The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 328: You Agree Now, Don’t You? (2)

The runestones they had obtained previously had already laid the foundation for turning the northern territories into an unparalleled powerhouse.

Those runestones had been used in every way imaginable: creating farmland, bartering with the Tower of Magic, constructing mana concentration arrays—essentially, anything requiring magic.

They had been used so extensively that they were completely depleted. Yet this also meant they had initially obtained an extraordinary quantity, enough to drive the territory’s development.

And now, here they were, standing before a site containing even more runestones than the last haul—along with Fairy’s Blessing, which was just as valuable.

Everyone was left dumbfounded by the sheer magnitude of their fortune.

Screeeech!

Belinda, finally grasping the situation, let out an ecstatic scream. She hadn’t even confirmed just how many runestones were present yet, but the sight of the Fairy’s Blessing alone was enough to make her rejoice.

Her excitement had one primary cause: Claud.

“That damned overseer won’t torment me over lack of funds anymore!”

While Ghislain dictated the major policies of the territory, countless minor affairs required constant attention—and funds.

Ghislain didn’t micromanage everything; he entrusted those responsibilities to others. Everyone did their best within their assigned roles, but doing any job required money.

The person who controlled the purse strings? Claud, the overseer.

Claud never allowed anyone else to manage financial resources and had a knack for wielding his authority effectively.

Belinda, as the head steward of the castle, was no exception to his frugality.

She required funds to manage staff and maintain the castle. While she had access to some discretionary funds for emergencies, she couldn’t use them for official purposes, leaving her no choice but to appeal to Claud regularly.

And she wasn’t alone.

Even Gillian, the fearless knight who could face an army alone, Vanessa, capable of performing world-altering miracles, Galbaric, the great dwarven blacksmith, Piote, blessed with divine power, and Lumina, attuned to nature and detached from worldly matters—all had to bow to Claud when asking for funds.

And Claud, being Claud, exploited this power to its fullest.

“Finally, the suffering is over! We’re swimming in money now!” Belinda exclaimed with joy, her voice ringing across the camp.

Her proclamation was met with relieved smiles from everyone else. Claud’s miserly ways had been a source of collective frustration.

While Claud would still oversee expenditures, his excuses of insufficient funds would no longer hold water. If he tried, Belinda was ready to make him regret it.

The group quickly set to work, cutting down trees and constructing barriers. Careful not to trample the precious flowers, they maintained a respectful distance from the blooming field of Fairy’s Blessing.

Gillian approached Ghislain, his tone calm but firm.

“The workers we sent to reinforce the fortress have arrived.”

“Good. In that case, let’s move to the next location. Get everyone ready.”

“Understood.”

Ghislain continued to expand his territory step by step.

With an abundance of laborers, progress was swift. The Queen Grex’s expansive domain meant they rarely encountered monsters.

The few wandering creatures that appeared were swiftly crushed under their overwhelming numbers, reduced to little more than minced meat.

Having overcome their greatest challenge, the group advanced unimpeded.

Finally, the expedition arrived at their destination: the runestone excavation site.

At first, no one could react. Unlike their astonishment upon discovering Fairy’s Blessing, they simply stood there, mouths agape.

Only Ghislain maintained his composure, his usual confident smirk playing on his lips.

“Well? Didn’t I tell you?”

Even though the surrounding forest was thick and dark, the excavation site shone brilliantly.

“So many runestones...”

“There were a lot last time, but this... this looks like twice as much. No, three times as much!”

“This is insane! There’s no other word for it.”

Outside the forest, runestones were incredibly rare and could command astronomical prices. Here, they were scattered across the ground like common pebbles.

Even the knights, who had seen their share of runestones on previous expeditions, were shocked.

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As for the mages, they could only tremble in awe. To them, runestones were treasures beyond compare.

“No wonder this forest is so abnormal,” one mage muttered.

“It’s a reservoir of mana,” another replied.

“That explains all the strange phenomena here,” added a third.

The dense concentration of mana in the area was palpable, even to those less attuned to it. To the mages, the overwhelming energy felt almost suffocating.

At last, the workers and soldiers erupted in cheers.

“Hurrah!”

“We actually pulled this off!”

Although the runestones technically belonged to Ghislain, everyone knew how generous he could be when distributing rewards.

And true to their expectations, Ghislain didn’t disappoint.

“Thanks to all of you, we’ve made it here. For your hard work in service of the territory, you deserve proper compensation. When we return, I’ll issue an additional three years’ wages as a bonus.”

“Hurrah!”

“As expected of Lord Ghislain!”

“Thank you, Milord!”

The soldiers threw down their weapons, their cheers deafening.

Belinda, however, turned pale.

“Three years’ wages?!” she gasped. “That’s going to cost a fortune! Claud will throw a fit!”

With over four thousand troops present, paying them three years’ wages would require a staggering sum.

Even so, this was Ghislain’s charm.

The laborers, who had arrived late, were similarly rewarded with triple bonuses, their joyous cries filling the air. Meanwhile, Belinda sighed, resigning herself to the growing wrinkles on her brow.

Alfoy, observing the scene, muttered to himself.

“That man really has a thing for the number three. He takes three times the usual amount, and now he gives three times the rewards.”

Motivated by their bonuses, the soldiers and laborers threw themselves into their work. As usual, Gillian issued a stern warning.

“Don’t so much as touch a single fragment of those runestones. If you’re caught, you’ll face the full weight of military law.”

Some of the mercenary knights and mages looked slightly disappointed, but those who had joined previous expeditions knew better and simply focused on their tasks.

Of course, there were exceptions.

At one point, Gordon was dragged to a corner and beaten by the knights.

“Ack! I was just trying to get an advance on my bonus! Stop hitting me!”

Apparently, he had been caught trying to sneak a fragment into his trousers.

Following him, Alfoy, Ascon, and a few mages were tied up and hauled away, muttering protests all the while.

Despite these minor incidents, the excavation proceeded smoothly.

For now, they would transport as many runestones as possible using carts, just as they had before. In time, the area would be fortified and properly integrated into the territory.

Watching the bustling activity, Ghislain finally exhaled a long breath of relief.

“At last, we’ve secured this place.”

In the past, he wouldn’t have even dared attempt such a feat. Back then, the most they could manage was to carve out a path and extract a few runestones.

Although the entire Forest of Beasts hadn’t been claimed, the territory they had secured was vast enough to rival a small kingdom.

From here, Ferdium would gain an abundance of resources and create countless opportunities for its people.

“This is just the beginning.”

Along with the runestones and Fairy’s Blessing, numerous herbs and high-quality timber were also harvested from the Forest of Beasts.

Though the value of these additional resources paled in comparison to the two primary treasures, they were still substantial gains that would serve as the foundation for growing the territory.

With such wealth at his disposal, Ghislain’s economic power now rivaled that of any noble from the ducal factions.

This newfound strength would undoubtedly fuel his ongoing battle against the Duke’s faction, providing the resources needed to stay competitive.

News of Ghislain’s successful expedition into the Forest of Beasts quickly spread across Ferdium.

“Oh, heavens! Our lord has done it again! I knew he would! I just knew it!”

“You won’t forget your promise to lend us some of this, will you? For free, right? It’s free, isn’t it?”

Homern, Ferdium’s overseer, and Albert, the treasurer, wasted no time in visiting Ghislain to flatter him while reaffirming agreements to share the spoils.

The people of Ferdium were no less enthusiastic, gathering to sing praises of their liege.

“As expected of our lord!”

“To think we’d see the day someone could push back the Forest of Beasts like this... He really is the strongest in the north.”

“They say a 100-circle mage was part of the expedition! Such a great person wouldn’t follow anyone but our lord!”

The stories, exaggerated by the workers who participated in the expedition, grew even more fantastical as they spread.

Ghislain’s reputation soared to unprecedented heights.

Having stationed a few administrators in the new territory to oversee further development, Ghislain entrusted them with the remaining logistical tasks.

The most challenging aspects of the operation had already been resolved. Establishing defensive walls and securing the territory were tasks well within the capabilities of his appointed officials.

Even the plans to convert the land into farmland were delegated to Ferdium’s management. Ghislain intended to claim only a portion of the harvest as his share.

With the necessary resources secured, it was time to focus on the next objective.

Smiling contentedly, Ghislain declared, “Let’s return to the territory.”

* * *

In the ducal house’s war room, Raul, known as the "Crippled Demon" and the brains behind the Duke’s faction, received a new report.

It contained the results of an investigation into Fenris and its key figures.

The first priority Raul had assigned was gathering information about Fenris’s main players.

To Raul, knowing one’s adversaries—their temperament, capabilities, and habits—was the first step to controlling them.

Though busy handling the Royalist faction, Raul couldn’t afford to ignore Fenris, which had emerged as a dominant force in the north.

If civil war were to break out, Fenris would need to be crushed swiftly. Preparations had to be made in advance.

“Hm... You’ve brought this faster than expected,” Raul remarked, skimming the document.

One of his aides bowed deeply. “Yes, my lord. The information on their key figures was not particularly difficult to obtain. Many are already well-known among the people of the territory.”

“Is that so? How does it compare to the information Harold provided?”

The Duke’s house already had a report from Harold, but it was outdated. Raul suspected Harold, with his pride, might have withheld critical information.

Hence, the re-investigation.

The aide nodded emphatically. “There are significant differences. It has been some time since Harold’s report, and Fenris has recruited new individuals since then. However...”

“However?” Raul prompted, raising an eyebrow.

“I believe it’s best if you read it for yourself.”

With a neutral expression, Raul flipped open the report.

“The White Lion of Fenris, Gillian...”

The very first page introduced an impressive figure.

Raul had heard of him before—the man who had held back Desmond’s army at Stonehaven Fortress.

Titles often encapsulate a person’s essence, and someone called the “White Lion” would naturally be assumed to be brave and highly skilled.

The report detailed his exploits in depth.

“Ho... So this man was skilled enough to rival Baron Hutton, was he? Nearly on par with the Northern Swordmaster?”

“According to our analysis, yes. While a direct comparison is impossible due to Jurgen’s death at Amelia’s hands, extrapolating from Baron Hutton’s abilities suggests he is not far behind.”

“Indeed. Baron Hutton was an exceptional knight.”

This assessment meant Gillian’s combat prowess could be regarded as comparable to that of the Northern Swordmaster. Knowing this made it easier to plan; all Raul needed to do was send someone capable of defeating him.

“A former mercenary... and a distinguished one at that. Fenris certainly acquired a valuable asset.”

The report contained detailed information on when Gillian had started following Ghislain, his achievements, his responsibilities, and even his favorite foods.

Most of the information seemed credible, with little room for doubt.

Satisfied, Raul set aside the page and turned to the next section.

As his eyes scanned the next set of names, his expression twisted in disbelief.

[The Bribe King of the North, Gambling Addict, Hurricane of Scandals, Liar Extraordinaire, Truth Gone Missing, Money’s Shadow, Defeat’s Gambler, Gangsters’ Blood Brother, Eternal Servant...]

Raul blinked several times, rubbed his eyes, and read again.

[Overseer Claud.]

“...”

For a long moment, Raul was speechless. His aide fidgeted nervously, glancing at him for any reaction.

“The Fenris overseer, Claud, has these nicknames?” Raul finally said, voice dripping with incredulity. “Are you sure you’re not describing some lowlife thug from the slums?”

“N-No, my lord! I assure you, this is accurate,” the aide stammered.

“You’re certain? This is the man who manages the largest and most powerful northern territory, and these are his titles?”

“Yes, my lord. The local people themselves confirm it.”

“This is absurd,” Raul said, his gaze turning icy.

The aide, looking thoroughly flustered, blurted out, “Everyone in that place is... is strange, my lord!”

It was undeniable. The enigmatic and eccentric nature of Fenris was as bewildering as it was formidable.