Chapter 10 Expanding the Hideout

Men who cooperated with those who attacked the kingdom would be given capital punishment.

The way is cruel though, the offenders are burned alive like a barbeque grill.

Seems like the one commanding the wagon we just raided was one of the enemies that set the royal palace in h.e.l.l fire.

Considering how the royal family died, this was relatively a mild action……..

「I have cut down right hands of everyone. The cut section was firmly burnt with torches. They will probably live.」

They were thrown inside the cages and the wagons were pushed towards the east.

After losing one of their hands, can they even live a life?………

The laughter at the table seemed to represent the twist of fate.

The response was casual, but the punishment was definitely severe.

In a sense, there is the purpose of preventing a second offense by setting this as an example, although there is a slight problem here.

The farmers and peasants were dispatched to the abandoned village.

At least, there is food to eat, and if one clears up the fields, they can have their own farmland.

They certainly would do so.

As always, while we were waiting for carriages to pa.s.s through the highway, Zairas san came next to me.

「You in no way look like a knight. You are better with a one handed sword. Also, why not use them since we have it in a surplus?」

A long sword and a silver pipe like product were placed in front of me.

I am thankful for the long sword, but I have never used a pipe.

But, a bandit puffing from a thick pipe in his hands will look quite imposing in a picture.

If push comes to shove, the picture will sell in quite an expensive price.

「Thank you. But, the tobacco…….」

Before I finished saying, a small leather bag was  placed on the table with a *pon!

I opened the bag and smelled it a bit. The inside smelled like that of herbs.

There is tobacco present in this world?

「Its quite handy while attacking. Tell the captain if you run out of it. He’ll secure it with priority.」

「Many of them use pipes. My father was also a lover of it, but its is something that women use. Can you also pa.s.s this to Maria? Its not like its used regularly. Its enough to do it occasionally.」

That, they are considerably tolerant aren’t they?

I put some tobacco into the pipe I got and present the rest to Maria san.

「Its easy to hold it too. Please use these.」

「Is it good? I have only for one person, but it should last for a while.」

Its nice since they are happy.

Let me just enjoy the scent for a while.

If I do not ignite it, I will have it forever.

「We must think about procuring goods soon. I want us to target the merchants.」

「True, there is a requirement of food and liquor here stably, but are we not bandits?」

「Are you going to contact a merchant in future? Well the merchant shall be honest even if he is poor.」

Listening to my mutters,, Radei opened his mouth to speak.

「Aim for a small scale merchant. If it is to do peddling in the villages, it won’t be a problem for us cat-tribesmen to do business.」

「Even if it is desirable, we have no means of contact.」

I started laughing funnily to my own words.

It seems, the wives and children take wagons around the village to maintain the finances.

We don’t have much variety of goods, but we can get them if we ask around.

The cat-tribesmen returned from their hunting place with lots of wheat flour on their carts.

「There is only one cart, but if there are more loads then they can be carried by others. 12-13 of they boys can help in guarding on their parents call. We will immediately know when a red flag is erected on the cart. Should we go out and negotiate after we get a confirmation from the tower?」

「I shall do it. Princess, please make a list as what to buy. If you can, divide them in three sections. The first category for things required right away, second for those that can wait a while and the third, which are needed by end of the season.」

「I understand. Its certainly necessary to put together the things according to the requirements from now. Besides the demands may be low or high. Leave it to us.」

「It is different from the request, but I want to do something about this hideout. We need to make the rooms and the warehouse bigger. Else, winter will give us a hard time.」

「Everyone will help regarding it. Similarly, it will be good to view the lookout tower’s watch house as a hut. If there is a food warehouse in the village too then it will provide us a.s.surance.」

My suggestion was given a positive nod. Zairas san then allotted squads for the respective works to be done.

Autumn season has started.

We have to finish our work before winter comes.

During idle talk, I learnt that there would be considerable snow fall during winter.

I  thought the highway will be closed due to snow, but it seems the goods will be transported on sleighs.

It seems there is small horse called Kanatoru that are used to tow the carts. Though it looks more like pony than a horse because of its short neck and long hair.

「The traffic has decreased quite a bit on the highway. We are likely to have a long-term holiday.」

「So, what shall we do during winter?」

I need some time to think.

We were originally 30 people in early spring, but now we are nearly triple of that because of slaves, war prisoners and the farmers who slipped out their villages to evade taxes.

There are four squads with 8 in 1 squad that partic.i.p.ate in the raids.

One squad for the lookouts, one for defense of the village, and there are 40 armed people.

The remainders have 15 craftsmen and nearly 40 farmers.

There is one squad for the defense of the village but there are farmer corps with a crossbow squad. Dwarves seem like naturally born warriors.

There seems no problem with the defense.

「I want to start planting crops next year in the cleared fields. Then, there is also the case regarding beasts that come from the mountains.」

「A fence huh…… Its also necessary for the defense of village. But is it not supposed to be managed by the villagers?」

「We will further extend this hideout. The road to the signal towers has bad foothold. There also should be an alley near the exit of the cliffs on the highway.」

「True, there was a guy who fell down and got hurt when we went for the attack. Maintenance is necessary in such a way that its not visible from the highway. 」

If we make a road, we would have to think about attacks from the other side too.

We have 20 crossbows, but we need to increase it further.

The mountain road to the village is better than the animal trail. The trees around should be cut so that mules can pa.s.s. It will make it easier to go back and forth from the hideout.

Does that means we have to make roads and maintain the defense facilities?

We also have to expand this hideout and change its scale to a fortress.

A simple blueprint is essential.

「I will be drawing the blueprint over a few days. Lets think about the winter work based on that.」

Everybody consented to my words.

「Is there any thing Banta wants?」

「Me? Nothing especially…….. Right! Please provide with tobacco.」

It seems Zairas san is listening to everyone’s wishes.

I asked if we have that  much money. He replied that we have obtained much money from the merchants and n.o.bles whom we have raided.

However you say, n.o.bles escaping to other countries however it is good, is nothing but an act of a bandit.

Certainly, we need food, water and liquor etc. though.

I don’t feel guilty since the income comes from the good-for-nothing b.a.s.t.a.r.ds.

「We came in contact with a merchant. For the time being we decided to secure food. Tobacco is also included in it. It will be distributed in bags」

「If that’s the case then, is there any tool that can help to look far away? It might be useful if we have a few.」

A telescope can not be made without a transparent gla.s.s and we have no means for manufacturing or polis.h.i.+ng the gla.s.s also.

I was told that there are gla.s.ses that are used by people with bad eyes to see.

It seems like the usage method has not yet developed to the point of making telescopes.

In that case, lets try to make it.

We can combine a convex lens for hyperopia and concave lens for myopia. For an objective lens, it is better to have a large lens.

For eyepiece, a myopic lens of short focal length will do.

Several types of them have to be put together.

「Its an unusual request, but its nothing I can not do. Maybe it will take about a month, but what are you going to make?」

「Its just a small handiwork. But it can be used conveniently if made.」

Its Galileo’s formula that makes it easy to see an erect image, but the range is narrow and magnification is small.

But if used from the signal towers, it can be used conveniently.

A few days later, the hideout blueprint was made.

From the birds-eye view its a simple plan. Its not difficult to make a schematic diagram of what is to be made..

I widened some open s.p.a.ces and make fences with posts and made a slope to the mountain path towards the village.

It may be burned if there is a fire attack, but there is water from the spring to put it out.

When needed, we can escape to the village.

I spread the plan on the table and everybody surrounded it.

If needed, changes can be made. The plan was suddenly moved in front of the princess and she started to rectify it herself.

「Is it something like this?」

「 I don’t want any left or right entrances here, but I want to flip it up. It can block the road leading from the cliffs. Because of the surrounding forest, we cannot put a big army at a time.」

「The fence should be extended to the slope of the valley. We can enlarge the square and in future we can make more huts.」

The road to the towers branch offs the mountain road to the village. A new one is to be made.

Its to hide the existence of the signal towers.

「Alright. We will start working from tomorrow based on this.. If any prey comes, we will proceed with the original work then.」

Everyone nods to Zairas san.

I also have to help, but I have no power.

Nonetheless, everybody is considering about where to start from looking at the blueprint.

Are there any shovels or pickaxes? We have to dig holes to insert logs for the fence around the fortress. For it, these tools are absolutely necessary.