Episode 8 – The Knight and the Little Brother (1)

The Knight and the Little Brother (1)

The sound of clattering resonates.

It must have been about two hours since we left the castle, where the celebration was in full swing. A single carriage was making its way down a deserted road, where even the cries of birds had subsided.

Suppressing a yawn that emerged in the silent atmosphere, I pondered my next destination in detail. The northern outpost and Mt. Muak, the places where the two women would be.

Knight Lumen is at the northern outpost. I don’t know what Lumen did to Troka, but it’s the closest. However, I could be killed by the Blood Tribe targeting the outpost. Mt. Muak is where our master is. But even approaching Mt. Muak is dangerous. If I step into the fog of Muak alone, I will be brutally torn apart by the monsters hiding within.

…I’ll die wherever I go. Maybe I shouldn’t go at all.

If I had to choose the lesser of two evils, it would be the outpost. If I can find a reliable escort there, I won’t have to die a horrible death.

Lumen. I hope today isn’t the day of departure. It’s physically exhausting to stay in the north for too long. If it doesn’t work out, should I go to Mt. Muak first?

“Hey, you with the black hair, where are you headed?”

Someone broke the silence that had settled inside the carriage. It was nice and quiet since only three people were riding. Is my peaceful time over?

“…I’m heading to the far north, to Frontis.”

“Frontis, huh. I hear the monsters are causing a ruckus there. You’re heading to a dangerous place.”

The man stroked his chin upon hearing my answer.

“Hmm…, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Benten. The woman sitting far over there is Latia, we’re currently working as mercenaries together.”

As Benten pointed, there was a woman with dark hair. Her skin was as white as jade, her eyes as dark as pitch-black, and she had a mysterious look with her lower face covered in cloth. And those long ears. Every time I see someone like her, I’m reminded that this is another world.

“A member of the long-eared tribe… an elf?”

“Haha, one thing led to another, and we ended up working together recently.”

As Benten’s laughter echoed, the woman called Latia looked our way and gently waved her hand.

Even though only her eyes were visible, she was incredibly beautiful. The overall level of appearance in this world is high, but the appearance of the different races is almost like that of sculptures. Especially the elves, they have a noble and dignified charm. There are some odd ones, too. But more than that, this woman, Latia. She seems familiar. Maybe because there was an elf in the hero party I was familiar with.

“We’re also heading to Frontis.”

“Even though you said the monsters are causing a ruckus?”

“To earn money as a mercenary, you naturally have to take risks. The monsters are still rampant, even though the Demon King is dead.”

The world goes on every day, even without the hero and the Demon King. It’s only natural.

“And you are…?”

“Flan. Just Flan, no surname. I’m…no, let’s just say I’m a kind of postman.”

“A postman heading to Frontis… I hear there have been frequent avalanches recently, it must be tough.”

“Yes. It really is.”

The story was slowly drawing to a close. Or at least, it seemed to be. I tried to take a moment to rest with my eyes closed when Benten quietly approached my side.

“Do you have no plans to hire a guard, Flan?”

So, this was the real motive.

As I looked at Benten with a gaze of contempt, he scratched his head and promptly opened his mouth.

“Well, if you’re heading to Frontis without a party, you’re either incredibly skilled or suicidal. You…”

“Do I look weak?”

“…Honestly, you don’t have a weapon, your body doesn’t seem trained, and you don’t look like a mage. So, you seem suicidal.”

I am incredibly weak. That’s an undeniable fact. I thought it wouldn’t be a problem since I’ve been to this place a few times before and I have a contingency plan if things go wrong. But a third party wouldn’t know that.

“If I had money to begin with, I would have started with a party.”

Money wasn’t the issue. I had a good amount saved from the emperor, so I wouldn’t have financial problems.

What I was worried about was the news of the hero’s death spreading. Most people, unaware of the hero’s death, were enjoying the festival. Monsters running rampant without the Demon King’s control were already a headache, and if the news of the hero’s death reached the public, chaos would ensue.

If the big shots, who were holding their breaths in front of the existence of the Demon King, found out that the hero, their deterrent, was gone, the next course of events would be predictable.

In any case, the hero’s death becoming public is not a good thing. If chaos ensues, it becomes difficult to procure some of the materials needed to create the return magic circle. I’m going through all this trouble to get home, and it would be a disaster if I couldn’t return after delivering all the letters.

“Earning money is important, but wouldn’t it be unsettling if someone you’ve just met died?”

“So, you’re suggesting that a mercenary work as a guard for free?”

“Just accompany us. We plan to go to Mt. Muak, just come with us until there. You don’t have a party anyway.”

Mt. Muak, huh. If I’m going there, it would be better to go together. I don’t know how skilled Benten is, but at least if there’s an elf, I won’t be helpless against the monsters in the fog.

The problem, however, is…

“You seem too comfortable with someone you just met today.”

There’s nothing more foolish than blindly following someone you just met. Especially if they’re mercenaries, following them carelessly could lead straight to the afterlife.

“Also, I prefer to travel alone.”

That doesn’t mean I have to be hostile. Only those who are crazy turn mercenaries into enemies.

“Anyway, I plan to go to the imperial forward base. Let’s meet again if our paths cross.”

“…Well, if that’s the case, it can’t be helped. If we meet again, let’s have a drink.”

Benten slowly nodded. He seemed to understand and respect my decision.

He then patted my back a few times before returning to his original spot and closing his eyes.

To survive in the North, stamina is important. I should save my energy from now on.

There are still 3 hours left to arrive. Since there’s nothing to do in the meantime, I should also get some sleep.

I leaned my head against the swaying tarp. At least until I arrive at Frontis, at least until I meet Lumen or my master, I hope nothing happens.

With that prayer, I closed my eyes.

* * *
​
I opened my eyes when no sound could be heard.

The sound of the carriage wheels, the common insect noises, even the sound of the wind had all fallen silent. The moment I opened my eyes, I realized something was amiss.

I reached into my robe and grabbed my dagger. I looked around, but there was no one.

It was plausible that Benten and Latia were not around, but the absence of the coachman who should be driving the carriage indicated a problem. I needed to assess the situation.

I cautiously got up and headed outside, slowly opening the tarp’s flap.

“Hmm…”

Perhaps it was because we were nearing the north, but a chilly wind brushed against my nose.

However, something felt off. Looking around, the road filled with densely packed trees didn’t seem like a place where a carriage would stop.

But what was most strange was the smell.

The smell of blood.

An overwhelmingly strong scent of blood filled the surroundings.

To have such a strong smell, at least dozens of beasts must have been slaughtered. If not, it would be as if all of a person’s internal organs had been spilled out. I prayed it wasn’t the latter as I stepped out of the carriage.

“Ugh…uh…uh…”

As I stepped out of the carriage, a faint groaning sound came from the front of the carriage.

It wasn’t the sound of a beast.
No matter how bad, it was a sound made by a human.

I clung to the carriage and headed towards the source of the sound, suppressing the tension of not knowing what would come out.

“…What a sight.”

When I finally reached the front of the carriage, about 30 beasts lay dead. Each one looked as formidable as a leader, their forms grotesque.

“Cough… Brother…”

Underneath the beast corpses filled with deep scars, Benten sat pitifully. He had managed to slay all these beasts and was still alive. He really wasn’t just showing off as a mercenary.

I approached Benten. Despite pressing his hand against his neck wound, blood was still gushing out.

“What happened?”

I tore off the hem of my pants and wrapped it around Benten’s neck. This road wasn’t a place where beasts often appeared. Let alone a large group of beasts like this.

“Be… behind… behind…”

Benten, with blood-soaked hands, pointed behind me.

Behind?
Is there someone behind me?

Where Benten pointed, there was something large, black, and menacing. To be precise, a humanoid beast stood there, not making a sound. And without giving me a chance to react, it swung its arm.

“Damn it…!”

– Bang!

I barely blocked the sudden attack from the beast with my arm, but the recoil sent me crashing into a tree. The arms that blocked the attack were shattered grotesquely. Bones tore through muscles and skin, and the wrist was completely twisted, with fingers touching the elbow.

My wrist is completely twisted. If I don’t get treatment soon, I’ll be crippled.

“Cough…!”

My back hurts. All the air in my lungs was expelled, and a dry cough wouldn’t stop. All I had was a dagger, shattered arms, a twisted wrist. The pain isn’t too intense now, but soon, it’ll be enough to make me faint.

This is too much, we’ve barely reached the vicinity of Frontis, why is there such a monster here?

Monsters are typically much stronger than ordinary beasts. While monsters need to form a group to be able to defeat an average adventurer, although they vary slightly, the top-level monsters have the power to rival an entire city. And that black one was definitely a top-level monster. According to Nicola, it’s a monster called a Ghost, and I’ve heard that at least dozens of knights are needed to defeat it.

Did that monster lead the beasts here?

I didn’t have much time to think, the monster slowly extended its hand. The wavering black figure was jelly-like, soon transforming into a blunt-looking object.

I can’t avoid that. I can’t even block it.
The moment the monster took its stance.

The air vibrated.

As if a god had descended, the sky shook violently with a tearing sound reverberating. A flashing thunderbolt split the sky and pierced the earth.

By the time the monster, who noticed the anomaly, hurriedly looked back, the entire situation had already ended.

As the thunderous sound came from the sky, the upper body of the monster flew into the air and was embedded in a distant tree. Where the lower body of the monster should have been, a woman with a mysterious atmosphere had taken its place.

Languid eyes and pink hair. And white armor with a snowflake design. She looked at Benten and me and murmured. Her name is Lumen. She is one of the recipients of the letter.

“Two unidentified casualties. One of them has a fatal injury that could threaten his life. Call the medics.”

Her voice was as languid as usual. As if she was used to such situations, she spoke calmly. Perhaps because she had thrown the thunderbolt, her arm was slightly burnt.

…I don’t know why she’s here, but if she hadn’t come, it would have been a disaster.

As the situation ended, fatigue rushed in. The pain in my shattered arm is getting worse. I need to tell Lumen something before I pass out.

“Hey… Lumen…”

I tried to move my mouth, but my facial muscles went numb.
And I lost consciousness just like that.