Ch.110Then the Devil Came Through the Front Door (4)

Astrid was resolute.

“They’re coming again despite my clear warning last time. Proceed with the withdrawal as planned, but abandon all unnecessary baggage. Don’t wait for them to arrive—go out and meet them.”

“Grand Executioner. A moment.”

Astrid’s eyebrow twitched.

“What is it, Agent Kain?”

“Are there others besides the bandits? On my way here, I saw Berta Village. It was burning. For an entire village to be engulfed in flames, it couldn’t have been natural—someone must have set it. And as far as I know, the only person with authority to make such a decision in this territory is Count Bördem.”

“You mean the Count’s soldiers have arrived?”

“The Count himself might be here too.”

The Grand Executioner understood Kain’s implication. If they got held up dealing with bandits and then encountered Count Bördem’s army, they’d be in trouble.

Their identities wouldn’t be exposed. After all, the knightly order had essentially entered this place in secret. But even for the White Blood Knights, facing hundreds of properly armed regular troops would be problematic.

After a moment’s consideration, Astrid made her decision.

“Everyone will evacuate from this location. Load essential supplies and medicine onto the horses, and take only necessary weapons. Right now. We’ll need to wake our guests too. Prepare the guerrilla unit.”

Kain considered volunteering for the guerrilla unit. But he quickly changed his mind. The people he truly needed to look after were right here.

And he had bad news to deliver to Lily.

* * * * *

As soon as the order was given, the knights responded with swift efficiency. Some loaded packed belongings onto horses, while others prepared for guerrilla warfare.

They had dense, net-like cloaks where they inserted twigs and leaves into the gaps, making them indistinguishable from the undergrowth when worn.

“Wow. That person even prepared a green hood.”

Maria watched with interest. When the knight looked her way, Maria cheerfully waved at him, though she soon became sullen again.

Having sensitive hearing was something of a flaw. Maria had sat bolt upright at the sound of Kain’s approach, and had teased him as he worried about how to speak to Lily.

But after hearing what Kain needed to say, she opened her mouth in dismay.

“…Should I tell her?”

Maria stroked the forehead of the deeply sleeping Lily. Lily responded with a gentle smile. Kain shook his head.

“No. I’ll do it.”

Maria gently shook Lily. Lily opened her eyes. She looked up at Maria and Kain with a happy smile.

“Lily. I’m sorry, but you need to get up. We have to move. What should we do? You need rest.”

“No. I’m fine.”

Lily sat up with a small yawn. She winced slightly from the pain in her back as she turned instinctively, but then looked questioningly back and forth between Kain and Maria.

“…Has something happened? You both look troubled.”

“Lily.” Kain swallowed. “…I’ll keep this brief. It’s not good news. It’s about your father.”

Lily’s face hardened. She lowered her eyes and turned her head away.

If only it had ended there. Lily carefully managed her expression as she waited for Kain to continue. With the feeling of jumping from a great height, Kain relayed the news he had heard from Astrid.

“Your father has collapsed. He still hasn’t regained consciousness. The chances aren’t… very high, they say. Your brother too. He’s in no condition to command. That’s why Grand Executioner Astrid wants to return. That’s why she wants to take you back.”

Lily frowned. She acted as if she couldn’t understand what Kain was saying.

Kain recognized that expression. When people hear news too shocking, news beyond their comprehension, they instinctively feign composure.

But the soul cannot. Like anyone facing disaster, the light in her eyes—the lamp of her heart—went out. Lily’s eyes did the same. They emptied, like a candle suddenly extinguished, like smoke hovering above it.

“They need to hold a tournament to select a new clan leader as soon as possible… I’m sorry it’s not good news.”

Kain ended somewhat awkwardly. No matter how cruel and wicked Lily’s father had been to her, he was still her father, and Kain couldn’t speak carelessly about him.

“You said bandits are coming, right?”

“Yes.”

“And you said we need to move.”

“That’s right.”

“Then I’ll move now.”

Lily stood up. Maria stepped forward to help, but Kain gently held her back and shook his head. Maria’s eyes grew moist.

“Let’s give her some time.”

At Kain’s words, Maria helplessly lowered her head. Suddenly feeling someone’s gaze, Kain turned his head. Grand Executioner Astrid was watching them from a short distance away.

The Executioner didn’t avert her gaze. She simply looked at them with a cold expression. Eventually, she turned away and urged the other knights to hurry with their preparations.

* * * * *

The guerrilla unit members disappeared among the trees. Those remaining at the camp divided food, medicine, maps, and spare weapons among the horses. They didn’t bother with tents or cooking utensils. Everything else was left behind.

“Move out.”

At Astrid’s quiet command, the procession began to move.

The knights pulled the reins of the pack horses. Astrid and Kain positioned themselves at the front of the column, Lily and Maria in the middle, and the other knights at the rear.

Astrid led the group through an area with no visible path. Strangely, it was manageable for both people and horses to walk through.

Kain noticed large animal tracks in the dirt. They looked like wolf prints. He guessed that if this was a path frequently used by predators, it would be both secretive and rough.

They needed to step carefully. Under the not-yet-decomposed leaves were mud and half-rotted organic matter that made the ground very slippery.

Occasionally, screams could be heard from the direction they had come. As terrible as nightmares, but as brief as sleep-talking. Then the uneasy silence would return.

Birds flew up from the far side of the forest. Something was moving. Astrid gave the order to stop. The group concealed themselves in the shade below a hill.

Contrary to expectations, “they” seemed to be approaching. Kain stepped forward, covering his face with cloth. He secured the Imperial Sword firmly in its scabbard to prevent it from being drawn, and gripped his staff tightly in his right hand.

“I’ll go check.”

“Is that necessary?”

“Please look after my people.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Astrid nodded and gave various instructions to a knight.

The knight took out one of the guerrilla unit’s cloaks from the baggage. After rubbing it against the ground and bushes a few times, leaves and twigs naturally stuck to it. It was remarkably light, apparently made of lightweight but durable material.

Wearing the cloak, Kain quickly moved toward the source of the sound. He could hear conversation.

“Talk sense. How are we supposed to identify people coming and going in the Black Forest?”

“Two women and one man. The man is average height, one woman is a bit shorter, but the other is about half a span taller than the man. That’s specific enough, isn’t it?”

Kain couldn’t believe his ears. These men were clearly talking about his group.

“So if we bring them in, then what?”

“He said he’ll make you Roberta’s successor. The ruler of the Black Forest.”

“Are you crazy? That’s a reward? Managing a bunch of thieves?”

“Hey, don’t you know how much blind money is rolling around here? And it’s not just money. You know? The mine.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been there. What about the mine?”

“He said he’ll give us the mining rights too.”

“Has Count Bördem finally gone mad?”

A mine?

Kain had never heard of a mine in the Black Forest. It made no sense to develop a mine in such a short time, and even if minerals were extracted, they would be useless without transportation.

Kain climbed up a large tree. Perching on a thick branch, he waited until the noisy men appeared. They were two men in proper military attire. Hunting whistles hung around their necks, apparently used to signal their positions.

He could see the emblem on their uniforms, which were quite elaborate for forest wear. A boar’s head embroidered in red thread—Count Bördem’s regular army. They wore swords at their waists but carried short spears in their hands.

A whistle sound came from far away. The men here also blew their whistles forcefully. When the other side sounded again, one of the men here blew twice in quick succession, irritably.

Shortly after, more of the Count’s soldiers emerged from the other side. They were men and women in light armor, dragging a man who was tightly bound with rope and had bruises on his face.

Kain examined the bruised man carefully. It was a familiar face—the outpost captain with a pheasant feather in his helmet who had tried to extort money from Kain’s group.

“When I call, you should come right away. Why blow your whistle twice like you’re something special?”

“Who are you to tell me what to do? Where did you catch him?”

“Beyond Lion Rock. This one’s the last. The rest are all dead.”

“No.” The man who had blown the whistle spat. “Is blocking the road and taking some maintenance fees from travelers really a crime worthy of death?”

“Don’t you know?” The woman who had brought in the outpost captain raised her chin arrogantly.

“That’s not the issue. This bastard’s ‘brothers’ guided those foreigners to Berta Village. Honestly, I find it harder to believe that those three foreigners could turn Berta Village upside down, but orders are orders. What can you do?”

“Still, there was no need to kill all the kids.”

“You weren’t at Berta Village, were you? Didn’t you see Count Bördem sitting on the ground, wetting himself and crying? The old boar is grieving for his lost lover.”

“What lover? What about the new Countess?”

“The old boar doesn’t care about that stuff. Anyway. Vidocq, can you hear me?”

The outpost captain barely managed to nod. Looking closer, Kain saw he had a cloth stuffed in his mouth. Judging by the blood, he had been through a rough time. The woman who had blown the whistle put her arm around the outpost captain’s shoulders.

“Vidocq. My friend. You should have known when to stop. You lived your whole life like a miser, but the merciful God has given you one last chance. Being caught by us is your opportunity.

Tell me honestly. You skimmed some of the tribute money, didn’t you? Secretly, without telling your so-called ‘brothers’.”

Outpost Captain Vidocq nodded. The woman smiled brightly.

“Let’s do this. We can give each other what we want. Exchange money for freedom. How about it? I think that’s a fair deal. Where’s the tribute money? Oh, you can’t speak because of this.”

The woman slowly pulled the cloth from Vidocq’s mouth. It was so large that it didn’t come out easily. When the cloth was finally removed, Vidocq spat out a broken tooth.

“Now. Do you have the money?”

“…I do.”

“Where is it?”

“In your underwear drawer.”

“You son of a bitch.”

The woman struck Vidocq’s stomach with the shaft of her spear. The outpost captain rolled on the ground.

“…Not content with killing my brothers… you want to take my money too…?”

“Do thieves like you talk about brotherhood and loyalty these days?”

“You were the same.”

“Timing, my friend. Timing.” The woman pointed her short spear at Vidocq’s groin.

“How can you compare us, who repented early and came down from the mountain, with you lot who resisted until your heads were bashed in and then surrendered like dogs?”

“Opportunistic bastards.”

“You should be grateful you fell into our hands.”

The woman drew back her arm holding the spear.

Kain took a deep breath and rolled off the branch. The leaf-laden branch bent and struck the soldiers’ heads hard.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kain leaped into the midst of the soldiers.