Chapter 100. Lawless City (1)
“Hmmm… Rewriting this seems impossible.”
“Is there really no way?”
“I’m not a dwarf, and aren’t you expecting too much from someone who handles a sword?”
“There’s nothing we can do about it.”
The young merchant sighed as he surveyed the surroundings.
“It would take ages to walk to Bates from here…”
Having crossed the northern border of the Argon Kingdom and entered the Potsral mountains, a week had already passed. They had traversed a third of the mountains, and turning back now would be too difficult. But moving forward was also not an option since the wheel of the wagon had completely come off.
“Let’s abandon the luggage. If we want to get out alive, even just carrying the food will be tough enough.”
“What? That’s practically telling me to die. Do you know how much all that stuff costs?”
“It won’t be worth more than your life. The Potsral mountains isn’t some hill behind your house; it’s not a place you can cross with a broken wagon.”
“Can’t we somehow manage to take the luggage with us?”
The young merchant’s words made the hired mercenary let out a deep sigh.
‘Is it because he’s inexperienced or does he lack common sense?’
The rookie in front of him, Eto, was someone mysterious keeping the trade operation afloat.
Initially, he assumed Eto was just a rich kid, but seeing him struggle to succeed in his trading expedition to Bates, it seemed that wasn’t the case. Perhaps he was hoping to make a big score with some money he had somehow acquired.
‘Damn it. No matter what, we’ve come this far, it would be a waste not to see it through.’
Their trading expedition in the Argon Kingdom had been disrupted by the rebellion led by the Duke of Elpellan. Agreeing to the absurd proposal of crossing the Potsral mountains to sell goods in Bates was only because of the payment involved. What other choice was there? It was a significant amount of money, after all.
“Sigh… In that case, pick only the most valuable items to take with us. Together with your workers and the other guards, excluding me, carrying them should be manageable. However, we’ll need to draw up a new contract. Since there have been unforeseen changes, it’s only natural.”
“That’s fine. I’ll pay double what we initially agreed on. If we can safely make it to Bates, paying even more won’t be a problem.”
“If that’s the case, then.”
“Thank you, truly. Without you, we couldn’t have continued the expedition this far.”
“Stop with the flattery… I’m doing this for the money, so spare me the nonsense. I have to make sure to collect what I’m owed.”
The mercenary, with his roughly-cut hair, walked over to the other guards.
“Should we start leaving some of this behind…?”
“And how do you plan to get out of the Potsral mountains then…?”
Despite hearing dangerously ominous words, he forced a smile, pretending not to hear them.
“Hey, listen up! I’ve managed to negotiate triple the fee!”
Though it was actually double. How could he stick to the original amount after overhearing that dangerous chatter? These scoundrels, always looking for the first chance to betray…
“Triple? Is that true?”
“Would I lie?”
“Does he even have that kind of money? If he backs out later…”
“We’ll have more than enough once we sell all our goods in Bates. And…”
If we’re going to fleece him, we can wait until then. As he whispered with a lowered voice, the other mercenaries chuckled. Their intentions were transparent.
‘Fools.’
They were probably deliberating what to do with money they hadn’t yet secured.
“Then it’s decided. First, we start by dividing up the luggage. Think of it all as our money and handle with care. Got it?”
“Of course!”
Watching the mercenaries joke around as they approached the laborers to organize the goods, he felt a sense of unease.
Pavel, the mercenary who had persuaded the other guards, was on the verge of being promoted to a silver badge. Promotion within the Mercenary Guild, which required passing through rigorous assessments, was nearing for him based on his past achievements and mission success rate—an associate from the guild had hinted as much.
In other words, successfully completing this mission would mean shedding his bronze badge to stand proudly as a silver-badge mercenary.
‘Damn it. I have to make this work.’
He had no aspirations for the guild-issued golden badge. Becoming a silver-badge mercenary was enough to change how others treated him instantly. Not only would the average fee for commissions increase, but he would also gain access to lucrative assignments provided by the guild—sufficient reasons to strive for promotion.
While most mercenaries outside the empire didn’t care about ranks, Pavel, who planned to work within the empire soon, felt differently. It is an empire, no less.
When compared to other nations, the difference is said to be as vast as between heaven and earth—an empire.
“In the empire, it’s not rare to encounter a Gold Badge, and even the mercenaries one commonly encounters are of Silver Badge caliber. And those above Gold Badge….”
Of course, he did not even dare to hope for that. The level above Gold Badge is said to be reserved for superhumans who wouldn’t be out of place belonging to some noble family. Among them, there are even a few who have left their names in history.
For someone like me, silver Badge is the limit. If I’m incredibly lucky, maybe I could just manage a Gold Badge. But even that would be enough.
“A man, after all, should play in the big waters. Yes.”
Therefore, this trade expedition must succeed at all costs. Pavel reaffirmed his determination, carefully placing the goods prepared by the laborers into a leather knapsack.
“Pavel. Should we start heading out?”
“Let’s do that.”
“It wouldn’t be strange for the Greenskins to show up by now. I’d like to at least make it halfway.”
“If we keep walking without rest until sunset, it should be enough.”
Nodding at Pavel’s words, Eto distributed the food among the workers and guards. It was not enough to feel full, but it staved off hunger for a while, causing grumbles of complaint here and there.
“Eating too much will only make walking harder. Eat just enough for now. We’ll distribute the meat we brought from Renford Kingdom so you can eat as we go.”
However, Eto’s follow-up quickly quelled the complaints. Pavel was impressed with Eto’s adept handling of the situation, quite unlike his usual bumbling self.
“Clearly, there’s something to be said for having learned something.”
“Let’s go then.”
With that, Eto, who had also secured his knapsack, signaled the start of the march.
Thud- Thud-
It was a march planned to last at least until nightfall. The workers, the mercenaries, even Pavel himself, saved their energy for speaking by keeping their mouths shut tight.
“Ha. Isn’t the Potsral mountains quite scenic? There was a mountain like this in my hometown too. Makes me feel somewhat nostalgic. Ah, mercenaries wander around a lot too, don’t you occasionally feel nostalgic? Oh, speaking of which, I’ve heard that the Greenskins coming down from the Land of Warriors are incredibly fierce. Warriors that fight to the end even when stabbed at vital spots! Not now, but I’d love to see them someday.”
Even amidst this, Eto went on rambling cheerfully to himself as everyone rolled their eyes at him. Could it be he has too much energy to spare? How can such a pampered young master be so lively? If he’s the first to collapse later, what will we do-.
As everyone had similar thoughts about Eto, Pavel pricked up his ears, not towards Eto’s endless chatter, but something else.
‘Is it my imagination…?’
While letting Eto’s ramblings go in one ear and out the other, Pavel focused on the sounds around him and frowned.
At first, he thought it might have been a scream. There are quite a few wild animals in the Potsral mountains. If those animals were fighting and got hurt, it’s not really something to be alarmed about. But the scream seemed too deep to be that of an animal. Could there be a large creature nearby…?
“Woah…!”
“Fuck, you scared me!”
“What was that sound? Is there a bear or something?”
“If it’s a bear… should we be running?”
“We have guards, don’t we? All this fuss over a mere beast.”
But then, the faint sound Pavel had heard echoed from a much closer distance. The startled workers chattered among themselves, and the mercenaries grimaced, suspecting some nuisance was afoot.
“Pavel. Do you know what that sound was?”
“…. Hmm. Roughly.”
“Is it really a bear? It sounded quite large from the noise alone…”
“Hopefully. If it were just a bear, that would be a relief. Tell the workers to prepare themselves just in case.”
So, we’re going to encounter it after all. Pavel heaved a deep sigh and handed his knapsack to Eto.
“The Greenskins have appeared.”
“Why did it have to be now…?”
Just as they had not yet fully crossed the Potsral Mountains, the situation was dire enough with a carriage wheel coming off. But then to hear rumors of Greenskins lurking nearby made it difficult to keep calm.
Moreover, the Greenskins appearing in the Potsral Mountains were somewhat different from the usual kind. The Land of Warriors—a place ruled by the green-skinned warriors themselves. It was said that those Greenskins who were left behind during their migration southward sometimes ended up forming groups within the mountains. To those unfamiliar, it might seem like a trivial matter to fear a bunch of stragglers, but…
“Even those ostracized from the Land of Warriors, a single Greenskin could take down three or four men.”
That alone was enough to consider the appearance of even one a disaster.
Currently, the convoy’s strength consisted of only seven contracted mercenaries. The workers could wield spears and swords, but their combat effectiveness was limited. They might stand a chance against humans, but their unskilled blade work would hardly scratch a Greenskin’s hide.
“People said we wouldn’t encounter them up close if they were busy fighting among themselves deep within the Potsral Mountains….”
But hearing noises this close meant an encounter wouldn’t be surprising. Thus, he had ordered the workers to quickly increase their distance.
Of course, with the horses that pulled the carriages still alive, escaping alone wouldn’t be too difficult. The problem was, surviving that way would render the journey—everything he had invested in this trade mission—a meaningless failure.
“Now, it really seems like I won’t be granted even the slightest chance.”
Eto resolved himself to return successful, nodding to himself.
“UOOOOOOOOOH──!!”
However, that determination broke upon the roar that erupted nearby.
Screams filled the air. The workers, who had sworn to guard their cargo as if it were their lives, threw everything aside and ran in terror. The mercenaries hired for protection hesitated and then began to retreat as if they were about to flee.
Despite this, Eto found himself unable to protest.
Who could blame them?
“A monster…!”
A creature at least twice the size of an average human, with limbs as large as a human torso, sharp fangs jutting out of its mouth, and eyes that seemed to glare with hostility, clutching a giant sword carved from the bone of a massive beast.
“Rrrrrr!”
What was more astounding was the fact that this monster had emerged from the steep slopes below. The notion of climbing with such a massive body and heavy sword indicated an extraordinary mastery of physical strength, something even Eto recognized.
“A Greenskin warrior…!”
Yes, it was a Greenskin warrior banished from the Land of Warriors. Moreover, it wasn’t an Orc but a Troll.
“Damn it! Run─!”
The mercenaries were the first to turn their backs. Recognizing the peril of the Troll warrior, they sprinted in the opposite direction, not even hesitating.
As Eto tried to urge them to fight, he quickly realized the futility and despaired.
To fight? Could they really kill this monster with just a few contracted mercenaries? He answered his own question: impossible.
Pavel, having grabbed Eto by the nape, dashed towards the horses used for the carriages, driven by the instinctive calculation that saving his employer would minimize the disadvantages in any evaluation. Eto, dazed, followed Pavel’s lead but suddenly looked back towards where the Troll had appeared.
“What are you doing! Just run forward!”
“Wait a sec!”
Pavel, with a forceful hand, attempted to turn Eto’s head away, but Eto couldn’t take his eyes off the Troll warrior.
“Over there… Isn’t something sticking out of its head?”
“Sticking out, my ass…! You mean horns on its head… Holy, it’s true!”
Startled, Pavel involuntarily stopped and scrutinized the Troll. Upon closer inspection, since showing itself, the creature hadn’t made any significant move. Far from chasing the escaping mercenaries and workers, it had frozen as if dead-.
“Gurk….”
Thud.
“What the hell….”
While Pavel was unable to comprehend and flustered by the situation, Eto, half-released from Pavel’s grip, slowly approached the Troll.
“Hey. What are you doing! Hey!”
Ignoring the voices trying to hold him back, Eto swallowed hard and moved closer to the Troll lying face-down. What came into view for Eto, as he drew nearer, was a red sword thoroughly piercing through the back of the Troll’s head.