Niles woke up from bed ready towards his expedition as the night before he told Buren to prepare for a 4 to 5 day trip outside the settlement. After all, it was to discover some specimens to study to see if he could discover a new avenue of power that could bring hope to the settlement.
Niles made sure he had everything some glass jars, some rope he made with tree vines since the hemp hasn't grown enough yet to be processed, some metal contraptions looking like muzzles which with a leather strap can be adjusted and some cuffs made from static magnetic ore which can bind their limbs for larger creatures.
Niles compacted everything and let the cubes stay on the table next to the bed then took a bath in a large wooden barrel that was downstairs using a rag and some soap, yep soap it was kinda difficult for Niles to make it but it with shells found at the river shoreline by burning the shells, using wood ash water and fat from the wolves meat with a little plant that gave off a lavender like scent with it and boom there was soap as long as it was made to solidify.
Thankful the shells contained enough sodium to make sodium bicarbonate by burning the Carbon dioxide out of it the using a barrel with water and some small stones to act as filters to make a small hole at the bottom mix it with some wood ash which will cause an amber looking liquid called lye water to it which would then mixed into the fat which is melted and strained to filter out impurities till its clear.
What's next is mix the lye solution into the fat then stir in one direction constantly till its boiled down and reduced into a soft dough or mashed potato like consistency then its poured into some mold which will give a jelly like soap but if you add salt and with a little bit of the lavender like flower which was made into an extract for the scent it becomes hard soap and ta dah thats it.
Niles remembers this from a primitive technique book called 'Past techniques to Modern Comforts" which was an interesting find for Niles as it even documented things from hunting strategies to remedies that cure certain ailments and so on.
Niles got lucky after the 10th attempt which either became too brittle due to too much salt and other times it fell apart in your hand like liquid, even one which Niles thought was good due to not getting the impurities out caused the soap to smell like raw meat.
Niles made 10 batches of 12 soap bars each after perfecting the current recipe to distribute to some workers and decided that after the new residents come some new production sites for common everyday necessities can help out in making people feel more comfortable and relaxed.
Niles after his bath got dressed and then headed out to the gate at the back of the village where he was to meet Buren but not before grabbing the storage cubes on the table so as to not forget.
As Niles made his way there he could see people talking and kids playing around more frequently than when he arrived as he was so preoccupied he didn't really take in the sights of mundane life.
Not only that the house was coming together nicely as this could look like one of those vintage gated communities they have back on earth.
Niles then thought ' Although not completely modern but it combines homely bricked houses with modern esque feature which is fine place for others to live and more improvements or renovations can happen when we expand further and gain higher population'
Niles while thinking this greeted the people while making his way to Buren's location and was happy that their sunken cheeks looked filled now and they look less malnourished and more plump, and good thing too as Niles is worrying as his supply of meat is dwindling but by time its done the crops will be done and ready for processing and consumption.
Niles kept thinking ' Maybe on the trip if we can more tameable creatures for animal husbandry as trade I can already assume animal husbandry would be in great decline in settlements after all how can you take care of the necessity of animals when you can't take care of yourselves, especially trade with villages would be suicide in them locating us'. Niles really hoped that this trip could yield some results to benefit everyone.
As Niles arrived he saw Buren and five other of his students which were 2 females and 3 males which names were Ril and Gise for the females and the males who were Garet, Yore, Purt which the two females were wielding bows and arrows while Garet wielded a spear, Yore a sword and Purt two daggers.
Buren though was wielding his dual wielding double headed axe which shined in the gleam of the sun so did all of their weapons which were not the wooden practice ones which were used.
It could also be seen that the two large hand drawn carts that were needed to carry back the bounty were there as well equipped with the specialized wheels I developed for the rough terrain of the forest.
Buren then said to the students upon Niles arrival " Everyone stand up straight upon the Lord's arrival" The students did so resolutely that you could even see the guys puffing out their chests which made Niles internally laugh a bit.
Niles then said " Is everything ready as we will depart right now because we'll only be out for the most five days , four the least and 3 if we are lucky." Saying these things Buren spoke " Everything is prepared lord we are ready to leave at your notice" Niles nodded then walked through the back entrance of the settlement with the others right behind and Garet and Yore pulling the hand drawn carts with Gise and Ril in the centre and Buren Leading with me behind.
The group continued onward in the forest but as we passed the mining location to the uncharted zone Nuera then said something.
(You need to be very careful because in the uncharted territories in this forest we don't know what type of beasts live there)
Niles responded back in his head ' Can't you just tell me from the guide provided by the great divine if something happens'
Nuera responded back telling Niles the full information of the guide ( You actually wrong about that the guide isn't a prerecorded almanac of things that were created but what was discovered )
( You can understand it like this the great divine didn't create the monsters or the intelligent humans and other intelligent races that's just natural evolution from the overflowing mana that cause creatures to evolve, but not only that the guide is only gives what was discovered and revealed in the open, studied or even journaled by those who pioneered to understand new flora and fauna)
Niles was still walking and then said to Nuera ' So the great divine does not create them but is more like an architect and observer that after they make something they just see the natural process and let gods be the arbiters.'
Nuera then responded ( Basically yes but truthfully speaking the great divine is an arbiter for gods but the rules are very simple but gives gods the power of proxy and cannot interfere with the world to affect creatures knowingly, that's why when you discovered those ores in the cave there was no real info because no ones has discovered them except you and they'll be recorded only in your guide unless revealed openly, as it is a form of protection so gods don't kill each other after discovering some treasure trove of materials but also giving the pioneering god the disadvantage in having to discovers things on there own like a double edged sword)
( Especially in dense mana zones which are called forbidden zones which are hard to deal with by even the Gods which makes it the perfect shield and killer to avoid detection)
All this info caused Niles head to spin because basically it meant there could be dangerous beast there that could kill him but this newfound analyzed info meaning that the others won't figure out what I'm doing unless I reveal the information in the guide basically its like the great divine is a patent officer protecting my rights of information.
Niles smiled while walking while the others looked at him but didn't say anything from the fluctuation of emotions that was being displayed on Niles face.
But while he was doing this Niles heard a rustling sound ahead which caused his ears to jump, honing in on the sound from the bushes nearby which alerted everyone which showed to be a bright yellow beak poking out.
Niles assumed it was a small bird from its beak but then when it came out what was seen was a bird the size of an ostrich with a jagged beak and four eyes brilliant yellow colour, 2 on each side with long feathered legs and white plumage of feathers with a fan shaped crest of feathers around its neck to its head.
It then took one of the bush fruits which looked like some large palm sized blueberry and ate them seed and all you could hear were the crunching sounds from the hard berry seeds being crushed by the beak .
Our group relaxed and Niles thought to himself it must be an herbivore until it looked in our direction and bobbed its head looking curious and just as Niles was about to say it looked harmless.
The Bird made a weird sound as it bobbed its head and then spat something toward the group looking like multiple seed fragments which frightened the group as if launched by an airsoft rifle.
Buren then used the flat sides of the axes as a shield which batted away the seed fragments although one still hit him but with the clothes he was wearing brushed it off like it was nothing.
Buren then said " Prepare yourselves " everyone took a battle stance Buren then thought 'looks like it wanted to take us by surprise'.
The creature then shrieked, its pupils in its eyes got small as if it was a bullet looking towards our group as if to say that we didn;t die from its attack.
Buren then said " This is excellent training for you guys to show Lord Niles what you can do with an unknown opponent" Everyone looked at him readying their weapons Buren then continued " What you looking at go" the students then left the confines of the carts and slowly started surrounding the bird like beast getting into optimal positions.