Chapter 237
‘Not a duel.’
It was an offer, a recruitment.
‘Things like this have been happening a lot lately.’
Didn’t Markus say the same?
‘He told me to become the company commander.’
He refused.
And now, it was a knight.
Encrid looked at the man before him.
He was clearly not a noble of Naurilia.
So was that a problem?
Not at all, it would be no problem.
Even if you were born in Naurilia, people in a rural village wouldn’t know or care about who the king or the nobles were.
The only ones who mattered were those who kept them fed and didn’t make their lives miserable.
Especially since they’d never even seen the king in their lives, most people just considered the local lord to be their ruler. Encrid was born and raised in such a village.
So Encrid didn’t have any particular sense of loyalty to the country.
That wasn’t why he didn’t answer right away.
He wasn’t averse to accepting help from others, either.
Without advice and help, he never would’ve made it this far.
In that sense, Encrid was grateful to Rem, Audin, Ragna, Jaxson, and even Krys.
But despite all this, when Encrid heard the offer, to be honest, it took the wind out of his sails.
His heart, pounding so fiercely, cooled off in an instant.
He’d come here expecting to see the man’s real skills, to really fight him.
That was why he didn’t care about the pouring rain.
“You’re not even telling me where, so should I follow?”
“You won’t regret it.”
His eyes shone. The kind of look you see when someone genuinely believes what they’re saying.
Encrid knew that even if the other person meant well, that didn’t mean it would benefit him.
Even a stone thrown without thinking can kill a frog.
Whether you threw it out of kindness or malice, or just to scare away a snake, or if you aimed at the frog’s head, a stone is still a stone.
More importantly,
‘Do I want to join a knight order?’
Encrid looked up at the sky and asked himself.
The heavy rain wouldn’t stop after a day or two.
Pretty fierce for autumn rain.
His thoughts were brief. It wasn’t a question worth agonizing over.
Becoming a knight and joining a knight order are different. It was always that way.
Even if you long for the red cloak, that doesn’t mean you’d give up everything to wear it.
It was the same now.
“No.”
“No? If it’s because I haven’t revealed where, think again. No one can offer you a better path than I can. Especially if you want to go even higher, you need to be where such people gather.”
Do you have to join a knight order to become a knight?
No. But it does increase your chances.
There are those at the level of a knight among mercenaries and even among bandits.
But the truth remains: most knights come from knight orders.
At the very least, it gives you more opportunities.
To a soldier from some borderland, it looked like a golden rope, a chance.
“It’s a place better than the Red Cloak Order. I guarantee it.”
The rapier swordsman repeated, but Encrid didn’t nod.
‘A knight order, huh.’
Sure, it could be an opportunity.
But just spending time training and practicing—can you really become strong just because you’re in a knight order? Can you get where you want to go? Can you become a knight?
Encrid looked back on the path he’d walked. Reflection was a part of him. What had he done to get here?
What brought him this far?
He never needed the best circumstances handed to him.
On top of that,
‘I haven’t even seen the limits of my own subordinates yet.’
He couldn’t turn his back on those who brought him here.
He was about to refuse again.
“Do you know what you must never touch among an Elf’s possessions?”
Where did that come from?
Even with his sharpened senses, Encrid hadn’t noticed the presence until she spoke.
Before he could refuse, the Elf Company Commander’s voice came first.
She looked fresher, like she’d just washed up. She wore casual clothes—a long-sleeved, thin shirt that fluttered in the breeze.
Then,
“Fiancé.”
It was Jaxson. Did he answer the Elf’s question?
What were they both doing here?
Encrid and the rapier swordsman turned their heads.
“That’s right. Fiancé. Do you know what happens if you mess with an Elf’s fiancé?”
“Execution, right?”
Even Rem was there.
Acted like he wouldn’t leave the barracks, but here he was.
“My lord, my father, I pray once more: please don’t take my precious company commander from me.”
Audin also popped out, praying.
How long had they been watching?
They were all gathered at one end of the training ground.
Audin praying, Ragna watching silently, Rem grinning with a hint of menace, Jaxson by his side.
At Jaxson’s feet was Esther, and even the beastkin with golden eyes had joined them.
“If you go, I’ll go with you.”
That was Dunbakel. She always meant what she said. So if Encrid went somewhere, she’d go too.
The Elf Company Commander stood a step away from the others, looking straight at Encrid.
Lastly, Finn, who must have come out late, grumbled,
“Just here to watch, huh? So, are you going?”
That last question was for him. Encrid scratched his head.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t done much for these people, but they always stepped up for him. Fought, taught, stayed by his side.
‘Who am I to deserve this?’
What is a knight?
He believes it’s someone who keeps honor.
What is a knight?
He believes it’s someone with conviction.
What is a knight?
He believes it’s someone who stands up for justice.
That’s the kind of knight Encrid believes in, follows, and wants to become.
To him, this is honor, conviction, and justice.
His bond with these people is the same as those three things.
“If you’re not going to fight, go back. I’m not joining your knight order.”
The path to becoming a knight—Encrid had already chosen it.
Here, now, to move from the present into what’s next.
“Well, I wasn’t going to try to stop you.”
Rem made a pointless comment. Why was he even here if he wasn’t going to stop him?
“Mm, I’m better.”
Ragna said something out of the blue.
“I’m better than any knight order.”
Then he added more. Arrogant and outrageous, but Encrid knew Ragna’s genius and couldn’t argue.
Audin just smiled gently.
“It’s your choice, brother.”
Wasn’t he just praying to God not to have him taken away?
Even so, if Encrid had chosen to leave, they’d have accepted it.
They really were strange people.
In any case, he decided, he chose, and had no intention of looking back.
That was Encrid.
Crash.
Thunder rumbled again, and a blue flash of lightning lit up the world overhead.
The rapier swordsman, looking Encrid in the eyes, nodded.
“Doesn’t look like you’ll change your mind.”
He gave up. The swordsman dusted off his hands. He was a wanderer, traveling the continent in search of promising talents to lead to his own base.
Normally, he would’ve revealed his affiliation.
But—
‘He would’ve refused.’
So he didn’t say. Even if he did, nothing would change.
Still, maybe he should say something, just in case?
It didn’t matter. Of all the people he’d met, his talent was the worst, but from the start, he always respected those eyes.
That’s why he tried to bring him along.
Back then, he was paying attention to something other than the sword.
“Be careful of Swallow Blade. He’s not a quiet one.”
“Got it.”
Encrid nodded.
“Don’t overuse [Will]. When a child who just learned to walk tries to run without rest, their knees and ankles get ruined. Build up your ankles first, then run.”
“I will.”
Good advice, and a warning.
“Well, I’ll be off. Who knows if we’ll meet again.”
An unnecessarily honest farewell.
“See you next time.”
Encrid replied in kind.
The rapier swordsman turned away. In the end, there was no duel.
That was a bit disappointing.
“Are you really disappointed you didn’t get to fight?”
Rem poked at him. Encrid, still feeling regret, turned his fighting spirit toward Rem.
“Since I’m already soaked?”
“Damn, fine. But I’m telling you now—I’m not going to go easy on you this time.”
“I never once went easy on you.”
“Of course not. Damn that tongue of yours.”
On a rainy night, Encrid raised his sword. Rem pulled out his axe.
The two ignored the darkness and the pouring rain, charging at each other.
In the end, Encrid lost again.
“I really can’t go easy on you anymore.”
Rem said, standing in the rain.
At least, since both of them held back, there was no blood.
‘Rem…’
He can go even higher. It felt like he was holding himself back in some way.
Encrid didn’t ask about it just because he sensed it.
It was something he’d handle himself.
He simply resolved to stay here and keep his honor, conviction, justice, and bond with these people.
“What’ll you do with a broken axe?”
Encrid’s sword was tough. Swinging with full force, he broke one of the axe blades.
Rem used that as bait to win.
“Weren’t you going to buy me a new one?”
“I don’t have any Krong.”
“Neither do I.”
Recently, he’d spent what little he had on Krys after he did something praiseworthy.
They didn’t even have enough Krong to buy new armor.
Naturally, their eyes turned toward the lodging.
“Big eyes.”
If they didn’t have Krong, they’d just have to bother Krys.
Rem decided as much, and Encrid didn’t stop him.
“[Will] starts from here.”
Ragna said, watching the duel.
He’d been lazy all day, but here he was, watching in the rain.
Esther, soaked at his feet, hopped into his arms.
“I know.”
He’d felt it, realized it, and understood.
He wondered if he should go to the bath again or just wash up quickly and go to bed.
“Independent Company Commander!”
It was the entrance to the barracks. It was already late at night. A soldier was calling for him.
Everyone turned their gaze that way.
Even Rem, who’d been bothering Krys inside, came out again.
“Seriously, you’re all soaked. At least dry off before coming in.”
Krys grumbled.
“Something’s happened!”
The soldier was looking for Encrid.
He wondered what now.
—
The rapier swordsman’s group gathered around him as he left.
“A wasted trip, huh.”
They teased.
“It was fun enough.”
“Are you sure? Are you really just going to leave that guy? He’s up to something.”
Each one had their own specialty. The one they were talking about—Swallow Blade—was a crazy bastard.
The swordsman brushed his chin.
The habit lingered, even though his beard was gone.
“He’ll take care of himself.”
It wasn’t his business. And there’s no way a guy like Swallow Blade could beat him.
‘He does use his head, though.’
“Was it real, though?”
His subordinate asked. The rapier swordsman nodded without hesitation.
“It’s a talent I can’t even see.”
It was high praise.
Truth was, he’d died again and again to get here, but none of them would ever know.
“Oh.”
His subordinate was surprised. Not something he’d often hear from his superior.
“So, where to now?”
“Let’s head back. To the Empire.”
When the swordsman said that, his men’s faces lit up. Finally, they were going home.
