Chapter 31 (1/2)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31 – If together we live, together we…

That man’s enthusiasm and ferociousness were obvious to everyone’s eyes

Although his red ingoff the thick air of wanting to seize the lives of his foes With a decoration of a red string swaying at the pommel of his backward-bent sword, which is affixed to his hips, there are blood-spurts or so a dangerous aura On top of his neck, which had a golden ring coiling around it, he has a char wildness within

That ard hioes that far Previously he was hostile, but that changed into hi his skills trusted all the more The chief of the bandits, Kustaa Without a doubt, he is a strong person

“… Kustaa, stop it and putto use the comb?” (Marko)

“Just a bit longer It’s just a bit more You ain’t allowed to move Hehehe” (Kustaa)

Why is he doing so with a smile plastered on his whole face? Oiva doesn’t know the reason, while observing it, either His ability, which is splendidly put into practice, arranges politely and courteously the black hair while relying on a s with a co while that’s done to hireement

“Kustaa, just now, did you s” or such? I won’t do that I won’t wear such things I don’t want a collar either Why are you just thinking about such pointless things?” (Marko)

“That’s a wasteful talk, Marko-saold and put on red decorations, let’s just do that” (Kustaa)

“You still haven’t fixed that annoying habit, Kustaa!?” (Marko)

“As promised, it won’t be a copy of mine” (Kustaa)

“All the same, for me to match with you…!” (Marko)

What’s with this scene, I wonder? Oiva placed the sword, he was holding, to the side for the ti that he etting his windpipe slit due to negligence shouldn’t happen in these circumstances Even if it’s the worst case He didn’t expect that he would be seeing such a thing

He surveyed the surroundings while breathing out Many people turned their faces away just then It’s the members of the Royal Guard Unit Oiva nods his head towards the of spectating very well Though itKustaa blend in with the unit… Realizing that, Oiva nodded and said “I see”

This place is already the front line… it’s one a Calamity There’s still a bit time until we are scheduled to sortie, but it has been decided that ill start going ahead immediately due to the codom’s Oiva was convinced It looks like Marko plans to do everything that can be done

The idea ofKustaa’s 1500 mounted bandits with the Third Princess’ Royal Guard Unit is a story fro that happened soon after Oiva arrived

at the front line fortress It brought about surprise for the officers and men at the front due to two facts

First, it’s about the quite the elite soldiers All of the 1500 riders had an air of being dignified experts as light cavalry drifting about The le horse and ance, htest unrest As they were publicly three units of mercenary corps, many of other units came to inquire about the details of the contract Every place is wishi+ng for a powerful cavalry

Second, it’s about theenerally three ways to arrive at the front line fortress fro North fro East through Sal the river towards the West froh Marquis Yurihalshi+ra’s territory and going South through Peterius Earldoon River fro ards on one of its branches So froh the northern border area」

Oiva heard the entirety of it fro the “black market salt” route

How did theto Marko’s concise explanation, it apparently was 「Disturbance of the front line’s war potential replenishdom’s salt’s price with black market salt, the income of the national treasure was reduced in order to affect the war expenditures Meanwhile, the supply line of the Helrevi Earldooods was nate Didn’t they delay the ti out for two years as a result of that? Marko recited

Not just Oiva but everyone, who took the oath, was surprised by this even though they also agreed with it They are aware that the activity of the arded profit That’s because they aier And, as for what turned the tables on theation

Black oal of those two activities was likely to obtain vast profits as oal was to simply obtain riches, it would have sufficed if they had just distributed the black market salt There wouldn’t be even any necessity to be mounted bandits

Then, why did they want to delay the time of the war outbreak? Marko hasn’t talked about that Putting thievery aside, the activity of dealing with black ht have been rather inconvenient in war tirasp the answer to that

That’s because the degree of training of Kustaa’s group as cavalry is soth isn’t in the area of theinally the cavalry of Saloanization However, why did they continue to preserve their strength for so long?Oiva daringly predicted the reason for that

Isn’t it Marko?

Didn’t they wait for Marko?

It’s a story that doesn’t ical sense, but the ives Oiva such an impression The persuasion of Marko’s sworn coo to the mounted bandits, that bizarre scene, it seein of their loyalty However, Oiva knows about a previous mystery

It’s Kustaa At the time when Marko pierced Kustaa’s both shoulders… to be precise when he aie occurrence The eyes of Oiva, as very near, were able to perceive thedefenseless as he was obviously teaze Marko releases dreadfulness fro that is effective against everyone, but… it hit Kustaa very hard Oiva felt that

It was like that at the time with Bertrand as well Oiva believes that he saw that strange coercion at that tiree of a leader of villains wanting to pledge allegiance It’s no exaggeration to call him a fanatic and Oiva can sense the same atmosphere from the mounted bandits such as Kustaa

In reality, Oiva feels that they also entered the fortress without investigating it properly At any rate, they are mounted bandits It doesn’t look like they acted as thieves anywhere else but in the Helrevi territory, but even so, there’s so called bodies clad in brutality It’s a military power different from mercenaries, who looked like it was business, or ulated It’s h ferociousness

(Especially that lot… well, Kustaa is first on the list though) (Oiva)

Ahead, where Oiva stared at, there are people who are receiving special treatst the first unit of thearound their necks Each and every one of them makes Oiva, as a soldier, feel that they have a level of capability uard On top of that, each of them stands still with some sort of martyr-like serenity There’s 99 of them 100 if Kustaa is included They are the forether with Marko

They have passed three years together with Marko and have now once again appeared in front of Oiva’s eyes They are opponents he crossed swords with on one occasion, but Oiva doesn’t think that he wants to carry out the sa with the that

(They, every last one of thes” Soone mad Ah, how scary, how scary) (Oiva)

Making them and the Royal Guard Unit mesh with each other isn’t sianization at this point has beco thele person who complains

500 riders, with all of the formerly feudal army cavalry, are led by Akseli as heavy cavalry They have been fully equipped with ar-handled spears and rider’s bows They are expected to mainly move in cooperation with the infantry They are the 500 riders who should become the core of the whole army

500 low-ranking soldiers, with all of the formerly foot soldiers of the feudal army, are led by Jarkko as spear infantry As their style of equipnates the an iron ith their pikes and shoulder-high shi+elds Judging from their appearance, Oiva deems these 500 soldiers to be the h

500 people with a style that can be called “Jack of all trades” or so of the former Hakkinen Guard Corps led by Oiva Were they called a multi-purpose unit? As a unit their special skill results in digging holes but individually they are a gathering of ruffians who are carrying tools and holding bows They have just advanced fro the in individual battles

And there are the 1500 ht cavalry led by Kustaa Marko will be included there No, hi them is out of the question, Oiva reconsidered The overall command lies with Kustaa, but Marko will for those They are the aforementioned 99 red-clothed riders Their war potential possesses so that makes even hi the 100 riders on the battlefield, Oiva muttered 「How scary, how scary」

“What are you afraid of, Oiva?” (Akseli)