Steampunk Era: Mad Abield
Chapter 909: Section 601: Meeting (Part 2)_3

Chapter 909: Section 601: Meeting (Part 2)_3

"Wait a moment, child." Hill’s child was faced with the muzzle pressed down by his ancestor.

Then he began to ask Ingram: "Now that it’s come to this, can you really let go just like that? Will you have any regrets?"

Hearing this question, Ingram opened his eyes, nodded with a smile: "Yes, I do regret. I’ve told my comrades that if we’re going to do something, we should do it thoroughly. But he said we shouldn’t kill this child... I think your descendant survived because of my old friend."

Having said that, he looked at Heinstant: "Don’t cry, Heinstant, my old friend. I deny your weakness, but I also understand it. We both have children, and we always try to avoid harming the young in our actions. This descendant of Gaiate has betrayed the Guild; it is evil and should be eradicated, but your choice is not wrong either. The Temple Knights should not have only one voice like mine. We are weapons, blades, but there should always be sheaths to bind us."

Upon saying this, Ingram turned his head towards Legendary: "Your Grace, let your descendant take the shot. He comes from another timeline where I have fulfilled my duty. Perhaps in his later life, he will choose to continue to kill me on that timeline... But that is no longer something I need to contemplate."

"...You on this timeline didn’t have the chance to kill my father on this timeline. As long as you swear you won’t take any action, we can let you go." Surprisingly, the child put down the gun: "It was you from my original timeline who killed my father. My hatred and anger should not be poured onto someone who is unrelated, even if that ’you’ is still you."

"I refuse." Ingram responded immediately.

His answer made Heinstant roar: "Have you gone mad, my old friend!"

"I have not gone mad, Heinstant. Unlike you, who is not a loyal descendant of the Guild, you would not understand. My family has served the Guild for eleven generations. When I was very young, my parents died on a mission. It was the Guild that raised me. The old nanny told me that I must strive to survive, to reach adulthood, and the Fanoel family should not end with me... I managed to, and now it is time for me to do one last thing for the Guild." The old man spoke with his head raised, then looked at the child before him: "I will not compromise, child. I am a man of the Guild, bearing the loyalty of my family to the Guild for three hundred years. I know why your grandfather did this, but I will not tell you the truth about all of this because the Guild should have no secrets, and I will keep my lips sealed."

"You are a man of principle. If it weren’t for you killing my descendant, I would have stopped this child." Legendary smiled and retracted his hand: "Moreover, I think I should give credit where it’s due. So, Mr. Ingram, rest assured, I will not use the soul search technique on you. This is my appreciation for someone who is loyal."

"Thank you, Your Grace." Ingram nodded with a smile, then looked at the child: "Raise the gun, child. Remember, I am your enemy. If you let me go, you will only allow the tragedy to happen again, for I will not spare the traitors of the Guild."

"I understand, I respect your loyalty. Goodbye, Mr. Ingram. As repayment, I will ensure that the ’you’ on my timeline dies in the least painful way possible." After speaking, the child raised the revolver in his hand and pulled the trigger.

The bullet was fired, pierced into Ingram’s forehead, and was stopped by spiritual energy as it tumbled through his brain.

The smile on Ingram’s face solidified, and he fell backward onto the ground.

"A loyal man deserves to have his body intact." The Legendary said so, and then he looked at Heinstant, but was asking his descendant: "Child, what do you say we should do with this scholar?"

So, the muzzle was once again pointed at Heinstant. The golden-eyed master seemed to be struggling internally, and his expression made Heinstant laugh: "It seems your father’s death can’t be entirely disassociated from Ingram, can it?"

"No... I am wondering if I should hand over the gun in my hands to you." The child released the gun, his index finger looping through the trigger guard of the revolver, handing it to Heinstant.

"My name is Mars, and to this day, I remember that night. When I fled, it was you who stopped the gun that Mr. Ingram pointed at me. You gave me this life, and now I am handing it over to another ’you.’" The young man spoke up, and finally, a look of relief appeared on his face: "Now, it’s your turn to choose."

Heinstant laughed: "Thank you, Mars, you’ve given this version of me in the timeline the right to choose again. I’m so grateful, kid, you’ve allowed me to face my old friend with my head held high and chest puffed out."

"You’re welcome, sir, it’s what I... should do." The youth in his eyes smiled, tears within.

As their conversation ended, Heinstant, who had extended his hand, grabbed the Revolver. He held the gun in his hand and then, smiling, pointed it at the young man before him.

Then a gunshot rang out.

The old man fell next to his companion, the gun barrel clearly visible on the left side of his skull.

"You shouldn’t have given him the gun, Mars, you knew he would choose to point it at you." The eye-shaped intelligence that had been hovering in mid-air retracted the small weapon it had previously extended.

"Then what should I have done, Green." Its master countered, then sighed again, the aggrieved and sorrowful little master turned to face his ancestor: "Ancestor, I’ve truly forgotten everything about you, but... I thank you for your aid, for letting me know what I need to do next."

"You still want to pursue the Truth, right?" His ancestor smiled and reached out to pat the little cat’s head: "My little Truth Seeker... go on, find your own truth."

"...Thank you for understanding me." Mars, the young man, smiled shyly: "I... I really don’t know why, why I’ve forgotten the memories with you, I’m sorry."

"It’s alright, I will remember you, every child that appears before me, will be the most beautiful memory in my mind." After saying this, he stood up, his chair returning to its original shape with the help of Spiritual Energy.

He then turned towards the groups of the Primordial Orderers and the Assassin’s Guild: "Besides the existence of this child, there is nothing I need you to keep secret for me. This time your report might be very hard to write, so please forgive this old man who swims against the current for everything I’ve done, and... live well, both the Assassin’s Guild and the Primordial Orderers, remember this: Fate makes us face hardships not to surrender to them, but to break through them."

Half-humans and Gnomes bowed along with their subordinates.

"Ancestor, where will you go?"

"Tonight, I’m going to help the father from your timeline. I couldn’t save your father, but I want to change the tumultuous fate of this world’s Mark, the past you." Mars’s ancestor spoke with a hint of nostalgia, then he looked at Mars: "What about you, child, would you like to join me?"

"...Please count me in, while fleeing I’ve always wondered how great it would be to know why my father had to go undercover in Dead Eye Group... Now I have the opportunity." A hint of a smile crossed Mars’s face: "This big liar... if his answer is too outrageous, I’ll definitely smash his face."

"I thought you would choose to embrace him." His ancestor said with a laugh and a shake of his head.

"Because he’s Mark’s father... but not my father." Mars was quite clear about this distinction.