"Did everyone have a good rest after the celebrations yesterday?"
"Yes."
The next day, Kishiar summoned all the members, many of whom were visibly suffering from hangovers. While Yuder felt fine, both Kanna and Gakane, who were seated beside him, looked dreadful.
"Yuder, you seemed to have drunk quite a bit too, but you look fine. Why is that?"
"Could that be your ability?"
"…You could say that."
Yuder, who could manipulate all elements of nature at will, was immune to the effects of alcohol made from water and grains.
Only things that were artificially created, not naturally occurring in this world, could harm his body.
'I could get drunk on alcohol made by mixing monster's blood.'
However, that alcohol was originally designed to poison someone. The fact that Yuder could not only survive but also get drunk on it was something only he could manage.
'I remember being surprised to learn I could get drunk when someone apparently tried to kill me with it.'
"I'm really envious. I wish I had such an ability," Kanna muttered.
Just then, Kishiar, who had been standing at a distance, raised his voice and began to speak gently.
"I apologize to those who are still not feeling well from yesterday's revelry, but our first task has been assigned to the Cavalry. Five of you gathered here will pack up and leave with me today."
"A task? What could it be?"
"Five of us?"
At Kishiar's words, whispers immediately spread among the members. Everyone, momentarily forgetting their hangovers, was filled with excitement. How could they not be? This would be the first time since the formation of the Cavalry that they would officially reveal their presence. Regardless of the task, everyone wanted to be among the five chosen.
And today, Yuder was one of them.
'Could it be that the Red Stone retrieval operation was announced today? This soon?'
He vaguely remembered that they had retrieved the Red Stone after receiving the last name before, but he didn't recall it happening this quickly. Yuder hadn't been particularly interested in such matters back then.
'The ones selected before were two from Shin, two from Sul, and one from Jung.'
He painstakingly recalled the vague memories of the past. At that time, Kishiar had chosen those with somewhat unique abilities rather than those known for their power.
Those selected had all signed a contract stating they wouldn't discuss what happened during the operation until their death. There had been a minor accident during the operation, but they had successfully retrieved the Red Stone and returned.
'The accident that occurred back then revealed to the world that Kishiar had been chosen by the Divine Sword.'
At the time, Yuder had been secretly disappointed that he wasn't selected for the mission, and afterward, he threw himself into his training. When it was eventually disclosed that Kishiar was the owner of the Divine Sword, Yuder had only seen it as someone else's concern.
Later, Yuder found himself constantly occupied after being chosen as the deputy commander of the Sul Division. Suddenly, he had to take over leadership, witnessing Kishiar's retirement and his return to the Duchy of Peletta.
He had been so caught up in the whirlwind of events that he had little time to pay attention to the World Sphere, which he believed was safely dormant in the sanctuary.
However, as subsequent events unfolded and the realization of impending disasters loomed, Yuder felt compelled to revisit the affairs related to the World Sphere—especially when he realized he was the only one aware of the heavy aura of destruction pressing upon the world.
The reason was simple: to protect the world, power was required, and Yuder believed that there was nothing in this world as powerful as the World Sphere, which had been refined from the Red Stone.
The problem was that the original power of the World Sphere had been severely damaged and nearly sealed due to the rough refining process carried out at the Pearl Tower.
The mages of the Pearl Tower had claimed they were merely removing impurities from the Red Stone, but the result had been quite the opposite.
Even if Yuder wanted to demand they restore it, the Pearl Tower had long since fallen. Yuder thought he needed to investigate the situation from when the World Sphere was simply a Red Stone and restore its original power himself.
'So, I belatedly started looking into the situation, from the discovery of the Red Stone to its recovery…'
But so much time had passed that it was impossible to know exactly what had happened.
The only certainty was that all the Cavalry members chosen by Kishiar at that time had either retired and disappeared or died during their missions.
He needed power, but he could find neither the means to obtain it nor those who had once possessed it. To make matters worse, Yuder, who began digging into the past to uncover the source of that power, became the target of many suspicions and vigilance.
Perhaps that was when it all started—the beginning of the collapse of the world Yuder had built.
'I'm not sure what criteria Kishiar used to pick the members back then, but if it's the same this time, there's a high chance I won't be chosen.'
If he wasn't selected again this time, what should he do? Should he find Kishiar and give him some sort of warning? As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Kishiar slowly began to call out the names of those who would depart with him.
"Finn Eldore and Hinn Eldore from the Sul Division."
"Wow!"
Everyone was enthralled, but Yuder was in shock.
'No, these weren't the names from back then. It was definitely…'
Was it Isis and Edin? He seemed to remember those two being chosen. They were nothing like the noticeable Finn and Hinn siblings.
Yuder turned his gaze to Finn and Hinn, who were expressing their surprise not far away. The blue-haired siblings, with their elf-like faces, had chosen the Sul Division instead of the Shin Division, even though they had the ability to enhance their bodies, which puzzled everyone.
In fact, their reason for choosing the Sul Division was simple. It was to develop another ability—one that allowed them to move only when they were together.
Despite this revelation, many people thought their talent would have been better suited to the Shin Division.
Yuder had thought the same and had often assigned them to missions that required physical abilities.
'The mobility ability is useful but not essential. They haven't had their abilities awakened for very long, and the preconditions are tricky. Did Kishiar choose them knowing that? He didn't pick them before, so why now?'
"Next, Kanna Wand of the Jung Division."
"Me? Really?"
Kanna looked around with a stunned expression. She was another person who hadn't been singled out before.
'That's three people now who weren't selected in the past. If that's the case...'
The next names to be called might be entirely different from before. Ignoring the commotion around Kanna, Yuder focused solely on Kishiar standing on the stage.
Kishiar's lips slowly parted.
"Next, from the Shin Division, Gakane Bolunwald, and Yuder Aile. The five of you, pack light and report to me as soon as this ends."
Yuder Aile. The sound of his name reverberated deep within Yuder's ears.
"It can't be… We both got picked, Yuder. Is this real?"
Gakane's voice seemed distant. Yuder glanced at him briefly blankly envisioned Kishiar's face that had disappeared, contemplating the reality that the future he knew was shifting.
'All five of us chosen are different from before, even me.'
It was fortunate that he no longer needed to arrange a private meeting with Kishiar.
After Kishiar's announcement and subsequent departure, the square where the members had gathered became a mix of excitement and disappointment. Those who had been selected were surrounded by well-wishers, while others slinked away, dejected.
Yuder found himself among those rushing over to congratulate him, Gakane, and Kanna.
"What was the criteria? Congratulations, really. Make sure you complete the mission and come back safe!"
"You have to tell us what happened when you return!"
Although they probably wouldn't be able to reveal what had happened due to a confidentiality agreement, Kanna and Gakane, unaware of this, chatted nervously yet excitedly.
'...What are you thinking, Kishiar La Orr?'
Yuder watched them, lost in thought. It wasn't easy to guess Kishiar's altered intentions.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
It didn't take long to pack. Yuder didn't have much to begin with, and the only clothes he owned were his Cavalry uniform.
When Yuder arrived at the floor where Kishiar's quarters were located, carrying just one small bag, he saw that the rest of his companions had arrived earlier. Their luggage was just as simple as his.
Kanna greeted him with a tense look, and just as Gakane was about to say something, his face beaming like he had found light in the darkness, two small figures popped out beside him and spoke first.
"Hello. You're Yuder?"
"You're the Yuder who stood alone in front of the Imperial Knights?"
Hinn Eldore and Finn Eldore. Yuder saw the siblings again for the first time since his return. Their manner of speaking was as straightforward as ever, almost to the point of rudeness.
In the past, they were among the few comrades who would speak to Yuder when no one else would. Seeing their attitude unchanged from his memories brought a faint smile to his face.
"Yeah."
As Yuder looked down at them and nodded, the sister, Hinn, stepped forward and introduced herself.
"I'm Hinn. This one here is my brother Finn."
"If it's hard to tell us apart because we look alike, just call us Eldore."