Chapter 365: Who’s Bullying Who? (2)
The Marquis Roderick continued to laugh as if he found the situation highly amusing. To him, this matter was nothing more than a brief diversion in his otherwise monotonous daily life.
Displaying his power and instilling fear in others—these were his favorite pastimes.
“Life has been rather dull lately.”
It had been a while since someone so stiff-necked crossed his path. Recently, only weaklings dared to stand before him.
After all, the Roderick Marquisate had long been a dominant force ruling over the western region.
When power accumulates, the desire to unleash it inevitably arises. Having governed the west for so long and built up immense strength, Marquis Roderick had a growing urge to flex his might outward.
However, his impulses had been forcibly restrained under the supervision of the Ducal Family. So, when an opportunity like this presented itself, there was no way he would let it slip by.
“When’s the next time that cosmetics merchant guild is passing through?”
“I believe it’s scheduled for next month.”
“Ah, then we must hurry and make preparations. Tennant!”
“Yes, sir.”
“Start by raiding that convoy. Just test the waters a bit. Let’s provoke that Fenris brat and the Marquis of Branford.”
“How many troops should we send?”
“Send a reasonable number… about a thousand?”
A thousand troops—a force capable of initiating a small territorial skirmish. But to Marquis Roderick, it was merely a trivial number, sufficient for harassing a single merchant guild.
Tennant nodded indifferently, as if dispatching a thousand men was a routine task.
“I’ll ensure the Roderick Marquisate’s name is etched into their minds and bring back the goods as well.”
“Good, good. Just imagining their protests gets me excited. If we escalate into full-scale war, it’ll only become more entertaining.”
Marquis Roderick trembled with genuine delight, almost feeling grateful to the Drake Mercenary Corps for the son they had slain.
“As soon as the preparations are complete, spread word to all the nobles that we have legitimate grounds for this. That way, we can openly harass the Fenris brat.”
And with that, the Roderick Marquisate began making arrangements to raid Ghislain’s cosmetics merchant guild.
—
Though Rosalyn had been entrusted with managing cosmetics sales and expanding branches, Fenris wasn’t completely idle.
Transporting the cosmetics to each branch was Fenris’ responsibility.
Initially, they only shipped to the capital, but as the cosmetics business expanded, so did Fenris’ workload.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
A merchant convoy was making its way toward a western branch. Dozens of wagons were laden with cargo, and the escort alone consisted of nearly 400 individuals.
Watching from a distance, a knight muttered to himself.
“What’s with their outfits? Do they always dress so shabbily?”
He clicked his tongue in disapproval. Upon closer inspection, it was unmistakably Fenris’ cosmetics merchant guild. The banners of Fenris and the Marquisate of Branford fluttered prominently, leaving no room for doubt.
However, every escort and laborer in the convoy was cloaked in dark robes. To an outsider, they looked more like an assassination squad than a merchant group.
The knight scrutinized the convoy as he murmured again.
“Hmm, but their escort numbers are much higher than expected.”
According to prior intelligence, the cosmetics merchant guild heading west typically employed around 200 escorts.
That was already considered a substantial number, as the western region was far from being a stronghold of the Royal Faction, necessitating heavier security.
But now, their escort numbers have doubled.
“So, they’re scared after all.”
The knight served as the commander of the troops dispatched by the Roderick Marquisate to ambush the convoy.
‘They must’ve caught wind of our plans and beefed up their defenses,’ he thought.
Turning to inspect the forces behind him, he took stock of his own troops—800 soldiers in total. An additional 200 were stationed elsewhere, ready to assist if needed.
“We probably won’t lose, but their numbers are higher than expected. Better to approach this cautiously. If they resist, we’ll just fight.”
The plan had assumed the convoy would attempt to flee rather than engage in battle. Any sensible escort would quickly realize they were being targeted.
However, with these numbers, it seemed possible they might opt to stand and fight.
“Well, it’d be great if they panicked and scattered. That’d make things easier.”
Muttering to himself, the knight raised his hand.
Flap!
The banner of the Roderick Marquisate was unfurled above the soldiers’ heads.
He had no intention of disguising his men as bandits. His goal was to make it explicitly clear who was behind the attack, ensuring the conflict escalated.
“Advance!”
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The Marquisate’s forces began to move toward the merchant convoy. As the large contingent approached, the escorts of the convoy visibly panicked.
Upon seeing the approaching banner, the escorts quickly turned and began to flee.
A sigil depicting two crossed axes over a central tower—anyone in the kingdom would recognize it as the emblem of the Roderick Marquisate.
“Hahaha! They’re running without even putting up a fight! This is perfect!”
The knight leading the Marquisate’s forces burst into hearty laughter.
It seemed the other side had bolstered their escort in anticipation of potential threats. Yet, they were clearly startled by the sight of double their numbers bearing down on them.
This worked perfectly in the knight’s favor. Those fools likely had no idea what lay ahead.
“Don’t chase them too quickly! We need to herd them to the designated spot!”
All of his forces were mounted. By contrast, while the other side also had riders, they were burdened with numerous wagons to haul.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Though they could have overtaken the convoy in an instant, the knight deliberately adjusted their pace to drive the enemy in the desired direction.
The strategy worked. Maintaining a precarious distance that made it seem like they might catch up at any moment, the Fenris merchant convoy had no choice but to follow the path dictated by the Marquisate’s forces.
In this area, there was no alternative escape route other than the merchant road. The knight had chosen this location specifically and laid in wait.
“We’re almost there.”
In the distance, a low canyon came into view. The Fenris convoy, pursued relentlessly, was forced to enter the canyon.
The knight trailing them saw this and grinned wickedly.
“You idiots. This entire area is under our control. This will be easier than I thought.”
He chuckled to himself, relishing the prospect of annihilating the convoy’s 400 personnel. Such an achievement would earn him significant recognition.
Broadly speaking, it would also deal a blow to Fenris’ overall power.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The Fenris merchant convoy, fleeing desperately, eventually halted within the canyon.
At the other end, another detachment of troops had already erected barricades and waited for them. Trapped on both sides, the convoy was now entirely at the mercy of the Marquisate’s forces.
The knight raised his hand, signaling his soldiers to slow their pace as they entered the canyon.
“Hey there, Fenris whelps! I am Brian, a knight of the Roderick Marquisate.”
Brian swaggered as he shouted, his tone far from what one might expect from a knight. From the Fenris convoy, a figure stepped forward.
The person remained cloaked, their face obscured by the robe.
“Why is the Marquisate pursuing us?”
“You fled without even knowing why? Come on, you know exactly what this is about. Did you really think you could reject the Marquis’ request and continue doing business here unscathed?”
Brian’s derisive sneer was met with a calm response from the cloaked figure.
“Are you suggesting that you would meddle in a business overseen by the Marquis of Branford? The contract we signed with the Roderick Marquisate is still in effect, is it not?”
While factions might differ, the nobles of the kingdom were still bound by their shared aristocratic ties and mutual interests. Normally, they cooperated when it suited them and clashed only when necessary.
In Ghislain’s past life, this balance had only tipped into chaos after the Ducal Family openly revealed its ambitions.
Even Marquis Roderick couldn’t recklessly interfere with a product as sought-after as the cosmetics, which many western nobles—including those from his own household—regularly used due to their remarkable efficacy.
However, circumstances had now changed. Marquis Roderick wanted war.
Brian smirked and continued.
“That contract? Consider it null and void. We have a just cause to strike at Fenris. Although, calling it a ‘strike’ feels excessive given the disparity in strength. Let’s put it this way—we plan to keep harassing you.”
The cloaked man sighed and shook his head.
“In that case, shouldn’t you notify the Marquis of Branford first and properly conclude this matter?”
“We’ll deal with you first and notify him later. Or perhaps a messenger has already reached him by now. One thing is certain…”
Brian drew his sword and pointed it at the cloaked man.
“You’re all going to die here, and we’ll take every last one of those cosmetics. So don’t bother surrendering—we won’t accept it.”
The cloaked man nodded a few times, then pushed back his hood.
Underneath, white hair framed a face hardened like stone. It was Gillian.
Gillian turned to the others nearby and said, “Unload the cargo.”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The escort troops began unloading long wooden crates from the wagons. Seeing this, Brian laughed mockingly.
“Oh, so you’re surrendering now? Think giving us that cargo will save your lives? I told you, we’re going to kill you all and take it anyway. Are northern bumpkins this dense?”
Ignoring Brian’s jeers, Gillian gestured to his men.
“Open them.”
Clank, clank, clank.
The crates were opened, revealing not cosmetics but rows of sharp, long spears and massive greatswords.
“What the…? Those aren’t cosmetics. Who are you people?”
Brian’s face twisted into an expression of disbelief. The crates unloaded from the cart were filled to the brim with weapons.
Ignoring Brian’s complaints, Gillian approached the central carriage and knocked on its door, speaking firmly.
“There doesn’t seem to be any other tricks up their sleeves.”
Click.
The carriage door creaked open, and Ghislain stepped out slowly. He glanced around at his surroundings and clicked his tongue.
“So this is all there is? I was hoping for something clever, but all they’ve done is a basic encirclement. If they’d just declared a fight outright, we could’ve skipped this hassle. Instead, they’ve gone and split their forces. How inefficient.”
At that moment, a man standing next to the carriage pulled back the hood of his robe and chimed in.
“See? I told you we should’ve just fought them directly! What’s with all this curiosity?”
The complainer was Kaor, who had been dragged to this spot as soon as he returned to the estate.
Ghislain shrugged and replied, “This way is better if we want to deal with them all at once. Their tactics are predictable.”
“Then let’s kill them already. I’ve been itching for a good fight. And what’s this? Who’s harassing whom here? It’s laughable. Let’s show them who’s better at harassing.”
From Kaor’s perspective, Ghislain was undoubtedly the best in the world at tormenting others, with himself as a distant second.
As their playful banter continued, Brian’s expression turned icy, and he asked coldly,
“Who are you? Are you the leader of this caravan?”
Ghislain frowned.
“What’s this? You don’t recognize me? Haven’t you received my portrait yet? Don’t tell me I’m not famous enough?”
“……”
For a moment, Brian was left speechless. The man’s tone, as if he was some renowned celebrity, was utterly grating.
And there was something about his carefree demeanor that was deeply irritating.
“I asked who you are.”
“I’m the Count of Fenris.”
“……!”
At Ghislain’s answer, the soldiers of the Marquis’ house momentarily sucked in their breaths.
The Count of Fenris was rumored to be a master-class fighter. If the rumors were true, their current forces wouldn’t be enough to stop him.
But…
Among the soldiers of the Roderick Marquisate, another rumor had been spreading. It was said that the feats attributed to Ghislain were actually the work of his subordinates.
This rumor originated from Tennant, a senior knight of the Marquisate, who had personally seen the Count of Fenris and made that assessment.
However, the rumor also included a cautionary note—that there might be other abilities Ghislain possessed, so vigilance was advised.
Brian cautiously asked again.
“Are you… really the Count of Fenris?”
“Yes, I’m the Count of Fenris.”
Judging by his confidence, he seemed genuine, but Brian couldn’t rely on words alone.
At that moment, a knight standing next to Brian stepped forward and whispered. The knight had once accompanied Tennant on a visit to Fenris.
“He’s the real Count of Fenris. I saw him with Sir Tennant.”
‘Got him!’
Brian’s heart pounded wildly in his chest.
He trusted Tennant’s firsthand account more than any rumors.
If he could capture the Count of Fenris—who was hailed as the divine figure of the North and a great lord—it would guarantee his future rise.
With his mind made up, Brian shouted loudly.
“Attack! Kill everyone except the Count of Fenris! If necessary, kill him too—just bring back his head intact!”
Thud thud thud thud!
The cavalry of the Marquisate spurred their horses and charged forward in an instant.
Watching the approaching soldiers, Ghislain spoke.
“Get ready. It’s been a while since they’ve all gathered like this.”
The 400 men Ghislain had brought were Fenris knights. He had intentionally brought all of them to ensure utter chaos.
Clang, clang.
The knights drew their greatswords from the crates. Spreading his arms wide, Ghislain declared loudly.
“Leave no one alive. It’s time to instill fear in the West.”
Guuooooo!
Hundreds of spears remaining in the crates began to slowly rise into the air.