Chapter 68 - A Dream of Embracing a Woman (1)
Whoosh.
The world spun.
Thud.
As his back hit the ground, the air was forced out of his lungs.
"If I threw you a bit harder, your ribs and internal organs might be damaged."
Through the pain, Enkrid grimaced, and above him, the commander's musical voice rang out.
"Done?"
"One more time."
If he could, Enkrid would have gladly risked being beheaded to repeat this over and over.
He knew he was outmatched.
Rem had once glanced at the Fairy Commander and commented, "That one's a straight-up monster."
Ragna had assessed, "The best among the commanders."
Audin had added, "A finely honed body."
Knowing he couldn't win didn't change anything.
Enkrid gripped his sword with both hands.
"Come."
The Fairy Commander remained the same as ever—calm and emotionless.
Her sword came curving in.
The Nadyr, crafted by the fairies, was a weapon that cut like a curve and, at some point, pierced like a dot.
Earlier, he'd tried to dodge a thrust but allowed the Commander to close the distance.
This time, he stepped back and swung his longsword upward.
In terms of strength, he had the upper hand.
If he struck upward and deflected the fairy's sword, an opening would appear.
He visualized the course of the battle in his head.
Countless real battles, ones where his life was on the line, had honed this natural ability to predict fights.
He anticipated his opponent's reaction and prepared for it.
For the talented or those who perfected their skills in combat, this instinct was second nature. For Enkrid, it was a hard-earned weapon forged through near-death experiences.
Shhhk.
Just before the Fairy Commander's blade collided with his longsword, it bent fluidly.
The nickname "Leaf Blade" was apt—it moved as if it had become a literal leaf.
Softly, the blade curved.
It was a feat of the Commander's wrist—twisting and shaking to manipulate the blade.
Enkrid, seeing the curve of the blade, exerted more strength to counter it.
Ultimately, the upward swing missed, the blade slipping past.
Enkrid cut nothing but air.
It was a swordsmanship skill that could only be called an art.
The Fairy closed the distance again.
This time, they came in close, right to his chest.
Enkrid raised his knee in anticipation.
Smack.
The Commander didn't evade.
Instead, she pressed down on his knee with both hands.
Before Enkrid could apply any real force, her pressure disrupted his balance.
He knew it was coming but fell for it anyway.
He thought grimly, I knew she'd go for close combat, and yet...
Desperately, he tried a headbutt, but the Commander tilted her head to avoid it and countered by ramming her shoulder into his forehead.
What followed was similar to before, only the strike had changed.
The Commander clasped her hands together and struck Enkrid near his heart.
Thud!
For a moment, his breath caught again, and his limbs lost strength.
If this had been a fight to the death, he might have bitten his tongue to keep going. But it was a spar.
At this point, he'd already lost.
"Gah... huff... huff..."
Enkrid staggered back a few steps, then dropped to one knee, gasping for air.
When he finally raised his head, he saw the Commander's green eyes.
"More?" she asked.
Enkrid's chest ached fiercely, but he grinned.
He was genuinely delighted that she hadn't stopped just because she'd won.
And so, he charged again and again, getting beaten, collapsing, and charging anew.
***
"Got beaten up for not clearing the snow? Is that it?"
Back at the barracks, Rem, wrapped in heated leather, was the first to react.
"What?"
"Why do you look like that? Who did it?"
Despite his words, he clutched his heated leather even tighter.
Yeah, it was warm.
Enkrid knew that.
It was an especially cold day.
"What happened?"
Ragna asked.
For some reason, Jaxen, who was at the barracks today, also stared intently at Enkrid, silently asking the same question.
Audin muttered quietly, "Why do you always come back beaten up, brother?"
When you say it like that, it makes me sound weak, Enkrid thought.
He answered, "It was a spar."
"With who?"
"The Commander."
"Our Commander?"
Nod.
"Why? If you wanted to get beaten up, I could've done it."
That bastard had a knack for irritating remarks.
Enkrid ignored him.
He had just finished cleaning himself up with superhuman willpower.
Fortunately, the barracks had baths that provided hot water in exchange for a small fee.
If not, he might have skipped bathing altogether.
His entire body ached, and even moving a finger took effort. But it didn't matter.
He could rest now.
A couple of days of rest would suffice.
He had no duties or training scheduled, so there was plenty of time.
'To recognize your efforts in maintaining order in the city, you are granted a four-day leave. No bonus.'
The Commander's words after their spar flashed in his mind.
No duties meant no obligations.
There was no bonus, but Enkrid considered the spar itself a reward.
Besides, he still had the loot he'd taken from the crime guild.
How many times was it?
The number of times he'd sprawled on the frozen ground.
His body had suffered, but he'd learned something.
What I lack right now.
The Commander hadn't spoken much but had used her sword and fists to teach him.
Refining his swordsmanship, focus, and the senses of a predator were fundamental.
More importantly, Enkrid realized what he needed to fill within himself.
"You're dull," the Commander had said, her final words cutting like a knife.
But that didn't hurt him.
His previous instructors had said far worse.
"If you must learn, then learn. Otherwise, go home and farm."
"I can't teach someone who's destined to die as a third-rate swordsman."
The better the teacher, the harsher the words.
The Commander had called him dull, but even within that dullness, Enkrid had found what he sought:
A lack of technique.
Specifically, a lack of skill in controlling his body.
The Fairy Commander had repeatedly thrown him down in the same way.
She taught through her actions, and Enkrid absorbed those lessons through his body.
He didn't miss a single opportunity to learn, like a hawk hunting prey.
What I need.
Wrestling, martial arts, hand-to-hand combat, grappling—all techniques for battle.
Just because you wield a sword doesn't mean you fight only with a sword.
Using your hands, feet, and body was just as important.
Enkrid had employed these methods before, but...
It's clear I've never properly learned them.
The Commander's techniques were exceptional.
The way she dashed in like she was crawling across the ground, disrupting balance in an instant, then locking and breaking knees—he had no way to counter it.
What if he tried to draw a dagger and stab her?
No, she'd disarm him, break his knee joint, and withdraw before he could.
Not easy.
It was a difference in skill—a disparity in what they had learned and mastered.
But it was fun.
His body ached as if broken, but he'd gained something valuable.
More importantly, that knowledge had opened a new path for him, filling Enkrid with joy.
As he moved to lie down, a panther poked its head out, its blue eyes staring at him.
I did promise to give it a name, didn't I?
It would be troublesome if I didn't have a proper name to call it.
As I leaned into the bed, the panther burrowed into my arms.
A warm sensation spread through me.
Somehow, the warmth seemed to ease my aching body, and I felt slightly better.
"How about calling it Heater since it's warm?"
"Is that really a name?"
Rem chimed in from the side.
This guy really never misses an opportunity to interrupt.
"Is it strange?"
"Is that even a name?"
Ragna replied from the other side of the bed.
He was lying down and couldn't be bothered to get up but was still managing to speak.
"Do you dislike the panther, brother?"
Even Audin was getting in on it now.
"Dislike it?"
Enkrid asked the panther, and the creature smacked him on the cheek with its front paw.
"It really must dislike the name."
Enkrid muttered as he pulled the panther into his arms and fell into thought.
What should I name it?
I never thought I'd be agonizing over something like this.
Blackie?
No, it sounds like a puppy's name.
Since its eyes are blue like a lake, how about calling it Blue Eyes?
That doesn't sound too bad.
The panther nestled closer into my arms, and with its chest tapping against mine, it almost seemed like it was reading my thoughts and rejecting everything I was thinking.
Do you dislike Blue Eyes too?
Then, what should I call it?
How about Black Panther?
That would be easier, I guess.
Thud.
The leopard pressed its paw firmly against my chest.
Seeing it repeatedly nuzzle me, it seemed like it really didn't like the idea.
'Can you read my thoughts?'
***
During an external operation, I had spent the night with the comrades of those I had killed.
It was strange that Rem, snoring like a dead man, and Ragna, who appeared to be in a similar state, could sleep so soundly in such a situation.
Some level of tension was necessary.
That's why I couldn't get a proper rest at the thieves' den.
I had only managed to doze lightly, barely getting any sleep.
Upon returning, I had reported right away and immediately engaged in training.
That too was a series of brutal sparring sessions, rolling on frozen ground.
As a result, my body was exhausted.
After washing with warm water, I wrapped myself in heated leather and covered it with a blanket, feeling the warmth seep into my body.
The warmth from the panther helped too.
Its gentle pawing and rhythmic pressing made it hard to stay awake.
Enkrid was half asleep, his mind wandering.
'What's your name?'
This state, half in a dream and half in reality, could be called a semi-conscious state.
In that state, when I fell asleep, I dreamed.
In my dream, a beautiful woman with dark hair and blue eyes appeared.
Her wide, sharp eyes and straight nose seemed to reflect her proud personality.
I thought she was an aloof beauty, flawless and unyielding.
A vast meadow full of white, red, yellow, and blue flowers.
She stood alone in the middle of it all, shining like a star among the flowers.
A star that illuminated all the flowers.
'She's beautiful.'
Enkrid muttered.
His voice reached her across the meadow, a peculiar feature of dreams.
And then,
"My name is Esther."
She spoke.
That voice also reached Enkrid, crossing space and distance.
The meadow vanished, and so did she.
Half-asleep, Enkrid muttered in his sleep.
"Esther, let's call you Esther."
"...Were you dreaming?"
Rem asked from the side, but Enkrid, already asleep, didn't answer.
Rem tilted his head, watching the squad leader sleeping soundly.
Even if someone were exhausted, they wouldn't fall asleep that deeply.
"Must be really tired."
Rem muttered.
It seemed like the company commander had worked the squad leader hard.
And he didn't particularly like it.
The fairy company commander was an enigmatic one.
Why would she push his squad leader around like that?
Who gave her permission?
"Grumble."
As if reacting to the name Esther, the panther in the squad leader's arms let out a pleased sound.
"Yeah, we'll call you Esther. You."
Rem said it jokingly, and then closed his eyes, content with the warmth.
He hated the cold.
It was absolutely dreadful.
Wasn't there supposed to be no duty for three days?
Rem thought he wouldn't leave his heated leather unless it was for food or necessities.
The Lake Panther, Esther, picked up a familiar scent from Enkrid.
It was a fragrance tied to spells, mystery, and secrets.
In truth, if one got too close, it would be near a curse.
'It only stayed on the surface.'
The mysterious force called a curse around Enkrid had no effect and left only traces.
From her experience, it seemed like a spell trap someone had set had been activated.
It triggered but didn't work.
Why the curse only lingered, she had an idea.
Though it was just an idea.
With her current body, she couldn't prove anything.
She wanted to know more, to dig deeper, but now was not the time.
To be precise, it wasn't something worth investigating.
She savored the energy from the spell's lingering scent, drawing in the remaining power without affecting Enkrid.
The cursed thoughts and will had vanished, leaving only pure energy—mana.
Esther drank it all in.
It was a sweet fragrance.
A part of the world of spells that she hadn't tasted in so long.
In the meantime, she projected herself into the man's dream, trying to force a name upon him.
"My name is Esther."
She made sure her name was properly delivered.
She couldn't leave it like this.
In the world of spells, a name held great significance.
Especially now, with her condition not being the best.
If she were given a new name in her current state, the curse would deepen.
Thus, she had to reveal her true name.
That was the reason she appeared in his dream.
Was it because of the mana left in Enkrid's body and the image she projected in his dream?
For a moment, Esther regained her original form.
Naked, she was cradled in the arms of the man she had chosen.
"Mm."
The man drew her closer.
Esther blushed furiously, as she had never allowed anyone to hold her so intimately.
But no one saw her.
The man's strong chest muscles were just inches from her face.
Esther only exhaled quietly, not daring to move.
It wasn't the time to make noise.
Her original form only lasted a moment.
The man's eyelids fluttered open.
His eyes were heavy with sleep, not focused.
The moment their gazes met, Esther was so startled she forgot to breathe.
"Hm?"
The man gazed at her blankly, then slowly closed his eyes again.
Still half asleep.
During that time, Esther transformed back into a panther.
It was magic's mystery.
When the man opened his eyes again, he closed them and fell back asleep.
"Esther, Esther."
He muttered her name in his sleep.
He wouldn't remember, would he?
She was glad she reverted to being a panther.
Being naked in the arms of a man—who was, strictly speaking, not a complete stranger—was not something she ever wanted to imagine.
And then, Esther regretted it.
'Thank goodness for the curse.'
She didn't even think of making a mistake like that.
But since it was her first time in such a situation, she didn't know how to react.
The panther hesitated for a moment, then stayed still.
The mana left in the man's arms continued to draw her in.
She thought it was only the mana influencing her and buried herself in his warmth.
Just as Enkrid felt the warmth of the panther, the panther felt his warmth too.
For a brief moment, she had regained enough strength to take some action in her panther form.
It would take more time to fully return to her original self.
'Soon.'
It was just a matter of time.
If she stayed with this man, it would happen.
If not, she never would have sought him out.
'His face isn't bad.'
Even Esther had to admit Enkrid was a rare beauty.
Though she didn't think that was the important thing.