10 nen goshi no HikiNiito o Yamete Gaishutsushitara Jitaku goto Isekai ni Ten'ishiteta

Warning: One part contains depiction of cruelty

***

“Will it go well…”

“It should likely be fine. There exists no such thing as a monolithic group of bandits”

Kevin responded to Yuuji’s faint voice.

The bandit hideout which Denis guided to. Its entrance was a gaping hole in the ground. It seemed to have been dug open based on a natural cave. Its shape is close to that of a volcano cavern that exists at the foot of mount fuji. According to Denis, though the entrance is narrow, it seems to continue all the way to the inside.

In front of the cave, Yuuji, Kevin and Kevin’s exclusive escort Ianis hid behind trees and observed the entrance.

Kotarou and Enzo further approached the cave and erased their presence.

Even Yuuji, who was supposed to be looking at the man and dog, would not know that they were there if he did not strain his eyes.Former third rank adventurer Enzo and Kotarou, the ones in the group in charge of searching enemies seemed to have high covert ability. f𝑟e𝒆𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗oѵ𝐞𝗹.c૦𝑚

“Besides… To them, elves result in money after all. Plenty of reasons to double cross and rush out. A wolfkin returning for a hostage that was taken should be understandable for them”

They were letting Denis infiltrate in order to protect Alice’s brother Charles who was in the hideout. The pretext Kevin thought up was that there was an elf in the attacked merchant group. As a proof, Yuuji stained the seal that he was entrusted with by the premie city feudal lord, with blood and entrusted it to Denis.

It would not be strange for Yuuji to be decapitated if he were to lose the seal. Even when that was explained, Yuuji took the risk in order to save Alice’s brother. Well, Yuuji may finally have realized the capabilities of those around him though.

Noises of heavy feet could be heard by Yuuji as he watched over the entrance to the cave. It appears that Denis had succeeded.

“Mr Yuuji, they’re coming. No need to forgive them, please cast away your hesitation. If we fail here then Alice-chan’s brother and Mr Denis will die. The seal he is looking after will be snatched away by the bandits, so you won’t be safe either, Mr Yuuji. Can you do it?”

“ …Yes”

Yuuji answered in a few words. He grasped tightly his shield in his left hand and his short spear in his right hand.

Yuuji’s face was pale, but in his eyes was a look of resolution. Yuuji entrusting Denis with the seal may have been so that he had no way out of this.

Fifth day of their trip, and the fifth year since Yuuji came to the other world.

At last, Yuuji is prepared to face human beings.

“Damn! Those guys have the guts trying to get the easy life for themselves!”

“Not only is there an elf, it looks like there are also women you know!”

“After them!”

While shouting one by one, the bandits showed up from the cave.

The bandit group who erase their smell by mud and grass to deceive one’s eyes and nose, the ‘Mud Rats’.

However, perhaps from having rushed out after hearing of betrayal, their appearances were in dirty clothes and leather armor as is. In other words,they look like human beings in a glance.

*Gulp* sounded Yuuji’s throat. His hands were shivering.

The bandits that remained in the hideout as conveyed by Denis numbered eight. Six of them rushed out of the cave entrance.

“I guess two stayed behind, please do your best Mr Denis”

Yuuji muttered, wishing for the infiltrating Denis’ safety

While Yuuji watched attentively, one by one, a shadow rushed out from the bandit’s left and right and ran past behind.

It was Kotarou and Enzo’s surprise attack.

“Setting aside Mr Enzo… Aren’t you too quick, Kotarou?”

Whispering words leaked out from Yuuji.

Among the six that went out of the cavern, one had blood spurting out of his neck and collapsed. From the height of the shadow that run past them, Yuuji judged this one to be Enzo’s attack.

Another person shed blood from their buttocks, showing a surprised expression.

“Someone is here! Don’t let your guard down!”

So shouted a man who came out of the cave at the end.

And then a fist-sized stone collided with his face, causing him to collapse backwards.

Yuuji took a glance to his left.

“ …M- Mr Kevin?”

It appears to be Kevin’s throw.

Come to think of it, this is the first time Yuuji saw Kevin’s fight.

The hidden Kevin and his exclusive escort jumped out and faced the bandits.

Hurriedly, Yuuji chased after them.

There were three uninjured bandits left.

On the other hand, Yuuji and co’s attack party were four people and a dog. They were already exceeding in numbers.

“Mr Enzo, inside! Ms Kotarou, watch our surroundings!”

Kevin’s instructions scattered.

Receiving his voice and having finished his first attack, Enzo ignored the other bandits and barged into the cave.

Was it because it was in their favor, or was it for Yuuji to gain experience?

Kevin continued and urged vigilance to Kotarou.

As if to answer him, Kotarou barked *Wan!*. As if to say sure, let’s make him do it, affirming Kevin’s instruction.

By the way, the elven escort leader was Yuuji.

“Calm down and remember your training. Prioritise defense, attack is not important”

As if like a charm, Yuuji muttered the teachings of Dominique, the former third rank adventurer defender of whom he got training from until now. The man repeated in soliloquy with weapon in hand. It was a tip.

Already did Kevin and one of his exclusive escorts begin the fight with the remaining three bandits.

Having caught up, Yuuji set up his shield and joined the front.

According to the numbers it was a one versus one.

“Damn, who are these people!”

Without responding to the bandit’s shout, Yuuji safely defended against his opponent’s attack. His everyday training in the pioneer land was not a waste it seems.

Perhaps because he could afford to, but Yuuji was able to do an attack by thrusting his short spear with a small motion.

The opposing bandit received Yuuji’s spear and got injured.

“Mr Yuuji, use that!”

Did he perceive that Yuuji’s nervousness had come apart or was it because he convinced he could fight even against a human being?

Kevin’s instruction scattered.

“Ah, right. Origin of magic, dwelling in all creation. Hear my decree and shine light! Flash(But I’m not becoming bald, okay?)”

As if he recalled, Yuuji used magic.

From the area around Yuuji’s brows, a directional light emitted.

The bandit who was basking in the intense light before their eyes, squatted while saying “My eyes, my eyes”.

Yuuji seems to have used not the Flashbang that Yuuji used in the wyvern battle, but the blinding magic.

Yuuji’s Flashbang spell is a spell where he throws a sphere of light and makes it burst. He must have thought the blinding magic that he could use without any preliminary actions was better against an opponent in close range. This was also through course of training, and he may have just used it as is, however.

Yuuji looked down on his crouching enemy.

However, his short spear in his hand did not move.

Setting aside they were in battle, it seems he could not attack an opponent who was rendered powerless.

“Mr Yuuji… very well, leave this to me”

Kevin called out to Yuuji, who steadily watched the crouching bandit without attacking.

Yuuji raised his face.

Already had Kevin and his exclusive escort finish their fight it seems.

“Mr Yuuji, Ianis and I are watching if any others will come. Go inside with Ms Kotarou. Please help Mr Denis and Charles-kun. We will clean up…”

“Mr Kevin…Got it! Let’s go Kotarou!”

He must have responded to the word “help”. Yuuji called out to Kotarou and delved into the cave.

It appears he did not hear the words of Kevin, whose voice turned soft midway. What did he mean with clean up?

Kevin saw Yuuji off. The “Fighting Peddler”, apprentice to “Bloodstained Gaegus”, removed his bloodstained cloak and took out a dagger from his pocket.

Following Kotarou who went ahead, Yuuji went deeper in the cave. On the uncovered stone walls, torches were placed here and there and emitting light.

For Denis and Alice’s brother, Enzo should have been invading the cave, but Kotarou did not relax her alert status. As if saying this is enemy territory, we’ve yet to confirm it’s safe.

Deeper into the cave where plain cloth and several boxes were place.

Faint sounds could be heard.

“Gu- Guh!”

The voice of Denis moaning in pain.

Both the spearheading Kotarou and Yuuji quickened their pace.

At a tiny space, perhaps the end of the cave, there was Enzo, Denis and a young boy.

The wolfkin Denis collapsed face up and under him was a small pool of blood.

Enzo was crouching next to him. It appears he was giving medical treatment.

Next to the three, along the wall were two bodies lying on top of one another.

Six people went outside and two were lying in this place. The eight bandits that were in the hideout as informed by Denis have all been defeated it seems.

“Mr Enzo! Mr Denis! What of Alice’s brother!?”

“Mr Yuuji, we’ve ensured his safety! Please press down here!”

Responding to Yuuji’s voice, Enzo’s voice scattered as he treated Denis.

Yuuji, who had run up to him, pressed down on Denis’s wound as per Enzo’s instruction. He was applying pressure to stop the bleeding.

Yuuji followed Enzo’s instructions without faltering from the blood. It appears that the grotesque resistance that he had forged since coming to this world was useful.

“Kotarou, please call Mr Kevin! He should have some styptic medicine! Next would be Yurshelle, but… Damn, you can’t talk”

Following Yuuji, Enzo gave instructions to Kotarou. *Bow* crying once, Kotarou ran off towards the cave exit. He found himself using even a dog.

“Alice’s brother! Hey, hey!

“Brother! Err… Charles-kun!”

Enzo and Yuuji called out to the boy.

However.

The boy, with the same red hair as Alice, lost weight. Those eyes of his were faintly staring at the empty space.

As if he did not notice the situation before his eyes..

“Gah! It’s useless, Charles broke on that day, ‘cause of me”

“Don’t talk! Damn it!

Enduring the pain, Denis squeezed out words while taking rough breaths.

Enzo raised his voice to tell him not to use too much strength.

“That can’t be… Charles-kun, Alice is there outside! Your little sister is alive!”

Yuuji pressed down on Denis’s wounds and looked at Alice’s brother and yelled.

Charles’s eyes that were staring at the empty sky faintly shook.

“That’s right, Charles-kun! Thanks to you, Alice was saved!”

“……Alice?”

“Yes, Alice! She’s your little sister! She’s alive, she’s coming shortly! Mr Denis protected you!”

“Alice. Denis”

Did Yuuji’s shouts take effect or did he witness Denis who risked his life to protect him?

Light faintly lit up in Charles’s eyes.

Yuuji was pressing the wound on injured and collapsed Denis.

Enzo took out some ointment from the pouch on his waist and smeared it on Denis’s wounds.

Alice’s brother Charles was just standing while shaking unsteadily. ｆ𝓇𝘦ℯ𝙬𝑒𝐛n𝐨νe𝙡.c𝑜𝗺

The bandits have been crushed.

Denis seems to have risked his life to protect Alice’s brother.

The trip from Premie city to the royal capital, its fifth day.

For Yuuji, and for Alice. The long, long day has yet to end it seems.