“You fool.” Amelia gritted her teeth as soon as she received Harold’s letter. Timing is crucial in everything. Being cautious is good, but knowing when to act is a skill too. Harold was undoubtedly a capable person, but his characteristic caution was now holding him back. “It’s not the time to be hesitating like this. We told him we would handle Jurgen ourselves. What do you think, Bernaph? Bernaph?” Amelia, who had been glaring at the letter, furrowed her brow when she didn’t hear a response and lifted her head. Bernaph was simply staring at her with a mesmerized expression. Amelia sighed deeply, rubbing her forehead, and closed her eyes. Sigh, this is my fault. All my fault. In truth, Bernaph wasn’t always this dense. When they first met, he was rather sharp. But lately, he hadn’t been thinking at all. In a way, it was Amelia's fault too. She had been making all the plans, and Bernaph just followed her instructions without thinking for himself. Ever since Bernaph no longer had to think, he spent his time staring at her face whenever he could. He claimed it was because he liked her, and she found it difficult to reprimand him for that. “Bernaph!” “Meow!” “Huh? Yes, ma’am!” Startled by both Amelia's and Bastet’s scolding, Bernaph wiped his mouth and snapped to attention. Amelia sighed once again and spoke quickly. “Since Harold is acting like a fool, we have to move first.” “But Count Desmond really dislikes deviating from his plans. Even if we succeed, he won’t just stay quiet if we act on our own.” “That’s why we need to get his approval first.” “How will we do that?” “We’ll send Harold false information. Once my father gathers his troops, it’ll be too late to intervene. Harold should have a general idea of the timeline, so if we send him misleading information at a critical moment, he’ll be forced to act.” “Ah, then he’ll be too panicked to object further. Smart plan.” “Yes, and...” Amelia's eyes turned cold as she continued. “After we succeed, we’ll find a way to bypass Harold and communicate directly with the Duke’s family.” Bernaph swallowed nervously at her words. Harold had never hidden his disdain for Amelia, and as a result, their relationship had never been good. Although they were on the same side and the Duke’s family was involved, it wouldn’t lead to open conflict. However, politically outmaneuvering him wouldn’t be easy. But Amelia seemed to have some sort of plan in mind. Bernaph debated whether to ask about it but quickly decided against it. If I ask, it’ll just give me a headache and more work, won’t it? As Bernaph kept silent, Amelia picked up another report and asked, “Is everything going smoothly with the deal involving Ghislain?” When the Actium Trading Company asked for Amelia’s permission to trade with Ghislain, she had granted it without much thought. At the time, hindering Ghislain wasn’t a priority; what mattered more was ensuring the success of the rebellion and expanding the trading company. Amelia was the kind of person who could join forces with her enemies if necessary. She had asked Bernaph about the deal casually, but he hesitated before answering. “Yes, as expected, they’re purchasing food, materials, and essential goods. However...” “However?” “They keep asking for a discount of exactly 1 gold.” “What? One gold? Not hundreds?” “Yes, just 1 gold.” “Why?” “I don’t know. They’re simply demanding a reduction of 1 gold. Every time.” “...” Amelia remained silent for a long time. Is this guy messing with me? In reality, this whole situation was something Claude orchestrated out of his own personal greed, but Amelia had no way of knowing that. Who could imagine that so many crazies had gathered in one territory? Massaging her temples in frustration, she shook her head. “Just ignore it for now. Also, send someone to the capital to get a few of Ghislain’s cosmetics.” “Huh? Why those?” “I want to try them out. I heard they’re quite effective.” Amelia had already gathered intelligence on Ghislain’s recent accomplishments and the events in the capital, including the Marquis of Branford backing him. It annoyed her just thinking about him, but she couldn’t deny that Ghislain had become a significant player, even gaining the support of a powerful noble like the Marquis. “If I had known he was so capable, I would’ve offered 200,000 gold, not 20,000. Annoying, but still, what a waste.” Her comment, laced with subtle undertones, made Bernaph feel uneasy as he asked, “Then... are you considering reopening the marriage proposal?” Amelia was the type who would get what she wanted by any means necessary. If she truly regretted losing Ghislain, she might indeed propose marriage again. Feeling a growing sense of anxiety, Bernaph waited for her answer, but Amelia simply laughed. Showing your emotions like that wasn’t easy. “No, I don’t like guys who act all high and mighty in front of me, no matter how talented they are. And besides...” Amelia’s voice softened as she continued, “There’s no need to hurt my own people over someone like him.” Upon hearing this, Bernaph’s face lit up with a wide smile. His heart raced, and his face grew hot. Even though she didn’t say it often, the phrase “my people” always made him feel special, as if it was meant just for him. Amelia sat down, holding Bastet in her arms, and poured herself a glass of wine. “What are you standing around for? Get moving. Make sure everything for the operation is flawless.” “Yes, ma’am! Understood!” With an enthusiastic salute, Bernaph exited, his face glowing with excitement. Watching him leave, Amelia shook her head. “Can he really be that happy? Oh well... What about you, Bastet?” “Meow.” Bastet rubbed its head affectionately against her, purring in satisfaction. Amelia smiled mysteriously as she savored her wine. Having trained the novice knights, Ghislain immediately began pushing Claude to speed up the next phase of their plan. Time was of the essence. “Has there been any word from the slavers? What’s going on? Did they take my money and run?” “You asked the same thing yesterday. They sent a message saying it’ll take more time. Given the cost, I assume they’re being extra cautious.” Transporting a single non-human slave required significant expenses. They were often targeted by bandits and lords alike, all hoping to make a fortune by capturing even one slave. The slavers had no choice but to take extreme precautions when transporting them. Besides, Ghislain hadn’t ordered just one or two slaves. It would take time to gather them from various branches. “That’s why I told them to gather the dwarves quickly and send them ahead. I made it clear that other slaves can be delayed if necessary.” “Well... Sigh. They pride themselves on their reputation, so I’m sure they’ll come through. It should arrive soon.” Claude, trying to keep calm, bit back his frustration and reassured Ghislain. “Send someone to check where they are and hurry them up. We don’t have time.” “Ugh, fine.” Grumbling, Claude backed off after receiving another scolding from Ghislain. “I’ll ask again tomorrow.” With a smirk, Ghislain made his way to the training grounds. Despite being the busiest person in his territory, he never skipped training whenever he had a moment. Knowing the strength of his enemies, he couldn’t afford to waste any time. Thud! “Huff, huff.” Dressed in heavy armor, Ghislain gripped his sword, panting heavily. The armor was custom-made, forged from solid steel and significantly thicker than normal, weighing hundreds of kilograms. Clank, clank. That wasn’t all. Chains wrapped around Ghislain’s body, each with heavy weights attached at the ends. For most people, it would be impossible to even move under such weight. Just breathing would be a struggle. Yet, Ghislain was practicing his swordsmanship in this state. Thud! Each step reverberated through the ground, sending deep, resounding echoes. Despite the overwhelming weight crushing him, Ghislain slowly swung his sword. Each swing was deliberate, controlled. Swinging wildly would only be self-torture. With precision, he moved his sword without the slightest tremble, focusing on even the smallest motions of his fingertips. After each move, he repeated it over and over again until it was perfect. This wasn’t a training method anyone could follow. But for Ghislain, it was just another part of his routine. Through such efforts, he had pushed beyond his talent, surpassing his limits. One more time. Crunch. Each motion brought intense pain. His muscles screamed, unable to bear the weight. Endure! Gritting his teeth, Ghislain fought through the agony. He knew that through this process of tearing and rebuilding his muscles, they would grow tougher and stronger. Thanks to the regenerative abilities he gained after his return, most wounds healed instantly. This meant that Ghislain’s body was growing stronger at an incredibly rapid pace. Of course, the more serious the injury, the more mana it consumed. But Ghislain had developed a way to manage his exhaustion by handling estate affairs during his recovery periods. Though his regeneration allowed for quick healing, Ghislain knew better than to push himself too far. He always stopped just short of total exhaustion, knowing exactly where the limits lay for optimal growth. Just a little more. The training was undeniably effective but came with unbearable pain, requiring immense mental fortitude. Every time he wanted to stop, Ghislain reminded himself why he needed to grow stronger and kept pushing forward. In his previous life, he endured all the pain for the sake of revenge. And now... His resolve to protect what was precious to him kept him going. There were countless enemies targeting him. The first and foremost among them was Harold Desmond. If he wanted to gain control of the north, a confrontation with Harold was inevitable. Harold, in turn, would come after him in his quest for dominance. Harold was undoubtedly biding his time, seething with frustration at his current inability to act. And then there was Amelia Rayfold, who surely had her sights on Ghislain as well. Amelia is a crucial wild card in the north, a double-edged sword. In terms of potential, she might be even more dangerous than Harold. But eliminating her right now wasn’t the best move. It would be counterproductive. For now, it was better to keep their enemies' eyes on her and buy some time. If you can’t eliminate her, the next best option is to use her. In his previous life, Ghislain had crushed Rayfold, and in the process, learned of Amelia’s ambitions and plans. If he played his cards right, she could be a significant asset in the future. Her downfall could come later. Besides, there are more enemies than just those two. Even if he took them out, more dangerous foes lurked in the shadows. First among them was the Duke of Delphine. The most powerful faction in the kingdom, the Duke’s family, was also an inevitable opponent for Ghislain. Raoul and Count Balzac had surely identified him as a threat. And then... there was Aiden. A fellow member of the Continent’s Seven Strongest, Aiden had once forced the Mercenary King to his death. It was only a matter of time before Aiden and the mysterious figures he referred to as “us” would come looking for Ghislain. I need to regain my former strength as soon as possible. To stand against all these enemies, Ghislain needed overwhelming power. Securing the iron mines in Count Kavaldi’s territory was merely the foundation for future battles. The stronger I become, the more lives I can protect. That’s why Ghislain couldn’t give up this grueling training. His mana technique had explosive power, but its instability limited the amount he could control. However, the poison he had ingested from the Blood Python had mitigated this drawback significantly. Now, it was time to strengthen his body to handle the resulting surges of power. “Hoo!” He swung his sword once again. He could feel his muscles tearing as he reached his limit. As much as I’d like to continue, this will have to do for today. As Ghislain set his sword down and caught his breath, his regenerative powers quickly mended the torn muscles. Even as he tried to endure the pain, he couldn’t help but miss the dedicated training space he had once used as the Mercenary King in his previous life, one he had built with the help of hired mages. Back then, they had employed a heavy gravity spell over the entire space, which stimulated every muscle in his body with far greater efficiency than what he could achieve now. I should ask Vanessa to set up a wide-area gravity spell later. After a few days of nagging Claude, tearing his muscles, sorting through paperwork, and then nagging Claude some more, the long-awaited news finally arrived. “The dwarves have arrived!”