"Not much has changed from the past."
Sure, Yuder's roommate and Kanna's acceptance were different, but the faces of those who had been roommates before weren't memorable enough to make a difference. The addition of just Kanna didn't alter the overall flow, so it didn't matter.
The events unfolding within the Cavalry proceeded just as Yuder remembered.
There were only minor incidents, like the blue-haired twins getting into a verbal spat with passing knights or a brief commotion during training when someone caused a magical explosion.
"And soon, our lodging will change."
They would soon move from the temporary residence in the Imperial Knights' dormitory to the newly completed building dedicated to the Cavalry. That place had been Yuder's true home for a long time before his capture.
Although the Emperor had given him several houses after his promotion, Yuder had never felt attached to them.
His real home had always been the small room in the top corner of the building where the Cavalry members stayed.
However, this time he wouldn't be promoted, so he could never stay in that room.
Feeling an odd nostalgia for a place that hadn't even been built yet, Yuder exhaled softly.
"Yuder, you're not tired already, are you?"
Gakane, who had been training next to him, asked incredulously. He had become a well-known figure within the Cavalry for his good looks and sociability, yet he had never strayed far from Yuder's side.
Moreover, he always initiated conversations with Yuder, regardless of whether Yuder responded. It was both amazing and strange to interact with him.
In fact, if one were to mention the most significant change since Yuder's return, it would be his relationship with Gakane.
But Gakane would die in an accident during a mission about a year later. The event that Yuder had once felt indifferent to now occasionally tormented his mind.
'I intend to prevent the deaths of those with abilities, including Gakane Volunbalt, but...'
Could he do it? He hadn't yet achieved anything significant enough to save someone destined to die. Whether his efforts would succeed or fail was unknown. The outcome of events that had not yet occurred was impossible to predict.
"I'm fine."
Yuder cleared his thoughts and stood up again.
"That's right. That's more like you."
What did it mean to be like himself? Even though he had behaved the same way, no one had tried to make eye contact with Yuder in the past. Yet the Gakane in front of him looked at him with an innocent gaze. It was both strange and peculiar.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
A month passed, and the Cavalry members moved from their temporary lodgings to the new building made specifically for them. It was located right next to the Imperial Knights' grounds.
The building had been designed with their rigorous training in mind, but the knights were furious that the Cavalry members, whom they despised like insects, had better accommodations than they did.
Yuder's roommate remained the same, but the room was much larger than before. When they lay down in their separate beds, their spaces were divided enough to be out of each other's sight.
As Yuder remembered, the harsh training continued, with the methods constantly evolving. There were no dropouts, but occasional injuries occurred.
What was surprising to the others was that Kishiar, the commander, also participated in the same training. The members were amazed, but Yuder wasn't. It had been the same in the past.
'For the highest-ranking person to personally engage in the training to refine its methods, it's not something ordinary leaders would do.'
Unlike the members who were bonding with each other, Kishiar disappeared immediately after training, but the fact that he trained alongside them was encouraging for everyone.
After three months of this routine, Kishiar finally summoned the Cavalry members again.
They stood before the commander, looking both the same and different from before. The most significant change was the officially issued black uniforms.
When more than 300 of them gathered, all wearing uniforms similar to Kishiar's white one, though much simpler, the atmosphere became unusually tense.
"First of all, I want to thank you for enduring the unstructured training you've received so far."
Kishiar began with a brief greeting before getting to the main point.
"For the past three months, I've been testing your limits. The reason was to establish and complete the structure of the Cavalry, and now that process is over. Based on the training experience you've received, you must now make a choice."
"A choice?"
Hinn, the older of the blue-haired twins, asked. If the knights had been present, they would have glared at her for daring to question a duke, but only Kishiar and the Cavalry members were there. Kishiar nodded with a smile, showing no sign of offense.
"That's right. You will choose the division within the Cavalry. There are three options. One is the Shin Division, the second is the Sul Division, and the third is the Jung Division."
The explanation Yuder had heard long ago was repeated.
Kishiar divided the large group called the Cavalry into three smaller groups. The Shin Division consisted of those who focused on physical abilities, the Sul Division gathered those with magic-like abilities like Yuder, and the Jung Division included everyone else.
"I'm not asking you to decide right now. Take a week to make your choice and let me know."
Kishiar occupied the entire top floor of the new Cavalry dormitory building by himself. Once everyone had their answer, the meeting was over.
"Yuder, which division will you choose? Obviously the Sul Division?"
On the way back to the dormitory, Gakane spoke to Yuder.
"What about you?"
Unable to confirm his decision immediately, Yuder instead redirected the conversation. Fortunately, Gakane didn't notice Yuder's deflection and responded without hesitation.
"I'll go with the Shin Division. I considered the Sul Division, but during the training, I felt that this ability might not be my limit. If I can improve further... I think the Shin Division would be the right choice."
Yuder looked at Gakane, slightly surprised. It had only been three months since he joined the Cavalry, and he already had a sense that his abilities could develop further? It was an impressively rapid progression.
This was especially true in a situation where the academic world had not yet recognized that the abilities of awakened individuals could develop depending on their efforts and conditions.
Though he died early and never got to know it, Gakane's talent might have been even more exceptional than Yuder had initially thought.
'Where should I go, then?'
Yuder fell into deep thought. During the three months of quietly enduring the training, he became convinced that this situation wasn't a dream and that he could truly change the future if he made the right decisions.
In the past, he had joined the Sul Division without hesitation and quickly rose to the rank of deputy commander. However, following that path again wouldn't change much from the past. He wanted to avoid repeating an already predetermined outcome.
'Then, the only option left is the Shin Division.'
The Shin Division... Yuder repeated the name several times in his head.
Although his greatest ability was manipulating all natural attributes, he could also handle weapons with ease, so there was a high probability that he wouldn't fall behind in the Physical Division.
Of course, he might not rise to the rank of deputy commander as before, but that was exactly what Yuder wanted.
'And if I go to the Shin Division... I'll see Kishiar La Orr more often.'
Yuder thought of Kishiar La Orr's abilities. His abilities, which nobody knew yet, were specifically suited for the Shin Division.
'He can freely control power and speed while demonstrating exceptional physical control, excelling in both physical and attribute-based defenses.'
The most remarkable aspect among them was 'physical control.'
In the past, when Yuder had been part of the Sul Division, he rarely encountered Kishiar, the commander, as he was too busy managing his subordinates. They eventually met regularly, but it wasn't the kind of interaction Yuder had hoped for.
However, things would be different if he joined the Shin Division. In the past, Kishiar had often personally supervised the members of the Shin Division and provided guidance on their training direction.
Kishiar was an incredibly skilled leader, even if Yuder didn't want to admit it. This became even more apparent as Yuder relived the past events with the knowledge of future outcomes.
Kishiar hadn't just formed the Cavalry based on short-term judgments. Yuder often found himself at a loss for words when he saw Kishiar's actions aligning with future events.
'But why?'
Why had Kishiar La Orr passed the position of leader to Yuder back then?
And without any hesitation, as if it had been planned from the beginning.
"..."
Yuder decided that he had to join the Shin Division and find out the reason.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Most of the Cavalry members made their decisions about which division to join within three days.
Even those who initially had no idea eventually gained a clear understanding of their abilities after three months of training and education.
Those who exhibited strong physical abilities chose the Shin Division, while those with abilities resembling magic opted for the Sul Division. Those who didn't fit into either category joined the Jung Division, but there were fewer than ten of them among the 330 total members.
"Yuder! Yuder! Wait a moment, please."
Kanna, who had just called out to Yuder, was also one of those ten people.