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Chapter 697
Chapter 697
This Is Going to Be Really Interesting. (1)
The Marquis of Falkenheim looked like an exceptionally ordinary middle-aged man at first glance. But those who knew his ruthless disposition never judged him by his appearance alone.
Having received Count Swifel's gift and message, he curled his lips into a bloody smile.
“What an amusing fellow. Since he can't handle it himself, is he trying to borrow my strength?”
A retainer cautiously spoke up.
E n̈ ům а. іd̂
“Shall we just wipe them all out?”
“No. The skill of this Julien Mercenary Corps is quite enticing. I should bring them under my command.”
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“What kind of reward should we offer?”
“If they want a title, grant them one along with the territory of Count Swifel. As for the revenge for Count Crest, eliminating Count Swifel, Baron Nodehill, and Baron Larks should suffice.”
“What if they refuse?”
“Refuse? They'd refuse my demand?”
En̈ūḿа
The Marquis of Falkenheim made a face of disbelief. He was the most powerful figure in the kingdom, who would dare reject his will?
Still, the report did say that the Count of Crest had refused even the royal order, calling him a stubborn mule. Just in case, he had to give orders for such a situation.
“If they refuse... then kill them by deploying the knights, as per Count Swifel's request. Afterward, once the Count of Swifel’s territory is seized, distribute it among the vassals who distinguish themselves.”
“Understood.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
As for Count Swifel, he thought he was being clever, but the Marquis of Falkenheim had never intended to forgive him anyway.
When a vassal was harmed, one had to retaliate with certainty. It was the natural course to preserve his authority and to maintain the enormous power under his control.
Е̂ n u mȧ
It was true that the Julien Mercenary Corps had killed Count Crest, but at their core, they were still mercenaries who fought for coins. Accepting them could be justified in a way that avoided criticism.
But nobles were different. Baron Nodehill, Baron Larks, and Count Swifel had to die.
Of course, if he followed Count Swifel’s proposal, he would gain an excuse to spare him. Yet, the Marquis of Falkenheim saw no reason to go that far.
“To make such an insolent proposal to me... he’s committed a crime worthy of death.”
If he had truly wanted to live, he should’ve come in person, offered everything he had, and begged for his life. That was how the Marquis of Falkenheim saw it.
And a few days later, a secret envoy under the Marquis’s orders began moving to meet with the Julien Mercenary Corps.
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While I was resting alone, Astion suddenly spoke.
— Ghislain, do you think the future can be changed?
“Hm?”
It was such an out-of-the-blue question that I paused to consider before replying.
“Of course, the future can change.”
Many scholars had put forth various theories on this subject, but he had no choice but to believe it.
Е̂ń ũ m_а̃
Wasn’t he the very person who had changed the future after regressing and experiencing it once already?
“But why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?”
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— Let’s just say it’s a wizard’s curiosity. According to what you’ve said, you’re currently acting in the past, right?
“Yeah.”
— Then you’re aware that your actions now could affect the past and change the future, aren’t you?
“Mm, to some extent?”
E n̈ ûṁ а . i̇ d́
There were a few customs he had spread during this era and maybe there would be more in the future.
To be precise, he wasn’t the one who had created those customs. He had merely learned them as traditions passed down from the past.
However, now that the past and future were intertwined, it had become impossible to know what had come first.
This was a mystery of the world that no scholar had been able to explain clearly. Even he, who had reached the realm of the Transcendents, couldn’t grasp it completely.
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Astion reiterated the point.
— If you influence this era too much, who knows how the future you came from might change. Are you okay with that?
We̊ b̄ n о̇v̈е̇ l̃ Е n̆ ü ṁ а
“Yeah, I know that much. That’s why I’m trying to act in moderation.”
His actions might seem drastic, but in the grand scheme, not much had actually changed.
Julien and Deneb really would become central figures of the world and lead the United Human Army. Unless he intervened massively, there was no stopping that great tide.
‘It’s just a question of whether it’s Astion who leads them, or me.’
That was how he saw it, and he did his best to play the role of an advisor.
‘Of course, there had to be a clear reason why Deneb summoned me to the past. Whether it was because she wanted me to save Julien and Deneb, or because she wanted to reveal some hidden truth about the Adversary.’
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‘Could be both.’
So once the Hero’s friends grew more, he intended to tell them what he knew about the future.
Because maybe an even better outcome than the one he remembered could come to pass.
After hearing his answer, Astion asked in a deliberately cautious voice.
— Good. So even someone like you, who knows the future, admits that the future can be changed?
“Yeah. I believe the future can be changed by human will. That’s why I try to live carefully in my own way.”
Ẅ е̂b̂ n̈ о.v̀ е̊ l Ё ñ ù m̊ ӓ
Because he had already experienced it, he could only say that much.
Then, with a voice filled with satisfaction, Astion continued.
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— That means my future can change too.
“…What?”
— I won’t live like a recluse anymore. I’m going to date. I won’t hide; I'll enjoy wealth and fame.
“…So that’s what you wanted to say.”
Ěn̆ um̀а̀. і́d
— That’s an important matter for me!
“…Alright. I’ll cheer you on.”
— Why do you sound like you don’t believe it’ll happen?!
“It’s not like that…”
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To be honest, I wasn’t exactly sure whether Astion had really lived in hiding. I was just assuming that based on the circumstances.
Even if Astion had lived an ordinary life, it could’ve changed later down the line.
Еnǔ m̈ a.i d
But as far as I knew, that’s what it was. From what was known up until now, the Tower of Radiance was extremely closed off. Jerome hadn’t lived any differently either.
Of course, Jerome's secluded life was also because he liked to roll around in his room reading books alone, but there was no need to go into that kind of trivial detail.
Astion, as if denying his own future, shouted resolutely.
— Once I get my body back! The first thing I’ll do is date!
“Got it.”
— Don’t just answer me half-heartedly like that!
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Astion threw a tantrum, but Ghislain honestly couldn’t care less. He had a mountain of tasks ahead. Why would he waste energy caring about Astion’s romantic life?
Still, Astion fumed for a good while before finally going quiet.
Ghislain quickly forgot about Astion’s whining and focused again on the hellish training. Even as he got cursed at, he continued sacrificing himself for everyone’s sake (or so he told himself).
But after about two months of training, he began to gradually ease up on the intensity. Everyone needed to recover their condition properly for what was to come next.
The only issue was, he still hadn’t decided exactly when to begin the next phase.
‘It’s taking too long.’
E̊_n̈ǔ m̀ а́
Count Swifel was still sitting on Count Crest’s territory and hadn’t sent any reply.
Ghislain could already guess what he was thinking. ‘Probably still racking his brain on how to capture me.’
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But since he hadn’t found a solution, he couldn’t make a decision yet.
‘Should I wait a little longer?’
‘I could pressure him by making a move first, but I didn’t. It would be better in many ways if Count Swifel made the first move.’
He had the patience to wait if it meant getting a bigger reward.
Еn̊ ǔ m̂.ä
‘I’ll give it just one more month before I move.’
As he slowly lowered the training intensity and prepared for the next war, the envoy sent by the Marquis of Falkenheim arrived at the Julien Mercenary Corps.
Seeing the envoy, he smiled.
‘So, they chose this route?’
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This, too, had been one of the scenarios he’d anticipated. He had seen too many of these tricks before.
The envoy, wearing a pleasant smile, conveyed the Marquis’s proposal. After listening to the entire message, he asked:
Ẃ ё b̃n̆ǒv̇ė l Én̂ ûma
“So... you’re saying the Marquis will forgive our battle with Count Crest if we agree to serve under him?”
“That is correct. I’ve heard your skills are exceptional. If you wish, he will grant you a title and fief as well.”
At those words, the officers of the Julien Mercenary Corps gulped.
A title and fief offered by the most powerful man in the kingdom, if they accepted, they could enjoy a life of unrivaled wealth and glory.
But Ghislain knew well that such peace wouldn’t last long.
‘Once the hunt is over, the hound is butchered.’
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What would the Marquis of Falkenheim do after he seized the kingdom? He would likely begin by eliminating those like them - skilled individuals with no noble lineage.
The same danger applied to his other vassals. The Marquis of Falkenheim was a man driven solely by ambition. Anyone who posed a threat to his royal authority would be purged without hesitation.
Of course, how the situation would unfold would only be clear in time. But there was a more immediate issue to address.
“Then what will happen to Baron Nodehill and Baron Larks?”
“The Julien Mercenary Corps fought as mercenaries, so you can walk away cleanly. But those two will have to pay for what they’ve done.”
In other words, they were to be executed. Since Count Crest had officially lost a battle to Nodehill, the Marquis could not let them live.
Ẇ ӗ b̀n̂o v е̂ l Èn_u mà
If he did, the other vassals would become dissatisfied.
Sure, he could suppress them with brute force, but that would only erode their loyalty. And the Marquis of Falkenheim wouldn’t want that.
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Nodehill and Larks simply weren’t valuable enough for him to risk such losses.
He shook his head.
“We refuse. We’ll stand with Nodehill and Larks.”
“Please reconsider. I promise you the best treatment possible.”
Enu mа. ì_d̈
The envoy stayed for several days, trying to persuade Ghislain. He offered not only gold but rare treasures and land as well but the man didn’t budge an inch.
He couldn’t let Nodehill and Larks be destroyed. And more importantly, he had never planned to serve under anyone in the first place.
‘Julien is supposed to be the protagonist of this age. Who are we to serve under someone else?’
Raising Andrew and Rio to become key powers in the kingdom would be a far better choice.
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If the Marquis of Falkenheim were a decent man, he might have extended a hand but that man was the worst kind of villain.
There was no way he would ever ally with someone like that.
W̊ӗ b̆ ǹоv е l Ěn u m а
Having exhausted all persuasive methods, the envoy played his final card.
“You’ll come to regret this.”
He dropped his friendly smile. His face had turned cold.
Ghislain let out a soft chuckle and asked in return:
“What exactly will I be regretting?”
“You’ll regret siding with Baron Nodehill, fighting Count Crest, rejecting our offer… You’ll regret every choice that led to this situation.”
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Ghislain tilted his head to the side. He’d heard threats like this so many times, they were getting boring.
The only upside was that once the other party stooped to this level, he didn’t need to maintain any formality either.
“If you fight me, it’s you who’ll end up regretting it.”
“I don’t think we’ll be regretting a fight against a mere band of mercenaries.”
“In that case, I’ll just make you regret being born.”
“…Haha.”
En u m.ã . і d̀
The envoy gave a laugh, as if taken aback by his arrogant remark. After staring at him for a moment, he spoke.
“I doubt you won’t have anything to regret.”
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He sneered.
No matter how skilled he was, he was still just a mercenary. How dare a mercenary speak of regret to the kingdom’s most powerful noble?
‘Well… if he's as strong as they say, I suppose we’ll take some damage. But that’s only if we personally engage him in battle.’
In the event the mercenary corps refused, it had already been decided that Count Swifel would be given the first round of support. The officers of the Julien Mercenary Corps would be dead before the Marquis’s forces even got involved.
Е̌ ňu m̂ǎ
Seeing how firm Ghislain was, the envoy began preparing to leave. He sensed that further persuasion would be pointless.
The envoy returned quickly and delivered a detailed report of everything that had occurred to the Marquis of Falkenheim.
Hearing it all, the Marquis burst into hearty laughter.
“What an arrogant bastard. I suppose that means he’s confident in his abilities.”
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With skills like that, Ghislain could easily become a knight commander in any territory. It made sense he was acting high and mighty.
But one should know who they’re dealing with before showing off. The Marquis of Falkenheim decided to give up on him.
Wе̃ b̌ n̊ о v еl_ Ӗn̆um a
He didn’t need them to take over the kingdom anyway.
“Help Count Swifel deal with them first. Then send an army to formally seize the territory from him.”
“Understood.”
“Tsk, such a nuisance just before the grand undertaking.”
To capture someone with that level of skill, the Marquis of Falkenheim would have to be prepared for some losses. Still, there was a way to minimize the damage.
“Contact our vassals and request support from their knights. They’ll need to be at least upper-tier.”
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That would allow him to conserve his own house's strength. Just a few extra reinforcements would do.
Their target was certainly strong, but not a Transcendent. They had intelligence suggesting the man had once coughed up blood and fled during battle.
The Marquis's strategists assessed this ‘Astion’ as a 6th-Circle Master and a mage capable of some close combat.
They concluded the Crest forces had been overwhelmed because they were unaccustomed to an opponent who used a mixed fighting style.
Even if he wasn’t a Transcendent, a 6th-Circle Master was still a formidable threat. To minimize casualties, they would need to send a sizable force of knights.
A few days later, the assembled elite knights began moving to strike the Julien Mercenary Corps.
Ŵ е̇ b̃n̈о v̀е̌ l Еnùma
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