9 EP.9 Thing, a hero, do it one more time.

If you want to read the fully translated chapters including the last chapter very cheaply. p(a)treon.com/Daoist02

The 17-year-old Denver is the youngest member of the bandit group occupying the Black Goat Ridge.

As the youngest member of this 'organization', he is solely responsible for all the chores and minor troubles related to other bandits.

But that was all over now.

Why?

Because, a new member joined them today!

"Hey, Denver. Train this new rookie nicely. If this guy later acts like a fool, you would be the one to get a beating."

"Yes!"

"You answer quick, well do it."

A bandit named Nick tapped Denver on the back of his head and entered the hideout. As bad as it may have sounded, Denver's face was full of smiles.

'No, idiot, what are you doing!'

If you smile and laugh in front of the newbie, he may look down on you. Denver erased his smile and looked at the newbie with a serious expression.

'…He's a handsome guy.'

It was the first time he had ever seen a guy with red hair, and that looked good on him too.

Denver, annoyed for nothing, voiced out in a timorous tone.

"Rookie, follow me. I will teach you what to do in the future."

"Yes, big brother."

"Yes..? What did you just say?"

"Yes? Oh, I just said 'yes'."

"No, after that. What did you add?"

"Ah, 'big brother'?"

…!

Big brother. How wonderful it sounded.

Denver trembled tiddly, it was the first ever time he had been addressed as 'big brother' in his entire life.

Denver, who was stunned, looked away as the newcomer looked at him with strange eyes, he quickly coughed in embarrassment.

"Yup, come with me. I will teach you everything that you should now know."

Denver took the newcomer into the living quarters and picked up a broomstick.

"Take."

"Yes."

The newbie received the broom without uttering a single word more. He was originally going to give him a jab if the newbie dared to question his decision, but he seemed to be an actually sensible guy.

"Where should I clean?"

"Whatever we just passed, and all the places where we live."

"You mean all of this?"

"Yes. Start asap."

The newbie started cleaning with the broom. Denver watched and delivered some comments in mean time, and the newcomer would fix it right away.

After he finished brooming, he was also taught to do other chores, such as chopping and laundry.

"Hey you, newbie, you doing better than I thought. Have you ever done this before?"

"Not really. I think I just have a little bit of knack for it, ha ha. Still, it's nothing compared to big bro, you work is the definition of perfection."

"Of course it is. I've been rolling in here for years."

By the time all the chores were done, the two got fairly close. Because the newcomer followed Denver more obediently than he had expected, so he also opened the door to his heart.

"Brother, by the way, isn't it dangerous?"

"Hu? What exactly are you talking about?"

"I was just curious. Don't we get protection fees from the three villages down there? I was wondering if there might be other people who covet it."

"Oh, about that? Yes, of course, we have already bumped with them quite a few many times."

Denver, with shoulder to shoulder along the newcomer, pointed in the direction from where the sun rose.

"There's a group of skeletons freaks over there, those crazy bastards take out the skulls of those who they killed, crazy shit."

This time, he pointed towards the direction where the sun was setting.

"Then, there are those wolf assholes over there who tame and use wild wolves."

"They both sound strong."

"That's right."

Denver turned his head around to make sure it was only the two of them, and continued in a low whisper.

"Originally, there were about seven villages where we used to call the shots, you know? But except for the remaining three, the rest were stolen by those wolf assholes and those skeleton bastards."

"Did we lose the fight?"

"Captain says it's a moderate compromise, but in fact, we were pushed back. Oh right, don't talk about this with anyone else. If it flows into the captain's ears, we both are dead meat."

"Haha, don't worry. I don't have a big mouth."

"Of course, I believe you."

Denver grinned at the newcomer pretending to zip his lips shut. Then, he decided to ask him something he had been curious about all along, since the first time he saw the rookie.

"Hey, but why did you come here?"

"Yes?"

"I was hoping not to ask, but now I can't stand it, I'm curious. With that face, frankly, you can seduce any well-to-do woman, and she will also eagerly pay for your needs, right? Then, why did you came all the way to this place to suffer?"

"Ah, you mean that? Don't ask mate, haash, it's all bad luck."

"Bad luck?"

"Yes. As big brother says, I actually seduced a rich woman, but it turns out that she is not just any rich woman, but a woman from a very prestigious family, you know?"

"Fortunately, I managed to escape due to her help, she lured away her father who in a rage was hell bent on killing me. But after I ran away, I found—I actually had nowhere to go!"

"If I start anew in another city, I will be a goner if that family sends assassins after my poor ass. So I was just wondering if there was any place I could live in until I was forgotten, and what came to my mind was a bandit group."

"God, I'm so envious, you handsome fooker."

Since Denver was born, no women was ever attracted to him, so he was damn envious of the newbie's exploits.

"So why did you become a bandit?"

"Me? For me it's a simpler reason than your's. Our family was poor, it got torn apart. So my parents sold me for three rabbits."

"Only three rabbits?"

"Ugh. B, Because there were many children besides me. Anyway, I was caught in a cage and dragged away, but luckily I got a chance and escaped. And somehow, I came this far."

"…you've lived a harder life than I thought, big bro."

"Hey, you pitying me now, you lil punk, hah? Holy shit, imma getting goosebumps because of you."

"Hey! Denver and the newbie! It's your turn. Come in!"

While the two of them were peeling potatoes, a bald bandit suddenly shouted from inside the hideout. Hearing that, Denver clenched his fists and shook it in the air.

"At last!"

"What is our turn?"

"You will know when you arrive. Let's go~!"

Denver whistled and literally flew into the living quarters.

The newcomer followed in his footsteps.

Denver headed for the innermost room of the living quarters.

A muscular gigantic man stood guard in front of the door.

"Denver and your rookie, hm. Go in."

"Yesh, Mark!"

Denver rushed into the room like flowing breeze, and the newcomer followed.

There was absolutely nothing in the room.

—Except for a haggard woman staring blankly at the floor with unfocused eyes.

"Brother, this is…"

"Oh man, that's crazy…"

Denver sighed deeply.

"What is?"

"Bloody hell, just look at her. Look at this woman's condition. Does she looks alright to you?"

"I don't think so."

"That's right. She has atleast been played around for a year. Haa, we have a new recruit too, how nice it would been if they gave us a girl who has been eaten less. Aw fuck, why don't we just call it quits and run over to those skeletons or wolves? I heard recently, there are a lot of new batches of fresh girls there. Blame my shitty luck."

Denver groaned and laid down the woman on the floor. The woman did not resist. She just stared at the ceiling with her hazy eyes.

"Where do you get these women from?"

"Why do we need to get her, uh? There are those three villages down there, right? They give it to us."

"They, give it?"

"Yeah, there are times when they can't pay the protection fees on time because of poor crop harvest or something? Then, instead of protection fees, they give us these women."

"What if they refuse and try to be stubborn?"

"Even if they try to hold on with the fees. Just go and turn it all over once, see if they don't get down on their knees and beg for forgiveness. Then pick a few pretty bitches and bring them back. Are you just keep gonna talking? How are you not interested?"

"I'm good. Big brother can enjoy it all for himself."

"Oh my gosh, a woman like this doesn't even qualify to catch your eyes, is this? Anyway, it's different for me anyway, too different."

Denver grunted and loosened his pants. He proceed to take off his pants and spoke to the newcomer who was about to leave, as if he had forgotten something.

"By the way, I forgot to ask for your name. Come on, how did I even forgot this? Hey, rookie. What's your name?"

The newcomer paused for a moment, then turned around and answered.

"Cloud, it's Cloud."

Late at night.

Denver woke up. He tossed and turned a few times trying to get back to sleep, but he couldn't.

"…I should go and pee."

Denver stood up and tried to go out…

"Oh, you woke up."

Cloud made eye contact with him.

"…Hey. W, What are you d-doing?"

"Yes?"

"What the fuck are you doing!?"

If it was simply making eye contact with Cloud, there was no problem in it.

Cloud, however, had the sword he was holding in his hand at the bandit's neck sleeping next to Denver.

"God dammit… which dick head's so noisy…"

Swiik-!

"Kuukgh–?!"

As soon as the bandit woke up, he was transpierced directly through the neck.

He died while struggling without even understanding the current situation.

"Y, You, you..!"

Denver looked around.

All the bandits who slept with him in the same room were dead—except for him.

Only then did he notice the smell of blood wafting in the room.

"Shit!"

Denver dashed quickly and pulled out the moon shaped scimitar hanging from the wall.

"Are you nuts?! Do you think you will be able to get back alive after this, you biatch?! You don't know how terrifying our boss is. As long as he comes in person, your b…"

"That fat, tight pig? Ye, he was definitely a tad bit strong. But that was all."

"…What?"

What did that bastard said just now?

Denver didn't understand what Cloud was saying. More like, it was something he desperately didn't want to understand.

Because, the boss was the strongest person he knew his entire life. Cloud spoke as if he had killed such a person. It only meant one thing—he had no way out of this situation.

Tap.

As Cloud took a step forward, the puddle of blood on the floor splattered further.

"Agghhh, don't come."

Tap.

"Don't come, you asshole!"

Tap.

"You, why are you doing this to me… I was good to you!"

Tap.

"I didn't do this because I wanted to! I just, because I wanted to live…! I did it because I wanted to live!"

Tap.

"Don't come… wwhhg… you fuckface!"

Isn't it said, that even a weak mouse when cornered to the end, dares to bite a cat?

But while the mouse may give his all, at the most, it only leaves a small scar on the cat.

And Denver was less than a mouse to Cloud.

Tring-!

The scimitar, which Denver swung with all his might, was deflected by the sword that Cloud twirled lightly.

Denver's body slanted sideways.

—and, Cloud's sword pierced right through his chest.

"Kughk…"

A blade in your heart doesn't mean you will die instantly.

It takes at least a few seconds to die.

And those few seconds were enough to look back into his life and leave some hushed murmurs.

"Mom… Dad…"

Those were Denver's last words.

He was sold by his parents, at a low price of three rabbits, but he still found his parents even at the death's breath.

Cloud had no particular emotions about that.

After pulling out his sword, he simply wiped the blood off the sword.

* * *

"Heuk! Hiik! … I hate it… I hate it…"

A young girl was crying. Normally, when you see someone crying, you might try to soothe her, but no one here did so.

Rather, they became annoyed because it was getting more noisy.

This room, or more appropriately—a cage, situated in the core of bandit hideout.

Not a single ray of light enters the closed room, and the smell of filth coming up from here and there stings one's nose.

'Ah… it's noisy…'

Katie is a woman who has been here for about two years. She may not be the oldest, but she is still a woman who has endured for a long time.

The reason she came here was simple.

The poor harvest plagued her village, and the village, which was incapable of paying the 'protection fee', had to send one of it's women.

At that time when everyone was in trouble, filled with loyalty and fidelity, she raised her hand.

Exclaiming confidently.

–I will go.

Now that she thought about it, that was a crazed decision. A foolish act committed by being caught up in a nonsensical sense of heroism. But even if she regrets it, it doesn't change the reality.

Now, all she can do is to live each and every day with her emotions dying with time.

Without knowing—when she might suddenly end up dying.

"Wooo… Mommy… Daddy…"

There were no signs of stopping—the young girl's desperate sobbing echoed.

Katie leaned back slightly and looked at the crying girl.

'It must be the new kid who came in today.'

—whose virginity will be picked up by that piglet asshole tomorrow night.

'Damn that motherf*cker. That pig bastard rolls so damn hard.'

It's a relief if she only got some bruises, for there were a lot of women who died after suffering from broken bones under that fat-ass.

"Who… someone.. please save me…"

As the girl sobbed, a snicker leaked out of Katie's lips. It was not just her. The other women, who were mumbling in their annoyance, also burst into laughter.

That's because there were times when they were like that too.

Those were the days when they endured each single day, with the hope that someone would save them, rescue them, and take them back.

But, just like their's, this young girl's hope will also not come true.

Why?

First of all, the number of bandits staying in this mountain hideout alone are over thirty. Compared to the villagers who can't even get to eat proper regular meals because of unavailability, these guys ate well and gain weight.

In other words, even if the villagers made up their minds to retaliate, they will not be able to achieve anything.

In addition, the city refuses to send it's soldiers, claiming that the occurrence of monsters have exponentially increased nowadays. In this place where there are relatively few monsters, the influence of bandits is bound to be strong.

Some will say, "Why not collectively fund money and call an adventurer?"

But…

'From where will the poor villagers who can't even pay protection fee find the money to hire a powerful adventurer.'

It's hard and harsh, but that's what we call reality.

The day will come when that new kid will realize it too.

Katie tried to fall asleep, ignoring the girl's anguished wailings.

It was then.

Druck. Druck.

As the pulley went up, the thick stone door that blocked the room and the outside world began to move.

The young girl's cry haulted.

Instead, she looked up at the door with eyes full of hope.

On the other hand, the women who knew the reality only sighed deeply.

"Ugh, so annoying. Which bastard's in heat so early in the morning?"

"Piss off, you brute bastards. If you are one of those losers with small sticks don't disturb me or I will bite off what remains of your small family possessions. Go and skewer each other instead…"

While the women groaned, the stone door was completely opened.

In between the dim light coming through the door, he stood tall, a handsome young man.

'…If it's him, no would have any problem even if it's early morning, hah? Eh? But was there such a man among the bandit bastards?'

A question that suddenly came to her mind.

Something started tickling inside her chest.

It was something she had given up and abandoned long ago.

Katie tried to ignore it.

She didn't want to be betrayed by her expectations again.

It's a bubbly dream that won't come true, she tried to restrain her heart, trying to remind it of the ruthless reality.

Other women were in a similar situation like Katie.

"H, Hey, that…!"

In the midst of that, it was the woman who was sobbing before. She asked him with an expression of half fright and half hope.

"Did you… come to save us…?"

Gulp.

Some swallowed their saliva.

Some clenched their fists, and some shook their legs.

Pretending not to care—

Pretending to give up—

—In fact, they themselves were the women who were hungry for hope, more than anyone else.

Tuk.

Something was thrown amongst them.

Clothes that were close to rags but could still cover their bodies.

All the eyes focused on that one man.

And, he, the handsome man, Cloud gave them the answer they desperately wanted.

"Get dressed. Time to go home."

If you want to read the fully translated chapters including the last chapter very cheaply. p(a)treon.com/Daoist02