These guys knights from Unatis, so that makes the other party the kidnappers they were looking for. Why did those fucking kidnappers have to run straight in the opposite direction like idiots, and why did I have to encounter this shit.

I go through my options in my head to find one that best suits this awkward situation.

Plan A, leave and report it back to the city. The safest and soundest option.

Plan B, kill the man first, then report it back to the city.

I ain't crazy enough to even think that I am strong enough to capture the guy alive, even if he's injured, who knows how strong he is.

Plan C, follow the guy and aim to find Count's son before bringing the information back to the city for a reward. The best option in terms of opportunity to strike it big with a reward but also the most dangerous option.

I would normally pick the safer option, but watching the figure limping away changed my mind. The guy's barely holding on to his consciousness, the only thing going through his head right now is probably to reach safety, I doubt he will notice me if I keep the distance and play it smart.

A line reverberated in my mind as I made my choice, "Risk comes with reward". If I don't take an opportunity this good because I'm always scared of any risks, what will I be able to accomplish? Ambitions that aren't grand aren't worthy to be called ambitions, and I need to take a bold step forward right now to fulfill them.

With my decision set, I start to trail after the cloaked figure.

---

I trailed the cloaked figure without a hitch, all I had to do was just follow the blood trail. The worse of it was that the chase lasted for a whole hour, how has he not bled out yet?

The man finally reached his destination as he entered into a plot of farmland. He is walking unsteadily, as figures who noticed him emerge from within the estate overlooking the farm.

Which has now brought me to another impactful moment where the decision I make will change my life. I also get the extra joy of doing so while lying prone in the grass, looking towards the lights leaking through house, hoping not to be found.

I want to leave, but I dived into hiding in a patch as grass as some of the men emerge from the estate and start backtracking from where their injured companion came from.

I guess it was obvious that with his injuries, he would be spilling a blood trail. These guys are cautions, hopefully, they won't find my tracks, I did try my best to take the same steps as the guy I was tracking after all.

Too afraid to leave, I stayed unmoving in the grass for hours.

What the fuck man, are those guys not coming back, what could they be doing out there all night. It must be almost midnight by now, come back and sleep already so I can leave.

The lights in the house never went off, but its effect of warding sleep away from me is slowly failing as it's a distance away, forcing me to grit my teeth. It was never this hard staying up all night before, but with the darkness coupled with having literally nothing to do, it's getting more and more difficult to stay awake.

Suddenly a loud muffled scream pierces through my ear from the direction of the estate but listening in more careful, I find the screams to actually be loud moans of ecstasy coming from a woman.

What the fuck are you all doing when your comrades just showed up not too long ago, all bloodied and with half a foot in the grave.

I waited for another hour while being anxious and restless before the moans finally die down.

I gathered my courage to start moving, hoping they would've all fallen asleep by now when suddenly, the door to the house opened, and a figure came out with a magic light in hand.

I freeze, trying my best to avoid myself from moving at all as I watched the light slowly move towards my direction.

I need to think of a plan quick. Take him out with a sneak attack and run for my life? No, my doubt my magic will be able to take him out quietly, if at all. Fuck, please don't see me. If he does, should I play dead? Fuck that. What the fuck should I do?

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I briefly slip into panic mode before quickly I get taken out from it just as quickly by the sound of something being splashed into the water.

The fucker who came out seemed to be drawing water from a well. He took a cup and filled it with water from the bucket before downing the entire glass of water in one go.

I guess even with level one water magic, you won't be able to create much water or it will cost too much mana, so people still rely on water from natural sources if available.

I wait patiently as the man finishes up and returns back into the house, before long sounds of those moans resume. Holy fuck, go to sleep you fucking animals.

I take a deep breath to calm my mind as I start to plan my escape again.

Wait a moment...water...well...

I have an epiphany and a very dangerous plan starts to enter my mind. I try to refute it multiple times, but the temptation of the prospects grabs on to me unrelentingly.

Fuck it, risks come with rewards, so act now or never.

---

It is almost dawn, as the dark night starts to brighten up, displaying a beautiful violet hue in preparation for a new day.

My complexion pales, showing visible fatigue as I moved to another nearby hiding spot with a better vantage point. I spent the whole night learning what it feels being on the verge of running out of mana. I already used my only mana potion too, or I wouldn't have been able to hold on until now.

By the time the sky changed colors again, turning into the warm orangey glow, I see the door of the estate swing open as a dozen figure step out. The most eye-catching was the scene of a large burly man carrying a large grain bag over his shoulders that appears to have something struggling within.

They were a mix of eight men and four women, all who looked used to combat and armed. Four of them heads to the back towards the barn and leads out an equal number of horses for their group. In the meantime, the other gathers in the group with their luggage by the well as they talk amongst themselves.

"Boss, the horses are ready, we just need to move everything on and we will be able to be on our way."

"Hurry it up, that dumbass Etta left a long-ass blood trail straight to where we are last night, luckily they managed to kill all the knights, they probably won't find the trail until noon. I swear, if that mother fucker didn't drop dead himself, I would've decapitated him myself."

"...Boss, what should we do with the bodies of the estate's owner and his family?"

"Leave'em, would've loved to hang'em up to leave a good show for those knights, but we need to hurry."

While the two men were having their conversation, one of the women started drawing water from the well to fill up their flasks.

"Move faster people, we have to reach the rendezvous point by sunset."

Rendezvous? I guess those people who parted last night are moving separately.

I struggle with an intense headache as I continue maintaining my connection with my magic as they spend another 15 minutes packing their things onto the horses.

"Good to go boss."

I watched one of the women hand a flask of water to the boss, as the rest of their group heads to the well and start drawing more water.

"Drink up boys, we're going to have to march deep into the mountains throughout the entire day, those fucking nobles and their knights still think they can solve this through force. I swear the Count will panic soon once we vanish without a trace and will start begging us to accept the ransom to protect his son and reputation, hahaha."

"...But boss, are you sure the Count will ever be willing to negotiate with us? What if they set a trap?"

The bandits all seem a bit down, as they take another swig out of their flasks.

"Don't worry lads, if words gets out that the Count can't even protect his son, how will the people trust the Count to be able to protect them? These nobles value reputation more than their lives, we will definitely be ri-------arghhhhhhhhhhh!"

"arghhhhhhhhh!"

Screams echo throughout the vicinity as the group of kidnappers all clutch their bodies in pain.

Having confirmed that all of them have taken a drink of water, I wait no longer and immediately change my water magic into ice and whirl'em around like inside a washing machine. No matter how strong they are, they won't be able to handle this right?

I spent the entire night pouring water created from my magic into the well while trying to keep my connection to it, else it will just become normal water, out of my control. Now it finally paid off as the kidnappers all ingested the water and I can freely churn up their insides with my ice.

The screams of pain doesn't last very long as streams of blood leak out from their mouth's and wherever else that I don't plan to investigate. They all fall onto the ground motionless, in a pool of their own blood.

"...Phew."

I finally get to stand up and stretch my limbs as I sigh of relief despite the scene in front of me. I'm just thankful it all worked out, but I ain't looting through that mess, that's for sure.

I try not to delve too long on the scene of slaughter and open the grain bag the leader was carrying over his horse. Inside is an unconscious teenager with dark green hair, with childish features. Poor guy looks like he's been starving, and now he got knocked out when he fell over from the horse while trapped in the grain bag. Not my fault at all.

---

The green-haired kid woke up not long after I started exiting the estate we were on, I guess my non-existent riding skills showed him a whole new meaning of a bumpy ride. Well, his body was in a pretty bad condition too.

"...Who...are you?"

The boy said to me why trying to distance himself from me as he was clinging to me while unconscious but has trouble moving given his weak condition.

"The names Aster, I'm no one important, just the adventurer who just rescued you."

I didn't bother to use proper etiquette while talking to a noble, adventurers have a complex relationship with nobles, they may be times when adventurers suck up to them, but opposite instances also occur.

This is because nobles often have to rely on adventurers in order to attain Weycorus fruits, so powerful adventurers or ones with great potential are treated with respect, even among nobles and kings. So in order to keep the relationship between the two parties more cordial, nobles and adventurers often speak casually to each other.

"...Sir Aster, what happened... to the brigands who kidnapped me?"

I hold up a circular object wrapped in thick cloth and show it. He unwraps the cloth only to be met with the bloody head of the leader of kidnappers. He almost drops it but manages to wrap it back in the cloth.

"Thank you. I swear by my name of Norton Lockhart, I'll repay you."

He whispered softly as he leaned his head on my shoulder as he looked like he was going to fall asleep any moment now.

"Wait a second, don't fall asleep!"

My sudden outburst surprised him for a second as he lifted his head with a confused face.

"Yes?"

"...Errrr you're going to have to start repaying me right now by teaching me how to ride this horse. Else we gonna be here for longer than either of us wants."

"..."

---

I arrive near the southern gates of Unatis a little before noon. I had trouble finding the road back for a bit, but thanks to the mobility of my new horse and my new riding instructor Norton, we managed to make it back.

As I drew closer to the gates on my horse, with my new sickly looking friend, it soon drew the attention of the guards when we got closer. Someone blew the horns atop the city gates, summoning a welcoming party of knights awaiting us as we arrive at the gates.

One of the leading knights rushed at us despite his guard's attempt to hold him back. The knight threw his helmet aside while drawing near me, and his bold green hair instantly drew my attention. The knight looked similar to Norton, except older and with more defined features.

"Norton!"

The knight completely ignored my existence and quickly dismounted near me as he rushed towards Norton, screaming his name.

"Brother, I'm fine, thanks to Aster here."

With Norton's word, the knight finally recognizes my presence.

"Thank you sir Aster, you're going to have to excuse me now though as I tend to my brother's wounds. I will thank you properly at another time."

Norton's brother transferred Norton over to his horse and left just as quickly as he appeared. I see him only stops to speaks to his knights for a few seconds, before rushing into the city with Norton in tow.

I'm left awkwardly hanging around in front of a team of knights, with a bunch of onlookers to the side. Thankfully one of the knights approaches me so I don't have to be subjected to the onlookers in silence any longer.

"Sir Aster, we've heard that you saved the young lord and also dispatched of those kidnappers. Please if you'll come with us to tell us more in detail of your exploits while we ready your reward."

At the sound of hearing the word "reward", I quickly nod.

"Please, lead the way."

---

I'm lead into what I believe to be the barracks for the knights and was invited into a room with a table filled with food. With the smell reaching my nose, my stomach starts to growl, reminding me I haven't eaten since yesterday.

The middle-aged knight who lead me here joins me at the table along with two of his adjutants. They ask questions while I eat, while I take my time to chew and swallow before answering, the back and forth lasted well past lunchtime and into tea time.

I told them all the details of the incident including the missing members of the kidnappers who left earlier in the night. The only thing I gloss over is how I defeated the kidnappers.

When there was nothing else to talk about, including where I am staying, they finally let me take my leave after handing me my reward. They reminded me constantly as I exited the complex that the young lords would like to invite me tomorrow for lunch as they would like to thank me personally.

I walk back towards my inn with a spring in my steps despite my fatigue.

I'm rich! I got two whole platinum coins, I'm fucking rich!

Just the thought of how well everything turned out, puts a grin on my face. With the setting sun in the background, I finally managed to return to the inn.

Having eaten my fill with the knights, I head straight back to my room and go through my usual routine to prepare myself to hibernate for the next 12 hours.

Lying on my bed, I can't help but keep taking out my two platinum coins from my purse and admiring their beauty and value.

Before I know it, I fall asleep with the coins in my hand.