Kemenangan Pertama - 24

Kemenangan Pertama

"Kita menang!"

Aku buru-buru naik ke atas tembok begitu denger itu.

"Luar biasa, kan, Master Van?"

"Iya, luar biasa."

Aku mengangguk lihat Till dan Kamsin yang masih heboh, lalu naik tangga.

"Oh, Tuan Van! Lihat hasil pertempurannya!"

Pas sampe di atas, Dee nyambut dengan tangan terbuka.

"Makasih atas kepemimpinan luar biasanya."

Aku cepat lewati Dee, lalu lihat ke pinggir tembok. Pemandangan mengerikan.

Tumpukan bangkai dragon di depan parit. Bukan dragon, lebih tepatnya dinosaurus—gede banget.

"Nggak nyangka bisa menang telak lawan empat puluh makhluk kayak gini. Luar biasa."

Pujian nggak sengaja keluar. Dee tepuk punggungku dengan semangat.

"Wah, haha! Aku nggak tahu Dinosare itu apa, tapi kemenangan ini berkat ballista Tuan Van! Panah besi yang bisa nembus armor beberapa dragon, dan panah kayu yang bisa nembus sampe mati. Dua panah itu punya kekuatan super. Kalau nggak ada, desa ini mungkin hancur."

"Hati-hati tepukannya!"

Tepukan Dee bikin aku nyamperin pinggir tembok. Pas liat ke bawah, aku kaget.

Di dalem parit, sekelompok bandit bermuka pucat liat ke atas.

"Oh iya, bandit. Lumayan banyak yang mati, yang selamat sekitar tigapuluhan."

Dee mengedip, buka mulut.

"Oh, masih ada yang selamat! Oke, arahkan ballista ke parit! Kalau ada yang berani gerak, tembak!"

Dee sengaja teriak keras, bikin bandit terengah-engah gemeteran.

Dee liat mereka dengan muka sangar, lalu lempar beberapa gulung tali dari tembok.

"Ikat diri kalian! Yang mau ikut nasib armored dragon, silakan!"

Para bandit hampir jatuh sambil coba ikat tali.

Setelah mereka diekstrak dan didudukin di depan rumah bangsawan, Orto dan petualang balik.

"Apa itu tumpukan bangkai armored lizard di luar? ...Ada bandit juga?!"

Bandit gemeteran pas Orto teriak sambil turun dari kereta.

Aku lipat tangan dan berkata.

"Kukira kita diserang bandit, udah siap-siap, ternyata mereka dikejar armored dragon. Kita berhasil bunuh dragon. Yang selamat, buat sementara jadi tahanan."

"Gimana caranya bisa bunuh semua dragon sebersih itu? Itu hexenbiest kuat yang bahkan kita nggak bisa kalahin!"

Aku bingung jawab Orto yang bingung, tapi putusin buat blak-blakan.

"Pake ballista?"

"Pake ballista? Tapi itu armored lizard!"

Kamsin buka mulut bangga.

"Kita cuma pake enam puluh panah."

"Cuma enam puluh panah?!"

Orto kaget, cuma bisa ngulang omongan Kamsin kayak rusak.

Abaikan Orto, Pluriel kasih pertanyaan.

"Gimana bisa bunuh sebanyak itu tanpa sihir Espada? Aku nggak percaya ada panah yang bisa nembus kulit dragon..."

"Kamu punya pedang buatanku, pasti tahu ketajamannya, kan?"

Orto dan yang lain saling pandang, mata melebar.

"Nggak mungkin, panah ballista itu..."

Orto bergumam syok. Aku mengangguk.

"Ketajamannya sama kayak pedang yang kalian pegang."

Semua petualang syok.

Dee jalan ke arahku dengan muka nggak percaya.

"Apa Tuan Van kasih pedang sebagus itu ke Orto dan yang lain?"

"Kenapa nggak kasih kita?"

Aku liat ke belakang, Irv dan Lowe juga dateng, mukanya kayak mau nangis.

"Bukan kasih gratis. Orto dan kawan-kawan beli. Pedang pendek tiga koin emas, pedang panjang lima koin. Kan?"

Aku kode ke Orto, mereka keluarin pedang masing-masing buat nunjukin ke Dee.

"Meskipun coba di hexenbiest kecil, bisa potong tulang tanpa hambatan."

"Tipis, ringan, gampang diayun, tapi tajam banget. Semua yang diinginkan dari pedang ada."

"Van dengerin permintaan kami langsung, pedangnya jadi dalam beberapa menit. Keren banget!"

Entah kenapa mereka ngasih kesan kayak iklan tipu-tipu... kecuali produknya asli.

Dee dan yang lain ngertakan gigi iri. Mereka liat Orto, lalu cepat noleh ke aku.

"Van-sama, aku beli satu! Berapa great sword?"

"Aku mau set pedang panjang dan pedang pendek!"

"Aku sama!"

Mereka bertiga saling dorong, bersaing dapet pedang. Semangat banget, sampe ada niat bunuh di antara mereka.

Bandingkan, Orto dan kawan-kawan senyum puas, liat pedang dengan bangga.

"Aku nggak akan ambil uang dari pengikut yang setia ikut ke desa terpencil. Aku akan sediakan perlengkapan asal kalian terus jaga desa, biar aku bisa fokus ngatur bahan dan keuangan."

Mereka bertiga nunjukin pose semangat, ketawa seneng. Orto muka kesal.

"Eh... kami juga berkontribusi banyak. Apa bisa dapet perlengkapan juga?"

Permohonan, tapi aku tolak soalnya muka tua sangarnya bikin nggak yakin.

"Maaf, nggak bisa. Aku bakal kerja keras buat wilayah dan rakyatku. Tapi buat Orto yang cuma lewat, nggak bisa diperlakuin sama. Kalian harus bayar."

"Gueaah! Bocah delapan tahun kok keras kepala begini?!"

Espada buka mulut.

"Ini hasil pendidikanku. Selain pengetahuan dasar, Tuan Van belajar Imperialisme, Ekonomi, dan Ilmu Politik."

"Buang waktu..."

Orto liat ke langit, meratap.

Aku ketawa, liat Orto, Pluriel, Ksara, lalu buka mulut.

"Nanti kalau guild petualang berdiri di desa ini, aku bakal kasih perlengkapan kalau kalian setia jadi kelompok petualang eksklusif desa."

Mereka saling pandang, mulai diskusi. Yah, nggak bisa maksa, kalau maksa pasti nolak.

Dari awal salah mau ngiket petualang yang identitasnya kebebasan.

Pasrah, aku liat ke bandit.

"Nah, sekarang, gimana dengan kalian?"

Mereka pucet, meratap minta nyawa.

"Mulai sekarang, kami bakal berubah, kerja keras buat desa ini!"

"Kalau diserahkan, kami bakal digantung!"

"Aku mau kerja di sini!"

Ngenes liat mereka teriak minta ampun. Tapi aku nggak tahu berapa banyak dosa mereka. Nggak bisa percaya gampang.

Aku tanya Rhonda, kepala desa.

"Gimana pendapatmu?"

Rhonda liat bandit dengan ekspresi muram.

"Desa kami punya sejarah kerusakan parah akibat mereka. Yang mereka bunuh pasti lebih dari sepuluh, mereka sembelih rakyat kami."

"Jadi mereka bersalah."

Keputusan cepat. Kasihan ke musuh rakyat bakal berisiko. Juga bisa hilang kepercayaan penduduk.

"Maaf, nanti kalau pedagang dateng, aku minta mereka bawa kalian."

"Tolong, jangan!"

"Nggak bisa gini!"

Bandit teriak, aku cuekin. Sampai aku kepikiran sesuatu.

"Yah, suruh mereka panen material armored dragon sampe pedagang dateng! Suruh potong kulit, tulang, daging. Boleh?"

Orto mengangguk.

"Mata, taring, cakar juga harus diawetkan. Organ dalam nggak bisa dijual, tapi inti iblisnya pasti laku mahal."

"Oke. Denger! Aku pinjemin pedang kayu. Kalian bisa hasil kalo kerja keras. Eh, jangan sombong. Yang berontak, bakal ditembak di tempat."

Wajah bandit tambah muram.

First Victory - 24

"We won!"

I hurried to the top of the bulwark as soon as I heard that.

"Isn't it amazing, Master Van?"

"It really is."

Nodding at Till and Kamsin's excitement, I ran up the stairs.

"Oh, Master Van! Look at the battle results!"

As I climbed to the top, Dee greeted me with open arms.

"Thank you for your excellent leadership."

I hurried past Dee to the edge and saw a terrifying sight.

A pile of dragon carcasses strewn in front of the moat. No, they were so huge—more like dinosaurs than dragons.

"To think you could get such a perfect victory against forty of these things. Incredible."

Unfiltered praise slipped out. Dee patted my back in a good mood.

"Whoa, haha! I don't know what a Dinosare is, but the victory's all thanks to Master Van's ballistas! Iron arrows that can penetrate multiple armored dragons, and wooden arrows that pierce deep enough to kill. Both have almost supernatural power. Without them, this village might've fallen."

"Careful with those pats!"

Dee's pat pushed me to the wall's edge. Looking down, I got shocked.

Inside the moat, pale-faced bandits looked up at us.

"Well, come to think of it, I forgot the bandits. Quite a few died—maybe thirty survivors."

Dee blinked and opened his mouth.

"Oh, some survived! All right, aim ballistas at the moat! If any dare move, shoot!"

Dee purposely boomed his instructions, making the bandits gasp and tremble pitifully.

Staring grimly, Dee dropped rope bundles from the wall.

"Tie yourselves up! Anyone wanting to share the armored dragon's fate may stand!"

The bandits almost fell over trying to tie their ropes.

After extracting them and sitting them before the lord's mansion, Orto and the adventurers returned.

"What's with that mountain of armored lizard corpses outside? ...Thieves too?!"

The bandits trembled as Orto shouted, disembarking his carriage.

I crossed my arms and snarled.

"Thought we were being raided, prepared for that, but turns out these guys were chased by armored dragons. We killed the dragons. Survivors? Prisoners for now."

"How'd you kill all those armored lizards so cleanly? They're powerful hexenbiests even we can't defeat!"

I wondered how to answer bewildered Orto, but decided to be blunt.

"With a ballista?"

"With a ballista? But those are armored lizards!"

Kamsin opened his mouth proudly.

"We only used sixty arrows."

"Only sixty arrows?!"

Orto was so surprised he could only recite Kamsin's words like a broken record.

Ignoring Orto's breakdown, Pluriel asked.

"How could you kill that many without Espada's magic? I don't believe arrows could pierce dragon hide like that..."

"You have the swords I made, so you know how well they cut, right?"

Orto and the others looked at each other, eyes widening.

"Impossible, that ballista arrow..."

Orto muttered in shock. I nodded.

"Same sharpness as the swords you carry."

All adventurers were shocked.

With unbelieving face, Dee walked over.

"Did Master Van give Orto and the others such incredible swords?"

"Why didn't you give us any?"

I looked behind—Irv and Lowe approached, looking about to cry.

"Didn't give them away. Orto and company bought them. Dagger's three gold coins, long sword five gold. Right?"

Signaling Orto, they each took out swords and showed Dee.

"Though we've only used them on small hexenbiests, they cut even bone without resistance."

"Slender, light, easy to swing, yet terrifyingly sharp. Everything one could want."

"Van listened to requests on the spot, swords ready in minutes. Looked and felt great!"

For some reason, they gave impressions like a fishy testimonial commercial... except the product was real.

Dee and the others gnashed teeth enviously. They glared at Orto, then quickly turned to me.

"Van-sama, I'm buying one! How much for a great sword?"

"I'll take a long sword and dagger set!"

"Same!"

The three leaned in dogged competition. So passionate I could feel killing intent among them.

In stark contrast, Orto and the others smiled complacently, gloating over their swords.

"I won't take money from retainers who loyally followed me to a border village. I'll provide equipment as long as you protect the village so I can focus on materials and finances."

The three gave guts-poses and laughed happily. Orto's face rapidly contorted, looking dissatisfied.

"Err... we're contributing quite a bit too. Could we also get equipment?"

Though he pleaded, I dismissed it—his grisly middle-aged face made his appeal more scary than convincing.

"Afraid not. I'll do my best for my territory and people. But for Orto and company, merely passing visitors, I can't give equal treatment. So you must pay."

"Gueaah! How can an eight-year-old be this stubborn?!"

Espada opened his mouth.

"This is my education's result. Besides basic knowledge, Master Van studies Imperialism, Economics, and Political Science."

"What a waste of time..."

Orto looked to heaven and lamented.

Laughing at the exchange, I looked at Orto, Pluriel, Ksara, and the others, then spoke.

"When an adventurer's guild is established in this village, I'll present equipment if you agree to be bound as an exclusive adventuring party."

They looked at each other, beginning discussion. Well, can't force them—if I tried, they'd surely refuse.

From the start, it was a mistake to try tying down adventurers whose identities were intrinsically linked with freedom.

Helpless, I turned my gaze to the raiders.

"Well now, what shall we do with you lot?"

At my muttering, they turned pale and pleaded.

"From now on, we'll turn over a new leaf, do our best for this village!"

"If you hand us over, they'll hang us!"

"I want to work here!"

Pathetic how they screamed and pled. But I couldn't know how many sins such brigands committed. Shouldn't trust them easily.

Blocking their voices, I asked Rhonda, the village head.

"What do you think?"

Rhonda stared at the bandits with grim expression.

"Our village has extensive damage history from these men. Those killed certainly exceed ten—they've slaughtered our people in cold blood."

"So they're guilty."

Quick decision. Showing mercy to the people's enemies would increase risks and lose villagers' trust.

"I'm sorry, but when peddlers come, I'll ask them to take you."

"No, please!"

"You can't do this!"

The bandits cried out, but I ignored them. Until I thought of something good they could do in the meantime.

"Well, I'll have them harvest armored dragon materials until the peddlers arrive! Have them cut skin, bone, and meat. Okay?"

Orto nodded.

"Eyes, fangs, claws should be preserved nicely too. Internal organs can't be sold, but demonic nuclei will sell at good price for sure."

"Okay then. Listen up! I'll lend you wooden swords. You can achieve results if you work hard. Ah, don't be complacent. Anyone showing disobedience will be shot on the spot."

The raiders' faces became tinted with despair.

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