WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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◈ Sword Master of the Fallen Kingdom

Chapter 84

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Prey and Hunter (7)

At Kyle's calm declaration, the office fell silent for a moment. But it did not last long.

"Ha..."

Kellan let out a hollow laugh. That laugh soon turned into a sneer. The madman in front of him had just said he would kill Great Chieftain Zakan, who had united three tribes, and Count Barkan, the traitor who had defected. After turning those words over in his head several times, Kellan instinctively twisted his mouth.

"You are saying you will kill Great Chieftain Zakan and Count Barkan."

"Yes."

"Were you even listening to me? Or are you insane? Those bastards are not alone. They have countless troops behind them."

The highlands of the Duchy of Tervan were different from ordinary plains or hills. Soldiers from other regions could not help fighting at a disadvantage there. The same went for mercenaries, including knights and mages.

"Now I see you are not just arrogant, but foolish."

Kellan clicked his tongue loudly enough for Kyle to hear. At first, he had tried to persuade Kyle's group in a measured tone, but by now, he no longer hid his displeasure. Glaring at Kyle, then at Jade and Elysia beside him, Kellan spoke in an irritated voice.

"You must think you have nothing to fear just because you have a Gold-rank Mercenary backing you, but keep this up and you may die in some roadside ditch without anyone ever knowing. This is advice from long experience, so take it to heart."

"..."

"And you are a Silver-rank Mercenary, are you not? Even three Gold-rank Mercenaries and a Magic Tower mage would not be enough, yet what? You want me to go with you? Are you trying to get me killed? How could you possibly manage with that pathetic force..."

Instead of answering, Kyle lightly flicked his left hand, the one with the ring on it.

A drawer at the corner of Kellan's desk opened by itself.

What?

At the sudden sight, Kellan's body went stiff.

A sheet of paper fluttered out of the drawer and landed in Kyle's hand. Kyle quickly scanned the short official notice written on the fine paper.

"An order from Duke Tervan..."

"..."

"A fine excuse. From the standpoint of someone who draws a salary from the state, there is no reason to shoulder a dangerous burden by risking your life. Loyalty and patriotism will not make an incoming blade glance off. Am I wrong?"

Kyle's white flames rose. The flames swallowed the paper in his hand completely, leaving not even a single speck of ash.

Incantationless flame magic. More than that, flames with a unique nature entirely different from ordinary fire.

The corners of Kellan's mouth, which had been lecturing Kyle moments before, trembled. He had realized Kyle was not some ordinary Silver-rank Mercenary.

He might have grown dull with age and a repetitive routine, but he was still a senior knight of the duchy. He could tell at once that Kyle's mana handling was anything but ordinary.

"...I understand that you are highly skilled."

So it had not been the Gold-rank Mercenary beside him who had slaughtered the Krakes Tribe's cavalry unit almost to the last man? Kellan thought that to himself, then added,

"But that does not change how reckless this is. Even if you are stronger than most Gold-rank Mercenaries, and even if the mage traveling with you is from a famous Magic Tower, your chances remain slim."

"So you cannot send us on from here, and you will not come with us?"

"What exactly do you expect me to do? Would anything change if I joined you?"

"We disguise ourselves as a trading convoy and strike them where they do not expect it."

"What?"

The reaction came from Jade. He turned to Kyle with startled eyes. Elysia was not much different. Kellan looked between the two of them, then fixed his gaze on Kyle.

"Are you saying... you will launch a surprise attack?"

"There is no reason we cannot. Nothing is more foolish than arguing about legitimacy in a matter that decides a nation's fate."

Unlike mercenaries or travelers, trading convoys of some scale were usually spared. The goods they carried and the money on hand would be stripped clean, but nothing was more important than life. Kyle intended to exploit that point.

"But to disguise ourselves as a trading convoy..."

"Even in a situation like this, there are always one or two greedy fools. If logistics are blocked, that also means the profit will be great if they succeed in crossing the duchy."

There would surely be attempts to cross the duchy despite the risk. Even if there were only a few.

"You mean to use a trading convoy trying to pass the checkpoint as cover?"

"If their interests match ours, it should be possible."

It was not a bad deal for Kyle. There were other checkpoints and fortresses besides this one anyway. They could not argue over passage permits every time they passed one. So it was better to move with the duchy's regular army. If they had achievements to show, they could persuade the commanders of other outposts or fortresses as well. The more soldiers joined them, the more attention would be scattered, reducing the risk as a bonus.

The same was true for Kellan and the trading convoy trying to pass through this place.

It was a very attractive offer for them too. Kellan and the duchy's regular army could kill the barbarians' Great Chieftain and the traitorous count who had been causing them trouble. The trading convoy would have a higher chance of safely crossing the highlands. If everyone's interests aligned, the operation was entirely possible.

"Even so, I have a duty to defend this checkpoint..."

"Not all of you need to come. It is enough to leave some behind and move out. The cavalry unit roaming the auxiliary trade route has already been nearly wiped out. It will take time before they send a new unit. And since you were holed up in the outpost anyway, they would not have attacked, would they?"

Kellan did not deny it. Kyle drove the point home.

"What will you do? Will you accept my proposal?"

He could not answer right away. After moving his dry lips for a while, Kellan barely opened his mouth.

"I..."

***

After leaving Kellan's office, Kyle's group was guided to a large tent in the outpost. By the time they ate dinner and organized their luggage, the sun had already set.

"Haa... Today feels strangely long."

"Still, it is fortunate that they gave us a room. I thought we would have to sleep on the bare ground."

Jade and Elysia each spoke. The tent given to them for the night was unlike an ordinary military tent. It had sturdy wooden posts and thick cloth. They had also taken care of the carriage and horses Kyle's group had ridden in on. For a checkpoint made of wooden palisades rather than a large fortress, this was enough to call them honored guests.

"But are you really going to kill that Great Chieftain and count?"

"Yes. If they block our path."

Kyle answered Jade without much concern and spread a large map over the tent floor, which was covered with a warm carpet. It was not the map of Velia he had been using, but a new map from Kellan that showed the whole Duchy of Tervan in detail.

"I said it briefly in the office earlier, but we will change the route slightly."

Kyle tapped the checkpoint where they were currently staying with his finger, then slowly moved his hand along the winding trade route. Jade and Elysia's gazes naturally followed Kyle's right hand.

"From the auxiliary trade route to the main trade route."

"Is that because there is no longer a reason to avoid it? Or to meet that Great Chieftain and count?"

Elysia asked. Kyle glanced at her, then looked back down at the map and answered.

"Both. The first objective is to inflict as much damage on them as possible through a surprise attack disguised as a trading convoy. Then we use that achievement to receive reinforcements from other fortresses."

Messenger hawks were rare. That was not so different for the barbarian tribes. Even if they wiped out one unit, it would take some time before word reached that Great Chieftain and count.

So while disguised as a trading convoy, they would reduce the number of barbarians attacking the trade routes as much as possible. After that, they would use those achievements as a pretext to stop at fortresses along the main trade route and secure support. By the time they had almost crossed the duchy's highlands like that, either Great Chieftain Zakan or Count Barkan would have no choice but to show themselves before Kyle's group.

If they got that far, the operation would be half successful.

"I am asking just in case... You are not planning to fight a full battle, right?"

Jade, who was also staring at the map, asked with a low groan. Even if they received reinforcements, and even if the three thousand barbarians were scattered across the highlands, it was obvious this side would be outnumbered if one only looked at raw numbers.

"There is no need. We will only remove their center. Once their command structure collapses, they will fall apart on their own. Especially barbarians who worship strength."

There was no need to fight a bloody full battle. If needed, a duel would be cleaner. Or they could attempt an assassination in secret. Kyle's mastery of Illusion Magic had improved considerably as well, so he was not especially worried on that front.

"What do you plan to do after Zakan, the Great Chieftain, and Count Barkan die?"

Elysia looked at Kyle's face. Kyle spoke as if it were nothing.

"We leave right away."

"What about cleaning up afterward?"

"That is none of our concern. If we go that far, they can handle the rest themselves."

It was impossible to completely wipe out the barbarian tribes. The scale of this incident was bigger than usual, but the duchy had always been a country where rebellions and barbarian raids were common. If the Great Chieftain and the rebel count died and the duchy quieted down for a while, that was enough. They should not be so incompetent that they could not even handle that much cleanup.

"Huh... Is that not too irresponsible?"

Jade objected. Kyle stared straight at Jade without changing his expression.

"Then you stay behind alone."

"No, now that I think about it, doing that much does seem enough. We did not even receive extra payment, so we have no obligation to go that far, right?"

Jade joked lightly. Kyle let out a small sigh.

"I cannot speak for you, Jade, but Ellie and I do not have much time. To be honest, it is also true that I do not care what happens to the duchy."

That was the truth. Kyle had declared that he would kill Great Chieftain Zakan and Count Barkan because an official notice had come down from the capital telling every checkpoint and outpost to block passage. If not for that, he would have paid money and passed along the auxiliary trade route as quietly as possible. There was a high chance he would still have had to kill barbarians and fight that so-called Great Chieftain, though.

"Rest as much as you can for now. Save your strength."

After looking at the two of them, Kyle turned his head toward the back. Through the slightly open tent flap, a cold wind blew in from the dark outside.

"We have to wait until a trading convoy arrives. I hope the foolish bastards blinded by money get here as soon as possible."

***

The sun had risen high into the sky.

A procession was moving along the auxiliary trade route in the highlands of the Duchy of Tervan.

Eight cargo wagons and more than ten escort mercenaries. Including the trade company members, nearly thirty people were steadily advancing through the highlands. Silas Weaver, head of the Silas Trade Company and the man in charge of this trading convoy, was the only one riding in a carriage rather than a cargo wagon as he stared blankly out the window. Watching the highland scenery pass by, he muttered inwardly.

This trading convoy must succeed.

The Silas Trade Company was small, smaller than most other trade companies. To make matters worse, it was also deep in debt.

That was why he had decided on this trip. If logistics had been blocked by the barbarians, it meant success would bring enormous profit. If he carried Brendel's goods to Sarmaren, then carried Sarmaren's goods back to Brendel, he could earn a large margin. Then he could pay off all his debts and secure some spare funds as well.

Sometimes, one had to wager one's life and make a big bet.

Yes. This was not a foolish gamble, but a bold move.

Just as he held his trembling chest and let out a sigh, he heard a knock on the carriage window. Tap, tap. Silas turned his gaze and slid the window aside. Outside was a mercenary on horseback, looking in.

"Why the long face, employer sir? Got some hidden worry?"

The mercenary asked. Silas met his eyes and shook his head.

"I was not especially worried. More than that, what is the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter. I was just wondering what you were doing."

Silas looked around. Outside, the peaceful scenery continued at an easy pace, and nothing in particular was happening.

"Do not worry too much. Those barbarians or whatever they are, I will kill them all for you."

With that, the mercenary rode toward the front. Watching the mercenary's back move farther away, Silas soothed his slightly trembling heart.

There should be no problem.

That mercenary just now was a Silver-rank Mercenary. The others he had hired were all veterans of at least Bronze Rank too. On top of that, the procession was taking the auxiliary trade route, avoiding the main trade route. The road was a little rough, but it was a safer route.

"By the way, there have been no attacks. Were all the rumors about the barbarians false?"

"Who knows. It does seem more peaceful than expected, but that is good for us."

"Maybe because this is the auxiliary trade route. Let us pray we get through safely."

Whispers came from here and there. Silas closed the window he had opened.

A day passed. Even then, there was no attack.

The mercenaries and trade company members had been tense at first, but by then, they began to relax one by one. That was when the first checkpoint on the auxiliary trade route came into view.

"Everyone, stop!"

"Stop! Halt the wagons!"

The procession stopped all at once right in front of the checkpoint. Silas came out of the carriage. In front of him were the duchy's rangers in charge of inspection.

"State your identity."

"I am Silas Weaver, head of the Silas Trade Company. Here is my identification from the Brendel Merchants' Guild."

The ranger's indifferent gaze swept Silas up and down. Their faces remained unreadable as they checked his identification. Silas swallowed quietly, then took something else from inside his clothes and handed it over.

"And this is a token of my appreciation to the rangers who work hard day and night for us. Haha..."

Three large silver coins, prepared separately from the toll. It was more than the usual bribe slipped under the table. Yet the rangers, who should have been quietly smiling by now, showed no real reaction. Watching their mood carefully, Silas asked.

"Um... is there some problem?"

The rangers looked at each other. Their expressions changed strangely as they glanced between Silas's identification and the bribe he had given them.

From behind them, the sound of one person's heavy footsteps drew closer. The rangers' gazes shifted toward the source of the sound for an instant.

Silas looked over their shoulders. From inside the outpost, under the eyes of everyone including the people in the procession, a man in a black cloak was walking out.

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