The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 152 – Feeling a Bit Uneasy About the Situation (1)

Everyone silently gazed at the wheat field for a while.

They had already confirmed the sprouts were growing before heading to the capital.

But seeing the vast field fully grown like this made them realize just how incredible Ghislain’s achievement was.

Moreover, despite it not being harvest season, the golden hue shimmering so brightly was astonishing. The growth rate was exceptionally fast, different from that of regular wheat.

Ghislain carefully inspected the condition of the wheat and nodded.

“It looks like we can harvest soon.”

Some of the wheat ears still had a slight green tint, indicating they weren’t fully ripe yet, but overall, they were at a level where they could be harvested immediately without any issues.

Lowell responded with a smile.

“Yes, we should be able to start the first harvest soon. Preparations have already been completed.”

“Good, make sure to distribute it generously to the residents. There’s a lot of work to be done, so they need to eat well.”

“At this rate, we’ll have plenty left even after sharing it with the residents. You won’t need to worry until next year. Plus, we’ll be able to harvest again in a few months, so there shouldn’t be any problems for a few years.”

Hearing Lowell’s confident words, Ghislain let out a small laugh.

“Don’t think about storing it up. Just focus on feeding everyone well. We’ll have to increase the farmland by several times compared to now.”

“Huh? Why?”

“There’s a reason. I’ll explain once we get back to the castle.”

Changing the subject, Ghislain then addressed Claude.

“Claude, summon the retainers immediately. We need to explain the overall situation, address any shortcomings, and discuss what needs to be done moving forward.”

“Understood.”

Though Lowell was acting as the chief overseer, there were bound to be some areas that were lacking.

He didn’t yet command the same authority as the lord and the chief overseer.

On the way back to the castle, Claude discreetly asked Lowell.

“Hey, bro. Did you set aside what I told you to?”

While Ghislain and Claude were in the capital, Lowell had been handling the business dealings with the merchant guild.

Claude had urged him, insisting he should try to haggle a bit and put aside a few extra gold coins.

However, Lowell responded to Claude’s question with an awkward expression.

“Ah, how could I do something so underhanded?”

“What do you mean, you’re a bad guy! You used to exploit the estate like crazy, so why are you acting all righteous now? Did you suddenly decide to live an honest life?”

“I’m telling you, I don’t do those things anymore. Back then, I only did it because the previous lord ordered me to.”

“Wow, I must be the villain then. I’m the bad guy! I didn’t know trying to snag a little pocket money after twenty years of unpaid labor was such a terrible crime!”

“……”

Lowell ignored the remark and didn’t bother to respond. There was no point in getting into a verbal argument with this guy; it would only be a loss.

Claude sighed deeply and then spoke calmly.

“Well… still, it seems you’ve been working hard and doing your best, so I should at least give you a reward.”

Hearing the word “reward,” Lowell, who had been enduring in silence, was tempted and turned around.

“What kind of reward?”

Claude grinned and raised his fist.

“A fatal one.”

Thud!

“Ouch! Why’d you hit me?!”

Claude hit him on the shoulder, causing Lowell to jump in surprise and assume a defensive stance. It was textbook form.

The problem was that in doing so, Lowell accidentally struck Claude’s chin with his arm.

“Ow! Did you hit me? That’s insubordination!”

“Huh? I’m sorry. Can’t we just consider it a kind of reward from me to you?”

“Absolutely not! Come here. You’re dead.”

The two of them, puffing and panting, swung their fists through the air.

Watching them flail around like paper dolls fluttering in the wind, Belinda looked on with an expression of utter disbelief.

“I mean, neither of them can even fight properly. What on earth are they doing?”

Hearing the bickering from behind, Ghislain couldn’t help but laugh.

He enjoyed this lively, relaxed atmosphere, something he could only experience here in the estate.

* * *

The retainers had all gathered to report the progress of the tasks they’d been handling to the lord who had returned after a long time.

Lowell, who had been acting as the deputy Chief Overseer, was the first to speak.

“The wheat has fully grown, so the supply of food should proceed without any issues. The anticipated yield is tremendous, and we plan to gradually reduce the amount of grain we’re buying from the merchant guild.”

As Lowell finished speaking, the retainers’ faces were visibly filled with pride.

It was an estate that had struggled to properly feed even its few residents.

Yet, this once impoverished estate had now secured enough food to rival that of more prosperous lands.

Belinda, who had been quietly listening, tilted her head and asked.

“So how much are we talking about?”

“This harvest alone is comparable to the combined yield of several other estates in the North.”

“Oh, come on. All the other northern estates are poor, aren’t they? Most of them don’t even have much farmland, so they all have to import food. Even if you add those estates together, it’s not much.”

Not just Fenris, but the other northern estates weren’t in great shape either. The Raypold Estate was an exception, known for being relatively well-off.

The northern estates mainly got by using the resources from their mountains, forests, and rivers rather than relying on agriculture.

Lowell nodded in agreement, acknowledging the point Belinda made, and elaborated further to give a clearer picture.

“If we expand our farmland just a bit more, we’ll be on par with the large estate of Raypold. Though our total harvest is still slightly lacking… the population we can sustain per unit area is probably the highest in the kingdom.”

“Oh…”

Belinda’s eyes widened in amazement at his words.

The Raypold Estate, governed by Amelia’s father, had the largest plain in the North.

Thanks to the massive amount of food produced there, Raypold was able to become a major estate.

But for the Fenris Estate, with a population less than a tenth of Raypold estate, to have a harvest comparable to Raypold’s food production?

Although it still fell short of Raypold’s output, that was only because of the smaller size of its territory—a limitation that couldn’t be helped.

Belinda finally relaxed her shoulders, feeling relieved.

‘Ah, our young master has really accomplished something remarkable. How did he even know to do all this?’

She had spent her days anxiously watching over Ghislain.

While everything he had attempted so far had been successful, to be honest, none of it had been normal.

But now, with the food issue resolved and a steady income flowing from the cosmetics business, there would be no need for him to dive into any more strange ventures. Her worries were finally over.

‘As long as Fenris continues to develop steadily like this, and if he inherits Ferdium as well, our young master could become a great lord. Oh, how happy our late lady would be to see this. I’ve raised him so well. Hohoho.’

Not just Belinda, but the other retainers were starting to relax as well.

Right now, they were still busy managing things since the businesses hadn’t fully stabilized, but they felt that, with time, they would be able to live without major concerns.

However, the retainers who had just begun to feel at ease were soon thrown off by Ghislain’s next words.

“What are you talking about? Why are you reducing the food imports? I told you to keep buying it until I say it’s enough.”

Ghislain, looking exasperated, scolded Lowell, who was startled and tried to argue back.

“Huh? But we have more than enough right now. Even with the aid we received, there’s no way we could be short. Once we harvest, we’ll have a massive surplus.”

“No, it’s not enough for me. So don’t stop; keep buying it until I tell you to stop.”

“Oh, understood.”

At the firm command, Lowell nodded, looking a bit troubled.

He couldn’t understand the reason for stockpiling so much food, but having a solid reserve wasn’t a bad thing, so he decided to let it go for now.

If they started accumulating so much that it began to spoil, they could deal with it then.

The other retainers exchanged glances, seemingly sharing similar thoughts.

Ghislain continued with a nonchalant expression.

“How’s the construction of the additional residential areas going?”

Lowell glanced at Alfoi and the mages before responding.

“There’s been a slight delay, but it should be completed within a month. We prioritized the maintenance of the roads and waterways connecting to the existing village.”

“No accidents, right?”

“Yes, the mercenaries are patrolling in shifts, so there haven’t been any issues maintaining order.”

There weren’t many residents in the estate, and none of them wanted to return to the hardships of the past, so they were careful, keeping an eye on their surroundings. If anyone showed signs of causing trouble, their neighbors would manage it on their own. In other words, even if someone wanted to cause a problem, they couldn’t.

“Any other issues?”

“Well, there’s still a lot to be done to improve the standard of living for the residents. We’re currently coordinating with the merchant guilds to purchase essential goods for the time being. We also plan to gradually increase the number of welfare facilities, such as hospitals and libraries, by bringing in more specialized personnel.”

Providing food and housing wasn’t the end of it. Now, they needed to introduce goods and facilities that could enhance the quality of life.

Lowell smiled, as if to say there were no major problems.

“The lord brought back a lot of supplies this time, so there shouldn’t be any major issues for a while. It’s just one of those things that will inevitably take time.”

With the general report on the estate’s situation concluded, the retainers began to eagerly give detailed updates on their respective tasks.

“The Runestones were a bit costly, but… there were no problems maintaining the pasture. Soon, we’ll be able to start breeding horses.”

“The workshops, granaries, and bakeries are nearly complete.”

“We’ve also set up administrative offices in each village, just as you instructed, to handle official affairs.”

The retainers spoke with enthusiasm.

The estate, once considered beyond recovery, was gradually coming back to life.

Although it had only just reached a level comparable to other estates, the retainers were satisfied with even that.

When all the reports were finished, Ghislain merely nodded a few times, as if it were only natural.

“Alright, it seems we’ve at least achieved the basics.”

For others, the changes so far felt like a miracle, but Ghislain wasn’t satisfied at all.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Though they made it sound impressive, in reality, they had only managed to improve the city where the lord’s castle was and a few nearby villages.

As for infrastructure, they had only established the bare minimum needed for people to live.

It had finally started to look like a place where people could live decently.

‘It’s not enough. It’s still far from enough. This won’t last for long.’

Objectively speaking, the Fenris Estate was still small, poor, and modest.

Their only advantage, if any, was that they had used magic to improve the food supply rate.

The others might be content, comparing it to how things were before, but that was unacceptable.

From now on, everyone had to move forward with a shared goal that Ghislain himself would set.

“Everyone, you’ve done well. Before I talk about our future plans, I’ll share the achievements we’ve gained from the capital.”

Everyone had already seen Ghislain return with an enormous fortune.

The people looked at him with eyes full of anticipation, hoping for some praise and rewards for their efforts.

“…So, the Marquis of Branford has agreed to be our patron. My father and I have also joined the Royal Faction, so keep that in mind.”

“Ooooh!”

The unexpected good news left the vassals unable to contain their astonishment.

The Marquis of Branford was a noble with power so formidable that even people in such a rural area had heard of his influence.

If someone like that was willing to act as the lord’s patron, then no one in the North would dare to recklessly provoke the Fenris Estate anymore.

For the vassals, who had been increasingly worried as the estate grew more prosperous, fearing attacks from neighboring territories like Ferdium, this was truly joyous news.

“…Furthermore, the Marquis of Branford’s daughter has invested 300,000 gold in the cosmetics business. Cosmetics are already very popular in the capital, so it won’t be long before they spread throughout the entire kingdom.”

“Ooooh!”

As if that wasn’t all, Ghislain continued.

“Very soon, a large number of people will be migrating to the Fenris Estate. They are supporters provided by the Royal Faction to help our estate.”

“Ooooh!”

The vassals could barely keep up with the string of good news, their admiration unending.

Since population formed the basis of both taxes and military strength, it was no exaggeration to say that people were the most critical resource for any estate.

However, given its importance, it was not easy to increase the population significantly in a short period.

‘To think that such a vital resource would be supplied on a large scale!’

One of the vassals, sounding excited, asked:

“How many people will be migrating here?”

“At least 50,000.”

“Hahaha, that would be wonderful.”

The vassals laughed, thinking Ghislain was joking as usual. It was too large a number to take seriously.

But neither Ghislain, Claude, nor Belinda showed any signs of humor. They remained expressionless, and it didn’t look like they were joking at all.

Feeling a growing sense of unease, one of the vassals nervously asked Ghislain, wiping the sweat off his brow.

“Th-That… Are you really saying 50,000? That’s impossible.”

“What about it is impossible?”

“Our estate cannot accommodate that many people right now.”

“They won’t all arrive at once. They’ll come in batches of a few thousand.”

“E-Even so, we won’t be able to handle it. We don’t have enough houses for them to live in, nor enough food to feed them.”

Ghislain nodded as if that were obvious and said,

“You’re absolutely right. So now you know what we need to do.”

The vassals turned to Claude, as if hoping he would dissuade their lord.

With all eyes on him, Claude awkwardly cleared his throat and stepped forward.

“I can see you’re all surprised by this sudden news. I understand how you feel. But what’s done is done. There’s nothing I can do to change it.”

As Claude spoke as if it were none of his concern, the same thought crossed everyone’s minds.

‘Why is the Chief Overseer of the estate acting so nonchalant about this?’

Regardless of the disapproving looks cast his way, Claude shrugged his shoulders and continued.

“Well, things won’t be much different from now. The scale will just be… a bit… much larger. We’ll keep building new houses, expanding farmland… building more welfare facilities… What else is there, really? Isn’t that right?”

Claude turned to Ghislain, as if seeking confirmation.

Ghislain nodded and replied,

“That’s a given. But there’s something else we need to do alongside that.”

“Huh? What is that? Is there something else we need to do?”

“Yes, we need to prepare for war.”

At those words, the expressions on everyone’s faces twisted into something bizarre.