Chapter 150 - The Night of the Feast
The night was filled with energy, alcohol, and a party.
It was a celebration of sorts, something that had been rare in recent memory.
Was there ever a party like this before?
Enkrid tried to recall.
It seemed like it had been a few years, at least.
This was the first one at Border Guard, and personally, it was one of those moments he hadn't experienced many times in his life.
He had attended similar banquets during his mercenary days, but back then, he had barely enjoyed himself, focusing more on the aftermath of fights.
"Let's drink, Leader," someone said, and it wasn't just Finn or the fairy commander offering drinks.
"When we're here to party, let's have fun. Don't be such a buzzkill!" said Rem.
Even he was urging for a good time.
Enkrid drank.
He had said he wasn't here to enjoy it, but he didn't say he couldn't drink.
With a gulp, the bitter yet sweet liquid slid down his throat, warming his stomach.
'Not bad.'
He wasn't a gourmet or a heavy drinker, but his experiences wandering through various places made him able to appreciate the moment.
He had been poor and wandering, eating anything he could, yet still critiquing everything that went into his mouth.
'Could be some decent wine here.'
The Battalion Commander had surely emptied his pockets for this.
Actually, it was probably Border Guard footing the bill.
There was no way he was using his personal funds for this.
He ate, drank, and enjoyed himself.
When he decided to rest, he rested to the fullest because proper rest was the key to preparing for what came next.
But.
'What a beautiful night.'
The moon and stars painted the sky, a sight almost too perfect for drinking.
"Just a sip is enough, brother. Are you challenging me to an arm wrestling match?"
Audin's voice came from one side.
"Are you being picky again?"
Rem's voice followed.
"It's just that it doesn't suit my taste," came Ragna's reply.
Where had Jaxen gone?
He wasn't the type to enjoy this kind of party.
He had probably gone out to the city.
Everyone else was too busy eating and drinking.
Excited soldiers shouted, telling stories of their adventures mixed with curses.
Finn, the Fairy Commander, and Enkrid himself had many people approaching them, talking to them.
In fact, Enkrid was probably the most popular of them all.
"I knew one day you'd get noticed," said Bell, the man Enkrid had saved when he almost died from an arrow.
Perhaps Enkrid had changed his fate.
"So, what, you want to duel?" Enkrid teased.
"No, no duels. I heard you even took down a Frontier Defense guy," Bell said, laughing.
"Lucky bout," Enkrid replied, the word "luck" becoming almost a catchphrase.
"Is that really just luck?"
Bell asked, rolling his eyes before laughing in a bright, carefree way.
Vengeance then approached.
"Luck, huh?"
He took a deep breath, then quickly dismissed it, waving Enkrid off, suggesting they just drink instead.
But now, Enkrid understood his intentions.
He could offer him some words of comfort, even if it was just in jest.
"The world is wide," Enkrid said, as if reciting a phrase of infantry cheer.
"And there are many women."
Vengeance froze in place.
His earlier words seemed to have been filled with jealousy or envy.
The Fairy Commander and Finn were likely the cause.
Maybe some of the gazes from the women in the crowd contributed too.
Enkrid could only hope his words of comfort had the desired effect.
Vengeance turned his body slightly, his eyes gleaming with a fire that seemed almost demonic.
"This bastard?"
Vengeance muttered, enraged.
Enkrid knew the feeling was valid.
Rather than sulking, it was better to ignite that passionate anger.
"Jenny?" Enkrid asked, feigning surprise as he looked behind Vengeance.
Vengeance turned his head sharply, scanning the area, but there was no one there.
He let out a strange, almost skeletal sound before shifting back to Enkrid.
"Did you say something?"
Enkrid knew this wasn't going to end quietly.
Vengeance was about to challenge him.
He had to fight, even though he had planned to relax today.
"Fine," Enkrid said, standing up straight.
Vengeance had second thoughts, but after mocking him, he couldn't back down now.
"We're fighting," Vengeance declared.
"Who? Who's fighting?" the soldiers asked.
"Vengeance Platoon Leader," someone said.
"Who's his opponent?"
"The Demonic Charm Unit Leader," came the response.
Enkrid heard the words of the surrounding soldiers, letting them pass through one ear and out the other, but the term "demonic charm" was something he couldn't easily ignore.
It felt like a term that didn't quite suit him.
He had had a similar experience before.
Had Audin called him stubborn?
Stubborn?
That wasn't it at all.
The same applied to "demonic charm."
It wasn't true.
It was a misunderstanding.
"Where, where is the fight? Wait, just a moment! For a proper duel, there must be a wager!"
Krais, who had disappeared into the crowd of soldiers earlier, suddenly popped out.
He looked at Enkrid's face and then checked Vengeance.
"...No one knows this, but the one who mastered the vision assassination technique is none other than Platoon Leader Vengeance. Anyone willing to bet against Platoon Leader Vengeance?"
[TL: Vision assasination technique reffers to the way he is glaring at Enki as if a glare could kill]
No one stepped forward.
The wager was off.
Vengeance struck down with all his might.
Enkrid wasn't caught off guard.
As usual, his eyes glinted, and he focused.
He moved his body, watching the descending sword.
There was no hesitation.
Enkrid raised his sword horizontally to block the strike, then swept his leg to trip Vengeance, pressing his knee into Vengeance's thigh.
A mix of fundamentals and unorthodox techniques.
"Ugh!"
Vengeance, struck on the side of his thigh, fell.
"Hmm."
Enkrid felt a bit unsatisfied.
It was like stopping mid-pee.
It was just one strike.
After all, Vengeance was supposed to be an elite soldier, wasn't he?
"Isn't the soldier grading system... something like... broken?"
Suddenly, Rem's words popped into his head.
He glanced around, wondering if there was someone like Rem nearby.
But instead, there were many eyes looking at him strangely.
Those gazes weren't filled with admiration.
Enkrid frowned and then relaxed.
Krais alone seemed to notice, recognizing the expression that suggested he wasn't pleased.
He wished someone would challenge him, a request for a duel, to face off.
But lately, such challenges had become rare.
Even the frontier defense unit had become scarce near Enkrid.
He thought he had seen a frontier defense captain earlier among the soldiers.
And the first company commander seemed to be around too.
Could he hope for something from those two?
Enkrid's eyes searched for them.
It wasn't hard to find them.
They had already caught his attention.
However, the heavily-armored first company commander was already deeply drunk, and the frontier defense captain didn't seem the least bit inclined to act.
What they had in common was that they were both holding cups and showed no intention to fight.
"I was going to ask him to have a drink, but…"
The first company commander muttered, his face flushed, and then turned away, muttering that Enkrid was definitely a madman.
Enkrid's gaze shifted when the company commander's eyes turned toward him, wondering if Rem was behind him.
But no, Rem wasn't there.
Who then?
At least, it wasn't something said to him.
He was probably the only normal person in the Madmen Squad.
"Is this what it means to meet expectations? Should I nod my head in agreement with the idea that he's not normal?"
The frontier defense captain also left, leaving only those words behind.
The fairy company commander and Finn were looking at him from one side.
Esther, too, was there.
The blue-eyed panther yawned and then quickly turned its head.
Did it just try to cover its mouth with its front paw?
That paw would do a fine job of hiding the mouth.
It's almost like the panther was human.
Enkrid thought this as he sheathed his sword.
It felt like stopping mid-pee again.
It was frustrating, like when someone cuts you off right before an important point.
But what could he do?
It wasn't like he had many suitable opponents to face.
That was the moment and the situation.
"Are you really going to do it?"
"Yeah."
A conversation came from one side.
At the same time, the thrill of a sword cutting through the air, the kind of presence that made him feel like an illusion of a flash, filled the air.
Enkrid instinctively placed his hand on the grip.
It felt as though he was about to draw his sword and engage in a battle.
He turned toward the source of the sound.
Andrew appeared.
Swiftly.
He wasn't just standing there.
He drew his sword.
And it was clear he was ready to strike at any moment.
The way Andrew drew his sword, there was a certain determination in his movement.
As he drew his sword, the light of stars and torches seemed to merge on his face.
One side was blue, the other red.
He hadn't been drinking; his expression was calm.
Standing there, Andrew spoke.
"I learned the swordsmanship of the Gardener family and, through real combat, learned that in this journey, there is no such thing as giving up."
Mac, who had been standing nearby, had already stepped back a pace.
The surrounding soldiers did the same.
They created space.
Only Enkrid and Andrew remained in the center.
One had his hand on the grip, and the other had already drawn his sword.
Andrew, who had spoken earlier, continued, his momentum unbroken.
"I ask for your guidance."
Enkrid stared into Andrew's eyes for a moment.
There was no wavering in his pupils, only burning passion, not admiration.
It was a gaze he truly liked.
A moment he savored.
Whoosh.
A torch flared right next to him.
A pleasant breeze of the night swept through.
He had heard that magic was strong in spring; it was a saying he had grown tired of.
'That saying.'
It seemed to be true after all.
Enkrid looked up at the sky instead of answering.
The night, a festival of starlight rising between the moonlight.
The world of falling stars was there.
Lowering his head again, Enkrid spoke.
"A fine night for a fight, isn't it?"
He was sincere.
He thought that celebrating with a banquet on a night like this was almost a waste.
Yes, it would have been another night.
If the starlight hadn't shone so brightly on him, he might have just enjoyed the banquet.
But this night was too precious for that.
"Indeed."
Andrew thrust his sword.
Enkrid met him.
It had started as a scouting party, but their relationship had changed rapidly.
And now, again,
Andrew's sword danced.
It was a rapier, one that focused on speed and exploited the opponent's weaknesses.
Enkrid responded with caution, focus, and showed everything he had.
That was the right way.
If the opponent was showing their best and sincerity, he had to do the same.
Esther thought it was quite strange.
'Tonight is truly something.'
The magic in the air was thick.
Sensitive individuals often sensed something different on nights like these.
And perhaps it was the same for Enkrid.
He certainly seemed to be unable to stay still, restlessly moving.
The fight wasn't long.
The outcome was clear.
"Alright, gather the Krona!"
Krais's voice rang out, clearer and louder than ever.
Perhaps the busiest and most passionate person that night was Krais.
Thud.
Andrew fell backward with a sound.
They hadn't exchanged swords dozens of times.
Even before ten exchanges of blades, the fight had already been decided.
After knocking Andrew down, Enkrid extended his hand and helped him up.
Then, a question arose, and Enkrid asked.
"Are you planning to leave?"
"Ha, yes."
Andrew exhaled heavily and answered.
"Why?"
"I have something to do."
Then, he should go.
You can't hold back someone who is already set on leaving, can you?
"It was fun."
"Yes, Captain."
Andrew smiled.
He really seemed like a younger brother, a friend who gave that impression.
"I learned a lot."
Andrew said, and Enkrid nodded in response.
For some, it was a banquet where they drank themselves into a stupor.
For others, it was a gambling table, where they gathered cronas.
For some, it was a chance to confirm their comradeship.
And for Enkrid, it was a banquet perfectly suited for a sparring match under the stars.
After that,
Some more eager individuals joined in the fray, as the atmosphere shifted.
That was quite welcome.
The night of eating, drinking, and fighting passed by.
Enkrid fell asleep, only to wake up at dawn.
The morning training had to begin.
The night of the banquet had passed, but the work had to be done.
He headed out to the training ground, only to find an unexpected guest.
***
The party continued until midnight.
The other battalion, which hadn't participated in the battle, took over the duties.
"Thanks."
Marcus said to his subordinate commander as he made a request.
"It's nothing."
The commander accepted Marcus's request with ease.
Why wouldn't he?
Who was Marcus?
He wasn't just any ordinary battalion commander.
When he returned to the capital, he would hold a new status.
He was nobility, part of one of the five most powerful families.
"Alright."
The commander left, and Marcus set down the bottle of alcohol he had been holding.
He had done something out of character for the morale of the troops.
He actually preferred tea over alcohol.
He even had a habit of mixing tea with alcohol when he drank.
He preferred quiet places to noisy ones.
'Must be thanks to the education I received as a child.'
Perhaps the influence of the tea ceremony he learned from his family.
It wasn't important.
He had become accustomed to it, and it had become a habit he saw no need to break.
Marcus leisurely drank his tea.
Even in his quarters, the sounds of laughter could still be heard.
He had forbidden calling for courtesans, but when alcohol was involved, many would head to the red-light district.
Tonight, however, he was showing leniency rather than strict control.
He decided to let things slide.
As time passed, a few familiar commanders came to visit.
Some of them were aware of their own power.
Others were drawn to the battlefield by his reputation, seeking to meet the man they admired.
But the company commander were all present.
'Wait, one's missing.'
The fairy company commander was nowhere to be seen.
Well, that was nothing to be concerned about.
Whether she was seeking power or merely joining him for a drink, it seemed foolish either way.
With the tea mixed with alcohol, they chatted.
By the time the sun set and the moon rose,
Marcus went to bed early, sinking into a deep, dreamless sleep.
In the calm of the night,
Knock knock.
"Battalion Commander."
The voice of the bodyguard and the knock woke Marcus from his sleep.
"What's going on?"
He turned his gaze toward the window.
It was still too early, just before dawn, the sky showing shades of blue and orange signaling the start of a new day.
"A guest has arrived."
A guest? At this time?
Who could possibly come at such an hour?
It was someone outside of human etiquette and noble power.
Marcus wasn't flustered.
He hadn't expected someone to come at this hour, but he could guess who it was.
'I thought it would be tomorrow at the earliest.'
He had heard the battlefield was just wrapping up.
Could it be a gift that arrived early?
Or had they expected this visit?
"I'll be right out."
Marcus donned his jacket loosely over his shirt and went out.
The gift had arrived, and now it was time to deliver it.
This gift was meant for one person.
It had been a decision after much contemplation.
The recipient of this gift, of course, was Enkrid.