Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 499 - While I Was Gone

Chapter 499 - While I Was Gone

The rain was too light to be called autumn rain.

It was still more appropriate to call it late summer.

The rain started to fall, then suddenly stopped. It was an ambiguous situation, as it wasn't quite rain, nor was it dry. The ground wasn't even wet yet. The sky had darkened, and it looked like more rain might fall.

"Who are you?"

As the three of them entered the border of the territory, a group of soldiers blocked their path.

It was clear that Krais wasn't slacking off.

The soldiers blocking their way had a disciplined posture.

Some soldiers gave off a feeling that they could be easily bribed with a few coins, but the ones in front now clearly belonged to the latter type—soldiers who displayed military discipline.

Their grip on their polearms revealed this.

The muscular forearms exposed by their short linen sleeves gave a hint of Audin's influence.

They were also well-armed, carrying short swords at their hips. Enkrid noticed all this with a glance.

His ability to observe and process information seemed sharper than before.

"What is it? Enki?"

A woman in light attire recognized him.

She had sweat beading on her forehead, holding a piece of parchment in her hand.

It was Leona, the guildmaster of Rockfreed Trading Company.

"...What are you doing here?"

Enkrid asked, a hint of curiosity in his expression.

"Work."

Leona replied with a smile. It seemed they were in the process of building a new city.

She nodded in response when Enkrid mentioned that they were returning and about to enter.

Behind Enkrid, Rem's face lit up with excitement, a smile full of anticipation.

"I see. I wonder how my troublesome subordinates are doing."

When he was excited, Rem tended to talk more.

Leona wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve, then stared at Enkrid as she spoke.

While he mentioned subordinates, Rem didn't have any under him, so he was likely referring to the members of the unit.

"It's been a while since I've been near Border Guard, so I don't know much about the latest news."

It made sense.

There seemed to be a lot to do here.

From the looks of it, they were expanding the city from the Border Guard.

That wasn't an easy task.

Even here, while settling in, there was work to clear out monsters and gather stones to build with.

When establishing a new city, the first step is often to set up a wooden fence to mark the boundaries, and then drive away nearby monsters.

Why? If monsters kept attacking while trying to establish the city, there'd be no chance.

If the ground were soaked and waterlogged from the rain, that would be a problem too.

And there needed to be farmland around the city to support its inhabitants.

The idea of a trade city was all well and good, but how many cities on the continent could survive solely by trade?

In a kingdom that follows feudalism and centralized rule, even royal territories receive supplies of food and goods, but...

"Practically, a city needs to be self-sustaining to be meaningful."

That was likely why they were building this city with self-sufficiency in mind.

However, there weren't any farmlands nearby, and the forest where the Centaurs once lived was close by.

Forests, while rich in resources, were also perfect habitats for monsters. They probably didn't intend to wipe the entire forest out, but it seemed they were going to take action to deal with it to some degree. Logs were stacked beside the piles of stones. It was clear that a lot of work had already been done.

Enkrid looked around. There were obvious signs that someone had been actively working here. He was curious about what Krais was thinking.

"The name of this city is Rockfreed."

Leona said with a smile. She was directly overseeing the construction of the trade city under the trading company's direction.

Behind her, Mathis nodded, acknowledging Enkrid's presence.

"Back already?"

Mathis seemed different from before, with more wrinkles on his face. A young swordsman, whom Enkrid didn't recognize, stood next to him. The young man appeared to be Mathis's disciple.

The Rockfreed Trading Company seemed to have more fighters than Enkrid had expected. While not on the scale of Border Guard, they were still a formidable group of soldiers.

"Ah, you were a general, right?"

A group of soldiers who recognized Enkrid, courtesy of Leona, saluted him.

"Good, thank you for your service. Everyone's doing well?"

Rem said with a smooth smile, casually tapping the soldiers' shoulders. The soldiers stood at attention, saying nothing. It was clear that someone had warned them about Rem. They were probably told to ignore the gray-haired man holding an axe and endure whatever he did.

Enkrid sensed this and instinctively knew the warning was accurate. He remembered his previous mistake in thinking that Rem was simply a mix of continent people, so he had learned the importance of confirming such things. Being cautious was always necessary.

"There are gaps in everyone," Enkrid thought.

It was an insight he had gained after nearly dying in the desert and repeatedly reliving the experience in a broken mental state. It was a lesson he'd learned: Always check and confirm.

And once gaps are found, action must be taken immediately. Anyone can fall, but not everyone can get back up right away. However, getting back up quickly is key.

"Think ahead and act."

That was the skill to be learned by knights, and Enkrid had learned it, bit by bit. His habit of reflecting and looking for paths even in small things was something he had developed over time.

"Did someone warn you to be cautious?" Rem casually asked, as he walked past the soldiers, and Enkrid, following behind, whispered his question.

One of the soldiers glanced around nervously before answering.

"Instructor Lord Ropord."

The title of 'Lord' was likely either because he was a squire, or simply a sign of respect. Titles often carried respect in this context.

"We'll talk later."

Enkrid waved at Leona and told the soldier as he walked past.

Without warning, Leona asked him, her face expressionless, "Do you have plans to marry me?"

Enkrid stopped in his tracks, blinking in surprise, while Leona said the rest without a single change in her expression.

"Just joking."

Had she been hanging out with Shinar lately? Enkrid thought, as he passed by the construction site, heading toward Border Guard. After walking for a while, the city walls appeared in the distance. It would have been a short distance if on horseback, but on foot, it would take a little longer. Enkrid calculated that he would probably arrive before noon, around three hours later.

Krais must have had his reasons for choosing this location to build the new city. As light rain began to fall again, Enkrid neared the city walls.

"General?"

It was Vengeance, the former platoon leader, now likely a company commander. He greeted Enkrid from atop the walls. Enkrid could see from far away that Vengeance had recognized him. Vengeance's eyesight has always been sharp.

Enkrid looked over the soldiers standing guard along the walls. Familiar faces were visible. There were also quite a few unfamiliar ones. The area in front of the wall seemed somewhat chaotic. People were lining up to pass through the wall, and there were others living under tents nearby. Fairies were occasionally spotted, and dwarves could be seen too, in fairly large numbers. Some tents were emitting steam, as people were preparing food on-site. It didn't look like they were living in poverty, just that they had settled here.

"Please come in."

Vengeance greeted him respectfully. Personally, he was a benefactor who had saved his life, and professionally, he was the highest-ranking officer in his unit. As Enkrid walked in, everyone tilted their heads in curiosity. Why was this person allowed to pass through so easily? However, no one attempted to stop him or make a fuss. It was clear that Vengeance himself had come down to guide him, and seeing Rem and the Frog following behind made anyone hesitant to speak up. The man with the black hair walking ahead had an unusual appearance and a presence unlike others. It was clear that his Will had naturally begun to spread around him.

As Enkrid entered and walked along familiar paths, he noticed that much had changed in just a few months. First, there were more vendors selling goods. The Border Guard was already a major hub for traders, so it made sense. The barracks had expanded. The walls had grown wider, and several new buildings had risen up, stretching toward the sky.

"Did they rush this construction?"

Rem commented, clearly surprised. How could the scale have increased so much in such a short time? If anyone saw it, they might mistake Krais for a wizard. But if one knew the details, it wouldn't seem so remarkable. Krais had cut out unnecessary processes in construction, directly contacting the stonemason and artisan guilds. Usually, when nobles start a project, they send orders down the chain, with middlemen taking a cut and making the process slow and costly.

"We'll settle the guilds in the city."

Krais spoke as if notifying Lord Graham, the lord responsible for the Border Guard, and began implementing the changes. No one could stop him, and there was no reason to. The fame of Enkrid played a significant role in gathering people.

"Isn't the general over there the one who stopped Aspens and then swept through Martai and even the Molsan territory?"

Most guild leaders were asking questions like this. Whether it was the stone masons or artisan guilds, people were naturally drawn to him. First, there were the fighters wanting to test Enkrid's strength. Then, the nobles hoping to secure a future with him. After that came the merchants eyeing the trade routes, and now, engineers had joined. Krais had gathered them all and set the work in motion.

"Each person in charge will take full responsibility. I give you the right to select five people. You can manage them however you like, and half of the payment will be given in advance."

He selected skilled individuals, assigning them to recruit five more skilled workers to ensure smooth operations. He also created an inspection team, not to uncover faults, but to handle issues whenever they arose. By organizing the team like a unified guild, he was able to make things work where they otherwise might not have.

"Why isn't this working?"

"The hunters' guild is selling the hides too expensively, so the work is stalling."

"That's the proper price. Do you think getting monster hides is easy?"

When such problems arose, Krais would immediately send in the military. He would hunt down the monsters himself, not to undercut the hunters, but to strike a deal with the hunters' guild for a fair price. This quick resolution of problems sped up all processes, and that was why a new barracks had appeared in front of Enkrid. Rem made a quick remark about the new barracks before walking in. First, they encountered a large training ground, where more than twenty soldiers were sweating and training. Despite the rain, they were all working hard, training without pause. To Enkrid, Rem, and Luagarne, it looked like regular training. However, to the soldiers rolling on the ground, it felt more like torture.

"Captain!"

From a raised platform, where only one person was sheltered from the rain, Ropord called out. He greeted Enkrid warmly. Enkrid waved his hand, and Rem walked ahead.

"Where's that directionally-disfunctional bastard?"

Rem had already assumed a battle-ready stance. His right hand was resting on his waist, already grasping an axe. He looked ready to throw it the moment he saw Ragna. They had sparred several times on their way here. Enkrid wasn't sure who would win if Ragna and Rem fought. Rem, with his magic, was certainly at the level of a knight, capable of exuding a pressure akin to a curse, perhaps inflicting fear.

Ropord laughed awkwardly at Rem's question.

"Is something wrong?"

Enkrid asked, but the soldiers didn't stop their drills. They were clearly focused on training, a powerful display of discipline. There had likely been several demonstrations of force before.

"Well..."

Ropord scratched the back of his head and explained.

"He went out for a walk and hasn't returned in four days."

"Is he insane?"

Rem couldn't hide his disbelief. How could someone who couldn't even find their way go out for a walk?

"Where to?"

Enkrid asked calmly.

"He said he'd briefly explore the mountainside," Ropord replied.

"Why send him alone?" Enkrid asked.

"He said if anyone followed, he'd kill them."

Of course, Ragna must have insisted on it. Enkrid didn't need to be told. Had Ragna gotten lost in the mountains? Couldn't be, he thought. But did he really go to the mountains? If he left from the barracks, he might have already crossed into the eastern lands by now. Four days seemed too short for that though. Enkrid quickly dismissed his worries. Ragna was not someone who would perish so easily.

"What about the cat?"

"He's gone to another city to deal with a problem."

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"Damn it."

Rem grumbled. It seemed that two others were also absent. That was probably why Ropord was here.

"Krais is in the city of Green Pearl."

Green Pearl had been turned into a fortified city, and the name "Green Pearl" had been chosen for it.

"Lord Audin and Lady Theresa have gone to the mountains for a fasting prayer."

Enkrid wasn't surprised. They were the type to go off on their own without a second thought. He figured they would return in their own time. But what caught his attention was the noticeable change in Squire Ropord. His demeanor was different from before. Enkrid could tell that his skill had greatly improved since their last meeting. Naturally, his attention shifted toward Ropord.

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