NOVPUBWhile the dwarves were engrossed in their research, Ghislain reviewed his plans and assessed the state of the domain.
Thanks to the construction of several refineries, they were producing an enormous amount of iron ingots. However, they were still holding off on mass-producing weapons and tools.
The plan was to start production only after successfully developing the new alloy.
*“Once we succeed, everything will change.”*
The alloy would have the same strength as steel but weigh half as much.
If they could replace all iron-based items with this new material, it would revolutionize not only the military but also everyday life for the people.
*“We have enough iron ore. Once we begin large-scale production, equipping all the domain’s residents within a year shouldn’t be difficult. But we’re still lacking many other resources.”*
Building refineries and forges wasn’t enough. The territory had expanded rapidly, and the population had surged.
Trying to bring everything up to Ghislain’s standards in such a short time wasn’t without its challenges.
*“Every land we took over is in a chaotic state...”*
In the Cabaldi region, they needed to establish at least some essential facilities, like self-sustaining farms and housing.
But resources were still a concern. Food and iron alone couldn’t cover everything.
*“It’s about time to lift the blockade and start focusing on trade. I’ll have to consider reaching out beyond the kingdom as well.”*
In the end, they would need to acquire resources through trade to stabilize the economy of the domain, which had been developing in a lopsided manner.
While Ghislain was busy revisiting his plans and preparing for domain development, Claude came running in, breathless.
The moment Ghislain saw him, he recoiled in exasperation. 𝘯𝑜𝘷𝘱𝘶𝘣.𝘤𝘰𝑚
“What is it now? What went wrong this time?”
“I haven’t even said anything yet.”
“Every time you show up, something goes wrong. You’re like a walking disaster.”
Claude looked at him, indignant.
“I’m not the one causing the problems. I’m here because issues arise, most of which stem from your ambitious plans.”
“Fine, fine. What is it this time?”
“It’s not a problem... The elf slaves we were waiting for have finally arrived.”
“Oh! They’ve arrived?”
Ghislain jumped up, suddenly excited. Truthfully, he’d been so busy with the domain’s stabilization and development that he’d almost forgotten about them.
Without hesitation, he hurried over to meet the slaver.
Upon seeing Ghislain, the slaver greeted him with an over-the-top, formal bow, placing a hand over his heart and beginning his praise.
“Oh! Noble son of the northern frontier, heir of the revered Zvalter Ferdium, ruler and protector of Fenris, invincible victor, enactor of the goddess’s will, respected for your wisdom and lofty virtues, the one and only Baron of Fenris!”
“....”
A hush fell over the surroundings, as his greeting was far more excessive than usual.
It was clear he was trying to flatter Ghislain with all his might.
Ghislain looked at the slaver with a wry smile and asked quietly, “Things tough for you these days?”
“...Yes.”
“You’re making money, so what’s so difficult?”
“Would it be possible... to pay me in food instead of gold?”
Ghislain chuckled knowingly. He understood the request well enough.
The slaver currently before him was the representative of the slave traders introduced by Marquis Branford, who ran one of the largest slave trading organizations in the kingdom. Given his vast household and many slaves to feed, it must have been difficult to sustain them all in such hard times.
This was an opportunity Ghislain wouldn’t miss. He was known to be exceptionally frugal when he could be.
“Sure, I’ll pay in food. But only half the agreed amount.”
“Pardon?”
“You’ll get food worth only half the agreed amount. If you don’t like it, take the gold as planned. I was going to offer only 30%, but I figured I’d be lenient to keep your slaves from starving. I can be quite generous.”
“Ugh...”
The slaver looked like he was about to cry.
Elf slaves commanded an enormous price. He’d brought over 200 of them this time, and selling them at half price would mean a massive loss.
But he had no choice. Food had become as rare as gold these days.
“Fine... I’ll accept.”
The slaver reluctantly agreed, understanding that half the payment would be enough to get by this year.
Ghislain patted the slaver’s shoulder.
“Good decision. Remember I told you I’d have a surprise for you soon?”
“Yes... When I heard about the war, I thought it was the end, but I was shocked to hear of your victory. The knights didn’t seem in good shape before...”
“Then heed my words in the future. Now, where are the elves?”
“They’re waiting in the temporary barracks outside the castle. I’ve handed their records over to the administrative officer.”
Claude handed Ghislain a document, detailing the elves’ purchase price and personal information.
Ghislain skimmed through it and nodded.
“Good. Then, Claude, go ahead and guide the elves to their quarters and see to their immediate needs. I’ll finish up here and join you shortly.”
“Yes, sir.”
With that, the slaver and his men began moving the carts filled with food toward the granaries.
Even with the half-price payment, the food quantity was enormous, given the elves’ high cost.
Ghislain meticulously checked the amount of food. Normally, he might have let it slide, but since this payment was significant, he was thorough.
Seeing this, the slaver began to sweat nervously.
*“What kind of lord checks every last detail himself? Guess he’ll do anything to avoid getting swindled.”*
The slaver, who had intended to slip a bit more food onto the carts, quickly abandoned the idea. With Ghislain’s hawk-like gaze, he knew he couldn’t get away with it.
This scrutiny prompted another concern in his mind.
“Excuse me... Lord, have you ever purchased elf slaves before?”
Ghislain tilted his head briefly before answering.
“No, this is my first time.”
“So, uh... you haven’t spent much time around them either, I take it?”
“I suppose you could say that... Though I have met some elves before.”
In his past life, Ghislain had known a few elves quite well. But they had been comrades in arms, fighting against the cataclysm, not slaves.
The only elf slaves he’d seen had been performers brought out during his time as a mercenary king, and he’d had no real interest in them.
Seeing Ghislain’s response, the slaver gave him a cautious look and said, “Well then... I’ve received payment, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Why don’t you stay and rest for a day? You must be tired.”
“Oh, no, I’m too busy. I’ll be back sooner next time.”
The additional slaves Ghislain had requested included some skilled workers and general laborers to boost the population, and acquiring them was relatively easy compared to non-human slaves.
Ghislain nodded as he watched the slaver’s sudden hurry.
“Well, if you’re that busy, I won’t keep you.”
“Just a reminder, elves can be difficult to handle, much like the dwarves. Their lifespans are long, so most of them are quite old, and they’ve grown accustomed to a certain lifestyle due to their high cost.”
“Treat them with respect, and they’ll be fine. Even the dwarves have settled in and gotten along here.”
This answer, although surprisingly confident, gave the slaver some relief, and he nodded.
“Understood. I’ve explained everything. Goodbye then. Hurry up, men, let’s go!”
The slaver urged his workers to quickly haul away the food carts.
Watching him leave, Ghislain stroked his chin and narrowed his eyes.
*“Something’s off with him. Did he bring me some sick elves or something?”*
There was no indication of that in the records, but something felt odd. Just as he was about to check, Claude came running back, out of breath.
“Where’s that damn slaver? Did he already leave?”
“He’s gone.”
Claude took a deep breath, frowning as he looked at Ghislain.
“We have a problem.”
“Oh, what now?”
“You need to see this for yourself.”
At Claude’s serious tone, Ghislain and his staff followed him.
When they reached the clearing in front of the quarters, they were greeted by an unexpected sight.
*“Are these... elves?”*
Elf slaves were a rarity, only accessible to the wealthy and the high-born, and even then, they were usually hidden away and kept in private.
Most people lived their entire lives without ever seeing an elf.
The people who had only read about them in books or stories imagined them as a beautiful, nearly ageless, serene, and noble race that cherished nature.
The elves before them, however, were nothing like that.
“Hey, bring more booze! Let’s celebrate our arrival!”
“Doo-wop! Doo-wop! Am I getting old? My joints aren’t what they used to be!”
“Is there any more wine? I want to drink to my heart’s content and sleep well tonight. We’ll party hard starting tomorrow!”
It was utter chaos. They looked like a group of idle bums on a wild retreat.
While they were all strikingly beautiful, just as the stories described, the overall vibe was drastically different.
Ghislain hadn’t specified the elves’ gender, so there was a mix of men and women.
But regardless of gender, every one of them looked... off.
“Pffff! I’m a heavy smoker, so you’d better provide top-quality tobacco every day!”
“Ugh, I’m already drunk. When’s dinner? I only eat premium liquor and veal.”
“I can’t sleep on anything less than a high-end bed. This place looks a bit shabby.”
Some were puffing on pipes, filling the air with smoke, while others were already staggering around, clearly drunk.
There were elves snoring on the ground and others dancing as if possessed.
Even those who seemed to be doing nothing looked just as rough, exuding laziness and apathy.
For once, Ghislain was at a loss for words.
“What... what is this? Are these supposed to be elves? Or did they just slap some pointy ears on regular people?”
Ghislain looked at Claude in bewilderment, who returned the same look of disbelief.
“I thought so too, but I checked—they’re actual elves. For someone who acts like he knows everything, didn’t you know about this?”
“How would I know this? The elves I knew didn’t act like this!”
“Oh, and you’re blaming me? You’re the one who got scammed!”
“Scammed? You think I got scammed?”
As Ghislain looked around, his aides nodded cautiously, while Kaor clutched his stomach, laughing uncontrollably.
“Hahaha! Even the big boss can get scammed! What kind of elves are these? They’re like orcs with elf costumes! Hahaha! Ow, what the—!”
In a fit of rage, Ghislain kicked Kaor.
“You think this is funny? Do you know how much money I spent on this? And you’re laughing?”
Even as Kaor lay on the ground, he couldn’t contain his laughter.
It was the first time he’d seen his lord so flustered, and he couldn’t hold back.
“Pfft! You... got scammed like an idiot... Ow! Hey, stop kicking! Ow, why is your foot still—”
At that moment, Belinda joined in, kicking him alongside Ghislain. Claude and Wendy approached and started stomping on him as well.
Alfoi, who had been watching, glanced around and then threw in a strong kick. Even Piote, who hesitated at first, joined in.
*“Goddess, forgive me. I’ve been under a lot of stress.”*
As the usually gentle Piote joined in, all restraint was thrown to the wind. Soon, everyone was piling on and kicking Kaor.
“Argh! Why are there so many feet! I swear, I’ll remember every one of these shoes... Agh! Stop! Enough already! What is this! What’s happening!”
