Swordmaster of the Great Wall

Chapter 39

"Yaaawn."Frederick let out a big yawn as he basked in the sunlight. His eyes looked so sleepy, he seemed ready to doze off at any moment.hinking about what might be so important they'd go to such lengths to bring it inside the Great Wall.

'Still, at least now I have answers about Morris Village. All that's left is Barnes.'

Erich moved on with Frederick, intent on investigating Barnes next.

*

After discovering Morris Village's secret, Erich began focusing on Barnes's movements.

It was partly out of concern that he might try to escape with Max, but also out of hope that he might learn something about Max from him.

But as a full day passed, Barnes displayed no suspicious behavior.

On the contrary, Erich was forced to acknowledge that Barnes was an intriguing officer.

'He's a peculiar guy.'

A shepherd boy. That's just what Barnes felt like. When he first arrived—

The villagers had apparently followed his orders willingly. The previous Watch guard had acted so disgracefully that their expectations were rock bottom.

But every time the village bell rang, the villagers grew increasingly terrified, as if the sound itself triggered seizures.

And no wonder: whatever rule he had, he would shut the village gates, even when people were clearly working outside. It seemed totally absurd.

But when nothing happened after the bell, people's perception of Barnes steadily grew worse.

In the end, no one believed what he said—Barnes became the boy who cried wolf.

And yet—

'In the end, the entire village disappeared. So something definitely happened.'

For Erich, who knew how this village would turn out, there was no question that "the wolf" would show up. The only question was what kind of wolf.

Just then, the bell rang again.

― Tang! Tang! Tang!

Erich looked up at Barnes ringing the bell atop the stockade, and allowed himself a thin smile.

'That guy never gets tired?'

As soon as the temperature dropped, Barnes would ring the bell and lock the gates. Soon, people's shouts erupted.

"You damned bastard!"

"He's at it again, I swear!"

The villagers yelled out. Frederick lay his head back in the grass and murmured,

"Tch. At this rate, he's really gonna get stoned one of these days."

"... It does look like he might actually get hit this time."

"?"

To Erich's eyes, the villagers' anger looked different today, compared to before. Why was that? Rather than resigning themselves or accepting it, they seemed even more agitated than when Erich first arrived.

"You bastard! Today I'm really gonna end you!"

― KWANG!

The people took picks and smashed the stockade gate. Yet Barnes did not forcibly stop them, merely offering calm warnings.

"... Shouldn't we intervene?"

"Looks like we'd better."

Anyone could see that things had gone too far.

'... Maybe because of us?'

From the villagers' perspective, with Erich having declared he'd 'solve the issue', they might have taken it as a sign that Barnes, the current officer, would soon be replaced.

And now, seeing him ring the bell again... perhaps they decided he meant to torment them to the bitter end.

'But this won't do.'

Erich quickly walked up, opened the stockade gate, and faced the crowd.

"Everyone, please calm down."

"How are we supposed to calm down?! Someone else's face is going to get paralyzed, just like before, all the way until the very end! Out of the way! Today we really are going to finish him off!"

"I'm not just saying this."

Erich rested a hand on his sword and glared at the villagers. Their bravado wilted, and they began stealing nervous glances at each other.

"... No, I didn't really mean we'd kill him..."

"The gate is open. Go inside. But cross the line any further and it won't be good for anyone."

The villagers, crushed by Erich's imposing presence, avoided his gaze. Having quickly suppressed their unrest, Erich turned to Barnes.

There was a trickle of blood running down Barnes's forehead from where he'd been hit with a stone.

"Tch. Foolish idiot."

Erich tossed a small towel to Barnes, who took it and gave a slight nod.

'... I want to say something.'

Something was boiling up inside Erich. But with a slow exhale, he managed to restrain himself.

At that moment, a shadow appeared in the sky, circling above them and crying out.

― Kkyeeeeeee!

A huge pigeon was circling overhead. It was clearly the reply from the Black Fortress that Erich had been waiting for.

But Barnes's eyes, watching the bird, wavered. He, too, must have guessed what the message contained.

'... Now, how will he react?'

Erich and Barnes's eyes met. Slowly, Erich let a hint of a smile cross his lips.

Would Barnes, a man so obsessed with rules, be able to sell out his own brother for the sake of those rules?

A cold, tense air settled between them.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Thought so...

【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】