Attack of the Bandits
Before he knew it, winter was coming to an end. On the branches seen along the way, sharp winter buds had grown quite large.
It was said that the merchant caravan had now passed well over the halfway point of its journey. Gradually, wagons began to peel off as they reached their destinations.
Yesterday, one group left the procession, saying they were near their target city. It was heard that over the next few days, several more wagons would depart as well.
Because of this, the atmosphere became slightly unsettled. As the length of the convoy shrank unevenly, the distance between merchant companies widened a little. The procession moved forward in a loosely connected chain.
Something he had learned after joining the merchant caravan was that small merchant companies would coordinate escorts with neighboring groups or with companies they were familiar with.
Considering the intervals of night watch and the number of escorts required, it was apparently quite beneficial to operate that way.
It significantly reduced both cost and effort for escorts, so unless it was a large merchant company like Miller Company, most of the convoy moved in pairs or groups of three.
Even though some wagons had left, the length of the procession did not change much. As night came again, the long caravan stopped on a slightly hilly area.
It was the same routine as yesterday and the day before. They lit campfires and prepared dinner here and there.
Unlike Miller Company, some escort guards of other merchant wagons had to prepare their own meals at their own expense. Those people ate dried meat or hard bread they had brought with them.
Even within the same merchant caravan, treatment varied greatly, as did food and pay. As Red Sword had said, Juhwan was extremely lucky.
In this world, where there was no electricity and few forms of entertainment, people began their day just before sunrise and went to bed early when night came.
The same applied to those in the merchant caravan, and after eating, most prepared to sleep.
Some adventurers carried tents, but others simply wrapped themselves in a single blanket and carried it on their backs. Those people would sit in front of the campfire and wrap themselves like sleeping bags.
Dorothy had already fallen asleep inside the wagon. Lizzy was chatting quietly with the women of Red Sword in front of the campfire.
Over the past few days, Lizzy had grown quite close to the Red Sword party, ever since Juhwan had saved Mary.
Lizzy had a naturally gentle personality. He had worried she might not get along with the somewhat aggressive Red Sword members, but surprisingly, their personalities matched well. Sometimes, as if sharing secrets, Lizzy and the Red Sword party would whisper and laugh together.
When the women were together, Juhwan tried not to get too close. He worried his presence might make things awkward, but it seemed that had been the right choice.
The quiet routine was broken by the sound of loud hoofbeats.
From somewhere, the sound of hooves striking the ground rang out, and screams erupted from the front of the caravan. Because the convoy was long, it was hard to see what was happening.
“We’re under attack! Bandits are attacking!”
The shout echoed from afar. Soon after, voices from various places began repeating the warning.
The women of Red Sword immediately drew their swords and stood up. Escorts spread out around the wagons, guarding all directions.
Escort leader Gordon and the servants checked the horses tied to the wagons, while a few ran toward the rear to inspect the carts.
Leonard, the owner, took out a bow and quiver from the wagon. Juhwan had thought he was not an ordinary merchant, but using a bow was unexpected. He had assumed he would use a sword if he fought.
Juhwan also took the bow and arrows from the wagon. He could use fire, but if the enemy was far away, the bow would be better. Even if he missed, it would help keep the bandits from getting close.
Lizzy went inside the wagon. Juhwan told her to lock the door from the inside, then climbed onto the roof of the wagon.
However, there were no attackers coming from this side. Only screams echoed from far ahead.
Time passed frustratingly without knowing the exact situation.
It seemed the escorts at the front had managed to hold off the bandits. After a while, the sound of fighting faded, replaced by retreating hoofbeats.
Escort leader Gordon ran toward the front of the convoy. One of the servants followed him, a sword in hand.
Most of Miller Company’s servants who accompanied the convoy seemed capable of using weapons. The servant running with Gordon also carried a sword.
After a while, Gordon returned.
“The bandits have fled. They are estimated to be between twenty and twenty-five men. Their numbers are small, but it seems they have a mage. A wind mage, I think. His attacks were extremely powerful.”
“Could be an advanced mage. This is troublesome. Where did they strike?”
Gordon answered again at Leonard’s low voice.
“The spice merchant company was attacked. Some goods were taken from their wagon. Casualties: two servants and five escorts. Two are seriously injured, the rest are lightly injured.”
The darkness beyond remained quiet. There was no sign of another attack.
Leonard nodded and stared into the air silently.
Gordon spoke again.
“They are requesting a healing mage up front. What should we do?”
When Juhwan jumped down from the wagon to go, Leonard raised his hand to stop him.
“Wait until we judge it is safe. Not now.”
If that was the case, the severely injured would die. Juhwan hesitated.
With his ability, treatment would be quick. It would only take as long as Gordon’s round trip. But if bandits attacked in that brief moment he was away…
Juhwan could not move from his spot.
Human life was certainly important. There was no life that was not precious. But everyone had lives they valued more than others. For Juhwan, Lizzy and Dorothy were the most precious lives in the world.
However, even after many hours passed, the bandits did not attack again.
Normally there were two people on night watch, but after the attack, everyone remained alert in all directions.
The next day, just before dawn, Juhwan went to the injured. Jessie from Red Sword accompanied him.
One of the two severely injured had already died. His waist had been nearly cut in half. Even if Juhwan had arrived earlier, he likely could not have saved him.
The other had a shoulder injury. A blade was deeply embedded, exposing bone. He had lost so much blood he was half unconscious. Even if his eyelids were lifted, his eyes did not move.
When Juhwan tried to heal him, the merchant leader stopped him.
“That one is enough. He’s already beyond saving. Please check the other injured.”
“I can’t guarantee it, but he might survive.”
At Juhwan’s words, the merchant leader sighed quietly.
“Even so, we cannot afford treatment. Your healing magic is paid depending on condition. For injuries like that, it costs several times more than ordinary healing. We cannot spend that much on escorts. If they die during escort duty, we pay a small compensation, and that is cheaper…”
“……”
Juhwan could not be sure the man could be saved. But it was possible. With his mana, he could likely seal the wound without much effort.
He had no thoughts of saving everyone or being noble like a saint. He had no intention of pretending to be one. But he was not cruel enough to simply watch someone die in front of him. And it would not cost him anything. He only had to reach out.
Just as Juhwan silently prepared to pour mana into the man, Jessie grabbed his wrist.
“No, Juhwan.”
“……”
“What do you think will happen to other healing mages if you treat injured people for free?”
“……”
“There are healing mages not only in the Adventurer’s Guild but also in temples. Their skill levels, treatment costs, and your ability—all of that is taken into account when guild prices are set. If you treat people for free, the entire system will collapse. The guild will be criticized as well.”
Jessie spoke quietly, avoiding Juhwan’s gaze.
“All adventurers know what happens in situations like this.”
“Is that what a guide’s role is? To explain things like this?”
“……”
Jessie did not answer.
Juhwan looked at the dying man for a moment, then closed his eyes.
Right. This was that kind of world.
He already knew from what happened in the goblin village. There were reasons why people became so selfish. Just remembering how he came here made it clear.
He had been briefly blinded by comfort, mistakenly thinking this world was warm and humane.
Juhwan opened his eyes and looked at the merchant leader.
“Where are the injured I am to treat?”
“Over there.”
The merchant leader guided Juhwan to an open area on the opposite side of the wagon.
The injuries were neither too shallow nor too deep. The merchant leader wanted treatment that would simply close the wounds.
Every treatment had a price. No one wanted treatment they could not afford.
The merchant leader and adventurers were no different.
Juhwan only now learned that the cost of healing magic was split: half paid by the merchant company, half by the adventurers.
Juhwan treated them slightly better than what the merchant leader requested, then returned to Miller Company.
Before he knew it, the sky had brightened.
As Jessie had once said, adventurers’ bodies were their wealth. He now understood what that meant in many ways.
The wagons began moving again, and the convoy slowly advanced.
Juhwan walked up beside Karin, the leader of Red Sword, who was moving silently.
He spoke quietly to Karin, who looked at him as if asking why.
“When the bandits attacked earlier, I watched your movements. Those movements were imitations of men’s techniques, weren’t they?”
“…Yes.”
Unlike her earlier aggressive attitude, Karin nodded obediently.
To someone who did not know, the Red Sword party’s movements looked ridiculous—getting angry and rushing at anyone, yet being surprisingly weak. They became a joke to others.
But that was their method of survival. It was the only way they had.
Until now, there may have been help behind them that they did not know about. No—there certainly had been. Otherwise, they could not have survived even this long.
But that alone was not enough. To survive, they had to stand on their own strength. Otherwise, they would die meaninglessly like the man from earlier.
“Frogs and snakes must fight in completely different ways. If a frog imitates a snake, it will never win.”
“……”
“Karin, a frog should not try to defeat a snake in a normal way.”
“……”
“Since meeting you, I’ve noticed something. You don’t try to kill your opponents, do you?”
“…No.”
“If you’re not trying to kill, then don’t fight at all. You just look ridiculous. But if you do decide to fight someone, then forget pride—fight with the mindset that even if you die, you will kill the opponent.”
All Juhwan could give was small advice. What mattered was realizing it themselves.
“Swords are too heavy for your arms. Spears or daggers are better. A person doesn’t necessarily die from an eye wound, but they become crippled. If you can’t aim high, then aim for between the legs. Or the nose, the neck—strike places where they cannot recover or counterattack. That is how you must fight. Don’t try to defeat men with men’s swords.”
Karin looked at Juhwan with a slightly surprised expression.
“Don’t try to win. Try to kill.”
After saying that, Juhwan walked past her.
During the daytime travel, escorts took turns sleeping in wagons.
---
That night, another wagon was attacked. It was the same bandit group.
Unlike before, they attacked from multiple directions—five men at the front wagons, ten at the rear, striking in several places.
Unlike the previous night, arrows flew toward the campfire. They were shot from beyond normal range. It was confirmed they had a wind mage. The campfires had to be extinguished.
As injuries occurred, wolf howls grew closer than ever. The smell of blood had drawn them in.
No one slept that night.
At dawn, they searched for traces of the bandits, but they were gone.
Escorts could not leave the wagons far behind, so they could not pursue them.
The attackers expended less energy than the defenders. Exhaustion among escorts accumulated, worsening the situation.
Several merchant groups left the convoy, deciding it was too dangerous.
The next night, there was no attack. But no one could relax—no one could sleep properly.
Juhwan realized this was similar to hunting tactics. A hunter continuously tracks prey, forcing it to run without rest until it collapses, then captures it when it is exhausted.
He did not know if the enemy was a hunter or something else, but at the very least, they were not ordinary bandits.
Juhwan sat wrapped in a blanket beside the wagon and closed his eyes.
If the enemy came, he would know. Until then, he needed to rest as much as possible. If he fell into their rhythm, he would not be able to fight when it mattered.
Even though he was exhausted, his mind remained strangely alert.
Still, he had to sleep.
Juhwan closed his eyes and forced himself to fall asleep