Chapter 436: I Can't Stand That
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 436: I Can't Stand That
Rem watched Encrid’s desperate struggles, but he didn't bother to intervene. Nor did he often join the swordsmanship discussions that followed their spars.
“If you're hurting, rest.”
He was so detached that Encrid eventually had to speak up.
“Mind your business,” Rem would reply.
Even then, Rem drew a line, just enough to avoid seeming overly sensitive. After seeing Luagarne step forward, Rem rarely put his heart into sparring with Encrid like he used to. He only crossed blades with him once in a blue moon.
“You want to fight? Step up.”
Only at those times did he offer any guidance. It was still a style of instruction where actions spoke louder than words.
To Rem, Encrid was still much the same. He improved at a frustratingly slow pace. Still, it wasn't regression. He was moving forward.
Rem stopped right there. He limited himself to merely watching. Even without him, there were plenty of bastards for Encrid to mingle with. There was no need for him to force his way in to spar. He only helped to the extent of letting Encrid integrate A Handful of Breath into his body. Even that, he washed his hands of once the technique had settled to some degree.
Thus, lately, his entire routine consisted of swinging his axe alone and occasionally bothering Dunchabel. Or he would head out to the Pen-Hanil Mountains—a sort of stroll he took whenever his body felt stiff. Though that single "stroll" always ended with the blood of the monsters living in the Pen-Hanil Mountains thoroughly soaking the soil.
He was just setting out on one of those strolls now.
“Since you're going anyway, please take care of that pack of human-faced dogs.”
Krais approached Rem with a swaggering stride. He wore a feathered hat he had acquired from somewhere; on anyone else, it would have looked incredibly foolish, but on Krais, it looked perfect.
“Got it.”
Rem gave a careless nod. Watching Rem's retreating back, Krais asked his adjutant and lover, Nurat, who had just stepped up beside him.
“Is something going on lately? Why is he so quiet? It's making me anxious. Extremely anxious.”
“Isn't it a good thing if he's quiet?”
His dark-skinned lover tilted her head in thought. If Rem was loud, that was the real problem.
“Hey, I'm bored. Let's have a go.”
He would constantly harass the soldiers or commanders of neighboring units.
“You call that swinging a sword? Come here, I'll teach you the basics. Quite an honor, isn't it? This body is none other than the immortal Rem! Now, shout 'Immortal' on the first swing, and 'Lord Rem' on the second! Hahahaha!”
He would also raise the training intensity to insane levels.
“You call this food? This chicken is so undercooked it's about to lay an egg! Move aside. I'll show you what real cooking is.”
He would torture the soldiers' taste buds by brewing a Western-style hodgepodge stew. According to Encrid, Rem actually made quite edible food under normal circumstances, so that was purely out of spite. Of course, Encrid ate even that without complaint.
“It's highly nutritious. A health food,” he would say.
Ragna had flipped the pot the moment he caught a whiff of it. Audin had muttered, “Is this also a trial?” before praying, eating a few spoonfuls, and then shutting his mouth. As for Sachsen, on days when Rem pulled that kind of crap, he would simply slip outside, and Krais did the same.
Having witnessed all of this firsthand, Nurat naturally came to a conclusion. Isn't now at least better than back then? Her comment about quietness being a good thing hadn't come out of nowhere.
Krais let out a short grunt. “That's true, but just watching him like this makes me think... what if his next accident is catastrophically huge? That's what worries me.”
Though the packs of human-faced dogs had increased significantly of late, they wouldn't be too much for Rem. They wouldn't even pose a threat. Regardless of Krais's worries, Rem simply did his job—even while lost in thought, performing the trick of balancing his axe handle on his forehead.
It was the same when the human-faced dogs of the Pen-Hanil Mountains formed a colony and rushed him.
“Graaa!”
With a grating, metallic screech, the human-faced dog that had become the colony leader spat fire from its mouth. It looked as if it had accidentally swallowed a piece of flint from somewhere. Rem read the trajectory of the flames and dodged. It wasn't difficult. This thing was merely a monster without the eyes to recognize its opponent's strength.
I miss the West.
Among the monsters and beasts over there, many used cleverness as their weapon. Creatures like this were only good for a light warm-up.
With that thought, Rem took the human-faced dog's flank and swung his axe. The axe fell with a sharp whoosh, severing the monster's neck. The blade, forged from Mount Lewis steel, sheared through hide, muscle, and bone.
Spurt!
Black blood splattered in all directions, and the severed head rolled down the slope.
“Graaa!”
As for the remaining human-faced dogs, he simply swung his axe a few times to slaughter only those that lunged at him. It wasn't hard. Rem idly swung the axe in his hand a few times before heading back to the barracks.
Coincidentally, Encrid, who had just received a letter in the form of a request, was in the middle of deciding who would accompany him.
“Let's go together,” Rem offered.
As it happened, the destination of the request was near the West. Though Encrid had long resolved to go, he hadn't quite made up his mind to just pack up and leave—but now, he was certain. If things continued like this, he would constantly remain one step behind that bastard Ragna.
I can't stand that.
*
Krang fell into thought as he sat in the grand hall, watching his ministers clamor about saving krona.
Did they say this happens once every few years?
There were things he had heard from Marcus, and things Krang had seen with his own eyes. The Demon Realm borderlands were dangerous in many ways, and they were frequently short-handed. It was a place starved of talent and people, yet it was also perilous. Who would ever want to go there?
In a way, it's like a cracked jar that only drains the budget.
If it were an ordinary jar, that would be a blessing, but this was a magical jar that would immediately spew poison if water wasn't poured into it. If they didn't block it, they would lose a portion of their territory to the surging monsters and demonic beasts. This was also the reason why they hadn't been able to play their joker card—the knights—during the civil war.
Southern Richenstetten is also a problem.
In other words, it wasn't just the Demon Realm borderlands that lacked manpower; other regions were in the same boat. The situation in Naurilia was even worse than Krang had anticipated. If things went awry, they had to worry about being swallowed by the South or facing a Demon Realm invasion. Moreover, Azpen had not completely tucked its tail, so they remained an eyesore.
“So?”
Somehow, he could almost hear Encrid's voice asking that question.
Yeah, so what?
He was already seated on the throne. Krang had to do what needed to be done.
Knight Oara, who guarded the Demon Realm borderlands, had sent a routine request. Since they were short-handed, she was asking for people who knew how to fight.
“To ask for over five hundred troops if possible, or if not, at least three to four associate knight-level forces accompanied by a trained ranger unit... This is an unacceptable request. Consider what is currently happening in the capital. Both options are impossible. It is only right to settle this by sending Sir Aisia with ten soldiers.”
Impressed by the public security policy adopted by the Border Guard, they had begun construction to pave the surrounding roads and were in the middle of erecting a line of outposts. It was simple but labor-intensive work. While doing this, they also had to sweep the surrounding monsters and demonic beasts, as well as keep in check the bandit bastards popping up like freshly baked bread.
There was no room to divert troops.
Was that all? Though he was recognized by the common people, fools who harbored other thoughts were slowly starting to emerge, questioning whether it was right for a bastard son to occupy that throne. Of course, the vast majority of them were fools manipulated by foreign dukes. In truth, all the proper nobles and officials were on Krang's side.
Krang cast aside his complicated thoughts. He redirected his focus toward the immediate emergencies and the tasks that had to be done. If he didn't take giant strides, he wouldn't even manage a few steps before he died.
Is my dream bigger, or is yours?
It was a question he wanted to ask that bastard Encrid. Krang looked out the stained-glass window. The sky was gloomy, overcast with dark clouds.
“Alternatively, there is this method.”
It was Marquis Vaisar.
“What is it?”
Krang’s gaze shifted from the window to the marquis.
“Doesn't the Border Guard possess a force superior to an associate knight?”
“Would he go just because we tell him to?”
“If the King commands it, shouldn't he naturally go?”
“But isn't he the Demon Slayer?”
“Are you saying he would defy a royal decree?”
At the marquis's words, the nobles scrambled to chime in.
“Naurilia has a system called the Soldier Mercenary System, Your Highness,” Marcus added.
“Frame it as a request and offer a reward,” the marquis suggested.
“The state treasury is empty,” Krang spoke the moment the marquis finished his sentence.
The words of the three flowed in rapid succession, like a well-rehearsed play.
“Though they are earning krona by securing trade rights, it must still be difficult for them to produce food independently by sowing crops or breeding precious stallions. Even if things appear to be running smoothly on the surface, they are lacking in many areas,” the marquis spoke again.
“And as it happens, there is someone in this very room with deep expertise in such matters...”
Marcus picked up the thread, and the marquis added a few more words. Looking at them like this, Krang thought the two of them were truly alike. They were in perfect sync. Of course, he was playing along perfectly as well.
One of the southern nobles, whose family had bred excellent stallions for generations, listened to the conversation and was about to agree, but then felt something was off.
Wait, we're the ones paying the entire reward?
While it was true that nobles worked for the country, recognizing a noble's private property was a long-standing law. He was to provide the stallion's seed, while another noble was to share water management techniques for agricultural land. Yet, no one had forced them. It had just turned out that way as they talked.
“Well then, we must send the request, Marquis Vaisar?”
“Yes, I shall send it.”
With that, the meeting concluded. Since the request for support from the Demon Realm borderlands was more about a lack of hands than actual danger, Krang figured it wouldn't be a bad deal for Encrid either.
Wouldn't you want to meet a knight?
He knew Encrid had already met the Mercenary King, but a knight of an order would be different. Krang did not know that Encrid was already mingling with Ragna and Sinar.