The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 661

Everyone's mouth dropped open after hearing Ghislain's words.

Thirty percent of the gold mine's profits! It was as if he intended to keep draining them dry for good.

Julien and Deneb laughed weakly, their spirits clearly deflated.

‘His audacity is no joke.’

‘He’s on an entirely different level from us.’

Kyle and Dara nodded in agreement.

“He’s learned well.”

“A true master.”

Leo swallowed his frustration.

While they didn’t need to pay the 30,000 gold immediately, in the long run, they would be giving away far more, and it would be perpetual.

It was clearly an excessive demand, but given the volatile situation, it wasn’t impossible to accept. The issue lay elsewhere.

Seeing Leo deep in thought, Ghislain couldn’t hide his enigmatic smile.

“If you faint, I’ll take my leave immediately.”

“No, it’s just… There’s a problem with agreeing to that.”

“What’s the issue?”

“I was prepared to give up on the mine. Keeping my family and the guild alive is my priority. But now that the mine’s profits are being demanded…”

Leo’s voice trailed off as he hinted at the impossibility of abandoning the mine.

Thus, he proposed another condition.

“It would be better to make the shares of our guild flexible along with the mine.”

Leo’s words came out after he had pondered over them several times. After all, he had already staked everything on this trial, so it was only right to go all in with Ghislain.

Ghislain nodded with a sly grin. He had known for a while that the Raks Merchant Guild would ultimately give up on the mine.

He had expected Leo to come up with such a proposal.

“I understand. But how about we adjust the terms slightly?”

“What do you mean?”

“Instead of just the Raks Merchant Guild, let’s include all assets of the Raks family. If we tie it to the guild’s name, we could keep it going by simply changing the name, don’t you think?”

Leo nodded, feeling that it was no different for him. Most of the assets tied to the Raks family were already part of the guild’s holdings.

That was Ghislain’s calculation, but Leo didn’t mind.

“Understood. We’ll proceed that way. Shall we draft the contract now?”

“Wouldn’t you need permission from the family?”

“No, my father is incapacitated due to a serious shock from this incident. He can barely move. I’ve been entrusted with all authority.”

Leo had always been opposed to this, but he knew it was better than losing everything.

It was a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of saving the Raks Merchant Guild.

The contract was quickly finalized. Now all that was left was for Ghislain to win over the major factions.

Leo muttered to himself as he glanced at Ghislain.

‘He really knows how to get his way.’

‘Is this even okay?’

‘The gold mine’s future profits will be massive, but 300% return on investment...’

Even as he finalized the deal, Leo felt a chill run down his spine.

‘Why does it feel like I’m making a deal with the devil?’

Was he really selling his soul to save his family?

But then Leo shook his head, brushing the thought away. These people were the only ones who had been willing to help him despite knowing his situation.

It wasn’t purely out of kindness, though—he realized that he had to confront his own hidden guilt.

The contract process paused at the final moment.

“Well, then… If things go smoothly, we’ll be working together more often. Maybe we can be more comfortable with each other?”

“I feel like I’m the older one here.”

“Older?”

Leo looked at Ghislain suspiciously.

Aston, looking like a mage who hadn’t seen daylight in ages, seemed even more disoriented due to his small build. He looked younger than expected.

But there was no denying that his loyalty made him seem like an older brother.

If it had been Julien, Deneb, or Kyle in that position, Leo might have understood better, considering their age.

But Ghislain spoke boldly, almost shamelessly.

“It’s because I’m a mage. In truth, I’m much older than I look.”

“Is, is that so?!”

Leo thought, deeply impressed. He had always believed that Ghislain was someone who couldn't be refused, the one who protected the Raks family’s very core.

With a gentle expression, Leo nodded obediently.

"I understand. In a way, you’re an important benefactor who reached out to help the family in its time of crisis. I will regard you as an older brother, Lord Astion."

Ghislain had been using Astion’s name in public. This was something he had to do later.

Once Leo accepted his proposal, Ghislain smiled.

"Good. Let’s try to get along well in the future."

With his serious words, Ghislain looked solemn. This would be a phrase he’d repeat for a long time… well, because he was going to ask for help later.

He was even planning a huge gift that would shock Leo to the point of fainting.

Now, all they had to do was wait for the date of the duel. With the contract in hand, Ghislain’s mind echoed with Astion’s voice.

"What, what other notarization is this?"

"Are you bringing it out now?"

"Okay... what’s going on? Why did you sign this contract?"

Astion asked, clearly puzzled by the situation.

Ghislain could guess the current circumstances and quickly responded. After hearing the explanation, Astion was visibly shocked.

"That... you’ve accepted to help with such a thing? You’re in a position where you can claim 30% of all the profits from the Raks family once you win. That’s a completely irresponsible situation."

"—You idiot! The lord and the bookkeeper will never just let this slide!"

"I know."

"—And you’re still going through with it? They aren’t strong enough to handle such a thing yet!"

"Aha, don’t worry, I’ve got it covered. From now on, the Raks family will be our mercenary guild’s unshakable source of income and a reliable sponsor."

— Ugh...

Astion sounded frustrated. He had left his friends to grow strong, but now they were getting into this dangerous situation!

He had thought that he was carefully guiding his friends until now, helping them endure the hardships, and protecting them from harm.

But now, all he could think about was the princess’s future! This mage seemed to have no idea what he was doing.

— Baron Magvel is the absolute ruler of this region!

At that, Ghislain couldn’t help but laugh.

"What's he going to endure?"

Dukod, who had been listening, burst into laughter as well.

"Master! They’re so cute! If they saw the Helperman Duke, they’d faint, haha!"

Astion was taken aback by their reactions.

— What? What’s so funny?

"It’s just that even if you're a small lord, calling yourself an absolute ruler or whatever is a bit too much, don’t you think?"

— Ah, Lord! A lord! Now, how will you handle all of your old friends’ titles if you’re going to arrest them?

"Oh, don’t worry. I’ve dealt with worse things than that a few times already."

Leo had no intention of dropping his words. He spoke to the small lord, even if it was a ridiculous thing to do.

However, Astion, who didn’t understand what kind of person Ghislain was, continued to argue.

— You can’t even use magic, so hurry up and learn a few spells from me!

Astion was only five years old, a child mage. If they were up against soldiers of a small noble’s army, they could escape easily with their friends. At this point, Astion had started to consider them as powerful beings.

But the problem was that Ghislain couldn’t use magic.

Ghislain answered confidently.

"I don’t need it. Magic is too weak."

— What? What did you say?

"Why bother learning magic when it’s so weak? I’ll only learn the basic stuff if I really have to."

— This idiot! Do you think magic is a joke? Have you ever seen a spell from a 9-star mage?

"I have."

He almost died using a 9-star spell from a dragon. When Ghislain remembered the fight with Arterion, the words just slipped out.

"Well, even a 5-star mage isn’t that weak. A 5-star mage can stop a 9-star spell used by a dragon. It just requires a bit of preparation."

— Please don’t say nonsense! How can you even stop a dragon's 9-star spell?

"Ugh, it’s so frustrating. I’ll be able to do it in the future."

— In the future? My army! Stop spouting nonsense!

Astion continued to shout, but Ghislain simply ignored him. After a while, Astion was too tired to argue and gave up.

— Ugh... you really want to see me in a dangerous situation, don’t you?

"Eh? What does that mean? I’ve never said it was hard to stay awake!"

— I mean it literally. Now, if you call me, I’ll only wake up for a short time.

"Is that possible?"

— I’ve been working on expanding my mental world. You guys are too big now, so we can’t stay together… but we’re in a rush, so...

"Ah, so you’re not an ordinary person after all."

Ghislain smiled and nodded, looking a bit puzzled.

Expanding one’s mental world wasn’t an easy task. He hadn’t done this on his own; he was holding onto a powerful force.

But Astion, with little experience, had not been able to manage Ghislain’s powerful consciousness.

Still, it seemed Astion was now curious enough to try finding a way for himself.

Astion spoke weakly.

— I can’t stay awake for long. I’ll need to expand my mental world more. But if needed, I’ll wake up for a brief moment and offer advice. I’ll be able to provide lessons.

For someone like Astion, who had limited experience with magic, this was an important step. Whether or not he could transcend and reach the next level depended on how much he understood the changes in the world around him.

"I understand. I’ll call you when I need you for training."

— Alright, I’ll rest for now. But call me if it’s dangerous. Understand?

"Yeah, don’t worry. You’ll come back soon, right? Magic... I’ll eventually try to learn something when I have time, but right now, I’m too busy."

— Why do people like you hate magic so much?

Astion grumbled a few more times and then walked off. It seemed he would focus on expanding his mental world for now.

Having ended the conversation, Leo cautiously asked,

“Is... are you alright?”

— Hm? What do you mean?

“No, I’m just saying... you seem a bit hurt...”

Leo’s face was filled with concern.

Ghislain smiled briefly and shook his head, almost as if speaking to someone invisible.

Leo was relieved to see Ghislain smiling. It seemed he was the right person to go into battle.

“Don’t worry, I don’t have to worry about that.”

‘I should be a bit more careful from now on.’

Ghislain’s expression was much more relaxed than he appeared on the outside.

Soon, the duel day was drawing near.

The venue for the duel was decided by Baron Magvel, who had chosen the Raks Merchant Guild’s headquarters. He wanted to display the duel to the guild’s members.

"Here comes the mercenary group!"

Some shouted loudly as Leo, leading Ghislain’s group, walked slowly. His face clearly showed signs of tension.

Baron Magvel appeared to be quite old. His greed was evident in his every expression.

He had brought several knights and dozens of soldiers, enough to make the guild members ready to draw their swords.

Baron Magvel, with his tense face, sneered as he looked at Leo.

“I’ll give credit for the money bags arriving. So, have you found a mercenary to fight in the duel?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right.”

The timid Leo couldn’t even make eye contact with the lord, bowing his head. His body was trembling slightly.

Baron Magvel’s pressure weighed heavily on him. It seemed the duel was about to happen.

“I’ve heard so much about this. Should be good.”

He had been raising taxes but still wanted to maintain control over the Raks Merchant Guild.

Satisfied with the situation, he had plans for something else as well. He wanted to make sure the guild was kept in his grasp.

“Well, that guy will fall soon enough.”

There was no good in allowing someone with such secrets to survive. It was something anyone could say, but the truth was, they were all hoping for this outcome.

Soon, a large group gathered around, watching the duel. Nobles from the nearby areas had come to see the spectacle.

Everyone assumed Baron Magvel would win, and they had come just to see the show.

When people gathered, Baron Magvel’s representatives came forward.

“Not recklessly, not without honor, fighting for the honor and pride of the shield…”

The representative introduced the duelists, and the challenge was officially underway.

TL note: Guys, my head's spinning from all these names... let's just leave it like this for now and we’ll figure it out later. I can’t even keep track of what's going on with all these characters. If you spot any inconsistencies, let me know, please!