Whoosh! Gillian’s axe was inches away from the knight’s neck, poised to deliver a fatal blow. But just before the axe could slice through, a voice rang out. “Wait.” Ghislain’s calm command echoed through the air, and the axe halted in mid-swing. Drip, drip... Though the axe had stopped just short, the knight's neck had already been slightly cut, and blood began dripping onto the ground. “Hah, hah!” The knight, still kneeling, gasped for air, his mind racing in panic. ‘They’re insane!’ If Ghislain hadn’t intervened, he knew he would’ve been decapitated on the spot. His entire body trembled as he watched his own blood stain the ground. ‘What is happening...?’ He couldn’t comprehend the situation at all. Up until now, Ghislain had always been a nuisance, sure, but never truly frightening. But now? Now he felt terrifying. ‘This... this power...’ The knight could sense it clearly—an overwhelming authority emanated from Ghislain. And the mercenaries, those once rowdy and uncontrollable men, seemed ready to give their lives for him. ‘This isn’t the same man... What happened to him?’ This was the same heir who had once been ridiculed and disrespected, unable to command even the lowest of soldiers. But now, these rough mercenaries were fiercely loyal to him, willing to die at his command. Clomp, clomp. Ghislain approached the knight with a relaxed, casual gait. As he drew closer, the soldiers around the knight, feeling the palpable tension, dropped their weapons and knelt. Even those who had once looked down on Ghislain were now bowing their heads in submission, completely overtaken by the atmosphere. “We almost had a real mess here, huh? Scared you, didn’t I?” Ghislain smiled as he reached out and helped the knight to his feet, casually brushing off the man's shoulder. “Our boys can be a bit rough. They’ve been through a lot, so you’ll have to excuse them. But from now on, let’s all try to get along, yeah?” “Y-yes, of course.” Ghislain’s meaning was clear: don’t cross me again. ‘He should get the message.’ There would undoubtedly be more confrontations in the future, but for now, this was enough. Ghislain had made his point. “Well, it seems my father has summoned me, and as a dutiful son, I should go see him. Will you be tying me up? I’m not really into that sort of thing.” Ghislain extended his arms mockingly, but the knight quickly shook his head. The original plan had been to tie him up and drag him back in disgrace, but after what had just transpired, the knight didn’t have the nerve to follow through. The mercenaries’ sharp glares made it clear: any wrong move, and they would be happy to settle things right here. “That’s good. I’m not fond of being bound.” Ghislain smiled. “Once we’re there, make sure my mercenaries are given a place to rest. Also, make arrangements for Belinda—she’s suffered internal injuries and needs immediate treatment.” The knight glanced over at Belinda, still unconscious on the cart, then nodded quickly. “Yes, understood. I will see to it at once.” With a wave of his hand, the knight signaled a few soldiers to take Belinda’s cart and hurry her away. Soon, the knight led the way as the soldiers formed a protective ring around Ghislain. The mercenaries, now more relaxed, followed behind, their earlier deadly intensity fading. As they exited the forest, they were met by a large gathering of workers and villagers. Word had spread quickly through the soldiers that the lord had ordered the arrest of his son, and now a crowd had gathered to see what was happening. The murmurs grew louder as Ghislain and his group approached. “What’s going on? Did the heir cause more trouble?” “They say the lord told him not to enter the Forest of Beasts, but he went in anyway.” “Look at them. There’s barely half of them left.” “They probably all died in there. What was he thinking, trying to clear the forest?” “Is that... is that a monster carcass? And stones? What could they have possibly gone in for?” As more onlookers gathered, their whispers became louder. Many were shocked by the number of mercenaries who hadn’t returned and assumed the expedition had been a failure. Some pitied the men who had returned alive, while others seemed to relish the thought of Ghislain finally facing his father’s wrath. Walking alongside the knight, Ghislain turned and casually asked, “By the way, where’s Skoban? Is he on leave or something?” “...Skoban has been imprisoned for filing a false report to the lord. He’s expected to be stripped of his knighthood soon.” “Ah, that’s unfortunate. A shame it wasn’t just a vacation. Looks like he’s being punished because of me.” The knight bit his lip, barely suppressing his frustration at Ghislain’s flippant attitude. Skoban had been the one who filed a false report to buy time for Ghislain and his mercenaries. It was never something that could have been hidden forever, and now the knight was facing severe consequences for his actions. Ghislain nodded and continued toward the castle, his tattered appearance drawing even more attention from the crowd. Despite his worn and dirty appearance, he walked with confidence, unbothered by the whispers and stares. After giving some final instructions to Gillian, Ghislain strode boldly into the grand hall, pushing the doors open. Boom! As he entered, he saw that nearly all the advisors were present, waiting for him. Their expressions soured as they took in the sight of Ghislain, covered in dirt and looking every bit the part of a ragged survivor. But right now, his appearance wasn’t their main concern. Something far bigger was at stake. “I’ve returned, Father.” Ghislain spoke calmly, but Zubaltor didn’t respond, his face etched with fury. He stared at Ghislain for what felt like an eternity before speaking in a low, simmering voice. “I told you not to attempt to clear the Forest of Beasts.” “I apologize, Father. But I believed it was necessary.” Before Ghislain could say anything more, a few advisors stepped forward, their voices loud with accusation. “Defying the lord’s orders is a serious crime! What were you thinking, disobeying such a direct command?” “What if monsters had attacked us? Do you realize the danger you put the entire estate in?” “Not only that, but you convinced one of our knights to lie to the lord! Do you even understand what you’ve done?” The accusations piled up, each one growing more heated, until Zubaltor finally raised his hand, silencing them. “Disobeying my orders is punishable by death. It’s true you should face judgment for that. But...” His voice grew even colder as his eyes bore into Ghislain. “What in the world have you been doing?” Ghislain tilted his head slightly, not quite understanding. His father didn’t seem to be talking about the Forest of Beasts. ‘It doesn’t seem like he’s asking about that.’ The punishment for defying the order was expected, but there was something else here. Something bigger. After a moment of thought, Ghislain spoke. “I’m not sure what you mean, Father.” One of the advisors, Homern, stepped forward, shouting furiously. “A few days ago, a messenger arrived from the Rayfold estate! They announced they are cutting off all support to the Ferdium estate, and it’s all because of you!” Ghislain furrowed his brow slightly and asked, “And the reason?” “Apparently, you visited Lady Amelia and took 20,000 gold coins under the pretense of estate support. When Count Rayfold found out, he was furious! He has called off the engagement and severed all ties with us. And you took the money in advance!” Homern’s face was red with anger, but Ghislain simply smiled in admiration. Amelia had been secretly building her own trade network, a secret that couldn’t be revealed. That’s why she had given the 20,000 gold without hesitation—she couldn’t afford for Ghislain to expose her plans. But for her to publicize the matter now? 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂 ‘Amelia, you’re sharper than I thought.’ She must have already taken all the necessary precautions. By now, she likely no longer cared about the rumors or consequences. Instead, she had used the situation to retaliate against Ghislain. Rayfold had every reason to cut off support now, with Amelia offering the perfect excuse. Homern’s rant continued, but Ghislain remained silent, lost in thought. “What were you thinking?! Answer me!” Homern shouted, his rage boiling over. Finally, Albert, the treasurer, spoke up in a cold, calculating voice. “Even with reduced support, Rayfold was our largest benefactor. Without their funds, this estate won’t survive.” Still, Ghislain remained quiet, his mind working through the implications. Unable to take it any longer, Randolph let out an animalistic cry. “Argh! You bastard! Don’t stop me today! I’ll break his damn spine right here!” Randolph rushed forward, only to be held back by the other advisors and soldiers. The advisors were now shouting over one another, filled with rage and frustration. “This is a serious crime! If it were anyone else, they would have been executed already!” “You said you were going to save the estate by clearing the Forest of Beasts, but you’re the one who’s driving us into ruin!” Their anger was palpable, but to them, the real issue wasn’t the Forest of Beasts anymore. The fact that Ghislain had survived the dangerous expedition and returned was no longer the focal point. The true disaster was the loss of support from Rayfold, which meant the collapse of their already fragile estate. ‘Amelia sure knows how to strangle people with money,’ Ghislain thought bitterly to himself, watching the panic spread across the room. The advisors’ faces were mixed with anger and desperation, realizing that without the funds, the estate was on the brink of ruin. Meanwhile, Homern, flushed with fury, glanced at Zubaltor, hoping for decisive action. “My lord! We must send Ghislain to Rayfold immediately to apologize. If not, we’re all finished! This man is no longer the heir—he’s a criminal! We should imprison him at once!” Homern’s voice cracked as his emotions spilled out, unable to contain his frustration any longer. Even Zubaltor, sitting quietly at the head of the room, struggled with the weight of the situation. He had never faced a crisis of this magnitude. “What am I going to do with you...” Zubaltor muttered, his voice heavy. Ghislain looked around at the gathered nobles, seeing the frustration etched on their faces, the helplessness in their postures. He had anticipated this reaction. After a long silence, Zubaltor finally spoke. “Is this true? Did you take the money from Rayfold?” “It’s true,” Ghislain answered, not even attempting to justify his actions. Zubaltor clenched his jaw in disappointment. He felt the weight of his son’s disobedience like a boulder pressing down on him. If it were anyone else, he would have already ordered their execution for such a crime. ‘I should have been stricter with him from the start,’ Zubaltor lamented, feeling the burden of his failures as a father. Homern couldn’t stand the silence anymore. “He’s no longer fit to be the heir! Kneel and beg for your life!” But Ghislain, his tone calm and even, simply said, “My knees aren’t in the best shape these days. And honestly, I don’t think my actions were as bad as you’re making them out to be.” The room fell silent again. Homern, red-faced and shaking with fury, shouted, “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?!” “I know perfectly well. I was the one who did it.” Homern was about to lose control when suddenly Ghislain raised his hand and snapped his fingers. “Bring it in.” At Ghislain’s signal, the doors opened, and Gillian entered carrying a large chest. Thud! The chest was placed in the center of the room with a heavy thump. Ghislain smiled playfully as he placed a hand on the chest. “Now, watch carefully. This is what you call an investment.” With a flourish, Ghislain threw open the lid of the chest. Instantly, a brilliant blue light filled the room. Everyone’s eyes widened in shock.