Chapter 187: Time to Show Our Strength (1)

It wasn't just the high-ranking nobles of the Royalist and Ducal factions who were shocked by Ghislain's actions.

There were also those who feared direct losses rather than mere embarrassment.

These were the nobles who trusted Rozalin and invested enormous sums of money in her merchant guild.

"War, you say! Then what's going to happen to the production of cosmetics?"

"If Baron Fenris loses, all the money we invested will go up in smoke!"

"The cosmetic technology will definitely fall into the hands of the Duke!"

Every day, they gathered to vent their concerns about the current situation.

Since the Marquis Branford had issued a strict order for no one to interfere, they couldn't do anything else.

They complained to Rozalin out of frustration, but she was just as bewildered by the current circumstances as they were.

'Ugh, a war! To start a war in a situation like this! Is he out of his mind?'

In fact, Rozalin was probably in the worst position among them.

She had confidently gathered investors, only to find herself on the verge of disaster.

Beyond the financial loss, even the authority of the Marquis's household and her personal credibility were at stake, driving her to the brink of madness.

Meriel, who had invested a considerable amount, also spoke to Rozalin with worried words every day.

"What should we do? If Baron Fenris loses, the losses will be enormous."

"…We have to pray that he wins."

"He won a war once before, didn't he? Then maybe he'll win this time too. I have a feeling."

Truthfully, it was more a hope than an intuition, but neither could bring themselves to point that out.

"…Honestly, I don't know."

Rozalin shook her head with a complex expression.

If you compared the known forces, Count Cabaldi's strength and reputation were far superior.

There were rumors that Ghislain had sold grain to gather soldiers, but it was hard to believe it would be enough to defeat Count Cabaldi.

Meriel continued, her face filled with concern.

"Well, we've stockpiled some grain, so we can manage, but the other nobles can't. For now, we need to calm them down until the results come out."

"We'll have to. Otherwise, chaos will break out."

Both of them bore some responsibility for the current situation. After all, they had promoted it and actively gathered investors.

The number of nobles who invested in the cosmetics business was quite large, so the two had no choice but to attend the 'investment victims' gatherings,' disguised as banquets, every day.

They wanted to drop everything and flee, but if they disappeared or hid, things would truly fall apart.

For now, the authority of the two was strong enough to prevent outright anger from the nobles.

Instead, the nobles gathered in groups in the corners of banquet halls, whispering their worries.

"What should I do? I invested 3,000 gold! If Baron Fenris loses, I'm doomed!"

"Just pretend it's not your money. It'll ease your mind."

"It's not my money, for real!"

"…What?"

While some were panicking because they had borrowed money, others were still clinging to hope.

"Does worrying like this solve anything? Let's keep hope alive and stay strong!"

"That's right! Let's all cheer together! Yay!"

"Yay!"

"Yay or not, we're all screwed…"

Of course, some had given up entirely.

"Now, now, let's not worry too much. It's bad for your health. Let's take a step back, reflect on our daily lives, and cherish the things we used to enjoy…"

"Shut up."

"What? What did you just say?"

Crash!

Fights between those who had resigned themselves and those who were enraged were endless.

Wine bottles and glasses flew across the banquet halls.

Amid the chaos, a fire broke out in one corner of the hall, either due to someone's carelessness or a fallen candle.

"Fire! Fire!"

"Everyone, evacuate! It's a fire!"

A still-dazed noble asked, "Is it good news?"

"It's a fire! Get a grip!"

With such disasters happening daily, life was unbearable for Meriel and Rozalin.

Finally, after much deliberation, Rozalin asked Meriel with a serious expression.

"Do you have any cash left?"

"What? I spent it all on buying grain! I don't have any more money!"

Meriel flinched, but Rozalin shook her head.

"I'm not asking for more investment… I'm thinking of hiring a few skilled people and sending them to the battlefield."

"What for? Are you planning to assassinate Count Cabaldi? Can that even work?"

"Not that. If it looks like we're going to lose the war, we at least need to save Baron Fenris. Preferably with a priest."

"Hiring mercenaries is doable, but… getting a priest might be tough."

The temples, like the Magic Tower, were prohibited from participating in wars. It wasn't just a legal issue; it was their doctrine.

Even temples devoted to war goddesses allowed combat only against heretics or abominations.

In rural territories, the lack of priests meant only a few missionaries resided there to spread the faith.

Rozalin bit her lip and continued.

"That's why I asked about cash. If we make a donation and frame it as a coincidence, they might agree."

"Hmm, maybe if we insist… But what if the Marquis finds out?"

"That's why we'll wait and act only if the Baron is about to lose."

They couldn't intervene during the war, but once it ended, a priest could step in under humanitarian pretenses.

Even if it was a loophole only nobles could exploit.

"We're not directly intervening in the war. We're just rescuing a defeated noble. Even if Baron Fenris refuses to surrender, we can step in and negotiate."

Rozalin planned for the possibility of Ghislain's defeat. Her plan was to send skilled people to at least keep Ghislain alive.

If the situation turned critical, they'd save Ghislain, and as his guardian, declare an unconditional surrender. With the Marquis Branford's name, Count Cabaldi wouldn't dare retaliate recklessly.

'Yes, maybe that's the best option. He could just live at the Marquisate. Perhaps even as a live-in son-in-law… Oh my, what am I thinking?'

Although the thought of marrying such a strange man was out of the question, she was determined to secure the cosmetic technology.

Considering the Marquis's authority, her reputation, the damage to the merchant guild, and her credibility, saving Ghislain was non-negotiable.

Meriel also understood Rozalin's intentions. It was a feint, but if timed well, they could intervene under the pretense of post-war mediation.

"Y-yeah. But to pull this off, we need truly skilled people, and it'll cost a lot. Plus, we still need a priest. They'll only accept cash."

Given the danger involved, it was obvious everyone would demand cash. That way, they could retreat at any moment.

And priests, wary of receiving anything dubious, always preferred cash.

Meriel pointed this out cautiously, but Rozalin, determined, didn't waver.

"We have to manage it somehow. If Baron Fenris dies, our losses will be even greater."

"Alright. I'll try to raise as much as I can."

The two gathered every penny they could, hiring ten skilled operatives and one priest to send to the battlefield.

They gave strict orders to intervene at the right moment.

***

When Count Cabaldi read the declaration of war tied to an arrow, he ground his teeth.

Ghislain's casus belli was simple.

― To reclaim my precious people who are suffering under oppression and to punish Count Cabaldi.

Many residents of the former Digald County had fled the tyranny of their lord.

As soon as Ghislain took control of Fenris, he politely requested the nearby lords to return the fleeing residents.

Naturally, the lords ignored him. Who would return laborers who had wandered into their lands?

They made excuses, saying they didn't know, had no record, or that it never happened, and refused to send them back.

Count Cabaldi had also captured escapees and put them to work in his iron mines.

Since they were criminals who left their territory without permission, he had no qualms about working them to death like slaves.

To use that as a pretext for war?

"This arrogant brat dares to use such a thing as a justification? Does he think so little of me?"

Ghislain had never protested or requested anything further, so Count Cabaldi had forgotten about it, dismissing the boy as powerless.

But in hindsight, it seemed Ghislain had laid the groundwork for war, creating an excuse to attack any time.

"Did he predict all this when he made those requests? No, that's impossible. He must have created a flimsy pretext, thinking it was a good opportunity."

Count Cabaldi calmed his anger.

Though he was initially startled by the sight of the large army, the situation wasn't so bad.

Since the other side had initiated the war, he could crush them and seize Fenris to secure food supplies.

While fighting on the open field was slightly daunting due to the enemy's larger numbers, a victory wasn't guaranteed for either side, and even if he won, it would be a victory with scars.

But the same held true for the enemy.

"They must know that, which is why they're only besieging us and not attempting an assault."

The Fenris army hadn't even brought siege weapons.

If Count Cabaldi's heavily armed troops fought from behind the castle walls, the enemy couldn't guarantee victory either.

Thus, they were merely waiting, hoping his side would starve and surrender.

What infuriated Count Cabaldi was not the prospect of losing the war.

He didn't think he would lose. That idea never crossed his mind.

What enraged him was the insult. The mere fact that someone like Ghislain thought they could defeat him was an unbearable humiliation.

"To think this whelp, who wasn't even born when I became a lord, would dare to challenge me with such a shallow plan!"

How low must they think of him to attempt a siege without proper siege weapons?

"Phew… I'll repay this insult tenfold, even to that boy's father."

Count Cabaldi's gaze turned icy.

He planned to use this excuse to march on Perdium itself, punishing Ghislain's father for raising such an impudent successor.

The morale of his soldiers was dropping by the day due to the lack of food, but Count Cabaldi had no doubts about his eventual victory.

"When word reaches Desmond County, they'll move immediately."

Though Count Desmond had been negligent toward the Cabaldi territory lately, he couldn't abandon it completely. Without it, he wouldn't have a steady supply of iron ore.

And the Duchy would surely negotiate with the Royalists.

Count Cabaldi was certain the Royalist faction would never have approved of this situation.

"Foolish whelp. He's become a bit famous lately and now makes idiotic moves. Does he really think he can win with such childish tactics?"

Count Cabaldi believed he only needed to wait. When reinforcements arrived from Desmond, he could easily crush them.

With the Duchy's backing, the Royalists wouldn't be able to interfere.

"Your luck ends here. I will ensure you and your father shed tears of blood."

Count Cabaldi suppressed his rage and waited, vowing to kill the boy with his own hands.

***

While Count Cabaldi waited with gritted teeth for reinforcements, the atmosphere in the Fenris camp grew increasingly relaxed.

The knights, in particular, grew cocky, boasting and swaggering openly.

"Ah, I was hoping for a good fight this time. Are they scared of my mana-infused sword?"

"They're hiding in their castle like cowards. Aren't they completely scared? Well, we are pretty strong. Haha."

"Isn't this a victory just by waiting? This is so easy! Haha!"

The enemy couldn't last long without food. And even if they wanted to fight, the Fenris army outnumbered them.

Clearly, the enemy was stuck in a dilemma, unable to do anything.

As the knights casually mentioned these facts, the soldiers also started to feel more at ease.

Even the recruited soldiers, who had been tense at first, began to relax and brighten up.

Winning a war without fighting? Who wouldn't enjoy that?

"Wow, our lord has such great timing."

"I heard rumors that our lord was strange, but isn't he actually really smart?"

"Right? Winning a war without fighting makes him a genius!"

With no battles to fight, compliments came naturally. Life was so comfortable, and it felt great.

Thanks to the efficient supplies provided by their head butler, Claude, no one went hungry.

"This kind of war? I'd fight it every day!"

The soldiers sang Ghislain's praises endlessly.

Even the conscripted dwarves and mages relaxed comfortably in their tents.

"Ah, what's this? I was so nervous for no reason. Why did they even bring us here?"

"Maybe we're here for when they surrender."

"Phew, it feels great to finally take a break. Right?"

Freed from their usual workload, the dwarves and mages spent their days laughing and enjoying themselves.

After a few days of rest, even the battlefield started to feel pleasant.

As everyone was enjoying the leisurely atmosphere, Ghislain, who had been silently watching the enemy castle for days, suddenly issued a new order.

"From now on, we're digging tunnels."

At his words, everyone had the same thought.

'Why? We're winning just by sitting here. Why bother?'

It seemed Ghislain's bouts of eccentricity had returned.

Their lord had announced yet another bizarre plan.

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