Chapter 328: How is it? I’m right, aren’t I? (2)
The Runestones obtained previously had already laid the foundation for becoming the strongest force in the North.
I had really used them wisely in all sorts of ways. They were spent on creating farmlands, trading with magic towers, constructing mana concentration arrays… basically, anything involving magic.
I had spent them freely, so they were all used up by now. But if you look at it another way, it meant there had been enough Runestones to significantly develop the territory.
And now, there were even more Runestones than what I had obtained back then! Not to mention, we also discovered the Fairy’s Blessing, which wasn’t any less valuable than the Runestones.
The sheer impossibility of the situation left everyone speechless.
“Kyaaaaah!”
Belinda, realizing the enormity of the situation, let out an excited scream. She hadn’t even confirmed just how many Runestones there were, but the sight of the Fairy’s Blessing alone was enough to make her ecstatic.
Her excitement stemmed from none other than Claude.
‘That bastard Chief Overseer! He won’t torment us about money anymore, will he?’
While Ghislain made all the major decisions for the estate, meaning his commands had to be carried out without question, not every single task in the territory was under his purview. Countless smaller issues cropped up daily.
There was no way Ghislain could attend to all these minor matters. Hence, everyone handled their responsibilities to the best of their abilities.
However, getting things done required money, and Claude, the Chief Overseer, controlled the purse strings.
He never delegated his authority over finances.
‘Always so tight-fisted, claiming there’s no money! Just you wait!’
Belinda, as the castle’s steward, needed funds to manage the staff and maintain the castle’s operations.
While there was a secret family fund under her stewardship, it couldn’t be used for official purposes. So she had no choice, but to approach Claude and make constant requests.
Belinda wasn’t the only one who had to grovel for money.
Even Gillian, who possessed nerves of steel capable of facing thousands of troops alone, Vanessa, who could unleash miracles that defied the laws of the world, Galbarik, the Great Blacksmith, Piote, who could invoke the Goddess’s miracles, and Lumina, who lived in harmony with nature and transcended worldly affairs, all had to bow their heads when asking Claude for funds.
And that bastard knew precisely how to wield his authority.
“This is the end of our suffering! We’re swimming in money now!” Belinda exclaimed.
Her cheer prompted relieved smiles from the others. They had all suffered too much under Claude’s miserly ways.
While he would still control the finances as the Chief Overseer, it was unlikely he’d be as stingy or petty as before.
If he dared, Belinda swore she’d riddle him with holes.
With excitement in the air, people began chopping down nearby trees and constructing defensive palisades. They moved carefully, ensuring they didn’t trample any flowers.
As he supervised the construction, Gillian spoke to Ghislain.
“The workers for fortification have arrived.”
“Good. Then let’s move on to the next location. Prepare everyone.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ghislain steadily expanded the territory with calculated steps.
There were so many workers available that it hardly took any time. The vastness of the dead Queen Grex’s territory also meant there weren’t many monsters.
Even the occasional wandering monster was overwhelmed and turned into minced meat in no time.
Having overcome their biggest hurdles, nothing could stop them now. The pioneering expedition continued for some time before finally arriving at their destination, the Runestone deposit.
This time, the sight of the Runestones left the group completely dumbfounded. Unlike when they discovered the Fairy’s Blessing, no one could even exclaim in surprise. They simply stood there with their mouths agape.
Only Ghislain wore a relaxed smile as he spoke.
“How about that? I was right, wasn’t I?”
The deposit’s location had to be confirmed first, so the surrounding area was still densely wooded, making it quite dark.
Yet, even in the shadowy forest, the deposit shone brilliantly.
“Ru-Runestones… this many…”
“There were so many last time, but this… this looks like double, no, maybe triple the amount!”
“This is insane! Insane is the only word for it.”
Runestones, which were hard to obtain and exorbitantly expensive, were scattered around as if they were mere pebbles.
Even the knights who had previously followed Ghislain to acquire Runestones were stunned.
The mages simply trembled. For them, Runestones were the ultimate treasure.
“Now we know why this forest is so strange.”
“This place is literally a reservoir of mana.”
“No wonder everything here is so bizarre.”
While others may not have understood the full significance, the mages felt an electrifying intensity. The mana here was so concentrated that it made their skin tingle. It was no wonder that such peculiar phenomena occurred in this region.
“Waaaaaaaah!”
The people erupted into cheers, albeit belatedly, realizing that they had achieved this unbelievable outcome themselves.
Of course, the Runestones weren’t technically theirs, but they all knew one thing: when their lord decided to reward them, he did so generously.
Ghislain did not disappoint their expectations.
When it came to Ghislain’s generosity, he never scrimped or meticulously calculated. His tightfistedness only showed during negotiations or deals.
Ghislain had a simple approach: “If we earned this much, we should share at least this much,” and then he followed through.
“Thanks to all of you, we’ve made it here. Those who labor for the estate deserve proper compensation. When we return, I’ll issue an additional payment equivalent to three years’ salary.”
“Woohooooo!”
“As expected, Lord Ghislain is unmatched when it comes to sharing wealth!”
“Thank you, my lord!”
The soldiers tossed their weapons aside and cheered with abandon.
Belinda, however, turned pale.
“Ahhh! That’s going to be a massive expenditure! The Chief Overseer is going to throw a fit again!”
With over 4,000 troops present, paying them three years’ worth of wages would require an astronomical sum.
If Claude started whining about the finances again, getting funds for anything else would become nearly impossible.
But what could she do? That was simply part of Ghislain’s charm.
The laborers, who had arrived late, also received the promise of triple bonuses and were absolutely ecstatic. Meanwhile, Belinda’s stress visibly deepened.
Watching her, Alfoi muttered to himself.
“What’s with this obsession with the number three? He always demands threefold when collecting and gives threefold when distributing.”
Despite all the excitement, the soldiers and workers focused on their tasks with renewed enthusiasm. As always, Gillian stepped up to keep order.
“Don’t even think about touching a single speck of debris. If I catch anyone, you’ll face military punishment.”
A few mages and knights with mercenary backgrounds looked visibly disappointed. However, those who had ventured into forests like this before simply got back to work, unaffected.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out when Gordon was dragged off to the corner and started getting beaten by a group of knights.
“Ouch! I was just trying to claim my bonus early! Ow! Stop hitting me!”
Apparently, he had been caught trying to sneak something into his groin again. Soon after, Alfoi, Ascon, and a few mages were tied up and hauled off.
Despite the minor chaos, the Runestone harvesting proceeded smoothly overall.
For now, the stones were being loaded onto carts to be transported out, but it wouldn’t be long before defensive walls were erected and the area would function as proper territory.
Watching the bustling activity around him, Ghislain finally let out a sigh of relief.
“At last, this land is ours.”
This was something he would never have dared attempt before. Back then, all they could do was clear a path and extract whatever Runestones they could carry.
Though they hadn’t yet claimed the entirety of the Forest of Beasts, they had secured enough land to rival a small territory.
Now, Ferdium could harvest abundant resources from this land and create countless jobs.
“This is where the real work begins.”
In addition to the Runestones and the Fairy’s Blessing, numerous other resources, such as herbs and lumber, were also obtained. Though overshadowed by the value of the two major finds, these resources would provide the foundation for developing the territory.
With these assets, Ghislain’s wealth had now reached a level that could rival any noble of the Ducal Faction.
This newfound strength would undoubtedly fuel his continued battles against the Ducal Houses.
News of Ghislain’s success in pioneering the Forest of Beasts spread rapidly across Ferdium.
“Amazing! Our Young Lord has done it again! I knew he would pull it off!”
“Don’t forget, you promised to lend us some of this land, right? For free, right?”
Homerne, the Chief Overseer, and Albert, the Treasurer, came to Ghislain, flattering him while double-checking their agreements.
The people of Ferdium also gathered to sing Ghislain’s praises.
“As expected of our Young Lord!”
“To think I’d live to see the day when the Forest of Beasts was subdued… It’s true, our Young Lord is the strongest in the North.”
“I heard even a 100-circle mage was with him? A figure that incredible follows our Young Lord, huh?”
Fueled by the workers’ exaggerated stories and embellishments, the rumors spread uncontrollably, further elevating Ghislain’s reputation.
Ghislain left a few officials behind to oversee the ongoing work and manage the remaining tasks needed for the development.
The most challenging part had already been resolved by him. Securing the territory and building its defenses were matters the officials could handle.
As for the farmland projects, they were entrusted to Ferdium. He planned to take only a portion of the yields as his share.
With the necessary resources secured, it was time to prepare for the next step.
Ghislain, satisfied with the results, smiled broadly and said,
“We’re heading back to the territory.”
* * *
The brain of the Ducal House, known as the “Lame Demon,” Raul, had received a new report. It was an investigation into Fenris.
Among the topics, the first thing Raul had ordered to be examined was the key figures in Fenris’s territory.
Raul placed great importance on understanding individuals. He believed that knowing a person’s tendencies and capabilities was essential for manipulating them to his advantage.
Though he was preoccupied with countering the Royal Faction, he couldn’t ignore Fenris, which had emerged as the strongest force in the North.
Should civil war break out, it would be critical to crush Fenris quickly. Preparations had to be made in advance.
“Hm… you’ve gathered this faster than I expected,” Raul remarked.
One of his strategists bowed in response. “Yes, sir. Gathering information about prominent figures wasn’t particularly challenging. Many of them are already well-known among the people of the territory.”
“Is that so? Was there much discrepancy compared to the information Harold provided?”
The Ducal House already had a report compiled by Harold, but it was outdated. Additionally, Raul suspected that Harold, with his strong pride, might have withheld crucial details.
That’s why Raul had ordered a reinvestigation.
The strategist nodded emphatically, as if confirming Raul’s suspicions.
“Yes, sir. Significant time has passed, and Fenris Count has recruited several new individuals. There are indeed substantial differences. However…”
“However?” Raul asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Well… it would be better for you to see for yourself.”
Raul, unfazed, casually opened the first page of the report.
“Fenris’s White Lion, Gillian…”
Right from the first page, a notable name appeared.
Raul had already heard of this person, he is someone who had stalled Desmond’s army at Stonehaven Fortress.
Titles often encapsulated the essence of a person. If someone had earned the nickname “White Lion,” it naturally indicated that they were both skilled and brave.
Indeed, the report detailed Gillian’s exploits in great detail.
“Hoo… this man is said to be on par with Baron Hutton? Perhaps even close to being the best swordsman in the North?”
“That is our assessment, sir. While a direct comparison is difficult since Yurgen was killed by Amelia, judging by Baron Hutton’s abilities, Gillian is not far behind.”
“Right, right. Baron Hutton was an exceptional knight.”
If that was the case, Raul could estimate Gillian’s strength to be at the level of the North’s finest swordsmen. Knowing his abilities would make it easier to counter him Raul would simply send someone who could decisively kill him.
“A former mercenary… active in foreign territories, I see. He was already a remarkable mercenary back then… the Count of Fenris has secured an excellent individual.”
The report also detailed when Gillian had begun following Ghislain, what he had accomplished, his duties, his personality, and even his favorite foods.
These details were apparently so well-known that there were few doubts or inconsistencies in the information.
With this, Raul felt he had a comprehensive understanding of who Gillian was.
Satisfied, Raul flipped to the next page.
Then, his expression twisted abruptly.
[The Bribe King of the North, Gambling Addict, Storm Investigator, Chronic Liar, Missing Truth, Money Tracker, Gambler of Defeat, Gangster’s Brother, Lifelong Slave…]
The page was riddled with bizarre titles. Raul rubbed his eyes several times before focusing on the name.
[Chief Overseer Claude.]
“……”
For a long moment, Raul was speechless. His strategist fidgeted nervously, stealing glances at Raul’s expression.
The Chief Overseer of what was now recognized as the strongest northern territory a region acclaimed as a “Grand Territory” had such titles attached to his name?
After regaining his composure, Raul frowned deeply and asked,
“What is this? Are these the titles for the Chief Overseer of a Grand Territory? Did you mistakenly investigate some street thug?”
“No, sir! He’s undoubtedly the Chief Overseer.”
“Undoubtedly? Are you saying someone with these absurd titles holds the office of Chief Overseer?”
“Yes, sir! All the territory’s residents attest to it.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
As Raul’s gaze grew colder, the strategist blurted out in a distressed tone,
“Everyone in that place is… strange!”