Chapter 260: This Should Be Enough (1)
“Uh, don’t tell that’s….”
The knight, hearing Ghislain’s words, suddenly widened his eyes as if sothing had just clicked in his mind.
Though he hadn’t thought of it imdiately because he didn’t reside here, the monster wave of the Turian Kingdom was famous even in other nations.
A monster wave, as the na implied, referred to a sudden surge of monsters pouring out from the Shadow Mountains. The monsters that erupted in such waves would ravage various parts of the Turian Kingdom.
Thus, fortresses were built along their predicted paths to block their advance.
Ghislain nodded emphatically.
“Exactly. Soon, even the hidden monsters will co out in droves. There’s no need to go looking for them. We just need to get ourselves ready.”
“Ugh….”
The knights grimaced in dismay.
They had already hunted an extraordinary number of monsters while following Ghislain. Those were already grueso enough, but now they were going to face monsters swarming in packs? Just thinking about it was enough to make them faint.
However, Ghislain wore a cheerful smile.
“Isn’t it convenient that they’re coming to us to die? At tis like this, it’s all about who bags the most.”
“Yes, sir….”
Kaor, listening to the exchange, tilted his head in curiosity and asked,
“But, my lord, how do you know a monster wave is about to happen?”
It was well-known that monsters periodically descended from the mountains. However, if the ti for a wave was imminent, the people at the fortress would be frantically preparing.
Yet, everything seed as normal as ever, as if no one knew a monster wave was coming.
Ghislain answered nonchalantly.
“Because of us.”
“Excuse ?”
“We caught so many monsters. Hundreds of hunters would take months to hunt what we’ve caught in just a few days, right?”
“And you think catching many monsters will trigger a wave?”
“Exactly. That’s just how the monsters in the Shadow Mountains work.”
“…Does that even make sense?”
“That’s what I heard sowhere. Anyway, just prepare yourselves. When you catch this much, you can expect them to show up.”
Kaor looked at Ghislain with a skeptical expression. Ghislain always spouted nonsensical remarks, but the absurdity he uttered always turned out to be true, making it difficult to argue against him.
No one yet understood the true cause of the monster waves.
The Turian Kingdom had dispatched nurous investigative teams over the years to find the reason. However, each expedition only returned with heavy casualties, leading the kingdom to abandon further investigations.
Thus, when soone like Ghislain, not even from Turian, spoke as though he knew the cause, suspicion was inevitable.
Kaor concluded, ‘Hmm, this is too much thinking for . Best not to overthink it. I’m stronger when I don’t think.’
In a manner not too dissimilar from Claude, he decided to simply accept Ghislain’s absurd instructions without question.
Of course, even Ghislain didn’t know the exact cause. The mystery hadn’t been solved in his past life, so how could he possibly know? He only knew from experience that when they hunted a certain amount, the monsters inevitably sward. For now, that was enough.
“All of you, take so rest and inspect your equipnt. We need to be in top condition for the battle.”
The knights spent their unexpected personal maintenance ti gloomily. The thought of potentially fighting more monsters than they ever had before was already exhausting.
“Let’s check on the supplies in the warehouse. Kaor, co with .”
Leaving the knights behind, Ghislain and Kaor road the fortress.
Initially, Ghislain, as the leader of their group, had been the focus of both wariness and admiration. But ever since he defeated Doncard, it was Kaor who drew the overwhelming attention.
“Hey! Redhead! You’re incredible!”
“To think you beat Doncard! You’re now the strongest in this fortress!”
“Let’s go hunting together soti!”
Wherever they passed, cheers and praises rained down upon them.
At first, Kaor appeared bewildered by all the attention. But soon, a smug smile spread across his face, and he ran his fingers through his hair.
“Whew… so I really am the strongest, huh?”
On reflection, it seed only natural that he deserved such recognition. He’d rely forgotten his worth while staying in that strange estate with peculiar people.
For a brief mont, the mory of the airship crash surfaced in his mind, but he shook his head and tried to forget. The unpleasant image of Alfoi’s face that ca to mind irritated him further.
Ghislain, staying slightly behind, allowed Kaor to bask in the spotlight.
‘He’s really enjoying himself. He’ll adapt well here.’
Kaor would remain at the fortress for the foreseeable future, hunting monsters and sending the hides and other materials back to the estate.
To accomplish his goals, it was crucial for Kaor to make his presence known. Building influence and establishing himself as a leader would make life in the fortress much easier.
That’s why Ghislain had deliberately arranged for Kaor to face Doncard, giving him a chance to stand out and gain recognition.
Kaor revelled in the attention. Everyone looked at him with admiration, as if he were soone extraordinary.
‘This feels amazing. Completely different from when I was at the estate. I want to stay here forever.’
He felt like he’d been wasting his life before this mont, as if he had been cheated. His self-esteem surged. Those at the estate were simply extraordinary; he wasn’t lacking at all.
Ghislain leisurely wandered around the fortress. Checking the warehouse had only been an excuse. His real goal was to help spread Kaor’s fa even further.
‘I’ll make him the most well-known person in this fortress.’
Even those who hadn’t witnessed Kaor’s battle against Doncard were bound to hear about it from the noisy chatter of others, ensuring his na and face beca widely recognized.
After so ti, as the two wandered about, the crowd around them suddenly began to murmur and discreetly stepped back.
Soon, a group approached Kaor. Judging by their attire, they were hunters.
Kaor gave them a once-over, sizing them up. So of their faces were familiar. They had been part of Doncard’s crew who had previously mocked him.
“Well, well. Look who it is. You jerks mocked last ti, didn’t you? Today’s your last day alive. Bite down hard!”
Kaor growled and stepped forward, but the lead hunter frantically waved his hands.
“No, no! We didn’t co here to fight!”
“Well, I’m fighting. Because you insulted . Do you know the greatest cri in the world?”
“W-what is it?”
“Hurting my feelings. Die.”
Before Kaor could throw a punch, Ghislain grabbed his arm.
“Why? I’m the boss, aren’t I?”
“Listen to what they have to say first.”
Kaor pouted but reluctantly lowered his fist.
‘This isn’t because I’m afraid of the lord! A good leader listens to his subordinates, that’s all!’
Ghislain could see through Kaor’s thoughts and clicked his tongue. Taking the initiative, he stepped forward and asked, “What is it?”
“Well, uh….”
The hunter hesitated, glancing back and forth between Ghislain and Kaor. It was a bit unclear who the party’s leader was.
Still, it had been Ghislain who initially led the group. Gritting his teeth, the hunter finally addressed him.
“Can we join your group?”
“Join us?”
“Y-yeah. We could keep hunting on our own, but it feels like we need a central figure….”
“Hmm….”
Ghislain gave a nonchalant response, prompting the hunter to hurriedly elaborate.
“With Doncard gone, our party is falling apart. Wouldn’t it be better if you absorbed us? Having more allies here wouldn’t be a bad thing.”
Most hunters ford groups to hunt. The sheer number of monsters made it too dangerous for small teams.
Of course, there were solo hunters, and in a place as crowded as the fortress, so only joined parties when necessary. However, forming a steady group and organizing large-scale hunts was far more advantageous.
Doncard had been the leader of the largest group in the fortress. With his death, the hunters who had followed him were left in a precarious position.
Kaor stepped forward again. “So, you’re saying you want to beco my subordinates?”
“Uh, no… not subordinates, just hunting companions….”
“Sounds like subordinates to .”
“…I guess it could look that way.”
In truth, they had been Doncard’s subordinates. Officially, they were “companions,” but hierarchy always existed, even in informal groups.
Kaor nodded decisively. “Fine, I’ll accept you as my—”
Smack!
Ghislain slapped the back of Kaor’s head before he could finish.
“Ow! Why’d you hit ? I’m the boss, rember!”
“Tut-tut, that’s not how you handle this.”
“Then how should I handle it?”
“Watch and learn for now. Hey, how many of you are left?”
The hunter paused to think before replying.
“If you include those still deciding, maybe about 100. The rest have already joined other groups or decided not to join a party at all.”
“Alright, then bring everyone who wants to join over. I’ll be waiting at the inn. Spread the word—anyone who wants to join is welco. The more, the rrier. We won’t turn anyone away.”
‘There is strength in numbers as well’
Ghislain hadn’t said he wouldn’t hold deserters accountable. However, the hunters who didn’t know him well nodded eagerly with bright expressions.
“Y-yeah. I’ll bring as many as I can.”
The more party mbers there were, the safer the hunts would be. Of course, it also ant that each individual’s share would be smaller.
It was natural for those with better skills and higher contributions to take a bigger portion of the spoils.
However, Ghislain’s party was different. Their hunting speed was astonishing, and despite that, there were hardly any severe injuries or deaths. If the individual mbers weren’t highly skilled, such results would be impossible.
These were facts the hunters had already witnessed firsthand. They figured they’d make a decent living just by joining and participating in so hunts.
Soon, news spread, and hunters sward Ghislain’s inn.
“Let us join! I’m a great cook!”
“I know every inch of this terrain!”
“With my skills, I’ll be a big help!”
Around 200 hunters gathered, their chatter and self-promotions filling the inn with noise.
Sitting at the central table, Ghislain pulled out a stack of docunts and declared, “I’ll accept every single one of you. Don’t worry, just line up. Let’s start signing these contracts.”
“Straightforward and bold! I like it! Let’s do this!”
Hunters were no strangers to contracts. Such docunts were common to prevent disputes during the distribution of loot after hunts.
Still, contracts in lawless zones were often a farce. Who would truly adhere to the terms in a place where strength dictated everything?
Typically, problems were settled by force, regardless of what the paperwork said.
Unaware of Ghislain’s fondness for solving things with overwhelming power, the hunters dismissed the contracts as a formality.
“Wow, the terms are amazing!”
“As impressive as their hunting skills!”
“Must be because they’re earning so much. What generosity!”
The hunters smiled broadly as they read through the terms of the contract.
There was no distribution based on individual contributions. Instead, the share given to each mber was far more generous than other parties offered.
According to the contract, all materials except hides and tendons would be divided equally. It essentially ant they could slack off and still make money.
Given the hunting speed Ghislain’s party had shown so far, it seed like a quick and lucrative opportunity.
However, so terms stood out as peculiar.
“A 30-year contract?”
“Participation in battles outside the fortress upon demand?”
“Imdiate execution if you run away? And if you want to terminate the contract, you have to return everything you’ve earned so far?”
It wasn’t like typical contracts between hunters. Specifying a fixed duration felt like forced conscription.
One of the hunters hesitated before asking, “Do we really need a set term? Hunters co together and split up as needed. That’s what happened with Doncard’s group after he died, isn’t it?”
Ghislain responded with a benevolent smile, “It’s about sticking together for the long haul. But I can add a clause—if I die, the contract becos void. Also, I’ll be leaving here in a few days. When I’m gone, Kaor here will be your leader. Make sure to follow him.”
The hunters exchanged sly glances. In other words, they only needed to kill this man to void the contract at any ti. Alternatively, they could stage an “accident” for Kaor while Ghislain was away.
This effectively rendered the contract duration aningless. They could reap the benefits and leave whenever it suited them.
“Alright, let’s sign already!” one hunter exclaid enthusiastically, prompting the others to rush forward to sign as well.
anwhile, the Fenris knights watching this scene clenched their jaws.
‘Poor bastards….’
‘They really think they can kill the lord?’
‘Eventually, they’ll all be dragged back to the estate.’
Even after Ghislain left, Kaor and the knights would remain. The hunters wouldn’t find it so easy to escape.
Once the contracts were finalized, Ghislain generously handed out advances.
“Here, use this to take a few days off and rest. I’ve got plenty of money.”
“Woooahhh!”
Before even going on a hunt, the hunters were flush with cash from Ghislain. Without hesitation, they flocked to the fortress’s entertainnt district, drinking and partying.
This behavior was similar to that of rcenaries. Hunters, always aware they could die at any ti, lived for the mont and celebrated without restraint.
As word spread that Ghislain was handing out money, more hunters ca daily, eager to sign contracts. Before long, over 300 hunters had pledged themselves to him.
It was a significant number achieved in a surprisingly short ti. Watching the hunters squander their money on nightly celebrations, Ghislain smiled.
“Good. With numbers like this, it’ll be more than enough to have them all leap off the walls together.”
Monsters were best fought head-on.
That was Ghislain’s creed.
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