The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations - Chapter 719

When Ghislain said he was leaving, Alex and many other nobles came to see him off. Of course, their inner thoughts were varied.

‘Seeing him leave, it’s a bit lonely… but also good… and a little regrettable… still, I won’t forget that you saved my life.’

Alex’s mind was uneasy. While Ghislain was frightening, his presence had also been a source of reassurance.

The three key figures in the kingdom, who held the most important positions, were in a similar state.

‘Can we really manage without him? I wanted to live peacefully, fishing and duck hunting… What should we do with the kingdom? But still, it’s good. The Julien Mercenary Corps is truly the best.’

‘I’ll stay here as long as the kingdom remains chaotic. What should I do… but still, I will never forget the kindness of my older brothers.’

‘Oh my, could this possibly be useful? What kind of hero is that? But what should I do for my older brothers now?’

Meanwhile, the remaining nobles who had been overpowered by Ghislain’s influence cheered.

‘That last one was completely done for.’
‘It was so scary, I couldn’t even breathe.’
‘It was even more terrifying being with him. Let’s not see that again.’

If Ghislain had made up his mind, he would have been a far more terrifying presence than Marquis Filrelheim. They didn’t fully understand that. Thus, as Ghislain calmly left, all their hearts opened just a little.

However, even though Ghislain was leaving, no one dared to think of a kingdom without him. They knew that behind the few in power, the Julien Mercenary Corps was always there.

The rumor of Ghislain’s death might have sparked some desire for power. And so, the power structure of the Kingdom of Florba was completely reshaped by Ghislain’s influence.

Marquis Filrelheim tried to gain control over the remaining vassals through power struggles, but Ghislain’s momentary concentration of power had tipped the balance.

The strongest faction now, whether they liked it or not, was him, and it would be impossible for someone with such high prestige to be ignored.

After moving to another kingdom, Ghislain began to cause more turmoil, and the infamous reputation of the Julien Mercenary Corps spread widely.

***

[…Raising our reputation wasn’t difficult. First, we defeated the mercenaries of the kingdom and absorbed them, then summoned forces to expand. Naturally, the nobles began entrusting us with various tasks. We took only legitimate jobs and successfully completed them. And we didn’t let go of those who recommended us.]

[…As our fame grew, more complex and difficult requests came. But that wasn’t an issue. Ghislain had a remarkable ability to resolve even the most complicated matters in an instant. Of course, the methods he used were often… ########## At this moment, my life is being threatened. Please… save me…]

[We raised our reputation in many kingdoms and solved countless tasks. The scale of our jobs grew bigger and bigger. After quelling a rebellion in a kingdom, we also participated in battles. If needed, Ghislain would summon all the mercenaries he had gathered and forcibly resolved issues peacefully.]

[One year and a half passed, and branches of the mercenary corps were established in many kingdoms. More people came to join the mercenary group. Fame grew, and wealth began to overflow. But Ghislain seemed uncomfortable. He often repeated how strange things felt.]

[…During this time, the king of a kingdom was struck with a fatal blow from behind and died. The entire kingdom was shaken as a result. Despite countless investigations, no culprit could be found. In the midst of this chaos, Ghislain, in a state of shock, vowed to solve the matter.]

[Normally, they would have chased after or arrested him, but fortunately, our mercenary corps was already well known in the Arsena Kingdom. The king, desperate, entrusted us with the task.]

[For days, Ghislain was treated lavishly in the royal palace, only indulging in leisure. But then, he suddenly gathered all the palace workers into one place. There were some with high status, so they resisted, but with the king’s power, they were forced to comply. I… still can’t forget what Ghislain did at that time.]

Under the king’s command, everyone gathered inside a massive building.

Ghislain looked at the assembled people with a serious expression and spoke.

“The mystery has been solved. The culprit is among you.”

“…”

The people exchanged shocked looks. Not only were they uncomfortable with a mere mercenary being treated so well, but now he was calling them together and making absurd claims.

The high-ranking officials and nobles in the room began to point fingers at Ghislain.

“Who do you think you are, mercenary, coming here and trying to sully the royal family’s honor?”

“No matter what’s happened within the royal family, how dare a mere mercenary act so boldly!”

“Do you know who’s here and what position you’re in, speaking like that?”

“Your Majesty! Why did you entrust this investigation to such a person?!”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The nobles were raising their voices in anger. The lower-ranked servants only lowered their heads, watching the scene carefully.

The nobles, despite their rage, couldn’t leave, as the king had ordered the knights and soldiers to guard the building.

The king, however, watched the entire scene with a serious expression. He didn’t intervene in Ghislain’s actions.

As the noise continued, Ghislain suddenly spread his arms wide and shouted.

“The mercenaries who move are all the culprits!”

“…”

The nobles looked bewildered, unable to believe what they were hearing. Was this man out of his mind?

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, the prime minister shouted.

“Stop! Can’t you stop this madness? Your Majesty, this isn’t right! We need to form a proper investigation team…”

“Huh? You moved? You’re the culprit then…”

“What? What did you say?!”

The prime minister was stunned into silence. Ghislain, without wasting a second, quickly approached him and threw a punch.

Thud!

“Guh!”

The prime minister fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Those who had been about to speak were frozen in place.

Ghislain turned to the palace knights, who had been standing by, and shouted.

“This man is the culprit! Seize him immediately!”

The knights, looking completely bewildered, turned to the king. The situation was just too unexpected.

But the king, still maintaining his serious expression, nodded his head. It seemed like he had no intention of stopping Ghislain.

The knights, reluctantly, took the prime minister into custody.

“W-wait, hold on… this can’t be happening! Let me explain the situation first, and we can proceed properly…”

“Huh? You moved too? Are you the culprit as well?”

“What? What?”

Thud!

The attendant was struck and instantly collapsed. He was tied up with a rope and dragged next to the prime minister. It was at this moment that everyone realized the situation was serious.

They were all so terrified that they could barely breathe, nervously glancing around, afraid of being caught.

“Hmm…”

Ghislain looked around with an expression of discomfort. No one dared to make eye contact with him and most of them lowered their heads or avoided his gaze.

“It seems like the culprit is among us…”

Ghislain muttered to himself, slowly walking among the people, inspecting them one by one. Everyone stiffened, trying to hold their breath.

When Ghislain passed by the palace aide’s office, the aide flinched slightly.

“Hmm? You moved just now?”

The chief aide wiped the cold sweat from his brow and awkwardly smiled.

“No, it’s just that my body cramped up…”

“Hm? You smiled?”

“…”

“Looks like the culprit is…”

“…”

Thud!

The chief aide collapsed in a heap.

The people were struck with even greater fear. If they physically reacted to Ghislain, they’d be accused of poisoning a member of the royal family and labeled a traitor.

As a result, anyone passing by Ghislain would involuntarily flinch when he was near, even in fear.

“Hmm, did I make a mistake?”

Even though a few flinched, Ghislain acted as if he hadn’t noticed and continued walking past them. He knew he hadn’t made any mistakes, but those who didn’t understand his actions failed to recognize the abnormality.

After passing by a few more people, Ghislain finally stopped in front of a man who remained still.

The man was the royal mage, a 6th-circle master, and he glared at Ghislain with a look that could kill.

Ghislain looked at him and chuckled.

“You moved, didn’t you?”

“Don’t move.”

“Why do I feel like something’s moving inside you?”

“If you know, then die! You crazy bastard!”

BAM!

Suddenly, a surge of magic was released from the royal mage’s hand. Ghislain swiftly turned the magical energy back against him.

The royal mage grinned wickedly, knowing full well that the magic he unleashed could obliterate anyone in its path. It was enough to shatter a knight’s body instantly.

Even the king struggled to respond to the event. Unable to bear it any longer, the royal mage used his magic.

But Ghislain’s face remained unshaken as he absorbed the magical force with ease.

“Well, did you not know? I’m also a mage.”

Ghislain stood firm, his body vibrating with immense power. The royal mage stared at him in disbelief, unable to comprehend how someone of Ghislain’s level could block his full power.

The royal mage, a 6th-circle master, was almost transcendent. Yet, in the blink of an eye, Ghislain had reversed the magic he had released.

“Wait… could it be… 7th-circle?”

“I’ll show you something more poisonous.”

Ghislain grinned and reached out. A massive surge of magical energy erupted from his hand.

CRASH!

The royal mage’s body was knocked back with a thundering crash, his magic failing to protect him. He tried to fly but instead fell to the ground in defeat.

The onlookers were astonished. To overpower a 6th-circle mage with magic so easily was unheard of.

It was then that the realization struck. Ghislain had reached the 7th-circle, an impossible feat for an ordinary mage, and his magical prowess was far beyond that of a 6th-circle master.

Through countless years of training and experience, Ghislain had finally surpassed the boundaries of transcendence.

With his will infused into his magic, Ghislain could unleash destructive power with unparalleled effectiveness.

Now, in his current state, Ghislain could suppress any spell in the blink of an eye.

Ghislain gazed down at the royal mage with a mocking smile.

“Magic is meant for practical use, not just theory.”

His words were as sharp as the magic he wielded.

Ghislain didn’t kill the royal mage, though. Instead, he merely knocked him out. He detached the mage’s heart from his hand with a final, deadly blow.

“I’ll use this well.”

CRASH!

The royal mage’s body trembled, his heart glowing as magical energy surged toward Ghislain.

This wasn’t just a temporary absorption of magic; Ghislain was pulling out the very essence of the magic itself, breaking it down and absorbing it into his own body.

Even though Ghislain didn’t absorb the full amount of energy, he didn’t care.

“These are just units to be gathered. Though the purity isn’t very high.”

Ordinary mages could never attempt something like this, as it involved directly manipulating the flow of magic. But Ghislain, who had mastered such techniques, absorbed the magic with ease, dissolving it into his body over time.

After this, Ghislain continued to confront several more individuals.

“Teach the others not to move.”

Witnessing his insane behavior and remarkable power, people surrendered without resistance.

The ones captured were varied—everything from high-ranking officials like the prime minister to common cooks and servants.

Once all the “culprits” had been rounded up, Ghislain stood before the king, giving an exaggerated bow.

“Your Majesty, I’ve found the culprit.”

“Are you sure about them?”

“Absolutely.”

The king stared intensely at the group Ghislain had assembled.

But there was still no certainty in his gaze. There were just too many culprits to choose from.

“You really… think they are the culprits?”

The elderly king sighed deeply several times, his exhaustion apparent. The long mental strain had taken its toll on his health.

Many of the royal family members had gone out to investigate, but no one had found the culprit, and fear and uncertainty were weighing heavily on the kingdom. The frail body of the king couldn’t bear it anymore.

However, Ghislain had pointed out these people, so the king could not just label them as the culprits without an explanation.

Thus, the king turned to Ghislain.

“Why do you believe they are the culprits? Explain it so everyone here can understand.”

“Of course.”

Ghislain smiled and began his explanation.

CRASH!

A dark mist poured from Ghislain’s body and spread through the room.

TL Note: Yo, guys, I can’t figure it out for now, I ran into a problem with the kingdom names. Let’s leave them like this for now, I’ll fix it later if needed. If you’ve got any ideas, hit me up in the comments ^^

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