Saying it wasn't free meant that they'd gathered enough loot to make up for the Rune Stones, if not more.
Claude, sweating nervously, asked cautiously.
"Does Count Perdium or his vassals know nothing about this?"
"Of course not. Digald's known for its poverty, isn't it? They think most of its wealth was spent on the war. That's what I reported, too."
Ghislain had rushed to Digald the moment the war ended.
While removing Count Digald was partly to avoid any lingering threats, the real goal was to seize all the nobles' wealth.
No matter how poor a territory, a noble was still a noble.
And the Digald estate was notorious for exploiting its people, which meant the lord and his vassals had plenty of hidden wealth.
Claude laughed under his breath, examining a chest filled with gold coins.
"Still, that's a lot. Now I get why the estate was in such shambles."
"Oh, not all of this came from Digald. I also cleaned out the baronies on the way back."
"...What?"
"I raided anyone who participated in the war. It was on the way, so I thought, why not?"
"Wow… You really kept all of it for yourself?"
"Who else would I share it with? I hate letting others take what's mine."
Claude closed his eyes at Ghislain's shameless remark.
'Isn't he supposed to share it with his father? And it was his father's property in the first place… Is he even a noble or just some bandit?'
The Kingdom of Seiron was filled with greedy nobles, but he had never seen one so openly fixated on money.
"Um, by any chance, is there a secret about your birth you're not telling me?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
When Ghislain glared at him, Claude waved his hands defensively.
"No, it's just that… You didn't even tell Count Perdium about any of this. Do you really have to keep it all to yourself? Your father would be hurt."
"I can assure you, it's far better if I'm the one spending it."
If Count Perdium got his hands on it, he'd probably squander it away on leaks or let it slip through his fingers.
They were struggling enough to get by in the present, with no thought for the future.
It was better to use it in ways he could control.
And, wasn't Perdium benefiting from it as well?
Claude's eyes glimmered as he listened, realizing he couldn't pass up this opportunity.
"Heh, well, unless you lighten my workload right now, I might have to tell Perdium about this…"
Before he could finish, Ghislain rolled up his sleeves, grinning evilly.
"Oh, I was waiting for you to say that. I don't like warnings that are just words."
"What? Ahhh!"
A moment later, Claude got up from the corner of the storage room, sniffing.
"I'll stay quiet until the day I die."
"Good, don't forget that. Not that it really matters if you do tell, but there's no need for unnecessary drama, right?"
Ghislain clapped his hands, and the storage door opened as if on cue. Wendy and a few mercenaries entered.
"Huh?"
Claude was shocked.
When he and Ghislain had entered, there hadn't been anyone around.
He had no idea when the mercenaries had started waiting nearby.
Without a word, Wendy and the mercenaries greeted them once and began loading up the valuables.
Claude was dumbfounded but soon shook his head.
'He saw right through me.'
It seemed Ghislain had already anticipated that he'd run out of funds and come back for more. He even had porters standing by.
Ghislain threw an arm around Claude's shoulders, laughing.
"If you run out of money again, just let me know. Don't waste time worrying and just work hard. I'll get you what you need."
"...Tch."
Claude turned away, pouting. Somehow, his pride felt bruised.
As chaotic and reckless as Ghislain was, he always managed to find a solution when problems arose.
His methods were unconventional, but they worked—therein lay the problem.
"Hm, with about half of this, we should be fine for now."
"Alright, get ready to leave."
Using the money Ghislain gave him, Claude quickly bought the necessary supplies.
He ensured the duties requiring regular attention were thoroughly taught to Lowell.
While Claude prepared to leave for the capital, Ghislain headed to Perdium.
Someone was needed to manage the estate's forces and oversee basic training while he was away.
'Randolph should be able to handle the basics.'
The ideal plan would be to teach the mercenaries mana cultivation techniques so they could build up their mana while he was away. But there wasn't enough time.
Most of them couldn't handle mana yet, so if he were to teach them, he'd have to guide each one individually, as he had done with Vanessa.
With only one or two people, it might be manageable, but helping hundreds of mercenaries cultivate on their own would make it impossible for him to leave.
'Besides, I'd need to renegotiate their contracts before teaching them the cultivation technique. For now, it's better to focus on other basics.'
Randolph could teach the basics of military skills and etiquette, which were essential for a regular army.
This would benefit not just the mercenaries but also the new soldiers they'd recruited.
***
Randolph nodded without much objection when he heard the plan, but Zwalter frowned and questioned him.
"You're going to the capital? You're a lord. How can a lord leave just to handle some business?"
"Yes, it's something important that I need to handle personally."
"Hmph, and what would make a lord stoop so low as to travel like a mere merchant? People will mock you."
"I don't mind. My pride isn't what matters here."
Zwalter wasn't pleased with his son's attitude.
It seemed Ghislain hadn't fully grasped the weight of being a lord, perhaps because this was his first fiefdom.
"If that's your reasoning, I can't support this decision. You need to understand the heavy and important responsibilities that come with being a lord."
Zwalter wasn't usually this rigid.
But since Ghislain didn't seem to understand the significance of his position, he decided to give him a lesson, even if it was indirectly.
Of course, it didn't work on Ghislain.
"A year's supply of provisions."
"What?"
"When I return, I'll bring back enough provisions for Perdium's territory for an entire year."
"…On second thought, it may indeed be time for you to broaden your horizons beyond the North. Safe travels. I'll send Randolph as soon as he's ready."
Zwalter patted his son's shoulder, smiling warmly.
It was too much money to refuse.
***
While Zwalter was won over, upon returning to the estate, Ghislain faced intense opposition.
When he announced his trip for business, his vassals—who were always preoccupied with appearances—as well as Belinda and Gillian, who knew him well, voiced their concerns.
"Why not send someone else? Why should you be the one doing this?"
"Lord, if you go yourself, people will laugh at you. You have a head butler who can manage the merchant guild, so why would you move personally?"
"No, I need to do this myself for speed. I'm not just going for trade; there's work in the capital, too."
The two tried to persuade him several more times, but, as usual, Ghislain was unyielding.
Eventually, Belinda and Gillian gave up with a sigh.
If things came to this, they would just have to accompany him as always and throw themselves in the way if he tried anything outrageous.
A few days later, Ghislain looked over several wagons laden with goods, smiling in satisfaction.
"For a first batch, this should be enough."
"Are you sure you can sell it all?"
"Don't worry. Once they try it, the nobles will go crazy for it. Just trust me."
Confident as always, Ghislain's words left Claude scratching his chin.
The effectiveness of the cosmetics was real, so word would spread eventually.
But the initial quantity was enormous.
Since these weren't items that could be stored for long, Claude couldn't understand how Ghislain planned to sell it all.
Even the wagons carrying the cosmetics had cost a fortune.
Each wagon was fitted with a freezing spell to prevent spoilage, each secured by a Rune Stone to maintain the enchantment.
"Are you sure about this? If the nobles don't buy, we'll lose a lot of money. Freezing magic isn't foolproof."
"I said don't worry! I'll sell every last one. It's not like they spoil that easily."
"Fine, I suppose. You must have a plan, my lord."
Claude sighed in resignation.
The people they'd be dealing with this time were nobles who even a lord couldn't take lightly.
Claude couldn't predict how this reckless lord planned to persuade them to market the product.
"Young master! We're ready over here, too!"
Belinda approached, smiling brightly.
Behind her stood about twenty servants, each loaded with supplies.
"Hah… You don't need to bring this many people."
"Come on, we're nobles. We need to make a strong first impression! You don't want to seem weak in the capital."
Just as Ghislain was about to say something, Belinda cut him off firmly.
"If you give the slightest impression of weakness, they'll look down on you. They'll already mock you for playing merchant!"
Since Belinda wasn't wrong, Ghislain closed his mouth.
At that moment, Gillian and Kaor arrived, leading about fifty fully armed mercenaries who formed a line in front of Ghislain.
"We're ready as well, Lord."
"What? Are we bringing this many mercenaries, too? We don't need so many."
"The road to the capital is long. To transport such valuable goods, we need this many. Plus, you'll need to travel comfortably, Lord."
Gillian's expression was resolute, and Ghislain sighed deeply.
"Fine, since everything is ready, let's all go and see the capital. No one else to bring?"
Belinda and Gillian both nodded.
"Oh, right. Young master, what's this called? Did you give it a name?"
"A name?"
"Yes. We'll need a name to introduce and market it."
"Good point… Hmm… How about 'Lovely Bling-Bling'? Isn't it cute?"
Claude burst out laughing.
"Wow! What a name! What is this, some girly vibes?"
The absurdity of it washed away all the worries and doubts that had been weighing on him.
When Ghislain gave him an expressionless glare, Claude quickly looked away, pretending to know nothing.
Belinda clicked her tongue.
"That's not going to work. Nobles expect a certain dignity in names."
"What's wrong with 'Bling-Bling'? I like it. Is it really that bad?"
Ghislain turned abruptly to Gillian. Caught off guard, Gillian grit his teeth and answered.
"It's… fine."
Ghislain looked over to Wendy, who had been standing next to Claude.
She tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't quite stop her mouth from twitching. Her expression made it clear.
"Young master, trust me, that's really not it."
When Belinda squinted at him, Ghislain reluctantly shared the product's original name.
"Deneb."
In his previous life, Duke Delphine had named it that.
He'd heard that it was named after an ancient star.
It was a great name, but he'd never felt much attachment to it since it was Delphine's choice. That's why he had tried to use 'Lovely Bling-Bling,' but it was a no-go.
"Hm, that's actually not bad. It feels refined—like something nobles would go for."
Belinda finally nodded approvingly.
Behind them, Kaor cocked his head, thinking to himself.
"Lovely Bling-Bling? I actually kind of like that."
Everyone had different tastes, after all.
With the name settled, all that was left was to get to the capital and sell it.
Ghislain mounted his horse, smiling as he looked over the reliable faces of his companions.
Grinning broadly, Ghislain pulled on the reins and shouted.
"Alright, to the capital!"
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]