Turning
chapter-360

"It seems that Your Highness really trusts Sir Aile."

On their way back to the main residence, Pruelle suddenly spoke.

"Well, since we share accommodations, it's only natural, I suppose."

"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"

Kishiar had been staying in the same accommodation as Yuder, and he had seemed to be convinced from the first time they met that their public claim of being lovers was not genuine. Now, his sudden and unexpected words were incomprehensible.

"While listening to the conversation earlier, I was surprised that the Cavalry, which has not been around for long, could exchange such deep trust."

Pruelle seemed deeply moved by the conversation she had overheard between Kishiar and Yuder.

"I've never tried to trust anyone other than my siblings. I learned that guarding against others is the only way to protect myself. Right? The more trust I give, the more likely my weaknesses are to be exposed."

"..."

"If I could have been a trusted person like Sir Aile... If I had paid more attention to my family affairs and tried to trust those around me sooner... Could I have prevented my siblings' danger earlier?"

His last words echoed softly, almost inaudible. Before entering the main residence, Yuder paused for a moment to catch his breath. He had not lived a life worthy of advising others, but he felt he couldn't let Pruelle fall into despair, especially with a big task ahead.

"I actually agree with Master Pruelle's..."

"Elle."

"...Master Elle's words. I had even refused the assistant position several times."

"You refused?"

Pruelle's face showed a startled expression. Yuder nodded in agreement.

"It seems to me that a person who is trusted must first be able to trust. Therefore, it's not me but the Commander who fits Master Elle's words."

Speaking the words out loud felt very strange to him. He never expected to say such a thing about Kishiar La Orr. During his time as Yudrain Aile, such a thing would have been unimaginable.

But he did not think what he had said was wrong. Trust is something that forms through giving and receiving. If Kishiar had not taken all the risks and approached repeatedly despite Yuder's resistance, Yuder would never have thought of reciprocating. The difference was subtle, but the outcome had changed entirely, and continued to change.

"And hasn't Master Elle already trusted the Commander, me, and the Cavalry to come this far? The Commander responded to Master Elle's request. Isn't that trust?"

So, there was no need for unnecessary self-blame. In this life, Pruelle and his siblings were all safe, and nothing bad had happened. That was enough.

"...Sir Aile is right."

Pruelle replied slowly.

"I said it out of jealousy, but I've somehow gained even more shame."

"If I went too far, I apologize."

"That's not it. Just... I feel even more impressed by Duke Peletta."

A brighter look returned to Pruelle's dark-red-colored eyes.

"But, if I join the Cavalry, can I call Sir Aile 'Yuder'?"

As Yuder stepped inside the main residence, he shook his head.

"You can call me whatever you like, so please feel comfortable to address me as you wish."

"Okay, I will do so."

From Yuder's perspective, Pruelle was quite remarkable in his own right. Regardless of having lived without concern for anything beyond his own world, it was exceedingly difficult for someone born a noble to deal so freely and without inhibition with those of different status.

It had been the same during the rebellion of Apeto Family, but it seemed there were more people existing outside the unseen framework than he had known in his previous life.

He couldn't reverse the fate of those who died or disappeared without a trace. But it seemed not entirely impossible if Kishiar was involved.

This emotion, this belief that felt vividly present even without logic or evidence, might be what people call hope.

"But why is the inside of the main building so noisy?"

Pruelle, with a bright face, suddenly halted and furrowed his brows, turning his head. Beyond the excessively glamorous entrance hall, seemingly designed to overwhelm guests, voices were heard that were unusually loud. What was being said was unclear, but it was definitely human noise.

Pruelle did not proceed to his quarters on the second floor but called over a servant who had appeared in the distance. Upon being asked what was happening, the servant, unable to conceal his fearful expression, cautiously answered.

"During dinner, Lord Fayfe and Lady Nellisabel left their seats as their clothes got wet. After changing, they have not returned, and we do not know where they went. We are all looking for them."

"I see, understood."

Pruelle dismissed the servant and suggested moving upstairs with an unhappy face.

"I shouldn't have asked."

"It's strange. Where could they have gone?"

"They didn't disappear; they probably just took the carriage they had brought in protest and went back. That couple often acts impulsively and carelessly, despite living off the Baron's property. They must have been angry with the Baron for not siding with them and took another carriage home."

When a guest invited to a noble's home became angry with the host, leaving while ignoring the host's hospitality was a sign of aristocratic insult. Pruelle entered his quarters as if there was nothing more to see, and a cat that had been sitting on a soft cushion and closing its eyes let out a tiny cry when it saw him.

Pruelle quickly changed his cold expression, cherishing the cat and stroking its body.

"Nipollen. Have you been waiting for your brother? You must have been scared. I'm sorry for being late."

"..."

After a while of pampering the cat, Pruelle turned his head as if recognizing Yuder's gaze and let out a slightly embarrassed smile.

"I always treat him like this when he’s in this state."

"You don't have to worry about it."

Nipollen, who had jumped out of Pruelle's arms, circled around Yuder a few times and then rubbed its tiny head against his ankle.

"Nipollen certainly seems to like Sir Aile very much."

"...Did you not say that he acted similarly towards that servant suspected to be an Awakener?"

"That's true. But the frequency is different. He only approached that person once, but he's doing it several times with you. I wonder how surprised my siblings will be to know that this guy likes someone so much."

"..."

"Oh right. I have to call that servant soon."

Pruelle grinned and pulled a string to call the servant.

"He'll probably come right away if it's not a serious matter. Will you watch from a blind spot? Or will you stay here with me?"

"I'll stay with you."

Even if that person was simply an Awakener hiding his identity, it was necessary to stay near Pruelle and Nipollen to be prepared for any situation. Protection became more difficult the further one was from the one being protected.

A moment later, a slow footstep was heard from outside the door. Yuder thought that he wouldn't be surprised, no matter who appeared. But when the door opened with a knock and a man wearing servant's clothes appeared, that thought was splendidly overturned.

The young man who had just entered as a new servant, astonishingly, was an acquaintance of Yuder. It was the very Awakener who had been there to help rescue a fallen mage and had thrown a sword to Yuder at the last moment when he was trying to lure Pethuamet to defeat it.

It had been a brief moment, but it was an impressive experience, so Yuder recognized him immediately upon seeing his face. As soon as Yuder recognized him, the man's eyes widened, apparently recognizing Yuder as well.

"...You."

As soon as Yuder opened his mouth, the man slowly backed away.

"Wait…!"

Before he had even finished speaking, the man turned and started to run away. Without a second glance, Yuder shouted toward Pruelle.

"Is that servant the one?"

"Yes, it is. But why…?"

"It's an acquaintance. I'll catch him, so don't follow and please wait a moment!"

After quickly finishing his words, Yuder immediately took flight. As he went out into the hallway, he caught a glimpse of the man's retreating figure at the far end of the wide corridor. Normally he would have moved on the wind at such times, but now all he could manage without burden was a slight lift on the tip of his foot. Still, he was able to run at a speed incomparable to the culprit.

The man quickly ran down to the first floor. A few servants who saw Yuder chasing him shouted in confusion, but there was no time to respond.

'Damn. He's so fast. I don't know what ability he has, but...'

The man's shadow soon headed for the basement below the first floor. Yuder decided to exert himself a bit more before going down an unknown path.

"I told you to stop!"

"Kuk!"

Suppressing a suffocating feeling in his chest, he exerted his power, and the ground quaked and rose up in front of the man's feet. Tripping, the man fell flat, and Yuder successfully grabbed the back of his neck.

The two tumbled together down the hall and beyond, into the dark basement. Yuder felt sensations of hitting various objects all over his body but strained to hold on to his captive.

After a moment, their rolling bodies came to a stop. Yuder, panting for breath, held tightly to the man's clothing and conjured a small flame.

"Hey there."

"..."

'...Did he faint?'

Whether it was the shock of falling and tumbling, the man was unconscious. Yuder let out a small sigh and loosened the tie around the man's neck, then tied his wrists. Only then did he have a moment to look around, when suddenly his own blood-stained hand caught his eye.

At first, he thought it looked that way in the light of the fire, but it wasn't. It was blood.

'What's this?'

He examined the man he had tied up, but there were no wounds. Yuder increased the flame a bit more.

And then, not far away, he discovered two entwined corpses that had fallen.