Turning Chapter 1093

Chapter 1093

The peculiar name "Cat Whiskers Trading Company" made him remember as soon as he heard it.

'It was the southern trading company that helped our people in the desert.'

The ones Kishiar had dispatched to obtain information after learning that Nahan, who had disappeared on the day of hail, was not dead. The somewhat bizarre combination of Nathan Zuckerman, Kanna, Pruelle, and Nipollen had coincidentally built a connection with a southern trading company by helping each other there.

The name of that trading company was 'Donabi Manaik', which meant tabby whiskers, and it turned out to have ties with the Shuden Trading Company as well.

'We had concluded that it would be good to contact the Shuden Trading Company and find a way to continue long-term cooperation with that company since we would need a lot of information from within the South in the future...'

The report would have reached Kishiar through Kanna, but he didn't know exactly how the matter had progressed since so many things had happened afterward. However, hearing today that Mick Shuden was coming with people from that company, it seemed like things had been handled well.

'He's pretending it's a coincidence, but it's not really one. Mick Shuden must have been busy in many ways.'

Running a trading company of considerable size while personally moving to catch the guys who were impersonating and causing trouble, and in the meantime, even working to solidify friendships with southern trading companies. With an ordinary person's work handling ability, it would be difficult to properly do just one of those things.

Yuder spoke with such thoughts in mind, deliberately nonchalant.

"That was lucky."

"Yes. It's lucky. I have expectations that I might be able to obtain information related to this incident from them. Along with some interesting stories about recent trends in the South."

Kishiar grinned widely. It was a beautiful smile that made one certain that the visit of the Cat Whiskers Trading Company people was by no means a coincidence.

From that smile, one couldn't recall at all the tired face that had been resting his head not long ago. However, Yuder didn't forget that both of those appearances were Kishiar.

"I'm also looking forward to it. Additionally... I brought a new story to tell you, would you like to hear it?"

"What story?"

"You'll remember that before coming to Peletta, I said there was a name that caught my attention while reading Phieny's report letter."

Kishiar's eyes narrowed.

"Right... to be exact, you said it was among the new recruits of the Northern Branch."

"That's correct. Today, I learned more detailed information related to the owner of that name."

The smile slowly disappeared from Kishiar's face. Toward the man who was quietly looking at him as if not to miss a single word that flowed out, Yuder slowly continued.

"That guy's name is Fay. In the previous life, he was the last Deputy Commander of Sul that I appointed. And... he was also the one who would succeed me as the 3rd Cavalry Commander."

Yuder calmly conveyed the story of Fay as he remembered it, and the information he had learned today through the Northern Branch members and Welliven.

"Since Elpkins and Gloe also joined the Cavalry much earlier than in the previous game, it's not that surprising that Fay has joined now. However, if the guys trying to bring about disaster were involved in that process, I thought that would be a bit of a problem, so it bothered me."

"..."

"Since Fay himself is still just a new recruit, I think it would be sufficient to have Kanna or others keep a close eye on him as you said before. However, I think we should start investigating the wandering merchants who visited his hometown right away. Because I'm convinced they are the same people we are looking for."

"Yes... let's do that."

Kishiar slowly nodded. After a moment, he suddenly let out a laugh that sounded like a thin sigh.

"I'm glad to finally find out the part that was bothering me even without this, but... I feel like asking a somewhat foolish question."

"What question do you mean?"

The one who had been silent for a moment answered in a somewhat dry voice.

"The question of whether you would do so if you could avoid seeing that person again."

Yuder blinked for a moment.

'...If I could avoid seeing Fay again... He has already become a Cavalry member again, so what... Ah!'

Suddenly, a realization of what Kishiar was trying to say flashed through his mind.

"Do you mean you would take measures so that I wouldn't have to face that guy, since we haven't directly met face to face yet?"

"If necessary."

"No. It's not necessary."

Yuder answered firmly.

"Honestly, it doesn't matter to me whether I see that guy's face or not. If I had felt the need to avoid him, I wouldn't have joined the Cavalry in the first place. Furthermore, I wouldn't have even gone near the Imperial Palace."

But he didn't do that. And he had no regrets about that choice.

If he had chosen revenge, he wouldn't have been able to face Kishiar like this now.

He felt that the unspoken parts were sufficiently conveyed through the eyes that met. The man who had been quietly meeting his gaze closed his eyes after a while.

"...Right. Of course, I expected you to say that. Since it's you."

"..."

"Asking to hear the answer I already know again, it's really foolish, but..."

The one who knew how to move his tongue more smoothly than anyone else rarely trailed off his words for a long time. However, he eventually opened his mouth again as if responding to Yuder's gaze.

"...Just now, it seems like I briefly thought that maybe this time, you might give a different answer. It's ridiculous."

Yuder shook his head.

"It's not ridiculous. And my thoughts won't change."

"Yes. I understand."

The corners of Kishiar's lips curved up in an arc. A beautiful yet somehow lonely-looking smile flashed very briefly. Yuder didn't bother to point out that smile and approached, entrusting his body to the hand that reached out to him. As he raised his head in the arms that tightly embraced him without a gap, lips descended as if they had been waiting. Even though they had only been apart for a few hours in terms of time, the kiss was hungry and sweet like water that had come down after thirst.

Kishiar's body scent, which had always flowed out more intensely than before since coming to Peletta. Feeling it envelop his body and yearn for it, Yuder thought.

'The usual Kishiar wouldn't have asked a question like the one just now. Because he had already asked a similar question before. He clearly knew that himself. But he still asked, so...'

Was it because Kishiar himself had thought that his current self was no different from Fay or Katchian, or even the Cavalry?

As someone Yuder could have taken revenge on but didn't.

As a target he could have chosen not to meet again if possible.

If he had such thoughts, the reason that would have caused it was so vividly predictable that it felt like someone was tightly clenching a fist inside his chest for a moment.

'It must be because of the information he obtained by assimilating in the dream that day.'

Yuder still didn't know what information he had obtained and how far he had gone with it. Waiting until he told him was not difficult at all, but when he suddenly guessed a part of the emotions he was feeling like this, it was inevitably a bit painful.

However, he knew that this pain would eventually become a small part of the huge mass of emotions toward him and disappear. It would become one within that precious something in which everything in the world was mixed together, making it impossible to even dare to name it.

And the fact that it would be the same for Kishiar as well.

Therefore, it was alright.

***

"Oh my, this is something. It hasn't been long since we met in the South, but it feels like it's been a very long time?"

Mick Shuden greeted with a smile. Unlike before, he was wearing glasses, but otherwise, he was the same without any changes. From his attire that looked like a good-for-nothing who was quite good at playing around and drinking, to his messy black hair like a new bird's nest, and even the traces of stubble roughly growing on his cheeks. Whichever way you looked at him, he didn't look like the head of a famous trading company.

Next to him sat two southern men and women with tense faces. Although they had covered most of their faces with thick outerwear unique to the North, it was not difficult to see their expressions with just a small exposed part. They were the people in charge of the Donabi Manaik Trading Company who had come with Mick Shuden.

'Even in a tense state, both of them can't take their eyes off Kishiar's face...'

It was a natural thing for anyone with properly functioning eyes. It was absolutely impossible not to stare when Kishiar was deliberately using his face like that. While Yuder was observing them, taking advantage of the merchants' half-dazed state, Kishiar opened his mouth with a face as brazen as Mick's.

"Haha, it's the first time I'm seeing you wearing glasses, so it would be fine to say it's our first meeting rather than it's been a long time. I heard it's not easy to adapt when you start wearing glasses at an older age, are they comfortable enough?"

Mick Shuden had been injured due to excessive use of his awakener power while looking into the anomalous crack under the sea in the South. The endlessly flowing blood had stopped after receiving treatment from Lusan and Enon, but he was diagnosed that he would need to continue protecting his eyes for at least about a year. So what he chose was those glasses.

Although he didn't say it directly, Kishiar's joking words contained concern about that part. Noticing it, Mick laughed playfully and repeated the action of taking off his glasses and putting them back on, showing off.

"Yes, yes. Look at this. They are very light and good items made from monster byproducts, so I adapted in the blink of an eye. These days, I sometimes think that I might have been wearing glasses since I was born."

"You're still good at talking in a way that makes people envious. Brag moderately before I ask you to hand them over to present to His Majesty the Emperor."

"Oh my, my profession is what it is, so of course I have to be good at talking. I can offer as many glasses as you want for you, Duke Peletta, who found clues to catch the impersonators who were tarnishing the honor of our company, and for His Majesty the Emperor, the supreme ruler of this empire, so please just say the word if you need them."

Judging by the way he was chattering much more exaggeratedly than his usual attitude, that seemed to be the attitude Mick took when working. Mick, who had been busily exchanging jokes with Kishiar, very naturally shifted the focus of the conversation to the southern merchants next to him.

"You probably already know, but the people here are from the Donabi Manaik Trading Company, which has a close cooperative relationship with the Shuden Trading Company. This time, we happened to be traveling together by coincidence. The name of the person on the left is Gohum, and the name of the person on the right is Aim."

'Seeing them in person... I can definitely tell they are different from guys like Aton. Their eyes are completely different.'

One of the merchants who had bowed politely cautiously opened his mouth.

"Hello. My name is Gohum. I heard that Duke Peletta requested to meet us, but may I ask for what reason?"

Today's purpose was to build friendships with the people of the Donabi Manaik Trading Company and directly obtain information from them about the situation in the South and dangerous individuals.

To do that, a bit of shock to relieve their wariness and an atmosphere of honest conversation were needed.

And the man sitting next to Yuder was someone who was truly good at that.

"Nice to meet you. I am Kishiar La Orr, the Duke of Peletta and the Cavalry Commander. The classically beautiful person next to me is my precious guest and only aide, Baron Yuder Aile. The reason I wanted to see you is simple."

Without giving anyone a chance to say anything about the part describing Yuder, the man who spoke as smoothly as flowing water said with a bright smile.

"Shall we do some business together?"

"Pardon?"

Yuder was certain that it wouldn't even take Kishiar half a day to achieve his goal.