Elze's words that 'I'm a lord' caused quite a stir. Garan blinked and asked back.
“...A lord?”
Nod, nod.
He already looked like an angry boar because he was so big. Garan pulled out the iron sword tucked into his waist and shouted loudly.
“Kill the man and capture the woman alive!!”
A group of bandits poured in with a loud roar. Among them, Garan ran towards Elze with his eyes gleaming.
“I’ll deal with that bitch myself! Don’t touch her!”
It was Garan who came to find his place to die. Elze raised her eyebrows once and lightly countered Garan who was swinging his sword at her.
A dull force flowed through the blade along with the sound of iron clashing with iron. Garan’s expression changed at the sight of Elze, who easily deflected the heavy sword despite her frail body.
And Elze clicked her tongue inwardly. She thought he was a guy who could do anything, even acting as the leader of a bandit group, but he was just a guy who pushed forward relying on his strength that came from his size.
The basics of all swordsmanship are to know the distance between the opponent and the rhythm between the swords. And within that, strength and weakness, softness and sharpness must coexist to be able to say that mature swordsmanship has been completed. A sword that only strikes so hard was of such low grade that it was a waste of time to even fight it. Elze's hands became faster.
“!!”
Garan opened his mouth as he stabbed Elze with his sword. He clearly thought he had stabbed her, but there was no impact. Garan instinctively crouched. The sound of the clashing sword rang loudly in his ears.
“Captain!!”
His subordinates rushed in to block Garan. Garan looked at Elze, trying not to let go of his sword from his trembling hands.
The rapier and the mangosh danced together in harmony. Under the shining silver blade, red blood gushed out like a fountain. The blue eyes nimbly picked out those who approached her, and the slender wrist moved in front of the opponent's hand.
Garan gulped as he swept his saliva down his neck. If several of his men hadn't rushed at him at the same time, his neck would have been impaled on a rapier. Garan let out a low groan and spoke.
“...Retreat.”
"Yes?"
Garan shouted at his subordinates who were asking questions in confusion.
“We are retreating!!”
And without even taking care of his subordinates, he ran away in a panic to save his own life.
The bandit group Redbug was cleaned up so cleanly that it made their loud appearance seem pointless. It was a natural result since they had to rush at Elijah with a force of a hundred, but only about thirty of them came.
After Tarkun saved Ivanna, he swung his sword without any more care. However, he was so focused on saving Ivanna without getting hurt that he ended up missing a few of them.
Among those who fled in a panic was Garan, the leader of Redbug. Even if he had fled, he would not have been able to get far. It was thought that he would probably be with the other men who had invaded Himov.
“Phew, is there anyone hiding nearby?”
“Yes, it’s clean. There aren’t many escapees. I think we can move straight to Himov.”
While Elze and Rapine took a moment to sort things out, Ivanna and Tarkun were busy muttering to themselves, with the pile of corpses beside them. Ivanna held on tightly to Tarkun's sleeve and worked hard to harass him.
“Next time, hurry up and get it! I thought my nose was going to fall off because of that smelly thief.”
“You honestly were scared and almost cried, right? That’s how you quickly clung to me when I saved you.”
“What are you talking about, you idiot!”
Then, she felt a presence. All the bandits must have gathered in Himov, so Elze turned around to see who it was and was surprised. Shan was there.
“Shan?”
As soon as he saw Elze, Shan immediately hugged her. It was an unexpected hug. The sound of his heart beating fast echoed through their skin. The hot heat felt like he was running without thinking.
Shan exhaled slowly. The slow, calming sound of her heartbeat made him feel relieved. Shan chuckled and kissed Elze on the cheek, whispering,
“Yes... As expected, my worries were unfounded. After all, you are Elijah’s Elze.”
Elze's eyes widened at the unexpected skinship. Her calm heart shook like waves. But there was something more urgent. Elze pushed him away and asked.
“Why are you here, not in Himov?”
Elze naturally assumed that Shan would be leading the militia in Himov and fighting a defensive battle. However, Shan responded bluntly to Elze's rebuke.
“You come first to me.”
There were so many variables in the world. Life was something you never knew what would happen, and one small thing could ruin everything. So Shan had to check with his own eyes to see if Elze was okay.
In fact, Shan didn't care if Himov was completely burned and looted. The only thing he cared about was Elze. After all, she was the reason he came to Himov in the first place.
But that doesn't mean he came without any action.
“I’ve given full authority to Lord Cullens. He’ll defend Himov, so we’ll start by clearing out the outside.”
Elze nodded after hearing Shan's words. She had nothing more to say to him, who had followed her because he was worried about her.
Strictly speaking, Shan and Himov had no special relationship. His personality would not have made him attached to the people of the territory, and Shan's people, Liv, and the knights, were people who had the ability to protect their own lives.
She was relieved because she thought Shan was in Himov, but it was a different story without him. Liv was a great knight and more than capable of leading the militia. But he was no match for Shan leading them.
Shan's presence was important in a situation where the scale of the bandit group was unknown. It was a situation where Himov might actually fall.
In the end, if she wanted to save Himov, Elze had no choice but to move diligently. Elze bit her lower lip for a moment and then spoke to Shan.
“...Yes, let’s go back to Himov quickly.”
Elze and Elijah quickly returned to the forest with Shan. Himov was as bright as day with the burning torches. They could see the bandits swarming like a pack of wild dogs.
The size of the bandits was beyond imagination. Their numbers were in the hundreds, making Himov look like a swarm of ants in a cookie jar.
The wooden fence was already ablaze and burning fiercely. Amid the screams and shouts, the flashing and clashing of blades rang out clearly.
Beyond the barriers, the knights of Liv and Targayel were seen at the forefront. The militia of Himov were moving in unison under their direction and fighting.
Shan picked up a cheap iron sword from the corpse lying on the ground. Tarkun swung his two-handed sword vigorously, dripping blood. Ivanna picked a vial from her coat and handed it to Rapine, who tied an arrow to it and hung it on his bow.
The bandits who were engaged in a chaotic battle began to look back one by one at the ominous energy rushing in from behind. Perhaps seeing that their rear was shaking, the leader of the bandits who were attacking the center made a gesture and sent some of them toward Shan and Elze.
Elze, who was holding her sword while looking at the approaching bandits, glanced back at Shan. He had a blank expression. It was a little different from how Elze and Elijah didn't feel any tension. To him, this battle seemed to have no particular meaning.
Himov, the battle, and nothing else... They meant nothing to Shan. He would have been indifferent even if he were to die right here and now. Shan felt Elze's gaze and turned around. When their eyes met, he suddenly said.
“It’s been a while.”
“What is it?”
“Being with you like this.”
Moments from the past came to mind. It was the first time since the Hundred Years' War that they had swung their swords together. Elze muttered to him.
“Yeah. It’s nice to be together after so long.”
It was not at all romantic, and even blunt. But Shan's eyes softened as if he had heard a confession of love. Just a moment ago, he had been indifferent as if he had stepped on empty air as if he would disappear at any moment, but now he was tightly bound to Elze.
It seems like Shan really likes me.
“...A lord?”
Nod, nod.
When Elze nodded, Garan was dumbfounded at first but soon burst into laughter.
“That bitch is the lord!”
As Garan laughed, all the bandits burst into laughter. Garan, who was laughing along with them, pointed his finger towards Himov and muttered.
“All the bandits in this area have joined forces and are attacking Himov. You’d better behave yourself.”
Elze turned her head and looked toward Himov. Beyond the trees and bushes, she could see the distant flickering torches. The faint sound of a bell announcing an attack could be heard in the wind.
She could roughly guess the situation. During the conversation with Demis, she heard that the bandits who had invaded Himov were called 'Redbud'. They were said to have a characteristic of wearing red cloth around their necks. It seemed that they had gathered all the bandits in the area and invaded after being crushed by the territory they had taken lightly.
It seemed like they were using their brains to divide the area and attack. And Redbug's role would have been to attack through this forest.
Perhaps Shan had also heard of the attack. He was worried. Of course, there were the militia and the knights of Targayel, and Shan knew he could handle it. Still, Elze, who had already saved Shan’s life three times, felt like she had to protect him.
I must hurry up and get to Shan.
“That bitch is the lord!”
As Garan laughed, all the bandits burst into laughter. Garan, who was laughing along with them, pointed his finger towards Himov and muttered.
“All the bandits in this area have joined forces and are attacking Himov. You’d better behave yourself.”
Elze turned her head and looked toward Himov. Beyond the trees and bushes, she could see the distant flickering torches. The faint sound of a bell announcing an attack could be heard in the wind.
She could roughly guess the situation. During the conversation with Demis, she heard that the bandits who had invaded Himov were called 'Redbud'. They were said to have a characteristic of wearing red cloth around their necks. It seemed that they had gathered all the bandits in the area and invaded after being crushed by the territory they had taken lightly.
It seemed like they were using their brains to divide the area and attack. And Redbug's role would have been to attack through this forest.
Perhaps Shan had also heard of the attack. He was worried. Of course, there were the militia and the knights of Targayel, and Shan knew he could handle it. Still, Elze, who had already saved Shan’s life three times, felt like she had to protect him.
I must hurry up and get to Shan.
Elze gave orders to Elijah while keeping an eye out for any hidden people.
“Himov is under attack, so we need to clear it out as quickly as possible. The total size of the bandits is unknown. It’s better to conserve energy.”
There was laughter among the bandits who heard Elze ordering Tarkun and Rapine. It was laughable, actually. There were about thirty adult males on that side, and three adult men and women, as well as hostages, were being held.
It was a disadvantage to anyone. However, Rapine and Tarkun prepared for battle without saying a word. Tarkun's eyes, which had been busy teasing Ivanna just a moment ago, became serious. He spoke to Elze.
“I’ll let you save Ivanna.”
Elze nodded and pulled out her rapier and mangosh from her waistband. The feeling of the swords fitting snugly in her hand along with the rustling sound was thrilling.
Even though that old man, Master Harbin, had a quirky personality, he was truly a master at making swords. Elze thought that no other sword would suit her better and better.
When she returns to Baluar, she's thinking of getting her sword sharpened and maybe getting a small stiletto (a dagger-shaped sword with a thin, sharp blade) that she can hide when she's wearing a dress.
If she goes into the weapon shop with Shan, Harbin will look at Elze with surprise as if his eyes will pop out. While imagining Master Harbin's surprise, Elze heard Garan laughing and shouting.
“Are you ready now?”
Ah, it seemed like I really didn't feel nervous. She kept having other thoughts. Elze reproached herself for a moment.
Garan approached Elze. He looked at Elze's rapier and mangosh, pretended to be comically surprised, and said.
“I don’t see you as a woman.”
All the bandits around him snickered at Garan's words. Garan looked at Elze's slim waist with pleasure. It seemed that he had already done all sorts of things with Elze in his head.
“So, wouldn’t it be better to put down that toy in your pretty hand?”
He licked his lips with his thick tongue as he chattered.
“Then it won’t hurt you.”
Elze frowned and looked at Garan. He was a fool who didn't know reality, and who would look after whom right now.
"Hey."
“...”
With the short words “Hey,” Garan’s face turned blank. Elze spoke to him as if she found it ridiculous.
“I don’t even look at you like you're a man?”
Where have I heard something like this? Garan snorted and snorted at the words he had heard for the first time in his life since his hair grew out.
“This insolent bitch..!”
“Himov is under attack, so we need to clear it out as quickly as possible. The total size of the bandits is unknown. It’s better to conserve energy.”
There was laughter among the bandits who heard Elze ordering Tarkun and Rapine. It was laughable, actually. There were about thirty adult males on that side, and three adult men and women, as well as hostages, were being held.
It was a disadvantage to anyone. However, Rapine and Tarkun prepared for battle without saying a word. Tarkun's eyes, which had been busy teasing Ivanna just a moment ago, became serious. He spoke to Elze.
“I’ll let you save Ivanna.”
Elze nodded and pulled out her rapier and mangosh from her waistband. The feeling of the swords fitting snugly in her hand along with the rustling sound was thrilling.
Even though that old man, Master Harbin, had a quirky personality, he was truly a master at making swords. Elze thought that no other sword would suit her better and better.
When she returns to Baluar, she's thinking of getting her sword sharpened and maybe getting a small stiletto (a dagger-shaped sword with a thin, sharp blade) that she can hide when she's wearing a dress.
If she goes into the weapon shop with Shan, Harbin will look at Elze with surprise as if his eyes will pop out. While imagining Master Harbin's surprise, Elze heard Garan laughing and shouting.
“Are you ready now?”
Ah, it seemed like I really didn't feel nervous. She kept having other thoughts. Elze reproached herself for a moment.
Garan approached Elze. He looked at Elze's rapier and mangosh, pretended to be comically surprised, and said.
“I don’t see you as a woman.”
All the bandits around him snickered at Garan's words. Garan looked at Elze's slim waist with pleasure. It seemed that he had already done all sorts of things with Elze in his head.
“So, wouldn’t it be better to put down that toy in your pretty hand?”
He licked his lips with his thick tongue as he chattered.
“Then it won’t hurt you.”
Elze frowned and looked at Garan. He was a fool who didn't know reality, and who would look after whom right now.
"Hey."
“...”
With the short words “Hey,” Garan’s face turned blank. Elze spoke to him as if she found it ridiculous.
“I don’t even look at you like you're a man?”
Where have I heard something like this? Garan snorted and snorted at the words he had heard for the first time in his life since his hair grew out.
“This insolent bitch..!”
He already looked like an angry boar because he was so big. Garan pulled out the iron sword tucked into his waist and shouted loudly.
“Kill the man and capture the woman alive!!”
A group of bandits poured in with a loud roar. Among them, Garan ran towards Elze with his eyes gleaming.
“I’ll deal with that bitch myself! Don’t touch her!”
It was Garan who came to find his place to die. Elze raised her eyebrows once and lightly countered Garan who was swinging his sword at her.
A dull force flowed through the blade along with the sound of iron clashing with iron. Garan’s expression changed at the sight of Elze, who easily deflected the heavy sword despite her frail body.
And Elze clicked her tongue inwardly. She thought he was a guy who could do anything, even acting as the leader of a bandit group, but he was just a guy who pushed forward relying on his strength that came from his size.
The basics of all swordsmanship are to know the distance between the opponent and the rhythm between the swords. And within that, strength and weakness, softness and sharpness must coexist to be able to say that mature swordsmanship has been completed. A sword that only strikes so hard was of such low grade that it was a waste of time to even fight it. Elze's hands became faster.
“!!”
Garan opened his mouth as he stabbed Elze with his sword. He clearly thought he had stabbed her, but there was no impact. Garan instinctively crouched. The sound of the clashing sword rang loudly in his ears.
“Captain!!”
His subordinates rushed in to block Garan. Garan looked at Elze, trying not to let go of his sword from his trembling hands.
The rapier and the mangosh danced together in harmony. Under the shining silver blade, red blood gushed out like a fountain. The blue eyes nimbly picked out those who approached her, and the slender wrist moved in front of the opponent's hand.
Garan gulped as he swept his saliva down his neck. If several of his men hadn't rushed at him at the same time, his neck would have been impaled on a rapier. Garan let out a low groan and spoke.
“...Retreat.”
"Yes?"
Garan shouted at his subordinates who were asking questions in confusion.
“We are retreating!!”
And without even taking care of his subordinates, he ran away in a panic to save his own life.
***
The bandit group Redbug was cleaned up so cleanly that it made their loud appearance seem pointless. It was a natural result since they had to rush at Elijah with a force of a hundred, but only about thirty of them came.
After Tarkun saved Ivanna, he swung his sword without any more care. However, he was so focused on saving Ivanna without getting hurt that he ended up missing a few of them.
Among those who fled in a panic was Garan, the leader of Redbug. Even if he had fled, he would not have been able to get far. It was thought that he would probably be with the other men who had invaded Himov.
“Phew, is there anyone hiding nearby?”
“Yes, it’s clean. There aren’t many escapees. I think we can move straight to Himov.”
While Elze and Rapine took a moment to sort things out, Ivanna and Tarkun were busy muttering to themselves, with the pile of corpses beside them. Ivanna held on tightly to Tarkun's sleeve and worked hard to harass him.
“Next time, hurry up and get it! I thought my nose was going to fall off because of that smelly thief.”
“You honestly were scared and almost cried, right? That’s how you quickly clung to me when I saved you.”
“What are you talking about, you idiot!”
Then, she felt a presence. All the bandits must have gathered in Himov, so Elze turned around to see who it was and was surprised. Shan was there.
“Shan?”
As soon as he saw Elze, Shan immediately hugged her. It was an unexpected hug. The sound of his heart beating fast echoed through their skin. The hot heat felt like he was running without thinking.
Shan exhaled slowly. The slow, calming sound of her heartbeat made him feel relieved. Shan chuckled and kissed Elze on the cheek, whispering,
“Yes... As expected, my worries were unfounded. After all, you are Elijah’s Elze.”
Elze's eyes widened at the unexpected skinship. Her calm heart shook like waves. But there was something more urgent. Elze pushed him away and asked.
“Why are you here, not in Himov?”
Elze naturally assumed that Shan would be leading the militia in Himov and fighting a defensive battle. However, Shan responded bluntly to Elze's rebuke.
“You come first to me.”
There were so many variables in the world. Life was something you never knew what would happen, and one small thing could ruin everything. So Shan had to check with his own eyes to see if Elze was okay.
In fact, Shan didn't care if Himov was completely burned and looted. The only thing he cared about was Elze. After all, she was the reason he came to Himov in the first place.
But that doesn't mean he came without any action.
“I’ve given full authority to Lord Cullens. He’ll defend Himov, so we’ll start by clearing out the outside.”
Elze nodded after hearing Shan's words. She had nothing more to say to him, who had followed her because he was worried about her.
Strictly speaking, Shan and Himov had no special relationship. His personality would not have made him attached to the people of the territory, and Shan's people, Liv, and the knights, were people who had the ability to protect their own lives.
She was relieved because she thought Shan was in Himov, but it was a different story without him. Liv was a great knight and more than capable of leading the militia. But he was no match for Shan leading them.
Shan's presence was important in a situation where the scale of the bandit group was unknown. It was a situation where Himov might actually fall.
In the end, if she wanted to save Himov, Elze had no choice but to move diligently. Elze bit her lower lip for a moment and then spoke to Shan.
“...Yes, let’s go back to Himov quickly.”
Elze and Elijah quickly returned to the forest with Shan. Himov was as bright as day with the burning torches. They could see the bandits swarming like a pack of wild dogs.
The size of the bandits was beyond imagination. Their numbers were in the hundreds, making Himov look like a swarm of ants in a cookie jar.
The wooden fence was already ablaze and burning fiercely. Amid the screams and shouts, the flashing and clashing of blades rang out clearly.
Beyond the barriers, the knights of Liv and Targayel were seen at the forefront. The militia of Himov were moving in unison under their direction and fighting.
Shan picked up a cheap iron sword from the corpse lying on the ground. Tarkun swung his two-handed sword vigorously, dripping blood. Ivanna picked a vial from her coat and handed it to Rapine, who tied an arrow to it and hung it on his bow.
The bandits who were engaged in a chaotic battle began to look back one by one at the ominous energy rushing in from behind. Perhaps seeing that their rear was shaking, the leader of the bandits who were attacking the center made a gesture and sent some of them toward Shan and Elze.
Elze, who was holding her sword while looking at the approaching bandits, glanced back at Shan. He had a blank expression. It was a little different from how Elze and Elijah didn't feel any tension. To him, this battle seemed to have no particular meaning.
Himov, the battle, and nothing else... They meant nothing to Shan. He would have been indifferent even if he were to die right here and now. Shan felt Elze's gaze and turned around. When their eyes met, he suddenly said.
“It’s been a while.”
“What is it?”
“Being with you like this.”
Moments from the past came to mind. It was the first time since the Hundred Years' War that they had swung their swords together. Elze muttered to him.
“Yeah. It’s nice to be together after so long.”
It was not at all romantic, and even blunt. But Shan's eyes softened as if he had heard a confession of love. Just a moment ago, he had been indifferent as if he had stepped on empty air as if he would disappear at any moment, but now he was tightly bound to Elze.
It seems like Shan really likes me.
Elze thought so. Then, feeling embarrassed for no reason, she quickly fixed her gaze forward.
Now was not the time to be arguing with him. In the brief moment of looking away, a considerable number of bandits had rushed toward this direction. Elijah, who was in battle readiness, was waiting for Elze's orders.
Elze nodded silently to the Elijahs who were calling her and looked at Shan. It was a silent signal to move now.
Shan smiled at Elze's gaze and raised the iron sword in his hand.
“Then let’s go somewhere...”
He whispered with a leisurely smile.
“Let’s get this sorted out quickly, Ma’am.”
The beginning was an explosion.
Rapine pulled back the bowstring and released it. With a light twang, the glass bottle of Ivanna tied to the arrow soared high into the sky.
The arrow flew in a curve and landed right in the middle of the group of bandits. The arrow hit the ground and shattered the glass bottle. There was a flash of light and a loud noise.
“Ugh!!”
Even if a bolt from the blue sky struck, it wouldn't be this surprising. The sudden explosion caused chaos. The blood and flesh of those caught in the explosion belatedly poured down on the ground like rain. The bandits lost their command structure and began to waver.
And into that chaos, the Elijahs dug in. The two-handed sword in Tarkun’s hand cut through the wind with a heavy sound. With one swing of his sword, several people’s limbs were cut off. Blood spurted out from the clean cuts as if they had been cut with a guillotine.
The two-handed sword that Tarkun used was unusually large. It was a sword so heavy that ordinary people would find it difficult to lift it, but in his hands, it was as light as a tree branch. The unimaginable strength terrified both enemies and allies.
While Tarkun was running wild, Rapine's arrows flew in from behind. He fired three or four arrows at a time with each stroke of his bow. At first glance, it looked like a blind arrow, but each arrow hit the enemy's vital points as it flew. Rapine's arrows served as a deterrent to the bandits around Tarkun, preventing them from moving around recklessly.
Ivanna, who had caused a large explosion, was right next to Rapine, and she threw glass bottles at them one by one as if he were playing a prank. The bottles, which fell like child's play, caused small explosions every time they broke.
That wasn't all. Before the battle began in earnest, Ivanna drew a circle of thick liquid around her and Rapine. Those who tried to step into the circle without knowing it had their legs melted.
In fact, if Ivanna had wanted to, she could have turned the battlefield upside down. However, she was holding herself back because if she made one wrong move, the land of Himov could become completely unusable.
Anyway, thanks to Ivanna, no one could come near Rapine, and Rapine was able to shoot his arrows freely.
And Elze and Shan were running wild in the front lines. Leaving the rear to Elijah, the two of them went straight to the wooden fence and joined Liv and the militia.
The bandits, who had been systematically dividing the area and attacking the fortress, began to be completely caught up in the attack of just five people.
Elze swung her sword expressionlessly among the bandits. There was no hesitation in her sword as she was against an opponent who did not need mercy.
A variety of weapons poured out to target Elze. As they were bandits, they were all wielding weapons in a random manner without any uniformity. However, no matter what weapon they attacked with, they could not surpass Elze's rapier and mangosh. Elze, who had already fought once before and was warmed up, was literally flying.
As everyone's attention was focused on Shan and Elze, who were running wild at the forefront, the bandits naturally formed a formation surrounding the two. Shan and Elze were placed at the center of the tight encirclement.
“...”
Elze glanced at Shan. Instead of the old iron sword, he had been holding, he was holding a bastard sword (A long sword with a handle the size of one and a half hands. It can be used with either one or two hands and is suitable for both cutting and stabbing.)
Shan and Elze didn't say anything to each other. They could communicate with each other even without speaking, just by exchanging glances. Without saying a word, the two of them rushed forward again.
Elze leaped into the air, stepping on the long spear wielded by the bandit who was rushing at her. Her rapier waved in the air along with her ivory hair fluttering in the wind.
A clear line of blood spurted out under the trajectory of the slender rapier. But before the drop of blood could even hit the ground, Mangosh drew a second line of blood.
It was an unbelievable speed and strength that came from such a small body. Those who looked down on her because she was a pretty woman had to pay the price with their lives. Elze, who had been flexibly twisting her waist to dodge the downward attack, suddenly looked forward at the sight.
“...!!”
And then, right away, Liv's eyes met hers.
The distance between him and Elze beyond the barrier was quite far. However, Liv was clearly looking at Elze. Judging from his expression, with his eyes wide open and his mouth hanging open as if his jaw was about to fall off, it was clear that he had already seen the madam flying around, swinging her rapier and mangosh.
Elze, who didn't know what to do, smiled awkwardly. Liv, who had been frozen dumbly at Elze's smile, took a step back in surprise as if he were about to squirm. The sight was so funny that Elze giggled even though she was out of her mind.
“Elze!”
Shan came up next to Elze, calling her name. It was to tell her not to do anything else. Elze quickly threw out the mangosh and pierced the man who was standing close to her, making an excuse.
“I’m sorry! I made eye contact with Lord Cullens...”
Shan, who frowned briefly at Elze's words, leaned back against her. A hot breeze ran down his sweaty back. He muttered softly.
“I guess I have to stay by your side. I have to protect you.”
As he finished speaking, the two simultaneously swung their swords, each cutting down one of them. Back to back, Elze tilted her head slightly toward him and answered.
“There is no need for that.”
"Ha?"
Shan laughed and swung the bastard sword in his hand in a large swing. As he spun around halfway, Elze moved along with him, drawing her rapier in a long stroke. After exchanging places, Elze spoke.
“I said earlier that it wasn’t dangerous. Two on the top left, one on the bottom right, and one in front. I saw all the attacks coming.”
“Is that why you smiled so much at Lord Cullens? Because you were relaxed?”
“What did you say?”
It was ridiculous. This guy was causing trouble in a strange place. Elze shouted as she kicked the stomach of the guy who was charging at her head-on.
“Are you jealous right now?”
Shan replied, cutting open the chest of the man in front of him with his sword.
“How can I feel good about my wife being ogled by another man on a battlefield where swords are flying?”
“No, that’s just embarrassing!”
“Still, that won’t work.”
Elze struck the wrist of the man who was rushing at her with a mangosh and then stabbed him with her rapier.
“Why are you being so childish?”
Suddenly, Shan turned around. Then he grabbed Elze's arm and turned her around. The two of them faced each other, slashing at the enemies behind each other with the Bastard Sword and piercing them with the rapier.
Elze, who was suddenly turned around, looked at him in surprise. Shan's eyes were swirling deeply. He smiled and said, his eyes completely wet with the excitement of battle.
“I can be more childish.”
Elze was speechless. But she soon came to her senses and swung her sword again. Strangely, her heart was pounding. It wasn’t because of the intense movement. She hadn’t lost her breath until just a moment ago. Feeling the heat rising to her face, Elze muttered.
“What could be more childish than that...”
“It would be okay to check it out if you want.”
“...”
Elze just kept her mouth shut. She felt like if she said more, it would be childish.
And the thieves who were watching the two people like that were gradually losing their spirit. While the other side was rushing at them with all their might, this side was even arguing with their spouses in between the fights.
It was tiresome to see them so relaxed that they had no sense of crisis at all. Furthermore, despite their overwhelming numerical superiority, they were strangely being pushed back little by little.
As the thieves were being cut down in confusion, Garan, the leader of Redbug, who had crossed swords with Elze earlier and ran away, was hiding among the thieves.
Elze caught his eye as he was making minimal attacks near the front. Garan's face turned bright red, and he pointed at Elze and shouted.
“That b*tch! That b*tch is a monster! Kill her first!!”
Of course, there was no one here who could kill Elze. Elze's gaze turned towards Garan. Elze frowned and muttered.
“That guy...”
It was Garan who was the culprit of all the troubles. Elze had absolutely no intention of leaving him alone. But before Elze could step forward, Shan stepped forward first.
He silently swung his bastard sword in a great swing, shaking off his enemies and then dashing forward. Attacks poured in from all sides to stop the galloping Shan.
But it was a futile effort. Shan, who easily countered the attack as if he were dealing with a child, soon arrived right in front of Garan.
“Eek!!”
Garan was terrified as if he had seen a ghost. Just looking at the purple eyes that were filled with an eerie aura made his stomach churn. Garan, facing Shan, swung his sword around in a mess of fear.
“Ugh! Die! Die!!”
But he couldn't swing it for long. Shan, who was standing right in front of Garan's nose, spoke in a cold voice.
“Who is this kid calling this b*tch and that b*tch?”
Shan's words were unexpected, so Garan was taken aback for a moment. However, he was not given time to find an answer while he was still bewildered.
The bastard sword cut off Garan's neck. His head and body were cleanly separated. Those nearby were terrified at the sight of his body splitting into two in an instant.
In it, Shan muttered softly.
“...This is ridiculous.”
It was a fight that wasn't a game from the start.
Even if you brought a whole unit of veterans who had been around long enough to roll around on the battlefield, it would be an impossible opponent. It would be even more impossible for those who were robbing small territories in the outskirts to do anything about it.
The bandits who saw Garan being torn in two suddenly lost their fighting spirit. They realized that no matter how hard they tried, they would not be able to avoid a dog's death. Garan's death brought them back to reality, and those who woke up from their dreams quickly surrendered.
But there were still those who were lost in their dreams. The foolish ones only regretted their vain dreams when death was right before their eyes. Of course, it was too late for them to reflect.
“Ugh, ugh!!”
The thin rapier flashed and took his life. The one who screamed fell to the ground like a corpse before realizing his own death. Elze shook off her sword once and looked at Shan. Shan was leading the militia in front of the wooden fence after killing Garan.
The Knight Commander, Liv, led the battle splendidly, dividing the militia into platoons and appointing the knights of Targayel as platoon leaders. However, he could not compare to Shan.
As soon as Shan took command, the momentum changed. The militia's movements became smoother as if they were one person. The connection was smooth, but the attacks became more intense. The bandits who were already being pushed back were now being swept away.
Certainly, Shan Cirxus was a man who shone brighter in a crowd. Although he was mixed in with many people, he did not seem to be buried at all, instead, his presence stood out even more.
There was an absolute aura to his commanding and dominating appearance. Even Elze could see that the soldiers were captivated by Shan's charisma. They followed Shan's will as if they were under the influence of drugs.
“That guy Cirxus is really dangerous.”
Tarkun muttered as he approached Elze. Before he knew it, there were only corpses piled up around him. The remaining remnants were being massacred by Shan and the militia. Tarkun looked at the scene with Elze and asked seriously.
“Captain. Do you really need to have that devil as your husband?”
"I know..."
Elze also watched Shan running wild like a demon with Tarkun and muttered in a daze.
“I didn’t get married because I wanted to get married... After getting married, I found out that my husband was Shan Cirxus, something like that...”
“Let’s get a divorce.”
Tarkun was saying things that would have caused a commotion if Shan had heard them, but he was so worried that Shan might hear them that Tarkun lowered his voice and urged Elze again.
“Get a divorce! You have many places to go.”
“...if we get a divorce.”
Elze pointed to Shan, whose eyes were dripping with tears, and said:
“Do you know what will happen?”
“...”
Tarkun kept his mouth shut as he watched Shan create a bloodbath by dealing with three thieves in a row. Elze joked to Tarkun that she would tell Shan that he told her to get a divorce.
While Tarkun was making excuses with a pale face, saying that it was nonsense, Shan and the militiamen cleaned up the remnants.
The battle ended with the rising sun, and the defense of Himov ended in a great victory for Himov. All the surviving remnants surrendered, begging for their lives.
It was only a little later that Himov, who successfully defended against the attacks of the thieves' union, came to be regarded as a model of a safe territory that other territories wanted to learn how to run.
Now was not the time to be arguing with him. In the brief moment of looking away, a considerable number of bandits had rushed toward this direction. Elijah, who was in battle readiness, was waiting for Elze's orders.
“A change of scenery.”
Shan smiled at Elze's gaze and raised the iron sword in his hand.
“Then let’s go somewhere...”
He whispered with a leisurely smile.
“Let’s get this sorted out quickly, Ma’am.”
***
The beginning was an explosion.
Rapine pulled back the bowstring and released it. With a light twang, the glass bottle of Ivanna tied to the arrow soared high into the sky.
The arrow flew in a curve and landed right in the middle of the group of bandits. The arrow hit the ground and shattered the glass bottle. There was a flash of light and a loud noise.
“Ugh!!”
Even if a bolt from the blue sky struck, it wouldn't be this surprising. The sudden explosion caused chaos. The blood and flesh of those caught in the explosion belatedly poured down on the ground like rain. The bandits lost their command structure and began to waver.
And into that chaos, the Elijahs dug in. The two-handed sword in Tarkun’s hand cut through the wind with a heavy sound. With one swing of his sword, several people’s limbs were cut off. Blood spurted out from the clean cuts as if they had been cut with a guillotine.
The two-handed sword that Tarkun used was unusually large. It was a sword so heavy that ordinary people would find it difficult to lift it, but in his hands, it was as light as a tree branch. The unimaginable strength terrified both enemies and allies.
While Tarkun was running wild, Rapine's arrows flew in from behind. He fired three or four arrows at a time with each stroke of his bow. At first glance, it looked like a blind arrow, but each arrow hit the enemy's vital points as it flew. Rapine's arrows served as a deterrent to the bandits around Tarkun, preventing them from moving around recklessly.
Ivanna, who had caused a large explosion, was right next to Rapine, and she threw glass bottles at them one by one as if he were playing a prank. The bottles, which fell like child's play, caused small explosions every time they broke.
That wasn't all. Before the battle began in earnest, Ivanna drew a circle of thick liquid around her and Rapine. Those who tried to step into the circle without knowing it had their legs melted.
In fact, if Ivanna had wanted to, she could have turned the battlefield upside down. However, she was holding herself back because if she made one wrong move, the land of Himov could become completely unusable.
Anyway, thanks to Ivanna, no one could come near Rapine, and Rapine was able to shoot his arrows freely.
And Elze and Shan were running wild in the front lines. Leaving the rear to Elijah, the two of them went straight to the wooden fence and joined Liv and the militia.
The bandits, who had been systematically dividing the area and attacking the fortress, began to be completely caught up in the attack of just five people.
Elze swung her sword expressionlessly among the bandits. There was no hesitation in her sword as she was against an opponent who did not need mercy.
A variety of weapons poured out to target Elze. As they were bandits, they were all wielding weapons in a random manner without any uniformity. However, no matter what weapon they attacked with, they could not surpass Elze's rapier and mangosh. Elze, who had already fought once before and was warmed up, was literally flying.
As everyone's attention was focused on Shan and Elze, who were running wild at the forefront, the bandits naturally formed a formation surrounding the two. Shan and Elze were placed at the center of the tight encirclement.
“...”
Elze glanced at Shan. Instead of the old iron sword, he had been holding, he was holding a bastard sword (A long sword with a handle the size of one and a half hands. It can be used with either one or two hands and is suitable for both cutting and stabbing.)
Shan and Elze didn't say anything to each other. They could communicate with each other even without speaking, just by exchanging glances. Without saying a word, the two of them rushed forward again.
Elze leaped into the air, stepping on the long spear wielded by the bandit who was rushing at her. Her rapier waved in the air along with her ivory hair fluttering in the wind.
A clear line of blood spurted out under the trajectory of the slender rapier. But before the drop of blood could even hit the ground, Mangosh drew a second line of blood.
It was an unbelievable speed and strength that came from such a small body. Those who looked down on her because she was a pretty woman had to pay the price with their lives. Elze, who had been flexibly twisting her waist to dodge the downward attack, suddenly looked forward at the sight.
“...!!”
And then, right away, Liv's eyes met hers.
The distance between him and Elze beyond the barrier was quite far. However, Liv was clearly looking at Elze. Judging from his expression, with his eyes wide open and his mouth hanging open as if his jaw was about to fall off, it was clear that he had already seen the madam flying around, swinging her rapier and mangosh.
Elze, who didn't know what to do, smiled awkwardly. Liv, who had been frozen dumbly at Elze's smile, took a step back in surprise as if he were about to squirm. The sight was so funny that Elze giggled even though she was out of her mind.
“Elze!”
Shan came up next to Elze, calling her name. It was to tell her not to do anything else. Elze quickly threw out the mangosh and pierced the man who was standing close to her, making an excuse.
“I’m sorry! I made eye contact with Lord Cullens...”
Shan, who frowned briefly at Elze's words, leaned back against her. A hot breeze ran down his sweaty back. He muttered softly.
“I guess I have to stay by your side. I have to protect you.”
As he finished speaking, the two simultaneously swung their swords, each cutting down one of them. Back to back, Elze tilted her head slightly toward him and answered.
“There is no need for that.”
"Ha?"
Shan laughed and swung the bastard sword in his hand in a large swing. As he spun around halfway, Elze moved along with him, drawing her rapier in a long stroke. After exchanging places, Elze spoke.
“I said earlier that it wasn’t dangerous. Two on the top left, one on the bottom right, and one in front. I saw all the attacks coming.”
“Is that why you smiled so much at Lord Cullens? Because you were relaxed?”
“What did you say?”
It was ridiculous. This guy was causing trouble in a strange place. Elze shouted as she kicked the stomach of the guy who was charging at her head-on.
“Are you jealous right now?”
Shan replied, cutting open the chest of the man in front of him with his sword.
“How can I feel good about my wife being ogled by another man on a battlefield where swords are flying?”
“No, that’s just embarrassing!”
“Still, that won’t work.”
Elze struck the wrist of the man who was rushing at her with a mangosh and then stabbed him with her rapier.
“Why are you being so childish?”
Suddenly, Shan turned around. Then he grabbed Elze's arm and turned her around. The two of them faced each other, slashing at the enemies behind each other with the Bastard Sword and piercing them with the rapier.
Elze, who was suddenly turned around, looked at him in surprise. Shan's eyes were swirling deeply. He smiled and said, his eyes completely wet with the excitement of battle.
“I can be more childish.”
Elze was speechless. But she soon came to her senses and swung her sword again. Strangely, her heart was pounding. It wasn’t because of the intense movement. She hadn’t lost her breath until just a moment ago. Feeling the heat rising to her face, Elze muttered.
“What could be more childish than that...”
“It would be okay to check it out if you want.”
“...”
Elze just kept her mouth shut. She felt like if she said more, it would be childish.
And the thieves who were watching the two people like that were gradually losing their spirit. While the other side was rushing at them with all their might, this side was even arguing with their spouses in between the fights.
It was tiresome to see them so relaxed that they had no sense of crisis at all. Furthermore, despite their overwhelming numerical superiority, they were strangely being pushed back little by little.
As the thieves were being cut down in confusion, Garan, the leader of Redbug, who had crossed swords with Elze earlier and ran away, was hiding among the thieves.
Elze caught his eye as he was making minimal attacks near the front. Garan's face turned bright red, and he pointed at Elze and shouted.
“That b*tch! That b*tch is a monster! Kill her first!!”
Of course, there was no one here who could kill Elze. Elze's gaze turned towards Garan. Elze frowned and muttered.
“That guy...”
It was Garan who was the culprit of all the troubles. Elze had absolutely no intention of leaving him alone. But before Elze could step forward, Shan stepped forward first.
He silently swung his bastard sword in a great swing, shaking off his enemies and then dashing forward. Attacks poured in from all sides to stop the galloping Shan.
But it was a futile effort. Shan, who easily countered the attack as if he were dealing with a child, soon arrived right in front of Garan.
“Eek!!”
Garan was terrified as if he had seen a ghost. Just looking at the purple eyes that were filled with an eerie aura made his stomach churn. Garan, facing Shan, swung his sword around in a mess of fear.
“Ugh! Die! Die!!”
But he couldn't swing it for long. Shan, who was standing right in front of Garan's nose, spoke in a cold voice.
“Who is this kid calling this b*tch and that b*tch?”
Shan's words were unexpected, so Garan was taken aback for a moment. However, he was not given time to find an answer while he was still bewildered.
The bastard sword cut off Garan's neck. His head and body were cleanly separated. Those nearby were terrified at the sight of his body splitting into two in an instant.
In it, Shan muttered softly.
“...This is ridiculous.”
***
It was a fight that wasn't a game from the start.
Even if you brought a whole unit of veterans who had been around long enough to roll around on the battlefield, it would be an impossible opponent. It would be even more impossible for those who were robbing small territories in the outskirts to do anything about it.
The bandits who saw Garan being torn in two suddenly lost their fighting spirit. They realized that no matter how hard they tried, they would not be able to avoid a dog's death. Garan's death brought them back to reality, and those who woke up from their dreams quickly surrendered.
But there were still those who were lost in their dreams. The foolish ones only regretted their vain dreams when death was right before their eyes. Of course, it was too late for them to reflect.
“Ugh, ugh!!”
The thin rapier flashed and took his life. The one who screamed fell to the ground like a corpse before realizing his own death. Elze shook off her sword once and looked at Shan. Shan was leading the militia in front of the wooden fence after killing Garan.
The Knight Commander, Liv, led the battle splendidly, dividing the militia into platoons and appointing the knights of Targayel as platoon leaders. However, he could not compare to Shan.
As soon as Shan took command, the momentum changed. The militia's movements became smoother as if they were one person. The connection was smooth, but the attacks became more intense. The bandits who were already being pushed back were now being swept away.
Certainly, Shan Cirxus was a man who shone brighter in a crowd. Although he was mixed in with many people, he did not seem to be buried at all, instead, his presence stood out even more.
There was an absolute aura to his commanding and dominating appearance. Even Elze could see that the soldiers were captivated by Shan's charisma. They followed Shan's will as if they were under the influence of drugs.
“That guy Cirxus is really dangerous.”
Tarkun muttered as he approached Elze. Before he knew it, there were only corpses piled up around him. The remaining remnants were being massacred by Shan and the militia. Tarkun looked at the scene with Elze and asked seriously.
“Captain. Do you really need to have that devil as your husband?”
"I know..."
Elze also watched Shan running wild like a demon with Tarkun and muttered in a daze.
“I didn’t get married because I wanted to get married... After getting married, I found out that my husband was Shan Cirxus, something like that...”
“Let’s get a divorce.”
Tarkun was saying things that would have caused a commotion if Shan had heard them, but he was so worried that Shan might hear them that Tarkun lowered his voice and urged Elze again.
“Get a divorce! You have many places to go.”
“...if we get a divorce.”
Elze pointed to Shan, whose eyes were dripping with tears, and said:
“Do you know what will happen?”
“...”
Tarkun kept his mouth shut as he watched Shan create a bloodbath by dealing with three thieves in a row. Elze joked to Tarkun that she would tell Shan that he told her to get a divorce.
While Tarkun was making excuses with a pale face, saying that it was nonsense, Shan and the militiamen cleaned up the remnants.
The battle ended with the rising sun, and the defense of Himov ended in a great victory for Himov. All the surviving remnants surrendered, begging for their lives.
It was only a little later that Himov, who successfully defended against the attacks of the thieves' union, came to be regarded as a model of a safe territory that other territories wanted to learn how to run.
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