I Became the Commander in a Trash Game Who Copies Skills

Chapter 40. Secret Mission (3)

There are three ways to solve any problem.

The first is a head-on confrontation.

A truly manly solution, charging forward with no way back.

The second is to mitigate the difficulty of the problem.

By negotiating with the source of the problem, or getting help from capable acquaintances or experts.

It’s a less manly but wiser method than the first.

And finally, there is the third.

‘…Just run away.’

To put it more formally, it could be said to be a method of temporarily postponing the solution.

Although it’s often criticized with sayings like ‘there’s no paradise in the place you run to’ or ‘a loser’s mentality’, it’s actually a reality that can be commonly found around us.

Going to a PC bang 100 days before the college entrance exam, or a college student tired of getting credits applying for a leave of absence without a thought.

Well, for a more extreme example, there’s credit card revolving.

ZIIIIING-

Anyway, I’m thinking of making a similar choice.

Unfortunately, it seems I’ll have to postpone my meeting with the Princess of Blood to the next opportunity.

There’s no grand reason.

Too much attention is focused on me.

It means that a sloppy rendezvous like before, where I sneak out in the middle of the night and meet the Princess of Blood wearing a mask, is impossible.

I want to avoid the inquisitor’s silver bullet ending, so I plan to lay low, at least in the vicinity of Wolfskrig or Burken.

‘…It’s a shame about the reward I have to receive, but it can’t be helped.’

The Princess of Blood is the type to calculate profit and loss thoroughly.

The reason she’s calling me now is probably to give me a reward for attacking Count Calvenia in the guise of Tribus.

Although the credit for the kill itself went to Ash, the fact that Tribus started the attack would have been transmitted to other vampires through the [Bloodline].

Since she had personally tried to recruit me before, she would probably try to give me an appropriate reward.

‘I’ll have to stop by later.’

Anyway, for now, the priority is to finish the mission quickly and return.

In that sense, I came out for one last shopping trip before leaving.

“By the way, Leader.”

“Hmm.”

“Does the Imperial army usually sell horses too?”

Karen asked with wide eyes.

The reason I came out early in the morning was to buy horses.

Although there wouldn’t be any proper horse market in a new city like Wolfskrig, there is surprisingly a lot of supply at a time like now when a war has just ended.

Because what the Imperial army sells off at a bargain is not just armor and weapons that have passed their service life.

“The Imperial army is serious about second-hand trading. It’s almost on the level of Carrot Market.”

“Carrot… what’s that?”

“It’s a virtual space where literally everything is traded. From groceries to vehicles, equipment, and even friendships and romantic relationships are traded.”

“W-wow? A mages’ black market?”

Anyway, the Imperial army disposes of various supplies, equipment, and even warhorses in the second-hand market the moment they think they’ve become ambiguous.

Some even say that this second-hand trading is one of the important driving forces that maintains the Imperial army.

The logic is that since they are produced in large quantities, the cost itself is low, so they can recover the principal just by selling them second-hand like this.

It’s a plausible story.

Although it’s difficult to fact-check since such a management structure is not implemented as a system in the game.

“Oh my, aren’t you a good boy. You’re handsome too.”

“The lady has a good eye for horses. This friend here may not look like much, but he used to serve knights. Hahaha…!”

“Hmm, but his legs seem a little weak? Has he ever broken them? Excuse me, do you have any other horses?”

“Ahem, ahem! In that case, how about that friend over there? Just look at him, he’s so gallant….”

Anyway, bringing Karen was an excellent choice.

Elves are basically skilled at communicating with animals.

She, with her mixed elven blood, was able to quickly grasp the horse’s condition and abilities just by looking at it for a moment.

She probably picked out only the sturdiest coursers from among the horses the Imperial army had put out right after the punitive expedition.

The merchant from the Imperial army, who had been confidently introducing the horses at first as if he had caught a sucker, later saw us off with a completely exhausted face and half-dazed eyes, which makes it certain.

“G-go safely. Yes, yes….”

He looked pitiful, but that’s none of my business.

In conclusion, I purchased a whopping twelve warhorses.

To test them out, I headed outside the walls with Olif and Karen.

“By the way, Leader…?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t know how to ride a horse before?”

Did I say that?

“When I told you the story of my great-grandfather. When we were on a reconnaissance mission.”

Come to think of it, I think I might have said that one night when we were chatting.

Of course, it’s true that I didn’t know how to ride back then.

So when did I learn to ride a horse?

Well, that’s….

[[Warrior’s Insight] is active.]

[You have acquired a skill.]

[Basic Horsemanship (Level 1)]

[Experienced Horsemanship (Level 2)]

Of course, from today.

“Huh? That’s strange. You definitely said you had no riding experience…….”

“Squad Leader Karen, there is such a thing as talent that surpasses the limits of an ordinary person in this world. It’s a concept that’s difficult for ordinary people like us to fathom with our shortsightedness.”

“Ah… then Leader Ash is also….”

“Wouldn’t that be obvious?”

“…….”

It seems a strange misunderstanding is piling up.

Anyway, Karen and Olif became my horsemanship instructors from today.

I rode the horse that Karen had picked out as the sturdiest and went back and forth a few times in the fields near the fortress.

Before I knew it, the sun was heading towards its zenith.

It’s time to part ways.

A knight has been waiting over there by the gate, holding the reins of a horse.

A guide the Viscount had assigned to guide me to Burken Fortress.

The luggage I had packed yesterday is already firmly fixed on the horse’s saddle.

Before leaving, I bid my final farewell to Olif.

“I’m leaving the mercenary band to you for a while.”

“Go and come back without worry.”

Olif bowed his head.

As an aside, the gaze with which he looks at me has become clearer through this battle.

Although he didn’t say much, I have a rough idea of what he’s thinking.

The fact that I received the mercenary band approval, ignoring other conditions, or the part where I was granted an entire building as a bonus, and so on.

He probably thinks I have the deep trust of the Archduke.

Perhaps even a step further, he might be mistaking me for a member of the Imperial family’s secret knight order.

‘The secret knight order. I refused.’

It’s a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up someday.

But not now.

Leaving Olif and Karen behind, I got on my horse with the guide.

The direction is north.

I’m going back the way I came down a month ago.

The first stop is Burken Fortress.

* * *

The distance between Burken Fortress and Wolfskrig is about five days on foot.

That’s the standard for moving alone.

If an army of no less than ten thousand were to move like before, you’d have to set aside a good week.

Fortunately, I can move faster now.

Because I have only one companion, and on top of that, we both have horses and even brought spare ones.

However, I was a little stubborn on the journey, and as a result, it took four days to arrive at Burken Fortress.

The reason it took a little longer than planned was to acquire two skills in a few days.

Two things that were absolutely necessary for the journey ahead.

“You want to go off the main road? Hmm, it probably won’t be that dangerous around this time. It will take some time, but… the Viscount told me to escort you well, so that much is fine.”

[[Warrior’s Insight] is active.]

[You have acquired a skill.]

[Map Reading (Level 2)]

The first is map reading.

Literally, how to read a map.

The guide the Viscount had assigned was a knight.

Not a high-ranking knight like Olif, but one of the junior knights who served as a messenger under the Viscount.

“The most important thing is to identify the north. You can find the north by looking for the North Star at night, or by looking in the opposite direction of the sun during the day.”

The important thing is that he is a messenger, and he has learned how to read a map.

That’s why I was stubborn and moved through the fields instead of the original path.

Thanks to that, I was able to perfectly master map reading, which I had only a rough but clumsy knowledge of before.

The second was how to manage a horse.

“You can groom the horse’s coat like this. Don’t forget to wash it with water when you stop by a village. They are friends that lose stamina more than you think, so they get tired if they run for too long.”

[[Warrior’s Insight] is active.]

[You have acquired a skill.]

[Horse Management (Level 1)]

Horses are animals that require a lot of care.

Especially warhorses, more so than packhorses.

Although knights usually have horse grooms, it’s common for them to have the ability to manage their own horses.

Now that I have a horse, it’s a skill I must learn.

“Normally, you can just let them graze whenever you take a break. If you need to run a bit that day, feed them some apples or carrots in the morning. These friends also need to eat to get their strength.”

I was also able to get various unexpected tips.

It turns out that before he became a knight, he had worked as an assistant to a stable keeper at a city inn.

Perhaps because of that, this man seemed to have a special affection for the animal called a horse.

To the point of asking the name of another person’s horse that he would only see for a few days and then part with.

“You said it’s a warhorse, right? It’s a very sturdy friend. What’s its name?”

“Name?”

“A horse is a knight’s, a merchant’s, and a traveler’s best friend. You can tell a horse things you can’t tell your wife.”

The man said with a smiling face, stroking my bay horse’s mane.

It’s a plausible story.

Because an animal can’t spread rumors about me behind my back.

By the way, a name.

“Gray.”

I spat out the word that came to mind without much thought.

It has a nice feel to it.

It also goes well with the name Ash, which I took because of the ‘Nameless Ash’ hero.

Its mane and coat color look far from gray, but what does it matter?

“That’s a cool name! You like it too, right, Gray?”

“…….”

“See? The horse says it likes it too. Now that I look at it, its mane does seem a little gray?”

“…….”

Well.

No matter how I look at it, it’s black.

When we arrived at Burken Fortress, it was around the time the sun was setting.

I gave the horse-loving knight a small fee for his trouble and headed to the church.

“S… no, my benefactor!”

Alina’s face was noticeably brighter.

It was a relief.

It seems that the improvement in her surrounding environment has brought about a positive change in her.

After Archduke Gabir’s inspection, many of the priests involved in corruption in the Burken territory were said to have been replaced.

She had also been promoted to a formal priest after her period as a novice priest ended.

“You don’t have to worry. I told my father too, but I will absolutely not hold you back, my benefactor.”

She may say that, but the fact that I’m a nanny remains unchanged.

Of course, I have no complaints.

Because I received an overflowing fee for my trouble.

After staying overnight at an inn, I stopped by the church to give an interim report and got on my horse again.

Gunterburk, located on the southwestern border, is about a fortnight’s journey from here.

I gave Alina the spare horse I had brought.

I had already heard from Viscount Pewin that she knew how to ride a horse.

“This is the first time I’ve gone this far from the city without an escort.”

A few hours after leaving the gates, Alina said with an awkward smile.

I took a sip of water from my water canteen and asked.

“Are you nervous?”

She nodded her head.

It’s only natural.

If she had said no, that would have been a lie.

Because she grew up like a flower in a greenhouse as the daughter of a noble family.

Although she was bullied by the priests when she came to Burken Fortress, and as a result was even kidnapped by Tribus.

Actually, come to think of it, that was only a period of a few months.

It means that except for that brief period, Alina has lived her whole life like a princess with the radiance of the Pewin family on her back.

“Do you want to go back?”

“N-not at all, my benefactor. I will work hard not to be a burden. I’ve practiced making firewood and starting a fire. I did a lot of dishwashing at the church. Also….”

“I sometimes want to go back. Home.”

“Ah.”

Considering that past, isn’t this attitude enough?

“It’s not a place with many good memories, but looking back, it wasn’t bad.”

Because it’s difficult for someone who grew up preciously to completely hide that side of themselves.

“I heard that Gunterburk, where we are going, is your hometown, my benefactor.”

“…That’s right.”

“If it’s not too rude, were you perhaps from an orphanage?”

“……Well, something like that.”

“Would it be alright to visit once if I have the chance?”

“It’s gone. A long time ago.”

For a while, only the clattering sound of horse hooves could be heard.

The sun, which had slowly begun to move ahead above our heads, was casting short shadows behind me and her.

Someday, both Alina and I will have to go to the battlefield.

A large-scale battlefield where hundreds of thousands will be mobilized, completely different from before.

It is an unavoidable fate that this continent will become a sea of fire.

As if a skein of thread maliciously tangled by someone, coincidence and inevitability exquisitely match, and a grand conflagration spreads throughout the continent, swallowing people without discrimination.

In front of that flame, people are divided into two types.

Those who bravely jump into the blazing fire.

Or those who are afraid and are devoured by the conflagration.

Whether it’s the former or the latter, it’s the same that they die in droves.

However, there’s no doubt that it’s the former who survive even a little longer, and at the same time save more people.

To forge a flower in a greenhouse into such a hero, one must put in the effort from now on.

‘Thinking of it that way, Gunterburk is not a bad training ground.’

It’s not for nothing that I chose Gunterburk as my birthplace.

Although it’s a city on the border with not-so-good public security, it’s still a bustling trading city with a large population because the two adjacent countries are both inhabited.

The road also follows the main road within the Empire, so there will be almost no encounters with bandits.

Wouldn’t it be fine as long as we are careful of professional pickpockets and begging boys and girls in the city?

“…W-what is this?”

Unfortunately, this thought was shattered before long.

On the third day of our departure.

Traces of a fierce battle were found in the middle of the Imperial highway.

“Carts, carriages, people…?”

“They are merchants. They were ambushed.”

Overturned cargo carts.

A carriage with its door torn off.

Fragments of armor.

Maggots squirming on dried blood and flesh.

Masterless yokes and whips.

Broken pottery shards and junk.

“Bandits?”

“No.”

The goods they were transporting were all gone.

But it wasn't a gang of bandits who were only after the goods.

Because despite the traces of a massacre being rampant everywhere, not only the victims’ corpses but also the horse carcasses were not left behind.

The large amount of bloodstains scattered everywhere is evidence of the desecration of the corpses that took place once more after death.

“They were torn apart and eaten. Some while they were alive. The rest were taken as food.”

“F-food? By who? Why?”

There was no need to explain.

Because just at the right timing, the cry of a beast was heard from up ahead.

GRRRRRRRR-!

Monstrous beings that looked like a mixture of a human’s upper body with an animal’s head, hide, and lower body.

A group of half-human, half-beasts, gripping crude spears and shields, began to run towards us.

“Beastmen.”

Probably the perpetrators of this incident.

The number is about thirty.

“Prepare for battle. The enemy is the beastman race. About thirty Unhorned Ones. Alina, aim for the ones with bows first.”

As soon as I finished the briefing, I drew the bow and arrow I had hung on my saddle.

One of the items I had prepared in Wolfskrig in case of a situation like this.

JIIIIK-

Like a hunter who has trained for over a decade, I quickly strung the bow, nocked an arrow, and drew.

[[Snipe] is active.]

The moment the arrowhead, shaft, and fletching were aligned with the target, I held my breath and released the tension in my fingertips.

SHWIIIIK-!

The parabola drawn with a characteristic high-pitched sound, like the arrow Karen had shot, accurately reached the beastman’s brow.

KU-EOK!

As the arrowhead burrowed into the goat-like skull and the head snapped back like a puppet on a string, I quickly organized my thoughts.

‘The scale of the massacred merchant company is about forty to fifty.’

‘The composition of merchant companies in this southern region is usually more than half mercenaries.’

‘It’s unlikely that they massacred a merchant company of this scale with just thirty of them.’

‘There’s a high probability that there’s a main force, or in their language, a mother pack.’

The countermeasures will change depending on its scale.

That’s why I have to interrogate them as soon as the fight is over.

Of course, they are a race that is difficult to capture, let alone interrogate, but there is a way.

[[Warrior’s Binding] is active.]

[You have bound the defeated enemy.]

[Unholy Archer (1)]

The dead usually tell no tales, but there are exceptions everywhere.

If there are two or three of them, wouldn’t cross-validation also be possible?

I nocked the second arrow on the string.