Chapter 9: A Leap in Place (2/3)

"It seems someone else decided to take a bath and encountered some unexpected admirers. Let's satisfy our curiosity."

As a true hero, it was my duty to come to the rescue of the fair lady and defeat the two despicable villains... or villainous scoundrels! However, as an assassin, heroism wasn't exactly my strong suit, and acting without assessing the situation was the province of idiots. I envisioned a scenario where I brutally dispatched the men, only to later discover that this trio were just enthusiasts of "role-playing games"... or perhaps the young lady, seeking to make some money, was engaging in an unconventional trade.

Doubtful, but sometimes good deeds did indeed come with consequences. I recalled a humorous incident when a man had saved a noblewoman from drowning. The simple laborer had pulled the foolish lady from the bridge, and in return, he received a barrage of accusations and a visit from the angry authorities. The valiant upstanding defenders of justice had dragged the battered good Samaritan off in an unknown direction, probably not to the nearest tavern.

But the lady had changed her mind about drowning.

"Yeah... Chip and Dale wouldn't have thrived in the Empire," I entertained myself with rather dark humor as I leisurely approached the voices.

Soon, perched on a rock, I had a perfect vantage point, observing the comical scene unfold below. A pair of brave, but "slightly" intoxicated mercenaries attempted to persuade a girl hiding behind withered bushes on the other side of the stream to join them and reciprocate their amorous intentions.

Well, that would sound like it if you filtered out profanity and threats from their speech.

While the lanky ladies' man could still stand steadily and express himself somewhat coherently, his stocky companion swayed heavily and preferred short, concise, and impolite language.

Taking a jar of cookies from my bag, I continued to watch the unfolding spectacle. By the way, these were new treats. The old ones, unfortunately, had run out, but Snow, one of the rescued mercenaries, had brought me a hefty bag of homemade pastries from the village. Sometimes, good deeds did bring benefits.

Meanwhile, for some reason, the girl was in no hurry to leave her hiding place and enthusiastically respond to her impatient fans. Perhaps she didn't appreciate the elegant compliments or the exquisite aroma of garlic and alcohol. The "fragrance" of the two "machos" reached my position, located about thirty meters away from me (I instinctively took a place downwind, which I immediately regretted... slightly).

Even their "incredibly generous" promises of two silver coins didn't have the desired effect. However, the confident soldiers, convinced of their irresistible charm and the belief that a woman's "no" always meant "yes," were in no hurry to retreat. Moreover, they didn't want to ford the stream either, preferring to bicker with the oblivious lady on the other side of the not-so-deep but wide creek.

"Hey, why are you making such a fuss? Don't you want to earn silver? Well then, pamper us for free, hehe. Or we'll tear your rags apart!" The familiar tall guard courteously addressed the lady, although "courteously" was a bit of an overstatement. He then humorously twisted the preaching sectarians of the Way of Peace "Do good deeds, and it will count for you. Give love to people"

"Oh, it's that toilet terror of the peasants!" I remembered this character. He was the one who had been telling the owners of the carts where it was acceptable to relieve yourself on your own and where it could cause pain.

"Exactly, Tommy! Hey, you! We'll fuck you up in every hole! So, you'll end up paying us yourself, got it!" His bulky companion chimed in, supporting him. "Come out! You actresses are all whores! Don't fucking make a princess out of yourself!"

"Get away from me, you ill-mannered, blackfooted imbeciles! I'm a bard and a musician, not a courtesan!!!" The cries from the bushes grew louder and were accompanied by an unsettling vibration.

"Well, it seems the comedy isn't funny anymore. And dinner is coming soon. And I haven't even dealt with the consequences of my ill-considered experiment," I thought, getting up from my spot and approaching closer.

"Alright, guys, you had your laugh, that's enough. There's no need to make the lady cry," I tried to appeal to the guards' sense of decency. Maybe this pair weren't as vile as they seemed? Or perhaps they'd recognize me.

"Oh! Another girl! Fucking awesome! " The stocky guard exclaimed in delight. Apparently, in the eyes of the intoxicated security, the darkness had proven too thick to distinguish. "You want to have some fun too? Catch her, Tommy!"

"Well, never mind. Let's have a little fun, and test the KI at the same time."

"Have fun?" I began to exude a "thirst for blood," gradually increasing the pressure. "I want to." I tilted my head slightly. "But you won't like my kind of fun." I increased the "thirst for blood" a bit more. The guards started looking around cautiously. "But if you insist, I'll give you the most unforgettable moments of your miserable lives. The last ones." I took a few steps, speeding up, and stood in the moonlight. For the slightly tipsy lotharios, it was as if I had teleported.

"Fuck!" The chubby one exclaimed, stumbling and falling.

"Let's have some fun?" I further intensified the KI, reaching about one-fifth of maximum power. Smiling, I looked into the eyes of the now-pale Tommy, who finally managed to see who he was supposed to catch. The fat man froze, trying not to move, like a bug pretending to be dead.

"E-erm, forgive us, Lady Warrior! We... we didn't recognize you in the dark. Please don't punish us too harshly," the tall one groveled with a deep bow, and then dropped to his knees. Both mercenaries exuded an overpowering fear. "Forgive us, please..."

"What kind of nonentities?" I thought, the blatant readiness to grovel and humiliate themselves igniting a flare of anger. "Even a small-time thief caught red-handed has more dignity and self-respect than these so-called warriors. But look at how bravely toilet Tommy was threatening peasants and, in the company of his buddy, intimidating an unarmed girl! Like two completely different people!"

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"Could this be the effect of KI?" I had serious doubts that the level of KI I used could turn even regular soldiers into... this. But no, after the influence had stopped, nothing had changed. They continued to grovel just as fervently as before.

A Revolting Spectacle.

"Forgive us, milady warrior!" the men groaned in unison, their faces buried in the ground. Even the alcohol they had consumed couldn't restore their lost courage.

"Pathetic," I thought, suppressing the urge to strike at their conveniently exposed necks. In principle, even in line with the 'legend,' I would be well within my rights, especially if I presented it correctly. But then to endure moralizing from Natala and jokes from Kay Lee? These wretches weren't worth it.

"Get lost."

"How did they even manage to get into the security detail?" I wondered with restrained anger, looking at the men who were now almost running away. My opinion of Rutger had plummeted by several notches. Though, to be fair, most of his subordinates appeared far more competent. "Hmm... it seems that my Ki influence has intensified, and now it's affecting me too, stoking negative emotions," I noticed, acknowledging my overly intense reaction. "Pity," I thought, the images of enemy forces dying in fear or fleeing from the Great and Terrible Kurome becoming significantly dimmer. "Or maybe I haven't fully recovered from the taint of that Teigu energy? I should meditate before sleep. Luckily, I'm already restored."

"Come out, my beauty, evil has been vanquished and sent fleeing," I addressed the still-hiding girl. "You can leave your hiding place and reward the heroine with a kiss," I added with a smirk.

From behind the bushes, a cautiously peering blond head emerged.

"Aren't they coming back?" the shivering actress asked, her teeth chattering from the cold.

"Don't worry, they won't return. After all, they're not suicidal," I said, recalling that I was in a hurry and decided to hasten the girl. "If you don't want to catch a cold, hurry over here," I switched to a commanding tone. "Dry off and get dressed! Quickly!"

As soon as I finished speaking, a naked young woman leaped out of the bushes. With a muted squeak, she quickly crossed the stream and, grabbing a towel, began to dry herself off energetically.

"These mercenaries have a taste for female beauty." I admitted, studying the 'damsel in distress.' She appeared to be around sixteen to eighteen years old, with a well-toned figure, a rounded derriere, and even a perky bosom of a respectable third size, nipples defiantly protruding (thanks to the cold, of course, but still enticing). Her skin was smooth and entirely devoid of any hair.

Beautiful. She reminded me of my deceased teammate, Remus, in some way.

I also noted the inconsistency between her appearance and the claimed line of work. However, the blonde resembled an assassin or a spy even less than she did a wandering artist.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" the slightly trembling girl asked, hastily getting dressed. "Is there something on my face?"

"Everything's fine, I'm just admiring," I said, curling the corners of my lips. "My name is Kurome. And what might the name of this lovely stream nymph be?"

"Heh-heh, thank you. You look great too," the blonde, who had surprisingly calmed down quickly, smiled nervously while adjusting her hair. "I apologize for not introducing myself right away." After finishing dressing, she elegantly curtsied, slightly sitting down and spreading the edges of her skirt. "My name is Eris, and I'm not a nymph, but a traveling singer, bard, and musician," she began to speak but got distracted when she saw a footprint on the sleeve of her light brown suede jacket. "You scoundrels!" she hissed, trying to wipe the mark off. "Well, I'll get to you! I'll meet your leader and tell him everything!"

"Amusing," I thought. Her innocent, childishly naive "I'll tell him everything!" made me smile sadly. I didn't want to see how the bright ideals of a naive girl would be trampled by the dirty boots of reality. Even poorly socialized members of the Squad knew about the unwritten code of silence that prevailed in all layers of society.

Although, if they really had assaulted her, given her hints at a troubled background and her rather expensive clothes, the culprits might have faced consequences.

Well, provided they were foolish enough to leave a living witness.

"Let's go, I'll escort you to your people. You can have some hot wine or tea there. We can also talk to Rutger," I suggested.

"Yes, of course," Eris replied, wrapping herself in a green cloak with golden embroidery.

"R-really," she muttered, wrapping her cloak around her, "they didn't write about the stink, d-dirt and nasty, arrogant, smelly mercenaries in the books. C-cold! I want a hot bath with fragrant salt, soap and shampoos," the girl walking next to me dreamily closed her eyes. "And not this icy stream with sharp stones and a peeping peasant..."Wait! How do you know I'm from a noble family and ran away from home? Did my father send you?" She looked at me with suspicion.

"Look at that! She stopped shaking," I chuckled inwardly. "Ah, the unglamorous fate of a hero! Not only did they not kiss me, but they also accuse me of something unclear. Someone correctly said: "Heroes don't get paid - they pay for their heroism.' And how do you order to strive for light here?"

"I have no idea who your father is, but I seriously doubt he could 'send' me," I replied with irony. "How did I guess? Quite simple. Who, other than someone who judges life solely based on adventure novels, would go swimming without any company or at least some weapons?" I asked with a hint of irony. "Especially near a camp filled with not-always-sober mercenaries! Of course, one would assume that you yourself were looking for adventures for your precious ass," Eris blushed and turned away, taking a few steps back, but not for long. She soon caught up to me again. "But judging by your behavior, it's easy to figure out that it's not the case."

"Of course! I'm a decent girl, how could you even think that about me! Ugh! Even with this stuff!"

"That's what I'm talking about. Plus clothes that are too expensive for a traveling musician and a complete inability to swear. This is from a traveling artist! Clean skin without hair only confirms this, it is unlikely that an ordinary girl can afford an alchemical composition," at these words, the blonde was embarrassed again. — Lack of weapons, again."

"I do have a dagger! I just forgot it. And it's uncomfortable; it keeps getting in the way," she complained, giving the impression that she hadn't forgotten the dagger by chance.

"If you have the money, buy a pistol or a revolver," I advised. "It's much easier to learn to shoot than to master a dagger." As an additional bonus, firearms killed just as effectively in the hands of a fragile girl as they did in the massive hands of a thug. "If you're not careful and don't learn to defend yourself, sooner or later, you'll end up as a corpse by the roadside. My advice to you: go back home. These are not the times for a young girl to go on a solo journey."

"N-no need to scare me," she sniffled, paling slightly. "I won't go back, and I won't marry that awful, pimply fatty! You're just like old Hunt, telling scary stories. Meanwhile, you walk alone too!" she retorted.

"Scary stories... I wonder if she even realizes what could have happened if I hadn't intervened? Or is it some kind of defense mechanism?"

"If I encounter bandits, our meeting will end poorly for them," I shrugged.

"Indeed!" Her eyes lit up. "You're the heroine, after all! I heard you managed to defeat a huge monster and saved our caravan! I would also like to become as brave and strong!"

The blonde never ceased to amaze me with her naive, enthusiastic view of the world. Like a kitten that had just learned to walk, joyfully running towards the first person who offered affection, oblivious to the fact that it would be better to stay away from many of them. A bright, happy girl. It didn't at all feel right to mock her foolishness or thrust her into the muck of reality. On the contrary, our conversation was pleasantly warming.

It seemed that even the coldness in my chest receded a bit under this light.

"Kurome, wait," Eris said, her tone suddenly hesitant, as the camp came into view.

"Oh! So you did decide to thank your savior with a kiss?" I teased.

"E-uh, no. I... I just wanted to..." The girl lowered her gaze and started fidgeting with her cloak. "I wanted to say thank you and invite you to visit us sometime. Unfortunately, we don't have anything decent to offer right now, but I could sing something, and our artists could showcase their tricks. Will you come?" She looked at me hopefully.

"Of course, I'll come," I smiled warmly. "How can I refuse such a sweetheart? But still, what about a thank-you kiss?" It's not that I suddenly desired to seduce the blonde. I found her appealing, but more in an aesthetic and human way. I just couldn't resist teasing her, especially since she blushed so endearingly.

"But you're a girl!"

"What's with the discrimination? Is a girl not a person, or do you think I don't deserve gratitude?" I pretended to be offended. "How can you do good deeds if then people disdain to even kiss you?"

"I'm not repulsed! And I'm very grateful! It's just, well..." The girl began to fiddle with her cloak again.

"Alright, let's go; there's no point in standing here. You might catch a cold," I grumbled and headed towards the campfires.

"W-Wait!" Eris called out, stopping me. "I... " She hesitated, then stepped forward and briefly touched her lips to mine. "Th-There," she exhaled, blushing.

"She's still quite charming when she's embarrassed," I thought, looking at the fair-haired girl who was trying to hide her face behind her hair. Apparently, her parents preferred to raise their daughter strictly, keeping a watchful eye on her moral character. It was surprising that they hadn't been able to suppress her adventurous streak.

It would be a shame if she ended up getting killed.

"So, how was it? Did the sky fall or did the strict governess jump out from behind the bushes?" I asked with a grin and, taking the girl by the hand, led her along. "Come on, shy, let's go. And, by the way, it was very nice."