Chapter 77

Day 302 of Banishment: Beautiful Ruins (1)
On the afternoon of the 301st day of banishment, Marylia and her companions returned to their base.

"Everyone, we're back!"

As Marylia called out, the golems gathered around her. Even the slimes came waddling over. Though, to be fair, the slimes weren't motivated by loyalty—they were probably just drawn by the scent of food.

"As you can see, we've slain the dragon!"

Marylia announced, and the Iron Golems she had taken with her began unloading the dragon's materials—large quantities of meat, huge hides, bones, fangs, claws, and scales. The golems at the base applauded in unison.

… Though, since they were Terracotta and Iron Golems, the applause sounded more like “bam, thud, thud, clank.”

From there, everyone, including the base golems, got busy.

First, they had to process the meat.

As usual, they salted it to draw out the moisture, dried it, smoked it, and repeated the process to preserve it.

This time, two Iron Golems even attempted to make sausages. Watching them mince, pound, and knead the meat, then stuff it into the dragon's intestines, Marylia grew increasingly excited. The long-awaited sausages! Sausages!

Next, the hides needed immediate attention.

… The hides couldn't be tanned as they were. First, they had to scrape off any remaining flesh, clean them thoroughly, soak them in tanning solution to soften the tissue, and then knead them to make them even softer.

If the hides dried out during this process, they would have to rehydrate them, and worse, any remaining flesh would rot. So, they had to hurry to clean the hides first.

"Okay, this time, I want to turn this into armor. Please combine it with other hides using glue to form armor plates."

Since they were processing the hides raw this time, they only needed to clean them thoroughly. After that, there was no rush. Marylia decided to make dragon-scale armor by gluing the hides together to create hard, lightweight plates, just like she had done with her current armor. Once she gave the instructions, the Iron Golems would handle the rest, making things easier.

Next, they processed the dragon's fangs.

"These... I think they'd make great spears."

The dragon's fangs were tougher than iron and already sharpened like blades. It would be a waste not to use them.

"The larger ones could be turned into knives, but... well, considering the Iron Golems will be using them, spears would be better."

After conveying this to the Smith golems, they began crafting fang-tipped spears, just like they had with the scale armor. The polishing stones Marylia had used during the winter were now being used to sharpen the fangs. Marylia smiled, thinking, “All that effort I put in is finally paying off.”

The dragon's claws were more flexible and lighter than the fangs. The scales were similar.

So, she decided to use these materials to create parts of the armor. The golems would cut them into small plates and string them together. Marylia had heard that Eastern armor was made this way—light, durable, flexible, and easy to move in. It sounded like a good idea.

For the strings to hold the claw and scale plates together, they decided to use the dragon's blood vessels. Once tanned, the vessels would become flexible cords, resistant to fire and somewhat resistant to blades.

… She also decided to polish the smaller fangs and scales that couldn't be used for weapons into accessories, or carve the claws into bracelets. It was fun planning and crafting these items.

When crafting the fangs into spears or knives, the golems polished them, created a core, drilled holes, and pinned them to handles made from the dragon's bones.

Once the bone-and-fang spears were completed, some of the Iron Golems' equipment was upgraded. Similarly, when the scale and fang accessories were finished, they were distributed to both the Iron and Terracotta Golems, adding a bit of flair to their appearance. They also provided some additional defensive benefits.

As for the meat, the preservation process continued. Some of the larger cuts with bones were being turned into ham, which would take time. These tasks were left to the golems guarding the base... but the real issue was the sausages.

"Delicious...!"

Marylia's eyes sparkled as she tasted the finished sausages.

In front of the two Iron Golems who proudly declared, "I made this," Marylia bit into her second sausage.

The dragon's intestines were a bit tough, but by stretching them and stuffing them tightly with meat, they created a casing with a satisfying crunch.

The filling, of course, was incredibly tasty. Every bit of meat scraped from the hides and bones was pounded and kneaded with salt and herbs, ensuring nothing went to waste. The finely chopped organ meat mixed in added an immense depth of flavor.

Grilled over an open flame, there was no way it could be anything but delicious!

"Ahhh, I've been wanting sausages for so long~... Ehehe, I'm so happy..."

Marylia smiled, trembling with joy at finally fulfilling her long-held wish.

… Sausages are delicious!

… And so, by the 304th day of her banishment, the Iron Golems' equipment and Marylia's new armor were completed, and they were ready to set out again.

Given the dragon's size, there were still some materials left to process, but those were left to the golems at the base...

"Alright, let's explore that town at the bottom of the valley."

Finally, they were about to reach the deepest part of the island... and uncover its mysteries.

"Well then... we've come all the way back here, but it's still as sparkling as ever..."

On the 306th day of banishment, Marylia and the golems returned to the dragon-slaying site and looked down at the town in the valley.

… The treasure the dragon had hoarded glittered in the sunlight. It looked like it would be worth exploring.

This time, Marylia brought a total of nine golems.

Jade, the four guards, and the four Ironmaker golems who had accompanied her before. The rest stayed behind to continue processing the dragon materials.

"Well, it doesn't seem like there are any more dragons around here... but let's not let our guard down."

With that, Marylia and the golems began their descent down the steep mountain path toward the valley.

Descending a mountain is harder than ascending it. It's a common saying, and it's absolutely true.

"Ahhh~ let's take a break... Ugh, this is really tiring..."

Marylia was exhausted! Despite her stamina, which allowed her to chase after perytons, descending the rugged mountain slope was incredibly draining.

… Descending is more dangerous than ascending, of course, because of the higher risk of slipping or falling. You have to be more cautious when going down, which adds to the fatigue. Plus, the muscles used for descending aren't ones you use often, making it even more grueling.

"Ahhh~... it's going to be tough climbing back up after exploring... Maybe we should look for an easier path..."

Marylia made a valid point as she rested, surrounded by the Iron Golems. She drank some water, snacked on dried dates and chestnuts, and replenished her energy.

Taking breaks along the way, they slowly made their way down the valley.

… As they descended, Marylia began to sense a strange, mana presence.

"There's definitely magic at work here."

It was the same feeling she had when she first arrived on the island. In other words... the presence of mana at the island's center was still active.

"The magic is still active, which means there's a lot of mana here, attracting monsters... Haah, I wonder what's waiting for us. I'm kind of excited~"

Despite the almost certain presence of unknown magic, Marylia smiled leisurely.

… The unknown is terrifying, but it's also exciting. Marylia intended to conquer this deserted island by embracing the unknown.

She couldn't afford to fear the island. She would explore it, uncover its secrets... and return to Fractalia.

The group reached the valley floor as the sun began to set. They had started their descent in the cool morning air, so it had taken quite a while.

"... This is incredible."

But Marylia forgot all about the time and energy she had spent, captivated by the sight before her.

The walls, though cracked and peeling, still held their shape.

The tiled roofs, though missing some tiles, still served their purpose.

… These simple buildings, though crumbling, still stood.

"... The skeleton said they fled here with slaves and retainers. The number of houses must reflect how many people there were..."

The decaying townscape was melancholic yet warm. It wasn't just the warm hues of the setting sun, bricks, and tiles.

… There was a tangible sense of the effort and cooperation of the people who had once lived here.

If they had built so many houses and created a settlement without golems, relying solely on human effort... there must have been cooperation. Building someone else's house before their own, caring for their fellow workers... without that, a settlement of this scale would never have been possible.

"Maybe even the slaves lived well here. Hmm, but that would change the impression I got from the skull's story..."

… Speaking of which, the skull's story was still on her mind.

According to the skull, the prince had struggled with the settlement, even enslaving nobles...

Just then.

"Is someone there?"

Marylia turned at the sound. The Iron Golems immediately moved to protect her, raising their spears.

… And there, in their line of sight.

"... A zombie?"

Something—or someone—with a decaying body was shuffling toward them.

"Well, whatever. Let's just attack. Everyone, charge!"

And Marylia showed no mercy!

What do you think about this chapter?