Eternally Regressing Knight - Chapter 76: Carmen Collection

“Hey, can’t you hear me? You with the red head.”

Jaxson ignored him again.

Watching this, Encrid felt relieved he had brought Jaxson along.

What if it had been Rem instead?

“Are you talking to me?”

He’d be lucky if an axe didn’t come flying his way.

At least Jaxson only ignored people. That was something to be thankful for.

Though the person being ignored likely found it infuriating.

“You bastard, I’m Polid Lockfreed!”

So what?

Jaxson conveyed this with his eyes.

Fortunately, before things escalated, Leona descended the stairs.

She arrived with her nanny in tow, smiling brightly.

“You’re late.”

“Late? The guard you brought, what’s he even doing…?”

“You sent him, didn’t you?”

‘Hmm?’

Leona gracefully walked over and interrupted Polid’s rant with a question.

Polid tilted his head, confused.

Leona’s hand sliced through the air.

Smack!

‘Wow.’

Encrid admired the scene in his mind.

Without any signal or warning, Leona had slapped Polid across the face.

It was a crisp swing and a satisfying hit.

Polid was left speechless for a moment, his head turned, staring at Leona with wide eyes.

“You said it, you crazy bastard.”

Leona’s clear, melodic voice rang out.

Encrid thought about how he needed to correct his earlier reply to Krys.

That woman was harsh—just not towards everyone.

*Clang, clang, clang!*

Several people drew their swords and weapons.

With a single slap, the atmosphere had turned deadly.

Encrid didn’t draw his weapon, but he stood behind Leona.

Jaxson stood by his side, and the elf company captain remained quietly in place.

“You, you crazy woman, are you trying to get yourself killed?”

Finally, Polid grasped his bruised cheek and spoke.

“If anyone’s going to die, it’ll be you. Did you think you could throw around money and forces here without it being noticed?”

Encrid watched curiously, thinking how interesting things were getting.

The inn in Border Guard often served as a meeting place for various business matters.

Since there were no official quarters built for military units within the town, the inns had prospered.

That’s why everyone had gathered here.

The innkeeper, who was keeping an eye on the hall, looked on in shock.

It was chaos—one moment a slap, the next, everyone drawing weapons.

Even the seasoned innkeeper, who had seen all kinds of situations, was left puzzled.

After a few blinks of his eyes, he made a decision and quietly slipped toward the kitchen.

He had given up.

He was a wise man.

There was no point in trying to intervene or get involved.

Fortunately, all damages would be compensated by the Lockfreed Trading Company, so he had some peace of mind.

That was why he was able to remain calm.

As he entered the kitchen, he glanced at Encrid with a questioning look.

‘Nothing serious will happen, right? Everything’s okay?’

Encrid was familiar with the innkeeper, Allen, on a casual basis.

He gave him a discreet nod, reassuring him.

Leona wasn’t a fool, and she wouldn’t allow things to escalate to a point of no return.

Though the atmosphere was tense, this level of disturbance would likely be the extent of it.

“You’re such a fool; that’s why the previous head didn’t leave the company to you.”

Leona opened her mouth.

She seemed completely unfazed by Polid’s defiance or any threat of violence.

It was as if her entire body radiated the thought, “You wouldn’t dare lay a finger on me, no matter what happens.”

Encrid felt a strange sensation from watching Leona’s demeanor.

‘She’s bold.’

What would you call this?

It was like she had a talent for cutting off any opportunity for the other person to resist or speak.

“Tell me where you are. Now.”

Polid gritted his teeth and tried to shout, but he was so intimidated that he unwittingly responded.

“B-Border Guard.”

“Yes, you idiot, this is Border Guard. And you thought you could hire thugs from the back alleys or shady guilds here? Even knowing I’m under the protection of Border Guard’s standing army?”

“I-I didn’t, no, I wasn’t aware that the standing guard here….”

His bravado had completely deflated.

The man, Polid, stammered nonsensically and even started trembling.

*Scrk. Tap!*

Hearing Polid’s gibberish, the man standing behind him drew his sword a thumb-length from its sheath before sliding it back in.

The sound seemed to snap Polid back to reality, and he quickly changed his tune.

“It—it wasn’t me. I’ve been falsely accused!”

The picture of what had happened became clear.

‘He must have prepared excuses to deny it even before arriving.’

And yet, swept up in the moment, he almost blurted everything out.

“Tch.”

Leona clicked her tongue. Then she pulled a chair out with a scrape and sat down. Crossing her legs in leather pants, she pulled out a cigarette.

“Light.”

Her nanny brought over a candle to light it for her.

“Sit. Aren’t we here to discuss succession?”

This was said by the woman who had just caused everyone to draw their weapons, as a puff of smoke escaped her lips.

Polid, too, pulled a chair roughly and sat down.

Who would benefit from a swordfight here?

Did he think the two squads stationed outside came from nowhere?

Soon, the two of them began their exchange.

It was time to present what they had prepared for the succession battle.

Encrid, on the other hand, understood almost none of it.

“You can’t even interpret trade routes and codes, yet you want to inherit the company? Have you memorized the secret codes of the trade guild?”

“That’s what a steward is for! Besides, I’m the legitimate heir. How could some woman who spent her time roaming the streets….”

“I have the right to inherit the company because the previous head acknowledged it. Do you intend to deny that? Claiming inheritance just because you carry the blood of the previous head, while disregarding the official proclamation? Do you think others will accept that when you clearly lack the ability?”

Encrid half-listened and let most of it drift by. It was clear from the tone and the flow of the conversation that Leona was winning.

‘So that’s why he made one last desperate attempt with an assassination.’

There just happened to be a group in Border Guard willing to take on that kind of job.

Should he call it clever or just foolish?

The two of them continued to argue for some time.

From Encrid’s perspective, Leona seemed to be sitting here purely to mock her opponent.

“Are you really the son of the previous head? You don’t resemble him at all. It makes me wonder.”

“You… what? What are you implying? That… that my mother… accepted another man’s seed?”

Polid was so angry he started stuttering.

Bang!

He slammed his fist on the table in fury.

“Hah… is that what you took from it? That wasn’t what I meant.”

Leona calmly blew smoke as she maintained control of the situation.

But, was this really what Leona was like?

Wasn’t she supposed to be more demure and quiet?

Then again, he barely knew her. After all, it had only been two days, and they hadn’t exchanged more than fifty sentences.

People had many sides, and no one was simple.

“You filthy bitch!”

“Watch your mouth, you ugly bastard.”

“You wench!”

Despite holding back when his mother had been insulted, Polid reached for the short sword at his waist the moment she called him ugly.

Seeing this, Encrid subtly tightened his grip on his sword.

This was a place protected by Border Guard’s forces.

Letting them draw swords and fight wouldn’t be tolerated.

One of the reasons Border Guard held such high value was that, regardless of rank—whether from a merchant group or noble house—people here were expected to resolve disputes with words, not swords.

Of course, knives were sometimes drawn and assassinations occurred behind the scenes.

But to pull a blade in plain sight of the other?

It was tantamount to asking for death.

Jaxson stood at Encrid’s right, while the company captain watched quietly from a step behind.

With my hand on the grip of my sword, I moved Polid’s guard into my range.

‘First step, move left.’

I would draw and slash downward, aiming to cut through the crown of his head.

There wouldn’t be enough time to assume a proper stance, so it would have to be done the moment I drew.

Polid’s guard, already within range, reacted.

He relaxed his arm, letting it hang lower.

What style of swordsmanship would he use?

For a moment, Encrid hoped the man would strike first. Logically, he knew it wouldn’t happen, but still, he wished for it.

‘What kind of blade technique does he use?’

Is he faster than Rem’s axe? Swifter than the half-elf’s whistle dagger?

He wanted to experience it. He wanted to confront it. He wanted to face him.

It was pure competitiveness.

He simply wanted to test his skills. The sudden rush of heat warmed his body.

If he made a move, I’d cut him down.

A strange tension built between us.

Polid, caught in the middle, began sweating profusely.

Could he afford to draw his sword? Would he look cowardly if he didn’t?

All sorts of thoughts seemed to be racing through his mind.

Leona, meanwhile, regarded him with disdain.

She would have preferred if he either drew his sword or managed to talk his way out of it.

If he couldn’t do either, he should never have started this confrontation in the first place.

After all, if not for the late head’s will, she wouldn’t even bother dealing with him.

The standoff in the inn grew quieter and more tense.

Then, it happened.

*Thud.*

The sound of the inn door being swung open rang out. The thick wooden door hit the wall as someone entered forcefully.

The sudden commotion expanded Encrid’s view of the room.

Polid’s guard also loosened his stance. The two of them, as if by unspoken agreement, stepped back half a pace.

‘Good grief.’

It wasn’t Rem, but Encrid had almost lost himself in the heat of battle, nearly drawing his sword in the chaos.

With a quiet sigh, Encrid turned his head toward the door.

A familiar face appeared—it was Torres, a member of the border garrison.

Behind him were five more soldiers dressed similarly, wearing brown leather armor with a grid pattern over their tunics. A dark brown coat was draped over their shoulders, and an eagle emblem adorned the epaulettes.

“We are part of the King’s personal border garrison. We’ve come to apprehend the instigator responsible for hiring the Azpen spy unit to cause trouble here.”

“Hiiik.”

Polid let out a pathetic whimper. His bodyguard stepped in, placing a hand on Polid’s shoulder protectively.

Encrid grew curious about their relationship.

It didn’t seem like a simple employer-and-employee connection.

“So, you dragged Azpen’s dogs into a succession dispute?”

Torres’s words caused Polid to turn pale, but Leona remained calm.

‘Who called the border garrison?’

Encrid wondered as he observed the situation.

“We will be arresting everyone involved,” Torres declared.

Neither Polid nor Leona reacted.

Instead, it was the man behind Polid who spoke up.

“Are you saying you’ll detain us without evidence? This man here is the heir to the Lockfreed Trading Company. Surely, you’re not accepting bribes from the other side, are you?”

He was a plain-looking man with brown hair, speaking coolly about “bribes.”

Torres frowned at first but then let out a bitter laugh before replying.

“…Well, aren’t you a cheeky bastard.”

His open disdain was clear. But, to be fair, the man had a point.

Why were major trading companies discussing succession matters here in Border Guard?

Because the standing army of Border Guard was always neutral.

It was a known fact that if a problem arose within the city, the standing army would intervene.

However, they were sworn to remain neutral, regardless of the dispute.

If they detained someone without concrete evidence, it would be easy to accuse them of bias. That, in turn, would lead to complications.

‘They planned this out.’

Encrid realized that Polid’s group had thought this through.

And Torres knew that, too, which is why he couldn’t simply cut down the cheeky bastard in front of him.

A brief silence settled, filled with tension. It was Leona who broke it.

“Bribery? Of course not.”

She began by denying the plain-looking man’s implication.

“However, it’s certainly possible that someone from the company involved Azpen spies.”

With her next words, she turned the tide of the conversation again.

“What?”

Polid’s eyes bulged in shock as he realized the implications, quickly closing his mouth to avoid drawing more attention.

Seeing his reaction, Encrid nearly sighed out loud. This fool was practically admitting guilt without even realizing it.

“We don’t know who’s responsible yet. That’s why I summoned the border garrison.”

‘Who called them?’

Even Encrid was surprised by Leona’s words.

She continued.

“I request that both succession candidates be detained until this matter is resolved. We should find the evidence and settle this.”

Leona scanned the room, showcasing her talent for controlling the situation with just a few words.

“I heard there’s a mastermind still on the run. Let’s capture him and get him to confess.”

A bold move. It was checkmate.

It was like a chess game where she’d driven them into a corner with no escape.

If they captured the mastermind and tortured him, would he be able to withstand it?

They had already arrested several people, but no one knew who the real ringleader was.

All they could say was that their leader was the one who had ordered everything.

That leader had to be the one who had escaped.

“Very well, Lady Leona. But what if the mastermind never turns up?”

The plain-looking man with brown hair shifted his gaze to Leona and asked calmly.

“Then it won’t be a matter for the border garrison to handle, will it?”

Leona answered with ease.

“After that, it will be up to the company to decide. The next step would be to return to the city and consult the main figures of the company to determine who is fit for the role of successor.”

The man with brown hair smiled as he finished the conversation, his expression turning sly.

‘Once they’re back in the city…’

Could Leona stand up to Polid’s guards and forces?

It didn’t seem likely.

“I’m a merchant. I don’t do anything without compensation. Whoever brings back the mastermind first will receive this.”

Leona spoke as she pulled out a dagger and placed it on the table.

It had a long, slender blade encased in a black leather scabbard, the shape resembling a stiletto.

“The Carmen Collection?”

Someone recognized it.

Encrid noticed Jaxson, who was usually indifferent to most things, take a step forward at the sight of the dagger. A rare occurrence indeed.

Of course, it was a weapon worthy of such interest.

‘That’s unexpected.’

Carmen was a famous assassin known for his handmade weapons.

In fact, his weapon-crafting skills were more renowned than his assassination skills.

The weapons he made were called the Carmen Collection.

And the dagger Leona had just placed on the table was one of them.

A masterfully crafted dagger that could stab and withdraw without leaving a drop of blood behind.

“Hey, why are you putting that up without asking?”

“This is mine. It was given to me by the previous head.”

Polid grumbled, but Leona ignored him and confirmed her decision.

“I offer this. Capture him and bring him here.”

With that, the bounty was officially set.

Encrid thought the situation was unfolding in a fascinating way.

‘We’ve already ordered someone to capture him.’

Even as he thought this, Encrid couldn’t help but admire Leona’s cleverness.

‘She’s buying time by involving the border garrison and offering a bounty to get what she wants.’

She had created a situation where everyone stood to gain something.

Except for Polid, that is.

In any case, whoever succeeded would earn tens of thousands of krona. It was no wonder everyone’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“I’ll bring him in.”

Surprisingly, someone immediately stepped forward with confidence.

“I’ll personally take care of it.”

It was Jaxson, speaking not just casually, but with conviction.

Encrid nodded, watching him. It was the first time Jaxson had taken such an active role.

‘He must really want that dagger.’

That was the only explanation that made sense.

It wouldn’t be difficult.

Who controlled the nights and back alleys of Border Guard?

It was the Gilpin Guild, and their leader, Krys, happened to be a member of Encrid’s squad.

Moreover, they had already been instructed to keep an eye on things and capture the mastermind.

In other words, they already had half the battle won.