It was a fleeting memory, but Yuder felt an overwhelmingly strange sensation.
Despite being heavily wrapped in silk, he could clearly sense that something within held an immense power. Just by sharing the same space with it, the atmosphere seemed to thicken, as if the air had turned to water. A chilling aura pervaded the entire room.
Yuder wasn't the only one who felt this. Every Cavalry member present at the time agreed they had experienced an inexplicable, eerie energy.
The next day, Kishiar appeared, carrying a box carved from transparent magic stone. Inside, on a cushion of red silk, lay the Red Stone. It seemed as though he had packaged it this way to present it to the emperor.
Just before Kishiar climbed into his carriage, Yuder caught a glimpse of the Red Stone within the box from the window of his quarters. The stone wasn't actually red, and it was smaller than he had expected.
Had he not known in advance that it was the Red Stone, he wouldn't have been able to identify it from its appearance alone. It was a surprisingly ordinary-looking stone, considering the peculiar energy it possessed.
After that, the stone did not return to the Cavalry but was taken directly to the Pearl Tower. That was the last time Yuder saw the intact Red Stone in his previous life.
"Did you try to approach it?" Kishiar inquired.
General Gino replied tersely, "Yes."
"Ordinary soldiers couldn't dare to approach it. Only those skilled enough to start accumulating aura could get close enough to see it, and I was able to observe it directly up close."
"And what was your impression?"
"It's a very strange object. It's hard to judge accurately, but it may not be of this world. The Priests of the Sun God said it felt different from divine energy, and the mages of the Pearl Tower have found it difficult to approach, so no one has examined it directly yet."
"I see."
"Frankly, I'm worried about Your Highness touching it directly. It could be dangerous."
Without changing his expression, General Gino voiced his concerns to Kishiar, who had just arrived.
"Some of the soldiers who tried to force their way toward it even vomited blood. It's a mysterious object holding an unknown energy. It possesses a power that could change the entire continent. Wouldn't it be terrible if it harmed your noble body?"
"His Majesty believes I am the most suitable person to retrieve it without harm. Is the general worried about something His Majesty trusts?"
"I am..."
Just as General Gino, who seemed to be losing faith in the emperor, began to speak, Kishiar raised his hand to silence him.
"Trust your eyes, which have watched me since I was young. In this world, I'm the only one who can handle that stone without being affected."
"..."
General Gino appeared to be just entering middle age, but in reality, he was old enough to be a grandfather. Indeed, he had watched Kishiar grow up.
Upon hearing Kishiar's words, General Gino closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh.
"Would I dare to doubt His Majesty and obstruct you?"
"Haha. And yet, you always find a way to interject."
"It's the worry of an old servant who, despite knowing it's useless, always lets his concern get the better of him."
"Don't fret. I'm not so frail as to be undone by a mere stone."
With that, Kishiar rose from his seat. As all eyes focused on him, he glanced around the room, then broke into a smile and spoke.
"Now, before we set off, let's all sign a confidentiality agreement."
The Cavalry members looked stupefied, but Yuder thought to himself, 'So it has come to this.'
Not only for this mission, but for most of the tasks the Cavalry would handle in the future, absolute secrecy was required. Yuder himself had signed such agreements countless times before embarking on missions.
"It's a magic contract used by many knights and mages before undertaking important missions. You write down your pledge, and after the parties sign, the magic within the paper binds their hearts together."
Kishiar explained, holding up a piece of paper that seemed entirely ordinary on the surface.
"The content of this agreement is simple. During this mission, you are forbidden from revealing anything you see, hear, or experience to anyone outside of those who are partaking in the mission with you, without permission. If you break the agreement, the magic imbued in this contract will constrict your heart until you are unable to breathe. I believe none of you here would fail to keep such a secret, but in case of uncertainty, anyone who feels unable is welcome to step back. I promise to send you off without a word."
The phrase 'unable to breathe' essentially meant death. While everyone was frozen, Yuder was the first to step forward toward the contract that Kishiar pulled out. There was no hesitation.
"I'll sign first."
"Go ahead."
Upon closer inspection, it was a contract made directly by the Pearl Tower. In other words, it was the most reputable and powerful contract anywhere on the continent.
No further preparations were needed to sign. After reading the contents, one simply needed to place a finger on the contract. The magic sprouting from the paper enveloped the body, and everything was finished in an instant.
Once Yuder casually finished signing and stepped back, Gakane, who had been wearing a stern expression, swallowed hard, made a determined face, and stepped forward.
"I'll go next."
Seeing that the process was nothing to worry about seemed to put everyone at ease, and they each took their turns. Finally, even General Gino, with his stoic face, signed. After that, Kishiar rolled up the contract and tucked it back into his pocket.
"Now, go and rest. We'll depart early tomorrow morning."
"I'll show you to your quarters."
"That would be good. I'd like to hear more about what's been happening here from the General. Who knows when we'll meet again?"
At Kishiar's words, a smile finally appeared on the stern-faced General's face.
"I've been waiting for your arrival, and I've prepared a fine local wine for you. I'll make sure to bring it."
Kishiar, guided by General Gino, headed to his quarters. The Peletta Knights and Cavalry members, following the General's orders, trailed behind a young soldier who had just arrived to escort them to a small village near the base.
"Follow me."
...He seems familiar, Yuder thought, watching the back of the young soldier leading them. Although the soldier wasn't a Cavalry member, Yuder felt as if he had seen him somewhere before. Could he have met him among the people he knew in the past?
If he heard the name, he might remember, but it had been a full 11 years since the time he could recall. He might be misremembering.
'Let's keep observing for now. If I keep watching, I might remember.'
The village, which was only about 10 minutes away, was bustling with life—unbelievable for a place nestled in the mountains. The others seemed taken aback, but Yuder had a hunch about the reason.
'It must have been a regular village, sustaining itself with hunting and gathering.'
The Airic mountain range was as vast as its nickname, the backbone of the continent, suggested. This village was a considerable distance from where Yuder originally lived.
But people's way of life was generally the same anywhere. Mountain villages were typically sparsely populated, and the influence of local lords barely reached them.
However, the situation must have changed when the Red Stone fell nearby two years ago, attracting a host of soldiers.
An army couldn't move for free. A large number of soldiers had stayed in one place for two whole years without engaging in combat or other significant activities.
By providing places to eat, drink, and stay for them, this small village must have quickly become a bustling place full of money circulation.
'Of course, the glory would fade once Kishiar retrieves the Red Stone.'
There would be no reason for the army to stay once the Red Stone was retrieved. So, the bustling life of the village didn't seem very joyous to Yuder.
"Why are there so many people here?"
"Most are soldiers on break. Instead of continuously performing challenging surveillance tasks scattered across the vast mountains, they get to relax here, drink, socialize, and have some free time. It's General Gino's consideration," the guiding soldier explained, confirming Yuder's guess.
"Hey, Sunz! Where are you taking these strangers?"
At that moment, a group of men boisterously drinking at an outdoor table waved and called out to the young soldier.
The young soldier momentarily dropped his solemn military demeanor, turning toward the men with a youthful smile.
"I'm on a mission. I need to escort these guests, who came to see the General, to their lodging."
"Alright. Join us when you're done. The card game isn't as fun without you, Sunz."
"Save that for later."
The off-duty soldiers, dressed in civilian clothes, roared with laughter, seemingly intoxicated. The young soldier, looking slightly embarrassed, turned back to Yuder and his party and offered an apologetic smile.