"Airic? Do you mean the place near the Rik Mountains?"
Gakane, unaware of what Yuder was thinking, was simply surprised to hear the name of his hometown.
"You know it?"
"How could I not? The Rik Mountains are where the Red Stone fell!"
'That's right,' Yuder thought with a chuckle. Although he hadn't witnessed the fall of the Red Stone himself, as it had happened quite a distance from where he lived, he had heard about the sky turning blood-red and the deafening roar that seemed to shake the heavens and earth.
At the time, he had no idea that the world wasn't actually ending, and the event had left him deeply shaken. The small village where Yuder used to sell timber had been severely affected by the aftermath of the Red Stone's fall.
"Did you... by any chance, see the Red Stone?"
Gakane, having only heard rumors, couldn't hide his curiosity and asked with wide eyes. Yuder, lost in memories, nodded before he realized it.
"Really? You saw it?"
Gakane's excitement was palpable as he practically jumped with excitement, his face flushing with enthusiasm. Yuder quickly realized he should have denied seeing it, as it had been 11 years ago, but it was too late.
"I heard the Emperor's knights set up camp to prevent anyone from approaching. How did you manage to see it? Did it fall near your home? What did it look like? How big was it?"
"Hold on. I..."
Yuder hesitated, unsure how to explain. Had he seen the Red Stone? Yes, but that was after he joined the Cavalry, which at this point was a future event.
The stone had been personally retrieved by the Cavalry's leader after its formation. Later, the archmages of the Pearl Tower refined it, removing its impurities over a year.
Afterward, the stone was called the "World Sphere," a name given due to its supposed power to support the world. Thinking about that stone, which had played a significant role in his demise, darkened Yuder's mood.
"I didn't get a good look at it. As you said… the knights were guarding it."
"But you must have seen something, or you wouldn't have said you saw it, right?"
Gakane was persistent, his determination clear as he pressed for details.
"If it's a secret, I swear I won't tell anyone. I swear on my sword, on the Holy War, on my mother's name—whatever it takes."
Was Gakane Bolunwald always this relentless? Yuder felt his faint impression of Gakane crumbling. Despite his dignified appearance, he was still a young man overflowing with curiosity. Yuder sighed softly and spoke in a low voice.
"It's not a story worth making such oaths over."
"If it's not that impressive, you can tell me."
'You're so persistent. You'll find out after passing the Cavalry test anyway.'
With that thought, Yuder suddenly remembered that Gakane was already dead by the time the Red Stone was collected and transformed into the World Sphere. A wave of faint sympathy washed over him as he looked at the eager young man before him, finding him a bit pitiable. After a brief hesitation, Yuder began to speak.
"It's just an ordinary stone. On the outside, it's no different from any other, in either color or size. It's about the size of a fist."
This much information wouldn't hurt. Gakane's eyes widened in surprise at Yuder's words.
"It's that small? Then how can you tell it's the Red Stone? I thought it was called the Red Stone because it was, well, red."
Yuder smiled faintly, careful not to let Gakane see. Everyone made the same mistake. Eleven years ago, Yuder had thought the same.
The Red Stone got its name from the way the entire sky turned crimson when it fell. And when one stood before it, the extraordinary energy it radiated made its true nature unmistakable. It was a stone that ordinary people couldn't even approach, overwhelmed by its sheer power.
"I don't know why it's not red."
"Well, okay. I'm really curious. We'll find out when we join the Cavalry, right?"
"..."
Yuder said nothing and continued eating his stew. Fortunately, Gakane seemed not to expect an answer, and the conversation lapsed into silence.
"Oh, right. Did you register for the test? You need to sign up to take the entrance exam for the Cavalry. Do you know how to do that?"
As the meal was ending, Gakane suddenly remembered something and looked up. Yuder nodded.
"I know."
Back then, he hadn't known. There had been no one to inform a poor, gloomy-looking country bumpkin about such details.
As a result, Yuder only discovered that the test required a separate registration on the very last day. The memory of wandering through the vast capital, desperately trying to find the registration place, was still vivid.
"You need to go to the Blue Crown. It's quite a distance from here—I went there to register myself. It's much more convenient if I guide you than if you get lost on the way. What do you think?"
Gakane's expression was full of genuine goodwill, perhaps because Yuder had shared information about the Red Stone. When was the last time Yuder had received such pure, unconditional kindness? It felt incredibly awkward, but trying not to show it, Yuder stared at him.
"…Fine."
"You made a good choice."
Gakane beamed, his smile radiant. The dazzlingly handsome man seemed to glow even more when he smiled. Yuder thought, not for the first time, that the world was unfair.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Blue Crown was not far from the Imperial Palace, primarily housing administrators responsible for public affairs. The building's official name was Parklamannuteia Hall, but it had gained the nickname "Blue Crown" over time. There were several theories about the origins of this name: some believed it was due to part of the roof being blue, others pointed to the blue rose pattern leading to the main entrance, but the most accepted explanation was that the ink used by the bureaucrats for their official seals was a distinctive shade of blue.
As Yuder stood before the grand, old-fashioned building, he felt a mixture of emotions. It was through these very doors that his life had first taken a dramatic turn.
"Fortunately, the line isn't too long today. We should be able to get in quickly," Gakane noted, surveying the queue and leading the way.
Those who wished to take the Cavalry test had to line up for registration, as only a few officials handled the large number of applicants. In the past, Yuder had barely managed to register before the deadline, but this time, things were different. As they reached the end of the line, the woman standing in front of them turned around.
"Hello. Are you also applicants?" she asked, her expression somewhat harsh and confrontational, though it seemed more due to her plump face than actual anger. Yuder didn't recognize her; she was likely one of the many who had a weak ability or had mistakenly come, thinking they were awakened.
During the first Cavalry recruitment, there were many such individuals. While Yuder might have ignored her question, Gakane answered politely.
"Yes, although I've already registered."
"Really? Did you come to help the person next to you?"
"In a way."
The woman's gaze shifted briefly to Yuder before returning to Gakane.
"Do you know what we need to say when we register? I've been so nervous that I couldn't eat anything this morning."
Realizing that her tense expression was due to anxiety, Gakane's gaze softened.
"It's not too complicated. You just need to provide your name, age, place of origin, your secondary gender if you have one, and most importantly, a description of your ability. That's it."
The term "secondary gender" referred to a gender distinct from the visible male or female. This trait emerged after the Red Stone fell, manifesting arbitrarily regardless of one's primary gender. Initially, it was seen as a divine curse.
However, when it was revealed that this trait only appeared in those who had awakened abilities, public perception shifted. The Emperor of the Orr Empire and the Pope declared it the "second gender bestowed by the gods," alleviating fears that anyone's body could change without warning.
Those with the alpha secondary gender, regardless of their primary gender, could impregnate those with the omega secondary gender. While they could have relationships and offspring with others, those with secondary genders were mostly sexually attracted to each other.
Although this situation seemed straightforward, time revealed complexities. Alphas, generally possessing exceptional physiques and strong abilities, were highly respected. Conversely, omegas often had weaker abilities and were scorned for their susceptibility during mating cycles.
Alphas experienced relatively quiet cycles, while omegas released a powerful scent detectable even by non-awakened individuals, leading to prejudice and discrimination for being unable to control their desires, as if they were beasts. Many omegas struggled to work effectively as ability users and were often kidnapped by aristocrats seeking rare, peculiar possessions.
By the time Yuder died, omegas had largely been excluded from the Cavalry, viewed as burdens rather than assets due to these discriminatory attitudes.