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Chapter 46: Just as I Thought (4)

The retainers couldn’t respond and kept their mouths shut.

There was no counterargument.

“Uh, um, Grand Duke, because of you, our relations with Raybold have soured, making the situation in the territory a bit difficult…”

“Are you saying that’s not enough?”

Of course, it’s not enough.

In Perdium, steady income was more important than a lump sum.

There were no means to make money here.

It was a bit awkward to ask for money while blaming him.

Since Ghislaine was holding the purse strings, the tables had completely turned.

‘D-Do we need to start a development project too?’

Baron Homern was sweating profusely as he fell into deep thought.

However, Ghislaine had already secured the Runestone, and searching for other resources would lead to the same conclusions as before.

They had to act with a willingness to take risks and suffer losses.

‘Damn it! How did that precious resource end up in that guy’s hands? There’s no way to take it back!’

The Forest of Monsters was not technically part of Perdium’s territory.

It was merely recognized as territory by tradition because it was adjacent to their land.

So there was no way to secure the Runestone that Ghislaine possessed other than forcibly taking it.

While everyone was at a loss, Ghislaine spoke up again.

“Hmm, it seems everyone is a bit troubled. As the Grand Duke, I can’t turn a blind eye to the difficulties of the territory.”

His tone was slick, but still, the retainers looked on with a glimmer of hope.

Zvalter also listened with curiosity, captivated by his son’s words.

Ghislaine smiled at everyone’s reactions and continued speaking.

“After all, I brought back the Runestone for the sake of the territory. I will provide support for what Raybold has withdrawn.”

With Ghislaine’s words, the retainers nodded in relief.

If he had insisted on keeping it all for himself, they would have had to fight for it, but the promise of at least getting a little was a relief.

“However, there are a few conditions.”

At his next words, the retainers couldn’t hide their tense expressions.

They feared what conditions that unpleasant Grand Duke might impose.

“I haven’t seen Skoban from the guard. I heard he’s in prison; is that correct?”

At that, Baron Homern nodded.

“He has been imprisoned for giving false reports to the lord. We plan to strip him of his knighthood as well. It’s a serious crime for a knight who vowed loyalty to lie. Ahem!”

Homern’s voice had certainly softened compared to before.

He had realized that trying to play games with Ghislaine would only lead to loss.

However, there was an undertone in his answer that Skoban’s capture was because of him.

Ghislaine nodded and raised a finger.

“First, release Skoban. I ordered him to do it, so he couldn’t help it. He’s probably feeling unfairly punished.”

“Uhmm…”

The retainers showed slightly uncomfortable expressions.

Forgiving a false report to the lord was a matter of the lord’s authority.

But since there was also an excuse, and considering it was a minor issue in terms of territory management, they didn’t outright oppose it.

Seeing that the retainers didn’t have much to say, Ghislaine continued.

“Second, we will officially proceed with the construction of the fortress now. The laborers and troops need somewhere to stay.”

Again, the retainers nodded in agreement.

“Third, access to the Forest of Monsters is still prohibited. I don’t want any unnecessary casualties in the territory due to greed.”

For a moment, the retainers’ eyes wavered.

‘You bad guy! You’re trying to hog it all for yourself!’

‘Why can’t we go in!’

‘You told us not to go in, but you’ve gone in!’

Of course, they could only grumble in their minds and didn’t dare voice their complaints.

As everyone remained silent, Ghislaine presented his final condition.

“Finally, I will be responsible for recruiting the guard troops, including the mercenaries, moving forward, regardless of the territory. If you interfere every time I move forces within the territory, that will be troublesome, so I need that level of authority.”

The retainers began to sweat profusely.

Right now, Ghislaine was declaring that he would lead private troops within the territory from now on.

‘The Grand Duke wants to have his private army…’

‘Now that he has money, he’s starting to get out of control!’

‘That disaster is going to lead troops?’

The retainers’ spines shivered.

If the increasingly erratic Grand Duke leads troops, who knows what kind of mess he might create?

Even now, it had become difficult to challenge him due to the mercenaries he commanded.

“Uh, Grand Duke, I don’t mind other things, but leading a separate troop…”

One retainer gathered his courage to speak, but Ghislaine bluntly replied.

“Then shall we forget this entirely? Excuse me, I’ll be leaving now.”

“I mean, I’m in favor of it. I’m all for it.”

The retainer immediately tucked his tail and retreated to his seat.

“Oh, I was about to be hurt thinking you were going to oppose me. You know I’m sensitive, right? I almost walked out.”

‘Damn it, you’re just going to do as you please anyway!’

Under subtle threats, the retainers bit their tongues and lowered their heads.

“Is there anyone against this?”

Ghislaine raised a hand and asked, but no one could respond.

There couldn’t be such blatant bullying, and going against the Grand Duke would lead to no good.

After a brief wait, Ghislaine turned to his father with a satisfied smile.

“It seems all the retainers agree with my opinion. Now it’s time for you to make a decision, Father.”

For some reason, that smile looked sinister. Zvalter frowned.

‘He’s really changed.’

When the complaint from Raybold came in, it felt like there was going to be a major disaster. This time, he planned to make sure it wouldn’t be overlooked.

However, Ghislaine’s bold actions had gained enough merit to offset all his prior mistakes.

Of course, it was true that he was still somewhat unbelievable. This time, it felt like luck was on his side.

So many people had considered developing the Forest of Monsters.

Zvalter knew this well, having calculated the risks and efficiencies involved.

Finding resources so quickly required extraordinary luck.

‘Nonetheless, it’s true that he accomplished something significant…’

Zvalter pondered for a moment.

This time was successful, but there’s no guarantee that things would continue to go smoothly.

Even if he held immense wealth, what was the use if his life was short-lived?

Moreover, his son was the heir to the territory and family. His life should not be taken lightly.

If he had to stop him, it would be necessary to strip all authority and prevent it from the start.

But as a father, he didn’t want to crush the potential of his son, who was just beginning to change.

‘It’s an excessive request, but it’s not something I can outright dismiss either.’

Eventually, it came down to whether to trust Ghislaine or not.

Just looking at this small change, it was hard to fully believe, considering how reckless he had been in the past.

Yet, if he didn’t trust him and pressed too hard, the situation could take a turn for the worst.

Even now, Ghislaine was leading troops and imposing excessive conditions on his father and the retainers.

He had come prepared for a possible violent confrontation.

‘Was my son like this all along?’

Zvalter observed his son anew.

Ghislaine stood confidently, indifferent to whatever decision his father might make.

Zvalter didn’t know, but Ghislaine was still trying his best to handle things with courtesy.

During his mercenary king days, he had acted far more cruelly and violently than he did now.

After a long contemplation, Zvalter finally exhaled deeply and said.

“Alright. I’ll grant you what you want, so go ahead and do as you please.”

“Lord!”

“Brother!”

All the retainers stared at Zvalter in shock.

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

As Zvalter surveyed the astonished retainers, he spoke nonchalantly.

“Since I’m going to give you authority, I might as well give it properly and trust you. If I give you half-hearted authority, it’s worse than not giving you any.”

Before Ghislaine could even thank him, Zvalter radiated a fierce aura and continued speaking.

“However, if you cause harm to the territory or interfere with the northern defenses… I will strip you of all your authority and confine you in the tower until you come to your senses. Do not forget that this is your last chance.”

With that kind of authority, responsibility would naturally increase. So Zvalter issued a firm warning.

His words were mixed with both the expectations of a father and the concerns of a lord, and Ghislaine grinned and bowed his head.

“Thank you. You needn’t worry.”

“What do you plan to use the remaining money for?”

“I have a plan. Once urgent matters are somewhat resolved, I intend to use it for the territory as well.”

Urgent matters. That phrase left a strange aftertaste.

While Zvalter was curious about what could be more urgent than the territory’s situation, he chose not to ask further.

“I understand. Make sure you handle it well. I’ll trust you.”

His tone returned to the usual curt style, but it was infused with emotions that were different from before.

Regardless of everything, he was proud and pleased with his son for completing such a significant feat.

With that, the retainers found themselves in a difficult position.

Especially Baron Homern, Randolf, and Albert felt even more uncomfortable since they had pressured Ghislaine so much.

Homern rolled his eyes around, nearly losing his mind.

‘Damn, this is big trouble. Now I have to live under this reckless brat. How did it end up like this?’

He had been the one who opposed Ghislaine the most when he mentioned developing the Forest of Monsters.

Had he actively supported him back then, they could’ve gained some share.

It was such a missed opportunity.

‘No way, who could have predicted he would go and succeed on his own! It’s absurd!’

Who would have thought that the ‘little brat’ Grand Duke would show such initiative and actually succeed? He still couldn’t believe it.

But now that their positions had changed, he couldn’t act stiffly like before.

Suddenly, Homern put on a big smile.

“Oh my, that’s impressive. Truly impressive. Does that mean one Grand Duke can match the Raybold territory? You’ve really grown up. Belinda must have taught you well. Hahaha.”

Homern’s words dripped with insincerity as Albert stepped forward.

“I’ve known that you’re meticulous about money, Grand Duke. Let’s talk about the support funds moving forward. I need to spend it on urgent matters… Ahem!”

Randolf, with a strangely contorted face, poured out sweet words.

“I always believed that, with your boldness, you’d achieve great results someday… Of course, I believed! You’re aware that the territory is short on troops, right? A strong army is essential for protecting the territory. Hahaha, those guys outside…”

Seeing the trio change their demeanor and openly grovel, Ghislaine chuckled and maintained a little distance.

“I’m lost for words since you three are speaking so kindly. I’ll be sure to take good care of you, so don’t worry too much about the territory.”

At that, the three men’s faces lit up with smiles.

No matter the sincerity behind it, the promise of being taken care of melted their hearts a little.

Feeling completely outmaneuvered by a ‘greenhorn,’ there was nothing they could do.

Now, after all, the one holding the power was Ghislaine.

They were left with no choice but to maintain appearances and pretend to be friendly.

Baron Homern took Ghislaine’s hand tightly as he said.

“I look forward to it. Oh, what a great blessing our territory has received! A great blessing.”

Ghislaine discreetly pulled his hand away from Homern and looked at Zvalter.

“Please don’t worry too much about the territory either. I will ensure you can continue focusing on securing the north as before.”

“Haha, you can say that now, can you?”

Zvalter nodded with a satisfied expression.

It was fascinating to see his son growing so quickly compared to months ago.

Of course, he didn’t take Ghislaine’s words seriously.

He merely took it as a polite courtesy.

But the serious expression on Ghislaine’s face as he turned to leave was unlike any he had seen before.

‘It’s gone as I thought. Now it’s time to prepare for the next step.’

The matter even more urgent than the development of the territory.

Now was the time to prepare for war.

 

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