Chapter 281: The Black Sword is Good at Schemes (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 281: The Black Sword is Good at Schemes (3)
"Hey, Big-Eyes."
Encrid called out to the muttering Krais.
Blink.
The fellow blinked, looking up at him.
Why was he so consumed by anxiety? It was because he had been battered and bruised by life since childhood. For him, a single misstep meant death, or an injury so severe it might as well be.
'I've heard there are even bastards who'd aim for my ass if things go south.'
Scratching his cheek, Encrid considered the man.
The world did not accept the untainted. The pure were easily stained. Once ink is spilled on a white canvas, it can never be erased. Krais was the same. To avoid the worst-case scenario, he lived in a constant state of anticipating it.
Because he was always envisioning the worst, Krais’s mind would grind to a halt whenever he felt cornered. It simply ceased to function. It had been the same when he first stood blankly on the battlefield, paralyzed on the verge of death.
Having experienced it himself, Encrid knew the signs. This bastard’s brain had short-circuited again.
In truth, it was all speculation, but if Encrid was wrong, so be it; if he was right, persuading him would be easy.
"Quiet. If we fight, we fight. If we die, we die."
Dunchabel, who had been listening from the side, spoke up. Her tone was blunt, her attitude dismissive. She was clearly annoyed. Krais was talking as if they were all going to drop dead this very second.
Well, that was fair. After all, dying from a stray blade on the battlefield was an all-too-common occurrence. Encrid knew that better than anyone.
You could die, but you could also survive. Not everything goes according to plan; one simply strives to nudge reality toward the desired outcome as much as possible.
For that, he needed Big-Eyes. More precisely, he needed a Big-Eyes whose brain wasn't broken.
"The kid’s possessed. Slap him silly to snap him out of it," Rem said, lying on his side on the cot like a giant caterpillar.
Winter turned the barbarian into a caterpillar. It was a sight Encrid saw every year.
It was a reasonable suggestion, but violence wasn't necessary here. Encrid had already tried that before. Krais was the kind of guy who wouldn't snap out of it even if you slapped him in the middle of a cavalry charge.
Beside them, Audin clasped his hands and spoke softly.
"Pray. If you pray, everything will be resolved."
Naturally, prayer wouldn't solve this either. Even channeling divine power wouldn't fix Krais’s current mental state. Fortunately, Encrid knew the one thing that would work, so he put it into action.
He opened his mouth.
"Hey. If things go south, let's run away together."
"......Eh?"
Krais stopped blinking in sheer bewilderment and stared at him. His trembling legs went still.
"If the situation takes a turn for the absolute worst, pulling you out and running away is child's play. Not to mention Rem and the others. Do you really think the rest of these guys are just going to sit here and die?"
What Krais needed wasn't logic, but reassurance.
The fingers that had been hovering near Krais’s mouth, debating whether to bite his nails to the quick, finally lowered. Krais turned his head, his gaze sweeping from Rem to Ragna, Sachsen, and Audin.
No matter how he looked at it, those guys didn't seem like the type to die easily.
And what about Teresa? Would a half-giant who wore an iron mask even inside the barracks and muttered, "I am the wandering Teresa," die so simply?
Lastly, Dunchabel... well, she looked like she might actually die, but...
"Even if one beastman dies, it has nothing to do with you."
Encrid’s timely intervention cut through the noise. Krais’s mind, which had spun out of control from weighing and re-evaluating every possible disaster, began to return to normal.
His vision cleared. The fog blocking his eyes dissipated. His trembling legs and restless hands stilled. His blinking eyes began to sparkle with their usual light. His pupils focused, and his light brown eyes curved into a gentle arc.
"Ah, right. Still, hang in there, Dunchabel. You’ve got to do your best if you don't want to die."
He spoke with a bright smile.
"Should I kill you first?" Dunchabel threatened, her claws unsheathing with a sharp shhk.
"Rem, the beastman is bullying me!"
"So what?"
He was back to the usual Krais. Big-Eyes grumbled at Rem, asking how he could be so heartless, but as soon as the "caterpillar" wriggled as if about to get up, Krais quickly ducked behind Encrid.
"Boss, aren't you going to the military council? Battalion Commander Graham’s head is about to burst."
"I should."
"Let's go together."
"Yeah."
If he left Krais behind now, the fellow might actually end up with a permanent claw mark engraved on his face. Encrid promptly left, taking Krais with him.
Among those left behind, Audin was the first to speak, chuckling softly.
"Brother Company Commander is truly a fascinating man."
When was it that Audin had realized that while one must pray, not everything is accomplished through prayer alone? It wasn't during his time as an Inquisitor. The beginning of his enlightenment was here, in the mud of the battlefield and the cramped barracks. It started with one man.
He was a man who never backed down, yet always knew how to look after those around him. His sword was not swung solely for himself.
'What is a knight?'
What is a priest? And what is a servant of God? This sudden realization guided Audin into deep contemplation.
None of the squad members here were obsessing over the upcoming battle. Someone's picking a fight? Then we fight. The majority of them operated on this simple, primal logic.
Thus, Rem turned back into a caterpillar and quietly sank into a nap. Ragna drew his sword once more. He felt as though he couldn't bear it if he didn't swing it right this second. It wasn't just that he had seen the boss training like a madman; he had merely watched him soothe Krais with a few words before leaving.
That was all. Yet, there was something to be felt. An indescribable sensation tickled his chest.
Everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Teresa felt a sudden surge of desire for battle.
'I want to fight.'
Right now, it didn't even have to be against Encrid. The giant blood in her veins was pulling her toward the battlefield, and the shifting atmosphere of the camp stimulated every hair on her body.
"Whatever."
Dunchabel still seemed to have nothing on her mind, but right now, that simplicity seemed like a virtue. Sachsen remained expressionless as always, though internally, he agreed with Audin’s words.
'A fascinating human.'
Esther had slipped into the barracks at some point and watched the scene unfold from a corner. The one most astonished by Encrid’s mystery was her. With a single sentence, he had restored a man’s sanity. If the words he had just spoken weren't a spell, what could possibly be called magic?
Churr.
Esther licked her forepaw, a habit she had developed since transforming into a panther. She stretched out her front paws and lay down, the warmth of her fur pleasantly heating her body.
*
The shift in the territory’s atmosphere was felt by every member of the company. No, the entire barracks felt it.
Still, nothing changed. Those who would shrink back and flee from the upcoming battle had already run away long ago. Upon entering the military council room, that fact was glaringly obvious.
"It seems there are quite a few empty seats."
Battalion Commander Graham had converted the Heavy Armor Company into an Independent Company and placed it under his direct command. In its stead, he had appointed Palto as the 1st Company Commander, and assigned commanders for the 2nd and 3rd Companies. Thanks to that, Vengeance had become the 3rd Company Commander.
They had recruited heavily before, so there was plenty of room in the organization—enough to transfer the core of the Heavy Infantry Company to the Independent Company.
Those were the first words spoken by Vengeance, the newly appointed commander, as soon as he entered. More than half of the faces he had seen in the previous meeting were missing.
"They fled."
"Pardon?"
"They packed up their fortunes and bolted in the middle of the night," Palto answered. He was the commander currently in charge of public order within the territory.
"You just let them go peacefully?" Vengeance asked, his voice cold. You just let them be? Shouldn't we have hunted them down and slaughtered them?
Nobles abandoning their territory in a crisis—to let such trash go was unthinkable to him. Repay grudges tenfold. That was Vengeance’s motto.
Palto’s eyes narrowed. Was this guy picking a fight over how he did his job?
The air was already thick with tension. It felt as though a single spark would set the entire room ablaze. Amidst the sharp clash of wills, a bright voice rang out.
"Of course we should let them go."
It came from behind Encrid. All eyes turned to Krais. Krais believed there was no need to waste time on useless bickering.
'Because the boss said he'd save me if things go south.'
He wouldn't die. At the very least, his safety was guaranteed. No, even without the boss, he had already devised a way to escape the territory. It was just that his anxiety had spiked because he kept imagining the absolute worst-case scenarios.
'They were ridiculous thoughts, honestly.'
Imagining dozens of wolf demonic beasts guarding the secret "dog hole" he had dug out. Imagining a spy under secret orders from the Black Sword waiting by that same hole to assassinate him.
'They were all so bizarre.'
But at the time, premonitions of doom had battered his brain. Now? He was fine. Thanks to that, his mind was spinning rapidly.
"Do you really think those three will join forces?"
"What?"
He suddenly thrust the main topic right into the middle of the discussion about the runaway nobles. Then, he seamlessly wove the previous topic back in. Encrid thought Krais’s conversational skills were truly extraordinary.
"If they are elements that disrupt internal unity, it's only right to send them away early. Battalion Commander Marcus wanted to kick them all out anyway. Didn't you know?"
Vengeance hadn't known. He wasn't particularly clever, even if he was a persistent, loyal man who knew how to repay a debt.
"That is true," Graham nodded. He looked as though he hadn't slept for days, with dark circles heavy under his eyes. He looked at Krais. "You're with the Independent Company."
"I am Krais."
Encrid’s Independent Company was famous for many things, but its martial might was the most prominent. Overshadowed by that strength, Krais was a face known only to a select few. Graham recognized him, but that had been the extent of it. Now, Graham’s attention shifted fully to the man.
Krais spoke calmly.
"Azpen won't move immediately. The losses would be too great for them to march here while tearing down every single wooden palisade and defense we've built up in Greenpearl."
"But the commander stationed in Greenpearl has requested reinforcements, saying they are in immediate danger."
Krais stepped forward beside Encrid. Marcus was gone, and the situation was very, very bad. To avoid the absolute worst, Krais had to do his part. That was what this meeting was for. At the very least, he needed to know what the military leadership was thinking.
'Though it feels like they might not have any thoughts at all.'
At least, they weren't using their brains properly. In reality, Graham had done his best. He had gathered the troops, suppressed rumors to maintain morale, increased patrols, and deployed scouts. If any soldier in charge of public order spoke out of turn, they were immediately disciplined. Aside from that, makeshift squad-sized units were currently observing the surroundings.
Other than that, waiting was all they could do.
"Of course the commander at Greenpearl would say that, with Azpen right in front of him. But the urgent matter is here, not Azpen. And, well, I don't think those three are on friendly terms."
Before they knew it, the meeting had centered around Krais’s words. Encrid pulled up a chair and sat down next to Vengeance.
"Who is that guy?" Vengeance whispered.
Encrid replied with his arms crossed. "Krais."
"Wasn't he... that fellow who used to peddle goods?"
To Vengeance, he was just a soldier who used to make pocket change through black market deals.
"That's him."
Tilting his head, the persistent Vengeance merely stared with a sullen expression. Fine, let's hear what he has to say, was likely his thought. Most of them felt the same. Only Graham and Palto’s brows furrowed deeper. At least those two had functioning brains.
"The fact that the three aren't friendly means they're keeping an eye on each other. In times like this, what we need to do is make ourselves look bigger."
It was time to show the enemy their posture. Were they cowering in fear under the threat of the Black Sword, the cultists, and Azpen? If so, they would only become prey to be devoured bit by bit.
But what if they were baring their fangs? What if they were waiting with hidden blades drawn?
"They won't dare strike carelessly."
"And what can we do with the time we buy?"
Krais blinked his large eyes. In response to Graham’s question, Krais offered a smile. Dimples formed as his lips and eyes curved softly. With a smile that had broken many a woman’s heart, he spoke.
"We can build real combat experience. And we might even be able to take the heads of their leaders."
Encrid also judged it to be a necessary task. Real combat experience. There were those who had become tempered iron through relentless training, and the force they comprised was by no means weak. Marcus hadn't scoffed for nothing when he saw the forces of the Black Sword gathering; he believed slitting the throat of that pig Tarnin was only a matter of time.
However, many among them lacked actual battlefield experience. The Border Guard Standing Army was a force that had rolled in the dirt under Encrid. They were strong soldiers forged through merciless training. Krais knew this well. Their only weakness was their lack of experience in a true life-and-death struggle.
Though there were veterans who had survived the battle against Azpen, many others had joined recently—mercenaries or recruits who had enlisted after hearing of the exploits of the Independent Company.
And isn't the battlefield a place where people die easily?
'One must know their weaknesses.'
Only then can they cover those weaknesses and fight with their strengths. It was just like swordsmanship. Listening to the discussion, Encrid agreed. Hiding one's weaknesses and fighting with one's strengths was an obvious concept, but difficult to put into practice. Moreover, people whose minds worked this well in such a crisis were rare.
After all, continental tactics usually amounted to nothing more than pushing with brute force or planting spies. Krais went one step further. If they lacked experience, let them gain it. If they had weaknesses, eliminate them.
"We divide the troops into two forces: the Day Force and the Night Force. The Day Force fights while the Night Force rests. Then, the Night Force fights while the Day Force rests. We take turns fighting, but we don't engage in full-scale battles."
"......So you're proposing we only engage in small-scale skirmishes?" Graham interjected. His tone was serious, perhaps sharpened by his fatigue.
"If we jump straight into a large-scale battle, the casualties will be severe. Before that, we must 'prepare'."
Krais placed his hand on the table. He extended a finger and pointed to a section of the military map.
"We fight here. We retreat to here."
He was simply pouring out what was in his head, speaking without hesitation. Encrid also found himself drawn into the plan, realizing what he had to do. In small-scale skirmishes, there was nothing for Encrid to do. More precisely, there was nothing for the Independent Company to do.
"The Elven Company and the Mad Company will move separately."
Because he had been plagued by anxiety, Krais had imagined the absolute worst of the worst. The foundation of that imagination was information. Based on that information, he predicted what would happen and how the opponent would react.
A strange passion began to color Krais’s words. It was his first time taking charge of troop operations in earnest, but there was no hesitation.
"And one more thing. There's something the boss needs to do as well."
Krais spoke, looking at Encrid at last.
Encrid nodded. Whether it was swinging his sword or going out alone to slay dozens of demonic beasts, he was willing to do whatever it took.