Gripped by fear, the mercenaries continued their assault even after the Blood Python was dead.
"Stop! Stop! It's already dead!"
Only after Gillian shouted several times did the mercenaries drop their weapons and step back.
By now, the sun had begun to set, casting a red glow over the surroundings.
The enormous snake's corpse, pierced by hundreds of weapons, appeared even darker and redder under the sunset's light.
Everyone fell silent at the majestic sight as if by some unspoken agreement.
After waiting for a while, the Blood Python still didn't move. Only then could the mercenaries accept the reality.
"Ha, haha… We won… We won!"
At one mercenary's exclamation, everyone else began to shout.
"We got it! We killed this monster!"
"Ughahaha! It's really dead!"
They had slain a monster they had thought impossible to defeat.
No, rather, their employer had practically killed it single-handedly.
"But, is the employer alright?"
"Let's go check!"
The mercenaries rushed over to where Ghislain lay.
Still lying down, Ghislain weakly raised his hand and spoke with difficulty.
"Ah… everyone… you did well…."
At his words, the mercenaries cheered loudly.
"He's alive! The employer is alive!"
"Wooaaah!"
The mercenaries' joy seemed endless, having survived an unbeatable foe.
Ghislain's remarkable feat only fueled their excitement.
"Hahaha, long live the Ghislain Mercenary Corps!"
"For now, let's just call it the Ghislain Mercenary Corps!"
The mercenaries enthusiastically chanted Ghislain's name.
Watching the mercenaries laughing and chatting under the influence of the mood, Ghislain smiled faintly.
"Simple fools…"
And with that, he lost consciousness.
* * *
Ghislain slowly opened his eyes as if waking from a deep sleep.
Next to him, Gillian, who had been watching over him, spoke in surprise.
"Young Lord, are you awake? Are you alright?"
Lying down, Ghislain gave a slight nod and asked in a cracked voice.
"Belinda?"
"Her life is not in danger. She's taken some medicinal herbs and is resting, so you needn't worry."
"The mercenaries' casualties?"
"More than half died… Still, if it weren't for you, we'd all have been wiped out."
"…I see."
"But, Young Lord, please, never do that again. What's the point of all this if you die?"
Gillian, frustrated, scolded him.
After all, what kind of employer would risk their own life instead of taking the time to defeat the enemy, even if it meant losing all their mercenaries?
"…I understand. Gillian, you're starting to resemble Belinda more and more."
When Ghislain made a joke, Gillian forced a stiff smile.
Kaor approached with a sly grin and said,
"I've seen plenty of crazy people in my life, but none as crazy as you, Young Lord. I never would've imagined you'd kill that monster in such a way."
"Hearing I'm crazy so often doesn't exactly feel great."
Ghislain tried to get up as he answered, but a surge of intense pain soon followed.
"Ugh!"
"Oh no, you must move carefully. Your wounds are severe."
Gillian, startled, hurriedly supported him.
Ghislain slowly examined his own body. Bandages were wrapped around him from head to toe.
His entire body still felt numb and tingling, indicating that not all the poison had been expelled yet.
Though he could use mana to extract the remaining toxins from his body, it would take some time for his broken bones and muscles to heal fully.
It was the first time in this life that he had used such an overwhelming amount of mana.
He had continuously used a technique that was difficult to endure, even for a short period in his current state, until he eventually lost consciousness…
It was no surprise that his body was in complete disarray.
"Time…"
Ghislain blankly gazed up at the sky. The sunlight was so bright it almost blinded him.
They had captured the Blood Python around sunset, but now the sun was high in the sky.
It seemed he had been unconscious for longer than he thought.
At that moment, the mercenaries, having noticed that Ghislain had woken up, rushed over in a crowd.
"The boss is finally awake!"
"Boss, are you alright?"
"Oh, I knew you'd pull through!"
The mercenaries couldn't hide their joy and continued chattering around Ghislain without pause.
Ghislain looked at each of them one by one.
Unlike when he first met them, their faces now brimmed confidently and easily.
And the trust that radiated from their eyes.
Having gone through life-threatening battles together, the bond between Ghislain and the mercenaries had grown unbelievably strong.
What had started as a mere contract had now evolved into a relationship where they were willing to risk their lives for each other.
"It reminds me of the old days."
Feeling a sense of nostalgia, Ghislain couldn't help but smile to himself.
"Rest for another day, take it easy, and tend to your injuries. There won't be any more monsters appearing."
The mercenaries were a bit skeptical but trusted Ghislain, so they rested comfortably.
Surprisingly, not a single monster appeared during their break.
Thanks to that, the group fully recovered their strength and set off in good condition.
After traveling for a while, Ghislain glanced around and spoke to the mercenaries.
"We're almost there. It's just ahead."
The mercenaries, unable to hide their anticipation, began chatting excitedly.
"Do you really think there's something valuable?"
"Maybe it's gold or silver."
"Well, we're finally getting there, at least."
With hearts filled with excitement, they all busily moved toward their final goal.
But soon after, the sight that unfolded before them left everyone speechless.
"This, this is…"
"Is this for real?"
"It's… incredible!"
The mercenaries, one by one, widened their eyes in astonishment.
Gillian, unable to hide his trembling gaze, looked back at Ghislain.
"M-my lord. There really was something valuable here. This, this is…"
Facing the stammering Gillian, Ghislain smiled and replied.
"Yes, it's a very expensive treasure."
Before their eyes, shards of crystal attached to the rocks glowed with a faint blue light scattered all over the place.
While each shard emitted only a dim light, the sheer number of them lit up the dark forest together.
Only one kind of crystal in the entire world emitted its own light.
It was a mineral known as Runestone.
Runestones contained magical power and were used to create magical tools or barriers. For any mage, they were an object of obsession.
Moreover, the locations where Runestones could be harvested were scarce, and the quantity available was extremely limited, making their value astronomical.
And now, this place was littered with Runestones as if they were mere pebbles.
"Wowww!"
"This is incredible! They're all Runestones!"
"H-how much is this even worth?"
The mercenaries, overwhelmed with excitement, couldn't contain themselves. Ghislain, too, couldn't hide his astonishment.
'There are far more than I heard about in my previous life.'
The feeling of seeing it in person was completely different from merely reading about it in the records.
Looking at the vast array of Runestones before him filled him with so much joy that he momentarily forgot about all his hardships.
The mercenaries, after their initial excitement, turned to Ghislain in amazement.
"There really was something valuable here, wasn't there?"
"How in the world did you know about this?"
"What we did wasn't so crazy after all!"
The mercenaries could hardly calm down from their excitement.
No one could remain composed before such an overwhelming sight filled with Runestones.
Ghislain, observing the mercenaries, spoke.
"Everyone, you've done well. We made it here thanks to your efforts."
The mercenaries all bowed their heads solemnly, their expressions becoming serious.
On their way here, many had died, and those who survived had fought battles that pushed them beyond their limits.
The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming after enduring such immense suffering and finally reaching their destination.
Ghislain looked around at the mercenaries once more and continued.
"Since we've arrived safely, I'll give you all an additional reward. I'll pay you three times the original fee. For the fallen, I will send the same compensation to their families."
"Wooohooo! That's awesome!"
"As expected, no one shows off like the boss!"
"This is huge! Absolutely huge!"
The mercenaries cheered wildly, even throwing their weapons into the air in celebration.
After enduring extreme hardship and heavy losses, they had finally arrived at their destination.
Not only were they glad to be alive, but now their pay had tripled.
Clearly, their leader knew how to reward them generously and manage them effectively.
At that moment, Gillian quietly approached Ghislain and asked in a low voice.
"My lord, you've already paid them a hefty sum. Is there really a need to give them even more? And sending compensation to the families of the deceased will cost a considerable amount as well."
In this world, what employer would send condolence money to the families of fallen mercenaries?
The wages mercenaries received were supposed to account for such risks.
Once they had been paid, whether they lived or died, that was the end of the matter.
Occasionally, employers give bonuses when a mission succeeds, but offering three times the standard pay was unheard of.
"It's fine. If you're going to spend it, it's better to spend it properly. These people risked their lives and worked hard, so this level of reward is only fair," Ghislain answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Gillian looked at Ghislain silently.
There wasn't a hint of hesitation or regret.
'Isn't he worried about wasting money?'
From what Gillian had seen, Ghislain was frugal for a noble.
Most young nobles around Ghislain's age spent lavishly due to vanity, but Ghislain had never once indulged in luxury.
At first, Gillian thought it was because Ghislain's estate was poor, and he had no choice but to save money.
However, after observing Ghislain during the expedition to the Forest of Beasts, that didn't seem to be the case.
When Ghislain deemed something necessary, he spared no expense.
'Whatever else may be said, the young lord's capacity is certainly extraordinary.'
Since Gillian had led a mercenary corps himself, he understood well how difficult it was to reward people as generously as Ghislain did.
Thinking that his young lord had a magnanimous character, one unconstrained by money, Gillian couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
Belinda, who had been asleep after taking a powerful sedative, finally woke up and took in the situation.
"Ah… So many Runestones… You really succeeded… I can't believe it…"
Her lips were cracked, and her face was haggard from the pain, but she forced a bright smile.
Ghislain looked at her lying there and smiled back.
"It's thanks to you, Belinda. We probably wouldn't have succeeded if you hadn't blocked it with your body. You're tougher than I thought. You must train a lot."
Belinda twitched as if telling him to stop saying such nonsense.
"Ha… Please don't do something like that again… Why on earth did you dive into that filthy, stinking monster's mouth…"
"Alright, alright. In any case, it's all over now, so you can rest easy. When we return, we'll get you treated right away. I think the mana backlash has wrecked your insides pretty badly. Luckily, your organs didn't rupture."
Even though Belinda had been resting for some time, she still couldn't move her body properly.
Though she had survived the powerful impact, her insides had been completely wrecked as a result.
Potions and herbs weren't very effective in restoring the disrupted mana flow. The best thing for her now was to rest until it stabilized.
"Hmph… I dodged well, that's all… It just caught me off guard… I wouldn't have gotten hit under normal circumstances…" Even bedridden, Belinda's pride was undiminished. Ghislain, chuckling, tucked her in with a blanket.
Cutting through the path would have been more difficult if he had left Belinda behind at the estate.
Looking back now, he was truly glad she had been with them.
"Alright. Now, get some proper rest. We'll be heading back soon, so sleep a little longer."
At Ghislain's words, Belinda closed her eyes and mumbled softly.
"Don't just eat the jerky… Get the seasoning… Make some soup…"
"I got it, I got it. Don't worry, and just rest."
As Ghislain reassured her, Belinda smiled faintly before drifting back to sleep.
After ensuring she was asleep, Ghislain spoke to the mercenaries.
"Alright then, let's start printing money."