The expressions of those who had heard about the authority granted from Kishiar, its contents, and the intention to establish a new intelligence department within the Cavalry, were varied.
There was Gakane, with his sunken face; the Eldore siblings, who couldn't conceal their excitement as they exchanged glances; and Devran, who couldn't hide his bewilderment at the sudden proposal.
Among them, the only one showing no change in expression was Enon, who spoke first.
"Intelligence, huh? You must have a very specific need if you're planning to start this now. What information are you after?"
"I'll tell you once you've definitively agreed to be a part of this."
"Of course we're in!"
"We've been waiting for today!"
The Eldore siblings exclaimed, raising their voices. Gakane, who was expected to agree as well, hesitated oddly.
"Gakane. What about you?"
"Uh? I... "
Only then did Gakane lift his head, rubbing his temples as he sighed.
"Uh, yeah. I want to participate. Of course."
He accepted, but his response was peculiar. Yuder narrowed his eyes subtly and began to scrutinize Gakane's face more carefully than before. The Eldore siblings also wore similar expressions as they threw a question.
"Gakane. You've been going on and on about wanting to do this with Yuder. Why do you sound so hesitant now that the time has come?"
"Are you still hurting from that injury? We saw your shadow flickering during training earlier!"
"No, it's not that. Did I... really say that?"
"You did! Repeatedly!"
"Uh, honestly, you did seem to make a lot of mistakes today."
Devran, who had been silent until now, also agreed. Faced with this, Gakane turned his uneasy eyes toward Yuder. Yuder observed Gakane's face, which looked paler than usual, before speaking.
"Gakane. I initially asked you because I thought you'd be suitable for this, but if you're feeling burdened or have difficulties participating, it's okay not to. I won't hold it against you."
"No, I really wanted to. I'm glad you formally proposed it. But... well..."
Gakane trailed off, his head lowered as he mumbled, seemingly overwhelmed by the gazes upon him.
"Ever since I heard what the Commander said this morning, I've been worried... and I couldn't focus because of it. I'm sorry."
"The Commander's words?"
"..."
Yuder wanted to ask specifically what he was referring to, but he sensed that pushing further would only make Gakane more uncomfortable. It was an intuition gained from his long-standing experience as a Commander.
'Anyway, he seems to want to participate in the intelligence unit. I'll have to talk to him later about why he's so down.'
"Alright, understood. It seems your intent to participate is clear."
Yuder decided to move on at that point. Devran, upon making eye contact, slightly hunched his shoulders but then straightened up assertively.
"Devran. There's something I'd like to ask you before I hear your answer."
"What is it?"
"The Commander actually recommended you for this. He praised your performance in the recent mission with Steiber, saying you did an excellent job gathering intelligence."
"Oh, really? The Commander... I see!"
Finally, Devran seemed to understand why he had been summoned, his face brightening up.
"I'd like to hear more about that mission if you don't mind."
"In comparison to you all who've been flying around in the west, what I've done isn't particularly noteworthy. But if you want to hear it..."
Devran was among the small group of members who had stayed in the capital, including Steiber. Originally, their role was to guard the Cavalry headquarters and only head west when a request for reinforcement came in. Therefore, they didn't have much to do on a regular basis.
However, the situation changed one day when Steiber received a letter containing a secret mission directive from Kishiar. Kishiar had selected both Steiber and Devran for an undercover job at a high-end gambling establishment frequented by a particular nobleman.
"A high-end gambling establishment?"
"Wow, that must have been fun. How was it?"
"Fun, my foot. The nobles had all the fun, and I was left cleaning up their trash and serving drinks! But they did pay well, so it was bearable."
Steiber and Devran took jobs at the establishment and waited for the nobleman and his Southern foreign companion to make an appearance. After a period of diligent waiting, they finally succeeded in observing the nobleman and the foreign merchant who accompanied him.
"Because Steiber was too old to get a job that allowed access to the main hall, he went in as a chef. I was the only one who could keep an eye on those people. So, I thought I should scrutinize anything even remotely suspicious."
Drawing on his accumulated experience, Devran studied the relationship between the nobleman and the Southern merchant. He noticed that their relationship was somewhat peculiar for what should have been a typical patron-client interaction.
"From what I saw, it was a bit strange. A noble of that rank relying so heavily on one person's advice? Asking him about what games to play, how many chips to bet, even how to move in those games? I got the impression that the foreigner was suspicious."
Devran grinned as if recalling the moment.
"So, I consulted with Steiber and said that since the guy seemed sketchy, I would discreetly follow him. But whether he sensed it or not, he slipped away. Never saw him at that place again."
"Hmm."
Kishiar clearly had good reason to recommend Devran. The ability to quickly recognize suspicious activities and decide how to act was not a skill easily acquired.
‘He could be useful with the right training.'
"Thanks for sharing. Now I see why the Commander recommended you. So, are you willing to join us?"
Caught off-guard by the unexpected compliment, Devran's face registered surprise. Quickly, he tried to mask his pleasure.
"Sure. If Yuder values my skills so highly, how could I refuse?"
"Devran. If you're happy, just show it."
"Fine. My nostrils are practically double their normal size, I'm so thrilled. Shall I shout it out for you?"
"What are you talking about! When did I—"
The Eldore siblings, who had been tormenting a downcast Gakane, had found a new target for teasing in Devran. In the meantime, Yuder turned his head toward Enon, who was sitting with a somewhat haughty posture, his arms crossed.
"Now it's just you left."
"…"
"Since you haven't left, can I take that as consent?"
"…Sigh."
Enon let out a deep sigh and finally spoke.
"Let me ask you one thing. Do you think I'm really necessary? I'm not an Awakener."
"You know a lot about that world. It's good to accept help when it's offered."
"I have medical duties and other responsibilities. I can't follow you around full-time like these guys. Is that still fine?"
This was almost like permission. Since Yuder had no plans to move with the other members in the first place, he quickly responded, "That's fine."
"You belong to the intelligence division, but I intend to give you the freedom to operate separately. I'll inform you of what needs to be investigated, but you're free to pursue it in whatever way you wish, just like before."
"And I'll share the results, I presume?"
"..."
"You really know how to make good use of me."
How did I end up stuck with this bothersome guy? The complaint that Enon had voiced several times before once again slipped quietly from his lips.
Nevertheless, in the end, Enon accepted Yuder's request.
"Fine. I got it. But don't expect me to attend annoying meetings like this again. If you have anything to tell me, just contact me directly."
"Understood. Thanks, Enon."
"..."
Instead of responding, Enon aggressively chewed on the last remaining piece of lemon peel.
"Then it's decided that everyone will participate. Thank you for accepting."
"So, can we now hear what our first task for investigation will be? Tell us quickly!"
At Hinn's eager request, Yuder scanned everyone's faces once before sharing their first assignment.
"A while ago, we acquired some information. Our job is to follow where that information leads, find our target, and gather whatever intelligence we can."
"Information?"
"Yes, specifically this."
Yuder pulled out a piece of paper that had a decrypted note from Duke Tain’s message that he had remembered.
"Um... this alone doesn't tell us what or who the target is. I can't even guess."
"Is it an address? A time?"
"I have a rough idea of where we need to go. And who we need to find. I'll inform you of that shortly. And one more thing."
Yuder continued cautiously.
"The investigation isn't just one thing. Aside from this, there's something else I'd like you to look into personally."
The expressions of those who had heard about the authority granted from Kishiar, its contents, and the intention to establish a new intelligence department within the Cavalry, were varied.
There was Gakane, with his sunken face; the Eldore siblings, who couldn't conceal their excitement as they exchanged glances; and Devran, who couldn't hide his bewilderment at the sudden proposal.
Among them, the only one showing no change in expression was Enon, who spoke first.
"Intelligence, huh? You must have a very specific need if you're planning to start this now. What information are you after?"
"I'll tell you once you've definitively agreed to be a part of this."
"Of course we're in!"
"We've been waiting for today!"
The Eldore siblings exclaimed, raising their voices. Gakane, who was expected to agree as well, hesitated oddly.
"Gakane. What about you?"
"Uh? I... "
Only then did Gakane lift his head, rubbing his temples as he sighed.
"Uh, yeah. I want to participate. Of course."
He accepted, but his response was peculiar. Yuder narrowed his eyes subtly and began to scrutinize Gakane's face more carefully than before. The Eldore siblings also wore similar expressions as they threw a question.
"Gakane. You've been going on and on about wanting to do this with Yuder. Why do you sound so hesitant now that the time has come?"
"Are you still hurting from that injury? We saw your shadow flickering during training earlier!"
"No, it's not that. Did I... really say that?"
"You did! Repeatedly!"
"Uh, honestly, you did seem to make a lot of mistakes today."
Devran, who had been silent until now, also agreed. Faced with this, Gakane turned his uneasy eyes toward Yuder. Yuder observed Gakane's face, which looked paler than usual, before speaking.
"Gakane. I initially asked you because I thought you'd be suitable for this, but if you're feeling burdened or have difficulties participating, it's okay not to. I won't hold it against you."
"No, I really wanted to. I'm glad you formally proposed it. But... well..."
Gakane trailed off, his head lowered as he mumbled, seemingly overwhelmed by the gazes upon him.
"Ever since I heard what the Commander said this morning, I've been worried... and I couldn't focus because of it. I'm sorry."
"The Commander's words?"
"..."
Yuder wanted to ask specifically what he was referring to, but he sensed that pushing further would only make Gakane more uncomfortable. It was an intuition gained from his long-standing experience as a Commander.
'Anyway, he seems to want to participate in the intelligence unit. I'll have to talk to him later about why he's so down.'
"Alright, understood. It seems your intent to participate is clear."
Yuder decided to move on at that point. Devran, upon making eye contact, slightly hunched his shoulders but then straightened up assertively.
"Devran. There's something I'd like to ask you before I hear your answer."
"What is it?"
"The Commander actually recommended you for this. He praised your performance in the recent mission with Steiber, saying you did an excellent job gathering intelligence."
"Oh, really? The Commander... I see!"
Finally, Devran seemed to understand why he had been summoned, his face brightening up.
"I'd like to hear more about that mission if you don't mind."
"In comparison to you all who've been flying around in the west, what I've done isn't particularly noteworthy. But if you want to hear it..."
Devran was among the small group of members who had stayed in the capital, including Steiber. Originally, their role was to guard the Cavalry headquarters and only head west when a request for reinforcement came in. Therefore, they didn't have much to do on a regular basis.
However, the situation changed one day when Steiber received a letter containing a secret mission directive from Kishiar. Kishiar had selected both Steiber and Devran for an undercover job at a high-end gambling establishment frequented by a particular nobleman.
"A high-end gambling establishment?"
"Wow, that must have been fun. How was it?"
"Fun, my foot. The nobles had all the fun, and I was left cleaning up their trash and serving drinks! But they did pay well, so it was bearable."
Steiber and Devran took jobs at the establishment and waited for the nobleman and his Southern foreign companion to make an appearance. After a period of diligent waiting, they finally succeeded in observing the nobleman and the foreign merchant who accompanied him.
"Because Steiber was too old to get a job that allowed access to the main hall, he went in as a chef. I was the only one who could keep an eye on those people. So, I thought I should scrutinize anything even remotely suspicious."
Drawing on his accumulated experience, Devran studied the relationship between the nobleman and the Southern merchant. He noticed that their relationship was somewhat peculiar for what should have been a typical patron-client interaction.
"From what I saw, it was a bit strange. A noble of that rank relying so heavily on one person's advice? Asking him about what games to play, how many chips to bet, even how to move in those games? I got the impression that the foreigner was suspicious."
Devran grinned as if recalling the moment.
"So, I consulted with Steiber and said that since the guy seemed sketchy, I would discreetly follow him. But whether he sensed it or not, he slipped away. Never saw him at that place again."
"Hmm."
Kishiar clearly had good reason to recommend Devran. The ability to quickly recognize suspicious activities and decide how to act was not a skill easily acquired.
‘He could be useful with the right training.'
"Thanks for sharing. Now I see why the Commander recommended you. So, are you willing to join us?"
Caught off-guard by the unexpected compliment, Devran's face registered surprise. Quickly, he tried to mask his pleasure.
"Sure. If Yuder values my skills so highly, how could I refuse?"
"Devran. If you're happy, just show it."
"Fine. My nostrils are practically double their normal size, I'm so thrilled. Shall I shout it out for you?"
"What are you talking about! When did I—"
The Eldore siblings, who had been tormenting a downcast Gakane, had found a new target for teasing in Devran. In the meantime, Yuder turned his head toward Enon, who was sitting with a somewhat haughty posture, his arms crossed.
"Now it's just you left."
"…"
"Since you haven't left, can I take that as consent?"
"…Sigh."
Enon let out a deep sigh and finally spoke.
"Let me ask you one thing. Do you think I'm really necessary? I'm not an Awakener."
"You know a lot about that world. It's good to accept help when it's offered."
"I have medical duties and other responsibilities. I can't follow you around full-time like these guys. Is that still fine?"
This was almost like permission. Since Yuder had no plans to move with the other members in the first place, he quickly responded, "That's fine."
"You belong to the intelligence division, but I intend to give you the freedom to operate separately. I'll inform you of what needs to be investigated, but you're free to pursue it in whatever way you wish, just like before."
"And I'll share the results, I presume?"
"..."
"You really know how to make good use of me."
How did I end up stuck with this bothersome guy? The complaint that Enon had voiced several times before once again slipped quietly from his lips.
Nevertheless, in the end, Enon accepted Yuder's request.
"Fine. I got it. But don't expect me to attend annoying meetings like this again. If you have anything to tell me, just contact me directly."
"Understood. Thanks, Enon."
"..."
Instead of responding, Enon aggressively chewed on the last remaining piece of lemon peel.
"Then it's decided that everyone will participate. Thank you for accepting."
"So, can we now hear what our first task for investigation will be? Tell us quickly!"
At Hinn's eager request, Yuder scanned everyone's faces once before sharing their first assignment.
"A while ago, we acquired some information. Our job is to follow where that information leads, find our target, and gather whatever intelligence we can."
"Information?"
"Yes, specifically this."
Yuder pulled out a piece of paper that had a decrypted note from Duke Tain’s message that he had remembered.
"Um... this alone doesn't tell us what or who the target is. I can't even guess."
"Is it an address? A time?"
"I have a rough idea of where we need to go. And who we need to find. I'll inform you of that shortly. And one more thing."
Yuder continued cautiously.
"The investigation isn't just one thing. Aside from this, there's something else I'd like you to look into personally."
