Chapter 882

"Who reported it? Take me to them right now."

"A guard sent by the Lord of Makla. At first I didn’t believe him, but he showed me a badge and said he was told by someone from the Cavalry that if anything happened, he should come straight to the branch."

Gakein opened his clenched fist. In his hand was a button only a Cavalry member could possess, and a wax seal marked with the insignia of Duke Peleta. Yuder glanced at it and gave a firm nod.

“It’s real. That was sent by the Commander. No need to doubt it.”

Previously, Kishiar and Yuder had secretly toured four cities, including Makla. Those were all regions that, in the previous game, had suffered massive damage due to a great earthquake, and they were also places where many sightings of abnormal rifts had been reported.

Their actions back then—and the countermeasures they prepared—were now clearly proven to have been worthwhile with this very report.

Yuder followed Gakein outside. Inon, reacting to the mention of an abnormal rift, trailed after them. Alik, who had remained seated even after finishing his business with Lusan, raised a hand and looked like he wanted to speak with relief in his eyes. But the moment Yuder’s gaze met his, he choked back a squeak and shrank down.

They soon found an older guard sitting anxiously in the visitor’s lounge where those who came to the Southern Branch would wait, along with Ever.

“That’s him. He was too agitated, so while I went to find you, Ever kept him company.”

“You did well.”

As Yuder approached, he straightened his back and shoulders and adjusted his posture. With a single deep breath and a quick smoothing of his coat, he looked every bit the composed aide standing in for the Commander.

“Good day. I am Yuder Aile, aide to the Cavalry Commander. You’re from Makla, correct?”

“Yes, yes.”

While speaking, Yuder exchanged a subtle nod with Ever. Perhaps Ever had already heard of Yuder’s recovery, as he didn’t appear particularly surprised. Instead, he subtly signaled with one hand under the table.

Are you okay? I’m glad. I’ll leave the rest to you.

Just those three gestures were enough to convey concern and the intention to hand things over. In the past, Ever might’ve asked outright if Yuder was okay, but now he properly assessed the formal nature of the setting and refrained. It was the kind of awareness befitting a deputy of the Cavalry.

Yuder naturally switched seats with Ever and sat before the guest.

“I heard a brief overview, but I’d like to hear the details directly. When, where, and how was the rift sighted? And what were the Lord’s instructions when he sent you?”

“Um, but... isn’t the Cavalry Commander coming?”

The guard glanced nervously between Yuder, Ever, Gakein, and Inon. Even though Yuder Aile’s name had become well known, it wasn’t yet at the level where his name and face alone would grant him unrestricted access anywhere in the Empire. Seeing only young faces show up one after another, he clearly found it hard to trust.

“Unfortunately, the Commander is currently away on another matter. Your arrival will be reported to him immediately, but for now, please speak to me. You came here to report something urgent as soon as possible, didn’t you?”

“......”

“Your glass is empty. You must be quite parched from the journey. Please, have some water before you begin.”

At Yuder’s calm gesture, a stream of water formed in midair, spiraling gracefully before pouring cleanly into the empty glass in front of the guard. Not a single drop spilled.

The older guard stared in awe at the sudden miracle.

Nothing shut up doubtful and anxious people faster than a clear demonstration of ability. That rule, proven many times over, worked once again in Yuder’s favor.

With trembling hands, the guard drank and finally opened his mouth.

“That awful thing appeared this morning... just before sunrise. Some farmers who had gone out to chop wood saw it and rushed to the Lord. But since the Lord was still asleep, I went to check first. It was right there, floating above the well.”

It was about the size of /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a grown man’s arm. It hadn’t expelled any monsters and simply hung there in the air. The rumors of what had happened in Sharloin had already reached Makla, so people were terrified.

As soon as he confirmed it with his own eyes, the guard ran straight to the Lord’s bedroom. But by the time the Lord arrived to see it for himself, the rift had long since disappeared.

The guard had been worried that the Lord—who normally lost interest in anything that didn’t make money—would dismiss it again. But this time, the Lord had stared silently at the empty space where the rift had been, seemingly deep in thought, before finally speaking.

“Hey. Who saw that thing floating over there? You? Then you go to Sharloin. Right now.”

The guard had been startled by the unexpected order and asked if he should go to Sharloin’s Lord.

The Lord of Makla had replied with an even more surprising response.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

“What are you going to do with that yellow-faced idiot? The one everyone says is about to get kicked out for offending the next Duke of Hern? Don’t even let your shadow mix with that guy’s.”

“Then... where should I go?”

“Go to the Cavalry’s branch. Take this with you. Tell them what happened and lead them back here. If they pretend not to know anything, don’t bother begging. Just come back.”

He had pulled out a Cavalry button and a wax seal with Duke Peleta’s emblem from his coat and handed them over. The guard had doubted his eyes, but accepted and set off immediately. As he departed, he faintly heard the Lord grumbling behind him.

“Did that bastard predict something like this would happen? Anyway, I owe him, so I gotta do it, annoying or not. Tch....”

And so, the guard came—half doubtful, half afraid. The Lord had said not to bother if they turned him away, but the guard loved his homeland too much to walk away. He even lied to suspicious Cavalry members just to make it all the way to the Southern Branch.

After finishing his story, the guard gulped down the remaining water in one go. Then he looked at Yuder desperately.

“On my way here, I saw broken roads and buildings... so many injured people. Even inside the branch, there were still folks wrapped in bandages. Is... is our Makla going to end up like that, too?”

“No.”

The one shocked by Yuder’s firm, undeniable answer wasn’t the guard—but those around him.

“You said the rift disappeared without releasing any monsters, right? Then it’s not going to happen. Not yet.”

“Not yet...? What does that mean, sir...?”

“It means something might still happen. But we won’t let it. That’s why it’ll be fine.”

After saying that, Yuder turned to Ever.

“Ever. Can you select five to seven members who can depart immediately? They need to be strong enough to defend Makla on their own. Also, please send a request to the Imperial Army for additional personnel support.”

“Of course. I’ll go now. Just give me a moment.”

With swift, crisp movements, Ever left the room. Yuder looked back at the bewildered guard and continued.

“I’ll inform the First Princess of Hern as well, so support from her side will arrive soon. I’ll also write a letter for your Lord. Please deliver it to him.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

“You reported the incident instead of covering it up and came all this way without rest. That was an excellent response. What’s your name?”

“Olrun... sir.”

“Mr. Olrun, the trust you and the Lord of Makla have shown won’t be forgotten by our Commander. And if any more rifts appear in the future, please report every single one. Without exception. I mean it.”

Though Yuder’s tone was calm and restrained, there was something about his words that made the listener feel deeply acknowledged. As the guard blinked awkwardly, a shy smile on his face, Yuder stepped outside briefly and returned. He handed Olrun a sealed letter along with a small pouch, leaning in to speak quietly.

“Please deliver both the letter and the pouch to your Lord. Be sure to tell him it’s a token of sincerity from the Cavalry.”

Inside the worn pouch, Olrun heard a familiar, unmistakable jingling sound.

This... this is...!

The Lord of Makla, known for turning a blind eye to anything if paid enough—just how had they known that?

With this kind of offering, the Lord would surely not mistreat the incoming outsiders, and would tolerate just about anything they did.

This young Cavalry man clearly knew exactly what kind of person the Lord of Makla was.

He’s... not ordinary.

A pleasant chill ran down Olrun’s spine. He nodded deeply.

“Y-yes, sir. I understand completely!”