Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 543 - A Night Stroll and a Meeting

Chapter 543 - A Night Stroll and a Meeting

Enkrid was aware of his tendency to take bold actions, and the masked man standing before him was no less daring.

"What do you think?"

The masked man, whose name was Kryanaht Angius Naurilius, asked.

He was the king of the nation to which Enkrid pledged allegiance.

"Is it really necessary to cover your face while traveling in a black carriage under the cover of night?"

"It's a matter of mood. Purely mood."

Krang the king, replied as he lowered his mask.

His arrival here had been preceded by a series of events, but the most decisive factor was Krang's own will.

Chronologically, the first notable event was the report reaching the capital about the progress and victory in the war, accompanied by the astonishing news of zero casualties.

"Does that even make sense?"

Some, especially those who envied Enkrid, scoffed at the notion.

Even before rumors of his title The Unyielding Knight had spread, the idea was baffling to most.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to claim that four soldiers from the Border Guard became knights, formed a new order and launched the attack?"

One commentator unintentionally struck close to the truth, though the gossip remained within their circles.

Meanwhile, the royal palace dispatched an envoy—a modest delegation of about ten members, which included Andrew Gardener.

"When the full-scale battle broke out, I was supposed to join as reinforcements. So, why was it already over when I arrived?"

Andrew's expression betrayed a complex mix of joy, curiosity and disbelief.

Along the way, he had heard of Enkrid's growing renown, particularly the nickname The Unyielding Knight, which now echoed across the region.

Enkrid's fame had long been celebrated within the Border Guard, where every noblewoman vied for his attention, traders sought his favor, and even some wandering swordsmen pledged allegiance to him.

However, the current rumors far exceeded those prior accolades.

It was said that if Enkrid declared himself king tomorrow, people would flock to his banner in droves.

Among the tales, the most sensational was this:

"He single-handedly stopped an entire army?"

Not by slaughtering them, but merely by glaring at them until they froze.

Some claimed a wall emerged behind him, halting the enemy, while others said he drew a line with his sword, unleashing a radiant light that created a barrier to stop the advancing forces.

As with most stories, exaggeration crept in leading to absurd embellishments—like an angelic army descending with flaming swords to defend the land.

But hidden among the tall tales was one undeniable truth:

Enkrid had, indeed single-handedly stopped an army.

"Is it true?"

Andrew had wanted to abandon his unit and rush to the front himself but had to first ensure the logistical stability of his forces.

Supporting an army was no small expense and leaving the costs to the Border Guard, who had already spent lavishly in preparation for war, would have been unreasonable.

Instead, he restructured his unit and sent them back while receiving an official request to join the royal delegation.

Overjoyed by the opportunity, Andrew eagerly complied.

"It's true." Enkrid replied simply, nodding.

Andrew's eyes widened, his pupils trembling as he struggled to process the confirmation.

"How?"

"By creating a forest of energy."

Shinar, who had accompanied Enkrid offered the explanation.

Of course, it was incomprehensible to Andrew.

"For your valor, the message is that you should depart from the Border Guard in a month and make your way to the capital." one of the royal envoys cautiously conveyed.

Enkrid nodded in acknowledgment, marking the end of the delegation's official duties.

However, one member sought him out later that night accompanied by Andrew, of course.

"Are you insane?" Enkrid asked his unexpected guest bluntly.

A brief exchange followed, but the core of the matter was clear:

"I'm not insane. No one will know I was here. Besides, with the famous Unyielding Knight by my side, what danger could there be? Aspen is too busy opening diplomatic channels and addressing internal turmoil to pose a threat. I'd bet five silver coins on it."

"For a king, that's quite a paltry wager."

"The treasury's tight. Asking for more funds is partly why I came here."

Beside him, Andrew rolled his eyes fully convinced of the absurdity of the situation.

What kind of king faked illness to visit a former battlefield?

This, however was not the end of Krang's eccentric plans.

Upon hearing the details, Andrew realized they might even surpass the legend of Enkrid's impenetrable defense in audacity.

'This is not normal.'

Finding himself among the five individuals privy to this secret, Andrew decided to forgo rational thought and simply comply.

Others aware of the king's actions including the Duke of Okto, who had fainted upon learning of them, the royal guard captain and Marquis Marcus Baisar—had been left with little choice but to relent.

"My absence from the palace would raise suspicion. Instead, I hope you'll guard me in secret." Krang had persuaded his royal guard captain, who reluctantly agreed.

The king's visit served two purposes: negotiating peace with Aspen and lobbying for increased taxes to replenish the royal treasury.

"I can't publicly demand money from the Border Guard for their efforts. So, I'm asking for tax increases instead."

"Even so, Your Majesty, this is no task for a king." Krais interjected from behind Enkrid, ever the voice of reason.

"If I come personally, they might be so moved they'd weep with gratitude." Krang joked.

"I've long since dried up emotionally." Krais retorted.

"Are you the sand type, then?"

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A moist soil type was emotionally attuned and empathetic, while a sand type was cold and logical.

"Yes, I'm pure sand." Krais said flatly.

In the end, Krais agreed to send the requested taxes, reasoning that maintaining good relations with Naurillia capital outweighed any grievances.

Additionally, Naurillia's internal instability following its civil war made financial support a prudent move.

Still, Krais sought to secure his own interests in the process.

"Do you know about salons?" Krais asked, referring to a growing social trend.

He suggested that Krang visit his future establishment as a gesture of goodwill.

"Of course." Krang replied with a smile.

If filling the treasury required personal sacrifices, he was willing to do anything even dancing naked if necessary.

"So, you're going to Aspen? Planning to reignite the war?" Jaxen, who had joined the conversation, asked bluntly.

"No."

"Then what?"

"I told him to come out."

"Who?"

"The king of Aspen."

"And if he doesn't?"

Krang smiled, "We'll see."

While his actions seemed impulsive, Krang had calculated the potential outcomes focusing on the results rather than the process.

Though provoking Aspen might seem reckless, he believed the ultimate benefits outweighed the risks.

'Even if I could destroy them, I won't.'

To bring Aspen under control, the Border Guard would need to take the initiative and attack.

However, such actions could ignite a war across the continent like wildfire.

Even without that, annihilating an entire nation was no easy feat.

So, what about taking hostages and turning Aspen into a vassal state?

The pride of the Aspen people was unlikely to crumble so easily.

"Won't the sparks of rebellion ignite in various places?"

Some nobles might align themselves with this side, but others certainly wouldn't.

Stable governance would become an unattainable dream.

The real problem was that Naurillia lacked the capacity for such endeavors at the moment.

Suppressing them by force might be possible.

Normally, that would have been out of the question, but with Enkrid and the presence of the Madmen unit it became feasible.

However, perfectly subjugating Aspen was an entirely different matter.

If preparations were complete, it might even be worth considering taking over a neighboring nation, but Krang believed that was not a wise idea nor the right time for it.

"The best outcome would be if Aspen's king handled things on his own."

And preferably in a way that aligned perfectly with their goals.

To achieve that, a meeting would be necessary whether it ended in threats or negotiations.

By personally taking action, Krang intended to align matters with Aspen behind the scenes.

In politics, what could be better than feigning ignorance outwardly while scheming in secret?

There was nothing better.

Thus, Aspen was secretly approached with a proposal to meet.

What if Aspen set a trap?

Then it would be a disaster—not for Krang, but for Aspen.

If Krang even slightly changed his mind, Aspen might be wiped off the map.

While personally taking such risks was dangerous, Krang had determined it was worth it.

"If things go south, I'll just kill the king and leave."

He had no intention of taking unnecessary lives.

However, the king bore responsibilities simply by sitting on the throne.

The crown carried duties and the throne bore accountability.

It was a common notion regarding kingship.

Thus, Aspen's king had no right to complain even if he died simply for holding that position.

The blame for a defeat, the deaths of knights—if one followed the chain of command, all responsibility ultimately rested with the king.

This was Krang's worldview and in essence people lived according to their beliefs.

Krang was no different.

If Aspen's king were to die, the nation would inevitably descend into civil war.

Even if the Hurrier and Ekkins families joined forces to install a puppet king, chaos would still ensue.

Such times of turmoil were inevitable.

If genuine dialogue were possible, such outcomes could be avoided.

Although the meeting was covert, it was being held in Krang's name and the weight of that promise could not be disregarded.

Krang's plan aimed for all of this.

Bold action, ambition and a conversation with Aspen's king.

The potential gains were far from trivial.

"It would be best if we could communicate properly."

If civil war broke out in Aspen and some fool decided to attack recklessly, war would immediately follow, resulting in unavoidable casualties for their side as well.

Of course, if necessary they would fight.

If necessary, blood would be spilled.

But now was not the time, nor was there any need to suffer from the desperate last stand of a defeated nation.

Krang didn't share all these thoughts.

Enkrid likely wouldn't care much about them anyway.

Thus, Krang expressed his intentions succinctly.

"I just want to see his face. I'm curious about the bastard who keeps coming at us."

It might sound crude as a reason for negotiating peace, but Enkrid agreed.

He knew Krang never acted without careful thought.

Thus, a team was formed: three wildcards—Shinar, Jaxen, and Enkrid.

To prevent assassination attempts or trickery, Jaxen and Shinar would accompany them.

And of course, Enkrid, the hero of the recent battle would also attend.

This was also at the request of Aspen's king.

"If the one who stopped the army at the end of the battle comes with you, I'll meet with you."

That was the message they had received.

For the coachman, Andrew Gardner joined the party.

There was no need for Rem or anyone else to accompany them.

Aspen also agreed to send only five individuals, including their king.

The key to this operation was simple: meet secretly, remain unnoticed.

"Then."

After traveling some distance by carriage, the group left Border Guard to the west and pressed on.

They passed signs of where an army had been stationed, killing a few monsters and beasts along the way under the cover of night.

Finally, they saw a distant light—the meeting place.

Even Enkrid found himself curious about Aspen's king.

What kind of man loved war so much as to keep pursuing conflict like this?

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Many thanks to azuring for proofreading the Chapter