A Knight who Eternally Regresses - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: Second Job Proposal

“Let’s kill them all.”

Rem said this while holding his blood-stained axe, and some had even wet themselves in fear. The terrified criminals, already demoralized, begged for their lives.

“P-Please, spare us.”

It was understandable that they were scared.

Rem thought they should be killed. Coming from the western frontier, where they were often called savages, he had learned early that you don’t leave enemies behind.

“They definitely sent assassins, so there’s no point in arguing about who did what. Just slit their throats and be done with it. It’s cleaner that way.”

The terrified criminals remained silent, too scared to speak. Rem stood between them and Enkrid, ready to swing his axe at any moment.

“Where did you throw your blanket?”

Rem was about to insist on killing them himself if Enkrid didn’t want to, but then Enkrid asked a strange question.

“What?”

“Your blanket.”

When they left the barracks, Rem had been wrapped up in a blanket. At some point, he had discarded it.

“Near the entrance to the alley?”

Before they encountered the beggars, Rem’s instincts had kicked in, preparing him for battle.

“Then, where are you going to sleep tonight?”

Rem didn’t know why Enkrid kept asking about the blanket, but he had a plan from the beginning.

“I’ll just take the blanket from one of those guys who’s always staying out. Don’t worry, I won’t take yours.”

“Touch my stuff, and I’ll kill you. No, I’ll definitely kill you.”

Jaxon, the one who frequently stayed out, responded. Jaxon often met women in the city and was rarely at the barracks at night.

“You bastard, you don’t even use it.”

“Don’t touch it, savage.”

“You sneaky alley cat. You’re so stingy.”

Seeing them bicker, Enkrid clapped his hands.

“There’s no need for that, Rem.”

Enkrid had a plan from the start when he targeted the Thieves’ Guild. A plan more reasonable than Rem’s clumsy blanket-snatching scheme. Half of his motivation was because he suspected the thieves’ guild of sending the assassin, and the other half was for a different plan altogether.

‘This is unexpected.’

He hadn’t fully believed the guild was behind the assassination attempt, knowing Azpen was likely responsible. Had he bet money on the guild being the mastermind, he would have wagered only a few pennies.

But whether they were behind it or not, there was a more important plan.

“It’s pretty cold out, isn’t it? Wouldn’t you like to be warm?”

Rem tilted his head, looking puzzled.

“What?”

Only Kraiss, with his sharp mind, understood. He blinked his large eyes and looked at their squad leader.

Enkrid nodded lightly. How many years had he spent in the mercenary world to train his sword? He knew about the Vallen-style mercenary swordsmanship, but he had learned much more beyond just sword skills.

For example,

‘It’s only fair to rob a thief who tried to rob you.’

Something like that. Enkrid had made up his mind. He didn’t think this would affect his dreams. After all, they were just criminals. Their accumulated wealth was not earned through honest means. There might be repercussions, but he felt confident in handling them.

“Let’s rob them. Maybe we can get some heated beast hides for the barracks, if not a magic heater.”

Silence followed. It was an unexpected turn of events.

Rem laughed.

“That’s right. What comes from the land I secure is mine.”

Rem’s way of putting it.

“Warm?”

Even Ragna reacted. Nobody liked the cold.

“Haha, the Lord has spoken; take from the thieves and use it for good.”

Was that really written in the scriptures? Or was it taught at the temple? Probably not.

But Audin firmly believed in what he said, justifying their actions.

“Not bad.”

Jaxon also nodded.

“Are we just going to rob them?”

Kraiss offered a more advanced idea.

“Let’s discuss it inside. It’s cold.”

The temperature quickly cooled the heat from the blood and innards of the dead. They immediately went inside the mansion. Kraiss prompted the hesitant criminals to follow, ensuring even those with broken legs were helped in.

“Bring them all in.”

Kraiss’s words made the criminals exchange nervous glances, considering escaping.

Would running be a better option?

Their faces showed their indecision.

“We will chase you. That man with the axe, or the one who likes breaking legs, will come after you.”

Ragna and Jaxon fought well, but the criminals feared Rem with his axe and Audin with his clubs the most. They were terrifying.

“You think you can avoid the patrols of the border guards? Or explore the season’s end where monsters roam? You’ll freeze or become monster food. We won’t kill you. Just come inside.”

Kraiss was a master of persuasion. Enkrid, entering and listening to Kraiss, offered a compliment.

“You’d make a great con artist.”

“Is that a compliment?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t sound like one.”

Inside, a fire burned in the fireplace, and it felt like someone lived there. On the mantel above the fireplace were two practice swords and a shield, and paintings adorned the walls.

“Are these expensive?”

Enkrid glanced at the paintings. Kraiss answered without a close look.

“No. They’re cheap. I wonder who would buy such things.”

Even Enkrid, lacking artistic sense, agreed.

“I could draw better with my foot.”

Rem seemed to share the same opinion. Standing by the fireplace, their shadows stretched long behind them.

“Light the torches. It’s dark.”

Enkrid warmed himself by the fire and spoke. No one moved until Enkrid added,

“Now that Gielpin is dead, someone else should step up.”

“Gielpin isn’t dead.”

One of the uninjured criminals stepped forward, a bald man with a head like a beach. He would have been blinding in daylight. He had a long scar above his eyebrow, but the combination of the scar and baldness didn’t make him look menacing. His drooping eyes and thick lips made it hard to take him seriously.

What?

“Gielpin isn’t dead?”

Did he have some monster-like regeneration ability?

Did he survive with his throat cut?

He didn’t seem to. The bald man spoke.

“I’m Gielpin.”

What was this situation?

“That guy wasn’t the leader? Oh, I see, it’s like a lizard cutting off its tail.”

Kraiss pointed outside and answered his own question. Enkrid remembered a tale from his mercenary days.

“Sometimes criminal guilds do that, naming their group after a subordinate.”

“Why?”

“So they can sacrifice the subordinate and escape if things go bad, like when the military storms in to purge criminals.”

“Why do you know this so well?”

“I was in that line of work briefly. It’s rare, but some real bastards do it.”

Enkrid had never encountered this himself. Usually, leaders named their groups after themselves out of pride. Using a subordinate’s name meant the guy outside was a real scumbag.

“A real bastard.”

Enkrid muttered, making sense of the situation. Ragna, confused, asked what was going on. Kraiss, with his quick wit, explained the situation. Enkrid’s plan had been simple but plausible.

Target the Thieves’ Guild, and if they cooperated, accept their offering and leave. If they resisted, beat them and take their offering.

There might be repercussions, but he was confident in handling them. He trusted his skills and his squad.

But there was an unexpected connection to the assassination attempt on him.

So what?

‘What does that matter?’

“Will it really be warm?”

Rem whispered too close, making Enkrid uncomfortable.

“Get lost.”

Enkrid turned to Gielpin. The bald man nervously scratched his head and spoke.

“Kill me, but spare the others. Some of them have sick mothers to take care of.”

“It’s not justifiable to rob others because you have hardships.”

Having a sick mother doesn’t excuse putting a knife to someone’s chest for gain.

“Just spare us, please.”

Enkrid, arms crossed, stared straight at Gielpin. This guy had guts. His plea was impressive.

So, why didn’t he fight earlier?

“I wouldn’t fight for a bastard who uses my name to save his own skin.”

The two former bodyguards nodded behind him. They had narrowly survived. Their disdain for their dead leader was clear.

“So, will you cough up what you’ve hoarded? Then you can go peacefully.”

Enkrid stuck to his plan.

“If he hands it over, there’s no need to kill him.”

Comparing pioneer beliefs to cold weather was absurd. Rem agreed.

Would the others think differently?

“No. But the key to the safe was hidden by that bastard.”

“That’s okay.”

They had a magician who could open locked doors with a knock. A safe box would be easy.

Gielpin was wise. Promising not to kill anyone, he surrendered all their wealth.

“Oh, heated hides!”

“If you take everything, the guards in the alley will die.”

He referred to the beggars guarding the alleys they had killed. Hearing they had layered their shabby clothes with beast hides, Kraiss commented,

“These are useless if they’re bloody.”

Taking from the dead beggars was no longer an option. Enkrid looked at Gielpin again.

‘He took care of even his lowest subordinates.’

He seemed more generous than the actual guild leader. Everyone followed his lead, even the formidable bodyguards.

“Leave some.”

Enkrid intervened. Fortunately, none of them were greedy. Except maybe one.

Kraiss was the greedy member of the squad. But he didn’t seem interested in taking anything this time.

“Not taking anything?”

“No. By the way, I have something to discuss.”

Enkrid had something to discuss too. The criminals were forewarned. The leak was obvious. Not from within the squad. Only two people knew about the raid.

‘The company commander and platoon leader.’

Could they be taking bribes from a criminal guild?

‘Probably not.’

That left only one place.

‘Vanessa’s Pumpkin Soup.’

Kraiss had whispered to the waitress, hinting about the raid.

“Was the waitress deliberate?”

“Oh, you noticed? Smart, aren’t you?”

Not bad. Years of surviving in a tough world had honed his instincts.

“Yes. There are many who secretly provide information to this guild. The waitress was probably their spy. A lively waitress at an inn is perfect for gathering information. Scary, isn’t it? That innocent-looking girl was a thief’s informant.”

It wasn’t scary. Kraiss was scarier, knowing and using it.

“I wasn’t sure. This confirmed it.”

He should have said earlier. It was a sneaky move. Realizing his mistake, Kraiss made excuses.

“Forget it. Next time, tell me in advance.”

Kraiss must have considered the squad’s skills. Enkrid found this method easier too. Otherwise, they’d have to chase down survivors. So, Kraiss had a point. After gathering their strength, what could they gain from destroying the thieves’ guild?

“Hey, squad leader, don’t you need money?”

Kraiss asked Enkrid directly, blinking his large eyes. That look meant he was up to something. Kraiss knew how to use his appearance.

And he was smart.

But that didn’t mean it worked on Enkrid.

“What’s your scheme?”

Kraiss’s words hit home. In the empire, currency, Krona, meant money. Kraiss had essentially asked if they needed money. Money was always needed. He had spent their reward money on a single sword, leaving little for other equipment.

They had just looted enough to cover immediate needs, but money would always be necessary.

“Let’s take this place.”

Kraiss said calmly.

Thus, he proposed a second job to Enkrid.