Rescue Operation (1)

From the moment I was born, I practiced breathing techniques, becoming one with nature, and as a result, I developed senses sharper than others.

Nothing would be audible to Bastian's ears, but I could hear the voices of several people coming from under the roof.

And right now.

I overheard a job that suited us perfectly.

"It's set. Let's go."

"Huh? What is?"

They said Mercenary King Kendrick lay in wait for days, but I found a worthwhile job in just half a day.

If Kendrick, who hates to lose, heard this, he'd jump out of his coffin.

* * *

"What's with these kids showing up and spouting nonsense? Get lost."

"I'll say it again—we're here to meet the lord. You posted a public request, right? To find your daughter."

The gatekeeper sighed deeply and shook his head.

"How many people have come here today already? Now, even brats are showing up."

The gatekeeper next to him clicked his tongue.

"No way a proper mercenary band would come. The opponent's Black Wolf, after all. The lord, really... By posting that public request or whatever, he's only made trouble for us. Only a bunch of riffraff have gathered. Hey! Brats! Get lost."

"I told you, we're here to meet the lord."

"These punks! You keep pestering us?"

The gatekeeper raised his fist, pretending to threaten.

"Then at least call a higher official."

"Oh, man! You're stubborn brats. I told you to get lost!"

Maybe he'd been harassed by riffraff all day, but the gatekeeper looked really angry.

Shing.

At last, the gatekeeper unsheathed his sword to threaten us.

And he did it right in front of me.

The third among twelve companions.

Bennett, the quote machine.

I recalled something he once said.

"If you draw your sword before someone who has truly mastered it, be ready to lose a limb."

Back in the bandit camp, I took beatings for a week because I had a clear goal and principle.

But now, there's no reason to put up with being threatened by some stranger.

He even dared to unsheathe his sword.

"Where shall I cut?"

"What?"

"You drew your sword first. Left arm? Right arm? Left leg? Right leg? Pick one."

"I was going to let you off easy, but you little—!"

Swish.

He grabbed an axe that was hanging loosely at his waist.

"If you don't choose—"

I slid straight between the gatekeeper's legs.

Against a bigger opponent, there's nothing more effective than going beneath their legs.

"Huh...?"

Moreover, the opponent was wearing heavy plate armor.

A little extra defense, but movement becomes much more sluggish.

Full steel armor. Truly, the choice of fools.

"I'll choose."

Crunch!

The rusty axe smashed into the gatekeeper's hamstring.

It's a spot you can't add extra steel if you want to bend your knee.

The axe found that exact gap.

"Arrrgh!"

The gatekeeper screamed and collapsed.

His leg was protected by thick steel at the front, so it didn't get completely severed.

But the axe lodged deep enough.

It's still hanging on, but he'll never be able to use that leg properly again.

If he quickly finds a famous priest, maybe he'll be healed back to normal.

But priests rarely heal the poor and lowly like gatekeepers.

"You bastard...!"

Shing.

Another gatekeeper drew a huge sword.

In front of me, too.

At that moment—

"What's going on!"

A man also wearing steel plate armor appeared.

Armor far shinier than the gatekeepers'.

A stride that spoke of proper swordsmanship.

A flawless stance.

Maybe this one would talk sense.

"We came to fulfill the lord's public request."

The man's sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe.

"Young, but you've trained pretty well."

"Better than that gatekeeper, at least."

Only then did the man finally look at the collapsed gatekeeper, who was still clutching his knee, rolling all over the floor.

Puddles of blood already formed.

"What are you doing! Hurry and take him to get treated!"

"Yes, sir!"

The man turned his gaze back to me.

"You did this to the lord's gatekeeper. Are you prepared to take responsibility for that?"

Damn.

Was this one unreasonable too?

While I searched for a weakness in his stance...

"... Yet, judging by what you just did, perhaps you're the right person for the job."

No, he was reasonable after all.

* * *

Lord's audience chamber.

"Pay your respects. This is Baron Prin Dagon."

I performed the proper noble greeting.

Bastian bowed deeply.

Baron Prin Dagon, a middle-aged man with a gentle face, opened his mouth.

"Did you say that child crippled a gatekeeper in one blow?"

The man who escorted me replied,

"Yes, my lord. They came to fulfill your request, but it seems the gatekeeper wouldn't let them inside."

"They're only about the same age as Espin. How could these kids rescue her?"

"Since the enemy is Black Wolf, it's difficult to find decent mercenaries. Even our own soldiers' corps can't be dispatched."

Hmm.

The lord groaned.

"We can't pay the ransom they're demanding, but we also can't send our soldiers' corps to strike the bandit camp, so..."

Why call us here, only to talk among themselves? I cut in on their conversation.

"So, I'll go and rescue Lady Espin."

The lord stared at me.

But once again, he turned to the man who brought us.

"Kaye. Do you really think these children can rescue Espin?"

"They are children, after all. It won't be difficult to disguise them as slaves and sneak them into the Black Wolf camp. I'll handle the setup."

"And after that?"

Humans are truly foolish.

They judge by age, looks, attire.

Because we look young and shabby, they keep talking among themselves.

Talk to me, me—the one here to fulfill the job. I'm the one who'll rescue your daughter.

I cut in again.

"Kill a few guards, escape the camp with the lady—that's all. My lord, just prepare a couple of horses nearby. Instead, if we succeed..."

"I already said I'd give you 10 gold."

"We don't need gold."

One gold coin equals a hundred silver coins.

A typical city laborer earns about three silver coins a month.

One silver coin equals a hundred copper coins. With a copper, you can usually buy one loaf of bread.

In other words, ten gold is thirty years' wages for a normal city worker.

"... You don't need gold?"

"No."

"Then what do you want?"

"Take us as your nephews if we succeed and bring back your daughter."

"Nephews?"

"Yes. Didn't your younger brother die in battle a few years ago? Just make us out to be his hidden children."

"You want to be nobles. You think it's that easy? And do you believe that, as my nephews, you can just swagger about in the castle? No matter how young you are, you seriously know nothing of the world."

Hey, Lord.

I've lived much longer than you—no, never mind.

"I don't want to be a noble for the easy life."

"Then?"

"I want to join the military."

At last, the lord's face showed a hint of surprise.

"The military?"

"Yes. You need at least that status to enter the proper army."

"Cleansing your identity, huh... So you have a plan. Then tell me how you intend to rescue Espin."

* * *

That night.

The lodging arranged by the lord. "Lodging" was really just a storage room in an obscure corner of the castle.

"Evan, was it really necessary to refuse the gold...?"

"Just getting our status cleaned is demanding enough. We have to refuse the gold to keep things fair."

"Still... With ten gold coins, we wouldn't have to worry about money for decades."

Worry about money?

What's this nonsense.

There's no need to.

"Don't worry. We'll be much richer than this lord soon enough."

"What? How? Don't tell me we're going to be thieves?"

"Not thieves. I already got permission ages ago."

"Permission?"

Tenth among the Twelve Companions.

Mercenary King Kendrick, who grew his mercenary guild as he traveled the entire continent.

I know the location of most of his private secret stash warehouses.

Fiery red hair, red beard, red eyes.

The symbol of Mercenary King Kendrick.

One day, when Kendrick's hair and beard had turned snowy white.

― Kendrick. You planning to take all this gold and treasure to the underworld with you?

"If I die, you take it."

― Me? What would I do with all that?

"Or leave it."

― Wouldn't it be better to share among your guild members before you go?

"Those guys? Dumping that kind of money on them would only start fights. They'd kill each other and never do merc work again."

― Your kids?

"I already gave them more than enough."

― Then why save so much you'll never spend?

"Hey, Eden. You know better than anyone."

― Ah.

Purpose and principle.

"It was just a purpose. The purpose of my life, Kendrick the Mercenary King, born dirt poor—to gather riches."

Kendrick.
You said it yourself.
If you die, it's mine.

* * *

It's already been three days since we stayed at this castle.

Kaye, the man who guided us to the lord, was the captain of the lord's soldiers. His work was sharp and tidy.

The plan to infiltrate that bandit group called Black Wolf proceeded smoothly.

I chose the date for the infiltration.

Every day, kaye visited our lodging and updated us on the operation and situation.

Today, too, he came by and talked about the Black Wolf bandits.

"... They're an infamous gang in this area. They pillage, kidnap children to sell as slaves, even abduct noble families for outrageous ransoms. Like in the case of Lady Espin."

A gang this vile should have been wiped out long ago, either by the local nobles banding together or hiring a giant mercenary guild.

"Why are such terrible bandits left alone?"

Kaye sighed.

"... Because of Nox, the margrave on the eastern border."

"The eastern border? I've heard that's where there's constant war."

"Quite right. Now, what do you think is the most important thing in war?"

Bastian answered,

"Soldiers?"

"No."

"Commanders?"

"No."

"Allies?"

"No. Money. War funds. The longer a war drags on, the greater the need for enormous funds."

I see. Now I understood why the mercenary guilds weren't taking this request.

Why the nobles were turning a blind eye to the Black Wolf bandits.

"That marquis, Nox, is backing the Black Wolf bandits."

Kaye gave me an approving look.

Don't look so proud just for figuring that out.

"Exactly. Black Wolf supplies war funds to Marquis Nox. Marquis Nox protects Black Wolf."

Bandits backed by a marquis.

That explained why none of the local nobles dared touch Black Wolf.

Bastian, on the other hand, still looked bewildered.

"That can't be. A marquis backing bandits?"

"Bastian. What have you been listening to? The harsher the war, the more resources are needed."

"I thought all nobles were noble people..."

Nonsense.

"Bastian. Clearly, you have no idea. Nobles will do any filthy thing for their own gain."

"Really?"

Kaye looked around nervously. This was a makeshift lodging in a corner of the castle.

No one was around.

"Shh! Watch your mouths, you brats. Don't forget you're inside the baron's castle...!"

Kaye shared a few more details about the Black Wolf bandits before leaving.

"Evan."

"What?"

"You're cool. You talk on equal footing with Kaye. How come you're so knowledgeable? You know so much. We're the same age. Oh! Is it from reading books? I should start learning to read too!"

Just because you learn to read doesn't mean you'll know all this—but there's no harm in learning.

"Study it whenever you can. Even if you can be a private without it, you need to read to become an officer."

"Okay!"

He's a quick learner—a value-for-money companion, you might say.

"Are you still practicing your breathing?"

"Yeah. Want to see? I can breathe a bit deeper than before."

"Later. I'll know when you're ready for the next stage anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"Just do as you're told if you want to become an officer."

"Okay!"

Who knows how long it'll take. It depends on Bastian's effort and how diligently he practices.

When Bastian manages to breathe in harmony with nature, that's when I'll teach him the next level.

Maybe he won't become The World's Greatest, but I'll make it so he can command a few legions as he pleases.

My first companion in this new life.

Bastian.