The Regression Of A Grand Mercenary - 99 - Spring Festival Days - Guilt Passing

After walking for what seemed like hours inside the flesh cave, Elgor and the rest finally came to what seemed like the end. Through their exhibition, they came across only one specific enemy. The same kind of enemy that first attacked him on his way down the well. The fleshy vein-like tentacle that had the strength to pierce through metal.

They would come from the shadows of the cave, stretching out from inconspicuous spaces where it was blind to Elgor’s eyes. But each attack that came to target him and the other two were quickly neutralized. His spear would reach out first to counter each tentacle that passes by. And the deeper they went into the cave, the more attacks came. With Orion guarding the apostle, and with the apostle providing light in the dark cave, Elgor only had to worry in defeating each tentacle that came to their way.

Not before long, they finally came to what seemed like the end.

“Is this it?” asked Orion.

“This is it.” said Elgor

“I feel a very strong energy that resembles demonic energy at the other side of this door.” said the apostle as the three of them stood before what seemed like a wooden gate, wrapped in flesh, bone and teeth…

When looking down, Elgor could see bones from victims who were attacked by this cave. It would have numbered over a hundred men killed…

But seeing it didn’t bother them, because what was on the other side was more to his attention.

“…Be ready. The last time I came to this similar cave, I barely made it out alive.” he said.

“Okay!” said Orion as he brought his senses to a sharp point.

Without hesitation, Elgor kicks down the door, and hundreds of splinters came flying through every direction, but when the door was opened, all they came to meet was an empty room that had signs of ritualistic but also scientific endeavors. With what seem like a laboratory, where a operating table lay before the middle of the room, but nothing was on it. And beside that table was a rather strange symbol on the floor that resembled a demonic magic circle, these two things gave hint of what was done inside this cave.

But despite it…it was clear to Elgor what was to be said.

“…Hmm, the bastard must have left long ago.” said Elgor

“Did the same thing happen in your last encounter?” asked Orion.

“In my last encounter similar to this cave, I came to fight something that was beyond man. It held human form, but its flesh was sewn together like a doll…and although it looked human, it was far from it. Its strength alone was comparable to ten strong men, yet its mind was as empty as the void. It only acted on the command of the man who made the beast…and while I fought the beast, the man who made the beast fled.”

“Hmm…I’ve heard of such descriptions similar to the works of dark arts.” said the apostle.

“It’s possible that this entire work is involved in the dark-arts, but our thoughts are useless unless proven to be true…” said Elgor.

“Then what now? What about this cave? Its still dangerous because of the tentacles that continue to attack. And from the looks of it, because of how it was able to expand its flesh to a point near the entrance of the well, it possible that the flesh is growing…” said Orion.

“If we find the core of this cave and destroy it, we can kill the flesh that is wrapped at the walls…that’s how I was able to destroy the last cave.” said Elgor.

“Then where is the core?” asked Orion.

“I can sense it near us…look around for anything that may resemble a beating heart.”

“Okay.”

As the three separated , Elgor looked by himself through a direction that was far from the rest. He needed time to think through the possibilities of what happened in this room.

“Hmm…everything is the same, all to the last letter…the magic circle, this laboratory…he wasn’t wrong when he told me that I would find the same exact thing. But not a single trace of that man…could it be that he hasn’t made much progress? If that is the case, then…” as Elgor whispered to himself, all of a sudden Orion called out to him from the other side of the room.

“We found something.” said Orion.

When Elgor approached, he came to find another room that stored the core of the cave…the one that was pulsing with demonic energy. It was a man-made machine that held human inginuity…with pipes and a red liquid pulsing inside a giant glass tube. It was almost similar to that of a beating heart.

“Is this the thing that will destroy half the kingdom?” asked the Apostle.

“…How do we destroy it?” asked Orion.

“…” but to their question, Elgor remained quiet and observant.

Once he found the core, he brought out something from his pocket. A golden religious flask that seems to contain something powerful. When he opened the bottle, a holy energy expanded and everything in the room began to rot. As if exposed to poison.

“Is that what I think it is?” asked the Apostle.

“What is it?” asked Orion.

“T-…Those are the tears of a saint….only a bottle of that holy eminence can feel ever so powerful.” said the apostle as his voice shook in awe.

Without hesitation, Elgor pours the contents of the flask, and when revealed, the apostle and Orion could only see one single drop of water fall on top of the beating machine.

The moment it touched the surface of the machine, a bright light came to life and swallowed the entire room.

For what seemed like minutes, only a single second has passed…and once the light faded, the contents of the machine…the red liquid inside the glass tube turned into clear water.

“I-It changed?!” said Orion

“Now then…” with the red liquid exorcised, Elgor pulled out his spear and with a single swing, he destroyed the machine.

Nothing too exciting happened when his spear cut through the machine like jelly. It simply came apart…and only breaths of smoke escaped the machine.

When he left the room, the flesh surrounding the cave started to rot not in just one spot, but its entire connection.

It was a peaceful fix…and with it resolved, Elgor turned to the two men who he assisted.

“Now that everything is fixed, I should leave. Do not follow me.” he said sternly.

“W-wait, what just happened?!” asked the apostle.

“Sorry, but I’m not allowed to say…simply that its best that we keep our distance from one another.

With that said, Elgor used his spear and he leaped into the darkness of the cave, leaving Orion and the Apostle to their own.

Many questions were left unanswered and unraveled…but either way, one problem was sorted and fixed. Even so, the Apostle and Orion didn’t just leave immediately. They remained to investigate the entire operations of the room…to find answers by their own efforts.

***

After the incident, I quickly brought Evelyn back to the mansion. To hasten my speed, I flew across the kingdom, not worrying about the eyes that followed.

The moment I landed, Reginald saw the unconscious body of his daughter, he didn’t waste a second. He immediately called for the family physician.

Moments later, a carriage screeched to a halt outside, and the doctor hurried inside to examine her condition.

While she was being tended to, I explained everything to Reginald.

My explanation didn’t even last two minutes.

Yet the casualties in that brief, horrible story numbered over a hundred men, women, and children.

“…There was barely anyone who survived near the explosion. The few that did… they only lived because they were behind us when it happened. My barrier protected most of them… but not all.” My voice came out cold, empty. I couldn’t bring myself to face the family directly.

“I see…” Reginald murmured.

“The Gavals, they…” I tried to continue, but the moment the words formed, Reginald raised his hand slightly — stopping me.

“It’s alright… you don’t have to say any more,” he said quietly.

“Please, Thill. Change your clothes. From the look of it, the armor didn’t protect you that well. Some of the metal must have melted and fused to your back. You look far worse than Evelyn does,” Emilia added, her voice trembling with worry.

“…It’s fine. I can heal with a potion.” I answered, trying to reassure them if only for their sake.

“But—” Emilia began, but the doctor stepped out of Evelyn’s room before she could finish.

“From what I can tell, Miss Evelyn is fine,” he said. “She was only affected by the force of the blast, resulting in a concussion. But not a single piece of her skin was harmed. You did well, young man.”

“How long will she be unconscious?” Reginald asked.

“It varies… perhaps a few hours. Just keep a close eye on her.”

“I see… thank you,” Emilia said as she moved to her daughter’s side.

The doctor excused himself. “I must return to the clinic. After that incident, many will need my attention.”

When he left, the room fell into a quiet stillness. Evelyn lay peacefully on the bed, untouched by pain, untouched by the violence that had stolen so many others.

Despite everything… I had expected my days here to be peaceful. I never imagined something like this would happen.

If I had done better… if I had acted faster… lives might have been saved.

But the screams, the chaos… they dragged me back into memories I had tried so hard to bury.

“Please, Thill… don’t burden yourself with such thoughts. I can read you as clearly as the morning sun. This is not your fault,” Reginald said, his voice heavy with concern.

At his words, I could picture the expression on my face — the same one I always saw in the mirror. That look of guilt carved into my features after every battle… every war… every sin that stained my hands. The pools of blood. The dying cries. The innocent voices I failed to protect. All of it clawed at my mind like a relentless parasite.

“…” I let out a long, weary sigh.

For a brief moment, that breath helped me swallow the guilt. Only for a moment — but it was enough for me to lift my head and face him.

“Why were they attacked? It was clear from the explosion that the Gavals were the targets,” I asked.

Reginald’s hand tightened into a fist, his knuckles white, the gesture filled with silent guilt.

“…” He tried to answer, but his throat closed around the words.

Emilia stood slowly, brushing Evelyn’s hair back before speaking. “I’ll get some coffee… I won’t be sleeping anytime soon.”

As a mother, her pain made sense. Comfort would not come easily for her tonight.

When she left, only Reginald and I remained in the room.

“Tell me. Who attacked the Gavals?” I asked again, quietly.

Reginald stood and walked toward the door. He couldn’t look at me. He didn’t give an answer.

But with his back turned, his hand resting on the doorknob, he finally found his voice.

“Later… find me in my office. I have something to tell you.”

He spoke without turning around.

“…”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the room warm, silent, and still.

Alone with her, I reached out and gently held Evelyn’s hand, feeling the steady rhythm of her pulse beneath my fingers.

In the quiet, my eyes drifted toward the balcony. Far in the distance, the sun was beginning to set. By now, Evelyn should have been presenting the work that Ossiah and Marcus believed would usher in a new age.

The day should have gone on as it always did.

But it didn’t. The chance was taken from her… and lives were taken along with it.

“What now…” I muttered as I held her hand.

Her fingers twitched, barely, but enough to send a sharp warmth through my chest.

“.…T-Thill…” she whispered, unconscious yet calling my name.

Her weak voice stirred something deep inside me. My heart throbbed hard against my chest.

Just hearing her say my name — even in her dreams — was enough. It told me she was still here. Still fighting.

Still alive.

Despite everything — the danger, the terror, the worst possibilities — Evelyn was safe. Breathing. Her pulse was calm. Her body was warm. She wasn’t broken. She wasn’t gone.

She was simply… resting.

I pulled a chair close and sat beside her. For the first time since the chaos began, the tension in my shoulders eased.

Her face was peaceful. Not twisted in fear. Not marked by pain.

Just tired.

I placed my hand over hers. She didn’t move, but the steady warmth of her pulse was enough to push back the cold lingering in my chest.

“You really scared me today…” I murmured, not with heaviness, but with plain truth.

“Normally, I would’ve blamed myself. Normally, I would’ve been drowning in that feeling again. But this time… I can’t ignore what’s right in front of me. Evelyn.”

You’re alive.

You’re here.

And that alone… is enough.

“I’m grateful.” I whispered. “Truly.”

My thumb brushed gently over the back of her hand. She didn’t squeeze back, but the warmth in her skin washed the last bit of dread out of me.

“You’ll wake up soon. I know you will.”

I leaned back, letting the room settle. The soft crackle of the lantern. The faint rise and fall of her chest. The smell of herbal medicine mixed with evening breeze.

Nothing about the moment was dramatic or tragic.

It was simply… calm.

And for now, that was more than enough.

***

As Reginald left his daughter’s room, he found himself on the hallways of his mansion…but for some reason, he could not familiarize himself on where he was exactly standing. Everything looked somewhat similar and confusing at the same time. It was like the world around him was suddenly spinning around.

He hated this mansion…it was too lavish for his taste.

If he wanted to, he would have preferred living in a small cabin out in the woods, by the pond with his family, far from the dangers of life, far from the troubles of a merchant’s challenge…but here he was in a rather extravagant mansion. And he hated every part of it.

With what seemed like the world spinning, all he could notice right now was his heavy breathing…and pale expression. Unconsciously, he brips his chest out of a sudden rising pain.

“Khk-!”

“Dear?” all of a sudden, he heard the voice of his wife walking up to him, while she was carrying  tray set for coffee.

“…Emilia…I…I don’t know what to do anymore. I’m…I’m so scared.” he said as his legs suddenly lost all strength. He fell to his knees and his breathing became even more ragged..

Immediately, Emilia rushed to her husband.

“What’s wrong dear?!” she asked.

But all Reginald could do was hold on to his beating heart…

It rushed and rushed, but Reginald fought this affliction…the panic in his eyes…the feeling of drowning….everything was rushing down on him like a giant ocean wave.

The panic was sinking in deeper…yet Reginald could not give in. Before things could get worse, he used his warrior’s instinct and manifested his core to settle his heart.

“Ughh!!” he struggled, but soon came to control his panic attack.

Before long, his breathing became stable and his heart soon settled calmly…

It was a problem one after another in the Amber household…and for Emilia, the only thing she could do for both situations was hold the hand of her daughter and her husband…reassuring them…telling them that she was there…and her presence alone was enough.

“Are you okay?” she tried asking.

“I-I’m fine…” he said, but his pale face said otherwise.

“You surprised me. You haven’t had a panic attack in a long time…” she said.

“It’s fine…I just…ugh-” he tried leaning against the wall, and to his efforts, he stood back up. But he could barely catch his breath.

“Should I call back the doctor?” she asked.

“…No, I’m fine. There are others who needs his help more.”

Before long, he was able to take a step…

But his wife held him by the hand, looking ever so worried.

“You look troubled. Is there anything I can do for you?” she asked.

“…Just, give me time…I need to be in my room…I need to gather my thoughts.” he said.

As he gathered his strength little by little, he was able to take another step forward. In his effort, Emilia could do nothing but watch…

Yet the sad expression on her face said it all.

When Reginald was finally able to reach his office, the moment he closed his door, he heard the weeping noise of his wife in the halls…

It saddened his heart to hear his wife cry, but if he were to tell her the truth that he has hid from her all these years, it would only devastate her even more.

He carried a truth that he is burdened by at all times…

As the pillar of the house, he must show strength above all else.

so he walked, and to one of the many books on his shelves, he picked a certain particular one that was hidden behind another book.

Out of all the books he had, this one in particular was a book written specifically by him…a diary of sorts for him to never forget the events of his past.

When he opened it, his brows furrowed, and his heart tightened.

Just as how the incident today occurred, it reminded him of a past far similar to today…

And on one of the pages of that book, a certain portrait remained with the face of a man…a man that was identical to Reginald…but a man who was far younger than he was.

“Ralph….you were right. It happened again.” he said in the quiet of his room.