Though Gillian had said he was ready to leave at any moment, the actual preparations took longer than expected.
He didn't have many personal belongings, but the abundance of weapons scattered throughout his home was the real problem.
The carriage was too small and rickety to load all the weapons properly, leaving them struggling to fit everything. Ghislain, watching this, finally offered some funds.
"Go buy a better carriage. Make sure it's comfortable enough for Rachel."
After gathering all the supplies, the two-horse carriage was loaded to a comical extent, covered with weapons so heavily that it looked almost sinister.
Small lances were strapped to the saddles of each horse, and the sides of the carriage were covered with various weapons hanging at odd angles.
Even Gillian himself was armed with swords and hand axes strapped to his waist, with a crossbow slung over his shoulder. To anyone watching, it would look like he was about to charge into battle.
The knights accompanying them shook their heads in disbelief.
'This looks like a mobile bandit fortress. Does he really need all those weapons?'
Truly powerful warriors usually carry only a few weapons they prefer. Even heavily armed knights only take a couple, leaving any extra equipment with their squires.
To the knights, Gillian appeared to be hauling everything out of sheer reluctance to leave any weapon behind.
However, Ghislain merely nodded in approval, saying nothing about Gillian's preparations.
"Let's head out. We can send someone later to fetch anything we forgot."
Gillian took the reins of the carriage, while the rest mounted their horses to follow, much as they had when they first arrived at Rayfold.
Belinda, riding near Ghislain but at a slight distance, kept glancing at him, lost in thought.
'It's not just his personality that's changed. There's something else strange here.'
At first, she'd assumed he'd simply matured and become more focused.
She thought that perhaps his skills had finally blossomed after years of dedicated training and that his natural talent was simply now beginning to shine.
But the incident with Gillian's daughter didn't fit that narrative.
'There's no way the young lord could have known such knowledge on his own.'
Ghislain wasn't particularly studious, nor had he ever traveled far beyond his territory to learn from other lands.
Belinda knew all too well that Ghislain had little interest in books or learning.
So how had he managed to discover a cure for an unknown illness? It was utterly baffling.
'Could he… be a dark mage?'
Belinda absentmindedly fiddled with the dagger at her waist, considering every possibility.
Legends spoke of dark mages who could transfer their souls into other bodies to continue their lives.
She studied his calm face, searching for anything that might betray an unnatural presence.
'No, no. He still looks like my young master. Just a little… different.'
He had moments of confidence and cleverness that hadn't been there before, but his core demeanor—the unique feel of his presence—hadn't changed.
Anyone who had watched over Ghislain as long as she had would recognize him anywhere.
He had a quiet confidence now, an unhurried charm that hinted at something more.
Almost like the Ghislain she remembered from before he became reckless and wild, with an added layer of self-assurance.
The same person, yet somehow different.
That was how Ghislain appeared to Belinda now.
'I just can't figure it out. He won't tell me a thing.'
No matter how many times she tried to question him, Ghislain would only brush her off with a vague promise to explain someday.
Finally giving up on her suspicions, Belinda turned her thoughts to the miracle cure Ghislain had developed.
'If this is handled right, it could be worth a fortune.'
Belinda managed all of Ghislain's personal finances, including his maintenance allowance.
She was always juggling expenses to make ends meet, so the prospect of earning a little extra money set her heart racing.
'The ingredients are expensive, though. Only the wealthiest could afford it.'
One ingredient in particular, "Fairy's Blessing," grew only in specific regions in small quantities and was worth more than its weight in gold.
Its high price stemmed from its various effects, making it a prized component in luxury medicines and potions.
'But still, it might be cheaper than holy power treatments. Maybe we could make money just by selling the formula.'
As everyone was lost in thought, Ghislain rode alongside Gillian, engaging in a quiet conversation.
Since Ghislain didn't insist on formalities, Gillian also relaxed, speaking freely.
"You seem unusually easygoing for a noble, young lord."
Ghislain chuckled. "I guess I am, aren't I?"
Although Gillian's remark was subtle, he couldn't help but notice that Ghislain acted more like a confident commoner than a noble.
"Well, I'm trying to act more dignified these days, but it's just not comfortable for me."
"In your youth, it's sometimes best to enjoy freedom. Take advantage of it while you can."
"I'd love to, but my youth is already pledged to another cause. A bit of a shame, really."
Gillian found himself puzzled by Ghislain's occasional cryptic remarks, but chalked it up to the young lord's unique personality.
***
The group soon reached the edge of Rayfold territory without incident.
Initially tense, fearing some retaliation from Amelia, they relaxed as they passed through potentially dangerous areas without any signs of attack.
"Once we pass through here, we'll be out of Rayfold's territory," Ghislain said with relief.
Up ahead, dense trees flanked the path on both sides.
It wasn't a vast forest, but the trees grew close enough together that anyone who wandered in could easily lose their way.
It was the perfect spot for an ambush. Passing through quickly was the only viable option, as going around would mean either crossing a mountain or taking a much longer route.
'If she plans an ambush, she'll likely send enough force to make sure it succeeds.'
While Ghislain was confident in his ability to fend off an attack, Amelia would still want her best forces on hand, unsure of Ghislain's full strength.
Even so, experienced warriors were a rare resource, not something she could just deploy on a whim.
Still, it was wise to stay vigilant.
As they approached the forest, Ghislain subtly released fine strands of mana, casting them out to survey the area.
'If I were her, this would be the perfect place to strike—just far enough into her land to avoid an outright confrontation with Rayfold.'
His mana threads—so fine that only those of the highest caliber would detect them—stretched out, sweeping through the surrounding area.
After a few moments, Ghislain nodded to himself and signaled to the group.
"Let's go."
They entered the path, moving cautiously, with Ghislain and the knights on high alert.
Despite their vigilance, nothing happened, even as they progressed deeper into the woods.
As they neared the forest's edge, Belinda, riding alongside Ghislain, tensed.
A faint prickle of danger—a tingling on her skin—warned her of something amiss.
Focusing her mana, she finally sensed familiar presences scattered nearby.
"Young master, I think—"
Before she could finish, Gillian suddenly leaped onto a horse, cutting the line tethering it to the carriage.
"I'll handle this. Please, rest easy."
He drew a crossbow from his back, firing bolts in rapid succession as his horse surged forward.
Thunk, thunk, thunk!
Three bolts struck their targets, hidden among the trees.
"Argh!"
Several ambushers, camouflaged in the foliage, tumbled to the ground.
The forest erupted with shouts.
"They've noticed us!"
"Attack!"
Masked figures sprang out from behind trees and hidden pits, more than thirty in total.
As the knights drew their swords, Gillian charged toward the attackers, laughing.
"Quite a few rats have come out to play!"
He dropped his crossbow, grabbing two hand axes from his belt and hurling them forward.
Thud!
The axes embedded in the heads of the leading ambushers, who crumpled to the ground without a sound.
Without sparing a glance at the fallen, Gillian retrieved a small lance from his saddle and plunged straight into the cluster of attackers.
Crack!
"Aargh!"
The lance skewered several enemies in a row, shattering bones as he plowed through their lines.
The knights stared in shock, momentarily forgetting they were under attack.
"A… a lance charge? Here?"
"In this kind of terrain?"
A feat like this was almost impossible in dense woods. Even on open ground, skewering multiple enemies consecutively required incredible skill.
Yet Gillian maneuvered seamlessly, dodging obstacles while maintaining his horse's speed. Only bodies were left in his wake.
The remaining attackers, horrified, shifted focus.
"Forget that one! Kill the one called Ghislain!"
Ignoring Gillian, they charged at Ghislain en masse.
"Young master, allow me—" Belinda began, but Ghislain raised a hand to stop her.
"It's fine. Didn't Gillian tell us to sit back and relax?"
Meanwhile, Gillian, who had looped around, rode back toward Ghislain and dismounted.
He yanked a massive shield off the carriage and moved to stand in front of him just as one of the attackers threw a dagger.
Swish!
The air filled with the sharp sound of blades whizzing toward them.
But Ghislain didn't flinch, his expression calm.
Clang, clang, clang!
Gillian stepped in, raising the giant shield to block the incoming projectiles. With a powerful swing, he sent several attackers flying backward.
Belinda, awestruck, whispered,
"Who… who is this man?"
For once, Ghislain gave her a direct answer, smiling.
"Gillian, former leader of the Ratatoskr Mercenary Corps. A master of battlefield tactics, able to fight in any terrain or condition."
Ghislain watched Gillian's formidable form with a quiet smile of satisfaction.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]