Chapter 34
With the head butler’s resolute cry, the Magic Knights raised their staves, channeling mana.
Energy converged over the prepared artificial dungeon, and the bodies of those standing atop it vanished instantly.
My vision flashed.
The world that came into view was entirely different.
“Hey, mercenary. It’s about to start.”
Someone tapped me from the side.
A rugged, burly man.
We were hiding beneath dense foliage.
Holding weapons, waiting for our target, like hunters.
Looking around, I saw we weren’t alone—hundreds were with us.
Their attire suggested they weren’t dungeon participants.
More like… peasants.
‘Militia, huh.’
“They say even the Cosmos Church is sending support, so we need to time it right. Our numbers have finally grown enough for them to take us seriously.”
The militia leader spoke clearly, not just to me but for all to hear.
“Let’s give it our all. If we win here, even the damned Defardly Empire will have to pull back their frontlines. Our families, our villages—we have to protect them, don’t we?”
A sense of desperate resolve emanated from those around.
‘I see.’
Know-It-All (Lv 2) has analyzed the clothing and language of those around, determining the era and situation.
The current time period is 1,100 years ago, during the Universal Independence War.
‘The Universal Independence War.
Just as the Princess said.’
Know-It-All recalled the briefing from the Princess.
This is an era when the flames of revolution rose across the world against the brutal tyranny of the Defardly Empire, which had conquered half the continent.
You are currently a mercenary participating in the revolution.
I gripped my hunting rifle.
The rifle the Princess gave me was surprisingly equipped with a suppressor.
It might lose some power and accuracy, but that wouldn’t hinder Firearm Comprehension Lv 8.
“They’re coming!”
Someone shouted the alert.
A silent tension settled over the entire unit.
Far off, a knight on horseback appeared.
A long procession followed behind.
Slowly, slowly, they drew closer.
They began passing the ambush point.
Their disciplined equipment and order were incomparably superior to the militia here.
“Wait… not yet…”
It was a militia.
Who would’ve thought some bold fools would dare ambush the Defardly Empire’s escort to attack the carriage?
They didn’t know.
Then they’d have to die.
Suddenly, the militia leader stood, raising his axe high.
Hundreds of militia rose from their positions.
The ambush began.
The militia burst through the foliage, charging down the slope toward the carriage.
No one shouted.
Only a silent momentum overwhelmed the carriage procession.
‘They must’ve practiced extensively for this moment.’
But the goddess of victory favored the Defardly Empire.
A resting mage, by sheer chance, spotted the militia.
His mouth gaped, and his vocal cords began to quiver.
‘Not on my watch.’
Thump!
A muted gunshot rang in my ears.
The piercing bullet shot through the mage’s open mouth, burrowing cleanly.
The mage died without a scream.
Thanks to that, the militia reached quite close to the carriage.
Anyone would’ve thought, ‘This is it.’
Belatedly, the resting mages stood, shouting and preparing spells.
“It’s an ambush!”
“Help!”
“An ambush on the carriage procession!”
But they couldn’t stop the militia, now at point-blank range.
The anguish of oppression poured toward the screaming mage unit.
Swords and axes tore through the unprepared mages’ flesh.
“Focus on basic spells and overwhelm them…”
Thump! Thump!
I sniped commanders and mages who’d finished casting.
“There’s a sniper! Dozens, by my estimate—everyone, behind the carriage…”
‘Just one, actually.’
“Urk!”
The unprepared mage unit was easily shattered.
But the escort troops on both flanks remained.
A knight charging from the front rode a splendid horse.
His fine armor proved he was no ordinary man.
He drew his sword and shouted.
“Don’t panic…”
Thump!
A piercing bullet pierced his head.
“Th-The commander!”
“The commander’s been sniped!”
The imperial army descended into chaos instantly.
The militia leader smashed a mage’s head with his giant axe, roaring.
“Our mercenary’s done it! Retreat! We need to get out of here!”
But the imperial army, having lost its commander, began acting with trained composure.
“The commander…”
“Shut up and grab your bows!”
“Fire arrows! Fire!”
The imperial army took cover, relentlessly shooting arrows.
The startled militia leader dove behind the carriage, shouting.
“Hide behind the carriage! Use it as cover!”
The militia, somewhat trained, moved nimbly.
“Boss! Look at this!”
A militiaman tore off the tarp covering the supply carriage’s interior.
Inside, cutting-edge imperial equipment gleamed like hope.
Equipment meant for the empire’s frontline elites.
The militia leader tossed his worn axe, rushed over, donned armor, and grabbed a massive battle-axe.
“Hurry, everyone! Gear up before they run out of arrows!”
With the resolve that they’d die if they didn’t, the militia discarded their rags and donned imperial armor.
I didn’t stop sniping.
I had to buy time by targeting high-ranking knights trying to rally the troops for a charge.
“Now, now…!”
The militia leader began calmly assessing the situation.
The militia had nearly finished swapping gear.
He looked at me.
I pointed right—the direction of the vanguard.
The vanguard had many commanding knights.
Heading toward the rear risked the vanguard’s commanders regrouping and striking the militia from behind.
“All units! Charge toward the carriage vanguard!”
The militia, shields forward, charged toward the vanguard.
“W-What? What are those…?”
“Aren’t they ours? What’s going on?”
“Everyone, calm down! The rebels are wearing our uniforms… damn it, stay calm!”
In that brief moment, confusion intensified.
The militia boldly engaged the imperial army in close combat.
I kept sniping commanding knights while watching the rear.
‘Huh.’
The imperial army’s rear was fighting another force.
‘Holy Knights’ in pure white armor.
“We’ve won!”
“Uooooh!”
The battle ended with the militia’s victory.
The rugged militia leader roared with joy, embracing and dancing with the militia.
Then he rushed toward me.
“Mercenary!”
“?!”
He hugged me, lifted me, and hoisted me high.
“Incredible! How do you pull off such amazing sniping?! This victory is practically yours!”
At the leader’s shout, the militia, though unclear on details, sent applause and cheers my way.
But I was stunned by the leader’s rugged demeanor.
‘He saw that?’
I fired dozens of strategic shots, so he couldn’t have seen them all.
But to praise it so highly shows his own skill.
“Excuse me.”
A group of white-armored Holy Knights approached the jubilant militia.
The lead White Knight removed his helm.
A stern, aged knight.
“I am Antonio Offer Cosmos, commander of the Cosmos Church’s Holy Knights.”
“O-Offer Cosmos? What’s that?”
The commander smiled and explained.
“Official priests of the Cosmos Church introduce themselves as Offer Cosmos, meaning ‘we dedicate everything to the Great Order of the Universe’ instead of a surname.”
“Oh, I see. Sorry, we’re just ignorant country folk…”
“It’s fine.”
Illiteracy isn’t a crime.
“Your militia’s combat was impressive. We expected a fierce battle, but were surprised to only clean up remnants.”
“It’s because everyone got fired up knowing the Cosmos Church’s White Knights were coming! Hahaha!”
The militia laughed heartily at the leader’s jest.
Being praised by the renowned Cosmos Church’s Holy Knight commander was reason enough.
In the warm atmosphere, the commander proposed.
“We’re moving the supply carriage to the allied forces’ frontline base. Will you join us?”
“Of course! It’s our honor!”
The militia traveled with the Holy Knights, driving the carriage for days.
In reality, maybe 30 minutes had passed.
During the transport, I always volunteered to guard the rear.
It was easier to spot potential pursuers, and I didn’t mesh with the boisterous militia or altruistic priests.
Occasionally, Holy Knights or militia approached, but I’d excuse myself for scouting.
One day, I was called to a “officers’ dinner.”
There sat the militia leader and the Holy Knight commander.
“An officers’ dinner… doesn’t seem like my place.”
“Come on, you’re officer material, mercenary!”
“Haha, join us, mercenary.”
I sat between them, eating freshly boiled soup.
The helm’s lower part reconfigured, exposing my mouth.
“Mercenary. Where are you from, some fallen nation’s sniper?”
“….”
I almost denied it but considered my gear and skills.
“More precisely, my father was. I just inherited his teachings.”
“The militia leader praised you so much, I thought you were a retired sniper. That gun of yours is unlike anything I’ve seen.”
The Holy Knight commander chimed in wittily.
At first, I wondered why they brought this up, but their intent became clear.
They got to the point.
The militia leader spoke with a serious expression.
“Here’s the thing, mercenary. We plan to join the allied forces and fight the Defardly Empire. People across the land are gathering at Hamerd’s call. Even a cat’s paw might make a difference. So, we wanted your thoughts on what you’ll do.”
“I…”
I looked at the militia leader.
He was a decent commander.
“If there’s room, I’ll join.”
I spent the night with the two, who were delighted.
The next day, as we neared the allied forces’ base, I moved from the rear to the vanguard.
Frowning, I leaned forward.
The Holy Knight commander, noticing me, spoke.
“Mercenary?”
“…Someone’s coming.”
“Coming?”
The commander looked but saw no one.
“…I don’t see anyone… ah!”
Far off, a soldier on horseback galloped urgently, several arrows lodged in his back.
“…Something’s wrong. We need to hurry.”
“Let’s go.”
We rode toward the cavalryman.
Up close, he was unconscious, slumped on the horse.
“Soldier!”
The militia leader quickly pulled out the arrows, and the Holy Knight commander began healing with Stellar Force.
I slapped the messenger’s cheek to wake him.
“Ugh, ugh…”
“Soldier, what happened?”
“An… ambush… We need… support…”