Chapter 27

Episode 27

We had been riding for hours without rest.

A dull ache pulsed in my lower back.

While my aura prevented saddle sores, it couldn’t alleviate the strain on my spine. The setting sun brought a chill to the air.

Still, we pressed on. We weren’t tired enough to warrant setting up camp.

We had agreed beforehand to cover as much ground as possible while we could, anticipating potential delays during the mission.

As we rode under the moonlight, we noticed flickering torches in the distance, followed by the sound of shouting.

*Clang! Whizz!*

The clash of weapons reached our ears.

We instinctively pulled on the reins, halting our horses. A monstrous roar pierced through the cacophony of human voices.

I drew my sword.

Selendis already had hers in hand.

“It seems people are in danger. Shall we warm up a bit?”

“I’ve been waiting for your command, Master.”

We spurred our horses towards the commotion.

Even in the brief time the battle had raged, several bodies lay scattered on the ground, their blood staining the earth.

“Goblins. A large number of them. Be careful, Master.”

Selendis had identified the monsters based on the traces they left behind.

“Rescue the wounded first.”

“Yes, Master.”

I surveyed the scene.

Green-skinned creatures brandishing crude weapons swarmed the area. Some were armed with blowpipes, firing poisoned darts.

Their red eyes gleamed with a savage frenzy.

‘Goblins. This is my first time fighting them.’

‘Queen Maker’ was different from typical games.

Goblins were usually considered low-level monsters, barely worth the experience points. But in this world, they were classified as dangerous creatures.

They possessed a cunning intelligence and a knack for crafting, making them formidable opponents when working together.

And their poison was a potent neurotoxin, capable of inducing paralysis and leading to death.

Travelers and knights who frequently encountered goblins always carried antidotes.

We had some prepared by Jericho.

“Don’t let them near the wagons! Protect them at all costs!”

“There are too many! We have to abandon the cargo and flee! We’ll all die!”

“Nonsense! If we lose this cargo, our company is finished! We risked our lives to get this far! Why would we run? You cowards! Hyaaa!”

A muscular man wielding a scimitar fought with a desperate ferocity. He seemed to be the leader of the merchant company.

*Whoosh!*

A small figure leaped from the shadows. A nimble goblin.

It raised its axe, aiming for the merchant leader’s back. I couldn’t just stand by and watch. I drew the ‘Black Wind Bow’ and fired a bolt.

*Twang!*

*Thud!*

“Kieeek!”

The goblin crumpled to the ground, its blood staining the earth. The merchant leader, alerted by the sound, spun around. He stared at me, startled, then raised his weapon defensively.

He couldn’t tell if I was a friend or foe. It was understandable, given the chaotic situation.

I retrieved the Inspection Unit emblem from my pocket.

“O’Brien Walker of the Lucius Inspection Unit. You seem to be in trouble. We’re here to help.”

“The Lucius Inspection Unit…? Are you the legendary Inspector?”

“I don’t know about legendary, but we can talk later. Your comrades are dying.”

“T-thank you, sir!”

*Whirr!*

A blue bolt materialized on the empty rail. I scanned the area, the Black Wind Bow in hand.

Selendis was already assisting a group of surrounded mercenaries.

Goblins fell with each flash of her blue aura.

But despite her efforts, there were still a significant number of goblins remaining. At least a hundred.

It was a dangerous situation for anyone who wasn’t a highly trained knight.

But I was the protagonist. I wouldn’t be fazed by a mere goblin horde.

(TLN: dude is too self aware)

‘This is a good opportunity to test the Black Wind Bow. Let’s see what it can do.’

I had only fired a single shot during our previous test. I had no real-world data.

I raised the crossbow and fired at the goblins.

*Twang! Whizz!*

*Thud!*

*Thump! Thump!*

*Thud! Crack!*

It was a massacre. I eliminated every goblin that dared to approach me or the merchants.

‘It’s quite accurate.’

It wasn’t just the power of the Black Wind Bow it was the precision. Each bolt found its mark, piercing vital points.

It was likely due to ‘Automatic Combat’.

Ranged weapons were useless without proper aim. It required strength and precision.

‘Automatic Combat’ provided both.

*Whizz!*

Something grazed my cheek. I turned towards the source and saw a sneaky-looking goblin with a blowpipe.

*Twang!*

“Kyaaa!”

“Kuek!”

I eliminated two goblins hiding in the bushes. It was dangerous to be hit by a poisoned dart in the darkness and chaos.

I focused on hunting down the hidden goblins.

*Click!*

After firing about twenty bolts, the Black Wind Bow stopped charging.

‘The limited number of shots is a drawback.’

The goblins were weak, so a single bolt was enough to take them down. But larger monsters like ogres could withstand dozens of shots.

Still, it was a powerful weapon.

An ordinary crossbow couldn’t fire this many shots in succession. Reloading was a time-consuming process.

‘It’s incredibly convenient. And it can fire multiple shots.’

I slung the Black Wind Bow over my shoulder and drew my sword. I channeled my aura and let ‘Automatic Combat’ take over.

*Slice!*

*Whoosh!*

There was no need to hold back.

The goblins couldn’t dodge my attacks. They swarmed me, but they fell just as quickly, their blood staining the earth.

I was drenched in goblin blood when a shout stopped me in my tracks.

“T-they’re retreating! We won!”

“We did it! We did it!”

“Get them!”

“Stop! Don’t chase them! It could be a trap! Maintain formation!”

“Wooo!”

The men, having survived a near-death experience, cheered and raised their weapons in victory. Selendis cleaned her blade.

“Are you injured, Master?”

“I’m fine. You?”

“I’m fine as well.”

“Are you sure?”

I pointed towards her cloak. Several poisoned darts were embedded in the fabric.

Fortunately, it was a reinforced cloak, so the darts hadn’t penetrated her armor.

I drew my dagger and ran it along her cloak, dislodging the darts.

Selendis was truly resourceful.

She had used her cloak as a shield when she couldn’t use her actual shield.

“…”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“It’s nothing, Master.”

“You’re no fun.”

I removed the remaining darts and dusted off her cloak. A group of men approached, their weapons lowered, their heads bowed.

“Inspector O’Brien! How can we ever repay you…?”

Their cheers erupted.

“Praise the Inspector!”

“Long live the Lucius Inspection Unit!”

“Long live!”

It wasn’t a bad feeling. It felt good to be appreciated.

I could have ignored them.

But with Selendis, a knight who embodied chivalry, I had to perform these occasional acts of heroism. It was good for her affinity.

“I was simply doing my duty as an Inspector. It’s our mission to eliminate evil and create a safe and prosperous territory.”

And it was a good opportunity to earn points with the Lady.

“Lady Lucia is truly a blessing to this territory. What a brilliant idea to establish the Inspection Unit…”

“If you’re truly grateful, offer a tribute later. But first, tell me, which company are you from?”

“Ah, apologies for the late introduction. We’re merchants from Caleon. We were transporting goods to Viscount Cliff’s estate.”

“Caleon? That’s quite a distance.”

Caleon was a major port city located in the south of the empire. To reach the Kalisto Dukedom, located in the mid-latitudes, they had to travel north.

Wait a minute. Something wasn’t right.

They had transported goods all the way from Caleon to Viscount Cliff’s estate?

“Viscount Cliff’s estate is not only mountainous but also infested with monsters. Why would you transport goods from Caleon? And you don’t seem to have many mercenaries.”

“Well… we received a special request. The reward was too good to refuse. One successful delivery would feed us for months.”

They had apparently spent all their savings on hiring as many mercenaries as possible.

Even in this world, people were willing to take risks for a big payday.

If Selendis and I hadn’t passed by, they would have been robbed and killed.

“It’s better than starving to death, right? Hahaha.”

I clicked my tongue at the merchant’s nonchalant laughter. He had to have a certain level of audacity to survive in this world, where bandits and monsters lurked around every corner.

My gaze fell on the pile of crates.

“I noticed you were transporting something valuable. May I ask what it is?”

“Ebony wood. Top-quality timber from Milon.”

Milon was a large island, a three-hour boat ride from Caleon. The trees that grew there, with their black heartwood, were known as ebony.

It was a valuable material used for furniture making and carving. It was also said to have a high mana conductivity, making it suitable for crafting magical tools.

“That’s a significant amount of ebony. It must be worth a fortune. Who’s the recipient?”

“Viscount Cliff. The head of the family.”

A familiar name. My instincts tingled.

‘Something’s not right.’

I had helped them for Selendis’ sake, but I hadn’t expected to stumble upon a clue.

I knew about ebony.

I had handled it during my time as an assistant. And I had heard many stories about it.

“We’re also heading towards Viscount Cliff’s estate. Would you mind if we joined you for the night? We were planning to set up camp. And I’d love to hear more about Caleon.”

“Of course, sir! It’s an honor to have you. We’ll prepare a tent for you. Please, wait a moment!”

They tended to their wounded and quickly set up camp.

They were short on healing potions, so I instructed them to dilute some of our spare potions.

We were rewarded with another round of cheers.

“Ebony is a valuable material. It’s strange that Viscount Cliff would purchase such a large quantity. They’re not exactly wealthy. They can barely afford food.”

Selendis voiced her concerns as we enjoyed a warm soup in our tent.

“Perhaps it’s related to our mission, Master.”

“Excellent deduction, Selendis. You’re proving yourself worthy of being the Inspection Unit’s guardian knight.”

Had I gone overboard with the praise? Selendis averted her gaze, her face flushed, perhaps from the firelight.

“To be honest, I helped them for your sake. But seeing that pile of ebony, I’m glad we did.”

“You suspect something is amiss, Master.”

“I’m not sure. It’s just a hypothesis. But one thing is certain: Viscount Cliff didn’t purchase that much ebony to make decorations.”

Selendis looked at me, her curiosity piqued.

It wouldn’t be fun to reveal the answer so easily.

Instead, I said,

“We need to contact Jericho. This mission won’t be easy. If my suspicions are correct.”