The reason why the captured bandits had been so quick to give up the location of their hideout was, naturally, Set.

Due to the intimidation effect of King’s Awe used by Set, the bandits were all cowering away and immediately answered when asked, in hope of getting away from Set as soon as they could.

The fact that their boss, Everogi, had abandoned them so easily might also have something to do with it.

「They seem quite frightened by Set for some reason……what did you do?」

In response to the soldiers from the subjugation force, who had come to report back to Ranga, Rei turned to look over at Set, who was happily eating dried meat given by one of the knights a short distance away.

「I mean, if Set did anything, it would be giving a loud cry right up close to them. I think that’s why. They had been planning to run but seemed to all give up when they heard Set’s cry.」

「Gururu~?」

As he ate the dry meat he was given, Set gave a questioning cry, asking if Rei was calling for him. He turned to look at Rei, but Rei shook his head to say it was nothing before facing Ranga again.

「So, now that we know the location of their hideout, will we attack immediately?」

「That is the plan. ……Where is there hideout?」

When asked, the soldier averted his gaze while looking a little embarrassed before turning towards the forest.

「It seems to be quite deep into the forest.」

「……I thought horsemen made up the bandits’ main force?」

「Yes. They seem to be quite good at handling horses. After all, they weren’t originally bandits but mercenaries.」

「I thought so.」

Rei nodded in response to the answer he had vaguely expected.

The same went for Ranga, who frowned.

「So they aren’t just bandits? I sometimes hear of mercenaries turning to banditry, but even so, it’s a big problem when it comes to this scale. ……Rei-kun, can you wait a little longer? I have to consult with the knights about the plan moving forward.」

「Understood. I want to settle this matter as soon as possible, so if possible, please try to push for that direction.」

「Of course. I don’t like the idea of leaving Gilm for such a long period of time and, above all, even as we’re doing this, more documents are piling up one after another……」

Perhaps recalling the pile of papers on his desk, Ranga left with his hand on his stomach.

The knights who had tending to Set also followed Ranga.

Seeing them off, Rei asked a nearby soldier with some surprise.

「Do the guards have that many documents to deal with?」

「No, well, it can’t be said that we have that many documents to deal with. But, in particular, it is necessary to sort out the number of people entering and leaving Gilm, the troubles occurring in the city, and many other things.」

「……Being a guard seems more difficult than I thought.」

Only Rei’s earnest murmurs could be heard in the surroundings.

 

 

Meanwhile, the remaining members of the Bloody Blades went back into the forest towards their hideout.

Even through the forest, their pace was fast.

It was only natural that Rei would soon know the location of their hideout from the survivors of their initial attack, which had been sent out to see if it was a trap.

The Bloody Blades led by Everogi were not a group of people that boasted an iron bond. If they were caught and interrogated, they would spill everything to save themselves.

Moreover, since he, their boss, had simply abandoned them, he couldn’t hope for much loyalty or solidarity.

For that reason, Everogi intended to leave immediately, before the adventurers and subjugation force could reach their hideout.

His decision was swift and undoubtedly the right decision as the leader of such a mercenary force.

But……

Everogi, who had been quickly moving through the forest, suddenly stopped.

A familiar smell of rust drifted out from the direction they were going in.

(Are they ahead of us……? No, it’s too soon. Even if Crimson has a Griffon, I can’t imagine him finding our hideout in the forest so quickly.

For a moment, the figure of the Griffon he saw on their first attack on the merchants passed through his mind, but he immediately shook his head.

However, there was no doubt that there was a smell of blood drifting out from the location of their hideout.

The other must have sensed the smell as well. They looked at in other in confusion……or perhaps unease.

「Something happened at the hideout. Let’s go.」

Everogi spat those words out before urging on the horse he was on.

Even though they were in a forest, Everogi’s horse continued to advance without any issues. The rest of his subordinates followed, as if chasing after him.

The Bloody Blades might have been a mercenary group turned bandits, but the skill of their horsemen was undoubtedly first class.

When they finally got to a clearing in the forest, where they had set up their hideout……Everogi was greeted by nearly 50 Goblins.

「Goblins?」

It was true that Goblins had been wandering in since the day before. However, even then, there had only been one or two Goblins at a time, there had never been such a large group of Goblins.

The Goblins had food or weapons in their hands as they fussed over gold, silver, and gems.

The people lying on the ground were all familiar.

They were his subordinates who had lost the strength to fight……or were unable to fight due to injuries and had retired from mercenary work to do odd jobs.

They were all lying on the ground with blood spilling out from their bodies.

Limbs bent in the wrong directions and wounds all over their bodies.

It could be considered fortunate that there were no women among the mercenaries that had stayed behind.

If there had been, there was no doubt they would have suffered a fate worse than death.

Yes, just like the woman who had survived one of Everogi’s attacks on merchant caravans, who he could see in his line of sight.

「Damn it, just when I don’t have the time for this. ……Listen up you bastards. Get rid of those fucking Goblins! Don’t get me wrong, drive them away, not kill them!」

「Boss!?」

Even if the mercenaries had all joined together with personal gain in mind, there were some who had developed bonds with each other after being together for so long. Seeing their friends dead, several men turned to Everogi in dissatisfaction at the order to just drive away the Goblins instead of avenging their fellow comrades.

However, Everogi just glared back at them.

「I’m also mad at these Goblins. But if we take our time here, the subjugation force and Crimson will get closer. Do you think you can beat them?」

Hearing that, even his subordinates had nothing to say back.

As Everogi gave his orders, the Goblins could naturally see them, so as a result……

「Gyagagagagya!」

「Gyogya?」

「Gyagyogo!」

Calling out to each other, the Goblins all attacked at once.

The Goblins were strong against the weak and weak against the strong. However, they were also dumb, so they would attack enemies even if they were stronger than them.

The Goblins’ decision to attack was probably the result of the manifestation of such Goblin traits.

Especially now, excited from the killing of weak fighters and those who couldn’t fight who had remained in the hideout.

And above all……

「GAGYAGYOGYO!」

There was a monster considerably larger than a Goblin……about the size of an adult human, who attacked with a club, drunk on blood and excitement.

It was a superior species of Goblin……

「Tch, a Hobgoblin! What’s with all these Goblins!」

Shouting in frustration, Everogi dodged a swing of the club before swinging his long sword.

The Hobgoblin, a superior Goblin species, dies when his head was chopped off by Everogi’s attack.

Hobgoblins were indeed a superior Goblin species and their physical abilities were higher than a Goblin’s in every way.

However, this was only compared to a Goblin, it was still nothing more than a weakling in front of the veteran leader of the Bloody Blades.

「Gyagagagaga!?」

「Gyogoveru!?」

A Goblin swung a piece of rare monster material while shouting in Goblin language.

Everogi, who knew how much money was being held in that Goblin’s hand, frowned as he spat out in disgust.

「Hey-! You guys hurry up! Get rid of the Goblins! But remember to collect as much as possible of the goods they have taken. For us mercenaries, it’s absolutely necessary to take back as many weapons, armour, and horses! Otherwise we won’t be able to buy any food or alcohol!」

『UOOOOOOOH-!』

Weapons, armour, horses, food, alcohol, and women.

The other mercenaries couldn’t just sit back and take it easy when they knew that something essential to their business as mercenaries was at stake.

However, when the Goblins saw the approaching humans, they still didn’t understand that the Hobgoblin, their greatest fighter, was already dead and tried to threaten the mercenaries loudly.

(Tch, bastards. If they shout so loudly, they’ll just be telling the subjugation force and Crimson where we are.)

Irritably clicking his tongue, Everogi swung his sword out of frustration, cutting the Goblin holding a rare material in half.

Frowning at the smell of Goblin blood that started to drift out around him, he continued to kill Goblins one after another.

After 10 minutes, the Goblins realised that they would be wiped out by the mercenaries and started to run away in all directions.

Without thinking about their fellow Goblins, they ran away to save their own lives.

After the Goblin settlement had been attacked, the lone surviving Hobgoblin had managed to keep the remaining Goblins somewhat together. But now that it was dead, there was no one else to lead the Goblins.

Some of the mercenaries mounted their horses and tried to pursue the killers of their comrades, but were immediately met with angry shouts from Everogi.

「Oi, you guys! Let’s quickly get out of here. Pack up your valuables and belongings! Don’t forget the monster materials that the Goblins left lying around!」

Those words seemed to bring the mercenaries back to their senses. They came back in a hurry as they followed Everogi’s orders.

As that was going on.

「Heh, you seem to be making decisions quite quickly. I thought you would have a bit more time to spare.」

A voice echoed out.

Strangely enough, even in the midst of all the commotion, Everogi could still hear that voice.

At the same time, he felt a chill run down his spine as he turned to face the voice on reflex.

The was a young man standing there, young enough to be called a boy. He had a huge scythe in his hand as he leaned against a tree, watching with admiration as the Bloody Blades made their preparations to retreat.

It was clear who it was just from the weapon the boy held, but the biggest giveaway was the presence that was crouching next to him as he watched the mercenaries.

A Griffon, an A rank monster with the upper body of an eagle and the lower body of a lion.

He usually had round eyes and a friendly demeanor, becoming somewhat of a mascot in Gilm. But now, his eyes were sharp, like a bird of prey, as he looked at the Bloody Blades.

「……Crimson……」

From Everogi’s mouth, the title of the person before him leaked out of his mouth.

 

 

Going a bit back in time.

The soldiers of the subjugation force had succeeded in obtaining the information they wanted from the bandits Rei had captured a lot faster than expected.

They would get an answer as soon as they asked anything, so no torture was needed.

It was enough for them to say this.

『Do you want the Griffon to come over again?』

Scared witless by Set’s intimidation, they all immediately gave in.

Their true identity was the mercenary group Bloody Blades. Since they had barely made any money during the Spring War, they decided to become bandits in Margrave Rowlocks’ territory, who was the reason why the war had ended so quickly. They also gave details of the Bloody Blades, and their leader, Everogi, who had promised them a preferential share of the profits.

「……This is dangerous.」

One of the knights muttered when he heard the information from the soldiers.

The Bloody Blades were a mercenary group whose main force consisted of horsemen, a class of fighter with excellent offensive power and mobility. In addition, they were led by a smart man.

It was true that the subjugation force had been chasing the bandits……no, the mercenaries, but they had never been able to even see them.

Furthermore, in order to not leak any information, they would also kill everyone in the caravans they attacked.

If such a leader had seen a Griffon, he would definitely have guessed that the B rank adventurer, Rei, had his eyes on them.

Even if it was a misunderstanding that they had been found, since a large scale subjugation force had been formed, there was a high possibility that their work in this area was over and they would try to move for another area.

At the knight’s explanation, the other members of the subjugation force nodded with bitter expressions.

「If that’s the case, isn’t it best to have Rei and Set to play an active role as soon as possible? We were able to find out where the Bloody Blades are hiding after all.」

「In the end, without Rei, this solution wouldn’t have been possible.」

One of them muttered those words out softly. But, in the end, they all agreed that they should prioritise dealing with the Bloody Blades rather than trying to claim credit for it. Through Ranga, who was closer to Rei than the rest of them, they asked Rei to go ahead and keep an eye on the Bloody Blades to make sure they didn’t escape before the subjugation force arrived and to stop them if they did try to escape.

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