The Ravenstern Ranger on the top floor had already seen Kant.
Before they reached the city gate, Firentis had already brought the Swadian Heavy Cavalry to welcome them.
The 50 heavy cavalry soldiers who were on standby, including their horses, were all heavily armored, even though they were covered in a layer of linen to block the scorching heat from the chainmail. The hooves of their horses shook the sand layer. Every step they took caused sand to splash out, leaving behind shallow holes, it looked truly terrifying.
They were known as the Class 4 cavalry with the best defensive measure and were the strongest in a group battle. This reputation was there for a reason.
“Lord Kant, welcome back in triumph.”
Under the leadership of Firentis, everyone bowed respectfully to Kant.
“Mm.” Although Kant was tired, he still tried to cheer up and nodded.
From the start of the journey to the salt mine, he had experienced battles and spent two days and two nights to return. It was indeed an extremely arduous journey.
Kant turned his head to look at the afternoon sun, the day was approaching dusk. Although the sun was not as hot as it was at noon, it still made him sweat profusely. Kant waved his hand and instructed, “Quickly prepare some food and water. Don’t forget to give some fresh grass for the warhorse.”
“Lord, everything has been prepared,” Firentis replied. He was always very well-prepared.
“Very good.” Kant was satisfied.
“This is my job.”
Firentis bowed his head respectfully. His excellent manners stopped him from being arrogant.
At the same time, he turned his head and looked at the low-level Jackalans that were tied together. They were skin and bones, he frowned and said with a slightly apologetic tone, “Lord, I didn’t know that there were so many captives. Therefore, their food and water can only be prepared after they are in the fortress.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Kant replied.
These Jackalans were very tenacious. They wouldn’t die in a short time.
To be on the safe side, the food and water that Kant only gave very little of food and water to these captives during the two days and two nights of the return journey. That could only satisfy their basic needs. They couldn’t be full and energetic.
They were escorted back to the Oasis Lookout.
Manid, the merchant leader, and the infantrymen who were stationed at the city gate also came and waited respectfully.
As for the busy peasant, when they heard that their lord had returned in triumph, they all dropped their work and rushed to the city gate. They stood behind the soldiers and cheered to welcome him.
Kant rode his horse into the fortress.
There was a smile on his face. Although this was just a formality, his soldiers and the peasants were celebrating his return from the bottom of their hearts.
Vanity immediately filled his chest, he was kind of drunk on pride.
Kant sighed in his heart, “No wonder all those who are in power like to be welcomed. This feels really great.”
He did not only feel special. The explosion of vanity in his mind could make him lose his head. It turned the once astute monarch into a muddle head and the general who was good at fighting into a big-head. Many people were destroyed by vanity.
Kant understood that and calmed down very quickly.
It was not because he was very rational.
It was the current situation of Drondheim that sober him up instantly.
There were not enough military buildings, the city walls were not high, there were no arrow towers, sentry towers, belfries, or weapons workshops. There was not even a military camp where soldiers can rest. At night, they could only sleep in tents that were lit by bonfires.
There were not enough houses. The few houses could only accommodate 50 peasant women.
The other 200 peasant women also had to sleep in tents.
From the outside, it looked like the Oasis Lookout was surrounded by the city walls, the soldiers were standing guard, and everything was in good order. However, in reality, the most backward northern territory in the Dukedom of Leo, the most remote Stone Pass, had a much better environment than here.
He got off the horse, and a Swadian Infantryman immediately came over and took the reins.
Kant also instructed, “Feed more water.”
“Understood,” the infantryman nodded and led the warhorse to the temporary stables.
The warhorses that traveled with them could not compare with camels.
Camels were known as the Boats of the Desert, and they were fed with enough food and water before the journey, they would be fine if they did not eat or drink for two days.
Warhorses were more delicate and could not do that.
During this three-day journey, Kant, the new military horse that had been meticulously nurtured in the Kingdom of Swadia, had slimmed down. It had lost its spirit from before the journey. It was obvious that this trip in the desert had exhausted it.
The Sarrandian horses of the Sarrandian Horsemen and the elite Desert Bandits’ desert horses were also quite tired.
Trekking in the desert consumed three times more physical strength than trekking in the plains.
Pulling the feet out of the soft sand layer would consume physical strength, and every step was tiring. Compared to the stone or dirt roads on the plains, the sand was harder to deal with.
This was another reason why the camel-riding cavalry in the desert was stronger than the cavalry with warhorses.
Back at the Council Hall.
After Kant sat down, the peasant men and women who served as servants quickly brought him all kinds of food.
But it was still the same.
Stewed mutton, roasted bread, roasted sausage, cabbage soup.
But to Kant’s surprise, there was also a layer of reddish-brown syrup on the toast, which seemed to be melted date honey sugar cubes. It tasted crisp and sweet, and together with the mutton that was also stewed with the sugar cubes, it was even more delicious.
This was not a bad cuisine.
After getting used to eating the salty and hard roasted dried meat and roasted sausage, these sweet foods were even more appetizing.
It was just that the quantity was a little small.
Just like the dishes at the king’s banquet, they were famous for their delicateness and small portion.
Kant finished these sweet foods in two or three bites, but his stomach was still rumbling. He shook his head helplessly and asked the peasant women waiting beside him, “Is there any other food?”
“Yes.” A smile soon decorated the peasant women’s chubby faces, “It’s being prepared in the kitchen.”
“Then hurry up and serve the dishes.” Kant nodded and urged.
These were the 50 peasant women from the Kingdom of Swadia. All of them were around 30 years old, just like the peasant men. They were quite healthy, strong, and had no problem going to the fields.
The standard Swadian women were not those delicate girls from the city. They were useless apart from being good-looking.
Soon, the following dishes were served.
The peasant woman twisted her waist that was as thick as a water bucket, her two strong legs were moving extremely fast. On her arms, which were comparable to Kant’s thighs, she carried a tray and walked over to serve the food. There were two silver plates.
“Lord, this is the fried fresh fillet of antelope and fried eggs.”
With a smile on her fat face, the peasant woman said proudly, “My lord, I made them myself.”
“Oh, very good.” Kant lowered his head, picked up the knife and fork, and ate them silently.
The taste was not bad.
The fried fillet was sprinkled with a little spice and salt, and the heat used for frying was just nice. It was also served with a sauce made of honey and cabbage. The combination was perfect. Compared to the time when it was either roasted or stewed, the taste had gone up a level.
The fried egg next to it was the same. Although it was an ordinary poached egg, it was as good as a delicacy for Kant.
The peasant women and men were still waiting for him.
Kant ate quickly, enjoying the relaxation and satisfaction of being home.
The delicious food brought a pleasant feeling to his mind, he couldn’t help but let his thoughts run wild.
If this was a novel, perhaps those readers who had been looking forward to getting married would like these peasant women very much. If they married those women, not only could they have sex, but they would also have help with the housework. The peasant women could even pick up a kitchen knife and be their husbands’ bodyguards, protecting them from bullies.
“Hmm, those who don’t have a girlfriend will definitely like them,” Kant thought silently.
After finishing the food quickly, Kant let out a breath in satisfaction.
These fried foods were much better than the coarse roasted food.
The peasant woman next to him also thoughtfully brought him a cup of hot water that was boiled with date palm powder. This was an after-meal drink, and it could also be treated as tea. The date palm flavor was very strong, and the taste was good.
Compared to those clumsy peasant men, the peasant women were better at serving people.
The fatigue from the journey was slightly alleviated.
Kant wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and ordered, “Clean it up.”
“Yes, my Lord.” The peasant women walked over and immediately started to put away the plates, they would take them out for cleaning.
Meanwhile, Kant stood up and walked out of the Council Hall.
The aroma of the food outside was very strong. On the street, tables and chairs were put together and piled up with food.
The Sarrandian people were eating happily. Obviously, the lamb cooked with oil was more delicious than the roasted dried meat and dried sausage. They had eaten enough of those along the way.
Manid’s arrangement was also very proper.
When Kant walked out, the leader of the trade caravan hurried over to greet him, “I hope the food is to your liking.”
“Very good.” Kant nodded in satisfaction. “The fried food is very good.”
The oil must have been purchased by the leader of the trade caravan. After all, only his trade caravan had this kind of material.
As if he was reading Kant’s mind, the leader of the trade caravan smiled bitterly and shook his head, “Lord, Mr. Manid didn’t buy the oil from me. He only bought a large amount of grain and linen.”
“Huh?” Kant was curious.
“Those sand gazelle are very fat. It’s goat oil extracted from fat.”
Manid smiled and replied, “Although it has a little smell of mutton, after being covered by honey and spices, the fried food tastes pretty good. It’s much better than simple baked food.”
“Well done.” Kant couldn’t help but praise.
The price of a can of oil in the trade caravan was 500 Denars.
This was the oil that was refined from the fattest slaughtered pigs in the Continent of Caradia. Even Kant thought that it was expensive. That amount of money just to improve the food made his heartache.
After all, the weekly maintenance fee for 50 Desert Bandits was only 800 Denars.
Of course, Kant was not short of money now.
He turned to the trade caravan leader and smiled, “I have more than 300 Jackalan captives here. I can’t wait to have those lovely Denars reappear in my hands.”
