The mercenaries looked bewildered.
If they were headed to the Forest of Demonic Beasts, they naturally thought it was to mine runestones. But with so many carts, that didn't seem right.
Bringing shovels instead of pickaxes also seemed odd.
"All set? Let's move out!"
But Ghislain had never been one to explain himself in detail.
As usual, all the mercenaries could do was follow Ghislain as he took the lead.
Riding like the wind, they arrived in Perdium within two days.
Skovan, the forest guard, tilted his head in confusion when he saw Ghislain's group approaching from afar.
They had come to mine rune stones occasionally before, but never with so many carts.
"Are they planning to take everything this time?"
But his guess was quickly proven wrong.
Ghislain and the mercenaries steered their horses in a completely different direction from where the runestones were.
Skovan was startled and shouted.
"Young Lord! No, Baron! Where are you going? That's not the path!"
The route Ghislain had previously carved out had been paved, with fences erected on both sides.
However, in the uncharted areas, monsters still roamed freely.
Skovan tried to catch up, but Ghislain and the mercenaries had already vanished into the forest.
"Oh, for the love of—what on earth is he thinking?"
Scratching his head, Skovan muttered in frustration. Ricardo, standing nearby, nodded in agreement.
"Right? Why are they heading that way? Did they discover something new?"
"I don't know. Who can tell what he's thinking? It's probably best to act like we didn't see anything."
Skovan shook his head with a sigh.
Unaware of the two men's grumbling, Ghislain galloped like a whirlwind, plunging deeper into the Forest of Demonic Beasts.
The denser trees obstructed their path as they ventured further in.
Ghislain, showing no intention of slowing down, shouted to the mercenaries following him.
"Cut the carts loose!"
The mercenaries riding behind him immediately unhitched the carts.
Now with greater freedom of movement, the horses closed in on Ghislain's lead.
Soon, they came upon the enormous trees that marked the forest's outskirts—the Dirus Ents.
They were monsters all too familiar to the mercenaries.
Ghislain charged straight toward the ones pretending to be ordinary trees.
"Pierce through them!"
"Whoa! What's going on?"
Despite the mercenaries' curses, they raised their spears.
Their experience in the Forest of Demonic Beasts, war and constant training meant they could instantly respond to Ghislain's command.
They skillfully maneuvered through the forest, dodging obstacles as they charged forward.
Boom!
The Dirus Ents let out screams of agony and shock.
These creatures normally attacked by ambushing prey as it approached slowly.
But Ghislain's group had rushed in and driven spears into them before they could respond.
With the added force of the charge, the spears pierced deep through the thick hides of the Dirus Ents.
Recalling how they'd barely managed to aim their weapons when they first entered the forest, it was clear how much the mercenaries had improved.
Neigh!
But it wasn't only the Dirus Ents who suffered.
The mercenaries hadn't fully absorbed the impact of their strikes.
Several mercenaries fell from their horses, and others who managed to stay mounted lost their weapons.
Having shattered the body of a Dirus Ent blocking the path, Ghislain called out loudly.
"If your horse dies, you'll run 500 laps around the training ground! Three to a group—take them down!"
"Captain! You could have given us some warning!"
One mercenary grumbled in frustration, but Ghislain only laughed.
"Do your enemies warn you before they attack? Stay alert at all times!"
Boom!
Even as he spoke, Ghislain was destroying one Dirus Ent after another.
He had taken down most of the Dirus Ents single-handedly before.
With his mana more than doubled, the Dirus Ents posed no challenge to him.
Eager to test his newfound strength, Ghislain threw his spear and leaped off his horse.
Activating his core to the second level, Ghislain's eyes glowed red.
Boom! Boom!
With just two punches, he split a Dirus Ent into three pieces.
He tore through the battlefield, slaughtering monsters that the mercenaries were holding off in formation.
It didn't take long before the last Dirus Ent fell.
Though the mercenaries had defeated a few, most had been dealt with by Ghislain and Gillian…
The mana cultivation techniques could be taught later; the training through real battle had achieved its purpose.
Ghislain scanned the surroundings and asked,
"Anyone dead?"
No one answered. It seemed no one had been killed.
"Alright then, anyone whose horse is dead, step aside."
Around twenty mercenaries, looking miserable, stepped out of formation.
To fight while preserving their horses in such chaotic combat was no easy task.
But since many others had managed to keep their horses alive, it was hard to argue.
"When we return to the estate, you'll run 500 laps around the training ground and participate in special training. For now, head back to Perdium and borrow new horses. Bring back the carts we left behind as well. The rest of you, take a break."
Soon, the mercenaries who had lost their horses returned with new ones, along with the carts.
Ghislain handed each mercenary a cart and took a shovel himself.
"Now, start filling these carts with soil from around here. Fill them to the top."
The mercenaries wore openly puzzled expressions.
After coming all the way to the Forest of Demonic Beasts and fighting a battle, the reward was… soil?
As usual, they couldn't understand Ghislain's orders, but their bodies moved reflexively from habit.
Watching the mercenaries shovel soil into the carts, Gillian cautiously approached Ghislain and asked,
"My lord, why are we taking the soil?"
Ghislain hesitated for a moment, considering how to explain, before replying.
"This forest hasn't been touched by humans for a long time. The soil here should be rich with nutrients."
"Is that so?"
Ghislain scooped up a handful of soil from the ground. It was almost black in color.
"Look at this. The color alone is different from the soil in our territory."
"Isn't that just because it's from a different place?"
"No, think about it. This forest is ancient, so leaves have been decomposing here for ages… and any monster corpses that decayed would also have enriched the soil. It's definitely more fertile than land that's been farmed continuously."
"Wow…"
Gillian murmured in admiration.
What Ghislain was saying wasn't particularly new information.
But it was surprising that it was coming from him.
He had thought Ghislain was just good at fighting. How did he know things like this?
"This forest is teeming with life. You can tell just by looking at the plants, trees, and the size of the monsters here. By mixing this soil with our depleted land, we can replenish its nutrients. And if we have time, we could even cultivate fields here someday."
While the two of them spoke, the mercenaries quickly filled the carts. They were strong, so the work finished in no time.
Ghislain and the mercenaries then hitched the carts to their horses and left the Forest of Demonic Beasts.
Clattering away with carts full of soil, Skovan and Ricardo watched them leave with puzzled expressions.
"Why are they taking so much soil? It's not even valuable."
"Didn't we agree not to think about it?"
"...Let's stick to that."
***
As soon as Ghislain returned to the estate, he gathered the laborers.
"Spread this across the newly reclaimed land. Mix it with the existing soil at a one-to-two ratio."
The laborers looked confused.
What kind of soil was this, and why were they being told to mix it into the fields?
An elderly worker cautiously asked,
"May I ask what kind of soil this is?"
"It's very old soil. Consider it… like compost."
At the word "compost," the old man frowned in concern.
"Hmm, my lord, we've already tried fertilizing the land multiple times."
The soil here was so dry and coarse that no crops could grow.
They had tried spreading manure several times to no avail.
If they used too much, it would just rot on the surface, unable to absorb into the ground.
"And mixing twice as much compost? That's too much."
"No, that's just the right amount."
"I heard there's a magic spell on the ground to keep it warm and humid. Adding this much compost might cause the crops to rot."
"It'll be fine. We need it that strong to keep weeds and pests away."
"Well, I…"
The old man, trying to reason with Ghislain, sighed in frustration.
If it was strong enough to prevent weeds, how could crops grow?
The laborers were baffled by his illogical argument.
Since Ghislain's arrival, he has carried out mostly practical and necessary projects.
But when it came to farming, he had been oddly stubborn.
Still, this was the lord's order. They were paid well, so they couldn't refuse.
"Very well, we'll start right away."
"Yes, be thorough in mixing and planting."
"Yes, my lord."
After Ghislain left, the workers began their task with anxious expressions.
"Isn't the Head Butler going to give in? The bet's almost over."
"Maybe the curses weren't strong enough?"
The townsfolk began planting with skeptical looks.
They would be grateful if the crop yield increased, and they appreciated Ghislain's efforts…
But what was impossible was still impossible.
If farming were as easy as Ghislain made it sound, people wouldn't be fleeing to the mountains to escape starvation.
Despite their gratitude for Ghislain's generosity, they couldn't help but feel pity.
It was painful to watch him waste money and time just to satisfy his pride.
As the townsfolk's sighs deepened, Belinda also bit her nails in worry.
'There's only a week left.'
Money and labor had been poured into this project, and now even the mercenaries Ghislain had recruited were considering leaving.
The financial losses were one thing, but Ghislain's reputation was at even greater risk.
If it spread among the nobles that he lost a bet to a vassal, Ghislain wouldn't be able to show his face in noble society.
He had barely shed his "wastrel" image through his contributions in war.
How much more would he need to achieve to restore his reputation?
'Should I just kidnap that stubborn Head Butler? Ugh, this is maddening!'
Days passed in a blur of worries, concerns, anger, and sighs.
Finally, with only one day remaining before the agreed-upon deadline.
Claude let out a sigh of relief, smiling.
"Of course. I was getting nervous for nothing."
Since Ghislain had acted so confident, Claude had been slightly on edge.
But as he had predicted, nothing miraculous had happened.
Only one day left, and the bet would be over.
Once he collected his payment, he would be free to leave.
During a meeting in the audience hall, Claude presented his final report.
"…That concludes everything. It was challenging, but also rewarding. I will never forget the kindness the lord has shown to Anna and me."
Ghislain responded with a nonchalant look.
"Isn't it a bit early for farewells? There's still one day left."
"What could possibly change in a day? Well, I'll pack up and leave after confirming tomorrow."
The vassals remained silent, glancing at each other uneasily.
Kaor alone was grinning from ear to ear.
Claude smiled as he bid farewell to each person in the room.
"Goodbye, everyone! I'm throwing off the chains of this estate to pursue my happiness. I hope you all find yours as well!"
The audience hall fell silent.
Claude spread his arms wide and shouted joyfully,
"Claude is free!"
At that moment, a low-ranking official, pale as a ghost, rushed in from inspecting the reclaimed land.
Stammering, he announced,
"On… on the open land… sprouts! There are sprouts! Why are they growing already? Could these really be sprouts?"
"What?"
Claude looked at the official as if he were spouting nonsense.
With a smug smile, Ghislain stood up.
"Shall we all go take a look?"
It was time to check the results of the bet.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]