Chapter 60 - Episode 59: Ignition
"Don't let a single one escape! Kill them all! As long as you kill them in the end, feel free to ravish the women however you like!"
""Oooooh!""
In a small noble territory located north of the conflict zone, Gosling shouted this to his subordinates while raiding a village.
Gosling's troop, having fallen into banditry, had since gathered remnants of armies in similar circumstances, growing into a bandit group of nearly 200 people.
To feed and support such a large household, simply attacking travelers and itinerant merchants in small increments would not suffice. Recently, they had taken to the quicker method of raiding villages and occupying them entirely.
To keep a group of roughnecks together, he had to provide them with sufficient food and entertainment, such as alcohol and women.
Furthermore, to delay as much as possible the moment the Kingdom of Roadberg learned of their existence and dispatched a subjugation force, he had to kill as many of the raided villagers as possible to silence them.
During his days as a mercenary, Gosling had by no means been a cruel man, but now he ordered his subordinates to kill innocent villagers, permitted them to ravish women, and sometimes indulged in the pleasure of killing and rape himself.
He had realized that by tasting such ephemeral pleasures, he could—if only for a moment—vent the frustration of having been treated as a disposable pawn and fallen into the life of a rootless bandit.
They would raid a village, commit every possible atrocity, seize supplies including food, and while consuming those, search for the next village to attack.
Repeating this cycle, Gosling and his men pressed north, further north.
.....
"For now, it seems like it would be better to crush them finely before squeezing, somehow."
"You are right; I was thinking the same thing."
The season was summer. Christy, having harvested soybeans from the experimental field, was engaging in an experiment to produce soybean oil under Noein's supervision.
Most of the harvested soybeans were to be set aside for further planting, but based on Noein's judgment that he wanted to try incorporating oil production quickly, they decided to actually squeeze oil from a portion of the soybeans.
"When squeezing oil from olives, it was also common to chop them finely first."
"Eh, Matilda-sama, have you made olive oil before?"
Perhaps surprised that an anecdotal experience came from Matilda, Christy's eyes widened.
"Matilda and I are from the southern part of the kingdom, where olive cultivation is flourishing."
"Before becoming Noein-sama's exclusive slave, I was made to help with the work of squeezing oil from olives in the manor's workshop several times. Techniques drilled into me while being beaten as a child are not easily forgotten."
While feeling slightly chilled by Matilda speaking of her painful past so matter-of-factly, Christy proceeded with the oil making while following Matilda's advice.
They placed the crushed soybeans into a press—a tool for olive pressing that had been specifically ordered from the southern part of the kingdom—and crushed them using a cold-press technique, applying pressure slowly over time.
Then, into the vessel set beneath the press, the squeezed soybean oil began to drip slowly.
"Oh... we did it."
"We... we did it... we actually made oil..."
Noein, whose dream of oil production in his own territory had finally been realized, and Christy, who had diligently tended the experimental field to grow the soybeans. The two of them gazed at the flowing oil, their eyes sparkling like children.
Watching the expressions of her innocent master and fellow slave from the corner of her eye, Matilda let out a small, soft chuckle.
Eventually, the pressing ended, and a smooth oil accumulated in the vessel.
"Let's use this for tonight's dinner. Let's take it to the kitchen and ask the maids!"
"It's the first oil produced in the Arqvist territory! And it's freshly squeezed! It'll definitely be delicious!"
In the northern part of the kingdom where olives cannot be cultivated, it was common to use animal fats in cooking, but such fats had a strong quirk and a heavy taste. Using freshly squeezed vegetable oil in cooking was a luxury that would have been impossible until now.
"Noein-sama, shall we use these press cakes as livestock feed as planned?"
Matilda asked while lifting the press. Inside the press remained the soybean dregs, dried out after the oil had been squeezed.
"Ah, that's right... yeah, even if the oil is gone, it would be a waste to throw away soybeans which are rich in nutrition. Let's do that. For today's portion, let's give them to our military horses for now."
"Understood. I will instruct the stable slaves."
.....
The mass production of Crossbows and further soybean cultivation progressed, and the population increased further due to the influx of refugees; everything was proceeding smoothly in the Arqvist Knight-Bachelor territory.
However, a seed of anxiety threatening that peace approached from outside the territory.
"Bandits?"
"Yes, and on an incredible scale... rumors say it's a bandit group of nearly 200 people."
The one relaying this story to Noein was Philip, who frequently visited the Arqvist territory for itinerant trade.
Philip, who once came for trade on foot with a donkey pulling a cart, now arrived in a horse-drawn wagon. His clothing had become more splendid than before, and he made no effort to hide his prosperity.
It was obvious that he was not only profiting from trade but also receiving money for conveying information about the Arqvist territory to Viscount Koenitz, but conversely, since he also brought in information from outside the territory like this, Noein still maintained a good relationship with Philip.
The rumor of this bandit group was what he brought.
"That is a staggering number... but if such a bandit group existed, the nobles whose lands were being ravaged wouldn't stay silent. Besides, wouldn't it be strange if the Royal Army didn't step in?"
"The thing is, that bandit group is apparently formed from the remnants of the western conflict... since they are led by veteran mercenaries, they are quite formidable, and it seems the lord-nobles are only thinking of driving them out of their own territories."
Indeed, if it were 200 bandits accustomed to battle, it would be more than the armies of small to medium noble territories could handle. At best, pushing them outside the territory would be the limit.
"Furthermore, the Royal Army is preoccupied with the conflict. Not only with the Kingdom of Lancel in the west, but the conflict with the Pallas Empire in the east has also continued... they must be at their limit just maintaining the borders and defending the royal lands."
"In that case, it seems it will still take some time before troops are dispatched to subjugate the bandit group..."
"Yes. There are even rumors that the Royal Army has no intention of moving on this matter in the first place. That they might just leave it to the bandit group to disappear naturally."
Hearing Philip's story, Noein frowned slightly.
Even a bandit group of 200 people, if they were driven away by noble territorial armies wherever they went and shuffled from one territory to another, would eventually run out of resources and be destroyed.
However, how much damage would spread among the populace before that was achieved? Imagining that, as a lord who loved his people, it was not amusing.
"Do you know roughly where that bandit group is now?"
"That... they apparently originated in the southwestern part of the kingdom and are gradually moving north toward this northwestern part. That is why I have come to tell you, hoping to bring this to the ears of Lord Arqvist."
"I see... I am grateful. Thanks to you, we can prepare for the bandits."
"No, I am just glad to be of help. Lord Arqvist, as well as everyone in this territory, have been very kind to me."
To Noein, who expressed his gratitude sincerely, Philip responded not with the face of a merchant, but with the expression of a man.
Afterward, as Noein saw off Philip, who was leaving after finishing today's business, Pence, who had been listening to the conversation, spoke.
"Noein-sama. Those bandits Philip mentioned, it would be bad if they came here."
"You're right. We are the furthest territory even in the northwest. If bandits come, there is nowhere to run... For now, let's have Damian hurry the mass production of Crossbows. Not just 10, but as many as possible. I'll have him concentrate on making Crossbows for a while. I'll assign as many of my slaves as possible to help him."
It wasn't decided that bandits would definitely come, but it would be too late to prepare after being attacked.
Noein resolved to strengthen the territory's military power starting now.