
I see what you mean, but when the bandits said that they asserted their rightful authority in response to the claim of them attacking first, I automatically took it as that the empire was on their land first.
This is because if they were asserting their "rightful authority" that would mean that empire was doing something wrong that would cause the Ambrosettians to have to do something against it.
Also, the territory was originally the Ambrosettians but the empire forced them out without even treating them like humans! Their land got stolen, their people died, and now their getting shamed for trying to take their land back.
Additionally, they have no other way to survive other than to steal, thanks to the empire taking their land. I feel so bad for the Ambrosettians who were just trying to live.
If I were them, I'd be livid at how aggravating the empire is.
You know what I'm going to say it that group of bandits has every right to be pissed off