Turning Chapter 849

Chapter 849

"Kanna. Start with the situation report."

"Ah, yes... Understood!"

Although Kanna could not tear her eyes away from Yuder, who had a shocked expression, she reflexively straightened up and began to report.

"After Yuder disappeared into the widely spread dark shadow, the weather started to worsen dramatically! We couldn't find a way to enter and were guarding the perimeter..."

The scattered personnel who had gone to search for the escaped Hosanna and those who remained within the Cavalry branch started to gather upon receiving the signal. Among them was Nathan Zuckerman, who was a reliable presence.

Kanna and Ever, with Nathan's help, strategically positioned their forces while guarding the outside of the immense shadow curtain.

After feeling a tremendous shockwave from that place initially, nothing similar occurred again. However, uncertainty lingered. The Cavalry members were always on guard, ready to assist those inside who might be confronting Nahan.

But it was not an easy task. The weather worsened, turning from sleet to hail. Attempts at repairs were futile as the roads turned to mud, and roofs began collapsing and wagons suffered damage here and there.

First Princess Myra and her followers maintained their composure and tried to manage the situation, insisting on holding their ground. In contrast, the Duke's side, seemingly besieged, was merely enduring in their forcibly halted carriages.

"It seems the Duke of Herne prioritized his safety in the midst of the chaos. And the safest place to seek refuge was..."

"Obviously, our Cavalry seemed the most approachable."

"Yes."

Now, with the severe hailstorm, it was impossible to leave.

The Duke of Herne, citing the danger of the Awakeners who had disrupted the funeral earlier and the potential threat of their return, left his damaged carriage and returned to the temple. Frankly, it might have been to avoid his suddenly changed daughter Myra.

That place was right next to where the Cavalry was busy discussing strategies, arguably the safest place in the south.

'So that's why it became more crowded.'

"Are the First Princess and other regular visitors still outside then?"

"No. After the Duke came here, we moved the First Princess and others to a nearby building for safety. As you can see, the hail is too intense... it could draw blood."

"When did these cracks appear?"

"It was right before the large shadow curtain where the Commander was standing in disappeared. There were consecutive huge shocks that startled everyone, and then immediately after that..."

Kanna looked up at the dark cracks with a grave expression.

"And then, as the shadow curtain lifted, they kept growing larger. Now that it has completely lifted, they are no longer growing but maintaining that size."

"Understood. Then, for now, you go straight to where Nahan is..."

"Duke Peletta! No, Cavalry Commander!"

Before Kishiar could finish his sentence, someone breathless rushed through the hail. It was Myra. Upon spotting them, she, like Kanna before her, choked back a gasp of shock at the sight of the disheveled Kishiar and Yuder, who was hanging over his back.

"What's the matter, First Princess? In such a situation, it would be better for you to be in a safe place."

"It's just that... I came here upon hearing that you finally emerged after confronting Nahan and Hosanna... But are you alright?"

Her grey eyes alternated between scanning Kishiar's torn and bloody clothes and Yuder's bloodied face. Kishiar chuckled softly, tilting his head.

"If I could confidently say that we are alright, it would be great, but we hardly look the part, do we?"

"I can immediately bring a priest from outside...!"

"No, that's alright. You don't look well yourself, and I can't keep you standing here for long. Let the priest finish their duty and then attend to our men."

"But Baron Aile's condition is..."

"...I may look like this, but I'm fine. It's just that I had to come here in this state due to the Commander's concern, so please don't worry."

Only after Yuder, who was still perched on Kishiar's back, managed to squeeze out a word with some embarrassment, did Myra speak her purpose.

"You may have heard, but Nahan is my father's illegitimate child. I've roughly heard about the heinous crimes he's committed... If he's dead, I was hoping to ask if you could give me a chance to help with the aftermath."

"..."

"In fact, I wanted to personally apologize for what our Herne family has done to him... but the situation is complicated..."

Myra seemed to be trying not to show her emotions. However, Yuder saw the guilt and responsibility she was carrying. How could Kishiar, seeing the same, not understand?

After a moment of silence, the man turned his head slightly and asked.

"What does the assistant think?"

This wasn't about the 'cleanup' itself. It was about revealing that Nahan was still stubbornly alive and whether to allow Myra a brief, distant glimpse of him.

Considering Nahan's danger, it was obviously not advisable. Yet, Yuder recalled Nahan, who had finally found his target for revenge, and the grey eyes that had last looked into his, muttering they resembled his brother.

If he wasn't mistaken, the faint emotion in those cloudy eyes was longing - a longing for a specific person, though not solely that.

Perhaps underlying it all was the revenge of one betrayed yet hoping for trust, and an abnormal fixation on the concept of siblings.

Nahan must have long wondered about his blood ties and roots. Those deep feelings remained even after his awakening, leading to an obsession with the word itself and the relationships it entailed.

Nahan and Myra were relatives who had never met, one side unaware of the other's existence. Such a brief encounter might seem meaningless, but Yuder hesitated briefly, considering that now might be the only chance.

"It's risky, so keeping them separate until the end would be wise... But you might as well inform her."

"Is that so?"

"Why do you say that?"

Myra, sensing something dubious in their conversation, looked puzzled.

"The cleanup itself won't be difficult to manage together. It's just that Nahan isn't dead yet. He seems close to it, though."

"Yes?!"

Startled, Myra's eyes widened in disbelief, and then she spoke with a trembling voice.

"Then, is it possible for me to meet him? I..."

Her request came without a hint of hesitation. Despite anticipating such a response from Myra, Yuder felt an odd sensation.

"I must make it clear that he is truly dangerous. He's nearly dead, so it won't be a pleasant sight. Moreover, he was burning with vengeance against the Herne family after learning of his origin. Even so?"

"Even if from a great distance, it's fine. I want to personally apologize for what the Herne family has done to him. Is that not possible? I promise, whatever happens, the Cavalry will not be held responsible!"

Kishiar fell silent for a moment. The position of a leader demands the continuous selection of the best course amidst complex situations. Yuder could clearly sense the struggle in Kishiar's thoughts.

Eventually, Kishiar nodded in agreement.

"If it's only to convey that intention, I'll permit it. Kanna, since I was planning to send you anyway, go with the First Princess. However, if Nahan has died en route, only you will assist in the cleanup, and the First Princess must return immediately."

"Understood."

"Thank you."

Kanna and First Princess Myra soon departed. Yuder, still perched on Kishiar's back, exhaled deeply and gazed up again at the cracks in the sky.

"…Hearing Kanna's story and seeing those, it leads me to one conclusion. I think the Commander might have thought similarly."

"Let's hear it first."

"Aton mentioned that the land in the south had already become 'unbalanced' due to the previous incident. Today's events occurred under such conditions, and now, with the changing weather, several strange cracks have appeared."

The previous incident in the southern branch involved the exhaustion of the lives and magic of southern merchants, leading to an anomalous crack.

Suppose this acted as the 'key' to the 'unbalance' of the southern land, opening the 'box' filled with disaster and chaos, known as 'anomalous cracks.'

The box had already been opened by the earlier incident. The fact that it wouldn't easily close, even after eliminating one crack at the branch, was evident from Aton's reaction after being captured.

What if the quietude until now was merely due to the lack of a shock strong enough to shake the box, and any slight disturbance could spill its contents at any time?

And if the conditions for this disturbance were not limited to magic or life but could also include other factors?

"Then, all the abnormal phenomena today... began because we, the Awakeners, clashed, exerting our powers and disturbing the surroundings, and gradually intensified."