Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 625 - Peace Forged by the Sword

Chapter 625 - Peace Forged by the Sword

"Ah, Krang."

As they walked along, Enkrid suddenly spoke up.

"Yes?" Fel responded, puzzled.

"I left without saying goodbye."

"Humans are creatures of forgetfulness; it happens," Luagarne remarked.

"True."

Enkrid nodded and continued walking.

He hadn’t brought his horse.

While it wouldn’t have been a problem for Weird Eyes, their route involved crossing mountains and rivers.

They hadn’t chosen a well-paved road but rather the fastest path.

Fortunately, everyone was capable enough to handle themselves without the need for a main road.

Additionally, the number of monsters in the area had recently been significantly reduced, lowering the overall danger of the journey. fгeewebnovёl.com

Even if there had been threats, they wouldn’t have posed much of a challenge to this group.

The midday sun shone brightly overhead, making the winter day feel unusually warm.

It had been about half a day since they left Border Guard.

They had started at dawn, walking well past sunrise, and still had several hours left before they would need to stop for the night and set up camp.

"If anyone falls behind, we’ll leave them," Luagarne joked, directing her comment at Fel.

"Do I look like someone who lived off bread rations in a knightly order, obeying instructions without question? Shepherds value walking more than swordsmanship," Fel retorted.

Fel, being a shepherd of the wilderness, was confident in his endurance.

He had spent his life herding sheep, and not the docile, easy-to-manage kind, either.

While Fel was proud of his stamina, Luagarne was no slouch at walking either.

"Fair enough," Luagarne said.

As a Frog, Luagarne’s species was naturally better suited for travel than humans.

They could substitute preserved rations with dried insects, reducing the bulk of their supplies, and their bodies were tough enough to ignore most injuries.

While they needed to drink water frequently, traveling alongside waterways was basic knowledge for any seasoned wanderer.

The first rule of survival: never travel alone.

The second: stick to well-maintained roads.

The group, however, was ignoring both rules entirely, though their exceptional skills made it possible.

As the sun set, Enkrid adjusted their course slightly, heading southeast at an angle away from the direction of the setting sun.

The path to the fairy village lay beyond the Pen-Hanil mountain range.

The Border Guard and its surrounding lands, previously part of Count Molsan’s domain, stretched to the north.

The Pen-Hanil mountains were also located in the north, their imposing presence earning them the nickname "Ceiling Mountains" or "Roof Mountains" in some geographical circles.

It was said that the mountain range’s winds contributed to the region’s cooler climate compared to other central areas.

Enkrid didn’t care much for such details.

For him, it was simply a matter of going where the path led.

The first day passed uneventfully.

Enkrid spent his spare time training, while Luagarne and Fel sparred.

Watching their match, Enkrid couldn’t help but voice a small compliment.

"You’ve improved."

His words weren’t directed at Fel but at Luagarne, whose skills had noticeably advanced.

"I’ve endured the kind of pain that carves into one’s flesh," Luagarne replied with a grin.

It seemed true.

During their sparring session, Fel had executed a vertical slash, hiding his sword momentarily behind his back before striking—a move he had carefully prepared.

Luagarne had countered by raising her left arm and angling her looped sword for a thrust.

Of course, neither of them followed through to injure or kill.

At their level, sparring to gauge skills was enough.

Going all out would result in one of them getting seriously hurt.

"I excel in real combat," Fel grumbled.

Enkrid nodded in agreement.

Fel’s swordsmanship was indeed more suited for practical battles than tactical exchanges.

’Still, he seems well-trained for someone who dislikes strategy,’ Enkrid thought.

Fel’s ability to adapt to combat situations came naturally, likely thanks to spending so much time with Ropord.

Luagarne, on the other hand, excelled in tactical duels, second only to Ropord in that regard.

Beating her in sparring was no easy feat.

As they continued southward, Enkrid set a small goal for their visit to the fairy village:

’I’ll help Fel address his weaknesses.’

It was an act of goodwill, though Fel might not see it that way.

That morning, they had eaten at the Border Guard, and for lunch, they made do with preserved rations while walking.

"Did you buy this new seasoning on purpose?" Fel asked, impressed by the spiced jerky.

"I had no idea. Krais packed it for us," Enkrid replied.

Fel nodded, acknowledging Krais’s meticulous preparation.

Receiving such thoughtful provisions often made people feel a sense of gratitude toward him, Fel included.

Neither Enkrid nor Fel, busy with their training, had kept up with the latest market trends, including the new sauces from the spice jerky shop that had taken the Border Guard market by storm.

For dinner, they prepared a proper meal.

Using a pot, they fetched water from a nearby stream and added dried vegetables like carrots and squash, along with edible plants they found along the way.

Enkrid also added pieces of hardened bread, carefully cut into small chunks.

"What’s this?" Fel asked, curious.

"Back when I was a mercenary, if food was scarce, we’d boil water and throw in unfinished bread.

I’ve refined it a bit to make it more edible," Enkrid explained.

It had been a while since Enkrid had made camp food.

While his cooking skills weren’t extraordinary, the result wasn’t terrible either.

"This is more like dough than bread," Fel remarked skeptically but soon changed his tune after tasting the broth and its ingredients.

He paused for a moment before exhaling sharply, as though releasing pent-up energy.

"Ugh."

"I’ll cook it better tomorrow with beef. Just eat it for now."

"Didn’t you say you weren’t good at cooking?"

The remark carried a tone of amazement.

"I said I could only make a few things," Enkrid replied casually.

"Better than bugs?" Luagarne interjected.

"Is that even a question?" Fel responded, looking incredulous.

"Should I give you a handful of this too?"

Lagarne said as she pulled out some dried larvae.

Fel declined with a nonchalant expression.

"No, thanks. I know it’s a rare treat when supplies are low, but right now, I’ll pass."

Fel continued to scoop up the broth and carefully selected the lumpy, half-baked mixture that seemed caught between bread and dough, eating it with satisfaction.

"This is really good."

He gave an approving thumbs-up repeatedly, mumbling about whether cooking was a kind of talent.

"Glad you like it."

The group finished their dinner and prepared their campsite.

They didn’t need a cave, so they spread a large cloak under a big tree and slept there.

The second day’s meals were similar.

Breakfast and lunch consisted of preserved food.

The seasoned jerky was tasty, but it wouldn’t last more than three days.

After that, they’d have to rely on salt-preserved jerky alone.

Though less flavorful than the heavily seasoned variety, it wasn’t bad—it had been prepared with care in the city.

No one in the group complained about the food.

On the second day, they passed near the site of the harpy attack from before.

The area, which had previously reeked of blood and death, now had a completely different atmosphere.

"Welcome!"

On their first day, they hadn’t encountered anyone as they cut through the area.

But now, there was an outpost.

A soldier wearing thick gambeson recognized Enkrid and saluted.

Enkrid quickly sketched a mental map of the area, noting that three outposts formed a circular perimeter.

At the center, just beyond a small mound, there was likely a base.

’A temporary market might do well there since the water routes aren’t ideal for a city.’

Trade cities had started emphasizing land routes alongside waterways, so a makeshift field market could thrive in such a location.

’In the past, such an idea would’ve been impossible.’

Building an open market without fortifications would’ve been unthinkable, as monsters would turn it into a slaughterhouse. Mere tents and wooden barriers could only deter wild animals, not monstrous threats.

But things were different now.

The Border Guard’s standing army had wiped out the monsters in the area.

They had even established outposts and conducted regular patrols, making it rare to see monsters or magical beasts.

Bandits?

Unthinkable.

Trying to steal in the Border Guard’s territory was foolish.

Even carrying bricks to build walls was enough to earn a living, so why risk banditry?

Of course, a few deranged individuals might still form bandit gangs, but they wouldn’t dare to act openly.

That said, it wasn’t as if monsters had completely disappeared.

Winter might bring ice demons or yetis descending from the Pen-Hanil Mountains, but for now, the peace held firm.

It was a fragile peace achieved through swords, strength, politics, and wealth.

Calling it an "artificial peace" wouldn’t be accurate.

Evidence of its success was right there: four merchants walking confidently beyond the soldier.

Despite the presence of three heavily armed people—including a Frog—they paid no attention to them.

’In the past, they wouldn’t have dared travel alone.’

The merchants were chatting incessantly as they walked, their words laced with bravado about near-death encounters and surviving by sheer luck.

"Would you like to stay at the outpost tonight?" the soldier offered.

"No, we’re in a hurry. Is everything alright here?" Enkrid asked.

"All clear, sir. Though there are recent rumors about giants. Travelers claim to have seen one sleeping under a tree or staring at them with mismatched eyes."

The soldier’s detailed report revealed his position as the outpost captain.

"We’ll keep an eye out." Enkrid patted the soldier’s shoulder, eliciting a proud smile.

"Thank you, sir!"

To the Border Guard, Enkrid wasn’t just a superior officer; he was a hero.

Rising from the bottom to knighthood, he earned respect from most soldiers, both veterans and new recruits alike.

"Let’s move."

"Safe travels, sir!"

As they continued southward, Fel broke the silence, reflecting on the outpost. "Shepherds traditionally fend for themselves, but this method isn’t bad either."

"Let’s spar," Enkrid replied, catching Fel off guard.

"Now?"

"Now."

The sun was setting, and winter’s early twilight had arrived.

Fel nodded, raising his sword cautiously.

Enkrid, still refining his swordsmanship, decided to incorporate a recently developed technique.

’The Wall was for blocking.’

A single strike, fully committed, aimed to end everything in one blow.

Drawing inspiration from Valen-style mercenary swordsmanship, Enkrid decided to test one of its techniques.

’Scaring without a sword.’

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