Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 589 - Concerns and Worries

Chapter 589 - Concerns and Worries

"Is something ominous coming?"

Enkrid had never disregarded the warnings given by the Ferryman.

He always listened carefully, never ignoring the man's words.

As usual, Enkrid was serious.

"Is it really coming this time?"

The back-to-back questions made the Ferryman give him a long, silent stare.

Enkrid wasn't oblivious; if the man's gaze were laced with curses, he'd understand.

However, today, the Ferryman's eyes held no emotion.

The Ferryman appeared grayer than usual—an emotionless doll or a mask carved from stone.

The purple lamplight illuminated his face from below, casting shadows that split at his nose and shaded his forehead, making his features seem haunting, as if plucked from a nightmare.

But to Enkrid, fear based on appearance alone was meaningless.

Whether this was a dream or reality, his approach remained unchanged.

He spoke honestly.

"Really?"

It was pure curiosity.

He couldn't discern if the Ferryman was genuinely warning him or simply attempting to scare him again.

Normally, such a reaction would crack the Ferryman's facade, if only slightly.

But today, the man was unshakable, like a boulder.

The Ferryman ignored Enkrid's question entirely and spoke.

"I'll give you two choices."

He said only what he intended to, and Enkrid listened intently—his specialty was serious listening.

He never felt embarrassed by a lack of response.

The Ferryman placed the lamp on the table, extending two gray fingers with dull, milky nails.

The lamp's glow cast shadows between his fingers.

Folding his middle finger, he left his index finger extended.

"One option is to find any rock right now, bash your head against it, and die."

What did he mean by that?

It was reminiscent of his previous advice when dealing with Overdier: stop and savor the present moment.

Naturally, it was advice Enkrid had no intention of taking, so the Ferryman continued without pause.

"By doing so, you could live as an immortal being, enjoying abundant days like today.

Travelers would praise you, the sun and wind would be your companions, and you could sleep under the stars and exchange jokes with your comrades.

It would be comfortable and peaceful."

Enkrid didn't counter with remarks like, If I wanted that kind of life, I wouldn't have come this far.

The Ferryman already knew that, and Enkrid's silent gaze was answer enough.

Without waiting for a reply, the Ferryman continued.

"The second option is to turn back.

Go back and prepare to face the wall.

Not this wall, but another, later.

Not now."

Was this advice?

A warning?

Something akin to both?

The Ferryman spoke with double the gravity he did when discussing swords.

Enkrid stared into the Ferryman's colorless eyes.

Were they akin to those of a monster?

No, not quite. freewebnσvel.cѳm

If he focused intently, he could see faint hues of dull gray, with distinguishable pupils that carried hints of emotion—concern, if his instincts weren't betraying him.

Still, this was a dreamlike world, and the Ferryman showed only what he chose to.

Enkrid recalled the Ferryman once mentioning that the events of dreams wouldn't linger in memory.

Yet Enkrid had remembered every significant conversation they'd had.

That's why he knew today's Ferryman was different.

Usually, there wasn't a trace of concern in his demeanor—just purposeful words.

But now, the Ferryman wasn't telling him to stop entirely but to face another challenge later.

It was a suggestion for a wiser course.

"Move forward, and you will regret it."

The Ferryman's gray lips moved soundlessly in this dream world, where meanings were conveyed without vibrations in the air.

The Ferryman offered a fork in the road, two choices, and even guidance.

But for Enkrid, the Ferryman's concern or correctness didn't matter.

It wasn't pride or stubbornness.

Life was uncertain, and that uncertainty made it beautiful and enjoyable.

Enkrid didn't believe in an endless, repetitive today.

That was the fundamental difference between his and the Ferryman's views of the world.

So he wouldn't follow the Ferryman's advice. Even if it stemmed from foreknowledge, even if the future seemed harsh, he would remain resolute. That was how Enkrid had lived his life so far.

"Thank you for the advice."

With that, Enkrid woke. The sound of winter rain pattered softly as morning broke. A light mist greeted him, and the air was noticeably colder than the previous day. He blew out a breath, watching the white vapor drift away.

"Cold? Shall I hug you?"

Beside him, Luagarne spoke as she kicked at the damp campfire.

Enkrid blinked a few times, processing the words before replying.

"Have you been spending too much time with Shinar?"

"Exactly as the fairy predicted. She said you'd respond like that."

Luagarne puffed her cheeks in laughter.

Traveling together was turning out to be unexpectedly enjoyable. Though their journey wasn't long, the Frog had said so herself.

Enkrid didn't mind; it was, in its own way, pleasant.

The Ferryman's words?

If he were to live burdened by concern, he might as well stop today as the Ferryman suggested.

But he wouldn't, so he would simply forget and move forward.

As he exchanged a few words with Luagarne, Enkrid found himself marveling at Shinar.

Even in her absence, the fairy's jokes managed to reach him through others.

What an incredible talent.

It wasn't a widespread trend or infectious humor; only Esther and Luagarne shared Shinar's brand of fairy jokes.

She had wanted to come along, but recent cult activity in the forest had kept her busy.

That was why she wasn't here.

She always took her responsibilities seriously—whether as a company commander or during the mission to save Krang.

She never left a job half-done.

Was she a reliable ally?

Undoubtedly.

Enkrid considered himself fortunate.

The people around him, though eccentric, were genuinely good.

He just didn't realize that his presence was the reason they stayed.

"Let's get moving."

With that, Enkrid resumed his steps toward Cross Guard.

The rain soon ceased, revealing a picture-perfect blue sky.

By midday, the sun shone warmly.

The warmth reminded him of Audin, though today's sunlight felt kinder than divine radiance.

The pair walked diligently, reaching Cross Guard by nightfall.

The sight of its battlements and walls brought back memories of their last visit—the Vine mage, Finn, Torres, and the pack of werewolves.

At that time, he had to exert all his strength to climb over the walls.

Today, however, the path opened up simply by repeating the act.

Now, merely walking was enough to open the gates.

Thunk-thunk-thunk.

The oiled wooden gates reinforced with iron bands creaked open to both sides, revealing a group of soldiers operating the pulleys inside.

There was no moat, but the walls were thick.

Looking at the battlements, Enkrid thought that with his current physical capabilities, scaling those walls would be much easier than before.

However, he noticed something different.

Sharp, spike-like protrusions were installed atop the battlements.

"Blade-tipped battlements now, huh?"

It was a precaution taken after they had suffered at his hands before.

Enkrid knew this modification was Abnaier's doing.

"There's a saying that raising barricades after being attacked is like locking the barn after the horse is stolen. It's an obvious notion, but if you don't even raise the barricades afterward, aren't you essentially inviting another attack?"

This was Abnaier's reasoning, and Enkrid wholeheartedly agreed.

If you fail to act even after being attacked, nothing will ever change.

Whether early or late, action is what matters.

Entering through the open gates, Enkrid scanned his surroundings.

Certain details caught his eye.

Among them was a group of robed figures standing amidst a haphazard array of tent-like huts within the walls.

He could sense a distinct wariness emanating from them.

After advancing in his knightly rank, Enkrid's intuition had sharpened significantly, and now, he could discern such things merely by observing.

"Wariness."

The apparent owners of the huts also came into view.

They were all dressed in rags, thin and impoverished, looking this way with vacant expressions.

Their gazes carried a different emotion.

"Anxiety."

Scattered among them were several armed individuals, some of whom stared openly.

Their gazes carried another clear message.

"Curiosity."

Or perhaps a desire to test their strength.

Wariness, anxiety, and curiosity mixed in the glances directed his way, along with a faint smell of tobacco wafting through the air.

A few individuals stood by the gate itself, smoking their rolled leaves.

"Welcome."

Enkrid turned his gaze to the man greeting him.

He had narrow eyes and a snake-like appearance—that was Enkrid's first impression.

Krais had intentionally spread the word that the Border Guard's standing army was heading to Cross Guard due to cultist problems.

It was a deliberate act with multiple intentions, the primary one being to establish justification.

The message was that dealing with the cultists was an issue that concerned the entire continent. Even if nations were officially enemies, there was merit in presenting a bold front publicly.

Perhaps the snake-eyed man had heard the news for these reasons.

In any case, the snake-eyed man had come out to greet Enkrid and introduced himself as an administrator working directly under the mayor.

His three guards, armed swordsmen, were unremarkable in skill. Enkrid assessed their level at a glance.

"How did you know to come out and greet us in advance?"

Enkrid asked politely.

The snake-eyed man responded with a smile.

"I was told to be informed immediately if someone arrived from the Border Guard."

By whom?

Perhaps those stationed atop the walls?

While there were a few archers on the battlements, they didn't seem particularly alert or competent.

Ultimately, it didn't matter where the information had come from.

"It's an honor to welcome you, Sir Knight."

Enkrid did not reveal his identity.

Though his reputation had spread widely, it was still difficult to identify someone by appearance or attire alone.

There had been no detailed portraits of him, only vague descriptions of his features.

Moreover, traveling and camping often left even the most distinguished face looking scruffy, and Enkrid was no exception.

Adding to the confusion, he frequently replaced his armor, making it hard to recognize him by his gear.

This time, he wore a navy-blue cloak over a gray scale armor, with the shoulder guards removed because they restricted his arm movements.

The only constant piece of equipment was the leather gauntlets he wore, which were highly durable.

He had purchased them from a giant merchant at the Border Guard market, and Aetri had refined their shape, praising the excellent quality of the materials while doing so.

"You seem to know who I am."

Enkrid subtly probed.

"How could one not know of the black-haired, blue-eyed knight?"

The snake-eyed man replied with a grin.

Enkrid nodded.

He didn't particularly like the man's obsequious behavior, but it wasn't enough to call him out.

zAfter all, you couldn't go around reprimanding everyone who irked you.

"I'll guide you to the manor."

"No need. An inn will suffice for us."

Enkrid declined politely.

As he looked at the snake-eyed man, the latter readily agreed and began walking to lead the way to an inn.

He neither seemed flustered nor questioned why, simply changing direction without a word.

His three guards followed suit without protest.

The inn he led them to wasn't shabby, but the musty smell was pungent.

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