(TN: Nousagi 野ウサギ = Japanese hare “Lepus brachyurus” that’s what it originally were but I like to use rabbit for that better)

“Uwaaa!”

My senior whose sword I knocked out of his hand, immediately turned around to run and began to scream.

My other senior who immediately understood the situation followed him.

The coordination between these two seniors of mine is wonderful as expected.

“Reus”

I call Reus, the Salamander child, in my heart.

I had the Oricalcum sword in my right hand and with my left hand, I quickly drew the seals.

Let’s show them that my practice with Knopf wasn’t for nothing.

“Fire Wall!”

A wall of flames emerged from the ground before my seniors when I pointed my left hand towards them.

The seniors in front of whom the firewall appeared wore the same surprised face at the same time.

Those aligned movements, kind of villain-like.

As expected of my seniors, I’ll study hard.

“The other day it was a magician and today’s companion is a magic warrior!?”

To my seniors, yesterday’s Carlo and today’s me are completely different people.

Well, it’s convenient for me.

Some of the others decided to follow them but were also stopped by a firewall.

I knock the weapons out of the still eager one’s hands, taking their fighting capabilities.

Looking in Crescent Moon’s direction it seems like she’s almost finished.

“Waaah”

The young girl among the men started to cry.

If adults are fighting close by it’s scary after all.

Did the seniors kidnap her from somewhere like Mirea-san and Lucia-chan?

Remembering that made me angry.

“It’s alright already.”

When I approached her to cheer her up I heard Crescent Moon’s voice just then. (TN: sigh)

“Akatsuki, don’t let your guard down!”

“Tch!”

At that moment the girl stabbed a knife towards me.

I barely avoided it.

You saved me, Crescent Moon.

“That fellow is a female Hobbit, not a child. Don’t be deceived by her appearance.”

“You said something unnecessary, you ******* amateur!”

She wore an expression of vexation and definitely not the one of a child.

“Aah~ Aah~ I failed. I lost, do whatever you want with me.”

The girl……No, that Hobbit threw away her knife and sat down while sulking.

The other men were gathered together in one place.

“We lost. It’s our defeat. Do with us whatever you like. Kill us, hand us over to the authorities or whatever.”

That is what my senior said. They completely gave up.

What manliness, Senior.

“I don’t intend to kill you or hand you over.”

When I said that my seniors looked at me doubtfully.

Crescent Moon seemed surprised, too.

“My name is Akatsuki. As you can see I’m a magic warrior working as a mercenary. You probably witnessed my skills.”

“Yeah, you’re amazing. We couldn’t even put a scratch on you.”

Senior answered my words.

“You all, become my subordinates.”

“What do you mean? What are we supposed to do?”

“I came here on a request by the guild today. Because there seemed to be suspicious people in this area we were tasked to patrol around here. You’re already being watched. It’s only a matter of time before you get caught even if I overlook this right now. Crescent Moon, what will happen if they get caught?”

“Those guys are kidnappers, right? I’m guessing you already attacked a caravan. They’ll definitely get hanged.”

Though I knew about that, everyone else is holding their breath at Crescent Moon’s words.

“That’s right, if you’re caught you’re done for. Before that, wash your hands of this job and become my subordinates.”

“No way, if we do that we’ll lose or means to earn our livelihood.”

My senior’s really good, everybody was nodding.

“For this to not happen I will give you a job. Surface work and behind-the-scene work. Surface work would be a horseman messenger connecting Braham and the castle town Rue Ann. I’ll put a station at the middle of the highway where you can tie your horses and carry messages and objects at high-speed. This is profitable by all means”

The post-horse system, in other words, a relay system.

For the circulation of information, speed is key.

If Carlo gets information a little faster than anyone else it will be a huge benefit.

“The behind-the-scene work is information gathering and acting as a thief like before.”

“Information, about what kind are we talking here?”

I answered the thin senior’s question.

“The information should include rumours about the Franz royal family and the nobles, the things popular in the castle town Rue Ann, agricultural methods and foreign trends, so every information available in castle town Rue Ann. If there where strange incidents or monster appearances I want you to report that, too. I’ll buy the information you collected with money.”

“Didn’t you tell us to wash our hands of being a thief?”

“I did. Keep your hands off Braham’s people and products. This is an order. I will kill the person who breaks this rule with my own hands. There are exceptions, though. You can attack the caravan’s not coming from this frontier town without a trafficking permission. Rather absolutely attack them.”

With the exception of the ones coming from this frontier territory a caravan from outside has to pay an importing tax, to be allowed passage they have to pay a toll.

By attacking caravan’s trying to get in without having paid that tax the smuggling rate should decrease.

“Is it really fine doing something like that?”

After all, my seniors are also afraid of being hanged.

“It’s fine. I have connections with an influential person in this frontier territory. That’s why I’m collecting information. If you’re useful to this frontier territory no one will ask after your crimes, rather you’ll get rewarded. So, how is it? Want to do it?”

Rather than having connections to someone influential, I’m the feudal Lord.

Crescent Moon, who stood to my side, smirked as she heard this.

“I’ll do it. I’ll become Akatsuki-sama’s subordinate.”

My muscular senior lowered his head.

“M, me too, I’ll also follow you. You can order me anything.”

After my thin senior lowered his head the hobbit woman and the other man also lowered their heads at once.

“Good. What’re your names?”

“Just call me Bass. Thank you for your consideration.”

So my thin senior’s name is Bass, huh?

I tried asking my muscular senior.

“I’m called Drum. I’ll be in your care.”

Drum and Bass, huh?

“Bass, Drum, take care of the others. Hobbit woman, your name?”

“I’m Pick. I don’t fall behind anyone when it comes to stealing and lying out traps. Master Akatsuki, best regards.”

She looked like a young, pretty girl of elementary student age, but she seems to be rather crafty and useful.

However, now that I think about it; because bass and drum came out does that mean she’s a guitar pick?

Or is it Pick from pick-pocketing?

No, seems like all the member’s names have something to do with Rock, a rather easy way to name characters.

I’d like to have a talk with the author, seriously…

“Pick, you’ll be responsible for the communication between me and those guys. You’ll go back and forth between me and Braham.”

“Akatsuki, are you actually a Lolicon……? Is that why you’re not making any passes at me……?” (TN: Lolicon = Lolita complex. Liking little girls)

I looked at Crescent Moon as she uttered some outrageous things.

That’s not it, I didn’t tell her to come because I had that kind of hobby!

“You guys, does your group have any kind of name?”

“We don’t have one in particular. Usually, people call use things like Highway thieves.”

There’s nothing exciting about that.

“Okay, then I will give your group one. From today onwards you’ll be the “Rabbit group”. Got it?”

That’s punishment for hurting Mirea-san.

It’s an uncool name.

“Rabbit group, you said?”

“It’s a fine name, isn’t it? You were happily jumping at me just now, so it, indeed, fits.”

My seniors seemed to be pleased.

What kind of hobbies do you have?

“Akatsuki, you’re a pretty bad person. I got a better opinion of you now.”

I was praised by Crescent Moon.

It’s a strange feeling, but it’s good that I come to seem more like a villain.

“Drum, Bass, use this as reserves. Buy horses and build a station. Report to Pick when you’re done”

I gave the remaining four white gold coins to my two seniors.

(TN: …. bye bye money… again….I feel like I got stabbed…)

“He, Head, is this fine?!”

“Amazing, white gold coins. That’s the first time I saw one……. Head, thank you very much. We’ll be in your care from now on.”

“Yeah, well then, I’m leaving. Pick, come with me.”

I decided to take Crescent Moon and Pick with me leaving the Rabbit group’s hideout.

Before I left I noticed a suspicious individual I saw for the first time, I got interested and tried to talk with him a little.

“What was your name again?”

“My name is Flute. I’ll be in your care”

……It’s not even a rock instrument.

That’s so half-assed!!!

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