Chapter 55

Day 100 of Banishment: Fall, and Preparing for Winter (7)
And so, the next day arrived, marking the momentous 100th day of Marylia's banishment.

What could be more fitting to commemorate such a milestone? What could serve as the "victory toast" for this day of triumph?

The answer was simple: honey. Glorious honey!

"Alright, let's do this!"

Marylia exclaimed with a smile, surveying her army of Terracotta Golems and glue-reinforced Mud Golems.

"Forward, march!"

In pursuit of sweet victory and even sweeter honey, Marylia began her advance!

The journey to the beehive was smoother than the last time. This was largely because there was no need to rely on a slow slime guide this time around. Free from such constraints, Marylia proceeded swiftly and decisively.

The glue-reinforced Mud Golems, thanks to their composition, were faster and more agile than regular Mud Golems. Their reinforced bodies could move briskly without falling apart, a significant improvement.

Marylia watched the golems' energetic march with a contented grin.

Their goal was victory—and honey! For that, the massive bees would have to be dealt with.

"This won’t end as easily as with Baltoria. Unless... well, if they surrender properly, that’s fine too. Ehehe."

Smiling as she moved, Marylia finally arrived.

"There it is," she murmured.

Her eyes narrowed in delight as the beehive came into view. A few massive bees, likely worker bees serving as guards, hovered around the area. Their vigilance seemed mediocre, as they hadn’t yet noticed her approach.

"Mud Golem Unit, prepare to charge."

Observing the bees, Marylia’s lips curled into a smile as she issued the order.

The glue-reinforced Mud Golems, though largely unarmed, readied themselves to advance.

"Go!"

At Marylia’s sharp command, the golems surged forward in unison.

The plan was a success.

The massive bees immediately noticed the intruders and rushed to intercept them. But what awaited their stingers was the resilient, rubbery surface of the glue-laden mud bodies.

When a bee's stinger pierced the golems' gooey flesh, it was firmly caught by the gelatinous elasticity of the glue-infused mud. The stinger could not be withdrawn.

Unable to remain stuck, the bees were forced to sever their stingers along with parts of their internal organs, ultimately meeting their demise.

Yet the bees didn’t relent. They believed unwaveringly that their venom could eventually subdue the eerie, human-shaped intruders.

Once the scout bees were wiped out, bees from the hive began to pour out, fearlessly attacking the golems and sacrificing their lives for a chance to strike at them.

However, the golems were unaffected by the venom. No matter how much they were stung or exposed to poison, it was irrelevant. The golems were not living creatures but animated by Marylia’s commands.

The glue-reinforced mud, with its soft yet durable texture, rendered the bees utterly ineffective.

And so, the battlefield in front of the hive was littered with the corpses of giant bees, and no more emerged from the hive. It was likely that survivors remained, but they were no longer capable of fighting.

"I think that’s enough. Everyone, begin the collection."

Deeming the timing right, Marylia clapped her hands and instructed the Terracotta Golems to start the cleanup.

The Terracotta Golems stepped over the dead bees and approached the hive, dismantling its colossal structure.

The brittle wax combs cracked apart, and golden honey oozed out, gleaming brilliantly and releasing an intoxicatingly sweet aroma. It was a sight worthy of celebrating victory.

"Ah, if there are any survivors, leave them be. They might make a new hive next year. Leave about half of the hive intact."

Whether or not they understood her words, the remaining bees fluttered about nervously, fled, or retreated deeper into the hive. Marylia, who had no intention of killing those who didn’t resist, let them go.

After all, she had to think about the future. By sparing part of the hive, she ensured the possibility of another harvest next year.

“Ehehe, let's look forward to enjoying honey again next year."

Marylia chuckled softly, watching the golems diligently collect honey and dismantle the hive. Her smile was wide, her spirits high as she reveled in the sweet success of her endeavors.

Thus, having subdued the beehive, Marylia partially demolished it, securing a substantial amount of honey and the hive itself before making her way back to her base.

Just this alone amounted to a considerable quantity. Properly stored, it would ensure that she wouldn't run out of sweeteners not only through the winter but even into the next spring.

"Alright, everyone, good job. Go ahead and eat your fill."

As a reward, Marylia distributed bee larvae to the slimes. The plump, fat bee larvae were highly nutritious and delicious for the slimes. Giving each slime a portion, Marylia beamed with satisfaction.

"Now... I need to process this honey."

With that, Marylia leisurely stated her intention and promptly began her work.

"First, let's strain the honey."

The honey she had collected was mixed with remnants of the hive. The hive was made of beeswax—a dense, yellowish wax. Naturally, it contained many impurities, but obtaining beeswax was still a delightful outcome. Marylia happily set about separating the honey from the beeswax.

For larger chunks, she manually removed the wax, placing it in an earthenware container to let any residual honey drip down to the bottom. For finer debris, she strained the honey through a sieve and then through cloth, resulting in a smooth, golden liquid.

… However, this method left honey stuck to the cloth and the clay pot. Recovering all of it proved difficult. Even after wringing the cloth thoroughly, some honey remained. Marylia found a solution after thinking for a little.

"Let's add boiled water to dissolve and collect the remaining honey."

Marylia stuffed the honey-soaked cloth into the clay pot used for honey collection and carefully poured in freshly boiled water.

After letting it sit for a while, the honey adhering to the cloth and pot began to dissolve into the water. This made recovery much easier. Marylia promptly poured the diluted honey water into jars.

"If I leave it like this, it might turn into mead. Hehehe..."

By leaving the diluted honey in clean jars, it would ferment into mead. Marylia looked forward to this, carefully storing the honey water bottles on her home's shelves.

"Hehe, cheers to the 100th day of banishment!"

Marylia raised a hand-thrown, unglazed ceramic cup filled with honey water to celebrate this wonderful day.

It was the special "100th day." Wanting to make it grand, she had laid out a somewhat lavish meal on the table:

- A variety of wild herbs and salt-cured meat, along with a soup made by sautéing and simmering finely chopped lily bulbs.
- Steamed roots of a Man-Eater plant.
- Grilled peryton meat, seasoned with salt and herbs.
- Compote made from dried apricots, jujube fruits, and berries, simmered with water, orange juice, and a bit of honey.
- And, of course, the honey water!

Marylia rejoiced in the sweet flavors after a long time, letting out cries of delight. It was a splendid sweetness befitting the celebration of the 100th day!

"Ah, the victory mead is perfect..."

While it would have been ideal to include wine as well, she held back for now. Even without wine, the meal was more than sufficient to enjoy. Marylia ate happily, celebrating both her victory and her own survival.

"I need to work hard to mass-produce Iron Golems by spring..."

… And so, with her ambitions firmly in sight, Marylia laughed.

Marylia's true goal wasn't just surviving the 100 days of banishment, nor was it the honey or the Iron Golems. Her ultimate aim was to set foot on her homeland's soil once more. The Iron Golems were merely a bonus. Of course, life without these bonuses would be dull, so she absolutely intended to bring back an army of Iron Golems.

With renewed determination, Marylia decided to rest for the night.

Today had been tiring due to the honey collection and processing, but it was a pleasant exhaustion. Moreover...

"Beeswax is so versatile, which is great."

Marylia gazed at the remaining beeswax, her smile widening with satisfaction. After all, beeswax could be used for making candles, crafting leather armor, and even creating temporary molds or casts.

Securing beeswax before winter was a significant accomplishment. After all...

"That's right… I could melt it and mix it with oil to use as a moisturizer for my skin during the winter."

With this, Marylia could finally create her own cosmetics!

"Even after returning home, if my skin isn't in good condition, everyone will worry about me. Hehehe..."

… Returning home was her ultimate goal.

But merely returning home wasn't enough, of course. She needed to ensure she brought back a fully equipped army of Iron Golems. Naturally, she would include them in her return journey, as a life without them would be uninteresting.

Feeling rejuvenated, Marylia decided to sleep for the night.

Exhausted yet content from the day's honey collection and processing, she settled down, her mind at ease with the day's achievements and the preparations for the future.