947. Last
Rem burst out laughing at Encred’s words. Rem, who was laughing so loudly that it embarrassed the person next to her, spoke with a serious expression.
“Tell me. Whose scheming did you get? A sinister kitten? A religious nut whose mother is clearly a bear? A slacker who gets lost easily? Or perhaps you’re not that country shepherd? Not the bear’s disciple, who smells like rotten meat. Let’s see, maybe you’re a traitor from the red cloak with a good eye?”
Encred quietly held the teacup, savoring its flavor. Western teacups don’t have handles. Holding them in your hand conveys the temperature of the tea. This carries several meanings. It
allows you to gauge the temperature of the tea in advance, maintaining a subtle warmth at all times.
This is a Western cultural practice. Tea is drunk when warm, and food is eaten when hungry.
From this perspective, the tea’s temperature is always kept constant. It’s a warning not to drink tea that has cooled, and it’s a consideration to let you know the temperature in advance.
Western cultural perspectives are also incorporated into this.
It tells us to love our children especially when they’re young, to hold them when they’re sick, and to share in their joys.
‘It’s a fun culture.’
In the West, this is called ‘maji’, meaning ‘don’t miss the opportunity’.
“Now is the ‘last’ time. Let it all out and drink it.”
Even the Great Narae Chieftain shouted at the festival, declaring that it was time to play.
Juol had previously explained the meaning of the words. Seeing that the time had come to unfold my dreams, it seemed like the time had come for me to finally leave.
It was a sudden thought. Listening to Rem’s words, more thoughts began to swirl through my mind. The fragments connected, forming a single thought.
‘You’re looking at the essence, Rem.’
It was a thought that came to me naturally. Listening to his description of the Mad Knights, it was hard to argue against it.
Rem then spouted something akin to a passionate speech. His passion was so intense that I felt like he’d be unanimously chosen to be the new leader of the Great Wings.
“Don’t be ridiculous. If I stay here, there will be more than a few people vying for the vice-captain position. I can’t just leave that position like this. Right.”
Who’s the vice-captain?
Encred wondered, but didn’t bother to question or question. There was no Saxon, the cat-like creature Rem had mentioned, no Audin with bear blood, and no lazy corpse except for his swordsmanship. It was okay to let them enjoy themselves for a while.
“I’ll go with you. If not now, when else will I have the chance to fight them to my heart’s content?”
Rem concluded with a growl. His fighting spirit was still intact, his resolve high. His words, filled with the Western wisdom of drinking tea while it’s warm, were a lesson I’d grasped from the start.
‘When you fight, you have to fight.’
Encred reflected on the West’s final days. It was a situation that warranted it.
There were those bound by the name of the Mad Knights, and the King of Naurilia and the Pope of the Legion were on their side.
They had been at war with Azpen, but now they were neighbors and allies.
‘Will the South be similar?’
Even if it doesn’t end up like Azpen, they won’t be fighting for a few years.
In the meantime, they’ll serve as a bulwark against the demonic realm.
The levee treaty stipulated that southern Lichenstein serve as the bulwark.
Now, only one major obstacle remains.
’empire.’
I’ve met a few Imperials, but the Northern Overlord’s desires remain vague.
Rem isn’t stupid. No, she possesses exceptional intelligence. To borrow Krys’s words, didn’t he say Rem was the most cunning?
Yes, that’s right.
Sometimes, it was amusing to hear Krys evaluate the Knights or others, and it was equally amusing to hear Rem’s evaluation from the same perspective.
Hearing others’ perspectives mirror one another, and furthermore, hearing them express themselves in a way that suits their own inclinations, opened new perspectives.
For example, the expression “the mother is clearly a bear” was refreshing even to Encred.
He would readily use it if he ever had to fight someone in the future.
‘He said he learned how to provoke from me.’
Even Rem wasn’t easy at probing the other person’s inner thoughts. It was evident in the meticulousness felt in each expression.
Encred learned something new today. There was a world to learn about.
“So, don’t even think about leaving me. But this feels a little off. Are you saying I’ve grown up now?”
Rem concludes. His tone clearly indicates a pre-determined conclusion, and he is determined not to entertain any differing opinions.
“I repeat, I was originally bigger in two things.”
Encred answered.
“When I was teaching you to walk, I didn’t know you had such a bad personality, but now that I look at you, you’re really unlucky in a different way. You know what?”
Encred asked, his eyes wide as if he had never heard such a thing before.
“I?”
Dunbakel chuckles next to me.
“Yeah, actually, even back then, I knew he had a particularly bizarre personality. You told me about that hairless soldier you teased, right? When I asked Finn later, he said the veins on his head stood out after hearing that. I can imagine how angry he must have been.”
Encred blinked and repeated what he had said earlier.
“I?”
The corners of Rem’s mouth rose. Fangs appeared between the twisted corners of his mouth. These fangs, resembling those of a beast, looked particularly sharp. Judging by the human language flowing from his mouth, it was clear he wasn’t a beast.
“Damn it. Come out. I’ll fix your bad habits today.”
Encred nodded, as if he’d been waiting. It was the sound he’d truly longed for. He’d already been feeling uneasy, having been so busy tending to the weak western warriors. There
were so many things he wanted to try, and he longed to see what Rem had shown him before.
The fatigue had subsided, and the hallucinations he’d experienced while slaying the silence were now fading. Both mind and body were fully prepared.
It wasn’t just Encred, it was Rem, too.
“Okay then.”
Encred answered.
“oh.”
Dunbakel stepped back from beside him. It was a clear sign that he had no intention of fighting.
Rem abruptly stood up and left. Encred followed.
“Why is the atmosphere like this?”
Jool approached and asked, and Dunbakel answered.
“They’re fighting.”
“Fighting?”
Dunbakel softened his language. “This isn’t the Mad Knights, so I’d be remiss if I said that.”
“Daria.”
“Ah.”
Jool nodded. Then he whispered a few words to the surrounding Westerners. They all dispersed in all directions, gathering people.
“It’s a fight!”
“It’s a sparring match!”
“With who?”
“With the Savior and Rem!”
Rumors travel faster than any word. They traveled noticeably faster than a stray bird with outstretched wings.
Everyone was immediately drawn to the word. Leatherworkers, shoemakers, women spinning grass, children playing, warriors training, and even small chieftains and large wing chieftains all gathered together.
The West reveres warriors. It’s inevitable, a culture rooted in the pursuit of scarce resources.
Perhaps time will change, but for decades to come, the inherent character and national identity will remain unchanged.
For Westerners, watching battles was their greatest pastime.
“So who is fighting who?”
There were many people who came out immediately after hearing about the fight.
“The Savior and Rem.”
“Oh.”
The eyes of those who learned of the master of sparring sparkled like never before. Many seemed even more radiant than when the silence was lifted.
Recently, even the heads of nearby tribes were invited, and Elder Bear was bustling with activity.
“Who would you bet on?”
Meanwhile, a betting game was being played.
Remdo wasn’t some crazy axe murderer, not even in the West. He was well-respected. That’s why many took his side.
“I’ll bet on Rem.”
Here, several western warriors boldly bet on him. Several ethnic minorities did the same.
To them, the name “Savior” was just a rumor, but Rem was reality. The old warrior, remembering his time in the west, couldn’t imagine Rem losing to anyone. He could
still vividly picture him single-handedly slaying dozens of demons, laughing heartily while covered in black blood.
Then, he beheaded the so-called cannibal warrior. Back
then, Rem was a monster. Of course, time had passed, and now there were many warriors comparable to Rem back then. One of them was here with him.
Still, if he were going to bet, it was on Rem.
“Good. Good. I’ll give it to Rem too.”
“You didn’t come back from the continent just to have fun, did you?”
The scale grew as even a small tribe joined in, and Ayul joined in.
“Of course I’ll bet on my husband, right?”
There were merchants in the west, too. They had recently been trading with the Lockfried merchants, increasing their influence.
One of them approached Ayul and asked.
Ayul wasn’t being cautious. He placed his entire bag on the board. A heavy thud echoed as the wooden board and the bag of gold coins met. Who is the most competitive woman in this land?
Ayul asked with his actions. The gambler swallowed hard. It was a big bet, and the single largest krona was at stake. The gold coins glittered in the half-open bag.
The gambler waited for her to speak. Of course it had to be Rem. Who had the odds been set on? Whatever the case, the Savior would win.
“of course…….”
The gambler was about to finish his sentence by saying, ‘I guess you’re betting on Rem,’ but Ayul cut him off.
“saver.”
The gambler and merchant couldn’t believe his ears.
In the West, the power of a wife to trust her husband is imbued with magical significance. It’s said that most wives support their husbands.
“……Are you serious?”
The gambler asked.
“There are a lot of things to do when raising a child.”
As the daughter of the great Narae chieftain, she has a lot to offer, but she also learned a lot from working with Ayul and the Sangdan.
‘There’s nothing wrong with having a lot of Cronas.’
If Christ were here, he would have admired her, saying she was truly a learned person.
Well, even if he earned this much, it would be used to feed the needy rather than raise children.
The gambler momentarily lost his composure at her words, but quickly nodded. In any case, he’d just pay her according to the odds.
“Rem! Rem! Rem!”
A cheering voice boomed from one side. Rem smiled, placing a hand to her ear.
“Have you heard?”
This is my land, the West. Naturally, there are many people cheering me on. Rem even secretly displayed confidence.
The silent fight wasn’t long, but the intensity and intensity within that short time were intense. I learned a lot. I was enlightened.
“Rem! Rem! Rem of the West! The pride of the Westerners!”
With the sound of the central heating system in the background, Rem was in full swing.
A shout erupted from the other side.
“Okay!”
“Won!”
“Okay!”
Looking at the fact that this one matched the total, it seemed like the eldest warrior had joined in and planned a cheering operation.
“Magic Slayer!”
“Face too!”
“I won!”
There was a difference in the volume of voices. It rang loudly in my ears. It would have been enough to make a weak-hearted person cringe. Encred shrugged.
It wasn’t what I’d hoped for, but it seemed to imply that it couldn’t be helped. The cheering was a landslide victory.
“Hey, I told you it’s unlucky?”
Rem spoke, drawing her weapon. She let her arm drop and stared blankly at Encred.
Aside from Encred and Dunbakel, no one expected a fight to break out, but Rem kicked the ground.
pop!
The ground cracked and the dirt surged upward.
He drew his axe and immediately closed the distance between himself and Encred. There was no discussion or agreement on whether to risk his life or simply spar, but it didn’t matter. This
wasn’t a relationship where they could just play around for a day or two.
Encred sensed Rem’s momentum and swung his sword, coaxing her into a night stroll.
‘Don’t cut carelessly.’
The sword, almost a demonic sword, rebelled against its master, yet it held its own against the demon.
In an instant, it stretched out, crushing and crushing the wind of the night walk. Then, Encred’s sword swung met Rem’s axe.
Encred and Rem heard no sound. They were already in a world of silence. Before the first clash could even be heard, their weapons clashed more than six times.
The two of them employed countless tricks to seize the moment. They feigned a trip, a loss of breath, a loss of will, a feigned injury, a loss of momentum, a feigned mistake.
They were locked in a battle of deceptive swords.
Naturally, those watching from the outside couldn’t see anything.
Liar-
Just the sound of air bursting.
Boom!
The sound of the metal clashing against the metal was so loud it was unbelievable and piercing to my ears.
Kwarreung jjeng!
Lightning roared. Countless claps of thunder echoed across the clear sunlight. As the deafening roar echoed, everyone felt the pain of their eardrums rupturing.
‘I’m going to die like this.’
A few quick-witted western warriors pushed the crowd back significantly. If they left it like this, it would have been a total meltdown. They
were in front of the stone village hall. All the westerners retreated even further. They called it a sparring match, but a shockwave erupted between them, whipping the wind.
Despite the considerable distance, the roar rattled my guts and the wind whipped my cheeks.
Could this truly be called a battle between disasters?
