Turning
chapter-576

On the day a new letter arrived at the sage's residence in the capital, informing that Awakeners from an unknown southern land had arrived at the southern base, the residence was conspicuously empty. Normally, one of the Awakeners staying at the Crown Prince's palace would have stepped out briefly to retrieve the correspondence, but they were all extremely busy trying to locate Nahan, who may also have arrived in the capital.

In the meantime, the residence where they stayed stood vacant, except for the presence of some unfamiliar intruders standing confidently at its entrance.

"…Are we really going in like this? Without covering our faces?"

"Of course! Why cover our faces in broad daylight? Want to look suspicious and get reported?"

"Finn, Gakane is new to this kind of infiltration. Let's be understanding."

"But still…"

Gakane Bolunwald, Hinn Eldore, and Finn Eldore.

The three of them, dressed in casual attire with their faces fully exposed, looked up at the house where the Star of Nagran had been staying. The average-looking mansion, located in the Fifth Wall District of the capital where the middle-class commoners mainly resided, appeared utterly peaceful.

The people passing by were calm, the distant cries of merchants were leisurely, and the weather was superb. It was hardly the time to break into someone's house.

'People are just walking around… Are we really going in under these circumstances? Is this okay?'

Gakane Bolunwald looked around nervously, his face full of concern. Yuder had granted him permission to inspect the house, which was fine, but he had never imagined they'd be doing so at this time on this day.

However, the Eldore siblings brushed off his worries as unfounded concerns and merely grinned like relaxed little beasts.

"Don't worry, Gakane. There's no chance we'll get caught. We've been watching this place for days and no one's come by. And the people walking around couldn't care less about us. They'll probably just think we're guests visiting this house briefly."

"Right. And we won't stay long. If those guys return, you'll know immediately through the shadows you've placed on the walls and gates. Just use your ability to escape."

"You're the one who knows best how much our teleportation abilities have improved. Still nervous?"

Gakane looked down at the bright-eyed siblings and sighed deeply.

"…My concern isn't whether you two can pull this off. It's that the world is full of unforeseen circumstances, and it's good to never forget that."

The siblings locked eyes. The sentiment that they were trusted in skill but that unexpected things might happen lifted their spirits instantly.

"Ah ha… Hehe, exactly."

"Well, being cautious is one of Gakane's strong points, anyway."

"…What's my strong point?"

"Alright, Gakane. We'll transport you in, so open the door!"

Seizing Gakane's arms, the siblings activated their teleportation abilities.

"Wait! What if someone walks by—"

Before Gakane could finish his sentence, he vanished over the wall. As the siblings chuckled, it didn't take long for the main gate to open from the inside. Gakane, a hint of red in his cheeks, gestured for them to come in.

"…Come in."

No one paid any attention to the sudden disappearance and the subsequent opening of the inner door. Thus, the trio confidently entered the residence where the Star of Nagran had been staying.

"See? No one's suspicious, right?"

"Ah… Yes, that seems to be the case."

"Hm? But Gakane, what's that in your hand? A letter?"

Finn noticed the unfamiliar object in Gakane's hand and asked.

As soon as he stepped inside the wall, he found it at his feet. It seemed like someone had thrown it in there.

The letter had neither the receiver's name nor the sender's. However, it was clear that the occupants of this house were the intended recipients.

"Gakane, open it. What does it say?"

"Uh... give me a moment."

Gakane quickly read the contents of the letter. A moment later, his eyes narrowed.

"It's a letter from a place called 'Southern Base.' It discusses recent events there and mentions 'a sage' whom some unfamiliar visitors wish to meet. And also..."

Gakane's expression became grave as he read the bottom of the letter. He stopped speaking and began reading intently. The Eldore siblings shouted in unison.

"And what?"

"Tell us quickly, we're curious!"

"Ah, sorry. As I was reading, it occurred to me that the new visitors at the base might be people we know."

"Who? Who are they?"

"You remember the southern merchants who supposedly escaped with Nahan from the West? They haven't been caught yet."

"Wow. Could it be?"

"I'm pretty sure it's them."

"My goodness! What a treasure of a letter!"

"Quickly, put it away! No one will know it's missing since there's no one to claim it!"

The Eldore siblings' eyes gleamed with excitement. This time, Gakane did not oppose their suggestion.

They began exploring the interior of the house in earnest. Unlike Gakane, who moved cautiously, the siblings scurried about like a pair of squirrels, turning over every room.

Though the occupants of the house had left few personal belongings, the search was not entirely fruitless. Wherever people had lived, some trace that hinted at the owner's identity would inevitably remain.

"Look at this, Finn! A shopping list for essentials! It even names who should buy what!"

"I found an unfinished letter amid the trash. It might be valuable to Kanna."

"Hmph, unbeatable."

"Gakane, didn't you find anything useful?"

Beaming with the thrill of discovery, Finn asked.

"Ah, well... this."

With a somewhat sheepish look, Gakane held up a twisted leather cord.

"Huh? Isn't that just a piece of string?"

"True, but... men from prestigious noble families often tie something like this around their sleeves or shirts."

"A noble's string?"

"If you look closely, you'll see the family crest embossed all over the thin leather. It also serves as proof of identity. But the problem is... I think I've seen this crest at the imperial palace party."

"Really? So a noble who could attend such a party has been here?!"

"Could it be an associate of Duke Diarca who lent this house to the Awakeners?"

"That's likely, but it's odd that they would leave this behind. Gifting this cord implies deep trust; it's like saying you can use my name wherever you go. It doesn't make sense for the secretive Duke Diarca to do that."

"Ah, you have a point."

"It might not be the family crest I remember from the party. Still, it's worth checking, so I'm going to snip off a piece."

"Wow... Gakane!"

The siblings were deeply impressed by Gakane's unexpected resourcefulness.

"I knew it would be good to have you along! Now, have we finished going through everything? Should we check for hidden spaces?"

"I agree!"

"Hold on."

"Don't oppose this, Gakane. Treasure hunting is essential for infiltration!"

"That's not the point! Something triggered the shadow I cast outside. We need to go now...!"

Just as he spoke, a noise like a breaking door resounded from the exterior. It wasn't the sound of someone unlocking and entering in the usual manner.

'...A third intruder?'

The three looked at each other and reflexively darted toward the stairs leading to the basement. Gakane's shadow clone altered its form to conceal them in the darkness, just as voices were heard from above.

"We were told they'd be sending a letter of contact here. Why is no one around? Another hoax?"

"It can't be. This is the place…"

"Nahan. What should we do?"

'...Nahan?'

The eyes of the three Cavalry members sharpened at once. If they hadn't misheard, the third intruder was Nahan—affiliated with the Star of Nagran, and elusive since fleeing from the west.

As Hinn clenched and unclenched his fist, contemplating whether to rush outside, Gakane shook his head frantically to dissuade him.

'Not now! There are three of us and many of them!'

'So what? We can win!'

'Have you forgotten that Nahan escaped from Yuder and our Commander multiple times? He's a real threat!'

"Let's search the room. Something will give them away."

Then, a very soft and slow voice resonated. Despite being an ordinary conversation, something in that voice compelled the listeners to focus.

"Ah, yes, of course. It's Nahan, after all. Let's search!"

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed as people began to scurry about. Gakane spread his shadow clone even wider to hide their forms. A few times, footsteps approached close to their hiding spot, ramping up the tension, but fortunately, no one ventured all the way down.

They found what they were looking for somewhere in the rooms they searched.

"I've found it! This is definitely Nezo's stuff."

"I've also found something that looks like Ella's hair."

"Exactly. There's no doubt, the sage was here."

Nahan whispered.

"Then he hasn't completely left this place. We should wait a few days."

Nahan quietly thanked those who had found evidence confirming the sage's presence. The Awakeners couldn't hide their joy.

"Let's go!"

As the Awakeners filed out, having accomplished their mission, Gakane breathed a sigh of relief. But then, a chilling voice was heard from above.

"What's that over there?"

"I thought I saw stairs leading to the basement."

"A basement."

"They wouldn't need a basement for a temporary dwelling, so I didn't check. But should we look now?"

The Eldore siblings clenched their fists, showing signs of transformation. But luckily, the presence hovering above them neither descended nor moved.

"Nahan! The guards are coming!"

"..."

"We need to get out of here!"

"Nahan."

One of Nahan's companions called his name in confusion. After a moment of silence, Nahan turned and began to walk away.

After they had all left and the door closed, the Cavalry members used their abilities to swiftly escape through the back door they had scouted earlier.

"Phew, what was that all about? Nahan barging in like that?"

"Why is someone who was chased from the west so brazen? I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't heard it myself."

"Let's head back immediately and report."

The three of them looked at each other and nodded. Their steps back to the Cavalry headquarters were quicker and more urgent than ever before.

…

"It's an honor to have you visit the Black Pigeon, Duke Peletta."

Yuder glanced at the administrator as he and Nathan Zuckerman bowed their heads in greeting. The administrator looked as if he hadn't slept in about a week.

Behind them, many people were scurrying around, clutching scrolls or hefty bundles of papers. Indecipherable shouts filled the air from all directions. This was the heart of the Empire's administrative machinery—the Black Pigeon, occupying the most extensive land area in Second Wall.

"His Excellency regrets that he cannot come down to greet you in person and asks for your understanding."

"If he is still in a meeting, then it can't be helped. I naturally understand. So... will I be meeting the scholars first?"

"Yes, please follow me."

As the administrator turned to lead the way, Nathan Zuckerman gave Kishiar a discreet bow.

"I shall return. I am going to return some books."

"Alright. We'll meet back here when you're done."

Nathan Zuckerman had come with them to return some rare books that could only be borrowed from the imperial library. Kishiar and Yuder were to head to the upper floors of the Black Pigeon, so it was time to part ways.

Yuder returned the bow that Nathan Zuckerman gave him as well. The loyal adjutant had noticed that his lord seemed to be in better health that morning, and for some reason, his manners seemed unusually formal today.

'He wasn't disrespectful before, but something feels different...'

It was hard to put into words, but something was definitely off. Yuder abandoned the search for the right term and followed Kishiar. As they ascended several flights of stairs, Yuder's mind was filled with thoughts about the people they were about to meet.

'Legal scholars and ministers.'

These were people far removed from Yuder's previous life. Especially the ministers—their roles had diminished in influence as the aristocracy's power had grown.

In this era, a minister was essentially someone who oversaw all the Empire's administrators and handled the nitty-gritty of daily governance. A thankless job with a heap of responsibilities but little to show for it.

The legal scholars were also situated in the Black Pigeon, interpreting, amending, and introducing new laws every day. Yet, like the ministers, they had little presence for the amount of work they did.

'Kishiar had consulted with them before to draft and modify regulations within the Cavalry concerning second gender.'

What was Kishiar planning to do with them this time?

The tall man walking ahead of Yuder seemed to notice his gaze and turned his head slightly. When he offered a fleeting smile, Yuder found it difficult to continue his train of thought.

"...Here we are."

They had arrived at a quiet area, devoid of passerby.

"Well done."

Kishiar lightly commended the guide before opening a closed door and walking in.

"Duke Peletta has arrived!"

Scholars who were gathered around a pile of papers discussing something immediately turned their attention toward Kishiar.

Yuder watched as they all bowed their heads toward Kishiar in unison. Most of them were older, exuded a stubborn air, and showed little reaction to Kishiar's presence.

"Have you arrived, Your Highness?"

"It's been a while, Marchio."

Kishiar directed a warm smile toward Marchio, an Elderly scholar who appeared especially solemn among his peers. It was a smile that could disarm anyone, yet Marchio only twitched his nose, offering no smile in return.

"When I received word that you would be coming today, I thought it must be a mistake. But it turns out it's true."

"You wound me by saying that. I thought I've always been consistent in my actions."

"And why are you here this time? To add another rule to the Cavalry?"

"That's part of it, yes. But this time, I've come to ask about the legislative process related to imperial laws."

"You do understand that adding a new law isn't a simple matter, correct?"

"Of course. That's why I've sought you out, isn't it?"

Marchio sighed deeply.

"Last time, you made us scramble to find precedent for completely new clauses, tormenting us in the process. What law are you aiming to create this time?"

"Oh, let's not create misunderstandings, my dear advisor. This time it's really quite simple. I just want to formalize some existing regulations within the Cavalry and incorporate them into imperial law."

Marchio paused for a moment.

"I apologize, but it seems my hearing has deteriorated with age. Would you mind repeating that?"

"Very well. I intend to take a few regulations from the Cavalry, and seamlessly integrate them into imperial law. ...Can you hear me now?"

Kishiar flashed a shameless and sly smile.