Chapter 79: Chapter 21: Population Doubled
The elite knight "Beast Slayer Jerald" is a well-known warrior among the forest bandits. His character is quite peculiar; he joined the bandit group not to escape punishment or out of evil desires, nor did he want to be the leader of the forest bandits because he found managing various trivial matters tedious. He simply chose it because the bandit group was the closest to the monsters in the Blood Pine Forest.
He is a knight of chivalry who embarked on the path of ascension. His journey is quite remarkable; he once slew a tomb ghost in the Sikala Mountain of the Black Mountains and fought an elite from a minotaur tribe in the Blood Pine Forest for two days and nights. Recently, his goal is the agitated centaur beast group in the forest.
He has already defeated a brutal centaur beast heavy weapon warrior in a duel and chopped off its head as a trophy.
But this has also angered the opposing tribe, and the centaur beast group is filled with resentment, vowing to flay him alive to restore the glory they lost, using any means necessary.
Faced with the entire beast group’s furious pursuit, Jerald had to temporarily escape the forest and vowed revenge.
Su Li was greatly surprised after capturing him, gaining a deeper understanding of the forest and the various complex facets of life in this world.
His joining undoubtedly enhanced the overall strength of Su Li’s army further. According to the military commander Knight Oerstein’s view, Jerald the Beast Slayer is already at the pinnacle of the high-tier elite knight level, just a breakthrough away from becoming a champion knight.
This chance might come as a sudden enlightenment tomorrow, with his blood boiling, making him a champion knight.
Or it could be like Knight Oerstein, stuck for years, from a flourishing youth to a robust thirty-something.
It’s worth mentioning that Jerald the Beast Slayer is not a follower of the Sun Goddess but rather a follower of Yurik, a god that reveres brutality and violence, and is known as the Winter God.
Even in this spring-summer transition, Jerald often wears a wolf fur coat, topped with a wolf head. Had it not been for his elite knight’s strong physique, Su Li would have worried that he’d suffer from armor rash.
Besides these knights joining, Su Li also added another squad of armed attendants. Those who can survive in the chaotic forest, strong physique and combat skills are quite decent; even with Su Li’s careful selection and strict standards, it was rather easy to gather a squad.
The rest of the bandits, though very strong, with some having arms almost as wide as horses, are sent to the slave camps for water conservancy construction in the eastern shallow bay.
This shallow bay was named Bjorn Shallow Bay by Su Li to assert his ambition.
The name was chosen because, according to legend, the empire’s predecessor was a tribe named Bjorn. The empire’s Human Emperor Redema was born on the night of the Double-tailed Comet, baptized with beast blood by his father, and became a respected and strong warrior at the age of 15. Inspired by Great Sage De in adulthood, he envisioned uniting various human tribes, thus continuously challenging formidable enemies during the beastman and Northern demon invasions, earning immense prestige and gathering all humans to establish the great empire.
Su Li named this shallow bay Bjorn Shallow Bay in hope of establishing a legacy like Human Emperor Redema.
However, in reality, Su Li himself did not take this matter seriously. Which man in his youth did not dream of grand ambitions? This name was casually chosen, just like someone fantasizing their front yard tree is the emperor’s chariot, and their stick is a sword to slay the giant dragon.
Most serfs were oblivious to the meaning behind the shallow bay’s name. Only Lauren and Master Kote heard about it and became superstitious, often walking around Bjorn Shallow Bay muttering to themselves as if reciting something.
And during this cycle, Su Li stayed around Bjorn Shallow Bay, personally supervising the construction there.
Watching the dam at the shallow bay edge gradually take shape, growing like a dragon, he was filled with a sense of achievement and pride.
This week, he was exceptionally joyful, as the continuously growing dragon not only referred to the dam but also to himself.
Under the influence of the Dragon Blood Stone’s effects, Hilude measured him, finding he and his little brother had grown two centimeters.
This made his sense of conquest particularly strong, especially when he looked down at Hilude and Avril as they served and kissed him, his chest was boiling with hot blood.
The human brain is the greatest organ of pleasure; when it is exhilarated, even a skin kiss can lead to extreme pleasure, let alone such a scene?
He was mentally exhilarated daily, indulging in night after night of revelry, making the two female knights weep and call him daddy, begging for mercy.
Avril sincerely requested Su Li for three consecutive days to find another female knight.
Otherwise, she might really be played out, as she lacked the energy to get up and prepare breakfast in the morning, sleeping deeply and waking later than Su Li, which filled her with guilt and a sense of failure, believing she failed in her duties as an attendant.
However, Su Li was always cautious about this matter, well aware that there can be no indiscretion in the workplace. Once involved with female knights or female subordinates, the relationship becomes distorted, possibly leading to them being overbearing, causing work and combat to become chaotic.
The two people he is now involved with both have special statuses.
Avril is his maid, so it’s only natural for them to be involved. Hilude, on the other hand, has high potential, possibly reaching the Divine Chosen level or even Legendary level, so Su Li must use some special means to tie her to him.
The other female knights, even though Sophie occasionally gives him small gifts such as flower wreaths she wove herself, daggers captured on the battlefield, beast horns, furs, and so on.
Even the Elite Level female knight Amorri, with her hot, sexy figure and cold demeanor, which arouses a strong desire to conquer.
Su Li has never had any relationship with them besides that of superior and subordinate.
Su Li’s pursuit has always been very clear; he desires a life of contentment, avoiding anything that could disrupt his plan for a leisurely life.
Of course, regarding Avril’s request, Su Li is also considering it seriously. He is also a man, and as a man, he can’t help but feel curious and want to conquer more women. A man’s mindset remains youthful until death; in summary, it is—this toy, I haven’t played with it.
So he is also looking for a third female courtier candidate.
The Empire practices monogamy, but they fully understand men’s nature and thoughts.
Thus, knights above the Kingdom Knight rank are allowed to have their female courtiers. The children born to female courtiers are not considered illegitimate but have no inheritance rights.
This is somewhat similar to the Eastern system of monogamy with multiple concubines.
The Empire even officially regulates how many female courtiers each rank of knight can have, just like in the East, where conditions allowing concubinage are fulfilled, and the number of concubines is specified. Additionally, like concubines, female courtiers can never become the primary wife.
This matter is strictly managed and assessed within the Empire, and often there are nobles who cannot control themselves and violate these laws, resulting in the loss of their titles.
But here in the Pioneer Territory, far from the Emperor’s reach, Pioneer Knights find female courtiers entirely according to their own will.
There are quite a few candidates Su Li can choose from since the territory’s population has increased significantly recently.
Besides over a hundred bandit captives, Knight Oerstein has also led a team to defeat a small Ogre Tribe living in caves in the Green Leaf Hills.
In this world, ogres are notoriously mobile and can be found in almost any region, between any mountains, where they might encounter an ogre tribe.
This ogre tribe had a small population of sixteen, five of whom were killed by Knight Oerstein’s team, and the rest surrendered to the territory after being persuaded by Half-Elf Captain Harriet.
In their kitchen, soldiers successfully rescued 4 humans, 8 half-beastmen, and 12 kobolds.
Without a doubt, the half-beastmen were executed, and the kobolds were thrown into the mine by Su Li. Both ogres and humans were thrown into the slave camp.
Additionally, the territory has gained more than a dozen free people. These are refugees from the Empire, reportedly fleeing the Sulande Territory in the east, which suffered a major invasion by green-skinned beastmen. The rampant Green Tide has breached several Count’s Territories, leaving many citizens of the Empire displaced.
These people lost their estates, farmlands, and industries and could only flee to the unclaimed lands of the Border Prince’s Territory, seeking new opportunities.
Su Li happily accepted them and assured them they would not be reduced to slavery. So, these three households settled in the southern residential area of the Hesse Territory and spent 5 Golden Crowns to buy a piece of land in the southwest, about twenty acres in size. From then on, this land became their property, allowed to circulate freely. Of course, they have to pay Su Li the hefty Nineteen Taxes, which Su Li Lord would refund two to three tenths (depending on the age and yield), to polish his virtue and Divine Grace.
Compared to serfs, they are undoubtedly lucky. They have their property, their farmland, and after paying the high Nineteen Taxes, they can keep ten percent of the grain for their own use. If the Knight Lord is benevolent and gestures generously, refunding thirty percent of the income, they might be able to save a little wealth despite the harsh conditions.
While serfs have nothing from beginning to end, the wealth they gain and the grain they produce has nothing to do with them and belongs entirely to the lord.
What is even more excessive is that the territory has the "Power Field Technique," so slaves don’t even dare to slack off and muddle through. They can only work desperately, hoping to stand out through intense competition, rank among the top, and be generously granted freedom by the lord. This is their only advantage over serfs in other territories; their future is not entirely bleak, and they are not condemned to lifelong slavery from the outset.
A faint glimmer of light lies ahead of them, a narrow path, so countless people struggle desperately through this narrow passage toward the bright exit, leaving their heads bloody and faces battered.