Chapter 269 - Preparation and Precautions

The two young militiamen guarding the village entrance exchanged a glance, then looked forward again. One casually plopped the leather coif he had been holding askew onto his head and spoke. There was something rather limp about his manner. "You're not wrong, but..." The militiaman beside him, whose eyes were sharper, stepped forward.

"We'll have to ask inside. Wait here." One of the two went inside, and Jaxon kept talking without pause in the meantime.

"Why, there aren't any monsters around the village, and doesn't something smell wonderful? It's suppertime. I've been chewing on nothing but jerky for four days now! I'll make it worth your while, so please, have a little mercy." He was gently coaxing the remaining young militiaman, who had large, innocent-looking eyes. The youth's slight nod suggested he was tempted, but he would not readily let them in. "I can't do that... But if you wait here, I think someone inside will give us an answer..." His peculiar habit of trailing off was rather frustrating, but Jaxon did not mind.

"I see!"

He merely nodded agreeably. Encrid grew more impressed by the moment.

'How is this bastard so good at this?'

It was as though Krais had come here wearing a different face. Still, did villages usually control entry this strictly? Some might, if there were many dangers nearby, or if they were at war with another village. But that did not seem to be the case here. "Please understand... A wandering swordsman who came here before caused trouble... A Frog did, too..." The hesitant militiaman volunteered this without being asked, watching their reactions as he spoke. He seemed remarkably timid. Encrid had a good idea who that Frog was. He had acted as though he had simply picked the stuff up along the way without any fuss. Had he actually caused trouble? As Encrid watched the young militiaman with the frustrating way of speaking, word came from inside. The sharp-eyed fellow who had gone in strode back out and called,

"Come on in!" Permission granted. Jaxon's face broke into a broad smile. His acting was astonishingly accomplished. Perhaps that was only natural, come to think of it. 'He used to seem like the man who smoothed over everyone's little troubles in the unit.'

But at some point, he had neatly cut off the people around him. It had happened in an instant. After that, rumors spread that he spent every Krona he earned at the brothels. He was always heading out to the market district and staying away from the barracks, so people talked. Encrid did not believe those rumors. If he had fallen for a whore, he was the sort to bring her back with him. Yet he merely went back and forth without a word? Only those close to him would understand. Anyone who did not know him would take it for the all-too-common tale of a soldier pouring the Krona he risked his life to earn into brothels. Of course, Jaxon's movements were not that straightforward, either. Sometimes he spent an entire day in a teahouse, or sipped beer while browsing gambling dens. He looked exactly like an idler with nothing to do but kill time. From the outside, at least. Was there a purpose behind his behavior? Was he doing something else? Encrid had caught on long ago, but paid it little mind.

'He must have things to do.' This acting, these changes of expression, his instant imitation of Krais—they were all among his talents. His silent footsteps, his movements without a trace, even his sword strikes without killing intent. All of it was Jaxon. Encrid reminded himself of what he already knew. He still had no reason to push Jaxon away, nor to demand explanations. He was the officer responsible for commanding the Independent Company, and Jaxon served under him. So long as Jaxon performed his missions and duties well, wasn't that enough? In that respect, Jaxon was an excellent company member, and a fine teacher, too. Even if he turned his sword on Encrid, Encrid would ask him why twice before acting. He was even willing to let Jaxon strike him once. That was how much he owed him. More than anything, though, Encrid's attention was less on Jaxon than on Sinar, who was exclaiming beside him,

"Oh, what a talent."

He could only marvel at her. What had this Fairy been doing, to have failed to find a village that reeked so openly of drugs? As they entered, the young militiaman warned them from behind.

"Don't cause trouble. Looking like you know your way around a sword doesn't mean you can pick a fight here without bleeding." Most villages maintained mercenaries or an armed force with some skill in weapons, barring any particular problems. This village showed signs of good upkeep everywhere. The palisade was tall and two layers deep, with clear signs of regular repairs. Thorny growth had been cultivated and woven through the outer fence, which was quite high itself. Most monsters or demonic beasts would not dare enter. And as he had seen on the way in, the entrance was narrow, barely wide enough for a single wagon. An uninformed observer might have thought it an ordinary village. Encrid did not. People who did not know him thought he really was a "sword lunatic" who knew nothing else, but Krais and a few others close to him knew better. ["The Captain's smart, I'm telling you. He's just not in the habit of using his head."]

That was true. Above all, Encrid had good instincts and intuition. Along with his sensory arts, he could pick up an uneasy atmosphere and smell something wrong. That was one reason he had survived so long with such meager skills. Now he also had an eye for judging an opponent's abilities, and his senses had been honed. He looked around. This village did no farming. It stood on a plateau partway up a mountain ridge, yet there were no slash-and-burn fields, either. What did they live on, then? He saw a few goats, but the village clearly held several hundred households. On this continent, people had to live together to survive the threat of monsters and demonic beasts. It was common sense to enclose a large area with a fence and cultivate fields inside. Even a separate orchard needed its own fence and troops stationed there. Unless they meant to hand everything over to monsters and demonic beasts, it was essential. Of course, if a colony of monsters or demonic beasts formed, even that would be useless. Still, there was no question that gathering together was the first step toward survival. The village seemed to have at least three or four hundred people, with the young accounting for more than half.

'No farmland.'

Few livestock, either. Middle-aged adults made up an overwhelmingly large proportion of the population. And hadn't he been told that the village chief was a pretty young woman? Not a single thing was normal. Yet there were no rumors about this village in the surrounding area. Surely a few peddlers would have talked? How would a village conceal its activities and keep rumors from spreading? Encrid considered that for a moment. Beside him, Jaxon was enthusiastically running his mouth as though possessed by Krais.

"Why, they sell goat's milk! Imagine how delicious the cheese would be if you made it with this... They have cheese, too!" Cheese made from goat's milk turned a deep brown. Properly stored, it developed a sweet, rich flavor. Emphasizing this, Jaxon brought out several bolts of fine silk he had brought along as props for his merchant disguise. Watching him, Encrid returned to his thoughts. How to prevent rumors from spreading.

'Just bury everyone who comes.'

And anyone too strong to deal with by force? Give them enough to satisfy them and send them on their way. Was that why their location had remained hidden? Granted, this was west of Border Guard, and not on any shortcut through the mountains. Some might say that made it safe from mountain bandits and gangs of ruffians.

'But would it really?' The militia gathered here was of an unusual caliber. Encrid stood nonchalantly, watching the passersby. The most ridiculous sight was a woman walking past in a wide skirt.

'Hey, what are you hiding under that skirt?' Her right and left feet carried different weights, and her strides differed, too. He would wager Krais's tongue that she had a blade strapped to her right thigh long enough to run a person through. "Interesting place."

"Try this."

No sooner had Encrid murmured than Jaxon slipped something into his mouth. Despite being on his guard, Encrid only registered the touch when it reached him. However keen his sensory arts, Jaxon's hands remained difficult to detect. The hand had brought a piece of brown cheese to his mouth. He rolled it around in his mouth a few times. Sure enough, it had a clean sweetness rather than a cloying taste. It was well-made cheese. Someone here seemed to have skilled hands. "What a fine village!"

Krais—no, Jaxon—spoke with an extravagant gesture, and the cheese merchant before him replied with a smile.

"You think so?" The smiling merchant was missing a front tooth, making his breath whistle through the gap. His smile was simple and guileless, but Encrid knew this fellow was no pushover, either. As the man gestured while speaking, Encrid saw thick calluses ingrained in his palms. Those were calluses formed by long years of handling weapons. Encrid looked away, pretending not to notice. Beside him, the Fairy murmured,

"Enkie, I feel as though we've come on a journey to celebrate our wedding."

On the continent, that was called a honeymoon. Of course, the mood was nothing of the sort. The Fairy seemed to have a tongue that sprouted needles unless she made jokes. Encrid was broad-minded enough to understand. On the surface, nothing seemed amiss, but anyone who knew what to look for could tell. Sinar, a Fairy with exceptionally keen senses, would know as well. Several pairs of eyes were watching them, very discreetly. People were hidden everywhere: in alleys, between rooftops, through gaps in windows. "The inn sells a liquor made from goat's milk. Be sure to try that, too. There's only one inn, so you can't mistake it."

"Thank you."

Jaxon beamed and handed over a few more copper coins. The merchant grinned broadly again. That missing front tooth was memorable. After they had made a circuit of the village and headed toward the inn, Jaxon kept exclaiming in admiration.

"A small village, but such lively people!"

Encrid interpreted that for himself.

- There are a lot of people for a village this size, and they're all trained. "Is this how they build houses here? What unusual architecture."

- The inn is in a perfect spot to be surrounded. "The women are pictures of health, too!"

- The women are trained as well. "Isn't it nearly sunset already? We'd better turn in early if we want to get busy at dawn tomorrow! The people here hardly seem to sleep at night."

- Moving carelessly at night could get us caught. Dawn would be better. Because he had been chattering about anything and everything all along, no one suspected anything in Jaxon's words.

"If our friend Rem had come along, we'd really have had trouble. Such friendly people—they probably don't care for rough sorts."

- If we cause a disturbance, the job will be difficult. These people will keep watching us. It was not code, but somehow it had become something like a code only Encrid understood. Nor did Jaxon deliver it all in a single stream; he mixed it into his other chatter. They entered the inn, ordered sheep's-milk liquor and dinner, then unpacked in their rooms. The two men shared one room.

"Why are we dividing the rooms like this?"

Sinar protested, only entering the room next door when Pin dragged her by the arm. Jaxon stood by the wooden-framed window. Its creaking hinges seemed to need oil. He paused there, gazing outside for a moment, then turned around. When he turned, Krais's soul was gone from him. The possession was over. One look at his expression made that clear. Krais had left Jaxon's body. "Hmm."

Encrid was impressed all over again. With talent like that, Jaxon could surely land the leading role in one of those plays said to be performed occasionally in the capital. Wouldn't a playwright be desperate to snap him up? "What is it?"

Jaxon asked when Encrid stared at him.

"Nothing."

Encrid had nothing more to say. What could he say to someone who had done so well on his own? But Jaxon had something to say. Quite a lot, in fact. He had discovered far more than one or two things. Inwardly, he was even impressed by how thoroughly these people had prepared. Outwardly, of course, he spoke as dispassionately as ever. "They'll put a sleeping drug in the food."

Jaxon predicted their actions. Encrid doubted they would drug them so soon after their arrival, but decided there was no harm in following his advice. "Shouldn't we tell the ones next door?"

Jaxon shook his head slightly.

"They have a Fairy, don't they?" Fairies had keen senses. Why would taste be any different? That was why Fairy food was blander than it needed to be. There was no reason to season it heavily; they could savor the taste and aroma with only a little seasoning. That did not mean they were not gourmets. Their sensitivity made them all the more particular about good music and fine food.

"They'll handle it themselves." After speaking, Jaxon inspected the bed, took a small bottle from inside his clothes, and applied oil to the hinges. A precaution to keep them from squeaking later. Meticulous. Walking and moving silently was not solely a matter of what one did with one's body. 'Preparation and precautions.'

Swordsmanship always occupied a corner of Encrid's mind. He had given rooms there to swords, knights, and dreams. Some of those occupants whispered,

'Isn't the Righteous Sword Technique the same?' They were right. It was no revelation, but it gave him a brief opportunity to reflect on the sword. While Encrid was lost in thought, Jaxon finished his preparations. He oiled the hinges, checked beneath the bed, and even tapped carefully across the ceiling with the tip of a fingernail. Then he spread a broad cloth directly above the bed and secured it by driving needles into its corners. Encrid did not ask what he was doing. For that brief moment, he was too busy swinging his sword in his own world. Jaxon was relieved that he did not ask. Explaining every detail would have been a nuisance. 'Looked at this way, do we work rather well together?'

Sometimes, on a job, it was important to judge how well one worked with another person. Jaxon knew that well. Then he thought again,

'Who wouldn't he work well with?' Encrid got along easily with Audin and Rem, and even with Sinar. That was the kind of man the Captain was. So although he seemed quite unsuited to this sort of work, Jaxon also felt he might do reasonably well. As Jaxon moved, he pictured the events to come. These were things he knew not through intellectual understanding, but through experience.