Chapter 345
Chapter 345: I Should Prepare in Advance. (1)
Claude let out a snort in response to the grim-faced painters.
‘Well, if I push through, it’ll work out somehow. Our lord does it, right? What can’t I do?’
One of the things Claude learned by following Ghislaine was to just push through with whatever he was doing. If anyone in the territory was mimicking that part the most, it had to be Claude.
However, he wasn’t a reincarnator. So, he had just become a guy who stubbornly insisted on his own way.
People had been noticing that recently. He acted like a lord, but something felt distinctly different.
‘Ha, that guy seems to be going crazier by the day.’
‘Why does he keep mimicking the lord’s style?’
‘Ugh, I shouldn’t have gotten involved with this.’
The painters were annoyed but simply kept quiet, not protesting or questioning it. They had no choice.
Recently, Penris had been investing significantly in cultural arts. As artists, they had to make a good impression on the Chief Officer managing those funds.
Until now, Penris had prioritized war efficiency and had entirely neglected that side of things. To put it positively, it had a rugged simplicity; to put it negatively, it had zero aesthetic sense.
But a person can’t live on bread alone. The desire for cultural activities among the territory residents had been growing day by day.
Fortunately, after taking over Desmond Territory, they had managed to recruit quite a few artists. Count Desmond, being a great noble, had knowledge in those areas.
Even Ghislaine hadn’t anticipated that this would lay the groundwork for Claude to start a “business.”
Wendy was listening to Claude’s conversation with the painters, biting her nails faster.
‘This won’t do. I need to stop this now.’
More and more personnel from the territory were being funneled into Claude’s personal businesses. It was fine for now, but problems would surely arise.
With no other choice, she took out a dagger. After all, she couldn’t win him over with words. Engaging in a verbal battle would just pull her into it. It felt better to suppress him with strength so he couldn’t fight back.
Just as Wendy was about to poke Claude, the door to the workshop suddenly burst open.
The faces of the workers turned pale at the sight of the newcomer. Claude’s face also drained of color as he turned around.
“Who’s coming in suddenly at this hour… Y-Your Lordship?”
Ghislaine stormed in, rolling up her sleeves with a deadly glare.
Claude was taken aback but quickly masked his surprise with shamelessness.
“When did you return? Why are you here all of a sudden?”
Ghislaine paused for a moment; she was far too collected.
But he was someone you couldn’t trust just by appearances. Ghislaine stopped in her tracks and surveyed the surroundings.
“Hmm, is everyone working overtime?”
“Yes. There are numerous official documents to send to each city, and we’ve got quite a backlog of paperwork. I was having a meeting with the painters regarding improving the territory’s aesthetic.”
This was the office where clerks worked. Claude always conducted himself openly and intertwined his activities with the territory’s official business to avoid suspicion.
Ghislaine smirked, then introduced the person who had followed her in. It was Dominic, who was wearing an awkward smile.
“Do you know this guy?”
“No, I don’t.”
Naturally, he didn’t know. Claude had never seen Dominic in person.
Then Ghislaine called another person.
“Hey, you come in too.”
A man who bowed his head entered with hurried steps. Ghislaine placed her hand on his shoulder and asked.
“And this guy? He’s from the Drake Mercenary Group.”
The one with the equally awkward smile was Dominic’s follower. He was a mercenary who had participated directly in the auction at Penris Territory.
Upon seeing Claude, the mercenary bowed slightly and said, “Chief Officer, it’s been a while.”
Claude recognized the face immediately, broke into a cold sweat, and turned away.
“I-I don’t know you. Who do you think you are, acting familiar?”
Claude, who didn’t want to die, decided to play dumb.
In truth, he wasn’t unfamiliar with him at all. He had seen this notable buyer’s face often and had even spoken to him directly.
The mercenary scratched his head, looking apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Chief Officer. It’s been discovered.”
“I’m telling you, I don’t know you! What have you discovered?”
The mercenary clearly communicated to the still-turned-away Claude.
“It’s about selling goods belonging to Count Penris. Everything from the auction house to other matters. Everything’s blown up.”
With that one line, Claude grabbed Wendy and shouted.
“Let’s run! Hurry and carry me!”
Wendy closed her eyes. She had known that this day would come. Meanwhile, Ghislaine moved closer to Claude, rolling up her sleeves.
“Come here. Have you been slacking off behind my back? Wow, in some sense, that’s impressive. Even though everyone is busy, you’re dividing resources to work on this.”
“W-wait a minute! This is a misunderstanding!”
“A misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding is there when someone sells off my belongings without permission? This is the first time I’ve learned that there are weird people who gather those kinds of things.”
Dominic hung his head in embarrassment. Claude pointed at him and yelled.
“Hey, if that crazy guy bought it, why didn’t he get caught?! In the end… Ah, no! Anyway, I’m short on cash, so I was just trying to prepare an emergency fund for myself! All for the territory… Ughhh!”
Before Claude’s excuses could even finish, Ghislaine’s fist was faster.
“Ahhhhh! Take it easy! Be gentle!”
Dragged to the corner, he could only see the faces of his deceased parents and ancestors he never knew after pleading for his life.
Sniffling, Claude looked at Ghislaine and said, “Where’s the money from selling my belongings?”
As he gestured, his deputies carried in a box.
Thud!
Ghislaine opened the box and was shocked. Inside, there were stacks of gold coins that could amount to thousands.
“Wow… You really…”
Even though they had become a bit more relaxed after acquiring Desmond, the territory was still busy. Yet he had made money in that little opportunity.
She even felt a little bit proud.
“Since it’s all from selling my belongings, I can take it, right?”
“Sniff… Go ahead.”
Claude sobbed and rubbed his eyes.
He thought he wouldn’t get caught, but here he was, caught. To make matters worse, he met auction participants all the way in the West. His luck was terrible.
Looking at the crying Claude, Ghislaine clicked her tongue a few times before saying, “Everyone worked hard to increase the ‘territorial income.’ The subordinates who did this are to blame, so I won’t hold it against them. You’ll also get a fair reward for the work done until today, so from now on, focus solely on territory affairs.”
After all, this was something the Chief Officer had ordered. If the workers did their job but didn’t receive proper compensation, resentment would inevitably build.
That would then cause disruptions in any future projects. Either way, they could just give Claude’s emergency funds to them.
Once the lord generously forgave the incident, the workers’ expressions brightened. Honestly speaking, they were thrilled about earning money, but they also felt a bit unfair.
Because Claude had practically forced them into it.
“Thank you very much!”
The workers continuously expressed their gratitude towards the lord’s generous treatment before leaving. All that remained were the sobbing Claude and the crouching Wendy.
Wendy, who had been bowing her head, let out a small sigh.
‘This is better after all.’
The business was growing bigger day by day. Each passing day brought with it worries about when it would get caught.
If it hadn’t been for the lord being away, they could have hidden it longer; however, if things continued this way, it would have been eventually discovered.
‘The Chief Officer doesn’t know the meaning of ‘moderation.’’
Now it was all resolved. It was just that bad to do something while feeling anxious. Rather, it felt refreshing to have it all laid bare.
Claude’s ambitious venture thus came to an end.
*
Wendy’s being deceived didn’t get her removed from her surveillance and protective duties.
She merely received a caution to regulate Claude more thoroughly in the future.
As for Claude, true to his optimistic nature, he returned to his old self within a day.
‘I’ll have to try something different next time.’
Being a gambler, he didn’t worry about the game he lost any longer. What mattered was winning next time.
In any case, Claude’s bizarre “business” wrapped up just like that, and the largest mercenary group in the West, the Drake Mercenary Group, joined Penris.
When they arrived at Penris, they were taken aback. They had heard rumors, but indeed, the North had changed drastically from the past.
“Wow, I’ve been here before, but it didn’t look this lively. There are so many people now.”
“What are all these buildings? They seem so methodically built in straight lines. Look, they all look similar.”
“By the looks of it, there seems to be a lot of construction going on here and there. It definitely feels like it’s become a rich territory.”
The mercenaries expressed their admiration, clearly pleased with their new base. It was rare to see an area bustling with so much activity.
Due to Claude’s influence, most of the Northern mercenary groups had also joined under Ghislaine’s command. Yet there was still no news from the royal family.
“Why is there still no news? Don’t they want to provide a guarantee?”
Ghislaine asked, to which Claude replied with a nonchalant expression.
“Looks like Marquis Branford is in deep thought. After all, if the royal family guarantees the mercenary group, who knows what our lord will get into next?”
“What’s the point if it won’t help in a war within the kingdom?”
“That’s the problem. I’m worried he might cause trouble even in foreign lands.”
The kingdom was already divided into two factions. Even with the justification of being mercenaries, it was tough to meddle in another territory’s war—it would merely be a blindfolded game.
However, foreign wars were different. If the royal family guaranteed them, they could boldly step in for a fee.
They could participate as Ghislaine’s personal mercenary group, but that might escalate into a national dispute. After all, they could be perceived as meddling while taking no responsibility.
“Hm, since that’s not urgent, let’s wait for now.”
After all, this was merely a prod while preparing for the Age of Turmoil. When it was time to act without the royal family’s guarantee, they would do so.
Ghislaine now gave Dominic, who had just joined, new orders.
“Some will operate in the North and the Crown Prince’s territory; gather trustworthy individuals and head East. Absorb the mercenary groups there. Can you handle that?”
“Leave it to me. I’ll make sure everyone comes under Penris.”
Dominic responded confidently. He already had experience in building the largest mercenary group in the West. While there were several well-known mercenary groups in the East, he was confident in gathering them all.
The reason for planning to unify the mercenary groups in the kingdom while avoiding the South was simple. That place was tightly controlled by the Duke Faction, so there were hardly any mercenaries.
The tasks meant for mercenaries were all handled by the merchant groups and armed organizations under the Duke Faction.
Ghislaine turned back to Claude and continued speaking.
“Make sure to classify the new arrivals and arrange accommodations for them. Some may feel wronged, but there are also true prisoners, so investigate carefully.”
Most of those who had escaped from prison had followed Ghislaine. After all, there was no chance of surviving safely in that city.
“And establish a plan to improve the welfare and treatment of the mercenaries.”
“Huh? What welfare all of a sudden? We’re already providing plenty of work and paying well.”
Claude tilted his head in confusion.
The mercenaries who joined under the Penris Mercenary Group were currently engaged in numerous tasks. From maintaining public order to escorting, transportation, road construction, and building projects, there were countless jobs they could do.
As long as they received duties and were compensated, that was all that mattered. There was no need to give anything extra.
However, Ghislaine shook her head.
“The mercenaries will be our partners going forward. It’s not beneficial to treat them just like anyone else. We need to make them feel inclined to fight under the Penris banner.”
While they entered under the Penris Mercenary Group, they likely would not feel like one yet. They were mercenaries, but it was crucial to give them a sense of belonging.
Otherwise, when it came to fighting truly formidable enemies, they would be more likely to flee.
No matter how tied contracts bound them, it was crucial to provide that sense of belonging first.
Claude nodded in understanding.
‘Well, our lord does love the idea of ‘charging forward together!’ the most.’
If they urged everyone forward and someone decided not to, it would be incredibly frustrating.
There were still many mercenary groups left in the money-laden West. Even though the Drake Mercenary Group was the largest, they were not the entire mercenary population in the West.
Now that the Drake Mercenary Group had moved to the North and was busy with many tasks, news would soon spread to the West.
They needed to promote themselves even more during this opportunity and entice the mercenary groups to join them.
Ghislaine and her close associates engaged in discussions on how to recruit and expand the mercenary groups and laid out various plans.
Once a rough foundation was established, Ghislaine asked another question.
“What’s happening with the Duke Faction’s movements?”
“They have suddenly stopped all activities. They are merely gathering troops in territories interacting with the Crown Prince’s faction.”
“And the Crown Prince’s faction?”
“They are also gathering troops. It seems Marquis Branford has been threatened by the Duke Faction and is quite furious.”
Ghislaine calmly retraced her memories from her past life.
Back then, the Duke Faction had isolated the remaining nobility of the Crown Prince’s faction perfectly and drew their swords. But now, the situation was a bit different.
Unlike her past life, most of the Crown Prince’s faction remained intact. The Duke Faction would have to prepare thoroughly to minimize their damages.
The North would surely try to empower Amelia, aiming to stop her. It was evident they would quickly attempt to pacify the remaining areas.
‘There’s still a bit of time left. I need to get everything done before that.’
Amelia was not someone who would easily listen to others. The Duke Faction would undoubtedly have a headache trying to manage her.
‘So, the next place I need to handle is…’
There was yet another blade of the Duke Faction that others were unaware of. They had to weaken that side before civil war broke out.
It was where a 7th Circle Mage, on par with a Swordmaster, resided as the tower lord.
‘I need to get rid of the Tower of the Bloody Flame first.’
A chilling smile crossed Ghislaine’s face.
