A Knight Who Eternally Regresses - Chapter 331

Chapter 331: CHAPTER 329
A hero has emerged from the Border Guard of Zira, defeating Aspen and the Cultists!

He might become a Knight!

The qualifications of Knighthood are being debated.

Just from this, Encrid became the hottest name in the northern part of Naurillia.

“I need to see him.”

It was natural for the interest of all surrounding nobles to be drawn.

A peerless hero born on the frontier—such a story is compelling.

The public adored him beyond measure.

Wouldn’t it be advantageous to take him under their wing and announce their own prestige?

Could the benefits be limited to just increasing their influence?

Do they believe he will become a Knight?

Few believed that just having the qualities of a Knight would make someone a Knight.

Only a very small number recognized Encrid.

In reality…

“A Knight? Ridiculous.”

That was the common response.

However, it didn’t really matter if he didn’t become a Knight.

Even if Encrid didn’t, there were still plenty of places where he could be useful.

Plenty.

To begin with, his combat ability alone was undeniable.

Though he didn’t become a Knight, his skills were on par with a Junior-Knight, and unlike the average lot, he had proven his strength.

Didn’t they say that he saved a pioneer village from a crisis, and that his name would be inscribed on its walls?

Even among mercenaries, there are those called platinum mercenaries, and wasn’t he said to rival them?

Even if he didn’t become a Knight, his abilities as a bodyguard were more than enough.

And the rumors weren’t just about his skills.

“They say he’s quite handsome, too?”

His appearance was also devastatingly powerful.

How could only his skills have spread?

It was only natural for the hearts of a few restless noblewomen to flutter.

Supposedly, the mere sight of him made them swoon, earning him the nickname ‘Squad Leader of Enchantment’.

“I must see him myself.”

How could one not be curious?

Moreover, Encrid wasn’t a Lord, nor was he tied to any specific allegiance—he was merely a Company Commander.

That made him all the more enticing for any noble to bring into their fold.

At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.

It didn’t take long for all kinds of rumors to spread.

On top of that, the man Encrid also brought a political advantage.

‘If I take him under my wing…’

Couldn’t he become a way to sneak a foothold into the Border Guard, which was expanding into a trade city by devouring Green Pearl?

It was entirely possible.

For various reasons, the name Encrid spread far and wide.

It didn’t take long for it to reach the Capital.

It started with his name being mentioned in one salon, and it soon reached the Queen’s ears.

Under the starry sky of the palace courtyard.

“What do you think, Lua?”

At the Queen’s question, the Frog Luagarne puffed her cheeks.

Gurrrr.

It was an expression of pure joy and delight.

What had made this Frog puff her cheeks like that?

“Have you fallen for him as well?”

The Queen knew that Lua had already met, gotten to know, and traveled with Encrid.

At the Queen’s question, Luagarne opened her mouth.

“I fell for him from the first time I saw him.”

Though part of the Kingdom, the Frog was not human.

No one expected her to follow human etiquette.

That was why Luagarne spoke so freely with the Queen.

Besides, it was a private moment now.

They were sharing conversation over an expensive wine touched by the hands of Fairies.

A few attendants stood silently around them, each minding their own business.

“Because of his looks?”

The Queen asked as she sipped from her glass.

A rare statement then came from Luagarne, who, being a Frog, rarely paid attention to human beauty.

“He’s a man whose heart is more desirable than his face.”

“I see.”

The Queen nodded.

“And what about his qualifications as a Knight?”

“He has none.”

Though she answered bluntly, the Queen’s expression didn’t change.

Luagarne didn’t try to read the Queen’s mind.

She was the ruler of a nation.

There was no way she would show her true feelings so easily.

Moreover, interpreting people’s intentions and reflecting them in politics wasn’t her strong suit.

More than anything, Luagarne was simply filled with pure joy.

‘Will he really go forward?’

He doesn’t have the qualities of a Knight.

That much she had seen herself.

Yet, he moves forward.

He changes.

He evolves.

He dismisses the gaze and opinions of others.

‘Does he believe he can become a Knight?’

Logic says no.

But before she realized it, Luagarne found herself rooting for him.

Part of it had to do with the news that he had beaten a Bishop of the Cult to death.

Every time the Cult was mentioned, her cheeks could puff up three times more than they were now as an expression of disgust.

That’s likely similar to how humans grit their teeth.

“I see.”

The conversation with the Queen was brief.

The news eventually reached Marcus as well.

“Wow, this is something.”

He was wholeheartedly cheering for the man named Encrid.

He even felt sorry that he couldn’t help him.

In truth, when he heard that the Black Blade Bandits and the Cultists were storming the Border Guard, he wanted to pull Encrid and a few other talents out of there immediately.

But they won.

And the damage wasn’t even that great.

In a letter personally written by Graham, all he talked about was how he wanted to quit being a Lord and about this man named Encrid.

‘He said that without Enki, everything would’ve been destroyed.’

Marcus stroked his chin as he sat.

Looking at the surrounding situation, it seemed that Encrid was becoming the eye of the storm.

How could he not?

Encrid didn’t represent the city, but he was being hailed as a hero.

‘If I can get Enki.’

He could exert influence over the Border Guard.

He’d be a fool not to take notice.

So how should he prevent that?

The more methods prepared, the better.

For now.

‘Let’s deal with that bastard Molsen first.’

Who was the most dangerous among the nearby nobles?

Count Molsen was the first to come to mind, and it wasn’t just because Marcus had a narrow view.

He was a dangerous man who called himself the Grand Duke of North.

Thanks to him, there were always rumors of an impending civil war.

‘Molsen isn’t the only problem, though.’

Marcus decided to lean on his family’s power.

The most beautiful woman of the family had already been sent to the front.

It would be great if she and Encrid hit it off, but he wasn’t counting on it.

In any case, starting by keeping Molsen in check was the way to go.

“If only I had stockpiled some gold.”

He muttered to himself.

If the Border Guard had enough power to manage things on their own, many problems could be easily avoided.

The mind of the ‘War Maniac’, as he was nicknamed, spun with political calculations.

How could he prevent the other local nobles from eyeing the Border Guard—and, more specifically, from targeting Encrid?

‘Achievements.’

While what Encrid had done so far was significant, the weight of his future achievements would be different.

Each achievement would build a wall of protection around Encrid.

To do that, he would have to act from the center.

He could use the conscription system to his advantage.

‘If I personally submit a request, the palace will recognize its value.’

That would send a message that the palace had taken notice, warning any fools not to get greedy.

And if the Border Guard grew on its own, it would be even better.

‘Not a Lord, but a Ruler—now that would suit him better.’

After envisioning the final picture, Marcus stood up.

“I’m going to see the head of the family.”

He would offer all the help needed from behind the scenes.

Enki, go ahead and rampage as you please.

Marcus left with a spring in his step.

This was the most fun he had had in recent times, and it showed in the lightness of his feet.

* * *

Even Junior-Knight Asia had heard the news and was shocked.

‘He was a strange guy, after all.’

The qualities of a Knight.

Was it really to that extent?

Thinking that someone could become a Knight simply because they managed to overcome their own Intimidation was an exaggeration.

Still, there was a certain sense of anticipation.

‘Will I see him here someday?’

Could he end up standing beside her as a fellow in the ranks of the Knights, or rather as a Junior-Knight?

It wouldn’t be bad.

Though they hadn’t met often, he was remembered with a good impression.

* * *

Unlike Luagarne and Marcus, the leader of the Black Blade Bandits felt as if his stomach was being twisted.

‘Encrid.’

How could he feel at ease when someone he needed to kill was running wild like that?

The leader of the Black Blades began to move his remaining members.

One of the nobles whose business was ruined in the past by Encrid was now acting as his puppet.

The leader penned a letter.

It was sent to Count Molsen and several others.

But that wasn’t the end.

He knew he would eventually be summoned to the Capital, so he planned to use every trick he could before that happened.

* * *

With golden hair, fair skin, and a well-groomed mustache, this time he was draped in soft furs over his trained body.

“It’s been a while.”

It was Count Molsen.

He spoke casually with a smile, as if he were meeting an old friend.

Encrid thought that if it came to having a thick skin, this man might be the thickest on the continent.

‘Ah, but there’s Rem.’

Then perhaps second thickest.

No, if thick-skinned people were being considered, there was also Ragna, Jaxon, and Audin, not to mention Krais, who could compete for the top spot if he got involved with Krona.

Encrid excluded himself from these thoughts, naturally assuming that was the right thing to do.

If his subordinates heard his thoughts, they might have been tempted to swing their blades at him.

In any case, Count Molsen truly had thick skin.

Previously, he had secretly sent someone called the Elite Slaying Blade—who died after just a few swings—and during the recent battle, he didn’t even send reinforcements.

He turned his back on them.

And now, after all that, he had the audacity to show his face and say, “It’s been a while”, followed by this ridiculous statement:

“You should be thanking me. Thanks to you, I managed to avoid half the troublesome matters.”

The Count laughed as he spoke.

Encrid couldn’t help but wonder who took care of his mustache.

It was always so sharply groomed that it was clear whoever did it had quite the skill.

Thinking about how his own hair was getting long and his beard was due for a trim, Encrid responded.

“Should I be thankful?”

“Has swinging your sword made your brain go dull?”

The Count spoke, half-ignoring the man from the Marquis of Visar standing nearby.

It wasn’t surprising.

The Marquis hadn’t come himself, after all.

The person present was merely a member of a branch family.

Even so, ignoring him wasn’t exactly proper etiquette.

It just went to show how arrogant Count Molsen was.

“I think it should be fine since a member of the Marquis’s household is here, even if the Count himself didn’t come.”

Encrid was aware that his growing reputation had sparked interest from those around him.

Even while he had been resting inside the barracks, he had been hearing talk.

Krais, as usual, had been delivering news nonstop.

And, of course, Krais had slipped his own opinions into the mix whenever he could.

“It’s hard to even greet you. I’ve been waiting for two days, and now here you are taking the lead.”

The woman from the Marquis family seized a moment to interject.

“Is there a problem?”

At Count Molsen’s words, the lady from the Visar Marquis family shook her head.

“Of course not.”

Their words were filled with underlying tension, both clearly on guard.

The atmosphere between the two was tense.

“So, I hear you’ve been looking for me.”

Encrid didn’t care whether they fought or not, so he got straight to the point.

The Count and the lady from Visar shifted their attention from each other to Encrid.

The woman from the Visar Marquis family was named Kin Visar.

She came here with two objectives.

First, to prevent the Count from exerting pressure on the man named Encrid.

Second, if possible, to bring Encrid into the fold of her family.

The first objective was at the request of the prodigal Marcus Visar.

The second was a decision made through the family council.

But from Marcus’s attitude, shouldn’t this Encrid be friendly toward them?

From what she was seeing, he seemed rather aloof.

It wasn’t impolite, but he clearly wasn’t putting in any effort to be friendly.

“So, it’s not just swinging a sword you’re good at, is that it?”

The Count spoke again.

Encrid felt like shrugging but held back.

There was no point in expressing his emotions to someone like this.

Would a simple shrug leave any real mark on this arrogant man?

Certainly not.

It was an instinct and a certainty.

“The surrounding nobles are after me. They dream that by securing me, they can gain control over the Border Guard, which is set to become the largest city in this rapidly developing area.”

‘Is he smart?’

Kin thought to herself.

He had a clear understanding of the political situation.

Didn’t they say he hadn’t come out for two days, supposedly lost in some epiphany?

Of course, Krais had likely given him a heads-up in advance.

Even without much time to grasp the situation, understanding came easily when it was explained well.

Encrid continued.

“I’m not interested.”

“Not interested?”

“No.”

“Do you intend to swear loyalty to the palace?”

“Is that how it seems to you?”

“I hope not.”

The small reception room was quiet, yet Count Molsen’s eyes seemed to gleam.

Sitting on the sofa, he had one leg crossed over the other, but he uncrossed it and straightened his posture.

Kin could feel a shift in the Count’s demeanor.

And Encrid, looking at the Count, was reminded of Krang.

It was just like back then.

The mood was changing.

The Count placed his hand on his thigh.

He sat up straight, taking a more formal stance.

“There is a threat to the Kingdom, and it must be destroyed. Yet, it hasn’t been dealt with. Who can be blamed for that?”

The Count’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it felt heavy, as if it pierced through the air.

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted.

“People are dying to monsters, to beasts, and then there are those who are left behind.”

The Count continued.

“Do you feel nothing when you see them?”

For a brief moment, images of people, either dying or struggling to survive, overlapped behind the Count.

There was a child dreaming of becoming an herbalist and a woman making seasoned jerky.

There was a mother who had sent her child to the military and a soldier who picked up a spear to protect his family.

The soldier collapsed, bleeding from his eyes, nose, and ears.

“So, I ask you: if someone wishes to have you on their side, what must they give in return?”

The Count’s words carried a certain persuasive weight.

Even though Kin was watching closely, she found herself unable to speak.

If he wanted something, he would give whatever it took.

Moreover, if one sought to walk the right and just path, this seemed like the way to go, as the Count was declaring with his entire presence.

And it wasn’t necessarily wrong.

Kin knew that Molsen’s territory was wealthier than any other in the area.

This man was someone who took responsibility for his words.

He had the power to influence those around him just by speaking.

“If you wish to save people, can you say the path you’re walking now is the right one?”

The Count’s voice filled the reception room.

It felt overwhelming.

To remain in that room, it seemed one had no choice but to agree with his words.

Kin was sweating with tension.

Cold sweat.

The Count was showing determination instead of his usual calm demeanor.

It seemed like there was no choice but to give the answer he wanted.

To tell him he was right, to say you would follow his words.

It felt like the only option.

And then, Encrid.

“Zira… Ah, my apologies. I got lost in thought for a moment.”

Zira? Did he say that?

Kin thought she had heard him mutter something like that.

Though he didn’t explicitly say it, it sounded like those words had slipped out.

Encrid was disgusted by the Count’s act.

It irritated him.

These were the words of a man hiding his true feelings.

The term ‘hypocrite’ was meant for people like this.

If it were Rem, not someone like himself, he might have swung his axe and caused a scene, but Encrid wasn’t that type of person. Instead, he responded with polite language.

If his words caused even a small ripple in the Count’s heart, perhaps that would ease his own discomfort.

Sometimes, you have to let your feelings out to bring peace to your mind.

Only then can you be certain of the path you walk.

What people call Knighthood is not just some empty term, but a matter of protecting what must be protected.

Among those things was Encrid’s own heart.

Sometimes, that too had to be protected.

Now was one of those moments.

Since he couldn’t outright fight, his best option was to translate his emotions into polite words.

The moment Encrid opened his mouth, the illusion wrapped in the Count’s charisma shattered.

And the smile on Count Molsen’s face deepened.

Kin held her breath for a moment.