Turning Chapter 979

Chapter 979

'...Perhaps I feel this way because the Great Southern Earthquake has ceased to exist.'

The voices of his colleagues who had hugged him, crying and laughing, echoed faintly in his head. An unfamiliar thrill pierced through his chest, then subsided. As Yuder closed his eyes, exhaling deeply, Kishiar lay beside him and laughed.

"It's really strange. It's only been a day since everything ended, yet the moment we entered the sea felt like it happened a very long time ago."

"..."

"Oh my. Was it just me?"

"I..."

Yuder recalled the memories of the deep, dark depths of the sea. At that time, the land felt distant and unfamiliar, but now, as Kishiar said, the memories of that time felt as hazy as if they were from a previous life. The difficult moments quickly disappeared, leaving only the joy after everything was over and a very slight bitterness that remained at the bottom, alone.

And on the other hand...

"...Truthfully, I sometimes wonder if I'll open my eyes and find myself back before everything was resolved, or still in the depths of the sea."

It felt real, but at the same time, it didn't. Yuder thought that he might feel that way even more because his body felt too fine after waking up.

'Come to think of it, even in my previous life, I never woke up feeling this fine and refreshed after a big battle.'

It was probably the first time that he had woken up after overcoming an urgent situation and didn't have urgent things to do, and it was also the first time that he didn't feel anxious about it and think that he should get up quickly. In the first place, it was rare for Yuder Aile to wake up with a fine body and continue lying in bed for no reason.

But now... it seemed okay to do that. Even if just for a very short while.

It was a really complicated and strange feeling that he couldn't express in words.

While Yuder was quietly blinking and thinking about the sensations he was feeling, Kishiar, who had been silent for a moment, suddenly sat up.

"Alright. If it doesn't feel real, I should help make it so, right?"

Wondering what he was trying to do, the man swiftly lifted Yuder up in his arms. It was a movement that was as light as carrying a child, despite lifting a tall adult man.

"...What are you trying to do? Aren't I heavy?"

"Hahaha. Not at all. Rather, you've become so light compared to two days ago that I don't feel good about it."

Kishiar laughed cheerfully and carried Yuder out of the bed.

In the past, Yuder would have been displeased or flustered and pushed him away, insisting on walking on his own feet. However, the current Yuder just stayed silent and let Kishiar do as he pleased.

There was no one in the commander's bedroom or the office outside anyway. It was because Enon had prescribed to Kishiar yesterday, after roughly completing emergency treatment at the port, 'Absolutely do not let him out of your sight for a while.'

Because Enon had said it as if he were angry, other people seemed to have taken it to mean that Yuder should be treated preciously in the most precious place and be healed. However, only the parties involved knew the underlying meaning of those words.

It meant that to quickly recover both Yuder's soul and Kishiar's vessel, it was best for them to stick together anyway. Whether Enon liked it or not.

Of course, Yuder himself had no intention of rebelling against that prescription. Kishiar, who nodded with a smile, felt the same way.

Before leaving the port, Kishiar had announced that he would leave the aftermath to First Princess Myra's side and ordered everyone who had worked hard for two days to prioritize recovery and rest unconditionally. That naturally included himself and Yuder.

It was because of that the commander's office, which should have been the busiest after completing a big task, was so quiet.

As the man approached the curtained window and let out a small sigh, the cloth covering the outside gently parted to the sides without even touching a finger.

"How can you use your powers so soon?"

"It was less effort than lifting a fingernail, so let this much slide."

The man, who answered like a beast acting cute in response to Yuder's point, adjusted his hold on Yuder.

It was an angle where they could directly look outside the window.

'Does he want me to look outside? There's nothing there... There won't be anyone...'

Yuder sighed and lowered his gaze, then his eyes widened.

There was someone there.

So many people filled the front yard of the southern branch that it looked cramped.

Some were exercising while sweating despite being bandaged.

Some were sitting leisurely and having a pleasant conversation with their colleagues.

Some had spread out a spot where the sunlight shone well and were eating something ravenously.

Although it couldn't be heard from here, they were all laughing pleasantly and comfortably. It was a lively scene that made it hard to believe it was a winter afternoon. The warm air lingering there felt like spring. Yuder stared at it blankly for a long time.

Many of those faces had already disappeared long ago by this time in his previous life. They had either died, left the group, or were still living in hardship, unable to even join the group. Now they were all gathered in one place. With faces that didn't look difficult or painful at all.

However, that didn't mean nothing had happened. The solid camaraderie and connection unique to those who had endured a difficult path together until the end and remained in this place was clearly felt in their eyes. The fact that Yuder could recognize that meant he also shared something similar with them.

"..."

"Do you now somewhat realize what you have protected?"

Yuder looked at them for a long time before turning his head. As their gazes met, Kishiar tilted his head with a grin, as if he had been waiting. It was a mischievous expression that clearly showed he wanted to say, 'See. Wasn't I right?' The thin traces of wounds that had not yet disappeared on that face tugged at Yuder's heart.

Yuder firmly shook his head.

"Hm?"

"...No."

"It's not what I protected, it's what we protected."

And that 'we' included Yuder himself and the Kishiar in front of his eyes.

As if understanding the meaning, Kishiar blinked for a moment, then shook his head as if admitting defeat and kissed the side of Yuder's forehead.

"...Yeah. You're right. 'We' protected it."

"Yes."

As Yuder inwardly repeated those words, 'we,' the light that entered through the window gently reflected in his eyes.

The outside scene Kishiar showed had a great effect. Yuder no longer felt the strange feeling he had when he first woke up.

It was no exaggeration to say that after finishing a mountain-like meal that was piled up so high the tray couldn't be seen and taking the medicine Enon had sent, his energy overflowed. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times to gauge his internal condition, and it seemed his strength had also recovered to some extent while he was asleep.

'I thought I wouldn't be able to use my strength properly for a while because I squeezed it out until the end... Is this fast recovery also due to the power of the Red Stone?'

"Now that you've finished your meal, it's time for dessert, right?"

Kishiar appeared again from somewhere with an incredibly fancy tray between the blazing magic stone fireplace.  The sight of a huge cake, meticulously arranged in five tiers on a platter, with each layer filled with different varieties, was so grand it was almost overwhelming just to look at, and it was impossible to know when he had made and brought them.

"..."

"If you don't feel like having cake, there are cookies and bread too. You can say whatever you want and eat it right away."

"When did you even..."

"We didn't make these. They were all sent by the southern people as a token of gratitude. In fact, I heard they're still piling up and the kitchen is about to explode. At first, they were wary of us, but now, I hear there's a flood of letters insisting that we must never withdraw our Cavalry from here."

Kishiar laughed softly and elegantly poured tea, placing it in front of Yuder. Then, as if to show off, he drank the tea first and gracefully picked up a fork, cutting and swallowing the cake on top.

"It's delicious. I can tell how much sincerity the person who made it put into baking it."

Yuder stared at the southern-style baked cheesecake, then followed Kishiar and cut the same size, putting it in his mouth. The cake, which had honey drizzled on it, was fluffier than it looked and was very sweet.

Watching the man enjoying the cake alongside him felt, perhaps, even a bit sweeter.

Sensing Yuder's gaze, the man looked up, crinkling the corners of his eyes.

"Being alive is a wonderful thing. I had been thinking all day yesterday that I wanted to sit side by side with you like this and watch you eat cake, and now I've achieved that dream."