Chapter 108 : The Mercenary Bureau’s First Request (22)
Chapter 108: The Mercenary Bureau’s First Request (22)
The bandit leader Bartrok was a warrior of considerable renown. Although his humble origins prevented him from becoming a knight, the common consensus was that he would have been a famous knight had he been born into a proper family.
In fact, the bandit cavalry had often seen Bartrok strike down knights of the North with their own eyes.
Therefore, no one doubted Bartrok's skill until now.
“I’ll show you a lesson... ack!”
-Bang!
A single blow.
Seeing Bartrok collapse to the ground after a single sword strike swung like lightning, the bandit cavalry fell into a momentary silence.
“…….”
“…….”
They knew that knights were strong. And they knew there were vast differences in skill even among knights.
But…
They had never seen someone strike down a knight class expert with such a nonchalant swing.
It was like swatting a fly.
This was truly a literal, overwhelming difference in skill.
“R-Run away!!”
“There is no answer to this!!”
“Trying to stop those monsters is a suicidal act!!! Run!!”
With their leader fallen and their morale shattered, there was no reason for any discipline to remain among the bandit cavalry. Ultimately, they began to scatter in all directions.
“Don't pursue them!! There is something more important than that right now!”
“Ah! That’s right, Sir!”
“Right. We should kill this trash first. Die, you bastard!!”
“H-He-ack?!”
Startled, Shatien moved hurriedly.
-Clang!
The elf knight's sword was blocked by Shatien's blade. He couldn't understand what on earth these crazy elf knights were doing.
“Wait, what are you doing, Sir Shatien? There is no mercy for a lowlife like this.”
“That’s….”
As Shatien tried to explain out of absurdity, the elf knight beside him intercepted his words.
“That isn't it, Sir Ainser! Sir Shatien is going to send this man off very painfully, fitting for his status as a bandit. Is there anything better to offer before the gods than hearing the repentant screams of an enemy as you cut off their limbs one by one?”
“Ah!! That's right. Sir Bollard is correct. I almost overstepped and stopped Sir Shatien's holy event. I almost committed a sin before the gods.”
‘What kind of nonsense are they….’
Did they think everyone thought like an elf knight? Seeing the two of them being convinced by such ridiculous logic, Shatien explained immediately.
“It's not that... doesn't this man look like the leader? Naturally, we must interrogate him and extract information!”
“Ah…?”
“Come to think of it, only this bastard was wearing anything that could be called armor. Sir! That’s a good judgment.”
“As expected of a cool head and a hot heart. Truly a specimen of a cool knight. Haha!”
“…….”
Somehow, no matter what Shatien said, the elf knights had come to accept his words positively.
* * *
Once the bandit cavalry fled, the remaining infantry had no way to hold out. As the mercenary company led by Shatien defeated the bandit cavalry and advanced, the bandits scattered in every direction.
He wanted to order their total annihilation immediately, but he couldn't.
There were too many injured people.
“Centurion Shatien!!! Thank you so much for the help!!”
“Hmph. As expected of Sir Shatien. I believed in you. I owe you my life.”
Branch Manager Marhen and Centurion Jenga greeted Shatien with extremely delighted faces. It was understandable since they had just narrowly escaped death.
The number of surviving mercenary members was only about 200.
However, those survivors would now join them, so the scale of the mercenary company was expected to increase.
A large mercenary group level exceeding 700 people? It was roughly the same scale as the Black Raven Mercenary Company that Shatien had first joined.
Sure enough, sensing something unusual, Centurion Jenga scanned Shatien's mercenary company. He then stroked his chin and asked.
“By the way... the scale of the mercenaries you took with you has increased? Did Viscount Ragnarsson provide reinforcements?”
“Uh... because of issues on the field, I had no choice but to expand the unit. In the current northern region, it's difficult to maneuver with an ordinary small unit. For now, I've sent a messenger to the Mercenary Bureau separately in a 'first act, report later' format.”
Shatien told the truth for now.
What was the point of lying about such a thing? Well, to be precise, the meaning was a bit different from hiring, but in a broad sense, wasn't 'persuasion after capture' also a form of hiring?
“Hmm. Well, I think it was the right judgment. I have no intention of raising an objection to it.”
“That's right. If we hadn't expanded the unit, we wouldn't have been able to provide this help.”
Fortunately, no one complained. The situation in the North they experienced while coming up explained all too well why things had to be that way. Besides, no one was stupid enough to act without flexibility when they owed their lives for the help.
Ah! Well, if the rule-abiding Centurion Jacri had been there, the conversation might have been a bit different.
“Anyway, everyone is safe thanks to our Sir Shatien. Thank you so much. Then, shall we treat the wounded first? Regrettably, quite a few people from the guild were hurt. Hnng.”
Shatien masked his thoughts and nodded at Branch Manager Marhen's suggestion. It wouldn't be too late to have a proper reunion later.
“Let's do that. I'm sorry for not paying attention sooner.”
“No. Don’t worry about it.”
* * *
The mercenaries gathered the wounded and the dead. During that time, Shatien took Bartrok aside to interrogate him.
“You said your name is Bartrok?”
“Y-Yes, Sir Knight. Ah, did you say Sir Shatien?”
“Aren't we in a situation where such honorifics aren't mutual? And you aren't in a position to dare speak my name.”
“T-That is true….”
“It’s fine. We can talk slowly. But why are you trembling so much? Is it very cold for you?”
“Ha, haha. Well, the wind is blowing quite hard.”
Bartrok, tied to a freight wagon wheel, spoke while shivering.
Having just seen a person sliced in half before his eyes, he couldn't help but be this terrified. He had never seen even the famously ignorant elf knights kill a person like that.
Shatien smirked at that sight.
“A bandit who hates cold wind! A northern bandit, no less. It must have been cold when you rode your horse, so how did you endure it? It’s a mysterious thing. Haha.”
“…….”
Bartrok shut his mouth.
A conversational style where every word was met with a reproach. Wasn't this the style he used often when rebuking his own subordinates?
At this point, Bartrok realized that this monster-like knight named Shatien was not going to give him a clean end.
‘Dammit. Oh, gods.’
In times like this, the best thing was to listen silently until the opponent got the answer they wanted. There were malicious people who tormented others to the end, but the knight named Shatien didn't seem like such a person.
“I’ll speak bluntly, Bartrok. How was the scale of the bandits so large? Where did you gather so many cavalry?”
“Um….”
Bartrok hesitated for a moment.
Could he say this?
Up until now, the northern nobles didn't seem to know that the rebel forces were united by a great figure named Balud. That meant this information was quite a secret matter. One that could affect the great cause of the rebels.
But another thought was that since he had lost everything, what was the point of holding out?
Holding out would only lead to death…. Was it really worth that much?
Miles, noticing him calculating his options, sighed and pulled out a dagger.
“Geez, Shatien. You’re way too merciful. You have to stab them once before starting, you know?”
“Ah! No! Not at all!”
“What? You bastard. This is the outdoors. Not indoors. You still haven't come to your senses.”
‘No, shit!’
Bartrok looked at Shatien with the most pitiful expression possible.
“I’ll speak. I’ll tell you everything.”
In truth, what kind of honor, great cause, or ambition would a former bandit have?
If he had such things, he wouldn't have been a bandit. Faced with death and stripped of everything, Bartrok finally pursued survival according to his nature.
“The! The! The bandits I originally led were only about 100 people. The rest were all troops provided as support.”
“What? Supported?”
Was there such a system among bandits?
How on earth did they trust each other?
Not only the elf knights listening quietly beside them, but even Branch Manager Marhen's eyes widened in surprise.
How could bandits, whose default was stabbing each other in the back, unite? This meant someone had emerged who could coordinate their respective interests.
This was something that had never happened in the history of the North.
When Shatien sent a suspicious look, Bartrok spoke with a tone of being wronged.
“No! Balud! That man Balud made us unite as one. He is the true leader leading the northern rebels right now.”
“……?!”
Balud, the leader of the northern rebels?
Shatien's eyes widened.
Wasn't Balud someone he had killed? Then how could Balud suddenly pop up like this?
However, Shatien quickly suppressed his surprised expression.
“I’d like to hear more about this leader of the northern rebels, Balud.”
“If... if I tell you, will you spare me?”
Shatien smirked.
He liked Bartrok's attitude of prioritizing his own safety above all else. In his experience, people like this were bound to be good at betrayal.
He wouldn't want to keep them as friends or subordinates, but for someone in the position of wining them over, there was no better opponent.
‘If I stroke his belly, he’ll roll over on his own... but I don't really need to do that.’
Right now, the one in a desperate position wasn't him, but Bartrok. Therefore, Shatien warned the man with a chilling tone.
“Depending on the content. But every time you talk nonsense, I’ll snap one of your fingers. If you want to know how flexible your fingers are, feel free to try. I hope you don't have the prejudice that we know nothing about bandits. Hmm?”
As he spoke, Shatien gave a look to Branch Manager Marhen beside him. It was a sign to add weight to his words. However, Branch Manager Marhen was actually a bit flustered and pricked up her ears.
‘Nya, nyang? I don't know much either?’
But she couldn't let it show!
Branch Manager Marhen played along with Shatien's rhythm.
“I am a branch manager of the guild. You’d better not think of deceiving us. The things happening in the North cannot escape our ears.”
Branch Manager Marhen spoke as if it were nothing, but Bartrok's thoughts were different. He had thought the scale and the hired mercenaries were unusual, but a famous guild of the North! Then they definitely must know a fair amount of information about the rebels.
Furthermore, Branch Manager Marhen provided evidence to support that suspicion.
-Slide!
Branch Manager Marhen pulled out a map from her bosom as if to show him. On the map, which briefly depicted plains and forests, dots were marked in several places. It was a map showing the roads and fortress conditions of the North.
“Bartrok. This wooden fence you used is probably here, isn't it? This is the only place in this vicinity where one could set up a fence and station troops.”
Bartrok flinched inwardly.
Because his wooden fence really was there. However, he didn't show it outwardly.
“Ahem. I think you marked that wrong?”
Shatien smirked as he saw Bartrok shamelessly feigning ignorance.
“Ah, really? Then it won't matter if we attack this place immediately. We’ll burn everything and kill every last surviving bandit.”
“……!”
Because anyone could see he was lying.
“I, I was wrong! No! Please forgive me!”
How dare he try to get cheeky.
To Shatien, he was merely laughable.