The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 200: Triple the Current Price. (1)

After verifying the remarkably fast and somewhat smooth development of the estate, Ghislain reviewed his next plan.

“Development is something that needs to continue anyway… but from now on, the conflict between the Royal Faction and the Ducal Faction is bound to escalate.”

The Marquis of Branford might not have wanted it, but he must have realized by now that the civil war would come earlier because of Ghislain.

Count Desmond’s movements alone were evidence enough.

Ghislain already knew that Desmond’s forces had been blocked by the Second Corps. From the start, he had anticipated and maneuvered things accordingly, and the Marquis of Branford had acted precisely as he had hoped.

But the real problem began now.

‘Dragging this out with Amelia ends here.’

Count Desmond had abandoned the mask and pretense of neutrality and was directly mobilizing his army.

The fact that someone like him, who had primarily focused on Amelia’s rebellion, was now making a move meant one thing: he had decided to target this place directly.

Whether his attack would coincide with the civil war or occur beforehand remained to be seen.

‘Now it’s Harold’s turn.’

Desmond’s territory was considered one of the strongest in the North, alongside Raypold’s estate.

While it might fall slightly short compared to other regions, a Grand Lord wasn’t called a Grand Lord for nothing.

To earn that title, one needed not only excellent knights and numerous elite troops but also abundant resources to support them.

As he studied the map for a moment, Ghislain unconsciously murmured to himself.

“Raypold’s forces will be weakened because of Amelia… so, for the time being, that ‘strongest in the North’ title will go to Harold.”

In any case, Raypold would fall to Amelia. Even if Ghislain leaked information, it was obvious that Count Raypold would be unable to handle her.

However, Ghislain didn’t intend to let Amelia take over Raypold’s territory so easily.

“Well, thanks to Amelia, we’ve also managed to pioneer the Forest of Beasts, and she’s drawn the attention of both the Ducal Faction and Harold. When you think about it, she’s quite a useful woman.”

Ghislain recalled the time he had extorted money from Amelia in exchange for his silence.

He couldn’t be sure that choice had been the best. Amelia was that capable and dangerous a person.

But at the time, it had been the best option for Ghislain.

There was no way Count Raypold would have believed the words of a useless scoundrel with nothing to show for himself. Even if the count had trusted him, Amelia wasn’t someone who could be taken down easily.

‘Maybe I succeeded in driving Amelia away, but afterward, the situation would have become even more dangerous.’

On her side, they would have found another pawn besides Amelia, and they wouldn’t have left someone like him, who had interfered with their plans, alone.

Things are different now.

Fenris had grown too large to hide from their gaze, and Harold had begun to feel threatened.

And this change meant Ghislain was facing dangers unlike anything before.

In the end, seizing dominance over the North required a direct confrontation.

‘The Royal Faction can only hold the Ducal families in check for so long. Before that time runs out, I need to crush Desmond with overwhelming force.’

All the Northern lords must be brought to their knees before a proper battle with the Ducal family can be entertained.

If all of them are subdued through war, the losses will inevitably be significant. Therefore, it was imperative to demonstrate overwhelming power and compel them to surrender voluntarily.

To achieve that, how thoroughly preparations were made from now on was of utmost importance.

‘I’ll need more Runestones. For now, I’ll have to reduce the supply we sell to the Magic Tower.’

Runestones would still be needed in many places moving forward. The most significant use would naturally be estate development, but they would also play a role in strengthening forces.

This much had been anticipated since the beginning, even when searching for Runestones. Now, the time had simply come.

“Come to think of it… they’ll be arriving soon.”

Not long ago, Hubert, the master of the Crimson Flame Tower, had sent a letter.

It was a congratulatory message for winning the war, along with a notice of his intent to visit. He mentioned checking on the branch’s status and seeing Ghislain’s face after a long time.

Seeing through Hubert’s intent, Ghislain chuckled leisurely and gazed out the window.

* * *

A few days later, Hubert arrived, accompanied by the elders of the Magic Tower.

The arrival of the mages caused a minor commotion near the lord’s castle.

The Crimson Flame Tower was well-known in the North, but its members were rarely seen, making their presence noteworthy.

“The Master of the Crimson Flame Tower is here!”

“Really? Someone so famous came to see our lord?”

“Yes, really! They arrived in an incredibly lavish carriage, accompanied by many attendants.”

“If such esteemed figures came personally, doesn’t that mean our lord’s reputation has grown immensely?”

Laborers working in the workshop chattered about the visitors. Hearing this, Alfoi, who was inscribing a magic circle in a corner, perked up.

‘The Tower Master is here? Stay calm, stay calm!’

Alfoi broke into a cold sweat, trying to steady his mind.

Since being abandoned here, he had believed he would never have the chance to see Hubert, the Tower Master, again.

But with Hubert present in person, now was the perfect opportunity to escape from this place.

Surely, if the Tower Master learned that he was living as a slave, he wouldn’t turn a blind eye.

After calming the mages who were stirred by the news, Alfoi spoke quietly.

“This is the moment. I’m going to meet the Tower Master. You all create a distraction.”

At Alfoi’s resolute words, the mages nodded and immediately took action.

“Where did I put the tools?”

“Call for the priest! I’m feeling unwell.”

“Hey, hey, hey! Move this first! Where are the dwarves?”

The mages began poking around aimlessly, creating an air of unnecessary chaos.

“I’ll just head to the restroom real quick.”

Taking advantage of the distraction, Alfoi slipped out of the workshop, pretending to head toward the restroom.

“Haste.”

He cast a speed-enhancing spell on himself and quickly started moving.

Time was short. If he stayed away too long, someone would come looking for him.

‘Alright, let’s run!’

Alfoi sprinted with everything he had, making a beeline for the castle.

By now, the sun had set, and darkness had settled over the area. The guards patrolling from a distance would likely find it difficult to spot him moving so swiftly.

“Huff, huff!”

Using what little mana he had left after working all day, he quickly found himself short of breath.

Although he thought he’d built up some stamina from working at the construction site, it seemed he had overexerted himself recently.

‘Hang in there, Alfoi! You can do this! You’re an indomitable man of fire! Ugh, my heart!’

The hope of escaping this hellhole fueled his determination, causing his heart to pound wildly in his chest.

‘Just a little more! I’m almost there! If it’s Master, he’ll definitely release my slave contract…!’

As Hubert came to mind, a sudden wave of anxiety washed over him.

The Hubert he knew so far was lazy, indulgent, and extremely narrow-minded.

Considering how much the lord could offer him, would Hubert really go so far as to free him? Even Alfoi himself wouldn’t sacrifice personal gain for some disciple…

‘What the hell am I thinking?! What kind of master abandons their disciple… No, not my master! My Master isn’t like that!’

The castle was now within sight. There was no need to let unnecessary thoughts distract him.

If he caused a loud enough commotion ahead, Hubert was bound to notice him.

Pouring every ounce of his mana into his rapid sprint, Alfoi suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

‘What’s that?!’

Saaah!

Darkness suddenly surged around him, distorting the space before his eyes.

Startled by the unknown phenomenon, Alfoi quickly gathered mana in his hands.

In this estate, attacking anything suspicious on sight was generally the safest bet.

However, before Alfoi could cast his magic, the darkness tore apart, and a hand emerged from within.

Snap!

‘Damn it, shi—…’

Alfoi’s consciousness faded as his head twisted unnaturally.

Looking down at the collapsed Alfoi, Belinda let out a long sigh.

“Ugh, he’s getting sharper by the day and harder to catch. Even after spending his mana throughout the evening, he still moved this quickly? Just how much has his mana efficiency improved?”

They practiced magic without rest while working on construction every day. With such relentless effort, it was inevitable their skills would improve.

Though their circle level remained unchanged, their mana control and application abilities had developed in an almost unnatural manner.

In real combat, such traits could be even more threatening. Though they might not realize it themselves, in Belinda’s view, these magicians seemed capable of holding their own against even decent knights in direct confrontation.

Clicking her tongue a few times, Belinda tossed Alfoi back into the workshop.

The magicians, seeing the unconscious Alfoi, openly displayed their disappointment. Belinda gave them a small smirk before leaving the area.

While their skills had indeed improved, they were still a long way from surpassing Belinda.

* * *

“It’s been a while, Tower Master. I see the elders are here as well.”

“Oh-ho, yes. I was shocked to hear about your latest victory. You’re certainly good at fighting. So, how have you been?”

Hubert responded to Ghislain’s greeting with a bright smile.

He was genuinely pleased. When he first heard the news that this bastard had started another war, his heart nearly sank to the floor.

If Ghislain ever went down, the magic tower would inevitably suffer too. Hubert wished he’d at least consider this once in a while.

After exchanging casual pleasantries filled with relief, Hubert and the elders began chatting about how they’d been.

Most of the conversation revolved around Hubert bragging about how well things were going for him lately.

“The nobles of the territory are trying so hard to curry favor with me, bringing endless gifts…”

“Ah, yes.”

“I’m the most popular person at every social gathering…”

“Ah, yes.”

“So, if you maintain a closer relationship with me, it could greatly benefit your territory…”

“Ah, yes.”

Hubert clicked his tongue at Ghislain’s uninterested responses.

To be honest, the man in front of him had been doing too well recently. With the Marquis of Branford supporting him, it was no longer easy to wield the authority of the tower master as in the past.

“Ahem, so… How is the branch? Is it proving helpful? And Alfoi, is he doing well?”

“Of course. The branch has been a tremendous help to the territory. Would you like to meet Alfoi? Since it’s late today, why don’t you take the opportunity to reconnect with your pupil and get some rest before you leave? As for me, I’m quite busy, so…”

Ghislain subtly attempted to send Hubert away, causing the latter to wave his hands frantically in protest.

“No, no! As long as he’s doing well, there’s no need for me to meet him. I didn’t come here to see him anyway. He’s fine on his own; there’s no need for concern.”

“Oh, is that so? Then, may I ask what brings you here? Is there something you need?”

At the direct question, Hubert and the elders squirmed awkwardly like puppies in need of a bathroom break.

Ghislain chuckled softly before continuing.

“Feel free to speak. Why are you hesitating between us?”

“Right, there’s no need for hesitation between us. Ha-ha-ha.”

Hubert smiled brightly before cautiously asking,

“By any chance… could we buy some food? We need quite a lot.”

“Hmm, you know how expensive food is these days, don’t you?”

“Ah, I do! But with the number of people in the tower growing… Even with money, it’s not easy to secure as much as we need.”

Since receiving the supply of runestones from Ghislain, the Crimson Flame Tower had gradually begun regaining its former glory.

The number of disciples had increased, and with them, the hiring of staff to support their work had also grown.

The trade in magic tools and scrolls had flourished, and their finances were now as robust as ever.

But the drought had put a halt to everything.

Even the Scarlet Tower, renowned as the best in the North, had come to Ghislain seeking food. It spoke volumes about the dire state of affairs elsewhere.

“Ugh… It’s just so hard to get food these days. But there’s a rumor that you have plenty here…”

“The magic tower doesn’t seem likely to starve, though,” Ghislain replied nonchalantly.

“Ah, don’t even start. We’re consuming food for hundreds of people daily, but it’s getting harder to obtain, and the prices are skyrocketing to insane levels. It’s enough to give me a headache.”

The little food that was available in the market was being swept up by nobles, who were even revising territorial laws to ensure they could sustain their armies.

The tower’s authority and vast funds had allowed them to hold on so far, but without those advantages, they would’ve collapsed long ago.

Even Count Cabaldi, who had amassed an enormous fortune, had no choice but to let his soldiers go hungry.

That’s the terror of a drought. Once a poor harvest hits, supplies remain scarce at least until the next growing season.

Hubert, wiping away sweat, spoke with a hint of desperation.

“Couldn’t you sell us some food as well? I know it must be difficult since your population has increased, but… Sharing hardships is what true friends do, isn’t it?”

Hubert wasn’t exactly sure how much food Ghislain had. All he knew were the rumors about an abundant stockpile.

Still, the man before him had managed to sell food to rescue soldiers and even wage a war.

‘Ugh, I don’t know why he wasted that precious food on such a crazy venture… But now that his population has grown, he might not have any surplus. What if he refuses to sell?’

Hubert felt uneasy, but with no other options, he’d come to test his luck.

After hearing Hubert’s story, Ghislain nodded casually as if it were no big deal.

“We still have plenty of food. Even after accounting for our needs, there’s more than enough.”

“R-really? Do you really have that much? Then sell some to us! We don’t need as much as you sell to nobles—just enough to safely feed our people for two years.”

The Crimson Flame Tower was a massive institution, once hailed as the best in the North.

Including the disciples it taught and the staff it employed, the tower easily supported hundreds of people.

The amount needed to sustain such numbers for two years would be enormous.

Ghislain chuckled lightly, raising three fingers just as he had in the past.

“Three times the current market price.”

Hubert and the elders’ faces immediately twisted in dismay.

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