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Chapter 691
Chapter 691
I’ll Handle Everything. (3)
At the very moment when Baron of Nodehill captured and imprisoned the envoy, Ghislain swiftly relayed the news to Rio.
As soon as Rio received the message, he hastily organized his troops and marched toward the Nodehill territory.
He wasn’t a fool. After hearing the context, he could easily predict what would happen next.
Count Crest, after toppling Count Swifel, would immediately begin consolidating the surrounding areas.
W̃ ӗ b n̆ о̌v̀eĺ Е̊ ñü ḿ а
At that point, it was obvious that he would become the first target because he owned a gold mine.
Naturally, the Nodehill territory, which was allied with the Larks and situated beside them, wouldn’t be spared either.
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Rather than be crushed later, it was better to join forces and fight now.
“Hurry, let’s go quickly!”
Although Rio personally led the army, he had no intention of commanding it. He possessed no military talent whatsoever.
That was why, as soon as he arrived, he planned to delegate full authority to Ghislain.
Eǹ u m̈а
“Ugh... Big bro, you have to win...”
All throughout the march, he kept praying. The only thing he could do now was entrust everything to Ghislain and pray for his victory.
When Rio and his army arrived, Andrew was overjoyed.
“Thank you so much! Having the lord himself here is a huge reassurance!”
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“Ah, no, I... um... I’ll just leave it to Astion.”
“Wahaha! I’ve decided to leave it all to him too.”
Еñ ùm̀ а̌
Andrew’s hearty nature and Rio’s timid personality were complete opposites. However, the one thing they shared was deep trust in the Julien Mercenary Corps.
It was already agreed that both armies would be led entirely by the Julien Mercenary Corps.
Even the retainers, knowing the corps’ capabilities, raised no objections. They knew it was pointless to resist anyway.
Rio cautiously asked,
“Um... where is Brother Ghislain?”
Publicly, Ghislain operated under the name Astion. But within the mercenary corps, everyone simply called him Ghislain, so Rio had initially been confused about which name to use.
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When he asked, Ghislain had told him that his real name was Ghislain, and Astion was just his public alias. Rio didn’t understand why he lived such a complicated life, but he accepted it nonetheless.
After all, even setting that aside, Ghislain was an incredibly strange brother.
In response to Rio’s question, Andrew smirked and said,
“He went to Count Swifel.”
“Count Swifel?”
“They say the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? He went to urge Count Swifel to join the war immediately.”
Eñuṁ_а̂
“Ah, I see. That does make sense.”
The County of Swifel also bordered Count Crest’s territory. Even with a slight detour, cavalry units could still arrive in time.
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As Andrew had said, by the time Rio reached the Nodehill territory, Ghislain was already meeting with Count Swifel to negotiate.
“So, you say you’re preparing to fight Count Crest? And that’s why you’ve imprisoned the envoy?”
Count Swifel greeted Ghislain with an arrogant air. Despite being in a disadvantageous position, his eyes looked down on Ghislain with contempt.
Had it not been for the current situation, he wouldn’t have exchanged a single word with a lowly mercenary. That’s how much of an authoritative noble he was.
Ẽǹŭ mа. і d
Of course, Ghislain didn’t care how others saw him. What mattered to him was whether he could get what he needed.
“Yes. I intend to reject Count Crest’s proposal once again which is why I believe, my lord, it would be best for us to stand together now.”
“Hmph... and yet, you’re demanding three times the amount paid to the Ironclad Lion Corps?”
“Yes. I believe that’s a fair price. Weren’t you planning to hire us anyway?”
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Count Swifel let out a derisive laugh. The mercenary before him was utterly absurd.
“I heard you turned down Count Crest’s offer. So yes, we were planning to hire you. But hasn’t the situation changed now?”
W̊ёb n̄ o̊ vеl̈ Ѐ n̆û m̂ ȧ
“How so, my lord?”
“Even if we don’t hire you, you still have to fight Count Crest. Isn’t that why you imprisoned the envoy? So why should I pay to hire you?”
“Are you saying you won’t hire us?”
“Exactly. In fact, you should be paying me to ask for my help. Even with Baron of Nodehill and Baron of Larks joining forces, you’re still outmatched.”
At those words, Ghislain let out a slight chuckle. The moment the situation started to tip slightly in his favor, Count Swifel was already calculating his gains.
Count Swifel wasn’t as rotten as Count Crest. But that didn’t make him a good man either.
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He was just slightly better than Crest, still just another greedy noble trying to survive in this era.
To help the man see the reality of his situation, Ghislain explained a bit kindlier.
“If you don’t join forces with us, you’ll be in an even worse position, my lord.”
“That’s exactly why I’m saying if we must fight together anyway, there’s no reason for me to pay you.”
“We might change our minds.”
“What?”
Еn̈ u m̄_а. і̇ d
“If we side with Count Crest, things become much easier for us.”
“You bastard… are you threatening me?”
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“A threat? No, my lord. I’m simply pointing out one of the many options available to us.”
Count Swifel glared at Ghislain as if he wanted to kill him.
His mood had already been foul thanks to Count Crest lately. Now this wretched mercenary was trying to squeeze a fortune from him by exploiting the situation!
He had definitely intended to hire them not long ago but now that these mercenaries were the ones declaring war on Count Crest first, he had no desire to pay them a cent.
W̌ẽb́ n.o v́ ê l̀ Е n ûm а
Of course, even if he had hired them formally, he never had any intention of paying the full agreed amount.
‘I was just going to give them the down payment and ignore them once the war ended...’
Once Count Crest was defeated, he would be the most powerful in the region. So even if he pinned a crime on them and had them killed, no one would be able to object.
‘Foolish bastard. If he’d just stayed quiet, he could’ve at least lived.’
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Count Swifel had already decided he would eliminate the Julien Mercenary Corps when the war was over. For now, toppling Count Crest took precedence.
“Fine, your argument makes some sense. Let’s agree to that amount. But on one condition.”
W̌е̄bn̆о̇ v̊е̂ ľ Ӗn u m̈ӓ
“What condition would that be?”
“I’ll pay only the down payment for now. Who knows how the war will turn out? Our forces are at a disadvantage we might lose. I’d rather use that money to rally more troops immediately.”
At first glance, it sounded reasonable but Ghislain already had a clear read on the kind of man Count Swifel was.
Without a doubt, the moment the war ended, he would pretend it never happened. No, he was the kind of man who’d take back even what he had already given.
Still, Ghislain nodded calmly.
“Understood. We’ll proceed with just the down payment for now. But I hope you’ll be sure to deliver the rest of the payment once it’s over.”
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“Hmph, what kind of man do you take me for? I’ll pay in full no need to worry.”
With that, the contract was temporarily settled. Afterward, the two entered a strategy meeting.
Pointing at the map, Count Swifel said,
“We can’t march directly through Count Crest’s territory. That would only provoke them to turn their army on us right away. But if we take a detour, we can’t send our entire force.”
“How much cavalry can you mobilize?”
“Even if I gather every horse available, a thousand is the limit. Will that be enough for a proper fight?”
Еn u m а
“It will be. Please send just those thousand ahead for now.”
Count Swifel narrowed his eyes and asked,
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“If you lose, I’ll be sacrificing a thousand cavalry. Are you truly confident?”
“More than enough. As long as they arrive on time, it’ll be fine.”
“That won’t be an issue. Then what should I do with the rest of the troops?”
“They won’t be able to arrive before the fighting starts anyway. Instead, once Count Crest moves his army, seize his territory.”
Е̊n̈ ů ma . іd
“Hmph...”
“Even if we lose, Count Crest will suffer heavy damage. You’ll have nothing to lose. Take control of the key positions in Count Crest’s territory and cut off his supplies then the war will tilt in your favor.”
Count Swifel gave a strange smile. It was exactly the plan he and his advisors had already discussed.
If the information currently known about the Julien Mercenary Corps was true, then they could indeed inflict significant damage on Count Crest.
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His strategists had advised that they should use that opening to implement the most advantageous strategy for themselves. And now, his opponent was saying the exact same thing.
Not bad for a mere mercenary, he seemed to know a thing or two about strategy.
Ѐ n̆u m̌ ӓ . і d̂
‘Well, he is a mage, so I suppose he’s smart.’
Count Swifel asked subtly,
“Why not quit being a mercenary and come serve in our domain? We’d offer the Julien Mercenary Corps the best treatment.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I have no such plans for now.”
“I see, that’s unfortunate.”
Count Swifel genuinely looked disappointed. After all, he would have to kill such talents.
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After finalizing some more detailed discussions, Ghislain immediately returned.
Truthfully, he had full confidence in winning even without support from Count Swifel. But he had suggested fighting together anyway because doing so would reduce casualties on their side.
He could see right through Count Swifel’s ulterior motives, so it wasn’t an issue at all.
More precisely, those petty schemes weren’t even worth considering.
* * *
Not long after releasing the envoy, word arrived that Count Crest had begun mobilizing his army.
Еn̊u̇_m a . іd
Everyone wore expressions that said, so it begins, and steeled themselves. All preparations for war were already complete.
Pointing to a specific spot on the map, Ghislain spoke.
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“We’ll fight here.”
Nodehill territory had vast plains ideal for raising livestock. That also meant there were plenty of good places for open battle.
The spot Ghislain indicated was a wide, open plain. Andrew asked with a worried expression,
“You’re thinking of engaging them head-on instead of defending?”
Е̂n̄ ü.m̃ a
“Why would we bother defending against that kind of rabble? We’re going to meet them head-on and smash them.”
At Ghislain’s confident words, everyone fell silent. In this war, there was no choice but to trust and follow him.
All command over the Nodehill and Larks forces had been entrusted to the Julien Mercenary Corps. Even the Swifel forces were under their direction.
The Julien Mercenary Corps led the combined army to the designated location. News of this movement was quickly reported to Count Crest by his scouting units.
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He let out a laugh in disbelief.
“They’re marching out to fight instead of fortifying? With that measly force?”
Ŵ ӗ bñ о̊ v̂ е̇l Еn uṁа
He had already heard that the cavalry from the Larks and Swifel forces had joined the Nodehill army. But even including them, the enemy’s numbers would be under 4,000.
And the scout reports had confirmed that the actual number didn’t deviate much from that estimate.
In contrast, Count Crest's army numbered 12,000. He had mobilized his entire force to minimize losses and finish the battle swiftly.
“Count Swifel will try to strike our rear. No matter, we’ll crush them quickly and then redirect the army.”
It was obvious what the enemy was thinking. But with overwhelming numbers, such cheap tricks wouldn’t work.
“Leave the siege weapons behind. Have the supply convoy handle them. We’re moving fast.”
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There was no need to drag along siege weapons for an open battle. It was better to move swiftly and finish things quickly.
Before long, the two armies faced each other on the wide plains.
Count Crest turned to his mage and said,
“There’s a rumor that the mage from the Julien Mercenary Corps is Fifth Circle. Fifth Circle magic is dangerous, make sure to completely suppress their spellcasting.”
“Understood.”
Count Crest’s personal mage was also at the Fifth Circle. In addition, he had several Fourth Circle mages and numerous Third Circle mages.
Е̌n̄ üṁ_а̌ .і̀ ḋ
Even if the Julien Mercenary Corps had a Fifth Circle mage, the allied forces likely didn’t have many spellcasters. With this composition, they could easily lock down the few enemy mages completely.
And since there was no need for a siege, the situation was extremely favorable. Count Crest’s forces vastly outnumbered the enemy, enough that a direct charge could trample them all.
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Count Crest raised his hand and extended it forward.
“Advance, all troops. Show them the meaning of overwhelming power.”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Count Crest’s army began to march slowly. Seeing that, the soldiers of Nodehill, Larks, Swifel, and the mercenaries all tensed and gripped their weapons tightly.
Ŵ е̃b̈ n o v̂ êl̆ Е nu m а
But Ghislain stood far ahead of them all, alone, facing the enemy.
“Now that I see it... yeah, there are a lot.”
He didn’t mean in absolute numbers. He just meant they had more compared to his side. Someone who had once fought against armies of hundreds of thousands wouldn’t find a force of just over ten thousand impressive.
Still, their side was clearly outnumbered. A direct clash would inevitably cause significant casualties.
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After all, the troops he had brought weren’t elite like the Fenris forces.
To reduce those casualties, Ghislain had stepped forward alone.
W ёb̃ ṅ о̂v̊ е̃ ľ E n̊ ǔm̆ а
Around him were dozens of massive wooden crates.
Ghislain raised his staff and tried to cast a spell.
Fsshhh...
His magic began to reassemble, then scattered meaninglessly. It meant the enemy was indeed performing a strong anti-magic suppression.
“Hmph. Magic’s really useless at times like this.”
It couldn’t be helped. Area-of-effect spells wield enormous power on the battlefield. That’s why the enemy would do everything they could to block them.
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Ghislain quickly gave up on using magic. Sure, he could win a magic duel but he saw no need to.
He had another method of attack.
Woooo...
Threads of mana began spreading outward from Ghislain. It was a technique he frequently used in battle.
This wasn’t sorcery. It was a manifestation of pure power, like what knights used.
Which meant enemy mages couldn’t cancel it.
Еn ù ṁ а .і̇ d
Clack! Clack! Clack!
The dozens of wooden crates around him began to open on their own.
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Inside them were a massive number of blades, weapons Andrew had gathered from across the entire territory at Ghislain’s request.
They had scraped together everything, even kitchen knives from ordinary households.
The total number: in the thousands.
With a smile, Ghislain released even more threads of mana.
W̃ е b ǹ оv́ ē l̊ Е n̄ u m̆ а
“They probably thought they’d crush us with overwhelming strength, huh?”
The enemy was mistaken. Ghislain could create an army of thousands all by himself.
Weapons that had been filling the crates began to float into the air, one by one. They lined up in long rows as if forming military ranks.
Their sheer presence caused the advancing Crest army to momentarily pause.
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Ghislain spread his arms wide and unleashed mana threads at full power.
“Let me show you what true overwhelming strength is.”
Wе b n о́ vе l Е n.ũ m̊ ä
Drrrrr...
The thousands of weapons, infused with mana, began to tremble as if struggling to surge forward that very instant.
Soon, Ghislain extended his hand forward, wearing a cold smile.
“I am the One-Man Army.”
With that declaration—
BWOOM!
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Every single weapon blasted forward in unison.
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