The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Training for Mana Control (3)

Ghislain hadn’t only provided Kaor with a secret technique. He also called Gillian separately and handed him several books.

If Kaor had seen it, he would have thrown a fit, demanding to know why Gillian received more than he did.

“What is this?” Gillian asked.

Ghislain answered nonchalantly.

“These are modified mana cultivation techniques suited for you, and a book summarizing the weapon skills that I know.”

“My lord…”

Gillian couldn’t hide the emotion on his face.

Ghislain had already shown interest in the mana cultivation techniques that both he and Kaor practiced, often asking them about it.

Knowing that Ghislain’s own cultivation technique was superior, neither of them had bothered to hide anything from him.

They had even received occasional advice on the subject.

Gillian was also aware that Ghislain often stayed up late, writing something.

But he had never guessed that Ghislain might be compiling a book of secret techniques to give to him all this time.

Ghislain looked at Gillian and asked teasingly, “Doesn’t it hurt your pride a bit to be learning mana cultivation techniques and weapon skills from someone much younger?”

“Not at all. I already know that you’re exceptional, my lord.”

In this estate, Gillian was the one who had sparred with Ghislain the most.

There was no one else who could even be a match for him.

After crossing swords with him a few times, Gillian had a vague understanding of just how high Ghislain’s level of enlightenment was—a realm far beyond his own.

Occasionally, he was perplexed by Ghislain’s skill, which didn’t match his age at all.

Even the jokes Ghislain would make about having died and come back to life were almost believable.

Ghislain nodded a few times before continuing.

“The mana cultivation technique you’ve been practicing isn’t bad. So I just made a few adjustments to it. As for the weapon skills, there’s no need to learn anything new—just compare it to what you’re already using and take only what feels useful. You’re already forging your own path, Gillian.”

Ghislain had been particularly meticulous while writing the books intended for Gillian.

Over the years, Gillian had grown stronger by breaking through his limits multiple times.

However, with the techniques he had built his foundation on deeply imprinted in his body and mind, adopting any new methods—even superior ones—had become challenging.

So, Ghislain had pondered how he could maximize Gillian’s strengths and expand his limits.

“…Thank you.”

For the first time in a long while, Gillian’s heart was racing.

‘I thought I’d let go of all ambition…’

He had retired long ago after reaching his limits. When he stepped down from his role as captain, he thought he’d abandoned any lingering attachment to strength.

However, the desire he thought he’d discarded flared up again the moment it found a spark.

The Ratatosk Mercenary Corps, to which he had once belonged, was a group with a respectable history. As a result of its long-standing tradition, it had a mana cultivation technique that had been passed down for generations. The corps leader and key members all learned this technique, and when they retired, they passed it down to the next generation.

For something acquired by a mercenary corps, it was a fairly high-level mana cultivation technique. But it couldn’t compare to what Ghislain knew.

It wasn’t just the mana cultivation technique, either. The weapon skills Ghislain had compiled were enough to make even the continent’s most renowned knights envious.

‘To think he’d give me such treasures.’

These were treasures that couldn’t be obtained even by offering an entire fortress. Those who understood their value would be willing to risk their lives to obtain them.

It was astonishing that Ghislain handed over something so precious so casually—something he might hesitate to give even to his own blood relatives.

But more than anything, Gillian was deeply moved that Ghislain trusted him enough to give him such treasures.

Carefully, Gillian packed the books and bowed his head.

“I’ll master these as quickly as possible. I’ll also increase the intensity of those thick-headed recruits’ training.”

“It’d be good to push those guys a bit harder, but as for you, Gillian, your current training is sufficient. Don’t overdo it,” Ghislain said with concern.

But Gillian shook his head.

The war was on the horizon. Even if one more person grew stronger, even just a little, it would raise their chances of victory.

With a determined glint in his eye, Gillian spoke.

“My role is to crush all of your enemies, my lord. I’m still not strong enough to do that.”

Truly, just having him by his side was reassuring.

Ghislain smiled a satisfied smile, like a well-fed lion.

* * *

Unlike the secret techniques he’d given to Gillian and Kaor, Ghislain didn’t hand anything specific to Belinda.

Instead, he met with her and asked a question.

“How long has it been since you last trained?”

“Hmm… since I’ve properly trained? I think it’s been… over ten years?”

“Why?”

When Ghislain asked, Belinda responded with a look of exasperation.

“Why do you think so? I was the one who raised you and Miss Elena, wasn’t I? By the time you two were a bit older and things started to settle down, you kept getting into trouble everywhere, and I was busy cleaning up your messes.”

“…Well, I don’t cause as much trouble these days.”

“The number of troubles might have gone down, but the magnitude has intensified. And besides, taking care of your mess, I’ve got my duties as head housekeeper. It’s hard to find time to train properly.”

She was barely able to maintain her current skills, struggling just to prevent herself from regressing.

Belinda was, more than anyone else, a person consumed by the practical demands of life here.

Her situation was different from Gillian or Kaor, who lived for combat.

Child-rearing, education, estate management—Belinda had handled countless responsibilities for the Ferdium family.

And now, even in the Fenris Estate, she was constantly busy with her duties as the head housekeeper, barely having a moment to catch her breath.

Ghislain nodded, understanding.

‘Yep, training was just a side gig for her.’

Belinda’s mana cultivation technique and skills were impressive, even at a glance.

Although he hadn’t directly asked her about it, as he had with Gillian and Kaor, he could sense the strength in the flow of mana whenever she happened to fight. It was palpable enough that he could feel it in his bones.

Her technique likely surpassed even the training methods of renowned knightly families.

If he tried to meddle with it carelessly, it would only create confusion.

‘She probably learned it from her mother’s family, right?’

Though he didn’t know much of her mother’s family, they were said to be fallen nobles, and that they had such an advanced mana cultivation technique, Belinda had never spoken about her mother’s lineage.

As a result, Ghislain also knew little about his mother. Just because he was a regressor didn’t mean he automatically knew things he hadn’t learned before.

‘ Come to think of it, it’s really strange. She hasn’t trained in over ten years, yet her skills are still that formidable.’

If Belinda had dedicated herself to continuous training, she’d probably be able to smack Kaor so hard with a single slap that his neck would snap.

‘But I can’t exactly tell her to stop working and focus on training…’

With Claude as the Chief Overseer and Belinda as the head housekeeper, the two of them were responsible for managing the estate’s internal affairs. If even one of them abandoned their duties, the estate would fall into chaos.

‘Looks like there’s no choice but to throw some money at the problem.’

Ghislain made up his mind and immediately summoned the mages and artisans.

First, he arranged for a mana concentration array to be installed in Belinda’s bedroom.

It was a bit different from the ones he had prepared for others’ training. To enhance its effectiveness and extend its duration, he poured several times the usual amount of runestones into the array, far more than a typical magic circle would require.

He also had numerous bracelets crafted to aid in mana cultivation.

The bracelets had a similar effect to the mana concentration array, though their efficiency was so poor that crafting them was generally a loss.

Naturally, these also consumed an enormous amount of runestones. The mages were so stunned by the expense that they couldn’t help but ask.

“Who is all this for? Are you planning to give it to the mercenaries?”

“No, it’s for the housekeeper.”

“Isn’t that a bit too much for one person? This surpasses the estate’s annual budget by a wide margin.”

“The housekeeper is an incredibly busy person. That’s why we need to create the best environment possible, so she can train whenever she has a spare moment.”

Ghislain made a particular request to the artisans.

“Engrave ‘Sharnel’ on the bracelets. You know what I mean, right? And make the design match as closely as possible.”

“Uh… my lord… if we make it, it’ll just be a knock-off.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like we’re going to sell it anywhere. I’m not that kind of person. This is just for the vibe, you know?”

“…Understood.”

Receiving the gift that Ghislain had prepared, Belinda was so happy that she was on the verge of tears.

She’d always been worried about not having enough time to train. Now, she had her own mana concentration array, and even a bracelet to aid her mana cultivation.

If she trained whenever she had a spare moment, her mana would gather much more quickly.

“These should help a bit with your mana cultivation. Make sure to fit in some physical training too, even if it’s just for a short time. For now, this is the best that I can do.”

At Ghislain’s words, Belinda shook her head slightly.

He said, “the best that I can do”, but in her eyes, it was more than enough—bordering on excessive. She felt deeply moved by Ghislain’s efforts for her.

“Why spend so much money on something like this? You should use it for the estate.”

“Belinda, you’ve always been too busy looking after others, never able to properly focus on your own training. It’s still not enough.”

Just hearing his words made her exhaustion and hardships feel like they were melting away.

She recalled how troublesome he’d been as a child, and now, here he was, grown so responsible and dependable.

If only the late Countess could see him now.

Belinda wiped away a tear and spoke.

“This bracelet… it’s a knock-off, isn’t it?”

“…Is it that obvious?”

Ghislain scratched his head awkwardly. Seeing him like that, Belinda shot him a slight glare before bursting into a bright smile.

“Still, it’s my favorite bracelet that I’ve ever received.”

To her, it was a gift more precious than any luxury in the world.

* * *

Aside from Belinda, Gillian, and Kaor, there was no one else Ghislain needed to prepare special gifts for.

The mages were already receiving ample support, and Fergus, due to his age, had been under Ghislain’s care for a long time.

Now it was time to train the knights-in-training and the loyal followers from his previous life.

Ghislain stood before the gathered knights-in-training, addressing them with a serious expression.

“What I’ll be teaching you from now on isn’t some cheap mana cultivation technique that you can find floating around. This is the mana cultivation technique of the Ferdium family, passed down over hundreds of years.”

The knights-in-training all reacted with shock.

‘The rumors were true! He’s really going to teach us the family’s technique!’

What Ghislain was attempting was practically unthinkable.

Even those who’d sworn loyalty weren’t typically taught the family’s mana cultivation technique without the head of the family’s permission. Breaking that rule, even for blood relatives, was unforgivable by the standards of the time.

Although Ghislain was the rightful heir, he was not yet the head of the family.

But the idea of teaching this technique to hundreds, not just a handful, was so unbelievable that it would have seemed more credible as a joke.

One of the knights-in-training spoke up, his voice trembling.

“Is… is this for real? Are you really allowed to teach us the family’s technique?”

Each noble family had a separate mana cultivation technique they taught to their subordinates. It was a version markedly inferior to the original, but for people like these trainees, even that was more than they could have hoped for.

For those who came from the lowest rungs of society, this was the maximum they thought they could ever aspire to. They had lived their lives knowing they should not even dream of anything beyond that.

But Ghislain, as if it was no big deal, responded curtly.

“There’s no reason I can’t teach it. If I want to teach it, I’ll teach it.”

“But… but wouldn’t that be dangerous for you if it became known outside?”

“Dangerous? Losing in a war is more dangerous. To win, I need to make sure you all become strong first.”

He was right about needing every person to grow stronger. Still, it was an extreme measure.

There was the risk of the technique leaking, and even worse, if any of them were to betray him and turn their swords against him, what would he do then?

Seeing the doubtful looks on some faces, Ghislain chuckled.

“I don’t want any of you to die in battle, either.”

Those who had fought alongside him since the Forest of Beasts bit their lips. They were the ones who had seen, up close, how Ghislain had fought until now.

They understood better than anyone that he meant what he said.

In the somber atmosphere, Ghislain smiled.

“And I want to keep fighting alongside you all in the future.”

At last, they understood.

Their lord was offering them his trust first.

These were people who had long been scorned for having the “lowly job” of selling their lives. Even those newly recruited by Ghislain were no different.

They had wanted to escape that life, but circumstances and their environment never allowed it.

Yet here was their lord, giving them the very opportunity they had dreamed of.

When you receive something, it’s only right to give something back.

Whether they are mercenaries or knights, that rule stays the same.

One by one, they placed their fists over their hearts.

As newly appointed knights, their posture was awkward and far from the proper etiquette, but their hearts were truer than anyone’s.

Kneeling slowly on one knee, they shouted with all their sincerity.

“We pledge our loyalty!”

This was all they could offer Ghislain.

And to Ghislain, it was more than enough.