Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 523

523
Why must we fight war?

I’d be lying if I said I’d never had that question.

Why must I kill you?

Why do I have to die?

“If you’re going to live off of a knife, isn’t it natural to be prepared to die? If you’re thinking of only saving yourself, then that bastard has no conscience.”

The loyal mercenary said so.

“If you want to go to God, I will just send you there.”

The priest of the war god said so.

Each person will have their own thoughts.

Of course, there will be some who just cut without thinking, and there will be others who follow orders.

“The only thing I know how to do is wield a knife.”

There could be a talented monster who would say something like that.

on the other side.

“I’m trying to earn money from this. What’s the point of talking?”

Some people even made a coin shape with their index finger and thumb and spoke.

“To prove myself through killing. I don’t need any other reason!”

I’ve even seen giants shouting like this on the battlefield.

“There is a heat that arises in the midst of war. That heat is the only proof that I am alive.”

Who said this, yeah, it was Prock who said it.

The Frog species is a species that originally chases after something that is either a desire or a goal, so it was only natural that they would say something like this.

“We fight because you attack us.”

There were also some who took a passive stance in the fight.

Encred has seen many people, fought alongside them, almost died at their hands, and actually died because of the curse that made him repeat the day, and in turn, he has reached the present by killing and beating his opponents.

So why do we fight wars?

I don’t know.

From the perspective of those in power, the purpose may have been clear.

For example, to expand the land. To have more.

The continent, which has become urbanized due to the presence of demons and beasts, faces difficult problems as its population increases.

This means that there is not enough space to eat, wear clothes, and live.

So those in power had to fill in what was lacking.

What we need is land with water, land good for farming, in other words, land good for eating and living.

As I was about to set foot on the ground, the guy next to me said.

“Hey, that’s my land.”

So, the powerful people who needed land had no choice but to ask.

“Since when?”

“Since our father’s father’s father’s father.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Oh, that’s not my business, it’s my land.”

“Hey, do you want to take a few hits and then back off? Or do you want to just back off quietly?”

“Do you want to fight?”

“uh.”

“Come at me, you son of a bitch.”

Even if there was no actual swearing, I think there was a conversation like this.

Well, then, when a war breaks out, is it the guy who gets angry and wants to fight that dies? The king or noble who holds power?

‘That’s not it.’

The ones who actually die are the soldiers. Those who are under the control of those in power. Does that mean we should blame those who waged war? I don’t know about that either.

The truth that Encred also knew and understood well was that if one were to take up arms, one must also be prepared to die.

If you don’t like that, you should have shaved your head with a knife and become a monk. On your days off, you should have avoided people’s eyes, harassed women, and secretly soaked yourself in wine behind the temple.

If you don’t like that either, you should just quietly stand in the position of being exploited.

‘But isn’t it natural to want to fight when you’re being exploited?’

That too may be natural.

Well, it’s impossible to know the reason for everything that happens in the world.

So Encred took up his sword.

Since I don’t know the reason, I have no choice but to jump in myself.

Since you won’t listen to me through words, I have no choice but to give in.

‘The previous article.’

The moment the minstrel’s song entered my ears and settled into my heart, it became a dream.

Now part of the dream has come true.

So what do you want to do after achieving your dream?

I had no desire to send my soldiers into battle and cheer them on as they all died.

So how should we fight?

How to reduce sacrifices, Encrid thought about such things.

War and fighting are inevitable, but I don’t want to be dragged into it.

It’s not that I’m going to turn away from death. It’s not that I’m going to hesitate to kill.

But wouldn’t it be better to move towards something similar, even if we can’t just end all fights with a sword right away?

I still don’t know if this path is right or wrong. Even after walking for a long time and looking back on the path I have walked, it will be difficult to judge whether it is right or wrong.

Because that’s what life is like.

Even if you look back on the path you have taken, even if it is the past that has already passed, you cannot know everything that is right and wrong.

But since there is no other opportunity to take a different path, once you choose it, you just have to go forward.

Encred had to do that too. He wanted to do it too.

“Azpen will not advance easily.”

Before leaving, Christ explained everything he had packed, one by one.

It was a trick called a strategy, but Christ himself said it was just a trick to deceive the opponent.

“how?”

Encred asked.

An oil-soaked lamp gave off a pungent smoke. It was evening and the office was rarely used.

“What if you were walking in an open space and suddenly a wall appeared in front of you?”

“I’ll jump over it, break it, or go around it.”

Christ was speechless for a moment.

Yes, the captain was this kind of person.

He was a crazy kid who would find a way no matter what.

“Usually I would stop. And if I knew that the wall blocking my way was thick and solid, and that if I got close enough, a fist would come out of the wall and hit me.”

“If you knew?”

“I’ll stop walking. And I’ll stare at it or think about it. I might pretend to stare at it and think about it.”

Do I need to explain this obvious story?

Christ didn’t think like that.

It wasn’t that Encred was pretending not to hear because he was clueless. It was more like a pretense.

Christ knew that too, so he continued without panicking.

“If you stop, you’ll be wasting time.”

“then?”

“The main power is bypassed.”

A map was spread out on the desk in the office.

The expansive map showed several major cities, key locations, and the Pen-Hanil Mountains.

Christ drew a line with his finger on the map.

The light from the lamp extended Christ’s fingers.

“Are you telling me to go back and attack the rear?”

Normally, everyone would probably think that way.

But that wasn’t the case. Christ knows that there is a monster beyond Green Pearl.

Information gathered so far, Azpen’s reaction, and the current situation.

Christ put everything in his head and kneaded it into bread. And so the freshly baked white bread spoke.

“There are guys in Azpen who use the same strategy. It’s clear. It’s not like we promised to buy time, but it’s an unspoken rule that we all agree to keep.”

When he asked if he was going to hit the rear, Encred stared at Chrys as if he was wondering what nonsense he was talking about.

The large eyes illuminated by the lamp light contained a feeling of anxiety.

It was always like that for Christ. He didn’t feel relieved easily even when he felt relief. To him, anxiety was like a finger or a toe. It was like a part of his body that was always attached.

It’s scary and terrifying. The worst moments automatically replay in my head. This time was no different.

Christ was in agony as usual.

What if my thoughts are wrong? What if the opponent doesn’t move as intended? What if everything goes wrong in the end? No, what happens if things go as planned but I lose? What happens then? Should I just run away?

But I did prepare a means of escape.

“Do you think it’s fatal?”

It was a few nights ago, when he was digging several holes like a rabbit. Christ asked Nurat. Thinking it was okay to criticize him.

“at all.”

Nourat shook his head.

“why?”

“Because I’m not the type of person to run away when the moment is really important.”

“I’m going to run away.”

“Yeah, get ready. That’ll make you feel better.”

I’m really going to run away.

Nourat didn’t even listen to those words.

Christ opened his mouth again, briefly forgetting the past events that had come to mind.

“It’s an interception.”

“Intercept?”

“The unspoken rule is this. We say let’s fight each other, but let’s avoid an all-out war. Instead, let’s fight with our known strengths, and whoever wins here wins.”

Although his eyes were shaking with anxiety, a strange heat radiated from Christ as he spoke.

Anxiety is inside the mask. It is a kind of belief that has arisen because we have done everything we can to reduce the variables.

Regardless of winning or losing, it was predicted that things would go this way.

Well, I could be wrong, but Encrid basically believed in Cris’ prediction or foresight. So he asked.

“Is it okay if I win?”

Interception meant meeting the attacking target and fighting.

“Yes, but if by any chance, by any chance, by any chance you feel it is too disadvantageous or dangerous, jump into the mountains.”

“Do you know what kind of monsters are hiding in the Pen-Hanil Mountains?”

The route that Christ drew on the map was a route that bypassed the Pen-Hanil Mountains.

A rugged and extremely dangerous path that an ordinary commander would never enter.

Although I found a path that goes along the outskirts, I was told to go further in if I got lost.

“Finn led a group of rangers to secure a few safe routes. Of course, this doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to be safe.”

“But no?”

“Even if the worst happens, you have to take care of your body.”

Christ was originally this kind of guy. He had an obsession with preparing for the worst, no matter what.

“Oh, okay.”

There was no weight to Encred’s answer. It was flat. It was no different from when he said the marmalade he had eaten the day before yesterday was delicious.

That calm attitude made me feel uneasy, but it also gave me a little bit of a sense of relief.

When it came to someone who wouldn’t run away at a crucial moment, Kreis knew full well that it wasn’t him, but the man in front of him.

Encrid was not a man who ran away or avoided danger.

Honestly, I think I’ve managed to survive until now.

That is why, even when he had skills that were no different from mine, he would have risked his life to protect me.

Christ was influenced by it without realizing it, and he was behaving in a similar way without realizing it.

It was something that Nourat noticed because it was nearby, but it was something that others were not aware of.

“The opposing strategist’s name was Abnayer? I think he’s back again.”

Kreis felt the limits of what he could do by sitting in the safe confines of his desk and thinking.

So I went straight into the Pen-Hanil Mountains.

“Sinaar, please do me a favor!”

He used the Fairy Company Commander, the leader of the Ranger Unit, and moved the unit with Finn as the leader.

“Do you know where the blacksmith shop the captain usually goes to? What is the captain’s biggest interest these days?”

Although he was a man who always prioritized swordsmanship and training, he also had other, more detailed interests.

“Interesting.”

Sinar nodded without difficulty. In this way, Chrys caught the big fish Sinar with Encrid, and while ensuring safety within the Pen-Hanil Mountains, the playground of the demons, he personally studied the terrain and marked the path.

After that, we went out to Green Pearl and saw where the new fortress city would be located.

We had envisioned three cities, but now we’ve changed direction a bit.

There are three fortresses in the large city called Green Pearl.

As time passed, it might have been called the Green Pearl guarded by three swords.

It will also align with the symbolism of the country of Naurilia, so it will not only give real power, but also give people a solid perception.

Three swords that protected the royal family.

Three cities that protect Green Pearl.

Doesn’t it feel similar?

When I asked Esther if I could engrave protective spells on three places in the fortress, she had this to say:

She said that people’s perception is also important in magic and spells. The transformation of the city structure began with her one word.

Of course, all this came later. For now, the priority was to stop Azpen’s attack.

“We must kill as many enemy forces as possible. They will probably be knight-level forces.”

The speaking Christ still had anxious eyes.

There was no need or possibility to put that anxiety into words.

Because his obsession isn’t easily erased.

Encred thought so.

“I get it.”

I also understood why the knight had to be killed and intercepted.

They threaten to engage in an all-out war, but instead, they fight by turning back with a small force.

It will probably be a battle without any observers and without any minstrels singing.

Does that mean it’s not honorable?

Encrid, who had pushed away the conversation with Christ, gave the order to advance and was now standing at the entrance of the Pen-Hanil Mountains.

Looking at the mountain range like that, Encred looked at the path he would take.

‘What is honor?’

That’s something you decide in your own mind.

If only there were less useless sacrifices for this.

That alone would be honorable enough.

Above all, I really liked the strategy that Christ chose and the way he reduced sacrifices.

* * *

Christ guided his opponent’s thoughts in a certain direction. To do so, he secretly leaked information to the enemy.

‘Now, look. I’ve figured out what you’re up to. So come at me.’

Christ spoke of information manipulation, and Abnayer, of course, noticed it.

Should I twist things around here one more time and find another way?

It’s a ridiculous thing. It’s a path through the Pen-Hanil Mountains. The enemy has cleared the way of demons and beasts, and given us an easy path. So what should we do?

Originally, I was planning on seeing through the other person’s intentions and getting over it.

If the strategy has been read? Nothing will change just by getting angry here, so you need to act according to the changed situation.

“It looks like the enemy is coming out to greet us.”

Abnayer spoke to General Suin in a calm manner and added:

“Please win.”

Words have power. Words have magic. There are such words.

There was something in Abnayer’s words just now.

It was faith and trust. It was the opposite of the anxiety that Christ showed.

One side is anxiety, the other side is faith.

Who is right?

Of course, the winner would be right.

“Yes, this is correct.”

General Suin laughed instead.

I’d like to meet someone who’s either a demon slayer or a crazy murderer.

If I had to choose between the two, I would have liked to see more of that crazy murderer who dared cross the border and kill two cadets.

I wondered what kind of face he had.