novelraw Chapter 69 : Luck Be With You
Chapter 69 : Luck Be With You
Chapter 69: Luck Be With You
A force of thirty soldiers marched while escorting the wagons.
The wagons, including the carriages, were loaded full of supplies.
So many wagons rolled along that it was enough to remind one of a merchant company.
At the front was Admiral, and in the middle was Knight Collie.
Robin, Imelda, Serena, and Theodric followed along leisurely behind Collie.
“It's an honor to be able to accompany my young master's benefactors.”
“We look forward to working with you as well. Sir Collie, will you be joining the battle once the transport mission is finished?”
“Yes. Every single person is precious, so I should be at the forefront.”
“Are the supplies we're carrying that important?”
“They are important, indeed.”
Robin examined Collie’s expression, but it was the same as usual.
He had intended to probe subtly, but gained nothing.
The elite troops that had remained in the port city were all committed to this mission.
On top of that, there was even a knight who boasted the strength of one hundred men.
Just from that, it was clear how important this was.
‘Just what in the world is inside this?’
Collie and two others never left the side of the carriage in the center, not even for a moment.
Even if one person stepped away, the other two remained behind to guard it thoroughly.
Whether during meals or while sleeping.
That made it all the more puzzling.
‘It’s definitely not ordinary military supplies.’
It was the third day since they had continued marching northwest.
If they went on for roughly four more days, they would reach the largest plain in Runeberg.
The opponent fighting a territorial war with Count Wilcock’s family was Count Betterot.
He had challenged the hegemony of the north and was now tasting bitter defeat.
He had tried to expand his territory across Runeberg and Lutri, only to end up with his lands shrinking instead.
The war would probably end with Count Wilcock’s victory.
As Robin was predicting the situation based on things he had overheard, Collie spoke up.
“I heard that Roy is training with the sword. They say he's strong enough to take down dozens of pirates by himself?”
“Even so, he’s no match for a knight.”
“Indeed, aura is a nightmare-like power for swordsmen. Still, I sometimes envy young swordsmen like Roy.”
“Me? In what way?”
“There’s still room for growth. Most knights’ swordsmanship stops advancing the moment they begin to emit aura. I’m the same.”
Once power beyond humanity manifested, growth was blocked.
Because there was no longer any need felt to improve further.
So what of it.
Reaching that level itself meant completion.
Robin also pursued that ultimate realm.
Carrying those doubts, he asked Collie.
“Do you regret becoming a knight, Sir Collie?”
“Not at all. It’s just that sometimes I think about it. Wouldn’t it have been fine to take the exam with a bit more leeway?”
“If others heard that, they’d sneer and say it’s a complaint from someone with a full stomach.”
Collie let out a weak laugh.
Robin smiled as well, and the atmosphere softened.
Knight Collie, who had sworn loyalty to Count Wilcock’s family.
Robin didn’t dislike the easygoing nature of the man, who looked to be in his early thirties.
Collie didn’t treat commoners roughly and respected those he spoke to.
Contrasted with overbearing knights, it made subordinates naturally follow him.
As their small talk continued, Serena approached.
Pointing in the direction of the march with her wooden staff, she spoke.
“Monsters are coming.”
“This makes it the third time already. What’s the scale?”
Serena, who received nearby information through spirits, fully played the role of a scout.
Thanks to her, they could prepare in advance before monsters arrived, which reduced casualties.
As they were about to prepare for battle again, Serena’s expression was unusual.
“Ten.”
“That’s nothing much. Can you tell what kind of monsters they are?”
“Trolls.”
“We’re lucky. We might even save on potion costs. What about the other nine? Goblins? Gnolls?”
“They’re all trolls.”
“…Are you saying all ten are trolls?”
“Yeah.”
Collie’s expression hardened.
“It would be best to stop for a moment and hide.”
“It’s useless. When I first spotted them, I tried to lead them in another direction, but they’re coming straight toward us.”
“That’s impossible. Why in the world…….”
“There’s nothing in this world that’s impossible. We have two choices. Run away, or stand and fight.”
“…I’ll go inform Admiral.”
Collie ran toward Admiral at the front.
Unease spread among the soldiers who had overheard the conversation between Serena and Collie.
“Ten trolls? I’ve never even heard of that!”
“No matter that Sir Collie is here, facing ten at once is impossible.”
“We’ll retreat, right? If we return to the city, those things might get exhausted and drop.”
The whispering soldiers’ gazes gathered on Serena.
Since she had been the first to detect the enemy’s approach, surely she had some solution. That was their hope.
In fact, Serena had performed her escort duties splendidly during the march.
Sandworms erupting from the ground, direwolves roaming in packs.
Thanks to Serena, they had been dealt with without casualties.
“Ten trolls. Can’t you handle them too, Serena?”
“Yeah. Even taking down one is hard. Trolls regenerate endlessly.”
“If we fight, what are our chances of winning?”
Serena fell into silence for a moment.
She looked back at Imelda and Theodric, then shrugged.
“If I’m generous, 30%. If Grandpa steps in, it’s a guaranteed win.”
Imelda grabbed the old man’s hand.
The two had grown noticeably close recently.
Theodric seemed to mistake Imelda for his wife, but this wasn’t the time to worry about that.
“Grandfather, help us.”
“Heh heh… If it’s my old lady’s request, I have to listen.”
“I-It’s true, right? Here, could you try holding a sword?”
Theodric awkwardly lifted the sword Imelda handed him.
The sword he raised while bending at the waist looked frail beyond measure.
Robin sighed and returned the old man’s sword to Imelda.
Serena said calmly.
“Don’t worry too much. The chances are low, but that doesn’t mean we’ll die.”
“If we lose, don’t we die?”
“They’re moving with a purpose. That purpose isn’t to kill us.”
“A purpose……?”
Robin’s eyes turned toward the carriage.
A territory in the midst of war.
Admiral, who had departed quietly and secretly.
Mysterious goods loaded onto a merchant ship in Bellaruka.
A small force heading for the front lines.
What had been mere conjecture quickly solidified.
Count Betterot’s side had intervened.
There was no other way to think about it.
When he finished organizing his thoughts, Admiral’s booming voice rang out from the front.
“All troops, listen up!”
At the commander’s order, the march halted.
Seeing them stop in unison, it was clear their discipline was razor-sharp.
“We will now split into five groups!”
The wagons and carriages heading to the front lines totaled fifteen.
Five carriages and ten wagons were loaded full with cargo.
“We’ll divide into formations of six men each. Destination is the western front. Everyone survives on their own!”
The soldiers held their positions in silence.
The formations were quickly reorganized, and the thirty soldiers were split into groups of six.
Collie spoke to the soldiers he had been with so far in a heavy voice.
“Let’s all make it out alive.”
“Of course! Just because Sir Collie isn’t with us doesn’t mean we’ll be pushovers.”
“Wanna bet on who gets there first?”
There was no shadow on the faces of the soldiers as they cheerfully exchanged farewells.
Watching them, Robin’s heart felt unsettled.
When his eyes met Serena’s, he spoke words she hadn’t even asked for.
“Admiral is smart. The probability of completing the mission has gone up.”
“You noticed too, Serena?”
“Anyone who doesn’t is an idiot. Everyone here knows anyway, except us. That those supplies have to be delivered to the front lines. That’s why they’re prepared to risk death.”
The air sank.
The soldiers were smiling as they said goodbye, but even without words, they knew.
Someone among them would definitely die.
There was no one here who could survive facing ten trolls.
Then what if the trolls realized they had split into five groups and chased them in pairs?
Even if they were elite troops, six people facing two trolls?
‘They’d probably die.’
To hunt a troll, classified as a medium-to-large monster, at least ten humans were needed.
And that was assuming they were the very best soldiers.
Leading the soldiers who had been reassigned according to the new formation, Admiral approached.
One knight, five soldiers. Even among the soldiers, he had brought the strongest five.
Admiral opened his mouth.
“I’ll ask just in case, but where do you intend to go, Roy?”
“I’ll follow Admiral. The answer’s already decided anyway, isn’t it?”
“A wise choice.”
Following Admiral offered the greatest chance of survival.
With Robin joining, that chance rose dramatically.
No fewer than eleven people were grouped into one unit.
In both numbers and combat power, it was the most outstanding group.
Truly reasonable.
But……
‘Is this really right?’
Robin’s thoughts were soon wiped away.
Admiral shouted to everyone.
“Good luck. Move out!”
The carriages and wagons that had been lined up in a row began moving in different directions.
Two days had passed since the eleven of them began moving while escorting the carriage.
Clop clop.
The sound of hooves and rolling wheels continued without pause.
A circular formation surrounding the carriage was moving along the forest path.
The forest Admiral led them into was a kind of shortcut.
It didn’t connect directly to the western front, but it led near the main stronghold of Count Wilcock’s family.
The path was wide, so even with carriages and wagons, movement wasn’t difficult.
Given the current situation, it was an ideal route.
“Miss Serena, how’s the troll position?”
“I don’t really know. Once we entered the forest, news from the spirits stopped.”
“That’s unfortunate…….”
“…….”
Serena’s expression darkened.
Robin sensed that something unusual had happened.
He quietly asked Serena.
“What happened. This has never happened before, has it?”
“Maybe… the spirit returned to nature…….”
“What does that mean?”
“In human terms, you’d have to say it died. Of course, spirits don’t really have a concept of death.”
“A spirit died……?”
“More precisely, it returned to a primordial spirit. Losing all the power and memories it had built up…….”
Serena’s explanation continued, but Robin fell into contemplation.
There was something other than trolls pursuing Admiral.
Everyone had expected that.
Trolls weren’t intelligent enough to chase someone far away.
Who that third party was, he couldn’t know.
All he could do was find the best move with the information given.
‘Is this really the best?’
Admiral’s plan was appropriate.
Using relatively less important forces as bait, he would reach the destination.
It wasn’t without flaws.
There was also the possibility of encountering all ten trolls.
‘That is, if the pursuer can pinpoint our exact location. But is that possible?’
Serena had been able to relay information from as far as five kilometers away.
Being chased from beyond that distance?
‘It’s possible.’
Even after several days had passed since leaving Regiville, a knight had chased after Robin and Imelda.
He hadn’t known knights had such ability, but regardless, it was possible.
Then was the pursuer a knight?
As his thoughts drifted toward the worst-case scenario, a soldier at the front interrupted.
“We’ve exited the forest!”
“Good. Increase speed to the main stronghold.”
At Admiral’s command, everyone quickened their pace.
The end of the forest path, which had looked like a distant dot, gradually grew larger.
The hope that they would be safe if they went just a little farther faded with three hundred meters left.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps faintly transmitted through the ground.
Admiral gave a bitter smile.
“So it ends up like this. I thought we’d managed to avoid them, but I was wrong.”
At the end of the forest stood trolls.
One, two, three…….
Noticing them, the creatures began walking out of the forest.
The soldiers froze, their faces drained of color.
Ten trolls dragged logs behind them like clubs.
“What are you all doing!”
Collie shouted at the soldiers from where he stood.
The dazed soldiers’ gazes snapped toward Collie.
“Have you forgotten our mission? No matter what happens, we send this carriage and Admiral to the main stronghold! Answer me!”
“Yes, sir!!”
“That’s right!”
The soldiers’ panic loosened.
Even in this situation, Collie maintained his composure.
Perhaps stirred by that sight, Admiral raised his voice as well.
“Sir Collie is right. This carriage must be sent to the western front no matter what.”
Determination filled Admiral’s eyes as he looked at the approaching trolls.
Admiral entered the carriage, and a clatter sounded.
When he emerged, he handed out eleven wooden chests, one to each person.
They looked like important containers.
“Everyone, strap this to your back and run to the main stronghold.”
The soldiers slung the wooden chests onto their backs.
Robin was no exception.
“We abandon the carriage and wagons. From now on, our mission is to deliver these items to the main stronghold. Even if I die, they must be protected.”
Thud. Thud.
The footsteps drew closer.
The vibration traveling through the ground seemed to ask—
do you think you can escape?
‘Nothing in this world is easy.’
“Let’s go.”
At Admiral’s words, they moved their feet.