Chapter 03
The community opened.
Since the community opened, I can write posts.
At that simple fact, I ended up losing my mind.
‘This works? Why does it work?’
Wasn't this situation practically being stuck in another world?
In the midst of that, to be able to use the game community normally.
Swish swish.
I scanned the surroundings.
The carriage procession was still moving forward without issue.
The mercenaries were still boisterous, and the merchant members exchanged conversations in low voices only amongst themselves.
Gulp.
Swallowing dry saliva, I checked the bottom of the community.
When I pressed the [Write Post] button, a white page popped up so I could fill in the content.
“This works…….”
Once again, I muttered in a low voice. Fortunately, this time no one reacted to that muttering.
I slowly reached out my hand.
A translucent keyboard was floating in the air.
With hands placed on the keyboard, I quickly filled the page with familiar hand movements.
[Anyone willing to help seriously?]
[Not a joke and not trolling. Writing this because I really seriously need help and…….]
[First, looking at the situation intuitively, I've fallen into the game. Calling it possession might be correct, anyway right now I am Reinhardt…….]
After filling it with rambling content, I pressed the register button.
Checking the status with anxious eyes, I could see the post was uploaded normally.
‘Does this make sense.’
Honestly, I felt absurd, but anyway, the community became a single ray of hope.
And following that.
└Anonymous1: Sounds freaking boring
To the comment that hung there blatantly, I ended up feeling like blood was rushing backwards.
└Author: Fun? Fun??? Does this look like a joke to you???
└Anonymous1: No fun
└Author: No I understand not believing it but I’m really in that situation
└Anonymous1: NF
Was it thanks to the help of skills that I swallowed the curse rising to my throat, or was it because of the mercenaries with murderous impressions?
Anyway, I bit my lower lip tight and left an additional comment.
Emphasizing several times how desperate a situation I was in.
However, afterwards, not even comments saying it was boring were posted.
‘…… Right, it was originally this kind of place.’
Amidst thorough indifference, I realized reality.
This was an anonymous community, and a jungle where naive trolls couldn't survive.
I clenched my teeth and tried to regain my composure.
‘Even I wouldn't have believed it. If I commented, I would have written down a mental hospital phone number.’
What should I do.
What method must I use to inform them of the fact that I, Reinhardt, am truly in serious danger?
Even after pondering for a long time, the answer wasn't visible.
Because whatever post I wrote, it would clearly look like bullshit trying to attract attention to others.
Therefore, the conclusion was also clear.
‘It’s not a problem where an answer will come out just by thinking right now.’
The order of things was always important.
The task given to me right now was the job of accurately grasping the situation I was currently in.
‘A merchant journey moving from the Empire to the Gamudan Kingdom. The goods are unknown, and the owner hasn't revealed his face.’
Also, the mercenary unit escorting the journey hid the type of goods from me, saying it was a secret.
Thinking up to there, pause.
I groped through my memories of playing the game.
‘Gamudan Kingdom, you say? Wasn't slavery legal there?’
My mouth slowly fell open.
It definitely was.
Wasn't there a guide saying that when choosing Reinhardt as a companion, one shouldn't even go near the Gamudan Kingdom because of that?
Swish. Tak-tak-tak.
I hurriedly utilized the search function of the community.
Keyword: Gamudan.
And the output result was.
[Companions you absolutely shouldn't take when visiting Gamudan Kingdom…….]
[That is exactly Reinhardt…… If you take this bastard, his eyes flip as soon as he sees legal slaves and he smashes everything…….]
[Party got totally destroyed by the Royal Army so not taking questions…….]
It was exactly as I remembered.
“…….”
I looked at the ‘cargo’ throughout the carriage procession.
Because thick cloths were draped over them, the contents were completely invisible.
‘This is trouble.’
Reinhardt goes crazy if he sees injustice.
At least inside the game, it was definitely like that.
‘If slaves are loaded inside that carriage or something.’
An enraged Reinhardt was literally uncontrollable.
In the game, the result was just facing a Game Over text, but if that happened in this situation…….
The moment I thought up to there.
Piiiing- Thwack!
Something flew in and stuck into the carriage.
I flinched and scanned my side. An arrow shaft deeply embedded in the carriage was clearly visible.
‘This is…….’
Breeeeeeet--!
Sharp whistle sounds rang out in unison. The atmosphere of the journey, which had been perfectly leisurely, changed abruptly.
‘It’s an ambush.’
I grasped the situation in an instant. Following the realization that it was a bandit attack.
‘Why now of all times…… Huh? Huuuh?’
My hands began to tremble. My facial muscles twitched convulsively.
My breathing became rough. My emotions were suddenly fluctuating.
With trembling hands, I took the mirror out of the saddlebag. The face of a knight distorted with rage was reflected in the mirror.
Following that.
[Injustice detected.]
Righteous you cannot tolerate the existence of bandits. Subjugate them all.
If you ignore injustice, the effect of [Justice] decreases.
At the message that popped up, I ended up letting out a long breath of hot air.
***
“Bram! To the rear! Jenkins!”
“Going now! Jenkins joining!”
“It’s bandits! Grasp the scale first!”
The mercenary corps drew their weapons and moved busily.
In contrast, the merchant members went into the center of the group and hid their bodies as if agreed upon beforehand.
Ambush.
For a merchant group of scale, it wasn't a very surprising event. The journey lasted for days, and precious goods were in the carriages.
For bandits, it was a meal table with no reason to refuse.
Because if they chose the place and time wisely, it was an opportunity to gain large profits with low risk.
Amidst that.
“Driving me, crazy…….”
I was forcefully suppressing my intermittently twitching body.
Because if I didn't, it felt like I would dash out into the danger right away.
[Sudden Mission: Bandit Subjugation]
[Buff Applied: Justice x1]
[All stats increase by 22.]
[Will not be removed until combat ends.]
The sense that users jokingly called ‘Injustice Radar’ had activated.
The Knight of Light does not tolerate evil.
Bandits extorting others were clearly villains, and I was a human who was only satisfied when cutting down the villains in front of my eyes with a sword.
‘So that trashy system applies as is.’
I suppressed the surging urge.
I barely held onto the string of reason.
The mission given to me was bandit subjugation.
And that much was a job the mercenary corps hired by the merchant group could sufficiently accomplish.
‘Just looking at it, the mercenaries have the upper hand. There’s no need to step in.’
In this world, knights are not invincible.
If cut by a sword, they bleed, and if hit by magic, they pay the price.
A sword flying at the back of the head.
Arrows shot from a blind spot.
Traps underfoot planted with sharp spear shafts.
In a combat situation, anything could aim for my life.
No matter how heavy and uncomfortable the armor I wore was.
Also, fortunately.
‘Since it’s not like I have to catch them personally.’
The ‘mission’ given to me required only the result.
It meant that as long as the ‘bandits are subjugated’, even if I didn't step in personally, the mission would succeed.
Slide-
I took out the helmet I had hung next to the saddle and put it on. After covering my whole body in metal, I felt a bit relieved.
‘Go our team.’
Beside the merchant owner’s carriage, I began to cheer for the allies inwardly.
Even though I was practically spectating, no one urged me on.
Because at times like this, the knight's role was to escort the key figure of the journey.
“Strike! They are insignificant bastards!”
“Kill them all!”
“Block! Maintain formation!”
Bandits and mercenaries tangled together.
The bandits rushing out in swarms with bare bodies were practically no different from monsters.
At that bloody spectacle, I tightly clenched my tingling hamstrings.
‘Damn bloody.’
Blades flashed and blood splattered.
Thinking of myself mixed in there for a moment, I shuddered lightly.
‘I wouldn't last 5 minutes there. What good is a sword? I haven't even sliced steak that many times.’
Combat isn't done with equipment.
Thick armor and sharp swords are ultimately just tools; the result changes depending on the person wielding them.
I was also a slick knight on the outside, but the contents were merely an ordinary office worker just a few days ago.
Even being able to maintain composure in this situation right now was thanks to the natural ‘talent’.
The moment I thought that far.
“Found it! It’s slaves!”
“Uhaha! It’s a slave caravan!”
“Sweep them all! The income will be ten times normal!”
At the shout heard in my ear, I paused.
Slaves.
Slave caravan.
“No.”
Suddenly, a sensation as if my body was floating was felt.
I instinctively sensed a crisis.
I tried to raise both hands to cover my ears.
I struggled not to hear any more clues, but my arms wouldn't listen.
“You shouldn't do that. You stupid bastards…….”
My ears were wide open. The shouts of the bandits, which even felt like madness, were heard in succession.
Shouts about fresh slaves and whatnot.
[Additional injustice detected.]
[Sudden Mission: Verify Suspicion]
Righteous you feels strong suspicion. Uncover the truth.
If you ignore injustice, the effect of [Justice] decreases.
[Buff Applied: Justice x2]
[All stats increase by 44.]
With the messages floating up one after another, my body began to move on its own.
“This is, really, troub-gh-ling……!”
I could no longer control my body.
Clop. Clop.
My body lightly drove the horse and stuck close to the owner's carriage.
The meaning of this action was clear.
‘It’s telling me to confirm if the merchant group is really transporting slaves.’
I let out a deep sigh.
I extended the sword I had lifted scabbard and all, and tapped the window of the carriage the owner rode in with the end of it.
“You’ll have to open the door. Let’s see your face.”
A somewhat rough tone flowed out of my mouth.
I didn't stutter.
Because the current Reinhardt was doing a righteous act.
“Is it already cleared up?”
“Not that. There is something I need to ask.”
“The situation isn't good right now. I will speak to you in a little bit. Sir Reinhardt.”
“Open the door. Before I break it and drag you out.”
“How can a person called a knight be so rude!”
Crunch!
The scabbard roughly struck the door. The door reinforced with iron plates crumpled.
Is this because of the anger the body feels?
Or is it an action created by the urgency of the situation?
Thinking I don't know, I spoke with a menacing voice.
“You should understand when I say it with words, right?”
Because right now, the important issue wasn't such trivial doubts.