Encrid stood up from his seat.
"Well then."
"Come back in three days."
Eitri said without even turning his head.
"Got it."
Encrid wasn't the type to care about formalities, nor did he expect any send-off, so he simply walked out without a care.
As he stepped out of the blacksmith shop, the air felt noticeably cooler. The heat and passion that filled the forge seemed to make the place even hotter.
On his way back, Encrid once again passed through the market. He could have used one of the regularly scheduled carriages along the main road, but he decided to walk.
He wanted to walk, and he was well aware that he didn’t even have a single coin in his pocket.
After all, he couldn’t just introduce himself as ‘I am the General of the Border Guard, the Demon Slayer, and the King's close friend’ just to catch a ride.
Moreover, the lingering images of Eitri and Frog were etched in his mind, causing something to pound against his heart. So, he wanted to walk even more.
The market was still bustling with people. The Giant selling goods was still there.
"If you can't pay the price I set, then get lost."
Several merchants in front of the Giant were angry, but none dared to challenge him. That was only natural if they had any brains.
No matter how skilled the Border Guard soldiers were, they couldn’t intervene faster than the Giant could crush a head.
The Giant’s fists were much closer than the guards.
Was getting angry in itself a sign of bravery? Or were they just too stupid?
More likely, they got angry because they saw the Giant as a merchant.
If they had met him outside the city and had to negotiate one-on-one, those merchants would never have provoked the Giant.
And besides, the Giant merchant didn’t seem like a particularly shrewd businessman. Just by watching, Encrid could tell that he ignored every attempt at haggling.
"Why are you so stubborn?"
Encrid stopped and asked as he passed by.
The Giant glanced at him after watching the merchants leave.
Does this guy have nothing better to do? Wandering around in broad daylight like some gigolo who steals from women’s purses?
The Giant thought for a moment before answering.
"I bring goods that not just anyone can find."
There was pride in his words.
Encrid waited for the Giant to continue. He naturally let his arms hang down, making eye contact with the Giant and breathing calmly, showing that he was truly listening.
This impressed the Giant, as it wasn’t often someone listened so attentively.
Not that he particularly wanted to talk to anyone, but since he started, he might as well finish.
"A good merchant, by my standards, knows how to find good things."
He wasn’t good at haggling, but he knew how to find something special.
Was it because he was a Giant?
No, it was because that’s how he wanted to do things.
"I don't know how to make things, but I can find what’s needed to make special items. My job is to give the right things to the right people and receive the right price in return."
The Giant’s eyes gleamed as he spoke.
The brown eyes, reflecting the sunlight, made him look less like a member of the Red Blood Beasts and more like an enthusiastic merchant.
Even though merchants cursed him and others picked fights, the Giant had never gotten excited before. But now, he looked a little excited.
Why?
Because he was talking about what he truly wanted.
"I will become a Knight."
Encrid felt the same way when he said those words.
The uncontrollable surge of emotion had made him say it. It had made his blood boil.
In the Giant, Encrid saw a reflection of himself.
"See you again."
"Carry Krona with you next time."
"Next time we meet, I’ll have a wide-eyed friend carrying a whole backpack of Krona by my side."
He meant it.
"Do that, then."
The Giant smirked.
Encrid responded and turned toward the barracks.
As he walked, his pace slowed.
Dreams, desires, passion.
Those things swirled in his mind like tangled threads.
But why did he feel this way?
As he sorted through his thoughts, he noticed a small child sitting on the side of the road, staring at him. It was the kind of gaze that made him notice the child.
The child was small, barely reaching Encrid’s chest, with a frail build and wearing clothes so tattered they were practically shredded.
She stood far away from the gate guarded by soldiers.
Fourteen? Fifteen?
She didn’t look old. Her face was dotted with freckles, her hair a dull, deep red that might have shone brighter if it had been well-kept, and her eyes were a pale brown.
As the child stood up from her crouched position, she didn’t even bother dusting off her dirt-covered rear, still staring at Encrid.
"If this is a coincidence, then the God of alchemy must have helped me. If not, it seems my efforts have finally paid off."
As Encrid met her eyes, the child spoke. Her voice was thin and soft, and Encrid realized she was a girl. Though, truthfully, he’d already guessed that from her build.
Encrid stopped walking.
Her voice was clear and articulate, with a hint of strength, despite how delicate she looked.
"You know who I am?"
Encrid asked bluntly.
"You’re the General of the Border Guard."
The girl answered.
A better title to hear than ‘Demon Slayer’.
More importantly, she had recognized him at first glance.
An assassin? She didn’t look like one.
She didn’t give off any aura of malice, and her posture and body language didn’t suggest any kind of training.
Was this some sort of trick? Maybe, but Encrid’s instincts told him it wasn’t.
This girl had come looking for him, plain and simple.
"You were looking for me? Why?"
The girl thought she was incredibly lucky.
Why?
Because she hadn’t expected to actually meet this man by coming to the Border Guard.
She had only settled here, hoping that with a bit of luck, she might get a chance to speak with someone powerful.
She had wandered near the barracks, but it was clear that no one was going to let her in.
The soldiers had a sense of discipline. Based on her experience, she knew that tricks wouldn’t work on such men.
Not that she had any tricks up her sleeve, to begin with.
But giving up everything at this point wasn’t an option, so she sat down and began to ponder her next move.
It was a long story that had led the girl to this place. After searching for hope, this was the only path left.
In crude terms, she had bet her life, body, and soul on this gamble.
And thanks to luck, that gamble had brought her here.
Finding a sympathetic merchant on her way here wasn’t easy.
Along the way, she had received help from a Giant merchant, among many other encounters. Somehow, she had managed to make it here.
"I’m here to hold you accountable for killing my master."
At first, she had planned to kneel and beg for help.
She had thought about it, but as soon as she saw him, these words slipped out instead.
It was partly her nature, but mostly because the General of the Border Guard had stopped in his tracks and looked her directly in the eye, listening intently.
Some days, she felt like bursting into tears. Other days, she thought it might be better to just live as she pleased. But in the end, she had come this far.
God, thank you.
The girl silently gave thanks.
Had luck not been on her side, she would have already been a corpse rotting in some corner of the wilderness or at the bottom of a ravine.
The girl’s shabby appearance showed that the journey here had not been easy.
Her fingernails were cracked, her shoes were so worn that her toes poked through holes, and she smelled unpleasant.
But the girl didn’t care and continued speaking.
"I know you killed the alchemist Laban."
"Who?"
The name didn’t ring any bells for Encrid. Even if he had heard it before, it was something long forgotten.
Just because he had a good memory didn’t mean he remembered everything.
The girl explained, and Encrid listened.
Why wasn’t he ignoring her?
It was her clear voice, her confident demeanor, her precise way of speaking that caught his sharp senses. She didn’t seem like an ordinary child.
As he listened, Encrid remembered who the alchemist Laban was.
A madman who had performed human experiments under the Black Blade’s command.
But a madman with skill.
Encrid added that he had also trained many disciples.
The truth was, the girl had been destined to become Laban’s concubine. But Encrid, by killing Laban, had changed her fate. He was her benefactor.
And though the girl was only sixteen, she knew enough.
In other words, she knew Encrid was her savior.
However, it was also true that she had suffered terribly after her master’s sudden death. Above all, she could no longer pursue the studies she had been passionate about.
"I have the potential to become the greatest healer, but right now, I have no Krona and no one to teach me, so I’m about to sell my body. Are you planning to look after me and take responsibility?"
The girl spoke confidently.
Her freckles stood out on her face, and it looked as though she had washed her face awkwardly somewhere.
Dirt was visible on her neck and other places, likely because she hadn’t been able to wash anything other than her face.
Is that dirty?
Encrid didn’t see it that way.
What caught his attention were her eyes.
Was it because they were attractive?
No, that wasn’t it. They were eyes filled with desire, burning with passion.
"I can become an exceptional healer. I’m not talking about handling divinity."
The girl lifted her head and spoke. Her chin raised, her bright brown eyes stared directly at Encrid.
"Explain."
"…You really want me to?"
They were standing on the street. There were no chairs, no refreshments, one side was in shabby condition, and the other side was in the middle of sorting out complex thoughts. But none of that mattered.
"Yes, explain."
The girl lifted her head and began to speak.
She explained what it meant to be a healer, why she was needed, what she planned to do, what her goals were, and what benefits he could gain from it.
Some parts were clumsy, and some parts were astonishing.
Indeed, Encrid was astonished.
The girl spoke with passion, and he found himself moved by her fervor.
And at that moment, Encrid felt as though he had been struck by lightning.
Shining eyes, the eyes of someone moving toward something.
That was what they were.
It wasn’t the first time he had seen such eyes.
He had seen them in Frog just a short while ago.
And just before that, he had seen them in the craftsman Eitri.
Encrid recalled others who had those eyes.
From the boy who had dreamed of being a herbalist to Rem, Ragna, Jaxon, Audin, Lawford, Pel, Esther, Dunbachel, and Teresa.
At some point, they all had looked at him with those eyes.
And as those memories surfaced, he thought of Asia.
"I had actually half given up. I thought it was enough for my sister and I to just get by on one meal a day. But that’s not it."
She had said, looking at Oara’s back.
What were Asia’s eyes like back then?
The Knight with orange hair had fiery eyes. Eyes full of passion and desire. She had filled herself with the will to move forward once again.
He had seen it clearly.
‘Then what about me?’
What about him right now?
Had he been satisfied for a moment?
No. Absolutely not.
It wasn’t satisfaction. But, by becoming a Knight and knowing that he had sufficient skill, perhaps he had unknowingly felt content.
He hadn’t thought this was the end, but perhaps he had been satisfied because he had achieved his dream.
Was it because the dream he had longed for was now within reach?
Had he told himself, “This isn’t the end”, while continuing his usual work, without truly meaning it?
Had he felt satisfied because he could now stand on the same level as Rem and Ragna after watching them compete?
Had he felt content knowing that he could now protect those behind him without much difficulty?
Had he felt relief, thinking he could now support those who spoke of their dreams?
A tremor, a small tremor, shook Encrid’s entire body.
A tingling sensation started from his toes, surged through his body, passed his chin, and reached the top of his head, striking him like lightning.
At some point, he had closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was aware that the sunlight, the wind, and everything else felt different, but some things remained unchanged.
And then there was the ego sword that had driven him to this point.
Aker’s words flashed through his mind.
-You’ve already learned everything everywhere, so it’s no fun teaching you.
-I could teach you tactics separately, but where did you learn it first?
-Are you secretly taking lessons from another Knight?
-Am I just unlucky?
-You’re already a complete vessel.
-Will is something you’ll naturally control over time.
Every word had suggested that he had already overcome his limits and achieved results. That sword had kept him restrained. It wasn’t a noble sword, it was a cursed one.
The conclusion came to him.
"Aker, you bastard."
Encrid muttered.
- Hey, don’t misunderstand.
Aker hummed with vibration.
It was a sword infused with willpower. It wasn’t made just for idle chatter.
So, it would serve a purpose. If not, Encrid would really toss it into some deep ravine.
What he had jokingly resolved when dealing with the Giant merchant might become reality.
The eyes of the Giant merchant, the eyes of the craftsman Eitri, the eyes of Frog who made trinkets, and the eyes of the girl with the clear voice who wanted to become a healer.
And all the others he had seen.
Encrid felt as if he had broken through a hard shell and emerged anew.
"Huh? Aker?"
The girl, unsure if the man in front of her was actually Encrid or just a madman, asked again.
What’s wrong with this guy all of a sudden?
"That was just talking to myself. I’ll take responsibility for you. But don’t come throwing yourself at me, asking to marry me."
"…You’re dreaming if you think that’ll happen. Do you think all women fall for a pretty face?"
"Good, then."
Encrid said as he turned, but the girl called out from behind him.
"My name is Ann. What am I supposed to do if you just leave like that?"
"Follow me."
Ann followed Encrid.
When Encrid entered the barracks, he handed Ann over to Sinar, whom he encountered along the way.
"Find someone to feed her and get her cleaned up."
"So, you brought home a daughter and immediately handed her over to me?"
"Cut the Fairy jokes."
If Esther had seen Encrid's expression right now, she would have said his eyebrows were back to their original state.
As it was, Encrid’s once-relaxed eyebrows had returned to their usual firmness.
Sinar could feel the unique energy Encrid gave off. In other words, he was back to his old self.
A tree that had lost its vitality had now become a blazing furnace again.
"Careful with fire."
Sinar remarked.
Encrid heard her but walked on. His steps were urgent, with something more pressing on his mind.
Watching him go, Sinar spoke.
"Who is she? If she’s your daughter, she’ll attract the stepmother’s jealousy."
Sinar, in a moment of good humor, joked with Ann instead of Encrid.
Ann, realizing she was alone, wondered if deciding to head for the Border Guard had been a mistake as she replied.
"Wouldn’t I be too old to be considered his daughter?"
"That’s true."
Sinar quickly accepted her reasoning and nodded.
"Then, a concubine?"
"No way."
"Absolutely not! I like men with a more relaxed demeanor. And if he’s not blonde, it’s a no-go."
Ann might have been young, but she had a firm sense of preference.
"Welcome."
Sinar said sincerely.
Not every woman fell for Encrid, but it was a welcome remark nonetheless.
Thanks for the Chapter Bro!!! :DD
Thanks for the Chapter.
Is it updated regularly? Also what is release schedule
Creo que he leído el manhwa, talvez lo esté confundiendo.. 🤔