The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 521

"Once the civil war ends, Ruthania must extend aid to other kingdoms. Many regions still haven’t even dealt with the rift zones."

"And what? You plan to use my power for that too?"

"There are even small kingdoms where the royal families were wiped out by the Salvation Order. They may be minor, but the absence of rulers makes them valuable, don’t you think?"

At that moment, Amelia realized what Ghislain truly wanted from her.

"Leave Ruthania and take one of those places for yourself. With your abilities, it’s possible. Until you stabilize, as promised, we’ll support you. That should be enough to fulfill your ambitions, don’t you think?"

His argument was sound. She didn’t necessarily need Ruthania. It had simply been her goal because it was the place of her birth.

Thanks to the Salvation Order’s chaos, she now had the opportunity to expand her reach to other kingdoms.

"If we fight each other, it’ll only prolong the war. People want the Salvation Order gone as quickly as possible. There’s no reason for us to diminish public trust in ourselves by fighting amongst each other."

"..."

"Even if we don’t fight, staying here together will be awkward. After all, we’ve already parted ways."

"Get lost."

From the start, the two of them had sought to kill each other. Their uneasy alliance had only been possible due to the overwhelming power of the Duke’s faction and the Salvation Order.

Few people knew the depth of their history. Most assumed they were simply an estranged couple after their broken engagement, making their cooperation feel awkward but not suspicious.

Had they turned on each other after fighting side by side, it would have thrown the Kingdom’s people into turmoil once again.

Amelia herself wanted to avoid such chaos. She had always taken good care of her people.

In this regard, she and Ghislain shared at least one goal.

"Even if you defeat me and take this Kingdom, you’ll still have to fight the Salvation Order. They’re like cockroaches, spread across the continent."

"Hmph..."

Amelia nodded. She didn’t desire a world ruled by monsters.

It had to be a world of humans—a place where she could realize her ideals.

But if the Salvation Order remained on the continent, she wouldn’t be building her dream; she’d be spending her entire life on the battlefield. Fighting alone would be an endless struggle.

Ghislain understood that as well.

"So? Neither of us can avoid fighting the Salvation Order anyway. With the allied forces handling other nations, your burden will be lighter."

By now, Ghislain had grown strong enough to overwhelm Amelia. Yet he proposed cooperation instead of casting her aside because of the fight that lay ahead against the Salvation Order.

The Salvation Order would use every resource at its disposal to kill him. He couldn’t simply end the conflict by choosing to walk away.

It was only logical to rally capable allies. This was no longer a battle for power; it was a fight for humanity’s survival.

Ghislain’s sincerity brought a bitter smile to Amelia’s lips.

"You certainly know how to dress up your words. You’re kicking me out of here while making use of my power."

"Who said it’d be free? I’ll be leading the allied forces anyway, so I can give you the justification you need to move into other kingdoms. I’ll also provide ample food supplies."

"Not a bad deal. If you win the civil war, that is."

"Don’t worry about that. If you agree, I already have a way to secure victory."

Amelia had to acknowledge that Ghislain’s plan was the best option.

Zvalter had the respect and support of many. There was no longer any need to take the throne through risk and infamy.

In that case, it was better to ascend a throne in a new land, under a brighter banner.

Thus, Amelia accepted Ghislain’s proposal and joined the war effort.

After the war ended, Amelia muttered with a strangely lighthearted expression.

"At last, I can leave this wretched Kingdom behind."

Though she would nominally operate as part of the allied forces, she now had no real reason to continue working alongside Ghislain.

With no need to watch each other’s backs, they could now fight and win their battles separately.

It was a more comfortable arrangement for both Ghislain and Amelia.

"It doesn’t matter where. I’ll just start over there," she thought.

To create the ideal world she envisioned, a solid foundation was essential. Settling in a new location, building that foundation, and expanding gradually over time was the way forward.

Even if it took years—generations, even—she believed steady progress would eventually spread her ideals everywhere.

"One day, my vision will touch every corner of the world."

It didn’t have to happen immediately. The important thing was eradicating the Salvation Order and gaining the certainty that her dream could be realized.

"In the end, this worked out well. I won’t need to waste time and effort clearing out the stagnation and rot here."

Amelia had long understood that reshaping the Kingdom would require reforming its very system.

The feudal system, where lords ruled their territories as kings, was unsuitable for the future she envisioned. Such a system would inevitably undermine the laws and principles she established.

A strong, centralized government was the only solution. And in an unclaimed land, implementing such a system would be far easier.

She stroked Bastet’s fur gently and spoke softly.

"Bastet, it seems my calling lies in another land. It will be hard, but I will never give up. Whether my ideals are right or wrong, that judgment will be for future generations to make."

"Meow."

For the first time in a long while, Amelia allowed herself a peaceful smile.

***

As Amelia decided to leave Ruthania, her complicated relationship with Ghislain reached its conclusion.

With the most significant potential threat resolved, Ghislain and the royal court moved swiftly to stabilize the Kingdom. The aftermath of Verhem’s tyranny had left the populace destitute, and the military had to be reorganized to aid other kingdoms still plagued by the Salvation Order.

It was for this purpose that the allied forces had sacrificed so much across different nations.

"The relief supplies for each region are ready!"

"The reorganization of the royal army is complete!"

"Food provisions and equipment checks are done! We’re ready to deploy anytime!"

Everyone was consumed with stabilizing the Kingdom and preparing for the next war. Amid this flurry of activity, nobody had time to pay attention to Princess Elena, who had only recently claimed her title.

The only exception was Ghislain, who, impressed by Parniel’s overwhelming strength, gifted her a new, massive warhammer called the Proclaimer of Destruction.

"Am I even a princess?"

Elena muttered as she swung the colossal hammer during training. She turned to Rachel, who stood nearby.

"Of course, you are, Your Highness. The one and only princess of this Kingdom."

Rachel beamed, genuinely delighted to see Elena as a princess.

"This isn’t what I imagined a princess to be! Since when do princesses reek of sweat all day?"

Elena’s lifestyle had hardly changed since assuming her title. She still lived in the barracks, training endlessly with Rachel at her side. Ghislain, overwhelmed with his responsibilities, had thrown her into the care of the knights.

"Damn it! Why do I have to train all day? Either let me enjoy being a princess or send me somewhere to bash some heads in! I’m going to lose my mind from all this stress!"

BOOM!

Her hammer struck the ground, splitting it wide open. The knights training nearby scrambled to get out of her way.

Elena and Rachel had not participated in the recent war. Instead, they spent their time in the rear, focusing on rigorous training. Ghislain had deemed them unprepared to take lives on the battlefield.

"Don’t worry," Rachel reassured her. "We’ll be sent to fight the Riftlings soon enough."

"Hmph. When I meet them, I’ll flatten them all. Every last one of them."

Constant training had soured Elena’s temper. It seemed her dream of living as a normal princess was out of reach, and now, she just wanted to smash something.

Scovan, who had been promoted to a noble rank and appointed as the captain of the royal guard for his contributions, clicked his tongue as he watched the scene.

"Sigh, I thought she’d be different, but the more I see her, the more she reminds me of her brother."

It seemed that the problem lay in their bloodline. The king himself was far more composed, so Scovan couldn’t fathom where they got their wild streak. Even the late queen, as he recalled her, had been gentle—at least on the surface.

While Elena grumbled through her training, Arel approached and bowed respectfully.

"Your Highness, it’s time for your lessons."

"Oh! Baron Hydoon, you’re here?"

Elena hastily turned to the side, brushing back her hair. She even tossed her hammer far away.

'Damn it, I forgot he was coming. I must reek of sweat right now.'

She worried that she might have appeared unseemly.

Arel, who had earned the noble title of Baron Hydoon in recognition of his achievements, was still fulfilling his duties as a knight. Like the rest of Ghislain’s vassals, he was still expected to fight alongside him.

In the capital, Arel was the most popular knight by far. As the protégé of the Grand Duke, he had achieved feats of valor at a young age and earned his noble title. His good looks and impeccable character only added to his allure.

It was no surprise that every noblewoman in the capital was vying for his attention. Even Elena wasn’t immune.

'So what if he’s younger than me? Younger men are trending these days, aren’t they? I’ll protect him as his older sister figure.'

Elena, caught up in her thoughts, followed Arel with a deliberately aloof expression.

"Please make haste, Your Highness," Arel said with a kind smile.

"Of course," Elena replied, her tone softening.

As a princess, Elena had to learn many things, including court etiquette. While she had once despised studying, her enthusiasm had changed since Arel joined her lessons.

Ghislain, who took Arel’s education seriously, had assigned the royal court’s finest scholars to teach him. Naturally, Elena and Rachel ended up joining Arel in these lessons, as the princess could hardly have lesser tutors than her brother’s apprentice.

Elena trailed behind Arel, her eyes shining.

'How is someone like him even real? At his age, that idiot was a complete delinquent.'

Compared to Arel, who seemed like a knight straight out of a storybook, the rest of the Fenris knights seemed all the more flawed.

'If he ever steps out of line, I’ll handle him myself,' she thought.

Even Arel wouldn’t stand a chance against Elena in terms of strength. Like brother, like sister—she preferred solving problems with brute force.

Meanwhile, Zvalter was too preoccupied to pay much attention to his daughter.

"Prioritize helping the struggling citizens. Spare no expense. Address housing and food shortages first. Move quickly."

Food and shelter were essential for survival. Once those two needs were met, people could begin rebuilding their lives.

Fenris and Ferdium’s policies had always focused on solving those two issues first. Following Zvalter’s orders, supplies and resources were swiftly distributed across the Kingdom.

The stores amassed by Fenris and Ferdium proved invaluable. Pre-laid infrastructure and experienced troops ensured rapid deployment of aid, while former officials who had fled the Kingdom returned to offer their expertise.

Among them were Rosalyn and Meriel, who represented some of the most skilled administrators. Thanks to their efforts, the Kingdom stabilized quickly.

Once the situation was under control, Ereneth approached Ghislain.

"The Duke’s faction has been dealt with. I’ll take my leave now."

"Huh? Where are you going?"

"Did I not mention it before? I said I’d handle personal matters once the Duke’s faction was defeated."

"Oh… right, you did," Ghislain replied, forcing an awkward smile.

In this moment, it was clear he hadn’t thoroughly read the contract they’d signed. He couldn’t exactly stop Ereneth now without exposing himself.

"I won’t abandon the fight against the Salvation Order. Once I’ve finished my business, I’ll return to aid you. Regardless, thank you for keeping your promise. I won’t forget this."

Ereneth smiled gently. As the Elven High Chief, she deeply valued loyalty, and this agreement had concluded on mutually satisfying terms.

"Then, I’ll take my leave. Until we meet again in battle, may the World Tree’s blessing grace Ruthania."

Ghislain shot a wary glance at Claude, who, stressed from long nights of overtime, suddenly raised his hand energetically.

"High Chief! Wait a moment!"

"What is it?"

Ereneth tilted her head, confused. Did they still need her assistance?

"You can’t leave yet," Claude said bluntly, scratching his head before continuing. "I think there’s been a misunderstanding."

"What misunderstanding?"

Claude sighed in exasperation before explaining.

"You signed a 30-year contract with us, remember? Where exactly do you think you’re going? Are you planning to break your promise?"

Ereneth froze, her expression blank.