Kishiar was the kind of person who could say the most unexpected things and still make them feel perfectly natural.

Yuder exhaled quietly as he rubbed the cheek that had just been kissed.

“...What was that for?”

“You incinerated that pile of troublesome letters in such a heroic, dignified way. I felt compelled to express my gratitude with a line from a story I read yesterday.”

Kishiar smiled like a blooming flower.

“You read it too, didn’t you? It was one of the legends from the materials the pharmacist brought. The one about the black darkness that blocked the path of the Spirit of Spring Blossoms—cleaved apart by a sword of fire...”

A faint recollection stirred in Yuder’s mind.

“...It was a legend about a knight presumed to be a Swordmaster.”

“That’s right.”

The knight slashed through the darkness with a flaming sword, burning it away so it could never block the path again. In gratitude, the Spirit of Spring Blossoms kissed the knight’s cheek. That kiss held special power, granting the knight the ability to wield the spirit’s magic.

Among the stories Inon had gathered were several such legends of ancient knights—called knights, wielding swords, but with abilities so varied and wondrous one could easily mistake them for mages or Awakeners.

To Yuder, the tale had been little more than a passing curiosity. But Kishiar seemed to have seen something more in it.

“It’s the sweetest way to convey a vow to give everything to the one who saved you. Don’t you think it suits me perfectly right now?”

So... was he implying that kiss had contained a monumental vow to give Yuder everything?

“...There’s no need to go that far for me. All I did was burn a few letters.”

“I respect your intention—but sadly, giving one’s heart isn’t something that always aligns with the recipient’s wishes.”

“...What?”

Before Yuder could process that baffling statement, a knock came from behind him. Kishiar’s smile immediately morphed into his standard diplomatic expression.

“It’s the envoy from Nellarun.”

Even someone like Yuder, highly attuned to presence and distance, couldn’t determine the identity of someone just from a knock on the far side of a closed door. But he didn’t question Kishiar’s claim.

When he opened the door, Melvern stood there. After exchanging greetings, Kishiar asked whether he’d rested well, and Melvern replied that thanks to Yuder’s guidance, he had passed a peaceful night.

While they spoke, Yuder silently checked Melvern’s hand. The skin was smooth—no trace of black scales remained.

‘He’s recovered well.’

“Even as I washed up this morning, I could feel it. The Cavalry leaves nothing wanting. From daily necessities like bathing, meals, and sleep to the design of the uniforms and buildings, everything is both beautiful and comfortable. It’s truly an honor to witness it with my own eyes.”

Perhaps to ease the atmosphere, the conversation shifted toward Melvern’s impressions of the Cavalry. His praise, clearly the result of astute observation over a short time, made Kishiar smile with narrowed eyes.

“Haha. There’s nothing more welcome than a guest who appreciates our efforts. Not to boast, but the view from this office is quite spectacular too. I recommend taking a look before you leave.”

“I’ll be sure to do that.”

“Well then, let’s contact the Crown Prince.”

Melvern clasped his hands and summoned a sphere of light. Though it was still early, Ezein responded quickly.

However, unlike yesterday, the Crown Prince appeared clad in armor and armed with a sword.

‘Did something happen?’

The question was answered almost immediately by Ezein himself.

‘It’s good to see you again. An unexpected incident occurred, which is why I’m dressed like this today.’

“What happened?” Kishiar asked, his voice calm.

Ezein furrowed his brow slightly.

‘You remember the Southern prisoners I mentioned at the end of our last conversation? All of them died early this morning.’

The room fell into sudden, heavy silence. Kishiar’s voice remained level.

“...Could you tell us more?”

‘Of course. I intended to do so.’

To save time in the limited transmission window, Ezein spoke briskly.

‘The prisoners attempted to incite my subordinates to betrayal. They were originally from a merchant group that supported the Third Prince—my former enemy. With his complete downfall, it seems they shifted their target to me.’

Ezein’s men had pretended to fall for the prisoners’ ploy, luring them into a trap. They captured several members of the group two days prior.

‘Upon capture, all were revealed to be Awakeners. But I couldn’t understand why Southern Awakeners posing as merchants would so persistently target me. Then I recalled a similar incident in the Empire.’

He was referring to the incident involving Duke Ta-in and Aton.

Ezein had intended to ask Kishiar about it yesterday, but time had run out.

‘Then, this morning—while the prisoners were being transferred from their original cells to the royal prison for full interrogation—they suddenly exploded.’

He paused briefly and sighed.

‘Right after the explosion, monsters appeared nearby, leaving us no time to investigate. We had to evacuate residents and deal with the threat first. Only about an hour ago did we begin properly examining the explosion site.’

That was why Ezein had answered the call still in combat gear.

‘As such, we still don’t know exactly how or why they exploded, or what occurred before and after.’

“Your Highness...! Are you injured?!”

Melvern, sweating from maintaining the connection, cried out anxiously. Ezein finally smiled softly and shook his head.

‘I’m fine, Melvern. I was fast asleep far from the scene when it happened. One of those assisting in the transfer, Ingelit, was injured—but thankfully it’s not life-threatening. No need to worry.’

“Why would I worry about Ingelit? If someone dies while doing your work, that’s an honor! I’m just relieved the gods watched over you and kept you safe... But I should’ve been at your side in a time like this...”

As Melvern’s emotions intensified, the sphere of light began to flicker and waver.

‘This... might... break...’

“No! I’ll stay quiet and focus!”

Startled, Melvern shut his eyes tightly ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) and concentrated. His effort gradually steadied the image of Ezein.

Yuder glanced at Melvern’s fingers, now completely blackened, then looked to Kishiar. Their eyes met—Kishiar’s scarlet gaze clearly deep in thought.

“......”

Yuder could tell they were thinking the same thing.

The Southern Nation. The merchant group. Self-detonation. The sudden monster appearance afterward.

It was all too similar to what they had experienced in the South.

Kishiar turned to the light and began speaking.

“When I was in the South, part of an Awakener faction attacked the Cavalry. They followed a brainwashing ability wielder with dangerous beliefs—some of them you’ve met before.”

‘Surely... you mean those from the village in the Great Forest who saved my men?’

Ezein caught on quickly. Kishiar nodded.

“Yes. They were from the same group, but a more radical branch. We subdued them quickly, but the ones stirring things behind the scenes were the real problem. They were Southern-born, members of a merchant group, Awakeners, and subordinates of the man involved in the Duke Ta-in incident—the one Your Highness wanted to hear about.”

‘Unbelievable...’

Kishiar’s face remained serious as he continued.

“Once it was clear they’d lost, they self-detonated using a catalyst, despite being captured. Right afterward, multiple monsters appeared. That area had previously been designated a safe zone, with no prior monster outbreaks.”

Ezein’s eyes widened inside the light. He was speechless in shock. Kishiar gave a faint smile.

“Remarkably similar to the incident that occurred to you today, Your Highness.”

Fortunately, Ezein wasn’t the type to lose focus in a crisis. He quickly composed himself and asked gravely:

‘The Cavalry has already resolved the matter, I assume. Do you, Commander, know anything about who these people are or their purpose? If you have any information, please share it.’

“I don’t know everything, but I do know something. I’d like to tell you right away, but it seems we’re running out of contact time. If the monsters have been subdued, there shouldn’t be any immediate threats. Please try to rest easy for now.”

‘That’s a relief, at least...’

Kishiar promised to send relevant information to Melvern immediately and to continue the briefing in tomorrow’s transmission. As Ezein expressed heartfelt gratitude, Yuder—who had been silent until now—interjected.

“Your Highness. Please investigate whether an anomalous rift appeared in the area where the monsters emerged.”

Ezein looked at him with both welcome and seriousness.

‘A rift?’

“Yes. The same kind you said had been discovered in Nellarun. Please check if there were any witnesses before or after the explosion. And going forward, conduct thorough inspections around wherever Your Highness resides. If another rift appears, monsters may emerge again at any time—regardless of whether the zone is deemed safe.”

‘I’ll follow your advice, my friend.’

Ezein accepted Yuder’s words without hesitation.

“And one more thing. It’s unrelated to today’s incident, but I must make a request.”

‘What is it?’

Even though things were already hectic on Ezein’s end, this was something Yuder had to ask today.

“Please grant me permission to train with this man.”