novelraw Chapter 82 : Eve of the Storm
Chapter 82 : Eve of the Storm
Chapter 82: Eve of the Storm
A land strewn with the corpses of monsters and humans.
In a place where taking and being taken had repeated at least ten times, the Calimacos Mercenary Band was having a meal.
As they tore into jerky and rye bread, their appearance made it fair to mistake them for bandits embedded in a wild mountain, cut off from civilization.
“Can’t even feel it hit my stomach. Paul! Don’t you have any leftover food.”
Paul rummaged through his pouch and tossed something to Calimacos.
When he undid the cloth wrapping, crumbled biscuits came out.
Calimacos shook the powdered biscuits straight into his mouth.
Occasionally, biscuits that still retained their original shape spilled out, but they were crushed the moment they entered his mouth.
“If you had something like this, you should’ve given it to me sooner.”
“If you’re that hungry, why don’t you go rummage through enemy corpses too.”
Calimacos, sitting atop three ogres, could not say anything in response to Paul’s perfectly reasonable remark.
The mercenaries and soldiers, stuck in a lull, were rummaging through corpses without distinguishing between enemy and ally.
Although Count Wilcock’s large force had arrived, the amount of supplied food had not increased.
Rather, with the increase in numbers, it always felt like the rations were insufficient.
The belongings of the dead naturally returned to the living.
“Once the rear unit arrives, this damn hunger should ease up.”
“It might be faster if we push in ourselves.”
“I really don’t know what the higher-ups are thinking.”
Calimacos lightly jumped down from a height that could have been a two-story house.
In the distance, Felix was visible.
Judging by the bundle hanging from the tip of his spear, it seemed he had a decent haul.
“Felix! Over here!”
Calimacos waved both hands and called out to Felix, but Felix pretended not to hear and changed direction.
“Th, that bastard…….”
“It’s not like this is the first or second time you’ve snatched food.”
“I’m fighting on the front lines, so isn’t it natural to eat a lot?”
As Calimacos and Paul were talking, Torgen approached.
In Torgen’s hand was jerky.
“Oh, as expected of our mercenary band’s ace.”
“I brought it when we left the camp. Paul, you should have some too.”
“I’m fine. Take care of the one-eyed captain instead.”
Calimacos patted Torgen on the back, conveying his gratitude.
After eating the salty jerky, strength finally returned to his body.
Chewing the jerky, Calimacos asked,
“Where did Mirian go? You two are always stuck together.”
“She’s helping Brandok clean up the corpses.”
“Well, that’s unexpected.”
“She rested well and came back, so she’s trying to earn her keep. The captain’s judgment was timely. Until recently, she was really unstable, but after seeing Robin, she completely recovered.”
“Going crazy on the battlefield is common. Rest is important. That reminds me, if a wanted order goes out for that kid, I was thinking of bringing him into the mercenary band.”
“If Robin is fine with it, who would object? But that kid wants to become a knight.”
“A knight, huh…….”
Calimacos gnawed on the jerky as he stared at the enemy camp.
Ten years ago, he had lost everything and tasted a bitter defeat in a duel he had applied for.
It had taken no small amount of time to rise again after enduring fatal injuries.
A border city he had visited in search of a way to challenge that monster again.
He wondered how much the little boy he had rescued in Stonegoth had grown.
“Robin doesn’t suit being a knight. He might be better off becoming an adventurer instead.”
“At this point, why don’t you tell Robin too.”
“Who knows. Even if he knows the truth, could he bear it? Paul, I haven’t told you everything either.”
“Is there something I don’t know besides losing to Verman and the reality of the knight order?”
“Uh, I don’t know. The reality of the knight order. How many people in the world really know that.”
“Come on. Are you looking down on me because I didn’t become a knight?”
“I’m not looking down on you. In terms of skill, you more than qualified. What matters is mindset.”
Listening to the conversation between the former knight captain and his contemporary Paul, Torgen scratched his ear.
To Torgen, Calimacos was a peculiar person.
If he played up the fact that he was a former knight, he could receive better treatment, yet he never did.
Even so, he devoted himself to raising the reputation of the mercenary band that bore his name.
Unless he had changed his name, there were surely people who would recognize him—those he had met on official duty, or the knight order he once belonged to.
Seeing this contradictory behavior, Torgen and the rest of the mercenary band shared similar thoughts.
It was like an innocent person shouting that they were not wrong.
At the same time, it also seemed like he was trying to announce that he was here, that he had survived intact and was still standing strong.
There was even a glimpse of resolve to accept whatever came, without avoiding it.
“Even after knowing that truth or whatever, if Robin still wants to become a knight, what would you do?”
“Become a knight even knowing everything?”
“You’d obviously support him, right?”
“Ah, of course. Naturally.”
At the immediate answer, Torgen wore a blank expression.
Paul also looked at Calimacos, as if he had not expected it.
“I’d have to stop him even if I had to break his arms and legs.”
“…What on earth happened when you were a knight. Were you bullied for being dead weight or something?”
“Tsk! Dead weight? Do you know how rare someone with my level of skill is?”
“Judging by how you keep bringing up skill, it’s obvious you didn’t fit group life and ended up on the fringes.”
“…Those who are outstanding are bound to be envied and restrained.”
With a pitiful gaze, Torgen extended his hand toward Calimacos.
There was dried bread in it.
After thanking him, Calimacos dumped the bread into his mouth.
He had thought the captain was just a cheerful person because he lived so casually with everyone.
But it seemed like he might have suffered from group bullying in the past, and Torgen wanted to look after him even a little.
“Captain, please eat plenty. I’ve got quite a bit of food stashed away.”
“Torgen, you’re the only one for me.”
Watching Calimacos and Torgen, Paul swallowed a hollow laugh.
The Calimacos Paul had seen while attending the knight academy was not someone who would be cowed by whatever others said.
Whether he didn’t fit group life or was restrained, he wouldn’t have just taken it lying down.
He would have beaten others into submission if necessary to make them listen.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Heavy footsteps rang out, accompanied by vibrations that shook the ground.
The troops, having finished their meal, ended their rest and stood up, staring toward the front.
“What is it this time. Ogres? Trolls?”
“As long as it’s not the Demon Tribe. They look like children, but they’re troublesome to deal with.”
“Who knows. From what I see, those kids are less like the Demon Tribe and more like…….”
“Captaaaain!”
From afar, Mirian and Brandok came running.
Because Mirian was screaming at the top of her lungs, Calimacos’ eyes narrowed.
Brandok, who always maintained his composure, was running with all his might.
The two who had run in great strides over a distance that must have been 500 meters panted for breath.
“What's going on. Did a Demon Tribe show up or something?”
“Yes. Not just the Demon Tribe. Just at a glance, there looked to be over 100 Monsters.”
At Mirian’s words, the expressions of the nearby mercenaries twisted.
Soldiers who had been at the front came running back, shouting similar reports.
“This is fucked.”
“That’s not all.”
Brandok adjusted his helmet and continued.
“I saw the crest of Count Betterot and other nobles. From what I can tell, other families seem to have dispatched knights.”
“Demon Tribe, Monsters, knights… what about the size of their force?”
“Just at a glance, it was over 500. We need to pull back.”
“No point dragging this out. We retreat.”
The mercenary band’s judgment was faster than that of the count’s soldiers.
There were those who criticized the mercenary band for breaking away before a report was even delivered, but they too had no choice but to make the same decision.
Fighting at the risk of one’s life might be their job, but no one wanted to throw themselves into a battle with no chance of victory.
It didn’t even take a full day to reach the battlefield by following Admiral.
They encountered a few Monsters along the way, but none posed a major threat.
Unless it was a medium-to-large Monster like a Troll, Collie alone was enough to handle it.
Normally, there should have been troops stationed not far from the encampment, but the area they had advanced into was quite broad.
The more corpses scattered across the ground caught his eye, the higher Robin’s guard rose.
“Everyone, good work. I’ll go report to the commander.”
“Good job.”
“Robin, Serena, you should come along as well. It’s better if the first discoverers are present.”
Imelda told them it was fine and to go on.
The battlefield was filled in every direction with bustling personnel.
After telling Collie to stay put so he wouldn’t get separated, Robin followed Admiral.
He looked around in case they might run into the Calimacos Mercenary Band, but he didn’t spot them.
Even amid the chaotic battlefield, they arrived at a neatly aligned temporary barracks.
Robin and Serena followed Admiral inside without hesitation.
“Supply Support Captain Admiral has come on business.”
He raised a salute, but the commander spoke without even turning around.
“What is it, little brother.”
“We need to move up the operation date. The enemy has caught on.”
“…Report.”
He looked similar to Admiral, but his sharp impression stood out more strongly.
Leonolf Wilcock.
The eldest son of the Wilcock family and the overall commander of the front line.
Admiral relayed how he had discovered a spy and what he had learned through interrogation.
Robin felt indifferent, since it was all things he had already heard on the way, but Leonolf’s face gradually hardened.
Leonolf’s plan had been to lure the enemies in and then wipe them out in one sweep with a war weapon.
The more they were gathered in one place, the greater the effect, so in a way it was only natural.
He had planned to provoke the enemy with elite troops, feign a retreat, and then use what had been set up, but things had gone awry.
They had put great effort into maintaining secrecy, so the identity of the weapon itself hadn’t been exposed, but the operation date had leaked.
“It’s fortunate we found out now. You said Robin and Serena, right. I’ve heard your story well. I have something to discuss with Admiral, so you may return for now.”
Robin and Serena left the barracks without being able to say much.
They told the waiting Collie that their business was finished and headed toward where Imelda was.
Seeing them return sooner than expected, Imelda asked if everything was alright.
“Our mission is over. Since we’ve come this far, battle is inevitable, but… let’s participate without overexerting ourselves.”
“Okay. I won’t get in Robin’s way.”
“They say the enemy is controlling medium-to-large Monsters, so we need to be especially careful. Serena, are you listening?”
“So I just need to support from the back.”
No matter how much he said it, there was no way to know what kind of variables might arise, but Robin emphasized it again to Imelda and Serena.
‘That should be enough of a warning.’
“There’s some time left, so I’ll take a quick look around.”
“Where are you going? Let’s go together.”
“I’m going to look for the mercenary band. I’ll be right back, so please stay here.”
Robin wandered around, gathering information.
The mercenary band and other elite forces were facing off against the enemy about 3 kilometers ahead.
It wasn’t a short distance, but it wasn’t far either.
Click.
He took out the pocket watch and focused his mind.
‘Tell me where the Captain is.’
The golden needle pointed precisely to where Robin was looking.
After confirming the direction, Robin slipped the pocket watch back into his chest.
‘Should I sneak over there?’
Looking around, the control didn’t seem particularly strict.
‘It should be fine to just go say hello for a moment.’
He set off at a leisurely walking pace.
After walking about 1 kilometer, dust rose in the distance.
Sensing something amiss, he ran to get a closer look.
The source of the dust was the troops of Count Wilcock.
Family soldiers and mercenaries were mixed together, running in this direction.
As they drew closer, he searched among them for the people he wanted to see.
Calimacos, Paul, Torgen, Mirian, Brandok, Felix.
Even in the midst of war, seeing them all together again after so long filled him with joy.
Robin waved both hands and shouted loudly.
“It’s been a while! What’s going on!”
Thududududud!
Was his voice drowned out by the pounding footsteps?
The troops were focused solely on running.
To close the distance further, Robin ran as well.
As they drew closer to each other, the mercenary band spotted Robin.
“I heard about it, but a blond Robin, huh. You’ve grown taller again since the last time I saw you.”
“Is this really the time for that! Robin! Run!”
Paul shouted, scolding Calimacos.
He was within their sight, but not close enough for his voice to carry clearly.
Robin didn’t stop running.
Finally stopping in front of the mercenary band, Robin turned back and asked.
“What’s going on! Why are so many people running like this!”
Calimacos grinned and grabbed Robin by the shoulder.
“Can’t you tell just by looking?”
“I can tell it’s an emergency.”
“Yeah. It’s an emergency.”
“There’s a lot I want to say, but can you explain properly now?”
“Well, the situation is…….”
Calimacos leaned in close and whispered directly into Robin’s ear.
“Our dicks are done.”