Eternally Regressing Knight
Chapter 332 - 332 - The Curse Unravels (1)
Chapter 332 - The Curse Unravels (1)
Эстер thought.
She had once believed that she would suffer, bound by this curse, for decades—perhaps even over a hundred years if luck was bad. Worse still, if her luck was really terrible, she might have lived her entire life in a world tainted by curses.
Just thinking about it was horrific.
Such a curse, however, meant that she was willing to do anything to break it.
That was why she had once slept in Энкрид's arms.
Now, there was no need for such a thing, so it had become rare for her to sleep there.
The curse's tangled threads had started to unravel properly.
Her luck had been good.
While facing Galah, who held the river in his grip, she managed to regain some of her old skills, and even swallowed a few of his special objects.
Some of those objects were certainly beneficial to her own magical world.
It would have been better if she could have found his personal laboratory and looted it, but when would she have time for that?
Besides, the man was famous for having multiple disciples.
So, the remaining treasures in his lab would likely belong to his disciples.
They would fight, steal from each other, and the last one standing would claim it all.
Such is the greed of wizards.
The thought of the good relationship between his disciples was laughable.
If they weren't drunk on the desire to transcend human limits and search for the truth, they probably wouldn't even become wizards in the first place.
"Idiots."
She had been caught up in such power struggles before, but not now.
The thought of Galah's disciples, who would eagerly engage in a fight, warmed her heart.
By any measure, Эстер wasn't a person with a particularly pleasant personality.
She knew that well.
Among wizards, she might be considered somewhat decent, but...
"No, even here, surrounded by all these weirdos, I'm still one of the more normal ones."
The same could be said among the madmen of the company.
Her thoughts spiraled, returning to the original subject.
She turned her perspective back to the curse.
Эстер again found herself thinking about the curse she had borne.
The curse hadn't only left bad things behind.
There was something else to it.
It was something unexpected.
She had even gained the strength of a Lake Panther.
Of course, since it was called a curse, it naturally wasn't all positive.
There were side effects too.
Bigger problems than she expected.
"The form of my body is changing."
A physical existence, the body, exists in the form it is perceived.
Especially for a wizard, who deals with the world of spells, it is necessary to recognize one's body accurately to maintain physical form.
If not, the body might be consumed by one's magical world and become a demonic entity.
"Should I push myself further?"
If she pushed herself, she could maintain her human form, but making a mistake could result in irreversible consequences.
Эстер chose her path.
She gave up on maintaining a purely human form.
Living half as a panther would suffice.
She could resolve this problem later in another way.
But the more pressing issue was something else.
"Stagnation."
Her magical world had stagnated.
Despite solving the curse, she still found herself in a state of stagnation, constantly thinking and pondering, but nothing was progressing.
It had stopped.
There was no development.
This unsettled her deeply.
What should she do?
It was the same as before.
She had to wait for inspiration, train her spells, and continuously refine the form of her world.
There were people who broke their limits through constant repetition, after all.
Thinking of Энкрид, Эстер had an inexplicable sense of certainty that her own problem would somehow be resolved.
The frustration began to dissipate.
She felt better.
It was strange, but she found that just thinking of that person made her feel that way.
With her thoughts somewhat settled, she made her way back to the barracks.
Dressed in a black robe, Эстер walked through the military camp.
She was a beauty whose presence captivated everyone's attention.
Normally, everyone would be staring at her, but today, there seemed to be fewer eyes on her.
"Hm?"
It wasn't that she felt disappointed.
It was just... odd.
Эстер quickened her pace.
Soon, she saw Энкрид.
To be precise, she saw Энкрид fighting, smashing through the barracks.
It was purely coincidental.
But that coincidence was likely the result of the usual chain of events.
Энкрид, using his signature pressing sword for the third time, was pushing Тереза and Дунбакелььь back while applying pressure to Рем.
"Do you think this will work?!" Рем shouted as he swung his axe over his head.
Boom! There was no real sound, but Эстер heard something similar to it.
The spell Muller's Scythe created a compressed wind that released a vacuum blade.
It was a spell superior in cutting power and speed.
What were wind and vacuum-based spells? It was, in fact, an art dealing with pressure.
So, what is the ultimate form of wind, pressure, and vacuum spells? It was to influence atmospheric pressure.
Through that, abnormal pressure could be exhibited.
Some of Энкрид's swordsmanship had left an impression on Эстер's mind, sparking her thoughts.
The wizard fell into a deep trance, sinking into her own world.
If she succumbed to meditation at this point, she would likely be left standing there with a blank, vacant expression, but there was no other choice.
It was an opportunity to weave something new into her magical world, a chance she could not miss.
"What is this?" Крайс asked, a touch of irritation in his voice, and Энкрид, bracing his trembling legs, responded.
"A spar."
What else was there to say?
Крайс didn't press the matter any further.
It was already done.
Arguing wouldn't change anything.
The damaged barracks wouldn't repair themselves, and Энкрид wasn't the type to feel remorse.
Whatever it was that brought him satisfaction, the corners of his mouth were gently turned up.
It was a look of relief.
The subtle smile he wore made the atmosphere feel pleasant.
Naturally, there was no desire to say anything more.
"Is this a rebellion? Are you trying to kill me and take my position as lord?"
Lord Грэхем, perhaps worn out from his struggles, was starting to spout nonsense.
"Do you really need to say it like that?" Энкрид responded, casting a glance to one side.
There, standing still, was a woman whose presence stole every gaze around her.
It was Эстер.
She had approached, but suddenly froze, like a wax figure, only breathing quietly.
The soldiers watching her formed a circle around her.
None dared to touch her.
Эстер was also part of the madman company.
She was a wizard who could transform into a leopard, wearing nothing but a black robe, warning anyone who dared look at her body that she would gouge out their eyes.
In other words, she was a very dangerous person.
Энкрид approached the witch.
He could see that her eyes were glazed over.
What was this about?
It was a mystery.
It wasn't common for someone to be inspired by his swordsmanship and seek change in their magical world, and Энкрид was no wizard.
There was nothing to be done about it.
Эстер was sensitive about anyone touching her body. The only person who could do so was Энкрид.
He carefully lifted her, starting from her legs.
As he picked her up, her body went limp.
She seemed as though she had fallen into some kind of trance.
Was this what it felt like when a sword engulfed you, and you lost your mind?
"It's like when the captain drools," Крайс muttered, casting a glance at her.
Энкрид didn't bother to guess her condition.
It was wizardry.
No one knew what was going on.
He needed to lay her down on a bed.
Her eyes were turning, and she seemed unable to keep her wits about her.
But when Энкрид turned, all he saw were the broken barracks.
"Empty another barracks," Lord Грэхем commanded.
"If you're after the lordship, try doing it with words, not with a blade."
Had he always been this fond of making jokes?
Энкрид chuckled softly.
After letting out everything he had learned, it felt refreshing.
No, it wasn't just refreshing; it had shown him a path forward.
"You've changed."
Аудин's compliment echoed in his mind.
"You're useful," muttered Рагна.
Дунбакелььь had fainted, and Тереза, in her reckless state, had her arm twisted by Аудин.
It wasn't broken, but she would need to rest for a day.
Энкрид laid Эстер down quickly and stepped out.
Next, he sought out Рем.
"You're crazy—did you roast someone's heart out on the battlefield?" Рем asked, speaking of Энкрид's sudden rise in strength.
"Do people really get stronger by cannibalism in the West?"
"Some crazy ones believe so."
Рем, wrapped in heated leather, spoke as though the sweat had cooled.
They had just moved to a nearby barracks.
Apart from the people inside, Рем was the only one outside.
It was strange.
He wasn't heading to wash, nor did he have anything to say, yet here he was lingering?
Instead of narrowing his eyes, Энкрид spoke up.
"Рем."
"What's up?"
"It's nothing."
Before the spar, before this situation, the atmosphere had shifted because of Рем.
Энкрид had sensed it.
Аудин had subtly hinted at it as well.
Although he hadn't been able to look into it often due to his busy schedule with others seeking him out, Энкрид had noticed a subtle change in Рем's demeanor.
It wasn't dangerous, but there was an unmistakable sharpness to him.
If he asked what it was, would he get an answer? Maybe. But would knowing make any difference? Would Энкрид be able to do anything about it?
"Why do you start saying something and then stop?" "Doesn't it bother you to leave things unsaid?"
Рем grumbled.
The sharpness that had once seemed dangerously intense had faded, at least for now.
Энкрид decided to skip the process of asking and answering.
"Tomorrow morning."
"What?"
"We'll have the proper spar."
One-on-one.
When he spoke with his eyes, a smile appeared at the corner of Рем's lips.
"Seriously, are you not planning to get that head of yours treated? What do you think will happen if you challenge me on your own?"
"Just don't cry after losing."
Энкрид used his tongue skillfully.
Рем chuckled in response.
"Alright, sounds good. I'll make sure you cry."
After exchanging some fighting spirit, Энкрид turned and walked away, while Рем quietly gazed at the sky.
The stars glimmered in the night sky.
The warmth from the heated leather and stones wrapped around his body.
As Энкрид's footsteps faded, Рем felt his mind settle.
A quiet laugh escaped him.
What does Энкрид think he knows? He wondered. But what could he possibly know?
Рем thought of the lazy, directionless fool.
'What mess did he just get himself into?' He asked himself inwardly.
Of course, he wasn't going to ask directly.
He had changed.
Рем had seen this transformation firsthand.
That was the beginning of this situation.
The strange tension that filled the air was no accident.
It wasn't Рагна who had provoked him, but Рем had noticed.
He would wield a sword unlike anything before.
The change was subtle, but unmistakable.
Of course, they wouldn't know for sure until they fought.
The length of the fight would show the truth.
If there wasn't a clear difference in skill, that was obvious.
The real issue was that Рем had reacted to that change.
He had become sensitive.
'What if I use the Sling?'
Naturally, he began to think of ways to counter Рагна.
His momentum rose, provoking Рагна, who wouldn't try to avoid it.
"Do you want to get buried?"
Рагна, too, hadn't held back on provoking him.
Would Рем retreat? "I'll break your skull."
That was how it began.
Рем continued to stare at the night sky, deep in thought.
'Is this the price I pay for giving up?'
The thought lingered in his mind.
He even reached back into the past.
When he left, he remembered the fortune teller's curse that had followed him.
"You're giving up that power, that right? You will pay the price."
"Fine, I'll handle it."
Рем had said that and turned away.
The fortune teller had clutched her chest and vomited blood in fury.
She had been so angry.
Well, the past was the past, and the present was the present.
Рагна was Рагна, and he was himself.
'Stray cat brat.'
Would things have been less annoying if there had been a little more like Джаксен?
The people he hated were still annoying, but wishing for their death was a different matter, especially with Энкрид as a central figure.
This time, it was Рагна's change that acted as the catalyst, stirring up Рем's competitive spirit, but he decided to shake it off.
'If it goes wrong, I'll just go back and get it.'
There was something he had left behind in his hometown.
What would anyone do about what he had given up?
If he could retrieve it, he would look down on Рагна.
The next morning after moving the barracks, Энкрид began his early morning training.
Аудин had suggested proper training after a few days of observing.
Even now, he was drenched in sweat every morning, with his limbs shaking, yet what did "proper training" even mean?
Дунбакелььь, who had joined the morning training, was plagued by doubts just from listening.
'Should I quit?'
Тереза, though she didn't show it on the outside, had her pupils shaking.
Аудин's training methods were far from normal, but Энкрид remained calm.
"I'm not expecting anything."
His calmness made both Тереза and Дунбакелььь realize once again how solid his resolve was.
And that became a source of motivation for them.
A person who refuses to give up, no matter what, stood beside them.
The half-giant and beastkin also felt the fire stoked within them.
'I won't fall behind.'
Дунбакелььь reaffirmed her determination. 'Wandering Тереза doesn't know how to quit.'
Тереза felt the same.
After finishing the morning training, Энкрид was about to spar with Рем.
"Captain."
A messenger hurried over and called for Энкрид.
"What's going on?"
"You need to come right away."
After dealing with Count Molsan, Энкрид had to personally address a situation that had arisen from his actions. It was a hassle, but it had to be done. However, losing training time for this was another matter.
"It's a noble."
He couldn't just tell them to leave. Even if it was a lesser noble with no inheritance rights, they were still noble.
Энкрид felt the annoyance again.
He needed to find a solution to this issue. There had been a process to find a solution. Энкрид called on that process.
"Крайс?"
Surely, he wasn't slacking off now? He wouldn't welcome those who disturbed his training by seeking him out.
Энкрид's intentions were clear. Just then, the wide-eyed Крайс, still rubbing his eyes, responded with a lazy yawn. "We should start using tactics now, right?" He said.
Энкрид nodded.

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