A Knight Who Eternally Regresses - Chapter 420



Only Noblemtl

420. The Beginning, Not the End

‘As your heart desires?’

If asked if he enjoyed killing people, Saxon had no answer.

No matter how many times I thought about it, I couldn’t tell if it was fun or not.

There were some in the guild who would go crazy if they didn’t see blood once a week, but Saxon himself never did that. However, it was fun to hone his skills. It was definitely fun.

“It wasn’t about telling you to stab your friend in the back, it was just about surviving, kid.”

The Master’s tone was always light, but correct. That was what my father meant.

I just interpreted it in my own way. That was what I needed at the time. I needed to find something to fuel the flame of revenge.

“Aren’t you saying that you should just look forward and not dwell too much on the past?”

The master was right again.

My mother didn’t want me to become someone tied to my family.

Saxony also changed its memory and used it as firewood.

It was a fact he knew.

“What I teach is not the art of killing.”

“Then what is it?”

“You figure it out yourself! Do I have to feed them to you one by one?”

That’s not what I meant when I was teaching people how to detect poison in their food.

When I first met the Master, he asked me:

“Will you follow me? Then I will teach you how to live.”

It wasn’t a way to survive, it was a way to live.

It wasn’t a killing art, it was just a way of living.

The hidden murderous intent remained intact. The momentum did not die down. However, Saxon could not stop his mouth from opening at will.

“Can I stay?”

These are words that come straight from the heart and do not go through the head.

“If you beat me, I’ll let you.”

Encred answered as usual, his words coming out of a prepared posture.

‘If it’s one way to live.’

That couldn’t be a reason to live.

It was a new realization. It was a flash of insight that came to me after I spoke.

Saxony never found anything else to pursue except revenge.

However, now I am sure of one thing.

It’s more fun to hang out with a man than to kill him.

It’s fun to learn a skill and move up the ranks.

It’s fun to watch lovers.

So, can’t I do everything? I asked myself and got the answer. The answer was obvious, even without having to think about it.

“Then I guess I can stay.”

Saxony said.

The sun warmed his back. The summer sun warmed his body. A faint smile appeared on Saxon’s face, hidden in the shade.

The words “do whatever you want” gave me a refreshing sense of liberation and broke the chains in my heart.

Saxon had a technique that he couldn’t use on someone who was watching him or on someone he couldn’t kill.

‘Why should it be like that?’

Who ordered you to do that? The Master didn’t order you to do that. It’s just an unwritten rule that’s been passed down through the guild called Geor’s Dagger.

It was a useless rule that I had been following out of habit.

Encred wasn’t fooled by his opponent’s smile.

‘Is this a hidden trick?’

I felt like my skills had improved recently, and I was more active because I got Aker.

He would often talk to his subordinates about fighting or sparring.

The same was true for Saxony.

I saw that he was lost in thought, so I touched him gently.

Naturally, there was no one who could resist Encred’s provocation.

It was the same now.

The idea of ​​conquering yourself was half a joke, half a provocation.

Saxony took the bait without hesitation.

To be honest, I didn’t even care about the remaining ones. I was so thirsty because there was no one to spar with right now.

The momentum was apparent. Saxon’s body appeared to have grown larger, but Encrid paid no attention.

‘If you don’t even trust yourself, you can never win.’

Don’t overestimate your opponent’s skills; this is a rule to keep in mind before fighting.

However, we must not let our guard down and at the same time do our best.

It’s easier said than done, these are things you can’t do unless you experience and learn them.

I put my hand on the grip. I took in Saxon’s entire body with my eyes, holding my posture. It was a process of opening my senses and confirming.

Always do your best.

Encred did as he had been doing, and almost repeated today.

* * *

A burden on the mind, perhaps.

Or maybe it was the chains that had been binding him until now.

Saxon turned around, ignoring that, and his steps were light.

Especially when I thought about Encrid, whom I had just faced.

‘It has increased a lot.’

The skill of writing is called will.

Why can’t we write that as an assassin?

“If I leave you alone, I’ll end up creating the greatest killer on the continent.”

The Master didn’t say that for nothing.

Saxon had talent. The previous master knew it.

Saxon had just stabbed Encred in several places on his body with a technique he had not even shown when dealing with Count Molten.

His steps led out of the barracks.

Two soldiers on guard duty saluted.

He seemed to know Saxony.

As I went outside, passing by without a word, and walked along the tree-lined wall, the voice I had been waiting for came out.

“Are you serious?”

I would say this as a guild member and acting master, not as a lover.

Saxon also knew that she had been watching his and Encred’s duel.

“You showed me things I shouldn’t have shown you unless you were going to kill me.”

Voices were heard, but no figures were seen. Saxon noticed five more figures hiding in the trees.

There were six in total, three of whom were older assassins than him.

Each was a master of poison, dagger throwing, and hiding one’s presence, and they were also the teachers who taught him their techniques.

Because Saxony didn’t just learn the Master’s techniques.

However, they were already catching up with him in terms of skill. He said that he couldn’t stop them on his own.

If you attack, you’ll die, so don’t attack.

My lover and Master’s daughter wasn’t that stupid.

Saxon was more skilled than anyone else and was quicker at understanding situations. It wasn’t for nothing that he inherited the title of Master.

“… …Why did you do that?”

It was a question from a lover who was two years older than him when he was young.

“just.”

Somehow I got a similar answer to Encred.

“I did whatever my heart wanted.”

It wasn’t my intention, but it was a similar answer.

“Was the position of Master that easy for you?”

Was he disappointed? Maybe so. Nevertheless, Saxon did not regret his choice. There was no reason to regret it. Life is not a choice between the two.

“When did I ever say I would give up my position as Master?”

“……what?”

Only Jenatrice, the Master’s daughter and lover, spoke. She asked in absurdity, and Saxon answered calmly.

“I will stay here. But that doesn’t mean I will give up Geor’s dagger.”

“Do you think that makes sense?”

The master of poison spoke, unable to hold back. His voice was split between the left and right. It was a crude remark.

“What can’t be done?”

Saxon said, looking exactly at the spot where he was hiding. I will treat you like an elder, but if you attack, you will die. He seemed to be saying that with his eyes.

“Don’t worry. No one will die here today. I’ll convince you one by one.”

It was an arrogant statement. How could he survive by turning the entire guild into enemies just because he was the master of Geor’s dagger?

That’s what most people would think.

But Saxon was indifferent. He was just doing it because it was something he had to do. That just made him look even crazier.

Yennatrice emerged from the shadow of the wall where she had been hiding.

Saxony was not surprised, as he already knew.

“Do as you please.”

“I see.”

Jenatrice looked at Saxony for a moment.

Why was that guy so good?

Yeah, it was nice that you didn’t hesitate to do something like that.

“I have to kill the previous master?”

Geor’s Dagger was the greatest assassination guild on the continent. Its masters passed their skills down to their successors for generations, and were killed by their successors.

Saxony ignored discipline.

“Are you saying you won’t follow the rules?”

“I think so.”

At that time, three assassins who were competing for the succession were killed, and five elders were killed. In addition, including those who followed them, the number of dead was over thirty.

It was all Saxon’s work. He did it all by himself.

“Hey, you crazy bastard. You’re going to blow a third of the guild’s power just to save me?”

Jenatrice’s father, who was her teacher and master, scolded her like this and closed his eyes in peace.

Although the poison that had accumulated in his body from working hard since childhood caused trouble, he died with a smile.

“There are people who won’t take your side.”

Saxon stared intently into his lover’s eyes. He saw orange eyes. He reached out to her and she took his hand in return.

Like her master, Jenatrice was quick-witted, especially when it came to matters relating to Saxony and herself.

She had already considered the possibility that she might not return and had begun to gather people who would take her side.

Right now, it’s just a process of confirming it.

The elders who followed were all on Saxony’s side.

“Tell me, I will convince them one by one.”

Of course, that persuasion was Encred’s way.

Or by hitting someone in the head to make them listen.

Like kicking someone in the head to make them listen to you.

It would be as if Encred had persuaded the sheriff in the capital.

But you still won’t listen?

“Just do it until you hear it.”

Encrid would say so. Saxon knew that he had a similar disposition in that regard.

A person who has never done anything the way he wanted to since he was born, except when he saved his father.

I often wondered if it was my intention to save my father. Or maybe it was because of me?

This was the Saxony that Jenatrice saw.

So, I secretly welcomed this decision.

‘As you live, there are times when you have to act however you want.’

Before he died, the guild master asked Saxon to take care of his daughter. And he asked his daughter to take care of the man she loved like a son.

“If that kid ever leaves the guild, take good care of him.”

Jenatrice remembered her father’s words.

Saxony returned to the barracks.

On the way in, I saw Audín praying.

“Bless you.”

At those words, Audin, who had been clasping his hands and closing his eyes, raised his head.

What did you just hear?

It was such a shock that I stopped praying for a moment.

Ragnar, who had been dozing off in the rocking chair, slowly opened his eyes.

Saxon said as he passed by.

“Grow more.”

Dunbakel narrowed his eyes.

Are you crazy?

Even though the meaning in his eyes was clear, Saxon spoke indifferently.

“Wash up a bit.”

These were the words of a man who normally would not react in any way other than ignoring.

Dunbakel immediately moved to wash. The words of that bastard seemed like a final warning. If he didn’t listen, wouldn’t he be stabbed in the neck with a dagger while he was sleeping?

Teresa saw that and began to pray.

“Lord, defeat the evil spirit.”

Suddenly, the inspiration came and it became a prayer to the god of war rather than socializing.

Her husky voice echoed quietly.

As he passed by, Saxon saw Rem sharpening the blade of a palm-sized hatchet on a whetstone.

Rem also saw such a Saxon.

Their eyes met.

“You’re not dead yet?”

“Yeah, I think I’ll die later than you.”

Saxon asked and Rem answered, seemingly at the same time.

They were truly like a pair of swans. The speed and content of their exchanges could not have been more fitting.

“Doppelganger?”

Chrys, who was watching from one side, muttered. A doppelganger was a monster that imitated the appearance of its opponent.

Now Saxony is not who he used to be.

Even though the name of a rare monster that could only be seen near the Demon Realm was mentioned, Saxon did not blame anyone and headed to his room.

* * *

Encred was lying sprawled out on his back.

‘I made a few wrong judgments.’

I had to stab instead of swing, and since I was holding the sword Akeran, I had to take advantage of its unique properties.

‘It was also immature.’

Any fight has its lessons and lessons to be learned, but especially when the Mad Company members show something new.

I was too embarrassed to say it, but their existence was one of the reasons why I didn’t stay in the Knights Templar.

‘If you read the article directly, you wouldn’t know.’

Until then, I was convinced that training here was better than learning from the Knights Templar.

The sun was hot. I felt like I could just doze off. It wasn’t because I was lazy, but I could understand why Ragnar would sit down and doze off whenever he saw the sunlight.

This was also weather that could be enjoyed for a little while now.

If we continue like this for a few weeks or even just a few days, the warmth of the sunlight will turn into heat.

Because summer, the season of heat and fire, was approaching.

It didn’t matter whether I won or lost.

There was no time to hesitate or worry about such things.

Now that there is no civil war, will the kingdom become filled with only peace?

So will there be less instances of swinging a sword?

That couldn’t be true. Especially since the new king had the opposite views of the previous ruler.

The previous queens dreamed of a stable country, but not Krang.

Before Krang saw Encrid off and parted ways, he told him some of his ambitions.

“The central continent is divided into three countries. Because of this, it is weaker than the West, East, and South. Especially since we are periodically at war with Azpen.”

“Are you thinking of signing a peace treaty?”

The more Azpen was stopped, the more power Naurilia would store. That was natural.

Just where are the materials consumed in war?

What to do with the dying soldier?

Krang said with a soft smile.

It was a tone of voice that seemed like someone was picking flowers that had bloomed in the flower bed next door.

“No, I will subjugate Azpen.”

In terms of dreams and ambitions, he was no less than Krang and Encred.

He spoke with his characteristic eloquence, speaking only for one listener, Encrid, but he put everything into it.

Just as Encred staked his life on his sword, Krang staked his soul on making his will known.

“I will be the only loser in the Central Continent.”

Moreover, at that time, Krang said that the loser of the central continent was part of the dream.

Just as Encred himself thought that becoming a knight was not the end of his dream, but the beginning, so did Krang.