Chapter 60

"None shall escape! Kill them all! If you're going to kill the women properly at the end, feel free to do as you please with them!"

"Ooh!"

In a small noble territory north of the conflict zone, while raiding a village, Gosling shouted at his subordinates in anger.

Gosling's band, which had fallen into thievery, had gathered more defeated soldiers in similar circumstances and had grown into a bandit group of nearly 200 people.

To feed and support such a large group, it was not enough to merely raid travelers and merchants. Recently, they had begun to swiftly attack and occupy entire villages.

To manage a group of roughnecks, it was necessary to provide them with sufficient food and entertainment such as alcohol and women.

Moreover, to delay the inevitable retaliation from the Kingdom of Rodenberg, they had to kill as many of the villagers as possible to ensure no one could inform on them.

Gosling, who was not a cruel person during his mercenary days, now ordered his subordinates to kill innocent villagers, allowed them to rape women, and sometimes indulged in the pleasure of killing and raping himself.

He had realized that by indulging in such fleeting pleasures, he could momentarily vent the frustration of being a disposable pawn and a rootless bandit.

They would raid a village, wreak havoc, plunder food and supplies, and then move on to the next village, repeating this process as they advanced further north.

...

"Anyway, it seems better to crush the beans finely before pressing them, don't you think?"

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing."

It was summer. After harvesting soybeans from the experimental field, Christie was conducting an experiment to make soybean oil under Noein's supervision.

Most of the harvested soybeans would be used for further planting, but Noein had decided to try making oil early, so they decided to press a portion of the soybeans.

"Generally, olives are also crushed finely before pressing."

"Wait, Lady Matilda, you've made olive oil before?"

Christie's eyes widened in surprise at Matilda's unexpected experience.

"Matilda and I are from the southern part of the kingdom where olive cultivation is common."

"Before becoming Noein's personal slave, I helped press olives in the estate's workshop several times. Skills taught with beatings in childhood are not easily forgotten."

While slightly taken aback by Matilda's casual recounting of her painful past, Christie followed her advice and proceeded with the oil-making process.

They placed the crushed soybeans into a press—specifically an olive press brought from the southern part of the kingdom—and slowly applied pressure using the cold-pressing technique.

Soon, the soybean oil began to drip into the container set below the press.

"Oh... we did it."

"It's done... the oil is really made..."

Noein, who had finally succeeded in making oil on his own land, and Christie, who had diligently tended the experimental field and grown the soybeans, looked at the dripping oil with the excitement of children.

Watching their innocent expressions, Matilda smiled softly.

Eventually, the pressing was complete, and the container was filled with a smooth oil.

"Let's use this for dinner tonight. I'll take it to the kitchen and ask the maids!"

"It's the first oil produced in the Alquvist territory! And it's freshly pressed! It's bound to be delicious!"

In the northern part of the kingdom, where olive cultivation was not possible, animal fats were commonly used in cooking. These fats were strong in flavor and heavy in taste. Using freshly pressed plant oil in cooking was a luxury that had been unattainable until now.

"Noein, shall we use the press cake as planned for animal feed?"

While lifting the press, Matilda asked. Inside the press, the soybean residue, now dry from the oil extraction, remained.

"Yes, that's right... Even though the oil has been extracted, it would be a waste to throw away the nutrient-rich soybeans. Let's use it for that. For today, we'll give it to our warhorses."

"Understood. I'll inform the stable slaves."

...

The production of crossbows and further cultivation of soybeans were progressing, and the population had increased due to the influx of refugees. Everything in the Alquvist territory was going smoothly.

However, a threat to this peace was approaching from outside the territory.

"Bandits?"

"Yes, and they're on a massive scale... Rumor has it that they're a bandit group of nearly 200 people."

Philip, who frequently visited the Alquvist territory for trade, was telling Noein this story.

Philip, who used to come on foot with a cart pulled by a donkey, now arrived in a horse-drawn cart. His attire was more splendid than before, and he made no effort to hide his prosperity.

It was clear that he was making money from trade and by providing information about the Alquvist territory to the Baron Koenitz, but Noein still maintained a good relationship with him because he also brought information from outside the territory.

This bandit group's rumor was one such piece of information.

"That's a formidable number... However, if such a large bandit group exists, the nobles whose territories are being ravaged wouldn't remain silent. The kingdom's army should also intervene, right?"

"However, it seems that this bandit group is made up of the remnants of the western conflict... Led by experienced mercenaries, they are quite formidable, and the noble lords are only thinking about driving them out of their own territories."

Indeed, a group of 200 battle-hardened bandits would be too much for the armies of smaller and medium-sized noble territories. At best, they could only drive them away.

"Moreover, the kingdom's army is preoccupied with the conflict. Not only with the Kingdom of Lancer to the west, but also with the Empire of Pallas to the east... They are fully occupied with maintaining the borders and defending the royal territory."

"In that case, it might take some time before troops are dispatched to deal with the bandit group..."

"Yes. Some even speculate that the kingdom's army has no intention of acting on this matter. They might let the bandit group naturally dissipate."

Hearing Philip's words, Noein frowned slightly.

Even a bandit group of 200 people, if driven away by the noble armies and passed around from one territory to another, would eventually become impoverished and collapse.

However, the extent of the damage that would spread to the people before that happened was not amusing for a lord who cared for his subjects.

"Do you know where this bandit group is now?"

"It seems to have originated in the southwestern part of the kingdom and is slowly moving northward to the northwestern part. That's why I thought it was important to inform you, Lord Alquvist."

"I see... Thank you. Thanks to you, we can prepare for the bandits."

"No, it's my pleasure. I have been treated very well by Lord Alquvist and the people of this territory."

Noein, expressing his sincere gratitude, received a response from Philip, not as a merchant but as a man.

After seeing Philip off after today's business, Pense, who had been listening to the conversation, said to Noein.

"Lord Noein, if the bandits Philip mentioned come here, it would be bad."

"Yes, you're right. Our territory is at the far end of the northwest. If the bandits come, there's nowhere to run... Let's have Damian expedite the production of crossbows. Not just ten, but as many as possible. For a while, we'll focus on making crossbows. I'll have as many of my slaves as possible help him."

While it wasn't certain that the bandits would come, it would be too late to prepare after they attacked.

Noein resolved to strengthen the territory's military power from now on.