As soon as the Rune Stone was mentioned, everyone looked at Ghislain with eager expressions.
Their eyes sparkled with anticipation, to the point where it felt a little overwhelming.
It was embarrassing enough to ask the first-rank honoree for funds instead of giving him his reward, but they desperately needed the Rune Stone to relieve the estate's finances.
It wasn't something they could refuse out of pride.
Still, they couldn't openly ask for it either. After all, the Rune Stone was something Ghislain had obtained himself.
In the end, all the vassals could do was fall back on an old method passed down through the ages—praise, flattery, or, as some would call it, a relentless stream of compliments.
Homerne, eyeing the situation, was the first to step forward, exclaiming loudly.
"The young lord's achievements will be remembered in history! The victory at the Perdium Defense is entirely due to him! Bards across the continent will sing of his accomplishments far and wide! The late Count Dante Perdium, former lord of Perdium, would be—"
Seeing Homerne's speech was going to drag on, Albert quickly interrupted.
"It's rare to see a war hero at such a young age. No one in any other territory could compare to our young lord."
"Yes, the young lord certainly achieved something great. He fights well, too," Randolph added, sounding a bit reluctant.
With even Randolph's half-hearted praise joining in, the rest of the vassals quickly jumped in.
"It's an extraordinary accomplishment."
"The people of the estate are full of admiration."
"Rumors about the young lord fill the estate. He's truly remarkable."
In reality, the rumors had been so exaggerated that the vassals who hadn't witnessed Ghislain's actions on the battlefield found it hard to believe.
But those who had been there all agreed: "The young lord played a decisive role in the victory."
So, they didn't mind giving some compliments. After all, it didn't cost anything.
In the lively atmosphere, the compliments continued endlessly.
Finally, Ghislain, having had his fill of praise, smiled and spoke up.
"The Rune Stone? I don't have it."
The statement dropped like cold water over the room. The vassals, who had been flattering him, stopped talking.
Homerne, as if he had misheard, asked again.
"What? What did you say you don't have?"
"The Rune Stone. I don't have it."
The vassals assumed it was just another one of the young lord's jokes.
Some looked at him with suspicious eyes, doubting if he might be changing his mind because he didn't want to give it up.
Growing frustrated, Homerne pressed, "But you promised. What do you mean you don't have it? Didn't you take plenty before the war?"
"Oh, that? It's all gone."
"…Why?"
"You didn't know? I used it all. Boom!"
Ghislain spread his arms wide in an exaggerated gesture.
"Used it…?"
The idea of that many Rune Stones being used up—what could he have done with them?
Albert, who had a quicker mind, asked in a trembling voice, "Could it be… that fire trap you set up… did it use the Rune Stones?"
The magical fire Ghislain had used was incredible, even by mere description.
Many people had wondered how he'd managed such powerful magic.
Now, the truth was finally coming to light.
"Yes, I laid out a bunch of Rune Stones underground and set them off."
He said it as casually as if he'd just burned a few logs.
The vassals were too stunned to respond, their mouths agape in shock.
As Ghislain briefly explained the trap's workings, the vassals staggered in disbelief.
Has there ever been another case of someone using Rune Stones just to make a single trap? Not in all the history of the continent.
The mere thought of it was staggering, but to use up such a vast quantity was beyond belief.
It was like burning through several wagon loads of gold coins.
That amount of Rune Stones could have sustained a grand estate for several years.
In Perdium, it could have lasted a solid ten years, and if they were frugal, even twenty years.
Even Zwalter, who thought he was accustomed to his son's antics, turned pale.
Homerne, clutching his chest in frustration, cried out.
"You used all of that just for a trap?! It would have been more practical to give half to Rayfold or Desmond and get support from the great lords! If we'd offered that much, they'd have come running!"
"Desmond was the one who attacked us."
"What did you say?"
The revelation, even more shocking than the news of the Rune Stone, made everyone's eyes widen.
"How could a poor territory like Digald afford such a force? It was Desmond who provided the support."
"Why would a great lord like Desmond target us?"
"It's probably because of the Rune Stone."
In truth, there were other reasons, and it wasn't Desmond behind it, but Duke Delphine.
But Ghislain chose not to mention it for now, to avoid causing further turmoil.
Zwalter, with a trembling voice, asked again.
"Is it true? Was it really Desmond?"
"It is. Let me show you proof."
Ghislain nodded to Gillian.
Moments later, Gillian brought in three knights bound tightly in chains.
These were Desmond's knights, who had been captured while attempting to infiltrate Perdium.
Ghislain had deliberately spared them with the intent of using them later.
"These men are Desmond's knights, who attempted to infiltrate during the war."
The knights, looking exhausted, displayed a thoroughly defeated expression.
The mana-suppressing cuffs made from Rune Stones weren't particularly effective on powerful individuals.
In fact, the ones Perdium had were cheap and barely suppressed half of the knights' mana.
To subdue them, they had to use several mana suppression devices, along with heavy chains.
With all that weight, even knights wouldn't be able to move easily.
"Feel free to question them yourself."
Zwalter, pretending to be furious, addressed them.
"Who are you?"
One of the knights, his lips dry and cracked, answered.
"We are knights of Desmond."
"Is that true?"
"Yes, it is."
"Explain why you attacked our estate!"
At Zwalter's demand, the knight began to explain slowly.
While he didn't know the exact reason, it was likely for the Rune Stone. Most lords didn't yet know about Perdium's Rune Stone, so they wanted to secure it first.
The knight explained everything he knew without hesitation.
He had been promised a chance at release if he cooperated, and he clung to that hope.
He was also too terrified of Ghislain to consider lying.
When the interrogation ended, Zwalter and the vassals wore heavy expressions, unable to say a word.
Though they had won the war, making an enemy of a great lord like Desmond was an unsettling and risky affair.
In truth, it was terrifying to the point that their hands shook.
Ghislain, looking around the hall, spoke.
"From now on, we must keep as much distance from Desmond as possible. We can't fight them. Officially, the only ones who attacked us were from Digald."
It was, in the end, a way to avoid confrontation.
Since Desmond had disguised their soldiers as Digald's, there was no choice but to accept the facade, even if it was imperfect.
"Other lords aren't foolish. They'll figure it out over time. While they won't side with Desmond, they also won't rush to help us."
Desmond was one of the most powerful lords in the North. Only Rayfold could rival him.
But Perdium's relations with Rayfold were already at an all-time low.
The vassals remained silent. Ghislain continued.
"If offering the Rune Stone could guarantee peace, we might do so. But if we ask for help once, they'll want more. Whether it's Rayfold or Desmond, we'll need to defend ourselves, difficult as it may be."
Hearing the grim yet realistic words, everyone nodded.
Though it presented challenges, they couldn't deny the logic.
"I'll bring back more Rune Stones. Knowing I have them, they'll wait a while longer. If we announce that we're distributing relief supplies to the people, we can quickly restore morale."
Zwalter looked at Ghislain with a hint of admiration.
It was disappointing not to receive the Rune Stone immediately, but seeing this new side of his son left him both surprised and pleased.
He'd always thought of Ghislain as a child, but now he seemed so dependable.
The vassals, too, wore expressions similar to Zwalter's as they regarded the young lord with respect.
However, Homerne, though pleased with Ghislain's growth, couldn't help feeling a slight fear.
'There's no one left who can restrain the young lord.'
Before, they'd only had to make humble requests for a bit of money.
But now, after his achievements in the war and uncovering the forces behind it, the atmosphere in the hall had shifted entirely in Ghislain's favor.
Even now, none of the vassals dared oppose his words, simply nodding along.
This time, it was justified, so Homerne didn't comment further…
But he was wary of a situation where everyone blindly followed Ghislain.
The young lord's change was welcome, but without knowing why, they couldn't be certain he wouldn't revert to his old ways someday.
Homerne firmly believed that people didn't change so easily.
'But… now, I don't think he can be stopped.'
Ghislain's influence wasn't just significant—it was absolute within the estate.
Homerne swallowed dryly.
He wanted to know why the young lord had changed.
Had the war transformed him so drastically? Or was this always who he was?
Had he been hiding it all this time? Or had something triggered it?
Not knowing the reason for Ghislain's change, or being able to understand his way of thinking, was deeply unsettling.
In the dead silence that followed, Ghislain raised his voice again.
"Send another envoy to Count Loges and strengthen our alliance. Now that Desmond is our enemy, this won't end so easily."
Hearing they had a powerful lord as an enemy, the vassals' faces grew anxious.
But Ghislain continued, unconcerned.
With a clear enemy now in focus, the estate would need to adapt.
"There may be others besides Desmond. Perdium can't stand alone; we need allies."
They couldn't afford to ignore their own territory while focusing solely on the North.
Zwalter nodded gravely.
"I understand. I'll send another envoy to speak urgently with Count Loges."
After a pause, he added.
"We'll delay the remaining rewards for now. Once Ghislain brings back the other Rune Stones, we'll first provide aid to the townspeople and then distribute the rewards."
Some knights showed mild disappointment, but most bowed in acceptance.
To oppose now would be to risk being stoned and dragged away.
They didn't have the money to grant the rewards anyway unless Ghislain handed over the Rune Stones.
Seeing everyone in agreement, Zwalter turned to Ghislain.
"I promised you two thousand gold, but it seems you'll end up giving some back. I doubt you're in much need of gold. Is there anything else you'd like?"
Ghislain nodded, as if he'd been waiting.
Of course, he hadn't gone through all this trouble just to let it slide.
Even if it was family, a mercenary was owed a reward for his work.
He wasn't about to settle for a mere two thousand gold.
He needed a lot more to prepare for the future.
"Before that, let me ask one thing. What do you intend to do with Digald County, Father?"
Zwalter stroked his chin thoughtfully.
With the sudden increase in territory, he had no detailed plans yet.
"Well, for now, I'll send administrators to manage it as a direct territory. Eventually, I'll allocate land to loyal vassals based on merit. Of course, those who swear loyalty will be accepted as they are."
"Understood. Then, I'll tell you what reward I want."
"Very well, say what you will," Zwalter said, smiling warmly.
Returning his smile with a gentle one of his own, Ghislain replied.
"I want half of that land."
The faces of Zwalter and everyone around him turned to pure shock.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]