NOVPUBOf course. This man couldn’t sit still if his life depended on it. Ghislain probably suffered from some illness that made him restless unless he was constantly doing something.
Claude took a deep breath to calm himself before asking, “Why are you creating a mercenary corps?”
“Because it’s necessary.”
“No, it’s not! Why would we even need something like that?!” Claude’s voice rose in exasperation as he flailed his arms in frustration.
It wasn’t unheard of for a territory to employ mercenaries or even for an entire lordship to act as mercenaries for foreign nations. However, this was typically a strategy used by small, impoverished territories with little to no natural resources.
Fenris, on the other hand, was the strongest territory in the North. Its food production alone was massive, and with the newly acquired resources from the recent expedition, it was financially competitive with any lord in the kingdom.
Yet Ghislain was talking about forming a mercenary corps. Why on earth would they need that?
Despite Claude’s outburst, Ghislain remained composed, confidently declaring, “I plan to bring every mercenary in this kingdom under my command.”
“Wow... such ambition...” Claude muttered, half in awe and half in disbelief.
“We’re already running road construction and delivery businesses. Tying the mercenary business into that framework will make it profitable.”
“Well... maybe, but is it really necessary? It sounds like it’ll be more trouble than it’s worth.”
Claude wasn’t wrong. Most mercenaries were fiercely independent types who refused to work in structured environments. They sought quick riches, avoiding stable jobs. While not all were like that, the majority fit that description.
In short, they were a chaotic bunch who prized their freedom above all else. Trying to manage them seemed more trouble than it was worth, especially compared to raising elite soldiers.
“More is always better, sure, but resources and time are limited. Wouldn’t it be smarter to invest in something more efficient?” Claude argued.
Ghislain understood Claude’s concerns. It was true that mercenaries, despite their individual strength, were generally less effective than a trained army in organized battles. But he had a specific reason for wanting them.
“Our military growth has hit a bottleneck. No matter how much we train, progress will be slow from here. And we’re still far from where we need to be.”
“But isn’t this enough already?” Claude countered.
After annexing Desmond and absorbing its prisoners, Fenris now had nearly 20,000 troops under its command.
Fenris wasn’t just one territory anymore—it encompassed three lands: Fenris, Cabaldi, and Desmond. Ghislain held titles for all three, making him a high-ranking noble. Few could claim as much land and military might as he did.
Combined with Fenris’s advanced technology and wealth, their position rivaled the best in the kingdom. Yet Ghislain still claimed it wasn’t enough.
“We’ll never defeat the Duke’s faction with this. We need more—much more.”
Ghislain’s tone was resolute.
Most people underestimated the true power of the Duke’s faction. Even if Ghislain allied with the royalist faction, they couldn’t match the Duke head-on. Adding the vassals loyal to the Duke only made their overwhelming strength more apparent. A direct confrontation was a guaranteed loss.
To overcome this gap, Ghislain would eventually need to claim more territories. While he intended to do so, that wasn’t something he could tackle immediately.
‘The Duke aims to take the kingdom with minimal losses,’ Ghislain thought.
In his previous life, that had been the case. With the situation favoring the Duke’s faction, they had succeeded with their plans.
But now, things were different.
‘Because of me, they’ll be forced to act more aggressively.’
The Duke’s faction was undoubtedly preparing to seize the kingdom by force. However, their nature made it clear they would minimize losses and act with meticulous preparation.
‘Until then, I need to strengthen our forces as much as possible.’
Ghislain began to explain the situation to Claude, outlining the vast disparity in strength between them and the Duke’s faction.
The Duke’s forces were unmatched, boasting over 100,000 soldiers from the Duke’s own territory alone. When including their knights and mages, their military strength was staggering.
With the support of their vassals, the Duke could assemble an army of hundreds of thousands. Even if the royalist nobles pooled every resource, they couldn’t hope to match that. Ghislain had experienced it firsthand in his previous life, leaving no room for doubt.
Claude, however, struggled to wrap his head around the scale of the gap. “You’re saying... the Duke’s territory alone can field over 100,000 soldiers? Really?”
“Yes, and that doesn’t even account for their highly trained knights and mages. Their forces are overwhelming.”
Claude still looked skeptical, but he couldn’t outright dismiss Ghislain’s words. As absurd as it sounded, Ghislain’s track record meant that even his most outlandish claims had to be taken seriously.
“Even if we gather every mercenary in the kingdom, it’s unlikely to close the gap,” Claude pointed out.
“True. But mercenaries have their uses, and any increase to our strength is better than nothing,” Ghislain replied. “Besides, the goal isn’t just to close the gap—it’s to fight smarter. We’ll weaken the Duke’s forces, piece by piece.”
“Weaken them... How?” Claude asked cautiously.
Ghislain’s grin turned sharp, a predatory gleam in his eyes. “We’ll isolate their forces and take them down one by one. Attrition will even the odds.”
Claude began to understand. “So... our next target is the Marquisate of Roderick. Are you planning to deal with the mercenary corps there?”
“Exactly. That mercenary corps is our first priority.”
The Marquisate of Roderick was Ghislain’s first target in the inevitable civil war. Located in the West, it was a vital hub for trade and a territory where vast amounts of wealth circulated. Naturally, it attracted the largest number of mercenaries in the kingdom.
From escorting merchants to hunting bandits, the demand for mercenaries in Roderick was enormous. Compared to the barren Ferdium, where even the need for mercenaries was limited, Roderick was a paradise for them.
“But how are you planning to take control of that mercenary corps? They’re famously loyal to the Marquis of Roderick.”
“Don’t worry about that—I have a plan. Just focus on consolidating the smaller mercenary groups in the North. Can you handle that?”
“Of course. Most of the mercenary groups left here are weaklings anyway. Leave it to me,” Claude replied, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Ghislain’s words left little room for doubt. Fighting the Duke’s faction was inevitable. While Claude had once believed they could manage with the royalist faction’s support, Ghislain’s explanation left no doubt about the uphill battle ahead.
The stronger Fenris grew, the higher their chances of survival.
Seeing Claude’s renewed resolve, Ghislain grinned. “Good. Let’s get to work. Things are about to get busy again.”
***
It was the nature of Fenris’ people to act swiftly once a goal was set.
Of course, they hadn’t always been like this. It was a habit they developed after spending years under Ghislain’s leadership.
As Claude passed a mountain of documents to Lowell, he quipped, “You know we’re getting into the mercenary business now, right?”
“Yes... of course,” Lowell replied with a resigned nod. Ghislain’s close aides had already been briefed on the new plans.
While none of them were particularly thrilled about taking on more work, they knew there was no use arguing. If the lord commanded it, they had no choice but to follow through.
“Getting royal approval will take time,” Claude continued, “so for now, we’ll focus on establishing a mercenary corps directly under the lord’s control.”
There were two common ways nobles managed mercenaries.
The first, and most popular, was to sponsor or employ mercenary groups for specific tasks. These mercenaries would serve as proxies for dirty work, security, or even business ventures.
The second, far less common, method was for the lord and their entire territory to function as a mercenary corps. This was usually a desperate measure for impoverished territories lacking resources. Alternatively, it was a choice made by a battle-obsessed lord.
This latter approach required royal authorization, as it allowed a territory to operate as a mercenary entity, even participating in foreign wars for profit. However, it also came with severe restrictions to prevent meddling in domestic conflicts.
Fenris had already sent the necessary documents to Marquis Brantford for approval. Still, processing the paperwork would take time, so Claude decided to focus on absorbing existing mercenary groups in the meantime.
“I’m heading out to make the rounds. Take care of the territory while I’m gone,” Claude instructed.
“Do you really think you’ll be able to recruit all those mercenaries?” Lowell asked skeptically.
Claude smirked and held up his hand, forming a circle with his fingers. “Money talks. Most of the Northern mercenaries are already working for us anyway. Many of them are even doing labor jobs for Fenris. It won’t be hard.”
Lowell had to admit Claude had a point. Mercenaries worked where the money was, and Fenris paid well. That was the nature of their profession.
In the past, Ghislain had also hired numerous Northern mercenaries, relying solely on cash to get the job done. However, integrating them into the Fenris Mercenary Corps was a different challenge altogether.
“Some might join for the money, but plenty of them will refuse outright,” Lowell pointed out. “They’ll see it as a restriction on their freedom. You know how much mercenaries hate losing independence.”
Claude dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. “We’re not making them part of Fenris’ military. They’ll operate as subgroups under the mercenary corps. Their autonomy and independence will be respected.”
“Come on, no one’s going to buy that. They know they’ll be called to work when we need them, and they’ll have to pay us a cut of their earnings. Mercenaries hate restrictions, no matter how small. There’ll definitely be holdouts.”
Claude leaned back with a smug grin. “I used to think that too. But trust me, sincerity always gets through to people.”
Lowell’s expression turned wary. He muttered under his breath, “Your idea of ‘sincerity’ is anything but normal...”
Unaware of Lowell’s misgivings, Claude entrusted him with the territory’s management and set out to begin recruitment.
Most Northern mercenary groups were small and struggling financially. They were quick to show interest in Claude’s proposal.
“The Fenris Mercenary Corps? Are you saying Count Ghislain is forming a mercenary group?”
“That’s right. We’ve already filed the paperwork. You know we’re the strongest in the North, don’t you?”
“But why would such a powerful territory want to recruit us?”
“Because we’ve got plenty of businesses running and are expanding into the mercenary trade. It’s a big opportunity.”
“Ohhh...”
Fenris’ reputation preceded it. From pioneering the Forest of Beasts to selling food, cosmetics, constructing roads, and running delivery services, Fenris had made a name for itself with its wide range of profitable ventures.
“You know how we’ve connected most of the royalist territories with our road network, right? Our delivery business is thriving too. We need more manpower, especially for escort and transportation tasks. That’s where mercenaries like you come in.”
The mercenaries nodded in agreement. Escorting and transporting goods were among their most common jobs.
“Well, that sounds good. We’ll join, but our mercenary group has to remain intact, right?”
“Of course. You’ll stay independent. All we ask is that you cooperate when needed and pay a small portion of your earnings. In return, we’ll back you and ensure you get plenty of work.”
“Sounds fair. We’re in.”
For small mercenary groups struggling to find steady work, the offer was enticing. Joining Fenris would provide them with more lucrative opportunities and a strong ally.
However, not everyone was so easily convinced.
Jake, the leader of the "Bigfoot Mercenary Corps," flatly refused Claude’s offer.
“Haha... I appreciate the offer, but we’re not interested.”
Jake was a massive man, infamous for his enormous feet, which had earned him the nickname “Bigfoot.” His strength and recent exploits had made him a rising star among Northern mercenaries.
Known for his macho demeanor, Jake was also notoriously arrogant. As he rejected the proposal with a cocky smirk, Claude’s expression darkened.
“Did he just reject my offer?”
Claude, the self-proclaimed “King of Bribes,” wasn’t used to being turned down—especially not so dismissively.
“This bastard needs to be taught a lesson.”
If there was one thing Claude had learned from Ghislain, it was this: anyone who refused to listen had to be dealt with, one way or another.
