Since the lost jewelry had been recovered, and with both the mayor and the head of the merchants' association present, the rest of the process went smoothly. Gwynnis took the jewelry to a workshop for valuation, then sold it, ultimately obtaining 16 gold coins. Although it wasn't enough to clear the debt, it significantly eased his burden.
For the remaining six gold coins, Gwynnis planned to raise funds by selling other assets from his domain, such as timber. The estate did have some cattle and horses that could be sold, but there weren't many, and Gwynnis was reluctant to part with them. Therefore, he decided to focus on logging.
After discussions with the merchants' association, they expressed their willingness to purchase a large quantity of standard logs, typically pine and spruce in the local area. These trees were straight and rarely branched, making them ideal for furniture and construction. The woodworking guild in Windermere City had a high demand for wood, so the negotiation was quickly successful.
The guild would soon send representatives to the Targas Baronial Domain to jointly select suitable trees with Gwynnis. Each tree was priced at 18 copper coins, and they planned to cut down about 80 trees. After initial processing, the logs would be floated down the Bering River, where they would be intercepted in Windermere City downstream.
With the cooperation agreement settled, Gwynnis planned to return to Targas immediately without further delay. It was just past noon, and they could get back to the domain before sunset if they left right away.
Gwynnis borrowed a horse from Mayor Bohn and planned to take the tied-up middle-aged man back with him. As for the two female thieves, they were bound and placed on horseback.
Mayor Bohn readily agreed to his request. These people were neither citizens nor merchants, lacking money and skills, and brought no benefits to the city. He was more than happy for Gwynnis to take these troublemakers away, which would also improve the city's security.
Bohn even accompanied Gwynnis part of the way. They rode side by side, casually chatting about the weather, crops, and harvests.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bohn formally congratulated Gwynnis on his succession as the Baron of Targas and promised to bring gifts to the upcoming baronial succession ceremony. He expressed hope for a harmonious relationship and joint efforts towards a prosperous future.
Gwynnis, in turn, thanked the mayor for his hospitality. He was impressed by Windermere City's prosperity and order, and praised the mayor as an outstanding ruler and a role model for his vassals, expressing his intention to learn from him.
After an exchange of compliments, the two men bowed to each other on horseback.
Bohn waved with a smile as he watched Gwynnis ride away. Once Gwynnis disappeared from sight, Bohn's smile vanished.
"That wet-behind-the-ears kid, so poor he had to sell women's jewelry. I wonder how long he can last," Bohn muttered coldly.
"Is it true he had a falling out with the 'Stallion' Duke? Will the Duke send troops into the North?" the head of the merchants' association asked.
"Hmph, a small baronial domain isn't worth the Duke's trouble. Besides, the Duke himself is in trouble lately. I heard he's been targeted by the Regent, accused of crimes. If he gets caught, losing one or two earldoms will be a loss he can't make up for with just a baronial domain," Bohn replied.
"The 'Stallion' Duke will not turn his attention to the North for the time being but will focus on his own domain. This is inevitable. However, since that boy from Targas has torn his relationship with the Infurness family, this presents an opportunity for us. It remains to be seen how much we can extract from him," Bohn mused.
"If he can pay back the money, we'll earn high interest from him. If he can't pay, then we'll..." Bohn turned back, his eyes revealing a hint of a smile.
...
"That old fox is serious. He really has his eyes on my title," Gwynnis thought, rolling his eyes at the thought of Bohn's attitude on the way back.
"Just wait, in a few years, it's not certain who will be eating whom…"
Indeed, Windermere City was a juicy target, making even Gwynnis salivate.
"Gwynnis, this girl... um... Rowenna, she won't last much longer. She'll die before we get back to the domain," Rosalyn caught up to Gwynnis on horseback and said.
On her horse, the girl, tied horizontally, was gasping for breath, spitting out a little blood with each movement of the horse.
The female thief tied to Jervis's horse also looked at Gwynnis with pleading eyes.
Reluctantly, Gwynnis ordered the group to stop and let Rosalyn provide treatment to the girl to alleviate her injuries.
Rosalyn placed her hand on the girl's chest, closed her eyes, and concentrated. Soon, a gentle glow emitted from her hand.
Under the glow, the pain on Rowenna's face eased slightly.
During the treatment, Gwynnis noticed Rosalyn didn't need to pray to Agnes or chant any spells; she seemed to be using her own power to cast the spell.
Gwynnis took note but didn't make a fuss. Now wasn't the time to worry about these minor matters. He would clarify everything when he had some free time.
"This is the 'Healing Word,' a kind of healing spell that can treat almost any internal or external injury, and it's very effective. However, the loss of physical and mental strength still needs time to recover," Rosalyn explained, sensing Gwynnis's gaze.
The treatment quickly ended, and the group continued their journey.
Finally, according to the scheduled time, before the sun completely set, through the gaps in the branches on the forest path, they saw the silhouette of the castle.
Gwynnis didn't take the two girls back to the castle but left them at the manor.
He instructed the manor steward to arrange accommodation and meals for them, treating them as slaves.
"What's your name?" Gwynnis asked.
The girl couldn't respond, so Gwynnis turned to Rowenna, asking her friend's name.
"Felicity. If you dare to run away, I'll kill you. Understand?" Gwynnis glared at her, speaking coldly.
Felicity nodded, curling up into a ball.
Gwynnis wasn't actually worried about her running away; her friend was still too weak and needed to rest. She wouldn't leave her behind.
Despite thinking this, Gwynnis still hung a bell around Felicity's neck. It would make noise the moment she moved.
Her ability to lurk in the shadows was deeply ingrained in his memory.
Gwynnis even placed two dogs at the door of the slave hut where Felicity was resting to monitor her movements.
After everything was arranged, Gwynnis returned to the castle and threw the middle-aged man they had picked up - Godric - into the dungeon.
Godric was a strong man, and Gwynnis didn't feel safe leaving him unconfined.
"Are you really going to hang me?" Godric asked.
"It's hard to say; I haven't decided yet. I'll come to decide your fate when I have free time," Gwynnis said, then left the dungeon as the accompanying guards extinguished the oil lamp.
The dungeon fell into darkness.