Chapter 328 – 328 – The Centerpole

For three days straight, Enkrid engaged in cycles of reflection and review.

He had no choice. His body was pushed to such extremes that it was a wonder he hadn’t completely broken down. As a result, his physical training was limited to only the simplest movements—some exercises to maintain flexibility and swinging his sword in the air to keep his instincts sharp.

The rest of his time was spent in contemplation and analysis.

Oddly enough, he didn’t find it dull.

“Pushing your body right now is like pouring water into a cracked vessel, brother,” Audin said, his words implying that any effort would simply leak away without much to show for it.

In the past, Enkrid wouldn’t have cared. He would have kept pushing forward, cracked vessel or not. But now, he knew better.

To move forward, he had to rest.

“To truly progress, one must rest properly, brother. Once, there was a goat named Nu,” Audin began, slipping into one of his sermons.

“Nu had strong, sturdy legs and thought their purpose was to move endlessly forward. So, Nu walked without rest, thinking it was the reason for their gift. But the Lord, seeing this, said: ‘Without direction, your walking will lead you nowhere.'”

Audin’s sermon, though unsolicited, wasn’t unpleasant. Beside him, Theresa knelt, listening attentively.

The two made an oddly fitting pair, often called the “giant siblings” due to their similar builds. Looking at them now, even their demeanor seemed to align.