Chapter 101
Chapter 101: Want to Bet with Me? (1)
“Meow!”
Claude screamed strangely and collapsed.
“No, why are you hitting me! Wendy, what are you doing?”
Claude yelled from the ground.
Wendy, who was supposed to be on guard, didn’t move a muscle when Belinda attacked.
Regardless of Claude’s protests, Belinda pointed at him and shouted loudly.
“How dare you build such a vulgar facility on our Young Master’s land!”
Ghislaine’s first territory, which she had cared for like gold, was not going to host a gambling den.
As Ghislaine’s former private tutor, I absolutely could not condone such a facility being built.
“Look at that! He’s totally addicted to gambling, isn’t he? The moment he becomes Chief Officer, he decides to set up a gambling house!”
“No, no! Listen for a second! I’m not saying I want to gamble! I quit, I tell you!”
“Quit? Who quits and then talks about starting a gambling house? A dog would stop messing before you would!”
Belinda’s words made doubt creep into the faces of the retainers.
Claude waved his hands in desperation.
“That’s not it! Hear me out. I want to turn this place into an entertainment city like Austin. If we promote it well, the nobles will flock here and spend a ton of money!”
“…….”
Still looking doubtful, Belinda kept her mouth shut at those words.
Sure, a lot of nobles flocked to Austin. Because of that, Baron Austin made a fortune, didn’t he?
Seeing that people were interested, Claude quickly continued, excited.
“It’s like a cultural and tourist city. The territory residents can make money by serving the guests.”
“That sounds somewhat plausible.”
Belinda nodded thoughtfully, stroking her chin.
Indeed, if done well, it seemed possible to rake in a lot of cash.
Still, I couldn’t agree that gambling counted as a cultural activity.
“I found out that there are no cities like that in the Ruthania Kingdom. We’re going to create a grand, planned city from the very beginning. Austin, having grown naturally, has a somewhat shabby feel to it.”
Austin was originally similar to Penris.
It had no specialties, no resources, and barren land.
In that nothingness, gamblers and unscrupulous folks had gathered and grown by sheer chance.
A place that grew up without any policies, a rare spectacle on the continent.
That was the hedonistic city of Austin.
“Nobles pretend to be dignified but are always looking for ways to entertain themselves in secret. Not just nobles, but there will be plenty of mercenaries and adventurers too. The more people come and go, the more money flows, and the more residents will settle.”
Claude confidently spouted.
Even the retainers, initially shocked, began to see the merit in his reasoning.
After securing public opinion, Claude turned to Ghislaine.
“So, what do you think? As long as we just tidy up the city, we can make money while enjoying ourselves later. Money just multiplies, right? Oh, I can’t resist that.”
Ghislaine, who had been quietly listening, chuckled and leaned back in her chair.
“Well, that was an interesting suggestion. I might consider a small city later.”
“Later? What about now?”
“What a silly question! We proceed as originally planned.”
“No, my Lord! Let’s not waste money unnecessarily!”
If it were some other lord, it would have been an enticing proposal.
If they used all the runestones, they could create a city just as great as Austin.
But for Ghislaine, who would eventually have to fight against the strongest Duke faction in the kingdom, it wasn’t such a great option.
“I know there are many problems with the territory. What’s the most urgent issue right now?”
“Of course, they’re all problems… but the most urgent issue is food. Even now we have to buy food because there’s nothing to eat. We can’t keep buying food, can we? If we run out of money, everyone will starve.”
“Food, huh… Good thing I’ve been thinking about this. I’ll handle the food; you just secure the cultivated land.”
“Ah, really…”
Claude shot Ghislaine an annoyed look.
He had explained repeatedly that the land was barren and couldn’t increase production!
Is this guy even listening to what I’m saying?
“Excuse me, my Lord. This land is fundamentally incapable of growing crops. No one can revive it unless the God of Agriculture comes… No, even the goddess would probably give up on this filthy land.”
“Enough. I’ll handle it.”
Claude’s expression started to turn indignant.
“…My Lord, have you ever farmed? Do you even know about farming methods and such?”
“No, I don’t really know much.”
He’d been busy fighting, so of course, he’d never farmed.
“…Are you possibly the God of Agriculture? Some sort of hidden heritage?”
“Of course not.”
“Then how exactly do you plan to increase food production? Do you think the other lords don’t want to? It’s that they can’t! So let’s just earn a ton of money first!”
As Claude pressed his point, Ghislaine smiled slyly and replied.
“So, what if I solve that problem?”
“Uh?”
“Want to make a bet? To see if I can increase food production or not.”
“Hah, how can you, my Lord?”
“Doesn’t concern you. So, how about it? If I win, you have to follow my orders without a peep.”
Claude scoffed.
How dare he make a bet with a gambling expert like him! Especially a bet he was sure to win!
“What kind of bet is it if there’s no money on the line?”
“You don’t have money, do you? Ah, how about if I win, you become my unpaid slave for ten years? I’ll provide you with food and shelter. But you’d have to do everything I say without complaint, right?”
Though he might owe Ghislaine 2,500 gold, Claude still received a salary.
After all, one still has to live, and there are always little expenses.
Losing meant sacrificing all those comforts and living completely frugally.
With a dumbfounded expression, Claude suddenly smiled meaningfully.
“What about the duration? If it’s too long, that would be a problem.”
“Generously three months.”
“…Did I not hear you correctly?”
Claude gaped in disbelief.
Three months, not three years, to deliver results?
It was the middle of winter. Even getting something to sprout would be a miracle.
Holding back laughter, Claude double-checked the betting conditions.
“Then, if I win?”
“What do you want?”
Claude’s heart raced, but he tried not to show it as he calmly replied.
“Well… Given that I owe you, it’s a bit awkward for me to say it out loud. Oh come on, you already know.”
“Then I’ll give you 5,000 gold. How about visiting Anna again?”
People around him were shocked at the mention of 5,000 gold.
That was enough money for Claude to live comfortably for life.
“No, you’re doing this again! Don’t!”
“My Lord, that’s an absurd bet.”
Belinda and Gillian quickly intervened.
Ghislaine might have her reasons, but three months was barely any time at all.
No matter what, reviving barren land within that timeframe seemed impossible.
They could not allow a noble to engage in such an unfair bet.
“Oh, are you all going to interfere while the Lord intends to do something great? Everyone stay quiet.”
Claude pretended to be solemn.
His mock seriousness made Belinda explode in anger at those around her.
“What are you all doing? Stop the Lord!”
Pushed by her fervor, the retainers began to step forward one by one.
“My Lord, it’s an unreasonable bet. You should reconsider even now.”
“The Chief Officer is right. Most of this territory is rocky; even if there’s soil, it’s rough and dry, and crops can’t grow.”
Even as everyone was trying to persuade her, Kaor sat smirking in the corner.
For him, it was entertaining to watch which side would lose.
Belinda shot daggers at Kaor, but Kaor shrugged as if to say the fool wouldn’t listen to him.
Ignoring those trying to dissuade them, Ghislaine looked at Claude and asked again.
“Are you in, or out? If you’re afraid, you might as well just drop dead.”
“Ha!”
Claude hesitated to answer and let out a hollow laugh.
‘Why is he so confident? There’s surely no method available.’
He truly didn’t think he would lose.
But Claude felt uneasy because his opponent was so assured.
Having dabbled in gambling for several years, Claude realized that Ghislaine’s attitude wasn’t a mere façade of false confidence.
She was genuinely confident she would win.
‘What does she believe in? Are there even crops that can grow in three months?’
Claude racked his brain for knowledge learned long ago at the academy.
Not a single crop that could grow within three months, let alone anything that thrived in winter… But who knows?
“What crops are you planning to grow? It should be wheat, right? I don’t want you planting some oddball seeds that can’t even be eaten.”
“Then wheat is the best.”
Claude clenched his fist.
‘Alright, if she goes for wheat, then there’s absolutely no way she can grow it in three months.’
Claude struggled to suppress the smile creeping up his face.
Regardless of what Ghislaine was thinking, this was practically a guaranteed win.
‘Am I overestimating our Lord too much? She might not even know how to grow wheat. Ah, could she be hoping I’d let her win out of consideration for her dignity? How long have we known each other?’
Claude looked at Ghislaine with a slight smile.
“Ah, I quit gambling… Call.”
“Good, the bet is established. Everyone here is a witness. If I win, you work for ten years without pay. If I lose, I get 5,000 gold and go back home.”
Claude nodded with a bright smile, but the others frowned.
What on earth was the Lord thinking with such a crazy bet?
Belinda couldn’t get a word in to stop Ghislaine and decided to walk away, cutting her throat with her hand towards Wendy.
It was a hint to take care of things at night.
Wendy nodded with a dark expression.
Of course, Claude wouldn’t sit idly by either.
In a particularly annoying voice, he said to Ghislaine.
“By the way… if I win and my safety isn’t guaranteed, if I can’t leave with the money, this bet is meaningless, right?”
Ghislaine let out a chuckle.
“Claude is the Chief Officer of the territory, so everyone must ensure his safety. If anything happens, I will hold everyone responsible.”
At those words, Wendy looked at Belinda and shrugged.
Belinda kicked the floor in frustration and shouted.
“Aaagh! I’m so mad!”
Gillian, who had planned to step in if things went south, wore an unhappy expression.
Since the Lord had given a direct order, he was left with no choice.
If he were to withdraw from the bet now, it would make Ghislaine look foolish.
Claude’s face beamed with a smile.
“Wahaha! Then I’ll go secure some cultivated land. Ah, there’s plenty of vacant land, so it’ll be quick.”
As Claude joyfully turned around, Ghislaine warned him in a low voice.
“However, if you’re just going to wait for three months and do the bare minimum, I will consider that my victory. I’ll check thoroughly, so don’t think about cutting corners.”
“Ah, of course. I’m not that kind of shady person. Don’t worry. Wahahaha!”
Claude practically danced as he left the room.
Wendy sighed and followed after him.
The remaining people stared at Ghislaine with bewildered expressions.
They couldn’t fathom what their Lord was thinking.
Ghislaine, oblivious to others, leisurely stood up from her seat.
“Now, shall I start moving too?”
