CHAPTER 143: It’s truly a great opportunity, I’m telling you! (1)

The day after the banquet, things began to move swiftly.

Under orders from the Marquis Branford, slave traders from various regions came to meet Ghislain.

These were major figures in the business of trading non-human slaves, but in front of Ghislain, they all appeared uneasy.

"Are you sure you can handle such a large volume? We know you're interested in non-human slaves, but the numbers are excessive."

"If there's any disruption in cash flow, you could go bankrupt. Non-human slaves are also notoriously proud, making them difficult to manage."

In a strange twist, it was the sellers who were worried about the buyer.

Ghislain responded with a relaxed expression.

"It's rare to see merchants worrying about their clients. Don't worry about the money; it's prepared. As for management, I'll handle it."

The traders exchanged glances and nodded subtly.

'Dealing with such a young noble on such a large scale is usually a bad idea…'

'But he's backed by Marquis Branford. What choice do we have? Most of the royalist nobles support him.'

Noticing their hesitation, Ghislain cast a sharp glance at them and issued a warning.

"Make sure to bring everyone without fail. If there's any issue… you know what will happen."

"Of course! Don't worry. Just, please… make sure the payment is timely. The amount is so large it's a bit unsettling."

"The balance will be paid on schedule. Just deliver the people properly."

Ghislain replied curtly.

Although the cosmetics business was thriving, it wasn't enough to cover the enormous sum at once.

But the amount was so large that the traders refused to agree to an installment plan without collateral.

"Don't forget that the Perdium estate has been pledged as collateral."

"I get it. Just make sure the job is done right."

"You have your father's approval for this, correct?"

Without batting an eye, Ghislain responded confidently.

"As the heir, I have the authority. Don't worry, and get moving."

"Ahem, understood. We'll prepare as quickly as possible. See you at the estate."

"And don't forget to prioritize the dwarves. Especially the specific ones I mentioned—ensure they are brought safely."

"Yes, yes, we'll make them a top priority."

"Good. Don't stray too far."

The slave traders left, looking unsettled.

'Damn, if this goes south, we'll have to file a complaint with Marquis Branford. Will he even take responsibility?'

'The estate we've taken as collateral is in the far northern wasteland. Just thinking about selling it off gives me a headache.'

'We should feel good about making such a big sale, but why do I feel so uneasy?'

As the traders left, Belinda clicked her tongue and muttered.

"The Count of Perdium would faint if he knew about this."

"It's fine. Father's always in a tough spot anyway."

Belinda sighed deeply and shook her head.

"Buying slaves is one thing, but what about the settlers? What are you planning to do with them?"

"What do you mean?"

"We're talking thousands, maybe tens of thousands of people. Until they settle down, we'll have to provide all their food, shelter, and clothing. That will cost an astronomical amount."

"It's fine. You saw how well the wheat is growing. We can handle it."

"People can't live on bread alone! What about everything else?"

"We'll need to spend money initially to help them settle. But as the population grows, the market will naturally revitalize."

It wasn't wrong, but that would only be possible after resolving the fundamental issues.

"Where will these suddenly displaced people get money to spend in the market? What work can they do? They need jobs to earn money and start consuming."

"The ones in urgent need of money can work on ongoing construction projects within the estate. And…"

"And?"

"I'll draft all able-bodied men into the military. Our estate severely lacks a standing army. Problem solved."

"Wha…?"

Belinda was stunned into silence.

Turning everyone left into soldiers? The scale of his plans was extraordinary.

She turned to Claude for validation.

"Does this even make sense? Can it really work?"

Claude nodded.

While aggressive, the idea wasn't entirely unreasonable. In this era, there were plenty of people willing to become soldiers just for food and shelter.

The only reason others didn't try it was that they couldn't afford to.

"If we funnel all the revenue from runestones and cosmetics into it, it's doable. We just need to hold out until the economy stabilizes. But…"

"But?"

"We'll be spending every penny we make, so finances will be tight for several years."

"Of course! Why the rush when things will improve over time anyway?"

Claude scratched his chin thoughtfully before offering his opinion.

"Well… maybe it's to prepare for war."

"War?!"

Belinda exclaimed loudly, then clamped her hands over her mouth, startled by her own outburst.

She leaned in and asked in a whisper.

"War? With whom? Why would anyone attack us?"

"There are plenty of potential threats. Desmond might launch a revenge attack, or other estates might covet ours."

Belinda frowned in confusion.

"Desmond aside, why would others come after us?"

"Because of food. Right now, the estate is as closed off as possible, but sooner or later, rumors of increased production will spread. And when that happens, people will start eyeing us."

"True, when we first got the runestones, we prepared for war for similar reasons."

Claude nodded and glanced at Ghislain before lowering his voice.

"That's probably what's happening. The lord wouldn't attack anyone unprovoked, right?"

"Of course not. Our young master isn't that kind of person."

"Well, doing that without reason would make him a thug… though it would suit him. Haha!"

"I can hear you, slave."

Ghislain shot a sharp glare at Claude.

Claude, who had been joking with Belinda, immediately paled and scrambled away.

Ghislain clicked his tongue and fell into thought.

'The budget is too tight. At this rate, starting the next phase of the plan will be difficult. I can't sell all the runestones either since I need them for other purposes.'

The next phase required a massive amount of money, and at the current pace, it would take too long to gather.

'I need to find a faster way to raise a large sum.'

Having met the slave traders, there was no longer a reason to stay in the capital.

With the cosmetics business running smoothly, Ghislain planned to return to the estate and look for other money making opportunities.

That is, if things didn't spiral out of control.

"Hey, move aside!"

"Oh, I was here first!"

"Get out of my way now!"

The entrance to the Crow Mansion was packed with customers clamoring to buy cosmetics.

Since the banquet, more and more people had come to the mansion, to the point where they couldn't accommodate all the visitors.

"I heard Baron Fenris cured Marquis Branford's daughter."

"They say it's all thanks to that cosmetic product."

"Then we must buy it immediately!"

Hearing the rumors, not only local nobles but also provincial lords and quick-moving merchants had flocked to the mansion.

Initially, only the servants of noble families came, so things were manageable. But once impatient nobles started coming themselves, chaos ensued.

These nobles had never experienced queuing or taking turns in their lives.

Queue? What's that? Something to eat?

"Who dares block my way!"

One shout from a noble was enough to scare off waiting servants.

But would the masters of those servants take this lying down?

As a result, more nobles came to replace the servants, escalating the situation into a vicious cycle.

Claude tried to control the crowd but to no avail.

"Please, form a line! A line!"

No matter how much he shouted, the proud nobles ignored him.

Even ranking them by status wasn't an option, as nobles of all ranks and influence had arrived from across the kingdom.

Lower-ranking nobles began to argue with each other.

"Hey, I was here first!"

"What nonsense! I was clearly ahead of you. Left your eyes at home, did you?"

"What did you say? Do you know who I am? Lord Boyer won't stand for this insult!"

"Oh, throwing names around, are we? You should watch out for Lord Bromson!"

And so, nobles began name-dropping acquaintances to argue their cases.

Those who only argued were the mild ones.

Nobles with longstanding grudges drew their swords the moment they saw each other.

"Well, well, looks like you've chosen the perfect day to die. I've got all the justification I need."

"Ha! You're the one who's doomed. What a great day!"

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The hapless escort knights were forced to fight each other at their masters' command.

"A fight! A fight!"

The commotion attracted even more onlookers, including nearby residents with no intention of buying cosmetics.

"This is bad! The mansion entrance has turned into chaos. We can't let anyone in. A riot could break out at any moment."

Claude rushed to inform Ghislain, who hurriedly went to check the situation.

"Well… this wasn't part of the plan."

The scene at the mansion's entrance was pure chaos.

People were fighting, spectators were crowding, and stray dogs had joined the fray. It was utter mayhem.

Even a battlefield wasn't this disorderly.

"Make way! Stop blocking the path!"

"I was here first! Don't push!"

Woof woof! Bark bark!

"Hey! Shut that dog up!"

Ghislain watched the scene unfold in disbelief and let out a bitter laugh.

"Wow, this is a real mess."

Claude grumbled wearily, his face drained of energy.

"We had to close the gates. If we open them now, the mansion will be overrun, and they'll just take the cosmetics. What should we do?"

"Hmm…"

The situation was difficult to resolve. Ghislain couldn't just beat everyone up, as much as he wanted to.

"I was planning to head back to the estate."

Hearing this, Claude stared at him incredulously.

"In this state? If you leave now, the mansion will be completely looted. The staff won't be able to handle it."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Stay and manage it somehow."

"I need to return soon."

"Why doesn't this make sense to you? We can't handle it as it is. How will the staff?"

Ghislain thought for a moment before speaking.

"If we can't manage it, let's leave it to someone who can."

"What?"

"Let's shut down the shop for now."

"What are you talking about—"

Before Claude could finish, Ghislain leapt onto a wall of the mansion and shouted loudly.

"We're suspending sales for now! Everyone, go home! We'll reopen in a few days!"

The crowd of nobles erupted in protest.

"What are you saying? I've been waiting since morning! I need to buy it today!"

"Baron Fenris! It's me! Remember me from the banquet?"

"Baron Fenris! You can't do this! At least let us buy first!"

The commotion only grew louder with Ghislain's appearance.

Despite their protests, Ghislain remained unfazed and shouted again.

"Block the front gate entirely! No more sales today!"

Claude and the others exchanged alarmed looks.

With sales at their peak, driving away customers like this was bound to cause backlash.

"Uh, my lord… You can't just turn away so many customers…"

Claude began cautiously, but Ghislain cut him off with irritation.

"What are you standing around for? Block the gate!"

What's he up to this time? Claude grumbled internally as he ordered the mercenaries to act.

Using wooden planks and carts they had prepared in case of unrest, they sealed off the mansion's entrance.

Thud! Thud!

The iron bars of the gate were completely covered, blocking any view of the inside.

The nobles clamored loudly in protest.

"This is an insult to us!"

"Why are you refusing to sell?"

"Open the gate! I demand to speak with you!"

But from behind the blocked gate, there was no response.

[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]