Master of the brave.

"Well, what's it like?

Once a band of bandits that had this perimeter as their territory. A man who was the leader asked one of his men, who was climbing to a branch of a giant tree that soared in front of him.

"There can be no major movement since entering the camp's hierarchy. Some of them left with scouts or something, but they haven't come back yet."

Square where the Imperial Knights advance party is camped. Approximately a hundred rules away from it (one rule is about a meter away).

As the fire was burning for cooking, even in the woods, where the night book was visited and deep darkness engulfed them, their condition was well seen.

The man watching the Imperial Knights from above the branches was the man who originally earned his living as a hunter, a man with a good eye among his men.

(Well... it's going pretty well.)

The distance of a hundred rules can never be said to keep a safe distance if you are not on your side with the time of night. If it's noon, it's a distance you can easily find, if you're good with your opponent's eyes, and if you're bad, it's a distance you might find in scouts scouting your surroundings.

(At all, if they knew what they were doing from the start, there would be no easier job.)

The leader dropped his eyes in the dim to a piece of paper in his hand relying on the moonlight.

A formal directive stamped with the Imperial Knights' emblem, along with the date two days ago. No, it's a copy of that, to be exact. The real thing should be at the disposal of Fael Thousand Horsemen and their tabernacle, who head the Knights who are camping.

No, it could be a mistake to say that you're the real deal. Because that directive, which the leader is now in possession of, was also undoubtedly put out by the main unit, which is two days behind the advance party.

"Any troops approaching this way?

"You can't see it at all. The scouts will turn to the direction of your head."

"I see. The content written on this seems certain"

The actions of the Knights in the directive were utterly flawed by them.

I hear that the Thousand Horsemen named Fayle is the kind of man promoted by obedience and bribery against those above him, and not a very Thousand Horsemen vessel. There will be no action against the directive coming from the main unit, or, to be precise, from the Knights headquarters, and the operational action described will remain intact.

Currently, surveillance continued long after advancing the imperial city of Simlug, but the advance party had acted only within the directives of the directive.

At first he told me to come and watch him right next to the Knights with overwhelming force, and the men, who were former bandits, wondered if he was treating them like abandoned pawns with fear, were angry. But where they defied, there was no life. Though they reluctantly began to follow that order to monitor, they were now acting at considerable leeway, thanks to the easier way things carried than they thought.

At the beginning of their journey, they have also become accustomed to the task of disguising the camped traces of the collective.

Whatever, because that safe distance is guaranteed as to how far the Knights will advance.

"Hey, are they really military guys? If even our rookie gets that far loose, he's about to beat you to death, isn't he?

"Even the watch is sleeping or drinking. It looks good because it's lit by a bonfire."

"Hey, do you want us to attack you?

With the leader, other men who heard a report from a man climbing on a branch said.

"You idiot. We just have to do what they say! Do you deliberately like it and need to work more than the reward!? It's a species of life."

"... that's right, your head"

Nevertheless, it's not surprising to see the state of all those loose Imperial Knights, when that kind of idea comes to mind by accident.

(If I had more gestures...)

The likeness of the Imperial Army was so terrible that even they thought so even if they were just bandits.

"Anyway, do what you're told. All you have to do is lure them in exactly as you're instructed."

"... can you trust them, they"

"Trust or nothing, we're just gonna have to get on with what they say."

The leader laughed sarcastically inside as he answered his subordinates' questions.

I've done my job as they say, but I wouldn't trust myself completely with them. If the situation doesn't taste good, my men, including the bandit leader, must cut it off easily. It's just a relationship of trust to that extent.

In any case, we just have to do what they say. Besides, I had no other choice.

"If anything changes, let me know right away"

So far, the inside information on the Imperial Knights brought from them has been reliable. Unless we show more movement than that information, our work will go well.

(Shit, finish this fucking job, I want booze and a woman)

"Did you say anything? Head."

"Nothing."

"Oh, they think he was in the scouts. The knights are back in one squad."

Nodding at his men's reports, the leader slipped back to the roots of his men's climbing trees.

When I get here, I'll have to get my stomach full.

By no means were they caught off guard. But it's also true that he had a little slap on the loose Imperial Knights.

So whoever was on the lookout missed it too.

Just now, a unit returning from scouts leaves behind a captain who supposedly goes to report to the advance party's main management to join the Knights in an unnatural move as if avoiding other troops.

At the time of the march, he certainly had to have been six horsemen, the prescribed number of Imperial Knights platoons, but he did not realize that there was one more horsemen.

"You said you protected civilians?

"Yeah, apparently the survival of a village attacked by bandits. My team found and protected me wandering through the woods."

"I don't care if you send it backwards, it could be a battle tomorrow. When you're a civilian, you lose your precious power!

"There will be nothing more than having us serve together. Fortunately, there seems to be a long walk because you think you have mountain walking experience in hunting and a land survey of this surrounding area. Fortunately, we have female knights in our squad, and let us take care of them."

"It's easy for me to say...... if anything goes wrong, don't think I'll just have to demote you this time, okay? Lloyds Ten Horsemen"

"... Instead of the Horseman, I don't mind being discharged, do I?

In Lloyds' words, Fayle gave a look like he chewed up a bitter bug.

"Enough. Protect the civilians with your troops."

"I don't think there's a fool in the knight who can get his hands on the girls, but we'll take care of it."

Lloyds saluted as he stuck out his plenty of stomach when he only took his expression seriously. He leaves the main business tabernacle shaking his body.

Afterwards, Faye dropped him off with a hateful eye.

"Be kind to your Excellency... disrespectful."

One of the tabernacles who had refrained from lying down shrugged.

"... the remnants of Zaunas are on track"

"Lloyds Thousand Horsemen...... No, are you ten horsemen now? He's dangerous. Even though you weren't in the coup, why weren't you discharged?

"It's because it's dangerous... we can't let them go wild. Monitor inside the Knights. Your Excellency seems to think so."

Faye answers the tabernacle's question.

"If it is a discharge, it will return to your possession. They don't know what they're gonna do when they do."

"I see."

(Instead, you can send it back to Count's territory)

Faye speaks of fine wine, allowed only by senior officers.

(How is the Marquis so afraid of that debt-ridden poor Count? I didn't participate in the coup, but I should have crushed the Count's house for whatever reason. I just mentioned soldiers, and I bet there aren't many marquises on his side in that bad review. I don't have any money, so I can't even hire mercenaries. It should be anything)

"Fair enough. Even when civilians are mixed up, they come in the way of operational action. Keep his platoon down to the rear. Even in battle. And keep a good record of that. You don't have to mention the part about protecting civilians. Keep track of how much our army has hindered the march with the unselfish actions of the Lloyds Platoon. I'll add my opinion on whether demotion is reasonable."

Watching the tabernacle immediately summon his men, Faye drops his eyes to the paperwork with dark eyes.

Faye finally became a thousand horseman after fifty. Lloyds, on the other hand, is a man who was already a thousand horseman thirty years ago.

Probably bought the status by laying debt on debt. Fayle himself was out of the Viscount family, loaded with enormous gold to take up the position of Thousand Horsemen.

That's why I was jealous of Lloyds, who came out younger and faster than me.

I had the chance to see him several times in the military council, but Lloyds looked at Fayle with such eyes that he would see the crowd every time.

(Always look down. Look, I'll even take the Ten Horsemen position from you)

While spilling a comatose grin, Faye tilted the glass of wine.

"and well, for that reason I will probably be reassigned to the rear"

When Lloyds joined Kelvin, his deputy chief, he proceeded to walk to the tabernacle for the platoon captains, not the tabernacle for his men.

"Thank you. You don't seem to want me to put up a hand, and Faye gave me a reason to push you backwards because I protected the civilians."

"The trump card is here. Why don't you just ignore the orders and go forward?

"The person will not want to fight. I don't want to do that either if I can. In the first place, information suggests that the empire is more advantageous by winning by number. We can let them look high from the rear at best."

"... I'm sorry to hear about the Feil Thousand Horsemen"

Words are on the back, and there's a grin on Kelvin's face. Lloyds scratched his bald head gassy, leaving his heavy body in his chair.

(Exactly tired)

Over the past few days, Lloyds has had several measures in place.

The Feil Thousand Horsemen and their captains did not send a message other than an order to dispatch to the scouts, nor did the military council call Lloyds. Although the tabernacle is set up in the same place as the executives of the other advance party, otherwise it was the first Chicato to be stunning.

Because of that, things have gone well, so maybe it should be good.

(Did you lose a little weight? I miss my wives cooking......)

Looking down at the abundance of meaty bellies, Lloyds recalled the measures he had put in place over the past few days.

Time goes back often.

The platoon led by Lloyds, who went on a scouting mission, took a small pause when he ran the horse for only a moment.

Lloyds, who gave a small pause signal and stopped the horse's leg, instructed his men to get off the horse and then get together.

"Well, apparently there's an inside man. It's also on the upper level."

In contrast to Kelvin, who kept smiling and smiling, Lloyds told his men with a true face.

Winn looks at the words, and Rock sighs one fu. Leno and Wedge looked at each other.

"Well, I was tempted to do that, but what does the captain think?

"Petersia's main unit, or are they hired? There are those who are creating sites for the camp and guiding the movements of our advance party while leaving traces of horseback riding. Because of their geographic familiarity, they must be locally employed."

Perhaps to teach my men. Questioning Kelvin on behalf of the group, Lloyds answered as he stroked his plenty of fat jaw, removing the dried meat from the sachet tied to his waist and twisting it.

"But what Abel told me, about two hundred forces? I don't think I can afford such a small piece of work."

"From Petersia, you got reinforcements?

"That won't be the case. Border security on the Petersian side should be tightening. If you came in, you'd be getting a lot more information."

"Exactly. It's caught there."

Wynn and Leno, Lloyds nodded at Rock's opinion.

"In my opinion, there are people who are guiding inside the Imperial Knights. Or noble. I believe that some lines are guided by nobles with territory near the border. Two hundred. But it doesn't look like we have heavy units. I also wondered if they were raiding villages at the same time as supplies, but I don't see any point in plundering them from all villages. It's more natural to think that someone is there for you."

"You can name four aristocratic territories near the border in this regard - to the Count of Brecea, to the Marquis of Rembrandt..."

I saw Lloyds' face as Rock cited the great nobility ruling this aspect.

"Later, Earl of Elsted and Marquis of Cliffdorf."

Winn took over Rock's words.

"That's right. Within the four aristocratic houses I have just mentioned, as far as Sir Brecea and Sir Rembrandt are concerned, it is not a lineage of factions. Both lords are old in the first place and almost close to hiding. Only Elsted, and General Cliffdorf, have anything to do with the military."

"... do you have proof?

Ask Lloyds with the attitude that Leno is afraid.

"As I said earlier, I'm sorry."

"Excuse me, Captain. Guess what, you're going to be very suspicious."

"There are only a few things I can do with the Ten Horsemen. Nevertheless, it is certainly possible for me, too, to give a guide to the Petersian army to the detriment of the Imperial Knights. But then I'm gonna have to ask you to trust me because I don't have to say it here."

"Right."

Winn nodded.

"Either way, as it were, we could be nicely impressed by the bandits. I'm sorry to keep sitting here and losing. So I'll do a little work too."

Lloyds smiles when he looks around at the men he focuses on.

Seeing that laugh, everyone who was on the spot,

(Wow, I'm thinking something bad...)

What I thought was that I couldn't help it.

"Oh, man, I didn't think you'd be joining the Knights and doing the adventurer's imitation."

"Neither do I."

"It's a move you're both quite used to," he said.

"... because I used to go in and out of the Adventurer's Guild"

"If you're with Winn, this happens naturally..."

With a dry laugh somewhere, Rock answered Kelvin walking behind himself.

To execute what Lloyds called a smallworker, three men, Wynn and Rock, with Deputy Kelvin as squad leader, were moving off the streets and through the woods.

Naturally, we will continue along the beast path. That's why we're marching down the horse on foot.

Knights training has led to mountain breakthrough training. You know, I needed to split into the woods to explore demons on a regular crusade mission.

Win is the one who leads the way.

From time to time I go along paying for the disturbing twigs while checking the maps and directions handed to me.

"Does Deputy Kelvin have experience working in the woods?

"Shame on you, you don't have much experience. At best, it's a demon crusade two or three times."

"I see. Be very careful under your feet, both the deputy director and the lock. Bugs and mountain buildings can be avoided with the grass juice I just got painted in, but watch out for muddings and branches."

"It would be very helpful if the bugs just didn't drop by."

"Exactly. I was just in and out of the Adventurer Alliance."

"I've been taught a lot since I was a kid...... I hope you're all right"

Wynn doesn't slow down, even as he opens his mouth.

Pay off the branches with familiar hands, consolidate the scaffolding, and go with the locks and Kelvin leading behind them directing the easy path to walk.

Pest avoidance ointment made impromptu by Wynn. In the woods I fear demons who have lurked in the bushes and diseases mediated by insects more than beasts.

Though healing is possible by magic, it is now ahead of us alone. Without a healing magical health guard, Winn's experience as an adventurer was an unexpected gain for Kelvin.

A few moments have passed since we left early in the morning, and it was time to meet when the sun rose to its peak. There's a day long in the woods. It was when Winn tried to ask Kelvin for permission to take a big break for lunch.

Hard to see by the growing trees, but the right diagonal forward bush did appear to have made an unnatural move.

(Demon or beast?

When Winn stops his leg, he makes sure he doesn't make any noise and prompts Rock and Kelvin, who follow later with a hand signal, to pay attention forward.

(After I went into the woods, I felt like a gaze somehow...)

We're still quite a distance away. I don't know what's closing in, but I was lucky to notice at this distance.

(What do you want to do?

Winn turns around and asks for Kelvin's instructions. The command of the troops is deposited by Kelvin, the deputy squad leader. Kelvin nodded, lining up next to Wynn.

"Do you know what an approaching being is?

"No, but it's coming straight this way. I hope you can hide and do it, but if you're a beast, I think you'll find out by the smell."

"Hmmm... I just want to avoid fighting in an unknown number, but it looks like we're going to have to face more than we're coming this way"

Winn pulled out the knight's sword to make as little noise as he could.

Magic still doesn't pass.

Because if you are a demon, you will be perceived for magic when you use magic.

The amount of magic passing through the knight's sword was a known amount that even Wynn could use, but he didn't want to be noticed by anyone approaching him, even if it was slight.

Kelvin and Rock also pulled out their swords.

Neither of us brought a shield to march through the woods, so we set up swords with both hands, just like Wynn did.

You can't wield your sword because there are trees all around you. On the encounter, Winn takes the position of releasing a thrust.

Winn unleashes the first blow. Kelvin and Rock turn to support in case the target was multiple and the stabbed sword would no longer fall out.

Eventually, the bushes were ripped apart and popped out of...

"Goblin!?

Demons belonging to demons. He is smaller than a person and has the wisdom to use weapons and tools. To some extent, if you have the heart of battle, you are not the one who struggles so hard. Not to mention, the Wins are completely in shape.

The goblins that popped up suddenly stood still for a moment when they saw the humans who appeared suddenly in front of them, but now they leap oddly.

But that linear motion is full of gaps if you try winning.

The tip of the sword, protruding with Winn's sharp stepping, pierced Goblin's chest center to back, waving a rusty, one-handed axe up.

"Are you all right? Win."

Rock rang as he approached.

"Yeah. It was easy thanks to the momentum they gained and pushed me through. But you better not get distracted. He didn't run away when he saw us."

"Yeah. Obviously he was running away from something, so this goblin..."

"Does that mean...?

"It means something's coming after us!

At the same time as the words, Winn jumped backwards on his way out of his goblin sword.

A single arrow pierces where Winn stood until now. I guess the aim was Winn's leg.

"This is a bit different... Captain"

As Kelvin shrugged, he threw the sword in his hand onto the ground.

"... right"

Likewise, when he throws out his weapon, Locke raises his hands, and Winn also raises his hand up, which he has extended to the dagger. Look in the direction of the arrow's flying.

On the branches of giant trees. It was the Elves, rulers of the abyss forest, who set up bows and arrows to look down on this one from there.