Chapter 745: A Day Dreamed Of
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 745: A Day Dreamed Of
"Becoming a knight isn't the end."
Pel raised his head at Encrid’s words. His cheeks were bruised, and both his arms hung limply at his sides.
Having been struck near his shoulders and elbows, his muscles were spasming, leaving him unable to even lift his limbs.
In a clash between a wooden training sword and the Idol Slayer, the outcome was simple.
Evade and strike.
It was the fundamental principle of swordsmanship. Pel knew that to achieve it, one had to be light on their feet. He understood the theory well, but after actually experiencing it, he wondered if everything he had known until now was a lie.
Instead of moving excessively, Encrid simply read his attacks, brushing them aside and striking back with faster, heavier blows.
Why did it turn out like this?
A flower of doubt bloomed brilliantly in his heart. And as the question took root, Encrid’s words hit home.
Becoming a knight was not the end, but the beginning.
Pel might now be considered one of the top powerhouses among the Shepherd of the Wilderness, but not here. Even now, Encrid swung his sword every day like a madman. Influenced by him, everyone else trained relentlessly. That was the sight Pel witnessed every single day.
With just a single sparring session, his sense of omnipotence was brought down to a reasonable level. Pel began to distinguish between what he could and could not do.
"What about that bastard Ropode?"
Among the things he could do, beating the crap out of someone like Ropode was definitely on the list.
Pel looked for Ropode, who had entered the order’s training ground just a day later. Needless to say, he too had broken through his wall.
The difference between them was that while Pel had been intoxicated by a sense of omnipotence, Ropode had skipped that phase entirely.
There are too many monsters around.
All the madmen of the order, Encrid included, served as excellent guideposts and goals. Because Ropode had observed them and weighed what they had accomplished, he didn't let the power go to his head.
This was a result of their differing personalities, not a gap in skill. In truth, Ropode hadn't clearly distinguished his own limits yet either.
In any case, both Pel and Ropode could now naturally wield Will. As a result, they still regarded each other as ultimate rivals.
"You barely managed to catch up," Pel said with a fierce grin.
"Who caught up to whom?"
"You to me."
"Me to whom?"
"Ah, does denying it make you feel better?"
"Me to whom?"
Pel and Ropode’s bickering was heartwarming in its own way. Watching them clash swords afterward was equally so.
Of course, a soldier who had come to deliver a letter was startled to see them fighting, but anyone permitted to enter the order’s training ground wouldn't be easily shocked by such a sight. They had frequently seen Rem and Ragna, Rem and Audin, and Rem and Sachsen clash; they had developed a natural immunity to the violence.
The letter was from the Pioneer King of the East.
- Dunchabel didn't wash for an entire month, and then she broke through her wall.
What kind of update is this?
There were several reports about the East, but the main subject was Dunchabel. Apparently, she was being called the "Golden-Eyed Lion" in the East these days. The letter added that the Pioneer King wouldn't hand her over anymore, so if Encrid wanted her back, he’d have to go through a lot of trouble.
It was that sort of talk.
I never held her captive in the first place.
If Dunchabel decided to stay in the East, he would respect her decision. Unless Anu was holding her by force, there was no reason for him to go looking for her—though, of course, he would ask her about it at least once.
"Are you busy?"
After he finished the letter, Sinar came to find him.
"If you're not busy, let's play together."
It wasn't a literal invitation to play, but rather the elves' unique way of conveying a distorted truth. The elven village was calling for Encrid, sending word that they had something to give him.
Before leaving, he saw Pel and Ropode sparring at a moderate level, gauging each other's strength. Now that they had become knights, their individual characteristics stood out even more prominently.
Well, they wouldn't end up killing each other. This was the order’s training ground; even if he wasn't there, there were plenty of hands to stop them before a final blow landed.
"Let's go."
"You have become quite an interesting human, my fiancé."
Seeing him readily stand up, Sinar’s eyes curved. He didn't know why she was smiling, but an elf’s smile was like a thief that stole human hearts.
Of course, Encrid could look at it calmly. Once one became a knight, their mental strength became extraordinary. If the mind wavers, the body wavers as well. Once you understand this principle, composing your mind at any moment becomes second nature.
Guided by Sinar, he entered the elven city, where Woodgard Bran welcomed him first.
Puff.
White smoke rose from the elf's mouth. He looked like a tree holding a flame.
"Are you still smoking tobacco?"
"It is a wicked thing. Once you start burning it, it is hard to quit."
Passing the tree elf guarding the city entrance, one of the members of the flame-wielding clan he had met before gave him a nod and followed from a distance.
That wasn't all. The gazes of all the elves followed him. Encrid was the hero who had saved the elven city—their idol. They had gathered in droves just to catch a glimpse of his face.
"Everyone has good eyes," Sinar said, looking around. Surely it was just his imagination that her voice carried a hint of pride.
"Is no one busy?"
The crowd of elves kept their distance, making only rustling sounds as they followed, staring blankly from between the bushes and trees. It might have been intimidating to some, but Encrid just brushed it off. This was better than being forced to attend a ball and being surrounded by dozens of noble ladies. At least the elves kept their distance.
Next, the representative of the elven clan stepped forward. Encrid had forgotten the middle-aged, handsome elf’s name again. It felt like a repeat of when he had woken up after slaying the One-Killer.
Barely managing to recall it, he asked, "Ermen?"
"You got it right this time."
Satisfied, Ermen nodded with a smile.
"Do you often forget my name too?" Sinar chimed in from the side.
Encrid suddenly recalled the past. This elf had been mischievous then and remained so now, but because he had changed since those days, he could brush off such remarks calmly.
A significant amount of time has passed.
The things he had to protect had increased, but so had the things he had successfully protected. It would be a lie to say he didn't feel proud.
"Was your name Janar?"
"You got me there."
Sinar smiled at his joke. Unlike before, the elf smiled quite often now.
"Take this."
Ermen had called Encrid here to give him a gift. The clan representative handed over a folded piece of cloth. When Encrid took and unfurled it, the fabric fluttered in the wind with a soft rustle. It was a dark green cloak.
Vitality?
From the cloak, Encrid felt a life force akin to that emitted by trees or grass.
"As soon as we settled here, the Dryads spent months spinning thread and poured their hearts into making this."
The dark green cloak shed a faint glow, as if holding light within. Encrid draped it over his shoulders. The length, which initially hung below his thighs, adjusted itself to wrap down to his ankles.
It's an enchanted cloak.
As it adjusted its length, a fresh scent of grass wafted from the fabric. It was an item that made him feel as if he were taking a forest bath just by wearing it.
Originally, cloaks were not essential tools for combat, but knights used even these as vital gear. The Red Cloak Knights, for instance, used theirs to block spells. Even a brief glance was enough to tell that this was an item imbued with immense care.
Strangely, it reminded him of the boots he had received from the shoemaker. He, too, had given the best he could within his abilities—just as the elven clan was doing now.
"It looks good on you. Especially the color."
And so, the symbol of the order shifted slightly from a navy cloak to a dark green one. As if they had planned it, the Dancha emblem of the Border Guard was already embroidered on the fabric.
"What's this? Are you changing the cloak color?"
Krais, who was passing by on his way back, saw it and asked. Encrid nodded.
"That's how it turned out."
Sinar followed three steps behind him, her eyes full of expectation.
"The color of grass is love," Sinar said with a satisfied laugh. She seemed immensely pleased to have him wear the symbol of the elves.
*
After receiving the gift, Esther suggested they go out together to look around the market in the afternoon. Since it was a rare request, he agreed, and they took a stroll.
"There are smiles on people's faces. It is a strange thing."
Esther observed the humans. She now saw and understood things she had missed when she lived in the forest. To her eyes, this city was filled with abundance.
"Hey, buy some goods!"
Next, they saw a giant who had set up a stall. He also saw Seiki selling herbs. A girl with saintess-level divine power was gathering and selling plants. Since Seiki had originally lived as a ranger, she was accustomed to identifying and gathering herbs.
"How long do you expect me to live off handouts when my body is perfectly fine? A person needs to work."
While a life of idling, training divine power, and stargazing on the mountain was nice, she believed one must guard against boredom and never forget diligence. It was an attitude reflecting her own principles.
"Huh? Uncle?"
Then, Encrid ran into his long-lost "uncle" again.
"Hic!"
He had forgotten the man’s name. His appearance was also different; his beard was neatly trimmed, his hair was cut short, and he had lost weight. Yet, that expression was impossible to forget. His pupils dilated, and his mouth fell open.
This was the man who had once boasted that if Encrid was a friend of Leona, the master of the Lockfried Merchant Guild, then he was the uncle of the Knight of the Iron Wall. He was also the merchant who had been thoroughly beaten after getting caught harassing the caravan led by Enri.
It was strange how he easily forgot Ermen’s name but remembered someone like Malton, but that was how his brain was wired.
"The Knight of the Iron Wall..." Malton muttered.
Encrid nodded. "It's good to see you again, though you've changed a lot. Do you have any pocket money?"
Malton was currently living a different life. It was unlike the days when he lived harboring venom like a poison toad.
"Yes, as much as you need," Malton said, his eyes regaining focus.
He really has changed.
Encrid recognized this and nodded. People change. It was possible. From what he heard, Malton was now working as a chief merchant for the Lockfried Merchant Guild. A chief merchant meant a leader who guided several others. Among them, peddling was this man’s specialty.
"I also visited that village."
Malton even shared news of the secluded village Encrid had visited before.
"They said you are welcome anytime. They haven't forgotten your grace."
It was heartwarming news. From Dunchabel to the secluded village, today seemed to be a day for hearing stories from all over.
"A hot apple pie just came out of the oven, why don't you take some?"
As he passed by, he chatted with the innkeeper, Allen. Vanessa, who had more wrinkles than before, called out to him while sitting on a chair in front of the inn. Several fruit vendors welcomed him. The shoemaker smiled, saying it had been a long time.
He had once dreamed of a day like this.
The apple vendor who used to cut out the rotten parts of apples to give to him. The old maid who used to roast potatoes over the embers. The bent, foul-mouthed old woman who was said to have sold her body in her youth. The mercenary who fled from strife, dreaming of peace.
A day where Encrid could walk, exchange greetings, and spend his time in a sanctuary where all of them could smile.
Today, even swinging his sword felt more enjoyable than usual, and joking with Sinar was fun. Esther, as a witch, talked about many things, saying she had seen something new. She was certainly more talkative than usual.
"It's a bit quiet today. So, ta-da! Take a look. This is the salon proposal."
Krais seemed to be on the verge of realizing his dream. He mentioned that if a crowd of nobles gathered within the Border Guard, they would need a place to socialize.
He also saw Leona along the way.
"The things we brought in from the village we found this time are—no, never mind. Let's talk later."
Beside her was Kin Vaisar.
"It seemed like several ladies who have their eyes on you were sighing."
While walking with Esther, there had been a considerable number of gazes following him, and Kin was likely referring to them.
The sunlight was bright, the clouds were just right, and the sky was blue. Returning to the Border Guard’s training ground, he found Ragna teaching ten squad members. Encrid had shared a system for training knights, and Ragna was applying a portion of it.
"Today, let's not fight with mind games. Let's have a real clash."
The sparring session with Rem before dinner was also enjoyable. Drenched in sweat, Rem’s wit, which burst forth at every moment, constantly disrupted his calculations. But accepting even that disruption back into the realm of tactics...
"Exactly," Luagarne admired. After the sparring ended, he spent hours discussing theory with her.
In a city filled with things he had protected, there were people to share it with. It was the "today" he had dreamed of.
And then, the Ferryman appeared in his dream. He made a proposal.
"What awaits you is not a future of loss, resentment, and despair, but a today of satisfaction and joy. Take your own life before you sleep. That is all you need to do."
The Ferryman’s proposal sounded perfectly reasonable to Encrid.