Merchant Noble is out (4/4 chapters for today)
Punitive Force: Household of Baron London (1)
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While Tyr was busy gathering adventurers as temporary soldiers under the Warden Household’s conscription orders, the battle between the rebel force and the punitive force had already begun in earnest.
At a castle occupied by the rebel forces, the leader, Randal, lounged in a chair, his golden hair catching the light as he sat with a confident demeanor. A scout who had been out on reconnaissance hurriedly entered the room.
“Randal! A new group of nobles has arrived.” (??)
“The size of the enemy?” (Randal)
Randal didn’t show any sign of surprise. He asked the question without even raising his gaze, and his tone was calm as if he was used to it.
“By sight, about 6,000 strong.” (??)
“Then 4,000 should be enough. Laika!” (Randal)
At Randal’s shout, a young girl entered the room from the next chamber. She shared the same golden hair that shimmered beautifully in the light.
“You called, Nii-chan?” (Laika)
“6000 new guests. Take 4,000 of our men and give them a proper welcome.” (Randal)
“Got it~” (Laika)
The girl responded in a relaxed tone before leaving the room, humming a tune as she went.
—
On the other side, the punitive force was on the move. Among its ranks was Inoa London, dispatched from the Household of Baron London. However, Inoa was visibly displeased at being sent to deal with a rebellion in someone else’s territory, a sentiment that seemed to have affected the morale of the troops under his command.
“Damn it… Why do we have to suppress a peasant rebellion in someone else’s land?” (Inoa)
“Inoa-sama! The other nobles failed to suppress it, which is why the responsibility fell to the Household of Baron London. We cannot afford to be careless.” (Arlay)
Arlay, a seasoned military officer accompanying Inoa. Though the enemy was just a group of peasants, the fact that previous punitive forces had failed meant they couldn’t afford to lower their guard. Yet, despite Arlay’s warning, Inoa continued to grumble and slack off on horseback as they marched.
“Uncle should have refused outright. Why are we cleaning up someone else’s mess? And even if we had to send troops, why did I have to be made commander?” (Inoa)
“It’s because having a relative of the lord lead the punitive force makes a better impression on the kingdom.” (Arlay)
“Ugh… What a pain. Arlay, I’m lending you my name, so you handle everything.” (Inoa)
“As you wish.” (Arlay)
Inoa finally handed over command to Arlay, essentially dumping all responsibility on him. Watching such a commander, the soldiers naturally felt no motivation and continued their sluggish march.
—
As they trudged along, the punitive force from the House of Baron London eventually entered a village. Or rather, what used to be a village. The place was completely devastated, with nothing moving except for animals scavenging the corpses. Wild birds were pecking at corpses, whose already reduced to bones.
It had been about a month since the rebellion started, and the battles between the rebel forces and the punitive force had left the area in ruins. In this lawless region, the remaining inhabitants had either fled, been killed, or joined the rebel forces. Fleeing only led to starvation, so joining the rebels was the only real option if one wanted to survive.
The soldiers averted their eyes from the corpses as they moved through the village, instinctively quickening their pace in a desire to leave this cursed place behind as soon as possible. Amidst the desolation, a lone child with a hood pulled low over their face stumbled out from a dilapidated building and slowly approached the army.
“Soldier, please give me some food.” (??)
“Surprising… I didn’t expect any survivors in this wreck of a village.” (??)
The soldiers, shocked to find a living resident in such a devastated place, looked at the child as if they were seeing a ghost.
“Please, give me food.” (??)
“We have no food to spare for peasants.” (Inoa)
Inoa coldly dismissed the child, whose frail voice begged for food, pitifully pleading.
“Please… I’m begging you…” (??)
“Hey, get rid of this brat.” (Inoa)
Annoyed by the child’s desperate pleas, Inoa barked orders at the soldier in the lead. Reluctantly, the soldier grabbed a stick and approached the child to drive them away.
In the next instant, the soldier collapsed. Without anyone noticing when, the child had drawn a sword, and now stood beside the fallen soldier, who was missing his head.
“Wha—?” (Inoa)
The child, moving faster than the punitive troops could comprehend, launched into a swift attack. In the blink of an eye, several soldiers were cut down. Then, with a leap, the child swiftly beheaded the unit commander mounted on his horse. The soldiers were stunned, paralyzed by the sight of their commander being killed so effortlessly by a mere child.
“Damn it! That’s a rebel! Seize them, now!” (Arlay)
Arlay’s shout snapped the soldiers out of their daze, and they rushed the child all at once. But one after another, they fell. The child’s small size and agility made it difficult for the soldiers to land a hit. Moreover, their hesitation to go all out against a child further hindered their efforts. During the fierce battle, the hood slipped off the child’s head, revealing a cascade of golden hair that gleamed beautifully in the light.
“T-That’s… the ‘Lightning of the Battlefield’!” (??)
The sight of that hair made Arlay realize they were up against a monster. Reports had mentioned a single rebel who had repeatedly taken down punitive commanders. When witnesses saw this person, they were told that she was a child, a young girl, with beautiful blonde hair.
She would charge through the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood in her wake, earning her the fearsome moniker of the ‘Lightning of the Battlefield’. Arlay was horrified to encounter her so soon.
Arlay hesitated. He wondered if they should retreat. It was an option, given the deadly reputation of the girl they were facing. Even though she was formidable, she was still just one person. With superior numbers, they could win, albeit with heavy losses. But fleeing would disgrace Inoa’s name as a commander. However, hesitation in battle can be fatal.
“All troops, charge!” (??)
As if on cue, the girl’s shout echoed through the air, and armed peasants burst out from the surrounding houses.
“This is bad.” (Arlay)
Despite warning Inoa not to underestimate the enemy, Arlay himself had unconsciously done the same. They should have been more cautious and wary of an ambush before entering the village. However, it was too late for regrets. The entire punitive force had already entered the village and was now completely surrounded by the peasants.
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