"What on earth are you doing!"
Nathan Zuckerman wore a baffled expression. Rather than responding, Yuder finished landing and sprinted towards Ejain, leaving behind a single phrase.
"Attack the main body, not the tail."
"What! Something came out from the ground!"
"What's that? It looks like a sphere, and it's connected to a tail?"
The Eldore siblings had just managed to find the main body burrowed in the ground, conjuring up their magic stones.
'Now that they've found the main body, they can handle the rest.'
Ejain was lying a bit further from where Yuder had last seen him. His body was a mess; he must not have evaded the piles of dirt properly.
"Are you the Second Prince of Nelarn?"
Even from the silver strands of hair alone, it was clear that he was Ejain. However, Yuder approached and asked out of courtesy. Ejain groaned and lifted his head in response to Yuder's voice. His face was smeared with blood, as if his forehead had been torn open.
"You are... that... from the imperial garden back then?"
"Yes. The one from the Cavalry."
"Yuder... Aile. Right."
Surprisingly, Ejain remembered Yuder's name correctly.
"Yes, that's correct."
"What happened? The presence of the Cavalry here..."
"I am a member of the first dispatched Cavalry sent to escort you, Your Highness. We happened upon this monster attack while on our way to the rendezvous point."
Yuder never expected to run into Prince Ejain and his party in such a place. Upon hearing Yuder's indifferent response, a faint smile crossed Ejain's face as the hard lines of his wary expression faded.
"... Astonishing. I thought I was going to die, but not only did I survive, I ran into you again, in this way. It seems God hasn't abandoned me yet."
"Are you able to stand up?"
"Yes, if you could help a bit."
Yuder helped Ejain to his feet by draping the prince's arm over his shoulder. As Ejain leaned on Yuder and staggered, he glanced at the churned earth and the fallen monster and his eyes widened.
"Did you defeat it?"
"Yes."
"We couldn't even scratch it despite our numerous attempts... how did you manage?"
"Every monster has a weakness. The weakness of this monster is the main body buried in the ground. Unless you attack that, it cannot be brought down."
"I see... So, that's why..."
Ejain, sounding rather resigned, began to step forward, then grimaced with pain, biting his lip.
"Argh..."
"Did you injure your foot?"
"I can walk. I'm okay."
One of his ankles was bloodied, but Ejain stubbornly tried to keep walking. His previously calm expression was replaced by the fleeting shadow of a wounded pride. Ignoring this, Yuder spoke.
"Don't push yourself. Stay still. A shadow that can transport you will arrive soon. Please endure until then."
"A shadow?"
"Yes, it's my colleague's ability. Using it, you can travel without any jostling and arrive safely at the rendezvous."
Upon hearing Yuder's response, Ejain was silent for a moment.
"...I envy you."
"Pardon?"
"Even though I've trained enough to gather some aura and received praise for my talent with the sword, all I felt was frustration against that monster. But the power you and your companions have, to deal with such a creature so easily..."
It was a power that had come to him without effort, yet it was incredibly potent. Jealousy radiated from Ejain's eyes.
"..."
Not knowing how to respond, Yuder opted for silence. After a moment, Ejain gave a bitter smile, his mysterious purple eyes twinkling.
"I apologize. That was not something I should have said to the person who saved my life."
"No, it's fine."
"I've thought this before, but you... you seem like a really good person."
Yuder Aile, a good person? If the knights from the Imperial Knights, whom he had soundly thrashed not too long ago, heard this, they'd be astounded. Regardless of his perplexing expression, Ejain looked down at Yuder's shoulder that was propping him up, and continued speaking.
"Perhaps our encounter is a matter of fate, going beyond mere fortune..."
"Pardon?"
"I don't mean it in a weird way."
Ejain quickly added, concerned that Yuder might misunderstand.
"I just think that us crossing paths twice now might suggest some powerful connection between us."
The first to detect this crisis situation was Kishiar. So if it's a matter of fate, wouldn't that fate be between Ejain and Kishiar? Yuder decided not to explain this, fearing it might upset the bleeding prince.
'He must be disoriented from losing so much blood. The shock must be significant... He needs medical attention soon.'
Just then, Gakane's shadow approached rapidly, allowing Ejain to receive treatment shortly.
"Prince!"
The moment they returned to where Kishiar, Kanna, Gakane, and Lusan were, Melbon, bandaged in various places, rushed over with a pained expression.
"I'm so relieved you're safe. By God... God has watched over us. Thank you. But the amount of blood you've lost... Oh my goodness."
"I see you're safe too, Melbon."
"Yes, thankfully, these people saved me. Jen and Feyti are safe too, so don't worry too much."
Tears welling in his eyes, Melbon wiped them with his sleeve.
"Priest. Priest. This man is our prince. Please, tend to his wounds...!"
"Understood."
While in the middle of healing others, Lusan rushed over to examine Ejain's condition.
"Fortunately, your injuries are not severe. Receive a bit of divine power and rest for a day or two, and you should recover quickly."
Lusan carefully cleaned the blood from Ejain's face, ankles, and other parts with a wet cloth, then used his divine power. In no time, Ejain was able to stand on his own, looking pale but otherwise recovered.
"Thank you. It's fortunate to meet such a skilled priest here."
"You flatter me."
As Lusan scratched his head and looked down, blushing, Ejain bowed his head in thanks.
"No, it's us who should thank you for healing me and my men."
"Prince Ejain."
At that moment, Kishiar, who had been nearby, approached. The atmosphere changed instantly at the arrival of the man with extraordinary appearance and physique.
"It's the first time we are having a personal conversation. I am Kishiar La Orr, the Commander of the Cavalry and the Duke of Peletta, here to assist with this incident."
Ejain stared at Kishiar's extended hand for a moment before quietly accepting it.
"I am Ejain Afnan Nelarn, the Second Prince of Nelarn. I was well aware of your reputation, Duke, and that of your Cavalry. We owe you a great debt this time."
"I came here to help, so it's only natural I did my part. I'm just glad we didn't arrive too late."
After the gentle exchange of pleasantries, the two men released each other's hands. Yuder, who had never seen the two men meet in his previous life, was momentarily captivated by the sight of their smiling faces greeting each other.
"Yuder, Yuder. That's the Second Prince of Nelarn, right?"
But he had no time to be absorbed in contemplation. Kanna, who had appeared late, asked him a question in a whisper, her face bright with excitement. This prompted Yuder to promptly withdraw his gaze from the fascinating scene.
"Yes."
"Wow. I saw him from a distance at the party before, but I didn't realize how mysterious his eye color is up close. It's beautiful, like a gem."
The lilac-colored eyes passed down through generations of the Nelarn royal family were not clearly visible from a distance. Only when viewed up close did they reflect the light, shining like amethysts.
"Aren't you amazed, Yuder?"
"Not really."
Even if they were mysterious, they were still parts of a human body, just like his own. He didn't find it particularly noteworthy.
While Yuder watched Kishiar and Ejain conversing, Gakane also approached and stood by his side. He looked worn out from having used his shadow clone to transport not only the injured but also the bodies of the monsters and others who had fallen in the vicinity.
"You were both here."
"Gakane, have you finished moving everything?"
When Kanna asked, her eyes wide, Gakane nodded.
"Yes."
"You must be exhausted. Go and get some healing from the priest."
"I'm more worried that Yuder might have hurt himself using his powers."
Despite being likely the most exhausted among them, Gakane was concerned for Yuder.
"I'm okay."
Yuder reassured him before adding that he should go and get healed. Gakane cast a worried glance at Yuder's gloved hand before turning away.
"Now, we should prepare to leave soon. We must protect Prince Ejain and his entourage cautiously until we reach our destination. From now on, two people will ride on each Misty Wind Horse."
Not long after, Kishiar concluded his conversation with Ejain and issued new orders to his men. It was a command for them to share their horses temporarily to protect Prince Ejain and his party, who had lost all their horses and carriages in the chaos.
The men dismounted their horses and welcomed their new companions. The surviving entourage of Prince Ejain rode with Gakane, Kanna, and Emun, while the Eldore siblings naturally ended up riding together.
And Yuder found himself face-to-face once again with Prince Ejain, whose eyebrows were lowered in a playful smile.
"Here I am, in your debt again. I appreciate your assistance."
"The pleasure is mine."
"What on earth are you doing!"
Nathan Zuckerman wore a baffled expression. Rather than responding, Yuder finished landing and sprinted towards Ejain, leaving behind a single phrase.
"Attack the main body, not the tail."
"What! Something came out from the ground!"
"What's that? It looks like a sphere, and it's connected to a tail?"
The Eldore siblings had just managed to find the main body burrowed in the ground, conjuring up their magic stones.
'Now that they've found the main body, they can handle the rest.'
Ejain was lying a bit further from where Yuder had last seen him. His body was a mess; he must not have evaded the piles of dirt properly.
"Are you the Second Prince of Nelarn?"
Even from the silver strands of hair alone, it was clear that he was Ejain. However, Yuder approached and asked out of courtesy. Ejain groaned and lifted his head in response to Yuder's voice. His face was smeared with blood, as if his forehead had been torn open.
"You are... that... from the imperial garden back then?"
"Yes. The one from the Cavalry."
"Yuder... Aile. Right."
Surprisingly, Ejain remembered Yuder's name correctly.
"Yes, that's correct."
"What happened? The presence of the Cavalry here..."
"I am a member of the first dispatched Cavalry sent to escort you, Your Highness. We happened upon this monster attack while on our way to the rendezvous point."
Yuder never expected to run into Prince Ejain and his party in such a place. Upon hearing Yuder's indifferent response, a faint smile crossed Ejain's face as the hard lines of his wary expression faded.
"... Astonishing. I thought I was going to die, but not only did I survive, I ran into you again, in this way. It seems God hasn't abandoned me yet."
"Are you able to stand up?"
"Yes, if you could help a bit."
Yuder helped Ejain to his feet by draping the prince's arm over his shoulder. As Ejain leaned on Yuder and staggered, he glanced at the churned earth and the fallen monster and his eyes widened.
"Did you defeat it?"
"Yes."
"We couldn't even scratch it despite our numerous attempts... how did you manage?"
"Every monster has a weakness. The weakness of this monster is the main body buried in the ground. Unless you attack that, it cannot be brought down."
"I see... So, that's why..."
Ejain, sounding rather resigned, began to step forward, then grimaced with pain, biting his lip.
"Argh..."
"Did you injure your foot?"
"I can walk. I'm okay."
One of his ankles was bloodied, but Ejain stubbornly tried to keep walking. His previously calm expression was replaced by the fleeting shadow of a wounded pride. Ignoring this, Yuder spoke.
"Don't push yourself. Stay still. A shadow that can transport you will arrive soon. Please endure until then."
"A shadow?"
"Yes, it's my colleague's ability. Using it, you can travel without any jostling and arrive safely at the rendezvous."
Upon hearing Yuder's response, Ejain was silent for a moment.
"...I envy you."
"Pardon?"
"Even though I've trained enough to gather some aura and received praise for my talent with the sword, all I felt was frustration against that monster. But the power you and your companions have, to deal with such a creature so easily..."
It was a power that had come to him without effort, yet it was incredibly potent. Jealousy radiated from Ejain's eyes.
"..."
Not knowing how to respond, Yuder opted for silence. After a moment, Ejain gave a bitter smile, his mysterious purple eyes twinkling.
"I apologize. That was not something I should have said to the person who saved my life."
"No, it's fine."
"I've thought this before, but you... you seem like a really good person."
Yuder Aile, a good person? If the knights from the Imperial Knights, whom he had soundly thrashed not too long ago, heard this, they'd be astounded. Regardless of his perplexing expression, Ejain looked down at Yuder's shoulder that was propping him up, and continued speaking.
"Perhaps our encounter is a matter of fate, going beyond mere fortune..."
"Pardon?"
"I don't mean it in a weird way."
Ejain quickly added, concerned that Yuder might misunderstand.
"I just think that us crossing paths twice now might suggest some powerful connection between us."
The first to detect this crisis situation was Kishiar. So if it's a matter of fate, wouldn't that fate be between Ejain and Kishiar? Yuder decided not to explain this, fearing it might upset the bleeding prince.
'He must be disoriented from losing so much blood. The shock must be significant... He needs medical attention soon.'
Just then, Gakane's shadow approached rapidly, allowing Ejain to receive treatment shortly.
"Prince!"
The moment they returned to where Kishiar, Kanna, Gakane, and Lusan were, Melbon, bandaged in various places, rushed over with a pained expression.
"I'm so relieved you're safe. By God... God has watched over us. Thank you. But the amount of blood you've lost... Oh my goodness."
"I see you're safe too, Melbon."
"Yes, thankfully, these people saved me. Jen and Feyti are safe too, so don't worry too much."
Tears welling in his eyes, Melbon wiped them with his sleeve.
"Priest. Priest. This man is our prince. Please, tend to his wounds...!"
"Understood."
While in the middle of healing others, Lusan rushed over to examine Ejain's condition.
"Fortunately, your injuries are not severe. Receive a bit of divine power and rest for a day or two, and you should recover quickly."
Lusan carefully cleaned the blood from Ejain's face, ankles, and other parts with a wet cloth, then used his divine power. In no time, Ejain was able to stand on his own, looking pale but otherwise recovered.
"Thank you. It's fortunate to meet such a skilled priest here."
"You flatter me."
As Lusan scratched his head and looked down, blushing, Ejain bowed his head in thanks.
"No, it's us who should thank you for healing me and my men."
"Prince Ejain."
At that moment, Kishiar, who had been nearby, approached. The atmosphere changed instantly at the arrival of the man with extraordinary appearance and physique.
"It's the first time we are having a personal conversation. I am Kishiar La Orr, the Commander of the Cavalry and the Duke of Peletta, here to assist with this incident."
Ejain stared at Kishiar's extended hand for a moment before quietly accepting it.
"I am Ejain Afnan Nelarn, the Second Prince of Nelarn. I was well aware of your reputation, Duke, and that of your Cavalry. We owe you a great debt this time."
"I came here to help, so it's only natural I did my part. I'm just glad we didn't arrive too late."
After the gentle exchange of pleasantries, the two men released each other's hands. Yuder, who had never seen the two men meet in his previous life, was momentarily captivated by the sight of their smiling faces greeting each other.
"Yuder, Yuder. That's the Second Prince of Nelarn, right?"
But he had no time to be absorbed in contemplation. Kanna, who had appeared late, asked him a question in a whisper, her face bright with excitement. This prompted Yuder to promptly withdraw his gaze from the fascinating scene.
"Yes."
"Wow. I saw him from a distance at the party before, but I didn't realize how mysterious his eye color is up close. It's beautiful, like a gem."
The lilac-colored eyes passed down through generations of the Nelarn royal family were not clearly visible from a distance. Only when viewed up close did they reflect the light, shining like amethysts.
"Aren't you amazed, Yuder?"
"Not really."
Even if they were mysterious, they were still parts of a human body, just like his own. He didn't find it particularly noteworthy.
While Yuder watched Kishiar and Ejain conversing, Gakane also approached and stood by his side. He looked worn out from having used his shadow clone to transport not only the injured but also the bodies of the monsters and others who had fallen in the vicinity.
"You were both here."
"Gakane, have you finished moving everything?"
When Kanna asked, her eyes wide, Gakane nodded.
"Yes."
"You must be exhausted. Go and get some healing from the priest."
"I'm more worried that Yuder might have hurt himself using his powers."
Despite being likely the most exhausted among them, Gakane was concerned for Yuder.
"I'm okay."
Yuder reassured him before adding that he should go and get healed. Gakane cast a worried glance at Yuder's gloved hand before turning away.
"Now, we should prepare to leave soon. We must protect Prince Ejain and his entourage cautiously until we reach our destination. From now on, two people will ride on each Misty Wind Horse."
Not long after, Kishiar concluded his conversation with Ejain and issued new orders to his men. It was a command for them to share their horses temporarily to protect Prince Ejain and his party, who had lost all their horses and carriages in the chaos.
The men dismounted their horses and welcomed their new companions. The surviving entourage of Prince Ejain rode with Gakane, Kanna, and Emun, while the Eldore siblings naturally ended up riding together.
And Yuder found himself face-to-face once again with Prince Ejain, whose eyebrows were lowered in a playful smile.
"Here I am, in your debt again. I appreciate your assistance."
"The pleasure is mine."
