If you had the knack for it, you could even meet a prostitute inside the camp. I’d heard that the prostitutes preferred coming into the base over the city or some country village. For one, they could receive a much higher fee than usual.
And even if it was something of an open secret, it wasn’t an affair that happened within the bounds of military law and regulations. The men they met here, be they soldiers or commanders, went to great lengths to avoid causing a fuss. No one would enjoy creating a headache by getting caught calling for a woman.
Thus, this place was a land full of easy marks who paid handsomely.
‘Even so.’
He’s got a real knack for it. No matter how much one wanted it, some people could make it happen, and others couldn't. ‘Big Eyes must have arranged it.’
“Well, um, I’m envious. You’ve got a knack for it, huh?”
“There’s no need to live unsatisfied, is there?”
He wasn’t wrong. It’s not a bad thing to do it if you can. Jacksen walked, buttoning up his shirt.
As if his connection to the woman left in the barracks was truly just a matter of coin, he didn’t even glance back. Through the gap in his shirt as he buttoned it, a red, swollen kiss mark was visible. It seemed he’d had a very heated time.
Jacksen’s reddish-brown hair fluttered slightly in the wind. His appearance was strangely charming. He looked plain, yet handsome.
Yes, with looks like these, it was understandable that women would be drawn to him.
“What is it?”
Jacksen asked, glancing at Enkrid. He was the same as always. A relaxed and plain demeanor.
Squad member Jacksen. According to Rem’s assessment, a pervert who loved to exploit openings. For a brief moment, Enkrid recalled Jacksen on the battlefield.
If Rem resembled a charging beast, this one was...
‘Not really.’
He had never properly seen Jacksen fight. What he knew was from Rem’s words. And the one time he saw him poke an enemy’s back with a spear.
That was all. However, he could infer his skill. Even Rem would get minor scratches now and then.
But this one had no such wounds. It was extremely rare for him to get injured, and when he did, it was minor.
“You, aren't you going to fight for real?”
Sometimes, Rem would say this with a growl. At times like that, Jacksen would openly mock Rem.
“It’s not in my nature to enjoy seeing blood.”
“If you don’t enjoy seeing blood, then just go die. Or don’t be here at all, you devious bastard.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Alright, shall I split your head, or your torso?”
“Before that, I’ll put two holes the size of my thumbnail in your heart.”
The conversation ended there. Enkrid had stepped between them, seeing Rem raise his axe with blood dripping from his forearm and Jacksen quietly rising from his seat.
“If you want to kill each other, wouldn’t it be easier if one of you went over to the enemy’s side, instead of doing it here?”
After that, the two still glared as if they’d kill each other, but they didn’t fight. Words alone weren’t enough, but when he pushed his body between them, they would calm down as if by magic. He’d had to stop more than one or two squad members that way.
Rem called Jacksen a devious wildcat. Jacksen called Rem a crazy barbarian. Enkrid had also seen Jacksen stab an enemy in the back with a spear he’d picked up from somewhere.
Even after being stabbed, the opponent couldn’t find Jacksen’s position. As he looked around, Jacksen, who was crouched down, tripped him by the ankle. The image of the enemy soldier flailing on the ground with a spear in his back remained vivid in his memory.
Curious as to how he could do that, he had asked him during a quiet moment.
“It worked because all of the opponent’s attention was focused on what was in front of them.”
There was no detailed explanation. Rem was the type to easily share what he knew and possessed. But he couldn’t expect the same from Jacksen.
Not that Enkrid gave up easily.
“Squad Leader?”
Jacksen stopped walking. They were already in front of the medical tent where Enkrid was. He had been lost in thought after hearing the question of what was going on.
There was no need to ponder the answer to that question. Enkrid becoming the Squad Leader of the Fourth Company, Fourth Platoon’s troublemaking squad wasn't something he had aimed for. Who could possibly plan to form such relationships?
Therefore, there was no need to think about it. If he was curious about something, he asked. If he needed something, he requested it.
That was how Enkrid treated his squad members.
“If a guy like you were to stab me in the back, how would I avoid it?”
Jacksen understood Enkrid’s words at once. How many times had he pestered him to teach him the trick of sneaking up behind someone. It was to the point of being relentless.
He repeated the same question every few days. It would have been easier to deal with if he had just whined. He could have just scared him off and been done with it.
But the Squad Leader didn’t do that. He only showed a desire to know, to learn. He wasn't moved by that passion, but one thing was certain.
If left alone, he would probably say the same thing every few days for as long as he was in this squad. If he knew this man for the rest of his life, he would probably ask for the rest of his life. Jacksen doesn't use the word 'relentless' easily.
Because he knows the limits of a person all too well. He knows the emptiness of words like mental strength, conviction, and will.
And yet.
To him, Enkrid was a relentless man. His passion for the sword and martial arts was hotter than anyone else’s. Was it that passion that moved him like this?
“Why are you so eager to learn it?”
“If I know that, my chances of survival will be a little higher.”
You pour all the money you earn into some training hall, so what are you trying to survive so long for? Jacksen was about to ask what he wanted to do with it but stopped. What good would it do to know?
Weren't they just fated to pass each other by anyway? Afterward, it wasn’t an easy task, but Jacksen explained with all his heart. Still, the Squad Leader couldn’t master it.
That was a given. It wasn't something his 'type' could use. But today's question was a little more refreshing.
“Do you think you broke your ribs because of a blind blade— no, a blind kick?”
For Jacksen, it was a natural question. If he thought he got kicked by Frokk in the last battle because he couldn't sense his presence, he was gravely mistaken.
“No, that was because the opponent was just a brute.”
“Then?”
Rarely, a question followed.
“Are you curious?”
To that question, Enkrid asked one back instead. He knew Jacksen's usual attitude well. He doesn’t get curious.
He just keeps a moderate distance from everyone, not getting too close or too far. No one thought of Jacksen as a close friend. But aside from the 444 Squad, no one particularly disliked him either.
A moderate distance. That was Jacksen’s usual self. So, it might have been awkward for him to ask like this.
And Enkrid knew that if he asked this way, Jacksen would give an answer without asking further. It wasn't intentional that their relationship had become like this, but after spending time together, he knew their usual reactions and stances well.
“No. It’s nothing. If there’s a guy stabbing a spear from behind, you just have to notice him first.”
As expected, his explanation was the worst. Rem said he was bad at explaining, but compared to Jacksen, he could have been a sword master for a prestigious family. The fortunate thing was that Enkrid had met and experienced all sorts of teachers.
Among them were some who taught better than their skill level. And there were some whose skills were decent, but they were terrible at teaching. From all those teachers, at every single moment, Enkrid got his money’s worth.
So, he had more than enough ways to learn well.
“How do you notice them first?”
Enkrid asked.
“You just have to always look around your surroundings.”
“What if I get hit even if I look around?”
“Look around more often.”
“I can’t spend the whole day turning my head, can I?”
“If you’re the Squad Leader, you can.”
“No, I can’t.” This Jacksen fellow sometimes tries to paint him as a strange person.
He wasn’t joking like Rem, he was serious. Through several experiences, Enkrid knew how to respond. To firmly say he couldn't do it.
Indeed, at that firmness, Jacksen seemed to change his mind. He looked around and then casually stepped to one side. It was a spot next to the medical tent where various supplies were piled up.
He perched his rear on top of them and leaned his body slightly against the adjacent tent as he spoke.
“I think this conversation might get long.”
“I have all day today.”
At least until he went to bed, he had time to spare.
“Don’t you need to get a meal?”
“Will I die from skipping one meal? I'll take over your meal duty for you forever. Ah, of course, for as long as we're in the same squad.”
It was a promise that would disappear after today anyway. Enkrid made promises liberally.
“It won’t be funny if that’s a joke, you know?”
The funny thing was, what all the members of the 444 Squad hated most was things like dishwashing and meal duty. They were the kind of people who said combat was better than that.
The reason?
They hated taking care of what the other squad members ate, and they hated cleaning up after those bastards. They were consistently crazy bastards. But there was much to learn.
At least on the battlefield and in combat, they were excellent teachers for Enkrid. What if Jacksen couldn't solve this? He would just focus instead of worrying about such things.
And if that still didn't work, he planned to seek out Rem or another squad member in another ‘today.’ A soldier who doesn’t get minor scratches on the battlefield. He didn't know if Jacksen was truly exceptionally skilled.
He hadn't seen it with his own eyes. However, the results spoke of him as a great soldier. Rem’s attitude was a testament to Jacksen's skill.
Then there must be something to learn. Even if it wasn't particularly helpful right now, it would surely be useful later. Was the Heart of the Beast useful from the moment he learned it?
“I’m not idle enough to make empty words.”
“Didn’t you just say you had all day today?”
“That’s a different story.”
“Alright. You’ll keep your promise, I trust.”
Enkrid nodded his head. He also sat down right in front of Jacksen. A few soldiers passing by saw the two of them, but no one struck up a conversation.
The two sat facing each other amidst the passing soldiers and supply carts. One sat on the supplies, so his eye level was higher. But it wasn't to a degree that was particularly bothersome.
Jacksen felt a strange sensation. Enkrid plopped down and looked at him. There were pebbles and stones embedded in the ground, so it must have been uncomfortable.
Above all, carts came and went, kicking up dust, yet his eyes were as if he had forgotten such an environment. He focused on his story without a single shred of doubt. At the earnestness in those eyes, Jacksen opened his mouth.
“Humans have something called the five senses.”
“You mean things like eyes, nose, ears?”
“Yes. Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.”
Why is that coming up now? Isn’t that a question one might have? Enkrid showed no sign of it.
He just listened intently. It was a good attitude. Good enough to bring out unexpected words.
Originally, Jacksen had intended to just say that he needed to train his five senses, but he began to explain. The words came from his heart, not his head.
“If you can't keep turning your head, then you just have to put eyes on your back.”
Just because the words came from his heart didn't mean they had to be kind. Even as Jacksen said it, he thought it was nonsense. The explanation was wrong.
“I see.”
But Enkrid nodded.
‘Well now.’
Jacksen chose his words. He never thought he would teach something like this. But it wasn't impossible.
He would just have to teach a part of what he had trained. He knew from watching him all this time. The Squad Leader was ordinary.
His senses were also ordinary. Meaning, he had no innate talent. But that was fine.
The training he was doing now was effective even for ordinary people. If he did it steadily for about three or four months, he could achieve pretty good results. Originally, it was a training method done by locking someone in a place like a cave.
A better training method would be to have an assassin dead set on killing the Squad Leader threaten his life dozens of times, but... That was realistically impossible.
“You can't always look around in all directions with your eyes, but you can with your ears.”
It was still an explanation like monster piss, but...
“Ah, right, sound doesn’t distinguish between front and back.”
Enkrid, with his listening posture, quickly understood.
“To be precise, sound also has a front and a back. As you learn to distinguish sounds, your hearing will develop. For example, it’s a training you can do even while sitting. Now, listen.”
Naturally, all sorts of sounds could be heard. The sound of a cart rolling, the grumbling voice of a soldier, the moans of a sick soldier, the emotionless voice of a doctor saying to endure it, and in addition, the sound of the flag planted in the tent flapping in the wind, which was blowing quite strongly today.
After a short silence, Jacksen spoke.
“Today the wind is from the west, and the doctor is in the third tent from the front. And that cart has a loose joint in its left wheel. If you’re lucky, in two days, if you’re unlucky, today, the wheel joint will give out.”
It was just as he said. The smoothly rolling cartwheel made a cracking sound and collapsed to one side.
“Argh, seriously!”
The soldier driving the cart burst out in annoyance.
“If you distinguish and discern sounds, you can always be aware of your surroundings.”
Enkrid was astonished. Is something like this possible? Jacksen had just shown him that it was.
“The way to put eyes on your back is to train your hearing. Do you think you can do it?”
This hearing training wasn’t difficult in its method, though the environment was important. It was all about distinguishing sounds. Of course, that didn't mean it was easy.
“Continuously listening to and distinguishing the same sound repeatedly would be more helpful, right? And once I get used to that, I can do it in a different way?”
The Squad Leader, apart from his swordsmanship and martial skills, was certainly good at listening. Being a good listener was the same as being quick to understand. The Squad Leader quickly understood Jacksen’s words.
“Yes, that’s right. Among the ways to read the steps or presence of an assassin moving without a sound, there is one that involves distinguishing the sound of the air flowing around you. If you know a good assassin, it would be good to have them sneak up and aim for your neck. That would be the best training method.”
What he said after that was half a joke. He had actually said it with a slight smile. It was a joke, but he had certainly said something unnecessary.
Because he understood his crappy explanation so readily, Jacksen had said it without thinking. He also had the thought that it was a story that would have no connection to the Squad Leader whatsoever.
But then.
“Really?”
The Squad Leader’s eyes shone even brighter. Such an inscrutable man. That was how Jacksen assessed Enkrid.