The rcenaries, after killing the servant who had accompanied Mrs. Aitz, took their positions near the door and windows. The nobles inside the feudal lord’s mansion were poorly trained, likely to foolishly rush out.
“Why aren’t they coming out yet?”
“Could there be an underground passage?”
“Stop talking nonsense. We already checked, there’s nothing like that.”
“Should we go in before the main force arrives and finish this?”
The earlier trumpet signal was ant for the rcenaries camping at a distance. Karamaf preferred certainty. He had prepared dozens of n separately, just in case.
These n would completely seize control of the fiefdom and beco the pursuit team if any situation arose.
“Hey. Sir Karamaf ordered us to surround them and prevent their escape.”
“Who said we’re not surrounding them? Let’s just go in and kill a couple. It’s better than waiting for those inside to arm themselves and co to their senses.”
This suggestion from one of the rcenaries intrigued the others. They had already been paid, but killing more of the Aitz family would earn them a bonus.
If they went in before the main force arrived, they could monopolize the reward, instead of sharing it with the others.
The rcenaries sought permission from Yein, Karamaf’s offspring.
“Yein-nim, may we go in?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to enter with the main force? If we go in with a small group and get ambushed, it would be troubleso.”
“Ha, don’t worry! If we get beaten by those nobodies, I’ll cut off my own wrist.”
The rcenaries boasted confidently. They were battle-hardened, unlikely to be defeated by those who were hardly knights of the Aitz family.
‘𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘈𝘪𝘵𝘻 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥.’
Yein frowned, thinking of Johan. Even without experience, his innate strength and size were formidable weapons. The rcenaries could be caught off guard.
However, as the rcenaries suggested, killing the family mbers before they could arm themselves seed like a good idea. If they started arming themselves with the armory inside, the casualties would only increase.
After all, the death of one or two rcenaries wouldn’t change the situation. Dozens more were on their way.
To Yein, the lives of these rcenaries were as insignificant as those of the feudal lord’s servants. That was the way of the nobility. These weren’t soldiers he had personally raised but hired with money. Whether they succeeded quickly or died trying, it didn’t matter. That’s what they were paid for.
Yein nodded.
“Three. I permit only three. The rest must hold their positions.”
“Thank you!”
The rcenaries excitedly decided who would go. For the three chosen, additional silver was almost guaranteed.
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
‘𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘩 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘸𝘰𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯. .’
Johan sighed and closed the wooden window. Gessen didn’t co in but kept talking outside, so curious, Johan secretly went upstairs and slightly opened the window, only to find the worst situation unfolding.
Sir Karamaf killed Gessen and Mrs. Aitz, then ordered to kill everyone. The reason behind this was unknown, but one thing was certain.
If you stay still, you die!
‘𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳.’ Johan shook his head and let go of his regrets, focusing on the current situation.
After blowing the horn, torches flickered in the distance from the darkness. It was clear that the others waiting in ambush were approaching. At a glance, there seed to be dozens of them.
At that mont, Johan gave up on fighting here. eting Kaegal had boosted his confidence, but he wasn’t up to fighting dozens of experienced rcenaries alone. That would be foolhardy.
‘𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘐 𝘮𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘣𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥, 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘯𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. . .’
Johan rembered Kaegal’s teachings. Fleeing when you can’t win wasn’t shaful.
The problem was how and where to escape.
The rcenaries looked relaxed but were strategically positioned around the feudal lord’s manor, their grip on their weapons showing no complacency.
“I have to break through after all.”
Avoiding a fight wasn’t an option. Johan needed to find a relatively weaker one, kill them in one strike, and break through. He quickly ford a plan in his mind.
“S-Don’t co here!”
“Oh dear. My lord. Your legs are shaking.”
“Can you even swing a sword properly like that? Put so strength into it and swing. alright?”
The rcenaries laughed mockingly at Fern and John. The half-brothers, too, had awoken to the commotion outside. Unlike Johan, they foolishly rushed towards the stairs and encountered the rcenaries.
𝘏𝘶𝘩? 𝘞𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘨𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦?’
Maybe they got bored of waiting? That was possible. Johan walked through the corridor towards the stairs.
𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐝━
Fern and John collapsed, their legs giving out. A foul sll wafted as their pants got soaked, possibly with urine. The rcenaries climbing the stairs laughed at them, wielding their weapons. For them, nothing was more enjoyable than killing arrogant nobles.
“Noble sir, beg for your life. Maybe I’ll spare you.”
“Please. . . I have hidden money! I’ll give it to you if you spare !”
“Oh? Where is it?”
The rcenary seed intrigued. Hidden noble silver could be worth a lot.
“It’s. . .”
Fern rolled his eyes. Even without experience, he wasn’t a fool. Revealing the location without any promise was idiotic.
“Smart kid.”
“Aaaah!”
With a ‘thud’, blood splattered from Fern’s leg. The rcenary had stabbed him with the tip of his weapon.
“Enough, kid. Even if you don’t tell us, we can find it. Do you think we haven’t robbed nobles’ houses before? It’s probably hidden behind a wall or under a bed.”
The rcenary kicked Fern. Fern crawled, trying to escape. The rcenary followed Fern with his eyes and then noticed soone standing in the corridor.
“Huh?”
One strike.
It took only one slash to sever the rcenary’s neck.
Swoosh!
Johan’s monstrous strength instantly decapitated an unsuspecting rcenary. A fountain of blood sprayed, drenching Fern’s face.
“Wha, what? What?”
A rcenary behind him swung his sword in panic. It wasn’t a thoughtful action, but one borne of experience.
Johan charged fiercely. Before the rcenary could fully swing, his sword was struck out of the air.
𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤━
The impact twisted the rcenary’s arm backwards, exposing his torso.
And then, a deadly strike to the exposed torso.
The rcenary who was attacked was the most experienced and well-armored rcenary among the rcenaries who followed Karamaf. He wore a full chainmail and even added a separate tal plate on top of it for a rcenary.
However, against Johan’s strength, it was aningless.
From the shoulder to the side, the body was nearly split in half, spewing blood and entrails. The rcenary died without a sound. The last remaining rcenary panicked and tried to call for help outside.
“Damn it! There’s a monster here. . .”
Once Johan saw blood, he didn’t stop. His longsword glead as it pierced the rcenary’s neck. The rcenary gasped for air and then knelt.
‘𝘈𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦?’
Johan looked at his old longsword, now filthy with blood and entrails, worrying more about its durability than the dirt. He felt he had used too much strength in his last swing.
‘𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵, 𝘭𝘦𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘶𝘺’𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘯.’
“You. . . You. . . You. . .!”
John and Fern pointed at Johan, speechless from shock at what had just happened.
“You killed Sir Karamaf’s n. How will you handle the aftermath?!”
“. . .You’re talking nonsense at a ti like this? Idiots. Look outside. Karamaf has unleashed rcenaries to kill us.”
Only then did they co to their senses.
“Where’s your brother?”
“Waiting in the bedroom. . . But why did you save us?”
Fern asked, puzzled. They never thought Johan would save them. They always mocked Johan, and he beat them when the ti ca.
“So you wished to be left to die?”
“No. . . it’s not that. . .”
“I don’t like you, but I don’t hate you enough to leave you to die. That’s all.”
“. . .Thank you.”
Fern and Johm nodded in gratitude. Seeing Johan fully ard, they said,
“We’ll bring weapons too! Let’s fight together until father arrives!”
“Sir Gessen is dead. Karamaf killed him. By now, every ard man near the lord’s manor is probably dead, and no serfs will co to our aid. Stop talking nonsense and think about escaping.”
Johan’s words froze them. They were overwheld by the flood of information.
“Father is. . .”
𝐒𝐥𝐚𝐩!
Johan slapped Fern. Fern, stunned, asked,
“Wha. . .?”
“Snap out of it.”
“You. . . You could have just said it, no need to hit!”
“I don’t have ti to coddle you. I’m planning to break out now.”
“Wait! too!”
“No, it can’t be. John.”
As Fern tried to stop him, John looked at him as if asking why.
“We. . . it’s too much for us.”
“Oh, because you got stabbed in the leg? Don’t worry! I’ll carry you and run. . .”
“You fool. It’s too much for your skills.”
Johan scolded John. It was literal. How could he think of breaking through with skills that couldn’t even handle a single rcenary? John couldn’t retort and just blushed.
“But brother, if we keep staying here, really. . .”
“That’s true. . .”
Fern licked his dry lips with his tongue, unsure of what to do. Johan picked up a longsword from the rcenaries and said.
“There is one way.”
“What, what is it?”
“Set a fire.”
“. . .!!”
🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
The rcenaries initially thought they were seeing things wrong. Flas began to burst from the windows of the feudal lord’s residence.
“T-This is crazy. . .!”
“Which b*stard set the fire?! Are they insane?!”
Karamaf had strictly forbidden setting fires for the purpose of identification. Moreover, there were things to loot inside, so no rcenary would be foolish enough to start a fire.
“It’s definitely the guys who went in! These idiots must have ssed up sothing and started the fire during the fight!”
“These b*stards. . . if they co out, I’ll kill them!”
The rcenaries cursed their colleagues who had entered first. They never imagined that the Aitz family would set the fire. What kind of madn would set fire to their own location?
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