Chapter 333: The Ripple Effect Spreads (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 333: The Ripple Effect Spreads (2)
"Is it really alright to just leave him there?"
Castellan Graham's adjutant asked, glancing at his superior.
He couldn't help but wonder if this was wise. They had essentially dumped Encrid on a man who was either a high-ranking noble or a powerful merchant guild master. Now that they had finally found Encrid, perhaps it was the right move to keep him occupied, but shouldn't this be a matter the Castellan handled himself?
Since he couldn't voice every doubt swirling in his mind, his question remained brief.
Castellan Graham replied, his hand still tight around the hilt of his sword.
"And if we don't? I am still the Castellan. If he doesn't like it, he can come for my head."
The adjutant thought the Castellan had been treating his own neck rather cheaply lately, but he had no retort. Even in his eyes, if Encrid set his mind to it, seizing a title like Castellan would be child’s play.
Above all, Graham looked more than willing to hand his head over if it came to that.
"Understood," the adjutant conceded.
There was nothing more to say. Instead, he watched his superior. He noticed an unprecedented level of focus radiating from the man.
Graham, eyes half-closed, slowly brought his sword down.
The Crushing Sword?
Was Esther the only one affected by the swordsmanship Encrid had displayed?
Far from it.
For the first time in ages, Graham's chest throbbed. His heart pounded. An uncontrollable urge, a burning desire, ignited like a spiral fuse. Emotion became the fuel, driving his body to move.
Ah.
As he swung his sword repeatedly, a small realization struck him like a physical blow.
Graham recalled his training from yesterday, the day before, and the entire past week. He hadn't neglected his duties. He hadn't stopped training. But was that truly his best? Had he given it his all?
No. He hadn't.
He had merely stagnated, trapped by inertia. He had been too busy trying to maintain the status quo.
Had he used his duties as Castellan as an excuse? Did he think there was nowhere left for him to climb? Had the ambition he held when he first picked up a blade withered away somewhere along the line?
Could he dare say that in front of that bastard?
"That bastard" was, without a doubt, Encrid.
The man whose dream was to be a knight. The man who was now walking that very path.
The man who, when he first joined the unit, received nothing but ridicule. The man who was the subject of foul rumors, with people whispering that he was selling his body to his own squad members. The man who had been a mere low-ranking soldier.
Graham had witnessed Encrid’s transformation firsthand, so it was only natural that he felt spurred to action. For a realization gained through the sword to make him reflect on his entire life...
There is no law saying a Castellan must lay down his sword.
Graham knew he wasn't particularly bright. That was why he dumped most of his paperwork onto his adjutant. He had even delegated tasks to Krais—the "Big-Eyes" of the Mad Company—who possessed a level of low cunning that commanded sheer admiration. He had also minimized his social interactions to the absolute limit.
Because right now, he was practically dying to swing his sword.
The adjutant couldn't stop the Castellan. But then, was he any different?
"Would you care to spar, sir?"
The adjutant also belonged to the Heavy Infantry Company and had been called a veteran and an elite soldier. Now, he was the Castellan's personal bodyguard.
Naturally, he had also seen Encrid. He had seen the transformation, he saw where Encrid stood now, and he had witnessed the recent battle.
It would be a lie to say he felt nothing.
"Let's go. I'll show you the difference between us."
The Castellan nodded.
*
This wasn't happening only to the two of them. It had become a fever affecting the entire unit.
The Elven Company Commander was no exception.
Sinar held her Nairas, repeating the same motion over and over. She was honing her precision and delicacy. What had stimulated her was the memory of Encrid's back as he faced the knight.
I will block.
A vivid blade of emotion forged from those three syllables—Sinar had seen it.
Her acute sensitivity allowed her to feel emotions, which sometimes served as a means to read an opponent's mind. She couldn't read everything, but intense desires, like a fierce wind, were surprisingly easy to decipher. Even more so when the opponent's will was absolute.
That was why Sinar could feel the raw emotion Encrid harbored when he blocked the knight.
Even if I die, even if I am killed, even if my heart is torn to pieces.
I will block.
What kind of human could do that? A human who could focus entirely on one thing and forget everything else.
And what was that fragment of emotion that slipped in? It was nothing but pure ecstasy, completely eclipsing any fear.
It wasn't that he lacked fear. It wasn't that he was ignorant of pain and suffering. He simply shrouded it all in the ecstasy of the moment.
Because he relished the struggle, he forgot the pain. Pushing aside the agony that would inevitably follow, he remained entirely devoted to the present. He was a man who lived only for the now.
He's insane.
Sinar could say that with absolute certainty. He was mad; his mind was broken.
Yet, she couldn't help the thrill that shot through her whenever she thought of him.
As an elf, she was supposed to control her emotions and remain serene. But right now, she forgot all about such control.
The Nairas began to dance at Sinar's fingertips. Starting with delicate precision, she moved past forms and structures, forgetting them entirely. The vital energy she had harbored inside her body for so long began to move of its own accord.
She let it flow. She didn't try to restrain it.
Right now, she simply wanted to swing her blades. Encrid's back had made her this way.
*
"Is there any reason I can't do it too?"
It was only natural that Encrid's exploits stimulated the soldiers, especially those who knew how to handle a blade. There were even several soldiers who had followed him all the way from Greenpearl to here after witnessing his performance on the battlefield.
Since arriving at the Border Guard, they had been openly boasting about their skills, bragging about their talent, and clamoring to join the Mad Company. It was bound to draw attention.
Naturally, one of the original Border Guard soldiers stopped them.
"You think you can fight? You've got a big mouth."
The soldier who had come from Greenpearl didn't let the provocation slide. To be precise, he was the one who had been singing Encrid’s praises the loudest. His name was Janson.
Janson turned his head and spat, "I can hold my own."
He had fought on the front lines in the recent battle. He had also trained relentlessly every day after watching Encrid. He had undergone unprecedentedly harsh training. It was only natural that his confidence showed.
"Bell, go easy on him."
Another soldier from behind glanced at Janson and spoke. That rubbed his pride the wrong way.
His opponent, a man named Bell, nodded and stepped forward. His posture made it clear he was ready to scrap.
"You're going to get hurt," Janson warned.
"Sure, let's get hurt then," Bell replied.
Bell was a veteran who had survived the Mad Company's training, including their occasional "intensive" sessions.
The soldier from Greenpearl saw stars in broad daylight. He threw a punch, only for Bell to take it with his forehead. In the same breath, Bell's counter-punch caught him square in the temple, sending him sprawling.
It was a difference in skill, but more than that, the difference in mindset was stark.
"Does it hurt? Guys like me are a dime a dozen around here," Bell said, rubbing his forehead.
The fallen soldier lifted his head, dazed but determined. "I'm Janson."
"Yeah. Welcome aboard."
Janson joined Bell's squad just like that.
This wasn't unique to Janson. Everyone who had witnessed Encrid's fight threw themselves into training. They poured out sweat like madmen. Even without the Mad Company's official drills, they pushed themselves voluntarily.
In a way, the barracks looked like a gathering of lunatics.
Of course, there were those who didn't push themselves and chose to rest. A few could be seen slacking off. Everything was done of their own free will, so there was no coercion.
However, they also knew instinctively: If everyone else is training like this and I'm the only one slacking off...?
The gap on the battlefield would inevitably widen.
And so, the spark continued to spread.
Was Rem any different? He, too, began to swing his axe. Though it was the tail end of winter, seeing Rem without his Thermal Leather was a rare sight.
"Are you feeling sick?" Krais, who was passing by in a hurry, even showed concern.
"Get lost before I plant an axe ornament in your skull."
Krais beat a hasty retreat.
Following Rem's lead, Dunchabel also trained frantically, as if someone were chasing her. Rem didn't go out of his way to torment her like before, but he mixed in sparring, training, and advice whenever necessary.
"Are all beastmen as thick-headed as you?"
"That is a racially discriminatory remark."
"So what? You want to die?"
Sometimes it looked like Rem was just venting his anger, but all was well that ended well. Dunchabel learned everything she needed to, even while taking a beating.
Audin also recognized the change. Ragna had changed, and his captain had changed.
What did he feel because of that? A great deal. Consequently, Audin also found himself lost in thought, if only for a brief moment.
He even felt a sense of relief that it was Ragna who had evolved.
If it had been Rem who changed...
The barbarian would have recklessly lunged at him, demanding a spar. He would have asserted his superiority and thoroughly enjoyed the dominance.
Ragna didn't do that. He was still lazy. Though he now swung his sword unlike before and sparred well with the captain, he didn't go out of his way to provoke Audin or Rem. Above all, Ragna currently spent his time staring blankly, lost in thought, and rarely stepped out of his barracks.
Even so, it was uncomfortable.
To think he took a step forward first, Audin thought. Has the time come to release the restriction?
If Rem had changed like that, he would have seriously considered it, but not right now. Audin had found something resembling an answer, but he didn't think it would work against those who had placed the restriction on him in the first place.
Therefore...
"Retrace the path you have walked, for within it lies the answer to what blocks your way, so He said."
He would recite the holy scriptures and pray. Audin did just that.
For the rest of his time, he dedicated himself to retraining his body, piece by piece. Building up layer by layer—that was the source of Audin's strength. He reflected on the process from the very beginning to the present. He retraced every single change his body had undergone.
That was his way.
As Encrid forged ahead, those around him advanced as well. The inspiration spread far and wide, shaking the entire barracks.
Quiet, yet burning. Burning, yet subtle.
Such was the transformation within the barracks. Though some had felt similar sparks before, this time, it was shifting the atmosphere of the entire city, including the Castellan himself.
*
"Could there possibly be a better offer for you than this!"
Encrid had already forgotten the man's name. He wanted to look back at Graham, but the Castellan was nowhere to be found.
When influential figures like Count Molsen visited, Graham would show his face, but now that a fellow like this had arrived, he had dumped him on Encrid.
Is this how you treat a war hero?
Even if it was embarrassing to call himself a hero, dumping the task of dealing with people on him? This was the Castellan?
Encrid felt a sudden, renewed urge to spar with Graham. It felt like he had a lot to learn from him. For instance, how to fall gracefully, how to take a hit properly, and how to pass out painlessly.
"She is my daughter, but she is also the greatest beauty in our territory!"
The noble-merchant, who resembled a toad, spoke with grand gestures. A woman who looked slightly more human than a toad smiled shyly, meeting Encrid's eyes before quickly looking away.
Should I just kill them?
Of course, that was out of the question.
Then should I beat them up?
"Are you Rem? Are you Rem, Captain?!"
Krais's nagging seemed to echo faintly in his ears.
Sinar was also busy today of all days, so he had no help there. Esther had shut herself away, claiming she needed to meditate, with no intention of coming out.
Should he have brought Rem instead? If he had, he could have just moderately restrained Rem as he ran amok, and the whole thing would have ended quickly.
He was supposed to spar with Rem this morning. He didn't like that his schedule had been messed up. But he couldn't take his anger out on these people.
While maintaining the conversation on the outside, Encrid began an imaginary spar in his mind. In his mind's eye, he was already busy dealing with Rem's lightning-fast axe.
I heard he used a sling?
How should he dodge that?
He didn't know. He would just have to do his best. The process of learning through experience awaited him. He was itching to get to it.
Quite apart from his patience, Encrid felt the utter pointlessness of this meeting. He felt he had spent more than enough time here. Hadn't enough time passed to drink a cup of tea?
Of course, he had downed his tea in a single gulp.
"Well, eh? What do you say?"
Since he didn't care what the proposal was anyway...
"Excuse me, then."
Leaving behind those crisp words, Encrid stood up.
"Huh? Hey! I am a noble and the master of the merchant guild in charge of trade in this region!" the man rattled off his credentials, his face turning red.
Encrid didn't even spare him a "so what?" look. He was practically dying to run off and swing his sword against Rem's axe right this instant.
Whether he was in charge of regional trade or not, wasn't that the responsibility of the Castellan who had skipped out? If the man were truly important, Graham would have stepped up to handle him.
Therefore, Encrid bore no responsibility. It was an absurd piece of self-justification, but it wasn't wrong.
As Encrid slipped away, the merchant guild master was utterly dumbfounded. No, it didn't stop at mere bewilderment.
In fact, this emotional shift wasn't unique to this man. Had Encrid rejected only one or two people so far? No. There were many. Some of them had even come to harbor something akin to a grudge.
"This bastard..."
The noble-merchant clenched his teeth. His jaw muscles bulged visibly beneath his skin.
His daughter, who leaned more toward the human side, had tears welling in her eyes. Seeing a man who hadn't met her eyes even once despite her being right in front of him, she was overcome with sorrow.
Krais watched all of this unfold from the doorway of the reception room.
"Let's go!"
The uninvited guest made his departure. Krais knew that if things were left like this, some sort of catastrophe would ensue.
Why wouldn't it? It was obvious. All too obvious.
Yet, the people who were supposed to resolve this had all gone mad as a group. It was enough to make anyone furious, but Krais was actually enjoying himself. There was only one thing that could make him this happy: Krona.
Meaning, there was gold on the line.
"Just you wait!"
The noble-merchant barked in anger, but Krais didn't have a single worry.
A woman poked her head out from behind him and asked, "Are you asking us to act as a shield against the local merchants as well?"
At her question, Krais blinked his large eyes in surprise. "Pardon? What do you mean by that?"
"Stop playing dumb."
It felt as though the words "you bastard" had been omitted from her lips.
Krais ultimately looked away. She was right.
If the reason the surrounding merchant guilds were chirping was because they coveted the trade and commercial rights of the city of Border Guard... and if they saw it as an open vacancy... then they just needed to hand it over to someone.
He had heard the news last night that the most suitable person had entered the city. The Gilpin Guild's information was faster than the guards.
"I should have greeted you properly first, but my greetings are late. Master Leona Lockfried."
"Yes, quite a prompt greeting indeed."
Leona offered a smiling gaze at Krais's greeting. Both of them were people with plenty of hidden agendas. Thus, even if they began negotiations, it wouldn't end easily.
Of course, Krais had no intention of spending too much time on this matter anyway.