Chapter 158: From Arriving to Attacking (1/2)

Comparing the information Loren got from the bandit with Lapis’ map, they found out that the bandits’ depot was on a mountain. It would take them a day to get there on foot, but they could arrive in no time on horseback.

Wanting to save as much time as possible, the party decided to borrow some horses from the town. However, the town didn’t have enough horses for all of them, so they had to make do with one fast horse and a sturdy carriage instead.

“It’ll be very simple if I burn them all down.”

Tizona said from inside the dangerously jolting carriage. Loren did agree with her, so he had no objections to that.

However, the cost for a simple closure would be much less profit. As getting the loot was also their aim, they should avoid burning techniques as much as possible. Otherwise, it was very likely that the goods would be burned to ashes together with the bandits and become useless.

“Can’t eat them if they become ashes…”

“Yes, so can you shut up?”

As Gula was about to say something stupid in front of Tizona, Loren used his hand to block her mouth. Tizona watched them wrestling each other with a tilted head, while Lapis looked back from the driver seat with a reproachful expression.

They needed a coachman to drive the carriage, but of course, the city would not allow one to accompany them in an assault of a bandit hideout. Lapis had no choice but to take on the job, but she seemed to be already regretting it.

“You look to be having fun…”

Lapis grumbled, and Gula answered sincerely:

“Yeah, it’s unexpectedly fun.”

Lapis not expecting such an answer got so surprised that she lost control of the carriage for a moment, making it jolt violently. Gula found even that to be funny, and Loren had to acknowledge that she was a kind of good travel company.

Their carriage reached the mountain range at last. Even though it was slower than riding, it was still much faster than walking, as they managed to reach their destination before sunset.

They parked the carriage at some distance from the depot. Loren got down and muttered while looking in the depot’s direction:

“Isn’t it just the right time to attack?”

The sun was setting, the light was changing colors, and darkness would soon come. Just like Loren said, it was the perfect time for an attack. They could move under the cover of night.

“Do we have any attack plan?”

Lapis asked while tying the carriage to a tree. From the intel they had gathered, there were about a hundred bandits at this depot. She thought it was a bit too many for four people, but Tizona answered with no regards to her worry:

“I will charge in from the front.”

“That’s… Well, alright, let’s hear it all first.”

Number-wise, they were overwhelmed, and yet Tizona wanted to charge in head on? Lapis wanted to complain, but it looked like she had a plan, so Lapis decided to hear her out first.

“While I make a show to attract their attention, you sneak in and cause disorder from the inside. If we attack from both inside and outside, they will fall into chaos, don’t they?”

The plan was unexpectedly decent, so Lapis told Tizona:

“You really did think it through, didn’t you?”

Tizona snorted at her words with just a bit of annoyance. Lapis didn’t say anything, but told her clearly through facial expression: ‘If you don’t want others to think of you like that, then stop mentioning burning things at every chance possible’.

She then looked at Loren for his opinion:

“It’s not bad, right? Do you have any problems with the plan…?”

“Just that we suck at sneakin’ in.”

“Also, unlike you guys, I’ll die if I face a group of bandits alone.”

“Eh?”

Gula scowled at Loren as if asking what kind of stupid thing he was saying.

Loren was speaking his true thoughts, but from Gula’s point of view, what he said was just an incomprehensible joke. Tizona seemed to have the same opinion, and was looking at him with the same expression.

The truth was, Loren believed that if he were to face the group of bandits alone, he would use up his strength sooner or later and die. Even when they intercepted the town raid earlier, he was able to make it because he could entrust his back to Gula, who, as an Evil God, was a being existing beyond common knowledge.

But the people around him didn’t seem to think so. Feeling troubled to be so overestimated, Loren cleared his throat:

“Well, if Tizona can attract their attention with her flashy display, it’ll be alright, I guess?”

“That’s right. And if we mess up, we simply have to crush’em.”

Lapis then concluded:

“We’re absolutely horrible at things like stealth and subtlety.”

They looked at each other and, except for Loren, everyone laughed at almost the same time, even though the laughter was somewhat forced. It could be said they were all feeling self-conscious because of Lapis’ words, and could only laugh to gloss it over.

“So, I’ll go in from the front and make a show.”

“And we’ll detour and sneak in as stealthily as possible from the rear.”

Tizona snapped her fingers and walked straight to the entrance of the depot. Loren watched her go, then tried to move as silently as possible towards the back of the depot.

“Hey, someone’s coming.”