Chapter 20: Eliminating Bandits
Chapter 20: Eliminating Bandits
"Heavenly Father above, let’s hope this wretched weather doesn’t suddenly turn," Moder, who had been tracking the livestock hoof prints and cart ruts, muttered, making a sign of the cross as he eyed the increasingly gloomy sky.
One couldn’t expect a disorderly mob of bandits to possess much anti-tracking awareness; they hadn’t even thought of concealing their tracks. After all, the knight to whom this village belonged was either already dead or had fled.
If he had fled, it would be impossible for him to borrow enough forces from his liege lord to stage a comeback in a short time. If he was dead, well, that made things even simpler. So, they weren’t worried at all.
As dusk approached, faint pinpricks of fire finally became vaguely visible on a distant hilltop. Ryan, acting as scout, peered for a long time before reporting back, "Three campfires, about thirty men. It should be that band of robbers, no doubt."
Lothar ordered, "Everyone, suit up."
While traveling normally, Lothar and Hans didn’t wear their armor; most of their equipment was carried by the packhorses. This was because both his and Hans’s chainmail were high-quality pieces with very dense, intricately woven rings, weighing twice as much as the mail shirts worn by sergeants like Ryan and Moder. If not for their tight purses, he and Hans shouldn’t even be riding their warhorses but rather packhorses to conserve their warhorses’ stamina.
Warhorses were delicate animals, unlike easily managed packhorses. Not only could they not be ridden for long periods, but they also required fine fodder and sometimes ate better than humans. Such an investment was worthwhile because, on the battlefield, a knight’s life was inextricably linked to his mount’s stamina.
"Milord, should we attach the supplementary plating?" Hans asked.