#15 The Bandit Knights' Fortress (1)
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"What the hell is this?! How do you screw up like that?!"
Magnus, seething with rage, hurled whatever he could grab.
Clang!
The silver tray crumpled with a deafening crash.
"...My apologies."
The man bowing his head silently was named Luke.
He was the one who'd recommended the bandit knights to Magnus before.
A mercenary who took any job for the right price, his face bore a long scar that told tales of his brutal past.
"You said it was a sure thing!"
"I never imagined Malton would fail. He took a medium dragon and his men with him."
"We completely misjudged that brat. We need to rethink our strategy!"
"Agreed."
Luke hadn't dreamed Malton could be defeated either.
After sending the raid, the reports stopped coming, so he'd quietly investigated—and the results were shocking.
The bandit knights who'd gone out that day: wiped out.
The medium dragon: captured.
"What the hell happened? If you've got a mouth, spit it out. Oh, great mercenary?"
"I don't know the details."
"Useless bastard! Your mother must regret the day she squeezed you out!"
Magnus shook his makeshift wooden prosthetic arm as he unleashed a torrent of abuse.
"Mercenaries like you are worth less than dog shit. Can't even use you as fertilizer! You strutted around so confident, and you couldn't even handle one damn kid? Now look at the mess!"
Luke wanted to snap back that Magnus himself had lost to that kid, but he held his tongue.
This mess was his fault, after all.
"I'll clean it up first."
"Don't screw up again. What else are you gonna botch?"
"I'll take a few men. We need to wipe out the bandit knights' remnants. Can't leave loose ends."
Luke planned a thorough massacre of everyone left in the fortress.
They might not know about Magnus, but they'd suspect the shady commission.
He intended to leave no trace, not even a scrap of evidence.
"Without their dragon, the rest are nothing."
"They're holed up in that fortress. How do you plan to get in?"
"We'll say we're here for a new deal. They'll let us in easy since we're outnumbered. Then I clean house."
"What if they're cautious?"
"Flash a bag of gold coins, and it's done. That saying about women being weak for shiny things? Wrong. Men are worse."
"Hmph..."
Magnus, knowing Luke's skills, nodded grudgingly despite his scowl.
He hated that he was counting on this guy to fix things.
"Don't think this makes up for your failure."
"I know. I'll head out now."
Luke picked a handful of quick men from the castle and headed for the bandit knights' abandoned fortress.
But what they found there was unexpected.
"Wh-what the...?"
A siege was underway at this remote bandit hideout.
Roughly two hundred soldiers surrounded the small fortress, bombarding it.
Boom! Crash!
They occasionally loosed arrows inside, but with little effect.
"This is a problem."
As Luke scowled in thought, a group of cavalry appeared out of nowhere.
A few knights and their squires.
The knights spotted Luke and his thugs and immediately drew steel.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Bandit knight accomplices, no doubt!"
"Take 'em!"
Their momentum was ferocious.
Luke realized things had gone completely sideways.
A quick glance showed unicorn crests on the knights' breastplates.
He recognized them instantly.
'Drun Count's men!'
Drun Count was famous in the East.
A key player under the overlord Surpuk Duke.
One of the few barons who could be addressed as "Your Excellency."
But what was his army doing in this backwater valley?
"We're not bandits."
"Shut it! No house crests—suspicious as hell!"
"We're hired swords, that's why. I'll show proof of identity. Just give me a moment."
Luke always had a relaxed air about him.
The knights, sensing it, slowly lowered their blades.
A real bandit wouldn't face off against knights like this.
Now they really looked at their opponents.
"Hmm, these guys look pretty seasoned."
"Good gear too."
When Luke showed his employment contract under Baron Magnus and a medallion stamped with the family crest, the misunderstanding cleared.
"Baron Magnus? Isn't he the famous dragon knight?"
Their tone shifted immediately.
"Hahaha, yes. A dragon knight and a rising young lord making waves around here."
"But why are his men...?"
"Let me explain calmly. Sheathe those swords first. We're not drawing anything. You gonna keep this up?"
"Ahem! Sorry about that."
Now came the real test of Luke's silver tongue.
He spun his tale smoothly.
"The righteous Baron Magnus has long despised the bandit knights plaguing this area. He sent us to scout for a subjugation."
"Oh? For real?"
"Of course. Why would I lie to knights under His Excellency Drun Count?"
He'd name-dropped deliberately, and the knights puffed up proudly.
Knights came in all stripes.
Direct retainers of Drun Count? Success guaranteed—their pride was sky-high.
"Hahaha, what a surprise. Why not meet His Excellency yourself?"
"Oh? He's here?"
"Indeed. For his safety, we'll hold your swords temporarily..."
"No worries. Happy to cooperate."
"Haha, apologies again. We'll return them on His Excellency's orders."
Luke ended up heading to Drun Count with the knights.
His men gulped nervously.
But Luke shot them fierce glares: Keep your mouths shut.
Soon, the cannon fire stopped.
They met Drun Count and his retainers, lounging on makeshift chairs.
"Who're these?"
Drun Count, his bandit-like beard thick and beer-soaked from his mug, growled the question.
"Your Excellency. Men under Baron Magnus."
"What?"
To the tilting head, Luke smoothly lied again.
Magnus wanted the bandit knights gone too—he'd gladly help with the fight.
Drun Count roared with laughter at the fabricated offer.
"Hahaha! Like rain in a drought! Hey, serve these boys some beer!"
In the good mood, Luke got the full story.
Recently, one of Drun's bastards had been kidnapped by the bandit knights.
They figured a bigwig's bastard would be released easy, but demanded ransom instead—sparking debate.
But it was just a bastard, so they bet the count wouldn't overreact.
Worst case, Sir Malton's dragon would handle it.
Their gamble failed spectacularly.
Drun had flown into a rage.
Too late, the bandits offered to release the kid—no dice.
Drun wouldn't forgive the insult to his pride, bastard's life be damned.
Total misjudgment of the man.
And their ace, Sir Malton's dragon? Found a new master.
The remnants in the fortress had no clue, just waiting for Malton to return.
"They'll pay for scorning me."
"...I see."
Luke's mind raced. Better to seize the opportunity.
'Team up with the count, slaughter the bandits. Check for any loose-lipped idiots too.'
Decision made, he suggested casually.
"If you wish, I can request reinforcements from Baron Magnus."
"What? Really?"
Drun lit up.
He'd rushed here with just two hundred men.
Intel said the bandits' rundown base had maybe thirty inside.
But the sturdy little fortress was holding out better than expected—tricky.
He'd started recruiting more, but it took time.
Magnus joining? Music to his ears.
"Of course. My lord is the epitome of uprightness. For justice, he'll rise without hesitation."
Luke deftly hyped his boss.
Drun guffawed to his men.
"Perfect! Magnus is a real one! Today, we feast! Fire up the meat!"
Drun leaped up, jabbing a finger at the fortress.
"Let those cripples starve! Set up grills everywhere—the smell'll drive 'em mad!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Knights turning bandit 'cause they've got nothing better? You picked the wrong fight, you bastards! I'll carve you up myself!"
Drun had clearly forgotten all about his bastard's life.
Owen had finally finished all preparations and set out to report to Surpuk Duke.
He left at dawn, seeing off the whole farm, and proceeded leisurely along the muddy Eastern roads.
"The epic journey begins! I'll set all to rights."
At last, he was moving toward his goal since reincarnation.
A firm vow slipped out naturally.
But a frivolous voice ruined the moment.
"Young master, you look like you're off to find a fair lady. No legendary knight could top this."
It was the cheapskate servant Ben.
To Owen's deep regret, this nagging old coot was tagging along on his noble quest.
His father Logan had refused to let him go without Ben.
"Ben, if it's too hard, you can turn back now..."
He hinted hopefully, but Ben's eyes flashed double.
"What? You can't shake me off that easy! Where the needle goes, the thread follows. I'll serve with all my heart, so eat this bread."
Perched on the mule, Ben sliced rye bread and offered it.
Owen took it on horseback and chewed.
"Tough as my life."
"Hush and eat it all. No fuel, no bluster."
"..."
Owen pouted, but couldn't deny Ben was a good servant.
This old man, who'd raised him since childhood, valued him more than his own life.
Though the mother-in-law nagging was hard to escape.
The pair rode horse and mule side by side eastward.
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Owen's dragon Grenville wasn't suited for long treks due to its foot structure, so it was stowed in the dragon scroll for now.
"Young master, straight to Sarpak? Serpok?"
"Surpuk."
"Right. Heading to Surpuk Duke? Then we took the wrong fork back there."
"Not going straight to Surpuk Duke."
"Eh? What's that mean?"
Only now did Owen reveal the secret he'd kept for the trip.
He planned to hit the bandit knights' base first.
Ben jumped.
"Why risk something so dangerous?!"
"Riding a dragon means danger's an old friend. I already beat Malton with his big dragon. The remnants? No big deal."
"When you put it like that..."
"Think about it. Perfect chance to rack up merits before seeing Surpuk Duke."
Ben nodded, convinced.
"Your dragon can win, right?"
"Easy victory. Heh heh heh. Pack up—we'll loot anything worthwhile from their lair."
Ben chuckled at Owen's sly grin.
"Heh heh heh, music to my ears. You know I'm thorough. Won't miss a single coin for you."
"Heh heh heh, solid as rock. Ben."
Thus, the villainous duo cackled toward the bandit knights' fortress—and stumbled into an unforeseen mess.
"Waaaaah!"
Hundreds of troops assaulted the fortress with deafening cheers.
Ben's eyes bulged in shock.
"What's with those armored soldiers? Their roars are shaking my eardrums."
"Beats me...?"
Owen was just as baffled.
Who the hell...?
But then he spotted one flag among the camp's banners and couldn't hide his surprise.
"Magnus?"
Sure enough, Baron Magnus's colors fluttered there.
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