The Regression Of A Grand Mercenary - 18 - His Reasons.

Title: His Reasons.

“…” he was just standing there.

“Brother, why is there a man outside our front door?” asked Tilly as she was peeking from the window.

“That’s a stranger Tilly, don’t get to close to a stranger.” I said as I took the last sip of my coffee.

“Okay~” with her cheerful tone, she walked away and went near me as I was taking a last bite on the cookies I had.

“Neh~, can I also drink coffee?” she asked cutely so.

“No, I don’t think you should. You will get a stomach ache if you drink coffee at your age.” I said.

“But Thalia’s drinking coffee and she’s not that much older than I am? I saw her drink coffee yesterday!” she said.

‘…my god, my sister’s a snitch!’ I thought.

But nonetheless, I smiled and patted her head.

“How about I make you a chocolate milk? Wouldn’t you like that more than a bitter drink like coffee?” I asked.

“Really?!” she excitedly jumped on the table as I promised her this.

“Sure.”

And to my promise, I went to the kitchen and started making her a chocolate milk. Its times like this that I get to spoil my little sister rotten.

“So, I heard that you got a new set of school supplies. Are you getting ready for the new nun that’s coming to the village?” I asked.

“I am! I’m very excited!” she said as she got on the table.

As I started mixing the ingredients to make the chocolate milk, I used my senses and looked to Andel who was still waiting outside of my home.

“.…” it didn’t seem like he was going to go away soon.

If I don’t say anything, people like him usually are desperate enough to even wait an entire night. If I leave him alone like that for an entire night, my siblings might look at me quite questioningly.

Maybe it’s best that I try to fix this problem as fast as I can to make him leave.

The sooner he gets away from my family the safer it is.

“Here, Tilly. Your Chocolate milk.” I said as I placed the drink down on the table.

“Thank you big bro!” and instantly as she got the drink,  she blew off the steam from the drink and slowly started sipping on it.

‘…hmm, what a cutie pie~’ I was giddy just watching my cute little sister enjoying herself with the chocolate milk.

After seeing her enjoy herself, I then went outside.

“Tilly, can you tell Theresa that I’ll be out for a bit?” I asked.

“Okay~”

“Thank you.”

As I left my home, I brought with me a piece of stick that was good enough to be used as a staff. But it was only about the same length as a sword. Along with that was a lamp because it was starting to get dark soon.

“!?” leaving my home, Andil turned to me quite surprised-like.

“…Follow me.” I said as I started walking to the direction of the forest.

It was a random direction because all I’m really after is finding a clear spot to get rid of Andel away from my home.

“W-Where are we going?” he asked as he looked rather nervous.

“Just follow.”

“O-okay.”

As we walked, he followed about in a nervous manner.

“Did you think hard about the question I left you?” I said as I kept on walking to the forest.

“…About what I plan to do?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“…Are you implying about my future as a mercenary?”

“As a whole. If I teach you how to use your sword well, what will you plan going forward?”

“I…I thought hard about it. As a mercenary, I’m always desperate to keep my life intact, so it’s obvious that to survive I need the strength to protect myself from the dangers of the world.”

“And your men? What about them?”

“I can also say about that with my men. Although some of them may be on the younger side, most of them have been with me since the day I’ve taken over the group as it’s leader. I care for them deeply and I would lay down my life for them.” he said with a true tone to his voice.

‘…His not lying.’ I can tell from his voice alone that he does not lie on that category of his men.

I noticed it earlier when they tried to confront me…despite their rough looks, they show respect and followed Andel in his attempt to try and persuade me to teach him. They respect him just as much as he respects them.

But still…he hasn’t given me a clear answer on his goal in achieving my teachings.

“…Hmm, tell me Andel, why do you raise your sword? Why did you become a mercenary?”

“Me? Well, for as long as I could remember, life was never easy. I grew up in the slums and did my best surviving each day against the heat, the cold, the hunger…I did everything on my own to survive day by day.”

“…”

“Then one day, I came upon the sight of a group of men that just came back from a job. They were adventurers. They came back drenched in blood and they walked in to the guild’s house carrying the head of a lizard…once they came back out, they were carrying a bag filled with coin.”

“…seeing them carry that much coin out in the open, I couldn’t help but be enticed to act on my greed. Before I knew it, I attacked them…but I was an idiot. I got kicked in the chest so hard that I knew for a fact that my bones broke. These men…they were strong. Strong enough to kill a monster worth a bag full of coin.”

“It was there that I realized that I was weak. Stealing wasn’t worth it against those men…but what was worth something was the fact that they were strong. I was convinced that strong men are the only ones capable of claiming the easy money…so I did my best and started working my body all to a point that I became strong enough to kill a monster on my own. For ten years, I alone did my best in hunting monsters and claiming coin. I was happy that I could earn some money.”

“So money was your motivation?” I asked as I glanced at him.

“…At first yes, but one day I came upon the Wolf Cahol group. The leader back then was strong…really strong. He could smash a boulder with just his fist alone and kill monsters twice as strong as my own current strength. He came up to me and invited me into his group. Although I didn’t have a reason to join him, I also didn’t have a reason to decline either. So without thinking so much about it, I joined his group and it was there I turned from an adventurer to a mercenary.”

“…Compared to being an adventurer, being a mercenary was a harder job, but the pay was way more lucrative. I thought that it was a great idea for that time, so I worked with them…but the more I worked for them, the more I became invested in them…connections were made, memories were formed, friendships were built…before I knew, money was no longer the main motivation. It was them.”

“…”

“For eight years, I worked with them. Some of them retired because they were too old and went on their own separate path, some joined in as a new member and became family all alike. But one day…our leader got sick. No healer or saint could heal him…it was terminal. His last wish was for the group to continue on it’s work. Create bonds he said…and he said that wish unto me. I carried his wish willingly for two years. But I underestimated the role.”

“Because I was the leader, I thought we could handle on the same hard missions as per usual, but on the first ten missions, we kept failing over and over again. It was there that I realized that the leader mostly carried our strengths and successes in the missions he took on. And I also realized that I was too weak. Because we were too weak without our leader, we had to take on smaller jobs like this one. Clearings trees, wiping out small monsters…it was embarrassing.” he said as he gritted his teeth in anger.

“So you wanted power to uphold the title?” I asked.

“Yes…more than anything.”

“Okay then. You’ve said quite a detailed story. With that much detail, I find it hard to imagine that you just made that story up to convince me…”

“I wouldn’t lie in my brother’s name!” he said as he defended his story.

“I see, fine I’ll teach you.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” as I said this, we stopped at the perfect place there was to teach him.

From here, I turned my back to him and raised the stick I was carrying.

“…What are you doing?” he asked.

“Raise your sword and try to hit me.”

“But your carrying a stick?” he said.

“…Are you underestimating me?” I asked as my tone became cold.

It was starting to get dark soon and with how we were in the middle of the forest, the lamp became quite useful.

“O-okay.” having heard my tone, he knew I wasn’t playing around. So he took caution and raised his sword.

“Now, show me how you plan to swing a sword?” as I asked this, he put out his form with both hands holding on to the handle of his sword.

And with his instincts raised, he hesitantly attacked me.

I could see it well on his expression alone. Against a sword versus a stick, he doubt I could protect protect myself with such a tool, but he was a fool.

A master of the sword such as myself can obliterate his existence even with my finger alone. To use a stick is but a demonstration of my willingness to him. To show form of a sword’s length.

As he swung his sword, I knew he could easily pull back at the last minute, but I don’t intend on teaching a fool who can’t even evaluate the nature of one’s strength. I need to fully demonstrate to him the overwhelming nature of a true swordsman.

“Haa!” with as quick as his step was inside my reach, I can see from where I was standing, he did activated his core just a moment after.

‘…’ without hesitation, I parried him.

*Clunk!*

The very force of his swing was strong, and as for his form, it was solid. I can tell he has experience without a doubt when being a swordsman, but the use of his core was crooked.

“!!?” the moment I parried, he instantly received the full weight of a master’s skill.

‘How!?’ as he was pushed back from my parry alone, he could feel the strength that came from my counter.

‘…How is it possible…his parry was both heavy and sharp from a stick alone. It was like I was struck by a boulder!?’

As he looked to his sword, he could see it. His sword was damaged with a clear dent on it’s sharp edge.

But on my stick however, it remained the same state.

“…This is the difference in mastering the use of a pure core and the mastery of holding a weapon.” I said.

“If both are applied quite perfectly in sync, even with a stick alone, I could conquer a kingdom.” I said as I looked to him with the gaze filled with confidence.

“…You’re not just some Blacksmith are you?” he asked his voice was shaky with fear.

“No, I am not.”

“~~” his hands were shaking in fear…fear of the realization that what stood before him was no normal man.

“I’ll only teach you the skill to properly wield your core, after this, you will no longer approach me. Do you understand?” I asked.

In quick to his realization, he approached me and bowed in respect. Despite our age gap from one another, he showed respect nonetheless. He bowed in the realization of his folly.

***

“Tell me, are you conscious of using your pure core?” Thill asked.

“…I am. Whenever I ready myself for battle, most of the time, I can inhibit this power to my body and in reaction, I could feel not only stronger but sharper as well.” he said.

Thill observed Andel’s stance with a critical eye, taking in every slight imbalance, the tension in his shoulders, and the way his grip wavered under the weight of his sword. Andel’s core was strong but rough, and its energy didn’t flow cleanly, disrupting his movements rather than empowering them.

“First, you need to understand one truth,” Thill began, his tone as steady and focused as his gaze. “Raw power alone won’t make you a swordsman. If you cannot control your core, you might as well be wielding a club.”

Andel furrowed his brow, adjusting his stance, but Thill shook his head.

“Loosen your grip,” Thill instructed. “Holding too tightly limits your flow. Your strength should start from within, guided by intent, not brute force.”

He lifted his stick, and with a smooth, practiced motion, demonstrated a fluid sweep. The stick moved with a natural grace, and even though it was just a piece of wood, it seemed to cut the air with a silent precision.

“Your core is like a river,” Thill continued. “If it flows freely, your sword will move without resistance. But if it’s blocked or forced, you create turbulence. Andel, focus on letting it flow.”

Andel closed his eyes, his breaths slowing as he drew on his core. Thill watched him intently, sensing the slight shift as Andel’s energy settled. It was still uneven, but steadier than before.

“Good. Now, channel that flow into your arms, then to your hands, and finally into your blade,” Thill instructed, his voice firm yet encouraging.

With a cautious nod, Andel tightened his grip on the hilt, following Thill’s directions. This time, as he swung, the motion was smoother, more controlled, but still carried a slight imbalance.

“You’re close,” Thill said, stepping beside him. “Focus on this part.” He tapped Andel’s chest lightly, where the core pulsed. “Feel that pulse, and let it guide you. Trust it.”

Andel tried again, and this time, his core energy flowed more fluidly. He swung his blade, and though the power wasn’t fully refined, there was a noticeable improvement.

Thill smiled approvingly. “See that difference? The sharper your control, the sharper your blade will strike. Let’s refine that further.”

Andel exhaled, and his expression shifted to one of renewed determination.

Thill watched Andel struggle with the instructions, his shoulders hunched with effort as he attempted to stabilize the flow of energy through his core. Each attempt sent an unstable wave through his arm, causing his sword to waver rather than steady. Thill’s calm, observing eyes were both a comfort and a reminder of how far Andel had yet to go.

“Focus,” Thill instructed firmly. “You’re forcing it too much. The core energy isn’t something you need to control by sheer force; it’s more like guiding a stream. If you keep treating it like a dam, it’ll break free every time.”

Andel grit his teeth, trying to heed Thill’s words, but his movements remained tense. When he raised his sword, the energy spluttered erratically down the blade, diffusing into flickering bursts. With a frustrated sigh, Andel dropped his stance.

“I… I can’t do it,” he muttered, looking away. “Every time I try to control it, the power just slips away, or it… it flares out of control.”

Thill, unfazed, nodded. “This isn’t something you master in a day, Andel. Years of honing your body and sword alone won’t prepare you for this. You must learn patience with your core, as it is with any skill.”

Andel clenched his fists, clearly wrestling with his frustration. But seeing Thill’s unwavering expression, he forced himself to take a slow breath and nodded, determined to continue.

“Alright,” Thill said, “this time, let’s take it slower. Close your eyes and forget the sword in your hand.”

Andel hesitated, then reluctantly closed his eyes, taking a breath to settle himself.

“Now, feel your core,” Thill continued. “Not just as power—but as an extension of your own self. Picture it flowing through you, naturally, like blood in your veins.”

Andel’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, Thill could sense his energy steadying. A subtle shift, the energy less chaotic, more controlled.

“Good,” Thill said softly. “Now, direct it toward your hands, but don’t push it. Imagine guiding it along a path. A stream, not a torrent.”

Andel tried to follow Thill’s advice. He directed his core energy toward his hands, this time with more finesse. It wasn’t perfect—the flow wavered—but there was less of the chaotic burst, the energy settling in a more even stream.

He opened his eyes, looking down at his sword. The blade flickered faintly with his energy, the light dim but steady. Though still far from Thill’s level, it was progress.

Thill observed quietly, a hint of approval in his gaze. “You’re learning, Andel. It’ll take time, but this control will become instinct if you keep at it.”

Andel exhaled, nodding. He was weary, the struggle evident on his face, but he lifted his sword again. This time, he approached it differently, following Thill’s instructions with more patience and focus. And though his hands trembled, he felt a growing sense of understanding as he allowed his core to guide, rather than trying to force it.

“Again,” Thill said simply, standing at his side. “And remember—patience is as much a weapon as the sword in your hand.”

This form of teaching went on until the sun rised from the east.

From here, Thill could see that Andel has grown quite a bit sense before.

‘Hmm, he’s learning well. Although I can’t really consider his a genius with how he has an experience of his own, I can genuinely say he has talent…that much is true.’

With the sun up and at it, it was time to end this training.

“From here on out, you are on your own. Do not approach me again for teaching you.” he said.

“I understand…thank you for everything.” he said.

Despite the small time of teaching, Thill can see that as long as Andel doesn’t forget his teachings, a man of his age will surely grow even more so in the future. What he needs now is time and patience to mastering his sword.

“When we’re clearing the forest, try applying the use of your core down to the axe. If the axe is damaged for each swing you make, that implies that you still have a long way to go. Master the use of an axe and you can just as much master the use of a sword.”

“I see, just as how you did with your own axe.”

“Yes. If you wrongly apply the use of your own axe, it’ll not only dull your weapon, but damage it as well. It’s double edged weapon if not applied right. Like I said, wrongly using your core is nothing but creating a sword into a club. If you cannot control your core, you might as well be wielding a club.”

“I understand. I wont forget your teachings teacher.”

“Don’t call me that. Ever.”

From there, Thill left Andel and went back home.

On his arrival early in the morning, he noticed a person standing in front of his door.

“Hmm?”

From the look of that person’s attire, she resembled that of a nun from the church.

“Ah, it must be the new nun who came to teach here in our village.” he said to himself.

Seeing as how this person might be responsible in teaching his younger sister, Thill went and approach her with a kind gesture.

“Good morning, may I help you with anything?” he asked.

And to his call, the nun turned to him.

“Ah, h-hello, good morning to you too.” she said as she smiled with the grace of a heavenly angel.

‘Hmm? This…feeling, why does it feel so familiar?…no, more to that point, her face…where have a seen that before?’

From the very turn of her greeting, this woman looked to Thill with such a graceful aura. As if she herself was illuminating the graces of the heavens.

‘…As I thought, this is holy magic…and not just any holy magic, but the purest of it’s kind.’

The nun standing before him was beautiful.

Not only was her face as smooth and as white as the pile of clouds found early in the morning, her hair was lightly blonde like the shine of the morning sun.

Compared to Evelyn’s blondeness, she had a lighter hair color.

And more to that fact, her attire itself may look like from the church itself, but a certain accessory caught his eye.

‘…?!’ her earrings.

With it’s bluish sapphire look, it generally caught his eye as it was a deep contrast to her light blonde hair. The sapphire earrings paired on both her ears may seem like a normal pair, but deep inside them, a certain presence was laying about.

‘…as I thought, it really is her.’

No doubt about it, his memory served him right.

This person before Thill was none other than the future Holy Saint of the world.

Amelia Daklis. Or so what the people may call her in the future as “The Angel.”