As soon as Vanessa saw Ghislain, she began wailing again.
"I'm so sorry. Waaaah. I destroyed the building, wasted all the Rune Stones, and caused such a huge loss to the estate… Waaah."
"It's fine, it's fine. These things happen. No one got hurt, so it's really okay. Hahaha."
Ghislain continued to laugh cheerfully. What did a building matter when the estate now had a 6th-circle mage?
Recruiting a 6th-circle mage would cost far more than building hundreds of such structures. Mages of that caliber couldn't be swayed by money alone.
He had always believed Vanessa was the greatest talent in the history of the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, and now he knew he wasn't wrong.
"Waaaah, no, it's not okay. The estate is poor, everyone's struggling, and we need to save every penny to help. From now on, I'll only eat one meal a day… Waaah."
As Vanessa's words continued, Ghislain's smile began to fade.
"No, the estate isn't that poor anymore."
"I'll work hard doing laundry for the rest of my life to pay it back. Waaah…"
"No, you doing the laundry would only make it worse."
While true, to Vanessa it sounded like, "You'd ruin the laundry too."
"You're right. I'm useless. I should just die. Please, just kill me. Waaah."
Ghislain sighed deeply. Vanessa was incredibly skilled, but her self-esteem was utterly shattered, and her timidity was a constant problem.
Having endured a life of hardship and neglect, she was overly sensitive to even the smallest mistakes.
If she had a personality like Belinda's, she'd probably say, "I'm a 6th-circle mage! Who cares about some stupid building? Pay me more money!" and hold her head high.
Then again, this wasn't a minor mistake—it was a disaster that would take a lifetime to repay if she were still doing menial work. Her reaction was understandable.
Ghislain gently pulled Vanessa to her feet as she continued to cry and apologize.
"It's really fine. What's more important is that you've reached the 6th circle. That's a much greater help to me. I'll have the lab rebuilt, so don't worry about money and focus solely on your training. That's the most important thing. Got it?"
"Waaah, my lord!"
Vanessa was so moved by his kind words that she buried her tear-streaked face in his chest.
After patting her shoulders a few times, Ghislain gently stepped back to get a better look at her.
Her pale face, smudged with soot, stood out sharply under the sunlight she hadn't seen in ages.
Her clothes were dirty and stained, evidence of her seclusion in her lab, dedicating herself to research and training.
The musty smell she gave off was almost palpable, and Ghislain forced a smile as he patted her on the shoulder.
"…Training is good, but now that you're at the 6th circle, maybe you should wash up and go for a walk."
"Yes, yes, of course!"
Realizing her appearance, Vanessa blushed and quickly backed away.
Ghislain turned to Lowell and said, "Rebuild the lab stronger and larger. Include an open area where she can practice magic safely."
"Understood. Since this location is already settled—"
Before Lowell could finish, Ghislain slung an arm around his shoulder and whispered, "Farther away. Build it much farther from the lord's castle, somewhere safe and remote with no people around. You understand?"
"…Yes."
Satisfied with Lowell's answer, Ghislain addressed the others.
"Keep Vanessa's 6th-circle status a secret for now. There's no benefit to letting that news spread."
Everyone, still in shock, nodded dumbly.
No one expected her to reach the 6th circle so soon. The rarity of such a feat left them awestruck, and they couldn't help but agree with Ghislain's caution.
The villagers, who had kept their distance, hadn't overheard the conversation, so maintaining the secret wouldn't be difficult.
'This must stay a secret.'
'A 6th-circle mage, something only great lords command!'
'This is an invaluable trump card!'
6th-circle mages were extraordinarily rare. Most mages spent their entire lives striving for the 5th circle, let alone the 6th.
Anyone who reached the 6th circle could easily become a personal mage for a great lord or even vie for the position of tower lord in a magic tower.
Although Vanessa was a half-step mage due to her low mana reserves, her power could still be effectively utilized.
Anyone foolish enough to challenge her would undoubtedly taste overwhelming magic.
As Ghislain ordered everyone to keep the matter under wraps and organize the aftermath, Alpoi and the other mages came rushing over.
"Fire? What fire? Did someone cast a spell too?"
Alpoi babbled nervously as he approached.
Ghislain waved casually, smiling. "Hey, Alpoi, it's been a while. Working hard, I see?"
"Uh… My lord… You're back…"
Sweating nervously, Alpoi instinctively backed away.
Ghislain turned to Lowell. "Were the tasks I assigned to the mages being handled well?"
Lowell glanced at the mages before ratting them out.
"Hmm. Their pace has slowed considerably, and they haven't kept up with the schedule."
"Oh, really?"
Alpoi frantically waved his hands in denial.
"No, no! We've been working hard! It's just… we've been a bit under the weather!"
"It's fine. People need rest sometimes."
"…What? Really?"
Ghislain nodded kindly, smiling as if he genuinely meant it.
"You just need to work even harder to make up for it. There's plenty of work to do from now on."
Alpoi felt a sudden chill down his spine. This lord wasn't the type to let things slide. And the ominous mention of plenty of work only added to his anxiety.
Surely, Ghislain wasn't planning even more construction projects?
Ghislain smirked at the uneasy mages.
"Be prepared."
***
Before returning to the castle, Ghislain visited the mercenaries' base.
"Young Lord, you're back!"
Randolph, who was training the mercenaries, greeted him enthusiastically.
Beside him, Fergus also smiled warmly.
"Haha, young master. Did you return safely?"
Ghislain looked surprised. "I told you to rest comfortably at Fenris, didn't I? Why are you here at the barracks?"
"I was assisting the knight commander."
Fergus, who had been recovering in Perdium, had accompanied Randolph to Fenris. Although he couldn't physically train due to his age and condition, his wisdom greatly aided the mercenaries' training.
Shaking his head, Ghislain spoke with concern. "I've told you many times: you only live once. Take care of yourself."
"Haha, I'm fine. Thanks to you, I've improved a lot."
Fergus had indeed grown healthier due to Ghislain's frequent visits to Perdium, where he had brought him medicine.
Still, it wasn't enough to satisfy Ghislain.
'He should rest more.'
Despite Ghislain's repeated suggestions, the old knight stubbornly refused to stay idle.
After sighing, Ghislain greeted Randolph belatedly.
"How have you been?"
"Been better! These unruly mercenaries are driving me insane."
Randolph wasted no time complaining, his face darkened with frustration.
Unlike the disciplined soldiers and knights he was used to training, the mercenaries were a nightmare.
They were disobedient, often lacking basic knowledge, and prone to acting on their own whims. They followed Ghislain out of necessity, but their unruly nature was deeply ingrained.
Randolph's patience was wearing thin. "How did you fight a war with these kinds of men?"
"Why? Are they that bad?"
"Bad doesn't even begin to cover it! They lack the most basic discipline!"
Discipline was critical in the military. Soldiers needed to follow orders and move as one to accomplish their objectives. The mercenaries, however, were entirely self-centered, constantly arguing about who was right and refusing to cooperate.
"I've managed to drill some essential knowledge into them, but it's impossible to do any more. Ugh, I just want to kill them all."
Randolph pressed his temples, clearly exhausted.
Before he could finish venting, a group of mercenaries rushed out to greet Ghislain.
"We're saved! The lord is back!"
"Thank goodness, we were sick of this!"
Ghislain noticed they were all bruised. Apparently, Randolph had resorted to using his fists to enforce discipline.
"Well, I've taught them the basics you requested. I'm heading back now."
Randolph declared firmly, clearly eager to leave.
Ghislain, slightly disappointed, nodded in agreement.
'I was going to ask him to stay a little longer, but… Looks like I'll have to handle things myself now.'
Thankfully, Randolph had taken care of the most tedious parts of the training. The new recruits weren't in bad shape, and the foundation had been laid.
"Thank you for your hard work. I'll make sure you're properly rewarded."
Randolph puffed up with pride and added, "I even taught some of them to read."
Although it was Fergus who had done most of the teaching, Randolph shamelessly took credit, feeling no guilt about it. Technically, he had managed the schedule, so it wasn't entirely untrue.
"That's excellent. Literacy is essential."
Ghislain had insisted that the mercenaries learn to read and write. Even soldiers needed basic literacy to execute more complex strategies.
One of the mercenaries, known as "Muscle Gordon," stepped forward proudly.
"I can read and write now too!"
Gordon, who had often been scammed due to his illiteracy, was understandably proud.
"Oh, really? Congratulations. Can you read contracts on your own now?"
Ghislain asked with a smile. Gordon reached into his waistband and pulled out a small book, waving it.
"Of course! I've even started writing in my own journal."
"Really? Are you writing a novel? I'm curious. Can I see it?"
Ghislain, genuinely curious about Gordon's progress, asked politely, but Gordon shook his head.
"No way. This is private. No one can see it."
"Well, suit yourself."
Ghislain didn't press, but the mercenary next to Gordon wasn't so understanding.
"What's in there? The lord himself is asking to see it. Come on, let us take a look. What do you keep writing in secret?"
"I said no! Leave it alone."
"Just let us see!"
The mercenary grabbed Gordon's arm, trying to snatch the book. Despite his strength, Gordon struggled against the group that joined in, trying to wrest it away.
"Stop it! Let go, or I'll kill you!"
Even Gordon couldn't hold out against six or seven men. As he flailed, the book slipped from his grip and landed at Ghislain's feet.
Curious, Ghislain picked it up and opened it to a random page.
[April 2: Weather - Clear]
Knight Commander Randolph yelled at me all day to work harder. What a control freak.
I'm already amazing at what I do, but he keeps nagging. I can't take it anymore.
It's cold today because of the wind, but he keeps glaring and shouting at me to train harder.
Where did he learn these torturous methods? He's definitely not fit to be a teacher.
I dream of becoming a great knight someday, but I will never turn into a dull person like him…
End of today's diary.
Snap.
Ghislain closed the book and shut his eyes.
He couldn't bring himself to read more. Reading someone else's diary felt like a breach of privacy—or "control freakery," as Gordon might put it.
'Still, he really did learn how to write.'
Though riddled with spelling mistakes, the effort itself was impressive. Considering where they had started, this was progress worth celebrating.
As Ghislain pondered, Gordon, who had just finished pummeling the other mercenaries, rushed over.
"Give it back!"
"Here you go."
Ghislain handed over the book without hesitation.
"You read it, didn't you?"
"…No."
"You did! How could you read someone else's diary?!"
"…Sorry."
Gordon stuffed the journal back into his waistband, glancing nervously at Randolph, worried that his complaints would come back to haunt him.
Finding it both amusing and pitiful, Ghislain decided to change the subject.
If Gordon had made this much progress, there was no need to check the others.
"Let's move on to the next area."
Lowell led the way, showing them various parts of the estate.
The number of homes and infrastructure for the villagers had noticeably increased. While many buildings were still under construction, the estate's development was progressing steadily.
"Good. Let's discuss future construction plans when we return to the castle. For now, let's visit the most important place."
At Ghislain's words, the group exited the outer walls and headed toward their next destination.
Upon arrival, Lowell looked at the scene with a mix of awe and satisfaction.
"It's… just as you envisioned, my lord."
Ghislain's closest aides, who had been absent during his work, were equally astonished by what lay before them.
"W-wow… This is incredible."
"I expected something grand, but… this is beyond my imagination."
"Even seeing it in person, it's hard to believe."
They rubbed their eyes, making sure they weren't hallucinating.
A vast sea of golden waves.
Fields of wheat, taller than a man, stretched endlessly across the land. The sheer abundance was beyond anything anyone could have imagined.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]