It's been a few hours since we headed toward the village that had been taken over by the outlaws. Like I mentioned before, the village wasn't too far, which meant we'd get there in a few hours. Honestly, that brought me a huge relief. To be honest, I wasn't eager to be out for too long, and Emi's words only amplified that desire even more.
As these thoughts floated through my mind, a chilly sensation gently touches my cheek. Almost instinctively, I lean to the side, trying to escape that cold feeling. As I shift my gaze, I notice John by my side, a playful smile dancing on his lips as he holds a water bottle, pointing at me in a teasing manner.
With a resigned sigh, I approach John again and take the water offered by him. As I unscrew the bottle cap, John decides to speak.
"You seem a bit restless. Is something bothering you?"
Upon hearing John's question, I briefly interrupt my thoughts and direct my gaze to the river unfolding before us. The other soldiers are equally settled, some sitting, others lying down, and our horses are taking the opportunity to quench their thirst in the stream. It's not exactly that we're exhausted, but since we're in the vicinity of the village, John suggests we take a little break before continuing.
To be frank, I've had the chance to read some books related to war and such matters. However, when it came to this particular context, I could in no way compare to John, someone who has experienced a variety of real conflicts. Next to him, my inexperience and immaturity are evident, leading me to conclude that it would be wiser to follow his guidance.
"It's nothing too serious, I'm just thinking about how much I'm looking forward to getting back home soon and spending time with Emi and my family"
As soon as I utter those words, accompanied by a sigh, John chuckles and shifts his gaze to the horses that are hydrating in the river. After a few moments of silence, John speaks.
"Well, if everything goes according to plan, you'll have that chance tomorrow. But for now, we need to focus our attention on what's in front of us"
John speaks, the latter part laden with seriousness. Hearing his words, my instinctive gesture is to agree with a nod, even though I'm not sure if he noticed. Silence reigns after that; we stay in the spot for a few more minutes. When the horses finish hydrating and nibbling on some grass, we mount up again and continue on our journey.
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After another stretch of riding time, we finally spot what appears to be the town ahead. Surrounded by wooden walls, the arrangement of these looks peculiar, almost as if they were erected hastily. As I ponder that, John confirms my suspicions.
"Looks like they reinforced the town with wooden walls. This definitely is the work of the outlaws"
John commented, his gaze fixed ahead displaying an analytical expression. Above the walls, I noticed structures that seemed to be defense points against enemy arrows. It was evident that the bandits had prepared for any potential conflict. After a few seconds of quiet, John cast a brief look in my direction and broke the silence with a question.
"Are you thinking of a capture approach without shedding blood, right? Are we going to apprehend all of them?"
Upon hearing John's words, I nodded in agreement. Although this stance might appear peaceful at first glance, the underlying reason for my reluctance to cause the bandits' death is different. As mentioned earlier, sodium nitrate is the key component to produce the ammunition used in the new weaponry. Thanks to Henry, we have a cave with a mine full of this mineral.
However, recently, we've faced a serious challenge of labor shortage. And that's exactly where I intend to employ the captured bandits. They won't require a salary and yet will be at our disposal to work under my supervision. After a period of service, the idea is for them to be released, or at least that's what I've initially planned.
As soon as he noticed my response, a slight smile appeared on John's face, and he beckoned to the soldiers accompanying us. Of course, even though John shouted, it wasn't as if he was raising his voice loud enough for the bandits to hear.
"Very well. Let's position our troops around the town to prevent any chance of the bandits escaping. And remember, if confrontation becomes inevitable, fight with the intention of killing them"
Upon uttering these words, John looked in my direction again. Over his shoulders, he carried one of the weapons I had developed. Before reaching this point, we underwent a brief training with target shooting style. As the king had predicted, John quickly grasped the functioning and now manipulated the weapon skillfully, as if he were a veteran of years.
With the weapon resting on his shoulder, John also wore a sword fastened to his waist. This made me realize that the weapon might be more effective if equipped with a bayonet. While such thoughts wandered through my mind, John's voice suddenly captured my attention.
"Let's move, Ren. I request that you stay by my side and not stray. If we encounter an ambush and you spot any opportunity, flee immediately"
Upon hearing John's words, I responded with a brief nod. Observing my reaction, John returned a satisfied nod, seemingly appreciating my agreement. However, to be honest, it's hard to believe that a situation as described by John will actually occur. This is simply because John is not familiar with the full potential of a firearm, which leads him to express such an opinion.
However, for someone like me, who has lived in a world where these weapons were abundant, the memory of how lethal the weapons I developed are remains vivid in my memory. Honestly, from the beginning, the bandits had no chance of victory.