Chapter 46
Chapter 46
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Arrow Storm Ambush
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“Shit.”
Guchi grabbed his bow, quiver, and arrows before ducking behind a tree.
Arrows were raining down from the left. They came in volleys of about a dozen, with slight pauses between each—clearly from well-trained archers, given the consistent timing.
“No easy sleep for us.”
Lander, who followed behind, said it as he watched the arrows falling. This sleep-loving guy was still griping about rest.
“Fran! Notsen! Pull back and scout the situation. Everyone else, maintain formation and head for cover!”
Salat stepped up to command the fight, as if the expensive armor he wore wasn’t just for show.
Two knights mounted on the surviving horses broke right, charging toward the enemy archers.
The remaining soldiers advanced slowly toward cover, shields raised against the arrows.
“Guess I need a new pack.”
Guchi eyed his arrow-pierced backpack. Even the gear spread out by the campfire had taken a brutal hail of arrows.
“Sword?”
“Got it.”
“I’d love to just retreat like this, but to get to Conne, we’ll need to grab that, right?”
“Can’t go empty-handed.”
Guchi glanced at the money pouch on the ground. Food and clothes could be bought with cash, so if they snatched the pouch quick and bolted, they’d be fine.
The arrow shower stopped, like a passing rainstorm. Whether Anke’s knights had dealt with it or the enemy ran out, it didn’t matter—it was a chance to move.
He scoped out the Anke troops camped ten meters away behind another tree, then slipped toward the edge. A red flash lit up the distance. It was from the direction the arrows had come.
“Magic.”
Lander said. Guchi nodded. An unpleasant tingle had crawled up his neck already—a magical pulse anyone not totally numb would feel.
“Best not to move now.”
“Why?”
“We’re surrounded. They hit us with a surprise to sow chaos, cut off the scouts who came out, then press from the rear. Someone who knows basic tactics inside out.”
“Probably those Shielder soldiers they mentioned.”
“Seems like it.”
“This is a nightmare. If we run with the gear, they’ll chase us for sure.”
“Yeah. No excuses would fly then.”
“Things just got messy. I didn’t want to say it, but couldn’t you just take them all out?”
Even a tight formation seemed beatable if it was Lander. Honestly, with the momentum he’d shown against the Tiran warriors, he could crush them in one go.
“I’ll draw my sword if I have to. I don’t like the friction, but if talk fails, no choice.”
“Good. I was worried you’d hesitate to draw on people, or have some other reason to hold back.”
“No reason to hesitate. But I’ll watch first. I believe conversation is the most efficient way to solve problems. Sword comes after.”
“Hope there’s someone reasonable on the Shielder side. Shooting arrows first thing suggests they’re pretty hot-headed too.”
The red light flashed again, bright enough to light up the forest.
Using the glow, he scanned around. Just as Lander said, armored figures encircled them.
From the looks of it, the Anke troops had fallen for fake info.
“You filthy curs! Shielder dogs!”
Salat bellowed. His voice really had a general’s ring to it.
But the Shielder soldiers showed no shake at Salat’s taunt. They just tightened the noose slowly.
The soldiers’ footsteps sounded like a marching anthem, driving the Anke troops into despair.
“Let’s step out first.”
Lander said. Guchi raised his hands above his head and emerged from the tree. He crept toward the still-burning campfire, praying no sudden arrows.
“Freeze.”
A voice came from the dark. A woman’s. Guchi eyed the faint outline of a reddish-brown warhorse and spoke.
“We’re not Anke troops. Just travelers who camped here.”
“That’s for me to judge. If you don’t intend to resist, lie flat on the ground.”
Guchi glanced at Lander. Lander gave a slight chin jerk and dropped prone.
Soon, a shield-bearing soldier approached the fire. The facing Anke troops edged back bit by bit.
“Filthy bitch, resorting to coward’s tricks!”
Salat yelled.
“Heard about you. Mouthy idiot who fights with words. Guess that’s you.”
Hoofbeats neared. Guchi peeked up. A knight on a reddish-brown horse faced Salat.
“Captain. What about these ones?”
“Bind them first.”
His hands were tied. Guchi wondered if this was right—now totally defenseless, unable to move.
Lander looked calm as ever. No hint of anxiety.
Seeing that made Guchi feel silly for worrying, so he relaxed too.
“What about Fran and Notsen?”
“If they’re the dumbasses who charged in without a plan, we brought ’em back as gifts.”
Unable to lift his head, he couldn’t see clear, but something roundish thudded to the ground.
Two of them. In this mess, he could guess quick what the rounds were.
“You dare!”
Salat roared. His two incompetent knights were dead—he figured the tide had turned to the Shielders.
“How dare you kill knights!”
“What’re you on about? Did Anke knights don armor and mount up just for playtime?”
Pfft. The knight on the reddish-brown horse laughed. The gathered soldiers joined in.
Salat, mocked, yelled something, but it was garbled in his rage.
“Enemy captain Salat! Battle’s over. Drop arms and step forward—no pointless fights.”
“Anke troops know no surrender!”
“Brainless fool. Scared to die alone, so dragging everyone down? Your grubby knighthood makes me sick.”
“What does a woman know of knighthood!”
“At least more than some idiot who doesn’t grasp basic strategy. Right? Sir Salat, whose only claim is the finger-sized twig between his legs?”
The Shielder soldiers roared with laughter. Salat, who’d been hollering, shut his mouth.
Everything—battle, momentum—favored the Shielders. Even Guchi, no expert in big fights, could see the winner.
“We are proud Anke warriors!”
Salat bellowed. Guchi twisted his head slightly to look. Only Salat had boldly stepped out of formation shouting it.
Salat looked stunned at his troops. One by one, Anke soldiers set down weapons. Even armored knights among them.
“What the hell are you doing!”
As Salat shouted, a familiar twang hit his ears—the sound of a taut bowstring loosing an arrow.
Salat screamed and collapsed. Couldn’t see details, but an arrow seemed lodged in his face.
Impressed by the archery, a nearby soldier yelled not to look up. He obeyed quietly.
“Bind the surrendered ones who dropped weapons and line ’em up. Treat ’em decent—no rough stuff. They might join the family.”
“Yes!”
Busy movements sounded. No more from Salat. Dead or passed out, who knew.
Staring at wet ground, he waited long. Saw boots with plate armor enter view.
“Get ’em up.”
The woman’s voice commanding the Shielder soldiers. He pushed to his knees and looked. A helmetless knight gazed down.
Youngish woman. Her strong voice matched her sharp features.
“Travelers?”
The knight asked.
“Yes.”
“Why were you with them?”
“We weren’t together—they were searching us, thought we were Shielders.”
The knight scanned around wordless. Eyed the stuff by the fire long, then spoke.
“Bad luck. I get the situation.”
The knight demanded ID proof. They showed their badges; she ordered soldiers to cut the bonds.
“Apologies first. Sorry to drag innocents into our mess.”
She handed back the badges, tone shifting from haughty.
“No injuries?”
“We’re both fine.”
She nodded, relieved. While they talked short, cleanup finished around them.
Bound Anke troops lined up; armed Shielder soldiers stood beside.
“Can we go now?”
“Grab your gear first.”
The knight nodded toward the fire. He and Lander stuffed things into the hole-riddled pack. A mounted knight approached.
“Where you headed?”
“To Conne.”
“Perfect. Our camp’s that way. It’s late, and we caused trouble—let us make it up.”
“No big injuries, so no need to worry.”
“No. Sending you off like this stains my name, which burdens my lord. I know manners, so come along—no fuss.”
He tried refusing again, but she wheeled her horse. Waiting soldiers flanked them.
Seemed protective, but to him, it blocked escape. He could picture what rejecting here would bring.
“What now?”
“Follow for now.”
Lander, gear packed, moved first. Guchi grabbed his and joined. Soldiers blocking sides slipped back.
“Feels like they suspect us.”
He whispered low.
“Seems so. Can’t blame ’em—I’d do the same.”
“Pretend nice then torture us sudden?”
“Guess we’ll see.”
“If shit hits, cover me. Trained soldiers scare me more than beasts. No confidence surviving these.”
“She said she knows manners—let’s trust. If not… then this.”
Lander gripped his sheath. That felt reassuring as hell.
Guchi exhaled short, shaking off tension. With a ghost-sword guy beside, if things went south, blade over words.