"My apologies. We've spent two years here doing nothing but patrol duty, so discipline is a bit lax among us. It's the alcohol talking; I hope you understand."
Many soldiers in the Cavalry were accustomed to such scenes—most of them commoners who remained silent. Yuder was no exception. However, he was slightly surprised that the Peletta knights, who he had expected to uphold their knightly duties and speak out, merely nodded without a word.
He had assumed they followed Lord Kishiar without bias, but now he began to wonder if there was more to them than he initially thought.
'Anyway, the soldier who guided us was named Sunz. Sunz... Sunz...'
Yuder tried to recall if he had ever come across anyone with the name or surname Sunz, but nothing came to mind. Just as he started to think he might be mistaken, Sunz stopped in front of a building in a quieter, less populated area.
"This is the lodging we prepared for you. It's small, but most buildings here are. It should be sufficient for a few nights' rest."
"Thank you."
Gakane expressed gratitude on behalf of everyone.
"Don't mention it. But if I may ask... the nobleman who went with the General earlier—is he really Duke Peletta?"
Sunz asked cautiously, his face betraying an eagerness he was trying hard to conceal.
"Yes, he is."
The guide from the Peletta knights answered simply, causing Sunz's eyes to widen in surprise.
"I knew it! My goodness, I never thought I'd see a descendant of the Sun God in my lifetime. You all are... the Peletta Knights who follow him, right?"
Sunz's excited gaze flickered between the Peletta knights and the Cavalry members, his flushed cheeks unable to hide his enthusiasm.
Yuder noticed the knight guide from the Peletta Knights looking back at him with a troubled expression, as if uncertain how to explain the yet-unknown existence of the Cavalry to Sunz. However, there really wasn't anything complicated about it.
Once this operation was over, the existence of the Cavalry would naturally become widely known. High-ranking individuals, including General Gino, were already aware of their presence here, so there was no reason to hesitate. Yuder calmly spoke up.
"These five here are knights of the Peletta Order. And we are members of the Cavalry."
"Yuder."
Gakane's eyes reflected concern and caution, silently questioning whether it was wise to reveal this information so easily. But Yuder remained composed.
"The Cavalry... Are you referring to the group that the Emperor recently announced he was recruiting? The ones who've gained power from the Red Stone... It's true then."
"Yes."
"I didn't expect to meet you so soon."
There was no sign of aversion toward the Cavalry in Sunz's expression. Instead, he seemed genuinely fascinated and then looked at Yuder as if something had just occurred to him.
"Ah, if you are those people, you should be careful when wandering around the village."
'Village? Why?' Yuder wondered, his face reflecting his confusion. Sunz scratched his head and flashed an awkward smile.
"Well... many of the soldiers resting here possess abilities like yours. There was even one among the group you saw earlier."
"What? Really?"
Both Eldore siblings exclaimed in unison, their eyes sparkling with interest. Sunz simply nodded in agreement.
"Yes. Their abilities aren't particularly extraordinary, but we've never encountered others with abilities outside of our group. If everyone found out about you, it'd probably cause a commotion. We have quite a few in our Southern Army who are crazy about fighting."
"Even so... why didn't those with abilities apply for the Cavalry test?" Kanna asked in a puzzled tone. "I don't think there was a rule that soldiers couldn't take the test..."
"You're right," Sunz agreed with Kanna. "But just because there isn't a rule doesn't mean you can just rush in recklessly. There was no guarantee of success, and we're quite content with our current lifestyle. We figured many others felt the same way."
'Hold on.'
Yuder sensed something in Sunz's words. When one says 'we,' it usually includes the speaker.
"Are you, by any chance, one of those ability users?"
"Ah, yes."
Sunz slowly nodded, seemingly realizing his slip-up a bit too late. Yuder, refined through years of experience, had developed a certain skill in detecting powerful individuals in his vicinity. However, this didn't mean he had the precision of a magic user or an Awakener with a detection ability.
He hadn't sensed any formidable aura from Sunz, so the idea that Sunz was an ability user hadn't crossed his mind. Before Yuder could ask about his ability, Hinn, with a curious look, beat him to it.
"What ability do you have?"
"Really, it's nothing much. Just a small thing... I can see what's hidden behind. It's a handy ability when playing card games."
'A Vision ability user?'
At that moment, Yuder finally remembered where he had encountered the name Sunz before.
'Right. Sunz… Sunz... That was it.'
Just as Sunz had mentioned, there were indeed awakened individuals who already had jobs. Among those who, despite possessing abilities sufficient to join the Cavalry, chose not to, most were typically in the military.
Around the time General Gino Bordelli retired long ago, a new unit was quietly formed within the army, composed of such individuals. The man who became the leader of that unit was none other than Sunz.
It was a secretive establishment, so much so that there wasn't even a proper inaugural ceremony. Yuder had only heard about it through military gossip, but he remembered the name clearly. There was no doubt.
The person who had felt the most unpleasant surprise upon hearing of the unit's establishment was Yuder himself, the representative of the Cavalry, which was why he couldn't forget it.
'If my memory serves me right, his full name is Sunz Messial.'
That special unit, composed of awakened individuals within the military, remained low-key, almost non-existent, from its establishment until the moment Yuder died.
Yuder had initially concluded that they were not a threat to the Cavalry, believing they were simply created to be separate from the regular soldiers in the military. He had put aside his unpleasant feelings and focused on his main tasks.
However, while imprisoned and facing death, Yuder came to realize for the first time that perhaps he had been mistaken.
The soldiers who had captured, tortured, and kept a constant watch over him were not ordinary. Though the Mana Hole had been destroyed, rendering him unable to use his abilities or recognize other ability users, he knew the men watching him were not ordinary, given his experience as the commander of the Cavalry.
These captors maintained a strict guard until his dying moment, fearing he might escape or regain even a fraction of his power.
Even during his tortured, disoriented imprisonment, Yuder had desperately strained to listen to their conversations. It was then that he overheard the name of that special unit.
The Emperor no longer trusted the Cavalry. The only force he controlled as if it were his own limbs was this special unit. Due to their role in the 'Great Hunt,' they would receive greater rewards, guarantees of honor, and positions of power.
When Yuder heard these conversations, whispered joyfully among the soldiers, all hope was lost. An intense premonition that there was no longer a way for him to survive filled him with bitterness.
Of course, the 'Great Hunt' they referred to was Yudrain Aile.
He didn't know who had established that special unit he had once dismissed, when it had been created, or for what purpose. He couldn't pinpoint where his information had been compromised.
But now, if he met the representative of that special unit, things could change.
The special unit had not yet been created, and its representative was currently just a soldier in some remote corner of the Airic Mountains, as ordinary as they came. In this condition, it would be easy to eliminate him in advance. If Sunz was killed, the future would definitely change!
Yuder tried to muster the resolve to kill the man before him. But when he met the unambitious black eyes of the man looking at him, the power he had gathered wavered and dispersed in an instant.
"...Did I say something strange?"
"Yuder. What's wrong? You look stern."
Beside the confused Sunz, Gakane patted Yuder's shoulder and spoke in a low voice. Yuder sighed, feeling the last of his rage vanish.
'...What was I thinking?'
Throughout his life, he had killed many and made many kneel. His subordinates had called him a stubborn devil with nothing but brute strength, but even then, he had a few principles he had set for himself.