The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

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Chapter 511: Let’s Settle This Here (2)

‘I’ve been duped!’

Cold sweat trickled down Kaien’s back.

The Penris Mobile Army was renowned for their speed. It was expected that they would move separately.

However, their number was only 20,000. Not an insignificant amount, but that should pose no major issue even if they joined forces with the enemy.

In fact, he hoped for that. It was the perfect opportunity to eliminate Count Penris before the Perdium Army and the Kingdom Army arrived.

Regrouping the troops was not an issue. No matter how severe the losses, as long as that bastard was taken out, it would count as a success.

‘But… they attacked from behind?’

Count Mobray had maintained neutrality until now. Despite several pressures from the Duke’s faction, he had firmly closed his territory, declaring his allegiance to the winning side.

With their formidable military might, taking him down by force would be burdensome for the Duke’s faction, so they had left him be for the time being.

Still, just in case, surveillance troops had been deployed around, but the Crown Prince faction hadn’t made contact with him either.

‘But he hasn’t met anyone, right? What on earth happened?’

Count Mobray was fending off attackers with his troops. The surveillance troops from the Duke’s faction continued to monitor them.

Yet the fact that they had opened a path meant…

‘This implies that an agreement was made even before the war! When on earth did they meet?’

Kaien quickly grasped the situation. It was clear they had met before the war started. Otherwise, there would have been no way they could open a path like this.

It had been a long time since Ghislaine freed Dark from Edwin’s body.

The Duke had no idea about this, nor could he fathom that an invasion would come directly to his territory.

Not paying attention to the remote territory at the Southern Edge was a mistake. He should have made his position clear much earlier, even at the cost of suffering losses.

‘What should I do?’

There were barely any troops left in the Duke’s territory. Only 10,000 guards remained.

Of course, he didn’t think they would fall easily. A 7th Circle Mage, Ilois, was left behind in the Duke’s territory, and he had set many traps.

Even so, anxiety gripped him. Count Penris had always acted beyond expectations.

‘I must move immediately!’

Kaien could not allow Count Penris to ravage the Duke’s territory.

No matter how swift the mobile army was, it would take time to circle around the southern edge. Meanwhile, he could head straight south.

He immediately spoke to Gathros.

“Take charge of this place. I must head south.”

“…You’ve been backstabbed. Do you think it will be difficult to stop them?”

“It’s fifty-fifty. Even if we obstruct the mobile army, we might miss Count Penris. It’s better to take this opportunity and ensure we kill him.”

“Hmm… Understood. I shall hold this position.”

Ghislaine’s flanking attack had turned the situation upside down. Now, it was their job to block the Northern Army huddled in the fortress.

Once the Perdium Army and the Kingdom Army arrived, that massive force could all pour into the south.

Kaien gathered a total of 40,000 elite cavalry. He didn’t dare bring other types of troops. They needed to mobilize as quickly as possible and confront the Penris Mobile Army.

With 40,000 troops, he would maximize mobility and gain superiority in numbers.

“That arrogant bastard… This time, I will definitely take his head. Let’s go!”

Thundering hooves!

At the command of the furious Kaien, 40,000 cavalry from the Delphine Army surged toward the south.

Amelia watched from atop the fortress, a chilling smile gracing her lips.

*

“They really came. I can’t believe it.”

Count Mobray exclaimed in admiration as he looked at Ghislaine.

He was well aware of Ghislaine’s exploits from rumors he had heard. His fame had grown tremendously compared to their brief encounter as an ‘exorcist’ in the past.

Now, he had taken the capital, and his father was preparing to become king. No, he was already akin to a king.

Ghislaine smiled back at Count Mobray.

“You’ve kept your promise.”

Count Mobray was able to stand in Ghislaine’s way. He had gathered all his troops in preparation for war.

As long as the conflict with the Duke’s faction hadn’t been resolved, he could break his promise to Ghislaine and withdraw entirely.

But he didn’t do that. He pulled back his troops and opened a path instead.

And that was how they could meet like this.

Count Mobray straightened his chest and spoke.

“What good is a promise if you’re going to betray it? I’m not that despicable of a person.”

Beside him stood Edwin, fully armed. He was no longer the fragile being he once was. Though tense, his gaze was alive.

It seemed the physical therapy Ghislaine had performed back then had been quite effective.

Dark, spotting Edwin, sneaked out and started prattling.

“Ehehe, aren’t you my ‘ex’ master? How have you been?”

“Ugh…”

Edwin scowled. Remembering that time made him a little uncomfortable.

Thanks to Dark, he had lived comfortably and disconnected from the world. But in reality, he had simply lived like a beast.

Seeing Edwin geared up, Ghislaine spoke to Count Mobray.

“Don’t worry too much. The Duke’s faction will be finished in this battle. If I lose, please join the Perdium Army.”

“I will follow as well.”

“Pardon?”

“I cannot allow the kingdom to fall into chaos. I may not have the speed of the Penris Mobile Army, but I will gather all my cavalry and pursue as fast as I can.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Well, I have to make a decision now, don’t I? And it’s also to guide the ‘other army’ following us.”

Count Mobray grinned. He couldn’t proclaim neutrality forever. In fact, he had abandoned that notion when the Salvation Society began to run rampant.

He had endured pressure from the Duke’s faction, waiting for the day Ghislaine would arrive.

Ghislaine smiled and nodded.

“That’s welcome news. I’ll be relying on you.”

The more troops, the better. The news of his flanking attack on the Duke’s territory would soon reach Kaien as well.

He had already eliminated the surrounding surveillance troops himself. It was clear he would come rushing down as soon as he received the message.

“Then I’ll set out first.”

“I’ll increase our speed as much as possible.”

Ghislaine moved quickly, choosing the fastest route with the help of the troops Count Mobray provided.

No one stood in the way of blocking the Penris Mobile Army. The Duke’s faction had called back all their minimum guarding forces.

Thundering hooves!

Thanks to that, Ghislaine and the Penris Mobile Army sped toward the Duke’s territory at an astonishing pace.

The remaining guarding forces were instantly decimated. The southern lords had no choice but to watch.

“Count Penris himself has come this far.”

“Is he really moving so boldly?”

“Truly, the kingdom’s greatest surprise.”

They were all holed up in the castle, daring not to step outside. Their forces were so depleted they could barely maintain their own territories.

All they could do was worry about how this war would end. If the Duke’s faction lost, they too would lose their positions.

News of Ghislaine progressing toward the Duke’s faction spread rapidly.

“That bastard, he’s quite the headache in many ways.”

The kingdom’s best magician, Ilois, a 7th Circle Mage of the Duke’s faction, stroked his beard, frowning.

“Baron Joseph, can we stop them at the castle?”

Raoul shook his head.

“Impossible. The Penris Mobile Army carries powerful siege equipment. It would be difficult to defend our weak castle walls.”

The Duke’s Castle, ‘Eclipse,’ was located at the center of the Duke’s territory—a massive city. However, the walls surrounding the city emphasized beauty while offering minimal defensive capability.

In fact, there was no need to focus on defense. Who would dare to attack the Duke’s faction?

Coming this far was already an impossible task. It required breaking through countless vassal territories and fortresses to arrive here.

Yet now, there was no one to stop the army barreling through.

Ilois let out a hearty laugh.

“Ah, in my eighty years of life, I’ve never seen such a formidable army. The northern punks have now become the ones to decide the fate of the kingdom.”

Raoul answered with a serious expression.

“You must go out and fight.”

“Right, that’s what I should do. There’s no need to ruin this beautiful place. I thought I wouldn’t need to use ‘that’… but it seems such a situation has arisen. Indeed, living long allows one to see many things.”

The Duke’s faction wasn’t entirely unprepared. Ilois, a master of illusion magic, had been steadily setting traps since he first arrived at the Duke’s faction.

Traps created over decades could neutralize tens of thousands of troops in an instant.

“I will finally be able to test my masterpiece. If the opponent is the kingdom’s sacred power, the cost is not too much.”

Ilois and Raoul led 10,000 guarding troops.

Though the enemy’s power was vastly greater and stronger, no one felt frightened. That was how significant the presence of a 7th Circle Master was.

The guarding troops awaited in their prepared positions. There was a compelling reason to fight right here.

Ilois, absentmindedly stroking his beard, asked Raoul.

“How long do we need to wait?”

Despite being in charge solely due to his high status, Ilois had no knowledge of military strategy, but it didn’t matter.

After all, Raoul would assist him from the side.

“They will arrive shortly.”

“Hm, it hasn’t been long since the news came… Are they really that fast for an army, not just cavalry?”

“Their mobility is second to none in the kingdom… no, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they are the fastest in the continent.”

They were moving with siege equipment and didn’t require supplies. No army could match that level of mobility.

The techniques were all shrouded in mystery, which made it even more maddening for their opponents.

Ilois smiled and said.

“What a shame it is. If they were on our side, they would have been an incredible help.”

“If they were that type, we would have wooed them long ago.”

Raoul also wore a bitter smile. He had hinted at it during a previous feast, but Ghislaine had resolutely refused.

In retrospect, it brought a twinge of regret.

‘Maybe I should have continued to woo him.’

Perhaps they could have become allies? If he had promised to give up the North and provided significant support, would the outcome have changed?

‘No, that’s unlikely.’

Even back then, Ghislaine had shown strong animosity towards the Duke’s faction in a very blatant way.

Though many reasons now interlaced to establish him as a clear enemy, Raoul still didn’t understand why Ghislaine had displayed such strong hostility back then.

‘Perhaps it was destined to be our nemesis.’

That was the only way to explain it. The Count Penris from back then wouldn’t have been ignorant of his attempt to eliminate Perdium.

Raoul halted his thoughts. He spotted an army raising a dust cloud in the distance.

Ilois exclaimed in awe.

“It’s true. They’re really fast. Impressive.”

In contrast to the relaxed Ilois, Raoul quickly turned to look around and shouted.

“All troops prepare for battle!”

Clank! Clank! Clank!

The soldiers raised their shields and brandished their spears.

Here, all the defending troops were infantry. They were far outnumbered compared to the Penris Mobile Army.

No matter how elite, allowing a charge like this would lead to their swift demise. Their opponent’s breakthrough capability was reputed to be the strongest in the kingdom as well.

Thundering hooves!

Indeed, Ghislaine showed no signs of slowing down and continued charging ahead.

“We’ll break through! Wipe them out in one fell swoop!”

Clank! Clank! Clank!

Upon Ghislaine’s cry, the leading knights raised their spears. The blue-glowing spears would undoubtedly shatter the enemy formation in an instant.

Clank! Clank! Clank!

The mobile army spread out wide, raising their spears just the same. As the lead knights disrupted the formation, those behind would crush the rest.

It was an astonishingly simple yet elegant tactic. All they needed was overwhelming destructive power.

This was Ghislaine’s signature charge tactic.

Thundering hooves!

Raoul swallowed hard as he observed the immense momentum of the mobile army. The waiting guarding troops felt the same.

With their current forces, there was no way to withstand this. No army could stand against such a charge.

“Ilois, hurry…!”

“Right, right. Don’t worry.”

The only one remaining calm, Ilois extended his arm slowly.

The mana radiating from his hand seeped into the ground below.

Zing—!

Magic circles long hidden beneath the earth began to glow.

Once activated, it would be difficult to stop even with mana suppression. The magic circles merely amplified Ilois’s magecraft.

The magic of a 7th Circle Master, amplified by dozens or even hundreds of times, unfolded across the battlefield.

“Everyone, dream happy dreams.”

Swoosh…

As Ilois spoke, glowing particles emerged from the ground. They trickled into the bodies of the charging mobile army.

But that wasn’t all. The particles scattered in mid-air split and split again, filling the vicinity completely.

To the naked eye, it was a breathtaking sight. However, the mobile army exposed to the magic could not absorb the sight.

Clopping, clopping, clopping…

The speed of the galloping horses slowed dramatically. The horses’ eyes glazed over as they began to droop.

The knights and soldiers riding on them were similarly affected.

“Ah…”

The momentum that seemed to flip the heavens and earth vanished in an instant. They all lost focus and stared vacantly into space.

They were witnessing illusions. Each person saw different visions.

Some saw their childhood, others their beloved, some their parents far away, some delicious food, and others remembered days of building muscle through exercise…

They were all staring blankly at moments of happiness or things they longed for.

“Ugh!”

Some of the more skilled knights bit their lips, drawing blood. They hadn’t fully succumbed to the illusion.

Yet, they too could not move. They kept oscillating between reality and illusion.

Ilois smiled at the sight of the slowing, disorganized mobile army.

“I’ll take care of Count Penris. The rest shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Rest assured.”

Raoul nodded with a heightened expression. Killing an enemy in a state resembling sleep would be no challenge.

Truly remarkable. This was the true power of a magician. He had turned the tide of battle in an instant.

The effort of pouring countless resources and time into setting up the magic circles had paid off.

Thundering hooves!

Only Ghislaine was galloping at the front. Raoul cheered with glee.

“Strike! The enemies are like scarecrows!”

This time, the guarding troops surged out with a fierce determination. No one in this place feared the enemy that could offer no resistance.

Seeing them, Ghislaine sneered.

“Truly, the excellent forces of the kingdom’s greatest magician.”

Had they not known, they would have been utterly wiped out here. They had neither the magic to dispel illusions nor brought along mages to protect their own.

Had they brought along the mages, their speed would have slowed considerably, giving the enemy more time to prepare.

In any case, they had no choice but to face the brunt of Ilois’s magic.

But Ghislaine already knew the enemy’s countermeasures and was prepared.

“Dark!”

Ghislaine’s voice thundered across the battlefield.

Pow!

A whirl of black energy gushed fiercely from his body.

Dark, having consumed half of the mana he possessed in an instant, began to take on a massive form in midair.

Ilois hesitated for a moment as he caught sight of the undulating shape of a person.

“What, what is that?”

No one could answer. No one knew what it was.

At that moment, Ghislaine shouted again.

“Awaken!”

Boom—!

Dark’s form erupted like an explosion, enveloping the entire mobile army.