Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 844

844. Hoping for a win-win situation

‘Now that I think about it.’

Esther was never afraid of Astrail. Not once.

‘It was annoying.’

It was like a fruit fly that kept lingering in the middle of summer. It would dodge if you tried to catch it, but if you left it alone, it would lay eggs somewhere on your body.
So, now that Astrail was gone, I felt a slight sense of relief, but nothing more. It was easy to say I felt no emotion. That’s why Esther remained calm and focused on her task.

“I need to go around a bit.”
“Where?”

Encred asked. The dead demon’s words weren’t worth pondering. They were an opponent we’d face each other anyway, and that was all.
So, he was simply reflecting on what he’d learned from the fight that day, lost in thought, when he heard Esther’s words and reacted.

“In their hideout.”

I’ve done some research on Astrail in the past, so I know how to find their hidden treasure, even if it’s not their base.

‘Most of it is useless, though.’

Some of them, if left unchecked, could be dangerous. The Astrail group is truly insane. Not in a good way, but in a bad way.

‘You never know where a colony-level monster might burst out.’

It would also be a problem if an unaware person discovered their hiding place.

‘If you think about it a little too much.’

A Salamander-level incident like the one in the Reclaimer could recur. What if we just collect and burn them before then?
Their property and research are of little value to me. This was purely a consequence of Encred’s way of thinking.

‘If left alone, it becomes poison.’

Then perhaps preemptive action wouldn’t be a bad idea. Their legacy, a potential threat strong enough to take someone’s land or life, should be treated as such. Esther thought so.

“Sincerity and concern…….”

Yong-in stopped speaking and raised his sword.

Kkwarung.

The sound was a moment late. Before that, a flash of light collided with Yongin’s sword, Baek-a, sending piercing lightning bolts in all directions.
Temares’s lemon-colored hair stood up stiffly in response to the lightning, then sank.

“I told you to stop telling me what’s on your mind.”

Esther was a witch.
No matter how different she was from before, her actions were still different from those of a normal person. For example, she would unleash lightning bolts of lightning when she didn’t like something. And Yong-in was no different. They shared a different way of thinking.

“I don’t remember.”

He didn’t react unusually to the harmless spell. The woman had truly meant it as a warning. She
was slowly adjusting to society, learning what not to do.
Esther collected the necessities from the bodies of the dead wizards.
Each carried various items. A short wizard in armor held a wide iron plate, permanently enchanted with a floating spell.

“This could be fine if I just touch it up a little.”

Esther also developed an interest in enchantment while assisting Eitri in creating Encred’s sword.
A few creative ideas crossed her mind. She’d consider tinkering with them later, when she had the time. Eitri’s help would be a welcome addition.

“then.”

Esther wasn’t foolish. She kept her eyes fixed on the road ahead, knowing what to do and what not to do. Above all, if they went back like this, they’d be having a blast.

‘It’s better to take your time.’

It was a sobering judgment.
Esther regretted the joke, filled with regret and gratitude. Had it been Cinnar, it would have been easy to dismiss.

‘It’s funny to say that I feel dizzy here.’

Why is this Sinar-style joke, a tactic to get Encred to back her up, coming to mind again now?
Anyway, Esther learned something new: joking in front of them is a no-no.

“Is it my imagination that it looks like you’re running away?”

“Rem said,” he said. It seemed like he was asking, but judging by the way his lips were slowly turning up, it seemed like he was asking for someone to listen.

“no.”

Esther responded immediately and moved. Even a wizard would need to make various preparations before embarking on a long journey.

“I’ll stop by Lockfried and then go right away.”

As she spoke and turned, Saxon looked at her back with cautious eyes and said.

“Are you chasing me?”

It may not seem like it, but Saxon is genuine when he teases people. If it weren’t for that, he wouldn’t have been able to hang out with Rem all this time. Of course, if he’d been playing along so well with them, he’d be in for a fight.
Encred shook his head.

“Leave it alone. Just for a bit.”

Then, he looked not at the dead, but at the land. As Krais had said, this land was being plowed down to a light brown earth, to be developed into farmland.
Traces of this remained here and there. Traces of poison and spells were also evident.
Krais intended to transform even this land into farmland. He was working to make it a better place, a better place to live.
To protect this place, he would have to diligently live each day. The sunlight, tilted west, met the clouds, gently scattering light in all directions.
Even after everything was over, Encred felt a faint, burnt scent. Was his developed intuition and sixth sense telling him that this wouldn’t end?

‘Or maybe you’re a devil’s servant or something, and you’re a vampire?’

I don’t know. I can’t know the future. Since I can’t know the tomorrow that won’t come, I just have to do my best today.
So, I can’t just end it here today.

“Let’s go back. Temares, you must have been exhausted.”
“There was no room for me. And you want to fight more.”
“Huh.”

Temares nodded at the unwavering answer. Yongin is extremely vulnerable to intelligent beings with a radiant will. Like a plant dependent on sunlight.

“Okay.”

The group returned.

* * *

Christ heard the whole story from his seat. And he wasn’t pleased that his anxiety had been alleviated.

‘Is it not enough?’

He’d even managed to stop the Salamander, and now he possessed the power to fend off a group of mages.
Yet, his anxiety remained. Just as Encred had smelled the stench of coal, Chrys felt an unprecedented sense of unease.

‘The price for rejecting the devil’s offer.’

His anxiety was directed towards that.
Well, is there anything more he can do right now? No. In that case, he’ll just continue as he was.

“Abnayer.”

When Christ’s call was heard, the owner of the dark green hair raised his head from his desk.

“why?”

The office, too spacious for just two desks, transforms into a conference room when needed. A large table in the center always holds a military map. This is where everyone gathers around the table to share their opinions.
Kreis stood before the table, lost in thought. He called Abnaier over to review his thoughts.
Abnaier, understanding, waited patiently for his words.
Kreis’s gaze turned to the map.

‘Even if you prepare for everything, it’s not enough.’

Divide the map into regions. Look for bright spots in each region. The vulnerabilities are clear.

“Are you training knights in Azpen too?”

That’s right. Abnayer may not know everything that’s happening in his home country, but he knows something about it. He guesses and even predicts what’s not revealed.

“That goes without saying.”

Abnayer answered.
The principality must rise independently. To achieve this, force is essential. Even if they were oppressed by the Border Guard and Naurilia right now, who knows what the future might hold in twenty or thirty years
? And how long would they remain allies?
The continent is a land more familiar with chaos than order. Human selfishness and greed always alter the situation.
Abnayer didn’t easily trust humans.

‘We need a system where people can’t betray each other.’

But is that even possible? For now, the best option is to suppress them with force.
If an adult with a thick fist watches over two children and tells them not to fight, they won’t be able to fight.
For all these reasons, investing in the future and nurturing talent is a natural course of action.
The home country will do just that.

“Send him here to learn.”

Abnayer asked back at Christ’s words, though he had no such doubts.

“I’m not asking you to naturalize, am I?”
“There’s no need to force them. What’s needed is ‘learning’ and the possession of force.”

Christ knows Encrid. He will protect Azpen no matter what.

‘Even if I can’t print the article.’

We can lay that foundation. Encred created such a system.
It’s not perfect, but it is.

‘It helps.’

This suggestion was purely to benefit Azpen, but Kreis did not think so.

‘Azpen becomes a barrier that protects the Border Guard’s rear.’

Abnair admitted that Christ was a madman. Beyond his salon obsession, this madman also possessed a wide range of interests.

“Okay.”

Azpen was an enemy country not even ten years ago, but only a few years ago.

‘Are you going to step forward and build up the military power of such a place?’

Is it because he can’t see beyond ten years?
No, it’s because he knows how to see the bigger picture. He’ll suppress the immediate threat and deal with the future when it arises.
Chrys might argue otherwise, but this madman was no different from Encred. They shared the similarity of risking their lives on a thin line.
Thus, an aspiring knight from a once-enemy nation headed to the Border Guard.
Abnayer persuaded his home nation, but Azpen had no real choice.
The madmen of the Border Guard could easily subjugate Azpen if they wanted. They
‘d killed Balrog and even relayed the latest events to the Azpen royal family.

‘This is an opportunity.’

Abnayer judged it that way. However, the aspiring Azpen knights who had actually made it to the Border Guard might have had different thoughts.

* * *

For the first time in a long time, Krang’s old habits began to surface.
He usually avoided using pompous language to maintain his dignity, but he’d been so scorned by those around him that he’d begun to use a more refined tone. But not now.

“These kids? Are they really going to come out like this?”

Marcus Weiss, the successor to the Marquis, seemed to agree with the king’s words. Krang continued. He didn’t glare or slam the table. But his tone alone revealed his excitement.

“Why? Is it just madness? It doesn’t benefit the South, either.”

The southern powers of Lichenstein and Naurilia are on extremely bad terms. They’re incomparably worse than Azpen.
Both nations border the Demonic Realm, and the South frequently crosses the line. These conflicts sometimes escalate into localized conflicts, and in the past, they’ve even fought wars.
And how many have died in the
interim? Even the late Marquis of Baisar, who gnashed his teeth at the South.
Krang knows how to read the situation. Naurilia is thriving like never before. He seemed to hear the king of the South speaking.

“Let’s die together.”

If that’s not what it means, then what is?

“Or maybe you’re confident you can win.”

Marcus was right.
The South wasn’t really crazy enough to be slowly pushing the front line.

‘Because there’s a chance of winning.’

Krang knows that makes sense, but he feels like there’s some twisted, malicious intent involved.

“I’ve always viewed the trickery as a way to share the profits, not a war.”

That’s how I saw the reason for sending Sejak in and carrying out all kinds of operations.

‘Did you want war?’

This is a fight. It’s a fight to the death.
Why on earth would they do this?
Whatever it was, I couldn’t just sit back and let it happen.

“Move your units and notify the Council of Ten. This is the front line guarded by the Knights of the Red Cloak. They won’t retreat.”

Watching the South slowly push the front line forward, Krang also steeled himself. Even if he vented his anger here, nothing would change.

‘At most, within a month.’

Marcus had extensive battlefield experience. Even without calculating this and that, he predicted that a full-scale war would erupt in less than a month. He wasn’t certain.
This war would be led by Lichenstätten, not Naurilia.