Time moved swiftly; two weeks had vanished in a flash since the rescue mission. I was currently making my way through the shadows of a dense forest, taking a small detour on my way to the town of Gaunago. I was set to meet Serge there, as he was traveling to the ducal estate to pay his respects, but first, I had a personal stop to make.
"I’m sorry for dragging you along on a whim like this," I said to my companion.
"It is no trouble," Fei replied. "For now, I am the boss’s bodyguard. If the boss wants to visit his old home, then we go. Besides, I am comfortable in places like this. It is fine."
Fei followed close behind me, his movements effortless. He never lagged, and his footfalls were nearly silent, a clear sign that he was at home in the wilderness. He truly was a former assassin.
"It’s a relief to hear that. I assume you received a lot of training for this sort of thing?"
"I had training, yes, but in my country, we do not have many proper roads like you do here. Roads make travel easy for people, but they also make it easy for enemy soldiers to invade. I was a peddler on the surface, so I traveled to many small villages, but everywhere outside the major cities looked exactly like this."
I hadn't realized that. Come to think of it, I barely knew anything about Fei’s homeland. I knew it was a large nation plagued by a dangerous civil war, but my knowledge ended there. Even though it had been over six months since I hired him, I’d never really asked. I’d told the other employees he had military experience, which was a necessary half-truth given his background.
"If you don't mind, could you tell me a bit more? Just the parts that aren't a problem to talk about."
"I can answer anything. It would be a hassle to make it public, but the boss already knows I was an assassin. There is no harm in speaking to you."
He was so nonchalant about it that it actually made me a bit nervous. "Are there no secrets you’re supposed to keep?"
"The country that would have cared is gone. There is no problem. Most of the important information is useless by now, and anything still valuable has likely been seized by the enemy. If anything, sharing information with the enemy of my enemy might be a service to my old home. There are comrades who stayed behind for that very reason."
"I see..."
I decided not to hold back, though I knew so little that I wasn't even sure where to begin.
"How much does the boss know of my country?" Fei asked.
"Well, the Jilmar Empire is a major power to the northeast of the Reefaul Kingdom. And as I mentioned, it’s currently dangerous because of the ongoing internal conflict. That’s about it."
"Then I will add a piece or two."
According to Fei, the Jilmar Empire was founded long ago by a single Human of incredible combat prowess. He had unified the various villages and clans in the northern part of the continent through sheer military might. However, historical records regarding the Empire's founding were scarce—the Founding Emperor’s name, his origins, and the exact date the nation was established were all shrouded in mystery. Because of this, every faction in the current civil war claimed their own version of history, each asserting that their leader was the true descendant of the Emperor's bloodline. It sounded like a headache of a country, even without the actual fighting.
"When I was there, the Empire was split between four major powers," Fei continued. "House Wyn ruled the south, House Tuan ruled the northwest, House Biguan ruled the northeast, and House Shu held the center. There were small skirmishes within those territories, of course, but the true war was fought between those four."
"And you and Li Ling...?"
"We served House Wyn. They employed many assassins like us, divided into specialized organizations. Some stayed deep in enemy territory to gather intelligence; others worked in major cities to find and eliminate foreign agents. My unit moved between territories to transport information or verify reports. Within House Wyn’s own borders, our job was to eliminate bandits. Since we were always on the move, everyone in our unit maintained a cover job as a peddler so we wouldn't look suspicious."
I listened intently as we walked, fascinated by his history.
"Ah, that reminds me, Boss. There is something I forgot to mention." He spoke as if he’d just remembered a trivial detail.
"Is it something important?"
"At the interview when you hired us, I said Li Ling was my daughter and that she looked like her mother. Do you remember?"
"I do."
"That was a lie. We were simply assigned to the same unit to play the roles of father and daughter. We share no blood."
That was a lot less scandalous than I’d imagined. Though, I suppose it was a significant distinction for them.
"We have played these roles for over ten years, so she is like a real daughter to me now. It is difficult to explain to others, but I thought it was right to tell you, since you know the truth of our past."
Fei went on to explain that House Wyn gathered orphans of war or children abandoned due to poverty into facilities, where they were trained for service. Li Ling was one of those children.
"Using children as assassins... you may think it cruel, but it was common in my country. And the lives of the children who were not taken in were much worse. They simply did not survive."
Li Ling had been identified as having talent for assassination and was assigned to Fei. However, the facility wasn't just for killers; it also trained soldiers and civil servants. It functioned as a grim form of social welfare, giving children a future, even if those paths were strictly dictated.
As we spoke, we both suddenly fell silent. It wasn't because of the somber nature of the conversation.
"Fei-san."
"Someone is ahead," he whispered.
The tracks on the ground confirmed our suspicions.
"They're wearing boots, so they're human. The tracks haven't been washed away by this morning’s rain, so they must have passed through here less than half a day ago."
"I count ten... no, fifteen. That is too many for a hunting party. They are surely bandits. What are your orders?"
"...If they keep going this way, they'll hit the river. They might be heading there to camp. It’s the same direction as my old home."
"That is a problem." Though his words suggested concern, his tone was entirely unbothered. He waited for me to make the call.
"We could turn back and take the main road, but..." I had planned to spend the night at my cave. Taking the long way meant changing everything, and the sun would set before we reached the road. Besides, as someone who once called this forest home, I had a certain attachment to it. "If they’re bandits, I’d rather deal with them now. Will you help me?"
"Of course. In that case, Boss, wait here. I will scout ahead. I suspect they are not far."
I trusted Fei-san's judgment. When it came to tracking and stealth, he was clearly my superior. I hadn't even been able to tell how far away they were. I’d have to ask him about that later.
"Please be careful."
"Leave it to me."
Almost before he finished speaking, he moved with startling silence. With only the faint sound of rustling leaves, he vanished into the trees.
Fei-san returned about an hour later.
"Welcome back," I said.
A loud rustle came from the brush behind me. "So, you noticed me after all."
"I ordered my Metal Slime—currently in weapon form—to alert me if any 'metal,' which is to say 'food,' got close. I wasn't taking any chances with bandits nearby."
"Even so, you shouldn't have known it was me..."
I wondered why he’d tried to sneak up on me in the first place. If it hadn't been for the slime's warning, I would have noticed him much later. He really was a professional. Hiring him as a bodyguard for the shop was looking like a stroke of genius.
"What did you find?"
"Fifteen men, just as we thought. They are making camp at the base of a cliff further ahead. I believe it is the place you mentioned. They were sitting around a bonfire discussing their plans for tomorrow; they are definitely bandits, and experienced ones at that."
"Can the two of us take them?"
"They have four mages with staves and three archers. The rest are melee fighters with swords and spears. Their equipment is in good repair and they are well-balanced, but that is all. No one stands out as particularly powerful. If we wait for total darkness, I could probably eliminate them alone. In the old days, I would have used a group like this to train recruits. For the two of us, it will be easy. It will be over in moments."
The decision was made. Since I had a professional with me, I decided to let him handle the tactical planning for my own education.
"Boss, use this." Fei-san held out a pocket watch.
It was one of the pieces I’d recently ordered from the Dinome Magic Tool Workshop. They were expensive, but I’d bought one for every employee at the shop because they were so useful. The casing featured a relief of a slime and some clothing; naturally, I had mine on me as well.
"First, I will lead you to a position where I can move in without being seen. You will wait there for fifteen minutes, then show yourself to the enemy. If you are spotted before then, the plan remains the same. If they attack immediately, fight back. If they try to talk... you are a rookie adventurer who got lost while gathering herbs. That should work for you. During those fifteen minutes, I will move to the opposite side. While you have their attention, I will come from behind and take out the mages first. Assassination is my trade; I am not one for fighting fair. Once the battle begins, we finish them quickly. Understood?"
"Understood."
If we were going to play to our strengths, me acting as the decoy was the most logical choice. We set off immediately.
When the appointed time came, I stepped out into the clearing.
"Excuse me! Is anyone there!?"
The camp jumped. "Who’s there!?"
The bandits instantly looked toward me, but I noticed some of them immediately scanned the other directions as well. They had definitely seen their share of combat.
"A kid?" "Tch, just some brat..."
"I’m not a suspicious person! I’ve just gotten lost!" I called out, putting on my best act.
"An adventurer?" one of them asked.
"Yes! I took my first request today. I was gathering medicinal herbs, but I got so excited that I lost track of where I was..."
"Well, that’s a tough break, kid." "Heh, come over here and rest your feet."
I walked toward them, acting oblivious. They seemed to have lowered their guard at the sight of a child, but I could tell they had no intention of letting me leave. Just as their hands began to drift toward their weapons, the four men at the back of the group suddenly slumped to the ground. It was like a scene from a certain detective anime, right before the big reveal.
The split second the others diverted their gaze toward their fallen comrades was the only opening I needed. I drew my blade and, without losing momentum, struck the neck of the man closest to me.
"An enemy—!" "Gah!"
I followed through with a thrust to the throat, then a horizontal sweep. I moved through them, prioritizing lethal strikes on the nearest targets.
"You little brat!" one shouted, lunging at me.
I dodged his knife by a hair’s breadth and drove my blade through his heart. That made four.
Just as I felt a surge of mana nearby, a voice whispered: "Ien."
Fei-san and several bandits were suddenly engulfed in a pillar of rising smoke. The smoke stayed thick and didn't drift toward me; it was the first time I’d seen Fei-san use magic. It was an unfamiliar incantation, but the effect was similar to the poison-attribute spell Smoke Screen. Since Fei-san was inside it, it likely wasn't toxic to the caster.
However, the screams coming from within the smoke told a different story.
"Aaaagh!" "Damn it!" "H-Help!"
I cut down the men who tried to crawl out of the haze. In less than thirty seconds, the clearing went silent. As the smoke dissipated, I saw the bandits scattered on the ground. Fei-san stood among them, his straight sword dripping with blood.
It was very clear who had won that exchange.
"It is finished, Boss."
"That was impressive."
I meant it. But seeing his skill firsthand made me realize something: his current salary didn't come close to matching his actual worth.
I’d have to talk to Caulm about getting the man a raise the moment we returned.