Encrid gained a realization from what Seiki had said—a small truth about how the world works.
It was like the cyclic flow of seasons, where spring turns to summer and fall to winter.
This, in turn, connected to a part of swordsmanship and to his own weaknesses.
If he didn’t forcefully expel his Will but rather felt the flow naturally and gently pushed it out?
Facing Prophet Overdeer had given him a vague sense of direction; now, it was as if he’d learned how to walk in that direction.
That didn’t mean he made a fuss about it.
After all, nothing can be truly known until it’s tried out with the body.
"Alright."
"Are you cheering me on?"
"Yes, I am."
"Thank you."
That was the conversation they had. He had felt at the time that Seiki wasn’t particularly good with words, but she didn’t hesitate to express herself.
This could be seen as a strength, though in life with others, it could also bring difficulties.
Well, it would be fine within the Border Guard.
The Border Guard was a city full of people more insane and wild than her—a saintess, a Highlander, a natural-born mountain ranger who would live, sleep, fight, and die in the mountains, becoming part of it.
It wasn’t called the base of the Mad Knights Order for nothing.
‘Sometimes, I should look after her.’
Encrid saw himself as the one to keep things grounded in the Mad Knights Order.
They’re all mad, after all.
So he, at least, should stay sharp.
Seiki shone when she spoke of her dreams and desires. Encrid did not dismiss her words just because she was young.
A person speaking of their dreams is always shining.
And moreover, her words didn’t sound naive.
Sure, her desires might change. He would support that too. If that was what she truly wanted, he could accept it.
In any case, it was clear that becoming a saintess was not her dream.
"Meeting people isn’t exactly my thing."
Seiki liked being alone, whatever it was.
Encrid let her be as she wished.
Then Sinar offered to show her a suitable place to stay.
Fairies, the children of trees and flowers, apparently had a hobby of making hideouts for themselves.
Whether that was true or not, Seiki was satisfied, and she nodded in acknowledgment.
The conversation with Seiki, the events that followed—all these thoughts ran through Encrid’s mind as Esther asked,
"Popularity?"
The question stemmed from his earlier comment about the sorrow of being an unpopular man.
"No."
It was a trivial statement, a lighthearted conversation to brush off. Esther spent the next few days by Encrid’s side, watching him.
What the witch was thinking, no one knew.
The only change was that she now had a few soldiers serving her.
They were all part of the spell corps. They carried small wooden rods, known as wands, with a gem affixed at the end to aid in casting spells.
The sight of those expensive gems probably made Krais feel a bit sore.
"Damn, it’s so cold. Freezing."
Three days later, Rem returned to the barracks, complaining about the cold, even though winter hadn’t yet arrived.
He also had small injuries all over his body.
"What on earth were you doing?"
"Um, exorcising spirits?"
There were no further questions. Rem didn’t seem interested in talking.
During the three days Rem was absent, Ragna had been wielding his sword, forgetting his usual laziness. Of course, he only trained a bit in the morning, at noon, and in the evening.
For Ragna, training nonstop every day didn’t really suit him.
He would train briefly at those times, spend the rest facing off against Lawford, or meditate, half-drowsing.
Can one improve just from that? He did.
"Ah, is this guy insane?"
Encrid, while sparring, inadvertently gave Ragna high praise.
Though it was swordplay he recognized, it was faster, sharper, and heavier.
When he asked how this was possible,
"Just put in a bit more speed and strength and swing with precision."
It was like being told to sit down and read a book when asking how to study well.
This guy had always been bad at explanations, but it was getting worse.
Yet, somehow, he understood.
"It’s like Iron Wall."
There was an element that couldn’t be explained. There was nothing to do but accept it.
Encrid was progressing carefully, step by step from the ground up, while Ragna’s skills just seemed to leap forward.
That’s not to say that Ragna or Rem didn’t help Encrid’s training.
He had sparred with both of them long ago, and neither held back their advice.
"You have to put all your strength in that moment. Can’t you?"
"Just concentrate when you swing. Why can’t you do it?"
These were the words of Rem and Ragna, respectively.
And then Jaxon chimed in,
"Just cultivate your sense for Will."
What is this ‘sense for Will’ anyway?
Though such a question might have come naturally, Encrid quietly listened to everyone’s advice.
It wasn’t much different from when he had spoken about Iron Wall before, and now he could understand their words better than before.
If the direction is right, then all that’s needed is effort, right?
Encrid went along with this.
He roughly understood the direction and had learned how to walk it. All that was left was for time to resolve the rest.
Even if he continued this swordplay until his death, he might still remain where he was now.
But that wasn’t a reason to stop.
After spending about five days like this, Krais called a meeting.
“Temple! Danger! Trade! Accidents! Security! Obstruction!”
From what Krais said, one could predict the main topics.
Encrid didn’t consider what he had done as trouble, only thinking of it as something that had already happened, so he casually attended the meeting.
The atmosphere wasn’t somber. After all, few people in this city, who had worked with Encrid, would view this as a crisis.
Some of those responsible for practical matters wondered if they could just leave things as they were.
Some even questioned if this would make the entire continent their enemy.
Among those present at the meeting, there were a few with such concerns.
At the large, oval table, Encrid sat at the central seat, with Graham, an old warrior who had unlocked his talents late in life, sitting to his left, and Rem, for some reason, sitting opposite him. Ragna sat beside him, saying he needed some fresh air.
Esther and Luagarne, who had recently become Encrid’s observation duo, naturally sat nearby.
These two placed their chairs by the wall, not at the table’s center, where they could see Encrid well.
"Prime seats."
When Sinar joined them, it was as if three beauties, a human, a Fairy, and a Frog, were all lined up watching Encrid.
It was an odd sight and behavior, but no one commented on it.
Graham paid them no mind, though a few others glanced at the three gathered there.
But no one said anything about it.
Even Encrid said nothing, so no one else had the right.
With people gathering one by one, Graham and his allies, Krais, Nurat, Avnair, and other practical leaders, the core forces of the Knight order—Rem, Ragna, Jaxon, and Sinar, had all assembled.
And now, Vengeance, who had become the city’s chief of security, joined as well.
As he entered the meeting room, Vengeance gave Encrid a salute by placing his hand on his waist and bowing his head.
"Now a Battalion Commander?"
Encrid asked.
"It turned out that way."
Vengeance replied with a soft smile, his expression radiating warmth and happiness. The jealousy-driven man of the past was gone.
Now he had a wife who was pregnant. As a result, he was somewhat concerned about the recent events Encrid had caused.
What would come of this?
Yet he knew better than anyone that he wasn’t in a position to say anything about it.
"I will now begin the meeting regarding the Temple."
Krais said in a slightly raised voice. His pleasant tone echoed throughout the hall.
There weren’t enough seats around the large table, so most people were standing.
Though it could have felt crowded, everyone was quiet, maintaining a calm overall atmosphere.
Thanks to the chilly air, braziers were placed throughout the room, and Sinar muttered about being careful with fire as she looked at them.
In this atmosphere, Krais began speaking.
"There are many trade routes influenced by the Holy Nation. Merchants affiliated with the Temple used to receive food and goods and sell them across the continent, but now that they’re not accepting shipments, even trading cities are subtly rejecting deals."
Though it was serious, his way of getting to the main points made it clear and concise.
Encrid had no intention of letting this take too long. He listened briefly to the explanation before he spoke up.
"Stone Road?"
Stone Road was the name of the trade route extending from the west to here.
Leona Rockfreed, a member of the practical group, lifted her head.
They’re interfering with trade? But doesn’t the Border Guard already have an independent trading system?
This question was implicit in her words.
"We’re doing well enough without the Temple."
Leona replied.
It was a formal setting, so even though they were friends, she addressed Encrid politely.
There was no sign of anxiety on her face.
The Rockfreed Trading Company had always been built through risk-taking, and Leona was more adventurous than any of her predecessors.
Rather than gambling her entire fortune, she would boldly act if she determined something was worth pursuing after careful calculation.
To her, this situation was an opportunity.
If they could establish an independent trade route through Stone Road, they wouldn’t have to worry about other countries or merchant guilds.
Currently, other merchant groups were stepping back to appease the Holy Nation, which she found distasteful.
Merchants should only worry about making good deals, yet they had to bow to politics and external pressures.
In that regard, Encrid’s words and actions suited her perfectly.
"Good then."
It was his way of telling her to go ahead. Leona’s eyes gleamed as she nodded.
Putting pressure on the trade route?
Trading cities refusing transactions?
A few merchant guilds making trouble?
So what?
In Encrid’s view, as long as the Border Guard and western passage remained stable, there would be no setbacks in trade.
Wasn’t this the obvious solution?
For Leona, it was. But for Encrid, it was both obvious and uncertain.
The important thing was that his perspective had broadened.
Leona silently admired this.
He saw the problem clearly and offered solutions.
This was simply Encrid’s way.
Though he seemed to only swing his sword and look forward, Encrid was well aware of the situation and possible solutions, largely due to similar experiences.
‘Blocked paths.’
The most frequent obstacles in swordplay were walls, blocking the path forward.
Some walls seemed impossibly high.
Some were as heavy as boulders that couldn’t be moved.
And Encrid had never given up on any obstacle.
This situation was no different.
Because he never gave up, solutions naturally emerged for what lay ahead.
With the will to do anything and the power to support that will, his concepts expanded in scope.
Krais had already pointed out the potential problems, and Encrid confirmed it.
Now, he only voiced the answers that came to mind.
The strategist, who might end up as Aspen’s spy or really be on their side, also lifted his head, finding the discussion intriguing.
Encrid added a few more words.
"Or is it different? Would we lose anything if we opened trade with the west? If trading countries are the ones in need, they wouldn’t act recklessly. Is Rockfreed Trading unable to handle it? What do you need? Spears and swords? Or manpower? Or perhaps something else?"
These were all valid points, though not easily said. After all, there would be issues if trade routes were cut off.
However, they weren’t unsolvable, and there were people to handle them.
Leona nodded, signaling her commitment to handle it herself.
"Let me know if you need anything."
"Understood."
With that, one matter was concluded.
Encrid was superior to Krais in looking at things from a broader perspective and deciding on a solution.
Of course, it was Krais’s role to adjust the finer details and ensure the plan worked.
Much of the preparation and suggested solutions for this meeting had already been put in place by Krais.
Encrid had simply expanded on these with his broader vision.
"We received a letter of protest from the kingdom as well."
This time, it was a messenger from the Capital who spoke up cautiously. He had been staying at the Border Guard for a few days to attend the meeting.
"And? Did the king, Krang, hold me accountable?"
Encrid replied to the messenger, whose gaze now rested on him.
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