Joining the punitive expedition proved easier than I had imagined.
What mattered for an expedition targeting such an insignificant bandit group wasn’t superior quality, but sheer numbers.
After breaking their morale with overwhelming force, the nobles, along with their knights and soldiers, would sweep through them.
The remaining stragglers would then be dealt with by the adventurers.
Though the initial payment was quite decent for the work involved, one could also earn additional rewards by killing the remnants left behind by the nobles and claiming their bounties.
It was easy work.
In fact, if strictly considering danger, the small-scale goblin village extermination quest I undertook with Ban would have been far more perilous, yet my intention to fall back to the rear supply unit was for a different reason entirely.
I wasn’t prepared to kill a person.
But this world was utterly cruel, snatching away and trampling even the precious sliver of happiness I held so dear.
Thus, I had no choice but to become cruel myself.
However, merely resolving to do so wouldn’t change much.
Instead, I decided to seize this opportunity to witness death firsthand and steel my resolve by fighting directly on the front lines.
All the diligent effort I had put in until now had been to protect myself.
I had wielded a sword not to die in vain, and I had undertaken quests to sustain my livelihood.
“But now, I understand.”
The gloomily muttered words weren’t directed at anyone, but rather a solitary reflection.
“Training with a sword and diligently performing quests alone isn’t enough.”
Those things might protect ‘me,’ but they couldn’t protect the ‘happiness’ I had gained.
I felt that to my core this time.
To protect happiness, one must become somewhat cruel and ruthless.
Clenching my fist, I scanned the information posted on the bulletin board.
I heard the punitive expedition was scheduled to depart in three days.
A notice had been distributed to everyone joining the expedition, instructing them to complete their preparations before then.
There was enough time to handle a simple quest, but this time, I decided to focus on checking my own condition rather than undertaking another task.
I examined my status window.
Traits: Autonomy B, Silent Steps C, Gloomy Aura D
Skills: Military Swordsmanship E
[Military Swordsmanship E]
Despite diligently performing quests and never skipping sword training, my swordsmanship showed no signs of advancing beyond E-rank.
It was inevitable, given my lack of talent.
Moreover, not only did I lack talent, but I also had no one beside me to act as a master.
Therefore, my sword training consisted solely of recalling and repeating what my grandfather had taught me.
Feeling frustrated by my circumstances, I tried to buy a decent sword manual from a bookstore, but books themselves were too expensive for my current situation, so I gave up.
To purchase the sword manual I wanted, I would have had to save consistently for nearly half a year, and I concluded that it would be better to hire a sword master with that amount of money instead.
“Swordsmanship can wait for now.”
I could only trust that if I kept trying, a change would eventually occur, just as I had advanced from F-rank to E-rank.
With swordsmanship set aside, I examined my other traits.
[Silent Steps C]
A useful trait that prevents sound when walking.
I once held my breath, smeared dirt on my body to mask my scent, and slowly approached a wild boar before plunging my sword into its neck.
I had already confirmed that it worked not only on humans but also on animals with keen senses.
If this trait were to grow further, I wondered if it might allow me to run silently, not just walk.
However, I couldn’t get a feel for how to develop it.
The rest were….
Autonomy was my only means of resisting the Player, and I had a vague idea of how to develop it.
It seemed likely to grow naturally if I continuously resisted the Player’s commands with my own will.
However, a situation where the Player gave commands was unwelcome, and since I didn’t know the full extent of my ability to refuse, the very circumstance for Autonomy to grow should ideally never arise.
Shaking my head, I glared at the trait listed last.
[Gloomy Aura D]
The reason I couldn’t meet people’s gazes.
To borrow Ban’s words, it was a curse that overlaid my very existence with discomfort and aversion.
I dreaded what might happen if this trait were to grow further.
Even at the subtly low rank of D, merely making eye contact would provoke such revulsion that, unless the other person possessed an exceptionally strong character, a fist would likely fly at me.
I shivered, wondering if, should it advance another level, people might actually try to kill me just for meeting their eyes.
“Tsk…”
Clicking my tongue at a situation no different from when I left Diran, I returned to the inn.
There was no one friendly left at the guild, so sitting there would only invite trouble.
“While there hasn’t been any noticeable progress, I haven’t just stood still either, so I should take comfort in that.”
Knowing I lacked talent, it would be absurd to think a few weeks of effort would change anything significant.
For now, I could only endure with the thought that today was better than yesterday.
Indeed, compared to when I first left Diran, I had definitely improved, even if it wasn’t a vastly significant change.
“When gripping the sword, the tip no longer wavers.”
This wasn’t so much an increase in skill as it was likely due to muscle development.
By repeatedly undertaking quests and training without rest, my physical strength had increased, albeit slightly, despite my body not easily building muscle.
Moreover, since I wasn’t skimping on food, it might even be a natural progression.
I drew my sword, swung it a few times through the air, and assessed its condition.
The sound of it cutting through the air was incredibly sharp.
“The sword my grandfather gave me, it’s light and sturdy.”
It wasn’t anything extraordinary, but it was undoubtedly a fine piece of equipment.
It spoke volumes that some individuals occasionally coveted my sword.
“I’m counting on you again.”
I whispered to the sword.
Though it was a pathetic gesture, this sword was all I could trust, making it a natural ritual for me.
Steeling my resolve once more, I looked up at the sky.
Heavy with dark clouds, the gloomy sky looked as if it would pour down rain at any moment.
It seemed too grand to reflect my feelings, as if the sky itself wouldn’t stoop to pity someone like me; instead, it felt like a grim preview of my days to come, souring my mood.
Three days until the punitive expedition departs.
I needed to prepare thoroughly during that time.
I sharpened my blade, practiced my swordsmanship, and imagined killing people countless times.
Killing in my imagination was far too easy, but when I considered what would actually happen, it certainly wouldn’t be as simple as my thoughts.
However, I didn’t know how to prepare for murder.
While I understood that I would ultimately have to commit murder, I didn’t know how I would manage my emotions when such a situation actually arose.
Therefore, all I could do was strive.
I swung my sword, imagined, ran through the mountains, and swung my sword again, repeating this for two days.
On the final day, I spent time purchasing food and supplies for the long journey.
Flint, oil, a whetstone, dried rations, rope, and a decent quality dagger.
Having completed all preparations, the next day arrived, and I joined the punitive expedition, beginning our movement.
Excluding the supply unit, there were forty adventurers assigned to the front lines, two nobles, four knights to escort them, and twenty soldiers under their command.
Considering the bandit group’s estimated size of around thirty, this was more than double their numbers.
“I hope the knights are considerate enough to leave some stragglers for us.”
“Indeed, during the last extermination operation, the knights swept them all away, so we didn’t get any extra rewards.”
The bandit extermination seemed like a mere picnic, utterly lighthearted and devoid of tension.
Those two, as far as I knew, were fellow adventurers of the same rank, so why were they so relaxed?
Of course, the knights and soldiers under the nobles would handle most of it, but shouldn’t they be wary of stray blades and arrows?
If so, while excessive tension might be detrimental, shouldn’t a moderate level of tension be maintained?
My palms, clenched into fists, were slick with sweat.
Looking around, everyone else seemed to be laughing and chatting, which struck me as odd.
Perhaps they felt relatively safe since the knights and soldiers would be doing the direct fighting.
While I found their demeanor displeasing, if this was merely how the world operated, I supposed I had no choice but to accept it.
I shook my head.
Having no close adventurers, I traveled for a full day in silence, and when the next day dawned, the fellow walking beside me, seemingly bored, started to trip me.
I nearly stumbled several times, and anger flared, but having to maintain formation and lacking the confidence to win a fight, I endured it silently.
Still, they didn’t harass me too severely, perhaps because the nobles were present, making it bearable.
“A brat like you shouldn’t be here, should they? All you’ll do is piss yourself in fear.”
“Are you picking a fight with a kid, you idiot?”
Occasionally, the fellow would try to egg on their friend to insult me, but they didn’t receive much cooperation.
How much time had passed like that?
The weather was cloudy.
A strong wind blew, making it a little chilly, so I pulled my clothes tighter.
The two nobles stepped forward and began the briefing.
“According to our informants, the bandit group has neither concealed their presence nor ceased their activities. These are truly wicked individuals who have forsaken their humanity, and to feel any guilt about slaughtering them would make us just as wicked! Slaughter them all to quell the seeds of chaos in the world; it is a righteous act, so do not hesitate!”
They branded the bandit group as utterly evil and declared us righteous.
The noble’s eloquence wasn’t particularly outstanding, but their words were providing us with justification for murder.
As the noble finished speaking, everyone shouted in response, and our cries would undoubtedly reach the bandit group hidden in the mountains.
The reason for shouting, rather than launching a surprise attack, was undoubtedly aimed at breaking their morale.
It became all too easy to predict that what was about to unfold would not be a battle, but a one-sided massacre.
The punitive expedition advanced into the mountains where the bandit group was hidden.
A few pathetic traps had been set, but some skilled adventurers miraculously spotted and disarmed them.
How long did we climb the mountain?
The mountain stronghold came into view.
It was then.
Time stopped.
[EVENT OCCURRENCE!]
This sensation, having experienced it several times already, I calmly steeled my resolve.
I had no intention of following whatever choices might appear.
However, what emerged in the stopped time was not a set of choices.
-D6_1
As strange words echoed, a die rolled before my eyes.
Clattering—
The die rolled vigorously, finally stopping to reveal the number 6.
“6?”
[Result: 6 – Bandit Extermination Difficulty: EXTREMELY HARD!!]
“What in the…”
As I furrowed my brow at the sudden turn of events,
A rain of arrows poured down from the mountain stronghold.
