Sword Pilgrim

A gust of wind blew over the pure white snowfield, forming vortices.

A colony of Orcs had died it green. Their commander, his face heavy, shouted from his shack made of animal leather and bones.

"սննդի պակաս!" 「The food's run out!」

The man, his blonde hair tied in a braid that fluttered in the wind, scrunched his forehead at the sound.

"What are these guys talking about now?"

"They've run out of food."

"All that food?"

The man who'd taken off his hood, his golden hair fluttering –

Lutheon, frowned.

Obviously, the army had brought several carts of munitions on the backs of the giant beasts when they'd arrived.

Most of those bales must have had been occupied by food, so how come it was already used up?

Ramatu, holding his staff, conversed with the Orcs again.

"Seems that the troops transporting the rations have lost contact."

"Lost contact…?"

At Lutheon's puzzled expression, Ramatu stroked his beard as if he knew something.

"That Callius' whereabouts have been unknown since a while ago… Looks like he came out to steal the food."

Failure to do so would only result in a dog's death.

However, if you succeed, it's definitely a great help for the defenders.

His actions forced the Orc army to start worrying about food shortages.

"Callius…"

"Orcs don't eat humans, after all. And food is important to keep up with their strong body and stamina."

Be it beasts or humans, it's difficult to fight while starving.

All living things die if they lack food.

Be it a beast or a human.

"But such an important resource has now been cut off. We can't wait for the next supply…"

There was no time.

The hungry army had eaten up all the beasts in the forest near Jevarsch, and they also had their own mounts to think of.

Since they had to deal with the food supply of the tamed beasts, all the rations they'd brought with them in the past had already been exhausted.

It was enough to give rise to dissent in the ranks.

"Who knows if the next supply convoy would be cut off, either."

"No way. Please don't say that."

"Do you really think so?"

Those were meaningful words.

Even knowing what they meant, Lutheon decided to confirm again.

Because the other party was Ramatu of Krasion.

The most ancient, long-lived member of Krasion.

"What do you mean?"

"The Orcs escorting this supply convoy even included a Great Warrior. You know what it means to have them stolen."

The death of a Great Warrior.

The munitions being robbed.

Both pointed to a single fact.

"You're saying that Callius killed the Great Warrior and stole the munitions."

"Right."

However, it was difficult to understand.

"Still, he's a guy who almost died by the hands of a Great Warrior just a short while ago. Even if he survived… it was because that Paladin wielding lightning was with him. With that rare elemental Spirit Sword."

If there was a strong Paladin by his side, a talented warrior with a rare Spirit Sword –

Only then would the death of a Great Warrior make sense. It was clear at a glance how powerful the elemental series was. So it was not an impossible feat for a Paladin with a sword imbued with lightning.

"That's another thing you don't know. Originally, what I fear the most is the growth of a child."

"He's not a child."

"To me, he's like a child still blooming."

"Anyway, let's stop this discussion. I'm still curious about how Callius is still alive. Besides, I'm not sure of his level of skill, but it's ridiculous to say that he's on par with a Great Warrior."

"I was talking about possibilities."

Lutheon thought that it was an absurd leap. Maybe it was because the other party didn't know Callius like he did.

They had been monks in the Church together.

No matter how good his swordsmanship looked from the outside, Callius was cack-handed.

He had no talent for the sword.

It wouldn't have been easy for a guy like him to go on a pilgrimage and still be alive…

‘A Great Warrior. Ridiculous.'

Of course, the Silver Flower Wave Sword dance he displayed had definitely been outstanding.

So there must have been some kind of trick, for him to have that level of skill.

However –

"A fool is forever a fool."

No matter how much people change –

Their essences do not change easily.

Even if he was taught such excellent swordsmanship, how far could he go with such mediocre talent?

It was absurd.

Lutheon finished his thought.

"Anyway, this is bothering me.

"The rations are of course important, but losing the rest of the supplies is also a blow. Including the necessary supplies to tame the beasts."

They were being quiet for now, but once the medicinal effects subsided, the beasts would wake up to their instincts.

And then there would be a riot.

"What should we do? Master Ramatu."

"Unless he's an idiot, he wouldn't go back to the castle with the supplies he stole."

"Then…"

It would be nearly impossible to enter the fortress through the army of so many Orcs.

And if you are laden with loot on top of that, the probability of success nears zero.

Then there was one thing he could do from outside the castle.

"He'll try to steal all the supplies that follow."

"That's true."

It was a natural conclusion.

Basically, the supplies were not moved all at once.

They were to be transported in order – first, second and third.

The first convoy had been lost this time.

"So we have the second and third convoys left."

"If you don’t move this time, all of them will be robbed."

If so, there would be only one possible ending.

"The Orc army will be annihilated, and your mission will also fail."

Mission failure.

Lutheon's shoulders became heavy.

"… I can't fail. I must succeed. For the lady[1], I must!!"

Ramatu clicked his tongue seeing the devotion burning in his eyes.

He didn't know if it was simple loyalty or the madness that springs from being in love, but if left as it was, the mission would really be a failure.

Since he'd come here representing Krasion, Ramatu also had his own pride to think of.

It was a sad thing, but this couldn't be left unattended.

That was then –

"Շտապիր!" 「Hurry!」

An Orc rushed in, shouting. He seemed to have come to inform them of an emergency.

"What is he saying?"

Hearing the Orc's story, Ramatu's lips thinned.

"The secondary munitions have been stolen."

"… Who is doing this?"

"A Knight with black hair and gray eyes, wearing a red cloak."

There were not many Knights in the North with such an impression.

"Callius…"

It was that bastard.

"Sir Lutheon. You must stop that bastard first. A blaze, once it starts burning, is hard to stop."

"…"

"Sir Lutheon. A hungry Orc is even more useless than a beast."

Ramatu shook his head, looking at the weakened Orcs.

"The secondary munitions have also been stolen, so we must meet the next wave in advance. Which route is it coming from?"

"That…"

"The Sinking Forest?"

"Yeah. That's probably the place."

"I see. If it's the Sinking Forest…"

Sinking Forest.

The second largest of the three famous forests in the North.

I'd know of it if anybody does.

‘I gave the settings for this place.'

As the name suggested, it was a forest that was gradually sinking due to the weak ground. Originally, in ancient times, it had been a place with steep cliffs and rock formations, but they had been abraded over a long period of time, and on top of them had risen a forest with its roots firmly entangled to form the ground.

Therefore, the earth in this place was made up of accumulated sediment and soft roots, and if you stepped on it, your body would gradually sink. Hence the name.

A forest that was difficult to enter, except for hunters and guides.

It was a dangerous place where you don't know when or where the earth would give way, so relaxing you guard might lose you your life.

Even if you got lucky and survived the fall, there was no way to climb back up, so once you fell, it was over.

A dangerous jungle where death hounded your every step – that was the Sinking Forest.

"Orphin. Are you sure? It doesn't make sense to cross that forest with munitions."

It was such a dangerous place.

The weak ground meant it was difficult to carry heavy loads. No matter how savage the Orcs might have been, they weren't that sort of idiots.

It didn't make sense.

"Certainly. Lady Rinney said that she saw them head towards there with her own eyes."

"That's right! I saw it. Master Callius."

Eyes blessed by Valtherus.

Rinney's eyes, which were no different from true clairvoyants, were certainly dependable.

But Callius couldn't be sure.

‘It was the same when we robbed the first wave of munitions, but the second time was not easy at all.'

Although there was no Great Warrior with them, there were a large number of Orcs with high combat ability on average, so the battle had been quite fierce despite the advantage of surprise.

A lot of blood had to be shed for the victory.

‘Compared to them, the power I have now is weak.'

No matter how powerful he might be, even comparable to a Great Warrior, he only had a single body.

Except for Callius, the average combat power of the rest of the Knights could not be considered high.

He had been fortunate enough to acquire a dramatic rise in his skills due to some tricks and coincidences, but they were not.

They were getting used to the battlefield and their skills were increasing day by day, but in reality they were far too lacking to be compared to the true Knights of Jervain.

‘They've grown a lot compared to the past, but it's not enough yet.'

The ones escorting the munitions were usually elites among the Orc Warriors.

If they simply clashed head-on, losing the Knights would be inevitable.

At this time, when nobody knew how the situation might change next, each death was a painful loss and directly led to a decrease in overall power, so they had to be careful.

Besides, they were Knights who had believed in him, followed him.

He didn't want to lose those who claimed to be the Knights of Callius.

"How was their procession?"

"There was nothing unusual about it. The beasts were dragging large carts that looked like munitions."

There was nothing special about it.

So it was even more suspicious.

You couldn't go through the Sinking Forest by pulling munitions with a cart.

But they went that way nonetheless.

"Suspicious."

An award-winning performance.

"They're just Orcs, so they might not know about the Sinking Forest."

It was Aaron, one of the Knights.

What he was conveying in such kind words –

That Orcs were ignorant brutes.

To some extent, that was correct.

Because they were barbarians, who followed a tribal culture.

"Aaron, although they lack knowledge, they are not without wisdom. They were indeed driven out of the North, but that doesn't make them fools."

"Uh, hmm…"

As Aaron let out a sigh, Allen who was next to him spoke as if he had been waiting.

"It's the Sinking Forest. one of the three major forests in the North. It's even the second most famous forest after the White Forest, so there's no way they don't know about it. I'm kind of suspicious."

Allen, whose youthful face had become a little sharper and more mature after losing an eye, wondered aloud if the Orcs had dug a trap.

"Maybe, as Sir Allen puts it. Maybe it's different than what we think, the Orcs may go through the Sinking Forest via some special route. How about arranging an ambush, any specific locations?"

There was no need to go into the dangerous forest, but they could estimate where the Orcs might exit and spring an ambush.

It was a regular Knight who had been previously under Zornik who suggested it, a stable operation that could minimize damage.

"Orphin, what do you think?"

Callius, who'd been quietly pondering, looked at Orphin and asked.

She'd been a Knight of the North for so long that it was difficult to compare with anyone else present.

Although unexpectedly captured by the Orcs, she was still a person with both the dignity and the intelligence befitting a Knight.

"I don't think we have time."

"Time?"

"Yeah. Twice now, we've cut off the supplies of the Orc army. So they're going to be anxious too."

That's not wrong.

The most important thing in war is munitions.

More specifically, rations.

Winter in the North is very cold, and food is infinitely scarce.

For the Orcs, who are bringing with them so many beasts that their army looks like the waves of a green sea, food must be as important as their honour as Warriors.

"They, too, will risk life and death for this supply convoy, so I think we need to take the munitions and run away as soon as possible."

"Right."

That's right.

As desperate as we are, so are our opponents. So we don't have much time left.

We must decide soon.

Decide, and implement.

"Then how about this?"

"What is it, Bruns?"

"Now, what worries master is that those guys who entered the forest have set a trap, right?"

"Yes. Even if we go into the forest and seize the supplies, we won't make it out of there if reinforcements arrive and surround us."

Because they will be desperate too.

If the supply is cut off this time, it will be their turn to wither and die.

News of what happened to the rest of the supplies must have come in by now. So they would have sent reinforcements towards the last remaining supply convoy.

"Master, our purpose is simply to cut off the supplies, isn't it?"

"If that was so simple, why bother…"

Just when I was about to say something –

Bruns' blunt words hit me like an avalanche.

"Then we can just let them sink alive with their supplies, right?"

They entered the Sinking Forest.

It seemed that my past two successes had made me focus only on stealing the supplies.

Let them all sink.

Bruns' words cleared my mind.

The Sinking Forest.

Let them sink and perish there, as befit the name of the place.

"If it were that simple, we wouldn't be suffering like this… Use your head a bit more."

Aaron stabbed from the side, but I raised my hand to focus everybody's attention.

"No. No…"

I didn't know if it was different for others. But for me, it was very simple.

Because –

Because I, had made the Sinking Forest.

Editor's Notes:

[1] Korean has problems with gendered pronouns, so you aren't supposed to know at this point whether it's a male or a female being spoken of. Spoiler? Not really. Who exactly it is, though… is one.

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