*Step* *Step* *Step*

It sounds like the scouts are back or we have a few bandits scouting us out.

*tap* *tap* *thump* *tap* *thump*

"I'll be back. Lily is in charge while I'm gone."

The scouts came back and they found something so the leaders are going to have a meeting. Also the best place to have their meeting, or rather the only place to have it, is near the teachers.

Its a bit far from where I am sitting but I can make out the sounds as long as no one in the carriage talks, which is perfect since the big battle this noon put everyone on edge.

"...found...lair...empty."
"...thing else?"
"A ....bandoned fort. The ....ndition is fine."
".ow old?"
"It looks like it has been abandoned for at least 20-30 years."

Oooh! The sound got better all of a sudden. My hearing passive must have leveled up. It helps if they don't talk quietly like that but for the sake of safety, I understand why they need to do that. We can't have bandit scouts hearing our plans after all.

"An old fort that has been left alone for 20 years minimum in a land crawling with bandits? It seems suspicious. How far is it?"
"20 kilometers south west from here."
"That is far away from the road. The carriage would have a hard time getting there and along with that suspicious setting it has, its a bad place to camp."

If it has been abandoned for that long, it means that someone is protecting it or someone has a grudge against it. I doubt someone is protecting it since they let it deteriorate. Someone must brought a blood bath in that place that made every bandit group avoid that place. It is not like we want to occupy and rebuild the place so we can use it as a temporary camp. 20 km isn't that far and our wagons is reinforced a lot it could take it.

"Where did you found the beast lair?"

This must be what the garbled words I heard earlier.

"I have found the beast lair beside the road. There is no sign of the beast but the size isn't that big."
"Perfect, it is easier to defend. It is beside the road so we can resume the journey early in the morning."

That is bad news no matter how you see it!!! No beast would make its home beside a road frequently used by others. Its the same as carrying a billboard asking the merchants to hunt them.

Did they actually find any sign of a monster living there or did they just find a cave by the side of the road and called it a beast lair.

"We have other places captain. We even found a small hill that has a river nearby."
"No, we are using the beast lair. We are carrying enough water to last us until we reach the central island. Also, we have to build fortification on a hill. Its too much work just for a single night."
"However...."
"Enough! We are using the beast lair. Everyone prepare."

This freaking idiot!!!!!!!! First its when fighting against those former soldiers, now this! The hill is obviously better! We might not need water but living creatures need it. This means, we can find our dinner near that place. The hill is perfect too since we have a good vantage point when guarding at night. Even if we are exposed and easily seen, the projectiles won't do us much damage and they would have to expend more power just to reach us!

Also, if we are on top of a hill they can see the military symbol clearly. I know it doesn't work all the time but just having the symbol can increase the chance of enemies capturing us instead of going for the kill.

It might be too much work for a single night but compared to our safety, it is very much worth it.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

"That idiot!"
"Captain?"
"Nothing, don't mind it. It looks like we are camping at the side of the road."

It seems all decision falls to the leader of the military students' captain. As long as there isn't a critical error, the teachers and the combat healers won't point it out.

The beast cave is smaller than I thought. It is true that its a cave at the bottom of the hill but the hill isn't that big. I am sure you can cross that hill relatively easy. It doesn't work as a defensible position and just hides our caravan from one side. It might work during the day but at night the camp fire will look like a lighthouse saying 'targets are over here'.

"We set camp here, we will use the caravan as a barricade to surround the cave. The cave is on the small side so we will give priority to the teachers, combat healers and guards."

You say its a cave but at most 10 people can sleep inside. The other students might have a problem with sleeping outside the safety of the cave though. The blacksmith students have to repair the wagon, do maintenance on the armour and weapons of the guards and the cargo. We would be so tired that we won't care where we sleep.

While they are fortifying the place, let me look at the cave.

First of all, there are a lot of footprints. If this is really a beast cave, no beast has been here for a long time. However, the shape is very unnatural.

It is very small even for a normal caravan. There are traces of it being expanded, so much that the whole cave looks artificial. That is a dumb theory, the more realistic guess is that this isn't a beast cave at all but a cave dug out by people. We might have guess coming tonight, the whole place reeks of a trap.

"Me and the other teachers are ok sleeping near the cargo. We have to wait for the blacksmith students to finish after all."
"The combat healers also won't sleep in the cave. Tonight is our monthly mana expansion exercise."

Lies, I felt the huge mana you and the other combat healers' released two days ago. It felt like a mini tornado and my mana is only at the level of a mild breeze.

It looks like both the healers and the teachers can smell the trap too. They won't let themselves be corralled in cave with the current circumstances. The leader of the army graduates are getting a low score on this one. He might even repeat a year depending on what he does from now on because in my eyes, he is on probation for the mistakes he made.

"Brill, come on. Stop looking at the cave and help us finish the maintenance. The equipment of the military students take priority and need to be done quickly in case something happened. We have a lot of to do because of the battles today."
"Alright, I was just checking this out. We can take care of the equipment three at a time to be safe."

Tonight's maintenance session will take longer than usual. We need to make sure those things are in top condition.

"Hey wait!!!"

That is the sound of our 'confident leader' shouting. What is it now?

"Hey! You!! The blacksmith student!"
"Me?"
"Yes you!"

What did I do? Also, if you want something from me then come here. Don't just stand there in front of the campfire like you want a stage to show how superior you are.

"What is it?"
"Come here!"
"No you come here! You are the one who wants something so you move over here not the other way around."
"Grrrr."

What does this incompetent idiot need with me? You won't intimidate me with that growling, you know.

*Stomp* *Stomp* *Stomp*

You think making your steps heavier would make me scared? That is a common way for kids to show their anger, are you a kid?

"We need those equipment to be done as quickly as possible. Do it all at once and finish it quickly and only after that will you do the cargo. We are in charge of the whole groups safety and to do that we need our equipment in the best condition possible."
"I know that is why we will do it three at a time so even if something happens the majority of the guards can still act."
"No, do it all at once and finish it in 15 minutes. If you all do it at once then we can resume guard duty in 30 minutes."

There are only 13 blacksmith students, including me, so if we do finish it in 15 minutes we can finish 25 equipment for the guard. However, it is crazy of you to think we only need 15 minutes to do maintenance on a full set of metal amrour. You wear it everyday so I know you know how many joints and crevices we need to clean and oil. You are also a military student so they did teach you how to maintain your own gear.

"We can't finish doing maintenance in only 15 minutes. We need at least an hour to do it. That is why we suggested to only do 3 at a time. It would take a long time to finish it all but at least only 3 people would be out if we have a night attack."
"And I said we need to have everyone ready to act. Postpone doing the cargo if you have to but complete our equipment first. What kind of blacksmith are you that you need an hour to finish maintaining armour? Are you really a graduate? If you can't even do it fast then maybe you need to go back to class instead of getting a pass otherwise you would just stain the academy claiming you have skills but failing to deliver it!! What do even have you useless group for if you can't contribute to this trip!?"

What the heck is wrong with this guy?

"Are you an idiot? Even experienced blacksmiths need at least half an hour to finish doing maintenance in a full set of armour. How long do you need to do maintenance yourself?"
"I take 3-5 hours but I am an amateur! You are the supposed professional so you should have the skills to prove that!"
"You take that long and you are the one getting angry at us for needing an hour to do what takes you 5 hours?"

Is this guy just venting because of his judgement mistake during the battle earlier this noon?

"Like you said you are an amateur! So shut up and let us do our work. If you don't know what we do then don't try to force your misconception on what is and is not possible."
"Shut up! I am the leader of this caravan and what I say is law. Do it this instant or you can go home by yourself!!"

Are you serious?

"First of all we are part of those you need to protect. This is a graduation trip not a trading caravan. It is true that we are doing a trade but the members aren't here because we are paid to be so. We don't even gain much from this trip. Also, you are the leader of the guards not the leader of everyone here. You can tell us to stay quiet inside the carriage or stay in a designated space for the sake of everyone's safety but you have no authority on how we do our duty. Do you want us to tell you how to guard? No, I don't think so!"
"Y-you, you, y-you!"
"You what!!? I told you that your 'command' isn't possible and even gave you an alternative yet you threaten me!?!? The fact that you even suggested that I go home by myself is proof of you can't do your duty yet you are telling me how to do mine?"
"S-Shut up!"
"Teacher, His suggestion crosses the boundary of his authority and it also endangers the safety of the whole group. I ask that you intervene."

Is your head working properly?

"You!"
"You what! Are you a kid? Don't you have anything else to say other than you?"
"Grrrrrgh!"

*Grab*

"Victor"
"Here"

*Grab* *Throw* *Jump* *Bang*

Don't expect to win just because you are the combat specialist. We also have a specialist in our group. Also, since you are grabbing me and I grabbed your wrist, you can't defend when another person grabbed you. From there, its a simple matter for victor to throw you, and me jumping along the throw so I could body slam you as you fall.

Wake up 15 minutes from that, 'leader'.