by Funa
But, he reaped what he’d sowed.
When the merchant learned that the guild was selling heaps of rock lizards every week, and stood in line to discover that his company alone was prohibited from buying them, his face was a sight to behold.
“All right, let’s find our next job,” said Reina.
Everyone nodded and began scanning the board.
After several minutes, Reina’s eyes paused on one of the postings.
“Hmm…”
“Is something wrong?” Mile asked Reina, who appeared deep in thought.
“The pay on this job seems a little too high for what they’re requesting. I wonder if there’s some extra condition…”
Escort request. 9 days’ round trip to Amroth, including 1 day’s rest. C-rank or higher, 12 units requested. Reward: 24 half-gold each. Bonus for B-rank or higher.
It was a job of eight days, one that might put their lives in danger, and it would earn them twenty-four half-gold a piece. That was three half-gold a day. Compared to the value of one’s life, it seemed rather low.
However, it was also unlikely that they would see combat daily. On the contrary, there was an overwhelmingly high chance that they might travel the entire distance without a single incident at all. If the road were so dangerous that you could be attacked every time you traveled on it, no sensible merchant would take that route.
But without an escort, the possibility of being assailed by bandits rose steeply. There was also a chance that, with only merchants and drivers, they would be injured by monsters that hunters could have kept at bay. Because of that possibility, it was a matter of course to hire an escort guard in proportion to the size of the merchant party.
However, normally the pay was lower: just two half-gold pieces a day.
“I wonder if we should look into this…” murmured Reina, already heading toward the reception counter. Mile followed hurriedly behind.
“Oh yes, that escort job…” said the receptionist, Laylia, scrunching her nose at Reina’s inquiry. “To tell you the truth, the road to Amroth is haunted…”
“By g-g-ghosts?!” Mile interjected from beside her.
Reina smacked her on the head.
“D-don’t be stupid! What is it actually haunted by?”
Reina looked a bit queasy.
Huh? Don’t tell me that Reina’s…
“A-actually, yes. Ghosts…”
“Eeeek!!”
“…are nowhere to be seen! Er, oh no, I’m so sorry!”
Laylia had meant it as a joke, but seeing that Reina and Pauline appeared genuinely frightened, she hurried to apologize.
“I-It’s bandits! Bandits! Apparently they’ve been appearing in greater numbers lately, coming in from another country. Because of that, it’s hard to recruit people without raising the reward, and the standard rate has gone up a bit. Also, because merchants have been avoiding the road and there are fewer wagons traveling on it, inevitably there are fewer guards on it as well. There’s a strong possibility that you will be attacked, and I would recommend you all leave this one alone. Even five times the reward wouldn’t be worth the danger.”
Taking Laylia’s information to heart, the girls moved away from the counter.
Bandits rarely appeared in large groups.
If they traveled in large numbers, attacking just a single wagon wouldn’t make them enough profit to share. Then they’d have no choice but to increase their attacks, launching more assaults, or attacking larger merchant bands. And if they did that, they were sure to encounter a great number of escorting hunters, meaning that their group would suffer many casualties.
If the bandits killed too many merchants, commerce would grind to a halt, and the crown (or the local lords) would be forced to take action and mount a large-scale opposition to root the bandits out.
Because of that, bandit groups tended to be small and well spread out.
Only those who skimped on their escorts, or had particularly bad luck, would suffer from occasional attacks. As long as a merchant was properly prepared, they normally passed unharried. Most bandits would overlook a more formidable target in favor of easy prey.
Even if you were attacked, while the guards might be killed in combat, those who didn’t take part in the fight—the merchants, the drivers, and any passengers—could generally give up their possessions and escape unharmed. After all, if you were likely to be killed even if you surrendered, you’d fight to the very last and set fire to your cargo in one final act of retaliation. The bandits’ casualties would increase, and their profit would amount to nothing.
For the escorting hunters, sparing any bandits that surrendered reduced casualties on both sides. As for the merchants, if they worked hard they could earn back the cost of a lost wagon, provided they escaped with their lives.
Therefore if the client consented, and the hunters in charge of an escort decided to surrender, then the hunters still received their proper pay, without penalties. While the escort might not have been a success, they had performed their duty to the best of their abilities.
But in this case, it seemed that the bandits—operating in large-scale groups and moving in from other countries—were migratory. Raiding without setting up a permanent base. This meant they killed everyone: merchants, drivers, and guards alike. It was likely they planned to make as much as they could, then move on to some other land before a suppression force could be organized. After all, it took time for the local governments, or even the crown, to mobilize.
“Let’s take the job.”
“Huh?”
“If we dress Mile up in something cute and have her sit up by the driver, I bet we can attract even more bandits.”
The other three were stunned at Reina’s proposal.
“B-but, that sounds dangerous…”
“Yes! And it’s not even worth the pay.”
“If we’re away for nine days, that’s a waste of our inn fees…”
At Pauline, Mavis, and Mile’s grumbling, Reina raised her voice, sounding angry.
“Did you all not agree to take on an escort job?! You said you would leave it to me.”
“We did, but we thought it would be a normal escort job. It wouldn’t be so bad to take on an escort request one day, and if we took one a little sooner then we’d get used to the process. Gain some experience fighting other people. But the possibility of getting attacked on this job is way higher than usual, the pay is too low to be worth it, and the bandits are traveling in huge groups. There’s no need for us to stick our necks out just for kicks. There are other escort requests. I don’t think we need to go leaping into such a big job.”
Mavis voiced her opposition, followed by Pauline.
“I-I agree.”
“What’s more,” Mavis continued, “I’m sure the day will come when we’ll have to kill someone. But when that time comes, we have to make our own decisions. How can we do that if we can’t say, ‘We made the judgment, and I know it was the right one. I have no regrets’?
“Are you even interested in the guard duty, Reina? Or do you want us to take this job just so we can kill bandits? You want to force us into our ‘first time killing a man’ rather than let it come around when it does. And on top of that…”
Pausing only to take a breath, Mavis continued.
“What on earth was that ‘dress Mile in cute clothes and put her up by the driver’ thing about? Fighting the bandits should be our last resort. We should use the power of intimidation to keep the bandits from attacking in the first place. And you’re suggesting that we ask to be attacked by showing that there are no guards around and a little girl present?
“Besides, what are you going to do if the wagons or cargo are lost or damaged? What if the client or the drivers are injured or killed? Why the hell do you want to do something that would purposely put everyone in danger? It’s the exact opposite of our goal. What about Mile, dressed like that, having to fight a swarm of bandits without any armor? Did you even think about t
hat?”
Reina stood silently, hanging her head, as Mavis threw one last jab.
“Why are you being such a fool?”
Reina stood quietly for several more seconds, then turned on her heel and ran.
“Reina…”
In a corner of the guildhall, the three remaining members of the Crimson Vow stood still as statues.
Reina returned sometime before dinner.
A hunter’s body was her bread and butter, and she wouldn’t allow her own ego to cheat her out of a meal. Eating elsewhere would be a breach of loyalty toward the inn, and Reina was most definitely the type to worry over such details.
“……”
Reina ate her meal without talking. Finally, Mavis spoke up.
“Reina…”
“……”
Reina ignored her, and continued to eat.
“We took the job. We leave tomorrow morning, so try not to oversleep.”
Reina spat out her food.
“Gaaaaah!! Reina, that’s disgusting!”
“Aaaah, my food!!!”
Mile and Mavis squealed. Pauline had somehow managed to hold her plate far enough away to escape being sprayed.
“I thought you all said we couldn’t take that job!”
“Wahaha! It wasn’t true!”
As Reina glared at her, Mile quickly ducked behind Mavis.
“I was just raising a few concerns for you to consider—but I don’t recall ever saying we wouldn’t take the job. And then, you disappeared before we could talk about it, so the three of us thought it over and came to the conclusion that we may as well take it… what’s that look for?”
Reina glared as Mavis breezily waved off her earlier concerns.
“S-so you were just badmouthing me…? Then, what happened to all those objections of yours?!”
“Oh, it’s fine. We took everything into account and decided that the job was still within the realm of possibility for us.”
“What is with you guys?”
Reina grumbled and fussed, and someone tapped her on the shoulder from behind. She turned to see little Lenny, who grinned before shoving a water bucket and rag her way.
“Sorry…”
***
After Reina had rushed out of the guildhall, the other three were greatly troubled.
It was clear that she was obsessing over something. However, they couldn’t do whatever Reina wanted just to make her happy. That might put their party on an unthinkable path, and if Reina wouldn’t listen to their concerns then they weren’t truly friends, much less the Crimson Vow.
After thinking for a while, Mavis spoke.
“We should find out more about that request.”
She went back to Laylia, the clerk, and asked to meet with the client so that she could hear more about it for herself.
Luckily, the day was still young, and there was plenty of time.
“I see. So that’s how it is then. Are you sure you’re all right with this?”
“Huh? No, actually it would be a big help for us, as long as you’re sure it’s okay.”
“On the other hand, this place…”
“Huh?! But the budget…”
“If we fail then we won’t get anything, right?”
“Hrm, you’ve got me there…”
“Well, then. How about this?”
“What?! What is that?! Are you serious?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
“In that case… we had planned to delay our departure until we gathered more guards, but now I suppose we can head out right away. Is that acceptable?”
“No problems here. We are the Crimson Vow, and we’re ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”
Later that morning, the three girls borrowed the guild meeting room to have a chat with the two men and talked until they reached an arrangement that satisfied both parties.
***
“I want to thank you most sincerely for taking on this request. I know that it does not come under the best of circumstances.”
Early the following morning, the merchant party made their introductions in the city square. There were six wagons in the caravan with one driver for each, and four merchants altogether.
The merchants seemed to be long-time companions, and the meet-and-greet was more for the benefit of the escorting hunters. There was no need for the guards to get too friendly with the merchants, but it was necessary for the hunters to get to know one another’s strengths and skills—for assigning and coordinating roles. Even if it only slightly increased their chances of making it safely through the next nine days, it was worth taking the time to do it before their departure.
“Some of you weren’t present when the request was accepted. You may have heard some of the details from your leaders, but allow me to give a brief overview.”
It seemed Reina wasn’t the only one yet to receive a direct explanation. Clearly there were other parties where only a few representatives had gone to negotiate.
“Amroth,” the merchant continued, “is four days away, making for an eight-day round trip. Upon arrival, we’ll be stopping for one day, during which you’ll be free to do as you like. Now, as you all may have noticed, the reward for this job is 50 percent higher than standard. The reason for this, as I’m sure you’ve already heard from your companions, is that this route has recently been plagued by a rather large-scale bandit operation.”
Here, the head of the merchant group paused to look over the group of hunters, but no one appeared to be surprised. They’d all heard about the situation from their leaders. The Crimson Vow had filled Reina in the previous night.
“That’s not all. A number of people are suffering because of the decrease in the number of merchants, thanks to the bandits. For their sake, our group is not carrying expensive luxury items, but absolute necessities, including critical medical supplies and specialty tools for craftsmen. In addition to transporting these goods, we have one more important goal. That is…”
The client looked over the group again.
“We aim to wipe out the bandits.”
That was the merchant group’s true aim, just as Mile and company had heard last night.
“It is going to take some time before either the national or regional governments are prepared to do anything about this. If we wait, business in Amroth will be completely cut off. We’ve mobilized this group with the assumption that we will come under attack. If nothing happens, we’ll proceed with our business as usual. However, if we do come under attack, we intend to fight to the end.
“Though we’ve yet to confirm the numbers, estimates say there are at least twenty bandits. I have faith that our group of twelve hunters—one B-rank and eleven C-ranks, including four magic users—will be more than enough to take these scoundrels down.
“This information wasn’t included in the job posting because we assumed that the bandits might very well have allies passing through the guildhall. Therefore, we requested that the details be given only at the clerk’s discretion, to hunters who approached them about the job. There were four other parties who inquired and were turned away, as well as one more that we had to decline when we judged they were lacking in power.
“We understand that, considering our true aim, the promised reward is relatively low. However, the requested goods promise a very low return, meaning that we couldn’t set aside more even if we wished to. For merchants, it is a point of pride not to engage in business that we know from the outset will put us in the red. We kindly beg your forgiveness.”
The client cast a glance at his fellow merchants, who nodded in agreement. Then he turned his attention back to the hunters.
“On the other hand, should a battle arise, there is no need for you to focus on protecting us. We will simply barricade ourselves inside the cargo wagons and ready our swords. It’s an advantageous position, so if any bandits try to lift the cargo from the wagon, we can probably take them. Besides, it’s more likely that they won’t be interested in steali
ng during a battle. They can see to that once all their opponents are gone.
“Therefore, you may keep all of your focus on annihilating our opponents. Even if we’re taken hostage, pay us no mind. If we surrender, I’m confident—based on what I’ve heard—that they will still kill us.
“That’s all for now. Does anyone have any questions?”
The guards gaped. The client’s request—to prioritize slaying the bandits over protecting the merchants—was completely unprecedented. Moreover, this was the first time that any of them had heard about this aspect of the job.
“Why would you go this far?”
The question came from one of the three parties that had accepted the job, a trio of young men in their late teens.
“Er, well, the reason is… if I may be so bold as to say, it’s just that, well… we’re merchants, and Amroth has always been a prosperous place for us…”
“That’s ridiculous! You’re all idiots!”
This was the fellow who appeared to be the leader of the third party, a group consisting of three men and two women somewhere in their late twenties or early thirties. He guffawed loudly, but the woman standing beside him cut in.
“Well then, what does that make you, the one who accepted this job?”
“Isn’t it obvious? A big fat idiot!”
The five members of the party laughed uproariously. It seemed like they were always this way.
The leader of the third party turned serious, looking to the rest of the hunters.
“Now then, how about we introduce ourselves? I’m Bart, the leader of Dragonbreath. I’m a swordsman, B-rank. Seems like I’m the only B-rank here. And since it appears that we’re also the biggest party here, I’d like it if you left the escort planning and battle tactics to me. Any objections?”
Heads shook, and seeing there were no dissenters, Bart continued.
“Our other members are Callum, the swordsman; Fargus, the lancer; Vera, the bow-and-short-sword wielder; and Jeanie, the magic user. Jeanie specializes in combat magic, but don’t expect too much from her in terms of healing.”