Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Subjugation Force
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The man who blocked my path just as I arrived in the village was an elderly fellow with skin wrinkled like a prune. Bald as he was, he'd twisted his scant beard into a braid, clinging desperately to what little dignity he had as village chief.
"Are you this village's chief?"
His gaze flicked over my armor and sword, then to the soldiers standing behind me, before he hastily bowed his head.
"Yes, sir! I'm the village chief of Creekwater Village..."
"No need for introductions. We're just patrolling. Is there some kind of problem?"
There was only one reason a village chief would block armed soldiers like this. He had a favor to ask.
"Bandits, sir!"
"Bandits?"
"Ever since that last war, these bastards have been prowling around out of nowhere. They haven't raided the village yet, but every now and then, one or two of 'em snoop around from afar!"
Sarisa's stragglers, no doubt. Wars always spawned bandits afterward, big or small. Deserters couldn't just go home, and with their weapons, it was only natural they'd turn to crime.
But the swordsmen who'd come with me looked displeased.
"Captain, let's just go! We don't have to deal with bandits ourselves. We report it, and a proper subjugation force will handle it."
I'd brought fifteen Vanguard Swordsmen with me. And right now, there was no need to heed this chief's plea.
Our mission was strictly patrol duty—no need to play exterminator. Just report back that we'd spotted bandits during the rounds, and that'd be enough.
A subjugation force would form on its own, as the swordsmen said. But the chief's face was etched with desperation.
"B-but if they attack, we're done for! I said one or two, but they all looked different—like at least twenty..."
I finished my calculations as he spoke. Even if we helped, these weren't your average thugs; they were likely regular soldiers with proper gear. We'd need to tread carefully.
Unlikely as it was, losing more Vanguard Swordsmen here could put my position in real jeopardy. Nobles had to uphold honor, but without the position, there was no honor left to uphold.
"We'll head back and report it for now. And Village Chief."
His face fell the moment he heard we were leaving.
"Don't worry—we'll be back soon. Worst case, by tomorrow, with a full subjugation force in tow."
"Th-thank you, milord..."
He didn't look grateful at all. I scanned the village. It was utterly ordinary—the kind you saw anywhere. Wheat fields ringed it in vibrant green, a creek babbled nearby. Nothing special.
In other words, nothing worth looting. With so many villagers, bandits wouldn't dare storm it easily either. So why hang around a place like this?
And if the bandits had any brains, they'd hit lightly and retreat—nobody slits the golden goose, after all. With that in mind, I decided to return to the city.
"Bandits, huh."
When I made my report, the Lady set aside her documents without a hint of concern.
"I'll dispatch some soldiers. How many do you think we'll need?"
"Fifteen Vanguard Swordsmen and thirty regular infantry should do it."
It was a generous estimate. But then an unwelcome guest barged into the office.
"That won't do, milady."
Edward. This meddlesome knight captain was sticking his nose in again, for reasons known only to him. Had he been eavesdropping outside?
"Sir Edward."
The Lady fixed him with a cold stare. Lately, it seemed the knight captain was falling out of her favor.
"Care to explain your objection?"
"The guard's requested regular infantry support due to the security vacuum lately. Pulling Vanguard Swordsmen for mere bandits is a waste. If our elites lose combat effectiveness against rabble like that..."
He went on at length, but the gist was: it was a loss to risk valuable Vanguard Swordsmen against scum, potentially retiring them early.
Not wrong, of course. They handpicked talent, fed them, and drilled them endlessly—the costs weren't trivial.
Regular infantry took plenty to train, but Vanguard Swordsmen, Elite Swordsmen, and knights? Those were assets to hoard for the battlefield.
"Shouldn't we hold Sir Lucas accountable for deploying Vanguard Swordsmen on patrol without authorization?"
He shot me a glance as he said it. But Willum had requested those swordsmen for the patrol, hadn't he? Did Edward know that?
"Sir Willum requested the Vanguard Swordsmen, Sir Edward. And if we're cleaning up bandits anyway, wouldn't entrusting it to elites minimize casualties?"
"Sir, these men take at least ten years to train. I heard one died and several were injured in that werewolf incident."
"An unused blade rusts. Facing bandits could sharpen their real combat sense, actually helping."
Edward and I locked eyes, tension crackling. Heavy silence hung until the Lady broke it.
"Then what do you propose, Sir Edward?"
Her lips parted, firm and unyielding. Edward smirked my way—clearly gloating.
"Have regular infantry assist Sir Lucas. I'll select the men and send them over."
The Lady nodded.
"Very well. Sir Edward, dispatch soldiers to Sir Lucas. Sir Lucas, you'll keep your fifteen Vanguard Swordsmen—use them with Sir Edward's men to wipe out the bandits."
Edward's face twisted in fury.
"But—"
"Enough. This discussion ends here. Say no more."
Her tone brooked no argument. Edward bowed silently. Even Cligrove's top power broker was just a knight sworn to her.
With the count bedridden and delegating full authority, all knights owed her their loyalty. Having crushed Edward with sheer authority, the Lady turned to me.
"Sir Lucas."
"Yes, milady."
"I'm entrusting the Vanguard Swordsmen to you because I trust you. I trust you understand what that means."
I bowed deeply.
"I shall obey."
With the subjugation orders in hand, I left the office alongside a sullen Edward. He eyed me and muttered quietly,
"You'd best bring those Vanguard Swordsmen back in one piece, Sir Lucas."
Without waiting for a reply, he spun on his heel and stalked off. Soon after, true to the Lady's command, he sent his "soldiers."
"...This is it?"
"Yes, sir!"
I was speechless at the lot Edward had sent.
A one-eyed wretch in ragged, who-knows-when-last-issued gear. Green recruits who screamed "fresh enlistee" at first glance.
Even scouring Green Camp, you'd be hard-pressed to scrape together such a collection of rejects.
"No resupply?"
"Cough... Only a couple months till retirement..."
"Haven't qualified yet, sir!"
Things were getting worse by the minute. Still, Edward had sent exactly thirty. Mostly dregs, sure. Gathering only rejects like this was a talent in itself, I suppose.
A veteran Vanguard Swordsman glanced sidelong, rolling his eyes slyly.
"Want me to whip 'em into shape real quick, Captain?"
"Whip how?"
"Heh heh... Give me a couple hours, and these sorry sacks'll be proper soldiers. Just a bit of time, sir."
Tempting offer. But no good. Patching up rejects for a quick fix wouldn't hold in real combat—they'd crumble just the same. Time for a different strategy.
That meant intel first: exact enemy numbers, position, armament. I led my handpicked fifteen Vanguard Swordsmen and Edward's thirty rejects toward the bandits' haunt.
But the village we reached after a full day was a far cry from what we'd left.
"Damn it all..."
The village had burned. The chief who'd begged me for aid lay impaled on a stake at the entrance. Charred corpses—gender impossible to discern—littered the ruins of every building.
The men grimaced at the horror. Fresh conscripts, unused to war, vomited their guts out, cursing fiercely.
"Filthy bastards!"
"..."
Just two days. From my refusal and return with reinforcements. In that span, the village had burned, its people slaughtered.
Death was commonplace here—no shock value there. Still, seeing those who'd pleaded with me so recently reduced to this wasn't pleasant.
"Hmm."
I slowly surveyed the village, thick with acrid smoke and roasting meat stench. The corpses were too badly burned to sex easily, but a quick scan showed they were all men.
"No children."
No kids among the charred remains. None inside either—so obvious where they'd gone. The bandits took them.
That meant the raiders had spared women and children for slaves. And in doing so, they'd left unavoidable tracks.
"Captain! What now? They've probably holed up by now."
The swordsmen's voices. But I'd already decided: pursue them. The question was where...
No forest nearby, but one a bit farther out. If the bandits had a base around here, that was the spot. Plus, blatant tracks screamed "we went this way!"
Even dragging villagers, they hadn't bothered hiding their trail. Amateurs, clearly. No clue how to cover tracks.