It was then that it happened. Unintentionally, Yuder's gaze fell upon something familiar amidst the items he was about to burn.
'That is...'
With swift action, Yuder reached into the pile and pulled out a dirty sack. The sack, covered in dark, blood-red stains and torn with holes, revealed glimpses of shriveled brown lumps inside. At first glance, it was hard to discern their original form, but Yuder seemed to have an inkling of what they were.
Without hesitation, he opened the sack.
'As I thought.'
His grip on the sack tightened. He bent his head closer to better examine the dark stains. They were old, but one thing was certain:
The stains on the sack were not caused by its contents.
Yuder's semi-drowsy mind, still not fully recovered from the previous night, suddenly snapped to full alertness.
"Yuder?"
"Commander."
Kishiar, concerned by Yuder's odd behavior, had called out his name, and their eyes met. Yuder spoke first.
"How likely do you think it is to find a blood-stained sack containing dried and processed Dudureli mushrooms in such a place?"
Kishiar's eyes narrowed slightly as he immediately grasped the meaning of Yuder's words. Yuder held up the sack for him to see.
Inside were indeed the dried and processed Dudureli mushrooms, in a form just before being turned into powder, a poison previously used by Crown Prince Katchian. The condition was abysmal due to prolonged exposure to unfavorable conditions. Their original white color had turned brown, and the smell was unpleasant, indicating partial decay.
However, the presence of some intact pieces inside left no doubt about their identity.
Yuder recognized them easily, thanks to having seen the original form of the Dudureli mushrooms shown to Aishes Shand Apeto by Kishiar before. What caught Yuder's attention again was the bloodstain on the sack.
Initially, he thought it was liquid seeped from the decaying contents. But on closer inspection, it wasn't so. The stain was from blood, now faintly emitting the odor of decay, splashed during his earlier cleaning of the house using his powers. None of the other objects nearby bore similar stains.
'Prince Katchian had sent a servant to a nearby village months ago to secretly bring in these processed Dudureli mushroom poisons. And now, a blood-stained sack of Dudureli mushrooms happens to be here, at a rest stop used by local herbalists... Could this be mere coincidence?'
It couldn't be.
Yuder, even without Kanna, was certain of his intuition in this matter. This was undoubtedly related to the incident caused by Katchian.
And Kishiar, arriving at the same conclusion, had a similar chill in his gaze as he looked at the sack.
"…The servant who purified the poisonous mushrooms and then committed suicide after confessing that everything was his crime as soon as he was caught is one of the cases Nathan is currently pursuing. Perhaps we have found an item that might reveal the identity of the person who dealt with that servant."
Yuder didn't believe that the one who had gathered these mushrooms was still alive. The bloodstains on the sack and the fact that no one had sought it until now further solidified his belief.
"If it were Crown Prince Katchian, it wouldn't be surprising if he had silenced everyone involved with the processed mushrooms immediately after obtaining them," Yuder mused aloud.
However, unlike in his previous life, the young Katchian likely did not know this yet.
Killing someone is certainly one of the best ways to keep a secret, but the stench of blood that it emits cannot be hidden forever. The traces of those abnormally vanished linger like shadows, incessantly following the murderer. Even the great Yudrain Aile, could not escape this shadow.
Thus, it was highly probable that this sack was a 'trace' deliberately hidden by someone who had disappeared.
Buried among other odorous miscellaneous items, Yuder almost failed to recognize it and could have burnt it by mistake. Setting the sack down, he resolved to inspect the other items in the area more thoroughly.
The laxity of his mind, eased while with Kishiar's company, hardened again in front of the old, hardened bloodstain.
It was just as he was clenching his fist, trying to rid himself of the remaining lethargy through the pain in his palm, that a large hand reached out and grasped his wrist. The hand slowly and gently unfolded each stiff finger.
"Now I can speak," Kishiar said, looking up at Yuder's dark, sunken eyes.
"You must think it's right to leave now that we've discovered something urgent, even if you're not fully recovered? Thinking this much is manageable?"
The accuracy of his words made Yuder's fingertips twitch. Kishiar continued, looking down at Yuder's hand in his grasp.
"Don't do this."
"..."
"You're not okay yet. You mustn't overexert yourself until you're fully healed. Even if others say it's fine, I won't allow it."
"But..."
At Yuder's soft mutter, Kishiar's grip tightened. His intense gaze, though piercing, conveyed a heartfelt pain to Yuder.
"Trust me. Chasing after Katchian's misdeeds is not that difficult. We can manage it indirectly, maintaining communication from afar. Do you think Nathan and I are insufficient for this task?"
Observing Kishiar, Yuder realized something.
Kishiar's deliberate use of 'Katchian' instead of ‘Crown Prince Katchian’, which he usually called him, was intentional. And the reason was probably...
'Because of me.'
It seemed like something had changed in his attitude as he recalled his previous life. Though confident in deceiving others, he couldn't deceive Kishiar.
Yuder recalled his own unfamiliar face he had seen through the window while Kishiar slept. He might still be wearing the same expression unknowingly.
Kishiar La Orr now knew that he had once died at the hands of Yuder on the order of Katchian. Yuder couldn't begin to imagine what feelings that man had experienced upon learning this.
What more could be said here?
In silence, Yuder acknowledged the cold, heavy emotions he hadn't realized he had been feeling. Slowly, he shook his head.
"No."
Finally, Kishiar's eyebrows softened, and a faint smile appeared.
To tell him not to endure, Yuder himself must also learn to let go of the things he had always endured. This realization struck him anew.
Yuder had remained in the cabin that day as well, cradled in Kisiar's embrace, listening to the heartbeat echoing from within his chest. Each time he heard it, the invisible voids within him seemed to quiet down bit by bit. Later, he realized that the persistent fever, which hadn't subsided yet, didn't seem so resentful, perhaps owing to the soothing sound of that heartbeat.
The fever, which had been forcibly suppressed within him, slowly dissipated in the comforting warmth.
—---
Yuder stood in a dim darkness.
‘Why am I here?’ he thought dazedly, looking down to see a white garment. He immediately recognized it as the ornate uniform of the Cavalry Commander, elaborately embroidered with gold thread, made for the Yudrain Aile.
While he silently observed this familiar yet seemingly long-forgotten attire, a cold voice spoke from beside him.
"New Cavalry Commander, enter the Hall of Honor."
It was the chief attendant of Emperor Katchian. Only when Yuder met his unfeeling gaze did he fully grasp the situation.
This was his appointment ceremony as the Commander. The assembly for his nomination was just beyond the door in front of him. Yuder slowly straightened his attire and took a deep breath.
Whispers from not too far away reached his ears.
"They say he's utterly cold-blooded, and indeed he seems to be. He doesn't look happy at all."
"It's not cold-blooded, but fear. A commoner in such a position must be terrified."
Yuder did not turn his head. Hearing these voices only quieted his mind more, and instead of feeling small, a feeling of boredom was already welling up in him.
"Cavalry Commander. Aren't you going to enter? Is there a problem?"
The chief attendant urged him with a hint of annoyance. Just as Yuder was about to respond, a familiar voice came from right behind him.
"Yuder."
It was then that it happened. Unintentionally, Yuder's gaze fell upon something familiar amidst the items he was about to burn.
'That is...'
With swift action, Yuder reached into the pile and pulled out a dirty sack. The sack, covered in dark, blood-red stains and torn with holes, revealed glimpses of shriveled brown lumps inside. At first glance, it was hard to discern their original form, but Yuder seemed to have an inkling of what they were.
Without hesitation, he opened the sack.
'As I thought.'
His grip on the sack tightened. He bent his head closer to better examine the dark stains. They were old, but one thing was certain:
The stains on the sack were not caused by its contents.
Yuder's semi-drowsy mind, still not fully recovered from the previous night, suddenly snapped to full alertness.
"Yuder?"
"Commander."
Kishiar, concerned by Yuder's odd behavior, had called out his name, and their eyes met. Yuder spoke first.
"How likely do you think it is to find a blood-stained sack containing dried and processed Dudureli mushrooms in such a place?"
Kishiar's eyes narrowed slightly as he immediately grasped the meaning of Yuder's words. Yuder held up the sack for him to see.
Inside were indeed the dried and processed Dudureli mushrooms, in a form just before being turned into powder, a poison previously used by Crown Prince Katchian. The condition was abysmal due to prolonged exposure to unfavorable conditions. Their original white color had turned brown, and the smell was unpleasant, indicating partial decay.
However, the presence of some intact pieces inside left no doubt about their identity.
Yuder recognized them easily, thanks to having seen the original form of the Dudureli mushrooms shown to Aishes Shand Apeto by Kishiar before. What caught Yuder's attention again was the bloodstain on the sack.
Initially, he thought it was liquid seeped from the decaying contents. But on closer inspection, it wasn't so. The stain was from blood, now faintly emitting the odor of decay, splashed during his earlier cleaning of the house using his powers. None of the other objects nearby bore similar stains.
'Prince Katchian had sent a servant to a nearby village months ago to secretly bring in these processed Dudureli mushroom poisons. And now, a blood-stained sack of Dudureli mushrooms happens to be here, at a rest stop used by local herbalists... Could this be mere coincidence?'
It couldn't be.
Yuder, even without Kanna, was certain of his intuition in this matter. This was undoubtedly related to the incident caused by Katchian.
And Kishiar, arriving at the same conclusion, had a similar chill in his gaze as he looked at the sack.
"…The servant who purified the poisonous mushrooms and then committed suicide after confessing that everything was his crime as soon as he was caught is one of the cases Nathan is currently pursuing. Perhaps we have found an item that might reveal the identity of the person who dealt with that servant."
Yuder didn't believe that the one who had gathered these mushrooms was still alive. The bloodstains on the sack and the fact that no one had sought it until now further solidified his belief.
"If it were Crown Prince Katchian, it wouldn't be surprising if he had silenced everyone involved with the processed mushrooms immediately after obtaining them," Yuder mused aloud.
However, unlike in his previous life, the young Katchian likely did not know this yet.
Killing someone is certainly one of the best ways to keep a secret, but the stench of blood that it emits cannot be hidden forever. The traces of those abnormally vanished linger like shadows, incessantly following the murderer. Even the great Yudrain Aile, could not escape this shadow.
Thus, it was highly probable that this sack was a 'trace' deliberately hidden by someone who had disappeared.
Buried among other odorous miscellaneous items, Yuder almost failed to recognize it and could have burnt it by mistake. Setting the sack down, he resolved to inspect the other items in the area more thoroughly.
The laxity of his mind, eased while with Kishiar's company, hardened again in front of the old, hardened bloodstain.
It was just as he was clenching his fist, trying to rid himself of the remaining lethargy through the pain in his palm, that a large hand reached out and grasped his wrist. The hand slowly and gently unfolded each stiff finger.
"Now I can speak," Kishiar said, looking up at Yuder's dark, sunken eyes.
"You must think it's right to leave now that we've discovered something urgent, even if you're not fully recovered? Thinking this much is manageable?"
The accuracy of his words made Yuder's fingertips twitch. Kishiar continued, looking down at Yuder's hand in his grasp.
"Don't do this."
"..."
"You're not okay yet. You mustn't overexert yourself until you're fully healed. Even if others say it's fine, I won't allow it."
"But..."
At Yuder's soft mutter, Kishiar's grip tightened. His intense gaze, though piercing, conveyed a heartfelt pain to Yuder.
"Trust me. Chasing after Katchian's misdeeds is not that difficult. We can manage it indirectly, maintaining communication from afar. Do you think Nathan and I are insufficient for this task?"
Observing Kishiar, Yuder realized something.
Kishiar's deliberate use of 'Katchian' instead of ‘Crown Prince Katchian’, which he usually called him, was intentional. And the reason was probably...
'Because of me.'
It seemed like something had changed in his attitude as he recalled his previous life. Though confident in deceiving others, he couldn't deceive Kishiar.
Yuder recalled his own unfamiliar face he had seen through the window while Kishiar slept. He might still be wearing the same expression unknowingly.
Kishiar La Orr now knew that he had once died at the hands of Yuder on the order of Katchian. Yuder couldn't begin to imagine what feelings that man had experienced upon learning this.
What more could be said here?
In silence, Yuder acknowledged the cold, heavy emotions he hadn't realized he had been feeling. Slowly, he shook his head.
"No."
Finally, Kishiar's eyebrows softened, and a faint smile appeared.
To tell him not to endure, Yuder himself must also learn to let go of the things he had always endured. This realization struck him anew.
Yuder had remained in the cabin that day as well, cradled in Kisiar's embrace, listening to the heartbeat echoing from within his chest. Each time he heard it, the invisible voids within him seemed to quiet down bit by bit. Later, he realized that the persistent fever, which hadn't subsided yet, didn't seem so resentful, perhaps owing to the soothing sound of that heartbeat.
The fever, which had been forcibly suppressed within him, slowly dissipated in the comforting warmth.
—---
Yuder stood in a dim darkness.
‘Why am I here?’ he thought dazedly, looking down to see a white garment. He immediately recognized it as the ornate uniform of the Cavalry Commander, elaborately embroidered with gold thread, made for the Yudrain Aile.
While he silently observed this familiar yet seemingly long-forgotten attire, a cold voice spoke from beside him.
"New Cavalry Commander, enter the Hall of Honor."
It was the chief attendant of Emperor Katchian. Only when Yuder met his unfeeling gaze did he fully grasp the situation.
This was his appointment ceremony as the Commander. The assembly for his nomination was just beyond the door in front of him. Yuder slowly straightened his attire and took a deep breath.
Whispers from not too far away reached his ears.
"They say he's utterly cold-blooded, and indeed he seems to be. He doesn't look happy at all."
"It's not cold-blooded, but fear. A commoner in such a position must be terrified."
Yuder did not turn his head. Hearing these voices only quieted his mind more, and instead of feeling small, a feeling of boredom was already welling up in him.
"Cavalry Commander. Aren't you going to enter? Is there a problem?"
The chief attendant urged him with a hint of annoyance. Just as Yuder was about to respond, a familiar voice came from right behind him.
"Yuder."
