The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations (light Novel)

Ghislain, who had been staring blankly for a long time, finally spoke with a perplexed expression.
"How did Alfoy manage to catch so many?"

It wasn’t just anyone else but Alfoy, who had achieved an overwhelming feat. Even more than Ghislain himself, a master of pursuit.
"—A slave understands a slave’s heart, and only a fugitive knows a fugitive’s thoughts."
"…."

Come to think of it, Ghislain had never been a slave or lived on the run out of fear. Not in this life or even his past one. The closest he’d come was a strategic retreat during a disadvantageous situation.
Even in those cases, Ghislain’s focus had always been on figuring out how to kill his pursuers rather than simply escaping. He had never set a pure and straightforward goal like “escape,” as Alfoy and his friends seemed to have done.
"So, what exactly did he do?"

Even Ghislain, who rarely showed surprise, stuttered at Alfoy’s unexpected achievement.
Dark added in an incredulous voice.
"—At first, he just spread rumors while slacking off."

"What kind of rumors?"
"—That Vanessa, Fenris’s 7th-circle mage, had also fled. He claimed she had formed her own mage tower to resist the tyranny of Duke Fenris."
"…."

"—Then he sent word everywhere, telling people to come to their location under the banner of joining forces to resist."
"…And people believed that and came?"
"—Alfoy and Vanessa even gave speeches in the public square, demonstrating some magic. The rumors spread like wildfire, and people believed it was genuine."

"Couldn’t they tell it was a lie?"
"—Vanessa only did it because Alfoy told her to, but Alfoy… he was serious about it. Ah, crap!"
"What? What’s happening now?"

Dark suddenly began narrating the current situation in a hurried tone.
"—Just now, Alfoy led the mages in an actual rebellion!"
"…."
"—Vanessa and the knights successfully suppressed it! Now, Alfoy is tied up with the mages!"

"…."
"—There are so many mages gathered that it’s too much for Vanessa and the knights alone to handle. They’ve brought in city guards and additional knights to keep everyone under watch."
"…."

"—Alfoy is still stirring them up! A second rebellion just broke out!"
"…."
"—They suppressed it again, but a third one looks inevitable! For now, Vanessa has gagged Alfoy!"

"…What’s the closest other pursuit team?"
"—It’s Julien."
"Let them know to get there immediately."

Two hundred 5th-circle mages were a force too much for Vanessa to handle alone. Such a group amounted to national-level power.
Of course, not all of them were likely to be 5th-circle mages; many of their disciples were undoubtedly included. Even so, it was an immense force. Julien and the knights needed to assist immediately.
"—Ah! Another mage just arrived. Caught instantly. That makes it exactly 229 now."

"…."
"—This place is now rumored to be a haven for mages. More arrive daily."
"…."

Ghislain pressed his fingertips against his temples, visibly exhausted. While it was good that so many had been captured, the situation was spiraling into absurdity.
"This doesn’t feel right. Did that brainless Alfoy really come up with such ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) a method?"
Alfoy wasn’t inherently stupid. He wouldn’t have been a successor to a mage tower if he had been. He was cunning, though his quick thinking often failed against more shrewd opponents.

However, working endlessly in Fenris had somewhat dulled his intellect. It didn’t seem plausible for someone like him to lure mages in such a manner.
Dark revealed the truth.
"—Vanessa pressured him, so he confessed. It turns out Claude had given him a hint before leaving for Norvagen."

"…."
"—Claude said only Alfoy could truly execute this strategy. Others would lack conviction, making it obvious they were lying."
"…."

"—Strange as it seems, the plan succeeded."
"…."
Ghislain couldn’t deny it. Once again, Claude’s plan had worked, despite its offhand and seemingly careless nature. The fact that he had told only Alfoy was evidence of his half-hearted attitude.

Yet, Alfoy had executed the plan spectacularly.
"…Fine. In any case, it’s enough that we’ve captured so many."
Despite feeling frustrated and a bit humiliated, Ghislain had no choice but to acknowledge the results. He allocated additional personnel to Alfoy’s group, as mages were likely to continue gathering there.

Julien and Gillian, being nearby, were immediately dispatched to assist Alfoy.
"If only he’d quietly captured them instead…."
They would have caught even more. Alfoy truly required a lot of supervision.

Still, thanks to Alfoy’s "efforts," a significant number of fugitive mages were captured. While other teams managed to apprehend escapees within neighboring kingdoms, Alfoy’s fabricated rumors had drawn an unexpected influx of mages.
For the next month and a half—nearly two months—Ghislain and his team worked tirelessly, barely resting as they pursued fugitives across the continent.
"Time to return."

Though he wasn’t entirely satisfied, they could no longer afford to delay.
The pursuit teams scattered across the land reconvened in the Sardina Kingdom. By then, mages captured from various kingdoms had been brought in.
As expected, other kingdoms had been slow to act, bringing back far fewer mages. Some had caught as few as two.

Moreover, some mages who had been captured late had yet to arrive.
Upon his return, Ghislain’s first priority was to assess the situation in the Turian Kingdom.
"What’s happening now?"

"Monsters have begun appearing sporadically."
"I see. The time is near."
The monster wave hadn’t yet begun, but the monsters’ unusual behavior was a clear precursor.

The monsters in the Shadow Mountain region had been annihilated during the final wave when they fought against the rift. After years of absence, they were beginning to reappear.
"Quickly organize the mages and head for the Turian Kingdom."
Roughly 800 mages had been captured. Among them, about 300 were 5th-circle or higher. The rest were their disciples or assistants.

The largest number of captures came from Alfoy’s pursuit team.
Alfoy, wearing a ragged white robe and sporting a disheveled appearance, was dragged in.
"Let go! Let go of me! This was all part of the plan! How can you not understand that? Are you stupid?"

"…."
"Claude told me about it! I did nothing wrong! The rebellion was just acting!"
"…."

"Damn it, I’m serious! Now that the operation’s over, let me go! I was inciting them on purpose to lure more mages!"
Alfoy’s excuses sounded increasingly ridiculous.
If Julien hadn’t shown up during the third rebellion, they might have failed to suppress it. Just before they quelled the rebellion, Alfoy had loudly declared:

"—I’m free now, you bastards!"
"Lord! You must believe me! I’m Alfoy! I captured the most mages, just as I promised!"
The problem was, Alfoy had been captured alongside the very people he was supposed to catch.

Seeing Alfoy tear up, Ghislain shook his head.
"Let him go for now. We’ll deal with him after the battle with the dragon. We need every 5th-circle mage we can get."
Upon being released, Alfoy grinned triumphantly, though the disdain in everyone else’s eyes was palpable. Vanessa’s look of utter disappointment was enough to break anyone’s heart.

Still, Alfoy stood boldly among the others, his expression one of pure innocence, as if he truly believed he had done no wrong and had only contributed to their success.
Perhaps it was that shamelessness that kept him alive to this day.
Aside from the mages they had captured, many others had already arrived earlier.

“Your Grace, have you been well?”
The voice belonged to none other than Hubert, who appeared with an awkward smile.
His gaze drifted toward Alfoy, and a frown immediately crossed his face. He had already heard the rumors.

“Oh, why has that guy turned out like this? It’s mortifying… absolutely mortifying.”
He had once thought Alfoy was fairly competent, but now he couldn’t shake the impression that something was fundamentally wrong. Hubert resolved then and there that Alfoy’s successor status needed to be stripped as soon as possible.
Regardless, Hubert had brought the elders and disciples of the Scarlet Tower in response to Ghislain’s summons.

And they weren’t the only ones. The mage towers across Ruthania had also sent their tower lords and disciples.
This was because no one dared defy the absolute authority of Ghislain Fenris.
Ghislain greeted them with a warm smile.

“Welcome. No matter how you look at it, nothing beats people from home. You’ve all been briefed about what we’re up against, right?”
“Ah, yes….”
Hubert and the tower lords gave awkward smiles. Truthfully, none of them wanted to be here.

“But there’s nowhere else to go. Nowhere at all…”
“To think he could take control of the entire continent…”
“Yeah, there’s no way someone like him would just stay put…”

Through the Ruthania civil war, they had learned plenty about what kind of man Ghislain was.
Resistance was futile. He was relentless, and it was clear he wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted. It was easier to comply from the start.
Unlike mages from other kingdoms, those from Ruthania all groveled before Ghislain, making them much easier to manage.

“Let’s see… I guess this will have to do. It’s not ideal, but we can make it work.”
Ultimately, they hadn’t managed to assemble a thousand 5th-circle mages. However, the lower-circle mages and disciples they had gathered significantly bolstered their numbers.
Combined with the mages already part of the allied forces, their total magic power was just about enough to meet the requirements.

Even so, it was disappointing. If they had managed to gather every mage on the continent, the fight against the dragon would have been much easier.
“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. The ones who escaped will just have to be dealt with after this is all over.”
In distant kingdoms, several mages had successfully escaped capture.

They had eaten their fill and then fled without contributing? That was something Ghislain couldn’t tolerate.
He knew they would eventually resurface, eager to flaunt their importance again once they thought it was safe. Mages of their caliber wouldn’t last long living like beggars.
When they did reappear, Ghislain would ensure they paid the price.

For now, the mages captured from distant kingdoms were still en route. Ghislain could only hope they arrived before the dragon appeared.
“Well then, let’s move out. We’ve wasted far too much time already.”
Ghislain’s sense of urgency had grown sharper.

In the Turian Kingdom, several forts were already engaged in sporadic battles against monsters. A large-scale wave was imminent.
Although he had sent troops ahead to prepare, far too much time had been spent capturing mages. They needed to move quickly to the Turian Kingdom.
The members of the pursuit teams had no time to rest and immediately began marching.

A multitude of mages followed closely behind them, watching each other warily to prevent anyone from making a solo escape.
***
Deep within the Shadow Mountain Caves, Arterion Meditated in Silence

This place was a rift trapped in the flow of time. Unless personally invited by Arterion, no one could find or approach it.
Here, in what could be considered the safest and most tranquil place in the world, Arterion relived an ancient nightmare over and over again.
"…The Adversary."

Despite countless sacrifices, they had failed to prevent the Adversary's resurrection.
Worse, the Adversary's curse had led to the annihilation of their race.
The goddesses had not protected them from the curse. No, they had deliberately chosen not to.

Even though their race had given everything to protect humanity, all they received in return was a gruesome death.
The fury from that betrayal festered in Arterion’s heart, consuming him.
Revenge!

The word echoed endlessly within his mind, filling his thoughts, his spirit, and every fiber of his being.
"I will… I will find you… and obliterate you…"
His power had weakened drastically compared to his prime. But Arterion had no intention of waiting until he regained his former strength.

The longer he waited, the stronger the Adversary would grow. Its lack of movement so far was proof that it was still regaining its power.
It was better to resolve this while both were weak. A fully empowered Adversary would be nearly impossible to defeat, even if Arterion were to regain his prime strength.
Arterion slowly opened his eyes. The brilliant azure that once illuminated them was long gone, replaced by a burning crimson-black hue.

Grrrrr…
A low growl resonated through the mountain range, infused with a peculiar, otherworldly energy.
The monsters that heard Arterion’s growl began to frenzy.

Screeeech!
Roar!
Grrrraaaah!

Every monster turned to face one direction: the Turian Kingdom.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
With bloodshot eyes and drooling maws, the monsters began marching in unison.

Goblins, orcs, ogres, trolls, and countless other creatures moved as one.
No longer did they bare their fangs at one another. Differences in species no longer mattered.
All their animosity and aggression were directed at one place—the Turian Kingdom.

Arterion closed his eyes again. The act of mobilizing the monsters had drained him of a significant amount of mana. He needed to rest once more.
But it didn’t matter. Time was running out.
Before the final confrontation, he would send as many monsters as he could to weaken humanity's forces.

Clink. Clink.
One of the black chains that bound his body disintegrated into nothingness.
Another chain began to crack and fray, its structure becoming increasingly unstable.

As he lay within the cave, Arterion’s murmurs echoed faintly.
"So sorrowful… our fate…"