Chapter 10

We rode on four horses, continuing to climb the gentle slope. We made our way through a mix of deciduous and coniferous trees.

There was no more maintained road. Only animal paths remained.

As the sun began to set and the air suddenly turned chilly, we found a clearing in the woods with a small stone house.

"Teacher, is this the next landmark?"

"About ten kilometers from that stone monument, so probably."

"Perfect, Victoria, let's stay at this house tonight."

"Mom, there's a well. But water is overflowing from it!"

"Oh, really? That must be a natural spring. It's a land rich in water."

We unloaded the luggage from the horses and entered the house. The horses started grazing on the surrounding grass, and some were drinking the cold water.

It was unclear how long people had lived in this house, but the inside was not as dilapidated as we had expected. It was dusty, but it seemed much more comfortable than sleeping outside. The slate roof must have been sturdy, as the damage to the house was limited to some leaks.

"Living so deep in the forest must not have been easy. I wonder why they chose this place."

"Victoria, do you think this is the house of the writer and the princess?"

"Since we found it following the code, I think so. Whether the princess in the code is a real princess or not, we don't have enough information to say. But let's make dinner for tonight first. There's no need to rush."

"Ah, I'll help too."

There was a hearth inside the house, but after discussing with Jeffrey, we decided to make a campfire outside. We wanted Nonna and Lord Clark to enjoy the outdoor meal since they had no experience with this.

Jeffrey was skilled at making campfires and quickly got a large fire going using dry cedar branches and pine cones.

We cut down nearby branches with a small hatchet, split them into thin pieces, and skewered the meat. We stuck the salt-rubbed meat skewers at an angle into the ground around the campfire. We used large broad leaves as cutting boards to slice the bread thinly. We boiled water in a portable pot, added chopped vegetables, salt, herbs, and thin slices of sausage, and placed it near the fire.

"Mom, it smells good!"

"Teacher, this is my first time having such a meal. I'm so happy!"

Nonna and Lord Clark's joy made Jeffrey and me smile. The sausage soup was bubbling, and fat was dripping from the meat.

"It's about time. Let's divide the soup."

"Dad, can we eat the meat now?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Nonna and Lord Clark bit into the skewered meat and exclaimed, "Mmm! Delicious!" with a laugh.

While they were still halfway through their meal, I looked at Jeffrey. Jeffrey was looking at me too. Jeffrey called out to everyone.

"Nonna, Clark, Reed. Keep eating while you listen. There are suspicious people around. Four or five of them. They are heavy, large men, and they probably have weapons."

Lord Clark and Reed's faces tensed, but Nonna nodded slightly while looking at the fire and continued chewing.

"Victoria and I will handle them. You two, take shelter inside the house. If you can move anything, block the door from the inside. Nonna, please take care of Clark and Reed."

"Understood."

"No, I want to fight too."

"Clark, no. You have no combat experience. It would be a problem if you were captured. Understand?"

"...Yes."

"Alright, I'll give the signal. Move together. Three, two, one, now!"

Lord Clark, Nonna, and Reed sprang up and ran into the house. Nonna was still holding the meat skewer.

Jeffrey and I picked up our swords, which we had placed nearby, and stood on either side of the campfire. Jeffrey shouted into the forest.

"Come out. If you surrender peacefully, we'll be lenient, but if you attack, you'll die."

Bandits, perhaps. We wanted to use this house as a base in the future. It would be troublesome to have dead bodies lying around, and dealing with the guard would be a hassle. We hoped they would surrender.

But our concerns were in vain. Two large men, wielding hatchets and large knives, charged at Jeffrey and me.

Jeffrey dodged and struck the man's right side, near the liver, with the hilt of his sword. A man with a knife lunged at me, and I dodged, punched him in the solar plexus, and kicked his ribs from behind. He must have heard the crack inside his body.

Despite this, the men got up again and again. Their thick muscles must have cushioned the impact. But their movements were slowing down, and they were no match for Jeffrey and me.

To stop their movements, I slid under one of the men and cut the muscle above his left knee with my knife. He let out a terrible scream, but it couldn't be helped. I had warned them.

Jeffrey put his arm around the neck of the man he was facing from behind and knocked him unconscious.

I wondered if Nonna had learned that physical strength and combat skills are not necessarily related.

From their clothing, the men didn't seem to be bandits or mountain bandits.

There were at least two more, I thought, as I stared into the dark forest. Two young men appeared, holding hatchets and raising their arms high. They were also well-built.

"Sorry! Please forgive us!"

"We were just following orders from our seniors to protect the field."

"Don't make excuses. Drop the hatchets, kneel, and put your hands behind your head."

Jeffrey's voice was low and intimidating.

The men dropped their hatchets and assumed the position. As Jeffrey watched with his sword drawn, I tied them up one by one. I was skilled at using short ropes to tie them tightly.

"So, why did you attack us while we were enjoying a fun camping experience? Was it for money?"

"Camping? We were just following Tony's orders to protect the field."

"Mac! Don't talk so much!"

The man who had attacked me, still tied up and lying on his side, shouted. I kicked him in the solar plexus to silence him. We had no mercy for men who had come to kill us. I spoke to the man who had surrendered.

"You were in the forestry cooperative, weren't you? I remember that red hair."

The large patch on the back of his pants and the fiery red hair. It couldn't be a mistake. The man on the ground looked away awkwardly.

"What do you think, Victoria? They attacked us with hatchets. If we say we killed them in self-defense, the guard in Civile will understand."

"True. As the former second knight, you would be believed. It would be a hassle to transport them to town politely."

Jeffrey and I deliberately acted to scare the men.

"Please forgive us! We just wanted to protect the red clover field!"

"Stop. Don't kill us. My mother has no one to rely on but me!"

The young men started begging for their lives, their faces pale with fear.

"You had no qualms about killing us if we couldn't fight back."

"True. How about we cut off one of your legs each to prevent you from escaping? If we tie them tightly to stop the bleeding, you won't die."

"No, stop it!"

"Please help us!"

This level of intimidation should be enough. Jeffrey said,

"I'll have this man guide me to check the field."

He took the young man, who was tied up from the waist up, and walked into the forest. I called out to the house, "It's okay now."

Clark and Reed, pale from tension, and Nonna, with an excited look, came out. Nonna was holding the skewer. Her parents had been eating meat even during the fight.

"You were both so strong, Mom and Dad! I watched from the window."

"Thank you. Nonna, you have meat juice around your mouth."

"Oh, yeah."

Nonna wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, spreading the meat juice. I thought we should be more thorough with her ladylike education.