Eternally Regressing Knight - Chapter 55: Where Does Persistence End?
It wasn’t a big deal, really.
City patrols were routine work, something they did regularly.
If you were unlucky, you could be assigned to patrol three or four times a month.
After all, this was *Border Guard*.
As a city under direct royal authority, it maintained strict public order, tolerating little mischief.
It wasn’t one of the top trading locations for major merchant guilds without reason.
Though Border Guard was the kingdom’s most remote city, lying on the border with Azpen and closest to the war front, it was unmatched in terms of security.
That was thanks to the large number of stationed troops, who were constantly rotated on patrols, day and night.
Border Guard’s marketplace was centered around a well, with four inns positioned around it. The intersection of the inns and the square they surrounded formed the heart of the city’s market.
Since the city was built on a basin, stepping out to the outskirts would show a gentle slope, and below the northern slope, a river flowed.
The Pen-Hanil River.
It was the main water source for most of the nearby cities.
Farmlands dotted the area around the river, with scattered farmhouses.
That summer, the river had flooded, causing part of the embankment to collapse. Workers were now busy rebuilding it.
Most incidents involved people, but occasionally there were patrols to the farmlands or dealing with magical beasts. Today, however, it was just a routine market patrol.
“My name’s Jack, and this here is Bo.”
Patrols were usually done in teams of three, so two soldiers had joined Encrid.
Encrid, Jack, and Bo.
The three of them were headed toward the marketplace.
“That fog was a curse, right? Hah! Damn Azpen bastards nearly got us all killed, but thanks to you, we survived. Appreciate it!”
Jack spat on the ground as he spoke, his infantry spear swinging lazily at his side. He didn’t seem all that sincere despite his words.
Encrid nodded indifferently.
“I nearly died without spending the krona I’d saved up,” Bo added with a grin, his steps light and carefree.
Encrid had heard from Big Eyes that Bo was known for his many talents.
*This team feels familiar somehow…*
Encrid couldn’t quite place it. But it didn’t seem important, so he didn’t bother trying to remember.
The three of them walked toward the marketplace, the atmosphere relaxed. Encrid didn’t speak much, but Jack and Bo were from the same squad.
They chatted as they walked, often praising Encrid.
“An advanced soldier, huh? Must be damn skilled. Hey, let’s spar sometime. I want to see what an advanced soldier can do.”
Jack tapped the ground with the back end of his spear.
“Sure.”
Encrid never turned down a spar. He believed that regardless of the opponent, there was always something to be learned.
“Alright, it’s a promise then. Damn.”
Jack’s language was littered with curses, as always.
“I heard you completed the reconnaissance mission too. Squad Leader Andrew couldn’t stop singing your praises.”
Bo chimed in, adding to the praise.
“I was lucky.”
“So humble too!”
Bo gave him a thumbs-up.
No one dislikes compliments, and Encrid was no exception.
The two kept grinning, chatting nonstop as they walked.
As they reached the edge of the marketplace and passed a few low buildings, they finally entered the market.
On one side, people were selling wildflowers.
On the other, tanned leather goods were being traded.
From the opposite end of the market, the sound of clanging metal echoed faintly—the distant noise of a blacksmith at work.
The smithy was on the outskirts of the market, but the ringing sound of metal striking metal still faintly reached their ears.
“How can I make any profit if I sell at that price?”
A merchant’s complaint.
“Freshly baked bread!”
A boy stood on the street, calling out to potential customers.
*Rumble.*
Carts rolled by, weaving through the center of the market.
It was chaotic. But that was the usual sight of a busy marketplace.
“Dried apples are delicious.”
As Encrid walked, a merchant selling various dried fruits caught his eye.
“No, thank you.”
The merchant quickly turned away.
It was just an ordinary day.
Once this shift was over, Encrid thought about sparring with Jaxson later.
Or maybe he’d hang out with Jack once they got back. That could be fun too.
The cold weather had stiffened his body, and walking felt better than staying still.
“Shall we walk a bit more?”
“Yes, sir.”
Jack and Bo moved in closer on either side of him. He figured they were just trying to stay warm.
Up ahead, a young boy wrapped in rags stumbled and fell forward.
Encrid instinctively caught him.
And then he felt a sharp, burning pain.
He tried to twist his body, but the cold had made him sluggish, and his reaction was too slow.
If he had just turned slightly, it might not have been so bad, but the dagger dug deep into his intestines without hesitation.
Before he could even catch his breath, the blade was thrust again—this time aiming for his heart.
The searing pain hit his brain like a hammer.
As soon as the knife went in, a groan or a scream tried to escape his lips, but someone behind him clamped a thick cloth over his mouth.
The marketplace was busy.
People didn’t pay much attention to someone stumbling or falling.
Meanwhile, Jack and Bo moved in to block Encrid’s body from view.
“Whoa there, sir. Looks like you’ve had a bit too much to drink.”
Jack joked with a grin.
“Indeed.”
Bo chimed in with a laugh.
*What the hell?*
Encrid couldn’t believe what was happening.
The final blow came from the boy who had stabbed him.
“A persistent lover never forgets.”
It wasn’t a boy. Beneath the rags, Encrid saw large ears and eyes that gleamed like jewels.
The attacker had an unusual appearance.
One eye was green, the other brown.
A heterochromia. The green eye sparkled like a gemstone, making the brown one look especially dull by contrast.
It was like dirty oil floating on clean water.
His skin was mottled, spotted like a cat, and his face was lined with deep wrinkles around his mouth and eyes.
If not for those features, his face would have been handsome, but all together, it gave an unsettling impression.
*A half-elf.*
Encrid realized the identity of his attacker. But knowing didn’t change anything.
Blood was pooling at his feet as it dripped from his mouth.
Both of his arms were held tightly.
Jack and Bo gave him no space to move.
“Farewell.”
The half-elf said, his tone casual, as if they were parting ways on friendly terms. He wasn’t young, despite his small frame.
*I didn’t see this coming at all.*
An assassination.
And “Persistent Lovers”—wasn’t that the name of Azpen’s independent company?
The rumors about them being relentless were true. They had sent assassins after the battle was over.
*These bastards are insane.*
When he thought about the cost and effort it would take to send an assassin, it was absurd to imagine they would go to such lengths just to kill a regular soldier.
From his position as the target, it was utterly infuriating.
Encrid tried to tilt his head back, but the person holding the cloth over his mouth tightened their grip.
“Let him speak. He seems to have something to say.”
The half-elf, with an instinct typical of his kind, seemed to have read Encrid’s mind.
The cloth loosened slightly.
“Did Azpen send you? Are Jack and Bo their spies?”
Encrid asked through the rising pain.
“Something like that.”
“Who’s behind me?”
“Do you really want to know, while you’re dying?”
“It’d be a shame to die without knowing. I’ll be waiting in hell for them.”
“Rotten.”
The final word was whispered into his ear.
*Rotten?*
That name sounded familiar too.
Jack, Bo, and Rotten.
They were all from the reconnaissance unit, weren’t they?
As he neared death, his mind spun, recalling details he had almost forgotten.
The reason they had gone on that reconnaissance mission in the Green Pearl battle.
Jack had a broken arm, Bo had his nose smashed, and Rotten had been bitten by a snake.
They had all faked it to get out of the mission, hadn’t they?
“Damn it.”
A hollow laugh escaped him.
“Persistent, huh?”
The half-elf said, stepping away like a ghost, disappearing into the nearby alley.
Jack and Bo, too, quietly let go and slunk off.
As for Rotten, he was long gone.
Encrid had spent the last of his strength in conversation.
He couldn’t even shout if he wanted to.
Not that it would have made a difference.
Instead, he tried to look behind him as he fell.
He wondered if the man who had stabbed him was really Rotten or someone else entirely.
*What does Rotten even look like?*
He couldn’t remember the face.
It didn’t matter anymore.
As he collapsed, blood spilled from his mouth, and his intestines felt like they had been churned by a fire poker.
The pain engulfed him, and the blood soaked the ground.
The cold gripped his body even more fiercely, and he shivered uncontrollably.
*Damn bastards, if you’re going to kill me, at least finish the job.*
Bleeding out slowly was the worst possible way to die. It would have been better if they’d killed him quickly.
“Ahhhh!”
A passing waitress screamed as she spotted the pool of blood on the ground.
That was the last thing Encrid heard before his vision went dark and he embraced death.
—
*Flash!*
Morning arrived once again, and Encrid’s eyes shot open.
He bolted upright, breathing hard.
From beside him, Rem, still wrapped in his blanket, asked, “Nightmare?”
“No. I just wanted to start the morning with some energy.”
“It’s a damn cold day.”
Rem grumbled. Even with the large bonfire burning in the training grounds outside and the heated stones that the sentries placed in their quarters each night, it wasn’t enough to ward off the bone-chilling cold.
If they had enough *krona*, they could have invested in fur or even a magical heater.
But no regular soldier had that kind of *krona*.
A magic heater wasn’t even necessary—just a hide from a magical beast that emitted a gentle warmth would do.
But that, too, was an expensive luxury.
To put it simply, all those options were nothing more than pipe dreams.
“Hey, Krys, aren’t you cold?”
“Freezing. Absolutely.”
Rem randomly tossed a question at Big Eyes, who, unsurprisingly, was the only one in the squad with enough *krona* to afford a bit of luxury.
“What about a magic heater, huh?”
“Magic heaters are for nobles. Do you think we could get our hands on one? How about we all just wake up tomorrow as nobles instead?”
“You wanna feel the sharp end of my axe?”
“Resorting to violence every time isn’t a good habit, Squad Leader!”
Big Eyes concluded by throwing Encrid into the conversation.
“Don’t bully him,” Encrid said as he looked over to Audin, the muscular and devout squad member who was already rising from his bed.
His full name was Audin Plumray. For reasons no one fully understood, he had somehow ended up in the misfit squad.
Today was bitterly cold.
Jaxson was away on leave, but Rem, Big Eyes, and Ragna showed no signs of wanting to leave their beds, their blankets wrapped around them like protective shields.
Even wrapped in their blankets, they were still freezing.
“Squad Leader, since you’re already up, why don’t you grab a few more of those hot stones for us?”
If they could get a few more of the fire-warmed stones, it might make things a little more bearable.
“Sure.”
Encrid answered, but didn’t move right away.
Instead, Audin walked over from his bed and said, “Brothers, staying in bed because of the cold only stiffens the body. You must move to generate heat and overcome the cold. Now, follow me.”
“Get lost, or I’ll rip you apart and use your blood to warm myself.”
“That’s not a healthy mindset, brother. Someone could be very offended by those words.”
“Offended? Then good. That was the point.”
“Do you want to go to heaven, brother?”
Audin’s persistence never wavered.
Normally, Encrid would have stepped in to break things up by now, but instead, he found himself looking at Audin in silence before asking, “You mentioned a way to keep your body warm through training, right? Teach me that.”
Audin, who had been staring down Rem, turned to Encrid, his expression softening.
“You mean the barehanded training method?”
Audin wasn’t immune to the cold, but he certainly handled it better than the others. He had once explained that it was due to a training method that helped keep his body from freezing up, even in extreme cold.
Encrid wasn’t sure why, but it came to mind now, and it seemed like a good idea.
Being able to keep his body loose in the cold would be useful, especially since standing around and jumping in place wasn’t an option.
It was a spontaneous decision, but it felt like the right one.
Encrid had always been hungry to learn.
“Yeah, that one.”
“It’s not hard to teach. Do you have time right now?”
“Right now’s good.”
“You’ll get the basics down in a day or two. It’s not difficult.”
Audin smiled, pleased that Encrid was willing to learn.
As Encrid got into position to begin the training, Rem, still clinging to his bed, grumbled.
“Wait, Squad Leader, what about the stones? I’m freezing over here.”
*Ah, I forgot.*
Encrid quickly grabbed a few heated stones and passed them around to his squadmates.
He still had two hours before his shift started.
It was enough time to grab breakfast and get some training in.
So that’s what he did.
The barehanded training method was grueling but effective.
—
Later, as Encrid headed out on patrol, he found himself teamed up with Jack and Bo again.
“How did I end up on patrol with you two?”
Someone must’ve arranged this.
“Hah, damn, it’s an honor to be on patrol with the *Spellbreaker*.”
Jack answered with his usual crude laugh. Encrid nodded.
When they entered the marketplace, Encrid was on guard, already preparing for trouble. He fixed his eyes on the ragged child approaching him.
Before Jack or Bo could grab his arms, Encrid swung his fists out to either side.
*Thud, crack!*
Jack took a hit to the jaw, while Bo instinctively dodged. Bo was quick on his feet, taking a few nimble steps to the side, his hand reaching for the short sword at his waist.
The half-elf was still a little farther away. Bo needed to be dealt with first.
Encrid grabbed the hilt of his longsword.
He pulled it free and swung, focusing his senses, sharpening his instinctive reactions.
And then—
*Whoosh!*
A strange sound cut through the air. Encrid tried to dodge, but whatever had been thrown was too fast.
*Thunk!*
He suddenly couldn’t breathe. Looking down, he saw the tip of a blade lodged near his heart.
It was a throwing knife—one without any decorations, just a simple, deadly double-edged blade.
“Persistent lovers never forget their prey.”
The half-elf appeared beside him, whispering in his ear before stepping away.
*I was prepared this time…*
But he hadn’t expected a knife. And even if he had, it was such a skillfully thrown weapon that it would have been nearly impossible to avoid.
As his vision faded, Encrid thought that next time, he would have to be even more prepared.
And so, the third day began.