We squeezed the merchant’s family and the additional child into the carriage and set off.
Instead of taking the road we came from, we headed further west. We were aiming for the town of Elderia, where the merchant was based. Of course, the road we came from would be safer, but that’s not what we were hired for.
Adventurers are drifters. It’s not unusual for us to wander from country to country. If we want to return to Arkand, we can just accept a job in that direction.
That is, if we manage to reach Elderia safely.
Less than an hour after departure, we saw a group filling the highway.
It was the Demon King’s army. They thoroughly block the main roads in occupied territories to prevent humans from moving freely. It’s only natural in wartime. They’re thorough.
It’s no wonder humans are at a disadvantage against the Demon King’s army.
“What should we do? Take a detour?”
Efsei rode his horse closer.
“No, the enemy numbers are few. There’s only one demon-folk. If we take an unfamiliar road, we might encounter monsters. Let’s break through head-on. Besides, we might encounter someone reasonable.”
Demon-folk can understand human language. Some of them are surprisingly rational, not as dangerous as they look. In fact, we’ve resolved situations through negotiation before, though rarely.
The Demon King’s army blocking the road seemed to be a mixed unit composed of various monsters led by a demon-folk. Goblins, ogres, and other familiar faces.
I signaled to stop the carriage and called out to Sophia, who was sitting on the driver’s seat.
“Get ready.”
“Understood.”
As soon as I heard Sophia’s reply, I rode my horse forward alone.
I approached the Demon King’s army, stopping just close enough to escape if needed, and raised my voice.
“Let’s avoid unnecessary fighting, Mr. Demon. We’re skilled adventurers. If we fight, we’ll definitely win. But that would be troublesome for both of us. You probably don’t have orders to ‘exterminate all passing humans,’ right? Just close your eyes for a bit. Not for long, just long enough to take a piss. That way, none of us get hurt or die. It’s probably the fifth-best deal you’ll get in your life. What do you say?”
The purple-skinned demon-folk, towering over me by two heads, glared with sharp eyes, then slowly pointed at me.
At that signal, all the monsters he commanded rushed towards me at once.
Negotiation failed. There are inflexible people everywhere, I suppose.
I quickly turned my horse around and headed back to my companions. I could see Sophia in the middle of the road, chanting a spell.
The moment I passed by Sophia, her magic was completed.
Lightning shot from Sophia’s staff, striking the group of enemies chasing me. The monsters fell, turned to charcoal. While the negotiation failed, my role as a decoy was successful. That spell probably took out half of the enemies.
“Well, shall we go then?”
I turned my horse around again and drew my sword. Efsei was also readying his spear.
Now it’s time for the warriors to shine.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
I cut down the monsters who were still standing in shock from the earlier magic, charging on horseback.
Efsei was also wreaking havoc with his spear. Momentum is crucial in situations like this. Even just the two of us, with enough momentum, we can fight advantageously against numerically superior enemies.
The number of monsters quickly decreased, but the demon-folk in the rear let out a roar. It wasn’t in human language, but more like a beast’s cry. At that, the monsters who had been fighting fearfully suddenly fled en masse. That must have been some kind of retreat order.
To prevent them from regrouping, which would be troublesome, we mercilessly cut down the fleeing monsters’ backs.
We wanted to reduce their numbers as much as possible now, but it’s quite difficult to deliver fatal blows to opponents running away with their backs turned. In the end, more than half of the remaining enemies managed to escape.
In their place, the demon-folk stepped forward. His huge body was clad in what must be custom-made armor, and he held a greatsword in each hand. Whether prioritizing mobility or due to difficulties in crafting, the joints of the armor were exposed, revealing skin.
Dual-wielding, huh? It’s difficult for humans to wield a greatsword with one hand, but with a demon-folk’s strength, it’s probably no big deal. He’s bigger than the demon-folk in Arkand. Likely a formidable enemy, but we could probably defeat him if Efsei and I work together.
However, the demon-folk is aware of this too. Many of his monster subordinates still remained. He’ll probably try to outflank us and attack our blind spots. Or they might target the carriage.
Sophia and Nina aren’t suited for close combat, so the carriage’s defense is weak. Either I or Efsei need to cover it. In other words, one of us has to face the demon-folk alone. This huge, muscular purple monster.
I glanced to the side and met Efsei’s eyes.
“This is the leader’s job, right?”
Damn, he’s totally trying to push it on me.
“No, I just realized I’m not cut out to be a leader. I’ve been thinking for a while that you’d be more suitable as the leader of this party, Efsei.”
“Unfortunately, my late father told me ‘never become a leader.’ I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Efsei, whose father should still be alive, retreated to the rear to keep the monsters in check without waiting for my response.
Well, it can’t be helped. It’s my role to deal with the demon-folk.
Seeing that his opponents had reduced from two to one, the demon-folk grinned confidently. He probably thinks he won’t lose to a single human.
I readied my longsword. The blade emitted a pale blue glow, indicating its magical power.
It’s a masterpiece worth enough to buy a mansion. After retiring as an adventurer, I plan to sell it and live a life of leisure.
That is, if I can defeat the demon-folk in front of me.
“Finally showing yourself, Mr. Demon? You look a bit under the weather. Maybe you should go home and rest until that purple face of yours gets better?”
It was a cheap provocation, but it seemed to work.
The demon-folk’s eyes turned bloodshot as he swung his right-hand greatsword diagonally with all his might.
I dodged it with a light step backward, but he immediately followed up with a horizontal slash from his left-hand greatsword. I parried this with my sword, deflecting it towards the ground with all my strength. My arms went slightly numb from the impact, true to his appearance.
Using the demon-folk’s greatsword, now stuck in the ground, as a foothold, I aimed for his neck in one swift motion.
The demon-folk tried to block with his right-hand greatsword, but aiming for the neck was a feint. My real target was his left arm.
I spun my body and slashed at the exposed joint of his arm, not covered by armor.
Red blood, just like a human’s, spurted from the demon-folk’s left arm.
“GUOOO!”
As the demon-folk screamed and retreated, I swung my sword two, three more times in quick succession.
The armor prevents me from dealing as much damage as I’d like, but I’ve managed to wound him considerably. His left arm is hanging limp. It’s probably useless now.
But it wasn’t going to end so easily.
The demon opened its mouth with an angry expression, and something flickering could be seen inside.
I jumped to the side instinctively.
In that instant, blue flames spewed out, engulfing the spot where I had just been.
It was breath. The effect was unknown, but at least it couldn’t be good for one’s health. I had no desire to test it.
The demon then swung its remaining right hand’s great sword like a club. If I tried to block it with my sword, it would surely break my arm. I avoided that attack too by staying out of range, but then the breath targeted me again. Ah, this was keeping me quite busy.
If I moved away, there was the breath; if I got close, there was the great sword. A troublesome opponent indeed. If we had all faced it together, we could have managed somehow, but dealing with it alone was a tough job. It was the right decision to crush its left arm with the first strike.
Glancing back, I saw that while I was fighting, the remaining monsters had headed towards the carriage.
Efsei also seemed to be having a hard time fighting while protecting the carriage. Sophia and Nina were keeping the monsters at bay with magic, but the carriage was almost surrounded. The merchants inside must be quite pale with fear by now. It would be bad if I didn’t go help them.
I needed to defeat this purple demon in front of me quickly.
As I was thinking this, there was a moment’s pause in the demon’s movement. It was the prelude to its breath attack.
After drawing it in sufficiently, I dodged to the side. Good. I was starting to understand it.
At that moment, its right hand movement also becomes vulnerable. That’s when to aim.
I close in, the great sword comes flying, I dodge backwards, then comes the breath.
This was basically the pattern. Which means…
I charged at the demon. The great sword, wielding pure violence rather than any swordsmanship, came at me.
I avoided it by the skin of my teeth. Then, just as it was about to use its breath attack, I stepped forward. If I misjudged the timing even slightly, I’d be fodder for those blue flames.
The demon, about to open its mouth, showed a dumbfounded expression.
If it had ignored my movement and just breathed out its flames, it might have led to a mutual defeat, but that split second decided the outcome.
I slashed the demon’s throat with the tip of my sword. Red blood and blue flames leaked out from there.
Its head burned by its own blue flames, the demon’s unvoiced scream was visible in the shape of its mouth.
Not yet. These creatures’ vitality is incomparable to humans.
As expected, the great sword was swung horizontally. It was a desperate attack, but if it hit, it would mean instant death. They really don’t make it easy to win.
While jumping to avoid that crude, forceful attack, I closed in on the demon again.
“It was a short acquaintance.”
With all my might, I struck off its head.
While waiting for next chapter , I implore you dear readers to read other masterpiece novels that also written by the same author :
- Monster Meat Led Me to the Throne
- The Wicked Princess and 12 Eyes – The Strongest Squires and the Legendary Evil Woman, the Second Time in Her Life
- The Suspects of Necromancy
- The Exiled Merchant Saves the World with the Power of Gold (translated by my friend meerkat)
Also check out my friend Localizermeerkat for more LN translations!
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