Chapter 72: Because I Trained Every Moment (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 72: Because I Trained Every Moment (1)
It was a choice that required no deliberation: he chose Sachsen.
When it came to commissions, it was only right to go with the most capable person available. Within the Troublemaker Squad, Sachsen had handled the most assignments. He was highly experienced and, consequently, in high demand. It went without saying that his sharp five senses would be an invaluable asset during an escort mission.
Compared to the other squad members, he was also the least likely to clash with a client.
"Very well," Sachsen nodded, as if the choice were only natural.
Seeing this, Rem threw a tantrum, claiming he couldn't accept the decision. Ragna chimed in, noting that he also found the choice a bit odd, while Audin wondered aloud if this went against the will of God.
Naturally, Ragna and Rem started bickering. When Sachsen needled Rem from the sidelines, Ragna backed off, and the argument shifted into a full-blown spat between Rem and Sachsen.
Encrid broke them up repeatedly, eventually ordering them not to even look at each other.
"If you want to spar, do it with me."
With those final words, Encrid wrapped up the day by taking turns sparring with every member of his squad.
One might expect him to feel mentally exhausted, but that wasn't the case. This was simply daily life for the Troublemaker Squad. Above all, for Encrid—who had endured long years of swinging his sword while struggling against his own lack of talent—this was nothing. If he were the type to be mentally shaken by this much, he would have abandoned the sword long ago and taken up a plow instead.
"As expected of the squad leader."
Krais raised a thumb in approval as he watched. It was a gesture of praise for the leader’s mental fortitude. Encrid gave him a curt nod.
The escort commission was set for tomorrow. It was an internal territorial matter concerning a succession dispute within a medium-sized merchant guild. Three people were assigned to the task: the Elf Company Commander, Encrid, and Sachsen.
There was no need to move at the crack of dawn, as the client was scheduled to enter the territory around noon.
* * *
The next morning, after a deep sleep, Encrid woke to find Esther snuggled in his arms.
"What was that about yesterday?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Esther lightly tapped his chest with her paw. He didn't know what had made her angry, but the gesture seemed to be a sign of reconciliation.
"Right, have a good day rolling around."
What else did Esther have to do? When night fell, she would crawl into his arms to sleep. When morning came, she would rub against him, wake up, and lounge about. That was her daily routine. Judging by how she occasionally ventured outside, she seemed to catch and eat mice near the territory. He didn't prepare separate meals for her, but he did give her jerky quite often as a snack.
Surprisingly, all the squad members took good care of Esther. Krais, in particular, looked after her with great devotion.
"Lake Panthers shed their claws when the time comes. If I take them then, she won't complain, right?"
Just like shedding fur, they shed their claws. Krais was treating her well for a very practical reason.
"You little rascal."
"Gyaruk."
Finding it both cute and fascinating how she turned her head away coyly, Encrid scratched the crown of her head a few times with his fingernails before getting up.
It was breakfast time.
"Let's see how well you do after abandoning me," Rem muttered.
Rem was on breakfast duty. He glared at Encrid, and seeing that look, Encrid instinctively threw a punch.
Thwack.
Rem blocked the fist with his palm.
"Would you be fine going on a mission with a broken arm? Challenging me first thing in the morning..."
"No, my hand just moved reflexively when I saw your face."
"That's even more offensive."
Fair enough.
Even though he said that, Rem didn't retaliate. It was a mission day, after all. If they went out injured, even a simple job could end in failure.
For breakfast, they had flattened, grilled pork tenderloin mixed with boiled potatoes. The taste was terrible.
"It is good for your body, Brother. Meat hardens the muscles."
Hadn't it been said that the Isolation Technique is about building the body, and that the completion of building the body is eating? At Audin's words, Encrid forced the food down. Even without the reminder, he knew very well how important it was to fuel himself properly.
After spending his remaining time warming up his body with the Isolation Technique, it was time to depart. Encrid washed at the well and gathered his gear. He donned the leather armor he had acquired from raiding the Gilpin Guild. It only covered his torso, but it was thin and highly elastic, making it comfortable to wear.
As he strapped the Whistle Dagger's sheath over his armor, Sachsen, who was standing nearby, asked, "What's that?"
"I took it after killing an assassin a while back."
"How thrifty of you."
Is that what it is?
In any case, he had kept it because it was a useful tool. The more weapons of this kind he had, the better. After completing his armament by throwing on a thick gambeson, he stepped outside.
He walked side by side with Sachsen to the inn within the territory. Throughout the walk, Sachsen explained the nuances of how to listen and how to see. And then, he added a single remark.
"You are dull."
Encrid didn't care. That he was dull was something he had always known.
When they arrived at the crossroads centered around four inns, the Company Commander was already waiting.
"Has the client arrived?" Encrid asked after a brief military salute.
"Not yet. They should be here soon."
There were rumors that the client had a difficult personality. This was information passed down by Krais; since taking over the guild, his ears seemed to have become twice as sharp as before.
Did they say they came to decide the succession?
Encrid was curious about how prickly she actually was, but he wasn't particularly worried. Rascals on the level of Rem were rare.
Spend just a month in the Troublemaker Squad, and even the worst brat would look cute in comparison.
Encrid was relaxed. Sachsen didn't think much of it either. To him, a commission was just a commission. Protect them for three days. Once the succession meeting within the merchant guild was over, the job would be done. All they had to do was ensure safety within the territory. Since the instructions were already processed in his head, there was nothing much to think about.
Looking at the back of Encrid's head, the Company Commander recalled why she had brought him along. The Troublemaker Squad Leader—this man was a target of assassination by Azpen. That was proof that his background was clean. Above all, she liked the way he had handled the Thieves' Guild and his subsequent response. He maintained the bribes while grinding the criminal guild down into an information guild.
Thanks to that, there was no friction with the Battalion Commander. Even though she knew that eliminating the criminal guild would cause problems, she had let him do as he pleased. She had planned to pull some strings if the bribes stopped and the higher-ups made an issue of it, but the squad leader hadn't even let that situation arise.
Though things are flowing differently than I expected.
This wasn't bad either. While waiting for the client, the Company Commander spoke up.
"Are we sleeping together?"
Encrid, who had his hand resting diagonally on his sword grip, felt his entire body instantly freeze. Turning into a well-crafted statue, he slowly turned his head and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
"I thought you'd already know, considering even I've heard about it."
"It's a misunderstanding. A baseless rumor. Since things have been so quiet and peaceful lately, some bastards are just passing the time with nonsense."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
"Then we are nothing to each other?"
"We are superior and subordinate."
"I see."
He had to brush it off as nonsense. The rumor had spread incredibly wide and deep.
"Ahem."
Sachsen cleared his throat beside him. Glancing over, Encrid saw Sachsen's lips twitching slightly. It was a clear sign of holding back laughter.
Is this funny? Encrid asked silently, mouthing the words.
I didn't laugh, Sachsen mouthed back.
The Company Commander was an elf. With just a slight glance, she read the conversation passing between the two. Lip-reading was no difficult feat for her race.
"You must have been troubled."
"Not at all," Encrid replied immediately.
"You seem troubled, though."
"I am not."
"Then did you like it?"
Why is she doing this?
"No-o-o."
His pronunciation dragged out strangely. It would have been better if he had at least smiled, but his face remained expressionless. What's more, he didn't even make eye contact, casting his gaze far across the territory.
Elven jokes... were hard to get used to.
"They're coming."
Encrid was saved by Sachsen's remark. He could see the client approaching.
Thud, thud, thud.
As the two-horse carriage drew near, the ground vibrated. Encrid felt that dealing with the client would be several times easier than dealing with the Company Commander.
"That was fun, though," the Company Commander murmured behind him, as if whispering to herself.
The comment sent a shiver down Encrid's spine. Even though he was wearing a cloak lined with thermal leather, he felt a sudden chill.
Soon, the carriage stopped, and someone stepped down. It was slightly different from what Encrid had expected. Instead of a greedy toad with chubby cheeks, it was a woman of striking beauty. She had long blonde hair and reddish-brown eyes. She possessed an undeniably eye-catching presence.
With a sharp clack, the heel of her boot struck the ground. Stepping down from the carriage, the woman looked straight at the Elf Company Commander.
"I look forward to working with you."
There was no need for a separate introduction for the escorts from the standing army. From then on, she only spoke with the companions she had brought along. The middle-aged woman beside her—her nanny—merely conveyed the client's wishes. The blonde woman was said to be just twenty, and it was hard to tell if her personality was indeed as peculiar as rumored.
I'd have to talk to her to know.
Since they hadn't even made eye contact once, what could he say?
"The job seems like it'll be easy," Sachsen said.
Encrid nodded in agreement. He had wondered if she would come completely alone, but five swordsmen had accompanied her as the guild's personal guards. He could see that three of them carried shields, while two held thin rapiers.
Encrid put what he had learned to use.
Age, posture, positioning, gaze—everything is information, Brother.
Just as Audin had taught him, he drew the shape of their bodies in his mind based on their posture and made deductions.
Is this correct?
He wasn't sure. They said someone like Frok could instinctively gauge an opponent's skill. But since humans couldn't do that, didn't they need knowledge and experience?
You'll get the hang of it as you keep doing it, Brother.
Audin had said so, but it didn't seem like something that could be achieved overnight. Still, he felt no impatience. Encrid was busy calmly observing his targets.
Among the five, one was left-handed. Judging by how the chair shrieked when he sat down at the table, he seemed to be wearing heavy armor. However, none of them wore chainmail. It was winter; there was no reason to wear iron armor in the bitter cold of the Season of the End. Furthermore, if they had to walk alongside the carriage for escort duty, a thick gambeson was the perfect choice. These guards were no exception.
His past experience and common sense meshed with what he had learned through Audin. He was estimating their skill by looking at their equipment and posture. Though it wouldn't be correct every time, all five of them looked inferior to the Border Guards. In terms of the soldier grading system, they were below special grade.
Encrid reflected on the realization. Not bad.
Estimating skill just by looking at posture and equipment was something he wouldn't have even dared to attempt in the past. Feeling this change within himself, Encrid enjoyed the joy of growth once again. He could never grow tired of this feeling. It was always fresh and thrilling.
His swordsmanship, combat techniques, and martial arts were improving. The ecstasy continued. It was fun—truly, incomparably fun. Even if there was no reason to draw his sword during this mission, he found joy in being able to apply what he had newly learned right where he sat.
"Would you like to play a game?" Sachsen proposed.
It was an interesting idea—no, a training method.
"It's a game called 'Guess the Sound'."
"Let's do it."
Sachsen's passion for teaching was just as fierce as Rem's, Ragna's, or Audin's. It was a cold, flame-like passion that didn't show on the outside, but there was no way Encrid wouldn't notice it. He was the one benefiting from that heat.
As expected, this wouldn't be just a simple game. Encrid's guess was correct: Sachsen was proposing a method to hone the Blade's Sense. Of course, it was by no means easy.
* * *
"A tongue clicking," Sachsen said.
Encrid furrowed his brow.
"Too slow."
Escort missions were generally tedious. Furthermore, this was Border Guard territory. The reason they had hired the three of them despite having their own guards was obvious: if anyone dared to attack them after they had paid Krona to hire escorts, it meant they were willing to clash with the standing army.
The Border Guard was under the direct control of the King. Messing with the kingdom's soldiers within royal territory? Even for the Rengadis Merchant Guild—the most prominent guild on the continent—that would be a heavy burden.
"The third man at the left table."
How could he know so precisely just by listening? Encrid felt like he had reached a level where he practically had eyes in the back of his head, but still, it was a difficult game. Encrid focused entirely on the surrounding sounds whenever Sachsen spoke.
"The sound of a blade being sharpened."
Is it the kitchen? No. Higher than that.
Encrid activated Single-Point Focus. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, despite the cold air flowing through the room.
"Above."
"The direction is correct. Which floor?"
The inn had three floors. Should I guess? No, then it wouldn't be training.
"Room 102."
Sachsen gave the correct answer. The key to this game was time; you had to speak the moment you heard it. After a few rounds, the Company Commander approached.
"Let's do it together."
The opponent was an elf—a race whose five senses were twice as sharp as a human's. In Encrid's eyes, she seemed even more outstanding than Sachsen.
"The sound of a short blade being sheathed and unsheathed, repeatedly."
Another question was presented. Encrid missed it. The Elf Company Commander answered without even taking a breath.
"In front of the inn entrance."
"The sound of someone breathing while covering their mouth."
How on earth do you know that? Encrid was dumbfounded, but the Commander’s fluent voice continuously rattled off the correct answers.
"Outside the window."
"The guy holding his breath while sitting."
"Under the table to the right, facing the entrance."
"The guy stealthily sizing things up."
"Behind you."
At a certain point, Encrid tilted his head. These weren't just questions about sounds anymore.
The client was the successor of the merchant guild. The guild had brought their own guards, and they had taken over one side of the inn's main hall as if they had rented it out.
And yet...
"Anticipating an ambush."
"Agreed."
The moment Encrid understood the words exchanged between Sachsen and the Company Commander, Sachsen stood up and pushed his chair back.
Screeech! Thud!
"Ugh!"
A man appeared, struck in the thigh by the back of the chair Sachsen had shoved. Encrid saw the panicked look in the man's eyes and the weapon in his hand: a black-painted dagger.
The sound-listening training—they had kept his nerves constantly on edge for this very purpose.
Encrid spun around. He saw another man holding a dagger, right on the verge of lunging. Seeing Encrid suddenly turn, the opponent's eyes widened in surprise, his body freezing for a split second.
Seizing that gap, Encrid reached out and grabbed the man's wrist.
Crack.
Gripping it tight, he twisted the wrist outward and pulled, raising his opposite elbow at a right angle.
"Gah!"
With his wrist twisted, the opponent was dragged helplessly. Encrid slammed his elbow right into the center of the man's chest.
Crunch.
The opponent's breastbone fractured, and he dropped the dagger. Snatching the falling weapon, Encrid ducked. A second dagger flew with a sharp whoosh through the space where his head had been a moment before, embedding itself into a wooden pillar with a solid thud.
To an onlooker, it might have seemed like a narrow escape, but Encrid had anticipated it. He had avoided it easily.
I suppose everything turns out to be useful.
During the assassin's ambush in the medical tent, the attack had targeted Krang, but it had to go through Encrid first. Every single time, he had struggled desperately to survive by repeating the day. Afterward, he had clashed with the half-elf assassin's Whistle Dagger. He had repeated the day for that as well.
Things that someone might experience once or twice in a lifetime, he had experienced through countless repetitions. It was the culmination of all the experiences he had accumulated.
Now, he could counter this kind of ambush with ease.