Chapter 485:I Have a Question. (3)
Many nobles attended the banquet.
Of course, the main focus was on Ghislain. After all, this was no ordinary banquet—it was a victory celebration.
Even though Ghislain wasn’t particularly fond of gatherings with nobles, he attended out of courtesy. He didn’t plan to participate in every event over the next few days, but he figured showing his face for at least one night was necessary.
“Brother! You always acted so smug just because you could fight, but you really are good at it!”
Countess Mariel Aylesbur greeted him warmly with a bright smile. She wasn’t the only one—many nobles rushed forward to shower him with praise.
“I knew the Northern Army Commander would accomplish this.”
“Of course! He is the hero who saved the kingdom. A true hero.”
“I recognized it from the start. He was never an ordinary man, even back then.”
Just a few years ago, these same nobles had mocked him, calling him a rookie and other insults. But now, they sang his praises as if they had never doubted him. That was because Ghislain had grown so powerful that they could no longer even dare to look down on him.
Still, some nobles, particularly those around Ghislain’s age, were eaten up by jealousy.
‘Ugh, why is he still alive?’
‘This is making me sick. I wish he’d just die already.’
‘How is someone like him rising so fast?’
They gathered together, doing nothing but grumbling and belittling Ghislain.
“It’s all just luck, isn’t it?”
“Of course. He’s only where he is because the Marquis of Branford and Marquis Maurice McQuarrie are backing him.”
“If they had supported me instead, I’d have wiped out all the ducal forces by now.”
“Exactly! Why is he just sitting there after gaining the upper hand? Tsk tsk. He’s still way too inexperienced.”
Having completely succumbed to their own bitterness, these nobles constantly gathered to insult Ghislain, even scheming ways to hinder him.
But in the end, they had no real power to influence anything. They could do nothing but sulk, complain, and stew in their jealousy.
As the banquet progressed, nobles seeking favors began to emerge.
“The Eastern Army Commander position is currently vacant… What do you think of this man for the role?”
“If the Northern Army Commander were to recommend him, it would carry a lot of weight.”
“The war is practically over, isn’t it? He’d be excellent for handling the postwar cleanup.”
“We’d make sure to show you our utmost sincerity in gratitude.”
The Eastern Army Commander position had originally belonged to the Marquis of Branford’s eldest son. However, before the war even began, the Marquis of Branford had deemed his son unfit and replaced him.
That replacement commander had died during the war.
Even the Marquis of Branford couldn’t justify placing one of his relatives in the position again. He had to be content with the fact that his son was still alive.
As a result, the seat was now up for grabs. Although it had been a mere title in peacetime, during a war—and especially in the aftermath—it was a position with immense influence and lucrative opportunities.
Ghislain shook his head at the nobles’ subtle attempts at bribery.
“That decision belongs to Marquis of Branford and Marquis Maurice McQuarrie.”
“Oh, come now! If the Northern Army Commander were to put in a word…”
Ghislain shot them a look of pure annoyance. Only then did they realize the atmosphere had turned cold, and they hesitantly withdrew.
Of course, that didn’t stop them from grumbling under their breath.
‘Hah, so he thinks he’s all grown up now?’
‘Damn it, his military power is too strong to challenge.’
‘A proper puppet should be in that position, not someone like him.’
Sensing their discontent, Ghislain shook his head wearily.
Their admiration, jealousy, temptation, and flattery—it was all exhausting.
The war wasn’t even over yet, and they were already loosening up, busy scheming for their own gain.
‘Pathetic. Some people never come to their senses until they’re at death’s door.’
He couldn’t help but think how exhausting it must be for the Marquis of Branford to govern a nation alongside nobles like these.
Unlike before, noblewomen no longer swarmed around Ghislain. Too many high-ranking nobles were constantly surrounding him, making it difficult for them to approach.
Even so, their eyes gleamed with ambition, watching for any opportunity to connect with him.
‘He still doesn’t have a lover, does he?’
‘Hehe… If I get the chance, I know I can win him over.’
‘There’s no way I’m letting a man like that slip away.’
They all had the expressions of hungry cats eyeing their prey.
Seeing this, Rosalyn clicked her tongue.
‘Stare all you want. That man only talks to women about money. To him, women are no different from currency.’
She found Ghislain to be a truly peculiar man. Most young lords his age were obsessed with women.
But that guy was only obsessed with money and fighting. Watching him made her feel like she was going crazy.
Just as Rosalyn was inwardly scoffing at the other noble ladies, something surprising happened.
“Oh my, oh my! He’s coming this way!”
“Who is it? Who is he going to see?”
“Look at how confidently he walks.”
A commotion arose among the young ladies.
Although the gathering was called a banquet for everyone to enjoy, young men had no choice but to remain on the sidelines. The center of the banquet hall was reserved for the hosts and high-ranking nobles.
Yet, Ghislain was cutting through the high-ranking nobles, heading straight toward where the young ladies were gathered.
The noble ladies quickly adjusted their attire and smiled. Their eyes sparkled with anticipation, eager to see whom Ghislain would ask for a dance.
But Ghislain ignored all of them and walked straight toward Rosalyn.
His presence was so overwhelming that everyone was left in shock.
“My lady.”
At Ghislain’s call, Rosalyn lifted her chin high. She could feel the envy of those around her.
Receiving numerous admiring glances, Rosalyn smiled and extended her hand slightly.
“Yes, my lord.”
“I don’t think this month’s financial report has come in yet.”
“……”
‘Should I kill him?’
Rosalyn forced a twisted smile. Since they were in a crowded place, she had to maintain her composure.
Clenching her fist tightly, she bit her lip and answered with an awkward smile.
“There’s a war… going on, isn’t there? Of course, sales have dropped… I’ve been busy trying to manage it.”
“Right? I was just wondering if there was some kind of problem. Hahaha.”
As Ghislain laughed brightly, Rosalyn smiled back at him. She really wanted to beat the hell out of him.
She heard snickers from the noble ladies around them. She briefly felt wary, but it was clear they saw her as nothing more than a business associate.
Rosalyn’s face flushed with embarrassment.
Even without this, there had already been plenty of gossip among the noble ladies about Rosalyn. The more Ghislain’s reputation grew, the harder the social circles tried to belittle and slander her.
That way, bad rumors would reach Ghislain’s ears.
The noble ladies didn’t bother hiding their sneers as they whispered.
“Well, of course. Acting close when they’re not even lovers.”
“She’s just managing a business on his behalf.”
“Honestly, isn’t she just using her family’s status to throw herself at Count Fenris?”
Rosalyn’s face turned even redder.
She couldn’t hear them clearly, but the atmosphere alone told her they were insulting her.
She didn’t want to stay here any longer. The humiliation of being disgraced in front of everyone made her vision darken.
“I… I’m not feeling well, so I’ll be taking my leave.”
Rosalyn turned around, biting her lip.
She was furious. This wasn’t like her at all. Normally, she wouldn’t have batted an eye no matter what anyone said.
She was well aware that Ghislain had no romantic interest in her. He truly saw her only as a business partner.
But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t feel humiliated when others ridiculed her for it.
“My lady, wait a moment.”
Just as Rosalyn was about to leave, Ghislain grabbed her wrist. The noble ladies watching widened their eyes in shock.
Caught off guard, Rosalyn stammered.
“W-why?”
Did he still have more to say about money? Did he really have to do this in front of everyone? Did he have to ruin a lady’s dignity like this?
As Rosalyn’s face burned red, Ghislain let out a small chuckle.
He had heard every word the noble ladies were whispering.
‘Then I can’t just let her leave like this.’
Rosalyn was different from the usual noble ladies. She was his brilliant ally and a steadfast supporter.
She had single-handedly managed the cosmetics business and secured major investments by persuading influential nobles.
During the drought, she trusted him and purchased food supplies, saving the Royal Faction from the crisis. During the war, she had sent Piote and enforcers to rescue him.
Even in the battle against the Salvation Church, she had believed in him and mass-produced healing potions, saving countless lives.
There was no way he would stand by and let such an extraordinary woman be humiliated by petty gossipers.
“This is a gift.”
Ghislain smiled as he pulled out a small box from his coat.
Rosalyn, along with the watching noble ladies, was utterly stunned.
The notoriously stingy Count Fenris was giving someone a gift?
“W-what is it?”
Rosalyn narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Could it be some kind of loan contract or bond?
Still grinning, Ghislain replied cheerfully.
“It’s a bracelet. The greatest dwarven artisan in our territory crafted it. And a 7th-Circle Mage painstakingly engraved defensive magic into it.”
“Th-this is…”
Everyone who heard those words was utterly shocked. Creating an artifact of that caliber would require an enormous amount of money.
With trembling hands, Rosalyn opened the box and took out the bracelet.
“Wow…”
A chorus of admiration escaped from the onlookers. The bracelet, displaying the dwarves’ delicate craftsmanship, was nothing short of a masterpiece.
The only thing that slightly bothered her was the overly conspicuous engraving—Shar’nel.
Ghislain smiled as he spoke.
“That will always protect you, my lady.”
“Count…”
Rosalyn barely held back the lump rising in her throat.
It was obviously an imitation, but still, the fact that he was giving her such a precious gift… It was proof that he didn’t see her as just a business partner.
Hadn’t he said something rather meaningful just now?
‘It will[a] always protect me?’
She felt like a princess in a fairy tale. He had been secretly interested in her all along, only pretending otherwise! What a sly man.
“Hmph! Since it’s a gift, I shall graciously accept it.”
Lifting her chin haughtily, Rosalyn put on the bracelet with an air of dignity. She could feel the envious gazes around her.
That attention only made her mood even better.
‘See? Count Fenris isn’t interested in any of you.’
Ghislain nodded in satisfaction as he watched Rosalyn’s delighted expression.
‘Hmm, now, who else should I give one to?’
Unbeknownst to Rosalyn, quite a few of these bracelets had been made.
This particular bracelet was a collaborative creation by Galbarik and Vanessa in Fenris. It contained magic that would shield the wearer from a powerful attack.
It had been designed for those who struggled to protect themselves—people like Claude and Lowell.
Rosalyn herself had once been in danger, nearly falling victim to a crusader disguised as a merchant guild leader.
So he had always intended to give her one. He just happened to do it in a way that also preserved her dignity in front of the noble ladies.
‘Can’t have her getting into trouble like last time. She needs to keep helping me.’
Unfortunately for Rosalyn, Ghislain had given her the bracelet purely out of goodwill. She was an important figure in his plans, after all.
But since she had no way of reading his true thoughts, Rosalyn could only interpret this as Ghislain finally expressing his feelings for her.
Well, in a way, he had expressed something clearly.
“That thing is really expensive.”
“…I understand.”
The fact that Ghislain was openly boasting about it showed just how valuable and difficult to make the bracelet was.
It had been crafted using the remaining powder from Dragon Heart Shards, refined together with Runestone, and infused with an immense amount of Vanessa’s mana.
There were only two 7th-Circle Mages in the entire kingdom, and one of them had personally created it using rare and costly materials. It was truly a priceless artifact.
Rosalyn couldn’t suppress her smile as she admired the bracelet. It felt wonderful to receive such a special gift just for herself.
The noble ladies watching clenched their teeth in frustration.
‘Ugh, why would he give such a precious item…’
‘He should’ve given it to me instead! I’m prettier!’
‘Does he actually like her? Or is it just because she’s from the Marquis of Branford family? How disappointing!’
Count Fenris was the most eligible bachelor in the kingdom. Not only was he young and capable, but he also possessed a military force that made even the highest nobles tremble.
Whoever managed to secure him would rise to the pinnacle of noble society. On top of that, he had been single for a long time after breaking off his engagement.
And now, such a man had given Rosalyn a special (?) gift—just for her. The other noble ladies were beside themselves with jealousy.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way. I have other important conversations to attend to.”
“Y-yes. Go on ahead.”
Ghislain moved swiftly, brushing off various nobles who sought to speak with him.
His next target was Bishop Porisco.
After the Holy One Incident, Porisco had been riding high with nothing to fear. So fearless, in fact, that he was completely drunk in the middle of the banquet hall.
He didn’t even care that people were whispering behind his back.
Upon seeing Ghislain, Porisco greeted him enthusiastically.
“Hey! You’re here? Hah! Man, you really know how to fight.”
He was so drunk that all pretense of dignity had vanished. The surrounding nobles tried to stop him, but it was useless.
“Oh, come on! Do you know how close we are? Huh? I shared food with him! Yeah! We ate together! We even exchanged gifts! Yeah, we did everything!”
The nobles clicked their tongues and shook their heads. They had always known he was a mess, but now that he had gained public admiration, he had completely lost it.
‘Tch. And this fool is supposed to be a Holy One?’
‘Wasn’t all of that just Count Fenris handing things out?’
‘Good thing people don’t know the truth. Tsk, tsk.’
The nobles, aware that everything had been orchestrated behind the scenes, simply accepted it as it was.
Ghislain sighed and dragged Porisco to a corner. Porisco, oblivious to what was happening, kept babbling.
“Ah, why are you doing this? Are you scheming something again? You got something good?”
“Quiet. I have something to ask you.”
Ghislain pulled Porisco into a private lounge that had been set up within the banquet hall and lowered his voice.
“You’ve met His Majesty before, haven’t you?”
“Urk, yeah. The bishops take turns performing divine healing on him.”
The only reason the King was still alive despite his frail body was because every mage and priest in the kingdom took turns healing him.
As a bishop, Porisco could use divine power to some extent. Given his position, it was part of his duty to check on the King’s condition from time to time.
Ghislain nodded and asked again.
“Is His Majesty really so weak that it’s difficult for him to meet people?”
“Of course! He’s getting weaker by the day. He can barely eat, you know? It’s been over ten years already. Damn, he’s got a strong will to live—Ah! Wait, I shouldn’t have said that.”
Realizing his slip, Porisco glanced around nervously before continuing in a hushed tone.
“To be honest, we don’t even know when he’ll die. Among ourselves, we keep saying, ‘Please, don’t let him die during my turn.’”
It would indeed be an awkward situation if the King happened to die while under his care.
Ghislain, realizing the King’s condition was more severe than he had expected, pondered for a moment before speaking.
“The next time you go to treat His Majesty, take me with you.”
At those words, Porisco instantly sobered up as if doused with cold water.
[a]bruh what is with this spellcheck...