guchi pulled a table over to cover them.
“If it’s tough, closing the shop for a bit might help.”
“No. Can’t close over this. More importantly, did I speak properly? Seeing Lander made me tense and blurt things out.”
“Don’t worry. You didn’t ramble like a fool. You thanked him properly.”
“Good. He’s someone to be grateful for, but those images from here kept flashing…”
Louise groped the wall near the entrance. Wondering what was up, Guchi approached.
“He came out through here.”
“What?”
“Lander’s sword. It pierced this wall like this. Thought I’d seen wrong, but no.”
Guchi looked where Louise pointed. A thin hole in the thick wall of wood, gravel, and dirt.
“Can you do this too, Mister?”
Louise asked. He placed a hand on the wall.
“Not like this. Not this cleanly.”