The second group of recruits from Tansan Town finally arrived.
For Gawain, this was undoubtedly good news.
This meant more hands on deck, allowing him to build the dock and sawmill, consider formally mining the eastern mountains, and further develop the camp into a legitimate territory.
With the second group of arrivals, there would now be over eight hundred people in total, a significant improvement compared to the original hundred in the vanguard.
Knight Philip led the escort, which consisted of several soldiers and a dozen militia members who had remained in Tansan. His arrival was warmly welcomed by Hettie. The presence of Philip and his soldiers not only bolstered the manpower but also significantly enhanced the camp's defensive capabilities.
Though they had yet to encounter any monsters, survival in this wilderness inherently increased the populace's sense of insecurity. The palisade and magical traps could only ease their anxieties to a degree; only fully armed patrolling soldiers could provide complete reassurance.
Philip was equally astonished by the camp's scale and its level of development.
"Have you really flattened such a large area? The carpenters' shed is already up? You're even constructing a blacksmith shop?" he exclaimed, taken aback as he walked through the bustling camp.
The sturdy and aesthetically pleasing tents and wooden buildings amazed him, and he observed the workers—serfs and free folk—collaborating efficiently to turn treated lumber into boards and various building materials. It was a sight he had never seen before: instead of lazily avoiding work, groups of laborers were coordinating seamlessly under the direction of a leader, working together as if they were one cohesive unit. If before they would only protect each other while slacking off, now the situation was the exact opposite.
Where, he wondered, were the overseers meant to whip them into shape?
Philip searched around and finally spotted the overseers—family warriors chosen for their ability to read and write—standing at the edge of the work area, checking progress with notepads in hand instead of whips.
"Isn't it incredible?" Hettie said, breaking Philip's reverie. "I didn't expect such simple measures would lead to this level of productivity. Even the serfs are beginning to learn skills they previously lacked."
"Measures?" Philip echoed, intrigued. "What measures?"
"My ancestor designed a set of work regulations…"
Before Hettie could finish, Philip's eyes lit up. "Ah, then it must have been the ancient knights' sense of honor and virtue that inspired these typically lazy serfs and peasants to work hard!"
"No, it's because they're getting meat," Hettie smiled warmly. "It's a straightforward principle: the more they work, the more they eat."
As she spoke, Hettie reflected on how utilizing rewards to incentivize productivity was a method she had previously tried but typically saw only short-term success. Serfs often devised clever ways to game the system and continue their laziness. However, with the introduction of direct competition, precise calculations, strict enforcement, and a sense of teamwork, the outcomes had been radically different. It was a remarkable revelation to her: the serfs and peasants were not inherently lazy or dull-witted.
Just then, Gawain appeared in the distance.
Hettie and Philip quickly approached him. Gawain waved off their gestures of respect and first nodded at Hettie before turning to the young knight. "Thank you for your hard work; you did well. No one was left behind. Have the soldiers and townsfolk rest for a while. After lunch, gather all laborers in the central clearing. Hettie will explain the work regulations to them. The soldiers, including the militia, should assemble on the west side of the camp; Knight Byron will distribute the new equipment."
He then looked at Hettie. "The newcomers don't need to be divided into workgroups just yet. The new rules are too numerous for them to absorb all at once."
Hettie nodded in agreement, while Philip seemed puzzled. "New equipment? What kind of new equipment?"
Gawain's expression turned slightly mysterious. "Absolutely good things."
It was only upon witnessing the new equipment that Philip was truly astonished—his expectations had been far too low.
He had anticipated merely a batch of new swords and armor, perhaps even hand crossbows for everyone, but what he encountered was an entire set of standard "extraordinary gear"!
Enchanted swords, enchanted armor, and military-grade crystals from the ancient empire!
The long swords, imbued with the spell "Sharpness," glimmered coldly, while the half-armor inscribed with "Elemental Resistance" and "Lightness" glowed with a faint gray hue in the sunlight. While the less knowledgeable soldiers may have never seen enchanted weapons before, they immediately recognized the significance of what they were wearing, and their spirits soared.
Even more astonishing to Philip was that even the militia received a complete set of equipment. Was this all free?
"These are all old antiques," Gawain explained with a smile. "The longer they sit around, the worse they get. There's no point in hoarding them; we might as well utilize them to enhance our fighting strength."
"Extraordinary armaments... each one is quite valuable," Philip stammered, still processing the situation. "These… used to be rare even in the entire Cecil territory!"
Amber crossed her arms beside them. "What's with your surprised expression? Seven hundred years of old man wisdom, with a stash of secret money—what's so weird about that? Which grandpa doesn't shove a few coins under the floorboards?"
Gawain shot her a glance. How had she become so skilled at deflecting attention? He turned back to Philip, who appeared to be deep in thought.
"Once these things are gone... every item that loses its magical energy will just be ordinary weapons and armor, and given that they've already suffered varying degrees of rust and decay, by that time they may well be inferior to modern equipment and will have to be remade."
The young knight looked increasingly worried. "What will we do then?"
"Before that happens, we can create our own quality equipment," Gawain said, patting him on the shoulder with a smile, wearing a confident expression.
No matter how anxious he felt inside, he had to maintain a brave front, especially given the uncertainty of what lay ahead.
Suddenly, a small figure caught his eye again, rushing toward them.
The young maid, Betty, approached, her face flushed from running.
"Lord! Miss Rebecca is looking for you!" she announced, breathless.
"What does she want?" Gawain asked, curious.
Betty thought for a moment before exclaiming, "I forgot!"
Gawain sighed inwardly.
How had this girl become so forgetful?
He shook his head, noting that at least she remembered to deliver a message, and headed toward where he understood Rebecca was waiting.
Upon arriving, he learned that Rebecca was calling him for a specific reason.
They had just transported the first batch of test-quality ore from the eastern iron mine.
The initial group included a blacksmith, several apprentices, and the basic materials needed to construct the blacksmith shop. Gawain had delayed the mining plans for the eastern mountains until the initial group had settled in. Now, with the arrival of the first ore batch, they could begin verification.
The anticipation built within him.
This marked a crucial step in their journey.