"If there's something you want to do, go ahead."
The Marquis spoke while staring blankly at Kin, then turned and left. Kin stood in place, lost in thought for a moment.
A breeze blew, kicking up a cloud of dust. Kin didn't even notice as the dust swept across her face.
'Did it really turn out like this?'
Her whole body trembled with surprise.
The head of the family was not one to take back words once spoken.
As she pondered more, the words and actions of the one responsible for the current situation began to stir her heart.
'Should I at least thank him?'
To be honest, she wasn't entirely indifferent to the man called Encrid. Not that she wanted to be his wife, though.
They called it a dream. Kin was more interested in the finished products crafted from jewels than in the act of crafting them.
Having been born into a prestigious family like the Marquis of Visar, she was expected to admire the final pieces, not to be involved in making or selling them.
So, it was something she was unlikely to be permitted to do—just a hobby at best.
But, after all, how could one's heart be so easily controlled?
She liked this. She loved the chance to express her will and showcase her abilities, not to be just an accessory to some man.
However, she was aware that she might have to give something up in exchange for that.
She could borrow the prestige of her family's name, but she could no longer live as a direct heir of the Marquis of Visar.
Kin was no naive child, unaware of this.
'Can I really live like this?'
At that moment, her eyes fell on a man who truly lived according to his own whims.
His name was Encrid. She thought it would be appropriate to thank him.
It was because of what he had said that the situation had reached its conclusion.
Finishing her thoughts, she took a step toward Encrid, who had begun swinging his sword at one side of the training grounds. However, before she could take more than a few steps—
"Leave him be."
A barbarian leaning against a nearby wall said.
"I have something to say to him..."
"Right now, even if you danced naked next to him... Ah, right, you're a noble. Anyway, no matter what you do beside him, he won't listen."
Though the remark was laced with an unpleasant metaphor, Kin ignored it and kept her eyes on Encrid.
She saw him facing away from the Marquis, swinging his sword. His eyes were unfocused, and his mouth hung slightly open. He looked as if he were intoxicated. He had already lost himself in swordplay.
A relentless training maniac.
'So, he's not called a madman for nothing.'
Kin turned back. Later, she would tell this story to a few acquaintances. Though the Marquis of Visar pretended to be displeased, he actually liked the boldness of the man and spread this tale far and wide.
Because of that, no one in the Capital dared bother Encrid or his companions.
After all, he was the one who had even turned down the influence of the Marquis of Visar, who was promised a Dukedom.
* * *
Right after the Marquis and Kin had left, Encrid, with his back to them, immediately began swinging his sword. There was no longer any reason to delay this fun. It didn't matter who was watching, waiting, or not waiting—it could no longer be postponed.
'Ah, this is fun.'
Had fighting with Rem, Ragna, or Audin taught him anything?
No, nothing. He had simply been broken.
Yet, it was still fun. Every moment of swinging the sword, pondering, and then reproducing the movements with his body brought him joy.
There were movements he had done more than a hundred times in a single day—strikes to the crown of the head, horizontal slashes, downward cuts, thrusts—the basics. Encrid began repeating them.
He didn't expect any new realizations or changes.
He did it simply because it was enjoyable—over and over again.
After spending several days swinging his sword and passing the time with simple sparring, news came of a merit award ceremony.
"Let's go."
Encrid set out, accompanied by Rem, Ragna, Audin, Dunbachel, and Teresa.
Sinar had left early for business, so she hadn't been with them from the start.
"Count me out."
Jaxon, as expected, was not one for such events.
Esther, in her panther form, shook her head. So, it was just the rest who went.
The audience chamber was full of nobles.
"The Hero who saved the nation has arrived."
A court servant announced from behind, and Krang, who sat on the throne, nodded. Krang looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes.
The two nobles standing closest to the throne were the Marquis of Octo and Marcus Visar.
The Marquis of Visar stood a step behind them.
Skipping over all the usual formalities about how great the King was and the glory of his lineage, Krang spoke directly.
"I apologize for the delay in the ceremony."
Some nobles let out sighs upon seeing how brief the ceremony was.
They muttered about the King's dignity and such, but no one spoke up in front of Krang.
The King who ended the civil war.
The King who won without summoning the Knightly orders.
The King that the nobles themselves had chosen to follow.
This was the first event hosted by that King. To directly refute what he had done in front of him?
Even the dullest of them knew that anyone that politically naive should no longer be considered a noble.
Several nobles and Commanders were given appropriate rewards. These ranged from lands to titles and Krona.
Andrew was among them. He received land, gold, and his title was elevated. He became the Viscount of Gardner. He was also given some position akin to an office within the Capital.
As the ceremony proceeded, the monk serving as a scribe conveyed the King's command:
"I command Marcus Visar, for your contributions as Supreme Commander..."
The monk continued.
"...you are to be granted the title of Count."
As soon as the words were spoken, the previously excited atmosphere turned cold, as if someone had poured ice over them.
"What did you just say?"
The Marquis of Visar asked, trembling.
Marcus Visar was supposed to inherit the family. This incident should have earned him the title of Duke.
But by receiving the title of Count, he had effectively thrown away his right to succeed as the head of the family.
Encrid understood that this was all Marcus Visar's doing.
A small commotion ensued, and the Marquis of Visar's face was filled with dismay.
Though the Marquis had ultimately sided with Krang, it hadn't been like that from the start.
He had wavered and hesitated, only betting his gold at the last moment.
That decision itself was close to a gamble, but for Marcus, it hadn't been.
The Marquis glared at Marcus for a moment, then shook his head and fell silent.
Watching this, Encrid thought the old man looked like a sulking child.
"For your great contributions, I hereby grant you the title of Duke."
Instead of the Marquis of Visar, the Marquis of Octo was elevated to Duke. He knelt on one knee and bowed his head.
By the time everyone had been given their due rewards, there were still those whose names hadn't been called.
Encrid and the Mad Company were among them.
"I'd like to handle the last part myself."
The King stood from his throne and took a step forward. Without looking at anyone, he spoke.
"Do you need a title?"
He asked as if he were casually asking a neighbor if they needed firewood.
Encrid, feeling no particular need, lightly shook his head in response.
"No, I do not."
His attitude seemed as though royal etiquette had been tossed aside in some Demon Realm, but who could say anything about it?
A few nobles who couldn't hide their expressions furrowed their brows, but that was all.
"I figured as much. The treasury is open, so if you want something, take whatever you can lay your hands on."
"Thank you."
"After that, you are free to return to where you came from."
This was the part Encrid had been waiting for the most. However, there were still some who looked on with suspicion in their eyes.
'Just opening the treasure vault?'
'Is this really right?'
'Once the hunt is over, what do you do with the hunting dog?'
'You're supposed to cook it.'
Some muttered nonsense under their breath, but neither Krang nor Encrid paid them any mind.
"We're busy. I trust you are all busy as well. Just because the civil war is over doesn't mean 'and they all lived happily ever after', as even fairy tales wouldn't say such a thing. You understand, don't you?"
Of course, in fairy tales, there are no bloody battlefields from civil wars, so it was a fitting remark.
"So, let's get to work."
The workaholic King spoke, and the merit award ceremony ended more modestly than ever before.
A lunch banquet followed, but it was a sober affair—no alcohol was served. The King didn't even attend.
"I'm concerned about the King's dignity."
A few nobles still fretted over the King's attitude, but Encrid dismissed such worries.
Hadn't they already seen it at the coronation ceremony?
Krang had recited the names of the soldiers inscribed on the memorial stone.
Encrid had seen the looks in people's eyes as they watched him.
There had been a monk silently offering prayers.
A mother had shed tears as she looked at the new King.
A father and child were also there.
Among the nobles, those who were truly loyal had knelt and sworn allegiance after the coronation.
Even without grand halos or magnificent festivals, the coronation held in the heart of the Capital had left a strong impression of the new King on everyone.
'That's enough.'
Encrid moved with a sense of relief. The rest was up to Krang to handle.
It was time for him to return to the Border Guard. But first, he had to visit the royal treasury.
He wondered how many swords there were to replace Silver.
"This way."
Even Rem and Ragna showed a subtle interest in the royal treasury.
But what they saw was different from what they had imagined. The doors were wide open, and carts were constantly coming and going.
"Oh, still quite busy."
It was none other than Marcus personally showing them around. The man was now the Supreme Commander of the Kingdom's army, newly appointed Count, acting ruler of Count Molsen's territory, and the head of the Capital's defense forces.
"Aren't you busy?"
"If you're here, better see it now. I don't have time to leisurely come greet you."
If he was so busy, there was no need to bother looking, Encrid thought, as they entered to take a look at the Kingdom's treasures.
It was nothing like they had imagined.
The treasure vault was vast but largely empty. There were no piles of gold coins, and no rows of magical swords hanging from the walls.
"Excuse me, coming through!"
As they stood there, a cart loaded with several boxes brushed past Encrid.
The worker pulling the cart was sweating profusely and didn't even glance at Encrid as he worked.
Encrid assessed the situation and quickly understood what was going on.
Rem seemed to catch on too, asking before Encrid could speak.
"They're covering the costs of the civil war from here, aren't they?"
Marcus, thinking that the barbarian friend wasn't as dull as he looked, nodded.
"And the magical swords?"
Ragna asked, hoping for weapons enchanted with spells, or perhaps imbued with spells, possessed of their own Will, or at the very least, ones that never lost their sharpness.
If it was just for temporary use, that would be more than enough.
"There are none."
"Why?"
Ragna's tone grew short. Marcus didn't mind their rudeness—what was the point of getting offended by these madmen?
"They were all sold."
Ragna didn't press further. If there were none, there were none.
'If there are no enchanted swords...'
Should he try to imbue the sword with his Will instead?
A genius always thinks differently.
Encrid looked around. There wasn't a single sword better than the long sword he had picked up during his training.
He couldn't even find a blade made with Valyrian steel.
"I'm good."
Rem said, shaking his head.
The Kingdom's true treasures were already in the hands of Knights or Knightly orders. As for the rest, they were stored deep within the palace's secret vaults, but those weren't items to be handed out to anyone.
They were national treasures.
Krang might have wanted to say, "Just take one of those," but the national treasure was no sword or shield. It was a staff where the Sun God slept.
It was something Encrid neither wanted nor could use.
"Poverty isn't a sin."
Audin said , who had never been interested in treasures in the first place.
Dunbachel didn't pick anything, saying her own curved sword was better, but she did take a pair of shin guards made from the hide of a magical beast. That was the most useful thing she could find. Teresa simply shook her head quietly, following Audin's lead.
"I didn't do much."
Teresa said, thinking she hadn't done anything particularly noteworthy in the recent battles.
She also believed that greed could be dangerous.
"Tell Krang we'll meet again."
Encrid added, seizing the moment.
"Yeah, sure. I guess it's fine for you to call the King by his name. Forget all the pomp and dignity—heroes who saved the nation, Kemon Slayer, and King's ought to be friends, after all."
Marcus spoke without being tied down by rigid formalities. His way of thinking was quite free.
As long as they behaved with decorum in public, that was all that mattered. Marcus didn't think Encrid was stupid enough not to understand that.
Encrid packed up and prepared to leave.
He hadn't expected a grand send-off. They didn't have the capacity for such things.
Look at the state of the treasure vault.
'If the Kingdom doesn't collapse, it'll be a miracle.'
They likely opened the treasury to prevent the Kingdom from collapsing.
It didn't matter that he didn't receive anything from the merit award ceremony.
He hadn't come expecting anything in the first place.
After gathering up his companions, they were making their way out of the Capital via an outer road when a group of Royal Guards blocked the path.
The Commander, wearing a gray helmet, stepped forward.
'A duel?'
That was what Encrid thought when he saw him.
He knew how disappointing it could be when a skilled fighter left. Maybe this person felt the same. Encrid was ready to accept the challenge if that was the case.
But the Royal Guard's Commander removed his gray helmet and knelt on one knee.
"Thanks to you, my eyes have been opened, and I now walk the right path."
He spoke, showing his gratitude.
Following him, all the Royal Guards knelt.
"For the Hero who saved the Kingdom!"
It was no small farewell.
Among them was Rearban, who had once known Encrid.
He had been reassigned here, his merit in battle acknowledged.
"It's been a while."
As Encrid passed and greeted him, he spoke. Rearban was one of the few who had sided with him back then. No matter how much time passed, some people were unforgettable.
Rearban bowed his head deeply.
"I am ashamed."
Rearban said, recalling his past self. Encrid lightly tapped him on the shoulder as he passed.
'For my radiant hero as well.'
As just a man with a sword and not a Royal Guard, Rearban silently swore that if Encrid ever called for him, he would run to his side.
Once all his duties were fulfilled, if Encrid asked, he would be there.
Encrid thought the farewell would end there, but it didn't.
As they neared the Capital's gates, they saw the area filled with citizens.
Judging by the buzzing voices alone, there seemed to be more people than at the coronation.
"For the Hero who saved the Kingdom!"
The citizens of the Capital watched as he left. It was as if they had all planned it together. Among them was a healer who had lost her son, along with Andrew and several trainees.
After the merit ceremony, Andrew could have been anywhere, and he had just received land, so he was surely busier than ever. Yet, he had come to see Encrid off.
"I knew you'd leave right away."
Andrew said as he approached.
"There's nothing more to do here."
"I'm sure we'll meet again?"
"Come visit."
"Will do."
After a brief farewell with Andrew, Asia and the Commander of the southern gate guard approached.
"You're really leaving now?"
The Commander asked as Asia held out her hand. Encrid took it.
"See you again."
It was a simple farewell. The Commander bowed his head, expressing gratitude.
Asia said nothing beyond the handshake.
As they stood there, listening to the cheers of the Kingdom's people, Rem teased him.
"Give them a wave at least."
Encrid followed his advice and waved.
"Demon Slayer!"
"Hero who saved the Kingdom!"
"Take me!"
Why is there always someone shouting, "Take me"?
Encrid thought as he waved a bit more.
The cheers grew louder.
Waaaaaaah!
The roar of the crowd was even greater than what he had heard on the battlefield. It wasn't a bad feeling.
"Noble Slayer."
Rem muttered under his breath, causing Encrid to chuckle as he left the Capital.
Now, it was really time to head back.
"Let's go together for a bit."
Just as Naurillia, the Capital, faded into the distance, a group of people blocked their path.
At the front of the group was...
"Aren't you the King?"
"Does the King do nothing but work?"
It was Krang.
Encrid thought there would be no more farewells, but things were turning out to be quite a spectacle.
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