Iron Harvest: When Farming Becomes Conquest

The second day.

Roman received new information.

He glanced at the contents of the letter and coldly said, "It's truly madness!"

Earl Filin and his Conquest Knights had actually begun a great slaughter of the refugees surrounding the castle.

Who could have predicted he would go so insanely far?

Jet and others became aware of this matter. It was already late at night, and half the sky was illuminated by the roaring fire at Lion Castle.

Dick was certain that the old lion had reached a state of utter despair; he knew the sort of disgrace nobles would display before their death.

They quickly dispatched troops to stop this massacre.

Tashina also went with the White Knight.

The two had been negotiating the day before, but they parted ways irreconcilably.

When they met again, they were like different people.

He was at his end, having shed his noble demeanor, leaving only maddening essence.

He wanted all the people of Lion Territory to be buried with him.

Those serfs belonged to him in life.

He wanted to take his possessions to Hell, never to leave them in the Mortal World, especially not to his enemies.

He wanted to leave Roman and Tashina with an empty Lion Territory.

But the old lion could not achieve that; he fought fiercely and died, his head severed and hung upon the Lion flag for display, while all the Golden Lion Knights fell in the pool of blood, and only the mercenaries without honor and morals scattered like birds and beasts.

Roman let out a mocking laugh.

He was neither angry nor pleased, his eyes coldly watching.

How much more surprise would these decaying old forces bring him?

…

"I saw it with my own eyes, blood! It was all blood! Rivers of blood! The master came to kill us." Tania heard Kent pleading again.

Her children had returned yesterday.

Her son Kent, who had been timid and weak, came back deranged and feverish, yelling all night without rest.

Her daughter Bena had subsisted on wild grass and mushrooms elsewhere, dragged home by fear only to find the village renewed.

The invaders discovered the native inhabitants, immediately capturing her and feeding her a bowl of plain rice soup, giving her half a loaf of bread. The girl named Gloer asked for a long time to find out her home and eventually brought her back here.

When Tania saw Bena, her heart almost leapt out.

But the two soldiers accompanying did not tear Bena's clothes or rape her, unlike the last time when many mercenaries and guards came turn after turn, deriving pleasure from it.

So, she returned to her usual sullen expression, cursing everyone she knew as if they all owed her or were unfair to her.

Even the newly acquainted Sergeant Edmund was no exception. She sometimes cursed that officer, watching him quietly from the dark with hateful eyes.

She believed he was hypocritical, putting on a false righteous appearance, making her anxious all day long.

She always thought that sooner or later, these soldiers masquerading as humans would tear off their mask of kindness to reveal their beastly nature.

If that day came, Tania would actually be relieved, proving she wasn't mistaken—all were the same, all were worse than beasts.

"You all should go to hell with the damned castle master, go quickly, go quickly," Tania muttered to Kent repeatedly.

"Mom, I'm leaving," Bena cautiously glanced at Tania.

The mother seemed not to hear, hunched and guarding her brother, with only her mouth cursing endlessly.

She believed that only by cursing could she drive away the ghost residing in Kent's body. Once the ghost answered the gods' call, her Kent would be well.

Common people had no recourse in such calamity.

When the Priest heard that Roman's invading army was about to arrive, he fled in haste, without leaving any Holy Water blessed by gods, and the sacred church was turned into a temporary warehouse by the invaders, filled with various supplies transported from afar.

She didn't believe everything would be alright.

In her past decades of miserable life, there never was a good day.

Yet she still lived on, numbly lived on, guarding the feverish son, her expression as dazed as his.

Bena glanced at Tania, pursed her lips, and quietly left home. Clutching the corner of her skirt, she looked around like a frightened quail, gingerly moving to the church door.

"You came, come over quickly," Gloer sitting there waved at her, "Why didn't your family come? Didn't I say for all of you to come together?"

"Mom is guarding Kent..."

"Oh, your brother was quite scared, even Sergeant Edmund didn't foresee that situation. What? He has a fever? You should've said so! Still hasn't come down? What's your name and age?"

Bena reported her name and age truthfully.

Vita's pen moved like dragons and snakes, quickly registering her identity, then turned to retrieve a set of distilling copperware from the warehouse.

"Vita, bring some garlic, I need it." She then turned to Bena, "Wait here for a moment."

A response came from inside the warehouse.

Soon, a braided girl emerged from the warehouse, holding a bunch of garlic, and understood upon seeing the distilling copperware.

"Come over here and peel the garlic." Vita waved her hand.

That tone caused Bena to misunderstand, and she obediently said, "Alright, missus."

Vita curiously asked, "Do I look like a noble lady to you?"

Bena looked at Vita, whose dark skin was slightly cracked, nose flat, and deep brown hair somewhat unruly, appearing not much different from her but much more tidy.

"Aren't you the Steward?"

"But I'm also a farmer's daughter."

Bena was greatly shocked, "You're a farmer's daughter, how did you become an official?"

"Who says you can't." Gloer placed the cleaned copperware on the ground, lit the wood underneath, and poured in the mashed garlic.

Bena bewilderedly watched the scene unfold before her.

"What is this for?"

"Extracting Allicin," Gloer said while operating, "We originally intended this for the livestock."

Oxen and draft horses were indeed more valuable than human lives, especially during this spring ploughing season.

Bena was somewhat restless.

This felt like Magic, and Magic brought misfortune.

The Priest said Blasphemers often coupled with many Witches at night, giving birth to Demon Seed, describing it in terrifying and dreadful detail. She feared the device would explode or release something evil; her fingers trembled involuntarily.

"Allicin can't treat fever," Vita said expressionlessly, noting the whereabouts of the garlic in her ledger, "it can only have an auxiliary effect."

Gloer's actions halted; her healing class grades were poor, and she always thought this was Universal Medicine.

"Vita..." Gloer pleaded, looking at the warehouse manager.

"Willow bark boiled in water," Vita told Bena, "Go find some willow bark, the fresh ones."

As she spoke, she suddenly realized the peasant girl was unarmed, so she turned to head back into the warehouse, coming out holding a chopping knife—there weren't many other supplies, to be issued under oversight, but kitchen and farming tools were surprisingly abundant. Origin City had stockpiled large amounts of iron tools, they could take as many as they could.

"Where's the willow tree? Show me... Hmm? Why are you standing there? Are you feeling unwell? Have you been infected?"

A warm hand touched her forehead; Bena's eyes widened unconsciously.

She distinctly felt the rough yet peculiarly genuine touch.

That action seemed to instantly sweep away all her fears and insecurities.

Now, she was acutely aware.

Before her stood not the unspeakable devil's subordinates.

But two real, warm, and similarly origin people.