Chapter 63: Knock

It didn’t take long.

As expected of Jaxson.

We had left before the sun was at its peak, and he returned before the sunset even touched the ground.

“That was quick,”

Rem commented, patting his stomach after finishing a meal of pumpkin soup and well-roasted pork. He sounded as if he were teasing.

Jaxson, without so much as a glance at Rem, addressed Encrid directly.

“I’ll guide you now.”

He was ready to leave immediately.

“Sit down.”

Encrid spoke while seated, causing Jaxson to hesitate.

Though they had the location, time was not on their side—any delay could give the thieves time to notice their trail. They could hide, or worse, cut off any ties they had been following.

Why risk it?

If it were just Encrid alone, these were decisions he could make easily. But leading a squad? The thoughts tangled in Jaxson’s head were interrupted by the squad leader’s calm voice.

“The pumpkin soup here is good.”

As if anyone didn’t know that.

The inn’s name was literally “Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup.”

Of the four inns located at the market crossroad, it was known for having the best food.

“Krys footed the bill. Let’s eat before we go.”

Only after Encrid spoke again did Jaxson sit down.

For some reason, Rem, Ragnar, and Audin didn’t offer any objections either.

Jaxson brushed off the snow on his shoulders and head. Thanks to the warmth of the hearth, it melted quickly, dampening his outer clothes, though not to an uncomfortable degree.

“Can I get another round of pumpkin soup and the barbecue we just had? One serving.”

“The rest of your party is here! Sure thing!”

The waitress answered cheerfully. She was a lively one.

The squad generally liked this inn.

Good food will do that.

No offense to the army cooks, but as Ragnar once put it, eating army rations was like punishing your mouth.

Sometimes, it wasn’t that bad, but usually, it was.

On the other hand, the meals at Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup Inn were superb. Rumor had it the best chef in Border Guard worked here.

“We shouldn’t waste time.”

Jaxson said, seating himself. Encrid nodded and replied.

“The snow hasn’t stopped yet.”

Not even Encrid was eager to undertake heavy labor.

Sword training and body conditioning aside, shoveling snow was a laborious task that even he dreaded.

And to the entire unit, snow was the devil’s dandruff.

If they attacked the thieves’ guild now and returned, they’d be greeted by piles of snow that needed clearing.

That was why Rem and the others hadn’t objected, and why Krys had been so quick to open his wallet.

Jaxson understood everything now.

“I see.”

After that, he focused on his meal.

By the time dusk quietly set in, everyone, including Encrid, got up.

“Let’s go.”

“Come again!”

The cheerful waitress waved them off. Krys nodded slightly in acknowledgment. The two seemed to know each other, having exchanged whispers several times during their stay.

“Do you know her?”

Encrid asked.

“Her name is Raissa, 17 years old. Her father is a shoemaker, and her mother a weaver. Neither has ever joined a guild.”

A shoemaker worked with leather and other materials to craft shoes, and a weaver created fabrics—both common professions.

Crafting guilds and woodworking guilds existed within the city, but if neither parent had joined, it likely meant they weren’t particularly skilled.

“Her dream is to one day move to the capital and open an inn. For now, her goal is to learn the culinary skills here at Vanessa’s.”

“She’s got ambitious dreams.”

Rem chimed in. It made sense.

Running an inn might sound easy, but it was far from it.

Beyond the sheer amount of money required, hiring armed guards was essential.

Wherever alcohol and food were served, fights were bound to break out.

Today was quieter than usual due to the snowfall, but on any other day, some brawls would likely have erupted.

Even earlier, as they left, armed guards had been eyeing the guests.

To Encrid, they looked like retired soldiers.

Having guards from Border Guard was a major convenience. They could handle minor scuffles quietly and efficiently. If things got worse, though, even a guard couldn’t handle everything alone. That’s when the military police would be called in.

Connections within the unit meant faster response times.

For this reason, hiring retired soldiers as guards was a must in Border Guard.

Moreover, inns in this region paid heavy taxes. By Border Guard’s standards, an inn had to have not only meeting halls but also VIP suites, personal training rooms, and restaurants and bars.

Since there was no lord or manor, most important affairs were conducted at inns.

Although the army had its own meeting rooms, those were military facilities, not open to the public.

Thus, inns naturally flourished here.

To open an inn in the capital—no easy task. But not impossible either.

“You really know a lot.”

Encrid remarked, walking behind Jaxson.

“Any pretty girl could be a future client.”

Krys’s dream, as he had mentioned, was to open a ladies’ salon, catering exclusively to women.

Naturally, all the attendants would be handsome men.

The guy had a creative mind, that much was clear.

A plan to swindle the wealthy with male beauty, huh?

Krys continued, sounding slightly uneasy.

“By the way, do you think Lake Panther will be okay? She didn’t seem bothered by the cold, but I wonder why she didn’t move when I asked her to.”

“Are you still trying to go after her claws?”

“No. I realized I’d die if I did. Those things aren’t expensive for no reason.”

Encrid chuckled at Krys’s words. Despite what he said, it was clear he hadn’t given up yet.

“Why don’t you give her a name? Since you’ll probably be keeping her around.”

Krys suggested. Encrid nodded inwardly. They couldn’t keep calling her “this one” and “that one” forever.

As they chatted, they found themselves deep in a secluded alley. They had made so many turns that even Encrid, who usually had a good sense of direction, was getting disoriented.

“You didn’t take money from the thieves’ guild to lead us into a trap, did you?”

Rem jabbed playfully.

Jaxson ignored him.

“This guy never responds.”

Rem muttered grumpily, but Jaxson maintained his silence, staying consistent in his treatment of Rem.

“Enough.”

Encrid cut Rem off before he could say more.

“Is this favoritism? If I get upset, it won’t be fun for anyone.”

The fact that Rem tried to provoke Encrid meant it was a good sign—he intended to let the matter drop here.

The group continued in silence after that.

Ragnar, perhaps bored, began lazily kicking the ground with the tip of his foot.

“Winter sure is cold.”

Audin said quietly, seeing a group of beggars lying on the frozen ground despite the chill.

Though the snow had stopped, a thin layer covered the rock-hard ground beneath. By tomorrow afternoon, the sun would melt it into a muddy mess.

“We’re here.”

After wandering for about half an hour, they came upon an old wooden door.

It looked no different from the countless other doors scattered throughout Border Guard.

The sun had set, but the soft moonlight illuminated their surroundings, making it easy to see.

Encrid was about to push open the door when—

“You want to take the left?”

Rem, standing with his back to the moonlight, spoke.

“I’ll take the right. I should earn the meal you treated me to.”

Audin responded.

“Do as you like. As long as no one comes at me, I don’t care.”

Ragnar yawned.

“Lazy bastard. Squad Leader, we’ve got company.”

At Rem’s words, Encrid turned. They were surrounded by figures draped in ragged blankets.

Looking closely, they were the same beggars they’d seen lying in the streets earlier.

For a brief moment, the image of the half-breed elf flashed in Encrid’s mind before quickly fading.

‘These guys are twice the size.’

Encrid instinctively brushed his hand behind his belt.

His fingers touched the handle of a knife.

It wasn’t just any knife. It was one he had swiped from the half-breed elf’s corpse after killing him.

A trusty *Whistle Blade* was also strapped to his chest. It wasn’t the kind of weapon you came across every day.

So, naturally, he took it—both the one stuck in the ground and the ones the elf had been carrying.

“Didn’t your parents teach you? It’s not safe to wander into places like this after dark.”

One of the beggars sneered, revealing yellowed, almost black teeth.

Even from a few steps away, in the dead of winter, the stench he exuded was unmistakable.

“Shut up.”

Rem replied, moving forward. It wasn’t a fast pace.

He simply closed the distance with long strides. The beggar in front of him pulled a pocketknife from his sleeve.

The blade was barely the length of a handspan. The beggar made a half-hearted thrust toward Rem.

“You’re dead, kid.”

That was his final word.

Rem didn’t stop. The beggar stabbed toward his stomach, but Rem caught his wrist with his left hand.

In one fluid motion, he yanked the beggar forward and smashed his right elbow into the man’s skull.

*Crack!*

A sharp, brutal impact rang out.

The beggar’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle, his head snapping to the side.

*Snap!*

At the same time, Audin, standing on the opposite side, had gripped another beggar’s jaw with just his thumb, index, and middle finger, and twisted. The man’s neck snapped with an audible crack, despite the minimal effort Audin had applied.

“*You insane bastard!*”

“*Shit!*”

Of the remaining three, two began screaming, raising their voices, while the third made a run for it, darting toward the alley’s exit.

Rem and Audin’s skirmish had been brief. They’d closed the distance, ignored the knives, and ended the fight with a single strike each.

Rem delivered a knife-hand strike to the throat of another beggar, followed by a crushing blow to the temple, sending him into unconsciousness.

Audin, in contrast, was even more direct.

He stepped forward, thrusting his left fist with the speed and force of a cannonball.

*Whoomph! Crack!*

His punch was devastating. The man’s nose was obliterated, his face caving inward. With his entire face collapsed, the beggar collapsed to his knees and then keeled over to the side, knocked out cold.

The one who had tried to flee was dealt with by Encrid.

*Thunk!*

*Thud!*

A dagger lodged itself into the back of the runaway’s neck, and he fell face-first to the ground, his body spasming before going still.

Rem, who had been ready to give chase, turned his head back to see what had happened.

Audin blinked in surprise, while Ragnar, who had appeared half-asleep until now, opened his eyes wide in astonishment.

Jaxson’s brows furrowed momentarily, but then relaxed.

The cold, heavy air wrapped around them as silence fell once more.

“Wow,”

Krys muttered in quiet awe.

Encrid, standing with his right arm extended, lowered his hand after the throw.

“Why? Chasing them is a waste of time.”

“When did our squad leader get so good at throwing knives?”

Rem asked with genuine curiosity.

“Got better with practice.”

“Huh. Funny how that works.”

“This isn’t the time to focus on my knife-throwing, is it?”

Encrid replied, and Rem gave a nod of agreement.

Even though five beggars had attacked them, no one in the group seemed particularly surprised.

Even Krys, known for being easily rattled, remained calm.

“Aren’t you shocked?”

Encrid asked.

He had already noticed the beggars’ strange behavior as they approached, and he understood what it meant.

There was no mistaking it—these beggars weren’t random vagrants. The fact that they had guards meant there was something worth protecting nearby.

“No, not really. What kind of idiot tries to mug armed soldiers? Their excuse was terrible, so it’s clear that this must be the thieves’ guild’s hideout or that they’re hiding something important here.”

Was that something anyone could easily figure out? Or was Krys just sharp?

Either way, it was probably the former.

Krys was no fool. Though he often tried to avoid danger, he was a soldier who had survived the battlefield up close, and this was nothing compared to what he’d seen there.

“For a bunch of criminals, they’re pretty organized.”

“What do you mean?”

“I noticed they rotated shifts. For a low-tier gang, that’s surprisingly thorough. It seems Gilpin’s crew is better than we thought.”

Krys was not only sharp but also capable of reading between the lines. He could deduce things about the people behind the operation just from a few surface details.

“That’s true.”

As Encrid and Krys exchanged a few more words, Jaxson, who had moved toward the door, backed away. His hand moved toward the hilt of his sword, signaling that he was about to slice through it.

Before he could do so, Audin stepped forward.

“I’ll knock.”

This was the hideout of a criminal syndicate. Knocking wouldn’t make them open the door.

*Boom!*

But Audin’s way of knocking was different.

“Pfft! Nicely done, our religious friend.”

Rem exclaimed, genuinely impressed, and Encrid silently marveled at the strength.

Audin had pulled his right shoulder back, pivoted on his left foot, and slammed his palm into the door. The impact caused the hinges to rattle and the door to cave inward.

In other words, the door was knocked off its frame.

A mighty knock, indeed.