On the Way to the Academy (5)
“Milord! Over there!”
“Got it.”
The C-rank bandit led the way to their hideout with a casual wave, like he was inviting friends over to his own house.
I just found it ridiculous, but Hori was different—she glared at him with undisguised disgust the whole time.
“Junbaron... are you sure it's okay to let that guy go? What if he runs or betrays us...?”
“He'll be fine. Doesn't seem like he's even thinking about running.”
More than anything, even if Bandit C did bolt, I was confident I could catch him in a heartbeat.
“Anyway, why'd you two follow me? You could've just stayed by the campfire.”
Hori and Boris hadn't stayed behind at the fire—they'd trailed right after me.
“Well... after what happened earlier, it didn't feel right just going on without you.”
“Honestly, same here. At this point... trekking back and forth just sounds like a hassle...”
Whatever fear of bandits had taken root in their hearts seemed completely gone now.
I wondered if they weren't getting too complacent, but after witnessing that earlier spectacle, it wasn't hard to understand.
“Still, just in case—stay behind me.”
“Yes.”
“Understood, milord.”
They nodded, and the Bandit C up ahead grinned and chimed in.
“Milord! Can I hide behind you too?!”
“Figure it out yourself, you rat.”
Whether by coincidence or not, their hideout wasn't far from here.
Or rather, it was close enough that they'd been able to bring dogs and arrows along.
Either way, no need to trek far—it was convenient for me.
“By the way, Hori—what'd they steal from you that's got you so desperate to get it back?”
“It's... my father's research notes.”
As Hori had said herself earlier, her family had been alchemists for generations.
Sword families passed down their unique styles, refining them across generations.
Alchemists did the same, building on one theme—or several—with their own ideas and philosophies.
“Ours focused on drugs to strengthen the body. You know, like potions that temporarily boost stamina.”
Like his ancestors, Hori's father had advanced the research with his own insights.
It had reached near completion when he presented it to the academy. But the response wasn't just cold—it was outright hostile.
‘What the hell is this?! What kind of deranged mind brings this monstrosity to the academy?!’
‘Even discussing it here is nonsense.’
‘If your father could see you now, he'd beat the ground regretting not pulling out!’
Harsh critiques that would've made a webnovel author drop the series on the spot rained down on him.
After the academy fiasco, his patrons cut funding, and even supporting the family became a struggle.
But Hori's father never gave up. He pressed on with the research.
The grueling life wore him down until he finally fell ill, bedridden and awaiting death.
“On his deathbed, he entrusted me with carrying on his work. That's what the bandits stole—those research notes.”
Compiled in journal form, they were the culmination of his life's work.
“When I first saw Father's research, I was electrified. Not just because he's family— as an alchemist, it felt like I'd found everything I'd been searching for.”
That's why Hori had to recover them.
For her father's dream—and her own research.
“So they took something that precious?”
“Yes... I planned to grab at least the notes somehow, but when I came to, they had me surrounded. All I could do was run.”
“Sorry, Miss Hori... This is my fault for taking the wrong path and running into those bastards...”
“N-no! It's not your fault, Mr. Boris!”
“Yeah, if anyone's to blame, it's these assholes.”
I said it and lightly kicked the ass of Bandit C, who was leading the way.
“Ow! Milord, I'm not with those guys anymore!”
“Sure you aren't...”
Talking back to this traitor was starting to feel pointless.
We walked quite a ways like that, arriving at the bandits' hideout just before dawn.
“This the place?”
The spot Bandit C pointed out was cave-like, and the ground still bore fresh footprints and wheel ruts from wagons.
“Yes! Most of 'em are probably sleeping now, except a few.”
“They didn't seem like the type to live right, but seriously—a dump like this?”
“Doesn't look like much from the entrance, but it's bigger inside. They stashed the stolen wagons there too.”
I asked Bandit C if there were escape routes inside. He shook his head.
“Huh. Alright then.”
No worries about them running now.
Stopping at the cave mouth, I took a deep breath and bellowed into the darkness at the top of my lungs.
“Come on out!!”
What a shitty dream.
Training—more like abuse—from my old man since I was a kid.
Finally becoming a knight, only to get saddled with an asshole senior.
Beating the crap out of that senior, whose dad was a baron, and getting kicked out of the order.
Memories up to ending up in this shithole played out like a damn novel.
Just a dream, but it felt like my life flashing before my eyes. Ruined my mood.
Mom...
I flung the sweat-soaked blanket onto the floor and sat up.
My whole body was drenched.
Heading for the drinking water stash to wet my throat—
“Come on out!!”
A massive voice I'd never heard echoed through the cave.
What the fuck?
The roar jolted awake not just the lookouts, but every deep-sleeping member.
“Boss!! What is it?!”
“Hell if I know, kid. Got that magic scope we bought? Use it to check.”
“Yes, sir!”
The tool he grabbed was a night-vision telescope enchanted with magic.
I hadn't seen it myself, but it sure as hell wasn't the territory's regular army.
A disciplined force wouldn't pull this pointless stunt waking us all up.
Even if they didn't want to risk entering, they could've collapsed the cave or torched the entrance—forcing us out easy.
Adventurers then?
Possible. Plenty of cocky idiots thought they were hot shit after offing a few scrub bandits.
“Boss! Report!”
The scout I'd sent returned while I mulled it over.
“How many?”
“Four! But...”
“Spit it out.”
“One of 'em's our guy.”
Dumbass got caught and spilled everything, huh.
That explained how they found our deep-forest hideout.
“Anything else noteworthy?”
“The other two—we robbed their wagon and gear this morning.”
“The last one's...”
“...Dunno. He's got a sword on his hip. That one's yelling solo for us to come out quick.”
“Unbelievable.”
Putting it together:
The two marks fled here to escape pursuit, stumbling into the mountains.
By luck or whatever, they ran into a strong adventurer.
Our pursuit squad—all dead except that one traitor—got wiped by him.
With the traitor's help, they tracked us here.
“...”
Even I had to admit it sounded ridiculous.
Running into a powerhouse adventurer while fleeing bandits in the woods? Thinking about odds like that was stupid.
“Arm up, all you bastards. Bring the dogs too—time to let 'em chew some meat.”
Whoever solo-wiped our scouts, we'd need numbers to take him.
No adventurer that strong around here, though.
A noble en route to the academy? Nah—they'd stick to roads in carriages.
Soon, armed men gathered in the cavern. I slung my trusty greatsword over my shoulder.
“Some heard on the way, but a lunatic showed up alone, saying he'll kill us all.”
They chuckled—was it a joke? Or too absurd to speak?
Good mood either way. I kept going.
“Scouts are probably toast, but no sweat. 'Cause right here, we've got me—”
“Hey, you dogshit bastards!! I'm gonna turn into a rooster waiting!! Get your asses out here!!”
“Hah...”
The interruption drew laughs from the crew.
“...No more talk. Let's go kill the fucker.”
“Yes, sir!!”
Their roar matched the intruder's volume. Morale visibly soared.
The earlier unease vanished. We strode confidently to the entrance where he waited.
That's the guy.
A black-haired punk, maybe twenty, smirked at us.
“You the psycho yelling earlier?”
“Yeah! Me!!”
The kid leaned forward, one hand on his hilt, the other on the scabbard.
“Die so I can draw my sword in style!!”