1057. The Habit of Breaking Labyrinths
Can I see your skills?
It was a remark made out of the blue. Apart from the anxiety, the determination contained in her words was vivid and clear.
The beastkin known as the Elder was a woman who resembled a rabbit. She had large ears and round eyes. The wrinkles around her eyes suggested her age, but judging solely by her body, she looked like a young beastkin full of vigor.
They say a beastkin’s body is a gift from Kriemhart.
They say the elastic muscles remain the same even after sixty, and the body possesses dynamic charm right up until the moment of death.
I remembered some crazy perverted noble bastard from the past who claimed he only dealt with beastkin slaves and talked about making a dog-faced human his father.
“I’ll be a better opponent than you. There’s a reason the Knights’ name is ‘Madmen.’”
Dunbakel, who was in front, stepped forward. Had Dunbakel always been that eloquent? She, too, was a member of the Order of the Mad Knights, and she had spent her days hearing all sorts of things. In a way, it was only natural that her speaking skills had improved a little.
“Dunbakel, yes, you’re back.”
The Elder opened his mouth, and the two male beastmen standing behind him furrowed their brows. He was stealthily displaying some sort of fighting spirit. Regardless of the opponent’s skill, they must have felt a sense of crisis from the attitude Dunbakel was showing.
Did he ask to see his skills? Encred reflexively clenched and unclenched the hand holding the gauntlet.
It was an item he had received from Eitri before coming here.
The shield isn’t ready yet; I worked on this side first.
It is a black gauntlet that casts a soft reddish glow when it catches the light. Even someone with terrible taste would recognize it as a precious item.
However, the only thing that bothers me is that Eitri is the type to save the best for last.
In other words, he is the kind of person who puts the things he truly cares for and works on last.
“Why mine first?”
I naturally thought it was right to look for him after returning from the City of the Beastmen.
Eitri blinked a few times while meeting my gaze. He didn’t seem to have any intention of answering.
Now then, you may go.
Eitri raised his scarred hand and pointed outwards. It is truly rare to find someone with so many scars on their palms.
Encred called out to him calmly once. His resolve would surely be conveyed just by calling his name.
Are you really going to do this?
“Aitri?”
“I have a lot of work, so I don’t think I can see you off.”
“Aitri? Is this how things are between us?”
“Cough, um, I’ve been pushing myself too hard these past few days, so my body…”
It was certain. Along with his skills, Eitri’s slyness had grown. He feigned a cough, showing off his forearms that looked twice as muscular as before and his clear eyes, but when Encred didn’t leave, he subtly revealed a part of his true feelings.
“The shield looked more interesting this time. To be honest, I didn’t really do anything with the gauntlets; I just shaped them to fit their fixed form. Oh, and as for the slight size misalignment, the leather lining will adjust to fit your hand as you use it.”
Considering he merely shaped it according to the established rules, he put quite a lot of effort into it. He lined the inside with leather, reshaped it, and added a piece of cloth around the wrist area that was clearly obtained from the Fairy tribe. Right, it’s all a joke.
Of course, Eitri must have put a great deal of effort into the gauntlet as well. The breath and touch of the craftsman who made his own engraved weapon were added to it.
Still, you should have used the shield first.
Ending his thoughts, Encred walked toward the beastman who had revealed his fighting spirit. He clenched and unclenched his fists several times, yet his gauntlets made no sound.
Although clearly metal, they felt as if dry cloth were wrapped around his hand. Given their extraordinary weight, perhaps it should be described as heavy fabric.
Like the armor draped over his body, the gauntlets stirred his desire to fight, but that was futile against Encred.
He did not draw his sword, nor did he reveal his fighting spirit; he simply walked.
Everyone hesitated and stopped, even as they watched him approach. The sudden approach of a person was the primary reason for their bewilderment.
“what…….”
The long-haired Suin was just about to open his mouth. He was slowly placing his right foot on the ground and was about to lift his left; he had lifted his left heel while pressing the toes and the front of his foot into the floor. Suddenly, the figure of Encred appeared right in front of Suin’s nose.
pop.
The sound burst out afterward. Mounds of dirt and crushed blades of grass shot up from the ground kicked by Enkrid.
Thump, thump.
A series of light noises were heard.
Encred extended his left arm to embrace the long-haired beastman who was collapsing forward, while gripping the nape of the short-haired beastman’s neck with his right.
The unconscious bodies slumped downwards. Both had their heads shaken by two light punches to the jaw.
They were two beastmen who were neither knights nor even at the level of a squire. At this level, they wouldn’t stand a chance against even a soldier of the Border Guard standing army.
Would they be a little better if they transformed into beastmen? Well, against Encred, the outcome wouldn’t be any different.
Apart from the heaviness felt in his right hand, Encred focused on the sturdy fabric. The material, made by handling animal hides a few times, was so tough that it seemed he could carry them around just like this.
Of course, Encred had no intention of doing so, so he set the two beastmen down on the ground as if tossing them.
Thump thump.
One of them fell wrong and broke his nose a little, but that was much better than dying.
“You want to test my skills?”
Encred stood to the Elder’s right and spoke, and one could see the downy hairs on her exposed forearms and shoulders stand on end. Her pores tightened one by one, and goosebumps rose. Feeling
the change in his skin texture, the Elder took a very slow breath and spoke.
“I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s fine as long as you know.”
Encred stepped back as if shaking his hands. In other words, he acted as if this matter was beyond his control.
Esther, Temares, and Sinar acted as if they had merely tagged along as spectators from the start.
The woman known as the Elder met Dunbakel’s gaze again. There was no particular fire of resentment burning within Dunbakel’s eyes.
Perhaps that was precisely why it was frightening.
“Is the Presbyterian Church still the same?”
Dunbakel asked without a hint of a smile.
It remains the same.
Dunbakel laughed at these words. He seemed genuinely happy.
Ah, that’s a relief.
Why was it a relief? The main force that drove her out was the Council of Elders. In reality, none of the prisoners living in the city would have known the details. She was simply happy to hear that the target she harbored ill will against was healthy, breathing, eating well, and doing well.
“Come into the Cave. For now, welcome.”
The Elder paused to catch his breath and spoke. “
It is a situation where it is fine to go in by force.” Dunbakel’s eyebrows rose slightly and then came down.
Right, this isn’t the time to argue. There is no need to repeat the same thing twice.
Arguing and cursing once when everyone is gathered is enough.
It is a moment where the mere act of venting one’s emotions is enough to make one vomit. Dunbakel hated them. Really. He
had once sharpened the blade of revenge, but he gave it up, thinking that it wasn’t what he truly wanted.
I haven’t decided anything yet.
Dunbakel repeated to himself that he had given up on revenge, not abandoned it. As
Dunbakel fell silent, Enkrid answered on his behalf.
Will you treat me to a meal?
I had heard that beastkin society was quite exclusive, yet he was invited the moment he saw me. Encred wasn’t a fool. He easily realized that something had happened on the inside.
That woman is anxious yet hopeful.
Temares approached from the side and whispered loud enough for only those nearby to hear. His control of volume was excellent; he managed to make everyone hear him, except for the beastman known as the Elder who was ahead.
And he did so using ventriloquism, keeping his lips still.
You have many talents.
When Enkrid muttered his answer, Temares smiled.
I am also enjoying remembering each and every one of them.
Ventriloquism was something I learned a very long time ago while following a theater troupe. Back then, my duty was to watch over the troupe’s survival.
Yong-in lives bound by duty, but whenever he feels a change in emotion, he recalls forgotten memories from the past; lately, it was to the point where even memories that weren’t his own were surfacing.
Is it because of Encred?
There is too much joy to call it a duty. As he experienced emotional shifts, he felt ecstasy and pleasure in succession.
Being one who stands and walks alone might, in fact, be a journey to find someone. Temares had been thinking about this a lot lately.
Yongin is alone, yet he sustains his life by always standing and always walking.
For Yongin, duty is a signpost, an anchor, and the reason for his existence. If so, what happens if he finds something beyond that duty?
It is a distracting thought. Temares shook off the thought and looked ahead.
I will give you as much as you want.
The female elder spoke. Dunbakel did not open his mouth again. His gaze remained completely subdued. He simply followed Encred in silence.
If there are no objections, let’s start with a proper meal.
Encred spoke nonchalantly and took a step. The Elder Beastman slapped the two fallen beastmen on the cheek to wake them up.
“Ugh.”
One of them stood up gagging, while the other clutched his nose and grumbled that it hurt.
The one with the broken nose bled a little, but he just wiped it away roughly with his forearm.
Perhaps because they were struck so suddenly, neither of them even realized they had been hit by Encred. However, they perked up their ears whenever they saw him.
The fur on the beast-like ears swayed shaggily. Tension and fear were clearly visible.
It is a fear ingrained in the body.
Sinar looked at it and pondered quietly. As he did so, he examined the surrounding trees one by one.
Although different from the city of fairies, the trees here were also full of life. Beastmen are the children of the mountains and fields. They were neighbors of the fairies.
“let’s go.”
We moved a little further forward and climbed the uphill path. Perhaps because it wasn’t a very long walk, the female elder and the remaining two prisoners weren’t in a hurry. Or rather, they might have been acting that way because they had a lot on their minds. In any case, everyone was silent. Dunbakel, in particular, kept his mouth tightly shut.
“Does Suin usually wash well?”
As they walked, Encred asked. “Well, whether it is revenge or whatever, isn’t it okay to ask what you are curious about?”
The female elder glanced at Encred for a moment before answering.
“……What is your intention in asking? If you happen to want to breed, I can introduce you to someone younger than me.”
I just tossed it out, but why is such a misunderstanding suddenly arising?
“So you’re the bewitching knight.”
“You have every right to be happy. Someone like you would have many beastmen seeking your seed, even if you were human.”
Two male beastmen spoke in succession. The one with the broken nose, in particular, nodded vigorously.
“Enki, is this what you wanted?”
Esther muttered.
“Right. I did well to follow you. I predicted that something like this would happen.”
Sinar puffed out his chest and spoke.
Enkrid ignored everything and looked at the female elder.
Seeing the look in her eyes that showed no intention of explaining her intentions one by one, the elder opened her mouth.
I wash well. In a society distinguished by smell, cleanliness is essential.
At those words, Encred turned around. He had looked at Dunbakel with a gaze that implied, “Then why are you like that?”
However, Dunbakel did not appear to have heard a single word of what was being said in front of him.
“Why? Do you have something to say?”
Upon noticing Encred’s gaze, he merely asked back like this.
“no.”
“Washing that will be a matter for a little later,” Encreed thought as he took a step. As the uphill path continued, he saw an artificial structure consisting of a wide cloth spread between the trees. It
was the beginning of the Beastman City. From under a makeshift tent, a female Beastman with wide eyes looked at Encreed and spoke.
“Human, ah, handsome.”
The lifespan of a beastman is similar to that of a human. The beastman who just spoke appeared to be about twenty-five at best. He was a beastman with an attractive appearance.
I knew this would happen.
Sinar speaks again.
“Enki, is this what you wanted? A young, voluptuous beastman?”
Esther takes the call.
They were not the type to listen even if she explained.
Was the cloth hanging between the trees the roof?
This was Encred’s first time in a beastkin society, too. They bond as a group through communal child-rearing, yet they remain highly wary of the outside world.
To be honest, a beastkin woman had invited him a few times in the past, but he hadn’t dared to go back then.
It was behind the makeshift tent hanging between the branches that were occasionally visible in the background.
“What the heck, at a time like this.”
Another beastman leaned in, and due to his angular nose and jaw, he gave off a solid impression just by looking at his face.
In fact, the texture of the skin covering his face was strangely different from that of the other beastmen.
Oho.
Upon seeing him, Dunbakel pursed his lips and reacted aloud. He made a sound as a sign of welcome with a blank expression, but it was quite chilling.
One of the Elders. Enkrid realized it without having to think too deeply.
“You’re still alive?”
He looked at Dunbakel and immediately acted like he knew him.
“Why? Are you surprised that someone who should have died has returned?”
“No, I wanted you to be alive. Have you grown up well? You seem to have.”
The beastman scanned Dunbakel’s entire body with his eyes and spoke.
“Keep your eyes safe. I’ll gouge them out whenever I feel like it.”
The male figure presumed to be an elder let out a groan and spoke to the elder who had led the group this far.
“It looks like a vengeful person has come, not an ally.”
“His skill is undeniable. Till and Lil collapsed without even realizing they had been attacked.”
“That’s good news.”
As the two spoke, they picked up the cloth hanging loosely behind them. The entrance to the cave was visible in that direction. It was a cave that sloped downwards.
“The inside is complicated. Unless you are a beastman, you will easily get lost. It’s safe to call it a labyrinth.”
The female elder spoke as she rested her foot on the entrance of the cave. Her braided hair swayed like a pendulum following the movement.
“I have a habit of smashing everything when I see things like mazes. Is that okay?”
Esther burst out laughing from behind at Encred’s words. Witches were certainly more prone to laughing than fairies.
