374 - A Knight Who Eternally Regresses

Title: 374. Woof Woof While Jaksen was causing a commotion, Enkried tossed Marcus aside like a rag doll. “The Grand Duke is at the palace.” Marcus said as he rolled away. He was quick-witted enough to know what was happening. Crumpled up, he sought a place to catch his breath. He had no immediate power to call upon the military, so hiding was his only option. Although he once served as a captain, he lacked any troops that genuinely followed his orders. ‘Damnable Vaistar.’ His family neither sided with this faction nor the other. Marcus wasn’t pleased with their neutrality. But he couldn’t just sit and do nothing. If he sent Enkried to the palace, he would be able to do what needed to be done. He just had to survive for now and see what he could achieve afterward. If he had known this would happen, he would have stayed on his horse. Enkried nodded slightly, mounting his one-eyed horse. The intense energy from before emanated through the horse's skin. A fierce determination. ‘I am swift.’ Strength solely meant for running. Yet, he didn’t want to recklessly exert his power or will. But he ran nonetheless. ‘Because I asked him to.’ The one-eyed horse fully understood Enkried's request. The partially transformed beast stomped its feet a few times before taking off. It was an insult to compare its movement to that of an ordinary horse. The one-eyed horse gracefully kicked off the ground, lowering its body. With its knees half-bent, it propelled itself forward, swiftly passing through the mansion's front gate. It was both stealthy and quick, disappearing like a dark shadow. It was at the moment when Jaksen drew attention by slaying a few assassins. There was no one guarding the front gate, only those on the wall. Perhaps a typical assassin's habit? Enkried spoke while pondering. “That way.” He grabbed the mane and crouched low. The whispered command made the one-eyed horse move. They headed toward the outer road leading to the palace. Inside the capital was chaos. Observant citizens had all retreated into their homes and bolted their doors. A few stores hastily closed, and some of the guards patrolled with fierce glints in their eyes, weapons in hand. Enkried ignored all of it. The one-eyed horse lightly tapped the ground and stopped in front of the outer road leading to the palace. This was not a road meant for normal passage. It was a direct route to the palace, made on the periphery with the castle wall on the left. “Let's go.” Neigh! The horse answered and kicked off the ground with a powerful thrust. Instantly, the surroundings blurred and faded backward. Would this be the result if one could repeatedly trigger a moment of will? The speed was incredible. Before long, they were faced with an obstacle ahead. No, the moment they saw it, it was already upon them. The focus kicked in, allowing them to recognize what lay ahead. A wooden barricade stood there. It was sharply tipped and firmly embedded in the ground, angled, such that a careless collision, whether by horse, carriage, or person, would surely lead to getting skewered. It was a structure that sturdy warhorses would hesitate to charge. If they built a direct route to the palace, it was natural to have means to block it. “St-stop...huh...?” The soldier standing before the obstacle tried to say something, but he couldn’t finish his sentence. It seemed as if a black mass was hurtling through the air. The speed was unbelievable. In the blink of an eye, it was right in front of him. He tried to shout stop. But before he could fully voice his command, the black mass leaped over his head. Thud. With the sound of hooves striking the ground, a gust of wind brushed past his ears. Something massive had vaulted over him. Maintaining its charging speed, it passed overhead. The one-eyed horse leaped over the barricade without a hitch. To the horse, it didn’t seem very high. There was no need for Enkried to say anything. The horse acted on its own. “...Wow.” A few shocked soldiers turned their heads in disbelief. A typical horse might leap over a reasonable width, but this seemed more like it was flying. Dozens of soldiers and barricades blocked the road to the palace, but they had been overcome in one bound. “Oh, oh, shoot!” The commander shouted belatedly. The order held no meaning. The horse had already dashed far into the distance. It was faster than any horse Enkried had ridden before. The palace, once distant, now loomed close. They had galloped past sharp spears and barricades, arriving in no time at all. As the horse reached the palace front, it struck the ground with its forelimbs, twisting its body to a halt. Scrape. Its hind hooves scuffed the earth, kicking up a cloud of dust that billowed into the air. It was a marvel that it could run at such speed but also stop with perfect control. Enkried righted his body that had leaned with the motion and spoke. “Thank you.” Then he jumped down immediately. This was no time to be impressed by the horse. Enkried sprinted into the palace. No guards were stationed at the inner fortress. Instead, the clamor of metal and a stench of blood resonated from within. Following the sounds and smells, Enkried ran. “Y-You bastard!” Someone who recognized him appeared. A group of people clustered together. Was it a chance created by coincidence? Or perhaps the intervention of a lucky goddess? Whatever it was, or maybe he had wished for such a moment himself. It was unclear. He saw a familiar face, the one who used to spread false rumors — formerly a blabbering instructor. “Hey, bring that waitress over here.” He recalled those times when the man would run his mouth. He had been beaten senseless afterward. “Admit you lost, say you’re sorry, say you were wrong.” The man had demanded, but Enkried had quietly replied. “What? Did you say ‘woof woof’?” He had many near-death experiences. Some were helpful, but there were also many bad memories. This was one of the latter. The former barking instructor was now a soldier for the Mernes Viscount's family. He wore a gambeson emblazoned with the family crest. Grinning slyly, he spoke. “Hey, be honest. You sold yourself to get where you are now, didn’t you?” It was the same nonsense he hadn’t heard in ages. The former barking instructor knew Enkried from the past. A guy who swung his sword with everything he had, no hint of talent whatsoever. A guy whose hands would burst open from gripping the sword too tightly. A fool. And this fool was now being labeled the hero of the Border Guard? It was ridiculous. There must have been some people backing him. Even back then, there were those who subtly supported him. “Do you know where Krang is?” “What?” “Seems like you don’t.” “What nonsense are you spewing, you moron?” “You must be busy barking just like before, huh? Woof woof?” Mentioning their past connection caused the instructor’s face to redden. “I’ll kill you.” He growled with murderous intent, thrusting his sword forward and assuming a stance. Some of what the fool had said back then was useful. “If you get cocky just because you’re strong, you’ll end up dead. Even catching a rabbit requires your best effort. Otherwise, you’ll go to hell — that’s how this world is.” That made sense to Enkried, so he showed a part of his best. Amidst the rows of columns resembling a corridor, there were thirteen of his opponents, including the instructor. By the looks of their jeering and the swords in their hands, it was clear they were up to no good under the name of the Mernes Viscount army. A maid stood among them, half of her clothes torn, her eyes wide with fear, scratches marring her arms, and her body trembling. Enkried stepped forward with his left foot. Muscles tensed. He bent his knee and then extended it, grasping his sword while surveying the scene. He saw the enemy and kicked off the ground. Thump! His foot propelled him off the stone floor. A burst of acceleration. In that burst of speed, sparks flared and extinguished the acquaintance of the past. Splat, thud. With the noise, one corpse fell. A stream of blood followed the sword that withdrew as quickly as it had thrust. The instructor couldn’t even react to Enkried’s thrust. The disparity in skill was evident. The man holding the sword crumpled. His knees hit the ground with a thud, and then he toppled forward. His head made a heavy thud as it collided with the floor, almost like a prolonged kiss. The rest of them froze, holding their breath. They were too shocked. Enkried quietly unsheathed the sword at his left hip. A gladius slid out with a sleek whisper. Holding the gladius in his right hand and the other sword in his left, Enkried became a wolf among sheep. Two sheep extended their hands full of wool, but the wolf effortlessly swept and severed them. The following cleave of the thick and wide blade and the thrust of the thin and narrow sword transformed twelve sheep into near-slaughtered states. Having dispatched them all, Enkried swung his weapons in the air to flick off the blood. The maid was saved, but she only fell deeper into fear. The once demon-like group before her had become mere slabs of meat in an instant. It was fortunate she didn’t faint. She was far from being in a state to respond to any questions. Not that Enkried was in a position to care. “Find somewhere to hide.” He spoke briefly and moved on. He sheathed his sword as he stepped forward, flexing and unflexing his fingers as he thought. ‘It’s become more comfortable.’ From his numerous sparring sessions with Aisha and confronting her before, Enkried realized he had become more accustomed to wielding his will. Before, using it excessively would lead to him passing out, but he could recover in a night’s sleep now. Seeing this, Aisha had been astounded, yet Enkried had always felt discomfort. But the more he repeated it, the more it felt ingrained in his body. As if using his will naturally altered his body. That’s how he evolved, so to speak. In any case, the improvement was clear and substantial compared to before. These were fleeting thoughts, shreds of passing consideration. Afterward, Enkried had a hunch that someone else might block his path. ‘It seems like all bad fates are determined to appear.’ First was that inspector driven by jealousy. Then a group of assassins. And now, the former barking instructor. Enkried instinctively moved his feet. Before long, he stumbled upon another skirmish. Thanks to following the sounds. It was in the palace’s inner garden. Oddly enough, no one guarded the inner walls, as fights erupted here. The place was split between two factions of the Royal Guard. “Who are you?” One of the Royal Guards shouted, and Enkried replied. “I’m just a passerby. Continue what you were doing.” “...What kind of lunatic…” “If anyone knows where Krang is, I’d appreciate it if you told me.” Enkried’s gaze settled on one person. The owner of an ash-gray helmet. Judging by his blood-stained body, he hadn’t had it easy either. “He’s in a side chamber further inside the palace. You’re late.” The man said. “Crazy bastard!” One of the Royal Guards brandished a golden spear and charged at Enkried. Enkried shifted his right foot back and snapped it forward, launching a kick. A Valar-style high rear kick. Using the rotation of his hips, his foot swung like a whip, precisely striking the hands gripping the spear. The Royal Guard focused on his sword hadn’t anticipated this and got his fingers hit. Crack! The sound of bones breaking echoed. Enkried’s boots, reinforced with hardened leather at the instep and tips, were weapons in themselves. “Argh!” The soldier yelped, releasing his spear. With a fracture, the pain must have been intense. Upon seeing his face, Enkried recognized him. A fellow who used to grind his teeth in frustration and anger. Meeting him again here. Enkried struck the man’s head with the flat of his sword. Wham! The blow landed with a satisfying crack and a yelp of pain. The man collapsed sideways. A dull sound echoed as he fell. Blood seeped from the golden helmet. His skull might have suffered a small fracture. Turning his gaze, Enkried asked. “Need assistance?” Despite knocking someone out, he appeared incredibly composed. A subtle pressure and presence overwhelmed the surroundings. It was the aura only those with real skill could exude. It was a pressure typically felt only from squires of the Red Cloak Knights, causing everyone to hold their tongues. “Didn’t I say you were too late?” The owner of the ash-gray helmet said. It was a suggestion to bypass this and go to Krang. “In that case.” Enkried took off running. He didn’t know exactly where the side chamber was, but he trusted his gut and headed in the direction he felt was right. If he couldn’t find the chamber, he could ask someone he met along the way. “This is treason!” A shout rang out behind him. “If doing what I believe is right is treason, then I am indeed a traitor.” The reply came from the owner of the ash-gray helmet. Enkried pressed onward, searching for the side chamber. The long corridor seemed to guide him towards one end. Light filtered through the windows set in the walls. He wondered if this would put even Her Majesty the Queen at risk as he took a few steps forward. “That's as far as you go.” Someone blocked Enkried's path. A woman with fiery orange hair, wearing simple leather armor instead of a cloak and metal plate. Enkried halted. This was an encounter where words would precede actions. “Aisha?” “This is the limit. I cannot allow you to go any further.” Aisha stood in front of Enkried, blocking his path, without a trace of a smile.