Chapter 619 - Let's Get Along
"The source is the same."
That was the perspective of the mage.
"All things in existence share the same origin. They begin there and change as they develop."
Regardless of whether this was true or not, the perspective itself was valuable.
A rigid mindset that insisted sorcery was merely sorcery and divine power nothing but divine power would limit further growth.
"I also agree with that point."
Shinar added her thoughts to Esther's comment.
As a Fairy Knight, Shinar didn't rely on divine power or sorcery but wielded Will, transforming the essence of the forest into something she could use.
Unlike Enkrid or Ragna, who cultivated and drew upon an inner reserve, Shinar utilized external forces.
'Is Will something that inherently resides within me?'
If the source was indeed the same, then the answer would be no.
If Will originated solely from within, only a handful of individuals would ever awaken it.
"An interesting perspective, Panther Sister."
Audin nodded in agreement.
Enkrid, too, pondered the nature of divine power.
If divine power was a gift from the gods, it would require prayer and devotion to awaken.
Yet, just as intelligence and skill did not directly correlate, neither did devotion and divine power.
What did it mean, then, that mercenaries' sayings held true even among those who had awakened divine power?
It suggested that prayer and piety alone were not sufficient.
Sorcery was similar. It had more direct methods for cultivation, such as seeking auspicious locations—places imbued with power.
"The right location can make all the difference in cultivating sorcery," someone said.
"The source is the same," Esther reiterated.
"Does that mean magic is the same as well?"
Theresa asked, her husky yet melodic voice flowing through the campfire's warmth.
"It's the same, yet different," Esther replied.
With goodwill toward her companions, she explained in terms they could understand.
"It changes depending on how one perceives and understands it."
The source was the same, but its form shifted with perception.
Those who saw it as divine power believed it came from the gods.
Those who perceived supernatural entities called spirits as the source wielded sorcery.
If one believed in strength born from willpower, it became Will.
And if someone identified it as the energy flowing through the forest, it became essence.
"Dragon knights call it the energy of dragons," Luagarne added.
For them, it wasn't just Will but something they referred to as Dragon Speech—the words, power, and will of dragons.
Yet, the source remained the same.
The mysteries of the world could never be fully unraveled, and this was no exception.
Even so, as Enkrid listened and reflected, he felt his understanding of Will grow stronger.
The scattered ideas and realizations began to form a small theoretical pillar within him.
It was far from a completed structure, but it was a step toward building something greater.
As they spoke, snow began to fall heavily. Rem, observing this, remarked:
"Just so you know, I'm not shoveling the snow."
This was in response to Audin's earlier statement that the Lord would not clear fallen snow for them.
"Of course not. That's hardly a concern," Audin replied.
Clearing snow would be a task for the soldiers back at the base.
Neither he nor Rem planned to lift a hand for such mundane work, and Enkrid found no fault in this logic.
The essence of Will was much the same.
There was no need to use brute force for tasks that could be accomplished with intention alone.
For instance, intimidating an opponent with Will was often more effective than pressing a blade to their throat.
As new insights flickered through his mind, Enkrid turned inward, silently processing and revisiting these realizations.
Noticing the change, Jaxen gestured for quiet by placing a finger to his lips, signaling Ropord before he could speak.
Even without activating Will, his intent was clear, and the group fell silent.
Only the crackling of the campfire broke the stillness.
Outside, the horses occasionally neighed but soon quieted, seemingly sensing the atmosphere.
Jaxen noticed that Weird-eyes was moving the others into position.
'Are you perceptive as well?'
Weird-eyes was no ordinary creature, and so the snowy night passed.
Everyone began preparing for rest, knowing they could still travel despite the snow.
Their leader, however, remained deep in thought.
Esther chanted a spell, sealing the cold air from the makeshift tents and cave.
The warmth of the fire enveloped the group.
"It's warm," Shinar murmured quietly, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible.
The warmth, along with the group's camaraderie, drew these words from her.
At the same time, a faint melancholy settled over her—an inevitable feeling for someone walking a predetermined path.
She hid it well, as fairies were adept at masking their emotions, and Shinar was especially skilled.
No one noticed her fleeting sadness.
***
"We are grateful for the dedication of the Madmen Knights, as well as His Majesty's generosity."
The Holy Kingdom had endured something akin to civil war.
Without Enkrid's knights, the bloodshed would have been far worse.
Even with Overdier unifying the military and the Zealot Priesthood joining the fray, the situation had been resolved largely thanks to the knights' overwhelming presence.
At the heart of this resolution was Enkrid.
His efforts brought an envoy from the Holy Kingdom to Krang.
In the chandelier-lit royal reception room, nobles gathered around steaming teacups while maids and attendants stood at attention.
Krang, wearing a gentle smile, began to speak.
"And what do we gain in return?"
The only noble present from Baisar was the young Marcus, a close confidant of the king.
He sat quietly, sipping tea and occasionally munching on biscuits with a loud crunch.
His casual demeanor seemed to communicate that this was no serious affair—or perhaps that Naurilia had no interest in what the Holy Kingdom had to offer.
"...It seems you enjoy speaking candidly," remarked the envoy, his expression darkening as the atmosphere grew increasingly tense.
The high priest parted his heavy lips and spoke.
"Is there any need to complicate the matter? Everyone already calls me the king picked up from the filthiest of grounds. So, I've simply forgotten the need for elaborate courtesies."
Such remarks had indeed been made about Krang.
While few within Naurilia or the kingdom itself dared to say such things aloud, external kingdoms, especially rival trade companies to Rockfreed's, often spread such talk.
They were the ones who believed their profits had diminished due to the kingdom's support for Leona Rockfreed.
In reality, the backing came from the Border Guard, but to outsiders, it was all the same.
This perception was precisely what Krang desired.
It meant that what Enkrid did could be interpreted as the kingdom's will.
"Is there something you seek?"
The high priest struggled to respond directly to the king's words, opting instead to voice a question.
At the same time, he mentally listed items he could offer.
Many rare and valuable goods came exclusively from the Holy Nation.
Healing potions, for instance, were renowned for their unmatched purity and effectiveness, sought after across the continent.
There were also sacred talismans crafted by priests, prized as exports for their ability to combat malevolent spirits—a rarity.
If mages created spell objects, priests who wielded divine power crafted divine objects.
Furthermore, the wine produced in the Holy Nation was easily twice as exquisite as Naurilia's.
If supplied at a relatively lower price and made a national enterprise, the kingdom's coffers could significantly benefit.
This thought crossed the high priest's mind, as rumors of Naurilia's finances being severely strained by various endeavors were not uncommon.
Of course, openly pursuing wine imports might seem unseemly, so they would likely delegate the task to a trade company.
Typically, such companies were led by royal relatives or the illegitimate offspring of trustworthy nobles forming new trade entities.
'Perhaps he'll demand all three.'
If so, it would simply be a matter of negotiating and conceding within reasonable limits.
"Let's get along."
The king's words shattered the high priest's expectations.
It was entirely outside his anticipated range.
"...What did you just say?"
The high priest stammered.
"I said, let's get along."
The king's response was unequivocal.
"Have some snacks. They're good."
Even as the king continued, the high priest struggled to find the right words.
The exchange that followed was brief, with meanings boiled down to the following:
"Let's get along? That's it?"
"More or less."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes, serious."
"Are you feeling unwell, Your Majesty?"
"No, I'm fine."
"Then why this approach?"
To this, Krang simply laughed.
Marcus laughed along with him.
The high priest, assessing that this matter exceeded his authority, later sent another envoy.
"My name is Noah."
Noah, newly admitted into the sacred city by Overdier, had now become the Holy Nation's diplomatic representative.
"I've heard of you."
Krang, having received a letter from Enkrid a few days prior, already knew about Noah.
Even without the letter, he would have known—the commotion caused by the Madmen Knights was too loud to ignore.
"It seems we share a mutual friend."
"That does appear to be the case. However, I wouldn't dare claim to be Your Majesty's friend myself."
Over the course of two days, the two conversed.
On the surface, it seemed trivial—eating snacks, sipping wine, and chatting with Marcus about Enkrid's eccentricities.
They weren't entirely critical comments, though they did exchange remarks along the lines of, "But isn't he truly a madman?"
"I agree."
Even the king himself nodded solemnly.
Their conversation wove itself together, and a conclusion was reached.
"Let's maintain a friendly relationship."
Noah agreed.
After his departure, it appeared as though Krang had demanded no compensation.
Outwardly, it truly seemed that way.
***
"You didn't break the sword this time? I'm genuinely impressed."
Upon returning, Enkrid was greeted by Krais's thankful remark.
"Didn't I tell you this was a natural outcome?"
Enkrid noticed Abnaier nodding in agreement beside him.
The events that followed were familiar—Lord Graham and others who could either be called challengers or victims influenced by Enkrid gathered.
These were individuals obsessed with duels.
"Would you grant me a bout? I've been honing a new technique."
Even if their level was not particularly high, observing their refined techniques was always enjoyable.
There was no reason to refuse.
Training resumed as well.
Audin and Rem sparred repeatedly for over three days.
The result?
A draw.
Upon close and meticulous observation, Audin's skill was slightly superior, but in a real battle, it was hard to predict who would prevail.
In the midst of all this, another feature of divinity was revealed.
"We can spread the light of healing."
This was something neither Will nor sorcery could achieve.
Though they share a common origin, there were significant differences, which explained why divine magic developed separately.
Furthermore, it was said that the divinity used by holy knights differed from that in divine spells.
Amid these reflections, Enkrid revisited what he had awakened and realized.
'How does one master Will?'
By posing the question internally, he began to grasp an answer.
'It's not only about external elements.'
It wasn't solely about awakening something internal either.
Both were necessary.
Accept external elements, cultivate them within—this was the key.
To put it simply, it was about harnessing the elements that make up the world and nurturing them, like tending to a plant.
But what if one didn't know how to water it?
Or worse, didn't even recognize the existence of water?
'You wouldn't even get started.'
This explained why the number of Will users on the continent was so remarkably low.
Moreover, one had to understand that sunlight, in addition to water, was crucial.
Enkrid reached a conclusion based on these thoughts.
'There's no systematic training method.'
If a structured method for cultivating Will could be established, wouldn't it increase the number of practitioners?
'It comes down to learning how to discipline the mind.'
Even for someone like Enkrid, who had clawed his way up from nothing, this was not an easily grasped concept.
It was challenging, yet not impossible.
Interestingly, the most renowned martial groups across the continent had spent years working on precisely this
Developing systematic training methods for awakening Will.
They used these methods to nurture talent.
Enkrid, too, was laying the groundwork.
In terms of speed, he was blazing through what had taken others decades to achieve.
Having become accustomed to reshaping and tailoring swordsmanship and techniques to suit himself, Enkrid approached this with no preconceived notions.
'A training method for Will.'
Just as the Isolation technique could be used to forge the body, there had to be a way to do this as well.
While he couldn't create something immediately, he believed that steady progress would lead to valuable insights.
In addition to this, Enkrid also learned a great deal from his recent experiences, his return, and discussions with his companions.
Yet, despite all he had already gained, there was still more to learn.
That realization filled Enkrid's heart with exhilaration, making it beat with fierce anticipation.
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