Kiolle stared at Yuder with the expression of someone who had barely survived plunging into hell. But his defiant gaze quickly faltered, snuffed out like a small flame before the chilling wind of Yuder's unflinching stare.
"An admission, an apology, and a promise to do anything I ask. Those are the best things you've said so far. Not bad persuasion," Yuder commented, his voice steady.
For a brief moment, hope flickered in Kiolle's eyes. But Yuder's next words came with an icy undertone.
"But why should I believe you?"
"What?"
"Anyone can say the right words," Yuder said coolly. "How can I trust you actually mean them? Once we're out of here, you could easily deny you ever made such promises, and that would be the end of it."
"Damn it. Then what do you want from me? Should I swear a knight's oath?"
"An oath is far too weak."
"Then what? What do you want me to do?"
He was clearly at a loss. Yuder watched his puzzled face for a moment before a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Don't worry. I'll find a way to make sure your persuasion is genuine." Yuder straightened up. "Wait here."
"What? Wait—no! You have to untie me first!" Kiolle's voice rose in panic as he grabbed at Yuder's cloak. But Yuder easily slipped free, standing tall as he brushed the fabric off with deliberate calm.
"I'll only be gone a moment. You won't die while I'm gone, so stay quiet and keep your mouth shut."
"Wait! You said you'd help me!" Kiolle's pleas grew more desperate as Yuder turned to leave. "Where are you going? Come back!"
Even in this miserable state, Kiolle's pride still flared up. Yuder, halfway to the door, paused. He bent down and leaned in close, causing Kiolle to freeze, his earlier bravado quickly dissolving into fear.
'Scared, huh?' Yuder thought as he reached for the gag hanging loosely around Kiolle's neck. In one swift motion, he pulled it back into place.
"Gah—!!"
Kiolle's eyes widened as he thrashed about, violently shaking his head. He had endured endless humiliations, grasping for any chance at survival, and yet he felt like he was tumbling back into the depths of hell. His panic was understandable.
'But he needs to learn when to trust someone,'
"If you truly meant what you said about doing anything, the first step is learning how to wait in silence."
"Mmmph! Grghh!"
"I'll be back,"
Without another glance at Kiolle, Yuder left the cell. He waited for Nahan and the young boy to step out before locking the door behind him. Kiolle's muffled cries echoed from inside, but no one paid any attention.
"He'll never keep his promise," Nahan remarked, his voice cold and detached.
"I know,"
"Then how do you plan to make him keep it?"
"I told you, I'll find a way," Yuder replied casually, striding ahead with purpose. It wasn't long before he came upon three unconscious Awakeners. They had initially been taken down with nothing more than a few thrown stones, but their current state was a disaster. It was easy to guess who had done it.
'Looks like Devran and the others had their share of torment.'
Yuder used his power over the wind to lift the unconscious figures, distributing them into empty cells as he passed by, before resuming his stride. His next destination was the crossroads he had seen earlier.
Before, he had headed toward the prison, but this time he turned in the opposite direction. The real goal for the day lay that way.
"Aha," Nahan murmured as he followed along, his expression brightening as if he had figured something out. "I see. There really is a way."
Soon enough, the corridor widened, and faint voices could be heard echoing from further inside. The calmness of the voices suggested they were still unaware of the chaos unfolding outside.
'Seems like Devran and the prisoners handled the ones they encountered.'
Without hesitation, Yuder continued toward those who had no idea that a shadow of misfortune was silently closing in on them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
"…They're late."
"Hmm?"
"What is it? Are you already awake, Jimmy?"
Gakane, who had been sitting by the window in the castle, turned in surprise to see Jimmy stirring in his bed. Gakane had only been muttering to himself, not intending to disturb the sleeping boy.
"Did I wake you?" he asked, a bit sheepishly.
"No, I woke up on my own. I had a good sleep," Jimmy replied rubbing his eyes, his cheeks, which had been flushed with a slight fever before bed, were now back to their normal color.
Gakane didn't notice the peculiar scent that those on the verge of a second gender manifestation exuded, but just to be sure, he gently touched Jimmy's forehead, then quickly pulled his hand away when he felt no heat.
"So what did you mean by 'late'?" Jimmy asked.
"Well… Yuder is taking longer than I expected."
"Yuder?" Jimmy echoed, fully awake now. He glanced out the large window by the bed. The sun was setting, casting the sky in a beautiful crimson hue, but the sight of the blackened, burned buildings below made it hard to appreciate the view.
Jimmy shifted his worried gaze back to Gakane, who was still staring outside.
"True… I thought he'd be back before sunset too. But if anything had happened, Yuder would've sent the signal like he promised. Don't worry too much, Gakane."
There was something oddly calm and reassuring in Jimmy's tone, which made Gakane manage a faint smile in return.
"You're right. Anyway, it's good that you're awake. I was just about to head out and check on things."
"Check? Ah. You mean on that man, Zakail?"
"Yeah. While you were sleeping, I went out on the pretext of getting some water and noticed Zakail wasn't in the castle."
"He wasn't? Where could he have gone?"
"I have no idea. He might've come back by now, so I want to go check again."
"Wow. Let me come too!" Jimmy's eyes sparkled as he threw off the blanket, eager to join.
But Gakane quickly placed a hand on the boy's head, gently pushing him back down.
"No, you can't."
"Why not!"
"People here think you're resting because you're unwell from the long journey," Gakane explained patiently. "The best way to scout around without raising suspicion is for me to go out, pretending to fetch things like water or towels while I look after you."
Unable to find a good rebuttal to Gakane's logic, Jimmy sighed and pouted in disappointment.
"...Fine. Just hurry back. I'll wait here."
"Right. But you'll need to keep an eye on things from the window. If you see Yuder send up flames or any other signal, don't hesitate—come find me immediately."
"I understand,"
Gakane stood up, satisfied that Jimmy, with his calm and sharp judgment, would handle things well while he was gone. As he stepped out into the hallway, he quickly spotted a few maids chatting quietly among themselves. There was an air of discomfort around the castle's unwelcome guests, but Gakane didn't let that bother him. Instead, he approached them with a warm smile.
"Excuse me," he greeted politely. "Could I possibly get a towel?"
"A towel? For what?" one of the older maids asked, eyeing him with suspicion.
"One of our younger companions isn't feeling well," Gakane explained smoothly. "He's running a fever, and we need a wet towel to help cool him down."
"The little one… Are you talking about the brown-haired boy that came with you?" the maid asked, her tone softening a bit.
"Yes. Poor thing, the long journey seems to have been too much for him. He's still just a child, after all."
Despite their evident dislike for the Awakeners, the mention of Jimmy, an innocent child, stirred sympathy among the maids. The older maid, who appeared to be a mother herself, exchanged concerned glances with the others. The tension in the air quickly dissipated, just as Gakane had intended.
"I'll get one for you," the maid said, her voice much gentler now. "Wait here."
"Thank you. You're very kind," Gakane replied, his charming smile adding to his disarming presence.
Gakane knew well how to use his striking looks and soft-spoken demeanor to his advantage, and he was quick to lower their guard. By the time the maid returned with the towel, he had already gathered a wealth of information from their casual conversation.
"Jimmy, I'm back. Any problems?" Gakane asked as he entered the room.
"No. Did Zakail come back?" Jimmy, who had been keeping watch by the window, turned around quickly.
Gakane nodded, placing the towel on the table. "Yes, he did. He left and returned within an hour."
"So… did he just meet someone from the village?"
"No, that's not it. Zakail has been sneaking out of the castle alone for about a year now," Gakane explained. "But it's strange. He's often seen meeting with unfamiliar hunters—people no one around here recognizes. The former lord was worried about it."
"Hunters? That's suspicious,"
"I don't know exactly who they are, but I found out something else interesting," Gakane continued.
"What's that?" Jimmy asked, curious.
"Devran's younger sister had a close relationship with Zakail's elder brother," Gakane revealed. "Not too long ago, Zakail told the late lord about it. The lord was furious and locked Devran's sister up in the castle. Devran, who was on leave at the time, seems to have rushed back because of it."
Jimmy's eyes widened in surprise as Gakane casually shared this deep, personal information—details Jimmy hadn't been able to pick up while roaming around the village.