Zwalter carefully observed the approaching group.
'They've raised an impressive number of flags, but their numbers are small. And they're carrying too much cargo… Is this an advance unit bringing supplies? But to arrive without even declaring their intentions? No matter how powerful the royal family is, this is too much.'
Though he had spoken boldly in front of his vassals, Zwalter was internally overwhelmed with anxiety. He was already considering whether it might be better to rush out and beg for forgiveness.
What kind of trouble had his son caused to prompt these high-ranking nobles, renowned for their influence, to unite and send soldiers?
The closer they got, the faster his heart raced, and his hands grew damp with sweat.
Then it happened. The advancing force halted upon noticing Zwalter's army.
Zwalter also ordered his troops to stop and examined the other side.
"My lord, it would be best to meet with their commander and discuss the matter first," suggested Homerne urgently.
Zwalter nodded and rode forward.
In response, a few riders from the other side also advanced.
"They ride well. Let's see who they are… Wait, what?"
As the figures drew closer, they began to look oddly familiar. And the young man leading them looked even more familiar.
"That guy… He's as handsome as my son… Wait a minute."
When Zwalter saw the face of the person at the front, he shouted in shock.
"Hey! What are you doing there?!"
The leader was none other than Ghislain. Beside him were Belinda and other members of his son's retinue.
Why was his son appearing from within the ranks of nobles' flags?
Zwalter was too flabbergasted to speak. Meanwhile, Ghislain, now close enough, also looked equally bewildered as he asked,
"Father, what are you doing here?"
"I'm preparing for battle…"
"With whom?"
"With you?"
"…?"
"…?"
Both stood frozen, an awkward silence enveloping the area.
It was Homerne who broke the silence, urgently interjecting.
"Y-Young lord! You're alive?! What on earth is going on? What happened in the capital?"
"I just went to sell cosmetics."
Homerne pressed further, incredulous at Ghislain's nonchalant tone.
"If it was nothing, why would the royal family and nobles send their soldiers?"
"Ah, I think there's been some misunderstanding…"
Zwalter, finally snapping out of his stupor, asked.
"I heard rumors that you had a dispute with Marquis Branford. Is that not why this army is here?"
"Ah, now I understand what's going on. That's nothing serious. I simply made a decent deal with the Marquis."
"A deal? The rumors said you were imprisoned by Marquis Branford. Were you taken hostage?"
Though it was true he had been detained for two weeks, it had been to treat Rozalin. Granted, if he had failed, things might have escalated. But since he succeeded, there were no problems.
Ghislain shook his head and continued.
"Let me explain everything quickly. It seems there's been quite a bit of confusion."
He briefly recounted what had happened in the capital.
As the story unfolded, Zwalter and his vassals' expressions turned to sheer disbelief.
"So Marquis Branford agreed to become your guardian in exchange for curing his daughter?"
"Yes."
"The Count Ailesbur and Count Norton are also supporting and endorsing you?"
"Yes."
"And now you're part of the pro-royalist faction?"
"Oh, and so are you, Father."
"Me? Why me?"
"That's just how it turned out."
Zwalter swallowed dryly, trying to process the chaos in his mind.
Technically, he had always been loyal to the royal family, so he was effectively already part of the pro-royalist faction. It's just that they had ignored and excluded him until now.
'Is this even possible?'
No matter how he thought about it, it didn't make sense. Glancing behind Ghislain, he saw the royal family's and noble flags still fluttering in the wind.
If it were all a fabrication, his son wouldn't have enough lives to survive such a stunt.
'Is this real? Could it be?'
Faced with a reality too good to be true, Zwalter felt on the verge of losing his sanity. Even good news, when excessive, can spark suspicion and anxiety rather than joy.
Zwalter closed his eyes.
'This must be a dream.'
"Father?"
'When I open my eyes, everything will return to normal.'
"Father!"
'Begone, you deceitful visions!'
With a flash of resolve, Zwalter even channeled his mana as he opened his eyes.
His eyes gleamed with sharp intensity, filled with determination. Yet, the scene before him remained unchanged.
"Ah, it's still the same. So it's real."
Frustrated by the lack of a proper response, Ghislain grumbled.
"Father, why are you acting like this?"
"…Sorry. It's just too hard to believe."
"Well, it's true, so you might as well accept it."
"…Fine."
Zwalter wasn't the only one doubting Ghislain's story. Homerne spoke rapidly, nearly spitting in disbelief.
"Young lord, are you seriously telling the truth?"
"Why would I bother lying about something that would be exposed immediately?"
"But still… How can this even make sense…"
Homerne's thoughts raced.
Marquis Branford, one of the kingdom's most powerful figures, became his guardian? And influential nobles were lending their support and endorsement?
If true, this meant Ghislain had officially surpassed his father, Count Perdium, in status.
This was the power of political connections, far beyond titles.
Whereas Ghislain had once been just a wealthy troublemaker, he was now a troublemaker with formidable backing.
Before, they had hesitated to confront him because of his wealth. Now, with such a powerful guardian, he had become untouchable.
Even Zwalter's vassals were sweating, their eyes darting nervously.
'Why? Why would such powerful people back this troublemaker?'
'Have they all gone mad?'
Finally regaining his composure, Zwalter turned his shining eyes toward the wagons.
"Then those many wagons… surely they're…"
"Yes, you're right. They are supplies sent by Marquis Branford…"
"A dowry!"
"…What?"
"It must be a dowry! He must be so impressed with your abilities that he's decided you're fit for his daughter. Hahaha!"
Zwalter quickly latched onto the most plausible explanation he could fathom.
Even if Ghislain had cured the Marquis's daughter, the sheer volume of the gifts was too excessive to be anything else.
It had to be for a marriage alliance.
Homerne was so thrilled he nearly collapsed with laughter.
"Oh, congratulations! After that broken engagement, we were worried, but now the Marquis Branford as in-laws? This is a great blessing for the family!"
"Haha, calm down. Honestly, my son isn't so bad. They must've seen his potential."
"Of course! He's wealthy, capable, and only has a bit of a temper. Once he joins that family, they'll straighten him out. Hahaha!"
"Exactly! Hahaha!"
The people of Perdium couldn't hide their joy.
Their earlier tension now seemed laughable, and the news of Ghislain potentially marrying into the Marquis Branford's family felt like an extraordinary boon.
"…"
Ghislain and his vassals watched the spectacle, clicking their tongues in disbelief.
They had been so skeptical just moments ago, and now they had gone completely overboard.
Though Ghislain felt the need to correct the misunderstanding, their elation made it hard to know when to interrupt.
With a deep sigh, Ghislain finally addressed his ecstatic father.
"It's not a dowry."
"Haha… What? It's not?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
The atmosphere turned icy in an instant.
Zwalter coughed awkwardly and asked.
"Cough… Then what is all this?"
"These are supplies for Perdium. A royal secretary has accompanied me to explain further."
"From the royal family?"
Zwalter was taken aback. Has someone from the royal family really been sent all the way here?
When Ghislain gestured behind him, a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance stepped forward with a smile.
"I greet the brave wolf of the north, the Margrave Perdium. I am Baron Andy Share, secretary to the royal family."
"Ah, welcome. What brings you here?"
"I've come to deliver a message from His Majesty the King."
"P-Please proceed."
Though he tried to maintain his composure, Zwalter's voice quivered. He still didn't understand why the royal family would go so far as to support Perdium.
Noticing the nervous demeanor of the Perdium entourage, Baron Share couldn't hide his curiosity.
'Were they plotting a rebellion or something?'
Though suspicious, investigating such matters was the role of the inspectors. As a seasoned administrator, Baron Share unfurled an elegant scroll and began reading.
"…In recognition of Perdium's contributions to defending the kingdom's borders, we send these supplies… Furthermore, at the request of the Marquis Branford and with the agreement of the Advisory Council, we will increase future support to Perdium… We trust in your unwavering loyalty to the crown…"
The document was filled with flowery language and was unnecessarily long, but in essence, it stated that the royal family would provide increased support to Perdium.
When he finished reading, Baron Share added with a smile.
"Starting next year, the scale of support will decrease slightly. This shipment is meant to compensate for previous inadequacies."
Zwalter and his vassals stood stunned, unable to process what they had just heard.
'The Marquis Branford became Ghislain's guardian, and now they're already sending us support?'
"Waaaah!"
Homerne couldn't hold back and shouted with joy, prompting the other vassals to burst into laughter and cheers.
"Our hardships are finally over! With this amount, we can focus solely on the northern border for an entire year!"
"And with additional support from other territories, we'll finally be able to sleep peacefully!"
Everyone was overwhelmed with happiness.
Though their circumstances had improved slightly thanks to Ghislain's Rune Stone supplies, it had never been enough to ease their worries completely.
The biggest issue was the discomfort of always having to beg Ghislain to share his resources.
Now that the royal family was officially stepping in, everything had changed.
Zwalter smiled contentedly.
"Hahaha, our estate's prosperity is finally blooming. Well done, Ghislain."
'Finally, I won't have to plead with my son anymore. My authority as his father is restored.'
Homerne chimed in.
"The young lord has achieved something truly remarkable. Hahaha. Budgeting was tough when we only got small amounts of Rune Stones, but this is a blessing. Well done, young lord. Hahaha."
'Did you think we'd always grovel to you? Think again, brat.'
Homerne's expression showed his determination not to make any more humbling requests to Ghislain.
With this level of annual support, they had nothing to fear.
Even Albert, the treasurer, abandoned his usual stoicism and became animated.
"We'll need to verify that the supplies match the inventory and organize them. After all, these are ours to manage! Oh, young lord, you mentioned you'd distribute some food in a few months… I don't think that'll be necessary anymore! Hahaha!"
'If you want anything from this support, you can come begging to us, young lord.'
Zwalter and Homerne laughed heartily.
"Hahaha, exactly! It's all ours now!"
"Let's finally enjoy using what we have!"
Amid the collective joy, Baron Share scratched his cheek and spoke hesitantly.
"Um… This isn't all going to Perdium."
"…What?"
Zwalter's eyes widened. How could supplies sent to Perdium not all be for Perdium? That made no sense.
Baron Share hesitated before continuing, clearly uncomfortable.
"The distribution… will be handled by Baron Fenris."
"Huh?"
The faces of Zwalter and his vassals froze like statues.
Slowly, they turned their heads to look at Ghislain.
Standing with his arms crossed, Ghislain met their gaze with a faint, mocking smile.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]