I look at Elizabeth and Eric lying on the ground before looking at the tied up bandit, both of them are still unconscious even till now.
I look at the campfire before sighing. I thought I might be able to leave now since I finally finish what I did in this god awful forest. But then again, I can't exactly leave them die.
Well, I can leave the bandit alone to die, but Elizabeth and Eric aren't a bad guy based on my playthrough.
Speaking of them, I can't help but wonder what are they doing coming through this forest. Sure, they're powerful characters, but when anyone have prep time to set an ambush on them like what I saw earlier, they can still die.
A powerful spell that lands a powerful AOE attack, DOT and status ailment. It's not something normal wizards or mages or whatever they call the magic users here can block so easily. If it's the New God Elizabeth, she will able to block it without any trouble.
But, considering how much younger she looks compare to the one I meet, she is just a better mage than most average mage.
And based on Eric's armor, he hasn't been promoted to Captain and based on his appearance, he was around 15. I can't help but wonder, does that mean I was sent back to before the canon story started?
My ears twitch as I heard a groan. I turn to see Elizabeth rubs her eyes before opening it and surprised to see me. I can't blame them, I mean who wouldn't when they saw me.
"A-a Kobold!?" Elizabeth mutter in shock. I simply stare at her before looking back at the campfire.
"D-did you save us?" I look at her before simply nodded. "T-thanks..."
We simply sit there awkwardly before she suddenly panicked out of nowhere, which made startled.
"O-oh no!!! W-what happen to my bodyguards!?" She looks at me in panic. "D-did they survive!?"
I look at her before shaking my head and points at where Eric is lying unconscious. This got her as she trembles before hugging herself.
"T-they died....they died.....from that ambush..." She mutters as she starts to shed tears. She looks at Eric before checking his condition. "...."
I simply watch as she silently mourns those bodyguards while holding Eric. I can't exactly say anything since I was merely a stranger to her, a monster nonetheless.
"T-thank you..." I heard Elizabeth mutters as she turn around to look at me. "D-did you find their bodies?"
"....no." I shakes my head as she stares at me in surprise before nodding.
"That makes sense...Thunderfall has the power to wipe out a small village with the right preparation and mana output...." Liza said before looking downcast. "I....don't know how to explain it to Sir Eric...."
I look at her before I grab the pile of broken helmets and swords I found at the area. Elizabeth saw this and was surprised.
"....thank you...." She said before I heard a groan from Eric. He got up before he saw me and try to went for his sword. Much to no one's surprise, he didn't find it.
There's no way I let anyone get close to their weapon so they could kill me when they woke up. I may saved them, but I am still have some survival instinct.
"Sir Eric, calm down!" Elizabeth immediately try to stop him.
"Milady, there's a monster in front of you!" Eric stated in disbelief. I don't blame him. If I woke up next to a monster, I'll react the same way as he is.
"He saved us from those bandits! Calm down!" Elizabeth said, surprising Eric as he stops, but still wary of me.
"Don't overdid it...I healed you...." I said, surprising Eric.
"It-it just talk!?" Eric asked in shock.
"He." I deadpanned at him.
"....." Eric looks wary of me.
"I could kill you.....when you sleep.....but I didn't..." I stated before coughing. Damn, my throat still not get used to talking.
"Are you okay?" Elizabeth asked.
"Throat hurts.....if talk too much...." I cough again. Fuck this Kobold's throat.
"Then don't." She stated and I simply nodded. Eric stare at before looking down.
"T-thank you...." Eric said while stuttering. I simply nodded before silence took place. "W-what happen to my fellow knights!?"
".....I'm sorry..." I mutter, which causes Eric to widen his eyes in horror before looking away. He then saw the ruined helmets and swords.
"...." He got up before getting the broken helmets and swords. I watch him as he made graves, definitely for the knights. I went to approach him and assist him.
"Leave this to me...." Eric said.
".....doing this....out of respect..." I coughed before continue to help. Eric stares at me before he continues.
"Thank you.....you're a good...." I can't help but to chuckles at Eric's uncertainity to finish that statement.
"Monster....don't worry....." That short message was enough to convince Eric as he nods. Elizabeth then joins in, much to Eric's protest. But in the end, no one could convince her.
The three of us manage to create graves for them in short amount of time. As we stare at the graves of the fallen knights, a groan can be heard. I turn to see the tied up bandit waking up. Eric growls in anger as I stop him.
"Why!?" Eric's word was simple but it display variety of emotions. Anger, frustration, hatred, confusion, and betrayal.
"Need information...why they target her..." I said while pointing at Elizabeth. Eric stare at me as his fist trembles. "After that.....you can kill..."
"..." Eric looks conflicted. So, I decided to give one final push.
"They target her...." I coughed. "We need to.....know why....or she will die...by their packs....." My throat feels like it's burning as I cough.
"...you're right. Thank you, Kobold." Eric said as I simply nod.
"Darren...." I said, getting surprised look from Eric before he nods.
"Sir Darren." Eric said before he approaches the bandit and punches his face with a powerful blow. "Tell me.....who sent you?"
"Not telling....." The bandit smugly said as Eric punches him again, breaking his teeth. Elizabeth grips her fist tightly as she watch the bandit mockingly laugh at Eric's attempt to interrogate.
"You think you're tough, boy? I have faced greater threat than your poor attempt to interrogate!" The bandit said with a manic tone. "What's the matter, pissed by the fact that we kill your fellow comrades?"
"Shut it!" Eric shouted as he tries to punch him again. But, I decided to stop him, surprising Eric and the bandit. The bandit immediately grins.
"Oh, what's this, a Kobold stopping a Knight? How the mighty have fallen! This is-!" I shut him up by using my dagger to cut off both of his legs. This surprise both of them before the bandit scream in pain.
"Ears hurt.....hearing him yap...." I growls, shocking the bandit as he starts to shivers.
"H-how can you-!?" I cut him off as I grab a burning stick from the campfire and cauterized his wounds, making him scream again.
"Talk.....who sent you..." I growls as Eric stood there in silence.
"I...I won't talk!" I can't help but be surprised by the bandit's loyalty. But, this give me a perfect ammo.
"Expect your alpha....to save you?" I asked as the bandit stare at me in surprise. "He won't save you....you're weak.....he won't accept the weak....."
"Y-you're wrong! The boss accept me to be part of his group! What do you know!?" The bandit shouted, his voice shaking.
"Then.....where is he?" I hold myself from coughing. "Why didn't he.....save you?" The bandit starts shaking.
"H-he has better things to do!" The bandit said as I grin.
"Then you're.....useless to him...he saw you as trash..." I said as the bandit starts to quiver in fear. "What's the matter....? Your feelings hurt?" I said in a mock tone before glaring at him. "Talk...."
And that's how you made someone talks like a broken recorder. He monotonously spoke about the sudden bounty on the princess of Celesterra Kingdom and his boss assign him and his team to kill her. He still don't know who put the bounty, but judging from the amount of money and the currency, it's possibly a noble from the.....*shudders* 'Supreme' Kingdom.
"Supreme Kingdom? A place filled with arrogant nobles who believes that they are god's favorite?" Eric asked in anger. "The audacity of those monster!"
"Who...named their territory.....'Supreme'?" I asked in utter disbelief.
"That's how the people of 'Supreme' Kingdom are. They are delusional bunch who believes that they are the above everything." That explains why so many players suggest to avoid that kingdom. I try to ask at the forum why, but they refuse to talk about it. I guess it was that bad if everyone won't talk shit.
"But, the question is who?" Eric asked before looking at the bandit.
"...I don't know...." I simply stare at him. "I....don't know..."
"...." Eric grabs his sword and simply decapitated the bandit, sending the head flying. Elizabeth turns and vomits. I guess she still young and not get used to killing.
".....Thank you..." Eric spoke to me as I nodded. Then, out of nowhere, a loud growl comes out of nowhere, startled us. I notices Elizabeth's face turns red as she stares at us dryly.
Well, that explains everything.
To be continued