Chapter 787

The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Release schedule: 3 chapters per week

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

“What do you mean by that?”

To Ghislain’s question, Arterion replied calmly.

“Exactly as I said. It means the Saintess’s life is in danger.”

“Could you explain more specifically?”

“I heard she awakened and can now wield the power of the Sacred Stone.”

“From whom?”

“Grondal.”

“……”

“And Ilaniel also told me about you all.”

“You have more friends than I expected. Impressive intelligence network, too.”

At those words, Arterion smiled as if amused.

“I hear many things from around the world. That’s part of a dragon’s duty, after all.”

“Are you saying you hear everything from your lair?”

“Yes. Whenever the Demonic Abyss stirs, I receive word one way or another. That’s how I heard about you. First of all, I sincerely commend your accomplishments.”

“……That’s not what I want to hear.”

“No, no. You deserve the praise. You’ve earned it. The fact that a true Saintess capable of wielding the Sacred Stone has appeared is a momentous occasion for us dragons as well.”

“……”

“We dragons have also long awaited the appearance of someone who could wield the Sacred Stone.”

Ghislain didn’t take Arterion’s words lightly.

“That means… you know what the Sacred Stone is used for, don’t you?”

“It contains the power of the goddesses, so naturally, it would be used to fight against the Demonic Abyss.”

Ghislain narrowed his eyes.

Arterion was speaking as if the Sacred Stone was merely a weapon against the Demonic Abyss.

For someone who claimed to have waited for the Saintess, that was a rather lacking answer. The battle against the Abyss had gone well enough without a Saintess until now.

Sensing Ghislain’s doubt, Arterion shook his head.

“We expect the Saintess to be a great force in the fight against the Abyss. Perhaps she might even be able to eradicate the Demon God’ s energy.”

“……I see.”

That made some sense. Deneb’s divine power had been able to burn away the energy of the Salvation Church.

If Arterion had heard about Deneb, that level of expectation was understandable.

However, Ghislain didn’t fully believe that Arterion was telling the whole truth. There were too many secrets hidden in this  past for that.

Arterion looked at Ghislain with a profound gaze and continued.

“You came to request the Sacred Stone from me, didn’t you?”

“That’s right. Deneb is worthy of receiving the Sacred Stone.”

“Well said. A treasure should always return to its rightful owner.”

“Will you hand it over right away?”

“I have no reason to refuse. In fact, I’ve been waiting for someone worthy to appear. But if I simply hand it over here, the Saintess will be in danger. That’s why I can’t give it to you right now.”

Ghislain understood what Arterion meant.

“Is it because of the Pope?”

“Yes. He is a greedy man. He will try to kill the Saintess and take the Sacred Stone by any means necessary.”

Ghislain had expected as much. The Pope had shown a strong desire for the Sacred Stone.

But Ghislain had no intention of handing it over to him. The Sacred Stone had to be with Deneb.

And Arterion, standing before him, likely didn’t want the Saintess to die either. That much was evident from their conversation so far.

After all, even the dragons had said they had been waiting for the Saintess.

So Ghislain tested him.

“What if we simply hand it over? Quietly offer the Sacred Stone and withdraw?”

“He would still kill the Saintess. You can predict that much, can’t you?”

Ghislain let out a brief chuckle. Indeed, it was all too obvious.

There was no way the Pope would leave a Saintess who could wield the Sacred Stone alive. The Saintess herself was a threat to him.

Ghislain sighed and spoke.

“Yes, I expected that as well.”

“What were you planning to do?”

“If the Pope tried to take it by force, we were prepared to fight him.”

“Huh?”

At those words, Arterion wore a dumbfounded expression for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“Hahaha! You’ve certainly got guts. But no matter how strong you all are, you can’t possibly win against the Holy Empire and all the kingdoms combined.”

“……”

“On top of that, the Salvation Church will soon target you as well.”

“……”

“In other words, you’ve become enemies of the world. Can you really handle that?”

Ghislain folded his arms and furrowed his brow.

Even the Julien Mercenary Corps, as powerful as it was, couldn’t take on the entire continent. Not even if he had returned to his original body.

But that was only true in a direct confrontation. Ghislain had no intention of fighting that way, so he believed their odds were still good. Still, there was no need to reveal that to Arterion.

Although he couldn’t fully trust him, at the very least, the Dragon Lord appeared to favor them for now. And there was no need to explain that it was because of the Saintess.

So, he asked.

“If you, Lord, were to strike down the Pope, our journey would become a lot easier. What do you think?”

“Hmph… The more I see of you, the more dangerous you seem.”

“I don’t think the dragons want the Saintess to die either.”

“That’s true. But killing the Pope is impossible.”

“Why is that?”

“Because that’s the promise we dragons made.”

“……A promise?”

“Yes. When the Demonic Abyss rises, no dragon may lay a hand on the Pope. We may choose to ignore what he does, but we can’t actively interfere. That’s the only way to avoid internal strife and stay focused on the fight against the Demonic Abyss.”

“……”

“The priests of the Demonic Abyss have begun to move. That means we dragons must now honor the Pact.”

The Pact was the only means of restraining dragons—it was a promise etched into their very souls.

“Tch.”

Ghislain clicked his tongue.

The Pope held the greatest power on the continent. If even dragons couldn’t touch him, it meant he was practically invincible under the current circumstances.

In the end, they would have to protect Deneb with the strength of the Julien Mercenary Corps alone, without any help from the dragons.

Arterion smiled again and spoke.

“Now do you understand why I can’ t give you the Sacred Stone right now? If I hand it over here, I won’ t be able to intervene any further.”

“Then what were you planning to do?”

“My original plan was to observe whether you were truly worthy of protecting the Saintess. Not just your strength, but whether you could sincerely ‘serve’ her. You can’t let selfish desires lead you to foolish decisions.”

At those words, Ghislain let out a quiet chuckle. He doubted anyone in the world cared for Deneb as much as Julien did.

If someone ever tried to use Deneb for their own ends, Julien would be the first to stake his own life to stop them.

If Arterion had looked into the Julien Mercenary Corps, he would know at least that much. Julien and Deneb’ s awakening had even been talked about among the dwarves.

Still, Arterion probably wanted to verify it with his own eyes.

“What if we weren’t worthy?”

“Then I would’ve just killed you all and kept the Saintess with me. Until I could come up with a better plan. I’d tell the Pope I was still considering whether to hand over the Sacred Stone, and that would buy time.”

“……”

It was a harsh plan, but not one Ghislain found unreasonable.

If Arterion held onto the Saintess without handing over the Sacred Stone, the Pope wouldn’t be able to act recklessly, at least for a while.

After all, he was the one who wanted to gather all the Sacred Stones more than anyone else.

Of course, the expressions on Deneb and the others, who had been listening in, had turned pale.

Ghislain leaned back in his chair like Arterion and asked,

“So, what about now? Do you think we’re worthy?”

“Hmm. I’ m still thinking. You seem somewhat capable, but I’m not sure if you can truly resolve this matter.”

“The elves and dwarves will help us.”

“So, it seems. Judging by how Ilaniel and Grondal praised you endlessly. That’s why I’m hesitating because you’ve earned the sincerity of such exacting people.”

“If the elves and dwarves are on our side, even the Pope’s army won’t be able to easily oppress us. We’ll use that to try persuading him.”

“Persuade him?”

“Yes. After all, to fight the Demonic Abyss, he needs the power of the Saintess. If you, Lord, also support us, the Pope will have to make some concessions.”

“Concessions, huh….”

“The Pope desires the Sacred Stone ultimately to stop the Demonic Abyss. If we end up fighting over the Sacred Stone, it would mean losing sight of that purpose.”

“Hmm…”

At Ghislain’s words, Arterion wore a doubtful expression. It was because he didn’t believe the Pope would give up so easily.

But at the same time, he couldn’t simply suggest they split into opposing factions and fight each other. From his position, it was more important that humanity stood united in the fight against the Demonic Abyss.

There would be no reason for him to have made such a Pact with past Popes otherwise.

Of course, Ghislain didn’t fully believe things would resolve so peacefully either.

‘ I’ll do my best to persuade the Pope…’

But if that didn’t work, he would inevitably resort to another method. After all, Deneb was the rightful owner of the Sacred Stone.

Still, knowing Arterion’s concerns, Ghislain tried to keep the conversation leaning toward the most positive outcome.

But he also knew that wasn’t quite enough. So, he offered one more thing.

“If we become stronger than we are now, negotiations might go more smoothly, right?”

“Become stronger?”

“We need your help, Lord.”

“What kind of help?”

Ghislain grinned.

“I plan to train for a while in the Land of Extreme Cold. Would you assist us?”

“…You want me to help you train?”

“Please share the knowledge you possess with us. And provide various resources necessary for our training.”

“Ho…”

Arterion looked intrigued.

A human who dared ask a dragon to help them train—he had never seen one like that in his life. But that brazen attitude piqued his interest.

After all, dragons had always been beings who passed down great knowledge to humans. Magic was no exception.

So, it wouldn’t be strange or difficult for Arterion to help the Julien Mercenary Corps train.

With a confident expression, Ghislain continued.

“If you assist us, we’ll be able to become far stronger than we are now. And while you’re at it, please provide us with some 8th- and 9th-circle grimoires.”

Grimoires of the 8th circle were incredibly difficult for Ghislain to acquire. As for 9th-circle, he hadn’t even been able to find a lead.

Even though his state of enlightenment was close to that level, without the magical formulas, Astion’s studies had stagnated.

Now that he had encountered a dragon, Ghislain fully intended to wring out as many grimoires as he could.

At that bold request, Arterion burst out laughing.

“Are you fearless, or just insane?”

“I hear that often. But I’m neither fearless nor insane.”

“Then what are you?”

“I’m just doing what needs to be done.”

To protect Deneb, he needed to become stronger than he was now. Only then could the Julien Mercenary Corps save the world.

Ghislain never forgot his purpose. Others sometimes failed to understand his actions, but he always moved with that goal in mind.

Arterion gazed at Ghislain for a moment before turning his eyes to Deneb.

“What about you? What do you think?”

“Me?”

“Now that you’ ve proven yourself to be the Saintess, we dragons must protect you as well. But because of our Pact with the Pope, it’ s difficult for us to act directly. Are you prepared to stay with these companions until the end?”

Deneb nodded firmly, her eyes filled with determination.

“Yes. I want to save the world with these friends.”

From her body, a soft divine power began to emanate once again.

It wasn’t something she did deliberately. Her divine power reacted on its own to her resolve.

Seeing this, Arterion’ s eyes sparkled.

“Hmm… So, the Sacred Stone really does respond to her.”

He wore an expression of genuine delight.

The appearance of someone who could wield the Sacred Stone was something the dragons had long hoped for.

Which was why, in truth, he didn’t want to offend Deneb’s spirit either.

“Very well. If that is the will of the Saintess, then I shall trust you and offer my support.”

At those words, the faces of the party brightened. They had not only gained the Sacred Stone more easily than expected but also secured the dragon’s support.

Now, the only remaining danger was the Pope. But the party believed that Ghislain would be able to persuade even him.

Arterion looked at Ghislain with a meaningful smile.

“Providing grimoires isn’t difficult. Helping with your training isn’t hard either. But first, I’ll teach you in my own way. If you truly wish to protect the Saintess, as you said, you must become stronger than you are now.”

“That’s exactly what I hoped for. But please excuse a few members from the training.”

“Whom do you mean?”

Ghislain pointed to the regular mercenary members and the subordinates who had joined recently under Marika.

“They’re not yet ready for harsh training. I plan to train them separately in my own time.”

“That’ s fine. I’m only interested in you and that Julien boy anyway.”

“With that face, saying things like that might get you misunderstood.”

“Hah? Hahahahaha!”

Arterion burst into hearty laughter, clearly amused.

This was the first time in his life anyone had spoken to him so casually. And he quite liked it.

Originally, Ghislain had intended to send the regular mercenaries off to another branch.

But with Crips’ s assassins watching the surroundings, separating from him could result in their silent deaths.

So, unwillingly, he had no choice but to keep them close.

Though Ghislain had considered training together, he couldn’t drag everyone into it without knowing what Arterion’s teaching would entail.

Arterion rose from his seat and spoke.

“We move now. Everyone, step back from me.”

In that instant, a blinding light and an overwhelming aura burst forth from his body.

The wave of powerful mana startled the Julien Mercenary Corps, causing them to instinctively retreat.

Paaaaaah…

As the light subsided, what stood in his place was a massive dragon cloaked in shimmering white scales.

Graceful and awe-inspiring as though it held a snowstorm within its form, its very presence seemed to freeze the air around them.

Then, a dignified voice echoed in the ears of the awestruck party.

“Climb onto my back. We will fly straight to the Land of Extreme Cold.”

Ghislain was the first to leap lightly into the air, landing smoothly on Arterion’ s back.

He settled onto the dragon’s shoulder and whistled.

“Wow, never thought I’d live to ride on a dragon. Life sure is something.”

At his words, Arterion let out a low laugh.

“You’ re an amusing one.”

Unlike Ghislain, who was clearly enjoying himself, the rest of the group stood frozen in place.

“W-We’re really getting on a dragon’s back?”

“What if we fall off halfway?”

“Ah… I want to run away.”

They were struck with instinctive fear. Traveling with Ghislain always meant encountering the most outrageous things.

But they had no choice but to climb aboard, crawling nervously onto Arterion’s body.

Once everyone was on, Arterion lifted his head toward the sky.

KUUOOOOOOOO!

With a roar that tore through the heavens, his enormous wings unfurled.

A sudden gust of wind surged as Arterion’s body launched upward.

“UWAAAAAAAH!”

The group screamed, clutching tightly to the dragon’s scales.

The ground grew smaller beneath them as they soared above the clouds.

Soon, Arterion’s body drew a silver-white trail through the sky, flying toward the frigid northern skies.

And so, they began their journey to the Land of Extreme Cold.

To the land sleeping atop the eternal ice, at the end of the legendary snowstorm.

Watching this unfold, Darents wiped cold sweat from his brow and unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck.

“A-A real dragon…?”

From the looks of it, the dragon had come to find the Julien Mercenary Corps personally.

He didn’t know what conversation had taken place, but if they were being carried away on its back, then the odds of them acquiring the Sacred Stone were high.

“W-We must inform His Holiness, The Pope immediately…”

They couldn’t follow the corps into the Land of Extreme Cold in this state.

That was the Dragon Lord’s domain.

Entering without permission would be seen not as a mistake, but as an act of intrusion.

And if that happened, they would face the wrath of a dragon.

Darents quickly drafted a letter with trembling hands.

At this point, pursuing the Julien Mercenary Corps with their own resources was no longer feasible.