Without their Priest's command and magical support, the remaining Demons immediately fell into chaos.
"Finish off the remaining enemies!" Raylo ordered.
The Knights' morale was soaring. They joined forces with the Militia, who charged out from town, and launched a final mop-up of the remaining Demons.
The hisses of the Snake-men and the wails of the lizards gradually faded, and the battle was soon over.
The air was thick with the reek of blood and the foul stench of Demon corpses.
The wooden gates of Black Stone Town slowly swung open, and a group of townspeople emerged, clustered around an old man. Though his hair and beard were white, he was spry and energetic.
The old man walked up to Raylo and bowed deeply, his voice filled with excitement and gratitude. "Respected Knight, thank you for your timely rescue! I am Buck, the mayor of Black Stone Town. If not for you and your Warriors, I'm afraid Black Stone Town today..."
Ed stepped forward. "People of Black Stone Town, the one who saved you is the new Lord of Black Stone Territory, Lord Raylo. From now on, you will all live under his protection."
"The Lord?"
Mayor Buck was stunned for a moment before his face broke into a look of sheer ecstasy. "You're the new Lord of our Black Stone Territory? This is wonderful! Truly wonderful! We've finally got our Lord!"
He turned excitedly to the townspeople behind him and announced, "Everyone, look! This is the new Lord of our Black Stone Territory, Lord Raylo! He's the one who led the Knights to save us!"
In this perilous Wilderness, only under the protection of a Lord could they have any chance of survival.
Of course, this Wilderness was so dangerous that sometimes, the Lord would be the first to meet with a fatal accident.
Amidst the cheers, Raylo led his blood-soaked Knights into the town.
"This way, my Lord," Mayor Buck said, stooping as he led the way. "The town is quite humble. Please excuse the crude accommodations."
Raylo gave a slight nod, not saying much as he carefully observed his surroundings.
The defensive structures were practically nonexistent—just a low, partially collapsed wooden wall. It was no wonder the Demons had broken through so easily.
The group arrived at a relatively open area in the center of town, which was likely where the townspeople usually gathered for assemblies.
At the edge of the clearing stood a slightly larger building of mixed stone and wood construction. It was the most "magnificent" structure in town and probably served as both the mayor's residence and the council hall.
Raylo turned to Mayor Buck. "Mayor, I need a report on the town's situation."
Mayor Buck hastily replied, "My Lord, Black Stone Town currently has just over 3,400 registered residents, but the majority are the elderly, women, and children. The town has a Militia of about two hundred men, including eight Official Knights."
Raylo's brow furrowed slightly as he listened.
'The situation is even worse than I expected.'
"One month..." Raylo murmured thoughtfully.
With the coming Frosty Winter, these meager food reserves were just a drop in the bucket.
He glanced to the side and saw Moonlight sniffing the air disdainfully, its small head twisting back and forth. It seemed very displeased with the surroundings.
It sidled up to Raylo's leg and rubbed its head against him, a low RUMBLE emanating from its throat. It was as if it was both seeking praise for a job well done and complaining that the food here was bound to be terrible.
Raylo patted its small head. "You did a good job this time. You'll get extra rations when we get back."
Moonlight flicked its tail in satisfaction.
"My Lord, we..."
Mayor Buck started to speak, then hesitated, his face a mixture of hope and anxiety.
Raylo's smile vanished.
"Rest assured. Now that I am here, I will not allow Black Stone Town to return to its former state. From this moment on, everyone is to get to work. Ed will instruct you on reinforcing the walls, and I will reorganize and train the Militia."
"Yes, my Lord!" Mayor Buck responded, his voice filled with excitement.
Ed returned to report. "My Lord, the walls are damaged in multiple places and will require a great deal of lumber and manpower to repair. Three of our Knights sustained minor injuries. The townspeople's casualties were heavier: seventeen dead and over twenty injured. As for supplies, we used a large number of arrows, and some Weapons need to be repaired."
Raylo nodded. The situation was more or less what he had expected.
"Prioritize treatment for the injured Knights and townspeople. Provide compensation for the families of the fallen townspeople... Ed, organize a team to clear the battlefield first. Gather the Demon corpses for disposal and salvage any useful materials. Mayor Buck, immediately organize the Militia to repair the walls. The weak points must be reinforced before nightfall."
Black Stone Territory was located south of the Black Stone Mountain Range. Its domain was vast, but most of the land consisted of barren mountains and untamed wilds, unsuitable for farming or settlement.
The only area truly suitable for human habitation was the plain south of the Black Stone Mountain Range.
The territory's population was sparse, totaling less than five thousand people scattered across various settlements.
The primary economy was based on gathering herbs and ores from the forests and mountains, supplemented by a small amount of cultivated grain.
Raylo stood by the window, gazing at the rolling peaks of the Black Stone Mountain Range in the distance. The night wind rustled his hair, bringing with it a hint of a chill.
At some point, Moonlight had come to his feet. It rubbed its head against his leg, letting out a low whimper.
Through the hazy moonlight, the ruins of an abandoned castle could be seen on the town's north side. Legend had it that the previous Pioneer Lord had arrived here full of ambition, preparing to build a grand castle with his family's backing.
But just as the castle's foundation was laid, the Lord was killed by the Nine-headed Demon Serpent Hydra's claws while hunting in the Black Stone Mountain Range.
「The first light of dawn scattered the deep darkness of night.」
A small squadron of Knights departed from Black Stone Town, which was just beginning to show signs of recovery.
Raylo rode on horseback with Moonlight trotting faithfully by his side. It would occasionally sniff curiously at the roadside weeds or look up at Raylo as if asking where their next "adventure" would be.
The party headed south, moving away from the shadow of the Black Stone Mountain Range.
The terrain gradually flattened, and the view opened up.
The ground beneath them was barren, with only some hardy shrubs and weeds growing sparsely.
Occasionally, they could see the faint traces of abandoned farmland—a reminder of past attempts and failures.
Lacking the protection of a strong army, some of these farms had been destroyed by Demons and subsequently abandoned.
After marching for about two hours, the faint sound of flowing water reached them from up ahead.
Rounding a low hill, the scenery suddenly opened up before them.
A river, not particularly wide but with a swift current, appeared before them. Its water was so clear they could see the pebbles on the riverbed.
The riverbanks formed a relatively wide, flat valley. It was lush with aquatic plants and grasses, creating a stark contrast to the surrounding desolation.
What truly lifted the Knights' spirits was the sight of huge flocks of large, gray birds gathered on the river's shallows and in the valley's grasslands.
They were plump birds with long necks. Some were pecking at the aquatic plants, some were preening their feathers, and others were cackling noisily, their calls raucous yet full of life.
"Gray-headed Geese!"