Trap : Part 1

Here's the translation with proper grammar while keeping the original tone intact:

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A merchant and his daughter ran through the forest, their breaths ragged as the heavy footsteps of their pursuers grew closer. The father clutched his daughter's hand tightly, dragging her through the underbrush even as thorns tore at their arms and legs. Behind them, the bandits grinned, savoring the thrill of the hunt.

"There's no point in running, dear merchant!" a raspy voice echoed among the trees. "Hand over your valuables, and maybe we'll show you some mercy!"

They kept running until they saw someone standing in the middle of the path—a hooded young man leaning against a tree, a sword strapped to his waist, his gaze indifferent as if he cared little about the world.

"Please! Help us!" the merchant cried, rushing toward the young man. "We'll pay you! Just hide us from the bandits!"

Shun slowly turned his head, his expression unreadable. "My payment?"

The merchant hurriedly reached into his pouch, pulled out several gold coins, and shoved them into Shun's hands. "Here! Please!"

Shun weighed the coins in his palm, then gave a faint smile. "Alright. Follow me."

With a calm stride, he led them deeper into the forest, down a narrow path that seemed rarely traveled. The farther they walked, the quieter the surroundings became. The merchant felt uneasy but followed, clinging to the hope the young man had given them.

Finally, they reached a rundown hut hidden among dense trees. Shun turned to them and whispered, "Hide in here. The bandits won't find you in this place."

The merchant quickly nodded and pulled his daughter inside the hut. Shun waited for a moment, ensuring they were inside before casually turning away, slipping the gold coins into his pocket.

Minutes passed in silence. The merchant and his daughter steadied their breathing, feeling a sliver of relief. But before they could truly relax, heavy footsteps echoed outside.

"Look who just walked right into our den."

The hut's door burst open, revealing the bandits who had been chasing them, their faces twisted with satisfaction.

The merchant froze, his eyes widening in horror. That's when he realized his mistake.

Shun had never saved them.

He had simply led them into a trap.

---

Days passed.

The merchant was now caged inside Claw's bandit camp. His body was frail, his face pale, and his eyes hollow with despair.

"Please, I beg you… at least let my daughter go," he croaked, his voice hoarse from days of suffering.

The bandits sitting around the bonfire only laughed at his pathetic pleas. They tore into roasted meat, intentionally flaunting their feast before the starving man.

Seeing that, the merchant was completely broken. He was willing to eat the bandits' scraps just to taste a bit of that roasted meat.

Noticing his pitiful state, the bandits decided to toy with him. They all stood up, then sat right in front of his cage, continuing to eat while taunting him.

They teased him, holding out pieces of meat just within his reach, only to snatch them away at the last second—treating him like a dog.

"Look at this little dog," one of the bandits sneered. "He wants a bite of our food."

They all burst into laughter.

But their laughter was soon interrupted.

"If it weren't for that nagging boss of ours, I would've raped your daughter right in front of you, old man!" the bandit who had been playing with the merchant spat, his eyes gleaming with arrogance.

The merchant fell to his knees, then bowed deeply.

"Please… I beg you, not my daughter. She's the last thing my wife entrusted to me… I beg you," he pleaded, his voice breaking as tears streamed down his face.

As the bandits continued mocking the merchant, the bonfire suddenly extinguished.

Darkness swallowed the entire area.

"Huh? What the hell just happened?"

"Who put out the fire!?"

One of the bandits reached for his weapon.

"It wasn't one of us… grab your weapons—"

Suddenly, the magic circle inscribed on the weapon in his hand lit up.

Boom!

The weapon exploded, plunging the area into chaos, drawing the attention of patrolling bandits. Some managed to survive the explosion, but as they tried to reach for other weapons, they hesitated—afraid they might be trapped as well. Smoke filled the air, obscuring their vision.

Then, something darted through the smoke, swiftly cutting down the bandits trapped within.

"Who's there!?" the bandit who had been eating meat shouted.

"Ack… mat—!" Another bandit was impaled before he could finish his scream.

With each death, the remaining bandits heard the sickening sound of a blade slicing through flesh. Panic set in. One of them made a desperate move, grabbing an axe, praying it wouldn't explode.

To his relief, it didn't. But it was already too late.

A blade pierced through his ribs, directly stabbing his heart. He gasped, attempting to curse his assailant.

"Bas—"

But before he could finish, the sword was yanked out, and he collapsed, lifeless.

---

The merchant, trembling as he heard the sounds of the bandits being slain one by one, huddled in the corner of his cage. Then, someone approached the bars, holding a sword stained with blood. The moment he saw the weapon, he realized—this was the same sword wielded by the young man who had led him into this trap.

He felt a surge of anger but knew better than to lash out. After all, he had initially tried to deceive the young man by offering a small sum of money to secure his and his daughter's escape.

He was certain the young man had seen through his lie. Instead of robbing them outright, the man had simply lured them into a snare.

Choosing his words carefully, the merchant spoke.

"What brings you back here, dear Swordsman?"

Shun pulled down his hood and spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Isn't it obvious?"

"I want your money."

A smile, seemingly filled with kindness, graced Shun's face as he extorted the merchant.

"But I don't have it! How can I give you money, Swordsman?" the merchant protested.

"Just tell me where you've hidden it. If there's a key, hand it over." Shun's tone grew colder.

"Or… would you rather watch your daughter get raped before your eyes?"

"I could do it for you… oh, or should I let the bandits who'll come later do it? Hmm~"

At first, the merchant tried to dodge the question, but after the threat against his daughter, he had no choice. He finally struck a deal with Shun.

"Alright! I'll tell you where it is. But please… let us go! I swear I won't mention this to anyone or come after you!"

Shun stared at him, then answered with a single word.

"Alright."