Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 889

889. Everyone came out

Even for a novice in the art of magic, binding a single foot is easy. Even restraining limbs isn’t difficult.
Considering Esther’s own case, creating invisible chains or applying the spell “Demüller’s Cloak” would have been a no-brainer.
To a magician, there’s no difference between a trained soldier and a farmer who’s only ever worked the fields.
Someone seeing a bow for the first time can’t react. They can only watch, blankly, as the bow is drawn.
Isn’t it the same for both soldiers and farmers, seeing a bow for the first time?
Similarly, those unfamiliar with magic can’t prepare for it. Furthermore, magic isn’t a power or tool as visibly visible as a bow.
Therefore, even with ten soldiers or farmers, the situation remains the same. Binding their feet isn’t that difficult.
However, with a hundred, the situation is a bit different.
Unless you’re adept at the world of magic, preparation alone might take three days. For those more skilled, it might take two days, and for those less skilled, it might take five.
Furthermore, drawing a magic circle on the ground and scattering reagents like that will make those with sensitive senses wary, suspicious, and nervous toward the unknown.
Even those who have never seen a bow before will sense its threatening nature just from its appearance and aura.
Of course, those highly skilled in the magical realm will be capable of harassing armies of a hundred men without much preparation. This will, however, consume considerable resources.

‘Then what if there are a thousand?’

From here on, we must distinguish between the concepts of trained soldiers and ordinary people.

‘For a trained soldier, there is such a thing as a commander.’

They lead their subordinates, shouting warnings to remain calm and responding to minimize damage. There’s a huge difference between having someone to lead the group and not having one.
This is something even a hundred people should be aware of. Of course, it’s also a factor anyone tasked with stopping them must consider.

‘Numbers and Commanders.’

When these two factors combine, soldiers and farmers become distinct. When soldiers who have experienced war gather together and become a group, they are no different from ordinary people.
They develop the ability to band together, persevere, and overcome obstacles. Few wizards could stand a direct assault on a thousand men, each armed with iron weapons. Very few.
What if that army consisted of men refined like iron, repeatedly hammered?
From here, the calculations become more complex.

‘Estimated to be at least an elite force.’

I didn’t notice it when I wasn’t paying attention, but what was it like to observe the Border Guard units up close? Were they at a level where they could be ignored just because they didn’t know how to use the spells?

‘If it’s a unit that’s considered elite, it won’t be taken lightly.’

There must be many soldiers who can overcome their hallucinations. Some of them might even break through the obstacles and advance.
Just as the elite Border Guard unit she saw proved capable, so too could the enemy.
Stopping a trained army, let alone a mere 100,000 refugees, would be difficult. Even the most skilled mage wouldn’t even attempt it.

‘The existence of the Knights must also be kept in mind.’

Even with protective and defensive spells, their blades are far too sharp. Even a mere knight poses a significant threat. While I wouldn’t be tempted to lose my cool and face them head-on, avoiding them as much as possible was the right course of action.
Her task had been predetermined from the start.

“Please block the army as much as possible.”

Christ said. She has no vision of the battlefield. But I know that damned big-eyed bastard, who dared to touch the leopard’s claws and check its gender with his hand, is very clever.

“Okay.”

When was the last time she gave a simple, clear answer?
Sweat trickled down her cheeks from her forehead.
Even before casting the spell, Esther had considered everything this enemy possessed. She positioned herself somewhere out of sight. Then, she used a spell to bind and halt the three thousand soldiers.
This was dozens of times more difficult than blocking an army and instantly killing dozens of soldiers, yet she performed it with apparent composure.
The consequences that naturally followed from the process began to creep up on her.

“Damn witch.”

An arrow aimed at Esther. An arrow made of human flesh.
Commander Baric mobilized his troops efficiently. He dismissed the real threat facing the witch with five knights and sent seven sub-knights against the mage.
This represented the entire strength of the Mud Knights. At the same time, he ordered his allies to charge. Before the army could break through the swamp and fog, the seven sub-knights made a frontal assault and reached Esther.

“If you’re a little careful, it’s nothing.”

It was accompanied by such cries. That in itself would be a source of hope and possibility for the army. They would act upon the backs of the sergeants.
The seven sergeants, determined to ignore the fog that forced their hallucinations, pushed through the swampy ground, removing their boots and carefully sweeping the soles of their feet to check each inch as they advanced.
As a result, blood formed on the soles of all seven of their feet. This was due to the rubbing against the rocks and sand. It was said that even sergeants possessed a strength incomparable to that of ordinary soldiers. Furthermore,
armed with self-denial and a heightened spirit, they suppressed the impulses of their hallucinations and pushed away their fear, reaching this point.
The process had been arduous, so how could the image of the witch standing tall on a small hill look so good?

“Shoot it.”

As soon as he spotted the target, one of the cadets spoke. His comrade next to him fed an arrow to the bow and fired. All of this required only a moment’s breath to complete the entire action.

Boom!

The demonstrators swayed and fired arrows. The pointed sticks seemed poised to pierce the witch’s head at any moment, but failed.

Boom!

Right in front of her, a flash golem with its skin draped over its body deflected an arrow. It stood before the witch, its upper body covered by a single square shield. Arrows are weak against shields. Since the arrows weren’t loaded with Will, the shield alone was sufficient to block them.
Furthermore, Bonehead’s abilities had also improved. It had been constantly improving. It blocked the arrow fired by the knight, but its power was no match for its strength.

“You even have bodyguards.”
“That crazy bitch.”
“It’s half and half, let’s not kill her right away.”
“The fun will come later. If you delay, the captain will chew you up.”

The memory of seeing Baric lose his mind and slaughter several monsters flashed through the minds of all seven knights. Half of them shuddered. The captain was terrifying. The fear he instilled was etched into their bones.

“First, work.”

Everyone agreed. The seven knights stepped forward. Even if arrows fail, swords will do. There are no swamps, no illusions, no hallucinations. Just one flesh golem needs to be removed.
Esther, holding onto three thousand soldiers and observing the scene, sensed her limits. As
the soldiers tied ropes to each other and pulled those trapped in the swamp, those entangled in illusions screamed and regained their senses.

‘As expected, it’s not easy.’

Excuses aside, this kind of large-scale area-of-effect spellwork isn’t my forte. In fact, it’s my weakest point.
I’ve never learned how to manifest the magical realm, both visible and invisible, by making it my domain.
I explored alone, and when necessary, I found a path and devised a method, guided by intuition and inspiration.
If the three opposing magicians, already dead, had encountered Esther and learned of this, one of them might have been enraged and killed on the spot.
Of course, they would have preferred to suck Esther’s blood or plunder her magical realm.
Yet, they would have constantly expressed surprise and amazement. That’s quite a talent. If she had wielded a sword, if her talent with it, not her magic, had been exceptional, Encred would have been following Esther around by now.
That would have been fun in its own way.
I shook off the distracting thoughts. Instead, I focused my gaze on the seven menacing figures standing before me.

“If you behave well, I will let you live.”

One of them sticks out its tongue and speaks. It’s as long as a frog’s. It’s more grotesque than a frog’s. It doesn’t look sleek, and a long, spit-like substance runs down its tongue. It looks like a mother snake has mated with a snake.

“That’s ugly. I should cut out your tongue before your eyes.”

Esther said, snapping her fingers as she spoke.

Exactly!

‘The Hammer of Demueller.’

She recited the spell in her head. Silence, a feat only possible after reaching the level of Tacitus.
She saw the wind clump before her eyes, falling sharply.

bang!

The force of the wind, gathering together, struck two heads. One was pushed aside, while the other held firm. That was the fate of the two. Despite the spell’s implementation, which had sustained the spell that held three thousand soldiers in place, one of the knights’ heads exploded.
The seven, no, six, knights were stunned.
This spell was unlike anything they had ever experienced.
If Esther was going to do it, she wanted to do it right. The spell she had just implemented unfolded with such speed and pressure that even a knight could not dodge it.
It was a technique honed against the mad knights.

‘Ordering is also a skill.’

The more you use it, the more diverse and skilled its usage becomes. It’s different from simply pouring out magical power. Even with relatively little magical power and a limited number of spells, Esther possesses a history of facing off against multiple wizards. This is a specialty of the Witch of Strife.
The wind gathered and crushed the opponent’s head. Blood and brain matter splattered onto the floor, and broken bone fragments, dyed crimson, scattered in all directions. At the same time, a stream of blood flowed from the corner of Esther’s mouth.

“Master.”
“Captain.”
“Goddess.”

A few of those who had finished their obeisances behind her stood up and spoke. Each had their own unique titles for her. There were twenty of them. At least one possessed the talent to open a world of spells, and each possessed a distinct personality.
One of them, a jokester, almost burst into laughter when he called her ”
goddess.” What an incongruous term.

“You cut off my tongue?”

One of the opponents said, “That was stupid. Of course it was a trick. I did it as Encred taught me.
If spells are skills, shouldn’t they be based on tactics?”

“You have a big tongue.”

Here, he throws out a complex line that confuses his opponent’s mind.
One of the enemy’s knights tilted his head. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to possess a simple brain.

“No, that’s a head.”

Esther calmly said what she wanted to say. It was completely unrelated, but somehow it sounded appropriate.

“You idiots, where are you looking? I’ll pluck out all your eyeballs.”

One of them was quick-witted. The quick-witted one shouted.

“Damn it, don’t get involved! This is bullshit!”

Esther caught her breath. ”
Well, let’s try something.
Bonehead can handle one of them. Having taken one out by surprise, the remaining six are more alert than ever.”

‘I had to kill three of them with my first order.’

Maintaining the swamp and fog, she held onto Samcheon’s feet, but this was her limit. The magic stored within her mind, in what she called the “Spell World,” was running dry. This made her feel dizzy and nauseous. It was only natural, with her internal organs rumbling and her blood rushing back.
Though she knew retreating would be the end of it, such thoughts didn’t cross Esther’s mind at all.
She simply pictured the back of a single person.

What would you do?

He’s the one who finds a way out of a confined space.
He’s the one who, even if trapped in a seven-story labyrinth, will eventually climb out.
He’s the one who does his job even in the face of the Grim Reaper.
He.

‘What a beautiful person.’

I remember something my teacher said while telling my fortune.

“You like pretty, beautiful, and kind things, that’s what I like.”
“Do I?”
“Yes, I do. I’d definitely choose a man like that.”

The Master’s wisdom always resided in a realm of incomprehension. He possessed a depth that went beyond simply wielding spells, a depth that could be called a sage.
Esther, even if it meant forcing herself to cast another spell, steeled herself and distanced herself. Even
if a spell like the one just before struck and one or two of them died, the rest would close the distance and finally swing their swords, spears, and hammers.

‘Do you have the luxury of leaving power for defensive spells?’

None. Then I’ll have to rely on the relics and spell objects I normally wear.
It’s a matter of repeated calculations.

“My name is Graham. I was once a lord of the Border Guard, and I found enlightenment late in life, and now enjoy the joys of my later years.”

A white-haired swordsman stands beside her.
As he had said, his name is Graham, a man who has risen to the rank of Knight. While he may be lacking compared to others, his accomplishments remain undiminished. Even in his old age, he continues to wield his sword, pushing his limits.
Excluding those close to Encred, including the Madman Squad, he was one of the first to change upon seeing Encred.
He had never hesitated to stand up for his city before. For him, it was only natural to step forward at a moment like this.

“Sir Esther, I will stay by your side.”

Everyone was ready to fight, armor ready. He had no intention of just watching. One of the approaching men slipped to the side, intending to cut Graham down and join him.
The two immediately sensed the difference in skill. In posture, attitude, and spirit, Graham was inferior. Still, the old warrior smiled.
He had thought he had overcome his limitations through training and discipline, but with each passing day, his hands and feet were becoming stiffer. The time
between yesterday and tomorrow had always been his prime. So, as time passed and now passed, he would eventually have to lay down his sword.
Only, today wasn’t the day.

“This is why I have to forgive my past mistakes.”

The voice heard after that was that of a person who should have been rolling his head from behind, and his name was Chrys.