Chapter 135 - Ripened Heart (2)
"Here."
Rem began, regardless of who was watching.
Right in front of the barracks—not in a corner, not off to the side, but in the very center.
Grabbing Enkrid's wrist, Rem placed it over his own heart and twisted his lips.
How should he put this?
His smile itself carried a mischievous playfulness.
Then, he began whispering to Enkrid.
Had Jaxen not trained his hearing, he wouldn't have even caught the words.
To be able to convey one's message this quietly—perhaps that, too, was a skill.
Ignoring the gazes around him, was this his intention all along?
"What you need is trust. After that, you just explode the heart. If the Heart of the Beast has ripened, try bursting it just enough that it doesn't break."
Rem deliberately omitted the part about the spell-like effect.
He only spoke the necessary words.
Enkrid did as he was told.
If he hadn't trusted Rem in the first place, he wouldn't have accepted the Heart of the Beast into his body.
Rem quite liked that.
Enkrid's attitude, his responses, his actions—they were sincere.
That kind of sincerity, where he always did his best.
But if he approached it the same way this time, everything would go terribly wrong.
"You need to take it slow."
Rem's warning was like a sharpened blade.
His tone carried an unfamiliar seriousness.
A seriousness completely different from his usual teasing.
That left an impression on Enkrid.
So, it's that dangerous, huh?
So, he made his heart beat slowly.
But could he even control his heartbeat at will?
That's when it happened.
Beyond his palm, he began to feel Rem's heart beating.
Thump, thump!
Explosive.
The energy dwelling in his heart vividly passed through Enkrid's hand.
"Try doing the same. But only to a quarter of that extent."
Was this it?
Enkrid had been waiting for that sensation—the feeling of making his heart beat.
He couldn't explain it in words.
Nor could he express it through actions.
Rem had simply demonstrated it with his own body and passed it on.
It was entirely a matter of intuition.
So.
"I think my worries were unnecessary."
Rem muttered.
Was this really supposed to be so natural?
"One more time."
Enkrid said.
After that, the two of them stood still, palms placed over each other's heart.
Until the sun passed its peak and began to slant westward.
"I'm seriously curious about something. Sometimes I wonder if you're doing this on purpose. Is it just my imagination?"
"Hmm."
Enkrid let out a brief groan.
"I have to agree."
From the side, Ragna nodded.
"I also find it hard to deny. Mad Brother leader."
"Agreed."
Audin and Jaxen also nodded.
Saying it was intentional felt unfair.
"It's not that you can do it but won't. You really can't, right?"
Rem asked.
His tone was serious.
Enkrid was serious, too.
"Yeah."
"…Tsk, fine. Let's do this again tomorrow."
Before they knew it, evening had come.
Thanks to the consideration of the battalion commander and the surrounding soldiers, they didn't even have to take turns for meal duty.
They were, of course, exempt from regular shifts as well.
So, they were able to devote themselves entirely to training and drills.
Yet.
Enkrid made absolutely no progress.
Not even the slightest.
He didn't move forward by a step, not even by half a step.
At least, that's how it seemed to Rem.
"What are you doing?"
"What do you think I'm doing? You're not messing with me, are you?"
"Come on, try again. I'm telling you, just do it already."
He kept hearing similar words from Rem.
But he couldn't grasp the feeling at all.
Not even a little.
Was that a problem?
No, it wasn't.
When had he ever mastered a technique just by seeing it once?
Back when he repeated the same motions daily to train his left hand, there was a moment when he felt something close to talent.
As if something had descended upon him.
At that moment, just for a brief instant, he could feel something with his body.
That moment when the techniques for his left hand finally stuck to his body like never before.
That fleeting instant of euphoria.
Did he long for that again?
Not in the slightest.
He simply repeated it.
Again and again, pondering and refining.
There was no time for regret—only time to think.
"The battalion commander is calling for you."
Another day of nothing but repeated contemplation.
A day when he still couldn't ripen the Heart of the Beast enough to make it burst.
It was the third day since they had started fortifying their position.
Only then did the battalion commander summon Enkrid.
When they were calling for commendations on the battlefield, they had acted like they would summon him immediately.
But only now did things seem to have settled down.
According to Krais, this was to be expected.
With the outpost being relocated and a new formation being established, Marcus must have been extremely anxious.
When Enkrid asked why, Krais went on another long-winded explanation.
Summarizing, it was simple.
"If the enemy realizes we're just standing around doing nothing, they'll eventually start ignoring us. So, we have to at least pretend we're making a move. If it were me… No, never mind."
He seemed to have an idea but held back from saying more.
Enkrid didn't press him.
If Krais wanted to talk, he'd do so eventually.
Besides, it was time to answer the summons of the highest commander.
A lieutenant personally came to escort him, and on the way to the command tent, the fairy company commander joined them.
With a silent, weightless step, the company commander drew near and spoke.
"When was our engagement again?"
Here we go again.
Fairy humor was incomprehensible.
"Let's set it for ten years from now."
"Hmm, not bad. But I prefer younger humans over old ones."
For any of this to work, Enkrid would have to actually be interested in fairies.
Sure, they were otherworldly beautiful.
But still—inhuman.
Not quite human enough to stir any affection.
With thin, long eyelashes framing gemstone-like green eyes, golden hair that shimmered in the sunlight, and skin that seemed to glow, she certainly looked radiant.
So that's the beauty of the inhuman.
"Let's go."
Enkrid admitted defeat.
He could have kept up the wordplay indefinitely if he wanted to, but—
It felt pointless.
It seemed like the fairy company commander simply enjoyed teasing him to this extent.
To be honest, it wasn't even that bothersome.
That's just the kind of person she was.
More sane than Rem, but still, among the fairy folk, there had to be a few half-crazed ones.
'Indeed that must be so.'
With his lieutenant leading the way and the fairy company commander to his left, Enkrid stepped into the tent.
"You're here."
Inside was Battalion Commander Marcus.
His beard had grown unkempt, likely from the battlefield.
Seeing that, Enkrid was reminded that his own jaw must have grown quite rough as well.
He thought about shaving once he got back and offered a salute—
A bow of the head while pressing down on the hilt of his sword.
"I see."
Marcus gave a brief nod.
The three of them stood together.
"Bring some tea."
At his order, three cups were soon placed before them.
He wouldn't dare call it high-quality, but given they were on the battlefield, drinking tea at all was a luxury.
"When I go into battle, I get annoyed that I can't drink good tea. But at times like this, even this bad tea feels satisfying."
Battalion Commander Marcus was the first to speak.
There were no seats arranged, so they stood around the strategy table as they spoke.
"How about it? Would you like to work properly under my command?"
Just as Enkrid took half a sip of tea, the battalion commander suddenly made the offer.
The fairy company commander remained silent.
Enkrid looked at the battalion commander, trying to find the right words to respond—
Then gave up.
Since when had he ever tried to curry favor with a superior?
"I refuse."
"Why? I think I offer a rather solid foundation."
That wasn't wrong.
Before coming here, Krais had already given him a general idea of the situation—
Why Marcus had called him so late, and even what he was likely to say.
At this point, Krais might as well be a fortune teller.
How was it that everything was playing out exactly as he had predicted?
'He'll offer to take you under his wing. While he's at it, he'll probably bring in our company commander too. Why? To officially train and develop you to aim for the top, of course. And why aim for the top? Do you really not know the answer to that?'
Krais had given him a look, as if wondering if he was really that clueless.
When Enkrid just stared back at him, Krais finally asked in exasperation—
"What did you do at Cross Guard?"
"I fought. Infiltrated. Set a few fires. Picked up some intel on the way back."
"Fine. They might not know about fighting the frog, but what did you do to the enemy ambushing behind our rear lines?"
"I fought. Took out the leader of the raiding unit."
"And what did you do at the front lines?"
"I fought. You saw it yourself, so why ask?"
Krais had been sticking close by the whole time, after all.
"The battalion commander knows too."
"What?"
"He knows. He knows every battle you've fought. Now tell me, if you were him, wouldn't you be interested?"
Logically, if Marcus was after talent, he should be targeting Rem or the others.
But Enkrid quickly understood Krais's point.
Rem and the other squad members were uncontrollable.
But he?
He was still a reasonable person.
The only reason he hadn't realized it sooner was obvious—
He had been too focused on the beating of the heart of the beast.
All his energy had been poured into training and discipline.
Because of that, the thought hadn't even crossed his mind.
***
But thanks to Krais's explanation, he wasn't caught off guard now.
"You expected this."
The battalion commander's voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Enkrid opened his mouth.
"To some extent, yes."
"And can I ask why you're refusing?"
If he answered too quickly, would Marcus just send him away without finishing his tea?
Holding the warm cup, he felt… a little better.
For the past several days, he had been consumed by the heart.
Now, for the first time in a while, he felt like he was taking a break.
'Come to think of it, I finally relaxed my shoulders.'
Had he already started tensing up again?
The thought crossed his mind.
Had his obsession with learning become chains binding him?
Had it turned into shackles keeping him from moving forward?
Clink.
A sensation—like chains crumbling apart in his mind.
It only lasted a few seconds, but Enkrid suddenly felt many times lighter.
Sip.
He took another drink of tea.
Then, lifting his head straight, he spoke.
His heart might have felt lighter, but his words would not be.
Battalion Commander Marcus's offer—
For anyone aiming higher in the military, it was an opportunity they couldn't afford to miss.
Especially for someone like Enkrid, who had started out as nothing more than a lowly soldier.
But Enkrid refused.
"I have a dream."
A dream he held in his heart, even if others laughed at him for it.
A dream he had never forgotten since the day he first grasped a sword.
A dream that had grown from the fire of his passion, blooming into something real.
He had spoken of it many times before—
But never with as much weight as now.
It had been mocked, dismissed, torn apart by sneers.
Reduced to scraps, nearly devoured—
Yet even those scraps had remained.
And now, those remnants clearly defined who he was.
They had been walking alongside him every step of the way.
"I want to become a knight."
And so, Enkrid's lips parted, his voice firm.
In that moment, Marcus saw something—
A vision.
A chill ran through his entire body.
And behind Enkrid, he saw— a different backdrop.
The battlefield, the sword, something shining.
'What is this?'
A single phrase, spoken with sincerity, with all one's strength.
Not merely a rejection, but the words of someone moving forward.
Marcus felt something similar stir in his chest.
Something he had long abandoned in his youth.
What had his life originally been?
He had wanted to become a sword for the royal family.
And now?
Clench.
Unconsciously, Marcus ground his teeth.
His jaw tightened, and a sharp pain throbbed in his head.
Seeing a dream so pure it radiated light, he felt as if he had been confronted with a question.
'Do I even have the right to lead this man?'
Had his offer been nothing more than a disgusting attempt to climb higher—to gain a better position, more power?
He had no true loyalty.
No ambition for something greater.
He had grown complacent, so how could he take someone like that under his wing?
A brief realization forced words from Marcus's mouth.
"Heh."
A sigh.
Something laden with emotion slipped out.
Fairies were keenly sensitive, and thus, the Fairy Company Commander grasped the meaning behind Marcus's sigh.
'With just a single sentence?'
Human emotions were like waves in a storm.
Unlike fairies, they were never constant.
Humans were fickle beings who changed their course on a whim.
And the mind of the man they called Battalion Commander seemed to be the same.
Like a ship caught in rough seas, tossed by the waves, unable to find direction.
And then—
"I will walk the path of a knight."
With those words, Enkrid saluted.
Marcus, without thinking, nodded in response.
Enkrid stepped outside.
The Fairy Company Commander worried.
Would Marcus, driven by jealousy or resentment, do something reckless?
After all, humans could change just like that.
"Hah."
Marcus let out a deep sigh, furrowing his brows as he stood still.
By the time the tea in his hand had gone cold—
Without even acknowledging the Fairy Company Commander by his side, he let out another sigh, then chuckled.
"This is something else."
The Fairy Company Commander sensed that Marcus's laughter carried a feeling of relief.
Indeed, Marcus was smiling—his expression clear and refreshed.
And then, suddenly, he asked—
"What do you think? Will he become a knight?"
"I do not know. That is for him to decide."
"They say fairies always speak plainly."
Fairies were known to wield truth as their weapon rather than conceal it.
"It's been a while since my blood has boiled like this."
Marcus muttered.
What happens when his blood starts to boil?
By all accounts, Marcus was a noble faction supporter.
Naurilia was a centralized nation, yet the nobles had seized a portion of its power.
That division had weakened the country, forcing it to struggle in its conflict with the Aspen Duchy.
"Aren't you leaving?"
"I am."
After the Fairy Company Commander departed, Marcus walked over to a chair and sat down.
A few words had left his back drenched in sweat.
It felt awful, yet exhilarating at the same time.
And he had made up his mind.
'Becoming a knight, is he?'
He couldn't scoff at it.
How could he mock the dream of someone who spoke with such sincerity and conviction?
He was simply… moved.
'Fine, then I will—'
Rather than remain chained to this wretched noble faction, he would finally move toward something truly new.
It was a decision he had been contemplating for a long time.
A crossroads lay before him.
A signpost he had been unable to choose between.
Marcus reached into his coat, then withdrew his hand.
A letter rested in his palm.
A letter he had received long ago and ignored.
A piece of the past he had been unable to throw away.
"Alright."
His eyes gleamed as he gripped the letter.
The eyes of his younger days—burning with passion.
At the end of the unfolded letter, the royal seal was faintly visible.