Trust Me and Leave It to Me. (4)
Ismogen did not head straight for the battlefield after descending the mountain.
Instead, he concealed himself once more in a suitable forest, intending to receive information from the bandits.
The bandits had infiltrated Bonedor territory under various disguises—as territorial citizens, merchant employees, and mercenaries. They would go wherever there was news of labor being needed, without discrimination.
A fortunate circumstance for them was the ongoing war. Most soldiers had been summoned to the battlefield, leading to a somewhat lax security presence.
Because of the war, people and supplies were moving extensively across cities and villages. This allowed the bandits to gather intelligence without exposing their true identities.
"The Bonedor army has already marched out."
"They are moving with considerable caution, so their pace is slow."
"It seems they are being extra careful in guarding their weaponry."
The bandits diligently reported the information they had gathered to Ismogen. He merely listened in silence.
In truth, he was not particularly interested in war-related intelligence. His real objective was to confirm whether the weapon was actually being used on the battlefield.
Not long after, the news Ismogen had been waiting for finally arrived.
"The Bonedor army has captured Count Schwarz's first fortress!"
"Did they use the Empire's new weapon?"
"Yes, yes! I saw it from a distance! It was like... a statue? Mounted on a cart! And then—boom! It spewed fire! The fortress wall just crumbled!"
"...What happened to the Schwarz forces?"
"The statue fired two more times, I think? The walls collapsed in several places, and they were so shocked that they retreated! I heard they were already wary because of rumors but were unsure whether to believe them!"
"......"
The explanation was crude, but that was expected from an uneducated bandit. The important thing was that an immensely powerful weapon did, in fact, exist.
There was definitely something there. If he got close enough, he might even be able to see it from afar.
But that alone wasn't enough. He needed to know the exact structure of the new weapon, the extent of its power, and whether it could be mass-produced.
The best course of action was to steal the weapon itself.
'How should I do this…?'
If he set his mind to it, stealing a single weapon wouldn't be too difficult. The problem was that doing so would risk exposing his identity.
Not only were the knights and soldiers of the territory present, but the Empire's secret forces were also reportedly involved.
If he used his superhuman abilities to fight them all, someone would inevitably recognize him.
Ismogen pondered for a long time. He could not afford for his identity to be exposed yet.
His comrades were also stirring up trouble in other kingdoms. If he was discovered, their operations could fail as well.
Thus, even in this small territory, he had to restrain himself and move cautiously.
However, if the reports about the weapon's power were true, the war would end much sooner than anticipated. He had to seize it before the Empire's agents left the region.
"…Keep tracking the weapon's location."
After much deliberation, Ismogen decided to wait a little longer. He would bide his time until the perfect opportunity arose.
Over the next few days, he continued to receive updates from the bandits.
The only thing that unsettled him was how frequently the bandits were coming and going from his hideout.
'Should I relocate?'
He had never stayed in one place for so long to receive reports, and it made him uneasy.
Just as he resolved to change locations and adjust the positions of his informants, a bandit arrived with crucial news.
"They are secretly moving the weapon!"
"…Explain."
"Count Schwarz, who has been continuously pushed back, requested reinforcements from neighboring territories and the royal family. Upon learning this, Count Bonedor decided to move the weapon in secret and launch a surprise attack before the reinforcements arrive!"
"......"
Ismogen furrowed his brows. The strategy made sense. Ending the war before outside forces could intervene was the best move.
But because the information was so convincing, it also seemed suspicious. No matter how careless the security measures were, it shouldn't have been easy for an external informant to uncover such a classified operation.
"How did you obtain such critical information? This should be a top-secret mission."
"A-a spy disguised as a mercenary told us!"
"…How many troops?"
"Only the Empire's men can even approach the weapon. I heard that 200 soldiers from the Empire's secret forces are escorting it. They have already left their main encampment."
"......"
Ismogen deliberated once more.
Controlling information was more difficult than it seemed. No matter how tightly one tried to contain it, rumors inevitably spread once it passed through multiple hands. If a single whisper started circulating within the camp, it would be impossible to contain.
Such vulnerabilities could also be exploited in war.
This situation could very well be a trap. Perhaps Count Bonedor had leaked the information on purpose to lure Count Schwarz into a confrontation.
But at the same time, it was an extremely tempting opportunity. If the information was true, seizing the weapon would be easy.
'It's worth the risk.'
As long as he didn't reveal his identity, there would be no problem. He would observe from a distance, ensure that it wasn't a trap, and then make his move.
"I'm going to steal the weapon."
With that, Ismogen led the bandits in a covert operation.
As they left the forest, one of the bandits mumbled while looking at a bird perched on a tree branch.
"Wow, a bluebird of fortune."
The bird was plump and short, but it had a distinct blue hue.
Another bandit responded.
"Huh? I saw some flying around the city too. Maybe this area has a lot of bluebirds."
"Yeah. Seeing a bluebird is a good sign. I feel like this mission will go well."
The bandits truly believed that. After all, despite being in the clutches of a mysterious middle-aged man, they were still alive.
They sincerely hoped that this would be their last mission as they followed the Empire's secret unit.
***
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
The Yulian Mercenary Corps was transporting the Dragon Cannon in a cart.
Because of the weapon's power, it wasn't difficult to masquerade as the Empire's secret forces. However, the ones they truly intended to deceive were elsewhere.
Kyle asked Yulian,
"Will he really show up?"
"Who knows… Ghislain said he wouldn't miss this opportunity."
"And if he doesn't show up? If he misses it?"
"Then we keep trying until he does."
"......"
"Anyway, Ghislain is convinced that this is the work of a Priest of the Salvation Church. There's no other way."
Ghislain was certain that a Salvation Church priest had orchestrated this situation between the two territories.
He had come to this conclusion based on the reactions of Counts Bonedor and Schwarz.
One of them might have been lying or playing dumb, but the circumstances made it clear that some unidentified party was interfering.
That was why they were actively spreading false information and making their moves.
Clatter! Clatter! Clatter!
Since they had to pretend to be moving discreetly, they avoided main roads and traveled through rough terrain. The cart shook violently, and with it, the Dragon Cannon rattled as well.
Osval called out to Kyle,
"Brother! The extra iron plates and wood just fell off again!"
"Ugh, this piece of junk…"
As time passed, the Dragon Cannon looked even more wretched. At this point, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it complete garbage.
During every rest stop, the mercenaries repaired it. There was something crucial inside—it couldn't be allowed to break just yet.
As the mercenaries worked on it, Dark, in the form of a sparrow, flew in and landed on Kyle's shoulder.
"Found him. He's on the move."
"What? Really? You actually found him?"
"Of course! No one can escape my sight! I tracked every single group leaving the city. I nearly died from exhaustion. I even had to make a Dark 57!"
"Then can't we just attack now?"
"No way. His men are moving first, while he lingers in the distance. He's extremely cautious. And his energy isn't ordinary—I didn't dare get too close."
Kyle looked at Yulian. Yulian nodded.
"Let's slow down now. We just need to follow the plan. That will draw him out."
The mercenaries resumed their journey, dragging the Dragon Cannon along. They carefully chose remote, desolate paths.
By nightfall, they set up camp, lit torches, posted a few sentries, and let the rest sleep.
But in truth, no one was actually asleep. The mercenaries were prepared to grab their weapons at any moment.
They knew an attack was coming soon.
Of course, not everyone was aware. In any group, there was always at least one oblivious fool.
"Snore... snnnnore... kuh... huh? Guh! Cough! Cough! Snnnore…"
"......"
Except for Osval, who had actually fallen asleep, everyone else was merely pretending.
After some time, bandits began to gather around the camp.
Disguising themselves with tree branches and blending into the terrain, they stealthily crawled forward, pressing their bodies low to the ground. Unless one was watching carefully, it would be difficult to spot them.
These bandits were experienced in night raids. As soon as they got close enough to charge in, they sprang to their feet.
Without a word, they attacked the mercenary camp.
The bandits believed they had succeeded in their ambush. There were only a few sentries, and even they were nodding off.
To top it off, someone was snoring loudly in the camp.
However, the moment they swung their weapons, the bandits realized something was wrong.
Clang!
The supposedly drowsy soldier had somehow raised his sword in time to block the attack.
"Damn it! We've been discovered! Attack quickly!"
At the shout of the leading bandit, the others roared and charged in with full force.
"Waahhh!"
"Kill them all!"
The bandits were all disguised as Schwarz soldiers. Even if their plan failed, they intended to pin the blame on them.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The battle between the bandits and the mercenaries began. But as the fight dragged on, the bandits found themselves being utterly overwhelmed.
They numbered about a hundred, whereas the mercenaries had two hundred. The difference in sheer numbers was already significant, but the skill gap was even greater.
Even Osval, who had woken up suddenly and was still babbling nonsense, was knocking bandits away with ease.
Yulian and Kyle, in particular, stood out.
Thanks to years of training and experience, they had already reached the threshold of the highest rank.
Each time they swung their swords, a bandit's head went flying.
Before long, the surviving bandits stepped back with terrified expressions.
"Damn it! What the hell? Why are they so strong?"
"W-We haven't even managed to kill one of them."
"We've already lost half our numbers…"
Yulian pointed his sword at the bandits and asked,
"Schwarz soldiers, are you? You dare to lay hands on us, warriors of the Empire? Did you really think this ambush would work?"
The bandits clenched their teeth, unable to respond. They had only been following orders and had no real understanding of the situation.
But they couldn't run away. Someone even more terrifying was behind them.
Just as they stood frozen, unable to act, a voice chuckled in the darkness.
"Two knights at the highest level… You really are from the Empire, then."
The voice belonged to Ismogen.
He was well aware of the military strength of both Bonedor and Schwarz. Neither territory had knights at such a high level.
And yet, the unit transporting the weapon had two knights of that caliber.
Seeing them, Ismogen was convinced—the Empire had truly sent its elite to escort the weapon.
It was time to act decisively.
"All of you will die here. Crusaders blessed by God, show these heretics the will of the divine."
There was an eerie power in his words. At the sound of his voice, the bandits suddenly trembled.
Fwoooosh...
A chilling aura began to spread in all directions. At the same time, the bandits groaned in agony, their bodies contorting grotesquely.
"Ugh…!"
Their clothes tore as their torsos swelled unnaturally. Their eyes turned pitch black, and veins bulged across their bodies.
Black smoke poured violently from their mouths, noses, and ears. Screeching, they flailed about as the dark energy enveloped them.
Kraaaaaaah!
Transformed into monsters, they lunged at the mercenaries once more.
Boom!
"Urgh!"
The mercenaries who blocked the attack staggered backward. The so-called crusaders had unleashed an explosive surge of life force, exhibiting terrifying strength.
"Fall back! Maintain a defensive formation!"
Yulian shouted as he swiftly maneuvered between the mercenaries and the transformed crusaders.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Yulian and Kyle took the front lines, holding back the crusaders. The other mercenaries quickly formed squads to fight.
Finally, a more even battle emerged. Yulian and Kyle focused all their strength on protecting their allies.
However, the crusaders fought recklessly, disregarding their own safety. This meant the mercenaries were gradually being pushed back.
Despite the chaos, Ismogen remained hidden.
He merely observed from the darkness. Everyone here was meant to die anyway—his goal was to exhaust their strength as much as possible.
There was nothing nearby. No one would come to their aid. The situation was perfect.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Kraaaaaah!
The mercenaries continued retreating. Since they were focused on defense, it was inevitable.
Because of this, before they realized it, there was no one left guarding the Dragon Cannon.
Trailing behind the battle, Ismogen came to a halt. Silencing the Empire's forces was important, but securing the Empire's secret weapon was even more crucial.
Staring at the Dragon Cannon, he muttered,
"…A chicken?"
Ismogen wasn't particularly well-versed in the arts.
He examined the Dragon Cannon from different angles, a puzzled expression forming on his face.
For a weapon created by the Empire, its appearance was far too crude. Even if one tried to design something so utterly awful, it would be difficult to make it look this bad.
Even with his lack of artistic knowledge, he knew something was off.
A weapon's true worth lay in its power, but this was still a weapon bearing the Empire's name. There was no way it could be this shoddily built.
Ismogen gathered his energy. A thought crossed his mind—perhaps this was truly a trap.
And it wasn't meant for the Schwarz forces…
"Could it be… for me?"
At that very moment, an enormous surge of magic erupted from the Dragon Cannon's barrel.
BOOOOOOOOM!