Chapter 1015

Even after Yuder stepped out of the formation and returned to his seat, the members’ dancing continued. Kurga, still wearing his apron, moved with heavy yet cheerful steps like a dancing bear, and it brought joy to everyone watching.

Eventually, someone ran back to the branch, saying they were going to bring more people. But instead of just bringing more members, unexpected figures appeared.

“Whoa, it’s the priest!”

“The pharmacist is here too!”

Cheers erupted from the members as the medical unit—who had never joined in such a gathering before—arrived. Lusan, his face flushed from excitement and embarrassment, mumbled as members grabbed his hands on both sides.

“U-um. Hello... I wasn’t sure I should really be here, but...”

“You’re part of the Cavalry, of course you should be here!”

“Someone get the priest a seat and a drink!”

“No! A dance first!”

Caught between conflicting demands, Lusan gave a helpless smile. Still, he didn’t seem too uncomfortable either.

“Pharmacist, will you dance too?”

“What? Don’t be ridiculous. Move.”

Unlike Lusan, who was seized the moment he arrived, Inon responded to those who approached him with a scowl and sent them scattering with a single line. One brave soul still tried to grab him—only to be shut down instantly.

“Aren’t you the guy who threw up three times after taking my medicine? I trust you finished the batch I gave you yesterday before showing up here?”

At those words, the poor recruit turned pale and quickly backed off. The scene—of Cavalry members, known for fighting like demons against waves of monsters from sky and sea, trembling at a single sentence—would’ve been hard to believe for anyone outside.

“Ha... Even Yuder doesn’t talk back to the pharmacist, and you thought you could mouth off?”

“Well, I thought maybe... since it’s a celebration today...”

“Our pharmacist’s charm is that icy attitude. Just let him be.”

Yuder chuckled softly as he overheard the whispers of members retreating from Inon.

‘So that cold demeanor is considered charming, huh.’

To Yuder, Inon didn’t feel cold—more like a searing flame. But it seemed others saw him differently.

“If you saw me, you should’ve raised your hand or said something. Why’re you sitting here in the corner, silent and buried?”

Inon, having finally shooed everyone away like flies, walked over and plopped down in front of Yuder. One leg casually crossed over the other, arm draped over the backrest—he looked more like a delinquent lounging in a bar than anything else.

“What brings you here?”

“As if I wanted to come. I heard you were here, so I came to make sure you weren’t doing something stupid.”

“I’m not even drunk. What kind of stupidity could I possibly be up to?”

“What? I always thought your goal was to prove to the world that there’s no limit to the nonsense a human can pull off sober.”

Inon scoffed as he took a cold swig from a beer someone had respectfully placed before him. Yuder glanced around, spotted a lemon meant for cooking not far away, flicked his fingers, and sent it zipping over to land in front of Inon.

“Hmm?”

Inon, who’d slammed down his mug, raised a brow at the lemon. He looked like he was about to say something sarcastic but quietly picked it up and started chewing it. Yuder held back a faint smile. Inon never turned down a lemon.

“You didn’t just smile, did you?”

“No.”

Yuder immediately wiped his expression clean in response to Inon’s sharp observation.

The laughter, the dancing, and the music blended together in the background as Yuder sat beside Inon, watching it all. Sitting like this, with someone else, made everything feel slightly different.

As he traced the edges of that strange, warm sensation, Inon spoke first.

“So why didn’t your commander show up?”

“He thought his presence might make it hard for the rest to relax and have fun.”

“Well, sure. But if that’s all it was... then you didn’t need to show up either, did you?”

Yuder was silent for a moment before answering quietly and slowly.

“He said he wanted me to share what I experienced here in the South with the others, in a way that wasn’t formal. That’s why I came.”

“...Ah. I figured.”

Inon paused mid-chew, his gaze dropping meaningfully before he snorted.

“So, now that you’re here—how is it?”

“Not bad.”

“Be specific.”

Yuder’s eyes followed the smiling faces of his comrades as they danced, his voice barely audible over the wind that carried it only to Inon’s ears.

“I never did anything like this ‘before.’ The ‘before’ version of this place... was destroyed, completely ruined because it couldn’t withstand the waves. I tried not to let the same thing happen again. Even when I didn’t know what to do, or where to start.”

“......”

“Everything I didn’t understand back then—I understand clearly now.”

“......”

“I wasn’t sure if talking to others in a setting like this would really be as meaningful as he expected... but after doing it, I can say—it’s better than I thought. Then again, he’s always right.”

Maybe it was the atmosphere of the place. Or maybe something more.

Yuder had found himself speaking more freely than expected—and gaining a surprising sense of ease in return. Things that had previously existed only as sorted thoughts in his mind now felt alive, transformed into shared memories with others.

Yes. Yuder Aile would probably never forget this night.

Just like those quiet, precious moments spent lying beside Kishiar la Orr.

He let out a slow breath, savoring it, then turned to Inon.

“That specific enough for you?”

“......”

Inon chewed the lemon one last time, then looked at Yuder with an unreadable expression before letting out a laugh.

“Right. So basically, you made some memories.”

“......”

“And now you’re gonna add one more line saying, ‘It was even better because big bro Inon showed up.’”

“...Not sure about that. My hair’s poking my eyes thanks to you.”

“What was that? I didn’t hear anything.”

“You heard it just fine.”

Feigning deafness, Inon continued to ruffle Yuder’s hair until it was completely disheveled, only then pulling his hand back in satisfaction. Yuder sighed and emptied the mug in front of him. Inon laughed as he watched, then slumped deeper into his seat with an even lazier posture.

“Yuder.”

It had been so long since Inon had called him by name that Yuder was caught off guard.

“...Did I say something wrong?”

“Don’t go getting defensive—I’m not scolding you.”

“......”

When Yuder closed his mouth, Inon exhaled slowly and continued.

“Luma lived with a lot of regrets. He didn’t win every fight, and he didn’t believe all his choices were the right ones. At least, the Luma I knew was always full of regret. Regret after regret.”

“......”

“But he never let those regrets chain him to the past. He always said, you shouldn’t look backward—you have to keep facing forward.”

“......”

“I didn’t understand what he meant. It took me a long time to even think I maybe got it. Honestly, I’m still not sure I do. But you... you already understand what that means, don’t you?”

His calm voice rang softly in Yuder’s ears—and in his chest.

“Life’s too short. So enjoy the moments you can. You don’t have to keep looking back.”

“......”

“Maybe that’s what your commander wanted you to feel too.”

Inon muttered the last line so quietly that even Yuder might not have heard it if he hadn’t been paying close attention. Then he drained the last of his beer in one go.

Before Yuder could respond, Inon abruptly changed the subject.

“You. Remember how you said you wanted to come with me to Gillandru Hill sometime? That still true?”

“...It hasn’t changed.”

“Good. We’re going as soon as we get back to the capital, so be ready.”

There was no hesitation ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) in Inon’s voice. Only then did Yuder realize something.

He had no idea where Gillandru Hill actually was.

“By the way... where is it? Is it near the capital?”

“Relatively close.”

Inon’s gaze shifted toward the air as if measuring something invisible.

“North of the capital. Toward the forest humans call the Sanctuary.”