Lord of the Oasis Chapter 1: 1, a 13 tzameti fanfic

Bags of salt, spices and sugar stacked from inside the shop all the way out into the streets. Merchants loaded with goods going flooded the streets with their carriages. The air was filled with fragrances emanating from all manner of spices. It was a prosperous, lively city at the side of the oasis. Sounds of metals being hammered and threads being woven were heard all over the place, as smiths and craftsmen were busy at work in their respective workshops. The banner of the successor of the Kingdom of Swadia—Baron Kant—was hanging on the city gates. The citizens lived peaceful, happy lives, revering their lord from the bottom of their hearts. Soldiers on the city walls armed with crossbows stood guard over the city, and footmen wearing mail armor patrolled the streets. The place was one of peace and security.

Lord of the Oasis #Chapter 1 - Read Lord of the Oasis Chapter 1 Online - All Page - Novel Usb

Chapter 1: Journey in the Desert

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Kant shook the reins in his hand for a bit as he steered the horse he was riding forward.

To the east of the Nahrin Desert, the morning sun was steadily rising. It hung high at the top of the endless dunes, exuding its might to dispel the chill of night. Scorching heatwaves washed over the barren desert.

Except for the Jackalans, who had no concept of civilization, no other races were willing to step foot into that barren place.

That, of course, excluded Kant and his team.

Twenty knights, who wore mail armor under their robes, were riding warhorses. There were also 30 peasants, who served as servants. Right behind Kant were six horses pulling carriages with goods.

Huuhhh...

Kant sighed a heavy breath and frowned as he looked forward at the winding dunes. He flipped the hood on his linen robe over. His blonde hair draped over his shoulders. His young, supple face was plastered with dust.

His amber eyes contracted, making them look harsh as he rode.

They were in the Nahrin Desert, a world filled with sand and dust. It was a wasteland that had yet to be developed.

Before the place was conquered by the Dukedom of Leo 10 years ago, the desert had no signs of civilization. As for the Jackalan Tribes, they were primitive beings that ate their prey raw along with the blood and fur.

There was no doubt that the Jackalans remained the same even until now.

As the youngest son of the duke, Kant naturally understood that the desert was not considered part of the Dukedom of Leo.

Even though the dukedom had conquered the entire southern area of the Nahrin Desert 10 years ago, in truth, the upper echelons had only claimed to have taken the place with empty talk.

Most scholars within the dukedom did not acknowledge that the conquest had even happened.

On the map, the border of the dukedom remained at the Senwaya Range right next to the Nahrin Desert. The endless desert north of there remained unoccupied by civilization.

Those areas had been taken over by the Jackalan Tribes, so the place remained incapable of being used for herding or farming, which practically made it useless.

Even criminals and escaped slaves from the dukedom, who were at their wit's end, would not go to such a place.

"This is pathetic."

Kant shook his head and humbly smirked as he thought, I actually ended up in a sh*thole like this.

If it had not been for the fact that he had run out of options, he would not have stepped into the barren desert in the first place. Furthermore, it was still summer. The sun in June was like a bakery oven. Even the morning sun was capable of heating the entire desert to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

Kant looked up at the sky. The sun above the dunes continued to rise.

During this season in the barren desert, noon temperatures could reach 158 degrees Fahrenheit, which was a temperature no one could withstand.

It is so hot!

He gulped a mouthful of sticky saliva and adjusted the breathable linen hood. His frown turned even more serious as he moved.

He hastened the horse before turning around to the team behind him and shouting, "Move it, people! Hurry up. If you don't want to end up being toasted under the sun at noon, we need to set up camp to rest before noon!"

"Yes, Sir."

Lethargic responses were heard. The peasants pushed the carriages, making them go faster.

They were all traveling on foot. With three carriages full of supplies, the team's speed was abhorrent.

The wheels of the carriages, which were crafted using hardwood and nails, were better suited to roads on the flatlands of the Dukedom of Leo. The wheels dredged through the soft sands, causing even the stout horses to neigh in exhaustion. Every step they took was difficult because the wheels kept getting stuck in the sand, requiring the peasants to push the wheels to be able to move even slightly faster.

Kant understood their predicament. He sighed seeing the team behind him move.

This is awful. Kant frowned.

"Your Lordship."

Rowan, the captain of the knights riding behind him, rode up to Kant's side.

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That middle-aged man, who was usually steadfast, looked rather anxious as he said, "Pardon my rudeness, but we'd really like to know how long it will take before we reach the Oasis Lookout."

"How long?"

Kant looked calm and kept his eyes on the winding, endless dunes ahead. He gritted his teeth before saying, "I have no idea."

"Well..." Rowan looked even more anxious after hearing the answer.

That was apparently not what he had hoped to hear.

The corner of Kant's mouth rose slightly. However, there was hardly any emotion seen on his calm face as he plainly said, "According to the calculations, we've been traveling for six days. If the map and route are correct, we'll reach our destination soon enough."

"We'll reach soon enough?" Rowan gulped, feeling his throat hurt from being so parched.

They had been marching through the desert for six days. Everyone had reached their physical and psychological limits. They had had enough.

That was especially so regarding the storage of fresh water. That day, it had hit the red line.

Fifty-one people and 27 horses needed their thirst quenched.

That was one of the reasons why Rowan was so anxious. He and the 20 knights he commanded, who all served as escorts, were allowed to leave as soon as they reached their destination. They did not need to stay with Kant and the 30 peasants.

The sooner they reached the Oasis Lookout, the sooner they would leave the dreaded desert behind and return home.

On the contrary, Kant hardly minded any of it. Even when they reached the Oasis Lookout, the destination at the end of the route was not something to be happy about.

It was where he would likely stay for the rest of his days, surrounded by an endless swath of sand.

He recalled the title he gained at his coming-of-age ceremony and sarcastically smirked. A fief was granted alongside the title. Boy, this is hilarious.

However, his eyes were only filled with coldness.

He was a baron of the dukedom, which was why he had a territory of his own.

It was conferred by his father, Cameron, the duke of the Dukedom of Leo, personally. He gave the Nahrin Desert, which had been conquered 10 years ago, to Kant for him to reign over as its master.

That included their destination, the Oasis Lookout, which was the only oasis the could be found in the southern parts of the desert.

Kant was a baron in name but lord of the Nahrin Desert.

However, no one knew that the place was simply a prison where Duke Cameron exiled his least favorite and youngest son.

Then again, desert or not, I have my way of getting by.

The sarcasm seen in Kant's eyes became even more pronounced.

As someone who was transported to his current world from Earth, Kant had his trump card, which served as a cheat in that world.

So be it.

Kant narrowed his eyes and looked ahead. A dialog box from the system appeared on his retina.

[Main Quest: Build a village]

[Reward: 1,000 Denars]

[Status: Incomplete]

[Introduction: You can only become a lord by having a village. That is the first step to constructing your foundation. Please be careful.]

That was the main quest given by the system. He needed to see to its completion since it was tied to leveling up in the system.

It was actually simple to complete the main quest. n0𝑽𝓮𝓛𝓊𝚜𝕓.𝗰0𝓂

As long as Kant was able to get to the Oasis Lookout and have the 20 knights of the dukedom return home, he could rely on the powers bestowed by the system to build his village, bringing the buildings that only existed within the system to reality.

The village was but the beginning. As things progressed, the place could be upgraded to a huge city or a sturdy castle.

In the past, Kant was concerned that he would have no place to establish his village.

At present, after traveling through the natural border separating the Nahrin Desert and Dukedom of Leo, the Senwaya Range, Kant found that he no longer had to live under constant scrutiny as he had once been, always afraid of having his cover as a Transported and his cheat blown.

He did not need to think about where to materialize the village from the system quest.

The Dukedom of Leo was a conventional nation of the middle ages. The flatlands of the entire nation had all been taken.

Be it the hills, forests, marshes, or jungles, all of them had been taken by the nobles as their fiefs and estates.

The Dukedom of Leo had been established for nearly 300 years. Whether it was the greater nobles or the lesser nobles titled by the greater nobles, all of them had taken whatever land there was to take. The ranks of counts, viscounts, and barons had been firmly established throughout the years.

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A new village that popped out of nowhere was tantamount to a failed investment.

It was easy to establish a village, but it was another thing altogether deciding who would eventually rule the place. Furthermore, none of the nobles would have allowed such a lucrative piece of land to slip through their fingers, even if the father of the one who built the place was the duke.

"The vassal of my vassal is not my vassal."

That was a renowned phrase from the western parts of Earth, which could have been applied to this situation.

As such, Kant was very careful with his main quest. If he were to lose his village, he would lose everything. He dared to gamble, but he dared not be careless.

That remained his attitude, even at present as he was making his way to the Oasis Lookout in the Nahrin Desert.

Kant knew that only the things he truly had command over would be his.

Thus, Kant had agreed to take the Nahrin Desert as his fief.

Things are going to better once we reach the Oasis Lookout.

Kant clenched his fists slightly. His breathing became more labored. However, he was actually very spirited.

He turned around to look behind him.

The 30 peasants, who wore cheap linen clothing, were exhausted and drenched in sweat from pushing the carriages. They looked to be of little difference from common peasants—subjects who were following their lord to his new fief.

In truth, that was not the case.

The 30 peasants were a reward given to Kant when he finished a side quest after coming to that world.

They were Kingdom of Swadia peasants given to him by the system.

Despite looking rather malnourished and appearing frail, all of them were around 5 feet 9 inches tall and stronger than their looks suggested. They excelled at working the fields and were laborers that any workshop would have fought over to hire.

Then again, being from the system, they were more than just average peasants.

If Kant provided the necessary training, including corresponding weapons and equipment, they could also become fine soldiers.

It was just like the leveling tree of the game, "Mount and Blade."

They could be upgraded to become reliable main infantry forces—Swadian Sergeants who were like walking fortresses.

They could be upgraded to become excellent ranged attack units—Swadian Sharpshooters armed with crossbows.

They could be upgraded to become Swadian Knights armed in two layers of armor as they rode horses. That was the unit known to be the supreme troop class on land.

"These people will serve as my foundation from here on out."

Kant quietly muttered to himself. His eyes glimmered with hope once again.

He sat upright as he rode, gazing at the faraway dune. He encouraged both the peasants and knights behind him. "Keep it up, people! We can take a break at that dune at the horizon before us!"

"Hurray!" The peasants cheered in a high-spirited manner.

"Yes... Hurray..."

The knights of the dukedom responded lethargically. If it had not been for Captain Rowan telling them that they were about to reach their destination, none of them would have probably been in the mood to even talk.

At the same time, those knights were looking at the Swadian Peasants like they were idiots.

They were unable to fathom why those lowly, poor peasants had come to the barren desert. Furthermore, they all looked very high-spirited as if they had high hopes for the future.

The knights thought the peasants were hilarious.

Hope?

Scorching heat... Freezing cold... All manners of negative words and terms could have been used to describe the Nahrin Desert. The word "hope" had no place there.

They are indeed some ridiculous fools!

Rowan eyed the peasants with cold eyes.

None of them understood that the Swadian Peasants existed only because Kant existed.

Rowan looked at Kant and felt contempt in his heart. You're about to end up dead here, yet you actually brought that many with you! Does Your Lordship really think that you're a lord of the Nahrin Desert, the master of the Oasis Lookout?

He struggled to hold back his laughter at the thought.

None of it had anything to do with him. As soon as they reached their destination, Rowan and his men would immediately leave. They would not have even a moment of hesitation to stay behind.

In truth, those were not Rowan's thoughts alone. All of the dukedom nobles shared such thoughts. None of them thought there were any prospects to be had in the oasis, which had an area less than 3,229 square miles.

Furthermore, in the barren desert, the scorching heat of the day and the freezing cold of the night were not the only threats to humans.

The threat included those who had once been driven away and slaughtered but had never truly left the Nahrin Desert:

The Jackalan Tribes.

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Chapter 2: The Jackalan's Ambush

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Jackalans were the most common humanoid race found in the Nahrin Desert.

They once had a massive population that stretched across the Nahrin Desert to the Senwaya Range. During the many years the dukedom was at war with other dukedoms, the Jackalans had taken advantage of the situation and invaded the dukedom's northern lands. They remained a solid threat to the dukedom for nearly three years.

They were considered as a disgusting inflammation that seemed to spread all the way to the central regions.

When the Dukedom of Leo was done warring against the other dukedoms, they immediately sought to purge the Jackalans from their lands.

The massive purge lasted for a year.

The Jackalan Tribes, which behaved as if they had reached paradise when they first invaded the dukedom, were quickly crushed by the retaliation.

The Jackalans had no high-grade weapons or armor, which meant that they were no match for the human forces.

The Jackalans were easily killed by the cavalry units, which were highly regarded by the Dukedom of Leo and a source of great pride.

It was said that the number of chopped Jackalan heads 10 years ago was enough to line both sides of the road.

The brutal purge quickly spiraled to become an all-out genocide, stretching from the northern border of the dukedom into the southern parts of the Nahrin Desert. The main Jackalan Tribes, which had greater numbers, almost became extinct from the genocide.

Any surviving Jackalan Tribes moved into the desert north of the dukedom in fear.

There were still some scattered pockets of them left.

There were quite a number of Jackalan Tribes within the Senwaya Range, which was evident from how the northern villages of the dukedom were sporadically raided by Jackalans.

As for the southern parts of the Nahrin Desert, the Jackalan numbers likely spiked from having gained a 10-year respite.

There's no going back now.

Kant wetted his parched, cracked lips. His expression was filled with resolve.

He was determined to build his village after making the arduous journey through the desert. With the system's Kingdom of Swadia as his cheat, he was determined not to fall into a state of having absolutely nothing.

The dunes, which were recently discussed, were right in front of them. That was where they were about to set up camp.

The plan was to set up tents in the shade behind the dune.

"Alright, you people, get busy!"

The knights were still under Rowan's command. He went on to carry out his arrangements for them. "Search the perimeter thoroughly. I don't want any Jackalan or beast chewing up my innards while I'm asleep!"

The 20 knights immediately spread out after receiving his orders.

However, some hardly bothered with the task they had been given. They had been marching for six days and not seen any Jackalans around.

As such, the knights were not very thorough with their search. After confirming that there was nothing out of the ordinary within the vicinity of the dunes, they all returned to set up tents so they could get some much-needed rest.

"Get the tents up."

Kant arranged for the peasants to get to work as well.

The three carriages included supplies to set up camp. There were more than a dozen tents, as well as sticks and ropes for erecting them. n0𝒱𝓮𝐿𝓊𝕊𝑩.𝗰0𝐦

Some of the peasants were quickly digging into the sand with their sickles. They were removing sand about 11 inches down from the surface, revealing the cooler layers underneath.

That was one of the tricks of living in the desert. Lying down inside the sand enabled them to escape the heat.

It was a technique employed by the Jackalans surviving in the desert, which was picked up by the soldiers of the Dukedom of Leo. The technique was, in turn, recorded by scholars in the books they wrote.

Before Kant ventured into the desert, he had looked up all kinds of books on the Nahrin Desert and thoroughly read them.

Twenty tents were set up over the recently dug holes in the sand. The tents were erected with sticks and fixed in place with ropes. All 51 people in the entourage were able to have a good rest within the camp, as well as the 27 horses.

"I'll leave the rest to you, Rowan."

Kant stood before his small tent and sighed a breath of relief.

The hardest part of the work needed to set up camp had been completed. Rowan nodded in reply. "Yes, Your Lordship."

The work after required feeding and watering the horses. People were also assigned to prepare lunch and distribute water throughout the day to everyone present. While the job was relatively easy, it had to be taken seriously. No one was better suited for the job than Rowan, who was careful and steadfast.

The tents blocked the sun, and the shallow holes brought coolness from the earth.

Kant spread out a linen sheet and laid down. He felt as if all the exhaustion from the difficult journey was disappearing.

It might actually be best to have a pint of lager at such a moment, he thought.

Kant closed his eyes and sighed. I wonder when I can start living easily again.

He was, at the moment, at the stage of starting from scratch.

Lager was basically a luxury at such times. There was no way he could have drunk some anyway. No trade caravans traveled to the Oasis Lookout to sell cheap liquor to their fief.

After all, they were in the Nahrin Desert.

It was a barren wasteland where no humans were usually found.

Kant Shook his head and stopped thinking about it.

He sniffed for a bit and smelled the fragrance of food from outside the tent.

It was lunchtime. Just as Kant was preparing to take a nap in the hole, the familiar chime of the System Prompt woke him up.

A dialog box appeared on his retina at the same time.

[Ding... Side Quest assigned]

[Side Quest: The Jackalans' Ambush]

[Reward: Date Palm Trees x 20 (Ripe)]

[Introduction: The smell of cooking attracted a group of Jackalans with a keen sense of smell. You need to annihilate them.]

Kant immediately rose from his hole.

He looked determined since it was a side quest from the system, which was assigned irregularly and at no set time.

However, such a side quest from the system did verify something important.

There was a group of Jackalans with unknown numbers preparing for an ambush around the dunes where they were camping. Furthermore, the Jackalans had found them and were ready to strike at any moment.

We've been careless!

Kant was exasperated by the knights' inability to properly scout. Given how he had no command over them, there was no way he could have given them orders.

He swiftly walked out of his tent. There were more than a dozen peasants still preparing lunch outside.

As for the knights assigned by the dukedom to escort them, they were all burrowed in their tents and holes. There was not so much as a scout found anywhere outside of the tents. They had very much let their guards down.

Kant frowned hard at the situation.

If it had not been for the System Prompt, those Jackalans would have probably gotten right beside the tents and remained unseen.

He did not make a big deal out of it.

Kant came to the side of the carriage and found his box.

Within it were a light crossbow and a quiver with 20 short, thick iron bolts.

He needed to be the one who discovered the Jackalans. Otherwise, there was no way he could explain how he knew the Jackalans were about to attack. Despite being somewhat of a scholar, he was certainly not a mage who possessed mystical powers.

Along with three Swadian Peasants, he swiftly walked to the top of the dunes above their campsite.

He cautiously squatted as he scanned his surroundings.

"Over there. I found them."

A peasant noticed them first. He continued to speak in a subdued voice as he pointed northward, "Look, Jackalans. Many of them."

"Yeah." Kant nodded.

Approximately half of a mile north of the dunes where they were camping, they were about 50 Jackalans wearing ragged clothing and snooping about. They laid low as if they were out hunting.

Actually, they were hunting. After all, human meat was often found on the menu of some of the more brutal Jackalans.

"Fall back. Wake everyone up and prepare for combat."

Kant slowly backed away while remaining in a squatting position. Although he still looked very serious, his expression had considerably lightened.

From the looks of it, more than 50 Jackalans seemed like a lot. They were almost equal to Kant's entourage.

In actual fact, they were not all that much of a threat.

All 20 of the dukedom's knights, who were still resting in their tents in the sand, would have been able to quickly take care of the Jackalans. Furthermore, they would have done so without incurring huge losses.

Seasoned knights with ample training could have easily dealt with those primitive humanoid races.

Kant quickly ran down the dune as he held onto his light crossbow. He said, "Captain Rowan, we're in trouble. Please get everyone to prepare for combat. About 50 Jackalans are about to ambush our camp."

"Jackalans?"

Captain Rowan sounded rather surprised.

The 20 knights in their tents quickly grabbed their weapons and emerged with stern expressions. When they scanned the surrounding dunes, they did not find anything out of the ordinary.

Rowan did not doubt Kant and asked, "Your Lordship, where are they?"

"Over there, and they'll hit us real soon," Kant said as he pointed north of the dunes.

"Get on your horses and get ready to fight."

Rowan gritted his teeth and glared at the knights behind him. He quickly berated them. "Damn it, you four will spend the night polishing everyone's boots. I told you to scout the area, yet you missed that many Jackalans out there."

The four knights looked glum, but they did not retort.

It had truly been their mistake. The four of them were tasked with scouting to the north.

"Your Lordship, I apologize for the matter, but we will deal with the Jackalans."

Rowan led the knights to mount their horses. They all took their lances and longswords along. He turned to Kant and seriously said, "We will all deploy, so we probably will not be able to cover for you. Please be careful, Your Lordship."

"No problem." Kant nodded.

The knights were never meant for defense. They would head out and hit the Jackalans head-on.

Once an ambush was discovered, the element of surprise was gone.

Seeing the 20 knights, led by Rowan, quickly go up the dunes and head north, Kant gave his orders. "Everyone, prepare for combat. Follow my lead."

"Understood!"

The 30 Swadian Peasants unanimously responded.

While their main job was to work in the fields, they were no strangers to combat.

Their specially modified sickles were mounted on 6-foot-5-inch staffs, making long scythes that resembled halberds. The weapons were capable of stabbing and slashing. Although they seemed unwieldy, they were weapons capable of dealing massive damage.

Furthermore, the 30 Swadian Peasants held their long scythes and went into two square formations.

After this battle, some of them were likely to get an upgrade.

Kant took the Swadian Peasants to the top of the dunes.

Approximately 650 feet away, the 20 dukedom knights were thrusting their lances, which were over 6 feet long, and charging without fear at the ragtag band of Jackalans.

"Glory to the Dukedom of Leo!"

The knights shouted their motto as the warhorses beneath them galloped at high speeds.

Although the sand limited their absolute speed, the charge of the knights caught the Jackalans by surprise.

The Jackalans were the dominant beings in the Nahrin Desert. That emboldened them enough to sneak up to the place where they smelled something nice, even though they had no idea who they would be up against.

When they saw the ones charging down the dunes were human knights, all of them began to scatter in fear.

The slaughter from 10 years ago was still fresh in their memories.

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n0𝒱𝞮𝑳𝗎𝐒𝒃.𝑪0𝓶

Chapter 3: Swadian Recruit

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The afternoon sun was scorching hot. The breeze felt more like a heatwave.

But this place was the Nahrin Desert.

The scorching heat made the stench of blood all around seem even thicker. It was as if a slaughter was being carried out.

The 50 Jackalans, which had long, pointy tusks growing out of their lower jaws and grey fur all over their bodies, held their beast-like heads high and screeched in despair. They swung their spiked clubs at the 20 incoming knights.

The Dukedom of Leo knights charged from the top of the dunes just as ferociously with their lances thrust forward.

It was a head-on, no-frills clash between the forces on both sides.

The Jackalan Tribes of the Nahrin Desert had always been sworn enemies of the Dukedom of Leo.

Both sides allowed their hatred and enmity to go to their heads, removing all forms of logic and reasoning.

However, as blood was being spilled everywhere, one Jackalan after another was sent flying by the charging warhorses as they screeched. Their chests caved in as blood burst from their fang-filled mouths.

The screeches of insanity quickly turned into whelps of struggle.

"The great Edmund, the God of War, is watching us!"

Rowan, the captain of the knights, pierced through a Jackalan and nailed the being onto the soft sands, yet he did not stop there. He drew his longsword and began to shout in fierce encouragement, "For the Dukedom of Leo, charge!"

"Charge!"

The other knights responded to his call and shouted along with him.

The Dukedom of Leo worshipped Edmund, the God of War, and that was the most common prayer of the Warrior Faith.

However, that single line drove the knights into a frenzy as they charged into the Jackalans, bringing down their longswords left and right at the bestial beings. The stench of blood permeated the place they trod.

The battle was intense but short.

Dead bodies soon littered the place.

Blood spilled from their wounds. It seeped into the sand, staining the area red.

The Dukedom of Leo knights, which clearly emerged as victors, did not stop slaughtering. They went on to split up and chase down all of the scattered Jackalans trying to escape. They wanted to kill them all and prevent further troubles.

Only four or five Jackalans became panicked enough to run into the middle of the Swadian Peasants, intending to make a breakthrough.

They were quickly struck down by the long scythes wielded by the peasants, preventing them from even getting close to escaping.

While the Swadian Peasants were more versed in farming, they still knew basic fighting concepts.

In the game, the Continent of Caradia had been dominated by war for decades. Bandits and marauders were everywhere, forcing the peasants to learn how to craft makeshift weapons with the tools they depended on to make a living.

Furthermore, the long scythe-wielders were gathered in a tight formation, making even knights reluctant to barge into them head-on.

The battle was over.

The sound of the System Prompt appeared in Kant's mind at the same time.

[Ding... All enemies are downed after the slaughter.]

[Side Quest: Ambush the Jackalans is completed.]

[Reward Acquired: Date Palm Trees x 20 (Ripe)]

[Comment: This was a furious and exhilarating battle. Although the battle was fought by your allies, it was your victory, nonetheless.]

Kant smirked exasperatedly and ignored the system's comment.

There was nothing he could have done about it.

If it had not been for the 20 Dukedom of Leo knights, massive casualties would have been incurred if he had only been able to rely on his 30 Swadian Peasants. Half of them would have died without even being close to annihilating the Jackalans.

20 Date Palm Trees?

A dialog box automatically appeared on Kant's retina with images of the trees on it.

The 32-foot-tall trees were straight and had lush green leaves. Clusters of dates were on the trees, which looked huge and sweet. Being packed tight against one another made them look appetizing.

There was no way conventional crops could have been planted in a desert.

The Date Palm Trees, on the other hand, were known for their hardy resistance to both cold and heat, which made them the most reliable food source in the desert. The months between October and February were the time when the dates ripened. The dates served as a staple food of desert-dwelling races, earning them the title of Desert Bread.

As the lord of the Nahrin Desert, Kant needed those trees more than anyone else.

While he was still savoring their ultimate victory, a dialog box suddenly appeared.

[Ding... Your forces have upgradable units.]

Kant's eyes lit up.

Upgradable units? He quickly opened the system interface.

The interface displayed 30 images representing the 30 Swadian Peasants with the symbol "," signifying that they were ready to level-up.

It was not an elaboration of the System Quest. It was a reward acquired from the battle.

[Upgradable Troop Class: Swadian Peasants x 10]

[Spend 10 Denars each to upgrade to Swadian Recruits]

The system showed two dialog boxes after that.

A hundred Denars was still within budget.

Kant muttered without hesitation, "System, level up right away!"

This was a vital upgrade that was necessary. Only Swadian Recruits gained after the upgrade would truly be able to serve as combatant units. Despite being the weakest troop class there was, they were still noticeably more capable than the Swadian Peasants.

As Kant confirmed his decision, some mystical being instantly shrouded 10 Swadian Peasants by his side.

Many changes were seen on the 10 peasants after that.

Some type of data chain, which only Kant was able to see, circled them. Their 5-foot-9-inch statures did not change, yet they looked considerably more buff.

The equipment they carried was the most pronounced among the changes.

Their linen robes became leather armor, which sported better defenses, while their hoods became leather hats.

The long scythes they held became standardized spears. All of them were 7.5 feet long, which made them comparable to lances wielded by the Dukedom of Leo knights.

Shields made of simple wooden materials appeared on their backs. Hand-axes could now be seen on their waists.

The 10 Swadian Recruits finally cast off their peasant-like appearances and became true soldiers.

I finally got my fighting force.

Kant sighed a breath of relief.

The 10 Swadian Recruits were only the beginning. Troop classes of higher levels awaited.

At present, he no longer needed to depend entirely on the dukedom knights. They would leave right after escorting them to the Oasis Lookout without the slightest thought of staying behind.

"Your Lordship, they are all taken care of."

Rowan returned with his knights after Kant was done leveling up his troops.

He was rather surprised to find the 10 Swadian Recruits armed with spears. Rowan glanced at their shields and leather armors and asked, "Where did these people come from?"

"The desert is a dangerous place. It's just sensible to have more weapons just in case." Kant did not elaborate.

Rowan nodded, showing that he understood. He did not ask any further questions.

He was able to tell that the soldiers had been the peasants before. Now, they were equipped with leather armors, spears, and shields. They did not actually look all that different from the peasants wielding long scythes.

The other knights only glanced at them in slight surprise before getting off of their horses to rest.

They didn't seem to think any of it was out of place.

The baron assigned to the Nahrin Desert would never have only brought 30 lowly peasants with him. Providing the peasants some weapons and armor to be able to even somewhat fight seemed a normal thing to do.

The knights secretly despised him.

In the forces of the dukedom, the Swadian Recruits would have been little more than conscripted cannon fodders.

"Let's head back to camp."

Kant hardly paid any attention to the sarcastic looks in the eyes of the knights and simply continued to give orders.

The sun was scorching as they stood on the dunes. All of them felt rather dizzy and short of breath after that intense battle. If they delayed resting any further, they would all soon be battling heatstroke.

Even the warhorses began to have foam in their noses and mouths as they restlessly sighed.

"Pack up and give the horses some water," Rowan said to his subordinate knights.

To the knights, their warhorses were their companions.

Everyone headed to the makeshift camp below the dunes. They urgently needed a good rest after the battle.

The knight at the very rear, who was still holding onto his warhorse at the top of the dunes, pointed to the north and shouted in surprise, "Lord Edmund the God of War, look, isn't that the Oasis Lookout?"

"What?"

Everyone looked up with a surprised expression. All their gazes were on the shouting knight, who seemed to have turned into a statue at the top of the dunes.

Kant gulped. He was one of the first to regain his composure.

He quickly climbed up the dunes and traced where the knight pointed. At the end of the horizon, a patch of green could vaguely be seen among all the yellow.

It was a clear sign.

If there was green in the desert, that said green could only be an oasis.

"We're here."

Kant was unable to help but mutter to himself. He clenched his teeth and uttered, "The Oasis Lookout."

Everyone climbed to the top of the dunes and gazed at the green far away.

All of them were stunned, yet it was excitement like no other seen in their eyes.

They had toiled for six days on their journey and finally reached their destination. The southern side of the Nahrin Desert was the fief and estate belonging to Baron Kant—the Oasis Lookout.

"Hurray!"

The knights excitedly cheered.

The discovery meant that they would finally be able to go home.

They no longer needed to slow down to wait for the carriages and peasants. They could ride home as quickly as possible.

It would only take them three days to get to the territory of the Dukedom of Leo and the comfortable lives they had once taken for granted.

"Alright, alright."

Kant's voice pulled all those people back from their excitement.

He rested his light crossbow on his shoulders and looked at the dukedom knights. He said, "We should probably settle down in the tents and have a good lunch at such a moment."

"You're right, Your Lordship." Rowan smiled and nodded.

The other knights agreed and took their horses slowly down the dunes.

The Oasis Lookout was not far away, so everyone was in a good mood.

The only exception was Kant.

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Chapter 4: Psychological Warfare

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The knights, who were drenched in sweat from the recent fighting, slowly walked down the dunes.

The Swadian Peasants and Recruits headed for the temporary camp set up below. There was still lunch waiting to be made and complicated labor that needed to be finished.

Kant continued to stand on the dunes under the scorching sun.

He gazed at the Oasis Lookout on the horizon, which was his supposed fief. There was a fresh water spring in it.

I think this is going to be troublesome.

Kant heavily sighed. His eyes looked worried.

He scanned his surroundings and the lowly dead beings below. Their bodies were left strewn about. He felt pressure deep down instead of relief.

Jackalans had been found somewhere close to the Oasis Lookout.

The implications of that were undeniably severe.

Kant was unable to help but wear a bitter smirk. Just think about it a little, man. There is no way the Oasis Lookout could always stay deserted.

The purge carried out by the Dukedom of Leo 10 years ago had only been temporary. The Jackalans had returned and retaken the oasis. n0𝗏𝖊𝓵𝓊𝓈𝔅.𝐂0𝗆

He made some calculations based on the 50 Jackalans that had just been slain.

He concluded that there were likely no less than 300 in the tribe of Jackalans that had taken over the Oasis Lookout. The numbers could even be higher if the entire tribe was accounted for.

What do I do now?

At that thought, Kant felt a headache forming.

[Ding... Side Quest assigned]

[Side Quest: Annihilate the Jackalan Tribe]

[Reward: Desert Bandit Lair x 1]

[Introduction: The Oasis Lookout is the pearl of the south of the desert, yet it is now being taken over by a tribe of Jackalans. The ferocious race of beings has sullied the beauty of the oasis. As the lord of the Nahrin Desert from here on out, it is imperative that you annihilate them.]

A System Prompt appeared just when he was wondering what to do from then on out.

The system's dialog box was displayed on his retina, showing the Side Quest assigned by the system.

Annihilate the Jackalan Tribe?

Kant repeated the mission perimeters. The bitter smirk remained on his face.

Even without the System Quest assigned, he would have had to annihilate the tribe that had taken over the Oasis Lookout all the same.

The Oasis Lookout was the only oasis that had been found in the south of the Nahrin Desert. More importantly, it was the only location with a water source. If he were unable to take the area for himself, Kant would be setting himself up to fail.

According to their current storage of fresh water, which had begun to dip below the red line, even returning alive to the Dukedom of Leo would be a problem.

In truth, even if he were able to return, as the youngest son of the duke with an awkward status, there was no guarantee that Kant would be able to live without troubles.

There were many people who did not wish to see him return. To them, it was best if he just simply died in the desert.

Kant unconciously clenched his teeth and walked down the dunes without saying a word.

A Jackalan Tribe with a population of at least 300 posed a serious threat to them.

If they made one mistake, it could easily cause all of them to perish.

The annihilation of 50 Jackalans in the previous battle had only happened because the system reminded Kant of the danger. He used their ambush against them and caught them completely off-guard.

Furthermore, the 20 of the dukedom knights, who had taken the Jackalans out, were elites.

If they gave their all and earnestly fought, they would still suffer massive casualties as they tried to take out a tribe of 300 Jackalans.

We could still try.

Kant looked at the shadows moving about in the tents.

His gaze unavoidably narrowed.

In truth, if he were to conquer the Oasis Lookout, the outcome would have little to do with the rookie Swadian Recruits who had leveled up moments ago.

The key still lied with the 20 dukedom knights.

I know you people will definitely not agree with this, but I'm sorry. I've got no other choice.

Kant's expression was calm. He had his own hidden plans.

The knights were loyal to Cameron, the Duke of Leo. They only respected Kant due to his bloodline. When it came to actual command in combat, they were still the ones calling the shots.

Kant understood that since he was unable to command the knights to fight for him, he would have to make them do so by putting the pressure of reality on them.

They were in the Nahrin Desert. There was only one thing that could move them.

Water.

It was something that they would have to fight over whether they liked it or not.

Don't blame me for this. Kant was calm, yet a shimmer of coldness was seen deep in his eyes.

After all, there was no such thing as trust between people.

Kant was initially walking toward the tents, but he turned around and headed for the carriages.

All the Swadian Peasants were busy working.

The dukedom knights were in their tents laughing heartily as if they were joking about something.

No one paid him any attention.

At the very least, no outsiders noticed him.

"My Lord."

Two Swadian Peasants had been tasked with guarding the goods on the carriages.

"Be quiet." Kant raised his hand and signaled for them to stop talking.

He immediately unplugged the plugs at the bottom of the water storage barrels on the carriage.

Glug, glug, glug...

The crystal clear fresh water spilled onto the sand through the small openings. It took mere minutes for the barrels to store water on the carriage to be left with just a fraction of what they had once contained. The barren sand around them became drenched.

"Our water is about to get depleted."

Kant looked at the two baffled Swadian Peasants and reasserted himself. "Understand?"

"Yes, My Lord," they answered.

"Good."

There was not a single bit of expression seen on Kant's face as he walked to his tent as if nothing had happened.

Only the peasants and recruits had been close to the carriage. None of the knights had bothered to go anywhere near since they had no reason to.

None of the knights would have expected that not a single drop of water was left, especially since the amount of water in the barrels should have lasted three days.

The lack of water would kill them.

If they wanted to live, they would have to fight the Jackalans.

This was how Kant planned to trick and force the dukedom knights to listen to his plans and fight the Jackalans to the bitter end.

A man had to do what he had to do.

After he came to this backward and mysterious world, Kant, as the youngest son of the duke, learned how to make use of others to the greatest extent. All of that was completely normal considering how he was a noble.

If Kant did not make use of the knights, he knew they would not stay back and fight just because of his status.

No one would have toiled and put their lives on the line for others without anything to gain, especially given how he was an exiled baron.

"My Lord."

When Kant was still steeped in thought, a peasant in charge of cooking, who was holding a wooden plate, lifted the blinds on the tent and said, "Lunch is ready."

"Alright." Kant nodded and took a look.

There were three pieces of white bread, half a smoked chicken, and three spoonfuls of juicy dried meat cooked in black pepper.

That was the kind of gourmet meal that only his status as a baron could have afforded.

White bread and black pepper were both luxuries. Squires and knights notwithstanding, even lesser nobles with comparatively small fiefs and less wealth in the dukedom were unable to afford such spices and high-quality, soft white bread.

They could have only afforded black bread with wheat bran mixed within the flour, as well as simple cooked dried meat.

"Dried meat cooked in black pepper, eh."

Kant took the plate and said, "If I'm not mistaken, our supply of fresh water is running out."

"Indeed, but we're not far away from the Oasis Lookout, and there will be ample fresh water to be had," the peasant replied.

"Is that so?"

Kant nodded and told the peasant, "Tell Captain Rowan to come to my tent after he is done with lunch."

"Yes, My Lord," the peasant respectfully said before leaving the tent.

Kant heartily ate his lunch with a wooden spoon.

The white bread was soft and tasty, as well as of high quality. It had been prepared for him with butter before he left the castle in the Dukedom of Leo. The same went for black pepper. Kant was a noble. Even if he had been exiled, he still represented the bloodline and glory of Duke Cameron.

He was a baron and needed to be treated as one.

At the very least, Kant no longer had to worry about food being nasty. Compared to the knights and peasants, he was actually having quite a good meal.

Too bad that I won't be able to eat like this any longer.

He dipped the bread into the last bit of soup and put it in his mouth before chewing and gulping the last piece down.

He spent 10 minutes eating lunch, no more and no less.

He soon heard footsteps outside his tent. The leather boots stepped onto the slightly hard sand, making a cracking sound and leaving a footprint behind.

It seemed that Rowan was outside.

"Your Lordship, I heard that you were looking for me."

Captain Rowan could be heard from outside the tent. He sounded respectful and somewhat impatient at the same time.

"Please come in." Kant's voice was calm as if he did not notice any of that.

The blinds on the tent were lifted. Rowan stooped down for a bit before entering. He smiled faintly as he looked at Kant. "Your Lordship, we'll soon be at the Oasis Lookout. How can I be of service?"

Without waiting for Kant to reply, he quickly added, "If there is nothing else, we will be leaving soon."

"Leave?"

Kant looked doubtful as he looked at Rowan and asked, "Shouldn't we be heading to the Oasis Lookout?"

Their destination was within sight, which made Rowan impatient. He had no intention of continuing the journey through the dreaded desert any longer. He was also impatient from being at the side of the exiled baron.

Furthermore, as a veteran who had seen a lot of fighting, there was no way Rowan, the captain of the knights, was not able to see what the baron was up to.

"Your Lordship, the knights can't wait any longer."

He took a good look at Kant. In a flat tone, he said, "I'll make a request on their behalf. If possible, we'd like to have part of the drinking water supply. We shall begin our journey home right away."

That was a firm, unyielding demand, not a request with room for negotiation.

It was close to being rude.

It meant that Rowan and the knights were on the brink of losing control.

"Of course, if that is what you desire."

Rowan was surprised that Kant was so quick about it. The baron nodded and thanked the captain, saying, "It is thanks to the protection of your knights that we were able to make the journey. You have my gratitude."

"This is just part of our job." Rowan smiled and nodded.

What Kant said next changed Rowan's expression drastically. "Unfortunately, we're running low of water now."

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Chapter 5: The Gamble Was About to Begin

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The corner of Kant's mouth rose ever so slightly into a smirk. He looked at Rowan, who appeared to be baffled.

He was laughing at Rowan. However, his expression remained calm. His furrowed brow revealed the anxiety he was feeling deep down. "Actually, we don't have much water left after coming this far."

"How much do we have left?" Rowan's face became glum.

"Not enough," Kant replied.

The temperature outside had shot up to 158 degrees Fahrenheit, yet the air inside the tent remained rather cool.

Both men silently sat across from each other without any other topic to continue the conversation.

Rowan's face was sullen. It was as if he was the manifestation of dark clouds in the night, about to bring a storm. He knew what it meant to not have enough water at such a time. It was more about thirst, but it also meant that they would soon have to fight with all they had.

His senses were perceptive enough to know this after having spent so much time on battlefields.

There were more than 50 Jackalans found at the dunes, which were close to the Oasis Lookout. That meant the Oasis Lookout had long been taken over by the Jackalans. n0𝗏𝖊𝓵𝓊𝓈𝔅.𝐂0𝗆

"That's how it is."

Rowan eventually nodded and looked at Kant with a sour expression. "Bad news indeed, Your Lordship."

"Yes, bad news indeed." Kant nodded.

The air remained cool as Rowan clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "But, Your Lordship, aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid? Afraid of what?" Kant asked as if he didn't understand. "Why should I be afraid?"

"Heh."

Rowan chuckled for a bit at the infuriating irony of it all. He was filled with frustration. It steadily built up in his chest and seemed like it was about to turn into flames of rage.

There was no way he was oblivious to what was happening. However, he dared not, and could not, do anything else.

Kant was an exiled baron, albeit the least favorite youngest son of the duke.

Regardless of if Rowan thought the man was better off dead, a proper excuse was needed for the baron to end up dead. For example, it would have been completely fine to have Kant taken out by the Jackalans on his way to his own fief. However, there was no way he could die by the hands of a knight of the Dukedom of Leo, especially one with no special status.

Kant was part of Duke Cameron's bloodline, as well as a baron representing the Dukedom of Leo.

Kant had won the round. Unfortunately, that was how the rules of the world worked.

"We could head to the Oasis Lookout."

Kant continued as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. "According to the records, there is spring water there." Kant paused and looked at Rowan before continuing. "Fresh, sweet, high-quality spring water that is so good it could be used for brewing wine."

"That is good to hear." From Rowan's perspective, all of that sounded pointless.

Rowan had no intention of humoring the baron any further. With a gloomy look on his face, he asked, "Your Lordship, what should we do from here on out?"

"Head to the Oasis Lookout," Kant replied with a smile.

"But the Oasis Lookout has been taken over by a bunch of Jackalans. We have absolutely no chance of taking out those beasts with the kind of numbers we have on our side." Rowan had grown impatient and laid the truth out.

Kant acted surprised. "What?"

"Your Lordship, we both understand what is going on here. Neither of us is a bloody fool."

Rowan took a deep breath and said, "We need to take out the Jackalan Tribe at the Oasis Lookout one way or another. Otherwise, we will all end up dying of thirst in the Nahrin Desert. None of us will be able to survive."

"This is serious." Kant lowered his head as if he had not been getting what Rowan was saying.

Rowan ignored the movement and continued speaking. "My subordinates all have their own families. They have their beloved and their children. None of them want to stay here forever. That would be unfair to them." He took a good look at Kant and said with a severe tone, "Your Lordship, I hope you can understand."

"The Jackalans have taken the spring water of the Oasis Lookout for themselves."

Kant seemed to nod with the same exasperation and said, "We will take out those Jackalans. Afterward, you all will be free to go home."

"Any plans then?" Rowan asked while gritting his teeth.

Given how things turned out, there was no way he believed that Kant had no other plans in mind. Besides, it was this young baron who had caused all of this in the first place.

Kant, of course, had further plans to deal with the situation.

Struggling to hold back all his anger as he looked at Rowan, Kant said, "We will ambush the Jackalans while they are unaware of what is going on. The Jackalan Tribe doesn't know that we're here. So, we will lay in the dark. After all, we're the ones with the element of surprise."

"Ambush?"

Rowan's voice slightly raised as he said, "The knights will suffer heavy casualties."

Rowan took a deep breath before saying, "Please note that we only have 20 knights at our disposal, Your Lordship!"

"My people will be a part of this," Kant said with a calm expression. "If our ambush is a success, the Jackalans will be thrown into chaos. We'll take them all out before they can regroup and organize an effective retaliation."

"Do you mean those peasants of yours, Your Lordship?"

Rowan's face was filled with unconcealed sarcasm and ridicule. "I have to admit, they are good at working in the fields."

"They can fight as well," Kant replied.

"Your Lordship, you're playing with fire here." Rowan glared at Kant with anger in his eyes. "That is being irresponsible to my subordinates."

Kant looked at the man in the eye calmly and replied, "It's either that, or we all die of thirst in the desert."

"This is a gamble with our lives on the line." Rowan's voice was somewhat raised.

"That is how war works," Kant replied without shirking away. He remained looking at the middle-aged man while he rummaged through his pocket for a purse. "Will this be enough?"

The purse was woven with sturdy linen threads. Clanging metals could be heard as Kant threw the purse.

"Well..." Rowan caught it and felt the obvious weight of the metals in his hand.

Kant said, "This is a reward for the hard work of you and your men. It is 20 Great Silvers."

"20 Great Silvers?" Rowan's breath became somewhat rushed since that was not a small number.

Their monthly pay was only 20 Small Silvers each. The exchange rate between the two types of silver currencies was 100 Small Silvers for one Great Silvers.

That money meant that every one of the knights would receive five months' worth of extra pay.

"I know you all could leave after escorting us to the Oasis Lookout, so this would be my pay for hiring you."

Kant looked at Rowan and solemnly said, "You should be able to understand that if our ambush is a success, we may all come out alive."

The term "ambush" meant a surprise attack out of nowhere. It was as simple and straightforward as it could have been.

One could have called it "sneaking up on one's enemy" as well.

It was a tactic to deal an effective blow on one's enemy when one's forces were vastly outnumbered by said enemy.

The effect of an ambush was even more apparent when cavalry units were concerned since they had the advantage of high mobility. The effects of employing such a tactic would have been like no other. That was why Kant went all the way to pull what he pulled. It was to force Rowan and the knights to stay behind.

An ambush from only 10 Swadian Recruits and 20 Swadian Peasants would have been pathetic.

"When will we be doing this?"

Rowan's expression softened after taking the Great Silvers.

He looked at Kant and said, "We need to wait for the right time when the Jackalans are the most relaxed. Perhaps dawn would be a good choice for doing so."

"No." Kant immediately shot down the suggestion.

While the Jackalans were at their most relaxed moments before dawn, Kant's entourage did not have too much time to wait.

"Why?" Rowan frowned. He was very confident about his experience on the battlefield.

Kant explained, "The slaughtered Jackalans at the side of the dunes will have alerted those at the Oasis Lookout. If none of them return during sunset, the Jackalan Tribe will be able to guess that there are enemies nearby."

Rowan's breathing became ragged as he asked, "When should we do it?"

"Sundown."

After thinking for a while, Kant seriously said, "We shall launch the ambush when the sun is about to set."

"The evening glow," Rowan added.

"That's right. The sun will be our ally. The light shall conceal our presence."

Kant took a deep breath and said, "There is no way they can detect us quickly enough. At that time, all your people need to do is charge as quickly as you can, throwing the entire tribe of Jackalans into chaos."

Kant paused for a bit and slowly added, "After that, my men and I will charge as well."

It was silent in the tent. It took quite a while before Rowan looked up and said, "Alright."

"We won't fail," Kant said, smiling as he looked at Rowan. "Trust me. The battle today will be one of your proudest stories when your people are out having a good time drinking in the tavern."

Rowan chuckled and glanced at Kant. "I sure hope so."

He walked outside the tent and said to Kant, "We'll get prepared."

"Sure." Kant nodded.

He was all alone in the tent again, but his expression had become incredibly severe.

A brutal battle was about to begin.

There were probably some among the knights escorting them that would end up dead. As for Kant's current Swadian members, who were in charge of the construction of his estate from then on out, some would be lost as well.

You can't go through life without making huge gambles once or twice.

Kant took a deep breath.

He chose to come to the Oasis Lookout. That in itself was tantamount to gambling on its own.

He had next to nothing, yet he wanted to live. The only way to secure a good life was to give it his all.

Kant touched the light crossbow by his side and chuckled in a self-deprecating manner. Well, it's not like we're going to lose for sure.

He had come all this way to win.

It was a victory he had to secure at all costs.

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Chapter 6: The Color of Blood Under the Evening Sun

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was 5 p.m. Sundown was near.

The setting sun went below the dunes. As it shone, the light made the sand look like gold.

Kant stood at the top of the dunes. From behind, the sun's brilliant beams looked as if they were about to engulf his entire being.

The Oasis Lookout was less than a mile away from where he stood.

He was able to see something in the sand before him. It brilliantly glittered in the dusk's light.

It was the Oasis Lookout's water source, which was a lake formed by a geyser. Judging from the area alone, it was approximately 82 feet by 19 feet. Considering the minimal mass, it was more accurate to call it a pond.

Kant couldn't help but say, "This is beautiful."

Several lush shrubs surrounded the pond, as well as six huge Desert Poplar Trees.

Those green plants proudly stretched out their branches and leaves in the evening sun. It was as if they were indicating that regardless of how unforgiving the sand was, they remained steadfast in their resistance.

Rowan, the captain of the knights, stood by his side and nodded with a cold expression. "Yes, beautiful, indeed."

Kant calmly said, "All the more reason not to let the Jackalans take the place."

"Of course." Rowan coldly nodded.

He scanned the Oasis Lookout and discovered that tents had been erected around the pond.

The tents looked ragged and cobbled up from all manners of materials, including linen, tree bark, and pelts from hunted beasts. The whole setup looked completely different from the tents that Kant's men and the knights had erected not long ago.

Regardless of the state they were in, the tents indicated where the Jackalan Tribe was.

Rowan took a deep breath and asked in a severe tone, "Your Lordship, when should we begin?"

"There's no need to rush."

Kant turned around and looked at the sun, which was still mustering the last bit of its power before setting.

The beams of the setting sun shone past the two men and engulfed the Oasis Lookout below. The beams shone onto the Jackalan Tribes as well.

If someone below were to look out, the sun would have looked to be at the same line as the dunes, which would have appeared very blinding.

Kant nodded and said, "Now."

"Very well." Rowan nodded coldly and took the lance in his hand. He quickly retreated down the dunes.

At the bottom of the dunes, 20 well-armed Dukedom of Leo knights were leading their horses and standing by. They were prepared to fight. The only thing that was needed now was an order from Rowan.

They were about to begin a battle from which they could not afford to back down. All of them sported cold expressions. Deep in their eyes, anger and hatred were visible.

All of them understood what had caused all of this.

It was Kant.

He was a baron of the Dukedom of Leo.

They escorted the noble to the Nahrin Desert so he could claim his fief. They had been traveling for six days, yet they were told at noon that there was no water left for their return trip.

They were then told to fight for their lives.

As such, they were angry and resentful.

"Edmund, the great God of War is watching us."

Rowan took the reins of his warhorse and made his way in front of his men. With a severe expression, he said, "We shall let these lowly, filthy Jackalans, who know nothing but eating sand in the desert, know the bravery of the Dukedom of Leo!"

The knights unanimously responded, "Victory!"

The Dukedom of Leo was established through martial prowess. The faith of the nation surrounded Edmund, the God of War, who, per his namesake, was a god presiding over war.

As such, none of them were afraid. All of them turned the anger in their minds into strength.

"It's beginning."

Kant saw the 20 knights get onto their horses, scale the dunes, and charge straight down to the Oasis Lookout.

The hard horseshoes pounded heavily on the sands, kicking up a lot of dust and sand, which swooped about like a gale. The lances were thrust forward without mercy before the Jackalans at the Oasis Lookout knew what was going on.

The tips of the lances pierced one baffled Jackalan after another.

Blood was spilled, yet none of the 20 dukedom knights had any intentions of putting down their lances.

They gritted their teeth as they held their lances up, continuing to skewer the Jackalans like kebabs as they charged deeper into the tribe.

They knew what they had to do. They had to cause chaos of great magnitude.

"Our turn now!"

Kant shouted excitedly and raised the light crossbow in his hand. He headed out with great strides.

The 10 Swadian Recruits held spears and followed right behind him.

The 20 Swadian Peasants followed at the flank with their long scythes in hand.

They were moving fairly quickly. It was almost as if they were sprinting. The murderous intent in their eyes was unmistakable. They were all determined to take the Oasis Lookout, which would be their lord's fief and their home from then on out.

"For the Dukedom of Leo!"

Rowan and the 20 knights gritted their teeth as they charged deeper into the tribe.

By then, their lances were broken, but they quickly switched to the longswords at their sides and swung hard at the Jackalans, which seemed to have emerged out of nowhere.

The ambush was surprisingly successful.

The Jackalans had no idea whatsoever that they would soon be attacked. The chaos quickly spread to the outer fringes of the Jackalan Tribe's camp. With their green eyes open wide, most of the Jackalans simply stood there, staring in confusion.

It would have been difficult for them to even get a good look at the invading enemy.

Whenever they heard shrieks from the west, they turned around and quickly found the evening sun above them shining straight into their eyes. It prevented them from opening their eyes.

Gallop, gallop, gallop, gallop...

The galloping noises of the horses grew increasingly closer. When the Jackalans finally saw their enemy, they found one human knight after another looming over them.

By then, it was too late.

Rowan led his knights, who were swinging their swords, into the Jackalans.

Blood was seen splattering everywhere.

The Jackalans, who had long, pointy tusks and were covered in grey fur, finally began to crumble. Fear was seen all over their wolf-like faces.

"Maintain formation. Come with me!"

Swooping noises were heard from Kant's light crossbow. A nearby Jackalan was seen tumbling to the ground.

The bolt in its back pierced through its spine, stabbing into its heart.

Kant hardly cared. His face remained cold as he deeply set his gaze onto the Jackalan Tribe. Rowan and 19 knights of the dukedom were still swinging their swords in a frenzy. They continued to cause panic among the Jackalans and spread the stench of blood and death.

"Keep charging!"

Kant drew his short sword and led the charge forward with 30 men behind him.

The Jackalan Tribe, which by then was thrown into complete chaos, was utterly unable to retaliate effectively. That enabled Kant and his men to move even quicker.

Shrieks from countless downed Jackalans were heard everywhere.

The Jackalans scattered all over the place. n0𝑽ℯ𝗅𝗎𝑆𝒷.𝓬0𝗆

The old, the young, and those in their prime were all running and cowering in fear.

They were up against knights that had appeared out of nowhere.

They also faced Swadian Recruits holding spears.

The Jacklans' minds were quickly flooded with all those memories from 10 years ago.

That had been a complete slaughter carried out by the Dukedom of Leo.

Those memories were horrifying night terrors that continued to haunt the Jackalans until the present day.

The memories were so horrifying that, even at present, the Jackalans who had survived the slaughter dared not continue to resist.

"Leave none of them alive. We do not need prisoners."

Kant's voice was heard throughout the Oasis Lookout, which, at the same time, sealed the horrible fates of the Jackalans.

The knights continued to pursue the Jackalans who had scattered and escaped.

The Swadian Peasants and Swadian Recruits circled the Oasis Lookout's pond and began cleaning up any Jackalans found within the tents of the tribe. Since they had won, they were relegated to cleaning up the battlefield.

The Jackalans, who had all lost the will to resist, became sheep awaiting slaughter.

Furthermore, those ferocious primitive beings were unable to compete with humans when it came to war, be it in terms of tactics or weapons and equipment.

The evening sun finally set beyond the dunes.

The fighting was over.

The remaining glow of the sun struggled to light the darkened sky, giving off final bits of light before eventually setting.

Before long, the moon was vaguely seen rising into the sky.

A night sky filled with stars quickly took over. The high temperatures of the day seemed to have instantly subsided. The strong wind blowing from the depths of the desert brought with it a chilling cold. A few hours later, the temperature in the Nahrin Desert dipped to a freezing minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Of course, such bone-chilling cold had yet to hit them.

The knights, who had been killing all over the place just a short while ago, gathered around on their horses. The cooling winds felt very comfortable.

"Your Lordship, your fief is now finally yours."

Rowan, the captain of the knights, got off his horse. His expression remained cold.

The linen robes, which Rowan and the knights behind him wore over their mail armor, were all stained with huge patches of blood. It was as if their garb had been dyed. They looked very out of place.

Four or five unlucky ones ended up injured. Either their arms were hanging limply, or they were walking with a limp.

It was obvious that the battle had not been an easy one.

Some Jackalans burst forth under the threat of death, yet they still managed to deal light damage to the knights at the front.

"You should probably wash your wounds."

Kant looked at the injured ones and nodded to Rowan, saying, "If you don't mind, I can bandage your men's wounds. I learned first-aid knowledge on the battlefield from veterans quite a while ago."

"That won't be necessary." Rowan immediately declined.

They were military veterans. Dressing and bandaging wounds were things that their men could easily do.

Captain Rowan coldly said to Kant, "We will leave at once, right now."

The knights behind him all looked at Kant coldly. Even if he were to lower his status, none of the knights would behave or look any friendlier toward him.

Everyone knew who had started all the fighting.

"Are you leaving now?"

Kant frowned slightly and said in an exasperated manner, "This is rather unexpected. Perhaps you all should stay and rest for a couple of days."

Furthermore, the Nahrin Desert at night was not a good time to do such a thing.

Without ample heat-retention equipment, temperatures of minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit were easily life-threatening.

"We don't need rest. We will leave immediately after replenishing our stores of fresh water."

As he spoke, Rowan wiped the blood off of his face. His tone confirmed that he would not be negotiating. He was simply making a firm statement.

He turned around to face the knights and yelled, "What are you people still standing there for? Get the water sacks and clothes from the carriages. Get ready to go home after you get the water filled. Hurry up!"

"Yes, Sir!" the knights responded and left to immediately get their tasks completed.

Their assignments were clear. They quickly took their tents and wool clothing for warmth from the carriages. At the same time, each of them carried five extra water sacks. They filled the sacks at the pond.

"Alright, I wish you all a quick and safe journey home. Enjoy your lagers at the tavern when you return."

Kant shrugged exasperatedly and continued, "By then, I figure you people will be bragging about your time with me as you talk about the battle today."

Rowan narrowed his gaze while the knights behind him all looked cold and uncaring.

None of them cared about the cold joke that Kant had just uttered. They were busy with their own tasks. When everything was done, they mounted their horses and left without the slightest intention of even saying farewell to Kant.

In their eyes, Kant was little more than a stranger to them.

"Farewell."

Kant waved them goodbye, nonetheless, looking calm as he did so.

As a noble and a revered baron, he had long learned how to be shameless when the time called for it.

That was how nobles survived around each other.

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Chapter 7: Founding of Drondheim

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Kant understood what the knights were feeling all too well.

As such, he was not angered at all by how they simply left without so much as saying proper goodbyes.

Things were totally opposite of what they had expected.

The knights, who had just fought a bloody battle, derived no joy from the victory they secured.

Be it Captain Rowan or his 19 subordinate knights, all of them were resentful of Kant. It was so much so that it seemed like all that resentment was pent up like a volcano in their chests. It seemingly would have erupted for all to see within moments.

The Jackalans had been losers, but the knights were not winners either.

Kant was the only winner.

The baron, who had finally claimed ownership of the Oasis Lookout, was the only true winner.

"Goodbye." Kant watched them as they disappeared beyond the dunes.

With their spears on their shoulders, the Swadian Recruits tasked with guard duty reported, "My Lord, they have all left."

"Yeah, they are quite fast." Kant nodded.

Since they were knights, one of the troop classes known for their high mobility, that was entirely normal. Without the carriages and infantry units getting in the way, they had no problem marching several times faster than they had on the journey there.

It was likely they would be able to scale over the Senwaya Ridge and return to their comfortable homes in the Dukedom of Leo in less than three days.

It's for the best that they left.

Kant let out a sigh of relief. At the very least, the Oasis Lookout was finally in his control.

If the dukedom knights, who were natives of that world, had stayed back at the oasis, it would have caused him a lot of trouble. He needed to rely on the system to carry out the subsequent construction of his fief.

At that point, he would have had to make an excuse to get them to leave.

Suddenly, the System Prompt appeared on his retina.

[Ding... After fighting a hard battle, the enemy is finally crushed.]

[Side Quest: Annihilate the Jackalan Tribe is complete.]

[Reward Acquired: Desert Bandit Lair x 1]

[Comment: A brilliant strategy and astonishing tactics were used. The victory of that exhilarating battle is indeed praiseworthy.]

The dialog box signaling the completion of the side quest appeared on his retina.

However, that was not the only dialog box.

[Ding... Your forces have upgradable units.]

Kant's personal forces had also been hard at work during the extermination of the Jackalan Tribe.

Furthermore, their labor had been very fruitful.

When things went south and all of the Jackalans lost their will to fight, they scattered and ran all over the place without any idea where they were running. A good number of them were quickly dealt with on the spot by Swadian troops, who charged at them with spears and long scythes.

As such, all of his troops gained a lot of experience.

For troop classes in the early stages, all of that had been enough to give them an upgrade.

[Upgradable troop class: Swadian Peasants x 20]

[Spend 10 Denars each to upgrade to Swadian Recruit]

Kant was surprised by the upgrade option.

The remaining 20 Swadian Peasants were available to level up.

What surprised Kant, even more, was that the Swadian Recruits, who had not been leveled up for long, were able to continue leveling up.

[Upgradable troop class: Swadian Recruits x 10]

[Spend 20 Denars each to upgrade to Swadian Militia]

The recruits, who were equipped with spears and wearing leather armor, had been the main infantry force for Kant in the previous battle. Armed with pointy spears, they killed a good number of Jackalans that dared to get near them.

It could have been said that compared to the peasants, those Swadian Recruits were the only ones capable of serving as the most basic form of combatant forces.

Well, the cost in Denars is rather steep this time.

Kant frowned.

Upgrading 20 Swadian Peasants to become Swadian Recruits would cost him 200 Denars.

Upgrading 10 Swadian Recruits to become Swadian Militia would also cost him 200 Denars.

Denar was the name of a currency.

However, it was only a currency that existed within the system, so only Kant was able to acquire and use it.

What made Kant rather restless was that upgrading both classes would cost him 400 Denars, which would empty his savings. He had been taking on many side quests in secret since he came to that world, yet he had only been able to earn 500 Denars.

He had spent 100 Denars in the previous upgrade.

With the Swadian Recruits now waiting to be upgraded, the cost meant saying farewell to all of his savings.

It doesn't seem like I have a choice, do I? Kant lightly sighed.

He shook his head and wore a bitter smirk, but he still said, "System, upgrade them all."

Things were not quite in his favor.

Those Denars were not an expenditure he could afford to hold on to.

Kant had been living two lives. He was equipped with all the experience gained from his past and current lives, so he knew how to go about the current situation well.

When he came to the Nahrin Desert and chose to stay at the Oasis Lookout, which was in the middle of nowhere and outside of the Dukedom of Leo proper, it could have been said that he lost everything he had in the past, which included aid from the Dukedom of Leo.

His greatest backing at the moment was himself, which included the Swadian troops that originated from the system.

Mystical system data descended from the sky.

The 20 Swadian Peasants were enveloped in data chains and became more buff.

Spears, leather armors, leather hats, and hand axes to be placed at their sides and on their shields and backs were all provided.

As for the 10 Swadian Recruits, the upgrade to become Swadian Militia was even more noteworthy.

Their bodies became even hardier, and their spears became heavier due to the front ends being covered in metal. The armor beneath their linen robes became scale armor, which had better defensive stats. They were also given combat shovels, which were effective for piercing armor, as well as thicker and sturdier shields. Appearance-wise, they had completely cast off the peasant look.

Despite being called Swadian Militia, they actually looked and felt like regular army units.

From Kant's perspective, this militia was fully qualified to participate in wars, even back in the Dukedom of Leo.

"Greetings, Lord Kant."

The 20 Swadian Recruits and 10 Swadian Militia lined up in a formation. They stood tall and proud as if they were in a parade.

Kant smiled and said, "Splendid."

With 30 infantry units serving him, he was finally able to claim the Oasis Lookout without worries.

Even if the scattered Jackalans, who had managed to make it back into the desert, were to organize a retaliation, Kant was more than ready to take them on. He would be able to keep the oasis and develop it into a better place.

Desert flowers needed to be watered with blood.

Kant took a breath. The thick stench of blood still lingered around his nose.

He looked up at the sky. The last bits of rays from the sun were no more. The moon was high up in the sky. Moonlight mixed with the dazzling stars in the clear sky, shining down on the silent night.

Still, the bodies of Jackalans were littered all over the Oasis Lookout. The thick stench of blood permeated the area, ruining the scene and mood altogether.

"Let's clean up the battlefield."

Kant waved and gave his troops an order. "Gather the bodies of the Jackalans and burn them."

"Understood." The troops responded and headed out.

The act of burning the Jackalan bodies was to prevent them from contaminating the water source when they rotted.

They were in the desert, so water resources in the oasis were precious tactical supplies. If germs from the rotting, dirty bodies were to seep into water sources beneath the sand, regret would do them no good.

That was something noteworthy.

The troops knew that as well, so they began picking up the bodies of dead Jackalans. They gathered them into a huge pile below the dunes hundreds of feet away.

Kant, on the other hand, closed his eyes and communicated with the system in his mind.

He had finally been able to get a main quest, which he had been delaying for 16 years.

Now that Kant had taken over the Oasis Lookout, he could construct a village with the help of the system. It allowed him to build his forces and eventually control the entire Nahrin Desert. It also meant that he might be able to eventually extend his hands back into the Dukedom of Leo.

"System, can I build a village?"

Kant silently asked his question.

The system immediately replied, "You may." A dialog box appeared.

[Ding... You have discovered this region after a careful search.]

[Main Quest: Build a village is complete.]

[Reward: 1,000 Denars]

[Introduction: This is an oasis in the barren desert. You need to consider how to develop your village.]

The dialog box disappeared.

Data from the system began to coalesce before Kant's eyes. A two-story building constructed from stone and wood finally materialized into the world.

It was a Kingdom of Swadia conventional building from the system.

At the same time, a new dialog box appeared.

[Ding... Your village has been constructed. Please name your village.]

[Remark: The Lord's Page will open after naming your village.] n0𝗏𝔢𝗅𝓊𝑠𝒷.𝐜0𝐦

Name the village?

Kant was momentarily stunned. He looked at the building before him and said, "Drondheim."

That was the most famous city in the Kingdom of Swadia, which was located at the center of the Continent of Caradia. It was a well-known place lauded to be the city with the strongest defense in all of the Kingdom of Swadia.

[Ding... Name of village: Drondheim]

The village had officially been named.

As Kant confirmed it, the page of Drondheim appeared on his retina.

[Drondheim]

[Lord: Kant]

[Type: Swadian Village]

[Population: 50]

[Building: Council Hall]

[Constructions available: House, City Wall, Mill, Watchtower, Well]

[Current forces: Swadian Recruits (20), Swadian Militia (10)]

[Recruitable: Swadian Recruit]

[Comment: The obscure village of Drondheim, located in a small oasis, has a worrisome future.]

After that, the flow of data before Kant completely disappeared.

The village, which he named Drondheim, finally appeared before him.

To say that it was a village would have been an exaggeration.

At the moment, Drondheim's only standing building was the Council Hall, which served as the center of the village. It was usually where village elders took up residence. In the system, that was the background building where players often met quest-giving NPCs.

However, that place became a real building after he came to that world.

"My Lord."

Subservient voices were heard, which stunned Kant.

A thick wooden door at the side of the stone building opened. One Swadian Peasant wearing linen robes after another gushed out from within. They hung their heads low and pressed their chests, greeting Kant in respect.

"Right." Kant nodded.

It was only then that he remembered that on the village page of Drondheim, it was stated that the population was 50.

The 50 Swadian Peasants stood neatly before him. There were no more and no less.

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Chapter 8: Troubles in the Morning

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The peasants all stood up, seemingly in high spirits.

"Very well." n0𝗏𝑒𝔩𝗎𝓈𝓫.𝗰0𝐌

Kant nodded, feeling satisfied.

Those 50 Swadian Peasants were the base population of Drondheim from then on out.

They were now the main force driving the village's future development.

This was not a game. While Kant only needed to fight battles with his newly created troops, he still needed a certain number of peasants to look after the village. They needed to make the village, which currently only had the Council Hall, bigger and stronger.

The 50 Swadian Peasants also solved the safety problem they currently faced.

With the 20 Dukedom of Leo knights gone, Kant and the Oasis Lookout had faced a huge predicament.

The escaped Jackalans would have no intention of simply let things slide. They would have regrouped and tried to take back the oasis that had once been their home, militantly clashing with Kant.

The Oasis Lookout was still at the forefront of danger.

The 10 Swadian Militia and 20 Swadian Recruits were too small of a force to deal with such a threat.

The addition of the new peasants considerably relieved the lingering threat.

At the very least, if they were to be put in a tight formation with their long scythes in hand, it would be impossible for the Jackalans, who did not even have iron weapons, to break through their defenses.

We still need further development. Kant was planning in his mind.

According to the system's page, the only building the village currently had was that simple, shabby Council Hall.

As for the other buildings, such as houses, city walls, mills, watchtowers, and wells, all of those would require funds and time to construct. The process would be as complicated as constructing real buildings.

There was nothing Kant could do about it.

Funds and time were the two things he needed the most.

The Jackalans were not going to give him time.

Furthermore, the only funds available to him were the 1,000 Denars acquired for completing the main quest of building a village.

There was one other thing that made Kant feel exasperated.

That world had several currencies—Small Silver, Great Silver, and Gold, which was of an even higher value.

None of those currencies were exchangeable for the Denars required by the system.

The burden is heavy, and the road is long, he thought.

Kant could not help but shake his head with a bitter smile.

...

The bright, beautiful moonlight enveloped the entire place.

Without any means of temperature regulation, the chill throughout the desert quickly grew apparent.

The night was no longer young.

Yet, the Oasis Lookout was still as busy as it was during the day.

It was impossible for 80 people to just camp outside in a desert.

The Council Hall was the only building in the village. Despite being two-stories, it was not that big of a building. It was only of 5,380 square feet at most, which was equal to the size of a bungalow within the country.

Fitting all 80 people inside was impossible.

Kant quickly made arrangements.

The 30 troops were assigned to rest within the council hall while the 50 peasants were told to set up camp outside around the Council Hall.

Kant had brought a good number of living supplies in the three carriages.

Those supplies included huge tents that could fit plenty of people, as well as wool clothing to keep everyone warm. All of that was enough for the 50 peasants to get through the night.

Kant had his reasons for making such arrangements.

Rather, he had his priorities.

Regardless, the 10 Swadian Militia and 20 Swadian Recruits were all that formed his current main combat force. Losing even one of them would have created quite a heartache for him.

They all had a lot to do with how his future forces would be developed, which meant that he could not afford to treat them as expendables.

As for guard duty that night, it was also taken care of by his 30 troops.

As such, they needed more rest to be able to deal with any potential crisis that might arise.

The 50 peasants, who were all outside the Council Hall, had superior numbers. Even if there was any danger, they could quickly band together when prompted by the troops on duty, forming tight formations to protect themselves and prevent any huge casualties from happening.

Reality was usually cruel.

The so-called protection was, at times, little more than petty compassion and kindness.

Kant was far from pedantic.

He, on the other hand, knew the value of the concept of gaining the highest benefit with the lowest cost.

"Alright, hurry up people!"

Kant hurried his people to get the tents set up as soon as possible to prevent any unforeseen circumstances from happening.

Campfires were lit at the same time. They used tent materials and wood found in the Jackalan Tribe to start them. The fires raged and burned brightly, giving off heat to somewhat ward off the chill of the night.

The Oasis Lookout camp was almost finished being set up.

A peasant briskly walked up to Kant and said, "My Lord, your room is ready."

"I see." Kant nodded.

His room was on the second floor of the Council Hall, which was guarded by 10 Swadian Militia. The 20 Swadian Recruits were getting ready on the floor below to ensure that nothing untoward happened to him.

They originated from the system, so they only existed because Kant existed.

As such, he had nothing to worry about when it came to their loyalty.

He looked at the dazzling stars in the sky. The chill around made him shudder.

"Best be careful."

He said that to the peasants as walked into the Council Hall.

He walked up to the second floor via the stairs at the corner of the hall. Kant's room was at the very end. The place had been tidied up by the militia.

The room had a window, which coincidentally faced the pond.

Kant gazed out the window. Light from the night sky shone soft light on the pond. It glittered as the water danced from the gently blowing wind. The beautiful scenery was mesmerizing.

Kant was unable to help but say, "This is indeed beautiful."

This was the first time he had witnessed such a beautiful sight since he entered the Nahrin Desert.

Unlike the harsh and burly desert, the beauty before him was soft and gentle.

However, he quickly pulled his thoughts back and took a good look at his room.

He knew that he would have to stay in that room for a very long time in the future.

The room was approximately 107 square feet. It was furnished with a wooden bed and wardrobe, as well as a crudely made table and chair. All in all, the layout looked primitive and cramped. The accommodations were only slightly better than what commoners would have.

The single bed had a linen sheet on top of it. There was also a blanket made of wool and cotton neatly folded at the end of the bed.

Everything looked to be the standard style of the Kingdom of Swadia.

While the room looked crude, it was well-kept.

At the very least, there was no odor around.

It looks decent.

Kant felt satisfied with the room. Besides, the option to sleep on a wooden bed without worries in a protected room was far better than sleeping in a shallow hole that looked like a grave hastily dug in the desert.

Despite being the youngest son of a duke, he had still experienced harshness in life.

He placed the light crossbow and quiver neatly on the table. He took off the linen robe, which served to shield him against the dust, dusting it for a bit before hanging it on the wardrobe.

However, Kant did not take his clothes off. He also kept his short sword at his side.

Despite being in a room that was close to 10 Swadian Militia, he deemed it best to be on guard. At the very least, if anything unforeseen were to happen, he would not be caught off-guard and end up in a panic.

Kant spread his blanket out and went to bed.

He slept soundly, possibly due to having made a long, arduous journey, as well as having to fight a bloody battle on top of that.

The crisp chirp of birds was heard, which woke him up.

Chirp, chirp, chirp.

Kant slightly opened his eyes, still drowsy from the restful sleep.

Two birds were standing at the window. He did not know what kind they were, but they resembled sparrows except were a dirt-yellow color. The chirped as they hopped about, pecking at the ledge with their beaks.

The light of the morning sun shone through the window. The sun had risen.

"Hmph."

Kant took off his blanket. The early morning in the Nahrin Desert still felt somewhat cold.

However, he knew it would not take long for the temperature to quickly skyrocket, reaching a level of heat that no man could withstand.

He put on his linen robe and looked outside as he stood at the side of his bed.

A sea of sand was spread out before him. The desert's yellow dirt seemed to be out to swallow everything. Only the small bit of green nearby gave him a measure of reassurance.

This was how the Oasis Lookout was.

The crystal clear spring water reflected the bit of light. The shallow depth, which was not even a couple of feet, enabled him to easily see the sand and rocks beneath.

Kant unconsciously said, "Beautiful indeed."

He was correct. Compared to the Nahrin Desert as a whole, the oasis was like a paradise.

And, it was a paradise that belonged to him.

He frowned and found that the paradise was still a dirty one.

The Jacklans' messy tents lined the sides of the pond. There was garbage from living nearby for years, as well as excrement, scattered all over the place in messy piles. Those beings had no concept of hygiene.

They were defiling the oasis!

When he saw Swadian Peasants already hard at work cleaning up the garbage, his mind was put at ease.

That area was to soon become the place where they would settle down. The sight of messy garbage littering the place was an eyesore to the peasants, who were inherently people with an affinity for cleanliness and loved the sight of a beautiful field. They promptly went on to clean the place up because it was all too much for them to stomach.

Knock, knock.

There was knocking on the door. A voice from outside said, "My Lord, breakfast is ready. Would you like some now?"

It was the Swadian Peasant from before.

"I'll get it right away," Kant replied.

He closed the window and walked out of his room. A stout peasant was respectfully waiting for him outside.

Kant asked, "What's for breakfast?"

"Bread slices and soup made of dried meat cooked with cabbage," the peasant replied.

"Dried meat cooked with cabbage?"

Kant was rather shocked. He walked down the stairs to the lower floor and said, "I don't remember bringing cabbage with us." He paused and seemed to have recalled something. "Does the Council Hall have cabbage?"

"Yes, My Lord."

The peasant nodded and said, "There were 500 loaves of bread, 250 pieces of dried meat, and 100 cabbages in the storage room."

"That many?" Kant frowned slightly.

The bread, dried meat, and cabbage were all calculated in hundreds, so they were huge numbers.

However, the man hesitated for a bit before adding, "All of that can only last for 10 days."

Kant was baffled. "Ten days?"

The man nodded and said, "Indeed, My Lord. We need to search for more food, or we will run out of food in 10 days. Even if we conserve whatever food we have, we'll only be able to last about 15 days.

They went outside the Council Hall. The greenery around the pond was still as lush as ever.

However, Kant was no longer in the mood to admire it. He frowned and asked, "How could we eat that much?"

The 50 Swadian Peasants were tidying up the oasis. They were cleaning up the Jackalan tribe's toppled tents, as well as the garbage and excrement they left behind.

The 10 Swadian Militia were patrolling with their iron-reinforced heavy spears in hand.

The 20 Swadian Recruits had spread out around the dune, setting up guard posts.

"Alright."

Kant nodded. He looked rather severe. "I guess 80 people would eat quite a lot of food."

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Chapter 9: Food Shortage

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The people from the Kingdom of Swadia were far from being frail and aged. All of them were stout, strong men who were in their prime.

There was no way their food consumption would be a small amount.

Outright impossible!

If they were to calculate from that day onward, Drondheim's existing food storage would only last for 10 days.

For Kant, that was a very huge headache.

Is this a joke or something?

If we run out of food and water, even at an oasis in the desert, we will definitely end up dead!

There was another more important point he had to consider. n0𝗏𝑒𝔩𝗎𝓈𝓫.𝗰0𝐌

There was no telling when the Jackalans would make their retaliation. With Drondheim still in a state of crisis and the storage of food within the fief being insufficient, Kant, as a newly appointed lord who was basically dirt poor, was practically in hell at the moment. The torture did not seem to be stopping any time soon.

This really will be quite a trouble.

Kant lowered his head and pondered the problem for a while. He knew just how serious the problem was. We need to solve the food shortage before anything else.

He had made his decision.

Whichever time or world he was in, any problem with food was the most pressing of problems, be it in reality, a game, or unfamiliar foreign world, which he found himself in at the moment.

The problem was even more apparent to Kant.

More than anything else, the people who were watching over Drondheim needed to see their bellies filled.

In order to be able to withstand a Jackalan attack, they had to keep their stamina up

An empty stomach meant one could end up in a limp, lethargic state. That made even lifting weapons difficult, let alone fighting the Jackalans, who could appear at any time.

Even the Swadian Peasants needed to be strong enough to hold up their scythes to protect their village.

I definitely need to think of something.

Kant frowned as he brainstormed.

There was the option to cut down the distribution of food to make it last longer, but doing so would only cripple Drondheim in the long run. He absolutely was not able to make a decision that would put him in a further pinch.

Without stamina, one was not able to fight.

"Let's have a look at the storage room." Kant returned to the Council Hall.

The militia followed behind him.

The storage room was in a corner on the first floor of the hall, which was about 322 square feet. Loaves of bread, dried meats, and round cabbages were all laid out on the shelves.

The air was filled with the fragrance of food.

"Is this all we've got?" Kant frowned and looked rather displeased.

A militia member answered, "Indeed, My Lord, there is just this and nothing else."

From the looks of things, the food supplies were more or less as reported by the militia—500 loaves of bread, 250 dried portions of meat, and 100 cabbages.

The breakfast they had just eaten —16 loaves of bread, five dried pieces of meat, and five cabbages—needed to be, without a doubt, taken out of the equation.

As such, while it seemed they had a lot of food left, considering it filled the entire storage room, judging from the fact that they had 80 adults to feed three meals a day, as well as additional meals for the guards on night duty, the room full of food would still only last for 10 days.

After all, the Swadians were all healthy, strong men.

They needed huge amounts of food for all three daily meals. Worse still, given how his fief was still under development, the cost in stamina would be even greater, which meant an increased need for energy intake.

Other than needing to secure ample amounts of food, said food needed to be diversified even further.

"Oh right."

Kant lifted his head a little and said to the militia, "We do have quite a hefty amount of supplies left in the carriages."

Everything stored in the carriages was supplies he had prepared back in the Dukedom of Leo.

The supplies included large amounts of food.

Although they had consumed some while they were on their way to the Oasis Lookout and some were taken by the knights for their trip home, they should still have had a hefty amount left. He had specifically purchased food that was heat-tolerant and had long shelf lives.

"We checked the carriages the night before," a militia member replied.

"There are loaves of bread, smoked meats, and sausages, as well as some salt, sugar, and spices."

Kant nodded and asked, "How much of that do we have left?"

"With everything accounted for, it will be enough to last us three more days," the militia member answered.

"Wait, what? Just enough for three more days?"

Kant was baffled and found what he heard unbelievable. He had purchased one whole carriage full of food.

At the time he purchased the food, he had considered the amount of food that would be consumed throughout their journey in the desert, as well as extra for their time developing the Oasis Lookout when they settled down. It should have lasted the previous 30 Swadian Peasants about half a month.

"We checked everything and found that all of that will only last us three days," the militia member answered truthfully.

Kant's brow was now locked in a deep frown.

This was something he had not expected.

"So, 13 days in total then." Kant frowned.

The militia member nodded and answered, "Correct."

Kant's frown deepened after thinking about how much they ate during their journey. He was sure that he had not been eating much. When he recalled how the knights behaved when they left, he realized something.

Kant gritted his teeth and said, "Those bastards."

This has to be revenge!

Those people were taking their revenge against him for having made them risk their lives to conquer the Oasis Lookout, which had been taken over by the Jackalans.

You people really have won this time. Kant pinched his brow as he deeply sighed.

However, it was pointless to be angry. After all, it had been his fault.

He thought of his current predicament and the fief that was still being developed. He realized just how much of a difference there was between reality and an ideal. The troubles he currently faced made him feel rather helpless. He wondered just how much more trouble was waiting for him.

"My Lord."

The militia member said, "It is best to get something to eat. Besides, breakfast is ready."

A Swadian Peasant, who served as the cook, approached them with a tray. On it was a huge wooden bowl that contained soup cooked with minced dried meat and cabbage and sprinkled with a dash of fine salt and pepper.

There were also two slices of white bread as huge as a palm, which had been toasted and smelled very nice.

"Yeah, breakfast does look good."

Kant took the tray.

He temporarily put all those troubles behind him since it was time for breakfast.

The soup was thick, and the cooked dried meat and cabbage went well with the toasted bread.

The fragrance of food permeated the entire oasis.

The Swadian Peasants were having a great time with their bread and soup. All of them were smiling excitedly and chatting away. They even laughed when someone said something funny or to be happy about.

This was his fief.

Kant liked the atmosphere of momentary relaxation amid the tense and busy state of things.

This was the joy he had gained after leaving all that political clout back at the Dukedom of Leo behind. It was especially so given how he was in charge of everything. The feeling of having all the power in his hands was intoxicating.

Most people loved power. Few people liked living as hermits.

Ambition.

Whether they embraced it or not, it was something inherent in everyone.

"The food is very good. Thank the cook for me."

Kant put down his knife and fork. He felt satisfied.

After breakfast, his frown no longer looked all that severe. He was in a better mood. He left the Council Hall for the pond of the oasis to admire his fief and estate. He had divided the areas up beforehand.

Mush!

Kant did not watch his step closely enough. As he approached the pond, he seemed to have stepped onto something.

The stench hit his nose before he had even lowered his head. He looked down. His usually calm face looked rather twisted. "Goddamn it, this is disgusting."

His leather boot had stepped onto a thick, sticky brown substance near the pond.

It was excrement from the Jackalans.

His twisted face became filled with seething hatred. He scanned the area near the pond and saw at least over 30 "mines" of such nature, which practically made the place seem like a minefield.

The Jackalans, who were still in a primitive state, had no concept of hygiene or disease prevention.

Truthfully, however, such primitive beings were usually immune from common illnesses.

"Sh*t."

Kant cursed and stepped away, rubbing his feet in the sand in an attempt to scrub off the disgusting pile of excrement sticking to his boot.

A prompt from the system suddenly appeared on his retina.

[Ding... Side Quest assigned]

[Side Quest: Clean up the oasis]

[Reward: Flour x 20]

[Introduction: Your fief is located in the oasis, but the place is currently contaminated by the dirty Jackalans. Clean up your oasis. The place holds all of your future hopes.]

It was a System Quest.

Kant was slightly startled, but his eyes became filled with joy after seeing the introduction on his retina.

It was enough to lighten his soiled mood from stepping on sh*t for quite some time.

This is just what I need!

What the Oasis Lookout lacked most, and had a pressing need for at the moment, was undoubtedly food.

Finishing the current side quest would reward Kant the food he desperately needed. Furthermore, it was 20 bags of flour, which could be used for making bread by just adding water.

While 20 bags of flour were not a lot, they would give him a few more days to come up with a lasting solution.

Kant would have better choices by then.

Whether it required returning to the dukedom to purchase food or searching the deeper reaches of the desert for a way out, all of that would only be possible if he had the time to spare without having to worry about the food shortage problem getting in the way of his plans.

Clean up the oasis. That is simple enough. Kant already had plans.

Actually, he would have arranged for the Swadian Peasants to clean the oasis up all the same, with or without that quest from the system.

The Jackalans had made a giant mess of the oasis while they were living there.

Trees?

Kant was just about to arrange for the peasants to clean the place up when he caught sight of the Desert Poplar Trees swaying in the wind at the northern side of the pond. The trees looked beautiful as the morning sun washed over their gently swaying branches.

However, another type of tree appeared in Kant's mind.

Date Palm Trees!

They had been the reward acquired from finishing the Side Quest. All 20 Date Palm Trees were ripe.

Kant had finished two quests. He had crushed the team of Jackalans out to ambush them, and he had annihilated the Jackalan Tribe. The 20 Date Palm Trees and a Desert Bandit Lair were acquired as rewards, respectively.

All of that could be brought immediately to reality, just like how the Council Hall had materialized right before him the night before.

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Chapter 10: Value of the Date Palm Trees

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Yeah, the Date Palm Trees.

Kant smiled. That was quite a pleasant surprise.

In usual fertile flatlands suitable for human habitation, where plants of all types could grow and flourish, Date Palm Trees were of little use. They usually only served as decorative plants in gardens or rare fruit trees that added a touch of exoticness to the menu of non-essential foods.

In other words, Date Palm Trees were basically non-essential and dispensable.

However, to desert people, who survived in such a harsh, unforgiving environment, the tall, stout palm trees were indispensable plants they relied on to survive. Date Palm Trees were holy things born in the desert.

Such was the status of the Date Palm Trees.

Kant knew that fruits borne by such trees—the tasty, juicy dates—were where their essence lied.

Dates were usually lauded as the most nutritious of dried fruits, which enabled them to earn the title of "Desert Bread." Two-thirds of the date fruit consisted of sugars. Ancient Egyptians saw the dates as signs of a good harvest while Romans and Greeks used dates in victory celebrations to welcome their winning soldiers home.

One Date Palm Tree was capable of bearing 300 dates, and every date weighed about 20 grams each.

These fruits were packed with extremely high nutritional value. They contained various vitamins and natural sugars. Furthermore, dates were sweet, juicy, and nutritious, making them useful either as a staple food or fruit. They could be used as ingredients for making sugars and liquor, as well as all manner of sweets, high-quality jams, biscuits, and dishes. They could also be used to make vinegar and pure alcohol.

Their sugars and nutritional value were so high that an adult could maintain basic survival needs just by eating six dates per meal.

It was a fruit that lived up to its title of "Desert Bread."

As such, for a very long time, the dates served as a staple food of desert people. They were an indispensable crop desert dwellers relied on for survival. Even in the system, it was a specialty of the Sarrand Sultanate and a tactical supply that maintained the desert kingdom's prosperity.

That was because there was more than just fruit to the Date Palm Trees. The plant itself was filled with treasures. Human civilizations had a use for every part.

The trunks of the Date Palm Trees were viable as construction materials and water tanks. The trees were aesthetic enough for use as decorative plants. Their twigs and vines were useful for crafting chairs and beds, as well as baskets for carrying fruits, vegetables, poultry, and fish. Their leaves were ideal for making mats, brooms, trays, and other such items. Those parts also served as fuel. The trunks were useful for crafting sheds and bridges while the seeds could be used as feed. Low-quality dates were used as fertilizer or to feed for livestock.

The trees were just as useful for making weapons.

For instance, polearms and siege engine parts were crafted using the trunks of Date Palm Trees. In fact, common weapons used by desert people had parts that came from Date Palm Trees.

I need to be careful about this.

Kant nodded silently as he scanned the Oasis Lookout.

The 50 Swadian Peasants were hard at work around the pond that formed from the geyser of spring water. They were clearing up all manner of garbage and excrement left by the Jackalan Tribe, gradually restoring the oasis to its original clean and tidy appearance.

It was carried out by his orders so that he could acquire the reward of the Side Quest assigned by the system.

Besides, 20 bags of flour were very important.

The Swadian Peasants were down-to-earth and hardworking, which put Kant at ease.

At the moment, he needed to seriously consider how to divide the limited pieces of land at the Oasis Lookout to ensure the steady development of his village, Drondheim, which, at the moment, only had the single Council Hall.

The Oasis Lookout was his most important estate, so he could not afford to be careless with it.

Residential, commercial, agricultural, and crafts areas—all of which were regions available only to huge towns or cities—were something that he deemed necessary to be planned in the early stages. Otherwise, once the village was developed into something more, the messy city planning and construction would be an eyesore.

He had the system to serve as his cheat, so he never thought he would have to stay trapped in the desert forever.

"The desert is not the end. The oasis shall serve as my foundation toward success."

Kant muttered to himself.

After looking around, he had thought of quite a few ideas.

The spring water emerged from cracks underground, forming a pond. Kant estimated that the length between the eastern and western end was about 82 feet while the width between the northern and southern end was about 19 feet. The geyser beneath was about three feet deep. It turned increasingly shallow as it reached the edge.

It was a rare water source found in the desert, which formed the foundation of the Oasis Lookout's existence.

There were about 164 feet of land at the southern and northern sides of the pond that remained free from the desert's encroachment. A good number of tightly packed small green plants grew there. Several lush trees were scattered between all that greenery.

On the north side of the pond, there were six thick and twisted Desert Poplar Trees. They were located at the intersection between the oasis and the desert. The faint yellow leaves filled the branches and swayed in the wind, which looked as pleasant as finely dressed women dancing.

Desert Poplar Trees were desert trees. They were of a status comparable to the Date Palm Trees and known as the "Protector God of the Desert."

These trees played a vital role in stabilizing the ecosystem balance around the river areas of barren deserts. They prevented erosion and regulated desert climate and the formation of fertile soil for forestation. They served as natural barriers for agricultural development in desert regions.

It seems like the northern side of the pond could serve as agricultural areas.

Kant made up his mind.

He circled the pond and walked toward the five Desert Poplar Trees, where the intersection between the soil of the oasis and the desert lied.

There seemed to be a very clear line drawn between the two areas.

The northern side was filled with yellow sand while the southern side had sandy areas of slightly darker colors, which were filled with weeds of unknown types. That meant the soil beneath was wet and capable of being used for farming.

As for the six Desert Poplar Trees, they were growing outside in the loose sand.

Kant walked up close and found those trees to be tens of years old. Their 20-foot-tall trunks seemed twisted, but the tops of the trees were incredibly lush. They blocked out sunlight from above, making the place beneath seem cool.

So, that's how it works.

Kant took out his short sword and dug a bit at the base of the trees. He made a mental note. The roots are absorbing water deep within the sand. The place is still close enough to the oasis and the pond, which means that this place is not extremely arid yet.

The roots of Desert Poplar Trees were capable of absorbing water as deep as 32 feet below ground.

As such, when such a tree was found in the desert, one could determine that within 32 feet beneath the said tree there were rare water resources.

However, the place they were at was the Oasis Lookout, which had a sweet, refreshing spring water source practically right at their sides.

He thought, the 20 Desert Palm Trees could be arranged like a jungle.

Kant nodded as his eyes scanned the intersections between the desert and the oasis.

He decided to plant all of the Date Palm Trees there, just like how the Desert Poplar Trees were planted. That made them a natural barrier against the winds, preventing the sands of the desert from spreading into the oasis, as well as solidifying the sands and soil beneath to serve as preparation for further farming efforts.

Be it in reality or the system, whether it was the desert people or the Sarrand Sultanate, they all planted their flora in such a manner.

Date Palm Trees were planted outside, and crops were planted inside.

Under the protection of Date Palm Trees, the crops planted would grow well in the oasis as long as there was ample irrigation. When the Date Palm Trees and other trees formed forests of larger areas, sweet, fruitful vegetables and fruits could even be planted.

There was currently no lack of fresh-water resources in the Oasis Lookout.

As such, even if the trees were planted at the edge of the desert, their roots could easily burrow several feet deep underground, absorbing water from the oasis.

"System, can the Date Palm Trees be planted here?"

With the plans in place, Kant connected his mind to the system.

The system instantaneously replied, "You may."

At the same time, card-like Date Palm Trees appeared in Kant's mind. Data streams started to spread in reality, appearing on the spots that Kant had wanted the trees planted.

The data streams continued to spread.

At the edge of the Oasis Lookout, 20 Date Palm Trees were done being lined up in less than two minutes. n0𝗏𝑒𝔩𝗎𝓈𝓫.𝗰0𝐌

Those Date Palm Trees were all over 22 feet tall and looked like coconut trees growing on beaches. However, the fruits found on top of their tall, stout trunk were not huge coconuts. Instead, they were clusters of purplish-red dates, which were individually the size of an egg. They would turn red after being dried in the wind and could be stored for more than a dozen months at a time.

"This is beautiful." Kant couldn't help but express his admiration.

The Date Palm Trees were tall and straight, and they formed a straight line along the intersection between the desert and the oasis.

A breeze carrying heat blew across them, causing the palm trees, which had flat yet thin, long leaves, to sway in the wind. They seemed to have possessed a special charm, making them look like alluring women in the desert.

Green plants all looked mesmerizing in a sea of sand because they symbolized survival.

The appearance of the Date Palm Trees attracted the attention of the peasants, as well as the soldiers on guard duty. They all joyfully gazed in his direction.

Many peasants eyed the clusters of dates on those trees in a mesmerized manner.

Their purplish-red skin meant that the dates were ripe for harvest. They would be very sweet and precious fruits. Even though the Kingdom of Swadia was right beside the Sarrand Sultanate, those tasty dates would fetch a high price due to war and the existence of bandits.

"I need 10 men to help me out," Kant called out.

"We're of your service, My Lord."

There were 10 Swadian Peasants packing up the broken tents. They quickly put down what they were doing and went over to where Kant was, awaiting orders.

"I need all of you to pluck the dates," Kant said.

"As you wish, My Lord."

The peasants looked up. The clusters of dates below the 22-foot-tall trunks were enticing. However, due to the height, it was impossible to effectively get them without appropriate tools.

However, that was of no trouble to them.

A peasant said, "There is a 20-foot wooden ladder in the council."

"Yeah, and baskets on the roof," another peasant added.

"Very well."

Kant nodded in satisfaction and said, "I shall leave the task to you all."

Then again, noting the current food shortage faced by Drondheim, he still cautioned them, "Be careful though. Don't scratch up the bark of these beloved fruits while you are at it. Otherwise, they won't last after being dried."

The peasants shrugged and nodded affirmatively. "Rest assured, My Lord."

While they were not all that proficient at combat, they were very good at agricultural and all manners of menial labor.

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Chapter 11: Desert Bandit Lair

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The 10 Swadian Peasants had their work cut out for them.

One went to the Council Hall to fetch the wooden ladder. Another peasant steadily climbed up to the roof to fetch the baskets, as well as shears for cutting the clusters of dates hanging on the branches of the trees, to make plucking and drying the dates easier.

The dates were ripe and fresh, so they required careful handling.

There was no doubt that the peasants knew that well.

They were all experienced farmhands who had long been working in the fields. None of this posed much of a problem for them as long as they were careful and attentive.

Kant felt at ease handing off these duties to the peasants.

At present, he had other matters that required his attention.

Among the said matters, there was the Desert Bandit Lair.

That quest reward had come the previous evening. It was acquired when Kant and the Dukedom of Leo knights put their lives on the line to annihilate the Jackalans who had taken over the Oasis Lookout.

According to the system's judgment, quests that came with the risk of having entire forces wiped out came with high-level rewards.

This is rather curious.

Kant's mind was immediately connected to the system.

When the data card of that item appeared on his retina, he was able to see that it was a house constructed using sand and stone. Horses were tied at the door. Soldiers carrying spears and wearing leather armor walked by.

There was no doubt that they were units per the name of the reward—Desert Bandits.

However, Kant was still somewhat stunned.

Desert Bandits?

He was unable to help but frown as if he had recalled something.

In the system from his past life, there were monster units in the territories of the Sarrand Sultanate that went by that name. They appeared in groups in the sea of sand, plundering trade caravans and villagers. As such, they were considered robbers who were out to do no good.

These units were so notorious that sensible players in the early stages of the game learned to steer away from the deserts that were known to be filled with Desert Bandits.

Are they really who I think they are? Kant gulped.

His eyes were filled with joy.

If they were the criminals who roamed the desert like a storm, as recorded in the system, they would be an absolute boon to the present Oasis Lookout. To him, they were considered more precious than the 20 Date Palm Trees that provided extra food to the village.

His mind was filled with excitement, yet his expression remained calm, as usual.

His life as a young noble enabled him to learn how to conceal his true emotions with calmness.

He walked briskly to the southern side of the Oasis Lookout.

He circled the pond of spring water, which was where the council hall was located. He decided to make that area the residential and crafts section of Drondheim from then on out. That was the region he had thoughtfully divided. If different trades were to grow and prosper in the future, there could be a commercial area developed there.

The northern side, which was where the six Desert Poplar Trees and 20 Date Palm Trees were found, would serve purely as an agricultural area.

Although the Oasis Lookout did not currently have half a hectare of farmable lands, he still had to take the development of his fief from then on out into consideration. If his place were to be one incapable of producing food, it would be tantamount to being choked by others.

There was no way Kant could give up agriculture altogether, even though the production of crops might be minimal.

He even had thoughts of sending people to the Dukedom of Leo on the other side of the Senwaya Range to dig up huge amounts of soil. Such a crude, foolish-looking method would have allowed him to enhance the number of farmable lands at the Oasis Lookout.

The journey from the Oasis Lookout to the Senwaya Range took the knights about three days to cover. It would take carriages and infantry units seven days at most.

The distance, which required a week to cover, was still what Kant, who was desperate to have the oasis developed, considered to be within tolerable limits.

"My Lord."

The 10 Swadian Militia members were on standby near the Council Hall.

They lowered their heads and greeted him respectfully to show respect for their lord.

"Yeah."

Kant nodded. He did not arrange for them to do anything else. He simply replied, "Stay sharp."

The threat of the Jackalans was still lurking out there somewhere. These 10 militia members were not the only ones who were on standby. The 20 Swadian Recruits were patrolling the dunes nearby. They could quickly retreat and report to the council if they found something, while would allow them time to prepare to deal with enemy threats with the 50 Swadian Peasants.

While there were only 80 of them, given how all of them would defend their homes courageously, not even a force of 200 Jackalans would be able to defeat them if they were to form tight formations with their polearms outstretched.

Furthermore, Kant was about to add a new troop class to his roster.

It was the Desert Bandits.

He went to the side of the Council Hall and began to seriously look at the surrounding terrain.

Confirming the construction of the Desert Bandit Lair would add a second building to the Oasis Lookout. At the same time, the building was crucial for allowing Kant to gain another class of combatants.

"System, construct the building at the eastern side of the council hall."

Kant made his final decision.

A large number of data streams appeared on his retina as he gave the order.

A simple building, which was constructed with stone and wooden materials, was quickly erected right beside the council hall. The process took about two seconds. The building, which previously only existed in data-card form, was instantly brought into the world.

A Desert Bandit Lair was given by the system.

Kant eyed the place, finding it to be a simple single-story house that was constructed using stone and wooden materials as the foundation.

The lair seemed to have an area of 1,080 square feet and was about 9 feet high, which was noticeably lower than the 19-foot-tall Council Hall next to it. However, there was a stable made of wood next to the house, which was about 215 square feet.

Sniff.

Light snorting sounds were heard, which startled Kant.

Is someone in there?

Kant eyed the place. He knew that his ears were not playing tricks on him.

Those were obvious snorting sounds, which sounded just like those commonly heard from horses. That meant there were horses in the stable. It also meant that there were people in the building.

The narrow wooden door was pushed open from the inside.

Five stout men wearing linen robes walked outside. They were holding spears. Their faces, which had a dark complexion from prolonged exposure to the sun, looked fierce and unyielding, yet they appeared incredibly respectful.

"We bow to you, Lord, as your humble servants," the five greeted him respectfully.

"Right, very well."

Kant nodded slightly. There was a smile on his smile.

The joy in his eyes was unmistakable. It was just as he guessed. These five stout men were Desert Bandits of the Sarrand Sultanate who roamed in groups and took on the desert like a sandstorm.

Underneath their simple, crude linen robes was fine leather armor.

While they all held 6-foot-long spears, they still carried round shields and flanged maces for close-quarter combat right behind their backs. Four javelins were arranged neatly on the sacks on their backs as well.

Along with the desert horses in the stables, the equipment became the combination of tools that made them fearsome entities in the desert.

The Desert Bandits were equally as good at initiating cavalry charges with their horses or surrounding their enemies and throwing their heavy, lethal javelins.

In close-quarters combat, their round shields effectively blocked enemy attacks. Their flanged maces, which were blunt trauma weapons that excelled in armor penetration, served as a lethal threat to even the most well-armed enemies.

"Splendid, splendid indeed."

The smile on Kant's face was unmistakable. He asked, "Are there only five of you in the lair?"

"Indeed, My Lord." The five Desert Bandits nodded.

One of them quickly said, "If you are willing to pay 30 Denars per member, there will be one Desert Bandit who will willingly join your ranks every week. From then on out, weekly maintenance for each member will be 12 Denars per week."

"Seems nice." Kant nodded.

While the 30 Denars to recruit seemed steep, and 12 Denars per week for maintenance seemed hefty, Kant saw all of that to be acceptable. The value of these ferocious bandits was son to be laid bare for all to see.

They were excellent units among second-level troop classes. n0𝗏𝓔𝓁𝓊𝗌𝔟.𝗰0𝑀

For instance, the second-level troop class that Kant currently possessed, the 10 Swadian Militia, paled in comparison to the Desert Bandits.

It could be said that with sound tactics employed, the five Desert Bandits could easily take out all of the Swadian Militia without losing a single member, even if all of those Swadian Militia were armed with heavy spears.

Their ferocious skills had been developed and honed by the harsh, unforgiving desert.

Kant asked, "Can I begin recruitment right now?"

The Desert Bandits did not answer. They became quiet after giving their previous explanation. The system immediately answered him in their stead.

"You may begin recruitment."

A prompt from the system was heard in his ear. "Do you want to recruit now?"

"Recruit." Kant nodded.

[Recruitment: Desert Bandit x 1]

[30 Denars spent]

A dialog box popped up. The wooden door of the lair, which was constructed using stone and wooden materials, opened again.

Another Desert Bandit in near-identical attire appeared. He briskly walked and stood with the other five, looking fierce and unyielding. While he looked respectfully at Kant's face, his eyes remained fixed on other areas, which was typical of a bandit.

It was as if he was out to rob the place at any given moment.

This place is now a lot safer with six Desert Bandits around.

As he looked at them, Kant felt pleased with the situation.

The six Desert Bandits were not regular infantry units. They were cavalry units. Armed with spears, they could easily be used as fierce shock troops. They were capable of tearing through enemy formations and easily crushing enemy forces.

Dealing with primitive Jackalans would be considered a piece of cake to them.

"My Lord, My Lord!"

Just as Kant was still feeling pleased with himself, a desperate call could be heard from behind.

Kant turned around and saw a Swadian Peasant. He was carrying a tattered urn in his hand and walking quickly toward his lord. He shouted, "We seem to have found something!"

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Chapter 12: Coarse Salt in the Urn

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The urn was the color of earth and about the size of a grown man's head. It seemed to have been used for a very long time, which was evident by the severe scuff marks on the edges. Only bits and pieces of the original image were left on the urn, making it hard to distinguish what it was.

"My Lord, I think you'd need to look at this."

The Swadian Peasant holding the old, tattered urn looked serious.

"Right, hold on." n0𝐯𝐄𝐿𝐔𝑆𝒷.𝗰0𝓂

Kant frowned at the peasant holding the urn.

Upon seeing the earth-colored tattered urn, his frowned deepened as he said, "If you're talking about this thing here, it's just an old urn that should be disposed of. I don't think you need to bring it here."

This world had no technology for making porcelain, but it did have the technology for making high-grade earthenware.

Fine, high-grade earthenware was actually quite expensive.

It was especially so in the eyes of Kant, who was from a noble family. That old, tattered urn had no value to anyone but the poorest of paupers. Even if something like that were left on the streets, few people would pick it up and consider it a treasure. Most people would leave it for the street cleaners to find and dispose of.

The Dukedom of Leo produced huge amounts of clay. As such, high-grade and low-grade earthenware were practically everywhere, making the urn nearly worthless.

"No, it's not the urn itself."

The Swadian Peasant shook his head.

"What is it?" Kant looked on with a curious expression.

"This."

The peasant approached Kant. He gently and carefully held the tattered urn up for him to see. The urn seemed to have something contained within it. As he looked, white bits flickered in the light of the sun.

Kant was slightly stunned.

The sight seemed quite familiar.

He looked in the urn and found that those white, scattered bits were some kind of white powdery substance.

The identification of the substance instantly popped into his mind.

"Salt?" His eyes slightly widened.

The peasant nodded affirmatively and said, "Indeed, My Lord. It is salt."

Hints of joy could be seen in Kant's eyes.

In such a backward world, both salt and sugar were considered rare seasonings and condiments. Even as the youngest son of the duke and a baron of the Dukedom of Leo, he had brought less than two baskets full of those seasonings when he came to his fief.

Ten pounds of salt, 10 pounds of sugar and 5 pounds of black pepper were all the seasonings he acquired when he was conferred the title of baron.

"Where did you get this urn of salt?" he asked.

Kant unconsciously gulped. He looked at the peasant, who appeared excited.

"We found it in one of the Jackalan's tents. There was a tent bigger than the others, and we found the urn when we were cleaning up the place," the peasant said as he pointed to a patch of grass not far away.

"Jackalans?"

Kant licked his lips as his brows furrowed in contemplation.

He glanced at the tent, which had been cobbled together with beast pelts and linen cloth, that remained unpacked. It looked much larger than a usual Jackalan tent. He quickly came to understand something quite important.

This was likely the tent that belonged to the leader of the Jackalans.

Although they were considered a primitive race, they still had castes. The leader was often the one who hoarded most of the tribe's wealth.

However, what piqued Kant's interest even more was how salt was discovered in a Jackalan Tribe. It was worth noting that even lesser lords in the comparatively wealthy Dukedom of Leo would not have so much salt in their households.

"It's probably from a salt mine in the desert."

A Desert Bandit spoke in a confident tone. It was apparent he knew of such salt being found in the desert.

It was especially apparent when the eyes of everyone present scanned the white powdery salt in the urn, which had bits of grey in it. It confirmed what the bandit had said. "Furthermore, it's an open-air salt mine. These coarse salts were collected from alkali soils."

"Coarse salts from alkali soils?" Kant twisted his head a bit. His brow lifted.

The Desert Bandit nodded and said, "Indeed. It's very close to the salt produced by the salt mines in the Sarrand Sultanate."

Another Desert Bandit added to the explanation. "These are probably coarse salts that were just simply collected and cleaned. There are still bits of sands in them, so the texture is awful. Sarrand craftsmen filter the coarse salts for a bit before boiling them and refining them into finer table salts."

"So, that's how it's done." Kant slightly nodded.

Thoughts welled up in Kant's mind as he kept looking at the coarse salt in the urn.

"If that is true, we can be sure that there is alkali soil found in the deeper reaches of Nahrin Desert." Kant tried his best to maintain a calm expression, yet his excitement was heard leaking out through the tone of his voice.

The Desert Bandits nodded affirmatively. "Going by common logic, that is indeed how it should be."

Joy instantly filled Kant's face.

Even if he were to do his best to suppress his emotions, the burst of joy deep down still made him struggle to control himself.

"This is very good news!"

He gulped and tightly clenched his fists.

Salt might have been of little value in modernized Earth, but if one were to look into human history, salty seasonings had once been a symbol of luxury and high status, be it in the east or west. It was something that had once been exclusive to rich people.

It worked the same in this mysterious dimension of swords and magic that resembled the middle ages.

Salt was an expensive seasoning. At the same time, it was one of the common materials mages employed when casting magic. As such, having access to a precious supply meant having access to vast wealth.

It was quite a surprise that somewhere deep in the barren Nahrin Desert, there was actually alkali soil full of salt.

The newly discovered fact excited Kant tremendously.

"This is an opportunity!"

As he gulped, happiness was seen in his eyes. However, he was still extremely cautious about it. As a Transported, he understood what he would gain by having access to a place that produced salt.

Wealth.

Opportunity.

Schemes.

Kant licked his lips as he looked around. His mind slowly calmed.

There was the only village in the Oasis Lookout, and Drondheim was filled with his men and no outsiders. As such, from the looks of things at the moment, it was a secret known only to him.

[Ding... The oasis was finally cleaned through painstaking hard work.]

[Side Quest: "Clean up the oasis" is complete.]

[Reward Acquired: Flour x 20]

[Comment: That could be easily accomplished with only simple labor, right?]

Just as Kant was still enjoying his joyful mood, a prompt came from the system.

A dialog box appeared on his retina, confirming the completion of the side quest he was assigned in the morning.

At the same time, 20 bags of flour were prepared in some mystical space of the system, which Kant would be able to easily materialize at any given moment.

"Good news does come in pairs." Kant smiled.

He looked at the urn of salt below his leg, which had been a pleasant surprise.

As long as Drondheim was developed, Kant had enough to defend and feed himself. The salt would serve as an auxiliary force, propelling his further success. He could open a trade route to the dukedom and gain more wealth.

Salt was something that could almost serve as currency.

He saw a flicker on his retina. The system had assigned him another side quest.

[Ding... Side Quest assigned.]

[Side Quest: The Origins of Salt]

[Reward: Standard Swadian House x 5]

[Introduction: Where did the salt come from? That is a question worthy of careful search in the deeper reaches of the desert. You might find different resources there, just like those precious salt.]

Kant shook his head and smiled as he looked at the dialog box on his retina.

Even without the quest assigned by the system, he still would have assigned someone to thoroughly look into the place where the salt came from.

"An alkali soil eh? That's mine!"

Kant's face was filled with determination.

If such precious resources were to be taken over by the primitive Jackalans, it would be a terrible waste.

Kant needed to take the salt mine resources for himself.

He did not bother with any pretentious compassion or excuses. He made it clear right there and then that he wanted to take such resources for himself, one way or another, to fuel the development of his fief. He was completely willing to clash with another Jackalan Tribe if that was what was required.

"Swadians do not fear."

Kant's eyes were filled with pride and might.

The Kingdom of Swadia was known for its exceptional feats at ground warfare in the Continent of Caradia. In such a world, eliminating the Jackalans, who were still in a primitive stage, was an easy feat.

Furthermore, with access to the system, Kant could sustain his warring efforts for years.

Even if he were to trade the lives of 10 Swadian Peasants for a single unit advancing to become a Swadian Knight, it would be worthwhile.

"We shall make plans for this."

However, he quickly calmed himself and returned to his usual self.

It was imperative to search for the salt mine, but he needed to be cautious while venturing deep into the Nahrin Desert. It was absurd to charge into the sea of sands without proper preparations just because it was a quest from the system. He would be little more than a fool if he were to do so.

Then again, he smiled in an even more brimming manner as he looked at the six Desert Bandits by his side.

Luckily, I have desert experts by my side.

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Chapter 13: Sarrandan Wisdom

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Desert Bandits served as Kant's backing.

He was very confident about being able to finish that Side Quest assigned by the system.

It was mostly because the Desert Bandits were from the desert nation of Sarrand Sultanate, so they were more than familiar with the brutal environment of a desert. Their skills were honed in the vast sea of sand, so they could all be considered desert survival experts.

The six Desert Bandits had the potential to help get into the deeper reaches of the Nahrin Desert.

As for that alkali soil, which was rich in natural salt, Kant had long made up his mind about it.

He would take it by all means.

Kant hailed from the Dukedom of Leo and was the youngest son of Duke Cameron, who was the top leader of the entire nation. Although Kant was not a favorite due to his mother dying young, all the mandatory aristocratic education he received from his youth enabled him to be quite knowledgeable.

He was also a Transported. Having lived two lives, there was no doubt that his learning ability was extremely formidable. He had indeed learned a great deal.

It was just like how things were at the moment.

Kant was able to tell how much of a commotion he would cause back in the dukedom, which was a nation filled with flatlands and hills, just from the fact that he had acquired intelligence regarding table salt resources.

That was because the Dukedom of Leo was not a salt-producing nation.

Furthermore, none of all the other dukedoms, which were human territories, neighboring the Dukedom of Leo, were salt-producing nations either.

If they wanted to have saltiness in their food, they could only satisfy such needs by importing salt.

According to the books Kant read in the tower of mages back in the castle, merchants needed to venture into faraway mountains, which were territories that belonged to non-human races. Those were territories belonging to dwarfs, who were versed in the art of tunneling and smithing. Table salt was bought from those stout, earthy dwarfs, who were usually around 4-feet-5-inches tall, before ferrying them back thousands of miles to be sold in the human nations.

The dwarfs owned a salt mine 984 feet underground. Mining operations were conducted all day long, satisfying the alt needs of many nations. They were the greatest exporter of salt in the entire continent.

As such, the price of salt in human nations had always been high. Also, salt was not the usual type of seasoning available to commoners.

One pound of high-grade fine salt was of equal value to a strong, healthy horse.

That was the testament to just how pricey such a seasoning could be.

During the years that saw trade routes hindered by war or spice shortages, spices of even higher value, such as top-grade black pepper, were almost worth their weight in gold. They were also luxuries that greater nobles held in high regard and greatly valued.

Kant had ample experiences regarding such facts.

He had been in that world for 16 years and attended all manners of feasts and banquets, regardless of size.

However, he had never been able to feast on foods that were heavily seasoned with many different spices, not even once.

While this world had swords and magic, as well as numerous mystical items and fantastical races, it was still one that fundamentally resembled Earth during the European middle ages. It vastly lacked material supplies, and things were simple and backward. It was a feudal age that many found to be exasperating.

Huff.

Kant took a deep breath.

He quelled all that excitement deep down, returning to his usual calm self.

He still had to deal with reality.

Without ample strength, there was no way he could initiate contact with the Dukedom of Leo personally.

That place was filled with hyenas.

It was where eternally insatiable monsters thrived.

The concept of vast wealth eventually getting one into major trouble was something that had been abhorrently apparent back in his past life on Earth. If the image of the Nahrin Desert being a destitute, barren place was broken, and the fact that there was a salt mine that represented massive profit presented before the eyes of the nobles of the Dukedom of Leo, there might just be some bandits from somewhere out to make that baron of the Oasis Lookout disappear from the world forever.

Kant never held the safety and security of that world in high regard.

It was a world in which might made right. If a child were to carry gold pieces while getting near thugs, one could easily imagine what awaited that child.

I still need to become powerful myself.

Kant shook his head somewhat, but he still wore a joyful smile.

He was able to feel that joy because he was confident.

He was born with the essence of the Kingdom of Swadia, which was inherent within the system.

It was a cheat that belonged only to Kant. n0𝑣ℯ𝑳𝓊𝓈𝑏.𝗰0𝔪

"Go back and get busy."

Kant gave orders to the Swadian Peasant who was waiting by his side.

"Yes, My Lord." The peasant nodded respectfully.

As the peasant was about to leave, he seemed to have recalled something. While still cradling that tattered urn, he asked, "My Lord, what should I do about the coarse salt in the urn?"

That salt was raw and coarse and had yet to be filtered. Not only was there sand mixed in it, but there were also a number of potentially harmful substances.

The coarse salt had been scraped directly from the alkali soil. The Jackalans had no problem eating it like that. For human digestive systems, which were more delicate, eating things like that was a challenge. After eating this kind of coarse salt, a human would have quickly displayed signs of food poisoning, such as vomiting and diarrhea. In the worst-case scenario, it had the potential to be life-threatening.

"Well..." Kant was rather baffled. He turned his eyes toward the six Desert Bandits.

"My Lord, we know how to cook the salt to run coarse salt into table salt."

The six Desert Bandits were living up to their expectations. They nodded affirmatively and said, "Doing so is actually quite simple."

"Very well." Kant nodded with satisfaction.

The desert where the Sarrand Sultanate was located also had alkali soils. Sarrandans, who lived in the desert, knew how to make the inedible raw coarse salt into edible seasoning through some ancient methods passed down through the generations.

A furnace, two large pots, and a huge amount of charcoal were all that was required to refine salt.

All of that was easily found inside the Council Hall.

Kant looked at the Desert Bandits with curious eyes. He paid close attention to how they turned harmful raw coarse salt into edible table salt.

"So, do you people filter the salt using charcoal?"

Kant had a general concept of how the process worked. All the mandatory education he received in his past life did not go to waste.

The furnace was lit.

The water in the huge pot quickly came to a boil. The Desert Bandits poured all the coarse salt from the old, tattered urn into the pot.

As the steam rose, the white coarse salt began to dissolve in the boiling water.

However, that huge pot of clear spring water seemed to have grey impurities seen in it. There were so many that bits of granules could almost be seen in all that boiling water with the naked eye.

It was all dirt.

"Keep the fire low. We shall lower the heat afterward," a Desert Bandit said.

Another Desert Bandit, who was waiting at the side, immediately turned the fire in the furnace to low.

The boiling saltwater gradually settled. A layer of fine sand could be seen at the bottom of the pot.

While the salt was water-soluble, any other solids fell to the bottom.

"This is interesting." Kant nodded. This was a piece of useful knowledge that could be applicable to daily life.

After a while, the saltwater became clear while the sediment at the bottom was packed together. One would have found it hard to imagine just how dirty the seemingly clean, white coarse salt had actually just been.

"Get ready."

The Desert Bandit in charge of the operation had spoken.

Another Desert Bandit quickly fetched a second big pot, which was packed with charcoal on the inside.

It served as the key to filtering out the impurities.

That Desert Bandit took a large wooden spatula and began to dump saltwater into the pot filled with charcoal. His moves were fast and adept. There was only a thin layer of saltwater and a layer of dirt left at the bottom of the pot.

"We're basically done."

The Desert Bandit told the others, "Dump the garbage away and scrub the pot clean."

He hastily wiped the sweat off of his face and turned around to face Kant with a smile. He said, "My Lord, we shall let it sit for an hour before repeating the process with a new pot and fresh charcoal four times. After we're done with the filtering, we will boil the water until it dries up. We will then be able to sift good, edible fine salt from the finished product."

"Very well." Kant nodded.

He looked at the steaming iron pot with salt water being mixed within the charcoal. These natural filters easily filtered out most of the impurities. The only steps left were to repeat the process several times, leaving only pure saltwater behind.

After that, they would have to continue to heat the iron pot with fire and sift the salt from the end product. Eventually, the process resulted in edible table salt.

"My Lord."

The Desert Bandit said with full surety, "This will become high-grade white salt."

"Splendid. Splendid indeed."

Kant nodded as he wore a brimming smile on his face. This was definitely something to be happy about.

He fully understood what white salt really meant.

He knew the value of such things better than most.

The eventual fine, snow-white salt was capable of fetching very high prices back in the Dukedom of Leo, especially since such an item was only available to great nobles and very wealthy merchants. It was possible that every pound could be sold for at least 50 Great Silvers.

It was a luxury that only nobles had access to.

This salt was definitely different from the coarser salt, which was obtained through wells, usually eaten by wealthier commoners and lesser lords.

This fine, high-grade salt was not only expensive, but it also came with a symbol of status.

"I really can't wait."

Kant was already smiling from ear to ear.

Within just half a day, inedible coarse salt from alkali soil was turned into fine white salt that could fetch exorbitant prices.

As long as Kant was able to seize that natural salt mine in the form of alkali soil, he could easily earn massive profits from the monopoly.

As such, he was very eager to see the finished product.

While he was currently incapable of organizing trade caravans in broad daylight and selling the salt in huge batches in the dukedom, he could still sell small amounts of the fine, white salt on the black market. He believed that many would likely kill to get their hands on the salt.

This salt was much more than just a seasoning.

It was an essential material for the mages in the towers to cast spells, as well as a symbol of status flaunted by the nobles.

One way or another, Kant would have no problem selling the precious salt.

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Chapter 14: Scrumptious Dinner

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Time quickly passed.

The sun could be seen in the western dunes, scattering evening light throughout the oasis.

The night was about to arrive.

The dazzling stars began to subtly appear in the sky. A crescent moon soon brightly shone white light on the desert.

This was the Oasis Lookout of the Nahrin Desert.

It was where Drondheim was located.

The peasants, who hailed from the Kingdom of Swadia, stayed busy.

With tools in hand, they carefully plowed the land on the northern side of the oasis. They cleared out useless weed and made the place look like a field. Waterways were dug, forming effective irrigation channels for the would-be farm.

The lands that were being worked on would become Drondheim's agricultural area.

While the place was still barren and no crops were currently being planted, it was still a good idea to work the dirt beforehand.

Most importantly, the irrigation channels were dug long enough to reach the Date Palm Trees.

The 20 grown Date Palm Trees served as the only crop-producing plants Drondheim had at the moment. While they were trees and only able to produce dates, said crops were able to fill the bellies of the people, which slightly eased their food shortage predicament.

At the same time, those Date Palm Trees served as a solid line of defense against the desert's encroachment.

As long as the roots of the trees remained strong and sturdy, capable of reaching huge areas, the sand underneath would remain in place.

By doing so, the oasis was able to maintain its shape, avoiding getting increasingly smaller from the encroachment of the desert. Furthermore, as the fallen leaves piled up, a new layer of soil would begin to form. When coupled with ample water, it set into motion the gradual expansion of the oasis.

Then again, the beneficial cycles that led to the growth of the oasis would take hundreds of years to occur naturally.

"Get dinner ready. We might just be making larger portions tonight."

Kant looked at the exhausted peasants. He wore a smile on his lips as he said, "Put more dried meat into the meals. We all need better nourishment after a day of hard work."

The three peasants who served as cooks nodded and began to get the kitchen utensils ready.

Those three were given their orders by Kant beforehand, so they did not participate in the digging of channels or cleanup of the oasis. They needed to prepare dinner at noon since Lord Kant asked for the dinner to be prepared in bigger, loftier portions.

Although they were not all that proficient in cooking, as long as there was meat, the dinner would become an excellent feast regardless.

Furthermore, more than 40 baskets full of dates had been collected in the morning.

Even if everyone were to only eat bread and dates, drinking only spring water from the oasis, that would have lasted them for 15 days. With the addition of the 20 new bags of flour in the storage room, the total amount of food was expected to last for 30 days.

While they still lacked a sustainable food source, they no longer had to immediately worry about food.

The kitchen furnaces in the Council Hall were ignited.

In mere moments, the fragrance of food wafted throughout the oasis along with the wind.

The peasants, who only had some bread and dates at noon, were famished. All of them gulped as they smelled the enticing fragrance. Their eyes were fixed on the kitchen.

The wait before the meal was excruciating for those famished peasants.

However, the Swadian Recruits on guard duty were having an even harder time as they held their spears.

They had not had much to eat at lunchtime.

However, for the sake of the village's safety, they needed to make sacrifices.

The 20 units were divided into two platoons. They stood guard at the eastern and western dunes, respectively. As dusk came, the dazzling stars and bright moonlight enabled them to barely see what was out there over 300 feet away.

They had been on-guard and watching for the Jackalans.

The 10 Swadian Militia in Drondheim were just as careful and alert.

At least for the moment, it was fortunate that things were still safe,

However, their luck was not an excuse to let their guards down. No one knew when those ferocious, brutal Jackalans would retaliate for the earlier slaughter.

"Dinner is ready."

Three peasants brought pots out of the kitchen.

There were bread slices toasted to golden perfection, as well as thick, hearty vegetable soup made using dried meat, cabbage, and flour.

There was also the freshly plucked dates.

"We thank our Lord for giving us food." Whispers of gratitude were heard from the mouths of the peasants at dinner.

Kant nodded and raised his hand, saying, "You've earned it."

It was a simple ritual. Kant was their lord and owner of the system, which made him someone equivalent to a king of the Swadians given where they were. As such, it was only a matter of fact that they respected such a figure from the bottom of their hearts.

Kant's dinner was prepared as well.

His portion had black pepper and sugar, as well as fine, white salt, cooked and filtered by the Desert Bandits, added.

"Not bad at all."

Kant nodded in satisfaction.

The dried meat had been roasted and given a dash of crushed black pepper, making it exude a mesmerizing fragrance.

When the dried meat was eaten with the clean, white, fine salt on the wooden plate, Kant felt as if he was back at a feast thrown by Cameron, the Duke of the Dukedom of Leo, enjoying tasty roast meat available only to nobles.

He gulped them down and narrowed his gaze. He quipped with a smile, "This is really good."

The dinner had been a very good one.

Kant was not the only one who enjoyed the meal. The peasants, who had been working hard throughout the day, shared the same thoughts.

Even the soldiers who took turns eating dinner expressed heartfelt gratitude for the food that night.

In a barren desert like that, there was no guarantee that every meal could be so hearty. That was even more so given the fact that they were able to enjoy sweet dates and clean water after the meal. Everything truly felt heavenly.

The peasants even thought that they would really be blessed if they were able to sleep on beds instead of holes in the sand.

It was truly a pity.

Drondheim currently only had two buildings—the Council Hall and Desert Bandit Lair.

Before they could acquire better residences, new Side Quests needed to be completed. Also, the location of the salt needed to be discovered before the system provided a reward of five standard Kingdom of Swadia-styled stone and wood houses,

At present, most of them had to sleep in tents and sand holes.

"Stay sharp in the night."

Kant gave a final order before going to bed.

The soldiers answered affirmatively, "Rest assured, My Lord."

Everyone had experienced a long day, so it was a good idea for them to go to bed early.

As for the soldiers, they took turns resting. After all, they were the ones who had taken up guard duty in the night to keep everyone safe.

Before long, everyone had gone to bed.

When the Swadian Peasants returned to their holes and lied down, loud snoring was quickly heard throughout the oasis, which sounded rather irritating.

The night was no longer young. Midnight soon arrived.

Only the snores of the peasants continued to be heard throughout the Oasis Lookout.

There were five Swadian Militia standing guard and staying alert for everyone else.

"Gosh, the snoring is awful."

One of the militia members shook his head exasperatingly and sighed. "I can't even sleep even if I want to now."

"Just bear with it. This is nothing." The other militia member held onto his heavy spear. He spoke in an unfazed manner. "You have no idea just how awful your snoring was when I was sleeping by your side."

"What? For real?" That militia member rolled his eyes exasperatedly and asked, "How come I know nothing of it?"

"You were fast asleep just like a dead pig," the other militia member jested.

The militia member who complained first was just about to retort when he caught sight of something not far away from the dunes. There seemed to be some dark shadows at the dunes, which alerted him. n0𝗏𝑬𝗅𝓊𝓈𝑩.𝕔0𝔪

"Hey, what's that over there?"

He did not let his guard down. He instead jabbed at the other militia member with his arm.

"Huh?" That other militia member peered toward that direction as he frowned.

The dunes east of the Oasis Lookout had starlight and moonlight shining over them. The sand seemed like it was being blown in the wind in the dark sky, which looked out of place.

That militia member's expression became serious as he said, "Something is not right."

"Yeah, I saw shadows just a moment ago," the other militia member added with a gulp.

He had a bad feeling and was unable to help but mumble, "Are those damned Jackalans really going to sneak up on us in the night?"

"Go and wake the others."

The other militia member did not respond to him. Instead, he said in a serious tone, "Be quick about it!"

"Will do." That militia member behaved just as seriously as he ran toward the roof.

Shadows were lurking on top of the dunes at the end of the two militia members' line of sight. They did not look human under the moonlight. They resembled beasts walking upright. There was no way the militia would not be able to tell that the scattered Jackalans were sneaking up on them in the dark of night.

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Chapter 15: The Thick Stench of Blood

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The news of an incoming enemy attack spread quickly. All those who had been fast asleep in the Oasis Lookout were now all wide awake. Their eyes might have still looked somewhat drowsy, but underneath that drowsiness was full readiness to fight.

They all hoped for a satisfying victory to prove their valiance.

Swadians never feared war.

The 10 Swadian Militia and 20 Swadian Recruits all stood ready with their spears as they gathered in the council hall.

Nothing seemed unusual in the tents. The 50 Swadian Peasants were standing ready for battle with their long scythes.

Everyone awaited Kant's orders.

"Stay quiet."

He did not give the order for them to emerge out of their buildings or tents.

He wanted them all to keep waiting.

He squatted on the Council Hall's roof, narrowing his eyes as he peered at the dunes far away. He wore a sarcastic smirk as he quipped, "Maybe those ugly bastards know of only one such tactic, eh."

Scattered shadows were seen moving on the dunes.

The bright moonlight shone all over the ground, which enabled them to vaguely see the beast-like heads and bodies of their would-be invaders.

Those were Jackalans.

"My Lord, we shall get to our horses."

Six Desert Bandits were squatting right behind Kant.

The six of them wore harsh expressions as they eyed the approaching Jackalans.

"Be careful, and don't alert anyone."

Kant nodded, permitting them to leave.

He looked just as focused as everyone else. His eyes had nothing but seriousness in them. Not even he had expected just how tough the battle that night would be. The scale of victory weighing his odds did not seem to be in his favor.

There were simply too many Jackalans showing up at his door.

"Things don't look good."

As he stayed on guard, Kant calmed his breathing and kept his eyes focused on the faraway dunes.

While moonlight did not give them visibility like that of sunlight, everyone was still able to see what was over 300 feet away. Kant assessed that there were more than 300 Jackalans ready to attack them. He was even able to detect that there might be more Jackalans waiting to strike from behind the dunes.

At this point, things were not looking good.

The situation had taken a turn for the worse.

A militia member behind him seriously asked, "My Lord, what should we do?"

"We wait."

Kant answered in a straightforward, affirmative manner.

He estimated that at least 500 Jackalans were sneaking up on them in the dark of night. The beasts outnumbered them at least five to one.

He only had 87 Swadians at his side, and 50 of them were peasants who did not specialize in combat. If he were to win this battle, he could not afford to rely on conventional strategies.

If all of his people took formations and fought the invaders head-on, he might have as well asked to be mowed down in a single charge.

Kant was not a fool.

So, he arranged for his troops to continue hiding.

He made it seem as if none of them had discovered anything.

"If only they were here now."

Kant made a causal quip, seeking what bit of joy he could in the severe situation. He still ended sighing in exasperation.

The "They" he referred to meant Rowan's men.

The 20 Dukedom of Leo knights working with six Desert Bandits and 80 infantry units would have enabled them to attack with the element of surprise on their side. It would have easily crushed the Jackalans sneakily coming at them.

They were cavalry units, so their formidable mobility would have brought a devastating force to bear in such a situation.

"Too bad none of them are here."

He wiped his face and returned to his serious and alert state of mind.

Even without reinforcements, he and the Swadians still had to defend the oasis.

That oasis was now called Drondheim, which was the location of their village.

Just as Kant was about to raise his hand and give an order, a dialog box flickered on his retina.

A prompt from the system was heard.

[Ding... Main Quest assigned]

[Main Quest: Annihilate the enemy sneaking in the night.]

[Reward: Equipment for Swadian Militia: Hunting Crossbows]

[Introduction: It is late at night and cold winds blow across the sandy dunes. A massive number of enemies are gathering. All of them come with seething hatred. They intend to retake the oasis where their tribe once called home. For you, it will be a battle for survival.]

It was another quest from the system.

Kant was somewhat startled.

His pupils instantly contracted as he discovered that it was not the usual Side Quests that popped up now and again.

It was a Main Quest.

That was the second Main Quest Kant had encountered thus far.

The first was to build his village, which was accomplished the previous night.

Now, the system had assigned him another Main Quest just as he was about to deal with the ambush from the Jackalans in the dark of night.

You're forcing my hand.

Kant licked his lips. His eyes were filled with exasperation.

With the assignment being a Main Quest, it meant that he had to see through to its completion one way or another. A new Main Quest was only possible if he completed the one he had just been given. Everything in the system was done step by step and interconnected.

There was a possibility of failing that main quest altogether.

Kant had no idea of the consequences of such a failure.

A loss meant that a link in the chain was broken, so the next link would not be able to connect properly.

There was something even more important.

If Kant were to lose in the ambush from the Jackalans, every single last man would end up dead.

If every single unit died in combat, the Oasis Lookout would be retaken by the Jackalan Tribe. That meant Drondheim would be destroyed.

Even if there were Main Quests from there on out, they would have nothing to do with Kant.

Nothing else mattered if he ended up dead.

Some years later, people in the Dukedom of Leo would have learned of the tragedy. A few of them might have shed tears upon learning about it. In all likelihood, the tragedy would have turned into a topic discussed over dinner. After people raved about it for several days, everything would return to normal, with Kant eventually being forgotten.

To hell with that!

Kant clenched his fists and looked rather brutal.

This was a battle that he was unable to afford to lose. He had to win, even if the victory came with a high cost. n0𝐯𝐄𝐿𝐔𝑆𝒷.𝗰0𝓂

"Get ready."

Kant retreated and left the roof for the first floor of the Council Hall.

The 10 Swadian Militia and 20 Swadian Recruits were waiting with their spears in hand. These people consisted of his main force. They were the key to winning the battle.

"My Lord."

The soldiers looked determined. They were ready to die in battle if need be.

"Very well." Kant nodded, finding the morale to be impressively high.

He asked, "How are things out there?"

A militia member in charge of scouting immediately reported, "The Jackalans are gathering at the dunes. So far, it is estimated that there are 500 of them."

Kant frowned.

The reported was just as he expected, yet the weight on his shoulders felt even heavier than before.

There were 500 Jackalans. That was a number close to that of the previous tribe that took over the oasis.

"How could there be so many of them?"

Kant was feeling doubtful.

When 20 knights ambushed the tribe with 30 Swadians in tow, they had done severe damage to the Jackalan Tribe that had taken over the Oasis Lookout. There were about 300 Jackalans killed back then, and less than 100 had been able to escape.

However, the number of Jackalans appearing at the moment had reached 500.

That surprised Kant quite a bit. It also greatly angered him.

This meant that there was another Jackalan Tribe somewhere out there.

"They are attacking!"

Just when Kant was frowning and thinking, a militia member at the door made the announcement. His words made the air in the council hall instantly feel heavier.

Sounds of gulping and teeth gnashing were heard.

All of the Swadian soldiers held onto their spears and took deep breaths, awaiting Kant's orders. They were willing to charge outside the hall and form tight formations to take on the enemies outside at a moment's notice.

"Quiet! Stay quiet!"

However, Kant remained quiet. In a severe tone, he eventually said, "Don't rush. Victory will be ours."

He walked briskly to the wooden door.

Through the cracks of the door, Kant was able to clearly see the dark silhouettes of the Jackalans on the dunes bearing onto the oasis.

It was apparent that the Jackalans were unaware that the target of their ambush had discovered them.

The Jackalans continued to slowly sneak up on them.

It was just like how wolf packs snuck up on their prey. They laid low for a while before suddenly charging when they got close enough, attempting to kill their prey and reaping a tasty meal within the shortest amount of time possible.

However, if said prey were to discover them and retaliate, things turned out differently.

The soldiers in the Council Hall, the peasants in the tents, and the cavalry units in the lair were all waiting to strike.

The stalkers were discovered.

The ambush was no longer an ambush. It was now a quick retaliation.

Precisely put, it was a counter-ambush.

Bang.

Kant kicked the wooden door and charged outside the Council Hall with his light crossbow.

The 500 Jackalans, who were still laying low and approaching, looked very startled since they had gotten within 98 feet from the council hall. None of them expected someone would suddenly kick the door open.

Zoom.

The light crossbow fired. A sharp, heavy iron bolt shot through the air, appearing within the ranks of the Jackalans 98 feet away.

The tip of the bolt tore through the hide of a Jackalan and lodged in its abdomen, splitting up the internal organs within and causing massive internal bleeding. That Jackalan fell to the ground with its hands covering its abdominal wound while its eyes became bloodshot.

"For Swadia, charge!"

Kant's voice was heard roaring throughout the Oasis Lookout. While he was not being overly loud, his voice still sounded thunderous.

"All hail Swadia!"

Massive responses were heard. The 30 soldiers with spears in their hands quickly emerged from the council hall. They extended their two 3-foot-long spears and formed neat formations, charging quickly at the stunned Jackalans.

There were also all of the 50 Swadian Peasants.

All of them raised their long scythes and followed at the flanks of the 30 infantry units.

The steps they took suggested that they were jogging. They turned into the ones initiating an ambush, slaughtering the Jackalans sneaking on them.

"Kill them all!"

Kant put the light crossbow behind his back and took out his short sword. He advanced along with the infantry units.

The 98 feet was not that big of a distance. Reloading his crossbow would have taken too much time. It was better to deal with the threat using his short sword. Besides, none of the Jackalans were wearing armor capable of withstanding hits from metal weapons.

The stench of blood instantly thickened.

The Swadians were already fighting up close and personal with the Jackalans.

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Chapter 16: Irreconcilable Differences

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

It was a very bloody and brutal battle.

Different races went at each other's throats for a place to live.

Nearly 500 Jackalans gradually drew closer to them. Their beast-like heads had unmistakable anthropomorphic killing intent.

The Oasis Lookout was where the Jackalans had lived for generations. Humans taking over the oasis meant their home and lands had been robbed from them.

It was a conflict that would have no peaceful end.

Any race that wanted to survive in the desert either needed to drive away or kill the ones residing at any oasis found.

Kant wanted to live, so he had to annihilate the Jackalans.

Drondheim needed to be developed. The deaths of the Jackalans had to pave the way for that development.

It was that simple.

The law of the jungle was that of assimilation. In a desert, it was annihilation.

One only needed to look at the Middle East of Earth, which had two riverine regions surrounded by deserts. Regardless of how many glorious civilizations had been built before, if they went into decline and ended up being conquered by other races or civilizations, they were eventually wiped out from the river of history. The lineage of such civilizations and people were broken, with only bits of historical ruins remaining behind to prove their bygone existence.

As such, Kant showed no mercy. Besides, he was the invader in this situation.

With things being as they were, there was no turning back.

Withdrawing was not an option.

The Jackalans sneakily moved forward. With more than 500 of them crowding the place, the oasis seemed to be overflowing with blackened beings, which inspired feverish confidence in those stupid yet brutal primitive beings.

Their confidence was backed by the advantage of sheer numbers. Their arrogance was fueled by the fact that they remained undiscovered throughout the ambush process.

However, none of the Jackalans expected that their cover had been blown. The humans, who had been soundly sleeping, were simply waiting for the Jackalans to show up. When the time came, they dropped their act and retaliated in an extremely ferocious manner.

The retaliation was efficient and effective.

The Jackalans were almost in a panic because of their failed plan.

The Jackalan warriors standing at the forefront were only able to have their green eyes grow wide as rows of pointy spears were thrust at them. Seething pain was felt in their abdomens before they were put to the ground by those weapons.

They were able to do little else but open their eyes and fang-filled mouths wide in vain.

The low-pitched noises they made were that of misery and despair as their lives were completely lost when they hit the ground.

The two 3-foot-long spears were lodged deep into their bodies, creating irreparable wounds. The spiked clubs they held were unable to do any damage to the humans holding the other end of the spears.

The cold sheen of the spearheads was stained red under the bright moonlight.

The Swadian infantry units, which were all armed with spears, served as the main force of the battle.

Their iron spearheads, which were meticulously forged by skilled blacksmiths, easily penetrated the bodies of the Jackalans. Further damage was done by the hands holding the spears. As they slightly twisted the sharp weapons, it caused internal organs to rupture and massively bleed. The spears were quickly pulled and thrust once again with full force.

Blood splattered all over the place. The thick stench of blood permeated throughout the cold desert.

The throng of spears had been an infantry tactic employed by the Kingdom of Swadia.

As the former strongest old kingdom found in the Continent of Caradia, before those in the mountains southwest of the Kingdom of Swadia revolted, the people of the Rhodok Mountains had been the best candidates to employ such formations.

However, even when the Rhodoks, who were known to be as stubborn as rocks, were lost, the Swadians were still capable of employing the legion of spears.

The adept skills gained from training enabled the soldiers to skewer the Jackalans inside out without breaking a sweat.

"All hail Swadia!"

Kant shouted as he brought his sharp blade down on the throat of a Jackalan who had fallen but was still alive.

He was boosting the morale of all the combatants on the field.

There was no voice comparable to that of a lord's encouragement. It meant that everyone was still fighting alongside their lord and there were still ample compatriots left standing to fight.

It was also a sign that they had yet to lose.

"All hail Swadia!"

The Swadian Peasants shouted as well.

They closely followed by the sides of the infantry combatants. Their long scythes, which had been converted from farming tools, were being brought down left, right, and center like they were sabers and halberds. The left bloody wounds on the Jackalans that never wore armor.

More than 30 Jackalans died as soon as close-quarters fighting erupted.

However, Kant and his men never let that go to their heads. They remained determined as they advanced. n0𝗏𝑬𝗅𝓊𝓈𝑩.𝕔0𝔪

They also suffered casualties.

"No, save me... Ugh..."

The shrieks of Swadian Peasants were heard from the flanks.

Some of them were pounced on by Jackalans. Spiked clubs filled with iron nails were brought down hard on them. The peasants did not wear armor, so they were only able to rely on their bodies to resist the attacks.

The outcome was brutal.

"Huu... Help me..."

More of them were being brought down to the ground by spiked clubs of the Jackalans. Their wounds were rendered indistinguishable by the nails on the clubs.

However, most of the injuries were concussive damage dealt by the weight of the clubs, which went all the way into their bones. They no longer needed to worry about further damage. The Jackalans tore out their throats right after they were downed.

Seven Swadian Peasants fell and lost their lives.

"Hold the line! Hold the line!"

Kant's eyes were bloodshot. Those peasants were an important part of his workforce. It was quite a waste to see them lost in the battle.

Then again, the casualties thus far were still considered tolerable.

Kant gritted his teeth and shouted, "Maintain tight formations and press on!"

"Aye!" The infantry units by his side responded loudly.

While there had been peasants lost, the main force of the battle still had firm control of the battlefield situation.

None of them had been injured.

On the contrary, the Jackalans no longer dared to press forward head-on at the advancing army formations. They began to scatter at the flanks, leaving behind more than 20 bodies.

Those Jackalans knew that without armor and shields, they had no chance of getting past the throng of spears.

Even if the Jackalans managed to make it to the flanks, the peasants still gritted their teeth as they brought their long scythes down onto the beasts.

They were doing it for their home.

They were doing it for their village.

They were doing it for their kingdom.

The Swadian Peasants were just as willing to put their lives on the line to defend what they held dear.

They had to put their lives on the line.

The brutal retaliation threw the Jackalans off guard. This was the opportunity Kant had anticipated. He planned to shock the Jackalans into fear by causing massive casualties in a short amount of time. It would cause the Jackalans to lose morale, which served as the key to their victory.

The courage of a single individual was not necessarily constant.

The Jackalans, being of creatures of flesh and blood, were not actually fearless.

They were very capable of fear.

The sudden retaliation did not give the stunned Jackalans any time to recover. Seeing their skewered compatriots lying on the ground, the lucky ones, who managed to escape the purge of the tribe before, seemed to have recalled all the fear they experienced the previous night.

There had been the sounds of horses galloping, shouting, killing, swords cutting through necks, and blood spraying.

All of that served to inspire massive fear.

Gallop... Gallop... Gallop...

The Jackalans retreated in fear, subconsciously dropping their crudely made spiked clubs, which were cobbled together with wood and nails. However, they remained oblivious to the terror that was about to appear.

The sound of horses galloping could be heard.

That was the sound they feared most when they escaped in the night before.

"Kill them all!"

Shouts were heard as six cavalry units seemingly emerged out of nowhere in the night.

Shortly after, heavy javelins appeared.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Sounds of things tearing through the air were heard right before the pointy javelins, which traveled over 40 feet, nailed six Jackalans, who had not managed to escape, onto the ground.

All six of those riders held their spears out and crashed into the flanks of the messy formation of the Jackalans like meteors. Their massive inertia sent several unlucky ones flying while the pointy spears penetrated several Jackalans. The weapons put them to the ground writhing in pain, and they were unable to do anything about it.

Those were the only cavalry units who served Kant—the Desert Bandits.

"All hail Swadia!"

The appearance of those six Desert Bandits boosted the morale of the infantry units around Kant. They quickly cheered, feeling their spirits rise.

The spears in their hands were covered in blood. The bodies of Jackalans were sprawled all over the place before them.

"Do it now!"

Kant looked at the fettered Jackalans, which all wore fearful expressions.

He realized that the Jackalans had recalled the appearance of the knights from the previous night, as well as their tribe members dropping off left and right around them. All of that caused them to lose morale, so much so that they wanted to immediately escape.

Forces dealt a crushing blow saw their morale quickly dissipate when met with the same trauma in a short period of time.

That was what the Jackalans were experiencing.

More than 100 Jackalans retreated in fear. Although they had been sneaking about in the dark of night, they did not know if other cavalry units were lurking about. They quickly retreated. In their haste to retreat, they were fully willing to drop the spiked clubs they were holding. They all succumbed to mass panic. None of them had an ounce of courage left for fighting.

The mass panic was so severe that the other Jackalans began to flee in fear.

Fear and low morale quickly spread.

More than 100 Jackalan bodies were left behind in the desert, but more Jackalans chose to flee in terror.

The battle ended very quickly.

"Stop pursuing them and come back."

Kant gave his orders. He denied the Desert Bandits' request to give chase on their horses.

He only had six Desert Bandits at his disposal.

Losing even one of them was too great a loss. Furthermore, the Desert Bandits only served as light cavalry units specializing in shock tactics. Their defenses paled significantly when compared to the dukedom knights, who were all well-trained and wore mail armor.

Kant stood at the edge of the oasis, watching the Jackalans disappear into the dunes. His expression became somewhat less harsh.

He had won the battle.

He shook his head and said, "Clean the battlefield up."

He looked at the peasants to the side, whom all wore sorrowful faces. He sighed heavily and said, "Calculate the casualties. Report to me once you're done."

"Understood." A Desert Bandit nodded, which meant that he took the assignment.

Kant stood where he was. A dialog box suddenly appeared on his retina.

However, his expression soon turned to one of worry. He was unable to help but clench his fists as he muttered, "We were lucky to have won this one."

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Chapter 17: Troop Class Upgrade After the Battle

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

We were almost done for.

Kant breathed a sigh of relief, yet his expression remained glum.

That victory had truly been a lucky one. He understood just how incredibly fortunate he had been in that battle.

If luck had not been on his side, he might have ended up having to move away from the oasis.

Worse yet, he might have...

Without luck, Kant and the people of Drondheim would have been chased away from the Oasis Lookout by those Jackalans. They would have been forced to drift throughout the brutal desert, spending everything they had before finally escaping back into the Dukedom of Leo. He would have survived in disgrace, forcing him to live the rest of his life hiding his name.

The 500 Jackalans were more than enough to be called a battalion.

Even in the Dukedom of Leo, that number would have caught the attention of the lords of the local fiefs.

While the Jackalans were no doubt still at a primitive stage and had no civilization to speak of, so much so that they were not even able to produce iron tools, their feral and bloodthirsty temperament made them a terrible threat.

They were not all that much better than mere beasts.

However, it was fortunate that the Jackalans' feral temperament eclipsed their capacity for reasoning.

Beasts that were incapable of sophisticated thoughts would always be beasts.

Kant shook his head. The look of feeling lucky to have survived was in his eyes.

There were two main reasons his forces were able to crush the Jackalans in the battle. First, they had been able to deal out massive casualties against the enemy in a short time. Second, there had been a bloody massacre the day before. All of that served to shock the lucky escapees to the core.

It was an overwhelming victory in a psychological sense.

The Jackalans, which had been suffering severe psychological trauma, quickly grew fearful. Thus, they retreated and eventually ran away.

More Jackalans from elsewhere ran away with them.

That became the crumbling of the Jackalans' formations throughout the frontline.

By then, if some of them had been able to organize defenses to prevent the entire army of Jackalans from falling apart and stabilize the restless beasts, it would have been Kant's forces that fell apart next.

Luckily, for Kant, that did not happen.

The Jackalans had no military organization. As such, they had no concept of barrier troops and reserves.

The scale of victory in that battle eventually tipped in Kant's favor.

That was why Kant felt lucky.

That was also why he thought the battle was won because of luck.

Not only was Kant's forces severely outnumbered, but they were also lacking in more ways than one. His Swadian forces consisted only of entry-level units, which were actually low-quality troops.

Few of them could guarantee their fighting prowess.

For instance, the 10 Swadian Militia and 20 Swadian Recruits, who all wore leather armor and were armed with standard military equipment, as well as had been painstakingly trained and mastered killing techniques in the battlefield, would have served as effective combatants.

The fighting prowess of those people was practically guaranteed.

However, there had only been 30 infantry units in his line of defense.

The majority of his forces, the main combatants of his formation, consisted of the 50 Swadian Peasants. They were skilled at farming and most other menial labor. Some of them were even capable of working in workshops.

However, they wore no armor and had poor combat experience. They were not very capable of using that long scythes that had been modified from farm tools.

They lacked strength and nimbleness when compared to the Jackalans, and they performed poorly in combat. The only advantage they had over the Jackalans was that the long scythes they held were metal weapons. Those advanced weapons were capable of dealing effective damage against the Jackalans, which did not wear armor.

Then again, despite being armed with metal weapons, casualties among the Swadian Peasants remained high.

"F*ck!"

Kant slightly gritted his teeth.

The thick stench of blood still lingered around his nose, which made his head ache.

He turned around to carefully scan the battlefield.

The place was littered with dead bodies. Most of them were Jackalans.

Their blood-stained grey fur and beast-like heads were unmistakable. Although they wore ragged linen clothing, they still did not resemble humans. They looked more like beasts.

There were also quite a number of Swadians who wore linen robes and hoods among the bodies.

It was apparent that those peasants gave their lives in the intense battle to defend Drondheim.

"My Lord, the statistics are out."

The Desert Bandit walked up to him quickly, wearing a serious expression.

The casualties were apparently heavy.

"Speak," Kant said.

"None of the infantry units died. Six suffered light injuries."

The Desert Bandit hesitated for a bit before saying, "As for the peasants, 36 suffered light injuries..." His tone was shifty and suddenly halted.

Kant frowned and said, "Go on."

He knew that the Desert Bandit, who had been tasked with the calculations, was about to tell him how many died.

Kant was psychologically prepared.

"Yes, My Lord."

The Desert Bandit gulped for a bit before continuing in a severe tone, "As for the peasants, 36 suffered light injuries and 15 are dead."

"Fifteen peasants died?" Kant's voice was slightly raised.

That somewhat exceeded his expectations.

Then again, it was within expectations for a battle.

"Huh..."

Kant clenched his fist and pondered for a bit with his head hung low. He nodded and said, "Give them a proper burial."

"Understood." The Desert Bandit nodded.

That was the least he could do after such a bloody battle.

They died for the sake of Kant's fief. As their lord, be it in the game or reality, he was compelled to at least give them a proper burial.

"Clean up the battlefield, people."

After he was done with the arrangements, Kant turned around and headed back into the council hall. At the same time, he ordered, "I'll leave you in charge of the rest."

"Rest assured, My Lord." The Desert Bandit nodded.

Kant went inside.

The Desert Bandit was a sensible person. Although he was not someone capable of solving a lot of problems for Kant like a Tavern Hero, he had the capacity to shoulder some of Kant's burden. That was especially so when it came to dealing with simple tasks in this world.

As for Kant, it was time for him to savor the fruits of his victory.

Suddenly, the reward from the system came.

[Ding... After a gruesome battle, the enemy was crushed.]

[Main Quest: Annihilate the enemy sneaking in the night is complete.]

[Reward Acquired: Hunting Crossbow distributed (available only to Swadian Militia)]

[Comment: It was an intense battle. The courage to do or die made the victory praiseworthy.]

The completion of the Main Quest brought him his reward.

He laid on the bed, which was on the Council Hall's second floor. He couldn't help but frown.

"Hunting crossbow distributed? What does that mean?"

Kant asked the system without making a sound.

"The reward permits your Swadian Militia to be equipped with hunting crossbows. From here on out, every troop member who is upgraded will be equipped with a hunting crossbow and quiver of bolts."

The system quickly answered.

However, Kant was baffled. "Is this the reward?"

"Indeed." The voice of the system continued without any emotional inflection, "You acquire more than just actual items when you complete quests, which includes armaments for your troop classes."

Kant nodded. "Not bad."

The Swadian Militia was Kant's only main infantry force. It was best to be able to enhance their combat prowess.

He seemed to have recalled that as well.

The Swadian Militia, a third-level troop class in the game back in his past life, had some of them equipped with hunting crossbows.

While the hunting crossbows were, per their namesake, crossbows used for hunting, they were still considered ranged weapons in warfare. The ability to shoot enemy troops and weaken them before crossing arms up close and personal was the best method.

[Ding... Your forces have upgradable units.]

There was more than one prompt from the system.

Kant willed the prompts open. It was an important dialog box concerning upgrading his forces.

[Upgradable Troop Class: Swadian Peasants x 35]

[Spend 10 Denars each to upgrade to Swadian Recruits]

Kant was startled.

Did every peasant who fought in that battle become upgradable?

With the 15 dead being taken out of the equation, there were 35 Swadian Peasants among his population. All of them were able to level up to become a first-level troop class. Although Swadian Recruits looked weak, this upgrade almost completely changed the fundamentals.

The peasants, who had once known only farming, were to be turned into trained recruits.

A peasant and a recruit were of totally different professions. Becoming a recruit marked the start of a true military career. n0𝑣ℯ𝐋𝚞𝑠𝕓.𝒞0𝔪

However, that was not all he heard from the system.

The dialog box from the system continued.

[Upgradable Troop Class: Swadian Recruits x 20]

[Spend 10 Denars each to upgrade to Swadian Militia]

Just like how it was with the peasants, the Swadian Recruits were able to be promoted to the militia.

Kant gulped.

He continued scrolling through the system prompts instead of rushing to make any decisions.

[Upgradable Troop Class: Swadian Militia x 10]

[Spend 20 Denars each to upgrade to Swadian Footmen/Swadian Skirmishers]

That was the true key to the upgrades.

The third-level troop class was the only troop class considered a main armed force in the system.

Those classes were two of the three pillars of the Kingdom of Swadia's military organizations.

The first was Swadian Footmen, which specialized in melee combat.

The second was Swadian Skirmishers, which specialized in ranged combat.

There was no doubt that the Swadian Footmen could continue to be upgraded to either Swadian Man-at-Arms. That eventually led to upgrading them to Swadian Knights. Such was the route of upgrades laid down by the system.

"Very good, very good indeed."

Kant lightly gulped.

Even if he were unable to get to the level of man-at-arms or knights, the current third-level troop classes would suffice.

Zero-level peasants working with a small number of first- and second-level troop classes enabled him to take on the Jackalans.

Now, Kant had acquired a third level of main force units, as well as a huge number of first- and second-level auxiliary troop classes. His forces had significantly grown in terms of fighting prowess. The leap was of different orders of magnitude.

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Chapter 18: Choice of Buildings

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The Jackalans scattered in fright.

The bloody battle for ownership of the Oasis Lookout was declared over at the same time.

Kant emerged as the winner.

This baron, who had his title conferred in the Dukedom of Leo, was the lord of Nahrin Desert and owner of the fief at the Oasis Lookout.

Then again, titles and status only mattered back in the Dukedom of Leo.

The Jackalan Tribes, which had bred in the Nahrin Desert for many years, had no concept of that. They were completely oblivious to such things, which meant that none of them would acknowledge Kant's status. In their eyes, Kant was little more than an invader.

That was a truth Kant did not deny.

That was the nature of a world in which might makes right continuously prevailed. More often than not, the one with the bigger stick could hoard everything.

Weaklings did not even deserve to live.

I am included.

Kant was indifferent to it all. These were the true values when the facade called "civilization" was stripped away.

It was a world in which people gobbled each other up and races constantly exterminated one another.

There was no such thing as mercy.

Kant making it all the way to the Nahrin Desert meant that he had to fight for ownership of the Nahrin Desert, as well as the water source of the Oasis Lookout, with those brutal and beastly Jackalans. It was all so that he could survive in the desert and develop his fief.

Furthermore, Kant was the winner of that battle.

The win meant he was the one.

Winning that battle was, in truth, more than just securing victory.

It was also a turning point.

This turning point signified that he was on his way to becoming powerful.

All 35 peasants were upgradable.

All 20 recruits were upgradable.

All 10 militias were upgradable.

The 65 units at Kant's disposal were upgradable to become higher-level troop classes.

All of them would become infantry units capable of fighting in low-intensity battles.

While the number of troops at his disposal was lower due to the casualties suffered during the battle, the quality of his troops after the upgrade was an obvious increase. One could have said that the growth was exponential.

For instance, he had started his journey with 50 Swadian Peasants.

The remaining 35 peasants became upgradable after 15 died. They were now Swadian Recruits.

All 35 of them were stronger, wore leather armor, and held spears.

They were able to fight using hand axes and defend themselves using shields in melee battles, which were standard Kingdom of Swadia military equipment.

All of them had also received basic tactical training.

That is worth upgrading.

Kant nodded in silence.

He thoughtfully made his decision.

The Jackalans' ambush that night had been a lesson he would never forget.

They were in the Nahrin Desert, so the threat of Jackalan Tribes lurked everywhere and at all times. The emergence of nearly 500 Jackalans that night alone enabled him to speculate that there were probably more Jackalan Tribes hiding out there somewhere.

The Dukedom of Leo had little knowledge about the Nahrin Desert.

The conquest 10 years ago was declared over when the fighting reached the Oasis Lookout.

As for the deeper reaches of the Nahrin Desert, which was located north of the Oasis Lookout, be it a Jackalan Tribe oasis or hidden water resource, nothing was really known. Anything regarding such things remained a mystery.

At present, these were the things Kant had to deal with, which meant that he needed to be prepared.

I need to level up, regardless if I like it or not.

It needs to be done for the future of the fief.

Only when Kant and Drondheim amassed enough power to defend themselves could the development of the Oasis Lookout be guaranteed. Otherwise, regardless of how painstakingly he worked to make the place prosper, it would eventually be like making a new fief for some greedy people out there to steal. That was a certain outcome if he lacked forces formidable enough to defend his creation.

It would be like handing his fief over to others on a silver platter.

As such, Kant thought his troops needed to be upgraded.

Even if the amount of Denars spent was hefty, he needed to get them upgraded so the development of the village remained unimpeded.

Upgrading 35 Swadian Peasants to Swadian Recruits required 350 Denars.

Upgrading 20 Swadian Recruits to Swadian Militias required 200 Denars.

As first-level troop classes, the individual cost for an upgrade was 10 Denars.

That's 550 Denars.

Kant frowned thinking of the number.

However, he unflinchingly said, "Confirm upgrade."

The numbers symbolizing the Denars he owned quickly dropped.

Out of the 1,000 Denars he had acquired from completing the main quest of building his village, 420 Denars remained after the numbers stopped dropping. Half of Kant's savings had once again been spent.

Now then...

Kant's frown slightly deepened.

The 10 Swadian Militias were also available for upgrade.

Upgrading each of them required 20 Denars each. There was an option of upgrading them to become a melee class in the form of Swadian Footmen or to become a ranged class in the form of Swadian Skirmishers.

Those two classes were the Kingdom of Swadia's third-level troop classes.

If they underwent another upgrade, they would reach the fourth level of troop classes. That was only a level below the fifth-level troop class, which was the top class of main forces on the battlefield.

However, Kant declined to upgrade the 10 Swadian Militias.

It was a decision he came to after thinking things through.

Although the 200 Denars required for upgrading all of them did not seem much, it would affect further development of the village.

Drondheim, at the moment, was in the early stages of development.

He required huge sums of Denars to construct other buildings, for instance, houses, which were available for construction but had not been built. There were also city walls, mills, watchtowers, and wells. All of these structures were basic facilities the village desperately needed.

The only building the village currently had was the council hall.

Although the other building, the Desert Bandit Lair, was right next to the council, it was a building for recruiting Desert Bandits. It was independent of the series of Kingdom of Swadia buildings.

He needed to hurry up with the construction of the village.

As for the Jackalans, all the infantry units I have at the moment will do.

Kant's expression remained calm.

He had 35 Swadian Recruits and 30 Swadian Militias at his disposal, which was a force of 65 units. They could easily guard the Oasis Lookout. Even if they met with the same amount of Jackalans again, Kant's victory was guaranteed.

Unlike the peasants, those were tried and true infantry units.

Although they were still low-level troop classes, the standard Swadian armament they were equipped with meant that the primitive Jackalans, who lacked even metal weapons, stood no chance against them.

Furthermore, the Swadian Militias were already equipped with ranged weaponry.

They had received hunting crossbows.

They were the lowest level and least powerful crossbows provided by the system.

Crossbows were usually used by hunters in the mountains as a tool for hunting. Their performance on the battlefield, which allowed for shooting enemies from afar, was an added feature.

Regardless of how unimpressive the crossbow was, it was still a crossbow.

A crossbow capable of hunting animals could kill enemies all the same.

Furthermore, they were only needed to deal with the Jackalans, which lacked armor and only had their physical fortitude to rely on.

The 30 Swadian Militias could easily serve as crossbowmen. After all, they had decently performed when fighting up close and personal.

With 35 Swadian Recruits working in tandem with them, they would perform well against the Jackalans.

That's how it is for now.

Kant confirmed his choices. The dialog box on his retina gradually disappeared.

The soldiers, who he saw outside the window, were still cleaning up the battlefield. The fight had spanned the entire oasis and sand beyond. All of them were instantly wrapped in data streams. They appeared in the world two seconds later with apparent changes.

All of them looked more physically fit.

Their equipment had been swapped out.

The greatest change occurred to the Swadian Militias. Hunting crossbows were seen hanging underneath the kite shields on their backs.

There were also quivers strapped to their sides, which neatly held 20 bolts each.

They were done getting their upgrades.

A cold wind blew, kicking up loose sand.

Before they realized it, a line of white light appeared on the eastern horizon of the Nahrin Desert.

Dawn was approaching.

Kant, who was lying on his bed, did not feel like sleeping.

The threat of the Jackalans was over for the time being. The troop classes gained after the upgrade solved the lack of adequate defense forces problem.

However, that meant that it was time to focus on developing his village.

Another dialog box appeared on his retina. It was a list of buildings available for construction in Drondheim.

[Construction List]

[House, City Wall, Mill, Watchtower, Well]

The introduction and images suggested that these buildings were not all that different from those in the game.

Kant took a good look.

[House: Civilian building of stone and wooden materials. It increases population and attracts an influx of citizens when the population in the village is low. Requires 100 Denars and seven days for construction.]

[Mill: Agricultural building that could be powered either by wind or water. It is capable of crushing wheat and other crops for producing flour. Requires 200 Denars and 14 days for construction.]

[City Wall: Military building consisting only of rocks piled to a height of 1.6 feet surrounding the village. It is mainly used for preventing livestock from escaping into the wild instead of being used for defense against enemy attacks. Requires 100 Denars and seven days for construction.]

[Watchtower: Military building of stone and wooden materials. Personnel could be assigned within to spot movements as early as possible to keep the village safe. Requires 100 Denars and seven days for construction.]

[Well: Civilian building constructed by digging into the ground. Underground water sources are required or wells dug will not produce water. Requires 100 Denars and seven days for construction.]

These were the five buildings currently available to Kant for construction.

However, he slightly frowned.

It seems like some buildings would be useless.

Kant scanned the dialog box and felt somewhat exasperated after reading the introductions.

Drondheim was located in the Nahrin Desert. There were at least two out of five buildings that served no use to the village in its present state.

Wells. No need for that given that the oasis has a water source. n0𝑣ℯ𝐋𝚞𝑠𝕓.𝒞0𝔪

Kant frowned as he continued selecting. No wheat fields, so no need for mills.

However, his frown became even more intense as he continued to read the dialog box. I have no need for houses since I'll be getting them from quest rewards anyway. A city wall is also useless. It wouldn't be tall enough to defend against Jackalan attacks anyway.

His expression grew tenser as he thought.

Kant frowned and thought, It seems like the watchtower is the only one of any use.

The capability to detect anything going on around earlier was important. Therefore, giving the village an early warning system made the watchtower the only building out of the five that fit his current situation best.

The threat of the Jackalans attacking at some unknown time was always present.

With the watchtower in place, he gained the ability to detect such threats early and, therefore, enabled everyone in the file to prepare and strike much sooner. It would assist them in gaining a quicker victory in the event of an attack.

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Chapter 19: Burial Below the Dunes

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"System, construct the watchtower."

Kant willed it in his mind and connected to the system.

At the same time, the location of the construction was placed on the eastern side of the Council Hall. If anything were to happen, the ones above on sentry duty could report to Kant in time, enabling him to make decisions as early as possible.

[100 Denars spent]

[Watchtower: Under construction]

[Completion: Seven days]

The system's dialog box appeared and briefed him on everything.

Kant suddenly heard some noise outside.

Many people seemed to be moving a lot of things. Someone was shouting orders. However, none of it sounded like his Swadian infantry units. It seemed more like the sounds of the peasants.

What the hell is happening? Kant frowned.

He approached the window and peered outside. Sunlight was subtly dispelling the dark of night.

Dawn arrived in mere moments.

I better get up now. That night sure passed quickly.

He took a deep breath and got up from his bed.

Besides, he did not feel like sleeping at all.

After fighting such a bloody battle the previous night, Kant still felt rather excited. He had never actually felt like sleeping anyway.

He pushed the door of his room open and went downstairs.

"Good morning, My Lord."

A thick voice greeted him as soon as he walked out of the council hall.

Kant turned around and saw a stout peasant wearing simple linen clothing. The peasant bowed respectfully and said, "We are a team of builders who came from Praven. We are here to construct your watchtower."

"Huh? Oh, right." Kant was slightly baffled. He quickly nodded in reply.

It seemed logical that the system would have assigned a construction team for the new building.

He turned around to look at the side of the council hall. Next to it were stacks of stone and wooden materials. n0𝗏𝚎𝗅𝓊𝗌𝔟.𝑪0𝐌

Kant was certain that the place was empty before he walked out of the council hall.

However, as the builders began to move the stones and hammer the wooden materials together, emitting loud clangs as they went, he knew those construction materials also came from the system.

The system had provided 15 builders.

All of them were stout, middle-aged men. They wore deadpan expression and seemed as if they were men of few words.

The foreman was the exception.

"My Lord, there are a few things I wish to make clear to you."

He humbled himself in a manner unbefitting of his appearance and said, "We will be at your service for seven days, ensuring the completion of the watchtower. During that time, we request that you ensure we get ample food and water, as well as a reasonable amount of rest."

Kant nodded. "It is imperative that I do so."

The foreman of the builders awkwardly smiled and added, "And, we don't participate in battles."

"You will have no part in any."

Kant shook his head. He felt that the foreman's cowardly and meticulous temperament was rather ridiculous.

"Very well, very well then." The foreman nodded a few times. His expression suggested that he felt rather lucky.

Kant understood all that from briefing he had received.

This was probably a rule laid down by the system. Besides, a builder's only job was to construct buildings.

Combat was something that Kant needed to take care of.

"Carry on," Kant said to the building foreman before heading elsewhere. He arrived at the battlefield from the previous night. The stench of blood lingered throughout the area. Bloodstains were scattered about on the sand.

These were the signs of an intense and bloody battle.

The Swadian infantry units had gathered the bodies, which had been sprawled everywhere.

The Jackalan bodies continued to burn in a hole the peasants had dug during the night.

Several new holes in the ground were dug not far away from a dune. Two Desert Bandits were lighting the clothes beneath the bodies with a torch. The smell of burned meat wafted throughout the place as the intense flames consumed the hole.

Burning was an efficient way to deal with dead bodies.

When the bodies of the Jackalans were reduced to ashes, they would bury the ashes in the sand, leaving practically no trace behind.

As for the 15 dead Swadian Peasants, they deserved better treatment.

After all, they had all been brave subjects who died for Kant's sake.

"May they rest in peace."

Kant came to another dune. He saw 15 graves being dug.

The Swadian Recruits and Swadian Militias, as well as the six Desert Bandits, were gathered there.

All of them wore somber expression.

Although they hardly knew each other, and, truth to be told, they only knew each other for two days, all of them still shared a connected sentiment as Swadians. The people attending the funeral behaved respectfully toward their dead compatriots.

Yet, it was still a funeral.

It was hardly ceremonious, but they did everything they were able to given the current circumstances.

"This is truly a pity."

Kant's expression was full of regret.

He was almost always calm. Now, hints of emotions could be seen.

He knew that more troops would be lost in the wars that were to come. Nonetheless, this was the first time some of his people had died. That served as a warning for Kant.

If he neglected the development of his fief, he would die frustrated and a nobody just like that.

The attendees still wore serious expressions despite the funeral being soon over.

Kant asked for cremation to prevent contaminating any underground water sources.

However, all the peasants who perished had individual graves. They each had a grave marker carved from wood, which was placed right beneath the dune. The markers were thoughtfully placed as a symbol of watching over the Oasis Lookout to the west, as well as Drondheim, which they fought bravely to defend.

"If you can hear us, then please watch over us."

Kant watched the fires in the graves burn and was unable to help but sigh.

Despite having only arrived at the Oasis Lookout two days ago, they had already gone through two brutal battles. He quickly learned just how merciless the Nahrin Desert could be. The desert was a world of difference compared to the peace in the Dukedom of Leo.

The number of humans and Jackalans who ended up dead in just two days probably amounted to the total number of executed criminals for the past five years in the dukedom.

Then again, they had to move on.

When the funeral was over, Kant returned to the council hall.

The recruits and militia members scattered and organized patrols and guard duty among themselves, continuing to protect their village and the oasis.

"All of you, come with me."

Kant waved at the six Desert Bandits, telling them to go to the Council Hall.

He had assignments for them.

"My Lord."

The six Desert Bandits walked briskly inside and stood respectfully before him.

"At ease." Kant extended his hand, telling them to lose the ceremonial attitude.

He sat on a wooden chair in the council hall. He put his arms on the table and said, "I plan to have you all search the depths of the Nahrin Desert. I want you to find the possible location of the alkali soil and see if there are any Jackalan Tribes around."

"There is definitely alkali soil somewhere out there." One of the Desert Bandits nodded and said, "We will find it."

However, another bandit frowned and added, "As for the Jackalan Tribes, there are definitely some around us. Maybe the two are connected."

"Do you mean with the alkali soil?" Kant asked with a frown.

"Indeed." That Desert Bandit spoke in a serious tone. "More than 500 Jackalan warriors appeared during the ambush in the night. Not only does that mean that there are Jackalan Tribes around, but it also means that their tribes are more powerful than the one that previously took over the Oasis Lookout."

"I figured as much."

Kant nodded. He had speculated the same thing deep down.

Kant was silent for a brief moment before frowning and saying, "That is also why I need you all to go deep into the desert and find out the cause in the north."

The six Desert Bandits stood up solemnly, awaiting further words.

Kant's eyes were grim as he said, "We are in the light while the Jackalans hide in the shadows. We don't know where their tribes are, and we have no idea if there are any oasis deep in the desert. Things are not in our favor."

"We lack intel on our side."

The six Desert Bandits nodded in agreement.

They were people used to blackmailing and robbing people in the dunes, so they knew just how important intelligence was.

"No, I should head out with all of you."

Kant suddenly spoke such words.

"Huh?" That line messed up the plans the Desert Bandits had. One of them quickly said, "My Lord, there are a lot of unknown dangers lurking in the desert. It's far too dangerous for you to head out with us."

Kant shook his head. His eyes shone with determination. "I've made up my mind."

His warhorse was still in the stable, which was one of the thoroughbred steeds available to knights and squires of the dukedom.

His horse was comparable to the desert horses rode by the Desert Bandits. It was almost comparable to a third-level horse in the system. Furthermore, it was the best among those third-level horses. Even if they were to meet any Jackalans, the horses would leave them in the dust without any problems.

The mobility of cavalry units was several times higher than that of infantries.

Seeing how determined their lord was, the six bandits had no choice but to nod. "We shall do everything we can to protect you."

"Well, get food and water ready."

Kant nodded and added, "We ride at once."

The Desert Bandits nodded and left. They went out to prepare the supplies needed for treading the desert, especially fresh water. More than a dozen water sacks were filled, ensuring that all seven of them had enough to last for two days.

More than 500 Jackalans had assaulted them the previous night.

There were still about 400 of them left when they scattered and fled.

Kant and the Desert Bandits aimed to track the Jackalans footsteps to the tribe from which they came.

To know one's strength, as well as that of the enemy, was required for victory.

By then, whether it involved arranging for further defense or striking out proactively, they would know who they were about to hit.

At the very least, they no longer needed to do so while being kept in the dark about everything. As long as Kant was able to amass his forces to a sufficient strength, he could crush the Jackalan Tribe outright and take the oasis, which had once allowed the Jackalans to survive.

A desert oasis, which was capable of sustaining crops, was good something treasured in a desert.

The Jackalans had hit him, so he deemed it only fair to hit them back.

Everything he planned to do could only be possible if he could secure the location of the Jackalan Tribe.

It created the potential for Kant's forces to rush them at a determined time, such as the dark of night right before dawn. That also happened to be the time when people were at their drowsiest. It was best to hit those Jackalans hard at such an optimal time.

He was out to make sure that his attacks would cripple them for good.

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Chapter 20: The Huge Tribe in the Desert

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The early morning sun in the Nahrin Desert remained scorching.

Kant flicked his reins and rode forward.

The six well-armed and well-equipped Desert Bandits were right behind him, riding their desert horses. Their eyes were alert and cautious without the slightest hint of slacking. They were behaving as if enemies were laying low somewhere and would spring up at any given moment.

They headed for the deeper reaches of the desert.

They were out to look for the Jackalan Tribe that had assaulted the Oasis Lookout the night before.

"Look over there."

Kant stopped his horse and narrowed his eyes, peering at the dune before them.

There were some holes visible in the sand.

Kant exhaled slowly. He turned around and said, "It looks like we're on the right course, people."

"The tracks they left behind are quite obvious."

The Desert Bandits followed them. In a very obvious scornful tone, one of them said, "So, those dogs really have no idea how to survive in the desert."

"If these dogs had shown up in the desert of Sarrand, there would be nothing left of them."

The other Desert Bandits looked on with the same disdain and scorn.

Conflict was everywhere throughout the Continent of Caradia. The incessant wars all over the place forced the Desert Bandits into becoming desert experts.

They looked at the obvious tracks in the desert, which in their eyes might have as well been the Jackalans saying, "Hey, I was here. Did you know? Follow these tracks, and you'll be able to find my lair. Come quickly. We're all very eager to get butchered by you people."

"This is ridiculous."

Kant nodded with a scornful smirk on his face.

He kicked the belly of his horse lightly and flicked his reins before plainly saying, "Let's continue moving. Stay sharp."

"Understood." All of the Desert Bandits replied unanimously.

As cavalry units, their mobility within a short timeframe was far superior to the Jackalans, which were all infantry units.

They tracked the obvious, messy trail in the sand as they moved further into the desert.

They had no worries about routes and direction as long as they did not encounter a sandstorm. Their horses had left tracks behind, which was something unique in the Nahrin Desert.

None of the Jackalans rode horses. They did not even have a concept of taming horses.

Those tamable creatures, which could have served as important assets to cavalry units, were little more than prey in the eyes of the Jackalans.

Furthermore, there were hardly any horses found in the desert. They would have just been more creatures dying of thirst.

In a desert, there was nothing but endless sand.

The place was also a symbol of extreme infertility.

From Kant's perspective, the Nahrin Desert was such a barren place that it was far harsher and far more brutal than any deserts he knew of. It could hardly sustain any living beings.

That image was cemented deeper into his mind as they ventured further into the desert.

There were rarely even trees known for their hardiness against draught in that desert.

Except for the few found near the oasis, no green was found in a place without an ounce of water. There were only vast swaths of yellow sand, which seemed to be out to consume everything.

The desert was practically like purgatory.

Kant looked grim.

As they ventured deeper into the desert, the barrenness of the place filled his mind.

"Who the heck would live in a place like this?"

He gulped. His mouth was so parched that he felt as if he was able to spit fire.

The six Desert Bandits behind him shared the same sentiment and conditions. One of them was perceptive enough to take one of the water sacks on the back of his horse and thrust it toward Kant. "My Lord, you best have some water."

"Right."

Kant nodded and took the water sack.

The water felt cool to the touch. It was spring water gathered from the pond at the Oasis Lookout.

He took a huge gulp. The water tasted sweet and had a cooling effect.

The spring water washed the anxiousness and heat he felt deep down somewhat, but he still felt heavy.

The quest this time was to locate the Jackalan Tribe, as well as search for the alkali soil that was possibly out there. However, they spent one whole morning finding nothing, which frustrated him.

He did not want to return empty-handed.

"Let's move on and hurry up. It's almost noon.

Kant gave his command as he continued riding forward, hastening their speed.

The six Desert Bandits behind him nodded. They wiped the water marks off from around the corner of their mouths and placed the water sacks back where they belonged before riding out at the same speed.

All of them were cavalry units.

Their current speed was over 10 times faster when compared to the speed that Kant's entourage had traveled when they first left the Senwaya Range and headed to the Oasis Lookout. Since they had a clear trail to follow, the squad of seven people rode very quickly.

They took a short break at noon.

When the sun was no longer as high and the temperature had lowered somewhat, they continued on their scouting mission. n0𝗏𝚎𝗅𝓊𝗌𝔟.𝑪0𝐌

They rode until the sun was setting and evening came.

Kant and the Desert Bandits finally stopped riding. The messy trail beneath them led to a place with numerous tents, which were just little more than 328 feet away.

They had found the Jackalan Tribe.

Kant's pupils slightly contracted.

The Desert Bandits by his side got off of their horses before he said anything. They led their desert horses to hide behind a dune to avoid the Jackalans, which had extremely high numbers, detecting them and causing any unnecessary trouble.

Kant also leaped off of his horse. He handed the reins to a Desert Bandit behind him.

He headed to the top of the dune and carefully lowered himself. He observed the tribe. "This tribe seems to be far larger than the one back at the Oasis Lookout." He paused for a bit and added, "Three times larger at least."

"More than that maybe." The eyes of the two Desert Bandits who followed behind him looked harsh.

The tribe, as they observed, was huge.

Tents cobbled together with all manner of materials were messily sprawled all over the sand. There was only a hint of planning or order. The Jackalans, which had tusks growing out of their lower jaws and grey fur all over their bodies, walked around and about the tents at will, making the place look like a slum.

Garbage and leftover bones littered the place.

There was even excrement that seemed to have covered the sand where the tribe was located.

There were a good number of young Jackalans playing and rolling about in the excrement as if the excrement was just clean clay and none of it was dirty. They had no concept of dirtiness to speak of at all.

"This is disgusting."

Kant spat at his side.

He finally understood why there was always a stench to the Jackalans.

He found the reason right there and then.

"My Lord, bad news indeed."

A Desert Bandit said in a serious tone, "From what we can see, there are about 2,000 adult Jackalans and 200 adolescents. If nothing were to go wrong, this would be a very well-developed Jackalan Tribe."

"Well, that really is bad news." Kant nodded. His eyes were shrouded with heaviness.

He slowly lowered his head and took a good look before him. "A Jackalan Tribe with a population of nearly 2,500, located just less than a day's worth of distance away from our Oasis Lookout, is indeed dangerous, no matter how you look at it."

"They seem to have a food source as well."

In a tone that sounded even more serious, a Desert Bandit said, "More bad news."

Kant narrowed his eyes and peered where the Desert Bandit pointed.

He was slightly startled.

However, his expression became even grimmer.

Right next to the Jackalan Tribe's messy tents was a massive number of slain beasts laid out in the sun. A rough estimation suggested that at least 300 sand gazelles were being skinned.

It seemed that they had been put out in the sun for quite a while. It made them look like dried meat.

Those were creatures capable of surviving in the Nahrin Desert with little need for energy.

The sand gazelles were naturally resistant to drought and capable of eating many types of plants. Since they had extremely strong life forces, it made them ideal creatures for living in the desert.

The huge, mighty Senwaya Range, which served as the natural border that separated the Nahrin Desert and the Dukedom of Leo, was where many sand gazelles lived and bred. Kant knew at least that much.

There were even hunters from the southern villages of the dukedom who hunted sand gazelles in the mountains.

Now, Kant was frowning even harder. He knew that were many sand gazelles near the Senwaya Range, but he had no idea there were sand gazelles that deep in the desert.

Worse still, the population was sizeable enough to serve as prey for one whole Jackalan Tribe.

"My Lord, there may have been one thing you overlooked."

Another Desert Bandit, whose face looked rather terrified, had spoken.

Kant frowned and asked, "What is it?"

Desert Bandits were psychologically hardened people, so it was rather surprising to Kant to see such a shocked expression on one of them.

Kant's eyes soon became filled with terror, just like that Desert Bandit's had been.

Kant suddenly realized what that Desert Bandit had been getting at. He was unable to help but utter, "This can't be!"

"Aye, but it's real."

That Desert Bandit gulped slightly and continued in a slow tone, "My Lord, I have no idea how this could have happened, but the reality is right before us." He paused for a bit and said, "This Jackalan Tribe has no water source. There is no lake and no soil. This isn't an oasis at all, yet here they are."

All of them looked stunned.

The Jackalan Tribe's tents, which were a little more than 328 feet away, were extremely messy.

There were Jackalans wearing crude, ragged linen clothing everywhere, as well as young Jackalans who had no concept of hygiene.

Excrement and garbage littered the place.

Regardless of how hard Kant searched the place with his eyes, there was no sign that the flat sands where they lived was an oasis.

It was just like how the Desert Bandit said before.

There was no water source.

No lake.

No soil.

No oasis.

Then again, a place without an oasis and water source in the Nahrin Desert should have been a place of death.

He was unable to understand just how that Jackalan Tribe managed to get so well-developed under such conditions.

It was a Jackalan Tribe with a population close to 2,500, which made it a rather massive tribe. Yet, such a tribe existed in an area of the desert without an oasis or water. It was indeed a harrowing fact.

That fact struck terror in their hearts.

Kant muttered to himself, "Something doesn't add up."

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Chapter 21: Water in the Tent

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Basic scientific concepts existed in this world.

Eat, drink, sleep.

Workout, labor, rest.

However, something that both shocked and puzzled Kant happened right before him.

A Jackalan Tribe of such a huge scale was not anywhere near an oasis with an abundance of water. It was right there in the middle of nowhere in the desert. Even more baffling was that they were able to thrive for generations under such conditions. Upon seeing that, Kant's jaw almost dropped to the ground.

Kant pursed his lips a little. In a subdued voice, he said, "Maybe there's water around here."

"No, there is no water whatsoever."

The Desert Bandit shook his head, instantly disagreeing with Kant's suggestion.

He looked at the surrounding dunes. In a serious tone, he said, "If there is some sort of underground water source around these parts, there would be drought-resistant plants here. If you look around carefully, My Lord, you'll find nothing of the sorts around here."

Nothing but a vast ocean of sand surrounded them.

Kant narrowed his gaze on the tribe.

"How is such a massive Jackalan Tribe able to survive here?" he asked with a rather heavy tone.

The Desert Bandit shook his head and replied, "I have no idea."

"Well, they can't just be able to drink by eating sand, can they?"

Kant looked on with a grim expression. The mass of messy tents was right there before his eyes, including a large number of Jackalans. All of that made him look extremely glum. It was a force that could easily crush his fledgling Drondheim.

He took a deep breath and quelled his emotions. "They definitely have a water source somewhere."

Yes, there has to be a water source.

Kant was sure of that.

If there was no water around somewhere, the Jackalans would not have built their tribe in such a place.

No creatures wanted to simply die.

That even applied to these primitive Jackalans.

"Look, they're cooking now."

The Desert Bandit's words prompted Kant to turn his gaze.

It was evening, so it was time for dinner. That much was the same with the Jackalans.

Many aged Jackalans came out of their tents.

Pieces of torn dried meat were being distributed by female Jackalans to the others around them. It seemed that all property belonged to the tribe. Even food was distributed from a single source.

That likely included the most precious commodity in the desert—fresh water.

However, all the fresh water came from the centermost part of the tribe.

It was a huge tent. It was five times larger than the other Jackalan tents, which made it look like conventional houses instead. The tent was erected using various wooden materials. It gave off a kind of feral grace.

"Is that the tent of the Jackalan Tribe's chieftain?"

Kant slightly narrowed his eyes toward the tent. He was able to easily see the largest tent set up in the center.

He grew even more suspicious of what was happening.

He saw a withered and wrinkled Jackalan walk out of the tent with a wooden staff. Even though Kant was on a dune hundreds of feet away from the center of the Jackalan Tribe, he still felt somewhat intimidated.

"That old Jackalan looks dangerous."

The Desert Bandits shared the same thought. One of them couldn't help but say, "He strikes fear into people."

"Yeah." Kant nodded and frowned. "Just keep quiet and they won't detect us."

That old Jackalan, who was outside the huge tent in the center, seemed to have said something. It caused the Jackalans throughout the tribe to begin gathering. They formed a rather crooked line.

Some of the Jackalans even began to fight and tear at each other due to their brutal nature.

However, a Jackalan, who looked even stronger, emerged from the huge tent.

"It's the Jackalan chieftain."

Kant had read famous works by scholars before, so he immediately recalled who that strong Jackalan likely was.

That strong Jackalan wore a set of ill-fitted mail armor. It seemed to be something he took from humans. Somehow, he barely managed to wear it on the upper half of his body.

On his lower body, he seemed to be wearing something pieced together from two sets of mail armor.

There was also the outer layer of a linen robe. It covered the mail armor worn beneath. All that made the chieftain looked powerful and intimidating.

He also held something that differed from what the other Jackalans were using. It was a two-handed battle-ax.

During the Dukedom of Leo's purge of the Jackalans 10 years ago, they destroyed several larger, stronger Jackalan Tribes. Their chieftains mostly appeared in such attire. Kant had a bit of an impression of them.

As he recalled the books he had read, his mind jolted for a bit.

He recalled an article he once read.

"That old Jackalan... Is that Jackalan Shaman capable of spell-casting?"

Kant's eyes slightly widened.

The old Jackalan, who held a wooden staff and stood right outside the huge tent, was a match to what he had read about. He could not have mistaken it for anything else. The mention of such a creature was too fresh in his mind.

Furthermore, only Jackalan Shamans were capable of witchcraft. Also, only a being like that was deemed eligible to share a tent with a Jackalan Chieftain.

"That is getting worse."

Kant slowly gritted his teeth and flashed a bitter smile.

While there were few spellcasters in the world, none of them were to be taken lightly. n0𝗏𝚎𝗅𝓊𝗌𝔟.𝑪0𝐌

For instance, the scholars at the Dukedom of Leo recorder information about them. They wrote down that the Jackalan Shamans should be a "top priority target during attacks, and make sure to take them out in the shortest period of time possible."

That was because the Jackalan Shamans were capable of casting spells on their own.

Their spells included Bloodlust, which could cause their targets to forget pain and know only slaughter.

There was also Berserk, which was a spell capable of causing a target to become irritable and filled with killing intent.

The shaman was also even able to cast Stoneskin, which allowed the skin of the target to turn as hard as a rock.

All of those were highly regarded spells a capable Jackalan Shaman could cast.

During the purge orchestrated by the dukedom 10 years ago, every time a Jackalan Shaman was found in a tribe, casualties occurred among the dukedom's forces before they were able to take that tribe down.

Casualties included infantry and cavalry units, archers, and even regular armies who tagged alongside mages.

If Kant's forces were to take on one such tribe, even if the number of the Jackalans was more or less the same as his forces, one Jackalan Shaman alone was able to tip the scales significantly to the Jackalans' favor.

That was the edge provided by a spellcaster.

"They are bringing their water out!"

The Desert Bandits gasped, interrupting Kant's thoughts.

Kant frowned and looked. A Jackalan held a tattered urn in front of the tent. It gulped down fresh water before handing the urn to the next Jackalan and going elsewhere.

It was the same with the next Jackalan.

The process was repeated over and over. The entire tribe had all drunk water in order.

"There's a well in the huge tent!"

The Desert Bandits looked at each other. They found affirmation in each other's eyes.

Kant nodded as well. He frowned and said, "There is a well. I never expected that their tribe would have found a patch of desert with a well in it. It's no surprise that they were able to get so developed."

"If there's a well, there should be a huge water reserve underground."

The Desert Bandits were puzzled. "But where are the few plants that should be around the place?"

In truth, there were no plants around the place.

Kant frowned. He found himself unable to explain the phenomenon.

Kant exhaled and ordered the Desert Bandits behind him, "We ride home now."

Their scouting mission was complete.

However, the result was something they found difficult to stomach.

In the beginning, Kant thought the Jackalan Tribe they found next would be of little difference with the one at the Oasis Lookout. However, looking at the tribe, which had at least 2,500 of Jackalans in it, he became rather dejected.

That was not a number he had any way of resisting.

"We need to work this one out."

Kant gritted his teeth, trying to console himself.

At the very least, he had time to rethink his plans.

If resisting that many Jackalans were to prove impossible, they could immediately give up the Oasis Lookout and retreat to the Senwaya Range. That was possible because Kant still had 65 Swadian infantry units with him. There were more than enough to handle the complex mountainous terrain.

Then again, Kant felt reluctant to leave the vast desert behind.

This was the place he planned on developing with everything he had.

"My Lord, maybe we could continue moving deeper into the desert."

One of the Desert Bandits wasn't shy about making a suggestion.

Kant looked at the deeper reaches of the Nahrin Desert with a solemn expression. "It seems like there is something deep in the desert. Look at the tracks left behind by the Jackalans in the sand. They probably lead somewhere into the deeper parts."

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Chapter 22: Enemy in the Dark of Night

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The evening sun struggled to stay around. It created enough light for them to see what was ahead of them.

Kant frowned slightly.

His heart raced along with his emotions.

"This is interesting."

As he spoke, Kant's eyes looked rather cold.

There was an obvious curved line left on the flat sands north of the messy Jackalan Tribe. It winded about as it led to a dune. It extended to deeper parts of the desert.

The line was clear for all to see.

The line itself was darker than its surrounding colors, making it obvious that prolonged travel through the same route caused the sands to harden.

"The Jackalans made these with their steps."

As he commented, the Desert Bandit frowned like Kant

The Jackalans, who were still at a primitive tribal state, had no concepts of roads.

However, they had still been able to blaze a trail in the desert. It was obvious that they had reasons to do so. They had gone to-and-fro on the route throughout long periods of time, making the winding path into the most primitive of roads there were.

"Why are they heading north?" Kant was puzzled.

The Desert Bandits pondered that for a bit. One of them looked up and said with a serious expression, "Perhaps that is their daily quest."

"A daily quest?"

Kant frowned. The term sounded like something assigned by the system.

"It is like going out hunting every day."

The look on the Desert Bandit's face turned increasingly serious as he said, "I think it probably leads to the salt mine that we are looking for, which has been taken over by the Jackalans. Coarse salt is being excavated every day."

"That is speculation." Kant frowned and said, "It sounds rather ridiculous."

Jackalans were primitive tribal beings. Digging in a salt mine was not something that would have done them any good.

Salt was a type of seasoning.

At the same time, it was a commodity. Furthermore, it was considered a luxury in the dukedom.

Kant did not agree with that Desert Bandit.

To him, even if the Jackalans were to actually dig up coarse salts in the salt mine, no merchant had been purchasing the salt, even though the dukedom was so near them. The fact that there was salt in the Nahrin Desert was unheard of back in the dukedom.

Things would have been different if the nobles of the dukedom knew that there was a salt mine there.

They would have given everything they had to amass a truly elite force and kill every Jackalan found in the desert.

Kant knew well of their greed.

As such, Kant frowned and shook his head in disbelief at that Desert Bandit. He said, "There can't be any of those brutal primitive Jackalans capable of digging out huge amounts of coarse salt and selling them as goods. Can there?"

Everyone knew how ferocious Jackalans were. They were devoid of any capacity for reasoning and behaved more like beasts.

That speculation sounded like little more than a joke to Kant.

"My Lord, it is still very possible."

The Desert Bandit's expression did not change. His expression remained serious.

That severe expression made Kant frown even harder. There was no way troop classes from the system could betray him.

Kant told a deep breath and asked, "What are the reasons?"

The Desert Bandit immediately replied, "It's simple, My Lord. Look over there at the urn the Jackalans drink from. If anything, you should be familiar with that urn."

"Yeah." Kant narrowed his eyes and peered. He slightly nodded.

Even though it was quite a distance away, he was still able to tell apart the urn used by the Jackalans for drinking.

The black exterior looked severely worn. It was as if it had been left in the desert for a very long time. The mouth of the urn looked broken. It made it so that it was little more than trash to the Dukedom of Leo, which produced massive amounts of clay. Not even commoners would have bothered picking such a thing up.

"If you look closely at the urn, you'll find that they are many in the tribe."

The Desert Bandit's tone grew increasingly serious as he said, "There are always a lot of urns around the messy tents. I don't think the Jackalans are using the urns to carry water or anything else."

Kant's eyes remained fixed. He stayed silent.

He stared at the large Jackalan Tribe and found himself getting restless.

"So, is this true?" Kant slowly asked.

It was as if he was asking about the truthfulness of the case, despite knowing deep down that what the Desert Bandit said was true.

"It is." The Desert Bandit nodded.

He told Kant, "The Jackalans at the Oasis Lookout are related to this place somehow!"

His tone was confident.

"Well." Kant's face looked rather bitter. He nodded and said, "It does look like that."

He was able to tell from the ambush that night.

Those Jackalans were reinforcements gathered from that huge tribe.

If the two tribes were unrelated, they would not have been Jackalans from that huge tribe forming an army heading for the Oasis Lookout to begin with.

Kant slightly closed his eyes.

He began to lower his head and think. Thoughts sped in his mind at very high speeds.

Things looked increasingly worse for him.

In his perspective, things had just taken a turn for the worse. It was serious enough that development of the Oasis Lookout and establishing a true Drondheim became rather uncertain.

His mind was shaken.

This was a well-developed Jackalan Tribe.

A salt mine had been taken over by a huge Jackalan Tribe.

All of that made Kant lose his way. He was puzzled as to what to do next.

All he had was a small village with a population of little more than 60. There was no way they could resist the Jackalan Tribe.

Trying to do so was like having a death wish.

"Well, what should we do now?"

Kant opened his eyes and bitterly smirked.

The Desert Bandits were all silent. They had no answer to that question posed by Kant, their lord.

Their forces were simply too small.

Kant nodded slightly. He looked grim as he said, "We should take this seriously. If we don't want to die horrible deaths in the Nahrin Desert, we need to absolutely prepare for this."

He had not come to the Nahrin Desert to die.

Kant clenched his fists a little and reasserted himself.

"Let's go. We'll circle around and have a look over there."

Kant turned around and told the Desert Bandits, "I at least want to know if that place holds a true salt mine."

"Understood." The Desert Bandits nodded.

While the Jackalan population was massive, that ambush in the night did not kill Kant's forces right where they stood. More than 100 bodies were left behind as they left the Oasis Lookout battered and bruised. They had even left enough tracks for his cavalry units to trace them.

As he thought deeper, Kant was able to come to a realization. The Jackalans were not all that powerful in terms of combat capacity.

While they were ferocious and of hardier constitutions than normal humans, they lacked excellent strategies and tactics, as well as effective weapons for killing enemies. They also lacked armor capable of protecting their bodies.

Swadian Peasants, who were all zero-level troop classes, were good enough to take them on.

A band of first- and second-level troop classes would have been able to practically slaughter Jackalans of the same number.

There was no reason for Kant to be afraid.

"Let's go."

He gently kicked the stomach of his horse and rode swiftly across the dune.

The six Desert Bandits flicked their reins and followed right behind their lord, riding just as swiftly.

I'll finish the System quest and get myself troop classes up to higher levels.

Kant reaffirmed his resolve deep down.

He was certain that if he were to have 100 fully armed Swadian Knights, which were known to be the king of troop classes on land from the system, he would be able to ride straight into such a huge Jackalan Tribe.

Despite the odds, he was sure that they would come out on top.

They followed the trail left by the Jackalans on the sand. They moved quickly.

The light of the evening was finally gone.

A bright moon and dazzling stars were seen in the sky.

The temperature throughout the arid air began to drop sharply, making Kant and the Desert Bandits, who were riding forward on their horses, feel a chill.

They put on the woolen clothing they had brought with them and continued riding forward.

At times, beginning a journey in the night was the right thing to do, compared to the unforgiving heat of the day and the resulting massive consumption of water. One only needed to keep warm during the night. n0𝗏𝚎𝗅𝓊𝗌𝔟.𝑪0𝐌

Kant and the others had only decided to continue riding in the night due to such reasons in the first place.

Time gradually passed.

The moon was high in the sky. The bright, round celestial entity glowed with an alluring silver radiance.

It grew increasingly cold in the night. It made Kant's face felt rather stiff.

"Everyone."

He opened his mouth and breathed warm air, yet he pulled back the reins of his steed. He raised his right arm at the same time and said, "Stop riding."

The six Desert Bandits behind him immediately got off their desert horses.

"My Lord, what is happening?"

Mist was coming out of their mouths. The heat from their bodies formed a stark contrast with the surrounding temperature.

However, they quickly discovered why Kant told them to stop riding. They extended their stiff arms one after another. They reached for the spears they had strapped onto their backs. All of them looked serious.

The enemy was coming.

Chapter 23: Death Sentence by Exposure to the Sun

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

There were enemies.

The six Desert Bandits were all prepared. They held their standard spears in their hands.

At the end of the sandy route before them, where moonlight waned, seven to eight shadows were standing at the dune by the side of the route. They were not moving. It was as if the enemy was staring down at them.

"Get ready for combat."

Kant's voice was heard. He reached for the light crossbow behind his back.

He pulled the string and loaded a bolt onto it. He lifted his arm. He aimed at the shadow faraway with his finger resting on the trigger.

The Desert Bandits unraveled the sacks on their backs, exposing the pilum just behind their necks.

The Desert Bandits were more versed at throwing those projectiles while riding horses.

All of them were ready to fight.

"Be careful."

Kant reminded them as he rode slowly forward.

They were still at a safe distance, which was why they dared to continue closing in. That was an action backed by the fact that they were cavalry units. If they found the enemy's fighting capacity was beyond what they were capable of resisting, they would immediately retreat.

Cavalry units were known for their superb mobility. They were able to come and go like a gust of wind.

Despite being vigilant, the shadows on the dune paid no heed to them.

It was as if they were simply standing on the dune watching Kant and his people without bothering to move away. No movements were detected from the enemy, and no sounds were made by them either.

"My Lord, something isn't right," a Desert Bandit said.

They eyed the dune. The Desert Bandits, who were all experts at fighting in the desert, did not let the cold freeze their brains over. Their thought processes remained astute.

They looked at the shadows above and instinctively found something was off.

"Let's go and have a closer look."

Kant nodded. He noticed something was off as well. In a low voice, he still told his men, "If anything happens, retreat immediately."

"Understood," the Desert Bandits replied.

They slowly moved forward along the desert route.

They gradually closed in. Kant frowned as he continued to eye the shadows far away.

His eyes did not fool him. While his sight was somewhat blurred by the dark of night, Kant was able to tell that those shadows were from Jackalans.

They had beast-like heads and bodies covered in fur.

Those were notable physical traits of Jackalans. There was no way that Kant, someone who fought them over and over, was mistaken.

However, his frown instantly deepened.

"Why do those Jackalans on the dune look so weird?" he asked.

"Indeed."

The Desert Bandits nodded at the same time, looking serious as they did so.

In their minds, the Jackalans they were closing in on looked very unnatural. They look shriveled, and their heads were hanging low. It was as if they were tied to something.

The bright moonlight above made the dune look even clearer.

Kant's pupils slightly contracted.

"What the..." He unconsciously mumbled, feeling his emotions fluctuate like he was riding a roller-coaster.

"My Lord, be careful!"

The Desert Bandits behind him kicked their horses. All six of them moved quickly forward, tightly holding their spears. Their eyes swept vigilantly around them.

There was nothing out of place to be found.

There were no enemies. n0𝗏𝚎𝗅𝓊𝗌𝔟.𝑪0𝐌

All of them breathed a sigh of relief. They refocused their eyes onto the dune. All of them looked shocked.

There were indeed seven Jackalans at the top of the dune. They all sported tusks on their lower jaws and were coated in grey fur all over their bodies. They all had jackal-like heads and human-like bodies.

However, all of the Jackalans were tied to wooden posts.

The Jackalans were securely tied up with thick ropes from their thighs to their torsos.

"What is happening?"

Kant still tightly held his light crossbow, but he slightly kicked the belly of his horse instead.

The warhorse he rode was perceptive enough to sense the magnitude of force being applied. It slowed down even more.

The Desert Bandits behind him all looked on with grim expressions. Their gazes were fixed on the seven Jackalans. One of them said, "All of them are dried corpses. Judging by the temperature of the Nahrin Desert, they have been tied to the posts for at least a week."

"A week?"

Kant narrowed his eyes on the bodies. "Was it some kind of punishment?"

"I believe it was an execution," a Desert Bandit replied.

If that was not an execution, these Jackalans would not have ended up turning into dried corpses.

Their death sentence was carried out by tying them to wooden posts and mercilessly exposing them to the scorching sun of the Nahrin Desert. The Jackalans slowly dried up while they were alive. It was one of the cruelest punishments that could have been given.

"Why were they executed in the first place?" Kant frowned even harder.

However, he did not fear anything. He vigilantly scanned the dune before him before telling the Desert Bandits, "Stay sharp. We'll go out and have a look!"

They were all cavalry units, so there was nothing to be afraid of.

Besides, the legs of Jackalans were no match for the horses.

Furthermore, Kant did not believe that the Jackalans would have found all seven of them.

It was even more ridiculous to think that they had been trying to ambush them by setting up such an obvious trap.

If that truly turned out to be the case, the Jackalans would have simply attacked the Oasis Lookout instead. Compared to mobile cavalry units, a village that was unable to go anywhere was a larger, more obvious, and lucrative target.

"Hyah!"

Kant flicked the reins. His feet tightly cradled the horse beneath him.

He aimed his light crossbow ahead. When they arrived at the top of the dune, there was no enemy to be found.

Kant looked at the dried Jackalan bodies. With their fangs bared, they still looked ferocious. He frowned and said, "They really died horrible deaths."

A Desert Bandit nodded and said, "Being dried up alive without drinking a single drop of water is brutal."

Such penalties had been doled out by desert people and races before.

The Sarrand Sultanate had once employed such penalties, but it was only to deal with ferocious, unforgiving enemies or to sentence criminals who had committed horrendous unforgivable crimes.

"This is a pity."

Kant moved his eyes elsewhere. The dried corpses served to shock and scare enemies.

They died horrible deaths, but they were still used after they were dead.

However, he hardly felt sorry for them since they were all Jackalans, which were his enemies. If possible, he would have been willing to sentence all of them to die by sun exposure. That would have dealt with a serious problem early on.

"That... That is..."

Kant turned his eyes around and looked at the place.

When he looked at the northern horizon of the dune, his pupils dilated considerably. "Alkali soil!"

Kant shouted in surprise.

Under the bright moonlight to the north of the dune, a sea of white was seen spreading all over the place. It was as if the sea of white were about to swallow the entire desert.

That was the very alkali soil that Kant and his men were looking for.

It also verified the Desert Bandits' speculation that there was indeed a naturally exposed salt mine somewhere in the desert.

"This is real."

Kant gulped while tightly holding onto his light crossbow.

From the perspective of contemporary humans back on Earth, that place was but a useless piece of alkali soil. All the salt found on the ground was poor-quality and coarse salt. It was so bad that it only served industrial purposes. It would have never made it into the lives of common people.

During the middle ages, all that salt was considered a luxury.

There was an underground salt mine in Poland from his previous life that served as the main source of edible salt. It supplied the needs of Europe for hundreds of years. The salt mine also contributed to about 30 percent of tax revenue for Poland every year. That alone spoke volumes of how profitable the salt trade had been.

"My Lord, those tents over there."

A Desert Bandit direct Kant's attention elsewhere. They had found something out of the ordinary.

They saw 40 to 50 ragged tents erected at the edge of the salt mine.

From the looks of it, it was the Jackalans again.

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Chapter 24: Returning to the Oasis Lookout

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The bright moonlight shone on the alkali soil. The snow-white colors looked mesmerizing.

It was a special area. It resulted from a lake being surrounded by a desert and exposed to the scorching sun. The surrounding heat accelerated the drying lake's evaporation until only huge amounts of salt were left behind.

"It does look pretty."

Kant softly sighed but remained firmly holding the light crossbow in his hand.

He saw 46 ragged tents erected at the edge of the alkali soil. Looking at the messed up appearance and the ground around them filled with dirt and filth severely impacted his mood.

More importantly, the beautiful piece of alkali soil that represented wealth and power was already taken.

The alkali soil's current master was the Jackalans.

They were the greatest enemy of Drondheim.

"Things sure look bad."

A Desert Bandit by Kant's side frowned. With a serious expression, he turned around and said to Kant, "According to the sizes of the tents, there should be at least 300 or so Jackalans over there. If what we speculated before turns out to be correct, then those Jackalans are definitely connected with those from the large tribe. They were probably sent to excavate the salt mine."

"It does seem like that." Kant nodded. n0𝑽𝓮𝓵𝚞𝑠𝓑.𝕔0𝓜

The large-scale Jackalan Tribe had gained full control of the exposed salt mine. Judging from the trail, which had been trampled on so often that the sand had become solid, it was easy to tell that the salt there had been excavated for quite a long time.

In truth, "excavation" was the wrong term to use.

The Jackalans simply collected the salt.

The salt mine was exposed in the desert, so anyone would have been able to collect the raw coarse salt all over the place.

If he so fancied, Kant, who possessed the techniques to refine them, at any time could have simply refined them into fine white salt that would only grace the tables of nobles in the Dukedom of Leo. The salt would have fetched a price of astronomical proportions.

At that moment, a prompt from the system appeared.

[Ding... Your arduous journey seemed to have yielded something.]

[Side Quest: The Origins of Salt is complete]

[Reward Acquired: Standard Swadian House x 5]

[Comment: The desert that seemed barren contained ample resources, including the exposed salt mine before you.]

The prompt from the system rang in his ears.

The dialog box signaling the completion of the quest appeared on his retina as well.

However, there was not a hint of elation or pride found on Kant's face. He knew well enough about the deeper reaches of the desert by then. He had in-depth knowledge of the predicament he currently faced. It was simply too brutal. His heart felt rather heavy.

Well, at least it's still an improvement.

Kant saw the images of the houses in his retina and shook his head.

At the moment, the improvement was not good enough.

He flicked his reins and had his horse descend onto the dune. He turned around to face the six Desert Bandits and said, "Let's go. It's time to head home."

The quest from the system was completed.

He accomplished the goal he had set out to complete.

There was currently no need for Kant to take risks and venture into deeper parts of the Nahrin Desert for investigation. Now, he needed to return to the Oasis Lookout and developing his Drondheim village to sufficient levels. He had to amass a force capable of resisting the threat of the Jackalans.

All seven of them swiftly rode toward home.

Their path home was far more apparent when compared to the route they had taken when they began their journey. They had gained familiarity with the region.

As such, they were able to ride faster and steadier.

After midnight Kant and the six Desert Bandits found a dune to rest at. They dug holes in the sand to stay warm. They lit a campfire and took a rest for the night to conserve their strength.

After gaining considerable strength from the break, they continued their journey home the next morning,

The trail markings from when they came remained obvious.

They were in a desert. Barring sandstorms and strong winds, the tracks left on the sand would take months to flatten and disappear naturally.

"My Lord, the Jackalan Tribe is ahead. Watch out."

The Desert Bandit who rode at the very front reduced his speed. He turned around and said, "We should take a detour."

"OK, we shall take a detour." Kant nodded.

Their current path would have led to that large-scale Jackalan Tribe.

It was morning, so they could not just appear right before the Jackalans without any precautions. They had to avoid alerting the Jackalans and exposing themselves.

As such, they circled the tribe.

They avoided alerting the Jackalans by circling their tribe before continuing to ride toward the Oasis Lookout.

They gained speed by tracing the tracks left behind when they left the Oasis Lookout.

Besides, following their own tracks when they came was the safest thing to do.

After they took a break at noon, the Oasis Lookout finally appeared before their eyes around the evening.

"My Lord, it's the Council Hall!"

The Desert Bandit at the forefront looked somewhat tired before. When he saw the Council Hall and their lair, he sighed a breath of relief. He turned around and looked at Kant with a relieved expression, saying, "We're finally home."

"Yes, we are." Kant slowly nodded. He was seemingly exhausted.

Traveling for prolonged periods, even when riding a horse, made them feel as if their bodies had hit their limits.

As for the warhorse and the desert horses, they jogged with their heads hung low. They had no more strength to run. The horses needed rest as much as the men who had ridden them.

The horses had played an absolutely key role in getting their scouting mission done.

When Kant and the Desert Bandits kept riding forward, the Swadian troops, who were tasked with guard duty at the Oasis Lookout, quickly discovered them approaching.

Five Swadian Militia, who carried hunting crossbows, stood on a dune. They were on high alert. When they detected Kant and the Desert Bandits, they quickly walked over and paid their respects. "My Lord."

"Yeah." Kant nodded as he flipped his hood over. He asked, "How have the past two days been?"

"Everything was normal, My Lord."

The Swadian Militia answered respectfully.

During the day or so that Kant was out on his mission, the Oasis Lookout was not met with another attack from the Jackalans. Everything looked rather peaceful and calm. However, all of that was simply like underwater currents beneath the surface of the ocean, so he had arranged for the militia to stand guard.

It was preferable to think that desert sand could be used as flour than simply believing that the Jackalans would not attack.

Kant ordered, "Stay sharp."

He led his horse and continued moving into the oasis. He wore a sleepy smile on his face.

Both the Council Hall and the Desert Bandit Lair were built at the southern side of the pond. About a third of the watchtower had been finished. Many Swadian troops trained at their own volition with their weapons in their hands. It seemed as if the village's defenses were being set on the right path.

The warhorse that he rode had even picked up the pace.

The horses evidently knew that they were home and finally able to rest.

"My Lord, welcome home!"

"O' revered Lord Kant, it's a pleasure to see you!"

When Kant returned to the Council Hall, all of the Swadian Recruits and Swadian Militia greeted him respectfully. To them, Kant was everything.

"Very well," Kant replied.

However, he was very exhausted. He immediately got off his horse. He wanted to go to his room and finally get some good rest.

"Feed the horses and give them a wash."

Kant looked at the recruits taking the horses and said, "When you're done with all of that, let the horses rest in the stable of the lair."

"Will do, My Lord." The recruits nodded. They led Kant's warhorse and the Desert Bandits' desert horses away.

The grass was prepared in the manger. Bits of dried meat and dates were added to the feed. They were the best things available for the horses to regain their strength after the long journey. After they were done eating, the horses were given a good wash.

Handing all of that to the recruits enabled Kant to relax.

He was so tired that he felt as if he was no longer able to keep his eyes open. He quickly went to his room on the second floor.

He needed a good rest.

None of them had slept well the previous night, and they had been riding home the whole day afterward. They were thoroughly exhausted by the journey. The exhaustion was more than what they were able to take.

The six Desert Bandits quickly returned to their lair. Once they all fell onto their beds, they started loudly snoring.

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Chapter 25: Refugees of Swadia

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After riding long hours day and night, Kant was dead tired when he returned to the Oasis Lookout.

He needed some good sleep. He was not able to truly think about what to do next without regaining his mental and physical strength. His next decisions included constructing the five Swadian standard houses rewarded by the system. It was something that involved city planning, which meant he needed to carefully consider the matter.

The Oasis Lookout was not a large oasis with huge tracts of land.

He speculated that the area of the entire oasis was actually puny. It was likely less than 1000 square feet.

There was also a pond with fresh spring water that measured approximately 82 x 20 feet.

The Swadian houses, which were to be constructed from stone and wooden materials, need at least 1,600 square feet each. If he were to build all five buildings without proper planning, it meant that he could easily fill the entire southern side of the Oasis Lookout with them.

There was no way Kant wanted that to happen.

It was imperative that he properly planned the layout of the buildings.

Kant did not sleep for long.

He slowly opened his eyes.

Kant looked at the window. He saw bright sunlight shining through.

He rubbed his face and freshened himself up. He put on his clothes and went downstairs. Several Swadian Recruits emerged from the storage room. When they saw him descending the stairs, all of them bowed respectfully to him.

"Good day, My Lord."

"Right, good day." Kant nodded.

He glanced at the cabbage and dried meat in their hands. It looked as if they were getting food prepared.

The words from one of them proved his deduction. "My Lord, it will soon be noon, so we're preparing lunch."

"It's noon already, eh?"

Kant rubbed his eyebrow and waved at the hardworking and humble recruits. "Carry on."

The recruits nodded respectfully and replied, "Yes, My Lord." They headed to the kitchen with the lunch ingredients in their hands.

Social castes were clearly divided in the Kingdom of Swadia.

The scorching sun hit Kant as soon as he walked out of the Council Hall. The entire place was steeped in unbearable, scorching heat.

"My Lord."

The Swadian Militia guarding the door bowed respectfully as he addressed Kant.

The builders, who were all wearing long robes and hoods, were carefully transporting construction materials. They even placed handkerchiefs on top of the surfaces they were hitting with a hammer. They were afraid of disturbing the quiet and peaceful Council Hall next to the construction site.

Kant turned around and looked at their progress.

The shape of the watchtower was now taking shape.

Piled stone formed the base and platform. Strong wooden materials were used to build the tower's walls and ladders. While the watchtower was nowhere near being finished, the silhouette was still visible. The construction workers estimated that the tower would be finished within seven days. There seemed to be no problems in meeting that deadline.

"You're back, My Lord."

The building foreman of the builders quickly came over to Kant. His honest-looking face was adorned with a beaming smile.

"Yeah." Kant simply nodded at the seemingly honest yet actually cunning face of the foreman. He looked very much like a Swadian merchant. He plainly said, "Keep the pace as it is. It's best if you guys can finish by the deadline. It is imperative that you do so."

"Rest assured, My Lord. It will definitely be finished as planned." The foreman flashed a beaming smile.

Kant nodded. "That is good to hear."

"I'll head over to hurry them up."

The foreman was able to tell that Kant could easily see through him.

He wanted to suck up to the lord of the land but had failed. He still feared Lord Kant. He quickly scurried away after saying a few words. He didn't dare stay around Kant any longer.

What a sly merchant.

Kant shook his head lightly as he looked at the back of that foreman.

It seemed that all characters materialized by the system had their own personalities and will instead of deadpan-looking NPC programs.

However, it was due to those personalities that emotions and behaviors, such as flattery, comparing oneself to others of a higher status, jealousy, and even bullying the weak yet fearing the strong, as well as being brutal and ill-disposed, were included. While none of those had fully been shown in front of Kant, the roots of such things were still clearly there.

He wondered if that was a good or bad thing.

Then again, as long as they remained loyal to Kant, he had no intention of interfering too much.

At the moment, the most important thing was to have all five Swadian standard houses constructed.

Kant walked around the southern side of the pond.

He had not walked for long before turning around.

This place is too small.

He frowned slightly and quietly sighed.

The Oasis Lookout was too small. It was so small that even his current plan required extreme caution.

He needed to consider the future.

He thought for a short while.

Kant's eyes focused on the sand beyond the oasis. A thought came to mind. He connected to the system in his mind, asking in silence, "System, could I construct my buildings on the sand?"

He had no doubt made an empiricist error. n0𝚟𝖊𝔩𝑢𝓈𝔟.𝒸0𝗆

Due to help from the system, Kant's buildings would have been just as sturdy even if he built them on the sand.

The system replied quickly, "It is permissible."

Kant smiled.

It was something could be done after all.

Kant walked a straight line toward the south for 32 feet. He passed the Council Hall, Watchtower, and the Desert Bandit Lair.

By the time he stopped walking, it was only sand beneath his feet

"Alright." Kant subtly nodded. "This should be the spot."

As he confirmed it with the system, the five standard Swadian houses immediately materialized into the world. Huge streams of data began to coil and wrap around each other. It took mere seconds for the buildings to fully materialize.

The foundations and walls, which were about 11 inches thick, were constructed neatly using stone. It gave them a sense of sturdiness and heft.

The buildings also looked safe.

The top of each building was slanted. The roofs were constructed using uniformly dried wooden materials to prevent overflow from rainwater. A layer of tiles was piled on top of the roof. Then again, they were in the desert, so there was no need to worry about rain.

There was no rain to be found in the desert.

It was not something he needed to worry about.

The five houses were lined against one another, forming a straight row.

The houses were situated in the south and faced north. The doors opened toward the pond, which was located across from the Council Hall and Desert Bandit Lair.

The 32 feet that Kant had walked became the street.

There were no cracks between the houses. The walls were built against one another, making it seem as if all five of them were a single building. If a ladder were placed against the wall leading to the roof, one could have easily walked through all five houses.

It was constructed in that manner for safety reasons.

Kant had thought it all out.

If a massive amount of enemies approached, the forces garrisoning the buildings were now easily able to make it outside to the 32-foot street. It enabled them to use the buildings on both sides to form formations and securely guard the street.

His forces had the ability to block off both ends of the street.

A small force of Swadian infantry units, armed with polearms, was enough to defend the place steadily and efficiently.

As for the others, they had the option to stand on top of the roofs and use the 9-foot-tall wall to serve as vantage points. That enabled them to accurately aim and shoot at enemies coming in from both sides and support the comrades painstakingly blocking off both ends of the street.

Even if the enemy was able to get up to the roofs to fight them up close and personal, the Swadian forces had the terrain advantage, which further enabled their ability to easily repel the enemy.

The layout formed the early structure of a fortress.

In truth, that was how Kant thought things out.

The threat posed by the Jackalans was huge and nearby. It was possible for them to easily overwhelm the Oasis Lookout.

Peaceful development was a luxury that Drondheim was unable to afford.

Kant needed to build his village like a fortress, but he also needed to do more. The ultimate goal he had for Drondheim was for it to attain the castles available in the system. They were tall, sturdy constructs capable of making one side of the place utterly impregnable.

They were at the southernmost part of the Nahrin Desert, which was the location of the only oasis with a water source.

It was to become a main transport hub.

Be it to venture deep into the Nahrin Desert from the Senwaya Range or to cross into the range from the desert and enter human civilization, that small oasis was destined to become a place travelers had to pass through.

Kant's Drondheim was expected to serve as the heart of the desert.

At present, Kant also had to deal with the most direct threat to his place—the Jackalans.

With those simple defenses put in place, it enabled him to rely only on 30 Swadian Recruits and 35 Swadian Militia to resist a nightly ambush from over 500 Jackalans.

As long as the Jackalans did not bring anything out of the ordinary, they would have the capacity to resist those attacks.

I'll at least have the capacity to defend myself.

Kant nodded to himself.

While the threat from the Jackalan Tribe was still out there, Kant's development was carried out quickly.

Things were changing.

At that moment, a dialog box instantly appeared on Kant's retina.

[Ding... Refugees of Swadia incident triggered]

[A group of Swadians, who were robbed of their homes due to war, are coming. They see the empty houses in your village. It makes these people, who have suffered from drifting about, see hope. They request to join your village.]

[Swadians x 50. Do you accept?]

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Chapter 26: New System Functions

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Huh?" Kant was slightly startled.

"Refugees?"

He felt rather puzzled.

However, he was quickly reminded of the introduction of the houses. Thus, he immediately realized what had happened.

[House: Civilian building of stone and wooden materials. Increases population and attracts an influx of citizens when the population in the village is low. Requires 100 Denars and seven days for construction.]

That explained the attributes of the building.

All five empty houses served to attract refugees, which was why the incident happened.

It was indeed a boon for Drondheim.

"Accept!"

Kant's tone was affirmative.

He had no hesitation whatsoever.

[You have mercifully decided to accept the Swadians who have nowhere to go.]

[Acquired: Swadian Peasants x 50]

A prompt was heard from the system.

Another dialog box popped up before Kant knew what had happened.

[The Swadians are spreading the word of your deeds.]

[Reputation: 100 Honor: 1]

[Reputation System activated]

[Honor System activated]

[Current Reputation: 10 Current Honor: 1]

[Reputation can be used to accelerate construction]

[Honor can be used to draw packs]

Kant looked rather dumbfounded.

He was puzzled about what he had just read.

Did accepting those Swadian refugees actually open up new system functions?

Reputation.

Honor.

Kant knew those terms well. Both had been important stats in the game in his previous life.

They were tied to the player's evaluation and relations.

They were also tied to the number of forces the player could command.

They were even related to whether the player was able to get married and become a king.

Is something different here? n0𝑣𝔢𝔩𝓊𝓈𝔟.𝑐0𝑚

Kant realized that in that real world he was in, the system changed how those two stats worked.

This was not the Continent of Caradia that he knew.

He was not in a made-up game world.

There was also no specific data regarding much of anything, so the data did not limit the number of troops he was able to command.

As such, there was no need for evaluations and relations.

There was also no need to enhance the number of forces he was able to command.

He would not have had to mingle with noble ladies or become king of a certain nation.

"System, explain how those two stats work."

Instead of speculating, Kant chose to ask. Besides, the system was able to explain everything.

[Reputation: Acquired through winning battles and improving civilian life. Specific reputation stats are dependent on the host. Specifically, 100 reputations could be spent on hastening construction by one day.]

Now, Kant was even more baffled.

He frowned and muttered, "Can things could actually work that way?"

Back in the game he played in his previous life, lacking advanced "engineering" attributes meant requiring constructions to take tens of days to complete. That rate of construction was utterly frustrating.

A high-tempo game was rather intolerant of such a sluggish rate of construction.

Even after coming to this world, Kant still had something to complain about regarding the rate of construction. While he knew the rate was several times higher than it would have actually been, no one wanted to wait for so many days. Most people liked to have things done swiftly.

However, what truly caught Kant's attention was the system's honor function.

The system showed a dialog box to provide further elaboration regarding it.

[Honor: Acquired through the "acquisition of epic victory" and "acquisition of legendary evaluation." Specifically, one honor could be spent to enter the mall for drawing prizes, acquiring mysterious packs. Remark: Mysterious packs are divided into troop class pack, military equipment pack, item pack, construction pack, and hero pack. Please explore on your own for further details.]

Kant's eyes lit up.

He seemed to be mulling something deep down.

The honor system seemed more powerful than the reputation system.

One only needed to look at the system's description of honor to tell that much.

Epic victory.

Legendary evaluation.

Those two terms looked like extraordinarily difficult feats to achieve.

At the very least, in all three victories he scored against the Jackalans since he came to the Nahrin Desert, the comments regarding his battles had never had terms like "epic" or "legendary" in them.

It seems rather difficult to acquire honor.

Kant shook his head.

In truth, even back in the game played in his previous life, acquiring honor was much more difficult than acquiring reputation.

However, Kant was unable to help but feel curious about these things.

He opened up the Reputation System section and found he had acquired one honor.

He looked at the prizes available for drawing in the mall, which required him to only spend that one honor to get something. Kant felt very tempted to try it out.

Maybe I could give it a try? he thought.

He planned to give it a try on the spot. While honor did not come easy, it was still something usable in the mall. It would have made little difference whether he used any honor he had now or later.

"My Lord."

While he was still thinking about the mall, he heard a voice.

The System Page was turned off on his retina. Kant turned around and found a Swadian Militia member standing next to him. He frowned and asked the man, "What's the matter?"

The Swadian Militia reported, "My Lord, we have discovered quite a large number of people heading here."

"Yeah, that's right."

Kant nodded, knowing that the 50 Swadian refugees had arrived.

He turned around to look in the direction the Swadian Militia member pointed. Many people were seen dragging luggage, both huge and small, on the horizon. They were arduously making their way through the desert, heading for the oasis before their eyes.

"Is there anything you need us to do?" the militia member asked.

Kant shook his head lightly and said, "No, those people are all poor refugees from Swadia."

"They're Swadians?" The militia was slightly baffled.

There were 35 Swadian Militia members, who carried hunting crossbows in their hands, around him. All of them gathered around with the intention of getting into formation. After hearing what Kant said, they all slowly put down their weapons.

No one wanted to fight their own countrymen.

"Yeah, they're all Swadians."

Kant nodded and said at the same time, "Get food and water ready. They all look exhausted."

"Understood." The Swadian Militia members all nodded. Several of them left the group.

However, the remaining Swadian Militia members did not immediately disperse. They were still all lined up with their hunting crossbows in hand. They all narrowed their gaze on all the refugees, who were getting increasingly closer to the oasis.

Although they knew those people were their countrymen, they still saw protecting their lord and the village as their topmost priorities.

Despite being of the same nation, Swadians fought among each other time and again.

As opposed to their expressions, it went without saying that Kant looked calm.

Before too long, all 50 Swadian refugees arrived in front of Kant and the soldiers.

They all wore ragged, dirty linen clothing that made them look like beggars. Their faces were filled with grime as if it had been a long time since they last showered. All of them had a stink about them, making anyone else who got near them frown.

"Welcome to Drondheim."

Kant stepped forward and nodded, saying, "You shall all have food, water, and hope for the future."

"Thank you, Merciful Lord."

All of the refugees stood still. Their gazes were locked on Kant.

After hearing Kant welcoming them, they all merrily cheered. Many of them even shed tears.

The Continent of Caradia was far from being a peaceful place. All five nations warred against each other. In the end, it was not the nobles who suffered. The ones who suffered were those commoners at the bottom rung of society.

Bandits were everywhere. Acts of plunder from enemy forces posed a severe threat to their lives.

"Take them to shower and get them some food."

Kant turned around and said to the militia members behind him, "I'll leave you all in charge. When they're done resting, get them some simple menial work to do so they can get used to the place. Everyone has to pull their own weight in this Oasis Lookout."

"Understood." The Swadian Militia members nodded.

The soldiers gathered the refugees around and led them to the Council Hall and newly constructed houses.

The food was ready.

It was time for the Oasis Lookout troops to have lunch.

"System Mall."

Kant remained standing where he was. A dialog box appeared on his retina.

A treasure chest-like image was on the dialog box.

Kant instantly realized something.

If there was some prize to be drawn, it was probably the chest doing the work. That meant the draw was definitely random.

"System, activate prize drawing in the mall," Kant quietly muttered to himself.

[Ding... System Mall activated]

[Due to this being your first time using the System Mall, you get an extra chance at drawing x 1]

A dialog box from the system appeared on his retina.

However, it gave Kant a surprise.

An extra chance at drawing? Does that mean I can draw twice?

"Begin the drawing."

Kant had no hesitation in making the decision.

The image of the treasure chest on his retina began to slowly open.

The treasure chest gradually opened. Mysterious colors were visible. At that moment, Kant heard a prompt.

[Ding... You have acquired troop class pack]

[Your troop class attracted a small group of Desert Bandits to join your forces.]

[Acquired: Desert Bandit x 10]

A System Prompt was heard. Kant was dumbfounded.

"What a prize." As he gulped, his eyes showed obvious surprise in them.

That one draw gave him 10 Desert Bandits.

Recruiting in the lair required at least seven weeks to complete. That meant recruiting 10 Desert Bandits to serve him would have taken approximately two months. Instead, that feat was easily completed with just one simple draw.

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Chapter 27: Special Reward from the System

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

He gained 10 Desert Bandits without having to do anything, which made him incredibly happy.

With the six Desert Bandits resting in the lair added to the fray, as well as the building's trait allowing him to recruit one Desert Bandit every week, he only needed to wait for a month to gather 20 Desert Bandits. At that time, he would have the ability to build a cavalry platoon.

He would have a platoon of cavalry units created with bandits, who were known for their ferocity.

All of them were armed with spears and pilums.

As such, when the group of Desert Bandits grew to a certain size, he could use them to shock troops crashing down onto enemy lines. As auxiliary units added to the mix, they could harass enemy formations.

For those bandits used to living in the desert, they were all familiar with these tactics.

"Very nice."

Kant smiled.

Anticipation was seen in his eyes.

His first draw gave him a lofty reward. He wondered what he would come from his second draw.

He quietly muttered, "Continue drawing."

The system confirmed the command.

The dialog box refreshed on his retina. A new treasure chest appeared.

It slowly opened.

The rainbow lights gradually turned golden.

[Ding... You have acquired item pack.]

[You opened the item pack and found Intimidation (Banner).]

[Acquired: Intimidation' (Banner)]

At the same time, Kant saw a card with a banner-like image appear in the dialog box on his retina.

His pupils slightly contracted.

"Well... Umm..." Kant mumbled.

He quickly realized something and said, "System, open introductions of the item."

[Intimidation (Banner)]

[Attribute: 1. Reduce enemy morale within a 500-yard radius. 2. Put enemy forces in mass panic when killing enemy leaders. 3. Disperse enemy forces easily due to panic and fear. 4. Boost your forces' morale when the enemy suffers casualties.]

[Introduction: This is a legendary banner. Victory belongs to you with the banner by your side.]

He was dumbfounded.

He was truly dumbfounded.

If the first draw surprised him, the second draw nearly terrified him.

That was because of the attributes of the item he had drawn.

It was capable of reducing enemy morale, which meant tearing down the will of the enemy to fight and making the bravest of warriors into scared recruits. It even allowed him to cause them to suffer mental breakdowns, forcing them to leave the battlefield in fear.

There was more to it than that.

The banner also enabled the death of enemy forces, which would boost his forces' morale.

This is some goddamn sacred tool of the battlefield!

The banner's effects meant that even the weakest and most timid of sissies would be effected. It enabled his forces to fight the enemy while roaring at the top of their lungs.

Intimidation, eh...

He gulped.

Kant's pupils contracted as he considered what it all meant.

He quickly recovered from the dazed state, which had been caused by the shock of learning about such an item being in his possession.

The card with the image of the banner was still on his retina.

Kant felt his throat become rather parched.

By then, he had recognized the origins of that item. It, of course, had a lot to do with the system.

"Light and Darkness."

Kant's eyes brightened as he muttered, "The name of the mod—Intimidation."

The Intimidation banner was actually from one of the system's mods, Light and Darkness. It was a title acquired when the player fulfilled some strict and unforgiving requirements.

The effects were also similar.

However, that intangible title had become a real banner.

Its effects were modified to affect the entire battlefield with that specific radius from the flag.

"Materialize."

Kant linked his mind to the system. The data started flowing about.

When the data streams dispersed, the banner fell onto his hand.

It was the Intimidation banner.

Its staff was made from a yew tree, and its thickness felt exactly right. It enabled a grown adult to firmly clinch it.

The top of the staff had a banner, which was woven using the finest of linen, hanging from it. It was dyed in crimson colors that resembled blood. A majestic lion was sewn onto the middle of the banner.

The banner swayed even when there was no wind as if to intimidate anyone who was up to no good.

So, this is Intimidation.

Kant felt his mouth become dry.

However, his eyes had gotten increasingly bright as he looked on with passion and surprise.

It was not just because he had acquired an item that could have been considered sacred.

Kant's thoughts went further than that.

He had discovered that the system, which had come into the world with him, was not a regular version. It had carried a mod that came with mystical items and powerful troop classes.

It was just like the Light and Darkness mod.

There was more than just Intimidation. There was also Commanding Power and Supreme Commander's Might.

There were also all manners of truly sacred items.

Well, well, well...

Kant held the banner firmly and asked the system, "If I acquire ample honor and draw in the System Mall, would I be able to summon these sacred items from the mod?"

The System gave him a short, concise answer. "You could."

"This is great!"

Kant nodded slowly. His eyes were filled with excitement.

He had been in that world for 16 years. He knew that in a world of swords and magic, everything was not what it seemed to be on the surface. n0𝚟𝐞𝓵𝓊𝑠𝓑.𝓒0𝑚

Mysterious mages.

Ferocious alien races.

None were the same as that on Earth from his previous life.

Due to the system providing troops that only used cold weapons, from Kant's perspective, he was bound to meet unusual powers that would be difficult to resist.

That problem was now solved.

The prize drawings had given him sacred items with special attributes. They were on par with those unusual powers.

It was just as Kant knew the place to be.

The Dukedom of Leo worshipped Edmund the God of War, who bestowed his worshippers with divine spells related to war. However, divine spells like Intimidation were only accessible to top-class priests of the Warrior Faith.

At the moment, Kant was able to easily get his hands on items that equaled high-level divine spells in terms of power.

I sure look forward to the future.

He lowered his head and snickered.

Jackalans? So what?

I could get rid of them using zero-level peasants working with a small group of first- and second-level low-class troop classes.

With Kant coming into possession of Intimidation, which worked like a sacred item, he saw no need to fear threats from the primitive race.

The power he had come to possess was even more powerful.

Kant held onto the banner and headed into the Oasis Lookout.

The smell of food in the air immediately hit his nose. It was lunchtime in Drondheim.

The refugees, who were done showering and neatly dressed in new clothes, gathered to enjoy a simple lunch. All of them had smiles on their faces. They had all become subjects of Kant's fief. They planned to live a good life there as Swadian Peasants.

The builders also stopped working. They gathered around the watchtower, which was more than half-finished, and ate with their heads hung low.

All of them enjoyed protection.

Swadian Recruits and Swadian Militia took turns eating and standing guard on both ends of the street and the roofs.

At the top of the dunes, on both the northern and eastern sides, militia members were carrying hunting crossbows. They served as guards, vigilantly eyeing the desert before them and guarding their home against possible Jackalan forces.

Many people appeared in the Desert Bandit Lair.

Suddenly, 16 fierce-looking Desert Bandits emerged. All of them were well-armed and looked like manifestations of the term "ferocious."

They were all true ruffians.

"This is my village, Drondheim."

Kant smiled.

Many stood and bowed to him respectfully.

It was a gesture of respect paid to their lord.

Kant nodded to all of them one after another. He did not look arrogant. He simply remained quiet and composed.

A militia member offered to hold the banner for him.

Kant arranged for the Intimidation banner to be erected at the door of the Council Hall. With its ability to extend 500 yards, it was just about enough to cover the entire Oasis Lookout. The banner itself was able to be moved at a moment's notice as well.

The smell of food had grown increasingly thick.

Food that had been prepared specifically for Kant was brought to him.

Kant took a deep breath. He looked very contented.

"Let's eat."

Chapter 28: A New Week

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The early morning sun rose on the eastern side of the desert.

The temperature gradually rose. Despite not having been freed of the chill of dawn just yet, the morning sun still brought warmth to the place.

It was a new day.

At the same time, it was also a new week for everyone at the Oasis Lookout.

Sunlight shone on the wooden window of the Council Hall. Several birds of unknown names chirped and flapped their wings. They were seemingly happy at the arrival of dawn as well.

Everything looked peaceful.

"It's morning, eh?" Kant woke up.

He rubbed his face a little, gradually clearing his head of the dazed state of being half-asleep.

He lifted the woolen blanket. He grabbed the clothes at the top of his bed and put them on. He was no longer able to continue sleeping.

The system had given him a prompt.

[Ding... As the morning sun rises, a new week begins.]

[Income: Your Drondheim (village) collected 50 Denars in taxes.]

[Expenditure: You have paid 360 Denars to your forces as salary.]

All the sleepiness he had was immediately dispelled.

This really is a heavy blow. Kant was dumbfounded.

The System closed the account once a week. Kant did not have villages or regular forces before, so he had no taxes to collect or payments of any kind to settle.

As such, he had forgotten all about it.

He looked at the expenditure column. He frowned at the high amount of 360 Denars.

This isn't just paying a lot...

It's paying a hell of a lot!

Kant looked troubled and gritted his teeth. "This is terrible."

Then again, there was nothing he could have done about it.

According to the size of his current forces, the weekly expenditure was important and hefty. It was so much so that it far exceeded the amount he had spent building the village's buildings.

Swadian Recruit, one Denar per week.

Swadian Militia, four Denars per week.

Desert Bandit, 12 Denars per week.

Those were the weekly individual payouts.

With the number of troops thrown in, it had grown to be:

30 Denars for 30 Swadian Recruits

140 Denars for 35 Swadian Militias

192 Denars for 16 Desert Bandits

The total was 360 Denars.

The expenditure incurred by the weekly maintenance of his forces gave Kant quite a headache.

The numbers looked almost terrifying.

"System." Kant sighed. "Display the remaining amount."

[Capital: 20 Denars]

The system plainly listed the requested data.

Kant was unable to do anything but allow a bitter smirk to form. "I knew it."

A week ago, Kant, who just arrived at the Oasis Lookout, had acquired 1000 Denars as a reward.

Seven days had quickly passed.

Now, 20 Denars were left in his account.

That bit of money left in the game in his previous life would have meant bankruptcy. Worse still, Kant was in a real world. Without Denars, the currency recognized by the system, getting around in the world was nearly impossible.

He was not able to maintain his forces, let alone develop the village.

At present, he sorely lacked the 360 Denars required to pay his forces for the upcoming week.

There was an option to disband his forces.

However, that meant digging his own grave.

The threat of the Jackalans loomed over him like the Sword of Damocles hanging over one's head. If he disbanded his forces, the next time the ferocious primitive race hit, the Oasis Lookout would likely end up razed altogether.

The end of the line, eh.

Kant shook his head. He felt a surge of exhaustion overwhelm him.

He walked out of his room and went downstairs. He headed outside the Council Hall.

Many peasants were working by the side of the pond. They were digging up sand and mud.

"Good morning, My Lord.

"Good morning, Our Revered Lord."

"My Lord, good morning."

When they saw him, all of them greeted Kant.

Kant nodded and said, "Morning."

He turned around and looked at the side of the Council Hall. The 26-foot-tall watchtower was finished.

The tower was completed the day before. The builders from Suno had all left the Oasis Lookout through the system.

There was little to nitpick about their construction skills.

The base was constructed from stone. The main body was constructed with wooden materials nailed together. The roof looked like that of a small house. All aspects of the structure looked as sturdy and reliable as they could have been. It looked finer than the usual workmanship of watchtowers found in common villages.

There was one Swadian Militia currently standing guard above. Holding his hunting crossbow, he was on high alert.

Four Swadian Recruits, who were armed with spears, stood at the base of the watchtower. They served as messengers. They relayed any news received from the tower to every corner of the oasis. n0𝐯𝑒𝑙𝐮𝑠𝐛.𝔠0𝓜

The 26-foot-tall watchtower had a great view.

Even if the Jackalans gathered and attacked again, the Swadian Militia was prepared. As long as there was ample light in their surroundings, their good view from the watchtower allowed them to detect anything before an attack.

It provided them enough time to get their defenses ready and give the Jackalans a run for their money.

"My Lord, good morning."

The Desert Bandits had returned. They were still on their horses.

They currently served as scouts. They patrolled around the Oasis Lookout. They had found nothing unusual during their patrol.

That was good news.

However, the leading Desert Bandit frowned and looked at Kant before saying, "Please forgive the forthcoming tone, My Lord, but I seem to find you looking rather displeased."

It was more than just being displeased. Everyone throughout the oasis noted Kant's upset face.

It was all due to problems with capital.

Kant nodded slightly and did not bother denying. "Yeah, I'm not quite in the mood."

The Desert Bandits were unable to do anything to solve that.

It was such that in that world. Solutions for certain problems were few and far between.

At the very least, Kant still had no idea of how to use the world's currencies to exchange for the Denars required by the system.

Currencies like Great Silver and Gold did not elicit any reaction from the system. Kant experimented back in the Dukedom of Leo. He had asked the system if the exchange was possible.

The system had given him a short, concise answer. "It is not possible."

The acquisition of Denars was only possibly by finishing quests from the system.

Oh well. Kant sighed. It's like I have System Quests to do every day.

It seemed as if the system realized what Kant was thinking.

A dialog box immediately appeared on his retina.

[Ding... Main Quest Assigned]

[Main Quest: Value of Denar]

[Reward: grocery store x 1]

[Introduction: Denar is the only currency, but it is not something that cannot be exchanged. Find an area and deposit all of your current Denars. You will acquire the only building that can solve your current predicament.]

Huh? Kant read the message on the retina and frowned.

This is a main quest...

It looks rather simple.

No. It isn't just simple. It looks almost free!

A grocery store?

Kant gulped. He was reminded of the game from his previous life. There were four types of shops in the markets of cities and towns.

A grocery store was one of them.

He turned his eyes toward the Council Hall.

To the east, there was the watchtower and Desert Bandit Lair, but there was nothing to the west.

"System, build the place there."

Kant had made a quick decision.

Data streams instantly surged. On the western side of the Council Hall, where he had just had his eyes on, a typical Swadian building of stone and wood appeared within mere seconds.

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Chapter 29: Trade Caravan from Reyvadin

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

A new building instantly appeared.

It stood right on the western side of the Council Hall, which was more than 2,142 square feet, and was level with the five Swadian houses.

It was like two parallel lines.

Kant had planned this layout of the buildings and streets.

When Kant took a good look at the grocery store, he found the place to look rather rough compared to the other meticulously built buildings.

The base was constructed from stone while its main body was formed with wood tied with ropes. The window also served as an open counter. It was built with thick wooden planks that supported the window on both sides from the ground up. It also provided shade from the sun.

However, there was nothing on the counter.

The entire grocery store was empty. Merchants notwithstanding, there was not even a single piece of merchandise found within it.

A prompt came from the system.

[Ding... Your new building was finished thanks to your hard work.]

[Main Quest: Value of Denar completed]

[Reward: Grocery Store x 1]

[Introduction: You now own a grocery store capable of exchanging items for Denar. Of course, you are required to possess items of "value" to the system before you can exchange them for Denar.]

Kant frowned.

He looked around the empty store and saw the introduction on the dialog box.

His gaze lingered on the word that was being emphasized.

Kant repeated the line, "Items of 'value,' eh?"

The line looked simple.

It looked so simple that it felt impossible to comprehend.

However, Kant remained puzzled as to what the items of value meant.

Great Silver?

Precious jewelry?

He had tried trading with the system using such items back at the castle in the Dukedom of Leo but to no avail.

"System, I don't understand."

Kant frowned.

He needed to ask about anything that puzzled him. As such, he contacted the system in his mind and asked, "What do you mean by 'value' in this case?"

The system was quiet for a bit.

A reply came seconds later. "Items with mystical powers."

"Items with mystical powers?" Kant frowned even harder.

The term sounded rather complex.

"Indeed."

The system swiftly provided an example. "Peculiar items with effects like those of Intimidation could be used to exchange for Denar."

It was Kant's turn to stay silent.

He turned around and looked at the Intimidation banner erected at the door of the Council Hall.

Even though there was no wind around, it slightly billowed. n0𝚟𝖊𝔩𝑢𝓈𝔟.𝒸0𝗆

A golden lion baring its fangs and claws was sewn on the red background, giving it a shock factor.

It was as if the lion were about to eat someone alive.

"Peculiar items, eh."

Kant muttered.

He now had an idea of what kinds of things the system considered as being of value.

He lowered his head for a moment and slowly asked, "Do you mean magical items?"

"Indeed." The reply from the system was short and concise.

Kant's face displayed a bitter smirk. "I knew it."

In this world, one of swords and magic, there were the likes of the Jackalans, Dwarves, Elves, Beastmen, and other races. There were also professions, such as mages, priests, and the likes, which possessed items of mystical powers.

Examples of which included magical items.

Then again, due to those items being of mystical powers, they were also especially precious.

Kant read a lot about them in the books from the scholars, but the only piece that he had truly seen with his own eyes was in the room of his cheapskate father, the Duke of Cameron.

It was a set of armor.

The armor was comprised of two layers of fine mail armor that were covered by a layer of scales on the outside.

The palace mages of the Dukedom of Leo infused the set of armor with mysterious magical powers. It enabled its defense to be reinforced while its weight was reduced. The magical spells infused also prevented it from rusting, making the set of armor one of the most precious pieces of treasure owned by the line of dukes of the dukedom.

It was so precious that Kant, the youngest son of the duke, was deemed unqualified to touch it.

That alone spoke volumes of the extreme rarity of such magical items.

Buying something like that, from what Kant remembered, was as difficult as reaching heaven.

"Hell, what's even the point then?"

He continued wearing that bitter smirk and grumbled at the system.

Such items served as anchors and heirlooms of clans. At the very least, Kant had never seen any noble clans selling such items before.

Even if those nobles fell into decline, the ones who sold such items had been limited to a very small handful in history. Those magical items still served to lift the fallen clans up again one day. If they were sold, those clan would have been done for through and through.

Furthermore, even if there were to be people selling such items...

Kant had no money to buy them.

"System, would you be able to provide some more substantial advice?

He continued to smirk as he shook his head.

"Yes."

The system actually answered, which was something unexpected.

Kant was stunned. He asked, "What would that be?"

The system did not answer.

Instead, a quest was given.

[Ding... Special Quest assigned]

[Special Quest: Explore the Mysterious]

[Reward: 5,000 Denars]

[Introduction: The Jackalan Tribe deep in the desert seems to have hidden some sort of mystical power. Maybe you should take a look and seek the source of said power.]

From what he was able to tell from the introduction, the quest seemed simple.

It was a scouting quest.

However, Kant quickly frowned soon after. "Explore the mysterious?"

He was proficient in deductive reasoning.

As such, he was easily able to discover the hidden meaning of the quest.

It was not possible that it was anything else.

It was definitely a scouting quest.

Based on what he was told in the introduction, if he was unable to find out what the source of that mysterious power was, there was no way for him to finish the quest.

It was a special quest.

The last time he had this type of quest, he was told to look into the military organizations of that world.

The reward had been the light crossbow currently on his back.

Things will be difficult this time though. He slowly sighed.

It was not just difficult.

It was extremely difficult.

After all, he was tasked to look into the Jackalan Tribe deep in the desert.

That tribe was huge. From what he was able to find out so far, it had a population of over 2,500.

Look into that place?

That is like saying I have a death wish!

If those Jackalans all rushed out from their tribe, they were capable of engulfing the entire Oasis Lookout. If he told his forces, which were fewer than 80 strong, to fight an enemy force of 2,500, it was like having them dig their own graves.

Sheer numbers alone were more than enough to overwhelm the difference in quality.

Besides, the quality of Kant's forces had yet to reach the ability to fight 10 at a time and still come out on top.

"The special quest does not have a set completion date."

The system replied, "It also will not clash with other quests. You're free to think about how to deal with it."

Kant nodded. "That's more like it."

If it were something that clashed with other quests, he would have had to finish it first. It would have been something beyond Kant's current abilities. At this juncture, he still had no way of acquiring more Denar.

Even with the path assigned, it was still something beyond him to accomplish.

His near-empty remaining capital meant that he would not have had enough funds to pay his forces the following week.

He also had run out of developmental funds at the same time.

[Ding... A trade caravan from Reyvadin is here.]

A prompt was heard from the system.

Kant slightly frowned.

"A trade caravan from Reyvadin?" He felt rather confused.

At the northern dune, not far away, a Swadian Militia member quickly came waving at them, shouting, "Unknown figures incoming! Unknown figures incoming!"

Are they here?

Kant frowned and thought about that so-called trade caravan.

However, he still told the Desert Bandits, who were standing by at his side, "Go and check them out!"

"Understood."

The 16 Desert Bandits nodded and got onto their horses. They rode straight for the northern dune.

It was the Nahrin Desert, after all, so letting one's guard down was a bad idea.

However, all Desert Bandits returned with three carriages. Several riders and walking servants followed at a leisurely pace. These foreign people seemed to be having a good time chatting among themselves.

It was obvious that they were not the enemy.

They gradually arrived at his place.

The Swadian Militia members, who were in charge of defense on the rooftops of Drondheim, eyed them vigilantly with their hunting crossbows lifted.

"My Lord, they're here."

The Desert Bandits rode their horses to where Kant was and respectfully reported, "They are a trade caravan from Reyvadin."

"Right." Kant nodded.

He eyed the three carriages. There was one leader and six escorts, as well as 12 mercenary troops. All of them were members of the trade caravan. He calmed considerably, even though these people wore their weapons out in the open.

He knew that they were a trade caravan from the game.

The leader of the trade caravan was eloquent.

Seeing how all the Desert Bandits paid respects to Kant, he knew right away that the man before him was the lord.

He quickly shot a look at the six escorts, who were riding on their horses. All of them got off their horses and bowed respectfully, saying, "Revered Lord of Swadia, we are a trade caravan from Reyvadin. We hereby offer our sincerest respect to you."

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Chapter 30: Dates Traded for Wheat

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The trade caravan members behaved rather respectfully toward Kant. Not the slightest hint of rudeness was seen in them.

In their subconscious, Kant was like a greater noble from the Continent of Caradia, even if he was a Swadian. That status demanded respect even from Swadian nobles, so it went without saying with nobles like those of the trade caravan.

"Yeah." Kant only nodded. His expression remained unchanged.

His noble status had been assigned by the system.

He turned his gaze behind the caravan. Their goods were all neatly packaged on the three carriages. One was easily able to tell that they were packed with items to sell.

It's a pity.

Kant sighed deep down.

He had no funds to make any purchases.

"My Lord, these are all specialties brought all the way from Reyvadin."

The trade caravan leader smiled and explained, "Our trade caravan sells very affordable wool. We also offer tools, raw iron, and linen cloth, as well as food, such as dried meat, smoked fish, and wheat."

He paused and said, "Of course, we buy specialties as well."

"You buy specialties?"

Kant frowned and asked, "How?"

That piqued his interest.

Before this caravan arrived, he had no idea that he was able to sell goods to trade caravans.

"Yes, we do purchase certain items."

The trade caravan leader took a look at the side of the Council Hall. He eyed the grocery store and said with an interesting expression, "I see that you have an empty store, My Lord. If you do not mind, I'm thinking of having my team move the goods over there. We would like to stay here for a week."

"Alright." Kant nodded. "You have one week to do whatever you need to do."

He swiftly agreed to it.

He had no funds at the moment, so he was unable to buy anything.

"Many thanks, My Lord."

The leader was grateful. He immediately bowed to express his gratitude.

The mercenary troops behind him led their carriages over to the grocery store, leaving deep tracks in the sand. It was obvious that all three carriages were fully packed.

Kant knew that fact deep down.

Trade caravans throughout the Continent of Caradia followed certain trade routes.

Purchases were made in cities along the route at low prices and then sold at high prices, or said goods were accumulated to be ferried back to their cities of origin.

That was the basic conduct of commerce.

There's nothing I can sell from this place of mine though.

Kant bitterly chuckled to himself.

While his place was named Drondheim, it paled in comparison to the real Drondheim on the Continent of Caradia.

His tiny village was not even self-sufficient. Even if he had help from the system, developing commerce at this stage was an absurd notion.

However, he still let the trade caravan do as they pleased.

After all, it was a good thing to have more people around the Oasis Lookout.

Kant shrugged and said in a self-depreciative manner, "At least I now feel less like an outcast in the world."

Afterward, he quickly recomposed himself.

He walked toward Council Hall. He had some plans regarding that special mission.

He soon arrived outside the Council Hall's door and went inside.

The Swadian Militia member, who stood guard at the door of the Council Hall with his heavy spear in hand, came over to Kant just as he sat down. The militia member respectfully said, "My Lord, the trade caravan leader wishes to see you."

The Council Hall was not a place that just anyone could enter

"Let him in."

Kant nodded. It was obvious that he saw the leader waiting right outside the door.

The leader of the trade caravan looked like he was in his 40s. There were some silver hairs by the side of his head, but he still looked rather sprightly. There was no doubt that someone capable of leading a caravan from a city alone was anything but ordinary.

In truth, such positions were usually taken by top-class retired soldiers.

While the leader was equipped only with a sword and wore scale armor, his proficiency with his weapon and skill on the back of a horse was on par with that of a Swadian Knight.

However, he behaved unusually meek before Kant.

He bowed and hung his head low. "My Lord, forgive the intrusion."

"It's alright. I'm not busy right now."

Kant looked at the leader and asked, "Is there anything you need to discuss?"

The leader respectfully replied, "My Lord, I see that your village seems to have Date Palm Trees planted. If you have ample stock, we would like to purchase some of the dates."

"You want to buy dates?" Kant was dumbfounded.

The leader nodded affirmatively and continued, "Indeed, My Lord. Dates are a specialty of the Sarrand Sultanate, and they are delicious. They sell quite well in other countries."

"Of course, sure." Kant nodded right away.

He had collected over a dozen baskets of the dates the previous week. While they had eaten some since then, there were enough to fill 10 baskets.

Kant frowned and asked in return, "Denars?"

The currency of the trade was, of course, Denars.

It was the only currency recognized by the system.

"Of course."

The leader nodded and looked rather curious. He asked, "My Lord, would you like to trade those dates for some of our goods? We could barter as well. Of course, the prices of the goods trade would still need to be equal."

Kant was slightly puzzled.

However, he quickly returned to his senses and said, "No, there is no need for that. Denars will do fine."

"As you wish." The leader felt rather puzzled himself.

The leader had no idea that Kant wanted Denars so bad that he was almost unable to think of anything else. He was so desperate that he actually thought of charging into the tribe filled with ferocious primitive creatures and fighting his way through those beasts.

He was unable to do anything without Denars.

"I need someone around."

Kant said to the militia member guarding the door, "Take our friend here to our stores and let them have a look at our freshly dried dates."

The militia member nodded. "Understood."

The leader excused himself and headed to the storage room at the side of the Council Hall with the militia member. More than a dozen baskets of dates were stacked there. All of them had just finished being dried under the sun.

The dates people usually talked about were the dried end products.

Freshly plucked dates had little shelf life to speak of. Sun-dried dates were more well-suited to be stored and carried around in a desert climate.

Furthermore, dried dates tasted even sweeter.

The leader soon emerged. He was chewing on a date that he carried in his hand. His face had a mesmerized expression. He said, "My Lord, these dates are good."

"They are high-grade stuff." Kant nodded and smiled.

He knew that very well.

These dates were produced by the system, so they were definitely fine products.

"Very good indeed."

That leader gulped down the rest of the date. He looked at Kant and respectfully said, "If you are willing, I would like to offer 50 Denars per basket for the dates."

"50 Denars?" Kant frowned.

That meant 10 baskets of dates only equaled 500 Denars.

Those baskets contained most of the fruits plucked from 20 Date Palm Trees, and they totaled thousands of pounds.

The leader shrugged slightly and wore an exasperated expression. "My Lord, while the dates do taste good, they are not necessary items. It is actually due to many eating these things in the desert that they are able to fetch a slightly high price."

He paused for a bit and continued, "If the dates were to be of bad quality, we wouldn't be offering 50 Denars per basket in the first place."

"Will do. We'll sell them according to the price you offered."

Kant wore a calm expression. He looked as if nothing was wrong.

He was actually feeling very bitter deep down. He thought that merchants were indeed sly people.

If he had any other choice, he would not have wanted to sell those dates.

They served as food reserves for his people.

"You have made a wise decision," the leader said, sucking up to Kant. n0𝐯𝑒𝑙𝐮𝑠𝐛.𝔠0𝓜

Kant wore a faint smile and replied, "Maybe I did."

A Denar shortage was his biggest headache at the moment. He had no choice but to sell those dates to maintain his forces. Compared to bread, dates were not that filling despite being very nutritious.

Kant suddenly seemed to have realized something. He asked the leader, "Do you have wheat among your goods?"

"Yes, we do."

The leader said, "It is 50 Denars for one bag of wheat. You could choose to plant them or grind them down to flour."

"I want a bag." Kant nodded and said, "I'm thinking of planting them."

"In that case, I shall find you the best bag among the bunch."

The leader smiled and said, "If you plant them in an oasis, you need to make that the wheat gets enough water. Otherwise, the scorching weather will burn the wheat seedlings."

"Thank you for the reminder," Kant replied with a smile.

The Swadian Peasants already knew that.

All the mud they dredged up from the pond was to serve as fertilizer for the wheat.

It was an act of killing two birds with one stone.

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Chapter 31: Scholar Hank's Expedition

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the Nahrin Desert, the sun remained scorching.

Rowan, the captain of the knights, rode on his warhorse, his tired face looking jaded and exasperated.

He had finally returned to the castle of the Dukedom of Leo after an arduous journey. However, he had not been able to rest for even a single day before being assigned to new tasks by his superiors. He was told to serve as an escort and guide to that desert that had nothing but sand.

"O' Great Edmund the God of War, may you bestow protection upon your loyal worshippers."

Rowan looked at the sun above. The surrounding temperature, which was comparable to that of an oven, felt intolerable to him. He was tired of this.

He still had not had enough of the lager in the tavern. He had not been able to greet his beautiful wife. He also had yet to get a decent dinner before he'd been summoned and told to escort a renowned scholar who wanted to survey the Nahrin Desert.

What could there be in that sh*thole, anyway?

Rowan lamented deep down as he licked his parched lips. He sensed that familiar taste of wind and dust in his mouth.

He felt as if he was on the verge of a breakdown.

From his perspective, those scholars, who enjoyed lofty amounts of allowance from the administration, should have just remained back in their offices in the academy researching what was known in earnest instead of coming out to eat wind and dust in the desert, as well as being baked by the sun like they currently were.

Rowan turned his head around. He felt exasperated.

He had a lot to grumble about deep down, but he dared not voice anything out loud. The man behind him was not someone he could afford to offend.

The scholar rode in a carriage all on his own. The escort knights were no longer those who served under Rowan. All 50 of them were retainer knights from the castle. They wore double-layered mail armor covered with linen robes and carried lances in their hands.

They were obviously of high status.

In truth, if it were not for the need of a guide, Rowan would not have been qualified to be in that entourage.

Then again, Rowan had no intention of joining.

This was just sad.

Rowan turned around and looked at the vast sea of sand before him. He grew increasingly frustrated.

Since they were already in the Nahrin Desert, subjected to the harsh temperatures and torturous troubles, thinking about it further served little use. The only thing he was now able to do was to get those people as quickly to the Oasis Lookout as possible.

He sighed heavily.

The face of the young baron, who looked childish yet was actually cold and unfeeling, appeared in his mind.

...

Night fell.

The entourage in the desert settled down and set up camp.

The old scholar pulled the drapes on his carriage open. He walked out of the cushioned interior with his cane in hand. He looked at the darkened, winding dune and calmly said, "This is the second day."

Hobson, who had a stout frame, walked behind him.

That man wore double-layered mail armor and a longsword at his hip. While it was easy to tell that the man was tired, his eyes remained spirited and vigilant.

He was the true leader of the entourage on that trip and a knight titled by the dukedom.

"Revered Scholar Hank, please do not worry."

Hobson's voice was thick and mesmerizing. He continued from where the scholar left off. "According to our guide, we should arrive at the Oasis Lookout tomorrow evening."

"That would be splendid." Scholar Hank nodded. "Thank you for your hard work, Sir Hobson."

Hobson smiled and said, "This was an arrangement made by Duke Cameron. I'm just following my orders."

He turned around and looked at the deeper parts of the desert. His eyes gleamed with a hint of curiosity as he said, "Scholar Hank, I'm curious. Is the legendary lost city really there?" n0𝗏𝐄𝓁𝐔𝔰𝒷.𝓒0𝑚

The scholar was silent.

The scholar turned to look at the deeper parts of the desert and the winding dune before them. He softly said, "That is uncertain."

"Uncertain?" Sir Hobson looked rather disappointed.

Both men were silent.

Among the folk legends of the Dukedom of Leo, there was one that said something about a lost city.

More accurately put, the folk legendary had been around before the Dukedom of Leo was founded. It was a city built from gold and gemstone, which made it look like a kingdom of gods. It was a great city that was mysteriously lost in history.

"Right. It seems that the Oasis Lookout has a new lord now."

The scholar seemed to have recalled something and said, "I heard my colleagues talking about that before we came to the Nahrin Desert."

Hobson nodded and said, "There is indeed a lord claiming the place."

"Oh." The scholar's brow was slightly raised. His eyes looked on with some bit of disbelief as he asked, "Who has taken the place? I thought the greedy nobles would still have some sense in them."

Hobson pretended as if he was oblivious to the sarcastic jab and replied, "It was Kant."

"Kant, eh?"

The scholar was slightly surprised. His face, which was filled with wrinkles, looked rather puzzled as he asked, "That hardworking kid?"

"Are you familiar with him?" Hobson felt rather curious.

"Aye. I know the kid. He is a good fellow."

Scholar Hank nodded. A slight frown appeared on his face as he said, "He once studied in our academy. I remember him to be a kid from a decent family but definitely not one that was considered wealthy." He paused and asked, "How did he become the lord of the Oasis Lookout?"

Hobson shrugged and answered, "He was the youngest son of Duke Cameron."

"Youngest son of Duke Cameron?" The scholar's expression was one of incredible shock.

"Indeed." Hobson nodded.

Scholar Hank chuckled bitterly. Feeling rather puzzled, he asked, "If he's the youngest son of the duke, why didn't he say anything back then? I always liked that kid. He really was studious."

The scholars were focused on their academic pursuits in the academy. As such, they were not that keen on such news at times.

Sir Hobson was aware of that much, at least.

Hobson looked at the retainer knights around, who were busy with one task or another, and felt rather overwhelmed. He said, "Kant's mother was a princess of the Silver Platter Kingdom."

"The hell." Scholar Hank's expression became stiff.

It took him quite a while to recompose himself. He looked at Hobson and asked in a solemn tone, "Is that true?"

Sir Hobson nodded. "It is true."

Both men were silent again.

Scholar Hank sighed and held onto his cane. In a rather sad tone, he said, "It's no surprise why that kid has been exiled to become a lord of this place then." He lamented, "He really was a hardworking, studious kid."

"It is a pity," Hobson lamented as well.

Back in the castle, he had liked that young baron, who knew how to respect others.

Hobson turned around to look at Rowan, who was on his horse. Hobson shook his head for a bit and returned to his previous stern demeanor. He said, "Scholar Hank, please get some rest. We will ride at first light."

"Rest well, you people. I'll be in the carriage."

The scholar nodded and smiled.

However, his expression remained serious when he took his cane. He had recalled bits of information from the books he read. He couldn't help but say, "I believe the legendary lost city is more than just a legend." He remembered being ridiculed by his peers when he'd arrived at the academy. He tapped his cane onto the sand and said, "I shall prove this."

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Chapter 32: Cultivating Lands of the Oasis

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Early the next morning, the Oasis Lookout remained busy.

The Swadian Peasants, who had once been refugees, were very eager to show their appreciation for the village their livelihood depended on. All of them put everything they had into their work.

They had suffered enough in their days of drifting about, so they had no intention of remaining as refugees who lost their land.

They were all hardworking people.

After three days of hard work, the spring water pond was finally cleaned.

All the black mud underneath was dredged out and spread over the northern side to make the agricultural area. They were making use of what would have otherwise been trash.

It was much more than just useless mud.

When it came to agricultural development, it was an indispensable high-grade fertilizer.

The mud, which exuded a rotten stench in the sun, was spread out on the land reserved for agricultural development. Using their hoes, the peasants mixed the mud up with the soil, which helped loosen the ground at the same time.

It was soon time to plant the seeds.

The wheat exchanged for 50 Denars was not something to be eaten.

Instead, it was seeds vital for development.

The early stages of agricultural development of the Oasis Lookout depended on them.

However, judging from the land available for farming, the size of the agriculture area appeared rather pitiful.

Even if all the land in the northern part of the oasis, from the pond to the edge where the Date Palm Trees were planted, was to be cultivated, the area for farming was a measly 328 feet long and 164 feet wide.

It would have made the area around 339,768 square feet, which was equal to 7.5 acres.

It was a pitiful size for a farming area.

Even the free folk families who owned land back in the Dukedom of Leo had about five acres each. n0𝗏𝐄𝓁𝐔𝔰𝒷.𝓒0𝑚

Even the most common and average of villages had farming lands calculated in hundreds of acres. Villages that were more well to do had 500 acres of land for plantation or more.

Despite being a baron, he only had 7.5 acres of farmable land.

That thought was rather depressing.

However, there were even more depressing matters other than that. Not all 7.5 acres of that land had soil suitable for seeding. The three acres where the oasis was connected with the desert were mostly sand.

It was easy to tell from how the soil in that area was whitish. It was a sign of the soil being dry and having more sand.

While it was still farmable, production would have been appalling.

"Damn barren piece of land."

Kant lightly lamented about the situation.

Yet, that was all the farmable land he had. If it had not been for the 7.5 acres worth of land, there was no way for Drondheim to produce any food crops.

He was not in a position in which he could give up.

When he saw the peasants mixing the sandy soil with the gleaming black and stinking mud, Kant seemed to have thought of something.

He had an idea.

The Oasis Lookout in the Nahrin Desert lacked soil.

Soil, which was easily seen everywhere else, was actually a vital piece and small piece of an oasis in a desert. Other than a water source, it was the other thing that served as a crucial platform for allowing plants to grow.

However, other places did not lack such resources.

"Right."

Kant's eyes lit up.

Without thinking, he turned his eyes toward the horizon in the south.

A winding black snake seemed to be vaguely seen on the horizon. That was the end of the southern side of the Nahrin Desert. It was the majestic barrier that kept the sandstorms and sand of the desert from getting into the Dukedom of Leo. It was the Senwaya Range.

Kant's thoughts had a lot to do with that mountain range.

In the mountain range, as well as the flatlands on the other side of the mountain range, there were staggering amounts of fertile soil to be found.

If he had carriages carry soil over to the oasis, it would likely provide enough to modify the place.

That idea seemed rather stupid.

Yet, it was still one that would work.

I wonder how much time doing that will take.

Kant lightly sighed. He had considerably calmed down.

Thoughts streamed in his mind. If he were to actually carry out that stupid method of his, he knew that it would take much longer than months. For it to truly work as intended, it required years to achieve.

Still, something is better than nothing.

Seeing the peasants working on the land, Kant was eager to try it out.

That was the only way to change the Oasis Lookout.

Kant was deep in thought.

The peasants were hard at work with their specifically assigned tasks. The original sandy land was dredged up. The black mud was mixed into the barren land, bringing nutrients that had been piling for untold years in the pond.

Even the irrigation channels dug prior had been reworked.

The clear spring water from the pond flowed in the channels and began to irrigate the soil.

The basic structure of the agriculture area was formed.

Some peasants came to him and bowed slightly. A peasant respectfully said to Kant, "My Lord, the fields are now ready. Shall we begin seeding?"

"I'll leave you guys in charge," Kant answered.

He knew little about agriculture, so he deemed it best to not say anything unnecessary.

He left the task to the experts.

That was one of the key elements in Kant's management.

The Swadian Peasants were most proficient in working the land.

A peasant said in an affirmative tone, "I think if we plant the seeds now, we will be reaping wheat by autumn." He quickly added, "But, of course, we would need to keep the channels well-maintained. The dry sand does a poor job of storing water. It is crucial to keep the fields irrigated in time to make sure all the wheat seedlings get enough to drink."

Kant nodded. "Well done."

At that moment, Kant heard a prompt from the system.

A dialog box instantly appeared on his retina.

[Ding... Main Quest assigned]

[Main Quest: Seeding]

[Reward: Swadian Peasants x 50]

[Introduction: Agriculture serves as the foundation of a fief. Cultivating fields for farming and planting seeds in the fields serves as a symbol of development and a way to prosperity in a fief.]

Kant was dumbfounded that another main quest had been given.

He felt rather puzzled about it.

Ever since he came to acquire his own fief by coming to the Oasis Lookout, it seemed that the system had been increasing the amounts of quests given.

It was worth noting that it would have taken months to even get one side quest from the system when he was back in the Dukedom of Leo. After only being in the oasis for little more than a week, however, he had gotten quests of all sorts.

It was fortunate that finishing those quests had been easy.

"Seeding, eh?"

Kant called for them to get to work. His face looked rather emotional.

The Swadian Peasants who served him were actually about to plant wheat seedlings anyway.

Shallow pits were dug out from the worked fields.

Yellowish, full wheat seedlings were thrown into the pits.

The peasants placed seedlings neatly in the pits as they walked the field. Some of them carried urns and watered them.

All 7.5 acres of farmland were quickly seeded.

A dialog box from the system appeared.

[Ding... After a round of hard work, you found that the fields are seeded.]

[Main Quest: Seeding completed]

[Reward Acquired: Swadian Peasants x 50]

[Comments: Peasants are crucial to working the fields. These experienced peasants will be able to perform a great majority of agricultural work. Of course, all of them, who have a lot of attachment to their homes, are willing to take up arms to defend their land.]

Another 50 Swadian Peasants were acquired without him having to do much.

Well... Kant shook his head with disbelief. That was easy.

It was surprisingly easy.

It was so easy that it seemed to be a freely given reward.

He looked at the sun in the sky. It had not yet reached its highest point. That meant it was about 10:30 a.m.

"Check the channels. If everything is OK, you can go rest."

Kant quickly added, "But remember, before you rest, water the entire area we opened up in the morning once. The last thing I want to see is our seedlings being all cooked to a crisp by the heat."

"Rest assured, My Lord." The peasants answered confidently.

They were all very capable people when it came to farming.

Kant believed in them. He nodded and returned to the Council Hall. He needed to get someone to prepare lunch.

Apparently, noon in the Nahrin Desert was ill-suited for being busy.

Everyone ate lunch and took naps. That allowed them to be energetic enough to work by 2 p.m.

Such was the way to survive in the desert.

Despite not having been there for long, Kant was already used to such routines.

It was noon, and lunch was ready.

Lunch was the usual roasted dried meat with bread and cabbage soup, as well as bits of olive.

Of course, with the new 50 peasants joining their ranks, the lunch prepared was even more massive than it had been before.

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