The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 323: Chapter 322: You Can Do It. (1)

Chapter 323: Chapter 322: You Can Do It. (1)

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"Queen of Greggs... what is that?"

"It's their leader. The core of their entire species."

"Where is it?"

"I know. Just follow me."

"Then why not just go kill it? Why kidnap it?"

At Kaor's words, Ghislain shook his head.

"No, we have to kidnap the Queen and make them come rescue it."

Only then did people begin to understand Ghislain's plan. But understanding it and agreeing with it were two different things.

"Do we really have to do it this way? Can't we just go kill it? Sure, fighting near the fortress is safer, but I don't think we need to be this scared."

Kaor's arrogant remark made Ghislain chuckle.

"If we go and fight it head-on, we'll all die."

"But they're ridiculously weak..."

Kaor pouted. No matter how he looked at it, the lord seemed overly cautious this time.

The Greggs were so weak that even a skilled soldier could take one down alone. If it were him, he could handle hundreds, even thousands, by himself.

Having been slightly humiliated during the ogre incident, Kaor wanted to prove his skills in front of everyone. The Greggs were the perfect prey.

They were weak enough that he could show off by taking out a large number of them at once. With determination to erase his prior disgrace, Kaor spoke firmly.

"Just give me a few men. I'll go and wipe them all out."

"If you go, you'll really die. Just come with us to capture the Queen."

"Ha! Seriously! I could wipe them all out by myself!"

Kaor tapped his leg in frustration and shouted. Watching him grow increasingly defiant, Belinda frowned.

"Just listen to the young master. Don't you know you can't let your guard down in the Forest of Demonic Beasts? You have no idea what might show up out there."

"What's this? Why are you taking his side? Don't you usually oppose whatever he says?"

"When did I ever? I'm always on his side!"

The two began yet another subtle standoff. Kaor twitched his lips, glaring at Belinda. 'Should I just hit her? Nah, I might lose. I still don't know how strong she really is.'

Belinda, with a similar expression, stared back at Kaor.

'Anything you say, I'll oppose. Absolutely everything.'

This wasn't their first time clashing like this. Even back at the estate, they would always bicker whenever they ran into each other.

Only when Gillian quietly stepped between them to separate the two did they finally turn away from each other.

Ghislain shook his head a few times and continued speaking.

"I'll pick a small team to capture it quietly. The people here, a few knights, and... we'll take Alpoi too."

At this, everyone tilted their heads in confusion.

It was true that Alpoi was talented for his age, but compared to the others here, his skills were slightly lacking. It was hard to feel confident about taking him on such a dangerous mission.

"Alpoi? Not Vanessa, but Alpoi?"

If a mage was necessary, it made sense to bring Vanessa, not Alpoi. That was obvious.

But Ghislain shook his head.

"Vanessa needs to stay here. She has tasks to do."

"Then do we really need Alpoi? With this group, we shouldn't need him at all."

Belinda pointed this out, and Ghislain smirked.

"He's bait."

"Bait? With his skill level, he might die."

"No, he won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I have a feeling that kid has strange luck. I never ignore things like that. I believe luck is a skill too."

Belinda fell silent at Ghislain's vague and seemingly nonsensical reasoning.

It was true that Alpoi had survived even the power of a goddess. It was hard to deny he might have some strange kind of luck.

But would Ghislain really act based on something like that? He usually had a reason for everything, even if it sounded absurd.

Could someone who had once been tricked into slavery by Claude really be called lucky?

It didn't feel genuine, but with Ghislain insisting, arguing further seemed pointless.

'If he's that determined to bring him... Still, his skills are too weak.'

After a moment of thought, Belinda said, "If the goal is a safe capture, why not use an airship? We've got a spare in Perdium; we could fetch it quickly."

"Oh, such a clever idea. As expected of Belinda."

"I graduated from the Royal Academy, you know."

"I don't believe you. Anyway, no airships. In the Forest of Demonic Beasts, anything flying in the sky is in danger. It'll be attacked immediately, from far away. That's why there are hardly

any birds here."

"What would attack it?"

"There are things. But we're not ready to deal with them yet. They're extremely dangerous."

Before Belinda could press further, Ghislain changed the subject.

"Anyway, let's move quickly. The longer we delay, the more tired the soldiers will get."

Thus, the team to capture Queen of Greggs was formed.

Ghislain, Belinda, Kaor, and a few knights, including Gordon and Lucas, made up the team.

Alpoi, despite being less skilled, was included.

Except for Alpoi, they were all considered to be the most skilled in the Fenris Army.

Gillian couldn't go, as Ghislain had assigned him to oversee the fortress and prepare for

battle.

When Alpoi was informed of his inclusion, he threw a fit.

"Why me! Why do I have to go to such a dangerous place? No! I refuse!"

"You're the man who defeated a goddess, aren't you? Only skilled people are going, so

naturally, you're included."

Alpoi, whose pride was second to none in the estate, bit his lip at those words.

He wanted to go. To succeed in this mission and earn the admiration of everyone.

'But I also don't want to die.'

While he wavered, Ghislain leaned in and whispered.

"Imagine how much Claude will mock you if you back out."

At the mention of Claude, a vein bulged on Alpoi's forehead.

That bastard had ruined his life. He couldn't stand the thought of being mocked by him.

"Fine, I'll go! I'll go! Are you happy now?"

And so, the team, consisting of elites and one slightly less elite member, set out.

With the fortress gates sealed, they descended using ropes. They would climb back the same

way upon their return.

Passing through the cleared open space, they quickly encountered the dense forest once

again.

Towering trees blocked out most of the light, creating an ominous atmosphere.

The team moved swiftly. As skilled individuals, their pace was remarkable.

"Screeech?"

As they delved deeper, more Greggs appeared. Following Ghislain's prior instructions, the

team dispatched them as they came.

Thunk!

"Screeech!"

The Greggs were helpless against the sudden onslaught.

Even when their numbers reached a few dozen, or just a handful, they posed no threat to the

team.

Individually, they were no stronger than an average soldier, let alone a group like this.

Belinda alone could take down ten or more Greggs in one attack.

She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"This isn't too hard. Are these the only things in this area?"

Indeed, it seemed to be Greggs territory, as no other monsters were in sight.

Even the wandering monsters typically seen elsewhere in the forest left no trace as they went

further in.

All they saw were corpses being moved by the Greggs.

"Screeech!"

Every time they encountered Greggs, the creatures charged with antennae raised. But they

couldn't so much as scratch the team.

It was too easy. The team started to wonder why Ghislain had gone to such lengths to build a

fortress.

With enemies this weak, they could have simply brought soldiers to annihilate them. Even if it took a few days, it wouldn't have been impossible.

Despite the ease of the task, Ghislain remained cautious.

"We're here. From now on, proceed slowly."

The team, puzzled, followed him. Despite this being his first time here, Ghislain moved confidently, glancing around only briefly before pressing forward.

It seemed like he knew exactly where Queen of Greggs was, which only deepened their

curiosity.

How did he know? It was maddening not to ask, but they knew he wouldn't answer anyway.

"Oh..."

Lucas, following behind, let out a soft gasp.

As they followed Ghislain's path, the terrain began to change. The dense trees thinned,

leaving more open space between them.

And then, they saw it—a swarm of Greggs in the distance.

"What the... is that?"

"Ugh... disgusting..."

"My lord, are we really going to kidnap that?"

The hundreds of Greggs swarming together were repulsive enough, but the creature at their

center was even more horrifying.

Though it was far away, everyone here had the eyesight to make out its details.

It was several times larger than a typical Greggs.

It wasn't just its size. Unlike the nearly blind regular Greggs, this one had multiple eyes.

Its abdomen bulged grotesquely, swollen as though it carried eggs.

It had additional antennae, and its head stretched unnaturally far back.

As everyone cringed at its revolting appearance, Ghislain grinned. "That's the Queen of Greggs. Now, let's bring it back to the fortress. It's not much of a

fighter."

"Ugh, how are we supposed to bring it back? Wouldn't it be better to just kill it here?" Belinda frowned.

Transporting it wasn't the problem. Despite its size, it was only about as big as a typical ogre.

With the sturdy ropes they had prepared, the team could handle tying it up and carrying it.

But the idea of hauling that disgusting thing back was revolting.

Kaor, swallowing hard, also agreed with Belinda.

"Why don't we just kill it? There are only a few hundred of them here. We can wipe them out."

It was rare for the two to agree on anything. But even in this momentous occasion, Ghislain shook his head. "No. Killing it here would put us in danger. We have to capture it alive."

Everyone let out a collective sigh. Capturing it alive would mean dealing with its flailing legs

and screeching, a truly unpleasant task.

Even seasoned veterans like Gordon wore uneasy expressions. "Then how do we capture it? Shouldn't we kill the surrounding Greggs first?"

There were hundreds, but with the team's skills, it wouldn't take long to clear them out.

But Ghislain shook his head again.

"No. We can't fight here." "Then how do we capture it?"

"Now's the time for our bait to shine. We'll lure Queen of Greggs out. Once it's here, we'll

capture it and leave."

At this, everyone immediately looked at Alpoi. His face went pale as he stammered. "Wh-what? How am I supposed to lure that... that thing here?"

"Just go over there, show off some flashy magic, and slowly back away. It'll follow you." Alpoi blinked at Ghislain, his expression saying he thought the man was insane. "Those things... they charge at people on sight. There are hundreds of them. You want me to

go there alone, show some magic, and bring them here? Do you hear yourself? Please, try to make sense." "Don't worry. Just approach slowly. Queen of Greggs won't kill you."

"Stop saying nonsense. If I go in there, I'll die immediately. If you're so confident, come with

me. Let's go together."

Ghislain firmly shook his head.

"No. You have to go alone. That's the only way Queen of Greggs won't attack."

"Stop saying ridiculous things! How can I go alone? It's so far!"

"You have to go alone. That's the only way to avoid being attacked by the Queen of Greggs."

Alpoi still couldn't believe it, shaking his head violently.

"No, I won't. I can't. I don't believe you. I've trusted people before and been stabbed in the

back too many times."

Though his gambling debts were his own fault, Alpoi blamed Claude for luring him into that situation with sweet words.

Seeing Alpoi's resistance, Ghislain placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Trust me."

"I don't."

"I'm not Claude."

"Uh..."

Alpoi bit his lip. The brief statement struck a chord.

Now that he thought about it, Ghislain had accomplished many things no one else believed

possible.

Maybe, in this ridiculous situation, Ghislain was the most trustworthy person here.

Soft-hearted as ever, Alpoi began to waver.

"Why... why me?"

"Because you're the only one here who can use magic. And..."

"And?"

"Only the man who defeated a goddess can show such miracles."

Thump!

The words hit Alpoi like a hammer to the heart.

No matter what others said, it was true that he had overcome the power of a goddess. It was

the one source of pride he had left, something he could boast about for generations.

With his achievement mentioned, Alpoi couldn't refuse.

After a moment of deliberation, he lifted his head with a determined gaze.

"Fine, I'm Alpoi. The man who defeated a goddess."

"You can do it, right?"

"I'll try. But if it looks bad, I'm running immediately."

Still nervous, he left himself an escape route. Ghislain nodded as if it were the most natural

thing.

"Of course. If it gets dangerous, we'll help right away."

"Okay, I trust you. Don't abandon me."

Alpoi looked at Ghislain with anxious eyes. In response, Ghislain gave him a reassuring smile.

There was something Ghislain had once said to mercenaries in the Forest of Demonic Beasts,

back when Gordon had been captured. He repeated it now to Alpoi. "I've never once given up on someone who follows me." Those words moved Alpoi, his eyes glimmering with faint admiration, though he quickly

shook it off. He felt like he was truly becoming a slave.

"Hmph! Watch me. I'll do it and come back victorious." Snorting, Alpoi began to walk forward slowly.

The Greggs soon noticed him, their antennae twitching.

"Screeeech!"

"Kaaaah!"

The Greggs shrieked and charged at Alpoi. Hundreds of them rushing at once was terrifying.

As his face turned pale and he was about to run back, Queen of Greggs let out a piercing cry. "Kaaaaaaaaah!"

The advancing Greggs suddenly stopped in their tracks.

Startled, Alpoi froze, and so did the rest of the team hiding behind cover.

Gulp.

Alpoi swallowed nervously and took a hesitant step forward.

Then, something even more incredible happened.

Swish...

The Greggs parted to either side, clearing a path. It was as if the sea itself had been split.

"W-what is this..."

Trembling, Alpoi took another step forward. With each step, the Greggs moved further aside,

making way for him.

Right now, he thought,

'I am the man who defeated a goddess. They must recognize it! Hahaha!'

He was truly creating a miracle.

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