The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

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Chapter 364 Who’s Bullying Whom? (1)

Hubert had no choice.

Count Penris had certainly achieved the rank of Master. Not only that, but other disciples had clearly witnessed his strength.

This meant that the rumor, spreading like wildfire, was indeed true.

In name and reality, Count Penris was now the strongest in the North. Being targeted by someone like that could only lead to trouble.

Hubert quickly snapped back to reality and tried to handle the situation.

“Hahaha, Count, you seem flustered! Oh dear, that won’t happen between us, right?”

“Exactly! We’re not on such terms, are we? If we want to keep getting Rune Stones and food support, we need to fight together!”

“Of course, of course…”

Flustered, Hubert laughed while cold sweat dripped down his back. There was no way out now. Without the Rune Stones and food supplied by Count Penris, the Mage Tower would be in a shaky situation.

The consequences of being too dependent on others were now starting to show.

Still, as he contemplated how to find an opportunity to at least keep his foot in the door, Ghislaine’s words followed.

“Send everyone except a handful of wizards to protect the Mage Tower to Marquis Branford. He’ll send the wizards to the territories that lack them.”

“Now… right now?”

“Yes, immediately.”

He truly found himself cornered into the civil war. Hubert nodded with tears in his eyes.

‘See, there’s no such thing as a free lunch…’

It wasn’t just a coincidence that they provided so many Rune Stones and food, then destroyed the Tower of the Bloody Flame.

After receiving such grand treatment, it seemed like he had no choice but to pay the piper.

“Well then, see you in war.”

As Ghislaine smiled and spoke, Hubert shed another tear and nodded.

After wrapping up the matters with the Mage Tower, Ghislaine, with Gillian’s assistance, exited. They had to return to their territory quickly.

Once outside the tower, they were taken aback by the scene before them.

Ghislaine looked around, a look of amusement on his face.

“Oh… what’s this?”

All the wizards affiliated with the Tower of the Bloody Flame had come out.

When he first came to sell Rune Stones, even the doorkeeper ignored him. But this time, the wizards came out to see him off politely, a stark contrast to before.

Not just that, even the townsfolk, having heard that Ghislaine was leaving, had come out to cheer.

“Waaaaaa! It’s Count Penris!”

“The Swordmaster of the North!”

“Please look this way!”

In just a week, the rumor had spread so much that the streets were packed with crowds.

The mere fact that a Master had emerged from the North thrilled them. Even though they were from different territories, they were all Northerners.

And even if he weren’t a Master, to them, Ghislaine was like a hero who had liberated them from their desires, having trampled on the Tower of the Bloody Flame.

Since everyone relied on the Tower of the Bloody Flame, naturally, they couldn’t help but despise it for taking away the position of the Number One Tower in the North.

When Ghislaine raised his chin and waved, the people erupted in even more excitement.

“Kyaaaaaaaaaak! Count Penris!”

“I’m a follower of the Count from today onwards!”

“I’m going to Penris too!”

The cheers and cries of the people filled the city. It seemed like followers like Dominic would become even more numerous.

Seeing the crowd cheering for him, Ghislaine couldn’t help but smirk.

“Well, this feels pretty good.”

There was no denying that he had become more popular than in his previous life. Thinking back, only the weirdos liked him back then.

‘Was it because I had too many scars, making me scary? Or was it my profession?’

Well, what did it matter? As long as things were going well now, that was what counted.

Despite returning to their territory amidst such tremendous cheers, Ghislaine didn’t have a moment to rest.

As soon as Claude saw Ghislaine, he rushed over with a troubled expression.

“A guest has come. The Lord has been waiting for your return.”

“A guest?”

“Someone from the House of Marquis Roderick sent someone over.”

“Oh…”

They had come sooner than expected. It seemed they had already found out about Martin’s death.

With his body still recovering, Ghislaine slowly made his way to the main hall.

After a moment’s wait, a group entered. They were accompanied by a retinue of knights following an envoy dressed in lavish attire.

Even though they were in someone else’s territory, they didn’t seem particularly tense. Instead, they busily looked around with a haughty expression.

The one at the front slightly bowed his head upon seeing Ghislaine.

“I meet the esteemed Count Penris of the North. I am Tenant, sent from the House of Marquis Roderick. The Goddess’s blessings upon your territory…”

“Skip the formalities; get straight to the point.”

Tenant glanced at Ghislaine, who cut him off with a indifferent expression.

‘So he’s the notorious brat of the North.’

He looked young and appeared to have quite the temper. Rumors suggested he had thrown etiquette out the window, so there was no need to be formal here. Tenant straightened up and continued speaking.

“I’ve come at the Marquis’s behest to ask you a small favor.”

“What is it?”

“Please hand over the Drake Mercenary Group to us.”

Tenant’s expression showed confidence that Ghislaine would surely fulfill the request. He had never seen the Count refuse a request from the House of Marquis.

As Ghislaine stared, observing Tenant’s overly self-assured expression, he leaned back in his chair.

“And the reason for that?”

“We have obtained information that they murdered Prince Martin and fled.”

As expected of the House of Marquis Roderick. They had certainly come with conviction.

Even so, he had no intention of handing over the Drake Mercenary Group. He had already taken responsibility for that matter himself.

He was a man who never shirks from his responsibilities. Ghislaine twisted his mouth into a smirk as he replied.

“I refuse. The Drake Mercenary Group has already been absorbed by the Penris Mercenary Group.”

“The Marquis promised a great reward.”

“I don’t seem to have much to gain from the Marquis.”

“Are you planning to hold a grudge against the Marquis?”

“Not impossible.”

“……”

Tenant glared at Ghislaine for a moment. No matter how strong Count Penris was known to be, he could not compare to the House of Marquis Roderick. The economies of the West and North differed entirely.

‘Is he not understanding his place?’

It seemed gaining the title of the strongest in the North had made him think he was the strongest in the Kingdom.

Even though Tenant’s request was denied, he didn’t show much agitation. Instead, he simply scrutinized Ghislaine from head to toe.

‘There are rumors that he’s a Master, but he doesn’t look that strong. His face is pale and he seems sickly. His aura seems weak.’

The envoy, Tenant, was a strong knight and commander trusted enough by the House of Marquis to carry out such requests.

Normally, he wouldn’t be the one to directly intervene in such matters. But he had come to assess the famous Count Penris in person.

‘Guess the rumors were exaggerated. That white-haired one next to him looks stronger. Is that Gillian, known as the White Lion?’

Gillian’s renown from fighting against Desmond’s Army was now spreading throughout the Kingdom.

Kaor would probably be fuming about this.

As Tenant took a brief look at Ghislaine and those around him, he couldn’t help but chuckle silently.

‘Looks like the achievements of his subordinates are repackaged as the Count’s glory. Quite common.’

That was the conclusion Tenant arrived at.

Currently, Ghislaine was running low on mana and had sustained severe injuries.

Since Tenant did not know that Ghislaine had fought Delmood, a 7th Circle wizard, just days before, he could only judge based on what he saw.

“I know you’re the strongest in the North, Count. But even so, being at odds with the House of Marquis Roderick benefits no one. I’ll ask one last time: Are you willing to hand over the Drake Mercenary Group to us?”

“No.”

With Ghislaine’s concise answer, Tenant no longer held onto any wishful thinking. He too was proud as a retainer of the House of Marquis, known as the strongest in the West.

Of course, he had never imagined he would go groveling and begging to negotiate with someone.

“……Then Roderick and Penris will become enemies.”

“Do as you please.”

“I’ll see you on the battlefield next time.”

Tenant bowed his head and turned away. As he exited, he checked the expressions of Penris’s retainers again.

‘What’s this? These guys?’

It was almost equivalent to a declaration of war from the House of Marquis Roderick.

Although they might avoid an all-out war, the Marquis had enough power to harass and ruin the territory of Penris.

Yet not a single one of them appeared tense. They all wore expressions as if to say, ‘Whatever.’

In fact, Tenant accurately perceived this aspect. The retainers of Penris were all thinking the same thing.

‘Attack or not, who cares?’

‘It was bound to happen anyway.’

‘We’ve been threatened so much that nothing scares us now.’

So far, all those who had fought against Ghislaine were dead. And Penris was already preparing to battle the Duke faction someday.

Therefore, they had no reason to be intimidated just because they were going to war with Marquis Roderick.

Having become hardened through their past experiences, their confidence had grown immensely.

Tenant was displeased with their response and muttered as he left the main hall.

“Crazy bastards.”

It seemed that showing strength was necessary to awaken their senses. Crazy people needed a strong dose of reality.

Of course, Tenant wasn’t the only one thinking like this.

Claude quietly murmured, watching Tenant’s back as he left.

“There are plenty of idiots who need a beating to come to their senses.”

Wendy glanced at Claude’s face with a side-eye.

At this point, it was hard to tell who was saying what.

*

“That brat refused?”

“Yes, he seems ready to fight as well.”

“Ku ku kuk…”

After hearing Tenant’s report, Marquis Roderick chuckled.

The chair he sat in was exceptionally large and ornate. That was because his body was several times larger than that of others.

However, no one dared to mock Marquis Roderick’s appearance.

Marquis Roderick was a great lord that ruled over the entire West and was infamous for his cruelty within the Kingdom.

After chuckling for quite some time, Marquis Roderick spoke.

“So, what was your impression of that brat after seeing him in person?”

“There seems to have been a bit of exaggeration in the rumors.”

“Exaggeration?”

“I felt almost no mana from him. His face showed clear signs of illness, and he appeared weak. However…”

“However?”

“Everyone around him looked outstanding.”

“Isn’t it true that the brat has been active in the North? There are rumors that he’s nearing Master level. Every intelligence agency in the Kingdom has confirmed this. Many have witnessed him fighting.”

“That’s why I’m more perplexed. To me, he didn’t seem that powerful.”

At those words, Marquis Roderick fell deep in thought.

Tenant was a high-ranking knight, among the strongest in the House of Marquis. Thus, his firsthand account could be more accurate than any rumor.

However, Marquis Roderick was as greedy as he was cruel; he also had a very suspicious nature.

“Such rumors don’t appear for no reason. He must possess some unknown strength that isn’t immediately apparent. Consider him as the strongest sword in the North and devise our strategy accordingly. Understood?”

“Understood.”

Who would dare refuse a direct order? Even though Tenant’s firsthand account had been dismissed, he didn’t argue back.

Although the contempt that had seeped into his heart hadn’t completely disappeared.

Marquis Roderick pondered Tenant’s report for a moment before asking his aide beside him.

“How about raising our soldiers to simply crush them?”

“Since a civil war is near, why not move alongside the Duke faction?”

“Tsk… That brat just rejected my request. Should I just let that go? And when the civil war breaks out, we’ll have to seize the capital first, so when would we head north?”

Marquis Roderick was not mad about his son’s death. He was angrier that Ghislaine had dared to refuse his request.

His goal was to retrieve the Drake Mercenary Group. And he had to enact punishment.

He wasn’t grieving over his child’s death. He had to show everyone that those who dared touch the House of Marquis Roderick would pay for their sins.

To accomplish that, he needed to capture them now. If he killed them after the civil war, the significance would be lost.

His aide, looking slightly anxious, said,

“The Duke faction’s strategy is to block the North and swiftly capture the capital and East. If we provoke a fight, it will turn into a territorial battle.”

“What of it?”

“Huh?”

“That useless brat just created the basis for a territorial war by failing to command even a mercenary group. Why should we back down?”

“Well, um…”

“Of course it’ll be a little tough if he’s stuck up there in the North. But for now, I plan to provoke him a bit.”

“How do you intend to do that?”

“Isn’t that brat’s cosmetic line selling well across the Kingdom?”

“Yes, it is. Many nobles from the West are purchasing them.”

“Good, then let’s poke that first. Strike at the biggest cosmetic merchant heading West.”

At that, the aide’s face went pale.

“T-That’s a joint venture with the House of Marquis Branford. If we touch that, Marquis Branford won’t just sit idle.”

“Is Marquis Branford stronger than I am?”

“…….”

The aide could not answer. Marquis Roderick narrowed his eyes and glared at him.

“Isn’t he just a fool, using the royal family as a hostage to swing power? Does he truly think I’m weaker?”

Marquis Roderick was the strongest noble in the West, commanding vast resources due to his control of strategic locations.

Of course, Marquis Branford was also a powerful figure able to mobilize the Kingdom’s army. But Marquis Roderick was confident that he could seize the Kingdom even if he raised a rebellion by himself.

He was that powerful. He merely teamed up with the Duke faction because they were stronger and he had to relinquish his ambitions.

“It doesn’t matter if Marquis Branford intervenes. If it comes down to it, I can start a civil war myself.”

A cruel smile surfaced on Marquis Roderick’s face.