The return of Manid and the trade caravan was approaching midnight.
The twinkle stars and the majestic moon were shinning bright.
As they got closer and closer to the fortress, smiles appeared on their faces.
They were going home.
However, there was no smile on the faces of the sentries in charge of night duty in Drondheim Fortress.
Vaegirs archers, who were stationed at the top of the arrow tower, had already discovered a black dot that was rapidly approaching from the far end under the hazy night sky.
They were all experienced veterans and excellent archers who had survived the chaotic war.
They were very vigilant.
Moreover, when they came to this world, Knight Firentis had already reminded them that the Kant’s Lord had many enemies. Apart from the six kingdoms from Caradia, no one could be trusted.
This was even after considering the words of the Vaegirs and Sarrandian.
What Firentis had said to the Swadian, was that no one could be trusted except Swadian.
However, these Vaegirs archers with keen eyes had already sensed that strangers were approaching.
They quickly gave the notice.
In the desert bandits’ camp, ten fully armed elite desert bandits immediately came out. They led their desert horses in the stable and quickly rushed out of the east gate that was slowly opening for them.
As for the light cavalry soldiers on night duty, they would go to investigate when they received the news.
If they were friends, they would be the first to welcome them.
If they were enemies, they would use the speed of light cavalry soldiers to circle them in the desert.
They came from the Sarrand Desert and had a lot of similar experience.
10 Swadian footmen and 20 Swadian light footman had also appeared behind the city gate. If anything happened, they would took the lead to defend the city gate until reinforcements arrived.
In order to deal with the expedition army of the Kingdom of Gray Mane that could appear at any time, the Oasis Lookout had already prepared everything.
However, in a instant, their originally vigilant appearance became gentle.
The archers on the arrow towers had already received the news that the strangers were actually friends.
This was because behind the dune not far away, the 10 elite desert bandits who went to investigate were following behind those people like loyal guards. Their attitude was not only friendly, but also quite modest.
Vaegirs’s archers were deep in thought.
Especially when they looked at the three carriages filled with goods, they had already understood.
This unfamiliar group that had arrived late at night was actually the trade caravan. The trade caravan set off by the time when these archers had just arrived at Drondheim fortress. The leader of the trade caravan was Manid, the renowned Nord genius merchant of the entire continent of Caradia.
The city gate made of thick and heavy wooden planks was slowly opened.
The Sarrandian footmen and light footmen stood upright on both sides. They were in high spirits and did not seem to be tired from the late night at all.
Manid rode his horse in.
Behind him were ten Sarrandian horsemen and thirty elite desert bandits.
There were also three carriages full of goods.
“Manid, Welcome back.”
Having received the news, Firentis, who was sleeping, immediately got up and rushed over on his horse.
Looking at the full load of goods, as well as the fatigue on Manid’s and the cavalries’s faces, Firentis thoughtfully nodded and said, “Seeing you all return safely is really something to be happy about. However, I think what you all need most is to return to your own rooms and rest well.”
“This is indeed what we need most.”, Manid nodded with a wry smile.
From Oasis Lookout to the Stone Pass.
Then from the Stone Pass to Oasis Lookout.
They went back and forth for seven days, and it took them five days and five nights to trek through the desert alone.
Even the strongest Sarrandian horsemen were exhausted.
Not to mention that Manid, who was a businessman, was almost exhausted to the breaking point on the way back.
“I have already asked people to prepare food.”, Firentis looked at his tired appearance and said, “Eat something to replenish your strength. Lord Kant means that if there is no urgent matter, then report it tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Lord Kant.”, Manid thanked him gratefully.
Back to the council hall.
The chefs brought the food to the long table.
The food was roasted until it was soft, and it was coated with a layer of honey. There was also meat porridge made from chopped antelope meat and wheat grains.
There was also date palm, which was like an energy bar that able to quickly replenish one’s strength.
“Hurry up and eat. It’s been hard on you.”
Kant sat in his seat and said to Manid, who was beside the long table, “These are all easily digestible food. I will hold a banquet here alone at noon the next day to welcome your return.”
“I am very touched by your kindness, Lord Kant.”, Manid stood up and bowed respectfully with his hands on his chest.
“You are welcome.”, Kant nodded with a smile. “Hurry up and eat.”
Manid gobbled the food . His hunger made him lose his usual etiquette manner.
No matter who had gone through the arduous journey, he could still endure the temptation of food.
At least, Manid could not endure it.
Firentis walked in from outside the door and saw Manid was eating bread and meat porridge. He smiled. The two of them had known each other for a long time, but they had never seen this arrogant and educated Nord genius merchant, swallowed his food without any table manners.
This was the first time.
Firentis smiled. He understood that his friend was really tired and hungry.
Instead of mocking him, he reported to Kant with a straight face, “Lord, the cavalries’ food and beds are ready. They have been excluded from the patrol duty tomorrow morning. I gave them a day off.”
“They deserved it.”, Kant nodded.
Manid ate quickly.
There was not much honey bread in the supper prepared by the kitchen.
On the contrary, the meat porridge was boiled to the brim, allowing Manid to eat three bowls in a row.
The cooked wheat grains, together with the chopped antelope meat, mixed with cabbage and flour, made the meat porridge very sticky, and it was quite easy to digest. It was the best choice for travelers that returned from a long journey.
The cavalries outside also ate the same thing.
After drinking the meat porridge, their body had warmed up, dispelling the cold of the night.
He finished his supper.
Manid’s stomach was slightly bloated.
If he did not knew that it was not good to eat too much after a long journey, Manid would have ordered three more bowls of meat porridge.
“Rest.”
Kant saw that he finished eating, so he nodded and said, “Let’s have lunch together tomorrow at noon.”
“It’s my honor.”, Manid and Firentis nodded respectfully.
This was, of course, Kant’s arrangement for the two of them.
It was late at night after all. Manid had rushed all the way back , so his mental and physical strength had long been exhausted.
He would rest well first, and when he reported tomorrow, he would be full of energy. Instead, he would not miss any details.
Kant returned to his room on the third floor.
Firentis and Manid’s room was on the second floor.
The silence of the night was restored outside the council hall. Other than the sentries on night duty and the two teams of light footmen patrolling in the fortress, the entire Drondheim fortress was extremely quiet.
The night was getting darker and it was already completely late at night.
The snoring could be heard from the residential area and the city wall.
Everyone was sleeping very soundly.
Time passed.
The sentry on the arrow tower was also replaced twice until the darkest hour of the night. The eastern horizon was showing a bit of light.
The sky was about to brighten.
At the wheat field on the north side of the city wall, there were some noises coming from five chicken coops.
The sand grouse seemed to have sensed something.
When a ray of light pierced through the dawn, almost in no particular order, five male sand grouse with crowns appeared on the roof. They flapped their wings, stretched their strong bodies, raised their necks, and chirped like domestic chickens.
“Cluck, Cluck, Cluck…”
The rooster announced the dawn.
That ray of light finally pierced through the thick darkness and brought the message of dawn.
The sky quickly brightened up in the shortest time possible.
“Dong — Dong — Dong –”
The bronze bell was rung, ringing a melodious and long chime.
The bell tower, which was about to be completed, had finished installing the bronze bell yesterday. It was rung by the construction workers who woke up in the morning. This long chime followed the sound of the rooster, ringing the arrival of a new day.
In the residential area, the peasant and peasant women opened the doors and windows.
The sound of washing could be heard.
Soon, they were all in high spirits and walked out with clean faces.
The busy and fulfilling day had begun again.
The archers who had woken up walked out of the attic that had been reinforced by the city wall.
The attics that surrounded the city wall had basically become the places where the archers slept at night. They were wrapped in thick woolen blankets and covered with linen mats. Even the cold of the night could not do anything to them.
If the enemy invaded, they could also set up a defensive line at the fastest speed.
Of course.
The footmen and cavalries still slept in tents and sand pits.
The three-meter wide city wall was not enough to let too many soldiers sleep on it. If they really squeezed into these attics, they would probably get in the way and cause some trouble when the enemies invaded.
For safety reasons, it did not matter much if they temporarily slept in the sandpit before the military camp was built.
They were as busy as usual.
The soldiers patrolled, went out to scout, or trained their martial arts skills on the training ground.
The peasants continued to take care of the wheat fields and the date palm jungle.
They also fed the sand grouses with grain to make these little cuties lay eggs as soon as possible.
Because just a few days ago, the farmers had discovered that the 50 grouses produced more than 50 eggs a day just like domesticated chickens .With enough grain to feed them, sometimes even more than 60 eggs.
It was really as economic as the chickens.
It was like the grouses were a mixture of domestic chicken and sand grouse, inheriting all the advantages of both sides.
Smoke rose in spirals.
The kitchen was preparing breakfast for everyone.
Large amounts of bread and flour, as well as antelope meat, heaps of dried sausage and dried meat, were gathered together.
Food for nearly 600 people was not easy to make.