episode_0046

The scouts, each carrying a large leather backpack on their backs, sit on the edge of the mountainside to take a short break.

“Is the advance party here yet? We arrived at the assembly point later than our detour⋯⋯. Did something happen?”

Sarah said, wiping the sweat from her forehead and neck with a towel she took out of her backpack.

“That’s right, Sarah. This area has been confirmed as safe. Oh, mushrooms. You can eat these. ”

One of the scouts said as he picked a brown mushroom from the tree stump where Sarah was sitting.

“I don’t think I went first… Oh, where did you get the gloves? You said you lost them last time. ”

Sarah asks, looking at the hands of the mushroom picker.

“Oh, this? The special forces guys came and gave it to me a few days ago.”

“No way.”

Sarah tilts her head.

“Really. At first, I thought it was some kind of new bullying, but then suddenly, they became a little kinder to us. Things stopped disappearing altogether.”

“Really? There’s a lot going on. Did Memer do something else for you? That’s good.”

Sarah makes guesses that would be upsetting to anyone who hears them.

“I feel even worse…⋯⋯. He doesn’t tease me anymore, but he does weird things. Like suddenly hugging me and saying I’m cute, or when I turn around because something feels weird, he smiles and looks at me stickily…”

One of the agents holding the map recalled the memory and trembled as he spoke.

“Isn’t it that they want to make up in their own way? They’ve been treating us badly so far, but from now on, we’ll get along! I’m sure they all have good intentions.”

Several of the agents who had been groped on the buttocks and other parts of the body by the special forces for a few days had a disgusted expression on their faces, but soon after hearing Sarah’s positive words, they began to nod in agreement.

Soon, a rustling sound is heard in the nearby grass, and Sarah and the members’ attention is focused on that spot. However, the members wearing the same scout uniforms soon appear. The woman in the front is holding a map in her hand, and Latia is standing right behind her.

“D⋯ Finally arrived⋯⋯.”

The members of the advance party let out a collective sigh of relief when they saw their colleagues who had arrived first and were waiting for them.

“Thank you all for coming! How did you end up being late?”

Sarah greets them cheerfully.

“That, that⋯⋯.”

Latia scratches her head as if embarrassed.

“The leader didn’t know how to read a map at all. I wandered around for an hour, and then I saw that he was holding the map upside down!”

One of the soldiers, who had been sitting down and drinking water, suddenly spoke up.

“And then he walked faster again. I thought I was going to die trying to keep up.”

The scouts, including Sarah, were giggling. Among the members who were all lying down and catching their breath, Latia, who was still in good spirits, was rolling her eyes here and there.

“That could be true! You can learn how to read maps. Until you get used to it, you guys need to help me out a bit.”

Sarah said, putting her arm around Latia’s shoulder.

“But I was wandering around and found this little fruit tree. There were still some hanging on it, so I picked some and brought them home. Taste them.”

In this way, Sarah’s men began to share the large baskets of fruit they had brought with them. Their optimistic atmosphere, which made it clear why they were being teased as hikers, was particularly unique among the vigilantes.

***

While Mila, Remilie, and Sarah all led their troops out of the barracks, Memer was walking around the Vigilante barracks with Sir Dice and Princess Amel.

“They’re well organized, comparable to regular troops. Is it because of your abilities as the leader?”

Dice watched the remaining members train and asked Ailee.

“He was leading the Southern Garrison before the fall of Kindle. The Vigilantes were originally formed by gathering together the remaining regular troops. ”

Ailee, who had stepped down from her position as captain, but still had to fulfill her role as captain in front of Dice, answered.

“⋯The royal family’s lack of knowledge of the southern situation is largely responsible for not being able to protect the family line. I’m sorry. ”

Dice Kyung continues speaking calmly. Ailee responds with silence.

“Princess. Would you like some delicious cookies?”

Memer smiles and hands Amel some cookies while standing next to him.

“Ah, enough of being treated like a child⋯⋯ ㅇ@◦

Princess Amel answered shyly and held onto Sir Dice’s arm even tighter. Although she was not shy, there was something about Memer’s appearance and atmosphere that moved the heart of the little girl. Memer smiled brightly at the princess, picked up a piece of candy she was holding, and began to walk ahead.

“It’s too early to be surprised. From now on, I’ll show you the stables that were remodeled from Maibaon’s post station and our siege weapons. If your legs hurt, should I bring a horse?”

Sir Dice shook his head at Memer’s words.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll walk on my own feet.”

Ailee naturally walks next to Memer and speaks to him in a voice that only he can hear.

“Are you okay? Even if you show me that already. It’s too much for dealing with a group of thieves.”

“Of course it’s okay. They probably secretly want us to stand up to Uriel anyway. Want one?”

Memer answers while handing over some cookies.

“I guess I’ll act loyal. Is there a change in the plan? I didn’t know the crown prince would end up in our hands.”

Ailee puts a piece of candy in her mouth and crunches it.

“No, now that I’ve heard how things are going in the palace, those two are of little use. I just keep the princess because I like her. Our leader is enough to push for the king. You don’t like royals either, right?”

Memer whispered to Ailee and glanced at them as they walked behind her. The princess, whose eyes met his, looked away as if embarrassed.

“Is that really all? Children still like it.⋯What should I do to have one?”

“What! I’m just saying that because I’m thinking of my little brother.”

Memer slaps Ailee, who is laughing mischievously.

“How cute, if she looked like you, she would be beautiful.”

At those words, Memer looks up at Ailee’s face. After staring at her for a while without saying a word, he turns his gaze to the distance and mutters softly.

“⋯⋯⋯They looked very similar.”

After saying that, he closes his mouth.

***

“Report! We found a group of bandits camping at the bottom of the valley! There are about 20 or 30 of them, and there are also many civilians who appear to be prisoners! ”

One of the scouts ran up to Sarah and reported.

“This is the area? There might be a new base nearby. ”

Sarah spreads out the map and makes small marks while muttering.

“I need to look around a bit more. Last time there were three, now there are dozens. If we go deeper, there might be a place where all the remaining guys are gathered. We need to find them to wipe them all out!”

In response to Sarah’s answer, Latia put on her gloves and grabbed her spear to prepare for battle. It was her first real battle as a vigilante, and it couldn’t have been more exciting.

“Returning to base and calling for support⋯⋯.”

One of the scouts speaks up timidly.

“No, we can end it here. You probably won’t even be properly armed.”

Latia spoke with such confidence that the other agents looked as if they didn’t understand what she meant by 20 or 30 enemies.

“There is also a way to bypass it, if we miss it, our location will be revealed⋯⋯.”

Sarah tries to persuade her, but Latia interrupts before she can finish speaking.

“Then it’s too late. We have to save them. If we surround the valley and attack, we won’t miss them.”

“⋯⋯⋯Okay, let’s give it a try. Everyone be careful, and everyone prepare for battle!”

Sasa sasa sasa sak

At Sera’s command, the rustling of tree branches began to echo simultaneously from the forest surrounding the bandits’ campsite and campfire. Some of the guys who had been drinking since daylight were already sprawled out on the ground, groaning, and only a few rookie bandits who were moving their stolen goods outside sensed the change outside and looked around.

There was a moment of silence, and the guy who had been looking up assumed it was the sound of the wind and was about to return to what he was doing when a small trumpet sound cut through the air.

Beep beep beep

The scouts, led by Latia, each held their own weapon and ran down the valley. The bandits, startled by their sudden attack, quickly got up and grabbed their weapons, but the attackers were faster.

From the guys’ perspective, no matter where they looked, there were enemies everywhere. As the vigilantes who had surrounded the camp in a circle approached, gradually closing the siege, women wearing saffron hoods began to fall like fallen leaves. Latia, a tall country girl, was showing off her skills in a unique way.

He makes full use of the reach of his long spear to strike the wrists of those wielding swords, disarming them in an instant. He then dives into the middle of his enemies, sticks his spear in the ground, uses it as a pole to jump up, and kicks up the chin of the guy holding the rope that bound the prisoners.

The agents and bandits who had been confronting each other just watched with their mouths wide open as Latia single-handedly took care of a dozen or so men, and then one bandit weakly dropped his sword, and soon after, one after another, they all did the same thing, raising both hands with bewildered expressions.

“What just now⋯⋯?”

“I can’t follow it with my eyes⋯.”

“Hey, Efre? Where did you apply and get rejected?”

When Sarah, who had a blank expression, asked

“Huh? Ah⋯⋯. It’s the Capital Guard officer exam.”

Latia answers while doing stretching.

“The capital is amazing⋯⋯.”

Of course, the main reason Latia fell was because she didn’t know how to flatter Yuriel’s forces, but Sera and the scouts were suddenly frightened.