Route 1: Bandits and Ice Part 2

**Scarlet Aubrielle**

“Now, what should we do about these people who dares to ambush us and ruin our trip? Well, maybe it is best if we used the Elvoian way huh?” I said and the knights looked at me - dazed for a short while and then all of them nod their heads as they grabbed their swords which means that they are ready of what is going to happen next.

Well, that is good that they respond easily and that they are prepared of what I am talking about. The Elvoian way that I am talking about simply means that we are to fight them and make sure that no one will survive and of course, we are not going to leave any trace. Although I haven been outside of the duchy all my life because my family are too overprotective, I still know what the Elvoian way is called and it is not because I know the everything that happens in the plot of this game but rather it is because I always heard it from the duke who is my father when he talks to the butler whenever there is trouble.

I am also an Elvoi so there is nothing wrong for me to use such a method in this moment as well also, it will even prove that indeed they cannot stop me from doing what an Elvoi must do and that they should at lessen their over protectiveness.

“Come out now, we already know that you have been surrounding us for quite some time now” I said to the people who are around us, I do think they are bandits and the fact that we have made a camp fire in order to cook our food and also to serve as our light probably attracted their attention. But I do believe that they just coincidentally went here in this part of the forest because Theo will not let us camp in a part where there are bandits since he is tasked to protect me at all cost and make sure that I will not encounter any trouble.

And just like what I said, the people surrounding us indeed came out and just like what I anticipated a while back when I scanned the area, there are actually about thirty individuals who came out.

“Well, hello there.” one of them greeted with a smile plastered on his face and it seems like he is actually the leader of the group. Well, whether or not he is the leader of the group, that really doesn’t change anything but rather he still end up dying tonight but of course, I kind of want to have a conversation with him and I would try to act dumb as much as possible.

“What do you need from us?”

“Well to be honest, my lady me and my friends are just passing through” he stated and his so-called friends smiled and that smile the have on their faces are actually a smile that means they are planning something hideous. “When we saw the light, we decided to approach you in hopes that we are going to find people that could help us - you know we have been starving for about three days now and we are hoping that you can help us” he additionally said which made me raise an eyebrow.

Well, I know what exactly he meant by that. What he said immediately translates to the fact that they are looking for possible victims and when they saw the light from the camp fire that we made they immediately decided to approach us and when they saw that they are greater in number of course they have decided to proceed with their plan of robbing us and our goods is what they are truly after. But of course, they are unable to attain our goods if we are are still alive so they have to kill us in one way or another.

“Well, it is obvious that you came from a well known family and so, it wouldn’t hurt for you to lend us some help don’t you think?” that is what he added and I saw some of the men behind him licked their lips which immediately made me grit my teeth and I also saw in my peripheral vision that Theo’s expression darkened - obviously he doesn’t like what he heard and saw. Well, of course because what the bandit said is a huge disrespect to me as the young lady of the Elvois.

And since I am supposed to act dumb I need to exert maximum tolerance.

“We don’t have anything to give you since what we have are just enough for us and so, you have to leave.” that is what I said and the smiles on the bandits faces disappeared as if they weren’t really expecting that I would make them leave - seriously, do they actually think that since I am a girl I wouldn’t really know what they are plotting?

“Come on lady. We have been starving for three days and you wouldn’t even share what you have? I thought that all nobles are generous and would help those who are in need but I guess I am wrong” that is what he said and that made me roll my eyes on my mind. Does he really think that all nobles are really generous? Well, of course he didn’t because everything is just for a show - he is appealing to my emotions thinking that I would be affected by such a thing and that since I am a lady I would care about such a thing.

But there are things that he forget to consider one is the fact that he doesn’t even know what family I belong to and of course he cannot destroy my reputation without knowing who am I in the first place. Second, he also forgot to consider that I have ten knights with me - does he really think that thirty men including him is sufficient in defeating knights who are trained to be good at both sword and magic?

“Leave” I firmly said and the leader then looked at me awfully and I even saw him grit his teeth - obviously he doesn’t like what he heard or rather how I acted that even if he already used my status as a nobility there is still no way for him to be able to put my guard down.

But then he will understand it when he got to know who I am well, that is if he is still able to do so.

“I guess there is nothing else we could do, huh? Alright boys, do what you must and have everything that this group has” that is what he said and immediately, the twenty nine men revealed their weapons. Some are swordsmen, there are also a few archers and mages - I guess he had really planned out too well what kind of group he is going to form.

Well, he really is really to raid anyone with that group of his, however the thing is he really is unlucky that he is able to encounter me tonight because this is the last time that he is going to be able to steal from other people and also kill anyone with this group of his.

“Kill them and get everything that they have but of course, leave the lady - we can stil use her in whatever means possible” the leader of the bandits said and I cannot help but to sigh because I can feel the anger from the aura of my knights, especially from Theo who is just a meter away from me.

“Theo” I called out to Theo to catch his attention and he did turn his head to look at me and then with a smile, I said.

“You can kill them to your hearts content and that same goes for the rest of you”

And after I said that, Theo bowed and then he replied.

“As you wish, my lady.” after he said that he turn to look towards the direction of the bandits and he charged to them, well he is not the only one who actually charged to them but also the other knights. Well, I guess they are really itching for a fight, but oh well, so do I.