Eternally Regressing Knight-Chapter 514 - The Difference

Chapter 514 - The Difference

"Winning the war before it even begins—that would be ideal."

These were words Abnaier had once spoken, and the beastkin general had agreed with them.

With four knights and a Frog, it seemed like victory was already halfway assured before the fight even started. If that weren't the case?

Then they'd simply have to win the battle.

Abnaier wouldn't take the field himself, but he'd deliver his insights from the shadows.

The general's role was to act as both a formidable warrior and a brilliant tactician, obliterating the Border Guard and seizing Green Pearl in the process.

Along the way, he planned to finish off the enemy Abnaier had previously failed to kill and, perhaps, a few of their allies as well.

"Four knights," he thought.

How could anyone stop them?

This was why Aspen had resolved to go to war.

Through fortune or effort, they had managed to produce two additional knights.

Abnaier, who owed his survival to the wolf beastkin general, reflected on the situation:

Ultimately, they couldn't rely on strategy or intellect to win.

Sheer power had to tip the scales.

He didn't consider defeat a possibility, not with the forces they had amassed.

However, Abnaier's longstanding habit—and compulsion—of never leaving anything to chance drove him to formulate a solid strategy.

Fortunately, the supreme commander was a generous individual who took his counsel seriously.

"We'll make so much noise that the entire continent will hear us, boldly shouting for battle on the frontlines."

"That would lead to excessive troop losses, wouldn't it?"

Hadn't they already borrowed supplies from here and there for this endeavor?

War resources didn't grow on trees, and losing Green Pearl in a prior defeat had strained the nation's reserves. This was hardly a time of abundance.

The beastkin general had a keen eye for the practicalities of war. Wars were won less through battles and more through logistics and marching. Preparing for these necessities consumed a great deal of coin—an enormous amount. Could they afford significant troop losses with the nation's coffers already stretched thin?

"No, which is why we'll only make noise."

"Only noise?"

"Draw their attention, then send in a small, elite force."

Abnaier traced a line across the strategy map, pointing to a path that would be impassable for most but manageable for knights. It was a route through the Pen-Hanil mountain range.

Even better, the enemy had recently cleared the mountain range of monsters, doing them a great favor.

"And once we're in?"

"We'll strike at the head, separate from Green Pearl's stationed forces. Take the city."

This wasn't a prolonged war but a decisive battle to end the conflict in a single move. Abnaier presented a plan that maximized their available strength.

The wolf beastkin dismissed notions of honor.

While he might lecture his former human knight disciples, he ultimately believed that as long as there was no guilt in the heart, any action was permissible.

Crossing the Pen-Hanil range to strike the enemy's leadership wasn't dishonorable but intelligent.

Once they reached the gates, they could boldly announce their intentions to occupy the city.

Honor wouldn't be tarnished—the enemy would simply appear foolish for being caught unprepared.

His rationalizations complete, the beastkin nodded.

"Good."

"There's a recent incident we can use as a pretext," Abnaier suggested. "Two junior knights were killed."

The Royal Knights of Aspen had suffered casualties while scouting routes into the mountain range. It wasn't monsters or beasts that had felled them, but a deadly swordsman who had made no effort to cover his tracks.

Even after a ranger unit pursued the culprit, the entire unit had been annihilated. The swordsman eventually retreated beyond Green Pearl to Naurilia, making him a convenient scapegoat.

"We'll accuse them of sending an assassin first," Abnaier concluded.

The narrative was already complete in his mind, from beginning to end.

Even if Naurilia sent its knights to assist, they wouldn't be able to stop Aspen.

With Green Pearl secured, Abnaier would reclaim his position and launch another campaign, targeting Naurilia's capital next.

'The Red Cape Knights will intervene then,' Abnaier thought.

That would lead to significant losses. Aspen didn't possess overwhelming strength, so pushing that far was risky.

Still, with time to prepare...

Knights couldn't be trained overnight, but the wolf beastkin general had already trained four.

Once, Aspen had pursued an integration policy with non-human races, and the general was its finest result—a wolf beastkin fiercely loyal to Aspen.

Now, as a mentor, he had become even more valuable.

Having once fought to defend the border before losing interest and withdrawing, he had returned as the blade of Aspen:

Barnas Hurier.

A beastkin adopted into the Hurier family.

With him on their side, anything was possible.

Four knights.

Who could stand against such a force?

Though Abnaier never let his guard down, he was confident.

Even if other forces matched their numbers, no one else could concentrate their knights so effectively.

By the time Naurilia realized what had happened, Green Pearl would already be lost.

'We'll make good use of your walls and city.'

Even the recent clearing of the Pen-Hanil range would be used to Aspen's advantage.

It wasn't about revenge—though giving them a taste of their own medicine wasn't entirely unwelcome.

***

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Krais's daily routine was simple.

He spent his mornings exercising and training, ate his meals, attended to minor tasks, and read books.

Reading was one of his hobbies when work was slow, and his interests spanned history, philosophy, and novels alike.

From the outside, Krais's life seemed leisurely, and to some extent, it was.

His body wasn't busy, but his mind never rested.

Most of Krais's work involved thinking, predicting, and imagining.

One of his recent thoughts was:

'If I were Aspen, what would I do?'

This question had occupied him lately, and he had even discussed it with Enkrid.

From here, however, it ventured into the realm of conjecture.

Why would Aspen provoke them again?

'Because they want Green Pearl.'

The answer was clear.

If the border with Aspen crumbles, it won't just be about losing Green Pearl.

What happens if Aspen destroys the Border Guard and wins?

If it were me, I'd push even deeper.

That's why they couldn't leave it alone.

But Enkrid was here—a demon slayer and the king's trusted ally.

For better or worse, if Aspen invades, the Border Guard must stop them.

Naturally, Enkrid was fully briefed on the matter.

After hearing everything, including the imagined scenarios, the commander's response was unforgettable:

"War?"

A single word.

"Yes," Krais replied.

"If they attack, we fight."

Watching Enkrid respond, Krais couldn't help but feel something stir inside.

A knight, huh.

Krais glanced at Rem, who had once challenged Enkrid to a duel. Though Krais's vision couldn't distinguish much, he knew one thing clearly—Rem was a knight.

He'd heard that word, knight, plain and clear.

Krais's daily routine often revolved around speculation and imagining potential disasters, but he also indulged in pure flights of fancy.

One of them involved Enkrid.

What if the commander became a knight?

Such idle thoughts.

When people gain power—whether physical or political—they change.

Would the commander change too?

Not likely.

From the moment he blocked Krais's path with no better skill than his own, Enkrid had always been looking forward.

Even when he said they'd fight if attacked, his calm blue eyes betrayed no agitation.

What was he seeing?

Despite gaining power and hearing the word war, was he not tempted to unleash it?

Krais didn't fully understand the concept of omnipotence, but he did understand people.

When they have power, they want to use it.

But Enkrid was still Enkrid.

Unchanged.

The things he looked at were invisible to Krais.

Protecting something—sure, he could understand the idea.

But why?

That was the mystery.

Is it Krona?

Or is there some benefit involved?

Is he leveraging people's praise for his own ends?

Not at all.

He simply acted on his instincts, and Krais couldn't wrap his head around it.

Not that he needed to.

Krais had decided to follow the man who had once stood in his way and was doing so now.

A gust of wind ruffled Krais's hair again.

Brushing it back from his eyes, he pondered further.

Thanks to Enkrid's parting instructions, he was currently holed up in the office, organizing his thoughts.

"Gauge the timing and map out the battlefield—where and how we'll fight."

It was a succinct order, but Krais understood it perfectly.

"...Me?"

"Who else?"

Enkrid replied, briefly glancing sideways.

That glance landed on individuals overflowing with combat prowess—the Madmen Unit.

Rem, Jaxen, Ragna, Audin. Add Teresa, Luagarne, Ropord, and Fel to the mix?

It wasn't just comparable to a knight order

It surpassed most.

But entrusting them with war?

Impossible.

Enkrid knew that too.

Tactical thinking and orchestrating a war were entirely different beasts.

Enkrid was skilled in many areas, but crafting a war plan wasn't his forte.

"I feel like someone was thinking something annoying just now, so I'll take over this time. Big Eyes, you stay out of it."

Rem slung his axe over his shoulder, grinning and scowling in his usual manner.

He was the type to respond to logistics questions by saying, Take what we need from the enemy.

"War? You go out, swing your sword, and it's done. Better me than leaving it to barbarians."

Ragna chimed in, eager to lead the charge.

If he didn't get lost along the way, that is.

Even then, he'd probably charge headlong at the sight of an enemy banner, spilling blood, and not just drop by drop but in torrents.

With Ragna leading, victory might be possible, but at what cost?

If nothing else, the enemy would struggle to predict his actions.

After all, just the other day, Ragna had gone out for a "walk," only to slay two Aspen squires and an entire ranger unit before returning.

Aspen used the incident as a pretext for war.

Not that they lacked excuses without it.

"Get it done."

Enkrid's steady gaze returned to Krais as he spoke.

"Yes," Krais replied, nodding.

There was nothing to add.

No complaints, either.

Without Enkrid around, Krais wouldn't be able to utilize even half his capabilities.

But that scenario would never happen.

If it does, I'm out of here.

Enkrid made the decisions, and that erased Krais's anxiety, allowing him to operate at full capacity.

Doom-laden thoughts crept into his mind, drawing out every possible scenario, plausible or not.

Once a burden, those thoughts now served as a weapon.

Four knights.

Ragna, Rem, Shinar, Enkrid.

Jaxen was knight-level, but Krais didn't know that.

If all four are tied up?

When Abnaier confidently claimed their four knights could counter any threat, Krais imagined the scenarios where even they wouldn't be enough.

It was a talent he was born with—imagining dread and painting futures from it.

That was the difference between Krais and Abnaier.

And where before he might have been paralyzed by such thoughts, now his mind sought answers.

How do we ensure they don't get tied up?

Experience fosters growth.

Just as Enkrid forged ahead, Krais had changed too.

His perspective broadened, his thoughts deepened, and his knowledge expanded.

Countless ideas swirled in his mind, forming a singular vision.

He was crafting the blueprint for war.

Though the battle wasn't imminent, it was inevitable.

His thoughts roamed, shaping strategies and methods to counter the looming threat.

Nurat observed Krais's glinting eyes, considering a rare thought.

For all the talk of Enkrid's piercing gaze, Krais's own eyes now sparkled in a similar way.

Enjoying this, aren't you?

Nurat wondered silently but didn't need a verbal answer.

The star-like shine in Krais's eyes said it all.

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