"Oh, don't tell me…"
Hearing Ghislain's words, one of the knights widened his eyes as if he had just remembered something.
Though he hadn't immediately thought of it, since he wasn't from this area, the Monster Wave of the Turian Kingdom was infamous even in neighboring nations.
A Monster Wave referred to the sudden surge of monsters pouring out of the Shadow Mountain Range. These monsters would then wreak havoc across the Turian Kingdom.
That was why fortresses had been constructed along the routes of their rampage.
Ghislain nodded vigorously.
"Exactly. Soon, even the hidden monsters will be flushed out in droves. There's no need for us to go looking for them. We just need to prepare."
"Ugh…"
The knights wore grim expressions.
They had already killed plenty of monsters while following Ghislain, and even those were horrifying enough. Now, they were hearing that monsters would be coming in hordes. Just imagining it was enough to make them feel faint.
But Ghislain simply smiled with satisfaction.
"Isn't it convenient that they're coming to us to die? This is the time when whoever kills the most takes the prize."
"Yes…"
Kaor, tilting his head, asked curiously.
"But how does the lord know that a Monster Wave is about to happen?"
Everyone knew that monsters descended periodically. However, if the cycle was nearing, the people in the fortress would normally be busy preparing.
Yet, there was no indication of urgency here. It was as if the fortress residents were unaware of the impending wave.
Ghislain replied casually.
"Because of us."
"What?"
"We've been killing an absurd number of monsters. We've wiped out what would normally take hundreds of hunters months to hunt in just a few days."
"You're saying… because we killed too many monsters, a Monster Wave is coming?"
"Exactly. That's how the monsters of the Shadow Mountain Range operate."
"…Does that even make sense?"
"Apparently, it does. That's what I've heard. Anyway, just get ready. Judging by how many we've killed, it's about time for the wave."
Kaor looked at Ghislain with a skeptical expression. The things Ghislain said always sounded ridiculous, but they somehow turned out to be true, making it hard to argue.
The true cause of the Monster Wave was still unknown.
The Turian Kingdom had sent numerous investigation teams to uncover its origins, but each expedition suffered heavy losses and returned empty-handed, ultimately abandoning the effort.
For someone like Ghislain—who wasn't even from Turian—to speak with such certainty made it all the more suspicious.
Kaor thought for a moment.
'Hmm, this is giving me a headache. Better not think about it. I'm stronger when I don't think.'
Deciding to accept Ghislain's absurd claim, much like Claude would, Kaor stopped questioning it.
In truth, Ghislain didn't know the exact reason either. Even in a past life, the cause had never been revealed. All Ghislain knew was that killing a certain number of monsters seemed to trigger a wave, and that was enough.
"For now, check your gear and rest. You'll need to fight in peak condition."
The knights spent their unexpected free time in maintenance, though their expressions remained glum.
The thought of facing even more monsters than they'd fought before was already exhausting.
"Let's check the supplies in the warehouse. Kaor, come with me."
Leaving the knights behind, Ghislain strolled through the fortress with Kaor.
Initially, Ghislain had been the center of attention, commanding both admiration and wariness. But after Kaor defeated Donkard, all eyes were on him.
"Hey! Redhead! That was amazing!"
"Taking down Donkard like that! You're the strongest in the fortress now!"
"Let's go hunting together sometime!"
Cheers and compliments followed them wherever they went.
At first, Kaor seemed a bit taken aback by the attention, but soon he began flashing a smug grin and running a hand through his hair.
"Whew… so I really am the strongest."
He realized that he truly deserved to be admired like this. Living in the estate with those strange people had made him forget.
For a brief moment, the memory of the hot-air balloon crash crossed his mind, but he quickly shook it off. The thought of Alpoi's face only annoyed him further.
Ghislain stepped back slightly, letting Kaor bask in the attention.
'He's really enjoying himself. He'll adapt well here.'
Kaor would be staying in this fortress for the time being, hunting monsters and sending their hides and by-products back to the estate.
For that to happen, it was important to firmly establish his presence. It would make it easier for him to build influence and live comfortably here.
That was why Ghislain had arranged for Kaor to fight Donkard, giving him a chance to shine.
Kaor reveled in the admiration. Everyone looked at him as though he were extraordinary.
'Ah, this is great. This is nothing like life in the estate. I'd rather stay here forever.'
He felt like he'd been missing out on life, and his confidence soared. The people in the estate might be impressive, but he wasn't weak—far from it.
Ghislain leisurely wandered through the fortress. The talk about the warehouse was just an excuse; the real goal was to make Kaor more widely recognized.
'I'll make him the most famous guy in this fortress.'
Even those who hadn't seen the fight with Donkard were bound to hear about it from the surrounding commotion, ensuring Kaor's reputation spread.
After some time, the people around them began murmuring, stepping back as a group approached Kaor.
Judging by their attire, they were hunters.
Kaor glanced at them up and down. A few of them looked familiar—they were undoubtedly Donkard's former subordinates, the ones who had mocked him earlier.
"You guys are so unlucky to run into me. You mocked me last time, didn't you? Today's your funeral. Bite down and prepare yourselves."
Kaor growled as he stepped forward, but the hunter at the front frantically waved his hands.
"No, no! We didn't come here to fight!"
"Well, I'm about to fight. Why? Because you mocked me. Do you know the greatest crime in the world?"
"W-what is it?"
"Hurting my feelings. Time to die."
Just as Kaor was about to throw a punch, Ghislain grabbed his arm.
"Why? Aren't I the leader?"
"At least hear them out first."
Kaor pouted but reluctantly lowered his fist.
'It's not because I'm scared of the lord! I'm just a good leader who listens to his subordinates!'
Ghislain could see exactly what Kaor was thinking and clicked his tongue. Stepping forward, Ghislain took charge in his place.
"What is it?"
"Well, um…"
The hunter hesitated, glancing between Ghislain and Kaor. It wasn't entirely clear to him who was leading this group.
Still, Ghislain had initially appeared to be in charge. Resolving himself, the hunter spoke to Ghislain.
"Can you let us join your group?"
"Join us?"
"Y-yeah. I mean, we could keep hunting on our own, but we really need a central leader…"
"Hm…"
When Ghislain responded indifferently, the hunter hurriedly continued.
"With Donkard dead, our group is breaking apart. It'd be better if you absorbed us. Having more allies here isn't a bad thing."
Most hunters hunted in groups. With so many monsters around, traveling in small numbers was too dangerous.
Of course, there were some who hunted solo. In a large fortress like this, plenty of hunters would only team up when necessary.
But generally, forming stable groups and hunting in large parties was the most profitable approach.
Donkard had led the largest group in this fortress. Now that he was dead, the hunters who had followed him were left in a precarious position.
Kaor stepped forward again.
"So, you're saying you want to become my subordinates?"
"N-not subordinates… just hunting companions…"
"Sounds like subordinates to me."
"…Well, it might look that way."
In reality, they had been Donkard's subordinates. Officially, he was their leader, but since there was no hierarchy in this lawless zone, they disguised their relationship as being "equals."
But in any community, a pecking order naturally forms.
Kaor nodded, then declared.
"Fine, I'll accept you as my subordinates—"
Smack!
Before Kaor could finish, Ghislain slapped the back of his head.
"Argh! Why'd you hit me? I'm the leader!"
"Tsk, tsk. That's not how you do it."
"Then how should I do it?"
"For now, watch how I handle this and learn. Hey, how many of you are left?"
The hunter paused to think before replying.
"If we include those still deciding what to do, around 100. The rest have already joined other groups or decided not to join any party at all."
"Alright, then bring anyone who wants to join us to the inn. We'll take them all in. Spread the word—anyone who wants in, come. No one will be turned away."
Ghislain didn't mention anything about not stopping those who tried to leave. But the hunter, unfamiliar with Ghislain's ways, brightened and nodded enthusiastically.
"Y-yeah. I'll bring as many people as I can."
The more members in a party, the safer the hunts would be. However, this also meant each individual's share would decrease.
It was natural for those with better skills and greater contributions to claim more spoils.
But Ghislain's party had incredible hunting speed, with barely any injuries or deaths among its members. Such results would be impossible if the individuals weren't highly skilled.
This had already been proven. Joining their group and simply hunting moderately was calculated to provide enough reward to be worth it.
Soon, word spread, and hunters began flocking to Ghislain's inn.
"Let us join too! I'm great at cooking!"
"I know every inch of the terrain here!"
"With my skills, I'd be a huge help!"
Around 200 hunters gathered. The inn buzzed with the noise of hunters trying to pitch their worth.
Sitting at the central table, Ghislain pulled out a stack of documents and announced.
"I'll accept every single one of you. Don't worry, just line up and let's get the contracts written."
"Wow, straightforward! Let's get it done!"
Hunters were accustomed to signing contracts to avoid disputes during the distribution of spoils.
However, these contracts were usually just for show. In a lawless zone like this, who actually adhered to the terms of a contract?
Typically, any disputes were resolved through brute force rather than words.
Unaware that the person before them preferred solving matters with strength more than anyone, the hunters felt at ease.
"Wow, these contract terms are amazing!"
"They're as good as the party's hunting skills!"
"Must be because they earn so much—they're really generous."
The hunters' faces lit up as they read the contracts.
There was no distribution based on contribution. The spoils were divided much more generously than in other parties.
Materials like hides and tendons were excluded, but everything else would be distributed equally. This meant even slacking off could still earn them money.
Considering the hunting speed they had witnessed, it seemed like an easy way to profit.
However, there were a few unsettling conditions.
"A 30-year contract period?"
"Participation required for battles outside the fortress whenever summoned?"
"Immediate execution for desertion? And if you break the contract, you have to return everything you've earned so far?"
The terms were different from the usual hunter contracts. Specifying a contract period was especially strange—it felt like forced recruitment.
One of the hunters asked hesitantly.
"Do we really need a set period? Hunters usually come together and disband as needed. Isn't that why Donkard's group fell apart after he died?"
Ghislain answered with a kind smile.
"It's just so we can stick together for a long time. If I die, like Donkard, the contract will automatically become void. Oh, by the way, I'll be leaving here in a few days. Once I'm gone, Kaor here will be your leader, so follow him well."
The hunters exchanged sly glances. In other words, they just needed to kill the person in front of them to void the contract.
Or, they could wait for Ghislain to leave and stage an "accident" for Kaor. Either way, the time limit seemed irrelevant—they could leave whenever they wanted after profiting enough.
"Alright! Let's sign the contracts!"
As one hunter enthusiastically shouted, the others rushed forward to sign as well.
Watching this unfold, the knights of Fenris clenched their teeth.
'Poor bastards…'
'Do they actually think they can kill the lord?'
'Eventually, they'll all be dragged to the estate.'
Even after Ghislain left, Kaor and the knights would remain. The hunters wouldn't be able to escape easily.
Once the contracts were finalized, Ghislain generously handed out advance payments.
"Here, use this to take a good few days off. I've got plenty of money."
"Wooooaaahhh!"
Before even going on a hunt, the hunters received a significant sum from Ghislain. They immediately spent it on the fortress's entertainment district, partying and indulging.
This behavior was typical of mercenaries, and hunters were no different. Knowing they could die at any time, they lived their lives to the fullest.
As word spread that Ghislain was throwing around money, more hunters came to join daily. Soon, the number of hunters under Ghislain's command exceeded 300.
In a surprisingly short period, Ghislain had signed contracts with a large number of hunters. Watching them waste their earnings on endless revelry, Ghislain smiled.
"Perfect. This many should be enough for all of them to jump off the walls together."
After all, the true thrill of fighting monsters was meeting them head-on.
That was Ghislain's creed.
[T/L: Please support me and read 320 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]