Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Enemies are Coming

“I don’t remember anything after all of 『Red Lightning Bolt』 was killed.

Only the two coachmen witnessed and told me everything … They were scared of me.

They had been mumuring all the way when they told me everything like 『I will be killed if I lie』.

Well, I can’t blame them.

The property of that merchant was forfeited and handed over to the bereaved families of the 『Red Lightning Bolt』.

The money I got from selling dad’s carriage and goods was also handed over to the bereaved at that time.

It seems rare to wake up to magical talent during a crisis of life.

Well, most people will die at that time.

So I was also examined throughly.

As a result, there were no great powers like what everyone said there would be.

But there were many people who witnessed that fire.

So it seems my magic was strengthened by my emotion. I couldn’t control myself back then. As long as I still had magic power, I would continue shooting fire magic. I became unconscious because of magical deficiency, and my memory became uncertain.

That’s what other hunters after the investigation said.

After that, I registered as a hunter, and I was advised to take a training school for a year and a half when I ranked E” (Rena)

“Fu~~n” (Mile)

“…”  (Maevis)

“What? That’s all?” (Rena)

Rena was somewhat dissatisfied with the lack of reaction from everyone.

“So you want us to say something like:『Is that what you wanted to say?』, 『so you want to kill bandits』or 『you will not get anything from hatred!』,『 Don’t hate people, hating people is bad for your heart!』…”  (Pauline)

“No, that’s not what I …” (Rena)

Rena face became red as Pauline talked to her.

And after thinking for a while, Maevis said to Rena.

“Well, it is good to know why Rena is concerned about bandits, so it is fine to do so. Regardless of any idea or reject, it’s personal freedom. And this isn’t a matter to bring personal emotion to other party or our party’s member behavior. It’s useless. So …” (Maevis)

“Let’s not practice killing people”  (Mile)

“Huh…?”  (Rena)

Rena was surprised at the words of Mile that followed after Maevis’s words.

“Because at that time, I thought Rena taught us the right way as a senior hunter! But, is this just something like a personal problem?”  (Mile)

“U…” (Rena)

Rena couldn’t say anything in reply to Mile.

“Well, there is always a time called 『first time』for anyone, anything, I think that there’s no need to forcibly set up a place for that, just prepare yourself for that time properly” (Pauline)

“…”  (Rena)

With Pauline’s words, Rena had no words to return.

“Besides…”  (Pauline)

Paul continues.

“If you kill them by fire, they only feel pain for a moment, right? I think that drowning them in water is better, we can let them suffer slowly …” (Pauline)

All the good things she just said became messed up.

“Anyway, let’s not forcibly try to kill the other party until the time comes, but I will not hesitate and kill the enemy if they plan to harm anyone, be it allies or irrelevant people.

Because human life is always more important than the bandits’s lives.

Even so our enemies’s lives aren’t so light that we need to kill them after we already disabled them. In addition …” (Maevis)

Maevis kept on speaking.

“Like I said before, It would be difficult for a hunter to fight with the intention to capture without killing, even if the hunter is stronger than bandits. But if there’s a huge difference in the fighting power…” (Maevis)

“E…” (Rena)

Rena made a pokan face.

“Ar… are you stupid! Such a thing …” (Rena) (Ba, baka janaino! Son’na koto)

However, if you looked at the face of Mile, you couldn’t say anything anymore. If it was her, she can handle anything with easy, a girl younger than Rena that keeps breaking common sense.

“Also, they don’t have to be captured intact, and there is healing magic if they get serious injure or lose a body part. There are places where criminal slaves can work besides mines. …. If they get sick, they will die. It’s only prolonging their life until 『that time』

It wasn’t necessary to forcibly kill them and there was no need to take the risk of capturing them alive either.

The one who got captured alive would become money and they would regret it for a long time.

The basic policy was to capture but without forcing ourselves too much.

Well, but when you need get information, it will be a bit different …” (Pauline)

As usual, Pauline was Pauline.

Rena was silent for a while, but she murmured.

“Okay, I get it … “  (Rena) (Wakatta wa yo…)

After a while, the horse-drawn carriage stopped and it was time for lunch.

Merchants and chefs were eating normally, but escorting hunters didn’t eat much. Everyone just encounter bandits, so they are preparing for the battle. Other than Mile.

“Hey, you are just …” (Rena) (Anta nē)

Rena was complaining about Mile, who are just eating like average.

“If you eat so much, your body’s movement will be bad! Well, if you don’t eat, you will be hungry but you can still fight!” (Rena)

“Oh, is that so? But they don’t teach us that at training school …” (Mile)

“Even a child would know it” (Rena)

“Well … I will digest right away.” (Mile)

“What kind of body do you have!”  (Rena)

Rena who keeps shouting, breathing heavily.

“Lena, aren’t you tired ?” (Mile)

“Whose fault is it!” (Rena)

“Uhm, are you okay?” (FW member)

Three members of『Flame Wolf』come up and talk to Rena, who got tired from keep tsukkomi (T.N: Poor Rena, Mile not only doesn’t cheer her up but also force her to become a Tsukkomi)

“When this escort quest is done, how about you go with us …” (FW member)

“Reject!” (Rena)

She never heard it until the end, Rena reject right away.

“Just listen to the last minute! And also the opinions for the other three … ” (FW member)

“Reject!” (Mile)

“Reject!” (Maevis)

“Reject!” (Pauline)

The other three also rejected, and three members of『Flame Wolf』dejected returning to their original positions.

Of course, anyone would want party with four beautiful girl, even more they are really strong and have storage.

But, for them to think these girls would join them are really naive. If these girls want, any B rank party would welcome them. These girl don’t join any party because they don’t need it.

While listening to their circumstances, the men of 『Dragon Breath』 were looking at them with a sorry eye. but Vera and Jeanne, the women of the party are looking at them with cold eyes.

After finishing a big break that also served lunch. Everyone back to travel again.

The bandits are connected to carriages by rope and they must walk if they don’t want to die. The bandit watchman is still free but he doesn’t dare to come close. Perhaps he try to confirm the number of carriages and the number of escorts from the distant.

Although bandits we captured this time weren’t the main objective, if they left it unchecked, they may attack other merchant, and in some cases escorts and merchants could have killed. Considering from the request of the client is “Annihilation of bandits”. Capture these bandits may also consider part of the quest.

However, if more bandits are coming, we will not have the leasure to capture more. The『Fishing』plan by the『Red oath』  which is too effective is canceled. So everyone in the『Red oath』right now sit on their original place in the forth carriage.

In the horse-drawn carriage, Lena was thinking while holding her knees.

“Bandits are enemies. They are villain exploiting from those who are seriously living and robbing their lives.

Like goblins and orcs, it is a vermin and it is an existence to kill.

Even if they are still alive when the fight is over, you shouldn’t keep them alive.

How many people have them killed so far and they dropped the family down to the depths of despair?

And if they escape, the damage will continue to increase.

And they may even trying to kill the hunters who caught them after they escape.

It may even target hunter’s family and friends as well.

…… The danger is too big.

It is best to kill them. Everyone will be safe, less troublesome, and our mind will be clear up.

However, regard of what Mile, Maevis and Pauline have told me.

Didn’t the knight that Maevis admire has the mission to kill the bad guy?

Pauline is …, isn’t she more horrible. (ポーリンは、もっと腹黒いのではなかったのか)

I killed humans.

However, memory at that time is blurry and I don’t remember well.

Why do I not remember?

Kill the enemies who killed my colleagues. Isn’t it a refreshing and memorable memory? Why do I not remember it well?

… Did it because I don’t want to remember it?

Do I really regret having killed those bandits?

… Stupid. They are enemies of everyone of the 『Red Lightning Bolt』. I regret nothing!

But what Pauline said is also true.

『If I kill them, they only feel pain for a moment』 and 『In a mine, they will suffer until death due to an accident or sickness, and continue to regret …』

For the time being, should kill them or keep them alive and let them suffer more?

I don’t need to mind anything, I will do it freely according to my own way.” (Rena’s thought)

As she thought, Rena’s looking at her colleagues.

Maevis is pulling a sword and polishing it.

Paulin who is writing something on her notebook while floating an eerie air.

And Mile, she is sleeping as her mouth open, she has drool on her face.

Looking at her party’s carefree mind, it seemed stupid that Lena was suffering from various things.

However …

“No, no! Because of these people, I must be firm!

Next time, no one will die! Definitely!”  (Rena)

Rena. she was a hard-hitting little girl.

Biku! (SFX in Mile’s mind, I guess it was beep sound of nano machine)

Mile was sleeping soundly, all of suddenly she get up. It happens occasionally when we are asleep.

And Mile opened her eyes.

“… Enemies is coming” (Mile)

“As I always ask, how do you know ?” (Rena)

Ignoring Rena shouting, Mile crawled from the back of the carriage and climb on the top, she use her to whistle.

Pii~i~i~i ~! (SFX)

The six carriages stop immediately, with 『Dragon Breath』’s leader running from the first carriage and 『Flame Wolf』’s leader running from the last carriage respectively. Of course, other people are still alarmed while lurking in carriage.

“What’s wrong, the enemy?” (Bart)

“Yes, about 20 people ahead” (Mile)

“How do you know?” (Brett)

The leader of 『Flame Wolf』 seems not yet used to “Mile’s OP”.

“About twenty people, Can you tell me a bit more?” (Bart)

Bart lightly ignore the word of Brett and asked Mile.

“Well, they have 19 people, arrange with 9-9-1.” (Mile)

“So, how do you know!” (Brett)

“Uhm … what did you say!” (Mile)

“Ignore him!” (Bart)

He was negligible.

“Call everyone, it’s an emergency!” (Bart)

And soon, all of them gathered, Bart’s explanation began.

“It was a bad thing … according to Mile search magic, there seems to be 19 enemies ahead of them, aligned with 9, 9, 1 …” (Bart)

“It’s probably them, I heard that they are over twenty people, but it’s less than I thought”

Optimistically say by 『Flame Wolf』’s swordsman Chuck, 『Dragon Breath』’s spearman Fagas shook his head and replied.

“No, it is natural that the report of the number of such requests is considerably more or less than it actually is. In the place with bad vision like forest, we can mistake the number of enemies.”

“What’s wrong?” (FW members)

Members of 『Flame Wolf』feel weird that Bart still silent thinking, even he is the leader of this joint escort quest.

“The small number of people is probably because they divide their people to pinch us, so the enemies will be twice of that …” (Bart)

Bart looked around everyone’s surpised face, slowly said.

“Bandits don’t work in formation. Only the knights and soldiers that arrange themself neatly when ambushing the prey. That’s mean, we will fight with the army.” (Bart)

“…” (Everyone)

Bert kept on speaking. (T.N: Help, anyone know military rank ?)

“In many countries, troops organize squads with a group of 9 people.

8 soldiers and 1 squad leader.

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8 soldiers will be either divide into 2 groups of 4 soldiers or 4 groups of 2 soldiers. And the squad leader will command them.

4 squads will be organized as 1 platoon.

1 platoon will have 1 commander (指揮官) ,  1 vice-commander (副官) ,  2 senior officier (上級下士官)

Total 40 people.

And this senior officier is entrusted with the command of two squads respectively…” (Bart)

Several people swallowed saliva.

“… That’s right, waiting ahead is another twenty soldiers, including commanders and adjutives.

I thought that it was strange. There’s neither disaster nor war recently, and there’re no large numbers of bandits in such a place before.” (Bart)

“This is an impossible mission! Because I thought they were at most 26-27 bandits, and with 12 hunters in our joint party, we can win with 1 hunter take care of 2 bandits ! But with 40 people, they are also soldiers. There’s no way we can win!” (Brett)

The voice of despair went up from『Flame Wolf』. That is a natural reaction and it is a just argument.

“Why is the army! Since when has the army become bandits. It’s so strange, are they also coming to rob and kill us?” (FW’s members)

A miserable moment on a sorrowful cry of 『Flame Wolf』 members.

“… Trade destruction?” (???) (T.N: sorry, I can’t guess who talking)

Bart heard it looked surprised.

“Eh? are you an Idiot?” (???) (E? Omae wa bakana n janakatta no ka?)

“Who said such a thing!” (FW’s members) (Dare ga son’na koto o itta no yo)