How to Live as a Wandering Knight

Chapter 269: ๐๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Œ๐ข๐ง๐ž (3)



Chapter 269: ๐๐ž๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Œ๐ข๐ง๐ž (3)

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

The inside of the cave was always cool, but this time, an uncommonly cold silence lingered around. In times like this, only the one with the highest status could open their mouth.

โ€œAs expected, the marks left by the dwarves are hard to recognize, so itโ€™s not hard to get mistaken in dark places.โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ณ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜จ.โ€™

Sometimes, wounds that are inflicted on the inside are scarier than wounds on the outside. Jyaninaโ€™s condition right now was the perfect example.

Johan whispered to Caenerna.

โ€œIsnโ€™t there anything you can do as a fellow wizard?โ€

โ€œWizards are not gods. . . Not everything is possible!โ€

Caenerna, despite being a wizard, had no way to restore the confidence of a shamed wizard.

โ€œTime heals all wounds. Sheโ€™ll be fine if we wait. Jyanina-gong is someone who worked in the Imperial Court. She canโ€™t be that weak.โ€

โ€œ. . . . . .โ€

โ€˜๐˜š๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ญ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฌ๐˜ด ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ฌ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜จ๐˜ฉ. . .โ€™

Johan had many things to say, but he did not say it out loud. It didnโ€™t seem like it would be helpful anyway.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

Schweibeck carefully picked up a pebble and threw it.

๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐โ”

๐…๐ฐ๐จ๐จ๐ฌ๐ก๐ก๐ก!

The pebble was pierced through as it flew with a sharp sound.

โ€œIs the spirit still angry?โ€

โ€œI think so.โ€

The expedition dwarves frowned.

The underground mines were filled with all sorts of dangers because they were deep and dark. An angry spirit was also one of those dangers.

Though they didnโ€™t stubbornly chase after you like monsters made of flesh and bones, hungry for blood, spirits were more dangerous in some ways.

There was no way to fight them.

โ€œWas it a waste to shoot the sling?โ€

โ€œWeak spirits usually back down.โ€

The dwarves clicked their tongues. It was a mistake to act rashly while coming down, searching for the vein.

Whether if it was coiled up somewhere in a puddle inside the mine or not, the quicksilver spirit appeared and started attacking the dwarves.

If it was a weak spirit, it would have been terrified and ran away after being hit a few times, but the quicksilver spirit was considerably strong and fierce. It blocked the way, its fighting spirit ablaze.

The dwarves couldnโ€™t go back up the same way under these circumstances.

The dwarves were looking for another way while holding their ground, but it wasnโ€™t easy, surprisingly.

โ€œThe ones above should be moving soon, so isnโ€™t it unnecessary to hurry?โ€

โ€œYes. Weโ€™ll go down carefully.โ€

It was best to call wizards to deal with spirits. The party above probably didnโ€™t have wizards, but since the communication was cut off, they would have come down with the appropriate preparations.

โ€œThere are wizards in His Excellencyโ€™s fiefdom, so maybe they came together with them?โ€

โ€œWould the dwarves above have done something like that if they werenโ€™t crazy?โ€

โ€œWouldnโ€™t it be safer though Your Highness?โ€

โ€œSafer, what. . . A dwarfโ€™s pride is at stake. They wouldnโ€™t bring wizards with them.โ€

The dwarves were sitting and chattering in a safe corner of the cave. Schweibeckโ€™s expression was the only stiff one among them.

โ€œUncle. Is there something wrong?โ€

Holgretz could not understand his uncleโ€™s reaction. Of course, they were blocked at the moment, but incidents like this happened often during exploration.

There were still enough supplies left, and the rescue team from above would be coming soon, so all they had to do was hold on calmly.

โ€œMy instinct. . . is strange.โ€

โ€œYour instinct?โ€

โ€œYes, my instinct.โ€

Even if they werenโ€™t wizards, dwarves who stepped foot in a mine for a long time and submitted their body to its mysteries were bound to have a keen sense for danger.

Schweibeck had an instinct similar to magic.

โ€œIs that quicksilver spirit chasing after us?โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t think so. . . Hmm. In any case, we shouldnโ€™t let our guard down. Donโ€™t leave behind too many traces.Itโ€™s not like only spirits live in this cave.โ€

โ€œIf there is a spirit, arenโ€™t there any other monsters?โ€

If there was a violent spirit like that, other monsters couldnโ€™t even set foot nearby. Everyone knew that much.

However, Schweibeck did not back down. The other dwarves grumbled as if they couldnโ€™t help it.

โ€œDrop it, Holgretz. When Schweibeck-nim gets stubborn like this, he absolutely does not back down.โ€

โ€œHeโ€™s as stubborn as his age.โ€

The dwarves didnโ€™t understand, honestly, but they didnโ€™t refuse Schweibeckโ€™s orders. Because the captainโ€™s orders were absolute.

And that was fortunate.

โ”โ– โ– โ– โ– โ– . . .

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜บโ€™๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ด!โ€™

The dwarves, on lookout, were shocked.

Goblins appeared with torches in the passageway below.

For goblins to settle in while thereโ€™s a spirit here. It was beyond common sense.

The goblins of the mines were quite well-equipped, thanks to the place they settled in. They even had crude silver necklaces around their necks.

โ€œSilver! Thereโ€™s a silver vein here!โ€

If there were humans, they would have said โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ ๐˜ค๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ด ๐˜ข๐˜ฃ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ๐˜ต ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ข๐˜ต ๐˜ธ๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ข๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฐ๐˜ป๐˜ฆ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด ๐˜ฐ๐˜ง ๐˜จ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฃ๐˜ญ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜ด ๐˜ณ๐˜ช๐˜จ๐˜ฉ๐˜ต ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ?โ€™, but there were only dwarves here.

โ€œLooks like it was definitely silver! Good!โ€

โ€œReally?!โ€

Rather than the fact that they had to fight the goblins, the dwarves rejoiced over the fact that the goblins were next to a vein.

Wasnโ€™t it proof that the veins inside here were rich?

โ”โ– โ– โ– . . .

While the dwarves rejoiced ignorantly like that, the goblins carefully approached the spirit.

And they threw one of the goblins forward. That goblin was tied up and struggling.

โ€œ?!โ€

๐†๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฉ!

The quicksilver stretched out its milky white body to swallow the goblin whole. The liquid mass turned red and slowly sank back down, satisfied.

โ”โ– โ– โ– ! โ– โ– โ– !

The goblins cheered in delight. Schweibeck, who came late, frowned at that sight.

The goblins here were in a symbiotic relationship with the quicksilver spirit.

โ€˜๐˜›๐˜ฉ๐˜ฐ๐˜ด๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ข๐˜ฎ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ๐˜จ๐˜ด!โ€™

Depending on the region and history, the scale and level of goblins varied wildly. The large, old tribes often schemed surprisingly.

Judging by the fact that they were maintaining a symbiotic relationship with the quicksilver spirit, they werenโ€™t fools.

๐“๐ก๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ!

The quicksilver spirit suddenly raised its pointed end and pointed at a direction. It was in the direction where the dwarf expedition team was hiding. The goblins started running, screaming.

โ€œHow dare that damn spirit?!โ€

โ€œRetreat!โ€

The dwarves retreated to the path they prepared in advance while aiming their slingshots. Though they were equipped well, the goblins werenโ€™t sturdy enough to withstand the powerful slingshots of the dwarves.

๐๐š๐ฆ!

The goblins, running one step after the other, fell down on their buttocks one after the other as the goblins chasing from behind stopped.

โ€œCome if you dare, you fools!โ€

The dwarves were not scared at all, even though their position was revealed. They already understood the layout of the complicated tunnels in this area like spiderwebs.

Even if the goblins came running, they were confident that they could handle them in these narrow passages.

โ”โ– โ– โ–  โ– โ– !

โ”โ– โ– โ–  โ– โ– !

Whether the goblins knew that too, they started to back off. Seeing them running away so cleanly, the dwarves were curious.

โ€œWhy are you giving up so easily?โ€

โ€œWhat is it?โ€

โ€œ. . .Those guys are erasing the marks!!โ€

The dwarves looked ahead with shocked expressions. The goblins who discovered the marks that they left on their path were erasing them.

โ€œTheyโ€™re not just erasing them!โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

โ€œTheyโ€™re making new ones!โ€

โ€œ!!!โ€

It was surprising enough to erase the marks after figuring them out, but to make new fake marks on top of that.

They couldnโ€™t believe it.

They had to leave that mark no matter what. Wouldnโ€™t the rescue team come looking for them after seeing that?

And if they changed the marks like that. . .

โ€œHow do those. . .those guys know about our marks? The rescue team will notice something strange.โ€

โ€œNo.โ€

Schweibeck shook his head heavily. The marks left behind by the goblins looked quite plausible when he glanced at them.

They must have had a chance to learn about the dwarven marks before or after they came in. Leaving it alone and using it like this was quite a clever move.

โ”โ– โ– โ– !

โ”โ– โ– โ– !

The goblins started laughing smugly. It was a burst of laughter because they thought they had won easily without having to fight the fierce dwarves.

๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ๐Ÿ”ธ

โ€œDid they really go this way?โ€

โ€œYes!โ€

โ€œ. . .??โ€

Johan thought for a moment.

Was it the dwarvesโ€™ wisdom that he didnโ€™t know about?

โ€˜๐˜๐˜ด ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ณ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜บ ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ช๐˜ด ๐˜ด๐˜ช๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ?โ€™

No matter how much he thought about it, he only felt an eerie vibe inside. The spirits that dwelled within Johan were also stirring, sensing the enemies lurking within.

It felt more like monsters were in ambush rather than a vein.

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ท๐˜ฆ๐˜ช๐˜ฏ ๐˜ข๐˜ฑ๐˜ฑ๐˜ฆ๐˜ข๐˜ณ ๐˜ช๐˜ง ๐˜ธ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฌ๐˜ช๐˜ญ๐˜ญ ๐˜ต๐˜ฉ๐˜ฆ ๐˜ฎ๐˜ฐ๐˜ฏ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ด?โ€™

โ€œThere seems to be monsters inside. Letโ€™s prepare to fight.โ€

โ€œYes!โ€

โ€œ???โ€

Unlike Johanโ€™s subordinates, the dwarves couldnโ€™t accept it.

โ€œAre there monsters inside? Can you see them?โ€

โ€œNo, I canโ€™t see them.โ€

โ€œThen how did you judge that?โ€

โ€œ. . .This wizard looked into the future with his fire divination.โ€

โ€œ?!โ€

Johan, who got tired of explaining, grabbed Caenernaโ€™s shoulder and spoke. It was unexpectedly hard to explain his instincts and the stirring of spirits.

โ€œYouโ€™re amazing, wizard-nim!!โ€

โ€œ. . .Itโ€™s nothing.โ€

Caenerna glared at Johan. Wizards didnโ€™t like being complimented for something they didnโ€™t do.

โ€œTsk.โ€

Caenerna clicked her tongue as if she was displeased and threw light forward. The firefly-like spirits bounced around and lit up the path ahead.

-โ– โ– โ– !

At that, the goblins, who were in ambush, screamed in surprise at the light.

โ€œItโ€™s goblins.โ€

โ€œTheyโ€™re hiding behind a rock. Be careful!โ€

The dwarves pulled out their slingshots and shouted while aiming at the goblins hiding behind the rock. Johan nodded and grabbed the bedrock next to him.

โ€œ. . .?โ€

The dwarves and goblins who were there had the experience of having their lifelong common sense overturned that day.

So the rock embedded in that wall could actually be peeled off!

๐๐š๐ง๐ !

The goblins behind the rock were sent flying along with the explosion. Johanโ€™s subordinates ran forward with their shields up, as if it was nothing surprising.

The goblins were slaughtered after a brief clash. Actually, half of them had already collapsed because of the rock that flew in.

โ€œItโ€™s over!โ€

โ€œSomethingโ€™s. . . strange, Your Excellency.โ€

โ€œYes, the vein doesnโ€™t seem to be here.โ€

Even after looking around, it was a terrain suitable for hiding, but not a terrain that looked like there could be a vein. The dwarves mumbled with confused expressions.

If there were originally goblins in a place like this, they should have left a mark on the sign.

Could the previous exploration team have missed that?

โ€œAnd this place is weird too. Itโ€™s not a place where a vein would be. I may have less experience than Schweibeck-nim, but I donโ€™t think he would have guided the party in this direction.โ€

โ€œWhat could he have meant?โ€

โ€œBut even so. . .โ€

Johan spoke thoughtlessly as he listened to the dwarvesโ€™ opinions.

โ€œDo you think the goblins changed the signs?โ€

โ€œHahahahahaha! . . .Oh, Iโ€™m sorry. Was that not a joke?โ€

The dwarves burst into laughter at the countโ€™s joke, but they quickly straightened their expressions after seeing his serious face.

โ€œNo. . . Couldnโ€™t they have changed them?โ€

โ€œHow would the goblins know and change our marks?โ€

โ€œWouldnโ€™t it be possible if the goblins were smart? I heard that goblins get cunning if they stay in one place for a long time.โ€

โ€œEven if they get cunning, thereโ€™s a limit. How would they know our marks, Your Excellency? You know our marks well. . .โ€

The dwarf who was about to speak, stopped. Thinking about it, Johan was more familiar with the dwarvesโ€™ marks. He seemed like an idiot showing off in front of them.

โ€œ. . .You do know though. . .โ€

โ€œIs what I said so absurd? Caenerna?โ€

โ€œItโ€™s not impossible, but itโ€™s not common either.โ€

Even Caenerna was skeptical of Johanโ€™s opinion. It was because goblins that cunning were hard to find.

โ€œJyanina. Can you find any traces of the goblins nearby?โ€

โ€œMe?โ€

Jyanina asked in a small voice once again. Johan was slightly annoyed, but he endured it and spoke.

โ€œYes. Itโ€™s something that only you can do. In this dark, unfamiliar place, who else could find traces of monsters?โ€

As Johan spoke, he discovered a mark carved at the bottom of a nearby wall. It was a little lower than a dwarfโ€™s height, and it looked like the mark that was made by goblins passing by and bumping into it.

โ€œ. . .Please!โ€

โ€˜๐˜ž๐˜ฉ๐˜บ ๐˜ฅ๐˜ช๐˜ฅ ๐˜บ๐˜ฐ๐˜ถ ๐˜ด๐˜ต๐˜ฐ๐˜ฑ ๐˜ซ๐˜ถ๐˜ด๐˜ต ๐˜ฏ๐˜ฐ๐˜ธ?โ€™

Caenerna wondered curiously.

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