The Regressor of a Saint

Missing

Updating chap at work is crazy—
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『???' POV』

The clang of swords and shouts from the training grounds filled the air, but Ned's voice cut through like a blade, sharp with panic. "MY COUSIN IS MISSING, AND YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN?!" His spiky hair seemed to rise in anger, his whole body tense. Nearby trainees paused, startled by his voice.

John, ever the steady knight, stood his ground, his bald head gleaming in the sun as he held up a hand to calm his friend. "Ned, shouting won't help. You need to keep your head." His voice was low and controlled, the way it always was when things got serious. "We'll figure this out, but acting like this isn't going to do Sam any favors." 

Ned's shoulders slumped as he let out a frustrated huff, His practice sword fell from his grip, landing in the dirt with a dull thud. His hands clenched at his sides, the weight of the situation crushing down on him. The other knights around them fell silent, sensing the gravity of it all.

John turned to Nick, who, for once, wasn't fiddling with his mirror or cracking a joke. Instead, he looked focused, a rare seriousness in his eyes that caught John off guard.

"What do we know about this situation so far?" John asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

The silence stretched for a beat before Nick exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts.

Nick paused, then sighed. "Sam mentioned some problems at the orphanage—something about complaints. A couple of the apprentice knights went to check, but no one saw him go there for sure. Last time anyone saw him was in town... ten days ago."

"Ten days?" David, the White Lotus wanna be knight, blurted out. His eyes were wide with disbelief. "How could he be gone that long without anyone noticing?"

Ned winced, guilt washing over his face. Sam was his cousin, his only family. He should have known, should have noticed something was wrong. The regret gnawed at him, like a storm that wouldn't let up.

Silence settled over them. Each knight stood in their own thoughts, weighing the failures of the past ten days. Missed chances. Questions they hadn't asked. The tension between them was thick, and it felt like the ground might open up beneath them.

Finally, David broke the quiet. "What do we do now?" His voice cracked, betraying his fear.

Nick bit his lip before speaking, his usual playfulness completely gone. "What if... those rumors about the orphanage were true? What if they took him, or worse?"

The group exchanged uneasy looks. Nick's words were exactly what they were all dreading, but none had wanted to say.

John straightened, his gaze hardening as he met Nick's eyes. "Standing here won't bring him back," he said, his tone edged with impatience. "Are the two apprentice knights sure about what they witnessed and heard?"

Nick nodded. "As sure as they can be. They're both shaken up, but they've told the same story twice."

"Then let's not waste more time. Fetch them." John's tone left no room for argument. "We're taking this straight to the Captain."

With a shared nod of understanding, the group fell into step behind John, their footsteps echoing through the corridors as they made their way toward the main office. 

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Vita, Elpis knights' headquarters.