Chapter 99

Thirteen thieves were captured, and sixty-three civilians were rescued.

Fortunately, no one was taken away as slaves, and all the kidnapped people were rescued.

However, one village was completely wiped out by the thieves, and three other villages and settlements were also affected.

Additionally, several caravans on the road were attacked, so the damage was extensive.

"Thank you, my lord, for your help."

A large man, around forty years old, representing the rescued civilians, thanked me. The rescued people bowed their heads in unison with the large man.

The men were intended to be used as combat slaves and sex slaves, so they were physically strong, and the women were mostly young.

"By allowing such scoundrels to run rampant, I have caused you all to suffer... Some of you have lost your possessions, and some have lost family members. I will do everything I can to assist you..."

"Thank you for your consideration."

There were no words to express the situation. Their faces were filled with exhaustion, and my words of comfort would not easily heal their wounds. Seeing these people again, I realized I could not ignore the foolish actions of the Holy Orion Kingdom.

Regardless of the thieves, since the number of rescued civilians was large, I requested reinforcements from Fort Felk. It would have been good if we could have stayed in the cave where the thieves had their hideout, but the rescued people wanted to leave the cave as soon as possible, so we started moving towards Fort Felk at dawn. We joined forces with the reinforcement troops from Fort Felk around three in the afternoon and divided into two groups: one to escort the civilians to Fort Felk and the other to head to the cave where the thieves had their hideout.

The mission of the group heading to the thieves' hideout was to dispose of the bodies and recover the accumulated goods and money. If the bodies of the thieves were left, they could potentially turn into undead, and the goods were to be recovered to return as much as possible to those who had been affected.

Carriages were prepared to transport the rescued civilians, so the journey was unexpectedly quick, and we arrived at Fort Felk on the second day. Here, I handed over the responsibility to Wick.

"You don't need to worry about the supplies. Please ensure that the rescued people can settle down. If they wish, you can provide them with housing in Eastwood. Many have lost their families, so please be considerate in your response."

Wick has a stern face and works like a demon on the battlefield, but he is also a capable administrator who can handle paperwork efficiently. Moreover, while he is a sadist and a killer on the battlefield, he is extremely gentle in peacetime. It's hard to imagine from his appearance.

"Of course. And what about the treatment of the thieves?"

"For now, they will be imprisoned. Be cautious, as the Holy Orion Kingdom is behind them."

"Hai!"

In a room at Fort Felk, I took out the statue of the goddess. I used the Divine Eye to examine the magic array inscribed on it. The array revealed that it was concealing magical power and emitting a certain frequency of sound waves. I didn't expect to find a magic item using sound waves in this world. Moreover, the concealment of magical power was so advanced that it could even deceive my magical perception. I didn't think the knowledge of magic arrays in this world could create such a sophisticated array, so it must have been made by someone special. It might even have been made by someone from Earth. Since I'm here, it's not strange for others to have transferred or reincarnated here. However, if they are using their power for the fanatics of the Holy Orion Kingdom, they will have to pay a price. It's also possible that they are being forced to cooperate, so that point needs to be considered.

While examining the statue, there was a knock on the door, and I gave permission to enter. Wick and a woman who was not just small but extremely tiny, likely a dwarf, entered.

"This person wants to meet you, my lord..."

Wick's face is intimidating, yet this woman managed to move him, which is quite impressive. After all, while Wick is a demon on the battlefield, he is usually a good-natured, burly old man.

"Is that so? And who are you?"

"I, I am Liliya. I was captured by the thieves, and you, my lord, rescued me."

I dismissed Wick, leaving Liliya, Filia, and me in the room.

"So, Liliya, what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Yes... I want to work under you, my lord."

Liliya clasped her hands in front of her chest and looked at me with a serious expression.

"Under me? May I ask why?"

"Yes... My family was killed by the thieves. I heard that my village was completely wiped out. I have nowhere to go..."

I feel sympathy for Liliya, but I can't easily say yes. First, I need to check her abilities... OK, hired!

"I have no problem with Liliya working under me. However, being my subordinate means you will undergo rigorous training."

"Thank you! I am strong, so I can endure anything."

Liliya bowed repeatedly to express her gratitude.

"Liliya will be under Filia. I will entrust her to the old man in the capital for a while, so please make the arrangements."

"Understood."

I entrusted Liliya to Filia and instructed Wick to provide her with a second-class soldier's equipment. However, since there were no military uniforms that a dwarf could wear, I had to create a uniform and equipment for Liliya.

Hmm?

Why did I hire Liliya?

It's because she has the Gift of 'Sword Saint of the World.' While dwarves unfortunately have physical abilities inferior to humans, this Gift makes it easier for her to master sword techniques and accelerates the growth of the skills she acquires. It is truly a Gift worthy of a 'Sword Saint of the World.'

But why?

Isn't it strange that there are two people of my generation with such super Gifts, a Sage and a Sword Saint? Moreover, both have some unfortunate quirks and seem... well, a bit careless. I wonder if a hero or a dancer will show up next?