Chapter 877

Yuder suddenly opened his eyes and sat up.

He had definitely been talking with Kishiar, but when he came to his senses, the sun was already high in the sky.

‘I... when did I fall asleep?’

It was thoroughly confusing, but in any case, his body felt much lighter than the last time he had woken up, and his mood wasn’t bad either.

Yuder turned his head to look for Kishiar.

He was sleeping on another bed a little distance away.

If he had still been guarding Yuder’s side, it would have been very concerning, but seeing him sleeping soundly made Yuder feel more at ease.

Since he’d woken up first for once, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check on Kishiar’s condition this time.

As Yuder got down from the bed, the splints wrapped around both his arms annoyed him so much that he let out a short sigh.

‘It doesn’t hurt at all—can’t I just take these off already?’

His arms were clearly healed.

Although they had re-fractured once when accidentally jostled while he was unconscious, at least from what Yuder could feel, that wasn’t going to happen again.

‘Besides, my strength seems to be fully restored.’

The strength he had drained to the very limits had fully returned during the two weeks of unconsciousness—as if nothing had happened.

In fact, Yuder even felt like the total amount of power stored in his body had increased compared to before.

‘Back then, it felt like I broke through some unknown limit using the Red Stone’s original power... Maybe that’s why.’

The original power of the Red Stone residing in Yuder’s body would always surge up his veins and spread from his hands when he used it.

At first, it had only reached his shoulders, but starting from the West, it had expanded to his face and chest.

Then how far had it gone this time?

The overwhelming force that had struck deep within his body like a storm at the crossroads of choice vividly echoed in his memory.

‘I need to check.’

The first and second times he regained consciousness, he had been too mentally preoccupied with dealing with Inon and Kishiar to examine his own condition.

But now was different.

First, he wanted to get free of the splints and bandages, check on Kishiar, and wash the discomfort off his body.

Hoo.

As Yuder let out a short breath and closed his eyes, a thin current of wind suddenly swept through the silent room, gently wrapping around both his arms.

At the same time, the bandages and splints wrapped tightly around them were all cleanly severed, as if by a sharp blade.

Yuder flexed his freed hands, making a few fists and opening them again.

As expected, there was no pain at all.

He lightly walked over to Kishiar’s bed, which was dimly lit due to half-drawn curtains meant to block light.

Beside the pillow, a familiar-smelling incense was slowly emitting hazy smoke from a tray engraved with intricate, indecipherable patterns.

‘I’ve seen that incense before... And the tray too, it doesn’t look ordinary. A magical item?’

It did seem like a magical item, though he wasn’t exactly sure what kind.

But he soon remembered what the incense was.

It was the same kind that had been lit in Kishiar’s room back when Yuder had been resting after the experiment accident involving Tais Yulman.

It was supposed to be an incense that replenished energy.

Kishiar hadn’t seemed to consider it very useful, but the fact that it was here again probably meant his incredibly devoted aide had brought it.

Who else but Nathan Zuckerman would go so far as to bring such a non-essential item all the way here just for Kishiar?

Kishiar still had a bandage over one eye.

If one didn’t listen closely, it was hard to tell whether he was even breathing, his sleeping face so still it looked more like a work of art than a human being.

Yuder had moved as silently as possible, but to get this close and still not wake him—

It was a rare occurrence.

‘That must mean his body is still in bad shape.’

Looking down at his paler-than-usual cheeks sent a dull ache through Yuder’s chest.

After hesitating for a long moment, he slowly reached out toward the golden hair falling over Kishiar’s smooth forehead.

His goal was a strand that seemed to be bothering Kishiar, hanging near his eyes.

After carefully brushing it aside, he let out the breath he’d been holding like he had just completed a difficult task.

“Hoo...”

Kishiar still didn’t wake.

Part of him wanted to immediately use his power to check Kishiar’s internal condition.

But this wasn’t something he should do on his own anymore.

Before that, he needed to closely examine his own state.

If he kept staring like this, he’d probably end up watching that face all day like a dazed fool.

Yuder finally managed to lower his gaze and turn away.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

And just then, he noticed something that had previously seemed insignificant.

‘I did think the bed curtain was oddly half-closed... Now that I really look at it...’

If Kishiar had meant to sleep properly, he would’ve drawn the curtain completely to block out the light.

But the curtain over Kishiar’s bed had only been drawn about halfway.

He hadn’t noticed when approaching, but now, looking back from this angle, Yuder could clearly see the bed he had been lying in.

Which meant... Kishiar had purposely left that side of the curtain open so he could keep an eye on Yuder even from his own bed.

And thanks to that, Yuder /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ had been able to immediately spot where Kishiar was as soon as he woke up.

It seemed like a trivial thing at first glance, yet that fact made something inside Yuder stir uncontrollably.

“......”

The unseen Kishiar during the blank space of sleep now began to take shape in his mind.

“......”

The two weeks Yuder had been unconscious.

And the brief time they had spoken the night before he fully woke up.

Had Kishiar been missing him the whole time?

Had he left the curtain half-drawn so he could watch him even in sleep?

Despite the short or long time that had passed, Kishiar’s feelings toward Yuder had never wavered.

What he hadn’t understood at first only came into view once he turned his back—and it hurt.

No words could truly express this feeling.

Probably.

—

After washing up, Yuder opened the door opposite the bedroom and headed into the adjoining office.

He slipped into a set of clothes that had clearly been prepared in advance for his eventual awakening, and as he stepped outside, a familiar head caught his eye.

Flame-red hair and a tall frame.

Yuder walked up and quietly tapped the man’s shoulder.

“What are you doing? Are you all healed up?”

“Hmm? Haha. Of course. I’ve been fine for a while now...

...Yuder?!”

Gakein, who had turned with a smile, shouted like he’d seen a ghost.

‘My ears...’

“What the hell?! Yuder, how are you here?!”

“I woke up. That’s how I’m here.”

“When?!”

“Just now.”

“What? But you’re already walking around like that? Your arms?! Your legs?!”

Apparently, Gakein had misunderstood what “just woke up” meant.

Yuder sighed and shook his head.

“Everything’s already healed.

I just slept for a long time. My body’s fine, so calm down.”

“Still, I mean...”

“Where’s Inon? In the infirmary?”

“Ah, yeah. The pharmacist should be in the infirmary, same as always... Are you going there?”

“Of course.

If I don’t go see him right away after waking up, Inon’ll get mad.”

Only then did Gakein seem convinced that Yuder was truly fine.

“S-So you really are okay...”

Would he seriously be wandering around like this if he weren’t?

Yuder had enough sense for basic judgment.

He took the dazed Gakein with him and headed for the infirmary.

Along the way, everyone who saw him reacted like they’d seen a ghost—either collapsing in shock or shouting at the top of their lungs, to the point that Yuder’s ears were ringing.

“Good heavens, Yuder’s awake!”

“It’s Yuder!”

“Yuder...! Are you really okay? Truly?”

Many of them were still wearing protective braces like the ones Yuder had recently removed.

Some had gauze on their faces or walked with canes.

Even with divine healing, it meant their aftereffects were severe enough to still require caution.

And yet, their expressions were all lively and bright.

It was clear that while Yuder was unconscious, the Cavalry had found some way to come to terms with the bloodshed and deaths from that hailstorm night.

Could it really be that no one blamed Yuder Aile for failing to stop Hosanra and letting Naham slip away?

That thought felt a little strange.

And the fact that he could accept it without feeling more than a faint unease felt even stranger.

How could they all smile like this, knowing it wasn’t truly over?

As he looked at the brace-wrapped fingers of a Special Task Force member who reached out to shake his hand, Yuder slowly reached out his own.

Seeing the group of successful candidates from the Star of Nagran running toward him in joy brought back hazy memories of that fighting arena where they first met.

One of them, Elpokin, whose massive frame didn’t match his sobbing, shed tears like a child, letting them fall like raindrops.

“I-It’s such a relief... They said you were in a coma for over two weeks... I...”

“......”

Yuder was at a loss, but Gakein, seeming to understand, looked at Elpokin with teary eyes.

By the time the growing group trailing behind them reached the infirmary, they had nearly filled an entire hallway.