shinsori

The Island-Banished Noblewoman - Chapter 50, Chapter 51, Chapter 52

Added 2024-11-24 09:08:12 +0000 UTC

Day 90 of Banishment: Fall, and Preparing for Winter (2)
"Everyone, let's proceed with the work carefully to avoid getting accidentally buried! Stay safe!"

With a cheerful smile, Marylia gave orders to the Terracotta Golems and set them to work.

… At last, the geography of the uninhabited island was about to change!

This project was divided into three major phases.

Phase 1: Dam the river to create a reservoir.
To release water in a large volume at once, it was necessary to ensure an adequate water supply by building a dam.

Phase 2: Store water in the reservoir and pour sediment into it.
By breaking down the nearby cliffs and mixing the debris with water, the goal could be achieved. Ideally, the rocks would be crushed by the water's flow, but since the distance wasn't too great, any stubborn rocks would have to be manually broken with hammers.

Phase 3: Release the mixture.
Once the sediment and water were well-mixed and thoroughly muddied, the slurry would be sent downstream. The lighter sand would flow quickly, while the heavier iron sand would settle more gradually. As the flow stabilized, the iron sand should accumulate in the plunge pool of the waterfall—at least, that was the plan.

Afterward, by alternately stopping and releasing the water flow to flush out any remaining iron sand, the yield could be maximized. With this strategy in mind, Marylia turned her attention back to the task at hand.

"Alright, I want you to pile up soil along the line of stones I just placed."

She instructed ten Terracotta Golems, directing them to start excavating the mountain. Meanwhile, Marylia and the remaining three golems moved to a different task.

"Okay, we're going to cut down trees and turn them into planks!"

… Planks. Yes, they were going to make planks!

Constructing the dam wasn’t particularly complicated—provided it was done on an appropriate scale. The basic idea was simple: build the reservoir walls using soil or some other material, drive two stakes into the outlet area, and then construct a barrier using wooden planks.

Ideally, the gaps between the planks should be minimal, necessitating precise woodwork. In short, this method required iron tools to be feasible.

Luckily, Marylia had the means to achieve this. With her tools, she could craft planks and use them to build the dam!

Thus, she began cutting logs with a saw. The two Terracotta Golems on either side of the saw handled the physical labor. Since sawing required considerable strength, Marylia decided to delegate the task to the golems.

"… It’s pretty tough to cut the planks perfectly straight, isn’t it?"

Even so, by using bricks as guides during the cutting process, the planks turned out reasonably straight. Thanks to the golems’ diligent efforts, the results were satisfactory.

"Alright, now I need to trim the edges to make them straight."

After converting the logs into planks, she began refining the edges so the planks could fit snugly together.

"At this point, I think I can fine-tune them with a knife. Hehe…"

With the bulk of the work done, the remaining adjustments could be handled easily. Cutting the logs into planks was the most challenging part, and Marylia couldn't help but smile, realizing how much she appreciated the utility of iron tools.

As the day drew to a close, Marylia decided to return to her base with the three golems assisting in log cutting.

The rest of the golems remained behind to continue working through the night. Golems didn’t tire, so round-the-clock labor was not an issue. Moreover, since they didn’t rely on eyesight, they could work effectively even in the dark, as long as they stayed within the scope of Marylia's instructions.

"Well, it’s a long-term project, so let’s take it slow and steady."

Marylia decided to pace herself. Constructing even a single reservoir was a substantial task, though far less daunting than preparing an entire iron-sand extraction system.

"As long as it’s done by the end of Fall, it’ll be fine."

Smiling, she murmured, "Slow and steady…" as she retrieved the wyvern she had hung up earlier.

The bloodletting was complete, so she planned to skin it and harvest the bones.

Despite being a relatively small dragon, the wyvern’s hide, bones, fangs, claws, and even its internal organs were all valuable resources.

Back at the base, Marylia butchered the wyvern. As darkness fell, she hurried to hang the meat, rub it with salt for preservation, and prepare some wyvern liver and meat for dinner. It was always a delight to enjoy fresh meat on the day of a successful hunt.

"Oh, that reminds me—I’ve been meaning to try roasting meat using the impurities from the blast furnace!"

As she cooked, a thought crossed her mind.

The impurities that flowed out from the side of the furnace during smelting—red-hot and molten—might make for an exciting way to grill meat.

"… Even if I don’t roast meat with it… maybe I can find another use for this stuff."

Looking at the solidified impurities stored in a clay vessel, Marylia pondered.

These were slag—melted and re-solidified remnants of ores. Their glassy, shiny surface was quite beautiful. Surely, they could serve some purpose.

As she ate her wyvern barbecue, Marylia came to a conclusion.

"… I’ll use it as glaze for pottery."

The next day, on the 91st day of her banishment, Marylia headed back upstream with her three golems to check on the reservoir’s progress.

"Looks like things are coming along."

The reservoir, having benefited from a full night of labor, now presented a noticeably transformed landscape.

As soil and debris were piled to form the embankments, the structure steadily expanded.

"With tireless golems working around the clock, it might be done sooner than expected."

Had humans been doing the work, it would have been impossible to maintain such progress without breaks for rest, sleep, and meals.

In contrast, golems could work 24 hours a day, constrained only by Marylia's magical stamina. Thankfully, managing about ten golems on this island posed no issue for her. Even if they worked continuously for a week, her magic would hold.

Though wear and tear on the golems’ bodies might eventually cause delays, there seemed to be no immediate problems.

"Alright, once the dam section is complete, I’ll leave the rest to the golems."

With a satisfied smile, Marylia finished the dam section she had started the previous day and set it in place at the planned outlet. Then she left the remaining work to the golems and returned to her base.

Now…

"Time to experiment with glaze! Hehehe, it’s been a while since I’ve done this."

Excitedly, Marylia began preparing for her glaze experiment.

Previously, she had crafted pottery using a glaze made from the ash of grass. The results had been quite pleasing.

"The grass-ash glaze had such a rustic charm."

It produced a white finish with natural patterns, resulting in sturdy, practical pottery perfect for everyday use.

"This one, though, will probably turn out black…"

The glaze for today’s experiment came from the slag generated during iron smelting. Rich in non-ferrous metals and other materials, it was a glossy black. Fired pottery coated with this glaze would likely turn out similarly dark.

"Alright, let’s crush it finely, mix it with diluted clay, and see what happens. Hehe…"

Humming with anticipation, Marylia set to work crafting the glaze.

Watertight pottery was essential for her daily life, so even if the experiment didn’t yield perfect results, it wouldn’t be wasted effort.

"Once this is ready, I’ll have better storage for food supplies."

Fall and winter were approaching, and food preservation was becoming a pressing concern.

After glazing several pots, Marylia set them aside to dry thoroughly.

Both clay and glaze required complete drying before firing to prevent explosions in the kiln—a dangerous mishap she aimed to avoid.

"Alright, these will dry for now… Next, I’ll need to build a proper food storage facility. Perhaps brick again… or maybe wood, now that I can process it. Hmm…"

Contemplating her options, Marylia faced her next challenge.

"… I’d love to build a raised storage house."

Indeed, a high-floored storage facility to keep food safe from pests and animals was the ideal solution!

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Day 91 of Banishment: Fall, and Preparing for Winter (3)
At the moment, Marylia's house is missing something crucial.

That is, a proper floor.

… Well, bricks had been laid on the ground and mortar spread over them to level it. Even so, the floor was at the same height as the ground.

And what happens when the floor level matches the ground?

“This house isn’t really suited to be a warehouse, is it?”

When the floor is at ground level, it’s difficult to keep out moisture. Additionally, insects and small animals can more easily invade.

Currently, the house where Marylia lives is maintained through her daily presence—she sleeps, wakes, cooks, and burns wood, using the smoke to repel insects. The heat circulates, drying the air. However, a house without residents becomes vulnerable to moisture, mold, bacterial growth, and damage caused by small animals and insects.

Moreover, with fall approaching and winter food supplies needing storage, a warehouse becomes essential!

There’s no room to share food with pests like insects or mice. Hence, Marylia needed to build an elevated warehouse!

Island Day 92.

That morning, Marylia left the pond construction entirely to the golems and turned her thoughts to architecture!

“Okay, I’ll erect pillars, brace them midway, and then lay the floor on top… That’s the basic idea. I don’t intend to overcomplicate the design, though…”

Marylia immediately began designing a raised-floor warehouse.

While constructing the brick house had posed challenges with wood processing, the situation was now different. After all, she had iron tools. Processing wood had become much easier and more precise!

“I suppose I could make nails… Oh, that’s right.”

Marylia remembered the importance of nails in wooden construction and came up with an idea.

“I can reforge nails from the washed-up debris.”

Indeed, iron wasn’t solely obtained from iron sand. It could also be sourced by reforging iron scraps from wreckage.

That day, Marylia focused on design, instructions, and nail production.

She decided to model the warehouse construction after her previous firewood shelter and old bed—erect pillars, span rods between them, and lay floorboards across the rods.

Following this design, she directed the golems to erect pillars, create a raised foundation, and install floors and walls.

“Oh, floorboards are wonderful!”

The advent of iron tools and saws, which allowed the production of planks, made construction significantly easier.

Laying the floor? Simple. Building walls? Just as easy!

Even roofing could be completed with wooden planks. How efficient and convenient!

“Wood is less durable than bricks, but that’s something I can compensate for with some ingenuity.”

While having golems produce planks, Marylia instructed others to char the surfaces of these planks.

By charring the surface, the wood becomes carbonized, which repels water and prevents decay. Additionally, smoking the wood with campfire smoke further enhances insect resistance.

Furthermore, to thoroughly dry the wood, the golems arranged planks around a fire, drying them slowly while charring and smoking them.

“In terms of durability, bricks or stone are superior, but for food storage, wooden structures are the way to go.”

Why did Marylia choose a wooden warehouse?

Wood, as a material, is particularly suited for food storage.

Food’s primary enemies include pests like insects and small animals, but moisture-induced mold and decay are also significant threats.

Moisture fosters mold growth and accelerates decay. However, wood has the excellent property of absorbing some moisture, mitigating these risks.

This is something stone buildings lack. Even with good ventilation, stone structures tend to retain moisture, making wooden, raised warehouses ideal for storing food.

“It’s great to have so many helpers. Hehe…”

With the golems handling plank production, processing, and transport, Marylia could focus solely on making nails. Meanwhile, the construction progressed rapidly, which she found thoroughly enjoyable.

Thus, Marylia advanced her wooden construction project, completing a splendid food storage warehouse by Island Day 95.

“Haha… Now I can properly store the food I gather…”

On the 95th day of banishment, Marylia’s day started by storing food in the warehouse.

The afternoon began with the new warehouse glowing under the slightly weaker sunlight of late summer and early fall. Its charred wooden roof gleamed, supported by pillars equipped with mouse guards, forming a sturdy raised-floor structure. This warehouse was poised to play a crucial role in preparing for the winter.

Inside, clay pots glazed and fired for storage lined the shelves.

Though some experiments with glazes had failed, others had succeeded. Ash and clay mixtures seemed to work best. Marylia resolved to continue experimenting casually as she went along.

“Tomorrow, I’ll finally start foraging. I wish I had an Iron Golem for the gathering phase, but I suppose the iron sand supply isn’t there yet…”

Marylia sighed with a bit of worry.

She had started a simple form of iron sand gathering two days prior—creating a pond, filling it with water, mixing in excavated sediment, stirring thoroughly, and draining it quickly. This rudimentary method had slightly increased the yield of iron sand, though the efficiency was still limited.

Still, it was better than nothing. She will collect enough iron sand for an Iron Golem eventually… Probably by mid-fall.

“Well, let’s take it slow. It’s not even half a year since I got here. Let’s aim for three years.”

With a cheerful “No need to rush,” Marylia brushed off her concerns.

“Alright, let’s go gather and dig!”

Marylia went gathering with a cheer.

“Ah. There they are. Ehehe, I came at the right time.”

This day, Marylia’s main target was lilies!

“I’ll just take some roots… Oh, these look tasty.”

She wasn’t after the flowers or stems but the bulbs—the edible parts.

“They should be delicious just boiled. Hehe…”

Using a small shovel crafted from wreckage, Marylia efficiently unearthed lily bulbs and tossed them into the baskets carried by golems.

“Ehehe, it will be nut season soon, so I need to wrap this up beforehand. It’s going to get busy!”

Humming cheerfully, she searched the forest for the next lily.

… Late summer is when lilies are no longer in bloom. During flowering season, their crisp white blossoms stand out clearly and it's not hard to find them, but now that the flowers have already bloomed, it was a bit difficult to find the lilies.

However, if you use the long, slender stems of the lilies, their distinctive leaves, and the scattered remains of decaying flowers and the seed pods that remain there as landmarks, you can find them surprisingly quickly. Besides, every time Marylia went exploring she would remember thinking, "Ah, there are lilies growing here. Let's eat some sometime," so...

By evening, she had collected an abundant haul of lily bulbs and returned to her base. There, she brought out her grindstone.

“These need to be made into preserved food.”

… That's right. The lily roots wouldn't last very long like this.
Since lily bulbs don’t store well in their natural state, Marylia needed to process them.

Using the stone mill, Marylia crushed the lily bulbs.

The stone mill was something she had made some time ago by having the golems endlessly grind down stones. Combining it with a jade hammer, Marylia steadily ground the lily bulbs.

"Once they're crushed, start squeezing them out."

The crushed lily bulbs were passed on to the golems, where they were squeezed using cloth.

They were squeezed thoroughly. Water was added to the leftover pulp, which was then squeezed again. She ensured that not even the tiniest bit of the lily bulbs was wasted, squeezing and squeezing some more.

The resulting juice from the lily bulbs was collected in containers. Water was added to the containers, mixed thoroughly, and then left to settle.

"When the starch settles, we'll pour off the top layer and dry the remaining starch to harden it."

Yes, Marylia was making starch.

Once starch is fully dried, it can last a very long time. To ensure a supply of starchy food through the winter, this method of preservation was essential.

"I wonder if the same thing could be done with Man-Eater roots... If I happen to find one, I’ll give it a try."

Marylia cheerfully resolved to take down a suitable Man-Eater for this purpose.

Because... starch is undeniably delicious!

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Day 94 of Banishment: Fall, and Preparing for Winter (4)
The next day, on the 96th day of her banishment, Marylia ventured into the forest, searching for lily bulbs while keeping an eye out for potential prey. If an animal appeared, she would take it down to secure both meat and fur.

Meat was the quickest way to gather food in large quantities on this island. However, relying solely on meat could grow tiresome, so supplementing it with other food sources remained equally important.

"Oh, there's one... Alright, scatter! Don’t let it escape! Surround it!"

While searching for lily bulbs, Marylia spotted her first prey of the day: an unfortunate peryton. Wasting no time, she deployed her golems to encircle the creature.

The golems strategically blocked the directions the peryton might flee, forcing it to change course repeatedly. As the golems closed in, the peryton grew panicked and exhausted, making it easy to subdue.

"Hehe, peryton feathers are such a blessing. They're perfect for winter hibernation," Marylia said with a smile, having her golems carry the carcass.

While food was crucial for winter preparations, insulating materials like feathers and fur were equally important. Peryton feathers, in particular, were valuable for keeping warm.

"Let’s just drain the blood for now and return to searching for lily bulbs. Ehehe..."

After hanging the peryton back at her base, she resumed her exploration. By the end of the day, she managed to bring back a large haul of lily bulbs and even took down another peryton.

While Marylia thought to herself, “Processing two big catches at once is such a hassle…”, she couldn’t waste this rare stroke of luck. As a result, she devoted the following day, the 97th day of her banishment, to processing the perytons.

"I've gotten much better at skinning. I can tell how much faster I’ve become," she mused as her knife skillfully stripped the hides.

Although Marylia had experience with hunting, her survival on this uninhabited island had honed her skills to a whole new level. Survival demanded constant improvement—whether it was taking down prey or breaking it down into usable resources.

And it was enjoyable.

Improving her abilities and seeing visible progress brought Marylia great satisfaction. Cheerfully humming, she severed the head of a peryton and continued the butchering process.

The routine was straightforward. Perishable offal was cooked and eaten the same day, while the other meat was salted, drained, air-dried, and smoked for storage. That was the standard method.

But...

"I'm running out of salt..."

Salt was an essential resource, and the current supply was insufficient for salting the meat of two perytons. Marylia had been producing salt bit by bit using her golems, but this sudden bounty threatened to deplete her reserves.

"Maybe I can fetch the salt that's currently being processed. That should be enough for today... Still, I'll need to ramp up production."

Salt would be needed throughout the winter, so increasing its production was imperative. However...

"I’d really like another pot for boiling... Ugh, what to do? But I just don’t have the resources to make one right now."

Frustrated, Marylia lamented her lack of time, tools, and materials. For now, she resolved to continue increasing salt production while making do with what was available.

She systematically cut the meat into portions, rubbed salt into each piece, and packed them into glazed earthenware containers. Some of the meat would remain salted without drying to test its longevity. To minimize spoilage risks, she used as much salt as possible. The rest of the processing hinged on the golems tasked with making more salt.

With the meat handled, the next priority was the hides.

"I’ll keep the fur intact. Hehe, it’s so soft and fluffy."

Peryton pelts, with their downy feathers, were ideal for winter preparations. They could be used as blankets for sleeping or sewn into cloaks for warmth, greatly enhancing her comfort.

As always, Marylia used oak bark to make tanning liquid. Since she lacked sufficient pots for boiling, she improvised. Filling an earthen vessel with water and bark, she heated the mixture by adding hot stones until the bark released its tannins.

Once the tanning liquid was ready, she soaked the hides in it. Afterward, it was a matter of waiting. At the right time, she’d remove the hides and have the golems knead them thoroughly.

Thus, Marylia pushed forward with her preparations, step by step, as the days of her exile continued.

"The furs... Yes, I'll need plenty of them," Marylia mused.

As preparations for winter continued, the pile of furs was bound to grow. Of course, she had already preserved the pelts from her previous hunts, but these furs were indispensable for surviving the cold months. To stay as warm as possible, Marylia planned to line her bed generously with the soft, fluffy pelts and fashion warm clothing for the winter.

"That means I'll need more bark. Making tanning liquid is quite the chore.”

Before winter came, there were so many things to prepare—far too many necessities to gather.

Marylia’s ultimate goal of assembling the iron golems and setting foot on her homeland seemed fraught with endless obstacles. For now, the biggest hurdle of all was undoubtedly winter.

“Well, there’s nothing for it but to keep going.”

Marylia muttered with a sigh and moved on to her next task. After all, her to-do list was practically endless.

Having finished processing the meat and pelts, Marylia transitioned smoothly to preparing dinner.

She quickly drained and cooked the organ meats, grilling them to a golden perfection before indulging in their fresh flavors. Their freshness alone made even simple cooking methods incredibly satisfying.

"Liver really is a treasure trove of nutrients.”

The velvety smoothness of the liver, with its rich umami flavor, lightly tinged with the wild, slightly bitter taste of blood, was simply divine. The bitterness itself seemed to enhance the taste, perhaps because it combined with the savory, slightly charred aroma of the dish.

"And paired with orange sauce, it's absolutely heavenly."

The pièce de résistance was the citrusy sauce she had prepared from the oranges found among the driftwood. By cooking them down into a syrupy consistency and bottling the sauce for preservation, Marylia had created a zesty complement to her liver dish. The sauce’s refreshing tartness and aroma paired beautifully with the meat.

"It's a shame I can't enjoy this with a glass of wine. Someday, I’ll make my own wine—though I might return home before that happens."

As for the wine among the driftwood, it remained stored safely away. Wine had numerous potential uses, including being left to ferment into vinegar. Its acidic properties would also come in handy for many purposes.

"I wonder if any wild grapes grow around here... though that's probably wishful thinking."

This island, Marylia theorized, once had human inhabitants. The presence of items like the slave collar pointed to that. Likewise, the berries she found might have been introduced from outside the island. It wasn’t entirely out of the question that she might stumble upon grapes.

"Still, what I wouldn't give for a nice plum-infused liquor.”

Marylia sighed wistfully. But soon enough, the taste of her exquisite liver dish reignited her spirits, and she returned to her meal, energized.

Once dinner was over, Marylia could have simply gone to bed. However, she decided to complete one more task before turning in.

"It's amazing how just frying fat can fill the air with such a wonderful aroma.”

Her final task was rendering fat. She meticulously fried the fat from both perytons, collecting the oil that melted out during the process. This rendered fat would serve as fuel, food, or even soap during the winter. With extended indoor confinement on the horizon, it would also prove essential for lighting.

"I’ll add some rosemary and orange peel to the fat. Ah, such a lovely scent."

The orange peels, another salvaged treasure, had been carefully preserved for their fragrant oils. Fat readily absorbed these oils, so Marylia simmered rosemary and chopped orange peel in the rendered fat, infusing it with their delightful aromas. She poured the scented fat into small earthenware dishes and added wicks to create makeshift candles.

"Oh my, it’s such a pretty color.”

As the fat solidified, it took on subtle hues of rosemary green and orange-yellow, giving it a charming appearance. Marylia toyed with the idea of dyeing the fat pink using the color of wild roses someday. However, given the inefficiency of such a task, she put the thought aside for now.

The next morning, day 98 of banishment.

Marylia woke early and stepped outside, only to be greeted by an astonishing sight.

"Well, would you look at that—the slimes!"

To her surprise, not a single slime remained in the fields.

"Huh? What happened? Did they abandon the field? Or are they just in the mood for an adventure?"

Curious, she spotted one slime nearby and approached. Another was visible a little farther away.

A quick survey of the area revealed at least ten slimes within view of her base. The rest were likely scattered even farther afield.

"What on earth are they up to? Did they lose interest in the field? Or are they rebelling?"

Marylia moved closer to one of the slimes to investigate.

"Ah, I see now," she muttered with a knowing smile.

The moment she observed the slime, Marylia understood what was going on.

"They're preparing for winter in their own way!"