A Knight Who Eternally Regresses

The sky, heavy with clouds, felt lower than ever before.

It almost looked as if the clouds were brushing the small hill behind the training yard and the barracks.

While everyone went about their own business, the king and Enkrid spoke of each other’s dreams.

They spoke while drawing in the cold, crisp air left behind by the rain and exhaling deeply.

“I wish to become a knight and wield a sword.”

His tone and demeanor were so plain and subdued that the dream sounded like it belonged to someone else.

It started with becoming a knight, then extended to all he hoped to accomplish on the continent.

Upon hearing Enkrid’s dream, the king thought to himself:

‘There’s no despair, no resignation.’

He didn’t even mention the mockery of others.

He would simply move forward—and because he would, he held no doubt.

This man didn’t entertain the idea of failure.

The king’s mind briefly wandered to his past.

“Founding a nation? Spare me the nonsense! You actually think that makes sense?”

Those were the words of his younger brother, the one who had followed him most loyally.

Anu couldn't blame him. His brother was simply someone who saw things as they were.

And he wasn’t wrong. There were others who spoke just as reasonably.

“It’s impossible. You’re asking us to invest in fantasy.”

“So you’re going to become a bandit or a thief? What’s even in the East?”

“How can you waste your power like that? Put your strength into blocking the Demon Realm. I’ll grant you whatever you desire.”

The king—Anu—had listened to them all and rejected every word.

None of their arguments stirred his heart.

‘I’ll do what makes my heart race.’

For him, that was founding a kingdom in the East.

And in the end, Anu made it happen. He poured his life into laying the foundation of a nation.

Everyone said it was impossible. They all called it meaningless. They all laughed in his face.

Anu didn’t have time to care about any of that. There was too much to do.

He just moved forward.

He kept walking, and then—

“Sounds fun. Let’s do it together.”

More people began to stay by his side.

“You’ve got plenty of gaps. I’ll patch them up for you.”

And now here they were.

It wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning.

He hadn’t meant to be encouraging, yet there was weight in the king’s voice, and heat shimmered in his gaze.

“An Eastern kingdom? That’s just a checkpoint! A nation is merely a base. My goal is to conquer the entire East.”

He would explore the unknown, forge paths one by one, and plant his banner in that land.

As he spoke, the king bared his fangs. It was a smile, yet also an expression of fierce determination.