Weliven’s sister-in-law responded to the sudden inquiry with unexpected sincerity.

‘—A letter came not long ago from a relative asking if anyone had seen a boy who secretly left the village. He’d lost his only family to illness and was quite depressed, but after hearing stories about the outside world from some wandering merchants, he apparently became obsessed with leaving. No one knows where he went, and everyone seems worried. That’s all I’ve heard.’

However, since Weliven had never told his family about the second Cavalry recruitment test, his sister-in-law didn’t know that someone from their village had applied. The news that Fay had become a Cavalry member also hadn’t reached them.

‘So that’s what happened.’

The fact that Weliven’s sister-in-law had known something about Fay was quite a gain in itself. But what truly caught Yuder’s attention was something else.

‘...Wandering merchants?’

Could the merchants mentioned here be the same ones who’d impersonated the Shuden Trading Company? It might not be, but something about it ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) strongly suggested that it was.

“Commander Weliven. What do you think of the possibility that the wandering merchants who visited that village are the same individuals we’re currently investigating?”

“Hmm. That part had already been bothering me.”

Weliven scratched his head, seeming to have had the same thought.

The merchants who impersonated the Shuden Trading Company had been traveling across the North even before the Cavalry entrance test took place. So in terms of timing, it was entirely possible they were the same people. And that particular village had exactly the sort of conditions those merchants would have preyed on.

‘Small, isolated, closed-off, and populated by Southern descendants. You couldn’t ask for a more ideal target.’

There was still more to investigate, but if they were indeed the same individuals, that would mean Fay had already come into contact with dangerous figures from the Southern Nation before joining the Cavalry. And could that really have only happened in this life?

‘Even if the timing was different, if you look at how Northern trade routes were established in the previous life... it’s possible that Fay followed a similar path then, too—meeting those people and joining the Cavalry afterward.’

Could Fay be someone like an informant tied to the South? Yuder dug through his memories as far as he could.

‘The ones who join as spies from the start always give off signs. It’s nearly impossible to maintain outside contact while inside the Cavalry. Fay didn’t show any of those signs. But still...’

That judgment only held true up to the point when Yuder could fully focus on his role as Cavalry Commander. Once he began traveling to investigate the encroaching signs of catastrophe and global ruin, he couldn’t keep tabs on every internal matter like before. If Fay had changed, it likely happened during that period.

‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t it around that time that Fay frequently escorted Southern envoys visiting the Empire?’

Kachian had actively promoted diplomatic relations with the Southern Nation. Even so, he was wary about letting Yuder engage directly with Southern envoys and had explicitly prohibited him from providing close protection. That wasn’t exactly strange—Kachian had also hated the idea of Yuder being sent as an envoy to King Ejein of Nellaern.

‘He must have been afraid that the weapon he held in his hands might develop a will of its own.’

If Ejein hadn’t directly said, “I was quite looking forward to meeting the famed Commander Yudrain Aile. If it’s someone else, there’s no need for me to meet with the Empire,” Yuder might never have been allowed to meet him.

At any rate, as the number of Southern emissaries visiting increased, Yuder had begun assigning the escort duties to deputy commanders. But Shin and Deputy Commander Ever were the most senior, often acting as stand-ins during Yuder’s absence, and after Deputy Commander Gloe passed away in an accident, the position was often in flux and couldn’t be relied upon for important tasks.

Naturally, most of those duties ended up falling to Deputy Commander Sul and Deputy Commander Fay.

If Fay had ever intended to betray Yuder by colluding with someone from the South or Kachian, there would have been no better opportunity. Yuder had barely paid attention to what the deputies were doing during that time.

‘I don’t know why Fay changed. There are too many possible explanations to settle on one. But I don’t need to know that.’

After all, the current Fay was nothing more than a newly Awakened recruit. Even if much had diverged, that fact remained true. And if that was the case, all Yuder had to do was prevent things from following the same path as before. A difficult but simple task.

‘Unlike my previous life, where I had no clue, this time I already know his background and the link to those Southern merchants.’

Whatever happened next, it was within the realm of expectation. And now, Yuder wasn’t alone.

‘Yes. That’s why I should stop digging into the Fay in the capital and focus more on the ones here. That’s the right call.’

Yuder conveyed that conclusion to Weliven.

“I believe it’s highly likely that the merchants who visited that village are the same individuals impersonating the Shuden Trading Company. Sir Zuckerman will likely confirm that when he catches them, but before then, we should extract more information from the village.”

In her letter, Weliven’s sister-in-law had written that the merchants had stirred up Fay with stories of the outside world. That suggested they had spent a good amount of time talking to the villagers. If they followed that trail, it might reveal more about the merchants’ intentions in the North.

Weliven nodded.

“That does seem best. I’ll report to the Duke and begin preparing to dispatch a knight.”

“There’s no need. I’ll report it myself. Since time is of the essence, I’d prefer you conserve your efforts, Commander.”

As Yuder said that and rose from his seat, Weliven blinked.

“Well, I appreciate that, but no need to go that far while you’re on leave. You’ve already done enough—why not take a break?”

Just like the Northern branch members, Weliven was concerned about Yuder working while supposedly on vacation.

‘I didn’t think this was something to worry about, but...’

“I’m fine. I’ve rested enough already. This sort of thing doesn’t feel like work to me—if anything, it’s more efficient this way.”

After giving that firm reply, Yuder looked at Weliven and spoke again.

“Despite my sudden, unannounced visit, you helped without hesitation, and thanks to that, I was able to learn something I didn’t know before. So saying I helped you would be inaccurate. It’s I who should thank you.”

And he meant it. If Weliven hadn’t given him help without question, Yuder wouldn’t have uncovered this much about Fay. Such trust, freely given, was a rare experience for him.

“I don’t believe rest is the only purpose of a vacation. If, because of this, no one in Peleta is harmed, then I’d consider that a far more meaningful rest.”

Weliven’s eyes widened slightly. He stared at Yuder as if seeing him for the first time, then suddenly chuckled and smiled.

“Now that I look at you, Baron... you remind me quite a bit of our Duke.”

“Pardon?”

“Not in appearance. In behavior. The moment you said that just now, I remembered the young Duke storming through that door more than ten years ago.”

A nostalgic light flickered in Weliven’s eyes as he gazed toward the door.

“Back then, I was consumed with the mission of protecting Peleta, but I was also painfully aware of how lacking I was. I was terrified of everything and tried desperately not to show it, so I failed to see those around me and refused to acknowledge anyone’s sincerity. Enk was the same. Even when we realized that the Duke truly cared for Peleta, we ignored it, refused to accept it.”

“......”

“One day, he burst through that door and said, ‘I didn’t come here to live in silence and disappear. I came to work—to take responsibility and help the people of Peleta as its lord.’ He said that included Enk and me, and that we were essential. He said he would keep his promise and asked us to stay by his side until then. He offered a contract—something no other lord had ever done.”

He stared at the empty doorway, as though that young boy Duke was still standing there.

“We were deeply ashamed. Someone much younger than us already knew what truly mattered. That was the first time I let go of a burden that was too heavy for me and found the courage to look around.”

A warmth spread across his face. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

“Listening to him back then was the best decision of my life. And now... I somehow feel the same way again.”

“......”

Yuder felt something strange as well. Savoring that feeling, he left Weliven behind and returned to Peleta’s inner citadel.

“You’re back? Just in time—some interesting news arrived.”

This time, the Duke’s office didn’t feel so unwelcoming. Inside, Kishiar greeted him with a bright smile, waving a letter.

“...What news?”

“Mick contacted me. He said he’ll be visiting Peleta again soon—along with some people from the Cat’s Whiskers Trading Company he met nearby.”