Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.15)

Sanson didn't draw his sword. He said to the soldiers:

"You insulted my lord, so I have to duel with you. Do you want to come one by one, or once together?"

The soldiers looked at each other. Anyway, if they so many people are going to fight against a person, it would hurt their dignity. One of them, that soldier who got his halberd broken by me, took over another soldier's halberd, then took a step forward. This man seems to be their leader. He looked at me standing on the stairs above, said:

"Hey, do you want to come down?"

"Why should I go down? Ah, are you begging me to fight with you?"

Thay guy grunted, and then suddenly stabbed with his halberd towards Sanson who hasn't drawn his sword. But Sanson has been monitoring his footsteps, so before he could move his arms, Sanson had already read his intentions. Sanson gently stepped back, and then kicked the ground with the same foot, then charged towards the soldier who lost his balance. Sanson sent a heavy punch. Bang!

"Ah!"

That guy was hit right in his face, he looks like that he is going to faint, and began to retreat. Sanson said:

"Did you really close your eyes? This guy's foundation is too bad."

Sanson then drew out his sword. That is the sword our thane spent almost all his money to purchase, in order to deal with Lycanthropes, it's coated with a layer of silver, so it's a very beautiful sword. The soldier also waved his halberd nervously, Sanson held his sword horizontally, and then parried the halberd. The halberd hit the sword, emitting scrubbing noise, and then bounced away. It takes time to lift the heavy Halberd again, Sanson took a step forward and gently stabbed. The soldier's hand immediately stopped moving. Sanson pointed his sword at the guy's throat. Simply, the duel ended.

"Ah, ah -"

That guy emerged bloodshot in his eyes, watching the sword pointing at his throat. Sanson shaked his sword around a few times and said:

"I will not kill you if you apologize. But if you want to die, you should know what to do."

"Damn you!"

Another soldier waved his halberd suddenly, and Sanson took a step back swiftly. Then, the soldier who lost raised his halberd again.

"You son of a bitch! Do you know who we are!"

All the rest of the soldiers swarmed over. I have never seen such despicable persons. I raised my bastard sword and the then jumped forward. Because I was standing on the stairs, so I can jump quite high. I pulled out my sword in the air, and then held the blade and scabbard with my hands.

"Ah ah!"

Using the power of jumping off, I destroyed two halberds with this strike. I cut one with my sword, and broke another one with the scabbard. Then, after I was standing on the ground again, I immediately performed 'Unaware Slash', because both of my hands are raised, so it's easy to follow the center force, I again destroyed two other halberds. Although they don't act like human, I wouldn't have a single thought of stabbing their bodies with my sword. This is not for these guys, but for myself. So I swing my scabbard.

"Uh ah!"

The soldier who got hit in the cheek by me, even had his teeth popped out, and he fell to the ground. I put my sword back into the scabbard, and then started waving. I hit two other soldier's arms, they are scared and retreated. I hit their arms like chopping with an ax, they should be very painful  right? Are their arms broken? They should be able to live in this lesson in a month.

Sanson looked at me and seemed to understand my intention. Similarly, he withdrew his sword back into the scabbard, and then waved it. Before that, I hadn't felt that Sanson even tried, but once the sword was back into the scabbard, Sanson's moves became very cruel. Because there is no further consideration, he started hitting neck or chest or other important parts. So even it's a scabbard, among the soldiers who got hit, no one didn't faint after screaming. Sanson thinks those fallen soldiers are clumsy, so he kicks them away, or simply steps on them, and then continues to attack the others.

So the two of us are crazily beating them with our scabbards. After a while, on the road in front of the hostel, there is no healthy soldier left. The eight soldiers are all lying on the ground together and groaning.

I kicked the guy who tried to ambush Sanson and said:

"You bastard, I'm an ogre killer. How dare you!"

Come on, I've dueled with Ogre, Gargoyle and Gorgon, those monsters illusion, and even fought with real Orcs, Urcs and Trolls. Although my foundation is poor, in fact these soldiers are in similar level as me. But compared to them, I have those horrible experience. So probably because of those experiences, I am able to  defeat them so easily. I aggressively scared them, Sanson stopped me.

"Stop, Huchi. If they are as capable as us, then it doesn't matter. But their foundation is really poor, I start to feel sorry doing this."

※ ※ ※

Cherine standing on the stairs is looking at us blankly. Soon Jusina called some servants to help the soldiers. But Jusina seems to don't know what to do, Sanson as well. Sanson frowned at the achievement me and hims have just done, he said:

"If we leave, it creates no problem to us. But Cherine and Jusina have to do business here, things must end satisfactorily. Let's move them to the lobby."

Jusina gratefully looked at Sanson. The following servants helped to move the soldiers into the hall.

Once we entered the hall, Sanson asked the guy who looks like the leader to sit down, together with Karl and Cherine at the same table, while the other soldiers are taken to other few tables, sat by me and Iruril. Jusina brought mugs of beer to us and the soldiers. She seems to want to treat this as a simple matter like a fight between energetic teenagers in a village, and now it should end with a smile. In fact, no one suffered from serious fatal injuries, so Jusina's action received very good results. What a calm girl, she can catch the essentials! Soldiers don't seem very happy, but they didn't refuse the beer.

Karl and Sanson are talking with the leader(his name seems to be Hanster?). Hanster although looks miserable, I can still feel his anger. Sanson also looks angry but  is suppressing himself. Karl and Cherine are trying to coordinate between the two of them.

I took the beer mug and stand against the wall, monitoring the soldiers sitting there and drinking the beer. Iruril is standing beside me, against the same wall. The soldiers have been staring at me, whether they are enemies or not, I really don't want that kind of expressions while enjoying beer.

"As long as you keep your hands on the table, plus, do not stand up, I will not interfere you." The soldiers heard me and smiled a little. Some soldiers are touching their abdomen, some stroking their cheeks, and sipping beer.

One of them said to me:

"Hey, lad."

"Why, please call me Huchi."

"So your name is Huchi? What a funny name, I am called Kelly. Why do you have such a big strength? Also, you mentioned that you are an ogre killer? You mean you've killed an ogre?"

"I have fought against ogres, gargoyles , gorgons, hobgoblins, minotaurs, also nine Urcs at once, and trolls this morning. Trolls are the most annoying, they just keep regenerating. "

The soldiers are all surprised. Kelly said:

"Kid ....Are you bragging?"

"You should have seen the trolls we killed. The others are also true. Why would I lie to you?"

Kelly didn't reply. I stated a long list of monsters, looks like they haven't even seen them. I am surprised to say:

"Aren't you mercenaries? You got to be useful so that you were selected, right? Why are you so surprised?"

Kelly unhappily smiled, and then replied:

"Lad, if it's not redneck like you, no one dares to touch us. We have never thought that someone would really mess with us, so we just relaxed our guard."

"Really? Sanson and I had sufficiently warned you, and you were still relaxed?"

"...... Although I don't know whether you can keep this arrogant attitude, if our troops are all deployed, you'll be finished in a minute. So stay happy when you still can."

I am not very happy about those words. But this time Iruril spoke first.

"Then I would like to ask a question, why weren't you deployed when the trolls were breaking out?"

"We were sleeping! It's early in the morning!"

The soldier replied unhappily. But I am very angry. That was already long after dawn. I recalled our hometown guards, who wake up for training before the sun rises in order to protect us. I said:

"What? Don't you have sentry? And before we started stopping the trolls, they had already come out for a while. And then we fought for a long while. In such a long period, you should have had some men here! "

Kelly hesitated to answer:

"Where we live is far away from the market place."

Heard these words, Jusina laughed. The soldiers looked at Jusina ferociously, but Jusina came closer to me without looking at them and said to me.

"Silikan's mansion is just next to the market. Oh! It's so far away! About one minute away."

I'm really speechless. I finished my beer.

"Well, thank you, Miss Jusina, please give me one more."

Jusina smiled and picked up the mug. However, Iruril said:

"Please don't drink anymore. You have been drinking since you sat down, totally six pints."

I didn't have time to reply before Jusina's words, she said:

"Ah, he can drink whenever he wants to. That's none of your business right?"

Huh? Wow, really powerful businessman spirit. Do you want to make money so much?

"No, it does not matter, Jusina. I shouldn't drink anymore indeed. And well, do you have to be so blatant of your business mind?"

Jusina looked shocked and looked at me. Why are you so surprised? Then Jusina suddenly changed her face and shouted at me:

"You Retard! Do you think that I want money from you?"

Jusina ran away. I am tongue-tied. Huh? When your mind is exposed you should escape quietly, why the hell she shouted retarded at me so loud? Really sinister girl. The soldiers are tittering. What are you laughing at?

I leaned against the wall, and then pulled out my sword and checked the blade carefully. This sword has slayed trolls, crashing with halberds. After the few battles, I want to see if there are damaged areas. Fortunately, the blade is still intact. Ah, thinking carefully, this sword hadn't crashed with metal before. However, when the soldiers saw me looking at the sword, all of them became tensed. So I put my sword back into the scabbard. Kelly again said to me with an unhappy voice:

"You lad, you may be able to gloat around with your strange strength, but if you meet magic, can you still be so easy?"

"Do you know magic?"

"Ha! Mr Baron employed Aphnaidel the Archmage! Aphnaidel will be dealing with you people, and maybe he will suck your soul out before killing you. If we let Aphnaidel know what you've done on us, he will! "

"Ah, an Archmage...... Not a good news."

Really bothering. I think of Tyburn, he can make the trolls flying to heaven, summon Balrog to kill Taurens, and also make a lot of horrible monster illusions. But now this is not even an ordinary wizard, but an Archmage!

Sanson shouted to me:

"Oi, Huchi! Let's go."

"Where are we going?"

"We should go to visit the Baron. Talking to his men is not enough."

"Ah? We are walking into the enemy's camp?"

Sanson heard what I said, and immediately smiled.

"Come on man. Of course we have go to make this clear. We helped to handle the trolls, but he sent the soldiers to seek compensation, sure, we don't feel good. Although we won't ask for rewards, we should make our reasons clear, and we should send these soldiers back nicely, so that they won't say anything. "

"Wait a minute, wait a minute! I just heard that there is a wizard! No, a nArchmage!"

Sanson although looked lost, he turned calm shortly.

"So?"

He asked me, I have nothing to say.

"Then let's go. The Archmage is waiting for us!"

Cherine nervously held Sanson's shoulder, said.

"Are you really going there? Do you think if you go there, he would apologize and repent their faults? Don't you think you are silly doing that? Just leave this town. You don't have to do it for us... And the Archmage, Aphnaidel is a very cruel man. It's because of this Aphnaidel, the Baron gained such a power in this city."

"We certainly know it could be dangerous, but if we go with his soldiers, try to talk with him, he shouldn't be severe on us."

Cherine shook his head.

"Is it that simple?"


　※　　　　　※　　　　　※

Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.14)

I really don't know how did I arrive the hostel. Anyway, after I arrived, Jusina's brother, that beardy , walked to the entrance. He saw my appearance and widened his eyes.

"Jusina told me... Sir, please wait a minute."

"Ah?"

That beardy lifted me up. What's going on?

"Well, just a little sprain! I would feel embarrassed if you do this!"

That beardy just moved me upstairs like this, Karl, Sanson, and Iruril also followed. After we entered the hostel, he brought me into a room next to the dining hall. It should be his room.

He put me on a table and checked my feet. He pressed my legs, and then asked:

"Does it hurt?"

"Well, why don't you look at my face?"

"Ha, it's swollen. The bones are not broken.... Probably cracked."

Iruril then went out. After a while, Iruril came back with something on her hand. I feel like I have seen that thing before? Ah, it looks the bottle of medicine that was given to the Urcs.

"Drink it, Huchi."

"Does it work for broken legs?"

"Well, haven't you seen that this even heals huge wounds?"

I nodded, then took the bottle and took a sip. The beardy is startled, looking at Iruril. But soon, the pain on my legs subsided completely. I jumped down from the table happily.

"Oops, I made the table dirty."

"Ah that, that doesn't matter, I'll clean it up. But how is your leg?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore. But I'd need to take a bath. I am really making a mess in this hostel."

"Jusina is preparing the bath water. Please come with me."

Oh, so she ran back to prepare for these! Very nice. I should really thank her. Strange. Impressive.

※ ※ ※

After a while, I cleaned my body and changed clothes, and then neatly sitting in the hall. Everyone else also gathered together. Each of us ordered a beer. Later that beardy also sat down at our table. His name is Cherine. I was shocked when he mentioned he is the owner of this hostel.

Beardy Cherine nodded and said:

"It was my father's, but he died last year, then I took it over and operate this hostel. Mother is living in another place in the urban area, she is not interested in business. When father was here, I was the chef, Jusina is responsible for accounting and cashier, so I usually just cook. "

"Jusina seems very capable."

Then Karl asked a question:

"But why could there be a sudden appearance of trolls?"

Cherine seriously thought.

"I am not sure as I didn't see it. They might escape from the arena. I have sent someone to ask for it."

"Arena?"

"Yes, there is an arena in this city. I've heard that there are a few trolls, so it could be them."

What is Arena? That halfing name Butter Duhon also mentioned that yesterday, but I am still looking at Sanson confusedly, Sanson also has no idea. So I asked Cherine.

"Arena, what is arena?"

"It's a place for fighting. Sometimes it could be soldiers against soldiers, and sometimes it could be soldiers against monsters."

"For what?"

Cherine looked at me with a surprised face and said.

"Of course it's for show. Also for gambling. You can bet on the result."

"What?"

We are all startled. For show? I fought against the phantom monsters summoned by Tyburn, the villagers were watching, like that right? However, those were phantoms, like acting. But those trolls just now were real.

"They fight against real monsters? They could die then?"

"Yes, they could die."

Sanson said unbelievably.

"What? People actually do crazy things like this. What kind of persons will fight there?"

"Some professional fighters.... They are usually poor.  And you can get a lot of money if you win."

"What is that, they risk their life just to make money?"

"Some people do."

Karl interrupted and said.

"But are there a lot of them? Although there should be a lot, that's why the arena can continue its business, I thought there shouldn't be many people who would give up their life to make money. And for a great warrior, regardless of how good he is, he won't define himself in this way."

Sanson made a proud expression. Karl said, like a seasoned warrior.

Cherine flashed an unhappy expression on his face. His beard obscured and we can't see clearly, but his eyes are clearly angry. Cherine said with an impatient voice.

"Have you ever heard of usury?"

Usury? That is a high interest rate loan, isn't that? But why did he suddenly mention that? Karl, however, frowned and said:

"So... The owner asks the warriors to fight in the arena, in order to cover their debts?"

"Exactly!"

"Huh! Does the Municipal Government allow this?"

"That man is very powerful. He bribed all the council staffs. Even the mayor, if he dares to do anything, he will be replaced. This is a public secret here. Even the guards of this city are like the private army of that man. He also has very powerful personal guards."

"Oh my god!"

Outrageous!

I probably know what happens here. So he would lend money to the people who need it urgently, and when they have no way to afford the extremely high interest rate, they would have to fight in the arena. He doesn't have to pay them even if they win, as they owe him the money. If they lose, of course he doesn't care. He can also make the money through the bets. Rationally I can generally understand, but I still feel incredible about that. Asking people to give up their life to pay for the debt? What is wrong with his head?


※ ※ ※

Noises suddenly came from the entrance, that's the sound of shoes stepping on the floor. Sanson tilted his head:

"What is that noise?"

Cherine looks worried, he seems to already know what the noise. After a while, eight fully armed soldiers walked into the lobby, all wearing a chain mail and holding a halberd. Nice equipment! Jusina behind tried to stop them.

"We have guests here, what are you doing?"

But those soldiers didn't even listen. Are they the guards of this city? However, Cherine said:

"They are the mercenaries I just mentioned."

What? Mercenaries are such fully armed? The Guard Captain of our thane, Sanson, looked down at his crusty armor unbelievably. Those guys looked around, and then came toward us.

"Cherine, here they are?"

Cherine gloomily nodded. Then the soldier said.

"Good. We are the soldiers of Baron Siliken. Did you guys kill the trolls?"

Baron Siliken? A nobility? Sanson nodded and said:

"What's wrong?"

"The price of a troll is 200 Purcell, so that's a total of 600 Purcell. Pay for the compensation."

I don't think I got it wrong, because Sanson is also surprised to look up at the soldiers. Karl and Iruril also did the same action. Sanson is puzzled and asked:

"Wait a minute. You asked us to pay for it?"

"Otherwise who is going to pay?"

"We helped to kill the trolls, but you didn't even say a single thank you, or give us some bonus, yet you want us to pay?"

"Scum! We use them to make money!"

The soldiers impatiently looked down, and kicked Sanson's calf bone. Sanson reluctantly kept silence, followed by fire sparks in his eyes. He angrily stood up. I stood up at the same time.

"What did you just do?"

"I told you scums to mind your behaviors."

"Scum? I am the soldier of the dignified Viscount Haltent, The Guard Captain of Fief Haltent, Sanson Percival. What did you just do to me?"

The soldiers heard the word 'dignified', issued contemptuous jeers.

"What is it so dignified about a Viscount? Which countryside village are you from? Do you know what kind of situation are you in right now?"

"Those guys from bandit villages are really troublesome. Their brains don't function properly. Pathetic. "

"He could be serving some kind of a Bandit leader deep in a mountain... Bah!"

Seems like the identity of Sanson is very funny, they are all laughing at it. This surprised Sanson that he even forgot his anger. The soldier kicked Sanson's leg again, completely treats Sanson as his own subordinates. Sanson made a groan, and bent over. The soldier is even trying to hit Sanson with the tail of his halberd.

He did not succeed. Because I grabbed the halberd. The soldier made a grim expression.

"Who is this kid?"

He tried to pull back his halberd, although I am just grabbing it with one hand, he couldn't get it back with both of his hands. Until I spin the halberd, he had to release his hands. Before he changed his face again, I held the halberd with both of my hands.

"Then how much is this?"

"What?"

I broke the halberd into two halves. The soldiers' faces are showing that they are shocked. I again held the two halves of the broken halberd in my hands, broke them into hour parts. I threw four broken parts back to the soldier, and said:

"And how much are you?"

The soldiers's surprise finally turned to fear. I said grimly:

"If I kill you all, how much do I have to pay?"

The soldier who had its halberd broken took a step back, the other soldiers are all retreating backwards. I am so angry, moved my hand to my shoulder, wanted to pull out my bastard sword. But I didn't equip my sword after shower.

Sanson drew his sword, said lowly:

"Let's go outside!"

Looks like Sanson considered about Cherine's position. The soldiers are hesitated to move backwards. They also seem to think fighting with halberd in a room is a disadvantage. They went back a few steps out and fled outside. Sanson breathlessly followed them. Karl stopped him.

"Well, Percival, what are you planning to do?"

"Our thane is insulted, insulted by the men of a Baron. We don't even know if he is a real Baron. Cherine? That Siliken, is he really a Baron?"

"How would men of a Baron behave like that?"

"I knew it, a fake Baron. We'll see!"

"But are you going to fight with so many people alone?"

"Death could occur anywhere anytime, but it's not easy to have the chance to choose when and where to die. So if I have the chance to choose, I am willing to die."

Sanson said these weird words and then walked out. I hurriedly ran to the second floor. There is no time to put the armor on, I just grabbed my sword and then rushed downstairs. Sanson and the eight men of that fake Baron are already standing outside the hostel, confronting with each other.

Chapter Two: The Difference Between a Kettle And a Brain (Pt.13)

※ ※ ※

After a commotion and Karl's explanation, I finally realized that the taste was not poison  but the original taste of that thing. Jusina's eyes became colder, and Sanson is laughing to a extent that he can't breathe. What a shame, shame! But why would people want to drink this thing?

Anyway, after the breakfast, we went outside. Sanson is going to buy a horse with Iruril. Karl and I are going to the market. But Iruril felt that we better go together. She also wants to buy something, so she suggested to come with us. I borrowed a wheelbarrow from Jusina, Jusina seems to think that I will break the wheelbarrow, took it out unwillingly.

"Going to the market?"

"Yup."

Jusina's face grew worse, she repressed her anger and said:

"Hum, how unfortunate that I'm going to market too? Follow me!"

"Oh, are you? Great! But are you going alone? This large hostel should need a lot of supply right?"

"Humph! Hick. You can simply make an order. Then they do the shipping."

"Oh? Really?"

Under the guidance of Jusina, we easily found the market. Jusina separated with us once we arrived.

We bought flour, dried meat, bacon, vegetables we can eat tonight, salt and some others. The price level here is really low. Those are cheap prices that can't be imagined in our village. Especially paper is incredibly cheap here. Karl dragged me to buy a lot of paper. Paper should be useful wherever!  At least it can be used to record something. I also bought pen and ink. I put them into the barrow and asked happily:

"Why are things so cheap here?"

Karl replied with a smile.

"You should have said things are so expensive in our village. Because merchants don't often enter our village. But Renus City is close to the Hudyne river waterway, it's also a gateway of the Central Avenue, so goods are rich here. Hence of course, the price level will be very low."

"If we eliminated Amurtaat, our village would become a gateway of the Central Avenue too,  then there would be much more goods in our villages, prices would become cheaper too, right?"

Karl just smiled quietly. Iruril then said:

"Huchi, the reason you want to eliminate Amurtaat is to get richer and happier? "

"The reason we want to eliminate it is not to be so pathetic."

Iruril seems not to understand what I meant. But I don't want to discuss Amurtaat during this pleasant shopping. How is my dad doing now? He might be locked up in a goblins cave, eating disgusting food. Damn it! While I am here happily shopping for cheap stuffs. Dad, how come your son is like this?

Just when I was thinking of that.

"Ughhhh!"

Screams! Are we in Fief Haltant? The atmosphere of the market suddenly changed. People are escaping crazily.

People are running around here and there. Sanson immediately found the source of the screams.

"There. What's going on?"

"Let's go and see."

Karl ran in front. We continued to hear more screams, and the sound of things falling apart. And the direction we are running to, there are a lot of people fleeing  The faces of the people are eclipsed because they are terrified. What happened? Then we saw the things chasing after the people. Damn! I feel like I have experienced the same thing somewhere before.

Three trolls are running over.

"What? Trolls! Why would they appear in a city?"

Sanson hurriedly draw out his sword. People are running around in a panic, but I saw a burly man actually bumped down an old lady in front of him. That old lady fell to the ground and is unable to get up. She seems to have an ankle injury. She is trying her best to stand up, nonetheless she can't because of fear and pain.

"Did you see that happen?"

No, how could that be! In our village, burly guys will come forward to help even if they'll die. In fact, not long ago I experienced the same thing in our village. My body is faster than the my thought.

I stood in front of that guy. He wanted to push me away rudely, but I clutched him and said:

"Hey! Help that old lady!"

"Kid, are you nuts? Are you her grandson?"

"No, I am not her grandson, but you can not do that!"

The man didn't answer and is trying to punch me. This asshole! I grabbed the man's wrist. The man's arm suddenly got blocked, he now looks like his shoulder is falling down. He fell to his knees after screaming stridently.

Although I wanted to punish that man properly, but more urgently I need to punish the trolls. I threw the man away, and then ran to the old lady.

"He - Help!"

That old lady crying for help with tears.  The trolls are ferociously running over. I found the troll holding a stone axe making a strike,  I grabbed the old lady's feet before her head gets chopped in half, pulled her away. I managed to save the old lady and put her behind me.

"Can you run by yourself?"

That old lady struggled to run. Then I pulled out my bastard sword and blocked the middle of the road. Well, bring it on! Men of Haltant do this! How much time can my life buy? Oh! Who can I tell my last words to now?

"Hey, you monsters, how long you think you need to take to kill me?"

Becuase I have OPG, so I dare to be so fearless. Meanwhile, the old lady has already long gone away.

Fortunately, I still have my reinforcements. Another man of Haltant came and stood by me. Sanson did not say anything, he pulled out his sword and brandished it. The arm of the troll holding a stone ax immediately got stabbed, a wound which bone can be seen is made. Sanson shouted with a low voice:

"I only got one life! So it's very precious! It's unique!"

Good, well done! Nice stab.

"Ah, ha, my unique move 'Unaware Slash'!"

My best and only trick! The troll is subconsciously swinging its stone axes, it got blocked by my first strike, and I chopped its arm off with the second strike.

"Pop!"

That monster hurriedly backed off. But in addition to the one Sanson is dealing with, there is another one trying to attack me from the side. Suddenly a dazzling light flashed in the middle of us.

She's Iruril. Iruril is performing a very rare swordsmanship with her left hand dagger. She's like peeling an apple, raised the dagger and aimed at the troll's arm, effortlessly cut down its arm muscles like dried meat, . How calm do you have to be to perform this move?

"Gahhhh ahhhh!"

That troll staggered backwards. Its wound is regenerating fast. Damn, after all, it's a troll. I have to pass this monster to Iruril, then focus on the one without arm in front of me. That troll's arm hasn't been respawned, but another arm without the stone axe is punching towards me.

"Wow!"

My belly got punched hard. My body is flying backwards. The reason I didn't die is only because of OPG's blessing. Thank you, Tyburn. I almost fainted, but that would then make me die. I stood up after tumbling.

I noticed someone were looking at me. I shouted at them:

"Please help!"

However, when they heard my voice, they were like hearing some kind of signal, wildly turned and ran away, some entered into the next building, and even shut the door. This is really ridiculous! The noise of banging door came one after another.

"Nedval! "

Hearing the voice of Karl, I finally got my mind back. That troll is now charging towards me. It has somehow  regenerated its arm, looks like it's going to give me a hug.

"Go to hell!"

I hold the sword body with one hand, clutch the hilt with another hand, then rolled forward. The troll missed its punch, and I got to the trolls' feet. Then I didn't even get a chance to get up, didn't look behind, I waved my arm. I don't know what I just hit.

"Gahhhh!"

Seems like I chopped that guy's inner thigh. I rolled forward, then again stood up. The troll struggled to turn around, we are now face-to-face. I can't give it the opportunity to regenerate!

"Unaware Slash - Sideways!"

I am spinning my bastard sword horizontally, and spinning my body. But this time I knelt down after I finished a lap. The second slash I chopped very low to tilt my waist backward, this time I hit the troll's feet. Don't you run fast! I immediately straighten my knees and waist and spin again. I can feel that my ankles are broken, but I still managed to jump forward, successfully made my third strike.

The troll's head flew away. Then I directly bumped into the troll's body with no head on it. The troll finally fell down, its blood sprayed into my mouth. Wow! Damn. And I don't know the condition my ankles. I held the pain of my ankles, stamped on the troll's corpse. I then looked at the situation around.

Sanson is dueling with one troll, he made thousands of wounds on its body with his ogre-like strength.  If it is a human, one of those wounds could be fatal. But the troll is stilling swinging its stone ax to force Sanson to step backward, in order to allow itself to regenerate its body. On the other end, Iruril is dodging around easily, moving between the back and side of the troll, but definitely not battling with it face-to-face. Whenever the troll tried to attack sideways, Iruril would cut its arm with her dagger, or stab it exposed waist or back with her estoc. But for trolls, wounds can be regenerated even they were made by Sanson's long sword, not to mention those by estoc. Those are just tiny wounds. Who should I help first?

I was thinking and stood up unconsciously. I feel serious pain on my ankles, almost felt to the ground.

"Hmm...."

Karl thought we were coming to the market for shopping, so he doesn't have his longbow, he hurriedly came to hold me. I grabbed Karl's shoulder, looked around angrily. Such a big city, with majestic buildings and wide roads that our village wouldn't ever have, why I can't even find one person? I really don't see anyone.

However, when I looked upward, I found on the second floor and the third floor there are people watching. Looking closely, every windows there are people looking at us.

Disgusting.

"Uh ahhhhhhh!"

I waved my sword, jumped a step forward. There's a troll with its back in front of me, it is chasing after Iruril. I lifted my foot, then jumped up with another foot without any hesitation. I turned the blade downward, stabbed the bastard sword into the troll's back.

"Galalalallaa!"

"Ahhhhh!"

I used all my strength to pull the sword down, I feel like something keep hitting my sword, and then suddenly, the feeling on my hands was gone, the sword is now outside the troll's body. The sword actually went through the troll's waist. It immediately fell forward. I stood on the troll's back, began to stab on it.

"Uh ah! Uh ah! Uh ahhhhhhhhhh!"

I don't know how many strikes I did. The back and neck of the troll have completely turned into minced meat, its blood is all sprayed on my body. Finally, I grabbed the head of the trolls. Because there is no hair, my fingers penetrated into the capsule. Because it's waist was completely destroyed by me, I pulled up only its upper body, and then cut its neck with my bastard sword . I then threw it to the side.

Iruril wasn't looking at me, she is still calm. She has begun to help Sanson. Iruril from behind barbed the troll's knee from behind, forcing the troll to knee down. Sanson then split troll's head into two halves. Bone and blood are all around. But Sanson and Iruril still have their bodies clean, I am the only one who is completely covered with blood, there is even flesh on my face and hands. I am still sitting on that troll.

Sanson approached and held out his hand. I grabbed his hand and stood up. My foot is still hurt and I almost fell, but Sanson held me.

"Feet injured?"

"Sprained. It doesn't matter."

"Luckily, we don't have any serious injuries."

"But aren't there any guards in this damn city?"

"Maybe it takes a while for them to mobilize."

I blankly looked around. The windows of surrounding buildings started opening. Then people started coming out. Now you come out! Ha! Are you going to help now? Those people are frowning and trying to block the blood with their feet to prevent it from flowing to their doors, they are even wiping those blood and flesh off the walls and doors angrily. I looked at the scene.

"Sanson, let's get back. Hurry."

"Hurry?"

"If we stay here any longer, I may kill some persons."

Sanson nodded silently. I began to walk forward under the arm of Sanson. Karl pushed the cart over. And Iruril came over, started to wipe the blood off my face with her handkerchief

"It doesn't matter, Iruril. It's not easy to clean anyway."

"You can walk only when your eyes can see, isn't it? Okay... Now your face look better."

"Thank you. I'll definitely buy you a new handkerchief."

Iruril didn't answer, just smiled. The road to the hostel is really damn long. When I think of walking there with this foot, my eyes goes yellow. Legs injury is not a trivial thing. Only one injured leg makes it so troublesome and inconvenient, not to mention Tyburn who is blind, he must be more frustrated. Tyburn! If you were here, you must be able to cleanly and simply get rid of those trolls. And we wouldn't have to see such a disgusting scene.

"Mr Nedval?"

Who is that? Who is calling me so brusquely? I parted away the bloody hair attached to my face, in order to find out who is in front.

"Oh, the Mighty Noble Lady!"

Jusina in a corner of the market is looking at me with a frightened face. I don't care what she wanted to say and said.

"I won't dirty the hostel with this blood. If that happens, I will be clean that up by myself."

"Ah, no, Huchi, ah.... I understand. "

I don't understand what she is talking about. Jusina swiftly ran away. Hmmf! She looks that she doesn't want to get stained by the blood so she ran back to the hostel. I looked back a bit and saw my footprints on the road. Bright red footprints. Footprints linked up. With such obvious red footprints, even not well-trained soldiers can easily track me down!

My footprints, really? That's my footprint.

So dizzy.

※ ※ ※

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.8)

"Pooh-Pooh!"

I went to the castle to collect fat oil from the kitchen wastes. On the way out, I spitted on the back door. Deacon of the thane's house, Hamel, concerned about my health status, asked me whether I ate a gut to dare entering the castle with a strong smell of alcohol. If the way he kicked my legs, hit my head could be a sort of concern.

Because I am not going the main entrance, so there is nothing to worry about. Official guests will all use the main entrance. Besides people like me who needs to pay or collect something from the thane house, no one else would use the back door. So there will be no guards, so even if I spit, that won't be a big deal...

"You rude civilian, what you just did?"

My back head which got hit before got hit again. But there is no person can cover me in the castle, so I hurried headed down and said:

"Sorry, I was wrong. I was just unconscious..."

"Ah, willing to reflect your own mistakes now?"

Wait a second. The voice seems familiar. I headed up a little, then saw Sanson's face laughing like a fool.

"Sanson! Damn, almost scared me to death!"

"So why did you something what would make you get scared? You're here to collect the meat?"

"What meat. It's fat! By the way what's a guard captain doing at the back door?"

"Ah, last night I was drunk, I lost something here..."

Sanson spoke safely, then was like suddenly found that the object he spoke to was me. Sanson's face is froze, and I absolutely can't miss this great opportunity.

"Lost something? But your came here secretly to find on your own..."

"I have to perform my guard captain duty, don't I?"

"No, no. There should be no people on duty. If you ask them, they can certainly help you. In other words, that things can not be found by the others..."

"You, you, your imagination is just too rich?"

"Ah? See, you got excited, right? In other words, that thing is very secret, but small enough to be lost. Yes, and you must come back to find such a thing, so it is..."

Sanson's eyes widely opened, with a "Dude, how could you know something you haven't seen before?" face looked at me. I made a face like there is delicious food in front and said:

"Ring, right?"

Sanson quickly looked a me with a fainting face:

"You, you, how did you...?"

"I saw the ring on that girl's finger gone. Who would she give the ring to? I don't even want to mention her name. Her name is..."

Sanson grabbed my shoulder.

"Please... I beg you."

Sanson's expression is really good. I didn't continue, just held my stomach and kept laughing. Ha! A warrior that can duel with an Ogre?

After a while, Sanson and I started searching on the lawn around the back door. Since it's Autumn, so often there are crickets suddenly jumping up. Sanson kept searching desperately, while kept urging me to swear, asked me not to tell anyone else. I said I am only 17, smaller than the age that you can vow, and simply refused him. Vow is for adults, who can be responsible for their own words, then they can vow, isn't it?

"Promise me!"

"Promise what. This is a bit difficult. Sometimes even I myself can't control my mouth."

I was just describing a fact, and Sanson was cursing rudely. Well, so than I'm a lot more classy.

After a while, I found a small copper ring.

"Sanson, I found it! "

Sanson jumped happily. I handed him and said at the same time:

"As it's too small, you can't wear it on your fingers. If you don't want to lose it, you better connect it with a string and put it on your neck."

"Ah, in fact I did it, but the string broke. I should use a chain next time."

Sanson didn't look at me when he was speaking. All his attention focused on the copper ring, carefully touched and looked at it over and over again, as if to inspect whether it's damaged, didn't feel troublesome at all. I guess if I am not here, he would probably put the ring into his mouth, try how it tastes. My whole body is getting goosebumps, can't stand it any more.

We sat under a tree for shade. Sanson is dabbling ring his ring. He blushed and said:

"If I can come back this time, I will officially announce my wedding."

"What coming back this time?"

"Coming back after the Amurtaat Crusade."

My eyes widely opened.

"Huh? Sanson you are going to? Aren't you a guard of the castle?"

"Rather than guard of the castle, you should say guard of our thane. We guard the castle to protect our thane, don't we?"

"Ah, sounds right..."

"Our thane will also participate in the expedition."

This is more ridiculous then my father's participation. I dumbfoundingly said:

"Thane His Honor? Didn't he forget how to ride?"

"Huh? How did you know? So he is riding a chariot this time."

I suddenly opened my mouth largely. What? Chariot? In my imagination, chariot such things should be in the south, in the frontier between Zypern. I won't believe our town has this kind of thing.

"What? We have a chariot?"

"Ah, Thane His Honor ordered my father to make one. Modified from a truck."

I don't want to listen anymore. The thing must not be like a chariot, and not like a truck. But like a carriage in  the market. I truly realized the meaning of "Ridiculousness" at this moment.

"Why is Thane His Honor going? Frankly, if our thane doesn't roll down from the chariot, we have to be thankful for that. You actually want him to swing a spear?"

Sanson laughed and said:

"Well, though it's a little bit rude, but I also don't believe that he can do that."

"So why is he going?"

"Good question. This time, even the dragon and Dragon-Raja has came from the capital! So as the host of this village, he must go."

"So he has no choice, doesn't he?"

"You can't say that too. This time even Deacon Hamel can't stop him. "

"Huh?"

"Since the Sixth Crusade, Thane His Honor always wanted to go. But in that period, Deacon Hamel kept stopping him, didn't he? However, because of the VIPs from the capital, so even Deacon Hamel can't dissuade."

The Sixth Crusade... Ah, was when the only son of our thane, the Junior Thane got killed in action.

Now I remember. Junior Thane Baron Heltant. We don't care about the names of nobles, the only noble in our village is our thane Viscount Heltant, so we wouldn't mix up. But after the son of Viscount Heltant, Albans Heltant graduated from the Tax Officer School in the capital, achieved some feat in the wars with Zypern, he became Baron Heltant. And he got a fief in some distance away from our village, then we started to mix up. We called them Baron Heltant and Viscount Heltant. But we felt troublesome after some time, so we gradually developed a habit, calling them Thane and Junior Thane. I remember Junior Thane liked these titles too.

But Junior Thane didn't rule his fief long. Since he was born, his hatred towards Amurtaat who keeps ravaging his father's territory had continued to accumulate, so even his father asked him to stay, he joined the Sixth Crusade.

Three weeks later, people could see our thane's wife, who is the mother of Junior Thane, holding Junior Thane's helmet, cried on the main road in the village under heavy rain. I was confused at that time, could only follow the people around and cried with the thane's wife. Since the day, I have never seen the thane's wife. She seemed completely hid herself in her own residences and never came out.

I recalled the scene, then whispered:

"Speaking of it... After the death of the Junior Thane, even our thane is still alive, he should be like living in the hell on earth. Probably every morning when he opens his eyes which do not want to open, he will see the cruel fact his son is gone. Every night when he closes his eyes which do not want to close, he will be immersed in the nightmare of the death of his son."

Sanson looked at me with surprised eyes.

"Hey, did you get a fever? or your pulse is some unusual..."

"Enough, enough.  If you have spare time to date girl, please read some books!"

I just used the sentence Karl said to me on a day. But Sanson just smiled after hearing that.

"Then when you come back, you will get married under everyone's blessings?"

"Well. you will come to congratulate me right. I will formally invite you."

Didn't he think, he might not be able to return alive?

I am only 17 years old. But for me, it's also not easy to ask such a question. And if asked, what good answer can I expect? Even if I don't say, his own heart would also emerge such a terrible idea. So I didn't ask, but deliberately made a pleasant expression, very warmly said:

"That... That girl is really pathetic. How can she be with this ogre-like man... Have to blame the mill!"

"What did you say? You cuss!"

"Sigh, who can you blame. Knowing that he would come to the mill at night, why did you go without any vigilance? Before the day, the boy belonged to the girl. But after the day, the girl belongs to the boy. Even the moonlight was tinted red by the impatient confession of the boy. The boy used his sweet lips to lock the girl's lips, made she could not say no. Ah, really poignant. Since lips are stolen, the girl has lost her freedom. Like a bird in a cage, also like mustang horse in a rein..."

"Hey! Huchi! Come back! If you don't move, I won't beat you. Oi! If I catch you, you're dead!"

Sanson's tears are going to fly out. He's like forgotten his guard captain missions, shouting incoherently, chasing after me. I joyfully ran up to the village road. People everywhere are giving me help.

Sanson if was not tripped by a random feet, then he was bumped into a random person. And I am still singing easily, under the enthusiastic response and expectation of the people in the village, I almost said the girl's name out... but Sanson is too poor, I should give him a chance. I will keep it for now, so I can use it  for the next time.

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.4)

※ ※ ※

Walking in the dark woods, the full moon can be a great help.

Kept breathing the cold air in the forest of the night, my tipsy feeling is fading. Sanson is walking by my side, and the Dragon-Raja is surrounded by the soldiers, walking in a little away from our rear. I pointed out the direction to Sanson, and then whispered to him:

"That's a ridiculous dragon. Not dare to eat because the meat is fishy?"

"I've heard that it's because she got the habit. In the capital, people have been preparing a large number of mint well for her."

Sanson is looking a bit upset, because of this operation in the mid-night.

"Hmph! That's why the Dragon-Raja has the smell. But why is he coming along?"

"Because the dragon didn't eat, he seems to be worried. He said he couldn't wait any longer, so he had to come."

"Well, the friendship between Dragon-Raja and Dragon... Watch your steps. Here is all gravel, gotta be slippery."

"Got it."

I looked back with a glance. As it's blocked by the soldiers, I can't see the Dragon-Raja. That kid must be exhausted. It not easy to climb hills in the middle of a night.

"What's the name of that Dragon-Raja?"

"Isn't it Sir Hustheil?"

"That should be the surname of the family? Name of himself?"

"Are you crazy? How do I know nobles' names? Just Sir Hustheil."

This really messed up my mind. Well, civilians like us indeed don't need to know the name of the nobility. When would we have a chance to call him with that name?

But according to Karl, the child should be being adopted by the Hustheil family, so he was nobility at first. Probably lived in a broken hut like I am, somehow his qualification of Dragon-Raja got discovered, so he became an aristocracy. After all why didn't Upinel gift me this qualification? No, Upinel must have known everything, so she decided. If I was the aristocracy, that could be a more ridiculous thing.

"Wa ha ha ha ha!"

I ran down the valley within a breath. Sanson is surprised.

"Hey! Huchi, watch out!"

I don't even care. There is a rock in front, I jumped up swiftly, pedaled on the rock, then jumped to lawn in front. In order not to slip, I tried to lower my body. Sometimes when it's really slippery, I wave my arms and jump. 

Gosh, my butt. Really slippery. I utilized the momentum of slipping forward, straightened my back, and then jumped up again. After Stepping on this rock, I am at bottom of the valley.

Because of the remaining tipsy feeling mixed together with the sense of speed, I even want to begin to dance. I looked upward from the bottom of the valley. I waved, but they possibly can't see me.

"Huchi! Where are you? You Okay?"

A high cry came from the top. I shouted back.

"You are really slow. Can't you come down faster?"

"We can't see, how should we get down?"

I crossed my arms and waited there. Looking upwards, the flickering torch light is still far away from me. The decline speed of  light is slow enough to make me upset. The moon is so bright, why can't they see?

I calmed down for a while, began to notice the breeze in valley is chilly. It's even to an extent that my body started to tremble. 

The moonlight is really beautiful. 

In a night like this, I should sing a song with my crisp vocal, to suit the present atmosphere.

"The Grind Sound of The Waterwheel Mill Outside the Town is Really Loud..."

"Huchi! Oi!"

Sanson's screams came. Meanwhile, one of the torches began to get strange movements. Then I heard a sound of something sliding down. I was shocked, looked at see the dark hillside, but couldn't see anything.

Soon after, I heard the groans of Sanson.

"Uhh! My important part is seriously traumatized. I can never get a wife."

"...The Tears of the Girl Moistened the Sheet: My Lover's Thing is Finished."

Looks like Sanson is going to bite me, fortunately the other soldiers and the Dragon-Raja has arrived. The soldiers are all wiping and panting. They are not like me, who dressed in easy clothes, they are all wearing armor to get down this Savannah Valley, so everyone is almost completely exhausted. Although we call that light armor, but that just means that is lighter than other armors. It's still much heavier than usual clothes. If someone is wearing strong armor, I am afraid that he can't even run.

Escpecially Sir Hustheil. He is like going to faint. I threw him a word:

"Very tired, Dragon-Raja Your Excellency."

"Ha...Ha.., ah, yes. Ha."

"We arrived. Let's take a rest. That's the hill over there."

Sir Hustheil couldn't even answer, so he just nodded. I smiled at him warmly, then began urging soldiers.

"Hey, what are you doing? Stand up and assault the mint!"

Soldiers stood up and are still panting. They took out some bags they prepared, I whistled, brought them to the knoll. The knoll is full of mint. Sanson ordered three people to hold the torches, and the rest of the soldiers began to dig the mint. I am crossing my arms, standing aside and watching.

"Oi, Huchi! You should give us a hand!"

"My only mission is to bring you here."

"Alright forget it, forget it."

"A Moonlit Night, A Group of Warriors. Zeal Embraced in Our Chests , Poured Into the Mint -"

The soldiers began to laugh. That contributed to my arrogance, I raised my head in order to be able to sing louder.

The full moon of the Goddess Selena has gradually moved from the east to the central of the night sky, diffusing a beautiful and breathtaking chill moonlight.

"Selena is Shining From the Heaven, Swords of Warriors Are Getting More Murderous -"

"None of the Mint, Can Escape from the Outstretched Hands of the Warriors -"

"Plants Collected Under the Full Moon, Are Diffusing the Top Notch Aroma-"

"Full Moon who Blesses Lycanthropy, Please Also Bless the Warriors -"

Sanson shouted right away.

"Do you mean you want us all to turn into a wolf? Do we have to howl like this? Ah ooo, wooo..."

Ooo, woooo, ah wooooo ...

All the hairs of my body suddenly erected. This wolf howled at an exactly right timing. Some soldiers were not just frightened, but actually lost their balance and fell to the floor.

"Wow, ha. Really scary. Sanson, your friend is calling."

Sanson stood still there. After he heard what I said, he finally smiled.

"Really shocked. That thing howled at a right point."

Right at the moment.

Woo oh oh ...... phuuu...phuuu... ...... Ah woooo...!

It sounded even closer. Soldiers' faces are all changed. 

Closer and closer, and after a while, even the popping sound of kicking those small stones could be heard. That thing is approaching. I've never heard of a wolf that would run towards torches. And we have so many people here. That thing is coming, it must not be a normal wolf.

Sanson quickly pulled out his sword.

"Man your lyrics came true. Now we are screwed."

Each soldier pulled out their own sword. I am scared and pale, looking around and see how can I escape. I saw the Dragon-Raja. The child is curling up, looking like frightened. Sanson hastily instructed:

"Everyone surround Sir Hustheil and Huchi. Jarron, Haley...Who else has a plated sword?"

"Me!"

Turner, the eldest son of the brewery stood out. Sanson nodded. Sanson and the three soldiers immediately stood in the front, and the rest of the soldiers are surrounding me and the Dragon-Raja. I'm so scared that I don't know what to do. Footsteps sound not a lot, there could be just one enemy. But the footsteps are very loud.

"Right there!"

Approximately 70 cubits ahead from us on the top of the hill, a huge shadow appeared. From the shadow brought out by the moonlight behind it, it seems like 5 cubits tall. That is not a wolf. It stands on two feet, above its slightly curved waist there is a spacious shoulder that, in fact, 3 or 4 heads can be put on it. I find on the arms extended from the shoulder, there are flashing nails like dagger reflecting the moonlight.

"Werewolf!"

Sanson is stretching his sword as far as possible in the front. Under the moonlight, the reflections of the sword is very bright. A"Don't move or I'll kill you" warning is like fired from the tip, to the werewolf on the hill. The werewolf is standing still, looking down at us.

Sanson is kind and simple, a guards captain who shows no fear in snowball fights. However, if it's not a snowball fight, but a real combat, what will happen? If a werewolf swings it's arm, it can knock down an ox. That summer night 4 years ago, when a werewolf came to the village and made trouble, I clearly saw it.

I looked at the werewolf , my teeth are chattering.

Damn. This Mint Collection team has no bow and arrows. When an opponent is standing still like a fool, we should fire him a few shots. No, wait. Is a werewolf going to die after it gets shot? If it still roams like a tiger with arrows on it, everyone would just get more uncomfortable.

Sanson gave the instructions softly.

"Jarron, to the left. Turner, to the right. Haley, behind me. Once it moves, Jarron and Turner, slash it from the left and right sides. Haley, stab its head."

After the instruction, Sanson maintained the T-formation, and is advancing slowly. Because Sanson is so bold, the three seem to have forgotten the fear. Sanson probably want to makes himself the shield, in order to allow Haley behind to get the opportunity to attack safely. Haley's tall, arms are strong, should be able to find the opportunity behind Sanson and stab the werewolf's head. In case that's evaded, Jarron and Turner would attack from both sides.

I don't know whether the werewolf knows the tactics of Sanson, anyway, it is standing still. Maybe it was attracted by the song, yet found so many soldiers here, it got panicked too. If the werewolf gets to know that so many soldiers came here to help to dig mint for a dragon's dinner, such a strange thing, what kind of reaction would it have?

The werewolf jumped.

"Caaa ah ah!"

The werewolf rushed straight into Sanson. Although the 5 cubits high body is charging in with a strong attack, Sanson probably had found it fell into his trap, he laughed, and waited there. Is he actually laughing?

The werewolf reached his face and raised it's arm, Sanson immediately stooped, tried to chop its legs. Haley is also ready behind to stab forward from Sanson's back. The timing is perfect. The werewolf noticed Sanson wanted to chop its legs, it backed off a bit and watched down, so it didn't see the sword of Haley which came behind Sanson suddenly.

The sword punctured the werewolf's neck accurately.

"Kha, uh!"

"Take this!"

Three swords flashed under the moonlight simultaneously, at both sides and legs of the werewolf. Sanson did a strong strike, then rolled forward naturally. The werewolf's neck was pierced with a hole, it's legs are also hit, so it kneel down. But it's still clutching Jarron and Turner's swords with it's hands. Boo! Terrifying sound of swords hacking muscles came, along with noises of bones knocking metals. The werewolf has a sword in its neck, a sword on each hand, and kneeling legs, so it's actions are completely blocked. So when Sanson rolled behind it and stood up, stabbed its back, it was totally unable to stop.

"Poof!"

Sanson's sword pierced the body of the werewolf, blood is splashing from its stomach. Haley in front of it is  sprayed all over with blood, but he didn't move, while kept rotating the sword inserted in the werewolf neck, and then pull it out diagonally. The neck is immediately crumbling. After a while, the werewolf was finally down. Four swords once again stabbed its back.

The werewolf is dead. So even with swords stabbed on it's back, it didn't move. Sanson took his sword back, made a sigh of relief. The others also pulled the sword back, took out a handkerchief from their chests and began wiping the blood. Haley covered with blood, that look is crazy enough to see.

After a while, Sanson's eyes turned to me. His eyes are sharp, which makes I suddenly disturbed.

"Dude! Have you ever heard 'Random Prophecy'?"

"Wow!"

I wanted to run, but the soldiers gathered around, smiled and grabbed my shoulder. Then Sanson kept beating my head softly.

My neck is coerced by Sanson, and I desperately cried out:

"Cough uh, you, you did win the fight? ...Aren't we fine now? ...... Eh-hem! "

Sanson laughed and released me. I touched the neck, coughed for a long time. Then I saw the Dragon-Raja's blue face. Sanson probably saw that too, so he said:

"We are good now, Sir Hustheil. Please be assured."

Sir Hustheil stammered:

"Unc...Uncle, you are really amazing!"

Dragon-Raja is terrified and using the language of civilians again. He should have been a civilian. Sanson heard these words, as if surprised, and had stopped for a while, finally answered:

"No, you flatter me."

Dragon-Raja seems to have rallied then.

"However... How could you kill a werewolf with normal swords?"

Sanson raised his sword to him.

"Mine and the other three's swords are silver plated. Isn't its glare pretty?"

Dragon-Raja seemed to understand, nodded. This is one of the reasons why our thane made himself so poor. Where can you find someone who plates sliver on soldiers' swords in Vyseus? But this is absolutely not for the appearance. It's for utility. Generally of course, to make a special weapon for dealing with Lycanthropy, you have to build the entire weapon with blessed silver. But in the financial situation of our thane, he can't even make one. So it's the last resort to gild silver. Nevertheless our guards are very strong, holding such a shitty weapon can still show off in a battle. The reason is...

"Gentlemen, you are all ordinary soldiers... However when you fight, you are more courageous than the knights of the capital."

"Ah. Soldiers like us, are all elites carefully selected by a sieve called Amurtaat."

"Huh?"

Sanson smiled, put his sword back into the sheath with a very handsome action.

"Because of Amurtaat, there are numerous monsters in this area. In the battles with the monsters, many soilders died. Who survived are extremely tempered warriors. Any one of us could be killed in the next battle, therefore, we fight without fear. "

The moment before the sword disappeared completely in the sheath, the sword reflection under the moonlight made me felt very dazzling. At that moment in my eyes, that blacksmith's son, the innocent Sanson who always gets pissed by my song, became a greater hero than King Rhuterino. Could it be the magic of the full moon? Or Sanson is really not inferior to hero like King Rhuterino?

Sanson won't know the question in my mind. He turned to Turner who is checking the werewolf's body. Turner, with an expression of pain, shook his head and said:

"I know this man."

"Do you?"

"He is Culler, missing since the invasion of werewolves 4 years ago. He used to live beside the river."

Everyone is silent. Sanson nodded heavily, and then immediately said:

"Come on, let's move. Tidy up the body, I'll write the report tomorrow. It's very late already. When we are back, I'll offer you a drink. So work harder."

"Wow, Captain Sanson Hooray!"

"You wouldn't say Hooray except it's under this kind of circumstances?"

The melancholy mood of the soldiers seemed to be swept away, and began joking, gathering mint into their bags energetically. Sanson picked up his bag, looked at me and giggled:

"Oi, Huchi? You have to pay for the song you sang!"

"Huh?"

Sanson is laughing, while putting the bag on my shoulder all of a sudden. I deliberately pretended to sway, and everyone laughed uproariously. In fact, a bag of mint can't weight much. But I still muttered and turned away. I started muttering softly, Sanson said:

"Hey, what do you want to say, speak up. Why are you muttering?"

"......! Is that Aroma of Dishes from the Kitchen, Aroma of Soaps from the Laundry? or Aroma of Wine from the Vault?"

Sanson shouted excitedly:

"Shit! You....You bastard!"

I changed my mind. Sanson is definitely not a hero like King Rhuterino. But if I have to pick one of them to be my friend, I prefer Sanson. Since I don't think that I can tease King Rhuterino like this.

Chapter One: Riding Towards the Dawn (Pt.3)

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Gran Elver who Blesses innocent girl and elf... Sigh, called you so many times today, I feel very sorry. But for this girl on my back, what do you think? You actually gave her such a reckless heart, that she gulped like that?

Carrying Jamini to walk on the road in the woods, I gotta use all my strength.

Karl's cinder is tasty, but it's really strong. It tasted like apple juice, so it's lucky that Jamini didn't pass out in Karl's house. I can't say that I am fully sober too. I am trying hard not to let Jamini fall, walking ricketily.

The sun had already gone long ago, now it's completely dark in the forest. Because it's the forest I've been playing around since childhood, even I'm a bit drunk, I can still find my way with confidence. But it's really tough. Especially Jamini on my back utters some  "Hee hee hee hee" ghost laughter from time to time, that annoys me, to an intolerable extent.

"Hee hee hee hee hee hee!"

"Don't laugh!"

"Meow, funny, meow~"

"What?"

"Don't know. Just Funny. Hee Hee!"

Ahhhhhhh! This girl! Should I just drop her here? Hell cares where wolves will come. Jamini then pulled my ears and said:

"Put me down!"

"You should go home immediately, get some cool water and then sleep."

"I would certainly be killed if I go back like this."

Uh-huh. This is true. It should be better to go back when we are sober. I put down Jamini, then fell to the ground like collapsed. Jamini also approached to me, and two of us sat side by side under a tree.

"Hey! After 10 years old, did you only gain weight but not height?"

My whole body is sticky because of my sweat. My face was sticked with a leaf, so I took it away. Jamini relied on me, and raised my arm, put it on her shoulder naturally. In other words, she drilled under my armpit.

"Jamini, cold?"

"Hee hee hee hee hee!"

"......"

When I cursed towards the sky without opening my mouth, she said in my armpit:

"So funny. Meow. That Dragon-Raja."

"What's funny?"

Of course, the answer was definitely not from my armpit.

"Isn't that funny?"

"What is funny actually? "

"Funny yeah!"

"...Look! What is that in front of us?"

"Mammy!"

Since childhood, every time Jamini sees the old dog of our thane yawning on the main road of the village, she always jumps into me like this. I smiled, While Jamini is having tears in her eyes, as if she doesn't know what happened, and looked at me drowsily.

"This is more funny, right?"

"Huchi Nedval! You!"

"You are sober all a sudden huh?"

Jamini sighed a breath of apple flavor, and then sat away from me. But soon after that, when a sound came from the forest, she immediately closed by again.

"There...What is that?"

"Ah that. That's wind."

"Do you think I can't recognize whether it's wind?"

I looked at Jamini with appalled eyes. Although she is a coward who doesn't leave her house after evening, she is absolutely the daughter of the Forest Guard. Getting birth, growing up in the forest, if she said it's not wind, it's not.

Her guess is correct. After a while, it feels like that something's lighted up. We can also hear human voice, Footsteps, murmurs, and tinkles.

The last sound means the sound emitted when a person wearing a sword is walking.

I stood up swiftly. But I'm wrong. Now I am dizzy, my legs are uncontrollable. I leaned a tree and managed not to fall. Jamini also stood up, and hid behind me. I let her stand in the middle of the tree and me, and then observed the front. I can see there are firelight flickering in the woods. Clearly there is a group of people with torches, walking inside the forest.

"Could...Could those be bandits?"

I tribute my highest respect to Jamini's imagination.

"That's a whole new level of brigands. Their name is The Torch Clan?"

Holding such a bright torch, making random noises, even if the sun rises from the west, those people will not be brigands. After Jamini got my words, her expression eased a bit. 

Hum. This is the forest of our thane, behind me is the daughter of our thane's forest guard, for me, as long as these people are not bandits, I don't have to be afraid...

"Hey, we are dead if we got found!"

"Huh?"

"Aren't we both drunk? If this were told to your parents ..."

"Ohhhh!"

Jamini is immediately ready to climb the tree. Come on, how did she come up with such an idea? Like what I thought, though Jamini is drunk, she would eventually realize that she cannot climb on it.

And she actually realized after she fell to the ground in the ass and screamed. God, blessing pure girl and elf...  I really can't stand it anymore.

"Who was that!?"

Now we hear rapid footsteps exactly accompanied by the sound they pull their swords out from sheaths.

Once we heard the sound of steel, we were like frozen, not dare to move a thread. By the moment, we are surrounded by soldiers holding torch and long sword.

"Wandering around the forest of our thane in the middle of a night, what are you - Hey, how is it? Huchi, Jamini!?"

Jamini and I had no alternative, but to response with the most appropriate attitude in this case.

"Hehehe..."

These people are all soldiers of our thane, wearing hard leather cover. They are all showing a ridiculous expression, putting their swords back in the scabbard. Their leader Sanson Percival came over and jeered. He is the son of the town blacksmith, now a guards captain,  very close to I, the son of candle maker who has to go to the castle and contribute candles. Although he is 10 years older than me, not only with a sword, but also command of soldiers, his heart has no slightest difference from mine, he is still a naughty boy.

He smiled and came up to me, and then suddenly frowned.

"Huh? What's wrong? You've been drinking?"

"Hey Hey Hey Hey ......"

Sanson looked at Jamini and me alternatively, then he made a strange smile, which made me very disturbed.

"Ah. Huchi. So you began to engage in these things. Where did you get the money, and go to buy the drinks? Is this the power of love, or power of desire? Anyway, you finally got the wine, then fuddled Jamini. You are really timid! Seems that if you did not make her drunk, you wouldn't get the confidence?"

"This is a misunderstanding!"

No one heard Jamini's roar, because the soldiers' laughter covered it. This is not done yet, I can't let it go. I have made my mind. This time I have to make Sanson disturbed. The strange smile on Sanson's face shortly before, is now emerged on mine.

"The Grind sound of The Waterwheel Mill Outside the Town is Really Loud..."

Sanson interrupted me immediately.

"Dangerous night, why are you lingering out there? Hum, go home now!"

"Today There is Again a Young Girl, Avoids Sights of People, Goes to the Mill."

"Huchi!"

This time the soldiers laughed at Sanson. Some of them even came up and said to me, with a sincere tone:

"Continue... Please."

"Girl in the Moonlight, Those Familiar Footsteps."

Sanson wanted to rushed me, but the soldiers immediately blocked him. Sanson is stamping the ground, but three soldiers has grabbed him tightly, they are even laughing.

"This is rebellion! Let go!"

"Interesting. You are noisy. Sanson, isn't that a nice song?" 

Ah. The discipline of our guards is really strict.

"Breeze Whisks by the Girl, Brings Along Familiar Aroma."

"Huchi! Bastard! Mom! Dad! Grandpa!"

I pretended that I didn't hear the anxious cry of Sanson, and continued singing. Now even Jamini is laughing at Sanson. The soldiers are slurping. Perhaps because of the drink, my mouth is crazier than usual.

"Is that Aroma of Dishes from the Kitchen, Aroma of Soaps from the Laundry, or Aroma of Wine from the Vault?"

"Is she Margaret of the kitchen? When it comes to laundry, it must be Ann with blonde hair. Speaking of vault, could she be that Katlantis?"

The soldiers immediately began to exchange opinions. I believe that even during the Glorious Seven Weeks Battles, the operational meetings held between King Rhuterino and the Eight Stars, were not as enthusiastic as the discussion here. I purposely continued to sing the song.

"It has to be one of those three! That....That aroma is..."

The soldiers is staring at me with hasty breath, while Sanson's complexion is turning green and white, looking like he is going to cry. I probably can't get near Sanson for a month after this. Nonetheless:

"Huh? What is that aroma?"

The soldiers all made a puzzled expression, but it had nothing to do with me. That is a clear and unique, yet familiar flavor. Then Jamini blinked and said:

"It's like flowers... but I don't know what kind of flower?"

The soldiers are not quite sure about the situation and looking at each other.

"It could be the smell of my body."

A child around 6 or 7 years old passed through the woods, and came toward us. Although I am a little drunk, I can still feel that this kid is a bit familiar. Compared to me, Jamini clearly recognized who this man is.

"Dragon-Raja!"

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The arrival of a group of extraordinary people broke the tranquility of the town. And what surprised people  is that there is another creature in the group: White Dragon. Her master rides a white horse and walks next to the White Dragon. He looks very young, may be less than 10.

Suddenly someone broke the silence with a loud voice:

"He is the Dragon-Raja."

※

Coming from out the woods, the Dragon-Raja showed an embarrassed smile, the soldiers didn't recall their mission until the moment. Sanson is finally released:

"Sir Hustheil, didn't I say please don't come here?"

Dragon-Raja made a wry, replied:

"I heard songs and laughter... Doesn't seem dangerous."

I gazed at the child. During the day he was riding a great white horse, which makes people worrying that he would fall off any time. But now he is dressing casually, looking like a normal child with nothing special. No, should say even provocative eyes which can be found on same aged, cannot be found on him. You can even tell that he is a timid kid. For me, I can absolutely not recognize that he is the boy in the day, but Jamini has very sharp eyes, she pointed it out within a glance.

Sanson nodded, said:

"That's correct. Right! Huchi and Jamini go home now! "

I hesitated and turned around, a few soldiers sighed because they cannot continue to get the secret gossip I broke. However, Jamini walked forwards and asked:

"But what do you come to do in the night?"

Sanson looked at Jamini, and made the expression that he suddenly remembered something.

"Ah! Yes! Jamini, with your help it's good."

"Huh?"

"We are now looking for mint. It is really difficult to find it at night."

"Hey, why look for mint ... Ah! The flavor is actually of mint!"

The moment Jamini spoke, I also noticed. The smell from the Dragon-Raja is mint flavor.

But why would a human body spread the smell? It's possible if we are talking about our thane who eats mint everyday. When our thane eats meat, he usually uses mint as a spice. Because he doesn't have much money, his personality is also not picky, so he doesn't use high class spices like cinnamon or cloves, but mint instead. Anyway, you must remove the fishy smell before you have dishes with meat.

Dragon-Raja heard Jamini, then a joy smile emerged on his face, said:

"Big sister, do you know where is the mint?"

The soldiers got a bit flustered at the moment, Dragon-Raja himself then startled a bit also. Of course, I was astounded too. A Dragon-Raja is actually talking to a civilian with such a cordial tone. But the drunk Jamini didn't seem to notice that.

"Well, blah, of course I know. Because my dad is the Forest Guard..., Sir Hustheil Your Excellency."

Fortunately Jamini still has certain degree of vigilance. Dragon-Raja is as if trying to conceal his own slip of the tongue, turned his line of sight to somewhere else:

"If that's the case, you would be helpful to these soldiers."

Sanson stood out quickly.

"This is for the White Dragon Cathselprime's meal. We have already digged out all the mint in the town, still not enough. So we hurriedly came out and find"

Oh my god, there is actually such a thing!

This dragon seems to be not willing to eat unless mint is added into the meal. If human hates the smell, forcing dragons to like it is indeed non-justifiable. But if it's the amount for a dragon to eat, that is going to be an incredible amount of mint. Soldiers in the castle only came here because they might have to prepare the spices for the dragon's meal. It's really an awkward thing.

Jamini also made a dumbfounding expression.

"Mint, there are many in the Savannah Valley."

"Oh really? That would be great. Lead the way please."

Jamini is getting uncomfortable. This girl even with so many soldiers counterparts, she does not dare go to Savannah Valley at night. Maybe on the half way, she would scream because of stepping on something, and quickly run back. Really no way to take her.

"I'll take you there. I know that place."

I stood out, Sanson showed a "Great!" expression.

"You'll lead us the way? Great. Then Jamini should go home first."

Jamini is simply going to cry. Alcohol can now be smelled all over her mouth, if go back like this, her mother would surely "dote" her a bit. Her ass must be slapped to red and swollen.

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