WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

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◈ Sword Master of the Fallen Kingdom

Chapter 86

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Prey and Hunter (9)

Ten wagons. Disguised as a Silas Trade Company convoy, the procession passed through the checkpoint without trouble and headed east.

Kyle let the occasional rattle of the wagon carry him along. His black eyes stared idly at the scenery beyond the tent flap. The autumn sky overhead was clear. Thin white clouds drifted lazily across a blue canvas.

Ever since they had left the checkpoint early that morning, the same scenery had continued. Snow-capped peaks rose here and there, with gentle ridgelines rolling like waves. Beneath scattered stands of sharp conifers, fields of green slowly turning yellow filled every direction. The road rose into slopes at times, then leveled out again.

"The view is nice."

"I'm just glad we got through. I thought for sure we'd be stuck there."

"Is that really a good thing? I'm not so sure. It means things are that dangerous."

"Didn't we join this convoy knowing that? The duchy's regular army is with us too, so it should be fine."

Chatter rose from here and there. It came from the Silas Trade Company members and mercenaries who had somehow found themselves part of the operation in exchange for passage through the duchy.

To play the part of an ordinary trading convoy, they behaved just as they normally would. Since leaving Nibelmund, they had not encountered the barbarians they had braced themselves for even once, so they had relaxed without meaning to. Kyle had nearly wiped out the cavalry unit at the entrance to the auxiliary trade route, which meant they had yet to fight a single proper battle.

The rangers from the checkpoint were riding inside wagons that had more than half their cargo removed. They were hiding to make their numbers appear as small as possible. Their disguises served the same purpose.

Everyone, including senior knight Kellan Fell, had disguised themselves as ordinary mercenaries. Thanks to that, even though more than fifty regular soldiers had joined the procession, it looked like a normal trading convoy from the outside. Real mercenaries and rangers disguised as mercenaries moved in and out of the wagons as if taking turns resting. The Silver-rank mercenary who had originally been in charge of guarding Silas's convoy and Kellan Fell, the checkpoint commander, rode on horseback and regularly checked the surroundings for any trouble.

"A good view is nice once or twice. After staring at it all day, I'm getting sick of it."

At the rear of the procession, Jade grumbled as he lazily drove the wagon.

"So, are you all comfortable back there?"

Jade, who had somehow ended up as the driver again today, looked back. Kyle and Elysia were inside. Their seating arrangement was a little different, though. The two of them were not sitting across from each other, but right beside each other.

"Not bad."

Kyle looked at Jade as he spoke.

"Yeah, of course it's not bad. You're just sitting there without lifting a finger, Kyle."

"Are you tired?"

Elysia looked toward the driver's seat and asked. Jade sighed.

"No, I'm not tired. I'm just annoyed because I'm bored. I'm sitting here like an idiot holding the reins. Are you fine, miss?"

"I am fine. If need be, I can simply meditate. In fact, I rather like it. Things have not been this peaceful lately."

"Ha... yeah, I bet. You're a mage, miss. Different from swordsmen like me."

Jade scratched roughly at the back of his head. Seeing that, Kyle took a handful of dried fruit from his coat and held it toward the driver's seat.

"Fine, so quiet down a little. My ears are ringing."

"Yes, yes."

Grumbling, Jade accepted the dried fruit Kyle handed him and put the pieces into his mouth one by one. The two rangers sitting across from Kyle and Elysia watched with curious eyes.

"You are much more relaxed than I expected."

"Nothing changes if I get tense. Is it different for you?"

A youthful-looking boy who did not even seem twenty yet, and the veteran ranger who had stopped the Silas Trade Company at the checkpoint yesterday. The two nodded slightly. At the moment, Kyle's group was giving other rangers a ride in their wagon like this. Even with more than half the cargo removed from the merchant wagons, the interiors were still cramped. The wagon Kyle was riding in, on the other hand, had plenty of room even with two extra people.

"The barbarians are practically sworn enemies of us rangers. Especially that cavalry unit and the barbarian captain who leads them. They were our enemies, and they were feared. More than a few rangers have died by their hands."

The veteran ranger smiled bitterly. Perhaps because he had seen close comrades die, he looked oddly detached.

"By the way, you are amazing. Did the three of you really wipe out that cavalry unit?"

The boy beside him asked in a slightly excited tone. Was his name Pico? The young, boyish-faced ranger had been chosen for this operation because he was so fast on his feet, and he seemed deeply interested in the three people who had half-destroyed the cavalry unit. More accurately, he was interested in Kyle. His sparkling eyes were almost uncomfortable to meet.

"We didn't wipe them out completely."

"Some survived and ran away?"

"Yes."

"Even so, that is incredible. Those bastards are dangerous in an ambush, of course, but they run away unbelievably fast too..."

Pico muttered in admiration.

"That was true."

"Right? If you try to take them hostage, they kill themselves among their own people. Their arrows are coated with poison too."

Pico shook his head hard, as if disgusted. Kyle gave the young ranger suitable responses and carried on a short conversation.

Beside him, Elysia had pulled her hood low and closed her eyes, sinking into meditation.

"May I ask how far you are going?"

The veteran ranger, who had been listening quietly, spoke up.

"Sarmaren for now. More precisely, the port city of Cadis."

"Cadis of Sarmaren... the place where goods from other continents and supplies from the Federation meet."

"Have you been there?"

"No. Still, I have heard quite a lot. Half the people passing through the duchy might as well be from Sarmaren."

"Then you have never seen the sea either."

"No. I would like to see it someday. Though that would only be possible if I can leave the duchy..."

The veteran ranger trailed off. Kyle turned his gaze past the driver's seat.

He saw the merchant procession descending a gentle hill. At least, that was how it appeared from the outside. A little over a hundred troops had guarded the checkpoint. Of those, the fifty elites personally chosen by Kellan and disguised as mercenaries had only a few of their number outside, while the rest were inside the wagons.

Going by scale alone, they could fight most barbarian units.

And with me here too, there should not be any serious problem.

"You do not need to worry. Nothing too serious will happen."

"Do you think so?"

"At the very least, you won't die. Not for a while, at least."

"I truly hope that is the case..."

After Pico and the veteran ranger spoke, the inside of the wagon fell quiet.

Kyle looked beyond the driver's seat once more.

Outside, the peaceful scenery continued. The wagon kept moving down the road without stopping. As Kyle calculated their current position and the remaining distance to Sarmaren in his head, he closed his eyes in the cool breeze. The ring on his left hand shone faintly under the noon sunlight.

***

The procession crossed the highlands smoothly. One day, then more than two days had passed since they left the checkpoint, yet nothing worth mentioning happened.

The calm at the heart of the storm.

Kyle thought it would be easier on his mind if the barbarians appeared instead. Three days passed, then four, but no real change occurred. The same scenery continued, and Pico and the veteran ranger, who were in charge of scouting the rear, occasionally entered the wagon to rest and chat with Kyle's group.

Then, on the fifth day after leaving the checkpoint.

"Ha..."

Jade let out a deep sigh with hollow eyes, as if the ground might sink beneath him. After spending days driving the wagon through the same scenery, he looked bored out of his mind.

"Hey, Kyle."

"What?"

"Didn't we make too much of a fuss about this? What if all this stuff about barbarians and rebellion is a lie?"

"Stop saying pointless things and drive the wagon."

Kyle spoke while looking at the map of the Duchy of Tervan he had received from Kellan. Jade clicked his tongue at Kyle, who did not even glance at him, then faced forward again.

"It certainly is strange. Could they have noticed from the other side?"

Elysia, who had been riding quietly, also looked at Kyle as if she found it odd by then. Instead of answering, Kyle asked Pico and the veteran ranger across from him a question.

"Are there usually no barbarians around here?"

"Around here? No. I do not think that is the case. This area is not under our jurisdiction, so I do not know the details..."

"I see."

Kyle had not expected much, so he checked the map again.

That was when the sound of horse hooves drew close to the rear wagon. Pico and the veteran ranger's eyes widened when they saw the approaching figure.

"Sir Kellan?"

"You seem to be doing well."

Kellan exchanged a glance with Jade in greeting, then peered into the wagon from atop his horse. Pico, the veteran ranger, Elysia, and Kyle. Kyle, who met his gaze last, rolled up the map he had been looking at and put it into his Inventory Pouch. Before long, Kellan was moving beside the wagon at a similar speed, glancing at Kyle.

"Did something happen?"

Kyle asked. Kellan shook his head from atop his horse.

"Nothing. Unfortunately."

"Did they notice in advance and run away? Or..."

"They have not shown so much as a hair. The same goes after we sent scouts around us several times. If they noticed and retreated, they should have left some trace."

"Could it be a simple coincidence?"

"Who knows. I thought we would be attacked yesterday or the day before..."

Kellan furrowed his brow. There was no sign that he was lying. Kyle's sharp senses did not catch anything notable nearby either, so it was probably true.

"We will likely arrive at our first destination around the day after tomorrow."

"The fortress on the main trade route?"

The procession disguised as a trading convoy was currently moving from the auxiliary trade route toward the wider main trade route.

"Correct. It is managed by Baron Daren. For now, I intend to head there as planned."

"I see..."

"Do you perhaps have another plan?"

"No. Keep moving like this. It may simply be that the timing was poor and we did not run into them."

"Understood. I will go ahead."

After giving a brief nod, Kellan guided his horse back toward the front. Jade watched his back grow distant and clicked his tongue.

"At this point, I hope nothing happens at all. If they suddenly jump out now, I think I'll get angry."

"Haha..."

Pico and the veteran ranger, who had been listening from behind, gave bitter smiles.

Just then, the wagon at the front of the procession stopped abruptly. The wagons following behind quickly halted after the stopped lead wagon. From the inertia, Jade and the rest of Kyle's group were thrown forward for a moment.

"Stop!"

"What is going on?"

"Why did we stop all of a sudden?"

The sudden change stirred up commotion everywhere. It did not last long.

Everyone in the procession looked up at the hill ahead as if they had all agreed to do so. People were appearing there one by one. Some were on horseback, while others stood on foot with bows or spears in hand. Their clothing varied wildly. Even so, everyone could tell right away who they were.

"Regular army?"

"Are they Count Barkan's troops, the ones who supposedly changed sides?"

At Jade's question, Kyle muttered quietly. By then, the procession had come to a complete stop.

Kyle scattered the ring's mana across a wide area. Beyond the hill, well over a hundred troops were hiding. Half were barbarians, and half were soldiers under Count Barkan, originally regular troops of the Duchy of Tervan. In the suffocating silence, Kyle, Jade, Elysia, Pico, and the veteran ranger exchanged glances without speaking. The rangers in the other wagons hid their presence and waited silently for orders.

Saaaaa...

Wind blew from above the hill. The yellow-tinged fields rippled softly with a sound like waves.

A man on horseback was coming down alone. He looked like a typical knight, wearing a well-polished silver steel breastplate and carrying a gleaming sword at his waist. After approaching the wagon stopped at the front, the knight lightly jumped down from his horse. A moment later, the middle wagon opened, and Silas, the apparent owner of the convoy, hurried out.

"Are you perhaps a convoy passing through this area?"

Silas stood beside the stiffened Silver-rank mercenary. The knight looked between the two men and spoke first.

"Y-Yes! Excuse me, but who are you...?"

"Ah, us?"

The knight grinned and looked behind him. More than a hundred troops were waiting there, ready to attack at any moment.

"We are the regular army of the Duchy of Tervan. We were patrolling this area."

"The regular army? Then why are you with the barbarians..."

"Barbarians? Haha, my good man! Do you truly ask because you do not know?"

The knight laughed loudly. His laughter rang across the field, where only the sound of wind had filled the air.

"The rumors have been ugly lately, you see. There have not been many passing convoys."

"..."

"But to think there are people brave enough to cross the duchy in times like these. What a proud thing that is. Thanks to people like you, we can make a living. I am truly grateful."

Snickering laughter came from atop the hill. Silas's face turned blue. The Silver-rank mercenary beside him was no different.

"Damn it... I didn't think we'd really run into them. I did think it was boring, though."

At the very back, Jade watched the situation and muttered quietly. Pico and the veteran ranger were nocking arrows to the bows they had placed beside them, tension in their eyes.

"One hundred... The commanders are one knight from the count's side and one captain from the barbarian side."

"..."

"Jade. Protect this wagon. The rest of you, wait until Kellan gives the signal."

"Huh? What are you going to do alone?"

Kyle did not answer. Leaving the four people's gazes behind him, he slipped out through the back of the wagon and quickly moved toward the front of the procession.

"Th-That is, um..."

"We will conduct a brief inspection. Do not worry too much. We will not kill you."

The knight smiled broadly and glanced behind him.

At that moment, the regular troops and barbarians who were about to come down stopped halfway down the hill. Sensing something strange, the knight lifted his head and looked over Silas's shoulder.

There stood a man in a black cloak, approaching them.

"Are you a knight of Count Barkan?"

Kyle, who had reached Silas's vicinity, faced the knight and asked. Everyone's eyes gathered on Kyle and the knight.

"Yes. I am a knight of Count Barkan."

The knight frowned in displeasure.

"Who are you? A mercenary hired by this convoy?"

Kyle stayed silent. His black eyes turned toward Kellan behind him. Kellan, disguised as a mercenary, only shifted his gaze slightly and sent a signal to the rangers hiding inside the wagons. The moment Kyle's eyes met Kellan's, he faced forward again and spoke.

"No."

"What?"

The knight asked back.

Kyle's right hand blurred.

Slaaash!

A flashing Sword Light. The star iron blade, drawn like a ray of light, swept across the knight's neck. The hand that had instinctively moved to his waist never drew his sword. His eyes, wide with shock, flew through the air amid a fountain of blood.

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