WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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◈ Sword Master of the Fallen Kingdom

Chapter 82

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Prey and Hunter (5)

Kyle looked back. Two people had just arrived and were climbing down from the carriage.

"...Yeah."

Jade and Elysia approached Kyle's side. Kyle gave a short reply in a dry voice. At his feet lay the man who seemed to be the commander, his upper body split halfway open.

"So this is the bastard who poked a quiet beehive."

Jade nudged him with his foot. The man showed no real reaction. He was probably already dead.

"How are you two? Any injuries?"

"Ah, us? As you can see, we're fine."

Jade swung his arms around in an exaggerated flourish. Just as he said, neither of them had any visible wounds. Their breathing was not even rough. That meant they had handled their enemies without much trouble.

So they had dealt with everyone who followed them.

With Elysia, a mage of outstanding skill, and Jade, whose swordsmanship ranked among the best of the southern mercenaries, that was only natural. Given their abilities, the two of them probably could have managed this barbarian cavalry unit somehow even without Kyle. That was why he had trusted them enough to split off alone.

"Kyle, what about you? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Elysia asked with a faintly worried look. Kyle shook his head. His breathing had already settled. He had only used a little mana.

"Then do you know who these people were?"

"They said they were the cavalry unit of the Krakes Tribe. It seems they were fairly elite."

Elysia glanced at the man's corpse, unable to hide her displeasure, and asked again. Kyle answered as if it was nothing. Beside him, Jade narrowed his eyes.

"The Krakes Tribe... You mean the original tribe led by that Great Chieftain Zakan?"

"Right. Unfortunately, a few escaped alive. Only a few, though."

Kyle looked past the sloping conifers toward the faint stream flowing beyond them. He could have chased them down if he wanted, but he had not bothered. It would have wasted mana, and at the time, Jade and Elysia had not yet rejoined him.

"It won't be a major problem."

Kyle spoke calmly. From the start, he had been moving under the assumption that he might clash with that Great Chieftain. Naturally, he would avoid it if he could, but life rarely flowed that smoothly.

If necessary, he would draw his sword.

Running away was not a real solution. The best outcome would be to pass through without conflict, but if things went wrong, he intended to kill Great Chieftain Zakan and even Count Barkan. Once their center was gone, the rest would scatter on their own.

"What time is it?"

"Let's see... It's past six. The sun will set soon."

Elysia took out a pocket watch, checked the time, and answered. Kyle lightly swung his sword at the dead man's neck. The cleanly severed head rolled several steps away. Kyle shook the blood from his blade, sheathed it, took out a sack, and put the man's head inside.

"Uh, that. You're taking it with us?"

"Just in case. It may come in useful later."

Kyle tied the sack containing the man's head firmly to the carriage. Jade looked to the side, met Elysia's eyes, and shrugged as if he was used to this.

"Let's go. We need to find somewhere to camp before it gets any later."

Kyle spoke. Once the two climbed onto the back of the carriage, Jade grumbled and took the reins at the driver's seat. The sunset, which had only been faint a little while ago, had deepened. Before long, no living person remained in the middle of the forest, only the stench of blood and corpses.

***

By the time the sun had set and dusk had fallen all around them, Kyle's group set up a simple camp in a suitable spot.

They lit a campfire with the carriage at their backs, and it was less cold than expected. The carriage, wrapped in thick cloth, blocked the cold wind that blew now and then. The heat rising from the campfire warmed the three of them before the chill could settle into their bodies.

On one side, the horses tied to a wooden post rested at ease. At first, they had been wary of their surroundings, but after being given plenty of water at the stream and as much oats as they could eat, they soon relaxed. While the two horses rested, half lying down from fatigue, Kyle and the others waited near the campfire for the food to finish cooking.

"Kuh! This is it. Now that I've got something hot in me, I finally feel alive."

Jade exclaimed after taking a spoonful of stew. Dinner was stew made with fresh meat and vegetables Kyle had brought. Even inside the Inventory Pouch, food could not be kept from spoiling, so aside from Dried Rations, they had to use up the freshest ingredients first.

"Is that so? It seems a little undercooked..."

Elysia, who had also taken a spoonful of stew, tilted her head.

Jade, who had been dipping bread into the stew with a satisfied look, clicked his tongue.

"Hey, young lady. You're spoiled. You think it's easy to eat food this good outdoors?"

"I wasn't complaining. The food is just a little hard..."

"It's the highlands, so what can we do? If it bothers you that much, why not boil it a little longer and get a fresh serving?"

Elysia shook her head slightly.

"It's not that bad. It tastes good enough. I was simply curious."

"Right? That guy Kyle knows his way around both blades and cooking. He's strong, he's rich, and he's got a big Inventory Pouch. On top of that, once he accepts a commission, he finishes it no matter what. Your life turned around, young lady. At least your escort is guaranteed. His fee's just a bit expensive."

"Jade."

Kyle, who had been quietly eating dinner, called Jade's name in a low voice.

Jade, who had been chattering away, met Kyle's eyes and quietly looked aside, pretending innocence.

"What? Is there a problem?"

"......."

"Anyone watching would think I ate someone."

Instead of answering, Kyle let out a small sigh. Dinner continued with light conversation like that. Once the meal was more or less finished, the three of them cleaned up what they had used, including their bowls. After the tidying was roughly done, Elysia stared into the campfire for a while, then opened her mouth.

"More importantly, what will we do now? Are we going straight ahead like this?"

Elysia's golden eyes, lit by the campfire, turned toward Kyle. Jade also looked at him.

"Yes. The highlands are only beginning. First, we'll pass through the first checkpoint on the auxiliary trade route. If there's one problem..."

"The barbarian tribes, right?"

Jade cut in. Kyle nodded silently. They had met a barbarian cavalry unit at the foot of the mountain before even passing a checkpoint. To be honest, it was not a good sign.

"This place must be a real mess too, if we're running into barbarian tribes right at the start of the mountain."

"It's probably one of two things. Either the checkpoint was completely destroyed, or they gave up and abandoned it."

The rangers of the Duchy of Tervan were a cut above the elite archers of other countries. Since they spent their lives climbing up and down the harsh highlands while clashing with the barbarian tribes, that was only natural.

Their knights and mages were lacking, but when it came to rangers, they were the best on the southern continent. That was the root and foundation that kept the Duchy of Tervan standing.

Yet now, who knew where those rangers had gone? The barbarian tribes were roaming past the checkpoints as they pleased. It meant the duchy had been completely pushed back in the contest of strength.

"Going there ourselves will be faster. If we follow the road, we'll have to pass through the checkpoint anyway."

There was also a way to make a wide detour without passing through the checkpoint, but he did not like the idea. Not only would it waste more precious time, he did not want to leave a force behind them without knowing what that force might do. They might simply ignore Kyle's group if they detoured because of the barbarian tribes, but there was always a chance they would not.

And there was more than one checkpoint or fortress along the trade route.

"Is that man called Count Barkan siding with the barbarian tribes truly such a major matter? Enough for Duke Tervan's side to give up?"

Elysia, who had been listening, asked with curiosity. Kyle answered in a low voice.

"Hard to say. The count is one thing, but there's also that Great Chieftain named Zakan. We'll only know the details once we run into them."

"Then..."

"One thing is certain. Whether it's the Great Chieftain of the barbarians who united three tribes, or that count who committed treason and changed sides, neither of them is ordinary. You can tell from the fact that they didn't recklessly attack the plateau capital. They're slowly cutting off logistics and starving it out instead."

In truth, whatever the duchy's internal situation was like, Kyle would be satisfied as long as he crossed these highlands safely. Jade, who was chewing dried fruit for dessert, scratched the back of his head roughly.

"Haa... This is getting damned tiring. Can't we just pay a few coins and pass through?"

"That would be convenient, but it probably won't be settled that easily. Especially for mercenaries without backing, unlike large merchant companies. Killing and looting them is faster and more certain."

"Tsk. Can't even argue when you're that openly right. Times like this call for a drink. The scenery's uselessly good too."

Jade grumbled as he looked up at the blackened sky. Kyle and Elysia followed his gaze and lifted their heads.

Above them was the pitch-black night sky, filled with countless stars packed close together. The Milky Way filled their view as if it might spill down at any moment. The three of them quietly stared at the sight for a while.

They gazed at the stars, so close it felt as though they could hold their breath, stretch out a hand, and grasp them.

A sight he had never once seen on Earth's bright night streets.

But a starry sky he had often seen in Hailen, where the Caldra Mountains stood.

Crackle, crackle.

The campfire burned brighter with the sound of wood being consumed. Kyle threw one of the branches piled beside him into the flames.

"Sleep first. I'll keep watch tonight."

Kyle spoke carefully, as if breaking the silence. Jade and Elysia looked at each other, then nodded slightly without refusing. As the night deepened, the sound of their breathing seeped quietly into the dark. Kyle glanced at the two of them, then held the sword that had been resting on his knees tightly in his arms.

***

After spending the night in a suitable place, Kyle's group got into the carriage and set out as soon as early morning came.

Thanks to being well fed and properly rested, the horses' pace had not fallen much from the day before. Jade was still sitting in the driver's seat. He grumbled several times about being made to play driver again, but when Kyle tossed him a few Gold Coins as if he found it annoying, Jade shut his mouth as if nothing had happened.

"It feels a little hard to breathe."

"We climbed a bit higher than yesterday. Still, the altitude won't rise much more than this. After a few days, you'll adjust somewhat. The third route, the Forgotten Road, will be different, though."

Elysia quietly frowned. Kyle answered as if it was no big deal, but he was starting to feel his breathing bothering him as well.

So this is why the barbarian tribes can run wild.

With the Duchy of Tervan's regular army unable to use its full strength, it was natural in a way. No matter how famous mercenaries from other regions were, their fighting strength could only drop in an environment like this. The barbarians born and raised here, on the other hand, were completely familiar with the duchy's highlands. Far from suffering from altitude sickness, they knew the surrounding terrain perfectly, so if they decided to raid a trading convoy, the convoy would be picked clean.

"So where are we now? Can we reach that checkpoint today?"

Jade, holding the reins, glanced back at Kyle and asked. Kyle took a map from inside his clothes and roughly judged their current location.

"Probably. If we keep this speed, we'll arrive sometime in the afternoon."

"Yeah?"

"Assuming that checkpoint still exists."

"Come on, surely. Even if it's the auxiliary trade route, it's still the first outpost. You think there won't be a single soldier?"

Jade spoke as if it was nothing. Instead of answering, Kyle narrowed his eyes even more at the map.

It would be a problem if the checkpoint was gone, and a problem if it was still there. He could not be sure they would simply let them pass. For now, they would try to talk first. If that failed, he would have to use another method.

"Wait."

"What's wrong?"

"Stop. Someone's ahead."

As they continued moving, Kyle suddenly spoke. Jade hurriedly pulled the reins and stopped the carriage, then grabbed the sword leaning beside him and looked back at Kyle.

"You said someone's there?"

Kyle did not need to answer. A group was appearing up ahead. Every one of them wore light equipment made for easy movement and held a deeply curved bow. No matter how one looked at them, they were rangers of the Duchy of Tervan.

"You there, who are you? Identify yourselves!"

Right then, a man who seemed to be the ranger captain took one step forward. He shouted loudly. The rangers, who had appeared stealthily, each nocked an arrow and spread out around the carriage in a wide encirclement.

"Huh..."

"What now, Kyle?"

As if they had agreed in advance, Jade and Elysia turned to Kyle.

Kyle silently climbed down from the back of the carriage and stood a short distance from the man. The rangers were clearly wary, their expressions tense as if they would loose their arrows at any second.

"We are travelers passing through the Duchy of Tervan. We are currently heading for the first checkpoint on the auxiliary trade route."

"Travelers?"

The ranger who seemed to be the captain frowned at Kyle's words.

"Barbarians should be roaming around this area. How did you get through?"

"We killed them all."

"What?"

The man could not accept Kyle's words right away and asked again. The other rangers were not much different.

"What did he just say?"

"The barbarians are all dead?"

"What kind of bullshit is that..."

Murmurs rose here and there. Instead of adding an explanation, Kyle untied the sack fixed to the back of the carriage. Overnight, the bloodstained sack had dried in the cold wind and turned dark red.

"The barbarians all died yesterday, except for a few who escaped."

Kyle said, standing in front of the man again.

"...Don't lie. Those people aren't enemies that three ordinary travelers can kill."

"Then check for yourself."

Instead of arguing, Kyle threw the sack in his hand in front of the man. Everyone's eyes followed the sack as it flew through the air.

"Is this the leader of the barbarians you were talking about?"

The severed head slipped out of the rolling sack. Gasping sounds came from all around them. The man opened and closed his mouth in disbelief. At his feet lay the bluish head of the barbarian commander.

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