Raising Paladins

Episode 23. Plundered Marauder (1)

A large acorn tree growing on top of a hill in the Lawless Zone.

Trees that have been in one place for hundreds of years cast a great shade around them.

below it.

A group in rags were sharing parched bread.

“Eh, twee!”

Even on the same ground, there is always a place of honor.

The beggar, who sat in a decent spot on a tree stump, spat out the bread he was eating.

Then another beggar next to me was a little surprised and asked.

“Boss, why is that?”

“It’s none of your business.”

“… … .”

The one called the boss who gave the beggar a look of contempt.

He is a man named ‘Turner’, a former military officer.

After working as a senior military officer in a city in the western part of the empire, he was kicked out for committing corruption.

This is where they settled down after wandering around.

It was on the border of Meirium and Tournoble.

An unscrupulous man who stole soldiers’ food money and spent it for entertainment!

Still, the ability to pass the senior military officer test in its own way.

That’s why there was considerable skill in punching and swordsmanship.

Thanks to that, he was living as a captain among the scavengers.

Of course, with the thought that they are qualitatively different from these beggars.

‘Let’s just finish today’s work. Goodbye to the disgusting beggar!’

Goodbye to crumbly bread like chewing on a dry dishcloth!

Turner fidgeted with his arms.

Inside was a letter I received as an urgent message this morning.

It was a letter from Devaldo, the head of the Merchant Guild in Meirium.

– You may keep all other shipments. Please take care of only one priest.

To sum it up, roughly something like that.

For some reason, there is no convoy at the year-end peddling, and a certain priest is said to be escorting it.

Devaldo said he would leave everything else to Turner if he could be sure to take care of him.

Of course, Turner knew what it meant to be treated ‘certainly’.

‘I’m going to get some fresh air after a long time.’

Okay!

A scabbard hung from Turner’s waist.

It was his sword that he had a hard time hiding when he was banished for committing corruption.

It’s not a famous sword, it’s not a treasured sword.

However, it is illegal to own a long sword unless you are a nobleman or a member of a knight academy!

That’s why just holding a long sword like this makes life much easier.

Especially in a lawless zone like this!

‘I’m not the kind of person to be in a place like this!’

Turner also entered the knight academy with all his money and personal connections.

I barely graduated with the lowest grades.

Still, it is clear that he is from the academy.

So, as long as you have money, you will be able to do identity laundering.

After a big fight, I was thinking of going to a small city in the northern part of the empire.

There, he plans to live proudly by pretending to be a retired military officer.

If you carry a thick money bag and a long sword, no one will be able to ignore you in a small northern town.

Perhaps, like Hanson, he can create a new gang and rule as king.

‘I’m going to live a good life like in the past!’

When Turner has such sweet dreams.

The beggar from earlier stood up.

“boss! Here it comes! The fruit parade is coming!”

“at las!”

A parade of fruits that will make you rich!

Excited Turner got up quickly.

“Um… … .”

Turner stares at the approaching procession from the distance with frowning eyes.

A smile spread across Turner’s face.

‘There’s no real convoy!’

In fact, when I received Debaldo’s letter, I was worried.

It doesn’t make sense to not have a convoy on such a massive fruit shipment.

It was Turner who even thought that he might have concocted a strategy to subjugate himself.

however.

‘I can’t see Hanson, and there’s no Daryl!’

Hanson’s gang, who can be said to be the best enemies of the scavengers.

Among them, I did not stick with Hanson, the captain.

However, it is said that he has great fighting skills.

In particular, the strength that comes from a huge body is no joke.

Daryl, the second person right below him.

He is tricky with the one hatchet he carries with him very well.

Turner, who had been with Daryl once before.

It could have been finished with one more swing of the knife, but the conditions were not good.

But today, both of those two people who are the core of the gang are nowhere to be seen.

Truly a great opportunity!

furthermore… … .

‘Those bastards are the ones who stood guard at the post, right? Why are they carrying the box?’

The other convoys are nowhere to be seen.

Besides, the guards are carrying a load.

So it was good to say that there was not a single proper convoy.

The outpost is empty, which means they no longer have any means of contacting the gang.

I’ve never been this lucky to rob the fruit of the ascending.

Of course, I wonder why the guys who were on the lookout were carrying boxes.

But that’s not really important.

It’s because you only have to ‘certainly’ deal with the priest that Devaldo asked for.

Then Debaldo was responsible for all the losses of the merchants and Hanson’s gang.

Although it’s a bit reluctant to commit murder at the request of a mere merchant, Nabu Raeng, considering the benefits to be gained, I’m willing to go through with it.

‘Finally, I’m lucky too!’

Say goodbye to these stinky beggars!

Turner stepped forward, shrugging his shoulders triumphantly.

By then the wagon train had also reached the vicinity of the acorn tree.

“Whoa! Stop!”

hee hee hee!

As dozens of people blocked the way, the startled horses trudged.

Terrence, the driver of the lead carriage, quickly got down and comforted the startled horses.

“He’s a guy I see often. Your name is probably… … Was it Terrence?”

“… … .”

Turner shouted at Terrence.

Terrence didn’t answer, but Turner continued with a tone that didn’t matter.

“Looks like you guys have finally gone out of your mind. Trying to cross the border without a convoy. It’s like begging me to peel it off and eat it. Isn’t that right, boys?”

“you’re right! Let’s shake it off!”

“It is plunder! Whoa ha ha!”

At Turner’s cry, the other scavengers burst into laughter.

To them, today’s fruit shipment was crazy.

Passing through the most dangerous area in the area, the Lawless Zone, without a convoy?

Even without simple armament?

It’s like committing suicide.

Then a skinny guy from the coachman’s cab started talking to Terrence.

“Sir. The furry over there is the leader of the scavengers. He’s called Turner.”

“Right.”

It was the knife.

Carl looked up and down at Turner, thought.

‘He even kicked a longsword for being a captain. I still needed a real sword, but it worked.’

Of course, only a sword made of special steel imbued with divine power would be easy to use the sword’s long-term skill, ‘Explosive Swordsmanship’.

But it won’t be difficult to write it in an emergency right now.

Right now, a wooden sword is enough, but you never know when a situation will arise that requires a real sword.

But just then, the scavenger boss showed up kicking a real sword.

I had intended to rob these scavengers’ wealth from the beginning, but it was an unexpected harvest.

“What are you?”

As Carl stepped to the front of the wagon train, Turner strode out as well.

His eyes were filled with mockery and derision.

‘What is this skinny thing? You’d think a scarecrow was walking around.’

At least that’s how the knife looked.

Besides, the wooden sword that was worn around the waist!

It made me laugh out loud that not even children, but grown adults were wearing wooden swords.

“This is Carlos, the priest responsible for escorting this procession.”

“Oh, are you that priest?”

“… … ?”

For a moment, doubt flashed in Carl’s eyes.

‘I knew in advance that I was coming.’

Just Turner apparently did.

‘Are you that priest?’

That means that hairy boy knew in advance that the priest was involved in the fruit transportation.

How the hell did you know that?

The answer was obvious.

‘Devaldonna Hansson must have had a hand. It must be especially likely to be Devaldo.’

A contract to hand over all the farmland and temple buildings that have been mortgaged in the meantime if the procession fails.

If today’s convoy fails, Devaldo will benefit the most.

Usually, this kind of conspiracy is concocted by the one who benefits the most.

So the furry boss was probably tipped off by Devaldo.

Carl, who finished the calculation in an instant, said.

“If you kill me, you promised not to ask for any other responsibility, right?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“Didn’t you speak with your mouth? ‘Are you that priest?’ That means you knew in advance that I was coming.”

“uh… … ?”

“Looking at it, it seems that the other guys don’t know. Then you must have been thinking of killing me, plundering the upstream and taking the money. yes?”

“Everyone, shut up! What nonsense are you talking about!?”

“Seeing your voice rise, it’s real.”

Carl took another step forward and looked around.

As he did so, he met eyes with each of the rags-clad scavengers.

“listen carefully! Your boss planned to take the money and run away after plundering us. The proof is that he knew in advance that I was coming. If he had really meant to be with you, he would have told you about his plans. But it wouldn’t have been. Am I wrong?”

“no way… … ?”

“No, boss? Yes?”

The scavengers looked at Turner at Carl’s words.

Turner feels that things are starting to take a strange turn.

He cried out in a cold sweat.

“Don’t be incited! Priests are good at persuading people by teasing them with their tongues! That guy is a priest! He can’t fight, so he’s talking nonsense and trying to tear us apart!”

Turner’s voice raised to the fullest.

But the seed of doubt is a scary law.

Suspicion, which began to creep in at the sword’s blow, spread rapidly among the scavengers.

The scavengers who lived by robbery in the first place!

They don’t live together out of trust or loyalty.

It’s just because it’s much easier to rob people in a group than to go around alone.

Because they did not believe in each other, the speed of distrust spread quickly.

Turner, who had lived here for quite some time, knew that all too well.

‘That cunning priest!’

Occupation is a fuse, but the body is a parched sword.

Being that kind of guy, I thought he might have something different.

But that was mob demagoguery!

I was caught off guard for a moment, then I was cornered by a single slip of the tongue.

In the end, there was only one way to resolve this situation.

“You bastard… … ! I’ll cut your throat for spreading nonsense!”

“Aren’t you excited because it’s not bullsh*t?”

“I told you to shut up!”

“And I will tell you in advance.”

The only thing he had was a toy wooden sword.

He boldly strode toward Turner, who was armed with a real sword.

The two of them are close enough to touch if you stretch out your hand.

Then Carl spoke in a low voice.

“If you surrender even now, I will let you walk around. If you resist, there is no mercy. This is for all of you.”