Eternally Regressing Knight Chapter 122 - Hey, You Boring Bastards

Chapter 122 - Hey, You Boring Bastards

"It seems sothing has changed again in the past few days, brother."

The owner of a devilish tongue, hidden behind a plain smile—Audin.

He was the type to tell him to stop training and take a break, only to tear him apart if he actually did.

No, even a rat wouldn't be handled that roughly.

Of course, Enkrid found that quite satisfying.

Where had the greed in his heart stretched its branches?

Learning—his steps forward.

So if this was the kind of teaching he would receive, he welcod it at any ti.

Pushing through the morning mist, Audin strode forward.

Beside him, Enkrid spread his feet shoulder-width apart, slowly squatting down and standing up, putting strain on his thigh muscles.

Without warning, Audin reached out toward him.

Enkrid instinctively blocked his hand.

Tap, tap—a technique that could be categorized as wrestling, martial arts, or, in Valaf terms, combat techniques.

The hand he deflected bent again in succession, aiming for his body.

Audin's hand, reaching for his shoulder, was t with a counter grab, a push, a twist, and a block with the shoulder—only for a foot to sweep in next.

As Enkrid parried that, a large palm suddenly filled his vision, pressing down on him with overwhelming force.

Locked in place, Audin finally spoke.

"You've improved a lot."

It was the sa thing he'd said back at the rear stronghold.

Thanks to Finn, who had ingrained the Eil-Karaz style into him, his techniques had improved—but he still wasn't a match for Audin.

Their heights and bone structures were different from the start.

Their muscle density as well.

Audin far outclassed Enkrid in raw strength, and despite his massive fra, he had exceptional agility.

At so point, Audin's hand slipped in from an unseen angle, seizing Enkrid's nape.

With sheer strength, Audin pulled him in, leaving no room for resistance.

In close combat, within the range of wrestling and martial arts, even one's own body beca a weapon.

If the difference in physique was overwhelming—don't engage.

Audin had repeated that lesson countless tis while teaching him wrestling.

In response, Enkrid had asked—then how do you overco a size disadvantage?

"If the technique is different, the outco changes. So what should you do?"

What else?

Get thrown around until you figure it out.

A lesson learned through countless tis being pinned and twisted on the bed.

Audin had already subdued Enkrid and, in a deep voice, humd a tune.

"The Lord has spoken: Snap the joints, click-clack."

No way.

No god would ever say that.

Of course, it was a joke.

Audin, pressing down on Enkrid's nape and one shoulder, didn't apply any more force.

Not that it made the situation any less painful.

'I felt him grabbing .'

His reaction had been slow.

Likely due to several factors.

His injuries were one of them.

Pain was always a cause of delayed responses.

"You'll be fighting again when battle cos, won't you, platoon leader?"

That was an obvious statent.

Of course, he would.

His right wrist was annoying, but not useless.

Besides, the reason he'd been called here was because of them.

When the battle broke out, he'd be on the frontlines again, fighting.

"You can't, not in this condition, brother."

Audin's grip remained firm as he spoke.

His right shoulder had been slashed, his left forearm stabbed.

His right wrist was still in a splint, and bruises covered his body.

Jaxen's ointnt had run out long ago, leaving only so ground herbs applied to the wounds.

He'd been injured so frequently that even the dicine couldn't keep up.

Not that he had much to begin with.

"How long are you planning to stay like this?"

What was he doing?

Normally, after subduing him, they would go over the sparring process.

Now was the ti to let go and review the fight.

But Audin's grip didn't loosen.

"Platoon leader."

He called out in that state.

Enkrid, half-forced into a bent position, responded.

"What."

The dawn mist was thick, obscuring the surroundings.

Only a few steps away, their faces would only beco visible through the fog.

A sentry stood nearby, glancing their way at first, but now showing no interest in their scuffle.

Audin made a decision.

And acted.

Bsss.

Enkrid heard a sound he had never encountered before in his life.

Not with his ears, but directly resonating through his body.

At the sa ti, sothing impossible to experience by the riverside mist, sothing even rarer at this hour before dawn—a warmth seeped into him.

Like basking in the afternoon sun, reading a book in leisure.

Or the perfect mont for a nap.

How should he describe this?

Peace?

Whatever it was, it spread through his entire body.

Warmth, comfort, and a faint tingling blooming from his wounds passed in an instant.

It didn't last long.

Audin finally let go of his grip on Enkrid's neck.

Enkrid looked up at him.

Religious squadmate—he had once called him that.

Audin seed as devout as any priest.

And priests, at tis, perford miracles.

People called that miracle divine power.

"This..."

"No, brother, you will say nothing. And you will tell no one. Swear it to the Lord."

Enkrid t Audin's gaze.

A faint yellow hue lingered in his blurred irises, as if light itself resided there.

Light, radiance—sothing divine seed to dwell within.

"Swear it."

"...Alright."

Audin said nothing more and turned away.

"The mist over the river, too, is the Lord's blessing."

He knelt down and began his morning prayer.

For god's sake.

Enkrid scratched his head a few tis.

'What is he even believing in?'

Sotis he wondered why his squad mbers went to such lengths for him.

Did he look that pitiful?

Did watching him struggle so desperately stir sothing in them?

He didn't know.

The curiosity faded quickly.

It didn't matter.

Audin Fumrei—no one knew that he wielded divine power.

Using it might be bound by so doctrine or restriction.

One thing was clear—he had taken a risk.

"Lord, forgive ."

Hearing that prayer, Enkrid felt his suspicion confird.

'He didn't have to go this far.'

But there was no returning a gift already given.

Enkrid unwound the bandages around his wrist.

He flexed his right wrist a few tis.

Based on his experience from countless injuries—

'A day or two.'

That's all he needed.

His wrist would be usable without issue.

The other wounds hidden under the bandages had also improved significantly.

The dull pain had almost completely faded.

"Thanks."

He spoke to the massive squadmate deep in prayer.

Audin, however, was too absorbed in his prayers to respond.

'Lord.'

Between the damp scent of earth, the sharp stench of death from the battlefield mixed in.

For Audin, leaving his platoon leader in such a state was unbearable.

'Lord, for You are always present.'

He sought answers from a god who never replied.

Was what he had just done truly the right thing?

If it was discovered that he had used divinity, the Inquisitors would co.

He had left the Order burdened with many restrictions.

Though it hadn't been a solemn oath, he had still placed a binding vow upon himself at the ti.

Enduring the constraint and exerting even a fraction of his divinity caused a piercing pain, as if an awl were drilling into his skull.

Even so.

'I couldn't just stand by and watch. Lord.'

The one who had burned himself in the flas of effort was now receiving his due reward.

He couldn't let that fla be extinguished here.

Call it fickleness if one must, but Audin simply wanted to do it.

And so, he did.

After eting Enkrid, he had co to believe that the Lord's words resided within him.

'So I shall follow my heart's guidance.'

Audin finished his prayer.

By then, the morning sunlight had begun to break through the dissipating mist.

Though he had used divinity to heal his body, not all his wounds had nded at once.

If he had done so, soone particularly sensitive would have sensed the divinity at work, and the constraints made it difficult to use any more.

Still, looking at the platoon leader, he seed much better than before.

"Hoo."

Enkrid exhaled as he moved his body, looking noticeably lighter.

God and man, blessing and curse.

He had yet to unravel these contradictions.

But at least, seeing his platoon leader like this put his mind at ease.

Though he furrowed his brow, enduring the pain, Audin knew he would not regret today's actions.

It was a hunch, an instinct—no, a certainty.

***

After finishing the morning training, it was ti to change the bandages.

"Big Eyes."

He called for Krais.

Just then, the tent flap rustled open.

"This the place?"

A figure with green eyes.

A superior officer, despite their small fra, with skills that did not match their stature.

In other words, one of the people responsible for the forming this lunatic squad.

A fairy who had organized them into an independent unit and led them to the battlefield without Enkrid.

"I heard you got injured."

"Yes."

Without preamble, the company commander spoke to Enkrid upon entering and tossed sothing his way.

Enkrid caught the object midair.

A round wooden container.

It was similar in size to the salve he had received from Jaxen.

The lid bore an engraved leaf emblem, suggesting it was crafted by soone with considerable skill.

"Commander?"

"Apply it. You couldn't buy fairy dicine even for a fortune. Consider it our engagent gift."

Enkrid still couldn't get used to the fairy's jokes.

And more than that, this was just too sudden.

Coming in out of nowhere, throwing him dicine, and calling it an engagent gift?

"That expression is good. I like it."

With just those words, the company commander turned and left.

Had she really co just to give him dicine?

"I'm seriously curious now. Captain, what's your secret?"

Krais, having watched from the side, couldn't help but ask.

Enkrid was just as baffled.

"I'd like to know that myself."

Why had she suddenly co and tossed him dicine?

As the commander said, fairies were exceptionally skilled in handling such redies.

Considering how they had identified poisons during the infirmary assassination incident, the commander also seed to have deep knowledge of pharmacology.

"This seems better than what I have. Sotis, that devilish charm cos in handy."

Jaxen remarked idly while polishing his equipnt, not even looking their way.

Though he seed not to be paying attention, he was always acutely aware of his surroundings.

That was why he was the most well-inford about battlefield conditions and sensitive to shifts in the atmosphere.

"I don't think that's the reason."

Enkrid shook his head.

The fact that they were joking like this proved otherwise.

Rem started chuckling.

"Just have three kids."

Crazy bastard.

"Captain, instead of this, why don't you leave the military and open a salon with ?"

Big Eyes went even further.

He prattled on about how Enkrid had a rare talent, how nurturing his natural charm would be better than wielding a blade late in life.

Enkrid, unwilling to spend his days entertaining noblewon, calmly told them to shut up.

"Stop spouting nonsense and help remove the bandages."

Ragna, who had been quietly observing the situation, spoke up.

"So, can you spar?"

Lately, Ragna seed more eager than Enkrid himself.

"You directionally challenged bastard, do you think one application of ointnt will heal you?"

Rem scolded.

"Hm."

Ragna didn't argue but rely looked disappointed.

True, applying ointnt alone wouldn't be enough.

That wasn't the issue—it was the fact that he had already received a miracle healing that even high-ranking nobles wouldn't get to witness firsthand.

Krais unwrapped the bandages, and Enkrid subtly twisted his shoulder to apply the ointnt himself, avoiding exposing his wounds.

"I can do it for you."

Krais offered, but Enkrid shook his head.

"No need."

"Che, what, because your lover gave it to you?"

Thud.

Still seated on the cot, Enkrid extended his leg and lightly kicked Krais on the thigh before carefully spreading the ointnt over his shoulder.

He repeated the process on his left forearm, feeling a cool sensation spread from the treated area.

'This is good stuff.'

It was even more refreshing than the ointnt Jaxen had given him.

Enkrid rewrapped his bandages.

Now, he could probably move around decently.

Not bad.

Should he try swinging his sword a few tis?

There was no imdiate battle looming.

For now, both sides were rely glaring at each other.

If sothing provoked them, the fight would start instantly, but for now—

"Damn, boring bastards. If they were going to fight, they should at least do it properly until soone's skull gets cracked open."

Rem grumbled about the lack of large-scale engagents.

Should he practice sword swings?

Or should he rest a bit more?

As he contemplated—

Bwoooo!

A horn sounded from outside.

For surprise attacks, they used whistles.

But on the battlefield, Naurilia's tradition was to blow war horns.

"Enemy incoming! All troops, assemble! Gather by unit!"

A ssenger ran past the tents, shouting orders.

"They're here again, those crazy bastards."

Rem pouted and grumbled.

"You know, those guys really have nothing better to do, my devilishly charming captain."

"Leave out that last nickna, will you?"

What now?

He hastily fastened his gear and prepared to head out.

"If a fight breaks out, don't jump in. Take care of yourself first, will you?"

Rem warned.

"I agree. Focus on recovery until you're fit for sparring again."

Ragna chid in.

Audin simply smiled.

Seeing such a large man smile so gently was strangely fascinating.

"Were you planning to fight? With that body? You'd have to be mad."

Jaxen outright scolded him.

Was he being treated like a child left alone by the river?

No, his platoon mbers wouldn't actually see him that way.

Rather—

They simply wouldn't let him get hurt again.

Not in front of them.

Even Audin, who had used divinity, felt the sa way as the others.

These were his squad mbers.

Looking at them, it was clear—

The battalion commander had made a wise choice in bringing him here.

Because no matter what, they would move as one under his command.