The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 461: Have You Been Working Out? (2)

Elena was flustered by Ghislain’s question and quickly responded, “W-working out? No way!”

After all, Elena was the daughter of a noble house. Unless one came from a completely destitute lineage, a noble lady had no reason to exert herself physically.

Even though Ferdium was a poor territory, it was still a margrave's domain supported by the kingdom. Servants were a given, meaning Elena never needed to lift a finger for menial tasks.

She had never trained or engaged in physical labor, only taking lessons to refine her elegance and poise as a proper noblewoman. This moment was, in fact, the first time in her life that she had ever used her full strength.

Elena shifted uncomfortably, her gaze darting around as the attention on her grew.

She had never considered her own strength before. To her, it was just an unknown limit she never bothered to test. Why would she? There had never been a need.

Ghislain stroked his chin, his expression serious.

‘Now that I think about it... that time...’

He remembered an incident from his previous life.

“O-Oppa! We need to run!”

“It’s fine, calm down. Hey, you’re stronger than you look.”

“I said let’s go!”

When assassins came to kill Elena in the past, she had grabbed onto his arm and tried to drag him away. At the time, he found it strangely difficult to shake her off.

“Why are you so strong? Have you been working out?”

Ghislain had brushed it off as a passing comment, assuming she was simply stronger than the average girl. He was too preoccupied with the assassins to think deeply about it. Later, he attributed the oddity to his own unstable strength during his regression.

‘And there was that other time...’

When Ghislain won his duel with Cain and received his winnings, Elena had casually linked her arm with his, trying to get something out of him with her affectionate demeanor.

Even then, Ghislain had tried to pull his arm away—but failed.

“Seriously, do you work out? Why are you this strong?”

The oddities began to pile up in Ghislain’s mind. Things he had dismissed as minor quirks now seemed significant.

Even Belinda was similarly perplexed.

She had always considered Elena a healthy, albeit ordinary, young girl.

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‘Now that I think about it, she’s never even had so much as a cold. Not once. Compared to the young master, who constantly had a runny nose and cough as a child...’

At the time, Belinda had been so focused on caring for the frail Ghislain that she had simply taken Elena’s health for granted.

‘But still, she wasn’t this strong when she was younger.’

Sure, she was more robust than other girls her age, but not to the point of being stronger than adults. That was why Belinda had dismissed the notion that Elena could have inherited Anette’s divine strength.

But now, memories of another incident resurfaced.

When Alfoy and the mages first came to the territory, they had struggled to carry their own luggage. Even the coachman had offered to help, given how comically weak they were.

It was then that Elena had appeared with the other servants, effortlessly carrying the heavy luggage in both hands.

Belinda had even clapped her hands and exclaimed, “Oh my, isn’t this heavy? Have you been working out lately?”

Elena had only laughed it off. “What are you talking about? It’s not that heavy.”

At the time, everyone had assumed that Alfoy and his companions were simply too feeble.

Now, Ghislain and Belinda simultaneously placed a hand on their foreheads, their thoughts aligning.

‘She has divine strength. It’s unmistakable.’

‘Anette’s divine power must have passed on to her.’

How had they overlooked this? Why had they just dismissed her as a slightly stronger girl?

Divine strength wasn’t something just anyone could possess. It wasn’t even something most would think to check for.

‘To confirm divine strength, you need time and careful observation.’

‘And since we rarely saw her exert herself after childhood, we missed the signs.’

Those born with divine strength had denser, more robust muscle fibers, granting them incredible power. However, that strength usually developed gradually as they matured. Without deliberate attention, it could easily go unnoticed.

Ferdium’s hardships and the lack of opportunities for Elena to demonstrate her strength had allowed the truth to slip through the cracks.

Ghislain’s eyes gleamed with newfound determination.

‘To think our family has such a treasure... We can’t let this potential go to waste.’

That said, Elena’s feat of snapping the assassin’s arm was largely due to luck. The assassin had been caught off guard, making no effort to defend himself.

Even with divine strength, Elena wouldn’t stand a chance against a trained combatant. Without learning how to channel mana or proper techniques, raw strength alone wouldn’t take her far.

Still, Ghislain couldn’t help but smirk as he approached Elena.

“Elena, you must have been so scared. You did great.”

“Huh? Umm... thanks?”

“Honestly, I feel bad. This all happened because of me. How about I make it up to you? I’ll buy you some new dresses and jewelry.”

Elena frowned, suspicious, and took a step back.

Everyone knew Ghislain was rich—absurdly so. But he was also infamous for avoiding personal indulgences, pouring his wealth into the territory's development and military instead.

‘He’s never even bought me a decent gift before! Not once!’

Rachel had often grumbled about this, lamenting how being a noble in a wealthy domain meant little if you still lived modestly.

So now, for him to suddenly offer gifts? There had to be a catch.

“What’s your angle? Why are you acting like this?” Elena asked, her expression wary.

“I told you, I feel bad. I want to do something nice for my dear sister. Isn’t that allowed?”

“Yeah, right. You’ve never been this generous before. Don’t come any closer! You’re acting weird.”

Ghislain stopped in his tracks, raising his hands in mock surrender.

“Alright, fine. I promise it’s genuine this time. You can have anything you want—just name it.”

Elena’s suspicion deepened. “Anything?”

“Anything! I swear! Dresses, jewelry, whatever you desire. Just one small favor in return.”

There it was. Elena crossed her arms, her expression souring.

“What favor?”

Ghislain took a deep breath, his face growing serious.

“Elena,” he said, his voice dripping with sincerity. “Join the Northern Army.”

***

“Hah, it’s finally over,” Belinda sighed in relief.

“Yeah, good work, everyone,” Ghislain replied, leaning back in his chair with a tired expression.

The past few days had been grueling. It was clear the Ducal House had pulled out all the stops this time, even baiting with extravagant resources to ensure success. Though the problems were resolved, the exhaustion was catching up with them.

Belinda, her expression complicated, asked, “Are you really going to take Lady Elena with you?”

“Of course. Leaving that kind of talent untapped would be a sin. An actual crime,” Ghislain said with conviction.

“She seems extremely unwilling,” Belinda noted.

Ghislain touched the red mark on his cheek—a clear imprint of Elena’s palm. He had spent hours trying to convince her, only to get slapped for his efforts. He hadn’t resisted, letting her strike him, though the force of the slap had nearly snapped his neck.

After a moment of contemplation, he shook his head firmly. “No. A noble must fulfill their obligations. Someone with her natural gifts refusing to fight would be an injustice. I’ll drag her along, no matter what.”

Belinda sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She had opposed the idea multiple times, pointing out the risks, but Ghislain remained unyielding.

“It’s not just because of her divine strength,” Ghislain explained. “After this incident, it’s clear that Elena should at least know how to defend herself. Rachel too. Even if they don’t join the battlefield immediately, they need to train and prepare.”

Belinda couldn’t entirely disagree. Perhaps staying close to Ghislain and herself was the safest option for Elena and Rachel. If they were learning combat and mana training, Belinda would personally ensure they were protected during the process.

Hoping to avoid further debate, Ghislain changed the subject.

“Anyway, let’s set aside Elena’s situation for now. I want to know more about my mother. What exactly happened? The timeline doesn’t seem to line up with when I was born.”

“It’s been around 20 years, give or take. I said 20 as an estimate, but it’s actually been longer.”

Ghislain squinted at her. “So, what’s your real age, Belinda?”

“What did I teach you about asking a woman her age?”

“That a gentleman never does.”

“Exactly.”

“...”

Ghislain could only shake his head at her sly response.

“Fine, fine. So, what’s the truth about my mother? How did she end up in Ferdium? And what kind of history would have someone like Melkir chasing after her?”

Belinda sighed deeply and placed an old box on the table. She had brought it along, anticipating this conversation.

“What’s this?” Ghislain asked.

“It’s something I hid in Ferdium long ago. I think it’s better if you understand the organization Lady Anette and I belonged to first.”

Belinda explained that most of her personal belongings had been hidden in Ferdium while she followed Ghislain on his journeys. From Fenris to Cabaldi and even Desmond, Ghislain had moved constantly, so she had kept important items safely stored in Ferdium.

Ghislain swallowed hard and opened the box, his hands trembling slightly.

Click.

Inside were three books: two relatively clean volumes and one that was tattered and ancient. The two newer books immediately caught Ghislain’s attention, their titles standing out like a sore thumb.

“This is my mother’s secret?” he asked, incredulous.

“Yes,” Belinda confirmed.

Ghislain blinked several times, staring at the titles on the covers.

My Forgotten Ex-Husband Turns Out to Be the Empire’s Crown Prince?I Was Hit by a Carriage and Reincarnated as the Kingdom’s Princess.“These are... romance novels,” he said, voice flat. They looked like the kind of mass-produced stories he’d occasionally seen lying around.

“Does this mean she... remarried?” he asked hesitantly.

“What? No, of course not!” Belinda exclaimed, startled.

“Then was she secretly a royal princess or something?”

“Where are you getting these ideas?” Belinda asked, exasperated.

Ghislain picked up the two novels and waved them at her. “Then why are these here?”

Belinda’s eyes widened in recognition before she quickly snatched the books out of his hands.

“Oh, those! Those are just something I used to read when I needed a break. I must have accidentally packed them in,” she admitted with a sheepish grin.

Ghislain sighed in defeat and reached for the remaining book. It was old and worn, the pages fragile to the touch.

The book detailed information about the Shadow Order and the techniques Belinda had learned.

“The Shadow Order...” Ghislain murmured. He had never heard of it in his previous life.

The book explained that the Shadow Order was a secret organization tasked with protecting the Ruthania royal family from the shadows. They were a group dedicated to eliminating threats to the crown, their existence hidden from the public eye.

What was particularly notable was that the leadership of the order had always been held by a single family—his mother’s family.

“Wait, the position of commander was inherited within one family? In this kingdom?”

“Yes. Only members of Lady Anette’s family could learn the Shadow Order’s techniques and lead it.”

“But wasn’t that passed down to you?” Ghislain asked, confused.

“Lady Anette decided to end the tradition with her generation. That’s why she entrusted the techniques to me. I don’t know why she made that choice, but she was adamant about it.”

“What about the rest of her family? Did she have any other relatives?”

“Not that I know of. She kept much of her past a secret... said it made her more intriguing that way.”

Ghislain realized that everything Belinda had taught him originated from his mother’s legacy. The lineage of her teachings had continued, albeit in a roundabout way.

“So this order... it doesn’t say when or why it was founded,” Ghislain remarked, flipping through the pages.

An organization with such significant power couldn’t have emerged without cause. Moreover, there were hints that the Shadow Order had been battling the Salvation Church for some time, long before its recent rise.

Belinda added, “I suspect it dates back to the time of the founding king. It would explain their role in protecting the Ruthania royal family.”

“Does that mean the Shadow Order still exists?”

“No, Melkir destroyed it. Almost no one survived. Whether it’s been rebuilt since then, I don’t know.”

“Was Melkir a traitor?”

“Yes, he was the vice-commander. He betrayed Lady Anette, ambushing her and inflicting grave injuries. Most of the members died during the attack, and the organization collapsed.”

Belinda recounted the events calmly. She had been a trainee at the time, too young to grasp the full extent of what was happening. She had assumed it was a coordinated betrayal from within.

“But looking back now, I think he must have collaborated with outside forces—the Ducal House and the Salvation Church.”

“Did anyone mention anything about the enemy during the attack?”

“I was just a trainee then. Lady Anette didn’t share those details with me, so I don’t know much.”

“I see... but I think I’m starting to piece things together.”

If the Salvation Church had been in contact with the Ducal House over 20 years ago, then their ambition to overthrow the kingdom had been brewing for decades. The attack on the Shadow Order was likely part of their strategy to destabilize the royal family.

Ghislain narrowed his eyes, lost in thought.

“They’ve covered their tracks well. This doesn’t feel like the work of a fledgling religion.”

The dark energy wielded by the Salvation Church was unlike any conventional mana or divine power he had encountered. It felt ancient—something that had existed long before its emergence in recent years.

“It feels like there’s been some massive cover-up...”

If that was the case, it wasn’t something he could ignore.

“I’ll need to question Ereneth at some point,” he muttered. “They won’t give me a straight answer, but I’ll figure it out.”

And... there was someone else he needed to meet, driven more by intuition than logic.

“There’s no doubt they know something.”

Ghislain’s gaze sharpened as he resolved to seek answers from the Ruthania royal family. His mother’s lineage, the Salvation Church, and the crown were all entwined in ways he couldn’t yet see.