The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

---

Chapter 509: I’ll See It Through to the End. (2)

“Please lead us!”

“Ascend to the throne!”

“Drive away the Salvation Society and save this kingdom!”

Zvalter found himself taken aback by the enthusiastic responses of the people.

“This, this is…!”

Quite a few people he had encountered on his way here were already following him. Zvalter didn’t refuse them; he welcomed them all.

Since he was already resolved to become king, he could accept them. But to ascend to the throne so openly was truly unexpected.

“What is going on? I heard Giselle organized the capital, but no one mentioned it was in this state.”

Those who accompanied Zvalter were equally bewildered. They had only heard about the capital being occupied and the king being taken down.

It was understandable why people were ecstatic. It would be odd not to be glad that the tyrant was gone.

However, he truly didn’t expect so many people would step forward voluntarily to ask him to be king.

“What will other nobles and lords think of this?”

Several nobles had received his summons and agreed to join, but so far, no one had consented to Zvalter Perdium becoming king.

Initially, Zvalter’s summons were not about him becoming king; they were about stopping the king’s tyranny.

He intended to eliminate the king, revive the council, and follow the proper procedures to take the throne. If he accepted the people’s calls without thought, he would have no words to counter other nobles’ objections.

As Zvalter stood there flustered and speechless, Claude, who had come to assist with administrative tasks, spoke up.

“My lord, the people are in quite an excited state right now. We must restore ‘order,’ so may I take the lead for a moment?”

“Y-yes, do that.”

Zvalter nodded obediently. Claude cleared his throat a few times, then stepped forward and shouted.

“I am Claude, Commander of Penris, and I currently serve Marquis Perdium!”

“Waaaaah!”

As soon as the name Penris was mentioned, the crowd erupted with cheers. Claude was pleased with that.

With his shoulders squared, he continued speaking in a loud voice.

“I know your pain! How much you have suffered under the tyranny and oppression of the tyrant! To save you as soon as possible, Count Penris has come to deal with the king!”

“Waaaaah!”

“That’s our Count Penris!”

“He took down the tyrant!”

Claude looked around as if that was precisely the point, shouting again.

“Who is the father of Count Penris?”

“Marquis Perdium!”

“Who sent you the summons and raised the army for you?”

“Marquis Perdium!”

“Yes! It was Marquis Perdium who raised the army to save the kingdom, and his son, Count Penris, was sent ahead to deal with the king!”

“Waaaaah!”

Zvalter blinked as he watched silently. Instead of restoring order, it seemed like things were escalating even more.

Rather than calming down, everyone was standing and raising their hands in cheers. The excitement reached its peak.

Claude gestured to the crowd and exclaimed once more.

“I will ask again! When all the nobles were fearful of the king and remained silent! When everyone was turning a blind eye to the suffering of the people! Only one individual was brave enough to raise an army for this kingdom! Who is that?”

It wasn’t just the people of the capital anymore; those who followed behind were joining in shouting.

“Marquis Perdium!”

“Then who truly deserves to sit on the throne! Who can be called the true king that watches over the people!”

“Marquis Perdium!”

“Exactly! Thus, Marquis Perdium will become the new king of the Ruthania Kingdom!”

“Waaaaah!”

The warm heat enveloped everyone. Claude had practically assured everyone.

Even though Giselle had already declared it once, having the person himself come and announce it made all the difference.

“……”

Zvalter wiped the cold sweat from his brow as he watched Claude. He meant to restore order yet ended up creating a festive atmosphere.

Looking around, everyone was smiling. Even the knights and soldiers of Perdium weren’t an exception.

Ghislaine, who had been watching with a smile, nudged Porisco in the side. It was a cue to strike while the mood was alive.

Porisco dashed forward and shouted.

“Everyone, listen! I am Porisco, the Archbishop representing the four major denominations of the Ruthania Kingdom and a ‘Saint’!”

“Waaaaah! It’s the Saint!”

For now, Porisco’s reputation was on par with Giselle. As he stepped forward, the crowd’s cheers grew even louder.

“On behalf of the church, I, Archbishop and Saint Porisco, will acknowledge that Marquis Perdium ascends to the throne! This is not only my wish as a Saint but the will of the Goddess, so anyone who defies it is surely a heretic! Soon, a coronation will be held!”

“Waaaaah!”

Porisco repeatedly mentioned being an archbishop and a saint. It was an ambition to firmly engrain their recognition during this opportunity.

With matters progressing this way, Zvalter let out a wry smile. Well, there was never a time when things proceeded according to procedure with his son involved.

He’d have to reach out to the nobles separately for their understanding.

In truth, the nobles wouldn’t be able to oppose too harshly. There wasn’t a person bold enough to go against what the majority of the people desired. In any case, the military power of other nobles couldn’t match that of Perdium.

Zvalter closed his eyes. Who would have thought that a once-poor lord from the border would find himself in such a position?

It was all thanks to his son, but he never thought he’d be this popular.

After a moment of silence, he slowly opened his mouth.

“I am but a humble man. What I can do is only to stand with you. But if you truly desire it…”

Silence enveloped the crowd. Everyone was waiting for Zvalter’s next words.

With a kind smile, Zvalter declared to all,

“I will become the king of this land.”

“Waaaaah!”

Everyone cheered in joy. This was finally the moment the tyrant had vanished, and a new king had appeared.

The reputation of Marquis Perdium had already spread wide. Even in the harsh northern region, the residents hadn’t fled because of his benevolence.

Before Giselle displayed her abilities, Zvalter had already led them as a wise ruler.

Everyone knew this, which was why they couldn’t help but rejoice.

Belinda, watching from the sidelines, wiped her tears. Giselle smiled beside her.

“What’s with you, crying again? Why are you always tearing up these days?”

“After a lifetime of hardship, he became king! Wouldn’t tears flow? I wish Annette could see this.”

“You did oppose their marriage, no?”

“At first, yes. To be honest, what was there to see in the Marquis?”

Initially, Belinda had not been fond of Zvalter.

He was merely the son of a poor noble from the fringes. Now he was marrying Annette, the strongest in the kingdom with equal power to a king?

Anyone would have opposed that. It was only natural.

Young Belinda had complained numerous times back then.

— What’s so good about that guy? He’s poor and can’t fight. Not from a noble family either. He doesn’t look all that great.

Every time she voiced such thoughts, Annette would respond with a gentle smile.

— What you see on the surface isn’t everything. He’s a good person.

At first, Belinda didn’t understand. But spending years together in Perdium allowed Belinda to realize.

His character was so noble that no one in the kingdom could compare.

Zvalter treated the old and young, men and women, nobles and slaves equally.

His sense of responsibility was tremendous. No matter how hard it got, he never forsook the territory residents. He risked his life to protect them.

The people of Perdium trusted such a lord and followed him to the end, even at the cost of their lives.

While all the nobles ignored and mocked Zvalter, only Annette had recognized his worth.

And ultimately, Zvalter rose to the highest position in this kingdom.

Though he had greatly benefited from Giselle, there was no one else who fit the role of king as well as he did.

‘Annette must surely be watching from above.’

Belinda thought this as she forced a smile.

Most likely, Annette would have a contented smile on her face. The man she chose rose to the noblest and highest position in the kingdom.

Zvalter and the Perdium army confidently headed towards the royal castle.

For now, the coronation was postponed. The kingdom was in disarray, and the duke’s army was on the move. There were far too many urgent matters to address.

“Reduce the tax rates and distribute food generously. Also, inform the nobles to comply with our wishes for the time being. We will settle the disputes later.”

Though he declared his intent to become king in accordance with everyone’s will, he hadn’t received the nobles’ consent.

If anyone used that as an excuse to rebel, it would only benefit the duke. For now, calming the nobles was crucial.

Fortunately, the nobles of the capital raised their voices in support of Zvalter.

“Marquis Branford has announced his support for the new king!”

“Marquis Macquarie has also issued the same statement!”

“Count Ailzbur and Count Norton too…”

The major nobles who had led the kingdom until now seemed to have coordinated their support statements.

Of course, they hadn’t personally stepped forward, but merely announced through their deputies, yet that was significant enough.

As long as he had the backing of the church and prominent nobles from the capital, local nobles would find it difficult to voice discontent.

Thanks to that, Zvalter could breathe a sigh of relief, but the troubles surrounding him were far from over.

“Hmm, there’s so much to do.”

Managing a border region and operating a kingdom were worlds apart. The noblemen who had once supported the king had now seized the funds excessively.

Giselle offered her assistance regarding that aspect.

“We’re currently capturing those who fled with the wealth. Reinforcements will continue to arrive from Penris as well. Since all the officials will also need replacements, you should rely on Claude’s help for that.”

“Right, we need to stabilize quickly for the people’s sake.”

“Count Ailzbur’s wife and Marquis Branford’s young lady will also help with governance.”

After dispatching the king, Giselle was the first to meet Rosalyn and Meriel. The two welcomed her back with great joy.

Their abilities were already adequately vetted. They would be instrumental in stabilizing the kingdom.

“Just hand over the financial management to them for now. Under no circumstances should you leave it to Claude.”

“…Understood.”

Perdium would also send officials to help. Albert had agreed to take charge of the royal treasury, but Meriel and Rosalyn would serve as co-treasurers alongside him.

Giselle had no big worries about issues unrelated to money, as Claude would use his experience managing Penris to assist. It would just take some time, but eventually, things would stabilize.

Having quickly tidied up urgent matters, Giselle spoke to Zvalter.

“I’ll be on my way now. The battle on the southern front is growing more intense.”

At Giselle’s words, Zvalter showed a slightly worried expression.

“Be careful.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll definitely see it through to the end this time.”

Giselle grinned.

The Northern Army was currently engaged in battle with the duke’s faction on the southern front. She needed to join them quickly.

If only the duke could be eliminated, the Ruthania Kingdom would regain its stability swiftly. After that, it would just be about rooting out the Salvation Society scattered across the continent.

Zvalter nodded firmly.

“Alright, depart quickly. The Perdium Army and the Kingdom Army will follow right behind you.”

There was no enemy left to threaten the capital now. Zvalter planned to leave only a minimal peacekeeping force and send all his troops to the southern front.

With everyone moving together, progress would be slow, so Giselle and the mobile army would set out first once again.

The people of the capital cheered loudly for their departure.

“Win again this time!”

“Drive away the duke and the Salvation Society!”

“O Goddess! Bless the Penris army!”

As they received the crowd’s cheers, Giselle and the mobile army dashed towards the southern front like a gust of wind.

Simultaneously, the Perdium Army and the Kingdom Army led by Randolf also began their descent southward.

*

The Western Army and the Allied Forces were gathered at a fortress on the southern front, awaiting orders. Their mission was to join the Northern Army and halt the advance of the duke’s faction.

Gillian was in charge as the overall commander of the southern front. Currently, he was deemed the most experienced and suitable for the role.

As the duke couldn’t afford to miss out on this opportunity, a significant strike could be dealt while the Perdium Army clashed with the Kingdom Army.

They couldn’t leave the kingdom army, which they would need soon, in tatters.

When news reached them that the Perdium Army and Penris Mobile Army were heading toward the capital, the duke swiftly rallied his troops, raising an army of 200,000 to march north.

As both armies met, the battle commenced immediately. The Delphine Army, led by the Kingdom’s Greatest Sword, was far stronger than any they had previously encountered.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

From both sides, magic and debris from catapults were perpetually raining down. The superhumans of the Salvation Society launched area attacks from the skies.

Even Vanessa, a level 7 wizard along with hundreds of mages, struggled to completely counter the magic.

“Hold the line! We can do this!”

Under Gillian’s command, the soldiers fought valiantly.

The forces gathered on this side were about 200,000 strong as well. With comparable strength, the duke couldn’t easily penetrate their defenses.

Thanks to the priests from the Salvation Society, their superhumans were outnumbered, but each superhuman within the Northern Army was incredibly powerful.

As the battle dragged on, both sides began to sustain more considerable damages. Particularly, the Western Army and the Allied Forces, which were not in good training shape, suffered the most.

As Gillian grew increasingly frustrated by the rising casualties, Cayenne, leading the Delphine Army, fell into deep contemplation.

“If Count Penris personally moved, the kingdom army wouldn’t be able to stop him.”

Count Palantz had to protect the royal family. It wouldn’t be easy to stop the sudden movements of the Perdium army and Penris mobile army with just the kingdom army.

If they intended to resist, all forces of the kingdom army needed to gather, but they would hardly make such a quick resolution.

After a bit more time passed, news came that the kingdom army was continuously surrendering to the Perdium forces.

“What the…!”

Cayenne gritted his teeth. The entire might of the kingdom army was shifting to the other side.

If all those forces were to join the southern front, even if they won, the damage would be compounded significantly.

Bad news kept filtering in.

“The lords… are heading this way? Not to the capital?”

“Yes. Apparently, they received Marquis Perdium’s summons and agreed to join him. They’ve asked to hold this position against the Perdium forces.”

They had fought severely and dealt significant damage to one another, yet the other side was receiving reinforcements. Victory could easily tilt toward that side.

If they withdrew now, they’d have to adopt a defensive posture. That couldn’t be allowed.

“We just need to break through before Count Penris arrives.”

Then the rest will be easier to deal with.

“I’ll push to end this as quickly as possible.”

As Cayenne grappled with decisions, the faces of the Northern Army were brimming with joy.

They welcomed each lord’s army that gradually joined them. With a bolstered military, guarding this position only became easier.

Of course, they weren’t welcoming every lord with open arms.

Gillian, radiating sharp authority, observed the approaching forces, clenching his jaw quietly.

He slightly bowed his head to the person riding at the front.

“You’ve arrived.”

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

Amelia did not hide her annoyed expression as she received the greeting. Behind her stood an awaiting 50,000 troops from Raybold.

Gillian couldn’t ease his tension, having an inkling of the reason behind Amelia’s foul mood.

It was Giselle who had pressured and coerced her into this situation through a mixture of threats and persuasion.