Chapter 301 - The Right Choice
Waaahhh!
The roar hit their ears as soon as they entered Border Guard.
His whole body vibrated. With everyone shouting, it was no wonder.
"My ears are going to fall off."
Amidst the tired soldiers, cheers erupted between falling raindrops.
The Black Blade threatened, and heretics gathered.
Officially, it was the Tarning family's troops, but it looked like a ghoul dressed in human clothes.
It was an obvious ploy. Everyone knew. Even the innkeeper knew about it.
Although Aspen was still around, there were moments that should be celebrated.
When is life most precious?
It's when you've overcome a threat. When you've escaped danger. When you realize you're alive.
Right now, the Border Guard civilians felt that way.
Everyone had overcome the threats and escaped danger.
There were those who couldn't hold on and fled in the middle of the night.
Some couldn't bear it and ran away early.
On the other hand, there were those who stayed in the city.
They spared no strength in their shouts. Their hearts seemed ready to burst as they yelled.
"You! For you, I'd give what I've kept for twenty years!"
Innkeeper Vanessa shouted.
Vanessa, who lost her first husband when she was twenty-five and never met another man since, had kept her body precious.
If anyone tried to make a move, she'd swing a cast-iron pot at them.
"Who's going to take it!"
A burly mercenary yelled. He seemed to have gotten injured in battle, with bandages wrapped around his left eye and chin, and blood stained his face.
He was laughing loudly, though his injuries were likely to worsen.
"It wasn't meant for you!"
"Get a grip! Innkeeper!"
Everyone laughed.
The mercenary kept shouting boisterously.
"You fight like you're going to kill!"
"Fighting dirty, but you're damn good at it!"
The voices of rough men erupted with the mercenary's lead.
In between, there were also women's screams mixed with the cheers. Everyone was intoxicated with the joy of victory.
"Hey, have you forgotten that Aspen's still out there? Is this really the time?"
Krais muttered.
Seeing this, Rem patted Krais on the back of the head.
Slap!
The slap was a bit too fast, with Rem's hand reaching Krais' head a little too quickly in his excitement.
Krais, rubbing his head, turned it to the side with a sour expression, and Rem chuckled as he spoke.
"You gotta enjoy when you can, kid."
"Are you going to keep enjoying even if you're about to die?"
"Look, you're enjoying this too. I'm about to split your skull into six pieces with an axe."
"Enough."
Enkrid interrupted. If they left it alone, Krais would surely get hit again, even if his skull wasn't split.
"Habitual bullying of the weak is not a good habit."
Seeing this, Ragna spoke.
Somehow, with Enkrid in the center, those on the left were the injured ones, and those on the right were the uninjured.
On the left were Rem, Audin, and Teresa.
On the right were Ragna, Jaxen, and Dunbakel.
"Huh? What? I can't hear you, your words are always lost," Rem said, putting his hand behind his ear, and Jaxen responded.
"Bullying the weak is bad. Don't do it."
Jaxen made a hand gesture, drawing an imaginary line, explaining like he was talking to a wild animal.
Regardless of the cheers or the "Immortal Rem" shouts, Rem pulled out his axe.
"Wanna say that to my face?"
"No, wait, don't! Stop, please."
Jaxen made a cross with his hands, signaling him to hold back.
If they left it alone, things would escalate.
Ragna added to the conversation.
This was like pouring dozens of barrels of oil onto a fire.
"An arm broken by a dog, and a traitor who survived…"
Ragna's tone didn't seem to provoke, though.
This was his strength, and also his weakness.
His honesty was his strength, and his refusal to hide it was his weakness.
Of course, now it was more of a weakness.
"Haha, brother. Do you wish to sleep forever?"
Jaxen didn't react. He just moved quietly.
Ragna genuinely thought they were weak.
Enkrid heard all of this.
If they were left unchecked, they would walk into cheers only to end up in a bloody mess.
Everyone subtly raised their spirits.
It had been a while.
Now that he thought about it, they had gotten along well over time.
In a way, this was a huge improvement.
At least this time, they weren't fighting as one group.
Rem and Audin were one side, and Ragna and Jaxen were another.
No, actually, looking at it now, it seemed like a bigger mess.
"Are you not stopping them?"
Krais, ever perceptive, quietly nudged Enkrid's side.
Enkrid was now an expert at stopping these situations. One word was enough.
"I think I'm faster now. Rem."
The heated atmosphere immediately cooled down. What did he just say? Rem asked.
"What did you just say?"
"You'll see later."
The intense tension dissipated.
Enkrid's gaze turned to the front.
The leopard that had entered first didn't look injured, but appeared tired.
The wild-eyed horse, though, wasn't bothered by the crowd and walked with confidence, observing everything around him. Despite the large crowd, he seemed unafraid.
Although he was a bit timid with his words, his demeanor was calm, perhaps due to the fact that he had survived despite the blood of beasts running through him.
He had the confidence to escape if things went wrong, an attitude that showed he trusted in his abilities.
Watching him charge and fight on the battlefield, he seemed reliable enough.
"He's one of the unit members, huh?"
Enkrid inwardly acknowledged him.
Leaving behind the cheers, they entered the city, and Rem stood before Enkrid.
"Ta-da, ta-da, let's check this out. Let's see what's quick."
"Are you okay?"
Enkrid asked with genuine concern. It wasn't meant as a provocation.
"Shit."
Rem responded, stretching his mouth wide to express his distaste with his face, showing his skill at making it clear. It was a masterpiece.
His expression was grotesque.
It was a calm and harmonious conversation.
"Let's see. If you're slower than me, this won't be fun."
Ah, this is a fun guy.
Enkrid assumed his stance.
With everyone watching in front of the barracks, he repeated the process he had learned.
Although he couldn't quite stretch his technique in one go, and still lacked some precision in manifesting his will, when it was done, it was faster than Lykanos.
It was similar to the 'Will' of rejection.
Though the technique was rough, when it activated, it was overwhelming.
Relaxation, contraction, explosion.
Repeating the previous steps, he extended his sword.
The sword, extending in a straight line, cut through space, splitting the air with sound.
Ka-ang!
Rem tried to deflect the sword with his axe but failed.
He had no choice but to block the sword with the flat side of the axe.
The result was a screeching metallic sound.
"Not bad."
Enkrid said, secretly impressed.
He wasn't trying to kill him, but that speed wasn't something that could be blocked easily.
"...What have you been doing while I was gone?"
Rem couldn't hide his surprise.
Was it only Rem who felt this way?
"Hmm."
Ragna coughed briefly.
Jaxen opened his half-lidded eyes wide.
Audin froze, his smile intact.
He looked like a well-made statue.
Ragna, at least, had seen it once before, so he was relatively calm.
But having seen it once didn't mean he was familiar with it.
In fact, it proved that killing Lykanos wasn't just a coincidence.
The surprise wasn't different from anyone else's.
Two words flashed through Ragna's mind.
"Very fast."
Even now, it's fast. Speed is relative. In that sense, how many people could block that thrust now?
A barbarian, a bear-like zealot, or a stray cat might be able to, but...
For the beastkin or Theresa, it would be difficult.
Well, if it's Theresa, she could block it with a shield if she really tried.
But a beastkin wouldn't stand a chance. It's not because of a skill gap, but because of their different fighting styles.
Other weaknesses were apparent as well.
"But after one thrust, the pause is too long."
The burst of acceleration was unprecedented.
"Let's see if you can properly move your body afterwards and try again, okay?"
Rem's words were right. It wasn't flowing properly.
His arm was shaking, and his posture was subtly breaking down, his balance disturbed.
Of course, that didn't mean the strike should be dismissed.
"This was also a part of his 'Will'."
In other words, Enkrid's thrust was at a level one might expect from a sub-knight.
If he hadn't realized the fragment of 'Will', such a technique would never have appeared.
"Rejection and thrust."
Two fragments of 'Will'.
"Let's spar."
Enkrid said calmly.
Amidst the snow pouring down, everyone retreated into their own worlds.
Everyone in this place was the same. Watching Enkrid, stimuli ruthlessly surged.
"Father."
Audin muttered in prayer, while Dunbakel's eyes burned with intensity.
Theresa, forgetting her injuries, was eager to fight.
And Krais, who had been observing it all,
"Are you serious? Are you really going to spar right now?"
"Then should I clean my eyes?"
Rem retorted.
Instead of sighing, Krais took a deep breath and turned his gaze to Enkrid.
"Commander, one last question."
"Ask."
"I'm going first."
As Dunbakel muttered nonsense from the side, Rem kicked her in the behind.
"Didn't you get hit enough?"
"Why are you picking on me?"
"Why do you think?"
Leaving them behind, Krais continued.
"We're still going to fight, right?"
There was a lot behind that question.
They could still escape. As long as they gave up Green Pearl, defending Border Guard would be no trouble.
Now that they'd passed the hardest part, the Martai forces could be mobilized.
Due to the upheaval caused by the cultists, they couldn't move recklessly, but they would be heading out soon. Probably by tomorrow.
Even so, would they still fight?
"What if we leave it?"
Enkrid asked in return.
"Hah, I know why you're asking, but if we leave it, this city will be hard to protect."
Krais made that judgment.
Inside Naurilia, there was chaos. If reinforcements were going to arrive, they should have been here by now.
At least, Count Molsan shouldn't have been able to ignore it like this.
'The central power doesn't reach this far.'
Meanwhile, Commander Marcus had quietly withdrawn.
There was no good signal in sight.
The conclusion was the same.
If they wanted to survive and protect what they had, they had to strike first. The geographical advantage and timing were on their side, and it would be to their benefit if they struck now.
"What do you think the Aspen people are doing?"
Enkrid asked as he sheathed his sword and glanced at the falling snow.
By now, the snow had grown heavier.
If left unchecked, the surroundings would soon turn into a white land.
For the soldiers, it wasn't a good situation, but with the fatigue of battle and all, the snow needed to be cleared first.
If left, the drainage would freeze, and the accumulated snow would eventually collapse the wooden roofs of makeshift buildings.
The barracks were made of stone, so there was no problem, but if the fences broke, it would take more effort to repair them.
It was better to clear the snow before that.
Krais, while considering the damage the falling snow could cause, also wondered why Aspen was waiting and what they were aiming for.
The conclusion was anticlimactic.
"I don't know. If they wanted Green Pearl, they should have attacked earlier. But it seems like we'll have to wait a little longer."
He had a troubling prediction based on ominous thoughts, but it wasn't very likely to come true.
"We'll have to move out once the snow stops."
Krais finished, and Enkrid nodded. There was nothing more to be done now.
It was time to rest.
They ate and slept. But as evening came and the snow continued to fall, dissatisfaction began to bubble up among the soldiers.
"Let us drink and have some fun, damn snow!"
Krais dismissed the complaints.
With the snow falling, this was still a rare opportunity to rest.
In the meantime, those who wanted to drink and relax did so.
Enkrid, instead of drinking, reflected on what he had gained. He replayed the battles in his mind, carefully thinking through every detail.
Did he miss anything? Was there anything to learn?
By reviewing and reflecting, there was always something to learn.
He spent the day thinking and resting, gradually loosening up his body for the next day.
"Here."
Shinar came over and tossed a salve made by the fairies.
The specific ingredients were unknown, but it was certainly a good ointment.
After applying it, his minor wounds quickly healed, especially the burn on his back.
"Apply it for me."
The fairy commander even personally applied the ointment to his back.
The sharp pain and cool sensation ran across his back simultaneously.
This rapid healing was due to the activation of his natural healing powers through the Isolation technique.
This was the body of regeneration; even broken bones would heal swiftly.
"Give me a few more, there are many injured."
Upon Enkrid's request, Shinar looked around and said,
"That one is enough. A little ointment and it'll be fine."
The platoon leader said, and without further word, walked off.
Despite the wounds, it was clear that Rem had sustained more serious injuries.
"This is discrimination. Why does he only get treated like that?"
"Don't pretend you don't know."
Dunbakel said seriously from the side.
"I don't know, I don't know. So let's train. Beastkin. Beastkin, let's have some fun."
Rem growled, and Dunbakel quickly ran out of the barracks. Her movements were swift.
With a snap, she kicked the ground and dashed out like a white shadow, slamming the door open. Her skills had clearly improved, that was evident.
Outside the barracks, amidst the falling snow, Dunbakel stuck her tongue out.
Rem didn't rush out.
The heated leather was worn out and patched back into a vest. Rem stood there, deep in thought.
The snow was falling, and it was cold. Should he go out and deal with that immortal barbarian, or not?
It would be easy to chase after a fleeing barbarian.
He was all wounded; leaving them be would probably just make things worse.
"Just hold on, brother."
Audin's gentle discouragement made Rem lie back with a grunt. It would come back around someday. When that happened, he could deal with it.
He had avoided injury this time, which meant he was still holding onto the habit of fighting while withdrawing.
That meant he still needed to relearn how to fight properly.
That was the duty of the one responsible for training them. Rem swore to himself.
He would make sure to beat them.
Audin, with one arm broken, examined Enkrid's shin wound.
"It'll heal soon."
But Audin's own arm didn't seem to be healing anytime soon.
Even in this situation, his divine powers weren't manifesting. There must have been a reason, but it wasn't something Enkrid asked about.
Enkrid nodded vaguely and went outside.
He just needed to warm up.
There were mercenaries who had fought for the city, so he intended to check in with them.
The snowstorm had lessened by now.
A few soldiers recognized Enkrid and saluted stiffly.
Considering what they had seen on the battlefield, it was understandable.
Though this was limited to the battlefield, he certainly stood out there.
As Enkrid walked out of the barracks, he noticed a woman standing by the gate, her nose red from the cold.
She looked up as Enkrid stepped out.
"Ah."
She recognized him.
The woman approached, knelt, and bowed her head.
"Though I am of humble station, I was taught never to overlook a kindness."
The woman said. She appeared to be over forty years old.
"Thank you for saving my son."
She bowed and spoke through tears.
Everyone had told her to give up. He was a lost cause. But he had been saved. Her son.
Enkrid had become her god, her savior, her everything.
He was the one who saved her child—a life she would trade her own for.
Enkrid felt a strange warmth in his chest. His heart trembled. It felt like someone was whispering in his ear.
"You made the right choice."
It almost sounded like the voices of Ger and Pete, the ones who had died.
"I'll cheer for your dreams."
The voice of the child mixed in.
He wanted to end the war on the continent.
Enkrid wanted to become a knight and accomplish that goal with his own hands.
To stop mothers from losing their children in the chaos of war was the reason he wanted to become a knight.
He helped the woman to her feet and calmly sent her away.
His fight, his dream, had only just begun.
In terms of a journey, he had just reached the starting point.
In truth, he hadn't even reached the starting point yet.
He wanted to become a knight.
The faded, torn dream now gleamed and mended, right in front of him.
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