Chapter 77 - When You're Bored, You Spar.

"Then I will decide that you will stay here for two days, and if the problem has not been resolved after that, both of you will be transported to the unit under guard."

Torres settled the situation.

Polid tried to stand up, saying that could not happen, but the ridiculous son of a bitch on Polid's side stopped him by grabbing his shoulder and whispering something in his ear.

Leona was calm.

"Fine."

As if it was exactly what she had wanted, she even nodded readily.

Encrid watched the situation unfold and poked Jaxon in the side.

The sharp Jaxon blocked Encrid's finger with his palm.

"What is it?"

"Did you have a hobby of collecting knives?"

He had not known.

Until now, he had never once seen Jaxon show that side of himself.

For that matter, every item Jaxon had in the quarters was issued equipment.

A man who did not even deal in personal belongings?

"It is Carmen's stiletto."

Jaxon answered.

As if that was an answer.

Encrid did not really know.

In truth, he had only heard in passing that the Carmen Collection was famous and expensive.

At Encrid's attitude, Jaxon opened his mouth again.

"Even if you had dozens of gold coins, it is not something you could obtain."

"Do you know who Carmen is?"

"No one is called a master craftsman for no reason."

"If that one knife appeared on the black market, people would kill and be killed over it."

"In fact, a few years ago, there was even a disturbance between assassin guilds when the third work of the Carmen Collection, the katar, appeared."

Encrid did not know this either, but in reality it had been far beyond the level of a disturbance, and several people who made assassination their trade had died.

Of course, it was not a story people living in the light could know.

Only the story remained that it had been recovered by the continent's greatest assassination group, called Georg's Daggers.

"The stiletto is Carmen's fourth work."

The first was a pocketknife.

Because it was the knife with which he first killed a person, it was named "First Kill."

But it was said to have already been broken and lost.

The second was a thin, long cane sword, a stick sword.

The third was the katar, and the fourth was the stiletto.

For the fifth, he made a hunting dagger with an edge on only one side, and for the sixth, a sword breaker.

For the seventh, he made the Invisible Blade, whose edge could not be seen if drawn in broad daylight.

Seven daggers, and seven stories.

That was the reason Carmen's name had continued to this day.

For seven targets of murder, he made exactly seven weapons, and everything was for revenge.

With "First Kill," he killed the slave trader who had been his master.

With the second, "Stick Sword," he stabbed the soldier who had violated his sister in the back and killed him.

With the third, "Katar," he killed the noble's attendant who had led the soldier who violated his sister.

With the fourth, "Stiletto," he stabbed the heart of the noble who was that attendant's master.

With the fifth, "Hunting Dagger," he slit the throats of those who ate the noble's wages one by one.

With the sixth, "Sword Breaker," it was said he completed his revenge by breaking the sword that noble cherished.

There was also a rumor that the final seventh, "Invisible Blade," never fulfilled its role in the end.

Or, there was also a rumor that since the final target of revenge was actually himself, he stabbed it into his own heart and died.

The truth was something no one would ever know.

Was it not already a story from several decades ago?

"You carry all that around memorized?"

Jaxon had calmly laid out the entire story in one breath.

Encrid could not interrupt Jaxon midway.

His tone was calm, but throughout the whole time he spoke, a strange heat rose in Jaxon's eyes.

It was a passion like madness.

Because he could not stop him, Encrid listened to it all and only tossed out one comment afterward.

Did he carry that around memorized?

Jaxon answered as if it were nothing.

"I simply know it."

"It is not memorization."

Only then did he return to his usual Jaxon self.

"I suppose we will have to be tied down here for two more days."

He wanted to rush out at once, but the escort mission held him back.

In any case, he had to fulfill his duty.

However, in Encrid's eyes, his current attitude looked like he was changing the subject.

'No way.'

As Encrid looked at Jaxon, a strange thought came to him.

'Is he embarrassed?'

His face had not turned red, and there was no sign of panic, but it was clear that he had changed the subject.

"I would like to go catch him myself, but I cannot abandon the escort mission."

It seemed as if he was saying they should hurry up and talk about this topic instead.

"If you get the Carmen Collection, are you going to sell it?"

Because that was so fascinating, Encrid poked at him.

"Why would I sell that?"

Jaxon shot back, opening his eyes wider than usual.

This guy really seemed to like it.

It was not because of crona, either.

He purely wanted that stiletto.

What a unique taste.

Fine, to someone, it might be an incredible item.

Especially if Krais saw it, he would drool all over it.

Because his pockets would grow fat if he sold it.

But if one looked at it solely for collection value, was that not far too unique a taste?

'It's a dagger an assassin used to kill people.'

Separate from it being famous, what in the world was he thinking, wanting to keep that?

It was not even the vile hobby of some idle rich man.

Still, he did not argue or ask further.

Encrid merely maintained the same attitude as always.

He did not step too far into his squadmates' daily lives.

That had been the secret to maintaining his position as Squad Leader until now.

Encrid left Jaxon be like that and turned his gaze away.

It was toward Polide's side.

He saw the plain-looking man, the ridiculous son of a bitch, and the swordsman with his arms hanging down talking on one side.

The two whispered, and among them, his eyes met the man wearing the rapier.

The man's eyes brushed over Encrid and passed by.

Encrid looked at the man as well.

He still thought the man was an opponent he wanted to cross blades with.

* * *

"Things have gotten tangled."

"I suppose we chose wrong."

"It was also an unavoidable choice."

"Was it?"

The swordsman asked back at the words the plain-faced man had begun with.

His tone was bored.

That was because he had little interest.

His eyes swept over the Fairy and the opposing party.

'Interesting fellows.'

The Fairy bitch in particular stirred his interest.

Their "Nidle" was said to be a sword of speed.

The thought came to him that he wanted to compete against her.

Before that, the ones beside her also looked fairly useful.

What would it have been like if they had been under his command?

'They would have been worth raising.'

Both were not bad.

In particular, he liked even the way the man with reddish-brown hair walked.

He was a quiet man, ready to draw his sword anytime and anywhere.

"What do we do now?"

"What have we done until now when things got tangled?"

At the swordsman's question, the man smiled broadly.

It was not an unpleasant smile.

"We solved it with force."

"Then do that."

The swordsman looked at the opponent whose eyes had briefly met his own.

He was a soldier with a pretty face.

He did not seem young.

Yet he felt like a boy who had just taken up a sword and grown excited.

Since he was showing his desire to fight so openly.

It would be a lie to say he was not drawn to it.

If the opponent showed spirit, was it not a swordsman's fate to want to answer it?

"I will leave it to you."

The brown-haired man dipped his head slightly, then stuck close to Polide and began soothing him.

"Do not get worked up."

"There is nothing to worry about."

"After all, if there is no evidence, that is the end of it, is it not?"

"More than anything, once we return to the city, whose side do you think the people of the merchant association will take?"

"But, but what if they catch him and bring him here?"

"It will still be fine."

The brown-haired man smiled with his eyes.

Polide was still uneasy, but because he had no choice, he forced a smile.

"Trust me."

At his words, Polide forced himself to squeeze out courage and added.

"Once we get back, it's over."

"They're all Father's people, so they'll all back me."

"Then that whore just dies."

"Since that's a bit of a shame, I might even take her as my concubine."

Would that truly be so?

The brown-haired man thought Polide was an idiot, but he did not show it outwardly.

The woman named Leona watched the two in silence.

They were not close enough for the conversation to be heard.

The brown-haired man believed in the force the swordsman had mentioned.

The swordsman was thinking whether he would be able to fight the Fairy if he beat down the soldier who had shown fighting spirit toward him.

* * *

Jaxon heard the conversation between the two, but he had no interest.

It looked like a performance meant to reassure that idiot called Polide.

He simply wanted Carmen's stiletto.

'Krais.'

Inwardly, he hoped Krais had properly won over the guild members by now.

Deep down, he also believed it.

Though Krais was terrible at using his body, his skill was extremely outstanding.

Having lived in the same squad, Jaxon had seen enough of him.

It was not something to worry about.

'If things go wrong.'

A dagger could simply be acquired through other means.

As Encrid respected Jaxon's hobby and stepped back, Torres, who had settled the situation, approached.

"Have you been well?"

"It's not as if I had any reason not to be."

"That's true."

"Looks like you'll be killing time at the inn for two days?"

It was as Torres said.

But was there any need to spend that time idly?

Encrid believed Krais would do his part.

The back-alley world had its own rules.

And work should be entrusted to experts.

What sort of man was Krais?

He was the man who had deliberately stepped into the troublemaker squad himself.

The reason?

There were many, but one clear reason existed.

Because in the troublemaker squad, he did not have to fight himself.

The atmosphere itself was different from other squads.

He had found the place where he belonged well.

When he said he would take over the guild, he must have had his own thoughts.

Encrid believed that.

Sure enough, around that evening, someone sent by Krais arrived.

"Is there a person named Encrid here?"

It was a boy who looked about thirteen or fourteen.

One whose voice had only just begun to deepen.

Perhaps because he was frightened, he rolled his eyes and looked left and right as he asked.

The soldier guarding the inn gestured inward with his eyes.

Encrid, who had already been in the hall training his body with the isolation technique using a chair and table, heard it and stepped out.

Because he had taken off his top, he had only roughly draped a large cloth over his body.

When he stepped outside, the cold wind quickly cooled the sweat running down his forehead.

The weather was extremely cold.

"That's me."

The boy, wearing a coat made by layering thin cloth, stared blankly at Encrid and spoke.

"I came on an errand."

The boy's tone was firm.

Encrid took a few copper coins from his pouch.

Seeing him tremble with fear and look around anxiously, he seemed like he might need a few coins.

Encrid also liked his firm tone.

But instead, the boy refused the crona.

"No."

"I receive my pay from the guild."

The boy who refused handed over a small note.

It was quite impressive.

It also made it look as though Krais had the guild perfectly under control.

An errand boy refusing crona.

"Who is he?"

One of the soldiers surrounding the inn approached and asked.

Encrid honestly said it was a kid Krais had sent.

"What's he doing outside this time?"

Krais was a capable man who had his hands in all sorts of things, dealt in information, sold tobacco, and summoned prostitutes.

Hiring a little kid as an errand runner was nothing unusual.

Encrid went back inside and unfolded the note.

- Before the morning two days from now.

It was short, but the meaning was enough.

It meant he would bring the man in soon.

"May I ask what you have been doing all day?"

When Encrid tossed the note into the fireplace, Torres asked from behind him.

"Training."

"During an escort mission?"

"I don't think anyone is going to attack right now."

"Still, doesn't the client say anything?"

"As you can see."

"It is pleasant to watch."

Leona was watching too.

Encrid did not care who watched.

Had Audin not said it?

"The isolation technique is adding another day to your day."

"Think of it as painstakingly building a wall called your body on the foundation of today."

He thought Audin had a fine way of saying not to skip even a single day.

He had decided to keep those words as much as he could.

Encrid was a man who did things once he decided to do them.

He mixed the isolation technique into his daily sword training.

"Do you not get sick of it?"

Of course not.

It was only fun.

It was the fun of watching himself change day by day.

While training, he maintained Sense of the Blade.

He also used Concentrate on a Single Point.

Only Heart of a Beast was a technique he could not easily use during training.

And so he was once again performing the technique with his top off.

"Perhaps because she is the daughter of a merchant association, she has no shyness between men and women."

Torres said with a grin.

He was sitting on a chair turned backward.

Instead of answering, Leona replied with a light smile.

And as she did, she admired Encrid.

That face and that body.

Even the sweat flowing as he trained.

They suited her tastes perfectly.

Encrid still moved while ignoring the eyes of everyone around him.

Watching that, the Fairy Company Commander, seated on the inn stairs, asked Jaxon.

"Is he usually the sort to enjoy people's gazes?"

"Your soldier's Squad Leader, I mean."

"I do not know."

Jaxon was prickly, and the Company Commander neither asked further nor pressed him.

She too was now studying Encrid closely.

Was a handsome face and a trained body not always welcome?

Encrid pressed both palms down on the chair, stretched his feet straight forward, and placed his weight on his forearms.

Each time his body lowered beneath the chair and rose again, the outer muscles of his forearms twitched.

As Torres watched him steadily, two more Border Guard members joined him.

"Is that friend the one?"

"The Spellbreaker who took us down?"

"That's right."

The two spoke as if they wanted him to hear.

Since Encrid had just completed one cycle of the technique, he made a suggestion to Torres.

"If you're bored, how about a spar?"

It was time they had to spend anyway.

There was also a large empty lot behind the inn.

Everything was a facility for those who visited the inn.

In other words, it was a space for mercenaries or swordsmen in charge of guarding merchant associations.

Sometimes, when quarrels broke out, fights happened there as well.

So it was a place more than sufficient for one spar.

"The lady is quite generous."

When Torres said that and looked back at Leona, Leona nodded without the slightest hesitation.

"It will be a good show."

Torres had been asking indirectly whether it was fine, and Leona gave permission at once.

Torres's body had been itching to move as well.

More than anything, the two Border Guard members behind him welcomed it even more.

"They say he's an upper-grade soldier."

"Captain Torres, are you going first?"

"Isn't this the sort of thing where you start from the bottom and work up?"

Everyone seemed very interested in Encrid.

Encrid was pleased that he had more opponents.

"All of you should do it."

From then on, an untimely sparring craze broke out.

If they drew real swords, the spar might not end as a spar, so they broke off suitable tree branches and used them in place of swords, but everyone was serious.

"I will join as well."

Even the Company Commander joined, and everyone inside the inn became a spectator.

"They are insane."

The only one clicking his tongue was Leona's escort.

These people were all insane.

What sort of sparring did one do in the middle of an escort?

Of course, he could not stop them.

It was a bout that his own master, Leona, had permitted.