Chapter 120: Rigorav, the Undefeated General

After attending yet another noble banquet in Ethanpor, Ulian returned home filled with anxiety.

"Ethanpor is becoming increasingly unstable. Three villages in the north have already been plundered by bandits."

"Rigolav has proposed establishing a joint patrol force. Under normal circumstances, each patrol will be responsible for security within its own territory, but as soon as news of a bandit lair surfaces, they will unite to eradicate it early, before the bandits can grow in power."

Leo had no objections. "You’re in charge; handle it however you see fit."

He was not particularly worried; the Riverbend region remained relatively secure. The existence of the Western Outpost meant that the World Tree Road west of Ethanpor was far less likely to harbor large bandit gangs like those in the north. Most of the bandit groups here were small units of fewer than a hundred men, needing little baggage and capable of weaving through the mountains to hide.

However, while they dared not attack nearby villages, they could still sneak off with cattle and sheep, ambush lone villagers, or even assault small, poorly defended merchant caravans. Many of the small caravans operating around Ethanpor consisted of fewer than thirty people, mostly drivers and peddlers, with very few experienced guards. As long as the numbers were roughly equal, these bandit groups would dare to emerge and extort them. Larger groups might even slaughter the merchants and seize their goods, while smaller ones would often raid under the cover of night to steal a few wagons.

Although the situation was not as severe as in the north, the rising number of displaced refugees made it much easier for bandit gangs to recruit. There was no guarantee that a bandit lair with over a hundred men might not quietly emerge in some forgotten corner. While Riverbend possessed enough military strength not to fear these gangs, its livelihood relied heavily on trade. If those small caravans and the Petukhov family’s merchant teams were frequently attacked, it would pose a grave threat to Riverbend.

As they discussed this, Ulian watched Leo sitting on his lord’s throne, teasing a small mouse and a young kobold while being fed by Olivia—the very picture of opulent ease. Meanwhile, he himself was travel-worn and laboring day and night.

Overcome with jealousy and burning with indignation, Ulian snapped, "What do you mean, 'handle it as I see fit'? You need to get involved!"

Leo thought for a moment and suggested, "Let Vichy take the Second Infantry Squadron to form a patrol. They can handle security around Riverbend, and we’ll decide whether to send them out when it’s time to clear out a bandit lair."

Ulian pondered this and agreed, nodding. "The Second Squadron hasn't seen enough blood; they do need the experience. Rigolav is cautious and steady in command, so even with the Second Squadron following him, there won't be any major danger."

"The First Squadron is the bedrock of Riverbend. If the situation truly becomes dire, we’ll send them in then."

Leo nodded, the matter settled, and asked, "Very well, is there anything else?"

Ulian flew into a rage, kicking Leo right off his throne. "Am I the lord, or are you? Get up and get to work!"

Banneret Knight Rigolav Petukhov had built his reputation for valor through the suppression of non-human tribes and bandits. His suggestion won the approval of most of the military lords. Militia patrols were quickly established around Ethanpor, with experienced veterans leading them to patrol the outskirts of their lands and provide support for incoming and outgoing caravans. Even when no signs of enemies were found, the mere show of force served to deter refugees and bandits, encouraging them to pick other targets.

Years ago, when Ulian served at the Western Outpost, the commander was Knight Rigolav. Together, they had trained a force that scoured the lands, clearing out bandits and non-human tribes, effectively purging the western side of Ethanpor of its greatest malignancy within a few years. For years afterward, one could barely find a bandit or non-human in that region. That was one of the reasons Ulian had led everyone a thousand miles south to choose Riverbend for their colonization.

The North was vast and sparsely populated. Aside from fighting over a few strategic locations, the various counts generally maintained a "peace is precious" attitude, with major wars breaking out less than once a decade. But the Northern people called themselves the descendants of the God of War; with nowhere to wage war, they channeled their martial spirit into conquering wildlings and non-humans. These "wildlings" included not just the unassimilated tribes, but also the various brigands, bandits, and outlaws who fled into the mountains.

Rigolav was the same, but he was a steady man with a keen strategic mind. His method of bandit suppression emphasized a slow, methodical approach and overwhelming force. He would first train a group of elite wilderness scouts to pinpoint the locations of bandit lairs and non-human tribes. Once a target was found, he would summon the surrounding knight-lords, crushing the enemy with five or even ten times their numbers, aiming to annihilate them rather than simply drive them away. A bandit lair he cleared would struggle to recover for three to five years.

Typical knight-lords, however, possessed military skills that rarely rose above the level of a village brawl. They preferred to lead their poorly equipped personal levies and militias in pursuit of bandit tracks, engaging in bloody combat to show off their individual valor. If they won, it was a pyrrhic victory; if they lost, their reputation was ruined forever. It was bad enough to die in battle, but captured knights were often forced to pay exorbitant ransoms to the bandits. Some wealthy knights would, in a single failed suppression, pay the bandits an amount equal to a year’s worth of plunder.

Compared to these bumbling knight-lords, Rigolav—who excelled at fighting steady, calculated battles—was a legendary commander who never tasted defeat. His worst record was merely having a large bandit group escape his encirclement, but he had never once truly lost a battle. His most famous achievement was the encirclement and total annihilation of a large force of nearly five hundred horse thieves and bandits in a single valley.

Rigolav’s status as a Banneret Knight was inherited from his family, but his personal renown was earned through his own merit. Unlike those knights whose fame was built on mutual flattery at banquets and the songs of bards, Rigolav was undoubtedly far more trusted by the military lords.

After Ulian left, the little kobold watched Leo. Seeing he was in a good mood, the creature slowly shuffled forward and reported timidly, "Master, my head hurts!"

Leo grabbed the little kobold’s head and gave it a vigorous rub. "Feeling better?"

The little kobold nodded and left, only to return a moment later. "Master, it still hurts."

Leo called out to the busy Olivia, "Mother of his, your godson has a headache!"

"I know he has a headache!"

Olivia irritably pulled the little kobold over, gave him a rough rub as well, and warned, "Behave yourself and it won't hurt anymore, understand?"

"I, I understand." The little kobold looked terrified and scrambled quickly under the lord's throne.

Leo felt something was amiss. Kobold whelps raised by Olivia were usually deeply attached to their godmother. If Olivia offered even a hint of praise, the pups would be as ecstatic as if they had found gold, and Olivia treated them all equally, never showing them any disdain. It was Leo who showed them little concern, which was why the kobold pups were usually afraid of him.

Today, something was clearly wrong. If the little kobold had a headache, why seek him out instead of his mother? Curious, Leo asked, "What happened? Why is the pup suddenly getting headaches? You're his mother, shouldn't you be paying more attention?"

Olivia replied angrily, "I know he has a headache! He deserves it! Do you have any idea what he did?"