The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations Chapter 841

Episode 841: Let’s Start Hunting (1)

All the Allied commanders wore tense expressions. The Empire’s
commanders, especially, were even more so.
Astion had no authority to investigate the Empire’s rulers. Stripping them of that authority was even more absurd.
But Astion was determined to do just that.
“If anyone opposes, we intend to suppress them with force. We are more than qualified to do so.”
“…”
The Empire’s commanders remained silent.
The warrior and saint who saved the world belonged to the Julien Mercenary Corps. Both were defeated by the Pope and cardinals.
So, even if the Julien Mercenary Corps spoke of revenge, the Empire had nothing to say.
The Julien Mercenary Corps members began to gather around Astion.
They unconcealed their ferocity, unleashing their full force.
“Whoosh! ”
Osval, covered in bandages, slammed his massive hammer into the ground.
“What’s the problem? We’re going to investigate if any remnants of the Salvation Church remain! We’ll crush anyone who interferes!”
Everyone froze at that single word.
Investigation was, in fact, not as easy as it sounds.
With the Pope and the cardinals dead, the high priests would have to rule the empire for the time being. That was the law and long-standing custom of the empire.
But if they were to arrest all the high priests for the sake of an investigation?
A huge vacuum would be created in the empire’s power. It would mean they would be unable to run the country at all.
Now that the war had just ended, that would bring about new chaos.
Astion spoke to the bewildered imperial commanders.
“I understand your concerns. But the empire doesn’t necessarily need to be run by priests, right?”
“…”
“You can share the responsibility.”
Everyone’s eyes widened at that.
It was something they hadn’t even considered. They had lived under a theocratic system for so long.
They immediately understood Astion’s meaning.
“Yes, now that the Demonic Realm is sealed, there’s no need for priests to rule the empire, right?”
“If we do it right, we can rule the empire.”
“With even the Pope, our spiritual pillar, gone, this is actually a good opportunity.”
“We can bring him down in an instant, accusing him of colluding with the Demonic Realm.”
They currently held all of the Empire’s military power. If they set their mind to it, no one could stop them.
The justification was excellent. No one could refuse or block them. Anyone who opposed them would be instantly accused of colluding with the Salvation Church.
There were some who suspected Astion, but the truth was now irrelevant. What mattered was that he had created an atmosphere of sympathy.
Andrew, the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, immediately stepped forward.
“You are right. This cannot be overlooked. As the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, I will begin an investigation into the high priests.”
Andrew had been with the Yulien Mercenaries for a long time.
He knew exactly what Astion wanted.
Astion wanted the Empire to be divided.
If that happened, it would no longer be called an Empire.
Whatever Astion wanted, Andrew was determined to follow.
The commanders of the other kingdoms agreed with Andrew’s declaration.
“I agree.”
“We mustn’t allow any more remnants of the Salvation Church to emerge.”
“We must completely root them out.”
Not a single one opposed or hesitated.
It wasn’t because of the unjust sacrifice of the warriors and saints. It was because they had their own advantages.
“With the Demonic Realm sealed, there’s no need to follow the Empire’s orders anymore, is there?”
“This is our chance to escape the Empire’s influence.”
“We can’t miss this opportunity.”
In fact, they had hoped for the Empire’s collapse more than anyone else.
The Empire had been using the Demonic Realm as an excuse to oppress the continent’s kingdoms. Even a small war was difficult to wage without the Empire’s permission.
Of course, once the war with the Demonic Realm ended, the Empire minimized its interference.
It would take time for the Demonic Realm to rise again, so they would resolve their long-standing grudges then.
But there was still discontent. It had been building steadily for a long time.
Until then, they had been forced to comply because of the Demonic Realm, but now that the Demonic Realm was sealed, the Empire’s interference was unnecessary.
For that reason, everyone in the Allied Forces agreed. Not a single one opposed.
The Imperial priests remaining in the Allied Forces paled, but they had to remain silent if they didn’t want to be captured.
Leaving only a small force to guard the demonic realm, the Allied Forces marched proudly toward the Empire.
The Imperial commanders smiled inwardly.
‘It’s a shame for the warrior and the saint… … But thanks to that, we have our chance.’
“Now that the Demonic Realm has been sealed, there’s no need to worry.”
“It’s time for us to receive the reward for our efforts.”
They could not help but be delighted, for this golden opportunity to overthrow the theocracy had arrived.
Their smiles were filled with the ambition to fill the power vacuum.
In this way, Astion’s plan was slowly becoming reality.
“This is only the beginning.”
In fact, destroying the empire wasn’t solely a goal born from revenge. After all, the empire itself hadn’t actually harmed them.
But the empire’s destruction must still proceed.
“Only then will Giselle’s future be complete.”
I had heard that only then could we save Yulien and Deneb.
So… …
From now on, everything would be done for their salvation.
[… … The empire’s religious orders fiercely resisted, sending forth their temple knights, but they were no match for the Allied Forces’ military might. Priests were arrested every day, and the temple knights were no exception.]
[Rumors spread that the Pope and cardinals had fallen to darkness, so the people’s hearts easily swayed toward the Allied Forces. Everyone knew that the previous Pope had become an adversary.]
[Of course, the priests who had ruled the empire for a long time did not surrender easily. They incited the soldiers with the word of God and cried out for evidence.]
[Long-term faith sometimes exerts unexpected power. The soldiers, whose faith had deepened due to the presence of the saint, were increasingly shaken. The idea of ​​arresting priests was something they had never dared to imagine before.]
[In the meantime, they discovered a very surprising fact. The high-ranking priests who would hold the next power in the empire knew about the conspiracy regarding the seal.]
“These guys…”
Astion ground his teeth as he looked through the hidden documents.
The knights who had followed the Pope and the cardinals were all recommended and supported by the high-ranking priests of the church.
Even more horrific plans were being circulated between them. The documents Astion found were evidence of this collusion.
“Preparing such a conspiracy…”
The Pope and the cardinals were worried that their plan might fail. The Julian Mercenaries were that powerful.
So, they had already devised a next plan with their successors.
The plan was so vicious that even Astion was astonished.
“…Actually, the existence of the saint means the existence of the demonic realm? The disappearance of the saint means the disappearance of the demonic realm?”
The documents were filled with absurd theological logic.
The remaining high priests in the empire had compiled a volume that was practically a scripture.
They planned to use this to incite everyone on the continent and corner Deneb. They would create public opinion that only the saint should be sacrificed.
This was their plan to force Deneb to accept the seal, unable to bear the criticism.
They also devised various ways to isolate and eliminate the Julian Mercenaries.
However, they had failed to find a viable solution, so they all remained on hold.
“Huh…”
Astion suppressed his boiling anger and took several deep breaths.
He wanted to hunt down and kill all the priests immediately, but he couldn’t let them leave this world so easily.
“Yes, thanks to you, I can proceed with my work with a little more peace of mind.”
Astion waved his hand in the air with a cool expression.
Then, light sparkled and something began to appear in the air.

* * *
[They already knew the Pope was dead and were preparing for the next step. If we hadn’t revealed the truth, the Allied Forces would have split.]
[I was furious, but I acted calmly. It was a good thing. I had tried to bring down the empire with as few casualties as possible, but since the priests stubbornly resisted, I needed an example.]
[The priests who had participated in the conspiracy were the most suitable examples. So I decided to give them the worst death.]
The capital’s large square was densely packed with people.
Andrew, sitting on the highest platform, gestured with his hand.
“Bring it.”
Cough, cough… …
A huge iron scale appeared with a harsh sound.
At the center of the scale stood a stone statue of Deana, the goddess of justice.
Two scale plates hung in perfect balance on the crossbars that stretched out to either side like the goddess’s arms.
This iron structure, imbued with a mountainous weight and a cold, sharp majesty, radiated an overwhelming presence that pierced the very air of those who saw it.
Andrew spoke with a nonchalant expression.
“Bring the sinners here.”
Soon, soldiers brought in several high-ranking priests.
All of them had followed in the footsteps of the Pope and were preparing their next plot.
They shouted, swearing,
“What are you doing, you rascals!”
“Where did you dare to frame us?”
“The goddess will never forgive you! You will be condemned to hell and eternal punishment!”
The onlookers murmured at the priests’ outburst.
While victory had briefly sparked joy, a cold blade now gripped the heart of the capital.
The daily spectacle of priests being dragged away inevitably stirred anxiety and suspicion.
Faith was deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and the priests were the ones who presided over that faith.
Astion knew this well. So, they had deliberately prepared this scene.
Amidst the commotion, Andrew continued calmly.
“I know there have been rumors circulating lately that we have been arresting priests without evidence. However, we have not been able to properly reveal it for fear of hindering the investigation. Now that the truth has been revealed, we will begin the execution of the priests tainted by darkness.”
At his words, one of the archbishops shouted loudly,
“Innom! You dare to persecute the priests of the empire, relying on your meager military power! Do you think the world won’t know what you’re doing!”
Andrew responded in a calm voice to the archbishop’s scolding.
“This is a lawful act, agreed to by the imperial nobility.”
“They are all doing this for power! Listen up! These bastards are killing the Pope and the cardinals and trying to oust us by force! To seize the throne of this empire! They are just making excuses without evidence! If you believe this, you will all go to hell!”
The archbishop’s shouts further agitated the crowd.
Even to their eyes, the Allied forces were only making claims, offering no real evidence.
Andrew then looked down at the Archbishop and said,
“Proof is what it takes. Listen, everyone. You’re probably familiar with the rumor that those tainted by darkness weigh as much as ducks. It’s a rumor so well-known that it’s now widely known.”
Again, everyone nodded. The rumor had spread quite widely.
Of course, many people didn’t believe it. Most thought it was a rumor, a superstition spread by someone else,
because there was no way to prove its truth.
Andrew continued in a cool voice.
“The origin of that rumor is Nordhill, Commander Bourne’s domain. When I was young, I actually used that method to detect those tainted by darkness.”
A high-ranking noble, the commander-in-chief of the Allied forces, was personally confirming the rumor. Naturally, everyone was astonished.
“Now, I will show you all the truth. First, I will prove that there is nothing wrong with this scale. Anyone who is curious is welcome to come forward and examine it.”
At his command, the soldiers were the first to step onto the scale with the duck. Naturally, the soldiers were heavier, so the scale tipped .
People watched the scene with nervousness.
They were told to check at their own leisure, but most remained silent. They were worried that they would unintentionally end up level.
However, curious people were everywhere.
“I’d like to try it!”
“Go ahead.”
One person stepped forward, and the scale functioned normally. Several others, unable to resist, came forward and finished their checks.
There was nothing wrong with the scale. Everyone began to believe that.
Even wizards from the Empire and other kingdoms came forward and verified that the scale had no magical devices.
The captured priests looked dumbfounded.
“What kind of joke is this! Are you trying to prove our guilt with something like this?”
Andrew nodded.
“If we are innocent, the scales will tip, and if we are tainted by darkness, the scales will be level.”
“Shut up! Do you think such a ridiculous joke will work? Why don’t you release us right now and repent to the goddess!”
“We don’t have time for jokes. Put the guilty one on the scales.”
The soldiers seized one of the archbishops who was cursing and forced him to sit on the scales. The archbishop glared and said,
“Yes, try it! I will prove my innocence right here and now!”
He secretly released divine power and covered the scales.
“If you try to trick me, I will surely use magic secretly.”
With the power he had gained as an archbishop, he could stop even a superhuman wizard.
As he sat there confidently, soon a duck was placed on the other scale.
And then, moments later,
something astonishing happened.
“Wow, whoa!”
“It’s level! It’s level!”
“A man weighs as much as a duck!”
The crowd erupted in cheers and amazement.
The Archbishop was bewildered. The scales had truly reached level.
He had unleashed an exaggerated surge of divine power. Yet, he couldn’t find any traces of magic.
“W-what? What’s going on? I don’t sense any magic at all?”
It was only natural that he couldn’t find any with his skills. After all
, the one currently controlling the scales with magic was Astion, the greatest magician on the continent and the only one, other than a dragon, to reach the 9th Circle.
Finally, the Archbishop’s face turned pale.
“This is a lie! This is, this is nonsense! This is their work!”
But such words had no effect on the already-empowered crowd.
“The Archbishop was the devil!”
“He’s been deceiving us all this time!”
“Kill him!”
The people continued to chant as they threw stones. They were all caught up in the atmosphere.
No, they had been hoping for proof from the beginning that the priests were demons. Only then would they, who had sided with the Allied Forces, feel at ease.
The Archbishop, his face pale, cut the rope and shouted,
“How many times have I told you this is a lie! Do you think this kind of thing would work on me, someone blessed by God!”
The rumors, dismissed as mere jokes, were no longer jokes in this life-or-death situation.
In desperation, the Archbishop unleashed his divine power to the max.
He intended to somehow demonstrate the power of light and change public opinion.
“Now, look! How can this be the power of one tainted by darkness! If anyone dares to touch me, I will not stand idly by!”
If that didn’t work, he would fight, even if it meant risking his life. He couldn’t be humiliated by such a ridiculous scheme.
Andrew looked at the Archbishop with a cold expression and said,
“The guilt has been revealed. Execute him immediately.”
Kwung!
Suddenly, a man leaped from the high platform.
He approached the archbishop with a cruel smile.
It was Kyle.