I Became the Commander in a Trash Game Who Copies Skills

Chapter 42. The Pale Moon (2)

Heroes in ‘Warlord Conquest’ had tiers.

Generally, they were divided by the level of skills they possessed.

If they only had skills from levels 1 to 3, they were low-rank heroes.

Up to level 6, they were mid-rank heroes.

Up to level 9, they were high-rank heroes.

And so on.

However, a few heroes who possessed skills of level 10 or higher, or who had a massive influence on a racial scale, were classified separately.

The Emperor of the Empire, the Princess of Blood of the Vampire Archduchy, the Orc Great Chieftain of the Blue Tattoo, or the Beastpriest of the Full Moon fell into this category.

Regardless of the level of their skills, their title was unified into one.

The title of ‘Legendary Hero’.

***

“We leave at dawn. From now on, we’ll move with only minimal rest.”

I returned to the campsite and relayed the news to Alina.

Since I couldn't reveal the details about [Warrior’s Binding], I glossed over it by saying I had found a small group of beastmen, captured a prisoner, and interrogated them.

“So that’s why I heard what sounded like a beast getting its throat slit.”

In the process, I also learned that even if it was a subordinate created with [Warrior’s Binding], the translated voice wasn’t heard by my companion.

“Come to think of it, you can also speak the beastmen’s language. Ah, does that mean half of those throat-slitting sounds were made by you, my lord…?”

“Absolutely not.”

“……?”

“I have something like a relic. Inherited from my master.”

My condolences and thanks to my master, who was probably buried somewhere in Burken Fortress.

Anyway, from now on, our schedule would be focused solely on moving quickly and safely.

“We’ll move off the main road to avoid encountering the beastmen pack. We need to maintain a distance of at least five kilometers from them.”

There were two goals.

“We’ll reach Gunterburk as fast as possible. In the process, we must avoid any friction with the beastmen pack.”

Although Alina's combat power was greater than I had anticipated, our party still consisted of only a magician and a priest.

It was impossible to fight and survive against a beastman army of over ten thousand led by the Beastpriest of the Full Moon.

Maintaining a safe distance of five kilometers was also a measure to avoid being detected by the beastmen, who had a developed sense of smell.

However, Alina’s worries seemed to lie elsewhere.

“The city… What will happen to Gunterburk?”

“We’ll think about that later.”

There was a way.

That was why we were moving so hastily.

But it wasn't a story to be told here.

For the success of the plan, I had to first focus on my role as a holy knight, doing my best only on the mission I was assigned.

After the briefing, I lay down.

My sword by my head.

My staff on my left.

As usual, I lay still in my sleeping bag, relaxing my body in a straight posture, when I heard Alina, who had been fidgeting, turn over to face this way.

She spoke to me.

“Perhaps that beastman called the Beastpriest….”

“…….”

“He didn't notice the secret mission you received, did he?”

Was she curious about that?

I would bet on the negative.

It was just an unlucky coincidence of the probability wheel that spun ceaselessly, typical of a luck-based shit game.

The beast wouldn’t know about the existence of ‘Kashutal’s Amulet,’ let alone its effects.

Even if he found out by chance, there was no way a beastman Beastpriest could use it.

Because specific conditions were required to use Kashutal’s Amulet.

“I heard from my grandfather that the secret mission was to deliver an item… It’s probably a magic tool with a powerful effect, isn't it?”

By the way, was it due to nervousness?

Alina was more talkative than I thought.

“That’s why they’re trying to retrieve it at a time like this. I pray it will be used according to the will of the holy Luark.”

No, on second thought, she might have always been talkative.

“When we go back, I’m thinking of asking my grandfather for permission to join your Mercenary Band. Then I’ll have to call you Commander, too….”

“Alina.”

“Yes?”

“Sleep when you can.”

“I understand.”

Even if we slept until dawn, it would be five hours at most.

I was of the mind to replenish stamina when I could.

Fortunately, the advice seemed to have worked.

She seemed to toss and turn for a moment, but soon, I heard the sound of her soft, even breathing.

***

[[Cartography] is activated.]

The next day.

As announced, we pushed forward.

Rest was kept to a minimum.

We didn't light a fire when camping.

When the horses were tired, we walked, and when their stamina recovered, we rode again.

The route was simple.

First, we diverged greatly from the imperial highway, then moved through the wilderness, trying to draw a line as parallel to the highway as possible.

Based on the traces of the massacred merchant caravan and the testimony of the Unhorned One who became my subordinate, the beastmen pack was about one to two days ahead of us.

We had to overtake them and arrive at Gunterburk one step ahead.

The first night.

We traveled a longer distance than expected.

The horses, befitting their warhorse origins, held up well, and Alina, contrary to my expectation that she would collapse from exhaustion, was fine.

Of course, the one I was most concerned about was myself.

Fortunately, my stamina was also holding up quite well.

Was it thanks to the traits I had gained so far?

Or was it because I had experienced several brutal marches?

As I was munching on hardtack just like yesterday, Alina asked.

“My lord, I heard that the beastmen’s movement speed is far superior to humans.”

Her voice was a little anxious.

“Can we really overtake them?”

I didn’t like whining, but it was a perfectly valid question.

“It’s true that beastmen are faster than humans.”

“Then….”

“However, the movement speed of a group inevitably slows down in proportion to its size.”

Supply lines.

The wounded.

Difficult terrain, including obstacles.

All factors that hindered movement became more critical as the size of the group increased.

The beastmen were no exception.

That was why the two of us could be faster.

[[Horse Management] is activated.]

Of course, I wouldn’t have even dreamed of it without sturdy warhorses.

I was glad Karen had picked ones with good stamina.

It was on the third day of riding.

“Over there. I see smoke.”

While walking to rest the horses for a moment, Alina pointed to the south.

I turned my head to follow her finger.

Far away, beyond the hill, gray smoke was rising.

According to the map, it was the location of a village.

The second of the five villages the beastmen were supposed to pass through.

“Rockbottom Village.”

“Don’t tell me…”

“Let’s hurry.”

The smoke was so clear it was visible even from several kilometers away.

It was on a scale difficult to come from the chimney of a peaceful village home.

It wasn't hard to imagine what was happening.

The village would be burning, and the residents, without knowing why, would be torn apart and eaten by thousands of beastmen that had swarmed in.

Any attempt to escape would be in vain.

The beastmen’s sense of smell was as keen as an animal's, and they ran much faster than people.

That smoke was no different from a scream rising from hell.

[[Lord’s Unyielding Mind] is activated.]

It couldn't be helped.

This was reality.

This world was closer to hell than heaven, and things rarely seen in civilized society happened all the time.

It was a fact I had known since I first opened my eyes in Burken Fortress.

And it was to survive in such a damn world that I was struggling so desperately.

“…….”

There were three more villages.

The scheduled horrific slaughter would buy us precious time.

Although the weight of life cannot be measured, there was no other way to save everyone.

For now, let’s strive to save more people.

[[Skilled Horsemanship] is activated.]

We walked and ran for a week without rest.

Just as even the trained warhorses were exhausted, we could see the city walls.

“One adult male. One female. Identification plates?”

“Here they are.”

“A Mercenary Commander, you say. You’ve worked hard coming this long way. Welcome to the home of merchants and vagrants.”

We passed the checkpoint and entered the city.

The boisterous air instantly enveloped us.

“Here, here, camel meat! Come and experience the fresh, exotic taste that just came in!”

“Hey! Stop right there!”

“Hehe, catch me if you can!”

“Oh my! Look at these parentless beggars!”

A street vendor hawking skewers of unknown meat.

Children running around with soot on their faces, making noise.

A dog barking, following the owner of a bakery.

Merchant.

Beggar.

Noblewoman.

Housewife.

Carpenter.

Gentleman.

Coachman.

Innkeeper.

In the chaotic atmosphere, the heat of the people was palpable.

Gunterburk, a trade city bordering three nations, was still peaceful.

A peace that would soon be shattered.

***

The first place we visited was the church.

As a large city with a population of 50,000, Gunterburk had dozens of church buildings.

The place we were to visit was the cathedral that supervised all those churches.

Finding the headquarters that supervised them all was not difficult.

The most splendidly built building in the center of the city after the lord's castle.

The symbol on the roof, a gilt double cross, was conspicuous from anywhere.

“Huh? You want to see the Bishop?”

There was a little trouble at the entrance, though.

“Honorary holy knight? What’s that… Huh? Holy Aura?”

[[Holy Aura] is activated.]

Just by showing the pure white light covering my blade, I was able to pass easily.

“…I apologize for the rudeness Sir Alven committed. He is a friend who has not been on gatekeeper duty for long. It seems he showed excessive enthusiasm for his assigned duty.”

“It’s alright.”

After showing even the letter of appointment, I was immediately escorted to the Bishop's office.

The Bishop of Gunterburk was an old man with a bushy white beard.

“An honorary holy knight, of all things. I heard the news, but it’s still surprising.”

Perhaps because he was the Bishop of a huge trade city.

He had a completely different image from the Hornberg Bishop who had visited the inn before.

His friendlier tone of voice was one thing.

His healthy hair, showing no signs of balding, was another.

“I’ve heard that you defeated Count Calvenia. I offer my blessing in the name of the holy Luark.”

Was the only thing they had in common that they were talkative?

Considering that one of a bishop’s main duties was preaching, it might be an occupational hazard.

“Ah, by any chance, do you not have the ring given to holy knights? If you had that, you could have avoided the unfortunate incident from a moment ago.”

“I did not receive one.”

“Hmm, I don’t think there was a rule to give it to honorary holy knights either. It’s been so long since one has appeared…”

Building a friendly relationship with a person of this rank wasn't bad.

If I wanted to play with an Empire start, I shouldn't be at odds with the church.

Having received the rank of an honorary holy knight in my subspace, there was almost no fear of being discovered as a necromancer.

However…

“Bishop.”

It wasn't a suitable day for a chat.

Although we had overtaken the beastmen army approaching the city, we were only ahead by a day or two at most.

“Beastmen?”

“Yes, two villages and one merchant caravan have been damaged. By now, several more villages on their path must have been overrun.”

“…Oh, Luark.”

Hearing the story, the wrinkles on the Bishop’s forehead deepened considerably.

“Survivors… no, if the beastmen army attacked the village, they couldn’t have escaped.”

“That would be so.”

Even a Horned One could easily catch up to a grown man.

If it was an army, there would even be centaurs, so it would be difficult to escape even on horseback.

These half-human, half-horse monsters from mythology threw javelins with terrifying accuracy at a speed that overwhelmed cavalry.

Unless one was a swift light cavalryman, it was a distant hope to shake them off.

It was impossible for such light cavalry to be in a rural village.

In a way, it was natural that the news hadn't reached the city.

Because news could only be delivered if someone escaped.

“I’ll send out a reconnaissance team. And report to the Count. Ah, come to think of it, the reason you originally came here…”

“I have a mission to carry out.”

“Ah, right. The mission. I’m out of my mind. Wait a moment.”

The flustered Bishop soon came back with a small, black wooden box the size of his palm.

“This is the item you are to deliver.”

The Bishop opened the wooden box and showed me its contents.

A soft paper of reddish hue.

Golden letters scrawled all over it.

‘Kashutal’s Amulet.’

The reward given after the quest battle to crush the Empire’s church forces when playing as Tribus.

An item that, once obtained, would give an overwhelming advantage against the Empire or the dwarves.

“150 years ago, the Count of Gunterburk at the time subjugated Count Kashutal, who was under the command of the traitor, Duke Yulister. This is a spoil of war taken from there.”

An item whose exact abilities even the church didn't know, so they entrusted it to a mere holy knight, but…

With the Empire on the brink of a civil war, this was an item I absolutely needed.

“Please handle it with care.”

“I swear to Luark, I will protect it with my life.”

I had already thought of a plan to snatch it.

Of course, it was a legal method.