Chapter 302 - Whose Side Are the Green Pearl Troops On?

"Not good."

That was the answer to his question about how Graham was feeling. Lying in bed, Graham lifted only his head to look at Encrid. The deep stab wound in his back left him barely able to move. In short, Border Guard's standing army had lost its commander. They would have to fight without their lord, Battalion Commander, and supreme commander... "You don't need me anyway," Graham said. His adjutant nearly nodded in agreement. No, there were two adjutants, and one of them actually did nod. "That bastard's nodding."

"N-no, sir."

At Graham's remark, the adjutant changed his nod to a shake of the head. Watching this little farce, Encrid asked, "So I'm taking command?"

"Who else would?" Graham realized it anew.

'I'm the lord in name only.'

The city's real hero was someone else. The man who had slain the enemy commander in this battle and led a band of lunatics was hardly sane himself, but he knew how to save a child. He had thrown himself into danger to save that child at that very moment. 'A pointless thing to do, but...'

That was what made him trustworthy. And that was why Graham had no complaints. Even if Encrid said right now, "Hand over your position as lord," Graham would gladly do it.

Of course, the man hadn't said that. Graham was only hearing things. Strangely, being lord in name only didn't rankle. He felt no envy toward the man before him. Was it because he had watched him climb up from the bottom? Or because he knew the man swung his sword until his palms split? Even now, with his skill incomparably greater than before, the man put his palms through the same punishment. To envy such a man was to admit that you were a worthless piece of shit and an idiot. Perhaps that was why. 'Maybe I just don't want to be a piece of shit.'

That was Graham's conclusion. Still, there was something he wanted to know, so he asked, "Why did you save that child?" It had been dangerous. Pointless, too. The flash and explosion would have killed him if he'd let his guard slip even slightly. Yet the man before him had rolled across the ground with the child in his arms, saving him despite suffering burns to his back and part of his shoulder. Why? It was just one little child. A single arrow could have killed him, or he would have died anyway if Encrid hadn't intervened. Yet Encrid had done something for him. Graham didn't understand everything he had done in that moment, but the result was that he had saved the child. He had wielded his sword for someone who had nothing to do with him. He seemed like someone out of a story. Encrid answered without any sign of hesitation.

"Because I wanted to." His attitude, as though it were no great deed, left an even deeper impression. This bastard really was an extraordinary lunatic. Graham picked a fight for no reason. "Show some respect when answering your Battalion Commander, Company Commander. Has Rem rubbed off on you?"

"That's an insult. Are you asking me to challenge you to a duel?"

"The Rem part was a mistake."

"Yes, sir." "Come back victorious. When you return in triumph this time, I'll be at the front welcoming you."

"Am I supposed to be pleased about a worn-out old man welcoming me instead of a beautiful woman?" He sounded genuinely curious, and the foolish adjutant nodded again. Why the hell was he agreeing with that? "Get out."

Graham sent both Encrid and the adjutant out. As lord, he worried about the city. Encrid had glimpsed that sense of responsibility in Graham, and he liked it quite a bit. So, as he left, he said, "I'll return victorious." Graham said nothing in particular. But there wasn't a trace of worry in his eyes, either. Outside, the snow was letting up. They couldn't know how much longer Aspen would sit and watch, so they had to set out soon. As reinforcements for Green Pearl. "Wish this snow would stop. Don't you?"

The clueless adjutant was remarkably dim. He didn't realize the snow was what had bought them time to rest. How had this fellow become an adjutant? "You should learn to read the room."

Leaving him that pointed advice, Encrid turned away. He had seen the child's mother, and in the city he had visited the wounded mercenaries. They were staying at an inn. Some had promised to enlist, while others said they would remain mercenaries. There were quite a few interesting people among them. Edin Molsen was there, too. "Be careful of my father."

He had walked up and said it out of nowhere.

"Do you realize that's as good as telling me to be careful of you right now?"

"It's advice, not a threat."

"Understood." Encrid listened without attaching much importance to it, then moved on. Was Count Molsen what mattered right now? No. His priorities were clear. Their opponent right now was Aspen. Aspen, coming at them in earnest. "Don't forget what I said."

When Edin Molsen repeated himself, Encrid answered cheerfully.

"And your name was?"

"... You forgot again?" Before Edin could have a fit, Encrid hurried back to the barracks. "Got any food? Anything to eat? Don't you know wounded people need to eat well?"

Rem greeted him the moment he entered. He was like a nestling waiting for its mother. One with a damned obsession with food. As it happened, Encrid had just made a circuit of town, both to aid his recovery and to check on the mercenaries who had stayed and fought because of him. So he had brought bread, marmalade, seasoned jerky, and the like. "They say even a corpse looks better if it died on a full stomach."

"That's a western joke. How'd you come across it?"

Rem chuckled and stuffed bread into his mouth. Watching him brought to mind Gilfin, whom Encrid had met just before leaving the market. There had been something a little odd about him. ["Several spies infiltrated the city, and we let some of them slip through."]

He had walked up and said it out of the blue.

["We'll keep a tighter watch."] His clenched jaw did show firm determination. Encrid hadn't offered much of an answer. He had simply wondered why these people were hunting down spies. Wasn't that the city watch's job? Or wasn't it? He was pretty sure it was. In any case, Gilfin's eyes burned. He showed passion and enthusiasm, as though this were his calling, as though God himself had summoned him. It had probably begun with an order from Krais, so it had nothing whatsoever to do with a divine calling. ["Uh, right."]

["Meellun is approaching every man he sees who knows how to use a blade. We'll expand the guild and bring the city's nights completely under our control."] Encrid didn't know it, but Gilfin had also seen the battlefield. He had watched the fighting, paying particularly close attention to Encrid. He had always known the man was remarkable, but something about Encrid had been different in this battle. He had stood at the front to meet the blades and fought the enemy commander face-to-face. That was astonishing in itself, but what had left a lasting impression deep in Gilfin's heart was the sight of him rolling across the ground with a child in his arms. For days, that image had refused to leave his mind. 'Did he have any reason to save that child?'

None. Yet he had saved him. The child's abduction had been Gilfin's mistake. He had pledged to root out spies and protect the city's nights. He'd even had the help of the Frog named Meellun. 'I let them slip through.'

That day, Gilfin had clenched his teeth so hard his gums bled. Over a hundred years ago, a man had single-handedly united the thieves' guilds. He had been no mere thief, but a righteous outlaw who made helping the poor and suffering his life's guiding principle. Theft was all he had seen, heard, and learned since childhood, and so he had risen to the pinnacle of that world. The continent's only Rogue Master. The Bard who sang of the romance of the night. Kiuzelas, the Emperor of the Back Alleys. As a child, Gilfin had dreamed of being a guardian of the night. It was a concept Kiuzelas had created: to sing of people's peace by keeping watch over the night. Seeing the smiles of those around him, Gilfin had thought he was becoming something other than a thief. He had acted in the belief that he was helping protect the city where he had been born and raised. 'This is the city where I was born and raised.'

He would protect it. If not him, who would? He had lost the child. He had let some spies slip through. No one blamed Gilfin. Not even the child's mother would blame him, but Gilfin blamed himself. 'It's my fault.'

People could sneer at some half-assed thief talking about a sense of duty, but...

'If all I'm doing is dreaming...' Gilfin wanted to take up his childhood dream again and move forward. And just before that dream shattered, Encrid had saved the child. He had seen the mother's gratitude. That was how Gilfin had glimpsed something extraordinary in the man before him. It wasn't his swordsmanship. Had Kiuzelas been like this? Encrid was a man with a different heart, a different determination. Gilfin had recognized that. ["Why did he do it?"]

When he asked Krais after his return, the answer had been a masterpiece in its own right.

["Probably because it pissed him off. That bastard of an enemy commander was pulling such pathetic shit. Imagine how furious he'd be if the kid was saved."] Was that really why? No. He had saved a person. And by saving that person, he had protected the city. Without intending to, Encrid had utterly won the old thief's heart. Gilfin renewed his resolve.

'Even if it costs me my life.'

He would protect the city's nights. He would gladly take on even the task of clearing little stones from this man's path. Krais had looked after him and taken him in, yet here he was swearing loyalty to someone else. Even when Krais later learned all of Gilfin's intentions and thoughts, however, nothing changed. His reaction was simply, well, let him. He took it in stride. All that mattered was that Gilfin did his job well. If anything, Krais was grateful for the advance notice. It meant Gilfin wouldn't stab him in the back if something displeased him. Encrid, of course, knew none of this. He simply enjoyed seeing someone so enthusiastic. ["I'm rooting for you."]

["I'll clear even the stones from your path."]

Encrid hadn't entirely understood the words that followed. He had taken them to mean Gilfin would clean up the city's alleyways. For a brief visit to the city, quite a lot had happened, and he had met quite a few people. He had even stopped to see Graham on his way back. Ending his brief recollection, he turned to see Dunbachel with a swollen cheekbone. Anyone could tell she'd had the shit beaten out of her. "We're marching when the snow stops. What are you doing crippling her?"

Encrid reprimanded Rem. The Beastman was a fighter they could use right away. "She'll heal from this in half a day. What, huh? Do I look like the sort who beats her without thinking?"

Encrid nearly nodded, but managed to restrain himself. He couldn't behave like that clueless adjutant earlier. "Her jaw looks a little out of place."

"Guess your eyes got hurt, too." Ignoring that and moving on, Encrid saw Krais sitting before the brazier with a vacant expression. He had devoted a whole day's sleep to his beauty rest. He might look idle on the surface, but he wasn't. His mind was working furiously. At least, that was what Encrid believed as he watched. SLURP.

Krais sucked back the drool that had escaped his mouth. "Ah, dozed off."

He really was just lazing around. Encrid considered walking over and smacking the back of his head. Just then, Krais rose with a stretch. "You're back?"

"Yes."

"I've been thinking."

"You've been thinking?" If something useless came out of that mouth, perhaps Encrid ought to hit him first and go from there. Unaware of his thoughts, Krais continued in his usual tone. "The Aspen bastards must have laid a trap." The heavy snowfall had gradually eased, and Krais had spent that time thinking.

'If only they'd attacked our rear.'

It would have been a difficult fight, but one they had anticipated. Aspen should have pressed its advantage and attacked. But it hadn't. Fighting in winter was hard enough. Why drag things out? Aspen had waited instead of invading. Even as the snow let up, there was no surprise attack. Reports said they were only now slowly preparing to move their troops. It was as though they had been waiting for this battle to end. That was deeply unsettling. Something stank. It was very, very bad. His unease surged again. 'I'd have attacked.'

What easier fight was there than striking someone's back while they fought someone else? Yet Aspen hadn't done so. Something was going on. Something he couldn't predict. The worst possible situation. After turning it over and over in his mind, Krais had reached one conclusion.

"This will be tougher than the combined forces of Black Blade and the Cultists. They might even have a knight hidden away somewhere. And even if they field one, we don't know whether our side will send us knight-level support. They might split off some of their troops to go straight for the city." "What are you trying to say?"

"That they could do anything."

"Our response?" Encrid asked, and Krais answered. They spoke in calm, ordinary tones across the brazier, but it was no different from a conversation between a commander about to march and his strategist. Why wouldn't it be? Graham was bedridden after the assassin's attack and had handed full authority to Encrid. The brazier's flames cast a ruddy glow over Krais's face.

"Do you know that Battalion Commander stationed at Green Pearl well?" Encrid shook his head. He had never even met the man. All he had heard here and there was that the man was an opportunist who would do anything for gain. And that, while excellent at logistics and building fortifications, fighting was not his strong suit. None of it was particularly good news. "At the worst possible moment, we'll witness our enemies magically doubling in number." Beside them, Esther scoffed at the mention of magic.

"Hmph."

She was in human form today. While they talked, the snow stopped completely. With the snow gone, it was time to reorganize their ranks and march. Encrid was about halfway recovered. With Graham absent, he would have to lead as supreme commander. "We'll have to find out." Whose side were the Green Pearl troops on now? Had Aspen been dawdling all this time because it already counted them as allies? It was a reasonable suspicion. No, it was something they had to suspect. "First, we march." Their few days of sweet, dreamlike rest had passed. Having beaten down a few wolves, it was time to face the tiger eyeing their backs. They prepared to march, then advanced. They could not let their guard down as they checked the palisades and watchtowers scattered throughout Green Pearl and made their way inside. Then Green Pearl's Battalion Commander greeted Encrid, fully armed. The moment Krais saw the man's expression twist, he felt as though his ominous imaginings were coming true.