NOVEL NEXT Chapter 661
“For justice!”
Everyone gasped at Ghislaine’s suggestion.
30% of the gold mine’s profits? That’s basically saying they’re going to milk it forever!
Yulien and Deneb stared blankly, chuckling nervously.
‘The generosity is no joke.’
‘They’re on a whole different level from us.’
Kyle and Dark nodded in agreement.
‘We’ve picked up a valuable lesson.’
‘The master is truly a master.’
Rio swallowed hard.
If Ghislaine was right, they wouldn’t have to pay 30,000 gold right away, but in the long run, they’d end up paying way more. Forever, to be precise.
Sure, the terms were excessive, but it wasn’t something they could flat-out reject in a crisis. The real issue lay elsewhere.
Seeing Rio deep in thought, Ghislaine grinned casually.
“If you don’t want to, I can just leave.”
“Oh, no. It’s just there are complications with that…”
“What kind of complications?”
“I was planning to give up the mine. The priority is saving the family and the merchant group. But if you want the mine’s profits…”
Rio trailed off. Making that promise would mean he couldn’t afford to give up the mine.
So he proposed different terms.
“How about you take 30% of our merchant group instead? It might be better to hand over the mine to the lord.”
Rio wasn’t keen on being overly greedy. If they lost, they’d lose everything. He had to bet everything on Ghislaine.
Ghislaine chuckled and nodded. He’d already figured out that the Rax Merchant Group was planning to forfeit the mine from their previous talks.
He had been waiting for Rio to propose such terms.
“Understood. But how about we tweak the wording a bit?”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s say everything belongs to House Rax instead of the Rax Merchant Group. If we use the name of the merchant group, it might lead to avoiding contracts by just changing names.”
Rio readily nodded. For him, it was pretty much the same condition. Most of the assets belonging to House Rax came from the merchant group anyway.
That was Ghislaine’s clever maneuver.
“Alright. Let’s do that, then shall we draft up the contract?”
“Don’t you need the lord’s approval?”
“No, my father is already in poor health, and this shock has made it hard for him to move. I have full authority delegated to me.”
If his father opposed it, Rio would have pushed through anyway. It was better than losing everything.
Right now, survival of the family and the merchant group took precedence over small profits.
The contract was swiftly set in place. Now Ghislaine just needed to win the duel against the great warrior.
The three looked at Ghislaine in awe.
‘I can’t believe he managed to negotiate that.’
‘Is this even allowed?’
‘Getting 30% for a lifetime; that amount will be staggering.’
Even while signing the contract, Rio inexplicably felt chills down his spine.
‘Why… does it feel like I’m making a deal with a demon?’
It had the vibe of saving the family at the cost of his soul, perhaps?
But Rio shook his head to clear those thoughts. The people who knew his situation and were willing to help were only these folks.
Misunderstanding such a kind person as a demon was a reflection of his own ungrateful heart.
After the contract was finalized, Ghislaine smiled brightly and said,
“By the way… if things go well, we’ll be seeing each other a lot in the future. How about we be a little more comfortable?”
“Huh?”
“You can think of me as your older brother.”
“Older… brother?”
Rio looked at Ghislaine suspiciously.
Astion, being the mage he was, rarely saw sunlight and looked quite youthful due to his smaller stature.
So it was only natural for one to think Rio was the older sibling.
If Yulien, Deneb, or Kyle had said it, he’d have accepted them as they looked closer in age.
But Ghislaine, with a shameless confidence, said,
“That’s because I’m a mage. In reality, I’m quite older.”
“O-oh, is that so?”
“So think of me like an older brother. Let’s be at ease with each other.”
Who would dare refuse such a plea? Ghislaine held the lifeline of the family.
With a face as gentle as he looked, obedient Rio nodded without hesitation.
“Understood. In a way, you’re a benefactor who reached out during the family crisis. I’ll recognize Astion as my elder brother.”
Ghislaine was using Astion’s name publicly for later recognition.
Pleased that Rio accepted his proposal, Ghislaine smiled.
“Great! Let’s get along well from now on.”
He genuinely intended to befriend Rio since he planned to reap the benefits from him… no, help him for a long time to come.
Ghislaine was even planning a massive gift for the kind-hearted Rio.
A truly astonishing and faint-inducing gift.
Now, all that was left was to wait for the duel date. With the contract in hand, Ghislaine chuckled, hearing Astion’s voice echo in his head.
– You… what scheming are you up to now?
‘Oh, you woke up?’
– Right… what’s going on? Why did you make that contract?
Astion had just awakened and was oblivious to the current situation.
Ghislaine candidly explained everything. Astion was flabbergasted.
– W-what do you mean?
‘I came to help get a massive reward. If we win, we can rake in a whopping 30% of all profits from House Rax, isn’t that a great deal?’
– You idiot! That’ll make an enemy of the lord! He won’t just sit back!
‘I know.’
– You know, and still…? They aren’t ready for this kind of burden!
‘Don’t worry; I’ve got it all handled. There’s no need to fret. House Rax will become an endless money stream and a great supporter for our mercenary group.’
– Ughhh…
Astion was going crazy. After going to the trouble of helping his friends grow stronger, he was now pulling this reckless stunt!
This wasn’t the time to take unnecessary risks to create powerful enemies!
– Baron Magrell is the absolute ruler of this region!
At that, Ghislaine couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
‘Pfft! Absolute ruler, huh!’
Dark, who had been listening, joined in the laughter.
‘Master! They’re too cute! Baron Delphine would have fainted!’ Ha ha ha!’
Astion was bewildered by their reactions.
– Why are you laughing? What’s so funny about this?
‘He’s just the lord of a small barony. Isn’t calling him an absolute ruler a bit over the top?’
– Come on! He’s a lord! You think those kids have the ability to stand up against him?
‘Oh, don’t worry. I’ve handled nobles like him before.’
Ghislaine, having fought kingdoms and caused chaos across continents, didn’t see any reason to fear the lord of a small barony.
But Astion, not knowing who he was up against, was getting more agitated.
– He can’t even use magic! Teach me at least some local magic spells!
Astion was a 5th Circle mage. He could easily run away from soldiers of a small barony with his friends. That’s just how powerful a 5th Circle mage was.
The problem was that Ghislaine couldn’t use magic at all.
Ghislaine said defiantly.
‘Not necessary. 5th Circle magic is too weak.’
– W-what?!
‘Why should I go through the trouble of studying something weak? I’d consider learning 9th Circle magic.’
– You idiot! How is 9th Circle magic a joke? Have you ever seen 9th Circle magic?
‘I have.’
He nearly died from the 9th Circle magic used by a dragon. Thinking about fighting Asterion made him recall Alfoy.
‘Well, 5th Circle magic isn’t that weak. A 5th Circle mage can block 9th Circle magic from a dragon, though preparation is needed.’
– Please stop talking nonsense! How can 5th Circle block 9th Circle magic from a dragon?
‘Hah, you’re frustrating. Alfoy can do it!’
– Who the hell is Alfoy! Stop saying crazy stuff!
Astion kept babbling, but Ghislaine merely ignored him. After a while, Astion gave up and fell silent again.
– Ugh… if things get dangerous, just call me.
‘Huh? What do you mean? Didn’t you just say it’s hard to stay awake?’
– I mean it literally. Now I can wake up momentarily if you call me.
‘Is that even possible?’
– I was working on expanding my mental world. Your consciousness was too big for us to be together… since Dark is with us too…
‘Ah. So you’re not just any ordinary guy.’
Ghislaine marveled at how cunning Astion’s smile was.
Expanding one’s mental world was no small feat. Ghislaine had also gone through numerous experiences to build his own.
Thanks to expanding his mental world, he could easily accept Dark’s consciousness.
But Astion was still inexperienced. That’s why he couldn’t handle Ghislaine’s vast consciousness.
However, it seemed he had found a way to work around it on his own.
Astion continued with a faint voice.
– I can’t stay awake long. I still need to expand my mental world to handle you… But I can advise you if you wake me up in times of need.
It was like he was forcing himself to meditate, but for a mage, it was crucial. The path to becoming a transcendental being depended on how well they understood the laws of the world.
‘Alright. I’ll call you whenever I need guidance.’
– Just let me rest for now, and if you find yourself in danger, definitely call me. Got it?
‘Sure, don’t worry. Just take it easy. As for magic… I was thinking about learning convenience spells later, but I’m too busy right now.’
– Ugh… how did I end up with a reckless brat like you…
Astion grumbled a few more times before falling back asleep. He seemed focused on expanding his mental world for the time being.
As the conversation wrapped up, Rio cautiously asked,
“A-are you okay?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I mean, you seem a bit in pain right now…”
Concern clouded Rio’s face.
Ghislaine suddenly chuckled to himself, shaking his head a few times, as if he were conversing with someone unseen.
It looked quite concerning from the outside. If the one going into the duel lost his cool, that would be quite troublesome.
Observing Rio’s jittery expression, Ghislaine smirked.
“I’m fine, so don’t worry.”
‘I guess I’ll need to be a bit more careful from now on.’
Indeed, he seemed rather disheveled in front of others.
After that, there hadn’t been any need to call Astion. Being treated extraordinary at the Rax Merchant Group finally led to the duel day approaching.
The duel location was explicitly set at the Rax Merchant Group’s headquarters as per Baron Magrell’s insistence. It was clear he wanted to showcase the duel to the group.
“The Lord is here! The Lord has arrived!”
A few people shouted loudly. Rio, accompanied by Ghislaine’s party, walked slowly forward, his face clearly showing signs of tension.
Baron Magrell was an older gentleman. One could see his greed etched on his face from the life he had lived.
He was accompanied by several knights and dozens of soldiers. That was enough to intimidate everyone in the merchant group.
Baron Magrell sneered at Rio, whose face was frozen in tension.
“I must commend you for not running away. I heard you’ve found a great warrior to fight for you?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
Timid Rio couldn’t even look the lord in the eye and kept his head down. His body had started to tremble.
The smirk on Baron Magrell’s face widened, as if the outcome was already predetermined.
‘He’s been a thorn in my side, and now it’s all working out perfectly.’
He had let things slide a bit since they paid a hefty amount in taxes. However, he wanted to seize control of the Rax Merchant Group badly.
When part of the gold mine became the merchant’s property, he could no longer hold back. That’s when he coerced the chief officer of the group.
The task was surprisingly easy. After promising a handsome reward, the chief officer betrayed the group.
‘Well, I’ll have to deal with that fool later too.’
Having someone who knew such secrets alive wouldn’t help anyone, even if everyone already suspected it was common knowledge.
Soon, a large crowd gathered at the open space. There were spectators and nobles from the neighboring territories who came to oversee the duel.
None doubt the Baron Magrell’s victory; they were merely there to socialize and enjoy the feast.
As the crowd settled, one of the baron’s followers declared,
“To the indomitable sword and the unbreakable pledge! As a knight fighting for pride and the honor of the Lord…”
The follower went on to draw out the introduction of someone, as the side that challenged had to send out their champion first.
Finally, when the long-winded introduction ended, an armored knight stepped forward.
Thud, thud, thud.
With heavy steps, it was none other than Bendock, the finest knight of Baron Magrell’s territory. His menacing appearance loomed large over all.
“Who dares fight me?”
Bendock’s rough voice boomed. The harshness of his exterior surprisingly matched his tone.
Truly, his presence warranted the title of the best knight of the barony. Most spectators felt intimidated and lowered their gazes under his fierce aura.
Rio, trembling, looked at Ghislaine. Yulien, Deneb, and Kyle also turned toward him, thinking he would be the one to step forward.
However, Ghislaine had no intention of stepping into such an easy(?) battle.
He called out loudly towards Bendock.
“Our Yulien Mercenary Group’s leader! Yulien shall take you on!”
And Ghislaine stretched out his hand as if introducing Yulien.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Yulien.
“Huh?”
In the unexpected situation, Yulien blinked in surprise.