Chapter 108

Chapter 108: You May Challenge Me Anytime (1)

The mercenaries wore puzzled expressions.

When it came to the Forest of Beasts, the first thought that came to mind was mining Runestones, but the number of carts was far too many for that.

It was also strange that they were packing shovels instead of pickaxes.

“If you’re all set, let’s move out!”

But then, when had Ghislain ever taken the time to explain everything in detail?

All the mercenaries could do, as they always had, was follow behind Ghislain, who dashed out ahead.

Like the wind, they ran, and in just two days, they arrived at Ferdium.

Skovan, who guarded the Forest of Beasts, tilted his head as he saw Ghislain’s group approaching from afar.

They had come occasionally to mine Runestones, but it was the first time they had brought so many carts.

“Are you planning to sweep up everything this time?”

But his guess was quickly proven wrong.

Ghislain and the mercenaries turned their horses in a completely different direction, away from where the Runestones were located.

Skovan shouted in alarm.

“Young Lord! No, Baron! Where are you going? That’s not a road!”

The path Ghislain had originally created was now paved, with palisades erected on both sides.

But the uncharted areas were still teeming with monsters.

Skovan hurried to chase after them, but Ghislain and the mercenaries had already disappeared into the depths of the forest.

“Damn, what’s gotten into them all of a sudden?”

He scratched the back of his head and sighed. Ricardo, who was beside him, nodded in agreement.

“Seriously, why are they going in there? Maybe they found something new?”

“I have no idea. How are we supposed to understand what he’s thinking? It’s easier to just pretend we don’t know.”

Skovan clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

Whether he was aware they were grumbling about him or not, Ghislain raced like a whirlwind, heading deeper into the Forest of Beasts.

The deeper they went, the more the thick trees obstructed their path.

Without any intention of slowing down, Ghislain shouted to the mercenaries following him.

“Detach the carts!”

The mercenaries, riding their horses, immediately cut the carts loose at his command.

The now slightly freer horses quickly closed in behind Ghislain.

As they ventured further, they began to see the enormous trees encircling the outskirts of the forest—Dirus Ents.

They were monsters the group had already encountered before.

Ghislain charged directly at them, as they slyly pretended to be mere trees.

“Break through!”

“Damn it! What the hell is this all of a sudden!”

Despite their curses, the mercenaries raised their spears.

They had experienced a war with the Forest of Beasts, and thanks to their relentless training since then, they were able to respond instantly to Ghislain’s command.

The group executed a flawless charge, dodging obstacles that lay between the trees as they advanced.

Boom!

Roarrr!

The Dirus Ents let out screams, a mix of pain and shock.

Dirus Ents were monsters that attacked by ambushing prey that approached slowly.

But with Ghislain’s group charging in at high speed, spears thrust forward, the Ents had no time to react.

The momentum of the charge drove the spears deep, piercing through their tough outer bark.

Considering how, when they first entered the Forest of Beasts, the mercenaries could barely aim their weapons, this scene showed just how much they had improved.

“Heeiiing!”

But the Dirus Ents weren’t the only ones who took damage.

The mercenaries couldn’t completely absorb the shock when they drove their spears into the Ents.

With the cries of distressed horses, a few mercenaries were thrown off their mounts.

Even among those who managed to stay on their horses, quite a few had lost their weapons.

Ghislain, who had shattered the body of a Dirus Ent blocking the way, shouted loudly.

“If your horse dies, it’s 500 laps around the training grounds! Team up in groups of three to take down one!”

“No, boss! You should’ve at least warned us beforehand!”

One of the mercenaries grumbled in frustration, and Ghislain burst out laughing.

“Do enemies give you a heads-up before they attack? You’ve got to stay alert at all times!”

Boom!

Even as he spoke, Ghislain continued to demolish one Dirus Ent after another.

In the past, he had managed to take down most of the Dirus Ents on his own.

Now, with his mana reserves more than double what they used to be, there was no way these Ents could pose a threat to him.

Moreover, he had been itching to test out his newfound strength.

“And... mixing in twice as much compost as soil? That’s too much.”

“No, that’s just the right amount.”

“I heard you also cast a spell to keep the ground warm and moist. If you mix this much compost in such a condition, everything will just end up rotting.”

“It’s fine. It has to be that strong so that weeds can’t grow and pests don’t come, right?”

“Well, but...”

The old man, who had been trying to convince Ghislain, sighed in frustration.

If even weeds wouldn’t grow, how were crops supposed to thrive?

Ghislain kept insisting that everything would be fine, using logic that made no sense, leaving the laborers baffled.

Most of the projects Ghislain had undertaken since coming to the estate were reasonable and necessary.

But when it came to farming, he was being particularly stubborn.

Still, it was an order from the lord, and they were paid well, so they couldn’t refuse.

“W-We’ll start the work right away.”

“Good. Make sure to mix it thoroughly and properly sow the land.”

“Yes, sir.”

After Ghislain left, everyone began working with uneasy expressions.

“Has the Chief Overseer still not surrendered? I heard the bet ends soon.”

“Maybe the curse effect wasn’t strong enough?”

The estate residents, with skeptical looks, started the sowing work.

It would be great if the food supply increased. They were grateful for the lord’s efforts, but...

Some things just weren’t meant to be.

If farming were as easy as talking about it, there wouldn’t have been people fleeing to the mountains out of desperation from starvation.

They were grateful to the lord who had been so generous, which made it even more pitiful.

It was sad to see him waste time and money on a matter of pride.

As the residents sighed deeply all over the estate, Belinda was also nervously biting her nails.

“There’s only one week left now.”

The funds and labor were running out, and the people they had painstakingly recruited were about to flee.

It was one thing if it resulted in a loss, but Ghislain facing serious embarrassment was a bigger problem.

If word spread that he lost a bet to a vassal and was forced to pay up, he wouldn’t be able to show his face in a noble society.

He had barely managed to shake off his wild, reckless image thanks to his achievements in the war.

Who knows how great of a feat he would need to accomplish to recover from a reputation as an easy target.

“Should I just kidnap that Chief Overseer? Ugh, this is driving me crazy!”

Time passed amidst everyone’s concerns, worries, anger, and sighs.

Finally, the day before the promised date arrived.

Claude let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

“As expected. I was nervous for no reason.”

Ghislain had been so confident that even Claude felt a bit tense.

But just as he predicted, nothing unusual had happened.

Once this last day was over, the bet would end.

All he had to do was take his money and leave.

During a meeting held that day in the main hall, Claude gave his final report.

“...That’s all. It’s been challenging, but I’ve enjoyed my time here. I will never forget the kindness the lord has shown Anna and me.”

Ghislain responded with a nonchalant expression.

“Isn’t it a bit early for farewells? There’s still a day left.”

“What could possibly happen in just one day? Well, I’ll make sure to pack my things and confirm everything tomorrow before I leave.”

The vassals, sensing the tension, kept their mouths shut.

Among the group of people with uneasy expressions, only Kaor was quietly chuckling.

Claude kept smiling and bid farewell to the others.

“Goodbye, everyone! I’m throwing off all the shackles and restrictions of this estate and setting off to find my happiness. I hope you all find yours, too!”

The main hall was filled with silence.

Claude, feeling elated, spread his arms wide and shouted loudly.

“Claude is free!”

Just then, a lower-ranking official who had been inspecting the farmlands rushed in, his face pale.

He stuttered as he spoke.

“T-The fields... The seeds... They’ve sprouted. H-How are they already growing? Could they be mistaken?”

“What?”

Claude turned to the official, looking like he was talking nonsense.

Ghislain stood up, a sly smile spreading across his face.

“Shall we all go and take a look?”

It was time to confirm the results of the bet.