episode_0038

Inside, chaos erupted.

Shortly after, coughing violently, the staggering slaves began to rush out.

Knights waiting on both sides pushed their swords behind the slaves.

“Get in!”

The knights, each drinking a healing potion and with swollen faces, entered the cave filled with acrid smoke.

When the fruit of the Man Gam Cho is roasted like coffee, it produces smoke similar to tear gas and CS grenades used in military chemical training.

Pushing that smoke into the sealed cave, the interior now resembles a chemical warfare chamber.

The enslaved individuals and captives inside, without any protective gear, are likely struggling, tears streaming down their faces.

In contrast, our knights, having consumed healing potions and with painted faces, are temporarily immune.

They are entering the internal sweep with overwhelming superiority.

There is no other option for now.

Although our knights are adept at rotations on the plains under Reberone’s leadership, guerrilla warfare is a foreign concept.

Even those captured as slaves will suffer, but they won’t die.

After our knights who drank healing potions were deployed, many people started fleeing outside.

“Come this way!”

The waiting knights guided the escaping people and shared healing potions with them.

“Jack. The internal sweep is complete.”

A knight from the vanguard returned and reported.

Drinking a healing potion and following him inside, we found the cave littered with the bodies of slaves who had died under flickering torches.

How many of them had gathered here?

While examining the bodies, a procession of people fleeing under the escort of the knights continued.

“Withdraw the vanguard and send in the next group. We will collect all the valuables of the slaves.”

The newly arrived knights thoroughly searched the cave and bodies, filling their pouches with gold coins and various precious metals.

This is a massive loot exceeding the early annual budget of our village.

Everything was loaded onto the gathered wagons at the entrance, and the group returned as planned.

It was a large group, numbering over seven hundred.

Although it seems like a significant number at first glance, in the game world, five hundred is just a fraction of the total number of slaves handled by the Central Slavers.

In reality, there are more intermediate landing points we attacked, but unfortunately, they are too far away to conquer.

If there were even one high-level mage capable of opening a dimensional portal in the village, it might have been possible, but mages of that caliber are rare even in the capital.

Once these people are all integrated into the village, promotions will follow immediately.

Gathering over a thousand people in this virtual medieval fantasy world is uncommon.

Even in Odellin City alone, which I remember, the population doesn’t exceed two thousand.

With our village residents added to the current seven hundred, we easily surpass a thousand, leading to a third-tier promotion.

In other words, it becomes a city.

Of course, it’s not just about increasing the population; we need to assess if the necessary infrastructure is in place. Increasing the population is the hardest part, not constructing buildings.

Persuading these people to join the village, gradually developing the infrastructure, by the end of this year, we might be able to ascend to a city.

The most significant change when becoming a city is the establishment permit for an official guard force.

I will turn the Potion Knights into a full-fledged guard force.

While reinforcements will be sent from the center, according to the original knowledge, if there are valid reasons recognized, the city itself can select guards.

Having struggled with the concept of a militia since the village days, with proper documentation, recognition can be achieved.

Truly, through this operation, we have obtained tremendous gains.

By the way, it’s a thought that comes to mind when you think about the guards.

In the future, there will be various threats, so it seems necessary to raise the level of the knights a little more.

Actually, just doing this much is quite remarkable.

Gathering ignorant country youths and turning them into armed groups that surprise and annihilate slave traders in just a few months is quite something.

The help of the experienced Hostante officer and sacred knight Liberonne was significant here.

However, with the current knights, we can’t handle more than typical battles.

If we consider special cases like now, we need to recruit instructors who have knowledge in that area.

As I scanned through the list of NPCs I met in my head while gaming, Liberonne approached me.

“Thank you for your hard work, Guardian Angel.”

“You worked hard too. Are there many injured people?”

“No. It’s fortunate that they were captured not long ago. They should be able to return to the village safely.”

“I should start moving soon. If we stay here too long, we’ll be caught by other slave traders.”

I called the knights and gave orders.

“Put the weak ones on the carriage and let those who can walk do so. The knights should mount their horses in case of emergencies, defend the rear and sides of the formation, and Liberonne will lead from the front.”

Following my command, the knights moved swiftly and controlled the people.

At that moment, a few people hesitated and approached me.

“Um… are you the one leading the knights?”

“Yes? No, I just followed along…”

“Yes, this person led the knights to liberate all of you.”

When Liberonne intervened, the expressions of the people brightened.

“Thank you so much! If it weren’t for the Knight Commander, we would all have become slaves!”

“No, I’m not the commander…”

“Thank you! Thank you! Long live the Knight Commander!”

The people gathered around me suddenly started cheering.

As a few of them shouted loudly, the people getting onto the carriage under the control of the knights looked over with curious expressions.

“They say that person is the Knight Commander who saved us!”

“Really? Thank you!”

“Long live! Long live!”

The story spread like wildfire, and around seven hundred people started cheering.

Why do people in this world like shouting “Long live” so much?

“Please wave your hand, Guardian Angel.”

Awkwardly smiling and shaking hands as Liberonne suggested, a deafening cheer erupted.

“Let’s depart quickly. There’s nothing good about being noisy. Come on, everyone!”

Led by Liberonne, the large group slowly began to move.

“Oh my, I’m exhausted.”

Sitting next to the cooking pot, Mirella rubbed her shoulders and groaned.

She had helped make stew for around seven hundred people, so her shoulders must be sore.

“Brother, are these people really coming to our village?”

“Of course. We have to carry them all. I heard the entire village was burned down.”

“Oh, how terrible.”

“Slave traders are always like that. That’s why they were killed without mercy.”

“I see. Oh, right!”

As Mirella clapped her hands and reached into a bag, she rummaged for something.

What came out in Mirella’s hand was a white piece of cloth.

“If we didn’t put up the flag, wouldn’t that crazy administrator commit suicide immediately? He didn’t raise the flag intentionally to avoid notifying you of your death.”

“Haha, that’s right. Shake it vigorously.”

* * * * *

How far have we traveled?

I see a village ahead.

“Brother, look at that. It’s very strange, very strange.”

Over there, at the eastern entrance of the village, a common ghost-like figure stands. It’s the administrator.

He holds something like a short whip in his hand. He looks insane.

As the carriage comes into view, the administrator suddenly shouts something and raises the whip high.

“Hey hey! Mirella! Quickly, the flag!”

Mirella sprang up and vigorously shook her white clothes.

The official widened his eyes, stared at Mirella, then raised his eyebrows again?!

“What’s that? Didn’t you say that if it’s white clothes, it means I’m not dead?”

“Really? Sir! Wasn’t that the case?”

Libellone, who was riding in front of us, nodded.

“I thought so too. Maybe the official is mistakenly recalling what he said.”

“Ah, he’s really annoying.”

Mirella hurriedly rummaged through the luggage compartment and this time pulled out a black flag, shaking it vigorously.

This time, the official sat down on the ground, holding the flag…

“I don’t get it!”

Mirella held a white and black flag in both hands, waving them like a cheerleader, but the official still held the flag as if he were about to die.

I couldn’t just leave it like that, so I jumped off the horse stone and ran forward.

“Official! I’m not dead!”

The official looked at me and tried to shout something while bringing the flag closer to my neck.

Why is he like that? This won’t do.

I took out a potion bottle from my waist and threw it with force.

The bottle hit the official’s head, shattering and splashing healing potion all over his head and face.

Only then did the official look at me and cry out.

“Jack! You’re alive!”

* * * * *

The official, who had been standing at the village entrance all day like a scarecrow, took out a small flag as he saw a carriage in the distance.

There was no flag.

Jack is dead, and I didn’t raise the flag on purpose because I was shocked and considering suicide!

Just as I was about to die, Mirella waved a white flag.

Jack is dead, and I’m trying to commit suicide, so she’s falsely waving a white flag to stop me!

This time it’s a black flag.

Jack is dead!

Then white and black flags fluttered simultaneously.

Jack is critically injured and will soon return from the brink of life and death!

Someone runs from the horse stone. It was Jack.

It seems I see things clearly when I’m about to die!

As Jack’s ghost rushed forward, something he threw hit the official’s head, causing liquid to spill.

The official’s mind cleared rapidly as he tasted it with his tongue.

“Jack! You’re alive!”