Zwalter spoke seriously. “Who would want to send their daughter to Ferdium? If you don’t want to end up like me, you can’t miss this opportunity. You need to get married while you’re young and doing well.” “...Ha.” It was painful to hear, but objectively, he wasn’t wrong. Husbands spent half the year stationed in the northern territories, leaving their wives alone. It might sound nice to have no husband around, but the reality was far from ideal. The problem wasn’t just the absence of the husband. With no money and living in a dangerous rural area, no one would be thrilled to live alone without a husband. That’s why the Count of Ferdium had always begged the lords of neighboring lands to form marriage alliances. Ghislain and Amelia’s previous engagement had been one such arrangement. And even securing an engagement like that was a stroke of luck. Zwalter hadn’t been able to secure a proper match when he was younger. “Look at me. If I hadn’t met your mother by chance, I wouldn’t have been able to get married. And since your mother was from a fallen noble family, you don’t even have maternal relatives anymore, do you?” At Zwalter’s words, Belinda awkwardly turned her gaze and scratched her neck. Ghislain’s mother had come with no dowry, bringing only Belinda as a maid when she married into the family. Even so, the Ferdium side had been thankful, bowing as they welcomed her. The frank, almost self-deprecating recounting of these facts left everyone silent for a moment. The difficulty of marriage wasn’t just a problem for noble families. Homerun cautiously spoke up. “Since the Lord’s reputation has risen greatly, wouldn’t it be a good idea to pursue a marriage with Lady Rayfold again?” “Amelia? Should we?” Zwalter’s eyes lit up at the suggestion. Amelia Rayfold was the daughter of a prominent northern noble, renowned for her nobility, grace, wisdom, and kindness. Becoming the son-in-law of the Marquis of Branford would be the ultimate prize, but truthfully, that was too ambitious a dream. ‘Still, if you want to survive in this harsh northern land, you need a kind-hearted person. And since they were once engaged, it should be easier this time. The first time is always the hardest, right?’ The Rayfold family was the most prominent noble house in the north. Though relations had cooled somewhat due to unfortunate events, their territories were still close, and their families had been nominal allies for generations. The Count of Rayfold had many children, and previously, he had generously allowed the engagement between Ghislain and Amelia. Now that Ghislain’s reputation had improved significantly, the chances of the Rayfolds accepting the proposal again were high. The retainers one by one began to voice their approval. “Lady Rayfold is more than suitable. In fact, she exceeds all expectations.” “I’ve also heard that the Count of Rayfold is looking for a match for his daughter once more.” “If that’s the case, an alliance with us, an old ally, would be best. Relationships can always be mended, right?” As the atmosphere grew more positive, Ghislain’s expression began to darken. Unable to hold back any longer, Ghislain shouted. “Don’t you dare contact them! I will never marry that woman, not even in death.” “Why not? Honestly, there’s no one as good as Lady Amelia in the north.” Homerun, confused, asked. She had a good background, was beautiful, well-known for her kindness, and had a calm, quiet personality—perfect for managing the household. There wasn’t a better match anywhere. “Is it because of what happened before? Marquis Branford is behind it, so everything will be smoothed over. They might even like it more now! That’s just how politics works.” “I said, no! If you push this forward, I’ll overturn everything. We’ll all just die together,” Ghislain raised his voice, his eyes flashing with anger. Were they really suggesting marriage between two people who were practically gnashing their teeth, ready to kill each other? They would likely start plotting each other’s assassination on their very first night together. Seeing Ghislain’s vehement rejection, everyone sighed in disappointment. ‘Why is he so repulsed? He used to like her before. Was he rejected when he went to ask for financial support last time?’ Zwalter clicked his tongue inwardly. When the families’ statuses are too different, it can hurt one’s pride. But in youth, even if things aren’t great between them, people often grow fond of each other over time. Just look at all the others around them—they all lived like that. However, seeing how much Ghislain hated the idea, they decided not to push it any further for now. “All right... We’ll talk about this later.” “No, I have no interest right now, so don’t bring up marriage again. I’m leaving. Hey! Sort out the supplies quickly! We’re heading back to the estate!” Ghislain stormed off, still fuming. Zwalter watched him go, his eyes full of regret. No matter how he thought about it, there wasn’t a better match than Amelia. “We’re finally back! It’s so good to be home!” As they passed through the outer walls of Fenris, Belinda cheered happily. The capital’s mansion was grand and luxurious, but with Ghislain constantly on the verge of causing trouble, she hadn’t been able to relax properly. There truly was no place like home, a universal truth since time immemorial. Though the rest of the group didn’t express it as openly, their faces clearly showed their relief. At least here, they didn’t have to tread lightly, constantly mindful of the high-ranking nobles' gazes. The news of the lord’s return quickly spread, and the villagers gathered to greet him. “The Lord has returned!” “Wow! What’s all that?” The people were astonished by the long line of wagons following behind Ghislain. There were weapons, various supplies, and fine horses. Behind them, wagons loaded with everyday goods were lined up as well. It looked like the arrival of a merchant caravan, but no one had ever seen such a large amount of goods come in all at once before. “Look at those wagons. They’re enormous!” “Didn’t they say he was selling cosmetics? Looks like it was a huge hit!” The villagers marveled at the sight of the wagons, their eyes shining with anticipation. They were eager for the goods Ghislain had brought back to be distributed in the village. Whenever Ghislain brought something back, he always poured it into the estate. The food shortage had been resolved, and infrastructure improvements were underway. As long as someone wasn’t deliberately avoiding work, there was always employment available, and people received fair compensation for it. Though they weren’t yet wealthy, they were far better off than the days when they went hungry. “It’s a relief you’ve returned safely.” “Indeed. I’ve been worried as well.” “We were all on edge while you were away.” For the villagers, memories of the previous lord’s tyranny still lingered as a terrifying nightmare. They feared that if anything happened to Ghislain, the oppressive nobles would return to power. Many had lost sleep, anxiously waiting for news of their lord. The people were genuinely glad to see him return safely. “We’re glad you’re safe, my lord!” “Lord, please look over here!” “Don’t leave us again!” Unlike in other territories, the people didn’t throw themselves onto the ground, groveling when the lord passed. Nor did they tremble in fear. Ghislain had always shown humility and generosity, and he had been quick to support the villagers. Claude, the estate’s steward and chief administrator, wasn’t about to let this moment pass without seizing the opportunity. He immediately dismounted and climbed onto one of the wagons, shouting out loudly. “Everyone, listen up! This time, the Lord’s trip was an enormous success! He made great profits and strengthened ties with the high nobles of the kingdom! In particular, the Marquis of Branford, the head of the royal household, has become the Lord’s patron...” The villagers blinked, confused. What would simple farmers know about the Marquis of Branford? But the next part caught their attention. “...and with those profits, the Lord has purchased a large amount of supplies for the estate. To stabilize the sudden rise in prices, he has implemented policies so that all villagers can buy goods at lower prices than before... All of this is thanks to the Lord’s generosity, who wishes for the well-being of the estate!” “Wooooah!” “Our Lord is the best!” “Only our lord cares for us like this!” The crowd erupted into cheers so loud it felt like the ground was shaking. Some of the villagers were so moved that they burst into tears. Though they had harvested a great deal of wheat and resolved the food crisis, people couldn’t live on bread alone. They needed clothes and, occasionally, something delicious to eat. But the neighboring territories were in much the same situation, making it difficult to procure essential goods. In some households, even cooking pots had to be shared among neighbors. Though merchants visited the estate regularly to sell goods, the supply had always been insufficient. In more remote villages, the problem was even worse. But now, their lord had brought back a vast amount of goods just for them. And the wagons were filled not with luxury items for the lord, but with essential supplies for the people. For those who had lived simply, thankful just to have enough to eat each day, this was an unbelievable gift. Amidst the thunderous cheers, Claude beamed proudly and continued. “You won’t need to worry about anything from now on! If any problems arise, the Lord and I will take care of them! Just do your best in your roles, and that will be the best way to repay the Lord’s kindness! Hahaha!” The villagers clapped and shouted in response to Claude’s speech. “Hooray for the steward!” “We’ll work hard!” “Who said that? Come forward!” “You must’ve misheard! Hahaha!” Ghislain watched the laughing and cheering villagers with a smile, shaking his head. He had been planning to make this announcement officially, but who could have expected such a surprise reveal? That man truly had a way with words. “Well, it’s not bad.” When he had first arrived here, the villagers had been without hope, slowly dying. Now, seeing their bright, cheerful faces filled him with a sense of pride and accomplishment. ‘I need to repair the roads as soon as possible.’ Most of the merchants in the north stopped at Rayfold and didn’t come as far as Fenris. That was partly because Rayfold was a large, wealthy territory, but also because the road to Fenris was treacherous. If he could make it easier for merchants to travel and transport the cosmetics to the capital and other areas, road repairs would be essential. Amidst the endless cheers of the villagers, Ghislain slowly made his way toward the estate. Like everyone else, he too felt a sense of relief upon returning home. It seemed like nothing major had happened, so it was time to move forward with his next plan... Boom! Before he could finish his thought, a loud explosion echoed from the direction of the estate, followed by a towering pillar of fire shooting into the sky. The clouds above quickly parted, leaving a gaping hole in their midst. “...?” Ghislain stared at the estate in bewilderment. What had caused such an explosion? Were they under attack? As Ghislain wracked his brain, trying to figure out what could have happened, his eyes widened in realization.