Chapter 0005: The Beasts of Thorny Ridge
The body trembles uncontrollably
What was thought to be just a simple lunch took a turn when Marcus's expression suddenly changed after swallowing a piece of bread: "My Lord Baron, there is a situation, it is the aura of a beast!"
Eight Earth Knights are sufficient to inflict significant damage on the knightly order, and even in a territorial battle, it is unlikely that so many Earth Knights would perish.
The fire rabbit, capable of releasing small fireballs, is delicious, with a shiny coat. Nobles enjoy consuming fire rabbit meat, while noblewomen prefer fur coats made from fire rabbit pelts
There are few free citizens; they are mostly artisans, such as hunters and tailors
The Thorny Ridge is indeed such a wild and desolate land, where the lord's knights are required to engage in external battles, and these untamed territories must be cultivated by serfs and commoners
Looking around, Liszt felt that the town might have only a few hundred people... It was even fewer than the number of students in a school
Throughout the journey, Liszt continuously recorded the terrain of Thorny Ridge, noting locations suitable for constructing defensive works, areas appropriate for water conservancy projects, sites ideal for building fortifications, and regions conducive to cultivating farmland. These are obligations that a landholding noble lord must fulfill.
After traveling for a while, the small town was no longer visible in the distance. Leaving the flat land, we entered the hilly area with sparse woods, which was already the edge of the Thorny Ridge
A multitude of emotions swells within my heart
He has also encountered a powerful magical beast—the fur of the Giant Barbarian Bear. The most cherished chair of the Count of Coral Island is adorned with the fur of the Giant Barbarian Bear, with the fearsome bear's head fully tanned, exuding a terrifying and savage aura.
Marcus cannot deny that he is not a government official and is not interested in these matters. What he is passionate about is the authority of the nobility, especially the serfs and commoners who continuously bow to Liszt along the streets. These individuals, with their pallid faces, exhibit a mixture of envy and fear towards the nobility
The industrial revolution is no longer possible, but introducing certain scientific development methods is still quite promising
The forest remains relatively lush, and one can occasionally spot wildlife such as rabbits and foxes. The food is not abundant at the edges of the Thorny Ridge, making it difficult to encounter large wild animals.
Liszt is fully confident in governing his territory and leading the development of Flower Town
This era certainly has incredible beings such as dragons and elves, as well as astonishing powers like martial energy and magic, yet it remains relatively underdeveloped
One third remains, all of which is wasteland
In other words, as long as there is no collision with the towns southwest of Thorny Ridge, Lister can arbitrarily delineate the size of Flower Town.
There is also specially supplied goat jerky from Li Si Te
The town is very small and dilapidated, with few households. Even though all the residents have come to the sides of the street to pay their respects, there is still no hint of a warm atmosphere
Enclosure is an innate instinct of every noble. The size of Flower Town is determined by how far his horse's hooves can reach. At this moment, the horse's hooves are trotting along the streets of the town, which are dirt roads, quite filthy, with animal and human excrement visible everywhere—only nobles would build toilets.
Moreover, in the face of magical beasts, ordinary people are merely a delicious meal. Even hunters do not dare to easily test the depths of these magical creatures. Of course, there are some adventurers who still venture to hunt magical beasts. Every single magical beast, every piece of its meat, every inch of its fur, can be exchanged for gold coins
The one who kneels is a serf, while the one who bows is a free man
To avoid the monsters, a group of knights can only detour around the edge of Thorny Ridge
Despite Marcus's poor mood, he still approached his work with meticulous care, recounting the information about Thorny Ridge in detail
A simple lunch consisting of bread, caviar, fruit salad, and milk tea
After more than twenty years of cultivation by the Tulip family, the area of Coral Island that has actually been developed into farmland and settled by a population is less than two-thirds
... ...
Moreover, there have been even more apprentice knights who have fallen in battle
Lunchtime has arrived, Aoden, prepare lunch right here.
The low, mud-and-thatch houses stretch over a vast area, and the town's size is largely supported by these dilapidated structures, with only a few two-story buildings, just three or two households.
We can do it!" Karl and others responded loudly
The geographical location of Flower Town is situated at the northeast corner of Coral Island, and its area is not insignificant. However, the exact size remains unclear to Liszt. As a remote small town on Coral Island, it is merely delineated to the northeast of Thorn Ridge, with no specific boundaries marked at all
"Oh, magical beasts, I wonder if I will encounter one today." Lister searched through the memories of his past and recalled having seen several types of magical beasts. The most significant difference between magical beasts and ordinary wild animals is that magical beasts possess magical power and can unleash powerful spells.
Even if the entire Thorny Ridge were included, no one would likely blame him—after all, the affiliation of Thorny Ridge has not been delineated on Coral Island either
I am even more fortunate to be a noble, able to reside in a castle and enjoy fine white bread made from exquisite wheat flour
The journey by bike is surrounded by patches of farmland on the outskirts of the town, where most of the crops are unrecognizable even to the most knowledgeable. These crops do not present a pleasing sight; they appear sickly, and many weeds grow alongside them, clearly indicating a lack of any scientific management
Yes, my lord!" Aoden dismounted immediately, found a flat area, laid out a carpet, and then arranged the provisions on top.
This time, he truly felt the poverty of civilian life
It is said that in order to hunt the giant barbarian bear, eight Earth Knights of the Coral Island Knights were killed
The serfs constitute the vast majority; they have sold themselves to the nobility and are the private property of Lister. Matters of marriage and funerals are all decided by Lister. Even if Lister were to exercise the right of the first night, these serfs would have to obediently comply and send their daughters and daughters-in-law, cleaned and prepared, into the castle.
"Sanitation must be improved," Liszt said, turning to Marcus.
"My Lord Baron, magical beasts often appear at the edge of Thorny Ridge. I hope you will follow me closely and not act recklessly." Upon reaching this point, Marcus took the lead and instructed the four accompanying knights, "Protect the Baron at all costs. Unless they become corpses, do not allow the magical beasts to advance a single step. Can you do that?"
The Thorny Ridge is extremely barren, uneven, and has low development value
In the spring, summer, and autumn seasons, the food in Thorny Ridge can meet the needs of the monsters, so Flower Town does not often encounter them. However, in winter, there are often hungry monsters that invade Flower Town, and every year, a few unfortunate souls are taken by the monsters as food.
Liszt rode on the fire dragon, filled with enthusiasm for this inspection
In the Tulip Castle, a type of small magical beast known as the Fire Rabbit was also raised
The fire dragon horse swiftly carried Lister, traversing the only street in the town that runs from north to south. With a slightly heavy heart, it proceeded along the safe route planned by Marcus, heading towards Thorn Ridge
They come from the commoners, where commoners do not go to the battlefield; only nobles and knights engage in war. However, although the retainer knights are of commoner status, they are still required to go to the battlefield—as logistical support, they are expected to receive better treatment and bear the responsibility of dying for the nobles