A Knight Who Eternally Regresses

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

"I got curious."

Enkrid still didn't know who the old man truly was. But he could sense why he was here. It was something that came from instinct and intuition.

That old man was sizing him up. So he left him alone. There was nothing to hide, nothing to conceal. There was nothing to be gained from doing so anyway.

Everyone already knew. Kraiss, Jaxon, and Rem too. That's why they let Enkrid do as he pleased.

The old man didn't reek of blood, nor was he preparing to kill someone—so why drive him away? He might become an enemy. It wasn't a prophecy or foresight. Just a feeling.

And yet, why didn't he kick him out?

'If someone looks at me, I can look at them too.'

Lua Gharne had told him that. As he looked, he felt it. That old man carried something in his heart.

It was something similar to his own. And something that was likely similar to Crang's too.

A grand, nearly impossible goal—

People sometimes called that a dream. Cynics might dismiss it as delusion, but if you were in the process of achieving it, it couldn't be called delusion.

"When I was young, I wanted to change the world."

The old man spoke first, but it sounded like a lie. Wanting to change the world was genuine. But the part about his younger days—wasn't.

He said it like it was something he'd once felt. That was false. He still wanted to do it. Whatever direction or form it might take, the will was unmistakable.

Unlike before, a clear determination rose within him. Behind the old man's back, something seemed to push the moonlight away.

He declared his intent on the land watched over by the moon and stars. And because Enkrid recognized that it was genuine, he stopped walking.

"Can you tell me what you're trying to do?"

Whatever that old man was protecting behind him—if that was his vow and oath—

Then the dream he wanted to achieve as a knight was something else.

With nothing to hide, Enkrid ignored the old man's lie and spoke.

"I intend to erase war from the continent."

As always, Enkrid spoke flatly. It wasn't a speech. It wasn't a pledge. Just the belief that he would do it, that it would be done.

He didn't bolster the words with Will, nor did he react to the old man's sincerity. It wasn't just his tone that was calm—his attitude and his inner thoughts were just as composed.

Enkrid spoke plainly and simply. As if saying he'd have bread and soup tomorrow morning. It sounded that natural.

"I hear that line all the time."

It wasn't bedtime yet.

Despite the cold not being that severe, Rem—already wrapped in heated leather like a cloak—opened the barracks door and spoke.

The old man ignored Rem's comment. He also ignored Jaxon, who subtly emitted a murderous air in his direction. Instead, he lifted his clouded eyes and looked at Enkrid.

And continued.

"Do you really believe that's possible? That it can be done?"

The old man asked again, and Enkrid stared at him.

He was curious about the old man's identity, but didn't ask. Even if he did, he wouldn't have gotten an answer.

The old man had many secrets, but there was still something to observe and learn.

He wielded Will with great finesse.

Enkrid had spent several days observing him, sparring with him, and stealing his tricks. If asked, the old man would even answer questions.

From that perspective, Enkrid didn't care who he was or where he came from.

He'd learned so much—starting from how to use Will through Resonant Positioning. And the old man, too, had watched Enkrid and seemed full of questions. Or maybe there was a lot he now wanted to say.

"You must never lose, not even to a named monster or a beast labeled a disaster. You must be stronger than unnamed monsters lurking in the Demon Realm. Can you? Really?"

Again, Enkrid said nothing and quietly looked at the old man. The old man continued, as if delivering a passionate speech.

"You must be cautious yet bold, intelligent yet perfectly skilled in combat. That would make you a hero— the kind who only exists in storybooks. Is that even possible?"

Could such a person exist?

Enkrid didn't know. But he could answer one thing— such a person wasn't necessary.

"I'll do it."

His tone remained flat.

"...And why do you think that?"

The old man tilted his head. Frozen mid-tilt, his milky eyes reflected the light like a red beacon.

He asked for the reason. And it was simple.

Because not once had Enkrid seen anyone else willing to do it.

"Because I'm the only one who said I would."

Enkrid answered.

A grand and foolish dream.

That's what the old man thought. But he also realized he couldn't ignore what Enkrid was saying.

He had observed him for days. That man didn't stop. So if one wanted to break his will, they would have to kill him.

Not that he was brimming with killing intent. He did have such a thought for a moment—but abandoned it just as quickly.

Enkrid was, ultimately, the same as his own dream. Different direction, same destination.

That was so amusing the old man chuckled briefly and said,

"I was curious. Heard you caused me a lot of trouble, so I wanted to talk to you directly."

"Did you have fun, then?"

Rem chimed in with a question.

"Ah, you kept me company the whole time I was here."

This time, the old man replied to Rem with ease.

"You were giving off a weird smell, that's why."

Rem rested her axe on her shoulder. If he made one wrong move, she looked ready to split his skull open.

If Jaxon sensed abnormalities with his senses, Rem smelled the stench with her instincts.

Ragna, Lua Gharne, Shinar, and even Audin were the same.

But the reason they left him alone—was Enkrid.

He didn't act. The old man hadn't caused him harm. In fact, he'd even been teaching him something.

"That one's been watching me constantly. Interesting people, truly."

By 'that one,' he clearly meant Jaxon. Jaxon, whether addressed or not, just kept staring.

The old man spoke and turned his feet. Those were the steps of someone leaving.

"We'll meet again."

Those were his parting words as he walked away. Jaxon watched and felt the urge to act, but didn't.

"Let him go."

Enkrid knew it instinctively. The old man hadn't yet shown everything he had.

And yet there was still so much to learn from him.

Where did he belong? Enkrid didn't know. But he likely wasn't an ally.

That instinct remained unchanged.

***

"To erase the sorrow of the world. That's my dream."

In his youth, the old man had shouted that. And to achieve it, he'd done many things. And that journey still continued.

"Interesting. Truly interesting."

Live long enough and you'll see strange things.

The old man—one of the apostles of the Demon Realm Holy Church—thought so.

He'd lived long, expecting only death. And yet this new thrill and joy had come to him.

Watching Enkrid's resolve was a delight. And seeing Jaxon react to his technique showed he was no less a master himself.

The old man left Border Guard on foot. He walked through the night until dawn.

Not all members of the Demon Realm Holy Church shared the same beliefs.

The old man fundamentally walked a different path than the one the church pursued.

But a different path didn't mean a different destination.

That was the only real difference between the church and the old man. And that difference was his own value in life.

'Dreams belong to those who dare to dream.'

It felt as though he was hearing the echo of what he once shouted in youth.

Snap!

He used Resonant Positioning and walked the night. With only darkness ahead, it made no difference whether it was day or night.

Soon, in the distance, he saw a wagon caravan. Diligent merchants on the move.

As he walked, more people began to appear nearby. The old man rubbed his cloudy eyes with his hand. White dust flaked off and fell away.

At the moment he and the caravan crossed paths—he vanished.

Whether he soared into the sky or sank into the earth, he disappeared in an instant.

***

"We lost him."

Among the members of Geor Dagger, some specialized in tracking.

Two guild members, following Jaxon's orders, shook their heads.

They couldn't sense a trace. He didn't show up in their sight either.

Just like that, the old man was gone.

***

Snort.

"Why are you eating that?"

Enkrid asked, baffled. Odd-Eye only snorted and shook his head.

The old man had left. It had been a while since Enkrid played with Odd-Eye. But the beast suddenly pounced.

He thought maybe it just wanted to wrestle. But then it pulled out a glass bottle of sacred spring water from Enkrid's coat and crunched it, drinking it all.

"...You're not supposed to swallow the glass."

Enkrid didn't feel regret. He didn't know what the spring water was even for.

How did Odd-Eye know about it?

'Not a big deal.'

It was strange, sure. But he didn't think it was worth worrying over.

As he patted Odd-Eye's back, he felt the spine stick out slightly. It made him wonder if something was wrong. But since it ran around happily after drinking the water, he figured there was no problem.

No, actually, it seemed to be running better than usual.

It stomped the ground so hard it looked like its hooves barely touched it.

Hiiiiing!

Odd-Eye sucked the water clean after shattering the bottle and left nothing but glass shards behind, then ran off like the spring water had been its sole purpose.

"It's not like it came just to drink water."

Well, it was just one of those things.

After a regular training session and a brief reunion with Odd-Eye, Enkrid returned to his quarters and found a letter waiting.

Left behind by the old man.

—I'm an apostle.

The letter contained the old man's confession.

A member of the Demon Realm Holy Church. And with it, a bold proposal.

—Would you consider sharing my path? You remind me of my younger self. Especially your face. That's why I say this—I don't want to become your enemy. So, consider joining the Demon Realm Holy Church.

"He really put a lot of effort into this bullshit."

Rem muttered after peeking over his shoulder at the letter.

"A cult?"

Lua Gharne flashed with anger for a moment. Jaxon mumbled that he should have killed him.

Enkrid didn't feel much of anything.

He hadn't expected the man to be part of a cult. Nor to receive a proposal from one.

But this was just the beginning.

His reputation had changed. And what he'd done had been so extraordinary—visitors now came in droves to confirm it.

"I'm Bianca Conti. You may call me Countess."

A matchmaker from the Empire had arrived.

The next day, another guest showed up in secret, holding a letter.

"I was asked to deliver this message and letter."

The merchant had sharp eyes and looked intelligent.

He might have been a noble—his clothes were fine, and his speech was refined.

He brought a letter and message from the king of a southern great power.

He was from the South, and seemed to have the same goal as the imperial matchmaker.

In addition, an invitation arrived from a trading city.

They had apparently established a festival to commemorate autumn. They wanted him to come before winter.

It seemed they were imitating the Border Guard Protection Day that Kraiss had established.

And Enkrid—

"A request?"

Technically, Border Guard was a royal territory and its forces were part of the royal army. But realistically, it was Enkrid's unit.

The Mad Knights even more so.

Crang never tried to force ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ them. Rather than giving them orders, he let them act on their own.

When needed, he used the soldier-mercenary system. And that's what he did this time too—he requested help.

"A Saintess?"

Enkrid asked again after hearing what Kraiss had to say.

It was the talk of the continent. A Saintess had been kidnapped, and they were asking for help to retrieve her.

The holy nation had made an official request to Naurillia— the Saintess and the culprit were now within Naurillia's borders.

Politics were tangled in this, and technically, it wasn't Enkrid's business.

That's what Kraiss thought. But Crang went so far as to request Border Guard.

"I'll go."

As Enkrid stepped forward, Audin followed.

"Let me come too, brother."

Maybe it was curiosity about the Saintess. Or something else.  But Enkrid didn't stop him.

"Don't get beat up while I'm gone."

Rem was busy with training, but clearly just found it fun and wanted to stay behind.

Next was Ragna, who also wanted to go— but taking him was impossible.

"Need a guide?"

"Take a rest."

That was one person Enkrid declined gently.

"If you leave me out again, I'll cut it off."

Shinar threw out a joke as she joined in. Enkrid didn't ask what she meant by "cut."

So while the matchmaker from the Empire and the envoy from the South stirred up a commotion, Enkrid fled.

"Seriously? Just like that? Hey, Enki, you bastard!

You should deal with them before leaving!"

Kraiss grumbled after being left behind. But the one who left was already gone.

Not exactly good news for the guests from the Empire and the South.

But so what?

That was Enkrid's thinking.

"Well done."

Hearing about the situation, Shinar took Enkrid's side.