CHAPTER 24: Looks like two of a kind are about to meet (1)

Just as Ghislain and Gillian were preparing to head out, Belinda rushed in urgently.

"Young master! What's this about developing the Forest of Demonic Beasts? Rumors are already spreading that you nearly caused another incident!"

Word had spread fast. As soon as she heard the gossip, Belinda came straight to find Ghislain.

"Oh, Belinda. I was planning to find you anyway, so this works out well. I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"Gather some workers for me. I'm going to set up a base near the forest. Big enough to house about three hundred people. Also, order the necessary food and materials. It'll cost a pretty penny."

Belinda blinked, then tilted her head in confusion.

"But didn't the lord forbid you from doing this?"

"Yeah, but I'm just going to do it in secret. Help me get everything ready, won't you?"

His bright smile was infuriating enough to make her want to punch him. She yelled back,

"Why do it when he told you not to? You used to cause small problems all the time, but why is this one so massive all of a sudden?"

She regretted thinking he'd grown up. She hadn't imagined that the scale of his mischief would grow with him.

"Don't be so worked up. If you don't want to help, I'll figure something else out."

Ghislain shrugged.

"But I'll go forward with this regardless of your help. And if I go in unprepared, who knows, I might die. Are you really going to refuse to help me?"

"And why would I help? I'll go tell the lord everything!"

"Oh, Homerne said that if I mess up again, they'll really lock me in the tower this time. I guess if you tell Father, that's where I'll end up. Then I'd have no choice but to escape. And who knows, maybe I'd cause an even bigger problem in my fury—like, say… setting the forest on fire."

"Are you insane? What if someone hears you saying that?"

Though Belinda was horrified, Ghislain continued as if nothing was amiss.

"Since I can't enter, I might as well burn it down for fun. Wouldn't that be amazing? Maybe I'll even invite Skovan and Ricardo to join me."

"Are you threatening me? Are you openly threatening to cause trouble?"

"It's not a threat; I'm just saying it could happen. Wouldn't it be easier if I just went into the forest?"

"Aargh! You're driving me insane!"

Belinda protested vehemently, but after Ghislain repeatedly pressed her with his sly threats, she finally gave in and asked,

"Sigh, are you really going through with this? There's no need to bring trouble upon yourself. I hear even the head butler is on edge about this. You might actually end up confined this time."

"This is necessary. If you help, it'll be a success. Will you do it?"

Belinda was particularly weak when it came to Ghislain. Ever since he was young, she'd always caved in whenever he pleaded.

Knowing she'd eventually relent, Ghislain pressed on, shameless as ever.

As expected, she sighed and nodded reluctantly.

"Sigh, you've grown, all right, but maybe too much."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Do you think it is?"

Feigning ignorance, Ghislain grinned and changed the subject.

"Anyway, make sure everything's ready. I'm off to hire some mercenaries."

"Take care. I wish I could go with you, but… with Gillian along, I'm sure you'll be fine."

With Belinda's reluctant farewell, Ghislain and Gillian left the estate.

They headed for the Zimbar estate, close to Perdium.

This was where the Cerberus Mercenary Corps was based, and it was also one of the areas with the most mercenaries nearby.

Upon arrival, they went to the mercenary guild to request the recruitment of enough mercenaries to fill their numbers.

The guild officer, a man who looked to be in his fifties, listened with a curious tilt of his head when he heard they were recruiting for an expedition to the Forest of Demonic Beasts.

"You want to develop the Forest of Demonic Beasts in Perdium?"

"Yes."

"And why would you do that?"

"Do I have to explain why to hire them?"

"Not necessarily, but I'm curious why anyone would take on such a dangerous job…."

Working in the mercenary guild, he'd heard plenty of rumors. Among them were tales about the Forest of Demonic Beasts.

There had been many brave adventurers who had entered the forest with dreams of conquest, but none of them had returned.

Nothing was known for sure about what creatures lived there, how dangerous it was, or what paths existed. It was a forest shrouded in danger and mystery.

Developing such a place was a grueling task with uncertain profit—something the cash-strapped Perdium estate wouldn't normally even consider.

No other estate had ever proposed joint development either, given the lack of guaranteed profit.

The forest had been neglected for decades, so it was only natural for the guild officer to be curious when a mysterious young man showed up with grand plans.

"Might I ask who you are…?"

Ghislain displayed his family crest with an air of authority.

"Ghislain Perdium, heir to the Perdium estate."

'Oh no, it's that troublemaking heir.'

The officer managed to keep a businesslike smile on his face, thanks to years of experience suppressing his inner thoughts.

Naturally, he had heard the rumors about Ghislain, the infamous young lord of the neighboring estate.

'What kind of trouble is he stirring up this time?'

He thought Ghislain's venture was utterly pointless, but as a guild officer, he couldn't refuse a customer.

After all, what is the mercenary business about?

Even if the client is a fool, as long as they pay, mercenaries will do what they're asked.

The quality of the outcome was the employer's responsibility.

Scratching his beard, the officer responded in a casual tone.

"Understood. However, since it's untested work, there will be a slight increase in danger pay. Is that acceptable?"

"Fine, gather them as quickly as possible."

"Considering the number you need, it will take a few days."

"Focus on individual mercenaries instead of organized mercenary corps if you can. If that's not possible, hire groups with fewer than thirty."

"Understood. You're rather frugal, aren't you?"

Ghislain planned to mostly recruit individual mercenaries rather than large groups.

Hiring a big mercenary group would cost much more, and in a dangerous situation, they might betray him as a whole unit.

After arranging the recruitment, Ghislain casually asked the officer,

"Do you happen to know where the Cerberus Mercenary Corps is stationed?"

The officer's face twisted at the mention of the name.

Just hearing it made him feel queasy and his stomach clench in stress.

"The Cerberus… you mean that pack of mad dogs?"

"Yes, them."

"Those troublemakers… why are you looking for them?"

"I intend to hire them as well."

The officer flinched and tried to dissuade him.

"I'd advise against it. Those guys are notorious for their temperament. They're the reason I have an ulcer in the first place…."

"It's fine, just tell me where they are."

Seeing that Ghislain wouldn't budge, the officer muttered to himself.

'Well, birds of a feather, I suppose.'

The officer had a vague sense of Ghislain's plan.

The Cerberus Mercenary Corps was known for its skill but had unusually low hiring fees. For a penniless estate like Perdium, it made sense to want to save as much money as possible.

But the low cost came with a catch.

He had a morbid curiosity about what would happen when these troublemakers met. Still, he felt guilty about actually recommending those guys.

"I just want to make it clear—I advised against this. Don't come blaming me later."

The officer emphasized this several times before writing down an address on a piece of paper and handing it to Ghislain.

"They're staying here."

"Thanks. Let's go meet them."

The Cerberus Mercenary Corps was a fairly well-known small mercenary group in the northern region.

They were famous for their skills, but they charged less than other groups. This was due to their low success rate with missions.

They caused so much trouble and did things their way, so their success rate was dismal.

Their nickname, "Mad Dogs," was more widely used than their original name, Cerberus.

Despite their terrible reputation, the corps managed to survive for one reason.

Each individual was exceptionally skilled, with strength comparable to that of a quasi-knight, and they fought ruthlessly.

Gillian, knowing this, expressed his concerns to Ghislain.

"Young lord, do we have to hire them? Perhaps a more reputable mercenary corps would be better."

"We don't have enough money to hire a reputable one. We need to cover the cost of laborers, food, and supplies too."

"But those guys have a terrible reputation. They might be uncontrollable. I hear some of them are even former bandits."

"It'll be fine. They're here to fight monsters, after all. A rough bunch might actually be better. Don't worry."

Seeing that Ghislain wouldn't change his mind, Gillian backed down. His duty was to follow his master's decisions.

But he resolved that if the Cerberus mercenaries betrayed or caused trouble, he would kill them all himself.

Soon after, they arrived at the location where the Cerberus Mercenary Corps was staying, and Ghislain clicked his tongue in disdain.

"Wow, this place is filthy."

They were living on the outskirts of town in makeshift tents.

Some were gambling, while others were lying around sleeping.

Unwashed, with tangled hair and filthy clothes, they looked as if they reeked from a distance.

One of the mercenaries, who was lying down, noticed Ghislain and Gillian and lazily picked his nose before asking,

"Who're you?"

Attempting to be polite, given that they looked like nobles, he sat up a bit.

"I'm here to make a contract. Where's your captain?"

The mercenary, still lying down, responded nonchalantly.

"The captain's busy, come back tomorrow."

"Fine."

Ghislain left without further comment.

Since he needed a few days to gather the mercenaries, he decided to be patient for now.

The next day, he returned to the Cerberus Mercenary Corps.

"I'm here to see the captain."

The mercenary from before chuckled and said,

"Captain's busy again. Come back tomorrow."

"Understood. You look like you're living the good life."

Once again, Ghislain left without a fuss.

By the third day, the mercenaries seemed to catch on to his desperation, mocking him as they turned him away repeatedly.

Then, on the fifth day, when he arrived, the mercenary made a circle with his fingers, a subtle demand for payment.

"Our captain's time is valuable… a little gratuity might help expedite matters."

Ghislain nodded and tossed him a gold coin.

The mercenary's eyes widened, and he swallowed, greedily eyeing the unexpected windfall.

Feeling emboldened, he pushed further.

"Hm, this isn't quite enough. Looks like you're a bit green. Come back tomorrow with more."

The surrounding mercenaries snickered, clearly entertained by the spectacle of toying with an inexperienced noble.

Just as Gillian, seething with anger, was about to intervene, Ghislain held him back.

"As a guest, I'll extend courtesy for the last time today. Tomorrow, I'll return. Consider this your final warning."

"Yeah, yeah, see you tomorrow. Don't forget a hefty tip!"

The mercenaries chuckled as they waved him off, and Ghislain calmly left.

On the sixth day, the mercenary demanded money once more.

Ghislain nodded slightly and said,

"I believe I've shown enough courtesy. Now, how about a leg?"

Snap.

Gillian smiled grimly and grabbed the mercenary's neck.

"Huh? Let go, you bastard! Do you want to die?"

As he quickly pulled a dagger from his belt to stab Gillian—

Crack!

"Arghhh!"

A loud snap and a pained scream echoed through the air.

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