When Enkrid asked about the delicious melting fish, the soldier responded with a grin.
"It's eel."
It wasn't snake, but rather a long-bodied freshwater fish.
The female soldier, quickly peeling the skin with a small knife, explained.
Everyone was fast and efficient, their hands and movements well-coordinated.
"After we go back to the city, how about moving and selling fish from the river all the way here?"
The soldier who had been applying seasoning asked. Enkrid quietly gave a thumbs-up.
As he raised his thumb, he thought about the distribution routes between the river and here.
If the roads were paved properly, it would only take two days by cart.
And if they could get an Spell Objects that exhaled cold air even in the middle of summer, there wouldn't be any issue with freshness.
While artifacts were relics, Spell Objects were magical tools created and sold by mage guilds.
Among them were tools that could maintain a subtle cooling effect.
These tools were used in big cities to enjoy things like shaved ice even in the summer.
Of course, such items were prohibitively expensive, so it was rare to see them in places like Border Guard. But if trade developed further, it might become more common.
He knew that even silk had made its way here.
If not for the war, things might have grown even more, but that couldn't be helped.
"This taste is amazing," Enkrid said with genuine appreciation.
Though he had some seasoning on the corners of his mouth, it didn't lessen his feeling; in fact, it added to it.
The soldier who had been seasoning the eel grinned. While not particularly handsome, his smile was sincere and reflected pure joy, as though he took delight in someone enjoying his cooking.
"Think it will sell well?"
"Definitely."
"That sounds good, even if it's just talk."
"Hey, will you take me along when you do?"
The soldier grilling the eel, with soot smeared on his face, asked. He didn't seem to be very old.
"Helma! Is it all done?"
Some soldiers approached from the side and shouted. The female soldier who had been eyeing Enkrid was named Helma.
"Did you catch anything?" Helma replied without looking back.
From what Enkrid overheard, it seemed they had paved a route all the way to the Pen-Hanil River, and they occasionally brought back catches from there.
The soldier who had approached set down a heavy pouch.
Inside the leather pouch, which had thin ice shards clinging to it from the cold, were pieces of frozen ice that fell out.
"What's this?"
"Crayfish."
When the pouch was opened, Enkrid could see the crustaceans, complete with their claws.
The soldier who had been preparing the seasoning licked his lips and said, "Just grilling them makes them delicious."
Enkrid joined in with the soldiers, eating and enjoying as if he had always been one of them.
"Want a drink?" Helma asked, offering him a bottle of whiskey that smelled strongly.
"It's not great, but it's not bad either," Enkrid said, accepting it.
It was the perfect drink to warm up on a cold day.
The soldier, skilled in cooking, grilled the crayfish, removing their heads and coating the insides with seasoning.
"Eating them this way is crazy," Enkrid muttered.
After tasting it, he almost went crazy. There was no fishy smell, just a rich umami flavor that overwhelmed his taste buds. A sweet, pleasant taste that lingered.
"You should open a restaurant," Enkrid said, offering his praise.
Next came trout. The internal organs had already been cleaned by the river, so it only needed to be grilled. A bit of salt and pepper, and it too became a delightful dish.
"But, where are you from?" one of the other female soldiers asked. Female soldiers weren't rare in the unit, which was normal.
Naurilia strongly advocated for women to join the army.
Born as the daughter of a serf? If you wanted to change your life, enlist in the military.
It was the female enlistment system.
It was the third of Naurilia's military reforms, after the soldier grading system and the mercenary soldier system.
This was so well received that female soldiers could now be found with ease.
"Reinforcements."
"From Border Guard?"
"Yeah."
"Is the commander really handsome? I heard rumors about him. Is he more handsome than our commander? Hm?"
Enkrid, who had been growing his beard, still managed to maintain his looks, though it was somewhat messy. Despite the stubble, he couldn't fully hide his features.
Helma, who had been glancing at him repeatedly, seemed quite interested.
"No, I'm better looking," Enkrid said, jokingly brushing it off.
His remark caused a few soldiers to laugh, though some gave him jealous looks.
Others liked Enkrid's easygoing attitude.
"Don't get too involved," one soldier advised, his tone mixed with envy and complex emotions.
"Yeah, I won't," Enkrid replied calmly.
What would be the point of fighting?
If it had been Rem, he would have cracked open their skulls without hesitation, but Enkrid was not Rem.
After eating and drinking, Enkrid entered the barracks where he had been assigned. There, he saw Esther sitting quietly, waiting.
Some of the soldiers had already heard rumors about her and developed a crush.
With her long, silky black hair and the thick black fur cloak draped around her, Esther's appearance, much like Shinar's, captured the attention of the nearby soldiers.
So, did she not go outside?
That probably wasn't the reason. Esther had never been one to particularly concern herself with those around her.
The mage, looking at Enkrid, spoke in her flat, emotionless tone, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"I need to go somewhere for a while."
"Okay."
Enkrid didn't feel the need to stop her.
Just like that, Esther left in a hurry. The next morning, from the early hours, Krais approached with bloodshot eyes and asked,
"Do you think magic or a spell could help?"
He was asking why Enkrid had just let Esther go. After all, she had been in human form; she could have been useful.
It was something Enkrid had considered too.
"No."
"Why not?"
"If it were possible, I would have already sent her."
Krais, if it were any other time, might have realized it immediately. Esther had been in human form for quite some time. If magic could have helped, she would have done something already.
But she hadn't. That meant there was a reason behind it.
Enkrid knew that and let her go. He didn't think he needed help right now.
If she wanted to, maybe, but forcing her might end up being detrimental.
It wasn't just a thought, but rather a feeling.
Enkrid trusted his instincts and followed them.
"Why do you only get smart at times like this?" Krais muttered. It was an unspoken acknowledgment.
Enkrid went on with his usual routine, warming up and starting his training.
Isolation technique. He carefully contracted and stretched each muscle, enduring the painful process before swinging his sword.
This time, after killing Lykanos, he had recovered his sword and brought it along.
Now, he had two swords hanging at his left side.
"Isn't that uncomfortable?"
Sinard, who had been watching from the morning, asked.
"Once you get used to it, it's fine. It's even lighter than I expected."
"Is that so?"
"How about a light spar?"
"Why not?"
Thud.
Sinard's leaf-shaped sword was agile, smooth, and fast. Her movements were light, almost like she was hopping with her toes barely touching the ground, swinging her sword with ease. Even though it was a light attack, it was tricky to deflect.
"Are you preparing for my techniques?"
"You're quick to catch on, fiancée."
Whenever Enkrid tried to deflect, Sinard was already back, having attacked and retreated before he could react.
Enkrid switched his swordplay. He used the broadsword now—swinging it heavily and chopping with a solid weight. He also added speed to it.
It wasn't the five swings in one step that Ragna had shown him before.
Each step came with two strikes.
After some practice, he could now imitate it.
"Nice."
Sinard commented, impressed. Her leaf-shaped sword also changed its form, from a quick cutting attack to a more defensive style.
It was a dynamic transformation. The fairy sword was sharp yet smooth.
Enkrid observed that too, storing it in his mind. There was something to be learned from it for later.
Even though his right arm injury hadn't fully healed, they weren't fighting seriously.
Neither of them were being too intense.
After a while of sparring, Sinard wiped the sweat from her forehead and casually asked,
"What's the name of that sword?"
"Does it have a name?"
Enkrid held up the sword Lykanos had used, the one he had recovered.
He looked closely at the blade.
The sword had a sharp point, almost resembling a stiletto, from the hilt all the way to the tip.
The blade was silver, and the hilt had a rough texture, which wasn't uncomfortable.
There was no need for a leather wrap. It felt custom-made for a perfect grip, lightweight but well-fitted.
It was clearly no ordinary sword.
Also, there were intricate markings, like a kind of writing, carved into the hilt.
Not a secret, apparently, as Sinard quietly added,
"It's a sword made by the Fairy Clan. Its name is 'Fulti.'"
"Is it famous?"
"Somewhat."
Enkrid had already suspected it wasn't an ordinary sword.
It was tough yet light. It wasn't made from regular iron.
"Fulti" was a sword created by a renowned fairy craftsman.
Fairy swords were typically made from two kinds of metal—"Naia" and "Nidul." This one was a sword made from "Nidul," named after the sword itself.
Giving a weapon a name meant the maker had great confidence in it.
It was said to have been lost ten years ago, and now, here it was.
A light, sturdy sword, particularly suited for thrusting.
It was one of the finest "Nidul" swords, capable of piercing through armor with ease.
Enkrid recalled, "How many swords did I lose back then?"
The swordsmith who had made "Fulti" had also crafted other swords, but they were all lost under mysterious circumstances.
The story was vague, but the truth was that they had been lost due to some foolish bloodline issues.
"Endurance, destruction, Fulti."
There were a few other names that came to mind, but he couldn't remember all of them.
Perhaps they were records in the fairy cities, along with the accounts of the treacherous human thieves.
These swords were lost when the fairy warriors were ambushed.
The swords had been given to those unworthy, lacking in skill and honor.
That's why they had been lost.
It was a shame, really.
But if someone worthy held them, they would be rightfully claimed.
And that's why Enkrid having "Fulti" made sense. In Sinard's eyes, it was only natural.
"Is there a need to recover a famous sword like this, or anything like that?"
"Unless you get close, even a fairy won't recognize it. The word 'Fulti' is written right under the guard in the fairy language, so just keep that hidden."
Shinar said, turning away. Enkrid understood those words clearly.
'He's saying to keep it hidden and use it.'
That's what Enkrid decided to do. He had found a good sword, and there was no need to return it. Enkrid had a strong desire for swords.
After sweating it out with Shinar, Enkrid became hungry again.
He washed his body and wandered around the interior of the camp, which was somewhat village-like. There wasn't a forge, but he saw people baking things or sewing fabrics to make various items.
Everyone seemed busy.
This time, he brought Ragna and Dunbakel with him. The two had been staring at the sparring earlier. They didn't seem to have anything to do.
"Want to come along?"
"Sure."
"I thought I smelled something good from you yesterday."
Dunbakel, a beastkin, had a keen sense of smell and, as she herself admitted, was quite fond of good food.
"Come on, follow me."
Enkrid settled into a spot and started picking at various things to eat.
He didn't reveal his identity immediately, but from the way he interacted with the soldiers, Dunbakel quickly figured out that they were part of the supporting forces.
"So who made this? This is amazing."
"I did."
"Good job, kid."
Dunbakel casually patted a young soldier on the head, and the soldier briefly turned red.
Some of the soldiers asked questions about Ragna, but he remained silent. He appeared to be lost in thought, or perhaps looking for something.
The soldiers kept their distance from Ragna.
"They seem like they're in pain, huh?"
One soldier remarked, cutting to the heart of the matter, but no one listened closely to him.
Enkrid heard him and understood.
While he himself was fine, his troops looked somewhat lacking.
"Hey, I told you not to bring strange friends along."
One soldier spoke sharply, but Enkrid calmly let it slide.
"Yeah, be careful."
"This bastard, just talking..."
"Hey, stop it."
"Seriously, this guy..."
"Cut it out."
"Jeez."
"Stop acting like a fool."
Though the soldier's words were irksome, Enkrid knew better than to escalate the situation.
The other soldiers stepped in to stop the argument.
Some of the soldiers who had been grumbling fell silent.
"Watch yourself."
That was all.
Enkrid thought the soldiers maintained good discipline. Though the situation could have turned troublesome, it didn't. If it had, Enkrid might've had to step in, just like he did with the soldier earlier.
"Ugh."
Enkrid sighed and then noticed Helma giving him a strange look.
He ignored her and went back to eating and relaxing.
The trout, crawfish, and grilled eel caught Ragna's attention, even. His eyes sparkled with interest.
For someone who usually didn't care for food, this was unusual.
"This seasoning... It's the best."
The soldier's seasoning was impressive. Dunbakel gave him an approving look.
He was quite the foodie.
Enkrid did only the bare minimum of training, focusing mostly on eating, drinking, and resting, since his body hadn't fully recovered yet.
While the rear soldiers were busy with cooking and making things, there were a few different soldiers near the front lines with a different kind of energy.
Garrett's battalion was generally low on available combat personnel, and the standout unit here was the Green Pearl Rangers.
"Going out for a patrol?"
"Who are you? Which unit are you from?"
Patrols were risky, and the unfamiliar face brought a cautious response. A few soldiers eyed Enkrid warily.
"I'm part of the reinforcements."
Enkrid showed his shoulder insignia.
It had the high rampart design of the Border Guard.
"I don't think it's any of your concern."
One of the soldiers, at least of the elite class, said this curtly.
Though shorter in stature, he looked quick and agile.
Enkrid analyzed the soldier's light frame and quick movements. He also observed where his weight was distributed when standing.
'He relies on speed and thrusting.'
The soldier had a stiletto hanging from his belt, a clear indication of his preferred fighting style.
Enkrid, through the techniques he had learned from Isolation and Audin, gauged the soldier's level of training and made his assessment.
"Try this."
Enkrid pulled some seasoned jerky from his bag and tossed it to the soldier.
The elite soldier caught it but eyed it skeptically.
"What's this?"
"Try it, it's good."
The soldier tore off a piece and chewed it.
"Got any bread? Try dipping it."
Enkrid handed a jar of marmalade to the soldier next to him.
It was a specialty of the Border Guard. If this didn't taste good, something was wrong with their taste buds.
Though the supplies weren't lacking, they weren't abundant either. The soldiers couldn't go hunting freely, and sometimes they had to deal with monsters causing trouble nearby.
Excluding the archers guarding the ramparts, the Rangers were the main force here.
There were no cavalry at all.
"This is delicious."
One of the rangers mumbled. The elite soldier, likely the leader of the group, scoffed.
"I don't know why you're giving us these, but shouldn't you be asking your superior for permision?"
Enkrid had not reported yet. But if he needed to, he would.
Enkrid then mentally reported to his superior and answered the soldier's question.
"It's because you're working hard. Eat up."
"Strange guy."
Enkrid spent the rest of the day surveying the camp, focusing on eating and resting.
He learned a lot by observing.
The camp was small, with watchtowers placed close together.
The defensive area was narrow, but that made defending easier. However, it also made them vulnerable to flank attacks, something they had to accept.
On the fourth afternoon of Enkrid's arrival, as the sun set, a messenger came rushing into the camp.
All eyes turned to the messenger.
"The enemy is right on our doorstep!"
The messenger's words spread quickly through the command tent.
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