Chapter 255

Chapter 255: This Place is Ours Now. (2)

The innkeeper stared blankly at Ghislain. The knights and hunters, too, blinked in confusion, as if they had misheard.

At an inn, you either rent a room or leave. What was this nonsense about “taking over”?

Ghislain, clicking his tongue in irritation, spoke as if he was growing weary of the situation.

“What are you all doing? Pack your bags and clear them out already.”

The innkeeper was flabbergasted. Did this guy even know what he was getting into? Was he acting like this just because he had a few people with him? To confirm, the innkeeper asked directly.

“You... Do you even know who I am to say something like that?”

“We came here to claim the inn. Why would I need to know anything else?”

“Pft, hahaha! What kind of lunatic are you?”

The innkeeper burst into laughter. The hunters watching the scene also clutched their bellies as they laughed uproariously.

“Is he insane?”

“He’s probably just some rookie who just got here. You should at least learn who you’re messing with.”

“Haha, every now and then, you get these clueless idiots. They don’t last long.”

Kaor, in the scene, glanced around before asking Ghislain.

“What are you doing right now?”

“What do you think? I’m looking for lodging.”

“Have you turned to robbery full-time now? Well, it does suit you... But if you’re going to start a gang of bandits, you should at least give me a heads-up. I need time to prepare myself for it.”

Kaor grumbled on, clearly unsettled.

During his mercenary days, Kaor had been known as “Mad Dog” for his violent temper and penchant for causing trouble. Even so, he had never stooped to outright banditry. That crossed a line—it was a matter of pride for him as a man.

He may have overcharged his clients a few times, but that was all within the norms of their trade.

Ghislain, responding to Kaor’s mutterings, remained indifferent.

“Are you scared again?”

“I’m not scared!” Kaor snapped back, clearly irritated. Ghislain smirked and continued.

“These guys are all bandits anyway.”

“...What?”

“This place isn’t called a lawless zone for nothing. Originally, there was nothing here.”

“And?”

“Someone started something small, then someone else stole it, and then someone else stole it again. It just kept growing as people kept taking it from one another. Look around this place properly. Does this inn seem like it’s run by normal means?”

Kaor and the knights began to survey their surroundings as Ghislain had suggested. The rundown building reeked of decay, and a faint, ominous stench lingered in the air. Dried bloodstains were scattered all over the place.

Kaor’s eyes narrowed, and he nodded slowly.

“Didn’t they prohibit murder?”

That may have been the official rule, but the reality was surely different. In a place filled with criminals of every stripe, murders must happen. It was inevitable.

Even if there weren’t officially recorded deaths, there were undoubtedly many unrecorded ones.

Crack. Crack.

The knights, sensing the growing tension, stretched their necks and prepared themselves. The hunters around them began to eye them suspiciously.

The innkeeper, who had laughed to his heart’s content, finally turned back to Ghislain.

“Ten gold coins per head.”

Ghislain grinned and asked, “Lodging fees? That’s a bit much. Are you trying to scam us because we’re outsiders?”

“No, that’s the price for your lives.”

The innkeeper rang the small bell sitting in front of him.

Ding, ding.

In response, the sound of another bell echoed from a distance.

Ding, ding.

The ringing stopped, and soon, hunters began to pour down from the upper floors of the inn, moving lazily.

Clunk!

A trapdoor on the floor creaked open, and hunters crawled out from beneath it. Every one of them was armed.

The innkeeper, glancing around at the gathered hunters, spoke.

“Hey, hey. Put the blades away for now. If this many people die, the kingdom will have no choice but to intervene. Just beat them half to death and throw them outside. Let them figure out if they want to crawl back home or starve to death. Oh, and take everything valuable they have.”

Even in a lawless zone, there were minimal rules. Killing indiscriminately was frowned upon. Fights to steal what others had were common, but the various factions kept each other in check to prevent things from spiraling out of control.

If too many hunters were driven out, it would eventually threaten the survival of those remaining. As such, they maintained a crude form of order, abiding by their own set of principles. The kingdom only intervened when things reached a breaking point.

But for naive fools who didn’t understand how things worked, immediate punishment disguised as “education” was the norm. This was necessary to maintain discipline and set an example.

The hunters nodded and began picking up blunt weapons or clenching their fists. Roughly 200 of them gathered, enough to fill the first floor of the large inn.

That was more than enough to beat a group of rookies into pulp.

As the hunters surrounded Ghislain and the knights, the innkeeper swaggered forward, a mocking smile on his face.

“Well? Judging by your appearance, you seem like nobles. If you don’t want to leave here with a disgrace you’ll never forget, why not settle this with money? Or, go ahead and try your luck.”

The hunters were seasoned fighters who had honed their skills in real battles while hunting monsters. They were on a completely different level compared to ordinary soldiers.

Most of them were at least at a squire’s level, and some were even capable of using a bit of mana.

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

WHACK!

Ghislain swung his fist lightly, and the hunter who had charged forward crumpled to the ground, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. Foam bubbled from his mouth, and he looked half-dead.

Witnessing that single strike, the other hunters froze in their tracks.

From behind, an enraged Kaor and the knights approached, breathing heavily.

With about fifty hunters still left behind them and only Ghislain blocking the front, they assessed the situation. The lone figure ahead seemed formidable, but it still appeared easier to break through the front.

“Push through!” one of the hunters yelled, rallying the group.

Ghislain grinned slyly, and at that moment, his fists flew toward the oncoming hunters.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Each time the crisp sound of impact rang out, another hunter dropped to the floor. Ghislain’s timing and precision were flawless, his punches striking their targets like clockwork.

THUD!

The last hunter to fall mumbled to himself as he hit the ground.

“What kind of monster is this...?”

The inn was now filled with the sounds of ragged breathing and groans of pain. Surveying the floor littered with collapsed hunters, Ghislain casually remarked.

“Not too bad, right?”

Kaor and the knights broke into laughter. Their hair was a mess, and they looked completely disheveled, but the long-overdue fight had left their bodies feeling loose and energized.

This kind of brawling was distinctly different from the battles they fought on the battlefield with swords. Without the constant threat of spilling blood, it felt almost like a game. A brawl like this also doubled as a means of establishing dominance.

Ghislain swept his gaze across the group, grinning widely.

“This place is now our base.”

* * *

The defeated hunters were unceremoniously tossed outside the inn. Naturally, the sight of nearly 200 battered bodies piled up drew considerable attention from the onlookers.

Ghislain walked out of the inn and announced loudly.

“This place is now ours. I’m sure you all understand. If anyone has complaints, feel free to come and talk it over. By the way, the lodging fee is 100 gold per day.”

The crowd nodded in unison.

The previous innkeeper, Arnold, had been a notable figure in the area, known for his significant influence and strength. And yet, these newcomers had managed to thrash so many hunters and drive them all out in one fell swoop.

In a place where power trumped law, no one dared oppose or even consider challenging such formidable individuals.

“Arnold got his head smashed and passed out? He went down that easily?”

“Who the hell are these crazy people? Are they going to be okay here?”

“Still, they’re pretty strong, aren’t they? If they negotiate well with Doncard, they could become a major force.”

It was rare for anyone to cause such a huge commotion and display such skill as soon as they arrived. Judging by the scene, these newcomers seemed likely to establish their own foothold in the region.

Despite the spectacle, the crowd lingered, their curiosity about the newcomers keeping them from leaving.

Meanwhile, Ghislain and the knights busied themselves cleaning the inn.

“Phew, now it looks a bit cleaner. People shouldn’t live in filth, after all.”

Admiring the now somewhat tidier inn, Ghislain flashed a satisfied smile.

After finishing the cleanup, they took a day to rest. The following morning, Ghislain gathered everyone together. With the base now secured, it was time to move forward.

Ghislain looked around at the assembled group and spoke.

“Now that we’ve established our base, I’ll explain what we’re going to do here. Just follow the goals I set for you.”

One of the knights raised a hand and asked.

“Isn’t it simple? We just hunt monsters and gather hides, right? Isn’t that why we came here?”

“Exactly,” Ghislain replied. “But our estate needs a lot of hides. Once things settle down here, I’ll head back. You’ll stay behind and keep sending hides and other byproducts to the estate.”

The knights exchanged knowing smirks. If the Lord left? That meant they could slack off, drink, and enjoy themselves while sending just enough supplies to get by. It felt like a vacation already.

With exaggerated enthusiasm, they all shouted in unison.

“Yes! We’ll do our best and send plenty!”

Their enthusiasm brought a smile to Ghislain’s face.

“For your skill improvement, I’ll also include training alongside your duties. Hunting monsters will help you grow stronger.”

The knights chuckled to themselves. It was always amusing how their Lord underestimated them.

“Lord, we’re former mercenaries. We’ve hunted plenty of monsters before.”

“We’ve already mastered mana. Catching a few monsters won’t improve our skills by much.”

“We’ve even been to the Forest of Beasts, haven’t we?”

Fighting monsters daily wouldn’t drastically enhance their abilities. If that were the case, every hunter would already be a Sword Master.

While real combat experience could improve skills, it was also incredibly risky. A single mistake could lead to death before any progress was made.

The best way to hone one’s skills was to spar with a capable opponent consistently. Fighting monsters blindly wouldn’t yield significant improvements.

But Ghislain had a different plan in mind.

“Of course, just working hard won’t cut it. I’ll set a target to make sure this counts as proper training.”

“...What’s the target?” one knight asked cautiously.

“Within six months, you’ll need to hunt 100,000 monsters.”

At the absurd declaration, the knights’ faces turned pale.