"Duke of Peletta, this is no jest. Answer my question."
"Very well. If any unfortunate event occurs while my Cavalry and I are investigating, I will take full responsibility and step down as Commander. Does that satisfy Your Majesty?"
Kishiar's response was straightforward, yet it only deepened the Emperor's already grim expression. He studied Kishiar for a long moment before exhaling a deep, weary sigh. That sigh seemed to weigh heavily on the shoulders of the Cavalry members, pressing down like an invisible burden.
"You have ten days."
"That's insufficient time. If Your Majesty is granting a favor, please consider extending the deadline."
The Emperor's brows knit tightly, resembling the expression of a parent dealing with a stubborn child. For a moment, Yuder feared that Kishiar's audacity had finally tested the Emperor's patience too far. Yet, after a tense pause, the Emperor spoke again.
"One month. Not a day more."
Only then did Kishiar glance at his men, his casual gesture seeming to assess their reaction. His gaze lingered on Yuder, and his expression subtly shifted.
Is this acceptable? his eyes seemed to ask. Yuder gave a brief nod in return. Kishiar straightened up, bowing with graceful precision.
"Your Majesty, I am grateful for your understanding."
With that, Kishiar concluded the conversation. Rising smoothly from his place, the Cavalry members followed his lead, quickly straightening their backs and legs.
"You may leave now. I have private matters to discuss with His Majesty."
Kishiar's words were expected, having been briefed beforehand. The Cavalry members did not react with surprise, bowing to the Emperor before respectfully withdrawing.
"Follow me."
As soon as they left the Emperor's chambers, Nathan raised his hand with his usual calm demeanor, signaling the others to follow. Yuder and the others moved silently behind him.
"Are we heading back to the carriage to wait for the Commander now?"
Once they had put a considerable distance between themselves and the Emperor, nearing the exit of the seventh palace, Hinn finally dared to voice her curiosity. She addressed Nathan directly.
"We will return to the carriage, but we will not be waiting there for the Commander."
"Then where are we going?"
"To the Black Pigeon in the Second Wall."
Nathan's answer was succinct, his tone steady.
"The Black Pigeon?"
"What's that?"
"Do you recall going to the Blue Crown when you registered for the Cavalry test? It's similar but higher up in importance. It's where all the affairs of the nation are processed."
In response to the curious Eldore siblings, Gakane kindly answered. As promised, the Black Pigeon was one of the core institutions upholding the Orr Empire. It managed administration, diplomacy, and various other minor affairs that kept the palace running smoothly.
Yuder surmised that Nathan was heading there because it likely involved internal palace matters essential to the running of the imperial household.
'The Emperor's order will require administrative work. The sooner we begin, the better,'
"I see. But why is it called the Black Pigeon?"
"Hmm, I'm not entirely sure..." Gakane scratched his head, offering an embarrassed smile. Nathan, who likely knew the answer, was about to respond with his usual indifferent expression when someone else unexpectedly spoke up.
"…It's because they're constantly sending and receiving messages, working without rest. The name came from an old joke that the pigeons worked so much they didn't even have time to clean themselves, so they became black with dirt," a voice explained.
"Kanna?" Gakane and the Eldore siblings turned in surprise. Kanna, who had been quietly following along with her head lowered, had spoken for the first time.
"How do you know that?"
"A long time ago, I heard it somewhere," Kanna replied softly, her tone vague.
Gakane and the siblings seemed to accept her answer, but Nathan closed his mouth with a peculiar expression. Yuder, too, narrowed his eyes.
'She heard it somewhere...'
Even if Yuder had been the one to respond, his answer would likely have been just as evasive. But the reason he knew the origin of the name was because he had spent time lingering in the palace during his previous life, picking up all sorts of information. For a commoner without a family name, like Kanna, to know such a specific detail seemed unlikely.
Rumors about the Blue Crown officials could easily circulate among the commoners nearby, but the Black Pigeon was different. Even Gakane, who came from a reputable family, hadn't known the origin of the name. What, then, was Kanna doing knowing it?
Only then did Yuder realize how little he actually knew about Kanna's background or personal life. Thanks to his memories from his previous life, he had gleaned some knowledge about the other Cavalry members, but Kanna was a person he had met only in this life. Unlike Gakane, she did not openly discuss her background or personal history.
He had always thought of her as a sociable person who got along well with everyone, so it came as a surprise to discover this secretive side. If even Yuder was caught off guard, how much more so had the others been?
'The most plausible explanation... she's either related to someone working in the palace, or she's hiding her true identity. It has to be one of the two.'
The latter seemed less likely. Before the bestowment ceremony, Kishiar would have thoroughly investigated the background of each Cavalry member to be granted a title. Though he often appeared carefree and easygoing, Kishiar La Orr was meticulous and exacting in his work.
He would have double-checked each person's background before the ceremony, even if the initial investigation had already been conducted when they were accepted into the Cavalry. If Kishiar had confirmed Kanna's status as a commoner, there would be no reason to doubt it.
Therefore, Yuder leaned toward the former possibility.
'Those who work within the palace or have access to such detailed internal affairs are usually nobles. But when it comes to the Black Pigeon, there are also middle-ranking managers and deputies selected for their competence.'
In a few years, Awakeners would break into key positions and receive titles, shifting the structure, but for now, that was how things stood.
So if Kanna had connections to someone in the palace, it was likely that she belonged to this competent, but perhaps more modest, circle.
'There might be a completely different third possibility... Whatever the case, I hope it doesn't become a serious problem,' Yuder thought as his gaze shifted toward Kanna, whose expression had darkened.
At that moment, Nathan, who had been expertly guiding them through the palace grounds in silence, stopped and raised his hand.
"We're approaching the boundary of the wall. I'll handle the inspection, so just stay quiet behind me."
The Cavalry members, who had been riding in the imperial carriage until now, meaning they don't have to face an inspection, grew slightly tense at the mention of an inspection. Soon enough, the checkpoint appeared before them.
Inside the first wall, which housed only the imperial family, the palace grounds were eerily quiet, with few people entering or leaving. The knights guarding the checkpoint appeared relaxed, their expressions showing little concern.
"I'd like to proceed to the second wall," Nathan announced.
"State your name," one of the knights responded.
"I am Nathan Zuckerman, adjutant to Duke Peletta."
The knights' eyes shifted from Nathan, whose armor bore the Duke's crest, to the Cavalry members in their matching black uniforms. They merely glanced at them, clearly uninterested in asking for further identification.
"Understood. You may pass."
The Cavalry members were surprised at how smoothly the passage was granted. Yuder, catching the knights' dismissive glances, realized they likely assumed the Cavalry members were new recruits under Nathan's command. He decided not to correct the assumption—it worked in their favor, after all.
Nathan, aware of this misjudgment, had likely planned ahead to expedite the process. Bowing politely to the guards, he led the group through the checkpoint with confident strides.
As soon as they crossed the boundary, the path opened up, bustling with people. Grand buildings of various architectural styles came into view.
The empire's court, built shortly after the empire's founding, stood in simple majesty with its single-story structure. Beside it, the Palace Magic Corps' headquarters towered over ten floors tall, a testament to the evolution of architecture over time. The juxtaposition of old and new created a harmonious balance, a typical feature of the second wall district.
'This is where all the institutions representing the empire gather...' Yuder mused as he took in the surroundings.
'It's been a long time. One day, the Cavalry headquarters will stand among these buildings.'
His gaze drifted toward where the future Cavalry headquarters would be built. For now, it was an unremarkable auxiliary palace, but in his previous life, the building had expanded significantly, becoming the headquarters of the Cavalry.
That headquarters would manage operations for the Cavalry branches scattered throughout the empire and serve as the center for missions requiring coordination with other institutions. Yuder's own office had been located there in his previous life.
"Did we already cross the wall?" one of the Eldore siblings asked in surprise.
"I didn't notice anything. How did we get here?"
Distracted by the scenery, they had only now realized they'd fully entered the second district. Nathan, hearing their confusion, slowed his pace slightly and spoke up.
"We've already crossed the wall."
"When?"
"Just after the checkpoint. The first wall is built as a road paved with special magical stones that form a circle around the entire area. It's hidden beneath the garden to conceal its presence, which is why you didn't notice it."
"Ah..."
Recognition dawned on the siblings' faces as they recalled the unusually long garden around the Sun Palace. Gakane, who had been quietly listening, seemed particularly fascinated by this new knowledge, a flush of excitement coloring his cheeks.