Chapter 113: One sows and another reaps
“Greetings, Sir Joonbum.”
“We are amazed by your prowess, Sir Joonbum.”
“It was like watching the legendary Knight Hadrian!”
All the merchants bowed their heads deeply. No one dared to meet Joonbum’s eyes. The knight was already a higher rank in status than a regular noble. Merchants treated Joonbum with respect, but this was something else. Some even regarded Joonbum as a legend.
Ress began to speak as he saw all the merchants gathered for a meeting.
“The stolen goods are about four days away from where we are.”
“Oh!”
“I knew it!”
“So?”
The merchants were excited by the news. They were preparing for a big loss while passing through this passageway, but this was much better news.
“We can compensate our losses then!”
“I think the prisoners will be worth a lot too if we sell them as slaves.”
“Let’s open a slave auction. Those merchant and noble families who had their relatives killed will pay for them dearly.”
It was all as Joonbum expected. Merchants began discussing with each other enthusiastically, but they soon fell silent as they realized Joonbum was watching them silently. He spoke out as the crowd fell completely silent.
“I questioned the prisoner and found that there are about thirty soldiers and six soon-to-be knights protecting the stolen goods.”
The merchants turned to Joonbum.
“S-soldiers?”
“Knights? But how?”
“Weren’t they only thieves? How could they…”
Some merchants were suspicious of the news.
“Hmph! Those men that you took care of looked powerful enough, sir.”
“Yes, sir. I am a mere merchant, but I know a man when I see one. Those three men on the horses looked as powerful as knights.”
An old merchant with a long white beard asked Joonbum, “Were they…?”
“They are the noble’s soldiers.”
Everyone fell silent at the news.
Joonbum continued, “I will not speak of the noble’s name as you all will able to guess it easily,”
“We have to battle one more time to reclaim the stolen goods. Keep this in mind. Also, we should not make enemies with the said noble so make sure you keep quiet about this. We are fighting thieves to take our stolen goods back.”
Everyone nodded. Joonbum also nodded and kept talking.
“We will sell all the captured thieves as slaves except for a few of them. But we will sell them at the lowest possible price. You will give up a small profit in exchange for not making more enemies.”
They nodded again. The stolen goods were enough of a profit, so they did not need to go for more profits with the slave auction. Selling the prisoners that way would allow the other merchants reclaim ownership over their goods.
“The last thing we will do is behead the thieves that are soldiers and send them to the noble. We don’t want them alive as it will fire back at us. We will end it with delivering the heads to the noble.”
Everyone moaned. They knew who they were dealing with so they also knew what Joonbum was talking about. Everyone nodded heavily and looked at Joonbum.
*
It was a small mountain southeast of Mount Coraine. It was not steep or high and it was remote enough that no one really ventured there. It was also very small, so there were no predators or monsters living on the mountain. Only reptiles, rabbits, and other small animals inhabited the mountain. Among the inhabitants were about thirty men guarding the area.
“This is boring. If it wasn’t for the knighthood training…!” a big man mumbled, ranting in annoyance. A man who was lying on the ground pulled himself up with a yawn.
“I like it. It’s better to be outside than train all day long.”
“I will rather train and hang out at a saloon! This is crap.”
Maki, the big man, kept on mumbling as Drusen, the other man, smiled. There was another man approaching them, shaking his head.
“Maki, stop mumbling. We will all be knights when we return. Have some dignity.”
Demil pointed, scolding Maki.
“Hah, so that’s why you’re thieving?”
“WHAT? How dare you!”
“Ugh, cut that out. I’ll report it to Sir Gilent if you guys continue.”
“Don’t you dare do that!”
“So stop it!”
The three men began arguing and the others grinned at the sight. It was a daily routine as everyone was waiting for the mission to end. There was a good reward waiting for them upon their return.
“I wonder when Sir GIlent will return. I want to end this-”
“UGH!”
“ARGH!”
“AMBUSH! SHIEL-”
A group of arrows was fired upon the soldiers and tens of soldiers fell to the ground. Maki was on the ground with an arrow in his thigh and Drusen had an arrow on his back. Demil also had an arrow penetrating his neck.
“Pull up the shields!”
“Fight back! UGH!”
Arrows kept firing and men fell each time the arrows were fired. Demil, who had an arrow in his neck shouted as he raised his sword and began charging toward the arrows. His open mouth was full of blood.
“DEMIL! NO!”
Maki shouted at Demil as he pulled up his shield and ran toward his friend.
“YOU BASTARDS!”
Maki charged in the direction of arrows but he was blocked before he could reach the bushes with the weird shield. It was a large shield that covered the man holding it in its entirety.
“UGH!”
He felt a burning sensation coming from his stomach. He looked down to see a sword protruding from his stomach and pulling out. The blood poured out from the opening between the leather armor.
“Argh… DAMMIT!”
Maki slumped back as the man who thrust his sword swung it in the air to shake off the blood. Maki realized what happened and tried to get up, but he could not. He felt sudden coldness striking him as he blinked slowly. The world began to darken.
‘N-no… I can’t…’
Maki slowly fell onto his side.
“WHO ARE YOU! How dare you attack- ugh!”
“COWARDS!”
There were only about ten men left. They pulled up their shields to block the arrows, but the shields did not cover the whole body. They began accruing more wounds.
“AARGH!”
“N-no…! PLEASE! I SURR- UGH!”
Arrows were fired even after they threw down their weapons. It was after all lay dead that the arrows stopped. The area fell silent. About thirty mercenaries came out of the bushes and gathered around Joonbum.
“We’re victorious, Sir Joonbum.”
Henderson spoke excitedly. It seemed like every mercenary was excited at such a clean victory and the fact that they would find treasures inside the caves.
“You can say that after we make sure. Count all the bodies and see if we have thirty-six. Make sure they are all dead and cut their heads off so we can send them as gifts.”
“AHHHH!”
At that moment, one of the soldiers from the pile of bodies rose up and began running toward the forest. Joonbum calmly threw his spear at the soldier, penetrating his back.
“URGH!”
The soldier slowed down as he bled from the wound and fell down. His body was left hanging as the spear struck the ground at an angle, stopping him from the falling to the ground.
“Behead them.”
“Yes, sir!”
All the mercenaries began using their spears to make sure all the enemies were dead and began beheading them. They were to be sent to Marquis Beneth.
Joonbum, along with Henderson, moved onto the cave and walked in.
‘It’s as he said.’
The cave was wide. The opening was about fifteen feet wide and twenty feet high. There were tracks of carts that had moved across the ground.
“It’s as large as Horte said. Inside should be…”
Joonbum and Henderson stopped as they arrived at a big open room. They both opened their eyes in shock.
“Whoaa.”
“Wow.”
Daryl and Louise shouted in astonishment from the back. The room was full of stolen goods, easily exceeding the expected amounts.
“OH CRAP!”
Daryl, who was walking around, examining the goods and shouted in surprise.
“W-WOMAN! There’s a woman here!”
Joonbum, Henderson, and Louise all ran toward Daryl.
‘What!’
There were women imprisoned inside a wooden cell.
“Close your eyes and look away!”
Joonbum ordered the other three and they looked away.
“Daryl, go get some water and food. Louise, get some clothes. Henderson, take half of your men to camp and bring the workers and horses so we can haul these goods.”
“Yes, sir!”
Daryl and Louise quickly moved out. Joonbum then closed in on Henderson.
“Forget everything you saw here, and you will live.”
“Understood, sir.”
“Then move out.”
Joonbum turned away as Henderson left to do his part. He glanced upon the women who were in a mess.
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