Even if a wealthy person kills someone, they will not be held accountable for their crime.
They are villains who have been indulging in luxuries without doing any work and living off the benefits.
As retribution, their assets should be confiscated and shared among everyone according to the new Sabbatian law.
That was what the bandits who attacked us at the time claimed.
The necklace that Gomuji had splurged on as a token of appreciation to Kusha, who had supported the family for so long, struck a chord with the bandit.
According to witnesses, Kusha was overpowered without a chance to resist and had her neck sawed off with an army knife.
The first scream to echo through the village was Kusha's.
"…"
The atmosphere in the village that day was something I've never experienced before.
On a normal day, the smell of fragrant bread and stew wafts through the village's residential streets, mixed with the scent of grass and soil.
At this time of day, the place would be bustling with the sounds of children playing, housewives chatting, and the rustling of swaying plants.
I loved the idyllic and warm atmosphere of Othello Village.
This time, however, the air was filled with the acrid smell of gunpowder, blood was splattered onto the exterior walls of the house, and motionless chunks of flesh were scattered all over the place.
The only sounds were the roars of the bandits and their guns, with the occasional scream and death cries for help.
"Ugh…"
I can barely bear the nausea.
Is it really that easy for the gates of hell to open?
Can people shatter peace so effortlessly, without hesitation?
"…G-Gomuji!"
Kusha is staring blankly at me with lightless eyes.
I desperately tried to steady my breath and went around to the back door of the main house where I had heard the gunshots.
Gomuji might have been shot as well. Now is not the time to lose composure.
At the very least, I must save him and Sedol.
"…"
As I looked around the wall to see what was going on inside, I could hear the voices of multiple men.
Because of Sedol's loud crying, it was difficult to hear what they were saying.
…So I listened carefully for any signs of the enemy.
"Multiple footsteps moving through the living room…"
Senior Allen has taught me many times the importance of listening to footsteps.
Even if you can't see them, you can sense their presence and determine their approximate location.
"It sounds like two bandits."
I could tell Sedol was crying near the living room and that two enemies were moving around inside.
There may be other enemies lurking, but that's all I can tell for now.
"…"
The loud gunshot from earlier means the enemy is probably armed with a gun.
On the other hand, I am unarmed; the only thing I can use is my scalpel which can be used as a throwing weapon.
I've never practiced throwing a scalpel, so to be honest I can't really rely on it.
…There's a high chance there will just be more dead bodies if I charge in now.
Even if I somehow manage to take down one by surprise, I won't stand a chance if the other points a gun at me.
I need to find a way to save the two inside…
────The back door is secured. If I don't have a weapon, take one from the enemy.
────One person can be taken down by throwing a suitable blunt object at their head from behind.
────Predict the enemy's movements. They'll split into two groups soon. Attack when one is isolated.
…At that moment, it happened.
I felt as if someone was whispering advice to me.
***
I looked around and found a convenient blunt object nearby.
It was a lump of earth, compacted to an easy-to-throw size.
This is undoubtedly one of Sedol's special dried mud balls.
"…"
Grasping the mud ball in my fist, I stealthily pressed myself against the exterior wall of the house and observed the situation.
…I saw one man exit the house and head towards the warehouse.
It seemed that one person is tasked with carrying out household items from the main house while the other was searching the warehouse.
So now there is only one enemy in the house.
This meant there was only one enemy left inside the house.
"…Ah?"
Resolving myself, I opened the back door and burst inside.
I swung the baseball-sized lump of earth with all my might,
"Someone else is hiding around here—"
"Here goes!"
I hurled it full force at the side of the head of the man who was turning to look.
"Ugh, ah…"
Thanks to my physical training, even though it was just a mud ball, my full-power pitch was no joke.
The man's right face caved in, and blood spurted from his ears and nose as he collapsed unconscious.
"Tou-chan!"
"Sedol, please hide somewhere."
I picked up the rifle the man had been holding and immediately aimed it toward the entrance.
"What happened?!"
"…"
Immediately afterward, the other bandit charged out of the house with his gun drawn.
"Who the hell are you──"
"[Shield]!!"
We fired shots at each other almost simultaneously the moment we saw each other.
"Ouch…"
I deployed the [Shield] immediately after firing.
The enemy's bullet shattered the [Shield], but its trajectory veered off and only hit my calf.
I couldn't help but twist my face in pain.
However…
"…Ah."
The enemy had been hit by a bullet through the bridge of his nose, his brains scattering everywhere, dying instantly.
I'm glad I practiced shooting simultaneously with the enemy.
I would have been shot in the lower abdomen and seriously injured If I hadn't been able to instantly put up a [Shield].
"My injuries are minor. Treating it can wait. Gomuji, is Gomuji safe?"
"…here, I am…"
Holding my injured leg, I searched for Gomuji.
He was under the table, alive but coughing up blood.
"Gomuji, thank goodness you're okay. I'll check your injuries now."
"No, it's fine. Senior, you go ahead and fix your leg."
"…My leg isn't a fatal wound. You're much more seriously injured."
"I know that much…"
I hurried over to Gomuji, internally shaken by the severity of his wounds.
He is lying on his back, clutching his abdomen where he had been shot.
Judging by the amount of blood, it was undoubtedly a fatal wound. His body was on the brink of bleeding out, and several organs seemed to have ruptured.
This is a situation where immediate surgery might barely save him.
"Do you really have time to treat me now?"
"Yes, if you can muster the strength to hold on, I'm sure I can manage the treatment in time."
"That's not what I mean. I'm asking if more bandits might come to check on the noise from the gunshots."
The moment I was about to start treating Gomuji…
With his face completely blue, his pale hand stopped me.
"Take Sedol and run away, Senior."
…Calmly, I consulted my intuition.
Would I be able to treat Gomuji here without being discovered?
Multiple organ ruptures. Even if they cut corners and limit it to first aid, the surgery would take nearly an hour.
In the first place, there is a high possibility that he will bleed to death during the operation. The chances of completing the operation are less than 30%.
And the probability that the bandits wouldn't come to check on us during the surgery was nearly zero.
…Saving Gomuji is practically impossible.
"…Gomuji, I was saved by you."
"Don't make that face. You saved me too, so we're even."
Gomuji said with a smile, using his last bit of strength to call Sedol over.
Sedol, hiccuping, slowly walks over to his father.
"Sedol."
"…Daddy?"
"I'm sorry. I can't be with you anymore. From now on, listen carefully to what Kusha and Senior say and live your life the way you want."
Gomuji smiled fondly and stroked his beloved son's face.
"Sedol, from now on in your life, you need to be careful who you trust. Never betray someone who repays their obligations. If someone tries to deceive you, deceive them thoroughly in return."
"…?"
"It's fine if you don't understand now. Just remember it when you grow up. First and foremost, never betray Senior. She will definitely always help you."
"Tou-chan will?"
"Yes."
After caressing his son's cheek with his bloodstained hand, Gomuji glanced at me one last time,
"Please take care of Kusha and Sedol. I know how amazing you are, Senior."
"…Gomuji."
That was his final request.
But Kusha is already…
"I understand. I will leave this village with Kusha and Sedol."
"Thank you. I'll feel reassured if you're with them."
"I will protect your family even at the cost of my own life, Gomuji."
I grasped Gomuji's weakening hand and vowed.
…There was nothing else I could do.
"…Tell Kusha… I'm sorry for being a pathetic husband till the end."
With bloody tears in his eyes, he turned to Sedol and said:
"Damn it… I had finally found peace."
With those words, he passed away.
────It's dangerous here. The enemy will arrive within minutes.
────A shootout here would put Sedol at great risk.
────I need to withdraw immediately.
Sedol was hitting Gomuji's motionless face.
"Daddy! Daddy!!"
He slapped his father across the face again and again, screaming and crying loudly.
The bandits nearby must have heard his cries.
────Let him cry. I need to focus on treating my leg.
────It's better for him to cry it out now and calm down sooner.
────If he keeps crying "Daddy, Daddy," the bandits might think it was only the father who got shot.
…The calmer side of me made a cruel and cold-hearted decision.
I left the crying Sedol alone and started to treat my own leg.
Thanks to the surgical kit from Gomuji, I completed the treatment in less than a minute.
"Alright, Sedol… Let's go."
"Tou-chan, Daddy, Daddy is!"
"Daddy is just taking a little nap. Why don't you go and take a nap too, Sedol?"
We will be found and killed if he keeps crying while we escape.
I need to comfort him here and retreat to a safe place.
"Daddy isn't waking up…"
"He'll wake up later."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Suppressing my breaking heart, I picked up Sedol.
I forced a smile as his tear-swollen eyes looked at me doubtfully.
"Mommy has surely escaped ahead of us. Let's hurry and go."
"…"
Holding the tear-streaked Sedol tightly…
I told him that cruel, heartless lie.