◈ 189. [Side Story]
Three weeks have passed since I left the bandit king Eclipse.
Currently, my party and I have succeeded in coming down to the crossroads at the southern end of the continent.
Because of all the hardships for three weeks, not only me but also the knights and soldiers, the mercenaries who joined in the middle, and Elise all looked pale.
If I recorded everything that happened for three weeks, the story would never end, so I’ll skip it… … .
It was an epic adventure that was never easy. If I wrote this journey as a novel, I might be able to weave at least one book… … ?
Anyway, through the journey of blood, sweat, tears, dreams, hopes, friendships and so on.
We’ve come to the point where we can reach Crossroads in one day!
“Tomorrow this trip will be over.”
The knight who had led the party so far spoke to me with a shy smile.
After living together for 3 weeks, everyone became quite close. It’s too bad that we’re breaking up tomorrow.
“How about settling down on the southern front at this point?”
“I will politely decline, Your Highness. There is a wife and children in the ecliptic.”
ah… The family can’t help it… … .
I secretly asked the other knights and soldiers just in case, but they all declined.
Well, at the eye level of the people of the imperial city, there is no way that such a remote village would be noticed. Is it because you have to fight monsters?
“Anyway, everyone had a hard time.”
It was late in the day, so we set up camp on a mountain road and everyone sat around a campfire.
It was the last day of the long journey, so everyone seemed somewhat relaxed. I looked around at everyone and grinned.
“When you arrive at Crossroads tomorrow, take a good rest and go back. I will treat you generously.”
“I’m looking forward to hearing that the prince said that?”
“ha ha ha! I’ll feed you generously in the countryside!”
Still, the taste of Crossroads is quite good? Youngju recommends it.
At that time, the other knights and soldiers who had been scouting the surroundings returned. They had a full canteen in their hands.
“The enemy is invisible. There was a clear pond right next to it. It’s cool and the water tastes good.”
“That’s good. Let’s drink comfortably and wash up today.”
While the rest of the soldiers rushed to the pond to fill their canteens, a large pot was set on the fire and dinner was cooked.
Tonight’s dinner was Elise.
I asked Elise while listening to the sound of the contents boiling inside the pot.
“What are you going to do, Elise? Are you going to return to the ecliptic as well?”
“I am a servant of the Winter Silver Merchant Merchants and a servant of the Serenade Lady.”
Elise answered with her characteristic nonchalant voice.
“My place is next to him. Of course I have to go back.”
“As expected. It’s a pity.”
In the past three weeks, Elise had saved my life several times, and I had saved her once or twice, so we became quite close.
I tried to persuade him somehow to make him active in the monster front, but it seems to be difficult because he is so loyal to his original owner.
“Are you going to rest for a few days? It’s too bad to send it right away. You worked hard for three weeks, but please rest well at the prince’s mansion.”
“… .”
Elise glanced at me with her deep blue eyes.
Isn’t that pure caring? Of course, if a defensive battle breaks out during your short stay, you’re eager to ask for help, right?
bubbling… … .
At that moment, the sound coming from the pot became slightly suspicious. Watching Elise silently cook, the other soldiers and I broke into a cold sweat.
Elise was extremely good at combat-related tasks, but devastatingly bad at all other life-related tasks—cooking and mending clothes.
I didn’t know why she was stubbornly wearing a maid’s uniform.
Just wear the mortician’s outfit like in the game? It’s amazing. I have to live special.
However, since he never tried to get away with this kind of work, he did not miss meals and tried to do it himself.
‘How terrifying this evening is going to be.’
Since it was the last night, I could just laugh and move on. I’m going to be a bit hungry again tonight.
“hmm?”
Elise, who was stirring the ladle, slightly scooped the tip and tasted it, then frowned.
After a while, he spit out what was in his mouth. I was dumbfounded and laughed.
“what’s the matter. How is it not tasty this time? make? sour? is it sharp? How long have you been unable to eat and spit it out?”
“No, this… .”
Elise suddenly glanced at the side of the pot. I saw a large water bottle that had been fetched from the pond earlier. I put this water in a pot and cooked it.
“This water is strange.”
“huh?”
“It contains paralysis poison… !”
I blankly blinked. what does that mean
“Ugh?!”
“nice… .”
“body… paralyzed… … ?!”
At that time, the soldiers who were talking about each other or preparing for camp suddenly began to twist and collapse one by one.
The knight who first went out to scout and brought water looked down at the canteen in dismay.
“This can’t be. I confirmed that there is no poison… … Kuck!”
Before long, the knight also groaned and collapsed.
In an instant, everyone collapsed. The only person in this camp who was not paralyzed was Elise, who did not drink water.
me? Of course I did too! I mean, it was so good that I hit one shot! OMG!
‘… Even so, it doesn’t feel like a very big crisis.’
Paralyzed in a squat position, I let out a giggle.
There have been too many incidents in the past three weeks here… … Especially last week’s ghost commotion was terrifying… … The level of being paralyzed as a group and collapsing doesn’t seem like a big crisis… … .
However, the crisis that followed was certainly a big one.
rustle!
As soon as the soldiers collapsed paralyzed, men with swords rushed around our camp.
A scruffy figure, rag-like clothes, venomous eyes and a blade in his hand. A typical bandit appearance.
– Bandits live in the mountainous area north of the Crossroads. It’s been a headache for quite some time.
I suddenly remembered a conversation I had with Evangeline the other day.
That happened when I recruited God Hand and the Shadow Troops. The bandits stole a wagon for death row inmates and was reversed by the members of the shadow unit.
At that time, those bandits were definitely idiots, but the guys who surrounded us today were a little different.
It smells like a well-trained figure slowly narrowing the encirclement in line with Oh.
Clap!
Elise, who hastily brought her swordsman, stood in front of me.
Fortunately, my mouth wasn’t paralyzed, so I grinned and shouted.
“Aren’t they the grand masters of the green forest! What business did you come to us for? Are you hungry? I was just preparing dinner. Shall we have a meal together? It’s a dish made by Elise, so it won’t taste good.”
Even though I was spitting out nonsense, I took a close look at my surroundings.
I’m not shouting like this to have fun. The reason I joked like this was,
“Hahahaha! It’s been a while since someone invited me to a meal.”
To find their leader.
Someone who heard my words walked this way.
“I’ll just be grateful and we’ll eat dinner by ourselves, so why don’t you quietly follow me? After all, you’ve been poisoned with paralysis, which can only be found on the outskirts of this place, so you’ll have to come here!”
The leader of the bandits who appeared before long… … It was a young, muscular giant who looked to be two meters tall.
Her bright red hair, which shimmered like flames, was braided into braids, and there was a clear X-shaped scar on her forehead.
“… !”
My eyes widened as I recognized the opponent.
‘Four Bandit King Kuylan?! Why are you here?!’
The leader of all the bandits in the southern part of the continent. Named hostile NPC boss – Quylan.
Commonly known as the Bandit King.
He’s the guy that appears in this child’s game. Although they are mainly encountered as enemies in subjugation events.
‘It’s a roaming NPC that is hard to see even if you try to see its face wandering around the southern part of the continent randomly! How did you get stuck here!’
As an SR-rank martial artist, his physical skills are strong, and his subordinates are extremely well trained for a bandit, befitting the bandit king’s personal guard (?).
During the subjugation event, there were many cases where the player’s unit would suffer greater damage if they were careless.
I immediately corrected my earlier thought, ‘It doesn’t feel like a big crisis’.
This bandit riot is a bigger crisis than the ghost riot! After all, people are scarier than ghosts!
“The ransom seems high even if you look at it, people took it. Will this make a good income?”
A ferocious smile crept across Quylan’s lips.
“You are lucky today!”
“I’ve been lucky with this… .”
Quylan chinned me, who was mumbling.
“And the person over there seems to be the new lord of Crossroads, if my eyes and senses are not mistaken. Right?”
I frowned. I don’t think I’ll be able to find out if I deny it.
“okay. I am Ash ‘Bonehater’ Everblack, the lord of Crossroads and the third son of His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Oh too! You were a precious person!”
“If you touch me like this, you know it’s hard to deal with it, right? If you leave now, I’ll treat you like nothing.”
“Ha ha ha! It can’t be! How long has this been since I caught a big fish!”
Quylan smiled cheerfully.
“If I use you as a hostage, I think I can get a good deal, but I can’t back down! No matter what happens, I will take you there without any damage!”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had someone who recognized my worth from the first meeting… Impressive.”
I grumbled and whispered to Elise, who was guarding me.
“Elise. get out of here.”
“… yes?”
Elise, who was looking around with a sharp gaze and was about to pull out the sword from the swordsman at any moment, looked back at me with bewildered eyes.
“What do you mean, Your Highness?”
Yes, of course, Elise is strong. You will be the strongest of all who are here.
But the opponent is the bandit king and his bodyguards.
Individually strong and numerous, they surrounded us.
No matter how much Elise is a monster of the highest tier in the SSR class, it is impossible to fight and win while protecting all paralyzed allies by herself.
Rather than that, I would rather say,
“Crossroads can be reached in one day. Go there and ask for help.”
this is better
In the game, Quylan was a bandit who kidnapped people and then freed them for money.
The subjugation event was to rescue allied characters who were randomly captured by raiding the bandit’s lair before they were in a bad situation.
Even if we all get caught, we won’t harm them right away. I’ll charge the ransom and wait.
“… .”
Elise looked at me with her anticipatory ultramarine blue eyes and then nodded.
“All right.”
While traveling together for the past three weeks, Elise has come to believe in my ability to order. So, it seems that he decided to follow without murmuring.
“I will organize a rescue team as soon as possible. Be careful.”
“You too, be careful and get out.”
I smiled at Elise. It’s quite funny to say it with such a form as if you were completely paralyzed from the neck down.
Taat!
Elise kicked off the ground like a surprise and ran to the corner of the encirclement.
The bandits blocking that side were surprised and tried to stop them, but it was useless in front of Elise’s martial arts.
puck! Fuck! Kudang-tang-tang… … !
In an instant, one side of the encirclement was pierced, and Elise ran off and disappeared.
“Hoo? Are you doing enough?”
However, Quylan only whistled and watched as Elise ran away. I was puzzled.
“Aren’t you holding on?”
“Someone’s going to claim the ransom anyway, so there’s no need to stop them.”
Quylan let out a loud roar at Elise’s back as she receded.
“If you don’t want to see this precious person get hurt, take care of yourself and bring plenty of gold coins! If the price doesn’t match, I won’t return it, so get it right!”
Quylan’s voice echoed, and Elise quickly disappeared.
Quilan gave a low-quality laugh and gestured to his subordinates.
The bandits started tying up and dragging my party, paralyzed everywhere, one by one.
“ruler… . Then we are on our own.”
Quylan, who came next to me, grabbed the back of my jacket and lightly picked it up.
It was a light movement, like lifting a kitten.
I was paralyzed and unable to move, and I carefully picked it up as if it were a gold nugget, and Quylan licked my lips.
“Let’s have a good time, Your Highness the Prince?”
I asked tremblingly.
“… What kind of fun are you going to have?”
Will you play a board game with me? Huh?
