Chapter 808: Inspection
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 808: Inspection
Under normal circumstances, knights rarely served as personal bodyguards.
For a knight to remain stationary was, in itself, a waste of national power. Generally speaking, it was far more beneficial for them to guard the borders or deal with the countless dangers plaguing the continent. This was also why the Red Cloak Knights could not easily leave the southern border.
Of course, there were those who lived as they pleased, but looking at the continent as a whole, knights were far too rare to be used as simple sentries.
Therefore, the captain of the Royal Guard could not have accounted for this variable. He had no excuse. Even so, he resisted until the very end.
"A fortress wall cannot be built with a single hand," the captain protested.
Krang casually brushed off the remark. "True, but this is different. Right now, all you have to do is protect me."
"A man has only two eyes, Your Majesty."
Encrid actually agreed with the Royal Guard captain. Detecting danger was one thing, but preventing it from manifesting in the first place required immense effort. That was not something a single person could achieve, even a knight. After all, a personal close-quarters bodyguard naturally could not stray beyond a certain radius from their charge.
Encrid had plenty of experience in security work, so he knew this well.
"Are you suggesting an attack beyond a knight's perception could occur within my own capital?" Krang asked abruptly.
Despite knowing he was walking into a trap set by that confident tone, the Royal Guard captain answered firmly. "It is my duty to prepare for the one-in-a-ten-thousand chance."
"Then I must say this: it is my duty to rule so that such a one-in-a-ten-thousand chance never occurs."
Krang had resolved the security issues around the capital and poured immense effort into maintaining public order. Was there still danger despite everything he had accomplished?
It was possible. No matter what one did, danger could never be entirely eliminated. In human endeavors, there could be completion, but never perfection. That was simply how the world worked.
Furthermore, with the recent opening of the trade route through Nauril, the city was teeming with giants, elves, dwarves, Froks, and beastmen. On top of that, Westerners, Southerners, and even occasional figures from the Empire frequented the city.
That’s a stretch.
A total stretch.
Nonsense.
From Encrid to Marcus, Matthew, and the Royal Guard captain, everyone knew the King's words were a reach. Yet, Krang practically glowed as he spoke. Having turned his back to the east, the rising sun cast a long shadow stretching before him. His posture made even that shadow seem imbued with absolute conviction.
Krang continued in his ever-confident tone. "So, put your worries aside. Besides, even if I die, the kingdom will not fall. The Naurilia of today is not weak."
Though half-resigned, the captain spoke up one last time. "My duty is to protect you."
"I know that, too," Krang spoke with a smile, as if asking for a small favor.
With that, the Royal Guard captain was dismissed, and Encrid led Krang out of the inner castle. The two walked on foot in silence. As they trudged along, Encrid brought up what had just happened.
"That was a stretch."
Krang nodded without a moment's hesitation. He had no intention of denying it, nor did he seem embarrassed. "I know."
"Then why?"
"Well, normally I should explain everything, but since I feel like you'll understand even if I don't say a word, I won't."
In the time we haven't seen each other, he's developed a knack for persuading people with sheer sophistry.
Encrid simply nodded, letting it go.
Krang added, "A king must take risks if necessary. And what I want to do today is an incognito inspection."
An incognito inspection meant hiding the king's identity to observe the lives of the capital's residents firsthand. Dragging a large escort along would only draw attention, defeating the purpose of secret observation.
But was there really a need for that? At this point in time?
No. But also, yes.
From a normal perspective, it was a sudden, random undercover outing, but Encrid knew Krang never did anything without a purpose. Though without an explanation, it was hard to guess what that purpose was. However, through instinct and intuition, he could sense that Krang had a specific goal in mind.
"Are you still recovering?" Krang asked.
"My arms still need rest."
"You say you need rest, yet you beat Aisia and the soldiers half to death like that?"
"That was rehabilitation training."
Encrid was entirely serious, but Krang took it as a joke and laughed heartily.
Despite calling it an incognito inspection, all Krang had done was pull down a hooded robe with a pointed brim. He didn't seem to have put much effort into hiding his face.
"Is it fine not to cover your face?"
"How many people living in the capital do you think would actually recognize the king? You could count them on one hand."
To Encrid, it looked as though Krang actually wanted someone to recognize him. He also seemed pleased that Encrid was not yet in perfect condition due to his injuries.
What is he after?
If he thought about it carefully, the answer began to present itself.
He calls it an incognito inspection, yet he shows his face. He looks at my injuries and seems satisfied. He intentionally shook off his guards.
And Krang had mentioned an unsettling energy drifting through the capital.
Is he trying to use himself as bait to draw out the enemy? Will that even work? Is there any political benefit to the citizens finding out their king was attacked?
It seemed more like a loss. The public security within the city, the stability gained by wiping out the surrounding monsters, demonic beasts, and bandits... these were the reasons why Nauril was currently thriving. In the midst of this, was there any need to reveal that there was a blade aimed at the king? Even if there was, did it have to be exposed so publicly, rather than letting it circulate as a mere rumor?
"Look," Krang spoke, interrupting his thoughts.
Encrid cast his musings aside and turned his gaze. Ahead of them lay a road paved with white stones, where people were still only sparsely passing by. The stones traced a distinct path.
"These are the four roads that cut through the capital. This one is the White Road, which leads to the inner castle."
Walking upon it, fine white sand rustled beneath their feet.
"It's paved with finely cut white stones," Krang noted.
On the road, the paths for carriages and pedestrians were clearly separated. This was one of Nauril's major infrastructure projects—separating pedestrian paths from carriage lanes, with carriages running at scheduled intervals to pick up passengers. Moreover, these roads prevented people from getting lost in the complex city.
It's similar to the Border Guard.
Krais was also launching and carrying out a similar project.
"And do you see that?"
Encrid followed Krang's pointing finger. In that direction stood a warehouse-like structure with a domed roof. What made it different from an ordinary warehouse was that its surface looked like metal. Reflecting the sun, the building gleamed with a silvery light. It was as if a silver wave were rippling across the structure.
"They said low-grade Truesilver can't be used properly for other things. So, we coated the exterior with it and installed a Spell Object inside that generates cold air."
Maintaining cold air with a Spell Object normally cost a fortune in Krona. This device was designed to keep it running semi-permanently. The Truesilver coating served as a magical conductor, and by structuring a formula based on it, cold air was kept constantly circulating inside.
Of course, Encrid didn't know the details. Only someone like Esther would look at this and call it an interesting device.
"The state funded it and leased it out to various businesses, making a tidy sum of Krona."
He wasn't boasting; he was just sharing it since they were out in the city anyway. Actually, he did look a bit excited now. It was like showing off his achievements to a friend. Krang was a king, but he was also an excellent guide.
He showed Encrid streets packed with merchants where carriages were banned, and outer roads designed for those in a hurry. Afterward, they bought candied apples and walked side by side, munching on them.
Suddenly, Encrid's five senses became incredibly sharp. His surroundings seemed to slow down.
Why? His five senses converged, stimulating his sixth sense. Even without knowing the reason, he sensed danger. Holding the half-eaten apple in his mouth, he reached out, opening and closing his hand. It was a simple motion, but so fast that an ordinary person's eyes wouldn't have even registered the gesture.
Something was caught in that grasp.
Thwack! Tremble.
The shaft of the arrow caught in his hand vibrated. It was not an arrow shot with ordinary strength. And it wasn't just one. Three more arrows flew in rapid succession. Encrid's hands blurred through the air as if snatching at empty space.
Thwack, thwack, thwack! Tremble.
He was now holding four arrows.
Though he was still recovering, he was someone who had just sparred with the best. This much was child's play. Encrid's gaze swept outward, centering on the buildings.
Experienced assassins.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have relocated immediately after firing. The rooftops, the windows, the alleys of the marketplace... the rats were hiding in the shadows, radiating murderous intent. There were multiple assassins.
Encrid stepped in front of Krang, shielding him with his body. He could block arrows like these all night. No, he could catch them.
"...You blocked all of them," Krang spoke from behind him.
His tone was surprised, but it was a strange kind of surprise. Rather than being amazed by Encrid's skill, he seemed disappointed that things weren't going the way he had hoped.
"There are many of them," Encrid said calmly.
Whether it was arrows or javelins flying at them, it made no difference. Even an Associate Knight could block attacks of this level—though, of course, they wouldn't be able to snatch them out of the air as easily as grabbing an infant's wrist.
This display alone should have broken the assassins' resolve, but the enemy refused to give up. Two more arrows flew toward them. However, this time, the arrows were different.
Encrid's thoughts accelerated, perceiving two distinct trajectories.
One carries a pungent scent.
The other has a sharp, stinging aroma.
They were arrows imbued with spells.
If he cut them down in midair, they would detonate on the spot, and the blast would reach them. The best way to handle the two arrows was to step forward and slice their shafts with his sword—in other words, stepping a few paces away from Krang to intercept them and block the blast beforehand. But that was exactly what they wanted.
If I move, the remaining arrows will fly past.
Therefore, he had to stand his ground and block them here.
Encrid did just that. The first was the arrow with the pungent scent. It was wrapped in a scroll designed to detonate the moment it stopped. In that case, he simply had to keep it from stopping. Treating the arrowhead as the thrust of an experienced warrior, he lightly tapped its tip with the back of his hand.
With that, the arrow's trajectory shifted. The arrow aimed at Krang veered off course and flew over his head.
The next arrow was the same. This one was meant to release a cloud of poison upon detonating, but with a flick of Encrid's hand, it was sent flying far away.
The first arrow exploded three stories high in the air, while the second landed in an alleyway of the marketplace, bursting with a loud pop and releasing a green mist.
Some of the attacking assassins gaped in disbelief.
What did I just see?
Catching arrows was shocking enough, but he had deflected arrows wrapped in scrolls with a mere flick of his hand. It almost looked as if he had generated a gust of wind with his palm to sweep them aside.
Encrid casually brushed off his hands. The arrowheads had grazed him, but they left nothing more than faint red marks—not even a scratch. This was because he had instantaneously channeled his Will to coat his skin in iron armor, preventing the tips from cutting into his flesh.
"They're sharp," he remarked calmly.
Encrid didn't bother glaring at the hiding spots. He still couldn't leave his position; he had to protect Krang. If they kept shooting arrows from afar, all he could do was block them. The defender was always at a disadvantage, so this was unavoidable.
The assassins glared at Encrid, preparing to draw their bows once more. Sensing this, Encrid spoke.
"I didn't come alone, you know."
The art of hiding in the shadows was not their exclusive domain.