Turning Chapter 987

Chapter 987

"By any chance, after hearing this story, were you displeased?"

Yuder waited for the answer to return, quietly counting the heartbeats racing beneath his hand.

Thump, thump, thump.

When the pulse had beaten exactly 21 times, Kishiar's voice finally reached his ears.

"Why do you think... I would dislike it?"

Yuder answered honestly.

"Because when I first spoke about the previous game, Commander, you seemed to not have very good feelings about the Commander from that previous game."

Kishiar didn't have memories like Yuder did, and today's story wasn't information that would make him feel good just by knowing it. If he felt that Yuder was identifying himself with someone else that Kishiar couldn't empathize with, he might regret agreeing to listen.

Of course, Kishiar could say no for Yuder's sake, but emotions don't flow so rationally.

The man staring at Yuder asked again.

"What if I said I disliked it?"

"...To be honest. There's not much I can do about it."

That was something Yuder had already thought about from the moment he decided to tell the story, knowing that Kishiar might regret it.

If Kishiar was hurt or regretted it because of this story, Yuder would feel the pain of having told it very intensely. But there was nothing more he could do other than take all of that into account. It wasn't like he could take back the story he had already told, and there was no way to erase the memories. That was all that had to be endured by choosing the option of confession.

However.

"But... I think it's better than not having told you."

There are things in this world one must do, even knowing they won't always lead to good outcomes.

The white-gloved hand made Yuder realize that.

'You changed me like that.'

Yuder closed his eyes.

And when he opened them again,

"Yes. You're right about that."

Seeing the smile on the man's face as he looked up at Yuder while lying down, Yuder's breath stopped for a moment.

The man's eyes, smiling like scattered flowers, were wet with rain-like moisture.

Within their locked gazes, the heart beneath Yuder's palm raced, beating so hard and fast it seemed it would burst. A droplet that fell from the edge of the unblinking red eyes flowed down, leaving a transparent trail and a mark on Yuder's leg.

That mark, so small it was hard to even notice, felt like a burning brand to Yuder.

Even if fire flowed, water burned, wind collapsed, and earth blew, it would be impossible to fully describe the face before his eyes and the shock it brought.

Yuder slowly reached out and wiped the corners of Kishiar's eyes. As he looked down at the moisture wetting his hand, Kishiar spoke again.

"You're right. It's definitely better to have spoken than not to, and even if it's more painful to know than not to know, it lets you know the path you can walk on."

"..."

"Thank you for telling me the story. It may seem strange to you, but... I was happy."

Yuder's eyes blinked slowly.

"Happy... you say."

"Yes."

"You don't regret it, or wish you hadn't heard it?"

Kishiar's lips pulled into a slightly wider smile.

"Do you remember? I once told you that when I was young, I briefly dreamed of becoming someone like a hero from legends."

Yuder remembered. It was something he had heard in his previous life, during the period when Kishiar had to cover his eyes for a while due to an injury after killing the huge monster called Pethuamet.

"After I came to admit that I couldn't achieve that dream on my own, I tried to forget for a while that I even had such a dream. Because recalling it made me newly realize that I was in a position where I couldn't achieve my dream, let alone do anything, due to the limitations of my body and vessel."

"..."

"But when I arrived in Peletta and thought everything had fallen to a point where it couldn't get any worse, I recalled that word again. This time, not as a name I wanted to become, but as the name of someone who might help me."

In the silence, the low voice continued.

"I wished for someone to suddenly appear and help me. For some hero to free me from the painful end that was scheduled no matter how much I struggled. And if I could go forward together with that hero... then how happy would I be? I could think there was a reason I was born like this."

Kishiar closed his mouth and laughed very softly.

"It was a childish thought."

No. It's not a childish thought, it's a thought anyone would have if they were human.

If anyone had lost everything and ended up exiled to a remote place, if they knew that no matter what they did, the future that remained was only to explode and die in terrible pain someday, they would have wished for salvation.

Yuder wanted to say that, but Kishiar's words continued, so he didn't open his mouth.

"But just now, I suddenly realized. Salvation has already surprisingly been achieved for me, and I've even gained the opportunity to save someone together with the one who extended that hand of salvation to me."

"..."

"That's how what you just said sounded to me."

Yuder was unable to continue speaking for a long time, then shook his head.

"No. I..."

"You said you would save me. Do you intend to do all of that alone?"

The question that cut off his words was clear, as if it already knew the answer. Yuder looked at the moisture wetting his fingertips and sighed.

"…No."

"..."

"I learned thoroughly this time that I can't do everything alone. So for this matter too, of course I need you, Commander."

"See."

Kishiar laughed refreshingly, but with all the pain and sense of liberation. At the same time, more water flowed down and pooled on Yuder's hand.

"I can't be completely sure since I've never stood at the same crossroads, but I want to say one thing. If I were him,"

And if he were me.

The mumbling lips hesitated for a very brief moment, then opened wide so Yuder could hear clearly.

"I would never have resented or hated you for a single moment."

"..."

"And I wouldn't have been disappointed that you harbored such feelings. Even if it were this very moment, it would be the same."

Because, I too am like that.

Yuder lowered his head. He couldn't just keep looking at the man's face any longer.

As he buried his face in the man's chest as if collapsing, arms came and embraced Yuder's body in return. Beyond their bodies overlapping without a single gap as if they would die if separated, Yuder thought of a certain man he had considered long gone.

In his faint memories, that man was smiling, tired but with sincere eyes.

“Now I hear you wield a sword that's quite good no matter where you use it. It would have been nice to have a bit more time to teach you.”

“...It's because you only wander around at night, Commander.”

“Haha. Sometimes there are circumstances where you have to wander only at night.”

“I don't really want to know.”

“Right. Come to think of it, I have a scheduled meeting for drinks and reports tomorrow afternoon in my office. Would you like to continue today's matters there?"

“You mean there?”

“It won't be bad. The space is quite wide too. And I'll make sure it's just the two of us, so there's no need to worry about someone overhearing.”

“...”

“How about it? Want to try it once?”

“...Yes.”

“Okay. Good.”

The hand that approached with a laugh to ruffle Yuder's hair paused for a moment. Yuder stared for a long time at the back of the person lowering his arm and turning to walk away.

It was probably for the best that there was no needless contact, yet strangely, a sense of longing crept in, despite his awareness…

“...Ah.”

The moment he recalled up to that point, an old hole that had been pierced in his heart was filled in that instant.

Yuder pondered that memory for a long time with his face buried in the embrace.

The feeling of regaining something you didn't know you had lost is never a happy one. But Kishiar would say even that was happiness, so Yuder also decided to accept it that way now.

He gave a new name to this poignant pain he felt.

—

"There, all done."

Lusan, who had returned, finally visited the Commander's office and completely healed Kishiar's remaining external injuries. Yuder felt refreshed seeing the wound marks cleanly erased wherever the pure white light flowed.

"Thank you, Priest."

"Thanks, Priest Lusan. You must still be very tired."

"No, it's alright. Then I'll be going to take care of the others now! Call me anytime if you need me."

Lusan smiled shyly and soon left. Kishiar looked in the mirror, rubbed his chin, and winked with a refreshed look.

"Hmm. Now it really feels like everything is back in its place."

"I'm glad you recovered without any problems."

"Thank you. So... before we start catching up on the backlog of work, shall we go over one thing I didn't get to ask yesterday as we both fell asleep?"

The man turned to Yuder with a smile.

"How does my assistant plan to rescue the beauty trapped in the tower?"