Turning Chapter 982

Chapter 982

"Oh my. The other members would be incredibly disappointed if they heard this," Kishiar said with a laugh. Each time he laughed, a soft vibration rippled through the skin layered over his body. Yuder thought he had seen Kishiar's laughter enough times to etch it behind his eyelids, but feeling it through touch felt different.

How should he put it? It was as if Yuder's own body, despite not laughing, shook in unison with Kishiar's laughter, as if laughing along.

"You should share the conversations you had with me with them sometime. I guarantee it will be a very enjoyable time."

"..."

"Of course, we should exclude the previous game. But there will still be plenty to talk about, so it should be fine."

Yuder pondered for a moment before nodding slightly.

"...I understand."

"If possible, before leaving the south. I recommend booking a nice tavern or restaurant and having a proper conversation in a good atmosphere."

Even though he wasn't the one planning to have the conversation, Kishiar excitedly added a new suggestion.

'To that extent?...'

If it was peculiar, should he call it peculiar? Kishiar really enjoyed seeing Yuder getting along well with those around him.

As Kishiar listed off the names of various famous restaurants in Charloin, which Yuder had no idea when he had collected, Yuder abruptly asked, "If you're so looking forward to chatting, why don't you join us, Commander?"

"Unfortunately, that won't work. If I join, everyone will be too nervous to enjoy themselves."

"Then, aside from me, who else can you share this experience with, Commander?"

Kishiar blinked without responding for a moment. A different smile than before appeared on the face of the man who had been looking at Yuder in surprise.

"Is that... you worrying about me?"

"..."

Yuder Aile also believed he understood well what it meant to be in a higher position, based on his experience as the Cavalry Commander in his previous life. The moment one took on a position of responsibility, there was no one left to stand shoulder to shoulder with. It meant there was no one to confide in, no one to comfortably share thoughts and jokes with.

As many things changed from his previous life, Yuder now had people he could have such conversations with. But what about Kishiar La Orr? Thinking about someone who enjoyed trivial conversations so much being left alone didn't sit well with him.

If possible, Yuder wanted to see Kishiar always living comfortably and not feeling lonely, even when Yuder wasn't around.

'...Is that so? Could it be that this is why he keeps encouraging me to mingle with others?'

As Yuder gained a new understanding of the man's behavior that had been difficult to comprehend, Kishiar replied in an extremely delighted voice.

"You don't need to worry. I have Nathan, Hellem, and Mick who came all the way here, don't I? Besides them, there are quite a few friends here and there who, although they don't know I'm the Duke of Peletta, have told me I'm a pretty good friend apart from that. Of course, I can't tell them everything, but just sharing a moment with them can be enjoyable enough."

Hearing this, it seemed Kishiar had built quite a large network of acquaintances from long ago while wearing a magic tool that concealed his face.

"When did you make such friends?"

"While trying to manage the empty Peletta, I ended up making many friends."

Kishiar's eyes drifted into the air for a moment, as if reaching into the distant past.

"Even someone like me needed money to take care of those who believed in and followed a new lord, and the best way to make money was through trade, right? Mick was actually one of the people I befriended that way."

"So you didn't reveal your identity as the Duke of Peletta from the beginning when building a friendship with the head of a trading company."

"When I first met Mick, he was the son of a small merchant family who was remarkably good at business despite dealing with the few goods that came from a barren place like Peletta. He said his dream was to save money, become independent, and own a small general store."

Yuder listened to Mick's life story, which Kishiar shared, with considerable interest. The story of how Mick took revenge on the family members who had envied him, kicked him out of the company, and tried to kill him, and in the process, joined hands with Kishiar who saved his life and officially grew the Shuden Company, was almost like a novel. Especially the part where, despite Kishiar's identity being accidentally revealed, Mick accepted everything and even knelt down, pledging loyalty and eternal cooperation, was enough to elicit admiration.

After hearing it, Yuder thought he could understand the root of Mick's deep loyalty to Kishiar. When he first met Mick in the West before, Kishiar had only mentioned that he happened to help him during the early days of the Shuden Company, but this went beyond simply providing help.

Indeed, it was no wonder Mick had such loyalty that he would enter the deep sea without question and risk his life to use his power.

'And also why he dislikes being called by his family name even while running a company with the same name as his family.'

If it was before the Shuden Company officially expanded its influence, how old would Kishiar have been then? Although uncertain, he must have been incomparably younger than he was now.

The story of the young Duke of Peletta in his boyhood, which Yuder had briefly heard from Hellem, crossed his mind. Not much different from the youthful appearance in the portrait he had seen at the Imperial Palace, did he hide himself and do so much to take care of his territory?

While holding the secret that he had a precarious vessel and that he could die at any moment.

"Was Mick's story quite interesting? You seem deep in thought after hearing it."

"It was a story I didn't know before."

Yuder answered, erasing his thoughts.

"If you're curious about the people around me, feel free to ask anytime. They would all be fine with letting you know this much."

"No. I..."

Yuder hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth.

"…Rather than about those around you, I was thinking about you, Commander, at the time you met them."

"About me?"

Kishiar, who questioned back as if it was unexpected, smiled brightly.

"My, my. Today, I feel like I'm continuously receiving gifts. Hearing such pleasant words, it's not you who's having trouble feeling the reality, but me."

Yuder had learned a lot about this man, but that didn't mean he knew everything. Since he had come to desire everything about him, naturally he was curious.

Kishiar, who had been laughing for a while, embraced Yuder. The man, who kissed Yuder's ear, whispered softly and secretively.

"Originally, I had planned to return straight to the capital after this matter was over, without visiting the northern branch. Remember?"

"Yes."

They had spent too much time in the south, so the second batch recruitment of the Cavalry members in the north had already been completed. There was no time or reason to visit that branch, so they had decided to return to the headquarters in the capital and meet the new Cavalry members from all branches at once.

They had to report to the Emperor and prepare for the rapidly changing situations, so that was the best option in many ways.

"...But after meeting with His Majesty the Emperor, I should be able to take a few days off. At that time, would you like to visit Peletta with me?"

Yuder blinked at the unexpected suggestion.

"I want to keep my word that I would show you the northern sea for comparison after seeing the southern sea. Plus, if you go there, you'll be able to directly see the parts you were curious about regarding me. But if you don't want to go right away…”

Perhaps knowing when Yuder had visited Peletta in his previous life, Yuder firmly answered before the last words that Kishiar was about to utter were finished.

"I'll go. I definitely want to go. And......."

"And?"

The man asked, gently narrowing his eyes with joy. Yuder closed his mouth, pondered, and then spoke.

"...I'm thinking of stopping by the house where I originally lived and finishing the cleanup I haven't been able to do... If it's alright with you, Commander, I'd like you to come with me."

No one had visited Yuder's house in the mountain valley since his grandfather died. In terms of time, it had been neglected for about a year since joining the Cavalry, but for Yuder, it felt like a place he hadn't visited since his previous life. The thought of bringing someone else to that place, where even the memories had faded, was truly unfamiliar, even though he had said it himself.

However, he didn't want to take back those words.

Because the man, who had always said he was curious about Yuder, was now shining with joy, as if he had received the best gift ever, upon hearing those words.

"…Of course. If you grant me such an honor, anytime."

"It probably won't be an honor. It was a very humble place, and honestly, I can't clearly remember the location now. We might get lost and fail to find it."

"Even that is an honor."

Ah. The man, who uttered a word similar to admiration, buried his face in the chest he was embracing.

"...Now I feel like I can truly listen without any lingering reservations. All the things you were going to say before we set off to the sea."

Yuder embraced the golden hair that tickled his chest. Two hearts beat at a similar pace.

He could tell what Kishiar said he would be able to hear, even without being told.

The story that Kishiar had said he would listen to that day, but in fact, simultaneously hoped not to hear.

The words that even Yuder himself didn't particularly want to bring up.

And the dream of the white-gloved hand in the final crack that he couldn't tell due to missing the timing because of the disaster.

Yes. Yuder also felt like he could now speak of everything much more easily.