A Knight Who Eternally Regresses

They wore the clothes of those who entered through the castle gates.

Encrid moved straight outside.

“Hey, where are you going?”

A soldier who was helping guide the residents from the castle wall shouted. Encrid lifted the old, wide-brimmed hat that covered his head. His eyes became visible, and he met the gaze of the soldier who called out to him.

Blue, clear eyes, along with a visible nose and lips. It wasn’t difficult to recognize who he was.

“A walk.”

“Captain Encrid?”

Recently, it was rare to find someone in the city who didn’t recognize Encrid’s face.

“Shh.”

Encrid signaled for silence by putting his index finger to his lips and then went outside.

He had left Krais behind. That guy was useless in a frontal battle.

Unlike the crowding residents, he moved in the opposite direction, which naturally made him stand out a bit.

He felt like a fish swimming upstream.

He didn’t care.

It didn’t matter if his allies saw him.

The important thing was that the enemy didn’t see him. It was still too early for the enemy scouts to be within visual range. So, it was a perfect time to go out and hide.

“Let’s go.”

Encrid said and started running.

“An ambush?”

Finn, who was running beside him, asked.

“Yeah.”

Finn didn’t say anything more. She didn’t question what an ambush meant with less than ten people.

She knew.

Having spent some time with Audin, she had felt a lot.

The Madmen Platoon was full of monsters.

That included Encrid.

* * *

Marcus was stroking his beard as he stood on the gallery above the castle wall when his adjutant, who had come with him from the Kingdom, asked.

“Will it be alright?”

It wasn’t that he doubted Encrid’s strength. He believed in him. But aside from trust, it also looked precarious. Aside from trust, it appeared that way on the outside.

That’s why they had prepared a backup plan.

“I don’t know. Not sure.”

“Then why are you smiling?”

The adjutant couldn’t read any worry or concern in Marcus’s expression. He found it truly curious.

This was the first time he had seen Marcus speak so passionately and the first time he had seen him smile like this.

‘No, I’ve seen it a few times.’

He had seen such a smile when Marcus discovered his favorite tea leaves, bid for them at an auction, and successfully acquired them.

It was a smile seen when he found something precious and all that remained was to enjoy it.

“It might be fun, if nothing else.”

He wasn’t someone who found battlefields fun. But saying it like this meant there was a reason.

The adjutant realized that Marcus had a considerable amount of expectations for Encrid, the Company Commander.

Not just expectations, it seemed like he was simply enjoying it.

“The forces without a crest are likely the Viscount’s Army of Bentra. Count Molsen might have sent people too.”

The adjutant said.

Molsen had the nickname of a talent collector. He had many skilled subordinates.

Marcus had expected this. Hiding their crest was because they couldn’t help openly.

Count Molsen also wanted to cut and devour the chunk of meat that was the Border Guard.

It was troublesome, and it meant that even a big predator had joined the fray.

And with Molsen, you never knew what cunning trick he might pull.

Marcus didn’t concern himself with matters beyond his reach. After all, they couldn’t ask for help from the central authority, and if this was a gamble, it made sense to bet everything on the one card he trusted.

If he didn’t even think of it as a gamble, there was nothing more to say.

“But why isn’t the Independent Company Commander coming up?”

Marcus asked. At the time when all the commanders were gathering on the gallery, only Encrid was missing.

“Over there.”

As soon as Marcus asked, the sharp-eyed Fairy Company Commander pointed.

Residents engaged in farming and other auxiliary tasks were entering from outside the castle walls. And some were moving against this flow.

No matter how well they hid, it was hard to conceal Audin’s large frame.

Of course, the Fairy Company Commander had recognized Encrid.

“He’s going out.”

No orders had been given yet. Marcus had merely granted him the authority.

“…Ha.”

Marcus let out a small exclamation. He had a rough idea of what Encrid was trying to do.

And if it worked, the enemy would have a very complex start.

A smile naturally formed on his face.

* * *

The commander of Martai was named Olf.

He wanted to be called a general, and he had the abilities to justify it. He had proven himself in personal combat and as a commander.

All his adjutants also called him General.

The nickname of the Border Guard’s leader was Battalion Commander, while the leader of Martai was called General.

Well, it didn’t matter what they called themselves.

“General, we’re ready.”

“The mangonels?”

“Eight in total. No problems.”

Mangonels were mobile stone-throwing siege engines operated by six strong men.

Their advantage was that they were mobile and didn’t require setup.

Although less powerful than trebuchets, they were easier to operate.

Because they had wheels, they were considered mobile siege artillery.

Trebuchets, on the other hand, required setup.

Olf thought eight mangonels were more than sufficient.

In addition, there was support from the crestless forces.

The commander of those forces approached.

“I don’t think there’s any need to drag this out, do you?”

He didn’t know the man’s name or face. The man had brown eyes and a scruffy mustache.

He didn’t look older than thirty.

Although the man showed some courtesy, it didn’t seem like he respected Olf.

Anyway, he must have something to rely on to have come here.

Olf didn’t mind.

He was one of the commanders of the Viscount’s Army of Bentra. He didn’t seem interested in command, but that wasn’t Olf’s concern.

Instead of worrying about such things, it was more beneficial to focus on the battlefield.

It was better to assess the enemy’s strength than waste time on trivial thoughts.

Olf kept an eye on those who had performed well in previous battles.

Thankfully, or perhaps not, the Viscount’s Army of Bentra had two commanders.

The other one was more communicative.

In reality, this second commander was in charge of most of the troop control.

That second commander had said,

“Encrid? Ah, that guy? Half of it is bravado. He goes around boasting impossible achievements. If I meet him on the battlefield, I plan to put a hole in his throat.”

The pointed Estoc at his waist gave weight to his words.

Olf nodded in agreement.

After all, weren’t they fighting together?

They were unusual, though.

The first commander, with his bored expression, just followed along and occasionally urged them to hurry.

‘Whatever.’

Victory in this battlefield was predetermined, and he was the main actor.

By devouring the Border Guard, he would turn this area into a new eastern bridgehead.

Grand dreams soared high.

Around that time, it began to rain.

Rain fell from a clear sky.

It was a prank of the summer God.

Olf was on horseback at the rear of the battlefield.

A few houses were visible outside the Border Guard’s walls.

There was no sign of life in the houses abandoned by the residents.

The mangonels moved along the well-cleared path. Naturally, it was the path between the houses.

Seeing the siege engines lined up and moving through the houses was reassuring.

The thin rain began to make the ground slick, so it was time to hurry before the path turned muddy.

“Hurry up.”

At Olf’s command, the soldiers quickened their pace.

* * *

The prank of the summer God, that’s what they called rain falling from a clear sky.

It was a kind of superstition.

After all, there were no Gods representing each season.

Different regions called it different things.

In the west, they said it was the result of some sorcerer’s mistake.

Encrid had once heard Rem say that while watching this kind of rain.

Encrid wasn’t overly tense.

He thought he was just doing what he had to do.

That didn’t mean he planned to do it half-heartedly.

‘Is the summer God helping us?’

Since it was raining, visibility was slightly reduced.

This was a good condition for those hiding.

Predicting the path the enemy would take wasn’t difficult.

It was thanks to experience. If there were siege engines, they would naturally take the well-cleared paths, passing between the houses.

His prediction was correct. Anything with wheels needed a clear path.

Rumble.

Soon, the sound of wheels rolling was heard.

They opened the doors of the houses made of a mix of mud and wood, hiding behind them.

Audin couldn’t hide that way, so he was inside the house.

Rem, Ragna, and Dunbachel were behind the door of the house on the opposite side.

On this side were Encrid, Jaxon, and Audin.

Finn was further back.

‘Destroy the siege engines and retreat.’

Encrid relied on his past experience. There was no need to burn everything in one battle.

They could gradually wear them down.

It wasn’t a strategy or a tactical war plan.

He was simply applying what he had learned from the battle with the knolls, but it seemed plausible.

“Not bad.”

Krais nodded in agreement.

That was enough.

Encrid hid behind the door, watching as the mangonel passed by with a creaking sound.

“Damn it, raining now of all times.”

A soldier from the enemy army grumbled as he pushed the mangonel and made eye contact with Encrid. Encrid spoke in a calm tone.

“Audin, break it.”

The soldier’s eyes widened. The surprised man opened his mouth to shout.

Whoosh, thunk!

A dagger flew from Jaxon’s hand and embedded itself in the man’s forehead.

The man, hit in the forehead by the knife, fell back against the siege engine with a thud. His limbs went limp as he collapsed to the ground like an old wooden puppet.

“Ambush!”

There were more than ten men pulling the siege engine. It wasn’t possible to silence them all.

Encrid also jumped out. He stepped on the ground and drew his sword, making three stabbing motions.

He thrust to the left in a diagonal line, pulled back, thrust straight ahead, and finally thrust to the right in a diagonal line.

The three stabs created three casualties.

“Gah!”

“Ugh!”

“Ack!”

Three screams rang out simultaneously. The first man was stabbed through his mouth, creating a hole.

The second man was stabbed through the throat, and the third, with extra force, pierced through his leather armor and into his heart.

It was a technique that combined finesse and power.

In the midst of this, Audin burst out. The wall crumbled as he emerged, startling the enemy soldiers even more.

“Whoa!”

“What’s that!”

“…Ack!”

The shouts of surprise were varied.

Audin stood by the siege engine, grabbed it with his left hand, and pulled back his right fist before striking.

Encrid recognized that this move also incorporated the Valaf-Style Martial Arts technique.

He pushed his left foot forward and twisted his ankle, knee, and waist. The resulting punch was like a cannonball.

Bang!

A thunderous noise, like a summer God’s prank, exploded amidst the rain.

Raindrops scattered in all directions.

Crack!

The mangonel wasn’t a delicate siege engine. Its rough construction was its strength. But that didn’t mean its clutch, trigger, and wheels weren’t important.

Any structured weapon had clear weaknesses.

Of course, Audin didn’t concern himself with that.

He shattered the thick wooden frame that supported the mangonel’s structure with his fists, sending splintered wood flying amidst the rain.

With just a few punches, he destroyed the siege engine.

It was more than just great strength.

Only an ogre or giant, a monster among monsters, could do such a thing.

Even Frog wouldn’t be able to do this easily.

“Bless the humble servant!”

Destroying siege engines with his bare fists and saying such things.

Encrid once again admired his sincerity.

A similar scene was unfolding on the opposite side.

Over there, Rem was playing Audin’s role.

His axe shattered the mangonel’s basket, and he cut through all the tough ropes that acted as triggers.

Ragna leisurely walked, slicing, cutting, and stabbing the approaching enemy soldiers.

“Everyone, form ranks! Don’t charge recklessly!”

A commander among the siege engines shouted.

They had lost the two front engines, but they couldn’t just let it continue.

He planned to retreat and regroup for a counterattack.

The commander thought this and was about to speak.

“Ggurrggh?”

However, regardless of his thoughts, the meaning he held in his heart would never be spoken aloud.

Encrid saw a shadow suddenly appear behind the commander.

It was Jaxon. He slit the commander’s throat from behind with a dagger, threw the corpse aside, and then stabbed a soldier near the rear siege engine, killing him.

Dodge and stab. The simple moves increased the number of casualties.

Audin focused on destroying the siege engines instead of fighting the soldiers.

Bang! Bang!

A series of resounding crashes followed.

Naturally, all eyes turned to Audin, and while they were momentarily distracted, Jaxon vanished.

There was only…

“Gah!”

“Retreat, retreat!”

Only the shadow slicing the throats of those shouting remained. Combining momentary acceleration with his dagger, Jaxon picked off soldiers trying to regroup.

Encrid swung his sword, thinking it was a familiar scene.

The enemy soldiers were lined up in front of him as well.

Dunbachel fought only those who got close to Ragna.

Finn had initially kept her distance and stayed in the house at the back.

She was observing the entire situation from behind rather than participating directly in the battle.

It was, of course, Encrid’s order.

They charged and advanced. Destroying the eight siege engines lined up wasn’t a difficult task.

There was a soldier who tried to stop Audin. He grabbed and threw the approaching soldier with tremendous force and charged.

Boom!

He rammed the siege engine with his shoulder, toppling it sideways.

It seemed unbelievable, but it was happening right before their eyes, leaving them in astonishment.

The time it took to destroy all eight siege engines was just about ten minutes.

The summer God’s prank was originally brief.

During that short prank, Martai lost eight siege engines.

Beeeep!

Finn blew a prepared whistle. The main enemy force was beginning to move. At the sharp-eyed ranger’s signal, Encrid retreated.

Naturally, the others followed suit.

Dunbachel was the first to sprint. Watching the beastkin dash away, everyone retreated.

The battle hadn’t even properly begun, nor had they started shouting about surrendering in front of the castle walls.

Martai had lost their siege engines, and the soldiers of the Border Guard, who had been tense due to the enemy forces, regained their composure.

Encrid turned and ran. If they fled like this, it would be a successful operation.

However, Encrid suddenly stopped running.

“What are you doing?”

Rem noticed and spoke. Encrid turned completely around instead of answering.

He saw the halted enemy forces behind them.

Some hadn’t grasped the situation, some stared dumbly in their direction, some shouted to pursue, some glared with wide eyes, and some lay on the ground with bewildered expressions.

What had brought them to this state?

What had stopped them in their tracks?

A hot sensation surged from his lower belly to his throat.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Finn raised her voice. Everyone looked at their commander’s back, wondering what he was doing.

Encrid, for some reason, just felt like doing it.

He wanted to release that hot sensation.

“My name is Encrid.”

He declared his name while standing still.

“If you retreat now, you can live.”

He raised his voice calmly.

It wasn’t a scream or a shout. It was an appropriate resonance. Even so, it spread wide, deep, and loud.

The eyes of the enemy soldiers in the front line fixed on Encrid. Dozens, hundreds of pairs of eyes. Encrid met their gaze.

It was a display of boldness.

A sudden surge of audacity.

That’s why he said it.

A declaration of war and a warning, imbued with his own name.

Everyone’s eyes focused on him. It was an unprecedentedly bold act.

“Is he crazy?”

Rem said, but it gave their own soldiers an indescribable thrill.

Uwaaaaa!

Of course, the cheers grew louder.

To stop in front of more than a thousand enemy soldiers.

To shout in front of them with such spirit.

It was as if they were witnessing the hero of a story.

“Get a grip. Are you on drugs?”

And Rem kept muttering from behind.

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