Thud!
Boom!
The ground shook violently. And at the same time, screams began erupting from all around.
"U-Uwaaaah!!!!"
The watchmen shouted in panic, while mercenaries stumbled out of their tents in a frenzy.
I watched the scene from atop a nearby oak tree.
That's right.
Even without the thumping sounds and vibrations, I had already sensed something's presence.
Before that, the birds had flown away, and the chirping of the insects had stopped.
It meant something dangerous was nearby.
'This is truly bizarre.'
Not content with the shadow wolf attack, now...
Rooooaaar!!!!!
A troll?
It was less shocking and more absurd.
Whoever was behind this clearly had it out for this caravan.
At this point, asking "why?" was pointless.
A troll had appeared, after all.
Better to grab my bow and arrows than waste time on questions.
'If I'd known, I wouldn't have taken this caravan escort job.'
-Squeak.
Ayla whimpered softly from inside my shirt.
"Shh. Quiet."
I pushed the wriggling creature deeper into my bosom and focused on the approaching troll.
The troll, nearly the size of a house, wielded a club as thick as a whole tree trunk.
The club it dragged along was a dark brown, as if rotting, and the reason was obvious.
This wasn't some novice troll fresh to adulthood. It was one that had killed its share of men and beasts.
'This might be tougher than I thought.'
The veteran mercenaries at least assumed proper stances with experience on their side, but the young ones were frozen in terror, not knowing what to do.
That alone would've been fortunate, but some were even abandoning their weapons and gear to flee.
That might actually be the wise choice.
'...If this troll were the only one around.'
But just like with the shadow wolf pack, there was surely someone "controlling" this troll from somewhere.
Fleeing recklessly could lead straight into an ambush by others lying in wait.
I nocked an arrow and drew my bowstring taut toward the troll.
'That one has a massive wound on the back of its neck, too.'
Right in the center of the troll's nape, where my arrow tip aimed, was a huge, gruesome scar.
Yes, just like the shadow wolves' napes.
"We paid you! Do something! We'll reward you, just kill that troll!!"
At the merchant's desperate scream, the hesitating mercenaries exchanged glances.
Money.
The one thing that could move mercenaries.
As if forgetting their swords were worn and rusted, the mercenaries began roaring their own battle cries.
"You filthy troll bastard!!!!"
"Die!!!!"
They'd grown soft sucking honey on the Golden Road, that much was clear.
These fools, sheltered by the Empire, had forgotten how terrifying monsters truly were.
The Karl Mercenary Corps' rusty blades couldn't defeat a troll.
Only renowned mercenaries from Rosan could charge at a troll screaming "Die, you troll!"—and these idiots had no clue.
-Splat!!!
Sure enough, the first mercenary to rush the troll was sent flying by its club.
He crashed into a tree with a dull thud, splattering it with blood.
Instant death.
Of course. Charging a troll without proper armor.
Dying instantly with a crushed skull was a mercy, really.
Far better than having your lower body trampled, half your body pulverized, and lingering for hours without dying.
'If I'd known he'd die like that, I wouldn't have healed him.'
It was such a stupid death that I felt no pity.
"Eek, heeaaaah!!!!"
Now the mercenaries' shouts were indistinguishable from screams, utter chaos.
"Get it together! Lower your stances!"
The only one properly commanding the mercenaries and holding the line was Jamil.
The captain, Karl, had apparently retreated to the wagons, making excuses about protecting the merchants.
'A few should've lured the troll while the rest escaped...'
Too late for that now.
The merchant promising money for the troll's death had been a grave mistake.
-Rooooaaarrrrrr!!!!!!
The crossbow bolts and sword swings from the mercenaries only enraged the troll further.
'Just a bit more.'
I bit my lip, biding my time.
Rushing out now would just mean my own pointless death. I had to stick to my "plan."
The moment the troll raised its club high toward Jamil.
-Twang!
I released the taut bowstring.
-Ziiiiing!!!!
The arrow sliced through the air at invisible speed and embedded in the troll's club.
Vines sprouted from the arrow, roots digging in, binding the club just like they had the wagons.
-Snap, crack!
The troll tried yanking the club from the ground, but the tangled vines wouldn't let go.
This bought a brief moment.
But truly just a moment.
If the troll really tried, it would rip the vines away.
Already, the thinner stems were starting to snap.
Jamil looked toward where the arrow came from, our eyes meeting.
I nodded at him and jerked my chin toward the zelkova tree where I'd healed him.
He got the message and nodded back.
"Everyone fall back! Lure the troll to the zelkova! Don't get close to it!"
Jamil and the mercenaries maintained a safe distance—not too far, not too near—and began luring the troll toward the zelkova.
'Good.'
I closed my eyes and began chanting a spell.
More precisely, a prayer to the goddess of forest and earth, Rinshaka.
-Pop!
-Poof!
-Pop! Pop! Pop!
[Plant Bind] was exactly what it sounded: a skill that used plants to restrain a target.
As long as plants or seeds were nearby, it could bind the foe.
It might not seem impressive.
But its power varied greatly depending on the plants.
Dwarf dandelion stems couldn't stop a troll, but...
Giant kudzu vine roots certainly could.
Of course, there wasn't a hint of giant kudzu vine in this camp.
But that didn't matter.
I had sturdy wild herbs and vine seeds I'd gathered on the journey here.
I'd scattered them around for self-defense just in case—and now they proved useful.
-Pray! Pray desperately! You're weaker than a single blade of grass! Beg to be spared!
I recalled the words that damned old hag had said when I first learned [Plant Bind].
Not a command, but a prayer. A desperate one...
Only then would they help me.
Those worthless weeds would save your life.
'Why am I thinking of that hag's words now?'
I shook my head lightly, refocused, and continued the incantation.
No, the prayer.
'Please bind this damn troll bastard!'
-Shunk!
-Sprout!
-Shunk! Shunk! Shunk!
As if in response, the giant kudzu vines grew rapidly, filling the ground.
Then climbed the troll's body.
The thick kudzu vines crawling up the troll were a sight to behold.
They couldn't pierce its hide, but they excelled at binding its feet.
-Rooooaaargh!!!!!
At first, the troll swatted them away, but soon it couldn't keep up with their growth—one foot already bound.
After that, it was easy.
-Crunch!
-Snap!
The kudzu vines wrapped the troll ferociously, climbing to its waist until it could no longer stand and collapsed.
-Booom!!!!
The troll hit the ground harder than when it walked.
It flailed its arms wildly, trying to tear off the vines, but soon they covered its mouth, muffling its screams.
"Now!"
Even a moment's lapse in focus, and the vines would wither instantly.
We had to end the troll before then.
Hearing me, Jamil leaped onto the troll and stabbed down repeatedly with his sword.
Jamil used one of the better blades, so he could pierce the hide with effort, but the other mercenaries' swords snapped or bounced off.
As the troll's struggles weakened, I jumped down from the tree.
To avoid injuring Ayla, I used [Leaf Step] to lighten my weight and boost my leap.
-Tap.
Landing lightly, I climbed atop the troll's body.
-Grraaawr...
The troll was still alive.
Among monsters, trolls had ridiculous vitality. Of course it wouldn't die from this.
"We have to burn it."
"Oil..."
"Regular oil won't do. We need holy oil."
I glanced at the merchant, who'd fallen back.
He seemed to grasp my intent and shook his head, face pale.
"N-No! No way! Holy oil is so expensive!"
"If we don't burn it, this troll will keep following the caravan."
"W-What? But it's tied up!"
"Maintaining this spell indefinitely is impossible. Nor do I intend to."
Was I crazy? Exhaust all my mana holding it like this?
I strode toward the merchant, who backed away step by step.
"Hey, Theodor. Burning it is stupid. Don't you know how valuable troll hide is?"
Karl chimed in, pretending to mediate.
"...Are you serious?"
"Huh?"
"You think we can skin that thing?"
"W-Well..."
Skinning a troll was impossible.
At least, right now.
No one here had a blade good enough for it.
Besides.
"It's not dead yet."
"..."
"It'll keep thrashing while we skin it. A graze means death, at best severe injury. And you want to skin it?"
"..."
"We could decapitate it first. Problem is, no one here has a sword that can cut off a troll's head."
"..."
"If you still insist, I won't stop you. But make it quick. The vines won't last."
Karl shut up completely.
His flushed face looked furious, but that wasn't my concern.
"Hand it over."
I extended my hand to the merchant.
"Holy oil isn't more precious than your life, is it?"
That's what holy oil was for, after all.
After agonizing hesitation, the merchant finally handed it over.
No matter how greedy for money, no one valued it over their life.
Regular oil couldn't kill a troll.
It would burn, regenerate, burn, regenerate again—and eventually, normal fire dies out.
Once extinguished, the recovered troll would surely track our scent.
Hence, holy oil.
Inextinguishable flame.
I meticulously poured the oil into the troll's wounds, then lit it with the torch Jamil handed me.
-Kraaaah...!!
As the troll's screams faded, the flames roared higher.
I watched, offering a prayer to Rinshaka.
'Thank you for keeping me alive.'
-Kraaaaaah...!
'Truly, thank you.'