The Regression Of A Grand Mercenary - 90 - Spring Festival Days - Best Friend?

The parade was surprisingly fun… and out of the total population inside the kingdom walls of over a million people, around a three hundred thousand were present at the parade.

It lasted for about two hours of cheering and the noise of the trumpets and drums before it became annoying in the ear. In the end, we were all directed to the castle of the kingdom…a large castle standing over the city…it’s size was no exaggeration. Even to giants who would stand close to it would feel small.

From where I was standing, I couldn’t even see the tip of the castle because in fact, the tip was touching past the clouds themselves. It was built to touch the heavens. An empire standing within an empire…a man-made mountain of gold and marble made to impress the God they serve.

It was impressive…a worthy place to make anything feel insignificant.

But despite that, I couldn’t care less.

After all, my attention was somewhere else.

The Ambers…but mostly Evelyn who was getting off the carriage.

As she stood up upon arrival at the entrance of the castle, I attended to her and grabbed her hand gracefully as she stepped off the carriage.

“Thank you Thill.” she said as she smiled at me gracefully.

But looking at her expression behind her smile…from how folded the scrunches in her face was, I could tell that she was miserable. The entire parade lasted for two hours about, and she has done nothing but greet every man, woman and child with a smile on her face.

I couldn’t blame her if she crashed right here and now. But appearances had to be kept, so while she struggled, she simply smiled.

“…You look tired, should I bring you anything?” I asked.

“That’s kind of you to ask, but no, it’s okay. We have to keep going and greet the other nobles and guest inside the castle. Its here that the real challenge begins.” she said as she braced herself for what was to come.

Although I was worried, my worries meant nothing as she was stubborn to see this event to its end. The only thing I could do now was assist her in anything that she needed. Meaning, I needed to act in my best behavior and not cause trouble myself.

as we headed inside, we braced ourselves for what was to come…

At first, we arrived at the entrance where we were greeted by a humble servant who asked for our names. When we gave them, he smiled and led us to the halls where I would expect for anything to happen.

But right before we could arrive to where the other guest were being led to, the servant halted us and had us separated from her parents.

“What’s going on?” I asked in a somewhat neutral, but also threatening voice.

“I-I’m sorry…but this is made under the orders of Princess Velorria’s word. The youth of given certain names are to be directed to a different room with the other youths of her generation, while those not invited are put in the originally intended gathering room. Seeing as how Miss Evelyn Amber is in the list of names, I ask that she and her appointed guard are to attend to a different gathering”

“I see, very well then.” said Evelyn calmly.

“Wait, do you know any specifics as to why this is happening? This wasn’t put in the invitation.” said her father as he too was worried.

“Do not worry, the meeting will only last for about two hours…after so, they will be free to gather with the rest of the guest by then. At that time, the actual festival gathering will begin under the arrival of the king.”

“It seems shady…but we can’t do anything about it.” I said.

“Sigh…If that’s the case, then join us later after this gathering of hers…and Thill, I leave her in your capable hands. Protect her well.” said Reginald as he grabbed me by the shoulders.

“Leave her to me.”

As we both nodded in agreement, we left separately…

Making our way to this so called room where the youths were gathering, I was nervous. After all, children of our age are certainly excitable and…have certain characteristics that show attention. From what I know, the people my age are somewhat rebellious.

“Don’t worry Thill. I’m sure that this kind of gathering is a way for people of our generation to connect without the hindrance of our parents. It gives them a sense of freedom away from the eyes of their fathers and mothers.”

“That makes things worse actually. Noble kids usually tend to be pretentious in all sorts of manner. Anything can happen inside the room.”

“You’re right…but we got to do this. So chin up and brace yourself.”

As we stepped inside, we were met with over around hundreds of children around our age.

Some were already mingling with their allied groups. Some nobles kept to themselves, others mingled with rising powers and as for groups similar to Evelyn’s background. Rich, yet not noble, they tend to gather as well…but from the looks of it, they were being looked down upon by the nobles. So it was hard to look at…

And more than that, each of these kids were paired with the guard of their choosing, standing at arms reach near them. Not a single child was left alone without their bodyguards. It felt really…uncomfortable. Almost as if one wrong word said from an opposing group could lead to a war.

“It looks rough in here.” I said.

“Yeah…hmm? Is that-”

“Ah! Evelyyyyyyn!!!” Out of nowhere, a woman our age came jumping from the sides and unto Evelyn. She came and tried to hug her, but right before she could, I stopped her with my hand pushed forward.

Yet as I did, a sword’s edge came from a blindspot and countered my armored hand.

Seeing this, in slow motion, I saw a small-built person wearing full armor. he was just around the height of my shoulders and yet the strength behind his sword was strong. I could barely control the balance in my body.

But I shifted my legs and hips fast.

Once I gained control of my weight from his sword attack, I countered quickly with a punch straight to the person’s face, but he quickly raised his sword to block it.

*Ting!*

The metal in my armor and his sword rang across the room…

And I was surprised.

He was able to block my counter against his counter.

This all happened in the span of a single second…

Once the exchange was made, we both stopped and composed ourselves. There was no need to continue; one more move would have drawn unnecessary attention.

“Oy!?” The one most shocked by what had just happened wasn’t me—but the girl who had tried to surprise Evelyn.

She was a long-braided young woman with chestnut-brown hair and bright brown eyes. Despite her excitable, almost reckless personality, there was a certain noble aura about her—a lively confidence that somehow demanded the air’s attention.

“Thill, please…” Evelyn stepped between us, resting her hand on my arm. “She’s just my friend—Sher.”

I lowered my guard slightly. “Sorry. She came out of nowhere—I didn’t know.”

“Okay… and I’m sorry too, Berny.” Evelyn turned to the small armored figure standing before me.

“It’s alright, Miss Evelyn. It was our lady’s fault for charging in like that. She should’ve behaved better.” The armored man removed his helmet, revealing a wrinkled, yet dignified face. His white hair and calm gaze spoke of age and experience. He looked like someone’s grandfather—maybe even older.

Seeing his face, I wasn’t too surprised. Old men like him often carried more experience than most could imagine. For someone that short to go against me with such precision… I could only assume he was either a dwarf—or an old man whose size had been stolen by time.

“Berny, it’s not my fault!” the girl protested, pouting as she turned to him. “You knew exactly where I was running off to the moment I heard Evelyn arrived! She’s my best friend! If anything, it’s this weird dark knight’s fault—he stopped me from meeting her!” She jabbed a finger at me accusingly, eyes full of misplaced confidence.

“…” I couldn’t help but give her a silent, unimpressed stare.

“Don’t look at her like that, Thill,” Evelyn sighed, though I could see the corner of her mouth twitch in amusement. “She may not look like it, but she really is my best friend. She’s just… the clingy sort.”

“Oh, Evelyn!! I missed you sooo much!!” Sherry cried suddenly, switching moods as quickly as the wind. She lunged at Evelyn, wrapping her in a tight hug that nearly lifted her off the ground.

“Ugh—you’re crushing me!” Evelyn gasped, trying to push her away.

“Just five more seconds!” Sherry said, squeezing tighter. “It’s been months since I last saw you! Letters aren’t enough—I couldn’t even tell what was going on with you through those boring things!”

After exactly five seconds—yes, she counted—she finally let go and began fixing her hair and dress as if nothing had happened.

“Ahem…” She cleared her throat dramatically and smiled at me. “I’m sorry about earlier. Let me introduce myself properly this time. My name is Sherry Cotton—and as you can see, I’m best friends with Evelyn. We’ve been together since childhood!”

Yeah, that introduction told me absolutely nothing about her.

But the name Cotton did.

“Your family… the Cottons. Nobles who manage the largest delivery service in the kingdom, right? Cotton Wagon Industries?”

“Well, it’s a household name, so I suppose it’s easy to figure out.” She smiled proudly.

“Not just delivery,” I added. “If I recall correctly, your family also manages an information network. Any rumors or secrets entering and leaving the kingdom tend to pass through your company first, right?”

Her smile froze. “Hmm? What are you talking about? I have no idea what you mean.” She stared at me with the deadpan expression of someone caught off guard—but refusing to admit it.

“It’s alright, Sher,” Evelyn said quickly. “He probably knows because… well, I’ve mentioned him a few times in my letters.” She gave me a small look, silently hinting for me to take off my helmet.

Sherry’s eyes lit up in realization. “Wait—so he’s the guy?” she asked, pointing at me.

“…My name is Thill Cicial,” I said plainly, removing my helmet. “Acting guard to Evelyn.”

“Oh, he looks way more handsome in person,” Sherry said with a grin. “No wonder you can’t keep your hands off him. Wink, wink.” She elbowed Evelyn teasingly.

“Ahem!” Evelyn’s cheeks turned red. “Anyway… since you were so curious to meet him, I finally get to introduce you properly. You’ve been so busy with your family’s business that this was long overdue.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, you know?” Sherry said, crossing her arms as she eyed me curiously. “From all her descriptions, I thought you were some kind of military general. Hahaha! I imagined a middle-aged war hero, not… this.” She gestured at me. “You’re surprisingly young. And honestly, even without that armor, I can see you’re hard candy.”

“Please don’t mind her,” Evelyn sighed, shaking her head. “She’s just… really desperate to find a boyfriend these days.”

“Hey! It’s not my fault the last guy ran away!” Sherry protested.

“I told you,” Evelyn said, exasperated. “If they’re running away, it usually means you overdid it again. You never actually told me what you did to make him leave.”

“It’s not my fault!” Sherry repeated, crossing her arms.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Fine,” Sherry huffed. “He ran away because I brought up… taking things to the next level.”

“And that means?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

“What else? Marriage, of course,” she said innocently, as if proposing marriage after a couple of months was perfectly reasonable.

Evelyn’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you only know him for two months? Is that really enough time to decide you want to marry someone?”

“Hey, if they’re brave enough to talk to me and my family, they’re good enough to marry!” Sherry said with absolute conviction. “Besides, my family’s been bugging me nonstop about finding a man and settling down.”

“So you were pressured by your family?” I asked.

“Hmm… maybe a little,” she admitted. “But I wasn’t totally against it. I support my family, and I’ll do whatever I can to grow our business. I’m an only child, so there’s no one else to pass the company down to. And being a woman, it’s my responsibility to carry on the Cotton line.”

“I get it—it’s a big responsibility,” Evelyn said softly. “But you’re still young. We’re the same age. You don’t have to rush into marriage just because of expectations. If I were you, I’d take the time to really get to know the person I’d be marrying.”

Sherry grinned slyly. “Really? Coming from you? From what I’ve read, you and Thill have only been together for half a year. And judging from your letters, you’re already head over heels. Don’t tell me you’re not thinking about marriage?”

Evelyn froze. “I—I… It’s not like that!” she said, flustered. “We’re taking our time, right, Thill?”

“…” I said nothing and turned my gaze away.

“See?” Sherry smirked. “That silence says everything.”

Evelyn groaned, covering her face with both hands. “You’re impossible, Sher.”

Sherry laughed. “Oh, come on, don’t be shy! Anyway—back to the point.” She turned back to me, eyes narrowing with curiosity. “How did you know about my family’s secret business?”

“It wasn’t that hard to figure out,” I said simply. “For a noble family on the rise, it’s only natural to use every advantage possible to secure your position. A delivery company that operates across the entire kingdom has access to more than just goods. Information flows through your routes as easily as cargo. You’d be fools not to capitalize on that.”

Sherry’s brow twitched. “I mean… anyone could make that assumption. But what makes you so sure we actually do that kind of work?”

“Easy,” I said with a faint grin. “I got the confirmation from one of my connections in the Guild.”

“The Guild?” Berny’s voice rumbled, his tone suddenly sharp. “Which guild?”

I shrugged. “Can’t say. Confidential information. But if you’re that curious, I might be willing to sell it—for the right price.” I added the last part jokingly.

Sherry smirked. “Heh. Well, if your source really is from a guild, then your connections must run deep. Not many people can get their hands on information like that. The only ones who could are guild leaders… or high-ranking adventurers.”

Berny crossed his arms. “And since you live far from the capital—near the City of Samsel, if I recall—it’s probable you got your information from that city’s guild. Am I right?”

“Maybe,” I replied flatly.

“Hmm.” The old man’s eyes narrowed in quiet amusement. “Still, for a young lad, you’re quick on your feet. To counter my strike that fast… it seems the information about you wasn’t exaggerated.”

My brow lifted slightly. “Information? About me?”

Berny gave a low chuckle. “Oh, don’t be so surprised. You said it yourself—the family deals in information. You shouldn’t be shocked to know we were curious about you the moment you got involved with the Amber family.”

“…Right. I guess so.”

For a brief moment, silence filled the air. The chatter of the hall beyond their small group felt distant—muffled—like the world itself was holding its breath.

“…”

Behind his aged eyes, Berny’s thoughts churned.

‘This bastard… that wasn’t normal. He showed an overwhelming amount of bloodlust for just a split second the moment I mentioned our information… scary.’

The old knight slowly eased his stance, letting his hand drift away from his sword hilt. His wrinkled face remained polite, but a bead of sweat rolled down his temple.

“Thill, I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.” Evelyn’s gentle voice broke the stillness, her tone warm, reassuring. “Despite how it may seem, you can trust Sher and her family, right?”

Sherry placed her hands on her hips and smiled cheerfully, almost too cheerfully. “Of course! We don’t plan on doing anything with your information—so long as you don’t go doing something that might… attract unwanted attention.”

Her casual grin didn’t help.

“I mean,” she continued with a shrug, “most of the stuff we have on you is just word-of-mouth anyway. Rumors, stories, a few notes from my father’s network. Oh, and Evelyn’s letters helped fill in some of the blanks—so technically, she’s to blame for most of your record!”

“Sher…” Evelyn sighed softly, pressing a hand to her forehead.

But Sherry only laughed it off.

“Don’t worry,” she added quickly, “it’s nothing too serious. Just the usual gossip, you know? A mysterious blacksmith turned hero, slayer of a dragon, rumored lover of an Amber heiress—ah, see? Totally ordinary.”

“…”

They didn’t understand. Or maybe… they did.

Even the smallest thread of information could unravel everything. A family name, a friend’s location, a habit, a favorite meal—any detail could be twisted, weaponized, exploited. In a world where power and influence ruled, knowledge was sharper than any blade.

And Sherry Cotton… was from a family that made its fortune trading in exactly that.

Still, I forced myself to stay composed. I turned to Evelyn, who looked at me with that same reassuring smile she always wore when things got tense.

“Okay.” I said softly, letting out a calm breath.

Her expression softened. “Good.”

But even as I smiled back, a faint chill lingered beneath my armor—an unshakable reminder that in this room filled with nobles and heirs, knowledge was the most dangerous weapon of all.

Soon, the noise and chatter within the great hall began to settle.

The hum of laughter, the clinking of glasses, the constant rustle of dresses and armor — all gradually quieted, like the sound of the tide pulling away from the shore.

One by one, heads began to turn upward.

And there—standing upon the marble balcony draped in royal banners—was a figure that silenced even the proudest of nobles.

A woman, radiant yet solemn, stood at the center.

Her presence alone commanded attention.

Long, flowing hair of amethyst shimmered under the chandelier’s golden light, cascading like silk down her shoulders. Her gown—woven in shades of violet and silver—caught the faintest gleam of the sun through the high stained glass windows. The gems lining her neckline glittered like stars in twilight.

“Is that…” Sherry whispered, her eyes widening.

“Princess Velorria,” Evelyn murmured under her breath, awe and familiarity mixing in her tone.

For many here, this was their first time seeing the princess up close—the youngest daughter of the Goldensun royal line, famed for both her intellect and her grace.

But for those who knew her true story, there was something else that lingered in her gaze—a quiet melancholy that softened her beauty.

Even from below, I could tell.

Her eyes weren’t the eyes of a woman basking in glory. They were the eyes of someone burdened by memory… someone who’d seen far too much of the world’s cruelty, and yet still chose to face it head-on.

As she stepped forward, her every movement seemed deliberate—poised, but not arrogant.

And when she spoke, her voice resonated across the entire chamber.

“Children of noble blood… heirs of merchants, knights, and houses alike—welcome.”

Her words were calm, yet they carried the weight of authority that silenced even the most talkative of youths.

“Today marks not just the celebration of our kingdom’s prosperity, but the beginning of your generation’s rise. You are the pillars upon which our future will stand. And it is here, among your peers, that your paths will begin to intertwine.”

Her tone softened as her gaze swept across the crowd. “Some of you will become allies. Others, rivals. But remember—no matter how small or great your family’s name may be, your actions will determine your legacy.”

Around me, I could hear faint murmurs of admiration, especially from the younger nobles. Even Sherry had gone quiet, her excitable personality momentarily replaced by genuine respect.

“Wow…” she whispered. “Every time I see her, she looks even more divine.”

Evelyn smiled faintly. “She was never like that. Ever since I first met her, she was the complete opposite of who she is today.”

“Wait,” I said, turning to her quietly. “You’ve met her before?”

Evelyn nodded. “A long time ago… during one of my father’s trades with the royal family. She was different then—more distant, almost like she didn’t want to be in that place. But now…” her eyes softened as she looked up, “she looks… grand.”

I followed her gaze, and indeed, behind Velorria’s graceful smile, there was something faintly sorrowful—like a candle flickering behind frosted glass.

Still, the princess didn’t let it show for long.

Straightening her posture, she continued.

“As young men and women of this realm, it is my hope that today you will form bonds that transcend your families’ banners. Let friendship and strength unite you, for the world beyond these walls is not as kind as it appears.”

For a brief moment, her eyes turned downward—meeting mine.

Or at least… it felt like they did.

A strange chill passed through me. It wasn’t fear, nor intimidation—it was something deeper, something that stirred faintly within my chest.

Then, as quickly as it came, the moment passed.

The princess smiled once more, raising her hand slightly. “Enjoy this day, my young nobles. Let the festival begin.”

The audience erupted in applause. The chamber filled again with laughter, music, and chatter—but now it was all charged with excitement.

“Velorria Goldensun…” I muttered under my breath, eyes lingering on her distant form.

“She’s really something, huh?” Sherry said, leaning closer. “You can tell she’s not like the rest of them. That calmness, that voice—it’s like she was born to rule.”

Evelyn nodded. “She’s the heart of this kingdom.”

I didn’t respond.

Because deep inside… I could feel something was different about her.

Something that didn’t belong to this age, this time—something that reminded me faintly… of myself.