Chapter 722: Chapter 722

The place Ghislain headed to was the border region between the Kingdom of Xanthos and the Kingdom of Portinus.

The two kingdoms had not been on good terms for a long time. There had even been a time when a trivial misunderstanding had escalated into a full-blown war.

Of course, in this era, they merely glared at each other and ground their teeth, but didn’t dare to fight recklessly.

The Holy Empire would not tolerate disputes between kingdoms unless there was a significantly serious issue. No one knew when the Demonic Abyss might surge again.

Ironically, wars between kingdoms usually broke out only after the threat of the Demonic Abyss had been successfully suppressed.

While flipping through a book on the histories of the two kingdoms, Ghislain muttered to himself.

“Ironically, defeating the Demonic Abyss doesn’t bring peace, it just leads to another war where everyone kills each other. After going through all that trouble to defeat the Demonic Abyss, wouldn’t it be nice if people could just share, be considerate, treat each other kindly and gently? That damned greed. Tsk tsk tsk.”

‘What is he saying?’

Kyle, who had been listening, looked at Ghislain with an incredulous expression. It felt like something completely uncharacteristic had just come out of that mouth.

Of course, he didn’t say that thought out loud. He was a man with a fair bit of tact.

However, there was another man here who wasn’t exactly known for his tact.

“To think those words would come out of your mouth, big bro! Osval the Man! I think I’ve just heard the funniest thing in my life! Puhahahaha… Kehhek! My apologies!”

In any case, due to those circumstances, the two kingdoms remained hostile but hadn’t escalated into actual war.

They simply refrained from using military force, but did everything they could to ruin each other through underhanded means.

They sent spies to spread rumors, sabotaged each other’s economies, and even tried to incite rebellions.

But none of those efforts had been particularly successful.

“Because their relationship was already so bad, they were extremely wary of outsiders. So, in the end, all they could do was badmouth each other.”

Then, suddenly, an incident occurred in the border region shared by the two kingdoms.

Count Bonedor of the Kingdom of Xanthos and Count Schwarz of the Kingdom of Portinus, whose territories lay at the very edges of each nation, began to clash.

Both lords claimed that a village within their domain had been attacked by the other side, and each began to gather their troops.

Of course, they hadn’t yet initiated any real military action. The rift between the two kingdoms was so deep that even a minor spark could ignite a full-scale war.

So, others simply assumed it was more of the usual. After all, those two lords had always been on bad terms due to their proximity to the border.

Kyle pointed that out.

“They’ve always bickered like that. Isn’t this just more of the same?”

“That’s possible. But that also makes it that much easier to exploit. For a priest of the Salvation Church trying to incite unrest, it’s an irresistible opportunity.”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

“And look at this. Both territories are on the kingdom’s outskirts. If a war breaks out between them, it’ll take time for the capital to intervene. The surrounding terrain is mountainous, perfect for hiding. Can we really call this a coincidence?”

Everyone nodded at Ghislain’s words. It truly was an ideal place to stir up trouble.

Given the distance, even a single misreported message reaching the royal court could cause a serious misunderstanding. If a war could just be sparked here, the rest would escalate on its own.

From the perspective of someone trying to cause chaos, this place was extremely enticing.

“The lords are both claiming innocence, but no one believes them. They’ve been poking at each other whenever they had the chance, even before this.”

“Yeah. Still, they say direct killings between them were rare. But now, both sides are furious, saying the truce has been broken.”

“Rightfully so. Assuming they really didn’t provoke each other this time.”

“Then who are the soldiers that attacked the village? They said the nearby bandits had already been wiped out to prevent exactly this kind of misunderstanding.”

The kingdom wasn’t stupid. In an age rife with banditry, the two territories had worked hard to root out bandits in the border regions.

Since then, both sides had kept a close watch to make sure no new bandit groups emerged. That’s why each territory was convinced the other was to blame.

But Ghislain spoke as if it were nothing.

“A high priest of the Salvation Church would be a Transcendent. To be wandering around in a world like this, he’d have to be. Even Basilude, who was a 6th-Circle mage, said he wouldn’t be able to handle him with his own power, remember?”

“Yeah.”

“If he’s a Transcendent, it wouldn’t be hard to lead a group of bandits from another region and sneak in. Do you think I couldn’t do the same with my mercenaries?”

No one could argue with that. If Ghislain had acted that way from the beginning, he’d likely be a Bandit King by now.

“Of course, it’s all just speculation. The two lords might really be up to something and provoked each other. That’s why we’re going to go check.”

Ghislain headed first for Count Bonedor’s territory.

The border defenses had tightened significantly, but with the atmosphere of war in the air, entering under the guise of a mercenary corps wasn’t difficult.

Mercenaries roaming toward battlefields was a common sight, after all.

Rather than heading straight for the lord’s castle, Ghislain first visited the village that had been attacked.

The village that had been attacked was already in ruins. Every house had burned down, and uncollected corpses lay scattered, rotting where they fell.

“Hmm, something’s definitely off.”

Ghislain examined the corpses carefully. Even among the decaying bodies, he picked out subtle traces.

“Why? What’s strange?”

Kyle asked, and after checking a few more bodies, Ghislain answered.

“It looks like they were trying to mimic a regular army, but these wounds weren’t made by trained soldiers.”

“…What?”

“Here, look. Most of the bodies were killed by spears and swords, right?”

Everyone nodded. Even though the corpses were rotting, those with experience could identify the traces of wounds at a glance.

But Ghislain could see beyond what they could. The battle’s events unfolded instantly in his mind.

“A properly trained army uses uniform spear and sword techniques. But if you look at these wounds, each one is slightly different. That means the attackers used different styles of spearplay and swordsmanship.”

“……”

“Also, even within a single unit, the gap in skill among soldiers isn’t usually that wide. But looking at these corpses, the difference in individual skill levels is pretty extreme.”

“……”

“From the direction the villagers were attacked, most of them were struck down while trying to flee. But if it had been a real army that attacked, it wouldn’t have been this chaotic. A trained force would have attacked far more systematically. This looks more like a disorganized raid by bandits.”

“……”

“So, the ones who attacked this village were either a disastrously untrained military unit… or outlaws pretending to be a regular army. And there’s no way the Count’s troops stationed at the border would be this sloppy, right?”

“……”

Everyone stared blankly at Ghislain.

The corpses were already bloated and decayed, with barely visible signs of the weapons that had killed them.

And yet, from that alone, he spoke as if he’d witnessed the battle firsthand. It was hard to believe.

As always, Kyle, full of questions, pressed him.

“You can really see all that? How do you know?”

“I know everything.”

“…”

“I’m always right.”

“…”

When Ghislain said it like that, Kyle had no choice but to believe him. Even if he didn’t actually believe it, he still had to go along.

Osval beat his chest and shouted.

“Boss! This man Osval will believe your words without question!”

“…Sure.”

Ghislain clicked his tongue in reply. Strangely, it always left a bitter taste when that guy was the first to believe him.

The others didn’t fully believe it either, but since it was Ghislain who said it, no one voiced any objections.

After examining the corpses, Ghislain went straight to meet Count Bonedor.

Count Bonedor, already in the process of assembling his troops, welcomed the mercenary corps warmly upon hearing of their arrival.

“Hoho, so you’re from the Claude Mercenary Corps, was it? You’ve come here looking for work?”

Ghislain had given a false name for the mercenary corps. On top of that, he was in disguise.

He had also stationed his mercenaries a little farther away, having them prepare various things. He had plans of his own.

“Yes, I heard things have been rather unsettled in this region lately.”

At Ghislain’s reply, Count Bonedor spoke with a furious expression.

“That’s right. Count Schwarz from the neighboring kingdom has been raiding villages in my territory. And then he has the audacity to accuse us of doing the same. I’m gathering troops to punish them.”

“Are you certain, Count, that you haven’t launched any attacks yourself? Rumor has it both sides have been involved.”

“Now, now! What are you saying! We may not get along, but there’s no way I’d do such a thing on my own! If war breaks out, it’ll be trouble for both of us! I’ve only…”

“Only?”

Count Bonedor cleared his throat awkwardly a few times before speaking.

“Khmm, I may have occasionally sent soldiers in secret at night to steal some resources. And maybe trampled a few crops…”

“……”

“Now, now, you’re not from around here so you wouldn’t understand, but this is more like… well, a folk tradition. Something that stirs the spirits of our people and boosts local morale, you see?”

“……”

“Don’t misunderstand. They did it too. That’s as far as we ever went. And we’ve kept it like that for a long time! We never crossed the line into bloodshed. There was an unspoken agreement about that! But they were the ones who spilled blood first!”

“…I see.”

Ghislain nodded. Judging by the Count’s impassioned tone, it didn’t seem like he was lying.

The other retainers looked as if this was perfectly normal. Apparently, in this region, that kind of thing was indeed the norm.

And because of such a “tradition”, it made any real trickery immediately suspicious.

In any case, the balance had now been broken. Both sides were genuinely furious and gathering their armies.

Count Bonedor had not made any moves just yet. He knew that if he did, there would be no turning back.

With a grim expression, he continued.

“But I can’t just keep taking the hits. If they strike just one more time, I’ll move the army right away.”

“I’ve heard that Count Schwarz is also gathering troops. What’s the latest from their side?”

“No major movements yet. But since they’re the ones who picked the fight in the first place, they’ll surely make their move soon. I’ve already reported this to the royal court.”

Count Bonedor seemed to have already accepted that war was inevitable.

He wouldn’t strike first, but he was convinced the other side would provoke them again soon enough.

But Ghislain thought differently.

‘They’re probably holding back for the same reason.’

Count Schwarz likely believed Count Bonedor had started things. Because both sides were restraining themselves, war hadn’t broken out yet.

‘I doubt they’ll let this opportunity slip by…’

It was obvious that one more spark would ignite a full-blown war. But the enemy was cautious and would be watching for the right moment.

After going so far as to create this powder keg, they wouldn’t risk failure.

They’d likely make their move only once tensions had eased slightly.

‘Then I’ll just have to make them move a bit faster.’

Grinning slyly, Ghislain turned to Count Bonedor.

“Would you entrust this matter to me?”

“What exactly are you asking for? Weren’t you here to join the war anyway?”

“That’s true… but I believe we should investigate the enemy first.”

“Hmm, go on.”

“How about requesting a truce first?”

At that, Count Bonedor leapt up in outrage.

“What? Why should I propose peace when I’ve done nothing wrong? He should be the one to reach out first! There’s no way I’d do that!”

Ghislain clicked his tongue and shook his head. The animosity ran deep and so did the pride.

This was why neither side was even attempting dialogue. Though blood had been spilled and the anger was understandable, it was also a prime setup for manipulation.

Ghislain didn’t reveal his suspicions. If word got out, the true instigator might abandon their plan and flee.

So, he chose the hard route and pressed further with persuasion.

“Fighting now will benefit no one. Consider the rift this would create between the two kingdoms. A war between estates will inevitably escalate to a war between nations.”

“…That’s why I’ve been holding back.”

“If you allow me to go, I’ll persuade Count Schwarz and return with a generous gift. Please place your trust in me.”

“Hmm…”

Count Bonedor fell into thought.

In war, mercenaries didn’t only fight. Occasionally, those with strong negotiation skills served as mediators.

There were times when pride and long-standing grudges made it hard to end a conflict, even when both sides wanted to.

After a brief silence, Count Bonedor reluctantly accepted Ghislain’s proposal.

“Khmm, fine. Then go and speak with him. If he shows sincerity, I won’t be unwilling to show some leniency myself.”

Count Bonedor didn’t truly want war. While the relationship was strained, he didn’t want to be the one to start a conflict.

With authority to negotiate on the Count’s behalf, Ghislain set out.

He took only a few senior members of the mercenary corps and confidently made his way to Count Schwarz.

Count Schwarz, too, was on edge.

Upon seeing Ghislain, he said,

“So, you’re from the Alfoi Mercenary Corps, right? I heard you came as that bastard’s envoy.”

“That’s right. I bring an important proposal from Count Bonedor.”

“Hmph, let’s hear it.”

Count Schwarz scoffed, but inwardly, he was relieved.

He was certain the other side would propose peace. They must be thinking the same way he was.

If they offered a decent amount of compensation, he was prepared to act as if he were grudgingly accepting the truce.

Smiling brightly, Ghislain pulled an ornate parchment from his coat and read it aloud in a booming voice.

“If you don’t surrender immediately, I’ll raze your estate to the ground! You foul wretch who should be boiled in sewage! This is WAR!”

“…”

Everyone fell silent. No one had expected Count Bonedor to come out swinging like this.

Even the mercenaries who’d come with Ghislain stared at him in shock.

Count Schwarz’s face turned bright red. Soon, he spoke in a furious voice.

“Fine! That’s just perfect. Let’s end this once and for all. I’ll personally ride out to take Count Bonedor’s head!”

And thus, war broke out between the two estates.