Yggdrasil Year 1632, Month 9, Day 4
Margrave Arkun sets out with two hundred men to subjugate the bandits around Arkun Territory. When the news of coup d'etat on Aldenbourne reaches King Eudes' ear, he orders the Four Margraves to reinforce the border. The Four Margraves were Arkun, Noran, Answorth, and Clavel. Arkun is in charge of the west, Noran handles the south, Answorth handles the east, and Clavel handles the north, forming Four Margraves with the assignments to defend each area's border. Recent activity on the Northern Hill of Dirtra plains makes Arkun decide to assemble a subjugation army, with him as the command.
He already failed on subjugation once due to the craftiness of Hiero, the leader of the Hiero bandits. This time, he hired some adventurers to assist him in subjugation.
The head of the Arkun Family, Cress Arkun, takes command of this subjugation. His heiress, Frabela Fray Arkun, also participates. When Cress calls the Sylvester Family to do subjugation, the Lexington Family also participates. However, the Lexington Family participates through Adventurer Guild's request.
"I have to give you a warning. There would be a moment where you have to kill for self-defense and protect others. Know that death is always around us; even in the journey itself, you can either subjugate or kill them to ensure you and your friend survive."
"We understand, Father."
Klendiana wears a magician robe with a Staff on her back. Reynes wear light armor and a helmet, using a sword and shield as his weapon. Both look battered as they haven't fully recovered from Shina's Master Class lesson yesterday.
"It's good that each of us got a horse."
"Well. We won't fit into father's horse anymore."
Kurt is a noble with the rank of Earl, but he's also an adventurer. Every single member of the Lexington Family was an adventurer. When they were not on duty, taking quest is what they do as they do not wish to have their combat skill dulled. He led 40 adventurers, including Reynes and Klendiana. He can hear them whispering why he brought kids to the battle.
Arriving at Dirtra Hill, Kurt split the party in two in case the negotiation breaks down.
"Split up into three groups. Find another position to ambush if they were retreating to the side."
"What about you?"
"I will go with my children."
"It's dangerous to bring them out here, you know?"
"It's already usual for the Lexington Family."
"I… I see…"
Splitting up, Kurt, Klendiana, and Reynes join the Arkun's Subjugation Army to negotiate with the bandits. Kurt gave them a guide when it came to dealing with bandits.
"They would often demand more when were negotiating. Bandits tend to take advantage when the leader is present. Either they want to use the leader to coerce them, or they would try to pull some protection fee from us."
Nodding, both Reynes and Klendiana arrives at the designated area.
"So. The head of Arkun House has come at last!"
Hiero, the leader of the Bandit, appears before them. He has ten men on his back, but Reynes and Klendiana sense more of them were hiding. They were aware that Hiero has an Appraisal skill based on previously failed subjugation, which enables him to guess each of the soldiers' and adventurers' capabilities.
"You lot are going to negotiate with just runt of grunts!?"
He ridicules them as he set his gaze on Frabela, Reynes, and Klendiana. When he used Appraisal on them, they were weak enough but could be nurtured as a part of their bandits.
"Ooohh, what a good offering you have. You brought tributes for me, do you? If I could nurture these two, they can be a fine member for us."
The bandits laugh as Hiero makes a rude remark on Frabela and Klendiana. Of course, this incites their anger as Cress stops Frabela from doing something harsh while Klendiana prepares her magic to harass him.
"Ease yourself, Klendiana."
The negotiation continues as Cress looks at Hiero with an irritated face. Hiero only replies with a smug face.
"I own this territory, Arkun! Every merchant and adventurers who dare to pass my territory must pay tribute to me, or we will ransack them!"
"That's what you promise to them, but in the end, you just keep asking more for your own enjoyment! You will surrender yourself and release those hostages at once!"
"Ha ha ha! Try to catch me if you can! Get them!"
When five of his underlings went to attack, he found something was missing. Fifty men each on both sides didn't make any move at all. Instead, they were running away from something.
"Run!! Run!!"
"Those two kids are monsters!! We gotta get out of here!"
--
Bandits ambush site
"Why the hell do they bring kids to this negotiation?"
"Hey, check it out. Look at her."
"Ho ho! If we can get her, we can nurture her into a fine woman!"
But, as the negotiation becomes tenser, the bandits prepare for battle.
"Wait for the boss signal…"
"Ha ha ha! Try to catch me if you can! Get them!"
As the bandits were about to charge in as soon as Hiero gave the signal, they couldn't move their feet.
"W-what is this!?"
"The feet! We're stuck!"
"D-did they bring a magician!?"
Little do they realize it is Reynes and Klendiana who freeze their feet. With a very slow and careful approach, most bandits didn't realize their feet were frozen, unable to move.
"The ice… Is too thick!"
"Get this thing off from me!"
"Capture them!"
Adventurers began attacking any bandits that did not have their feet frozen. The rest were apprehending those who got their feet frozen. Only a few escaped from the adventurers as Hiero began sweating over the sudden turn of events.
Hiero quickly orders his men to retreat to the hideout as soon as possible.
"Men! Scatter! We will meet back at the hideout!"
Reynes and Klendiana dismount from their horse and pursue them independently. They remember Kurt's lesson when it comes to tracking.
Two years ago, Kurt, Yuki, Reynes, and Klendiana were having night sessions in the forest.
"Conceal your presence and track Yuki using your sixth sense."
Kurt put the blindfold on to both Reynes and Klendiana. It was so tight that there was no gap between the blindfold for them to see.
"Yuki already went ahead, and she's nowhere to be found inside the forest. Your job is to find her using a sense of presence. Since your mother is a high-elf, she's well-trained in concealing her presence and detecting your presence. Every living being has a presence that can be concealed, as they may leave some tracks that were trackable when they were moving."
"Yes, father."
"Sense the presence using natural and magic detection. Try to restrict your listening and sense your surroundings with your body."
They remember that it took three hours to find Yuki for the first time, and she went easy on her children. The progress is slow since Yuki also adapts to how Reynes and Klendiana improve. As of right now, Reynes and Klendiana sharpen their senses to find tracks left by the bandits.
"Go that way, Reynes."
"On it."
Splitting up, they went to conceal their presence, so the bandits won't be able to notice that Reynes and Klendiana were following them from a distance. The training they did for three years began to pay off as they began to come closer to the bandit's escape area by leaping from one tree to another.
"Seems we've lost them."
"We need to use our mages if we want to survive their attack!"
The bandits were heading towards their hideout, and as Reynes and Klendiana expect, it was well-guarded by several bandits who were stronger than those who Hiero sent out for negotiation.
"At least fifteen magicians, most likely deserter from Arkun's Army."
"Sis, look at their insignia."
"Is that from…?"
The insignia of the Empire of Draconia, a knight mounting the dragon, carrying a jousting spear on the right hand, and a flag on the left hand can be seen at one of the bandits' shoulder pads.
"Sis, we better report this to father right away."
"Not yet. We should look for another entrance first before withdrawing."
As they were sneaking around to find another entrance, they enhanced their hearing to eavesdrop on their talk with a man clad in armor with Draconia's insignia on the chest.
"How could you fail?"
"Our men were ambushed when we were about to ambush them! At least forty of my men were captured!"
"You wretches! This is why I can't work with you!"
He leaves the bandits, which makes Hiero frustrated.
"What do we do, boss?"
"They haven't found this place yet. We would stay low for a while and ambush them if they were getting close."
They were unaware that Reynes and Klendiana found their hideout and returned to Kurt to report. The skirmish was already over when Reynes and Klendiana returned to the Dirtra Plains. From a hundred and five bandits involved in the attack, ten were dead, fifteen escaped, and the rest were apprehended, while the Arkun's Army only had five wounded.
"Father. We've found their hideout."
"Good. We would withdraw for today, and thank you for today's contribution."
The Arkun's Army withdraws to Arkun Town to recuperate and discuss their next move.