Chapter 9

9

Before long, we arrived at a place where we could see the base of the Lemun Forest Patrol. The soldier, who was only in his underwear, had a pale face. I couldn’t tell if he was scared or cold, or both. “Young master, I’m really sorry, but… can I step back here? People like me tend to have some kind of conflict with the patrol…” The hunter approached me with an apologetic look. I could understand his position. I didn’t know what the atmosphere was like at the patrol base, but if such incidents were a regular occurrence, Maxim would end up on the patrol’s bad side, even if I didn’t. After all, Maxim had tried to stop me and leave when he saw the soldiers. “Thank you for guiding us this far. Do you need more money?” “No, no. What you gave me at first is more than enough.” Maxim put down the bundle he was carrying and bowed several times before walking away. We were almost at the patrol base, but there was still about 50 meters to go. After a moment’s thought, I started pushing the soldier Maxim had left behind with my foot. The sight of this made not only the soldier in his underwear but also the guards around the base stand in shock. “Who are you! No, who are you guys?” The guards aimed their bows at me as I approached, pushing their comrade with my foot. Then their gaze shifted to the underwear and finally to the girl on my back. “Damn it, I have no idea what’s going on. Jimmy, explain this!” The guard, still aiming his bow, asked the soldier in his underwear. I beat him to the punch before he could answer. “I’m Luke Eslante, the second son of the Eslante Viscount. These guys were trying to kill this girl, so I brought her here. I want to see the patrol commander. Is that possible?” “...Really?” I shrugged in response to the guard’s question. “Do I have a reason to lie?” The guard’s expression darkened as he heard my words. Anger, shame, contempt, and finally fear settled in. “You damn bastards… just when the young lady is here…!” The guard clenched his lips. “How long do you plan to keep this up?” “Ah, we need to verify the facts first, so please put down your weapons and come in.” “I don’t have any weapons.” I walked through the gate the guard opened, pushing the bundle. Inside the stockade, there were several huts, typical of a patrol base. We were led to a lounge at the front of the huts. “I’ll go get the patrol commander.” It seemed to be an emergency, as the guards were being replaced, one staying with us and the other running off to fetch the commander. “Can you light the fireplace? I’m fine, but she looks cold.” The guard, seeing me nod toward the girl, started a fire with a look of realization. I took off my coat and handed it to her. “I’m fine.” “You’re shivering, so take it. I’m cold just looking at you.” While this was happening, the door to the hut opened, and a tall, imposing old man with a prominent beard entered. He immediately spoke when our eyes met. “I’m Baroha McGinn, a knight of the Steelhawk family, in charge of the patrol. You are from the Eslante Viscount’s…” “Luke, Luke Eslante, Sir McGinn.” Whew, seeing Baroha’s status window, I was impressed. He had the best stats and skills I had seen so far. While I was checking his status, Baroha looked at his captured subordinates. His prominent beard was trembling, showing how angry he was. “Young Master Eslante, is what you said true?” “Well, wouldn’t it be more certain to ask them?” Baroha, grinding his teeth, asked the shivering soldier in his underwear. “Did you really try to kill that girl?” “Not only did they try to kill her, but they also raped her, using the excuse of stealing fruit, and were planning to kill her to cover up the evidence. From the atmosphere, it didn’t seem to be the first time.” I interjected, and the soldier in his underwear looked at me with a desperate expression. Indeed, the look in his eyes, which I found annoying, never got old. Baroha turned his gaze from his subordinates to the girl. Her small shoulders were trembling, and her lips were trembling, and the tears in her eyes clearly showed that this was the truth. “You damn scumbags!” Soon, a roar like a beast’s erupted from Baroha’s mouth. But then, “Baroha, what’s going on? Who are the poor souls that have upset you today? Did they act up or something?” A young woman’s voice was heard, and the door to the hut opened. The silence that followed. Not only the two guards but even Baroha’s face turned pale and stiff. The woman who entered the silent hut had black hair, white skin, and a small build even compared to Ella, but the leather-finished iron breastplate, greaves, gauntlets, and sword at her waist showed that she was no ordinary woman. Her gaze swept over me, the girl, and the people around us. As her gaze moved, the smile on her lips faded and finally disappeared. “Baroha, what’s going on? Didn’t you say it was nothing?” Her playful voice when she entered had now become colder than a winter wind. “Ah, young lady.” “No, never mind. From the atmosphere, it seems I should be asking this girl.” She put her palm over Baroha’s mouth and approached the girl. “I hope with all my heart that you didn’t go through such a terrible experience, but did these guys do something terrible to you?” This time, her voice was incredibly gentle and kind. And as if that gentle voice was the trigger, the girl burst into tears. Seeing this, the woman looked at the guard who was watching the situation with a gaze that could tear everything in sight to shreds. “What are you doing? Is this the time to just stand there?” “...?” The guard, sensing the deadly atmosphere, was desperately trying to figure out what she wanted. Thud! Rien kicked the guard’s shin without mercy. But there was no scream. If he had screamed, she might have punched him in the face, the atmosphere was that intense. “Can’t you see this girl’s state? Get her proper clothes and some warm food first! Do you plan to keep her in the rags those scumbags wore?” “I, I’m sorry!” The guard, after answering, rushed out of the hut. The woman’s presence was so overwhelming that even I, who had nothing to do with it, had to hold my breath. Such a powerful presence from such a small build. “You are...” “I am Luke Eslante, the second son of the Eslante Viscount.” From the way she treated Baroha, a knight of equal status to a baron, this woman was definitely a noble lady, if not higher. “I am Rien Steelhawk, daughter of the Steelhawk Baron. Is it true that you saved this girl, Sir Luke?” “It just happened that way. And I’m not a knight. The title ‘Sir’ feels awkward.” Hearing my words, Rien bowed deeply. “I apologize for the shameful display. And I sincerely thank you for preventing us from committing more sins.” “...” It was refreshing. In terms of status, even if we were both minor nobles without titles, there was a clear difference between a baron and a viscount. Yet, she was showing such respect. “...!” I was first surprised by her stats, which were incredibly powerful even without considering her level, and then by the fact that she was the first person I had met, other than myself, who had a special trait. Indeed, her trait made sense even from the brief glimpse I had of her. Her strength, which didn’t match her age, was also understandable when considering the special nature of this world. Rien, who had been bowing for quite a while, quietly raised her head and said, “Wake up the rest of them. Pour water on them or slap them, but wake them up immediately.” As Rien gave the order, the guard who had brought the clothes and food took a bucket from beside the fireplace and started pouring it on the two men. They finally came to their senses after that. The two men, who had been slapped awake, understood the situation and couldn’t even open their mouths, just trembling. Ah, both of their jaws were completely shattered, making it hard to open their mouths? “Baroha!” “Yes, young lady.” “What do you think about this!” “...” The large, bear-like old man couldn’t answer the young woman’s loud question. “What do you think!” “I am ashamed. They are my subordinates, and it is all my responsibility.” “No, you are wrong.” She drew her sword. “You are a knight of our family. Therefore, your responsibility is also our family’s responsibility. The fact that these scumbags violated this innocent girl is my father’s negligence and my sin.” “Ah, young lady...!” Rien approached the three men. “I, I’m sorry... Ah!” The soldier in his underwear started to apologize to Rien but screamed as she plunged her sword into his shoulder. “Why are you apologizing to me? I just said I was a sinner. You should be apologizing to that girl, not to me.” As Rien finished speaking, the three men tried to speak to the girl simultaneously. But it didn’t work. Swish! A clean sword flash, and the soldier’s hand was cut off, rolling on the floor. “Aaaah!” Thud! “Gah...!” The man, clutching his wrist and screaming, was kicked in the greaves and rolled on the floor. “You scum! Why are you trying to load your dirty mouth with apologies for your life? A half-hearted apology only makes me feel sick. Don’t embarrass me any further!” “P, please...” The man with the shattered jaw forced his mouth open, but it only made things worse. Well, from their perspective, they probably had nothing else to say besides “I’m sorry” and “Please save me.” “Guh...!” The man with the shattered jaw screamed with his barely open mouth. Rien stomped on his abdomen with her greaves, and blood trickled from his mouth, staining the floor. “From now on, every time you beg for forgiveness or mercy, I will cut off one of your limbs. The only words you can say are ‘kill me.’ Try your best to atone for your sins.” Rien looked at the girl again. “If you find it too hard to watch, you can turn your head or step out for a moment.” The girl, who was biting her lip, shook her head. Confirming this, Rien sheathed her sword and started a merciless beating. Each time her iron gauntlets hit the men, sticky blood and flesh splattered. Everyone in the hut was overwhelmed by Rien and could only watch. The girl, trembling and crying, watched the scene. When the last man’s breath was cut off without even a chance to beg for death, “Baroha.” “Yes... young lady.” “I will hold you accountable for this incident separately. Now is not the time for that.” “Understood...” Rien, leaving those words, approached the girl. As she got closer, she quietly took off her blood-stained armor and gauntlets. Finally, in light leather clothes, Rien stood in front of the girl. “May I ask your name?” “...Anna, Anna.” Rien bowed even more deeply than when she bowed to me. “Anna, the fact that you went through this is ultimately the responsibility of the Steelhawk family, who are in charge of protecting the Lemun Forest. I said that a half-hearted apology is disgusting, but I will swallow my pride and apologize to you.” “No, no. Young lady, you have done nothing wrong...” Rien, still bowing, shook her head firmly. “Even if you are generous enough to think that way, my responsibility does not disappear. I just want to bear it in some way.” Rien was still bowing, so she didn’t see it, but everyone in the room was looking at her. Baroha, who couldn’t avoid the blame, looked at her with pride, and the two guards, despite knowing the hard road ahead, looked at her with awe, biting their lips. I was also impressed. Such a character seemed to belong only in movies. Anna’s expression was one of being completely captivated by someone. She seemed more deeply moved by Rien than by me, who had saved her life. It seemed that my lowly hobby wouldn’t work this time. The indelible mark left on the girl’s life was clearly made by Rien, not me. This must be what charisma is. It was even more surprising that these three men could commit such sins under such a person. “Please raise your head. Today is the most terrible day of my life, but it is also the day I met the warmest people.” Anna, sobbing, said to Rien. Anna tried to lift Rien’s head, but couldn’t bring herself to touch her, and her hand fumbled in the air. “The young master who risked his life to save me, even without a weapon, and the young lady who treated me like this, are the first people I have ever met. Thank you so much.” “...” Rien, finally raising her head, looked at Anna with a warm gaze and then turned to give an order. “Throw these scumbags to the beasts. Take this girl to change her clothes and get her treated. I will take her.” Rien, seeing Anna holding the clothes, clicked her tongue. She seemed to realize that in her excitement, she had only given half-hearted consideration. As people left, only Rien and I were left in the hut. “I want to thank Sir Luke again.” “...There’s no need. And as I said, I’m not a knight.” “If a person who can risk their life for the weak without a weapon is not a knight, then I will not aim to be a knight.” Rien’s voice was firm. It was a statement that would make the royal family and high nobles, who have the authority to knight, feel hurt, but it was a pleasant thing to hear. “We have to part ways now because I have things to take care of, but if you ever have a chance to visit our territory, please do. I want to repay you.” “If you say so. I feel good to have met a ‘real knight’ for the first time in my life. I’m staying in the capital, so if you ever come to the capital, please visit the Eslante Viscount’s mansion.” “I will definitely do that.” Rien left the hut to meet Anna. Well, with someone like her handling the aftermath, there would be no need to worry about any potential problems or compensation. I was so impressed by Rien’s strong impression that I didn’t even have the energy to check the new dungeon I had obtained. “I’ll think about this lying in bed.” I had to hurry back to the village; the winter days were short. Thinking about this, I finally remembered Ella, who was waiting for me in the village, taking care of the horse. It would be too cruel to keep her waiting any longer, so I had to hurry back. I quietly left the patrol base.