The soldiers who fled from the northern front could neither enter the capital nor step foot in the city where strict regulations were enforced. Those who deserted the front lines were immediately sentenced to death, leaving them no choice but to hide. What would become of the villages established by such deserters and defectors?
‘They’d probably turn into bandit camps.’
However, for a bandit hideout, the village looked rather decent. There were even streetlights powered by mana stones and pubs where people could engage in economic activities or spend their leisure time. The reason such a village could exist was due to the presence of “demons.”
For the city ruler, having such a village nearby was actually beneficial. Demons and monsters would head towards the village instead of the city. Even if the city was protected by the barrier of resonance stones that could prevent demon invasions, they wouldn’t want demons roaming nearby. Because of this, although it contradicted the empire’s regulations, they did not actively eradicate such villages. In fact, some cities supported these villages, and apart from the occasional demon invasion, the villagers lived relatively peacefully. On the surface, it seemed so…
“Anyway, come inside! The night is deepening, and you must need a place to stay!” The man, who appeared to be the village leader, greeted us with a hearty laugh and guided us to a tavern.
‘That guy…’
I had some experience fighting him as the ‘Sword Saint’ in this place.
‘Was it… Degrid?’
That must be it. There was a rumor it was a parody since his name was similar to the forest keeper from OO Porter. Anyway, the place he led us to was one of the larger buildings in the village.
“We use this as a tavern, but there are enough rooms for you to stay for a night or so!” Degrid laughed heartily once again and entered the building first.
“Are you really planning to stay here?” As soon as Degrid disappeared, Felkor, looking anxious, popped up in front of me.
Damn! You startled me. Get your face out of mine. No matter how many times I see it, I can never get used to your overly refined looks.
“Didn’t you say they were bandits? And knowing that they are bandits from the start…”
“Let’s just go in. It’s dark outside, and I don’t want to sleep outdoors. Besides…”
Besides what?
Felkor looked at me with a knowing expression.
“If anything happens, you handle it. After all, you’re a knight, aren’t you?”
“No, that’s… Ah… Sigh.” Felkor sighed and followed me into the building that appeared to be a tavern, head lowered.
Creak.
As we entered, I noticed, “It’s quite well-decorated.”
It was exactly like the scene from the original work. Appropriate tables, the bustling noise, and even a bar visible in the front. Degrid, acting like the owner, took a bottle of what seemed to be alcohol from the display and drank it down in one go.
‘Disgusting.’
For a moment, the noble spirit of ‘Julian’ wanted to draw his sword in disgust, but…
‘Let’s not cause any trouble.’
With superhuman self-control, I refrained.
“So, if you’re staying the night, it’ll be 100 nar per night. What do you think?” Degrid, having finished his drink, played with the empty bottle and demanded money as if it were natural. Of course, I had no intention of refusing.
The reason I stopped by here is to spend a night comfortably in a bed rather than outdoors. For 100 nar, that’s quite a bargain.
“I’ll pay.”
Sleeping indoors in such a remote place, not in the city, is quite appealing.
“That’s good. But you know…”
At that moment, Degrid’s demeanor changed, and his eyes conveyed a strong hostility. Simultaneously, I started to sense numerous presences around the building.
‘Probably the other bandits stationed here.’
Felkor also seemed to sense it, clicking his tongue and giving me a look that asked why we came here.
He doesn’t know, but I came here ‘knowing’ what to expect. Entering this building would draw out the other bandits…
Degrid, having sharply assessed the essence of ‘Julian,’ spoke.
“You’re a soldier, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
Even ‘Closed Eyes’ could be considered a type of soldier, so it wasn’t entirely wrong.
“And the big guy next to you looks like a knight. I sensed an inflexible awkwardness in his gait.”
Impressive that he could sense that from him.
“Are you here to deal with us?”
“Do you really think the capital would send people to catch someone like you?”
Provocatively drawing Degrid’s attention with my tone, Felkor beside me took a defensive stance, ready for battle.
He’s overreacting…
That’s not why I came here. My purpose is to explore the place where ‘Julian’ and the superior demon fought and to reconfirm the teachings of the ‘Sword Saint’ through the traces left there.
I don’t want to live a life of accumulating fatigue through unnecessary fights.
Besides,
‘I know how to get out of this situation peacefully.’
Taking a deep breath, I recalled the lines I had chosen before.
“We’re deserters from the northern front.”
Felkor’s head snapped towards me.
The tense atmosphere around us settled into silence. Degrid and Felkor both looked taken aback.
“You… you’re deserters?”
Nodding affirmatively to Degrid’s question, the hostility filling the surroundings dissipated.
Even so, there would still be doubts. Before Degrid could voice them, I spoke first.
“I was part of the 3rd Subjugation Unit under Lord Jahat on the northern front.”
“You were part of the 3rd Subjugation Unit?”
“And you deserted from there?”
“Yes.”
Showing an expression that went beyond shock to one of disgust, he then nodded. He knew how tough it was for those under the blind warrior Jahat.
I said this to dispel any suspicion. Not only with words but also by indicating my actual service there, I needed to first state my affiliation. And that, with the most notorious unit as the backdrop, so he could understand why we deserted.
To drive home the point to the still slightly suspicious Degrid,
“The food was incredibly terrible.”
I said, in a serious tone, with a slight hint of humor.
Upon hearing that, Degrid chuckled briefly.
“The food in the 3rd Subjugation Unit is notorious… I’ve had it before, and pig slop was better.”
“The story of the quartermaster there being unable to taste after barbarians cut out his tongue is quite famous.”
“Ha ha, yes! I’ve heard that story too!”
The suspicion started to fade. This place is a refuge for a few deserters. When someone with similar experiences approaches, the walls around their hearts tend to crumble.
From being seen as soldiers sent to capture them, we were now comrades with shared experiences. The perception changed drastically, forming a sense of camaraderie as quickly as the difference.
Moreover,
“Those damn imperial bastards.”
If you curse a shared grudge, it only strengthens the bond.
“I almost charged my fellow deserters money.”
Degrid, laughing, walked out the door and shouted loudly.
“Hey! Everyone, come in! They’re not soldiers sent to catch us; they’re comrades!”
Hearing Degrid’s voice, Felkor looked at me with eyes full of suspicion.
“Did you really serve in the 3rd Subjugation Unit?”
I simply smiled without saying a word.
Did I really?
I dislike unnecessary fights.
This choice wasn’t born from a fighting spirit but purely for my mental health.
“Come on, drink up, drink!”
“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a deserter from the north! We must drink today for the sake of our juniors!”
The problem is that this kind of drinking spree is one of the factors that harms my mental health.
On a normal day, it might be bearable. However, Julian’s severe obsessive-compulsive disorder was vehemently rejecting this environment.
‘It’s fortunate that I can still bear it.’
Having managed the situation well with the experience from the game made me feel good.
A sense of accomplishment, perhaps? Something like that.
‘At first, I killed everyone without knowing anything.’
Since then, knowing the key phrases prevented such troublesome events.
Instead, situations like this would occur.
“Ha ha ha, this burly fellow! He looks like he could snap a demon’s neck, why did he desert!”
“Indeed, why did he!”
“Who deserted! I just stepped away for a moment.”
“Isn’t that what desertion is?”
“Ha ha ha ha!”
Initially hesitant, Felkor, with his rugged appearance, was soon clinking glasses with other deserters, becoming one of them.
The sight of them laughing with their arms around each other was the epitome of bandit camaraderie.
You found your calling, man.
It suits you so well.
“But you, you look familiar… somewhere…”
The leader of the village, sitting at the same table and talking with me, was now looking at me with half-closed eyes.
Mumbling, “I’ve seen you, I’ve seen you.”
Perhaps he had some influence in the unit, and had heard about ‘Julian’s’ features from somewhere.
He might have even seen me.
“It’s possible. The 3rd Subjugation Unit traveled all over the north.”
“Is that so? You look similar to that… renowned figure who made great contributions on the northern front… Ju… something.”
“Surely, someone like that wouldn’t be here, right?” I replied slyly to Degrid.
In reality, anyone from the capital would surely recognize this ‘narrow-eyed villain,’ but Degrid and everyone here were deserters from the northern front. The fact that they even had a rough idea of his appearance is a testament to how famous ‘Julian’ is.
While I hoped to pass through quietly, the boastful nature of ‘Julian’ stirred within me, causing the corners of my mouth to twitch. This wasn’t me doing it on purpose.
“Hic, if it’s someone like ‘Closed Eyes,’ they’d be begging the imperial family in the capital to not lose their limbs!”
“That’s right. They might be missing a few fingers by now.”
“Ha ha ha, indeed, indeed!”
Degrid, who had been drinking continuously, seemed in high spirits and poured more into my glass. As I drank it down, the sharp taste of cheap wine lingered on my tongue. I wasn’t particularly fond of drinking, so it didn’t matter much to me.
“By the way, hic… you drink really well! I’ve never met anyone who can drink better than me here!”
Degrid, as if he hadn’t had a good drinking partner in a long time, kept filling my glass. Although it was refreshing to have someone approach so openly, the fact that he was a deserter and a bandit made the situation feel oddly complex.
“Hic! So, did you come here to stay and live with us?”
“No, I have something to do, so I need to go to the Firente Gorge.”
“Firente Gorge? Why would you go to such a dangerous place?”
I couldn’t tell him I was looking to gain insight from the traces of ‘Julian’s’ battle there, so I vaguely glossed over the question.
“Hey, Ju… sir! I heard something interesting…”
Felkor, who was thoroughly drunk, approached me with a face full of laughter. At least he was sharp enough to call me ‘sir’ instead of ‘Julian.’ Although his speech was short due to the drunkenness, I decided to let it slide. For now.
Once we leave here, the burden will increase.
“These guys say they recently kidnapped a noble. Can you believe that bastard claimed he was from the Crypart family!”
“Ha ha ha, does it make sense for a member of the Crypart family to be wandering alone?”
They laughed boisterously, sharing the story. I tilted my head in curiosity.
“A member of the Crypart family?”
This piqued my interest. Could it be Herand? No, that guy wouldn’t leave his mansion after being beaten so badly by Orin.
“Ha ha ha, sir, isn’t that your family? If you take a look, you could tell if he’s really from Crypart, right?”
Felkor, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, still seemed unaware of the potential consequences. Why was he suddenly bringing up family matters here?
In an instant, the noisy tavern fell silent as if a ghost had passed through.
“What did you say?”
Degrid, who had been drinking in front of me, turned his head to meet my gaze. The expressions of those drinking nearby also turned serious.
‘So, it comes to this.’
Felkor, you bastard, I’ll deal with you later.
Cliche Novel 