The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 251: An Absolutely Insane Place (1)

The soldiers stared at the unbelievable weight of their new armor, their expressions skeptical. They noticed the armor’s color wasn’t the usual gleaming silver seen on knights. Instead, it was a muted silver, almost matte, giving it a more refined and subdued look—something that only heightened their doubts.

They figured it must’ve been made from cheap materials and assumed someone was playing a prank. Some soldiers even began playing around with the armor, assuming it was a joke.

“Hey, try hitting this!” one soldier called, prompting another to draw his sword and strike the armor. Even if they got caught by a superior, they could just say they were testing the equipment.

After all, if this armor was indeed a prank, no one would care what they did with it.

*Clang!*

“...?”

The soldier holding the armor, the one who struck it, and everyone watching blinked in astonishment.

If the armor had been cheap, it would’ve dented or punctured under the sword. Yet, there wasn’t even a scratch.

The soldier who swung the sword looked at his own hand in disbelief. “That... it felt like hitting real armor.”

He’d swung thoughtlessly, as if messing around, but the force reverberated through his hand, leaving it tingling with pain. This was the same feeling he’d get from striking solid plate armor.

The soldiers stood in stunned silence until their commander, panting, came rushing over.

“Hah... Sorry, I’m late. Had some business to take care of. So, did everyone get their armor?”

“Are... are these really ours?”

“Yep, Lord Ghislain ordered all soldiers to switch to this armor. No more wearing shabby gear.”

“...Wow.”

Everyone knew Ghislain spent lavishly when he chose to. But providing top-tier armor for all 3,000 soldiers? Such extravagance wasn’t even seen in the royal court.

One soldier raised his hand. “Why is this armor so light? Is it enchanted?”

“Nope. The dwarves developed a new material. It’s as sturdy as regular armor but less than half the weight.”

“Wow...”

Now, the soldiers broke into broad smiles.

Plate armor is considered the pinnacle of metallurgy. Unless you crushed it with a blunt weapon or found a gap, killing someone in plate armor was hard. Facing knights depended on skill, but against common soldiers, plate armor offered overwhelming protection.

And now, this heavy armor was as light as leather armor. It was beyond amazing; it was practically a miracle.

“Woohoo!”

They cheered joyfully.

Soldiers feared death above all. But with full plate armor, they could take on multiple foes singlehandedly.

The cavalry and archers undergoing training were equally delighted. The lighter the armor, the less it fatigued their mounts.

As production of this armor increased, more and more soldiers received it. Just by appearances, it became hard to tell soldiers apart from knights.

The armor’s muted silver sheen and the red wolf emblem emblazoned on the left breast now symbolized Fenris soldiers.

Weapons forged from Galvani were also distributed, including spears, shields, and swords tailored to each unit.

The soldiers marveled again.

“Whoa, even the weapons are light!”

“They won’t be tiring to carry around all day.”

“You could swing these for hours!”

Blunt weapons, where weight mattered, were only slightly lighter than before. But bladed weapons were significantly lighter and easier to handle.

The heavy infantry were the most thrilled. They usually carried large, thick, heavy shields through prolonged battles, making them one of the toughest units.

But after receiving their new shields, everything changed.

“Run and attack with your shields!”

At the command, the shield-bearers ran, swinging their massive shields with one hand, enough to cover their entire bodies.

In Fenris, the concept of "heavy infantry" ceased to exist. With everyone outfitted in full armor and moving at the speed of light infantry, the distinction vanished. And with training to ride horses, even the role of cavalry was becoming obsolete.

But despite their excellent equipment, life for the soldiers didn’t get easier. Their training grew tougher each day.

“Faster! Swing harder! Don’t rely on your gear! Become strong enough to kill the enemy with your bare hands!”

Under Gillian’s orders, the soldiers collapsed one by one, exhausted.

“Ugh, I’m going to die...”

“We got amazing equipment, but why’s the training worse?”

The equipment was meant to maximize efficiency in real combat. But if the user was weak, they couldn’t fully utilize its power.

The human body had to be stronger—that was Ghislain’s principle.

And there was someone determined to uphold Ghislain’s commands perfectly.

“What are you doing?! Move faster! Keep moving, idiots! At this rate, you’ll drop dead before even engaging the enemy! If you don’t get up now, I’ll break your legs!”

Though usually reserved, Gillian became a drill sergeant from hell when he led training.

The well-fed, increasingly resilient soldiers were worked to the brink every day.

“This place is hell! They’re all demons!”

“They’re turning everyone into knights! This land’s crazy!”

Despite their complaints, the people of Fenris felt only joy. The iron tools they previously used were replaced with ones made from Galvani, praised for their durability and lightness.

“Farming tools this light? Stronger than wood, lighter than iron!”

“Cooking pots are easier to handle too! No need for a stand even for the big ones.”

“It’s true for metal sheets too! These are unreal products!”

Tools where weight mattered, like hammers or pickaxes, remained unchanged. But lighter tools quickly replaced the old ones.

A single person’s tool may not mean much, but when the change spread throughout the territory, it was a revolution.

As work efficiency increased, productivity in related industries also soared. The impact of Galvani on Fenris was monumental.

People celebrated, praising Ghislain and the dwarves for creating such material.

“Our lord is incredible! I heard he taught the dwarves this technique himself!”

“Wouldn’t have succeeded without Galbarik, they say.”

Rumor had it that they named Galvani after the dwarven blacksmith, Galbarik.

Ghislain observed the transformation in his land, pleased.

But it wasn’t enough. Resources were still lacking.

Now, it was time to acquire them.

Claude approached with a serious expression.

“We have a problem.”

“I know.”

“...You do?”

Ghislain continued in a disinterested tone, “The leather supply’s running low, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. How did you know?”

“It’s obvious. Since we developed Galvani, production has increased, so leather demand has too.”

“Then couldn’t you have prepared in advance? Or maybe slow down production?”

Claude sounded exasperated, but Ghislain looked unfazed.

“I’m not a magician. I was planning to source leather as we got more horses. But Galvani came first, so we prioritized it. I have no intention of reducing production, so I need to fix this fast.”

Leather was one of the most widely used materials, essential for making clothes, shoes, gloves, and equipment.

With the increased production of Galvani-based equipment, the demand for leather naturally surged.

Seeing Ghislain had a plan, Claude grew curious.

“So, how do we get more? Can we manufacture it, like Galvani?”

“No, I’m not a god.”

“Then will you seize it, like we did for iron?”

“What am I, a bandit? I don’t take everything by force.”

‘Why do I feel like punching him every time we talk?’

Ghislain’s solutions often came out of nowhere, either with impossible knowledge or sheer force.

Naturally, Claude expected the same this time. But Ghislain’s reaction irritated him.

After calming himself, Claude asked, “What’s your plan, then? Leather’s becoming scarce, and it’s only going to get worse.”

Livestock shortages from the drought had reduced leather supply, though it was still more available than food or meat due to the abundance of monsters across the continent.

Ghislain addressed this point directly. “We’ll hunt monsters for leather. It’s hard to find here and too costly to seize, so let’s use what we have.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

In the Rutania Kingdom, monster habitats were scarce, as humans had long hunted them for territorial expansion.

Thanks to the kingdom’s policies, monster numbers had dwindled. Rutania was renowned as a powerful nation for a reason.

And with the drought, monsters had become even scarcer. The few remaining were quickly hunted down, especially in the north, where poverty had forced people to hunt them all.

Claude looked at Ghislain, incredulous. “There are barely any monsters left here. We’ve hunted everything in sight. Other territories are in the same state. You need monsters to hunt monsters.”

“So we go where there are monsters.”

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Claude seemed to realize something, nodding.

“Ah, you mean the Forest of Beasts?”

“No.”

“No? But isn’t that place relatively safe now?”

“It’s not worth it. Too many creatures like man-eating plants and slime trees, which don’t provide leather. It’d be a waste of time and resources.”

“Didn’t you mention clearing the Forest of Beasts before?”

“Yes, but only when we’re strong enough to handle it with minimal losses.”

The first time he cleared part of the forest, it was to obtain a Rune Stone nearby. Now, Ghislain planned to gather resources efficiently, only returning to the forest when it would yield a substantial return.

Claude sighed, now understanding Ghislain’s plan. “You’re planning another expedition outside the territory, like with

the barbarians?”

“Exactly. Took you long enough to catch on.”

“Let me guess, somewhere even farther this time?”

“Oh? Figured it out already?”

“Of course. If there aren’t enough monsters here, you’ll go where there are plenty. That’s just your style.”

Ghislain grinned at Claude’s words. Time and experience had brought them a mutual understanding.

“Yes. I’m heading to the Shadow Mountains in the Turian Kingdom. A place overflowing with monsters—a truly insane place.”