My Villains Episode 127
33. Graduil Mountain (3)
Sitting on a flat rock, I watched the sweaty party members.
“one two!”
“Pull!”
At Utequai’s dock, mercenaries shouted slogans and pulled the rope.
“one two!”
“Pull!”
After ten tall men struggled to redden their faces, a heavy female troll was dragged up the thick ropes. The ropes hanging from the tree were screaming as if they were about to break.
“Stop stop! Steedman!”
Steedman, eager to hear Utequai’s call, handed over the stake hanging from his waist. Utequai grabbed the rope with a strong hand and hung it on a stake.
Kang Kang!
Iron-reinforced stakes are hammered into the ground by being beaten with sharp warhammers. After going through a similar task ten times, the mercenaries were able to release the rope.
Ellen, who was watching the work beside me, opened her mouth.
“Throw away the dirty blood that comes out first and take only the clean blood!”
“Okay, stop talking, bitch.”
As Utequai cut the troll’s neck as it was hung upside down, the freckled mummy brought out a large leather bag. After watching the flowing blood for a while, Utequai put my skin bag on it and hung it tightly.
“Okay, now just wait.”
When Utequai announced the end of the work, the mercenaries cheered and sat down on the floor.
“Ah, not worth it. I should have brought some more bags.”
Ellen groaned and tied the bandage around my shoulder.
“What are you so sorry about? Isn’t it a huge amount for four sacks?”
“still. That alone could fill ten more bags, but since troll blood loses its potency quickly if stored incorrectly, it had to be stored in a specially treated container.
The one he was using was made by soaking reindeer skin in various chemicals, and it was expensive enough to cost four gold coins per bag.
But the money wasn’t too bad. This is because troll blood is so precious that a leather bag that looks like 42 is worth fifty gold coins.
But can you sell all two hundred gold coins? Even if you take it to Longville and make some of it into potion, it doesn’t seem easy to dispose of the rest...
“Come on! It’s done.”
“thank you.”
Ellen’s hands weren’t very strong, so there were a few places where they got stuck in the bandages. But to say that, Ellen’s proud expression is too dazzling.
...no way. I’m going to solve it tomorrow morning anyway, so just leave it alone.
I was seriously injured by the head troll, but the wound was already almost healed and scabs were forming. I think it might have been because he absorbed the troll’s blood with his ‘Loot’ skill, which made his recovery quicker.
Come to think of it, lately I’ve been not taking getting hurt too seriously. He got used to it that much, and thanks to the power in his blood, his wounds heal quickly, so he seems to think it’s no big deal.
Umm, I need to be a little wary of this complacency. Lord Ankir said that the basis of swordsmanship is self-defense. If you’re not afraid of getting hurt, your sword skills won’t increase.
While I was thinking about that, Atalanta approached and started talking to me.
“To catch as many as four trolls. I earned 600 points on this.”
“well. Will the cubs score 150?”
“Wouldn’t you pay at least half of it?”
She sat down next to me and held out a pottery bottle.
“ruler.”
“what’s this?”
“alcohol. It is precious.”
When I opened the cap, the sweet scent and the strong smell of alcohol stung my nose at the same time.
“Wow, you look so strong?”
“It’s made by distillation. It’s our nation’s traditional liquor, and it’s good for the body.”
“Where in the world is alcohol that is good for the body?”
“I am holding it now. Drink it.”
I chuckled and took a couple of sips from the bottle. It tastes like vodka mixed with honey, and the exclamation of ‘Kyaa-‘ came out naturally.
“Ugh. Does it taste good? I don’t know if it’s good for your health.”
“Will you know when the night comes?”
“night? why?”
The sparrow, whose head and chest were covered with white fur, jumped up and down with small flaps of its wings. Then, sitting on the bottom of Zanavas’ hand, he began to peck at the fruit.
“It’s a strange feat again.”
Amias, whose arm was bandaged, murmured softly. He was hit by a troll and his arm and shoulder blade were completely shattered, but he drank a wound healing potion and was recovering.
“Didn’t you see Phoenix?”
“What?”
continued Amias, tearing and swallowing the puffed white bread nonstop.
“That man has transformed. In the blink of an eye, a man had turned into a big gray wolf.”
“...Well, I’ll have a chance to see you next time.”
After roughly answering Amias, I held my breath again. When the sparrow was sufficiently full, Zanavas spoke again.
“Beep beep.”
I doubt if that can be called a horse.
How long have you been chirping? Zanavas stroked his head with his fingers, and the sparrow beeped and flew away.
“How is it?”
When the sorceress Siren Rao asked with her big eyes blinking, Navas, the one with a tired face, smiled.
“Success. If there is a big fight, that concave eye will deliver the news.”
Exclamations erupted from all over the camp. Ute Quai, who was skinning the troll, said with a grin.
“Dirldi who talk to animals are very rare. Zanavas has a rare talent.”
“It is overrated. Compared to Hatanka’s spirit, this is not even a feat.”
“Ah Recmosa’ti mukina. He also had useless talents.”
Zanavas looked back at me while giving a small smile.
“Sir Phoenix. If it’s okay, I’d like to seek more help.”
“What if more help?”
“Concave eyes. Lee is gentle and cheerful, but has many natural enemies. You might be eaten by your natural enemies before you can deliver the news.”
“ah. Do you want to try attracting other birds?”
“...It’s not about flirting, it’s about helping each other.”
He shrugged his shoulders at Zanabas, who had a wry smile on his face.
“You do that. What could be the problem?”
“If you invite your forest friends, unwanted guests may come.”
“An unwanted guest. I’m sure you caught the troll. There won’t be any monsters nearby anyway, right?”
“That is unknown. This is a forest on the way over the mountain, so it wouldn’t be strange if a new monster came in today.”
I scratched my eyebrows and looked back at Utequai.
“Our original plan was to hide in the forest and go up after receiving a signal, right?”
“right. They spy on the Anupad army on the hillside, and when a battle breaks out, they go to the top.”
“Then aren’t spies a bit dangerous?”
“Can not help it. If you’re really worried, you can send about ten people. Then you are safe.”
What is this guy talking about? I burst out laughing.
“If we send ten men to spy on, who will fight?”
“All it takes is you or Lady Atilia. You don’t need the rest.”
The 12 people, who had become indispensable, put on trembling faces, but no one opened their mouths.
“Anyway, I know what’s at the top.”
“I understand your concerns. Akanku Karamek will be a formidable foe.”
Having made up my mind, I turned to Zanavas.
“It’s okay to cry all night, so try collecting as many birds as you can.”
“Is that okay?”
“If the birds are properly monitored, they can conserve power. It would be better to take the risk now than to climb to the top in small numbers.”
While saying that, I glanced around, and most of them nodded in agreement.
“And when unwanted guests come along.”
I looked at Zanavas and smiled.
“Just kill me.”
Is it because the sun has gone down? A cool wind suddenly blew and enveloped the camp in the forest.