The capital of the Rutania Kingdom, Cardenia, was as vast as its reputation as a mighty nation.

The moat surrounding the city walls was filled with water, giving it the appearance of a wide river. It exuded an imposing grandeur, as though it could repel any invader.

The mercenaries accompanying Ghislain were left speechless, overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the city they had only heard about in stories.

“Wow… this place is incredible. So, this is the Cardenia I’ve heard about…”

“Other castles are nothing compared to this. What we have back in our territory is no castle; it’s just a hole in the ground.”

“It’s not just the size. It looks so much more impressive, doesn’t it? Must’ve cost a fortune to build.”

Cardenia had developed as the kingdom’s capital for centuries, and its distinctive charm lay in its blend of classical and modern architecture.

Even though Perdiem was slightly better off, the territories they lived in were still backwater lands in comparison. No one could have imagined a city of this scale.

Even Belinda, who usually had so much to say, could only blink in silence, while even Gillian, a seasoned mercenary who had traveled to foreign lands, couldn’t help but mutter in awe.

“Wow… just looking at it makes me feel small.”

The mercenaries sighed, glancing up at the city walls, which seemed to sap their fighting spirit just from sight alone.

If any trouble occurred inside this fortress, they wondered if it would even be possible to scale the walls. No, they doubted they could even scratch the walls, let alone climb them.

A part of them desperately hoped that their lord wouldn’t cause any trouble here.

“W-Wow… what’s happening?”

The spectators suddenly gasped in amazement.

The sky had turned red with the setting sun, and the glow of the crimson light reflected off the tall spires that towered across the city, scattering the light in every direction.

It was as if the entire city was radiating its own light.

While everyone else stood there in awe, admiring the magnificent sight, Ghislain alone glared coldly at the fortress.

Cardenia…

The impregnable fortress, the city blessed by the goddess, praised with countless titles...

Yet this very place had once been crushed under his hand.

The Mercenary King’s army had stormed Cardenia right after declaring war.

Ghislain had captured the city within a week, defeating every lord in his path to seize Cardenia in record time.

It was one of the fastest, most devastating conquests in history.

Ghislain and his strategists had planned the quickest route to the royal palace, which was why Cardenia had fallen so swiftly.

Of course, the only reason they had been able to conquer it so easily was because Ghislain’s sole objective had been to kill the newly crowned Duke Delphine.

It didn’t take long to capture Cardenia… but I failed in the end.

His goal had never been to capture the city—it was to kill Duke Delphine.

But by the time Ghislain had reached the royal palace, Delphine was nowhere to be found.

To this day, Ghislain didn’t know why Delphine hadn’t been in the palace despite having just ascended to the throne.

All he knew was that he had failed.

Driven by fury, Ghislain had scoured the entire kingdom in search of Duke Delphine.

That was my mistake. I should’ve pulled back and secured the front lines instead.

He had burned the North, trampled the South, massacred the West, and pillaged the East.

It was after that rampage that he earned a new title—no longer the Mercenary King but a demon driven by vengeance.

Of course, Rutania hadn’t taken that lying down.

Strong fighters hidden in the shadows had emerged to confront him.

Ghislain clenched his teeth as he recalled these memories.

The crimson hue that fell over Cardenia’s walls reminded him of the blood his men had spilled back then.

Even now, Ghislain could vividly recall the sensation of his neck being severed, the emotions he had felt in that moment.

This time, I’ll make sure…

― Hiiiiyahh!

“Master!”

“Lord Ghislain!”

The sudden shouts snapped Ghislain out of his thoughts. He looked up to see the horses thrashing about in terror, sensing the killing intent he had unconsciously released.

“Whoa, whoa!”

Ghislain quickly reined in his bloodlust, calming the terrified horses.

Belinda, unable to hide her worried expression, asked, “What happened all of a sudden?”

The others were similarly tense, having been caught off guard by the sudden outburst of aggression.

It was no wonder they were startled; they had been enjoying a scenic view, only to be hit with this surge of murderous intent.

Ghislain scratched his head awkwardly, trying to deflect the situation with a sheepish smile.

“Well… you see…”

“Well, what?”

“It’s just… I didn’t like the look of that castle.”

“What? Why would you not like the castle?”

“Well, it’s bigger and grander than ours. It feels like it’s showing off. I don’t like that.”

Shrugging, Ghislain delivered his explanation as nonchalantly as possible.

Everyone stared at him, dumbfounded.

“So you… unleashed your killing intent because you were jealous of the castle?”

“His personality really is something else… I’ll never understand him.”

Murmurs of disbelief came from all around.

It was a ridiculous excuse, but given Ghislain’s eccentric nature, it was somehow believable.

However, Belinda and Gillian weren’t convinced by his flimsy explanation.

Ghislain might have seemed like a man who did whatever he wanted, but he always had a method to his madness. He had never displayed such erratic behavior without a reason before.

Just as the two were about to voice their concerns, Ghislain waved them off.

“Enough, enough. I just got too lost in thought for a moment. Let’s move on.”

Since the lord had spoken, there was no point in arguing. The group quietly followed behind Ghislain as he strode ahead.

Despite the setting sun, the entrance to the castle was still bustling with people waiting to pass through security checks.

As expected of the capital, the guards were strict, and inspections were thorough.

“Show me your identification.”

A knight clad in full armor blocked Ghislain and his group’s path. His expression was so rigid that it seemed like he wouldn’t bleed even if you pricked him.

The knights surrounding them were equally stone-faced.

These soldiers were leagues above the ones Ghislain had encountered at the border when they had visited Brivant.

The knight inspected Ghislain’s identification card before pulling out a map and spreading it wide.

“Vassal of the Margrave of Perdiem, Baron Ghislain Fenris. You are verified. What brings you to the capital?”

The knight raised his chin, his tone haughty.

Belinda and Gillian frowned from behind, irritated by the knight’s arrogance.

Normally, they would have scolded him for his rudeness, but they weren’t sure if they could get away with it here. The massive presence of the castle made them hesitate.

But unlike the two of them, Ghislain seemed relaxed, casually nodding his head as he responded.

“Came to do some business.”

“Who is the head of the trading company?”

The knight, assuming Ghislain was merely traveling with his trading company, asked as a formality.

“I am.”

“…The baron himself is conducting business?”

“Why? Is that a problem?”

“No, not at all. Then please provide the details of your party and a list of the goods.”

Ghislain gestured to Claude with a nod.

“He knows the details… and there’s no need for a list. It’s cosmetics. Made by me.”

“…Excuse me?”

The knight frowned, unable to hide his confusion. It was a subtle change, but one that Ghislain’s group, watching closely, noticed immediately, feeling a strange sense of victory.

Yeah, you weren’t expecting that, were you?

Despite his doubts, the knight diligently began inspecting the wagons one by one. He found it odd but still conducted a thorough search, using soldiers to assist.

Ghislain couldn’t help but feel a bit impressed.

They’re well-disciplined. Our soldiers should be this thorough.

After inspecting a few wagons, the knight cautiously asked, “You said these are cosmetics?”

“That’s right. Made by yours truly.”

“They aren’t poisonous, are they?”

“They’re just cosmetics. If you don’t believe me, open one and check for yourself.”

The knight hesitated but picked up a container, carefully opening it. He sniffed it, then scooped a small amount onto his hand, rubbing it in while still eyeing it with suspicion.

“Hm, it smells good… Seems fine on the skin, too…”

“Want one? As a souvenir for visiting the capital.”

The knight shook his head. While the scent was pleasant, he didn’t want to accept anything from such a strange source.

Ghislain smirked mischievously and added, “That stuff’s expensive, you know. It’s high-end. You’ll regret turning it down.”

The knight frowned, clearly irritated by the provocation.

“I don’t need it.”

“Suit yourself. Don’t come crying to me later, though. No regrets, okay?”

“There will be no regrets.”

The knight’s stern expression shifted slightly as he glared at Ghislain, clearly frustrated by the teasing.

Kaor chuckled at the exchange.

“Well, now he looks like a person. For a second, I thought he was a wooden doll, with how stiff he was.”

The knight shot Kaor a sharp look, his gaze filled with barely concealed hostility.

Meanwhile, the other mercenaries, who were watching, struggled to suppress their laughter.

Irritated, the knight scribbled something into the registry and spat out his next words.

“You may pass!”

Ghislain grinned and waved for his group to follow.

“Let’s go. We’re all clear.”

As Belinda followed Ghislain into the city, she cast a pitying glance at the knight, unable to resist adding one final remark.

“You’ll regret not taking that.”

“What?”

She didn’t stick around to explain, quickly passing by him.

As Claude entered the city, he gave the knight a playful wink.

“What a bunch of weirdos,” the knight muttered, watching them go.

But Ghislain’s group was too busy marveling at the sight inside the city to care.

“Wow!”

Beyond the three layers of walls, the capital was a whole new world.

It was far more bustling than any territory they had ever visited.

Shops selling all sorts of goods lined the streets, and every alley was packed with people.

“I’ve never seen this many people in one place.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with one of the mercenaries’ comments.

The sheer number of people was dizzying, making it feel as though the city itself was a living, breathing entity.

Unlike Brivant, no one seemed to care about the noise Ghislain’s group was making. After all, they weren’t the only rowdy bunch in the capital.

Ghislain allowed his party to take in the sights for a while before securing two large inns before nightfall.

They had too many people to stay in one place, and there wasn’t enough room to store the wagons in just one inn.

Once they had settled in, Ghislain called Claude over to review their next steps.

“First, we need to find a place to settle.”

They couldn’t keep staying in inns, with so many people and goods. It was expensive and inconvenient.

Like other trading companies, they needed to secure a proper base in the capital.

Claude nodded in agreement.

“We’ll also need a shop to sell the goods. I’ll look into finding a suitable building. After that… we should start promoting the products, right? How about attending some noble banquets to make connections?”

Ghislain responded flatly, “Do we have to?”