Max, looking desperate, pleaded his case.
"We didn't neglect the request on purpose. Also, in situations like this, it's customary to consider the client's goal achieved and let it go."
They hadn't dragged their feet; they had rushed with all their might, preparing for any potential mishap.
Still, since it was a siege, they thought they had plenty of time.
But when they arrived, the war was over far sooner than expected. The battlefield was already being cleaned up.
In such circumstances, there was nothing they could do but be relieved that Baron Fenris was alive and well, just as the client had hoped.
However, Ghislain was relentless in his accusations.
"I almost died, surrounded and pinned down at the gate. Did you rescue me in danger? Yes or no?"
"No, we did not."
Perhaps he had been in danger, but if he claimed so, they had no grounds to argue.
"So, did you properly fulfill the request? Yes or no?"
"No, I suppose we didn't. But we really didn't know the war would end this quickly…"
"Then you should earn the payment some other way! Huh? Did you scam my business partners or what? Huh?"
Ghislain's scolding left Max and his troubleshooters speechless. They felt wronged but couldn't counter his arguments.
What's worse, their clients were none other than Rozalin, daughter of Marquis Branford, and Meriel, a powerful noblewoman among high society's elite.
If this lunatic spouted nonsense and angered them, their business might as well be over.
They couldn't even run, being surrounded. Their best chance was to appease Ghislain somehow and get out of there.
"N-next time, we'll offer a discount and do a much better job."
"Next time? Next time where? Are you telling me to get into danger again? And what's this generous talk about a discount? A 50% discount should be the bare minimum!"
He had never mentioned a 50% discount before.
'This bastard… He's completely unreasonable. It'd be better to just ask what he wants.'
"T-then what would you like us to do?"
Max cautiously asked, and only then did Ghislain reply in a softer tone.
"For now, help clean up the battlefield, and lend a hand with some tasks in my territory. We're a bit short on manpower."
That didn't seem too difficult. It was better to spend a bit more time than to provoke a crazy nobleman.
"Fine… We'll help out for a few days and then leave."
Max and the troubleshooters, looking dejected, began assisting the soldiers.
They thought they'd help out for a few days just to make an impression and then leave. But Ghislain had a very different idea.
'They look strong enough to be useful, so I'll work them hard for as long as I can. I'll just calculate their wages like day laborers.'
The payment Rozalin and Meriel provided was probably worth several thousand gold coins, considering the risk involved.
If he factored that into labor costs, even with generous estimates, they'd be working for him for several years.
While the troubleshooters busied themselves, the young-looking priest who had accompanied them stood alone, unsure of what to do.
The priest watched nervously before speaking.
"T-then I suppose I'll be on my way…"
Ghislain casually cleaned his ear, responding more politely than he had to the troubleshooters, acknowledging the priest's status.
"Our priest looks quite young. What's your name?"
"It's P-Piote. I serve Juana, the goddess of beauty and abundance."
"The goddess of beauty, Juana? Don't her followers strongly dislike war zones and filthy places like this?"
At Ghislain's question, Piote hesitated before answering.
"Well… Countess Ailesbur is a significant benefactor to our temple and has a close relationship with us. She personally requested my service…"
Hearing that name, Ghislain nodded in understanding.
If there was one thing Meriel excelled at, it was "beauty." She had been the first to recognize the value of cosmetics.
It made sense that she would have close ties to Juana's temple, which worshiped beauty.
With Meriel's influence, wealth, and connections, sending a priest to a battlefield was hardly a challenge.
"I see. That makes sense. In any case, thank you for enduring such harsh conditions to come here."
"Yes, well… Then, I'll take my leaveâ€""
"Where do you think you're going? Didn't you get paid too? Like those guys, you need to earn your keep."
Piote's face turned into one of grievance.
"I didn't get paid."
"What? A priest lying outright? That's unbecoming."
"I swear by the goddessâ€"I didn't receive any payment! I'm not that kind of person!"
Even the most corrupt priests rarely invoke their goddess's name when lying.
Ghislain, intrigued, stared at the priest.
No payment? A priest coming to a dangerous battlefield unpaid? That made it hard to hold him accountable.
'That doesn't make sense. No priest would come here unpaid.'
Ghislain squinted, examining Piote more closely.
The priest had pale pink hair, a slight build, and delicate features better described as pretty than sturdy. When stared at, he timidly bowed his head, seemingly shy.
His smooth, fair skin suggested he had lived a sheltered life in a temple, untouched by hardship.
'Someone like this doesn't match the image of a priest accepting money to come to a battlefield…'
Meriel, with her discerning taste, wouldn't have chosen someone like him, which raised Ghislain's suspicions.
'And he doesn't look like the type to willingly sacrifice himself to convey the goddess's will. Normally, priests only act when directly paid.'
After some thought, Ghislain's expression brightened with realization.
'This is incredible! I've finally secured a proper priest!'
Most northern territories didn't have priests capable of using holy power. At best, traveling evangelists spread doctrine.
Priests capable of using holy power were exceedingly rare and typically confined to major cities or the lands of great lords.
Even Gillian's reluctance to leave Rayfold for his daughter's treatment was due to this scarcity.
If Ghislain's guess was correct, he could keep this priest in his territory for a long time.
"Be honest. Someone else took the money, didn't they? Someone really high up in your temple, and you had no choice but to come, right? I should've guessed sooner based on priestly customs."
"Ugh…"
Piote couldn't deny it. His attempt to maintain his innocence had inadvertently revealed the truth.
Naturally, the temple in Cardenia housed archbishops and high-ranking priests.
Even for people like Meriel and Rozalin, sending high-ranking priests to a dangerous frontier wasn't easy.
Instead, the senior priests had taken the payment and sent Piote as a substitute, likely under the guise of "gaining field experience."
Looking utterly wronged, Piote said:
"T-that's true, but I can't stay here. I need to return to the temple."
He didn't want to be stuck here like the troubleshooters.
Having grown up in luxury and privilege, the reality of the outside world was far from what he had imagined.
'The world outside the temple is hell. I need to return.'
On his way here, he had passed through many impoverished villages and thought the people there were miserable.
But even that paled in comparison to a battlefield. This was true hell.
Everywhere, corpses lay strewn, and the moans of the wounded echoed. Knights and soldiers walked around drenched in blood, looking like demons.
Even as he tried to suppress his nausea, the lord of this place stood amidst the carnage, smiling.
'How can he laugh in a situation like this? The world outside the temple is terrifying. Everyone is incomprehensible.'
To Piote, they all seemed like devils. This was undoubtedly the devil's den.
As the innocent priest fidgeted anxiously, Ghislain smirked.
"Alright, then. You can leave. I won't stop someone as esteemed as you."
"Really? Thank you. I'll take my leave immediately."
"But I wonder… Can you make it back safely on your own? I wish you peace on your journey."
"W-what?"
Piote froze as reality dawned on him.
This was a world teeming with monsters and bandits. Cities and villages required walls or stockades to survive.
How could an inexperienced, non-combatant priest like him make it back to the capital alive?
The odds of being killed or kidnapped were 100%, especially for someone as "pretty" as him.
'N-no. I can't. I absolutely can't go back alone.'
He had felt safe on the journey here, traveling with the troubleshooters. They had dealt with monsters and bandits without issue.
Reluctantly, Piote bowed his head to Ghislain.
"P-please assign me an escort, my lord."
"How much will you pay?"
"What? P-pay? But I'm a priest!"
"Nothing's free in this world. Your temple got paid to send you, didn't it? I'm not a sucker."
"W-well, that's true, but…"
Once again, Piote found himself at a loss for words. He had seen nobles donate to temples but never extort money from them.
Usually, the temple's prestige and influence inspired nobles to curry favor with generous donations.
With no other choice, Piote bowed his head again.
"I beg you, please. I'll repay your kindness when I return to the temple."
'I swear, I'll never come near this place again!'
But Ghislain wasn't someone who fell for empty promises. He shook his head firmly.
"I'd love to help, but we're short on people. If you can't go back alone, leave with the troubleshooters when they return."
"Ugh…"
In other words, he wasn't being released anytime soon. He'd have to work for a while before he could leave.
Knowing he couldn't survive alone, Piote reluctantly nodded, tears welling in his eyes.
He had no idea how long the troubleshooters would be stuck here.
But Ghislain felt even this wasn't enough, so he added a hint of menace.
"Oh, and if you try to escape or slack off, I'll make sure everyone hears about it."
"H-hears what?"
"That the Juana Temple scammed me out of money and ran. That'll be a big problem, won't it? You know who's backing me, right?"
Piote's face turned ashen.
The temple, like the magic tower, had a strict hierarchy.
If a lowly priest like him caused trouble for the high-ranking clergy, he wouldn't get off lightly.
He might spend the rest of his life locked in a monasteryâ€"if he was lucky. More likely, he'd be sent to a far worse place.
"P-please, wait…"
He tried to protest but stopped when he saw Ghislain's wicked grin.
This man was undoubtedly the devil's leader, and this situation was clearly a divine test.
Faith, after all, was proven through trials like this.
"I… I'll do my best."
"Great. I look forward to working with you. Let's drop the formalities and speak casually. We'll be spending a lot of time together, so no need to be stiff."
"…You can speak however you like, my lord. I'm fine as I am."
"Alright, then. Let's work well together. For now, start by treating the wounded. We're short on healers in this territory."
The orders came swiftly, leaving Piote on the verge of tears.
Never in his life had he been treated like this. The situation was so absurd, he felt like crying.
But there was nothing he could do. If he upset this blood-soaked demon, he might lose his head.
"…Yes, my lord."
Piote staggered toward the injured soldiers.
There was no question that holy power was the best for treating external injuries and boosting vitality. Priests were walking, top-tier potions.
On top of that, they recharged over time.
A self-replenishing potion. And on top of that, he was aesthetically pleasing.
Though his holy power was likely limited as a low-ranking priest, he was still far more valuable than most mages.
'Wow, this is an incredible find. I'll keep him here as long as possible. He's obedient and naïveâ€"just perfect. Those two really sent me a fantastic gift. I'm lucky today.'
Ten strong laborers and a top-tier healer had fallen into his lap.
How could he not feel grateful to Meriel and Rozalin?
"Now, let's deal with the rest."
Laughing to himself, Ghislain headed to the lord's manor with a few knights.
News of their victory had already reached the castle. A white flag flew from its walls, and the high-ranking vassals and officials of Cabaldi County were assembled.
Their faces were pale with fear as they bowed deeply.
"We greet our new lord."
"We only followed the orders of Count Cabaldi."
"The storehouses have been opened. Everything now belongs to you, my lord."
"We pledge to serve you with utmost sincerity."
Ghislain swept his gaze over them.
These were the people who had profited from Count Cabaldi's rule and aligned themselves with Count Desmond.
They had been the same in his past life and remained so now.
At the start of the war, they had surely been confident. Perhaps they had even expected to seize Fenris and claim its stores of grain.
Now, they were desperate to survive, their eyes filled with pleading.
"Hmm."
After a moment of silent contemplation, Ghislain turned to Gillian and said:
"Imprison the lower-ranked officials. We'll determine their fate after investigating their crimes."
"Understood."
"As for the high-ranking retainers who held key positions…"
Sweeping his gaze over them, Ghislain spoke with a chilling tone.
"Kill them all."
[T/L: Please support me and read 115 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]