Chapter 84: I’ll Handle the Negotiation. (3)
Ghislaine chuckled as he looked down at Lowell.
Whether it was boldness or sheer ignorance, it certainly piqued his curiosity.
Unlike the foolish ones who begged based on sympathy or merely cited customs, this guy laid out his usefulness first.
That alone set him apart from the others.
Plus, he seemed to have a decent amount of confidence in his abilities.
Ghislaine snickered and nodded at Gillian.
“For now, let’s hold off on him. Lock him up.”
Not only was he involved in administration, but he also managed troops and acted as a staff officer, so he likely knew a lot about preparing for and conducting war.
He thought about interrogating him later to see if he could truly be helpful.
“Th-thank you so much!”
Lowell lowered his head, tears streaming down his face as if he had just come from hell.
It might be temporary, but for now, he had secured his life.
Gordon, who was dragging him along, whispered in awe.
“I’ve never met anyone as quick-thinking as you. If you’re that fast, a little mistake is no big deal! Teach me how to calculate later, okay?”
“……”
Gordon looked genuinely respectful.
Lowell couldn’t muster a reply and kept his mouth shut.
If he chimed in here, he felt like he’d become just as lowly as the guy in front of him.
Even after Lowell was taken away, the classification of personnel continued for a while longer.
Many had died, and the survivors trembled in fear.
Skoban couldn’t stop Ghislaine. He could only pace back and forth, thinking this shouldn’t be happening.
“The Forest of Monsters’ guards will stay here and maintain public order. Soon, my father will send reinforcements. For now, lock up the remaining soldiers of Digald and just keep an eye on them.”
“Yes, understood.”
Given there weren’t many soldiers left, that was no problem.
Skoban hurriedly answered while glancing at Ghislaine.
It seemed he had intentionally brought them along from the start.
After sorting out the personnel, Ghislaine checked the remaining assets and supplies at Digald’s castle and took a day off.
The mercenaries were exhausted, and his own condition wasn’t great, so they needed at least a minimal break.
The road back to Perdium Castle wasn’t as urgent as when they were chasing Tamos, so they moved relatively slowly.
By the time they arrived at the castle two days later, the atmosphere of Perdium Territory had completely changed from when they had left.
“Waaaaaaah!”
As Ghislaine and the mercenaries appeared, the Territory Residents all rushed out to cheer.
Everyone still looked shabby and worn, but their faces were blooming with smiles.
“The Grand Duke has returned!”
“Long live Perdium! Long live the Grand Duke!”
“Your Grace! Please look over here!”
“The mercenaries look great too!”
“The Grand Duke and the mercenaries protected us!”
The unexpected reaction left the mercenaries dumbfounded.
During their stay in Perdium, the Territory Residents had either ignored the mercenaries or whispered behind their backs.
The mercenaries were used to such reactions. They never received a warm welcome anywhere.
But seeing the Territory Residents genuinely happy and cheering made them stand tall with a proud expression.
“Uh, hmm. This doesn’t feel bad at all.”
“We just did what we were told to do.”
“We fought and ran around like crazy without having a clue. Hehe.”
Unlike the dazed mercenaries, Ghislaine was casually waving and even smiling, as if he were used to it.
He had received cheers like this countless times in his previous life, so there was no reason to be flustered.
Only three days had passed since the war ended, but rumors that the Grand Duke was responsible for the victory were spreading throughout the territory.
Surviving soldiers were spreading the word here and there.
At first, the Territory Residents couldn’t believe it, but as similar stories circulated, they had no choice but to accept it.
Since they couldn’t reveal detailed circumstances, the rumors only ballooned uncontrollably.
— They say the Grand Duke was mastering magic all this time? A hundred circles, even! A hundred circles!
— You fool! Where on earth is there a hundred circles? No, they say he sold his soul to a demon. That’s why he was always going around doing crazy things. Some kind of reckless demon, they say?
These absurd rumors were circulating, but people were eager to elevate Ghislaine’s standing.
After all, thanks to the Grand Duke, they had won the war and their families had returned safely.
“How does it feel, Your Grace?”
Gillian asked with a smile, and Ghislaine nodded slyly.
“Well, it doesn’t feel bad. You can praise me a bit more, it’s fine.”
“Haha, now that the war is over, you’ve returned to your old self.”
It truly didn’t feel bad at all.
An unknown sense of elation was gradually filling his body. It felt different from the welcoming ceremonies he had experienced in his past life.
“Hmmm, maybe it’s been a while since I had a welcoming ceremony? It’s nothing special, yet somehow it feels good.”
Ghislaine pondered what was different and shrugged his shoulders, waving to the Territory Residents.
Gillian watched him with a somewhat astonished gaze.
“Looks like what I said actually came true.”
When he first arrived in this territory, there wasn’t even a glimmer of hope in sight.
Even when trying to develop the territory, the state of things was so dire that he didn’t know where to start.
The status was not good to that extent.
― I will definitely end the poverty of the territory. Not just a drop of water, but a rain, you see.
When Gillian first heard those words, he thought it was just the bravado of a young man.
But Ghislaine’s boasts were gradually becoming a reality.
He predicted the war and achieved miraculous victories. With the Runestone still remaining, he could quickly develop the territory.
It made Gillian wonder just how far this young lord could go.
‘It’s been a long time since my heart raced like this.’
At first, he had sworn loyalty with the intent of repaying a favor.
But now, he wanted to see beyond that—the future he dreamed of.
*
As they passed the welcoming crowd and arrived in front of the Lord’s Castle, a more astonishing sight unfolded.
“The Grand Duke has returned!”
A knight shouted loudly.
All the soldiers of the territory were lined up on either side.
Ghislaine had not anticipated this situation, so his eyes widened in surprise.
“Draw weapons!”
As the armored knight shouted and drew his sword, the soldiers on both sides lifted their spears with both hands, leaning them forward.
Having over a thousand soldiers lined up to clear the way was a spectacle in itself.
The soldiers bore the still-visible marks of war, their appearances somewhat ragged, but their momentum was unmatched.
“Wow!”
The territory residents following Ghislaine began cheering once again upon seeing the sight.
Ghislaine took slow steps forward.
Behind the lined-up soldiers were the knights of Perdium waiting.
There weren’t many of them, but they were the core fighting force of Perdium and the class filled with the greatest pride.
Every single one of them, who had always looked down on Ghislaine, was present.
“Glory to the heir of Perdium!”
The knight standing at the front raised his sword in front of his chest and shouted.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Then the other knights echoed the same motion, repeating the words.
“Glory to the heir of Perdium!”
It was the highest form of respect that a knight could give.
Upon hearing the news of the Grand Duke’s return, everyone came out and offered their respects without anyone needing to instruct them.
A moment of silence passed, followed by a great cheer among the soldiers.
“Wow!”
“Glory to Ghislaine Perdium!”
The Perdium battles would remain a historical record in warfare.
They annihilated the enemy’s overwhelming forces and led a war thought unwinnable to victory.
It was a feat that could not be belittled by anyone, an achievement that had to be acknowledged.
What remained was to savor this exhilarating joy of victory and celebrate its protagonist.
Now, the Grand Duke was no longer a mere troublemaker of the territory.
The bad rumors of the past had vanished, losing all meaning. Everyone sincerely offered their respects with one heart and one mind.
The shouts that began with the knights and soldiers spread back to the territory residents.
“Wow! The best!”
“Long live Ghislaine Perdium!”
“O Goddess! Bless the Grand Duke!”
“The sword that protects Perdium!”
“Favorite sword!”
“The true wolf of the North!”
The mercenaries’ faces flushed even more than when they were first welcomed by the Territory Residents.
To think they, once looked down upon, are receiving the same respect as the knights!
Even though the knights were honoring Ghislaine, they too were getting praises just as much.
“Ah, I’m glad I’m alive.”
“To be welcomed like this…”
“Seriously, this feels awesome!”
Ghislaine closed his eyes, looking around at the excited and happy people.
‘It really is different.’
In his past life, he received countless cheers and praises. He even experienced grander and more flamboyant parades than this.
The mercenary king was treated like royalty wherever he went, to anyone.
But it always ended in brutal loneliness and emptiness.
He saved others from danger, protected them, and fought for them…
Yet he had nothing of his own there.
He had already lost all his beloved family, friends, and Territory Residents.
Nothing could fill that emptiness.
But now, it was different.
People waving and smiling at him with worn-out faces.
It wasn’t as luxurious as previous parades, and the numbers were far fewer and their appearances unimpressive.
‘……’
This simple gratitude felt so much more heartfelt than the extravagant praises he used to receive.
“Brother!”
“Grand Duke!”
Elena and Rachel, who had run up to the Lord’s Castle, waved their hands with smiles.
The following servants also greeted him with waves, happy to see him.
There was no fear on their faces as they looked at Ghislaine. They knew the Grand Duke had changed.
“Oh, Grand Duke! You’re finally back!”
Baron Homern approached, wiping the sweat from his brow.
He, who always nagged and annoyed Ghislaine, was now wearing a joyful smile.
“Clearly, it wasn’t just luck that you saved the Runestone. I’ve heard the rumors to the point of boredom.”
“When you fight, you look like a monster. I thought you just played around all the time, but it seems you trained hard?”
Even the cold Albert was smiling now, and Randolf couldn’t hide his prideful expression.
And from within the castle, the one Ghislaine missed the most and felt the most sorry for slowly walked out.
“Welcome back. You made it back safely.”
Zvalter welcomed his son with a happier smile than anyone else.
Ghislaine suddenly felt choked up and took a deep breath. He could think of no words.
At this moment, he felt a sense of fulfillment he had never experienced in his past life.
His long-desired wish, something he had yearned for his entire life, had come true.
‘The reason I returned.’
The people he loved welcomed him with open arms. It was a sight he had only dreamed of.
He had come back to protect them.
From now on, for everyone.
Now he could finally say it. The words he had desperately wanted to say but couldn’t due to lack of someone to listen.
Ghislaine wore a bright smile he had never been able to show in his past life.
“I’ve returned, Father.”
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