Turning Chapter 774

Chapter 774

"My lord, you have returned."

In the hallway of the Southern branch of the Cavalry, under the high midday sun, Kishiar strode with a neat face betraying no hint of his overnight excursion outside. He nodded only towards Nathan Zuckerman, who approached to greet him.

"Yes, Nathan. Any changes in the meantime?"

"Since this morning, we have nearly completed the crackdown on the illegal fighting rings in Charloin. Of these, five establishments that were forcibly suppressing Awakeners were apprehended by the Charloin Security Force. All confiscated drugs were low-grade Calanesa, seemingly distributed by Southern merchants."

"Well done. And the reaction of the citizens?"

"Extremely positive. Calanesa was just beginning to spread through illegal rings, so halting that has been particularly well received. Thanks to the positive perception gained from the recent monster elimination, more people are actively assisting our enforcement efforts."

"It may be challenging to uproot the fighting ring culture entirely, but this is a good target for the Southern branch's future achievements."

As they conversed naturally while walking, many who passed by recognized Kishiar, bowing their heads in greeting. Yet, they could hardly catch the content of the conversation between the two.

This was to be expected. Among those who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, mere lip movements without sound sufficed for communication. Kishiar often used this method to converse discreetly when outside.

Kishiar listened to Nathan Zuckerman's report with a quiet smile. Most of it was good news.

The public perception of the Cavalry had greatly improved, with Southern nobles who once ignored them now cautious. Particularly impactful was the public support from Myra El Herne of the prestigious Herne family, considered a spiritual pillar of the South. She had declared the Cavalry instrumental in capturing the murderer and accomplices of the Second Prince Ashrav.

Who was Myra? A precious child of the Herne family, born as a female for the first time after decades, beloved by many in the South. If she deemed the Cavalry trustworthy, people began to drop their prejudices.

The incident where Lord Jacob of Charloin failed to protect the young nobles, who had been  VIPs at the Nukijo illegal fighting ring, further fueled the shift in opinion. Rumors even circulated that Duke Peletta's divine sword, radiating a divine aura, had nearly punished the Lord for his lies, causing him to flee in terror.

Consequently, doubts about Kishiar being a swordmaster ceased.

The rapid change in public opinion led the families of those young nobles to accept a humiliating sentence of three years of servitude and a hefty fine, a stark contrast to their previous arrogance.

Similarly, Duke Peletta and his assistant's interactions with officials, mages, and merchants whom they previously met on their first day in the South, had been fruitful.

The Cavalry had clearly demonstrated their intention not to blindly antagonize the existing powers in the South by that single act of cooperation. Those who had suspected the Emperor of using the Cavalry to purge them all were now reassured.

It was only a few days after the Cavalry had begun their work in earnest that the fighting arenas, which had been untouchable, started to disappear. Although monsters had appeared, no one was harmed, and the members of the Cavalry spent the whole day wandering around Charloin, assisting those in need and enforcing law and order.

During one of these patrols, this dawn, the fishmongers from a nearby fishing village recognized Kurga Sing, the son of a fisherman from a neighboring village, in Charloin.

They embraced Kurga warmly, welcoming him back like a son returning home in triumph, loudly proclaiming their recognition in their strong southern accent for all to hear. Kurga, embarrassed yet pleased, promised to treat them all to drinks.

Upon receiving this report from Nathan Zuckerman, Kishiar slowly nodded and spoke.

"It's a bit later than expected, but the timing couldn't have been better."

One of the conditions he had set for applicants when forming the Cavalry branch was that they had to be from the region.

The people of the Orr Empire, long resistant to change, had a strong sense of pride in their origins, especially those from the south, who were particularly averse to accepting help from outsiders, even in dire situations.

To them, merely revealing that the Cavalry members were not foreigners, but actually from the same region, greatly facilitated their activities. And such revelations were best spread naturally, rather than announced outright.

This event would likely lead to the delayed realization that most of the southern branch members of the Cavalry were locals.

'...This would then change the fundamental perception of those who had been treating the Cavalry as outsiders with suspicion and wariness.'

The tales of ordinary southern youths becoming Cavalry members, honored by the Emperor and returning home with titles of respect, would become endless sources of marvelous stories in taverns, streets, and alleys, big and small.

This meant a significant shift in perception for those who, until now, had felt the Cavalry to be an elusive and challenging entity, aiding them in viewing Awakeners more positively.

Becoming an Awakener meant one could join the Cavalry.

Joining the Cavalry meant the possibility of social ascension and success.

Even those who were not Awakeners could potentially become one, showing that they were not much different from us.

This simple formula could bring about how much change in those who had been stuck in a stagnant social hierarchy, content with their realities. The nobles, ignorant of change, might not yet fully grasp or wish to acknowledge this reality, but Kishiar was different.

He was well aware, more than anyone, of the significant shifts in consciousness that had already taken place in the capital, where the Cavalry headquarters was located, and where it was easier to encounter Awakeners. Now, it was time to spread this change nationwide through the establishment of branches.

Lost in thought, Kishiar suddenly noticed something outside the window that captured his attention. Yuder Aile was walking briskly outside the branch. This was the first time he had seen him since they parted ways this morning.

Despite it being just a few hours ago, Kishiar couldn't take his eyes off his black hair. As his Lord stopped, Nathan Zuckerman naturally stopped as well.

The adjutant, attuned to his Lord's wishes, did not question Kishiar's silent gaze out the window. He knew exactly who Kishiar was watching.

Whenever Kishiar behaved out of the ordinary, it invariably involved Yuder Aile. It was unclear how he managed to do it, but Kishiar possessed an uncanny ability to spot his beloved and cherished assistant, Yuder, no matter how far away, as if he had a sixth sense for it.

Moments after Yuder had completely vanished from view, Kishiar finally spoke.

"Nathan. Contact the Lord of Mclara and arrange a meeting. However, let the purpose be officially about Duke Peletta's 'investment' in Mclara."

"Is that the area you inspected yesterday?"

"Yes, it was one of them."

Kishiar then mentioned the names of other areas he and Yuder had toured, issuing several commands. The purpose was to closely monitor the trends in those areas and ensure they could secure a route for movement at any time. These were also steps that Yuder had mentioned the night before as the first phase of disaster response.

Considering the current situation, these actions might seem unnecessary and somewhat puzzling, but Nathan Zuckerman bowed his head without opposing his Lord's wishes.

"I understand. I shall follow your orders."

Expecting Kishiar to dismiss him, Nathan was surprised when Kishiar remained silent even after receiving his response. Quietly, Nathan continued to follow the silent figure walking down the corridor.

After a while, when they reached a corridor utterly devoid of anyone else's presence, Kishiar spoke up.

"Nathan."

"Yes, my Lord."

"What do you think happens to the dead?"

Even Nathan Zuckerman, who had been conditioned by countless peculiar questions from his Lord, found it unusually challenging to answer this one.