Year 141_Keireki Era_Spring/09
Yo.
I'm traveling with a companion who seems to love detours.
This Suou character has quite the short fuse.
So far, she's already picked fights with bandits four times along the way. That's twice a day on average.
And now, once again—
"Hey, Zerog. Look over there. A carriage is under attack. Merchants, maybe?"
"Hm?"
To reach the town we're heading for, we need to pass through several trade routes, so encountering bandits is not uncommon.
As for the "carriage under attack" Suou spotted—
"No, that's not a merchant’s carriage."
Though I'm not well-educated, I still retain some knowledge from my days as a bandit, enough to assess whether it's wise to pick a fight with someone or not.
That carriage, whoever it belongs to, is likely not from a traveling merchant.
The key point is the design of the cart.
It's a square-shaped vehicle with no accommodations for living—something I'd recognize as belonging to the Magic Guild.
I’m not sure why, but I recall that the Magic Guild always uses this particular design.
Maybe it’s essential for them to be easily identified by appearance.
And as for this type of carriage—
I have a vague memory of my past self attacking such a cart and getting wiped out by mages.
Magic Guild carriages are typically guarded by skilled mages.
The goods inside are usually related to magic—items bandits can’t comprehend or appraise the value of, making them unworthy targets.
But bandits, being the hopeless fools they are, tend to recognize "it's a carriage" and attack indiscriminately, often ending up getting killed in the process.
Indeed, bandits are tragic creatures by nature.
"It's a Magic Guild carriage. Any bandits attacking it will just end up getting wiped out by the guards."
"Doesn't look like that's the case this time, though."
We stealthily observe the scene from a spot with a clear view.
To an outsider, we probably look like accomplices to the attackers.
Anyway.
Near the carriage lies a man, impaled by crude spears characteristic of bandits—essentially sharpened sticks.
The man is dead.
A staff lying nearby suggests he was a mage and likely one of the guards.
Besides this fallen mage, there were other people who seemed to have been hired as guards.
"Damn! I didn't sign up to die for this!"
"Sorry, kid!"
The hired guards flee with such parting words.
Left behind are seven rugged-looking bandits.
"H-help meee…"
Cowering in terror against the carriage was a boy with black, bobbed hair.
Judging by his demeanor, he was probably the person in charge of this transport.
Suou looked at me.
It's been about two days since we started traveling together.
Though it's a short acquaintance, she's someone I find pretty easy to understand.
"Ah, he looks so scared. Poor kid. I’d love to help him, but, man, seven bandits? That’s tough. But if Suou helps me out, we might just manage!"
"—Ah, what a pain. Fine, Zerog. You can count on my blade!"
Suou has her own moral reservations about casually helping people.
Maybe it stems from her bandit background, or maybe there's another reason. I wouldn't know.
Personally, though, if there's someone right in front of me who I can save from bandits, I feel compelled to act.
In that sense, I find traveling with her pretty comfortable.
Before Suou reached the fray, I took down two of the larger bandits with some well-aimed rocks.
Strangely, my aim as a former bandit has become remarkably sharp.
Though the strength of my throws hasn’t increased, the accuracy is uncanny.
As Suou closed the gap for melee combat, she struck swiftly—slashing one from behind, spinning around to cut down another in one motion.
"Who the hell are y—" The man barely finishes his words before his neck is sliced clean.
In mere moments, seven bandits were reduced to two.
Before the remaining two could decide whether to fight or flee, it was already too late.
My stones crushed their skulls one after another.
And that's how it goes.
Traveling with Suou is far from boring.
Seriously, how did someone so full of righteous fire ever end up as a bandit?
Yet, I find her presence oddly comforting.
If I’d been left alone to do something more akin to typical banditry, my mind would’ve grown much darker.
By doing good deeds like this, I wonder… can I atone for having died so selfishly in my previous life?
Not that I know who I should be asking for forgiveness.
What do you think about this chapter?
