The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 527

The civil war in the Kingdom of Turian ended with the arrival of a single man.

Under his leadership, the remnants of Turian's army rallied together. United, they crushed both the Rifts and the rebel forces with overwhelming force.

The more he fought, the stronger he became.

Though he had spent most of his life confined in a tower with little real-world experience, it didn’t hinder him. It was as if he was rediscovering skills he had already mastered. His natural talent was nothing short of extraordinary.

Slash!

His sword glowed blue as it cut through a figure, cleaving their body cleanly in half. The victim was the last surviving superhuman of the Turian rebels.

“Who… are you…?”

The priest of the Salvation Order, blood pouring from his grievous wounds, gasped the question.

The Kingdom of Turian had been on the verge of collapse. The rebellion and the encroaching Rifts were moments away from consuming everything. But this man’s sudden appearance had turned the tide completely.

Even as he lay dying, the priest couldn’t help but marvel at his opponent’s overwhelming strength and demand his identity.

The man sheathed his sword with a sharp click and answered simply.

“Julien.”

The abandoned prince of the Kingdom of Turian.

He had cast away everything except his name.

But the high-ranking priest of the Salvation Order recognized him immediately upon hearing it.

“Cough… You’re… the prince of the Thorned Tower. I thought you were long dead…”

Thud.

Those were the priest’s final words as he collapsed to the ground, his body severed cleanly in two.

Thus, the forces of the Salvation Order in the Kingdom of Turian were annihilated.

“Waaaaaaah!”

The soldiers of Turian raised their weapons high and roared in triumph.

They had thought there was no hope. Death had seemed inevitable. But a miracle had occurred.

One man.

Just one man’s extraordinary strength had changed everything.

The Marquis of Gideon, who had been leading the royal army, approached with a bright smile.

“Your Highness, congratulations. The kingdom will rise again thanks to you.”

His tone was excessively polite, but Julien slowly turned his head and stared at him.

The icy gaze sent a chill down the marquis’ spine. He quickly realized his mistake.

“My apologies. Lord Julien,” Gideon corrected himself hurriedly.

“Please, call me by my name from now on,” Julien replied curtly.

“Yes, of course.”

“What are your plans now?”

Though Julien had become a symbol of hope, he wasn’t a commander. The responsibility of leading the royal forces still fell to Marquis Gideon.

When Julien posed his question, Gideon hesitated, looking uneasy.

“Well… I believe we should return to the capital. Now that the civil war is over, we need to distribute rewards, reorganize the army, and negotiate with the nobility.”

The capital was the most practical location to coordinate the rebuilding efforts and secure alliances with the remaining nobles.

Julien nodded without expression. He hadn’t fought for recognition or reward. His sole purpose was to save lives.

With the situation stabilized, the Turian army began its march back to the capital.

“Waaaaah!”

“All hail Lord Julien!”

“The savior of the kingdom!”

The people cheered wildly as Julien passed, welcoming him with open arms.

No longer was he the forgotten prince. His name had spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the kingdom.

The savior who had rescued a kingdom teetering on the edge of ruin.

Everyone in the kingdom placed their hopes in Julien.

Everyone, except for the king and the central nobles. To them, Julien’s sudden rise was nothing short of a nightmare.

King Hayden of Turian trembled as he spoke, his voice barely steady.

“Why… Why did you leave the tower?”

“…”

“You swore you would live there for the rest of your life!”

“I came to save the people.”

“And who gave you the right to do that?! I gave no such orders!”

“…”

Julien remained silent, his expression unchanged, as if he had anticipated this reaction.

King Hayden looked haggard, worn down by the kingdom’s near destruction. But it was clear that his displeasure came not from relief, but from fear. The one who had saved him was also the one he most despised and feared.

“Return to the tower immediately!” the king bellowed.

Julien’s strength was rumored to be immense, capable of wiping out Rifts single-handedly. He had the unwavering support of the army and the adoration of the people.

The king couldn’t kill him. All he could do was scream like a madman.

“I should have had you killed long ago!”

“…”

Julien didn’t respond. He simply stared at his father with the same emotionless expression.

As a child, Julien had wondered why his father hated him so much. He had spent countless nights grieving and yearning for approval.

But now, those feelings were long gone. His father’s words carried no weight.

The nobles around the king, however, were visibly anxious, desperately trying to calm him down.

“Your Majesty, please restrain your anger.”

“Prince Julien is the savior of the kingdom.”

“He deserves a fitting reward for his contributions.”

These were the very nobles who had once ignored Julien, treating him as if he didn’t exist. But the situation had changed.

The truth was clear to them all.

‘Prince Julien is the true power in this kingdom now.’

If Julien wished, he could overthrow the kingdom at a moment’s notice. Even if they ignored his unmatched combat skills, the army’s loyalty alone made him untouchable.

Realizing this, the king’s tantrum only grew worse.

“Silence! Who dares call him a prince? His right to the throne was revoked long ago! Arrest him immediately for defying my orders!”

The nobles exchanged uneasy glances. Arrest Julien? Who would dare?

Marquis Gideon, unable to watch any longer, whispered to Julien.

“It may be wise to leave for now. His Majesty seems… unsettled.”

Julien nodded slightly and turned without a word. He walked away, his footsteps echoing in the grand hall.

“Where are you going?! Arrest him at once!” the king shouted, spittle flying from his lips.

The nobles rushed to calm him, but not a single soldier moved to follow Julien.

It was then that King Hayden realized the truth. As long as Julien remained, no one would heed his commands.

Running his hands through his sweat-drenched hair, the king mumbled in despair.

“That bastard… he’ll be the ruin of this kingdom… He’ll destroy us all…”

The nobles around him couldn’t help but inwardly scoff.

A hero who had saved the kingdom was being treated like this? No amount of jealousy or resentment could justify such words.

One thought crossed everyone’s mind.

‘The king has lost his mind.’

It was clear now who would truly end up confined to a tower.

***

Julien, now outside, turned to Marquis Gideon and asked, “How are the other kingdoms faring?”

“Not well,” Gideon replied grimly. “Most of them are struggling to fight both the Rifts and the rebels at the same time.”

Although Julien had been confined in the tower for years, he had quickly learned about the current state of the world. During battles, he had heard countless stories and witnessed the devastation firsthand.

While the situation in Turian was particularly dire, the other kingdoms were not much better off.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Julien spoke. “I’m thinking of going to another kingdom.”

“What do you mean? Is this because of His Majesty? You don’t have to worry about that anymore. Everyone supports you now.”

“No,” Julien replied. “I simply want to help others.”

“I see…”

“And if the neighboring kingdoms fall to the Salvation Order, our kingdom will eventually be at risk as well.”

“You’re right. That would mean another war for us.”

This was no longer a matter of one kingdom’s survival. The fight against the Salvation Order wouldn’t end just by repelling them from Turian. If their strength grew, they would return stronger, threatening the entire continent.

Julien nodded firmly. “We must eradicate the Salvation Order while people still have the will to fight.”

Gideon looked at Julien with admiration.

Here was someone who thought beyond immediate safety and considered how to save as many lives as possible.

‘He truly has the qualities of a king,’ Gideon thought wistfully. It pained him to think of how different the kingdom could have been if Julien had been the legitimate successor. Why the king despised such an extraordinary person was beyond comprehension.

Straightening his back, Gideon declared, “I will lead the army and follow you.”

“That’s unnecessary.”

“No, it’s the right thing to do. As you said, if the neighboring kingdoms fall, we’re next. It’s only logical to unite our strength before that happens.”

“His Majesty won’t allow it.”

“There’s enough justification for this. Leave that part to me.”

Julien nodded. Whether the army joined him or not didn’t matter to him personally. However, having military support would make it easier to save more people.

Gideon hesitated briefly before adding, “Then I will also notify the allied forces of our intent to join them.”

“Very well. But… what’s the situation with the allied forces?”

Julien wasn’t well-informed about the broader geopolitical situation, having focused solely on battles since leaving the tower.

Gideon explained what he knew. “From what I’ve heard, the civil war in Ruthania has ended. The Duke of Fenris is now leading his army to assist neighboring kingdoms.”

“Is that so?” Julien’s interest was piqued.

He knew the Salvation Order’s presence was strongest in Ruthania. For the civil war there to be resolved and for Fenris to already be assisting other kingdoms was no small feat.

Gideon chuckled and added, “The Duke of Fenris is said to be the strongest in Ruthania. And he has quite a history with us as well.”

“What history?”

Gideon recounted stories of Ghislain Fenris’s exploits in the Turian Kingdom, including his direct involvement in training commanders like Grant of Ironcliff. He also spoke of Ghislain’s mercenaries, who were making waves across the continent with their feats.

Julien listened silently, nodding occasionally.

“He’s an extraordinary figure. I’d like to meet him,” Julien finally said.

“You likely will. His army is moving in this direction, so it won’t be long before you cross paths.”

Julien thought for a moment before deciding. “We should move toward him. Helping other kingdoms along the way will likely bring us together sooner.”

“You mean to march toward the Duke of Fenris?”

“Yes. By combining our forces, we can achieve much more.”

Rather than each kingdom acting independently, they needed to unite under a common goal. Currently, the allied forces lacked a central gathering point. Most nations were preoccupied with defending their own territories, while Ruthania—having resolved its civil war—was sending aid wherever it was needed.

A unified strategy devised by the leaders of the allied forces would be far more effective.

Understanding Julien’s reasoning, Gideon bowed. “Understood. I’ll prepare our forces to march toward the Duke of Fenris.”

“Thank you.”

With that, Gideon left to organize the troops for the campaign. He wasn’t concerned about obtaining the king’s permission.

‘If I tell him I’m taking Prince Julien out of the kingdom, he’ll have no reason to object.’

In fact, the king would likely celebrate the decision. He would prefer Julien to leave Turian and fight endlessly elsewhere until his death.

While the Turian army prepared for its expedition, Julien sought to learn more about the Duke of Fenris.

In his hands was a book.

[The Chronicles of the Duke of Fenris – Author: Claude]

Surprisingly, obtaining the book hadn’t been difficult. Fenris had an extensive following, even in Turian.

Having spent so much time in isolation, Julien hadn’t realized how famous Ghislain Fenris was.

Settling into a comfortable position, Julien flipped open the first page.

Rustle.

[If you’re looking for a sequel, be sure to contact Fenris’s secretary, Claude, discreetly. Special discounts available. Additional lordly goods can also be purchased through unofficial channels.]

“….”

Julien had no idea why such a message existed but chose to ignore it, focusing on the content of the book.

The text detailed the remarkable achievements of the Duke of Fenris. Even accounting for possible exaggerations, the feats were undeniably impressive.

The more Julien read, the more intrigued he became.

The man had been scorned as the “Northern Wastrel” in his youth, despised by all around him. Every action he took faced opposition.

Yet Ghislain Fenris had persevered, unwavering in his beliefs. He had ultimately succeeded in all his endeavors, defeating the Delphine Ducal House and ending Ruthania’s civil war to emerge as a hero.

For the first time in a long while, Julien felt his heart stir.

Was it because of Ghislain’s incredible martial prowess?

No. Julien had no interest in brute strength.

Was it because Ghislain had risen to greatness despite a difficult upbringing?

No. Julien wasn’t moved by tales of adversity and triumph.

Was it because Ghislain was a hero working to save the world?

Not that either. Julien believed that such responsibility was merely a natural burden for those with power.

In truth, Julien cared little for most matters concerning humanity. His curiosity about Ghislain was an anomaly in itself.

And yet, the more he read, the more he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

The sensation was almost nostalgic, as if he was yearning for something he couldn’t quite place.

Julien trusted his instincts—they had guided his growth and survival through countless challenges.

“I want to meet him,” Julien murmured, closing the book and shutting his eyes.

Something unseen and unknowable was pulling at his heart, drawing him closer to the Duke of Fenris.