Chapter 19

"We've found the bandit's hideout!" a soldier reported.

"Umu... Prepare your weapons! We'll engage as soon as we're able to!" Jonah shouted in command to the other soldiers waiting. "Then, if you don't mind, Finral-sama, miss Eria," he addresses us as well. 

We're supposed to part ways once we encounter the bandits' hideout, but after a bit of consideration, we decided that we should come and help subjugate the bandits as well. If Fin and I can reduce the number of casualties in Jonah's soldiers, we might as well help. 

The bandits' hideout was inside a forest on the side of the road. 

They must be confident of their location to not be vigilant. There were a few of them on the look out, but they were slacking off. They don't really appear to be guarding for any soldiers raiding them either, they seem to be only looking out for monsters, evident from the cheap monster repellents hanging on their waists and the few monster hunting tools they have. 

"Just as what you've expect from bandits, ignorant fools..." Jonah observed. 

With a simple gesture of his hands, he set up the soldiers to surround the area. Like assassins of the night, the archers shoot their arrows on their targets, and right away, a number of bandits fell. Noticing their comrades suddenly falling on the ground, the other bandits took their weapons and shouted for reinforcement.

Just as more bandits arrived, the soldiers were already dispatched, and are dealing with them one after another. Looking at the scene unfolding in front of me, I knew right away that this raid will be an overkill. Two soldiers hunted a single bandit. Those who were a bit powerful were immediately overcome with sheer numbers. 

Fin has also joined the fight, using his non-lethal spells to incapacitate the enemies. It was me who told him not to use any lethal magic, but he himself seemed apprehensive of using them. Of course, he's still just an apprentice mage, so he's not exactly trained yet to kill his fellow humans. 

"A-Adventurers!?"

"No idiot! Those are obviously city knights! Let's get out of here fast!"

"How are there so many of them!? Call the boss!"

With the way things are going, they won't even need my help... 

As for Jonah, he himself can't seem to join the battle. Fin and his men were clearly enough to annihilate all the bandits in their hideout. Unless an unexpected fighter comes out, he won't be needed as well. 

"This is a welcome outcome, but it's quite a disappointing one..." Jonah said with a sigh. 

"Captain! We captured their boss!" another soldier reported. 

The bandits did not last for more than an hour resisting the attack, and they were quickly defeated. A few of them were killed, but most were only injured and captured. Their boss didn't look particularly different from the rest of them—he too looks just like an ordinary goon you will find anywhere. 

Jonah's soldiers did take some damage, some of them were cut and injured. They have a few good healers, but I decided to help as well. I'm as good as a healer as I am a swordsman, so I'm quite confident I'll be of help.

"With this, we succeeded on our mission. I thank you for coming with us. Finral-sama, your spells helped us a lot in safely securing those bandits. For your first bandit hunt, I must say, you were quite incredible," Jonah unabashedly praised Fin. 

"Hmph!" Fin simply groaned, but I could see that there was a slight blush on his cheeks. 

"Miss Eria, I thank you for healing some of my injured men as well. Fufu, in the end, it seems we weren't able to have our fun," he chuckled. "Dealing with these bandits turned out to be incredibly underwhelming..."

"It's fine, like I said in the beginning, we're going in the same direction anyway." 

"Umu," Jonah nodded with a chuckle and said, "I suppose we'll soon have our farewells. We'll get back on the road, and then we can part ways."

"Of course." 

"But before that—the town you'll be heading to. If I recall, Root, is it? Miss Eria, I'm a relative of the person who governs that place. If I may, might I ask you deliver this to him?" 

Jonah handed me two sealed letters. The first one looked old and worn out, but the second was new. 

"Tch! How dare you ask Eria-sama such a menial task!" Fin complained.

"Don't worry, it will benefit you and miss Eria. While the first letter is personal, the other one is a request for a good reservation in the town for the two of you."

"So, you're a noble too, Jonah?" I asked curiously. 

"No, I'm a bastard child. Although I have noble blood in me, I'm treated as a commoner. However, my brother who governs that town is."

"I see. Then no problem, we'll deliver it safely," I smiled and accepted his request. 

"Well then, we should get this over with," Jonah said as he stares at his men, who are already tying up the defeated bandits.