Chapter 194


    The prison at Crossroad.


    Crack!


    Kun poured Magic Power into his fist and tore off the metal cuffs that bound his wrists.


    "Heh heh, stupid imperial bastards."


    Following that, Kun, who tore off the cuffs that bound his legs, loosened his now-freed body with a snap.


    "I am Kun, who catches bears with my bare hands. Did they think they could bind me with this?"


    Kun looked around the prison. Inside each iron-barred cell, he could see hisrades and refugees lying down to rest, almost as if they had copsed.


    How long will it take to escape and take them all with me?


    This ce where he was brought to was the fortress city Crossroad, a frontline constantly battling with monsters. The level of the soldiers here was quite high.


    ...Im in for some trouble. Darn it. Messing with the prince was a mistake.


    He had made a decision that threw everything away just to earn a few measly coins.


    But a mistake was a mistake, and now he had to think about escaping. If they stayed put, they would all be killed.


    As Kun loosened his fist, lost in thought,


    "Cough, cough! Ku, Kun."


    A dry cough, along with someone calling his name, reached him. Kun looked towards the voice.


    It was a young man with the same red scarf wrapped around his neck as Kuns.


    His lean body, face showing the traces of sickness, and a particrly frail-looking leg.


    Kun grinned at him.


    "Kureha."


    He was Kuns older brother, Kureha.


    "Cough, cough!"


    After a rough cough, Kureha gave him a faint smile.


    "Kun. Youve freed yourself from the cuffs."


    "Ill free you too, brother. And the followers. Lets escape together."


    "Dont do that, Kun."


    Kureha slowly shook his head.


    "You should escape alone."


    "What?"


    "Even for you, escaping with everyone here is impossible."


    Kureha gestured towards the outside.


    "Go alone."


    "..."


    "All this time you have taken care of me, the sick one, and these wretches. Now live for yourself, Kun. Leave behind banditry too, and..."


    ng!


    Instead of answering, Kun swung open the iron bars of the cell where Kureha was imprisoned, leaving a surprised Kureha yelling.


    "Kun!"


    "Dont talk nonsense, brother."


    Fully opening the iron bars with a grin, Kun squatted down in front of his brother.


    "Youve raised me and protected me all my life, and now I should just give up and run away like this?"


    "..."


    "We can escape together. Most of all, who am I? I am Kun of Kangwon, Kun the miraculous."


    Kun pointed at himself,ughing confidently.


    "They say I always make miracles happen in any situation. Itll be the same this time. Just trust me and rest a little longer, brother."


    "..."


    Kureha just looked up at his brother with tearful eyes.


    Thats when it happened.


    p. p. p.


    "Very touching story indeed~!"


    A mocking voice apanied by apuse came from the prison entrance. A startled Kun and Kureha looked in that direction.


    "I never knew that the notorious bandit king had such brotherly love?"


    Prince Ash and his knight Lucas were entering the prison.


    "But dreaming of escape would be a mistake, my bandit friends. If you cause amotion within my city, then truly... You will suffer a most unsightly fate."


    Prince Ash wickedly smiled, drawing his finger across his throat.


    "Damn...!"


    Kun clicked his tongue, fists raised.


    Since they were all doomed to be executed anyway, he intended to rush at the Prince himself and create an unexpected turn of events.


    Swish!


    However, Lucas, who had swiftly approached, was much quicker, pointing his longsword at Kuns neck.


    Moreover, Lucas subtly shifted the direction of his murderous intent toward Kuns backtoward Kureha. His intention was clear.


    - If you make a false move, Ill kill your brother.


    "Ugh!"


    Kun had no choice but to stop, gritting his teeth.


    Ash looked around the prison with a cruel smile.


    "You all must be curious why Ivee in the middle of the night, right?"


    Fear filled the eyes of the bandits and refugees. The cruel smile on Ashs face deepened.


    "What, you think theres a special reason? Its because your punishment has been decided."


    Punishment.


    The word carried more weighting from the Princes lips. The prisoners faces turned pale.


    "You bandits have attacked the citizens of the Empire, causing substantial financial damage, and you refugees have turned a blind eye to it. Furthermore, you dared to kidnap me, a member of the Imperial Family."


    Ashs wicked eyes widened.


    "You must pay for your crimes, right?"


    Roar!


    As Ash spoke, Aider and the soldiers filed in one by one.


    Could it be, are they going to execute us right now...!


    Just as Kun was grinding his teeth in certainty, the soldiers began going from cell to cell, distributing food.


    "...?"


    The bandits and refugees epted the unexpected meal with puzzled expressions.


    They were starved after a whole day without food, but they couldnt understand why they were being fed now. Was it theirst meal before execution?


    "Eat and listen. The punishment Im imposing on you is... Forced Conscription."


    Ash continued to speak, his wicked smile unchanged.


    "Bandits. You will be conscripted into the monster frontlines as a Penal Squad."


    Penal Squad.


    A unit where prisoners serve to atone for their sins.


    Ashughed wickedly.


    "The term of service is three years! The first six months is a probationary period. During this probationary period, your sry will be only 70% of that of regr soldiers."


    "...?"


    "You have no right to refuse! Your wages will be paid weekly on time, amodations will be provided, and there will be separate meal allowances, but nevertheless, you must fight the monsters on this frontline!"


    The bandits expressions became bewildered. They couldnt understand what exactly was meant by punishment.


    "And you, refugees. You will be sentenced to forcedbor as well."


    Ash cast a malicious smile at the emaciated refugees.


    "Arge-scale project is starting, and since this city is in a remote area, there is a shortage ofbor. You also have a six-month probationary period. During the probationary period, your sry will be only 70% of that of regrborers."


    "..."


    The refugees looked at each other with puzzled faces.


    Was this prince now saying that he would employ them, foreigners and refugees, asborers?


    "And, Kun!"


    Ash snapped his fingers at Kun, who was equally stunned and frozen in ce.


    "Your sick brother will be forcibly admitted to this citys temple and treated. Hell be intensively cared for in a single room, under the watchful eyes of all the priests."


    "...?"


    "Heh heh, if youre worried about your dear brothers life, youll have to take responsibility for your subordinates and supervise them. And youll have to listen to me, too."


    Kun and Kurehas expressions turned strange.


    "This is the punishment you will receive."


    Ash shook his head as if he was frightened by his own wickedness.


    "Conscription is dreadful, but setting a probation period of a whole half-year, and during that time, paying only 70% of the wages! How terrifying a punishment this is!"


    Being forcibly drafted into the front lines, where fighting monsters was incredibly dangerous.


    Bing a soldier meant fighting monsters directly, and even those who did not fight directly on the front lines could unexpectedly face danger.


    In a way, it was undoubtedly punishment. However.


    "...Isnt this just saying youll employ us?"


    On the other hand, it was also a promise of decent employment.


    A bewildered Kun questioned Ash.


    "You mean this sincerely?"


    Considering that they had been facing execution, it was an offer that was frankly surprising and too good to be true.


    So, it was all the more unbelievable and suspicious.


    "We are bandits, and they are also refugees driven from your country. Plus, havent weve done harm to you? Youll take people like us under yourmand? Why?"


    "Well, there are several reasons, but Ill tell you just two."


    Ash grinned and counted on his fingers.


    "First, Crossroad needs people. It needs as many soldiers andborers as possible, even if its just one more person."


    Crossroad had always suffered from chronicbor shortages.


    In this situation, an SR-grade character like Kun, his party, and the battle-hardened bandits were talents that Ash did not want to miss.


    If I can just secure them firmly, theyll be worth using.


    And fortunately, Kun had a sick brother.


    By cing him in the temple for treatment, Kun would have no choice but to move ording to Ashs orders.


    "Second, your crimes are not that grave."


    Kun was a notorious bandit known for attacking only the citizens of the empire. However, he was a bandit who kept to a set line.


    He robbed wealth but did not casually take lives, and if he received ransom, he cleanly released the hostages.


    He had long made his reputation known in the southern continent, but there was a reason the imperial army did not take the trouble to capture him. He hadnt greatly aroused their hatred.


    Whether its because of a belief or simply to avoid pursuit, theyve set principles and moved ordingly. Such fellows can surely be reformed.


    And third.


    Though he did not need to tell them and kept it to himself.


    Crossroad has embarked on an independent path from the Imperial Family.


    What does an independent path mean?


    It means that in exchange for not receiving any support from the Imperial Family, he could run the front line here without regard to the Imperial Familys opinions.


    In other words, there was no need to adhere to the principles that the existing empire had maintained.


    Those who had been considered enemies by the empire. Those who were despised and scorned. Those who had been driven out of the territory... All can be epted.


    It was not just refugees, but also the knight orders of nations destroyed by the empire. Mercenaries... Even different races. All kinds of wanderers were now to be embraced.


    Those who were epted this time were just the beginning. Ash was thinking of gathering the exiles from various parts of the continent to this front line.


    And Kun. I know the origin of you and your brother.


    Ash nced at the red hair of the Kun and Kureha brothers.


    Red hair was not umon in this world. Lilly had red hair as well. But the purity of the red was different.


    Lilly and other redheads had a color closer to brown with a red tinge.


    But these two brothers had pure red hair, like mes.


    It must be tiresome for our mixed-race friends in this world. Their lineage is revealed through their hair color...


    The four great mixed-races of the continent were elves, dwarves, mermaids, and werebeasts.


    Kun had inherited the blood of the werebeasts.


    Ash suddenly thought of the green-haired elf members of the Shadow Squad and Serenade, who had blue hair from inheriting mermaid blood.


    All had vivid colors that caught the eye.


    Anyway, having Kun on board will help when gathering the remnants of different racester on.


    Thats why Ash wanted to recruit Kun all the more.


    "You said you were lucky, Kun. Indeed, you are," Ash said, smiling slyly and pointing to himself. "Because you met me."


    "...


    Kun stared at him with fierce, deep eyes like a tiger.


    "For the next three years,e under mymand. Ill provide you with everything you need."


    "...


    "You said you needed a lot of money? Rather than living on an irregr ie by gambling and banditry, saving the regr wages I give you will umte much more, wont it?"


    Ash gestured to Aider, who handed him a draft contract prepared in advance.


    Upon seeing the amount written, Kuns shoulders twitched. Ashughed ominously.


    "This is the base sry, and there will be incentives depending on how hard you work."


    "...


    "Of course, youll have toplete a six-month probationary period diligently."


    "...


    "So, what will it be?"


    Suddenly, Ash recalled the time when he had recruited Jupiter.


    Whether then or now, whether on Earth or here, there was always only one way to secure a character in a draw.


    Spending until you get it!


    "...


    Finally, Kuns head nodded heavily. With a beaming smile, Ash also nodded in return.


    Indeed, the capitalist mentality always seeded.