Chapter 13
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Constantly Mistaken for a Pro (9)
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‘Everyone seems to be safe.’
Asha quickly took stock of the situation.
Only one person had been injured amid the fighting.
Fortunately, it didn’t look like a fatal wound. Asha set Bram aside for the moment.
She’d left the merchants who were staying behind in Elysia’s care.
With her mind at ease, Asha approached the remaining bandits.
“W-What the hell is this girl! Where the fuck did all our guys go?!”
The bandit closest to Asha shouted.
He couldn’t make sense of the situation at all.
The group that had snuck around back to ambush the merchants had outnumbered their main force here.
It wouldn’t have been strange if they’d called that the main force instead.
And yet, the ambush had failed?
Not just failed—they hadn’t even landed a single scratch.
And on people who weren’t even wearing armor!
The bandits knew elves were strong.
They hadn’t gathered this many numbers for a midnight raid for nothing.
But this outcome...
The bandit desperately shoved aside the one possibility that came to mind.
Acknowledging it would mean his future was already set in stone.
‘N-No way. They must’ve let their guard down.’
It had to be that.
No matter how elven they were, they were still living beings.
Stabbed with a sword, they’d bleed. Hit with an arrow to the heart, they’d die.
In the end, results were all that mattered.
His fellow bandits had vanished, and this lone girl was strolling right toward them.
It was their turn now.
“Stop! Come any closer and I shoot!”
The bandit raised his crossbow and aimed it at the elven girl.
He’d reloaded it quickly while facing off against the mercenaries.
The girl wore no armor or shield.
Her only equipment was a single sword.
Sure enough, she seemed to recognize that and stopped in her tracks.
The bandit flashed a sinister grin.
“Drop the weapon. No point in pointless resistance.”
He issued the command arrogantly.
Asha bent down as if complying.
Just as the bandit started to look pleased—
“...Huh?”
The girl appeared right in front of his nose!
The bandit hadn’t even registered Asha moving. She was that fast.
His wrist was seized. He thrashed to shake her off, but it didn’t budge an inch.
‘W-What kind of strength!’
The forceful pull yanked the bandit forward.
The moment he lost his balance, Asha’s knee drove sharply into his gut.
“Guh...”
A groan escaped him unwillingly, and the crossbow he hadn’t even fired clattered uselessly to the ground.
Asha reached for the bandit’s belt as he collapsed.
With a natural motion, she plucked a bolt from his leather pouch.
“Thanks. I’ll put it to good use.”
She flicked her wrist lightly, sending the bolt flying sideways.
The bolt sliced through the air. It collided perfectly with another bolt hurtling straight toward her.
Kwajik!
A sharp metallic clang rang out as both bolts shattered into pieces.
It was nothing short of miraculous!
She’d pulled off the ‘intimidation tactic’ the mercenaries taught her—in a whole different way.
“Insane...”
The bandit who’d fired the crossbow froze in shock.
He’d never dreamed it could be blocked like that.
Regardless, Asha targeted him next.
It wasn’t emotional. Taking him out first would minimize the risk to her side’s mercenaries—that was the calculation.
And it was spot on. The bandits thought the same, and one charged at Asha recklessly.
“You monster bitch!”
He gripped his long spear tightly, grinding his teeth as he rushed at full speed.
His initial plan to toy with a beauty was long gone.
They had to win this fight now.
“Die!”
The ground cratered under the weight and speed.
The savage spear thrust straight for Asha’s heart in a single line.
Just as the spear tip was about to pierce her torso.
A half-beat faster.
Asha’s body twisted gracefully like a swallow in flight.
She was so fast the bandit couldn’t even perceive it. He’d just thrust with all his might and seen the girl impaled—or so he thought.
‘W-What?! It’s nothing! Haha!’
He laughed. All that was left was to savor the girl’s agonized screams!
...But something was off.
No blood sprayed, and no scream came.
Instead, a single ‘thwack!’ echoed in his ear, like something being struck.
Then, the girl he’d stabbed vanished like a mirage.
“...!”
The spearman finally understood.
He’d pierced only an afterimage!
And that wasn’t the end.
His body went rigid as stone. He couldn’t twitch a finger.
‘W-What the...!’
Paralyzed, he could only roll his eyes sideways.
The girl, ignoring him, had already reached her next prey.
Thwack!
The crossbowman took a flat strike from her sword hilt and tumbled like a toy.
With that, the bandits’ ranged attacks were completely neutralized.
The elven girl who’d appeared out of nowhere and fought like a superhuman!
Three bandits downed in an instant by Asha—they’d lost their numerical advantage.
Their chosen response was simple.
Huff—
“R-Run!”
“Fuck, how do we beat that?!”
Everyone fled for their lives as one.
Mercenaries weren’t exactly brave souls to begin with. They bolted at the first sign of disadvantage like it was routine.
Veterans might fight desperately for their reputation, but these were ragtag bottom-feeders.
“After them! Grab anyone you can!”
“Hahaha! This is getting fun!”
The mercenaries, who’d been holding position, sprang into pursuit.
Their morale had been superior from the start, so any resistance from the caught bandits was crushed meaninglessly.
Phew...
Asha let out a hollow breath. She’d properly applied what she’d learned.
Curses and all, the enemies were already out of their minds.
She glanced around lightly.
“Hmm...”
Then she picked up a fallen crossbow.
She examined its structure with curious eyes. A bolt was still loaded.
‘Shoot it like this?’
She assumed the exact same—no, an even more perfect—stance as the bandit who’d targeted her earlier.
And fired!
Pfyoong—!
“Gaaaaah!”
The first bandit in her sights took the bolt straight through the leg and tumbled down.
Tough luck for him.
But he didn’t give up.
Desperate not to be captured, he crawled to escape.
It was futile, of course.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
“Gahk!”
A nearby mercenary dashed over and stomped on his head.
The bandit finally blacked out.
It was none other than Maverick, the ringleader of this raid, caught by sheer bad luck.
“B-Big brothers, have mercy... mercy, please!”
“Spare our lives! Just our lives, please!”
The tied-up bandits wailed.
There weren’t many. The night made pursuit difficult.
The mercenaries knew that and didn’t overextend.
The result: the prisoners kneeling before them.
“Why the hell should we spare you?”
“Killing you would be the cleanest option.”
The mercenaries sneered mockingly.
In truth, dragging prisoners was a hassle—most were killed, released, or sold into slavery for labor.
But their words weren’t warnings or threats.
It was just entertainment, to make the terrified ones sweat more.
In an era ruled by strength, savoring psychological dominance was the victor’s privilege.
“Alright, let’s see those faces. Anyone worth a ransom?”
“They look worthless from their gear alone, but...”
One mercenary trailed off and nudged a prisoner’s chin up with his boot.
The others circled, inspecting the bound bandits like livestock.
It was a joke, but worth a check just in case.
The bandits reacted swiftly.
They shouted over each other about their connections.
“M-My uncle’s a merchant!”
“Ransom! I can pay anything!”
“I’m a distant relative of the Equus family...”
Most were bluster. Sudden connections were springing up like miracles.
As the noisy exchange continued.
Asha returned after stepping away to reassure the merchants.
“All sorted?”
“Yeah, of course!”
The mercenaries grinned broadly.
“This is all thanks to you, Asha! Really grateful!”
“Hahaha! If it weren’t for our elf miss, we’d all be headed to the afterlife tonight! Thanks, truly!”
They all thanked Asha in unison.
Their mercenary speech was crude, but their sincerity was pure.
They knew this elf girl was special, but they hadn’t imagined such overwhelming power!
Never crossed their minds.
She’d flicked a bolt by hand to intercept one fired from a crossbow!
The mercenaries who’d witnessed it shuddered at the memory.
Even now, it was awe-inspiring—and chilling.
It must’ve been terrifying from the enemy’s side!
Sure enough, when Asha appeared, the bandits visibly tensed.
Their stares at the girl were unbelievable for grown men.
“So, why’d they attack?”
“Uh...”
The mercenaries blinked at Asha’s question.
They’d been too busy toying with them to ask.
Truth be told, they weren’t that curious. Bandits charged whenever they thought they could win—no real reason needed.
“Does it matter? Squeeze what we can and deal with ’em roughly.”
“...Yeah? How do you usually handle them?”
As Asha tilted her head, the mercenaries eagerly explained, ready to school her on ‘mercenary culture.’
The bandits watched with frozen faces.
She looked like the junior outwardly, but they knew she was the real boss here.
“Ah...”
The more the explanation went on, the more anxious the bandits’ eyes grew.
Can’t blame them—the innocent-looking girl casually said, “Usually you just kill them or sell them off?” in a nonchalant tone.
Elves gonna elf.
For men facing death, it was spine-chilling.
Finally.
“Please! Just spare us!”
“We’ll do anything! Just our lives!”
“Aigoo, I still owe the tavern wench for drinks on credit! How can I face her if I die like this?!”
“I-I’m actually! An expert at foot odor removal! Boot stink, I can fix it in one go... Khup!”
They babbled desperately, nonsense mixing in.
A few mercenaries perked up unexpectedly.
‘Foot odor removal? Tempting...’
And Asha.
“Hm?”
Unlike the others, her eyes fixed on a man slinking behind his neighbor, avoiding her gaze.
She narrowed her eyes, studying his face.
‘I’ve seen this face before.’
Feeling a sense of familiarity, Asha approached with indifferent steps.
Maverick broke into cold sweat, realizing her full attention was on him.
Memories of getting beaten in Haven Village flashed vividly.
Their eyes met squarely.
As Maverick desperately averted his gaze, Asha tilted her head and murmured.
“...You again?”
Instantly, every eye turned to Maverick.
They all thought the same.
‘Let’s sacrifice that ringleader bastard!’
‘What’s that guy’s deal with Asha?’