A Spring Phenomenon
The parties based in Regor had ramped up their activities as spring approached.
The archer party, 『Artemis』, was engaged in hunting in the Baroa Forest. They targeted the sluggish magical creatures that had awakened from hibernation and delved deeper into the forest than usual. It's like early thinning out.
The well-coordinated 『Shield of the Earth』 was divided into several groups, guiding guild members from other places to hunting grounds around Regor and completing quests at somewhat distant locations using horses.
The 『Sword of the Harvest』, whose motto was going at one's own pace, varied for each individual. The squad led by the group leaders had already embarked on some distant expedition, while quite a few were taking on nearby assignments.
Other smaller parties also began accepting requests that suited them.
Surprisingly, the rookie group 『Sunlight at the World's End』, which had previously invited me to their party at the guild, had been surprisingly resilient. Perhaps due to their leader Frank's unique personality, he'd often found himself in risky interpersonal situations, but with his innate inability to read the room—or rather, his boldness—he'd managed to get by. Astonishingly, Sunlight at the World's End had absorbed other weak parties and now boasted six members.
During the winter, they had struggled to make ends meet, but with missions increasing and making the right choices, they would likely pull through this year, too.
What about me? I decided to wing it.
Well, basically the best option was to take on missions in the forest or by the riverside to pick the tasty wild greens of spring. The quirkier the wild greens, the tastier they were as tempura.
In that relaxed manner, I took on a promising assignment as usual at the bustling guild and headed out to the Baroa Forest for some fieldwork...
「Hey there, Bronze-san, can I have a moment?」
「Huh?」
Just after entering the forest, I was approached by a pair of guild members. Unfamiliar faces, they were likely folks from another town.
While it would be natural for them to say, "We could use a guide through this unfamiliar forest," judging by their demeanor, their intentions were otherwise.
There's a harsh saying from a past life: 「Appearances are 90%.」
A similar rule appears to apply in this world. To put it bluntly, the two men looked precisely like "we're criminals".
But as scary-looking guys with hands on their sword hilts flashed "we're about to commit some crime" smiles, I'd be cautious even with my experience.
They were around twenty years old, give or take, but because of their sinister appearance, they appeared older. Their weapons were both short swords, and maybe throwing knives too.
Their identification tags at their necks indicated they were bronze level, but whether they were legitimate was dubious.
If they had followed me from the guild, I'd have noticed. Could it be they were lying in ambush near the forest? They were quite cautious thieves.
「That's not very peaceful. What do you want with me? If it's money, I recently earned a fair bit.」
「Oh, you're quick to talk, old man. Drop your sword and hand over the money. We'll let you keep your life. Don't think you can run, though. I'm known as 'Lokeel the Assassin.' Turn your back on me, and you won't live to tell the tale.」
「I'm 'Carlo the Instant-Killer'... the moment you make a suspicious move, my throwing knife will stab right into your skull...」
Their faces sure were scary.
But with their armament being short swords and no shields, they weren't particularly strong. They'd likely been mugging solo guild members with shoddy gear.
In other words, they underestimated me upon seeing my bastard sword. How unforgivable, right?
「You have some nerve... My name is Mongrel. I am the one who will turn you over to the Regor guards.」
「Haha, he's serious, Lokeel. ... You've drawn your sword, huh? No turning back now.」
「Oh well, guess we'll have to do it. Get him, Carlo.」
In the city, if a scuffle began with unarmed thugs, I'd handle it with my own hands. But outside the city, against armed thieves attacking with intent to kill, I had no choice but to use my bastard sword.
However, any group brazen enough to attack me based solely on the sight of my equipment amounted to nothing significant. Spring was a season when peculiar folks crawled out of the woodwork. I'd deal with them thinking of it as some sudden income.
「Dieee!」
With a preferred battle shout of feeble enemies, a throwing knife was launched my way.
「Unaided projectiles.」
I deflected it with a flick of the bastard sword's tip. Light blades only amounted to this, after all.
「Ah...」
Upon seeing me easily deflect the projectile, the one called Lokeel seemed to realize something.
Bad luck for you two. I didn't plan to show mercy, but I sympathize a little.
「With short swords, you can't even perform simple self-enhancement spells, right? If you were targeting amateur guild members in spring, you should've aimed for Iron. Even if I were an ordinary Bronze, I would've been questionable, you know?」
「St-stay back...」
「Oh, don't get the wrong idea. I don't mean 'for your next time'. You guys are headed for the slammer.」
「Aaaagh!」
I bashed Carlo on the crown as he attempted to turn, using the flat of the bastard sword. With a satisfying metallic 'bayyinnn' sound, one of the thugs dropped to the ground unconscious. Now for the other.
「... N-no, I—I haven't killed anyone yet... Just let me go...」
「You just called yourself 'the Assassin', didn't you? ... Or wait, judging by that genuine response, you have killed. I hoped it was all bluff...」
Victims laid dead at the hands of such worthless criminals. Though in this world where life is cheap, it wasn't uncommon among ruffians, it made my stomach churn all the same.
「L-let me gooo!」
The man left his unconscious ally and fled. A murderer and a coward. Well, that makes it easier for me, too.
「Divine Punishment!」
「Guh!」
When it came to finishing off a retreating foe at a distance, the answer was simple. Run faster than your opponent and clobber them.
Using the same method as with his comrade, I delivered a strong blow to his head, and the second one also fell unconscious onto the dirt.
Now all that was left was to deliver these guys to Regor.
「Once tied up, I'll hang one from each end of the carrying pole... Guess it's gonna be heavy.」
In cases like this, if they were defeated magical creatures, I'd extract their innards to lighten the burden, but I couldn't do that with humans. It was tedious, but like roasting two whole piglets on skewers, I'd haul them back to the city.
The usually casual guards, who usually exchanged light banter with me, became seriously attentive when they saw me arrive with two humans strung on a pole.
「A forest ambush... Despicable characters indeed. Their identification tags aren't theirs, I suppose. Did they murder someone and assume their identity to sneak into Regor...」
「Apologies, Mongrel. We'll interrogate these two here. We'll send you a reward later. The amount depends on further offenses.」
Even those who usually loitered in the gatehouse appeared, sending harsh glances at the bound pair. These two ruffians would soon face an interrogation that would lean towards torture to extract their crimes. It was a borderline of sensible violence, just enough to make them usable as criminal slaves. Honestly, I didn't want to get involved from here on.
「Alright, then I'll be heading back into the forest.」
「Are you okay? Didn't get injured, did you?」
「Managed to subdue them without a scratch. I'll return after gathering some spring herbs in the shallow areas.」
「All right... be careful, Mongrel. We can't protect you once you're outside the city.」
「I'm touched by the concern. But it doesn't look like I'll have enough time to gift you guys some of the herbs.」
「No worries, just bring us some meat next time.」
「Man, you're making a pretty hefty demand there—」
「Ga-ha-ha-ha.」
Spring was a season when people, things, and money all moved. And with it, the less savory folks also scuttled about. It's an unchanging spectacle—a spring phenomenon if you will. While it's a sad reality, it's far from rare.