Turning Chapter 1146

Chapter 1146

Yuder saw Kanna and Gakane's faces overlapping in Edin's face. Their appearance when they had been perplexed after noticing unexpected facts yet worried about Yuder looked exactly like Edin now.

'Come to think of it... unlike Kanna and Gakane, Edin was definitely a member who knew about my scandal in my previous life. Could reactions change this much?'

While the Edin of that time hadn't openly picked fights with Yuder, he hadn't been favorable either. That's why this situation felt even more strange.

Unlike Kanna and Gakane with whom he had built deep friendships, he wasn't particularly close with Yuder, yet he was worrying about Yuder more than Kishiar and saying he wouldn't reveal what he had learned. Where had that heart grown from?

Yuder stared at Edin's reddened face for a moment before opening his mouth.

"It's okay to tell."

"Huh?"

"You don't particularly need to keep it secret."

He was sincere. Since the day he decided to share the scandal with Kishiar in the West, that relationship had long ceased to be a shameful secret for Yuder Aile.

But Edin blinked as if surprised, then after a moment made a hurt expression.

"...Is it because you don't trust me?"

"If that were the case, I wouldn't have answered your question or would have denied it in the first place. I mean exactly what I said - you don't need to go through the trouble."

Keeping a secret is difficult. Even if you keep your mouth shut, it often causes misunderstandings from those around you due to what shows in your attitude, and even if not, just the fact of hiding something itself makes people very troubled. Why go through such trouble when you don't need to?

'I should have told Kanna and Gakane this earlier too.'

While thinking that, Edin, who had been silent, said something that overturned Yuder's expectations.

"If you're saying that because you're worried I'll have a hard time, thanks but I'll say no."

"...What?"

"Yuder. You're the strongest among our first generation members. Sometimes I really suspected you might be lying about your age. But you know you're only the same age as my youngest sibling?"

"..."

"If my youngest were to have that kind of... relationship with someone from the imperial family somewhere, of course I'd worry as an older brother! Even knowing how good a person the other party is, it's the same. Because a person's public appearance isn't everything! People like us from commoner backgrounds can just roll off a cliff at any time!"

Edin, who had been speaking quickly, caught himself with a "hah" and then added emphatically, 'Not that that would happen to you, of course!'

"So... what I want to say is."

Edin clenched his fists and shouted.

"Anyway, I want things to go well for you, so I want to help! How can I not worry about someone who says it's okay not to keep it secret without even knowing how scary this situation is? So no matter how much you say it's fine, I refuse this one thing!"

Yuder stared blankly at Edin.

"...What if I said I was older than you, Edin, and knew everything there was to know? Would you still have come like this?"

"What? So you really did lie about your age?!... Just kidding, but even if that were true... hmm. I think I still would have come to say the same thing..."

"Why?"

Though he was aware he was questioning unusually persistently, he wanted to know what had created the difference between Edin of the previous life and this life.

After a moment of silence, Edin, who had been crossing his arms with a thoughtful face and tapping the ground with his toe, opened his mouth.

"Well... honestly, when I first joined the Cavalry... I thought you seemed kind of arrogant and hard to approach."

"..."

"But, remember? In the beginning, you know. You gave advice to all Cavalry members about developing their abilities. I actually thought you'd only do that for your friends... but you really gave it to everyone who asked. You even made individual training menus for those who didn't ask because they were embarrassed or didn't want to acknowledge you."

Yes. That had happened. It was something he had done believing that the growth of the entire Cavalry would help in the future.

Edin grinned with an embarrassed expression.

"I was ashamed when I realized how greatly I had misunderstood you then. You were just genuinely sincere about training and the Cavalry... I felt needless inferiority even though I'd never worked as hard as you."

"..."

"It's all thanks to you that my ability could develop this much. You even helped our entire branch now. So you're my benefactor... and it's right that people shouldn't do ungrateful things that might put their benefactor in danger."

"..."

"Just, that's why. Since I couldn't honestly say thank you until now... I want to help by at least worrying and keeping my mouth shut. That's not wrong, is it?"

Yuder felt like he finally understood the answer to his curious question.

That everything ultimately started from the smallest changes.

He opened his mouth towards the embarrassed Edin.

"...I understand. If that's what you want to do, then do it. But don't try too hard to help me in situations where you don't really need to keep secrets."

Edin lifted his head sharply. Yuder added one last thing as he mounted his horse.

"Because that statement just now seems to have been the biggest help. Thank you."

"Huh?! Wh-what?"

Yuder pulled the reins without hesitation. The well-trained horse began running as if flying. Behind him, Edin shouted something with his face bright red.

"What I said earlier about contacting me if you need help was real! Don't forget!"

While returning to Peletta Castle, Yuder felt lighter than ever before. It felt as if someone had confirmed that the path he was taking wasn't wrong, that he was heading where he wanted to go.

'But apart from this feeling... I should probably think about how to let those around us know about my relationship with Kishiar.'

The one who greeted Yuder lost in thought was Captain Welliven of the knights, smiling broadly.

"Welcome, Baron Aile. Did your business at the branch go well?"

"Yes. But why are you out here?"

He had only asked because it was strange that someone who should be working at the Peletta Knights headquarters at this time was out near the castle entrance stables, but Welliven smiled even more broadly as if he had been waiting for the question.

"I was waiting because I thought you might return around this time."

"Do you have some business with me?"

"I heard you're planning to leave tomorrow to finally begin your true vacation. So if it's alright... before you leave, could you give some instruction to our good-for-nothing knights?"

'Ah.'

Come to think of it, he remembered having a similar conversation with Welliven before. Welliven spoke carefully while his eyes sparkled.

"Of course, if you're busy we can look forward to next time... but just, if you have even a little time."

Though he said that, the fact that the knight captain had waited here alone for Yuder was certainly not a small matter that could 'look forward to next time.' Seeing the old knight who must have tried his best to meet Yuder somehow before he left, Yuder recalled Nathan Zuckerman's words.

'He has a somewhat persistent side... didn't he tell me not to keep indulging him?'

But Yuder liked such people. Being persistent meant having desire. A captain who showed greed without caring about appearances for the knights he led - such people were truly rare and precious in the current Orr Empire.

"Alright. Would right now be fine?"

"Oh! Excellent. As it happens, I've prepared everything, so you just need to come, Baron."

Welliven laughed heartily with joy. Yuder headed to the training grounds used by the Peletta Knights with him.

As Welliven had said, almost all the knights were out there training.

'I've briefly looked around here with Kishiar when no one was around, but this is my first time coming here during training.'

"Baron Aile has come! Everyone assemble!"