Chapter 554: It Was a Confession
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 554: It Was a Confession
Encrid didn't have the luxury of worrying about Rem, who was prowling the banquet hall like a sheepdog, or Audin, who lurked in a corner like a hunter tending to his traps.
Too many people were looking for him.
The crowd packed tightly around him; there were truly so many of them. He felt a sudden urge to draw his Wave-Blocking Sword, for the nobles were surging toward him like a literal tide.
Encrid received greetings from countless aristocrats. He recognized a few faces here and there, but the vast majority were complete strangers.
However, there was one interesting fellow in the mix. It was the man who had pulled the strings behind the merchant’s back when they first arrived in the capital.
"I will never do such a thing again," the man stammered.
Had they said he operated a few small merchant guilds under his wing? He was a noble residing in the capital with no specific fief under his charge. He held no official position in the royal palace, but he had made a name for himself by occasionally acting as a legal proxy in trials.
Looking around the capital, there were many such nobles. Some were utterly ruined, doing nothing but loitering around the banquets of others to maintain appearances. Others were little better than swindlers, using their status to pull off petty schemes.
Even Krang couldn't round up and eliminate every last one of them, but he kept them in check through a sort of self-regulating process. In other words, he let them live as they pleased, so long as they maintained a semblance of dignity befitting their noble status.
'I believe he said the royal family secretly buys back titles for that very reason.'
They bought back the titles of those who failed to maintain their status and strayed onto the wrong path. Seizing them by force would cause an uproar, so they resolved the matter with silver and gold coins instead. The logic sounded so much like Krais that Encrid had asked about it, only to find out Krang had indeed sought his advice.
"Didn't Big-Eyes say that problems solvable with Krona are the easiest?"
That was what Krang had said with a laugh.
"I agree," Encrid had nodded.
It was a snippet of a conversation they had shared while traveling to and from Azpen. No matter how much gold one possessed, it could not turn back a blade pressed against one's throat. Thus, problems solvable with Krona were always the easiest. It was a saying Krais practically lived by.
This noble who ran the merchant guilds wasn't quite at the point of having to sell his title. He was reasonably resourceful, one might say. And while his methods were underhanded, his core intentions weren't entirely rotten. Krang’s royal treasury was never overflowing, so the Krona donated by nobles like him was always welcome.
"If you are caught doing that again, I will sever one of your four."
At Encrid's nonchalant threat, the noble’s face turned deathly pale. It was quite a sight to see all the color drain from his features.
"One of my... four?" the noble stammered.
"One of your limbs."
"Ah. Those four."
"Yes. Those four."
Stripped of all noble dignity, the man backed away, having said all he needed to. His legs trembled violently, but he managed to stay upright.
The noble before him was neither a monster nor a particularly wicked villain. Thus, this was neither a grand affair nor anything worth dwelling on. It was a world where some lords would slaughter anyone entering their territory and seize their goods if they felt slighted. At least in Naurilia, such tyrants had vanished following the death of Count Molsen.
Rumor had it that along the borders of the southern empire, there were plenty of rulers who blurred the line between lord and bandit. Indeed, Encrid had encountered quite a few of them himself during his days as a mercenary and guide. Compared to those scoundrels, swindling a few rustic peddlers was almost cute.
Of course, if the man repeated his offense, he would truly have to part with a limb. Encrid had spoken the words himself, and though it wasn't a formal oath, he would hold true to his utterance. Just as he always had.
As soon as a space cleared around Encrid, another noble would step forward to take their turn. His current duty was simply to stand there and exchange a few perfunctory words with each of them. So, he did just that.
It was tedious, but not painful. Neither physically nor mentally was he the type to grow weary from such trivialities. He had once been paraded around a banquet hall all night like a noblewoman's accessory; this was far better than that. Without a doubt.
Though, of course, swinging a sword from dawn till dusk would have been infinitely more comfortable.
"I've fallen for you!"
There were a few bold noblewomen scattered among the crowd.
"I cannot say the same."
And so, he turned them down.
With Kin Vaisar—the self-proclaimed most beautiful woman in the capital—guarding his side, few ladies possessed the sheer audacity to approach him.
"So the reputation of Kin Vaisar, the kingdom's greatest beauty, isn't just for show?"
"...Don't you start."
He couldn't even remember when he and Kin had become comfortable enough to speak so casually. Yet, it felt entirely natural—both their conversation and their mannerisms.
Word had it that Kin had recently set up a workshop in Border Guard and was throwing herself entirely into her work. Consequently, a handful of young noblemen from the capital had been making ceaseless trips to Border Guard.
But once they laid eyes on Esther or Sinar...
"Ah, so that is heavenly beauty. An angel has descended."
This was precisely how the moniker 'Witch of Black Flower and Gold' had spread all the way to the capital. It wasn't as if Kin had wanted to hear it, but the fools who journeyed all the way to Border Guard to see her would often babble such nonsense.
"Kin may be the fairest in the capital, but the Witch of Black Flower and Gold is the fairest in the kingdom."
She didn't particularly care, but an insult was an insult. It was especially grating coming from Encrid, who spent his days practically glued to those two.
As they passed the time with such trivial banter, Encrid caught sight of Rem during a brief lull. Surprisingly, Rem fit into the banquet hall quite well.
"Did you know? In Border Guard, there is a wildcat of a man who goes absolutely mad for any female, human or beastman alike."
The way Rem held his glass and smoothly struck up conversations suggested this was far from his first rodeo. His intentions were transparent, but at least he wasn't snapping anyone's neck in the middle of a banquet. Then again, it would have been truly bizarre for anyone to pick a fight with Encrid or his companions under the current circumstances.
Encrid's gaze naturally drifted toward Audin. The man had claimed a corner of the room and was explaining, with a gentle smile, that he was not a bear beastman and harbored no hobby of tearing people limb from limb. He then went on to mention a certain brother in Border Guard who resembled a gloomy wildcat, before lamenting his own "unvirtuous tongue" as he gossiped about their blood-crazed youngest.
Encrid was sharp, and since neither Rem nor Audin made any effort to hide their intentions, their game was painfully obvious. To his eyes, Rem and Audin were of one mind, at least for tonight.
Was this a heartwarming sight? At least the atmosphere of the banquet wasn't ruined.
Had Krang mentioned he was currently sorting the decent nobles from the chaff? He had pointed out the exact reason for Azpen's ruin:
"An environment where they have no choice but to rely on religion, coupled with two great families capable of keeping the king in check. A ruler there wouldn't be able to do a single thing as they pleased."
"And you think you're any different?"
The Naurilian royal family had also spent a long time under the influence of the holy state and the God of Scales. Separating church and state might be a worthy goal for a king, but it was bound to be an exceptionally difficult task. A single misstep in trying to sever those ties could easily trigger a holy war.
Claiming he didn't even dream of such a separation in the first place, Krang had added:
"Yes. I am different."
When asked how, his response had been memorable.
"Because I have a friend and a knight by my side who shares my vision."
At times like this, Krang spoke with shameless eloquence. Yet, he wasn't wrong. Encrid had indeed become a knight, and Krang's goals aligned perfectly with his own.
Krang, who had been chatting by his side, addressed the surrounding crowd.
"Go easy on him, everyone. Otherwise, he will grow sick at the mere mention of a banquet."
At that, a dapper young noble around Andrew's age offered a stream of flowery praise for the king's wisdom and greatness before asking:
"Your Majesty, what do you intend to do next?"
Currently in Nauril, there was the rising noble faction, those who outwardly aligned with the nobles but secretly pledged fealty to the crown, and the royalist faction who openly supported the throne. Beneath the surface, they were all on Krang's side, but they maintained an outward division. There were various political reasons for this, but Encrid, having no interest in statecraft, hadn't paid close attention.
Regardless, at the young noble's question, Krang set his glass down on the table with a sharp clack. Since it was a standing reception, there were no chairs; everyone remained on their feet. Standing in their midst, Krang drew the gaze of every noble present with a simple gesture and a shift in his posture. It was a natural gift—the innate power to command a room.
Having captured the room's full attention, Krang spoke.
"For the time being..."
For the time being? Encrid naturally turned his eyes toward him as well. Even the chatting Rem and Audin looked over as the hall fell relatively quiet. Having drawn in the gaze of nearly everyone in the room, the royal heir smiled.
"My goal is to eat well and live well."
It was a surprisingly mundane statement after such dramatic build-up, but the sharper minds in the room understood immediately. It meant it was time to focus on internal stability.
As they continued to eat, drink, and observe, a group of people entered the banquet hall. They wore flowing robes adorned with a prominent grape motif, marking them as priests of the God of Abundance.
The moment they entered, Audin slipped out onto the balcony with silent, swift steps. It was a movement so fluid and silent that unless one was paying close attention, they wouldn't have noticed him passing right by.
Encrid glanced at Audin, who had gone so far as to use a technique to slip away, but said nothing. Instead, he scanned the newcomers. After exchanging brief greetings with the other guests, one of the priests approached Encrid. He was clearly a high priest. His attire, posture, and overall aura left no room for doubt.
He wore a smile that seemed to project benevolence. The deep lines around his mouth and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes contributed to the look, yet it felt strangely artificial.
"May timely rain and warm sunlight grace you, bringing abundance to your body and mind."
Had Audin been present, he would have returned the greeting with the appropriate pleasantries, but in his absence, Encrid had to manage on his own.
"May abundance and peace be with you."
Encrid returned the greeting in a flat, standard tone. Come to think of it, whenever swindlers posing as fake priests entered the city, Audin would personally step forward to snap their bones. Yet, whenever a genuine priest appeared, he would deliberately make himself scarce. The reason? Encrid had never bothered to ask, so naturally, he didn't know.
"I am Encrid of Border Guard."
"Who in this land could possibly fail to know that name now?"
The priest spoke with his smile firmly in place, but Encrid found himself disliking the man's face. He didn't go so far as to spit on the smiling priest, of course; he simply let it pass. However, noting the long, distinct sword scar on the priest's exposed forearm and observing his gait, Encrid recognized that this was no ordinary clergyman. He was a man who had clearly undergone rigorous physical training.
"May the light of abundance shine upon our hero."
After expressing his admiration for Encrid's deeds and offering his blessings, the high priest withdrew, and his entourage of priests followed in his wake.
The banquet continued late into the night before drawing to a quiet close.
The next day, a strange rumor began to circulate. It was about a fugitive and a heretic. It was the tale of a priest who had betrayed his god and fled, abandoning the man who had been like a father to him. In some ways, heretics faced even harsher persecution than cultists.
It wasn't difficult to deduce who the rumor was about. The heretic had supposedly gained bear-like strength through his false beliefs, possessing a massive frame to match. It seemed someone had spread the rumor with deliberate intent.
But since Encrid couldn't care less about idle gossip, he simply set out on the road back to Border Guard.
"Don't pay it any mind. It's all nonsense."
The Guard Captain, who followed Encrid with fanatical devotion, said this as he personally saw them off. Having already exchanged their farewells at the banquet, they departed without any further tedious goodbyes.
The Guard Captain pulled on his horse's reins and spoke again. "That merchant bastard won't ever be able to pull a stunt like that again."
"What? Did you kill him?" Rem asked from behind.
The Guard Captain merely smiled and offered no answer. Even if he hadn't killed the man, it was obvious he had made him suffer just as miserably.
"Make way! The Knight of the Iron Wall of the Mad Knights is passing through!"
There was no need to shout it so loudly, but the Guard Captain bellowed anyway, and the crowd parted before them. Everyone in the capital watched Encrid as he departed.
From Demon Slayer to the Knight of the Iron Wall. He was the peerless hero born of Naurilia. Regardless of the friction with certain nobles, to the common folk of the kingdom, Encrid was something far greater than a mere hero.
"Blessings upon your journey."
The crowd echoed the sentiment in unison. Men wearing coifs and straw hats removed their headwear and bowed deeply. Though he had entered the capital in silence, nearly the entire population of the city watched him as he left. There was no room for rumors to take root in their ears.
On their journey back, amidst the steady clatter of hooves under the warm embrace of the autumn afternoon sun, they had just cleared the city limits when Audin spoke to Encrid.
"That heretic... is me."
It was a confession.