The Warden's expression shifted at the mention of the Dogs of Apeto. The numerous worries etched on his downcast face seemed to vanish into the cold air.
"...Did you overhear us?"
"Yes, I did!"
"I see. Do you happen to know where the other knights who came for training are now?"
"Why are you asking about those bastards?"
"Well…"
Touching his ear, the Warden stalled, then nodded toward his subordinates with a chilly smile.
"I'm curious how long it would take for them to notice if the youngest idiot of the Diarca family suddenly disappeared from here."
"What?"
"Just deal with it. Don't overthink it! There's only two of them."
"Yes, sir!"
Excluding the Warden and his closest subordinate, eight men stepped forward at once. Yuder quickly understood why most of them weren't carrying weapons.
Of the three who had drawn their blades, the others started displaying threatening auras. Their hands and feet grotesquely morphed, while elemental powers—fire and water—manifested around them.
"...So five of them are Awakeners."
During the brief standoff, Nahan, who had grabbed Yuder's shoulder, moved him aside and murmured in a low voice.
"I think I know where my missing brothers might be."
"Ki-Kiolle, sir! There are too many of them! Are you seriously going to face them head-on? It would be wiser to retreat for now…!"
Behind Kiolle, a panicked knight gasped out. His hand, trembling as he held his sword, betrayed his lack of experience in real combat.
"You're spouting nonsense, Paviel. Members of the Diarca never retreat in front of vermin like these. Especially when some of them possess powers that I can't forgive. And you think we should run? No, they all must die!"
"But—!"
"Paviel. If you're thinking about turning your back on me now, even if you survive, Diarca will never forgive you. Are you really afraid of these vermin—those spewing fire and parading around with powers granted by the Red Stone?"
At the mention of "vermin spewing fire," Kiolle ground his teeth.
'...Hmm. That's probably… because of me.'
Yuder felt an odd sensation as he realized Kiolle's seething anger, clouding his judgment, might stem from their past interactions. The young knight still seemed confused and conflicted.
"…"
A mixture of terror and resentment flickered across Paviel's face.
"No…"
"That's right. That's how it should be," Kiolle sneered. "I know you're here under my father's orders, watching my every move. He probably promised you a promotion. But that promotion means nothing if I object. Understand?"
"Yes…"
"This is the only time your noble background—being from the Han family—will be of any use."
Kiolle's icy words echoed as he turned his gaze toward the enemy, now charging at him with arms grotesquely transformed into swords.
"In the end, they're too scared of the consequences to kill us! All talk, no action! Go!"
'Well, they might actually be able to kill you,' Yuder thought, a twinge of regret flickering through his mind as he watched the fight erupt.
Though the group consisted of five Awakeners and three skilled swordsmen, Kiolle and his fellow knight fought admirably.
Watching Kiolle hold his own against the Awakeners, Yuder thought that the experiences he had endured, though they had once knocked him unconscious, hadn't been entirely useless. Kiolle had definitely improved.
From their earlier exchanges, it seemed Kiolle had come here for training by sheer coincidence. The mention of other knights implied they might be nearby. The longer the fight dragged on, the more it would be disadvantageous to Apeto's side.
"Damn it. Of all times, they had to be here for training..." one of the Apeto subordinates muttered angrily. "Damn Diarca, causing trouble his whole life."
The knights in training were rumored to be stationed far away, so no one, not even the Warden, had expected them here. That's why there had been no orders to move against them from above.
As Kiolle and his comrade fought, the Warden of the Apeto family stood nearby, his anger evident in his voice.
"What the hell did that brat do in the capital to end up here?"
"From what I've heard, he's been stirring up trouble within the Imperial Knights. The Duke sent him here for training to calm the resentment that built up in his heart."
"Resentment? That idiot doesn't know what it means to have anything built up in his heart. He's only building resentment in everyone else's! A spoiled brat who thinks he owns the world and doesn't know how high the sky is, thanks to his father!"
Yuder found himself silently agreeing with the Warden's assessment.
"We can't let him live now that he knows the name 'Apeto'. Kill him here before he causes future problems! What are you waiting for? There are only two of them!"
At the Warden's sharp command, the enemy fighters paused briefly, then attacked with renewed ferocity.
Though their abilities were powerful, their lack of experience was evident. Fighting in a forest thick with obstacles required more skill than they possessed.
'...Were they newly awakened? They're incredibly sloppy.'
Despite being outnumbered, Kiolle and his companion held their ground. However, after the Warden's orders, the enemies charged more desperately, and the tide began to turn. Kiolle and the knight were quickly overwhelmed.
"S-Sir Kiolle! We should retreat and scatter them!"
"...Retreating won't help now! What on earth did you learn in the Imperial Knights!"
Even in this critical moment, Kiolle remained obstinate. His judgment wasn't entirely wrong, but two people simply couldn't hold off eight opponents.
'If they had retreated at the start, they could've picked off the scattered enemies,'
Kiolle's overwhelming hatred for the Awakeners had blinded him, leading to his current predicament. Yuder watched as injuries accumulated on both Kiolle and his fellow knight, all the while contemplating his next move.
Yuder knew he needed to capture someone from the Apeto side for information, but he hesitated over what to do about Kiolle's group.
If he let them die, the Diarca Ducal House would likely catch wind of the knights' presence in the nearby village, stirring up trouble. On the other hand, revealing himself to save them could lead to future complications with Kiolle.
'I thought he was a man who would die quickly in my previous life because he didn't stand out... But at least back then, he wouldn't have died here.'
In a way, the Cavalry's vacation, caused by Yuder, had twisted the situation to this point.
"Tch!"
"What the hell are you doing, Paviel?"
Suddenly, another commotion broke out around Kiolle, who was still locked in battle. Yuder, lost in thought, snapped back to the scene in front of him, surprised by what he saw: Paviel, Kiolle's subordinate knight, stepped forward, dropped his weapon, and raised both hands in surrender.
"I have no choice. Kiolle, you're a Diarca, but I'm not dying here because of your stupidity! I surrender. Spare me!"
Paviel was more gravely wounded than Kiolle, his right arm and both legs covered in cuts and bruises. Realizing he could no longer hold his sword, it seemed he had chosen betrayal over loyalty.
"You dishonor our knighthood!"
"The one who's shameless is you, Kiolle! Why should I die because of you? You, who rely only on your family's power, a bastard who doesn't deserve the title of knight!"
"What... did you say?"
Enraged, Kiolle raised his sword to strike Paviel. But the Warden's hand was quicker. Before Kiolle could swing, one of the Warden's men, dressed like a hunter and wielding a sword, intercepted the attack. The clash of metal rang through the air as Kiolle's sword was knocked from his grip.
For a moment, the battlefield fell eerily silent.
"Hah... Well, this is something I didn't expect."
The Warden eyed Paviel, who knelt in surrender, and a grim smile crept onto his face.
"So, even in the honorable Imperial Knights, there's someone who knows how to be practical. I wouldn't want to die for someone like him either. I understand."
"…"
"You want me to spare you?... I could. But why should I? Why spare you when I could just kill both of you and be done with it?"
"I'll do anything... Anything! I'll keep your secrets!"
"Paviel, you..." Kiolle's voice trembled with disbelief. But Paviel didn't look back. He kept his head bowed, ignoring his former commander's outrage.
The Warden's amusement grew as he burst into laughter.
"Ha, ha, ha... What a sight! Noble knights who swore oaths to God and loyalty, now betraying each other... Especially over a thorn like Diarca."
"…"
Yuder noticed the Warden's gaze grow cold and sharp, as his snake-like eyes darted toward his men. With a subtle gesture, he signaled his subordinates to be ready. Then, he spoke casually, as if discussing the weather.
"Does anyone know you knights came here?"
"The eight other knights who arrived with us know. But they won't come looking for us."
"Why not?"
At the Warden's question, Paviel clenched his jaw, anger flickering across his face