The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 666

The root cause of the Raks family’s crisis was Baron Magvel’s greed, but the direct blow came from the steward’s betrayal.

Because of his actions, Leo’s father collapsed in shock, losing all will to live. Though Deneb provided temporary healing with divine magic, the combined effects of age and trauma left him unable to recover his strength.

No matter how kind-hearted Leo was, he couldn’t overlook such a betrayal. Without addressing the traitor, it would be impossible to lead the family properly.

Most critically, there were still remaining traitors within the merchant guild. The steward was the only one who knew their identities.

The steward, who had been staying at the lord’s manor, couldn’t escape and was promptly captured—thanks to Ghislain’s lightning-fast response.

“S-sir! I only acted under the baron’s orders! I had no choice!”

Even after being caught, the steward continued to cry and beg for mercy, unable to accept his fate.

However, the soldiers listening to his wails were unimpressed. The Raks family’s anger toward the betrayal was palpable.

Ghislain, his expression unreadable, stood silently for a moment before speaking.

“Who are the remaining traitors within the merchant guild?”

“I-I don’t know them all!”

“Weren’t you the one managing the staff? The ones who joined the baron were under your watch, correct?”

“Those are the only ones I know! There could still be others hiding inside—I truly don’t know!”

“Hah…”

The steward desperately tried to conceal the traitors’ identities, but not out of loyalty.

“I need at least one ally to survive!”

The steward knew he had no friends left in the Raks family. Betrayal had essentially sealed his death warrant.

However, he also understood that Leo was different. Leo’s kind nature was something the steward hoped to exploit. If he could manipulate Leo’s mercy, he might survive.

Clinging to this slim hope, the steward begged.

“My lord! Please, think of the past! Haven’t I served your family faithfully for twenty years? Please, forgive me just this once!”

“……”

“I only did it under the baron’s orders! I don’t know of any other traitors—this is the truth!”

Leo sighed deeply. He wasn’t naive enough to believe the steward’s words.

He knew there were likely far more people involved than the steward was willing to admit. However, Leo’s naturally gentle nature left him unsure of how to proceed.

“What should I do?”

Having only recently become the lord, Leo still felt out of place. He didn’t know how to issue commands or if he even had the authority to do so.

Without power or confidence, he felt completely lost.

Some of the retainers cautiously offered suggestions.

“If the former baron was involved, it might be worth investigating further.”

“There could be others who were coerced or manipulated into participating.”

“This situation requires careful handling. Proceed slowly and deliberately.”

Hearing conflicting opinions, Leo broke into a nervous sweat. He lacked the resolve to make decisions and the strength to impose his will.

The retainers were all silently watching Ghislain for guidance. Without Ghislain, they would’ve openly criticized Leo’s indecisiveness.

But with Ghislain present, no one dared speak out of turn.

Leo, overwhelmed, finally turned to Ghislain.

“Sir… please, tell me what I should do. I need your wisdom.”

Leo hoped Ghislain would offer a wise and straightforward solution, as he always seemed to have an answer.

Ghislain nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips as he observed the retainers’ nervous glances.

“You know, I was once called a king in the past.”

That wasn’t true. While Ghislain had many titles, “king” wasn’t one of them. But given his experience and the respect he commanded, it wasn’t an entirely implausible claim.

Ghislain knelt before the steward and spoke softly.

“Now that you’re a lord, learn from this. Gaining control requires decisiveness. Among many methods, ‘sympathy’ is the most effective.”

“Sympathy?” Leo asked, confused.

“Yes. When people sympathize with you, they’re less likely to lie.”

Ghislain leaned closer to the steward, his expression darkening.

“Unfortunately, I don’t feel very sympathetic right now.”

With that, Ghislain gestured to one of the knights nearby.

“Bring me a rod. Quickly.”

“Yes, sir!”

The knight hurriedly fetched a sturdy rod and handed it to Ghislain. Without hesitation, Ghislain struck the steward’s thigh.

Thwack!

“AAAAAAAH!”

The steward screamed in agony. He hadn’t expected this level of brutality in the lord’s presence.

“W-Who are you?! Wh-what are you—?!”

Thwack!

“AAAAAHHH!”

Ghislain remained silent, methodically striking the steward in areas that wouldn’t kill him.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Stop! Please, stop! AAAAAH!”

The steward’s screams echoed throughout the hall, sending shivers down the spines of everyone watching.

Even those familiar with Ghislain’s reputation were shocked by his ruthlessness. It was a stark reminder that defying him was not an option.

Ghislain paused briefly and addressed the gathered retainers.

“Identify all of Baron Magvel’s former retainers. Investigate their roles and determine if they were complicit. I’ll decide their fates once the truth is uncovered.”

"Lastly, Baron Magvel’s retainers…."

Leo repeated Ghislain’s words exactly, as if issuing a decree.

“Ah, well done.”

Each time, Ghislain would offer praise, a small but genuine gesture of approval.

The knights’ commander, placing a hand on his chest with pride, responded resolutely.

“Understood! Everything is secure!”

None of the retainers dared to argue or even entertain the thought of defiance. The vivid memory of Ghislain decisively smashing the baron’s head into oblivion was still fresh in everyone’s minds.

Fear of Ghislain had grown so overwhelming that even Leo himself began to carry an intimidating aura, albeit unintentionally.

The retainers, once hesitant or scheming, were now completely subdued under this unspoken dominance.

With the post-battle arrangements swiftly handled, Leo, still somewhat flustered, muttered as if trying to catch up with everything.

“So… is that it?”

“What?” Ghislain smirked. “Listen carefully. Being a lord isn’t about sitting on a throne and enjoying privileges. It’s about taking responsibility for the entire territory. That’s why you need to make quick, precise decisions and act decisively.”

“I… I understand.”

“From now on, handle matters like this yourself. A lord determines the direction of the territory. The details will be handled by experts under you. Don’t overthink it; this is your territory, and you’ll grow into the role as you go.”

“Yes… yes, I understand.”

Leo trembled slightly. The weight of the role still felt incredibly heavy to him. He doubted he could ever be as firm and decisive as Ghislain.

"Am I even cut out for this job?"

He was already relieved just to have survived the crisis. He couldn’t comprehend why Ghislain had given him such a position in the first place.

But Ghislain, ever the strategist, ensured that the steward’s punishment was carried out publicly. His actions were deliberate, a calculated display of authority meant to quell any potential dissent.

Ghislain repeatedly reminded the people that he stood behind Leo. This strategy subtly made everyone associate Leo with Ghislain’s overwhelming presence and power.

Not long after, the captain of the guard arrived, his expression bewildered.

“Wait… what’s going on here?”

He still hadn’t grasped the full situation. The Raks family had won the duel and claimed the territory—this much he could understand. But how had the knights and soldiers so easily shifted their allegiance to the Raks family?

Ghislain smiled slyly, rolling his shoulders as if to stretch.

“What, did you think I’d let this slide?”

He gestured for the guard captain to follow him.

“Let’s have a private chat somewhere quieter.”

Ghislain didn’t intend to kill him—at least not yet. A few lessons in humility would suffice. Outside, the captain’s screams echoed loudly.

“AAAAHHH! I’m sorry! I won’t ever defy you again! PLEASE STOP!”

Those left in the hall broke into a cold sweat. It was becoming increasingly clear that while Leo was the titular lord, Ghislain was the one truly in control.

In the following days, the remaining officials and soldiers who had yet to pledge their loyalty to the Raks family steadily came around. The news spread quickly, and even the common folk received the changes with joy.

Since the Raks family had claimed the territory without a full-blown war, stabilizing it was far easier than expected.

Ghislain approached Leo, who still appeared awkward and unsure of himself.

“So, what’s next?”

“W-Well…”

“Didn’t you have anything you wanted to do once you became a lord?”

Leo hesitated. The thought had never even crossed his mind—becoming a lord had seemed like an impossibility in the first place.

“I… I’m not sure.”

Leo’s role had always been as an assistant, nothing more. Without Julien’s intervention, he might’ve lost everything, even his chance to survive.

But this experience taught Leo something critical: those who wield power must use it wisely.

And perhaps, even if he had started small, he now possessed power of his own.

With this realization, an idea came to him. He wanted to make this territory a better place to live.

Taking a deep breath, Leo slowly began to speak.