“Don’t let a single one escape! Kill them all! As long as you kill them afterward, do whatever you want with the women!”
“Oooh!”
Gosling shouted these orders to his men as they attacked a small noble territory located north of a conflict zone.
Gosling’s band, which had fallen into banditry, had grown into a group of nearly 200 by gathering remnants of defeated soldiers with similar fates.
Simply attacking travelers and merchants wouldn’t be enough to sustain such a large group. Lately, they had begun attacking villages directly, occupying them entirely.
To keep his band of rough men in line, Gosling had to provide ample food and entertainment, such as alcohol and women.
Additionally, to delay the day when their existence would be discovered and they would be hunted down by the Kingdom of Lordberg, they had to kill the villagers to silence any witnesses.
Gosling had not always been such a cruel man during his time as a mercenary, but now he commanded his men to kill innocent villagers and allowed them to rape the women. At times, he, too, indulged in the pleasure of killing and raping.
He had come to realize that indulging in such fleeting pleasures helped him briefly relieve the frustration of being reduced to a rootless bandit.
They would attack villages, commit atrocities, seize food and other supplies, and then move on to find the next village to pillage.
Repeating this cycle, Gosling’s group continued to push further north.
…
“It seems like we should crush them finely before extracting the oil, just a hunch.”
“Yes, I was thinking the same.”
In the summer season, Kristi was experimenting with making soybean oil under Noein’s supervision after harvesting soybeans from their experimental farm.
Most of the harvested soybeans would be set aside for future planting, but at Noein’s suggestion, they decided to try extracting oil from some of the beans.
“When extracting oil from olives, it’s also common to finely chop them first.”
“Wait, Lady Mathilda, have you made olive oil before?”
Surprised by Mathilda’s experience, Kristi widened her eyes.
“Mathilda and I are both from the southern part of the kingdom, where olive cultivation is widespread.”
“Before I became Lord Noein’s personal servant, I was often forced to help press olive oil in the workshop of a certain estate. Techniques learned while being beaten as a child are hard to forget.”
Though slightly unnerved by Mathilda’s casual mention of her harsh past, Kristi followed her advice and continued the oil-making process.
They placed the crushed soybeans into a press—an olive press that had been specially ordered from the southern kingdom—and used the cold-press technique, applying pressure slowly over time.
Gradually, soybean oil began to drip into the container placed beneath the press.
“Whoa… we did it.”
“It worked… we actually made oil…”
Noein, who had been eager to make oil in his domain, and Kristi, who had carefully tended the experimental soybean crop, gazed in awe at the oil dripping down, their eyes shining with childlike wonder.
Seeing the innocent expressions of her master and Kristi, Mathilda smiled softly.
Once the pressing was complete, a smooth layer of oil had accumulated in the container.
“Let’s use this in tonight’s dinner. Take it to the kitchen and ask the maids to prepare something with it!”
“This is the first oil made in Arlkvist! And it’s freshly pressed! It’s going to be amazing!”
In the northern part of the kingdom, where olives couldn’t be cultivated, animal fats were commonly used for cooking. However, such fats had a strong flavor and a heavy taste. Using freshly pressed vegetable oil in cooking was a luxury that had never been possible before.
“Should we use this soybean meal as planned for livestock feed, Noein-sama?”
Mathilda asked while raising the press. Inside the press was the dried-out soybean meal left after extracting the oil.
“Ah, that’s right… Yes, it would be a waste to throw away the soybeans, even after extracting the oil, since they’re still quite nutritious. Let’s use it for that. For today, let’s give it to our warhorses.”
“Understood. I’ll instruct the stable slaves accordingly.”
…
The Arklift Viscountcy continued to thrive, with the mass production of crossbows, the expansion of soybean cultivation, and the increasing population due to the influx of refugees. Everything was progressing smoothly.
However, an unsettling threat from outside the territory was slowly approaching.
“Bandits?”
“Yes, and it’s a massive group… Rumor has it that there are close to 200 of them.”
The one delivering this news to Noein was Philip, a traveling merchant who frequently visited the Arklift Viscountcy.
Philip, who used to come with a donkey-drawn cart on foot, now arrived in a horse-drawn wagon. His attire had also become more refined, openly displaying his newfound prosperity.
Not only was he profiting from his merchant activities, but it was clear he was also providing information about the Arklift territory to Viscount Keinitz in exchange for money. However, since Philip also brought outside information, Noein maintained a good relationship with him.
It was through Philip that this rumor about the bandit group had reached Noein.
“That’s quite a sizable group… But wouldn’t nobles whose lands have been attacked rally their forces to stop them? Not to mention, the royal army should be involved, right?”
“Apparently, this group consists of remnants from the western conflict. They’re led by a veteran mercenary, making them a tough opponent. The local nobles seem to be content just driving them out of their territories.”
Indeed, a group of 200 seasoned bandits would be too much for the small armies of local nobles. At most, they would manage to push them beyond their borders.
“Besides, the royal army is tied up with the ongoing conflicts. Not only against the western Lancell Kingdom but also against the eastern Palas Empire. The kingdom’s forces are stretched thin maintaining the borders and defending the royal territories.”
“So, it might be a while before any troops are sent to deal with the bandits…”
“Exactly. In fact, there are rumors that the royal army might not even bother with this situation. They might just let the bandits wither away on their own.”
Hearing this, Noein frowned slightly.
A bandit group of 200, constantly pushed around by various territorial armies, would eventually run out of resources and be wiped out. However, before that happens, how much damage would the common people suffer? As a lord who cherished his people, this was an unsettling thought.
“Do you know where this bandit group is currently located?”
“They originally appeared in the southwestern part of the kingdom, and they’re gradually making their way north, towards the northwestern region. That’s why I thought I should inform you, Arklift-sama.”
“I see… Thank you. Thanks to you, we can make preparations for the bandits.”
“It’s my pleasure. I’ve been treated very well by both you, Arklift-sama, and the people of this land.”
Noein sincerely expressed his gratitude, and Philip, showing a rare expression of a man rather than a merchant, responded in kind.
After Philip finished his business for the day and left, Pence, who had been listening alongside Noein, spoke up.
“Noein-sama, it would be troublesome if those bandits came here.”
“Indeed. Our territory is located in the farthest reaches of the northwest. If the bandits come here, there’s no escape… For now, let’s have Damian speed up the mass production of crossbows. Not just ten, but as many as possible. I’ll assign as many of my slaves as I can to assist him. We’ll focus on making crossbows for the time being.”
While it wasn’t certain that the bandits would come, Noein knew that it would be too late to prepare once they were under attack.
He decided to strengthen the territory’s defenses immediately.
