Throne of the North.

Chapter 659 A Day in the Life of an Ordinary Person

Frozen soil, a fortified defensive line.

This place was originally built as a military fortress to defend against orcish invasions from the north. Before the Wall was built, this was the border of the Frozen Territory.

Orcs would always invade, especially in winter when they had trouble finding food, and they would start targeting the humans in the south.

But now, the fortress line has become the logistical hub for the Wall in the North. All the supplies needed to transport to that sturdy fortress standing on the snowfield will pass through here.

This place is also a warehouse in the frozen territory; it is cold enough to preserve food, and not too far from the north or south.

The wolves are the guardians of this place. They are adapted to the harsh northern cold and roam the dense forests. Fenrir's people are natural warriors and also absolute partners of the wolves.

Egil rarely returns here; he is no longer the king of the wolves. So now each military fortress in the fortress defense line has its own garrison commander, much like the head of a large family.

Granville was such a leader. He was responsible for the daily operation of a military fortress and, when necessary, he would lead the seven or eight families under his jurisdiction to form teams with other fortresses to transport supplies to the Wall in the North.

He has already carried out such operations two or three times, and has recently had some free time because he had already sent all the resources needed for the Wall in the North before winter.

Granville has ended his three-day stay at home and plans to go hunting to make dried bacon, which he can then take to Rhinoceros Horn Mountain or Zero Crossing City in the spring to sell for a good price.

Moreover, food needs to be stored at home. As former Fenrir people, the instinct to store food is ingrained in their blood.

Granville called upon three companions, Flo and Max, two of the men from the several households he managed.

The three men stood together, all with long, slender limbs and strong, muscular bodies. If they were to dress up, these men with wolf-like eyes would all be quite imposing.

Wooden spears, longbows, and daggers—these are their hunting weapons, simple yet wielded to their fullest potential by these natural warriors.

"We'll try to hunt two or three antlered deer this time."

Granville smiled and spoke to the two men, and the three of them left, chatting and laughing, into the depths of the mountains and forests.

Steep forests are not suitable for antler deer; they need to find flat areas near underground rivers, which happens to be commonplace for the three Granvilles who have lived there for several years.

There was no road underfoot; the gravel and dead wood were cold and frosty, and many insects hid deep inside, so accidentally stepping on one could cause a huge problem.

The three moved quickly, and soon the steep mountains and forests in front of them were replaced by a valley with a babbling stream. In this early winter season, snowflakes were falling from the sky, but the streams here were still flowing and not frozen.

Several majestic deer were drinking water on both sides of the stream. They seemed to sense danger, raised their heads, looked around, but found nothing, and then continued drinking.

The three lay prone at a distance, their breathing and heartbeats gradually calming down as they waited for the perfect moment.

Whoosh!
An arrow streaked through the air and hurtled toward its target.

……

boom!
The wooden arrows, still sharp at the tip, were embedded in the hay target, and the children jumped for joy at the sight.

"Father, I hit the target!"

This is a vast expanse of land, where countless footprints have compacted the soil beneath our feet, making it difficult for wild grass to grow. A young boy jumps up excitedly, searching for his father.

Meanwhile, other boys of similar age looked at him with envy, only to be met with even more stern gazes from their fathers.

"Your father has gone hunting."

A kind-faced woman lovingly stroked the boy's head; she didn't seem to care much about his grades.

"You'll have fresh venison tonight."

"Oh? That's great."

The boy slurped his saliva, then continued his studies. He drew his bow and nocked an arrow, but this time the arrow missed the target.

The adults around laughed, without any malice. These were Fenrir's people, and they knew very well that the boy was young and too eager.

“You should calm down. It will take time for your father to return, which is enough time for you to shoot the remaining twenty arrows.”

"You need to get five of them."

After listening, the boy let out a long breath, his eyes hardening, and he held the arrow for a long time before releasing it again.

As the arrow was nocked again, shouts of rebuke came from the surrounding crowd.

"Look at them, they practiced ten extra arrows today!"

A series of wails came from the surrounding area. Slowly, many women began to return to their homes. It was almost time for them to cook.

"This fuel is really useful. It even saves us from having to collect firewood. We'll have more time to weave clothes from now on."

"Yes, this winter seems to be colder than last year, so we need to make more clothes."

"They can keep the animal hides from the game they hunt; they won't sell them this year. Anyway, those kids aren't old enough to study yet."

"Let's try harder next year and send them to Rhinoceros Horn Mountain. Winter City, none of us like Winter City."

"I wonder if the bards will come to our side, so we won't have to travel such a long way. I heard the road is not safe. The road is not fully repaired yet, and there are wild animals on the road that specifically snatch children away."

"Oh dear, that's terrible."

Women often communicate in this way; as laughter and fragrant aromas wafted through the white smoke, the three hunters from afar returned to the fortress.

Granville sniffed the air; the stench of blood mingled with the fragrance of wheat, which made him smile happily.

"Ah, what a sweet smell, Flo, your wife must have put maltose in your food."

“My wife wouldn’t do that. She’s always worried that I’ll eat too much and ruin my teeth. Damn it, how could the people of Fenrir possibly ruin their teeth?”

"Haha, I'll bring you some later."

"Don't do that. Your child is still growing, a two or three-year-old little guy who needs food right now. Let him eat more so that we can rest when we get old."

"There's no need. How much can he eat? There's plenty of food now. Didn't the lord say that grain shouldn't be stored for more than three years, or it will spoil?"

"This year's grain harvest is very good, and I feel like I've grown taller."

"Let's eat some fresh venison. Cut off the foreleg and keep it safe. Send it to the patrol guards tomorrow, and they will deliver it to the lord."

"Only tax two legs? That's cheap." Granville and his two companions returned carrying two processed deer, which drew cheers from everyone. Soon, a campfire was lit; on hunting days, everyone always huddled together to eat.

In the distance, the neighing of horses could be heard. The men stood up, their eyes narrowed as they looked in that direction. Only when the tall knight came into view did they relax, and then they were filled with astonishment.

“It’s Commander Brand. I recognize his armor; it was forged by Master Brock over three months.”

"Isn't Commander Brand at Rhinoceros Horn Mountain?"

"Lord Ryan is here?!"

People gasped in surprise. Soon after, Ryan was sitting by the campfire. Fresh venison was cut off and placed on sticks to roast. Spices were sprinkled on, and an even richer aroma filled the air, causing the young men and women around to swallow.

Their usual diet is much coarser than this.

Ryan smiled and handed over the meat. Granville and the others panicked, unsure how to refuse or how to thank him. In the end, they could only watch as the children nervously ate the meat and then knelt down to thank Lord Ryan.

"no need."

Ryan ate a few bites and then left the campfire, returning to the carriage. It was getting dark, and he still needed to head to the Wall in the North.

As the majestic and magnificent procession drove away, the commoners by the campfire finally relaxed.

"It's terrifying. Just standing next to Commander Brand makes me feel like I can't breathe, and I can't even relax my muscles."

"I even forgot how to proceed; he was just too powerful."

"No wonder Lord Egil always said he wanted to defeat him. I wonder if Lord Egil can beat Commander Brand now."

"Yes, Commander Brand is sure to become a legend, right?"

"Compared to him, Mr. Ryan is very gentle, and I am not afraid at all."

"It's so cold, yet the master still insists on going to the Great Wall. Why don't we pack up the deerskin, weave it into a blanket, and send it to him?"

"Will Lord Ryan accept it? He should be able to get a better deerskin blanket."

"So what? Our skills are not bad, we can definitely weave the best carpets."

"But these two deer aren't enough, and we've already ruined their hides."

"Then let's hunt a few more tomorrow. The wild animals have been eating well these past few years, and the deer are all growing well. Killing a few more won't make a difference."

"it is good."

The sky gradually lost its brightness, and night slowly fell. That's how winter is; the days are always short, and even the twilight seems even more desolate.

The children have already gone to sleep, but the adults still need to tidy up. According to the rules, they also need to organize people to keep watch at night.

In previous years, half of the people on night watch were adult men. These natural warriors from Fenrir were able to fight as soon as they had a weapon in their hands.

But now that's no longer necessary. The Wall in the North has isolated all dangers, and the thorny thickets keep many wild beasts away.

Two or three people are enough to complete a night's security patrol.

"You go to sleep first. Flo and I will keep watch over you tonight."

Three people are the standard, but Granville and his two teammates have developed a tacit understanding that whenever it is their turn, one of them will go back to rest, and then the next round will be a different person.

Two people completing the task of three wouldn't be too tiring. Their military fortress didn't have a watchtower, so there was no need to go up to it; the task was easy.

Max nodded. Last time it was Flo's turn to rest, this time it was his turn. He packed up and headed to his house, which was nestled against a stone wall in the distance. It faced north, but having a stone wall behind him could effectively ward off the cold, and most importantly, it could better maintain the temperature.

The cold wind chilled Max, calming his excitement at meeting the lord not long ago. But as the door opened and the warmth of the fireplace wafted in, the fire in his heart reignited, and he embraced the woman who rushed towards him and headed for the bed.

"The lord just came by. Aren't you staying there today?"

"No need, Granville and the others can handle it. They'll call me if there's any noise."

"That's it."

The woman's voice softened as she said:
"Today, the Granville family's children can already shoot six arrows at the target."

“Flo’s kids can already run on their own.”

"Our children will be able to do it too."

Max smiled and picked up the woman. The room was dark, and light was precious, but it was convenient for the two of them to get straight to the point without any more hassle.

Ordinary people have ordinary days, and it is only natural for them to enjoy and find joy in them, waiting for tomorrow to come, when they will either change or repeat today's day.

On the other side, the carriages were adorned with bright lights. The road was dim and unclear in the twilight, and these sun lamps from Archbishop Adriana provided a brightness that darkness could not offer.

Among the escorting knights, every other knight held a torch, while the rest had their hands on their sword hilts, ready to strike at any moment. The tall northern warhorses lowered their heads, walking along the road like silent travelers, occasionally panting as they tried to nibble on the snow by the roadside.

But each time they were stopped. The knights pulled on the reins, knowing their mounts were hungry. Yesterday on the battlefield of Redwing Plains, these warhorses had also consumed too much life energy, and they wanted to replenish it by eating.

However, Archmage McKen had said that the warhorses of the North should not overeat. Whether in battle or in daily life, they must eat the same food. Only in this way can they maintain their high endurance in the snowy environment of the North.

It will be fine after a few more generations of bloodline updates. The current Northern warhorses are still evolving and cannot fully adapt to such hunger.

"who?!"

Ahead, the knight drew his longsword halfway out with a whoosh and then roared loudly at the road ahead.

They had just passed through a thorny thicket when Ryan arrived, and the once narrow thorny path suddenly widened. This spiritual plant, a gift from the wolf spirit, possessed extraordinary instincts.

Nastrund, truly a spiritual plant with a name.

Ahead, on the dimly lit road, the road was no longer as smooth and hard as before. Frozen water stains and messy footprints could be vaguely seen on the ground.

The knights' booming shouts carried far; their powerful spirits and vigor gave them a formidable aura in the frigid environment.

The group of people in front suddenly knelt on the ground, not daring to say a word.

"We, we are responsible for clearing the snow off the roads. Master Kruger told us to clear the snow today, or we are not allowed to go back to sleep."

(End of this chapter)