Turning
chapter-318

The opposition party that Kanna had mentioned must have referred to the moderate faction, which included the brothers Gayle and Doyle. Gayle and Doyle were deeply cautious of Nahan expanding his power within the Star of Nagran and candidly displayed their disapproval. As Yuder thought about the information he had obtained about them so far, Kanna's words continued to flow.

"So, we've assumed that the hardliners centered around Nahan were at odds with the moderates led by a person called Sage due to differences of opinion, but maybe the truth is..."

"That it might not be as simple as that," Yuder finished for her.

"Yes, yes."

Kanna nodded, her face flushing.

"Even based on the information we've collected so far, Nahan is incredibly dangerous and doesn't care about others' opinions. Such a person might either have much more power than I imagined, enough to make me change my mind and move, or... despite what others might think, their relationship might not be as bad as it seems."

Reflecting on future events, it seemed like a plausible opinion. The internal discord regarding the 'Star of Nagran,' which Yuder first became aware of in his past life, was set to occur much later than the current timeline. Although it was still unclear whether the 'Sage', who was said to be the mental pillar of the moderates, was the same person Yuder had met in his previous life, it was likely that their relationship wasn't as bad as they were trying to kill each other just yet.

'If it's true that the faction that tried to gather the Awakeners and cause terror and the faction that tried to join hands with the nobility fell apart due to internal discord... surely Nahan would be the former and the Sage the latter.'

So far, there was no information about such a group trying to approach the noble class of the Empire. It's possible that the Sage's faction had already started to make some moves without Yuder's knowledge, but if there were any movements related to the Awakeners, they would have definitely caught the eyes of Kishiar and the Cavalry.

Who was the Sage really? He seemed to have recruited the Awakeners like Gayle and Doyle and done various things, but seeing that he did not actively discourage people like Nahan's aggressive actions, was he secretly agreeing with them? Or he might have been trying to trap all those who were not Awakeners to carry out some plans.

"We'll have to prioritize gathering information about this Sage over Nahan in the future," Kishiar murmured, coming out of his deep thoughts.

"And Kanna, I'm sorry but could you do another search at the outpost of the Tain Family when you can?"

"Ah, yes! Of course."

Kanna straightened her serious expression and smiled. She left to meet Lusan with Emun, promising to investigate more about the Sage. Left alone, Yuder cautiously addressed Kishiar.

"What are you planning to do from now on? Will there be any issues due to this incident?"

The knights of Tainu they were supposed to meet were dead, and the bag that might have contained evidence of illegal trade had disappeared.

Even if members of the Star of Nagran were harboring grudges about the illegal trade conducted by the House of Tain, it would be a big problem if it interfered with what Kishiar was planning to do. Whether reading the worry in Yuder's eyes or not, Kishiar looked up at him and smiled.

"There's no need to worry. It's a bit regrettable that we didn't get the bag, but if the Star of Nagran behaves as they said, it shouldn't turn out too bad for us."

"Do you have a plan in mind?"

"Imagine, if the Tain family knew that the Star of Nagran was after them, who do you think they would ask for help?"

When an incident related to an Awakener occurs, the priority to handle it is given to the Cavalry. There was no better choice to deal with the Awakeners other than other Awakeners. Yuder blinked, feeling as if his mind was suddenly illuminated.

"That makes sense. But, they've already strained their relationship by rejecting our offer to help with the monster subjugation. I'm not sure if they will change their attitude so easily. Given the case's association with punishment, I think there's a high probability they'll try to handle it internally with their family's power alone..."

"That's only possible if the Tain family still has that much power left."

As Kishiar spoke with certainty, a childlike smile of mischief briefly played on his face.

"Of course, at first, they'll think they have to handle it that way. But think about why the Tain family asked us to handle the monster subjugation in the first place."

With a gleeful expression, Kishiar lowered his voice, as if revealing a secret.

"Although it's a secret to the outside world, the current Duke of Tain is known to have poured most of the fortune inherited over generations into risky investments. Can you imagine how hard it would be to handle this matter alone, with their power tied up everywhere? They won't be able to hold out for long."

"...I see. In that case, we can just continue with our original plan until they reach out again."

"Exactly."

Kishiar had previously stated he did not want a third party to get involved in the illegal trading activities of the Duke of Tain, but if things turned out as discussed, it was more like he had actually provoked the Star of Nagran into action. Yuder was newly astounded by Kishiar's skillful manipulation, drawing the opponent onto his palm in a tense situation.

"We'll have to chase both and apprehend both. Things are going to get busier."

It might have been a relief that they didn't have to worry immediately about the monster subjugation and the Magic Spring Ruins. Kishiar planned to inform all the members returning today about this matter and issue new orders.

"Now, there's no reason for me to stay here any longer. Those who have to stay, stay. Those who have to leave, should leave now."

"You're heading to Tainu."

Remembering Tainu, where the remaining half of the second dispatch team would be heading, Yuder spoke. It was the perfect place to command tasks in the west, to observe the Tain family, and it wouldn't arouse suspicion from anyone.

Kishiar, who nodded in agreement, cast a gentle smile at Yuder.

"You're coming too."

As an assistant, it was natural for Yuder to accompany Kishiar. But due to his not yet fully recovered condition, he felt an unexpected weight in those brief words, as if he had thought he might be left behind.

"You're taking me with you?"

"Did you think I would leave you behind? Unfortunately, I don't have any candy to offer this time."

"..."

When Yuder remained silent, Kishiar messed up his hair with a laugh.

"I won't put you straight to work once we arrive, of course. Tainu is the largest city in the west, so you can get more relaxed treatment there. Focus on recovering your strength."

Yuder had no choice but to respond affirmatively. But even after he had answered, the hand that had been ruffling his hair didn't let go so easily. To a casual observer, it may have seemed like the usual playful demeanor, but Yuder suddenly felt an odd sensation.

Kishiar hesitated, looking down at Yuder.

"…Commander?"

"Hmm?"

"When will you stop doing that?"

"No, the touch is too pleasant, it's been a while since I've touched it."

Of course, the strange feeling vanished like a fantasy as soon as he spoke, but the bizarre sensation, which seemed like an illusion yet wasn't, lingered like an aftertaste, tweaking a corner of his nerves. Yuder watched for a long time the bloodstains on the hem of Kishiar's clothes as he turned his body lightly and slipped out. Then he furrowed his brow.

After the sun set, all the Knights of Peletta and Cavalry members who had been searching around the ruins of the village of the Star of Nagran returned. Yuder was distracted all through dinner by the noisy greetings of his colleagues, whom he had met after a very long time.

They were all surprised to see the discoloration remaining on Yuder's skin and his left eye which had not yet regained sight. They were genuinely saddened to hear that his body had not fully recovered and he couldn't exert his full strength.

However, as the atmosphere became a bit more relaxed, the deflated mood dissipated and finally, unable to contain his curiosity, Jimmy's words triggered an explosion of suppressed curiosity.

"Yuder! Did you really kill that big monster by yourself? Can you explain just a bit about how exactly you killed it? Everyone says it was as big as a mountain, I can't even imagine. Can we still see its body?"

"Yuder. On the way here, people in every village were only talking about this, did you know? Although they don't know the name well yet, it's probably going to spread quickly once we return to the capital."

Jimmy, who hung on his arm and sparkled his eyes, and Ever who gleefully told him the news he didn't want to know, were simply overwhelming. The members who came with the second dispatch team were all curious about Pethuamet, and couldn't bear not knowing how it had been killed. The storm of questions only subsided a bit after Kanna intervened and mentioned that there was a warehouse where they were preserving the monster's dissected body. Only then did Yuder learn that there was a separate place for its storage.

Excited, the members decided to go see the body together right after dinner. Yuder didn't want to see it, but he couldn't refuse their request and reluctantly got up from his seat. Just his luck, Kishiar wasn't there as he had gone to meet the Knights of Peletta.