Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 802

802. Unwavering Marcus

The surprise of the water gate soldier was transmitted inside.

“Your Majesty, I have a lot of business to attend to today. Please understand.”

The most renowned author among the royalists immediately came out to greet the party. He was an old friend of Encred’s.
He had previously served as a captain of the Border Guard and was now Count Marcus.

“It seems like coercion.”
“If you don’t understand, you can just go in.”

Marcus also laughs at the lighthearted joke and accepts the words. He, too, is a bold man, as always. Even after hearing that Encred had slain all the demons, his gaze is filled with awe, not anxiety.
If this were an act, it would also be a mark of a great leader. As they say, the best way to earn trust and confidence is to trust others first.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

Encred nodded and looked at Asia, who had stepped forward as his escort.
Originally a member of the Knights of Cypress, he’d somehow been incorporated into the royal guard.
All of this was contained in a letter from Krang, a collection of miscellaneous details.

“If you eat only greasy food and live with a bulging stomach every day, you’re bound to gain weight, Asia.”

Encred’s warm greeting brought a flush to Asia’s forehead. Shaking someone’s heart with a first greeting was certainly a talent.

“……Is that a greeting?”
“Then?”

Although it was clearly intended as a joke, it was still a greeting. Marcus said, watching the two men release their tension.

“Come inside.”

As we entered the inner room, a servant came and guided everyone to their room.

“See you later. I think we’ll just end up talking nonsense.”

Rem said, wiping the blood flowing from his nose.

“You can find my room just by explaining it. I’ve been here before.”

Ragnar also spoke to the attendant, and Lawford nodded behind him.
Audyn recited a brief prayer, and Teresa clasped her hands and nodded.

“Well, they are all the same.”

Marcus chose his words carefully. He was even more cautious than when dealing with Encred. He felt like Rem and the others weren’t under his control at all. Without Encred, they would have run wild.

“Fiancee, do you know where my room is?”

Finally, Marcus’s eyes widened at the words Sinar spoke as he tapped Encred’s arm with his finger.

‘hmm?’

Marcus, who had been watching the group retreating one by one, following the servants, and Lawford urging Ragnar’s servants to make sure they entered the room, opened his mouth.

“Was the fairy captain originally like that?”

No. It wasn’t like that at first. While she enjoyed joking, she remained expressionless and avoided getting too close to others.
The mystique of the fairy with her extraordinary beauty had crumbled within Marcus.

“People change.”

Encred replied nonchalantly. Well, even he thought the fairies’ transformations were sometimes surprising.

“That’s true.”

Marcus nodded and turned, watching Shinar’s back as he walked away.
In the end, Encred was the only one who ended up having tea with Marcus.
His office, reflecting his personality, was tidy. The furniture was minimal, with two swords and a shield hanging on the wall. Not a single document lay on the desk off to one side.
A maid had left two cups of tea on the table, along with cookies made from ground and steamed barley, wheat, and other grains. He
tasted them, and they were barely sweet, a bit dry. They were just the right fit for Marcus’s taste.

“I heard there’s something suspicious going on in the capital?”

A subtle jasmine scent rose from the cup, warmed to a comfortable temperature. Encred took a sip, then wiped the crumbly cookie from his mouth and asked, “Is this the taste you’re eating?” The tea mixed with the cookie’s richness doubled.

“We opened up logistics, fostered trade with the Holy City and the Trade City, and even intervened on the Stone Road that stretched from the West to the Border Guard. We had to clear out the surrounding monsters and beasts, and prevent bandits from gathering. So we opened up the capital, which led to increased traffic. That’s where the problems arose.”

Instead of beating around the bush, Marcus gathered his thoughts and blurted them out in one breath. That doesn’t mean he spoke without a pause, but he spoke at a comfortable pace, breathing steadily.
Encred was a sharp mind, but it was difficult to grasp or guess the gist of things when he knew nothing. However, he seemed to understand the meaning behind Marcus’s words.
Marcus had been speaking to point out a key issue, not to convey specific information.
It was only natural to understand the other person’s intentions.
The attentive listening skills he’d acquired while learning from others were still useful.
He’d heard them properly.
Then what did he mean by “there were a lot of people?”

‘There will be a hole in security.’

Unidentified individuals were roaming Nauril. Could some of them be exhibiting any subversive behavior? There didn’t seem to be any problems, like a thieves’ guild running rampant. I wouldn’t call it a secret, and if that were the case, Andrew wouldn’t have bothered to point it out.
Knowing the source of the problem didn’t necessarily lead to a solution.
Just because human traffic is a problem, you can’t just close the gates and cut off all communication.

“A cart that starts rolling downhill can’t be stopped.”

This is what Chryss said about the growth of the Border Guard. Nauril would be in a similar situation.
If you forcefully grab a rolling cart on a downhill slope, the contents inside will come crashing down. Therefore, it would be best to adjust the direction to avoid rolling off a cliff or falling and being damaged.
Marcus didn’t elaborate further. He continued without checking if Encred understood.

“Let’s take a break from talking about complicated things. Instead, how about meeting my father?”

He said that he would meet the king and other nobles in about three days. Among them, Marcus’ father was the Marquis of Baisar.

“separately?”

Encred asked back. It was a rare and unexpected question. That’s why I’m asking back.
Marcus’s emotions were complicated. He scratched behind his ear with one hand and groaned, then opened his mouth again.

“I think he’ll be back soon.”

Human lifespan is finite. Even with naturally healthy constitutions, it’s difficult to live past a hundred years.
Of course, knights can extend their lifespans with their will, and wizards can live even longer through certain means, but as long as we’re ordinary people
, we all die when we grow old. The Grim Reaper is a butterfly that comes to us after smelling the sweet scent of death emanating from old age. That butterfly has headed to the flower called the Marquis of Bysar. If the butterfly sucks all the sweet nectar and leaves, the Marquis of Bysar will cease to live.
Even the most powerful person cannot avoid death from old age.
They wouldn’t want to be reborn as a draugr or a ghoul just because they don’t want to die, so there’s nothing more they can do.
And they’ve probably already tried every means, including divinity.

“All right.”

There was nothing he couldn’t do. He could tell just from Marcus’s tone. This was a request. To be precise, it sounded like a request from his father, not from Count Marcus.
Encred nodded obediently, but he didn’t want to see him right away.

“Father won’t be awake for long, so I’ll send someone. Oh, and you didn’t just kill monsters, right?”
“Both.”
“Both?”
“And the thorn tree fortress inside the demon realm.”
“……Hmm?”

Marcus’s eyes widened. The citadel within that magic circle was where the Knights of the Red Cloak had attempted to attack three times before retreating.

“There?”
“I just happened to find it.”
“It’s not a place I’d go to just by chance.”

Marcus was surprised, but considering what the Mad Knights had done so far, it wasn’t impossible.
In fact, from the perspective of conquering
the Demon Realm, it might have opened up a new path. He had once been a battalion commander, known as the “War Maniac.” Contrary to his nickname, he preferred a leisurely and quiet approach to battle. However, using that nickname to wage psychological warfare was Marcus’s strategy.
This experience also placed him in a position to offer strategic advice to the king.

“What did you do?”

Marcus was surprised and impressed. The awe in his eyes deepened. No matter how friendly he was, the man before him was the one who changed the strategic landscape of the Kingdom of Naurilia.
He was also the only one who could control the madmen he’d seen earlier.
Marcus thought that was the end, but Encred’s mouth opened again.

“And.”
“And?”

What else did he do here? If it was just the destruction of the Thornwood Fortress, there was no need to mention the rest.
Encred wasn’t the type to expect praise for detailing every little thing.
If it was about the monster slaughter, he already knew. It was so loud that everyone around him, who had been paying close attention, already knew.
It wasn’t information that could be sold at the Information Guild level. It
was surprising, but he knew it. Still, he’d nod. If he told her about rescuing those who lived off the demonic realm, he’d say something reassuring.
Marcus, as was his wont, prepared a few answers in his head.

“Because we went there to catch Balrog in the first place.”

Okay.

Marcus set down his expensive teacup, mulling over what he’d heard, unwilling to break it.
He’d heard the last words of Knight Oara. Even a single fragment of Balrog would require a full force of knights to risk their lives in battle.
If it were Balrog’s true form, it would require the full force of the nation.
Marcus paused to catch his breath, piece together the context, and then, after reaching his own conclusion, spoke.

“You haven’t encountered it yet. Yeah, it’s a being that can come from anywhere.”

As he spoke, Marcus’s hands grew clammy. Sweat had already seeped from them. He wiped them off with his hands on his thighs and looked at Encred.
His blue eyes, between his black hair, were straight. They were unwavering. His voice was the same. Straight and unwavering.

“I killed him and came back.”

Marcus blurted out something stupid, not immediately realizing the situation.

“You didn’t kill the look-alike?”

To begin with, Marcus
didn’t even know what a Balrog looked like, so how could he possibly know if it resembled one or not? It was a truly foolish remark.
Only someone who had fought one would know.
In other words, the man before him wouldn’t make such a mistake.
Marcus realized his foolish remark and changed his tune.

“So you killed the fragment?”
“No.”
“No?”
“The main body.”
“The main body?”

Marcus repeated like a parrot. He was that surprised. He’d always been nicknamed “Unwavering Marcus” by the nobles around him, but now he was so shaken he couldn’t even control his expression.
Encred had seen the Balrog’s fragments in the city of Oara, and now he’d confirmed that he could even wield powers. He recited all of this matter matter-of-factly.
The power of the devil, the labyrinth flower, and so on.
Marcus’s mouth fell open. He was speechless. Still, he managed to calm his shock and spoke.

“So that’s why everyone was seriously injured?”

He’d asked because they all bore obvious signs of injury, wondering what else they’d done besides annihilate the beasts. He
‘d also posed the question because he’d guessed the extent of the Mad Knights’ power.
Of course, the story now far surpassed his guesses or predictions.
Marcus couldn’t even think of asking how they’d fought. He’d also resolved not to tell the king about this.
The king would be as shocked as he was. Even Krang, who was usually indifferent to most things, and who hadn’t wavered even after experiencing something extraordinary recently, wouldn’t be startled by this? It
wouldn’t be disloyal to postpone this discussion for a while.
Encred and Krang considered each other close friends, so they’d probably want to talk about it themselves, and the king was too busy right now.

‘But I’d rather see a surprised face.’

Marcus dismissed the useless rationalizations that were swirling around in his head. These too were just thoughts that continued to evade the shocking story he’d just heard.

“……Then I’ll see you later. I’m so shocked my head is spinning. I need to get some rest too.”

At Marcus’s words, Encred stood up and followed the attendant to an empty room. He searched the palace for familiar faces, but found no one particularly familiar.

‘It’s a bit much.’

However, the number of guards within the palace had increased. Soldiers armed with spears and shields were seen everywhere, as well as many others carrying light armor and swords.
Krang’s letter mentioned that the royal guard was being reorganized into two types.
In addition to the existing Royal Guard, they would train talented individuals similar to the Knights Templar.

‘Is Asia going to teach me?’

It wasn’t a thought I’d dwell on. Even if I hadn’t accumulated much fatigue from the journey, I needed to rest when it was time to rest.
Especially since my injuries hadn’t fully healed yet.
Encred stopped thinking and was led to the private bathroom where he soaked. The warm water melted away the fatigue from his entire body. His aching arms felt like they were healing on their own. After washing away the dust accumulated from his travels, several maids came in and wiped his back.
After a thorough wash, he went to his room and slept soundly. The bed was soft, perhaps filled with goose feathers. As soon as Encred closed his eyes, he met the boatman.

swaying-

And the boatman opened his mouth like a bottomless pit on the skin of the gray wasteland and said: