The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 732: That’s the One! (1)

The forests inhabited by elves existed across the continent. But none of them were as important as this one. This place was home to the World Tree—a mystical tree revered across the elven race.

To every elf on the continent, the World Tree served as a spiritual pillar. And so, during the war against the Demonic Realm, this forest became the rallying point for all elves.

If other elven forests were like kingdoms of their own, then this one was akin to an empire ruled by a pope. After all, even the High Chief of the elves resided here.

Ghislain gazed out at the vast forest in the distance and let out an impressed breath.

“Wow... So this is what it looked like a thousand years ago.”

The forest stretched out endlessly. It wasn’t quite on the scale of the Beast Forest—which was nearly as large as a kingdom—but it was easily the size of several territories combined.

With such a dense and sprawling woodland before his eyes, it was impossible not to be awed. But Ghislain felt something more—something deeper. He knew what would become of this place a thousand years from now.

“In my time, this was a complete wasteland. What happened in the last thousand years?”

He couldn’t have imagined that such a colossal forest had once existed here. There wasn’t a single trace of civilization.

“Did it vanish during the war with the Demonic Realm? Or [N O V E L I G H T] was it the Opposer’s curse that turned the elves into slaves?”

A dozen questions bubbled up inside him. Why had the forest disappeared?

Ghislain found himself absorbed in thought as he looked toward the forest. Of course, he was the only one being sentimental.

—Damn it! You lunatic! My life is over because of you!

Astion, as always, was screaming without pause inside his mind.

—All the crazy things you’ve done so far... I might’ve been able to smooth them over if I just lived a good life! But using dark magic in a holy temple?! I’ll be on the run for the rest of my life!

“It’s fine. Once we handle the mission, the Pope will take care of everything.”

—That’s impossible! Even the Pope failed! How the hell are we supposed to succeed?!

“You don’t know until you try. Right?”

Ghislain’s confident tone drew in support from Dark as well.

—Exactly! You coward! Talking about failure before even trying! How do you expect to date anyone with that kind of attitude?

—What the hell does that have to do with anything, you lunatics?! If you guys fail, you can just ditch my body and run! You can go back to your world anytime! That just leaves me to die, doesn’t it?!

...

Neither Ghislain nor Dark responded. Astion felt a chill run down his spine.

—W-Wait... Were you two really planning to run if things went south?

...

—Is that why you’ve always been so reckless?!

...

—G-Give me my body back. Now.

“...Relax, will you? We’re not going to run. I told you—I’ve got a plan.”

—Yeah! We’re not that petty! Probably.

—Liar! You two definitely panicked just now!

“No, we didn’t.”

—No, seriously, you...

“Busy now.”

Before Astion could launch into another tantrum, Ghislain shut off his consciousness. He figured Astion and Dark would be bickering in the background for a while.

But Astion wasn’t the only problem. Things weren’t looking great on the outside either.

“What are you looking at? Huh? You got a problem?”

A mercenary snarled at Lionel for simply making eye contact. Right now, relations between Lionel and the mercenaries were at an all-time low.

Lionel had declared that he would carry out an inquisition on the mercenaries.

Naturally, many of them wanted him dead. Quite a few had even approached Ghislain in secret, suggesting they assassinate Lionel.

But Ghislain always gave the same reply:

“Don’t worry. Once the job’s done, the Pope will take care of everything.”

“And if we fail?”

“Then we’ll think about it then.”

“...”

“Come on, I told you—I’ve got a plan.”

“...Right.”

Ghislain was not the type to ignore potential threats. If anything so much as smelled off, he’d crush it immediately. There were multiple kingdoms that had been toppled by him for less.

So his sudden laid-back attitude was enough to make even the mercenaries uneasy.

Lionel, of course, was just as displeased. The constant picking and provocations from the mercenaries were getting on his nerves.

He wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what they were thinking.

“They’d love to catch me alone somewhere remote.”

They couldn’t touch him within city limits. He had the authority to summon priests and knights from each temple.

The mercenaries knew that, too. Which is why they only started provoking him whenever they were slightly out of town.

Julien and Deneb had been stepping in to stop them every time—preventing any real bloodshed so far.

“If they cross the line... I won’t hold back.”

He could tolerate a few minor provocations. But the moment someone took it too far, he was ready to draw his sword.

He didn’t care how many opponents there were. He believed in what he was doing, and he wouldn’t compromise.

He also had the skills to back up his confidence.

And so the group continued moving forward, a thin veil of tension lingering between them.

Elves may have lived in forests, but that didn’t mean they completely cut off contact with humans.

Their long war against the Demonic Realm had taught them a valuable lesson—total isolation was not an option.

Which is why, near every elven forest, there was always a nearby human city.

It was here that elves and humans traded necessary goods and cooperated when trouble arose.

“Ah, welcome! If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask!”

The city’s mayor greeted Ghislain’s group with overflowing hospitality.

Not that he had been this friendly from the start. The moment they flashed their Vatican-issued credentials, his attitude changed instantly.

Ghislain cut straight to the point.

“How can we meet with the High Chief of the Elves?”

“First, you’ll need to speak with the elven liaison residing in the city.”

“Elven liaison?”

“Yes. The elves call them the ‘Voice of the Forest.’ We refer to them more commonly as liaison officers or cultural envoys.”

“Can you arrange a meeting?”

“I’ll see to it. But... may I ask what this is regarding?”

“We’re envoys sent directly by His Holiness. We cannot discuss the details.”

“Ah, understood.”

No one dared question or oppose someone who invoked the Pope’s name. Indeed, using the name of a powerful figure was often the easiest way to get things done in this world.

The only problem was... some people weren’t swayed by that name.

Upon arriving at the elven consulate with the mayor’s mediation, Ghislain immediately sensed this wouldn’t be easy.

“I am Sylan, the Voice of the Forest.”

Sylan greeted him coldly. Elven warriors stood on either side, armed with curved blades and wooden shields.

Their eyes brimmed with contempt toward humans. It was clear they were ready to draw their swords at the slightest provocation.

Seeing their hostility, Ghislain tilted his head.

“What the hell? I haven’t done anything wrong yet.”

It was the kind of thought one might have when they already expected to be guilty later. Feeling a little self-conscious, Ghislain decided to ask.

“Did... something happen?”

“Human. State your business. I’m only meeting with you because you claim to be a papal envoy.”

Sylan made it obvious he had no desire for a lengthy conversation. Ghislain clicked his tongue and got to the point.

“I want to meet with the High Chief.”

“I refuse.”

“...I haven’t even said why yet.”

“The High Chief does not meet with just anyone. And since you claim to be sent by the Pope, I can already guess why you're here.”

“...”

“You’ve come to demand the Sacred Stone. Just like last time.”

Ghislain leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. There was no point beating around the bush now that the elf already knew.

“So you’re well informed. That’s exactly why I want to speak with the High Chief personally.”

“I said no.”

“Isn’t that something the High Chief should decide?”

“The High Chief has already expressed refusal on this matter. If you have nothing more to say, leave.”

“We’re not asking for it for free. His Holiness is prepared to offer anything the elves desire in return.”

“There is nothing we desire from humans.”

“We also work as mercenaries. If you have a problem, we can help resolve it.”

Sylan let out a cold, mocking laugh.

“Do we look so pitiful that we’d need help from the likes of humans? We have no such problems. You should worry about your own kind, tearing each other apart.”

“...”

Ghislain let out a quiet sigh and rose from his seat. There was no point continuing the conversation if the other side had already built up such a thick wall.

He’d need to step away and come up with another plan.

As he turned to leave, a face from memory flashed in his mind.

“Wasn’t Ereneth the High Chief in our time?”

Of course, chances were that it wasn’t her now. In his dreams of the past, Ereneth had appeared quite young.

Still, it was worth asking.

“Is the High Chief a woman?”

“...”

Sylan’s gaze sharpened instantly. The same went for the elven guards flanking him.

Depending on how one interpreted the question—especially coming from a human known to lust after elven beauty—it could’ve been highly offensive.

Realizing how it might’ve sounded, Ghislain quickly waved his hands and tried to explain.

“No, no—I was just curious, that’s all.”

“...He is male. Now leave.”

As expected, it wasn’t Ereneth. Ghislain gave up lingering hopes and turned to leave.

But then, Sylan’s voice called out from behind him.

“Human, heed this warning. If you attempt anything foolish against the elves, nature’s wrath will fall upon you.”

“...I’ll keep that in mind.”

With that, Ghislain exited the elven consulate.

It was a dead end. There was no reasoning with someone that firm. He needed another angle.

He turned to the city’s mayor to ask a question that had been bothering him.

“The elves here seem to hate humans with a passion.”

It was widely known that elves weren’t fond of humans, but to snub even envoys of the Pope? That hinted at a deeper issue.

The mayor nodded without hesitation.

“Yes, especially the elves here. They’re exposed to humans the most.”

“And that’s a big problem?”

“They’ve all been scammed. At least once.”

“...”

“A long time ago, the elves who were sent here didn’t actually hate humans. Naturally, they were curious about the outside world after spending their whole lives in the forest. At first, they were even friendly.”

“And now they’re like this?”

“Yes. Apparently, naive elves who got too close to humans got backstabbed over and over again.”

“...”

“That’s why the elves stationed here are extremely wary. Before sending anyone out from the forest, they’re drilled with strict warnings not to trust humans. Of course, full isolation isn’t an option.”

“Hmm...”

“But, you know how innocent first-time travelers can be—especially elves who’ve never left the forest. Even with all that training, they always fall for scams at least once.”

“...”

“How can a young, pure elf resist the smooth-talking tricks of experienced human conmen? And this is a trade city, mind you—merchants flood in constantly. You know how silver-tongued merchants can be.”

“...”

“Just recently, a newly assigned elven warrior got scammed by a human. Lost their entire paycheck.”

“...”

“So of course the liaison officer is on edge. No matter how many times they drill it in, there’s always another elf who gets taken advantage of.”

“...Don’t the city officials try to control it?”

“Good heavens, since I got assigned here, I’ve caught over a hundred scammers myself. The Lord of the city is doing everything he can to maintain relations with the elves, but nothing works. Humans will be humans...”

“...”

So as expected, the root of all problems... was humans. No wonder Sylan had issued that ominous warning before Ghislain left.

Standing nearby, Kyle muttered irritably.

“Jeez, even so, it’s not like we did anything wrong. They don’t have to treat us like garbage too. I mean... we’re the good guys... probably.”

He trailed off awkwardly, thinking about their checkered past. Sure, they’d done some questionable things—but all for good causes, right? Mostly?

Either way, the situation was clear: without meeting the High Chief, they couldn’t proceed. But with Sylan despising humans as much as he did, cozying up to him—or persuading him—seemed impossible.

Lionel said nothing, simply watching how Ghislain’s group would handle things.

Julien and Deneb looked at Ghislain with worried expressions.

“What do we do now? I really don’t think the elves here will let us see the High Chief.”

“Their distrust runs deep. Unless the Pope himself comes in person, I don’t think they’ll ever let us through.”

Kyle glanced at Lionel before adding quietly,

“We can’t just go back like this. The situation’s too... fragile.”

If they returned empty-handed, they’d be at the mercy of the Inquisition. The kingdoms they’d worked so hard to befriend would turn their backs, and their mercenary corps would disband.

In short, the Julien Mercenary Corps would be finished.

They were trapped, with no clear path forward. A breakthrough was needed—urgently.

Then, from the side, Osvald muttered arrogantly, arms crossed.

“Pfft, these elves sure act high and mighty. It’s a shame, really. If they did have a problem, I, Osvald the Magnificent, would have solved it with ease. I could have blessed them with my power... but alas, no opportunity.”

No one bothered responding. They were used to Osvald’s daily theatrics—he talked big, but was a coward at heart.

But Ghislain turned to him suddenly, eyes wide.

Osvald scratched his head nervously under the unexpected attention.

“W-What is it...?”

“That’s it!”

“W-What is?”

“The elves keep saying they don’t have any problems, that there’s nothing they want, right?”

“R-Right?”

Ghislain looked around at the group, a bright smile spreading across his face.

“Well, then... all we have to do is give them a problem!”

“...???”

He pulled out a piece of black cloth from his coat and tied it around his eyes, covering the area just below them.

Everyone stared at him in blank confusion.