Chapter 27
Chapter 27: This Is the Best (1)
“Ugh, what’s with all this gathering in the morning?”
“Our employer is a complete rookie. Isn’t he that crazy Grand Duke from Perdium Territory?”
Before the sun was even fully up, mercenaries were gathering in droves.
These were recruits gathered by Ghislaine through the Zimbal Mercenary Guild.
They were congregated in a wide open space behind the mercenary guild building, bustling about, discussing their employer.
“What a rookie. We could totally just wing it, right?”
“Yeah, he seems clueless, trying to put on airs. Let’s show him how harsh the world can be.”
“How about we just fake a fight, take the cash, and bail?”
They all seemed to look down on Ghislaine and were planning to pretend to work casually.
Not everyone among the hired mercenaries knew Ghislaine, but a few had heard tales of the pitiful prince.
Those rumors spread quickly among the mercenaries.
“Isn’t the Lord of Perdium frequently absent?”
“Perfect. That rookie can’t handle mercenaries properly, can he?”
“I heard he’s the type to get into accidents. Should we show him what a real accident looks like?”
While the mercenaries snickered and chatted, a hulking bald man with a muscular build stepped forward and shouted loudly.
“Hey, everyone, listen up! If we want to handle this rookie employer easily, we need a representative, don’t we?”
The bald giant’s name was Gordon.
He was well-known as a strong mercenary in the area.
He was always working out, earning him the nickname “Gordon the Muscles.”
He was so obsessed with exercise that he wouldn’t even drink alcohol, fearing muscle loss, and never shed a tear.
His only concern was growing his muscles bigger and harder.
Gordon flexed his chest muscles proudly and spoke.
“To get the employer trained properly, we need to unify our opinions. If everyone goes off doing their own thing, it’ll divide the group. How about I take the lead as the representative? You can take whatever you earn when the work’s done.”
A “representative” is mercenary slang for someone who steps up to pressure the employer on behalf of the group.
This way, if things go smoothly, other mercenaries would usually give a little something extra.
As Gordon spoke, the mercenaries began nodding and casting their votes in agreement.
“Hmmm, if it’s ‘Gordon the Muscles,’ that’s not bad.”
“I’m on board! That rookie will probably tremble just from seeing Gordon’s muscles!”
“How about we ask for a bit more cash?”
“Sounds good! Let’s show that rookie a taste of reality!”
“Ha ha ha, right. Since we’re teaching him about the real world, we should get some tuition fees!”
The mercenaries cheered and clapped among themselves.
A few mercenaries frowned at this behavior and kept quiet, but most had already decided to elect Gordon as their representative.
The leaders of smaller mercenary groups subtly supported Gordon, thinking it wouldn’t cost them anything.
Seeing the crowd support him, Gordon grinned confidently.
“With this number of people, the employer won’t be able to act recklessly.”
About 160 mercenaries had gathered.
If they banded together, it would be quite a headache for the employer.
In such cases, employers typically ended up reluctantly offering more money or softening contract conditions.
For instance, they might allow the mercenaries to leave without penalties if they deemed the situation too dangerous.
These kinds of things happen all the time in this field. The more the employer is taken lightly, the worse it becomes.
Mercenaries also tend not to go too far in being reckless, as their trust and reputation can suffer, so they generally maintain a low-level psychological game.
“Let’s definitely clarify the clauses on contract termination.”
“Yeah, we should know when to bail if it gets real danger.”
“But isn’t that really just a minor issue? I mean, no one’s actually seen a monster there; it’s just all rumors, right?”
The Forest of Monsters had a reputation for being dangerous, but in reality, no one really knew its true nature.
Some mercenaries thought of it merely as monster hunting, while others were only preparing to run if things got dicey.
Others simply came to make money, without a thought in their heads.
While the mercenaries were united, two riders began to slowly approach through the dawn mist.
“Oh, finally, the rookie employer has appeared. Typical of a noble to stroll around leisurely. We should show him some spice. Ha ha ha.”
At Gordon’s words, the mercenaries burst into laughter.
They were beginning to anticipate how Gordon would handle the employer.
Behind the two riders, more than thirty figures not on horseback appeared.
Gordon whistled upon seeing them.
“Must be a noble; he’s got quite a few soldiers with him.”
“Still, we’ve got them outnumbered.”
“Heh, should we surround him and scare him a bit?”
The mercenaries began edging forward, thinking to intimidate with menacing expressions.
Gordon waved his hand, grinning.
“Whoa there, everyone. There’s no need to be too scary from the start. First, let me…”
But as Gordon confidently spoke, he fell silent upon seeing the faces of the approaching figures.
Rubbing his eyes and looking closer, he confirmed he hadn’t misseen.
An incredulous voice escaped his lips.
“T-the Mad Hounds?”
Every mercenary froze in place, becoming statues.
Chatter, chatter.
Riding closer at ease, Ghislaine looked down at Gordon and smirked.
“So, you’re the representative?”
“W-what? Me?”
“Your name?”
“G-Gordon…”
“Truly a simple-minded bunch, aren’t you?”
Ghislaine smirked as she walked past Gordon.
Just from where the mercenaries stood, the situation was painfully clear. Having done similar things in his past life, he knew all too well.
Yet, now experiencing it firsthand, it felt utterly childish, but nostalgia washed over him, and he felt no anger.
Following Ghislaine was Kaor, who glared coldly at Gordon as he passed.
As Gordon broke into a cold sweat, a member of Cerberus Mercenary Group following his leader spoke.
“Gordon, it’s been a while. You not going to bow down?”
Gordon eventually hunched his head low.
Based solely on skill, he’d be confident in taking on a member of Cerberus.
But those Mad Hounds were notorious for being dogged fighters; touching them would be like poking a hornet’s nest.
Other mercenaries also averted their eyes upon seeing Cerberus Mercenary Group appearing and began whispering among themselves.
“Why are the Mad Hounds with the employer?”
“Who knows? Why is Gordon just standing there?”
“He’s Gordon; he doesn’t have much choice. If those mad dogs come at him, it’ll be troublesome.”
The mercenaries who intended to rip off Ghislaine started to gauge the situation after witnessing the presence of Cerberus Mercenary Group.
Understanding why they were following the employer, they figured it’d be better to wait before making their move.
Gordon, still unable to utter a sound, stepped back.
As Ghislaine settled into a chair set out in the open space, Cerberus Mercenary Group stood guard behind her.
This alone was a rare sight, and the atmosphere displayed by the Cerberus members felt somehow odd.
“Those Mad Hounds… Why are they being so cautious?”
“Could it be they’re scared of the employer?”
As a matter of fact, all of Cerberus Mercenary Group was watching Ghislaine intently.
Especially their leader Kaor, who visibly flinched every time Ghislaine gestured.
“Looks like the Mad Hounds are completely flat on the ground for the employer…”
“Is the employer really that powerful? Is Perdium really that much?”
“Anyway, now that the Mad Hounds are with the employer, we can’t touch him. Fighting those guys would be exhausting.”
The mercenaries realized they couldn’t rip off Ghislaine anymore.
If they stirred up trouble and got into a scuffle… Though the other side would also have injuries, it was clear they’d take a larger hit.
Just as they stood waiting for Ghislaine to arrive, the guild manager stepped out from the building and began handing out contracts to the mercenaries.
“Alright, this is His Grand Duke of Perdium. Make sure you all review the contracts and follow him.”
The mercenaries couldn’t hastily proceed with the contracts.
Given the notorious reputation of Cerberus Mercenary Group, teaming up with them felt somewhat awkward.
Not long after the mercenaries exchanged glances and stood still, Gordon puffed out his chest and stepped forward first.
He didn’t want to admit that he was worried about the likes of Mad Hounds.
“I’m Gordon. Nice to meet you.”
He bowed to Ghislaine and stamped the contract without hesitation.
Ghislaine tilted her head and asked him.
“Are you not going to read the contents?”
Then the guild manager, chuckling, replied instead.
“That guy can’t read. He’s all muscle even in his brain. He’ll just believe whatever’s said about the job and payment.”
“Studying brings muscle loss! One loses one for every gain in this world!”
The manager looked at Gordon, who was glaring at him, with pity.
“What the hell, what do you lose by studying? Look at him whining just because he doesn’t want to study.”
“Ugh, I don’t care! Whatever!”
Since he couldn’t read, Gordon had been swindled numerous times.
He always thought he should study, but he was too busy exercising and resting to have any time.
Ghislaine smiled at him.
In his past life, he’d had many foolish subordinates who couldn’t read.
Gordon’s demeanor struck a chord with her, prompting her to say something.
“I’ll make sure to assign someone to teach you when the work is done.”
“Thank you!”
With Gordon shouting enthusiastically and returning to his spot, the hesitant mercenaries gradually stepped forward to finalize their contracts.
They knew that fighting monsters was something they were prepared for.
If it was Cerberus Mercenary Group, they had skilled members, so as long as the employer managed them properly, it would be even safer.
They were just a bit disappointed that they couldn’t rip off the employer as casually anymore.
One small mercenary group with a shaky relationship with Cerberus backed out, and the contracts were finalized.
The guild manager sorted through the contracts and handed them to Ghislaine.
“Total of 148 members.”
With Cerberus Mercenary Group included, that brought the count to over 180.
Such numbers were only seen in large territory operations, and the mercenaries felt a bit of relief.
The more allies, the better, after all.
After reviewing all the contracts, Ghislaine surveyed the mercenaries.
“I am Ghislaine, the Grand Duke of Perdium. As the manager has explained, we plan to develop the Forest of Monsters. I will explain the tasks one by one once we reach the territory. I look forward to working with you.”
He immediately instructed the mercenaries to prepare for departure.
He bought horses for the silent mercenaries and stocked up on supplies necessary for staying outside.
Once the preparations were done, they set off toward Perdium Territory.
People who saw the intimidating group of mercenaries from the morning were terrified and hurried away.
“Brings back memories.”
Watching the noisy mercenaries follow him, Ghislaine briefly fell into nostalgic thoughts.
Back then, he had also led mercenaries, wandering around the continent.
“Perhaps I’ll get to meet them again.”
Having returned to the past, his former subordinates must each be living their own lives now.
Finding them again, if given the chance, was one of Ghislaine’s goals.
*
The group soon reached the borders of Perdium Territory, but the mercenaries had to stay nearby.
If they marched armed into the territory without permission, it would cause a clash with the retainers, so there was nothing to be done.
After leaving the mercenaries in waiting, Ghislaine went to find Belinda along with Gillian.
“Belinda, how are the preparations going?”
“You’re later than I thought. I’ve prepared everything you mentioned.”
“Just as expected from you, Belinda.”
While Belinda beamed with pride, her expression soon turned worried.
“However, we’ve already spent over half of the money we received from Raybold. Considering ongoing costs for maintaining troops and additional materials, I’m afraid we won’t have enough left. Is that okay?”
“Initial funds always require a lot; we need to get started quickly.”
20,000 gold was a considerable amount for a single person to live comfortably for a lifetime, but it was woefully insufficient for a large project on a territory scale.
Ghislaine expected that most of the funds extorted from Amelia would be consumed in the preparation phase.
They had to start generating profits quickly to sustain the business.
“Pass the word to the laborers; we’ll start construction tomorrow.”
“Young Master, we should stop even now. Use the remaining funds elsewhere instead. At this rate, we really won’t be able to do anything. Starting construction will just drain our money!”
“No, this work must not stop. It’s essential for our territory.”
To Belinda, it seemed impossible to develop the Forest of Monsters with the remaining funds.
As it appeared Ghislaine would not relent, she finally lost her temper.
“I’ve already spent over 10,000 gold just preparing people and materials! I honestly think it’s impossible to develop it!”
At Belinda’s words, Ghislaine smiled mysteriously.
“It’s alright. We’re not going to develop it anyway.”
