People often fall into a common misconception.
That the path they will walk, the direction they must go, is determined solely by their own will and decisions.
But, really, how many people can truly claim that?
Most people in the world are like shipwrecked passengers, drifting aimlessly, tossed by the surrounding circumstances and the intentions of others.
To live according to one’s own wishes is nothing more than the foolish talk of arrogant fools who take the world’s affairs too lightly.
…Why am I saying this all of a sudden, you ask?
Well, it’s just that…
“Here you are! Finally found you, the Traitor Knight Brunhilde!”
I’m in exactly that situation right now.
◆◆
Barely half a day after leaving the abandoned building, we encountered a group of pursuers chasing us.
“Traitor Brunhilde… And who is this woman beside you? An accomplice aiding in your escape?”
Dozens of men wearing the same uniforms and armor stood out among the adventurers with varying equipment.
Given their firm military discipline, they were probably the soldiers of a nearby noble.
Sixty elite soldiers in plate armor… and six knights fully armored.
They looked like a hastily gathered group, but that didn’t mean I could underestimate them.
Even if they were merely the soldiers of a noble and not regular kingdom knights, being knighted at least implied they were as strong as silver-ranked adventurers.
I could win if I fought them one-on-one six times, but if they all attacked at once, even Belita would likely choose to flee.
“…No, it doesn’t matter who you are. Both of you drop your weapons and surrender!”
One knight on horseback shouted at me, pointing a spear with a wolf insignia.
He was a middle-aged man with a mustache that looked like it belonged on a potato chip character. He appeared to be the commander of this group.
Grrr! Grrr!
Growl…!
Arrooo—!
Perhaps spurred by the middle-aged man’s shout, bloodhounds with leashes in the hands of other knights started barking loudly, scratching the ground with their front paws.
Hounds. How classic.
In a fantasy world where fireballs leap out of books and swords shoot beams, it seems there are few tools more capable than dogs for pursuit.
“You say to surrender?”
I drew my sword, aiming it at them. Friede was beside me, growling while grasping at the air.
Honestly, I thought she’d swing the Holy Sword as soon as she saw the enemies, but surprisingly, she only took a stance, not taking the initiative to attack.
Perhaps she felt a bit reluctant to slaughter those simply fulfilling their duties. The Holy Sword wasn’t meant for such purposes, after all.
“Why should I? I have no memory of doing anything deserving of being dragged away like a criminal.”
About half of that was genuine. Cutting off the arms and legs of the scoundrels who tried to kidnap me wasn’t a capital offense, was it? It was more akin to self-defense.
As for betraying the Kingdom of Rhine, that wasn’t something Hervor’s regular forces had the authority to question me about.
I was innocent. At least in my mind.
“You’ve got the audacity…! You are charged with the massacre of seven small pioneering villages, forty-seven counts of assassinating guild members, conspiring with the Abyss Priest to murder priestesses of the goddess’s order, and the assassination of a party member from the Burgundian Warriors!”
From the perspective of those pursuing us, I had apparently already been labeled a major criminal, worthy of being dragged around by a leash and publicly executed.
“…That’s a lot.”
If I were to admit to all those charges, surrendering would lead to immediate execution, right?
It appeared they had scoured my past, casting a net on anything that might seem suspicious.
It was straightforward witch-hunting, so to speak.
“All false accusations.”
I bent slightly, lowering my stance while keeping my sword pointed at them. Ready to pounce and slash if they made a move.
“Are you denying the charges and planning to resist? How foolish!”
“Then should I just accept death? Knowing full well it’s a false charge? Think about it from my position. Would you do that?”
“Such impudence for a criminal!”
The middle-aged man, enraged, swung his spear once. It was an unspoken signal to attack, I wager.
As he swung his spear, the soldiers around him simultaneously drew their weapons and started closing in.
Armed with shields and swords, they marched in formation, followed by spear-wielders aiming their points at me.
The archers at the back spread out wide to the sides, drawing their bows and readying arrows.
A clear combat posture. I had my doubts initially, but it was obvious now; there was no way to resolve this misunderstanding through conversation. They had already branded me a criminal.
My only options left were to either take them down or surrender and be dragged away.
“The impudent ones are you!”
I kicked off the snow-covered ground and charged towards the ‘enemy’ with fierce intent in my grip.
The accusation of conspiring with the Abyss Priest was preposterous, and the other charges were nothing but self-defense in my view.
By the standards of this world, there was no crime here.
However, if I surrendered and got dragged away, I’d likely end up tortured in prison without a chance to plead my case.
There were no other options.
Not for me.
Ugh…! Is there no other choice?!
To Friede, who was biting her lip, drawing the Holy Sword…
“They’re coming! Suppressive fire! Aim for the head and legs!”
“Is that sword a magical weapon…? I’ll handle that girl, I, William!”
“Hah! I won’t let you have both! That sword is too much for you!”
Arrows poured down like rain from the archers, and two knights in full armor raced towards Friede in competition.
“Hah!”
I rolled on the ground to dodge the rain of arrows, then sprang up to thrust my sword through the face of a shield bearer.
Gah…!
The shield bearer let out a gasp, his eyes rolling back as he twitched violently. The blood splattering from his wound trickled down my cheek.
That was just the beginning.
“If you want to live, back off!”
Using his corpse as a human shield, I blocked a swinging sword from another soldier and simultaneously swung my sword, severing the arm of a third soldier attacking from the side.
Gaaah!
“Get back, I said!”
The shield bearer fell to the ground, clutching his severed arm.
I kicked his abdomen, knocking him down alongside the spear-bearing soldier following behind, then dove into the gap created and swung my sword like a storm.
Ahh!
Kahk…!
Screams and blood gushed forth. Those unable to swiftly rotate due to the obstacles of other soldiers and shields allowed their necks and sides to be helplessly exposed.
Severed heads fell to the ground, squished and stomped upon, while spilled entrails wrapped around my blade and arm, swimming in the blood splattered in midair.
Against soldiers, ‘restraint’ was a waste of stamina.
I kept my troll-like strength firmly sealed, relying solely on my basic strength and speed, along with the skills and experience I had honed over time to take them down one by one.
“Spread out! Create a shield wall and stab to suppress!”
After slashing down seven of them in a row, two of the observing knights approached and began issuing new commands to the soldiers.
Tap tap tap. The soldiers quickly widened their formation, encircling me in a circular fashion.
Naturally, these people trained only to take lives showed no sign of hesitation despite seeing seven of their comrades drop dead in an instant.
“…So, you have no intention of surrendering peacefully.”
I swung my sword in the air, shaking off the entrails from my weapon and arm, letting out a sigh.
It was an unpleasant sensation. The feeling of cutting off the breath of those who were not raiders.
The blood that spilled out, the organs that burst forth; the stench was so thick it made me gag.
Crack!
As an arrow flew from the side, bouncing off my shoulder and grazing my cheek, that self-satisfied thought was instantly wiped away from my head.
“……Alright, let’s go until the end. If that’s what you want!”
I lightly wiped the cut on my cheek, gritting my teeth. The small remnant of my conscience and guilt was crushed under the weight of survival instinct.
If I don’t kill them, I’ll be the one dying. That simple, clear premise guided my blade.
With a clear intent to kill, I swung my sword faster and more ruthlessly than before.
Crack!
It tore through the bodies of the soldiers along with their armor.
“You witch-like girl, revealing your true colors at last!”
Two knights pushing through the formation swung their swords at me.
“Shut it!”
I screamed furiously, countering their blades and pushing them aside.
“It’s all your doing, you know? Do you understand? You brought this upon yourselves-!”
Everything was grating on my nerves.
Arrows pouring like rain every time I showed a weakness. Soldiers lunging and swinging their blades each time I turned my back.
And the knights who could only be overpowered by unleashing my full strength, ready to carve my body with their blades at the slightest lapse in focus.
Pain and bleeding morphed into rage, turning my vision red.
A dog-eat-dog world. Trash-like heroes. The sensation of arrows lodged in my arm. Savage and greedy humans. My body twisted and turned. Hounds biting and dragging at my limbs.
The stench all around. A toilet with no bidet. Pain. Lawlessness beyond the city. Tasteless food. Fatigue. The relentless rain of misfortune. A bleak, desperate future.
Every accumulated grievance erupted like a volcano.
“Everyone—just die!”
I roared, filled with rage and murderous intent, flailing like a wounded beast. Ready to slash and tear everything in sight.
Uaaaaargh!
Snow flew up violently. A fountain of blood erupted, staining the snowy ground with its warmth.
Melted snow flowed like a red river.
◆◆
Haah…! Hah…!
Finally regaining my senses, I buried my sword in the ground, panting as I surveyed my surroundings.
The only living person near me was just one.
“Let’s go. Hilde.”
Friede, summoning back the bloodied Holy Sword, handed me a potion bottle while speaking.
“…Where to?”
I asked, my voice completely drained. Turning away from the pool of blood and torn flesh we created.
“Anywhere. Somewhere that isn’t here.”
Friede turned her head from me, gazing at the distant snow-capped mountains as she answered.
Thus began our flight.
Just wandering aimlessly, fleeing and slashing down the pursuers again and again.
Ironically, with every foe I killed, I felt my skills sharpen more and more.
At a pace incomparable to the last few months I’d lived as an adventurer.
…It was truly a strange matter.
