A clever wife can't cook without rice – how to make oil without animals? Gwynnis racked his brains until he had a sudden epiphany. "Use fish oil!" he exclaimed. If he couldn't catch deer or wild boars, surely he could catch fish. Moreover, just a few hundred meters from the castle flowed the relentless Beringhe River.
Originating from the easternmost part of the Arctic Mountains and crossing almost the entire northern territory, the Beringhe River spanned hundreds of kilometers. By the time it flowed through Targas, it was hundreds of meters wide and teeming with fish, especially large ones. It was home to a species of fish as thick as a man's thigh, over a meter long, and weighing several tens of kilograms – perfect for oil extraction.
Thinking this, Gwynnis immediately assembled the villagers, selecting those experienced in fishing to form a temporary fishing crew. Time was of the essence, with the Hafdans possibly returning at any moment. To increase efficiency, Gwynnis gathered all the fishing nets in the territory and stored them in a warehouse. Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he entered the warehouse and emerged transformed.
Gwynnis had spent his remaining 200 sovereign points to "enchant" the collected fishing nets in the system's store. Unlike one-time use items like the black wheat seeds, reusable special items seemed to require a physical object for the exchange. The details of the exchange were thoroughly explained – in this case, Gwynnis's 200 points enhanced thirty fishing nets, increasing their fishing efficiency by fifty percent and specializing in catching large fish.
The villagers, unaware of this, simply followed their lord's orders to fish with these nets. Meanwhile, Gwynnis also arranged for another group to go into the forest to cut wood for refining fish oil.
The scouting cavalry was sent out as far as possible to prevent any unforeseen situations.
...
In the following days, while the villagers were busy fishing and logging, Gwynnis gathered the conscripted soldiers for unified training. His original guards and archers had been severely depleted, with more than half either killed or injured, making it difficult to expect much from them in the upcoming decisive battle. Ultimately, it would depend on these conscripted soldiers, who were as timid as mice with poor morale and discipline.
Indeed, despite Gwynnis's previous training efforts, the results were less than satisfactory. In the few months before the Hafdan invasion, though the conscripts could understand orders and form ranks, they hadn't developed the essential mindset of a warrior. They still saw themselves as mere peasants, more inclined to flee than fight.
Relying on such discipline, they could never be the main force against the Hafdans. A fundamental shift in their mindset was needed for even a sliver of victory. But how to transform these hastily assembled conscripts into iron-willed warriors was a puzzle to Gwynnis. Mindset and combat will, unlike physical fitness and combat experience, couldn't be improved through training, no matter what.
Faced with a lack of animal fat for oil, Gwynnis pondered deeply before slapping his forehead in realization. "Use fish oil!" he exclaimed. If he couldn't catch deer or boars, surely he could catch fish, especially with the Beringhe River, teeming with large fish, just a few hundred meters away from the castle.
He quickly assembled the villagers, especially those experienced in fishing, to form an impromptu fishing crew. In a race against time, with the threat of the Hafdans' return, Gwynnis also collected all the fishing nets in the territory and enhanced them using his remaining 200 sovereign points in the system store.
These enchanted nets, now highly efficient and specifically tailored to catch large fish, were handed to the fishing crew. Unaware of the enchantment, the villagers simply followed Gwynnis's orders to fish with these nets. Meanwhile, another group was dispatched to the forest for logging, needed for refining fish oil. The scouting cavalry was spread out as far as possible to prevent any sudden threats.
...
In the following days, while the villagers were busy fishing and logging, Gwynnis gathered the conscripted soldiers for training. His original guards and archers had been severely depleted, and it was unrealistic to expect much from them in the upcoming battle. Instead, the success of the battle would hinge on these conscripted soldiers, who lacked courage and discipline.
Gwynnis decided to emphasize discipline strictly. Standing on a platform, he observed the conscripts lined up below, feeling a mix of emotions. After previous training and a night of real combat, they looked more like soldiers, a significant improvement from their initial disarray. However, this was just a facade; their lack of combat resolve meant they would likely crumble in the face of a Hafdan assault.
Gwynnis made a decisive announcement: "Anyone who flees the battle will be executed, and their families enslaved." His voice, stern and low, conveyed his determination. The conscripts, recalling previous public executions, knew Gwynnis was serious. Many hung their heads in silence.
But Gwynnis knew this approach was not a long-term solution. High-pressure tactics couldn't solve everything, and he wondered how to transform these reluctant conscripts into committed warriors.
The problem of low combat will was a challenge for all feudal lords. These conscripts, fighting for their lord on his land, had to respond to his call and temporarily form an army when needed. However, none wished to risk their lives for someone else. Forced by law but not committed in spirit, they would shirk duty at the first opportunity.
Gwynnis spent the night pondering this dilemma but found no solution. The next morning, as the castle bustled with activity and the villagers went about their tasks, Gwynnis wondered how long this semblance of peace would last.
He also pondered the Earl's journey. It had been several days since his departure, and there was still no sign of him. Was the Earl truly on his way?