Turning Chapter 987

“Did hearing all of that... displease you?”

Yuder waited quietly for a response, counting the steady thudding heartbeat beneath his hand.

Thump, thump, thump.

When it had pulsed exactly twenty-one tis, Kishiar finally spoke.

“Why would I... be displeased?”

Yuder answered honestly.

“Because the first ti I spoke about the previous ga, you didn’t seem to have any fond feelings toward the forr Commander.”

Kishiar had no mory like Yuder did, and nothing about today’s conversation was particularly pleasant to know. If he’d felt that Yuder was projecting a stranger’s image onto him, he might even be regretting listening.

Of course, he could say otherwise out of consideration—but emotions don’t flow according to logic.

The man, who had been quietly watching Yuder, asked again.

“And if I had been displeased, what would you have done?”

“...Honestly? There’s not much I could do.”

That was sothing Yuder had already accepted before he ever began speaking—knowing full well that Kishiar might regret hearing it.

If this conversation caused Kishiar pain or regret, Yuder would be the one to suffer for it. But there was nothing more he could do. The words had already been said, and there was no way to take them back or erase the mory. That’s the weight of choosing to confess sothing.

Still—

“...Even so, I think it was better than staying silent.”

There are things in this world that must be said, even knowing the outco may not be good.

The hand in the white glove had taught Yuder that.

"You’re the one who changed ."

Yuder closed his eyes.

And when he opened them again—

“...Yes. You’re right.”

The smile of the man lying down and looking up at him stole the breath from his chest.

His eyes, shimring like rain, curved into a smile like a scatter of blooming flowers.

Within that gaze, Yuder felt the heart beneath his palm pound violently, as if it would burst.

From the corners of those red, unblinking eyes, droplets fell silently, tracing clear paths down Kishiar’s cheeks and leaving marks on Yuder’s leg.

So faint they were barely visible—yet to Yuder, they felt like searing brands.

Even if fire ran like water, if water blazed like fla, if wind collapsed and the earth rose up—there would still be no words that could fully describe the shock and emotion he felt from seeing that expression.

Slowly, Yuder reached out and wiped Kishiar’s eyes. As he stared down at the moisture on his fingertips, Kishiar spoke again.

“You were right. Speaking out is better than silence. And even if knowing hurts more than not knowing, it still gives us a path forward.”

“......”

“...Thank you for telling . It might sound strange, but... I was happy.”

Yuder blinked slowly.

“...Happy?”

“Yes.”

“You’re saying... you didn’t hate it, or regret hearing it?”

Kishiar’s lips curved a little more into a deeper smile.

“Do you rember? I once told you that when I was young, I dread of being a hero from the legends.”

Yuder rembered. It was after he had slain the massive monster known as Petuat in a previous life—during the ti when his eyes were bandaged from injury.

“After realizing I’d never be able to fulfill that dream, I tried to forget it ever existed. Rembering it only reminded of my limitations, my useless shell. It was painful.”

“......”

“But when I arrived at Peleta, when I thought things could fall no further... that word ca back to again. This ti, not as sothing I wanted to beco, but as soone I hoped might appear.”

His voice was soft in the still air.

“I hoped that soone, anyone, would appear and help . That so hero would rescue from the fate I couldn’t escape no matter how I struggled. And if I could walk beside that hero...”

“...Then maybe I could believe there was a reason I was born into this life.”

He let out a small laugh.

“...Childish, wasn’t it?”

No. It wasn’t childish. It was sothing any human would feel.

Anyone banished to isolation, stripped of everything, faced with a future filled only with pain and death—of course they would yearn for salvation.

Yuder wanted to say that, but Kishiar’s words continued, so he remained silent.

“But just now, I suddenly realized sothing. Salvation already ca for . And more than that... I’ve been given the chance to save soone else, alongside the one who saved .”

“......”

“That’s what your words sounded like to .”

Yuder didn’t speak for a long mont, then slowly shook his head.

“...No. I...”

“You said you’d save , didn’t you? Are you planning to do all that alone?”

The interruption ca with a question already knowing its own answer. Yuder stared at the water on his fingertips and exhaled.

“...No.”

“......”

“I’ve learned very clearly this ti that I /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ can’t do everything alone. So of course... I’ll need you, Commander.”

“There it is.”

Kishiar laughed—light, but layered with pain and relief. More drops spilled again onto Yuder’s hand.

“We’ve never stood at exactly the sa crossroad, so I can’t say for certain... but there is one thing I do know. If I were him...”

If he had been .

Kishiar’s lips paused for a heartbeat, then opened clearly, so there would be no mistake in hearing.

“...Not even for a mont would I have resented you. Or hated you.”

“......”

“And I wouldn’t have been hurt knowing you felt that way, either. Even now, not one bit.”

Because—I feel the sa way.

Yuder lowered his head. He could no longer bear to look at the man’s face.

He pressed his head into Kishiar’s chest and held him close. The returning arms embraced him just as tightly, like letting go would an death.

Through that closeness, Yuder thought of a man he’d believed long vanished.

In a distant mory, the man smiled wearily, but with genuine warmth in his eyes.

"—You’re finally becoming a decent swordsman. I wish I’d had more ti to teach you."

“...That’s because you only co out at night, Commander.”

“Haha. Sotis there are reasons why one can only move at night.”

“...I’m not sure I want to know.”

“Right. Co to think of it, we’ve got a eting and drinks scheduled tomorrow afternoon. Shall we continue tonight’s work in the Commander’s office?”

“...There?”

“It’s not bad. Quite a spacious room. And I’ll make sure we’re alone, so there’s no risk of soone overhearing.”

“......”

“Well? Shall we?”

“...Yes.”

“Good.”

A hand approached to ruffle Yuder’s hair, then paused. Yuder lowered his arms and silently watched the man walk away.

They hadn’t touched. That should’ve been a relief. And yet... so strange, unplaceable regret welled up.

“...Ah.”

At that mont, a long-unnoticed hole in Yuder’s heart was finally filled.

Still buried in the embrace, Yuder slowly traced that long-forgotten mory.

The sensation of sothing you didn’t even realize was missing... returning.

It wasn’t a happy feeling. But if Kishiar could call even that happiness, then Yuder would try to accept it that way, too.

And so, he gave this sharp, vivid pain a new na.

***

“Alright, that’s everything.”

Lusan had returned and finally visited the Commander’s office to completely heal Kishiar’s remaining external wounds. Yuder felt a distinct sense of relief watching the glowing white light erase every last trace of injury.

“Thank you, Priest.”

“Thank you, Priest Lusan. You must still be tired.”

“Not at all. Well then, I’ll be off to check on the others! Please call anyti you need .”

Lusan gave a sheepish smile and quickly left. Kishiar looked in the mirror, rubbed his chin, and winked brightly.

“Mmm. Now it truly feels like everything’s back in place.”

“I’m relieved to see your recovery went smoothly.”

“Thank you. So then... before we start catching up on all the work we missed, why don’t we first address sothing I didn’t get the chance to ask last night?”

Kishiar turned to Yuder with a teasing smile.

“How exactly do you plan to rescue the beauty trapped inside the tower—who can’t be reached from this side, my aide?”