Chapter 165: Chapter 141: Empty House, Departed People (Part 2)
However, Rein couldn’t always spend his time on this, so Luo De asked him to pass on his skills.
Everyone gathered in a semicircle, watching as Rein alternately used a short knife and a hand axe to trim the dried wooden strips to a length of 1.6 meters, with the center of the strip slightly thicker and the ends tapering.
He was very patient, constantly using a scraper to polish the ends, carving out a streamlined curve.
To prevent the wood from cracking, he hung the wooden blank near the furnace, continuously using charcoal to gently heat and soften it, gradually making the bow body accustomed to bending.
When he felt it was almost ready, he placed the wood into a bow-shaped frame, slowly stretching it to the standard bending curve.
During this process, Rein was very careful, even stopping his explanations to focus entirely on bending the wood.
Everyone couldn’t help but hold their breath because they all knew that if the wood broke, it would be completely ruined.
Fortunately, Rein’s skills were excellent, and he successfully bent the wood and secured it in place.
The fixed wood needed to be set aside for three days to completely shape, marking the completion of the first step in bow crafting.
Then Rein began explaining the production of the bowstring.
Rein used buffalo tendons for his bowstrings.
This tendon material mainly comes from the thigh or back tendons of buffalo, and a single buffalo can produce about fifteen bowstrings.
If flax thread is mixed with the buffalo tendons, at least twenty bowstrings can be made from each buffalo.
In addition, the tendons from wild deer, wild boars, black bears, etc., can also be made into bowstrings.
Luo De had never sold these materials, always keeping them, sufficient to make over a thousand longbows.
Rein had bowstrings that were already processed, but for demonstration, he started from scratch, using a small knife to split the dried tendons into fine fibers, soaking them in water to soften and make them pliable.
The tendon fibers were smoothed with resin to prevent moisture, twisted counterclockwise into a strand, then rolled into a thick bowstring.
The finished bowstring was about 1.5 meters long, with the ends tied with flax thread to form bow ear loops.
Making it on-site was a lengthy process, but after explaining, Rein took out a prepared bow body and bowstring and assembled them together.
He hung the ends of the bowstring on the bow ears, applying force to tighten it until the bow center bent about thirty-five centimeters.
If the bow body didn’t emit a piercing cracking sound and the surface didn’t show any fractures, then the longbow was considered essentially complete.
"Did everyone take note?"
Luo De looked at Avril beside him.
Luo De was listening intently, while Avril beside him was scribbling frantically.
"I’m still missing some parts; I only marked many things before,"
Avril replied quickly without looking up, her hands moving swiftly.
Luo De chuckled,
"It’s okay, you can ask Rein for anything you missed. Don’t rush; you still need to add illustrations as well."
"Uh-huh,"
Avril softly responded, still recording with her head down.
Luo De walked forward, ignoring Rein, who was still explaining arrow crafting, and picked up the newly made bow and arrow, casually drawing an arrow to the target range outside.
He raised the bow and arrow without hesitation and shot an arrow at the target a hundred meters away.
Thunk!
The arrow accurately struck the bullseye!
"Great shot!"
Acclaims came from outside, and Durant quickly approached.
Luo De set the bow aside casually, not exhilarated by Durant’s praise.
Since enhancing his Spiritual Strength, Luo De felt his archery accuracy had significantly improved, and a hundred meters was no challenge for him, hitting the bullseye long regarded as routine.
"Lord, there’s new information."
Durant hurried over with a hint of excitement on his face.
Luo De was a bit surprised, as his knight rarely showed such evident expressions.
Durant lowered his voice, reporting: "It’s from Baron Halon."
Luo De immediately perked up.
It wasn’t easy for Baron Halon to send a message to Luo De, so there was naturally no trivial talk.
"Let me see."
Durant handed over the letter with both hands.
Luo De took the letter from Durant, moved to a corner, and quickly scanned through each line.
The contents of the letter brought a slight smile to Luo De’s lips,
"Looks like we owe Baron Halon a favor."
Durant seemed to have guessed the message content, his smile growing broader.
"Chris’s wife and child are under his watch now."
Luo De murmured, handing the letter back to Durant,
"He can find a chance to send them over whenever we wish, and we only need to meet them at the edge of the territory."
"That’s great!"
Durant’s excitement intensified after reading the letter.
Only when Chris’s family came would Chris have the opportunity to join Black Pine Ridge.
Luo De looked at Durant in surprise, "You don’t have to be so excited, do you? Aren’t you afraid Chris will take away your power?"
"That doesn’t matter, Lord Baron, I’m very lonely."
Durant said candidly, "I long for companionship, and even more for rivals. It would be more interesting that way."
Durant was the only true knight of Black Pine Ridge.
Many times, Durant had no one to talk to about his training and military management matters.
Luo De was the only one who understood him now, but after all, there was a master-servant difference, and Durant couldn’t bother Luo De with everything.
Durant also needed someone within his social circle to confide in.
Although Chris was a bit arrogant, considering his background and experience, Chris was the most suitable.
Luo De nodded as if he understood, but did not delve deeper.
"But..."
Luo De put down the letter and immediately fell into thought, his eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Seeing Luo De’s serious expression, Durant was somewhat puzzled, "Do you have any concerns?"
After pondering for a moment, Luo De explained, "If we do accept Chris’s wife and children, then our feud with Count Falcon will be completely established."
"I think you’re right."
Durant nodded slightly, saying, "But judging from previous actions and your dealings with him, our vendetta with Count Falcon can’t be changed."
"But... never mind, we’ve already trampled on Count Falcon’s dignity before anyway."
Luo De thought for a moment, unable to hold back a smile, "Since we’ve provoked him, we might as well not hold back, it’s no different this time around."
Having made up his mind, Luo De’s eyes were resolute, and he immediately ordered, "Send a reply to Baron Halon, and immediately have the elite team assemble and gather near White Rock Canyon to await news from Baron Halon’s side."
"Yes, Lord Baron."
Durant bowed to receive the command and immediately went down to make arrangements.
...
...
At the edge of Misty Green Forest, in a shabby tavern in the village.
The two soldiers monitoring Amina were sitting by the fireplace roasting bread.
"Amina’s been staying at her mother’s house for a week now."
Fluo flipped the slice of bread to keep it from burning.
Then he placed his hands near the fire in the stove, rubbing them continuously, "How long is this lousy job going to last?"
The companion shook his head, "Who knows?"
The companion munching on bread said, "Lord Balrog said it could be half a month, or maybe a month, no one knows for sure."
"But since Amina arrived at her mother’s, she’s been very quiet and hasn’t come out again."
"In this freezing weather, what’s the point of coming out?"
Fluo snorted lightly, remarking, "Staying at home, sitting by the fireplace, drinking some wine and eating nuts, that’s the most wonderful life."
The companion nodded,
"These days are getting colder. If it weren’t for this job, I wouldn’t want to come out either."
"If I had a choice, I’d definitely stay indoors without moving."
Fluo said, "Who can blame Balrog for offering a big reward?"
"Heh, that day will burn a lot of firewood; you’d better prepare extra."
Just as the companion finished speaking, Fluo’s actions halted immediately, a hint of alertness flashing in his eyes.
"Wait a minute, they haven’t come out to get firewood for three days, have they?"
Fluo’s voice suddenly grew tense.
"There’s no way they could have that much firewood inside, right?" Fluo’s companion also realized the crux of the matter.
"Damn!"
Fluo suddenly realized something, disregarding his hat and gloves, grabbed his longsword, and ran outside.
The two dashed towards Amina’s mother’s house, their hearts turning icy cold as they approached.
There was no smoke coming from the chimney of Amina’s mother’s house!
In this cold weather, that was absolutely impossible!
Unless no one was living in the house at all!
"It’s over!"
Fluo shouted, "I’ll check inside the house! You quickly get this news to Lord Balrog!"
Without any hesitation after finishing his words, Fluo swiftly ran to Amina’s mother’s yard!
He carefully searched inside twice, his heart plummeting into an icy valley!
It was already deserted!
Even the grain sacks were empty!