The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations - Chapter 724

“Uwaaaaah!”
“Amazing!”
“I can’t believe such a weapon exists!”

The crowd erupted in cheers, raising their hands in excitement.

That massive tower had been obliterated in a single strike. To unleash that level of destruction, one would normally need to be at least a high-ranking mage.

Yet a mere soldier had demonstrated such power with just a simple operation. It was truly an incredible weapon.

Rumors of an impending war had already spread, unsettling the atmosphere of the territory. But after witnessing the weapon’s power, all worries vanished.

If they fired that thing a few more times, the enemy would be wiped out completely.

Even Count Boneto was left stunned, murmuring in astonishment,
“A-Amazing… truly amazing. I never imagined the empire could create such a terrifying weapon…”

“It was made for the war against the Demonic Realm. They are powerful, after all.”

“Indeed. But with a weapon like this, even the Demonic Realm won’t stand a chance. Perhaps this long war may finally come to an end.”

“It certainly will.”

Julien’s voice was resolute. It wasn’t just an act—he genuinely meant it.

Count Boneto nodded repeatedly before asking,
“Hmm, do you have more of these, or is this the only one?”

“Unfortunately, we only brought one. Our goal was merely to test its capabilities and spread the word. However, the empire is continuously producing more.”

“I-I see. But even a single one is more than enough… more than enough.”

With that kind of firepower, even one could change the entire battlefield. Having just one was already something to be grateful for.

The local mages, filled with admiration, approached.

“The surge of mana just now was immense!”
“How in the world was this created? What’s the mechanism behind it?”
“Would it be alright if we took a closer look?”

Their eyes sparkled with curiosity, hoping to uncover at least a fraction of the weapon’s secrets.

Among them, the territory’s chief mage was the most excited.

He was a 5th-Circle mage, and yet the power emanating from that weapon had far surpassed what he could muster.

His curiosity was unbearable.

However, Julien and the mercenaries firmly blocked their approach.

“No.”

“C-Couldn’t we just take a quick look?”

“No. This is the empire’s secret weapon. We cannot risk leaking its technology.”

“But we’re on the same side… surely just a small glance wouldn’t—”

“We were sent here to demonstrate the weapon’s power and spread awareness. Nothing more. We do not have permission from His Holiness to share any details. If you insist, we will have no choice but to leave.”

Count Boneto, alarmed, quickly stepped in to stop the mages.

“Haha! This is the empire’s secret weapon, after all! Of course, they must be careful about leaks! Stay back, all of you! No one is to approach the weapon!”

Losing their goodwill would be a disaster. Count Boneto issued firm orders and sided with Julien.

Julien gave a slight nod and said,
“In due time, the technology behind this weapon will be shared. When war breaks out against the Demonic Realm, the empire will supply weapons to each kingdom.”

“Of course. The empire truly is our guiding light. No… they are more than that now. If they can create such weapons, they will surely prosper once again. Hahaha!”

“Thank you. However… we need to ensure news of this weapon spreads far and wide. Would you be willing to assist us?”

“That won’t be difficult! I’ll spread the word that the empire has gifted us with this new weapon. Many have already witnessed its power firsthand, so the news will travel quickly!”

“Thank you. The empire will not forget this favor.”

“Just hearing that is thanks enough! Hahahaha!”

Count Boneto seemed to be in an excellent mood. Then, out of nowhere, he turned to Julien and brought up an unexpected topic.

“You see, I have quite the eye for art. In fact, I may be the most generous patron of the arts in this region. They even call me ‘Boneto the Aesthetic.’”

“Ah… I see…”

Despite having just been cursing the Dragon Cannon in his mind, Count Boneto now gazed at it with a fresh perspective and spoke again.

“Now that I look at it, I can see the beauty hidden within its roughness. The delicate craftsmanship of the dwarves, and the avant-garde philosophy embedded in its form…”

“…”

Julien had no words.

To anyone with eyes, the Dragon Cannon was a disaster.

The metal scraps had been hastily welded together to resemble wheels, the head looked neither like a dragon nor a bird but some horrifying hybrid creature, and the cannon’s muzzle was warped in a grotesque way. The decorations were sloppily attached, making the whole thing look like a hastily assembled mess.

Yet Count Boneto nodded to himself as if deeply moved.

“This… this chaotic blend of rough lines… It’s as if it’s testing the very limits of civilization itself. The destruction of traditional forms serves to emphasize its essence…”

“…”

Count Boneto stroked his chin while staring intently at the Dragon Cannon.

“Those skewed eyes… Do they symbolize the despair of chaos? It’s as if it’s attempting to break free from conventional aesthetic norms, a final cry of the anguished self.”

It was just some poorly placed glass shards.

Julien remained silent, listening without interruption.

Art was truly too difficult to understand.

Count Boneto continued, boasting about his exquisite taste.

Just as he was going on and on without pause—

Thud!

A sudden noise came from the Dragon Cannon’s body.

Count Boneto flinched and asked in alarm,
“What was that? Did something break?”

“Ah, it’s probably just… frustration— I mean, I should inspect it.”

“Hmm, I see, I see. A weapon like this must have delicate internal mechanisms. Go ahead and check it. In the meantime, I shall go spread the news!”

Finally, Count Boneto stopped talking and left.

The spectators, exhausted from listening to him, also began dispersing one by one.

In the end, thanks to Julien’s smile and the weapon’s raw power, the demonstration was a success.

And thanks to the unexpectedly talkative Count Boneto, the rumors spread faster than expected.

***

“It’s done! It’s done! War has been declared!”

A man, bored from waiting, burst into the cave and shouted. The ones inside erupted into cheers.

“Is it true? Has war really begun?”
“Finally!”
“We’re saved! Hahaha!”

These were bandits from other regions—the very ones responsible for pillaging villages to stir conflict between the two territories.

Their excitement soon subsided as they lowered their voices and spoke cautiously.

“Now that war has started, will they let us go?”
“T-They should, right? That was the deal.”
“But what if they just kill us instead? That would ruin everything.”

The light in their eyes was quickly replaced with fear.

There was no escaping for them. A strange energy had seeped into their bodies, making them incapable of fleeing.

One day, a middle-aged man had appeared out of nowhere and infused them with this energy. Those who resisted had their bodies twisted apart and died gruesomely.

They had no idea how it worked, but it was enough to crush any thoughts of rebellion.

From then on, they had no choice but to follow his orders.

The bandits had carried out their mission obediently. Now, all that remained was to wait for the middle-aged man to return.

They wanted to report their success and be free of this place as soon as possible, but even they did not know where he resided.

After enduring another full day, they finally heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

Step. Step. Step.

The moment they heard the slow, deliberate footsteps, the bandits immediately dropped to their knees, lowering their heads.

Their bodies trembled in fear.

That was how much control this mysterious man held over them.

Step. Step.

The footsteps came to a halt.

A heavy silence settled before his voice rang out.

“Report.”

The bandit in charge of relaying messages from within the territory spoke in a quivering voice.

“W-War has been declared. Count Boneto made the first move, and Count Schwarz responded. Both sides are now mobilizing their armies.”

“A success, then.”

The middle-aged man smiled.

A dark aura coiled around his hand, ominously flickering as though it sought to deny and destroy everything in its path.

His name was Ismoken.

Just as Ghislain had suspected, he was a priest of the Salvation Order.

Ismoken was part of the vanguard sent to sow chaos before the true emergence of the Demonic Realm, aiming to inflict maximum damage.

And now, he had achieved his goal.

The two territories had never been on good terms to begin with. Even if left alone, the scale of their conflict would only escalate.

Ultimately, this war would spread into a full-blown battle between kingdoms.

A most satisfying result.

It was time to leave.

He had other places to plunge into disorder.

“As promised, I shall grant you your freedom.”

Of course, that “freedom” was death.

To Ismoken, anyone who was not a follower of the Salvation Order had no right to live.

Nor could he leave behind witnesses.

The bandits, oblivious to their fate, kept their heads bowed as Ismoken merely watched with an unreadable expression.

Just as he was about to release his dark aura, he hesitated.

The war had been declared, but had battle actually begun?

The armies were mobilizing, but if they continued to remain idle, he would have to take additional measures.

He could not afford to take action personally.

Until he was certain of his success, it might be better to keep the bandits alive.

Ismoken was always cautious.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

The Salvation Order could not afford to be discovered just yet.

Minimizing contact with the bandits was precisely how he had remained undetected all this time.

After a brief moment of contemplation, he turned to the bandit who had reported earlier.

“The armies have yet to clash, correct?”

“Y-Yes, sir. The last report stated that they were still gathering and moving into position.”

“Any other noteworthy developments?”

“Well… there’s a strange rumor.”

“Speak.”

“They say the Holy Empire has intervened in this war.”

“…”

Ismoken’s brow twitched.

The Holy Empire was the greatest enemy of his faith.

The mere mention of their involvement was not something he could ignore.

“How have they intervened?”

“A secret unit from the empire supposedly visited Count Boneto. And… they handed him a new weapon.”

“A secret unit? A new… weapon?”

“Yes. They claim it’s a weapon the empire developed in secret to combat the Demonic Realm. This war is supposedly a test to gauge its effectiveness.”

“…Is this confirmed?”

“Many saw it with their own eyes. Even our informants within the territory reported the same. They say its power is overwhelming.”

“Describe it in detail.”

“W-Well… they say it can destroy an entire tower in a single shot. And even ordinary soldiers can operate it.”

“A soldier?”

“Yes. Our informant personally witnessed a soldier using it to destroy the tower.”

“…”

Ismoken withdrew his dark aura completely.

If what he had just heard was true, this was a serious matter.

A weapon that even common soldiers could use—one capable of demolishing a tower in a single strike.

What if hundreds of such weapons appeared on the battlefield?

The consequences would be catastrophic.

It could shift the balance of war entirely.

‘It’s possible.’

Humanity had fought against the Salvation Order for ages.

If they had developed new technology to gain the upper hand, it would make sense.

What troubled him most was that the weapon had been developed by the Holy Empire.

If anyone were to build such a thing °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° in secrecy, the empire would be the ideal candidate.

Even someone like him—a high-ranking priest—could not infiltrate the Holy Empire unnoticed.

‘This must be verified.’

More than anything else, this matter required confirmation.

Depending on the weapon’s capabilities, it could determine the outcome of the war.

He had to see it for himself.

Only then could he formulate a countermeasure.

Ismoken did not take rumors at face value.

‘It could be a bluff.’

For all he knew, Count Boneto might be using this to pressure Count Schwarz.

The idea that this could be a trap to lure him out had never even crossed his mind.

Still, he decided to take a small risk and verify the rumor himself.

If, by some chance, such a devastating weapon truly existed, the morale of the human forces would skyrocket.

And that would make the Salvation Order’s war all the more difficult.

“…You will need to put in a little more effort.”

“P-Please, just tell us what to do!”

“Simply observe the battlefield. Monitor Count Boneto’s army and report back. Most importantly, find out where the weapon is being deployed. You must not miss a single detail.”

“U-Understood! We will investigate thoroughly!”

“I will grant you some strength to aid in your movements. The mages of the territory will not detect it, so do not concern yourselves.”

Ssssshh…

Ismoken extended his hand, and dark energy seeped into the bandits.

“Go forth. This sacred energy shall make you holy beings.”

As the energy slithered into their bodies, the bandits shuddered.

The sensation was unbearably vile, but they dared not resist.

They had no desire to end up with their heads exploding.

For a brief moment, their eyes turned pitch-black before returning to normal.

But none of them noticed.

Lowering his hand, Ismoken commanded,
“Now, go and confirm its existence with your own eyes. Then report back to me.”

The bandits scattered into the shadows, tracking Count Boneto’s movements.

Ismoken followed behind them at a leisurely pace, stepping out of the cave.

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