Chapter 200: Three Times the Current Price (1)

Having confirmed the remarkably swift and smooth(?) progress of his territory's development, Ghislain moved on to his next plans.

"Development is an ongoing task, anyway… The rivalry between the Royalist faction and the Duke faction is bound to escalate."

Although Marquis Branford wouldn't want it, even he must have realized that Ghislain's actions would hasten the civil war.

The movements of Count Desmond were proof enough.

Ghislain had already heard how the 2nd Corps of the Royal Army had intercepted Desmond's forces. He had anticipated this outcome and maneuvered accordingly, and Marquis Branford had played his part perfectly.

But the real problem started now.

'I've stalled for time with Amelia long enough.'

Count Desmond had gone so far as to shed his mask of neutrality and forfeit any pretense of justification by mobilizing his forces directly.

The fact that Desmond, who had been prioritizing Amelia's rebellion, was now taking action meant he had decided to target this region directly.

Whether his attack would coincide with the civil war or come earlier remained to be seen.

'Now, it's Harold's turn.'

Desmond's territory was one of the strongest in the north, alongside Rayfold's.

While it might fall slightly short compared to other regions, a great lord's territory earned its title for good reason.

A great lord could only be recognized as such if they had exceptional knights, numerous elite soldiers, and abundant resources to support them.

Studying the map, Ghislain muttered to himself.

"Rayfold's forces will be weakened by Amelia… For now, the title of the strongest in the north will go to Harold."

In any case, Amelia would take over Rayfold. Even if Ghislain leaked information, Count Rayfold wouldn't be able to withstand her.

But Ghislain wasn't about to let Amelia take over Rayfold so easily.

"Well, thanks to Amelia, I've managed to develop the Forest of Demonic Beasts and draw the attention of the Duke faction and Harold. Thinking about it, she's been quite a useful woman."

Ghislain recalled the time he had extracted money from Amelia in exchange for his silence.

He couldn't say with certainty that it had been the best choice. Amelia was both brilliant and dangerous.

But back then, it had been the best decision Ghislain could make.

A nobody with nothing to his nameâ€"Count Rayfold would not have believed if Ghislain had tried to warn him. Even if the Count had believed him, Amelia wasn't someone who could be easily stopped.

'I might have succeeded in removing Amelia back then, but the aftermath would have been even more dangerous.'

They would have found another pawn instead of Amelia, and they wouldn't have left him alone for interfering with their plans.

Things are different now.

Fenris had grown too large to remain in hiding, and Harold had started to perceive it as a threat.

For Ghislain, that meant a new kind of danger.

Ultimately, to seize dominance in the north, a direct confrontation was unavoidable.

'The Royalist faction has only so much time to keep the Duke faction in check. Before that time runs out, I need to crush Desmond with overwhelming power.'

To have a chance at standing against the Duke faction, Ghislain would need to bring every northern lord to their knees.

Forcing them into submission through war would come at a significant cost. Instead, he needed to demonstrate overwhelming power and compel them to submit willingly.

Preparing thoroughly now was crucial to achieving that goal.

'I'll need more runestones. For now, I'll have to reduce the amount sold to the Mage Tower.'

There were many demands for runestones. Most of them would go into territorial development, but they were also essential for bolstering military strength.

This had been anticipated from the start, even before he began seeking out runestones. It was simply that the time had now arrived.

"Speaking of which… He should be arriving soon."

Not long ago, Hubert, the Tower Lord of the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, had sent a letter.

It congratulated Ghislain on his recent victory and mentioned that Hubert wanted to visit to see his face and inspect the local branch.

Understanding Hubert's intentions, Ghislain let out a relaxed chuckle as he gazed out the window.

***

A few days later, Hubert arrived with the elders of the Magic Tower.

When the mages arrived, a small commotion broke out near the lord's castle.

Not only was the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower well-known in the north, but its members were also notoriously difficult to encounter.

"The Tower Lord of the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower is here!"

"Really? Someone that famous came to see our lord?"

"That's right. He arrived in a magnificent carriage with a large entourage."

"If such a renowned person came here, doesn't that mean our lord's reputation has grown significantly?"

Laborers working in the workshops chattered excitedly about the visitor. Nearby, Alpoi, who was engraving a magic circle in a corner, perked up at the news.

'The Tower Lord is here? Stay calm, stay calm!'

Breaking out in a cold sweat, Alpoi tried to steady himself.

Ever since being abandoned(?) in this place, he had thought he'd never get the chance to see Tower Lord Hubert again.

But now that Hubert was here in person, this was the perfect opportunity to escape.

Surely, if Hubert learned that he was living as a slave, he wouldn't just ignore it.

Calming the mages around him, Alpoi spoke quietly but resolutely.

"This is our chance. I'll go meet the Tower Lord. You all create a distraction."

The other mages nodded at Alpoi's determined words and immediately began to act.

"Oh, where did I leave the tools?"

"Someone call the priestâ€"I'm not feeling well."

"Hey, hey! Move this first! Where are the dwarves?"

The mages bustled about, poking around aimlessly and creating a chaotic atmosphere.

"I'm going to the bathroom."

Taking advantage of the commotion, Alpoi slipped out of the workshop as naturally as if heading to the restroom.

"Haste."

Casting a speed-boosting spell on himself, he bolted.

There wasn't much time. If he stayed away for too long, people would notice he was missing.

'Alright, run!'

Alpoi dashed toward the castle with everything he had.

The sun had already set, and the surroundings were dark. The sentries wouldn't easily spot someone moving so quickly.

"Huff, huff!"

Having used up most of his mana at work, he was soon out of breath.

Despite thinking his stamina had improved from all the hard labor, it seemed he had overexerted himself.

'Hang in there, Alpoi! You can do this! You're the unyielding man of fire! Ack, my heart hurts!'

The hope of escaping this hell fueled his resolve, causing his heart to race wildly.

'Just a little farther! Almost there! If I can just make it, the Tower Lord will surelyâ€"'

Suddenly, doubt crept into his mind at the thought of Hubert.

The Hubert Alpoi was known as lazy, extravagant, and exceptionally petty.

Would someone like that really be willing to release him, even at a loss? Alpoi himself wouldn't make such a sacrifice for a mere disciple…

'Ugh, what am I thinking? No way! There's no way a master would abandon their discipleâ€"right? Right! My master isn't like that!'

The castle was now within reach. There was no time for distractions.

Once he caused a ruckus, Hubert would surely notice him.

As Alpoi raced forward, pouring all his mana into running, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

'What theâ€"?!'

Saaaa!

Thick shadows began to gather around him, distorting the air before his eyes.

Startled by the strange phenomenon, Alpoi immediately channeled mana into his hands.

In this territory, when something strange appeared, attacking first was always the safest option.

But before he could cast a spell, the shadows tore apart, and a hand shot out.

Crack!

'Oh, shâ€"…'

Alpoi's neck twisted unnaturally, and his consciousness faded.

Looking down at the unconscious Alpoi, Belinda let out a sigh.

"Sigh, he's getting sharper and harder to catch. Even at this time of day, after using so much mana, can he move this fast? Just how efficient has his mana usage become?"

Endless work and constant use of magic had naturally honed his skills.

While his circle rank hadn't changed, his control and application of mana had developed to an abnormal degree.

In combat, such abilities were even more threatening. Belinda thought he might even be able to hold his own against a decent knight, though the mages themselves were unaware of this.

Clicking her tongue, Belinda dragged Alpoi back to the workshop and tossed him inside.

The mages, seeing Alpoi unconscious, openly displayed their disappointment, while Belinda flashed them a sly grin and left.

Though their skills had improved, they were still far from surpassing her.

***

"It's been a while, Tower Lord. I see the elders have come as well."

"Oh, yes. I was surprised to hear about your recent victory. You really do excel at warfare. So, how have you been?"

At Ghislain's greeting, Hubert responded with a broad smile.

He was genuinely relieved. Hearing that this lunatic had started another war had nearly made his heart stop.

If this fool went under, the Magic Tower would suffer as wellâ€"couldn't he think about that for once?

Hubert and the elders, visibly relieved, exchanged perfunctory pleasantries with Ghislain before moving on to catching up.

The conversation mostly revolved around Hubert boasting about how well he was doing recently.

"The nobles in the territory are all trying to curry favor with me, bringing endless gifts…"

"Ah, I see."

"I'm the star of every social gathering, you know…"

"Ah, I see."

"So if you get closer to me, it'll greatly benefit your territory as well…"

"Ah, I see."

Ghislain's disinterested responses made Hubert click his tongue in frustration.

Frankly, the man before him had become too successful lately. With Marquis Branford backing him, Hubert could no longer wield his title as Tower Lord to intimidate him.

"Ahem, so, how's the branch doing? Is Alpoi managing well?"

"Of course. He's been a tremendous help to the territory. Would you like to meet him? Since it's already late, why not catch up with your disciple and rest here before heading back? I'm quite busy, so…"

Sensing Ghislain's subtle attempt to send him off, Hubert hastily waved his hands.

"No, no! If he's doing well, that's all that matters. There's no need to meet him. He'll handle things just fine. No need to worry."

"Oh, is that so? Then what brings you here? Do you need something?"

At Ghislain's blunt question, Hubert and the elders squirmed uncomfortably, looking like guilty puppies.

Amused, Ghislain chuckled and continued.

"Please, speak freely. There's no need for formality between us, is there?"

"Right, right! No need for formality between friends. Haha."

Hubert laughed heartily before cautiously asking,

"Could we… buy some food? We need quite a lot."

"Hmm, you're aware that food prices are through the roof these days, aren't you?"

"Oh, of course! But with more people in the Tower now… Even with money, it's hard to secure enough supplies."

Since receiving a supply of runestones from Ghislain, the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower had been regaining its former glory.

They had taken on more disciples and hired more staff to support them.

Business in magic tools and scrolls was booming, and their finances were nearly back to their peak.

But then the drought hit, halting everything.

The fact that even the prestigious Scarlet Flame Magic Tower had come to Ghislain for food spoke volumes about the dire state of the north.

"Ugh… It really is tough to find food these days. But I heard rumors that there's plenty here, so…"

"The Tower shouldn't be on the verge of starvation, though, should it?"

"Oh, don't get me started. We're burning through food for hundreds of people daily, and with supply dwindling and prices skyrocketing, I've got a pounding headache."

The market was practically barren, with noble houses buying up everything to sustain their armies, even rewriting laws to do so.

The Tower's authority and wealth had kept it afloat so far; otherwise, it would have collapsed long ago.

Even Count Cabaldi, with all his hoarded riches, had been forced to starve his soldiers.

Such is the devastating power of drought. When a bad harvest strikes, there's virtually no supply until the next season.

After his candid confession, Hubert wiped the sweat from his brow and said,

"Couldn't you sell us some food? I know your population has grown, so it won't be easy… But true friends help each other in hard times, don't they?"

Hubert had no clear idea of exactly how much food Ghislain had. All he'd heard were rumors that it was an enormous amount.

But this man had sold food to save soldiers and even waged war with it.

'Ugh, such a wasteâ€"I don't know why he did something so reckless. And now that his population has increased, maybe he doesn't have any surplus left. What if he refuses to sell?'

Although nervous, Hubert had no alternative and came to assess the situation.

Hearing Hubert's plight, Ghislain nodded nonchalantly.

"We still have plenty of food. More than enough, even after accounting for our own needs."

"R-really? You still have that much? Then please sell us some! We don't need as much as you sell to noblesâ€"just enough to feed our people for two years…"

The Scarlet Flame Magic Tower was once considered the greatest in the north. With hundreds of disciples and staff, supplying them for two years would require an astronomical amount of food.

Smirking, Ghislain raised three fingers, as he had done before.

"Three times the current price."

Hubert and the elders' faces twisted in dismay.

[T/L: Please support me and read 115 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]