Chapter 9

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Following the plan, Leonid took his position, moving away from Christhardt, who was commanding from the camp, and advancing toward the location believed to be the hideout.

To avoid being noticed, he made everyone walk and sent the scout team ahead to take out the lookouts.

―――He is capable. But... it seems he still lacks experience.

Leonid, as an old acquaintance, felt no emotional attachment to Christhardt, and as a general of the neighboring country, he evaluated him objectively.

Christhardt seemed eager for success, but as long as something unexpected did not happen beyond his imagination, the plan would go well.

It was a sound judgment to not follow the proposal and to leave the assault to Leonid.

―――As long as the mission is accomplished, that's all that matters.

While thinking this, Leonid chose a method to prevent the bandits from heading toward the main camp.

Not out of consideration for Christhardt, but simply because Leonid's soldiers were more experienced in battle.

The bandits were organized and might have prepared an escape route.

They needed to approach the hideout unnoticed and eliminate them in one swift move.

Some would likely escape, and then it would be Christhardt's job to deal with them.

If they worked as they said, they would catch all the scattered bandits without fail.

If no bandits were left unaccounted for, it would be a significant achievement for the Kingdom of Remiza.

―――It would be troublesome if they died needlessly.

Leonid was looking beyond the success of this operation.

Capable individuals should live and serve their country and land.

This was Leonid's creed.

He had been pulled down by those lacking both desire and ability, whether in his own country or another.

On the contrary, if capable individuals became the core or leaders of a country, cooperation between two countries like this would be possible.

Christhardt seemed to have the capacity to grasp the situation and control his desires.

Therefore, he would rather not see him die.

―――Most of all, it would be troublesome if he died.

"Almost there, Deputy Leader."

One of the scouts who had gone ahead had apparently returned and whispered to Leonid.

"Understood. Everyone, prepare yourselves."

He turned and signaled with his hand.

The number and direction of his fingers quickly conveyed instructions for battle preparation, advance, standby, assault, and retreat.

Those who saw Leonid's signal passed it on to the back, and within a few minutes, the instructions were communicated to everyone without making a loud noise.

The twenty elite soldiers of the assault team were here.

The ten scouts who had returned were sent back to the main camp to rest.

The remaining twenty were instructed to surround the hideout as they advanced.

―――Is that it?

He confirmed the entrance to the hideout.

Two bandits were yawning while on lookout.

They did not seem to have noticed the approach.

Leonid reached around his waist and drew two daggers.

"Ha!"

He threw them almost simultaneously with both hands.

The daggers pierced the necks of the two lookouts, who immediately died, and only the sound of their bodies falling was heard.

Leonid sent the advance signal to the soldiers behind him.

"Warrrr!"

Raising his voice, Leonid himself led the charge into the hideout.

His subordinates followed, not wanting to be left behind by their deputy leader.

"Attack! Knights, knights are here!"

Voices were heard from inside.

It seemed they had double lookouts near the entrance.

―――For bandits, they are unusually cautious.

A slight bad feeling crept in, but the battle had already begun.

There was no time to think. Now was the time to swing his sword.

"Knights!?! Knock them down! They're just nobles pretending to be knights..."

Two bandits appeared from the darkness.

One held a club, the other a dagger.

Without hesitation, Leonid swung his greatsword horizontally.

"What...!"

The two bandits, suddenly realizing the sword was coming at them, tried to block it with their own weapons.

However, Leonid's greatsword was not something that could be stopped so easily.

"Ugh!? Hah..."

Both of their weapons were shattered, and they were thrown against the cave wall by the momentum.

"No way... Why is the 'Great Sword of the Holy Lion' here...!"

They whispered this as they lost consciousness, seeing Leonid's figure.

"Enemy attack. Not many. Surround them, surround them!"

More bandits emerged from deeper inside, surrounding Leonid while keeping their distance.

"Deputy Leader Leonid!"

A subordinate who had followed him noticed Leonid's condition and called out.

"I'm fine, eliminate the bandits."

Reassuring his subordinate, he swung his beloved sword again.

"Ooooh!"

This time, he swung it in a circular motion.

The bandits who had surrounded him and raised their weapons made sounds of pain one after another.

Several of them were thrown and hit the wall.

"Those who value their lives, fall to the ground."

He took a short dagger from a nearby fallen bandit and threw it at one who was still conscious after being thrown against the wall.

It hit just beside his side, pinning him to the wall with his clothes.

"Those who want to escape, come and try to knock me down."

He roared, raising his sword.

"Haha... Impossible... It's better to be sent to the Tower of Sinners..."

A remaining bandit, losing his will to fight, muttered.

He dropped his sword and tried to run deeper into the cave.

Or rather, he only tried to run.

"What are you scared of, facing a knight? Your job is to die on your post, right? Die on your post when it gets dangerous!"

A new bandit emerged from the darkness.

He was about the same size as Leonid, with abnormally long limbs, and was holding the man who had tried to run with one hand.

"O, oh boss... but..."

"You said 'but'? You said 'but' just now? Yes, you used a forbidden word... Death sentence! Goodbye!"

With his free hand, he slid a dagger across the man's neck.

The man who had tried to run was thrown to the ground like trash.

"Are you the leader of the bandits?"

Leonid, who had been quietly observing, spoke.

"Yeah? You! Doing whatever you want in my hideout...!"

He shouted in anger for a moment but then trembled at the sight of Leonid.

"You... You're the deputy leader of Moaize, with a danger level S... Shit. This is really bad."

It seemed the bandit leader knew who Leonid was.

Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.

"Choose. Be defeated by me, or spend the rest of your life in prison."

Leonid, with his sword at the ready, asked.

This was probably the one who had organized the bandits from small groups.

A poisoned dagger might fly at any moment.

He could not afford to be careless.

"Of course... the third option. Continuing the free and easy life of a bandit, obviously!"

The bandit leader answered and threw a dagger.

He threw four in quick succession.

Leonid deflected three with his sword and dodged the fourth with minimal movement.

"Can I fight the strongest knight in the continent?!"

The bandit leader shouted, kicked a nearby comrade toward Leonid, and turned to run away.

"Wait! Damn it!"

Leonid pushed the kicked bandit aside and pursued the leader.

However, it seemed he would not be able to catch up with the determined escape.

He quickly gave up and thought about his next move.

―――If he ran deeper into the hideout...

There were three possibilities.

One, he just ran out of desperation.

Two, the deeper area is a maze or trap.

Three, there is an escape route to somewhere else.

Given that he is smart, the first option is unlikely.

Probably the second or third, or both.

If it's only the second, he could slowly corner him.

The problem is if there is an escape route, the third option.

He had anticipated this, but it was something that could not be prepared for without internal reconnaissance.

This time, there was not enough time.

―――He is dangerous.

His instincts, honed through countless brushes with death, told him so.

While not a match for Leonid, he was a dangerous opponent.

The judgment to run upon recognizing the attacker, the decisiveness, and the wisdom to organize the bandits.

Christhardt might be at a disadvantage now.

"Deputy Leader, what should we do?"

A subordinate who had finished dealing with the remaining bandits and followed him asked for instructions.

"You command the soldiers and destroy the hideout."

He quickly decided on the next course of action and gave orders to his subordinate.

"Carefully, and try to minimize injuries."

"Understood."

For this operation, the captain had assigned more capable individuals to his side, so this should be sufficient.

"Deputy Leader, what will you do?"

"I will―――"

Leonid glanced ahead.

His gaze was not directed toward the darkness leading deeper into the hideout, but toward the light at the entrance.

★2021/4/2 New work submission has started. If you like, please read it as well.

【Failed to Reincarnate as the Villainess and Became the Heroine Instead ～Giving up on the Family End with the Villainess's Brother, Aiming for the Lover End～】

https://ncode.syosetu.com/n7332gw/