Chapter 75 - The Devilish Squad Leader

The candles in the sconces attached all over the inn's hall walls were only half-lit.

With no customers around, were they trying to save on candle costs?

Thanks to the deep shadows it created, Encrid's shadow stretched long across the floor.

He had been practicing the blade of his senses all throughout the dawn.

The quiet interior, the sounds of the soldiers standing guard outside, the sound of the escort target tipping her glass.

He sharpened the edge of his senses alongside his concentration and listened.

He read the presences and counted the number of people nearby. He also listened to the cry of a night bird far away and tried to gauge the distance.

While doing so, Encrid reviewed the range of his perception.

'If it's within five steps.'

He could even read presences. He could even hear the sound of brushing collars.

And then a thought occurred to him.

'Is that possible just by listening?'

Thinking back to the conversation between the Fairy Company Commander and Jaxon right before the ambush, the two of them had already predicted the surprise attack.

How did they do that?

It probably wasn't purely relying on their ears. He thought he should ask Jaxon later.

If it was something he could learn, he wanted to learn it.

'It wasn't a wall this time.'

Now, at a moderate level, he might not repeat today anymore. Even so, he had no thought of deliberately dying to trap himself in today.

Encrid remained the same.

'For tomorrow.'

He always ran while only looking forward.

That was the driving force that kept him from being trapped in today.

RUSTLE, CRACKLE!

The firewood placed inside the fireplace snapped, sending sparks flying.

Aside from reviewing the battle, assorted thoughts crossed his mind.

Encrid rested his chin on his hand while seated and thought of the man he had killed.

'The glory of the fatherland.'

Were they a spy unit from Aspen?

What was the guy who mobilized that many people thinking when he started this?

What was he planning to do after causing an incident of this scale inside the Border Guard?

Would there be another ambush?

Breaking through the forces of two squads? Would they send an assassin instead?

Thinking about it that way, he felt that catching the one who ran away might be an easier task than expected.

At that timing, Leona came down the stairs.

"You're up early."

"I was on duty, so it was a shift change."

"Ah, I see."

Leona nodded and approached.

The floor still bore the marks of the previous night. She seemed to be trying to act unfazed.

That would only make her more self-conscious.

It would actually be more comfortable to focus on something else. Encrid knew that from experience.

"Is this your first time coming to the Border Guard?"

"Huh? Yes."

But didn't Big-eyes say this woman's personality was peculiar?

She seemed to have fortitude, but she hadn't yet shown a crazy side like Rem.

'No, I shouldn't compare her to Rem.'

That wasn't polite.

"They say there are various legends about the Penn-Hanil River. Among them, do you know the story of the sword made from the river's water?"

A minstrel's tales always stimulated the heart. Encrid had memorized a few of those stories.

Not only were they good to use as topics of conversation, but they were also good for passing the time during duty without getting bored.

So the story he was telling now was like small talk during duty.

However, it would be quite a fresh story for someone hearing it for the first time.

"Please, tell me."

Leona nodded with a smile, as if her interest had been piqued.

Even though it was a trivial story, Leona listened with sparkling eyes.

She even responded with smiles throughout.

"So there was a time when a trend of making swords out of river water went around, but no sword capable of evoking the spirits living in the river was ever made like in the story."

"You speak well."

"I suppose so."

As Rem acknowledged, no one could beat her Squad Leader when it came to the talent of provoking opponents with words.

And the Squad Leader here was himself.

As he nodded, Leona suddenly spoke.

"Would you like to come with me?"

Tilting his head, Encrid asked back.

"Pardon? Where?"

She was still the escort target. Although the inn was empty inside because two squads of troops had locked it down following the ambush within the Border Guard.

Encrid's mission—the request she had commissioned—wasn't over yet.

Since there were two days left.

So it was natural for him to follow her wherever she went.

"I am offering you a proposal to come with me when I leave the Border Guard later."

It was a sudden remark, but it sounded prepared. It held the distinct nuance seen in those who had managed many people.

Sitting quietly, parting her red lips.

"Come."

A confidence that the position she offered would be better was evident.

Leona genuinely thought so.

What kind of place was the Roquefried Merchant Association?

Even if they lagged slightly behind the Lengadis merchant association or other large merchant associations, they were a merchant association with influence over the local region.

Their merchant association had opened trades with the 'Shepherd of the Wilderness' group at the northernmost end of Penn-Hanil, the 'Black Leather Guild'—a group of hunters who could even slay dragons if properly prepared—and the 'Glacial Rangers', an organization of glacier guardians who lived deep in the mountains in harmony with nature.

Those three were their core trading partners.

In addition, they had a map imbued with the experiences of her predecessor, who had wandered all over the Penn-Hanil continent.

It was an item called the Roquefried Trade Route Map.

It was a map that recorded merchant travels.

It was a treasure among treasures that organized the special products of each merchant association and laid out the fastest routes.

A treasure valuable enough that if someone were to steal and sell it, they would never have to worry about a living for the rest of their life.

Roquefried was this kind of merchant association. It was something anyone would covet.

Especially if one inherited the bloodline of the predecessor, they might consider it rightfully theirs.

That thought must have led to yesterday's bold ambush.

'To think they would draw their swords first here.'

So she was angry. Why did that boldness have to come now of all times?

Even though she didn't share a single drop of blood with him, she was trying this hard to uphold the predecessor's dying wish.

Why did the other party ignore all of that?

Right, if not for the predecessor's dying wish, she wouldn't have even had a reason to come here.

What was that predecessor's dying wish?

["Before you kill and die, please try to reach a settlement first. Will you do that for me? Leona."]

The predecessor was the person who had raised her like a daughter.

But he was also someone she couldn't easily call father.

'Both the merchant association, and his bloodline.'

It was a dying wish made because he couldn't give up on either. Leona understood the predecessor's heart.

He had raised Leona to grow the Roquefried Merchant Association.

But he couldn't just cast out the one born of his own bloodline either.

That was why she was in this position right now.

The Border Guard of Naurilia, the place chosen as the final bastion to talk without drawing swords.

It was a succession rivalry that would have ended a long time ago if not for the predecessor's dying wish.

A surprise attack in such a situation. Let alone drawing swords inside the Border Guard?

'Idiot.'

It was the end of her miscellaneous thoughts.

The man who had saved her the moment she was in danger entered her sight.

The first thing that stood out was his lake-like eyes. Those blue eyes.

They were eyes so charming that they looked as if imbued with magic.

Black hair, blue eyes, and a trained body.

On top of that, he had a handsome face.

It was only natural for her interest to be piqued.

'He has truly fine looks.'

His skills were also outstanding. To think of how he stormed into the room in an instant and subdued the opponent.

And what about his nature of not asking for anything in return?

After saving her, at his single word saying it was just his job, Leona's heart had pounded. It was from then on.

She coveted him. She wanted to take him with her.

"I promise you a better position and better treatment than you have now."

Encrid had nothing to think over.

Hadn't he already considered becoming an escort for a merchant association?

If his goal was purely crona.

'That wouldn't be bad either.'

Living as the sword of a merchant association that would continue to grow wouldn't be bad.

But because he had a dream, had seen the path to take, and was currently walking that path even if it was slow.

He had no time to be distracted.

"I'm fine."

His posture had both hands resting on his thighs and his back straight.

A firm answer delivered from a straight posture.

It was best to be firm when refusing. Encrid knew that from experience.

Leona's pupils shook.

"Holding onto someone who says they don't want to is ugly."

Not knowing when he had come down, Jaxon's voice was heard from behind.

"I see, it is ugly."

The Fairy Company Commander's single remark was also heard.

"Is that so."

Leona didn't fly into a rage, show annoyance, or get irritated.

She merely nodded calmly.

"You must be satisfied with your current position."

That wasn't the case.

But since he had to be here to see the path leading upwards.

"Phew, business is..."

The innkeeper, who had emerged at some point, sighed heavily.

The blue light of dawn was slowly changing into the yellow light of daybreak. It was morning.

"The merchant association will compensate for your losses."

Leona spoke up again. It seemed like she had brought it up to get a definitive answer from the start.

"Oh my, if you would do that."

The innkeeper spoke while rubbing his hands together. Leona nodded as she watched him.

"Please don't worry. A guest will be arriving around noon, so please prepare for that."

"Yes."

She looked accustomed to giving orders while seated.

Soon, her nanny came down from upstairs.

Leona excused herself, saying she was going to rest.

Then Jaxon approached and said.

"There are plenty of pretty women in the city too, so don't go out of your way to touch the successor of a merchant association."

He hadn't touched her. He had refused.

Encrid also had a lot of experience with women getting entangled with him. His face wasn't going anywhere, after all.

Not to mention, a trained body was a good tool for radiating charm in many ways.

"Upper-grade soldier Encrid."

It was the Company Commander. Without approaching, from where she stood, she called out in her usual posture and usual tone before asking.

"Are you the type to have a history with women?"

"... No."

"Are you the type to throw flirty glances at every passing woman?"

"No, I'm not."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

It was definitely a joke. It had to be a joke.

Her expression was exceptionally serious and her eyes were exceptionally calm. That was why she was hard to deal with.

'I'd like her to stop now.'

"I see."

The Company Commander nodded.

As he went outside to catch his breath.

One of the squadmates belonging to the 3rd Platoon of the 2nd Company acted friendly.

"If you go around seducing every woman that passes by, what are people like me supposed to do?"

If this was acting friendly, it was acting friendly.

"Who is?"

"Following the Company Commander, now even the lady of Roquefried. Man, you're the Devilish Squad Leader, the Devilish Squad Leader."

The one sending out the exclamation was a Platoon Commander. He was familiar with this guy too.

Since he had been temporarily called here and there for various missions.

"It's nothing like that."

"It's not, huh."

"He says it's not."

"He tells us it's not."

A few soldiers echoed his words. It was like repeating orders.

Being suddenly dispatched to surround an inn in the city must have left them with nothing to do.

It made sense they were bored.

There hadn't been any further ambushes since. There was no sign of one either.

Sure, he understood they were bored, but.

'Even so, I'm not thrilled about them spending their time teasing me.'

Rumors were always a scary thing.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before rumors spread widely once again.

It led to Krais, who visited the inn, saying things like this.

"Wow, Squad Leader, I heard you slept with the head of the merchant association in just one day? How did you do that? It wouldn't even be easy for me, and the lady of Roquefried is famous for being stuck-up. Her personality is abrasive too."

"She's not abrasive."

"Eh, I doubt that."

"If you're here, do a job for me."

"Huh?"

Encrid gave Krais a job instead of useless talk.

He didn't even care to clear up the misunderstanding. This guy was teasing him on purpose anyway.

"There's a guy who ran away among the attackers. Find him."

The guy who ran away—Encrid was curious about his whereabouts.

The man who died by his sword as a spy from Aspen had died shouting for the glory of the fatherland.

Wouldn't it be no fun if the very guy who conspired to cause this incident survived?

'He should pay the price for what he's done.'

That was only natural and the right thing to do.

It was also a good thing to say that justice was alive.

Besides, the military would soon issue orders to find him. He didn't want to just leave it be either.

If you start something, you should take responsibility. To leave all your subordinates behind and run away.

Now that he had revealed himself as a spy from Aspen, he couldn't let him leave alive.

"Yes, sir."

With the night guild, they could know most of the things happening in the city. That was an advantage. So finding one person wouldn't be a difficult task.

'And crona comes in from time to time.'

Once he gathered some money this time, he was thinking of getting a decent shortsword or guard sword as a sidearm.

He had used a guard sword recently and quite liked it.

Ragna had also recommended wielding a shield, but a shield wasn't easy to get used to.

He would learn it if necessary, but since using physical strength was a specialty among his capabilities.

["It would be better to hold the sword with both hands and swing it from the start. Still, it's good to have a shield on the battlefield."]

It was Ragna who had said that.

As a light armored infantryman, he did know how to handle a shield to a certain level.

What was the purpose of the military?

It was a place that valued the standardized strength of the many over an exceptional one.

It was common sense that a uniformly trained, standardized squad of ten was stronger than a squad of ten that included two outstanding swordsmen.

As a means included in the standardized training, there was also group formation training handling shields.

His subordinate squadmates skimmed over it, but Encrid had diligently learned that as well.

It just didn't improve easily, that's all.

'I'm really not used to it.'

It was a thought that occurred every time he held a shield. As Ragna said, holding the sword with both hands and swinging it felt like a much better-fitting set of clothes.

Using a shield or not.

If he became an existence that broke the rules of the standardized many, it wouldn't be something to worry much about.

Not long after Krais left, a man with cheeks full of malice and a dozen or so troops came looking for them.

One of the guys who came as an escort caught his eye. It was a man with sharply slanted eyes and arms hanging loosely downward.

He wore a long, thin-bladed sword, a rapier, at his waist.

'He looks fast.'

It was the feeling he got as soon as he saw him. The opponent didn't even bother to hide himself. It seemed to be an expression of confidence.

'I use a fast sword. But you can't block it just because you know.'

His posture and attitude seemed to be saying exactly that.

The name of the man with cheeks filled with malice was Polid.

He was the opponent who had competed with Leona for the succession.

As soon as he entered, he claimed a table, sat down, and spoke.