The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 208: I’m Really a Pacifist (1)

No matter how strong Kaor was, he couldn’t do anything when confronted by the combined force of powerhouses like Ghislain, Belinda, and Gillian.

Alfoi occasionally casted enhancement spells on people in the midst of the commotion.

“Argh! Stop! If you stop now, I’ll let you live! Just hold on a second! Aghhh!”

His desperate screams were futile. No one wanted to miss this opportunity.

After being trampled on for quite a while, Kaor eventually passed out and was carried away. Piote refused to heal him until the end.

Most of the elves, who usually carried an air of detachment, were watching indifferently, too apathetic to care. However, a few paused what they were doing and simply observed the chaos, eventually cheering loudly.

“What’s this? This place has some real fire to it, doesn’t it?”

“Oh, this looks fun! We’re amazing at playing around too, you know.”

“Is that the Lord? He’s got a decent face, but his temper seems a little rough. That could be romantic in its own way, though.”

They laughed and whispered amongst themselves before escalating their antics even further.

The ones merely vomiting from the alcohol they drank or lighting up some tobacco were the more tolerable ones.

One male elf winked at Belinda while biting his lower lip seductively. It was almost comical how exaggeratedly sleazy he was.

Another male elf licked his lips as he gazed at Alfoi. The naïve Alfoi, completely unaware of what it meant, just blinked back in confusion.

Unable to stand it any longer, Ghislain stepped forward and shouted.

“Attention, everyone!”

At his command, the elves stopped what they were doing and all turned to look at him.

After hesitating for a moment, Ghislain asked.

“Is there anyone here who can use spirits?”

The elves, who had been staring at him blankly, suddenly burst into laughter, clutching their stomachs as they howled.

“Spirits? What’s that? Something you’d eat?”

“I heard our ancestors could use them, but we don’t know anything about that. Spirit tamer slaves? That’s too romantic!”

“We don’t know spirits, but we’re good with stamina!”

They continued to laugh and chatter among themselves, throwing out crude jokes and raucous laughter. The situation was so absurd that no one could even bring themselves to get angry or reprimand them.

Ghislain could only press a hand to his forehead in exasperation.

“What is this…? Why are the elves like this…? What kind of garbage did that slave trader even bring…?”

Amidst the utter chaos, Claude looked at Ghislain with a pitiful expression.

“My Lord… these guys are utterly useless. You should just sell them again. They’re too inefficient to use as laborers or soldiers. On top of that, they’re so expensive that we can’t even injure or kill them. It’s a waste of money.”

Belinda nodded in agreement next to him.

“This time, I think we really made a mistake. They’re completely different from the elves we’ve heard about in stories.”

Even Ghislain had nothing to say this time. He hadn’t expected things to be this disastrous.

He glanced up at the sky for a moment and let out a deep sigh.

“Wow, this is driving me crazy! The elves I met in my past life were never like this!”

They were always dignified and graceful, protectors of nature and friends of the spirits. They were reliable and noble warriors who had stood alongside humanity against the calamities that swept the continent.

“I knew they might be different after spending so long as slaves among humans… but this is way beyond anything I anticipated.”

Elves, being proud and noble, required a different approach to persuasion compared to dwarves. But this situation wasn’t even at the stage of persuasion.

Their condition wasn’t just bad—it was catastrophic. He had been suspicious earlier, wondering if the slave trader had brought over sick elves. And it turned out he was right, though it wasn’t their bodies that seemed sick—it was their minds.

“Did that slave-trading bastard really scam me? Is that why he fled so quickly? How dare he cheat me, the King of Mercenaries? Should I hunt him down and kill him right now?”

The newly arrived Galbarik and the dwarves, who had come to see what was happening, burst into laughter at the sight.

“Puhaha! Looks like our dear lord really didn’t know anything about buying elf slaves! Guess even a genius has blind spots!”

When Ghislain clenched his fist and glared, Galbarik panicked and waved his hands defensively.

“No, no! It’s just that most people don’t realize this, but most elf slaves are like that!”

“What?”

“To be precise, the older elves tend to be like that. Even if they live among humans, they don’t have much to do except fool around. In short, they’ve been thoroughly corrupted by human influence over the long years.”

“And what about the younger elves?”

“The naïve, obedient ones? Nobles never sell them. Any elf that’s sold is already in some kind of bad shape. It’s just a different situation compared to us.”

Even if dwarves ended up as slaves, they didn’t lose their racial identity. Humans still relied on their craftsmanship and skills.

But elves, once removed from the forests, had little to offer besides their beauty. Over time, elf slaves were treated as little more than decorative ornaments or living dolls.

Their long lifespans also meant they reproduced slowly, making it hard to increase their numbers. And because they were so exorbitantly priced, no one dared to harm them recklessly.

As a result, only the elves who were harder to manage and in worse condition made it to the markets, while the relatively stable ones were kept out of circulation.

The dwarves, being in a similar category of high-value slaves, understood these dynamics all too well.

“Damn it, I didn’t know that much. I never looked into it since I wasn’t interested. So, the slave trader didn’t scam me after all?”

Elf slaves were rare, their numbers few, and their prices exorbitant, making transactions infrequent. On top of that, nobles often hoarded them discreetly, making even a chance encounter unlikely.

While Ghislain now understood why they were in such poor condition, he couldn’t let things continue in this chaotic state.

“Fine, I just need to stick to my plan. First, I’ll try reasoning with them and getting them to cooperate.”

After a few deep breaths, Ghislain turned back to the elves and asked.

“Seeing how you’re all getting along so well, I take it you’ve grown closer during the journey here. So, who’s your representative?”

At his question, all the elves simultaneously turned their gazes toward a male elf who exuded the very essence of ennui.

Feeling the weight of their stares, the elf sighed heavily, shaking his head as though the entire situation was a bother, and stepped forward.

He was, predictably, breathtakingly beautiful. Tall and well-built, with a face that looked like it had been sculpted by the gods, he left the people of Fenris momentarily stunned.

As though such reactions were his due, he casually swept back his hair and spoke with an air of arrogance.

“I’m Ascon. I guess I’m the representative… for now.”

Elves typically chose their eldest as their representative when gathered. While not a strict rule, it was the usual practice.

Given the lack of camaraderie among this group, it was clear Ascon had been reluctantly forced into the role due to his seniority.

Ghislain looked at him and spoke in a dry tone.

“From now on, you’ll act as the elves’ representative for the time being, ensuring they adapt properly to the estate—”

“No, thanks.”

“What?”

“I said I don’t want to. Being a representative sounds like a hassle, and I don’t want to deal with it. Why should I, at my age, have to do something like that? My bones are aching these days.”

“……”

Ghislain was at a loss for words at Ascon’s response, which was dripping with indifference.

If not for his pointed ears, no one would have thought of him as an elf. He looked more like a hardened human who’d lived through countless struggles.

“This level of disrespect… It’s been a while since I’ve dealt with it.”

Ascon smirked with a look of disdain as he observed Ghislain’s momentary blank expression.

“What’s wrong? Were you expecting us to behave because we’re expensive slaves? Pathetic.”

He didn’t even need to hear the details to guess what was going on. Buying such a large number of elf slaves made it obvious. Ghislain likely intended to flaunt his wealth, handing out these pricey slaves as gifts to retainers or noble acquaintances. Elf slaves were the ultimate status symbol.

“Must be because he’s young. He’s desperate to show off his money.”

Having spent years among humans, Ascon didn’t bother hiding his blatant contempt.

“Since you seem to be young and unfamiliar with the ways of the world, allow me to offer you a piece of advice.”

“…What advice?”

“We’re not a group you can easily handle as you please, my lord. We’re a proud and dignified race, after all. Did you buy us without knowing that?”

Ghislain glanced around at the elves with an incredulous expression. Was that supposed to be the behavior of a proud and dignified race?

Regardless, Ascon was too busy spouting whatever he wanted.

“Well, you seem to have plenty of money, so let’s get along. As long as you don’t push my buttons too much, I’ll make sure we have some fun together. Enough with this nonsense about representatives or whatever.”

At Ascon’s brazen attitude, Ghislain’s attendants began to frown one by one.

At first, they’d been too shocked to react, but even for so-called high-class slaves, this was outrageously rude behavior.

A knight who had stepped forward when the dwarves first arrived—only to end up coughing blood—glanced around nervously before stepping up again, eager to redeem himself for that past blunder.

“You insolent slave! How dare you speak like that to the lord… Ugh, ack!”

Ghislain’s stunned gaze fell on the knight, who began coughing violently and stammered an excuse.

“Ah, ack! I choked because I spoke too suddenly… ack, ack!”

“…Just go.”

“…My apologies.”

As the knight retreated, Ghislain turned his gaze upward to the sky.

Why do only strange people seem to flock to me? Surely, it’s not because I’m strange, right? I’m perfectly normal.

He let out a deep sigh, unwilling to accept the unpleasant possibility. Self-reflection could wait for later. For now, he needed to wrap up the conversation with the elves.

“I don’t plan to treat you as mere slaves. If you cooperate with me wholeheartedly for the next ten years, I’ll grant you freedom and establish an autonomous zone for the elves. If you wish, I’ll even create a forest for you.”

The conditions were the same as those offered to the dwarves. Ghislain had no intention of exploiting them solely as slaves.

After all, a time of chaos was coming when social status would cease to matter. To survive then, everyone would need to work together.

But the elves, led by Ascon, merely scoffed at Ghislain’s words.

“Is he really that young? He’s so clueless about the world.”

“Who even lives in forests anymore? What’s there to enjoy? Sure, our ancestors did that, but their lives were a total waste.”

“Wow, our lord is such a romantic. Talking about freeing slaves? That’s so dreamy.”

“Cooperate? You mean how much fun are we supposed to entertain you with? We’re too old for that; our bones aren’t what they used to be.”

Their reaction was no different from that of the dwarves initially. They didn’t believe Ghislain would follow through on what he was promising.

The elves kept overstepping boundaries, prompting Belinda and Gillian to step forward, but Ghislain shook his head to stop them.

‘They’re a different race, and they’ve probably been through a lot. Let’s try to understand them. I’m not a racist, after all. Look at how considerate I am.’

With a great deal of patience, Ghislain spoke gently again.

“Whether you believe me or not doesn’t matter. Think of it as the reward I’m offering you. You’ll see for yourselves when the time comes.”

“Yes, yes, we get it. Handle that later or whatever. Got it. Now pick someone else to be the representative. I’m done.”

Ascon abruptly turned around, his body language making it clear he didn’t care to continue the conversation.

‘This bastard…’

Ghislain forced himself to endure once more, smiling tightly. Like with the dwarves, he needed the elves’ full cooperation.

“You’re the representative. It’s also a way to show respect for elven culture.”

“Wow, you really don’t listen, huh? I’m not doing it, so don’t bother. And stop respecting me, please.”

With that, Ascon flopped down onto the ground, sprawling out as if he had no intention of moving.

Belinda and Gillian’s gazes grew sharper. The tension in the air thickened, making everyone around them nervous.

The elves, however, merely chuckled at the escalating hostility.

‘What? Are they going to hit us? With how much we’re worth, they wouldn’t dare.’

‘It’s not like this is our first time getting smacked around.’

‘Man, these power struggles every time we go somewhere new are so exhausting. Can’t we all just get along?’

In the middle of this tense atmosphere, Ghislain looked down at the lounging Ascon and spoke.

“Get up and lead the elves. Head to the quarters, unpack your belongings, and wait there.”

“Don’t wanna. Too much trouble. Or you know what? Just throw me in jail. That would be easier for both of us. I don’t mind waiting there until you die and I’m released.”

Lying on his back, Ascon responded with a grin, clearly enjoying himself. Ghislain forced a smile as he continued.

“Could you just get up? I don’t like using force. I’m not a racist or anything, and I’m all about nonviolence and peace.”

“Hah, you’re really hard on an old man, aren’t you? Is there no respect for elders here? Still, I like your philosophy, my new lord. First impression is a pass, I guess?”

“Yeah, I’m pretty nice.”

Ascon slowly got to his feet, fixing Ghislain with a smug expression that seemed to say, What are you going to do about it?

“I’m not going to be the representative. It’s too much trouble. Get someone else to do it.”

“Can’t we just get along? I’m a real pacifist here, but nobody seems to notice.”

A faint hint of menace began to creep into Ghislain’s smiling face.

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.Com