***Chapter 273 Varkas II***

He went from the central part of the kingdom to the north.

He didn't know if the pursuers had lost sight of him or if they simply thought it wasn't worth chasing him.

It was probably a bit of both.

It was just a ruckus caused by stray dogs killing each other.

It would be one thing if he had killed ‘human’ but, no one would think to chase him outside the city and capture him.

A stray dog had left the city.

For them, it was undoubtedly a welcome thing.

He only relaxed once he passed through Dragon's Maw.

Even so, being a fugitive was strange, and even after a while, he would remember that he was being pursued and become uneasy again.

There was no way they would go to the trouble of looking for a single stray dog that had run away.

Even though he knew that, he still feel uneasy somewhere in his heart.

By that time, his travel money was also running low.

A stable source of food――but he couldn't because he knew he was being chased, and becoming a caravan guard required some connections.

Even if there were many ruffians, no one would hire someone who couldn't be trusted at all.

He wandered from town to town, picking fights in taverns, and stealing any money he could find.

Life seemed to go back to when he was a shitty kid.

The only difference was that his opponents had changed from kids to adults.

He had become a bit smarter, having the sense to move from town to town when he caused trouble, but despite his world expanding, what he did remained the same.

The breadth of freedom had expanded, but it felt even narrower.

Then, as he was walking down the street,

"Don't resist, give me the carriage!"

He naturally came across such scenes from time to time.

Most of the time, Grunmeld encountered these situations after the fact, but whether he was lucky or unlucky, this time,

A road surrounded by forests.

The men, perhaps thinking that Grunmeld who was walking nearby belong to the group they target, approached him with swords drawn, and he had no choice but to fight back.

At first, he thought helping the caravan might lead to work, but after he had killed four or five with his sword, he found the merchant and his guards, who had resisted, were already dead, and he sighed in exasperation.

The small-time bandits quickly fled from Grunmeld.

What remained were bandits who couldn’t move and a carriage loaded with goods.

The merchant seemed to have a lot of money, and as he was counting and taking the gold and silver coins, he noticed one of the bandits looking at him fearfully.

Just as he was about to kill him, raising his sword,

"W-Wait, please don't kill me!! I-I'll do whatever you say!!"

The bandit screamed in desperation.

Grunmeld paused, lowered his sword, and looked at the carriage and its load.

The horse would fetch a high price, and so would the carriage.

The goods inside were also valuable.

――You can only deal with what's right in front of you with brute strength, but if you use your head, you can move even a thousand ri ahead.

Remembering Krarze's words, he asked,

"You, have any connections to sell this?"

First, he went to kill the bandit leader and took over his underlings.

Bandits earned quite a lot of money.

Of course he extorted money from people who had money.

Even scum, when gathered in groups of ten, had their own networks, and through them, Grunmeld was able to get acquainted with others who dealt in illegal goods. The start was smooth.

He always remembered Krarze’s words.

Although Krarze’s was a weak-minded villain, his way of thinking itself was logical.

A sense of balance and how to make profits.

How to use your strength and your head.

Strangely enough, it applied to everything, and the methods used in town also worked among bandits.

The important thing was to create a system.

Just like Krarze did, Grunmeld first educated his subordinates.

If they ran wild just because they were bandits, a subjugation force would definitely come out.

Then they wouldn’t last long.

Even if you kill the guards, never kill the merchants.

Don't take everything away.

Those were the two rules he established.

Fortunately, there were plenty of dumb bandits, and the subjugation force targeted fools who wiped out entire caravans rather than the 'gentler' one like Grunmeld group that only extorted tolls.

In the short term, it would be more profitable to steal the entire carriage, this way would earn far more money if they were active for a long time

And Grunmeld made up for any shortfall by attacking the fools.

It was less risky overall to attack bandits than to attack carriages and kill everyone.

No one would complain if he attacked the bandits, and he would not be exposed.

When Grunmeld's bandit hunting became known, they started coming to him to bow their heads first, and he made them pay tribute.

Don't increase the number of people in the group too much, kept the group relatively small and tightknit.

Within a few years, they could live off the tribute alone.

"Boss, here’s the tribute we collected."

"Leave it there."

At one of the countless hideouts.

At that time it was an unused hunting lodge in the northeastern great forest of the kingdom.

Grunmeld usually slept in such places.

Simple wooden structures with nothing inside, but with no risk of being attacked.

He only went to town when buying women.

With food, alcohol, and a roof over his head, that was enough.

Anyone who disliked that life naturally left, which helped in adjusting their numbers.

Watching the bags filled with gold and silver coins being placed on the table, he lay on the dirty bed and looked up at the ceiling.

“...It’s boring.”

"Why not go to town once in a while? You’ll get bored in a place like this. If you don't put it to use once in a while, it'll be a waste of money."

A man with a bear-like face sat on a chair, scratching his brown hair.

Pouring wine into a random cup, he turned the bag upside down. and began counting the money.

"You’re also bored, aren't you, Fagran? There’s just no challenge with those idiots."

"Well, I agree with that... but it's not a bad life. Thought it's not great either."

Fagran answered while piling up gold and silver coins.

If he remember correctly Fagran was once the head of a small bandit gang.

Younger than Grunmeld by about twenty years, but quite sharp, so Grunmeld valued him.

One of Grunmeld's crazy henchmen who liked killing, and he seemed to be having fun hunting thieves――though, in truth, only such people were drawn to Grunmeld's side.

The subordinates under his direct control were more or less all such people, and those who weren’t quickly died or disappear.

He never turned away newcomers but he did not pursue anyone who left, nor was he interested.

A normal sense of morality was nothing but a hindrance, an impurity.

For henchmen, it was best if they were a bit crazy.

Though he was considered the leader, Grunmeld didn't care much about it.

None of them were his younger brothers, and although he share the loot with them, he didn’t particularly care for them.

He always told them, ‘follow if you want, leave or try to kill me if you don't like it.’

I do as I please, you do as you please——that was the relationship that suited them best.

Profit and loss, that's all a bandit needed to think about, everything else is left to individual freedom.

Loyalty and sentiment were unnecessary and only muddied things.

It was by eliminating such distractions and purifying the group, that the other bandits did not dare to oppose them.

“...I agree that there aren’t any guys with backbones these days. When they hear the name Grunmeld the Iron Hammer, everyone bows their head flat like a bug. That make it easy job though."

"Why don't you try to kill me then?"

"I’ll consider it when boss stop being interesting."

Fagran laughed as he said that.

"Besides that, didn’t you hear? There's going to be a battle with Elsren."

"Hee?"

"If the military moves, it looks like we won't be able to work anywhere for a while."

Elsren was a great power in the east.

If war broke out, the northern army would mobilize.

Bandit activities would need to be paused for a while.

Vigilance on the roads would increase, and the number of merchants and caravans would decrease.

Furthermore, peddlers and caravans usually would try to work together with the military, making it difficult for bandits to intervene, and many bandits become soldiers in order to earn food and support.

――No, in a sense it would be more accurate to say that they returned.

Most bandits were originally soldiers who had lost their jobs after the war ended.

"That sounds fun. Perfect to stave off boredom."

"…Are you going to join?"

"Don’t be stupid… Depending on the situation, we might able to loot in the chaos."

"Are you insane?"

"Do you think I'm ever completely sane?"

‘Not at all’, said Fagran exasperatedly, as he stood up and retrieved a map of the Great Forest from a shelf, spreading it out on the desk after pushing aside a pile of gold.

It's something they made, so it's not very accurate, but they know about the sea of trees more than the ones for sale.

Fagran roughly pushed the pile of money aside and spread out the map on the desk.

Grunmeld got up from the bed and approached the desk.

"Looks like you're all gung-ho about it."

"If we're going to do something stupid, we should do it properly."

Grunmeld laughed, and Fagran laughed along.

Stealing army supplies was a serious crime.

If caught, it was immediate execution——but Fagran’s eyes were shining.

"If we're going to take the whole wagon, we should prepare some hiding spots along the road. We're aiming for the equipment, right?"

"Yes. …Karis knows this area best. It’s his old territory."

"That bastard Karis is probably having fun in town. Want me send someone to call him?"

"No need, we're not in a hurry. We can talk to him later."

‘And it’s not like it’s decided’, Grunmeld continued.

"I don't want to just commit suicide. If we get into a situation where we're pushed into the sea of trees, we’ll stop. We will only blend in with the chaos and take the chance if we can. Ideally, we’d steal abandoned supplies, but that depends on the situation."

Around fifty thousand troops marched north.

They aimed to secure the entrance to the kingdom at Wulfenite, targeting the north.

Their purpose was probably to control the Great Sea of Trees and establish a beachhead in the north.

At that time, Elsren’s territory extended just a little to the east of Wulfenite, and from the Elsren side, the Great Tree Sea existed in a position that was more of an eyesore than anything else.

The Great Sea of Trees was a natural stronghold.

If Elsren takes over the Great Sea Trees, it will become an impregnable fortress against Alberan northern army, and protect Elsren from Arna’s reinforcements.

Alberan, cooperating with Arna, fought to prevent this, resulting in a prolonged, muddy conflict inside the dense Great Sea of Trees.

Just as Grunmeld had hoped, it was an ideal situation.

He used a roundabout method to spread the word to the bandits under his command who had not disbanded, and scattered them throughout the Great Tree Sea, making them aim at the cargo that had been left behind by Alberan's forces.

And Grunmeld did the same.

While the foolish bandits caused chaos and were wiped out, Grunmeld's core group seized the supply wagons.

"Not bad, looks like we'll make a lot of money."

"Yes. With this much, selling it off might be tricky."

In the dense forest, they moved along a narrow path suitable for a single wagon.

They wore the equipment they had stolen.

Leather armor, gauntlets, greaves, and long swords at their waists.

Grunmeld favorite iron club was in the carriage――he knew people who the one are allowed to buy their own equipment was basically from battalion commanders and above.

Putting aside if it was some special unit, it was unsuitable for a mere transport unit.

Forty men and fifteen wagons.

It was a successful haul, with swords, spears, and armor piled high.

The equipment provided by Alberan was of quite a good quality for a mass-produced item.

It was fortunate that there was even Arna's crossbow inside.

It would take some work to sell them, but once they pass through the great sea of trees, they would be in Elsren territory.

Putting aside if it was from their own country, if it was stolen goods from other countries they wouldn’t hesitate to buy it.

"Still, with this much, we could do a lot."

"Hm…?"

"We’ve had enough fun as bandits. How about establishing a base in a town? The profits would be significant, and we might find some tough guys there."

Fagran laughed.

"My goal is to reach the top of the underworld. Whether it's Alberan or Elsren, it depends on who wins or loses in this battle..."

Suddenly, he thought of Krarze.

A dreamy small-time scoundrel who aimed to reach the top of his small world.

"…Not a bad idea. True, we've done everything we could as bandits."

"Right? Then it’s settled――"

Fagan was about to say something, but Grunmeld signaled him to stop.

They were still a bit away from the hiding spot, but Karis was signaling ahead, raising his right hand with his thumb folded.

It was a sign to halt, and the folded thumb meant there were Alberan soldiers.

Grunmeld also raised his right hand, folding his thumb, and everyone stopped immediately.

"…What now?"

"If we can’t slip by, we’ll kill them."

After a while, a unit of about a hundred soldiers approached from the front.

The man who seemed to be the captain had long, unkempt black hair and no helmet, carrying a bow on his shoulder.

――It wasn’t an ordinary century squad.

Most of them carry long swords on their waists, and seeing their equipment, they were probably light infantry.

The sound of footsteps as they approach was small compared to the number of people.

They might have been trained to walk that way.

But that wasn't all.

There were about 50 people in front――clearly a small number for a century.

Grunmeld sensed that not all of them were visible; there were fewer than fifty in sight, less than a hundred.

He subtly moved his gaze, scanning the forest on either side.

He sensed that they were being watched from afar.

He instantly judged that they were skilled.

Regardless of whether they were suspicious of them or not, it was probably a unit that never lets their guard down.

While the main body moved in a column, have their subordinates advance through the forest in parallel.

This area was a contested region between Alberan and Elsren.

It was natural for them to be cautious, but whether it was just the being as usual or specifically wary of them, Grunmeld couldn’t tell.

However, the man standing in front, Karlis, had good instincts. If they had split their forces right in front of him, he would have noticed.

If that wasn't the case, it meant that they had divided forces a long time ago.

"What unit?"

A man who appeared to be the captain, carrying a bow, stepped forward and asked.

The distance was three ken.

Karlis was on the side, but a man who looked like a corporal seemed to be wary.

And next to the captain, there was a young man with red copper hair peeking out slightly from his helmet.

Beside the captain was a young man with copper-colored hair peeking out from under his helmet.

His stance and demeanor suggested he was quite skilled.

He was likely a magic possessor.

"The 13th Transport Corps, directly under the First Corps. I'm the captain, Connex. You are?"

It was the information read from the carriage.

This 13th Transport Corps appeared to have been attacked by Elsren’s army, and most of them were dead.

Connex was also the name of a dead person――only dies recently, so it wouldn’t raise suspicion.

Elsren probably didn't have the luxury of recovering the supplies.

In this area, the tide of battle shifted daily.

"Gallen, captain of the 2nd squad, belonging to 1st Battalion of the Third Corps."

"...This area should be under the command of the First Corps."

While saying this, Grunmeld showed overt hostility, placing his hand on the sword at his left hip.

Just as they were cautious of him, he was wary of them.

The reason didn’t matter it was that kind of performance.

The opposing force's was with the Third Corps, but it was probably a special light infantry.

It wouldn't be strange if they were to walk into the First Corps, given the mission, but by showing signs of doubt like this, it would be easier for the other party to let down their guard.

After all, only an ally would be cautious of an enemy masquerading as them.

"We’re on a special mission. The First Corps should have been informed...”

"You should be able tell, seeing us carrying supplies in a place like this, right? We've been attacked. We've reorganized our squad with the soldiers we found and managed to pull the carriage back."

Grunmeld pointed behind him.

Blood splatters were visible on the canopy of the carriage.

"I see. My apologies for the suspicion."

The man who introduced himself as Gallen laughed and shrugged his shoulders.

“What’s the situation? How far have we retreated?"

"We’ve fallen back a bit. From here...it’s about half a day’s march.”

As he raised his hand, the other half――about 50 people approached from the left and right sides of Granmeld’s froup.

"The cargo is equipment. We can’t move any faster. If possible, could you escort us to a safe location?"

"Sorry, but we’re also on a mission."

"...Figured. Since you’re here, does that mean the path ahead is safe?"

"I can't guarantee it...but it's probably safer than here."

Gallen laughed and Grunmeld sighed.

"Well, we’ll take your word for it. We’ll be on our way."

"Sorry to hold you up. Nozan."

"Ha. The carriage has priority. Split to the left and right."

At the young corporal's signal, the soldiers split into left and right sides of the road.

Grunmeld laughed when the other side let down its guard, gave a signal, and began to start moving again――then he felt a chill.

"Draw your swords!"

Perhaps it could be called animal instinct, he sensed the killing intent from the soldiers lined up on either side, he drew his sword.

He targeted the man named Gallen, who stood diagonally in front to the right.

The distance was two ken, enough for him to be cut down in one step.

"!?"

――However, Gallen had already readied his arrow and aimed it at him.

Grunmeld immediately leaped aside to avoid the arrow.

The arrow pierced the place where his heart had been, making a whistling noise.

"Tch!!"

Then he immediately turned around and swung his sword away.

Approaching from behind was the corporal with red copper hair.

He broke the man's sword with a powerful swing, but the soldier barely reacted, using the rebound to twist his body and slam his heel into Grunmeld’s side with a thunderous impact.

Grunmeld was thrown against a tree trunk, coughing.

“Bastard...”

“Go to sleep.”

Before Grunmeld could get back up, Gallen kicked his head, knocking him out.

When he awoke, his neck and head throbbed with pain.

The moon was already high, and it was dark around him. He must have been out for a long time.

It was the worst awakening——he hadn't felt this much pain since the day after he first met Krarze.

His hands were tied behind his back with rope, and then wrapped in leather, ensuring he couldn’t move.

Looking up, he saw several others in the same situation.

Fourteen people——many familiar faces still survived.

"Are you awake, boss?"

"Still alive, Fagran?"

"Just barely. Damn, this hurts."

When he turned around he I saw Fagran's thighs bandaged haphazardly.

Blood was seeping out, but the injury was not serious.

He must have been shot with an arrow.

"Your ugly mug’s gotten even uglier, Karlis."

"Don't talk crap. Damn, I can't reach..."

Karlis, a giant man close to Grunmeld, was trying to squeeze his nose, which was as big as his face, between his knees. I guess he's trying to get his broken nose back.

So those not here must be dead.

It was surprising so many had survived.

"Looks like our luck’s run out. We’re up against an elite century unit. Three magic possessor, and the rest are skilled warriors. This time, we’re completely outmatched. They even have the leisure to capture us."

“On the other hand, it means we have a chance.”

"That’s optimistic."

Fagran said exasperated, and a soldier on guard pointed his sword at him, telling him to shut up.

Grunmeld checked his situation, clicking his tongue.

They were bound with rope, limiting their freedom.

But if they could deal with that, they might manage something.

As he thought about how to escape these bindings, the enemy captain and several soldiers appeared from between the trees.

The copper-haired man who had kicked Grunmeld was among them.

Gallen crossed his arms and looked down at him.

"If you interfere with military transportation, you will be sentenced to death without any questions asked. You understand that, right?"

"First I’ve heard of it."

Gallen laughed.

"Then remember it. Lately, there have been frequent attacks on supply lines. We’ve been tasked with dealing with them. If you provide information, I can request for a reduction in your sentence."

"That’s rich. ‘sentenced to death without trial’ would just become ‘sentenced to death after a trial,’ right?"

"I think you shouldn’t discard possibilities so easily. Struggling might be more beneficial than giving up."

Gallen crouched in front of Grunmeld.

"So? Do you feel like struggling?"

“Bastard.”

Gallen laughed not caring about his curses.

No matter how you say it, Grunmeld was also aware that it was the howling of a loser.

"If you don't want to talk, I'll kill you right here."

With a smooth motion, Gallen drew a dagger and pressed it against Grunmeld’s neck.

Though he smiled, his eyes were like those of a predator.

"If you're willing to talk, I'll let you live for now and take you with us. ...That wasy you’ll have more options, including the chance to escape. You get that, right?"

If he resisted, he’d be killed without hesitation.

Given the current situation, he had no cards to play. In any case if he kept being stubborn there’s only death.

Then, after killing Grunmeld as an example, all they have to do is ask the other the same thing one by one.

Someone among them would definitely

It was hopeless――though being tied up with rope, he couldn't even raise his hands.

"...I have a question."

"What?"

"How did you know? I thought I did pretty well."

Gallen laughed quietly and stood up.

“Houh, for later studies is it, so, do you feel like talking?”

"Depends."

Garen nodded and said it was simple.

“I just called myself from the Third Corps instead of the First Corps to avoid suspicion. I belong to the 1st Corps, and though I might not know the other Corps well, I remember all of the faces and names of the transport captain and centurions from my own."

Gallen pointed to his head.

"You made a mistake calling yourself Connex, unlike you, he's a slender man. Did you kill him?"

"No, it's probably an attack by Elsren. We just picked up an abandoned carriage. If you go for a while, there'll be bodies lying around."

Gallen nodded in satisfaction and continued.

"Secondly, everyone in your transport unit was too well-built. Faces that have been through battles, better suited for fighting than logistics. Even if all of you were reassigned, it was too perfect."

“...So you knew it from the beginning huh.”

"Right. ...Besides, we were the ones who chased away the Elsren soldiers who attacked the transport unit. The reason we left the supplies there was to capture men like you."

Granmeld's eyes widened, then he glared at Gallen and laughed.

Gallen looked down at Grunmeld as well.

"This Great Seo of Trees is originally full of bandits, but there were too many. I figured someone was pulling the strings. A cunning man, making a big show with pawns while working quietly himself. ...Stealing only the spoils without any fighting."

‘It seemed like the wolf was caught’, Gallen said with a smile, his eyes cold.

Like a hunter looking at his prey in a trap.

With the moon behind him, only his brown eyes shone like a shadow play.

Grunmeld was sure he could win if they fight

However, Grunmeld was the one who couldn’t even touch hum and was looked down upon.

Looking into those eyes, he strangely understood why his life was in the hands of a centurion who couldn't even use magic.

——The important thing is not brute strength, but how you use it.

This was probably what Krarze was talking about.

Grunmeld thought he was being clever and doing well, but in reality he was a beast caught in this man's trap.

"The bandits' attacks are concentrated in the eastern part of the Sea of Trees. Operating in the west was a good diversion, but it was obvious. ...You're the one controlling the bandits in this forest, aren't you?"

Gallen's confident deduction made Grunmeld laugh.

“So what, you knew everything, you’re just guessing”

"Close enough. And maybe you did a good job of trying to avoid being exposed, but now that you've been caught like this, there are only two possibilities, live or die."

Gallen help up two fingers.

“Besides, this is a continuation of what I said earlier. Do you want to be judged as a small-time crook who gave up information, or as a major criminal who led numerous bandits and disrupted military operations? ...Which will you choose?"

"Heh, generous aren’t you."

"That's one way to think it."

Gallen smiled with only his mouth.

"If you can't hunt them down anyway, it would be better for a wise wolf to survive than for a stupid wolf to survive. ...Even a wolf can understand reason."

Gallen said and squatted down in front of Grunmeld again.

"Also, exterminating bandits is a job during peacetime. My current mission is to hunt down bandits who are destroying the cargo and interfering with military operations. ...Therefore, some discretion is given to me. Believe it or not, that's my offer. ...The rest is your choice."

——Nothing he say would get through.

The situation is too bad for him to just go wild and die. There was no fun in just getting killed.

That's why he started talking.

Grunmeld, without hesitation, spilled everything.

He had no attachment to those he controlled through violence, and they were just disposable pawns as Gallen said.

When he spoke without mixing lies, Gallen seemed to be contemplating something with his men, probably cross-referencing with information from other captured fools.

Once he finished talking, Gallen turned on his heel, saying the matter was settled. The men followed, and Grunmeld called out to one of them.

"Hah, did you get a new sword to replace the one I broke, little lady?"

The person who turned around at the sound of the voice was a man with red copper hair.

He was called Nozan――the man who kicked Grunmeld in the torso.

Probably a noble, as his refined movements were different from a commoner's.

He looked down at Grunmeld with a look of displeasure on his handsome face.

"Should have broken your jaw so you couldn't talk. Are you proud of breaking one damaged sword while crawling on the ground?"

"For someone who failed to kill me from behind, you sure bark a lot."

Grunmeld spoke partly out of boredom, but mostly because he was annoyed. He had a small pride in surviving the rough streets.

Strangely, something like that existed in Grunmeld as well.

It irked him to be kicked by a pampered noble.

Neither Krarze nor Keeni would laugh.

Grunmeld was also a petty small-time crook.

"You couldn't even attack without catching me off guard, but now you can kick me all you want. Are you scared of my free foot?"

"...What a pathetic man."

"……what?"

The ‘pampered boy’ was looking at Grunmeld with a completely exasperated look on his face.

He even showed a kind of pity in his eyes.

"I can tell. You've lived by strength and words alone, following your instincts. ...Biting recklessly because you understand your own misery, having nothing to protect."

Not looking down on him, but like glancing at a stray dog on the roadside.

"If you're not biting or looking down on someone, you can't even see your own worth, can you? That's why I called you pathetic."

Rather than getting angry, Grunmeld was dumbfounded.

The man named Nozan said that and walked away, losing interest.

Grunmeld watched him, mouth agape like a fool.

――That was how his long relationship with Nozan Verreich began.