Chapter 20

The rays of morning began a new day, signaling the end of Gerald's stay in Black Dog's camp. He'd decided to receive the news from the captain in the cabin.

"My lord," the captain saluted. "Our gains from the camp are plentiful. We have collected coin that amounted to 2,537 gold. We've also found some other robbed valuables that could be sold later for coin. The camp didn't lack grain, so we gained a considerable amount of that as well."

Gerald scratched his chin and nodded. "So we could say that we've earned about 3000 gold coins," he said while humming. If Robard also gained a similar amount, then Ard's treasury would fare a lot better than before. The bandit extermination in the east didn't come without its price in gold, though. He'd had to spend almost 1000 gold for this small campaign against the bandits, leaving his treasury with less than 6000 gold. The bandits were wealthy as he'd expected, which was good news. Their gold would alleviate Ard's needs for the time being. "No news of a manual?" Gerald eyed the captain.

"I'm afraid not, my lord. I made sure that the soldiers kept an eye out for manuals, but none were found. Not even the cheapest Warrior manual was found here."

"Alright," Gerald sighed. "It doesn't matter anymore. Prepare for departure."

The captain saluted again. "Yes, my lord."

Gerald's troops grouped up outside of the camp before noon. He was on his horse when the camp was finally torched. Its palisade was like a wall of fire, and more flames were consuming the innards of the camp. The tents inside had made it too easy to burn the place down.

He signaled with his hand and the troops started moving towards the southwest. The captain rode slightly behind Gerald while the elite corps rode on the other side.

They rode until the afternoon. That was when they reached the meeting point west of the forest. Robard's men hadn't arrived yet, though. Gerald had to wait until a bit before dusk for Robard to arrive leading his 3000-man army.

"My lord," Robard saluted upon arrival, his forces falling into the ranks of Gerald's.

"Robard," Gerald nodded. "How did the battle go on your side?"

"Very well, my lord." Robard told Gerald of how the battle had gone. Robard and his men had arrived at the Big Mountain camp when the battle between the two crews was still raging. By the time Robard's men had surrounded the camp, the battle inside had nearly ended. Then the second battle had begun. "Our soldiers overran the enemy," the head knight recounted. "Their gates were open and their palisade was waiting to be mounted. It took our men almost no effort."

"And our losses?" Gerald asked.

Robard cringed at the mention of losses. He sighed then spoke, "sixty-seven wounded and thirty dead."

"Thirty?" Gerald raised his brows. "I thought the enemy didn't pose any resistance to you."

Robard hesitated for a moment then said, "It's the Warriors you moved, my lord. They served as the leaders of some younger squads. A charge led by a Warrior breaks the morale of the enemy faster than a charge led by a regular soldier. Most of our veterans were already filling leading positions in the army before you formed the elite corps. Now we have some vacancies. We've had to fill them with less capable men."

Gerald nodded slowly. The Warriors he'd moved to the elite corps had served as a skeletal support to the main army before. Now the army lacked most of its Warriors. Soldiers with deep experience would fill leadership positions, even if they weren't Warriors, just like the regiment captain that accompanied Gerald. The young Warriors, on the other hand, filled lower positions. They were sergeants and squad leaders. They didn't have much experience, but they had the strength to make up for it, and the army had to provide such treatment to attract Warriors. Nevertheless, Gerald didn't change his mind. The elite corps would stay. The army could always grow more veterans over time. The benefits of having the younger Warriors in the elite corps far outweighed the losses of not having them in the main army.

It wasn't like there were no Warriors in the army at all. There were the older ones. Gerald hadn't moved those. Over time, they'd increase. There were always soldiers who became Warriors after the age of 30.

"Alright," Gerald said. "It was a victory. That matters the most. Losses were inevitable. We will honor the dead and take care of their families. How were our gains, though?"

Robard's expression lightened at the question. "Great, my lord," he said. "We have collected what amounts to 4000 gold in the defeated camp."

"That much?" Gerald was surprised. "Odd."

"No, my lord," Robard continued. "It wasn't just the camp's stash. It was the coin on the bodies of the fallen bandits. Most of the time such gains would be left for the soldiers to collect, but the camp was confined enough for me to keep an eye on the collected coin and increase our gains."

"Ah," Gerald nodded. "I see." Most of the regular bandits kept their coin on them. Only the wealthier ones would stash it somewhere safe. The 200 Gerald had defeated didn't amount to much in the general scheme of things, so Gerald had let the elite corps loot their coin. But almost 2000 bandits on Robard's side had provided a considerable amount of coin. With the results of both attacks, Gerald had earned 7000 gold. Some of it were valuables yet to be turned into coin, but that issue would solve itself once they reached Ard.

"There's something else, my lord," Robard coughed.

"hmm?" Gerald raised a brow. "What else?"

"It's Gasper," Robard said. "We've found him."

"Ah, yes," Gerald smiled. "I was just about to ask you. I thought he might have slipped back into the forest."

"No, my lord," Robard shook his head. "He didn't. When we found him, he was wounded. He didn't look good, but he will live. He needs some time to recover, though."

"Well," Gerald said. "Let's go see him."

Robard shook his head. "He's unconscious, my lord. He's been like that since we found him. The physicians said that it was normal and that he would wake up eventually."

"It isn't the best of news," Gerald sighed. "But it wasn't unexpected. Was he injured by our men?"

Robard nodded. "He had arrow injuries, my lord. Ours," he said. "Also, the men who found him, found Black Dog's corpse nearby. I'm not sure if he had something to do with it, but they say that he'd climbed up from the latter's body drenched in blood."

"If he dared to fight Black Dog to the death, then he isn't as spineless as he thinks he is," Gerald chuckled. "I suppose we'll know when he wakes up."

"Now that the bandits of the east are removed, will you disband the crew Gasper recruited, my lord?"

Gerald snorted. "Gasper's crew hasn't done anything yet, Robard," he said. "They've yet to realize what I've planned for them. This was only the beginning. When Gasper recovers, he will return to the forest and command them."

Robard nodded expressionlessly.

"It's time to return," Gerald continued.

"Yes," Robard said.

"You should smile, Sir Robard," Gerald said, chuckling. "You've finally gotten your desired battle against the bandits."

Robard forced a smile and nodded. It seemed like he wasn't too thrilled about the idea of the forest crew.

Gerald shook his head. Robard was too rigid, almost unwavering. The head knight always followed his commands. But Gerald couldn't help but worry that someday things may get more troublesome because of the knight's stubborn nature.

Soon the army began moving towards the east. They would reach Ard after dusk and enter at night. Most likely, everyone had already taken note of the absence of the army back in Ard. But two days weren't enough for anything to go awry. On the day of departure, Gerald had chosen the safer approach. He'd left Ard quietly under the cover of the night, so as not alert his enemies of the inside or the outside.

Under Gerald's command, the army marched back to Ard with a relaxed pace.