CHAPTER 46: Just as I thought (4)

The vassals fell silent, unable to respond.

There was no way to refute it.

"W-well, young lord, our relations with Rayfold have already deteriorated because of you, and that alone has put the estate in a difficult position…"

"So you're saying that isn't enough?"

Of course, it wasn't enough.

In Perdium, a steady flow of income was more important than a one-time payment, as there were few means to generate revenue here.

They couldn't exactly get mad at him and demand more money either.

With Ghislain holding the funds, the power dynamics had completely reversed.

'Should… should we start our own development?'

Homerne was sweating nervously, lost in thought.

But Ghislain had already secured the Rune Stone, and any attempt to search for other resources would likely end with the same result as before.

It would require braving risk and accepting potential losses.

'Damn it! How did such a valuable resource end up in his hands? There's no way to take it from him!'

The Forest of Demonic Beasts wasn't technically part of Perdium's territory. It was merely adjacent to the estate and recognized as such by custom.

Thus, aside from forcibly seizing it, there was no way to obtain the Rune Stone Ghislain had.

As the vassals squirmed, not knowing what to do, Ghislain spoke up again.

"Hmm, it seems everyone's in a bit of a bind. As the young lord, I can't just ignore the estate's difficulties."

Despite his sly tone, the vassals looked at him with a faint glimmer of hope.

Even Zwalter watched his son with a curious expression.

Smiling at their reactions, Ghislain continued.

"After all, I acquired the Rune Stone for the estate's sake. I'll provide support to cover what Rayfold has withdrawn."

The vassals nodded in relief, thinking they'd avoided a crisis.

If he'd decided to keep it all to himself, they would have had to fight him to take it, but knowing he'd share eased their minds, for now.

"However, there are a few conditions."

The vassals tensed, unable to hide their apprehension.

They dreaded what conditions this notoriously difficult young lord might impose.

"I don't see Skovan from the guard unit. I heard he's in prison—correct?"

Homerne nodded.

"We imprisoned him for the crime of giving a false report to the lord. We also plan to strip him of his knighthood. A knight who swears loyalty and lies is guilty of a grave offense. A grave offense. Ahem!"

Homerne's tone was considerably softer than before, as he now understood the futility of trying to negotiate with Ghislain.

Still, there was an implicit blame toward Ghislain for Skovan's imprisonment.

Nodding, Ghislain raised one finger.

"First, release Skovan. I forced him to do it, so he had no choice. He must be dying of injustice by now."

"Hmm…"

The vassals looked a bit uncomfortable.

Forgiving the crime of lying to the lord was a matter of the lord's authority.

However, since they had a plausible excuse, and it was minor compared to the estate's management, they didn't openly oppose it.

Seeing no objections, Ghislain continued.

"Second, we'll officially start constructing the base camp. We need a place for workers and troops to stay."

This, too, was acceptable, so the vassals nodded.

"Third, the Forest of Demonic Beasts will remain off-limits as before. I don't want the estate suffering casualties due to needless ambition."

At this, the vassals' eyes flickered with indignation.

'This bastard! So he plans to keep it all for himself!'

'Why can't we go in?'

'He went in when he was told not to!'

Of course, they only voiced these complaints in their minds, unable to actually say them aloud.

With no one speaking up, Ghislain introduced his final condition.

"Lastly, I will be responsible for replenishing and moving the security forces, including mercenaries, regardless of the territory. Since interference each time I mobilize is bothersome, I need this authority."

Cold sweat started to form on the vassals' foreheads.

Ghislain was effectively declaring that he would have his own private forces within the estate from now on.

'The young lord is trying to establish his own private army?'

'Now that he's holding the purse strings, he's really getting out of hand!'

'That troublemaker leading troops?'

The vassals shivered.

The young lord was already difficult enough with his mercenaries; if he had full command over a force, who knew what kind of mess he'd create.

"Um, young lord, aside from the private forces… that might be…"

One vassal mustered the courage to speak, but Ghislain replied flatly.

"Fine, let's just forget everything then. Shall I be on my way?"

"I-I fully support this! I absolutely support it!"

The vassal quickly retracted and retreated to his seat.

"Oh, I thought you were opposed and was about to be hurt. You know how sensitive I am. I almost walked out."

'Damn it, you're going to do whatever you want anyway!'

Swallowing their frustration, the vassals lowered their heads.

"Anyone opposed?"

Ghislain raised his hand slightly, but no one responded.

It was high-handed, but crossing the young lord would bring no benefit.

After waiting briefly, Ghislain looked at his father with a satisfied smile.

"It seems the vassals all support my proposal. Now, Father, it's time for your decision."

His smile seemed almost sinister, and Zwalter let out a bitter laugh.

'You've really changed.'

When Rayfold lodged a complaint, Zwalter had thought Ghislain had caused yet another catastrophe, and this time he was ready to let him face the consequences.

However, Ghislain had performed an achievement that offset all his wrongdoings.

Of course, it was still hard to fully trust him; it was likely luck that brought him this far.

How many times had others considered developing the Forest of Demonic Beasts?

Zwalter knew the risks and returns well, having evaluated it himself.

Finding resources so quickly was almost impossible without extraordinary luck.

'Though he did achieve something remarkable…'

Zwalter hesitated.

This venture succeeded, but there was no guarantee future efforts would go as smoothly.

Even vast wealth would be pointless if he lost his life in the process.

Furthermore, his son was the heir to the estate and the family. He couldn't afford to treat his life lightly.

If he intended to stop him, he'd have to strip him of all authority immediately.

But as a father, he didn't want to crush the potential his son had only just begun to show.

'It's a bold request, but not entirely unreasonable.'

It was a question of whether to trust Ghislain or not.

After seeing him act so differently today, it was hard to commit fully, considering his prior behavior.

Yet rejecting him outright might lead to the worst outcome.

Even now, Ghislain had arrived with a show of force, presenting his terms to his father and the vassals.

He had come prepared for a confrontation if necessary.

'Was my son always this bold?'

Zwalter took a closer look at his son.

Ghislain stood there confidently, indifferent to the outcome of his father's decision.

Zwalter didn't know, but Ghislain was doing his best to handle this smoothly and respectfully.

In his days as the Mercenary King, his actions had been far more ruthless and violent than this.

After a long pause, Zwalter finally exhaled deeply and spoke.

"Very well. I'll grant you your request—go ahead and do as you see fit."

"My lord!"

"Big brother!"

The vassals looked at Zwalter in shock.

They never expected him to accept all the conditions so readily.

Zwalter looked around at the shocked vassals and shrugged as if it were no big deal.

"If I'm going to grant authority, it's better to give it fully and trust him. Giving it halfway would only make things worse."

Before Ghislain could thank him, Zwalter spoke again, his tone filled with powerful resolve.

"However, if you bring harm to the estate or interfere with defending the North… I will strip you of all your authority and confine you to the tower until you come to your senses. Don't ever forget this is your last chance."

With such authority came heavy responsibility, so Zwalter issued a firm warning.

Acknowledging his father's mix of expectation and concern, Ghislain grinned and bowed his head.

"Thank you. Rest assured, I won't let you down."

"What do you plan to do with the remaining funds?"

"I have a few ideas. Once the urgent matters are settled, I intend to use them for the estate."

Urgent matters. It was an intriguing phrase.

Though Zwalter wondered what could be more urgent than the estate's situation, he didn't press further.

"Very well. Do as you see fit. I'll trust you."

Though his tone was back to its usual bluntness, there was a warmth that hadn't been there before.

Pride and joy mingled as he looked at his son, who had accomplished such a great feat.

The vassals, on the other hand, were in an awkward position.

Homerne, Randolph, and Albert, who had all pushed Ghislain the hardest, found themselves in the most uncomfortable spot.

Homerne was deep in thought, almost steaming with frustration.

'Damn it, now we're under that troublemaker's thumb. How did things end up like this?'

Homerne had been the most vocal opponent when Ghislain first announced his plans to develop the Forest of Demonic Beasts.

If he'd supported it back then, he might have earned a stake.

Now he deeply regrets it.

'Who would have thought that brat would actually succeed! It's absurd!'

Who could have imagined that the young lord they'd dismissed as a fool would demonstrate such resolve and pull this off? It was still hard to believe.

Now, with the power dynamic reversed, he couldn't act as he used to.

Homerne suddenly put on a smile and spoke.

"Well, this is truly impressive. It's as if our young lord could rival Rayfold! You've grown splendidly. It seems Belinda taught you well. Haha."

Ignoring Homerne's insincere flattery, Albert stepped forward.

"I always knew the young lord had a keen sense of finances. Regarding future funding, please consult with me. There are immediate expenses, after all… ahem."

Randolph, though his expression was twisted, forced out sweet words.

"I've always believed the young lord's boldness would bring great achievements! You know the estate needs more troops, right? A strong military presence is essential for the estate's defense. Haha, and those men outside…"

Watching the three change their tune and fawn, Ghislain chuckled slightly, keeping a bit of distance.

"I'm flattered to hear that from you three. Don't worry about the estate's finances; I'll ensure you're all well provided for."

At this, the three beamed.

Even if it wasn't genuine, his promise to support them eased their minds.

Though it felt like they'd been thoroughly beaten by a rookie, what else could they do?

For now, Ghislain held the power, so they had to play nice.

Homerne clasped Ghislain's hand tightly and spoke as their representative.

"We look forward to it. Our estate is truly blessed—truly blessed."

Ghislain subtly withdrew his hand and looked to his father.

"Please don't worry about estate affairs. I'll take care of things so you can focus solely on defending the North."

"Haha, so you're capable of saying things like that now."

Zwalter nodded with satisfaction.

The growth in his son over these last few months was remarkable.

Of course, he didn't take Ghislain's words too seriously, thinking it was just polite talk.

But as Ghislain turned to leave, his face was more serious than ever.

'It's going as planned. Now, it's time to prepare for the next step.'

More urgent than developing the estate…

It was time to prepare for war.

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