Scarlet Fate

28: Bandit subjugation part 03

Akane's PoV

Hours after the battle ended, the captured bandits were interrogated one by one.

After obtaining information on where they sold the people that went missing in the village, I dispatched all available troops to rescue the them.

I sat down a create inside the bandit's hideout. Took a deep sigh, smelling the foul air of the cave, I told myself.

"I hope our troops aren't too late."

"Have faith in us milady, like what I did with you."

To my surprise, Alex was beside me, he giggled and sat beside me.

"You're right, it was wrong for me to doubt."

One of the soldiers rushed in and reported.

"Milady, we found a large sum of treasure inside the cave milady, what should we do?"

"We'll follow protocol."

The soldier nodded and left, moments later. Daniel and Ron sat down in front of me, Ron asked.

"Are you reckless by nature milady?"

Intrigued by his question, I asked in confusion.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

He took a deep breathe and continued.

"You knew didn't you, about Lady Yuka and her troops?"

I nodded without answering. He continued.

"If that's the case... Never mind forget I asked."

Ron stood up and left without uttering another word. Daniel smiled, he handed me a mug of Ale and said.

"Drink up milady, you too Alex."

Daniel quickly handed Alex a mug of his own. The two smiled and sang whilst drinking, I just sat there, unsure on what to do.

"Both of you fought well, if I'm to be honest with the both of you. I already lost hope and prepared myself to meet death, however when Lady Yuka and her troops arrived. I found the strength to fight once more."

Daniel turned to me and bowed.

"It was wrong for me to doubt."

I patted Daniel's shoulder and refilled his mug. Like a mother comforting her child I told him.

"Cheer up, if I were in your position I would have doubted my actions as well."

"Perhaps."

Another soldier entered the room and reported.

"Yuka's troops have returned, they successfully rescued those sold on the black market."

The three of us stood up, Alex leaned close to my ear and whispered.

"Told you to have faith in us."

I quickly pushed him aside and nodded.

"Yes you did."

After returning the treasures to their rightful owners. We handed the bandits to Ashiel's city guard and returned to camp.

During our arrival, many wounded were being treated. Yuito looked at me with shock and asked.

"Have you completed your task already?"

I nodded in response and dismount my horse.

"What happened?"

I asked, Yuito bite his lips and replied with a clearly frustrated tone.

"The monsters weren't just some random group of monsters, it was an orc horde, roughly two hundred in number."

He took a deep breathe and continued.

"We somehow managed to push them back, however it's only a matter of time before they attack another village."

"Should we make preparations to subjugate the orcs?"

"It's to risky to fight a horde with less than a hundred troops. Take command of fifty soldiers under my command, march northwest, to the abandoned fort of Elras. Make it your base of operations while you combat the orcs."

I turned to my Yuka whom nodded and began rallying those under my command to resupply.

"Your task is to defend the villages from that region, not subjugate the orcs. Understand?"

"Yes sir!"

I nodded and began preparations, after a few hours my company comprising of a hundred and twenty troops marched out of the encampment to fort Elras.