Chapter 308 308-Funding the Mercenary Groups
Upon witnessing the scene, Vettel rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his jaw dropping so astonishingly that it dislocated.
Had it not been for Bosiden, who was conveniently nearby and had prior medical training, to promptly reset his jaw, Vettel would have found himself in an embarrassing predicament.
The Fernsouth Castle had employed numerous craftsmen, with multiple projects underway simultaneously.
Yet, under Vettel's vigilant supervision, the bustling activity never descended into chaos.
Bosiden played a crucial role in managing the craftsmen and laborers, ensuring the castle remained orderly despite the frenzy of activity.
Seizing this opportunity, Alonso returned to his domain to take care of his ailing mother, leaving the castle's frenetic pace behind.
Resarite, in the Gokasu region, was faring well.
After several wars, Mibo, stripped of his knightly title and all his lands, was reduced to a commoner.
In contrast, Mambaton, for his valor in battle, was generously awarded a piece of land by Resarite, who made a great show of the gesture.
However, Resarite's true feelings towards Mambaton were of dislike, harboring a facade of cordiality while feeling otherwise.
Moreover, showcasing his knack for talent scouting, Resarite knighted three more individuals, thereby reinforcing the feudal structure of Gokasu, which was flourishing under his administration.
Kaido's realm was recently experiencing a peaceful period, with his relationship with Flandre gradually warming up.
The territories under Howard's rule were also thriving.
Howard decided not to return to his lands, realizing the lucrative opportunities at Ferrara.
Why not seize the chance to make a fortune?
Thus, Howard even went as far as recruiting five hundred conscripted soldiers from Nok Castle to Ferrara, bringing the total to 2000 soldiers hunting exotic beasts daily.
Hunting these creatures was a bloody and dangerous undertaking.
After a month of hunting, Howard's forces suffered casualties ranging between two to three hundred men.
Despite Bosiden sending a medical team to strive for the recovery of every injured soldier, a few succumbed to their grave injuries.
Rolf, on the other hand, did not fully utilize his 3000 conscripted soldiers, deploying only 800 of them for daily hunts in the forest.
After half a month, the time came for Howard to return to Fernsouth Castle for his wedding.
He left Ferrara with Anna, Margaret, and Golan, leaving behind 2000 men to continue the lucrative beast hunting.
Howard fetched Catherine from Torrent Castle, and they soon celebrated their grand wedding at Fernsouth Castle.
From that day, Howard joined the ranks of married men.
The news of Howard's marriage reached Duke Jiakai, who, to the surprise of many, rejoiced more than if he had been the groom himself.
Despite his age, he leaped joyously like a monkey, astonishing his wife, Matilda.
With a gentle touch, Matilda caressed Jiakai's hand, remarking, "This is good. Perhaps Howard will now focus on his family and steer away from incessant battles." Lyon couldn't help but smile broadly at this thought.
Resarite, Kaido, Anna, Margaret, Bosiden, Vettel, Alonso—all the vassals under Howard's rule—gathered to witness the grand nuptials of Howard and Catherine.
According to tradition, these vassals contributed generously, turning the wedding into a profitable affair for Howard.
Subsequently, Howard returned to Ferrara to resume the capture of exotic beasts.
Accompanying him were Golan and Kaido, while Anna set off to persuade her father and cousin.
Margaret, on the other hand, disguised herself as an ordinary adventurer, joining an adventure group heading to Ferrara.
The western part of the forest near Ferrara was now under the control of Howard and Rolf's men, limiting their activities to less than half the forest's radius.
The eastern side of Ferrara, near the port, buzzed with adventurers and merchants—a place brimming with money and opportunities.
Margaret pursued her passion, and Howard felt happy for her.
This time, he chose not to pay too much attention to Margaret's adventure group, as a way to protect her privacy.
He believed that Margaret would appreciate this gesture of respect for her independence.
Twenty days later, Kaido's embezzlement was caught red-handed by Howard.
Kaido was in the midst of selling exotic beast meat and bones to a merchant he had contacted when Howard, leading his troop, surrounded and apprehended him on the spot.
Howard's face was a picture of displeasure; he had made it crystal clear to Kaido before bringing him along to be cautious and avoid any trouble.
Kaido had readily agreed, but his actions now clearly contradicted his promise.
Thinking quickly, Kaido claimed he was negotiating with the merchant to secure a higher price for Howard.
However, his excuse fell apart when a guard produced bags of neatly packaged beast meat and said to Kaido, "I'm afraid that's not the case, sir." Angered, Kaido snapped at the guard, "What business is it of yours? This is a matter between nobles; you have no place to speak." The guard, standing his ground, responded, "I am in charge of this arrest operation; it's my duty. If you're displeased, you might as well kill me."
Feeling challenged, Kaido drew his sword, which glinted menacingly in the alley's dim light.
The guard, not one to succumb easily, pointed his halberd at Kaido's neck.
Kaido attempted to parry the halberd with his sword, but lacking the strength, he found himself overpowered by the overwhelming weight of the guard's weapon.
Howard let out a derisive chuckle, "Enough of this. A noble in arms, and yet you can't even best a commoner. What a disgrace." The guard held Kaido at bay, while other guards pointed their spears at the merchant, who raised his hands, proclaiming his innocence.
Considering Kaido's connection to Flandre, Howard decided to confiscate the illicitly acquired exotic meat and bones and warned Kaido, "Let this not happen again." The merchant was released, as he was deemed unrelated to the incident.
Howard, with his entourage, left the alley.
As he emerged, the sunlight bathed his face in a warm glow.
He continued on his way, unperturbed by the events that had just unfolded.
Time marched on, and ten days later, the head of the Katerina family, Anna's father, presented Howard with a document proposing an alliance.
Howard promptly visited their domain to sign the alliance agreement.
Anna's father, Lemok, was a portly, earnest man known for his straightforwardness.
During their meeting, Lemok revealed his plan to declare war on his lord in a month, aiming to claim the title of Viscount Fernando.
Howard assured him of his support, promising to send troops to aid in the battle.
Lemok expressed his gratitude for Howard's commitment.
Coincidentally, Edward was also present in the castle and encountered Lemok and Howard.
With a smile, Howard posed a hypothetical question to Edward, "If I were to wage war against my duke, would you support me?" Edward replied, "Let my men hunt exotic beasts in Ferrara, and I'll join your battle next time." Howard, disinclined to agree, turned to leave.
Edward called out to Howard, offering a compromise: "How about this? You don't have to let my men go to Ferrara, but could you invest in my mercenary group?" Howard's lips curved into an amused smile, "You've started a mercenary group? Such an endeavor requires substantial time and effort to turn a profit. And be wary – other mercenary groups might attack your men under cover of night. Mercenaries don't enjoy the protections afforded to feudal nobility."
Unperturbed, Edward clapped Howard on the shoulder, "Don't worry about all that. I understand the risks. Right now, I just need some funds to equip my men with armor, about 200 gold coins. Since you're quite wealthy now, how about making an investment?" Howard pondered, "And what would be the return on this investment?" Edward, with a hint of mystery, replied, "Once our troop gains fame and strength, we'll have business whenever nearby lords go to war. You'll certainly reap benefits from it."
Howard remained unresponsive, clearly unimpressed by the answer he had received.
Sensing that his initial pitch had failed, Edward inwardly cursed Howard's cunning and reluctantly disclosed the real benefits of his proposal.
Edward explained, "The key point is, if we ever need mercenaries for a war, isn't it convenient to have this group at our immediate disposal? Say you invest 20% of the total amount, then you'd get a 20% discount on their services. If I invest 80%, I'd receive an 80% discount."
Howard, with a finger to his lips in a thoughtful gesture, replied, "The discount seems a bit modest.
How many times would I need to hire mercenaries to recoup my investment?"
Edward, who had recently established the mercenary group and exhausted the Valuva family's savings in the process, was genuinely unable to produce the 200 gold coins.
He thus offered Howard a better deal, "How about this: in future wars, you won't have to pay any recruitment fees for these mercenaries. You'd only cover their reinforcement and wage costs during battle. Howard, I'm offering a significant concession here. If you're not interested, I might have to seek someone else."
Howard chuckled softly, then pulled out a small bag and tossed it to Edward, "Here are 500 gold coins. Make sure every member of your troop gets a decent set of armor. We're talking about a major investment, so don't be stingy."
Edward's face lit up with joy, "I always knew you were a smart man, Howard! This is exactly what I expected from you!"
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