The Regression Of A Grand Mercenary - 98 - Spring Festival Days - A Revolutionary Invention

After our we ate with Evelyn’s family, her father and mother had to return back to the mansion because Reginald was too drunk to present himself at the exhibition. As for Eliana and Escanor, they also went they way back to their own place.

Before leaving, her mother tasked us with one last job for the day.

“Since your father is drunk, I guess I’ll have to leave the exhibition in your hands.” said Emilia.

“…Really? Hmm, well at least it’s not that hard.” she said.

“What do we do?” I asked.

“You will be representing the family when the product made by the Gaval family is put before everyone. Introducing it as the new item made to advance the civilization of today’s generation.”

“Gaval family?” I asked again as I didn’t know who these people were.

“Their the family we sponsored to make an item to be shown this year at the festival.”

“Oh..I see. So Evelyn will be meeting with them I hope.” I said.

“Yes. So Evelyn, learn everything you can with what they made. It was supposedly a secret that your father only knows since he was going to be the one who starts off showing the item, but since he’s going to be unavailable, you must take on the mantle of presenting the item in our name.”

“I see…I understand mother.” said Evelyn.

“Good, now meet with the Gaval family. It’ll be a long time before the exhibit starts, but every second counts for you to learn and make a plan for introduction of the item.” said Emilia as their carriage finally arrived and she and her husband got on.

“…Take care mother.”

“Good luck Evelyn.”

As they left, Evelyn made a heavy sigh and turned to me with an upset expression.

“…Whats wrong?” I asked.

“Hmm…come on. Lets go to the Gaval house.” she said as if dragging her feet with the tiredness of an old man.

“…Okay, you look troubled. Is there something wrong?” I asked.

“Ugghhh…just very tired.” she said. But it was obviously clear that she was hiding something.

I didn’t really want to pry, so I just followed her.

After a bit of walking, we made it to a certain part of the kingdom where craftsmen ruled the streets. Noise filled with hammers and metal clashing could be heard by almost every direction, the clouds were partly black because of all the smoke in the air…and it was very hot. Almost like a furnace was there at every corner…

“…Hmm.” I’ve been to this place a lot in the past because of the materials it had when I was learning to become a master blacksmith. I know every store and workshop here by name…Although, its weird that I never once heard of the name Gaval before. If their talented enough to claim the amazement of the people from the last exhibit, why did I not hear of them.

“Where is their house?” I asked.

“Over there.” as she pointed her finger far off to the distance, I noticed something different.

That house was never there before.

The house stood the tallest out of everything in the streets…and it had the most extravagant detail that separated itself from every other shop in the street. It didn’t expressed itself as a blacksmith workshop…instead, it looked almost as if it was a noble’s house.

But back when I first stepped into these streets…this house never existed.

Instead, what was here before was simply a market place to sell cheap materials along with weapons and armor.

“Come on.” she said.

Despite this change in what I knew to be, my reaction wasn’t as bothered as that of Evelyn.

The closer we got to the house, the more she looked ever so unwilling.

“…Whats wrong?” I asked.

“It’s nothing really….just a bit nervous.” she said.

“Why? It’s just a craftsman’s house. You went to ours all the time, how bad could it be?” I asked.

“Well, to tell you the truth, its not the first time I’ve been here.” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.” as we got to the door, the moment we knocked inside, we immediately heard the loud and fast footsteps being made.

*thud*

*thud*

*thud*

*thud*

*thud*

It was heavy footsteps.

And from their steps, the doorknob quickly turned and the door opened.

“Evelyn!” shouted a boy who stood with a rather large grin on his face.

“…H-Hello Marcus.” she said.

It was a boy around my height…meaning he was tall. With red-brown hair, brown skin, dark-brown eyes. But more than that, he had this weird aura around him…almost like he was too excited to meet her. It reminded me of a Rhoads Cyptol…that damn pig.

“Did you come here to look at my father’s new work? Oh right, where is your father? I thought he was coming by.” said Marcus.

“My father could not make it. I will stand in his place.” she said.

“Really? Oh well, come on in. Since you are filling in for your father, I guess this means that you have to present the work on the time of the exhibition…which is just a few hours from now.” he said.

“Oh, I forgot to introduce you, this is Thill.” she said. Although my introduction was a bit…all of a sudden, it was weird that throughout this entire conversation, Marcus never once made eye contact with me. All his attention was on Evelyn.

“Hmm…where’s Desmond? Usually he’s the one who serves you…Is this kid a new butler at the family? He doesn’t look like one.” he said.

“Ah no…he’s not a butler.”

“Then is he a bodyguard?” he asked.

“No…well, I guess…” she said as she looked at me with an uncertain but apologetic eyes. For some reason…it feels like she was hiding something.

“Oh right…I heard that you were invited to the festival by the eighth princess. I guess it makes since that you have a bodyguard with you.” he asked.

“…anyway, can we come in?” asked Evelyn.

“Oh right..Come on inside, I’ll point you to where father is.” he said as he opens up the door for us to get inside. The moment we walked in, it wasn’t what I expected. Everything looks…rundown. Cobwebs were seen above the ceiling, dust were everywhere. It was almost like no one has cleaned the house in years.

“…You’re family still hasn’t hired a maid? At least once a month maybe hire a cleaning lady? This isn’t really clean enough to be called a home.” she said as she covers her mouth with a handkerchief to keep the dust away.

“It doesn’t matter. We’re too focused on our work to even care about the place. And besides…once my father and I earn enough gold, we’ll be transferring to a new place soon and leaving this country behind.” he said as he soon lead us deeper into the house.

“…You guys are really leaving the country? Are you really going through with it?” she asked.

“Of course…and if you want, my offer still stands.” he said as he paused and looks to Evelyn with a rather warm gaze.

“I’ve already told you my answer…”

“Hmm…there’s still time to convince you.” he said with a rather confident smile.

‘What did he mean by that?’ I asked myself.

As we got to the darker parts of the house, Marcus brought out a lantern. When we met a door, I could smell something on the other side…it smelled like my own workshop back at the village. When he opened the door, we quickly met sight of a man looking through a chest with his own lantern. It seems that he was searching for a piece of equipment meant to be used on something. But as our own lantern was noticed, he stopped everything he was doing and turned to us.

“…Ah Evelyn, where’s your father?” asked an old and rather skinny man. Someone who looked like they have not seen the sun in year, despite his dark-brown eyes, his red-brown hair and somewhat lighter-colored skin, the man was clearly Marcus’s father.

“Mr. Gaval…it’s a pleasure meeting you again.” said Evelyn.

“Ah Evelyn…its been a while since I’ve last seen you. Seeing as how your father isn’t here…I’m guessing you are taking his place to represent our work at the exhibition.” said Ossiah.

“Yes, you are right.”

“And who is this young fellow? Can we trust him?” asked Ossiah as he looked at me with a furrowed brow.

“He is her bodyguard.” said Marcus as he approached his father with the lantern.

“I see…well it doesn’t matter if he sees this thing anyway. In a few hours from now, hundreds of eyes will bear witness to my work…my masterpiece this year alone. Come, I will show you our work.” he said proudly.

We followed Ossiah down the narrow hallway of the workshop, the air growing heavier with every step. It smelled like oil, metal, and scorched stone; the scent of something experimental, something not meant for the average person to be near.

With a creak, Ossiah pushed open a massive steel door.

Light flooded out. Heat followed.

Inside was a broad chamber lined with chalk diagrams, blueprints pinned to the walls, and metal components scattered like organs of some dismantled beast. A soft hum vibrated beneath our feet.

Evelyn stepped closer to me instinctively.

“Apologies for the mess,” Ossiah said cheerfully. “The birthplace of innovation is never tidy.”

He clapped twice.

More lamps flared to life, illuminating the centerpiece of the room.

A large metallic core, one that was a sphere encased in steel ribs, sitting on a table. Thick pipes were attached to it, leading to coal furnaces and crystalline sockets meant for something more complicated.

“This…” Ossiah declared with a proud smile. “Is the first prototype of the Living Steel Heart.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

But I stayed silent, observing.

The sphere pulsed faintly, like a creature breathing.

Marcus crossed his arms. “You’re about to witness history.” he said confidently.

Ossiah moved to the side and grabbed a lever jutting from the floor.

“Now then.” he said. “If one can imagine such a troubling time of our century, it is that the people of our kingdom suffer a great inconvenience: distance.”

He smiled. “Let me paint you a picture.”

He flipped the lever.

The Steel Heart shuddered.

Coal embers glowed in the furnace.

A magic crystal in the side socket flickered alive. It was magic…this man was implementing magic without the help of mages.

Ossiah turned toward us as he spoke, almost like he was narrating a scene.

“Imagine, Lady Evelyn, your caravans transporting hundreds of crates of silk, perfume, and pottery across mountains and rivers… without exhausting any horses. No delays. No sickness. No unpredictability.”

The engine exhaled steam.

He shifted his gaze to me.

“And imagine warriors on the battlefield, no longer tiring, no longer limited by the endurance of their mounts, because their carriages run on cores, not creatures.”

As he spoke, he walked toward a cloth-draped shape in the far corner of the workshop.

“Allow me to show you a more… practical demonstration.”

With a dramatic flourish, he pulled the cloth away…

Revealing a carriage made entirely of polished steel and enchanted wood.

A small funnel chimney stuck out its back. Pipes connected its undercarriage to a compact version of the Steel Heart.

Evelyn gasped. Even I felt my breath catch.

“This…” Ossiah announced proudly. “This is the Iron Runner. A carriage that can be powered by coal, mana, or even the warrior’s core.”

He tapped the front panel, where a crystal socket was embedded.“The Living Steel Heart,” Ossiah began, resting his hand on the humming core,

“can run on any of three different fuels.”

Evelyn blinked. “Any?”

Ossiah smiled proudly. He tapped the sockets one by one as he spoke.

“Coal provides raw force. Simple, stable, cheap, perfect for long-distance travel by people who cannot produce what others could.”

Then he used the small mana crystal.

“A mage’s mana fuels it differently. Smoother. Cleaner. And faster. With enough mana reserves, the engine can run for days without stopping.”

Finally, he gestured to the warrior core socket.

“And the warrior’s core? That is the true powerhouse. When used alone, the engine can surge with the strength of the warrior it belonged to. Its output increases dramatically — enough to pull weight no horse alive could manage.”

He stepped back, smiling like a man unveiling the future.

“The beauty of this invention is freedom. You don’t need all three. Use one… or any combination and the Heart adapts.”

He tapped the polished metal proudly.

“Coal for the common folk. Mana for mages and cities. Cores for adventurers, soldiers, and explorers this can produce energy unlike ever before.”

Ossiah’s smile widened.

“No matter what they have… anyone can make it run.”

“And is it only limited to one form of machine? This Iron Runner of yours seems very appealing, but I feel like there’s more to it than that.” said Evelyn.

“Ah, I see that you also see the potential of the Living Steel heart. You are right, the iron runners isn’t the only application it can be used on. In fact, it stretches to more possibilities that man can dream for himself.” he said.

“Like what?”

The hum deepened.

“Imagine the villagers in the countryside receiving fresh water via pipes powered by these hearts, where farmers no longer rely on the physical labor of yielding their crops, instead it is replaced by machines to do it for them. Imagine ships that no longer have to rely on the winds brought by Gods, and simply only by the switch of a level can they move against the tide.”

“How is that possible?” she asked.

“The Living Steel Heart produces energy in exchange for Coal, Mana and a Warrior’s core…”

He then points to one physical piece of the machine…it was what he called the gear.

“This here is called the ‘Gear’…a moving machine that gives power endlessly in exchange of the fuel…as long as this gear is moved, its power can be applied to anything machine that is in need of power. No longer will we rely on the physical labor of man when we can exchange it for the power of machine.” he said.

“Yes…I can see it now. Everything moves because of power…in exchange for most physical labor…or labor in general, this steel heart can act as the source of power itself. Incredible.”

“Indeed…and you have your father to thank for that. Since last year, he gave us the idea of such concept just right after we won third place at the exhibition. He wanted something that could revolutionized the world to a new age…a source of energy unlike anything man has ever seen.”

“Incredible…”

“In the exhibition, you will present these two items…the living steel heart and the Iron Runner. And you must promote their potential to the world. They must see the future of what these items can bring.”

“I can do that…I’ll make sure to deliver and make this a success.” she said confidently.

But right as she spoke, I stepped up and gave my opinion.

“This machine has potential, that much is obvious…but it also can be denied.” I said.

“What do you mean? This machine is perfect…my father and I have been working on this for the past year.” said Marcus.

“I know, and I’m not trying to diminish your efforts…but think of the possibility that not everyone is on board of the idea. What if it causes conflict against opposing strides…and by that I mean war. You said it yourself that this item has an unlimited potential…that it exchanges physical labor. One thing I know about labor is that it is tied to strength…and strength comes with conflict…not everyone will see this to be as good as it may seem.”

Ossiah frowned thoughtfully, arms crossed, the faint hum of the Iron Runner echoing behind him.

“But my intentions are good… not bad.” he insisted. “And my innovation, my machine, although it has the potential to bring forth a greater war, I only intend to cause advancement in life.”

“I know that.” I said calmly. “But intentions won’t be the problem.”

Evelyn blinked. “Then what is?”

I turned to her.

“People.”

Silence settled over the workshop.

“Power changes people.” I continued. “And if this invention can tip the balance of the world… then those who fear losing their control will react. Hard. Violently. That’s what I’m worried about.”

Evelyn’s confidence faltered for a heartbeat.

Ossiah exhaled slowly. “Conflict… I knew it was a possibility. But hearing it from someone who I don’t even know… it hits differently.”

“I’m not saying you should stop.” I clarified. “Your machine truly has potential. But if we present this to the public… you must expect resistance. From nobles. From guilds. From factions who profit from stagnation.”

Marcus straightened his back, resolve igniting behind his eyes.

“Then let them resist.” he said. “If this world refuses to change, then I’ll force it to move forward. But I won’t be the one tearing it apart.”

He slowly placed a hand on the Iron Runner, the metal warm from its recent test.

“Evelyn.” he continued. “You won’t just be presenting an invention. You’ll be presenting a future — one many will reject, deny, or fear. You must be prepared for that.”

Evelyn touched her chest, breathing in deeply.

“I understand.” she said. “And I’m not afraid. If this can help shape a better world, then I’ll fight for it.”

Her voice held no tremble.

I stared at her for a moment — that fire, that unwavering courage — wondering how someone so gentle could also be so resolute.

Ossiah nodded in approval.

“Good. Then in the exhibition, speak proudly.” he said. “Show them that it is not just a machine… but a vision.”

Although these people have good intentions…I worry for what may come.

Especially since I never once saw such a machine made and shown to the public before.

What happened to this machine…its greatness should have spread wide to the country…but it stopped here…I simply don’t understand.

After learning of the machine…Evelyn and I left the Gaval’s house to prepare for the exhibition. Evelyn had to wear something that fits for the occasion. We said our goodbyes and left the streets of the smiths…

Making our way across the hundreds of people, I could see Evelyn’s face look ever so distressed.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“…It’s nothing…I’m just nervous because, everything about this is…I don’t know what to say.”

“Take a moment to breath…be strong. I know that it may seem overwhelming now, but I am confident that you will deliver on this presentation.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Of course…I believe in you.” I said.

As I said those words….all of a sudden…

*BOOOOOMM!!!!!*

A large explosion was suddenly felt from behind me.

When I turned around…I was in shock.

It was a large mushroom cloud of fire.

I quickly shielded Evelyn from the force of the explosion…and everything went dark for a moment.

We were so close to the explosion…

I tried raising a wind barrier to protect us and the rest of the citizens near us, but the moment the explosion happened, it broke through my barrier in just a matter of seconds.

Everything was dark for a second…but when I opened my eyes…all I could see was fire and ruin from the distance in front of me…and all that I could hear was the screams of the people hurt.

As for Evelyn…she was unconscious…but safe.

Curious, I turned my head to where the explosion came from.

It came from behind us, so I was curious….then it hit me…

In that distance…only one place stood above all that I knew of.

“Oh no…it can’t be.”

I carried Evelyn around my arms and I flew close to where the explosion originated…

When I arrived, the house was no longer there.

What was left was a crater that was around 30 meters deep.

I was left speechless…

I couldn’t find the words to say anything.

It was clear that no one survived…not even their bones were left.

“…”