"A banquet? Tell them to process another document instead of wasting time on that."
What is a throne?
What is a crown?
At this point, Krang could answer with certainty.
'It's a place perfect for dying of overwork.'
There was a lot of work. Too much. So much that it felt like his head was going to explode if he had to handle it all alone.
But it was work, so it had to be done. Krang cut down on sleep, which ended up causing trouble for the royal chef.
"You should eat properly, shouldn't you?"
Marcus said from the side.
With a sandwich in his mouth, Krang widened his eyes at Marcus.
He spoke with his eyes instead of his mouth.
"Are you really telling me to take my time lighting candles, holding a knife and fork, slicing meat, and chatting with other nobles when there's this much work piling up?"
"…Forget it."
Marcus saw a new side of Krang. This person was a workaholic. Of course, he had his reasons for being this way.
But still, someone had to say it.
"Some nobles are trying to approach Encrid."
Krang, who had his head buried in documents with a sandwich in his mouth, lifted his head again.
Marcus continued calmly.
"They probably want to have the hero of the nation on their side."
Even though they had warded off many, how many nobles still remained in the Capital?
It was easily more than a hundred.
And if you included nobles from other regions?
Not all of them were shrewd and intelligent.
Some were loyal, but with the civil war over, they would surely be looking to secure their own interests.
And what was the best way to secure the largest share?
To have the King himself call you a close friend.
The hero of the nation for whom the King had ceded his place during the coronation.
If you could keep such a person in your domain? What if you could bring them under your command? Especially since their current affiliation was vague at best.
Encrid was merely a Company Commander of the Border Guard.
So, they'd try every trick in the book, starting with using beautiful women.
"People are bound to change."
Marcus said.
Krang swallowed the last of his sandwich and met Marcus' eyes for a moment.
Both of them, with dark circles under their eyes, looked at each other and suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahaha."
"Phuhuhu."
Some people do change.
But not Encrid.
"Let them suffer. He'll handle it on his own."
Krang didn't care at all about the nobles who were trying to cozy up to Encrid. There was something else he wanted to ask Marcus.
"But are you really okay with this?"
"Pardon? Oh, you mean the title? Yes, I'm fine with it."
"Hmm."
Krang nodded.
"It seems even Marquis Visar sought out Enki."
"He's lost his touch a bit."
Krang truly didn't care. It made sense. Anyone who had gone through what he had with Encrid would feel the same.
"So, the nobles wanting to throw a banquet…."
As Marcus started to speak, Krang cut him off.
"Can we seize some of their assets?"
"With force?"
"Yeah."
"Is becoming a tyrant your next goal?"
Would it really matter if he became a tyrant? For a moment, Krang was tempted.
"Why is the Royal Family so poor?"
As soon as the Queen had ascended the throne, she said her farewells and left gracefully. She even took the court wizard with her.
Krang had decided to think of her as gone altogether.
Recently, his biggest concern was finding a way to accumulate wealth.
If he knew Krais well, he would've wanted to appoint him as the finance minister on the spot.
Of course, this was also a mess of his own making.
Krang had gone a bit overboard with some of his policies.
The most critical was the issue of the King's personal guard.
Krang had replaced the King's guard Knights.
"I've heard they maintain their Knightly status under the condition that they never leave the Royal Palace, but is that something they really want to do?"
The Knights maintaining their status through a combination of magical power and the mystery of Will had to figure out the true meaning behind the King's words.
They must have wondered what he was even talking about.
They had been guarding the King's side for three generations. Their grandfather and father had walked the same path. The curse on their bloodline was both a shackle and a binding.
"Are you asking me this seriously?"
When the guard Knight asked in return, Krang released him from his curse. He granted him freedom, telling him to do what he truly wanted and go wherever he wished.
The Royal Guard was replaced by the previous Royal Guard. The man in the gray helmet knelt and even shed tears.
"I swear to protect you with my life. Even in death, I will guard you."
In this way, Krang reestablished the Royal Guard, including Matthew and others who had stood by his side.
He increased the number of guards and raised their wages.
In addition, he began to patch up the holes in the defenses of the Royal Palace.
'It's no wonder we're running low on gold coins.'
Even after selling off part of the national treasury, this is the state we're in.
Krang didn't look back. He didn't even have time to regret. He, too, had learned something from Encrid.
'Let's just focus on what needs to be done right now.'
Even if the continent were to perish tomorrow, Encrid would be the guy sharpening his sword.
What's the problem if the treasury is emptied a bit as long as people can live well and eat well?
It was an extreme thought, and he pushed forward with it.
There was no one to stop him either.
As a result, the awarding ceremony where they were supposed to honor Encrid's achievements had been delayed. That was the only reason Encrid was still staying in the Capital.
* * *
Rem fully understood the difference between himself now and back when he first became a member of the Madmen Platoon.
'How did it end up like this?'
His skills, which had stagnated while wandering the continent, had improved.
There were several reasons for this, but the top three were Ragna, Jaxon, and Audin.
Fighting with those bastards over and over again had made him stronger, simply because he didn't want to lose.
'What a messed-up situation.'
As he was thinking this, his eyes met with Ragna, who was shirtless and swinging his sword.
"What are you looking at, you barbarian cripple who can't even walk by himself?"
Rem chastised his own brain for briefly thinking he had those bastards to thank.
The truth was, the biggest reason for his growth was Encrid.
Teaching while learning himself, and watching Encrid's growth, left no room for him to slack off.
"Mess around, and you'll die."
Rem roughly muttered to Ragna and began stretching himself.
He had expected to be bedridden for a month after overusing his sorcery, but he recovered quickly.
His body had grown stronger because his skills had improved. After all, sorcery is based on the body.
Encrid, listening to the friendly banter between the two, was busy checking and repeating his movements.
Watching him, Rem approached.
"You called it a new Will, right? Show me."
Now that he could move around a bit, a spar wasn't out of the question. Encrid, thinking today was that day, grabbed his sword.
When he went to the blacksmith to have his broken Silver sword fixed, he was told it was impossible. The core had been completely destroyed.
So he'd asked them to just melt it down and was now wielding an ordinary longsword.
He didn't want to blame his weapon, but he sure wished he had a sword of Silver's quality.
"Do it right."
Rem said.
Encrid did exactly that.
He focused his Will into his eyes and held it. It was the ability to see a moment ahead.
It was the perfect manifestation of Will that aligned with the Trapping Sword.
Encrid glimpsed into the future. He saw Rem's breathing, his shoulders, hands, and feet.
Rem would swing his hammer as if throwing it with his left hand. Then he'd swing the axe diagonally.
The first hammer strike would be at its usual speed, but the next axe swing would be one and a half times faster.
It was a technique that only someone with complete mastery of dual-wielding could pull off.
The brief glimpse of the future played out exactly as expected.
Rem's hammer came flying. Even though Encrid's sword was longer, he stepped forward. He crossed his wrists, raising the sword, to block Rem's hammer-wielding wrist.
At the same time, he stepped on Rem's foot, intending to drive his knee into his groin.
Getting in this close would leave Rem with no choice but to throw a punch with the hand holding the axe, but Encrid would be so close that Rem wouldn't be able to swing it properly.
'I'll endure that punch.'
It was a matter of sacrificing flesh to break bone.
In less than a breath, their weapons, hands, and feet clashed.
Thud! Thwack! Crack!
After closing the gap, Encrid pulled back and looked at Rem.
"How did you do that?"
"Hmph, did you think that made you invincible?"
It was an instinct and countermeasure as sharp as a beast's.
Encrid realized once again. This guy was crazy, but impressive.
The Trapping Sword was a Correct Sword Technique. It was a style that led the opponent into a mind game, pushing them into positions he desired.
And it harmonized perfectly with his ability to see a moment ahead.
However, Rem didn't stick to the predicted movements and changed his actions.
Instead of swinging the axe, he let it go, blocked Encrid's knee with his palm, and slammed his forehead forward.
Encrid had no choice but to respond instinctively. The final 'thud' was the sound of their foreheads colliding.
Both of their foreheads turned bright red in the center, likely to swell into bumps.
If someone moves instinctively before you can read and analyze their actions, how can you anticipate that?
At that point, the only thing you could rely on was ingrained technique.
Rem inwardly admired Encrid's response to his headbutt, but he kept his mouth shut.
He had just figured out a way to break Encrid's newly awakened Will after days of contemplation.
He didn't want to show that he had put thought into it.
If he praised him too easily, Encrid might lose his drive for improvement.
Of course, that wouldn't happen, but after some self-justification, Rem spoke.
"Look, it can be broken like this. So don't use it recklessly."
Next up was Audin.
"Heh heh, brother. Any technique has its gaps."
He broke Encrid's Will in an even more simple and brute way.
He just charged straight in and engaged in a close-quarters brawl. The brute strength of this oafish bear was even greater than Encrid, who had used the Heart of Great Strength.
With smooth, powerful movements, Audin attempted to dislocate Encrid's shoulder by applying a joint lock. Encrid, applying what he had learned, bent his fingers and struck Audin's palm upward to break free.
Their sparring continued in much the same way. Both ended up rolling on the ground, covered in dust.
In the end, Encrid lost.
"What will you do when I get this close?"
Audin asked, his cheekbone bruised and one of his eyes swollen shut. Encrid's knee, which had been locked in a hold, was on the verge of breaking. If any more pressure was applied, it would snap. So, he conceded defeat. In exchange, he had left Audin with a nice blue mark around his eye and cheekbone.
"Hmm."
Encrid nodded. He still had a lot to learn.
Ragna stepped forward as well.
He used an even simpler method.
A strike so fast and powerful that even seeing it coming didn't mean you could block it.
To be honest, it was even more terrifying than the swordsmanship he had seen from Lierbart.
"Are you trying to send him to the afterlife?"
Audin, witnessing this, was impressed.
"That guy's seriously insane."
Rem insulted, calling him even more broken-headed than himself.
"As long as he didn't die, it's fine."
Ragna said calmly.
Encrid wiped the cold sweat from his neck.
He had barely blocked the strike, but the force had driven the sword halfway into his own chest. If not for the bandage-like armor he had been wearing just in case, he would have been bleeding.
Not that he had any complaints.
He understood what they were trying to tell him.
'No matter the technique, you have to use it tirelessly until it becomes part of you.'
In reality, the three were busy proving that they still hadn't fallen behind, but Encrid took it in his own way.
As they say, if the interpretation of a dream is better than the dream itself, everything is good.
While they were immersed in training, a young boy entered, cautiously watching them.
"Excuse me, are you the Demon Slayer, the Hero of the Nation, the Protector of the Border Guard, the King's Friend, and the Free Knight Encrid?"
Encrid doubted his ears for a moment. Weren't there a few too many strange titles mixed in?
He had heard rumors about the praises he was receiving after the battle, but he figured it was better to focus on training rather than paying attention to all of them.
"I thought they just called me the Immortal Axe."
Rem also had the nickname 'Noble Slayer' floating around. It was because he spoke so menacingly to any nobles who tried to get close to him.
The 'Shadow-Walking Guard', that was Jaxon.
Then there was 'The White Lion Beast, Dunbachel'.
Even though she was a beastwoman, her appearance resembled a lion, so the nickname stuck, though Dunbachel didn't seem to mind it.
Ragna was called the 'Merciless Sword'.
Of course, he didn't care much.
"But doesn't 'Guide Ragna' suit me better?"
However, sometimes when he said things like that, it made Encrid think Ragna was even crazier than Rem.
Audin had a nickname similar to his old one.
Was it 'The Giant Bear'?
He had heard people say he looked like that from afar.
Audin would only smile without a word, though he didn't seem particularly pleased.
Encrid looked at the young boy who had called his name.
"Just call me Encrid or Mad Company Commander, I think that's more accurate."
The official name was the Independent Combat Company of the Border Guard, but by now, even Encrid himself referred to his unit as the Mad Company.
After all, weren't they all lunatics?
It wasn't something he could change just because he was the only one who seemed normal.
The nervous boy spoke, clearly tense.
"My master wishes to meet you, and if you have the time… Oh, if it's inconvenient, I can return when you do have time, or… if you could just let me know when you might be available…"
Encrid didn't want to make the boy any more uncomfortable. He gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and spoke softly.
"Who is your master?"
"Oh, it's Baron Somerset."
It was a name he had never heard before. Curious, Encrid nodded.
He sincerely didn't want to trouble the boy any further.
The boy, full of admiration and shaking with nervousness, led the way, his legs trembling as he walked.
Encrid followed him.
"Another noble?"
Rem called from behind. Encrid waved him off.
It was better for him to quietly go and deal with this than to let Rem cause trouble.
After all, it was someone who had come looking for him.
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