Turning

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Chapter 253

"We are that Cavalry."

In the silence that filled the space, countless emotions swirled with each carrying its own shock. Yuder turned his head slightly, giving a brief glance at Kishiar's expression. He had completely understood the misunderstanding the mages were having, and given there seemed to be no prior or future circumstances worth investigating, he thought this to be the appropriate moment to reveal their identities, as Kishiar had originally instructed. Yet, he was not entirely certain.

From beneath his lowered hat, Kishiar, who was looking at Yuder, smiled and subtly nodded as soon as their eyes met. It felt as if Kishiar, from his smooth demeanor, also deemed this to be the right moment to step forward, as if he knew what Yuder was thinking. Yuder turned his head away from those captivating lips he found oddly hard to look away from, and faced the mages again.

"...Ar-are you really claiming you're the Cavalry?"

Lorna, who seemed to have somewhat calmed down from the initial shock, managed to ask after a while.

"Does that mean you knew who we were from the start and approached us...?"

"Why would that be? It was purely a coincidence."

Although they had suspected they were mages based on their attire from the first time they saw them, the assistance they had offered was not calculated. The capability and warmth Priest Lusan showed left no room for doubt, a fact that even the mages seemed unable to refute, as they remained silent.

"We didn't even know until a moment ago that you all were under such a misconception about the Cavalry. If we hadn't been trying to learn about the situation in the Great Sarain Forest, we would have simply assisted you and immediately gone our separate ways."

"..."

The mages' eyes wavered. They wanted to think it was a lie, but there was not the slightest indication of deception in Yuder's calm demeanor.

'Are they really that… Cavalry?'

Everything about them differed from the Cavalry the mages had vaguely imagined up to now. Even the party standing behind Yuder, who must have heard the insults directed at the Cavalry, confused them by not showing any anger.

They had thought the party, looking uniquely diverse, was peculiar, but the reason they didn't question too much when they claimed to be a knight order and mercenaries was because they seemed well-mannered and discerning. Not a single one among them matched the existing rumors of the Cavalry, reputedly comprised mostly of peasants and infamous for their uncouth behavior.

"I-I can't believe it. How can I believe you all are the Cavalry?"

"Would you believe us if we did this?"

Yuder raised a single finger towards a mage who sharply retorted. A moment later, a thin stream of fire and water intertwined in a spiral, shooting upwards from his hand. Several mages gasped, swallowing hard at the sight.

"No... Two elements at the same time...?"

"God. Without any preparation... and so young..."

The sight of him using two elements so effortlessly was practically irrefutable evidence of Yuder being an Awakener. The mages no longer demanded proof. In the place where their recent display of goodwill had partially subsided, a mixture of caution, disappointment, and envy began to fill the room.

Yuder withdrew his power and turned to Lorna, who wore a complex expression, and began to speak.

"The reason I reveal this so openly is because we do not wish to add a new misunderstanding—that we deceived you—to the unnecessary confusion we've already created. You offered your kind proposition earlier to accompany us to the stronghold within the Great Sarain Forest... Is that offer still valid?"

The mages around Lorna glanced at each other. A hesitation on what to do next was palpable. Lorna herself seemed to struggle to answer immediately, maintaining a silence before asking a counter-question.

"Really… If you are the Cavalry, and this is all our misunderstanding, then why on earth have you come all the way here?"

"As we've mentioned, it's because of a mission."

"What kind of mission?"

"We can't go into the details, but…"

"It's related to monster subjugation!"

Kanna interrupted Yuder, who was about to answer vaguely about the secret mission.

'...Kanna?'

Kanna blinked shortly at Yuder and waggled her finger slightly. It was challenging to understand exactly what she intended, but glancing at an empty chair she was lightly touching, he made a rough guess.

'She must have figured something out in the meantime.'

If she inferred information, then her answer would be correct. After all, it wasn't incorrect. Yuder decided to go along with Kanna's statement.

"...Yes, she’s right. It's a preliminary investigation related to monster subjugation."

"So, it has something to do with Baron Willhem from the Tain Family…"

"Although we did receive a request for assistance from the Tain Family, the Cavalry officially declined it."

"Huh? But you just said you came here for a mission related to monster subjugation."

"We've determined there is a need to fully understand and assist with the unusual situation in the West, unrelated to the Tain Family."

After saying so, Yuder took a deep breath, squared his shoulders and lifted his chin. To rectify the Cavalry's reputation with these skeptical mages, he needed to act more confidently than anyone else.

"The Cavalry only serves the Empire; it's not a place that moves for the interests of a single family."

The mages facing him involuntarily gulped. Initially, they thought this young man, who was less noticeable than his flamboyant colleague, was quite average. But now, they found themselves unable to take their eyes off him. What on earth could they think of the enormous pride and aura emanating from him?

His pale face and dark eyes pulled people in like the unfathomable night sky. They were unaware of the fact that behind the strange fear touching the bottom of their hearts, there was something akin to fascination.

'What is this feeling… as if I'm dealing with a leader…'

'I only thought he looked a bit gloomy… Did he always have that face?'

'Just how old is he? He can't be that young, can he? Or…'

While each was lost in thought, Lorna managed to regain her composure and finally shook her head and spoke.

"...Alright. I understand what you're saying."

"Does that mean you trust us?"

"It's not as if we can verify the truth right here and now."

"Lorna!"

"If the Cavalry really ventured out for the extermination, disregarding the concerns of others and acting solely for the Empire, then we would have no reason to confront them here and now."

Lorna quickly responded to her comrade mage's anxious voice.

"If the monster incident that occurred today were to end today, that would be one thing. But we all anticipated that it would be difficult for us alone to tackle the Great Sarain Forest this year. And one way or another, the fact remains that they've provided us with substantial help."

"Well..."

"I find it hard to believe everything at once, too. However, as a mage, we've learned to think rationally based on the phenomena that occur, so that's what I'm trying to do."

"Right. But still..."

Contrasting emotions filled the mages' faces. The conflict was evident as they grappled between the reality of the non-hostile Cavalry before them and their past perception of the detested imaginary Cavalry.

Just as their minds were in turmoil, Kishiar's voice softly echoed from behind Yuder, as if he was waiting for this very moment.

"It seems you're troubled by the proposition of joining us in the forest. If our misunderstanding can be cleared, that alone would be enough, so you don't need to stick to that proposal. It's a wise decision for the group to avoid the risks and retreat."

"What... what are you saying? Are you suggesting that we, who made the initial proposal, are trying to run away out of fear?"

"We were not contemplating for such reasons!"

Those who felt directly targeted immediately rebutted. The other mages, who had been contemplating, suddenly realized that retreating from here would mean they would be seen as denigrating their benefactors and even rejecting their own proposal, and their expressions became strange.

'Indeed, there's none better than him at changing the atmosphere with just a word... Now, I suppose it's time to bring this out.'

Yuder, secretly admiring, took out the final tool to secure the mages' decision from his pocket.

"As you heard, it's fine if we don't go together. However, would you be able to deliver this letter to your leader, Micalin Punt?"

"What is that?"

Lorna asked, looking at the letter in Yuder's hand.

"It's a letter from the mage who told me about the Western Mage Union and your leader. He asked me to deliver it."

"A mage who told you about us? What are you talking about, Lorna?"

"Did we have a mage who was friendly with the Cavalry?"

Behind Lorna, the mages murmured, but Lorna did not answer easily.

"I intended to give it to your leader when we meet directly... But given the circumstances, delivering it should be enough."

"How do we know if that's true?"

"If you're suspicious, you can confirm it for yourself."

Yuder handed the letter to Lorna. Seeing the name of Thais Yulman written on the surface of the introduction letter, Lorna's eyes widened.

"Thais Yulman... you can't mean one of the Elders of the Pearl Tower, Thais Yulman?"

"What? Thais Yulman?"

"Thais Yulman, the one who was said to have no equal in the field of research on the nature of magic?"

The mages crowded behind Lorna en masse, examining the name written on the surface of the letter. As Lorna opened the letter moments later, the eyes of many converged on her hands.

"This is..."

Silence fell.

It was an undeniable genuine letter. Moreover, anticipating a day like today when the letter might fail to reach Micalin due to the doubts of other mages, Yulman had left numerous traces that only the mages of the Pearl Tower could recognize.

The Cavalry members holding this letter were credible individuals who had provided significant help in his research, and they had embarked on the monster extermination mission with pure intentions. From his request for cooperation and mutual help, the mages read the disguised language of an Elder's veiled threat, which wasn't exactly a threat.

"So, our leader was a junior to a master like him."

"He is receiving help in his research... What exactly is he researching?"

"He would be terribly upset if the extermination mission drags on and causes problems...?"

Being mages themselves, they understood better than anyone the sentiment of not wishing for problems to occur in their research subjects. The young mages silently stared at the Cavalry members, and at Yuder's face, in front of the intimidating letter disguised as a letter of introduction from a senior and daunting Elder.

"...What on earth are you guys..."

There was no one left who had anything more to argue with the Cavalry. They began packing their belongings without a word, moving briskly and efficiently.

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