Chapter 48
About two hours earlier.
From the moment they were locked in a fierce battle with monsters on the foggy battlefield, they had been watching the wagon's location.
"Heh, seeing that thick fog over there, it looks like some other fools are trying to cross the central region."
The highest hill in this vast swamp.
From atop it, the bandits chuckled.
"Hah, at that level, even a small mercenary band wouldn't be able to handle it, would they?"
"They should just suffer some damage and get out so there's something left for us to loot. I wonder if they'll all die there."
"That's why I said we should reduce the number of Fog Mermen a few days ago. Back then, you just ignored me like it was nothing."
"Eh, it's fine. If they all die, we can just go to Regwin and ask him to get us some useful stuff."
At that, the man called Regwin clicked his tongue softly.
"If you weren't going to come, then shut up. And look over there."
On one side of the fog that the man pointed to, a faint straight crack had appeared.
"Even if you tell me to look... at this distance, you're probably the only one who can see it properly anyway."
"It cut through the fog momentarily. It's magic."
"Magic? There's a mage? Tsk."
"Yeah. At that level, it looks like a pretty skilled mage."
"...Are they someone you can't beat?"
At those words, the man scoffed.
"As if."
As always, the bandits waited for the struggles of the people in the fog to end.
"Earlier it was magic this and that, but it's quieter than I thought?"
"Did they cast one big spell and then die from mana exhaustion?"
"That's just how those mages are. It's not like there are only one or two Fog Mermen; they're no match for numbers."
"There'll be even more than usual since we didn't clear them out."
"Heh, did you see that? Who was the one who said we should go reduce the number of Fog Mermen a few days ago? I knew this would happen, so I didn't go."
"Your bullshit is a disease, you bastard."
But how much time had passed?
"Huh? Hey. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? It looks like the fog is gradually clearing?"
"There's no way it would clear up this early."
"But it really is clearing up. It was covering up there just now."
"Could it be that they caught all those Fog Mermen...?"
As the fog began to clear, the bandits' expressions hardened one by one.
"Are they really skilled?"
"Should we just let them go?"
As one of the bandits subtly tried to back away, Regwin immediately said,
"If skilled guys are involved, that means there are valuable goods. We're moving out now."
"What about the mage?"
"I'll take care of them in one shot."
"...Are you planning on using that?"
Instead of answering, Regwin stood up.
And after taking his bow, he took the lead and set off.
The bandit who had asked shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, whatever. If he says he'll handle it."
"Since things have turned out this way, let's make sure we get a good haul."
The bandits moved swiftly, making their bodies as light as possible, and ambushed the wagon's expected route.
"If they're heading towards Ashbone, there's a high chance they'll stop here to rest. Before they get off the wagon and scout the surroundings. We will strike then."
"Okay. But if we're going to lie in wait this far away, wouldn't it be better to strike after they've finished scouting and are off their guard?"
The place where the bandits set up their ambush was quite far from the 'expected rest stop' that Regwin had mentioned.
"The opposing mage is at least a 3rd Circle, maybe even a 4th. It's less risky to finish it before they can properly spread their senses."
Regwin continued, taking out his bow.
"You guys stay over there and charge in when I give the signal. If the strongest one dies first, they'll be in disarray anyway, and there will be additional shots fired until you approach, so you don't need to worry."
"So it won't be too late even if we charge in when you signal? Got it."
Watching Regwin check the condition of his bow and arrows one last time, the bandits whispered among themselves.
"Is it really possible to shoot from this distance and take someone out in one shot? A person would look like an ant."
"You haven't seen Regwin shoot his bow properly, have you?"
"If you had seen it even once, you wouldn't doubt it. Seriously."
"I tried pulling the string on that bow, and it didn't budge."
"Ohoh..."
The bandit who had asked looked at Regwin with a curious expression.
And then Regwin raised his finger.
"Shh. They're coming."
At Regwin's words, a few bandits pressed their ears to the ground.
Thump, thump, thump.
The bandits who felt the sound of hooves shaking the ground nodded.
And they moved to the spot Regwin had indicated and lowered their stance.
As Regwin had predicted, the wagon stopped at a place that was good for resting.
As soon as he confirmed the wagon had stopped, he took out a small pill and put it in his mouth.
'Hmph.'
Along with the feeling of something rapidly spreading through his body, his heart began to beat fiercely.
The flow of mana quickened along with the blood flow in his body.
At the same time, he felt the sensitivity of his five senses increase dramatically.
Already gifted with keen senses, he now possessed senses that momentarily transcended his limits.
'I hear it.'
-But didn't someone say there were bandits too, not just monsters?
-Hey, stop with the ominous talk already.
Regwin took out a small box from his pouch.
He inserted the arrowhead into the box and infused it with mana.
Reacting to the mana, the box instantly imbued the arrowhead with magic.
It was a wind-elemental magic that helped the arrow maintain its speed and trajectory even over long distances.
'I see it.'
Regwin intently watched the guard compartment of the wagon.
First, the mercenaries got off, and then...
'...Kids? Are they disciples of some clan?'
He frowned.
He had clearly thought that a rather experienced and strong mage had been hired, but his intuition seemed to be wrong.
'Which clan is it?'
Getting involved with the wrong one could lead to troublesome situations.
However, as he observed the wagon, he spotted the Siers clan crest and his expression relaxed.
'...Doesn't matter. Looks like Siers has a somewhat talented kid.'
He couldn't immediately tell which of the kids was the most skilled, so he knocked an arrow to his bow and listened to their conversation.
-Complacency is dangerous. Human behavior patterns have countless variables, and each individual's specialized abilities are different. In the initial engagement, it's important to keep as many possibilities open as possible, but during combat, you need to quickly identify the enemy and find appropriate countermeasures.
'That's the one.'
It didn't take long to figure out.
'Quickly identify the enemy, my ass... A kid whose blood hasn't even dried yet is spouting nonsense so casually. Must have picked up some book.'
Anyway, judging by his gaze and the way he spoke, he definitely seemed to be the strongest among the kids.
'I'll send you off cleanly before you even realize it.'
Creak.
The bowstring with the nocked arrow was pulled taut.
He held his breath and aimed precisely at Kain's clearly visible heart.
-Ah, Young Master. It looks like you have something on you here?
At that moment, the maid next to him stepped into the line of fire.
'Might as well pierce her head along with it.'
He further enchanted the arrow with mana and released his hand.
Screeeeeee!
'End.'
A skilled archer could instinctively feel whether an arrow would hit its mark the moment it left the string.
Without a doubt, the arrow would pierce the maid's head and the kid's heart.
And then.
Clang—.
Suddenly, the arrow's trajectory was twisted by something.
"......!"
Regwin's eyes widened.
Screeeeeee. Thwack!
The arrow narrowly missed Alice and Kain, embedding itself deeply in the inside of the guard compartment.
'Wha-what was that?'
While the arrow was flying, it collided with something transparent and hard in mid-air.
It wasn't a direct hit.
Rather, it was a light collision, almost a graze.
But it was enough to make the arrow veer off course.
Even if the projectile's twisted trajectory seemed insignificant at first, it would inevitably move further away from the target.
"Y-Young Master?! Are you alright? Just now...!"
He snapped out of his momentary daze at the maid's voice.
'It's already missed. There's nothing I can do about it.'
Whatever the reason, since it had missed, the best thing to do was to quickly land the next arrow.
That way, he could also give the signal to his waiting comrades to attack.
But when he knocked a new arrow.
'...He's gone?'
Kain had disappeared from his sight.
'No, he hasn't disappeared.'
Whoosh.
For a moment, leaves fluttered between the trees.
'Based on my line of sight, he's using the overlapping trees as blind spots to move.'
And at an incredible speed.
But by the time he realized that, Kain was already right in front of him.
"What the...!"
It was a physically impossible speed.
If his five senses hadn't been enhanced, he would have realized it much later.
But it was already too late to react.
Thwack.
Kain's fist slammed into his abdomen.
"Cough."
Kain spoke softly.
"A shooting assist artifact... and you even took a Sense Tonic. Accurate shooting and reaction at this distance."
Kain immediately grabbed his bow with his other hand.
"Fire."
Whoosh!
The bow that had allowed him to boast of his infallible archery skills instantly burned to ashes.
"You crazy bastard...!"
Regwin hurriedly dropped the bow and simultaneously turned his body, launching a kick at Kain.
As Kain evaded and briefly stepped back, Regwin also took a step back, catching his breath while glaring at Kain.
"How... did you know?"
Kain readily answered.
"You can tell someone who has taken a Sense Tonic just by looking at their pupils. They're dilated 1.5 times more than normal, and they are subtle..."
"That's not what I'm asking!"
"Hmm, then are you talking about the arrow? There's nothing particularly special to explain about that. I've known about your presence since around the time the wagon arrived here."
"...What?"
Regwin wore an expression of disbelief.
"Cut the nonsense! Do you think I'd believe that?"
Just in case, he had positioned himself at a distance that even a 4th Circle mage wouldn't be able to detect even with their senses fully extended.
But he didn't know when the wagon stopped and they got off; he had known since around the time they arrived?
It was an impossible story based on his common sense.
But Kain replied with a calm face.
"No. I don't think you'd believe it. If you had the intelligence and judgment to believe it, you would have chosen to flee the moment your arrow missed."
"What the hell are you talking about!"
Kain's gaze turned icy cold.
"Of course, it wouldn't have mattered even if you had run."
Kain spoke very softly, as if muttering to himself.
"If you were going to aim, you should have honestly aimed for my head, not Alice's..."
And just as Kain clenched his fist tightly.
"Regwin, nice one!"
"Uwaaaaa!"
"Haaaap!"
"Dieeeeee!"
Swords flew in from all directions.
A sneer spread across Regwin's lips.
"So it was all bluff. A guy with such good senses didn't even realize he was being surrounded while I was stalling for time."
Kain was a fire-elemental mage.
Even if he belatedly cast a Fire Wall now, there was no way he could block all the attacks from the swordsmen who had approached with mana-enhanced weapons.
Kain must have thought the same thing, as he abandoned defense, kicked off the ground, and charged towards Regwin.
He intended to break through head-on.
"Where do you think you're going!"
Kain's charging speed was fast, but the effect of the Sense Tonic that Regwin had taken had not yet worn off.
Regwin immediately drew a short sword from his waist and focused all his senses, observing Kain's movements.
Whatever magic he tried to use, he just needed to react immediately.
"......?"
The next moment, Regwin almost burst out laughing when he saw Kain draw a dagger from his waist.
'Unbelievable.'
He thought he was going to use some kind of close-range magic like before, but all he took out was a dagger.
There was no need to hesitate.
Regwin swung his short sword down at the dagger being swung towards him.
It was a dagger wielded by a mage.
No matter how well-forged the sword was, it was like a piece of wood in front of a mana-enchanted blade...
Slice.
"Huh?"
Regwin's short sword snapped in half as if cutting through tofu.
"I think I mentioned it earlier."
"I told you to keep as many possibilities open as possible."
Kain's voice rang clearly in Regwin's ears.
Kain's dagger pierced his abdomen.
* * *
"Huck."
Regwin's eyes snapped open.
"Hey, uh! Kain! He's awake."
"Y-yeah, he just opened his eyes."
Edward and Fohn hurriedly went to call Kain.
Regwin looked around.
Including himself, all the bandits were bound tightly and thrown together in one place.
Lowering his gaze, he saw the missed arrow he had fired.
The things he had hoped were a dream seemed to have actually happened.
If so,
"...Why... am I alive?"
It was Kain, who had appeared unnoticed, who answered.
"Because I didn't stab a vital point."
"......"
"I figured if it wasn't a dagger, I'd probably end up killing you no matter what I did, so I used a dagger and deliberately avoided your vitals."
"...You. Just what the hell are you?"
Regwin's voice cracked.
Kain kindly answered again.
"The direct disciple of the Siers clan. Kain Siers."
Then, he knelt down to Regwin's eye level.
"I’ve answered many of your questions so far, so now it's my turn to ask a few."
Kain asked directly.
"Did the Bederman clan order you to do this? To act like ordinary bandits."
