The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 207: Developing a New Technology (2)

While the dwarves devoted themselves to research, Ghislain revisited his plans and assessed the state of the estate.

Thanks to the numerous forges that had been built, the production of iron ingots was proceeding at an overwhelming pace. However, mass production of weapons and tools was still being restrained.

This was because he intended to use a newly developed alloy once its creation was successful.

“Once this succeeds, it’ll bring about a massive change.”

Its strength matched that of steel, but its weight was less than half.

If all items requiring iron could be replaced with this alloy, from military strength to civilian life, everything would undergo a significant transformation.

“We have plenty of iron ore. Once mass production begins, arming all the residents of the estate within a year won’t be difficult. But other resources are still severely lacking.”

Building forges and blacksmiths in large quantities wasn’t the end of the story. The territory had expanded rapidly, and the population had grown just as fast.

Raising everything to the standard Ghislain envisioned was inevitably fraught with challenges.

“Even after claiming new lands, they’re all in shambles…”

In Cabaldi’s estate, it was necessary to construct essential facilities, such as self-sufficient farmlands and residences.

Facilities aside, the supply of other resources posed another issue. Food and iron alone couldn’t solve everything.

“It’s time to lift the blockade on the estate and focus on trade. I’ll need to look into other kingdoms, not just domestic exchanges.”

Ultimately, the resources they lacked would have to be acquired through trade. By doing so, Ghislain hoped to stabilize the precarious economic balance of the estate, which had been growing at an unnatural rate.

As he meticulously rechecked his plans and busied himself with the estate’s development, Claude came rushing in, breathless.

The moment Ghislain saw Claude, he scowled and stepped back.

“What? What’s the problem this time?”

“I haven’t even said anything yet.”

“Whenever you show up, something always goes wrong. You’re like a walking disaster magnet.”

Claude looked at him with an incredulous expression.

“It’s not that things go wrong because I show up. I show up because something’s gone wrong. And most of the time, the problems arise because of your overambitious plans.”

“Fine, let’s go with that. So, what is it? What’s the issue this time?”

“It’s not a problem… The elf slaves we’ve been waiting for have finally arrived.”

“Oh! They’ve arrived?”

At those words, Ghislain’s face lit up, and he jumped to his feet. In truth, he’d been so preoccupied with stabilizing and developing the estate that he had completely forgotten about them.

Without delay, he rushed to meet the slave trader.

The trader, upon seeing Ghislain, acted noticeably differently from before, placing a hand on his chest and bowing deeply, beginning his words with praise.

“Oh! The noble son of the Northern Margrave, Zwalter Ferdium, the rightful heir of the glorious Ferdium family, the ruler and protector of Fenris, the undefeated victor, the executor of the Goddess’s will, a lord of exalted virtues and wise judgment, respected by all for his remarkable leadership—Baron Fenris, the one and only in the North, it is an honor to meet you.”

“…….”

Silence blanketed the surroundings. Unlike before, the greeting was excessively formal, overly adorned with flattery.

It was obvious, even at a glance, that the man was groveling with every fiber of his being.

Ghislain, who had been quietly gazing at the slave merchant with a piercing look, finally spoke.

“……Are things tough for you lately?”

“……Yes.”

“You’re earning good money, so what’s the problem?”

“Could I… perhaps receive payment in food instead of gold coins?”

Ghislain smirked faintly. He had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

The slave merchant standing here was none other than the representative of the slave traders introduced by the Marquis of Branford.

It was no exaggeration to say that they controlled the largest slave trade network in the kingdom. Naturally, that meant they had a large number of dependents to care for, along with an endless number of slaves to feed.

With the current hard times, business likely wasn’t booming, and feeding all those mouths must have been an absolute nightmare.

Ghislain wasn’t one to miss an opportunity like this. He was a man who knew how to save ruthlessly when necessary.

“Alright, I’ll give the payment in the form of food. But only at half the agreed price.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m saying I’ll only give you food worth half of the promised payment. If you don’t like it, just take the full payment in gold. I was going to reduce it to 30%, but I figured all your slaves might starve to death, so I’m being generous. See how soft-hearted I am?”

“Ugh….”

The slave merchant looked as if he was about to cry from frustration.

Elf slaves commanded astronomical prices. The batch he brought this time alone numbered over 200.

Selling them at half price would be a massive loss.

But there was no other way. These days, getting hold of food was like plucking a star from the sky.

“…Fine. I’ll accept your terms.”

The slave merchant agreed, swallowing back tears. Even with only half the payment, it would be enough to survive through the year.

Ghislain patted the merchant on the shoulder and spoke in a comforting tone.

“You’ve made a wise decision. Didn’t I say you’d hear some surprising news from me soon?”

“Yes… When I first heard the news of the war, I thought it was all over. But then I heard you won, and I was honestly shocked. The knights didn’t even seem in good shape before…”

“That’s why you should pay attention to what I say from now on. So, where are the elves?”

“They’re waiting at the temporary barracks outside the castle. I’ve already completed the handover with the estate’s administrator.”

Claude handed a document to Ghislain right away. It was a ledger detailing the elves’ purchase prices and personal information.

Ghislain gave the document a quick glance before nodding.

“Alright, Claude, head over first and guide the elves to their accommodations. Make sure to take care of their immediate needs. I’ll finish up the transaction and join you later.”

“Understood.”

The slave merchant and his workers, hauling numerous carts, moved toward the food storage.

Even at half their value, the elves’ prices were exorbitant, so the amount of food being handed over was staggering.

Ghislain meticulously checked the quantities of food. Normally, he would let minor discrepancies slide, but this deal involved a substantial payment, so he had to ensure everything was in order.

Watching him, the slave merchant began to sweat nervously.

‘What kind of lord personally verifies every last detail? He must really hate being scammed to go this far.’

The merchant, who had been considering sneaking in a bit more food, immediately gave up on the idea. With Ghislain’s sharp eyes glued to the process, there was no chance of pulling it off.

Seeing Ghislain’s meticulousness, the merchant suddenly found himself worrying about something else.

“Uh… my lord, have you ever purchased elf slaves before?”

At this, Ghislain tilted his head slightly and replied, “No, this is my first time buying them.”

“So… you haven’t spent much time around them or lived with them either, I take it?”

“Well… I’ve encountered them briefly before.”

In his previous life, Ghislain had known elves for quite some time. But those were extraordinary comrades who had fought alongside him against calamities, not slaves.

As for elf slaves, the only ones he had seen were dancers presented to him when he was treated as the King of Mercenaries. Even then, he had no interest and thus no real interaction with them.

His life had been far too exhausting and demanding to care about such matters.

Seeing Ghislain’s response, the slave merchant cautiously spoke, gauging his reaction.

“Well… since the payment has been completed, I’ll take my leave now.”

“Why? You must be tired. Why not rest for a day before heading back?”

“No, no, I’m much too busy. I’ll be able to come a bit sooner next time.”

The additional slaves Ghislain had requested were mostly craftsmen or general laborers to bolster the population.

Compared to non-human slaves, they were far easier to transport and procure.

Noticing the merchant’s sudden rush to leave, Ghislain gave a slightly puzzled nod.

“Well, if you’re that busy, I suppose I can’t stop you. Don’t go too far, though.”

“Ah, also… you do know that elves, like dwarves, can be quite difficult to handle, right? They live longer than humans, so many of them are older. And since they’re so expensive, they’re used to being treated well.”

“Elves likely have their own pride. Treat them well, and they’ll be fine. The dwarves have opened their hearts to us and are living comfortably in our estate now.”

It was the sort of comment that would make the dwarves faint if they overheard it, but Ghislain said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Hearing this, however, the slave merchant’s expression softened with relief.

“Yes, that’s everything I needed to explain. I’m really leaving now. Hey, hey, let’s go quickly!”

The slave trader hurriedly disappeared, urging the workers to drag the carts of provisions along.

Ghislaine, who had been silently watching him, stroked his chin, narrowing his eyes.

“Ah, that guy… he’s acting suspicious. Did he bring some sick elves or something?”

There was no mention of anything like that on the list. Still, something felt off. Just as Ghislaine was about to turn around and verify it, Claude came running, panting heavily.

“Where’s that damn slave trader? Has he already run off?”

“He left.”

Claude furrowed his brows tightly, took a deep breath, and then looked at Ghislaine.

“We’ve got a problem.”

“Ugh, what’s the problem this time?”

“You need to see it for yourself.”

Claude’s serious tone left Ghislaine and the others curious as they followed him.

When they arrived at the open space in front of the lodgings, everyone was overcome with an inexplicable feeling.

‘Is this… supposed to be an elf?’

Elven slaves were typically something only the wealthy and high-status individuals could even hope to lay eyes on. Most were hidden away in mansions and treasured like rare jewels.

Many people lived their entire lives without ever seeing one in person.

Thus, the image of elves in most people’s minds was shaped by stories and books: a mysterious and noble race, beautiful and ageless, gentle and deeply connected to nature.

But the elves standing before them defied all expectations.

“Hey, bring more booze! Let’s party like there’s no tomorrow to celebrate our arrival!”

“Thump! Thump! Ugh, am I getting too old? My joints hurt; I can’t dance like I used to.”

“Is there any more alcohol? I want to drink my fill and get a good night’s sleep today. Tomorrow, let’s really cut loose!”

The scene was utter chaos. It felt more like a rowdy group of idlers on a picnic than anything else.

True, they were as beautiful as the rumors claimed, regardless of gender. But their vibe was completely off.

Since Ghislaine hadn’t specified any particular gender, the group was evenly mixed between men and women.

The problem was that every single one of them looked… strange, regardless of gender.

“Pfffft! I’m a chain smoker, so you’ll have to provide me with the best tobacco every day.”

“Ah, I’m tipsy. Finished my drink already. When’s mealtime? I only eat fine wine and veal, you know.”

“I can’t sleep without a luxury bed. This place looks kind of shabby.”

Some were puffing away on cigarettes, blowing clouds of smoke, while others, seemingly already drunk, were stumbling about.

One elf had collapsed, snoring loudly, while another group danced energetically, caught up in the moment.

The ones who stayed still weren’t any better. If anything, their condition was even worse.

They exuded laziness and apathy from every pore. Their faces bore the weariness of lives beaten down to the point of exhaustion.

Even Ghislaine, who rarely blinked an eye at anything, was left speechless for once.

“W-What is this? These are supposed to be elves? Did they just slap some pointy ears on people?”

When Ghislaine turned to Claude with a flustered expression, Claude responded with an equally incredulous look.

“I thought the same thing, so I checked. They are elves. You’re always acting like you know everything, but you didn’t know this and bought them anyway?”

“How was I supposed to know something like this! The elves I know aren’t like that!”

“Why are you taking it out on me? You’re the one who got scammed, Lord!”

“Scammed? Me? Scammed?”

As Ghislaine looked around in disbelief, his aides hesitantly nodded in agreement. Meanwhile, Kaor was clutching his stomach, laughing so hard he was out of breath.

“Kahaha! Even the mighty lord can get swindled, huh? What are these? Elves? More like orcs in elf costumes! Pwahahaha! Gah! What the—!”

Before Kaor could finish laughing, an enraged Ghislaine delivered a flying kick squarely to his gut.

“You dare laugh? You find this funny? Do you know how much money I spent, and this is the situation you’re grinning about?”

Even as he was stomped on, Kaor couldn’t stop laughing.

He had never seen the lord so flustered before. It was simply too much to resist.

“Pwahaha! Y-You got scammed l-like an idiot…! Ow! Oww! Hahaha! Stop hitting me… Ahahaha! Wait, why does it feel like your foot’s getting bigger?”

At some point, Belinda joined in, delivering a kick of her own. Seeing this, Claude and Wendy also approached and started stomping on Kaor.

Even Alfoi, who had come to spectate, cautiously joined in with a strong kick. After some hesitation, Piote followed suit.

‘Goddess, forgive my sins. I’ve been under so much stress lately.’

When even the usually gentle Piote joined in, nothing could hold them back anymore. Soon, everyone in the vicinity was taking turns kicking Kaor.

“Ugh! What the hell! Why are there so many feet! I swear, I’ll remember all your shoes— Gah! Stop! Stop kicking! Ah, dammit! What’s happening! Why are you doing this!”

It was as if no one wanted to miss the chance to vent their frustrations, and they all stomped with fervent enthusiasm.

Eventually, Kaor let out a loud scream and rolled across the ground, writhing in pain.

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