Chapter 887

A carriage that could move on its own at high speed, and a door that pierced through space. Among the abilities possessed by Awakeners, such powers already existed—or had existed before. The ability to teleport was already seen in the late Hosanra and the Elder siblings, and others with such power would surely appear in the future. There had also been powers in Yuder’s previous life that could make a carriage or horse move like the wind, albeit temporarily.

But what if those abilities could be permanently embedded into a magic tool?

It was difficult to imagine, but if it was possible, just as Kishiar had said, it would bring an overwhelming transformation to the entire continent. For the first time in a long while, a chill ran pleasantly down Yuder’s spine.

‘But for that day to come...’

He had to deal with the matters at hand first.

When Yuder’s gaze subtly hardened with determination, Kishiar seemed to notice and smiled.

“You’ve got that look in your eyes. Like you’ve made a resolution. What are you thinking about?”

“I don’t know if the kind of magic tool you mentioned can really be made, but the idea that a world we’ve never seen could come... that excites me. So... I thought I should do my part properly until then.”

“Haven’t you already been doing more than enough?”

“It’s a little different. Before...”

Yuder trailed off. A small, light realization had crossed his mind.

‘Yeah, back then...’

“Before, I was focused on preventing things from ending up like the last game. But now... I want to see a future I’ve never known.”

That’s right. To be more precise, he wanted to see the new possibilities that would unfold in a future where peace might truly arrive—where nothing catastrophic happened anymore.

Something entirely different from the ruined world he remembered.

The goal of moving forward hadn’t changed, but simply wanting to see more than before had changed his heart this much. A future where Kishiar had not died... a world Emperor Keillusa would shape—he wanted to see it. The existence of a new kind of magic tool seemed to make that hope feel more tangible.

When Yuder said this, Kishiar nodded like he understood.

“The desire to change the past and the desire to see the future—both are powerful fuels for living the present. But in the end, I think the latter brings more joy. Maybe that’s the difference.”

“Joy... I see.”

That made sense. He wasn’t fond of baseless optimism, but right now, he definitely felt more excitement and anticipation.

“So, when do you plan on getting up and coming down, Commander? Ever and the other members have been grumbling that they’re starting to forget what you look like.”

“Really? I thought everyone would be happier with me gone.”

Well, people usually did prefer when their superior was absent. Even Yuder could recall how, when he was the Cavalry Commander, his mere presence often made everyone stiffen with tension, making it difficult to work together. But Kishiar was completely different. Though disregarded by those above, he was beloved by those below.

And it wasn’t just because of his kind personality or forgiving nature. Kishiar was someone who instilled confidence and resolve in those who followed him.

Even in Yuder’s previous life—when Kishiar had paid far less attention to the Cavalry—his absence had cast a significant shadow over the members. And yet he would say such things?

Yuder held back what he wanted to say and shook his head.

“Maybe that’s true elsewhere. But the Cavalry is different.”

Kishiar lifted the corners of his lips into a mischievous smile. Though he said otherwise, he clearly looked pleased to hear that the members missed him.

“Yes, honestly, I really do want to go down. But as you can see, I’m still sleeping too long. It’s a sign that my vessel hasn’t fully recovered. Once I can at least maintain the sleeping hours of an average person, I’ll make my return.”

“About that... Since I’m fully recovered now, how about I take a look inside you? I meant to bring it up once you woke up.”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

When Yuder answered firmly, Kishiar hesitated briefly, then nodded.

“Alright. But don’t push yourself. Just take a look.”

“...That I can’t promise.”

Even so, Yuder nodded slightly and adjusted his posture. He climbed down from the bed and placed his hand on Kishiar’s abdomen, where he lay flat. Closing his eyes, he focused using a method that had now become familiar. Before long, a shift in energy began to stir within his body.

However, unlike before—when dark, vein-like markings would spread across the back of his hand as he worked—there was something new this time. He could feel the energy pulsing not just from his hand and arm, but from below the abdomen as well.

A mental image of the dark red veins once covering Kishiar’s stomach surfaced in Yuder’s mind.

‘...Not painful. Not yet. It’s just the flow.’

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

It’s fine. Making that judgment, Yuder focused again. Immediately, multicolored forces rose over Kishiar’s abdomen and rapidly unfurled like a map. Unlike before, when a subtle resistance had made entry more difficult, now the process was shockingly smooth and swift.

Though they had grown more familiar with this process over time, this was far beyond what Yuder had expected. Kishiar blinked, visibly startled.

“...Much faster than before.”

“It is.”

It seemed true that something had changed in Yuder’s body since pushing past the limits with the Red Stone on the day of the hailstorm. Not only had his power increased, but handling the pure power of the Red Stone felt far easier and quicker than before.

‘It’s probably a good thing...’

In any case, the priority now was checking Kishiar’s condition. Pushing away all distractions, Yuder focused on the scene before him.

The four forces within Kishiar’s body remained in the same positions.

White divine power, blue aura, golden mana, and red Awakener power.

But unlike before—when the powers had roughly balanced themselves ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) even while occasionally tangled—now all of them were greatly diminished and faint. As the energy weakened, the vessel nestled around his solar plexus—like a second heart—had also shrunk in size, and the Awakener power that once enveloped and protected it was now too faint to even discern properly.

‘That might be why his recovery is so slow.’

Power usually accumulated and returned with time. So Kishiar’s claim that recovery was just a matter of time wasn’t exactly wrong. But this was a unique situation—he had been using his own power to bind the vessel together just before it shattered, enveloping it with Awakener power as a shield. If this condition persisted too long, it would be dangerous.

‘Then, perhaps restoring the Awakener power first would be the most effective approach.’

Kishiar had once said that altering the balance of any one of the four powers would cause him distress, but this might be an exception. Restoring the energy that protected the vessel could be more urgent. Without a solid core, nothing else could be built.

Yuder shared his analysis with Kishiar.

“—So, if you agree, sir, I’d like to send word to the Capital to bring the remaining Red Stone mediums stored in the Imperial Palace as soon as possible.”

Several mediums had been left unused in the palace ever since Yuder had consumed one during Emperor Keillusa’s Awakening Operation. If he could pass that pure power to Kishiar, they could replenish his Awakener force far more efficiently.

“Though it resides in me, when it comes to Awakener power, your judgment has never been wrong. Very well. I’ll contact His Majesty right away.”

“I’ll fetch paper and a pen for the letter.”

“No need for that.”

“Pardon?”

“Actually, I’ve been communicating with His Majesty through a faster, more discreet method.”

With that, Kishiar arched a brow and grinned mischievously.

“You, of all people, should know exactly what that is.”