Chapter 15: 15. Dice

Joining the Subjugation operation was easier than I had thought.

For eliminating these worthless bandit groups, what mattered wasn’t quality but sheer numbers.

Overwhelm them with numbers, let the nobles sweep through with their knights and soldiers.

Then adventurers like us would clean up the remaining scraps.

The base pay was quite decent for the work, but you could also earn extra rewards by killing leftover stragglers after the nobles’ purge and collecting their heads.

Easy work.

In fact, compared to the small Goblin village subjugation request I did with Van, this was far less dangerous. The only reason I’d considered joining the rear Supply Unit was simple:

I wasn’t prepared to kill people.

But this cruel world snatched away even the handful of happiness I’d been clutching so preciously, trampling it underfoot.

That left me no choice but to become cruel too.

Still, making that decision wouldn’t magically change anything.

Instead, I volunteered for the front lines this time – to witness people dying firsthand, to fight myself and steel my resolve.

All my efforts until now had been to protect myself.

Swinging a sword was to avoid dying meaninglessly. Taking requests was to sustain my livelihood.

“But now I understand.”

The gloomy mutter wasn’t directed at anyone – just words spoken to myself.

“Training with swords and diligently completing requests isn’t enough.”

Those things might protect ‘me’, but they couldn’t protect the ‘happiness’ I’d gained.

I’d felt that truth acutely this time.

To protect happiness, one must become somewhat cruel and ruthless.

Clenching my fist, I scanned the information posted on the board.

The Subjugation operation would depart in three days.

An official notice had been delivered to all participants to complete preparations by then.

There was enough time to handle one simple request, but I decided to focus on checking my condition instead.

I examined my Status Window.

Traits: Autonomy B, Silent Step C, Gloomy Aura D

Skills: Military Swordsmanship E

[Military Swordsmanship E]

Despite consistently completing requests and never skipping sword training, my swordsmanship showed no signs of progressing beyond E-rank.

What can you do without talent?

Moreover, lacking talent was one thing – I didn’t even have anyone to teach me now.

So my sword training consisted solely of repeating what grandfather had taught me.

Frustrated by my situation, I considered buying a decent sword manual from the bookstore. But books themselves were prohibitively expensive for my current means.

Purchasing the sword manual I wanted would require nearly half a year of steady saving. I concluded that money would be better spent hiring a sword instructor.

“Swordsmanship will have to wait.”

I could only believe that continued effort would bring change, just as I’d progressed from F-rank to E-rank before.

Moving on, I examined my other traits.

[Silent Step C]

A useful trait allowing silent movement.

I’d once held my breath, rubbed dirt on my body to mask my scent, slowly approached a wild boar, and stabbed my sword into its neck.

I’d already confirmed it works not just on humans but also animals with keen senses.

If this developed further, maybe I could run silently too. But I had no idea how to make it grow.

As for the rest…

Autonomy was my only means of resisting the player, and I vaguely understood how to develop it.

If I kept rejecting the player’s commands through sheer willpower, it might naturally improve. But ideally, situations requiring such resistance shouldn’t occur at all.

Shaking my head, I glared at the final trait.

[Gloomy Aura D]

The reason I couldn’t meet people’s eyes.

What Van called a curse blanketing my existence with discomfort and disgust.

The thought of this developing further terrified me.

Even at this deceptively low D-rank, merely making eye contact made people hate me enough to throw punches unless they were exceptionally virtuous.

If this advanced further, would people try to kill me just for locking eyes? The thought made me shiver.

“Tsk…”

Clicking my tongue at how nothing had changed since leaving Diran, I returned to the inn.

Staying at the Guild would only invite trouble now that I had no friends there.

“No noticeable growth, but at least I’m not stagnant. That’s my only comfort.”

Expecting change after just weeks of effort despite knowing my lack of talent would be ridiculous.

For now, I could only endure by believing today was better than yesterday.

Compared to when I first left Diran, there were definite improvements, even if not significant.

“My sword tip doesn’t shake when I hold it anymore.”

This was less about skill improvement and more likely muscle growth.

Relentlessly repeating requests and training had built some muscle despite my naturally lean frame.

Not skimping on food probably helped too.

Drawing my sword, I swung it through the air a few times while checking my status.

The blade whistled sharply through emptiness.

“Grandfather’s sword – light and sturdy, just as he said.”

Nothing special, but undoubtedly quality work. The fact that some eyed it covetously spoke volumes.

“I’m counting on you again.”

I whispered to the blade. A pitiful ritual, but natural when this sword was all I could trust.

After reaffirming my resolve, I looked up at the sky.

Clouds hung thick and gloomy, threatening to unleash rain at any moment.

Too grand to sympathize with someone like me, the sky seemed to foreshadow my coming days, worsening my mood.

Three days until departure.

I needed thorough preparation.

I sharpened my blade, trained, and repeatedly imagined killing people.

Killing in imagination was easy, but reality would undoubtedly differ.

Yet I didn’t know how to prepare for murder.

I knew I’d have to kill eventually, but didn’t know how to manage my emotions when the moment came.

So all I could do was try.

For two days, I swung my sword, visualized scenarios, ran mountains, and swung again.

The final day was spent purchasing supplies for long-distance travel.

Flint, oil, whetstone, dried rations, rope, and a quality dagger.

With all preparations complete, the next day arrived. I joined the Subjugation operation and began moving out.

Forty adventurers deployed at the front (excluding the Supply Unit), two nobles with four escort knights, and twenty soldiers.

Considering the bandit group numbered around thirty, we had over double their forces.

“Hope the knights leave some scraps for us.”

“Right? Last subjugation, the knights wiped everything clean. Couldn’t get any extra rewards.”

They treated this bandit extermination like a picnic – utterly relaxed and tension-free.

Those two were fellow Bronze-rank adventurers. What made them so carefree?

Sure, the nobles’ knights and soldiers would handle most fighting, but shouldn’t they watch for stray blades and arrows?

Excessive tension was bad, but some alertness seemed necessary.

My palms were sweating around my sword hilt.

The laughing, chatting figures around me felt strangely alien.

Maybe they felt safe knowing knights and soldiers would fight head-on.

Though distasteful, if this was how the world worked, I had to accept it.

I shook my head.

With no friendly adventurers, I marched silently all day. The next day,

the guy walking beside me started tripping me out of boredom.

I nearly fell several times. Though angry, I endured silently – needing to maintain formation and lacking confidence to fight.

At least they didn’t harass me too severely in front of nobles.

“Why’s this brat here? She’ll just piss herself in fear.”

“You picking fights with kids now, dumbass?”

Occasionally he’d throw insults my way to his friends, but got little response.

Time passed.

Cloudy weather.

A strong, chilly wind made me tighten my clothes.

The two nobles began their briefing.

“According to informants, the bandits neither hid nor ceased activities. They’re villains requiring extermination! Having forsaken their humanity, feeling guilt over slaughtering them makes you equally evil! Eliminate them all to suppress chaos – this is righteousness! Do not hesitate!”

Declaring the bandits absolute evil and us the righteous.

The noble’s oration wasn’t exceptional, but it justified our killing.

When he finished, everyone shouted in response. Our cries surely reached the bandits hidden in the mountains.

Shouting instead of sneaking aimed to crush their morale.

What followed wouldn’t be battle, but one-sided slaughter – easily predictable.

The Subjugation operation entered the mountains where the bandits hid.

Several shoddy traps were set, but skilled adventurers detected and disarmed them effortlessly.

After climbing awhile,

the mountain fortress came into view.

Then it happened.

Time froze.

-Event Triggered!

Having experienced this several times, I steadied my resolve.

I wouldn’t follow any choice that appeared.

But what emerged wasn’t choices.

-D6_1

Strange words echoed as dice rolled before my eyes.

Drrrrr-

The violently tumbling dice finally stopped, showing a 6.

“Six?”

-Result 6: Bandit Subjugation difficulty: Very Hard!!

“What the-”

As I furrowed my brow at the sudden development,

a barrage of arrows rained down from the mountain fortress.