WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

A KNIGHT WHO ETERNALLY REGRESSES

Chapter 303: 'Really' Is Not the Point, 'Why' Is.

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"What kind of person is he?"

At his lieutenant's question, Graham straightened in his seat. A sharp pain shot from his spine up into his skull.

'Sinar.'

He had heard the elf gave Enkrid an ointment that was good for wounds.

He was the castellan, and even aside from that, were they not practically longtime comrades?

Then why did nothing come his way, not even a single herb root, let alone ointment?

With that stray thought still in his head, Graham answered.

"Who?"

"Green Pearl, sir."

One was tactless and stupid, but the other was above average. Even the question was different.

'Or is it just relative?'

Maybe he only looked smart because that idiot lieutenant was standing next to him. Still, he could not throw away a tactless lieutenant.

How far could one person go for another?

That lieutenant might not bet his life, but he would bet an arm to save him. So Graham could not cast him aside.

"Garrett Gairo."

Graham spoke the name of a man who used to be his superior, but now held equal rank.

The name still did not sit naturally on his tongue.

Garrett's battalion had originally been Border Guard's second reserve unit, but after winning the Battle of Green Pearl, it became a newly formed battalion and took position on the Green Pearl plains.

"They say he's an opportunist, the kind of man who'd do anything for profit, and that the reason Azpen didn't invade is because Battalion Commander Garrett already sold out."

That was hardly a rumor only Enkrid had heard.

Graham's ear suddenly itched, and he dug at it with his pinky.

"Is someone talking shit about me somewhere?"

He was suddenly suspicious of that lieutenant bastard he had chased out and told to wait outside.

"If Azpen pushes in, even the city is in danger, Captain."

Graham, both captain and castellan, nodded.

"Like I don't know that."

How should he describe Garrett Gairo?

"Did he betray us? I don't think he did. If you told me to bet Krona, I'd bet he didn't."

He was the exact opposite of that lieutenant bastard probably cursing him right now. Slippery, cunning, sharp, yes, but betrayal? No.

"Why do you think Marcus put him there?"

* * *

The battalion commander was a strikingly handsome man with dull blond hair.

He looked middle-aged. He strode forward in long steps.

Enkrid measured distance on reflex.

'Two and a half steps.'

If he wanted, his sword could reach within a quarter breath.

"If you judge him an enemy, cut him down, subdue him, or seize him by the head first and immediately take command of his troops."

That was what Kraiss told him before they left. Enkrid agreed.

He slid his left foot forward and finished "preparing."

A fast thrust, or if the other side attacked first, a counter and then a knock-away with Snake Sword.

His right arm was half recovered, so he could still use deflection and strike.

Right hand deflects, left hand stabs. Even his mind had finished preparing.

He met the battalion commander with every option open.

Behind the commander, he saw archers, infantry, and escort troops.

All of them looked strangely tense.

Battalion Commander Garrett approached in long strides.

"Marcus, you dirty bastard!"

Then he shouted.

Something odd colored his tone.

"I missed you!"

Garrett came up and said it in a booming voice.

Meticulous in everything, opportunistic, willing to do anything for gain.

That was how people who knew Garrett described him.

No, that felt very wrong. Very wrong.

"He's really more handsome than me, Nurat. What do you think?"

"He's handsome."

Someone in the escort answered Garrett's shout, a dark-skinned Black woman.

Battalion Commander Garrett knew how to smile. He smiled bright and clear.

Then he said this.

"Now you're the most handsome man in Border Guard."

"Agreed."

Kraiss muttered from behind. He had looked tense and worried a moment ago, and now he let out that flat comment.

Enkrid relaxed a little too.

If the other side had calculated even this, then calling him more sinister than Jaxon would have been fair.

Of course, Jaxon would never accept that if he heard it.

"Come inside."

Garrett turned around. Even if he had hidden his skill, showing his back still meant something.

No betrayal from Garrett. Enkrid understood that with both reason and instinct.

"Still, be careful."

Kraiss spoke from behind.

What if Garrett had betrayed them and planned to lure them in and seize them?

But for that kind of setup...

'He looks too relaxed.'

Enkrid scratched his chin and followed Garrett.

If Rem were here, he probably would have called him one hell of a bold man.

Rem, Audin, and Teresa were left behind.

"You need people guarding the rear too. If things go bad, we have to run."

That was Kraiss's reason.

Enkrid's reason was a little different.

"Unless you plan to die in a fight, why bother?"

Everyone was hurt. Rest when it was time to rest.

"This kind of thing heals if you spit on it."

Rem protested, but despite his words, he had slathered on plenty of the elf's ointment.

He got greedy over Jaxon's herb collection too and almost started a fight.

"Even elf ointment is wasted on your body. Go mix up some mud and slap that on."

Jaxon needled him with words too.

By now, stopping those two from fighting was almost something Enkrid could do in his sleep.

After separating them, Enkrid gave the order.

"Stay."

That single word cut off any talk of forcing their way after him. He even dragged up the Will of Refusal to say it.

That showed how much willpower he put into it.

"If you go die over there, I'll personally carry the axe of vengeance."

Rem gave up first, and Audin only laughed softly. It did not look like a laugh from good spirits.

"My weak body has caused this problem."

He tried to dig at Enkrid's conscience with self-mocking words.

"Yeah. So maybe train your body more?"

Enkrid took the joke smoothly. His tongue had been knight level for a while already.

"If you think you can beat him with words, he'll flip it on you. Bear. I already know that, so don't wag your tongue in front of me."

Rem gave advice from the side. Audin ignored him, of course. He just started praying on his own.

"Did You see the pitiful little captain's arrogance, Father? Even if he enters heaven, please do not work him too harshly."

It was a prayer balanced on the line between blessing and curse.

"Thanks for the consecration prayer."

Enkrid added one more line and claimed a perfect victory.

Audin smiled and shook his head.

Enkrid held back, because if he pushed further, it felt like Audin might say rank or not, let's have it out.

If not for that, he still had plenty more to say.

Only Teresa did not resist. Her injuries were too severe from the start.

Still, she said killing the Wolf Bishop made her feel relieved.

Enkrid did not know what history they had, but he could tell they had not been on good terms.

"Good job."

He praised her, left Rem and Audin behind by force, and came here.

Now he was with Esther the mage, Kraiss who said they should run if needed, Ragna who walked in silence with unreadable thoughts, and Jaxon, who said without a smile that he was glad Rem had been left behind.

"Looks like someone poured oil on his face."

Ah, Sinar was with them too. The elf company commander had a few scratches on her forearm, nothing more.

"He looks greasy."

Sinar came close and whispered it again. She meant Garrett, but no matter how Enkrid looked at him, this was not greasy, this was just handsome.

"Is that so?"

Maybe it was lucky Garrett did not hear her.

Then again, maybe he would have brushed it off anyway.

He looked like the kind of man you could never quite pin down.

"For now, you're my superior."

"This way of speaking is more comfortable."

Sinar had insisted all the way here that he should speak in command form.

"Do you like being ordered around and pressured?"

He could not hold it in and said it.

"Pressure from a fiancee, interesting. I wonder how that would feel."

What insane nonsense was that.

Even for an elf-style joke, that crossed a line.

"That was a joke."

Sinar still had no smile at all. Her demand about changing tone was not based only on some weird reason. In truth, it was not even force.

"If the command structure breaks, that will be a problem."

That was the real reason.

"It'll be fine."

Sometimes Enkrid felt Sinar had no idea how much force her looks carried.

She always gave the impression she ought to be respected. Her gestures, footsteps, and tone, everything reminded people she was an elf.

"How old are you? If you're younger than me, I'll speak casually."

"The command structure is none of my concern."

Sinar turned away with the same blank face.

Enkrid stepped into the camp Green Pearl had built.

What was this.

"It looks like a small village."

They had cut huge trees and built a palisade. Most people lived in tents, but wooden houses were scattered here and there too.

There were traces of half-finished construction as well.

Because of war, and because it was winter, they must have stopped work.

"If we only had until next winter, we could have built a proper village."

Garrett said it as they entered the largest tent in the center.

He sat at a broad table. Several escorts stood behind him, including the Black woman from before.

You could spot a few Black people on the eastern side of the continent, but in this region they were not common.

"Do you know how much I wanted to meet you?"

Garrett said it out of nowhere. Enkrid only tilted his head.

"Man, that battle, I heard all of it. From the Green Pearl battle to the war's end, soldier stories, exciting stuff, tell me in detail..."

"Captain."

Garrett was seated, and Nurat stood behind him.

The Black woman, Nurat, called to her captain while bending at the waist.

"Ah, now isn't the time for that?"

"No, it isn't."

"Azpen is right in front of us, Captain."

Another escort spoke up from the side. He was a big man, and at a glance looked quiet.

His square jaw and tightly closed mouth gave him weight.

"Right, that's my personal matter."

Garrett's atmosphere changed in an instant.

His smile did not change. His expression did not change either.

But it changed. The feeling shifted. The pressure he gave twisted in a strange way.

Like Kraiss reacting when Krona was on the line.

Like Audin facing someone who insulted his god.

Like Ragna when he got fired up over a sword.

Like Rem when he ditched his brain and did something insane.

"I think the best option is giving up and retreating. What do you say?"

At Garrett's words, Enkrid felt Kraiss flinch.

He would love this. Mention running, and he lit up.

"Why?"

Enkrid asked.

"I can't predict what they'll do."

"That's the reason?"

"It is."

Kraiss cut in. He thought this was his stage. Enkrid did not stop him.

Instead, he gave a small nod, telling him to continue. Garrett's gaze shifted to Kraiss too.

"So we've got a smart one. Name?"

"Kraiss."

"In my life, I guess this is the first time I asked a pretty man's name before two beauties. So then, will you explain the reason?"

Garrett had rhythm in his tone. It was not unpleasant to hear. His voice almost rode a melody.

Kraiss had already said this once, but he still thought it needed to be laid out again.

"Whether it was the Black Blade Bandits or the cultists, Azpen only watched while we fought up front."

"Does that count as a reason?"

Sinar, who had only watched until now, asked. Enkrid was the official overall commander, but honestly, Sinar was close to his rank in practice.

"An elf voice sounds like an instrument."

Garrett seemed like he would grow needles on his tongue if he did not spout nonsense.

Sinar ignored him cleanly.

"It is a reason. If what we see is all there is, Azpen should have struck us first. It's winter now. We've connected supply lines to Green Pearl, and even if it's not fully stable, we can hold a defense. Even without a castle, defensive warfare won't be hard. How many watchtowers?"

"Eight."

"Wide spacing?"

"Narrow."

Enkrid could not easily follow Garrett and Kraiss's conversation. He waited. They would explain again anyway.

"What about Azpen? Supply? Advance? Camp construction?"

Kraiss asked again. It was less a question and more emphasis in the shape of one.

Supply, advance, camp construction. None of those were easy. There was a difference between those who prepared from warm weather and those who did not.

"Time and conditions favor us, but Azpen only watched."

Kraiss privately thought this. The enemy camp had to have a monster-level strategist.

Otherwise none of this made sense.

"It means they came prepared."

"Right, that's it. Honestly I wondered if they'd just watch and then pull back. They didn't."

"They're coming?"

"They are."

"Speed?"

"Slow."

"That's bad."

"It is."

Nurat, listening from behind, bent at the waist and said to her captain:

"No one can understand this."

"Kraiss, speak in common language."

Enkrid cut in at the right time.

Garrett gestured, and Kraiss explained.

Azpen had not seized advantageous ground, and they were not moving in a rush.

They were pushing in deliberately.

Two reasons.

"One, they have a complete grasp of our strength."

Kraiss said first.

"Two, they're confident they can win."

Garrett continued.

Kraiss and Garrett looked at each other. Then, without either deciding who would go first, they both reached out and lightly clapped palms.

The smack echoed inside the tent.

"Captain."

Nurat bent at the waist again.

"Ah, now isn't the time to get excited, right?"

"No, it isn't."

Garrett was a strange man, but definitely the type with a sharp mind. And he did not seem to have betrayed them.

Enkrid also resisted smacking the back of Kraiss's head.

"So if we pull back? If we run now?"

He asked Kraiss, but Garrett answered.

"The city falls, we become war criminals and get sent to a kingdom tribunal. So running is the answer, except now it isn't."

When Garrett and Kraiss lifted their hands again, Enkrid pressed down on Kraiss's head.

Then he said:

"Then we bring a way to win."

Using his head was not his strong point.

That was Kraiss's specialty.

"That isn't something you can just say and produce. First we need the surrounding terrain..."

"Nurat."

At Garrett's word, a map came out. A military map with a rough layout of the nearby terrain.

"Any issue with allied supply?"

"None at all. To hit the supply line, they'd have to break through four narrow watchtowers."

Kraiss and Garrett fell into one of their private technical exchanges again, so Enkrid stepped back completely.

He watched for a moment, but he would be lucky if he caught half of what they were saying.

Sinar had already gone out first.

Enkrid came out of the tent too. He wanted to breathe fresh mountain air.

They had poured oil into the brazier, and the air inside the tent had become stifling.

Outside, he saw Ragna, already there.

Ragna looked blankly at Enkrid.

He looked like he had something to say.

When Enkrid came close, Ragna tilted his head, looked up at the sky beyond the palisade, and asked:

"Why do you want to become a knight?"

It was an out-of-nowhere question.

It was also a pleasant one.

It was not "really," it was "why."

He was not asking whether Enkrid really wanted to become a knight. He was asking why he wanted it.

The meaning inside that single question was different.

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