In addition to the stew in the pot, the kitchen stocked with meat, and the furs hanging under the eaves, guards found piles of animal bones outside the hut. Under the bed and floorboards, heaps of various animal furs were discovered, amounting to over a hundred. Intriguingly, the cabin also housed an extensive collection of alcoholic beverages – beers from the territory, wines, malt liquors, meads, and even more exotic spirits, outclassing even Gwyneth's own castle.
Most astonishing was the discovery of three gold coins, sixteen silver ones, and a large number of copper coins in a finely crafted box. The amount far exceeded Gwyneth's expectations, stunning everyone present.
Gwyneth learned from Baldwin that the previous baron had last hunted six or seven years ago, and during Sophia's reign, the forest had never been a concern.
It seemed the ranger had been living quite comfortably these years. Were the earnings from his hunting and the sale of furs and dried meats? How many animals from the territory had he poached over the years?
Gwyneth, still fuming, led his group out of the forest, dragging the barely alive ranger with them. On the way back from the forest, Gwyneth noticed some details.
Many villagers would enter the forest to gather naturally fallen branches and leaves for firewood. They also picked mushrooms, wild vegetables, and herbs. Technically, these all belonged to the forest and thus to the lord, making such gathering without permission a form of theft.
However, most lords would tacitly allow these activities and not pursue the matter. On their way back, Gwyneth noted the evasive glances from villagers kneeling by the road, unwilling to look at him or the ranger.
After all, for seven or eight years, no one had overseen the forest. It was hard to believe that the ranger was the only one involved in the theft.
Returning to the castle in a rage, Gwyneth briefed Rosalyn on the events and asked her to treat the ranger's injuries before throwing him into the dungeon. Then, Cedric, the deputy captain of the guards, was assigned as the executioner to interrogate the ranger.
In the following days, screams echoed from the dungeon, audible even hundreds of meters away at the manor. The castle was enveloped in a heavy atmosphere, with no one daring to disturb the infuriated Gwyneth.
Even the representatives of the Woodworkers' Guild, who had completed their work and were ready to report, hesitated repeatedly. At Baldwin's urging, they decided to stay in the castle for a few days until Gwyneth's anger subsided.
Finally, after three days, the screams ceased. Cedric extracted detailed information, confirming the involvement of illegal groups from Windermere City in poaching on the territory. They had bribed the ranger and hunted extensively, with an estimated loss of over a thousand animals.
Had the forests of Gwyneth's territory not been interconnected with those of other noble lands, the local wildlife might have been completely eradicated.
With the facts laid bare, there was no room for further excuses. Gwyneth issued and publicly executed the punishment of the wheel for the ranger the same day.
The next morning, under Baldwin's coordination, the execution ground was filled with villagers gathered to witness the event. Gwyneth, with a stern face, sat on a raised platform, overseeing the proceedings.
The former ranger, now a criminal, was stripped and spread-eagled, bound to a cartwheel. The execution began with Cedric, the deputy captain of the guards and executioner, wielding an iron-bound long stick to relentlessly strike the man's limbs and joints, breaking and shattering all his bones, until the flesh and broken bones were fused together in a bloody mess.
Yet, the torture was not over. The criminal was barely alive when he was hung on the wheel for public display over several days, as a stark reminder of the consequences of violating the lord's laws.
Meanwhile, Gwyneth stood on the high platform, looking down at his subjects with a severe and commanding presence. His gaze alone silenced the villagers below.
"I've heard some of you have also been involved in poaching," Gwyneth proclaimed. "Some may not have actively hunted, but have witnessed outsiders hunting in the forest and failed to report it. Others have even accepted bribes from these lawbreakers, including fresh game, dried meats, and animal blood."
"I have a good idea who these people are. They should be punished as accomplices to poaching. However, I am generous and will give you a chance. Confess everything you know today, and I, as your lord, will pardon you. If you remain silent and are later discovered, you will face the death penalty."
"This man is an example," Gwyneth said, pointing to the criminal.
Leaving the sweating villagers behind, he returned to his castle, leaving Baldwin to handle the villagers' confessions.
Many of the villagers, simple farmers accustomed to hard work for meager sustenance, were terrified by the spectacle. They stood frozen in place, unsure of what to do next.
Eventually, under the overwhelming atmosphere of fear, a villager approached Baldwin, trembling. "Overseer, I have seen something…"
One by one, others followed, surrounding Baldwin in their eagerness to divulge everything they knew.
Back at the castle, Gwyneth looked over the bustling execution ground from his balcony, a cruel smile on his lips. "Ding! For punishing a thieving ranger with brutality and making a public example of him, your prestige and brutality points have increased, and the villagers fear you more. You have gained 300 ruling points."
Hearing the system notification, Gwyneth's smile deepened.