Randolph erupted in anger at Ghislain’s words, shouting loudly: “Investment? Inveeeestment? Do you even know what investment means? You only know how to eat and crap! Now, no one stop me! I’m going to kill this bastard today... Wait, what is that? My lord!” As Randolph charged towards Ghislain, he suddenly halted in his tracks, eyes wide open. Everyone squinted as a sudden light spread throughout the room, directing their attention to the contents of the chest. “Huh, w-what is that...?” “No way...” The faces of the retainers shifted into strange expressions as they saw the ore mixed in with the stones inside the chest. Gillian gave Ghislain a slight nod and exited the great hall, but none of the retainers noticed his departure, so focused were they on the items inside the chest. An oppressive silence blanketed the room. Finally, Zwalter, regaining his senses, stammered out with difficulty: “What, what is this?” Though he knew the answer, Zwalter could not trust his eyes, seeking confirmation from Ghislain, who responded with a smile. “It’s runestone. I found it in the Forest of Beasts.” “W-wait, really? How could you do that in such a short time?” “We didn’t comb through the entire forest. We pinpointed where the resources were located and broke through directly. Now, we plan to stabilize the path, build fortifications, and start regular extraction.” Zwalter was so shocked by Ghislain’s words that he shot up from his seat. “Are you saying there’s more of this runestone?” “Yes, there’s a lot. This is just a small portion.” Zwalter was so flustered that he couldn’t form coherent sentences. Homern, his voice trembling, muttered: “This... this must be a lie, right? My lord isn’t someone who would do this! Did you steal it from somewhere? Or are you lying after buying it for 20,000 gold? Please, tell us that’s the case.” “Why would I lie? You can go outside and see for yourselves. There are carts full of it.” Ghislain shrugged as he continued: “There’s much more left than what we brought this time. You can verify it yourselves when I bring back more runestone in the future. Haven’t you heard? ‘Blessed are those who believe.’” With a thud, Zwalter collapsed back into his seat, dazed. He had no idea how to respond to what his son had achieved. He couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality. Albert, the treasurer, blinked in astonishment, staring at the runestone in front of him. If there was truly this much runestone, they would no longer need support from Rayfold’s territory. Albert crouched by the chest and touched the runestone. “It... it’s real runestone. How much would this sell for...?” “Let us see as well!” The retainers rushed to gather around the chest, touching the runestone and marveling, unable to contain their excitement. Watching them, Ghislain exhaled in relief inwardly. ‘If Amelia had moved even a little faster, I’d be in deep trouble.’ Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine. If he had been even slightly late, he wouldn’t have been able to enter the Forest of Beasts, and his hands and feet would’ve been completely tied. Not only would he have lost the money Amelia had provided, but he would have also been unable to secure the runestone. It was a narrow victory. ‘She’s a smart woman. To think she would use such a method. Is this just the beginning?’ There was no way she would stop here. This was just an attempt to put Ghislain in a difficult position and restrict his movements. She likely thought that this level of interference would be enough to keep him down. But once she learned that he had secured runestone, she would certainly try to interfere again. ‘It’s not just Amelia.’ The Duke of Delfine would not sit idly by either. They had also failed in their attempt to kill Elena. For now, they were preoccupied with weakening the other territories, but once word of the runestone spread, all eyes would be focused on this place. He had to prepare in advance. ‘I need to move even faster.’ This time, his quick actions had allowed him to avoid trouble, but Amelia had moved faster than he had anticipated. This incident had made one thing clear: time was not on his side. As long as he was moving, so were his enemies. Lost in thought, Ghislain suddenly snapped back to reality and closed the chest with a quick motion. “Alright, show’s over. If you keep staring, you might wear it out. Heh heh.” His tone was crude, like that of a shady salesman, but the retainers could only retreat in silence. Ghislain smiled, brimming with confidence as he looked at them. “So, what were we talking about? Something about dragging me off to Rayfold?” No one dared to speak. Ghislain had just done something impossible. He had developed the Forest of Beasts, something everyone thought was bound to fail, something they believed was impossible. But the Grand Duke had taken mercenaries into the forest on his own initiative and succeeded. In less than a month, the incompetent fool, Ghislain, had achieved something that no previous lord of Perdiem had been able to accomplish. In just a few days, he had brought back such remarkable results. His actions and their consequences had far exceeded everyone’s expectations. The retainers, who had always looked down on him, now muttered under their breath. “Hmph, how in the world did the Grand Duke...?” “I can’t believe it! There was really runestone in the Forest of Beasts?” “Why was this in the Forest of Beasts...?” If this were true, then the problems caused in Rayfold were no longer a concern. In fact, they might even need to commend him for his actions. They had always had to cater to the whims of Rayfold, but now, there was no need to do so. While the other retainers were lost in confusion, Homern signaled a knight next to him with a glance. It was an order to bring the soldiers. But this wasn’t to capture Ghislain. Homern’s plan was to leverage Ghislain’s success with the runestone to squeeze power and authority from him. It was the kind of maneuver typical of a seasoned noble who had survived the treacherous world of politics. But even among the clever, there was always someone a step ahead. The door creaked open. “What is this?” “My lord, what is the meaning of this?” The retainers shouted in alarm as the doors of the great hall swung open. Outside, mercenaries stood armed, smiling wickedly as they intimidated the soldiers. Seeing this, Randolph could no longer contain his rage and reached for his sword. Though he had sensed movement outside, he had assumed it was just soldiers. He had never imagined the mercenaries would be waiting in such numbers. Homern gritted his teeth and shouted: “My lord! Have you lost your mind, bringing soldiers here? Are you planning a rebellion?” Feigning exaggerated surprise, Ghislain shook his head. “Rebellion? No, no! They’re just here waiting for me. You know, just in case something happens. For my protection.” Ghislain, who had anticipated Homern’s reaction, had already instructed Gillian to bring the mercenaries. Though the retainers were not his enemies, they would not hesitate to raise their swords against him if they believed it was in the territory’s interest. That was how the lords of this age operated. While Ghislain understood their loyalty to Perdiem, he could not act in line with their expectations. Thus, he had no choice but to make a show of force. This standoff was precarious, but Zwalter simply watched with interest. ‘Huh, so Ghislain had this side to him?’ He found Ghislain’s actions more surprising than the runestone. This son of his, always weak-willed and only capable of bullying subordinates, was now displaying a completely different side of himself. “Lord! No matter how much of a grand duke he is, you cannot allow such disrespect!” “Brother! Let me wipe out those insolent fools!” Homern and Randolph fumed, but Zwalter leaned back in his chair and spoke calmly. “Enough. He says the soldiers and the runestone are his, so what can I do?” “Lord!” “Brother!” Though they protested in disbelief, Zwalter shook his head. Eventually, Ghislain would inherit the territory. Before, Zwalter had always been certain that once he passed and Ghislain took over, it wouldn’t be long before the territory fell into ruin. ‘But it’s better for him to make a fuss like this than to be a coward.’ Inwardly, he was rather pleased to see that Ghislain had anticipated the retainers' actions and prepared accordingly. ‘It seems there’s a bit of a northern wolf in him after all.’ For the first time, Zwalter felt a sense of pride in his son, realizing that he wasn’t entirely beyond hope. In the end, Zwalter decided to let this matter go. He feared that if he pushed Ghislain too hard, his son would revert to his old self. If Ghislain ever truly crossed the line, then he could discipline him later. "It’s quite surprising to see the mercenaries follow you so loyally. I’ll overlook it this time. But if you disobey again, I won’t be so lenient.” “Thank you for your understanding,” Ghislain responded with a slight bow and a smile. Ghislain hadn’t initiated this show of force lightly. He knew his father’s temperament, and that’s why he made his move. A man who had spent his life on the battlefield, abandoning his personal life in the process, wouldn’t be a simple or predictable person. Ghislain was confident that his father wasn’t like the other lords who clung to their power with outdated thinking. In the midst of the suddenly awkward atmosphere, Albert, the treasurer, was already planning his next move. ‘I have to secure the runestone somehow.’ The retainers had all been against Ghislain's venture, and since Ghislain had been the one to develop the Forest of Beasts, the territory had no real claim to the runestone. While the idea of forcefully taking it had crossed Albert’s mind, Ghislain was the heir to the territory, the rightful successor. In the long run, any direct confrontation could cause more harm than good. Albert's plan was simple. If they couldn’t take the money from Ghislain, they needed to negotiate a stake in the profits through some plausible reasoning. ‘It’s better to be diplomatic about this.’ Ghislain had returned with just over fifty mercenaries, out of nearly two hundred who had originally set out. That meant most of them had died, and the survivors were undoubtedly strong. These were not men who could be easily subdued, and there was no way Ghislain, who had commanded them in such a dangerous environment, would surrender any of his profits. Albert's goal now was to get a piece of the runestone profits, even if it meant offering some favorable terms. Clearing his throat, Albert spoke up, “Ahem, congratulations on your success. Still, the 20,000 gold you received came from the territory’s funds. That money was the reason the territory's support was cut off, and it was used to begin the development of the forest. So, I believe the territory is entitled to a portion of the profits. Don’t you agree?” At Albert’s words, the retainers quickly nodded in agreement. It was only logical. After all, without the territory's money, Ghislain wouldn't have been able to begin his expedition into the Forest of Beasts. Though Albert's argument was sound, he was dealing with a man who had never been one to give up his own money easily. “Hmmm,” Ghislain rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment before speaking in a bored tone. “That’s an interesting perspective. You make a compelling point. I’m truly moved by your reasoning.” “You... you think so? Then perhaps we could negotiate for at least 40 percent... no, 30 percent of the shares?” “How about I just return the 20,000 gold?” Ghislain interrupted with a wink, making a gesture as if counting coins with his fingers. “Excuse me?” Albert blinked in disbelief. “I’ll return the 20,000 gold. I’ll even throw in some interest,” Ghislain said with a mischievous grin.