Chapter 779

The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Release schedule: 3 chapters per week

Looking for an editor for this novel. If interested please contact fenrirtl. (username)

This time, there was no need to move hastily as they had before.

Unless the Salvation Church threw everything it had into it, they couldn’t harm the Dragon Lord.

Besides, the place where Arterion lived was a land of extreme cold. The Salvation Church couldn’t even attempt any tricks there.

Of course, if the Prophets joined forces, it might be possible, but the risk was far too great.

It was more profitable to strike elsewhere, so there was no need to lose their elite forces by sending them to a dragon in advance.

That’s why Ghislain could move with a bit more ease this time.

“Everyone knows the next destination, right?”

At those words, everyone nodded with tense expressions.

Even the bold Ereneth was no exception.

Dragons were beings one might only see during the Great War. No one dared approach the regions they inhabited.

Let alone just any dragon—they were heading to meet a Dragon Lord. Who wouldn’t be nervous?

Ghislain smirked as he continued.

“You don’t need to be so scared. Just because it’s a dragon doesn’t mean a sword won’t go in.”

“…….”

No one could say anything.

He was already thinking about stabbing the strongest creature alive with a sword.

Where did that confidence even come from?

Everyone was swept up in unease.

‘Please don’t provoke the dragon.’

‘No matter how strong Ghislain is, fighting a dragon is just too much.’

‘Maybe the real miracle isn’t the Saintess—maybe it’s the fact we’re still alive.’

Ghislain clicked his tongue, sensing the heavy atmosphere.

‘Should I mention that I’ve already taken down Arterion?’

Even now, people half thought of him as a madman.

If he said that out loud, they’d definitely see him as completely insane.

Besides, with their current strength, it would be hard to take him down anyway, so Ghislain didn’t bother bringing it up.

‘Hah, I really did take him down, and I can’t even say it. What a shame.’

His lips itched, but he held back. He remembered something Elena had said before.

— Oppa, your mouth is the problem. I told you not to say scary things.

— …What did I do?

— Just stop saying weird stuff. Make sure nothing crazy happens next time.

— …Yeah.

Even back then, hadn’t she scolded him for causing a dragon to appear?

Because of that, all sorts of wild rumors had spread. He didn’t want to spark those misunderstandings again.

So Ghislain smacked his lips and tightly sealed his inner urges.

Ghislain didn’t rush toward the next destination recklessly.

Lately, Black Mages had been causing havoc all over, and many villages had suffered great damage.

Among them, whenever they found a remote village that hadn’t received proper aid, the Julien Mercenary Corps would pause their journey to help the people.

The most common tasks were treating the sick and rebuilding the village.

In this era, there were countless people who couldn’t receive treatment even for minor illnesses.

However, Deneb, whose divine power had been rapidly growing since her awakening, healed them with astounding ease.

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

The healed and their families bowed deeply to Deneb with tearful voices.

To those who had never seen divine power, not even from afar, her presence was nothing short of a miracle.

Deneb always wore a benevolent smile and bestowed her divine power generously upon them.

Every time, Ghislain would step forward and make sure her identity was clearly remembered.

“This is none other than the Saintess sent down by the Goddess to save the world!”

“Ooooooooh!”

“Spread the word far and wide of the Saintess’s arrival! Understood?”

“Yes, sir!”

The people gave Deneb unreserved cheers.

There was no reason to doubt someone who healed sickness with divine power and extended a hand with a smile warmer than anyone else’s.

Though Deneb protested, embarrassed, Ghislain ignored her and continued to promote her.

And it wasn’t just Deneb that Ghislain promoted.

“What? Monsters appeared nearby? Then let the Julien Mercenary Corps take care of it!”

“What? No bread? Then just eat meat! Huh, no meat either? Then the Julien Mercenary Corps will go get some for you!”

“Your house got destroyed? Then the Julien Mercenary Corps will rebuild it for you!”

To the point where people grew tired of hearing the name, Ghislain made sure the name ‘Julien Mercenary Corps’ spread far and wide.

The Julien Mercenary Corps was already known across several kingdoms for their exploits. Still, Ghislain thought it wasn’t enough.

‘If you’re going to make a name, you have to make it unforgettable.’

From the slums of cities to remote rural villages, even to those living in the mountain valleys—

He wanted everyone to know the names ‘Julien Mercenary Corps’ and ‘Saintess Deneb’.

Julien and Deneb had to be supported by every human on the continent. It was truly an ambitious plan.

So even as their journey continued, Ghislain remained focused on helping people and spreading their names.

Then one day, Julien approached Ghislain and spoke quietly.

“Ghislain. Are you aware?”

“Yeah, let’s leave them alone for now.”

For some time now, someone had been secretly tailing them.

Not many, but their skills seemed decent.

They couldn’t be sure exactly when the tailing began. They had passed through so many villages that it was hard to pinpoint the starting point.

Ghislain wasn’t in a hurry.

The pursuers were still keeping their distance and were spread out in various directions.

Rather than act recklessly, it was more important to first identify who they were.

Ghislain sent Dark into the sky and had Ereneth’s spirits observe them closely.

‘Hmm…’

Through Dark’s eyes, he saw that they were dressed like ordinary travelers.

But there was no way it was a coincidence that they were heading in the same direction as Ghislain’s group. Their movements were subtle and cautious, like those of assassins or thieves.

Still, he couldn’t be sure they were enemies. Ghislain decided to wait until they came a bit closer.

While traveling, the group arrived at a fairly large village.

This place had also apparently been attacked by monsters, as reconstruction was in full swing.

“Let’s stay here for a while. We can help the villagers out, too.”

If the people tailing them truly were pursuing them, Ghislain planned to catch them in this village.

He immediately sought out the village chief.

“We’re the Julien Mercenary Corps. We’ll help with the reconstruction for free.”

“Really?”

“Of course. In exchange, you must spread our name far and wide. To everyone who passes through here.”

“If you’re willing to help, that won’t be a problem at all. Thank you so much.”

The village chief bowed deeply, beaming.

Rebuilding a village required a large budget and workforce.

While the lord had provided partial financial support, they were desperately short on hands.

So when dozens of strong mercenaries volunteered, it was more than welcome.

Nobles or organizations sometimes did things like this to build their reputation. That’s why the village chief accepted the Julien Mercenary Corps without much suspicion.

Besides, there wasn’t anything in the village worth stealing anyway.

“Alright, let’s get moving! Just do what we always do!”

From that day on, the Julien Mercenary Corps got to work in earnest—chopping trees, hauling stones, and helping with construction.

Some members went hunting, bringing back meat and leather, and Deneb treated the sick, winning the hearts of the villagers.

The people of the village treated the Julien Mercenary Corps with great hospitality. They prepared meals with care for every mealtime, and helped with laundry and other small chores to express their gratitude.

“They’re called the Julien Mercenary Corps, right?”

“I can’t believe a mercenary group like that exists in times like these.”

“The Saintess is incredible, too. She treated all the sick people.”

“The Goddess has truly helped us. We must spread their names.”

Just as Ghislain intended, the fame of the Julien Mercenary Corps was gradually growing among the common people.

While everything seemed to be going well, Ghislain noticed some new travelers entering the village.

‘…Hmm.’

They were the ones who had been tailing the group.

They naturally paid the village chief and arranged to stay for several days.

Why had those who had kept their distance and followed cautiously for days suddenly approached? Was it really just a coincidence that their paths overlapped?

It was hard to accept that explanation, especially since not all of them had come into the village—some were still waiting outside.

The ones who had entered the village were quietly resting without any interaction with the villagers.

‘I need to watch them a bit longer.’

They still didn’t know who they were or what their intentions were. If they acted too soon, they might miss the main force.

Ghislain simply ordered the mercenaries to stay alert and not lower their guard.

So the two sides remained in a strange state of tension.

But Osval was different.

He never had any thoughts in his head, and naturally, he felt no tension either.

That night, after drinking some alcohol brought by the villagers, Osval stepped outside to get some fresh air.

“Whew… What a night for revolution.”

He had deliberately let the alcohol hit him. It just felt better that way.

And so, drunk, Osval began wandering the village.

He figured that if he found a decent rock, he might carve some of his revolutionary ideals into it.

While wandering alone, he noticed a building with its lights still on.

“Hmm? What’s that?”

It was probably the building they had been using as a temporary inn. He knew because he had helped in its construction.

Suddenly, a sly thought crossed Osval’s mind.

‘Maybe around the back…’

Construction was still ongoing all over the village. Because of that, the village women would gather in one place at night to bathe.

That place was a separate annex behind the inn.

Osval crept toward that area, moved by his noble intention of checking on the safety of the village women.

As he got close, he pressed his ear against the building’s wall.

“Those mercenary guys are really something, aren’t they? You don’t find people like them these days.”

“Some of them cover their faces though. I wonder what they look like.”

“There’s a rumor they’re hiding their faces because they’re too good-looking.”

He could hear the village women chatting. Most of their talk was praise for the mercenary corps.

‘To think we’re being praised like this… Truly revolutionary.’

Feeling great, Osval stepped onto some construction materials scattered on the ground and started climbing the wall. There was a small window near the top.

‘This is all for the revolution.’

He wanted to check on the safety of the village women and perhaps even consider recruiting them as revolutionary members.

But was it because he was too eager? Or maybe because of the alcohol?

His foot slipped on the materials.

Crash!

“Whoops!”

Osval let out a startled cry. At the same time, screams erupted from inside.

“Kyaaah! Who’s there!”

“A pervert!”

“Someone’s peeping!”

Osval felt revolutionary injustice.

He hadn’t even properly peeked yet. But he had tried, and getting caught would be a disaster.

Just as he was trying to slip away, several men staying at the inn burst outside.

“Who’s there!”

“Stop right there!”

But Osval didn’t stop.

“Out of the wayyyy!”

Crash!

Osval shoved the men aside with sheer force.

The average village youths couldn’t withstand his strength and were knocked down.

After tossing aside several of them, Osval fled to the lodging where the mercenary corps was staying.

“Huff, huff!”

“What’s wrong? Why are you so out of breath?”

“What were you doing out there alone at night?”

The other mercenaries questioned Osval, whose face was flushed as he gasped for air.

Flustered, Osval stammered and lied.

“R-revolution…”

“What?”

“N-no, I saw some thugs harassing village women, so I gave them a good beating.”

“Oh, that’s nothing.”

The mercenaries didn’t think much of it.

They had wiped out criminal gangs and thugs many times before during their travels.

Of course, they’d done all that for free too. It was one of the reasons the Julien Mercenary Corps’ fame had grown so much.

The mercenaries let it go, but the villagers did not.

The rumor of the ‘black shadow targeting the bathhouse’ spread quickly through the village.

The problem was, some of the youths had seen Osval’s face.

Not long after, the village chief and several villagers came to see Ghislain.

Among them were the young men Osval had beaten and some very angry women.

Ghislain blinked, not understanding what was going on. One of the mercenaries leaned in and whispered.

“Looks like Osval roughed up a few village thugs.”

Ghislain tilted his head.

That sounded like a good thing—so why did the atmosphere feel so tense?

After a moment’s thought, he nodded.

‘Ah, I think I get it now.’

It seemed the thugs were under the village chief’s control. The women were probably their family or friends.

‘This sort of thing is familiar.’

A setup where the chief and his relatives ruled the village and bled the residents dry behind the scenes.

Ghislain had seen countless villages like that.

And every time, he had thoroughly cleaned out the old power structure.

Because the Julien Mercenary Corps was always just and very proactive.

Ghislain’s expression instantly turned cold. His tone also shifted to something icy.

“What’s the issue here?”

At the change in atmosphere, the village chief flinched and stammered.

“D-did you perhaps hear what happened?”

“I heard enough. So?”

“S-so? I didn’t think he’d be that kind of person…”

“You didn’t think? Then you thought wrong. That’s exactly the kind of thing we do.”

“W-we do?”

“Yeah. That’s what we, the Julien Mercenary Corps, always do.”

At Ghislain’s firm words, the mercenaries nearby all wore proud expressions.

The villagers looked shocked and appalled.

And Osval lowered his gaze.