The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 658

Ghislain truly tried his best to avoid getting involved with the Hero’s Party. If it was possible to help Deneb develop his abilities, continuing with good deeds wouldn’t be a bad idea. After all, his divine power was one of the strongest weapons to save the world.

But doing things like this was problematic. He felt that if he left things as they were, Deneb might get caught up in some incident and end up dying before he even had the chance to fully grow his abilities.

The three of them were still standing around, staring blankly. When Ghislain suddenly mentioned forming a mercenary group, they didn’t understand what he meant.

Ghislain took the lead and calmly explained.

“I know what kind of dream you’re chasing. I’ve been watching you all this time, but continuing like this is meaningless.”

“….”

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t do good deeds. What I’m saying is, if you’re going to do them, do them properly.”

Deneb cautiously asked, “Properly?”

“Yes, properly. You need to build up your forces, spread your name, grow your strength. You need people to support you. Only then can you change the world.”

“And stop acting like a fool. If you grow your strength and start eliminating the bad guys, the world will change.”

“I just…”

“I understand your intentions. But look at the result. Even when you try to help, they don’t appreciate it, and because you seem weak, they show their greed. In this world, good deeds aren’t something anyone can just do.”

Deneb’s expression turned sad. All he wanted was to follow the goddess’s will and help people. But Ghislain’s words weren’t wrong. He had started his good deeds with good intentions, but because of his lack of ability, problems kept arising.

He hadn’t been able to help people properly, nor had he been able to stop the priests. The situation had actually worsened since he began trying to help.

“Really, doing good deeds is something only those qualified can do in this world.”

That thought saddened him. It was painful to think that even good deeds required certain qualifications.

An awkward silence filled the air, so Julien changed the subject.

“Why mercenaries, though?”

“How are you going to create your forces and grow your influence, especially when you’re not even nobility? You don’t even have a house. Right now, a mercenary group is the best option. You can move around, gather people, do good deeds, get stronger... and even make money.”

To develop Deneb’s divine power, they would need to use a lot of divine energy, fighting evil and doing good deeds.

That’s why they didn’t plan on stopping the good deeds altogether. Ghislain intended to make sure they did it in a more direct and effective manner.

But the idea of forming a mercenary group didn’t sit well with the three of them.

In this era, mercenary groups were basically crime organizations. They fought with other factions, absorbed them, and dealt with power struggles.

Deneb asked, “But… if we become mercenaries… doesn’t that mean we might end up doing bad things?”

Mercenaries move for the benefit of their employers. The wars they fought in weren’t always about good versus evil; often, it was about competing for profit.

Ghislain shook his head and replied, “I’m not suggesting anything bad. But there might be unavoidable circumstances.”

“Unavoidable circumstances?”

“For example, you could be working for someone evil, but they might turn out to be a good person. During the fight, you won’t have the time to figure that out. If you stop to consider every little thing, you’ll be dead before you can change the world.”

Deneb understood and nodded. He had no objections to this point. In fact, that’s why he had never hesitated when fighting against bandits. The church taught him that eliminating evil was essential for creating a better world.

Ghislain continued as he glanced at the three of them, “If you continue the way you are now, you’ll never create the world you want. It’s better to act as mercenaries, go find the bad guys, and kill them. That will save more people.”

Ghislain emphasized that even if they worked as mercenaries, they should focus on excluding evil and targeting it.

He couldn’t protect them forever, so he didn’t want to drastically shake their beliefs. He simply wanted them to act decisively.

Listening quietly, Julien suddenly asked. After hearing the conversation between the two, he had a question on his mind.

“What if... to save more people, someone has to be sacrificed... what should be done then?”

It was a difficult question, and there was no one answer. People would have different answers depending on their views.

Ghislain paused for a moment, thinking carefully. Then, in a rare moment of sincerity, he spoke, wanting to be honest with them despite not wanting to impact their worldview too much.

“I’m not saying we should sacrifice the innocent for a greater cause. I don’t like that either. It’s not about justifying killing innocent people for some greater good.”

For Ghislain, the greater good wasn’t as important as protecting those dear to him. And as he grew stronger, the number of people he had to protect would only increase.

Ghislain looked at Julien and spoke his true feelings.

“What's right and wrong differs from person to person. If you want to make your own way, then you need to grow stronger.”

“Make my own way...?”

“Yes. Even if that means killing countless people.”

“...”

“If you believe the path you’re on is the right one, then do it.”

Ghislain gave a smile, and his eyes held deep trust.

“I believe you’ll walk the right path.”

Julien stared at Ghislain, his eyes trembling. Although he had known Astrion since childhood, Ghislain was different. Why was Ghislain so sure of him when they hadn’t known each other for long?

Julien stayed silent for a while. Ghislain waited patiently for him to speak.

After a long period of contemplation, Julien finally spoke in a firm voice.

“Alright.”

“I won’t act like a fool anymore.”

“Good.”

“I’ll start moving for a bigger goal now.”

Julien felt that Ghislain was right. Through this journey, he had come to realize this.

Ghislain wanted to help people, but the situation just wasn’t going the way he hoped. Instead, he saw more of humanity's ugly side.

Of course, he still didn’t think it was wrong to help people.

“But you need power and influence to help properly.”

Didn’t he almost die because of a priest in a small town?

In the end, the ultimate goal was to get rid of the Demonic Realm. Only when the Demonic Realm disappeared could the world find peace. The reason the world had become so desolate was also due to the long war with the Demonic Realm.

“First, let’s create the best mercenary group. Then we’ll build our reputation. When that happens, more people will want to join us. Only then can we change the world.”

And… to protect the people he cared about, he needed to grow stronger.

Julien looked at Deneb and swallowed his words. It was merely his personal desire, nothing more.

Ghislain tried his best not to change Julien’s values too much. But what he didn’t know was that, because of what Ghislain had said, the beliefs Julien had been growing now began to take solid form.

Without knowing it, Ghislain smiled brightly after hearing Julien’s decision.

Deneb, who had been contemplating, nodded as well. She too had realized through this incident how weak her own abilities were.

She wouldn’t stop doing good deeds. If she saw someone in need, she would naturally help them.

But things would be different from now on. She would be firm when necessary and fight when she had to.

She would prioritize bigger goals over small acts of kindness. That was the true way to save more people.

Thus, Deneb’s convictions began to take shape, thanks to Ghislain.

Kyle had a relieved look on his face. He knew those two wouldn't stop being foolish, but at least they wouldn't live in frustration like before.

Seeing that everyone had understood, Ghislain smiled brightly.

At that moment, Dark asked inside Ghislain’s mind.

— Master… Is this really okay?

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think it’s fine to keep influencing them like this, forming a mercenary group and shaping their values? What if they start growing by doing these small acts of kindness and end up meeting some kind of opportunity?”

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

“Ugh, this is so annoying. What should I do?”

“…….”

“I’ve explained it as best I could. They can still do good deeds. I’m just saying they should stop acting like fools and focus on building a foundation first. I’ve given them a goal. A goal.”

“…….”

“What if, like you, they end up enjoying being mercenaries and start fighting every day?”

“They’re not that kind of people. But even if they were, I wouldn’t care.”

“…….”

“The Saintess said to let them do as they please. I think this will work. They didn’t have a clear goal before, right? I didn’t say don’t do good deeds. I’m just telling them to grow their strength and influence, and then help properly. Don’t waste their energy trying to help unnecessarily, acting like fools. And I’ve clearly given them the goal they should pursue now. After all, fighting the Demonic Realm will be a matter for the distant future. So, this shouldn’t cause any problems.”

Even after hearing Ghislain’s explanation, Dark still raised an objection.

“I don’t know about this. It feels like too much involvement in the past.”

“No, I think letting them continue acting like fools would be worse.”

While the two were bickering, Astrion’s voice was heard.

— Stop it.

“Huh? Were you awake?”

— Yeah, I’ve been watching quietly.

“This isn’t some dragon ability. You’ve been pretending to sleep, haven’t you? But what are you thanking me for?”

— I was also frustrated seeing them act like fools.

“……”

That’s why Ghislain tried to avoid people as much as possible. If he got dragged into something unlucky, he might die.

In reality, Astrion led their group carefully, cooperating with only the necessary soldiers and provoking bandits.

Julien kept delaying the idea of setting out on their journey. With their personalities, they weren’t ready to face the world’s injustices yet.

Meanwhile, when Deneb said she was going on a pilgrimage, that was when they finally left together.

— Deneb is a pilgrim priest. It’s only natural that helping people and doing good deeds is her duty. But I knew that eventually, there would be problems in this world.

This event was something they needed to experience at least once. Ghislain had been worried that Deneb might get seriously hurt, but thanks to Ghislain, they had gotten through it safely.

Furthermore, now that they were focusing on building a mercenary group and getting stronger, Astrion felt a little relieved.

— I don’t know if it’s truly glorious swordsmanship, but it’s impressive. I’ll be relying on you for the time being.

Astrion was relieved. He knew that Ghislain wasn’t doing anything wrong, but was instead helping his friends grow stronger.

Ghislain wanted to say, “Actually, you all taught them that.” But he held back. Saying that would just make things complicated.

Instead, he asked something else.

“By the way, do you have a plan? If you do, tell me. I’ll help with that too. You need to get stronger quickly.”

He didn’t know when he’d wake up from this body, or if he’d wake up at all. Ghislain planned to do everything he could before then.

But Astrion spoke in a weak voice.

— It’s not time to speak yet. Focus on making them stronger.

“Are you sure you have a plan? Aren’t you just wandering around training with no real purpose?”

— …… I do.

Astrion snapped. Ghislain hit the mark. Even though Astrion said that, it seemed like he didn’t have a clear plan.

Still, he had achieved a lot already. With his current abilities, he would figure things out on his own.

“Well, since you’re awake, keep an eye on them. It’s getting tiresome to keep watching the same boring body.”

But since the three were from the countryside, they mostly only talked about memories. It was better to listen to Astrion, who was at least smarter than the rest.

Astrion answered in a tired voice.

— Fool… you’re making it impossible…

“What?”

— The size of my world can’t contain you right now… I get exhausted even when I’m awake for just a bit…

“Aha, that’s what it was.”

Ghislain understood immediately. It would be difficult for most people to handle his consciousness.

He wasn’t like other criminals who would just share information and disappear. He had taken over a body and was causing a ruckus.

But Astrion couldn’t stay awake for long.

— Yeah… I’ll rest again… please take care of them…

“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure they’re stronger next time.”

— That’s… good to hear…

With that, Astrion fell silent and went back to sleep.

***

After moving to another city, Ghislain first sought out the mercenary guild.

The guild's manager looked at the four of them, taking in their appearances, and scoffed.

“Yeah, you look like a bunch of rookies. You want to become mercenaries?”

Ghislain nodded.

“I want to register as a mercenary and get my ID. Shall we go straight to the test?”

The manager chuckled and shrugged his shoulders at Ghislain’s bold words.

“Looks like mercenary work is a joke these days. I mean, kids like you coming in and wanting to join? Hey, do you even know how dangerous this job is?”

“I know, that’s why I’d like you to stop wasting time and just get it over with.”

“Well, if you want to die early, I won’t stop you. What’s your specialty? Do you have any skills? You don’t exactly have the build to fight properly, do you?”

“I’m a mage.”

“A mage?”

The manager was taken aback. A mage mercenary was a rare sight.

Mages typically didn’t take up mercenary work. It was far more lucrative and safer to do other things.

Most mages hated traveling around. They preferred staying cooped up in towers, reading books.

A mage doing mercenary work was either a criminal on the run or just a weirdo who liked wandering around.

Given that, the manager couldn’t help but be suspicious of the young person in front of him.

“How many circles? First circle?”

“Fifth circle.”

“Hah, are you messing with me? Do you want to die?”

A fifth-circle mage was a seasoned professional, capable of handling serious magical tasks. Why would such a mage choose to become a mercenary?

Most importantly, the person in front of him looked far too young. Even considering that there were young-looking mages, a fifth-circle mage at this age seemed impossible.

The manager couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. He was determined to give this naïve kid a wake-up call.

“You think you can just come in here and joke around?”

With a harsh expression, he reached out to grab Ghislain. But his eyes widened in shock, and he froze.

“Wha... what...?”

Whoosh!

Dozens of massive mana spears suddenly floated around Ghislain.

The manager stood frozen in shock as he stared at the floating spears.

Ghislain grinned and said, “Want me to destroy everything here right now?”

“N-No... wait...”

The manager frantically waved his hands. While he wasn’t sure if it was really fifth-circle magic, the overwhelming aura from each spear in the air was unmistakable.

It had to be at least third-circle magic.

He couldn’t keep up the facade of disbelief any longer. He quickly lowered his tone, trying to salvage the situation.

“Alright, alright, let’s go ahead and do the test for your group.”

Ghislain nodded, then recalled the floating spears. He looked at the manager and asked, “You made a mercenary group? Really?”

“Yeah, the name is...”

Ghislain quickly glanced at his companions, then spoke.

“We’ll call it the Julien Mercenary Group.”

With no more hesitations about the future, he was ready to make his mark and let loose.