The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

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“Gahhh!”

Basilrud, with a broken leg, slumped to the ground. Yulien, who had been about to behead the Black Mage, froze for a moment.

Drip drip.

A red line formed around Basilrud’s neck as blood flowed out. Thanks to Yulien stopping his sword just before the cut, Basilrud’s head was still attached.

“Huff, huff!”

Terrified, Basilrud gasped for breath. For some reason, his opponent had spared him.

Ghislaine raised her staff above Basilrud’s head and said, “Looks like we’ve got a clear winner.”

“P-please spare me! I’m a 6th Circle Black Mage! Keeping me around will definitely benefit you!”

“But you’re way too weak for a 6th Circle, aren’t you?”

Ghislaine’s observation was unapologetically honest. When Vanessa was a 6th Circle mage, she had played a decisive role in battles.

Even considering that Knights had protected her, her combat instincts were on another level.

Vanessa never flinched in the face of attacks and always figured out the most efficient countermeasures.

Compared to her, Basilrud’s magical prowess was painfully pitiful.

But Basilrud retorted with an indignant expression, “Th-that’s because your combat style is just so bizarre…”

He unleashed a frenzy of magic from afar without focus, and up close, he wildly swung his staff.

Where else would you find a mage fighting like this?

For Basilrud, who had never exercised a day in his life, it was an incomprehensible realm.

Ghislaine chuckled, then continued, “First, let’s get rid of all the undead.”

“Ah, got it.”

There weren’t even half of them left anyway, thanks to Deneb, Kyle, and the Knights of Nordheel who fought so well.

Without the Black Mage’s support, the already weak undead had limitations in battle against the Knights.

As Basilrud commanded with his mind, all the undead collapsed. They wouldn’t move until Basilrud infused them with dark mana again.

Once the undead fell, Deneb and Kyle finally slumped to the floor.

Having fought while being besieged by hundreds of undead and allies, they were utterly exhausted.

The soldiers who had been continuously funneling the undead into the center realized the situation.

“Yay!”

“The Black Mage is captured!”

“We’ve won!”

Everyone lowered their weapons and cheered. It was a miraculous victory with no casualties.

Especially Andrew, his joy was beyond words.

After two failed hunts, to win so easily felt surreal!

From this event, they truly understood how strong the Yulien Mercenary Group was.

Hearing the soldiers’ cheers, Basilrud urgently said, “P-please let me go. I won’t come back to this territory again. Whatever you want, I’ll do it.”

Ghislaine grinned and asked, “You said you had some magic books, right?”

“I-I have quite a few. I’ve collected them over the years… So, you want magic books? I’ll give them all to you. I-I’ll even teach you magic!”

Basilrud thought it was a good deal. It was a rare opportunity to learn from a mage of a higher circle, let alone a 6th Circle.

It was the prospect every mage dreamed of.

‘Oh, that’s it! That’s why you didn’t just kill me outright!’ Basilrud envisioned a chance at survival.

But Ghislaine replied with a disinterested expression, “I don’t learn from someone weaker than me.”

“No! That’s just because of your bizarre combat style! I’m a higher circle mage! I know at least more advanced magic than you!”

Basilrud thought Ghislaine was just being a brat. There was no reason to keep him alive otherwise.

However, Ghislaine ignored Basilrud’s words and asked something else.

“What’s with a Black Mage trying to take over the territory?”

“W-well, I want to do whatever I want with it.”

“What do you plan to do with it?”

“I-I’m a Black Mage. To increase my power quickly, I need many test subjects.”

What set Black Mages apart from regular mages was their ability to sacrifice others to grow stronger faster.

If they didn’t do that, they would have to undergo lengthy training like other mages. That’s why Black Mages easily fell into temptations.

Understanding this, Ghislaine pressed on, “So, you intended to take over the territory and gather subjects at your leisure? That’s really your only reason?”

“Y-yes. What other reason would there be?”

“I heard from Zico that someone came to see you a year ago. You’ve been planning this since then? Who was it? What did you talk about?”

“Zico told you that too?”

“Yeah. Now spill it!”

“W-well, uh…”

“Yulien, take him out.”

Yulien immediately drew his sword. Basilrud closed his eyes and shouted, “I don’t even know who they are! But I have my suspicions!”

“What is it?”

“I suspect it might be a priest from the Demon Realm.”

“What? The Salvation Society?”

Everyone around gasped, surprised. The church from the Demon Realm was a terrifying presence to them as well.

This continent had been embroiled in constant conflict because of them. No one was oblivious to the fact that humanity had fought against them for a long time.

Basilrud hastily explained, “They claimed to be a Black Mage. But something was different. I’m not a fool. The dark energy they wielded resembled Black Magic, but it was not Black Magic.”

“Hmm…”

“I felt an aura from him that I couldn’t even approach. If I’d refused, they would have killed me right there. So, I accepted their offer. After all, there was no downside for me.”

“What did that guy want?”

“Chaos.”

“Chaos?”

“Yeah, he just wanted the world to be chaotic. After all, the more chaotic the world is for a Black Mage, the better. It was an offer with no downsides.”

“What did you get in return?”

“Many magic books, runestones, gold coins, precious stones… Rare items that helped me boost my mana faster.”

Ghislaine frowned. Even a Black Mage teaming up with the Demon Realm was crossing a line.

“You don’t know what the Salvation Society’s goals are? If they win, all humans will die. Do you think you’d be exempt?”

“Ah, I know. But taking over a small barony wouldn’t have a significant impact on the grand scheme, would it? If a war breaks out with the Demon Realm, I planned to back off.”

Ghislaine clicked her tongue and shook her head. That was the problem.

According to Basilrud, one small barony wouldn’t sway the overall outcome. But it wasn’t just Basilrud; others would also rise to power under the Salvation Society.

Not only Black Mages but also thieves and greedy nobles were rampant everywhere.

They all would think, “Just me?”

The Salvation Society was definitely lurking around for that opportunity. The more chaos before the war began, the more advantageous it would be for them.

Basilrud, with a pale face, said, “L-let’s talk more about this later. For now, please treat me.”

One of his arms was gone, and his leg was shattered. Intense pain surged through him.

When he had enough mana, he would use it to suppress the pain, but now it was becoming unbearable.

Basilrud dripped cold sweat, his body trembling. As time passed, the pain only intensified.

Ghislaine brought her staff down on Basilrud’s remaining shoulder.

Crack!

“Gahhh!”

Ghislaine grabbed Basilrud’s chin as he shrieked and fell.

“Look into my eyes.”

Buzz—!

In an instant, their eyes grew violet. Basilrud’s expression momentarily blanked before returning to normal.

“Ugh, ugh…”

It looked like he got a headache, contorting his face in pain.

Ghislaine clicked her tongue again.

“It doesn’t work after all.”

Unlike Zico, Basilrud was immune to mind control.

It made sense. To reach the 6th Circle, one needed tremendous effort and realization beyond mere talent.

Basilrud had stepped into that realm. That was a tremendous achievement.

Even if he was easily spilling everything due to pain, it was only his weak will. The subconscious walls built over many years were bound to be thick.

Ghislaine gave up on mind control. He had excellent interrogation techniques that could be used instead.

Swipe!

She took the nearby knight’s sword and shattered it into pieces like last time.

Oddly enough, it was the same knight as before.

The knight thought, “……Please stop breaking my sword!”

In these chaotic times, swords were extremely expensive. For a low-paid knight, it brought tears to his eyes.

Lord Andrew placed a comforting hand on the knight’s shoulder and said with a sympathetic look, “I’ll make sure to get you a good one. For now, just follow whatever the mage says.”

He was so confident that even if Ghislaine claimed to pluck the stars from the sky, it would be believable.

“……Thank you.”

The knight responded with a relieved smile. If he could get a new sword, it didn’t matter what happened to the old one.

Ghislaine finished her preparations and started stabbing the shrapnel into Basilrud’s body.

“Gahhh!”

“So, any more secrets?”

“None! Really none!”

“Everything’s okay; just try to remember something.”

“What do you mean, okay?!”

“Is there nothing like you two agreed to meet again?”

“I-I mean, if I take over the territory, he said he’d come back someday! He’d provide more help!”

“In what manner?”

“I don’t know! That’s all I have!”

Ghislaine continued her questioning, but Basilrud kept repeating the same thing.

At this point, even if he was hiding something, he had to be acknowledged that he had nothing. Ghislaine stopped the interrogation and stepped back.

Then, she gave Yulien a subtle nod.

Swish!

Receiving Ghislaine’s signal, Yulien swiftly beheaded Basilrud.

Basilrud couldn’t respond to the sudden situation and died just like that.

In a lowered voice, Yulien said, “The Black Mage… is dead.”

Hooray!

The soldiers cheered once more. Lord Andrew’s expression was one of overwhelming emotion.

Though it was a bit brash at the end, the Black Mage that had tainted their territory with fear was dead. Everyone rejoiced and continuously shouted the name of the Yulien Mercenary Group.

“Yulien Mercenary Group is the best!”

“Really strong!”

“To take on a 6th Circle Black Mage and hundreds of undead with just four people!”

The more they thought about it, the more astounding it was. All they had done was corner the undead and push them to the center.

Hiring such a powerful mercenary group was the best decision the new lord made in his life.

Kyle sat on the ground, grumbling with a dissatisfied expression.

“Seems like… we fought harder. Yet, those two get all the praise.”

“True. But still, it’s a relief we won without any casualties.”

Deneb smiled brightly. It didn’t matter to her who received the credit.

What mattered more was that they had vanquished evil and saved people.

Amid the cheers, Yulien seemed somewhat embarrassed. But Ghislaine had taught him to maintain his dignity, so he was trying to put on a brave face.

Ghislaine glanced at Yulien and thought, ‘Every time I see him, he surprises me.’

When helping others, he can be quite gentle and a softie. His heart seems a bit weak, too.

But in combat, he was a different person. He didn’t hesitate for a moment when it came to cutting down enemies.

Ghislaine had never seen Yulien hesitate or fumble in battle.

‘That’s… not an easy feat.’

It wasn’t just because of her; he had been slicing through bandits like it was nothing since their first encounter.

People of Yulien’s level showing such conflicting traits were rare.

‘Hmm… well, I don’t need to teach him that, so it’s good.’

Ghislaine wasn’t overly worried. There weren’t people who could do what Yulien did from the start.

Instead, he should be praised for not hesitating in crucial moments.

And she had no intention of leaving things unresolved. She planned to observe him and teach him various things continuously.

‘He’s going to be a hero in the future.’

Yes. He’s a hero destined to save the world with a saint. She needed to keep an eye on him and take care of him.

So far, there hadn’t been any issues. He was following through with the tough training well and was making a significant effort himself.

So far, his character showed no problems. While Ghislaine was confident because she knew the future, she believed he would still be someone who could save the world, even without that knowledge.

‘But why…’

Why had Ereness and Asterion in the future called Yulien a formidable opponent?

Every time Ghislaine thought about that, a small weight settled in her heart.

 

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