"Your body is finally looking decent, brother."
"Your fundamentals aren't bad now."
"You probably won't die from an unskilled blade. Your response is not bad. Just about that level."
"Heh, now it's starting to feel worth sparring with you. Has the Heart of the Beast ripened?"
Each squad member had something to say. Without needing to reflect deeply, it was clear that they were all saying Enkrid's skills had improved.
To Enkrid, improved skills held a very special meaning in his life. They were the threads that continued his dreams, the moonlight shining through the dark night, and the dawn that brought the morning.
A ray of light had penetrated his faded and tattered dream. This single ray of light became the foundation to raise the dream again. A knight was completed through honor and skill.
Enkrid did not wish to become a mercenary or a warrior of knight rank, he wanted to become a knight. If asked why he desired this, he found it hard to articulate an answer. There was something tickling his heart that he couldn't easily put into words.
He could tell a false story if necessary, but he didn't like that either. In this aspect, Enkrid was a rather stubborn person. The injustices he had witnessed during his mercenary days also motivated him not to give up on his dream.
But that wasn't the entire reason.
Why is a dream a dream?
'Simply because one desires it.'
He wanted to receive everyone’s cheers. He enjoyed the time spent honing his swordsmanship. He cherished the time spent chatting with those around him. He wanted to meet those who had ignored and rejected him in the past and show them how he had changed. His desires were a complex web.
The human heart was not simple. For Enkrid, these collective desires converged into one word.
'Knight.'
It was his dream. Even if his skills were still lacking and the road was long. If there was a path to his dream, he wanted to walk it.
Thus, accumulating honor was also a necessary task. He also wanted to test himself.
'How far can my sword go?'
Even though sparring with squad members all day was beneficial.
He had fought and defeated Mitch Hurrier on the battlefield, faced the promotion exam, and survived an assassination attempt by a half-elf. He knew he was different now from who he was then.
Enkrid clenched and unclenched his hand.
'I want to fight.'
He wanted to wield his sword purely to prove himself. He had reached the rank of senior soldier in the soldier ranking system.
However, even among senior soldiers, there were variations. Increased skill brought a desire for competition and ambition. He wanted to confirm his abilities through real combat.
And that was when the assignment came.
Moreover, the company commander was coming along. It wouldn't be an easy task.
'Why is the company commander going personally?'
That was Enkrid's question. Others surely had the same question.
The company commander stopped by on her way, but to other platoon leaders, it seemed strange. Especially to the fourth platoon leader, Enkrid's direct superior, it was quite odd.
It was just a coincidence, but some people couldn't see coincidences as merely coincidences.
The Border Guard reserve forces often lent their strength to citizens and trading companies in the city. It was one of the two major policies implemented by Naurillia.
One was the soldier ranking system. The other was the soldier mercenary system.
Instead of mercenaries, soldiers performed assignments, and this system, along with the ranking system, was one of the kingdom's successful policies.
"If it's the Border Guard reserve forces, they're reliable."
Such statements were common. The soldier mercenary system, where soldiers took on assignments instead of mercenaries, naturally gained the support of citizens and trading companies.
Mercenaries were rough and tough, but soldiers weren’t. Disciplined units followed orders well. Moreover, compared to large mercenary guilds, the costs were lower.
"Isn't it natural to provide escorts for city security? Demanding krona for each task seems excessive, don't you think?"
Sometimes.
The head of a trading company would grumble like this. But once they used the escort forces, their complaints vanished. The Border Guard reserve forces were involved in regional conflicts twice a year. They were a unit from a military city near the front lines.
Through such experiences, those who were unqualified were naturally filtered out, raising the standard of the reserve soldiers.
Cost, skill, and safety.
These three reasons led to high satisfaction, making it a successful policy. The company commander's assignment was one such task.
'Why personally?'
Many wondered about this.
There was no need for the company commander to handle this personally. The platoon leaders had eyes and ears. Though they kept their mouths shut out of caution, they knew their company commander was not of ordinary skill.
'Isn't she a match for the frontier defense commander?'
The frontier defense commander was the strongest in the Border Guard. The battalion commander was a different matter, of course.
'She could probably take on the heavy armor company commander.'
The elf company commander had already proven her combat prowess on the battlefield.
"I'll handle this assignment."
When such a company commander decided to take on an assignment. There was nothing to say but to agree.
"Why are you handling this personally?"
The fourth platoon leader asked.
"I'm taking the troublemaker squad leader."
That was the answer. An assignment wasn't a big deal. The issue was the person she was taking.
The curse breaker, the newly promoted senior soldier, Enkrid. The fourth platoon leader had risen through the ranks solely by being perceptive. When the elf company commander left, he thought back, piecing together the past.
Perception is based on information. Delayed situational awareness negatively impacts promotions. For the sake of his future, he diligently recalled his memories.
'Didn't she go to see him at the infirmary?'
The elf company commander had visited Enkrid at the infirmary immediately after her appointment. She went to see him in the infirmary. She also met with Enkrid privately several times afterward. She rarely met other platoon and squad leaders privately.
Even getting answers from her was considered fortunate.
The company commander even intervened in Enkrid's promotion exam. The fourth platoon leader witnessed that scene.
'When he fought the frontier defense soldier.'
At that time, it seemed to the fourth platoon leader that she intervened to protect Enkrid in danger. On a snowy day, the company commander even ordered the troublemaker squad out. They only returned in the morning after clearing the snow.
'They even brought heated leather.'
Where had they gone?
It was called a classified operation, and only the company commander knew the details. It was said that they sparred in the private training ground.
Why?
The infirmary, private meetings, the promotion exam, the snowy day operation, and the assignment. All this information mixed and formed a conclusion in his mind.
The fourth platoon leader felt a shiver from his own deduction. It was, of course, a mistaken assumption and a series of dumb thoughts, but he was convinced by his own logic.
Naturally, he thought.
'Could it be the two of them?'
He pictured the Elf and the troublemaker squad leader together. It looked like a fitting picture.
"No way, right?"
Even though he felt certain, he mumbled to himself.
"What are you talking about?"
A subordinate asked. They were on boring guard duty. The fourth platoon leader cautiously shared his suspicion. If it had been dismissed as nonsense, it would have ended there.
"...Wow."
The subordinate's reaction was peculiar. His pupils shook. He too seemed shocked. The Border Guard wasn't a small city, but rumors spread quickly. Especially certain rumors that traveled faster than winged horses.
The idle ones in the unit, especially the women who managed the baths and prepared meals, were fanatical about such gossip. Through them, the rumor gained the wings of light and quickly spread through the unit.
Within less than a day, everyone knew.
"Squad leader! Is it true you're going to be a father? Is it?"
Kraiss, who had returned to the unit after three days, asked.
Where did things go wrong?
Enkrid thought about it but couldn't pinpoint the source. The rumor had already spread. Kraiss's words made Rem clutch his belly and laugh heartily. He laughed so hard that the heated leather fell apart, exposing his bare feet.
"Heh heh, right. You're going to be a dad. Did you hear about the mom, Big Eyes?"
"Yeah, I was curious about the rumor. I thought it might be exaggerated, but when did you woo the company commander? As expected of our squad leader."
Kraiss gave a thumbs-up, and Enkrid grabbed and pushed it down.
"Misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?"
"Someone spread a strange rumor."
It was the fourth platoon leader, but Enkrid didn't know that. Even Kraiss, who was good with information, didn't know. If they dug deep, they could find the source of the rumor, but there was no need. Their lives weren't in danger.
"Hmm, it wouldn't be bad. Keep her as your partner and swordsmanship teacher."
Ragna added.
What was in his head?
Sometimes he seemed worse than Rem.
Was he suggesting marriage as a way to improve swordsmanship?
"Heh, heh heh."
Rem, who hadn't stopped laughing, now started making noises similar to a beast's cry.
"Don't get too attached. You'll suffer if you get dumped later."
Jaxon, who was folding his clothes, spoke.
'Is it a given that I'll get dumped?'
The premise seemed fundamentally wrong.
"Blessings, brother."
It was all in good fun. Everyone knew Enkrid's routine. His schedule was too tight for romance.
"Forget it."
He dismissed the rumor as nonsense. Then he reached out to Esther.
Hiss!
Esther rejected his touch.
"I'm not Kraiss."
Enkrid protested, but Esther glared and lay back on the heated leather. Why was she suddenly acting like this after being in his arms all day?
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.
"Jealous, maybe. Soothe her a bit."
Rem suggested, clutching his belly and laughing madly. Rem was indeed crazy.
"Ha, thanks for the laugh. So, when are we leaving?"
"Where?"
"The escort mission. You have to take one person."
"And?"
"Of course, you should take me."
He said confidently, half-rising and pointing to himself with his thumb. The heated leather spread out like a cloak on Rem's shoulders.
"Are you saying this because I teased you? Think rationally, squad leader. That ice-cold Jaxon? If the escort target makes a single complaint, there'll be trouble. Do you want to see that shady stray cat scratching the escort target?"
Was he in any position to talk?
Enkrid was baffled but kept his expression unchanged. He let Rem talk freely.
"The lazybones won't care."
Ragna never volunteered for assignments. Unless forced, he wouldn't go.
"You're not considering Big Eyes, are you? You don't want to increase the number of people to escort."
That was true. Kraiss was never an option.
"The lump is useful, but if he prays beside the escort target all day? Do you think they'll appreciate it?"
The lump referred to Audin. Rem, a descendant of western pioneers, was remarkably slick with words. He made it sound like Rem was the only option left.
But.
'You're the biggest problem.'
Why did he assault his superior?
Because of his temper.
If the mission required him to protect the target at all costs, fine, Rem could be okay. Maybe.
But if he couldn't use force?
If the escort target had a bad temper?
Putting Rem with the escort target was a disaster waiting to happen. Within a day, maybe half a day, it would end badly. If the goal was to earn merits rather than incur penalties, Rem was the last choice.
"Not you. Absolutely not."
There was no need to hesitate. He spoke firmly.
"...Wow, I'm hurt. Especially the 'absolutely.' What will you do? Leaving such a wound on a grown man's heart?"
"Still no."
"I'm going to rebel."
Enkrid ignored him. Rem often said nonsense like he had pebbles in his head. He looked around the unit.
"If you insist."
Ragna said when their eyes met. Ridiculous. If he took Ragna, it wouldn't be an escort but a nap. He'd struggle to wake the late sleeper.
'I can't send him alone.'
He'd get lost.
Ragna had an unbelievable sense of direction. The remaining choices were Audin and Jaxon. No need to hesitate. Enkrid spoke.
"Fine, you're chosen."