The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations Novel - Chapter 782

Chapter 782
Ghislain shifted his gaze toward Lionel. The rest of the group remained quiet, waiting to see how he would respond.

Waving his arms in a panic, Lionel shouted, “I-I’m clueless! I truly have no idea about any of this!”

He felt a deep sense of injustice. While it was true he had been sending reports about their progress, he honestly hadn’t realized the Pope had embedded other agents in their midst.

‘W-Why would His Holiness deploy operatives? Does he not have faith in me?’

Lionel was stunned. The Pope had seemingly given him full authority over the mission. To place others there without a single warning could only imply a lack of confidence in Lionel’s capabilities.

Ghislain scanned Lionel’s features. Seeing the sheer bafflement on his face, he concluded the man wasn’t putting on an act. He signaled for Lionel to step closer.

“What was the extent of your briefings?”

“The… the final update I sent was right after the Vallscrum event concluded.”

“I see…”

This meant the Pope was still in the dark regarding their acquisition of the Dwarves’ Sacred Stone. It was far too early for that news to travel. However, the report concerning the Sacred Stone from the Elven forest had undoubtedly been received.

Ghislain wasn’t particularly angry about Lionel’s spying. He had anticipated that behavior from the moment the man joined their ranks.

Turning his attention back to the woman in the mask, he said, “Fine. We’ve established the Pope has people watching us from the inside, too. That means you aren’t exactly strangers. Explain who you are and why you were sent.”

The masked woman wavered, her face tight with distress. Realizing there was no way to avoid the question, she eventually let out a heavy breath.

“We are members of an organization known as Crips, based within the Empire.”

“Crips?”

“We are a group that focuses on covert operations—assassination and gathering intelligence.”

Ghislain looked back at Lionel. Recognizing the name, Lionel interjected quickly, “Y-Yes. That’s them. They’re mostly informants who dig up secrets. H-However, the Holy See rarely employs them. Usually, it’s the Imperial nobility or wealthy merchants who seek their services.”

Ghislain gave a slight nod. The world was full of various guilds of killers and thieves; he couldn’t possibly know every minor faction. Regardless, if the Pope had hired them, they were likely elite.

“Continue.”

“The mission given to us by the Pope… was to act as your protection and keep you under observation.”

“…Protection?”

“…Yes.”

“And since when do protectors turn into thieves?”

“…”

The woman looked down, unable to find a justification.

Ghislain sharpened his gaze. He had been looking for a way to break her silence, and this opening was perfect.

“What is your name?”

“…Marika.”

She spoke with the tone of someone who had given up.

Ghislain didn’t rule out the possibility that it was an alias as he pressed on, “Very well, Marika. Why would a guard attempt to rob us? And what about the group stationed outside the village?”

“…You were already aware of them, weren’t you?”

“Yes. I’ve known for some time. I only held back because I wasn’t certain you were hostile.”

“The ones outside… they are likely a different squad.”

“Likely?”

“We operate in independent teams. It’s structured so we can provide immediate backup if one group encounters trouble.”

“How many squads are there?”

“I don’t have the exact count. But the numbers will grow. We were merely an advance team sent ahead of the main force.”

“I see…”

Ghislain frowned. If Marika was being honest, it meant they were being shadowed by a swarm of agents, all under the guise of “protection.”

He began to piece together the Pope’s logic.

‘We did manage to get the Sacred Stone. Naturally, he’s thrilled.’

The Pope was undoubtedly eager to claim the stone. However, knowing there were more stones to be found, he likely feared that moving too aggressively would ruin the entire hunt.

‘And he can’t exactly use the Imperial army to follow us openly.’

If that were an option, he would have sent a formal party to claim the stone by now. He must have decided that official troops would cause too much friction. Keeping the Julien Mercenary Corps at the forefront was the more strategic choice.

‘Yet, he couldn’t help but feel paranoid.’

From the Pope’s perspective, having secret agents trail the Julien Mercenaries from a distance was a logical safeguard. If he discovered they had also retrieved the Dwarves’ Sacred Stone, the man would probably be overwhelmed with delight.

Ghislain now had a firm grasp on the situation.

‘The scrutiny is only going to intensify. Soon, we’ll have the Empire’s military and their various spies tracking every step we take.’

One detail remained unclear, however. Why would Marika, tasked with such a high-stakes mission, pull such a reckless stunt?

“You aren’t finished, are you? If your story is true, you’ve blatantly ignored your directives.”

“…Yes.”

“Why?”

Marika hesitated, collecting her thoughts, before speaking in a measured voice.

“As I mentioned, we arrived ahead of schedule to track your location. The primary force meant to properly guard and monitor you hasn’t reached this area yet.”

“And then?”

“In a short time, our leader and the second-in-command… all the high-ranking officers will be arriving.”

Ghislain nodded. A direct command from the Pope was a serious matter; it made sense for the entire organization to be mobilized.

Suddenly, Marika bowed her head deeply and whispered, “Before they got here… I wanted to spark a conflict between your group and ours.”

“…What?”

The group was puzzled. She wanted to incite a battle for no apparent reason? The situation was becoming more convoluted by the second.

Ghislain asked calmly, “Go on, tell us the whole story. Be perfectly transparent. I’m genuinely interested.”

Seeing his curiosity, Marika looked up at him with pleading eyes.

“If I disclose everything… will you grant me my freedom?”

Since she had interfered with the mission’s target, neither the Pope nor her own leader would show mercy. Her only choices were death or a life on the run. To survive, she needed to vanish immediately.

Ghislain didn’t hesitate to nod.

“Yes. If you are truthful, I will let you walk away.”

“Truly?”

“Certainly. You haven’t caused any real harm, so I have no reason to execute you. Haven’t you realized I’ve been going easy on you?”

Marika nodded. She was well aware that Ghislain could have ended her already. That was her only reason for hoping.

Taking a long breath, she finally confessed, “I have a vendetta against the commander.”

“A vendetta?”

“Yes. He is the one I must kill.”

“I see…”

“But that’s secondary now. Initially, I assumed you were just prestigious guests. But then I discovered the truth…”

While preparing for the assignment, Marika had found out that the Julien Mercenaries had obtained a Sacred Stone. Despite the secrecy, the news of the Pope’s delegation had leaked. Furthermore, stories were circulating that the Julien Mercenaries had repelled the Salvation Order’s strike on the Elven forest.

Connecting those dots led to an inescapable conclusion:

—The Julien Mercenaries were in possession of a Sacred Stone.

That information was slowly leaking across the land. The Empire was attempting to stifle the news, but merchants from the trade hubs were already spreading the word.

Marika decided to capitalize on the chaos.

“…If I had successfully stolen the Sacred Stone, the Pope would have been furious. I believed I could use that reaction to achieve my revenge.”

Ghislain nodded. To be charged with protecting the stone and then stealing it instead? Even a powerful group like Crips would be annihilated by the Pope’s fury.

But the logic was flawed.

“Did you honestly think we’d leave something that vital in our bags? You were going to grab a random pack and hope for the best?”

“No, I knew better than that. The goal was to steal something to bait you.”

“Bait us?”

“Yes. I was aware of your strength. I hoped to scatter your group, then move in on that priestess—Deneb.”

“What made you so certain Deneb held the Sacred Stone?”

“…Because my orders were to watch her constantly and protect her above all else. I was told that, if necessary, I had to secure the necklace at any cost. Isn’t it obvious?”

“That makes sense.”

Ghislain understood. If the Pope believed Deneb had taken the necklace from the forest, she would be the primary target for any agent.

Marika sighed and continued, “I thought that regardless of your strength, I could use a moment of confusion to take something from a simple priestess.”

“But you didn’t succeed?”

“…I didn’t anticipate you reacting so fast.”

“And after you failed?”

“…”

“You must have had a backup strategy, right?”

Marika nodded in silence. She hadn’t expected the first attempt to be a guaranteed success. In fact, she knew the presence of transcendents made failure likely.

“Had I stolen the Sacred Stone… Crips would have certainly been wiped out. The Pope wouldn’t have stood for it… But in case of failure, I had another plan.”

“What was it?”

“I intended to leave a trail as I ran. Just enough for you to follow and reclaim your property. That would have forced a confrontation between you and the other units… and I would have used that distraction to get to the priestess.”

“To kill Deneb?”

“No. Only to take the necklace. If that didn’t work, I would have just injured her slightly and fled. That alone would have been enough to ensure the Pope lost his temper, regardless of what excuses my superiors made.”

It was a clever scheme. If such an incident occurred, no justification would save Crips from the Pope’s wrath. The Julien Mercenary Corps would lose all faith in the Empire. That would be the end of the organization. Neither the Pope nor the Empire would permit them to exist. In this era, destroying a single guild was a simple task.

Marika’s ultimate goal was to shatter the alliance between the Julien Mercenaries and the Empire, destroying Crips in the fallout.

Ghislain offered a faint smile.

‘Perfect. I was wondering how to recruit her… and this clarifies things.’

Whether it was Crips or the Pope, Ghislain didn’t care who took offense—he was taking Marika’s side. If she was willing, he was prepared to dismantle both. As one who knew what was coming, it was the only logical choice.

He could act with total confidence because he knew the true value of the players involved.

Marika, however, had no inkling that Ghislain was on her side. She was still fixated on her escape.

Ghislain lowered his blade and asked, “Can you tell me more about this grudge?”

“It’s… just a personal matter. It’s not important. I’ve told you the truth, so let us leave now.”

“I’ll let you go once you answer that as well.”

Marika bit her lip, hesitating. Sharing her trauma with a stranger was difficult. But she was trapped. Her voice turned cold.

“The leaders of Crips murdered my family. They have no idea that I know. Is that enough for you?”

“Hmm…”

Ghislain rubbed his chin. Looking into Marika’s eyes, he saw no deception. There was only a burning, intense hatred.

He recognized that expression intimately. It was the same fire he had carried through his previous life. A relentless, unforgiving rage. The very essence of vengeance.

It made him feel a stronger connection to her.

He wanted more details, but those could wait. For the moment, this sufficed.

Turning his head slightly, Ghislain asked, “What do you plan to do about the agents outside the village?”

They couldn’t be seen, but they were definitely lurking nearby, keeping watch.

Marika checked the surrounding area. “They’re likely in a state of shock. They never would have guessed I’d attempt something so reckless.”

“They’ll hunt you down, won’t they?”

“Not immediately. Their priority is still your group. Once more teams arrive, they’ll begin the pursuit. That’s why I have to go now.”

Her eyes were clouded with fatigue. She bore no ill will toward the Julien Mercenaries; they were just tools for her retribution.

“I apologize for involving you in my mess. I never wanted any of you to die.”

She spoke with sincere regret, a tone unexpected from a professional killer.

Ghislain nodded slowly. “Very well. I keep my promises. You may go.”

“…You’re actually letting me walk away?”

“I gave my word. I don’t break it.”

A look of intense relief washed over Marika as she began to back away slowly.

‘Astion, right? A bit of a creep, but maybe he isn’t so bad after all.’

Ghislain would have been quite annoyed had he known her private thoughts.

Marika had six followers with her, all of whom she had personally trained. They were on high alert as they retreated.

Then, Ghislain spoke up casually, “I know a way that’s much safer than running.”

Marika stopped. “…What do you mean?”

“Why not join us instead?”

“What?”

“If you flee now, you’ll spend the rest of your days looking over your shoulder. Is that really the life you want?”

“…”

“Your commander will never stop hunting you. You’ve already compromised the mission. The only way he can appease the Pope is by presenting your head. Don’t you agree?”

He was right. The leader of Crips would never let this betrayal slide.

However, she felt she had no other choice. With a cynical smile, she asked, “And? What changes if I stay? Isn’t that even more perilous?”

Staying with the Julien Mercenaries meant being a constant target for Crips’ killers. They would be hunted without end. To her, it seemed wiser to vanish into the shadows where no one could find her.

Ghislain let out a laugh at her sharp retort. To her, it sounded like he was mocking her, and she snapped back.

“What’s so funny?”

“Fleeing from a superior foe isn’t a mistake—if it eventually leads to your revenge. But if you disappear now, will you ever get that opportunity? This plan of yours… it was poorly executed. Your odds of succeeding were almost zero.”

Marika remained silent, biting her lip. He was right. This had been her best shot, and she had failed. Now, she was looking at a life of hiding. Revenge was now a distant, impossible dream.

She knew her plan was flawed, but it was all she had.

That realization made her even more irritated with Ghislain, who seemed to be judging her without understanding her desperation. She turned to leave, done with the conversation.

Then, Ghislain’s voice reached her again.

“I will assist you.”

“…?”

She turned back slowly.

Ghislain continued, his voice steady, “Grow stronger. Carry out your vengeance yourself.”

“You… you think it’s that simple? Our leader is a transcendent. That’s why I tried to manipulate the Pope’s orders in the first place.”

“So? Then you simply become a transcendent yourself.”

His response was so nonchalant that she almost snapped at him.

But before she could, Ghislain lifted his hands.

*Whoooom…* Dozens of small blades scattered across the ground began to lift into the air.

Even Marika’s own daggers, their guiding threads severed, rose upward.

Soon, a ring of steel was orbiting Ghislain.

The blades moved like extensions of his own shadow, gradually becoming infused with a soft, azure light.

*Fwoooosh!* The daggers cut through the air in glowing arcs, illuminating the area with their motion.

They performed a complex dance, never touching, spinning in tight orbits before darting away in perfect lines.

It was like watching stars move through a dark sky—stunning and surreal.

The fluid grace of the movements was enough to send a chill down one’s spine.

Marika stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat.

Everyone present was silent, entranced by the beautiful display of power.

From the center of the spinning blades, Ghislain looked at her with a calm smile.

“I will transform you… into the greatest assassin this continent has ever seen.”