The Culprit Is in Here. (1)
When Ghislain announced his departure, numerous nobles, including Alex, came out to see him off.
Of course, their inner thoughts varied.
'Now that he's actually leaving, I feel a bit empty... but also relieved... and maybe a little regretful... Still, I won't forget that I owe my life to you.'
Alex felt unsettled. Ghislain was terrifying, but having him around was oddly reassuring.
The three individuals who now held key positions in the kingdom felt similarly.
'Is this really okay? I just wanted to live peacefully, raising ducks. How am I supposed to run a kingdom? But honestly, this is amazing. The Yulian Mercenary Corps is truly the best.'
'The kingdom is still in chaos. Shouldn't you just stay? What am I supposed to do? Still, I will never forget the kindness of my hyung-nim.'
'Oh my, I really backed the right side! This is a tremendous honor for my family. But why did they give me this position? I appreciate it, but… what am I supposed to do now?'
Aside from them, the rest of the nobles all wore bright smiles.
'That madman is finally leaving.'
'I was so scared I could barely breathe.'
'It was disgusting working with him, and I hope we never cross paths again.'
Truthfully, if Ghislain had wanted to, he could have become an even greater threat than Marquis Falkenheim.
Everyone knew it. That's why they breathed a sigh of relief as they watched him leave without resistance.
But even with Ghislain gone, none of them dared to covet the throne. They knew that behind the three who now held power stood the Yulian Mercenary Corps.
Only news of Ghislain's death might embolden them to make a move.
Thus, thanks to his actions, the power structure of the Flovitz Kingdom had been completely reshaped.
Marquis Falkenheim's remaining vassals would likely struggle for dominance, but Ghislain wasn't too concerned.
After all, the strongest faction was now the one led by the three he had appointed.
After leaving for another kingdom, Ghislain once again caused a series of incidents, and the notorious reputation of the Yulian Mercenary Corps began to spread far and wide.
***
[ … Raising our notoriety—our fame—wasn't difficult. First, we took down the mercenaries of each kingdom and absorbed them, gradually expanding our influence. Naturally, the nobles started entrusting us with various requests. We only accepted the just ones and carried them out successfully. As for those who tried to hire us for disgraceful deeds, we did not let them off the hook.]
[ … The more our reputation grew, the more difficult and complex the requests became. But that was never a problem. Ghislain had a way of simplifying even the most convoluted situations. Of course, his methods were mostly… ########Right now, my life is in danger. Please save me… ]
[ We gained fame in multiple kingdoms, solving numerous commissions. The scale of our operations grew larger as well. We quelled rebellions, intervened in succession disputes, and whenever necessary, Ghislain gathered all the mercenaries he had recruited to enforce peace—by force, if needed.]
[ A year and a half passed, and branches of the mercenary corps were established across various kingdoms. More and more people sought to join us. Our reputation soared, and wealth poured in. Yet, Ghislain seemed uneasy. He often muttered to himself that something felt off.]
[ … Then, an incident occurred in the Arsena Kingdom. Several members of the royal family died, wasting away from poison. With multiple victims, the entire kingdom was thrown into turmoil. No matter how much they investigated, they couldn't find the culprit. Amidst the chaos, Ghislain boldly stepped forward and declared that he would solve the case.]
[ Normally, he should have been kicked out on the spot, but fortunately, the Yulian Mercenary Corps was well-known in Arsena as well. Desperate, the king entrusted the case to us.]
[ For several days, we were treated like honored guests in the royal palace while Ghislain did nothing but enjoy himself. Then, without warning, he suddenly ordered all palace staff to gather in one place. Even high-ranking officials and nobles were summoned, which led to considerable backlash. But with the king's authority, we managed to gather everyone. I… I still can't forget what Ghislain did next.]
By the king's decree, everyone assembled inside a massive hall.
Ghislain scanned the gathered crowd with a serious expression and spoke.
"The riddle has been solved. The culprit is in this room."
"..."
Everyone looked utterly baffled. It was already irritating enough that some mercenary had barged in and was being treated as an honored guest. Now, he was spouting nonsense after forcing everyone to gather.
Among those present were high-ranking officials and nobles. They sneered and pointed at Ghislain.
"Just because some mercenary gained a bit of fame, he thinks he can do as he pleases!"
"No matter how chaotic things are, a mere mercenary dares to act so presumptuously!"
"Do you even know who you're accusing? How dare you speak of a culprit in our presence!"
"Your Majesty! Why did you entrust such a matter to this fool?"
Anger erupted all around. The servants of lower status simply lowered their heads, afraid to draw attention.
Despite their rage, the nobles did not dare to leave. The king's knights and soldiers guarded the exits, preventing anyone from slipping away.
Seated at the highest position, the king silently observed the commotion with a stern expression. He made no move to stop Ghislain.
As the shouting escalated, Ghislain suddenly spread his arms wide and bellowed.
"Don't move! Anyone who moves now is the culprit!"
"..."
The nobles looked at him in utter disbelief. This was beyond absurd.
Finally, the prime minister, unable to endure it any longer, stepped forward and shouted.
"You insolent wretch! Cease this madness at once! Your Majesty, this is ridiculous! We need to form a proper investigation team and—"
"Oh? You moved? So you're the culprit!"
"W-what? You crazy bastard, what nonsense are you—"
The prime minister stammered in shock. But Ghislain didn't hesitate. He rushed forward and threw a punch.
Thud!
"Kugh!"
The prime minister let out a cry and collapsed. The entire hall fell into stunned silence.
Ghislain turned to the royal knights and barked.
"This one's the culprit! Tie him up!"
The knights hesitated, glancing at the king in bewilderment. The situation was beyond comprehension.
But the king, his expression still grim, nodded without hesitation. He showed no intention of intervening.
Reluctantly, the knights bound the prime minister and dragged him aside.
Unable to believe what was happening, the royal chamberlain spoke up.
"Now, now, let's all calm down. This situation needs to be properly explained before we—"
"Oh? You moved? That means you're the culprit too!"
"W-what?"
Thud!
The chamberlain was struck down as well and promptly tied up next to the prime minister.
Only then did everyone realize this was no joke.
No one dared to move. They barely even breathed, terrified of drawing attention.
"Hmmm…"
Ghislain looked around smugly. No one met his gaze, all either lowering their heads or averting their eyes.
"I feel like there are more culprits here…"
He muttered as he slowly paced through the crowd. Everyone clenched their bodies in tense stillness.
Then, as he passed by the Chief Royal Advisor, the man flinched ever so slightly.
"Oh? You just moved, didn't you?"
Cold sweat trickled down the advisor's face as he forced a stiff smile.
"N-no, it's just that my body cramped a little…"
"Oh? You're smiling?"
"......"
"That means you're the culprit."
"......."
Thud!
The Chief Royal Advisor was dragged away as well.
The crowd became even more terrified. If they were accused as culprits now, they would undoubtedly be branded as traitors who poisoned the royal family and sentenced to death.
Because of that, even those who were innocent couldn't help but flinch whenever Ghislain passed by them.
"Hmm, maybe I saw that wrong?"
Despite several people flinching, Ghislain pretended not to notice and moved on.
Of course, there was no way he had actually made a mistake, but those unfamiliar with his abilities failed to notice anything unusual.
After passing a few more people, Ghislain suddenly stopped in front of a man who stood as still as a stone.
"Oh? You just moved!"
"I-I didn't move!"
"Your chest moved when you breathed. I saw it clearly."
"You… crazy—!"
Thud!
The fear among the people deepened. No one could understand the criteria Ghislain was using to pick out suspects.
Now, even if someone didn't move, he would just make up an excuse to beat them and drag them away.
After a few more people were captured, Ghislain stopped before a man.
The man was a Royal Court Mage, a master of the Sixth Circle. He glared at Ghislain as if he wanted to kill him.
Ghislain smirked.
"You moved, didn't you?"
"Stop with the nonsense."
"Something seems to be moving inside you, though."
"If you know, then just die already, you insane bastard."
Fwoosh!
A tremendous surge of mana erupted from the Royal Court Mage's hand. The energy shot toward Ghislain in an instant, engulfing him completely.
The mage's lips twisted into a smug grin. Even the strongest knights wouldn't have survived such an attack—it was enough power to pulverize a person into dust.
Even in front of the king, he couldn't hold back. That was why he had unleashed his spell.
However, his expression soon stiffened.
"W-what?!"
"Oh, you didn't know? I'm a mage too."
A blue glow surrounded Ghislain's body. The Royal Court Mage could only gape in disbelief.
He was a Sixth Circle Master—just one step away from becoming a superhuman.
And yet, someone had effortlessly blocked the immense mana he had released in an instant. That wasn't something just anyone could do.
"N-no way… Seventh Circle?"
"Let me show you properly."
Ghislain grinned and stretched out his hand. A massive surge of mana burst forth from within him.
Boom!
"Kuhh!"
The Royal Court Mage's body convulsed violently. He didn't get blown away; instead, he floated momentarily before collapsing on the spot.
The spectators gasped, their eyes widening in shock.
Defeating a Sixth Circle Master so easily with magic meant only one thing—the opponent was of a higher Circle.
Through relentless training and countless experiences, Ghislain had finally reached the Seventh Circle. He had even acquired a Seventh Circle spellbook as a reward while completing a commission.
Ordinary Seventh Circle mages wouldn't have been able to take down a Sixth Circle Master so effortlessly.
But Ghislain had already surpassed the realm of a mere superhuman.
He could imbue his magic with his will, creating overwhelming destructive force and additional effects beyond normal spells.
That was why, at such close range, he could subdue even a high-ranking mage in an instant.
Ghislain looked down at the collapsed Royal Court Mage and chuckled.
"Magic isn't about practical combat—it's about the Circle."
He changed his reasoning to suit the situation every time, but for now, that was what mattered.
He didn't kill the mage. Instead, he merely knocked him unconscious before placing a hand over his heart.
"I'll make good use of your mana."
Fwoosh!
The Royal Court Mage's body trembled as light burst forth from his heart. His mana was being transferred into Ghislain.
This wasn't just borrowing mana—it was the outright destruction of the opponent's Circle and the extraction of their mana source.
In truth, the amount he could absorb was less than half of what the opponent had accumulated. But Ghislain didn't mind.
"More is always better. Though the purity isn't that great."
A normal mage wouldn't even dare attempt such a feat due to the risk of mana rejection.
However, Ghislain's control over mana had reached an extreme level. He could isolate the absorbed mana within one part of his body, gradually breaking it down and assimilating it over time.
After draining the Royal Court Mage's mana completely, he was tied up and tossed into a corner.
Ghislain continued picking out a few more individuals.
"All of you, move over there."
Having witnessed his madness and overwhelming strength, no one resisted. They obediently allowed themselves to be tied up and taken away.
The captured individuals were a mixed group—high-ranking officials like the prime minister and the chamberlain, as well as palace chefs and ordinary servants.
Once he was done gathering the "culprits," Ghislain stood before the king and exaggeratedly bowed.
"Your Majesty, I have found all the culprits."
"Are you certain of this?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The king's gaze swept over the long line of bound individuals.
Yet, his eyes still held uncertainty. There were simply too many culprits.
"Are you telling me that… all of them are guilty…?"
The aged king took several deep breaths, clearly shaken.
He had already been suffering under the weight of grief and stress. Many of his blood relatives had perished, and yet no culprit had been found. He had been drowning in a mix of rage and fear.
His aging body was already frail, and this ordeal had only worsened his condition.
But even so, he couldn't blindly accept Ghislain's claim and execute them all.
So, the king gave Ghislain a stern order.
"Explain to everyone here why these people are the culprits."
"As you wish."
Ghislain grinned and spread his arms wide.
Fwoosh!
Mana erupted from his body, radiating outward in all directions.
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