Turning Chapter 997

Chapter 997

Kanna and Yuder had somehow already stood before him.

"Kanna, Yuder..." Gakane managed to utter their names, at a loss for words at his friends' sudden appearance. Kanna grinned brightly in response. She immediately turned around and greeted the anxious Bolunwald family members.

"Hello, you must be Gakane's family! I've heard so much about you all, and I'm delighted to finally meet you."

"Ah..."

"I'm Kanna Wand, Gakane's friend. And this is..."

As Kanna lightly tapped Yuder's arm, he slightly furrowed his brows before opening his mouth.

"Yuder Aile."

Though slow and blunt as ever, the usual veil-like chill was absent. Perhaps due to the softening effect of his ceremonial attire on the gloomy atmosphere, the expressions of the Bolunwald family members instantly brightened a little. Gakane's mother stepped forward as a representative and spoke.

"It's nice to... meet you, Kanna, Yuder. We've also heard a lot about you two through Gakane's letters, and we're happy to meet you like this..."

Although the unspoken words "despite the situation" hung in the air, Kanna paid no heed and laughed cheerfully.

"Gakane was one of the first friends I made in the Cavalry. He's always been a wonderful friend who teaches me many things. I've always wanted to meet you, and I can't express how delighted I am to see you here."

"Oh..."

Upon hearing her son praised, the mother's expression instantly melted into a bright smile, and the other family members also faintly smiled. They all bore a striking resemblance to Gakane. However, one person who couldn't tolerate the lightened mood, Megdolgen Mijelskan, shouted in disbelief.

"What are you trying to do, Gakane Bolunwald? Are you planning to pressure me by bringing your colleagues? If you thought I would let that woman's absurd insult slide just now...!"

"Absurd insult?"

Yuder, who had been standing quietly, repeated Megdolgen's words and turned his head. As their gazes met, Megdolgen momentarily forgot what he was about to say.

"Urk!"

It felt as if invisible blades were aimed at his throat, vital points, and limbs from all directions, sending chills down his spine. His entire body froze in the face of mortal danger, making it difficult to even breathe properly. It was an unknown terror that Megdolgen experienced for the first time in his life.

'Wh-what kind of eyes are those...?!'

Megdolgen had also vaguely seen Yuder receiving an award and conversing with Myra from a distance earlier. Although he seemed quite decent for a commoner without a proper background, that was all. Megdolgen had scoffed in disbelief, finding it hard to believe that someone who didn't even seem capable of properly wielding a sword could have accomplished such incredible feats as rumored.

But now, those eyes…

This inescapable fear, even if he desperately wanted to break free…

"If not, what will you do?"

Yuder asked coldly. Megdolgen finally exhaled and answered, barely managing to hold his trembling legs.

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

"You just claimed that the Deputy Commander of the Cavalry groundlessly insulted you. I asked what you would do if that wasn't the case."

"Oh, there's obviously evidence. Just search his right pants pocket."

Kanna interjected with a chilling yet bright voice.

"He's been going around collecting women's hair and discarded items from the waiting room restroom."

"What?"

The people watching the incident were all surprised at once. Megdolgen also gasped and touched his own pocket.

'How did she know...?!'

He had definitely done it when no one was paying attention. Goosebumps rose on his skin, rendering him unable to think. Megdolgen reflexively tried to deny it first.

"Wh-what nonsense are you spouting...?!"

"Nonsense? Are you going to say it's also nonsense that you sneaked into the waiting room, rummaged through the trash can, and excitedly cherished the stained handkerchiefs and broken pieces of cosmetics?"

Kanna's answer held no hesitation. She couldn't have been following him around the entire time, so how did she know every detail? Megdolgen's mind became hazy.

"...Is this how the Cavalry treats people?! I'm someone who has suffered great harm from Gakane Bolunwald! No matter how much you try to silence me with lies and speculation...!"

"If not, you can prove your innocence by emptying your pockets."

Yuder spoke like a judge delivering a verdict.

"Wh-why should I...? Ack!"

Suddenly, a pitch-black shadow rose from beneath Megdolgen's feet, grabbing his collar and flipping him upside down. Megdolgen tried to scream, but the abruptly elongated shadow covered his mouth, rendering him unable to do even that.

'Aaaah! Save me!'

Amidst the suppressed screams, his body was shaken vigorously while hanging upside down. The carefully hidden items in his pockets fell out with a clatter.

Megdolgen flailed, trying to pick them up while suspended upside down, but to no avail. A pair of feet in fine shoes approached, bent down, and slowly picked them up.

The red-haired handsome man examined the bundled women's hair, the stained handkerchief, and other discarded belongings with a troubled yet cold expression. The surrounding southerners all covered their mouths, displaying looks of contempt. Gakane's face showed no sign of enjoyment in the situation as he sighed.

"Hmm... It was true. Well, since it's Kanna saying it, I naturally thought it would be correct, but..."

'Gakane...!'

Gakane sighed, looking at Megdolgen, who was screaming something incomprehensible with his mouth covered.

"Megdolgen, I had almost forgotten your name. If you hadn't bothered me again, whether for money or anything else, I could have continued to forget. But it's really unforgivable that you came all the way here on such an important day and caused harm to others besides me."

"...Mmph! Mmph!"

"I'll say it again, I won't give you anything. You messed with my family, insulted my colleagues, and tried to ruin Duchess of Herne's succession ceremony, so there's even less reason for me to give you anything."

"For now, think carefully about what you did wrong inside the shadow. The punishment will be carried out after the ceremony ends."

In the upside-down world, Megdolgen saw the pitch-black darkness that instantly trapped him and closed in. The last thing he saw was Gakane Bolunwald's handsome face, which looked infinitely firm and frightening, unlike the easily hurt and withered face from long ago…

"...Wow, Gakane! That was really cool just now."

"Huh? Oh?"

"Did you see the expression that Meg-whatever was making? He was completely frozen and couldn't say a word!"

After the shadow barrier enveloping Megdolgen sank into the floor and quickly left the hall, Kanna patted Gakane's shoulder and praised him. As Gakane turned his head in a daze, Yuder Aile nodded slightly and spoke.

"When a disturbance occurs in the hall, the first step is to subdue the instigator and escort them out, then deal with it after the event ends. You handled it well according to the rules."

"Oh..."

"Duchess of Herne and the Commander, who went to have a conversation, will be back soon, so you can consider it appropriately resolved. Well done, Gakane."

Gakane finally realized that Duchess of Herne and Kishiar had been absent from their original seats. He hadn't even properly seen Yuder's dance due to his family and Megdolgen.

'Ah... So that's why Megdolgen was so insistent on not letting me go and trying to get the money now?'

As Gakane turned his gaze, he noticed that not only Kanna and Yuder but also the scattered Cavalry members were secretly and fiercely looking in his direction. Among them were even new recruits with whom Gakane had barely exchanged words. Turning his eyes a little further, he saw Priest Lusan, who was worriedly looking at him while holding a plate of food he was about to eat, and Pharmacist Enon, who clicked his tongue.

He finally realized that it wasn't just his two friends who were concerned about him.

As Yuder had said, Kishiar and Myra, who had returned to the hall, quickly grasped the small incident that had occurred and reacted according to their respective dispositions.

Kishiar burst into laughter that seemed joyful, but his eyes were not gentle, while Myra frowned in displeasure and approached Gakane, requesting a handshake.

"I went out for a moment to have a conversation with the Cavalry Commander, and I apologize for the unpleasant experience you had to endure as a guest. The chief attendant informed me that this Mijelskan fellow was not on the official guest list invited by Herne."

"Ah... I see."

"We will thoroughly investigate how he managed to sneak inside and make him pay the price. Daring to insult a guest invited to the succession ceremony and create a disturbance is tantamount to disrespecting Herne itself."