Chapter 60 – Bandit Subjugation (Part 1)
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Translator: SFBaka
Editor: Thor’s Stone
I doubted my ears when I heard Alan’s words. Some people I know? In a place like this?
Wait! Perhaps they are the members of my royal guards!? Yes, that’s most likely it! Alan’s words have never been off the mark ever since I first met him. I started waving at the person on horseback who was approaching us.
The person noticed me and stopped the horse in its tracks. The person looked quite cautious. Well, I do admit our group looked fairly suspicious from a distance. The person stopped the group of carriages and horsemen trailing behind him and started approaching us. When he came within fifty meters of us, he kicked his horse and had it approach us in a run. Yes, the man on horseback was definitely Dalshim!
“Your Highness! It truly is Your Highness! What in the Goddess’s name are you doing all the way out here!?”
Dalshim jumped off of his horse and knelt before me.
“It’s been a while, Dalshim!”
I found it quite surprising that I was conversing in such a casual tone with a member of my former royal guards.
“Oh! Yes, it truly has been a while, Your Highness!”
Dalshim signaled for the group on the road to come close, and they all came to the clearing that served as a resting spot where our carriage was currently parked.
“It’s Her Highness!”
“Oh! Princess!”
“Our princess!”
Ah! It’s the rest of the royal guards. But there were some people I wasn’t familiar with mixed among them.
“It has been a while, everyone! I’m glad you all look in good health.”
“What are you doing in a place like this, princess? Did you perhaps somehow get wind that we were coming and came to receive us?”
I glanced at Alan. I’m sure it was Alan who found out that the royal guards were going to take this route. It wouldn’t have hurt to inform me beforehand though! Honestly.
“No, it’s nothing like that, actually. We’re in the middle of doing a request for the Adventurer’s Guild.”
“Oh! What a coincidence this is then! It’s as if we were predestined to meet. We were actually worried we wouldn’t be able to meet up with Her Highness right away once we arrived at Gantz.”
Yes, that would have been the case. We should have planned some measures beforehand. What an oversight.
“Yes, you’re right. We didn’t think you would arrive this fast. We haven’t thought up any measures for meeting up yet. We nearly missed each other.”
“Quickly inform the others following behind us. Have them hurry up and gather here!”
Dalshim shouted orders to one of his men who were unfamiliar to me. The man got on his horse again and hastened back to the main road. So they still had others following after them?
“You still have others following after you? Well, you do seem a bit too few in number.”
“Yes. We traveled in separate groups since such a large number of people would attract too much unwanted attention.”
Dalshim’s mouth curled into a sly grin. Was there something else?
“It has been quite some time, Alan-sama. Everyone as well.”
“Yes, it’s good to see you again, Captain Dalshim.”
Selena, Sharon, and Elna also gave their greetings.
And before long, the rest of the group under Dalshim arrived one after the other. It looks like everyone rushed here as fast as they could.
“Your Highness!”
“Cleria-sama!”
The group gave their greetings one after another. Even though I can no longer be considered royalty, everyone still treated me with the utmost respect. I was so touched that I nearly teared up.
Everyone knelt before me reverently. Before long, all of the men Captain Dalshim brought with him finally gathered in the clearing. How strange. No matter how I look at them, their numbers seem far more than fifty-eight. Everyone quieted down.
“Captain Dalshim, this number–?”
“Forty-two elite members of the late Earl’s personal troops have come with us as well. All of them are as skilled as the royal guards. All in all, we have one hundred people gathered here.”
I see. No wonder there are a lot of new faces among them. So they were part of my uncle’s private troops… I noticed the man who was kneeling right beside Dalshim.
“Yes, I remember you. You certainly were part of my uncle’s men. I think your name was… Walter, if I remember correctly.”
I called out to the man kneeling beside Dalshim.
“I can’t believe it! To think you remember this humble knight’s name, Princess! I am honored beyond words. Yes, we did meet each other on one or two occasions. I am currently serving as the representative of the late Earl’s personal troops.”
“I see. I shall be in your care then, Walter.”
Oh, dear Goddess! I had no idea this many would answer my call!
“Everyone! You have journeyed far to come here. I am truly glad to meet all of you again.”
“We are unworthy of your grace, Your Highness.”
“Just as you’ve heard everyone, we are currently aiming for becoming the absolute best adventurers in this country. Please lend us your powers as well everyone, and let us aim for the top together.”
“”By your will!””
“”Yes, Your Highness!””
“You mentioned that you were in the middle of a quest earlier, didn’t you, Your Highness? What type of quest is it?”
“Bandit hunting.”
Everyone looked surprised.
“My word! And you are planning on completing such a dangerous quest with just five people?”
“There is no problem. We five are more than enough.”
“Oh! It surely is through the Goddess’s providence that we met Your Highness here. There is no need for you to risk yourself for such a quest. Please allow us to smite those foul bandits in your stead.”
“Cleria, this isn’t a place that’s suitable to discuss such things y’know. There’s a more suitable spot just a short distance away. How about we all move there first, and then discuss things further?”
Oh, I completely forgot to introduce Alan to everyone!
“Everyone! Forgive me for the late introduction. This is Alan, and he’s the current leader of our party and Clan, Shining Star.”
“Hello everyone. I’m the party and Clan leader of Shining Star, Alan. Going forward, all of you will also enlist as official Clan members. I am looking forward to working hard with you all.”
“”Yes!””
“”We will be in your care, Alan-sama!””
This is great. Everyone seems to approve of Alan.
“Well then, let us do as Alan suggested and move to a more comfortable spot. We will have to return to the highway for a bit, so please prepare accordingly.”
“”Yes!””
“Have each group prepare to go back on the road! Hurry!”
Everyone went back to the main road with our carriage in the lead. After about three hours, we finally arrived at the place Alan talked about. As we alighted from the carriage, I saw a wide and spacious riverbank. There would be no problem for more than one hundred people to gather here along with the carriages and horses.
“Prepare for camp! Assign the lookouts!”
“Dalshim, there is no need to assign lookouts.”
Everyone suddenly stopped in their tracks.
“Whatever do you mean, Your Highness?”
“Alan and the girls Selena and Sharon over there can all cast scanning and detection magic. There is no monster that can avoid detection.”
“Scanning magic…… What manner of magic spell is that!?”
“Cleria.”
Alan informed me that he had spotted monsters in the distance via hand signs. There were three Gray Hounds. He also told me their distance from us as well as their general direction. Recently, we have improved upon the hand signs further so now we also have certain signs for particular monsters.
“I shall show you proof then. There are three Gray Hounds coming over from that direction. They should reach us within thirty seconds.”
Everyone moved their gaze to the direction I pointed my finger toward. And under the gazes of everyone, three Gray Hounds appeared from the thickets after roughly thirty seconds. They were about sixty meters away from us.
“””Oooh!”””
The Gray Hounds stopped in their tracks for a moment. They were facing quite the number after all.
“I will finish them off myself.”
I launched the three flaming arrows I prepared earlier. I tried to copy Alan recently and the speed of my arrows has definitely improved.
The three flaming arrows sailed through the air and headed straight for the surprised Gray Hounds. They tried to avoid them, but it was no use.
“”Oooooh!””
“”Splendid!””
“A wonderful show of skill, Your Highness!”
“Can somebody collect the magic stones please?”
“”I’ll do it!””
A number of the knights volunteered.
“It seems we have greatly underestimated your current prowess, Alan-sama, Your Highness.”
“Alan and the rest are already keeping watch. As I said, there is no need for lookouts anymore. Instead of that, I want to talk with you all about what you’ve experienced this far. Let us discuss in earnest once the camp is ready.”
“Understood. Hurry and set up camp!”
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