It was quick.
As expected of Jaxon.
They set out around midday, and Jaxon returned before the sunset even cloaked the land.
“That was fast?”
It was after they had finished their meal of pumpkin soup and well-cooked pork hind leg stew. Rem patted his belly and asked.
It sounded like he was teasing him for eating well.
Jaxon didn’t even glance at Rem and spoke to Encrid.
“I will guide you.”
He seemed ready to leave immediately.
“Sit.”Encrid said, still seated. Jaxon hesitated.
Though they had located the position, the trail might be discovered if too much time passed.
The target could hide.
Or prepare.
Or they might cut off the tail following them instead of hiding.
That could happen.
Was there any need to take unnecessary risks?
If he were alone, if the decision and execution were his alone, it wouldn’t even be a matter to worry about.
As thoughts swirled in Jaxon’s mind, the voice of the Squad Leader broke through.
“The pumpkin soup here is delicious.”
Who didn’t know that?
The inn was called ‘Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup.’
It was the place with the best food among the four inns at the market crossroads.
“Krais is paying out of pocket. Let’s eat and go.”
It wasn’t until Encrid spoke again that Jaxon sat down.
For some reason, Rem, Ragna, and Audin also said nothing.
Jaxon roughly brushed the snow off his shoulders and head.
Thanks to the warmth of the fireplace, the snow quickly melted.
As a result, his outer clothes got a bit wet.
It wasn’t too unpleasant.
“Here, one serving of pumpkin soup and the barbecue we had earlier.”
“Your companion has arrived! Yes!”
The waitress said in a cheerful tone. She was a lively person.
Generally, the squad liked the Pumpkin Inn.
That’s what good food does.
It might be a bit of a sorry tale for those responsible for cooking within the squad, but in Ragna’s words, eating squad meals was like torturing your mouth.
Sometimes it was edible.
But generally, it was like that.
In contrast, meals at Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup Inn were beyond excellent. There were even rumors that the best cook in the Border Guard was here.
“Delaying isn’t a good idea.”
Jaxon said as he sat down. Encrid nodded and replied.
“It’s still snowing.”
Does Encrid want to do hard labor?
Unless it’s sword training or martial arts training, even for him, snow is like the devil’s dandruff.
No, everyone serving in the squad feels the same way.
If they attacked the Thieves Guild now, they would be welcomed by piled-up snow upon their return.
This is why Rem and the others didn’t say anything.
It’s also why Krais opened his wallet.
Jaxon understood everything.
“That’s true.”
After that, he focused on eating.
By the time dusk slowly crept in, everyone, including Encrid, got up.
“Let’s go.”
“Come again!”
The cheerful waitress said. Krais nodded slightly in response.
The two seemed to know each other already.
They had been seen whispering to each other often while staying at the inn.
“Do you know her?”
Encrid asked.
“Her name is Laysa, she’s seventeen. Her father is a shoemaker, and her mother is a weaver. Neither has ever joined a guild.”
A shoemaker is someone who makes and sells shoes using leather and other materials.
A weaver is someone who weaves fabrics.
Both are common professions.
Manufacturing and woodworking guilds do exist in the city, but if they’ve never joined one, their skills might not be outstanding.
“Her dream is to go to the capital someday and open an inn. For now, she’s learning culinary skills at Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup.”
“She has big dreams.”
Rem interjected, adding a comment. It was understandable.
Running an inn might sound easy, but it’s not something anyone can do.
The cost alone is significant, but having armed guards is also essential.
Selling alcohol and food often leads to disturbances.
Today, it’s quiet because of the falling snow and the lack of people, but on a typical day, there would likely be a few people causing a ruckus.
Just a moment ago, the armed guard glanced at them as they left.
To Encrid, he seemed like a retired soldier.
Having a former Border Guard soldier as an armed guard would be convenient in many ways. They can handle minor disturbances discreetly.
If a more significant incident occurs, the guard alone can’t do much, and the squad’s security troops would need to be called in.
With connections within the squad, the security troops can be summoned more quickly.
For these reasons, employing retired soldiers as guards is a must for the Border Guard.
In addition, inns are heavily taxed. By Border Guard standards, an inn must have meeting halls, deluxe rooms, private training areas, a restaurant, and a tavern.
Since there is no lord or manor in the Border Guard, most events take place in inns.
There is a meeting room within the squad, but it’s a military facility.
It’s not open to just anyone.
Naturally, inns have to develop under such conditions.
Opening such an inn in the capital would be challenging. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to pursue the dream.
“You know a lot.”
Encrid said, walking alongside Jaxon, who was leading the way.
“Every pretty woman can be a potential future customer.”
Wasn’t Krais’s goal to open a ladies’ salon?
A salon exclusively for women.
Naturally, all the attendants would be men, and handsome ones at that.
A creative idea.
Planning to empty noblewomen’s purses with male beauty.
Krais, feeling uneasy, continued to speak.
“But is Lake Panther going to be okay? Isn’t it cold? Why doesn’t it move when I tell it to?”
“Still after its claws?”
“No. I feel like I wouldn’t survive if I tried. There’s a reason they’re expensive.”
Encrid chuckled at Krais’s words. Despite what he said, it was clear he was still interested.
“You should name it. You seem to be keeping it around.”
Encrid inwardly nodded at Krais’s words. They couldn’t keep calling it “this one” or “that one” forever without a name.
As they continued talking, they found themselves deep in a shadowy alley. They had turned so many times that even Encrid, with his decent sense of direction, was starting to get confused.
“Are you taking a bribe from the Thieves Guild and leading us into a trap on purpose?” Rem said, sneering.
Jaxon ignored him completely.
“This guy ignores me every time I speak.”
Rem grumbled, but Jaxon maintained his consistent attitude of ignoring Rem.
“Enough.”
Encrid stopped Rem from making another comment.
“Are you playing favorites? If I get upset, it won’t be fun.”
Rem’s attempt to needle Encrid was a good sign. It meant he was willing to end the argument here.
The group fell silent after that.
Ragna, perhaps bored, kicked at the ground with his toes as he walked.
“Winter is cold.” Audin said, noticing a group of beggars lying on the ground despite the cold.
The snow had stopped, but a thin layer covered the solid, frozen ground.
By tomorrow afternoon, it would melt under the sunlight, making the ground muddy.
“We’re here.”
After wandering through the alleys for about half an hour, they saw an old wooden door.
It was a door like any other in the Border Guard.
The sun had set, but the soft moonlight provided enough illumination.
Just as Encrid was about to push the door open, Rem, standing in the moonlight, asked, “Do you want to take the left?”
“I’ll take the right. I should earn my keep.” Audin replied.
“Do whatever you want. As long as they don’t come at me, I’m fine.” Ragna yawned.
“You lazy bastard. Squad Leader, we’ve got company.”
Encrid turned at Rem’s words. They were all draped in rags.
Looking closely, they realized these were the same beggars they had seen sprawled out earlier.
A half-fairy came to Encrid’s mind but quickly vanished.
‘These guys are twice the size.’
Encrid absently ran his hand along the back of his belt.
His fingers brushed against a knife.
It wasn’t an ordinary item. He had swiped it from the corpse of a half-fairy.
He also had a whistling knife securely strapped to his chest.
Seeing a whistling knife, it was clear it wasn’t something that could be easily made.
So what should one do? Quickly grab it, of course.
He took everything, from those stuck in the ground to those in the fairy’s body.
“One would think you didn’t learn as a child not to wander into places like this after dark.” one of the beggars said. His front teeth showed as he spoke, appearing more black than yellow.
It wasn’t easy to see in the dark.
Despite the winter cold and the distance, he seemed to give off a foul odor.
“Bullshit.”
Rem responded and moved. It wasn’t a quick pace.
He simply strode forward to close the distance. The leading beggar pulled a pocket knife from his sleeve.
A knife with a blade less than a span long. He made a stabbing gesture with it.
“You’re dead.”
That was his last word.
Rem didn’t stop walking, and the beggar lunged with his knife.
The beggar aimed for his stomach, but Rem grabbed his wrist with his left hand.
Rem pulled the beggar inward and struck his head with his right elbow.
Smack! Crack!
It was a bold and decisive blow.
The beggar’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle from the elbow strike.
Crack.
At the same time, Audin on the opposite side grabbed a beggar’s jaw with just his thumb, index, and middle fingers, twisting it.
With just three fingers, he twisted the jaw, snapping the neck. It was a feat of immense strength.
“Crazy bastard!”
“Shit!”
Two of the remaining three turned red with rage, while the other quickly tried to back away.
The fights Rem and Audin engaged in were brief.
Closing the distance and ignoring the knives, they struck with a single blow—that was all.
Rem struck a beggar’s throat with a knife hand and then punched the temple, knocking him out.
Audin was even simpler.
He stepped forward with his left foot and extended his left fist.
Wham! Bam!
His punch was like a cannonball.
With a twist starting from his toes and traveling up through his waist, Audin delivered a powerful blow.
The straight punch starting from his shoulder smashed into the beggar’s face, obliterating his nose. His face caved inwards, and he fell to his knees before collapsing sideways.
A single blow had crushed his face. It was no surprise that he fainted and fell.
Meanwhile, the beggar who had fled was dealt with by Encrid.
Thunk, thud!
“Ugh!”
The fleeing beggar, now adorned with a dagger in the back of his neck, fell forward.
Rem, who was about to give chase, stopped and turned his head.
Audin blinked a few times, and even Ragna, who had been half-asleep, opened his eyes wide.
Jaxon’s furrowed brow relaxed.
Amid the heavy, cold air enveloping them, Krais let out a short exclamation.
“Wow.”
Encrid lowered his hand from the position of having thrown the dagger and said,
“Why? It’s a waste of time to chase them.”
“Since when did our Squad Leader get so good at throwing daggers?” Rem asked.
“Practice makes perfect.”
“That’s quite something.”
“Now’s not the time to focus on the knife I threw, is it?”
Rem nodded in agreement. Encrid was right.
No one was surprised that five beggars had attacked them.
Even Krais remained calm.
“Aren’t you surprised?” Encrid asked.
He had already noticed the bodies and hands of the lying beggars as they walked.
They hadn’t survived as mercenaries this long by being careless. To live long with mediocre skills, one needed something else.
Awareness.
Encrid had a keen sense of awareness.
He knew from the beggars’ presence that Jaxon was leading them on the right path.
If there were guards, there must be something worth guarding ahead.
“Huh? Oh, no, I’m not surprised. What beggar attacks armed soldiers? Their excuse was flimsy. So, it’s certain that this is either the hideout of the criminal guild or they’re hiding something up ahead.”
Is that something anyone could notice?
Or maybe Krais was just clever.
It seemed more likely to be the latter.
Still, he was bold. Even though he was good at dodging and running away on the battlefield, Krais had witnessed battle firsthand.
This was nothing in comparison.
“These criminals are surprisingly organized.” Krais remarked.
“What do you mean?”
“Judging by the way those guys attacked, it looks like they were rotating shifts. That’s pretty meticulous for a small gang. That guy Gilpin must be very capable.”
Krais was indeed smart. He could infer the bigger picture from a small detail.
“That’s true.”
While they exchanged a few words, Jaxon moved to open the door but stepped back, grasping his sword handle as if ready to strike.
At that moment, Audin stepped forward.
“Let me knock.”
It was the headquarters of a criminal organization. Knocking wouldn’t make them open the door.
Bang!
But Audin’s knock was a bit different.
“Wow, nicely done, our religious friend.” Rem said, impressed. Encrid was also silently impressed.
Audin had pulled his right shoulder back and twisted his body on his left foot, slamming the door with his palm. He immediately pulled his hand back after the strike. It was a precise, cutting blow.
The door’s hinges lifted, and the door itself caved inward.
In other words, the door was opened—or rather, broken open.
It was an impressive knock.
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