WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Ryuu

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

A KNIGHT WHO ETERNALLY REGRESSES

Chapter 103: Is This Love?

‘Maybe the Goddess of Luck cursed me, rather than blessing me.’

As the new today began, Enkrid's gaze was drawn upward.

The blue-tinged moon filled his vision. It was still before dawn. Since he had woken up early, the moon he had seen before going to bed was still visible.

The moon was exceptionally bright.

‘When you think about it, isn’t that the case?’

The ferryman in his dreams spoke of walls and obstacles, but in the end, all it led to was a string of bad luck and repeated deaths.

This time was no different.

No matter how many times he tried to exploit a gap in the enemy's formation, luck simply refused to be on his side. It was like when he tried to strike at a spearman's foot, only for a pile of dirt to suddenly collapse from above.

Of all times, why did the ceiling have to cave in right then? And why, of all places, did the dirt have to fall right into his eyes?

It didn’t stop there.

While he was targeting the sorcerer and running along the wall, a section that had withstood many assaults suddenly crumbled, taking away his foothold.

The unlucky streak continued.

One time, he fought a Lycanthrope only to discover its heart was on the opposite side of its body, a rare mutation.

Another time, after catching his breath by leaning against a tree mid-battle, he lost his balance because the tree was rotten and couldn’t support his weight.

Really, the number of unlucky incidents wasn’t small. Even being born without extraordinary talent was a form of misfortune, wasn’t it?

‘Is the Goddess playing a prank on me?’

He wanted to ask, even if only for the sake of it. Of course, there was no answer.

It wasn’t a question he expected an answer to, anyway. It was just a means of marking today— a way to remember this new day.

Today began with a greeting to the Goddess. He stood up and began his training in the Isolation Technique.

It was a form of training where he lowered his stance, walking as if one knee almost brushed the ground, all while keeping balance.

As he focused on his training, the others started to wake and move around.

Enkrid caught one of the recons as they were getting up and asked, “Do you think you could make something like this? I need it for a hidden stash.”

He explained further, describing a fabric pouch that could be tucked inside his sleeve, preferably with a way to keep it secure. Since they had the tools to cure ham and other resources, they could likely whip something up.

“Huh? Well, I can make it quickly, but aren’t you leaving right after breakfast?”

“It’d be nice if you could finish it before then.”

The recon blinked, then nodded.

“Sure thing. Hey, cover my shift for me.”

The recon was amiable. Enkrid gave him a thankful pat on the shoulder. Once he finished his training, Finn approached him.

“Are you going to put on a show for us this morning?”

She spoke as Enkrid swung his sword, shirtless.

“Do you know how to use a crossbow?”

“You’re really asking? That’s a basic skill for a Ranger.”

Knowing that she’d question why he asked, Enkrid preemptively responded.

“I was just curious.”

“…I don’t even know what to say.”

“How do you keep your footsteps so quiet with those boots?”

“Oh, that? This area’s full of sensitive monsters.”

She pointed to her ear with her left hand and continued.

“That’s why I add layers of cloth to the soles and stuff the inside with cotton.”

Naturally, Enkrid didn’t ask because he didn’t know.

“That’s a good idea. I should do the same to my boots.”

“It’s not hard.”

“Torres?”

“Do I have to?”

“There are a lot of monsters around, aren’t there?”

“Well, it’s not like we run into them every day.”

Finn added, though there wasn’t much of an issue. Two of the recons got to work modifying the boots.

“These boots are pretty well-made. Looks like someone put a lot of care into them.”

“Really?”

One of the recons commented while examining Enkrid’s boots.

They were the handiwork of the cobbler he’d met while dealing with that corpse lover in the sewers. It was nice to hear a compliment.

Adding layers to the soles and padding the inside didn’t take long. With his training complete and his soundless boots ready, the pouch he had requested also arrived.

It was designed to hang from his wrist, with a string that tightened to hide it inside his sleeve.

The stitching was impressively neat, better than what the drunken squad leader could manage. Enkrid had specifically asked this recon because he knew of their skill.

After all, he’d tried everyone at least once. Finn’s attempt had been the worst.BIf she wasn’t good at sewing, she shouldn’t have tried in the first place.

The pouch she had made in a previous today was so poorly done it could barely hold a single finger, let alone anything else.

Naturally, it was useless.

“Haha, it’s been a while since I’ve sewn.”

That was one of the days he remembered well. It had been a rough start. Finn, who had once gifted him with that terrible pouch, now approached him with a pat on the shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

They had finished breakfast, and everything was prepared. They were once again headed for the doghole.

‘79 times.’

Enkrid recounted the number of repetitions as he walked steadily. He didn’t hesitate, having traveled this path countless times already.

Finn glanced back at him occasionally. Watching his gait, she tilted her head and asked.

“Did you work as a recon for a long time?”

“Me?”

“No.”

Torres chimed in, then glanced over at Enkrid.

“No, I didn’t.”

Enkrid responded while walking.

“Really?”

Torres had no idea why Finn was asking, but Enkrid knew exactly why. If she asked further, Finn’s answer would be predictable.

“You walk differently. Like a Ranger.”

That was the answer.

What else would Enkrid have done all this time while following Finn around? He had watched her footsteps and mimicked them, learning the Ranger’s gait and how to walk silently using the cloth beneath his boots.

Aside from idle chatter, Enkrid occasionally asked questions while walking quietly along the dirt path where patches of grass peeked through.

“What will we do if the enemy is waiting for us at the doghole?”

It was a sudden question, but a reasonable one.

“We fight.”

Torres answered first, casually kicking a small stone ahead of him. The stone rolled and bounced off a flat, ochre-colored rock. Enkrid watched closely as the stone made contact and listened carefully.

“It’s unlikely, but if they’re there, we run.”

Finn answered just as quickly.

“I see.”

Enkrid replied vaguely. As they reached the bush-covered ridge, he asked again.

“What if our retreat is cut off?”

Just as Torres was stepping onto the ridge, he glanced over at Enkrid, wondering what was up with him.

The mission was simple.

Go inside, check the status of the cat their allies had planted, and leave. If things went sideways, retreating was always an option.

But why was he constantly bringing this up, even before they started?

“We’ve done everything to avoid that.”

Since this was the second time a similar question had come up, Finn’s tone became a bit sharper, hinting at her annoyance.

“How tall and wide is that tunnel?”

“Huh?”

“If both ends are blocked, is there no other way out?”

They hadn’t even taken a few steps from the ridge, but the questions kept coming.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Torres tilted his head. He had been silent all this time, and now he was like this? Why? It wasn’t fear, that much was certain.

If he were afraid of entering the doghole, he wouldn’t have charged into a pack of Dog-Faced Man-Eaters or sliced through Harpy swarms raining down from the sky.

“Why? Do you have a bad feeling?”

Torres didn’t believe in superstitions, but he respected Enkrid’s instincts. There was a similar guy in the Border Guard. One of those people with uncanny intuition.

“No, not really.”

They had to go in anyway. If he said he had a bad feeling, they might change plans.

Enkrid answered calmly.

Finn turned to look at him. Was this guy trying to pick a fight? Her expression seemed to say as much.

“Got something you want to say?”

“I’m just wondering what to do if the enemy shows up.”

Tilt.

Finn cocked her head to the side and then straightened it again. She felt uneasy but didn’t know why. Was it because this guy kept throwing off her rhythm?

“The doghole is a major smuggling route. It’s not really a path we or our allies use. So right now, it’s one of the safest ways in.”

Finn explained to Enkrid, reminding herself of the reason they had chosen this route.

Torres nodded along.

He wasn’t a Ranger, but he had been on countless different missions.

‘This should be pretty safe.’

Finn was right.

Enkrid nodded and stepped into the slope of the doghole, taking three or four steps inside.

“What if, by some chance, there’s an armed force waiting ahead? Would we all be dead?”

Enkrid asked

once more.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake.”

Finn finally cursed aloud.

No matter how much she tried not to show it, they were walking into enemy territory. Why did he keep saying things like this?

“If you don’t want to do it, then stay behind.”

The more she heard it, the more irritated she got. Finn snapped at him, unable to hold it in any longer.

Enkrid shook his head.

“That’s not it.”

“Why’s he like that?”

She turned her annoyance toward Torres. Good words were only good once or twice. After that, they just became aggravating.

Was he always like this?

No, this was new.

Torres had no answer either.

“Let’s go.”

When Finn stopped, Enkrid took the lead and spoke. Finn, already on edge, was about to retort when something strange happened. Both she and Torres felt a shift in the air.

Without even realizing it, their eyes were drawn to Enkrid.

Why?

There was a weight to him, something heavy in his presence. Torres was a top-tier soldier, and Finn was equally skilled. Both of them sensed the weight of Enkrid’s presence.

“Let’s just…”

Enkrid’s voice, heavy with authority, silenced them.

“Be careful.”

His words, short and clear, made Finn swallow nervously.

Who was this guy?

He had been a nuisance, but now he looked strangely cool. It was as if the annoyance that had been building up inside her suddenly vanished, as if by some miracle.

‘Is this love?’

Her entire reconing unit had recognized her as someone who could fall in love quickly. But thankfully, it never interfered with her work.

Love was love.

A man was a man.

And work was work.

Finn admitted it. She had softened up a bit. Even if their planted “cat” had been discovered, it wouldn’t necessarily endanger them.

Sure, entering the city was dangerous, but she was confident in her ability to slip out unnoticed. After all, they planned to use the ‘special route’ they had been saving for this very reason.

“Fine.”

Finn was the first to acknowledge him. She quickly adjusted her stance, taking more cautious steps.

Torres followed suit.

Though he glanced at Enkrid with a curious expression for a moment.

“Of course, we should be careful.”

He soon spoke and continued walking.

‘That should do it.’

Enkrid could tell that their attitudes had shifted. His nagging wasn’t for nothing. Neither was the sudden show of authority.

To survive what lay ahead— facing the elite soldiers armed with spears and shields, along with archers cutting off their retreat— they couldn’t afford to leave any openings.

On the other hand, this side couldn’t afford to show any weakness either. Forty-plus elite soldiers in total. There was no room for mistakes.

That’s why he had done it.

To make sure everyone was prepared and tense. Sure enough, there was a difference between the caution of a regular soldier and the alertness of a Ranger.

“This is strange.”

As they walked through the tunnel, lit only by torchlight, Finn kept her head low, studying the ground.

She was skilled enough to put Pathfinders and hunters to shame. Just as she had said, she found something odd.

“The footprints are strange.”

Finn remarked. That was what Enkrid had been hoping to hear. Their enemies had erased most traces. But no matter how careful they were, they couldn’t escape the eyes of a suspicious Ranger.

Enkrid hadn’t planned on breaking through here by brute force from the start. How many todays had he repeated already?

He had learned something from all of them. One of those lessons was that there was no need to always rely on a frontal assault.

“It feels like something’s off behind us.”

Just as Finn finished speaking, Enkrid delivered his prepared line. There was no need for dramatic acting. He had done this plenty of times already.

Up to this point, he had faced this exact situation multiple times. So now, all he had to do was carry out his plan.

“It really does feel like something’s up ahead.”

Finn muttered.

“Oh, hell, what are you talking about?”

Torres, now tense, started turning his head back and forth, looking ahead and behind. Enkrid decided this was the right moment to speak.

“Let’s secure a retreat first.”

He suggested going back and clearing a path.

In other words, he meant taking out the archers who were lying in wait at the rear, though, of course, Finn and Torres wouldn’t know that.

They both turned their eyes to Enkrid.

“If someone blocks our escape from behind…”

He didn’t need to finish the sentence.

“Understood. Let’s go.”

“Maybe it’s just a bad day.”

Torres and Finn responded in quick succession, turning their bodies to head back.

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