[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-a-knight-who-eternally-regresses":3,"chapter-a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-555":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","A Knight Who Eternally Regresses",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},428362,689,"Chapter 552: Viscount Harrison","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-555",555,"\u003Cp>When Enkrid and the other two entered, the entrance of the banquet hall seemed narrow, and for a moment, it felt as if the entire hall was packed tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some nobles saw a halo around them, while others felt a foreboding chill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Couldn’t that man standing there kill everyone present if he so decided?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And wasn’t one of them called the noble slayer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, only a few were truly anxious. Most were simply stunned, busy admiring them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would it be an exaggeration to say that even their steps radiated power?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it wouldn’t. A single step from them could change many things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this was the true presence of heroes who had shaken the entire continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, they were just walking normally, but knowing their reputation — and with their overwhelming appearance — it was easy to feel that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid, Rem, and Audin had done nothing special but simply walked in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'They've come.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the nobles clenched his fist as he watched Enkrid enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might have been a moment requiring some deep resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His head was completely bald, his frame was lean and muscular, his skin darkly tanned, and even his fingernails were blackened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had changed clothes, he could have easily passed for a farmer rather than a noble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, by standing here dressed in a worn but proper tailcoat, he clearly proved that he was indeed a noble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noble tugged at his rough-textured collar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mad Knight Order, huh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He marveled anew at the name that had been attached to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bald noble had been one of those who condemned Enkrid at the royal council, insisting that his excessive military power needed to be restrained with a firm oath of loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Enkrid had entered, the noble hadn't been able to take his eyes off him even once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, no one could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially among the noble ladies and unmarried young women, some had visibly glazed eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could it be considered natural? Of course it could.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid drew all gazes to himself as he entered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Appearance was a weapon too — and now, Enkrid’s greatest weapon shone brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His black hair, as if oiled, gleamed under the many lanterns illuminating the banquet hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aesthetic senses may differ from person to person, but when confronted with truly outstanding beauty, all opinions tend to align.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid’s face at this moment was such a case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A high, sharp nose, brilliantly clear blue eyes, a perfectly balanced mouth — everything harmonized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if a god had descended briefly to earth and sculpted him with divine blessing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the bald noble had that thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was... remarkably handsome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A woman holding a wine glass two steps away from the bald noble let out a small gasp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so did the people across from her. Their eyes were glazed, and if left alone, they looked about ready to drool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that a statue moving?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some even blurted out nonsense like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others just stared blankly, as if they had forgotten how to speak altogether.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least half of the ladies inside the banquet hall were likely experiencing, for the first and perhaps only time in their lives, the phenomenon known as love at first sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if they had been struck by some kind of charming enchantment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this magic?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such mutterings came naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even those who didn’t fall in love instantly found it hard to tear their eyes away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nobles thought the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when they had seen him in the palace before, they knew he was exceptionally good-looking, but now, dressed carefully, hair slicked, face polished, dressed impeccably in a tailcoat — there was no resisting him for either man or woman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were a few who looked jealous, sure, but the majority of the male nobles didn't even feel a sense of competition — it was overwhelming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them was a woman named Frokk, who showed not just boldness but action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped forward and even spoke to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know any Frokk?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That action shattered some of the collective illusion hanging over the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the silence broke, murmuring began to fill the hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who is that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Didn’t they say it's the Mad Knight Order?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, the Demon Slayer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chatter sparked from all sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in the capital, the nickname 'Demon Slayer' was more widely known than 'Steel Wall Knight.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to roll off the tongue more naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a real demon were hiding here, it would be quite the absurd scene — considering Enkrid had never actually slain a real demon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if a real demon showed up and demanded clarification, Enkrid would just shrug and move on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t as if he had ever asked to be called the Demon Slayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There's a Frokk from Lua Gharne, someone who used to be in the royal palace.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer to Frokk’s question came from a man with gray hair standing nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bald noble, hearing this, quickly recognized who it was — gray hair wasn’t common.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'The Noble Slayer.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the gray-haired man casually answer Frokk, without a hint of violence, the noble realized he didn't seem like someone who would punch every noble he met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that the noble had fully believed those rumors ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What, that he beat any noble he saw and ritually severed their heads?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, many had died by his hands, but none without cause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he were truly a bloodthirsty maniac who slaughtered the privileged for pleasure, he wouldn’t be standing there beside a hero like Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, the reason he earned such a brutal nickname was clear — he was the most dangerous person here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That danger didn’t vanish even standing next to the knight whose beauty seemed blessed by the gods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like how a sweet potato and a potato are both delicious but remain distinct, he maintained his own unique charm next to Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gray hair, half tied and half loose, was neatly brushed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His chin was sharp, and while his features weren’t as outrageously beautiful as Enkrid’s, he was striking in his own right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A rough-edged but undeniably handsome man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sister, there are already many competitors. Best to restrain yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing beside him, a man far taller than the others added calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His forearms looked thicker than the waists of the corseted ladies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood there like a mountain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Bear Beastkin.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rumors were just rumors — there were no Beastkin traits visible. Clearly, he was human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging by his speech, he seemed deeply religious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With shoulders so broad they barely looked human, a neck like a log, a chest about to rip his shirt open, and muscles even visible in his fingers — there was a raw, heavy presence in every small movement he made.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were plenty at the banquet who preferred destructive bulk to mere handsomeness, and they began to watch him too, right after Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I want to be hugged just once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I feel like I could hang off his arm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are his thighs like that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the women whispered carefully, he could still hear everything clearly, standing right next to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite his careful demeanor, that oppressive presence remained unhidden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of them — each with a distinct personality — entered the banquet hall, which had passed through three stages: uproar, silence, and now murmuring again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They took a spot inside and stood calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bald noble, who had been watching Enkrid the entire time, fell into his own memories for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had considered the possibility that today might be his last day ever since he first stood in opposition to the author.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe that’s why memories surfaced on their own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The most important thing in this world is land.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was his father's teaching. He agreed with it deeply and tended his territory in the same way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Why land first? Because without land, how would the people of the territory eat and live? Knights — do they live without eating, without shitting? Are they not human too?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this point of view, he only wished for the kingdom to act as a fence to protect himself and his land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was all. No other grand intention. He knew Enkrid was the hero who ended the civil war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'If I said I had no ill will, would he believe me?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't seen the knight before, but he understood people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one could truly like being ostracized and scorned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was fortunate enough if hatred didn’t take root.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from being ignored and pushed away — weren’t there people with broader hearts? There were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had seen such a person only once in his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king he now served was one. That was why he had sworn loyalty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noble slipped his hand into his pocket. His fingers grasped a hard object, and he quickly hid it inside his sleeve as he approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wouldn't do any good if someone spotted him first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is cheating. If you're good at fighting, you shouldn't be allowed to look like that. At minimum, you should be rugged. Narrow eyes, a pug nose would be better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marcus, one of the king’s closest aides, grumbled aloud nearby. Some glanced over, but soon enough, the atmosphere of the banquet returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People went back to talking and drinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, plenty of people still crowded around the so-called Mad Knight Order, pouring their attention onto them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bald noble crossed through the crowd and stared intently at Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hand remained tucked inside his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing the gaze, Enkrid turned to look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He surely hadn’t forgotten the face of someone who had openly condemned him at the royal council.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have something to give you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noble spoke and approached.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marcus and others nearby sharply turned their eyes toward him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Viscount Harrison,\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Andrew Gardner, one of the king’s inner circle, identified him. His gaze was sharp, as if demanding what he was doing here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viscount Harrison ignored Andrew's stare and took another step closer to Enkrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, moving swiftly, he pulled out his hand from his sleeve and thrust something into Enkrid’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a normal person, it was impressively fast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don’t hate him too much.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was something Crang had said just after the oaths were completed. Enkrid had widened his eyes and asked back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That noble earlier. He didn’t act with ill intent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who are you talking about?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid hadn’t harbored even a bit of malice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nobles? He just thought, \"So that’s how they are.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood their position somewhat too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, even if he was called the Demon Slayer, wasn’t it natural for people not to believe without seeing for themselves?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you believed every rumor, there were even stories about priests arm-wrestling giants. Exaggeration was the nature of such tales.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though, in Enkrid’s case, there were plenty who had witnessed things firsthand, so suspicion wasn't really necessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t easy to oppose him unless you were incredibly bold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To oppose Enkrid now meant standing against both the hero and the king himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, they had insisted on the danger of the knight and clashed with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was it just because they didn’t like him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn’t seem so simple. Some were fools, sure, but among them were nobles who harbored ideals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When it came to chasing dreams, purpose, and light, Enkrid might have been unrivaled across the continent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, he could recognize at a glance that some of those nobles, even if it cost them their lives or favor with the king, had chosen to speak up out of conviction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Enkrid kept jokingly asking \"Who?\" Crang laughed and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're lucky you survived this long. With that attitude, you should’ve died dozens of times over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t died from his attitude yet, but he had died thousands of times otherwise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why are you nodding? Anyway, one of those nobles probably wants to work closely with the Border Guard. He’s hoping the Safe Road passes through his lands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kraiss had constructed two Safe Roads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One led toward the capital, Naurillia, the other passed through Martai.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Safe Road passed south through Martai?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the lords in the surrounding region would benefit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially one territory — not just because of trade, but because its lord had long wanted to cultivate the land outside the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His name was Harrison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had made a life goal of cultivating land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he saw Kraiss’ plan of building outposts and deploying troops to secure safe regions, he fell in love at first sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid had sensed Harrison’s approach even earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing him now, he noticed nothing special.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An old, tough man with worn clothing and a hardened expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite his shabby clothes, they were clean and neat. His bearing didn’t stray from propriety.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Living modestly had become second nature to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t know exactly where Kraiss’ Safe Road would extend or what Harrison was hoping for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their eyes simply met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harrison’s gaze reminded Enkrid of a solid stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you can’t use Will, does that mean your willpower is meaningless?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If someone tells you you’re lacking talent and doomed from the start, should you give up?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should you stop everything because someone else decided you can’t succeed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should you give up just because it seems impossible?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if that judgment wasn’t your own, but someone else's?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Should you still surrender?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Harrison pushed something into Enkrid’s chest, it wasn’t a weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t an assassination attempt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his keen eyesight, Enkrid clearly saw it was a glass bottle — sealed with a cork and tightly wrapped with string.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he let it happen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viscount Harrison said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I was rude earlier. Take this as an apology.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid didn’t ask what it was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, he asked a different question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is there something you want?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harrison looked a good twenty years older, perhaps because of his bald head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He blinked several times, then replied,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Bribe — no, yes, it's a bribe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could you direct the Safe Road toward our territory?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harrison said it without a hint of shame.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A stubbornness born of a long, hard life was visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, Enkrid might have asked \"why.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or demanded some terms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, he didn’t even ask what the gift was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s do that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He simply nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an answer far beyond Harrison’s expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You won’t even ask why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Harrison asked, flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’ll listen if you want to tell me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a decision made purely by judging a person’s character.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on his eyes, his bearing, his dress — everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was a wrong choice?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Life was a series of choices, and no choice was always right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Enkrid knew that better than anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why he wasn’t afraid to choose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fear of choosing only led to stagnation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case, he would have long since ended up trapped in the \"happy today\" the Ferryman spoke of.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in this man standing before him, Enkrid saw a glimpse of someone similar to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though startled, Harrison answered calmly — it was something he often said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll cultivate the land.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",2537,"2026-05-30T08:28:29.162Z","2026-06-01T04:30:45.896Z",1,"novelbin.me","5e3b9b63870fe0eb478bb121a582b17cc968979cb64fdc7b3ef0c8d415e64639","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-556","a-knight-who-eternally-regresses-chapter-554",882,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fa-knight-who-eternally-regresses-cover.jpg"]