People no longer reacted immediately as they had in the past. The first reason was that Ghislain had given them advance notice. The second was that they all knew that trying to dissuade him was futile. So, they decided to wait and hear him out. After all, he had promised to explain. Ghislain couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed by their lukewarm reaction. "Ahem. Anyway, I’ll explain now, so listen carefully. The king and the Duke’s faction are preparing to exchange something." Information from spies sent to the capital was pouring in at an incredible rate. The other retainers might not know much, but Ghislain and Claude, who were receiving the reports, had a decent grasp of the situation in the capital. Ghislain consolidated his thoughts and the intelligence he had gathered before speaking. "Doesn’t it all seem strange? The Duke’s faction and the Salvation Order relentlessly targeting the royal family, suddenly halting the war to negotiate, and the fact that the king is receiving something in return—it’s all too suspicious." The group nodded as they listened to Ghislain. Claude, still nursing his bruised face, was the first to respond. "You’re right. With the northern army out of the picture, it should be easy for the Duke’s faction and the Salvation Order to overthrow the royal family. That priest from the Salvation Order could assassinate the king anytime he wanted." "Exactly. But he’s still clinging to the king’s side, which means there’s something he’s yet to receive. And he isn’t even trying to hide it. The nobles all know." "And there’s no need for them to attack a king who’s already aligned with their interests." "Right. The Duke’s faction has to focus on fighting me, so there’s no benefit in also battling the royal family." Ghislain’s expression grew serious as he continued. "Honestly, we could confront the king right now. But I want to know exactly what the king is giving them. That’s the root cause of this war. And I’m curious about what the Salvation Order is giving the king in return." Whatever the two sides were exchanging, it had to be significant. Ghislain wanted to uncover the truth. Claude grasped the underlying meaning behind Ghislain’s words. "So... by ‘confirm,’ you mean you’re planning to ‘steal’ it, don’t you?" "Exactly. You got it." Simply learning about the items wasn’t enough for Ghislain. Without direct access, there was always a chance of misunderstanding or missing key details. Taking possession of the items was the surest way to verify their significance. The group nodded in agreement. If you wanted to know something, you had to take it. That was undeniably Ghislain’s way. "Are you going to wear a mask for this operation?" "If I do, they won’t take the item out." "So, what’s the plan?" "I’ll infiltrate and follow them to the negotiation site. If I can grab it before then, I will." "...Is that even possible?" "Everything’s possible if you make it so. There’s no such thing as impossible." The group fell silent. There was no point arguing when Ghislain spoke like that. After all, he had accomplished everything others had once deemed impossible. Breaking the silence, Belinda spoke up. "Then I’ll go with you." Belinda, now a superhuman, was especially skilled in infiltration and ambushes, making her one of the best in the territory. But Ghislain shook his head. "No. I plan to go disguised. The more people involved, the harder it will be to stay hidden." "Still, it’s too dangerous. What about Ereneth or Parniel?" Ereneth and Parniel were the strongest members of the northern forces. Even one of them could turn the capital into a battlefield. But Ghislain shook his head again. "I told you, I’ll be in disguise at the negotiation site. Do you think those two can hide their identities?" Everyone turned to look at Ereneth and Parniel. Ereneth’s pointed ears and Parniel’s massive frame made them far too conspicuous. Disguising them would be nearly impossible. The more people involved, the harder it would be to keep their identities hidden. In the end, it was clear that Ghislain going alone was the best course of action. "Don’t worry. I’m a master of disguise. Just make sure to secure my escape route." Both the royal family and the Duke’s faction were sure to send formidable representatives. Ghislain couldn’t handle all of them alone. He needed allies to support him. "Even if we figure out the negotiation site, we can’t bring the entire northern army. Let’s prepare only the best elites." Ghislain and the others began planning. They didn’t know if the negotiation would take place indoors or outdoors, or how many people each side would bring. They had to account for multiple scenarios and devise contingency plans. As they brainstormed, their concerns grew. They had neither the time nor the grounds to oppose Ghislain’s plan. Once he made up his mind, he pursued it relentlessly. Finally, Belinda offered a worried warning. "Please, be extremely careful. If it gets too dangerous, just run. It’s not worth risking your life just to uncover what they’re trading. There will be another chance later." "Got it. Don’t worry too much. I’ve even been practicing some of your techniques lately." Suddenly, Ghislain’s figure blurred as darkness spread around him. It was a skill passed down from his mother, Annette. Ghislain had been practicing his mother’s techniques whenever he had spare time. For someone who had already reached a peak level of mastery once, it wasn’t overly difficult. Though not as refined as Belinda’s, it was sufficient for stealth operations. "The flow of mana feels oddly similar," he thought to himself. It seemed that when one reached the highest level, everything converged. His mother’s techniques bore subtle similarities to the magical theories Ghislain had developed in his past life. While the methods of application differed, the outcomes were strikingly parallel. Seeing Ghislain demonstrate the technique, Belinda felt somewhat reassured. It would be enough to evade most knights’ eyes. "I’ll head out first. Move the northern army to the first staging point. Once I identify the negotiation site, I’ll send Dark to relay the information. Be ready." With that, Ghislain mounted his horse and departed for the capital. Since he would have to abandon the horse midway, the Black King remained with the northern army. Ghislain pushed his mount to its limits, racing to reach the capital as quickly as possible. The faster he arrived, the smoother his plans would proceed. Disguised, Ghislain slipped into the capital and made his way to a particular noble. It was none other than Baron Andy Share, a royal scribe who had once delivered pro-royalist supplies to the north. Ghislain had bribed him in the past. "Y-You’re...?" When Ghislain appeared in his office, Baron Share was startled. He never imagined that the kingdom’s most notorious traitor would show up in the capital. Ghislain smiled and waved cheerfully. "Hello there. How have you been?" "W-What are you doing here? You can’t be in the capital!" Baron Share glanced nervously around his own office, terrified of being discovered. If caught, he would face execution alongside Ghislain. The bribes he had accepted in the past weighed heavily on his mind. "Relax. I made sure no one was around before coming in. You’re safe." "Still, this is..." Baron Share gaped in disbelief. He had always known Ghislain was audacious, but for him to come to the capital alone and so brazenly—it was beyond comprehension. Ghislain casually flopped onto a sofa in the office and spoke leisurely. "How’s Marquis Branford? Still holding up, I hope?" "Well... not exactly well, but he’s safe for now." "Good. He’d better be. Otherwise, things might get... complicated. Or maybe things will get complicated soon anyway." Baron Share swallowed nervously at the ominous glint in Ghislain’s eyes. "What brings you here?" he stammered. "Let’s get straight to the point. I need your help." "What could I possibly do...?" Baron Share trailed off, his face pale with fear. Whatever Ghislain wanted, it was bound to be something outrageous. The capital was already in chaos, and Baron Share had been lying low, trying to avoid drawing attention. As a noble in name only, he was little more than a fallen aristocrat working as a low-ranking royal scribe. His duties were limited to delivering supplies to the north and passing along orders. Ghislain chuckled at the terrified baron. "It’s nothing too difficult. You’ve heard about the negotiations between the king and the Duke’s faction, right? Just tell me the date and location." "They haven’t been decided yet." "Are you sure?" "Yes. His Majesty is being extremely cautious in choosing the time and place. All the senior officials are focused solely on that." Ghislain nodded. That made sense. Neither side could afford to be careless and risk betrayal. "Looks like I arrived just in time. But surely the troops for the negotiations are already prepared?" "Yes, both sides have agreed on a force of 50,000 each, including the royal knights." Ghislain’s eyes gleamed with interest. "Perfect. Slip me into the contingent. I’ll blend in and observe." "Excuse me?" "Even a lowly scribe should be able to sneak one soldier into the ranks, right?" Baron Share furrowed his brows in disbelief. The mighty Count Fenris, renowned as the strongest in the North, was proposing to disguise himself as a mere soldier? For what reason? Considering Ghislain’s history of audacious actions, Baron Share quickly deduced his intentions. "W-Wait... you’re planning to cause trouble at the negotiation, aren’t you?" "Yes." Ghislain’s unapologetically direct answer left Baron Share momentarily speechless. Regaining his composure, the baron shook his head vigorously. "If you do that, I’ll be executed! As soon as trouble arises, it’ll be obvious that I helped sneak you in!" "Then run away." "What?" Leaning comfortably back on the sofa, Ghislain continued nonchalantly. "Before the negotiations begin, find an opportunity to leave the capital. Don’t you have plenty of reasons to travel for your duties? Leaving the capital shouldn’t be difficult for you." "But where would I go...?" "You know I reward my allies handsomely, right?" Though the remark seemed abrupt, Baron Share nodded. While Count Fenris was infamous for being stingy, he was equally known for being generous to those he trusted. Ghislain made an "O" with his fingers, grinning as he spoke. "Come to Fenris. I’ll give you a good position, a great salary, a comfortable house, and, if you want, a hefty retirement fund. Enough to let you live a carefree life." Baron Share swallowed hard. The terrifying atmosphere in the capital had already made him anxious. The only reason he’d survived thus far was that he wasn’t a high-profile noble. He wasn’t deeply affiliated with any faction, which had kept him under the radar. "But that also means I’m nothing more than a pawn who could lose his head at any moment," he thought grimly. As a quintessential example of a bureaucrat who followed orders without question, Baron Share was painfully aware of his precarious position. Yet here was Count Fenris, the wealthiest man in the kingdom, inviting him to his domain and promising a lavish life. "This is an opportunity!" The baron, who had no family and lived alone due to his status as a fallen noble, saw no reason to refuse. Since the king’s consolidation of power, he had lost all hope and was merely surviving day by day. Turning down such an offer would be foolish. Baron Share cleared his throat, then rummaged through a bookshelf before handing over a document. "Among the units participating in the negotiations is the 2nd Corps. I’ll arrange for you to enlist in the 3rd Infantry Company of the 2nd Corps tomorrow." "What’s this?" Ghislain asked, examining the document. "It’s not much, just some information about recent events in the capital. This is all I know as a lowly scribe..." Baron Share chuckled awkwardly. "Ah, as expected of our baron. You’re quick and efficient as always." "You’ll need to be thoroughly disguised. And whatever you do, don’t cause trouble until you reach the negotiation site. Since the commanders were replaced, the atmosphere among the troops has been... tense." "Don’t worry. I’ve spent plenty of time as a rookie before." That statement was hardly reassuring, but Baron Share simply nodded. All he had to do was wait for the right moment to escape. "I’ll soon need to inspect the status of prisoner transfers. While you’ll likely learn the negotiation details after enlisting, I’ll notify you if anything is finalized before I leave." Ghislain, aware of the reports about Berhem consuming prisoners in the capital, nodded in acknowledgment. Numerous officials were moving to ensure the prisoner quotas were met. Among them, Baron Share’s task was to oversee the accurate delivery of prisoners. "Understood. Let me know when you’re ready to leave. I’ll send knights to escort you. I have a quick way to contact them." Baron Share brightened at the reassurance. Since inspecting prisoner transfers only required a handful of soldiers, escaping the capital wouldn’t be difficult. Those soldiers would follow him without question, unaware of his intentions. The main concern was the rampant bandits outside the capital. Regular soldiers wouldn’t be able to fend them off effectively. With Fenris knights as escorts, however, his safety was assured. "Thank you! For the sake of the kingdom, I’ll do my best!" People’s minds were indeed fickle. The moment he decided to flee, Baron Share’s demeanor shifted completely. "Honestly, I think the northern army will win." Count Fenris had obliterated the devastated royal army and annihilated the Duke’s 200,000-strong forces. If he was going to bet his life, this was the side to bet on. Of course, if the royal army and the Duke’s faction combined their forces, the outcome was uncertain. After all, they had the kingdom’s strongest swordsman and the captain of the royal knights. "If the northern army loses, I’ll just escape further." Crossing into another kingdom from Fenris territory would be easy. Anywhere would be better than the capital. "By the way, how will you disguise yourself?" "That’s not hard. Pay attention to my new face." With a soft crackle, Ghislain manipulated his facial muscles using mana. While the technique required a steady infusion of mana, the expenditure was minimal. Soon, his entire visage had transformed. Baron Share gawked in astonishment. "He can do absolutely anything, can’t he?" Even someone who knew Ghislain well wouldn’t recognize him now. Thus, Ghislain enlisted as a low-ranking soldier in the 2nd Corps. Given the royal army’s continuous recruitment efforts to counter the northern forces, enlisting was straightforward. The challenge had only been joining the exact unit he wanted. Once his enlistment was secured, Ghislain cheerfully reported to the barracks of his assigned company. "I’m Dugly, the new recruit! Pleased to meet you!" "Oh, a newbie has arrived." "He’s got a loud, strong voice. Full of spirit!" "Great attitude." The senior soldiers smirked as they welcomed him. A new recruit was always an enjoyable addition to the ranks. But Ghislain soon found himself in a rather unpleasant situation. "Hey, rookie! Go do the laundry! Since things have been tense around here, we’ll skip the usual initiation. After that, clean our gear!" The senior soldiers tossed their stinking clothes at Ghislain. "......." "What are you waiting for? Get moving! Or do you want to learn the hard way what military life is like?" "......." And so, Ghislain experienced the full brunt of military hazing firsthand.