The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 266: Preparing for War Again (1)

The one who brought the food supplies was Lowell. He also brought along a hundred knights and a thousand soldiers.

Since the amount of food was enormous, it was necessary to bring sufficient forces to guard it.

Looking visibly exhausted, Lowell spoke to Ghislain.

“Have you been well? This is enough food to feed the fortress personnel for several months. I’ll make sure to deliver it on time again next time.”

“What? Why are you the one delivering this? What’s a spymaster doing here? Don’t you have other work to do?”

At Ghislain’s question, Lowell’s expression darkened.

“The amount of food was so large that the Chief Overseer ordered me to come. He said he’d feel uneasy sending anyone else. While I was at it, he also told me to inspect the conditions of the territories along the way and report back. And now, he wants me to handle foreign affairs as well.”

At a glance, the roles of spymaster and diplomat might seem worlds apart, but upon closer inspection, there were many overlapping duties.

Handling diplomacy allowed one to meet key figures directly, gather intelligence, and easily visit other territories under the guise of official business.

However, this also exposed one to greater risks. Still, the benefits were worth the dangers.

“Oh, that’s not bad. No matter how much information you gather, nothing beats seeing things for yourself on-site.”

Lowell glared at Ghislain, clenching his teeth as he nodded.

Now, in addition to traveling around to gather information personally, Lowell was also tasked with analyzing and categorizing data from other spies once he returned to the territory.

‘Ah, I seriously want to run away.’

As a former prisoner of war, he knew that fleeing would mean certain death. All he could do was work tirelessly, even if it killed him.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The soldiers of Fenris began unloading massive sacks of wheat from the wagons and heaps of meat from refrigerated carriages. Watching this, the onlookers let out astonished cries.

“W-Wow!”

Even as they witnessed it, they found it hard to believe it was real. None of them had ever seen such a massive quantity of food and meat in their lives.

‘Wow, I heard the continent is experiencing severe famine, so how did they manage to bring so much?’

‘Look at all that meat. That must taste amazing.’

‘It’s too much—way too much. Are they planning to sell it? How much would it cost?’

‘I heard they’re nobles, but are they also running a merchant guild?’

The people swallowed hard, hesitating to approach.

This was Ghislain’s domain, the man known for annihilating monsters, and Kaor, who had once taken down a Twin-Headed Ogre alone, was stationed here. While Kaor was bedridden, Ghislain and the other knights were in perfect condition. Everyone knew they couldn’t hope to take them on.

As they gawked at the absurd amount of food, Ghislain spoke.

“Tired of eating monster meat every day?”

The crowd nodded vigorously.

“Annoyed at how expensive bread and meat are?”

More nods.

“I’ll sell meat and wheat at pre-famine prices. Interested?”

“Oh!”

The people widened their eyes in disbelief.

They were well aware of the soaring food prices outside the fortress. Selling food at pre-famine prices seemed impossible.

As the crowd murmured in astonishment, Ghislain continued.

“But there’s a condition. Payment must be made in monster hides and tendons only. I’ll value those at pre-famine rates too, so keep that in mind.”

The crowd nodded without hesitation.

Although the prices of hides had risen recently, they were still nowhere near as expensive as food.

In this region, monster byproducts were traded in abundance. Naturally, hides and tendons were more affordable here than anywhere else.

‘If I exchange them for food now, there’s no way I’ll lose.’

‘Besides, I have plenty of other byproducts to sell.’

‘I’m so done with eating monster meat!’

Soon, the hunters rushed to their storerooms, hauling out every hide they owned.

The scene turned chaotic as people scrambled to exchange their goods as quickly as possible.

“I’ll trade right away! Give me some meat—lots of it!”

“I want wheat! I’ve got high-quality hides!”

“I’ve got hides too! They’re not top-grade, but I’ve got a lot of them!”

As the crowd surged forward, the area in front of the inn descended into pandemonium. The knights and soldiers stepped in to maintain order, while Ghislain turned to Lowell.

“Alright, start the transactions.”

“…Me?”

“You’re the only one here who knows the exact quantities. Plus, you’re ridiculously fast at calculations.”

“…Right.”

Lowell’s skill in calculations was so well-known across the territory that everyone acknowledged his speed. While he sometimes made slight mistakes, it was this very skill that had once saved his life.

Despite the exhaustion from his journey, Lowell began processing transactions immediately. Thanks to his efforts, piles of hides and tendons began accumulating rapidly.

Watching the scene, Ghislain nodded to himself.

‘If we keep hunting and trading food for these materials, there won’t be any issues with the supply of hides and tendons.’

The rumor that a merchant group had brought a vast amount of food and meat quickly spread throughout the fortress.

It wasn’t just the hunters who came running. Merchant guilds that had been trading within the fortress also swarmed in. They saw an opportunity to purchase food here and sell it elsewhere for a hefty profit.

Naturally, even the fortress commander, Grant, discreetly joined the crowd.

“Our fortress has many byproducts that are sent to the royal family. We’d like to exchange them for food.”

Good nourishment was closely tied to the morale of soldiers, and Grant didn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Ghislain nodded and proposed a new business plan.

“Can you help me trade with all the fortresses near the Shadow Mountains?”

“All the fortresses?”

“Yes. It would take too long for me to visit them all personally.”

“There are over fifty fortresses guarding the Shadow Mountains. Are you saying you can trade with all of them?”

“I’m known as the Grain King of the North in the Ritania Kingdom. Haven’t you heard of me?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“…Well, anyway, I can do it. Just set up the connections quickly. Get permits under the kingdom’s name so no one can interfere. I don’t want to waste time.”

“Understood. I’ll relay the message as quickly as possible. If I report this along with your achievements, the royal family will approve it.”

Grant immediately dispatched messengers. He emphasized Ghislain’s skills and wealth repeatedly in his reports to the fortress commanders and the royal family, even adding a bit of embellishment about how this was a rare chance to gain the support of a noble from the powerful Ritania Kingdom.

The Kingdom of Turian, which prioritizes the maintenance of its fortresses, provides strong backing for initiatives that benefit them. The commanders of these fortresses, carefully selected for their positions, carry significant weight in the kingdom’s decisions.

Within days, a royal decree was issued:

[Royal Decree of the Kingdom of Turian]

The Turian Royal Family hereby approves formal trade with Count Fenris of the Ritania Kingdom.

– The creditworthiness of the Fenris Merchant Guild is guaranteed by the Turian Royal Family.
– Personnel affiliated with the Fenris Merchant Guild may move freely across all regions of the kingdom without special procedures.
– Taxes are exempted on the sale of food by the Fenris Merchant Guild.
– All commanders and lords of the kingdom are required to protect the Fenris Merchant Guild.

It was an extraordinary set of privileges, unprecedented for any merchant guild.

Given their priority on maintaining the fortresses, the royal family decided to fully support the Fenris Merchant Guild, which was contributing to their stability. Of course, Grant’s strong recommendation and Ghislain’s status as a noble from the powerful Ritania Kingdom played a major role in this decision.

Ghislain smiled with satisfaction.

‘I knew Grant would manage to pull this off.’

While they hadn’t been particularly close in the past, Ghislain had visited the fortress frequently enough to build some familiarity with Grant.

Grant was both competent and well-positioned, having served at the fortress for a long time. Moreover, as the eldest son of a powerful marquis in the Turian Kingdom, his background ensured his opinions couldn’t be dismissed lightly.

‘Good. Now I can make even more money.’n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Trading with other kingdoms to earn wealth and resources was part of Ghislain’s broader plans.

Although food was the primary trade item for now, establishing a foothold through this opportunity would eventually allow him to expand into selling cosmetics and iron ore, paving the way for significant profits.

‘Kaor and the knights will be able to live more comfortably, too.’

Even if Ghislain returned home, Grant and the Turian Kingdom would protect them.

While the fortress law didn’t recognize noble authority, as the owner of a merchant guild formally trading with the kingdom, he couldn’t simply be ignored.

It was a little worrisome to leave his troublemakers behind, but he couldn’t keep paving an endless golden path for them.

“Hey, how’s your body holding up?”

Kaor, wrapped head-to-toe in bandages, pouted as he responded to Ghislain’s question.

“Are you going to tell me which bastard hit me?”

“I didn’t see it.”

“Ugh… I’ll just beat everyone up then.”

Kaor, still fuming with frustration, continued to grumble. He had hoped for a dramatic exit but ended up surrounded and beaten. The humiliation was almost unbearable.

Ghislain stayed at the fortress for a few more days, hunting monsters and training the knights. Naturally, Kaor, injured as he was, was dragged into training and suffered greatly.

The hunters who had agreed to follow Ghislain also found themselves caught in a serious dilemma.

‘We’re screwed… A 30-year contract…’

‘Why did I take the advance payment…? When will I repay it?’

‘And now the kingdom is protecting these bastards…?’

They were roped into monster hunts and worked alongside the knights. They served as porters and dismantlers. Escape was out of the question now.

‘Damn it! So this is why they paid us upfront! There’s no way we can repay that now!’

They had recklessly squandered the generous advance on drinking and entertainment.

As much as they wanted to fight back, they stood no chance against the knights. Especially against Kaor, who had become the strongest fighter in the fortress.

Even if they teamed up and somehow managed to win, it wouldn’t matter. Grant and his soldiers would protect the knights, leaving the hunters with no way to kill or escape them.

They were completely trapped.

“Work hard to hunt monsters and gather hides and tendons. Make sure to send them with the merchant guild whenever they arrive. Got it? I’m heading back now. Kaor, keep training hard.”

“Yes, sir…”

At Ghislain’s words, the knights and hunters drooped their heads dejectedly.

Even the knights were desperately looking for ways to escape the fortress. They clung to the knights who had arrived with Lowell.

“Please, switch with us!”

“This place is amazing! You’ll have so much freedom when you return home!”

“You’ll improve your skills in no time here!”

But the newly arrived knights, sensing the situation, brushed them off harshly.

“Who are you? Do I know you?”

“Are you crazy? There’s no way I’m staying in this hellhole.”

“Take care. Let’s meet again someday.”

The knights who had been diligent in their training internally heaved sighs of relief. If they had been lazy, they might have been sent here to suffer instead.

Leaving the weeping knights behind, Ghislain departed the fortress with Lowell.

Only one person, Kaor, smiled brightly and shouted cheerfully.

“Hah! Now everyone knows I’m the strongest here! Don’t listen to me, and I’ll beat you all up! Got it?”

With hundreds of hunters under his command and the open protection of the Turian Kingdom, Kaor had become the most powerful figure in the fortress.

“Hahaha! I’m now the King of Ironcliff! The king!”

He truly enjoyed his new position.

***

Even in Ghislain’s absence, the territory was bustling with activity. Even those who usually lacked a sense of responsibility worked diligently, fearing the consequences of slacking off.

Thanks to this, the territory continued to grow and improve rapidly.

Upon his return, Ghislain received detailed reports about the progress made during his absence. Since he had been away for a while, it was time to take stock.

The first report he received was about the road construction project in collaboration with the Marquis’s family.

“Road construction is progressing smoothly. The surrounding territories are already connected.”

“As a result, the number of users of Arrow Delivery has increased. However, we’re still operating at a deficit…”

“On the other hand, toll fees from neighboring territories are starting to come in. Although growth is slow due to the sparse population and merchant activity in the North, we expect higher toll revenues from the capital region managed by Lady Branford, the Marquis’s daughter.”

The road and delivery projects were proceeding without significant issues. As expected, having the Marquis of Branford involved made everything run smoothly.

It was clear that these ventures would yield increasing profits over time.

The subsequent reports focused on territory development.

“Galvaniium production is exceeding expectations. The blacksmiths are so enthusiastic they’re voluntarily working overtime.”

“Most of the Fenris region has been converted into farmland. The profits from food sales are being used to continuously purchase resources and essentials for the territory.”

“Other areas have been filled with large hatcheries and various workshops. The territory’s production capacity is increasing sharply.”

“Residential construction is nearly complete. It’s now hard to find a resident without a home. However, the relocation of villages is progressing slower than expected.”

Efforts to integrate small, remote villages into nearby fortresses and towns were underway. However, the process was slow due to the challenges of uprooting long-established settlements and the significant manpower required for relocation.

Despite these delays, once the relocated residents settled in, complaints were minimal.

As the facilities in the territory expanded, the standard of living improved dramatically. The loyalty and satisfaction of the residents soared to unprecedented levels.

For a northern territory to achieve such development was nothing short of miraculous. All of this was thanks to Ghislain’s knowledge and relentless drive.

“There’s no place in the North more prosperous than here. Surplus production is steadily increasing.”

“Economic activity is thriving, and tax revenue is rising. While expenses are still higher than income…”

“The residents praise you endlessly, my lord.”

Even Desmond and Raypold, known for their prosperous territories in the North, couldn’t compare. In those territories, wealth was concentrated in the hands of the lords, and the disparity between the rich and poor was stark.

In contrast, Fenris was a place where every resident lived well, with plenty to eat and few major worries. It was a unique case on the entire continent.

Satisfied with the abundant praise, Ghislain nodded and remarked.

“Good. The foundation is much stronger than before. Now, you all know what’s next, right?”

“…”

The retainers remained silent. They had a feeling but didn’t want to voice it. Ghislain spoke first.

“It’s time to prepare for war again, isn’t it?”

At the expected statement, the retainers sighed, their faces falling.