Although Marquis Branford led the effort, half of the support came from the royal treasury, and the other half from pro-royal nobles.
Thus, flags representing the royal family and various noble houses fluttered all around.
The sheer grandeur of the scene left everyone overwhelmed.
"W-Wow. Are they really giving us all this?"
Belinda felt both pleased and slightly bitter.
Knowing how difficult things had been for Perdium, she couldn't help but think how much better it would have been if this support had come sooner.
While she didn't fully understand the complicated political relationships involved, she could tell that Perdium now held more significance than before.
And it was all thanks to Ghislain, whom she had once taught. She couldn't be prouder.
'Ah, my young master has truly grown up.'
Rozalin, who had been staying at the Crow Mansion, also came outside the city walls to see Ghislain off.
Her face held a faint trace of wistfulness.
"Take care, Baron. Please make sure to stay healthy."
"Yes, you too, Miss Rozalin. Please continue to handle the cosmetic sales well."
"Of course. When will you be back in the capital?"
"Someone will visit regularly to handle collections, but I'm not sure when I'll personally return. Now then, I must be off. Make sure to handle the accounts properly."
"Is money all you can talk about with me?"
Rozalin pouted in disappointment.
But Ghislain didn't seem to care about her reaction at all. His mind was solely focused on returning home as quickly as possible.
He looked around at his people and called out loudly.
"Did everyone check that we haven't forgotten anything? We've got a lot of cargo this time, so be thorough."
"Yes, everything's ready!"
"Good. Then let's set off!"
At Ghislain's signal, the wagons began to move one by one.
Caw! Caw!
The crows circled overhead, as if reluctant to part, but none followed. They, too, seemed unwilling to leave their home.
Rozalin watched Ghislain's retreating figure in deep thought.
'Is the Fenris estate really that great? What kind of place is it, I wonder…?'
She remained there, gazing at the dot on the horizon until Ghislain was completely out of sight.
***
"Now that the weather is improving, we should begin preparations to march to the northern fortress."
At Zwalter's remark, Homerne, the head butler, nodded in agreement.
"Yes, it's about time for the barbarians to start moving."
The two sipped tea as they discussed the state of affairs. Their expressions were unusually peaceful.
Suddenly, Zwalter chuckled as if reminded of his son.
"He went off to sell cosmetics, yet he's stayed in the capital for quite a while. I hope he's building connections while he's there. That boy's never had many friends since he was young."
"That's because he was so foul-tempered… Ahem. But hasn't the young lord grown significantly? While it might be hard to get close to high-ranking nobles, he may have made some friends his own age."
"Right? Even though he governs a poor estate, he's still a lord at his age. Surely he's made some friends."
Homerne frowned slightly and shook his head.
"The problem is that he went there like a merchant to sell goods. The nobles' children in the capital have strong pride, so he might've only befriended unsavory sorts."
"Hmm, I told him not to go, but he insisted."
"Once you hear about the friends he's made, if they're not up to par, give him a proper scolding. It's important for nobles to associate with the right people, after all."
Zwalter nodded gravely.
"Don't worry. Even if he's been making money and his confidence has grown, he's still inexperienced. If he's made the wrong friends, I'll make sure to discipline him thoroughly."
"Hahaha, of course. Since the war, the young lord's behavior has been overlooked in some ways. This might be a good opportunity for some strict guidance."
The two laughed as they looked at each other.
With the estate running peacefully, they were at ease.
Though still poor, things were much better than before they had support from the Rune Stones.
Now that Ghislain had secured additional food supplies, it was more than enough for those who had struggled for so long.
"Still, do you think he caused any trouble in the capital? Something about it feels unsettling."
"Oh, come on. You know how overwhelming the power of the capital's nobles is. No matter how reckless the young lord is, he wouldn't dare stir up trouble there."
"Hmm, you're probably right. That boy's unpredictable, but he knows how to tread carefully… I hope."
Cardenia was such an awe-inspiring place that it left people speechless.
Even Zwalter had been too busy marveling to close his mouth during his first visit to the capital.
No matter how foul-tempered Ghislain might be, Zwalter believed he wouldn't act recklessly in an unfamiliar place.
"Alright, then let's prepare the forces once Randolph returns."
"Yes, sir. It's been nice and quiet without that loudmouth around, but I suppose he'll return soon."
Randolph, who had been training mercenaries, hadn't returned since Ghislain was still away.
With only well-mannered and cultured individuals left in Perdium, the estate had enjoyed peace and tranquility.
The two smiled as they sipped their tea elegantly.
Hoping this peace would last.
It was then that hurried footsteps approached.
Bang!
"My lord! Something terrible has happened!"
The man who burst in was Albert, the estate's treasurer.
Normally calm and composed, his disheveled state could only mean something serious had occurred.
Zwalter jumped to his feet and grabbed the sword resting nearby.
"Have the barbarians already begun moving? If so, we must rally the forces and support the northern fortress—"
"No, that's not it!"
Albert shook his head, shouting. Zwalter, confused, asked again.
"Then has a monster emerged from the Forest of Demonic Beasts?"
Albert shook his head even more vigorously.
"Don't tell me Elena brought home a boyfriend?"
"I'd rather it be that."
"Then what is it? Speak quickly!"
"The young lord…"
"Ghislain? What about Ghislain in the capital?"
Albert shouted, his face pale.
"He's gotten into a dispute with Marquis Branford!"
For a moment, Zwalter thought he must have misheard and laughed hollowly.
"Branfood? Is there such a marquis? It seems it's been too long since I last visited the capital."
"No, sir. The Marquis Branford."
"Branpard?"
"Branford! The royal household's minister!"
Zwalter blinked silently and then let out an awkward laugh.
"Surely… not the Marquis Branford? You're joking, right?"
Albert pressed his lips tightly together and shook his head again.
Thud.
Zwalter's face turned ghostly pale as he collapsed into his chair.
With Zwalter too stunned to speak, Homerne urgently asked, "What do you mean by that? Explain it properly!"
"The young lord picked a fight with the Marquis Branford and was promptly detained."
"What? Didn't he go to the capital to sell goods? How did he end up in a dispute with the Marquis? He's not someone you can meet just because you want to!"
"I don't know the details, either."
Zwalter couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Is this reliable information? It's not just a rumor?"
"I heard it from a merchant who came to the estate. We don't have our own sources in the capital, do we?"
"Then it's just hearsay?"
"Merchants and travelers from other regions are all saying the same thing. Even if the story has been exaggerated, it seems the confrontation itself is true."
Zwalter let out a deep sigh. Knowing Ghislain's reckless tendencies, it was all too plausible.
"Sigh…"
As Zwalter and Homerne exchanged sighs, Albert urged them.
"We must figure out a solution. At this rate, the young lord might lose his life."
Homerne stood abruptly and yelled in frustration.
"What solution? If the rumors have spread this far, he's probably already dead! I always knew he'd get into trouble with his recklessness!"
"Still, if they don't want to sever ties with Northern Margrave completely, there's a chance they might keep him alive."
Albert's words snapped Zwalter out of his stupor. If there was still a chance, he had to act.
No matter how troublesome Ghislain was, he was still the heir of the estate. Letting him die wasn't an option.
Zwalter spoke with a nervous expression.
"Prepare a grand gift and send an envoy to the capital. We have no choice but to beg for forgiveness on his behalf."
Homerne nodded in agreement.
"Perhaps we should plead that he's mentally unwell. Say he sometimes acts irrationally and beg for leniency. It's worth a shot."
"Yes, we'll do that. Honestly, he is a bit of a lunatic, even if he's my son. The capital probably already knows as much."
The three sprang into action.
They gathered vassals to discuss a plan, drafted an apology letter, and scraped together every bit of wealth they could find.
While the retainers were gathered in the audience hall debating who should be sent as the envoy, a soldier burst in from the gate.
"A military force is approaching the castle!"
"What? What kind of force?"
Zwalter and the retainers were taken aback.
There had been no message from the checkpoints on the borders.
This meant either the force had broken through by sheer strength or had taken an alternate route.
Zwalter leapt to his feet and barked at the soldier.
"Did you check the flags? Whose forces are they?"
"Well… there are too many flags…"
"Too many? Is it an alliance?"
"Their numbers are too small for that."
Homerne trembled as he asked, "Then whose flags are displayed?"
"Leading the way is the royal family's flag, followed by those of Marquis Branford, Marquis Macquarie, Count Norton, Count Ailesbur, Count Boyer, and Count Bromson…"
"…"
Every name mentioned belonged to a powerful noble in the kingdom.
Zwalter's legs gave out, and he slumped back into his chair.
"All pro-royalist nobles. If the royal flag is present, Marquis Branford must have mobilized them. Ghislain must have caused quite the disaster."
"Wh-What do we do?"
Homerne anxiously stomped his feet, but Zwalter remained silent.
If they were here for a show of force, demanding an apology or reparations, he could comply.
But if they intended to take over the estate?
It was unlikely they would go to such lengths over a mere scuffle with his troublesome son, but he had to consider the worst-case scenario.
It wasn't unheard of for nobles to seize another's territory under various pretexts and hand it over to their own allies.
"This is a difficult situation…"
Simply stationing troops at the estate's borders could be grounds for war.
Yet here they were, with royal and noble forces right outside the castle without any prior warning.
Given the timing, after receiving such grim news, the pressure was immense.
After deliberating briefly, Zwalter made his decision and spoke in a heavy tone.
"Gather the soldiers."
"My lord, surely you don't mean…"
At Homerne's worried tone, Zwalter gritted his teeth as he gripped his sword.
"We may lack money, but we do have pride."
'No, we don't have that either.'
Homerne refrained from voicing his thoughts and simply bowed his head.
"If the young lord is indeed captured, he might be in danger. No matter how reckless he is, we must keep him alive. He is the heir to this estate!"
"Let's hear what they have to say first. If they demand an apology and compensation, we'll give it. But if they try to oppress us under the guise of negotiations, we'll fight."
"Yes, my lord."
Zwalter's resolute gaze left the retainers no choice but to bow their heads in agreement.
"Bring the vassals from the command office. They'll accompany us for negotiations."
At this, some of the vassals' faces stiffened.
If a battle broke out, they wouldn't even be able to protect themselves.
But refusing the lord's order was not an option.
Reluctantly, they followed him with trembling steps.
Ding-ding-ding-ding!
The castle bell tolled, summoning the soldiers.
Though caught off guard by the sudden call, the soldiers quickly prepared for battle.
Thud!
The castle gate opened, and Zwalter, fully armed, mounted his horse.
He led his soldiers slowly toward the approaching forces near Perdium.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]