Audin learned about Encrid's current state during their sparring session.
'Neither a Knight nor a Junior-Knight.'
What was certain was that his skills had improved, and that wasn't the end of it.
His movements had become more refined, his decisions faster, and his reflexes had changed. There was something more as well.
Watching his hands and feet, Audin looked into his eyes.
Even before, his eyes emitted a certain heat. A willpower, moving towards Knightly ideals, dreams, and such things.
But this time, there was something else.
It was something like confidence. Like someone who had finally found the right signpost after wandering for a long time.
And there was more to be surprised about.
Smack, thud, crack!
As Encrid's fist approached, Audin blocked it with his elbow, then opened his hand and swung his backhand. Encrid shook off the blow and immediately tried to gain a favorable position by constantly moving his feet during the exchange.
Could someone fight well just because they were strong?
If that were the case, a Giant would be the greatest warrior on the continent.
Fighting wasn't like that. Combat was the combination of many elements.
For example, understanding the precise points of force transmission was far more useful than simply using brute strength.
Valaf-Style Martial Arts were originally created for weaker individuals to overcome stronger ones.
Audin had added his own insights into it.
So, in order to properly execute the techniques, a deep understanding of things like the points of force application was necessary.
Was Encrid particularly skilled in this area?
No, he had been far from it. But now, he understood the essence of the technique and had even adapted it.
He distracted with his fist, then immediately tried to twist Audin's arm with his position.
Instead of using strength to shake him off, Audin pushed off the ground, flipping in place with a somersault.
Though his size compared to a bear or a giant, his actions were like that of a squirrel.
Encrid then launched a whip-like kick towards Audin's shin as he landed.
Whack.
This was not something Audin could simply deflect, so he withstood it with brute strength.
Audin's solid muscles were like armor that Encrid's kick couldn't penetrate, so enduring it wasn't difficult.
What surprised Audin was the process that had led Encrid to this point.
The tactical thinking, the understanding of force, and the insight into the essence of the technique.
So while he was amazed, he didn't have anything particular to say. Audin simply asked what he saw.
"Are you enjoying yourself?"
Encrid, smiling more brightly than ever, charged forward again. It was only natural for such a question to arise.
"Yes."
Encrid nodded.
Sweat dripped from his forehead and fell off his chin.
Audin chuckled as he stepped back. If he really tried and went in for a joint lock, he could still be a match for him, but if it was just a striking contest, it would be hard to overwhelm Encrid quickly.
What if Encrid took up his sword? What if they fought for real?
'I'd lose.'
Audin admitted it without hesitation.
Of course, the result of a life-or-death battle was never certain. No one here was ignorant of that truth.
Whatever the case, simply based on their current states, he was falling behind. Audin found it both absurd and delightful, and he laughed.
"Hey wildcat, should I shave your head?"
Nearby, Rem kept taunting Jaxon.
Frog was also training with her whip and sword.
Next to them, Teresa was spinning her shield, watching the sparring. Her turn was next.
"I've learned a lot from Brother Audin."
Teresa, holding her shield, said. Encrid caught his breath and nodded.
"I've improved a bit too."
It wasn't just a little.
In any case, they kept fighting and fighting.
Lawford, watching from the side, let out an impressed exclamation. Pel, observing from a corner of the training ground, was shaking uncontrollably.
'What is this?'
Pel had never felt defeated when comparing his skills to others before.
He believed his talent was the best.
He was a man who could gauge not just the present, but the future. Pel thought he could surpass all of them given enough time.
'I'll start with the Captain.'
Next, should he challenge the one with the gray hair? He had a plan.
When Ragna became a Knight, Pel almost faltered, but in the end, he overcame it. He advanced one step further.
Pel thought he had climbed out of the pit of despair. No, he had thought so.
'I can do it too.'
Pel intended to spar with Encrid and teach him a lesson when he returned.
But what was this?
Rem, the barbarian, had returned as a monster who could now fight like a Knight.
One could chalk that up to Rem's nature, but what really shocked Pel was Encrid.
He had thought Encrid was someone he could easily surpass.
If Encrid's improvement came from effort and training, Pel could do the same. He had more talent, after all.
And so he worked for it.
He dedicated himself to training, forgetting night and day. He secretly sparred with Ragna when Lawford fought him, and he rolled around with the religious bear Audin during his training sessions.
It was grueling.
Pell had never worked so hard since picking up the sword. But because he could feel his improvement, he endured it.
Endurance had tasted bitter, but Pel believed the fruits would be sweet. That kept him going.
And he needed to. That was how the world worked, in Pel's eyes.
But now, what was this? Just looking at Encrid made all his confidence vanish.
When predicting the outcome of a fight, what does it mean if you expect to lose from the start?
Pel had good eyes, and he could tell that Encrid's skill had grown immensely.
The power in his strikes, his tactical mind, his quick reflexes, and sharp judgment.
A sense of inferiority started creeping into Pel's mind.
'Is my talent actually worthless?'
A crack appeared in Pel's spirit. It had started when he saw Ragna, but now it was widening.
Without realizing it, Pel's expression hardened. He couldn't laugh, no matter how amusing a joke might have been.
"Fiance, aren't you going to play with me too?"
Sinar stood opposite Encrid. Pel saw it too, but his eyes weren't really focused on the present anymore.
What did Fairies matter?
'If I have no talent, what should I do?'
Should he give up everything and return to tending sheep?
But could he even be a Shepherd of the Wilderness with such a fragile mindset?
No.
Then what should he do?
Join the military as a soldier? Here? Why? For what? No, that wasn't it.
Should he work in a general store as a clerk? Didn't the inn say they needed more hands? Being a bodyguard for a merchant caravan might not be a bad idea either.
He retreated into himself.
Encrid, welcoming Sinar's words, glanced sideways at Pel, who was sinking into a gloomy depression.
What's up with him now?
It was just as Sinar had approached. Encrid turned his head and saw that Pel's eyes were completely unfocused.
Then he looked back at Sinar and saw her emerald-green eyes and her golden hair, flowing like a waterfall. She was tying her hair back.
Her golden hair flowed smoothly, like silk. It looked like a beautiful waterfall made of gold.
Although she sometimes used her long hair in battle, she didn't need it in training, so she tied it up. Depending on how you looked at it, the scene was like a beautiful painting.
Her beauty, beyond that of humans, stood out.
Normally, one would just admire such beauty, but if you saw it often enough, it might start to feel different, like something more.
Shepherds of the Wilderness were those who took on difficult challenges, after all.
'Is that it?'
Though his instincts hadn't kicked in, when you followed the sequence of events, the flow became clear.
Encrid's eyes gleamed.
"Going forward, you should be careful calling me your fiance."
Though he had become a General, and could speak casually when needed, he still preferred to speak formally with Sinar.
Sinar, still tying her hair, tilted her head.
"Why?"
"Just because it's better that way."
"What if I don't want to?"
"Then there's nothing I can do."
What could he do if she didn't want to?
Beating her up wouldn't make Sinar listen to him.
If anything, she was probably the most stubborn person he knew.
Just like Rem, who constantly sent Jaxon duel invitations.
"Why don't you visit the temple?"
Rem, looking at Encrid, made the comment, understanding why he was saying that.
That guy, missing the point again. Jaxon's gaze shifted between Encrid and Pel.
"Hmm."
It was just a light cough, but its meaning was clear. He had heard some nonsense.
"Some people shed tears over a single word like that."
Encrid turned to Sinar again, trying to be considerate. Even during training, he could at least do this much.
Pel still had a blank stare. He wasn't even hearing what was being said.
He just kept muttering "general store", "inn", "mercenaries", "merchant guild" alternately under his breath.
"Brother, why don't we just spar?"
Audin said with a laugh.
Encrid decided to do so.
This was all he could do for Pel. He silently cheered for him in his mind.
He had always respected those with dreams.
'Stay strong, Pel.'
Nothing in the world is impossible.
Rem, Audin, and Jaxon all roughly understood what was going on with Pel.
He had been consumed by the sense of defeat from seeing someone better than himself. No one here was unfamiliar with that feeling.
They had all seen people around them crumble like that before.
When Rem was in the West, there had been a few such people around him. He tried to console them, but eventually, he gave up.
After all, they needed to listen.
Some of them overcame it in the end, but others disappeared, and some gave up on being warriors or sorcerers.
Jaxon had killed those who tried to prove their skills by killing him, so none like that remained around him.
Audin tried to guide them all, but the end result was the same as Rem's.
Anyone can stumble, but some people get back up, and others stay down. That's all there was to it.
And the three of them didn't believe Pel would break.
Feeling defeated by Encrid?
At first, maybe.
But after watching for a week? A month? He'd get back up.
That was inevitable.
Encrid was crazy about swords and obsessed with training.
Watching him would naturally make anyone rise again. It was only possible Pel would not if his jealousy consumed him entirely. But that wasn't the trio's concern.
Rem, watching Pel, did have a thought.
'That's surprising.'
He had thought Pel, the Shepherd of the Wilderness, would fight his way through, but now he seemed to be floundering, as if he were drowning in a puddle barely a foot deep.
Meanwhile, Lawford, who seemed more refined, was different.
"Teach me a lesson too!"
Even now, he was shouting that.
He had charged at Ragna like a madman and had somehow survived.
Not only survived, but improved.
He still had the desire to advance and didn't hesitate to pursue it.
Rem didn't know or care what made the difference between them, so he soon turned his attention away.
That was their own business to figure out.
Instead, he focused on watching the spar between Sinar and Encrid.
Sinar had recently returned from the forest, having absorbed a significant amount of energy.
She hadn't told anyone, but that was half a life-or-death experience.
"If you don't like 'fiance', how about 'betrothed'?"
"Have you improved at all?"
Encrid, out of habit, asked, and the single sentence brought a faint smile to Sinar's face like magic.
"Be careful not to smile."
He didn't know why he was suddenly saying this, but Sinar didn't care. She picked up her sword. It was time to speak through swords now.
The leaf-shaped blades covered half her face.
Everyone, including Jaxon, already knew.
Sinar had already ascended to the rank of Knight, specifically, a Fairy Knight.
* * *
The sparring ended in Encrid's defeat, but his expression was brighter than ever before. He had learned something.
He had blocked Sinar's energy sword, something he couldn't do before, and even attempted a wrestling technique during a moment of opportunity.
In close combat, Sinar moved faster than ever before.
Wasn't the Fairy's greatest strength their light body?
She proved it.
Moving with light, quick steps, she circled around Encrid, leaving afterimages, as if there were twelve of her.
Watching, Luagarne puffed out her cheeks, and at that moment, Sinar's sword struck Encrid in sync with that sound.
None of the twelve leaf-shaped swords were illusions.
The difference between them could only be seen by those who had reached the rank of Knight.
Encrid had opened his eyes to see a step ahead, but he couldn't block it. He saw it, but his body couldn't keep up.
"You've opened the eye to the future."
Sinar remarked.
Jaxon and Audin exchanged surprised glances, looking toward Rem.
This bastard must have already seen this in the West, right? That's what their looks meant.
"Damn, now he's improving fast."
Even Rem showed surprise.
That meant even Rem didn't know about this side of him.
Everyone there, except for Pel, realized that this was Encrid breaking through to a new stage.
Encrid was changing day by day.
"Captain!"
At that moment, Krais, who they had expected to return soon, arrived.
"You're late."
Encrid, still sitting, said.
Krais, wearing a cloak and hood, grinned widely.
Behind him were Nurat and eight swordsmen, dressed like a guard.
Each one of them was at least as skilled as Torres, who would be in Martai.
They were top-tier soldiers.
One of them even seemed to be a mercenary at the Junior-Knight level.
But the most surprising change was in Nurat.
"It's been a while."
She bowed slightly, but her presence was far different from before.
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