Chapter 111: What Are You Making Again? (2)
Sometimes, actions that defy common sense can become new breakthroughs that no one could have anticipated.
But there’s no guarantee that it will always succeed.
The Lord was brimming with confidence after his initial success in agriculture, but the chances of succeeding again were probably not that high.
That’s what I thought.
Rationally, I felt like we needed to place a bet and turn the tables, but since I had been burned by the same situation before, it left me with an uneasy feeling.
Claude, trying to avoid taking risks, pulled Alfoi into the conversation.
“How about we bet Alfoi as well?”
“You crazy bastard! Why are you betting me?”
“No, I mean we split it over ten years. If we succeed, we gain freedom, and even if we fail, it’s not twenty years but just an additional ten. I’m prepared, but what do you think, Sir Alfoi?”
“Shut up! I’m not gambling anymore!”
“Well, you regained your senses faster than I thought. Maybe it’s because you’re a mage? Surprisingly level-headed.”
Claude shook his head and raised his hand.
“I’m not following along this time. The stakes are a bit too high.”
Honestly, it’s not that I wasn’t considering it, but twenty years was a bit much for my nerves.
Then Ghislain slightly lowered the stakes.
“Then how about ten years? Consider it a generous offer.”
“No. This time, I’d rather just die.”
Claude mumbled the last part, but he didn’t insist on going through with it.
He had thought it was bravado, but he had recently lost a bet because of that mindset.
Ghislain clicked his tongue in disappointment and handed over a new set of documents.
“Prepare these as well.”
“Sigh, please stop giving me more work.”
Claude complained, even though he knew it was pointless.
The documents were filled with names he couldn’t identify.
On the back were blueprints for some bizarre facilities.
“What... is this?”
“What do you think it is? They’re herbs. Contact all the merchant guilds in the Northern region and gather them all. Then, pass the blueprints to the blacksmith to start making them.”
“What are you planning to do with so many herbs?”
“I told you before. I’m going to make a specialty product. Stop complaining and just get everything ready.”
Ghislain was planning to create a product that had been extremely popular in his previous life.
He didn’t know the production method perfectly, but he remembered the critical parts clearly.
When he thought about the money it would bring once it was completed, the development costs seemed like nothing.
Of course, if the goal was simply to make money, then selling food and Runestones, as Claude suggested, would be the easiest way.
However, even if he could sell Runestones, food needed to be stored for the future.
Nobles don’t even glance at common goods.
If you wanted to sell something to them, it had to be a bit more special than just food.
“Sigh, if you make some weird medicine and try to sell it, you’ll just end up getting called a quack.”
But Claude, who had no way of knowing Ghislain’s plan, could only sigh as he glanced through the documents.
Most of them were either plans to improve the estate that had been left out from the previous strategy or proposals that enhanced the existing ones.
‘...I want to run away.’
But I’m just a slave who can’t be free.
Claude hung his head low. Thinking about the hard work that awaited him, his vision darkened.
Ghislain looked around at Alfoi and the other mages and spoke.
“You all split into appropriate groups, and head to the areas where we’ll be digging canals, and setting up the water supply and reservoir facilities. Check if the old wells have dried up, and cast purification spells on those with poor water quality. We’re going to refurbish everything from scratch. The person in charge of the work will be... Alfoi.”
“Why... there?”
“What do you mean why? If the workers are going to do their jobs, someone has to use magic to break the rocks blocking the paths. Might as well dig up the ground while you’re at it.”
Civil engineering projects required a lot of manpower and took a long time to complete.
If the mages used their powers, they could drastically reduce the time needed for the construction.
Naturally, Alfoi protested.
“We are mages! We’re not laborers, so why should we do that? Just have the workers do it!”
They had been forced to use their powers for large-scale construction projects a few times before.
Even back then, it had been coercive, but at least there was an attempt to make it look like they were cooperating... Now, it was blatant exploitation.
In response to Alfoi’s complaint, Ghislain answered with an indifferent expression.
“So, what? Were you planning to just stand around watching? You agreed to work hard for ten years. From now on, you’ll be actively participating in the estate’s construction.”
“No way! I am a great mage! How dare some rural lord order me around—the heir to the Tower!”
“Should I just sell you off at the slave market? The contract is solid, so there’d be no legal issues... Mages as slaves are rare, so the slave traders would love it. Imagine the rumors: the heir to the Tower, being worked as a slave? Ah, that’s something I can’t pass up.”
“I’m sorry! I’ll work hard!”
In the end, it was decided by drawing lots, and the elder who got picked was even showing early symptoms of depression.
Noticing his discomfort, Ghislain soothed him with a gentle voice.
“Is it really necessary for you to do this? This place is....”
At that moment, someone interrupted, screaming as they ran over.
“Ahhh! Elder! Elder! It’s me, Alfoi!”
“Hmm? Alfoi?”
The elder tilted his head in confusion.
He hadn’t imagined that the arrogant and insolent heir to the tower master would greet him so eagerly.
Alfoi, who had hurried over, quickly shouted to the bewildered elder.
“Elder! Please save me! This lord is trying to make me a slave...!”
Belinda, who was standing next to Ghislain, swiftly approached and grabbed Alfoi by the head, twisting his neck.
Crack!
The shock of his neck being twisted caused Alfoi to lose consciousness mid-sentence.
“W-What is going on here...!”
At that moment, Ghislain gently placed his arm around the elder’s back, naturally blocking his view of Alfoi.
“Haha, it seems he’s been overworking himself lately and got a bit tired.”
“No, that’s not it. His neck just....”
“It’s fine. He’s been conducting various experiments lately, and something might have gone wrong, causing him to behave strangely. He even asked me to knock him out whenever it happened. Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and take him away.”
Belinda quickly carried Alfoi off.
The elder blinked, not fully understanding the situation, as Ghislain leaned in and spoke softly.
“Isn’t it a bit much for someone like you to be living out here in the countryside, Elder? This estate still lacks a lot.”
“That’s true, but....”
“Why not appoint Alfoi as the branch head, and you can just visit occasionally to check on things?”
“...Would that be alright?”
“Of course. With twenty mages now added, there shouldn’t be any problems, right?”
Having a 5th-circle mage would certainly help defend the estate. But that was about it.
Vanessa’s knowledge level was far superior anyway, so rather than pampering an elder who lacked motivation, it was better to make Alfoi the one in charge and work him to the bone.
“The estate has been a bit chaotic lately. In this condition, it feels inadequate to properly host you, Elder. It troubles me. Please, don’t worry and just return.”
“Hmm, but this was decided by the tower....”
“I can speak directly to the tower master later and explain everything properly. Leave the rest to me and just head back. Right now.”
The elder felt a chill run down his spine.
The words were polite, but the atmosphere felt almost threatening.
Ghislain’s seemingly kind yet strangely glistening eyes seemed to be saying,
“If you don’t leave, things will get quite troublesome.”
“Y-Yes, perhaps I should? I’ll just head back then. I’m not sure if this is really okay, though....”
“Yes, we’ll be selling part of the Runestones mined this time, so you can take those back with you. As promised, we’ll only charge the standard rate. Though, you’re aware the prices have gone up a bit lately, right?”
Due to the Scarlet Tower’s hoarding, the price of Runestones had been steadily rising.
Thanks to Ghislain, the Crimson Flame Tower could barely manage to catch its breath.
Until they could source Runestones from elsewhere, they had no choice but to follow Ghislain’s lead.
The elder, who had been wondering how to broach the subject of Runestones, brightened up.
“Very well. I’ll report this to the tower master. Under my authority, I’ll pass the branch head position to Alfoi.”
Not that he had a veto.
The elder accepted the terms and hurriedly departed.
He knew well from experience that trying to converse for long with the unreasonable Ghislain would only be a loss.
He didn’t want to be here in the first place, so being pushed to leave was a welcome outcome for him.
“Phew, now the numbers are about right.”
Ghislain smiled after seeing the elder off.
A total of twenty-six mages were now staying at the estate under the pretext of the branch. It was a number that even most grand lords would struggle to match.
Though their skills weren’t particularly high, that made them easier to utilize for various tasks.
The newly arrived mages were slightly bewildered by the elder’s sudden departure but didn’t worry too much.
They were confident, after all, being mages from the most prestigious tower in the North.
Seeing their blatant arrogance, Ghislain couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly.
But he hid his thoughts and greeted them warmly with a friendly smile, opening his arms wide in welcome.
“You’ve come a long way. Welcome. I look forward to your help in supporting the estate.”
The mages smiled pleasantly, feeling honored to be welcomed so warmly, even by the lord himself.
They had likely come expecting a peaceful retreat in the quiet countryside, but Ghislain had other plans.
‘Looks like the construction will finish faster.’
These mages would become a valuable labor force for the estate.