Grimm: Ch. 11

---Grimm's POV---

"Whew~ Hahaha!"

After a sip of sweet grape wine, I felt utterly delighted, both body and mind. This fragrant and sweet wine was undoubtedly the best thing I had drunk here. In this place, people were so frugal they wouldn't even use extra salt when making soup, let alone add any spices.

"Come on, Bernhardt! Have a sip! This is by far the best thing I've had since coming here." I watched as he raised the wine skin to his lips.

"Is it really that good, Boss?" he asked, before taking a careful sip. His eyes widened at the taste.

After just a couple of sips, we were already tipsy, not because the wine was particularly strong but because it unleashed emotions we had long suppressed.

Taking out some dried meat from our bundle, I said, "Honestly, the dried meat from the syst... is edible straight out of the package. It's nothing like the dusty, grimy stuff sold on the streets. At least we won't die from gut rot eating this."

"Mmm~ It's been so long since I've had white bread," Bernhardt said, savoring each bite of the rare treat. "Even back at home, we couldn't eat it often."

Mentioning home, he took another swig of wine.

"Boss, want to hear my story?"

"Some tales are easier to tell with wine in your belly," I replied, taking another drink. "With wine and meat, today's the perfect day for a good heart-to-heart!"

---Third POV---

Looking out at the bustling street, Bernhardt fell silent for a moment before beginning his tale.

"My family used to be nobles. But by my grandfather's time, we had already fallen into ruin. To revive the family, my father spent every last bit of our savings to join the military as a knight. Yet even with his stipend, we struggled to make ends meet. When life got harder, my mother decided to start a business to support the family…"

"Unfortunately, even though my father used up all our wealth forging armor, he couldn't avoid losing his arm in the war…" Bernhardt's hands clenched into fists.

"When he returned, he was burning with fever. His right arm was gone, and his left leg had been mangled beyond repair. He was reduced to someone who couldn't even stand…"

"We thought he wouldn't make it. But somehow, miraculously, he survived. My mother refused to abandon him, selling off the last of our land to cover his medical expenses…"

"For a long time, Father didn't want to go on living. He felt he was a burden and that he had failed to fulfill my grandfather's expectations of reviving the family. It was only with my mother's constant encouragement that he gave up on the idea of ending his life."

"To make ends meet, my father sold his armor, and we started wandering from place to place for business. Those were modest but genuinely happy times…" At this point, tears welled up in Bernhardt's eyes as his voice became choked.

"But that happiness didn't last. One time, during our travels, we were attacked by a gang of mounted bandits..."

"Those beasts! I swear, if I ever meet them again, I'll kill every single one of them!" Fueled by alcohol, his rage boiled over.

Grimm had never seen him like this before.

"Revenge is a heavy burden to carry alone," he said softly, but Bernhardt was lost in his memories.

It was rage at its peak, hatred in its rawest form.

And then, just as suddenly, Bernhardt fell silent, staring at his trembling hands.

"I hate it so much! Why was I so useless back then?! Why didn't I take Father's swordsmanship lessons seriously? If I had, maybe things wouldn't have turned out like that… No! It's because I was so weak! Father had to throw himself on top of me to shield me, while Mother told me to stay silent…"

"Those monsters! I watched them… do that to my mother. Then they killed her. I wanted to rush out and kill them so badly!"

"But… I was so scared… I was shaking with fear. I hated my own cowardice!"

As Bernhardt's words trailed off, he trembled violently, crying uncontrollably. The nightmare he described was something he never wanted to relive, yet carrying it alone was excruciatingly painful.

---Grimm's POV---

"It's okay now... it's all in the past..." I stepped forward and embraced him.

Only those who had experienced such torment could truly understand its weight. In a world like this, there were far too many experiences that left people scarred.

"Thank you, Grimm. Saying it out loud makes me feel much better."

[This character's story arc has been unlocked.]
[Recruitable NPC: Bernhardt]
[Would you like to recruit him into your party?]
[Yes/No]

I was stunned for a moment. The system, silent for so long, had suddenly presented this prompt.

[Yes]

---

[Bernhardt's Side Quest Unlocked: Father and the Bandits

(Quest Deadline: 20 years)]

[Quest Objectives:

- Investigate the true identity of the bandits within the realm of Chuda.
(Rewards: Bread (50/50) x10, Gold Bar x1)

- Uncover the truth behind the massacre of Bernhardt's family.
(Rewards: Omen Wolf Battle Axe x1, Full Raging Wolf Set x1, Bernhardt's Constitution Breakthrough x1, Dragon Tear Gem x1)]

[Character: Bernhardt (In Party)]

[Character Status:
Name: Bernhardt
Age: 9
HP: 59/60
Loyalty: 90 (Devoted)]

[Attributes:
Strength: 21
Agility: 5
Intelligence: 5
Charisma: 4]

[Skills]
[Iron Will +2]
[Power Strike +1]
[Throwing +1]
[Running +1]
[Riding +2]
[Pathfinding +1]
[Inventory Management +1]
[Wound Treatment +1]
[First Aid +1]
[Leadership +1]
[Trading +1]

[Weapon Proficiency:]
[One-Handed: 20]
[Two-Handed: 40]
[Polearms: 10]
[Bow: 0]
[Crossbow: 10]
[Throwing: 26]

---

Wow, this kid's strength stat is insane for his age, I thought, unsure whether to feel envious or impressed.

This was true raw talent.

After letting it all out, Bernhardt quickly calmed down, his mood visibly improved.

"What about you, Boss?"

"Me? I'm an orphan. I'm not sure if that's lucky or unlucky, but I do have a brother..."

"Some say it's better to never know love than to lose it..." I began, sharing my own experiences since arriving here. Compared to the warmth Bernhardt had once known and lost, my story felt pale in comparison.

A monotonous life of endless swordsmanship practice and learning how to kill, my saving grace had been my brother, who shared the burden of survival and prevented me from becoming a soulless killing machine.

At least I could still feel a semblance of warmth.

"Is that what you believe, Boss?" Bernhardt asked drowsily.

"I used to. Now I'm not so sure."

"You've had it worse than me. At least I know what familial love feels like..." Bernhardt muttered, seemingly exhausted.

Drunk and sprawled out on the ground, he fell asleep mid-sentence.

"But knowing it only to have it ripped away is even more painful..." I chuckled bitterly, looking at the snoring Bernhardt.

"That kind of pain... I know it all too well..." I muttered, tucking away the wine skin containing the last bit of grape wine.

The dried meat was gone too.

I tidied up our meager belongings, laid out makeshift bedding, and covered him with a coarse wool blanket to ward off the night chill that could easily bring illness.

As dusk gave way to the deep blue of night, I drifted off under the influence of the wine. My wounded body, at least for now, was finally at ease.

---Third POV---

Twilight fell, and a group of children gathered once more, exchanging words that revealed their lack of success.

"Darn it, no matter how hard we look, there's no trace."

"Yeah, maybe they've already left. I've never heard of or seen kids like that in the city."

"They don't seem like they're from here…"

Listening to their discussion, Gerald let out a sigh of frustration. The glimmer of hope he'd seen was once again fading away.

He gazed up at the silver-white castle in the distance, but even the thought of running down to admire it up close didn't appeal to him today.

Instead, he drooped his head.

"Hey! Boss, Annie!"

A chubby little boy holding a wooden sword ran over from a distance.

His clothes, made in the latest fashion popular among the common folk this year, featured tightly sewn stitches and various decorative accents, showcasing the tailor's craftsmanship and excellent sewing skills.

"Hehehe, check out my wooden sword! Just finished carving it today! Let's play the knight's game again!"

The boy, oblivious to the mood of his friends, gleefully showed off his new toy. It wasn't until Annie gave him a sharp look and pulled him aside that he realized something was wrong.

"Keep your voice down, Paulus! Gerald's in a bad mood today!"

"Huh... what happened?"

Annie quickly explained the situation to the chubby boy.

"What nerve!" Paulus exclaimed in shock after hearing the story.

"What did the guy look like?"

"He wore country-style wrinkled clothes and leg wraps. His outfit was a bit old and dusty. But the key detail? One of the kids was carrying a two-handed sword big enough for an adult—a real one!"

"That sounds familiar... Do you know his name?" Paulus frowned, thinking hard. He had been so focused on carving earlier that he hadn't paid much attention, but it seemed he had seen someone like that today.

"Gerald and Jan mentioned... it seemed like his name was Grimm. He had a tall, chubby boy with him, even bigger than you!"

Hearing this, Paulus' eyes widened. No way!

Earlier today, two guys had come to get measured for clothes, and it was because of them that he was running so late. And their order, due to be picked up in seven days? The name was indeed Grimm.

"I know who that is! He came to our house today to buy clothes. I'm late today because of those two!" he suddenly shouted to Gerald, startling Annie.

"Can you not shout so suddenly?" Annie grumbled, smacking Paulus on the arm.

"Hehehe, sorry, Annie. I got too excited," he said, scratching his head sheepishly.

Hope reignited in Gerald's eyes. He quickly walked over to the two of them, unwilling to let even the smallest lead slip away.

"Really, Paulus? He came to your house to buy something?"

"Of course, Boss! And he'll be back in seven days to pick up the clothes!"

"That's amazing! Do you know what time he'll come?"

"No idea, but we'll keep an eye out for him! Don't worry; I'll let you know the moment we hear anything."

"Thank you so much, Paulus!"

---Grimm's POV---

Three days passed without notice.

At the tavern, people were being assigned by Kadi to various tasks. Even Shiva had been placed in Midor's guard corps the night before.

But tonight, something big was clearly brewing.

Bernhardt and I were summoned to Kadi's room. Unlike the shared dormitory spaces others used, it was a private suite. Though not very large, it had its own window and balcony.

Kadi sat in a tea chair, scrutinizing us as we entered. He seemed satisfied, as long as we were capable of running.

"The new clothes suit you well," Kadi remarked casually. Compliments were just tools to motivate people, nothing more.

"Yeah, sure," I replied, unsure of his intentions but certain that we hadn't been summoned for trivial reasons.

"How's your wound healing?"

"Not bad. Just tell me what you want. I don't like beating around the bush." I had no patience for pointless pleasantries. Knowing his personality, refusal wasn't an option regardless of my preferences.

Kadi sipped his tea and smiled. He seemed to appreciate straightforward and perceptive children like me.

"Starting tomorrow, I'm infiltrating Midor's Dragon Knights. I need you to handle something for me, Grimm."

"What do you want me to do?"

"Kill someone."

---

In a small, bustling town a hundred miles outside Weimar, life was lively. Perhaps due to its proximity to the capital, the market thrived, and the surrounding taverns were always bustling.

For two days, I had been lying in wait. The target: William Glance, the illegitimate son of Count Glance.

Raised by his stepmother, William had no favor or connections to his name. Were it not for the decree requiring each noble family to send a descendant to join the ranks, William wouldn't have had a chance to prove himself. In truth, it might have been a curse—a nameless end on the battlefield seemed likely.

With nobles from all over converging on Weimar, the city gates saw a steady stream of knights and their squires riding in on magnificent horses.

I had stationed myself at the northern gate, where William was bound to pass through.

Finally, he arrived. William's plain silver-and-white armor marked him as a regular knight. His squire, trailing behind with a displeased expression, wore hardened leather chainmail and carried a wooden lance over two meters long.

My eyes fixed on William's movements. Disguised as an ordinary child, I discreetly followed him into the city.

Many traveling knights stopped here to rest, and William and his squire were no exception.

At dusk, he and his squire reached an inn to stow their gear.

I scribbled a few words on a note and released a red falcon from its cage. The bird's flight signaled that the target's location was confirmed, prompting Kadi to prepare for our next move.

After nearly an hour, the pair emerged from the inn, their heavy armor removed. It seemed they were headed to a tavern to relax, eat, or stock up on supplies.

I shadowed them closely, while Bernhardt kept watch for Kadi's arrival. Over the past two days, we had thoroughly scouted this part of town.

Now, all we needed was his signal to proceed.

Chew, chewch-chew!

A mountain bird's call rang out—a unique whistle Kadi used that blended seamlessly into the ambient noise, unnoticed by ordinary passersby.

The time to act had come!

I pulled my hood over my head and covered my face with a mask. I quickly darted like the wind through the crowded streets.