The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations Chapter 604

Episode 604 I hope you caught a lot. (3)

After staring blankly for a while, Jiselle asked with a bewildered expression.

“How did Alpoy catch that?”

No one else but Alpoy had such a great record. He caught more than even the master of the chase, Giselle.

― Only the slave knows the heart of a slave, and only the fugitive knows the heart of a runaway.

“… … .”

Come to think of it, Giselle had never been a slave and had never run away in fear of anyone.

Including my previous life, there were almost no strategic retreats. Even if I ran away because the situation was unfavorable, I would always worry about how to kill the opponent afterwards.

I’ve never had a goal as pure as ‘escaping’ like Alpoy and his friends.

“So, what method did you use?”

Alpoy’s performance was so surprising that even Giselle, who is not easily surprised, stuttered.

Dark also said in a voice that said he was speechless.

– At first, we just played around and spread rumors.

“What rumor?”

― Vanessa, the 7th circle magician of Fenris, is also running away. Let’s build our own magic tower centered around Vanessa and resist the Duke of Fenris’s tyranny.

“… … .”

― And they spread rumors here and there for people to come to where they were. It was under the pretext of joining forces.

“… … So the wizards came because they believed that?”

― Alfoy and Vanessa gave speeches in the square. They even showed some magic. Anyway, word spread really fast that Alfoy’s words were true.

“Can’t you think that… is a lie?”

― Vanessa did it because Alfoy told her to, but Alfoy was serious. Aaaah!

“What? Why? What’s going on?”

Suddenly, Dark relayed the current situation in real time.

― Just a little while ago, Alfoy started a real rebellion with the wizards!

“… … .”

― Vanessa and the knights successfully suppressed the rebellion! Alfoy is now tied up with the wizards!

“… … .”

― There are too many wizards gathered right now, so it’s hard for Vanessa and the knights to monitor them alone. We’re getting support from the city guards and knights to monitor the wizards.

“… … .”

– Alpoy continues to instigate! A second rebellion has broken out!

“… … .”

― I managed to subdue him again, but I think the third time will be difficult! For now, Vanessa has blocked Alfoy’s mouth!

“… …Where is the nearest pursuit party?”

– It’s Julianne.

“Tell them to go over there quickly.”

Even Vanessa would have a hard time stopping 200 5-circle magicians on her own. That would be a national-level force.

Of course, not all of them will be 5th circle wizards. Their disciples will also be included.

Still, it was a tremendous force. It seemed that Yulien and the knights should hurry and go help.

― Ah! The wizard is back again. I caught him. Exactly 229 people.

“… … .”

― This place is now rumored to be a holy place for wizards. Several people come here every day.

“… … .”

It seemed like I would have to send more people. Even if it was Yulien, he wouldn’t be able to subdue that many wizards without getting hurt.

Jiselle pressed her eyes shut with a tired expression. It was good that she had caught a lot, but things were going very strangely.

“Something is strange. Did that Alfoy guy come up with that method?”

Alpoy wasn’t originally stupid. If he was stupid, he wouldn’t have been able to become the successor to the Magic Tower in the first place.

Rather, I was quite smart. The problem was that I was hanging out with people who didn’t understand me.

But it was true that after coming to Fenris and doing nothing but working, he had become a bit stupid… … simple-minded. There was no way that a guy like that would have caught wizards like that.

Dark, who was there with them, knew the reason.

– He confessed because Vanessa urged him. Claude told him a little bit before he left for Norwegian.

“… … .”

― He said that only Alpoy could carry out this operation with sincerity. He said that anyone else would be insincere and it would be obvious.

“… … .”

– It’s a bit strange, but the result is a success.

“… … .”

There was no denying it. Claude’s plan worked this time too.

Perhaps he just blurted out the idea, but his thoughts of ‘if it doesn’t work out, then forget it’ were much stronger. The fact that he only told Alpoy was proof of that.

And Alpoy succeeded in his plan with great success.

“… … Okay. Anyway, I hope you caught a lot.”

I was a bit upset and my pride was hurt, but I had to admit it because the result was good.

Jisel first assigned more personnel to Alpoy, because it seemed like more wizards would gather there.

Since Julian and Gillian were relatively close, they headed straight for Alfoy.

“Oh my, just catch it quietly and come.”

Then I’ll catch more. They really are a lot of work.

Anyway, thanks to Alpoy’s(?) efforts, we caught quite a few of the wizards who had run away.

Other pursuit parties only caught those who had fled from nearby kingdoms, but thanks to the wizards who had come in after hearing rumors(?) about Alfoy, they were able to catch more than expected.

After that, they ran around everywhere for about a month. After almost two months of nonstop movement, everyone who was with Giselle was exhausted.

“I guess I should go back.”

I wasn’t ready yet, but I couldn’t afford to waste any more time.

The pursuit party that had spread out in all directions gathered again in the Kingdom of Sardina. Meanwhile, the magicians captured from each kingdom were also brought in.

As expected, the kingdoms were slow to respond and did not capture many. Some kingdoms only captured two people.

And there were wizards who were caught late and hadn’t even arrived yet.

As soon as he returned, Giselle first checked on the situation in the Turian Kingdom.

“How are you now?”

“They say monsters have started appearing sporadically.”

“I see, there isn’t much left.”

The monster wave hadn’t started yet, but the monsters were acting strangely.

The monsters of Shadow Mountain were annihilated during the last wave while fighting the rift.

Since then, monsters that had not been seen before have begun to appear again.

“Let’s quickly organize the wizards. We must go to the Turian Kingdom immediately.”

The total number of captured magicians was around 800. Of these, around 300 were magicians of the 5th circle or higher. The rest were their disciples who served under them.

The group that captured the most people was the pursuit party led by Alpoy.

Alfoy, dressed in a shabby white robe, was brought in with his hair disheveled.

“Let go! Let go! This is all a plan! Why don’t you understand the plan! Are you idiots?”

“… … .”

“Claude told me all this! I did nothing wrong! The rebellion was just an act!”

“… … .”

“Oh my, I’m telling you! The operation is over now, so let me go! I deliberately incited you to continue to lure the wizards!”

Alfoy continued to make ridiculous excuses.

It is said that if Julian had not appeared during the third rebellion, the suppression would have been truly unsuccessful. Just before the rebellion was successful, Alfoy shouted proudly to everyone.

– I’m free now, you little sh*ts!

“Young Master! Young Master, you have to trust me! I’m Alpoy! I caught the most as promised!”

The problem is that I was caught with the guys I was supposed to catch.

Giselle shook her head as she looked at Alpoy, who was even shedding tears.

“Let him go for now. We need at least one more 5th circle wizard. That’s just the way he is. Let’s punish him after the fight with the dragon.”

Alpoy, who was released by those words, had a cheerful expression on his face.

People looked at Alfoy with contempt. Vanessa’s expression, especially, was full of disappointment, and it was heartbreaking to see it.

Still, Alpoy stood proudly among the people. He had an expression on his face that said he had done absolutely nothing wrong and had only achieved something.

Maybe Alfoy was still alive thanks to that impudence.

Besides the wizards we had captured, there were quite a few wizards who had arrived first.

“Your Highness, how have you been?”

The one who appeared with an embarrassed smile was Hubert.

He glanced at Alfoy and frowned. He had already heard the rumor.

‘Oh my, why is that guy so delicious? I’m so embarrassed, really.’

I thought he was doing pretty well when I saw him before, but now that I look at him, it’s still strange. I think I should quickly strip him of his position as successor.

Anyway, Hubert received Giselle’s request for support and brought all the elders and disciples of the Red Flame Tower.

It wasn’t just them. All the other towers in Rutania also had their tower lords and disciples participate in the battle.

Because he could not refuse the orders of Giselle, who wielded absolute power.

Jiselle smiled happily at them.

“Welcome. No matter what, the people from your hometown are the best. Have you heard what they’re all fighting about?”

“Oh, yes… … .”

The tower owners, including Hubert, smiled awkwardly. To be honest, they really didn’t want to come either.

‘But there is nowhere to go, nowhere to go… … .’

‘I thought I could control the entire continent… … .’

‘Yeah, you’re not the type to just sit still… … .’

They got to know Giselle well enough through the Rutanian Civil War.

Even if he rebelled, he would just keep harassing her until he got what he wanted. It was better to just listen to her from the beginning.

Unlike the wizards of other kingdoms, all the wizards of the Kingdom of Rutania bow down to Giselle, so it wasn’t difficult to deal with them.

“Let’s see… … . At this point, I guess I can fight without any regrets.”

In the end, we couldn’t fill the thousand or so magicians of the fifth circle or higher. However, since we captured or mobilized even their disciples, there were quite a lot of magicians of the lower circle.

There were also hundreds of wizards who were part of the Allied Forces. Some of them arrived early instead of running away.

So, if we all gathered together, it seemed like we would somehow get close to the target magic power.

Of course, it’s still a shame. If all the wizards on the continent had gathered together, it would have been easier to deal with the dragon.

“There’s nothing we can do. We have no choice but to catch those who ran away and punish them after it’s all over.”

In distant kingdoms, there were quite a few wizards who managed to escape.

You ate all the food you wanted and then ran away without doing any work? I can’t tolerate that.

It was obvious that if they thought it was safe, they would show off their need and slowly crawl out again. Wizards of that level would not be able to endure living like beggars.

Then just catch them all and make them pay the price.

The wizards captured from the distant kingdom were still on their way. They could only hope to arrive before the dragon appeared.

“Then let’s go now. It’s taken too long.”

Jiselle became slightly anxious.

Sporadic battles with monsters were taking place in various fortresses of the Turian Kingdom. A large wave would soon erupt.

I had sent an army in advance to prepare, but it took too long to catch the wizards. I had to get to the Turian Kingdom quickly.

Those who were part of the pursuit party moved immediately without any time to rest.

And countless wizards followed them.

They kept watch over each other, lest another wizard escape on his own.

* * *

Deep in the caves of the Shadow Mountains, Arterion closed his eyes.

This place is trapped in a time gap, so no one can find it or approach it unless they invite it.

In what seemed to be the safest and most comfortable place in the world, Arterion was repeating a dream from long ago.

“… … opponent.”

Despite all the sacrifices, they could not prevent the enemy’s resurrection.

Rather, the race was destroyed because of the curse of the adversary.

The goddesses could not protect them from that curse. No, it was clear that they did not protect them.

He risked his life to protect humanity, but all he got in return was a brutal death.

Arterion could not bear the anger that filled his heart.

plural!

That word was the only thing that filled Arterion’s mind and heart.

“I will definitely… … find you… … and destroy you… … .”

His power had weakened significantly compared to his prime, but Arterion had no intention of waiting until he regained his strength.

The longer you delay, the stronger your opponent will become. The fact that he hasn’t revealed himself yet is proof of that.

It was better to decide the matter when both sides were weak. It would be difficult to defeat an opponent who had found full strength even when he returned to his prime.

Arterion slowly opened his eyes. His eyes had lost their brilliant blue glow and were now a dark red.

Krrrrrr… … .

His low cries reverberated throughout the mountains. There was a strange magic mixed in them.

The monsters in the mountains began to go crazy after hearing Arterion’s cries.

Kaaaak!

Kwaaaaang!

Kyarling… … .

All the monsters looked in one direction. There was the Turian Kingdom.

Kwah! Kwah! Kwah!

The red-eyed monsters began to walk in one direction, drooling.

Goblins, orcs, ogres, trolls, and all sorts of monsters moved as if they were one.

They no longer showed hostility toward each other. The fact that they were of different species did not matter at all.

Because all the monsters’ hostility was directed towards the Turian Kingdom.

Arterion closed his eyes again. He had expended a great deal of magical power to move the monsters. So he needed to rest again.

But that’s okay. There’s not much time left.

Until then, I had planned to send monsters as much as possible to reduce the human forces.

Passs …

Before he knew it, one of the black chains that had been binding his body disappeared in a flurry.

Soon after, another chain also began to split apart and looked precarious.

Arterion’s soliloquy, with his eyes closed, echoed within the cave.

“How sad… … Our fate… … .”