A Knight who Eternally Regresses - Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Knock

It was quick, just as one would expect of Jaxon. They had entered the inn around noon, and Jaxon returned before dusk had even fully set in.

“That was fast.”

Rem, patting his full stomach after a meal of pumpkin soup and well-cooked pork ham, commented as if mocking their hasty eater. Ignoring Rem, Jaxon looked at Enkrid and said, “I’ll guide you.”

He was ready to depart immediately.

“Sit down.”

Enkrid, still seated, commanded. Jaxon hesitated. Even though they had found the location, if too much time passed, their lead might be discovered. Their target could hide or prepare to cut off any traces cleanly.

Could they be risking unnecessary danger?

If he were alone, and if it was his decision to make and execute, these wouldn’t be concerns.

Jaxon had many thoughts running through his head, but the squad leader’s voice broke through.

“The pumpkin soup here is delicious.”

Who didn’t know that?

The inn’s name was “Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup.” It was one of four inns at the market crossroads, known for its good food.

“Kraiss paid out of his own pocket. Let’s eat before we go.”

Only after Enkrid repeated himself did Jaxon sit. For some reason, Rem, Ragna, and Audin didn’t say anything either. Jaxon brushed the snow off his shoulders and head.

Thanks to the warmth of the fireplace, the snow melted quickly. As a result, his outerwear got a bit damp. It wasn’t enough to be bothersome.

“Here, one order of pumpkin soup and the barbecue we had earlier.”

“The companion you were waiting for has arrived! Coming right up!”

The waitress responded cheerfully. She was a lively one. Most of the soldiers liked the Pumpkin Soup Inn. Good food does that.

Though it might be a pity for those who handled cooking in the unit, Ragna often said that the food in the unit was like torturing his mouth. Sometimes it was edible, but mostly not. In contrast, the meals at Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup Inn were excellent.

There was a rumor that the best chef in Border Guard worked here.

“Delaying isn’t good.”

Jaxon spoke as he sat. Enkrid nodded and answered.

“It’s still snowing.”

Did Enkrid want to do hard labor?

Not unless it was sword training or martial arts training. To him, snow was the devil’s dandruff. In fact, everyone in the unit felt the same. If they attacked the Thieves’ Guild and returned, the accumulated snow would be waiting for them.

That was why Rem and the others had kept quiet. It was also why Kraiss had opened his purse. Jaxon understood everything.

“I see.”

After that, he focused on eating. By the time twilight fully settled, everyone, including Enkrid, got up from their seats.

“Let’s go.”

“Come again!”

The lively waitress said. Kraiss gave a slight nod. They seemed to know each other. They had often been seen whispering together while staying at the inn.

“Do you know her?”

Enkrid asked.

“Her name is Leysa, seventeen years old, father is a shoemaker, and mother is a weaver. Neither has ever joined a guild.”

A shoemaker is someone who makes shoes from leather or other materials. A weaver is someone who weaves cloth. Both were common professions. There were crafting guilds and woodworking guilds in the city, but if they hadn’t joined a guild, their skills probably weren’t outstanding.

“Her dream is to someday open an inn in the capital. For now, her goal is to learn the culinary skills at Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup.”

“She has big dreams.”

Rem interjected, making a comment. It was understandable. Running an inn was no easy task. Not just anyone could do it. Besides the Krona required, it was also essential to have armed guards. Selling alcohol and food often led to trouble.

Today was quiet because of the snow, but on a normal day, there would likely be some scuffles. Even as they were leaving, the armed guard had glanced their way.

Enkrid thought he looked like a retired soldier. Having an armed guard from the Border Guard would be convenient in many ways. They could handle minor disturbances discreetly. If something bigger happened, the guard alone couldn’t handle it, and they would need to call the unit guards. Having connections in the unit meant they could call for guards more quickly.

For these reasons, hiring retired soldiers as guards was essential in Border Guard.

Moreover, inns were heavily taxed, and in Border Guard, they needed to have halls for meetings, special rooms, private training rooms, dining areas, and taverns. Since Border Guard had no lord and no lord’s manor, all major and minor events happened at the inns. Although there were meeting rooms in the unit, they were military facilities. Not just anyone could enter.

Naturally, inns developed out of necessity. Setting up such an inn in the capital seemed far-fetched, but it wasn’t a reason to give up.

“You know a lot.”

Enkrid said, walking behind Jaxon.

“Pretty women are all potential future clients.”

Kraiss’s goal was to open a salon for noblewomen. A salon exclusively for women. Naturally, all the attendants would be handsome men.

He had a creative mind. He planned to make money by using men’s looks to empty noblewomen’s purses. Kraiss, seemingly anxious, kept talking.

“But is the Panther okay? Isn’t it cold? Why doesn’t it move when I tell it to follow?”

“Are you still after its claws?”

“No. I realized I might not survive if I did. It wasn’t expensive for nothing.”

Enkrid chuckled at Kraiss’s words. He didn’t believe Kraiss had given up.

“Why don’t you name it? Looks like we’ll be keeping it around.”

At Kraiss’s suggestion, Enkrid nodded to himself. They couldn’t keep calling it ‘the panther’ indefinitely. As they talked, they found themselves in a dark alleyway. They had turned several corners, and even Enkrid, with his good sense of direction, was getting confused.

“Are you sure you’re not taking us into a trap after getting paid off by the Thieves’ Guild?”

Rem teased. Jaxon ignored him.

“This guy always ignores me.”

Rem grumbled, but Jaxon’s consistent response was to ignore him.

“Enough.”

Enkrid stopped Rem from saying more.

“You’re playing favorites? If I get upset, it won’t be fun.”

It was a good sign if Rem was venting at Enkrid. It meant he intended to end the argument here. After that, it was quiet. Ragna, seemingly bored, kicked the ground as he walked.

“Winter is cold.”

Audin’s only comment was about a group of beggars lying on the ground despite the cold. The snow had stopped, but a thin layer covered the hard, frozen ground. By the next day, the sun would melt it, turning the ground into a slushy mess.

“Here we are.”

After wandering through alleyways for about half an hour, they came upon an old wooden door. It was a door commonly seen throughout Border Guard. The sun had set, but the moonlight provided enough visibility. As Enkrid reached to push the door open,

“Do you want the left side?”

Rem, standing still with the moonlight behind him, asked.

“I’ll take the right side. I should repay the meal.”

Audin responded.

“Do whatever you want. As long as no one comes at me.”

Ragna yawned.

“You lazy bastard. Squad Leader, we’ve got company.”

Enkrid turned at Rem’s words. They were all dressed in rags. Upon closer inspection, they were the beggars they had seen earlier. The image of the half-elf assassin flickered in his mind and then disappeared.

‘Twice the size.’

Enkrid unconsciously brushed his hand against the back of his belt. His fingers found a knife. It wasn’t a common item. He had taken it from the half-elf assassin’s corpse. He also had the sheath of whistling daggers strapped to his chest. Those whistling daggers weren’t easy to come by.

So, naturally, he kept them. He had gathered the ones stuck in the ground and those on the elf’s body.

“Didn’t you learn not to come to places like this after dark?”

One of the beggars spoke, showing teeth so yellow they seemed black.

In the dark, details weren’t clear. Despite the winter and being several steps away, the stench was noticeable.

“Bullshit.”

Rem replied and moved. It wasn’t a quick movement. He just walked briskly, closing the distance. The beggar drew a pocket knife from his sleeve. A knife with a blade less than a handspan long. He made a stabbing gesture with it.

“You’re dead.”

Those were his last words. Rem didn’t stop walking, and the beggar thrust his knife. The beggar aimed for the stomach, but Rem grabbed his wrist with his left hand. Rem pulled the beggar inward and struck his head with his right elbow.

Crack!

It was a decisive blow. The beggar’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle from the elbow strike. Simultaneously, on the other side, Audin used his thumb, index, and middle fingers to twist a beggar’s jaw.

With just three fingers, he twisted the jaw, breaking the neck. It was an impressive display of brute strength.

“Crazy bastard!”

“Shit!”

Two of the remaining three beggars shouted, while the other tried to slip away. The fight with Rem and Audin was brief. They closed the distance, ignored the knives, and delivered a single blow.

Rem struck one beggar’s throat with a chop and his temple with a fist. The beggar lost consciousness.

Audin was even simpler. He stepped forward with his left foot and threw a straight punch with his left hand.

Boom!

The punch was like a cannon. The twisting force from his foot and waist culminated in the punch. The beggar’s nose vanished, his face caving in as he collapsed to his knees and then to the ground. A single blow had crushed his face. Knocking him out was inevitable. Meanwhile, the beggar who tried to flee was dealt with by Enkrid.

Thunk!

“Ugh!”

The beggar, running away, fell forward with a dagger in his neck. Rem, who had just been about to give chase, turned his head. Audin blinked a few times, and Ragna, who had been half-asleep, opened his eyes wide. Jaxon’s frown relaxed.

In the heavy, cold air,

“Wow.”

Kraiss let out a short exclamation.

Enkrid lowered his right hand, still in a throwing stance, and said.

“Why waste time chasing?”

“When did our squad leader get so good at throwing knives?”

Rem asked.

“I got better with practice.”

“That’s quite something.”

“Is this really the time to be admiring my knife throwing?”

Rem nodded, acknowledging the truth in his words. Not a single person was surprised that five beggars had attacked them. Even Kraiss remained unphased.

“Aren’t you surprised?”

Enkrid asked. He had seen the beggars’ postures and hands as they approached. It wasn’t for nothing that he survived as a mercenary. To survive with mediocre skills, you needed keen perception. Enkrid’s perception was exceptional. He understood that if there were guards, there was something to protect ahead.

“No, I wasn’t surprised. What type of beggars would attack armed soldiers? Their excuse was weak. It’s certain this is either the headquarters of the thieve’s guild or they’re hiding something.”

Was it something anyone could notice?

Or was Kraiss just smart?

Probably the former. But he was still bold. Even though he tended to run around in battle, Kraiss had seen combat up close.

This was nothing to him.

“It’s surprising for a gang.”

“What is?”

“The way they behaved, it looked like they were rotating shifts. For a simple gang, it’s quite meticulous. That Gielpin guy must be very competent.”

Kraiss was indeed clever. He could see the whole picture from a single aspect.

“That’s true.”

While they exchanged a few words, Jaxon opened the door and stepped back. Seeing him grip his sword, he seemed ready to cut it down. Audin stepped in.

“I’ll knock.”

It was the headquarters of a crime organization. Knocking wouldn’t get them in.

Bang!

But Audin’s knock was different.

“Haha, well done, our pious friend.”

Rem admired. Enkrid was also impressed. Audin had twisted his body, using his left foot as a pivot, and slammed the door with his palm. He immediately withdrew his hand. It was a sharp strike.

The door hinges lifted, and the door collapsed inward. It was open. In other words, he had broken it down.

It was a bold knock.