The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations - Chapter 722

Ghislain’s destination was the border region between the Kingdom of Xanthos and the Kingdom of Potinus.

The two kingdoms had never gotten along. In the past, even minor misunderstandings had escalated into large-scale wars.

Of course, in the current era, they merely ground their teeth at each other while making efforts to maintain peace. They couldn’t recklessly wage war anymore.

The Holy Empire did not tolerate conflicts between kingdoms unless there was an extremely serious issue. After all, no one knew when the Demonic Realm might resurface.

Historically, wars between kingdoms tended to break out after a major suppression of the Demonic Realm rather than before.

As Ghislain flipped through a book detailing the history of the two kingdoms, he muttered,

“Ironically, defeating the Demonic Realm doesn’t bring peace—it just sparks another war. Even after fending off the demonic hordes, people still can’t help but fight. Why can’t they just share, be considerate, and treat each other kindly? Their endless greed… Tsk, tsk.”

“What the hell are you saying?”

Kyle gave Ghislain a bewildered look. Those words sounded completely out of place coming from him.

Of course, this wasn’t a situation where they had the luxury of discussing their personal philosophies.

But among them, there was one man particularly lacking in self-awareness.

“Hearing those words from you, boss?! As a man of honor, Osvald declares this the funniest thing he’s heard in his life! Puhahahaha—kehhk! I-I apologize!”

Despite such lighthearted exchanges, the reality remained unchanged.

Although the two kingdoms were constantly at odds, neither dared to push things all the way to war.

However, that didn’t mean they weren’t trying to ruin each other in every possible way.

They spread false rumors, imposed economic sanctions, and even incited rebellions in each other’s lands.

But these tactics had limited success.

“Since they’ve been enemies for so long, they’re naturally wary of outsiders. That’s why, in the end, they mostly just resort to badmouthing each other.”

Yet, in this historically hostile border region, an incident had suddenly erupted.

The two nobles with the greatest potential to provoke war—Count Boneto of Xanthos and Count Schwarz of Potinus—had started feuding.

Each lord claimed that a village under their rule had been attacked by the other side. Now, both were mobilizing their armies.

Though they had yet to engage in full-scale military action, the tensions were dangerously high.

Given the long-standing animosity between the two kingdoms, one wrong move could escalate the conflict into a full-fledged war.

However, the surrounding nobles weren’t particularly alarmed.

Since this was the border region, tensions between these two counts were nothing new.

Kyle pointed out the obvious.

“They’ve always been at each other’s throats. Isn’t this just more of the same?”

“It could be,” Ghislain acknowledged. “But if there’s a priest from the Salvation Order involved, this place would be irresistible to them.”

“Yeah… that’s true,” Kyle admitted.

“Look at it this way. Both territories are at the outskirts of their respective kingdoms. Even if war breaks out, it would take time for the capitals to respond. And the terrain? Plenty of mountains—perfect for hiding. Now, tell me, does this really seem like a coincidence?”

The others nodded at Ghislain’s reasoning.

Because the border region was so far from the royal courts, even a minor misunderstanding could fester for a long time without intervention.

If war erupted here, it would naturally spiral out of control.

From the Salvation Order’s perspective, this was the perfect place to sow discord.

“The lords are both insisting they didn’t order the attacks, but no one believes them. After all, they’ve always taken small shots at each other whenever they got the chance.”

“Yeah. But even so, they’ve never openly killed each other’s people before. This time, both sides are absolutely furious.”

“That’s understandable. But what if neither of them was actually behind it? If they wanted to avoid misunderstandings, they should have exterminated all the nearby bandits beforehand.”

Neither kingdom was foolish.

Given the unstable nature of the border, both had heavily invested in eliminating bandit groups.

They continued to patrol the region, ensuring that new bandit groups didn’t form.

So when the attacks happened, both lords were certain the other was responsible.

But Ghislain wasn’t so convinced.

“A Salvation Order priest of this caliber would be an extraordinary fighter. If he’s able to move freely in today’s world, he must be extremely powerful. Even Basilude admitted he wouldn’t be able to handle a 6th-circle mage alone, didn’t he?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“If they’re that strong, leading a group of bandits to attack a village would be easy. Hell, I could do it myself if I wanted.”

No one could refute that.

If Ghislain had pursued a different path from the start, he could have easily become the Bandit King by now.

“Of course, this is all just speculation. There’s still a chance that one of the lords really did orchestrate the attack. So let’s go check for ourselves.”

With that, Ghislain set off for Count Boneto’s territory.

The border defenses had tightened considerably, but mercenaries weren’t uncommon in wartime.

Since conflicts always attracted sellswords, entering as a mercenary wasn’t difficult.

Instead of heading directly to the lord’s manor, Ghislain first visited the attacked village.

What he found was complete devastation.

The village was already in ruins.

Corpses littered the streets, rotting under the open sky.

“Hmm. As expected, something’s off.”

Ghislain carefully examined the corpses.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Even in their decayed state, he picked up subtle traces others wouldn’t have noticed.

“What? What’s strange about them?” Kyle asked.

After inspecting a few more bodies, Ghislain replied,

“They tried to imitate an organized military attack—but these wounds weren’t inflicted by professional soldiers.”

“…What?”

“Look at these bodies. Most were killed by spears and swords, right?”

The others nodded.

Despite the state of decay, experienced warriors could still recognize the types of wounds.

But Ghislain saw something they didn’t.

“Trained soldiers use standard spear and sword techniques. But these wounds vary—each one was inflicted using a different fighting style.”

“…”

“On top of that, even among troops with skill disparities, you wouldn’t see such huge differences in ability. Yet, the corpses here show extreme gaps in skill levels.”

“…”

“Now, take a look at how they died. Most of them were killed while trying to flee. But a real military unit wouldn’t just charge in randomly like this. They would have attacked in a far more coordinated manner. This looks more like a bandit raid than a military operation.”

“…”

“In short, the attackers were either an extremely untrained military unit… or outlaws disguised as soldiers. But would a border region with this much tension really allow such a chaotic force to operate?”

Everyone stared at Ghislain in disbelief.

The bodies were already deeply decomposed, with almost no visible traces left.

And yet, he spoke as if he had personally witnessed the battle.

Kyle, who was always full of questions, blurted out,

“Can you really see all that? How the hell do you even know this?”

“I just do.”

“…”

“I’m always right.”

“…”

When Ghislain spoke with that tone, there was no room for argument.

Even if they doubted him internally, outwardly, they had to accept it.

Osvald thumped his chest and shouted,

“Boss! As a man of honor, Osvald will trust everything you say without question!”

“…Alright.”

Ghislain clicked his tongue in exasperation. Strangely enough, hearing Osvald be the first to believe in him made him feel uneasy.

The others weren’t entirely convinced either, but since Ghislain had said so, they had no real objections.

After thoroughly examining the corpses, Ghislain immediately set off to meet Count Boneto.

Count Boneto had already begun assembling his army, but when he heard that a mercenary group had come to see him, he welcomed them warmly.

“Hoho! So, you’re mercenaries, huh? Here to take on some work?”

Ghislain had provided a false name for his mercenary group. He had also taken the precaution of disguising himself.

Additionally, he had stationed mercenaries in various locations nearby, preparing them for any potential developments.

“Yes, I’ve heard that this region has been rather unstable lately.”

Ghislain’s bold demeanor made Count Boneto’s face light up with approval.

“That’s right! That bastard Count Schwarz of the neighboring kingdom raided one of my villages! And then, can you believe it? He tried to frame me for it! I’m assembling my forces to punish those scoundrels!”

“Count, are you absolutely sure you didn’t attack first? The rumors say both sides were involved.”

“What nonsense! No matter how bad our relations are, do you think I’d act recklessly?! If a war broke out, both sides would suffer! I was merely…”

“Merely…?”

Count Boneto awkwardly coughed before continuing.

“Ahem, well… I may have sent a few soldiers at night to… quietly steal some resources. Maybe trample a few fields here and there…”

“……”

“Oh, don’t give me that look! You’re not from around here, so you wouldn’t understand. This is just… well… let’s call it a regional tradition! A kind of cultural game to keep the people’s spirits high!”

“……”

“Don’t misunderstand me! They’ve been doing it for ages too! And we had a mutual understanding—we never went as far as spilling blood! But this time, they were the ones who crossed the line!”

“I see.”

Ghislain nodded.

Judging by Boneto’s fiery reaction, it didn’t seem like he was lying.

The other vassals in the room also nodded along as if this were completely normal.

Apparently, in this region, such actions were an accepted part of life.

That so-called “tradition” was also the reason why any deviation from it immediately raised suspicions.

But now, that fragile balance had been broken.

Count Boneto hadn’t retaliated yet, but he knew that if he made a move, there would be no turning back.

With a grave expression, he spoke.

“Still, I can’t sit back and let them trample over us. If they attack again, I will mobilize my army immediately.”

“I heard that Count Schwarz is also gathering his forces. Do you have any information on his movements?”

“No significant reports yet. As far as I know, he hasn’t taken direct action.”

Ghislain could tell that Boneto was convinced war was inevitable.

He wouldn’t make the first move, but if Schwarz provoked him again, he would strike back without hesitation.

But Ghislain saw things differently.

“And Schwarz is probably thinking the exact same thing.”

Just like Boneto, Schwarz believed that the other side had provoked the conflict.

They were both waiting for the other to act first.

“This is the perfect opportunity for someone to take advantage of the situation…”

Neither lord was eager to start a war.

But one more incident—just one more push—and they would both be forced into battle.

And whoever was manipulating this situation wouldn’t make a move until the tension had settled just enough for the lords to let their guard down.

“If that’s the case… then we need to make them act faster.”

Ghislain grinned and turned to Count Boneto.

“Count, would you be willing to entrust this matter to me?”

“What exactly are you asking me to do? You haven’t come here to join the war, have you?”

“That’s part of it… but before that, I need to investigate the enemy.”

“Hmm, explain in detail.”

“For starters, why don’t we request a peace negotiation?”

Count Boneto immediately recoiled in disgust.

“What?! Why the hell should I be the one to propose peace?! He should be the one begging me for forgiveness! I will never do such a thing!”

Ghislain clicked his tongue and shook his head.

No wonder neither side had even considered resolving this peacefully.

Of course, it was understandable—blood had already been spilled. The anger was real.

But at the same time, this kind of stubbornness made it so easy for outside forces to manipulate the situation.

Ghislain didn’t reveal his suspicions.

If word got out, the culprit might realize their plan was compromised and flee.

So instead, he sighed and tried again.

“Fighting now won’t benefit anyone. This isn’t just a conflict between lords—it will escalate into a war between kingdoms.”

“…That’s exactly why I’m holding back.”

“Then let me go to Count Schwarz’s territory. I promise to bring back a valuable gift from him.”

“Hmm…”

Count Boneto hesitated.

Mercenaries didn’t just fight in wars.

Sometimes, those with exceptional negotiation skills acted as mediators.

It wasn’t uncommon for pride and lingering resentment to prevent warring factions from reaching a settlement.

After a moment of thought, Count Boneto reluctantly gave in.

“Ahem… Very well. You may go and speak with him. If he shows sincerity, I might be willing to reconsider.”

Boneto didn’t actually want a war.

Although he despised Schwarz, being the one to officially start the war was a heavy burden.

With Boneto’s permission to negotiate, Ghislain set off.

This time, he took only a handful of his mercenary officers and headed straight for Count Schwarz’s estate.

When he arrived, he was met with cold hostility.

Count Schwarz’s patience was already running thin.

The moment he saw Ghislain, he scoffed.

“So, you’re the mercenary envoy, huh? I heard you came as an emissary.”

“That’s correct. I bring an important proposal from Count Boneto.”

“Hmph. Speak.”

Despite his dismissive tone, Schwarz was secretly relieved.

It was obvious that Boneto was offering peace.

After all, he was thinking the same thing.

If Boneto proposed a reasonable compensation, Schwarz was willing to accept it.

With that expectation in mind, Schwarz listened as Ghislain dramatically pulled out a lavishly decorated parchment and began reading in a clear voice.

“If you do not surrender immediately, I will burn your land to the ground and drown you in filth and blood! You pathetic, wretched dog! This is war!”

“……”

Silence fell over the room.

No one had expected Count Boneto to be this aggressive.

Even the mercenaries who had accompanied Ghislain looked at him in utter shock.

Schwarz’s face turned bright red with rage.

After a moment, he roared in fury.

“Fine! That settles it! I will personally march on Boneto’s land and cut off his head myself!”

And so, war began between the two territories.

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