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It was because Ghislain had been thoroughly enjoying pushing him to his limits.

Resistance was futile. Before such legitimate and overwhelming force, there was nothing Kane could do.

While training together might have been acceptable, the notion that Ghislain seemed ready to drag Kane to the battlefield itself had Claude unable to hide his worry.

Forcing the heir of a domain into a rank-and-file soldier’s position was an exceedingly dangerous move.

But Ghislain dismissed the concern as trivial, saying bluntly,

“The sin of not repaying my money is immense. If you don’t deal with that properly, you’re just a fool. No money? Then he has to pay me back with something else.”

“If he were to die in battle, it could cause quite a headache,” Claude replied.

“It’s fine. That bastard won’t die so easily.”

“Why? Does he have some kind of hidden ability?”

“The fact that he dared to skip out on paying me and is still alive means he’s one hell of a lucky bastard. Someone like that wouldn’t die in a war like this. It just wouldn’t make sense.”

“…Ah, I see.”

Clicking his tongue a few times, Claude gave up trying to dissuade him. As expected, he couldn’t understand the mindset of a lord like Ghislain.

“Well, if you’re going to do it… make sure you utterly crush them. It has to be something that shocks everyone.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll sweep them away completely. That’s what I’m best at. You know my win rate is 100%, right?”

“Of course. One battle, one victory. Here’s hoping for a two-battle, two-victory record. I really hope that this insane plan of yours succeeds. Please, be careful.”

When Claude first heard Ghislain’s plan during the strategy meeting, he was horrified. However, it was clear that if it succeeded, it would be the way to achieve victory with the least amount of casualties.

Thus, the plan was kept under strict secrecy. It was a strategy that could only be used in this war.

‘If the plan fails… Ghislain will surely die. Should I stop him even now? It’s far too risky.’

Claude closed his eyes, lost in thought.

The time to intervene had already passed. He hadn’t been able to stop it during the preparation phase, and now that they were ready to depart, it was even more impossible.

All he could do was leave the result to the heavens and hope for victory.

Unlike the worried Claude, Ghislain inspected each knight one by one, nodding in satisfaction.

Despite the impending war, no one showed fear or tension.

If anything, thanks to the hellish training they had endured, everyone seemed brimming with confidence.

It wasn’t an inaccurate assessment. In truth, their expressions were more like those of people brimming with frustration, looking for an outlet to vent. But it was true they weren’t afraid.

Ghislain greatly enjoyed seeing such faces.

‘Very good. Once this war is over, and I upgrade their equipment, they’ll get even better.’

Currently, the knights were wearing under armor made from the hide of the Blood Python beneath their plate.

Even with just this, it wouldn’t be easy for ordinary soldiers to take them down.

If he upgraded the rest of their gear as planned, their strength would undoubtedly soar.

As each unit completed their preparations for departure, Gillian approached and bowed his head.

“All preparations are complete.”

“Good. Now then, it’s about time we…”

After a brief departure ceremony, they were about to set off when commotion erupted from one corner. A group rushed forward, and it turned out to be the dwarves and mages.

Galbarik, looking as though he was on the verge of tears, shouted,

“Lord! Sending us to war? What kind of nonsense is this all of a sudden? We did everything you asked! We made everything! We agreed we wouldn’t have to join the assault troops!”

Beside him, Alfoi openly wailed,

“We did everything you wanted us to! We don’t want to go to war! Can’t we just stay and guard the estate?”

Looking at their lamenting faces, Ghislain grinned.

“No can do. You’re essential for this operation. Don’t worry, I won’t put you in the assault squad.”

Galbarik pleaded desperately.

“You promised us a vacation after we finished the urgent tasks! Our vacation starts now, liar!”

“What are you talking about? We never set a date.”

“…”

“I don’t lie, so don’t worry. You’ll get your vacation after the war. No matter what, we have to follow proper procedures.”

Galbarik was speechless. Thinking back, they had rushed off so quickly back then that they hadn’t set a fixed date for the vacation.

They had vaguely assumed that once the urgent tasks were over, it would be time for a break. To some extent, they had to admit their own mistake in not getting a clear confirmation.

But for Ghislain, arguably the most reckless man in all of Fenris—no, in all of Ritania—to suddenly talk about “proper procedures” made their blood boil.

“Argh! This is a strike! A strike! We’re not going! We can’t go! Protect our rights!”

“We mages won’t go either! Even slaves have human rights!”

The dwarves and mages caused an uproar, but Ghislain dismissed it all with a single nod.

“Drag them along.”

“Nooo! I don’t wanna goooo!”

Dragged off by Gillian, they were positioned right behind the equally miserable-looking Kane.

Finally, once all preparations were complete, Gillian and Kaor took their places beside Ghislain.

Standing slightly behind them, the only one cloaked in black robes, was Belinda.

Ghislain looked around at them before slowly opening his mouth.

“Let’s get moving now.”

Fergus, who had been standing beside Claude, tightly held Ghislain’s hand and spoke.

“Young Lord, please be careful. Are you sure it’s all right for me not to accompany you?”

Seeing the worry etched deeply on Fergus’s face, Ghislain gave an awkward smile and replied.

“It’s fine, so please get some good rest at home. If you follow me, it’ll be too much strain on your heart.”

Before Fergus could respond, Kaor interrupted.

“Hey, Great Old Man, there’s no need to worry. I’m reeeally strooong now!”

Though I knew he had grown considerably stronger, for some reason, it was hard to trust this guy completely. Still, Fergus gave him a gentle smile and said.

“Very well, very well. I’ll leave it to you. Please make sure to protect our Young Lord.”

“Of course, just trust me!”

Kaor, who had learned the new mana cultivation technique and swordsmanship from Ghislain, was brimming with confidence.

Belinda clicked her tongue a few times at Kaor’s bravado before adjusting Fergus’s attire and saying,

“Old Man, make sure to eat on time, take your medicine, and don’t worry too much. You know how capable I am, right?”

“Of course, of course. I know the head butler’s skills well. You take care of yourself too.”

Fergus left repeated instructions to Gillian and the others to return safely.

Only after Fergus’s particularly concerned send-off was complete did the knights, led by Ghislain, finally begin to move.

The news that the lord himself was going to war brought the residents of the estate together like clouds.

Their faces were all filled with worry.

The estate was just starting to improve, and now there was talk of an unexpected war. It was difficult for them to understand.

And on top of that, the lord was personally leading the expedition? If something were to happen to him, the happiness they had now would be gone.

“What should we do? Will he really be alright?”

“If I had known this would happen, we should’ve volunteered as soldiers.”

“Didn’t the lord say he’d recruit after the construction was finished? Who would’ve thought war would break out so soon?”

The murmurs of the crowd grew louder.

This was a completely different atmosphere compared to when the former lord of this place went to war against Ferdium.

Back then, no one cared whether the lord lived or died. In fact, many had thought it would’ve been better if he hadn’t returned at all.

As a result, even when the army marched out, they had only watched with dead, fish-like eyes.

But this lord was different. He was the people’s hope and their pillar of support.

In the midst of these feelings, a few people, overwhelmed with emotion, began shouting.

“My Lord! Please return safely!”

“Knights and soldiers, take care of yourselves!”

“Goddess, bless Fenris!”

The shouts that started with a handful of people quickly spread, filling the estate with a resounding roar of support.

The people’s heartfelt concern and encouragement poured out. The knights and soldiers, unaccustomed to such genuine support, were momentarily flustered but soon straightened their postures with pride.

Ghislain, too, lifted a hand slightly to the crowd and smiled.

“Hurraaaah! Please, bring us victory!”

Receiving fervent cheers, Ghislain exited the castle. Gripping the reins tightly, he issued his orders.

“All forces! Advance at full speed from now on. We must strike before the enemy can prepare properly.”

“Understood!”

The knights and soldiers, brimming with morale, responded energetically.

The horse beneath Ghislain neighed loudly, signaling the start.

The Fenris forces charged forward like the wind toward Count Cabaldi’s territory.

* * *

Count Cabaldi had long heard rumors that Fenris was stockpiling food supplies.

Given the dire state of his own estate due to food shortages, it would be a lie to say the rumors hadn’t tempted him.

With a grave expression, Count Cabaldi began discussing the current situation with his retainers.

“What did Count Desmond say?”

“He asks for a little more time. It seems things are difficult for him to stabilize internally at the moment.”

“And the ducal family?”

“They promised to send food supplies as soon as possible and urged us to wait just a little longer…”

“How much longer!”

Count Cabaldi shouted, slamming his chair in frustration.

Even now, all food supplies, including those hidden by the estate’s residents, had been scraped together just to feed the soldiers. They were nearing their limits.

On top of that, the residents of the Cabaldi estate were already rife with discontent due to the grueling forced labor in the iron mines.

Count Cabaldi had been using the military to suppress the people, maintaining control through sheer force.

But now even the military faced starvation. This was dangerous.

If a revolt broke out amidst these conditions, and even the army turned against him, there would be no way to salvage the situation.

“I’ve heard Fenris has plenty of food. Isn’t there a way to attack them?”

At the count’s suggestion, his retainers recoiled, shaking their heads in alarm.

“We don’t have the food to sustain a war. Resupplying would be impossible. The soldiers are already starving, and morale has plummeted.”

“Didn’t the ducal family explicitly warn us against acting recklessly?”

“If we move now, it will give the Royal Faction an excuse to act against us. Right now, we need to focus on stabilizing the situation.”

Count Cabaldi bit his lip.

The retainers’ words were entirely accurate. Taking action now would be tantamount to giving both the Royal and Ducal factions a reason to crush them.

Even if they managed to fight and win, it would be a Pyrrhic victory, leaving them devastated. And there was no guarantee that other lords would support them.

Reluctantly, Count Cabaldi proposed an alternative.

“Trade iron for food from Fenris.”

His decision was met with concern from the retainers.

“Baron Fenris is aligned with the Royal Faction. If we supply him with iron, the Duke’s family won’t look kindly upon it.”

“The Duke’s family and Count Desmond have promised their support, so wouldn’t it be better to wait just a little longer…?”

Count Cabaldi gritted his teeth at the unfavorable response and barked,

“Whose retainers are you, anyway? We’re almost out of provisions, yet you ask me to wait longer? Shall I confiscate all your property if you’re against this deal?”

Faced with Count Cabaldi’s wrath, the retainers simultaneously clamped their mouths shut.

As the largest producer of iron in the north, the Cabaldi County held a decent standing within the Duke’s faction.

However, Count Desmond, who had been responsible for supplying food, had abruptly cut off support.

This was because Desmond had already sold off his surplus to Ghislain, leaving him with just enough to scrape by. Cabaldi, unaware of these circumstances, felt abandoned.

Although they had also requested aid from the Duke’s family, the extensive damage across many territories pushed their needs further down the priority list.

Count Cabaldi, who was quick-witted, soon grasped the reality of the situation. Politically astute, he wasn’t one to miss such cues.

“Think about it carefully. No matter how skilled we are, we’re still just country bumpkins to the Duke’s family. The iron mines aren’t exclusive to our estate, after all.”

The retainers found no room to argue with his words.

Although the Cabaldi County wasn’t a negligible force, the Duke’s family had many territories that were far more significant.

Without aid from the Duke’s family, there was no point in holding onto loyalty while starving.

Count Cabaldi, notorious in the north for his ruthlessness, ranked among the most infamous lords.

Thanks to his heavily armed troops, his territory was relatively safe compared to others. However, if someone incited those soldiers to rebellion, the consequences would be far more dangerous.

“In any case, it’s us who have been propping up Desmond from the shadows. Sure, he’ll be displeased if we make a deal with Fenris, but he can’t cut us off entirely just because of a few trades.”

When Count Desmond sought to rally the northern lords, the first place he reached out to was the Cabaldi County.

This demonstrated the strategic importance of the region.

Count Cabaldi, adept at playing his cards, had quickly aligned himself with the Duke’s faction upon assessing the broader picture.

His deep understanding of the complex political landscape led him to believe that neither the Duke’s family nor Count Desmond could afford to alienate him entirely. He was confident he could operate within tolerable limits.

“Baron Fenris is as good as dead anyway. A little iron won’t change that. His military strength is weak, so there’s no problem.”

The retainers nodded as if in agreement.

Thinking it over, Baron Fenris’s fate had already been decided. Trading a small amount of iron for food didn’t seem like it would cause any particular issues.

Even among factions, countless transactions occurred when mutual needs aligned. Unless they were sworn enemies, they wouldn’t completely ignore each other.

It was just that iron was a strategic resource, so the Duke’s household controlled it with strict oversight.

One retainer cautiously asked, “But isn’t Baron Fenris in a favorable position? Won’t he haggle too much since we’ve essentially cut off his iron supply until now?”

“Promise him that we’ll loosen the iron supply a little going forward. But add a slight threat—if he acts cocky, we’ll cut him off entirely. That bastard has no other options besides us.”

“Understood. With a bit of push and pull, he’ll have no choice but to accept our terms.”

“Exactly. If he’s smart, he’ll use this opportunity to get on our good side. That is, if he wants to buy iron at fair prices in the future.”

Count Cabaldi and his retainers were confident that Ghislain would have no choice but to accept their proposal.

Iron production and distribution in the northern region were almost entirely under Count Cabaldi’s control. This meant that Fenris must have struggled to secure iron supplies until now.

Currently, food prices were soaring, but once the crisis was resolved, the price of iron would rise even higher.

Trying to exploit the current situation with food as leverage would only make things harder for Fenris later.

“Set out immediately. If Count Desmond gets wind of this, it’ll only cause unnecessary complications.”

The retainers nodded and were about to withdraw at Count Cabaldi’s command when the doors to the hall suddenly burst open.

A knight stormed in, shouting urgently, “The enemy is attacking!”

At the absurd news, Count Cabaldi and his retainers could only blink in disbelief.

There had been no declaration of war, no signs of conflict. There had been no word from the border forts. Yet, suddenly, they were being told that an enemy was invading?

The only concern that sprang to mind was rebellion.

Count Cabaldi’s expression turned stone-cold as he asked, “What are you talking about? Speak clearly. Are you saying there’s been a rebellion?”

The knight swallowed dryly, his face showing that even he couldn’t believe what he was about to say.

“Ghislain Ferdium… No, Baron Fenris’s army is camped right outside our castle.”