Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 825

825. Deep-rooted faith

Luagarne knew her age was no less than that of the fairy Sinar. That’s why
, at some point, she forgot to count her years. She simply remembered that this was her fourth life. She divided her life into four, based on her pursuits.
Her previous life, her third, was about protecting a charming woman.
For some, it was a simple undertaking, for others, a task worth selling one’s soul for.
Not judging the importance of the task, she devoted herself to protecting the former queen of Naurilia.
While not every day was enjoyable, it was an interesting life in its own right.
Before that, she had even dedicated her life to eradicating cultists.
Of course, even considering her status as a prog, Luagarne was a unique case. Normally, one wouldn’t repeat four lives.
In any case, Luagarne knew she couldn’t remember everything from her past lives, so she remembered only the significant events.
One of them was the appearance of the salamander.

‘Social.’

I don’t know how the actual Salamander was summoned, but I do know that the cult sacrificed hundreds of its followers.
The memory of that time is vivid.

‘It’s hot.’

The scorching sun dries out all the moisture. Before I knew it, the surrounding temperature had risen sharply, and the moisture had vanished. Despite the low humidity, the heat felt like it was squeezing and twisting my flesh, burning it.
It felt like stepping into a red-hot iron pot.
As a pro, I was particularly sensitive to this.

“Isn’t it a bit hot today?”

This was a common comment among passing soldiers. Sweat wasn’t pouring down, but the sun was scorching hot. The shade should have made things a little better, but a gust of wind was blowing in from somewhere.
When Luagarne went to the knights’ training grounds, she saw a man she’d glimpsed before standing there, blankly.
Next to him was an adjutant from the Rem Regiment, and next to him was Finn, the captain of the Fen-Hanil Rangers.

“what?”

Rem, who arrived before her, asked with his ears open, and his adjutant answered.

“There’s a fireball walking around. What’s going on? It’s killing everyone.”

It was a response worthy of a member of Rem’s unit.

“But didn’t you say that the salamander was awakening inside?”

Then the man next to him spoke.

“Although it was not confirmed with the naked eye, we did see some traces that were quite dangerous.”

Finn finished it off.

“No, what did you say before that?”

Rem asked again.

“……I told you to tell him that Lord Encred is going first.”

Garrett answered.
Rem, seemingly oblivious to the Salamander’s appearance, focused solely on Encred’s words.

“Hey, this is fun. I’ll go first. Take care of it!”

And Rem ran too.

“Do you know where you are going?”

After that, the adjutant followed him.

“You can guide me.”
“I don’t know either.”
“You’ll figure it out as you go. Unless you’re some idiot who can’t even find your way.”

Luagarne listened quietly to what had happened, and then, at a point where she would normally have panicked, she accelerated her thoughts.

‘Did the salamander come out?’

It could be true, or it could be a mistake. Either way, we must respond. And now Rem has turned her back, and Encred has already entered the Fen-Hanil Mountains.
In a flash, Luagarne’s mouth opened. It wasn’t quite the croak of a frog, but it was quite loud.

“Countless fire monsters will be created around you.”

Rem glanced back. She sensed a hint of urgency in Luagarne’s tone. Despite her appearance, Rem was smart.
He read her worries. If the flame monsters were to pour down, who would stop them?
Just as if everyone left the countryside, there would be no one to herd the cattle, so she needed an asymmetrical force to remain here and fend off the flame monsters.

“Don’t worry. The kids think they’re statues. They’ll figure it out and fight well.”

Even Luagarne thought it wasn’t wrong.
Then Rem kicked the butt of one of her men.

“Aren’t you going to run faster?”

It was a gesture that I couldn’t stand seeing my captain having all the fun because I was late.

“No, is this right?”

Garrett muttered to himself. Finn wasn’t surprised. He’d expected it to happen.

‘They’re not called the Mad Knights for nothing.’

She thought so.
Luagarne briefly recalled the events that had occurred when the flame-breathing lizards had been active.
The first problem was the followers. A group of sects that had splintered from the Demonic Holy Church, they were acting madly.
They burned crops, burned cities, burned people. They had said they would burn everything, from newborns to the elderly, and offer them up as sacrifices.

‘Did you say we should build a temple of flame?’

The Salamander was a god, and his wrath had descended upon this earth, so they were to be worshipped.
In reality, most of them, his followers, were consumed by the flames the Salamander had unleashed, reduced to ashes.

“Oh God! Release your wrath-.”

Before he could speak, the land was engulfed in flames.

‘Despite all that, his followers remained.’

Although few in number, there still exist fanatic groups who worship the Salamander as a deity. They are madmen who have no qualms about burning people.
The second problem is the power of the Salamander itself, a demon-level monster.

‘He spits out living, moving monsters.’

So, it could create an unlimited number of flame-based creatures. Even the forbidden spell “Walking Fire” was merely a mimic of this creature’s power.
These two problems multiplied the number of accidents the creature caused. Thus began the Salamander tragedy.
Things were no different now.

‘It’s a warning sign.’

Flame monsters and demons.

‘Next is the Flame Giant.’

After that, all kinds of monsters made of fire will appear.

“Who is going where?”

While Luagarne was lost in thought for a moment, Ragnar arrived. He tied my blond hair up—perhaps Anne’s handiwork—and asked calmly.

“You’re going first, inside. Sir Encred first, then Sir Rem.”

Garrett’s briefing was brief. Finn saw no need to elaborate.
Ragnar, after hearing that, left with a single word.

“Rem should be a child, not a gentleman.”

His official title wasn’t Lord Rem, but Rem the Youngling. Ragnar truly believed that.
Garrett was speechless.
What the hell was he talking about, this crazy bastard?
He knew the Mad Knights weren’t normal, but seeing them up close wasn’t easy.
Finn, who had been watching Ragnar, naturally stood by his side. Finn knew Ragnar. He couldn’t be left alone. If he were sent here, he might be a great man who would emerge from the south later.

“I will guide you.”

Finn said. Ragnar tilted his head.

“Why?”
“Yes, why.”

Finn followed, motioning to Garrett. “So, just get on with what you’re doing.”
Garrett didn’t ask what I did. It was obvious.
I relay messages to those who come. I’m a messenger. After all, I retired as a battalion commander.
I could do that a hundred, a thousand times over. I liked this kind of thing.
The important thing is this: Why don’t these guys have a sense of urgency?

“So is this correct?”

Garrett muttered.
The Salamander is a danger beyond the average demonic realm. It’s a monster that sucks up knights in double digits and kills even a few righteous wizards.
It’s nothing short of a natural disaster. Some even say that these events have reduced the number of knights on the continent compared to previous eras.
Some scholars even estimate that without this large-scale disaster, the number of knights would have doubled.
Either way, it’s the advent of a catastrophe.

‘Is it right to go and deal with something like that?’

Garrett’s judgment became even more complex.
His constant questioning, as if muttering to himself, reflected his state of mind.
He felt it was right, considering they were the knights of the kingdom’s main force, but he also wondered if it was right to rush in so unprepared. He felt a ambivalent feeling.

“It doesn’t fit.”

A female prog named Luagarne approached and spoke. Garrett saw that this prog was the only one who could communicate.
“Right? Right?
” Garrett said, sending her a look. That’s what he had been meaning to say.

“We must devise a plan. We must immediately send a messenger to the kingdom and summon the Knights of the Red Cloak.”

Garrett, too, was a former battalion commander. He knew how the military worked. In his common sense, the Salamander was like a meteor falling from the sky. It was on par with a natural disaster or catastrophe.
Even if you knew about it, you couldn’t avoid it. Even if the article called it a disaster, it was only a metaphor.
It was just a metaphor. This was a true disaster. When a star reaches the end of its lifespan and falls, no one can live in that area. The Salamander is a star that has reached the end of its lifespan.

“But if they can’t stop it, no one can.”

Luagarne knew the hell unleashed by the surrounding flame monsters when the Salamanders appeared. She also knew the current training and armament of the Border Guard Standing Force.
Rem was right. The standing army is more than just a sham. The Border Guard Standing Force is a group created by the monster Krysran Crona, who never wastes even a single copper coin, pouring gold into its armaments.

“Huh? Oh, um, that sounds about right.”

Garrett, his head spinning, said, ”
Continue.”

“Who came and said what happened?”

Meanwhile, he came to Saxony and asked. The training ground was right in front of the lodgings. It was practically a den for the mad knights. It was a place they would return to one by one when the time came.

“Salamander inside…….”

Garrett’s explanation was even clearer this time. Saxon patted Garrett on the shoulder, treating him like an old, veteran soldier.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Saxony treats its soldiers better than you might think. If you’ve worked hard to come here and report, you deserve recognition.

“Well, well, it was hard work.”

While Garrett muttered, Saxen had already moved and disappeared.
He knew something was happening inside without anyone saying anything. Saxen’s intuition was already warning him.
Even without guidance, he could easily reach his destination.

“Where is my fiancé going?”

Next, the fairy came out and asked, and Garrett finished his explanation with more concise content than before.

“Salamanders are suspected to have appeared within the mountains. Some knights, led by Lord Encred, have entered the mountains.”

Living as a bard brought back habits I’d forgotten from my military days. And it wasn’t when I was a battalion commander, but when I was just starting out in the military and commanding a small unit.

“But why are you here like this?”

Sinar recognized Garrett’s face. He remembered them having once been in the same unit.
That’s why he asked.

“Oh, that.”

Garrett fell silent before answering. The water fairy showed no interest and vanished, so what could he possibly say?
Instead of the green eyes that had been fixed on him, only the back of her blond head was visible. The small head quickly shrank.
Her swift, swift steps were incredibly light and swift. She quickly left the training grounds and ran in a straight line toward the mountains.

“……But I was once a battalion commander.”

Garrett muttered, but those who followed him didn’t treat him any differently.

“Brother Messenger, thank you for your hard work.”

The apostle of the war god who resembles a bear man passes by.

“Lua, you know something?”

The knight named Roford, who appeared next, finished assessing the situation and went about his business.
He went inside and helped in the fight.

“Some demons will come down and spread fire around.”

As Luagarne had said, this was something that simply couldn’t be allowed to happen.
And all this news was quickly relayed to Christ and Abnayer, and Christ gave his order without the slightest hesitation.

“Standing forces are sounding the alarm and forming a front line. Don’t send any news to the city. If you evacuate now, you’ll run away and get trampled to death.”

Christ was resolute. He was also trusting.
His belief that the gold he had sown would not be in vain was deeply rooted and strong.