NOVPUBWhile the knights dedicated themselves to their training, the repairs on the hot air balloon were finally completed.
Galbarik, who had to swallow his pride once, pounded his chest with confidence.
"It’s solidly reinforced now! There’s no chance of an accident this time! As long as we aren’t attacked, and some fool doesn’t start causing trouble!"
It seemed the dwarves had poured all their pride into the project, as the reinforced balloon successfully completed its test flight.
However, the hot air balloon wasn’t the only task the dwarves were given.
Ghislain immediately moved on to verify the other items. 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝔠𝔬𝖒
"What about the under armor made from Blood Python skin? That was also needed urgently."
"That’s all done. Cutting it was such a hassle that even the mages had to put in a lot of effort."
The dwarves, along with the mages, crafted garments using the Blood Python’s hide, covering vital areas like the neck, chest, arms, and legs.
Since they had to make hundreds of pieces with limited material, they focused on protecting only the critical parts instead of the entire body.
Worn under armor, this would protect most soldiers from fatal injuries.
After all, Blood Python leather is incredibly difficult to cut without using mana.
"As expected from the dwarves. The knights' armor is also ready, right?"
"We’ve filled all the shortages. Honestly, that was the easiest task."
Galbarik's tone was laced with sincerity.
Making armor really was the simplest task. It was something they’d done countless times, and they only needed to repair existing armor or produce a few more pieces.
Ghislain nodded in satisfaction. The basic equipment needed for the knights was complete.
But that didn’t mean all preparations were finished.
"Now that we know how to reinforce the balloon, we need to produce more. We don’t know when the enemy might attack. We must complete it as quickly as possible."
The dwarves arrived late, and due to some material shortages, the work had started later than Ghislain had initially planned.
Moreover, time was further consumed in reinforcing the balloon.
Schedules are managed by people, and it’s hard to make everything align perfectly.
Despite setting a tight schedule to account for delays, Ghislain was far from pleased with the current situation.
But Galbarik wasn’t happy with the timeline either.
"We’ve made something worthy of history here, can’t we rest for a bit? We’re so overworked, we’re practically dying here! Keep this up, and we’ll go on strike! Respect the workers' right to rest!"
"No can do. I’ve told you several times there’s no time. But if you meet this deadline, I’ll give you some leave."
"Leave? Really?"
Galbarik’s eyes sparkled at the mention of leave.
Having worked tirelessly without proper sleep, the thought of a break was exhilarating.
For someone who was a slave in name but worked like a real one, a break was an irresistible lure.
"How long are you offering?"
"A week. A week’s leave in our territory isn’t something that happens often."
Galbarik immediately began negotiating.
"Give us a month!"
Honestly, considering the dwarves were doing most of the work and taking on essential tasks, Ghislain was happy to nod in agreement.
"Alright, two weeks then."
"It should be three weeks!"
"I’ll give you one week."
"Why’s it going down again?"
Normally, even if not three weeks, wouldn’t he at least offer more than two? Startled by this unfamiliar negotiation tactic, Galbarik was taken aback when Ghislain added coolly:
"How about three days instead? Or better, none."
"...I’ll take the week."
Galbarik’s tone returned to one of politeness.
Securing even a week’s promise was something, even though it pained him.
‘Should’ve just taken the two weeks when he offered it.’
Even a week would be enough to catch his breath—assuming the workload didn’t increase.
Before they could tack on more tasks using the leave as an excuse, Galbarik quickly made his escape. He had Ghislain figured out entirely.
Once Galbarik was gone, Ghislain reviewed the accomplishments they’d achieved so far.
Since returning to the estate, he’d been busy, achieving a lot in a short time.
Settlers had flowed in, expanding residential areas, workshops, and farmland. Other facilities were also quickly established.
With the dwarves’ arrival, the quantity of various equipment and tools quickly increased.
The training of the knights was progressing smoothly.
Using his knowledge of the future, Ghislain had managed to accumulate wealth, and everyone had worked tirelessly, putting in everything they had.
Thanks to everyone’s combined efforts, the estate had developed at a speed multiple times faster than that of a typical estate.
But was it enough?
Ghislain shook his head.
‘It’s not enough.’
If it were any other territory, he could enjoy the growth with pride.
But for Ghislain, who faced powerful foes, such sentiments were a luxury.
Even now, his wealth was depleting rapidly, with little income from taxes.
The only significant product from Fenris territory was cosmetics. Most of what the workshops produced were war supplies, and instead of selling food, they were actually buying more.
Though the number of junior knights had increased quickly, this essentially meant that the military force comprised only a single knight order.
Compared to the grand lords who commanded thousands or tens of thousands of troops, this was nothing.
Thus, Ghislain couldn’t afford to rest.
‘There can be no mistakes. We must minimize losses.’
Fenris estate was developing at an extreme pace, making it susceptible to collapse at the slightest slip.
As Claude had pointed out, an estate in this precarious a state could hardly be considered stable.
Victory in the upcoming war was crucial.
Perfect victory, or perfect defeat.
There was no middle ground.
Without sufficient forces, victory would require a risky strategy that the enemy would never expect.
‘Preparations are almost complete. The time for battle will come soon.’
Gathering his thoughts, Ghislain stepped outside and looked at the sky.
‘It’s getting warmer.’
No one else had noticed yet, as the northern weather was known to change erratically.
But Ghislain, who had come back from the future, understood all too well what this shift in weather signaled.
Sensing the time was near, Ghislain summoned his vassals and issued new orders.
"All ongoing construction is to be halted for now."
The group exchanged puzzled glances.
After being pushed to hurry, they were now being told to stop construction, which seemed contradictory.
Instead of feeling relieved at the break, the sudden change filled them with unease, fearing what might come next.
Claude, in a cautious tone, asked:
"Why halt construction all of a sudden? We need to speed up residential building to accommodate the incoming settlers."
"I’m not calling it off completely. The dwarves will focus on balloon production, while everyone else will concentrate on expanding the canals and reservoirs."
Claude and the vassals tilted their heads in confusion.
Canals and reservoirs were essential for farming, and Ghislain had stressed their importance multiple times before, so they had prioritized these works in new farmland projects.
The canal and reservoir system was well-established, providing sufficient capacity for current production.
Claude, well-versed in the estate’s current progress, asked again:
"We’ve prepared extra reserves for unexpected disasters. We’ve also stored water in communal tanks in each village."
Ghislain shook his head.
Though he knew the future, he hadn’t directly witnessed these events in his past life.
All he had were records to go by.
Events he hadn’t directly experienced should be prepared for on a greater scale than anticipated from records alone.
"Having extra reserves won’t hurt, will it? We’ve already laid the groundwork, so expanding it shouldn’t be too hard. Assume we’ll draw from nearby rivers, and work accordingly. In fact, send funds and workers to Feridium to set up a few more."
With a few more nods, Claude withdrew.
Water management was one of an estate lord’s core responsibilities. In the harsh northern regions, it was even more critical.
Over-preparation wouldn’t hurt.
Ghislain turned to Claude again.
"What’s the current status of our food supplies? Are we still purchasing?"
Claude’s face openly displayed his weariness.
The topic of food had come up so often in meetings that even hearing the word made him nauseous.
"The storage is nearly overflowing, so we’re constantly expanding it. There’s so much surplus that even the local dogs and cats are getting fat. After this harvest, you might be dubbed the ‘Food King of the North.’"
For the estate’s people, who’d often gone hungry, finally being able to eat well boosted their morale, and they naturally praised their lord.
But Claude’s stance was less enthusiastic. Far too much money was being spent on food. At this point, it seemed wasteful.
At first, Claude had gone along with it, as it made sense to stockpile food in preparation for a siege.
But now, they had far too much. They could survive ten years in the castle just based on quantity alone—although, much of it would likely rot before then.
Even after his vassals repeatedly advised him to stop, Ghislain refused to listen, so there was little point in arguing further.
Ghislain merely nodded a few times before continuing.
"Prepare provisions for a force of three thousand. We will march soon."
Claude looked at him in disbelief.
Even with the hastily assembled knight order, the estate’s military force numbered only around 500.
Now, it was clear.
‘Our lord really doesn’t know how to do basic math!’
Meanwhile, the news that Fenris Estate was buying up food supplies on a large scale reached Harold’s ears.
“What? That brat Ghislain has been continuously purchasing food?”
“Yes, sir. It’s caused a significant increase in food prices across the North. He’s even been buying supplies brought in by trading companies from other regions.”
Hearing this, Harold couldn’t contain his laughter.
“Hahaha! What a fool! Once the harvest is over, prices will drop, and he’s too impatient to wait! Made a bit of money from runestones and cosmetics, and he’s already spending it recklessly!”
“It appears that his agricultural improvement efforts have backfired, and the yield has actually decreased. With the influx of new settlers, it seems they’re in dire need of food.”
“That’s only natural. It was a ridiculous move from the start. The outcome was entirely predictable. He’ll have to keep buying food if he doesn’t want them to starve.”
Thanks to Ghislain’s isolation of his territory, rumors about the Fenris Estate’s real production status hadn’t spread. Everyone assumed his agricultural improvements had failed.
‘Increasing crop yield is a challenge I couldn’t overcome myself, so there’s no way a rookie like him could succeed.’
Harold grinned, feeling pleased at the thought of the trouble Ghislain was in.
After a moment of consideration, he asked his aide, “How much food do we have in surplus?”
“The last war was supplied by Digald, so we still have plenty. With the upcoming harvest, we’ll have a considerable stock left over.”
“Excellent. Then, let’s sell off our surplus at a high price. Let’s make sure that arrogant brat suffers a substantial loss.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll arrange for the trading companies to sell our supplies first.”
The aide’s response made Harold smile in satisfaction.
Desmond, along with Raypold, was renowned in the North for their abundant food production.
Selling food was one of their main sources of income, so they couldn’t miss out on such a golden opportunity.
