Chapter 196

Chapter 196: You Sent Me a Very Nice Gift (1)

“Waaaaah! Baron Fenris won!”

The so-called “Investment Victims’ Circle” of nobles erupted in cheers as they received news of Ghislain’s victory in the banquet hall.

None of them cared about how Ghislain had won—whether it was due to skill or sheer luck.

What mattered was that Ghislain had won, and their investments weren’t going up in flames.

“Amazing! The cosmetics business is still going strong!”

“We can invest even more now!”

“Exactly! With the Marquis of Branford’s endorsement, what’s there to be afraid of?”

Such was human nature. When you’re convinced you’re doomed, an unexpected turn of events can bolster your faith tenfold.

The nobles at the banquet flocked to Rosalyn, clamoring to make additional investments.

Rosalyn, maintaining an air of grace, responded with a serene smile as though the outcome was only natural.

“There’s no need to worry so much in the future. With the Branford Marquisate supporting Baron Fenris, there’s absolutely nothing to fear. Haven’t I always said that?”

The nobles responded with equally confident smiles.

“Of course, we always trusted you.”

“There’s no reason to fuss over some minor war in the outskirts.”

“I told you something good was bound to happen, didn’t I? Ho ho ho.”

Amidst the cheerful atmosphere, Rosalyn discreetly wiped a cold sweat from her brow.

“Damn it... I survived. I really almost bit the dust there.”

Although she had tempered her temperament since recovering from her illness, skirting so close to the brink of disaster made curses involuntarily slip through her mind.

The stress of dealing with the nobles’ relentless pressure had been so overwhelming that clumps of her hair had fallen out daily. It was an accomplishment in itself that she hadn’t voiced her frustration aloud.

“I nearly ended up confined to my house again. But to think the siege ended this quickly... He really is impossible to predict.”

She didn’t know how he had pulled it off, but it was undoubtedly a fortunate result.

Furthermore, by defeating Count Cabaldi, Baron Fenris had proven that he possessed a certain degree of military strength.

Even though Count Cabaldi had been suffering from shortages, he wasn’t a noble to be underestimated.

“Phew, but the ducal family won’t just sit still. I need to come up with a countermeasure before they act.”

Count Cabaldi was an openly known member of the Ducal Faction. While they had ostensibly agreed not to interfere, it was clear they would be sharpening their blades behind the scenes.

To prevent the cosmetics business from collapsing, she had no choice but to support Fenris for now.

“I never thought I’d end up being dragged into this mess. I should visit Fenris soon and inquire about their cosmetics manufacturing techniques.”

Just in case, she needed a way to keep producing cosmetics even if Fenris fell.

Otherwise, if another incident occurred, she might not be able to recover. This nerve-wracking experience was more than enough to last a lifetime.

While Rosalyn was mulling things over, Mariel approached her with a beaming smile.

“Isn’t this wonderful? It turned out even better! We’re being flooded with inquiries from people wanting to invest more.”

“Yes... It’s certainly fortunate. No one expected the victory to come so quickly.”

“Exactly. My brother always bragged about being good in a fight, but who knew it was actually true?”

“Well... he is someone who thrives on his own confidence.”

Looking back on her time recovering, that was undoubtedly the case. Everything he said was always right, and he believed himself to be correct in all things.

It was the first time she’d met someone so headstrong and relentless in her life. But what made it even more infuriating was that, in the end, he usually was right.

Hearing Rosalyn’s heartfelt words, Mariel laughed even harder, then suddenly sighed with a tinge of regret.

“If I’d known this was going to happen, we wouldn’t have had to spend so much hiring people to help him, don’t you think?”

“True. Those people will have pocketed a fortune for doing absolutely nothing. They’re probably heading back gleefully as we speak.”

Rosalyn let out a wry smile.

They had invested a small fortune in hiring priests and experts to save Baron Fenris, only for it all to prove unnecessary

Not that they could demand refunds, of course. Attempting such a thing would only damage their reputation and invite unpleasant rumors.

“Ugh, he’s such an unpredictable person. I ended up wasting money for no reason.”

It was rare for Rosalyn to squander money meaninglessly, but this was one of those rare occasions.

Letting out a weary sigh, she tried to soothe her churning frustration.

* * *

Before the News of Victory Reached the Capital

“Is that all? You didn’t even break a sweat, so you’re on night watch. I killed a hundred in one go!”

“Hah, you amateurs make me want to die of boredom. I killed five hundred on my own. The only thing I injured was a single finger.”

Even as blood dripped from their mouths, they were busy showing off. True to their mercenary roots, their tall tales were wildly exaggerated.

As Ghislain enjoyed the lively banter and commended the knights, Belinda, who had been absent, reappeared.

“My Lord, someone’s here to see you.”

“Who? Count Cabaldi’s vassals?”

“No, they said they came from the capital.”

“The capital?”

They were still in the midst of wrapping up the battlefield—securing prisoners and collecting weapons after the war.

It seemed too early for news of victory to have reached anyone who might send a visitor.

As Ghislain turned his head in curiosity, a man approached.

He had a solid build, a body marked with numerous scars, and an unmistakable aura of a seasoned mercenary.

“Congratulations on your victory. My name is Max. I work as a fixer. I’ve come with ten other fixers and a priest accompanying us.”

The group of men behind him bowed politely to Ghislain.

“Fixers? Why dress it up so much? Just call yourselves mercenaries.”

Max seemed awkward, lowering his head slightly as if he didn’t know how to respond. Ghislain clicked his tongue and continued.

“So, what business do you have with me?”

“The Countess of Aylesbur and the daughter of the Marquis of Branford sent us. They told us to ensure your safety and rescue you by any means necessary if you were in danger.”

This was truly a gesture to be thankful for. Perhaps it was due to their involvement in the cosmetics business, but regardless, they had risked political danger and spent a significant amount of money to send someone over.

“Hmm, but isn’t this a bit too late? We’ve already won.”

At this, Max replied with an awkward smile.

“We tried to hurry as much as possible, considering the risks, but we didn’t expect the war to end this quickly. Truly, it’s impressive.”

“Well, you know... Sometimes, being a little late happens in life.”

“Still, it’s a relief that you’re safe. We’ll head back now and deliver this good news to our client.”

Max smiled brightly and bowed again. It had been a dangerous endeavor, but thankfully, it concluded without any major issues.

However, that was because he didn’t know Ghislain.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Pardon? Since the situation has been resolved, we’re going back to report to our client...”

“What are you talking about? Who decided it was over? If you’ve taken the money, you better earn it.”

Max, flustered, asked Ghislain again.

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Exactly what I said. If you’re a mercenary, act like one and work as much as you’ve been paid for.”

“We’re not mercenaries but troubleshooters...”

“Pfft, same difference.”

“Ahem, our mission was to safely rescue the baron when he was in danger. Since you’ve already achieved victory and we’ve confirmed your safety, our task is complete.”

“I was in danger earlier. Why didn’t you rescue me then?”

“Uh, well, that is...”

Max and his troubleshooters were taken aback. By the time they arrived, the war was already over—what were they supposed to rescue?

But Ghislain didn’t care about their reasoning. What mattered was whether they had earned the money or not.

“Ah, so they’re scammers, huh?”

With a gesture, Ghislain signaled the knights and soldiers nearby, who immediately surrounded the troubleshooters.

“If you don’t want to work for the money, then refund me, including the penalty fees, before you leave. Otherwise, this won’t be fun.”

Max and the troubleshooters looked around nervously.

They had suddenly been branded as scammers and surrounded. They had been preparing to leave on a high note, but now it felt like they had been struck by lightning out of nowhere.

‘What the hell is this? Is this guy insane? What kind of noble commits such unreasonable acts? Can’t something like this be handled quietly? And why does he think he should be the one receiving the refund and penalty fees?’

Ghislain, watching Max’s bewilderment, smirked with a meaningful expression.

“You take the money and leave without doing anything? That doesn’t fly in this area. And I’m particularly strict when it comes to scammers.”

Taking money and doing the work properly—that was not only Ghislain’s rule but also a creed of the King of Mercenaries.

He had no intention of letting this unexpectedly acquired labor force go to waste.