Chapter 417 - What do You Mean by General

Chapter 417 - What do You Mean by General

"Even when busy, duties must be fulfilled."

Enkrid couldn't help but question if seeing him off was really such a necessity, but with the other speaking so firmly, it wasn't as if he could tell them to just go back.

Above all...

'It's good to see them.'

Naturally, Krang wasn't alone. No matter how regularly one dealt with monsters and beasts around the kingdom, danger always lurked.

Matthew, Squire Ropord, and the trident-wielding guard he had met before were present.

In addition, five warriors from the Royal Guard had been dispatched.

They nodded respectfully upon seeing Enkrid—a courtesy toward the hero who had saved the nation. Enkrid reciprocated with a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Though their number was small for an escort, this likely wasn't the entirety of their forces.

It was standard practice to have a unit stationed nearby in case of emergency.

'That's something Marcus would surely do.'

As Enkrid pondered this, Matthew approached.

"Are you leaving now?"

From their first meeting to this moment, Matthew's perception of Enkrid had transformed significantly.

Initially, he had seen him as an insufferably arrogant man. Now, if asked who had truly saved this nation, he would unhesitatingly name the man standing before him.

'Apologies to my lord, but...'

It wasn't Krang who had secured victory in the civil war but Enkrid, the Demon Slayer.

Even Krang would likely nod in agreement.

"Oh? Were you hoping I'd stay longer?"

Enkrid gripped his sword's hilt. Matthew, tempted to ask if staying here wouldn't allow him to contribute more to his lord's cause, hesitated as Enkrid suddenly struck a combat-ready pose and said:

"Come at me. No need to miss me."

'This lunatic...'

Enkrid genuinely thought Matthew was lamenting his departure. Meanwhile, Fel, standing behind them, shook his head and mused:

'Sword-obsessed madman. Sparring addict. Nothing about him is ordinary.'

Yet, perhaps that made it worthwhile to follow him. After all, ordinary was the antithesis of extraordinary.

Fel had no desire for his path to become an ordinary one, which was why he was here.

"I'm still not fully healed," Matthew said. The injuries he had sustained earlier were closer to severe than mild.

The fact that Enkrid and his companions were still standing at all was remarkable.

After fighting through wraiths, anyone else would have been bedridden for a month.

'But they're already sparring after a few days?'

It was abnormal. Matthew was the normal one.

"I wish to follow you, my lord. I've come to humbly request your permission to do so," Squire Ropord said, his tone formal and respectful.

Enkrid recognized him as a member of the Red Cloak Knights.

"Aren't you part of the knight order?"

"Sir Aishia arranged for an extended assignment. Leaving the order wouldn't have been an issue either."

Ropord's face was resolute. He gazed at the man who had reshaped his worldview. After long deliberation, he had reached a decision.

'I will learn the sword—or rather, life itself—beside this man.'

Though once indecisive, Ropord had grown overly bold as he overcame his hesitations.

It mattered little to Enkrid.

"Take him. He's looking at you in a strange way," Krang interjected.

"Why not," Enkrid replied with a nod.

Overcome with emotion, Ropord bowed deeply. Left unchecked, he might have sworn an oath of loyalty on the spot.

That would be problematic enough, but pledging loyalty to someone other than a knight order member—especially before Krang—was laughable.

A squire of the knight order swearing fealty to a provincial unit commander? That bordered on treason.

Of course, Krang likely wouldn't care even if he witnessed it.

"I heard Shinar left already?" Krang asked.

Though they shared a connection, she had been too busy to meet him.

"She said he had somewhere to stop by," Enkrid replied, recounting what Shinar had told him—that she needed to deliver news of the fairy she had killed.

Enkrid had seen her leave, bandaging her thigh wound with ointment barely a day after the battle.

Krang hadn't changed despite becoming king, nor had Enkrid.

The two traveled together for three days.

With their luggage loaded onto a carriage, there wasn't much to do.

For three days, Krang watched Enkrid spar.

To the untrained eye, it looked like they were trying to kill each other, though it was supposedly practice.

Watching from the sidelines, Matthew flinched repeatedly at the sight of perilous techniques and near misses.

When not sparring, Enkrid practiced sword swings during breaks or performed mock hand-to-hand drills while seated in the carriage. Asked what he was doing, he called it "improvised sparring."

Krang nodded with a faint smile.

'Consistently insane.'

Midway, they were ambushed by bandits—a stroke of bad luck.

Unless the bandits had spat on a statue of the Goddess of Fortune, their timing was inexplicable.

"Hand over everything you have, and we'll let you live," one bandit said.

Despite seeing armed men like Rem and the hulking Audin, the bandits still dared to confront them.

Perhaps they trusted too much in the crossbows aimed from behind.

Crime, already rampant before the civil war, had worsened further.

Krang merely observed without a sigh; he had witnessed such things countless times during his travels.

"Hey, you've got to prove yourself useful if you're coming along. Did you think just tagging along would cut it?" Rem goaded Fel, motioning toward the bandits.

Hearing this, Enkrid wondered since when recruitment criteria for border guards included this sort of test.

The bandits numbered over thirty—a notorious group known as the White Bandana Gang.

"We are the White Ban—"

Fel, ever the shepherd, dealt with the intruders as a shepherd should.

Before the words finished, he struck the leading bandit on the head with his sheathed sword.

A precise, swift blow to the crown of the head, accompanied by nimble footwork.

Thwack!

"Urgh!"

Among the thirty were five with crossbows and some skilled at throwing daggers, but the gap in skill was insurmountable.

Even Squire Ropord alone could have handled them, albeit with some effort.

Fel, however, surpassed Ropord's level—a fact clear from the moment he had first faced Enkrid under moonlight.

'No, even more now.'

With his sharpened perception, Enkrid could gauge Fel's abilities better than before. His enhanced vision broadened his understanding and refined his judgment.

"It has improved."

Not just to a moderate degree, but significantly so. If Luagarne were here, she would surely have had something to say about it.

Fel wielded his weapon without hesitation. Even when using the sheathed sword, few who were struck by him got back up. At minimum, they suffered broken bones.

"If Luagarne saw this, she'd find it intriguing."

Before leaving, Enkrid had sought Luagarne to see her one last time, but he was informed that Luagarne had already departed with the Queen. It was likely due to the Frogs' covenant. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed at not having the chance to bid farewell.

"Is that sufficient?"

Fel, whose youthful face contrasted with the sharpness of his skill, asked.

Enkrid nodded.

"Pass."

"...I wasn't trying to get evaluated by you, but thanks, I guess."

Despite grumbling, Fel's expression betrayed his subtle satisfaction. Who wouldn't be pleased? Among the shepherds, he was often chided for being the only one who trained with a sword. Yet here, not only were people paying attention to him, but even skilled individuals acknowledged his abilities.

"First, we should deal with those lot. Got any bright ideas?"

Krang gestured toward the fleeing and incapacitated bandits, his expression showing his frustration with the region's security issues. Though he spoke vaguely, Enkrid understood him perfectly and responded.

"Do you think asking me will magically provide an answer?"

Naurilia's security problems stemmed from Count Molsan but also many other factors. It explained the constant emergence of new threats, from the Black Blade bandits to groups like this. Some bandit gangs were even spies sent by foreign nations, operating under the guise of brigands.

The bandits, however, were not the only issue. Cultists, magical beasts, and monsters compounded the chaos.

Despite the overwhelming troubles, Krang laughed. This was the moment he had sought, the role he had desired. What choice did he have but to smile?

Thus concluded three days of farewells.

The king's presence wasn't because the guest of honor was a national hero. Krang had come because Enkrid was his friend.

"See you again."

"Yeah."

With a simple farewell, they parted ways. Enkrid noticed again how few escorts accompanied the group, though he was aware it wasn't just them. On the first day, Jaxen had already informed him about a contingent of soldiers following behind in secret—royal guards providing covert protection.

As they continued along the main road, traces of troop encampments became visible. These were marks left by units commanded by Krais.

It didn't stop there. As they approached Border Guard, a sizable outpost appeared, strategically positioned by the roadside. Complete with a watchtower capable of firing arrows in all directions, reinforced stone walls, and a steel-gated entrance, it was a defensive structure as much as it was a fortification. The building was no makeshift hut; it was constructed from bricks, showcasing the craftsmanship of a skilled builder.

"What is this?"

"Haha, Big Eyes has been quite busy since you left," Audin remarked.

Krais?

As Enkrid approached the outpost, an archer on the tower whistled a brief signal, prompting a group of soldiers to emerge.

"Madman Unit Commander?"

It was Bell, a soldier whose life Enkrid had saved on the first day of this campaign, now promoted to squad leader.

"Are you returning?"

"Yes."

Bell nodded, observing the group trailing behind Enkrid.

"Independent Combat Unit, returning!"

At his shout, the archers atop the tower relaxed their bows, sheathed their shortswords, and saluted Enkrid in a formal military gesture.

"Alright."

Enkrid encountered three more similar outposts along the way.

"The intervals..."

They were evenly spaced. The advantage? Effective control over bandits and monsters in the area.

Was that all? No. Gorder Guard was a city that had endured every kind of attack imaginable. The outposts even had beacon towers equipped for signaling, designed to emit smoke that would rise despite the rain, ensuring reliable communication.

The beacons signified that these outposts functioned as the kingdom's first line of reconnaissance. Instead of patrolling large areas, the soldiers adopted a static defense system, preventing bandits, magical beasts, and monsters from even entering their zones.

Given time, even magical beasts would avoid these territories, recognizing them as dangerous grounds.

"And the reason soldiers accepted this setup?"

The first reason was improved supplies and relatively safer conditions. Second, large-scale hunts ensured that their risks were minimized. Normally, starting such construction would have been a logistical nightmare.

"But Gorder Guard has been raking in gold like mad."

It was an ideal time for such an endeavor, with bandits and monsters nearly wiped out after relentless attacks on the city. Krais had capitalized on the opportunity. Higher wages were merely a bonus; timing was the true masterstroke of the operation.

"There was a solution after all."

Enkrid recalled Krang's earlier question about handling bandits and monsters. While large-scale hunts would still be necessary...

"Most of the Count's soldiers have already transitioned into royal forces."

Training them through battles with monsters and bandits would not only discipline them but also serve as redemption for their past rebellion. It would garner praise for the king, achieving dual objectives—maintaining order and strengthening loyalty.

As they passed the final outpost, a beacon was lit, sending a plume of smoke high into the air to signal Enkrid's return.

"Big Eyes really outdid himself," even Rem muttered, impressed. He recalled the time Krais had asked him about tribal signaling methods. Rem had mentioned a technique involving heated stones, and Krais had adapted it into these beacon towers.

Was it a unique idea? Perhaps not. But without action, ideas meant nothing. Krais had orchestrated and executed all of this masterfully.

"You're here?"

At the gates of Border Guard, Krais waved, accompanied by others.

"You're late, fiancé."

It was the Fairy Unit Commander, who darted into battle like the wind only to vanish from the field just as quickly.

"You're late."

Even the Frog Luagarne was there. Though she was supposed to have left with the Queen, she stood among the welcoming party. Finally, the city lord approached and knelt before Enkrid.

"Greetings, General."

Enkrid blinked in surprise.

"General?"

Rem also questioned it, while Ragna and Audin turned their curious gazes toward Enkrid. Only Jaxen remained expressionless, lost in his thoughts.

"Haven't you heard?"

The city lord, who had previously spoken informally, now addressed him with utmost respect.

Enkrid nodded, beginning to understand.

It was Krang's doing.

Despite awarding medals, Krang couldn't simply let a hero of the realm—his only friend—leave with nothing substantial. Instead, he sent orders ahead.

"From Count Molsan's territory to Gorder Guard and the surrounding areas, encompassing five cities and their lands, these domains are now royal holdings. A general has been appointed to govern them: Enkrid."

As everyone stood stunned, Krais alone grasped the full implications.

Rather than granting a noble title, Krang had placed vast, resource-rich lands directly under Enkrid's authority. Knowing Enkrid would resist such a responsibility, Krang had simply thrust it upon him.

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