Yuder raised his finger to his lips before the man could raise his voice any further, gesturing for him to be quiet. The man, who had become aware of the soldiers near the prison where they were trapped, promptly closed his mouth.
Looking back at his previous experience, the Tainu Security Management prison was not heavily guarded in proportion to its size. Even without that, this was a time when manpower was even more lacking. If they had behaved, those guards would soon have lowered their defenses and moved elsewhere.
Yuder quietly sat in the darkness that shrouded the prison, maintaining silence. As he expected, the soldiers watching them outside the prison soon judged that there was no problem, telling them to stay put before they turned away.
"...Finally, we can have a proper conversation."
"What the hell happened? Why are you here..."
The man, seeming to have been waiting, raised his head and asked in a feeble voice.
"I came for investigation, just like you. Well, that's not important. I'm glad you didn't cause a disturbance or try to escape here. It would have been difficult for us to talk if you had."
The biggest worry on the way here had been that part, but fortunately, the man had obediently stayed in the prison so far. Upon hearing Yuder's words, the man coldly let out a "Ha, what are you talking about?"
"I don't use my abilities to kill or attack people like others. My ability isn't even suitable for that. If I tried to escape, I would die before leaving this place. Why would I seek a swift death?"
"Quick judgment is good. Then first, tell me who you are and what you know about today's incident."
"Why should I?"
"Because both you and I have to prove that we're not the culprits and catch the real culprit."
The man's dark brown eyes hesitated for a moment.
"...You believe I didn't kill?"
"That's why I came here."
"You're... from the Cavalry."
"So what?"
The man was silent for a moment before speaking again.
"It's strange to hear that the person who came to catch me believes in me. If I die, it would be a favorable situation for you. Why would you ask me to speak?"
Time was running out, and the man was annoyingly stubborn. Yuder sighed heavily and opened his mouth towards the man.
"If things stay as they are, you will die. If it were better for you to die, I would have finished you off before I even opened my mouth."
Whether he felt the truth in Yuder's emotionless tone, the man's body stiffened.
"I tried to catch you because I knew there was an Awakener who had infiltrated the Baron's house. If you hadn't run and had obediently told your purpose, the situation that could have ended quickly was complicated by you. I already know that the real culprit is related to Nahan, and I need the rest of the information. You're on the other side from him, aren't you?"
"...How do you know that?"
"The ones you're looking for are protected by the Cavalry in the mansion. I thought you came there to rescue them, but was I wrong?"
For a moment, the man's eyes changed. Despair and resignation filled the darkness, and suddenly, a heated emotion burst forth. The man straightened his crouched body and clung to the iron bars.
"So, they were there after all. They were alive...! It, it's not a lie, is it?"
"Why should I lie? You can confirm it yourself as soon as you leave here."
"Are they all safe... No, are they safe? How on earth......"
At that time, the distant noise of soldiers was heard, as if they had picked up on some commotion. Yuder signaled with his eyes once again, a gesture for silence. The man held his breath, his hand gripping the iron bars. Only after the noise had vanished did the conversation resume.
Yuder briefly explained the process of finding the people who had lost their memories and the subsequent treatment. Upon hearing that some had regained consciousness through the care of the Priest and Cavalry members, the man bit his lip tightly.
“They were driven mad... some of them are already dead,” he stammered.
“It's unfortunate, but there was nothing we could do. It happened before we found them.”
“Then was there, by any chance, a woman with long hair like the rainy sky there? Her name is Marty... she’s from Nelarn...”
The man couldn't finish his sentence, bowing his head while tightly gripping the iron bars. Yuder was momentarily surprised by the unexpected name, but he calmly answered.
“She is with us. She was the first to regain consciousness.”
“...By God.”
Strength drained from the hand that had been gripping the bars as if to shatter them. The man knelt before Yuder, repeatedly expressing his gratitude, his shoulders heaving. Despite the lack of time, Yuder didn't reproach him for his sobbing, pretending not to notice. A moment later, the man, his tears dried, asked more carefully, his attitude much gentler than before.
“Did Marty... happen to mention me? I am Marty’s...”
“She mentioned having a lover in the village.”
“I see.”
The man quickly raised his head in response. His face was battered and swollen, but his eyes were clearer than before.
“You are right. I am part of the Star of Nagran, and have long severed ties with those who follow Nahan. I thought that even if I died, as long as I could find Marty, I could grasp at a final hope, so I went there.”
Determination flowed over his face, hidden in shadows.
“If I trust you, can I leave here alive? Can I meet Marty again?”
Yuder reached his hand into the iron bars towards him.
“I promise, in the name of Yuder Aile, assistant to the Cavalry Commander.”
“I will believe you. My name is Robel Gemson.”
Robel slowly reached out and shook hands, then let go. He revealed that he was from the west and had coincidentally joined the Star of Nagran after awakening, then informed Yuder of his ability.
“I have the ability to lighten weight.”
“So that's why you could escape so quickly.”
“Well, yes. It works on objects too. It's nothing special, though.”
Robel, having exposed his information, seemed to try to lighten the mood, offering a faint smile on his bruised face.
“It's not an insignificant ability. Depending on how it's developed, it can become terrifying. You only think it's not special.”
“...No one ever said that to me before. They all said it was a silly ability.”
“If you hadn't used that ability to return my sword, I wouldn't have been able to kill the monster. It's not a silly thing at all.”
“That is... true.”
Robel seemed to awkwardly agree, still clearly remembering when he had met Yuder while defeating Pethuamet.
“I didn't think you would remember me.”
How could Yuder not remember those who had helped in a crisis? Moreover, at that time, Robel and his companions had risked their lives to protect the village in the forest, even rescuing unknown mages. Even in such an urgent situation, it could not have been an easy decision.
“At that moment, I saw your figure... I must say now, it was really extraordinary. I thought you were not like me. Because I saw that, I quickly accepted Nahan's moving decision. If someone with such power listens to us, it would be fortunate, but if not... it would become a natural disaster worse than monsters. I chose it for safety."
It seemed like a way of saying that everything that had happened was all his fault, but Robel shook his head as if that wasn't what he meant.
"I regret it. I should have watched what that man's secret plan was and made a more cautious decision..."
Regretting it won't change what's already happened. Yuder said nothing. Instead, he changed the subject and asked a substantive question.
"Do you have any clues as to why they came all the way to Baron Willhem's house and left the corpses?"
"...Actually, I've been feeling a bad vibe from the surroundings since yesterday."
Robel answered, lost in thought.
"Before infiltrating this place, I asked my colleagues to keep my whereabouts a secret from Nahan's side. Then, after becoming a servant, I communicated with them once a day at a designated place. But yesterday... there was no contact from my colleagues."
Robel had guessed that his colleagues were busy or perhaps prevented by some other matter, and so he had returned to Baron Willhem's house. However, after returning, he said he couldn't shake off the ominous premonition.
"While doing servant's work, I learned the structure of Baron Willhem's mansion to some extent, and I also found out the escape route in case of an emergency. I didn't inform all of my colleagues, but..."
"You're thinking that information might have leaked to Nahan's side."
"...Yes."
"Even so, why the Baron's younger sibling and spouse, and why today?"
"I'm not sure... but the people I know don't particularly make elaborate plans and move accordingly. Perhaps, they were loitering around the mansion's surroundings at an opportune moment, and the couple caught their eye."
Yuder raised his finger to his lips before the man could raise his voice any further, gesturing for him to be quiet. The man, who had become aware of the soldiers near the prison where they were trapped, promptly closed his mouth.
Looking back at his previous experience, the Tainu Security Management prison was not heavily guarded in proportion to its size. Even without that, this was a time when manpower was even more lacking. If they had behaved, those guards would soon have lowered their defenses and moved elsewhere.
Yuder quietly sat in the darkness that shrouded the prison, maintaining silence. As he expected, the soldiers watching them outside the prison soon judged that there was no problem, telling them to stay put before they turned away.
"...Finally, we can have a proper conversation."
"What the hell happened? Why are you here..."
The man, seeming to have been waiting, raised his head and asked in a feeble voice.
"I came for investigation, just like you. Well, that's not important. I'm glad you didn't cause a disturbance or try to escape here. It would have been difficult for us to talk if you had."
The biggest worry on the way here had been that part, but fortunately, the man had obediently stayed in the prison so far. Upon hearing Yuder's words, the man coldly let out a "Ha, what are you talking about?"
"I don't use my abilities to kill or attack people like others. My ability isn't even suitable for that. If I tried to escape, I would die before leaving this place. Why would I seek a swift death?"
"Quick judgment is good. Then first, tell me who you are and what you know about today's incident."
"Why should I?"
"Because both you and I have to prove that we're not the culprits and catch the real culprit."
The man's dark brown eyes hesitated for a moment.
"...You believe I didn't kill?"
"That's why I came here."
"You're... from the Cavalry."
"So what?"
The man was silent for a moment before speaking again.
"It's strange to hear that the person who came to catch me believes in me. If I die, it would be a favorable situation for you. Why would you ask me to speak?"
Time was running out, and the man was annoyingly stubborn. Yuder sighed heavily and opened his mouth towards the man.
"If things stay as they are, you will die. If it were better for you to die, I would have finished you off before I even opened my mouth."
Whether he felt the truth in Yuder's emotionless tone, the man's body stiffened.
"I tried to catch you because I knew there was an Awakener who had infiltrated the Baron's house. If you hadn't run and had obediently told your purpose, the situation that could have ended quickly was complicated by you. I already know that the real culprit is related to Nahan, and I need the rest of the information. You're on the other side from him, aren't you?"
"...How do you know that?"
"The ones you're looking for are protected by the Cavalry in the mansion. I thought you came there to rescue them, but was I wrong?"
For a moment, the man's eyes changed. Despair and resignation filled the darkness, and suddenly, a heated emotion burst forth. The man straightened his crouched body and clung to the iron bars.
"So, they were there after all. They were alive...! It, it's not a lie, is it?"
"Why should I lie? You can confirm it yourself as soon as you leave here."
"Are they all safe... No, are they safe? How on earth......"
At that time, the distant noise of soldiers was heard, as if they had picked up on some commotion. Yuder signaled with his eyes once again, a gesture for silence. The man held his breath, his hand gripping the iron bars. Only after the noise had vanished did the conversation resume.
Yuder briefly explained the process of finding the people who had lost their memories and the subsequent treatment. Upon hearing that some had regained consciousness through the care of the Priest and Cavalry members, the man bit his lip tightly.
“They were driven mad... some of them are already dead,” he stammered.
“It's unfortunate, but there was nothing we could do. It happened before we found them.”
“Then was there, by any chance, a woman with long hair like the rainy sky there? Her name is Marty... she’s from Nelarn...”
The man couldn't finish his sentence, bowing his head while tightly gripping the iron bars. Yuder was momentarily surprised by the unexpected name, but he calmly answered.
“She is with us. She was the first to regain consciousness.”
“...By God.”
Strength drained from the hand that had been gripping the bars as if to shatter them. The man knelt before Yuder, repeatedly expressing his gratitude, his shoulders heaving. Despite the lack of time, Yuder didn't reproach him for his sobbing, pretending not to notice. A moment later, the man, his tears dried, asked more carefully, his attitude much gentler than before.
“Did Marty... happen to mention me? I am Marty’s...”
“She mentioned having a lover in the village.”
“I see.”
The man quickly raised his head in response. His face was battered and swollen, but his eyes were clearer than before.
“You are right. I am part of the Star of Nagran, and have long severed ties with those who follow Nahan. I thought that even if I died, as long as I could find Marty, I could grasp at a final hope, so I went there.”
Determination flowed over his face, hidden in shadows.
“If I trust you, can I leave here alive? Can I meet Marty again?”
Yuder reached his hand into the iron bars towards him.
“I promise, in the name of Yuder Aile, assistant to the Cavalry Commander.”
“I will believe you. My name is Robel Gemson.”
Robel slowly reached out and shook hands, then let go. He revealed that he was from the west and had coincidentally joined the Star of Nagran after awakening, then informed Yuder of his ability.
“I have the ability to lighten weight.”
“So that's why you could escape so quickly.”
“Well, yes. It works on objects too. It's nothing special, though.”
Robel, having exposed his information, seemed to try to lighten the mood, offering a faint smile on his bruised face.
“It's not an insignificant ability. Depending on how it's developed, it can become terrifying. You only think it's not special.”
“...No one ever said that to me before. They all said it was a silly ability.”
“If you hadn't used that ability to return my sword, I wouldn't have been able to kill the monster. It's not a silly thing at all.”
“That is... true.”
Robel seemed to awkwardly agree, still clearly remembering when he had met Yuder while defeating Pethuamet.
“I didn't think you would remember me.”
How could Yuder not remember those who had helped in a crisis? Moreover, at that time, Robel and his companions had risked their lives to protect the village in the forest, even rescuing unknown mages. Even in such an urgent situation, it could not have been an easy decision.
“At that moment, I saw your figure... I must say now, it was really extraordinary. I thought you were not like me. Because I saw that, I quickly accepted Nahan's moving decision. If someone with such power listens to us, it would be fortunate, but if not... it would become a natural disaster worse than monsters. I chose it for safety."
It seemed like a way of saying that everything that had happened was all his fault, but Robel shook his head as if that wasn't what he meant.
"I regret it. I should have watched what that man's secret plan was and made a more cautious decision..."
Regretting it won't change what's already happened. Yuder said nothing. Instead, he changed the subject and asked a substantive question.
"Do you have any clues as to why they came all the way to Baron Willhem's house and left the corpses?"
"...Actually, I've been feeling a bad vibe from the surroundings since yesterday."
Robel answered, lost in thought.
"Before infiltrating this place, I asked my colleagues to keep my whereabouts a secret from Nahan's side. Then, after becoming a servant, I communicated with them once a day at a designated place. But yesterday... there was no contact from my colleagues."
Robel had guessed that his colleagues were busy or perhaps prevented by some other matter, and so he had returned to Baron Willhem's house. However, after returning, he said he couldn't shake off the ominous premonition.
"While doing servant's work, I learned the structure of Baron Willhem's mansion to some extent, and I also found out the escape route in case of an emergency. I didn't inform all of my colleagues, but..."
"You're thinking that information might have leaked to Nahan's side."
"...Yes."
"Even so, why the Baron's younger sibling and spouse, and why today?"
"I'm not sure... but the people I know don't particularly make elaborate plans and move accordingly. Perhaps, they were loitering around the mansion's surroundings at an opportune moment, and the couple caught their eye."
