Seeing the mages charge in with such intensity, Ghislain made a bemused expression.
"What's with the group visit?"
"We're here to place a bet! All of us are betting that your cosmetic product is useless, my lord!"
"Hm, there are quite a lot of you… What are the terms?"
Claude, who'd stepped up as their representative, grinned and replied.
"If we win, you'll nullify our slave contracts and give each of us two thousand gold."
"And if you lose?"
"Then each of us will add another ten years to our contracts."
Ghislain pretended to hesitate and asked again.
"And what if I decide not to accept the bet?"
Claude and the mages' eyes sparkled.
For the first time, this reckless lord was showing hesitation. That likely meant he wasn't confident, and the odds were in their favor.
"Didn't you propose the bet in the first place, my lord? Refusing now wouldn't be honorable. If you're backing out, take five years off our terms."
"Oh, that's… tricky…"
After a moment's thought, Ghislain nodded.
"I only hesitated because I feel bad about adding ten years to your contracts… but since you're all so set on it, I'll accept the bet."
"Yes!"
Claude and the mages pumped their fists with small cheers.
"Alright then! Set the deadline."
"Hmm, will a month be enough?"
Ghislain said confidently.
Two weeks would be enough for the effects to show, but since skin conditions vary, he generously set it at a month.
Claude, grinning, brought in a crowd of witnesses, summoning the vassals of the estate.
Everyone gathered in the audience hall, except for Gillian, who was out inspecting the estate, and Vanessa, who was training.
Of course, Belinda protested furiously.
"A bet? Another bet? You're getting influenced by that fool! How exactly are you planning to prove the effectiveness of cosmetics?"
With crops, it was easy to see sprouts and fruit grow, but there wasn't an objective way to assess the effectiveness of cosmetics.
People's skin can improve just by eating well and getting good sleep.
In other words, they could even mess with their skin to claim it's ineffective.
"You're not planning to give it to those guys, right? Who knows what they'd do!"
Ghislain waved dismissively, as if to say, "Don't worry."
"Obviously, Claude and the mages can't be in the test. They'd smear anything on their faces if it meant winning the bet."
The mages' pride was hurt, but they couldn't argue back.
They had, after all, been contemplating truly ridiculous options.
Despite Ghislain's reassurances, Belinda couldn't contain her anger.
"Then who's going to test it? They'll make a huge fuss over just one pimple, saying they've won!"
"Hm, you're right about that. We need someone trustworthy…"
Ghislain looked around.
Everyone there quickly lowered their heads, avoiding his gaze.
No one was eager to test an unproven product on their face.
"Who would be best…"
It wasn't hard to force it onto people, but if they got scared and didn't apply it, the results would be inconclusive.
That would give Claude and the mages room to argue that the product didn't work.
No matter how effective it was, it would take a few days of consistent application to see results.
Ghislain decided it would be better to find a willing participant rather than force people.
"Kaor, would you like to try it? I'll give you a few days off training."
Since he was training with mana, he'd be less affected by external factors, making him a decent candidate.
But Kaor scoffed and rejected it with an arrogant look.
"A man doesn't use stuff like that."
"You think no one knows about how you stick fruit peels on your face at night?"
"That's—that's just from eating fruit and it accidentally sticking!"
Even before joining Ghislain, Kaor would occasionally sleep with fruit peels on his face.
Since coming to Perdium, he'd done it a few times, so those who knew were well aware.
"Anyway, I'm not using that stuff. I don't do that anymore."
As someone who once cared about skincare, he wasn't about to apply something unknown.
Ghislain merely shrugged at his firm refusal.
He had no intention of forcing it on someone who didn't want it; he could just find someone else trustworthy.
"We'll just have to find someone else for the test. The bet is still on, so keep that in mind."
"Why bother searching? You're a lord, for goodness' sake. Is it proper to go around asking people to do something like this?"
Belinda flared up, her eyes blazing.
Ghislain looked at her, bewildered.
"No one else here is willing. Would you do it, then, Belinda?"
"Well, I mean…"
When everyone's gaze fell on her, she lowered her head in embarrassment.
'Ugh, I have no choice. I'll just pretend to use it and figure something out.'
Belinda straightened up and confidently held out her hand.
"Fine, I'll do it. Give me a bottle."
She didn't plan on applying it.
She intended to get as much sleep as possible and focus on mana cultivation. On the last day of the bet, she'd use mana to tighten her skin.
It would give her skin a temporary radiant effect.
"Wait! The head maid can't do it."
Claude intervened, stopping Belinda.
"Why not?"
"Her skin's already in pretty good condition, right? Even if there are a few age lines around her eyes…"
"Could you please be quiet?"
"In any case, she's not suitable. She's a crafty one; who knows what she'd do? We need someone whose bad skin would clearly show improvement."
Having spent years in gambling dens, Claude immediately sensed something fishy when Belinda suddenly volunteered.
'Ugh, that guy…'
Belinda glared at Claude with resentment.
This infuriating man always caught on at the worst possible moments.
Ghislain nodded, as if he understood.
"Alright, then we'll find someone else. Everyone can go back to work now."
Belinda sighed as she left, and the others fled, relieved.
Though everyone refused, Ghislain wasn't bothered.
There would surely be someone willing to trust him and use it gladly.
"Maybe the mercenaries or servants would like it. This kind of thing is usually only for nobles. I'm sure a few people will be willing to try it."
Ghislain confidently went around asking people.
"Want to try this?"
"S-sorry."
"Would you like to apply this? It's a truly incredible product. Only nobles use it."
"Forgive me!"
Everyone was wary of the cosmetic Ghislain offered.
It was only natural that people would hesitate to apply something they didn't recognize.
"Is everyone here really content with their current state? Maybe I should gather only those with poorer skin?"
He tried giving it to the servants and mercenaries with bad skin, but they either reluctantly accepted it or looked so displeased he had to take it back.
This wouldn't work for proper testing.
"Hah, this is maddening. Selling this to nobles later will be another problem, won't it? I don't have a reputation like the Delphine Duchy."
The Delphine Duchy's name alone garnered trust.
In his previous life, when the duchy released this product, people had flocked to buy it.
But the Fenris estate was the remotest of backwaters, and Ghislain's own reputation was nonexistent.
Who would trust a product from such a place?
Even his own followers were this hesitant; nobles would surely dismiss it entirely.
"Once the tests are done, I'll have to find a way to promote it in the capital."
Ghislain clicked his tongue.
He'd thought making the product would be the hard part, but now he realized he'd have to find people willing to buy it.
"Well, I'll worry about that later. The tests come first."
Ghislain roamed around, eagerly offering his cosmetic to anyone he encountered.
But word of grumbling spread quickly from those initially caught.
People began to avoid him after hearing the rumors.
"Did you get that… thing the lord's carrying around?"
"Um, he offered, but he took it back after seeing my expression."
"Why is he suddenly making and selling that?"
"Our lord gets weird ideas sometimes. Remember when he nearly poisoned himself last time?"
Everyone in the estate knew about Ghislain's successful crop project.
It had shown that his new ideas could work.
But many were still skeptical, wondering if it was luck or genuine skill.
Ghislain's eccentricities made it hard for people to fully trust him.
People wanted to believe in his new attempts, but no one wanted to be the one to test it on their body.
Rumors that the lord was acting strangely again spread across the estate.
With public opinion turning negative, it became even harder to find volunteers.
"These brats… I'll just make them all wear it by force."
Ghislain's face twisted in frustration.
Days passed without a single volunteer for the test.
The confidence and composure he'd felt at first were long shattered.
He'd wanted to handle this peacefully, but with everyone being so uncooperative, he had no choice.
It would be quicker to apply it to a group to gather a large sample.
Just as Ghislain resolved to proceed with forced testing, a savior suddenly appeared.
"My lord, I'll try it."
"Oh, Gillian!"
Since he'd been out inspecting the estate, Ghislain hadn't been able to offer it to Gillian.
But this loyal man had come forward as soon as he'd heard the rumors, volunteering for the test.
Ghislain looked him up and down.
'He has a good amount of wrinkles, and his skin is rough…'
Upon closer inspection, Gillian was the perfect candidate for the test.
Though he could handle mana, he hadn't entirely escaped the marks of age.
Plus, his constant outdoor training and rugged lifestyle had left his skin in poor condition.
He was an ideal test subject.
Still, Ghislain asked to confirm.
"You're sure? Everyone else has been avoiding it. I made this, you know."
"I don't care much about appearances. It's fine."
Even Gillian didn't say he trusted him.
It was annoying, but Ghislain figured he should be glad he'd found someone willing, so he sighed quietly and handed him a jar.
"How should I use it?"
"Just wash your face and apply it before bed. It doesn't have to be just your face—you can apply it elsewhere, too."
"Understood."
From that night, Gillian began applying the cosmetic that Ghislain had given him.
For him, it was simply another order from his lord.
After three days, people around him started talking.
"Old man, did you meet a woman recently? Your face looks good. Where did you meet her?"
"Quit spouting nonsense, or I'll have your head."
Gillian replied dryly to Kaor, who'd been taunting him.
When could he have met a woman? He was busy training and overseeing the estate's development every day.
All he wanted was to be of use to his lord.
After another couple of days, people's reactions became more pronounced.
The mercenaries whispered whenever they saw Gillian.
"What's up with him? Doesn't he look a bit younger?"
"Look at how firm his skin looks. Is he eating something special?"
"Wait, did he… use the cosmetic that the lord made?"
Gillian's face now had a youthful glow.
His wrinkles remained, but his skin texture had changed, making him look noticeably younger.
His once sun-damaged, dull skin now had a vibrant, healthy tan.
Since he'd never cared for his skin before, the results appeared all the more dramatic.
Gillian quickly realized why he looked different.
"My lord's creation really does work. He truly is incredible."
Now that he knew it worked, he applied it even more eagerly.
He'd started with just a fingertip but now used two fingers each time.
Although he'd claimed he didn't care about his appearance, the constant comments made him glance in the mirror once more before leaving his room.
"Even in old age, these things still matter, it seems."
Watching his face change daily, Gillian let out a soft laugh.
Whenever people asked him about it, he explained that it was the cosmetic his lord had made.
The rumor spread fast once again.
A cosmetic so effective that someone with skin as poor as Gillian's could see results in just three days! A revolution in cosmetics!
And on the seventh day since Gillian had received the sample…
Bang!
The door to Ghislain's office burst open with a thunderous noise.
Startled by the sudden commotion, Ghislain looked up from his work.
Belinda, along with Claude, Wendy, and other estate members, had gathered.
"What's going on?"
Ghislain asked, amused, and Belinda, catching her breath, shouted out,
"Give me one, too!"
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]