"You bastard."
Rem ground his teeth. Ragna stood before him with a haughty attitude.
He drew his chin in and raised the tip of his nose at a slant. At the same time, he slightly lowered his eyes and spoke, as if reciting a poem.
"Keep pushing forward."
Keep going, in other words.
Encrid thought those words fit perfectly.
Rem's insides boiled with rage. He wanted to return to where he came from and retrieve what he had left behind immediately.
Even though he hadn't used his sling, he still lost.
No, he couldn't even use his sling.
There were two reasons for this.
Rem's instincts realized that it would be difficult to win, and the other reason was that even if they both died together, it would be meaningless.
Sure, the guy was annoying from the first time they met, but not to the extent of beating him to death.
In a world full of bastards who would rape and kill women and live on with full bellies, an idiot who gets lost easily wasn't worth killing.
"Do you really want to die?"
Rem spoke, but despite his words, he had no intention of making a move.
If it came to it, he might risk his life, but he knew that would be another form of defeat.
To win, he had to overpower with skill.
Just like Ragna had done now.
Like that idiot who got lost without cutting off his own arms or legs, that's how it had to be done.
But now, it wasn't possible.
The opponent fought while controlling 'Will'.
Every slash of his sword contained that power.
Even when deflected, the sword came back with faster speed than before.
Even the tip of the sword that lightly grazed Rem's shoulder held the strength as if it had been thrust with full force.
It was clear that the process of building strength had been skipped, yet it still felt like that.
Why was that?
Rem could sum it all up in one word.
Will.
So, had Ragna become a Knight?
No, that wasn't it. But at this moment, he was, if only slightly, in a superior state than Rem.
That fact made Rem feel furious to the point of madness.
"Can you handle it? If you're proposing a death pact, then go ahead and try."
Do you think he'd fall for something like that?
That was the implication behind Ragna's tone.
He knew too. If Rem went all out, it would be hard for him to come out unscathed.
He would be hurt, without a doubt.
If Rem fought with full strength, at the very least, Ragna might lose an arm or a leg.
Even knowing that, Ragna didn't waver from his haughty attitude.
'Should I just beat him to death?'
Rem seriously considered it.
"I understand, Rem."
Encrid interjected.
At some point, he had also finished his duel. No, from the start, it wasn't meant to escalate into something serious.
Sinar maintained a teaching stance, and Encrid accepted it, making it more of an instructional sparring match.
That wasn't bad either, but Rem and Ragna's fight had drawn too much attention.
Naturally, he finished his sparring and observed their fight, particularly the exchange of their final strikes, which shook Encrid's mind.
After six short, sharp exchanges, the final strike felt firm and resolute.
It was a Middle Sword Technique, a downward slash.
From that, Encrid could sense that Ragna's sword was different from before.
Rem had crossed two axes and twisted the force away as the sword descended vertically.
The two axes absorbed the power like cotton balls.
If Rem had a little more energy left, the outcome of the fight might have been different.
At least, it wouldn't have ended the way it did now.
But Rem couldn't hold on. Ragna's sword plunged down with steady force.
It was similar to a Crushing Sword, but also different.
The intention to cut was there, but unlike before, the Will behind the cut extended longer.
Whereas the previous slashes were momentary, this one carried Will for as long as it took to savor a sip of tea.
A Crushing Sword applies pressure through its preparatory process. The Will only activates for a brief moment when the swords clash.
In some ways, it could be considered a trick.
Since one couldn't sustain the pressure of Will for long, the technique utilized a slow, crushing method.
So what about Ragna's sword now?
'The sustain is different.'
Ragna had always used Will with his technique, Severance. It imbued Will in an instant.
But now?
He maintained a constant force as it descended.
The sword infused with Will.
That's where the outcome was decided.
Rem hadn't been able to draw out his Will.
There wasn't much difference in physical strength. In fact, if you measured purely on the completion of their bodies, Rem might have been superior.
But Ragna added Will to his.
'Ah.'
Encrid quickly grasped the situation.
It was thanks to experiencing the sword of a Knight that his eyes were opened.
Ragna's new swordsmanship—light and heavy—was the birth of swordsmanship based on Will.
Talent—or rather, the fact that he had encountered the sword of a Knight had allowed his talent to bloom.
Having fought against Junior-Knights and Squires before, he had already been determined to break through his limits.
What had banished the things that were eating away at him was witnessing Encrid's steadfast life.
It was the culmination of everything.
Among them, what had the most significance recently?
A Knight.
In other words, the experience of having faced a Knight's sword created the current result.
Encrid thought this and tried to comfort Rem.
"You've never fought a Knight before, have you?"
"...What?"
"Try facing a Knight. It'll change things."
Encrid was sharing his own experience. It was advice meant for Rem.
At that point, Ragna added his own words.
"That's true. You haven't experienced a Knight's sword, have you?"
And then Rem.
"Arghhhhh!"
Though for a moment, he showed what it meant for a human to become a Beast, he didn't go on a rampage.
It was just as Encrid had expected.
On the surface, he looked like a crazy bastard who'd split someone's head open with an axe if things went south, and while the madness was real, he still adhered to certain principles.
That was the Rem that Encrid knew.
However, it was unfortunate that Rem couldn't fully accept his advice, so he continued to offer it anyway.
"Once you experience a Knight's sword…"
"Damn it, what are you talking about?"
"You've never seen one yet, so that's why. Once you do, you'll see the difference."
"Shit, shit, shit."
Even though Encrid insisted he wasn't trying to mock him, Sinar, who was observing, saw things differently, and she reflected on the day by saying:
"My fiance's tongue is possessed by a demon."
Esther, who was watching from one side, had a similar thought.
As a wizard who had actually encountered demons before, she thought even their whispers wouldn't be as tormenting.
"It's for your own good."
Especially when he spoke like that, it was clear he had the intent to drive people mad.
"Enough, enough already!"
It wasn't something you saw often. Rem was clearly suffering.
After hearing Encrid's words dozens more times, Rem eventually found peace.
"Fine. Someday, I'll meet a Knight."
Audin, witnessing this, quietly offered a prayer.
"The Lord has descended and embraced him. He has gained an important revelation, brother."
"Yeah, I'll gain some revelation."
Rem agreed.
Ragna watched Rem for a moment before turning to Encrid and saying,
"I will admit that the Captain is several levels above in cruelty."
Encrid insisted it was a misunderstanding, but no one believed him.
It wasn't until later that night that Rem regained his senses.
"If you mention Knights one more time, I'll split your tongue and make it like a snake's."
The threat to cut his tongue in two wasn't an idle one.
It was as if there was Will imbued in his words.
Sometimes, strong resolve can hit your heart in that way.
Encrid stopped teasing and simply clicked his tongue.
"Alright, let's stop."
Opportunities to tease Rem like this didn't come often, so he had put in a bit of effort.
"Damn it."
Rem eventually lost his temper but managed to calm down.
Afterward, he focused intensely on his training, often challenging Ragna to spar, either once a day or every few days.
"You lost idiot, you think you're so good at fighting? Come to the training ground."
At Rem's respectful challenge, Ragna would personally step forward.
"Alright, let's see if I can knock that useless head of yours off today."
Encrid would sometimes join in their sparring sessions, but Sinar often sought him out, and he became absorbed in training with her.
"Have you had a lot of free time lately?"
"I'm busy. Big Eyes has been causing a lot of trouble."
Encrid was well aware of this. Krais had come by to complain about it in detail.
Krais had expanded the trade route significantly, laying down blue stone to pave a road that could withstand rain.
"Who's taking care of that?"
Encrid had asked Big Eyes in response when Krais explained everything to him.
The Border Guard was short on manpower, not to mention the work of reclaiming the Green Pearl Plains.
"There are people in the nearby pioneer village who are well-known for this kind of work. We paid them."
The pioneer village likely didn't have extra hands to spare either.
"You used the Captain's name, didn't you?"
Krais admitted it proudly.
Encrid didn't scold him.
If anyone could keep things running smoothly, it would be Krais.
A little name-dropping was hardly a big deal.
"They were even planning to put the Captain's name on the fort walls, so this is mutually beneficial."
In addition to that, Martai had also sent personnel, and passing mercenary bands were recruited to fill in the labor gaps.
"The lack of hands will soon be filled. But in the meantime, could you handle some training for the new recruits?"
Just as Krais had confidently assured, the lack of manpower was soon resolved.
This was the effect of Encrid's reputation spreading throughout the region.
At the same time, word spread that no one starved at the Border Guard.
In a world where monsters and beasts roamed the roads, there were no bands of vagrants.
Instead, there were those who had no choice but to turn to banditry.
These were people who had escaped from the clutches of Lords who were like dogs, sucking the blood from their people.
Krais accepted these people, along with refugees from various cities.
Though there were plenty of potential troublemakers, they accepted them all, as they couldn't afford to be choosy. If any of them caused problems within the city, they were dealt with harshly.
Everything was done with the Lord's approval, so there were no issues.
Of course, there were some who voiced concerns.
"If you accept just anyone, don't you realize it will cause security issues?"
One of the Lord's adjutants had remarked.
"And what would you suggest to prevent that?"
Krais retorted, scolding him.
"Hmm? You'd throw away this opportunity to turn the place into a bustling trade city, to earn a fortune in Krona? And you still think you deserve to be the Lord's adjutant? Why don't you go and ask that friend Rem to take your head off? He's been quite angry lately and would do it nice and clean. What are you standing around for?"
If there was anyone who could stand up to Rem in a battle of words, it was Krais.
Especially when Krona was involved, his verbal combat skills were multiplied several times over.
The adjutant was left speechless. He thought he might have heard some nonsense about Krona in the middle of it, but he couldn't argue.
And he couldn't just beat him up either.
Krais was a member of the Madmen Platoon.
Could he hit him?
Should he hit him?
The adjutant decided against it.
Krais even seemed to invite the idea, leaning forward as if to say, "Go ahead and hit me."
"If you're not going to hit me, let's get to work."
The adjutant, who was cold and rational enough to hold his position, decided against it. Krais knew that, which is why he had pushed him.
If it had been otherwise, he would have been beaten first and asked questions later.
Had the adjutant been someone who acted with his fists first, Krais wouldn't have been so bold.
After that, the adjutant faithfully followed Krais' orders—though they weren't really orders—and buried himself in work.
Due to the Lord's renewed enthusiasm for swordsmanship, the dark circles under the adjutant's eyes never faded.
As a result, the adjutant began reciting prayers before bed.
Half of those prayers were curses aimed at Krais, and the other half were for the Lord.
Encrid wasn't aware of all this, but he had a general idea.
When Krais worked so hard, everyone else around him couldn't help but groan.
Krais knew how to squeeze every ounce of potential from people.
"Audin will handle the recruit training."
Encrid lent his support to Krais.
"Yes, brother. I'll handle it. We need to at least make sure the young ones can run."
There was no better candidate than Audin for basic physical training.
Of course, the new recruits would shed tears, but it wasn't necessarily a bad thing for them. After all, suffering through training once increased their chances of surviving on the battlefield—a truth as old as time.
In exchange, the soldiers' pay was significantly increased. Additionally, numerous laborers were hired, more maids were brought on, and a guild of skilled seamstresses was organized.
"Let's burn through the Krona."
Krais fully exhausted the remaining Krona in the castle.
He worked hard to spend even the smallest coin.
"That's the castle's funds."
The adjutant protested, mustering the last of his strength, but it was in vain.
"And? Do you think hoarding those funds will make wheat fall from the sky? Or maybe apples? So, what do you want me to do about it?"
"I was just saying."
The adjutant gave up arguing.
The fact that the Lord had given Krais permission to do as he pleased made it easier to let go.
It only made the adjutant's prayers before bed a little longer.
Krais reorganized a few units, starting with the veteran soldiers.
All the equipment was renewed as well.
Standardizing the gear was a way to increase a sense of belonging.
As for the shortage of Krona, Leona lent the money.
"There's no interest. Just don't forget to increase my authority."
Krais had no choice but to hand over the trade business and other operations to the Rockfreed Trading Company anyway.
Leona knew this, but it was a mutually beneficial arrangement. She lent the gold coins, making it look like she was lending a helping hand.
This way, when Rockfreed Trading received special treatment later, no one could complain.
Meanwhile, rumors spread that the pay was different if you were part of the Border Guard Reserve Unit.
As rumors circulated, people began flocking in.
When serfs started deserting neighboring estates, the Lords filed petitions to the Royal Court, tightening control over their lands.
The Royal Court sent a representative to tell them to ease up, but the Lord only nodded on the surface and didn't listen at all.
"If that's how it's going to be, then why don't they help when we're getting attacked from all sides?"
Krais harshly criticized them.
He understood that the Royal Court was not in a position to use force right now.
So he did whatever he wanted.
In any case, once he had built up enough power and justification, there wouldn't be much they could say later.
They continued to pave roads and started setting up watchtowers within sight of each other.
The watchtowers lined along the road became a notable feature of the Border Guard.
He stationed the newly organized units there.
They named the ten-man squads 'Outpost Squads'.
"Are we supposed to guard this place?"
The Squad leader who was sent out for the first time showed his anxiety.
They had to work shifts day and night, with no guarantee that monsters and beasts wouldn't appear.
Krais offered a solution, as if it were obvious.
"You'll get extra pay."
"Still…"
"Would you like to attend an advanced training course instead?"
"I'll guard the outpost."
Audin's training was like a descent into the gates of hell for the new recruits.
That's why the saying, "If you want to die, become a soldier", began circulating.
Even so, many people still came, wanting to become soldiers.
The Border Guard was transforming day by day.
At the center of it all was Krais.
He was truly stirring things up in all sorts of ways.
As a result, Sinar also found herself busier than ever.
Her unit was tasked with surveying the newly acquired swamp territory.
It was undeniably a hectic time.
Even so, she still made a point to visit Encrid regularly, which is why he had asked her if she wasn't too busy.
"Then why don't you come when you're less busy?"
Encrid asked, but for Sinar, it was an absurd question.
"We have a date."
"...Oh."
In a way, she seemed more persistent than Encrid himself, but his intuition told him that this Fairy wasn't doing this just for the sake of a simple date.
There was something more.
Otherwise, she would've suggested they go to the market or somewhere else long ago. But that wasn't the case.
"When the time comes, I'll let you know."
That's all she said.
"Let's have fun today as well, fiance."
Sinar drew her Naidil.
Encrid also drew his silver longsword.
It now fit perfectly in his hand, as if it had forgotten its previous owner.
"You've surpassed me now."
As they sparred, Sinar added a remark.
She was acknowledging that Encrid's skills had now surpassed her own.
Encrid didn't deny it.
He could feel it too.
The end of their usual sparring session was approaching.
Sinar took a step back and drew her chin in.
Her gaze rose from below, locking onto Encrid's face as she spoke.
"This won't do."
The moment she finished speaking, something changed.