Takeru and Ken, after cleaning up the bandits' corpses, didn't inquire further about them or where they got information about the auction and Takeru.
Takeru didn't feel the need to know much about those people. For him, those things wouldn't matter because he didn't plan on meeting them again. If, someday, they crossed paths, Takeru believed he would know if the person still remembered him.
"Yeah, why bother with that?" he muttered as he and Ken set a pile of bandit corpses ablaze, creating a large fire in the middle of the forest as if the forest itself was on fire.
Considering the potential disturbance if the corpses were left on the road, and also to assist road users after the path was cleared, Takeru decided to burn the corpses.
After the fire blazed, Takeru had no intention of ensuring the corpses turned into ashes. He immediately continued his journey with Ken, who obediently followed his orders.
The journey continued for several days, precisely six days later, until they finally reached the border town. Their journey involved not only passing through forests and vast plains but also several villages. Sometimes, Takeru and Ken spent the night in these villages before continuing their journey in the morning.
During the journey, Takeru didn't waste opportunities. When they rested in a village, Takeru approached some local youths to gather information about the city they were heading to.
Ken was also instructed to do the same. They managed to collect some general information and heard unpleasant rumors about the city. The city was referred to as the tail of the Holy Kingdom Midgrad because it often became the target of attacks not only from neighboring kingdoms but also from ferocious monsters inhabiting the large forest as the kingdom's border. In the midst of this forest was the Monster Mist Forest, named so because it was considered the breeding ground for monsters. Despite killing as many as possible, the number of monsters never seemed to decrease.
For Takeru, this became a problem. First, the forest served as the foundation for building his new nation, and of course, constructing a country was not easy, even with his superhuman abilities. Second, he needed to ensure that these monsters didn't attack specific areas. For this, the construction of defensive walls was likely required.
Third, finding land that could be productive for his people or a place to live for himself and his people. This was the most critical aspect because Takeru needed to explore the forest to evaluate its suitability and find a strategic place to settle.
/-/
Now, they approached the border town named Yark, where the city was managed by a Viscount named Bernard.
This city had another nickname as the tail of the Midgrad Kingdom, as across the city was a forest called the Monster Mist Forest by the locals. The existence of this forest further caught my attention, and I felt it was worthy of being a home. However, building a nation in the middle of the forest undoubtedly posed its own challenges.
I snapped out of my reverie when I realized that Yark was already in front of us. From a distance, we saw the city walls, worn and weathered. I glanced at Ken, and he nodded in agreement.
Then, we urged our horses to move faster to reach Yark. Upon arrival, the journey didn't go smoothly. We had to answer some questions from the guards, but I managed it by slipping a few silver coins during our handshake.
"Consider this settled," I whispered to the guard, surprising him momentarily before he understood my intent. Finally, he allowed us to enter the city. It seemed like bribery practices were still common in this fantasy world, in line with my expectations of the medieval era.
After entering the city, Yark turned out to be worse than I imagined.
"P-please stop!"
"What? You just ordered me!!"
The sound of a whip continued as Ken and I witnessed a cruel servant torturing two beastmen, siblings, with furry ears and arms.
Ah, of course, this world is an isekai fantasy. Beastmen, a race of animal-human hybrids with special abilities. They often became explorers or adventurers due to their superior senses compared to other human races.
Although I felt sorry, I knew that life in this world was not always fair. Sorry, but I'm not the type of person to save everyone in distress.
"Come on, Ken, we're going to the inn," I said as I invited Ken. However, he was silent, transfixed by the sight of two beastmen being tortured.
"Ken?"
"Eh, yes!"
Ken almost jumped off his horse, shocked by the heartbreaking scene. He looked back and forth between the two beastman children before finally realizing my presence.
"M-master!"
"Ken... Just say what you want to say."
I knew that Ken was a soldier whose duty was to protect civilians from the threat of war. This sadistic scene must have shaken him, reminding him of his oath as a soldier.
"That..."
"Yes, I know. Ken, I have to remind you that we are in a different world. The rules and moral values from our previous world don't apply here, and I can't spend my time dealing with two children in a foreign place."
As I gave this lecture, Ken's head bowed with a bitter smile as a response.
"Okay, sir. Besides, I've promised to always be loyal to you, even if you order me to commit suicide, I'm ready to do it."
I restrained myself from reacting too strongly to Ken's extreme thoughts. My eyes then looked at the two children who had finished being tortured by their masters, wounded and exhausted. 'Hmm... I might not want to waste time on them. But if it makes Ken feel better...' I thought of something, but it entirely depended on Ken.
"Ken, I can save the two children from earlier, but on the condition that you take care of them both."
Saying that to Ken brightened his expression once again.