Chapter 427: I Will Save You All. (1)
Upon hearing the news that Count Fenris had arrived, Count Grafton narrowed his eyes.
“Hm.”
The reason the Northern Army, which was battling the Rift, had come was obvious they were here to confiscate medicine and supplies.
With a smirk, he rose from his seat.
“The most famous man in the fortress has arrived. I should meet him. Bring him inside.”
“He insists on meeting you outside.”
“What?”
“A place has already been prepared outside.”
“Hah, so impatient.”
Count Grafton began to rise from his seat, but then hesitated.
Count Fenris was now so famous throughout the kingdom that no one was unaware of him. Especially for his master-level skills and his reckless personality.
If that madman were angry enough to try to kill him, there would be no way to stop him.
After a moment of deliberation, he asked the knight who had delivered the news.
“How many troops did he bring? Did the entire Northern Army come?”
“No, my lord. The Northern Army is waiting outside the outer walls. He only brought a few knights and several dozen soldiers with him.”
“Is that so?”
Count Grafton stroked his chin for a moment, then turned to his retainers.
“What if Count Fenris gets angry for not releasing the medicine and goes on a rampage here? He’s said to be a madman, isn’t he?”
“…….”
Seeing his retainers unable to respond, Count Grafton clicked his tongue in irritation.
“Tch. Do you have no thoughts at all? Pathetic. Even if he is a Master, shouldn’t we be able to capture him with so few troops?”
At that, his retainers’ faces turned pale.
“My lord! Absolutely not!”
“They say a Master can face thousands of soldiers alone!”
“There is no benefit in clashing with the Northern Army! We will all die!!!”
Hearing their reaction, Count Grafton shook his head.
“Getting scared without even trying… I don’t intend to fight either. I was just asking. No matter how crazy he is, he wouldn’t cause a scene here without a reason. Right? We haven’t broken any laws, have we?”
The retainers nodded in agreement.
Count Grafton wasn’t wrong. He was clever and had already prepared for this situation.
Rising from his seat, Count Grafton declared, “Let’s go. We can’t keep such a distinguished guest waiting. And everyone, mind your words. Understood?”
“Yes, my lord.”
When the retainers bowed their heads, Count Grafton smiled with satisfaction and began walking.
When Count Grafton and his retainers stepped outside, a meeting area had indeed been prepared in front of the lord’s castle.
A tactical meeting table and chairs, the kind used in military briefings, had been set up. Aside from that, there was nothing else.
Ghislain sat there with his arms crossed. As reported, only a handful of soldiers were present.
Seeing how sparse the setup was, Count Grafton clicked his tongue and took a seat across from Ghislain.
“Tsk, tsk. Bring some refreshments. We can’t welcome such an important guest like this.”
As the maids moved to comply, Count Grafton finally turned his attention to Ghislain and spoke.
“Welcome. I’ve heard much about your recent accomplishments. What brings you all the way here?”
Ghislain responded with a cold expression.
“I assume you’ve already received the official notice. The plague is spreading rapidly.”
“A tragic situation, indeed. That’s why I’m producing and distributing as much medicine as I can.”
“For that, it seems far too little. The people living on the outskirts of your territory are all suffering from the plague. The surrounding territories as well.”
“There’s nothing I can do. The medicine is scarce, and what can I do alone? What were the other lords doing all this time, failing to prepare? Click, click.”
As Ghislain stared silently at Count Grafton’s shameless expression, he continued.
“I do not wish to seize another’s rights and property by force. If you hand over the stockpiled medicine and ingredients now, you will be fully compensated with food and money at the price you paid. The royal family guarantees this.”
“Hah. But there’s really nothing more to give. Bring the documents! I’ll prove it clearly.”
At his words, a retainer brought several documents. They were inventory records, thoroughly falsified.
Ghislain accepted the documents and skimmed through them. The discrepancies between them and the information he had received were glaring.
With icy eyes, he stared at Count Grafton and spoke.
“This is my final request. Cooperate. Many people are dying. The compensation will be more than sufficient.”
“Can you not see it for yourself? I truly have nothing more to offer. What more do you want me to give?”
They couldn’t communicate. Eventually, Ghislain raised his hand and spoke to Gillian.
“Search everything thoroughly. Find all the medicinal herbs and drugs.”
“Understood.”
The forces Ghislain had brought were scattered in all directions. Seeing this, Count Grafton’s face twisted with anger.
“Count! What do you think you’re doing in someone else’s territory? How dare you treat me like this! What do you take me for?”
Ghislain remained silent. He simply closed his eyes and sat quietly, arms crossed.
Count Grafton sneered at the sight.
“I will not forget this. I’ve heard rumors that you’re reckless, but I never imagined you would be so suspicious of others. You will pay for tarnishing my honor. The other nobles won’t stand by idly either.”
It was an obvious threat, implying he would hinder Ghislain’s actions in the future.
The other nobles certainly wouldn’t view Ghislain’s high-handed approach favorably.
Still, Ghislain continued to wait in silence.
Only after several hours had passed did Gillian return, his expression grim.
“Aside from the quantities you mentioned… there are no other medicinal herbs or drugs.”
Upon hearing that, Count Grafton smirked again, and his retainers let out sighs of relief.
In contrast, the northern soldiers Ghislain had brought looked visibly shaken. So far, Ghislain had never been wrong in his actions.
Count Grafton didn’t bother hiding his mocking smile as he spoke.
“The remaining herbs fall under the kingdom’s laws. If you need them, take them all. We’ll settle the matter later. But is there really a need? We’re working hard to produce and distribute them to the surrounding areas anyway. As for the drugs, no ban or seizure orders have been issued yet, so I will use them as I see fit.”
Hearing those words, Ghislain tilted his head back to gaze at the sky.
‘Haa…’
These kinds of people were the worst those who danced on the edge between legality and crime, profiting while staying just within the bounds of the law.
To a certain extent, it was understandable. Everyone prioritized their own interests. But those who excessively crossed the line were the real problem.
Ghislain never harbored illusions about cleansing the world. In fact, as Fenris grew larger, so did the number of officials accepting bribes disguised as gifts.
He didn’t interfere in such matters personally. That was a task he left to Claude and other administrators.
‘That’s just how life is.’
Having struggled at the bottom himself, he understood well. Human greed could never be completely suppressed.
Therefore, he had established laws and systems within his territory, ensuring that as long as people stayed within the limits, he would turn a blind eye. He simply didn’t have the time to deal with every minor infraction.
However, crossing the line would never be forgiven. He made sure to set a clear example.
That was Ghislain’s philosophy of governance.
Having made up his mind, Ghislain looked directly at Count Grafton and spoke.
“Count Grafton, it seems I will have to ‘persuade’ you now.”
“Haha, persuade me? Fine, if you need my help, go ahead and try to persuade me. If it suits my interests, I’ll assist you.”
Count Grafton chuckled arrogantly, even feeling a sense of exhilaration.
The fact that the mighty Count of Fenris, known as the strongest in the north, was trying to persuade him was seeking his cooperation filled him with a twisted satisfaction.
Ghislain extended his hand to the side, and a spear flew from the Black King’s saddle straight into his grip.
“Oh?”
Count Grafton watched the spectacle with curiosity. Apparently, reaching the level of a master allowed one to perform such feats.
But then, Ghislain gripped the spear and stood, his eyes turning ice-cold.
“Let the persuasion begin.”
“What do you?”
Crash!
The table separating Ghislain and Count Grafton shattered instantly, flying apart to both sides.
Nothing stood between them now.
Ghislain stepped forward and, without hesitation, drove his spear into Count Grafton’s shoulder.
“Arghhh!”
Count Grafton screamed in shock, but Ghislain remained expressionless. He wrenched the spear free
Crunch!
and impaled it into the count’s thigh, pinning him to the chair.
“Arghhh!”
Count Grafton shouted with bloodshot eyes. He was now fused with the chair, unable to stand.
Even his retainers nearby were startled.
“L-My lord!”
“Commander, Count of Fenris! What are you doing?!”
“P-Please, lower your spear at once!”
To come to another’s territory and suddenly resort to such violence this was enough to spark a war.
He was going too far, beyond reason. Everyone was left in shock.
Count Grafton’s guards, belatedly regaining their composure, drew their swords, while the soldiers of the lord’s castle began to gather.
However, even as they assembled, none dared attack Ghislain.
“Your Grace! Please stop this!”
“This is madness!”
“Withdraw your spear and step back!”
They could only hover anxiously, surrounding him.
Count Grafton, writhing in pain, screamed.
“What are you waiting for?! Strike them down! Cut them down, I say!”
Half out of his mind from the pain, he howled to attack Ghislain without thinking.
Yet, the knights, knowing Ghislain’s reputation, dared not move against him.
Ghislain, with a cold stare fixed on Count Grafton, finally spoke.
“Gillian.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Kill anyone who stands in my way.”
“As you command.”
Shing!
Gillian drew his sword, and the other Fenris knights followed suit, their blades flashing in unison.
The northern troops who had accompanied them also raised their spears. Though Count Grafton’s forces outnumbered them significantly, none of the Fenris soldiers looked afraid.
On the contrary, they appeared calm almost too relaxed. Such was the vast gap between their combat skills and those of their opponents.
As the northern forces readied for battle, Count Grafton’s soldiers, intimidated, hesitated and took a few steps back.
Ghislain let out a fierce smile.
“Men like you I know your kind well. Words never work with scums like you.”
“Ugh… You…! Do you think you’ll get away with this? The other nobles won’t sit quietly!”
Count Grafton snarled despite the pain, struggling to speak. Yet Ghislain’s expression remained completely indifferent.
“So what? If we don’t stop the Rift and the plague now, everyone dies anyway. What does it matter?”
Ghislain grabbed Count Grafton by the collar and yanked him forward.
Seeing Ghislain’s burning eyes up close, Count Grafton was momentarily speechless. The sheer rawness of his killing intent and hatred was overwhelming.
What was this man truly fighting for?
Before the question could fully form, Ghislain growled.
“I don’t care if you hoard everything for yourself. But at the very least, don’t harm others during times like this. You should’ve known when to stop. Did you really have to push me this far?”
Ghislain drew a hand axe from his waist and slammed it into Count Grafton’s opposite shoulder.
Crunch!
“Gaaaaaah!”
“Speak. Where did you hide them? If you don’t want your head separated from your body, answer me now.”
“Ggh… T-There’s nothing! That’s all of it, you madman!”
Count Grafton writhed in agony, cursing through gritted teeth. He had heard rumors about Ghislain being insane, but to be this reckless, without even solid proof?
Cunning as he was, he refused to break easily. If he confessed now under torture, it would only seal his fate.
To survive, he had to resist. Count Grafton understood this well.
So he flipped the situation, throwing his own threat back.
“Is this how you treat a noble of the kingdom? Are you not afraid of the consequences? Every noble will turn against you! Stop this madness at once!”
Ghislain chuckled darkly. This man was bold, he had to give him that.
Truthfully, if he had the time, he could uncover everything through a thorough investigation. But he had no intention of wasting time on this.
Ghislain pulled the axe from Count Grafton’s shoulder, straightened, and exhaled slowly.
“No, you wouldn’t have done this alone.”
Blood dripped from the axe as Ghislain raised it and pointed it toward the gathered retainers.
“Who are the Chief Overseer and the Treasurer of this place? Step forward.”
The sight of the blood-soaked axe made the faces of Count Grafton’s retainers turn pale.