Chapter 738 -When you’re in too much pain, sometimes you can’t even make a sound
"We need to leave the village right now."
They called it a meeting, but really, it was just everyone gathering in the center of the village around a big round wooden table and talking loudly.
Since the village wasn’t very big, Brunhild could easily hear everything being discussed.
Naturally, Enkrid heard as well.
Some of the villagers who didn’t participate in the meeting eyed him warily, as if keeping their distance.
Once someone’s strength goes beyond a certain level, it can inspire fear rather than reassurance—especially for people who live in hiding, evading the Continent’s laws.
Knowing this, Enkrid stayed silent.
He hadn’t been invited to join the meeting, and honestly, he had no intention of forcing his way in.
That didn’t mean he had nothing to say; but right now, even voicing his opinion would only make the villagers more anxious.
Still, that didn’t mean he was going to blindly agree with everything.
So, he let all his thoughts remain unspoken.
The man insisting that everyone needed to abandon the village right away was an easygoing fellow with brown hair. Compared to Harkbent, he was timid.
He kept repeating things like, "If this keeps up, we’re all going to die."
One of the children had relayed his words several times—asking if everyone was really going to die, if it was all over, if after death they’d go see their mother.
If you let fear spread, you won’t be able to do what needs to be done.
Even if we decide to flee, we can’t do it like that. After a long discussion, we’d at least need to pretend we’ve found a safe route before leaving.
’If mass panic breaks out, everyone dies.’
If people scatter in fear, there will be no solution.
Even someone like Enkrid can’t help if things spiral out of his reach.
"Everyone, quiet down. We’ve known for a while now that the Beasts’ behavior isn’t normal. That’s why we’ve made our preparations."
An elderly man stepped forward and cut him off.
The timid man tried to say something in response, but when Harkbent shot him a fierce look, he fell silent.
Still, his beard kept trembling.
It was obvious that, rattled by anxiety, he just wanted to say anything at all.
"We’ve faced crises many times before, but we always managed to overcome them. This time will be no different."
This time, another man spoke. But that statement was also off the mark. It’s one thing to be careless because you lack a sense of crisis, but even beyond that—
’Vague hope.’
This is no good.
No matter how much you kneel and pray to God, food won’t just drop from the sky above your head If you don’t move forward, you won’t gain anything.
"Quiet."
Harkbent silenced him as well.
The rest of the meeting yielded no answers. There were five people in attendance, and among them, Harkbent held the most influence. It was obvious, even at a glance.
"Thank you."
After watching for a while, a man named Jerry approached and spoke.
"Think nothing of it."
"You saved my life, but I have nothing to give you in return."
If this were the military, Harkbent would be the commander and Jerry something like the head of scouts.
Of course, there weren’t many subordinates under their command.
"At least take this."
Jerry said, handing over a blue stone. It was only about the size of a palm, but it felt even harder than regular stone. Valerian Steel is said to shine blue, but this was pure blue, and as it rested on my palm, I felt a gentle vibration spread out through my skin.
Cold?
It felt more refreshing than cold.
"Sometimes, if you explore the caves deep in the mountains, you can find these. It’s much better to have one with you when it gets hot."
It was a rare item.
"Thank you."
Enkrid accepted it without hesitation.
Brunhild, who had been standing next to him long before Jerry approached, poked Enkrid in the thigh.
"This is going to take a while, so why don’t you go to the back and teach us how to use the spear?"
At her suggestion, the other kids eagerly stuck their heads out.
"Can I join too?"
"Will you show me how to throw a sword?"
In the village, there were almost as many children as adults. Even though it was a small village, they were known to have an excellent midwife. Just like the frontier towns, the Village of Hermits also encouraged having children.
After all, the population was directly tied to both labor and defensive strength.
That’s why someone who was both a midwife and a healer was respected as much as the village leader.
"Harben, you must not forget what’s important."
The old woman who spoke up from the front was the village’s midwife and healer—the same elder who earlier had hushed her timid son. Thanks to Brunhild, several kids hovered constantly around Enkrid.
"Should I?"
He wasn’t the type to volunteer for everything, but there was no reason to hold back every time he did something, either. Enkrid spent time mingling with the children.
"How come I can’t be like that?"
A child watching Brunhild wield her spear asked,
"How come I can’t be like her?"
As Enkrid found a few sturdy branches and whittled them down so the kids could use them as clubs, he answered,
"If you keep at it, you’ll get there."
There really wasn’t more to say.
Between this child and Brunhild, there was a gap that simply couldn’t be bridged.
Would the child lose interest if they came to understand the harsh reality of talent?
But since there was nothing else to say, he left it at that.
Still, the kids kept swinging their makeshift clubs. A few of the adults watched them with worried eyes.
By the time he’d taught the children some basic techniques and had made about five clubs, Harkbent approached him.
"I have a favor to ask."
"I’ll do it."
"...You didn’t even hear what it is?"
"You want to ask for my help to protect the village, right?"
"That’s right."
"Which is why I agreed."
His response was simple, but Harkbent’s expression was troubled.
What could they possibly give this outsider in return? There’s no such thing as a favor without a price—so what is it that this man wants?
No doubt, Harkbent was wondering the same.
It was probably Harkbent who told Jerry to give me that thing.
The stone in his arms was anything but ordinary.
Showing me such a precious object was a way to see if I would be lured by greed.
After dealing with so many cunning people, Harkbent’s little tricks were all too clear.
Maybe I should thank the House Head and Hescal for that.
Compared to those two, Harkbent was practically a country bumpkin fresh from the sticks.
"Well then."
With a simple farewell, much like any other day, Enkrid turned to leave.
Would they ever believe it if he insisted he needed nothing and simply wanted to help?
If Harkbent were the kind of person who could trust that, he wouldn’t be so troubled.
You meet people in life who have never received a genuine act of kindness.
If you’re the one leading the Village of Hermits, that’s probably how your life has been—meeting hostility instead of goodwill, and getting robbed instead of helped.
Can the way you think, shaped by such years of experience, really change with just a few words?
Well, maybe Krang could pull it off?
He found himself thinking of his friend on the throne—someone who could win people over with just a few words.
Enkrid gave his reply, washed up, and went to bed. The village was well situated—with a small lake just a short walk into the woods, they would never lack drinking water unless Beasts attacked.
Brunhild had told him that in the height of summer, it was fun to splash around there.
Wasn’t it that they played until their lips turned blue?
But as Enkrid drifted off to sleep, it was the river, not the lake, that greeted him.
"Do you know what I’m going to say?"
Today’s Ferryman was unusual. He sat cross-legged on a tall chair he must have brought from somewhere.
The light from the violet lamp glowed across his face.
His sharp black pupils and withered, barren features seemed to insist that this was indeed a nightmare.
"If I leave, they’ll all die. That’s what you’ll say, right?"
"Yes, that’s what I’ll say."
"So this is a wall you’ve prepared to shake my heart. But I think it’d be good to clarify—there won’t be a second chance."
"You could sit in my place right now and make a fine Ferryman yourself."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"It’s the highest praise."
A grin flickered at the Ferryman’s lips—a glimpse of shadowy darkness beneath.
He’s not like the Ferrymen before. He’s definitely different.
With a sense of certainty born of intuition, Enkrid glimpsed one of the Ferryman’s secrets.
The Ferryman is not just one.
If you’re not a fool, you’d have to notice it at this point.
Even if he’d glimpsed just one secret, surely many more veils named "mystery" still remained.
But that’s none of my concern.
Digging into what you can’t know only leads to headaches.
"I have a feeling you just thought something irreverent."
"No, I didn’t."
"You will face a nightmare. Your body is only one—you won’t be able to protect everyone."
The Ferryman’s voice overlapped with itself as he spoke.
Did he pick that up from Dmule?
Enkrid listened to the Ferryman with one ear and let it flow out the other.
If you know how to listen well, you have to know how to brush things off, too.
By now, the Ferryman understood Enkrid as well.
That guy doesn’t listen, does he?
Even so, he said what he needed to say.
"At most, you have a month. You won’t be able to protect everyone."
It sounded like a curse, but Enkrid thought this particular Ferryman was on his side.
At most, a month.
He even told me how much time I have to prepare.
"Brace yourself for nightmares that change without end. They will become your nightmares."
He also hinted that the Beasts would keep changing their tactics and attacking in new ways.
Well, even if the Ferryman didn’t mean it that way, it was enough that I understood.
"Go. Go on and struggle in reality."
"If that’s what you want, shouldn’t you tell me to stay in this today?"
Enkrid realized the Ferryman had left out one of his usual lines. Shouldn’t he tell me to spend a productive day here and then repeat it? That’s what the Ferryman is all about, after all.
"...I was going to say that next time we meet."
Enkrid scratched his head.
It was a gesture of apology.
"Get lost."
Is it strange that he felt the Ferryman was embarrassed?
It must be.
It was odd.
Enkrid opened his eyes in the real world.
"A month, huh"
Isn’t that more than enough time? Enkrid woke up at dawn and stepped outside.
"See, I told you he’d appear in the early morning."
Brunhild’s voice was as clear and bright as a mountain bird. The voices of the other children weren’t unpleasant, either.
Brunhild wasn’t alone.
"He really came?"
"I’m sleepy."
"But why do we have to wake up so early?"
"My dad didn’t sleep, either."
"My mom stayed up all night working on leather."
There were six children.
All of them, like Brunhild, were eager to learn something.
"What about the staff I gave you yesterday?"
"I brought it."
"You said not to forget it, so I slept holding it."
Enkrid looked around at the children.
One of the girls was nothing short of a genius.
Some people might look at her talent with envy or jealousy, but Enkrid could only admire her.
Besides, watching how she thought made Enkrid realize new things as well, so he found it amusing.
Well, that’s one thing, but the beasts are many.
The Beasts targets the village, and Enkrid only has one body.
If he leaves to eliminate the threat, other beasts will attack the village.
On the other hand, if he stays here and protect it, he’ll never be able to leave this place for the rest of his life.
"Live here. If you don’t want to repeat today, I’ll make sure you get only days like this."
Isn’t it possible that the Ferryman meant something like this but never said it out loud?
It seems plausible.
Or maybe not.
In any case, the nightmare the Ferryman spoke of was like a set of variations.
If the original thing he said forced you to dwell in today through death, now, even without repeating today, you’re still bound to this place.
"Keep protecting it. Don’t leave."
A phantom Ferryman snickered as he spoke.
Enkrid ignored the vision and placed a hand on Brunhild’s shoulder.
"You said you wanted to become a better fighter, right?"
"Yes?"
"Then try teaching those kids."
"Huh?"
A genius advances three or four steps when others take only one. That’s why a genius doesn’t know how to look back. Enkrid understands that moving in the right direction is just as important as moving quickly.
It was one of the things he’d learned from his experiences.
Meeting Brunhild had refined this understanding even further.
Over the past few days, as he moved around the village and fought Beasts, he organized his swordsman­ship in his mind—the methods for wielding five different sword techniques, how to train the basics, and so on.
’While teaching, she’ll come to realize what she herself hasn’t yet noticed.’
Teaching is the surest way for someone to gain a deeper understanding of what they’ve learned.
"Really?"
She looked reluctant.
The kids, on the other hand, didn’t complain.
In this small village, the children didn’t have much to play with.
Why else would they shiver in the lake until they were numb from the cold, even in summer?
For these children, picking up clubs and learning something new probably counted as play, too.
It wasn’t hard to guess this was why they’d shown up so early in the morning.
But not for adults.
Enkrid left the children and walked away.
Where he headed, he found a Southerner—someone with a strong sense of responsibility and dark circles under his eyes from not sleeping properly for days.
"Gather everyone in the village who knows how to fight."
When he said this without preamble, Harkbent asked,
"What’s this about?"
Enkrid thought of Andrew Gardner.
More precisely, he recalled the moment when he’d once had to knock him down just to get him to listen.
Should he launch into a big speech to convince him right here?
He could, but it would just be a waste of time.
Enkrid changed his tone and demeanor, roughly imitating Rem.
"Just shut up and do as you’re told, will you?"
If they’re anxious, he could use that anxiety to his advantage.
Harkbent grabbed his spear.
No matter how intimidating his opponent was, his spirit wouldn’t break...
Thud.
A swift low kick struck his thigh.
The move was so quick he couldn’t even see it coming, let alone dodge or brace himself.
A sharp pain shot through him, twisting Harkbent’s serious expression in agony.
"I said, listen."
What’s needed now is fear.
There’s no time to persuade each person individually, and doing so might actually make things more dangerous.
Harkbent realized that when you’re in too much pain, you can’t even cry out.
He collapsed to the ground, groaning.
It really hurt so much.
"Hey, does it look like I’m asking you nicely right now? Does it?"
He didn’t need to imitate Rem’s tone completely.
Harkbent couldn’t resist.
The outsider had shown him firsthand that the blade right beside him was far more dangerous than any Beast.
If the pack of Beasts had filled this place with fear—
’Then I just need to make sure they have something more frightening than the beast, so they don’t even think of messing around.’
That was Enkrid’s resolve.

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