Turning

Chapter 529

‘Ah… Research continued even after this point.’

Yuder quickly flipped through the pages, skimming their contents.

The author had presented his research anonymously and seemed to have attempted various magic experiments. However, the tales woven from archaic jargon and complex magical terminology didn't particularly interest Yuder. Even if something important was hidden among those lines, he believed that Enon would probably be better at discerning it than he was.

‘Enon would get mad if he heard me say that, but oh well…’

Unabashedly, he continued reading until he reached the last page.

There, a few hasty sentences were scribbled.

Suffering from a terminal illness brings forth various regrets. Although my research yielded practical gains, it did not clearly provide the answers I sought. After my father's death, the only one who held the same questions was my Spiritual father. What did he gain? Where is he now after leaving Gyllandr Hill with the scripture…

I leave this here because I believe he may return someday. If it's him, he'll undoubtedly decipher everything written here.

With those telling lines, the research journal came to a close. Kishiar had also added his own notes at the end, writing, "Gyllandr seems to be a word from an ancient language, but its precise meaning is unclear. The last sentence is entirely in archaic script, and the ink is smudged; the reason for this is unknown."

"… Archmage Luma disappeared from the Empire a few years after the death of the First Emperor. Though he is said to have had little to do with temples or faith, the truth is unknown. Thus, the part about him leaving with the scriptures is somewhat enigmatic."

Could the scriptures symbolize something else? He pondered but couldn't come up with an answer. However, another phrase caught Yuder's attention more than anything else: After my father's death.

Who else could be the father of the first Duke Tain, if not the famous Founder and First Emperor of Orr?

"It's hard to imagine how the death of the First Emperor could impact both this research and Archmage Luma, but I suppose it's worth looking into."

He wondered if this was the same matter that Enon had been concerned about.

The first Duke Tain, who sought the origins of monsters. Luma, who researched time reversal. Their enigmatic confrontation, and the First Emperor of Orr. Names from a past that should have no relation to Yuder Aile, who was living a thousand years later.

Yuder stared at the last page laid out before him and finally closed the book. It was then that he noticed a very faint imprint on the blank back page.

‘What's this?’

Focusing his eyes, he saw that the imprint was left by a pen tip that hadn't been inked. As he traced it with his gaze, his eyes abruptly halted.

"Yu…der."

Yuder Aile.

The moment he realized that the faint imprint spelled his name, an indescribable sensation surged through him, making his blood rush and his heart pound furiously.

The markings were in Kishiar's handwriting, albeit in a different language. Yuder gently touched the spot where his own name was written with the tip of a dried ink pen. He imagined the man who had written his name one character at a time after completing the translation.

A neat repetition, but a scribble that would be invisible unless one paid close attention.

As he felt the texture through his fingertips, he was reminded of Kishiar's voice calling out to him. At the same time, it was as if a small current sparked through him.

"..."

Yuder briefly lifted his finger, then furrowed his brow and lowered his head.

Kishiar had written this translation while Yuder had left for a few hours under the pretext of meeting Enon. Imagining him writing it down as he waited for Yuder's return, and even inscribing Yuder's name in an unnoticeable spot with any time he had left, made it impossible for Yuder to repress his sentimental feelings without biting his lip.

Especially when he considered that in some way, the waiting continued even now.

Yuder thought of Kishiar's red eyes, which prioritized Yuder over any other questions or waiting. He then took a deep breath and made up his mind.

'Enon told me to come soon... It wouldn’t matter if that meant today, would it?'

"You looked busy; I thought you'd come a few days later. What brings you so quickly?"

"I just finished reading the translation the Commander gave me, so I was curious."

"Hmm. Alright. Come in."

Enon's room in the Cavalry was located right next to the medical division. It was an optimal location to both take care of severely injured patients and sense the presence of unexpected visitors at any time.

As Yuder entered the room, which smelled strongly of dried herbs, he got straight to the point.

"Did you find anything about the journal?"

"If you've read it all, you'd know. It's because of what's written at the very end."

Enon fetched the original journal and opened it. He pointed to the last page.

"First, this. Gyllandr Hill. I know where it is."

"What?"

"It’s the name of the house where Luma stayed while conducting his research. To be precise, it was until I woke up."

Enon nonchalantly revealed the identity of Gyllandr Hill, ignoring Yuder's rarely altered expression as he continued speaking.

"I was planning to go there soon anyway. Thought there might be something useful."

"Can you go?"

"I can. Don’t ask for details. Next, look at this."

"Why this section?"

This time, Enon pointed to the sentence, "If it’s him, he would naturally understand what’s written here."

"This part is written in enchanted ink. It’s obscured by multiple layers of illusions, Luma-style. Unless you know Luma’s magic well, like me, you won't be able to understand it."

"Ah…"

It then occurred to Yuder that Kishiar had noted that he could not figure out why that particular sentence was written in a hazy and complex manner.

"The Commander had also marked that sentence as strange."

"Really? He’s not deeply schooled in magic, yet he noticed that?"

Enon's expression changed very oddly before he scowled.

"Ah, whatever. Anyway, when you break it down, it reveals this."

As Enon brushed the sentence in a peculiar way, claiming that even though he couldn’t perform magic, he could decode this, new text appeared on the previously blank page beside it. At a glance, it seemed to be quite a significant amount, covering multiple pages.

The journal appeared to be left unfinished, as if its author had died before using up all the paper. As it turned out, however, there was more—hidden in the empty pages.

"After a certain amount of time, it will disappear, so it won't last much longer. The guy who wrote this journal left his thoughts freely penned before he died. From my perspective, this is what really matters to you."

The tension sharply escalated upon hearing these words.

"What does it say?"

"You may recall I once mentioned that maybe Luma began his research after encountering someone like you—a person who could travel back in time. Do you remember?"

"I remember."

"If we assume that everything written here is based on facts, then that person might have been the First Emperor of this land."

It was a shocking statement. Yuder recalled the writings of the first Duke Tain, who wrote that after his father’s death, he and his spiritual father, his mentor, had been wondering the same thing. Yuder slowly opened his mouth.

"You're saying the First Emperor might have been like me? How? Are you sure?"

"I can't guarantee its accuracy. What's important is that it seems both the author of this journal and Luma believed so."

The revelation felt so unrealistic, so absurd, as it was utterly unexpected.

'I almost want to ask if I've read something wrong.'

However, Yuder calmed himself, realizing that his own experiences would sound no less implausible to others.

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