Chapter 898

"—Come to think of it, he always did like people like you. Ever since he was a child."

“...What?”

The sudden mention of Kishiar’s childhood threw Yuder off. He had no idea how to react, but the general simply chuckled with satisfaction.

“Diligent, consistent, and brave kids—with a twist of unpredictability. If they also had a sense of humor, he wouldn’t ask any questions; he’d insist on keeping them by his side. That’s how he stubbornly brought in his current aide.”

“Ah...”

Now that Nathan Zuckerman had come up, it made a bit more sense.

‘But... a sense of humor?’

Nathan Zuckerman and humor didn’t seem to go together. Still, it was true he was diligent and consistent, and bold enough to take on Naham alone. And from time to time, Yuder had seen surprisingly flexible sides to him—he wasn’t as stiff as he seemed.

But if Yuder himself fit that mold... well, he wasn’t so sure.

He personally didn’t agree with the comparison, but now that he thought about it, Kishiar had once remarked that he and Nathan were rather similar. Maybe the teacher and student just had the same eye for people. Yuder decided to treat it as a compliment and accept it graciously.

“...Um, yes. Thank you.”

“You’ve got that ‘do you really mean that?’ look.”

“I don’t.”

“Now I can see why he always bragged about his aide.”

“......”

Yuder gave up trying to reply and chose silence.

“Come to think of it, you use a sword too, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

Yuder glanced toward the sword he’d leaned slightly out of the way so as not to intimidate visiting guests. After the hailstorm, his blade—still unscathed—had been cleaned and maintained, now resting quietly in its sheath.

Seeing it, the general’s eyes gleamed with interest.

“I’ve been curious about your skill. Perhaps I could see it sometime?”

“My swordsmanship isn’t worth your time, General.”

“No need to be modest. I heard your specialty lies in combining Awakener powers with swordsmanship. I’ve never seen that before, though I saw similar techniques during the hailstorm, and everyone said your skill stood out the most.”

Indeed, many Cavalry members had learned and imitated Yuder’s style of combat. Using their innate Awakener abilities in tandem with swords or other weapons. It was understandable that a swordmaster like General Gino would find such a hybrid approach intriguing.

“Meghna was also very curious. Perhaps you could spar with her sometime?”

In the end, Yuder replied that it would be an honor to spar with someone like Meghna Curlieva. The general, satisfied with the answer he’d hoped for, stood up with a pleased expression.

Receiving Yuder’s parting bow as he walked to the door, he paused just before opening it and asked in a low voice:

“That sweet potato analogy from earlier... once you find the first one, the rest come easier, right?”

“Yes. Digging until you find the first one is the hard part. After that, it’s just a matter of searching the surroundings.”

A sweet potato plant typically had multiple tubers connected by a single root system. Once one was pulled up, the rest often came with it. Some roots would break or lie buried too deep to find immediately—but in the end, they were all connected, and not hard to locate with a bit of effort.

“Right. I’ll never forget the advice you gave me today. No matter how old you get, there’s always something new to learn.”

The general let out a laugh, equal parts relieved and bitter.

“The Southern Army will always be ready to assist the Cavalry. If you need anything, just let Captain Suns know—same as always.”

There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in his retreating figure.

Yuder watched him go, eyes lingering longer than usual, before turning back.

Time flew by.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

On the day the fifth abnormal rift was seen in Makla—and one was spotted in the nearby region of Buschleg—Yuder finally received the medium for the Red Stone’s power, delivered in secret from the Capital.

Hidden within multiple layers of boxes and piled with other supplies to make it appear as just another Cavalry supply cart, the delivery was made by none other than the Sub-Commander of the Water Division, Stieber.

“Yuder! It’s been a while. Glad to see you’re looking well.”

“You look healthy too, Stieber.”

“Of course I do. I haven’t been through the hell you guys have. I've been lounging around the Capital.”

Stieber greeted him with the same easygoing smile as always, showing no sign of weariness. Yuder nodded and returned the greeting, casually inspecting the goods in the wagon until he reached the box hidden in the very back.

“Any trouble during transport?”

“Bit tricky doing it ourselves, but otherwise fine. We slapped the Cavalry crest right on the outside, so no one dared target it.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“But... seeing how even the remaining water-type members from our division were called up, I guess the Commander thinks things are really serious down here, huh?”

Still smiling, Stieber lowered his voice as he asked. Yuder nodded without hesitation.

“Yes.”

Bringing Stieber—who had until now stayed in the Capital as a last resort—was not only to ensure the delivery of the Red Stone’s medium. It was also in preparation for a possible disaster looming just ahead.

Stieber Rendley’s power was water. The amount he could control was on an entirely different level from someone like Alik, who, despite intense training, could barely summon a single cup’s worth.

From what Yuder remembered in his past life, Stieber had once redirected the flow of an entire river before retiring. He’d likely grown even more precise since then. Apart from Yuder himself, no one could handle as much water as skillfully as Stieber—which made his position as Sub-Commander of the Water Division all the more fitting.

‘There’d be no excuse not to bring him for something like this.’

Stieber had a habit of heading straight home whenever he drank, and he was the only Cavalry member with a wife and children. Everyone had done their best to let him focus on family. But this time, his strength was desperately needed.

“All right. Looks like it’s finally my time to shine, huh? Barely arrived and already stretching.”

Stieber carried some guilt over having done nothing while others were out there fighting. He knew that guarding the Capital was an important role, but it still didn’t sit right watching young comrades get hurt while he remained safe.

So even though he didn’t know yet what he’d be tasked with in the South, his enthusiasm was sky-high.

“Until the Commander gives the order, don’t push yourself.”

“Don’t worry. I’m good at that, remember?”

“And no alcohol while you're here in the South.”

“Ugh, obviously. I know my own limits.”

Stieber nodded and stretched his arms.

“Well, I should go say hi to the others. Wonder how much they’ve all changed. Oh right—weren’t the other divisions ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) arriving soon too?”

“Yes. The North is already here. If we’re lucky, the East and West will arrive today or tomorrow.”

“Nice. It’s been a while since we’ve all been together.”

Once Stieber had left, Yuder brought the box containing the Red Stone medium back into the branch. He carefully opened the door to the Commander’s quarters—it was as quiet as ever. From within came the soft sound of Kishiar’s breathing as he slept after staying up until dawn.

Yuder approached and placed the box beside him. Removing his gloves, he gently took Kishiar’s hand where it lay outside the covers. The steady pulse beat beneath his fingers.

“Commander.”

Even when called by name, Kishiar didn’t wake. The idea that Kishiar—a light sleeper—could sleep through it had once been unthinkable, but Yuder had grown used to it by now.

He gently squeezed Kishiar’s hand and raised his voice.

“Commander. It’s time to wake up.”

With those words, he released a faint scent into the air. The room, which had held no smell, slowly filled with Yuder’s signature fragrance.

Before long, Kishiar’s eyes quietly opened.

That single crimson eye emerged from beneath the lid and fixed itself directly on Yuder. A soft smile spread across his gently curved gaze.

“...Something smells fresh.”

“Must be because Stieber arrived today.”

“Already?”

“And this arrived too—what we’ve been waiting for.”

Kishiar looked toward the box Yuder had glanced at. He didn’t need an explanation to know what was inside.

“Finally... I won’t have to sleep so much anymore.”