Enri set off with a variety of items that could be considered specialties of the West, including obsidian and talismans, along with other sellable and useful goods.
He had anticipated that it wouldn’t be easy from the start, but it was even more challenging than he thought. To the point that it made him question if this was the right path.
Although he didn’t consider giving up halfway, the dry-mouthed anxiety never left him.
Nevertheless, he had to persist. That was the decision he made, and he knew better than anyone that this was an opportunity.
'Captain.'
Gripping the bow given to him by Encrid, Enri reminded himself that he couldn’t become a fool who missed out on opportunities.
He needed a carriage and mounts to carry his goods. Velopter wouldn’t be of much use once they left the West, so he needed horses.
'I lack Krona.'
With his limited budget, Enri ended up procuring donkeys and carts instead of horses.
There were ten carts in total. Although they carried a fair amount of cargo, the shabby appearance of the donkeys and the people accompanying them made the procession look pitiful.
"Don’t worry."
"We’re coming with you."
Fortunately, the Western twin warriors were accompanying him as guards. It was a lineup that was far from lacking in terms of combat prowess. Additionally, he borrowed a few extra hands from the Oasis Village.
"Will the compensation be generous once we arrive?"
"You’ll take care of our food and lodging along the way, right?"
Everyone asked similar questions.
"To be exact, if this trading expedition is successful, I intend to ensure that everyone has enough to make a living wherever they settle. But there's no guarantee that it will succeed."
Although it was a place where many fugitives gathered, there were also those who came with unjust accusations.
One of them was a man who came with his wife and children. He didn’t seem skilled in combat, but he appeared trustworthy.
Enri only selected people like that. After being dumped by a woman and wandering aimlessly, he had developed a discerning eye for people.
But what if his judgment was wrong?
'It’ll be fine.'
Even if a few turned their blades against him, the western twins would handle them without a problem.
It was a gamble for those who joined Enri’s trading expedition as well.
There was no immediate compensation, and they would only get paid if the trading expedition ended successfully and generated profits.
As a result, more straightforward or desperate people, rather than cunning ones, tended to join him.
The work was hard and grueling, but it seemed cleaner than hunting beasts adorned with jewels.
Thus, the trading expedition began. They faced monsters, beasts, and even suffered whenever it rained.
Since they didn’t have enough Krona to lodge in cities, it was only natural.
All the Krona they had went into buying donkeys and carts, so they camped outdoors throughout the journey.
Enri utilized all the navigation skills he had honed as a hunter to guide the party along somewhat decent routes and choose safe camping spots.
When brute force was needed, the western twins stepped forward.
Occasionally, bandits would still appear on this route.
Surviving as a bandit on this continent meant possessing the strength to withstand attacks from monsters and beasts, so they always appeared in large numbers, and there were some skilled bandits as well.
However, they were no match for the twins.
At one point, a child who had followed his father displayed his skill at stone-throwing.
By the time the Capital of Naurillia was visible, Enri was utterly exhausted.
"We need to offload some goods here."
Upon entering the Capital, the first merchant he encountered tried to pull a fast one.
"Western goods? How do I know if they’re genuinely from the West or not? Talismans? How can you guarantee their effectiveness?"
Enri knew immediately that this was a scam to devalue his items.
The twins were ready to retaliate against the merchant’s insults, but that would have brought the city guards running.
As outsiders from the West with a shabby appearance, they would be at a disadvantage, Enri thought.
It wasn’t the first time he’d encountered this kind of situation.
"We must endure. Hold it in."
Enri restrained the twins and decided to forgo selling his goods in the Capital.
With the countless pig-frog-like hybrids picking fights, it was impossible to sell at a fair price.
Once they reached the Border Guard, Encrid would vouch for them, and such issues would disappear.
Enri understood this well, but there was a reason he wanted to sell his goods in Naurillia. The road ahead was treacherous.
But would it be right to stay in the Capital without a single silver coin?
If they fell asleep near the slums at night, wouldn’t a hundred thieves come to pay a visit?
Kill them all? The Thieves Guild was the type to seek revenge after starting trouble themselves.
It was one thing outside the city, but within, he couldn’t afford to fight in a bloody confrontation.
"Ha."
After letting out a few deep sighs and preparing to leave, one last pig-frog hybrid picked a fight.
Enri’s hand kept drifting towards the bow gifted by Encrid.
'If we were outside, I’d put an arrow in your head.'
Just as he made up his mind, Encrid suddenly appeared, smiling cheerfully and calling the toad ‘uncle’.
The man, who was called uncle, merely tilted his head in confusion.
* * *
Not everyone in the world was upright and honest.
Some people were like this. Encrid didn’t necessarily consider such people to be evil.
But this was a slightly different matter.
He immediately grasped the situation.
Encrid hopped down from his horse with a thud, kicking up a small cloud of dust.
The cobblestones laid on the ground suggested that the road had been recently renovated.
He saw the carts and donkeys, along with Enri’s face, which had sunken cheeks from hardship.
On the opposite side stood the merchant named Maltone, his face greasy and contrasting sharply.
"Uncle, why are you pretending not to know me?"
As Encrid walked forward, the Guard Commander stepped beside him and asked.
"Was your uncle here?"
"He appeared recently."
"...What?"
Rem let out a snort of air, sensing that Encrid’s mischievous side had been triggered again.
"How could you not recognize me?"
Encrid even raised his wrist to show him. The leather crafted by a Giant had been turned into a bracer that now wrapped around his wrist.
"You, you, that guy?"
Maltone exclaimed, pointing a trembling finger at Encrid.
"That guy?"
The Guard Commander reacted to his words. His gaze shifted to the toad-like merchant. Maltone’s bulging eyes rolled nervously.
‘Could it be?’
All sorts of thoughts raced through his head.
What’s going on? Why does the Guard Commander seem deferential? And why is this guy acting so confidently? Just a thug with a sword?
"Uncle."
When Encrid called him again, Maltone recalled the nonsense he’d spouted earlier.
"You claimed to be a friend of the leader of the Rockfreed Trading Company? Ha, then I’m the uncle of General Encrid."
Friend, uncle, Rockfreed Trading Company, Encrid.
The words mixed together, and the face clicked in his memory, leading to a cautious suspicion of why he was being called ‘uncle’.
While he asked, half in disbelief, a hint of certainty started to form.
It seemed to fit.
"The Iron Wall Knight?"
The widely spread nickname spilled out of Maltone’s mouth. It was a question he asked, hoping desperately for a denial, praying for it to be a scam.
"You know your nephew's nickname well."
Encrid spoke with a smile.
At those words, Maltone felt his heart crumble.
Why is this real?
Why are you the real Iron Wall Knight?
"Huh?"
Maltone’s mind went blank. It was really true? And this man was Encrid himself?
Maltone’s survival instincts made him turn his head. Behind him stood the noble who had been backing him up.
To be precise, it was a noble who had been eyeing the goods brought in from the West.
It hadn’t been long since the civil war ended, and he was one of the nobles who were already building a faction. Or if not a faction, he was certainly someone establishing his own influence.
Of course, to build power, one naturally needed a lot of gold coins, so it was only natural for him to desire rare goods.
Encrid, of course, didn’t know the noble’s name. Even if he heard it, he would have forgotten. He simply followed Maltone’s gaze and looked at the noble.
"It seems there’s been a misunderstanding."
The noble thought he could mediate the situation.
After all, regardless of whether this man was a General or not, they were in the Capital, a land where law and order prevailed, and his own status couldn’t simply be ignored.
Despite this, cold sweat trickled down his back.
Would he end up getting stabbed to death? That anxiety made him shift his hips backward.
He opened his mouth to speak, but his posture looked like he was ready to flee at any moment.
"What misunderstanding?"
Encrid spoke bluntly, causing the noble’s eyebrows to twitch.
"This merchant was only trying to conduct a fair trade."
The funny thing was, Encrid hadn’t said a single word, and yet the noble was already making excuses.
The situation was absurd.
As Encrid stepped in and exchanged a few words,
"You guys look like you’ve had a hard time?"
"It’s not that, but this bastard..."
From behind, Rem had already heard the whole story from the twins.
"Hey, you said that Western talismans are fake? And that their spells are scams?"
Maltone had indeed said that. But it was all because of the greed of the noble standing behind him.
He glanced at the Viscount.
Save me.
The look in his eyes was clear, but Rem wasn’t the type to just let things go in these situations.
Thud.
He gripped his axe and walked forward with firm steps.
"Apologize, or die. Just saying 'I was wrong' is enough to avoid something terrible."
Rem said.
Whether it was his nature or his personality, or maybe it was because the first thing he saw when he came to the continent was a noble scumbag harassing women and tormenting his own subjects for sport.
Rem hated bastards like these.
Sensing the menacing aura, the three guards behind the noble furrowed their brows and started to step forward.
Then, the Guard Commander opened his mouth.
"Know when to intervene and when to back off. Don’t you know who you’re dealing with? Black hair with blue eyes, a gray-haired axe wielder, and a bear-like build. Don’t you really know?"
As the rumors about those who guarded the Border Guard spread, so did the tales.
Even excluding Encrid, the stories were well known.
"The Noble Slayer."
A madman who, after losing both parents to nobles, split their heads with an axe whenever he saw one.
It wasn’t true. That was just the rumor.
"The bear beastman who rips people in two for fun."
One of the guards muttered.
"...Is that me?"
Audin asked back, unable to laugh.
He wasn’t a beastman, and he didn’t have such a hobby.
"Ahh."
The three guards fell silent.
Rem had already considered Encrid’s position and stepped back a little. That’s why he urged the apology.
If it were up to his temper, he would’ve beaten them up first and talked later.
"...I apologize. I was wrong."
The Viscount was overwhelmed by the atmosphere.
His guards didn’t step forward, and the name Noble Slayer echoed clearly in his ears. He felt the urge to urinate.
The Viscount fled immediately, leaving the merchant with a face that looked like he was about to cry.
Encrid turned to Maltone.
"Give me some pocket money."
"What?"
"You won’t?"
As Encrid asked again, the Guard Commander glared fiercely from behind. Judging from the situation, this merchant scumbag must have done something. And it was he who had allowed him inside.
But this rat had tried to pull a scam on his idol.
‘I’ll kill him. I’ll definitely kill him. You’re dead for sure.’
Even without the ability to wield Will, his determination was so intense that it seemed like his killing intent was becoming tangible.
"Of course, I’ll give it to you! Right now!"
Maltone untied his pouch.
"Not enough."
Encrid glanced at it and commented. There were over twenty silver coins and even a gold coin, but if Encrid said it was lacking, then it was.
Maltone immediately sent his servant to the bank.
Large cities always had at least one big bank.
The usual practice was for the citizens of trading cities to go on business trips and work there. They had fled during the previous civil war, but recently returned and reopened the bank.
Clink.
A suitable pouch exchanged hands in a beautiful transaction.
Encrid took the entire sum and handed it to Enri.
"Sell the donkeys and get some horses. Change some of the currency, eat well, rest up, and then head out. The road will be easier from here."
"Thank you."
Enri bowed his head. Thinking of all the hardships, he felt like he might cry.
Seeing this from behind, the Guard Commander stepped in.
"I will personally escort you to Zaltembock. Don’t refuse. I want to do this."
"I was about to thank you for that."
Encrid nodded.
"Then, please wait for a moment."
The Guard Commander let out a sigh, then approached Maltone, placing a hand on his shoulder and leading him aside.
Encrid waved goodbye to his uncle.
Among the people who had come with Enri was a boy, about thirteen or fourteen, who had followed his father.
In the eyes of that boy, Encrid and his companions looked incomparably high and mighty.
Even greater than the King of a nation.
There were many children like him. To them, the name Encrid wasn’t just a heroic figure with a sword.
The King was a distant figure, but Encrid had personally protected them.
In any case, it was just a small, impulsive incident.
"See you at the Border Guard."
Encrid parted ways with Enri, and in the meantime, Rem gave some orders to the twins. Then they rode along the outer road leading to the palace.
It was the same road Encrid had raced along before, riding Odd-Eye.
They arrived at the palace and stayed there for a day, and since there was nothing to do that night, Encrid borrowed the training yard and spent time sparring. Many people came, wanting to learn a thing or two.
Some were familiar faces, while others were strangers, but Encrid treated them all equally.
"As much as you want."
Among them was Rearban, a former acquaintance who was now a member of the Royal Guard, and also Mathis, who should have been by Krang’s side.
At one point, the Commander of the Royal Guard, who wore a dark gray helmet, briefly stopped by.
He didn’t spar but merely nodded in greeting before leaving. He was a rather taciturn man.
Regardless, Encrid was used to this kind of atmosphere and found it quite comforting.
Everyone was so eager to discuss techniques with him that they seemed on the verge of dying from excitement.
Watching this, Rem commented that Encrid had caught the ‘disease’ again, but even he seemed to be enjoying it.
After resting for two days, the attendants took his measurements and quickly tailored him a formal suit.
It wasn’t a tight shirt that clung to his muscles, but rather a generously sized outfit with ample room.
Rem and Audin were not brought along.
"No need."
"I’m fine with that."
Even if invited, they weren’t the type to come. Krang knew that as well.
The night before, Encrid suddenly asked Audin why he had come along.
When he thought about it, Audin didn’t seem to enjoy leaving the Border Guard.
"I’m trying to escape from the prison of widowhood."
That was what Audin said.
Of course, Encrid had no idea what he was talking about, and Audin didn’t seem interested in explaining further, so the topic was dropped.
Encrid still respected his comrades.
Audin, for his part, seemed pleased with that and simply smiled.
"The hero who saved the nation, friend of the King, Demon Slayer, Sword of the Iron Wall, Encrid of the Border Guard!"
Hearing the introduction from the attendant in front of the audience chamber, Encrid entered.
There, he saw Krang sitting on the throne.
They exchanged a few trivial greetings.
"Welcome."
"I came at your summons."
After a few words of greeting, Marcus brought up the topic of Knighthood, and one of the nobles immediately voiced opposition.
"While it’s true that Sir Encrid deserves such a title, is it wise to grant the same honor to others? Shouldn’t we reconsider this?"
A noble who seemed skilled with words stepped forward.
Behind him was the toad-like friend they had seen the previous day.
"Have you heard of the Noble Slayer?"
The noble stroked his mustache as he spoke.
What is it that the ruling class, like the Royal Family and nobles, fear the most?
Knights, those who are calamities themselves.
If they changed their minds, a single sword could topple a Royal Family at any moment.
Naturally, every Royal Family had precautions in place to protect themselves.
The Royal Order of Restriction that once existed in Naurillia was one such measure.
Every Knight swears loyalty to the Royal Family, and it’s a pledge made before they even become Knights.
But neither Encrid nor the Mad Company had ever done that.
So, could Naurillia stop them now?
Even if Encrid was one thing, what about the others?
Thus, the noble questioned whether it was right to bestow Knighthood on someone lacking in virtue.
Encrid thought all of it made perfect sense.
He couldn’t imagine Rem ever swearing loyalty to the Royal Family.
And then, his thoughts drifted elsewhere.
‘Those pastries I ate yesterday were delicious. The bread was excellent, too.’
The noble continued his passionate speech. Cutting out all the unnecessary words, it boiled down to not trusting a Noble Slayer, and that the matter needed reconsideration.
If a commoner had been present, they might have clapped in admiration of his eloquence.
Of course, that didn’t happen.
"Are you done?"
Krang responded with an unfittingly gentle smile, entirely out of place in the situation.
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.. 🤔