Turning Chapter 1018

Chapter 1018

"...Do you not find it regrettable?" Yuder asked.

He knew this question was unnecessary. However, he couldn't help but ask because the face of the man who had been listening to Yuder's story looked too joyful.

If he had been so delighted just by listening, wouldn't it have been even more enjoyable if he had come along? The comfortable atmosphere among the members in the absence of the Commander might have been a bit different, but if Kishiar had come, there would surely have been a unique joy in his presence.

And the man, who fully understood Yuder's intention, answered with a brighter smile than ever before, "No. Not regretful at all."

"To be honest, I think there are times when meaning is created precisely because you imagine while hearing about it without seeing it directly. Now is that time."

"..."

"Because I wasn't there with you, I can only see that place through your eyes. That's exactly what I wanted, so I'm very satisfied with this moment."

If he had gone with him, he would have had no choice but to see, hear, and judge everything with his own eyes, so he could never have felt the same way as he did then. After saying that, Kishiar closed his eyes leisurely and exhaled, like someone who was truly full.

Yuder looked at him and thought blankly, 'So... he wanted to hear only what I saw and judged, not from his own perspective?'

He understood what it meant in his head. Even when Kishiar was the Commander of the Cavalry, if he couldn't go directly when an incident occurred, he would send his subordinates to go and report back on his behalf. The reason he didn't send just one person was that people's thoughts and judgments differed. Even if they witnessed the same thing in one place, people tell slightly different stories according to their own perspectives. So sometimes, he would designate and send someone who he thought had the desired perspective and judgment.

Kishiar also wanted to know about tonight by borrowing Yuder's eyes and ears with a similar intention.

But this was the first time he had seen someone who confidently said that they had used it not for work-related matters, but for such an extremely ordinary and private matter.

It was absurd, and on the other hand... it made him think that this was why Kishiar La Orr was Kishiar La Orr.

Anyway, one thing was certain. From the moment he heard those words, Yuder no longer felt conscious about the time he had spent alone with his colleagues in Kishiar's absence.

Because he knew that Kishiar would remember today by filling his mind only with what Yuder had seen and heard.

It was a truly strange and satisfying sensation.

"It seems you understood exactly what I meant," Kishiar whispered with a smile.

"...It's a bit absurd, but yes. I understand your intention."

"You know what? Every time you call me 'you' (formal), I get really thrilled realizing that the person in front of me has actually lived longer than me."

Kishiar leaned his head on Yuder's shoulder and let out a small laugh.

"It would be even more so because you, who strictly maintain your current age and position, would call me that when you judge that you don't want to. For example, when you find it absurd, like now."

Was that so? He had never consciously called him that, but it seemed to be the case.

"To be honest, I want to come up with even more absurd remarks just to hear that form of address."

"I'd rather you didn't. I might get arrested for insulting the imperial family."

"Who would dare to arrest the hero of the West and South for such a trivial thing?"

Kishiar joked in response.

"You can't call the only one who can hold that hero in his grasp and give orders, the owner of the divine sword Orr that split the sea, 'trivial.' It's the same for anyone."

No one could belittle Kishiar as 'trivial' in front of Yuder.

That would be an insult that would also belittle the existence of Yuder Aile, who followed Kishiar.

Even Kishiar himself couldn't do that.

Yuder looked straight into Kishiar's eyes and spoke.

"If we go back to the capital this time, many things will be different from the West. Even those who looked down on and refused to acknowledge Duke Peletta will not be able to do so this time. I'm going back to see that sight."

"..."

"Commander... No. Show everyone what you have achieved."

It was not so much what a subordinate would say, but literally a command uttered by someone who had returned from the past.

And Kishiar La Orr slowly closed his red eyes, taking in all those words, then opened them and nodded with an unwavering smile, giving the answer Yuder had hoped for.

"Yes. I promise. You will see what you wanted to see."

There was no wall of old uncertainty towards himself in those eyes, nor the endless doubts that had pulled the reins whenever he had to make a choice.

Yuder smiled with satisfaction, raising the corners of his lips. Enjoying the relaxation in Kishiar's warmth, he suddenly glanced at the paper on the table next to the magic stone fireplace.

'Come to think of it... what is that?'

"By the way, what document were you looking at before I came back? I remember you packed all the work into your luggage."

"Ah, that."

Kishiar turned his gaze and glanced at the paper on the table.

"It's not a document. It's a letter. An urgent report came from the capital earlier."

"An urgent report? From where..."

"The Sun Palace. There was an assassination attempt."

His voice was so relaxed that Yuder almost mistook it for a moment, thinking there was some other meaning of the Sun Palace that he knew.

"Excuse me, but is it true that there was an assassination attempt on His Majesty the Emperor?"

"Yes."

"But you're so relaxed......"

"Well, as you might have expected, that's just an explanatory note that arrived after everything had already happened."

A chilling smile spread across Kishiar's face.

"This afternoon, there was an assassination attempt on the two Majesties who were coming out for a meeting, but it ended without touching a hair on either His Majesty the Emperor or Her Majesty the Empress. That's all."

It was fortunate. The sharpness that had momentarily flashed in Yuder's eyes faded.

"That's a relief. How was the assassination attempt carried out? Who stopped it?"

"I heard that just after entering the meeting room, an assassin disguised as one of the staff attempted an attack. However, he was subdued without touching a hair on the two Majesties. The one who succeeded in subduing him was Devran Hartude, who had 'coincidentally' disguised himself and entered among His Majesty's guards for a moment."

"..."

"And since His Majesty knew from the beginning how all of this would happen, it can be said that it was essentially 'knowing but not stopping it and letting it happen.' As you know, if you know where and how an attack will come..."

"It's better not to block the attack until the end and let the opponent's intention remain intact, rather than just blocking it. Because you can strike at their weakness."

"Yes. It's like the tactics of a rose thorn. It's easy to see and be captivated by its beauty, but the moment you try to pick it, you will definitely get pricked."

A tactic from a strategy game Yuder had learned long ago unfurled in his mind.

'The opponent suitable for using that tactic is often someone who looks down on our forces. Then the other party must be...'

"The instigator of the assassination... would be Duke Diarca."

"Correct."

Kishiar nodded and kissed Yuder's forehead. While Yuder rubbed his forehead with his fingertips, feeling a little ticklish, Kishiar whispered with a face smiling like a flower.

"He must be panicking now that things didn't go as he intended. I'm looking forward to the day we return."

—

"...It failed? And you couldn't even cover it up?"

The tip of the pipe Duke Diarca was holding trembled. The servants, realizing it was a reaction that occurred when he was extremely dumbfounded, held their breath. The mercenary lying on the floor was no exception.

"How was such a thing possible? I thought they were people who could at least cover it up properly the moment they failed."

"I apologize, Your Grace. It was definitely set to explode and dispose of immediately upon failure... but we haven't figured out where it went wrong yet."

"..."

"For now, the perpetrator is thought to be imprisoned... and we are looking for a way to deal with it..."

Duke Diarca looked down at those who were too afraid of him to even dare to look at him. In the cold air that made it impossible to think he was looking at the same humans, he continued to think for a long time and put the pipe back in his mouth.

"..."

How did this happen?

This was something he had not expected.