The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 329: Chapter 328: What do you think? Am I right? (2)

Chapter 329: Chapter 328: What do you think? Am I right? (2)

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Even with the rune stones obtained last time, a foundation for becoming the strongest in the North was laid.

They had been used in a variety of ways-establishing farmland, trading with the Magic Tower, creating mana concentration circles... basically, anything requiring magic utilized them.

The rune stones had been consumed quickly, but that only meant there had been enough to develop the territory significantly.

But now, they have found even more rune stones than before! On top of that, they discovered the Blessing of the Fairies, which was as valuable as the rune stones.

It was a situation so unbelievable that everyone was left speechless.

"Kyaaah!"

Belinda, realizing the significance of the discovery, let out an ecstatic scream.

Although they hadn't yet confirmed just how many rune stones there were, the Blessing of the Fairies visible before her eyes was enough to make her overjoyed.

Her excitement stemmed from none other than Claude.

"That bastard head butler! He won't be able to complain about money anymore!'

While Ghislain gave orders for the grander projects of the territory, he couldn't possibly handle all the smaller tasks.

These countless minor matters were left to their respective managers, who did their utmost in their roles.

However, money was necessary for everything, and the one who held the purse strings was none other than Claude, the head butler.

He never allowed anyone else to control financial management.

'He always gave me a hard time, saying there's no money! Just wait and see!'

Belinda was the head maid of the castle, responsible for managing the servants and maintaining the household.

While she had access to some private funds for the family, she couldn't use those for official purposes.

Thus, she had no choice but to plead with Claude every day.

She wasn't alone in this.

Even Gillian, who had the courage to face armies alone, Vanessa, who performed miracles with her magic, Galbarik, the master blacksmith, Piote, who wielded the miracles of the goddess, and Lumina, who lived in harmony with nature, all had to bow their heads to Claude when asking for funds.

And that bastard knew exactly how to wield his power.

"Finally, the end of my suffering! Now, we'll be overflowing with money!"

At Belinda's exclamation, the others also sighed in relief. They had all suffered from Claude's miserly ways.

Of course, as the head butler, Claude would still manage the funds, but now he wouldn't be able to claim there was no money and behave stingily.

If he dared, Belinda would certainly make sure he regretted it.

Everyone began cutting down trees and setting up fences with joyful expressions, taking care not to step on the precious flowers.

Gillian, overseeing the construction site, approached Ghislain and reported,

"The workers from the fortress have arrived."

"Good. Then let's move to the next site. Prepare everyone."

"Understood."

In this way, Ghislain steadily expanded his territory. With an abundance of workers, it didn't take much time. Queen of Greggs' vast territory also meant fewer monsters to deal with.

The occasional wandering monsters were swiftly reduced to mincemeat by their overwhelming numbers.

Having already overcome the greatest challenge, nothing could stop them now. After some time, the pioneers finally reached their destination-the rune stone site. When they saw the site, people were too shocked to even cheer, unlike when they had discovered the Blessing of the Fairies. They could only gape in silent astonishment.

Only Ghislain smiled calmly and said,

"What do you think? Am I right?"

The dense forest still surrounded the area, making it quite dark, but the rune stone site glowed brightly even in the dim surroundings.

"So many rune stones..."

"There were already a lot last time, but this... this is nearly double. No, triple!"

"This is insane! There's no other word for it."

Outside the forest, rune stones were so rare and valuable that they were worth their weight in gold.

Even the knights who had previously accompanied Ghislain to gather rune stones were dumbfounded.

As for the mages, they could only tremble. To them, rune stones were the ultimate treasure.

"Now I understand why this forest is so unnatural."

"It's a literal reservoir of mana."

"No wonder everything here is so bizarre."

While others couldn't sense it, the mages felt the dense mana concentration to the point of being overwhelmed.

With such a concentration of mana in one area, strange phenomena were bound to occur.

"Wooaaah!"

The people finally erupted in cheers.

They had achieved something unbelievable.

Of course, the rune stones weren't theirs, but everyone knew that their lord was generous. And Ghislain didn't betray their expectations.

When it came to rewarding his people, he never calculated stingily. His frugality only showed during business negotiations.

Ghislain casually announced, "Thanks to all of you, we've come this far. Those who toil for

the territory deserve their due rewards. Upon our return, I will provide a three-year bonus to

all salaries."

"Wooaaah!"

"As expected, our lord's generosity is unmatched!"

"Thank you, my lord!"

The soldiers threw down their weapons and cheered.

But Belinda's face turned pale.

"Ahh! That means a huge amount of money will be spent, and the head butler will complain

again!"

They had brought over four thousand soldiers. Paying their three-year bonus would require an astronomical amount.

Claude's inevitable grumbling would make it even harder to secure funds in the future.

Still, what could she do? That's just who their lord was.

The newly arrived workers, promised three times their usual wages as a bonus, were equally

overjoyed.

Belinda, however, gained yet another wrinkle on her face.

Meanwhile, Alpoi muttered to himself,

'He's definitely obsessed with threes. He demands triple when negotiating, and now he's giving triple

too.'

The soldiers and workers eagerly focused on their tasks, while Gillian sternly warned them,

"Don't touch even a fragment. If caught, you will be dealt with according to military law."

Some mages and mercenary knights looked slightly disappointed, but those who had ventured into the forest before merely nodded and concentrated on their work. At one point, Gordon was dragged to the corner and beaten by the knights.

"Ahh! I just wanted to claim my bonus early! Stop hitting me!"

It seemed he had been caught trying to pocket something secretly.

After that, Alpoi, Ascon, and a few mages were tied up with ropes and dragged away.

Despite such disruptions, the rune stone harvesting proceeded smoothly.

For now, they loaded the rune stones onto carts, but soon, defensive walls would be erected,

and the area would be properly integrated into the territory.

Watching the bustling activity, Ghislain finally exhaled a sigh of relief.

"We've finally claimed this place."

In the past, he wouldn't have even dared to attempt this. Merely carving a path and hauling

away rune stones had been the extent of their capabilities.

Although they hadn't conquered the entire Forest of Demonic Beasts, they now controlled

land equivalent to a small territory.

Perdium would gain immense resources and create numerous jobs from this.

"This is just the beginning."

They had secured rune stones, Blessing of the Fairies, and countless herbs and timber.

Though the rune stones and flowers overshadowed everything else, these additional resources would still form the foundation of the territory's growth.

Ghislain's financial resources now rivaled those of any noble in the duke faction.

This newfound strength would surely fuel his continued resistance against the duchy.

News of Ghislain's success in pioneering the Forest of Demonic Beasts quickly spread to

Perdium.

"My, my! Our young lord has done it again! I knew he would! I just knew it!" "Don't forget, you promised to lend this area to us for free, right? It's free, isn't it?"

Homerne, the head butler of Perdium, and Albert, the treasurer, visited Ghislain, showering

him with flattery while confirming their agreement.

The people of Perdium gathered to sing Ghislain's praises.

"As expected of our young lord!"

"To think we'd see the day when the Forest of Demonic Beasts is subdued... Truly, our young

lord is the strongest in the North."

"Didn't a 7th Circle mage join him? Someone like that following our young lord is proof of his

greatness!"

The workers who participated exaggerated their stories, spreading even more sensational rumors, further elevating Ghislain's fame.

Ghislain stationed a few administrators to oversee the settlement of the area and assigned the remaining tasks to trusted managers.

The hardest part had already been resolved.

Simply securing the territory and building walls were tasks the managers could handle.

The development of farmland was entrusted to Perdium, and Ghislain planned to only take a

portion of the yields.

With necessary resources secured, it was time to prepare for the next stage.

Ghislain, with a satisfied smile, said,

"Let's return to the territory."

***

Raul, known as the "Crippled Devil," and the strategist of the duchy, received a new report.

It was about the Fenris territory.

His first directive had been to gather information on the key figures of the Fenris territory.

To Raul, understanding the personality and abilities of one's opponents was essential to manipulating them effectively.

Though busy dealing with the royalist faction, he couldn't ignore the Fenris territory, now the

strongest in the North.

In the event of civil war, they would need to crush Fenris quickly, so preparation was key.

"Hmm... That was quicker than I expected."

At Raul's remark, an aide lowered his head.

"Yes, gathering information about key figures wasn't difficult. Many of them are already

famous among the populace."

"Really? How does it compare to Harold's report?"

The duchy already had a report from Harold, but it was outdated.

Raul also suspected that Harold, being prideful, might have withheld critical information.

Thus, he had ordered a reinvestigation.

The aide nodded emphatically.

"Yes. Quite a bit has changed since Harold's report. Count Fenris has recruited new

individuals, so there are significant differences. However..."

"However?"

"Ah, no. I think you should read it for yourself."

Raul, with a nonchalant expression, opened the report to the first page.

"The White Lion of Fenris, Gillian..."

Right from the start, the name sounded impressive.

Raul had already heard of this man-the one who had stalled Desmond's army at Stonehaven

Fortress.

Nicknames often encapsulated a person's essence.

Being called the White Lion suggested exceptional skill and bravery.

Indeed, the report detailed his exploits extensively.

"Ho... So this man is on par with Baron Hutton? Close to being the North's finest sword?"

"From what we've gathered, that seems to be the case. While it's impossible to make a direct comparison due to Jürgen being killed by Amelia, judging from Baron Hutton's skill, Gillian is likely not far behind."

"Yes, Baron Hutton was an exceptional knight."

Raul decided to consider Gillian's strength on par with the North's finest sword.

Knowing his opponent's capabilities made it easier to plan. He would simply send someone

capable of definitively killing him.

"A mercenary, huh... He was active in another country? He was already quite skilled back

then... Hmm, Count Fenris has recruited well."

The report also detailed when Gillian had begun following Ghislain, what tasks he had undertaken, his personality, and even his favorite foods.

Such information was likely well-known and left little room for doubt.

Raul, feeling satisfied, turned the page of the report. The next section, however, made his face twist into a grimace.

[The Bribe King of the North, Gambling Addict, The Storm Investigator, Liar Extraordinaire,

Missing Truth, Money Tracker, The Gambler of Defeat, Gangster's Brother, Lifelong Slave...]

The list of bizarre nicknames went on and on.

Raul rubbed his eyes and checked the name again. [Claude, the head butler.]

Raul couldn't speak for a long moment.

The aide nervously observed his reaction.

This was the head butler of Fenris, the territory now hailed as the strongest in the North.

How could someone in such a high position have these kinds of nicknames?

Regaining his composure, Raul frowned and asked,

"What is this? Are you telling me the head butler of a great territory has nicknames like these?

Did you gather information on some street thug instead?"

"N-no, sir. He is definitely the head butler."

"Definitely? And this man with these ridiculous nicknames holds the head butler's position?"

"Yes, sir! The residents of the territory unanimously confirm it."

"What nonsense is this?"

As Raul glared coldly, the aide protested indignantly.

"Everyone there is just... weird!"

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