Dudududu!
The soldier drove the horse tirelessly.
It was a horse running across the vast northern lands. As it sped along the straight road, its speed was unmatched by any other horses.
If the distance was too far, the courier man could switch to another horse stationed at various hubs. Stamina wasn't an issue at all.
For now, it could only operate within the estate, but as the road network expanded and more hubs were established, the delivery range would increase as well.
The courier man who departed in the morning arrived at the perimeter guard post of the Forest of Demonic Beasts by evening.
"This is… from my mom, sent this morning?"
"Yes, our Fenris Arrow Delivery operates with a principle of maximum speed."
Ricardo eyed the courier man with a suspicious expression, scrutinizing him from head to toe.
'No matter how close the estate is, this kind of speed doesn't make sense, does it?'
Normally, sending a letter like this required hiring a merchant guild or mercenaries.
Thus, it was expensive, and it took time. Unless you paid an outrageous amount, no one would move like this for a single person.
'Now that I think about it… didn't the young lord recently make a fuss about starting some kind of delivery business?'
Roads had been laid in Perdium, and relay stations and other hub facilities had been constructed. Ricardo had vaguely heard about the grand promotion of this delivery business.
'Well, there's no reason to pull a scam on me specifically, right?'
It didn't seem like someone was playing a prank. The courier man in front of him was covered in dust and drenched in sweat.
It was far too earnest to be considered a joke.
Ricardo opened the letter. His mother couldn't write, so she must have dictated it, but he was confident he could recognize the contents.
[When are you finally going to get married? Stop meeting so many women and get married already. Your mom's friend's son is already married and even has grandchildren…]
'Yep, it's definitely my mom.'
The nagging matched word for word what he heard every time he visited her. It was filled with genuine frustration and anger.
How desperate must she have been to use this "Arrow Delivery," which no one had even heard of, to send him a letter?
"Well then, I'll be on my way. Please sign here to confirm receipt…"
"Wait, hold on."
Ricardo had to confirm if this was real. He hurriedly wrote a letter and handed it to the courier.
"This is free, right? Can you send this to my mom?"
"Yes, it's free during the promotion period. I'll make sure your mother receives this."
Although he could use the relay station, Ricardo wanted to confirm quickly. In his letter, he included an event from his childhood, something only his mom would know.
He needed to see if he could really exchange letters with his mother and if this Arrow Delivery was the real deal.
Once his mother received the letter, she'd either have someone literate read it to her or use the relay station to send a reply.
The next evening, Ricardo received a letter from his mother. His letter had been delivered in the morning, and she had sent an immediate reply.
"Wow, this is real? The speed is insane."
The letter contained details only his mother could know. There was nothing amiss.
Amazed by the greatness of Arrow Delivery, Ricardo excitedly shared his experience with his fellow guards in the Forest of Demonic Beasts and boasted to the women at the social gathering.
Ricardo's parents, living in Fenris, were equally astonished and actively spread the word among their acquaintances.
Initially skeptical, people began sending letters to nearby relatives within the estate and couldn't stop praising the service.
"Wow! It's really as fast as an arrow! I've exchanged letters and gifts with my relatives in Perdium multiple times already."
"Is it because the roads are so well laid out? It only takes a day or two for things to arrive!"
"Have you tried ordering goods? They deliver straight to your door!"
As rumors spread, more people flocked to the relay stations. The existing staff couldn't handle the demand, so more employees were hired, and additional relay stations were built in populous cities and towns.
The most popular service was the delivery of goods. When people needed hard-to-find items or bulk orders, they used the relay stations.
Although the range of available goods was limited, people could check the items and quantities available at the relay station and have them delivered directly to their homes.
The service quickly became a sensation.
"I can't live without Arrow Delivery now!"
"They're expanding the range of goods you can order, too! The lord said they'd keep increasing it."
"Can you believe our estate has something like this? Our lord is amazing!"
The more people praised the service, the more smug Ghislain became. With a cocky tilt of his chin, he declared to his vassals:
"See? People always pursue what's fast and convenient. That's why I always push for speed in everything."
"…"
Claude and the other vassals couldn't say a word. The number of people using Arrow Delivery was genuinely increasing.
As a result, the administrators became busier. Since this wasn't a private venture but an estate-run business, it demanded extensive management.
Daily inventory checks at logistics warehouses and promptly restocking goods in towns and cities all fell on the administrators.
"Man, this is just within the estate, and it's already this big. Imagine if this expands kingdom-wide. The goods we can deliver and the number of users will skyrocket."
The vassals nodded in agreement while thinking:
'And we'll probably die from overwork.'
They hadn't yet received approval for their request to the royal court to impose toll rights in exchange for road construction, nor had they secured investment for the project.
Once all that was settled, the Arrow Delivery service would likely spread across all estates of the Royalist faction.
The catch was that no matter how much investment they received, the main entity behind the business would still be Fenris Estate. That meant Fenris administrators would have to handle hiring and operations across various regions, leading to even more work.
Claude, wanting to put on the brakes, raised an objection.
"But the losses are significant. Setting up the infrastructure is costing way more than expected. Even after the free period ends, the fees are low, so turning a profit will be difficult for a while."
"That's fine. Losses don't matter right now. What's important is laying the groundwork. Eventually, this will bring in massive profits. We'll have a monopoly, after all."
'Ugh, he's not listening.'
Claude clicked his tongue in frustration, seeing Ghislain confidently echoing his predictions.
With overwhelming logistics infrastructure, other merchant guilds would have no choice but to use Arrow Delivery.
If they didn't like it, they'd have to pay road tolls.
'Still, something feels off. He's way too confident, almost like he's foreseen everything. Does he have prophetic dreams or something?'
Everything the lord had undertaken so far was something entirely unprecedented, starting from the concept. It was strange.
Initially, they had dismissed it as the recklessness of youth, but when they actually listened to his reasoning, he seemed knowledgeable and logical.
It was clear that his repeated successes weren't just luck.
Even as Claude observed Ghislain with a suspicious gaze, Fenris Estate continued to develop rapidly.
With roads being built and more horses added, mass-produced meat, food, and various resources were transported across the estate at remarkable speeds.
Receiving daily updates, Ghislain smiled contentedly.
"Everything's running smoothly. But there's still a lot we're lacking, so let's move even faster."
Relay stations, stables, logistics warehouses—these weren't the only facilities needed for transportation. To make the estate stronger, more facilities were essential.
The more Ghislain pushed, the harder the administrators worked, but the pace of development and improvement in convenience for the people was unmatched.
It was likely that no other estate across the continent could match this level of livability.
With the mindset of striking while the iron was hot, Ghislain moved on to the next step.
"Let's head to Marquis Branford's place. Let's get those toll rights and secure some investment."
***
Claude and the vassals drafted a business plan aimed at maximizing efficiency.
The scale of this project covered half the kingdom. Even the royal court wouldn't have imagined such a grand scheme.
Toll rights? If Marquis Branford endorsed it, they'd get it. The Royalist faction couldn't afford to reject their proposal in the current situation.
Once they secured the toll rights, it would be a done deal. Even if other lords later refused to pay, knowing Ghislain, he'd march the army in.
With justification, suppressing opposition became much easier.
Reviewing the business plan, Claude grinned meaningfully.
"As the lord says, it doesn't matter if we incur some losses. What's more important is the massive influence our estate will gain. If handled correctly, we'll hold the lifeline of both lords and merchant guilds."
With toll rights, they could dominate logistics and transportation. Once the system was firmly established, no one would dare challenge Fenris.
Of course, the future wasn't entirely rosy. To wield such influence, strong military power was essential. That was the only way to deter anyone from trying to seize the roads by force.
In that regard, they were still lacking, but for now, having Marquis Branford backing them provided some relief.
"Our estate's ultimate priority is a strong military. And that's growing rapidly. The Royalist faction nobles aren't the issue… the future civil war is."
The duchy was targeting the Royalist faction. If they got swept up in it, the estate could be strangled.
But if the Royalist faction triumphed in the civil war—or if Fenris survived even if the faction lost—and if the lord managed to build the strong military he envisioned during that time?
"Perhaps… instead of the duke, we could end up ruling the kingdom…"
The words escaped unconsciously. Claude quickly clamped his hand over his mouth in shock.
Did he harbor such ambition? He had been so busy lately that he hadn't even realized it. He thought he'd be content just to live a carefree life.
When his eyes met Wendy's, she tilted her head in confusion.
"What's the matter?"
"It's nothing, nothing at all."
Spending so much time with the lord seemed to have rubbed off on him. Shaking his head repeatedly, Claude tried to rid himself of these wild thoughts.
Civil war or whatever—it didn't matter. What was more important right now were the pressing tasks at hand.
For days on end, they held meetings with the vassals, creating a detailed business proposal. All that was left was to deliver it to Marquis Branford.
The problem was that Ghislain was too busy with estate development to spare the time.
No matter how many times Claude asked, Ghislain remained unmoved.
"Are you really not going to the capital?"
"Ugh, it's such a hassle. I'm super busy right now, you know? I have to check on the state of the estate's development, train, and oversee the drills… Just send someone instead. The Marquis will agree no matter what."
"…"
Sure, a letter would reach its destination even if someone else delivered it.
But this was Marquis Branford, the most influential figure in the kingdom. Even if the lord went personally, it might not be enough—who could they possibly send in his place?
'I really don't want to go…'
Claude still vividly remembered the time when Ghislain had intervened to save Rozalin, putting them all in a life-threatening situation. Honestly, the Marquis had been terrifying back then. The mere thought of seeing him again made Claude feel like he might wet himself.
Even aside from that, Claude was already swamped with work.
So, Claude decided to dump the responsibility of delivering the letter onto someone else. He called Lowell over, putting on an air of importance.
"You're going to the capital."
"What? Me?"
"Yes. Go to Marquis Branford, explain our business proposal thoroughly, and secure the toll rights. Also, ask Miss Rozalin and Lady Meriel for some investments."
"How can I handle such a big task? No way! It's scary! I'm busy too!"
"You can do it. So hurry up and go. If you don't, I'll have Wendy kill you."
Wendy, who had been listening nearby, shot Claude a scornful look, but he pretended not to notice. He was starting to understand why the lord pushed people so hard.
'Why can't people just do what they're told? It's such a pain!'
Under Claude's relentless pressure, Lowell had no choice but to head to the capital with tears in his eyes. He was already buried in work, and now this trip would make his backlog even worse.
It felt like both the lord and the head butler were the same kind of person—completely merciless—and Lowell was sure it was going to kill him.
* * *
Marquis Branford, holding the business proposal in his hands, glared icily at Lowell, who stood before him.
"A road project? Toll rights?"
"Y-yes… uh, that's what they said was necessary… It would be a great help to the Royalist's faction."
Even Lowell, known for his eloquence, trembled as he responded to Marquis Branford.
The oppressive presence of the vassals, knights, and soldiers standing on either side of him made it hard to even breathe.
The atmosphere was entirely different from the freewheeling chaos of Fenris Estate. Here, it felt like standing on the edge of a razor-sharp blade.
After tapping his chin a few times, Marquis Branford spoke in a displeased tone.
"So, a mere lord of a backwater estate dares to propose a business that encompasses the entire kingdom?"
"...I-I think so, yes."
Lowell could only nod nervously, trembling.
Ghislain was the type to push forward with whatever he wanted to do, no matter what. Asking Lowell about it was pointless.
'Why are you asking me? Even you can't stop him, Marquis,' Lowell grumbled silently to himself, as Marquis Branford fell into deep thought.
'What a cunning brat. He's using this opportunity to make money and expand his influence. To think he could conceive such a plan.'
Other nobles wouldn't even entertain such an idea. They'd think building roads in someone else's territory would only bring losses to themselves.
The funds required were astronomical, making it unthinkable for most to even attempt it. This was the sort of project that the royal family would typically handle on a national scale.
Yet here was a mere lord proposing such an immense undertaking. If anyone else had brought this up, he would have scoffed, but this was Ghislain—who held a tight grip on food supplies and had an abundance of money and manpower. That changed everything.
'It's a solid idea. If it's completed, it will be a significant advantage when fighting the duchy.'
The inevitability of civil war was clear now.
To fight the duchy, the strongest individual faction, the royal family and Royalist faction lords would need to unite.
When someone was attacked, the surrounding territories would need to quickly supply troops and resources to hold the line.
Of course, if too many territories were captured, it would hand the enemy a direct route for invasion. But that was a risk they had to take.
Without proper supply routes, the Royalist faction wouldn't be able to move swiftly and would collapse regardless.
'This brat is thinking as though the civil war is already over. Does he have that much confidence that they'll win? Arrogant brat.'
That kind of confidence wasn't entirely unpleasant to see, but the idea of something growing beyond his control wasn't to his liking.
'Still, the royal family can't undertake this project.'
The aftermath of the famine still lingered. Other lords were struggling just to maintain their military forces.
Only that brat, who had an abundance of food and wealth, could attempt such a massive project. If he led it, the other lords would only need to provide labor.
It seemed even Ghislain felt it was too much to handle alone, as he was also requesting large-scale investments.
'Well, no matter how rich he is, a project like this isn't something a single lord can accomplish.'
After a long moment of contemplation, Marquis Branford slowly opened his mouth.
"Very well. I'll approve the project and instruct the lords to cooperate. The royal family will also grant toll rights to Count Fenris."
'Oh!'
Lowell was taken aback. He hadn't expected Marquis Branford to make a decision on the spot like this.
Things are unfolding exactly as the lord said. It's uncanny.
However, Marquis Branford wasn't finished speaking.
"But."
"…?"
The Marquis's icy gaze bore into Lowell as he continued.
"We'll need to increase our share in this venture."
[T/L: Please support me and read 310 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]