Chapter 158: I Will Take Care of This. (4)
People were moving so diligently because they had no idea that a war might break out.
If they found out now that they’d have to fight against the great lord, Count Desmond, they would drop everything and flee, leaving their homes behind.
However, once people had a house and their lives were stable, their reactions were bound to change.
‘At that point, they’ll want to protect their own property. Other estates wouldn’t treat them as well as our lord does. They’d have no choice but to fight to protect Fenris Estate... Surely, that wasn’t the plan all along, right?’
Ghislain hadn’t started this with such intentions. He had simply proceeded because it was necessary for the estate’s development.
But those actions, combined, had led to unexpectedly positive results.
Claude, half-impressed and half-skeptical, scrutinized Ghislain and spoke with a hint of concern.
“For now, we’ve managed to solve the lumber issue... but in a few months, we’ll face the same problem again. It’s not just lumber; other materials are also gradually running out.”
“Still, we’ve secured enough for the immediate projects, right? We can always gather more. What else is in short supply besides wood?”
“Of course, it’s iron. It’s used in so many places. Right now, since preparing for war is urgent, most of it is being used to make weapons... but the amount set aside for the residents’ daily goods and building materials is already running low.”
“Getting iron ore is going to be difficult, I assume?”
“Yes, even if we have the money, iron ore is hard to obtain. Most of the supply circulating in the north is controlled by Count Cabaldi...”
Ghislain nodded several times before muttering to himself.
“Alright, it’s time to move on to the next phase.”
“What? What preparations? We’re already busy to death trying to prepare everything else, and now there’s more to prepare?”
When Claude asked in a startled tone, Ghislain responded nonchalantly.
“If we don’t have it, we need to get it. Especially iron, since it’s a vital resource for war.”
“Well, you managed to get the wood from Ferdium, but how do you plan to get iron ore? Ferdium doesn’t have iron mines, either.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan. I’ll tell you about it soon.”
“A plan, you say... Right, of course you do.”
Claude couldn’t hide the exasperated look on his face as he nodded.
Ghislain always had a plan, no matter what.
The problem was that those plans were so bizarre and downright unreasonable that they didn’t make any sense to anyone else.
‘Please, I hope this time it’s not another plan that involves risking his life. I wish our lord could be a bit more sensible.’
Claude silently prayed fervently to the goddess.
* * *
While the estate was bustling, the subordinates Ghislain had been searching for from his past life began to arrive one by one.
Mercenaries, soldiers, butchers, executioners, hunters... their professions and skills were diverse.
Those who had been forced into rough jobs due to their circumstances readily accepted Claude’s offer of employment.
It would have been strange not to accept when the lord was guaranteeing good pay and stable work.
As Claude scanned the list of newcomers, he asked Ghislain casually.
“Not all of the information you gave me was accurate, but a lot of it was spot on. How did you find out their locations and personal details? None of them even knew who the lord was.”
Claude was genuinely curious. How could a young noble, who had spent his whole life cooped up in the countryside, know butchers from another kingdom?
Yet, no matter how many times Claude asked, Ghislain never gave him a clear answer.
“Well, I just happened to find out, somehow.”
Even if he honestly said he knew them from his past life, they wouldn’t believe him anyway, so Ghislain always brushed it off vaguely.
Naturally, Claude’s suspicions only deepened.
What made it even stranger was how delighted Ghislain seemed every time one of them arrived.
It was as if he was meeting an old friend he hadn’t seen in ages.
It was the same when he greeted the latest arrivals.
“You’re here! I’m so glad! I’ve missed you!”
The new arrivals looked puzzled by the lord’s excessive hospitality.
They had come with some anticipation, given the favorable terms, but they were caught off guard by how eagerly this lord, whom they were meeting for the first time, greeted them.
Seeing their awkward reactions, Ghislain would just smile, as if he had expected it.
‘I know they’ll find it strange, but I can’t help being so happy.’
They had only grown close in the past, fighting through life-and-death situations together. In this life, they were complete strangers.
But when had Ghislain ever cared about how others saw him? He rationalized his actions, letting his joy spill out without restraint.
Claude, standing next to Ghislain with a look of contempt as if he were staring at a madman, finally spoke.
“This is the last of them. Out of the 128 names you listed, 92 people have agreed to come here.”
“Are you sure no one else will come?”
“Yes, we couldn’t find some of them at all, and others refused outright. There’s nothing more we can do about that.”
After giving a rough overview, Ghislain introduced the people who would be in charge of them.
“You’ve already met the Chief Overseer, Claude, so you know him... And this here is Gillian. He’ll be your instructor in charge of training.”
Gillian nodded slightly at Ghislain’s introduction, then stepped forward and scanned the group.
“They all reek of blood.”
Suppressing his nervousness, he inwardly clicked his tongue.
The people standing before him had a fundamentally different air from the usual mercenaries.
They carried a scent closer to that of wild, hungry beasts—rougher even than the notorious Mad Dogs, who were known for their ferocity.
“This is going to be exhausting.”
To keep these kinds of people in line and make them follow would mean countless bouts of violence and power struggles for a while.
Ghislain continued introducing more of his subordinates.
“This is Belinda, the head butler of the castle. She’ll be responsible for your daily lives and needs, so if there’s anything bothering you, don’t hesitate to talk to her.”
“Pleased to meet you. My, you all look quite impressive.”
Unlike Gillian, Belinda smiled brightly even in the face of their fierce energy.
For her, having more people to fight and work on Ghislain’s behalf was nothing but a positive thing.
“And this is Kaor. He’s a mercenary, and for now, he’s in charge of security in the estate.”
Kaor casually glanced around, surveying the crowd. It would have been nice if things ended there, but the problem was that he had gotten a similar impression to Gillian.
Given his usually foul-mouthed nature, it was unlikely that anything good would come out of his mouth.
“I’m the Mad Dog around here. So don’t cause trouble and keep your heads down. If you’ve got a problem, come at me anytime. I’ll be more than happy to crush you,” Kaor said provocatively, making the atmosphere instantly tense.
Gillian shook his head in disapproval, while Belinda covered her face with one hand, as if embarrassed.
The people gathered there were all rough types who had seen their fair share of hardship.
They didn’t immediately push back, given the presence of the lord, but they didn’t bother hiding their displeasure, letting out a fierce, intimidating aura.
As the air around them bristled with tension, Kaor let out a scoffing laugh.
“Unbelievable. You want to fight right now? Fine, we need to settle the hierarchy anyway. Come on, you bastards. Who’s going first?”
Kaor stepped forward, radiating his own killing intent.
In the world of mercenaries, rank was decided solely by strength. Since they recognized Kaor as a mercenary, there was no reason for the others to hold back.
A few large, rough-looking men stepped forward and asked Ghislain directly.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to start fighting as soon as we get here... but can we give it a try?”
“If you allow it, we’ll settle the order among ourselves.”
“And if we win, will you let us switch places with that guy?”
Their bold reactions made Kaor grin wickedly. He’d been itching for a fight, and this was exactly what he’d hoped for.
In situations like this, it was important to establish dominance. If he could beat a few of them down thoroughly, the rest would fall in line.
“Hey, boss. They need some education anyway, don’t they? Let me take care of it for you. Leave it to me,” Kaor said, further heating up the atmosphere.
The man who had stepped up first tilted his head and spoke.
“I’m not sure if it’s okay to kill someone as soon as I arrive.”
“Idiots who don’t know their place are the first to die. You’re trying to act tough because you know how to use mana, right? I really don’t want to pick on weaklings,” Kaor taunted.
Most people who could use mana were knights. If they had that level of skill, they wouldn’t have ended up here.
In other words, Kaor was trying to assert his dominance.
But the man just grinned, baring his teeth.
“Can’t fight without mana? You call yourself a mercenary, huh? Then why don’t we fight with ‘Moriana’s Recognition’? I’ll tear you apart right up close. If you’re scared, you can run away now.”
“You son of a...”
Kaor’s expression twisted. Hearing that name brought back painful memories of when Ghislain had thoroughly beaten him.
The two men were now standing face to face, exuding streams of killing intent.
If Ghislain gave the nod, they’d draw their swords without hesitation.
Gillian, who had been watching from the side, scowled as the air around them grew heavier.
“These fools... how dare they show such hostility in front of the lord...”
No matter how unruly they were, it was outrageous for them to emit such killing intent right in front of the lord.
Although Ghislain usually let things slide, this was extremely disrespectful behavior.
Gillian found it intolerable. He wanted to drag them all to the training grounds and straighten them out.
“You brats, follow me right this...”
Just as Gillian was about to intervene, Belinda, who had been silent until now, suddenly burst out.
“Ugh! I can’t take it anymore! What do you think we are, a gang of bandits? Why do you start fighting the moment you meet? Can’t you show even the slightest bit of decorum? You absolute, pathetic idiots!”
Her long-suppressed anger erupted like a blaze.