I hurried over to the carriage and found Cherry tied up in the corner, unable to speak or move. She was still unconscious, which seemed odd considering the loud sounds of fighting just moments ago. I realized the carriage was soundproof, likely the result of some kind of enchantment spell—a clever trick. I made a note to research it later.
For now, I left Cherry there and set out to find the other kidnapped victims. The bandit leader had mentioned bringing them to a cave, along with Cherry. But where could that cave be? Thinking back, I couldn't remember any ability that might help me locate it. I'd have to rely on my instincts and whatever clues I could find.
I scouted around the bandit camp, picking through whatever loot and supplies I could scavenge. I loaded my findings into the carriage beside Cherry—gold, weapons, and armor. That hammer the bandit leader was wielding looked like a sturdy weapon; it would be a shame to leave it for goblins or stray monsters to use against other adventurers.
Among the loot, I found a map, apparently pointing to the cave where the captives were held. Using it as my guide, I drove the carriage toward the location. When I arrived, the cave’s entrance appeared to be nothing more than a rock wall, obscured by an illusion spell. It would’ve been impossible to spot with the naked eye. But as I walked through the illusion, the entrance revealed itself, leading me into the hidden cave.
Inside, I found five prisoners chained up, their voices echoing as they talked among themselves, clearly trying to find a way to escape. They were a diverse group—a dwarf, an elf, a mage, a knight, and a noblewoman. Looked like a failed escort mission. But they didn’t exactly look happy to see me.
“Let us out! What do you plan to do with us?” the noblewoman demanded, glaring.
It seemed they mistook me for one of the bandits. Ah, it must be the disguise I’d used to trick the bandits into thinking I was one of them. This could be useful. I decided to play along to gather some information.
“Sell all of you, of course,” I said with a smirk. “Except for you,” I added, nodding at the noblewoman. “You’re clearly from noble lineage. We’re expecting a ransom for you.”
“Despicable!” she spat. “My father would sooner let me die than pay for my life. I’m nothing but a pawn to him—a child he didn’t even want. Stop wasting your time and release me.”
“Sorry, no can do,” I replied, keeping up the act. “Besides, my boss would have my head. It seems you hired some adventurers to escort you here. Where were you heading?”
“Shouldn’t you know that already?” she snapped. “I’ve explained it enough times.”
“I’m new here,” I said, shrugging. “Boss told me to come myself if I wanted answers.”
She sighed. “My father sold me to a foreign noble. He hired these adventurers to escort me, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of bandits.”
“Good enough,” I said, dropping the act. “I’ll release all of you now.”
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“What?” they all exclaimed in shock.
"I roleplayed as one of the bandits so I could get information on what happened to you all. It’s easier that way. If I had just told you I was here to help, would you have given me the full story? Probably not, right? I’m sorry for tricking you," I admitted.
The knight nodded and said, "Well, it doesn’t matter now. You saved us, and for that, we thank you."
I released the chains that held them to the cave wall. "So, what will you all do now? I stole a carriage from the bandits, and there’s enough room to take everyone back to the city."
“I think it’s best that we return to the city and recover,” said the mage, his voice weary.
"Alright, hop on. Just a heads-up—my coworker is tied up in the carriage, so don’t be startled when you see her. On the way back, you can tell me how you all got captured."
The group climbed into the carriage, their eyes widening when they saw Cherry still tied up. Out of gratitude and respect for their rescuer, they chose not to question it.
As they climbed into the carriage, one by one, they started sharing their tale. The knight spoke up first, his voice steady but laced with frustration.
“We were hired to escort Lady Eveline,” he nodded toward the noblewoman, “to the neighboring kingdom. Her father arranged a marriage alliance to secure his influence there. We were five, each skilled in our own way, but we were up against a bandit gang larger and far more organized than we’d expected.”
The mage, a slender man with deep-set eyes, nodded and added, “The journey was supposed to be simple—just a couple days of riding along backroads. We took precautions, keeping to trails hidden from the main roads to avoid notice. We even had the forest on our side for cover.”
The elf took over, her voice tense as she recalled the ambush. “But they’d anticipated every move. Just before dusk on the second day, we reached a narrow pass. Trees surrounded us, thick and towering. Suddenly, arrows rained down from both sides—perfectly timed. The archers were hidden up high, out of our reach.”
The dwarf grumbled, running a hand over his beard. “I barely had time to pull out my shield before the first wave hit. We tried to push forward, but they had set up makeshift barricades. Even I couldn’t break through it in time.”
The mage sighed. “They’d planned everything, right down to the spells they used. I managed to cast a barrier around us, but it didn’t last long with the number of attackers. And they had an enchanter—someone skilled in breaking magical defenses. Our best protection was shattered in minutes.”
Eveline, the noblewoman, spoke next, her voice quieter but firm. “As my guards fought them off, two of the bandits came for me. I had only a small dagger. I tried to run, but they overwhelmed me, and once I was captured, my guards had no choice but to surrender. Their loyalty, after all, was to ensure my safety above all else.”
The knight clenched his fists. “We tried to hold out, thinking maybe someone would come along to help us. But with Lady Eveline in their hands, we had no choice but to lay down our weapons. They shackled us and took everything—our weapons, armor, even our supplies. We were led here, blindfolded and tied up like animals.”
The dwarf chuckled bitterly, “Never thought I’d end up a prisoner to some no-good bandits. They kept taunting us, claiming they'd get a huge reward for capturing noble blood. Figured we'd be sold off as a package deal.”
The mage added, “They threw us into this cave, tied us up, and left us to wonder if anyone would come. Each passing hour, we heard them talking about ransoms and profits, even bartering over who would get to keep which of us. It was… bleak.”
Eveline finished with a touch of pride, “But we’re not helpless, no matter what they think. If you hadn’t come, we would’ve found a way out eventually.” She gave a small smile, though it was tinged with weariness.
The knight nodded appreciatively. “We owe you, stranger. But if there’s one thing we learned, it’s that these bandits weren’t just some random rabble. They were too coordinated for that. Someone’s behind them, maybe someone with influence.”
The group fell silent for a moment, each lost in thought, grateful for their rescue yet wary of what still might be lurking in the shadows.