A Knight Who Eternally Regresses

The soldier who guided Encrid to his quarters rubbed his eyes discreetly.

It seemed like he had seen something wrong.

‘Is this real?’

It didn’t seem right. Maybe his eyes were playing tricks on him.

As soon as the Platoon leader appeared, a soldier named Ragna stood up from his seat.

‘Why are you getting up all of a sudden?’

Ragna was known for hardly ever getting up, even among the crazy members of the squad, he was considered the laziest. And yet, here he was, rising up in an instant?

Everyone who had been watching him, especially those who had seen him recently, would have stood up, slapping their thighs in disbelief.

‘What’s with him?’

He was the kind of guy who surprised people just by standing up. This guy.

He was the lazy bastard who wouldn’t get up, even if they told him to get up, leave, or that enemy soldiers were attacking right in front of him until their ears were calloused from telling him so.

“You’re late.”

Ragna spat out the words as he grabbed his sword.

“I need to check if I’ve deteriorated…”

As if merely getting up wasn’t enough, he was now proposing a spar? And he’s the one suggesting it?

Usually, harsh words would fly around within the squad, but this guy rarely acknowledged them. Yet here he was, suggesting a duel, gripping his sword like he was eager to fight, showing a stance that clearly indicated he wanted to swing his sword right away.

“Are you crazy?”

Rem, known as the laziest madman in the squad, stood in front of Ragna.

“You know the first duel is always mine, right? Isn’t that right?”

What was going on here?

This was the guy simply known as ‘the madman’.

The craziest in the squad.

The madman who would swing his axe for no reason.

The madman who would be the first to go berserk if provoked.

And now, this madman was smiling. It wasn’t a mocking smile, nor one filled with malice.

It was a pure smile.

Combined with his savage features, it even made him seem innocent.

“Are you hurt?”

And he was even concerned about others.

That crazy savage who was known for splitting heads with his axe could actually worry about others.

The soldier was one of the Battalion Commander’s direct subordinates.

He had been tasked with guiding Encrid, the new Platoon leader, and assessing what kind of person he was.

But the scene before his eyes was strange.

“It doesn’t seem like anything’s broken.”

He’s speaking now, too.

So that guy does have a mouth.

At one point, he used to be friendly with most of the squad, but recently, he had become a madman who did nothing but glare. He spoke so little that people wondered if he’d bitten his tongue off somewhere.

His name was Jaxon, right?

They used to call him ‘The madman with clear eyes’.

His clear, piercing gaze made people’s skin crawl for no reason, leaving them feeling unnerved.

“Did you apply ointment?”

It was surprising to hear ‘The madman with clear eyes’, that guy, speak, but he even went as far as to check the Platoon leader’s wrist.

‘This must be a dream.’

Why had they changed so much?

The last one was known as the ‘Holy Madman’.

These four were already well-known throughout the squad.

Each was considered uniquely crazy.

Among them, this person stood out the most.

He had a build reminiscent of a large boulder, yet always walked around with a gentle smile. Most notably, unlike the other madmen, he was kind.

Not that he was particularly obedient, though.

Sometimes, when he was seen praying, it seemed as if a halo shone around him. He was the kind of soldier who, if he got involved, seemed capable of crushing an entire enemy squad with just a few blows, but claimed he couldn’t fight because he hadn’t received a call from the Gods. This truly crazy person.

In the deputy’s view, this guy was the real madman.

A priest who receives responses to their prayers demonstrates their divinity through holy power.

But this guy didn’t use holy power. So what did that mean?

It meant his prayers went unanswered, and he wasn’t a proper priest.

‘What divine message is that?’

He would use the search for God as an excuse to shirk duties.

Shouldn’t he follow orders if he’s in the military?

If not, why was he here?

The ‘Holy Madman’ spoke with the same gentle smile as always.

“Brother, you have lacked training. Have you been slacking off? You get injured because you’re lazy. Train, train.”

Regardless of his beliefs, this always-friendly madman chided people with a smiling face.

‘The regular madman just giggles. The madman with clear eyes just stares at wrists with clear eyes. The lazy madman looks diligent. The holy madman scolds people?’

What’s going on? It was all so absurd, incredibly, utterly absurd.

The only one who could make sense of this situation was this person.

The deputy’s gaze turned to Encrid.

He spoke calmly, regardless of what was happening around him.

“It’s not broken.”

He glanced around and continued,

“It’s just a matter of resting a bit. But that’s not the issue. What on earth happened? How did this squad become the Madmen’s Squad instead of the Troublemaker Squad?”

It’s only been about eight days. How did the troublemakers turn into madmen in that time?

Encrid’s question was reasonable.

Rem responded confidently, as usual.

“I think it’s because there was no Platoon leader, so it’s all the Platoon leader’s fault. It’s all the Platoon leader’s fault.”

The madman just spouted mad nonsense.

“So, about the duel?”

The lazy madman responded to that.

“Underestimating a minor injury can cause trouble at a crucial moment. Let’s remove the bandage first. A madman? Who says that? I’ve never heard of it.”

“I don’t know anything about that, Squad Leader.”

Following that, the madman with clear eyes and the holy madman each offered their unique responses.

The deputy had expected Encrid to reprimand them harshly.

Calling it the Madmen’s Squad, regardless of the absence of a leader, seemed problematic.

Above all, Andrew, who had stopped crying by now, was standing beside them.

He’s the squad member with the black eye.

Those bruised eyes were evidence of trouble within the squad.

“What happened to his eyes?”

Sure enough, Encrid questioned it.

“He was sparring to improve his skills.”

At the madman’s response, Encrid simply nodded.

“Hmm, that was well done.”

Was this really well done? His comrade’s eyes were bruised, swollen to the point where they could barely be seen.

“Even so, I’m not leaving. I’ll stay under the commander.”

Even Andrew, who usually didn’t even make a sound, seemed oddly different in Encrid’s presence.

He used to just silently watch for cues, but now he seemed almost confrontational.

“Yeah, that’s why I like you. How about we have a round? Wait a moment, I’m going to have some fun with our Platoon leader first.”

Rem’s face was full of smiles. It looked like a happy smile, at least to the deputy.

The deputy waited for Encrid to scold the squad, talking about the madmen and whatnot.

“Go and find out why I was called, why that lucky fellow is needed.”

The deputy had taken it upon himself to guide the Platoon leader, as per the Battalion Commander’s orders.

So, he had to report whatever this man did, and he waited for Encrid to take some action.

But that was the end of it.

The madman with clear eyes removed the bandage.

A black panther, appearing out of nowhere, blinked its blue eyes and yawned.

“Meow.”

Encrid looked at him intently, and then the other squad members also turned their gazes towards the deputy.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

Encrid asked. It didn’t sound like an invitation to stay and chat.

“Oh, yes, I’m going. Have a good rest.”

The deputy turned and left.

After he left, Rem tilted his head and asked,

“Why was he following us around? He kept rolling his eyes for days.”

“Eyes?”

“He kept staring. I thought he was asking me to kill him, so I was planning to decorate his head with an axe tomorrow.”

“You crazy bastard, that’s not just assaulting a superior, that’s murder.”

“Really?”

He probably wasn’t asking because he didn’t know. Especially when he was smiling like that, it was clear he knew exactly what he was doing.

“Just leave it alone. Don’t cause trouble with the higher-ups, especially since that guy is directly under the Battalion Commander.”

“If things get bad, I’ll just leave the military.”

Of course, that wouldn’t be a normal discharge.

Rem’s discharge would probably be more like a military escape with two axes.

While Encrid and Rem were conversing, Jaxon knelt on one knee and began applying ointment to his wrist.

A cool sensation spread across his wrist. It was cold, refreshing, and slightly itchy—a peculiar feeling.

It didn’t seem like a regular ointment.

Maybe it felt that way because it had been a while.

Why was he so proactive about treating injuries?

Regardless, Encrid said what he needed to.

“Let’s try to align with what the higher-ups are saying.”

The reason he was called in such a hurry had been made clear on the way over.

The battlefront situation was deteriorating, morale was dropping, and there was unrest within the unit.

The nickname ‘Madmen’s Squadron’ was evidence of this unrest.

To raise the army’s discipline by beheading these soldiers would be a waste of talent.

But tolerating them and trying to manage the situation seemed likely to lead to more trouble.

‘The Company Commander must have protected them too.’

The Fairy Company Commander, whatever her thoughts, had subtly taken care of herself and his soldiers.

Bringing his squad here was probably for a similar reason.

He knew how much of a problem it would be if they refused to act without theirPlatoon leader.

So, she brought them along.

Separate from worrying about how she managed to bring them, Encrid understood this much.

Of course, Krais had explained it to him along the way.

The only problem was that these people wouldn’t necessarily listen to him.

They weren’t the type to fight just because they were ordered to.

Even now, none of them were paying attention to what Encrid said.

They ignored it completely. They had no intention of aligning with what the higher-ups said.

‘What can I do?’

This was the Troublemsker Squad, the Madmen’s Squad.

Jaxon, who had re-bandaged the wrist, spoke with his eyes downcast.

“You shouldn’t overdo it, but you’ll have to suffer the consequences later.”

He knew they wouldn’t listen, no matter what he said. Jaxon stepped back.

“Yeah. The suffering will be my burden.”

As they finished speaking, Krais, who had been standing behind them, finally spoke.

“Am I invisible or something?”

“Huh? You’re here?”

“Yeah, I saw you.”

“Ah, you’ve arrived, brother.”

The three, excluding Jaxon, continued the conversation. Jaxon only gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment.

After all, he had some dealings with Krais—mostly involving exchanging information, introducing prostitutes, and selling drugs.

Krais knew better than to expect much from these men, so he was content with what he got.

Then, it was time for sparring.

As they gathered outside the barracks, Enri finally spoke up.

“It’s intimidating just to say anything. In some ways, Andrew deserves respect for stepping up.”

Enri’s face was unscathed. He knew how to conduct himself well.

‘It also means this is as far as it goes.’

He didn’t have conflicts with anyone in the squad, but he also couldn’t get close to any of them.

Encrid didn’t judge people harshly.

But he knew the judgment of his own soldiers.

The fact that none of them kept Enri close meant they didn’t expect him to pull his weight in the squad.

Even so, he didn’t tell anyone to go home or suggest they should leave the military.

Who was he to say that?

Even though everyone had told him to quit, he still held on to his sword.

Yes, he hadn’t given up.

Not once had he backed down.

He had crawled forward, inch by inch.

That was the current Encrid.

He had kept going, even after injuring his wrist against the Frog. He had shown something different, something accumulated over time.

He felt he could do it again, as long as he didn’t overstrain his wrist.

It didn’t seem too difficult.

“I’m going first.”

Rem stepped forward, smiling, and swung his axe. There was no warning.

Encrid swung his sword in response.

Rem’s arm moved like a whip, and the axe blade appeared to do the same, stretching and bending.

Encrid’s sword curved to meet it.

As they swung at high speed, afterimages trailed behind, and the axe blade and sword clashed.

Bang!

With one clash, one exchange of moves.

That alone made the corner of Rem’s mouth twist upward.

“Well, look at that?”

Rem muttered, and his smile deepened.

The sound of metal clashing reverberated through the night, causing a stir around them.

“What is it now?”

“The Madmen’s Squad again?”

“What are they up to this time?”

Upon realizing that the commotion was from the Madmen’s Squad, the soldiers naturally gathered as spectators.

It wasn’t just the usual infighting, there was a new face, making it an interesting spectacle.

Some people recognized that face—like Vengeance, Bell from the previous battlefield, the Squad Leader who had stitched up Encrid, some members of the Border Guard, and even those who had faced Encrid in his promotion match.

Clang! Clang!

The sound of metal meeting metal, sparks flying, and the ensuing noise drew everyone’s attention.

They watched the sparring between Rem and Encrid, and everyone was left speechless.

“Uh, what is this?”

Someone’s muttering expressed the confusion of all the spectators.

Encrid, that Encrid.

Even though he had recently been promoted to high-ranking soldier.

He was an opponent who had been significantly weaker than them.

He was once the target of ridicule, called a fool of a squad leader.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

Now, he was swinging his sword so fast it was almost invisible, parrying, thrusting, and clashing with Rem’s axe.

Rem, who had recently gained more renown by cutting down ten enemies, even earning some admiration from their own side, was now evenly matched with Encrid.

At least, that’s how it appeared to the onlookers.

And it didn’t end there.

“Let’s continue this conversation later. There are more waiting.”

Rem stopped during the sparring.

Behind him was Ragna.

Behind Ragna was Audin.

They each took turns fighting Encrid, and Encrid didn’t easily yield to any of them.

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