The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 153: Feeling a Bit Uncomfortable? (2)

Claude scratched his ear with his pinky finger and asked again.

“War? You mean the kind where people carry swords and shields and fight in large groups?”

“Yes. It’s about time we started preparing for war. Oh, and of course, we have to keep developing the estate without stopping. As quickly as possible. You know, right? We don’t have much time.”

Claude was left speechless, his mouth opening and closing in disbelief.

It was absurd. Preparing for war wasn’t some child’s play, and how could they simultaneously prepare for war and develop the estate?

Still, he had to ask why Ghislain was suddenly bringing up something so insane.

“Why are you suddenly talking about preparing for war out of nowhere? And why don’t we have time?”

Ghislain internally sighed.

‘Ah, how should I explain this?’

If he said he knew the future, they’d definitely think he was crazy.

So, he had no choice but to bring up topics one by one to draw their interest.

He started with the nearest and most definite threat.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“As everyone knows, Count Desmond is targeting us.”

At those words, the retainers’ faces darkened.

Even those present here were roughly aware of the circumstances surrounding the war that took place in Ferdium.

Since they were in a hostile situation with Count Desmond, the great lord, there was no way they could avoid feeling concerned.

However, Claude, who had joined the estate after the war, shook his head without showing any sign of worry.

“I’ve thought about that as well, but the situation is a bit different now.”

“What situation?”

“We are now part of the Royal Faction. It would be risky enough for him to make a move even if they were at full strength, so why would he pick a fight with us when his forces are cut in half? That would be absolutely absurd.”

The more passionately Claude spoke, the brighter the retainers’ expressions became.

A sense of hope was rapidly spreading that they could trust in the Royal Faction and build their strength while Count Desmond was recovering his forces.

But Ghislain simply smirked and shook his head.

“If Count Desmond decides to ignore the Royal Faction and gathers the remaining forces to attack us right now, can we stop him?”

Claude responded with a troubled expression.

“We… probably cannot stop him.”

They had only won before thanks to the traps Ghislain had set. The same tactic wouldn’t work twice, and if they fought again, they would surely lose.

The difference in power was like a child fighting an adult.

“That’s right, we can’t stop him. But what will you do if he acts crazy and attacks us?

Claude answered confidently.

“To launch an attack here, he would have to scrape together all the troops left in his territory. If he does that, the other great lord, Count Raypold, would attack him from behind. Count Desmond isn’t stupid enough not to realize that. So, we have plenty of time to build our strength.”

Claude’s assessment was logical.

If Count Desmond recklessly starts a war, the greedy Count Raypold would never sit by idly.

But that was just how things appeared on the surface. Claude still didn’t know what was truly going on behind the scenes.

Ghislain crossed his arms and glanced around at the retainers.

“Well, I have something to say about that. Lowell, bring that over.”

Lowell, who had been watching the situation carefully, quickly brought over a stack of documents.

Ghislain handed the documents to Claude and spoke.

“Before I left for the capital, I instructed Lowell to keep an eye on Desmond’s movements. Take a look.”

Claude swiftly examined the documents.

The intelligence-gathering capabilities of the Fenris territory weren’t yet advanced enough to provide detailed information.

The documents Lowell brought were mostly gathered from rumors shared by merchants passing through Desmond’s lands and from the common folk.

But even this was enough to get a sense of Desmond’s movements.

His actions were blatantly obvious.

“Large-scale conscription and training… purchasing herbs in bulk… bows and arrows… recruiting free knights…”

The flow of funds on Desmond’s side had several irregularities, but there was one particularly noteworthy detail.

There was information that Desmond had been purchasing large quantities of iron ore from the Cabaldi County, which lay between Fenris and Desmond.

“Iron ore, this much?”

The iron ore from Cabaldi County was known for its high quality. Because of that, it was treated as a strategic resource and wasn’t easy to obtain, even if one had the money.

Yet, such a precious resource was flowing heavily into Desmond’s side.

“Why would he need so much…?”

Claude’s mind grew tangled.

The most essential resources for war preparation were food and weapons. And iron ore was a critical resource for manufacturing and maintaining weapons.

The amount he was acquiring was far too excessive for merely replenishing depleted forces.

Other measures were just as excessive. Pouring so much money and manpower into this would make it difficult to properly manage his territory.

“Is he seriously…. planning to go to war?”

There was no doubt that he was preparing for war. Though the exact target was unclear, they couldn’t afford to be complacent.

Since they already had a grudge against Desmond, the chances were high that this place would be his target.

Seeing Claude’s increasingly stern expression, Ghislain asked.

“Well? The situation’s a bit uncomfortable, isn’t it?”

Claude nodded without hesitation.

Even though they had joined the Royal Faction, it would be difficult for reinforcements to arrive as soon as the war broke out.

And they couldn’t solely rely on the Royal Faction’s support. If Desmond went crazy and launched a sudden attack, and then sought for negotiations afterward, the Royal Faction wouldn’t be able to respond swiftly.

“That’s true. It really does seem like war could break out.”

At those words, the faces of the others darkened.

This damned estate never goes a day without trouble.

‘Ugh, it’d be a relief if it just went under. If it collapsed, we wouldn’t have to deal with this mess!’

Seeing the people around him in such a gloomy state, Ghislain clicked his tongue inwardly. At this rate, they’d be defeated even before the war began.

Yet, even amidst the grim atmosphere, only Claude remained resolute, offering his opinion.

“The immigrants will be arriving soon, so we need to stabilize the estate as much as possible before then. If we try to prepare for war and develop the estate simultaneously with limited funds and manpower, progress on development will inevitably slow down.”

Although he was currently tied to Fenris because of the favor he owed Ghislain and the slave contract, Claude was originally someone who pursued academic studies at the academy.

Whether he became a scholar or a politician, missing out on the opportunity to build a name and achievements wasn’t something an academy graduate would do.

To Claude, the Fenris estate was not only a place he would live for the rest of his life, but also a means to realize his own ambitions.

‘If I can turn this barren estate into a great domain… I could leave my name in history.’

Because of this, Claude earnestly sought ways that would benefit the Fenris estate.

“What if we stationed some of the Marquis of Branford’s soldiers here? The numbers don’t matter. What’s important is showing that this territory is under the Marquis of Branford’s protection. If we do that, Count Desmond won’t easily attack us.”

The retainers nodded in admiration at the cleverness of Claude’s idea.

Having the Marquis of Branford’s soldiers stationed here would greatly help deter the possibility of war.

Attacking a place where his troops were stationed would be no different from directly attacking the Marquis of Branford.

Claude continued.

“Stationing another lord’s troops on our estate might seem humiliating, but the Marquis of Branford is an exception. Since he is the lord’s patron, it’s a justifiable move that won’t tarnish our honor.”

The others nodded repeatedly.

After hearing it, there seemed to be no better solution.

It would ensure their safety without significant loss, allowing them to focus entirely on developing the estate.

Even Belinda and Kaor, who usually opposed ideas just for the sake of it, seemed to agree this time, remaining silent.

Ghislain glanced around at everyone and gave a bitter smile.

‘If other lords were in my situation, they’d probably follow Claude’s suggestion too.’

It was the most sensible, least burdensome, and safest option.

The problem, however, was that behind Desmond stood the most powerful house in the kingdom—the Delfine Duchy.

‘I can’t keep this hidden forever.’

Up until now, he had kept it under wraps to avoid stirring up unnecessary anxiety, but that was no longer possible.

From now on, they needed to unite and charge forward toward a greater goal. Even if they didn’t believe it, he at least had to instill a sense of crisis and a hint of doubt.

After organizing his thoughts, Ghislain spoke with a serious expression.

“Count Desmond is not alone.”

“Oh, yes. I heard he’s married. There’s a lot of talk about how beautiful the Countess is. It really goes to show that having power makes a difference.”

“…That’s not what I meant. Behind Desmond is the Duke of Delfine. What Desmond wants is essentially what the Delfine Duchy wants.”

Claude, who had been babbling nonsense, and the retainers who were listening beside him turned pale.

The Duke of Delfine, a name so terrifyingly powerful that even speaking it aloud was frightening. The most ruthless power in the kingdom.

If what Ghislain said was true, then the estate was as good as finished.

The retainers shouted in shock.

“That can’t be! Why would a great lord from the North bow down to a Southern Duchy?”

“Do you have any evidence to support that claim?”

While Ghislain pondered how to convince them, Claude mumbled absentmindedly, as if he had just realized something.

“Uh… but the lord might be right. If Count Desmond is acting like a neutral noble, but is actually a pawn moving freely on behalf of the Duke…”

Ghislain’s face lit up, and he quickly agreed.

“Exactly! Now you’re making sense. That’s the scheme the Delfine Duchy has been setting up for a very long time. Wow, I was struggling to figure out how to explain it, but I knew you’d get it—you’re a well-educated guy.”

A cold shiver ran down Claude’s spine as he quickly glanced over the documents again.

Count Cabaldi was a noble allied with the Duke’s faction.

No matter how much Desmond claimed neutrality, it made no sense for him to buy such large quantities of iron ore from a territory that wasn’t even part of his faction.

And this amount… if he paid the standard price, it would be difficult for even a wealthy estate to afford it.

‘Is it true, then, that the Duke is backing Desmond from behind?’

If the Duke of Delfine was truly supporting Count Desmond, then even stationing the Marquis of Branford’s troops wouldn’t make much of a difference.

If the Duke intervened later, offering a convenient justification and compensation to mediate, the Royal Faction would have no choice, but to accept it.

This estate wasn’t yet valuable enough for the Royal Faction to risk a war against the Duchy to protect it.

“It’s hard to believe… but if it’s true, then for now, we’ll have to protect ourselves.”

It wasn’t certain. It was difficult to believe. But they couldn’t rule out the possibility of such a threat either.

The retainers’ faces grew even darker at Claude’s words.

To lift the gloomy atmosphere, Ghislain deliberately spoke with a lively tone.

“Alright, what matters right now isn’t the Duke’s involvement. The problem is that we’ll soon have to fight Desmond. You all understand that we can’t avoid this war, right? So now, let’s think about how to stop him.”

No one said a word. How could the Fenris estate, with barely any soldiers, let alone knights, possibly stop Desmond?

Claude spoke on behalf of everyone.

“When do you expect this to happen, my lord?”

“It’ll take at least six months for Count Desmond to make a move. After all, he did get hit hard by me in Ferdium. It’ll take some time for him to regroup his forces.”

Losing troops was one issue, but with the mess in Ferdium, he would undoubtedly have to focus more on Amelia’s rebellion.

And as far as Ghislain knew, something very troublesome would happen in a few months, so it would be difficult for Desmond to act right away, even after six months.

But there was no need to ease everyone’s tension by sharing all of that.

Upon hearing the six-month timeframe, Claude nervously glanced at Ghislain and spoke hesitantly.

“We won’t be able to win a war with just six months of preparation. We might not even finish training new recruits.”

“So?”

“If Count Desmond ignores the Royal Faction and starts a war… let’s run away.”

“What?”

Before Ghislain could respond, Belinda, who had been silent, spoke up.

“I agree that running away would be a good idea if a war breaks out. But there’s no need to do that right now.”

Everyone turned to her in surprise.

Hadn’t both the lord and the Chief Overseer said that a war was likely? So why was there no need to flee?

As all eyes focused on her, Belinda raised her chin proudly and spoke.

“If we just take off Count Desmond’s— or Count Almond’s—head, then there’s no problem, right? I’m good at that. I’ll finish it quickly and come back.”

Knowing what was on her mind, Ghislain felt a twinge of sadness.

If the target were an ordinary noble, she could certainly succeed in an assassination without much trouble. Her skills were top-notch.

But Count Desmond, as a great lord, was different.

Just finding him inside a well-guarded lord’s castle would be no easy task.

Even if she managed to locate and kill him, escaping the castle afterward would be even harder.

Not even someone as skilled as Belinda could expect to survive.

“Sometimes, assassination is the most effective and quickest method, but… it’s too dangerous. We can’t do it.”

“Oh, please. It might be difficult alone, sure. But if Kaor and the mercenaries go with me, we can pull it off.”

Kaor, who had been yawning and listening as if the topics of estate development or war preparations were someone else’s problem, suddenly looked startled, as if wondering what on earth he was hearing.

“What? Me? Why me?”

“You should take a few mercenaries and cause a commotion in front of the lord’s castle. While everyone’s attention is on you, I’ll slip in and neatly take off the Count’s head.”

“Are you insane? That’s just asking us to go there and die!”

“If your lives can prevent a war, that would be a noble sacrifice! Besides, you love fighting!”

“I don’t want to die a pointless death like that!”

“A fight’s a fight! What does it matter?”

“Ah! Why don’t you go instead?”

While the two bickered, this time it was Gillian who stepped forward with a determined expression.

“My lord, if we can’t avoid war, please entrust the mercenaries to me for a while. I will try to delay the onset of war as much as possible. Meanwhile, strengthen our forces and seek help from the Royal Faction.”

“And how do you plan to do that?”

“I’ll raid the merchant guilds supplying the war materials. Initially, it will disrupt their supply, causing delays in their preparations, and if they divert forces to catch me, it will slow them down even more. Please leave this to me.”

At those words, Ghislain smiled faintly.

It was a tactic he had often used in his past life. For someone who wasn’t ex-mercenary to use a similar approach was quite impressive.

“That’s not a bad plan, but… if you do that, Gillian, you’ll end up being branded as a bandit. I don’t want such infamy to be attached to someone who serves me.”

Ghislain shrugged and continued.

“I understand the concern you both have for the estate… but I’ll just take it as your good intentions.”

Though their reasons differed, both Belinda and Gillian were willing to risk their lives for the estate. That much was commendable.

Unlike the two, Kaor seemed to have no particular thoughts on the matter, so Ghislain asked him.

“Kaor, do you have any other ideas?”

“If they come charging in, shouldn’t we just go out and fight? I’ll be at the forefront. But you’ll have to pay me more.”

“Oh, you reliable bastard.”

Ghislain let out a hollow laugh and shook his head at Kaor’s bold and simple stance.

Seeing that none of the four seemed inclined to avoid a fight, Claude asked again.

“Do you really have no intention of fleeing?”

“No.”

“Sigh, that’s just my luck. Then, I think it would be best to mobilize all our resources and start preparing the fortifications right now.”

“Fortifications… you mean a defensive siege?”

“Yes. The greatest advantage of our estate is the massive amount of food we produce. If we fortify the castle to a stronghold level and hold out, we can endure until the Royal Faction’s reinforcements arrive.”

Gillian frowned and asked.

“But even if we build the fortifications, we’ll still need some troops to fight. Won’t we lack manpower?”

“We can request the immediate reinforcements of soldiers and knights from Ferdium. We should also train more conscripts. If they don’t want to die, they’ll have to find a way to fight.”

The retainers all nodded. Out of all the suggestions so far, this was the safest and most realistic approach.

Ghislain also nodded and said.

“Alright, let’s go with that for now. Start stockpiling supplies so we can respond to enemy attacks at any moment.”

Outwardly, it seemed as though he had accepted Claude’s proposal, but his true feelings were entirely different.

‘It looks like everyone’s feeling a bit tense now. I need to keep things running at this level for the time being.’

Claude’s plan was indeed the most realistic and reliable course of action for the current situation.

But it wasn’t enough to confront the Duke’s forces.

To outmaneuver the enemy, he needed a method that would go beyond their imagination—something they could never anticipate.

No matter the method, failure would mean death in the end. Therefore, the only way to survive was to increase the chances of success, even if just a little.

‘This time, I’ll make the first move.’

Ghislain had no intention of just waiting for the enemy.

Soon, an opportunity would present itself. He intended to use that chance to strike a heavy blow to Count Desmond and inflict substantial damage.