Turning Chapter 801

Chapter 801

Yuder posed a query, to which Kishiar responded promptly and with ease, revealing the name, "Meghna Kurlieva."

Yuder's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing the name.

"Based on the naming convention, she is a woman, isn't she?"

"Yes, indeed. She's 37 this year, a talent born into the impoverished house of Baron Kurlieva, and one of the South's prides. Is there something odd about that?"

'It is odd. In my previous life, the person who succeeded General Gino was male.'

In his former life, General Gino hadn't died but had instead retired from his position, retaining enough influence to choose his successor.

Yet, it was not one of his well-known disciples or successors who unexpectedly took Gino's place, but someone else entirely. Instead of this being the hot topic, the focus had been on the fact that this person wasn't a swordmaster, which was strange.

Yuder cautiously explained this.

“I thought the adjutant was the Southern Army General who succeeded General Gino in the previous game, but I was a bit surprised to see that it wasn’t that person.”

"Really? Who was it?"

"A man, and not a swordmaster, which was quite a topic at the time. He wasn't very cooperative with the Cavalry Division... His name... I only remember him being called General Balfors."

Kishiar, recalling the name Balfors, which he had barely remembered due to the man's insignificance, suddenly lifted his head, seemingly recalling something.

"Could it be that person? Galexentre Balfors. He was also Gino's disciple. Not an adjutant, but part of the Southern Army. I briefly saw him when we met in the mountains for the retrieval mission. The only person I can think of fitting that description is him, right?"

Yuder then fully recalled the name from his dim memories.

'Yes, that's him. Such a tongue-twisting name, no wonder I forgot.'

"Yes, that's correct. But you met him? When was that?"

"You wouldn't have seen him. It was just a brief encounter while I was on my way to a strategy game."

During a mission to retrieve Red Stone, Kishiar had left with General Gino to unwind, playing strategy games just the two of them. It made sense that Yuder and the others wouldn't know about this.

"Ah, I see."

"But indeed... hearing this, it does seem strange."

Kishiar, arms crossed, murmured thoughtfully.

"What aspect do you find strange?"

"Gino wouldn't have handled his succession carelessly, especially after devoting over 40 years to the South. He would've been most concerned about this matter. But Galexentre Balfors was rather infamous among Gino's disciples for being problematic. It's not widely known, but those who know, know."

Gino's disciples weren't limited to Meghna and Galexentre. Kishiar and even Emperor Keilusa were, in a broader sense, his disciples.

So, it was puzzling to Kishiar why Galexentre, with his less-than-stellar reputation, was chosen instead of other more suitable disciples.

"Considering he even mentioned bringing his adjutant next time, it seems Gino's trust in Meghna hasn't waned... It's all quite intriguing."

"We should check if Galexentre has come here this time."

"That shouldn't be hard to investigate. There will be many who will tell us without us even asking."

Kishiar smirked at this thought.

A short while later, the Commander of the Imperial Army's Special Forces Brigade, Sunz, appeared before them with a bewildered expression.

"Did you have a good meeting with General Gino earlier?"

"Ah... Yes! Thanks to your consideration, all our members could meet and speak with the General comfortably. Thank you."

Sunz's expression visibly relaxed. He and the Special Forces members had chosen to stay and work directly with the Southern branch, despite General Gino's presence.

Kishiar had arranged for them to meet with General Gino separately before he departed, as a gesture of support.

"That's good to hear. It's only natural to facilitate such cooperation. The General was very pleased with your unit's efforts."

"Ha-ha... Yes. He was very encouraging and did not hesitate to praise us."

Sunz looked extremely happy at the praise from General Gino, whom he revered. Seizing the moment, Kishiar cleverly steered the conversation.

"Speaking of which, I heard the General plans to bring his adjutant next time. Are you familiar with her?"

"Ah... You mean adjutant Kurlieva! Truly an exceptional person. Frankly, our unit wouldn't have been able to form so quickly without her."

"Is that so?"

"She may not be an Awakener, but she was the first to recognize our necessity and potential, treating us without bias. When the idea of forming our unit first came up, it was her who staunchly supported our cause and persuaded others who were against it."

According to Sunz, Meghna Kurlieva had been safeguarding the South while General Gino was stationed near the Red Stone. After that task was completed, Meghna had been deeply impressed by the stories of the Awakener soldiers she heard from General Gino and had personally met and tested the abilities of Sunz and Emon.

She had then become an unwavering ally, significantly bolstering the Southern Army's strength.

'I had no idea such a person was in the Southern Army...'

"Indeed, I'd very much like to meet adjutant Kurlieva myself. What about Galexentre Balfors? He is also a disciple of the General and has shared many meals with you in the mountains, right?"

"Ah... You mean Special Officer Balfors. Yes, he did come this time..."

Sunz's expression turned ambiguous. Normally a good-natured person, his current demeanor clearly showed his displeasure. It was a stark contrast to when he spoke of Meghna Kurlieva.

Kishiar exchanged a secretive glance with Yuder.

'It seems he also came. There might be something worth digging into.'

'Let's do it together.'

While Sunz was oblivious, the two exchanged glances quickly, maintaining their usual demeanor. Yuder initiated the conversation.

"Was there any incident?"

"Uh... Well, it's not that, but... It's a bit difficult to speak freely about someone of a higher rank... It's a bit... challenging, you know... Ha-ha. I don't know much about him, either."

"That's understandable. I get it."

"Thank you for understanding."

Sunz seemed relieved at Kishiar's kind and dignified nod.

"However, not knowing much about him might actually allow you to provide a more objective perspective. Just between us, it seems the General is quite concerned about those two."

"General Gino, you mean?"

Sunz seemed more surprised by the mention of the General's name than the fact that the General was worried about 'those two.'

Shortly thereafter, it became clear that neither Kishiar nor Yuder were denying the existence of concerning issues between Meghna and Galexentre.

"I, being less familiar with the situation, wanted to hear a balanced view from someone with a neutral perspective on these two," Kishiar explained.

Sunz's eyes widened, his expression conveying a sense of 'Are you asking me?'. Before he could voice his thoughts, Yuder interjected.

"Sunz, you have long interacted with the Cavalry, including myself, and as an Awakener, you are well-placed to understand your fellow comrades, aren't you?"

"Ah... Yes, that's right."

When Yuder casually mentioned the word 'comrade', Sunz, surprisingly, seemed to forget the gravity of the situation and was visibly moved.

"So, naturally, I believe you'd understand our curiosity about what their situation is like from the perspective of a fellow Awakener. Don't worry, the Commander will ask the same question to others, so your account won’t be the only basis for our judgment."

"Um..."

Sunz scratched his head and, after a moment of contemplation, sighed deeply as if he had made up his mind.

"Alright. But please understand that I really don't know much, and my perspective is just that of a low-ranking soldier of the Southern Army."

"Understood."

Finally, Sunz began to speak about Galexentre Balfors.

"Special Officer Balfors’ dislike for adjutant Kurlieva is well-known among us. I mean, among those of us who served together in the mountains."

"He's made his feelings clear, then?"

"Yes. Anyone in the mountains would have heard it at least once. Whenever he drank, he would often say that adjutant Kurlieva, being the favored disciple, avoided tedious duties and lived comfortably in the South. He frequently lamented that the position of the General's adjutant was originally his. Whether that's true or not, I can't say."