As the atmosphere rapidly shifted, Belinda, Gillian, and Kaor blinked in confusion.

Just moments ago, it seemed like someone was about to die, and the situation had grown tense.

However, as soon as Ghislain mentioned a steady supply of runestones, the mages suddenly became deferential once again.

It was as if they were desperate to get their hands on the runestones they couldn't seem to acquire anywhere else.

This entire negotiation succeeded purely because Ghislain knew the future. The people unaware of his regression couldn’t possibly understand his actions.

Belinda fidgeted with her brooch, deep in thought.

‘...There must be some kind of weakness they have. Is there a way to get even more out of this?’

A pragmatic thinker, she gave up trying to understand the situation and instead focused on whether they could leverage it for a greater gain.

After being swept along by Ghislain’s schemes a few times, she had grown accustomed to his ways.

While the three were lost in thought, Ghislain continued speaking.

“To be honest, we’re not planning to attack any territory. We don’t have the strength for that.”

“Is that so? Then why are you discussing a war at all?” Hubert asked, suddenly more interested.

If they weren’t planning an offensive, then lending the mages wouldn’t seem like as much of a burden.

“Our small and powerless territory discovered runestones. Do you think the other territories will simply sit still?”

“...I see.”

If a poor territory like Perdiem had discovered runestones, it was inevitable that other lords would be eyeing it greedily.

“However, it won’t be easy for anyone to attack. If one territory makes a move, the others will likely join in, each with their own reasons,” Hubert added, his sharp intuition as a mage shining through.

Ghislain was impressed. It was true. If any one lord tried to seize Perdiem’s runestones, other lords would jump in, leading to a broader conflict.

The first lord to attack would end up facing multiple opponents, not just Perdiem, so most would hesitate to act rashly.

However, Ghislain didn’t need to consider such complex political relationships.

He already knew the exact threat—Duke Delphine would invade Perdiem at any cost.

They had the power and political influence to do so.

“You’re absolutely right. But until we can use the runestones to build our strength, we need forces to defend the territory. They could join forces and divide Perdiem among themselves.”

Since he couldn’t reveal his knowledge of the future, Ghislain framed his reasoning as a possibility.

It was a plausible explanation, so Hubert nodded without any suspicion.

With such reasoning, Ghislain’s request for mages to defend the territory made sense.

‘It could be troublesome if the other lords find out,’ Hubert thought.

The Red Flame Tower was already defending the Brivant territory, but at least there was a clear justification for protecting the area around the tower.

If it became known that they were secretly supporting Perdiem, the Red Flame Tower could face serious consequences.

Still, Hubert was willing to take that risk if it meant getting involved with Perdiem’s situation.

‘With the runestones we’ve received, plus the potential for more, we could surpass the Crimson Tower once again. I can’t let him sell those runestones to the Crimson Tower!’

The struggles of the noble lords meant little to Hubert. His only goal was to crush the Crimson Tower and restore the Red Flame Tower to its former glory as the greatest in the kingdom.

To achieve that, he needed Perdiem’s runestones.

Hubert sighed and turned to the elders.

“What do you all think? If we can keep it secret, I think it’s worth trying.”

Though it sounded like a question, it was more of an order.

“Well, if we can keep it a secret… I don’t see why not.”

“We can always deny it. Since we’re not actually attacking anyone, it’s doable.”

“If it comes out that we’re involved, we’ll just say we were there to research the runestones and got caught up in the situation.”

With the elders’ agreement, Hubert took a deep breath and turned back to Ghislain.

“Alright. We’ll lend you the mages. Wait here for a moment. We need to carefully select the right people to ensure secrecy.”

Hubert had decided to involve the Red Flame Tower in the defense of Perdiem.

Ghislain smiled warmly, bowing his head in gratitude.

“Thank you. I assure you, there won’t be any major issues.”

“You’re quite a fearless young man. Just make sure your people keep their mouths shut.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll simply pass them off as mercenaries.”

Despite claiming not to care about power struggles, the Red Flame Tower was still entangled in noble politics.

But even with the risks, they had chosen to follow Ghislain’s lead.

It was the combination of the runestones Ghislain brought and the dire situation of the Tower that led to this outcome.

‘Who is this guy, really?’ Hubert thought.

Now that the decision was made, Hubert felt as if he’d been enchanted by a ghost.

‘Does this guy know everything about us? No, that can’t be possible.’

On the surface, the Red Flame Tower seemed fine.

Its reputation had fallen behind the Crimson Tower’s, but they still managed to purchase small quantities of runestones through other merchants.

Even many of the mages within the Tower weren’t fully aware of the internal issues.

Unless a high-ranking mage had leaked information, there was no way this young noble could manipulate them so easily.

Hubert’s suspicion showed in his eyes, but Ghislain remained unfazed, smiling inwardly.

‘If you don’t side with me, the Red Flame Tower will collapse even faster.’

Though Hubert wasn’t fully aware yet, the Crimson Tower had already laid out plans to utterly crush the Red Flame Tower.

For now, Ghislain might seem like a troublesome upstart, but in reality, he was offering them a lifeline.

With a hint of worry in his expression, Hubert stood up.

“For now, I’ll have accommodations prepared for you. It may take a while to gather the right people.”

“Of course. Take your time,” Ghislain replied, walking out confidently.

Belinda, Gillian, and Kaor followed him, still dazed.

They had witnessed something impossible happen, yet they still didn’t fully understand why it had turned out this way.

It wasn’t until four days later that Ghislain met with the Tower Lord again.

Hubert looked tired.

Even as Ghislain sat before him, Hubert hesitated to speak, fumbling for the right words.

He glanced at the elders for help, but they all avoided his gaze, pretending not to notice.

Seeing Hubert’s struggle, Ghislain finally spoke first.

“You don’t look well.”

Hubert, his face pale and dark circles under his eyes, sighed deeply before responding.

“I’m sorry, but it seems we can’t provide the ten mages you requested.”

Even a 4th Circle mage could become a noble territory’s exclusive mage, which meant it wasn’t an easy rank to reach.

In reality, 3rd Circle Masters and 4th Circle mages were the backbone of the Tower.

They could gather ten 3rd Circle Masters if they tried, but it was hard to find mages who could be trusted to keep the secret.

‘Most of these mages are only concerned with themselves.’

Mages were generally individualistic, making it difficult to find those trustworthy enough for this task.

Even counting all the apprentices of the Tower Lord and the elders, they could only gather six suitable candidates.

But giving up on the runestones wasn’t an option.

Hubert put on his most pitiful expression.

“I’m truly sorry. We could only gather six trustworthy people.”

“Hmm, then how many can you provide?” Ghislain asked.

“Including the apprentices of the elders, we can offer six in total. What should we do?”

“Well, in that case, I suppose we’ll have to wait for another deal,” Ghislain replied, feigning disappointment.

Hubert groaned as he began to beg.

“Isn’t there any other way? We’re the Red Flame Tower, the greatest in the North. A good relationship with us would greatly benefit the Perdiem territory.”

The elders also chimed in, trying to persuade Ghislain.

“Six 3rd Circle Masters should be more than enough to defend a small territory.”

“Yes, with six of them, they could wipe out hundreds of ordinary soldiers.”

“Please reconsider. That’s more than enough.”

As the mages pleaded, Ghislain stroked his chin, pretending to think.

“Hmmm, well, there is another way. But I’m not sure if the Tower Lord would agree to it.”

Seeing the hint of compromise, Hubert became desperate.

“Oh, come now, we’re friends, aren’t we? If you have a request, I could even hunt a dragon for you! Just tell me what you want.”

Hubert wore a desperate expression, as if he truly would slay a dragon for Ghislain. Ghislain, as if reluctantly giving in, spoke up.

“Well, six is a bit lacking. So, in addition, I’d like the Tower to assign one mage to serve me personally.”

“Huh? You want a mage to serve you personally?” Hubert asked, surprised.

“I’d prefer to call them my personal mage rather than the territory’s mage.”

Hubert frowned, groaning in frustration.

“That would mean kicking a mage out of the Tower, wouldn’t it? I can’t just do that without a proper reason.”

While Hubert could theoretically exile a mage from the Tower, getting that mage to follow Ghislain was a different matter entirely.

Mages were proud, and the idea that a mage might hold a grudge against Ghislain was very real.

“Even if I expel them, it’s up to them whether they choose to follow you or not. We can’t force it. Can’t we find another solution?”

Ghislain shook his head and whispered calmly.

“Why don’t we ask the mage in question and see what they say? We can discuss it again after.”

It was a reasonable suggestion. Hubert thought for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. Do you have a specific mage in mind, or should we recommend someone?”

As soon as Hubert asked, Ghislain immediately responded.

“Vanessa.”

“Huh?”

Both Hubert and the elders tilted their heads in confusion. They couldn’t recall anyone by that name.

“Who’s that?” Hubert asked.

Unless it was one of their direct apprentices, they couldn’t be expected to remember every name in the Tower.

At that moment, one of the elders suddenly exclaimed as if something clicked.

“Oh, that useless fool!”

“Huh? You know who that is?”

“That’s the apprentice who’s been wasting food here. We almost kicked her out a while back but decided not to… Anyway! She’s the apprentice of the late Lonato. Don’t you remember?”

Hubert finally nodded, the memory coming back to him.

“Oh, that girl? The one we’ve been using as a servant… Ah, I mean, yes, she’s a fine mage, indeed.”

Hubert, trying to appear serious, nodded and then broke into a wide grin, grabbing Ghislain’s hand tightly.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure she becomes your personal mage.”

“Suddenly? Weren’t you going to ask for her opinion first?”

“Oh, no need! If the Tower Lord says so, it’ll be done. Haha, this deal is wrapping up much more smoothly than I expected.”

“Yes, young man, you have quite the eye for talent.”

“How did you manage to choose such a fine, beautiful, and intelligent mage? Haha.”

Hubert and the elders laughed together, feeling pleased.

‘Ha, he’s still just a kid. What could he possibly want with such a fool?’

‘Tsk tsk. She can’t even sense mana properly. Calling her a mage is a stretch.’

‘He must have fallen for her while staying here. What a shame.’

Vanessa, the apprentice Ghislain had requested, had been living alone since her master’s death.

Though the Tower provided her with shelter, no one wanted to take her on as their apprentice due to her lack of talent.

She had no real affinity for magic and couldn’t even sense mana.

So, instead of kicking her out and tarnishing the Tower’s reputation, they had been using her as a servant.

Hubert and the elders inwardly mocked Ghislain for choosing such a useless girl, though they kept their thoughts hidden.

After all, if Ghislain became offended and left, they wouldn’t get the runestones.

“Then, wait here for a moment. I’ll bring the mages right away.”

As the elders rushed off to gather the mages, Ghislain was left alone, a meaningful smile spreading across his face.

It was time to finalize the most important part of the deal.