The Island-Banished Noblewoman - Chapter 60, Chapter 61

Day 120 of Banishment: Winter Clothes (1)
The 121st day of banishment began with an energetic flurry of activity.

"Alright, Terracotta No. 1, take Nos. 2 through 6 with you and gather firewood. Stay within half a league east or west of here. Don't go too far north; that's closer to the center. Iron Golem, take the rest of the Terracottas and some slimes to gather food. Now, off you go!"

Following Marylia's instructions, the golems set off, each group heading out to perform their assigned tasks.

Marylia beamed with satisfaction as the Iron Golem moved efficiently, despite her vague and haphazard instructions.

"... Ah, it's just so wonderful~ Hehehe."

The cold wind blew, but Marylia's heart was warm. Oh, the marvel that is the Iron Golem!

While the golems were out collecting firewood and food, Marylia began crafting clothes.

"Ehe, finally, I can put this needle and thread to good use."

Marylia took out one of the tools she had brought to the island—a needle and thread set—and started sewing a petticoat.

"No need for anything too elaborate. Let's make something to keep the torso warm for now."

She dismantled a linen petticoat made in a skirt shape, turning it into fabric and repurposing it into clothing. Though simple, layering even such basic garments could provide warmth.

"Since I'll be wearing fur anyway... This will at least protect the skin from irritation where poorly-tanned fur might rub."

While making about three simple garments, Marylia also thought about how to process the fur for winter clothing.

The main material for these winter clothes was, of course, fur. The fur had been tanned using a solution derived from acorn tree bark. Thanks to the golems repeatedly pounding and kneading it, the fur was relatively soft, though still far from cloth-like.

The reasons for this were primarily twofold.

First, the tanning process itself was inadequate.

There are simpler tanning solutions that could make leather more pliable, such as those involving specific metals. However, given the island's limited resources and technology, Marylia had to forgo such methods.

As a result, the tanning process ended up being subpar. Even so, thanks to the golems' relentless effort, the leather was of reasonably good quality.

Second, the fur itself was thick because Marylia had hunted monsters that were naturally bulky and heavily furred!

By late morning, Marylia had finished sewing three garments and decided to check on the golems' progress.

"Oh my, you've gathered quite a lot of firewood!"

The firewood was stored under a roofed rack Marylia had built beside the bathhouse. At this pace, they should have enough to last the winter.

"Good job. Now, as for the Iron Golem..."

When Marylia turned around, the Iron Golem knelt before her and presented a kelpie's head.

"... Oho, you've been hunting too? My, oh my, oh my..."

An extraordinary achievement, indeed. The Iron Golem had hunted and defeated a monster on its own and brought back its meat!

Looking in the direction the Iron Golem indicated, Marylia saw the headless kelpie hanging from a tree, its blood already drained. Nearby, the Terracotta Golems were diligently sorting through gathered chestnuts and walnuts.

The chestnuts were shelled and sun-dried whole. Afterward, they would be dry-roasted once a day until thoroughly dehydrated, making them long-lasting. To eat them, one would crack the brittle shells, soak the nuts overnight, and then boil them.

As for the acorns, they were boiled, leached of tannins, and ground into powder, as Marylia had done before. Once thoroughly dry-roasted, the acorn powder would also keep well.

"Splendid. If I had medals to give, you'd all deserve them. Now then, let's work on dismantling that in the afternoon."

Marylia instructed the Iron Golem to process the kelpie. Dismantling it was heavy work, and she was happy to delegate it.

"... Oh, that's right!"

Suddenly remembering something, Marylia stopped the Iron Golem.

"If you have time after dismantling it, could you hunt some weaker monsters? Even small amounts of meat are fine. You can even give the meat to the slimes if needed."

The Iron Golem tilted its head slightly, as if puzzled, a gesture Marylia found endearing. Smiling, she explained her reasoning.

"I need thin, soft fur."

"Well, hunting monsters near the central part of the island naturally leads to this kind of result, doesn't it?"

After lunch, Marylia reviewed her current materials while the golems worked on dismantling the kelpie and splitting firewood.

"Sturdy, thick hides... Hmm, they're great for armor, but not ideal for clothing."

The furs she had were mostly thick and tough, with coarse hair.

While these were good insulators, they were less suitable for clothing, as garments should ideally be flexible and conform to the body. Overly stiff materials wouldn't move with the wearer's body.

"I'll have to hunt small, weak creatures to obtain thin, soft fur."

Marylia realized she would need to prioritize hunting for fur rather than food.

Animals like rabbits or foxes—small creatures—would provide thinner, softer fur. However, their small size meant she'd need to gather hides from multiple animals.

"But monsters tend to avoid me, don't they? Considering that, asking the Iron Golem might be best."

Having hunted many of the island's stronger monsters, Marylia suspected they now feared her. She imagined them whispering, "Run if you see her," and chuckled.

Thus, relying on the inconspicuous Iron Golem seemed the better option. For the foreseeable future, Marylia planned to rely on it to hunt specifically for fur.

"That means I need to procure more tanning liquid again... Hmm, deciding the distribution of the golems is such a challenge."

While mulling over this, Marylia decided to start by making something with the furs she currently had. First things first, she would make boots using fur and tanned leather to improve her cold weather protection for her feet.

She pulled out a thick, long sewing needle to stitch the leather together.

"If I hadn’t brought this along, I’d have had to carve a needle out of a peryton horn... good thing I didn’t have to."

Using deer antlers, it’s possible to craft thick needles. While these would suffice for sewing leather, having proper metal ones was undeniably preferable.

Marylia got straight to work, cutting the leather.

For the soles, she doubled up sturdy pieces of leather. For the sides, she chose the softest fur she could find. Or, at least, tried to.

"It’d be great if brownies would stitch them up for me, but I know that’s just wishful thinking. Hehe..."

Legends say that if you leave the pieces of a shoe ready, brownies might show up and sew them together, but she didn’t count on it. She then began crafting leather laces. Scraps of leather left after cutting the main pieces were repurposed into laces.

Instead of cutting the leather into straight strips, she cut it in spirals to make longer laces. This technique maximized the usable material from the outer edges, making Marylia feel a bit triumphant for wasting nothing.

Once she had strips of leather, she stretched them out thoroughly. Rubbing the taut leather strips against the corner of a table added tension, thinning and softening the strips to make them more pliable and suitable for stitching.

"Well, this should do."

Once the strips were thin enough, Marylia threaded them through the needle. She used two needles for sewing. With a chisel, she made holes in the leather pieces shaped for the boots, then threaded the needles through those holes, sewing the edges tightly.

"Even with leather laces this thick, if I apply enough pressure, they come together quite nicely."

Since the edges were sewn with leather laces, she was careful to stitch them densely and securely. She wanted the seams as durable as possible, so she opted for leather over plant-based fibers.

Marylia stitched meticulously, one stitch at a time. It took a significant amount of time, and by evening, the boots were finally complete.

"Phew, they’re done."

Massaging her tired shoulders and eyes, she gazed at the finished fur boots.

The boots were slightly oversized, reaching midway up her calves. The loose parts were fastened with leather laces, making them wearable and warm.

"Now, how are the golems doing, I wonder?"

Having been absorbed in her work, she hadn’t checked on the situation outside. Feeling a mix of curiosity and concern, she peeked outside.

"You’re impressive, aren’t you..."

She clapped as she saw the Iron Golem standing there, holding the pelt of a small animal.

"So, you’ve finished processing the meat, started salting it, and even went hunting for smaller prey on your own? My, how efficient!"

Inferring the situation from the details, Marylia applauded once more. The Iron Golem, kneeling respectfully, looked proud.

"This is... a horned rabbit? Excellent, truly excellent."

The pelt brought by the golem was from a horned rabbit, a large rabbit with antlers. About the size of a curled-up Marylia, it was still a rabbit, meaning the fur was soft and fluffy, making it perfect for clothing once tanned.

"And three of them! You really managed to take down that many?"

While golems lack a biological presence, making them less detectable by monsters, taking down three horned rabbits was no small feat. Perhaps the golem had been particularly lucky.

"Wait... acorns?"

The Iron Golem extended its hand, revealing acorns in its palm.

"Uh... hmm."

Marylia contemplated. Since the golem was showing her the acorns, there must be a reason.

"So, you hunted them while they were foraging for acorns?"

When she asked, the golem nodded in confirmation.

Horned rabbits mainly eat grass but also consume acorns and nuts like walnuts. It’s likely that this season of abundant nuts was the perfect opportunity for them to feed in preparation for winter.

"Winter is coming, after all... Alright, please handle the tanning for these. The rest can wait until tomorrow."

After instructing the Iron Golem, Marylia assigned the Terracotta Golems to dry firewood and fetch water for her bath. Then, she began preparing her dinner.

Dinner was a stew made with kelpie and horned rabbit offal.

The offal, coated with acorn flour and grilled to a crisp, was both fragrant and rich in flavor, encapsulating a robust savoriness. The addition of man-eater roots and lily bulbs soaked up the broth’s flavor, adding another layer of deliciousness.

Smiling, Marylia enjoyed her hearty stew... but then.

"Oh? It seems we have company."

Sensing movement outside, Marylia stepped out cautiously.

And there they were.

"Well, I can’t blame you for wanting to target a place with plenty of food."

A group of monsters, including perytons and gryphons, had gathered. Behind them, smaller monsters like horned rabbits lingered, likely hoping for scraps.

They were probably after the food stores or the drying meat.

"But you see..."

Marylia smiled sweetly at the monsters.

"You’re about to become my dinner."

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Day 121 of Banishment: Winter Clothes (2)
Golems have their disadvantages compared to humans, but they also possess certain advantages.

One such advantage is their ability to see in the dark.

Strictly speaking, golems do not "see" in the conventional sense. Like slimes and some other monsters, they move by detecting mana rather than relying on physical sight.

This means that for golems, day and night are essentially the same. As a result, they have an advantage in nighttime battles over many living creatures.

That said, their opponents are monsters, beings with senses far beyond those of normal creatures, including extraordinary vision and smell. Naturally, they present a significant challenge.

"Iron Golem, I'm entrusting the command to you. Do as you see fit."

With a serene smile, Marylia decided to sit back and enjoy the spectacle. Standing in front of her house, she held an iron axe, just in case, but her demeanor was one of calm confidence.

And rightly so.

The Iron Golem nodded and immediately began issuing commands to the Terracotta Golems.

Golem communication does not rely on sound. Instead, they exchange mana signals—similar to the military signals Marylia had once used.

Marylia, accustomed to intercepting these signals, effortlessly followed the golems' instructions and began to chuckle.

"The targets are smaller monsters like horned rabbits with soft fur. Prioritize those."

Following this command, a flurry of detailed orders flowed rapidly. Each golem received an astounding volume of information almost instantaneously, a level of communication possible only between golems.

Under the Iron Golem's direction, the golems began to move in unison.

Smaller monsters were dispatched by single golems. The golems would close the distance quickly, striking down their prey with spears once the creatures faltered under the sheer number of attackers.

Any small monsters attempting to flee were relentlessly pursued by the golems, ensuring none escaped.

The larger monsters, such as gryphons and perytons, were bewildered by this scene.

Despite their imposing presence, the golems ignored them entirely, focusing solely on the smaller monsters. The golems moved in an orderly fashion, showing no fear of the larger threats.

The perytons and gryphons, unable to grasp the situation, hesitated.

This hesitation proved fatal, as it left them vulnerable to the Iron Golem, who had silently crept into their midst for a surprise attack.

"Simply remarkable," Marylia murmured, her eyes gleaming as she watched the Iron Golem's flawless maneuvers.

The Iron Golem singlehandedly infiltrated the monsters' ranks, launching a sudden assault that felled two large creatures in an instant. As the enemy forces scattered, the Terracotta Golems joined the Iron Golem to encircle and pick them off one by one.

The golems operated as a coordinated unit. In contrast, the monsters were a disorganized horde, united only by their mutual desire for food. Their lack of teamwork sealed their fate.

One by one, the monsters fell. Those that fled were pursued, though the golems refrained from chasing them too far. The ones that escaped quickly vanished into the distance.

In short order, the monsters were defeated, and the golems had successfully defended the base.

"Well done! Excellent work.”

Marylia said warmly as the golems returned. She beamed with pride as the Iron Golem bowed deeply, exuding an air of knightly dignity.

"Once the bloodletting is complete, you may rest. Tomorrow, we'll handle the butchering and tanning."

This defensive battle had exceeded Marylia's expectations. Not only had the base been protected, but the golems' combat capabilities had also been thoroughly proven.

With such capable golems, Marylia felt confident entrusting battlefield command to the Iron Golem. While she could issue similar orders herself, delegation allowed her to focus on other tasks. The Iron Golem seemed better suited to combat leadership anyway.

"Hehehe, with this, I won’t run out of meat during the winter. And I’ll have plenty of fur too!"

Marylia was especially pleased that the prey had come to her. The soft fur of the smaller monsters was exactly what she needed, and now she had an ample supply.

"… Looks like I’ll be running low on salt again, though."

However, processing this much meat would inevitably deplete her salt reserves. No matter how much she produced, it never seemed to be enough—such was the challenge of preserving food with salt.

The next day, 122nd day of banishment.

"Good morning! Everyone, thank you for your hard work today! Be careful with damage and take it slow, alright?"

After calling out to the working golems, Marylia returned inside, prepared breakfast soup, and immediately began processing the furs.

"Alright... for today, let's start by making bedding from the peryton's fur."

The smaller creatures like horned rabbits had their hides tanned that day, but they still needed time to be ready. For now, Marylia decided to process the available hides. She started with the peryton's bird-like feathered hide—soft and fluffy—using it to make bedding.

Currently, her bed had only a peryton hide laid across it. She slept on that with a petticoat linen spread on top. However, winter would make such an arrangement too cold, even with the hearth burning all night. Bedding was a necessity.

She trimmed the edges of the hide, ensuring it fit the bed, and layered two sheets together for better insulation. Then, she stitched two dismantled petticoats together to form a linen bag.

"Now, I'll just stuff it with feathers."

Marylia stepped outside and collected plucked feathers from the golems, who were in the middle of processing the perytons. She washed the feathers thoroughly, drained them in a sieve, and left them to dry.

Thanks to the large number of perytons that had conveniently attacked, she now had plenty of feathers for making comforters. Marylia considered it a pleasant surprise. If she hadn't acquired so many feathers, she would have had to layer multiple peryton hides together to create a quilt.

"Next, let's make a pillow."

For the comforters, she used the soft, featherless down from the perytons' chest and belly. For the pillows, however, she mixed in some of the sturdier feathers with shafts. She sighed as she began stitching the dismantled petticoats into a proper pillowcase.

"I'm so glad I brought these petticoats as fabric..."

She had anticipated that producing such fine, smooth fabric locally would be difficult. If she'd had to start from scratch, she would have needed to find straight-fiber plants like flax, spin them into thread, weave them, and so on. Even constructing a loom with just wood would be a challenge, requiring iron tools for the fine work. Thus, making fabric was a task for the distant future.

"If only I had sheep, though. That would solve so much!"

Sheep would have provided wool for spinning, knitting, and creating textiles. But alas, there were no sheep. Marylia lamented their absence but resolved to keep dreaming of spring, when perhaps sheep might miraculously appear. For now, she focused on sewing and turning the feathers to dry them thoroughly.

Even as she dreamed of sheep, she continued working on the bedding and pillow. Once those were done, she shifted to making leather straps, feeding the slimes, preparing a winter shelter for them, and eventually wrapping up the day.

On the 123rd day, she focused on tanning hides, drying the salted meat, producing large amounts of wood chips for smoking, and constructing a big smoking box from planks.

On the 124th day, she began the smoking process, turned partially dried meat, and stuffed dried feathers into comforters and pillows.

Day 125 involved the first and second rounds of smoking the meat, hanging the finished pieces from the food storage ceiling, grinding acorns into flour, and so on.

Day 126 was spent processing walnuts and chestnuts, tanning more hides, and advancing various tasks.

And finally, on the 127th day:

"At last, I can make a coat!"

Marylia had reached the stage where she could work with the horned rabbit furs!

The fur coat she envisioned was simple in design. She first cut the furs to size, joining them together to create a suitable shape. Then, she stitched the pieces into a robe-like garment.

"Buttons are too tricky, and lacing is a hassle... A sash will be easiest."

She opted for a robe-like coat because it was the simplest design. Tying the front with a sash was straightforward and practical.

"… The collar is open, so I'll make a cape as well."

To compensate for the open collar, she decided on layered clothing for extra warmth. As she planned her next steps with excitement, Marylia joyfully worked her needle, eager to bring her ideas to life.

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