Twenty-one warhorses galloped at full speed.
The warhorses of this world are trained through special methods, boasting specs that are incomparable to real-world horses. They are not only faster than ordinary horses but also possess incredible strength and stamina.
When a knight who wields aura rides a warhorse and charges across the battlefield, ordinary infantry stands no chance.
Currently, the warhorses are galloping at full speed, equipped with nothing but a single rein. The scenery around us changes rapidly. The sound of hooves hitting the ground is quite threatening.
'Ugh! This is hard to ride.'
I was riding a horse with Head Butler Hassent. Hassent was holding the reins from behind me, controlling the horse since I hadn't yet learned how to ride.
Even with a saddle, I could feel every jolt as the horse galloped. Part of it was due to my small frame, but the warhorse's rough galloping was the main reason. I tightened my lower body to avoid falling off.
'I'd rather ride a bike.'
The problem was that the terrain wasn't suitable for a bike. The ground was uneven, with rocks jutting out, and soon we would have to cross a forest. In many ways, a horse was the perfect choice.
'I wish I could bring a helicopter...'
That was impossible. I could steal a helicopter from the "Vampire Detective" world, but...
The inventory only allows items I can carry. No matter how large an item is, if I can carry it, it can go into the inventory. Conversely, no matter how small an item is, if I can't carry it, it won't go into the inventory.
"Lord Eugene!"
Hent, who was right behind me, called out. Hassent, who knew the exact route to Artel Village, was leading the way.
"What is it?!"
"Is Artel Village really that important for us to rush like this?"
It was a fair question. We were galloping at full speed without any explanation.
"Although it's a small village on the outskirts, it's still part of the Pruckus territory. If the village is under attack, it's only natural for us to step in!"
I gave a plausible excuse. Most of the Flune Knights were commoners, and even though Hent was a mercenary, as a knight, he couldn't ignore chivalry. In fact, being a commoner, he was even more inclined to uphold it.
"That's right! Protecting the people of our territory! That's what we knights do!"
Hent seemed pleased. It had been a while since they'd done something truly knightly. Thinking about it, this mission would make for a great story about the knights.
'Artel Village itself isn't important.'
Artel Village is a settlement formed by fugitives. It's a small village that doesn't even pay proper taxes. If it weren't for me, the Pruckus family might never have known of its existence.
Even if such a small village disappeared overnight, no one in the Pruckus territory would care.
'What's important is the person in Artel Village.'
Yuria Grace. She is Kyle's enemy in the latter part of the story.
In the original work, she is introduced as the world's greatest genius and assassin, officially recognized by the author.
Her talent is said to surpass even the protagonist, Kyle. The only reason Kyle could kill Yuria Grace was because he grew stronger with the help of fate. Fans speculate that under the same conditions, without fate's intervention, Kyle wouldn't have been able to defeat her.
'The original story briefly touches on Yuria Grace's past. Living in Artel Village, she becomes an assassin in the underworld after this incident.'
At a young age, she becomes an Aura Master and assassinates an entire ducal family, showcasing her absurd strength. In the original story, she is nicknamed the 'Dark Emperor.'
'In short, it's power inflation.'
She had various settings attached to her, but her character felt hastily put together.
My goal is to take Yuria Grace, who hasn't yet become an underworld assassin, and raise her as my personal assassin. Having an assassin who follows my orders without question would make things much easier.
She also serves as a kind of insurance in case things go wrong, and I end up opposing Kyle.
"I'm coming! Wait for me!"
"Ooh! Lord Eugene's sense of justice is burning!"
"As knights, we can't fall behind!"
"For the justice of Pruckus!"
Knights are creatures obsessed with honor, even when there's no money involved.
***
Artel Village is located on the outskirts of the "Cursed Marsh."
The Cursed Marsh is a forbidden area known to everyone on the continent.
Monsters frequently emerge from it, and no adventurer who has ventured into its depths has ever returned to reveal its secrets.
Because the Cursed Marsh is shunned by people, it's the perfect place for fugitives.
Artel Village is a settlement formed by all sorts of fugitives—criminals, debtors, wanted individuals, the disabled, slaves, and more.
Except for the occasional monster emerging from the forest, no one ever visits, making it a peaceful village.
At least, it was peaceful until just before sunset.
Artel Village was in chaos. The sounds of battle and screams echoed everywhere. Flames rose from various parts of the village.
The Ferek Mercenaries—no, more accurately, a bandit group disguised as mercenaries—had attacked the village.
Although Artel Village is a criminal settlement, its population is less than 100, and fewer than 20 are capable of fighting. Being a poor village, their equipment isn't great either.
In contrast, the Ferek Bandits consist of over 30 professional fighters. Artel Village stands no chance against them.
"Ria!"
Nell Rins hurriedly entered the house. With her black hair and disheveled appearance, she looked extremely thin.
"Yes, Mother."
Yuria Grace, who had been reading as instructed, calmly replied. Her face was eerily emotionless.
Her dry, soot-covered hair, sunken cheeks, and skin clinging to her bones made her look just as unkempt as Nell. However, Yuria's blue eyes shone with a quiet intensity.
"Bandits have attacked the village. It's extremely dangerous."
"..."
"Ria, I taught you what to do in an emergency, right?"
"I learned to take the emergency funds and hide in the woodpile behind the house, then escape into the forest when the opportunity arises."
"You remember well. Ria! This is that emergency, so act now!"
"...What about you?"
"I'll hold them off here. It's too late for us to escape together. There's no need to hide. Ria, run to the forest now!"
When Yuria hesitated, Nell frowned and raised her voice.
"Go!"
Yuria bit her lower lip and moved. She opened a hidden compartment in the wooden floor and grabbed the emergency funds. It was money they had been saving to eventually leave the Rapherry Kingdom and head to the southernmost kingdom.
Yuria then grabbed the emergency backpack by the bed. It was always prepared with essentials like food and a dagger.
"Go! Hurry!"
Nell urged Yuria on. Yuria exited the house through the back window. If she kept running, she would reach the forest. It was a forest where monsters roamed, and unfamiliar paths made it easy to get lost, making it perfect for losing pursuers.
"Ria, if you remember what I taught you, you'll survive."
Nell watched her daughter's figure grow smaller through the window, then began to ransack the house, creating chaos inside.
She was trying to erase as much of her daughter's traces as possible. Even if she couldn't completely erase them, she could buy some time.
Nell opened a closet in the corner and pulled out a sword hidden among old clothes. She had sold the armor but kept the sword, maintaining it all this time.
With the sword in hand, she looked toward the door.
"Hahahahaha! Loot everything! Kill the men and rape the women!"
***
Yuria Grace tried to escape into the forest but turned back. She hid quietly in the woodpile behind the house, holding her breath and peering through a crack in the wall.
The reason she didn't flee immediately was to memorize the bandits' faces. Just because she was quiet didn't mean she lacked emotions. Hatred filled Yuria's eyes.
She was also confident she could escape at any time. Soon, the sun would set completely, and night would fall. If she fled into the dark forest, even the ruthless bandits wouldn't be able to follow her through unfamiliar terrain.
Yuria saw her mother pull a sword from the closet. She thought her mother might even kill all the bandits. After all, her mother was a former knight with exceptional swordsmanship skills.
"Hahahahaha! Loot everything! Kill the men and rape the women!"
The bandit's unpleasant voice echoed, followed by the laughter of other bandits mingling with the villagers' screams. Chaos reigned.
"Oh, what's this? A woman with a sword?"
"She's too skinny. Well, that's how these poor villages are."
"Take a closer look. Her face isn't bad. We could sell her as a slave for a decent price."
Nell walked forward confidently, sword in hand.
"Did you come here looking for me?"
The six bandits looked at each other, then burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha!"
"Looking for you? Does she think she's some princess?"
"Kekeke. She's crazy. Well, living in a village like this, it's no surprise."
"Put the sword down and behave. The outcome is already decided, so let's not waste energy."
The bandits, each holding their own weapons, approached Nell, maintaining a certain distance as they surrounded her.
"Did you attack the village just to loot it?... Well, that's fortunate."
"Crazy woman. Talking about fortune. Get her!"
The bandits charged at her in unison. Their movements were trained.
Nell focused on her breathing, gripping the sword with both hands and swinging it. The strength in her thin arms was unbelievable as she wielded the sword.
And most importantly... a bluish haze formed around Nell's sword.
"What the hell! That's aura!"
Sword energy—also known as aura—is the manifestation of mana into physical force.
"An aura expert?!"
"This crazy woman! Was she a runaway knight?!"
By the time the bandits realized, it was too late. They were already too close.
Nell began to swing her sword in earnest. The aura-infused blade easily cut through human bodies.
"Ahhhhh!"
"Damn you!!"
The bandits fought back with desperation.
Though they weren't at the expert level, they could sense mana to some extent.
But it wasn't enough. Even though Nell hadn't wielded a sword in a long time, her life and experience as a knight hadn't disappeared.
Five bandits died, leaving only one. The remaining bandit trembled, thinking of how to escape.
"What are you doing?"
A red-haired bandit appeared. He had a nasty look, missing one ear. He was Ferek, the one-eared leader of the Ferek Bandits.
"B-Boss! This damn woman is an aura expert!"
"Yeah, I can see that."
Soon, the bandits scattered throughout the village gathered. In their hands were women with their hair grabbed—loot.
Ferek glared at Nell with sharp eyes.
"Finally found you. Nell Rins."
"You..."
"You have a kid, right? Where is she?"
"Who sent you? Was it him?... Or her?"
"You're about to die, and you're still asking questions."
Ferek looked around Nell. No one else was visible. She must have already sent her child away. Nell's house was in the most remote part of the village, so they were a bit late.
"Whatever. I'll just report that the kid's dead."
The information guild seemed to have caught onto their identities, so Ferek planned to take the money and run.
Besides, the person who hired him to kill Nell Rins was definitely shady. They'd probably try to kill him in some remote place after the job was done. He needed to take the money and flee before being discarded.
"Uh, Boss. Weren't we just here to loot the village?"
"Knowing too much will get you hurt. What are you doing? Kill her."
"No, no, Boss. Isn't she the strongest in the village? It's a waste to kill her."
"Kill her. Or do you want to die instead?"
"...I'll kill her."
"Don't be too disappointed. You can have your fun after she's dead."
"Hehe. Right."
The bandits began to surround Nell from all sides. Even a knight isn't invincible. With enough preparation, a knight can be killed without loss.
***
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