Hubert looked at the elders. Yet, the elders only wore awkward expressions, unable to decide or take action.
'Damn it, useless fools!'
Without someone skilled in negotiating, there was no one to lead this deal.
"Young man, you certainly have some backbone. But deals don't always go the way you want. Since you've come all the way here, and we can at least make this a smooth transaction, we'll offer double the original price. That should be enough…"
Before he could finish, Ghislain stood up once again.
"Goodbye, then."
"It was going to mean that double might not be sufficient!"
"Oh, really? I must have misunderstood terribly."
Hubert and the elders exchanged gloomy looks.
Runestones were expensive, to begin with, and paying three times the normal price would require an enormous sum.
Even the Magic Tower, with all its wealth, would feel its foundation shake if that much money left its coffers at once.
― Can't someone say something? Isn't there a way?
― What if he really leaves?
― Is this guy just insane?
Hubert and the elders communicated silently with each other for a while.
Ghislain waited patiently. The outcome was as good as decided anyway, so he could afford to be generous as the victor.
In the end, Hubert sighed, looking utterly defeated.
"Fine. We'll buy it all at triple the price."
Belinda, Gillian, and Kaor were shocked, their mouths agape.
A ridiculous and ruthless deal had actually succeeded.
But Ghislain simply nodded as if it was the expected result.
"Very well. You timed it perfectly."
"Perfectly, my foot…"
Hubert muttered, turning away to hide his twisted expression.
He didn't want to fall for this young man's tricks, but the situation was too unfavorable.
None of the other elders had the nerve to protest the tower lord's decision, though they could only click their tongues in frustration.
Seeing the scowling faces of the wizards, Ghislain smirked inwardly.
'Buying it now at a high price will probably be the wiser choice. Later, it'll only get more expensive. Better that than falling sick with regret.'
In a short time, the price would likely go up fivefold, making Runestones nearly impossible to acquire.
The Crimson Magic Tower was on the verge of monopolizing the distribution channels by partnering with most of the merchant guilds.
Hubert would later realize this and nearly fall ill from anger.
'Well, at least I've gathered enough funds.'
Ghislain, who knew the tower's situation and future better than they did, wouldn't miss this chance.
For Ghislain, it was a fairly reasonable set of terms.
"The money will be prepared right away. All the Runestones you've brought will be purchased by the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower. Please wait here for a moment."
Hubert was obviously eager to pay and send Ghislain and his companions off as quickly as possible.
But Ghislain's demands didn't end there.
"I haven't finished listing my conditions."
"What?"
Hubert's eyes widened.
The seller had named his price, and the buyer had agreed. All that was left was the exchange of money, so what else could there be?
In a soft voice, Ghislain made an additional request.
"In addition, please send ten mages to the Perdium estate for one year."
"Mages?"
"Yes, they must be at least 3rd-circle masters."
Sometimes, territories without resident mages would request the Magic Tower to dispatch mages for support.
In return, the tower charged an enormous fee.
While it didn't bring in as much as selling magic tools or scrolls, dispatching mages was one of the tower's main income sources.
"How much are you planning to pay? Our mages are quite valuable."
Hope glimmered in Hubert's eyes at the prospect of recouping some of the money he'd been forced to spend on this arrogant noble.
But Ghislain was far more ruthless than Hubert expected.
"Oh, you seem to have misunderstood. The dispatch of mages is included in the price of the Runestones. Triple the usual rate, with the mages included. Ha-ha."
"What did you say? This… this madman…"
Hubert's face flushed red, and he clutched his neck as if he might faint.
"Tower lord! This man must think we're fools!"
"This is absolutely intolerable!"
"This is nothing less than an insult!"
The elders' faces flushed with rage as they raised their voices.
In the midst of the growing tension, Gillian moved his hand to the sword at his waist, prepared to act immediately if Ghislain was attacked.
Kaor, who was watching with interest, and Belinda, who glared daggers at Ghislain's back, were in stark contrast.
Ghislain calmly repeated his conditions.
"Triple the price, plus ten mages of at least 3rd-circle dispatched to my territory. That's what I require."
"How dare you make such outrageous demands here! Adding mages as a free bonus? In all my life, I've never heard of such a deal!"
"You're an odd one. If you don't like it, feel free to refuse."
Ghislain abruptly stood up again.
"I even came to the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower first out of consideration, yet you seem unwilling. Perhaps the Crimson Magic Tower will be more open to it."
Hubert felt so angry he almost wanted to cry.
But at this moment, he knew he had to accept it. Hurriedly, he moved to block Ghislain's exit.
"Hey! Young man, why are you in such a rush? You should hear a person out! I was just saying I hadn't seen such a deal before, that's all! It doesn't mean it can't happen!"
"Oh, I must have misunderstood. I can be a bit hasty."
Ghislain laughed softly, crossing his legs elegantly as he sat back down.
'It's hopeless. I can't beat him with words.'
Hubert swallowed his resentment.
Most people tried to impress the tower, but this arrogant man didn't care about the tower or anything else.
'This guy must be out of his mind. Probably lives like there's no tomorrow. If only Runestones weren't so scarce, I'd have thrown him out by now.'
But pride alone wasn't reason enough to send him away.
'If all those Runestones go to the Crimson Magic Tower, we'll fall further behind.'
That was the one thing he couldn't allow, even if he had to swallow dirt.
"So, uh, ten 3rd-circle mages… Is there some large-scale construction on your estate? Or are you setting up a new barrier?"
"No. I need battle mages."
"What?"
Hubert's face tensed slightly.
When mages participate in combat, they receive hazard pay. But now he was expected to provide this for free.
"Are you planning to hunt monsters?"
When Hubert asked for clarification, Ghislain shook his head.
"It's for warfare. The mages will be used in a territorial war."
Hubert's face went rigid.
The elders glared at Ghislain with cold fury.
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Mages from the Magic Tower were prohibited by law from participating in territorial conflicts.
With the Magic Tower's immense power, favoritism toward any territory could mean that the entire nation would fall under the tower's control, leading to the establishment of strict laws against it.
If a tower mage was caught participating in a territorial conflict, both the mage and the Magic Tower would face severe penalties.
"Mages belonging to the tower cannot take part in territorial wars. Do you not know this, even as a noble?"
Only free mages who lived as wanderers or researchers could participate in territorial wars.
"Surely you're not suggesting we expel the mages temporarily for the war and bring them back after? You wouldn't…"
There had indeed been a noble who attempted such a scheme. When discovered, that Magic Tower was erased from the kingdom entirely.
Ghislain nodded lightly.
"Something like that. They will conceal their identity and participate. They must act as if they belong to our territory."
There were likely historical precedents, but trusting such a risky operation to a young noble was too dangerous.
Buying Runestones at a high price was a compromise, given the tower's desperate situation.
But this crossed a line.
"Are you seriously…"
Hubert began to summon his mana.
The entire room trembled with his overwhelming magical energy.
The elders, too, unleashed their mana, pressing down on Ghislain.
"This brat needs a lesson."
"You think you can mock us because we granted your ridiculous demands?"
"We'll show you what happens when you insult a mage."
The justification was there; Ghislain had made the first dangerous suggestion.
The atmosphere turned hostile as Belinda and Kaor readied their weapons.
They were facing mages at the 6th and 5th circles.
Even with all of them combined, victory wouldn't be easy.
Gillian prepared to spring forward.
'If worst comes to worst, I'll have to shield him with my own body.'
Determined to protect Ghislain, even at the cost of his own life, he was poised for action.
In contrast, Kaor flashed a dangerous smile.
'I'll take him out first.'
Fixing his gaze on Hubert, he prepared to strike.
With Ghislain as the distraction, he aimed to decapitate Hubert the moment mana flared.
'With Hubert gone, the rest of the elders will be far easier to handle.'
'Our reckless employer has some skill, so he should manage. If he dies… well, I'll just mark his grave as "foolish noble."'
Belinda, meanwhile, alternated between glaring at Ghislain and sneaking glances behind her.
'I'll use Kaor as a shield and drag the young master out in the chaos. I'm not dying here! Young master! You have to choose your battles! Why couldn't you just let it go?'
She subtly shifted behind Kaor.
'Maybe a hard enough kick will send him flying toward the tower lord.'
Kaor, focused entirely on Hubert, didn't notice her movements.
The situation was tense, about to explode at any moment.
At that precise instant, Ghislain's voice sliced through the tension.
"Are you sure you won't regret this?"
"What?"
True to his reckless nature, Ghislain remained unfazed.
"A source of Runestones was discovered on my estate. Far more than what I've brought today. Truly a sizable amount."
Shocked, Hubert and the elders forgot to release their mana.
"There's at least ten times what I brought today. Are you certain… you don't need it? I could offer it at market price next time, of course."
Ghislain raised three fingers and waved them. Hubert was at his breaking point.
'Daring to mock me with Runestones of all things!'
Yet it was an overwhelming quantity to dismiss.
As he hesitated, Ghislain's devilish persuasion continued.
"We could continue to provide a steady supply of Runestones, and, depending on the terms, exclusively to the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, not the Crimson Magic Tower. Have you heard of an exclusive contract?"
The suggestion was alluring enough to forget pride, and the mages' nostrils flared with greed.
"What a snake of a man!"
"Where do you get off with that slippery tongue…?"
But though they protested, their hostility had lessened.
"Once you have a steady supply of Runestones, it's only a matter of time before the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower becomes the most powerful tower in the north. Or, perhaps, even the kingdom?"
Having a steady Runestone supply was practically their greatest wish.
Ghislain had struck a nerve, both tapping into their ambitions and insecurities.
The mages, who had been so furious, found it increasingly difficult to maintain their rage.
Just as Ghislain intended.
"Ah, I suppose my offer doesn't appeal to you. In that case, I'll try a different tower."
"Hey! Young man, why the rush? Who said we'd refuse?"
Ghislain, who had begun to stand, looked at Hubert blankly.
"Just now, didn't you try to intimidate me with your mana because you didn't like the terms? My heart isn't great; I can't handle much stress."
'What nonsense, as if this guy doesn't have a heart like a dragon's!'
Grumbling internally, Hubert widened his eyes and forced himself into an awkward charade.
"That was just… a way to test if we could trust you with something so important. Right, everyone?"
Hubert gestured to the elders.
The stunned mages, now aware of the tower lord's glare, quickly nodded.
"Yes, yes, we wanted to see if you were trustworthy."
"To remain calm and resolute in the face of our mana—yes, he's truly a man of character."
"The young man certainly knows how to drive a bargain, ha ha ha."
Ghislain looked at the awkwardly smiling elders and beamed.
"So, I've passed, then?"
Hubert hesitated before nodding reluctantly.
"Yes… tell me more about this territorial war…"
It felt like he was handing the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower over to the devil himself.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]