Chapter 22

Chapter 22: Arbitrary Position Change

The 4th platoon leader made a trivial remark.

Encrid responded nonchalantly, realizing that this person had something to say.

“If you have something to say, feel free to say it.”

He was enjoying the cool breeze after being drenched in sweat.

Now was the perfect time. It was a moment to enjoy the wind with a moderate sense of relaxation.

So, he hoped the person would quickly say what they had to say and leave.

“…I want you to join the reconnaissance team and carry out a mission.”

The 4th platoon leader said, crossing his arms.

His posture showed not the firmness of a commander but a defensive attitude.

Encrid thought.

Reconnaissance team.

It wasn’t a common draft. Moreover, Encrid knew his position was quite ambiguous.

The reason he could stay at the squad leader level was because this was the 444th squad.

And they wanted to transfer him to the reconnaissance team?

“Are you sure? Even if you take our squad leader?”

Rem suddenly poked his head out from behind and said.

Rem rested his chin on Encrid’s shoulder.

There wasn’t much of a height difference, so it was a comfortable position.

“Are you serious?”

He asked with a half-smile, as if protesting against taking him away.

“It’s an order, Rem.”

The 4th platoon leader glared. It was a bluff. Encrid recognized it immediately.

Rem was a troublemaker. If things didn’t go his way, he would swing his axe.

Invoking the commander’s authority against such a rogue was meaningless.

The 4th platoon leader knew it, Encrid knew it, and Rem knew it.

“Rem.”

Encrid called his name and shrugged his shoulder to push Rem back before he could say anything more.

“Well, do as you please.”

Rem grumbled as he stepped back.

“I can go instead.”

Ragna, who had been watching quietly, said indifferently.

“…Was being lost your dream?”

Rem chuckled at that. Ragna almost flared up but suppressed his anger.

It wasn’t wrong.

Ragna had no talent for finding his way.

Even if given a map and instructions, he would end up somewhere else.

And he wasn’t good at coordinating with others either.

He ended up here because he fought on his own, ignoring orders in every squad he was in.

He wasn’t suitable for a reconnaissance soldier.

“No matter what, you can’t.”

The 4th platoon leader had no choice but to shake his head at Ragna.

Encrid felt that the situation itself was a bad sign.

‘If I weigh everything, I’m the most suitable.’

His ambiguous position only had meaning among the 444th squad members.

Even being absent for a week caused quite a stir.

And yet, they specifically called for him?

It sounded like there was no one else to call.

The talk of curses quickly died down, but the impact remained.

Bo, Jack, and Rotten were all part of the reconnaissance team.

They were short on numbers.

“Phew, I’m in trouble too. One platoon leader has a stomach ache and can’t move.”

It was understandable to think it was a curse.

Such things only happened to the reconnaissance platoon.

The platoon leader looked exhausted.

He didn’t seem particularly eager to call Encrid.

‘It feels oddly out of place.’

Thinking that, he stared intently.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’ll tell you everything.”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t look at me with those eyes.”

‘What did I do?’

He was just looking, but the 4th platoon leader sighed deeply and overreacted.

“Hey, what are you going to do if you curse with your eyes? Sometimes, you should consider the feelings of the person being cursed. Especially if they’re your superior.”

Rem laughed.

Reacting to that joke would be endless.

Encrid decided to listen to the platoon leader again.

“To increase the reconnaissance team’s numbers, we arbitrarily promoted a squad leader to platoon leader, but we’re still short on numbers. So, we were ordered to draft individuals capable of reconnaissance from each unit. And the higher-ups suggested including you, so here we are.”

“The higher-ups?”

“The new company commander. You’re not marked, are you?”

Knowing the secret, they would send him to the reconnaissance team to kill him quietly?

No, if that were the case, there would be no need for this.

There were many ways to kill him quietly.

Not that he would die easily, but from the other side’s perspective, that’s how it seemed.

So.

‘It seems like they said it without much thought.’

Encrid judged.

“It’s an order from the higher-ups. So, let’s go.”

Rem glared from the side.

Ragna insisted he could go instead.

In front of the barracks, a squad member, much taller than an average soldier, who looked like he could beat a bear with his bare hands, was praying to the sky.

“Oh, holy Lord, please do not take away my small and precious squad leader. Do not test this small and fragile servant.”

The 4th platoon leader couldn’t hide his astonishment.

Who was taking him away?

And who was small and fragile?

The praying soldier’s arm muscles bulged.

Exaggerating a bit, his arm was as big as an average soldier’s thigh.

He was tall and had long limbs, so many didn’t notice, but his arm itself was a weapon.

If that devout soldier was fragile, there were few normal people in the world.

“It will be just this once. Winter is coming, and this expedition will end soon.”

The next expedition would reorganize the reconnaissance team anyway.

They wouldn’t keep the 444th squad leader in the reconnaissance team.

Encrid understood the platoon leader’s words.

Few fools continue war in winter.

So, this war would likely stop after autumn.

There was no need to worry.

It was a common occurrence.

Being called to fill in for various tasks.

He wasn’t particularly talented in fighting, but he was above average in other tasks.

Reconnaissance missions were the same.

However, perhaps because he had been absent due to injury, his squad members didn’t welcome his departure.

‘I’m the most suitable.’

It wasn’t baseless confidence.

If he got lost and died, he could repeat the day.

This mission was more advantageous to him than anyone else.

Avoiding danger was his specialty.

“It’s an order, squad leader.”

The platoon leader said it was an order, but it sounded like he was asking for help.

Encrid looked back.

Rem started sharpening his axe.

Ragna insisted he could go.

The last squad member kept muttering, “Is this a test from the Lord?”

‘The atmosphere is strange.’

If he got hit somewhere, it seemed like they would all rise up together.

Was it always like this?

It didn’t seem so.

When he first joined the squad, they didn’t seem so involved with each other.

When did it become like this?

‘Did they have a hard time while I was gone?’

Even the big-eyed one shook his head.

But what could he do about the higher-ups’ orders?

Even if his squad members were reckless, Encrid wasn’t.

“I have to go.”

He sighed and said.

It was a decision from the higher-ups. Defying orders was not an option.

He could find a way out if he wanted, but there was no need.

Encrid’s words settled the atmosphere. It was natural.

No matter how small the squad, he was the leader of this six-member squad.

“Do as you please.”

Rem snorted and answered.

“I said I could go.”

Ragna insisted, but it was futile.

A reconnaissance soldier who got lost even within the camp? That wouldn’t work.

Encrid found it more amazing how Ragna managed to live a wandering life.

Did he say he went to the eastern sea?

Was it because he got lost and ended up there? It was a reasonable question.

But there was no need to ask.

Encrid always kept a proper distance from them.

If they didn’t want to talk, he didn’t ask. That was squad leader Encrid.

“Alright, fine.”

The 4th platoon leader said and turned away.

His steps were lighter than when he came. It was as if a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

After the platoon leader left, while washing and resting, there was a small commotion in the barracks.

“Are you still practicing what you learned?”

Jaxen, half-leaning on his bed, started the conversation.

Jaxen’s bed was the furthest inside.

Encrid’s was the closest to the entrance.

Everyone in the barracks heard Jaxen’s voice.

Encrid nodded reflexively.

He had learned to train his hearing from Jaxen and repeated it every day, so it was worth asking.

But Rem reacted unpleasantly.

“What did you learn?”

Encrid had been under the care of several squad members.

From Rem, from Ragna, from the devout squad member, he had learned various things.

They were all survival skills for the battlefield.

Encrid learned diligently but didn’t master everything, using them roughly.

They were too difficult to master perfectly.

At least now, he had properly attached the heart of a beast.

But he had never learned anything from Jaxen.

“What did you teach?”

Rem, who was lying down, sat up and asked.

“Keep practicing. It helps.”

Jaxen’s eyes flared with anger at being ignored.

“This b*st*rd?”

“Don’t.”

Encrid grabbed Rem’s shoulder, who was about to explode.

“What did you learn from that sly guy? You shouldn’t learn just anything.”

“Hmph.”

Jaxen, listening to Encrid and Rem’s conversation, snorted.

“Oh, right, it’s your time to die. Today. You want to become food for the monsters wandering the plains, right?”

Jaxen remained indifferent.

Encrid sighed deeply and pulled Rem’s arm.

“Take it easy. We’re not going to kill each other.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll survive.”

No, that’s not what I meant.

“Who’s going to survive?”

“Oh, Lord, can I send this faithless fool to you? If you allow it, I will.”

Ragna and the devout squad member reacted to Rem’s words.

“Stop, stop, stop. I’ll stop you no matter how many times you fight. Don’t waste your energy on pointless things.”

Encrid regretted taking the reconnaissance mission.

Was it right to leave them behind?

“Don’t worry too much. They don’t usually go to the end. They clash weapons a few times and stop.”

Kreis said, counting silver coins from his pocket.

That’s the problem. Those few clashes.

To others, it looked like a life-and-death fight.

Despite being troublemakers, the commander didn’t abandon them.

The reason? Their outstanding abilities.

On the battlefield, they were soldiers with superior combat power, worth ten men each.

So, it made sense for Encrid to join the reconnaissance team.

‘I’m not a loss of power.’

But they were different.

Realizing his inadequacy, Encrid thought again.

‘I have no talent.’

He lost to a twelve-year-old kid.

Even if the kid was a genius.

An adult who couldn’t handle the weight of a sword lost to a kid wielding a sword.

It wasn’t about pride.

It wasn’t about despair.

It was just a reminder of his own shortcomings.

But did he give up?

No.

He chewed over the situation repeatedly, understanding himself.

So, was this the end?

No.

If he had no talent.

‘Someday.’

If he couldn’t take one step, he would take half a step.

As long as he didn’t stop moving forward.

Encrid had never stopped moving forward.

Feeling he wouldn’t sleep, Encrid took his sword and went outside.

He felt he needed to swing his sword and sweat to fall asleep.

Seeing this, Ragna got up and followed.

“Let’s check your stance.”

“I’m here too.”

Rem got up late and said.

Their eyes met, and a fierce aura passed between them.

It seemed like a vortex would form where their eyes met.

“Consistent practice will help. More than clumsy swordsmanship.”

Jaxen, lying in bed, said.

The two, who were glaring at each other, turned their eyes to Jaxen.

“Clumsy?”

Rem said.

“Swordsmanship?”

Ragna continued.

“Didn’t you say you’d check my stance?”

Encrid intervened between the three.

Finally, calming them down, Encrid went outside the barracks.

He swung his sword repeatedly, based on their advice and nagging.

A day of sweating passed.

When the morning sun rose, he had to leave, temporarily reassigned to the reconnaissance platoon.

He wasn’t too worried.

He didn’t think it was a difficult task.

After sweating, everyone seemed to have calmed down.

After sweating and washing in the stream, Encrid slept soundly.

* * *

“Company commander, why did you specifically assign that guy to the reconnaissance team?”

The elf company commander saw the 1st platoon leader standing near the perch and said.

“Step away from the perch. If it falls, it could cause a fire.”

“Pardon?”

“Step aside.”

“Yes.”

The 1st platoon leader stepped aside a few steps.

The company commander’s tent was taller and wider than a regular tent. There was a perch in the middle to light a fire.

It was crude, but there was also a table for meetings.

It was a place to decide the company’s reconnaissance route.

In the midst of this, the 1st platoon leader asked.

It was worth asking.

The 1st platoon leader also served as the company commander’s staff officer. It was an old tradition of the Cypress Division.

“A soldier who is quick-witted and knows how to survive would fit well.”

“Yes, I see.”

It wasn’t a heavily weighted judgment.

It was an intuitive assignment.

There was no particular reason. If someone asked, he would just say it was a hunch.

Of course, the company commander’s judgment was correct.

The elf’s intuition was sometimes sharper than a prophet’s words.