Chapter 100

"Don't worry, it should be fine until we return."

"Let me know right away if you feel the slightest discomfort."

"Okay..."

At the mention of his condition, Jimmy fell silent. With that, the party quickened their pace toward the capital.

"If nothing unexpected happens, we should arrive soon. How are you feeling, Yuder?"

Riding beside him, Gakane's voice was clear and concerned. Though Yuder had heard this question several times before, Gakane's worried expression made it difficult for him to tell him to stop asking.

"I'm fine."

While Yuder's answer implied that his condition hadn't worsened since he stopped using his powers the day before, Gakane, unaware of the full situation, nodded in relief.

"I hope we can get through the city gates quickly today. It's always slow because of how crowded the capital is."

Though leaving the capital was easy, entering was another story. The security checks at the capital's outermost gates were strict, even for nobles. Only those of imperial lineage were exempt from the thorough inspections. Passing through the gates meant moving toward the outermost district, through the seventh wall, and deeper into the city.

When the party finally arrived at the checkpoint, however, they realized their concerns had been unnecessary.

"Are you part of the Cavalry?"

A soldier, noticing them from the long line ahead, approached after seeing their black uniforms.

"Ah, Yes, we are,"

"Do you have anything to confirm your identity?"

At the soldier's inquiry, Gakane displayed a button on his uniform sleeve. Though it appeared to be an ordinary metal button, it was made from a specially processed magic stone designed to withstand any impact.

The soldier carefully examined the Cavalry emblem engraved on the button, then nodded and waved them through the checkpoint.

"Your identities are confirmed. Please proceed."

"Excuse me?"

"When you arrive, you are to be directed there immediately."

"Directed?"

Gakane blinked in surprise and glanced at Yuder. Yuder could feel the throbbing in his concealed arm intensify as he looked toward the building the soldier was indicating. There was only one reason an exception like this could be made.

Someone who could bypass the capital's gates without delay. In other words, it had to be an imperial command.

"...Let's go."

Yuder started walking, summoning the strength in his legs to prevent himself from stumbling. The rest of the party followed suit, handing their reins to the soldier.

"I wonder who gave such an order. It's not just about letting us pass—why would they want us to go there...?"

"Don't worry. It must be someone we're familiar with."

Yuder gave Jimmy's hunched shoulders a reassuring pat before stepping into the checkpoint building. Inside, it was unnervingly silent, as if everyone had been cleared out in advance. Yuder's eyes locked onto a man who slowly rose from his seat.

A strikingly beautiful pale face, wise red eyes framed by golden lashes.

The moment their gazes met, Yuder's arm pain seemed to vanish.

"Ah, right on time. It's the third day."

Dressed not in his usual white uniform but in regal attire befitting a duke and member of the imperial family, Kishiar stood with a charming smile that could easily captivate anyone.

"Congratulations on safely returning from your mission."

"Commander!"

Jimmy's startled exclamation came from behind Yuder. The shock broke Yuder's brief trance, and he quickly joined his comrades in bowing their heads in salute.

"How did you get here?"

"Thanks to this final letter that arrived this morning."

Kishiar casually waved the letter in his hand, showing it off. It was the last letter Gakane had written and sent the night before. Fortunately, Kishiar had received it just in time.

"If it hadn't been for this, we might have missed each other. We were supposed to depart for Hartan today."

"You, Commander?"

At Devran's surprised question, Kishiar nodded.

"I had a feeling the situation wouldn't be normal, so I wanted to check it out myself. But thanks to my capable assistant, who finished everything in just three days, I didn't have the chance."

Kishiar's gaze remained light and teasing, but Yuder sensed something different about his demeanor.

"I thought there wouldn't be time to wait for an official examination, so I ordered you to be brought here immediately upon your return. Perhaps it was an unnecessary decision?"

"No, not at all. We didn't expect you to come personally... As you must have read in the letter, if you hadn't sent people to find me, I might not have made it back from that leave and even died. My family and I owe you our lives. I'm truly grateful for that."

The usually tough Devran blushed awkwardly under Kishiar's gaze. Jimmy tried to stifle a laugh, coughing into his hand, while Gakane bit his lip to keep from smiling.

Luckily, Devran was too focused on Kishiar to notice his comrades' reactions.

"The thanks should go to your comrades, not me. Now, you should head back immediately. There's a carriage waiting behind the checkpoint."

"Ah, Yes, understood!"

After Devran, Gakane, and Jimmy hurriedly exited through the back door of the checkpoint, Yuder followed them slowly. As he did, Kishiar approached him, speaking in a low voice only Yuder could hear.

"It's spread to your shoulder."

Without needing further explanation, Yuder knew exactly what he meant.

"Yes, it has."

"You weren't the only Awakeners who went on that mission, but you're the only one who returned injured. What should I make of that?"

Kishiar's tone was soft, but there was an undercurrent of sternness. Yuder remained silent for a moment before replying quietly.

"I was careless. I apologize."

"I wasn't asking for an apology."

Kishiar's eyes shifted from Yuder's bandaged left arm to his seemingly uninjured right arm. He stared at Yuder's right hand for an unusually long time.

"Does it hurt?"

"I can't deny it... It's a bit worse than before... Ah!"

Before Yuder could finish, Kishiar suddenly grasped his right hand. The touch wasn't harsh, but as soon as Kishiar's fingers pressed against his skin, a sharp pain shot through Yuder's arm, making him unconsciously grit his teeth.

Seeing Yuder's face tense with pain, a shadow of concern flickered across Kishiar's expression.

"I made the right choice waiting here..."

He released Yuder's hand. Yuder, still recovering from the discomfort, looked up at him.

"We need to move quickly. There's much to do once we return."

"Welcome back."

Nathan Zuckerman, Kishiar's adjutant, peeked out from the black carriage parked just outside the back gate of the checkpoint, greeting them with a nod.

As Yuder climbed into the carriage, Kishiar's face from his dream flashed in his mind. The real Kishiar, standing before him now, was distinctly different from the dream. The contrast felt sharper now that they were face to face.

It dawned on Yuder, perhaps for the first time, that he was truly back.

'...Was I anxious this whole time?'

He glanced down at his gloved hand, pondering this strange thought.

There was no clear answer.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Cavalry building was as calm as ever when they returned. After instructing Gakane, Devran, and Jimmy to rest in their quarters, Kishiar led Yuder to his own room.

The top floor, where Kishiar resided, looked the same as it had three days ago. They passed by the magic stone stove, its flames flickering with vibrant colors, and the Divine Sword Orr displayed above it. As they neared the sofa, Kishiar turned to his adjutant.

"Nathan, lock the door and bring the items I requested this morning."

"Right away."

"Yuder, come over here."

Kishiar, having already removed his gold-buttoned military coat and rolled up his sleeves, called out to Yuder without hesitation. Not only had he rolled up his sleeves, but he'd also undone his cravat, making Yuder question what he was planning to do.

"What are you trying to do?"

"What else?"

Kishiar responded briefly, then continued, turning to Yuder.

"Are you going to undress or not? Just rolling up your sleeves won't let me see how far the infection has spread."

"Ah, yes."

Yuder sat down on the sofa and began to take off his uniform. His movements were much slower than usual due to the injuries in both hands. After failing to undo the buttons twice, Kishiar, observing from the side, frowned in realization.

"Ah, I see. Both arms are injured... Put your hands down. I'll help."

"I'm fine. I can manage."

"Do I need to make it an order?"

The mention of an order left Yuder no room to refuse.

[Hello, it's the editor. Unfortunately, my computer is busted, which is a problem because it's where I do all my editing. Without it, I can't work on the story. I'm currently writing this (the note) on my friend's PC (I don't have a laptop either), so we'll need to wait until my computer gets fixed. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope it will be fixed soon.

If you're wondering about this chapter and how I managed to edit it, it was already finished before my computer broke. This note was added after the fact. And no, I can't go to my friend's place just to use their computer because: 1) their home is far away, and 2) it would feel rude. Again, I apologize for the delay. Please be patient.]