Chapter 43

Chapter 43
## Chapter 43: The Brothers of Mesen (3)

—

The realization had dawned on everyone in the travel party, not just Kadim. They knew exactly who this group blocking the river crossing really was.

They called themselves protectors, but they were nothing more than bandits in the uniforms of a local militia.

It was a common sight to see young men in isolated hamlets form a defensive circle for their neighbors. However, such a thing was reserved for lawless frontier zones where the crown’s reach was short and the roads were dangerous. Mesen was the opposite of that.

When an armed band establishes itself in a peaceful, accessible region, their intent is transparent: to use their collective muscle for extortion. Obstructing a major bridge to demand passage fees was merely their most visible crime. They were undoubtedly involved in a wide array of illicit activities behind the scenes.

Under normal circumstances, Enrico would never tolerate such thievery. Had he encountered this as the sitting official, he would have had every man shackled and dragged to the deepest cells beneath Remtana.

Yet, he was currently traveling under a shroud of secrecy.

Announcing his rank would solve the roadblock, but the news of the intendant’s absence from his seat of power could embolden dangerous enemies elsewhere.

“…….”

The atmosphere grew frigid. Even Otram, the leader of these so-called vigilantes, felt the shift in temperature. He decided a bit of deceptive “kindness” was necessary to smooth things over and get paid.

But the deal he proposed was insulting.

“Standard rates are 200 luden for every man and 100 for every beast. But you folks look like you’re on a mission of high importance, so as a one-time gesture of goodwill, I’ll cut the human toll in half! Just 800 luden for total protection—a steal, wouldn’t you say?”

Otram signaled his cohorts with a backward glance. His subordinates stepped forward, putting on a clumsy show of outrage. They whined that such a discount would leave them penniless and that the corps couldn’t survive on such thin margins.

“I know it’s a sacrifice, boys, but we aren’t in this for the coin! Our priority is always the safety of the village and those passing through!”

“That’s our captain for you… always thinking of others!”

“You travelers are in luck! You won’t find a more charitable man than Captain Otram…!”

The requested 800 luden was nearly tenfold the legitimate tax. The only reply was a dry, mocking breath.

“…Ha.”

The performance was so transparently pathetic it was hard to watch. Kadim’s hand shifted to the grip of his blade as he looked toward the intendant. Beside him, the mounted guards tightened their legs against their horses, poised for a slaughter.

However, Enrico did not give the signal for blood.

“Pay them, Peldric.”

“…Sir?”

“Compensate the captain for his tireless service. Give him the 800 luden.”

“…As you wish.”

The guard complied with visible disgust. As the bright silver coins were handed over, Otram’s jaw dropped in greedy surprise.

“Hahaha! Much appreciated. May the golden light of Lord Remillion shine upon your path! If you run into any trouble while staying in Mesen, the vigilante corps is at your service!”

The blockade finally parted. The soldiers rode onto the bridge, their faces twisted in revulsion. Kadim looked momentarily murderous, but he eventually nudged his mount forward with a look of cold apathy.

Just before they moved out of earshot, Enrico called out to the captain.

“Tell me, how long do you intend to stay in this line of work?”

“Hahaha! For as long as I draw breath! I’ve sworn my life to guarding this village and its guests!”

The intendant pulled his headwear low, his voice dropping to a heavy, ominous tone.

“I see. I hope you manage to stay in it for a very, very long time.”

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

Though Mesen was small, its position between the Golden Highway and Remtana ensured a steady stream of travelers. The party quickly secured a room at a local inn equipped with a stable and a common room.

The environment inside, however, was far from peaceful.

“Up with your drinks!! To our home and the strength of our brothers—drink up!!!”

“Agh! Shut your mouth, Samson, and pass the pitcher!! I’m not even close to finished! I’ve got ten more in me!!”

“I’m staring at an empty plate! Hey, old man, move those legs! I told you to keep the kitchen running if we’re still sitting here!! Well?!”

“We are! The mighty! Brothers of Mesen! If we don’t stand guard! No one will! Protect this land?!?!”

The common room was dominated by the drunken shouting of the village militia.

Their mismatched armor and long spears identified them as the same men from the bridge. Other travelers sat in tense silence, enduring the noise, while the landlord hurried back and forth in a state of visible panic.

To prevent an incident, Enrico had sent the majority of his guards to the upper floor. Only Kadim, Duncan, and the intendant remained at a circular table. Enrico looked away, rubbing his temples as if pained by the sight.

“It seems I am only introducing you to the failures of my administration… I am truly embarrassed. My focus has been elsewhere lately, and I have clearly neglected the rot in these smaller towns… ”

Enrico began to recount the rumors he had gathered about the group’s behavior.

They targeted travelers leaving Remtana with calculated precision… The captain was rumored to be in league with the local elder… The trade disruption at Twin Gorge had led to higher local costs, which provided the excuse for this group’s existence…

Kadim ignored the politics. He focused on a mug of beer that was cloudy with sediment. Whether it was the temperature or the brewing process, it tasted foul.

He followed the swill with a bite of dry bread and spoke.

“Do you want me to take that laughing idiot’s head off, Intendant?”

“…No, let it be. If I wanted blood, I would have signaled on the bridge. I will deal with the captain through proper channels after we return from Delutana.”

“Then go to your room and sleep. I’m here to kill things that threaten you, not to be your confessor.”

“… ”

The intendant gave him a long, weary look before sighing deeply.

“Sigh… You have a point. If we are to ride for two days without stopping, I must rest. I’ll go upstairs now. You two should follow soon… Whoa.”

“Are you steady, Intendant?!”

Enrico stumbled, nearly upending the furniture. Duncan caught the exhausted official and guided him toward the stairs. Kadim remained, finishing the remains of his meal and the bitter ale.

That was when he heard the cautious approach of someone behind him.

Kadim glanced over. One of the boisterous militiamen was staggering toward him, a full mug swaying in his grip.

“Well, well! Look at this! A true son of the great wastes who crossed the peaks to find a home! A fighter of the Atala blood, a relative of the legendary ‘Agon’s Furious Horn’! What brings a man like you to our humble Mesen, where the waters run silver…?”

*Thud!*

Kadim set his empty mug down with enough force to make the wood groan. The sound cut through the room like a crack of thunder, silencing the tavern.

“… ”

The quiet lasted only a moment. The man gestured to his nervous friends that everything was fine, and the noise resumed.

A cold light burned in Kadim’s eyes. He was sick to death of hearing that title, ‘Agon’s Furious Horn.’ Had he not been on a professional contract, he would have smashed the mug into the man’s face instead of the table.

The drunk, sensing the danger but not fully grasping it, lowered his voice.

“Ahem, my apologies if I stepped out of line. I’m not familiar with the customs of your people. Here, take a drink on me—as a gesture of peace.”

“… ”

Kadim ignored the offering. The man cleared his throat, sat down in the chair next to him without an invitation, and nodded to himself.

“I get it. The noise bothered you. But you have to understand, being in the vigilante corps is more than just standing on a bridge. We handle the village’s problems, we listen to every traveler’s whining, we take on odd jobs… it’s exhausting. We have to drink like this just to keep going.”

Kadim didn’t bother to argue. He simply stared.

Taking this silence as interest, the man finished his drink and rambled on for several minutes before leaning in close, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

“…Look at that woman over there. In the corner.”

Kadim didn’t need to look. He had noticed her the moment they walked in.

She had thin, sharp lips, sun-kissed skin, and striking yellow eyes. Her tunic was loose, yet it couldn’t hide a lithe, athletic frame. Her dark hair was neatly braided.

She looked entirely out of place, which had led Kadim to suspect she might be a mage or a spy from the Magic Tower. But since she had done nothing after the intendant’s departure, he had stopped worrying about her.

The others in the room, however, were obsessed. The militia kept staring, and this man was looking at her with pure, unadulterated lust.

“Heh, she’s a prize, isn’t she? Everything is exactly where it should be… You don’t see many like that in a backwater like this.”

“… ”

“She claims she’s some researcher from Galentana University looking for old stones. But something smells off. Traveling alone with all those strange packs… ”

“… ”

“The best part is—she actually paid us to guide her to the ruins. We took the job, of course, but since she’s so ‘suspicious,’ we’ve decided a thorough search is required along the way. We’re going to inspect every inch of her and her gear, and maybe have a little fun while we’re at it… You catch my meaning?”

“… ”

“A man of your size would be useful for keeping her still. If you help us out, I’ll let you participate in the ‘search’… what do you say?”

The man was radiating alcohol and filth. He was too drunk to see the sheer loathing in Kadim’s eyes. The barbarian looked at him with a dead expression and spoke in a flat tone.

“…Fun? What exactly do you mean by that?”

“Heh, don’t act innocent! A woman with a body like that, it’s obvious… ”

“The kind of fun your mother provided to the whole village?”

The temperature in the room dropped to zero.

It took several seconds for the insult to penetrate the man’s drunken fog. When it did, his face contorted with rage. A sober man might have seen the danger and backed away.

This man was not sober.

“You animal, what did you— Gack!”

As he lunged upward, Kadim’s hand moved faster than the eye could follow. A massive, calloused hand clamped onto the man’s throat like a vice. The militiaman clawed at the arm with both hands, but it was like trying to move a pillar of stone.

“Guhk, glk, guuuuhhh… ”

The man’s face turned a violent shade of crimson, then deepened into a sickly purple. His eyes rolled back until only the whites were visible. His brain felt as though it were vibrating under the pressure, and the world began to fade.

Only when the man was on the literal brink of death did Kadim let go. The militiaman collapsed, gasping and retching, vomiting his dinner and drink across the floor.

“…Huuuugh! *Cough*, *cough*! *Bleurgh*… ”

Kadim had exercised extreme restraint. Had he applied his full strength, the man’s windpipe would have shattered instantly.

“M-Moren! Hey, Moren! Can you hear me?!”

“What did you do?!”

“Guhk… that… that bastard… guhk… ”

“… ”

The rest of the militia didn’t see the mercy in the act. They surrounded Kadim, their spears leveled at his chest.

But none of them moved first. As Kadim rose to his full height, the men recoiled. His shadow stretched across the walls, his massive frame and savage aura overwhelming the room. Faced with such a primal force, their liquid courage evaporated, replaced by a cold, instinctive terror.

“Wh-What is he… ”

“How can a human be that big… ”

Kadim ignored them and walked toward the stairs.

Under different circumstances, he would have ended them all to ensure they couldn’t come back for more. But he was bound by his contract.

Enrico was his employer, and they shared a secret regarding the death of the Elga knight. Creating a massacre in a town under Enrico’s rule would only complicate things. If the intendant felt pressured to report the incident, it would ruin the mission.

Still, he knew this wasn’t over. Fear without pain is a temporary thing. Once the immediate threat was gone, their bruised egos would demand satisfaction.

He didn’t regret the intervention, but he needed a plan. He would wake Enrico and give him a choice.

‘Kill the entire militia now, or leave under the cover of night.’

However, the response from the vigilantes came sooner than he anticipated.

* Ihihihihiin!
* Hihihihihiin!

As he reached his chamber, the high-pitched screams of horses in pain echoed from the back of the inn.

A door down the hall flew open, and Enrico emerged, disoriented and panicked.

“Kadim, what is that? The stables… those are our horses… ”

Kadim’s jaw tightened. He smelled the iron of fresh blood and heard the sound of galloping hooves moving away into the distance. He didn’t need to look to know what had happened.

“… ”

It seemed that leaving the “Brothers of Mesen” to their own devices was no longer an option.