Chapter 354: How About Living in My Body? (4)
“Join the Royal Faction… and fight against the Ducal Family?”
At Count Mowbray’s heavy words, Ghislain nodded without hesitation.
“Yes. That is exactly what I want.”
“……”
Count Mowbray stared at Ghislain for a long time before letting out a deep sigh.
“Are you from the Royal Faction? Did the Marquis of Branford send you?”
“Something like that. Though not directly sent by the Marquis.”
“In exchange for saving my son, you’re essentially demanding I give up my entire house and territory. That is impossible.”
The reason Count Mowbray, a noble of the south, did not side with the Ducal Family was simple: he did not want to contribute to treason.
For that reason, he declared neutrality. It was a stance he could take, confident in his own strength.
Whether it was the Royal Faction or the Ducal Family, attacking him would drain their resources without yielding significant benefits.
However, if he chose to ally with one side, the other would inevitably seek to eliminate him.
“I cannot fight the Ducal Family.”
No matter how powerful he was, he could not match the Ducal Family. If he were to go to war against them, his territory would be doomed to destruction.
Saving his son from the evil spirit would lose all meaning.
“My apologies, but I hope you can understand my circumstances. Instead, may I offer compensation in another way?”
After all, Ghislain had been a benefactor who cured his son. Letting him leave without some form of repayment would not sit well. Nobles held honor and pride in reciprocating the kindness they received.
Ghislain nodded at Count Mowbray’s words. He had anticipated such a reaction.
“In that case, I will request something else.”
“What is it?”
“First, I ask that you continue to maintain your neutrality.”
“That goes without saying. I have no intention of becoming a traitor.”
“And the other… is to allow passage through your territory in the future.”
“Passage?”
Count Mowbray tilted his head, puzzled. Asking for passage out of nowhere was perplexing.
Ghislain chuckled, pulled at his beard, and removed his wig. His sudden transformation made Count Mowbray’s eyes widen in shock.
“Who are you? Why are you in disguise?”
“I am the Count of Fenris.”
“……!”
Count Mowbray was stunned into silence for a moment.
Recently, rumors about Count Fenris had been sweeping the kingdom.
The man who had defeated Count Desmond, the Northern Grand Lord, and claimed dominance in the north through sheer strength.
The mere appearance of someone who had directly opposed the Ducal Family was enough to send anyone into a panic.
“Are you truly the Count of Fenris?”
“I am.”
It took Count Mowbray a while to calm his racing heart before nodding.
“Indeed. It seems the rumors were true, then. They said Count Fenris cured the illness of the Marquis of Branford’s daughter and even created excellent cosmetics. It wasn’t just hearsay.”
If it was Count Fenris, then it made sense that he could expel an evil spirit.
The rumors about him were extraordinary and hard to believe. Hearing them, Count Mowbray had doubted their authenticity, but seeing Ghislain in person made him realize the man was truly remarkable.
Straightening his posture, Count Mowbray continued speaking.
“There must be a reason for revealing your true identity. What do you mean by asking for passage?”
“The Royal Faction and the Ducal Family will eventually clash in a civil war.”
“I’m aware. The tension has been palpable.”
“When I march against the Ducal Family, I plan to bypass their forces by moving through your territory. That is why I ask you to grant my army passage.”
“……”
Count Mowbray finally understood Ghislain’s intentions.
His territory was at the southern entrance, situated at the far edge. If a civil war broke out, the battlefield would likely unfold outside his neutral domain.
Ghislain intended to exploit that fact, using Mowbray’s territory as a route to directly attack the Ducal Family.
It was a bold military strategy. A single word from Count Mowbray could ruin it.
In fact, even if Count Mowbray remained silent, the success of such a plan was uncertain. For Ghislain to reach this far south from the north, he would need to overcome countless obstacles.
Only if the Royal Faction, led by Count Fenris, grew significantly would the Ducal Family be forced to stretch their defenses, making the strategy viable.
Count Mowbray stared intently at Ghislain for a long time before speaking.
“Do you believe that’s possible? Your opponent is the Ducal Family. Everyone predicts they’ll win if a civil war breaks out. You won’t even make it this far south.”
“You never know until you try.”
“Even if you do make it here, I could betray you by revealing your plan and striking your forces from behind.”
“That’s a matter to be resolved if it happens.”
Ghislain’s calm response made Count Mowbray twitch his lips.
“I could capture you now, imprison you, and inform the Ducal Family. My territory is much closer to theirs than to Fenris’ domain. Turning you in would earn me great rewards from the Ducal Family.”
Ghislain laughed fiercely and said, “If you want to try me, I won’t stop you. Are you confident?”
At that, Count Mowbray leaned back in his chair and glared at Ghislain.
He had heard rumors of Count Fenris’ abilities. Especially during the war, there were stories of him displaying power comparable to that of a Master.
While rumors tend to be exaggerated, Count Fenris was not called the strongest in the North for nothing.
‘His confidence truly is unparalleled in the kingdom.’
The Count of Fenris was also famous for his utter lack of fear. If Mowbray attempted anything foolish, Count Fenris would not hesitate to retaliate.
A person hailed as the best swordsman in a region was said to be capable of fighting dozens of knights single-handedly.
And Count Fenris was rumored to exceed the level of a regional swordsman, being nearly on par with a Master. If he went on a rampage here, most of the knights and soldiers in the lord’s castle would be killed.
Count Mowbray chuckled and shook his head.
“Just as the rumors say. How could I do such a dishonorable thing to my benefactor? I was merely testing you.”
“I assumed as much, Count. I didn’t believe you would act otherwise.”
Count Mowbray was known as one of the most upright men in the kingdom. Even though he was part of the South and firmly believed the Ducal Family would win in a civil war, he declared neutrality simply because he refused to be labeled a traitor.
A man like that would never commit such a petty act against his benefactor.
After a moment of contemplation, Count Mowbray nodded.
“Very well. I will keep your secret and grant you passage once. However, I cannot provide any further assistance.”
“That is sufficient.”
“But do you truly believe this is possible? Reaching this far south from the North won’t be easy.”
“If I cannot make it, so be it. That would lighten your burden, wouldn’t it?”
Count Mowbray laughed at Ghislain’s words. He was right. If Count Fenris failed to arrive, it would reduce the risk of being accused of being Fenris’ accomplice.
If that happened, Count Mowbray planned to feign ignorance as much as possible. He could claim Count Fenris had secretly infiltrated his land, making it harder for others to openly blame him.
Still, Count Mowbray wasn’t overly concerned. In his view, it was nearly impossible for Count Fenris to reach this far south.
‘If a civil war breaks out, the capital and its surroundings will become the battleground for the two factions. How could he possibly make it here?’
Even Marquis Roderick, the great lord of the West, possessed an army capable of overthrowing the kingdom on his own. Even if Count Fenris broke through those forces, the surrounding defenses near this region would be formidable.
It seemed impossible no matter how he considered it.
“I will watch and see. If you make it this far, I will gladly grant you passage.”
“Thank you. Then we should formalize this agreement with a contract, right?”
“A contract?”
Count Mowbray frowned slightly. Did Ghislain think so little of his honor to suggest such a thing?
Unbothered by the reaction, Ghislain pulled out a contract he had prepared and handed it over.
“These things must be done properly. Now, please affix your seal.”
“Hmph…”
It seemed Ghislain had anticipated this outcome and prepared the contract in advance. With a bitter laugh, Count Mowbray pressed his seal onto the document.
Thus, their agreement was sealed.
Count Mowbray felt a flicker of curiosity. Would this man, hailed as the Northern Saint, truly be able to reach here during a civil war?
If he managed to do so, it would mean that the Ducal Family couldn’t easily secure victory.
“You must be tired. Stay for a few days and rest. I’ll prepare a grand banquet in your honor.”
“No, thank you. I need to return to my territory quickly. Staying here too long would not be wise, would it?”
“Hm, I suppose not…”
There was indeed no benefit for Count Fenris to linger in the South. Suppressing his disappointment, Count Mowbray nodded.
Ghislain stayed for about three days to prepare for his departure.
As he gradually made arrangements to leave, a loud argument between Count Mowbray and someone else echoed from somewhere within the castle.
“You insolent fool! Have you already forgotten this? What do you plan to do later?”
“Please, stop it already! I haven’t even fully recovered yet!”
“Are you defying your father now?”
“I’m not going to just sit here and take it anymore!”
“W-what? You’ve grown bold since being possessed by that evil spirit!”
“What of it!”
Arel looked dazed at the noisy commotion coming from a distance, while Ghislain shook his head with a wry smile.
* * *
“The Crimson Flame Tower… is becoming more active?”
At the very top floor of a massive tower, a middle-aged man seated in the highest position opened his mouth. Despite his gaunt frame, the ferocity in his gaze exuded an intimidating presence that left no room for underestimation.
“Yes, they are expanding their influence at an astonishing rate. It seems they have acquired a significant quantity of runestones,” replied Glenn cautiously. Glenn, who once suffered humiliation from Ghislain while attempting to purchase grain, still held his position as one of the strongest individuals and an elder of the Scarlet Tower.
The one receiving Glenn’s report was Delmud, the Tower Master of this place and a 7th-circle mage.
Delmud glanced at the three other elders present and asked, “There’s no way so many runestones appeared all at once. The runestones sold by the northern merchants have already been monopolized by us. What do you think happened?”
“It appears… Count Fenris has supplied them once again.”
“Fenris… Count Fenris….”
Delmud muttered the name repeatedly, his sharp eyes narrowing further.
That man was a constant thorn in his side. Because of him, Count Desmond was defeated, and the support that had been flowing to the Scarlet Tower was cut off.
Although the Ducal Family sent merchant groups to provide aid, transporting supplies from the South to this place was no easy task.
Delmud had worked tirelessly to bring the Crimson Flame Tower to ruin, and for a while, it seemed within reach.
But at some point, his opponent suddenly began to regain their old vigor, and now they were expanding their influence in earnest.
Sales of magical tools, scrolls, and potions had noticeably increased. Even among the nobles who had previously patronized the Scarlet Tower, some had returned to purchasing from the Crimson Flame Tower.
The tower’s long-standing traditions also provided it with extensive connections, aiding its resurgence.
“Did you say they are also increasing their number of mages?”
“Yes. They’re advertising their large stock of runestones to attract independent mages.”
“And they’re closely tied to Count Fenris, correct?”
“That’s correct. They’ve even established a branch of their tower within Fenris’ territory, appointing an heir as the branch head.”
“I see… So that brat from Fenris is definitely aiding the Crimson Flame Tower. But where on earth is he getting so many runestones?”
“There are rumors… that they obtained them again from the Forest of Beasts.”
The fact that they were harvesting runestones from the Forest of Beasts had inevitably leaked. The sheer number of workers required to carve out roads and claim territory made it impossible to keep secret.
Even so, the reports left many questions unanswered.
The quantity of runestones emerging from Fenris’ territory was steadily increasing. It was hard to believe they could secure such an abundant supply of such a rare resource.
Delmud’s expression darkened as he muttered, “The Forest of Beasts… To think it held so many runestones. No wonder the Ducal Family had their sights set on it.”
The Ducal Family had never explicitly explained why they targeted the Forest of Beasts. But judging by the current situation, they were likely after its resources.
How they discovered those resources remained a mystery.
Of course, even the Ducal Family hadn’t anticipated the Forest of Beasts holding such a vast quantity of resources. That was merely Delmud’s speculation.
“With Count Desmond defeated, we can’t use financial resources to destroy the Crimson Flame Tower anymore.”
Count Fenris, often called the richest man in the North, was backing the Crimson Flame Tower. Meanwhile, the Scarlet Tower’s funding had been drastically reduced.
Merchant groups were also beginning to cozy up to the Crimson Flame Tower. There was no point in continuing a battle of wealth.
“This is troublesome. We need to eliminate the Crimson Flame Tower to ensure we can safely strike the Royal Faction from behind during the civil war.”
Though they had been on the decline, the Crimson Flame Tower had once been considered the foremost tower in the North. Even now, they boasted more disciples and deeper connections than the Scarlet Tower.
Until now, the Scarlet Tower had maintained an edge thanks to Delmud’s skill and superior funding. However, with the financial advantage gone, Delmud’s skill was their only remaining superiority.
And this shift was entirely due to that brat from Fenris.
“Count Fenris can be dealt with during the civil war… but at this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the Crimson Flame Tower surpasses us again.”
At Delmud’s words, the elders lowered their heads. They couldn’t think of a viable solution.
Just as Ghislain had predicted, the rise of the Crimson Flame Tower was making them increasingly anxious.
“There’s no other option but to use force.”
“Do you mean…?”
Delmud ground his teeth several times before speaking.
“Request a mage exchange meeting. I’ll take the opportunity to kill them myself.”
A fierce, murderous glint shone in his eyes.