#How to deal with Uninvited Guests (2)
It had already beco late evening, transitioning into the night.
A fishing village enveloped in darkness should have been quiet, with only the sound of waves breaking the silence. However, due to Dominic's visit, an unexpected festival had erupted.
The laughter of the celebrants echoed from a distance, even reaching the Rondo rchant Group's employees.
"What's going on? Why is it so noisy?"
"It seems there was a wedding in the village."
"Hehe. Then there must be plenty of food and drinks! It was worth coming here without having dinner."
"Absolutely! Let's finish our work quickly and enjoy the spoils. Let's go!"
The Rondo rchant Group's workers were now indistinguishable from a gang of thieves.
Once they removed their robes bearing the company's emblem and put on masks, they could wreak havoc as they pleased.
So employees eagerly awaited such opportunities.
They felt no remorse whatsoever about harming innocent people or engaging in unfair deals.
All they cared about was the plunder they could obtain.
The masked raiders urged their horses forward.
Clip-clop, clip-clop!
Neigh-!
As the sound of horse hooves reached the outskirts of the village, so of the villagers who had been waiting for well-cooked at turned their heads.
"What's that?"
"Who's out here at this ti?"
"...Whoever it is, they probably bring bad news."
"Ah, co on! Just when we were enjoying a barbecue, now this? Whoever they are, they're in for trouble."
As the unfamiliar sound of hooves approached, angry whispers spread among the once cheerful villagers.
Won guided the elderly and children into their hos and locked their doors, while the muscular fishern clenched their fists and scowled.
These fishern, typically cheerful despite the challenging work of fishing, now had their smiles replaced with stern expressions. Dominic unintentionally looked down, sensing the shift in atmosphere.
"What's suddenly going on..."
Although Dominic couldn't be certain of what was about to happen, he noticed that the usually jovial fishern seed unusually fierce today.
'Were they always this intimidating? They appear quite hostile.'
Having previously seen them as cheerful fishern who laughed heartily when well-fed, he had overlooked their more formidable side.
"Hey, Dominic. Stay inside. Soone who's only handled kitchen knives will just be a hindrance."
Calron, who had sohow acquired a sword as large as a child, slung it over one shoulder and advised Dominic. However, the gleam from Calron's bald head under the moonlight sowhat lessened the tense atmosphere.
"It appears there are rumors that our village has money these days. Hehe."
"Isn't that fantastic, buddy? We've been feeling rather down lately. Let's stand our ground."
"We need to show them who they're dealing with by entering our village like this."
The fishern, now ard with sledgehamrs, double-edged swords, and iron clubs resembling goblin maces, seed oddly unfamiliar today.
"I'll join them."
Ian drew the rapier he always carried at his side.
In contrast to the fishern, Ian resembled a handso swordsman straight out of a romance novel, making the situation feel sowhat surreal.
'Even now, he looks ridiculously handso. Life's so unfair!'
Although Dominic thought, 'I'm tall too,' and had so absurd thoughts, he missed his opportunity to retreat to his ho.
Nevertheless, he wasn't frightened.
Surrounded by these robust fishern, anyone would feel more reassured than fearful.
"Hehehe! Who's the village chief here?"
"Everyone, kneel down and close your eyes!"
"Do as we say, and we might spare your lives!"
However, the unfamiliar intruders seed to miscalculate the situation.
"What are they saying?"
"Is it too dark, or do they have poor vision?"
"Tsk tsk. They're quite young, aren't they? Waving those blades around recklessly might get their hands chopped off, huh?"
The fishern, or rather, the seasoned war veterans, tightened their grip on their blood-stained weapons, preparing to charge forth.
"You should stay clear of the open ground and find cover..."
"Sir Knight, good luck!"
As Ian turned to advise Dominic, he noticed Dominic already concealed behind a bush, peering out with just his eyes and cheering with clenched fists. Ian felt a sudden surge of annoyance.
Bang! Crash!
Neigh!
"Ha! How does it feel to stumble into Kurdal's hidden trap, the 'Invisible Hand'!"
"What's with the 'Invisible Hand'? How long are you going to stick with that cheesy nickna?"
The invading bandits, attempting to enter the field, tumbled off their horses. Thin lines that had been tightly strung across their path glistened in the moonlight.
"Damn it, they were onto our plan!"
"They're just fishern! Even if they're ard, they're no more than village militia at best!"
"Now that it's co to this, eliminate them all! Leave no witnesses!"
So of the fallen bandits, nursing broken bones, were left behind, while the rest charged recklessly.
Observing the villagers ard and prepared, the intruders suspected that their plan had been sohow exposed.
'Who would have thought a small fishing village concealed retired war veterans?'
People would be startled by the term 'war veterans,' so the villagers typically kept their pasts hidden.
It took Dominic a whole year after settling in the village to uncover their history, and he was astounded.
'But this is the first ti I've seen them in action... They won't lose, will they?'
It seed improbable, but a part of him worried that their brawn might be just for show.
Thud! Thwack!
Clang! Smash!
"Argh!"
"Kya!"
"Hey, hey! Don't kill them, just incapacitate them!"
"Oh, co on, buddy! You're asking too much!"
Whack!
"Ugh, what the..."
"Huff, huff. Did they hire rcenaries?"
"Identify yourselves, you cowards!"
However, the situation turned absurdly unexpected, dispelling Dominic's concerns.
"Why do they all say the sa things? Is there a bard teaching them these lines?"
One would think that after a decade of retirent, their skills and strength would wane. Yet, the villagers moved more gracefully than soldiers he had seen in major cities.
"Caught another one!"
"Another here too! Hey, hey! Stop! Where do you think you're going?"
"Heek!"
A battlefield that should have reeked of blood transford into a scene reminiscent of a child-friendly animation.
Masked n who discarded their weapons only to be bound to trees.
Masked n who wielded massive swords but were knocked out with a single blow to the back of the head.
Masked n who were made fools of by a slender fisherman wielding a whip that moved like a live snake.
Watching this, Dominic couldn't distinguish who the villains were.
'I need to prepare als more diligently from now on. And make sure to provide tily snacks.'
Observing this spectacle, Dominic silently resolved to be more punctual with the villagers' al tis.
Rustle.
As he admired the prowess of the fishern, a rustling sound emanated from behind Dominic.
"Found you!"
Before Dominic could identify the source, he ca face to face with unfamiliar eyes that squinted into crescents.
It was one of the executives who had led the masked n from the Rondo rchant Group.
'This is the village chief. I've seen his face before!'
It was the executive from the Rondo rchant Group who had once encountered the young village chief during a visit to the Anton rchant Group.
Imdiately after the battle began, he urgently searched for Dominic. Contrary to expectations, the situation was turning against them, but he believed that capturing the village chief would turn the tide. After all, the chief was at the heart of all these dealings and held the trust of the lord.
"I've found you!"
So, when he discovered Dominic, who was hidden in the bushes and observing the chaos, he was confident in their victory.
"Everyone, halt! Or else, I can't guarantee the safety of your chief!"
With a nacing stance, as if ready to harm Dominic at any mont, he loudly declared his triumph to everyone.
"Darn it!"
"Dominic!"
"Hey, why are you there...!"
As expected.
The fishern, who had been overpowering the rchant group's workers like fierce predators, now appeared bewildered and scrambled, unsure of their next move.
"Drop your weapons! Now!"
Joy and anticipation glead in the eyes of the executive threatening Dominic.
'That's it! This feeling!'
He savored the notion that those who had been dominant until now had fallen right into his trap. The sensation of being in control stirred so dark desires deep within him.
'In this situation, they'll do anything I say, right? Hehe.'
Alcohol? Money? Or perhaps won?
He contemplated which indulgence to pursue first. anwhile, due to the knife pressed against his neck, Dominic could do nothing but take shallow breaths and scan his surroundings.
"...!"
His eyes t with Ian's as he desperately sought soone who might co to his rescue.
'Hush!'
Ian signaled for silence, having sohow acquired one of the masks worn by the robbers to conceal his hair and mouth.
Stealthily, without making a sound, Ian began advancing from behind the executive holding Dominic.
"Damn it! Release our chief!"
"That's right! We'll do whatever you say, just let Dominic go!"
The fishern attempted to divert the executive's attention, allowing Ian to draw nearer. Though it seed like a sound strategy, their acting skills were lacking.
'Please act better, guys!'
Dominic anxiously monitored the situation, praying that their deception wouldn't be uncovered.
It was a precarious situation.
"...The knight behind...!"
"Damn it!"
Had Lady Luck forsaken Dominic?
One of the robbers, whom they had believed was unconscious, had regained consciousness and alerted the executive to Ian's approach.
Stamp.
Sssssssh!
Upon hearing the warning, the executive turned around, and realizing he had been spotted, Ian charged with incredible speed.
'Please!'
As he lunged forward, Ian hoped the executive wouldn't make a rash move.
If the executive released Dominic and distanced himself, even if they lost the battle, he would likely be imprisoned relatively unhard.
But if he chose to harm Dominic and keep him as a hostage until the very end, he would be severely injured by Ian's sword and imprisoned for a longer period.
Any rational person would understand that the best decision in this situation was to release the hostage.
"Do you think I'll die alone?"
But the world doesn't always operate based on reason.
The executive swung his knife towards Dominic.
"No!"
"Dominic!"
"XX!"
Shouts, curses, and high-pitched screams filled the air.
So people collapsed to the ground, while others couldn't bear to watch and turned away. Ian was among those who looked away.
Thud!
But the sound that echoed wasn't that of a blade slicing through cloth or flesh.
It was the sound of sothing heavy hitting the ground.
Reviews
All reviews (0)