Turning Chapter 1145

Chapter 1145

At the same time, Yuder was standing in front of the Cavalry's Northern Branch.

'They really did hang up a bow and arrows...'

He had felt bad about not properly visiting the Northern Branch since coming to Peletta. Since it seemed he wouldn't have time to see it if not today, he came alone, and the bow and arrows prominently hung above the entrance door really caught his attention.

'If I'm not mistaken, it looks like the one I used then...'

Yuder looked at it and sighed. Though he wanted to take it down, he left it alone for now and knocked on the door. The members who had been waiting after receiving notice that he would visit opened the door wide with broad smiles.

"Oh! The Divine Archer who shoots the sun's enemies has finally come!"

"Should I leave?"

At the cold words delivered with an expressionless face, the members quickly changed their attitude.

"No. Don't! Please come in! No, please come in, we beg you!"

They led Yuder inside, took off his coat, and seated him in front of the fireplace in the largest and warmest lounge. He had been slightly worried that there might be ability side effects since everyone had squeezed their abilities to the limit on the day of battle, but fortunately, there seemed to be no such cases.

"Yuder. You saw the bow hanging at the entrance, right?"

"It looked like the one I used before."

"Right! You recognized it indeed. We got the one you used then from Captain Welliven. He tried to avoid giving it to us so much...! We never knew he had such a stingy side."

"But we won in the end. We played five rounds of cards with Peletta Knights' representatives and won three times."

"It was really hard. Fortunately Edin's last move worked."

Yuder listened to the members' 'Epic of Securing the Bow Used by Yuder Aile' while looking down at the warm drink cup someone had put in his hand. To be honest, he wondered if it was really something that needed to be secured to such an extent, but seeing the members' sparkling eyes, he kept his mouth shut thinking it would be better not to say anything.

"When Phieny returns, we're going to discuss adding another emblem made with that bow and arrow design to our uniforms along with the Cavalry emblem. Our branch's emblem!"

"I don't know about other branches since I haven't been there, but I think our branch is the best? It's spacious, has good facilities, close to Peletta, truly the best! What does the Aide of the Commander who has seen them all think?"

The Northern Branch building was in a small town visible after riding just a short distance from Peletta. Being converted from an old castle, it felt more magnificent than other branches, and facilities like the training grounds and dormitories were most similar to the capital headquarters.

Additionally, it was characterized by being well-equipped with facilities that could receive communications quickly and conveniently with other branches and headquarters.

'Should I say it feels about halfway between the Cavalry headquarters and Peletta Castle?'

In his previous life, the Cavalry's Northern Branch was far from Peletta. Like the South, there were many regions that didn't welcome Cavalry branches, so it had to be built in a sparsely populated area, which caused a lot of wasted resources. Later when the Cavalry's influence grew, they moved near a large city, but even then it was still as far as possible from Peletta.

Compared to then, this place that Kishiar had carefully established could truly be called a heaven-sent location best suited for performing a branch's role.

'...But I can't say that.'

Yuder looked around at the grinning members and opened his mouth.

"Well. I think I'd have to use it myself to know. Since everyone seems full of energy, shall we have some sparring matches at the training grounds while we're at it?"

"...Huh?"

"You want to put the bow on your emblem, right? Then everyone should be able to use a bow that well. Each grab a bow and follow me."

"I-I don't know how to shoot?"

"You'll learn now."

As punishment for speaking carelessly, the members each had a brief sparring match with Yuder at the training grounds. After a round of screams passed, Yuder received and collected letters from members of other regions that had arrived at the Northern Branch. Since he hadn't been able to receive communications during Kishiar's heat period, just the letters that arrived for Yuder personally filled a small box.

"I'm leaving."

"Go well and please never come back..."

The members mumbled while lying collapsed here and there like corpses. In a completely opposite atmosphere from when he arrived, Yuder grinned and walked out the door proudly.

"...Yuder!"

While he was briefly stopped checking the condition of the horse he had ridden, someone called him. When he turned his head, Edin, who had been collapsed like the other members, was standing with a half-dead face.

When Yuder stared blankly wondering what was wrong, Edin fidgeted with his hands with a hesitant look in his eyes, then approached close with a determined face and whispered.

"Um. I... on that day when we were catching monsters. I think I... saw someone?"

"..."

"Um. But it... looked like our Commander...?"

Yuder recalled Kishiar who had said he had been watching him since he shot his last arrow.

'He saw that.'

"But... at that time, he, um. Well. Since you have second gender too, you'd understand but... um... ugh... that, well. That thing only second genders can feel. He looked like he was in that state...? If it wasn't my imagination..."

Edin's face gradually reddened as he carefully continued speaking.

"What I felt was too faint, and there wasn't time to think deeply about it then so I came down and dealt with the situation first... but thinking about it later, um. The fact that someone I thought had gone on an urgent external mission with you was there like that... p-perhaps. Actually."

He probably wanted to ask if it was heat, but for Edin who couldn't bring himself to open his mouth, Yuder nodded instead.

"What you're thinking is probably right."

Keeping Kishiar's heat-related matters secret from the Northern Branch members wasn't because they couldn't be trusted. So now that everything was finished, if someone had noticed, it would be fine to tell them this much.

"I knew it! So that's why. That's why only you came out that day..."

Even after getting an answer, Edin's face grew worse. His face alternated between turning red and pale as he thought about who knows what, and finally he closed his eyes tightly and opened his mouth.

"Um... Yuder. Perhaps, though this question might be too personal, um. Did you come to the North during vacation because of some... pressure from above, or something like that... forcing you?"

"..."

He couldn't even guess what thought process had led to that question. Still, since he had been asked, he decided to answer.

"Do I look like someone who would do things forcibly because someone told me to?"

"No, not at all!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"But that... when I think about how you were also away while the Commander was absent, I suddenly got worried...! I know you and the Commander do various things for second gender awakeners, but y-you never know, right? The Commander's appearance that I saw then was so..."

"So what?"

Edin lowered his head and made a groaning sound before whispering very quietly.

"I don't know how to say it. Um, how should I put it. He was... directed only at you, you could say... that kind of feeling."

At the unexpected words, Yuder blinked.

"Of course you're the Commander's most cherished aide... so well... he could watch over you like that...! But somehow my feeling then was different. The more I think about it later, it really seems that way. So even though it might be presumptuous... I felt I should tell you...!"

'What is he saying?'

He really couldn't understand what Edin was trying to say. But somehow he felt he might know. Anyway, since he could feel that Edin had sensed something unusual from Kishiar's appearance that day and was worried about Yuder, he nodded.

"I understand for now. But can I ask one thing?"

"Ask anything!"

"It seems like you're saying you're worried about me because the Commander's appearance while watching me then was unusual, but does that mean his appearance then felt dangerous to you?"

Edin closed his mouth. After a moment, he shook his head slowly and greatly.

"...No. Not at all. That's what I thought was the problem."

Yes. That seemed right. Yuder spoke quietly with a faint smile.

"Right. Then whatever you were worried about, you don't need to. Because I came here because I wanted to, and did what I wanted to do."

Edin, who had been staring blankly up at Yuder, slowly raised his eyebrows after a moment as if realizing something.

"...I see! If you knew everything too... I was worried for nothing... thank... thank goodness...!"

"..."

"I, I haven't told anyone about what I saw that day? And I won't in the future either! Yes! If you ever need my help, contact me anytime!"

Edin slapped Yuder's back hard, then gave an unsolicited Cavalry salute and made a firm expression.