Harwin started explaining everything about their plan for the attack while Lucan listened. After an hour, Lucan left the room and headed for the barracks.
...
Money isn't everything. Even many nobles, who have no financial problems, often live miserable lives—scheming against their siblings, dealing with betrayals, depression, and more. While money isn't a guarantee of happiness, most people would still rather have it than not.
The bandits took a massive risk by attacking Baron Fitzroy because of the large reward. Nobles, even barons, have enormous reserves of wealth. After all, they collected taxes from thousands of people over the years, so their accumulated wealth wouldn't be small.
When the next group of bandits arrived, Lucan, who had been waiting for them, quickly arrested them. Some tried to run but were quickly killed. Not everyone was as bright as Harwin.
With another 150 captured, there were now 190 people in custody—a considerable burden. Fortunately, Leo had plans for them. He wouldn't dare use them to create his own bandit group; they had no loyalty, and he had no way to ensure they wouldn't betray him. So, he simply sent them to the two mines in his territory for forced labor. Increasing production in the mines could temporarily boost his profits.
With the bandit invasion solved, Leo turned his attention to setting up his own bandit group.
First, he chose Aldric as the leader. He didn't appoint Harwin because he didn't trust anyone except his summoned troops. Only summoned troops are unquestionably loyal.
Harwin continued to act as a consultant, advising Leo on how to set up a proper bandit den.
The first requirement was a camp. Bandits are outlaws who cannot openly enter cities, so they must have camps in hidden places. A good camp should have reserves of food, water, and other necessities.
The second requirement was to know which roads to target. Bandits need a territory; wandering aimlessly to raid whenever possible would bring them into conflict with other groups.
The third requirement was a leadership structure. Although bandit groups may appear chaotic from the outside, those without strict hierarchy often fall apart. A leader must be feared to maintain control over the group. However, this point does not apply to Leo, who plans to use his loyal summoned troops.
There were other necessities, but those three were the absolute minimum.
...
Two months later, Sir Aldric, with Harwin's help, selected a location for the camp. It was at the edge of Leo's territory, as close as possible to Silverleaf Road, one of the four major roads in the kingdom. The plan was to attack trade groups passing through the road and then retreat to the camp in Leo's territory. This would make it difficult for other nobles to attack the bandit den without a supermajority vote from the House of Lords to send the kingdom's army into Leo's lands.
Leo didn't think the House of Lords would vote for such action. If they allowed the kingdom's army to enter his territory to kill bandits, it would set a precedent that could apply to all nobles. According to the kingdom's constitution, all laws must have general application, meaning it would be unconstitutional to single him out.
There were other nobles in the kingdom who supported bandits and would never vote for such a decision. Therefore, Leo doubted they would even attempt it.
Not being targeted openly, however, didn't guarantee safety. Other nobles might still act in secret. Leo wasn't too concerned, though—he had a great knight, two junior knights, one intermediate knight, and a senior knight. He could handle covert threats as long as he wasn't attacked officially.
With the plan in place, Leo relaxed and enjoyed his time with his "maids."
...
Sir Aldric surveyed the bandit den they had painstakingly set up. There was a wall, living quarters, a granary, water wells, a training ground, and a safe house for storing valuables—just enough to fire up the den.
"Bring the troops," Aldric ordered one of the summoned scouts.
...
A hundred people arrived—30 light bowmen and 70 light swordsmen. This was the first batch of summoned troops readied to start their career as bandits; Leo could add more if necessary.
The troops summoned by the system were well-trained veteran soldiers, each disciplined and battle-hardened. With Aldric, a skilled knight, leading them, their effectiveness in raids was nearly guaranteed. His experience and tactical prowess would ensure that each strike was executed with precision and minimal risk. However, despite Aldric's strength, Leo had given him clear orders: to avoid direct involvement unless necessary.
The veteran troops handle the raids while Aldric remains in the shadows—an ever-present but unseen force who emerges only when the situation truly demands it.
If Aldric did take action, all witnesses had to be eliminated. News of a knight leading a bandit camp must not be leaked; otherwise, it would bring endless trouble.
Leo would rather all 100 summoned troops die than risk exposure. The system's troops had fixed strength and could not improve. A junior knight would always remain a junior knight, and a simple bowman would forever stay a simple bowman; even though they are strong and loyal, they aren't worth risking everything.
If Aldric's presence as a knight were exposed, it would inevitably lead to investigations. After all, all knights were registered in the kingdom. There were no wandering knights without documentation, and knights from neighboring countries were registered. This investigation could expose Leo's plans. Additionally, if word spread that a knight-led bandit group was raiding Silverleaf Road, no trade group would dare pass through without hiring a knight of their own.
...
"This is our first mission. Be careful," Aldric ordered.
"Yes!" the summoned troops replied.
"Let's go!" Aldric led them toward Silverleaf Road.
...
Silverleaf Road was the main trading route between the kingdom and its northern neighbors. Bandits needed good judgment when deciding which trade groups to raid. Some goods were easy to sell on the black market, while others were difficult to offload. The best case for bandits was finding food cargo because it's easy to sell anonymously. The kingdom exported rice to the northern kingdoms while importing various fruits.
Fruits were considered a luxury and challenging to sell, whereas rice, a staple with high caloric content, was much easier to move and sell. Rice cargoes had long been a target for bandits.
However, raiding rice cargoes came with its risks. Rice trading groups often banded together, forming large caravans with hundreds of guards. Some even hired knights for protection. It was rare to find a small, vulnerable rice caravan.
On the other hand, fruit cargoes were simpler, but few bandits targeted them due to the bad risk-to-reward ratio.
The trade groups traveling along Silverleaf Road typically felt safe. It was well-patrolled as one of the main trading routes, and nobles supporting bandits avoided raiding it too often to prevent crossing the King's red line. However, that was about to change.
...
Aldric observed the caravan as it passed. He and his troops had waited two days for this moment.
A key aspect of being a successful bandit is having connections. Knowing people in trade groups and the government allows bandits to anticipate when and where caravans will be. This would be an issue for Leo, as an isolated noble without such connections.
Harwin had found the trade group Aldric was targeting. It was his backup plan in case their raid on Baron Fitzroy had failed. The caravan was carrying seafood from a northern port. Meat, particularly seafood, was not ideal loot, as it spoiled quickly and needed to be eaten or sold immediately. This was why most caravans carrying meat advertised their cargo, hoping to deter bandits.
For Aldric, however, this was a good training opportunity. Additionally, he had a different situation—he could quickly transport the seafood to his lord's city, where 10,000 people could consume it. The city also had a small refrigerator capable of preserving the meat for a short time.
There were 20 large wagons in the caravan, guarded by 40 men. Most guards were armed with spears, and only a few wore armor, indicating they weren't expecting to be attacked.
Aldric took out a war horn and blew. The sound alerted the caravan, but it was too late.
Bowmen emerged from their hiding spots and fired arrows at the guards.
"Take cover!" the leader of the caravan guards shouted, but his command came too late. The arrows flew, hitting their targets. Over 20 guards were shot in the first volley.
More than 50 light-armored swordsmen burst out of the bushes, charging with loud battle cries.
"We surrender!" the caravan leader shouted, but it was too late. The 'bandits' didn't stop.
The guards were in disarray and quickly overwhelmed by the swordsmen. Twenty-five guards died, while the rest were injured. As for the caravan crew, they were taken alive.
The bandits took control of the wagons and their seafood cargo.
The wagons were specially designed to keep the cargo cold, preventing spoilage. Seafood was a luxury item, typically purchased by nobles and the wealthy.
The bandits seized 41 horses and 20 wagons, all valuable items. The caravan crew was also taken as slaves. They could be used in the mines, and letting them go was out of the question. The news of the attack needed to be delayed as long as possible.
After taking everything valuable, Aldric ordered his men to clean the road, removing as many traces of blood as possible. He didn't want to cause widespread panic—yet.