The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

However, since the man sitting beside him said so, he couldn’t simply dismiss it.

After all, the other was the kingdom’s top expert.

Raul furrowed his brow and asked,

“How strong do you think he is?”

“I’m not exactly sure.”

“You, unable to gauge someone’s strength?”

When Raul asked again, the man shook his head as if shivering.

“It felt… off.”

“Off, how?”

“Every movement, every breath was unusual. Yet, just by looking, he didn’t seem that powerful…”

“Then how strong is he exactly?”

The man thought back to his memory and bluntly replied,

“The rumors that he actively took part in the war seems to be true.”

“Hmm…”

Raul murmured, tapping his chin.

“The guy infamous for being a scoundrel is really that skilled? Are you sure you didn’t misjudge?”

“No, I’m sure. It’s enough to be effective in a war. Even if his physique and mana aren’t sufficient, exceptional technique can make up for it.”

Hearing that, Raul let out a slight sigh.

‘Should I have crushed him now, even if it was a bit excessive? He doesn’t have that much fame yet, so I think we could have managed to cover it up.’

If he had killed him, the royal faction’s nobles would have surely caused a fuss, but he was confident he could frame it as a justified duel.

If not just him but the man next to him agreed with this assessment, even Duke Delfine would have understood.

Both of them had that level of trust.

Raul, unable to hold back, muttered a complaint.

“I should have just killed him today.”

The masked man was silent for a moment before speaking.

“I thought about it for a bit too. For someone his age, his accomplishments so far are remarkable.”

“Then why didn’t you kill him? I would’ve taken care of the aftermath.”

“…I didn’t see an opening to kill him in a single blow. No, that’s not right. There were openings, but I didn’t feel confident about them. Looking back, it felt like he might have shown those openings on purpose.”

“What?”

Raul asked, baffled. Then the man continued calmly.

“If I couldn’t kill him with a single strike, the Marquis of Branford’s forces would have arrived. Then it would have just blown up into a bigger mess without gaining anything. That’s why I decided against it. Stirring up trouble right now is of no benefit to anyone.”

“You didn’t have the confidence to kill him with a single strike? You?”

“That’s right.”

Raul didn’t believe it. No, he couldn’t believe it.

“That’s ridiculous. There’s no way someone his age could have that level of skill. Did you misjudge?”

“Maybe. It might have been just an illusion because of the aura and presence he exuded. But swinging a sword without confidence is a foolish act.”

Raul furrowed his brow, his face still showing clear signs of dissatisfaction.

“Even if it wasn’t a single blow… Couldn’t you have killed him before anyone gathered?”

The masked man took a moment to recall, then slowly began to speak.

“Ten times.”

“Ten times?”

“If what I sensed was true, it would have taken at least ten strikes to kill him. But with that level of skill, he would’ve fled to the banquet hall as soon as he took the first attack, instead of confronting me.”

“That would have certainly been troublesome, but…”

“Yeah, so just forget about it. There will be another chance later.”

Raul clicked his tongue in frustration.

“Is assassination possible?”

The man narrowed his eyes, glaring at Raul. He spoke in a low voice, almost biting off the words.

“You’re not asking me to do it myself, are you?”

“Of course not. I’m just asking if there’s a chance of success.”

“…Depending on the assassin’s skill, it could work. But there’s no real benefit in provoking him. You know that as well as I do.”

“I’m not willing to mess things up just to kill him. It was just a thought, out of regret.”

Ghislain was currently the center of attention among the capital’s nobles, especially after he treated the Marquis’ daughter.

Attempting an assassination in such a situation would be risky, especially if any trace was left behind.

Right now, it was crucial to maintain the current state and covertly bring the capital’s nobles over to their side.

“Damn, we should have killed him before he joined the royal faction. I was too complacent. Who would’ve thought that the northern campaign, which seemed the easiest, would end up taking the longest?”

“Harold took a hit, so he’ll be moving carefully. He’s at least capable of that.”

“Of course, he should be.”

Raul spoke in a cold tone, curling one side of his lips.

If Harold had secured control over the North before Ghislain made a name for himself, things wouldn’t have gotten this complicated.

It was true that this was regretful for him.

Raul clicked his tongue again and continued.

“Just in case, I’ll have to warn Harold. Ghislain Ferdium’s combat skills are formidable, so he should plan as if he’s dealing with a knight commander of an estate.”

“The Best Sword of the North.”

“…What are you talking about? ‘Best Sword of the North’?”

“I’m talking about Ghislain Ferdium’s combat ability. Tell him to consider Ghislain at the level of the ‘Best Sword of the North,’ like Raypold, the Knight Commander.”

Raul’s eyes widened at the remark, and he responded.

“Isn’t that too generous an assessment? Even considering him to be at the level of a knight commander at his age is already excessive.”

“Call it a warrior’s intuition. I know you don’t like that kind of talk.”

“Hmph…”

Raul stroked his chin and then let out a small laugh.

“Well, there’s no harm in being well-prepared. I’ll pass on the message.”

“Anyway, once we start moving in earnest, it won’t matter much. War isn’t something you fight alone.”

“For someone called the ‘One-Man Army’ to say war isn’t fought alone… It doesn’t really suit you, does it?”

Raul’s words were laced with a mocking tone, but the masked man replied calmly.

“Doesn’t the royal family have another one like me? As long as he and I keep each other in check, the outcome of the war will rest in the hands of others.”

The man, who had been silent for a moment, muttered with a hint of self-derision.

“It’s tiresome, really.”

With those words, the masked man fell silent, saying nothing more.

* * *

After Raul left, the banquet continued for a while in a cheerful atmosphere.

A mere upstart who had just joined the faction had turned down the Duke’s proposal, so the royal nobles couldn’t help, but be in a good mood.

Gathering in small groups, they chatted and drank, praising Ghislain’s boldness.

As the night wore on, the nobles gradually began to leave, starting with the prince and high-ranking nobles, and the banquet naturally came to an end.

“Phew, this is exhausting.”

Ghislain loosened his collar, which clung tightly to his neck, and shook his head.

Every time he found himself in a situation like this, he felt that dealing with people was far more draining than fighting.

Forcing a smile made his skin crawl, and it just didn’t suit him at all.

As he looked for an opportunity to slip away, Rosalyn approached him.

“You worked hard today.”

“Well, yes… I can’t deny it. But it wasn’t too bad.”

“Hehe, it’s not often that one person becomes the center of attention at a banquet.”

“You’re right. I failed to realize that I’m quite popular now.”

In truth, ever since he turned down Raul’s proposal, the nobles hadn’t left Ghislain alone.

The connections he was building here would be useful someday, but for now, all he wanted was to go back and rest.

Just as Ghislain was about to politely end the conversation and leave, Rosalyn asked,

“What is your goal, Baron?”

“Pardon?”

“I’m curious about what you’re aiming for, Baron.”

“Well… It’s nothing different from anyone else’s. My goal is to live comfortably.”

Ghislain gave a vague, evasive answer.

Who could he tell his true intentions to?

That his goal was to crush the Delfine Duchy and turn it all into a wasteland, to hunt down those behind it and destroy them completely—that he had returned from the future for this…

That countless lives would be lost.

‘If I said that, they’d all think Ghislain Ferdium had gone mad.’

He might even end up being remembered as a warmonger and a butcher in history.

Why bother speaking of such a blood-soaked future?

He couldn’t tell anyone, nor could he rely on anyone.

The only thing he could trust was himself.

Even the power players of the pro-royal faction were merely tools for him to achieve his goals.

As Ghislain was about to sink into his thoughts, Rosalyn responded with a curious smile.

“A rather ordinary goal. For something so simple, everything you do seems quite extraordinary.”

“Well, I’m just impatient, so I prefer to handle things quickly. In the end, everything I do is to make the estate prosperous, isn’t it? Nothing special.”

“Hmm…”

Rosalyn narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing him as if she didn’t believe a word he said.

Ghislain felt a bit uncomfortable under her gaze, which seemed to probe deeply, trying to discern his true intentions.

“I’m tired, so I’ll be heading off. I’ll see you again next time.”

As he hurried to leave, Rosalyn spoke in a gentle tone.

“Don’t forget that I’m your supporter, Baron. If you ever need help, just let me know.”

“Thank you. But there probably won’t be many instances where you’ll be troubled.”

Ghislain drew a firm line.

He understood Rosalyn’s sentiment well enough, and he was grateful for it.

But this was as far as it could go. To achieve his goals, he would inevitably have to act more aggressively as time passed.

He might even end up as a threat to the royal family, opposed and monitored by everyone.

‘It’ll have to be that way if I’m to stand a chance against the Delfine Duchy.’

He didn’t want the Marquis of Branford or Rosalyn interfering and meddling in the meantime.

This was where the goodwill ended. It was best for them to take what they needed and then go their separate ways.

He didn’t want to see them get caught up in his plans and end up dying.

“Well then, I’ll be off. I had a pleasant time tonight.”

As Ghislain walked away, Rosalyn sighed while watching his retreating figure.

Though she had her own intentions in helping him, it had given her a new lease on life.

No matter how much she’ll repay him, it will never be enough. She had hoped to continue supporting him for a long time, but he cut her off clean.

As if she had never observed Ghislain, Rosalyn turned away and walked to her room.

It seems she wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.

* * *

As soon as Ghislain got into the carriage to return, he sighed, feeling the weight of regret fill his mind.

‘It’s frustrating.’

Just as the masked man had predicted, Ghislain had debated whether or not to kill Raul on the spot.

He could deal with the aftermath later. No, he shouldn’t even have been thinking about the consequences—he should have just killed him.

‘It would’ve been worth it, no matter what losses I had to bear.’

The Delfine Duchy had grown to its current power thanks to Raul’s schemes.

Countless interests had already shifted to the duchy, and the number of lords across the kingdom who supported it was steadily increasing.

Most of the disturbances occurring throughout the kingdom were orchestrated by Raul from behind the scenes.

‘If it weren’t for that guy…’

Ghislain gritted his teeth as he recalled the masked man.

Several times during their conversation, he had been on the verge of killing Raul.

But each time, the masked man intervened and disrupted his breathing.

Remarkably, the man had been able to read Ghislain’s slightest movements and match them, even exuding a faint killing intent that warned him to stop if he attempted anything reckless.

Because of that, Ghislain couldn’t bring himself to attack Raul.

‘He really is as skilled as the rumors say. No, he’s even beyond them.’

Ghislain’s ability to manipulate mana and his keen insight hadn’t dulled since his days as the King of Mercenaries.

Throughout the entire kingdom, only a handful could interfere with his breathing.

A 7th-circle Archmage, or someone with the title of Swordmaster.

‘Ritania only has two Swordmasters.’

One of them was the Royal Knight Commander, who always stayed by the king’s side.

And the other…

The closest confidant of the Delfine Duke and his most loyal sword, the man hailed as the strongest in the kingdom.

‘The Kingdom’s Greatest Sword, Swordmaster Count Balzac.’

Ghislain covered his face with his hand and silently laughed.

It wasn’t a laugh born of joy. It was a laugh to suppress the rage that burned within him.

Letting those he needed to kill walk away had his blood boiling, making it unbearable.

‘If I had regained my former strength…’

Had he been able to, he would have found a way to behead them all.

That lingering regret kept churning his insides.

‘It’s already in the past. Forget it. For now, I need to focus on growing stronger and building my forces as quickly as possible.’

Since returning to the past, he hadn’t been idle for even a moment. Given his circumstances, he was doing the best he could.

But that ‘best’ wasn’t enough to face Count Balzac yet.

“Haa…”

Ghislain took the murderous intent he felt and firmly suppressed it, pushing it deep into his heart.

He vowed that the powerlessness, the rage, and the humiliation he felt today would be unleashed one day.

‘Next time… it won’t end quietly.’

The two of them would meet again, without a doubt.

When he and the duchy clashed with everything on the line.

Then, and only then, would it be decided who was truly the strongest in the kingdom.