Chapter 519 - 519 - If you're his daughter, you’ll receive the stepmother’s jealousy
Enkrid stood up from his seat.
"Then."
"Please come in three days."
Eitri spoke without even turning his head.
"Understood."
Enkrid wasn't someone to care about formalities and certainly didn't expect a send-off, so he casually left.
The moment he stepped out of the smithy, the air felt notably cooler.
The intense heat and passion that filled the smithy seemed to linger and intensify inside.
As he turned back, Enkrid passed through the market once again.
He could have used the regular carriage service on the outskirts of the market, but he chose to walk instead.
He wanted to walk, and he also consciously reminded himself that he had not a single coin in his pocket.
It would be ridiculous to introduce himself as "the general of Border Guard, the demon slayer, and the king's friend" just to ride a carriage.
More importantly, the images of Eitri and the Frog lingered in his mind, making his heart thump faster.
That's why he wanted to walk more.
The market was still crowded, and the giant selling goods was still there.
"If you can't pay the price I set, then leave."
Several merchants in front of the giant were angry, but none dared to step forward.
That would be expected if they had any brains.
No matter how skilled the Border Guard's soldiers were, they wouldn't be able to intervene faster than the giant could crush someone's skull.
The giant's fist was much closer than the guards.
Was it brave to get angry?
Or was it just foolishness?
Probably the latter.
The merchants probably thought of the giant as just a merchant, and if this was outside the city and they were meeting alone, they would never dare provoke the giant.
Aside from that, the giant merchant didn't seem particularly wise in business.
He ignored all attempts at negotiation.
"Why are you being so stubborn?"
As Enkrid passed by, he asked.
The giant, watching the merchants leave, glanced at Enkrid.
What was this person doing wandering around in the middle of the day?
Was he one of those hosts who prey on women's pockets?
The giant stopped his thoughts and spoke.
"I bring goods that no one else can get."
Enkrid could hear the pride in the giant's voice.
Enkrid waited for the giant's next words, and naturally, he relaxed his posture, staring into the giant's eyes, listening calmly.
This was something that affected the giant's mood.
It wasn't common for people to listen so seriously and attentively.
"I don't have the skills to make things, but I can get what's needed to make something special. I give proper items to proper people and take proper payment in return. That's my job."
The giant's eyes shone as he spoke.
His brown eyes reflected the sunlight, making him seem like more of a merchant full of ambition rather than a monstrous beast.
He didn't get angry when merchants cursed at him or when someone tried to provoke him.
Now, though, he seemed slightly more agitated.
Why?
Because he was finally speaking of what he truly wanted.
'I will become a knight.'
Enkrid had said the same thing once.
There was a boiling, irresistible urge inside him that had shaped his path.
His blood boiled.
He saw himself in the giant's words.
"We'll meet again."
"Bringa Krona with you next time."
"Definitely. Next time, my big-eyed friend that carries Krona in a backpack, not just in a pocket, will be with me."
It was sincere.
"Do that."
The giant chuckled.
Enkrid nodded, turned around, and headed toward the barracks.
As he walked, his pace slowed little by little.
Dreams, desires, enthusiasm—those things tumbled in his mind like tangled threads.
But why did he feel this way?
While sorting out his thoughts, he noticed a small child sitting by the side of the road, staring directly at him.
It was an inevitable gaze, one that caught his attention.
The child looked as though their head barely reached Enkrid's chest, with a delicate build and ragged, torn clothes.
The child stood far away from the guarded gates.
Maybe fourteen? Fifteen?
The child didn't seem that old.
The face had freckles, and the hair was dull and a dark red color.
If properly cared for, it might shine a bright red.
The child's eyes were a light brown.
The child stood up without brushing off the dirt on their bottom, still staring intently at Enkrid.
"If this is luck, then the god of alchemy must have helped. Otherwise, it seems my efforts have finally paid off."
Enkrid, still walking, casually met the child's eyes as he spoke.
The child's voice was thin and high-pitched, and Enkrid could immediately tell the child was a girl.
He had known from the body shape earlier, though.
Enkrid stopped walking.
The voice was bright, clear, and carried an energy and determination that didn't match the child's frail appearance.
"Do you know who I am?"
Enkrid asked bluntly.
"You are the lord of Border Guard."
The child answered.
Perhaps a more pleasant title than "demon slayer."
Most importantly, the fact that the child recognized him immediately—an assassin?
It didn't seem like it.
There was no killing intent, and just looking at the child's build and posture didn't suggest they had learned any lethal arts.
Not to mention, there was no hint of magic in the air.
Was this all some trick?
Perhaps, but Enkrid's instinct told him it wasn't.
This child had come looking for him.
"You were looking for me? Why?"
The child, thinking she had been lucky, never expected to meet him by chance.
If luck was on her side, she might have the chance to speak to someone of power, so she had positioned herself here.
She had lingered near the barracks but clearly didn't think she would be allowed inside by the soldiers.
She knew from experience that the disciplined soldiers here wouldn't be swayed by tricks.
In fact, she didn't have any tricks to use.
Not wanting to give up, she had collapsed on the ground and was wondering what to do next.
Through long conversations, she had made her way here.
Searching for hope, this was the only path left.
In simple terms, she had gambled her life and soul on this, and luck had been with her so far.
Among the merchants heading this way, it wasn't easy to find one who would pity a poor girl like her.
With the help of the giant merchant, and a few other events along the way, she had made it here.
"I've come to seek revenge for my master's death."
Originally, she had planned to kneel and beg for help.
She had thought of that at first, but now, standing face-to-face with Enkrid, these words came out instead.
Her natural temperament played a role in this, but the reason the words came so easily was because Enkrid, the lord of Border Guard, had stopped at her words, looked her in the eye, and listened intently.
Some days she felt like she might burst into tears; other days, she thought living as things came might be better.
But in the end, she had come this far.
Thank you, gods.
Without the gods' favor, she would already be a corpse, rotting somewhere in a desolate corner of a wasteland or valley.
Her ragged appearance proved how difficult her journey had been.
Her nails were broken, her shoes worn out with holes near her big toes.
She stank of old sweat and unpleasant odors, but the girl didn't care and said,
"I know you killed the alchemist Lavan."
"Who?"
Enkrid didn't recognize the name. Even if he had heard it before, it was long forgotten by now.
The girl explained, and Enkrid listened.
The reason he didn't dismiss her?
Her clear, strong voice, her confident attitude, and the surprisingly neat manner in which she spoke caught his sensitive perception.
She didn't look like an ordinary child.
As she continued explaining, Enkrid realized who the alchemist Ravan was.
A madman who once conducted human experiments under the command of the Black Blade.
But a skilled madman.
Enkrid added to that the fact that he was a madman who also trained several disciples.
In reality, the girl was destined to become Lavan's concubine when she grew up, but Enkrid, who changed that fate, became her benefactor.
Although the girl was only sixteen, she understood enough to know that Enkrid was her benefactor.
However, the untimely death of her master caused her immense suffering.
Most painfully, she couldn't finish the studies she had been longing for.
"I'm meant to be the best healer, but now I have no krona and no one to teach me, so I'm about to sell my body. Do you have any thoughts on looking after me and taking responsibility?"
The girl spoke with confidence.
Enkrid noticed the freckles on her face and her poorly wiped skin, likely from a recent wash.
The dirt on her neck and elsewhere suggested that she hadn't been able to clean herself properly, but he didn't think it was something dirty.
Instead, what caught his attention was the girl's eyes.
They weren't captivating because of their beauty, but because they burned with desire, with a longing flame.
"I can be an excellent healer. I don't mean to handle the divine, though."
The girl lifted her chin and spoke directly, her glowing brown eyes staring at Enkrid.
"Explain."
"...You really want me to?"
They were on the street.
There were no chairs or refreshments, and one side looked disheveled, while the other had complicated emotions tangled up.
But that didn't matter.
"Yes, explain."
The girl raised her head and began speaking.
What a healer truly was, why she was necessary, what she would do in the future, her goals, and what benefits Enkrid could gain from it.
Some parts were clumsy, but others were remarkable.
Enkrid was struck by awe.
The girl spoke passionately, and it felt like her enthusiasm was infecting him.
The moment he felt that, it was as if a lightning bolt struck him.
Her shining eyes, the eyes of someone moving forward.
He had seen such eyes before.
Not long ago, he had seen them in the Frog, and just before, in the artisan Eitri. Enkrid recalled those who had once looked at him with such eyes: the boy who dreamed of being an herbalist, Rem, Ragna, Jaxen, Audin, Ropord, Fel, Esther, Dunbakel, Teresa. They too, at some point, looked at him with such eyes.
And that brought to mind Aishia.
"I had almost given up. My brother and I were just getting by, eating one meal a day. But that didn't seem right."
She had said that while looking at Oara's back.
How were Aishia's eyes back then?
The eyes of the knight with orange hair burned with the same desire, full of zeal.
A renewed determination to move forward filled her.
'And me?'
What about him now?
Had he ever felt satisfaction, even for a moment?
No, that wasn't it.
He hadn't been satisfied.
But having become a knight and gained sufficient skill, he had unwittingly felt content.
He didn't think this was the end, but his dream seemed fulfilled for now.
He had achieved what he once only dreamed of.
Was he content to have reached the same level as Rem and Ragna?
Was he satisfied because he could now protect those behind him?
Was he relieved that he could now give strength to those who spoke of dreams?
The small tremor within Enkrid began to stir his entire body.
A tingling sensation started from his toes and rushed up his body, through his chin and to the crown of his head, like lightning, piercing through him.
At some point, he had closed his eyes, but now he opened them again.
He realized that the sunlight, the wind, and everything was different.
Yet, some things remained unchanged.
There was also the Ego Sword that had pushed him to become this way.
Aker's words flashed through his mind.
You've already learned everything from here and there, so there's no fun in teaching anymore.
I could teach you tactics, but where did you learn them first?
Are you receiving lessons from another knight?
Was I unlucky?
You're already a finished vessel.
Will will be handled better with time.
Every word suggested that he had overcome limits and achieved results.
He clung to this realization.
It wasn't a holy sword; it was a cursed sword.
The conclusion was clear.
"Aker, this bastard."
Enkrid muttered.
Hey, it's a misunderstanding.
Aker's voice echoed.
It was a sword imbued with will, not meant for idle chatter.
This, too, must have a purpose.
If not, he would throw it into the deepest valley.
The eyes of the giant merchant, the blacksmith Eitri, the jewel crafter Frog, and the girl with the clear voice who wanted to become a healer, all of them. And all the others he had met.
Enkrid felt as though he had broken through a tough shell and tasted freedom.
"Pardon? Aker?"
The girl, unsure whether the man before her was truly Enkrid or just a madman, questioned.
"Just talking to myself. I'll take responsibility, though. But don't try to get me to marry you."
"...You dream big. Do you think just because you're good-looking all women will fall for you?"
"That's enough."
Enkrid said as he turned, but the girl spoke again from behind.
"My name's Anne. What should I do if you just leave me like this?"
"Follow me."
Anne followed Enkrid as he entered the barracks.
He handed her over to Shinar, who was waiting inside.
"Find someone to feed and wash her."
"You brought your daughter and immediately handed her over to me?"
"Cut the fairy jokes."
If Esther could see Enkrid's expression now, she'd probably say his eyebrows had returned to their original form.
Indeed, Enkrid's relaxed eyebrows returned to normal.
Shinar sensed the unique atmosphere Enkrid emanated.
It was like a lifeless tree that had turned into a blazing furnace.
"Be careful with fire."
Shinar said, but Enkrid, already walking away, didn't pay attention.
There were more urgent matters.
Shinar, seeing this, spoke up.
"Who are you? If you're his daughter, you'll receive the stepmother's jealousy."
Shinar jokingly spoke to someone other than Enkrid, sensing a slight joy.
When Anne realized she was alone, she questioned whether it had been a mistake to head toward Border Guard.
"Aren't I a bit too old to be called a daughter?"
"I see."
Shinar nodded in understanding.
"Then a concubine?"
"Absolutely not! I prefer men who are a bit more relaxed. And I don't like them unless they're blonde."
Anne, though young, had clear preferences.
"Welcome."
Shinar said sincerely.
Not all women would fall for Enkrid, but it was still a warm greeting.

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