On the Way to the Academy (4)
“Um… should I carry one of them?”
Hori, walking alongside me, glanced at one of the three bandits I was hauling and mumbled hesitantly.
“Nah, it'd be too heavy for you.”
I was fine—training in Battōjutsu had naturally toughened my body—but a fully unconscious human weighs a ton.
Even without gear, they're over 70kg, and with equipment, pushing 80kg easy.
For her slender arms, untrained in Battōjutsu, lugging one all the way back to the campfire would be impossible.
“But why'd you come all the way out here? You could've just waited.”
“W-well, um…”
Hori peeked at me nervously, struggling to speak, then whispered.
“I was worried you might… kill all the bandits, Viscount.”
“……”
*What? How long has she known me to think that? Does she see me as some psycho slasher from a comic?*
I could draw my sword three times and still have dozens left in me. As a rational guy, I'd never waste energy on something so stupid.
“You came all this way for that? What if I'd mistaken you for a bandit and cut you down?”
“……I still had to come. There's a chance we can get it back now.”
“I see.”
Maybe one of the stolen items was precious to her?
I couldn't guess what, but for a timid girl like Hori to trek out here, it had to be important.
After that, we walked in silence back to the campfire.
Then, bushes rustled, and Boris appeared with Silence, waiting by the fire.
“M-Miss Hori! Viscount! You're here?!”
“Yeah, why'd you come all the way out? Just wait by the fire.”
“W-well… Miss Hori bolted off so suddenly, I got worried and…”
“…Ah, Mr. Boris, I'm sorry. I dragged you all the way out here…”
“N-no, not at all! Seeing you both safe is a huge relief. But… what the Viscount's carrying…”
“These? Captured three alive. Gonna interrogate 'em and make 'em spill their hideout.”
*How do you even interrogate, though? Punching work?*
Back at the campfire, we pulled rope from the bags and tied the bandits to a tree.
I'd packed it just in case, and it'd been dead weight—until now.
*'So… now what?'*
We had 'em, but I'd never tortured or interrogated anyone.
“Anyone here ever tortured someone?”
I tossed out the dumb question, and naturally, they both shook their heads.
“I have made a truth serum before, though…”
“Oh?”
“…Yeah, my family studies alchemy for generations. But no ingredients here, so…”
*Then why bring it up?*
No time anyway. We woke the tied-up bandits and figured it'd go from there.
They were all thieves together—maybe no loyalty among 'em.
“Hoo…”
I stood before the bound bandits, quietly resting my hand on my katana hilt and assuming position.
They snapped awake in unison, as if on cue, staring blankly at me.
“H-how? You didn't do anything!”
“Ah, this is inner Battōjutsu.”
Inner Battōjutsu was a skill I picked up during practice when blisters wrecked my hands so bad I couldn't draw for a while.
Stuck under my parents' and servants' watch, all I could do was visualize draws in my mind.
It pissed me off. Hated it.
My weak body couldn't keep up with the ultimate art of Battōjutsu!!
Fueled by that hatred, obsessing over draws in my head… eventually, I could project killing intent just by thinking it.
“So… they felt that killing intent and woke up?”
“Yeah, like a human's animal instincts? Wanna try it on you?”
“N-no! I'm f-fine!!”
While we chatted, the bandits fully came to, glaring fiercely.
“Hey, bandit scum, you with us now?”
“……”
They clamped their mouths shut, glaring defiance.
*What now… Guess it's Battōjutsu negotiation time?*
Ever the gentleman, before carving them up, I addressed them first.
“Look… I don't care if you live or die. Go rob elsewhere for all I care.”
Lie. Once I got the hideout, they'd all die.
“So spill your hideout, and you can keep robbing somewhere else.”
“……If that's your logic, why spare us? Can't you just pass by the boss too?”
*Huh? No way—this bandit's too sharp for a thug.*
Caught off-guard, I recovered quick and shot back at Bandit A.
“These two want their stolen stuff back. Plus, I wanna test myself against your aura-using boss.”
Bandit A glanced at them, frowning.
“You know them?”
“Nah, met today.”
“Risk your life for strangers?”
“You overrate yourselves or underrate me? I diced your pals like butcher shop meat five minutes ago, remember?”
“…Boss is on another level from us.”
“Oh sure he is~ Great guy like that, leading trash like you in banditry~ Whatever, that's my problem. Spill the location.”
Flushing red at my mockery, Bandit A spat furiously.
“We don't sell out comrades!!”
“Goddamn… such bullshit.”
*Not some gangster flick—why not be a proper sleazy crook?*
No choice. I started slowly drawing my sword—unlike usual—to show 'em Battōjutsu interrogation.
“You filthy bastards!!”
Suddenly, Boris charged from behind, slapping Bandit A's face.
“Our families are starving because of you! Spill it!!”
Figuring I had his back, Boris pummeled away.
Probably fury over losing the food wagon too.
But to me, it looked like the rage of this world's bottom rung, always exploited, finally bursting.
Panting but relentless, Boris kept smashing the bandit's face.
Hori stepped up—maybe to stop him?
“Mr. Boris!!”
“Don't stop m— M-Miss Hori?!”
“Hey! You, th-that…!!”
Hearing her, Boris and I thought she was intervening.
Wrong. Hori shoved him aside, grabbed a huge rock from god-knows-where, and smashed Bandit A's face.
“Hitting with a rock works better than fists!! You jerks!! My dad's research!!”
“Huh…”
Me, Boris, the other bandits—we all gawked, stunned.
*'…Not stopping him, huh.'*
She's bolder than she looks.
Makes sense—raving about her dad's research notes, probably a precious memento. No wonder she's pissed.
“You evil shits!! Die, you bastards!!”
Moments later, recovered Boris snatched the rock and joined in, hammering the bandit.
*'…Lots of pent-up anger. But how's that guy tanking it?'*
Bandit A took rock beatings from both without a peep.
Impressive… until we realized it wasn't toughness—concussion from too many hits.
“Stop! He's out cold already.”
The two, more furious than with Bandit A earlier, meekly backed off at my shout, like lambs.
“This one's done.”
Head smashed too much—he'd be out days.
“Won't hear me, but bye.”
My waist-sheathed katana flashed out. Bandit A's head and body parted forever.
“Now…”
I turned to silent Bandits B and C, who'd watched it all.
“You two? Die loyal like him? Or ditch loyalty and live?”
“……”
“……”
They eyed each other, gauging resolve.
Then nodded and spoke almost together.
“We don't sell out comrades!!”
“I wanna live!! Selling everyone—even this guy next to me!! Just spare me!!”
“…Saved one.”
Hand on hilt, I approached Bandit B. He yelled desperately.
“You dog, selling comrades?!”
“Shut up, fucker!! What comrades?! I'm living!! Selling you all to survive!!!”
“You scum!! Hey!! Betraying too!! Spare me!!”
“Need two guides?”
“Fuck… I'll talk fir—”
Thud.
Another head rolled.