337 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

**Chapter 337** “Hahaha. You know, back then I took down ten orcs…” “Bullshit! I saw you running away with your tail between your legs, you bastard!” “Oh, shut up! I was already running behind you while watching your cowardly behind vanish into the distance!” “Pahahaha. You idiots…” The inside of the pub was lively and noisy, just as you'd expect where mercenaries gathered. In a corner, a rugged-faced man with 'brown' hair sat alone, staring into his flat beer with his head lowered. Despite the appearance of being deep in thought, his ears were wide open, picking useful information from the surrounding chatter. The intelligence network led by Damien, 'Eye of the Flame,' hadn't permeated the entire empire yet, and he was in such a hurry that he hadn't properly arranged for a contact. From experience in his past life, he knew that if one couldn’t go to a proper information network, the rumors circulating in such places could prove quite useful. "They're causing an uproar in the Holy Nation about excommunicating the Saintess." "There's been a lot happening with the Grand Temple lately. But do you think that's true?" Luckily, there was still no talk of the Saintess being captured, indicating that Viktor seemed to be handling the situation well. "What?" "They say there's some friction with a nation to the east?" "Oh come on, who cares about such things." "There might even be a war, you know." "Was it Grandia? That little country with the Empire? Nah, stop talking nonsense and just have a drink." Even though mercenaries tend to be sensitive about wars, seeing their lack of interest in kingdom matters was reassuring. ‘Well, that’s a relief.’ Logan let out a faint smile, gulped down his lukewarm beer in one go, and headed towards the counter. An inn serving as both a mercenary guild and a pub. Thump. As he naturally set down his beer mug, the bartender, who was also a mercenary guild member, turned his gaze towards him. "Another drink?" "No. Do you have any job recommendations over towards the Crown Mountains?" He didn’t intend to take on a job like an actual mercenary. It was merely to check if there were any unusual activities in the location he intended to visit, and the bartender chuckled. "Must be a foreigner. Your accent sounds like it's from the East." "Is that a problem?" "Oh, it is." "Hmm?" Usually, the mercenary guild wouldn’t discriminate based on origin, right? Sensing the underlying meaning in his gaze, the bartender chuckled again. "The Crown Mountains have been a forbidden zone for over three months now, so how could there not be an issue?" The issue seemed to be different from what he had anticipated. "What?" "Given it's a recent development, it makes sense you wouldn’t know. Regrettably, you'll have to look for other work." In the mercenary city of Colosseum in the Empire’s northeast, notorious for its countless conflicts and proximity to the perilous northern forest, mercenaries from all over flocked to this cold, tumultuous region. And one of the most common requests in this city was escorting trading caravans via the Hunter's Path through the Crown Mountains to the Empire’s center. ‘No wonder there seemed to be fewer people than I remembered.’ Despite being a risky path, it was also a quicker route. Merchants wouldn’t avoid taking such risks unless absolutely necessary. "What’s the reason? Did a giant monster appear or something?" "It'd be fortunate if it were just a monster." "What do you mean?" "The imperial family declared the Crown Mountains a forbidden zone under the pretense that the monsters from the forest are crossing over. They warned everyone not to enter without permission." "What nonsense is that? Since when does the imperial family care about mercenary safety?" Mercenaries, who are infamous for risking themselves even in the monstrous forest, had been barred entry because of such a reason? Clearly, it wasn’t a normal measure. "Haha, right, indeed. But what can you do about it now?" “…What’s the real reason?" "They say the Imperial Knights deal with the monsters and use the area as a training ground." "What kind of rubbish is that…?" "I feel like I've heard that question a thousand times now. If you’re frustrated, why don’t you go argue with them yourself?" If you have a death wish, that is. As the bartender shook his head and chuckled, Logan could only furrow his brows. ‘Even if it’s a recent development, the fact that there’s no word outside means they declared it forbidden and controlled the information.' In his past life, there was no such situation when he did mercenary work here at this time. His ominous premonition had annoyingly come true. "Are you trying to head to Aserian or Parzengium? Or maybe Nobience? Either way, the Crown Mountains are off-limits. If you came here to shorten your path, it’s a mistake…. Hey, where are you going? Are you just leaving?" Walking out, ignoring the bartender’s words, Logan’s expression turned stern as he looked at the setting sun towards the Crown Mountains. * * * Bang. "Three whole months, three! Are you sure we've got the location right?! Are we digging in the wrong spot?!" With a single punch, the table inside the makeshift barracks exploded into powder. It wasn’t just broken—it was crushed into fine dust like sand. This demonstrated that the owner of that massive fist possessed not just a physique over 2 meters tall but also overwhelming physical force. Yet, despite the intimidating show of power, the man sitting at the table remained completely unfazed. His half-grey brown hair, neatly swept back, did not have a single strand out of place. “It is certain.” The faint smile on his lined face remained unchanged. ‘As if a person were a mere doll.' That calm demeanor seemed to further infuriate Yasel, the chieftain of the Eastern First Legion. Because of this mage who claimed to be sent by the imperial court, they had suffered unprecedented hardships for three months. A period too long to continue working based solely on his assurance. "Then why hasn’t there been any sign or indication yet? How deep do we need to dig to reach it?!" "This information was provided by His Highness the First Prince. Are you questioning His Highness’s words?” Yasel, who was about to unleash more tirades, held his tongue at those words. ‘Damn.’ Adding any more to the conversation now would be tantamount to insulting Kleed van Ares, the prominent heir to the throne. Even Yasel, known for his reckless manner, couldn't dare to do that. Especially since this mission was a punitive assignment after his previous mishaps. Yasel forcibly steadied his trembling hands as he tried to summon his patience once more. “…So, how much longer do you think it'll take?” "We should start seeing the barrier soon." "What?" "I don't think it'll be long. At most, a week? Or maybe it'll show up in the next few days." "Is that true!?" Yasel noticeably brightened at the prospect. “Yes. So just make sure you do your part well. The day we discover the barrier, ensure the ‘sacrifices’ don’t get any funny ideas." As the half-gray-haired mage, Harvey, softly uttered the word 'sacrifices,' Yasel’s face twisted once more in displeasure. ‘Are they really going to carry out such a monstrous plan?’ The major reason Yasel disliked Harvey from the first look. And why the whole excavation was shrouded in secrecy. It was because the final stage of the ruin excavation plan, backed by the Imperial Prince and supported by the Eastern Kingdom Bureau, was to include a gruesome human sacrifice. A horrific plan to turn the lives of the laborers into offerings. “…Is such magic really possible?” Harvey chuckled. “Surely, it’s not that you’re concerned about the lives of ignorant peasants, is it? Wouldn’t it be a worthwhile sacrifice if their insignificant lives could be used for the glory of the Empire?” “…Even I know that’s not how the word ‘sacrifice’ should be used, mage.” Yasel’s anger at this unpalatable task gravitated towards the mage in front of him. It felt as if it wasn’t the Imperial Prince who planned all of this but this annoying sorcerer. However. “So, would you defy the imperial edict?” “…Of course not.” Following Harvey’s remark, Yasel couldn’t help but lower his head. How could he defy the Emperor's orders? It wasn't a matter of whether to do it or not; it was an absolute command beyond his control. He was an Imperial knight, after all, raised and educated under those very principles. “Then that’s settled.” But that is precisely why Harvey’s chuckling pricked his conscience further. “Don’t dwell too much on it, Sir Knight. It was necessary for maintaining secrecy.” “Hmm?” Unaware of each other’s true intentions, they referred to one another simply as Knight and Mage. And thus, Harvey’s words came unexpectedly. It sounded as if he was considering Yasel’s feelings. But. “Everything will proceed according to His will.” Seeing Harvey with a fanatical look in his eyes uttering cryptic words, Yasel could do nothing but grit his teeth. ‘Judging by the size of the tents, there seem to be over a thousand workers, yet only a hundred knights without any supervising soldiers? Quite an odd setup.’ Not far from the excavation site, in a forest. Perched on a slender branch, high in a tree that was probably over 30 meters tall, Logan pondered under the dusky sky. Despite the precarious state of the branch swaying as if it could break at any moment, he stood there unfazed, immersed in deep thought. Even if someone with keen eyesight noticed him, they’d likely assume he was a ghost and quickly flee, given his skill. His spectral presence demonstrated that the Ghost’s Shadow had transcended to yet another level. ‘I can’t just kill them all…’ Setting aside the moral dilemma of massacring civilians, capturing over a thousand potential escapees seemed beyond him. Yet, he couldn’t just leave them. Who knows what they might attempt while he’s inside the dungeon? Moreover, he needed all his strength to break through the dungeon’s barrier. A discreet approach wasn’t feasible. Most importantly, the feeling triggering his soul was growing stronger from somewhere deep within the mountain range. A sense of longing, and because of that, an unsettling feeling. ‘It’s close. Not much longer.’ Due to that sensation, Logan could gauge the progress even before reaching the excavation site. Had he spent a few more days hesitating, they would already have discovered the barrier. ‘Is it because they’ve approached the barrier that my memory is being unlocked, rather than me reaching the appropriate state of being?’ Such a timely coincidence made him question. He would gain his answers once he grasped the holy sword again. Before that, he needed a plan to deal with this excavation team. ‘There seems to be only one viable option.’ With a somewhat grim expression, Logan decided to gain a more detailed understanding of the excavation team's scale by investigating every potential variable and examining the surrounding environment. And after tirelessly moving for three days, when further information gathering seemed pointless— – It’s here, it’s come out! A voice full of elation echoed from deep within the mountain’s cave. Atop a densely-leafed tree, Logan, asleep in an acrobat-like pose on a slim branch, suddenly opened his eyes. "It's really here." Inside the dark cave, the torches that had been installed to illuminate the tunnel were no longer needed. The barrier, emerging through a collapsed wall, shone a radiant white light, brightly illuminating the wide gallery. Everyone present felt this was a miracle created by a power beyond magic. "Wow!" "I could cry." "This, this is…" "I’ve felt something similar before, during a blessing ceremony by a high priest." Labors, moved by the sight of the pure white barrier, each offered their thoughts. Having rushed to the commotion, Yasel couldn’t help but be impressed as well. “Divine power, tangible enough to be seen…” “Wasn’t I right all along, Sir Knight?” “…Indeed.” “Then, it’s time to make preparations, isn’t it?” “…I’m aware.” A momentary flicker of conflict appeared on Yasel's face as he looked at the laborers, but it was soon swept away by his firm resolution. And then. "Gather all the workers! Begin the final phase!" Some of the senior knights, aware of the implication of his words, hurriedly urged the regular knights to push everyone outside. "Bring in all those who are resting from the other shifts as well!" "Move it!" "Yes, sir!" The voices of dozens of people simultaneously shouting orders and responding echoed noisily throughout the tunnel, only to disappear like the tide ebbing away. Feeling an inexplicable sense of unease, one of the laborers cautiously approached Yasel with a question. "Sir, why are you gathering all the workers? Can't we continue the excavation as we were?" Yasel's expression hardened slightly, and he remained silent. Just as the anxious worker was about to ask again— – Who's there! – Aaaaah! – Intruders! Screams rang out, changing the complexion of everyone inside the tunnel.