Rivendell

Roland had come with 103 men and returned with 193. Was this the legendary supreme military art—growing stronger with every battle?

"Guys, pick up the pace! We need to get to Rivendell!" Roland said spiritedly.

"Then, sir... where exactly is Rivendell?" Reno asked timidly. (In this world, Reno was not yet the Governor of the North, so he did not know where Rivendell was.)

"..." Roland said nothing.

"Caslo, do you know where Rivendell is?" Roland asked with a sliver of hope.

"Ahem, how about we look for it on the map?" Caslo scratched his head.

"So... we're lost again?" Roland asked in disbelief.

Seeing Reno and Caslo both confirm it, several black lines seemed to hang over Roland's forehead. He immediately covered his face. He remembered the last time they had gotten lost seemed to have been when they were looking for Bag End in Hobbiton.

"Fine. Let's look for it..." Roland sighed.

"This is the last Elven sanctuary east of the sea, what people often call..." Gandalf raised his brows as he introduced the place.

"Rivendell!" Bilbo murmured, stunned by the beautiful sight before him.

"Gandalf?" An elf came forward to greet him.

"Ah! Lindir, I came to see King Elrond," Gandalf said.

"Unfortunately, King Elrond isn't here," Lindir said.

At that moment, hoofbeats sounded behind them...

"When the thrush knocks, stand by the gray stone. The setting sun, with the last light of Durin's Day, will shine upon the keyhole." King Elrond read the moon-runes on the map beneath the moonlight.

Late at night, Roland and his exhausted men sat around a campfire, studying the map closely and trying to find some clue. Unfortunately, there was really nothing to be seen on that parchment map, which looked like little more than a crude sketch.

"Sir, how about we just go our own way..." Reno said helplessly.

"What are you thinking? We still have ten brothers with them." Roland held his head.

With Roland's current strength, he could easily seize a town somewhere in The Shire and become a local tyrant. But he could not bear to give up the mission rewards from the main storyline.

"System check-in!" Roland looked up at the sky. Excellent—it had long since passed midnight.

"Check-in successful! Reward: 100 Swift River Infantry of the Lagrange Empire."

"Holy shit, it really gives me troops to stockpile!" Roland exclaimed in surprise.

However, the Swift River Infantry could not ride horses. First, as infantry, riding would not improve their combat power. Second, Roland's reserve of warhorses was nearly depleted...

Roland chose to summon the hundred infantrymen. Sure enough, dense footsteps soon came from the distance, while the alert Bannaria Archers had already drawn their bows.

"They're friendlies. Relax a little." Roland rolled his eyes at the overly jumpy crowd. No wandering group of Orcs would attack an army made entirely of Professional Soldiers, unless it was an Orc army.

"Sir! We have come under orders to support you!" The neatly formed Swift River Infantry struck their chests with clenched fists. The memories bestowed upon them by the system told them that they had come from The Shire to support their lord—Lagrange's last lord.

"You've worked hard. Get some rest." Roland waved his hand, and people immediately went over to help pitch their tents. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

Roland carefully examined the Swift River Infantry. It was his first time closely observing this troop type. They were the most numerous infantry of the Lagrange Empire. Since they were not Professional Soldiers, they were merely ordinary men equipped as infantry. In the game, they were cannon fodder among cannon fodder, but things were clearly different now!

Thanks to the Lagrange Empire's powerful national strength, even its ordinary infantry possessed exceptionally fine equipment, relatively speaking. This infantry unit recruited from the Swift River basin, hence the name Swift River Infantry. They were a troop type between light and heavy infantry. They wore refined iron kettle helmets, leather armor beneath chainmail, carried five-meter Anti-cavalry Pikes, bore iron-rimmed full-body leather shields on their backs, and had Steel Lance spiked maces at their waists. They were armed to the teeth. Unfortunately, the Swift River Infantry were not Professional Soldiers and could not use skills. Against an equal number of infantry Professional Soldiers, even apprentice-level ones, they would be slaughtered to the last man.

Under the clear morning sky, Roland set off with his large force. Well, no—they were going in circles...

"Spread out! Find elves! Damn it, if I can't find Rivendell, can't I at least find some elves?" Roland suddenly had an idea.

"Brilliant! Truly brilliant!" Caslo immediately began flattering him.

Reno covered his face. This lord was unbelievable. It was his first time seeing someone get lost and then kidnap people to ask for directions...

At that moment, Lindir was leading a patrol of ten Elf Cavalry. They crossed hills, waded through streams, passed over grasslands, and then... were surrounded. Nearly three hundred men closed in from every direction with weapons raised. Lindir's heart went cold at once. The weakest among them were the Swift River Infantry, but the forest of five-meter Anti-cavalry Pikes they formed was far too unfriendly. The heavily armored mounted archers circling the outskirts looked dangerous as well. Bannaria Archers on warhorses were incredibly deceptive. And those Knights in full plate armor, carrying Steel Lances, would probably send his men digging through the dirt for themselves after one charge.

Thinking this, Lindir rode forward and shouted forcefully, "What do you want? Are humans going to violate the alliance? This is Rivendell!"

"Pfft!" Someone failed to hold it in.

Roland's eye twitched as well. Seeing this lad charge out with thick brows, big eyes, and a face full of righteous indignation, he had thought the elf was preparing for a duel or something. Who knew the kid had merely come out to invoke Rivendell's name as a threat?

"Perfect. Rivendell is exactly what we were looking for! Seize them!" Roland rubbed his hands together.

"Got it! Just watch!" The loyal lackey Caslo grinned wickedly and led everyone forward to surround them.

"Ah! Despicable humans!"

"Damn it, don't hit my face!"

"Sir! We brought them all back." Caslo said happily.

"Pfft!" Reno was stunned by the sight before him.

"What the hell did you do to them?" Roland pointed at the eleven swollen-faced figures ahead of him.

"Uh, they resisted, and we weren't allowed to kill anyone..." Caslo said embarrassedly.

"Let go of me! You hurt me!" Lindir slurred.

"Uh, let them go..." Roland turned away, his shoulders shaking nonstop. Only after a long while did he turn back around.

"Hello, could you tell me how to get to Rivendell?" Roland looked at the "pig head" before him while fighting back laughter.

"You hurt me! I'll never tell you!" Lindir said furiously.

"What do we do, sir?" Reno shrugged helplessly.

"Everyone stay alert! Wait for the other elves to come looking. I refuse to believe the elves won't react when a patrol goes missing." Roland sighed.

"Understood!" Reno accepted the order and left to make arrangements.

Thank you to all the readers for your recommendation votes. I hope you keep showering me with votes until I'm buried under them.