WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Abstract

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

A KNIGHT WHO ETERNALLY REGRESSES

Chapter 348: Who Are You Worried About?

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"I can't go."

Right before they split into those leaving and those staying, Kraiss declined first. Enkrid had never planned to take him anyway.

"There's still too much to do here. And don't go getting beat up everywhere just because I'm not around."

He said it so confidently that Enkrid found himself nodding.

"Yeah, I shouldn't go around getting hit."

After even renewing that vow, Kraiss took a step back.

"Why are you saying it like that? That's scary. You're going to hit me, right?"

"Why would I?"

He had only answered because Kraiss sounded worried.

"Anyway, I can't go. The outposts still need work, and I trust Leona, but merchants are merchants. Hand them the granary keys and they'll empty the place out, so we need to be careful."

Just as he said, Kraiss could not leave.

He still had to pave roads around the area, and he still had to deal with those half-baked fools who called themselves nobles while acting like idiots.

It looked like even ten bodies would not be enough, but it was not quite that simple either. Even in the middle of all that, Kraiss still did everything he had to do.

Which meant he also took all the breaks he wanted and met everyone he wanted to meet.

It even seemed he had been going on dates now and then with Nurat, who had entered the city about ten days ago.

Nurat was the dark-skinned woman who had served as Battalion Commander Garrett's guard and adjutant at the Green Pearl garrison.

Kraiss had tied a letter to a crow's leg and requested personnel from Garrett first, and he said she came because they had something urgent to discuss.

But that discussion probably was not supposed to involve dinner and a stroll through the market, was it?

There were even days he did not return to the inn at all, so it was easy to guess he'd already done everything there was to do.

Of course, that was none of Enkrid's business.

"Battalion Commander Garrett wants to retire, so we need to choose a successor too."

Kraiss had deliberately started handling the city as a whole.

Watching that passionate attitude, Enkrid thought:

'Krona got him.'

It was true.

Kraiss planned to make this city rich.

Big enough that he could pocket whatever byproducts fell off along the way and no one would care.

He was preparing for civil war while refusing to give up on making gold.

That was Kraiss's goal.

In fact, while building outposts, he had already started eyeing every kind of herb and poison coming out of the swamp.

For that reason...

"My heart burns, sending you off on a long journey without me."

That was how Sinar ended up saying things like that.

No one was better than her at exploring the swamp, sorting medicine from poison, and finding useful materials.

"Is that so."

Her face looked like a doll. Not only because she was beautiful, but because she spoke without changing expression.

"It's a joke."

"Yes, I know."

"I thought you wouldn't."

So had all the earlier lines not been jokes?

No, all of them had been jokes.

There was no point trying to separate them.

Enkrid shook his head inwardly. Elf humor was still hard to get used to.

Sinar aside, Audin and Teresa were staying too.

"As for me, there are still too many soldiers left for me to teach, brother."

Audin said it with a gentle smile, but that probably was not the whole reason.

Enkrid instinctively felt that Audin disliked going to the capital, or more precisely, to the royal palace.

Still, it was not something to question. As always, Enkrid respected his company members' choices.

He also did not think the reason behind that reluctance mattered.

"I'll stay and help too."

At some point, Teresa had started sticking right beside Audin.

No soldier was brave enough to say "the giant siblings" in front of them, but the nickname fit them well.

"Fine."

That settled it.

"Ugh, the weather looks nasty."

Then there was Rem, the savage barbarian.

"Once we're inside the capital, I have separate business to handle."

"Do as you like."

Then there was Jaxon, the sly alleycat who openly admitted he had his own plans.

"All the way to the capital? That'll take about half a year."

No one could tell why a trip that should take fifteen to twenty days on horseback along the main road, with good weather, had suddenly become six months.

Anyway, if left alone, there was one lazy swordsman who looked ready to get lost and write legends all over the place with a single sword.

"A trip, huh. A little joy in a boring daily life."

Then there was the moody mage, transformed into a female body today for reasons no one understood.

"Think we'll fight a lot? Hope so."

Then there was the beastfolk who came along as escort, showed no interest in who the escort target was, and said right in front of that target that she hoped many attackers would show up.

"Hiiing."

And there was one wild horse with heterochromatic eyes and magic beast blood.

"Are you all serious?"

The whip-wielding escort asked.

After looking at each of them one by one, his face turned grave.

He had to serve his lord and break through dangerous roads.

Not one part of this could be handled carelessly.

Marcus had even agreed to lead a unit and act as bait for this plan.

Yet that same Marcus had left first last night, saying urgent business had come up.

'Disloyal bastard.'

The whip escort cursed Marcus in his head. Crang brushed it off.

"He's a busy man."

Crang defended him instead.

If Marcus was not here, how were they supposed to get to the capital? He should at least have lent them his escort troops.

If not that, then they needed to draw out seeds they had planted in many places, still no more than saplings, and use those preparations.

Like the Language Revival Guild, for example.

That place was one of the seeds his lord had planted.

But even that was not possible.

'What the hell.'

The Language Revival Guild had failed to build up strength inside Border Guard. At least in terms of force, they were pathetic.

Was it true that one crazy Frog had gone around beating down all the fighters?

'What kind of...'

Was that nonsense? What idle Frog would do something like that?

There were all kinds of strange people in the world, so sure, maybe a Frog like that existed. But one just happened to stay here and handle exactly this annoying work?

'Bound by a vow?'

It was a reasonable suspicion.

With his hands and feet tied like that, having Enkrid's Madman Company take on escort duty was good news.

It definitely was.

'I'm uneasy.'

The escort's instincts, sharpened by years of risking his life, told him so.

These bastards were not normal.

If he threw himself in trusting only them, he was done for.

Every single one of them made him uneasy.

Why would the capital trip suddenly take half a year, and why did they all look uninterested in escort duty?

Why were they grinning while estimating how many attackers might come?

"So, you can all ride, right?"

In the middle of that, Enkrid spoke to everyone.

"No carriage?"

"A carriage stands out! We should be trying to stay unseen, and you want a carriage?"

The whip escort snapped, but Rem just picked his ear.

"Did that guy eat something bad? Why's he yelling this early in the morning?"

You little...

The escort was about to truly explode.

"Enough."

Crang stopped him.

Crang's eyes were brighter than ever.

Even to him, these people were highly unusual.

Kraiss had already noticed it in broad strokes, and Enkrid knew it by instinct. Crang's insight was exceptionally sharp.

In other words, he was excellent at judging people.

Of course, that did not mean he could magically see into everyone's heart.

'Interesting people.'

He knew it instinctively. Not one of them was ordinary.

The rumors he had heard about them felt understated.

'Madmen, huh.'

He did not know who coined that name, but that person deserved an award.

He could not find a better description than those four syllables.

And that was true even though poetry and writing had been his hobby since childhood.

'Uncontrolled force.'

You could tell at a glance. These were not people who moved because someone ordered them.

Then why were they gathered here?

To protect him? Not a chance.

"Enough talk about carriages. Get your head straight. This is a mission. We're taking those people over there to the capital."

Enkrid scolded Rem as he spoke, and Rem looked at the two standing apart and asked:

"Those two?"

"I'm the escort."

For some reason, the whip escort found it especially hard to control himself today.

At first, he had still managed to force himself down somehow.

His lord's appearance was unfamiliar and rattled him, and what happened after that went far beyond common sense and shook his composure.

On top of that, he hated all of this.

Everything piled up and stirred him in a way unlike himself.

After answering, the escort steadied his breathing and calmed down.

'This is bad.'

If things got tangled, he might have to ride off alone with his lord. Losing his temper was forbidden.

He took two deep breaths in and out. He was no ordinary man either.

Then it happened.

"Escort?"

"Not a guide?"

"Who?"

A three-part chorus came from the gray-haired bastard, the droopy-eyed blond bastard, and the crazy beastfolk.

'Ah, these bastards, seriously.'

"Stop teasing him."

Enkrid cut in. Rem and the rest naturally obeyed. Seeing that, Crang's eyes lit up even more.

'They're controlled?'

These people were like whirlwinds that could break anywhere. How? Through power? Through skill? No.

'Influence.'

Just as Crang himself had been influenced, they too had been influenced by Enkrid.

They followed his words. They respected his will. Enkrid was the key that controlled them.

'Ah.'

Crang's insight truly stood apart. By seeing the result, he grasped the process.

'If they were mediocre, Enki would just look like a madman to them.'

To ordinary people, Enkrid's attitude was hard to understand. Standing beside him was even harder.

He was not easy to get along with.

At the same time, he was hard to ignore.

Whatever he did drew attention, and his way of life made others feel as if they were being rebuked.

All kinds of people must have passed by a man named Enkrid.

Some must have criticized him.

Some must have forced themselves to ignore him.

Some must have admired his persistence.

But none of them could stay at his side.

That was the kind of man Enkrid was.

Then what were those who remained?

'Truly mad bastards.'

Or people with outstanding talent in one field or another.

People who would not break after seeing Enkrid.

"Interesting."

Crang reached his conclusion and said it aloud.

"See? He says it's interesting, right? He's got a good eye for people. What'd you say your name was?"

Rem walked up to Crang and threw an arm around his shoulder. Not something one should do to a man who could become king of a nation.

If this had been an ordinary noble, people would already be screaming to cut that arm off. Of course, Rem did not care about things like that.

Neither did Crang.

Before the escort could have a fit, Crang waved his hand and answered.

"Crang."

"Good. I'll protect you. Let's go."

The weather had been bright lately, but today the sky was dim.

Pale gray clouds blocked the morning sun.

"By the way, why are you coming?"

From behind, Enkrid asked Odd-Eyes.

"Hing."

No one there understood horse speech.

The escort wondered why that guy was having a conversation with a horse now.

"Ah, you're bored. Looks like you already checked the whole area. Fine, come along."

Enkrid really did seem to be talking to it. He spoke while stroking the mane of the strange-eyed horse. It was a wild horse, with no saddle and no horseshoes.

'That bastard isn't normal either.'

The only reason he looked normal was by comparison.

The escort resolved to stay fully alert.

Odd-Eyes followed, but did not let anyone ride on its back.

"Good fortune."

Graham saw them off and provided horses.

"Did you set the route?"

Naturally, Kraiss came out to the city gate as well.

"If you're not sure, should I lead?"

Ragna cut in.

"You crazy bastard, you want to wander the continent for six months?"

Rem snapped at him, and Ragna turned his head.

"A barbarian who can't fight should keep his mouth shut."

"...Did he lose?"

Jaxon reacted to that line.

Rem's cheek twitched. A smile that was not really a smile stayed on his face.

Enkrid quietly rode between them.

He was an expert rider too. The saddled horse moved exactly as he guided it.

"We follow the main road."

"What?"

The escort was the most shocked by that.

Crang was a little surprised too.

It was not that he doubted their skill.

But was this not inviting danger?

"Oh, so you already thought of it? I was about to bring it up."

Kraiss nodded as he said it.

"Yeah. Felt like we should."

"Instinct?"

"Half."

"And the other half?"

"I thought it through."

Enkrid ran a hand through his cropped hair. Kraiss had trimmed it for him not long ago.

Crang rolled their words over in his mind.

He was no fool either.

'It's already been hit. We're already exposed.'

He had faced attempts on his life in many places before.

Crang was quick to read a situation. Experience had made him that way.

Even before departure, people aiming for him were already in position.

Whether they took the main road or wandered mountain paths, the result would be the same.

Better to take the main road and push speed.

Choosing horseback and abandoning the carriage was the fastest option.

Crang too had roamed the continent enough that he was not easy to outmatch in this kind of judgment.

Soon, a clear line drew itself in his head.

The fastest route from Border Guard to the capital.

"I know a few shortcuts."

Crang said it, and Enkrid nodded.

An escort target who communicated well was never a bad thing.

Kwarrrr!

Right then, thunder roared in the distance and lightning struck.

Blue lightning forked down over the Pen-Hanil mountain range.

If mountain rangers had been up there, they would have faced deadly danger.

Of course, with weather like this, they had probably come down long ago.

Then rain began to fall in light, scattered drops.

"Then."

Dudududu.

With Enkrid at the front, they soon moved out on horseback.

All of them rode with ease.

Esther simply turned into a panther and ran.

Watching them fade away, Graham muttered:

"Will they be alright?"

"Who are you worried about?"

Kraiss answered. This was a group you had to discuss as the strongest force in the region.

An assassination group's ambush?

If these were people who could die to that, they would have all held hands and crossed the river of death long ago.

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