Sir Aldric, along with 20 bowmen, 10 crossbowmen, 20 light-armored spearmen, 20 heavy-armored spearmen, 25 light-armored swordsmen, and 5 heavy-armored swordsmen, set off to arrest the bandits. The reason for such diversity in troop types was that the system randomly provided one troop per day, with many types of troops available.
The strongest individuals among the ordinary troops were the heavy-armored swordsmen. Their armor could defend against ordinary arrows and, to some extent, block swords. In general, one heavy swordsman could kill three light-armored swordsmen. Of course, each troop had its specific use. For example, heavy swordsmen could not run for long because their armor was too heavy, nor could they attack stealthily due to the clatter their armor produced.
The sole reason Aldric brought heavy-armored swordsmen and spearmen this time was to use them in case of an emergency, especially when facing another knight. Light-armored warriors would be cut down like paper, but with many heavy-armored troops, one could at least resist a junior knight.
As they neared the bandit camp, Sir Aldric ordered the heavy-armored troops to stay behind. He only took 20 bowmen, 20 light-armored swordsmen, and light-armored spearmen to face the bandits. If a hidden knight was among the bandits, he could retreat to the heavy-armored troops, who, as fresh soldiers, could at least delay the enemy.
...
Within an hour, the bandits had set up a temporary camp. From the looks of it, they planned to wait there for some reason. Sir Aldric, a skilled strategist, knew it made no sense to set up camp. The most rational action would be to attack the city quickly, steal as much as possible, and then flee. The only reason the bandits hadn't attacked and had set up camp instead was likely that they were waiting for reinforcements—probably other bandits.
"It makes sense," he thought. "Even though the lord's reputation is in the gutters, he is still a baron. These 30 bandits wouldn't dare to act alone. There is probably a big bandit group behind them—or maybe even a few, all seeing the lord’s unpopularity and wanting to test the kingdom's limits."
In the kingdom, attacking nobles was crossing the red line. Bandits who dared to cross it faced a horrible end. As such, bandits typically only robbed trade caravans passing through rural roads. However, trade groups rarely used dangerous roads; when they did, they hired many guards. This made the life of a bandit difficult. A single raid on a noble’s territory could yield several years of robbing on the roads.
Over the years, some more intelligent bandit groups had attempted to organize, opting to levy taxes on the trade groups passing through instead of robbing them outright. However, the kingdom reacted violently and eliminated those groups. All land in the kingdom belonged to various nobles, and the bandits taxing traders violated a core tradition: only nobles could impose taxes. While robbing was tolerated to an extent, taxing was not.
Realizing other bandits were likely coming, Sir Aldric called Leo, who instructed him to wait for Sir Lucan.
Aldric didn’t know Sir Lucan but understood he was someone like himself, recently summoned by the lord.
After a few minutes, a tall man, whose muscles were visible even under his armor, appeared.
"Sir Aldric, you can wait here. I'll handle the bandits," Sir Lucan said confidently.
"Sir Lucan, are you a Great Knight?" Sir Aldric asked in shock. A Great Knight was far beyond the level of an ordinary knight.
Sir Lucan smiled and didn't answer as he walked away.
A junior knight could fight against 20 armored fighters without risk of death. Even if they couldn't win, they could at least escape. An intermediate knight could easily defeat 20 armored soldiers, while a senior knight could take on 50.
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
A Great Knight, however, was far above even that. It was said that even 1,000 soldiers would struggle to stop a single Great Knight. Great Knights were nearly invincible among ordinary troops, their only limiting factor being stamina. After all, cutting through metal armor, slicing necks, and wielding a sword while running consume a lot of stamina, even for a Great Knight.
Sir Lucan walked straight toward the bandit camp without bothering to conceal himself.
"Who are you?" a bandit called out warily, drawing his weapon. However, they did not attack. The man in armor exuded an imposing presence and feared mistakenly offending a powerful passerby. After all, their target was the weak Baron Leo Fitzroy, who had only a few barely trained troops and no knight.
"My friends call me Lucan. My enemies, though, never had a chance to say anything before I cut their heads off. Consider yourselves lucky. You're the first I've allowed to speak," Lucan said coldly.
The bandit leader’s unease grew. He had seen knights before, but none as imposing as this one.
While there were many dumb and rash bandits, there were also wise ones. Harwin, the leader of this band, was one of the oldest bandits still active, at 62 years old. He had lived cautiously, planning carefully for his retirement. This raid was supposed to be his final score. He had chosen Baron Leo Fitzroy—a noble with a terrible reputation, no allies, and no registered knights.
Harwin had called for other bandit leaders to join him, and more than five were on their way, bringing over 200 bandits. They aimed to attack the city and take everything of value in one of the biggest robberies in recent years. Afterward, Harwin planned to retire to a neighboring kingdom and live out his days peacefully.
But this mysterious knight had thrown all his plans into disarray. As a seasoned bandit, Harwin knew they stood no chance against a knight, especially before the other leaders arrived. He quickly put on a submissive demeanor, bowing to Lucan.
"Sir Lucan, allow me to present you with a gift," he said, producing a giant diamond, one of his most valuable possessions. He did not hesitate to offer it, hoping to avoid a confrontation with the knight who filled him with dread.
Lucan took the diamond, frowning. He could tell it was valuable and found it odd that a bandit would offer it so easily.
"You're quite clever, aren't you?" Lucan remarked. He had planned to cut off the bandit leader's head to scare the rest into surrendering. However, he changed his mind. He judged the leader to be intelligent enough to keep alive.
"Sir, it is my privilege to present such a gift to you!" Harwin replied, attempting to flatter the knight. He had little doubt now that the man before him was a knight—a strong one.
"Very well. Gather your men. We're going to the castle. Your fate will depend on the lord," Lucan said.
"The lord?" Harwin asked, confused.
"My lord, Baron Leo Fitzroy," Lucan replied.
Harwin's heart sank. He had checked the kingdom's records. There were no knights registered under Fitzroy’s name. In the kingdom, knights must be registered no later than ten days after being hired. Failing to do so was a crime no noble would risk.
"Did Fitzroy hire a knight in the last ten days? Has he somehow uncovered my plan?" Harwin's thoughts raced.
"Yes, Sir," Harwin said through gritted teeth. As an experienced bandit, he knew the difference in strength between knights and ordinary soldiers. His best chance at survival was to cooperate.
His subordinates, however, were puzzled by their leader’s behavior. Lucan appeared imposing, but they believed they could have run in different directions. After all, there was only one knight and 30 of them. Undoubtedly, one knight couldn't capture them all.
Harwin, however, thought differently. As the leader, the knight would prioritize capturing him. He could not escape now that Lucan knew he was the leader.
…
After a few minutes, Harwin gathered his men and marched slowly toward the castle. Along the way, he saw the light-armored troops, heavy-armored soldiers, bowmen, and even crossbowmen. Cold sweat dripped from his brow.
"The kingdom's records can't be this wrong! Could another noble have sent reinforcements to Fitzroy? There’s no way he could train so many seasoned soldiers!" Harwin thought frantically, though he maintained a respectful demeanor outwardly.
The bandits under him were horrified. They were used to preying on the weak. Faced with such a strong force, their usual instinct was to run. But now they were surrounded, and their lives were no longer in their own hands.
…
After ten minutes, they arrived at the mansion—the only one in the city. A man in luxurious clothes stood there, flanked by over 20 heavy-armored swordsmen. Behind him was another imposing figure with a heavy aura.
Harwin nearly fainted at the sight. He guessed that the second man was also likely a knight.
"Even viscounts don't necessarily have two knights! What’s going on here?" Cold sweat oozed from his forehead, and his face turned pale, making him look like a ghost.
"Let’s talk about your camp. How far away is it, and how much gold is in it?" the man in luxurious clothes asked.
Harwin’s mind raced.
"Does he plan to rob us… the bandits?" He finally thought he understood what was going on.