Chivalrous Knight

The bandits' stronghold was indeed very close, located at the border between Veneto and the Austrian March, only a few kilometers away.

However, it required leading pack animals and a carriage over mountains and valleys, plus a long night's journey. For most people with night blindness, this would be an insurmountable difficulty.

This was precisely why the bandits hadn't returned directly to their stronghold.

Lothar initially thought it was because the bandits' wives were fierce, so they dared not openly bring a group of captured female slaves back to play with.

After a moment's thought, he understood.

The status of lower-class women in this era was extremely low.

Even within the noble class, there were a few Grand Duchesses, Empresses, and highly sought-after Baronesses.

And those formidable witches who hid behind the lords.

None of this changed the fundamental fact.

Firstly, it was difficult for women to fulfill the feudal obligation of military service to their lords, which meant most of them could not achieve upward mobility through war like men.

Secondly, due to religious oppression, women were seen as temptresses, possessing "original sin," and denied the right to education, having to depend on men for everything.

The bandits dared not travel at night.

Lothar naturally had no such intention. He ordered Ryan and Moder to lead the newly recruited villagers and set up camp in an open area in the mountains.

The roaring bonfire was quickly rekindled.

Lothar distributed the food the bandits had not managed to enjoy to his villagers and then took out food carried by the pack horses to heat over the bonfire.

Lothar instructed, "Moder, Ryan, you two shouldn't just stand here foolishly. Go and see what the villagers need. From today onwards, they are under your command."

"Huh?"

"Don't be silly. You two will be my sergeant majors from now on. Although we don't have many people yet, they will be the backbone in the future. You need to train them well."

"I understand."

Both men were somewhat invigorated by his words.

They deeply respected Lothar and believed he could achieve great things. Lothar's regard for them further deepened their gratitude.

The two left one after another.

Within their hearts, a thought they had never dared to hope for before began to bloom.

If Lord Lothar were to become a lord someday, would he actually enfeoff us as knights?

The bonfire crackled.

Lothar sipped his stew, his expression serene.

Not long ago, he was still a rookie. But now, after a great battle, he was a seasoned warrior who could drink stew without changing his expression after killing more than ten people.

He had transformed quickly.

He couldn't help but feel like he was born a perverted maniac who enjoyed killing.

"What? You want to pour me a glass of water?"

Lothar cupped his ear as if listening, then nodded, "Then thank you, Banya."

Banya: "..."

She expressionlessly took a wooden cup, filled it with hot water, and handed it over.

Lothar took the cup, blew gently on the steam, and then took a small sip.

Banya opened her mouth, looking somewhat helpless. "If you have a request, you can state it directly. There's no need to beat around the bush. As your subordinate, I will obey your orders."

Lothar raised an eyebrow, staring at her warm, orange face illuminated by the firelight, and chuckled, "Alright then, I want to rest my head on your lap for a while."

The atmosphere instantly became somewhat oppressive.

Lothar could clearly feel a chill emanating from the other side.

Meeting Banya's cool gaze, he swallowed a mouthful of warm water, but his eyes showed no fear.

After a long pause.

Banya finally said, "I apologize, but that is not an obligation a subordinate should fulfill."

Sensing that the atmosphere was no longer so stiff, Lothar said sheepishly, "I was just saying."

"Lord, I can do it..."

Hans patted his thigh with a simple, honest smile. "If you are tired, your subordinate is willing to be your pillow so you can get a good night's sleep."

This poor child, probably due to his low quality, only having one star, caused his affinity to increase rapidly.

He opened the system to check.

Wow!

It had already risen from "Friendly" to "Adoration."

"Never mind then."

Lothar quickly shook his head. "I was just joking with Banya, I'm not that delicate."

Hans secretly thought, "A lord is a lord, actually daring to joke with General Banya."

This honest kid didn't realize Lothar was teasing Banya at all.

Because in his eyes, he never saw Banya as a woman, or more accurately, even as a person.

She was a gatekeeper of hell!

The next morning.

Before dawn, the group set off.

Lothar, Hans, Banya, and Moder, traveling light, trekked arduinely along the mountain path.

This time, Ryan was left behind near the stronghold, guarding the pack animals and the carriage with the villagers.

Given the short time they had spent together, Lothar couldn't fully trust these villagers. So, before leaving, he specifically instructed Ryan to be vigilant, lest they conspire in secret.

One must always be on guard.

No matter how small the chance, precautions must be taken.

With Ryan on guard, armed with a crossbow and wearing armor, it would be difficult for those villagers to succeed if they were truly greedy.

As for why these villagers weren't brought along to attack the bandit stronghold, it was because, although the able-bodied men among them could become qualified "conscripts" by picking up the weapons left by the bandits.

He didn't intend to use these newly recruited villagers as cannon fodder.

Instead, he planned to have Moder and Hans train them into regular soldiers.

Even if he didn't have the financial means to train them all into "soldiers," he wouldn't force a group of ragged, untrained farmers onto the battlefield.

Furthermore, most of the villagers near the Holy Land believed in the Orthodox faith, with a few adhering to Zoroastrianism, being different in language and customs.

These dozen or so villagers were, after all, Germanic people of the same language and culture, and would eventually become a more trustworthy and valued key force.

Both caution and high hopes were held for them.

These two sentiments were not contradictory.

When they were halfway through the journey, Hans suddenly asked, "Lord, what if we encounter women and children?"

Lothar pondered for a moment, then replied, "If they pose a threat, kill them. If they don't, let them perish on their own. In short, prioritize your own lives above all else."

Although Lothar knew that even the old, the weak, women, and children, since they were enjoying the wealth and food plundered by the bandits, were no longer innocent.

But if he were truly asked to "cut all ties," he would still find it difficult to act.

Hans nodded, "I understand."

He was still a raw recruit, but influenced by the Teutonic Knights who often invaded the Slavs, engaging in burning, killing, and looting, he was not a person of excessive mercy.

After cresting a small hill.

The destination finally came into view.

"This is the so-called bandit stronghold?"

Standing on the hillside, Hans frowned deeply. "This is clearly a village!"

They had even cultivated a small patch of farmland.

Not far from here, a large orchard could be seen, with pale yellow flowers blooming, exuding a fragrant aroma, making it seem like a paradise.

Lothar was also a little puzzled. "Could that bandit have deliberately given us the wrong directions?"

"I'll go scout it out!"

Moder took the lead and walked towards the stronghold.

Before long, he ran back quickly, a look of regret on his face. "There's no mistake. The trap's location and layout that the bandit mentioned are correct. This is the bandit stronghold he spoke of; he wouldn't dare lie to us."

Lothar sighed heavily.

This was likely a settlement formed by escaped serfs, allowing them to avoid the oppression and heavy taxes of their lords, and occasionally band together to raid.

Perhaps they were once pitiful people.

But when they took up the butcher's knife, they were no longer pitiful.

"Hans, Moder, you two will flank from the sides. I'll break through the front with Banya. Remember my instructions: prioritize protecting your own lives above all else."

His current forces were limited; the reliable people he had were just a handful.

Before truly obtaining the territory activation system, the opportunities to draw retainers through milestones were very few.