Turning-Chapter 827

“One question at a time. You found the Crown Prince, so why are you still here? Are you hurt? Or just scared?”

Yuder Aile asked, face as cold as ice. Even without a single hint of emotion on his expression, Kiole could instinctively tell—through some unexplainable sixth sense—that Yuder thought he was a complete idiot.

“With all that danger outside, how could I just barge out there? I was waiting for the right time!”

“Right. So, you're not hurt. Then it’s clearly the second one. Why bother making such a useless excuse?”

“Th-that’s not...!”

Kiole trembled in humiliation, turning his head sharply away.

That... that arrogant bastard. Has he never heard the saying that the knight who draws his sword last shows the greatest wisdom and strength...?!

“If I hadn’t sensed you while passing by, you really could’ve died. This isn’t a place for non-Awakeners, dangerous or not. Get out of here.”

“......”

“Gakein!”

Yuder turned and called out. A red-haired man popped his head out. Only then did Kiole realize there were two more people nearby.

One was the red-haired Awakener. The other—of course—was Duke Peleta.

The moment Kiole saw the vivid Aura flowing from the sword in Kishiar’s hand, his eyes widened. But before he could get a better look, Yuder forcibly hauled him to his feet.

“Show him the way out. Seems like walking out on his own is too scary.”

“Ah... yeah. Got it.”

“Who’s scared?! Stop saying things like that! I am a proud member of the Imperial Guard, who moves only for the Crown Prince...!”

Boom!

Right then, a precisely aimed projectile from outside collided with the wind force emanating from Yuder’s hand and deflected into the wall just above Kiole’s head.

“Hyahhh!”

Kiole screamed, throwing his arms over his head and ducking, while the other three didn’t flinch an inch.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by freēnovelkiss.com.

Yuder looked down at him with a blank face and let out a faint sigh before speaking.

“Gakein.”

“Yeah?”

“I take it back. I think we’ll need every hand we can get until backup arrives. Let’s go.”

“I’m fine with that, but what about him?”

Gakein glanced at Kiole and the unconscious Crown Prince with a worried expression.

“I’ll seal them up.”

“You’re gonna do it yourself? Well, I guess that’s safer in some ways. Though, not sure he’d see it that way.”

“I don’t care how he sees it.”

Kiole didn’t understand what that meant. But a moment later, when one of Yuder’s eyes flashed gold and a dome of water and wind enclosed him like a barrier, he panicked.

“W-what is this?! Let me out!”

“Don’t spout nonsense. Step out of that and you’ll die. When the Cavalry or the Imperial troops arrive, call for help.”

“W-what?!”

“Told you—you should’ve left the moment you found the Crown Prince.”

And then Yuder, really and truly, walked away. Not once did he look back. Kiole stood frozen, mouth open in disbelief, unable to process what had just happened.

This... this can’t be real... He actually left? No way. He’ll come back, right?

But no matter how long he waited, there was no sign of anyone returning. Worse yet, the dome of wind and water he was trapped inside allowed a clear view of the outside—and even let sound through. The surreal clarity made the situation feel even more unreal and terrifying. He could even see faint glimpses of people fighting outside if he leaned the right way.

It looked weak enough to break through, but it wasn’t. Another stray projectile from somewhere outside collided with the dome and vanished in a small burst. Only then did Kiole realize Yuder had been completely serious.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

He locked me up just because he didn’t have time to help?! That insane demon! That monster! That cursed bastard!

Kiole began to curse Yuder—and then cursed the other two who had stood by and let it happen like it was nothing.

The redhead, at least, had looked somewhat concerned. But what the hell was up with Duke Peleta? He just sat there smiling like everything Yuder said was right—even while his official nephew, the Crown Prince, lay sprawled on the ground! Kiole wasn’t even sure if Kishiar recognized that it was Kachien. The man and his aide must both be insane.

Of course, Kachien is from House Diarca, so maybe he thinks it’s not his problem. But still. Still!

“Waaahhh! Let me out! I’ll leave on my own, just let me out already!”

Kiole’s wail echoed faintly and pitifully through the barrier of wind and water.

***

Meanwhile, Yuder was surveying the nearby battlefield.

There was Naham, the Awakeners who appeared to be his allies, the Sage, and those who were fighting in place of the Sage.

Among them were Kurga, Suns, and Emon, deftly interposing themselves to try to contain the situation as much as possible.

Yuder’s eyes were first drawn to the pitiful sight of Naham. The man leaned heavily on a middle-aged figure, casually gripping him by the nape, as he watched the chaos unfold.

He looks completely destroyed since last time I saw him.

His clothes were tattered. His hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in days. One arm, wrapped in what could barely be called a bandage, hung limp like dead weight. His legs and back bore clear signs of untreated injuries, and burn scars marred his face, making his appearance even more grotesque.

And yet, he stood upright—staring at the Sage. His grey eyes, so calm they were chilling, exuded a terrifying sense of focus.

The eye on his burnt side had gone pale and blind, unable to focus. But the other eye—still intact—was unnervingly sharp. Maybe it was because it was the only one left. Maybe that’s why it felt even more piercing.

Yuder didn’t think that ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ was the reason.

That arm... He got it from Kishiar in the West, and it’s only gotten worse. Must be from overusing his ability.

Serious injuries require rest to heal. But Naham, in hiding and obsessed with revenge, had pushed himself. He continued to use his powers recklessly—against the Cavalry, and likely again in pursuit of the Sage up to this point.

There was no way he would've accepted proper treatment from a healer or a clinic—given his hatred of non-Awakeners. So this outcome was inevitable.

Repeatedly using powerful abilities without recovering was a shortcut to shaving away one’s life force. And those consequences vary by person. In Naham’s case, it manifested in festering, rotting wounds—one of the most common aftereffects.

Yuder could tell Naham was teetering on the edge of losing control.

Gakein said he didn’t use his powers on the Sage immediately. And even now, he’s just watching. That probably means...

Sure, part of it was likely that he wanted to utterly crush the Sage in revenge. But Yuder suspected Naham also knew just how bad his own condition was.

He had to be in unimaginable pain, and yet he stood there silently, unwavering. Even Yuder—rarely moved by anyone—felt slightly unnerved by it.

Still... enough of that.

Yuder turned his attention to the strange middle-aged man beside Naham, clearly trembling. Gakein had mentioned seeing someone odd at Naham’s side. Now Yuder saw him too.

Unlike Gakein, however, Yuder immediately recognized who the man was.

...The fake Sage, Diemon.

He looked shriveled, far older than when Yuder last saw him. Yet somehow, he appeared younger than Yuder remembered—caught in an odd, in-between stage. The man, wrapped in bandages much like Naham, staggered and quivered beside him.

I’d heard he ran away with the Sage. Why is he here now, looking like that?

Whatever had happened, it was obvious he was now Naham’s prisoner. Seeing that made Yuder realize how Naham had likely tracked the Sage down and made it all the way here.

In any case...

Yuder’s job was to stop these lunatics before they could self-destruct like they did in his previous life.

“Commander.”

“Mm.”

Yuder gave Kishiar a quick nod and stepped forward without hesitation. At the same time, Kishiar turned in sync and headed in the opposite direction, back-to-back with Yuder.

“Wha—!”

The enemy hadn’t expected anyone to be watching from nearby with their presence completely hidden. They were stunned. But the attacks had already been unleashed—and there was no stopping them now.

Yuder waded into the heart of the chaos, where volatile abilities clashed dangerously. He stepped in as if it were the most natural thing in the world, reaching out.

In one hand—a jet-black sword.

In the other—a raging elemental storm.

A thunderous explosion, louder than anything so far, erupted.