I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 60: Northbound (3)

Alright! Lets go!

Following Rebeccas words, the caravan began to move slowly. There were dozens of wagons loaded with cargo.

It was quite a while after the lead wagon had set off that the wagons at the very end started to move.

The noisy caravan drew the townspeople out to watch.

Some waved handkerchiefs, wishing the travelers safe passage.

However, not all the onlookers were friendly.

Dale noticed a few greedy glances directed their way.

After estimating the direction of the caravan, these individuals quickly blended back into the crowd.

They must be planning to sell the information.

He realized that the movement of such a large caravan would be reported to the citys informants.

And that information would inevitably reach the bandits outside the city.

But I wonder if there are any bandits bold enough to attack us.

Dale turned his head to examine the caravans defenses closely.

As befitting a large-scale supply operation, their force was impressive.

First off, the guild had a staff of 80 employees. More than half of these were private soldiers trained by the knight named Gabriel.

Among these soldiers, ten were even mounted on horses.

It was said that even ordinary merchants could hold their own in a fight.

In a world where merely being good at selling goods wasnt enough to survive, this was a necessity.

In addition to these, there were just over 40 hired mercenaries. While most were ranked between iron and bronze in terms of skill, there were no complete novices among them.

At the very least, there was no one who would be a liability.

Lastly, there were eight priests sent by the church which included Esther.

Eight priests.

That meant there was one priest for every ten warriors.

Depending on the level of the priests, there would likely be fewer casualties due to insufficient healing.

Considering priests were always in high demand and commanded high wages, Rebecca could be considered quite a good employer.

Not bad at all.

Overall, the composition was solid.

Half of the private soldiers were equipped with bows or crossbows and many carried shields.

With the addition of the well-supplied priests.

In essence, their composition was nearly indistinguishable from that of a regular army.

There was just one regrettable aspect

Theres no mage.

Having a mage or not makes a huge difference.

Even that fool of a mage, Hans, had once unleashed powerful firepower all on his own.

In times of need, the firepower of a battle mage could turn the tide of the entire situation.

But there was a problem.

Mages were even more expensive than priests. Hiring one required a sum beyond imagination.

And an even bigger issue was trustworthy mages were exceedingly rare.

These unpredictable troublemakers were veritable wild cards.

Their magic was so potent that it often resulted in more friendly fire casualties than enemy casualties.

This was likely why Rebecca had chosen to exclude mages from her forces.

Even so, it was a shame that they were absent.

Dales thoughts suddenly turned to Elena. Remembering the thunder dragon soaring through the air

Its a shame.

But a good mage doesnt necessarily make a good battle mage.

Elenas case would have to be observed over time. Above all, Elena was still young.

Just then, Harkins voice broke through those thoughts.

Ugh. Just thinking about having to walk for the next two weeks makes my knees hurt already.

Harkin yawned lazily and grumbled. In his view were the employees driving the carriages.

To load more cargo, most of those who had joined the caravan had to walk.

Only a select few were allowed to sit in the carriages or ride horses.

This privilege was reserved for the likes of the merchant owner Rebecca, Gabriel who scouted the surroundings on horseback along with the cavalry, and the priests.

In fact, Rebecca had offered Dale a spot in her carriage.

But Dale declined it.

The idea of spending weeks in a carriage with that tiresome woman was less than appealing to him.

A scolding then flew towards the grumbling Harkin.

Stop whining, Harkin. What will you do later if you start grumbling already?

Hmm?

Harkin glanced at Esther walking beside him and then spoke up.

But why is the priestess joining us on foot?

Why? Cant I?

Seeing Esthers disheartened expression, Harkin hastily explained.

No, its not that. The other priests are riding in the carriages, arent they? Why choose to walk and make it hard on yourself when you could be comfortable?

Dale agreed.

Yes. It seems like your friends dont really like you being around me either.

The other priests in the carriages would occasionally cast uncomfortable glances their way.

It was unclear whether their discomfort stemmed from Esthers insistence on walking alone or from being with the heretic Dale.

And if one had to choose one option, the latter would likely weigh more heavily.

Esthers expression hardened for a moment but then she spoke up confidently.

When everyone else is enduring the hardship of walking, how could I sit comfortably? And who I choose to walk with is for me to decide.

Hmm.

Dale nodded for the moment.

Having a strong sense of self and conviction was undoubtedly a good trait, as was acting on what one believes to be right.

However, such integrity can sometimes lead to discomfort for those around.

For instance, if Esther decided to walk, what would be the implications for the other priests who chose to ride?

In that regard, Esther was lacking.

Definitely the tiresome type.

Dale didnt mind.

Considering she was a promising priestess recognized by the church, he figured she would manage on her own.

More importantly, thats not what matters. I still havent heard an explanation about you destroying the ring Sister Maria gave you

Dale tuned out Esthers nagging and took in the scenery around him.

As the wind swept across the wide plains, the short grass swayed back and forth.

It was peaceful.

If asked whether he cherished this peace, he wasnt sure.

A part of him yearned for a battle to break out soon.

He wanted to test out his new weapon and to achieve greater growth.

After his fight with Kristen, Dale had learned a lot.

He had nearly died in that battle and it wouldnt have been surprising if he had been defeated.

During that moment, Dale felt fear.

It wasnt the fear of death.

He was afraid of dying not as a human but as an undead.

Dale remembered the wild urge that filled him during that critical moment between life and death.

Had he not managed to hold on, he might have gone berserk. He could have ended up devouring innocent bystanders who were just watching.

He never wanted to experience that again. He had no desire to face such a crisis ever again.

The only thing Dale could do to prevent it was one thing.

I must become stronger.

However, despite his resolve, the surroundings were too peaceful.

Dale soon found himself yearning for a fight.

He shook his head in disbelief.

Despite everything.

It seems he had become too accustomed to this body.

***

After setting out on the journey,

The first five days passed peacefully and without incident.

Occasionally, a wild beast from the plains would approach, only to get startled by the sight of the caravan moving in line and run away.

There were no signs of monsters or bandits.

In fact, it could be considered quite normal.

Attacking a group of this size, especially one so well-armed, would require a great deal of resolve from even the most ferocious of monsters.

The incident occurred on the evening of the sixth day.

Stop. Well spend the night here.

Following Rebeccas orders, the employees efficiently began to set up camp.

They fetched water from a nearby stream and started a fire with dry grass and branches.

Since they had been working together for a long time, their speed was very fast.

Harkin who was watching this also shouted to the mercenaries.

We cant be outdone! Lets get to it!

What exactly they couldnt be outdone in was unclear.

Nevertheless, seeing the merchants guild employees skillfully prepare the camp seemed to stir a sense of competition in them.

Camping and sleeping outdoors were second nature to mercenaries, and in their own way, they were quite quick about it.

Dale, however simply stood by idly.

Why bother using your body when you have a good servant named Harkin?

Setting up camp was the servants job, after all.

As the plains were dotted with one bonfire after another, large pots filled with various ingredients slowly transformed into soups.

And though the appearance of the soups left much to be desired, they definitely smelled good.

And perhaps drawn by the scent? Or perhaps guided by the light of the fires?

A group of people made their way across the field towards them.

Gabriel rose from his seat.

He immediately drew his sword and shouted.

Get up!

Soldiers who were about to enjoy the freshly made soup stood up reluctantly. Their faces were full of dissatisfaction and irritation.

An interrupted meal is enough to irritate anyone.

Get ready!

Private soldiers armed with bows and crossbows prepared to shoot, causing the approaching group to halt abruptly.

After a brief murmur among themselves, one man from the group stepped forward.

He was a middle-aged man with a shabby appearance.

And he was raising his hands high as if to show he had no intention of fighting.

Gabriel cast his gaze towards Rebecca who nodded her head in response.

Gabriel spurred his horse forward.

Who goes there? Reveal yourselves!

A frightened reply came from the other side.

We, we are refugees from the village of Faido.

Refugees?

Gabriel frowned. Rebecca who had been listening from behind stepped forward.

Faido is a pretty big village, isnt it? It seemed to be in good condition until recently. What happened?

The man responded in a somber tone.

We were attacked by a band of thieves.

Rebecca furrowed her brow.

Thieves? I remember that Faido is not a village that can be easily attacked by a group of bandits.

Larger villages naturally have stronger defenses.

Even Harkins Swamp Village which was small was protected by a wooden fence and, albeit crude, it had watchtowers.

So what If the village even had a modest wall? its defense would have been significantly stronger.

Yet, the thieves that attacked the village were no ordinary foes.

They were incredibly fierce, almost like elves from the tales.

Wait, youre saying elves attacked?

Rebecca reacted sharply and the refugee quickly corrected himself.

No, no, not elves. They were just as ferocious. Brutal and numerous! There must have been over three hundred of them, by rough estimate.

Thats what he says.

Hundreds of bandits were unusual but not entirely unheard of.

The refugee continued,

Our village couldnt even put up a proper resistance and was completely ravaged by them. We barely managed to escape amid the chaos

He gestured toward the group behind him. The roughly thirty refugees were all dressed in shabby clothes

The refugee pleaded with a tone of desperation,

Please, could you help us? Just until we reach the nearest city. We fled with nothing and will either starve or be caught and killed by the bandits if we continue on our own!

Hmm.

Rebecca showed signs of discomfort at the request. Thirty refugees were a manageable number.

However, given the importance of the supply mission, Rebecca didnt want to be burdened with such variables.

Im sorry, but that wont be possible. Were not in a position to offer help.

I-I see.

The moment of despair was brief for the refugee who quickly raised his head again and asked earnestly.

Then, could we at least stay with you for just tonight? Just for one day. Everyone is exhausted from fleeing and they barely slept

Rebecca couldnt bring herself to deny them even that much.

Alright. We can provide dinner and a place to sleep for the night.

Th-thank you so much.

Is that alright with you, Sir Gabriel?

Gabriel nodded his head in agreement.

That should be fine. Gather your companions. You should be grateful for the merchants kindness.

Y-yes, of course.

Just as the refugee turned to hurry back, a calm voice stopped him in his tracks.

Wait.

?

All eyes suddenly turned around.

Dale walked out calmly which immediately drew a sharp reaction from Gabriel.

Who gave you permission to step forward

Wait a moment. Lets just observe for now.

When Rebecca stopped him, Gabriel frowned.

Regardless, Dale continued to walk slowly until he stood in front of the refugee.

As the imposing figure of the dark knight approached them, the refugee flinched.

Why, why do you do this

You. You reek of blood.

The subtle scent of blood that clung to his body. No matter how thoroughly one washes their body, those who make a living from killing carry a faint distinctive smell of blood.

This scent could easily deceive others if well concealed.

However, the dark knight was sensitive to blood and a beasts nose could not be fooled.

Harty who had followed Dale until now bared its fangs at the refugee and let out a low growl.

The terrified refugee struggled to break free.

I-I dont understand what youre talking about Urk.

There was no need to hear more.

Dale simply grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and lifted him into the air before shaking him vigorously.

Thump. Thud.

With every shake, items like coin purses and weapons clattered to the ground.

The man proved to be fun to shake.

Dale continued to shake him until nothing more fell out.

Various items accumulated on the ground.

Among them was a blood-stained dagger.

The blood on it was not yet dry.

Dale and the man locked eyes.

The man averted his gaze but Dale forcibly turned his head back to face him.

Then he pointed to the crowd watching from afar and said.

Bring your friends here. Now.