Eternally Regressing Knight - Chapter 20: Squad Leader Encrid

There was a torchstand between the tents.

And the supply tent had oil.

He had spent several days repeating today, training his hearing.

He could find the positions of things around him with his eyes closed.

“Just a quick errand.”

It was a simple task.

He used sound to locate the patrol guards and then sneaked to the supply tent to fetch the oil.

He poured the oil around the tent.

The next step was even easier.

He just needed to kick over the torchstand.

Making sure no one was watching, he crawled under the shadows, pulled the torchstand down, and let it fall inside.

The flames at the end of the torchstand met the oil with a joyful whoosh.

“Quite skillful,” the company commander said calmly.

Was that a compliment?

Encrid thought so as he set the tent on fire.

Naturally, the fire started where he had poured the oil.

Encrid smeared some soot on his face and inhaled a bit of smoke.

It was easier to react realistically than to fake it.

“Cough!”

Encrid coughed and carried the fallen freckled guard out through the torn part of the tent where the company commander had entered. He then circled around and collapsed in front of the medical tent.

That should be enough.

“Fire!”

He timed the fire to coincide with the patrol guard’s route.

No, it had to be timed that way.

The guard from the neighboring tent was a master of sleeping while standing.

He didn’t wake up at all.

Encrid had thought the assassin had shot a poison dart at him too.

No elaborate preparations were needed for this.

All he had to do was steal oil from the supply tent and knock over the torchstand.

But Krang and the company commander seemed quite impressed.

“You’d probably be the leader of a bandit group if you joined one,” Krang had said just before leaving.

Was that a compliment?

As Encrid ran his hand through his hair, his fingers got caught in his tangled curls.

‘I need to cut my hair.’

Without bothering to wipe the soot off his face, he lay down on the ground.

It wasn’t a big fire. It wouldn’t be a major incident.

No one had died.

He had even thought up an excuse for the guard.

‘Ask me tomorrow. Tomorrow.’

He genuinely wanted to lie down and sleep right there.

It had been a long night.

A really long today.

Beyond a headache, his head felt numb.

He didn’t want to think about anything.

“Survivors?”

“Over there. But it looks like he’s passed out now.”

He knew they were talking about him, but he ignored it and closed his eyes.

Fatigue overwhelmed him.

* * *

It wasn’t the freckled guard on duty, but Encrid felt a one-sided familiarity with him.

‘You wouldn’t know.’

Encrid had talked to him.

He knew about his hometown.

He knew about the girlfriend he left behind.

He had heard why he joined the army.

He had today, which the guard didn’t.

That created a sense of familiarity.

And the fire and attack weren’t his fault.

So he made up a reasonable excuse for him.

When the fire started, he shouted and tried to save the people inside.

But he inhaled smoke and passed out.

He was a newly trained recruit.

There was no training for tent fires.

Everyone just accepted it.

“Did I really do that?”

Since he had no memory of it, he asked incredulously.

“Your memory must have been wiped.”

The supply company commander shrugged it off.

Encrid wondered if anyone suspected him, but no one did.

Because his excuse fit too perfectly.

He thought someone might find it suspicious, but fortunately, that wasn’t the case.

The supply company commander just seemed relieved that the supply tent hadn’t caught fire.

Since that was part of the plan, the situation went as he had intended.

A new bright morning.

Today didn’t repeat.

Encrid woke up still feeling a headache.

But he was satisfied.

He had made it through ‘today’ again.

“You saved me?”

After washing his face, changing his smoky clothes, and roughly trimming his hair with a dagger, he headed out.

Benzence was sitting on a supply box, asking.

“I couldn’t just let you burn to death in front of me.”

At Encrid’s words, Benzence mumbled something.

Then he asked.

“…Why?”

Encrid wondered if this needed an explanation.

With his head still aching, he didn’t want to talk much.

“Because you’re my comrade.”

Hearing this, Benzence’ expression hardened.

“Tsk.”

Seeing his expression, Encrid spoke.

“The flower of the battlefield.”

“…Is the infantry.”

It was the infantry company’s greeting.

With that, Encrid turned around.

He had just received orders to return.

“I’ve been nothing but a jerk.”

He faintly heard Benzence muttering behind him.

He could hear things he wouldn’t normally hear.

‘Auditory training.’

Encrid pondered the ability he had gained.

He recalled the elf company commander’s parry from last night.

He also reflected on dodging the assassin’s attacks.

A question naturally arose.

‘Am I still in the same place?’

It wasn’t a serious thought. Just curiosity.

How different was today’s Encrid from yesterday’s?

Suddenly, he wanted to spar with Rem.

‘First,’

He needed to return to the main camp and rest. His head still ached.

“The weather is really nice.”

He hadn’t walked far when he noticed his shadow stretching out to the right.

Looking up, he saw a clear blue sky like a canvas.

Fluffy clouds spread out in pieces, and the wind was cool while the sun was warm.

It was a very clear day.

Just walking made him feel like his headache might go away.

* * *

Krys was outwardly calm, but inwardly he sighed heavily.

It had only been a week since Encrid left.

‘How did we manage back then?’

Faced with the current situation, Krys’ mind escaped to the past.

He remembered the time when Encrid wasn’t around.

“So, I’m the squad leader here. So, you guys have to listen to me. So, gather in front of the tent.”

A squad leader who kept repeating ‘so.’

He had been authoritarian. And he died screaming in his first battle.

“Follow me!”

He seemed to have heard some strange rumors.

The troublemaker squad had few members but top-notch skills.

Did he think they would quietly follow him?

He charged ahead alone and got his head impaled on a spear.

When his helmet flew back, Rem kicked it away.

‘The next squad leader was…’

“I heard you’re good at fighting. Want to test your skills? Who wants to spar with me?”

He was a noble’s child. Supposedly here for some crime, but he didn’t say much and planned to return after a few months.

That noble was confident but inexperienced.

“Can we really spar with the squad leader?”

Rem scratched his head and asked.

“Hmm, not you. You, with the auburn hair.”

He chose Jaxson as his opponent.

Rem looked like a thug, clearly a good fighter.

He didn’t pick Krys, as that would be too easy.

Jaxson seemed the most manageable.

Naturally, it was a big mistake.

“Me?”

“Yes. Let’s spar. Ha ha, I’ve never lost.”

“What if I get hurt during the spar?”

“Are you afraid? Men shouldn’t be scared of that! It’ll be overlooked.”

The arrogant noble squad leader’s arm broke.

“Thought you’d dodge.”

Jaxson was usually easygoing but sometimes went a bit crazy.

He had been taunted by Rem and the other squad members while sparring casually.

“You should’ve stepped forward with your left foot there.”

“Ridiculous. Just trip him and be done with it.”

“Grip your sword tighter. Underestimating your opponent will get you hurt.”

“Pathetic. Can’t even handle a woman. I’d have finished by now. So boring.”

Jaxson turned vicious, and the noble squad leader’s arm broke.

The company commander had shouted in anger.

“Attacking a superior?”

“He insisted on sparring and said it’d be overlooked.”

“Right, right. A man’s word is his bond.”

“Yeah. His word keeps changing. Ah, I repent.”

Each squad member chimed in, leaving the company commander speechless.

It was true.

The noble squad leader slunk away with his tail between his legs.

Back home, he might have had plenty of paid fighters who would lose to him, but this was the battlefield.

The company commander didn’t seem to have any intention of dragging the noble squad leader to the battlefield.

They had just given him the position of squad leader.

‘The next squad leader was…’

All were about the same.

A squad leader who would get angry easily, had a quiet talk with Rem outside, and then requested a transfer without causing more trouble.

Others left for similar reasons.

Even those who stayed treated each other like strangers.

“Phew.”

Krys turned his head at the sound of a sigh from behind.

“Finally.”

Krys muttered in relief, recognizing the face.

“What’s with that look?”

It was Encrid, pressing his temples with his right forefinger as he approached.

Encrid looked at the two facing off in front of the 4th squad tent.

It was the reality Krys had been avoiding.

“I said that without a squad leader, I’m practically the deputy leader. So, do as I say. Ragnar, squad member?”

“Don’t call my name. Address me with a title, barbarian.”

“Oh, has a picky eater turned into a noble?”

“It’s disgusting for an incomplete beast to call my name.”

“Oh, really? Need to be mauled by a beast to wake up?”

Veins stood out on Rem’s hand as he growled, ready to split Ragnar’s head with an axe.

Ragnar stood unfazed, hands at his sides, not even in a fighting stance.

That was Ragnar’s ready position.

Jaxson watched nonchalantly, while another squad member quietly prayed, trying to stop them.

“Brothers, fighting and violence are wrong.”

“Step back, religious nut.”

“Move away. Blades have no eyes.”

Rem and Ragnar responded simultaneously.

‘What a mess this squad is.’

Only a week, and it’s like this.

As he walked, his headache returned.

“Krys, got any leftover medicine?”

Jaxson ignored the fight and greeted Encrid with a nod, then asked Krys.

“None right now. Squad leader, you’re back. I was going to find you. There’s been some trouble.”

Krys shook his head at Jaxson and turned to Encrid.

“Hold on.”

First, he needed to stop those two.

Left alone, it would surely end in blood.

It had been like this on his first day too.

The opponent wasn’t Ragnar then, but the praying squad member.

“Many problems can’t be solved by fighting and violence.”

That guy wasn’t normal either.

“Hey!”

Ignoring his throbbing headache, Encrid stepped between them.

Stopping their fights was simple.

Words wouldn’t work.

You had to push your way in.

Encrid walked between them.

“…They say ignorance is bold. You here?”

Rem muttered, his veins calming.

“Well, can’t cut him too. The squad leader… No.”

Glowering at each other, Rem and Ragnar stepped back but still exchanged threats.

“Don’t die on the battlefield. I want to kill you myself.”

“Really? Want to die tomorrow? Want to taste Rem’s axe?”

“Enough.”

Encrid shook his head between them.

Why did they hate each other so much?

He didn’t know. It had always been this way.

They still glared at each other.

Returning to this mess and seeing them fighting.

“So many things happened without a squad leader.”

Krys spoke again.

“Really?”

It was obvious.

Ragnar had said the tent was a mess, and it was true.

He had expected it.

It was fine.

After all the tough times, their chaos didn’t bother him.

Skipping meal duty and eating individually.

Getting into a fight with the neighboring squad and hitting one’s jaw.

Ignoring the platoon leader’s calls.

‘Isn’t it too chaotic without me?’

He thought that a lot, but it was fine.

Krys kept chattering.

Encrid realized the trouble wasn’t confined to their squad.

“A curse?”

Encrid forgot his headache and asked.

“Yes, they say the entire camp is cursed.”

What kind of nonsense was this?

It was absurd enough to distract him from his headache.