Regressor, Possessor, Reincarnator

Thanksgiving. A festival to share the year-long awaited harvest and pray for abundance. People gathered in the county every year to enjoy said festival.

What if something scandalous were to arise during the festivities?

For example, someone breaking into the ruling family’s manor while security was more sparse.

'An attack by a group of bandits who didn’t even know the basics.’

Allen remembered the incident that occurred at that time. It was an unprecedented incident that, through Julius, drew the attention of the city and even made a bet with the aristocracy by mobilizing a mercenary corps.

‘Taking advantage of that, our treasure trove was taken from the manor, and the other noble families belittled us.’

In the end, Julius chased the bandits down and killed them, recovering the stolen goods. However, the damage done to their family’s honor was irreversible.

“Father, this must’ve been a set up!”

Lost in thought, a familiar voice woke Allen.

“I know. It would be even more ridiculous to say that it was just an accident.”

As soon as Allen had returned to the manor, he was called into the office. There, Julius was already waiting.

“As you already know—”

“So what are you saying?”

Gaielle didn’t raise an eyebrow while listening to Julius. Calm as always, he maintained his unwavering demeanor.

“We must punish those who’ve perpetrated this at once.”

“How.”

“We interrogate them—”

Gaielle sneered as he pushed his papers aside. Julius didn’t have a wide enough worldview yet, which was a good thing for the duke. It made him easier to manipulate.

“No, we can’t do that.”

“Why?”

“Well, then, what would you do? Kill them to shut them up?”

“...What?”

Julius’s face changed to show a stunned expression. Allen watched the conversation quietly, laughing on the inside.

“That’s—”

“A lot of people saw it happen. Also, now the mercenaries have gotten involved.”

“I didn’t do that—”

“What did they say? That they were there to step up to protect the weak? Hah.” 

Julius’s face turned red, as if he were angry at his father’s words.

With a strange look on his face, the rumors that Allen had heard upon arriving in the city came to mind.

Was it really to protect those who that rascal had hurt?

‘He’s got some nerve.’

No matter how hard they may be trying to make a profit, they were still being commissioned by members of the aristocracy. They were deliberately arguing with a son of a nobleman in order to draw the city's attention, after all. So it certainly wasn’t normal.

“After the festival ends, this news could spread throughout the entire kingdom depending on how much the citizens or mercenaries speak of it.”

He was right. It was impossible to silence all of the floating populations, including the many merchants and mercenaries who came to the county to enjoy the festivities.

“But it’s too late to deal with all this in secret.”

“...Yes. You’re right.” Julius shut his mouth, speechless, making Gaielle let out a small laugh in reply.

“So… you take care of it.” 

“By myself?”

Julius’s confusion showed on his face.

As if to encourage him, Gaielle said softly, “I hear there’s an artifact out there meant to settle disputes between mercenaries…”

“Ah!”

Julius nodded as if he had realized something.

With a content smile, Gaielle continued, “Well, then, go on. There’s a lot of work for you to do.”

“Understood.”

Click.

In the lonely room that Julius had just exited, Gaielle quietly turned towards Allen.

“Allen, what do you think?”

“Well…”

“Can you think of anyone involved?”

Allen thought of two people who could have been behind it, but shook his head silently.

“I can’t.”

“Do you have any guesses about their motive?”

‘Of course. The bandits will raid the manor’s treasure trove via the underground waterways. Maybe so they can forcefully take that “thing” in the trove.’

“Maybe… but aren’t you trying to use Julius’s notoriety to undermine the family?”

Gaielle stared right at Allen’s face and replied, “...Hm, yes. Thank you. I’ve been so insensitive. You just got back.”

“It’s alright.”

“Have you made any magical achievements?”

“Yes.”

“Well, then, congratulations.”

Gaielle, nodding calmly, looked at the documents ahead of him again before giving a congratulatory order.

“Now, go. Ah, and don’t forget to go to the treasure trove.”

“Alright, understood.”

Just as he had done when he came in, Allen bowed politely before slowly leaving the office.

‘Well…’

He went to see the faces of the good-for-nothings trying to storm their manor. He laughed coldly at the thought of the men hiding out in the underground waterways.

‘Taking care of these bandits in the waterways will be a feat comparable to Julius’s contribution.’

Moving without thinking, Allen remembered Julius and walked a little faster.

If his little brother starts moving, the bandits will attack.

* * *

Even after Allen had left, Gaielle didn’t return to his seat, as if he were waiting for someone.

‘How long has it been?’

Half an hour after Allen had left the room, someone knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

“It’s Laina.”

“Come in.”

She came in instantly, opening the door without making a sound. Gaielle asked her a question, as if he’d been waiting for her.

“Julius will be looking for you, so I’ll ask quickly. Are you the one behind this?”

“No, sir.”

Laina answered his question quickly, without any trace of embarrassment. She really had nothing to do with this. Even if there were something going on, however, she had to get her word in.

“This was not something that we prepared. Even if it were, it would have never taken place before your consent, sir.”

Gaielle replied with a cold smile, “You could do things in secret, though, couldn’t you?”

He knew that it wasn’t possible, but he couldn’t let it slide.

“That’s…”

She wasn't sure either. When she had just begun to assist Julius, she instructed him indirectly, never directly commanding him one way or another.

“Wasn’t that what you promised? Rather than setting the stage, fulfilling my requests.”

“Yes, but this…”

Laina bit her lip.

“No, I don’t want your excuses. This job is—”

Knock, knock.

“I’ve brought the things you sent for, sir.”

She had arrived.

Gaielle wasn’t embarrassed at the waiting person’s arrival, yet immediately allowed their entry.

Click.

The servant knelt down as soon as the door of the office closed. Lowering her head, a much softer voice—than what he had heard earlier behind the door—came out from her lips.

“Stop bothering that child, Duke. As you wish, we will offer you more support.”

Despite the bizarre appearance, Gaielle addressed her without any hesitation.

“Well…”

“We will double it this month. Hasn’t your wealth increased anyway thanks to your new son?”

Gaielle smiled contentedly at her reply, yet stiffened his expression at her final remark.

“And one more thing…”

With that addition, Laina realized the meaning of her words, bowed her head, and left the office.

Click.

“We are not to blame for this. It’s more likely that it’s because of ‘that.’”

“‘That’?”

The servant smiled and pointed her finger downwards as she stared at Gaielle’s stiff expression.

“The work of your ancestors that you wish to conceal.” 

“......”

Gaielle remained silent, not responding to her actions. However, even with that response—whether or not she was satisfied with it—she responded in a cheerful tone.

“So, I want this to end here. It’s not our fault.”

“...Right,” he replied, a weight evident in his voice.

“Then you’ll surely have a lot of work to do… I’ll get going now.” 

Thud.

“Wh-Where am I…?”

“You must’ve been exhausted.”

Gaielle, just like usual, gave the servant a short holiday and sighed with a complicated look.

The servant left the office with a puzzled look on her face, thinking about what to do with her new vacation.

“There’s a lot of work to be done.”

There was no time to rest. Gaielle grabbed the papers again. The amount of work he had left to do was beyond imagination.

The bright laughter of the festival flowed through his widely spread curtains.

Yet inside the office, it was still dark.

* * *

* * * 

A place filled with a pervasive odor, piles of garbage, and mixtures of waste from the city. Such was the underground waterway through which the city’s sewage washed away.

Dozens of men were gathered there in one corner.

“So when are we going?”

“Hold on. Wait a second, punk.”

Mismatched equipment and weapons marked with their individuality. Their bodies were full of scars, as if proving that they had gone through rough battles, and the magic flowing through their bodies was enough to receive special treatment anywhere, even if they were not at the level of a knight.

Carden said to Crogen, who was away from his men, “Well, how many days have we been in this place? It’s been a long time since I’ve smelled a lady’s perfume.”

“It’s almost done, so just wait a minute. If we get this done right, we can go right away to cross the Great Desert and then get into the empire.”

Crogen was huge, standing at two meters tall with a muscular physique. Ordinary people would be shocked to see him. Or any living being, for that matter.

Carden spoke with patience, despite a sudden flood of fear.

“It’s not because of me. It’s because of the guys below me. It’s because I got a lot of complaints.”

Crogen turned his head to look at his men. Their faces were plastered with boredom and irritation. They were reaching their limits…

‘You don’t have to ask me to be able to move, dammit.’

Honestly, he was just as annoyed. Why did this have to be so complicated? If he could, he’d just get it over with. But they couldn’t because they were dealing with aristocrats.

‘If it weren’t for the injury, I never would have accepted this job.’

No matter how famous he was in the area, he didn't want to carry out this crazy plan of attacking not a thief or a small estate, but the duke.

“No, but—”

Whir…

“Hold on.”

At those words, Carden immediately shut his mouth. He was able to speak to Crogen directly because he was one of his earliest minions, but also because he was clever.

However, even holding the position of vice-boss, it was impossible for him to launch even a small rebellion against Crogen's commands.

‘All those who’d crossed the line to flaunt their friendship died.’

He didn’t want for himself to die like that.

Not caring about what Carden was thinking, Crogen took out a vibrating glass bead the size of a baby’s fist. It shone a pale crimson glow.

[It’s time.]

The voice belonged to a middle-aged man. The man uttered those words in an imperative tone, as if he were accustomed to giving orders.

“Finally…”

[Tomorrow afternoon. When the city’s attention is focused on the battle between the mercenaries, enter the location as instructed.]

“Wait, what about the reward?”

[...Once you arrive at the designated location with the goods, I’ll give you your reward right away.]

“Really?”

[I don’t lie. Would you like me to swear on mana?]

Crogen grinned. How could he know for sure that it wasn’t a trap? Nobody would trust a bandit. So how could he?

‘But would a noble who thought of himself as such really make a deal with a petty thief?’

There was no way.

Nevertheless, the reason behind accepting his commission was simple: because it was hard to hold out. The bandit group—who had been notorious a few years ago—had fallen upon hard times. And so, they needed a massive haul to overcome their circumstances.

“By the way, I think I can find the trove better if I know where and how I’m using the items I have and how to use—”

[Don’t worry about that. Just bring what you need to bring.]

“Well, alright. As long as you take care of the reward, we’ll be fine.”

‘If we feel like we’re being used, then we should just pick up and go somewhere else.’

What would they get after raiding the duke’s estate? There would have to be some extra income at least.

“Well, I don’t know, but my men are a little on the duller side. They don’t know how to act when they see the shimmer and shine of a gold coin while looking for something else…”

[...Just take care of it. It doesn’t matter what you use while you’re there as long as you bring me what I sent for.]

The corners of his mouth began to rise. It was dangerous, but if they were successful, oh, he couldn’t even begin to imagine how great the reward would be.

“As expected, you have a truly kind heart, sir. We will surely succeed.”

[Yes. I’ll await news of your success.]

With those words, the crystal ball returned to its typical transparent appearance.

Crogen relaxed his stiffened body and shouted, “You hear that? Get ready. Our life of shit-smellin’ gutter ends today!”

The men who had been quietly listening to their conversation cheered after Crogen’s cry.

Carden felt a little bit of regret, thinking that he should have waited a little longer before talking with the noble. In the end, he hadn’t tried to speak with him during their conversation.

“Ah! Finally!”

“Fuck, man, it’s been a few days since I’ve smelled something nice.”

“I’m never going back in the sewer again. Seriously.”

Crogen’s eyes glowed red, and the device built into his chest burned hot. Even if he was a little weakened by permanent injuries, it wasn’t like he couldn’t sneak in and pick up anything.

‘If we get this done, it’ll solve everything.’

He was going to make a full recovery from his injuries and recruit new members.

Thinking of a successful future, Crogen burst out into laughter. Whether he was just intoxicated by the thought of such success or it was simply his nature as a bandit, Crogen had been too careless.

“Really?”

“Yeah, if we get this done, it’ll—”

Crash!

“Aaaaaaaack!”

“It’s a surprise attack! Fuck! We’re under attack!”

His scream echoed. 

A harsh roar echoed, and the sound was amplified furthermore throughout the blocked waterway.

At the same time, one voice rang out clearly.

“Gotcha.”

‘Those filthy bandits.’

From the darkness of the shadows, a dark figure swooped in.