Will knows. No, he cannot say he knows perfectly, but he can define it to some extent.
In other words, it can be described as an intangible power derived from Will.
Then, what is Divine Power? What is sorcery?
Even those accustomed to learning and mastering through their bodies do not entirely neglect using their minds.
More importantly, they have all reached a level of enlightenment in their respective fields to some degree.
So, wouldn't they know something about it?
"That's a good question."
Luagarne agreed with the statement.
Audin, with a gentle smile, responded,
"What does the Captain think?"
Encrid pondered several answers before settling on this one.
It was a question and doubt that went beyond utility or the uniqueness of Divine Power.
"An unreasonable, incomprehensible power full of questions like why, if there is a God, doesn't the God intervene and only lends power."
This might have been influenced by the random questions spewed by Muel before he died, or perhaps it was just a thought he had often entertained.
Although he had never deeply reflected on the presence or absence of God before, if asked now, he would want to pose such a question.
If a God exists, why does it not intervene?
From the question of what Divine Power is, he ventured into an existential inquiry.
Can the existence of Divine Power prove the existence of God? Such a question was implicit in his statement.
If explored further, it might even negate theology itself.
In an era where faith encompassed the entire continent, it was not a question one could easily raise.
Especially not to a priest, cleric, or crusader.
"You're quite bold."
Rem remarked, watching the situation unfold. Everyone subtly observed Audin, wondering if he might burst into anger.
"That is blasphemy, brother."
Even with generous interpretation, such words might have been said, but Audin did not react that way.
Snowflakes landed on Audin's head and shoulders, melting and disappearing.
His face still bore a faint smile, as kind as ever, as he said,
"We are the ones living on this land. Instead of wishing for a God to come down and clear the snow in front of us, shouldn't we clear the snow ourselves?"
Contrary to everyone's concerns, Audin did not feel blasphemed.
Had it been a barbarian brother, a lost brother, or a stray cat brother asking, would he have felt offended?
He wasn't sure. Even if they had said it, he would likely understand that it was more of a provocation than a genuine question.
In that sense, he could understand why they might say such a thing.
Even if it came from the mouths of Rem, Ragna, or Jaxon, it would have been comprehensible. But coming from Encrid, it was different.
Audin understood deeply.
'If someone acts and takes the lead, wouldn't they ask such questions?'
That was the kind of person Encrid was.
He harbored no dissatisfaction about the absence of divine intervention, but he could question anyone who failed to act.
Even if that someone were a God.
Of course, asking such a question in a theocracy would cause an uproar, being labeled as blasphemy.
Some extremists might demand an immediate inquisition.
But perhaps not in this situation?
No, even if Encrid said such things, anger would arise, but they couldn't suppress him with authority.
Overdeer would not stand by and watch.
Though Audin already knew this from their travels together, seeing Overdeer stand firmly by Encrid's side solidified his understanding.
'He's chosen to side with this group.'
Someone like that wouldn't denounce Encrid as a heretic for a mere statement.
Even without Overdeer, he had Naurillia behind him. The king had always supported Encrid.
Even if they resorted to force, it wasn’t feasible. Besides his individual prowess, he had the Mad Knights with him, making it challenging to suppress him.
Encrid wasn't picking a fight. He was simply expressing pure curiosity and doubts, and after hearing the answer, he nodded in agreement.
"True."
"Wait, both the one asking the question and the one answering it, why are you nodding like you understand everything?"
Rem interjected with an exasperated expression.
"That's also true."
Encrid nodded absentmindedly again, irritating those around him.
"Are you mocking me?"
Rem asked.
"Sharp observation."
Sinar, the master of sarcasm, praised the barbarian for his perceptiveness.
"You're correct."
Encrid said as he nodded again, prompting Rem to temporarily shed his thermal fur. Still, it didn’t stop their sparring in the middle.
Audin smiled and thought to himself,
'I seem to have repeated something I learned from the Captain.'
The answer he just gave was actually something he had gleaned from observing Encrid, yet here he was, repeating it in reverse, leaving him somewhat nostalgic.
He had seen someone with modest talent live each day to the fullest.
Witnessing that had ended his wandering, leading him to his current place.
Releasing his restraints was a decision he did not regret, and he learned it all by observing Encrid's approach to life.
"By the way, why did you come back?"
Perhaps wanting to vent some frustration, Rem asked Audin out of the blue.
"Hmm."
Audin pretended to ponder for a moment, gazing at the distant sky.
He could have returned as a crusader by breaking his restraints, but he had no intention of going back to being an apostle of the War God. He wasn’t foolish enough to be unaware of where he belonged.
"Are you afraid of being scolded? Is that why?"
Rem pressed again. Audin nodded and replied,
"That’s part of it."
It was the exact same gesture Encrid had made earlier.
"Damn, have all of you lost it? Fine, let’s end it all today. Forget about the Captain or anything else. Disband the order today."
"On whose orders? You can go back to the west. Oh, or are you staying because you don’t know the way? Want me to guide you? Out of old times' sake, I’ll lead you just to the front gate."
Ragna's interruption naturally shifted the conversation. Eventually, it turned into a sparring session.
Encrid, brimming with excitement, was the first to dismount his odd-eyed steed.
"Bring it on, gray-headed fool."
"Are you too lazy to even provoke now?"
"Spot on."
As snowflakes fell, Jaxon went to gather dry branches nearby.
Lawford and Pel started preparing for camping.
"This is amusing."
Luagarne sat watching from the side, joined by Sinar.
"Watching my betrothed sweat is always entertaining."
Everyone went about their business in their unique way, yet it wasn’t problematic. It was, in its way, a delightful scene.
After sparring and preparing dinner, they returned to Encrid's initial question, shifting the discussion from existential to methodological.
"The divine is the strength given by the Gods for us to protect ourselves, and it differs from Will."
Hearing about Divine Power from Audin brought a mix of theological discourse, to which everyone listened attentively.
Lawford, Pel, and Teresa, in particular, sought to learn more.
Afterward, Encrid asked Rem about sorcery.
"What’s different about sorcery?"
While intangible power could be materialized, wasn't that possible with Will too? Lawford posed this question midway.
"That's not the only difference."
Rem, instead of getting angry, calmly continued the conversation. This wasn’t discussed all at once, everyone added their input while doing their tasks.
Their activities weren’t grandiose.
Jaxon gathered branches, Esther snapped her fingers to ignite a fire.
Lawford and Pel skillfully placed a pot over the fire, boiled water, and heated stones.
Jerky was grilled, and grain powder was mixed into the water, quickly producing a field meal.
After sparring, Rem returned with three rabbits, which he cooked himself.
"I happen to have some good wine."
Audin pulled out a few bottles of wine from his bag. Everyone poured it into tin or wooden cups instead of water and held it in hand.
Encrid took a sip, nodding at its rich aroma.
Luagarne munched on dried grasshoppers, while Sinar snacked on dried fruits alongside grain powder soup.
Not all Frogs ate only insects or bugs.
They enjoyed it when possible, but they weren’t indiscriminate.
For instance, Encrid had never seen a Frog catch and eat a flying summer fly with its tongue. When asked why, the answer was:
"Would you eat a moving cow alive on the spot without even draining its blood?"
While some foods were delicious raw, flies weren’t among them.
Even Frogs had a concept of cooking.
They even had favorite herbs.
While each person had their tasks, the central conversation revolved around Encrid, Audin, and Esther, who sat in human form.
"Are you saying Divine Power is stable?"
Lawford asked, sipping wine and passing the bottle to Pel to refill his cup.
The snow was falling heavier, but a small cave with an improvised tent of poles and blankets kept them sheltered.
This was a conversation by a crackling fire after a meal, sipping wine.
They discussed Divine Power, sorcery, and Will, each offering their perspectives.
Even when opinions differed, there were no arguments or accusations.
Each person respected the other's paths, knowing they had forged their own ways.
While there were playful jabs, no one took things too seriously.
Amidst such passionate individuals, Encrid found himself. Watching the fire burn and snowflakes fall, he mused:
‘This is fun.’
He felt as though he was balancing between joy and happiness.
As someone aiming to become a Knight, Encrid often lost sleep honing his skills, enjoying the process.
Moments like these were precious.
Beyond the thrill of growth, moments of open conversation like this were deeply enjoyable.
As a child, he once imagined such times.
He dreamed of becoming a Knight and gathering with similar people, discussing techniques and addressing weaknesses.
While they weren’t exactly addressing weaknesses now, the atmosphere was reminiscent of his childhood dreams.
It was simply delightful.
He gained much from these exchanges.
Encrid internalized and organized everything he learned in his mind.
Remembering and reflecting on knowledge was his specialty.
One such piece of knowledge was this:
Will induces exhaustion, but Divine Power does not.
"You’ll feel tired and drained after using it, but instead of your Will weakening, it’s more like your vessel isn’t prepared to accept more power from the Gods. However, you might not be able to use Divine Power for several days."
Sorcery differed from both Will and Divine Power.
"If you mess up with sorcery, the consequences go beyond mere exhaustion. The worst is possession."
"Possession?"
"It's like being taken over by a God distinct from the shining entities of Divine Power. Simply put, think of it as being controlled by an evil spirit, though it’s a bit different."
"How is it different?"
Pel asked. Shepherds of the Wilderness frequently dealt with evil spirits, so his interest was understandable.
"Instead of obeying the spirit, you end up driven by primal instincts or obsessions. It’s hard to explain—just take it as it is. And when someone gets possessed by sorcery, they become a much bigger problem than usual."
While Encrid didn’t fully understand, he had some grasp of the spirits like Grime or other beings mentioned during his time in the west.
"If a gentle spirit like a bear possesses you, you might just eat some honeycomb and end up with a stomach ache. But anything else could lead to serious trouble."
While Will caused exhaustion, sorcery led to possession, potentially causing a loss of self.
However, losing sorcery ability was rare, sometimes, it even increased, though no one foolish enough to recklessly deplete their sorcery existed.
Looking at it this way, Divine Power seemed remarkably stable, though this wasn’t entirely a good thing.
"It’s hard to use explosively. You need innate talent for that. Think of Divine Power as a long and sturdy thread."
"Sorcery allows you to exert several times your usual strength. That’s probably the biggest difference.
But using it like that always causes problems."
Sorcery could amplify power using mediums, offering explosive potential in short battles compared to Divine Power's sustainability.
It was like exaggerating facts, inflating power to match.
And Will? What set it apart?
Ragna provided the answer.
"Will depends entirely on the user. It takes on a different color depending on who wields it."
While saying this, Ragna glanced at Jaxon, as if to illustrate their contrasting methods.
While Divine Power and sorcery had some uniformity, Will did not.
A hundred individuals could each manifest it differently.
This was why basic techniques like Foresight and Endure existed.
One needed at least that foundation before discussing individuality.
As the discussion unfolded, it wasn’t just enjoyable, it also served as a process of rediscovery for Encrid.
Through this, he found clarity.
"The origin is the same."
Adding the wizard’s perspective offered Encrid a unique viewpoint.
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