Eternally Regressing Knight - Chapter 50: Assumptions Can Kill (1)
After the battle, Encrid fulfilled his duties as a reserve soldier in Border Guard.
He stood watch and patrolled within the city.
During the remaining time, he devoted himself entirely to his sword.
For anyone seeing Encrid for the first time, this monotonous daily routine would seem repetitive to the point of tedium.
But to everyone around him, it was a calm, uneventful routine, something to be taken for granted.
In truth, even if someone had paid attention, he wouldn’t have cared.
He was deeply absorbed in his own thoughts, constantly pondering.
‘How can I win?’
Or rather, how could he wield his sword more effectively?
It was a time for him to review and reflect on what he had learned. After witnessing the prowess of a knight, his desire to surpass that level boiled within him.
Still, he wasn’t in a rush.
Step by step, slowly but surely moving forward—that was Encrid’s specialty.
‘Heart of the Beast, the sense of the blade, a single-minded focus.’
To progress further, he put everything he had learned from Rem, Jaxson, and Ragna into practice during their sparring sessions.
At first, he mostly sparred with Rem, but soon Ragna joined in.
Then, Jaxson occasionally joined as well.
“Before your brain turns to muscle, let me give you a mental break.”
“Huh? Was that meant for me?”
A single stray comment ignited a spark between Rem and Jaxson, but to Encrid, it was just another normal day.
Sparring with Rem was rough. It required quick thinking and judgment on the spot.
He needed to be bold and focused. Often, his body had to move before his mind could even think.
Ragna, on the other hand, was a bit different.
With him, it was a battle focused purely on swordsmanship. Even if he started on the offensive, a moment of complacency could easily put him on the defensive.
Throughout the sparring, he had to be mindful of the overall flow of the fight.
Jaxson was different from both of them.
He used a lot of tricks. He deceived with sounds, footwork, gestures, and subtle movements like shrugging his shoulders.
One had to pay attention to every movement, turning it into a battle of wits and reflexes.
“Clear your mind. Focus on the present.”
That was Jaxson’s advice.
By this point, thoughts of the knight had faded from Encrid’s mind.
He simply repeated what he could do each day.
On an afternoon, two weeks after returning to Border Guard, a ceremony for rewarding merits was held.
“These are the ones who contributed to our victory against the treacherous Azpen!”
The battalion commander distributed the rewards. Among them, Encrid received the largest prize.
“For recognizing the presence of sorcery and breaking its medium, he is awarded!”
The lieutenant loudly announced Encrid’s achievements.
‘They’re actually saying all this?’
Encrid had expected the command to quietly claim credit for themselves, but instead, they openly acknowledged his contributions.
Among the company commanders lined up next to the battalion commander, the emerald-eyed elf stood out prominently.
What had the company commander done? He had no way of knowing, and it didn’t seem like he’d get an answer if he asked.
“This is our victory!”
The battalion commander shouted victory once more. However, unlike the last night on the battlefield, no one was consumed by madness.
Soldiers at the front, led by the platoon leader, clapped their hands.
As Encrid returned to his place, a few soldiers behind him murmured and sneered.
“Magic? He broke that flag alone?”
“It must’ve been one of his squad members.”
“There’s no way he did it alone.”
“They say the mist was magic, and he dispelled it? No way. That squad leader?”
Anyone familiar with Encrid’s usual self would say such things. Encrid thought so.
But Rem disagreed.
“Seems like these kids miss the taste of my axe,” he said, his face expressionless, but his words carried a menacing tone.
This was a guy who often made it a hobby to smack the heads of nearby soldiers.
“What’s the point of this anyway? We could be taking a nap instead,” Ragna grumbled as he glanced behind him. It seemed the battalion commander’s speech was excruciatingly boring.
Encrid, as the squad leader, tried to calm him down.
The battalion commander was in the middle of a long monologue.
He rambled on about his role on the battlefield, how he had supposedly been the one to send out the reconnaissance team, and how he immediately recognized the flag as a medium for sorcery—a bunch of nonsense.
As the speech dragged on, more and more soldiers were starting to criticize Encrid.
“Do you think that troublemaker of a squad leader sneaks into the battalion commander’s quarters too?”
“Hey, he’s not some male prostitute. What nonsense are you spouting?”
The soldier who used the term “male prostitute” laughed even louder at his own joke.
It was the sort of thing Encrid was used to hearing. A squad leader who survived by pandering to his subordinates.
Even when he was in poor condition, he hadn’t paid such talk any mind.
Now, he was at a level where he let it go in one ear and out the other, not even registering it. Encrid ignored it again.
But his squad members didn’t.
“Having fun?” Jaxson asked, suddenly appearing between the soldiers who had been gossiping, putting his arms around their shoulders.
Encrid hadn’t even noticed Jaxson move.
The two soldiers flinched in surprise.
Jaxson leaned in close between them, whispering something Encrid couldn’t make out. His lips were moving too quietly for anyone to read, but whatever he said made the soldiers shut their mouths immediately.
Their faces turned pale as a bonus.
Jaxson calmly returned to his original spot.
“What did you say?” Rem asked, curious. Ragna perked up his ears, and both Big Eyes and the devout squad member subtly leaned towards Jaxson.
While they didn’t care much about the gossip, Encrid was also curious about what Jaxson had said.
“Just some advice, the kind that’s useful for getting through life,” Jaxson replied.
“Bullshit,” Rem sneered at him.
Encrid didn’t see it, nor did Big Eyes, but the other three had witnessed it.
In Jaxson’s hands, which he had draped over their shoulders, were two short knives.
The tips were pressing precisely against their necks. Who wouldn’t feel a chill run down their spine?
“Do you need some advice too?” Jaxson asked Rem, his tone casual. Rem heard this and chuckled, veins bulging on his forehead.
“Quiet. The battalion commander is still speaking,” Encrid intervened at the right moment to break things up.
Despite Jaxson’s display of force, the dissatisfaction directed at Encrid remained.
It was criticism tinged with jealousy and envy.
Originally, he was a nobody.
Originally, he was someone left behind, struggling at the bottom.
Originally, he was a squad leader barely clinging to life thanks to his subordinates.
That had been Encrid’s position.
Being the lowest-ranked soldier played a part in it too.
But now, this same soldier had dispelled sorcery.
The battalion commander had personally praised him, and a reward from the kingdom had even been sent.
There were more people with snake-like hearts filled with jealousy than those who were purely happy for him.
In Naurilia, snakes were often depicted as malicious, envious creatures that couldn’t stand to see others succeed.
In such cases, they would say, “The snake shows its heart.”
That was exactly what the soldiers’ behavior looked like now.
They were annoyed by the achievements of someone who they believed should have remained inferior to them.
Even though he had dispelled the sorcery and saved them, many soldiers found it hard to acknowledge him.
“Seriously, that squad leader?”
Even a casual comment like that from one of them encapsulated the entire situation.
Seriously, could that squad leader have done anything?
There was a mix of disregard, jealousy, and envy in their words.
“Hmm, everyone’s got a lot to say,” Big Eyes muttered, uncharacteristically speaking up when he would usually let things slide.
The battalion commander’s speech finally ended.
The leather pouch Encrid received was hefty. It was a sizable amount, even if it wasn’t in gold coins.
Encrid decided he’d use it to buy a new sword.
“Disperse! It’s shift change time.”
The battalion lieutenant announced the end of the dull proceedings.
“Want to spar right now? Do you have a shift?” Encrid asked Rem as everyone began to scatter. Rem found this guy incredibly fascinating.
“Ever thought about messing with those guys who were flapping their gums instead?”
“Those guys? Is there any point? Would it help?”
Once again, the squad leader was only thinking about swords. Rem felt a strange warmth in his chest watching him.
How could someone be so consistent?
Taking care of the arrogant bastards who had mouthed off could wait until later.
“Let’s do it. Sparring.”
Rem suddenly remembered the first time he saw Encrid in Border Guard.
Back then, he was beyond hopeless, relying only on cheap tricks.
But now?
He recalled their bouts since returning to the city after the battle.
‘Where did he learn those fundamentals?’
He could see the heavy sword style, like it had been taught by a prestigious school. It was hard to believe it was the same person.
“You’ve improved a lot.”
Rem commented and immediately stepped up his own game. He had to because the playful sparring of the past was no longer enough.
Rem didn’t think much of it, but Ragna was quite surprised after sparring with Encrid recently.
‘I couldn’t have taught him better myself.’
That’s how much the squad leader had improved. His fundamentals were solid, and his focus was remarkable—something Ragna thought he’d only hinted at teaching, yet Encrid had picked it up well.
But it wasn’t surprising.
Single-minded focus is a trance-like state that pushes oneself to the limit.
If one had talent, it could be achieved in a day.
That’s how it had been for him.
It was curious how the squad leader managed it, but…
‘It’s not impossible.’
Thinking that if he could do it, so could the other person—that was the mindset of a genius.
Ragna understood Encrid’s current state in that way.
Jaxson found enjoyment in facing off against the squad leader, who had suddenly improved.
‘Is this fun?’
What is a sword, what is a spear, what is a weapon, including a dagger?
They were merely tools to kill.
Jaxson had always regarded weapons as tools.
But oddly enough, after sparring with the squad leader, he felt a sense of relief.
He almost forgot about his own self-imposed goals.
It was a strangely fascinating experience.
It made him want to look after the squad leader even more.
The devout squad member, Audin Prumley, stood to the side, watching the squad leader intently.
He had a keen eye for such things.
‘His skills have improved significantly in just one day.’
Did the squad leader have this much talent for physical skills?
If that were the case, his skills should continue to improve.
But now he seemed to be stagnating again.
Everything one learns and internalizes can have a plateau.
Audin knew that, but when he looked at the squad leader, something always felt off.
‘Something is oddly strange.’
Still, it wasn’t anything worth worrying too much about.
Or perhaps thinking that there had been divine blessings made it easier to accept.
Encrid was someone who trained so hard that he thought the days were too short.
If someone like him wasn’t blessed, who should be?
Audin embraced the questions that started with the squad leader.
God and man, blessings and curses.
He took all these thoughts as his topic for contemplation, sinking deep into thought.
* * *
“This seems pretty good.”
Encrid had bought a sword.
“It’s not just good. It’s mixed with Valerian steel, that thing!”
The blacksmith spoke with a bulging vein on his forehead.
“Is that so?”
Encrid asked as he held the sword and examined the blade.
There was no bluish trace characteristic of Valerian steel.
Seeing him inspect the blade like an expert, the blacksmith continued.
“I said it’s mixed. Didn’t say it was entirely Valerian steel.”
“Yes.”
Valerian steel was renowned throughout the continent as a high-quality metal.
Steel from the Valeria region was highly elastic and hard to break. A sword made of Valerian steel wouldn’t easily chip.
Once sharpened, it became a very durable weapon.
What could be a more reliable ally on the battlefield than a sturdy sword?
Hence, everyone desired weapons made of Valerian steel.
If not Valerian, there was Imperial steel, but Imperial steel wasn’t exported outside the Empire. So among the options available, Valerian steel was considered the best.
“I’ll take this one,” Encrid decided.
He ended up spending half of his reward money on a single sword, making Big Eyes shake his head in disbelief.
“Why spend so many kronas on a sword? You could just use whatever you find lying around on the battlefield, or put in a supply request.”
“Wouldn’t it be a shame to die from a bad sword breaking on you?”
“…Can’t argue with that. So, are you going to apply for a promotion now?”
“Yep.”
After countless sparring sessions honing his skills, Encrid had recently polished them once more.
Now, he wanted to test his abilities.
‘How far can I go?’
Right now, he was at the lowest rank. He judged himself capable of reaching the intermediate rank at least.
What about advanced? Or the highest rank? The special rank?
Naurilia had implemented a ranking system among its soldiers to boost morale.
To rank up, a soldier only needed to defeat another soldier of a higher rank.
Challenges were always accepted. There were even designated individuals within the unit who arranged such duels.
It was a simple yet effective system.
“Alright then, let’s go.”
And organizing such duels was also part of Big Eyes’ job.
Krys Olman, or Big Eyes, did anything if there was money in it.
Promotion duels involved gambling, so they were lucrative. Even the higher-ups knew kronas changed hands, but they turned a blind eye.
Some commanders even bet on the duels themselves.
“I placed my bet on the squad leader’s victory,” Big Eyes said. It wasn’t because he had that much faith in his judgment.
He had wrung the information out of Rem beforehand.
“If you have the chance, bet on the squad leader.”
That was all he said, but Rem wasn’t the type to say things idly, so Big Eyes trusted his words.
‘If I lose money…’
He wouldn’t let it slide. Though he wouldn’t challenge Rem, knowing full well that going against him would leave him in pieces.
“A promotion duel, huh?”
When Encrid requested it, the platoon leader nodded.
“Well, there’s no need for you to stay at the lowest rank.”
After the platoon leader gave his approval and Big Eyes set up the duel at the central training ground, a few idle soldiers gathered.
It wasn’t necessarily an event that attracted onlookers, but wasn’t this the famous troublemaker squad leader?
The one who supposedly dispelled the sorcery mist.
The squad leader rumored to be licking his subordinates’ butts to survive!
Naturally, spectators gathered.
One by one, more and more people came to watch.
With over twenty onlookers gathered, Encrid stood facing his opponent.
It was a curly-haired mercenary-turned-soldier.
“I’m at the intermediate rank. You applied for a promotion straight to intermediate?”
“That’s right.”
“You’re pretty cocky, huh.”
With a short exchange of words, they crossed swords. Encrid caught the downward strike from his opponent’s sword.
Clang!
Steel met steel with a ringing sound.
Encrid waited for his opponent to attack again.
That’s what he had always done.
Rem, Ragna, and Jaxson.
Every time they sparred, they exploited any gaps in his defense.
How had it been in actual combat?
The twisted man who favored thrusts.
Azpen’s Michi Hurrier, too.
They were all formidable opponents who wouldn’t tolerate any openings.
But this opponent wasn’t like that.
Clang! Clang!
A few more sword strikes followed.
Encrid furrowed his brow.
‘Is he playing around?’
The opponent’s skills were far below his expectations. It was hard to tell if he was even serious.
“Hah!”
The soldier, who had claimed to be of intermediate rank, swung his sword downward. There were so many openings, Encrid found himself hesitating.
Encrid pretended to block, but instead sidestepped and hooked the soldier’s shin with his foot.
Thud, whoosh, boom.
The soldier’s right foot lifted sideways, and he went down. He hit the ground with a crash.
“Argh!”
He must have placed his hand wrong when he fell because he screamed, clutching his wrist as he rolled on the ground.
This was unexpected.
Questions flooded Encrid’s mind.
‘Why is he so weak?’
That was the mystery that baffled Encrid.