Turning

"That makes sense."

Yuder gave a brief nod of agreement.

"To be honest, if Diarca’s records are correct, Kiole shouldn’t train in swordsmanship any further. If he pushes beyond this, he might really die. But... we know things Diarca couldn’t discover even after centuries of effort, don’t we?"

Kishiar lightly traced a circle over his abdomen with his finger. It was the exact area where Yuder knew the “vessel” resided inside him.

After a brief silence, Yuder glanced at Nathan Zuckerman.

'Kishiar’s vessel issue is something Nathan’s known from the beginning... so it should be safe to bring this up now.'

"You think the Diarca bloodline issue is also a vessel issue?"

"Most likely."

Kishiar offered a faint affirmation.

"The issues faced by the royals and those faced by Diarca might seem different, but they’re actually quite similar. If you trace them back, they may share the same root—which makes sense."

After saying that, Kishiar looked directly into Yuder’s eyes.

"That’s why I want to properly investigate the Diarca bloodline issue."

"..."

Yuder understood why he’d say that. After awakening, Kishiar had regained his health through his powers. Emperor Keillusa had survived and found a new life thanks to Kishiar’s intervention—but that only applied to them.

It wasn’t a fundamental solution.

The royal family had even gone so far as to give up having heirs to avoid passing on this problem. So when the chance arose, Kishiar would’ve naturally wanted to pursue it—for the sake of future royals.

"Will the research notes from the secret vault be enough?"

"Honestly, it’s not quite enough. I’ll need someone from Diarca who’s actually experiencing the issue to cooperate..."

And as luck would have it, a perfect candidate was right here.

Kishiar smiled as if confirming Yuder’s thought.

"I plan to tell Kiole everything and ask for his cooperation."

"Once we get an accurate read on his condition, it shouldn’t be a bad thing for him either."

Sure, Kiole would be shocked all over again when he learned the full truth of his bloodline—but that was still better than living in ignorance and suddenly dying one day.

'So that’s why he decided to let Kiole stay in the Cavalry barracks. I thought it was just to balance the scales, since destroying the secret vault had been so beneficial to us...'

Keeping him nearby made things far more practical. While Yuder was thinking that, an unexpected statement reached his ears.

"Yes. I plan to include it along with his sword lessons. That way it’ll be easier for him to decide."

He’s even going to do that? Yuder blinked, then let out a quiet sigh.

Well, if it goes well, it would benefit both sides. If they could research the issue with Kiole’s bloodline and find a way to fix or mitigate it, it’d help both the teacher and the subject.

However...

"Isn’t it dangerous? What if something goes wrong and he dies...?"

"Not to boast, but I’m the only swordmaster who managed to reach this level while suffering from a vessel issue."

Kishiar calmly opened his calloused hand.

"In truth, my training was part of my desperate attempt to heal my vessel. Even after reaching mastery, I couldn’t use aura properly—but it still helped me control my inner power. I think I can put that experience to use for this investigation."

Yuder thought of the young Kishiar who had fought so desperately just to survive. To think that all of those years of struggle had led to the man standing in front of him now... it weighed heavily on his heart.

"And... I’d like to offer at least a sliver of hope to someone who’s chosen a path full of thorns."

"...There’s no way you’re not going to do it."

Which meant Kishiar was now planning to follow through on everything he’d promised Kiole. It would benefit him as well, of course, but the process wouldn’t be easy. And yet this man was casually saying he’d do it anyway—for someone else’s sake.

How could Yuder possibly leave him to shoulder it alone?

He took a short breath and declared firmly,

"Then I’ll help with anything I can. I’ve dealt with vessel issues before."

"That’s reassuring. Thank you."

Kishiar smiled.

"I’ll help as well. I’m already teaching swordsmanship anyway, so adding one more student won’t be a problem."

Nathan Zuckerman also calmly offered his support.

"Oh, Nathan. Are you sure? Your first pupil, the one who gave you that lovely flower as a gift, might be shocked."

Naturally, he meant Kachien Bollenvalt.

"Sir Bollenvalt is an understanding and kind person. I’m sure he’ll get it if I explain."

"From the way you’re saying it, I take it you’re actually enjoying teaching now?"

Kishiar grinned and asked. Nathan Zuckerman paused thoughtfully, then nodded.

"Yes. Sir Bollenvalt is more rewarding to teach than I expected. You’d be hard-pressed to find another knight with that level of dedication—even in Peleta."

"Hearing that makes me want to come watch one of your sessions sometime."

If Kachien had heard that, he might have fainted from the praise. Even though it wasn’t directed at him, Yuder felt oddly proud.

It was just like Kachien to cling like a leech and work harder than anyone. He didn’t shrink before even someone like Nathan Zuckerman and was progressing toward his goal.

"Sir Zuckerman, would you mind if I shared that with Kachien?"

"...Sir Bollenvalt tends to make more mistakes when he’s praised, so please filter it a little."

Yuder understood that well. It was one of Kachien’s bad habits—he wasn’t used to compliments and lacked confidence. Still, it felt like something worth telling him.

"Mmm. This is such a lovely sight. To think I’d see my aide and lieutenant chatting so amicably... I really can’t wait to watch the two of you spar someday."

Kishiar murmured, propping his chin on his hand with a smile.

'...Ah, right. That’s still pending.'

They’d be leaving for Nellarun in a few days—would they be able to squeeze it in before then? Seeing Kishiar so genuinely excited made Yuder feel a twinge of uncertainty. Nathan Zuckerman seemed to be thinking the same, remaining silent.

"...Then I’ll just hand over these documents and take my leave."

Nathan stood and pulled a small bundle of papers from his coat, handing it to Kishiar.

'He didn’t have that before going to get the tea... Did he pick it up on the way?'

"Ah. Be sure to thank them for the hard work."

Kishiar read the contents in an instant and offered a curt response. After Nathan left, Yuder asked what the documents were.

"What kind of report comes in this late?"

"Information about abnormal rifts."

At the words “abnormal rift,” Yuder’s eyes sharpened. Kishiar smiled calmly and continued.

"It’s relatively easy to hear about rifts within the Empire, but that’s not the case with other countries. A few days ago, I heard something from the Crown Prince of Nellarun—so I asked for information on sightings in other nations."

"And... did it yield anything?"

"See for yourself. You’ll feel better that way."

Kishiar handed him the document. Yuder quickly scanned the encrypted writing. The content was brief.

—No physical evidence, but multiple rumors from various locations suggest sightings of what are believed to be abnormal rifts. Based on the collected reports, it is likely that rifts have also occurred outside the Empire within the past month.

"It’s not unexpected. Whoever’s trying to upset the balance has clearly been preparing for a long time—and we’ve confirmed once again that it’s not limited to the Orr Empire."

"...I see."

Even if they’d prevented a few major incidents, that wasn’t enough to calm the entire storm. That’s why rifts continued to appear sporadically across the empire, even after resolving the southern crisis.

The current peace was nothing more than a brief preparation phase. The realization made the warm air in the room suddenly feel cold.

Yuder clenched his fist and thought,

'I’m not afraid of those idiots who don’t even realize they’re sprinting toward ruin. But...'

What did frighten him was the immense current—something beyond the reach of human strength.

The events he knew from his past life had changed too drastically. He and Kishiar were doing everything they could, but... would it be enough?

That unavoidable anxiety surged up again. And with it, the image of the white glove waiting beyond the rift flashed in his mind.

"It’s alright."

Just then, a large hand covered Yuder’s fist. When he looked up, he was in Kishiar’s arms.

The man held him so tightly that nothing else was visible—and whispered softly,

"Worrying is necessary, but there’s no need to carry the pain that comes with it. You’re doing everything you should right now. Don’t be afraid."