From the next day onward, Yuder's daily routine began to move at a pace unlike anything before. In addition to his duties as the Commanderâs aide, he had to help with stabilizing the situation, meet with members who had changed since the day of the hailstorm, adjust training schedules, and meet with various outsiders who had been waiting to see him.
And with Deputy Nathan Zuckerman currently away, Yuder was the only one qualified to speak with Kishiar directly about work or handle things in his place. Of course, Nathan had prepared everything so that his absence wouldn't disrupt daily affairsâbut unexpected variables sometimes arose. Contacts with the Peleta Knight Order or the Shuden Merchant Group, which had usually been handled by Zuckerman, were prime examples.
If Kishiar had been able to stay awake for longer stretches like before, none of this wouldâve been an issue. But now, that wasnât the case. So Yuder began stepping in to cover as much of Nathanâs role as possible. Though Kishiar told him he didnât need to, compared to everything else on his plate, handling correspondence with Peleta was nothing.
Currently, Kishiar could only remain awake for around five to six hours a day, mostly after sunset. That brief time barely allowed for a proper conversation and a light dinner. So Yuder did most of the work during the day and brought only the most essential matters to him at night.
To Yuder, the workload was a bit more intense than usualâbut compared to his previous life, it felt easy. However, that wasnât how it looked to everyone else.
âYuder... Please, give some of that work to me or Kurga. Everyoneâs freaking out thinking youâll collapse again the second you get back up.â
On the way back from finalizing the training schedules and plans for the successful applicantsâwho, though not yet formally inducted, had played a crucial roleâGakein approached Yuder with a pleading look.
âYou donât have to handle all of the training for the new recruits yourself, do you? Why didnât you call me?â
âYou were busy from morning, werenât you?â
âStill not as busy as you!â
Was that really true? Sure, Yuder had more on his plate, but that didnât necessarily mean it was harder.
âWhat matters is the type of work, not the amount.â
To Yuder, this was just one of twenty light, manageable tasksânothing stressful. But for Gakein, Kurga, and the others, the same tasks were overwhelming. Yuder saw little difference between the regular members and the new recruits, so he didnât want to burden them further.
Still, saying that outright would probably make Gakeinâwho already looked deflatedâfeel even more discouraged. And since he was at least trying to help despite his own workload, there was no need to crush him with reality.
âItâs the first proper day of training. I needed to observe once. I was planning to â§ NĐŸvĐ”Iight â§ (Original source) start handing it off once they got a little more used to it. Just give it a bit more time.â
â...Really?â
Gakein asked, half-skeptical.
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
âIf you want to take over the training work, tag along every day like you did today and observe. Iâll probably hand it off sooner if you do. But... can you manage that? I was going to give you the new training program for your unit soon, too.â
Would he really have time to oversee someone elseâs training on top of his own? Gakein swallowed nervously at the question, which had flown out so expressionlessly.
âOf course... I can do it. I mean, it wonât be easy, but youâre doing even more, so Iâll be fine!â
âGood. And make sure you donât skip Sir Zuckermanâs drills either.â
âObviously!â
Gakein clenched his fist and grinned with resolve.
âFinally, youâre giving someone else a piece of your work. Youâve been doing so much, itâs like we were the ones unconscious for two weeks, not you.â
Yuder hadnât gone out of his way to manage his stamina. He simply didnât find this workload all that strenuousâsame reason as before.
Instead of explaining, he summarized it in a single sentence.
âItâs not stamina. Itâs technique.â
âTechnique, huh... You do remember we joined at the same time, right? Same age?â
â...â
âKanna and Ever are already considered fast learners, but you? Youâve been like the Commander from the start. Itâs like you spent ten years doing nothing but this kind of work before joining.â
Sharp insightâthough spoken in jest. Gakein wasnât actually suspicious. Too much time had passed for that, and heâd simply grown used to the idea.
No matter how extraordinary something might seem, people adjust when exposed to it daily. Yuderâs absurd combat and administrative skills had become just another part of life for the Cavalry.
These days, some members seriously believed he had once been the secret apprentice of a reclusive archmage before joining. Others thought he was actually the child of a fallen noble family, hiding his identity and joining as a commoner.
Whatever they chose to believe, Yuder didnât mindâno one had asked him directly. He understood they werenât acting out of malice, just trying to rationalize the inexplicable in their own way. Some even seemed to believe it so sincerely that they felt it was their duty to protect Yuderâs âtrue identity.â
Yuder replied to the giggling Gakein with a perfectly straight face.
âAdd another year to that. Ten wouldnât be enough.â
â...Huh?â
Gakein burst into laughter.
âFair enough. Thinking about it, learning all that probably would take more than ten years. Maybe thirty?â
â...â
âActually, thirty might be pushing it. Letâs say fifty?â
Yuder suddenly stopped walking. Gakein, still chattering, took a few more steps before realizing and turned around.
âYuder? Whatâs wrong?â
â...Nothing. Just remembered something I left behind. Go on ahead.â
âReally? Thatâs weird. You forgetting something? Alright, Iâll go ahead then.â
Gakein tilted his head, then waved and walked off. Yuder waited until he disappeared, then spoke.
âCome out.â
His low voice spread across the empty road near the front gate.
âYou donât seriously think I canât see you, do you, Kiole? If youâre not out by the count of threeââ
âWait!â
Finally, from behind a wall where no one seemed to be, someone tumbled out. Dressed suspiciously in an odd hat and scarf that covered most of his face, Kiole Diarca glared furiously, his face bright red.
âIf you knew I was here, you couldâve just called me! Did you have to threaten me like that?!â
âYou were skulking around instead of coming in normally. What did you expect?â
âI had to sneak in so no one would know I came! Use your head!â
Really now. Of all people to hear that fromâKiole Diarca?
This couldnât go unpunished. Yuder raised his hand, and Kioleâs feet were instantly yanked down into the earth.
âUrgh!â
âLooks like youâve gotten reckless in my absence. Want a rematch?â
âN-No thanks! Why would I?! You damn brute! Let me go!â
Even as he panicked, Kiole tried to keep his voice down and his face hiddenâhe was at least aware that being seen by others was a bad idea.
Yuder released his power and pulled the flailing Kiole back up. The sudden change in height made Kiole trip and sprawl across the ground. Not exactly a knightly display.
âSo, why are you here?â
âWhat do you mean why? Youâyou told me that thing before! Donât you remember?!â
â...â
Did he really expect a fast and efficient conversation with phrases like âyou,â âthat thing,â and âbeforeâ? Still, arguing would waste more time, so Yuder quietly began to retrace his memory.