While Encrid was adjusting his senses, Krais carried out the task promised by his captain.
He had scouted the location where the fairy city would settle. It was south of the Border Guard, farther south than the wastelands, near a stream that flowed from the river.
The final destination was a spot nestled against a small mountain range, a perfect location for a forest.
However, it was also a spot where securing the “safety” of the Safe Highway was difficult.
Nearby, there was a rocky mountain resembling a tower, once used as a nesting site by harpies, and a small forest beneath the mountain range where monsters and beasts frequently hid.
'A barrier to block monsters and beasts coming from the south.'
The location was ideal. If the fairies could fend off monsters themselves, the spot wouldn’t be a problem for them either.
With that thought in mind, Krais headed directly to the southern outpost.
Zero, a fairy, accompanied him, and his lover, Nurat, provided protection.
With a sword strapped to her side, Nurat walked right next to Krais, showing off her now-thicker arms. She had long embraced Audin’s physical training regimen.
"Trees that walk?"
Nurat asked.
"Technically, it’s called migration, a spell that’s a tradition of the Woodguard tribe."
Zero answered from Krais’s other side.
Fairies usually exuded a cool and calm demeanor, but not Zero. He was quite expressive and open with his emotions.
Not all fairies were the same, and Zero seemed to have learned to express himself out of necessity.
Seeing Encrid thrash Zero with words during training made that clear.
Encrid didn’t just use his sword when sparring with Zero; he also attacked him verbally.
"This is your best? Is this what you call giving it your all? Hmm, it’s scarier than a dragonfly. Good enough to kill a mosquito, though."
Comments like that had scraped away at the fairy’s composure.
Even for a patient fairy, such remarks would have taught him how to express anger.
And after anger, other emotions naturally followed.
When the trio arrived at the southern outpost, the soldier on duty approached them and saluted.
Initially, some soldiers had dismissed Krais as a useless member of the Mad Knights since he couldn’t fight well. But those days were long gone.
One reason for the change was that soldiers knew they wouldn’t get away with just a few hits if caught mocking him.
Another reason was that Krais openly admitted he wasn’t skilled in combat.
If he himself acknowledged it, who could argue otherwise?
There were still a few fools who acted out, but Krais was smart.
When Rem’s assault unit took over as his personal guard for a few weeks, any unnecessary chatter disappeared.
If even a distant whisper of someone badmouthing Krais reached Rem’s ears, the axe-wielding madman would make his presence known.
"So, you’re looking to disappear while training with my unit?"
There were rumors that some soldiers who joined Rem’s assault unit went missing.
Although it was just a rumor, death during training wasn’t uncommon.
As training intensity increased, so did the risk of injury or death.
Though Rem had never allowed any of his subordinates to die, the fear was enough to keep people quiet.
Krais didn’t mind the quiet murmurs or the whispers behind his back.
With monsters, demon realms, and war occupying his thoughts, what did it matter if people grumbled?
Krais was more concerned with addressing the tasks directly ahead of him.
Currently, it was learning about fairy society.
Throughout their walk, Zero explained the intricacies of fairy society and spoke of his own goal, to kill all the demons on the continent.
Zero was a fairy who enjoyed talking about himself. He also chatted with Nurat about various things, including updates on the personal guards and the recent training within Encrid’s unit.
Then, Krais noticed something.
Boom.
"…A monster."
The outpost soldier murmured who had come along as a guard.
Even though Krais had repeatedly warned them that walking trees would arrive, it was hard not to be surprised when seeing it firsthand.
The soldier at the outpost grabbed his bow, and the one next to him nocked an arrow.
But they both had the same question in their eyes: Would shooting even do anything?
Thud.
A tree’s root-like foot hit the ground as it moved closer. The sunlight from behind cast a long shadow over the area.
High above the branches, something round floated, and on closer inspection, fairies stood atop the branches, watching them, Zero raised his hand in greeting.
Krais demonstrated restraint as he spoke.
"Don’t shoot."
He hadn’t been surprised when Encrid told him, but now it was time to fully experience it.
"It’s really a tree. A tree that walks. It’s walking."
Krais muttered again.
"Yeah, it’s still surprising, even though we heard about it."
Nurat agreed from beside him.
Luckily, it had arrived during the day. At night, it might have been mistaken for a large monster attack.
The massive tree thudded as it walked, creating a sense of disorientation. Its slow yet powerful pace shattered any concept of scale. For many, this was their first time seeing such a thing.
It was larger than a giant, a tree so tall you had to crane your neck upward to see its top.
"They’re guests, not monsters."
Krais repeated.
Behind him, a soldier mumbled, "I have to pee."
"You too? So do I."
Another soldier replied.
"If we get crushed under its foot, we’ll be squashed like tomatoes."
"Ugh, now I’m imagining it, you bastard. I feel sick."
The three soldiers whispered among themselves. They seemed open about their thoughts, but it wasn’t genuine fear.
If they were truly terrified, they wouldn’t be able to speak at all.
Since they had been told the approaching beings were guests, their jokes served to ease tension. Still, they weren’t completely free of fear.
Squawk! Squawk!
Suddenly, a few beasts known as “faceless hounds” leapt out from one side. This area was notorious for occasional monster sightings.
The southern region of the Mad Knights’ territory had the highest rate of monster activity.
Aside from the Pen-Hanil Mountains, the southern outposts were among the most dangerous.
The faceless hounds, eleven of them, let out howls as they charged forward—only to immediately trip and roll across the ground.
Sticks rained down and impaled them before they could react.
Faceless hounds were known for their two main traits: biting humans and their exceptional agility.
For them to trip and fall simultaneously? That was obviously the work of fairies.
On the tree branches, a group of fairies expertly fired arrows, using hand signals to switch positions.
The dead hounds lay crushed beneath the tree’s massive feet, leaving only sticky black marks on the ground.
The tree giants continued approaching, some of them towering higher than the outpost itself.
Having fully taken in the sight, Krais spoke.
"Welcome to the Border Guard."
"Thank you for the warm welcome. Although, the air here isn’t that great."
A fairy who had stepped forward said.
"Just because we’re fairies doesn’t mean we’re ignorant. I worked as a mercenary through the Information Guild, and my first job started in a city downstream, southeast from here…"
The fairy rambled on, but Krais, unfazed, listened and occasionally responded.
He wasn’t accustomed to tree giants, but conversations like this were second nature.
"Are you saying not to try any tricks? Don’t worry. Yes, monsters appear frequently here. Armed bandits occasionally show up to the south as well. I don’t think those will be major issues. If your people settle here, our captain will appreciate it. Even if he doesn’t show it, the benefits will be obvious. If necessary, we’ll assign troops to help clear the area. I believe the spot beneath the mountain range to the west is the ideal place for you to settle."
Fairies don’t lie, but they do distort the truth.
‘However, they won’t distort anything if they view the captain as an idol.’
Still, to be cautious, the one taking the lead was likely a fairy familiar with human culture.
Since humans could exploit them, they were probably being careful. Just like most first encounters between groups with little trust.
But Krais had no intention of deceiving them from the start.
With scammers, you use their language. But with those wielding truth as their weapon, you respond with truth.
Krais wasn’t willing to let any noise interfere with this “negotiation”.
Genuine sincerity was all that was needed.
And it was enough.
The leading fairy smiled with satisfaction, though Krais barely noticed the subtle change.
"Your words sound good, but I think it’s still necessary to confirm, as Emily taught me. She was my first lover, a receptionist at the Information Guild."
Krais skillfully maneuvered past the unnecessary chatter and welcomed the fairies, guiding them.
There were still administrative and logistical matters to address, but nothing too problematic.
One by one, the tree giants migrated. Their movements were so large and clumsy that some people panicked, but no one attacked.
A few southern nobles, mistaking the tree giants for monstrous invaders, requested reinforcements several times.
In response, small units were dispatched for brief inspections, but no battles occurred.
* * *
"One more time."
It was Rem who spoke, not Encrid. Something about the situation had shifted.
Rem requested a sparring session once every day or two.
Encrid didn’t exactly decline, but neither did he agree quietly.
"Uh, are you sure?"
"What do you mean, am I sure?"
"I don’t have a hobby of bullying the weak."
"Hah. Who’s weak, you lunatic?"
Rem pretended to take the bait but remained calm. His attacks were fierce and fiery, but there was nothing sloppy about his axe swings. That was the genius of Rem.
After several adjustments to his senses, Encrid understood his place.
In the framework he had established, they were on the level of upper Knights, while he was at the intermediate level.
However, the framework he had established was more of a training method, not a system for evaluating combat power.
‘Usque.’
The unending Will proved overwhelmingly efficient in one-on-one combat, allowing him to match those who had entered the realm of upper Knights.
‘It’s also thanks to the Wave Blocking Sword wielded at full power.’
By splitting his thoughts, he could balance power and endurance, making prolonged high-speed combat possible. That was Encrid’s current specialty.
He could fight for long periods, and the time within those battles was dense. Each swing of his sword was imbued with lethal momentum.
While Lierbart and Jamal favored delaying tactics, Encrid’s approach was different.
On the surface, it often looked like he wasn’t stalling but pushing forward aggressively. Naturally, it wasn’t only Rem who challenged him.
"Come out, Mad Knights Captain. I’ll fix your head for you."
Ragna would provoke and charge at him as well, and Encrid would accept the challenge.
"Yeah, if you’re lacking in talent, you’d better make up for it with effort."
Encrid relished the present moment, even as he felt the time he enjoyed slipping away.
Regular soldiers and all available combat personnel burned with passion as they observed Encrid and the Mad Knights.
And while Rem and the others were also inspired by Encrid, they had never truly fallen behind him until now.
But now, they had been overtaken, genuinely outmatched by Encrid.
Only a fool wouldn’t savor this moment.
"I’ll definitely win!"
"Lord!"
"I’ll cut him to pieces!"
That was why Rem, Audin, Ragna, and Jaxon had suddenly thrown themselves into insane training.
"So, are you planning to kill every Knight in the world now?"
Jaxon’s lover had asked him this once.
"There’s someone I have to catch up to."
"Have to?"
She knew Jaxon well. He wasn’t the type to use words like “must” or “have to” lightly.
"Why do you have to?"
Jaxon hadn’t thought about it much before, but now, the answer was clear.
"Because it’s annoying."
"What?"
"Seeing him act superior annoys me."
That was what he said aloud, but inside, he thought something different.
‘I stayed to be helpful. I can’t afford to be a burden.’
Thus, he trained. And soon, the results began to show.
It had been fourteen days since Encrid returned to the Border Guard when Audin, who was supposed to meet someone, found himself waiting due to that person’s brief absence.
Encrid, meanwhile, had been training as usual.
He hadn’t met with Eitri or had a private conversation with Esther.
Encrid had planned to meet Eitri after checking his condition, but after handing over the weapons and items he had gathered, Eitri had suggested meeting later. Esther, on the other hand, was currently living in the form of a panther.
Even Sinar hadn’t visited, so Encrid had only seen Lord Graham once.
Other than training, there wasn’t much else to do.
To be honest, he thoroughly enjoyed defeating his order’s members.
"This isn’t enough. I need more stimulation. You guys aren’t enough to push me."
Encrid often muttered such things.
No one ignored him when he said that.
"So, you ran into cultists? Did you sell your soul to the Demon God or something?"
Rem asked, picking a leaf from his hair.
The warm breeze of the day indicated that winter was almost over, and the goddess named Spring was approaching. It was the season when thoughts of Sinar discussing the spring wind would come to mind.
"I hear the whining of the weak."
Encrid said, letting his sword droop and reciting his words like poetry.
Rem’s expression changed. This had become a common sight over the past few days.
"You’re dead today."
Rem spat on the ground and adjusted his grip on his axe.
The atmosphere turned tense, as if they were ready to stake their lives on this fight.
Rem lowered his stance, bending his knees halfway, ready to charge forward.
Having seen Rem’s intent through his insight, Encrid raised Penna, prepared to slash diagonally.
He expected today to be no different from previous encounters.
Unless Rem used his axe properly and unleashed all his magic, the result wouldn’t change.
Then, suddenly, Rem’s figure seemed to shrink.
It wasn’t that he had actually shrunk, he had created distance in an instant, making it appear that way.
‘He’s retreating?’
Rem jumped back, but his speed was extraordinary. Moving diagonally or backward, he was just as fast as when moving forward. His feet hit the ground without hesitation, leaving afterimages as he moved.
At the same time—
Whir, whir, whirrrrrrr!
A disc spun above Rem’s head. The bullet, bound in a leather pouch, began rotating at high speed, it was a sling.
"I’m not joking around."
Whiiiiizzz!
Amid the deafening whir of the spinning sling, Rem imbued it with Will and spoke.
"If you can’t block it, you’ll die."
Whoosh!
The sling launched the bullet.
Bang!
The sound of air tearing apart echoed.
Between the sounds, Encrid’s insight allowed him to pinpoint the incoming bullet, a spot of violent intent aimed to crush his skull.
Even with accelerated thinking, the bullet appeared as a single point, moving faster than anything he’d dealt with before.
It was far more dangerous than the flying daggers he had caught in the past.
Encrid leaned backward, narrowly dodging the bullet as it grazed his forehead. A few strands of hair were cut and swept away with the bullet.
He immediately rolled to the side.
Boom!
A fountain of dirt erupted where he had just been. The bullet fired by Rem had struck the ground.
It wasn’t over with just one shot.
Whiiiiizzz!
Rem had already launched two more discs diagonally.
The disc on the left was nearly vertical to the ground, while the one on the right was almost horizontal.
The two spinning circles maintained their deadly presence, just two hand spans apart.
"Die, you lunatic."
Rem shouted gleefully.
Encrid saw the sincerity in those words.
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